4.—Arrived at Yarmouth, the Antelope, cruiser brig, Commodore Sir Sidney Smith, and the Prince of Wales cutter, from the Flushing station. Some boats sent out by Sir Sidney made an unsuccessful attempt to cut out an armed brig near the Scaw. The boats were
attacked by an armed schooner, and obliged to abandon their enterprise, with the loss of five killed and ten wounded.
10.—Died, aged 12, Lord Viscount Bury, eldest son of the Earl of Albemarle.
11.—Commodore Sir Sidney Smith arrived at Norwich from Yarmouth, proceeded next day on a tour of the county, and returned to Yarmouth on the 13th.
21.—James Airton was publicly whipped in Norwich Market Place for stealing a box coat from the coach-house of Mr. Wm. Harvey.
25.—The Scipio of North Shields, Capt. Robinson, coal laden, was attacked by a sloop-rigged privateer four miles from Cromer. A sharp action, lasting three quarters of an hour, ensued, when the privateer sheered off. Capt. Robinson was wounded in the foot by a musket ball, and the vessel, whose sails and rigging were very much cut, was taken by the crew to Yarmouth Roads, where medical assistance was rendered to Capt. Robinson on board the Irresistible.
The portrait, painted by Hoppner, of the Right Hon. William Windham was this month placed in St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich. It was afterwards engraved in mezzotinto by Reynolds.
MAY.
2.—The gibbet on which the body of Payne (the pirate) was hung in chains, about 23 years previously, upon Yarmouth North Denes, was taken down by order of the Corporation. “A ludicrous circumstance happened the night it was erected. The different tackling being all adjusted previous to putting down the gibbet the day before Payne was hanged, some daring licencious bloods hoisted up a young ass by the hind legs, to the amusement of the spectators next morning, who could not but be surprised to find the gibbet so unexpectedly occupied. In consequence, however, the tackling became so entangled that until a young sailor undertook to climb the gibbet the prisoner could not be suspended.”
3.—The 2nd Battalion Norfolk Volunteer Infantry marched into Yarmouth for a fortnight’s permanent duty.