On the 11th of March, 1643, there lived at Newark one Hercules Clay; his dwelling was on the west-side of the market-place, at the corner of Stodman-street. The modern house, built on the site of Clay's house, now contains the news-room. This Hercules Clay was a tradesman of considerable eminence, and an alderman of the borough of Newark. During the siege, in the night of the 11th of March 1643, he dreamed three times that his house was on flames; on the third warning he arose much terrified, alarmed the whole of his family, and caused them to quit the premises; though at that time all appeared to be in perfect safety; soon afterwards, a bomb from a battery of the parliamentarian army on Beacon Hill, an eminence near the town, fell upon the roof of the house, and penetrated all the floors, but happily did little other execution. The bomb was intended to destroy the house of the governor of the town, which was in Stodman-street, exactly opposite Clay's house. In commemoration of this extra ordinary deliverance, Mr. Clay, by his will, gave £200 to the corporation in trust to pay the interest of £100 to the vicar of Newark, for a sermon to be preached every 11th of March (the day on which this singular event happened), when the preacher constantly introduces this subject, and reminds the congregation that the dreams recorded of the ancients are not forgotten. The interest of the other £100 he directed to be given in bread to the poor: these customs are continued to this day. Penny loaves are given to every one who applies; formerly they were distributed at the church, but now at the Town-hall. The applicants are admitted at one door, one by one, and remain locked up until the whole is distributed. This day is more generally March 12, 1703, died Aubrey de Vere, the twentieth and last earl of Oxford of the de Veres. The changes of the eventful times in which he lived did not seem to affect him; he was so passive under fined; and, when William came over, he Oliver the protector that he was not even went over to him from James II. He had been easy with the gay and frolicsome Charles II., grave with William III., and was graceful in old age at the court of Queen Anne. After the death of Charles I, to whom he was lord of the bedforces, colonel and captain of the horsechamber, he was lieutenant-general of the guards, justice in Eyre, lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county of Essex. He had been a privy counseller to him and each subsequent sovereign, and was hereditary lord chamberlain, seearl of England. nior knight of the garter, and premier He married Anne daughter of Paul viscount Bayning, and Diana, daughter of George Kirk, esq. He may be said to have committed polygamy by the following act: a lady, whose name is not known, was celebrated fo the performance of the part of Roxana on the stage; influenced by violent love, and unable to succeed in his purpose by other means, he prevailed on her to consent to a private marriage. It was afterwards discovered to have been celebrated by the earl's trumpeter in the character of a priest, and witnessed by his kettle drummer. His father, the valiant Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, had nobly marof Friezeland.* ried Beatrix van Hemins, a boor's daughter *Noble. PETER PRIESTLY, PARISH CLERK OF WAKEFIELD. [For the Year Book.] About the year 1790, a sturdy veteran, one Peter Priestley, was clerk, sexton, and gravestone cutter, at the beautiful parish church of Wakefield in Yorkshire. He was an old, and very respectable inhabitant of that town, commendably proud of his various offices, and not at all addicted to superstitious fears; if he had ever been so, his long connexion with the repositories of the departed had considerably allayed his apprehensions. It was on a Saturday evening, at this cheerless and gloomy season, that Peter sallied forth from his dwelling to finish the epitaph on a stone which was to be in readiness for removal before Sunday. Arrived at the church, within which for shelter he had been working, Peter set down his lantern, and lighting his other candle, which stood in a "potato candlestick," he resumed his task. The church clock had some time struck eleven, and some letters were still unexecuted, when lo, a singular noise arrested the arm of Peter, and he looked around him in silent astonishment. The sound perhaps cannot be better expressed than by the word "hiss," or "hush." Recovering from his surprise, Peter concluded that he had been deceived; especially as his sense of hearing was not remarkably perfect, and he therefore resumed his mallet and chisel very composedly; but, in a few minutes, his ear was again greeted with the fearful sound of "hiss!" Peter nowrose straight up,and lighting his lantern, he searched in vain for the cause whence this uncommon sound proceeded, and was about to quit the church when the recollection of his promises and imperious necessity withheld him, and he resumed his courage. The hammer of the clock now struck upon the great bell, and it sounded-twelve. Peter, having now little more to do than examine and touch up his new letters, was surveying them with downcast head, and more than ordinary minuteness, when louder than ever came upon his ear the dreadful note-" hiss !" and, strange to relate, actually kept the secret to the last moment of her existence. N. S. Morley, near Leeds, Yorkshire. Sun rises And now in truth he stood appalled. Fear had succeeded doubt, and terror fear. He had profaned the morning of March 12. Day breaks the Sabbath, and he was commanded to desist or peradventure the sentence of death had been passed upon him, and he was now himself to be laid among "Whole rows of kindred and acquaintance By far his juniors." With tottering gait, however, Peter now went home, and to bed; but sleep had forsaken him. His wife in vain interrogated him as to the nature of his indisposition. Every comfort that the good housewife could during the night think of was administered to no purpose. In the morning the good woman, happening to cast her eyes upon the great chair where Peter's wig was suspended, exclaimed with vehemence "Oh Peter! what hast thou been doing to burn all t'hair off one side of thy wig?" "Ah! God bless thee," vociferated Peter, jumping out of bed, "thou hast cured me with that word." The mysterious "hiss," and "hush," were sounds from the frizzling of Peter's wig by the flame of his candle, which, to his imperfect sense of hearing, imported things "horrible an' awfu'." The discovery, and the tale, afforded Peter and the good people of merry Wakefield many a joke. I have heard the story related by so many old, respectable, and intelligent natives of the town who knew Peter well, that not a doubt can exist as to the fact. At all events I have no hesitation in subscribing my name to this paper, which may be worthy of a perusal on three grounds. First, as having never (that I know of) been published before; secondly, as being no fictitious tale; and, thirdly, as it may tend to dispel those idle fears and notions of which we have many remains. Wakefield has been the scene of many interesting adventures, which ought not to be lost through supineness and false notions. I have heard, on good authority, one of a lady, who had the craft to get acquainted with the Freemason's secret, but, being detected, was made a mason, sets Twilight ends Coltsfoot flowers by road-sides. March 13. March 13, 1661, Mr. Evelyn sets down in his diary,—"This_afternoon, Prince Rupert shewed me with his own hand the new way of graving, called mezzotinto, which afterwards I published in my 'Historory of Chaleography;' this set so many artists on work, that they soon arrived to that perfection that it is since come (to), emulating the tenderest miniatures." Prince Rupert was the inventor of the art of mezzotinto engraving. He is said to have taken the hint from observing a soidier scraping his rusty fusil. The invention is also claimed for Sir Christopher Wren, by whom it is certain that there is a black-moor's head. A MS. of Vertue's mentions a large head" something like mezzotinto," by an earlier hand, and refers to Sandrart's Lives of the Painters for another inventor of mezzotinto. The discovery is, however, generally awarded to Prince Rupert, whose first print is in the first edition of Evelyn's "Sculptura." A fine impression of this engraving by the Prince is valuable. Vaillant, the painter, who came into England with him soon after the restoration, assisted him considerably, and improved upon the invention. Prince Rupert's military eminence is well known. He was fond of philosophical experiments, and very ingenious. His glass drops are familiar to every schoolboy, although when he devised them they surprised the learned. Pepys writes in 1662, "Mr. Peter did show us the experiment (which I had heard talk of) of the chemical glasses, which break all to dust by breaking off a little small end; which is a great mystery to me." The Prince also invented a metal called by his name, in which cannon were cast; and he contrived a method of boring them, for which purpose a water-mill was erected at Hackney-marsh, which ruined the person en com On the 14th of March, 1758, died, at the age of 75, the once celebrated and still remembered Marshal, General Wade, who commanded against the forces of the pretender, in 1715; and, having finished the contest, remained in Scotland as mander in chief. While holding that office his soldiers effected the famous military road through the Highlands, which tended more to the civilization of the country than all that the sovereigns before the reign of George I. ever effected. Its inconsiderable expense has caused no less wonder than a just admiration of his incorruptible integrity. He likewise built the noble bridge over the Tay. When Marshal Wade commanded as generalissimo of the English and Hanoverian forces, the English were greatly se dissatisfied with him and the Duc d'Aremberg. These allied generals were verely censured in England, and became the ridicule of France, not only in private companies, but upon the stage, where they were introduced into farces and pantomimes. The Marshal introduced the bill into parliament which disarmed and changed the dress of the Highlanders. greatly attached to gaming, and not very choice of the company he piayed with. One night at the gaming table he missed a valuable gold snuff-box, richly set with diamonds. He insisted upon an immediate search, and that no person should leave the room until it was found. A gen * Granger. He was tleman, who sat on his right, dressed as an officer, in clothes much worn, with great humility had asked and obtained permission, four or five times, to go his shilling with the marshal,-he with great vehemence declared, upon the honour of a soldier, that he had not the box, nor knew any thing of it, but that he would rather die than be searched : he was willing, however, to retire to the next room, and defend his honour, or perish in the attempt. The marshal, who before had his suspicions, was now confirmed in them, and, as the sword was to be referred to, instantly prepared for the attack; but, to his confusion, in drawing, he felt the box in a secret pocket. Stung with remorse at having wounded the honour of a soldier, he said, as he hastily left the room," Sir, I here, with great reason, ask your pardon; and hope to find it granted, by your breakfasting with me, and hereafter ranking me amongst your friends." At breakfast, the Marshal said, "Why, Sir, could you refuse being searched?" "Because, Marshal, being upon half-pay and friendless, I am obliged to husband every penny. I had, that day, little appetite; and as I could not eat what I had paid for, nor afford to lose it, the leg and wing of a fowl, with a manchet, were then wrapped up in a piece of paper in my pocket; the idea of these being found there appeared ten times more terrible than fighting the room round." "Enough, my dear boy," exclaimed Wade," you have said enough! your name. Let us dine at Sweet's tomorrow; we must prevent your being subjected again to such a dilemma." At Sweet's the Marshal presented him with a Captain's commission, and a purse to enable him to join the regiment.* On a pane of glass, in the parlour window of the pleasant little road-side public-house called "the Plough," in Lord Dogs-tooth violet flowers in green- ship-lane, leading from West Peckham houses, and in warm situations. March 15. PALM SUNDAY Is the Sunday before Easter, and it may fall so early as on this day It is said in "Dives and Pauper, 1496," respecting the first commandant, "On to Sydenham, there is the following inscription: "March 16, 1810, "Thomas Mount Jones dined here, "Eat six pounds of bacon, drank nineteen pots of beeer." It is a question for discussion, whether, in the hero of this frail memorial, the love of distinction and desire for fame were not greater than his love of brutal gluttony. Sun rises Palme Sondaye, at procession, the priest The ceremony of bearing Palms on Palm Sunday was retained in England after some others were dropped, and was one of those which Henry VIII., in 1536, declared were not to be contemned and cast away. In one of the volumes of Proclamations, in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, is one printed and dated 26th February, 30 Henry VIII., "concernyng Rites and Ceremonies to be used in due fourme in the Churche of Englande," wherein occurs the following clause :"On Palme Sonday it shall be declared that bearing of Palmes renueth the memorie of the receivinge of Christe in lyke manner into Jerusalem before his deathe." And "to carry their Palmes discreatlye," is among the Roman Catholic Customs censured by Bale, in his Declaration of Bonner's Articles, 1554.* Palm, or, to speak properly, slips of the willow, with its velvet-looking buds, are sometimes still stuck in churches on Palm Sunday. March 15. Day breaks -sets. Twilight ends h. m. 4 13 6 7 Least willow-wren arrives. is seen in the south of England all the winter. * Brand. sets Twilight ends. White and orange narcissus flowers. Snow-drops begin to decline. March 17. ST. PATRICK. This being the festival day of the patron Saint of Ireland is denoted by wearing the "green immortal shamrock;" and by feasts and convivial meetings. Sir Thomas Overbury, in his Characters, has an allusion to this day he says, when describing a running footman," "Tis impossible to draw his picture to the life, 'cause a man must take it as he's running; only this, horses are usually let bloud on St. Steven's day: on St. Patrick's he takes rest, and is drencht for all the yeare after." There are notices of the shamrock and allusions to it in several books. As the British Druids and Bards had an extraordinary veneration for the number three, so, says Vallancey, "the misletoe was sacred to the Druids, because not only its berries but its leaves, also, grow in clusters of three, united to one stock. The Christian Irish hold the seamroy sacred in like manner, because of three leaves united to one stalk." The "seamroy" is thus mentioned in the Irish-English Dictionary. "Seamroy, clover, trefoil, worn by Irishmen in their hats, by way of a cross, on St. Patrick's day, in memory of that great saint." Spenser, in his view of the State of Ireland, 1596, speaking of "these late warres of Mounster," which was, before, |