d burning till noon
next day, when the ruins of it fell into the river. The destruction of
this conveniency proved very detrimental to the commerce of the city,
notwithstanding the vigilancy and discretion of the magistrates, in
applying remedies for this misfortune. A promise of the king's pardon
was offered in a public advertisement, by the secretary of state, and
a reward of two hundred pounds by the city of London, to any person who
should discover the perpetrator of such wicked outrage; but nevertheless
he escaped detection. No individual, nor any society of men, could have
the least interest in the execution of such a scheme, except the body
of London watermen; but as no discovery was made to the prejudice of any
person belonging to that society, the deed was imputed to the malice of
some secret enemy to the public. Even after a new temporary bridge
was erected, another attempt was made (in all probability by the same
incendiary) to reduce the whole to ashes, but happily miscarried, and a
guard was appointed to prevent any such atrocious efforts in the sequel.
Dangerous tumults were raised in and about Manchester, by a prodigious
number of manufacturers who had left off working, and entered into a
combination to raise, by force, the price of their labour. They had
formed a regular plan, and collected large sums for the maintenance of
the poorer sort, while they refused to work for their families. They
insulted and abused all those who would not join in this defection,
dispersed incendiary letters; and denounced terrible threats against all
such as should presume to oppose their proceedings. But these menaces
had no effect upon the magistrates and justices, who did their duty with
such discretion and courage, that the ringleaders being singled out and
punished by law, the rest were soon reduced to order.

TRIALS OF DRS. HENSEY AND SHEBBEARE

In the month of June, Florence Hensey, an obscure physician, and native
of Ireland, who had been apprehended for treasonable practices, was
tried in the court of king's-bench, on an indictment for high treason.
In the course of the trial it appeared that he had been employed as
a spy for the French ministry; to which, in consideration of a paltry
pension, he sent intelligence of every material occurrence in Great
Britain. The correspondence was managed by his brother, a Jesuit, who
acted as chaplain and secretary to the Spanish ambassador at the Hague.
The British reside