nals and Minutes of the House of Lords, which have been missing since the burning of the Houses of Parliament in 1834, have been discovered at a cheesemonger's. As a gentleman who resides at Walworth was passing along the Walworth Road, his attention was attracted by some old books, &c., in the shop of Mr. Terry, cheesemonger, at the corner of Amelia Street. On closer inspection, he discovered no fewer than 12 books, which appeared to be the Journals or daily Minutes of the proceedings of the House of Lords, comprising the following dates-1780, 1781, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1798, 1799, 1801, 1803, 1805, 1806. One of the books was purchased and taken to the Library of the House of Lords, when it was instantly identified. Messengers went to Mr. Terry and purchased the other 12 volumes, at the price of common waste paper. The account given by Mr. Terry is, that he some time since purchased them, with about a ton weight of other papers, at a sale of the effects of the late Mr. Croft, one of the Librarians of the House of Lords. - 24. DARING BURGLARY. Derby, William Pinder, aged 41, Thomas Davies, aged 25, and William Davis, aged 40, were this day indicted charged with having on the night of the 27th of June last, at Brackenfield, burglariously broken and entered the dwellinghouse of John Newton, and stolen therefrom a silver mustard-pot, pepper-box, and cream-jug, seven spoons, and other articles of value, also an accountable receipt from the Chesterfield Savings Bank for the deposit of 50l., and one sovereign and ten shillings. The prisoners were part of a gang which for some time had been the terror of the county; of their daring and violence the present robbery is a specimen. The prosecutor deposed that he farmed about 50 acres of his own land, and his house was in a very retired situation, no other dwellinghouse being near it. His sister, Elizabeth Horton, lived with him. Soon after midnight on the 27th of June, he was awakened by hearing footsteps in the house-place, and went to the window and called out several times, "Who is there? and saw one person in the garden, who, as soon as he called out, began throwing stones at his bedroom window, and breaking the glass. About the same time he heard the men in the house violently force open the door that leads from the house-place to the staircase. He then left his bedroom, and was standing at the top of the stairs, when three men attempted to come up the stairs. The first man had a black veil over his face, and was otherwise disguised. Witness had a carpenter's tool in his hands, called an adze, with which he struck him as hard as he could over his head. The man instantly fell upon his knees. They all then retired into the house-place, where he could hear a washing going on. In the morning they found the pan of milk which had been left upon the table much discoloured and more like blood than milk. He went back into his bedroom, and bolted the door after him, but soon after he had laid himself down again upon the bed the room door was broken open, and three men came into the room with masks over their faces, one or two having black hoods over their heads. One of the masks was white and the other black. He was upon the bed, and they came up to him, and one of them instantly struck him a severe blów upon his head with a short piece of iron. They then demanded his money. He told them that he had none in the house; they said that they knew better. He then told them that his purse was under the bed, and it had only some silver in it, which they took out, leaving the purse. They then said that they knew that he had more money, and if he would not give it to them, they would murder him, and set the bed on fire and burn the house down. They also made other threats of violence. They then began to force open all the chests and boxes which were in the room, and took the property stated in the indictment. After this they came to his bedside and fastened his hands together with a strong piece of cord, and also his feet, and then fastened him to his bed, and also cut one of his feet with a knife. They then pulled the feather bed from under him and covered him over with it. They went to his sister's bed, which was in the same room, and, after they had tied her hands together, left the room, and proceeded down stairs, and there regaled themselves upon bread and cheese and milk. He thought they were in the house about an hour. The next morning he and his sister found a good blue braided cap, hoods, masks and a black veil, now produced, and in the field adjoining the house a coloured silk handkerchief, which appeared to have had much blood upon it, that had been partly washed out. The identity of the prisoners being satisfactorily made out, they were all convicted, and sentenced to transportation for 20 years. 25. DARING BURGLARY-MAIDSTONE.-John Joseph Clark, aged 27, was indicted for the capital offence of burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Augustus Munyard, and stealing two watches, some plate and other valuable property; and at the time of committing the burglary it was alleged that the prisoner beat and wounded the prosecutor. The offence for which the prisoner was now tried was committed under very extraordinary and aggravated circumstances. The prosecutor is a farmer, residing in a rather lonely position in the parish of Meopham, and as it was his custom not to allow his men-servants to sleep on the premises, the only inmates of the house at night were himself, his wife, and a female servant. They retired to bed at the usual hour on the 1st of June, and about midnight the prosecutor was awoke by hearing a noise at his bedroom window. He at first imagined there was an alarm of fire, and, on his getting up and going towards the window, he observed the heads of two men, who were apparently standing on a ladder; the men were disguised by having their shirts over their clothes, and a sort of white cap over their faces, with holes in it to look through. Before the prosecutor had any opportunity of observing them particularly, or to offer any resistance, the window was crushed in, and several men, all disguised in the manner stated, jumped into the room, and commenced a most brutal attack upon the prosecutor with bludgeons, and one of the ruffians also struck him with an iron bar. He begged for mercy, and at length he was permitted to get into bed, and the villains then insisted upon having the money that was in the house. The prosecutor informed them that there was very little money in the house at the time, and they then demanded the plate, and they compelled the wife of the prosecutor to accompany them down stairs and show them where it was kept, two of the gang keeping guard over the prosecutor, while the rest went down stairs to get the property. The wife of the prosecutor then delivered up the money that was in her possession, and also the plate, and one of the gang wrapped up the property in a bundle, and took it out and delivered it to a confederate, who was waiting outside. The prosecutor's wife was then compelled to get into bed again, while the ruffians ransacked the house, and while so engaged they discovered a receipt for some money, upon which they returned to the bedroom and repeated their demand for money, asserting that they were certain there was some in the house, and one of the ruffians declared that if it was not given up, he would set fire to the bed and burn them both in it. The prosecutor still persisted in declaring that he had no more money, and at length the gang of ruffians left the house, taking with them the booty they had obtained. In consequence of the effectual manner in which they had disguised themselves, neither the prosecutor nor his wife was able to speak to the identity of any of the persons concerned in the outrage, but the guilt of the prisoner was clearly established by the evidence of one of the gang, a man named Prior, who was admitted a witness for the Crown. The Jury returned a verdict of "Guilty." Judgment of death recorded, but the prisoner will be transported for life. 25. THE PORTLAND HARBOUR OF REFUGE.-The foundation of a great work of national defence was commenced by Prince Albert on Wednesday, by depositing the first stone of the breakwater which is to convert the Portland Roads into a harbour of refuge approachable in all winds for the largest English fleet. The foundation-stone was laid by simply dropping it at a signal from huge iron hooks which griped it and held it above the sea; it was an enormous mass of 14 tons weight, and fell into the sea with a booming plunge of the most imposing grandeur! After the ceremony of depositing the stone, Prince Albert inspected the system of convict discipline established in the Isle of Portland. The chief means of reformative discipline will be employment at once salutary to the prisoners and beneficial to the State, for the labour of constructing the prodigious works which are to form the harbour will be performed by the convicts. THE 26. THUNDER-STORM IN METROPOLIS. A very violent storm burst over the metropolis about two o'clock P.M., and lasted a considerable time. The rain descended in torrents, and there was a brief shower of hail; the lightning was vivid, and the peals of thunder astounding. Damage was done by the lightning in most parts of London. At Whitechapel many buildings suffered; and a young man was killed, in the act of talking with another at his own door. A man who received a shock was rendered motionless for a time, and was found to have lost his reason. The clock-tower of St. Saviour's, Southwark, was struck, and a stone knocked out and shivered to pieces; the fragments breaking in the roof where they fell. 29. SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN DRURY LANE.-For the last few weeks the upper floor of a large building in Charles Street, Drury Lane, formerly used as a coach factory, had been occupied by a body of Roman Catholics as a chapel. On Sunday evening there was a crowded assembly to hear Dr. Faa preach. Three or four men having leaned against an upright post in the chapel which was not properly secured, it was partially displaced; some persons were alarmed by the noise, and a cry of fire arose. The people in the street hearing it, increased the clamour, and besought the congregation to escape. There was a frightful rush to the stairs, and upwards of a hundred persons crowded on them; the stairs gave way with a crash, and the people were hurled down to the basement in one struggling mass. The greatest confusion ensued. Nearly 20 persons were found to have been grievously hurt; 14 of whom were conveyed to King's College Hospital. Of the people who were in the room after the stairs fell, several leaped from a window to the street, a depth of 40 feet, and some were much hurt; many scrambled over adjoining roofs, and the rest had to be taken down by means of fire-escapes and ladders a work of several hours' duration. 28. CHARGE OF MURDER SHREWSBURY- Mercy Catherine Newton, aged 30, was charged with having, on December 5, 1848, at the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, in the borough of Bridgenorth, killed and murdered Anne Newton, her mother. The mode of killing was laid in eight or nine different ways strangulation, smothering, &c. The prisoner, who had been put on her trial at the last assizes, when the jury were discharged without giving a verdict, is 30 years of age. The deceased was VOL. XCI 72 years of age, and was very quick and acute for that time of life, but was rather "flighty." She was not insane, but at times she was much excited, and would say very unreasonable things. She had the interest of 500l. settled on her for life; after her death the prisoner was to have 2001. absolutely at once, and the interest of the remainder for life. For a long time before the death of the old woman she and the prisoner had not been on good terms. The prisoner repeatedly expressed a wish for her mother's death, so that she might get the 2001., and complained that the old was living on her property and keeping her out of it till her (prisoner's) hair was become gray. A twelvemonth before the night in question she beat her mother with a whip so shockingly that pieces of flesh were completely cut out of her arms, and on Mary Corfield, a fellow-servant of the prisoner at Mr. Dyer's, remonstrating with her, she replied, her, let her die ;" and even when the surgeon who came to dress the wounds complained to her of the cruelty of her conduct, she said she was sorry she had not finished her. Five months before the death she again beat the old woman with a whip, and when Mary Corfield interfered she threatened to treat her in the same manner. She had recently gone on her knees to her mother and begged of her to commit suicide, and she would supply her with the things necessary for the purpose. When Dr. Newal twice remonstrated with her on beating the poor woman, she on each occasion answered, I am sure I shall kill her some day or other, and I know I shall come to be hanged for it." She was repeatedly heard G to express regret that the old woman had lived so long, and was keeping her out of the money; and to threaten that she would shorten her mother's days, and to express fears that her mother would be the cause of her coming to an untimely end. This horrible idea she repeatedly endeavoured to carry into effect, by the most brutal treatment of her unhappy mother. She appears to have made many attempts to strangle, to choke, to drown, to starve the poor old woman. These attempts were frustrated generally by Mary Corfield, and the prisoner was repeatedly cautioned by the magistrates; but no one seems to have dreamt of interfering to save the old woman from ultimate murder. At length, on the night of the 4th of December, the old woman came to Mr. Dyer's house; she slept on a sofa in the kitchen; Corfield slept in her master's bedroom to attend to him; the prisoner should have slept up stairs. During the night Corfield heard noises, and towards morning was awakened by a smell of fire and a sense of suffocation. She aroused a nephew of her master's; they went into the kitchen, which was splashed with water, and wet; the sofa was on fire-there was a good deal of water on the sofa and pillows. The old woman was not there; the prisoner came in from the back premises, half intoxicated. Corfield, on going out of the kitchen, towards the brewhouse, found the deceased lying on her face across the steps of the brewhouse, apparently burnt to death; upon which she returned to the kitchen, and cried out, "Good God, the old woman is dead; she is burnt to death!" The prisoner made no remark. Mr. Doughty then said, "You wretch, you have Her murdered the old woman at last." To this, too, she made no answer. On being asked how the fire happened, she said she was in bed, and finding a smell of fire, came down, and seeing the sofa burning took water out of the tub and "douted" (i. e. quenched) it. She was then so drunk that, one of the men who had been brought to the house by the uproar standing by her, she put her arms round his neck and kissed him. hands were examined and found to be slightly scorched and blistered. In the left sleeve of her shift there was a hole burned, and on her left elbow there was found a corresponding burn, and her arm from wrist to elbow was all burned. Her dress was also singed and wet from the knees down, and very dirty. On searching her bed-room it was ascertained that she had not been in bed. There was the mark of some one having laid down on the outside of the bed. The doorpost of the kitchen leading into the yard was much burnt at the height of about three feet from the ground, and even the ironwork was heated to some extent. Some of the witnesses thought that the burning of the doorpost must have been effected while the deceased was in an erect position, and the theory for the defence was, that the old woman, finding herself accidentally on fire, was proceeding to the brewhouse, where she knew there was a barrel of water, and leaned in her way against the doorpost. The theory on the other side seemed to be, that the prisoner, on dragging out the dead body, partially on fire, might have from fear, doubt, confusion, design, or weak. ness, rested for a short time at the door, and the fresh air rushing on to the flames might have suddenly |