Page 52 - Reading Mercury

in cases of invasion and insurrections, they humbly conceive it to be the only proper
repository to be resorted to in times of imminent danger.
“We further beg leave to inform your Excellency, that, from various reports at
present prevailing in different parts of the country too much reason to believe that
some wicked and designing persons have instilled the most diabolical notions into the
minds of our slaves, and that therefore the utmost attention to our internal security is
become the more necessary.
“The circumstances of this city, my Lord, we consider as peculiar and critical. The
inhabitants from the situation of the magazines in the midst of their city, have, for a
long tract of time, been exposed to all the dangers which have happened in many
countries from explosions and other accidents. They have, from time to time, thought
it incumbent on them to guard their magazine. For their security they have, for some
time past, judged it necessary to keep strong patroles on foot in their present
circumstances then, to have the chief and necessary means of their defence removed,
cannot but be extremely alarming. Considering ourselves as guardians of the city, we
therefore humbly desire to be informed by your Excellency, upon what motives, and
for what particular purpose, the powder has been carried off in such a manner: and
we earnestly entreat your Excellency to order it to be immediately returned to the
magazine.
The Gunpowder Incident happened the day after the Battles of Lexington and
Concord began the American Revolution, but before word of these battles arrived in
Virginia. The entire incident caused Governor Murray to fear for his safety and move
on to a navy ship in the York River, effectively ending royal rule in Virginia.
be
th
Fri 14 July
Thursday morning last, between two and three o’clock, the Gloucester stage coach
was stopped little beyond High Wycombe, by three highwaymen, who took from a
young lady in it, two sequins, a dollar, about seventeen shillings, and a trinket; from
another lady about a dozen shillings; from a gentleman a guinea and six or seven
shillings; and from another gentleman his watch, and about sixteen or seventeen
shillings in money. Every carriage betwixt Wheatley and High Wycombe was robbed
by the same highwaymen, and; and among others the Worcester coach with two ladies
in it, from one of whom they took a gold watch and ten guineas. They began with a
stage wagon a little the other side of Wheatley, where they had been seen on
Wednesday in the afternoon, the driver of which they plundered as well as the
passengers. They then took the Birmingham Diligence and Fly, the driver of one of
which they abused greatly and struck with a pistol. They also beat a farmer in the
Diligence, who was rather in liquor, much about the breast, for being unwilling to
deliver up three guineas and a half, which he had about him; and told the people in
one of the Birmingham carriages, that they intended clearing the road. They were all
three young fellows mounted on bay horses, one tall and well made, the other two
slight and shorter.
A Caution,---There has lately appeared a great number of new guineas made of base
metal and full weight. They are easily known, being thicker in the middle than any
other part, and found very bad.

th
Fri 15 Sept
Extract of a letter from Coalbrookdale, Sept, 9.
“Last night, about ten o’clock, most of the inhabitants of this place were alarmed with
a smart shock of an earthquake, attended with a rushing noise; the earth at first

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