On Wensday, his majestie designs to come and settle at Kensington for some time. The lord Walgraves brother, with two of the late poet Drydens sons, and other English and Scotch gentlemen, are arrived here from Rome, being dismist the popes guards, and succeeded by natives. This day ended the poll (which began on Monday) for 4 members of parliament for this citty. Sir William Ashurst had......... 3283 Sir Robert Clayton ........... 3152 · 3095 2808 2715 Sir William Pritchard ............ 2126 And the majority falling on the 4 first, they were declared by the sheriffs, but a scrutiny being demanded, 'twas granted. Sir George Rook is married to one madam Lutterell, a young lady of Somersetshire. Saturday, 25 Jan.-On Wensday, the duke of Norfolk (earl marshal of England) held a court of chivalry at the heralds office, assisted by several eminent lawyers, and learned pleadings were made, whither the citation issued by that court against Mr. Savage (who married the countesse dowager of Coventry) was good or not, the present earl of Coventry complaining that the said Mr. Savage quartered his arms with his lordships; upon which the earl marshal gave his opinion, that the citation was good, and ordered Mr. Savage to give 300l. security to try the cause the 5th of Febr., to which day the court adjourned, having first ordered attachments against one Mr. Garraway and others for taking coats of arms which did not belong to them. We hear that some forces are ordered out of Ireland to the isles of Jersey and Guernsey, for fear of a surprize from France; and that the French ambassador here will, in a little time, have audience of leave, and be succeeded by marshal Boufflers or count Guiscard. Foreign letters say, that the states general have adjourn'd their next meeting till March, suppos'd to evade giving any answer to the new instructions the French ambassador daily expects from his master about their owning the king of Spain, till such time they know what measures the parliament of England will take in relation to that affair. They say also the Dutch have in effects at Cadiz to the value of 14 millions of livres. An expresse is sent for Scotland with further instructions to the duke of Queensbury, his majesties commissioner; and it's beleived the parliament there will not sit much longer. Sir William Gostwick, knight of the shire for Bedfordshire, is dead. A proclamation is daily expected for reducing French pistolls to 178. id. One of the East India ships lately cast away was the Scepter, coming into St. George's channel; the captain and 9 of the men only sav'd. Tuesday, 28 Jan.-Yesterday, the old East India company held a general court, and appointed 7 of their directors to treat with the like number of the new company about an accomodation; after which the old companies actions fell 37. per cent., and is now 102; the new, 127; and Bank, 117. The same day they had advice of the arrival of the fleet frigat from China, worth 150,0col., 40,000l. whereof is in raw silks. The lord Ranelagh is paying 2 months clearings to the forces in England, ending at Christmas last, and one months subsistance, to the 25th instant, according to his majesties order in council last Thursday. Sir Littleton Powis has surrendred his place of one of the barons of the exchequer upon his being sworn a judge of the kings bench court, where he will sitt to morrow; and Mr. serjeant Berry of Grays Inn is to succeed him in the exchequer. This day came in 2 Dutch posts, which say the Turkish ambassador, who was lately at Vienna, has been strangled by the grand seigniors order at Temeswaer. The Venetians begin to incline to the emperors interest, and seem not averse to grant his troops passage thro their territories. That the new king of Prussia, in consideration of that title, is to maintain 10,000 men for 6 years at his own charge in the emperors service, and to renounce all subsidies due to him from the imperiall court. That the king of Sueden is sending 17,000 men towards Novogrod, and designs to march with the rest of his army to Ploscow; but there is great appearances of an accomodation between him, the king of Poland, and the Czar, the latter having thank'd the states of Holland for their proffer'd mediation, desiring them to send a plenipotentiary to set a treaty on foot. That the French are fitting out 15 men of war at Thoulon to meet and convoy the Spanish galleons to Cadiz. A vessel, by stresse of weather forc'd into Calais, arriv'd this day in the river Thames, and reports that the French had sent 5000 men to take possession of Newport and Ostend. Thursday, 30 Jan.-The Scotch parliament have passed a vote to this effect, That in regard of the never to be forgotten deliverance which it pleased God to give that kingdom by his majestie, and that their happinesse depends, under God, on the preservation of his person and security of his government, that they will stand by and support both to the utmost of their power, and maintain such forces as shal be necessary for those ends. Some days since, Mr. Savil, a clergy man, to whose son the late marquesse of Hallifax gave the greatest part of his estate, was drowned as he was returning to Yorkshire, the waters being out. Yesterday died Sir Creswell Levinz, serjeant at law. Vpon news of the French taking possession of Newport and Ostend, all publick stocks here are fallen: viz. Bank to 1137.; old East India, 887.; new, 1187.; million bank, 651.; and African, 187. We hear the states general are sending hither 4 deputies to represent to his majestie their present state of affairs. That most of the princes of Germany have declared they will assist the emperor in this juncture. The king of Prussia has sent to the Hollanders, that upon the first notice he will send them 10,000 men, and the princes of Lunenburgh 12,000 more; and in the mean time we expect to hear that the Dutch troops in Namur, Mons, and Charleroy, &c. are disarmed. The English fleet of 53 men of war is ordered to be ready to put to sea in April, and the Dutch are fitting out about the like number. The lords of the treasury have ordered the attorney general forthwith to draw up a proclamation for reducing pistolls to 178. Id. Sir William Gostwycke of Bedfordshire is not dead, as was reported. Yesterday, 10 persons, viz. 9 men and 1 woman, lately condemned at the Old Baily for robbery, burglary, &c. were executed at Tyburn. Saturday, 1 Feb.—We have an account from the Streights that a French squadron is arrived at Cadiz, and another gone for Gibralter with an engineer on board, to inlarge the forts and blockhouses there, and double their number of guns, which are now but 9 in each fort; and a squadron of ships is to be there to command the Streights mouth. It's said marshal Boufflers is march't with 25,000 men to possesse himself of Brussells and other garrisons in the Netherlands, and that they design'd to secure the elector of Bavaria. In the mean time we expect impatiently a post from those parts to know what movements the French have made, and whither it be true that the Spaniards have stopt several peices of cannon the states were sending up the Maese for Maestricht; and that the regents of Spain have ordered their governors in the West Indies not to suffer any foreign ships to enter their ports but the French. Bank stock is this day at 1067.; old East India, 787.; new, IIol.; million bank, 687.; and African, 147. Captain Dampier is daily expected home in the Roebuck from Batavia, having (as tis said) been successful in discovering those lands he went in search of. The Scotch parliament, upon a division, carried it by 14, to maintain 3000 men for his majesties service. Last night the court of delegates sat again at Serjeants Inn, examining the cause between the lord Howard of Escrick and the lady Inchiqueen; she prayeing that his marriage with Mrs. Pyke, in July, 1689, may be declared good, and his ma riage since with her ladyship made void, that she may be at liberty to dispose of her person and fortune. Tuesday, 4 Febr.-Yesterday count Tallard, the French ambassador, had his audience of leave; and this afternoon a private audience of his majestie at Kensington, count Guiscard being expected here in a little time to succeed him. The Dutch ambassador here sayes the states are much concerned, they having 20 batallions in Flanders surrounded by the French; and a letter, said to come from thence, advises that the French have disarmed 14 Dutch regiments, and the elector of Bavaria to be gone from thence to Munick, a pallace of his in Germany. Our merchants are in great pain for the effects they have on board the Spanish flota lately arriv'd at Cadiz, being affraid the French king will seize the same. Thomas Foley, sen., esq., member of parliament for Droitwich, is dead, and has left an estate of 10,000l. per ann.; as also is Mr. Thursby, member for Northampton, lately cut for the stone. It's said sir William Wogan is removed from being one of the Welch judges, and 'tis beleived will be succeeded by Mr. serjeant Le Neve. Mr. Villiers, brother to the lord chamberlain, is made one of the commissioners of the Alienation office, worth 200l. per ann., in the room of Mr. Peregrine Bertie, deceased. The French king, perceiving the emperor and other princes and states are making great preparations for war, has ordered his army to be increased to 193,000 men. This morning, Mr. Shepherd, a noted banker in Lumbard street, having great summs of money drawn upon him, occasion'd by the fall of the publick stocks, was forc'd to stop payment at present. There are about 150 new members chosen in this parliament, and 'tis generally beleived Mr. Robert Harley will be chose speaker. Thursday, 6 Febr.-Tuesday night the court of delegates gave sentence in the cause between the lord Howard of Escrick and the lady Inchiqueen, which was declaring a nullity in the marriage with her ladyship, there being full proof by 5 witnesses of a prior marriage with Mrs. Pike of Stafford, in the |