the young woman, who had encountered them at the grave, and was shortly afterwards executed for the murder. Before he died, he confessed the share he had taken in the rebellion and the nature of his connexion with Emmett, but solemnly persisted in affirming that he was driven to rebellion and murder by the miseries of his country, and the unexampled indigence of his own family.

The spot where he lies buried may still be seen, but is now generally avoided as the residence of unholy spirits. It stands at a slight distance from the main road, and is embosomed on one side by a dark wood, and on the other by the bleak moors of Galway. It is known as the grave where the murderer reposes, and the liberal-minded people, when they shudder at the crimes of him who sleeps below, curse in the bitterness of their hearts the apostates who caused such guilt by the miseries they have entailed on their country.

GIANTS.

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Artacæas, of the family of the Achæmenidæ, a person in great Xerxes, was the tallest man of the rest of the Persians; for he lacked but the breadth of four fingers of full five cubits by the royal standard, which in our measure must be near seven feet.

Walter Parsons, born in Staffordshire, was first apprentice to a smith, when he grew so tall, that a hole was made for him in the ground, to stand therein up to the knees, so as to make him adequate with his fellow workmen : he afterwards was porter to King James; because gates being generally higher than the rest of the building, it was proper that the porter should be taller than other persons. He was proportionable in all parts, and had strength equal to his height, valour equal to his strength, and good temper equal to his valour; so that he disdained to do an injury to any single person: he would take two of the tallest yeomen of the guard in his arms at once, and order them as he pleased. He was seven feet four inches in height.

William Evans was born in Monmouthshire, and may justly be counted the giant of his age; for his stature being full two yards and a half in height, he was porter to King Charles the First, succeeding Walter Parsons in his place, and exceeding him two inches in stature; but he was far beneath him in equal proportion of bone; for he was not only knock-kneed and splay footed, but also halted a little; yet he made a shift to dance in an anti-mask at court, where he drew little Jeffery the king's dwarf out of his pocket, to the no small wonder and laughter of the beholders.

THE EXECRABLE LOUIS XI. OF FRANCE.

Philip de Comines, in his "Life of Louis XI." has not concealed the dreadful cruelties and extortions by which he rendered himself one of the most odious monarchs that ever swayed the sceptre of France. Stronger colours could not be employed than those in which he describes his loathsome dungeons, his iron cages, and chain nets. Claude de Seyssel, another historian, says, "That about the places where he was, were seen great numbers of people suspended on trees; and other neighbouring houses, full of prisoners, which were often heard, both by day and night, to cry out through the torments they endured; besides those who were secretly cast into the rivers." The same

historian observes, "That this king carried his absolute power to excess. He caused Tristan, his provost, to take the prisoners who were in the palace gaol, and drown them near the Grange aux Mercier." Mezerai, another historian, relates, "That he had put to death above four thousand, by different punishments, which he sometimes delighted to see. Most of them had been executed without form of law: several were drowned with a stone tied to their necks; others were precipitated, going over a swipe, from whence they fell upon wheels, and cutting instruments; others were strangled in dungeons; Tristan, his companion and provost of his palace, being at once judge, witness, and executioner."

It is a remarkable fact, that the Bishop of Verdun, who assisted Louis in the invention of his iron cages, was himself put into the first that was made, and confined to it for fourteen days; and that the king himself, not long before his death, was obliged to make himself a close prisoner in one of his strongest castles, from a dread of that thirst for vengeance with which his cruel conduct had inspired, not only his nobles and subjects, but the very members of his own family.

USAGE OF THE ALBIGENSES.

William de Newburgh giving an account of the cruel usage of the Albigenses who fled for refuge in the reign of King Henry II., says, that they were burnt in the forehead, and whipped, their clothes being cut up to their waists, and in that condition, in the midst of winter, turned out of the city, and every body forbad to shew them the least pity, and so they perished with the cold and greenness of their wounds.

MODE OF PUNISHING AN ALDERMAN.

In Strype's Stow, vol. II. page 238, is the following extract from the ancient City Records :

"Nicholas Whyfford, or Wilford, an Alderman, having neglected to line his cloak, which he ought to use in the procession-therefore it is adjudged by the court, that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen shall all breakfast with him. This penalty is awarded on him as a punishment for his covetousness."

MIRACLES.

A true miracle, performed by Dr. Connell, of Bunno, in the county of Cavan, in the year 1777. In the year 1773, about the month of February, a girl of the name of Anne Mulligan, who lived near Roxberry, and who was about fourteen years of age, went over to a neighbour's house on a visit one evening, and returned about ten o'clock at night, having completely lost her speech, and remained in that state till May, 1777, being a space of four years and about a quarter, when her friends brought her to Dr. Connell, generally called the "mad doctor," who, when he had examined the girl, and heard the story, brought her into his parlour, and locked the door. Then placing her on a chair on one end of the table, and himself opposite to her at the other, he commenced by distorting his countenance in a shocking manner, so as to strike terror into the girl, and after some time he furiously bounced up, flew to a dagger, which was hanging over the chimney-piece, ran at the girl, swearing he would instantly put her to death, when she dropped

on her knees, and exclaimed for God's sake to spare her life, and immediately fainted. On her recovering from the faint, she had completely regained her speech, nor ever after lost it. This can be attested by above twenty persons, and by the tradition of the whole neighbourhood.

THE DEATH OF RALEIGH.

On the morning of his death he smoked, as usual, his favourite tobacco, and when they brought him a cup of excellent sack, being asked how he liked it, Raleigh answered," As the fellow, that, drinking of St. Giles's bowl, as he went to Tyburn, said, that was good drink if a man might tarry by it." " The day before, in passing from Westminster-hall to the Gate-house, his eye had caught Sir Hugh Beeston in the throng, and calling on him requested that he would see him die to morrow. Sir Hugh, to secure himself a seat on the scaffold, had provided himself with a letter to the sheriff, which was not read at the time, and Sir Walter found his friend thrust by, lamenting that he could not get there. "Farewell!" exclaimed Raleigh, "I know not what shift you will make, but I am sure to have a place." In going from the prison to the scaffold, among others who were pressing hard to see him, one old man, whose head was bald, came very forward, insomuch that Raleigh noticed him, and asked, "whether he would have aught of him ?” The old man answered, " Nothing but to see him, and to pray to God for him." Raleigh replied, "I thank thee, good friend, and I am sorry I have no better thing to return thee for thy good will." Observing his bald head, he continued "but take this night cap (which was a very rich wrought one that he wore) for thou hast more need of it now than me."

He ascended the scaffold with the same cheerfulness he had passed to it; and observing the lords seated at a distance, some at windows, he requested they would approach him, as he wished what he had to say they should all witness. This request was complied with by several. His speech is well known but some copies contain sentences not in others. When he finished he requested Lord Arundel that the king would not suffer any libels to defame him after death-" And now I have a long journey to go, and must take my leave." "He embraced all the lords and other friends with such courtly compliments, as if he had met them at some feast," says a letter-writer. Having taken off his gown, he called to the heads-man to shew him the axe, which not being instantly done, he repeated, "I prithee let me see it. Dost thou think that I am afraid of it?" He passed the edge slightly over his finger, smiling, observed to the sheriffs. "This is a sharp medicine, but a sound cure for all diseases," and kissing it laid it down. Another writer has, "This is that, which will cure all sorrows." After this he went to three several corners of the scaffold, and kneeling down, desired all the people to pray for him, and recited a long prayer for himself. When he began to befit himself for the block, he first laid himself down to try how the block fitted him; after rising up, the executioner kneeled down to ask his forgiveness, which Raleigh with an embrace did, but entreated him not to strike till he gave a token by lifting up his hand," and then, fear not, but strike home!" When he laid down his head to receive the stroke, the executioner desired him to lay his face towards the east. "It is no matter which way a man's head stood, so the heart lay right," said Raleigh; but these were not his last words. He was once more to speak in this world with the same intrepidity he had

lived in it-for, having lain some minutes on the block in prayer, he gave the signal; but the executioner, either unmindful, or in fear, failed to strike, and Raleigh, after once or twice putting forth his hands, was compelled to ask him, "Why dost thou not strike ?"-Strike man!" In two blows he was beheaded; but from the first, his body never shrunk from the spot, by any discomposure of his posture, which, like his mind, was immoveable.

PASTIME OF DESPOTS.

The King of Prussia, in his correspondence with Voltaire, relates an anecdote of the Czar Peter, which is worth extracting, as illustrative of Russian despotism :-" I know Printz, the marshal of the court of Prussia, who had been ambassador to the Czar Peter in the reign of the late king. The commission with which he was charged proving very acceptable, the prince was desirous of giving him conspicuous marks of his satisfaction, and for this purpose a sumptuous banquet was prepared, to which Printz was invited. They drank brandy, as is customary with the Russians, and they drank it to a brutal excess. The Czar who wished to give a particular grace to the entertainment, sent for twenty of the Strelitz guards, who were confined in the prisons of Petersburgh, and to every large bumper which they drank, this hideous monster struck off the head of one of these wretches. As a particular mark of respect, this unnatural prince was desirous of procuring the ambassador the pleasure, as he called it, of trying his skill upon these miserable creatures. The Czar was disposed to be angry at his refusal, and could not help betraying signs of his displeasure. This is not an invented tale; it is to be found in the narratives of M. de Printz, which are preserved in the archives. I have also mentioned it to many persons who were at Petersburgh at the time, and they all attested its truth,"

ANECDOTE OF A KNIGHT OF MALTA.

The Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Loubert de Verdalle, having been cited before the Pope's tribunal, to clear himself of certain charges which the Order had brought against him, repaired to Rome. The then reigning pontiff was of the house of Colonna; and Verdalle, on his arrival, alighted at the palace of his Holiness's nephew. The latter, in contempt, and to shew the Grand Master that his fate was in the hands of his uncle,, and depended on the credit which he himself had with him, had caused the sculptured figure of a wolf, bound by a chain to the shaft of a column (colona), to be fixed in the outer court of his palace, the arms of the house of Verdalle being a wolf. The Grand Master was sensibly piqued at this bitter sarcasm of Colonna, and resolved to avenge himself in a similar way. He dissembled, however, during his stay at Rome; but having freed himself from the accusations brought against him by his enemies, immediately on his return to Malta, he had erected, in the great square, towards one of the angles of his palace, a column on which was seen a wolf in an unsightly act. Every attempt to have it levelled was unsuccessful it remained standing until the last Magistery, or Government of the Grand Master of Malta, when it was demolished for no other reason than because it threatened to fall in ruins.

CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF ARNOLD DU TILB.

This man, a native of Sagias, a village near the city of Rieux, in the Upper Languedoc, towards the middle of the sixteenth century, was the object of a criminal prosecution, extraordinary in its nature, perplexing and difficult to decide.

At Artignes, a country hamlet, only a few miles from the place of Du Tilb's residence, lived a small farmer, whose name was Martin Guerre, married to a modest handsome young woman, born in that neighbourhood, but himself of the Spanish province of Biscay; they had a son, and, for their situation in life, possessed tolerable property.

Ten years after their marriage, in consequence of a dispute with his fatherin-law, Martin suddenly quitted his family; and, charmed with the licentious, freedom of a roving life, or cooled in affection towards his wife, although she had conducted herself with exemplary propriety, had not been seen or heard of for eight years.

It was during this long absence that Arnold du Tilb, the subject of our present article, who had formerly seen and admired the wife of Martin Guerre, meditated a most perfidious and cruel stratagem.

In age and appearance he greatly assembled the absent man; like him too, Du Tilb, having for many years quitted his country, was generally considered as dead; and having made himself acquainted with all the circumstances, connections, and general habits of Guerre, as well by collateral enquiries, as by actual association with him during two campaigns as a private soldier, he boldly presented himself to the wife and family, as her long lost husband.

The risk he incurred, and the difficulties he encountered, were considerable; a thousand little circumstances, which it is easy to imagine, but unnecessary to describe, must daily and hourly have led him to the brink of detection; indeed, it is not easy to conceive how he could succeed, unless the unhappy dupe of his delusion had been herself a promoter of the cheat, which does not appear to have been the case.

The stranger at once, and without hesitation, was received with transports of joy, by the wife and all the family, which at that time consisted of four of her husband's sisters, and an uncle; one of them remarking that his clothes were somewhat out of repair, he replied "yes," and in a careless and apparently unpremeditated way, desired that a pair of taffety breeches might be brought to him. The wife not immediately recollecting where she had put them, he added, "I am not surprised you have forgot, for I have not worn them since the christening of my son; they are in a drawer at the bottom of the large chest in the next room; in this place they were found, and immediately brought to him.

The supposed Martin's return was welcomed by the neighbours in the old French way, by song and dance; he enjoyed the privileges and pleasures, he shared the emoluments and cares of a husband; and a few days after his arrival, repaired to Rieux to transact some necessary law business, which had been deferred in consequence of his absence; the fond couple lived apparently happy for three years, in which time two children were added to their family. But their tranquillity was gradually interrupted by the uncle, whose suspicions of imposture were first excited by a traveller passing through the village; this person hearing the name of Martin Guerre accidentally mentioned, declared, that eighteen months before, he had seen and conversed with an invalid of that name in a distant province of France, who informed

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