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This mansion, which is situated near Newbury, in Berkshire, owes its celebrity to having been the head-quarters of the unfortunate Charles I., after the memorable battle of Newbury, which was fought in the year 1644. The king having detached three regiments of horse to the relief of Banbury castle, which was then besieged, was on his way to Oxford, when he was met near Newbury by the forces of the parliament, and compelled to fight with his army weakened as before mentioned. The king fortified himself as well as he could at Newbury, and placed his foot in the entrenchments, whilst the horse were posted in two adjoining fields, and for some days there were frequent skirmishes between the two armies. At length, on Sunday, the 27th of October, the parliament generals having divided their forces into two bodies, attacked the king's entrenchments at two several places. The fight, which began at three or four o'clock in the afternoon, held till night, and was extremely sharp, each party repulsing the other by turns. On the approach of night the assailants forced part of the entrenchments, and took several pieces of ordnance. A variety of evidences yet remain at Shaw House of the

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execution done by the conflicting parties. In an old oak wainscot of a bow window in the library, is a hole about the height of a man's head. This aperture, according to tradition, was made by a bullet fired at the king as he was dressing at the window, by a musketeer of the parliament army. The shot narrowly missed him, aad the wainscot is carefully preserved in memory of the transaction; a basket of ball is likewise shown which was gathered about the premises.

Shaw House was built by an eminent clothier, named Dolman, about the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign; it is a large edifice, built principally of brick. Mr. Dolman being sufficiently enriched by his business, erected this mansion, intending to pass his remaining days here in ease and retirement; having withdrawn his capital from mercantile pursuits, those who had been benefitted by his former speculations, followed him into his retirement, with many sarcasms; and it has been observed that the many Latin and Greek sentences inscribed upon different parts of the house show that he was well acquainted with the opinions of his neighbours, the remembrance of whose illiberality has been preserved to this day by the following grotesque distich :

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Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners!

Thomas Dolman has built a new house, and turn'd away his spinners.

THE GAMBLER'S VICTIM.

A TALE OF DANISH HISTORY.

It is astonishing that, amid the almost daily instances of folly and ruin attendant on the pernicious evils of gaming, so many infatuated followers of that detestable pursuit should still be found in those cities claiming a pre-eminence of civilization. It is an evil that the laws ought to root out; in the want, however, of legislative authority, perhaps a few atrocious instances of the depravity incident upon such a course might awaken the mind of some from following in the same delusive path. The following is a lamentable instance, and though but little known, is borne out by historical veracity.

The celebrated Danish vice-admiral Tordenskiold, who was

born in 1691, and died in 1720, had so distinguished himself in his earliest youth, by his immovable courage and presence of mind in the naval service, that he rapidly rose in the profession. He was not only the favourite of his sovereign, Frederic IV. of Denmark, who made him vice-admiral; but his glorious victories over the Swedish navy spread his renown through Europe.

Lord Carteret, who had become acquainted with Tordenskiold at the blockade of Gottenburg, and highly esteemed him, came to Copenhagen, in 1720, as British ambassador. Here he renewed his friendship with Tordenskiold, and having to go to Hanover to attend his sovereign, George I., he prevailed on Tordenskiold to accompany him, that he might present him to the king. The friends of a young man of the name of Lehn, the son of a rich and considerable family, desiring that he should travel, thought this was a favourable opportunity, and requested Tordenskiold to take him under his protection; with which, his friendship for Lehn's family easily induced him to comply. Lord Carteret and Tordenskiold stopped some weeks at Hamburg, and Lehn took this opportunity to make himself acquainted with all that is curious in that great commercial city and its environs. Among other things, somebody told him of a Swedish colonel, named Stahl, who had in his possession a very singular natural phenomenon, viz. a serpent with seven crowned heads. Having enquired the colonel's residence, he did not hesitate to call on him. He was admitted; and the colonel having learned his wish, and artfully inquired his name, country, and family connexions, politely asked him to join a party which the possessor of the seven headed serpent had just invited. Young Lehn the more readily accepted this invitation, as it gave him the best opportunity to gratify his curiosity., The colonel introduced him to his company, which was numerous, and who for the most part amused themselves with play. The colonel asked his new acquaintance to join them; saying, he feared he would be dull if he merely looked on. Similar invitations were made him by persons who, from external appearance, wearing orders of knighthood, &c. seemed to be of rank. The young man did not hesitate to accept the proposal, and sat down at a table where a very high game of hazard was played. Lehn not only lost all the money he had about him, but, impelled by youthful ardor,

and in the hope of regaining what he had lost, remained in debt for a sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, for which he was obliged to give his written bond. The young man who had been so shamefully imposed on, was almost desperate; he knew not how he could pay his debt, without informing his protector, which he dreaded to do, knowing his violent temper.

Colonel Stahl had seemingly given security for the young Dane, to those who had won his money; and as the time for Tordenskiold's departure was at hand, he urged Lehn to release him from his obligation by paying the debt. This was accompanied with such threats that Lehn, who had till then carefully concealed the matter from Tordenskiold, saw no possibility, the day before that fixed for their departure, of any longer being silent. With a beating heart, he frankly confessed to the admiral the embarrassment in which he had involved himself. Tordenskiold was extremely angry; but as he was pressed for time, and could not delay, if he meant to see the King of England at Hanover, he enabled his young friend to redeem his bond, and continued his journey with him and Lord Carteret to Hanover. The king received the Danish admiral in the most flattering manner, and the people of Hanover were eager to show their esteem to so celebrated a naval hero. When the king left Hanover, he very graciously invited Tordenskiold to visit England.

On the day that the king departed, Tordenskiold dined at the house of the General Von Belau. The Swedish Colonel Stahl was one of the company. After dinner cards were introduced; but Tordenskiold declined playing, and joined that part of the company who preferred an agreeable or instructive conversation to cards and dice. The conversation happened to turn on a company of false players, who for a time had carried on their infamous profession in Hanover, but were at length discovered, and their proceedings put a stop to. This put Torkenskiold in mind of what had happened to his young friend in Hamburg, and he said," Would to God the police were every where as vigilant as here!" such worthless Scoundrels, who are more dangerous than pickpockets and highwaymen, would not then plunder inexperienced youth, ruin the happiness of many families, and make those whom they have robbed become, in their despair, criminals or suicides. Such swindlers would not then impudently intrude in

the company of honest men :" and then turning to Colonel Stahl, he asked him in a sarcastic tone, " pray, did you ever hear of a serpent with seven crowned heads, which a rogue in Hamburg exhibited, in order to cheat the curious of their money? A young man," he continued, with increased bitterness, "whom I regard, both on his own account and that of his respectable family, was scandalously plundered by this rascal; and I am surprised the magistrates at Hamburg suffer such villains to remain in their territory. They ought to be well bastinadoed, and sent over the frontiers."

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During the whole of this philippic Tordenskiold looked at the colonel with such a fixed and significant manner, that those present could not but perceive that he alluded to him. The latter was perfectly sensible of the admiral's intention, but, like most people of his stamp, lost none of that composure which long-practised impudence produces. With forced calmness he interrupted the admiral, The serpent you mention certainly belongs to me; but what you say of cheating and knavery is to me a riddle. I therefore beg you, admiral, to explain whether you mean to allude to me.' "It is the same to me," replied Tordenskiold, haughtily, "how you interpret my expressions. You are certainly the best able to judge.' "That was spoken by a scoundrel!" exclaimed Stahl. He had not expected such a public affront, but rather calculated that his impudence would intimidate his opponents; a mode which he had frequently tried with success, but which could not avail with a man like Tordenskiold. He lost his.. counterfeit composure, and involuntarily uttered this coarse expression.

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Tordenskiold did not answer a syllable; but scarcely had the word escaped the colonel's lips, when he raised his cane to bestow on him the chastisement which, in' his opinion, Stahl deserved. The colonel hastily retreated to the door of the room, and escaped; Tordenskiold pursued him. Two of the company followed the admiral to prevent him from chastising the colonel, but they came too late. Stahl, when he saw that he could not escape by flight, had drawn out, in his confusion, his sword with the scabbard. Tordenskiold struck it out of his hand, collared him, threw him on the ground, and caned him severely. The colonel cried aloud, Help-help! will nobody take my part?" "Yes," returned Tordenskiold,

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