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About this Time, it was declared, That, Vol. IX. the King had been pleafed to appoint, U Lieutenant General Carpenter his Majefty's Lieut. Gen. Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of ViEnvoy Extr. enna, in the Room of the Lord Cobham, to Vienna. who had defired Leave to return Home.

On the 15th of April, being Good Friday, the King, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, went to the Royal Chappel in St. James's Houfe, where Dr. Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester, preach'd before his Majesty.

Carpenter

receive the

On Eafter-Sunday his Majefty, and Both The King with their Royal Highneffes, receiv'd the Holy the Prince and Communion in the faid Chappel, with Princess of W. the highest Marks of Devotion, after ha- Communion ving made their Offerings; and in all April 17th. Refpects, conform'd themfelves to the Rites and Ceremonies to the Church of England: Which, 'tis to be hoped, will effectually defeat the Stale Infinuations of a Defigning Faction, of the Church being in Danger. Dr. Smalridge Lord Bishop of Bristol, and Lord Almoner to the King, adminiftred on that Occafion; after having preach'd an excellent Sermon,fuitable to the Solemnity of that great Festival of the Chriflian Church.

On Good Friday, about Five a clock in Mr. Prior inthe Evening, Mr. Prior, late Plenipoten- fulted in St. tiary in France, was infulted in St. James's James's Park. Park; which I am inform'd, was owing

to the following Adventure.

It seems, near Four Years ago, when Mr. Prior was employ'd in the CLANDESTINE NEGOTIATION between the Courts of Great Britain and France, he was stopp'd

314

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Vol. IX. stopp'd at Deal as a fufpected Perfon, by the Custom-house Officers, with a Pacquet, or Box, directed to the Lord Bolingbroke's Miftrefs. Captain St. Leger, an Irish Gentleman, who commanded a Ship, with a Commission of the King of Sweden, happening to be at Deal, at that very Time, the Custom-houfe Officers knowing he had liv'd many Years in London, and was well acquainted with the Town, desired him to look upon the Perfon they had ftopt, who refufed to tell his Name. The Captain, as foon as he fet his Eyes on the faid Perfon, knew him to be Mr. Prior; and perfuaded the Cuftom-house Officers to release him immediately, as a Perfon, who without Doubt, was employ'd in Secret Services, by the Miniftry. Some Time after, the Captain put to Sea; and being by Strefs of Weather, forc'd to put into Calais, the firft Perfon he met with, upon his landing, was Mr. Prior. The latter being jealous, that the Captain was a Whiggish Spy, fet upon him to watch his Motions every where, declared his Sufpicions to the Governor of Calais, who, without any more ado, caufed Captain St. Leger to be apprehended, and clapp'd in Prifon. The Captain was afterwards removed to other Prifons; where he continued above Two Years, and among other Sufferings, loft most of his Teeth. Being enlarg'd, upon the Conclufion of the Peace, he defired to know of the Intendant, or Chief Magiftrate of the Place, the Reason why he had been thus detain'd fo long in Goal, and barbaroully

ufed

ufed? He was told, he must e'en either Vol. IX. be contented with his Liberty, or return to his Prifon; For they were not to an fwer Questions. Hereupon, he went to Paris, and made his Complaints to the Secretary of State, about the ill Treatment he had receiv'd: But that Minister faid, He knew nothing of the Matter, and he must expoftulate with Mr. Prior about it. Finding it impoffible to call him to an Account while he was in France with a Character, the Captain cam over, about a Year ago, expecting a proper Opportunity to right himself. Meeting with Mr. Prior at the Time and Place before mention'd, he expoftulated with him; demanded Satisfaction; and bid him go out to fight him: But the Pacifick Minifter, being unwilling to offend the Laws of God and Man, refus'd the Combat. What follow'd upon it, is variously reported, fome pretending, that some Body's Nose was wrung; and others affirming, That only a few uncouth Names were bestow'd upon the Quandam Plenipotentiary.

Rogues in St.

Be that as it will, the next † Day,+ April 16th another Accident happen'd, between Ten The Countess and Eleven at Night: The Countess of of Albemarle Albemarle going through St. James's Park attack'd by 3 in a Sedan, attended with Three Foot- James'sPark. men, was fet upon by Three Rogues, who undoubtedly, had a Defign upon her Jewels; and who beat and difpers'd her Servants; But the Guard coming up to her Ladyfhip's Relief, one of the Rogues was apprehended, and afterwards commit

Sf

ted

Vol. IX. ted to Newgate: Bat the other Two efcaped in the Dark.

* April 17th. The next Evening * Horatio Walpole, Mr. Horatio Efq; who for fome Time, had taken care rives from the of the Affairs of Great Britain at the Hague, Hague. arriv'd in London.

Walpole ar

On Monday the 18th of April, the Four TheGuards re- Troops of Life-Guards, and the Two view'd by the Pr. of Wales. Troops of Horfe-Grenadiers, were review'd in Hyde-Park, by his Royal High

The King goes

Remarkable

Sun.

nefs the Prince of Wales, and his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, who, as Captain General, prefented the New Officers, to their respective Troops.

On Thursday, the 21ft, the King went to Hampton to his Royal Palace at Hampton-Court, and Court. in the Evening return'd to St. James's. The next Morning happen'd the Eclipfe of the most remarkable Eclipe, that has been feen in Great Britain for above 500 Years * April 22d. past. According to the Obfervations made by Dr. Halley, and other Learned Members of the Royal Society, it begun here in London at VIII of the Clock, VI Minutes, XIII Seconds, and ended at X of the Clock, XX Minutes, XV Seconds. This Eclipfe was almost central for the whole Difcus of the Sun was totally immerfed, or hid from us by the Difcus of the Moon, for the space of III Minutes XXIII Seconds; that is from IX of the Clock, IX Minutes, XVII Seconds to IX of the Clock, XII Minutes, XL Seconds. During the total Immerfion, or Darkness, there appear'd a luminous Circle round the Difcus of the

Moon

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Moon,; which fome Mathematicians, at Vol. IX. first thought to be occafion'd by the Athmofphere of that Planet, but were afterwards of Sir Ifaac Newton's Opinion, that the fame was caufed by the Athmofphere of the Sun. Some Minutes before and after the total Darkness not only the Planets Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus, were feen Weftward of, and about the fame beight, above the Horizon, with the Sun; but feveral fix'd Stars were likewife difcover'd. The Sky being clear, ferene, and calm, this extraordinary Phænomenon was feen here in the greatest Perfection and Aftronomers had the Opportunity to obferve it with the utmost Nicety. Monfieur le Chevalier de Louville, and Monfieur de Montmaur, Two French Mathematians, being come over from Paris, for that very Purpose, were very civilly entertain❜d by Dr. Sloane, and feveral other Members of the Royal Society, with whom they made their Obfervations, having brought their own Inftruments from France. It must be observ'd, in Praise of those Two Foreigners, that they had before-hand, calculated this Eclipfe more exactly than fome of our English Mathematicians; for the former were pofitive that the fame would be near Central, and the Immersion total in London; whereas one of the latter was, fome Time, in doubt about it; and another affirm'd the Contrary. The Learned Mr. Whifton, agreed with the French Mathematicians, about the Time and Totality of the Eclipfe, having, both made their Calculations according Sf 2

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