Page 33 - Reading Mercury

from that time every person must be careful not to take a guinea that wants more than
sixpence, or half a guineas wanting more than three-pence.
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After the 15 of July those persons who have guineas wanting more than six-pence,
and under a shilling, and half guineas wanting more than three-pence, and under
st
sixpence, may have them exchanged any time before the 31 of August, by applying
at the Bank, or at the other places named in the proclamation. The days for
exchanging deficient gold money at the Bullion office in the Bank, will be on
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Mondays, Wednesdays or Saturdays, (holidays excepted) from the said 15 of July to
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the 31 of August following.

A scheme is in Agitation for building a military house on Portsmouth Downs,
capable of holding 1500 Mtd., in the same Manner as those in Brest and Toulon.

Last week as Richard and John Piper, fishermen at Eton, were drawing the river for
salmon, they caught a most extraordinary fish, by name Torpedo, between
Maidenhead and Windsor bridges, which kind of fish was never known to be taken in
the river Thames since the memory of man, John Piper’s hand was void of sensation
for more than an hour, in extracting the fish from the net.

On Monday morning as the wagon of Mr. Bailey, brewer, of Eversly, Hants was
returning home with a load of peat, the driver by some means fell under the wheel,
and was killed on the spot; it is imagined that he was as-leep on the shafts. The
coroner’s inquest brought in their verdict Accidental Death.

On Wednesday as Samuel House, a young man about 30 years of age, was mowing
in Mrs. Dalby’s park, at Hurst, he was seized with an apoplectic fit and fell on his
scythe; Mr. Wheeler, jun. Surgeon of this town, was accidentally riding by, and
immediately opened a vein which bled a little, he continued insensible about half an
hour, and then expired.

Friday night, the Salisbury wagon was stopped at Bellfound Lane, by two
highwaymen, who robbed the driver of two shillings and told him they were then
greatly in distress, but the next time they met with him, they would give him double
the sum they took from him.---They afterwards robbed several post-chaises,

Last week Mr. Tremain of Chichester, organist, missed his servant maid, and on
searching after her, found her hanging on the stairhead; she was immediately cut
down, and a surgeon sent for to bleed her, but unhappily it was too late to be of any
service, what is remarkable, she informed her master the preceding day that she had
dreamed she had bought a rope to hang herself.

We hear from Portsmouth that one of the labourers of the dock-yard going home to
dinner, and entering his house, observed a sword lying on a table, which a little
alarmed him; however, he took the sword and went to his bed-chamber, where he saw
its owner with his wife, in no very agreeable situation, on which he drew the sword
from the scabbard, and swore he would run him ‘thro’ the body, when the hero
jumped up, fell on his knees, saying, for God’s sake spare my life, and I will give you
any thing you require; and at the same time presented the poor cuckold with £50, took
him to his house, and added £50 more, when he desired his sword might be returned:

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