mmit new. Virgins came hither who seldom went was obliged to take it up, in token of his accepting gins away. Nor was this a convent peculiarly the challenge. cked; every convent at that period was equally "Upon this, the priest supplied his champion, for it d of pleasure, and gave a boundless loose to was not lawful for the clergy to fight; and the debehte. The laws allowed it; each priest had a fendant and plaintiff, according to custom, were put ht to a favourite companion, and a power of dis in prison; both ordered to fast and pray, every ding her as often as he pleased. The laity grum-method being previously used to induce both to a d, quarrelled with their wives and daughters, hated confession of truth. After a month's imprisonment, ir confessors, and maintained them in opulence the hair of each was cut, the bodies anointed with case. These, these were happy times, Mr. Rig-oil, the field of battle appointed and guarded by ule; these were times of piety, bravery, and sim- soldiers, while his majesty presided over the whole ity!" "Not so very happy, neither, good madam; in person. Both the champions were sworn not to ty much like the present; those that labour ve; and those that do nothing, wear fine clothes live in luxury."

seek victory either by fraud or magic. They prayed and confessed upon their knees; and after these ceremonies, the rest was left to the courage and conduct of the combatants. As the champion whom the prior had pitched upon, had fought six or eight times upon similar occasions, it was no way extraordinary to find him victorious in the present combat. In short, the husband was discomfited; he was taken from the field of battle, stripped of his shirt, and after one of his legs was cut off, as justice ordained in such cases, he was hanged as a terror to future offenders. These, these were the times, Mr. Rig.. marole! you see how much more just, and wise, and valiant, our ancestors were than us.". "I rather fancy, madam, that the times then were pretty much like our own; where a multiplicity of laws give a judge as much power as a want of law; since he is ever sure to find among the number some to countenance his partiality."

In this manner the fathers lived, for some years, out molestation; they transgressed, confessed selves to each other, and were forgiven. One ung, however, our prior keeping a lady of dision somewhat too long at confession, her husband pectedly came in upon them, and testified all indignation which was natural upon such an oc0. The prior asured the gentleman that it was devil who had put it into his heart; and the lady rery certain, that she was under the influence age, or she could never have behaved in so un fal a manner. The husband, however, was not put off by such evasions, but summoned both the tribunal of justice. His proofs were fla, and he expected large damages. Such, indeed, da right to expect, were the tribunals of those constituted in the same manner as they are now. "Our convent, victorious over their enemies, now rause of the priest was to be tried before an as-gave a loose to every demonstration of joy. The dy of priests; and a layman was to expect re- lady became a nun, the prior was made bishop, and only from their impartiality and candour, three Wickliffites were burned in the illuminations t plea then do you think the prior made to ob- and fire-works that were made on the present occathis accusation? He denied the fact, and sion. Our convent now began to enjoy a very high enged the plaintiff to try the merits of their cause degree of reputation. There was not one in Lonagle combat. It was a little hard, you may be don that had the character of hating heretics so upon the poor gentleman, not only to be made much as ours. Ladies of the first distinction chose ald, but to be obliged to fight a duel into the from our convent their confessors; in short, it floua; yet such was the justice of the times. The rished, and might have flourished to this hour, but threw down his glove, and the injured husband for a fatal accident which terminated in its over

"Under the care of this lady, the tavern g into great reputation; the courtiers had not v learned to game, but they paid it off by drinks: drunkenness is ever the vice of a barbarous, gaming of a luxurious age. They had not such quent entertainments as the moderns have, but were more expensive and more luxurious in those the had. All their fooleries were more elaborate, ac. more admired by the great and the vulgar than des. A courtier has been known to spend his whole t tune at a single feast, a king to mortgage his dez nions to furnish out the frippery of a tourname There were certain days appointed for riot and bauchery, and to be sober at such times was rep a crime. Kings themselves set the example; 2 have seen monarchs in this room drunk before entertainment was half concluded. These were times, sir, when kings kept mistresses, and got dru in public; they were too plain and simple in s happy times to hide their vices, and act the hypocr as now.

throw. The lady whom the prior had placed in a to be supposed it could subsist any longer; the fanunnery, and whom he continued to visit for some thers were ordered to decamp, and the house was time with great punctuality, began at last to perceive once again converted into a tavern. The king con.. that she was quite forsaken. Secluded from conver- ferred it on one of his cast mistresses; she was co sation, as usual, she now entertained the visions of stituted landlady by royal authority; and as the a devotee; found, herself strangely disturbed; but tavern was in the neighbourhood of the court, sad hesitated in determining, whether she was possessed the mistress a very polite woman, it began to bave by an angel or a dæmon. She was not long in sus- more business than ever; and sometimes took pence; for, upon vomiting a large quantity of crooked less than four shillings a day. pins, and finding the palms of her hands turned outwards, she quickly concluded that she was possessed by the devil. She soon lost entirely the use of speech; and, when she seemed to speak, every body that was present perceived that her voice was not her own, but that of the devil within her. In short, she was bewitched; and all the difficulty lay in determining who it could be that bewitched her. The nuns and monks all demanded the magician's name, but the devil made no reply; for he knew they had no authority to ask questions. By the rules of witchcraft, when an evil spirit has taken possession, he may refuse to answer any questions asked him, unless they are put by a bishop, and to these he is obliged to reply. A bishop, therefore, was sent for, and now the whole secret came out the devil reluctantly owned that he was a servant of the prior; that, by his command, he resided in his present habitation; and that, without his command, he was resolved to keep in possession. The bishop was an able exorcist; he drove the devil out by force of mystical arms; the prior was arraigned for witchcraft; the witnesses "Upon this lady's decease the tavern was se were strong and numerous agaiust him, not less than sively occupied by adventurers, bullies, pimps L fourteen persons being by, who had heard the devil gamesters. Towards the conclusion of the reg talk Latin. There was no resisting such a cloud of Henry VII. gaming was more universally practised witnesses; the prior was condemned; and he who England than even now. Kings themselves have had assisted at so many burnings, was burned him-known to play off, at Primero, not only all the m self in turn. These were times, Mr. Rigmarole; the people of those times were not infidels, as now, but sincere believers!"" Equally faulty with ourselves they believed what the devil was pleased to tell them; and we seem resolved, at last, to believe neither God nor devil."

and jewels they could part with, but the very iz
in churches. The last Henry played away, in
very room, not only the four great bells of St. Fa
cathedral, but the fine image of St. Paul, which s
upon the top of the spire, to Sir Miles Partridge =
took them down the next day, and sold them by a
tion,

GOLDSMITH,

ARTICLES FOUND IN A KITCHEN DRAWER.

"The last hostess of note I find upon record was in the house, and was now got into the story of the Jane Rouse. She was born among the lower ranks cracked glass in the dining-room. of the people; and by frugality and extreme complaisance, contrived to acquire a moderate fortune: his she might have enjoyed for many years, had she ot unfortunately, quarrelled with one of her neighpars, a woman who was in high repute for sanctity rough the whole parish. In the times of which eak, two women seldom quarrelled, that one did I acruse the other of witchcraft, and she who first atrived to vomit crooked pins was sure to come off torious. The scandal of a modern tea-table difwidely from the scandal of former times; the ination of a lady's eyes at present, is regarded as ompliment; but if a lady, formerly, should be used of having witchcraft in her eyes, it were much er both for her soul and body, that she had no I at all.

In short, Jane Rouse was accused of witchcraft; though she made the best defence she could, it all to no purpose; she was taken from her own the bar of the Old Bailey, condemned and exJaccordingly. These were times, indeed! when women could not scold in safety.

Since her time the tavern underwent several re oas, according to the spirit of the times, or the ition of the reigning monarch. It was this day hel, and the next a conventicle for enthusiasts. one year noted for harbouring whigs, and the afamous for a retreat to tories. Some years was in high vogue, but at present it seems deThis only may be remarked in general, that, er taverns flourish most, the times are then stravagant and luxurious."-" Lord! Mrs. ." interrupted I, “ you have really deceived pected a romance, and here you have been four giving me only a description of the spirit mes; if you have nothing but tedious remarks maicate, seek some other hearer; I am de1 to bearken only to stories."

scarce concluded, when my eyes and ears pened to my landlord, who had been all this ring me an account of the repairs he had made

Written in the age of Shakspeare.
Three aprons, two dusters, the face of a pig,
A dirty jack towel, a dish-clout and wig;
A foot of a stocking, three caps and a frill,
A busk and six buttons, mouse-trap and a quill;
A comb and a thimble, with Madona bands,
A box of specific for chops in the hands;
Some mace and some cloves tied up in a rag,
An empty thread paper and blue in a bag;
Short pieces of ribbon, both greasy and black,
A grater and nutmeg, the key of the jack;
An inch of wax candle, a steel and a flint,
A bundle of matches, a parcel of mint;
A lump of old suet, a crimp for the paste,
A pair of red garters, a belt for the waist;
A rusty bent skewer, a broken brass cock,
Some onions and tinder, and the draw'r lock;
A bag for the pudding, a whetstone and string,
A penny cross-bun, and a new curtain ring;
A print for the butter, a dirty chemise,
Two pieces of soap, and a large slice of cheese;
Five teaspoons of tin, a large lump of rosin,
The feet of a hare, and corks by the dozen;
A card to tell fortunes, a sponge and a can,
A pen without ink, and a small patty-pan;
A rolling-pin pasted, and common prayer book,
Are the things which I found in the drawer of the

cook.

A LONG TASK.

The Rev. Mr. Milne, in a Report of the Missionary Society for China, says, "We want, sir, fifty millions of New Testaments for China; and after that about one-sixth of the population only would be supplied. I would ask no higher honour on earth, than to distribute the said number." Now, if Mr. Milne had commenced the distribution of the said number at the time the Ark rested on Mount Ararat, and had

!

as he neither wants, nor deserves, but only den:e (pardon, dread sir, an expression you are pretty muris used to) and insists upon it.

Your petitioner is little apt, and always unwilling. to speak advantageously of himself; but as m degree of justice is due to one's self, as well as others, he begs leave to represent, that his loyalty to your majesty has always been unshaken, even in th worst of times; that particularly in the late u

PARALLEL BETWEEN CHURCHILL, DUKE OF MARL-tural rebellion, when the young Pretender had a

THE LAUGHING PHILOSOPHER.

pounds a year will not be proposed to him, and if "That though some fops of Celia prate, made gold, the more agreeable.

"Yet be not hers the praise;
"For, if she should be passing straight,
"Hem! she may thank her stays.
"And celebrates her fame,
Each fool of Delia's figure talks,

"I vow I think she's lame.
"And see Ma'am Harriet toss her head,
"Lawk, how the creature stares :
'Well, well, thank heaven, it can't be said,
I give myself such airs!"

Your petitioner persuades himself that your ma-
jesty will not impute this his humble application to
mean interested motive, of which he has always"
ad the utmost abhorrence.-No, sir! he confesses his
weakness: honour alone is his object; honour is bis" But for my part, whene'er she walks,
ion; that honour which is sacred to him as a peer,
nd tender to him as a gentleman; that honour, in
ort, to which he has sacrificed all other consider-
Fo0s. It is upon this single principle that your
titioner solicits an honour, which at present in so
traordinary a manner adorns the British Peerage;
which, in the most shining periods of ancient
reece, distinguished the greatest men, who were
in the Prytaneum at the expense of the public.
Upon this honour, far dearer to your petitioner
his life, he begs leave, in the most solemn
er, to assure your majesty, that in case you
I be pleased to grant this his most modest request,
will honourably support and promote, to the ut-
of his abilities, the very worst measures, that
very worst ministers can suggest; but, at the
e time, should he unfortunately, and in a singu-
Manner, be branded by a refusal, he thinks him-
biged in honour to declare, that he will, with
most acrimony, oppose the very best measures
your majesty yourself shall ever propose or
And your petitioner, &c.

The Ode concludes with the following stanzas:
To woman every charm was given,
To soften grief or care;
Design'd by all indulgent heaven,

EXTRACTS FROM AN ODE TO SCANDAL.

now indeed, I burn with sacred fires, brandal's self that every thought inspires! all potent Genius! now I feel

cking magic through each artery steal; th moment to my prying eyes fresh disfigur'd beauties rise;

ment I perceive some flaw Wen ill-nature never saw. h! some airy whisperer hints, In accents wisely faint,

Cleora rather squints: **Maria uses paint!

For ye were form'd to bless mankind,
Indeed, indeed, ye were.
To harmonize and soothe the mind:

But when from those sweet lips we hear
Your power that moment dies:
Ill nature's whisper, Envy's sneer,
Each coxcomb makes your name his sport,
What men of sense despise.
And fools when angry will retort
Leave then such vain disputes as these,
Let Candour guide your way;
And take a nobler road to please,-
So shall you daily conquests gain,
And captives, happy in your chain,
Be proud to own your sway.

SHERIDAN.