Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

A relic is still preserved of this custom at the present time at St. James's on this day, when it is customary to feast as many men and a like number of women, as the King is years old. The bounty dispensed to each person by the Sub-Almoner, consists of cod, salmon, red-herrings, pickled herrings, and four loaves, which is presented to them in a wooden bowl, to which is afterwards added three pounds and a half of beef, and an additional loaf. After this distribution, which takes place in the morning, has been gone through, the health of the King is drank by all from wooden cups.

In the afternoon, the ceremonies and additional bounties are resumed in the Chapel, when the service is read, and a distribution of money and clothing takes place. When the dispensation is ended, an appropriate thanksgiving is pronounced by the Chaplain.

horse." I have received your horse," answered he, "who is not over handsome, but a good creature; for he is free from all mortal sins, save gluttony and laziness."

MR. JUSTICE PARK.

When this worthy Judge, was at Harrowgate, a year or two ago, he had occasion to write to town. Before dating his letter, remembering that Harrowgate is spelt both with and without the w, he called the waiter, and in his usual hesitating manner, said, “Pray, waiter,—is there— a-w- -in Harrowgate ?" Oh, Sir," said the moral waiter, astounded at such a "Oh query from a grave old gentleman; Sir, we never allow any such doings in this house!"

66

WEDLOCK.-(Translation.)

A man and his wife are one flesh upon earth,
But in heaven they return to the state of their
birth':

How happy for many, if this were the place
Out of one, to be two-when divorce is the
case!
P.

TIME'S PACE.

The ceremony commences by a procession of eight Yeomen of the Guard; and a Yeoman Usher, one of the former carrying on his head a gold dish, in which is a num er of Red and White bags, containing a portion of money, and as many new two-penny, three-penny, and four-penny silver pieces, as will together amount to as many pence as the King is years old. The dish is placed on a table in front of the altar. The Sub-dean of the ChapelRoyal, the Sub-Almoner. The Lord High Almoner's Secretary, the Groom of King Solomon says, that "the earth stands

the Almonry, and two boys and two girls selected for their good behaviour from St. Margaret's School, each decorated with muslin scarfs and sashes, close the procession. After the first lesson has been read, the above distribution takes place.

After which, the persons who form the procession, with those who performed the service, and the partakers of the royal bounty, drink the king's health in claret from wooden cups, and the ceremony

concludes.

It may not be amiss to add, for the information of our readers, that the word Maunday, is derived from the hand-baskets or Maunds, from which the King and heads of the Clergy in their different dioceses anciently distributed provisions to the poor. The day is also called in Latin dies Mandati, or the day of the Com

mand.

Anecdotiana.

ERASMUS.

ON many occasions, evinced a considerable degree of humour. Archbishop Warham once made him a present of a

Man overtakes Time, when he's living too

fast:

But the slowest-paced Time, overtakes him at last. P.

EARTH'S POSITION.-(Translation.)

for ever!"

But Ovid's belief that she sits, this denies : If she stands and she sits;-a third sophist, as clever,

Concludes between both, that she-lies. P.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH AND QUEEN
ELIZABETH.

which was the occasion of Raleigh's ad-
THE following relates the circumstance
vancement in the Queen's favour: it is
the original of the piece of gallantry,
which Sir Walter Scott has worked into
his Kenilworth. Raleigh found the queen
taking a walk; and a wet place incom-
moding her royal foot-steps, he imme-
diately spread his new plush cloak across
the miry place. The Queen stepped cau-
tiously on it, and passed over dry; but not
without a particular observation of him
who had given her so eloquent, though
silent a flattery-

Shortly afterwards, from Captain Raleigh, he became Sir Walter Raleigh, and rapidly advanced in the Queen's favour..

A PUN.

A wag speaking of the embarkation of troops, said, "notwithstanding many of them leave blooming wives behind they go away in transports."

APREL.

APRIL was the second month of Romulus's year, which consisted only of ten months, March being the first. It was ordained the fourth month of the Year by Numa, who divided the year into twelve months, beginning with January. The word April is derived from Aprilis, of Aperio, I open; because in this month, the flowers begin to bloom, and the earth to produce vegetation. Our Saxon ancestors termed this month Oster-monat, from the Goddess Oster,or Eoster, or Eastre, or because the winds were found to blow mostly from the east this month. The Zodaical sign is Taurus, which signifies, that at this season of the year, the Sun, in passing through that sign, increases incessantly in force and heat. The Romans dedicated this month to Venus, and among the Festivals and Solemnities which they observed in its duration were the following:-On the first day, or the Calends of this month, the Roman ladies were crowned with Myrtle, and washed under the same tree, offering up a sacrifice to Venus. On the same day, the maids who were marriageable, offered sacrifices to the Goddess Fortuna Virilis, praying her to conceal the defects of their body from those who had a wish to marry them. On the fifth, the day of the Nones, the Festival of Megalesia, held in honour of the Mother of the Gods, commenced, and lasted for eight days. On the eighth, Games were appointed to celebrate the victory obtained by Julius Cæsar, over Juba and Scipio. The ninth and tenth were devoted to celebrate the Games of Ceres in the Circus, called Ceralia.

On the thirteenth, the day of the Ides, sacrifices were offered to Jupiter Victor, and Liberty, because on that day their two Temples were dedicated at Rome, one by Q. Fabius, and the other by T. Gracchus. On the fifteenth, was kept the Festival of the Fordicalia, at which they offered in sacrifice, thirty Cows with calf: on the same day, the calves were taken out and burnt by the Governess of the Vestal Virgins, and a perfume was made with their ashes, which the Romans perfumed themselves with, on the day of the Palilia, or the foundation of Rome. On the eighteenth, the Equiria or horse-racing took place in the Great Circus, when they amused themselves by tying a quantity of straw to a number of Foxes, which was set on fire, and the animals then made to run to afford them diversion. On the twentieth, was celebrated the Feast of Palilia, in honour of Pales, the Goddess of Flocks, to intreat her to preserve them from disease, and make them fruitful. On the twenty-seventh, they had the Feast called Robigalia, from Robigus, the God of Mildew and Hoar-frost and on the twenty-ninth, the Floralia Festival, held in honour of Flora, the Goddess of Flowers, was kept and on the last day, sacrifices were offered to Vesta, upon the Palatine Mount. The distinguishing characteristic of this month, is fickleness, for we often find that the most lovely sun-shiny days are succeeded by others, which, by the force of contrast, often seem the most unpleasant of any in the year; the bright green of the leaves, and the delightful view of newly opened flowers, is too frequently obscured by clouds, and chilled by rough wintry blasts.

A portion of Rosalind's Song, in Shakspeare's "As you like it," may be viewed as a striking illustration of fair nature's appearance at this season

"Now daisies pied, and violets blue,

And lady-smocks all silver white,
And cuckow buds of yellow hue

Do paint the meadows with delight;
The cuckow now on every tree,
Sings cuckoo-cuckoo.-"

The month of April may be considered as presenting the most perfect image of Spring: no production is yet come to maturity, and the vicissitudes of warm gleams and gentle showers, have the most powerful effect in hastening that universal springing of the vegetable tribes, whence the season derives its appellation.

The poet Thompson, in his beautiful poem, the Seasons, has forcibly described, in the following lines, the unsettled state of the weather, at this immature period of the year :

"As yet the trembling year is unconfirm'd,
And Winter oft at eve resumes the breeze
Chills the pale morn, and bids his driving sleets
Deform the day delightless; so that scarce
The bittern knows his time with bill ingulpht
To shake the sounding marsh; or from the shore,
The plovers when to scatter o'er the heath,
And sing their wild notes to the listening waste.
At last fron Aries rolls the bounteous Sun,
And the bright Bull receives him. Then no more
Th' expansive atmosphere is cramp'd with cold,
But full of life and vivifying soul,

Lifts the light clouds sublime, and spreads them thin,
Fleecy and white for all.surrounding heaven,"

Diary and Chronology.

DATE. DAYS.

DIARY.

DATE.

CORRESPONDING CHRONOLOGY.

March 29 Satur, St. Mark, (Pope) Mar. 29 St. Mark succeeded Sylvester in the papacy, in the

Sun ris, 39m af. 5

-sets 23m af, 6
High Water,
26m af. 0 moin.

33m af. 0 even.

[blocks in formation]

year 366, and is said to have died the same year. 1461. A sanguinary battle was fought on this day, between Towton and Saxton, two villages near York, by the adherents of the houses of York and Lancaster, when the party of Edward the IV. entirely defeated the army of Henry VI. who escaped with great difficulty into Scotland. Upwards of 38,000 human beings were left dead on the field, of which 28,000 were Lancasrians. 1751. Died, Capt. Thomas Coram, AT. 84, the projector of that excellent institution the Foundling Hospital. 30 1807. On this day Dr, Olbers discovered the planet

Vesta

Palm Sunday is denominated in the Missals, Domi-
nica in ramis Palmarum, or Palm Sunday; it was
so termed from the distribution of palm branches
and green boughs which took place on this day,
in commemoration of our Saviour riding to Jeru-
salem. The ancient usage of decorating churches,
houses, &c. with evergreens, is still retained in
most parts of the kingdom.

St. Zozimus was bishop of Syracuse, and died
A. D. 660.

1824. Expired, the Rev. T. Maurice, Æт. 70. Mr.
Maurice was assistant-keeper of the MSS. at
the British Museum, and author of the Indian
Antiquities, and the history of Ancient and Mo-
dern Hindostan, as well as several other produc.
tions, all of which display talent of the highest
order.

31 St. Benjamin suffered martyrdom by order of Varanes, King of Persia, who was a fierce and im⚫ placable enemy of the early Christians about the year A. D. 422.

1596. On this day was born at La Haye, in Touraine, Rene Des Cartes, the celebrated French philosopher and mathematician. The philosophy of Des Cartes met with, in his time, an extensive reception, though attended with considerable op. position, it is now sunk into contempt as being founded on mere supposition.

1654. A prohibition against the barbarous custom of cock-fighting was issued on this day by Oliver Cromwell.

1827. On this day died at Vienna, L. Von Beeth

oven, the celebrated composer. He is said to have left not fewer than 120 performances, the greater part of which are esteemed as produc tions of the highest order.

April 1 St. Melito was bishop of Sardis, in Asia. He is said to have composed several works, of which only a few fragments remain. He died A. D. 175. Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) the celebrated Latin Poet was born on this day at Sulmo, in Italy, 43 years B. C.

1810. On this day Napoleon espoused Maria Louisa, Arch-duchess of Austria.

2 St. Francis was born at Paulo, in Calabria, in 1416. He was the founder of the order of the Minims, and is said to have died in a convent built for him and his monks, by Charles VIII. of France, A. D. 1507. He was canonized by Pope Leo X. in 1519.

1578. Born on this day, at Folkestone, in Kent, the celebrated physician, William Harvey. He is famed for being the first discoverer of the circulation of the blood.

1802. The capture of the Danish Navy effected by the lamented Nelson. He also on this day bombarded Copenhagen.

3 St. Richard was born at Wiche, near Worcester, and consecrated bishop of Chichester in 1245 He died at Dover, A. D. 1253, ÆT 56.

[ocr errors]
[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

fell, my brethren, the first of the Jewish Monarchs, after a reign of about thirtynine years, in a valley by Mount Gilboa,

Extracted from the Manuscripts of the first mortally wounded by his own hand, Reverend CEPHAS GODWIN.

ANNO 1716.-In the January of this year, it was my singular fortune to meet with a certain event, which was remarkable not only as a most astonishing memorial of retributive Providence, but also as an illustration of that, concerning which many have received erroneous impressions, or have deemed it to be for ever lost in Oblivion. The unsettled state of Scotland had led me to enforce upon the minds of my hearers, the beauty of loyalty and good order in the sight of God; and the detestation with which the Almighty looks upon anarchy, rebellion, and warfare against the sovereign. The ground of my discourse was the history of Saul's death; vide II. Samuel, chapter 1, verses 1 to 16; and in concluding the subject, my words, as well as I can remember,-for my Sermons have since been destroyed,-were as follow:-" So VOL. I

and then despatched by the weapon of an Amalekite. But it is time now to turn from the mighty who fell, to him by whose hand his death was hastened. If, then, there be a crime which is abhorred by all nations universally, the law of whose condemnation is written by the finger of the living God upon the heart of every man, whether civilized or savage, at the commission, and the sight, and even the very thought of which, the foulest hearts and the most hardened consciences have shrunken dismayed; whose power and effect are such, that one glance, of but one moment's continuance, will flash such terror into the breast of the perpetrator that it will not leave him through eternity ;-that crime is murder! Oh! may none of you ever feel the dreadful horrors of great darkness, and the keen knawings of that worm which even death cannot kill, awakened in your breasts by the commission of that most 13-SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1828.

accursed of sins. It is sufficient to dye with the deepest sorrow, and the most alarming terrors, a life which is surrounded by all that humanity esteems valuable, or delightful, or rich, or honourble, or glorious. It is like that distemper which gives to every thing around us, whether the splendid productions of art, or the yet more beautifully variegated face of nature, a nauseous yellow or sable stain; for believe me, ever after the blood of a fellow creature hath imbued your hands, all things will speak of it, and all places will display it. The ruddy tints of the rose will show to the sight of a murderer deeper with his sin; the fair and beautiful snow will seem marked and spotted with sanguine pollution; the sun cannot set gloriously in the West, nor rise again in the East, without the lovely colours which it spreads around, reflecting back the hue of guilt unto his eyes and conscience ;-for him the moon shall nightly be turned into blood, and the fires of the stars shall shine with a crimson light, as if his crime had reversed the beauties of nature, and

[ocr errors]

had imparted the stain of his infamy to the whole world. Oh! say, can such an one be at rest? can his soul ever possess that peace which passeth all understanding? No!-even though he might put away the sword of the avenger, yet would he not be delivered from the continual fear and power of death. His mind would still be filled with all the terrors of dissolution; there would be the cold damps upon his brow, the icy chilliness in his veins, the fairest scents would be to him turned into the loathsome 'smell of mortality,' the green sod on which he walked would constantly bring the grave to his remembrance, and for him, even this living world would be full of death. This indeed is horrible; but yet even this crime may be wrought into one that can neither be increased nor diminished, when the hand of the rebel, or of the assassin,-I place them together for they are even as one,-is raised against his Sovereign, as was the Amalekite's in my text. How says David, evidently amazed at the enormity of the crime, at which he shrank back as it were in terri

« ПредишнаНапред »