The Illettopolfs.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress save a grand entertainment on Monday, in the Venetian parlour of the Mansionhouse, to the members of the civic household.

On Plough Monday, the 13th instant, a Great Court of Wardmote was held at Guildhall, to receive presentments from the Inquests of the several Wards. The presentments related almost entirely to the names of persons who carried on business in the City without having taken up their freedom, 4md to dilapidated buildings. The Foreman of Aldgate Ward said, that some of these presentments had been made for three years successively, without anything being done upon them; and he asked whether the Jury should still continue to make them? The Lord Mayor replied, that pro- ceedings are going on against the non-freemen; and as the regulations of the new Buildings Act come into force, the presentments of the Wards -would no longer be useless. But the chief business of the Court related to matters of form, which led to angry discussions. At the beginning, the "Lord Mayor caused the Inquest-men to be informed, that they would not be admitted unless they were properly robed; and that those who were not so :must wait till the last. Sir Peter Laurie afterwards remarked, that when -he was Lord Mayor he admitted Inquest-men unrobed, and should do so -again. The Lord Mayor asked, how was it to be known, if the party were unrobed, that he was an Inquest-man? Sir Peter Laurie—" Why,they are always attended by the Ward Beadle." A few inquests having been ad- Stitted, the City Marshal stated that the door was crowded with unrobed Inquest-men eager for admission. Alderman Farebrother thought that every purpose would be answered if the Foreman of each Inquest were robed; and be moved a resolution to that effect. The Lord Mayor at once ordered the Court to be cleared, and the discussion proceeded with closed doors. It was somewhat warm; several Aldermen supporting the motion. The Lord Mayor having appealed to the Law-officers of the City, they decided that :in law the Inquest-men ought to be robed; and the Lord Mayor refused to put Alderman Farebrother's motion. The reception of presentments then went on. Many of the Foremen complained of the delay, in angry and contemptuous terms: the Foreman of the Inquest from Bridge Ward called the newly-enforced regulation "nonsense"; the Foreman from Cripplegate Within, " absurd "; and others were equally annoyed. The Lord Mayor insisted that precedence must be given to those who paid the Court proper respect by appearing robed; and the Court, he declared, would be able to support its own dignity. Some of the Inquest-men complaining that no gowns were provided for them, Alderman Farebrother gave notice of a re- solution that gowns be provided by the Corporation. Other forms came in -question. Mr. Gale, Vestry-Clerk of the Ward of Bassishaw, handed in a paper; but the Lord Mayor refused to receive it except from the Foreman of the Inquest. Alderman Farebrother, the Alderman of the Ward, -offered it; but still it was refused. Eventually, it appeared that the paper was not a presentment, the Inquest having none to make; but only a " re- turn " of some matters which come under the cognizance of the Alder- man: so the paper was received.

A very numerous meeting of Middlesex Magistrates was held on Thurs- day. Reports were received on Hanwell Lunatic Asylum and the several prisons. The report on the Asylum accounted for the fact that it has become a kind of "hospital for incurables," by imputing bad judgment to parochial officers; who send from the workhouses incurable and inveterate lunatics, instead of those whose cases would profit by the treatment at the Asylum. On the motion of Mr. Rotch, it was resolved, " That a sum not exceeding 30,000/. be borrowed on the security of the county-rate, and applied to the building of the new prison which the Court have agreed to erect on the plan approved by Secretary Sir James Graham." A report declaring the Sessions-house as a building inadequate for all its purposes, was adopted. A. county-rate of one penny in the pound was ordered.

Strange proceedings took place in Vestry at Marylebone Court-house, On Saturday; when a charge of misappropriating part of the money col- leeted after a charity-sermon was made against the Reverend Dr. Penfold, the Rector of Trinity Church. The Court-house was completely filled, and also the gallery appropriated to rate-payers. Among the members of the Vest!), present, who were about eighty in number, were the Dean of Chi- 01101Fterithe Reverend Robert Walpole, Lord Montford, Sir Peter Laaude,lbe Reverend Dr. Fellow-es, the Reverend Jabez Burns, and several gentleman of influence. The Reverend Dr. Spry, Rector of the parish, presided. Themes was this. On the 14th July hist, a collection was made in 'Frinity Chards on behalf of the Girls Charity School; and among the money was a 251. note, enclosed in a paper on which was written " Tithes," or" Tithes for the Rector," or " Tithes for general purposes," for the descriptions vary. This note Dr. Penfold abstracted from the charity-fund; and how he appro- priated it does not distinctly appear. One of the Churchwardens objected to that abstraction; but the other agreed with the Rector; who represented that he knew the gentleman from whom it Caine, and that that person con- tributed quarterly a Like sum for the general purposes of the church; and in 'corroboration it was stated that 10/. was contributed in like manner, sad on the same occasion, towards the choral fund. Etc. Spry said he wotild endeavour to explain the law of the case— It was, that money once given at the offertory became the property of the Clergy and Churchwardens, and that no one else had a right to interfere with it. If the Churchwardens disagreed between themselves as to the appropriation of the money, then the Rector might decide what should be done with ; but if the Churchwardens conjointly differed from the Rector, then appeal must be made to the Bishop, who would decide what should he done with it. Then came the Mee point-on which the present question hinged. It appeared to him that in thisanse the Rector and one of the Churchwardens were agreed as to the appropristionaf the money; but it was a question whether the Bishop had been rightly informed upon the point—it appeared to hint that the Bishop understood that the Rector and the Churchwardens agreed; but if the Bishop had been misinformed, it would be perfectly right to bring the matter again before his Lordship. In the pre- sentation of money at the offertory no person had a right to put his name m the paper, or to dictate to what purpose his contribution should be applied. That would rest entirely with the Rector and Churchwardens. In tins instance, it appeared that a certain sum had been put into the plate enclosed in a paper marked " Tithes." Now, if that were the ease, the Rector of Trinity was not en- titled to the nun in question. By the local acts of that parish :' :re was onlyeae person who was entitled to tithes, and that was himself. But he did not pot the construction upon it that the enclosed sum was intended as tithes to the Rector, but simply meaning a tithe ofthe donor's income. It was .char to him that the money was not in common parlance tithes, or that it was intended to belong to the clergyinan. It was his opinion, that when a collection was made the money that was -placed in the plates for that collection belonged to the charity. The matter, however, was before the Trustees of the school for consideration, audit rested with them what course they would pursue. The Vestry unanimously passed a resolution condemniug Dr. Penfold's appropriation of the money. In a letter to the papers, Dr. Penibld requests the public to suspend their opinion on the " extraordinary charge" made against him, (until he thashad an opportunity of refuting it; which he will take the earliest occasion of doing in his place at the Vestry.

The Anti-Corn-law League held their second meeting for the season, at Covent Garden Theatre, on Wednesday. The place was crowded. The proceedings at the last meeting of the League, which was held in Man- chester, having been affirmed, addresses were delivered by Mr. Milner Gib- son, Mr. Cobden, and Mr. W. J. Fox. The speeches consisted entirely a general remarks on the progress of the agitation, and segments in favour of free trade. But though the matter was so familiar—at one part Mr. Cobden even said that the reporters might lay down their pens, so often had he repeated what he was saying—the manner was effective, and the audience were as animated as ever in the manifestation of their sympathy. Mr. Cobden declared, that he should despair of repealing the Corn-laws if the Duke of Richmond could get up one.such meeting in Laudon.

The Governors of the Royal Humane Society held their annual court, at the office in Trafalgar Square, on Tuesday; Mr. Bond Cabbell in the chair. The report stated, that out of 179 cases of drowning there had been 150 recoveries ; 40 of the cases being suicidal attempts. The receipts of the past year, including a previous balance of 2511., were 2,559/ ; the ex- penses were 2,506/. Several rewards were given, in the shape of gold, silver, or bronze medals, with other gratuities. Among them was a medal "to Miss Sarah Wilkinson, governess in the family of the Rev. L. C. Booth, of Brustend Lodge, Twickenham; who heroically, on the 10th of August 1844, sprang into the Powder-mills River, and succeeded in rescuing from drowning a daughter of Mr. Booth, aged six years, who had accidentally fallen in."

The Master of the Rolls gave judgment, on Monday, in the proceedings ex park Jolliffe. The petitioners were the two surviving executors of !Sirs. Mary Hunt, ef Queen Square, Bristol; who died on the 4th October 1806, leaving a will and two codicils, which were proved by the petitioners and Burgess their co-executor, since deceased. Mrs. Hunt at her death had vested 336/ 9.r. 5d. Navy Fives, 3 4561. Three per Cents Reduced, and 1,210/. Consols; standing in her name in the Bank hooks. Her executors procured a transfer into their own names of the first two sums, but did not get a transfer of the Consols; and it now uppartred that the dividends of time Consols were received under a power of attorney executed by her down to 1830, when the surviving person authorized by that power died, and the dividends ceased to be received. In 1840, no claim having been made for tan years, the Consols were transferred to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt. The surviving executors, having discovered the fact, applied at the Bank in June last for a transfer of the stork; when out came the fnind per- petrated by Burgess and Fletcher; in which William Sanders personated Thomas Hunt, the executor of Mary Hunt, and received a transfer of stock. Lord Lang- dale said, that although there had been considerable ladies, the fraud on the Bank could give no right to treat Sanders as Hunt. The petitioners were entitled to the order prayed for, excepting with regard to the costs; the whole of which, in compliance with former precedents, must be paid out of the fund. thorized the Judges of all the Courts to issue the writ in vacation; and gave them this authority as Judges, and not as Judges of any particular Court. Then again, in the issue of the writ, jurisdiction had not been properly exercised; for the facts here had not been properly stated to the Court: it had not been brought to the notice of the Court that the laws of Jersey were different from the laws of England; and, for aught that now appeared, it might tarn out that the im- prisonment was so formal and lawful that the Court would have no choice but to remand the prisoner. Moreover, there was a formal objection: this was not a writ of habeas corpus ad aubjiciendum, but only a habeas corpus ad faeiendum et recipienduaz. Now, the latter, according to Blackstone, was only for the removal of the man and his cause from an inferior court to a superior court. The Court seemed to think that objection fatal, and asked Mr. Peacock if he would still maintain the writ? The Solicitor-Gene- ral expressed his firm belief, that if the present writ were quashed the doors of Mr. Wilson's prison would be opened; so that it would be entirely his own fault if he remained in confinement. Mr. Peacock obtained leave to consult with his leader, Mr. Kelly.

In the Court of Common Pleas, on Tuesday, counsel were heard on a rule to show cause why there should not be a new trial in the case of Elliot versus Allen and others. Mr. Elliot had been seized by the parish authorities of St. Mary's Islington, and confined as a lunatic. In May last, he obtained a verdict in an ac- tion for false imprisonment, with 4001. damages. The new trial was sought on two grounds,—that the trespassers had not received the twenty-one days notice of action required by a local act, and that the damages were excessive. The Court intimated the opinion that there was some force in the second ground for the ap plication; and by consent of counsel the rule was withdrawn, on the understanding that the damages should be reduced to 2001.

An important decision was given on Thursday. The Revising Barrister for the City of Westminster, Mr. l'iloylan, held, at the last revision, that a 101. occupier of apartments in a house where the landlord did not reside on the premises was entitled to the franchise. In a second case, he held that where the landlord did reside, and retained a paramount control over the outer-door of the house, the oc- cupier of apartments was of the nature of a lodger, and was not entitled to the -elective franchise. Against each of these decisions an appeal was carried to the Court of Common Pleas—in one ease by the Conservatives, in the other by the Liberals; and the barrister's judgment was in both cases affirmed, with costs.

Angus Gillies, formerly a Policeman, has been arrested in Inverness-shire, and Charged at Hanunersmith Police-office with robbing Mrs. Lewis of 165/. The lady is sixty years old. She and Gillies were to have been married, and to have opened a coffeehouse in December last. Mrs. Lewis sold out stock to the value of 1701., to take the coffeehouse; and Gillies, having got the money with the ex- ception of five pounds into his possession, suddenly disappeared with it. It now seems that he is a married man, with a family; and when captured he was on the point of going to America.

John Clements, a woolstapler living at Bermondsey, has cut his wife's throat with a razor, and then killed himself by cutting his own; the woman is expected to recover. They were both advanced in life. The man had complained for some days of his head, and he was in pecuniary difficulties.

Many fires are reported this week. The most destructive one occurred on Tuesday morning, when the coach-factory of Messrs. Ward, opposite the Brick- layers Anus, was consumed : the lees of property is estimated at some thousands.

Sarah Hart, who is supposed to have been murdered at Salt hill, appeared to have no living relatives ; but her mother has been discovered. She was living at Gravesend, with her second husband, Hadlow, a blacksmith; and, strangely enough, they had not heard of their daughter's death until they received a letter from the Police on Friday. They went, on Tuesday, to Eton, to be examined be- fore the Magistrates; and afterwards, to Farnham churchyard, where Sarah Hart had been buried. The body was exhiuned, and identified by Mrs. Hadlow. It appears that the dead woman's real name was Lawrence, and she was born in 1805. The grandmother being unable to support the children, they were to have been sent to the parishes in which they were born—Idarylebone and Chiswick reepectivehy; bat it is said that a lady has undertaken to support them. it is reported that the assistant of Mr. Hughes, a chemist in Bishopsgate Street, has identified Tawell as a person to whom he sold some prussic acid on the day of the woman's death.

A Sunday paper relates "an awkward mistake." According to the story, Mi. Hall, the Magistrate at Bow Street, has introduced an innovation into the practice of the London Stipendiary Bench, by making the post which he holds as "Chief" Magistrate not merely honorary, but one of superintendence over the other Magis- trates. Among other things, lie requires them, in ease of absence on leave, to report to him the return to their duties; which Mr. Grove, the Greenwich Magistrate, recently did, after a few months' absence for his health. Mr. Hall, in reply, wrote a polite note of congratulation, on account of the reestablishment of his colleague's . health, and the advantage the public would gain by the resumption of his public duties. This was all very well as far as it went; but Mr. Hall wrote a second note to the Chief Clerk, (Mr. Finch,) requesting him to keep watch over Mr. Grove's movements, and to send him occasional information of the way in which Mr. Grove discharged his Magisterial duties. These notes were unluckily placed in the wrong envelopes, and of course delivered according to their respective ad- dresses. It is understood that Mr. Finch declined the office thus suggested.

The site of the grand storehouse or "small armoury" in the Tower, which was destroyed by the great fire, has been excavated, in preparation for the build- ing of spacious barracks, capable of holding 800 troops. The present "Irish barracks' will be concerted into ordnance-stores. The moat will be turned into gardens; a new entrance will be made, in a line with Lower Thames Street; and houses arc to be removed so as to make an open street close to the rampart wall; with many other improvements. These will have the effect of throwing open to public view, gratuitously, some parts of the Tower hitherto closed, to which much historical interest attaches.

On Saturday morning, a number of tenants of kitchens in the parish of St. Mary-le-Strand were ejected, under the provisions of the New Building Act ; which prohibits the letting of kitchens or cellars as residences, unless properly drained and ventilated. Many of these wretched abodes were only approached by -cellar flaps from the street, and were without windows.

The births of 1,462 children (737 boys and 725 girls) were registered in the Metropolis last week. The deaths were 1,417; which is the greatest number re- gistered in any week since the new tables were commenced in 1839. The ave- rage weekly deaths in winter are 1,039; in the whole year, 963. The excess over the winter average was 378. Small-pox was fatal to sixty-one children; so that eight or nine die daily in the Metropolis, and three or four times as many are de formed for life, by a disease which may, in almost all cases, be prevented by vacci- -nation. Twenty persons were burnt to death—many of them by "the clothes accidentally taking fire "—which would be more properly rendered, in most in- Stances, "y parents neglecting to have fire-guards or to dress their children properly"; and sixty-one children were destroyed in one week by small-pox, -through the refusal of the 'wants to resort to such a simple precaution as the puncture of the arms and the insertion of a little vaccine lymph. It cannot be generally known that vaccinators have been appointed in every sub-district of the tringdoin, who vaccinate all who apply to them . at the public expense. The tem- perature of the air was 1° 3' above thi average; and only fell below the freezing- paint (29°13') on Friday night; If the mild weqther centime, We.may expect a

speedy reduction of the mortality.—Historical Register, Jan. 11. [A new weekly paper, principally devoted to the announcement of births, matrimonial alliances, deaths, vital statistics, and other matters relating to the domestic in- terests of society.]