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Pafloral Letter from the Bishop of Daulis, to his flock, on occafion of a perfecution being raised against them. [100.]

GEORGE, Bishop of Daulis, To all the Faithful, both Clergy and Laity, under our charge, health and benediction from our LORD. Dearly beloved in our LORD, AS you will, no doubt, be alarmed on feeing in the public papers what has just now happened in Edinburgh, against our friends there, we think it our duty to give you the earlieft information of that affair, and to adminifter to you fuch advice and confulation as the circumftances permit, and the occafion feems to require.

Although we had every reafon to expect, that the fame indulgence which was granted by the legiflature laft year to our brethren in En, land, would be extended this feffion of parliament to us in this country; yet feeing the great oppofition raifed in Scotland againft it, and the general alarm which was industriously spread over the nation on that account, it was judged expedient not to make any application to parliament for it at this time, but rather to forfeit our own eafe than expofe our country to any disturbance; hoping, through the mercies of God, that in fome after period, when the prefent ferment fhould fubfide, the minds of the people would return to thofe natural fentiments of compaffion which are due to innocence oppreffed, would fee how unjuft and groundlefs all thofe fears and jealoufies are which at prefent alarm them, and, instead of oppofing, would, for the honour of their country, concur with the juftice and humanity of the legillature to put us upon the fame footing with thofe of our brethren in all other parts of his Majefty's dominions.

We hoped this proof of our peaceable and fubmiffive difpofition, would fatisfy thofe, who, from the falfe and unjuft ideas they had formed of our holy religion, had fo violently declared against

us.

But in this we were greatly difappointed. The minds of the people, efpecially in Edinburgh, had been fo much inflamed by the virulent mifreprefentations both of our principles and practice, which in the news-papers and other pamphlets had been published among them, that no fubmiffion on our part was capable of pacifying their fury; but they

feemed in fome degree determined on our deftruction.

For fome time paft, but especially fince the middle of January, our friends in Edinburgh had been frequently alarmed with threats of deftruction from the mob, fometimes by word of mouth, fometimes by incendiary papers dropt in different parts of the city, and fometimes even by threatening letters fent to their own hou fes; and on Tuesday the 2d inftant thefe threats were effectually put in execution. The mob assembled that day with great fury, attacked both the houses poffeffec by our clergymen in Edinburgh, burni the one lately built, with all its contents to the ground, and pillaged and destroy ed the other: then they attacked the fhops and houfes of fome others of on people, which they treated in the fam manner; and threatened the fame de ftruction to all the reft. The fame fcen of horror was renewed next day, and continued more or lefs violent till Thurf day morning: fice which time thing have been more quiet; though ftill ou friends are alarmed with threats, and in finuations, that all is not yet over. By the bleffing of God, none of our bre thren fell into their hands; and we truf in his divine goodness, that he will con tinue to preferve them in fafety.

Though we cannot help being deeply afflicted for thefe fufferings of our dea people, and for the interruption of the exercifes of our holy religion; yet, con fiding in the arm of the Moft High, we hope for a speedy relief from his infinite goodnefs. We therefore earneftly be feech you all, not to be difcouraged under the afflicting hand of God, but to put your truft in his all-powerful goodnefs, who, when his own good time fhall come, will make the light to rife out of da knefs, and order out of confufion. To him let us pour forth our most fervent prayers for one another, that he may be pleafed to fulfil his bleffed will in us, and give us grace to bear this trial with that Chriftian patience and refignation which becomes his fervants. To thefe our prayers let us join a fincere repentance of all our fins, by which we have provoked his indignation againft us; that by offering to him the facrifice of an humble and contrite heart, which he will not defpife, he may be pleafed to turn away his anger from us, and again be reconciled to his people. And whereas fuch is his infinite goodnefs, that even when he is angry he

remembers mercy, and when he chastises us, as children, for our fins, intends at the fame time our greater advancement in virtue, let us not fail to co-operate with his fatherly views, but remember, that the time of fuffering is the time of trial; the fhewing our fidelity to God, and our fincerity in his service; the time of practising and increasing in our fouls the most heroic virtues of Chriftian patience, meeknefs, humility, refignation to the will of God, and confidence in ha. Let us therefore arm ourselves, dearly beloved in Christ, with these holy virtues, and thank our heavenly Father for giving us this opportunity of acquiring fo great a treasure to our fouls, and of fuffering for his name's fake; being well affured, that, if we be not wanting in doing our duty, his infinite goodness will turn out all to our greater good; for we kem that all things work together for good te them that love God, Rom. viii. and thro' many tribulations we must enter into the kingden of heaven, Acts xiv.

It was by perfecutions and trials that the greatest faints arrived at their crown; and who knows what the divine goodness may have in ftore for us? Let us only imitate the facred example they have left samidit their fiery trials; and this perfecution, like theirs, thall undoubtedly, through the mercies of our God, turn out to his greater glory and our greater good. Above all things we enjoin you, by the bowels of mercy of our God, not to alow the fmalleft refentment to enter your hearts against those who injure us: remember they are only the inftruments in the hands of God, who, like a tender father, chastises us his children by their means, but who could not touch a hair of our head, except in as far as they are permitted by him in this view, let us have all compaffion towards them, and pity their miftaken zeal, which makes them think, that by perfecuting us they de God a fervice: Let us imitate the example which our Lord gives us on the crofs, and pray for them in his words, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing; and let us earneftiy beg of him, not to lay their fins to their charge; but, by granting them a fincere repentance, bring them to eternal happinefs. It is thus we will fhew ourfelves children of our heavenly Father, and draw down a large benediction on our own fouls, according to thefe comforting words of our Lord, Blessed are ye when

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men shall perfecute you, and revile you, and fay all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my name's fake: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad in that day; for great is your reward in heaven.

May the God of heaven blefs you all, and preferve you for ever, in the practice of all good, and in the faith and love of our Lord Jefus. Amen. Feb. 8. 1779. GEO. DAULIEN.

Extracts from the imprefs-a. [106.] THE recruiting-act of laft feffion is re

pealed. A levy of able-bodied men is to be made throughout G. Britain. Juftices of the peace, commiflioners of the land-tax, and magiftrates of corporations and boroughs, are appointed commiffioners for putting the act in execution. High fheriffs, &c. upon notice from the fecretary at war, fhall iffue precepts for fummoning the commiflioners to meet, and qualify. Notice of the time of meeting fhall be sent to the war-office and admiralty. The commiffioners fhall appoint the times for the fucceeding meetings, in their fubdivifions, iffue precepts for that purpofe to the high conftables, &c. and give notice thereof to such military officers as fhall attend this fervice. No military officer (other than in the militia or fencible men) fhall be a commiffioner.

The commiffioners are impowered to levy, and to caufe to be levied," all able-bodied idle and diforderly perfons, who cannot, upon examination, prove themfelves to exercife and industriously follow fome lawful trade or employment, or to have some fubitance fufficient for their fupport and maintenance, to serve his Majefty as foldiers ;" and to call in the affiftance of parish and town officers, and iffue their warrants for bringing before them all fuch perfons as fhall appear to them to be within the defcription of this act; -- and

-"all able-bodied perfons who fhall be guilty of illegal landing, running, unfhipping, concealing, receiving, or carrying, prohibited goods, wares, or merchandifes, or any foreign goods liable to the payment of the duties of customs or excife, the fame duties not having been paid or fecured, or of aiding or affiting therein, and thall be thereof convicted before one or more of his Majefty's juftices of the peace for the county or place where the offence was committed, in amy penalty not exceeding forty pounds,

64

Extracts from the impress-act.

in lieu of fuch penalty, or any punishment to which fuch perfon may be liable by any law now in force."

Bailiffs followers, &c. fhall not be deem ed to exercise any employment, or to have fufficient maintenance.

The juftices are impowered, inftead of the punishments allotted by the act 170 Geo. II. on perfons convicted of running away from and leaving their families chargeable upon the parish, to inlift fuch perfons, and deliver them to the officer appointed to receive recruits.

Any juftice, on information upon oath where any able-bodied man, within the defcription of this act, is to be found, may iffue a warrant for apprehending him.

No perfon fhall be inlifted who is not an able-bodied man, and free from every bodily infirmity which may render him unfit to perform the duty of a foldier; or who shall appear to be under the age of fixteen years or above the age of fifty; or who, being under the age of eighteen years, fhall be under the fize of five feet three inches, or, being above the age of eighteen, fhall be under the fize of five feet four inches, without fhoes in both cafes.

No perfon fhall be impreffed who hath a vote for a member of parliament.

After the fecond meeting of the commiffioners, parish officers may fearch for and fecure fuch perfons as come within the defcriprion of the act, and convey them before a justice; who may commit them till the next meeting. Inhabitants are enjoined to be affifting in the furtherance of this fervice. A premium of ros. each man is to be paid for difcovering perfons that come within the defcription of the act. Perfons obftructing the execution of the act, forfeit 10l. which may be levied by diftrefs.

The commiffioners fhall examine the perfons brought before them; and, if found to come within the defcription of the act, fhall deliver them to the officer appointed to receive impreffed men, if he think them fit to be foldiers: And if any of these men appear to the officer and the commiffioners to be more proper for the fea than for the land fervice, the of ficer fhall caufe fuch man or men to be delivered to any fea-officer appointed for entering failors; the fea-officer giving the land-officer a receipt for the men he receives, and repaying the expences in curred.

The commiffioners prefent at the delivering over any recruit, may, upon demand made in his behalf, fignified to their clerk within four days after the meeting at which he fhall have been delivered over, and notified to each of the commiffioners who were prefent, appoint a further meeting of the commiffioners, at which any other commiffioners may alfo attend, to be holden within fix days after making the demand, unless the party appealing require a further reasonable time; and if they fhall find, that the man was not, when delivered over, within the defcription of the act, they fhall certify the fame to the secretary at war or admiralty, or to the general officer appointed to command in the district; who, on recei. ving fuch certificate, fhall cause the man to be forthwith discharged: And the re cruiting-officer fhall pay to the perfor difcharged one fhilling for each day h fhall have been detained; and the cleri fhall repay to the officer the several fumi paid to him by the officer.

Every perfon offering himself volunta rily before the 1ft of May 1780 fhall re ceive three guineas from the recruiting officer; fhall receive pay from the time of their entering; fhall be intitled to thei difcharge at the end of three years, i they demand it, unless the nation be ther engaged in war, in which case they shal continue in the fervice during the conti nuance of the war; fhall not, after ex piration of their fervice, be liable to sta tute-duty, or to serve parish-offices, oi in the militia, or in the land or fea fer vice unless they confent thereto; shall have the privilege of fetting up any trade agreeably to the act 3° Geo. III.; and, if discharged before the expiration of their term of fervice on account of wounds received in actual service, fhall be intitled to the fame privileges as if they had fer ved their full term. The names of vo lunteers, the places of their last abode #i known, the time and place when and where they did enter, the fums paid to them, the names of the officers who re ceived them, and the regiment or company for which they were received, fhall be entered in a book, and duplicates transmitted to the war-office or admiralty within forty days.

Impreffed men, who fhall have ferved five years, fhall be intitled to demand their difcharge, unless the nation be then at war, in which cafe they fhall remain in the fervice during the continuance of the war.

The

The Hiftory of 1777, continued. [18.]

NORTH AMERICA.

We have already [40. 569.-649.] Lewn the ftate and fituation of the ar mes in America during the winter and greater part of the fpring. As the feafon opened, and enlarged the field of enterprite, our commanders did not elect feizing thofe advantages which nature and their naval fuperiority preted, in a country deeply interfected by navigable rivers, and continually laid oren in other parts by the numberless islets and channels, which the peculiar conftruction of the islands and coafts ad. mit in their junction with the ocean and thofe rivers.

In the mean time a confiderable body of provincial troops was formed under the aufpices of Gen. Sir William Howe, which by degrees amounted to feveral thousand men, and which under that denomination included, not only American, but British and Irish refugees from the different parts of the continent. This corps was entirely officered, either by thufe gentlemen who for their attach ment to the royal cause had been obliged to abandon their respective proacts, or by thofe who lived under that protection in the New-York islands. The new troops were placed for the temporary time of their fervice, upon the fame footing as to pay, fubfiftence, and cloathing, with the established na. Bonal bodies of the royal army, with the further advantage to the private men and non commiffioned officers, that they were intitled to confiderable allotments of vacant lands at the end of the troubles. The meature, befides its utility in point of frength, afforded fome prefent proVicon to those who, having loft every thing in this unhappy conteft, were w thrown upon the crown, as their only refuge, for fupport; whilft, on the ether fide, instead of their being an heary and unprofitable burden to the crown, hey were placed in a condition which sabled them to become active and ufeinftruments in effecting its purpoles. At the fame time this acquifition of Arength, derived from and growing in he country, carried a moft flattering appearance, and feemed to indicate reburces for the profecution of the war the very theatre of action. As all new forces mußt of con VOL. XLI.

be

fervice in the field, fo it added much to much fitter for defence, than for active the apparent utility of this measure, that the royal provincials could immediately be difpofed of to the greatest advantage, in the protection and defence of New York and the adjacent islands, fupplying thereby the place of veteran troops, and affording a free scope to the distant operations of the grand army. To render this defenfive fyftem for the islands more complete, Gov. Tryon, who already in his civil capacity commanded the militia, and who had taken the utmost pains in its establishment, was now placed by the commander in chief at the head of the new corps, under the title and rank of Major-General of the provincials, whereby he was enabled effectually to com bine and bring into action the joint force of thefe feparate bodies.

The great natural ftrength of the coun try, the vicinity of the North river, with its convenience in respect to the feat of war, had induced the Americans, during the winter, to erect mills, and eftablish their principal magazines, in that rough and mountainous tract called the Manor of Courtland. Thus it be came their grand repofitory; and trufting in the fecurity of this natural citadel, neither induftry was lacking, nor expence spared, in abundantly providing it with immenfe fupplies of provifions, forage, and ftores, of all forts. A place, otherwife of no importance, called Peek's Kill, which lies about fifty miles up the North river from New York, ferved as a kind of port to Courtland Manor, by which it both received provifions, and dispensed supplies.

Sir William Howe was well aware of thefe circumstances in general, and was as well convinced of the decifive confe quences which muft enfue from the cutting off thofe refources, which the enemy had with fuch infinite labour and expence accumulated for the fupport and profecution of the war. A general attempt upon Courtland Manor, would not only be dangerous, from the firength of the country, and the impracticability of the ground; but muft from its ownL nature be rendered abortive; as the length, the parade, and the manner of the preparation, would afford the Americans time and warning to affemble their whole force in that quarter; where, if we still perfifted in our defign, we mult right under every poffible disadvantage,

and

and a moral certainty of great lofs; and if they did not chufe, even upon these terms, to hazard an engagement with us, they would have fufficient time to remove their magazines before we could bring the point to any decifion.

Peek's Kill was, however, within reach, and the General determined to profit of that circumitance. Col. Bird, with a detachment of about 500 men, under the conduct of a frigate of war, and other armed veffels, was fent on board fome tranfports up the North river, March 23. 1777, for that fervice. The enemy, upon the approach of the British armament, finding, or thinking, themfelves unequal to the defence of the place, and being convinced, that there was no poffible time to remove any thing but their arms and bodies, fet fire to the barracks and principal ftore houfes, and then retired to a ftrong pafs at about two miles diftance, which commanded the entrance into the mountains, and covered a road which led to fome of the mills and other depofits. The British troops, upon their landing, perceiving that they could not have time or opportunity to bring off the provifions or other articles, completed the conflagration. All the magazines were detroyed. The troops re-embarked when the fervice was performed, and the armament, after deftroying several small craft laden with provifions, returned. [39. 245.]

This fervice, however, was far from filling up the outline of the General's defign. The magazines at Peek's Kill were not of the importance and magnitude which he had been led to expect, and fomething, if poffible, muft ftill be done, to weaken the enemy by cutting off their refources. He obtained intelligence, that the Americans had depofited large quantities of ftores and provifions in the town or village of Danbury, and other places in the borders of Connectient, which lay contiguous to Courtland Manor. An expedition was accordingly undertaken for the deftruction of thefe depofits, the charge of which, as an introduction to his new military_com-. mand, was committed to Gov. Tryon, who was affifted by thofe active and able officers, Brig. Gen. Agnew, and Sir William Erskine. The expedition was faid to be undertaken on a plan of Gen. Tryon, who had flattered himfelf with finding a junction of many provincials

in that quarter as foon as he should ap pear with the troops.

The detachment appointed to thi fervice confifted of about 2000 men; wh being paffed through the found, unde the convoy of a proper naval armament were landed near Norwalk in Connecti cut, April. 25. about twenty miles t the fouthward of Danbury. As th country was in no state of preparation nor under any apprehenfion of the d fign, the troops advanced without in terruption, and arrived at Danbury th following day. They now perceived th the country was rifing to intercept the return; and as no carriages could! procured, if it had been otherwife pra ticable, to bring off the stores and pr vifions, they immediately proceeded the destruction of the magazine. In t execution of this prompt fervice, t town was unavoidably burnt.

The detachment returned on the 27 by the way of Ridgefield. In the me time the Gens Woofter, Arnold, a Silliman, having haftily arrived from di ferent quarters, and collected fuch m litia as were within their reach, ende voured by every possible means to inte rupt their march, until a greater for could arrive to fupport them with effe in the defign of cutting off their retrea The first of these officers hung upon t rear of the detachment, whilft Arnol by croffing the country, gained the front, in order to dispute their paffa through Ridgefield. Nor could the e cellent order, aud formidable appea ance, of the British forces, who h large covering parties, well furnishe with field-pieces, on their flanks and rea nor the tumultuary manner in which militia not very numerous were got t gether, prevent the Americans, upon very advantage of ground, from makin bold attempts to interrupt the progre of the King's army. In one of the fkirmishes, Woofter, an experience provincial officer, who had served wit fome reputation in the two former wars at an age approaching closely to feventy and in the active exertion of a valou which favoured more of rafhnefs that of the temperance and difcretion of the time of life, was mortally wounded and died with the fame refolution that he had lived.

The royal forces had only got quit of Woofter, when they found themfelves engaged with Arnold, who had got pul

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