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fpirited petitioner, No, I wont," faid Philip. Then μη Βασιλεύητο. King it no more, added fhe. The reproof had the defired effect, for he inftantly examined the cafe with patience, and redresfed her wrongs. In the Manfion-house, fuch a ftern reply is feldom heard, to the meanest petitioner. Indeed, as the magiftrates of this town are almost all men of business, and as all claffes of the inhabitants are deeply concerned in trade in its numerous ramifications, they confider (and justly too) that the interefts of the governors and the governed are infeparably connected.

We have rather anticipated in a former part of our work, fome obfervations on the furniture, regalia, old armour, rooms of ftate, and of convenience in the Manfion-house. We shall not therefore repeat any further details of thefe articles of lefs concern.

We have juft only to add, that for the fake of fome improvements in the front of the Manfion-house, fome years ago, the corporation purchafed the building eastward of it, where they erected what is now called the new room, which is very fpacious, where public entertainments at the affizes, quarter feffions, guilds, &c. are given by the mayor.

CUSTOM-HOUSE.

The house which many years ago was appropriated to receiving the customs, was at the head of the quay. It appears to have been of great antiquity, and probably built almoft as early as the embanking of the river. But in proportion as commerce rapidly increafed, it was found inconvenient. The corporation therefore, having procured a central fituation on the

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middle of the quay, the workmen begun on the 20th of May 1765, to clear the ground for building a new Cuftom-house. This was accordingly finished. It has a handsome front towards the river, is four stories high, and contains a great many feparate and convenient apartments, for tranfacting the extenfive bufinefs daily done.

ASSEMBLY ROOMS.

Trade has long been the principal purfuit of the people of this town, By the tenor of the indentures of the youth, (as we will afterwards fee) by their prefcribed dress, victuals, and above all, the powerful influence of example, in which they had conftantly fet before their eyes, the frugality, industry, charity, and fimplicity of the manners of their virtuous parents, the richnefs of attire, the foft and delicious Inxuries of life, and chiefly the more elegant refinements were confined to the higher ranks of fociety; and therefore balls, affemblies, masquerades, routs, &c. were kept from the eyes and ears of the youth of this town with a wary and jealous attention. So that for many years the room appropriated to dancing, affemblies, &c. was in the Groat-market, (for which fee page 120) and is far from being either very extenfive, or feemingly adapted for a concourfe of polished and opulent people. It has, indeed, been converted of late, as we will fee, to a purpose truly useful. But in proportion as civilization, learning, and foreign intercourse, diffused their influence, a taste for the polite amusements of the drama, the dance, the polish of refined manners, rapidly took place in Newcaftle.

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It was therefore a general fentiment to have places deftined to thefe elegant amufements. The Affembly Rooms were for those purposes agreed to be built by fubfcription. The fituation fixed on by the committee, was on part of the garden belonging to the vicarage of this town, near the head of Westgateftreet. For this purpose an act of parliament was obtained 14 George III. to enable Doctor Fawcett, then vicar, to grant a lease of some part of the ground belonging to this vicarage for 999 years, referving to himself and fucceffors, an annual ground-rent of twenty pounds.

A. D. 1773, the fubfcription for building the new Affembly Rooms was opened, when the corporation of this town fubfcribed 200 pounds, and numbers, both in the town and neighbouring counties, came forward with their fupport. The building was finished and cof in all 6701 pounds. *

This monument of the taste and liberality of the people of this town was built under the direction of the late Mr. William Newton of Charlotte-fquare, architect, and furpaffes every other public building

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* Monday May 16, 1774, at noon, the foundation ftone was laid by William Lowes, Efq. in the prefence of a great company of ladies and gentlemen. A plate with the following inscription was put under the stone.

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