which commenced on May-day, 1707, William Blackett, knt. and bart. and William Carr, esq.

In the first parliament of king George I, which met March 17, 1715, William Blackett, bart. and William Wrightson, esq.

In the first parliament of George II, Nov. 28, 1727, Sir William Blackett, bart. and Nicholas Fenwick, esq. The poll ended Sept. 8, 1727, when Sir William Blackett had 1202 votes, Mr Fenwick 1189, and Mr Carr 620. The unfuccefsful candidate petitioned, and having disqualified above 600 of Sir William's voters for bribery, he was voted by the committee duly elected.--- Sir William died Sept. 29, 1728.

In the eighth parliament of Great Britain, to meet June 13, 1734, Walter Blackett, esq. and Nicholas Fenwick, efq. This election, the poll-book of which was printed, lasted eight days. The candidates were Walter Blackett, efq. who had 1354 votes; Nicholas Fenwick, esq. and alderman, had 1083; and William Carr, efq. and alderman, 716. 1795 freemen voted at this election.

In the ninth parliament of Great Britain, 1741, the same.---At this election, long known by the name of the great contest, which lasted fix days, the pollbook of which was also printed. There were four candidates, all of them aldermen of the town, viz. Walter Blackett, esq. who had 1454 votes; Nicho. las Fenwick, esq. 1231; Matthew Ridley, eiq. 1131, and William Carr, efq. 683. 2391 freemen voted upon the occafion. It is faid that a certain yellow metal was, in the arduous contest, scattered with a liberal hand. William Carr and Matthew Ridley, esqrs. were petitioners.

Mr.

Mr. Carr died May 16, 1742; and Mr. Ridley renewed his petition in the second session. Mr. Fenwick declined being a candidate, in the year 1747, and died at Lemington 1752.

In the tenth parliament of Great Britain, 1747, Walter Blackett and Matthew Ridley, efqrs, were chofen representatives. Walter Blackett, esq. fucceeded to the title of baronet, October 10, 1749, on the death of his father.

In the eleventh parliament, 1754, by Sir Walter Blackett, bart, and Matthew Ridley, esq.

In the first parliament of George III. by the fame. March 21, 1768, the same were re-elected.

In the fourteenth parliament of Great Britain, this town was represented by Sir Walter Blackett, bart. and Sir Matthew White Ridley, bart. of Blagdon.

On July 2, 1774, Mr. Ridley refigned against the next general election. The contest on this occafion continued eight days, ending on Wednesday, October 19, 1774. The poll-book was printed, Sir Walter Blackett had 1432 votes, Sir Matthew White Ridley 1411; the hon. Constantine John Phipps, (afterwards Lord Mulgrave) 795; and Thomas Delaval, efq. 677. 2162 perfons voted on this occafion; a fmaller number, by 229, than at the great contest in 1741, although 600 are faid to have been admitted to their freedom at this election,

Sir John Trevelyan, bart. was chofen, March 14, 1777, on a vacancy occafioned by the death of his uncle, Sir Walter Blackett, at London, February 11, of that year. There was a hard contest on this occafion. It began on Thursday, 26th February, and lasted fourteen days. Sir John Trevelyan, bart. polled 1163; and Andrew Robinson Bowes, efq. 1068 votes. Mr. Bowes petitioned against Sir John; but no proof of bribery being produced, his election was declared valid.

September 21, 1780, Sir Matthew White Ridley, bart, and Andrew Robinson Bowes, esq. were chofen. Sir M. W. Ridley had 1408 votes; Mr. Bowes 1135; Mr. Delaval 1085.

At this election 2245 freemen voted; of which number it is remarkable, that 862 were single voters, termed plumpers; viz. 231 for Sir Matthew; 514 for Mr. Bowes; and 117 for Mr. Delaval. The lat. ter gentleman petitioned against Mr. Bowes, and some burgelles against Sir M. W. Ridley; but nothing was done by the committee in either petition.

A. D. 1784, Sir Matthew White Ridley, bart. and Charles Braudling, of Gosforth-house, efq. were elected to represent this town in parliament.

In the year 1790, the same two gentlemen were re-chosen; as were they again at the general election in 1796; but, on account of the ill state of Mr. Brandling's health, he resigned his feat near the end of the year 1797, and his fon, Charles John Brandling, was chofen in his ftead in January following.

MERCHANT ADVENTURERS.

The Phenicians were among the most early of the nations who turned their attention folely to trade. That enterprizing people demonstrated to mankind that commercial intercourse was the most powerful cement of fociety; and that, while it rendered the various productions of different climes, and of the most remote nations, one common fund answering all the wants of man; it at the same time softened

the

the manners of the most uncultivated, and disarmed the hand of the violent and the rapacious. To the assistance of commerce, fociety will be found indebted for the greater part of whatever contributes to the ease, convenience, or elegance of life. But an infular fituation has ever been found most friendly to trade, and indeed (says a modern historian) every acknowledgment is due to it from the inhabitants of iflands; and we of Britain, with our very existence, perhaps owe to trade all that gives value to our present being, our progress in science, our improvement in every art, our personal security, our national opulence and grandeur, and, probably, what ought to be of the highest concern to us, our fuperior knowledge of religious truth.

Mercantile focieties, anciently called guilds, or fraternities, are thought to have been first founded in Europe near the latter end of the seventh century. The borough of Newcastle stood much indebted to the patronage of king John, and was honoured very early in his reign with extensive and new franchises. And it was in the seventeenth year of his reign that he constituted in it a fociety of free merchants. This fraternity he exempted from pleading any where without its walls to any plea but that concerning foreign trade. He released them from the duty of toll, lastage, pontage, and passage in the feaports of his dominions at home and abroad, empowering the mayor of Newcastle, or sheriff of Northumberland, to give them reparation for whatever injury they might fustain.

Anciently English merchants were prohibited from carrying staple commodities out of the realm; but Newcastle, by a charter of king Edward III. in the

year 1353, was made a staple town in common with nine others, whither the merchants of England were by act of parliament to carry their wool, cloth, lead, tin, &c.

December 4th, 1504, a licence was granted by king Henry VII. to the governors and merchants of the merchants' guild, of Newcastle upon Tyne, empowering them, till the first of August next, to buy any wools or woolfels, of the growth of Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, Allerton and Richmondshires, and ship them from Newcastle to any part of Flanders, Brabant, Holland, Zealand, or any foreign parts, at two shippings, paying for every sack of flour ten shillings, and the like sum for every two hundred and forty woolfels.

December 11, 1500, king Henry VIII. renewed the above grant; and, in 1517, he made an exemplification of former grants to the merchants of Newcastle.

The exports of this society, about the year 1520, appear to have been canvas, sheep-skins, lamb-fels, lead, grindstones, coals, and rough-tanned leather.

Edward VI. 1546, granted a charter to the merchants of Newcastle, by the title of Merchant Venturers, in the ports of Brabant, beyond the feas; to confift of a governor, twelve assistants, and two wardens; to be elected and sworn on the ninth of October in every year; to have perpetual fucceffion, power to sue and to be fued, &c. a clerk, a feal, and beadle; power to purchase lands, to make by-laws, to buy and ship to foreign parts wool and woolfels of the growth of Northumberland, &c. as before by Henry VII.