66 solved to avenge the death of her queen and husband upon Elizabeth, and to accomplish her purpose she assumed a man's habit, and repaired to the English court, assuming the name of Anthony Sparke. She carried with her a brace of pistols; one to kill Elizabeth, and the other to shoot herself, to avoid the disgrace of a public execution. But her design happened to miscarry, by an accident which preserved Elizabeth's life. One day, as she was pushing through the crowd to come up to her Majesty, who was then walking in her garden, she dropped one of her pistols. This being observed, she was seized and brought before the queen, who asked her name, country, and quality? Margaret undauntedly replied, Madam, though I appear in this habit, I am a "woman; my name is Margaret Lambrun: I was several years in the service of queen Mary, "my mistress, whom you have unjustly put to "death; and by her death you have also caused "that of my husband, who died of grief to see so "innocent a queen perish so iniquitously. Now 66 as I had the greatest love and affection for "these victims of your cruelty and injustice, I "resolved to revenge their death by killing you. "I acknowledge that I suffered many struggles within my own breast, and have endeavoured "to divert my resolution from this design; but "all in vain: I found myself compelled to prove, "by experience, the truth of that maxim, that "neither.reason nor force can hinder a woman "from vengeance, when she is impelled thereto "by love." After calmly listening to Margaret's discourse, Elizabeth replied, "You are then "persuaded 66 "persuaded that in this action you have done your duty, and satisfied the demands which " your love for your mistress and for your hus"band required of you; but what think you now "it is my duty to do to you?" "Madam, (said Margaret, with a steady unembarrassed countenance) I will tell you plainly my opinion, provided you will please to let me know whe"ther you put this question in the quality of a "queen, or in that of a judge?" Her majesty declared that, "it was in that of a queen.' "Then (said Magaret) your Majesty ought to "grant me a pardon." "But what assurance or security can you give me (said Elizabeth) that 66 you will not make another attempt upon "life?" "Madam (replied the spirited Lam"brun) a favour given under such restraints is "no more a favour; and in so doing your Ma"jesty would act against me as a judge." The queen, turning to some of her council, said, "I "have been thirty years a queen, but do not re"member ever to have had such a lecture read "to me before." She then pronounced a free and unqualified pardon, and granted Margaret safe conduct till she got out of the kingdom. LANE, (JANE) a sagacious heroine, who was the principal instrument in effecting the preservation and escape of Charles II. after the battle of Worcester. That monarch, disguised in her father's livery, rode before her on horseback from Bentley-hall in Staffordshire, to Mr. Norton's near Bristol. She was well rewarded at the Restoration, and married Sir Clement Lister of Warwickshire. LAW LAW, (JOHN) a famous projector, born at Edinburgh. He went to Paris, where he raised himself to affluence, and to the dignity of controllergeneral of the finances of France, upon the strength of a scheme for establishing a national bank, and the Mississippi company; which he pretended was to pay off the debt of the nation, and enrich individuals. But this great fabric of false credit fell to the ground, and almost overthrew the French government, ruining some thousands of families. Law escaped popular vengeance, and got to Venice, where he died in poverty in 1729. It is remarkable that the same desperate game was played by the south-sea diectors in England, in the fatal year 1720. L'ENCLOS, (NINON DE) a very beautiful and distinguished French lady, was born in Paris, in 1615. Her mother wished her to become a nun; but her father, being a man of the world, disapproved of that idea; and she herself preferred the voluptuous life of a woman of pleasure. With a fine understanding and philosophic spirit, she would reason like Socrates, though she acted like Lais. She was her own mistress at the age of fifteen, and indulged her amorous propensities without control. The greatest men in France grew enamoured of her charms. Whilst the grand Condé, the Villareau, the Sévigné, the Rouchefoucaults, possessed her as a mistress, the learned consulted her as a philosopher and critic. She did not, however, prostitute herself for gain; and her wit and decorum were such, that the most virtuous ladies solicited her acquaintance. This fascinating woman died in 1706. 1706. She left some children. One of her sons died before her, and the circumstance of his death was tragical and singular. Having been bred up without the knowledge of his mother, he conceived a passion for her; and when she communicated to him the secret of his birth, and that he was her son, he stabbed himself in her presence. There are some genuine letters by her in the works of Saint Evremond; but those published in her name, addressed to the Marquis de Sévigné, are forgeries. LEWIS, (CHARLES). The eventful history of this gentleman's life has, to a common observer, the air of a tale of other times. He was the only son of Mr. Lewis, a tradesman in London; who, fr*** reduced circumstances, became a prisoner in the Fleet; where his wife attended him for some years, and where the son was born. The first period of young Lewis's life, was spent within the walls of this strong hold. His father dying, and his mother being in indigence, he was reared solely by the bounty of the prisoners; but being a sprightly active lad, he soon made. himself useful in the Fives-court, by making the balls, and stringing rackets for this diversion, as well as for the Tennis-court. he was thus employed, his mother lived housekeeper with a gentleman of fortune; who dying, left him a fortune of 5001. a year, arising from ground-rents in and about Piccadilly. About two years before his death, he was on the point of being married to a Miss Edwards, who had a considerable- fortune in her own possession. This lady was of a consumptive habit, and, in While deed, deed, in a very debilitated state, when a day was appointed for their union; but from extreme weakness, a slight delirium seized her, whether from accident or otherwise, we know not, but she fell from a two-pair of stairs window, and survived the accident only a few days, leaving her whole fortune to Mr. Lewis; to the honour of whom, it must be mentioned, that he generously provided for her relatives. This gentleman was well known, and as well respected, at Newmarket, and other fashionable places of resort; he now joined more frequently in the sports of the turf, &c. and was remarkably successful; but the loss of Miss Edwards was supposed to prey upon his spirits; and, after a short illness, he died at his house in Park-Place, Knightsbridge, on the 7th of January, 1794, in the 26th year of his age. His fortune, which he much improved in the sporting line, was principally left to his friend and brother sportsman, Mr. Thomas Clarke, together with debts of honour due to him on the turf, tennis-court, &c. which are of considerable amount, and some of them from gentlemen of the first distinction. When we consider the education of Mr. Lewis, and the scenes of life to which he was early introduced, to find him a man of honour is not a little to his praise, LILBURNE, (JOHN) a famous English enthusiast, was born in the county of Durham, in 1618. He was the ringleader of the Levellers, a modeller of state, a publisher of several seditious pamphlets, and of so irritable and quarrel |