Fore. This unexpected apparition he should examine it thrice every remained silent only a moment- year. Do not fear that I will ever Forgive me, Clarendon-forgive betray the secret of a man who the son of your kind old uncle's deemed me worthy of trust even servant if his petulance gave you when he thought he had offended reason to suppose him your enemy. me. Had you recollected my perI have put on his apparel, to con- son, or known my assumed name, vince you that I am neither ashamed you would not have aimed an unof the father I resemble so strongly, deserved insult at one who owed to nor forgetful of the benefits he owed your uncle's bounty the education to his master. It is true that I wit- which has enabled him to offer you nessed your concealment of the his friendship as an equal, and his chizzel among the shrubs, but I advice as a lawyer. Let the past now believe it had never been used be remembered only when you befor any criminal purpose. My ho- queath legacies, and let them be nest father's visit to his benefactor's such as shall not invite guilt and coffin was only in obedience to the misery into a Brother's House." deceased's whimsical command, that

V.

EXTRACTS

FROM THE PORTFOLIO OF A MAN OF LETTERS.

SINGULAR PARISH.

From the Monthly Magazine.

catastrophe of such as he had rela

IN the parish of East Twyford, ted before, gives them an air of near Harrow, in the county of novelty even to persons who at first Middlesex, there is only one house, imagine they are listening to tales and the farmer who occupies it is with which they are acquainted. perpetual churchwarden of a church He recites, walking to and fro in which has no incumbent, and in the middle of the coffee-room, stopwhich no duty is performed. The ping only now and then, when the parish has been in this state ever expression requires some emphatisince the time of Queen Elizabeth. cal attitude. He is commonly heard with great attention; and not un

EASTERN TALES.

Dr. Russel, in his History of frequently, in the midst of some Aleppo, gives us the following ac- interesting adventure, when the count of oriental story-telling. "The expectation of his audience is raised recitation of eastern fables and to the highest pitch, he breaks off tales," says he, "partakes some- abruptly and makes his escape from what of a dramatick performance; the room, leaving his hero or heroit is not merely a simple narrative; ine and his audience in the utmost the story is animated by the man- embarrassments. Those who hapner and action of the speaker. A pen to be near the door endeavour variety of other story-books, be- to detain him, insisting on the story sides the Arabian Nights' Enter- being finished before he departs; tainments (which under that title but he always makes his retreat are little known at Aleppo) furnish good and the auditors, suspendmaterials for the story-teller, who, ing their curiosity, are induced to by combining the incidents of the return the same hour next day different tales, and varying the to hear the sequel."

THE COWTHORP OAK.

judge, be increased, and others apTradition speaks of this oak being pointed, according to the number in decay for many generations. of dissentients, and four or six adSupposing it hollowed for the pur- ded; or, as now, the jury should pose, two co ches might pass to be kept together without meat or gether through its bole. The lead- drink, until they agreed. Probaing branch fell by a storm, in the bly, the alternative of the addition year 1718; which, being measured of new jurors was discontinued, as with accuracy, was found to con- it made it in reality necessary to tain five tons, and two feet, of try the cause over again; so that wood. Before this accidental mu- at last, for the greater despatch of tilation, its branches are said to business, the judges insisted, in all have extended their shade over half cases, on the unanimity of the jury. an acre of ground, thus constitu- Fabian, in his Chronicle, gives a ting, in a single tree, almost a wood very clear account of the mayor itself. The present circunference and aldermen of London claiming of this oak, close by the ground, privileges in the reign of Henry III. is twenty yards; and its principal namely, that for a trespass against limb extends fifteen yards from the the king, a citizen should be tried bole. When compared with it, all by a jury of twelve citizens; for other trees are children of the forest. murder, by thirty citizens; and for

UNANIMITY OF JURIES.

trespass against a stranger, by the oath of six citizens and himself. These privileges are alluded to in agrant of King John to the city of Lincoln, in the first year of his reign. "We also grant them, in

The unanmity required of the twelves jurors, demanded by the English law, is doubtless very sin gular. Without inquiring into its propriety or impropriety, it may be observed, that the reason for re- pleas of the crown, they may clear quiring this, at least in criminal themselves according to the privi prosecutions, probably arose from leges of the citizens of London." compassion towards the prisoner; FIRST AMERICAN WAR. against whom, if the off ace was At the close of our second Amenot proved beyond the possibility of can war, it may not be uninterestdoubt in the most scrupulous juror, ing to our readers to know the priit was thought to be erring on the vate opinion of Sir GEORE COLLIER, merciful side, that this single veto one of the best naval officers this should acquit him. The reason for country ever possessed, respecting this unanimity in civil cases may the first. possibly have arisen from attain's London, Jan. 1776. been frequently brought, in ancient " The unhappy war between this times, against juries, to which pu- country and America has called me nishment every juror was liable. As again into active life. I am appointeah individual, therefore, might ed to command the Rainbow of forbe subject to the heavy punishment ty-four guns, and she is destined, ensuing on a conviction in such as I am given to understand, to prosecution, it might be reasonable, convoy ten thousand Hessian troops that every one should have a power and a thousand of the guards across of dissenting, and not be concluded the Atlantick ocean. War is at all by the opinion of others. It ap- times a curse to a nation, but this pears, from passages in Bracton kind of civil war is worse than and Fleta, that in the time of Henry any other. I deplore the necessity III. when a jury could not agree, of the measure, and have the less it might on the discretion of the satisfaction in engaging in it, from

foreseeing no probability of acquir- the kingdom. The hearts denoted ing either honour or advantage, the ecclesiasticks: the nobility, or both of which, (or at least one of military part of the kingdom, were them) are very necessary to make represented by points of lances, or amends for the hardships and dan- the spades: diamonds designed the gers unavoidably attendant on the order of merchants or tradesmen: profession of an officer. In a con- and the trefoil leaf, or clubs, altest with foreigners, glory and for- luded to the husbandmen and peastune light up the flame of ardour, ants. The four kings represented and make cheerfulness and duty go David, Alexander, Cæsar, and hand in hand. Nothing surprises Charles, which names were on the me more, than that these bands of French cards formerly-they exhilegal cut-throats, I mean mercena- bit the four celebrated monarchies ry troops, can deliberately and of the Jews, Greeks, Romans, and cooly but to death thousands of Franks: by the queens are repre(perhaps innocent) people, in a sented Argine, Esther, Judith, and quarrel wherein neither their Pallas-typical of birth, piety, forprince, their country, nor their own titude, and wisdom: by the knaves safety, are the least concerned! were designed the servants to Despicable butchers, and still more knights, or the knights themselves. despicable prince, who lets his sub

ject out for hire to murder, and to The first certain notice of their be murdered, that he may add a having been known in England, wing to his palaces; or, for per- occurs in a record in the time of haps a still meaner motive, that he Edward IV. on an application of may call a set of castratoes from the card-makers to parliament, A.D. Italy, to warble upon his stage! 1643, when an Act was made By heavens, I had a thousand times against the importation of playingrather be an innocent cottager, than cards, 3d Edw. IV. c. 4. From a German prince of this kind, sur- this statute it appears, that cardrounded by Eunuchs, and by sub-playing and card-making were jects who are worse than slaves." known and practised in England before this period, or about fitty

CARDS.

The four suits were meant to re- years after the era of their supposed present the four classes of men in invention.

THE TALE OF IVAN,
(Translated from the Cornish.)

From the Literary Gazette.

THE following translation of one 1. There were formerly a man of the Inabinogi,' or tales for and woman living in the parish of the instruction of youth, is curious, Llanlavan, in the place which is as well from its being perhaps the called Ty-Hwrdh. only one of the kind existing in the 2. And (the) work became scarce Cornish language, as shewing how and therefore said the man to the ancients of times gone by con- his wife, I will go and search for veyed monitory lessons to the work, and you may live here. young. It is to be found in 3. He took fair leave, and travelLiwyd's Archaeologia Britannica, led far towards the East; and at with a Welch translation annexed.) last he came to the house of a husbandman (Villanus) and asked Wayn-ller and there he met there for work to perform. three merchants from Tre Rhyn,

4. What work canst thou per- persons of his own parish, coming form! said the husbandman Ican home from perform every kind of work, said Ivan. Then they agreed for three pounds as the hire of a year.

14. Kaer Esk fair (Exeter,) Oho! Ivan, said they, come with us,joyful are we to see you. Where have you been so long?

5. And when the end of the year came, his master shewed him the 15. I have been, said Ivan, in three pounds. Look, Ivan, said his service, and now I am going home master: here are thy wages. But to my wife. Oh! said they, come if thou wilt give them me again, I with us, and thou shalt be welcome. will teach thee a point of doctrine. 16. And they took the new road,

6. Give them to me, said Ivan. and Ivan kept the old.

No. I will not, replied his master,

I will explain it to thee. Keep you them, said Ivan. Then said his master,-" Take care not to leave the old road, for the sake of a new road."

17. And as they were going by the fields of the houses in the meadow. not having gone far from Ivan, robbers fell upon them :

18. And they began to cry out, and with the cry which the merchants made, Ivan also shouted

7. They then agreed for another year for the same wages: and when Thieves! Thieves!

the end of the year was come- 19. And at the shout which Ivan (the same conversation takes place gave, the robbers left the merchants. as in Nos. 5 and 6, till the master And when they came to Marketdelivers his second aphorism, which Joy, there they met again. is,)--" Take care not to lodge 20. Oh, Ivan! said they, we are where a young woman is married bound to thee,--had it not been for to an old man." thee, we should have been lost men.

9-10. (The same conversation, Come with us, and thou shalt be &c. takes place for the third year, welcome.

and the master delivers his third 21. And when they were enteraphorism),-" Suffer thyself to be ing the house where they were acstruck twice before thou strikest customed to lodge, I must, said once, for that is the most prudent Ivan, see the man of the house. quality of all."

22. The host! replied they; what

11. Then Ivan would not serve dost thou want with the host? here any longer, but he would go home we have the hostess, and she is to his wife. Not to-day, replied young. If thou must see the host, his master; my wife bakes to-mor- go to the kitchen, and thou shalt row, and she shall make thee a cake see him.

to take home to thy wife.

23. And when he came to the

turning the spit.

12. And they put the nine kitchen, he saw the host, and he pounds in the cake. And when was an old man, and weak, and Ivan was about to take his leave,Here, said his master, is a cake for thee to take home to thy wife; and when thou and thy wife are most joyous together, then break the cake -and not sooner.

24. Oh! quoth Ivan, here I will not lodge, but in the next house. Not yet, replied they; sup with us, and thou shalt be welcome.

25. Now, as to the woman of the house, she conspired with a certain

13. Fair leave he took-and towards home ("Tref," i. e. town) he monk in the town, to murder the travelled, and at last he came to old man in his bed that night, while.

4

入

the rest were asleep, and lay the Come with us as far as Coed Carrn murder on the merchants. yr Wylfa (the Wood of the heap of

!

26. And while Ivan was in bed, stones of watching), in the parish there was a hole in the pine-end of of Burnian. the house, and he saw a light, and 38. There two roads separated, he rose out of his bed and listened, and the merchants wished Ivan to and heard the monk speaking; and go home with them; but that time the monk turned his back upon the he would not, but would go home hole-" Perhaps," said he, "there to his wife.

is some one in the next house, who 39. Then when he had separated may see our horrid deeds:"-And from the merchants, he foolishly with that the adultress, with her spent his time to try his wife, paramour, put the old man to whether she proved constant to him, death whether she did or did not.

27. In the meantime, however, Ivan with his knife cut, through the hole, a pretty round piece of the monk's gown.

28. And the next morning the adulteress began to cry aloud, because her beloved was murdered; and as there was neither man nor child in the house except the merchants, they ought to be hanged on his account.

29. Then they were taken and carried to prison, and at last Ivan

came to them.

40. And when he came to the door, he heard some one else in the bed; he placed his hand on his dagger to slay them both; but he recollected that he ought to suffer twice before he struck once.

41. And he came out again, and then he knocked. Who is there, in the name of God? said she.

42. I am here, replied Ivan. In the name of Mary, whom do I hear, said she; if you are Ivan come in.Bring you also a light, said Ivan.Then she brought a light.

30. Alas! alas! Ivan, said they, 43. And when Ivan was come in, a hard fate attends us; our host as I was advancing to the door, said was killed last night, and we shall he, I heard some one else in the be hanged for him.

bed.

31. Aha! request the justices, 44. Oh! Ivan, replied she, when said Ivan, to summon those who you determined to go away, I was committed this heinous crime before three months gone with child; and them. now we have a beautiful infant in

32. Who knows, replied they, the bed, gracious in the sight of who committed the crime? Who God may he be!

committed the crime! said Ivan. 45. Replied Ivan, I will tell thee, If I know not how to prove who-my master and my mistress gave committed the crime, I will suffer me a cake, and told me, when I and myself to be hanged in their stead. my wife should be most joyful to33. Explanation replied they- gether, that we should break the (Nos. 33, 34, and 35,-Ivan repeats cake-and not sooner. And now what he had seen, and produces we have cause to be joyful.

the piece of gown in evidence.)

36. And with that the merchants had their liberty, and the woman and the monk were hanged.

46. Then they broke the cake, and there were nine pounds in the cake; and the money they had, and the bread they eat; and there never

37. Then they came together out was an idle word nor strife beof Market-Joy, (Marchnad-Joy- tween them afterwards. And so it Thursday market.) And they said ends.