Diary and Chronology. Wednesday, October 28. St. Simon & St. Jude.-High Water 14m after 3 morn.—31m after 3 Aftern. St. Simon & St. Jude.-The feast of St. Simon and St. Jude was superstitionsly considered rainy, as well as that of St. Swithin, probably from the autumnal rains beginning on or about that day. We have seen this passage somewhere quoted from the very old play of the Roaring Girls, "I know it as well as I know 'twill raine on Simon and Jude's Day." Hollinshed informs us, that so great a quantity of rain fell on this day in 1536, as to prevent the action of a great battle that was to have been fought between the king's troops and the rebel army. Oct. 28, 1704.-Expired on this day, John Locke, the celebrated philosopher. This great man rendered himself illustrious, not only by his wisdom, but by his piety and virtue, by his love of truth and diligence in the pursuit of it, and by his generous ardour in defence of the civil and religious rights of mankind. His writings have immor talized his name; and particularly his "Essay concerning the Human Understanding." Thursday, October 29. St. Narcissus.-Sun rises 6m after 7-sets 53m after 4. " St. Narcissus.-Our saint mentioned to-day, was placed at the head of the church of Jerusalem Friday, October 30. St. Marcellus.-High Water 25m after 4 Morn-45m after 4 Aftern. St.Marcellus. This saint, a Christian soldier of the legion of Trajan, was martyred for refus ing to join in the sacrifices to the Roman gods. Oct. 30, 1757.-Anniversary of the death of the brave Admiral Vernon. This galiant naval commander obtained celebrity by the taking of Porto Bello with six ships only, a force considered unequal to the undertaking. Saturday, October 31. Vigil of Allhallows.-Sun rises 9m after 7-sets 50m after 4. On the vigil of Hallow Even, in the north of England, it is customary for the young people to dive for apples, or catch at them when stuck upon the end of a kind. of hanging beam, at the other extremity of which is fixed a lighted candle, and that with their mouths only, their hands being fastened behind them. This night, in many parts has obtained the name of Nutcrack Night, from the practise of flinging nuts into the fire to crack and burn. Sunday, November 1. TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Lessons for the Day, 2 chap. Joel Morn.-6 chap. Micah Even -All Saints. All Saints. This day formerly was dedicated by superstition to the angel presiding over fruits, and called Lamas Whal, or la Messe des Pommes, or words corrupted into Lamb's Wool. Bells used to be rang on this feast, and the ringing, which began on the vigil before, was continued through the night and all the next day; a custom not quite gone out of use. Nov. 1, 1714.-Expired on this day, Dr. John Radcliffe, the most eminent physician of the time. He left 40,000l. to the university of Oxford, besides many other large and beneficial donations. Dr. R. by his good sense, his practical knowledge, his decision in danger, and his ready expedient, commanded the confidence of patients, and excited the envy of competitors. Monday, November 2. All Souls-High Water 40m after 5 Morn.-0h 6m Aftern All Souls. On this day formerly in Lancashire and Herefordshire, it was usual for the wealthy to dispense to the poor oaten cakes, called soul-mass-cakes, who, upon receiving them, repeated the following couplet in retribution God have poor Soul, Bones and all. Tuesday, November 3. St. Papulus, died 3rd cent.-Sun rises 13m after 7-Sets 48m after 4. Nor. 3, 1428.-On this day, Thomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, the terror of the troops of Charles VI. was slain by a cannon-shot before Orleans. Most of the French warriors had thrown themselves into Orleans, thinking it impregnable, but the brave Salisbury thought otherwise, and therefore this renowned leader, with a respect. able army, formed the siege; and whilst he was reconnoitering the town from a high tower on the bridge, the son of the master-gunner of Orleans pointed a cannon at the window, and slew him. The bail carried away one of his eyes and - his cheek, and mortally wounded Sir Thomas Gargrave. This is the first instance of an English gentleman being slain by a cannon-shot. ERRATUM.-Page 201, "Manuscript found on a Deceased Debauchee," for early vice, read every vice. Lord, what a wind, what a fire, what a motion and commotion of earth and air would it. Miserable desolation -Sir E. Coke, the King's Attorney, upon the trial of Guy Faukes, there have been! I tremble even to think of MINUTE as are the many histories and "memoirs" of the reigns of Elizabeth and James the First, in some particulars, yet no author has well described the restless and disturbed state of this kingdom during their sway. Until within these few years past, we have been taught to believe that Elizabeth did more to uphold the dignity and splendour of the English nation than any of her predecessors; but there are few now who do not consider that she was a fury worthy of her father. The people had become habituated to acts of tyranny and bloodshed during the reign of the sanguinary 16-VOL. IV. R and brutal Henry, and they suffered with greater patience the violent acts of the succeeding monarchs, not because they were more mild and just, but because they were less bloody; but, when Elizabeth ascended the throne, the rack, the halter, the gibbet and the knife, were again put in requisition. Heretofore, Catholic and Protestant alternately gained the ascendancy, and by turns, remorselessly butchered each other; but when Elizabeth grasped the sceptre, the power of the former succumbed to the latter, and her agents hunted down the innocent and peaceable catholic, whose only crime was the adhering to the religion of his fathers. The corruptions of the church of Rome certainly called aloud for a reformation, but why were the guiltless punished?-why was the phial of wrath emptied upon the heads of any but those, who under the guise of sanctity and zeal for religion, struggled for temporal power? These persecutions were carried on until the death of Elizabeth, which hap pened in the year 1603. Perverse and obdurate in her dying moments, she quit 100 ted the world without naming her successor, thereby leaving the nation in a state of great uncertainty and anxiety, as to who should be chosen to fill that throne from which she had for more than forty years issued her cruel mandates. Many plots were contrived to destroy her, and several individuals singly attempted her life, but all the parties suffered for their temerity; even suspected persons were seized and condemned. At length, a few daring men conspired to overthrow her government; but, in the midst of their deliberations, the angel of death summoned their intended victim before the tribunal of Him, whose name and whose law she had so often profaned and violated. This event led the discontented to hope that a favourable change would take place, as all eyes were turned towards James the Sixth of Scotland, whose pusillanimous disposition sanctioned the belief that the bloody days of persecution were passed away. His accession was hailed with joy by the Catholics, both on account of his being a descendant of Mary, who was a rigid papist; and also on account of his having been inclined to that religion in his youth; but great was their surprise and rage to find him strictly executing those merciless laws which his predecessors had enacted against them. The peaceable and unambitious catholic dreaded a renewal of Elizabeth's barbarities, while the more violent resolved to destroy the newly crowned king, or perish in the attempt. James on his arrival in England was attended by a long train of his needy countrymen, all of them seeking for places and preferment, which they obtained to the exclusion of the English, who thus saw those whom they had been taught to believe-and indeed, as they had always found them, their bitterest enemies, filling every post of emolument, and suing for places for their countrymen, who were daily inundating England, of which they had been the scourge for so many hundred years. The individual who first determined to destroy the king and his minions, was Robert Catesbye, a gentleman of ancient family in Northamptonshire, and a descendant of that Catesbye, who so faithfully served his master, stern and cruel as he was, when all deserted him at Bos-Tis already prepared," replied the worth field. He it was, who framed a knight, "thirty barrels of powder are on plot which humanity shudders at; and board the galliot alongside the Quay, and which, though it cannot be justified, waiting for the first fair wind."aph has must allow of some degree of palliation, "Truly you are a zealous worker in when we reflect upon the abject state to the cause, Sir William; with such souls which many families of high birth but there can be no fear of a miscarriageslender fortunes, were reduced. The but where is the gentleman of whom our plot was not contrived by a few despe- good friend Catesbye speaks so highly?" rate wretches in the lower walks of life, but by men of family and consequence, who had considerable property at stake; and this fact goes to prove the miserable and degraded state to which the nation had been brought by James and his horde of needy countrymen. Catesbye was the originator of that conspiracy, in the particulars of which, no two historians agree; which has been considered a mere fable by some, and which for more than two hundred years has been known by the name of the GUNPOWDER PLOT. "Thank ye, good fellow," said the Englishman, interrupting him, "here is a groat for your information, which is even better than your English;" and he passed on to the house pointed out to him by the boor, who acknowledged the gift with an awkward bow. "I sall drinck your Honour's goot helt," said he, resuming his pipe, and rolling towards a bier-kroeg. In the meantime, the stranger had arrived at the house he was in quest of, and having knocked at the door, was instantly admitted, and shown into a small dark room, in which a man of sombre countenance was sitting; and who, rising from his seat, greeted him with a warm grasp of the hand. Welcome, thrice welcome to Ostend, Master Wentour," said he, "for by your visit I see that the hour of our vengeance is at hand. Say, how is my honoured friend and intimate, Master Catesbye?" "Well, excellent well, Sir William," replied Wentour, "and living in the hope that our enemies will feel ere long the vengeance we have in store for them." I trust so," said the knight, "and We have a few more fearless hearts joined now let us have a flask of Burgundy, and with us-Master Catesbye has taken a drink success to our undertaking. What commodious dwelling at Lambeth, and all ho! glasses and a flask of the best!" The is ready-we must lay in our munition wine having been brought, they sat down without more delay." to discuss it, and arrange their plans. The midnight chimes had sounded ere they separated; Wentour retired to rest, rejoicing in this accession to their band, and deeply impressed with the firm and determined character of Faukes. Early in the morning of the third day of Wentour's arrival, a message from the captain of the galliot informed them that the wind was fair for England. Wentour and Faukes were soon on board, and bidding farewell to Sir William Stanley, they set sail with their terrible cargo. In the meantime, Catesbye had taken a house* on the banks of the Thames at Lambeth, which he had entrusted to the care of one Robert Keys, whom he had received into the association. The lower rooms had been cleared out, and every thing prepared for the reception of the powder, the arrival of which was hourly expected. It was a calm and beautiful evening, on which Catesbye, Keys, Percy, Rookewoode, and several others, sat in an apartment of this house, overlooking the river, upon which the setting sun threw its last rays. Their conversation was carried on in a low tone, but it was not the less stern and terrible. "Ye would not destroy all," queried Percy, fixing his eye upon the rigid features of Catesbye. There are some who would rejoice to hear of our plot, must they perish too?" Ay, Tom, all; would ye, to save some half dozen shambling fools, run the risk of betraying us? If one spark of pity lingers in your breast, think of the wrongs that thou thyself hast suffered, count over the fines thou hast paid to these villains, reckon up the broad acres thou hast lost by them, and 66 By heaven, you madden me!" said Percy, "hold I pray thee, good Catesbye, 'twere folly to think of the safety of a few when our host of enemies are within our toils." 66 Ay," said Keys, with a bitter smile, " and unconscious of it too, the cellar is cleared, and we have but to bestow the powder." At this moment the arrival of two persons in a boat under the window interrupted the conversation, and Catesbye throwing open the casement, discovered that it was Faukes and Wentour. Mutual greetings followed, and Wentour informed his companions that the Galliot, with the powder on board, had anchored in the Thames. "We must get a part of it here without delay, said Catesbye, "we can then remove it to my house in Palace yard This house has been for some time since levelled to the ground, at our leisure. You will assist us Wentour?" "Ay, when I return," replied Wentour, but I must first take a journey to Huddington, and prepare my daughter for the event that is to follow, by placing her in the house of some friend." Catesbye bent a stern and scrutinizing glance on his associate, which Wentour observed-" Nay," said he, "look not so searchingly, I would rather feel thy dagger in my heart, than bear a look of mistrust." "Forgive me, Wentour," cried Catesbye, "I would not doubt thy zeal and fidelity for worlds; no, my good friend, I know thee too well to harbour a suspicion of so foul a thing. You will meet us on your return at our rendezvous ?" Åy," replied Wentour, “I shall not tarry at Huddington; in a fortnight ye shall see me again; farewell for a short time. Gentlemen, brothers, farewell." He wrung the hands of each by turns, quitted the house, hurried to the water side, and taking a boat ordered the waterman to row towards the city. The next morning by sun rise, Wentour was on his way to Huddington, attended only by one man servant, whom he had left in London during his absence in Holland. On the evening of the third day he arrived in sight of his own dwelling, one of those commodious halls built in the reign of Henry the Eighth. Deeply ruminating on the probable result of the dreadful plot he was engaged in, he did not perceive that a cavalier, and a lady, who bore a small merlin in her hand, were walking their horses down the lane which led to his house, and conversing with much earnestness, while two spaniels gambolled round them and jumped to lick the hand of the cavalier. It was not until he arrived at his own gate that he found the lady to be his daughter; who, upon perceiving him, assisted by her companion, jumped from her palfrey and flew into his arms. Without noticing the young man, Wentour strained his daughter in his embrace, and affectionately kissed her forehead and cheek. "Amy," said he, placing her arm within his and entering the house, "I have much to say to thee-thou must with me to London, for business of great weight calls me thither." "Is it so pressing, dear father?" "Ay child, so pressing that we must needs be on our way by to-morrow morning." "Indeed?"" Ay, in good truth we must, therefore get thy apparel in order, and now leave me awhile. I will come to thee anon. ,, He released her arm, |