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Certificate of the Services of St Anthony in a Portuguese Regiment. 359 tune St Anthony, which he had not arms. For your information, I fub

join here a translation of the certificate the Colonel read to us, which I obtained as a piece too precious to be loft, or overlooked. It is as near as the idioms of the two languages will permit, which in formal deeds and writings are confiderably different; but in its manner and form exactly refembles all those paffed in this coun try, which, as well as in Spain, are numberlefs, no manner of public bufinefs, lawfuits, &c. being carried on without them, as thofe who are at all acquainted with the language and cuftoms of Portugal can readily attest. The tranflation runs as follows:

Don Hercules Antonio Carlos Luiz Jofeph Maria de Albouquerque e Araujo de Magalhaens Homem, Nobleman of her Majefty's House

done for above two days, when the dog was brought back to her! He alfo faved a poor foldier, who called upon him when drowning, as he paffed a deep river, by miraculously throwing a rope in his way! Another had recovered from the fmall-pox, by thinking on St Anthony, and this after the rattle was in his throat, and he had been given over by the Surgeon-Major of the regiment! In fhort, another certificate related, that a drummer of the regiment, named John, or Joaô Ivo Alegre, being in bed with his wife, and their child fleeping between them, when he waked in the morning found a large fnake (which had crept in under the door of their hat) in bed with them, fucking his wife's breaft, while fhe was faft afleep, with its tail in the mouth of the child, who was fuckinghold, Knight of the facred Order of it very contentedly: at fight of fuch an St John of Jerufalem, and of the extraordinary appearance, the drum- moft illuftrious military Order of mer immediately invoked St Anthony, Chrift, Lord of the Districts and ho infpired him with prefence of Towns of Moncarapacho and Terramind and courage, fufficient to feizegudo, hereditary Alcaide Mor of the at once the head and tail of the fer-city of Faro, and Major of the Repent, by this time overloaded with thegiment of Infantry of the city of quantity of milk he had fucked; and Lagos, in this kingdom of Algarve, fetting a foot upon each, fecured him for her Moft Faithful Majefty, whom from doing them any mifchief, till God long preferve, &c. &c. &c. with his hanger, which lay at his bed's head, he cut off the animal's head, and mangled it fo as to prevent it from hurting them. Thus the man, wife, and child, had a miraculous escape!

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I atteft and certify, to all who fhall fee thefe prefents, written out by my command, and figned at thê bottom with my fign-manual, with the broad feal of my arms close by

Amidft fuch a multifarious collec-my faid fignature, and a little to the tion of crude abfurdities, Mr Bagot faid he would not take up any more time, than by reading the Major's own certificate, which served as a crown and confirmation to all the others, and to establish St Anthony's character as a man of honour and a good foldier; and, as fuch, recommending him to her Majefty, as a perfon every way deferving her royal attention, in what regards his promotion in the army. This certificate was drawn out in a fine hand, fealed at bottom with an enormous large feal of the Major's VOL: VII. No 41.

left of it, that the Lord St Anthony, otherwife the great St Anthony of Lifbon, (commonly and falfely call'ed of Padua) has been inlifted, and had a place in this regiment ever fince the 24th of January, of the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1668, as will appear more particularly below: I farther atteft, that the fiftynine within certificates, numbered 'from unity up to the number 59, and with the cypher of my name fet close by each number, do contain and com'prehend a true and faithful relation Z z

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t1688, by order of his Majesty Doa 148, at Pedro Second, (whom God has in si per-glory) then Prince Regent of the - confe- Kingdom of Portugal, directed to ce in it; the Viceroy of this kingdom of Aleer incongarve, was St Anthony inlifted as a confirmed, private foldier in this regiment of with many of Infantry of Lagos, when it was firft who received formed by command of the fame the faid Saint: Prince; and of fuch enlistment of doubt of the ve- St Anthony there was a register eles, is as heinous formed, which now exifts in the Holy Ghost, as First Volume of the Regifter-book the doginas of our of the Regiment, fol. 143. ver. and of the miracles of wherein he gave for his caution and the evidences where-furety the Queen of Angels, who trong and convincing became anfwerable that he would not the prefent inftance be- defert his colours, but behave always by which our bleffed like a good foldier in the regiment. ..& own words are fulfilled, And thus did the Saint continue to told his difciples, that "af- ferve and do duty as a private in the all come thofe who fhall do regiment, till September the 12th works than I have done," 1683, on which day the fame Prince prophecy clearly pointed to Regent became King of Portugal, cat St Anthony. by the deceafe of his brother Don Affonço the Sixth; and on the fame day his Majefty promoted St Anthony to the rank of Captain in the regiment, for having, a fhort time before, valiantly put himself at the

do farther certify, upon my word onour, as a Nobleman, a Knight, hia Catholic Chriftian, (as with God's grace I am) what hereunder allows :

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That having read over and peru-head of a detachment of the regifed attentively all the papers, note⚫ books, and regifters of our regiment, ever fince its first formation, and ha⚫ving carefully copied out of the faid papers every thing relating to the above-named St Anthony, it is de verbo ad verbum what follows here: for the truth of which I refer to the faid books and papers, lodged in the • archives of our regiment.

That on the 24th of January

ment, which was marching from Jurumenha to the garrison of Olivença, both in the province of the Alentejo, and beat off a strong body of Caftillians, four times the number of faid • detachment, which body had been set in ambush for them, with the inten tion of carrying them all prifoners to Badajox, the enemy having, by their fpies, obtained information of their march.

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The method of recruiting the army in Spain and Portugal, is totally different from what is practifed in England: each of the provinces is divided into diftriéts, and the Civil Magiftrate of every diftrict is obliged to furnish the number of recruits allotted him, whenever called upon by Government; and fuch recruits mot be the fons of merchants, tradefmen, peafants, labourers, &c. &c. inhabitants of their district; and the father, brother, fome relation, or other fufficient perfon, is made refponfible for each recruit, that he fhall behave well, and not defert his colours; and if he does, that perfon is obliged to find another man to ferve in his place, for whom he muft alfo be anfwerable. Thus, in the text, Saint Anthony vives the Virgin Mary for his fecurity, as being the most responsible perfon he ould offer to answer for his good behaviour.

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I do farther certify, that in all the above papers and regifters, there is note of St Anthony of bad behaviour or irregularity, committed by him, nor of his having ever been fogged, imprifoned, or any way punifhed by his officers, while private in the regiment: That, during the whole time he has been a captain, now near a hundred years, he has conftantly done his duty with the greatesb alacrity, at the head of his company, upon all occafions, in peace and war, and as fuch has been feen by his foldiers, times without number, as they are all ready to teftify; ⚫ and in every other refpect has always behaved like a gentleman and an of ⚫ficer: and on all the above-mention'ed accounts, I hold him moft worthy and deferving of the rank of Aggregate-Major to our regiment, and of every other honour, grace, or favour, her Majefty fhall be gracioufly pleafed to bestow upon him. In teftimony whereof, I have hereto figned my name, this 25th day of March, of the year of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 1777(L. S.)

MAGALHAENS HOMEM.'

You will be apt to imagine the above is only caricature; but I must request you to give me credit when I affure you, I have mentioned nothing but literal and fober matter of fact; neither is any bufinefs, either here or in Spain, treated with more gravity and ferioufnefs; nor is it at all furprising, if they act, as I have every reafon to believe they do, de bonne foi. The opinion fo prevalent in England, and which is fupported by many grave polemic authors of a certain way of thinking, (who, before they write, ought in common prudence to be better informed) is evidently falfe; I mean, when they affert, that the clergy in Catholic countries know better things, and keep the people in ignorance, only to have them the more in their power; at leaft I will anfwer for it, that the greatest part of the clergy of Spain and here, are upright in their intentions, and think they are difcharging the duties of their office, and, if mistaken, are the first dupes in thefe countries; in which cafe, it is not furprifing that they lead aftray the people committed to their care.

I

SIR,

A Letter, containing Obfervations on the London Cries.

AM forry to obferve, that fince the days of the Spectator, nó attempt has been made to reduce the London Cries to fome order-They ftill remain in a most unmufical confufion, for want of fome perfon to fuperintend them, and to deliver out to the people their proper cries in fcore, that they may not injure our ears as they do at prefent, by their horrid fcreaming. This is much to the reproach of an age fo mufically inclined as the prefent, and I wish to rouze in the public an attention to a fubject which they muft daily hear on both fides of their head.

The great errors which have crept into our fyftem of Cries, are princi. pally thefe; the fame mufic is often applied to different words-and, fecondly, we have often a great many words fet to mufic, fo improper, that the " found is not an echo to the sense” -not to speak of a great deal of mufic by the firft miftreffes of the Billingfgate academy, to which there are no words at all, and vice verfa, a great quantity of words without mufic, as any one may be convinced of, by liftening to the cries of the venders of fish.

I have faid, that the fame mufic is often applied to different words-There Zzz

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is a man under my window at this moment, who cries potatoes to the selffame tune that I remember when cherries were in feafon-and it was but yesterday a woman invited the public to purchase shrimps, to a tune which has invariably been applied to water cod as to fpinnage and muffins, I have heard them fo often chaunted in D, that I defy any man to know which is which.

Hot Crofs-Buns-although they oc cur but once a-year, are cried to a tune which has nothing of that majesty which fhould accompany facred mufic -There is a flur upon hot which de stroys the effect; and, indeed, gives the whole a very irreverent found.New Cherfe, I have to obferve, has not been fet to mufic, and is therefore ufually fung as a fecond part to radishes, but the concords are not always perfect-Ducts are rarely well per formed, when there is no other ac companiments than the wheels of a bariow.

As I would not wish to infinuate that all our cries are objectionable, I muft allow that ground-ivy is one of the most excellent pieces of mufic we have I queftion much if ever Handel

Matches, too, have been tranfpofed to the key of perriwinkles, and the cadence which should fall upon rare is now placed upon fmelts and mackarel, One could fcarcely suppose such abfurdities in London, at a time when eve ry barber's boy whiftles Italian operas, and even the footmen belonging to the Nobility give you water parted at the box-doors-There is another compofed, or Mara fung, any thing inftance juft occurred in radishes Every body knows that the bravura part is on the words twenty a penny, but they fwell these notes, and bake upon radishes. Qds life, Sir, we have no ears, elfe we could not hear fuch barbarous tranfpofitions, which must be done by people totally unacquainted with the gamut. You may think lightly of this matter, Sir, but my family fhall starve ere I will buy potatoes in the treble cliff, or allow them to eat a fallad that has been cried in flats.

Soot, ho! I will ftill allow to be in alt; the fituation of our chimneys juftifies this; but certainly duft ought to be an octave lower, although it is notorious, that the unmufical tafcals frequently go as high as G, and that without any hake. Is it not clear, that duft fhould be shaked?

Of water-creffes, I must own the cry has a moft pleafing melancholy, which I would not part with for the flippant triple tune in which we are folicited to purchafe cabbage plants-In fallad, the repetition has a good effect -Fine fallad, and fine YOUNG fallad, with a fhake on the laft fyllable of fallad, is according to the true principles of mufic, as it ends in an apogiatura.

like it. What renders it more beautiful is, that it is a rondeau, a very plea fing and popular fpecies of air-The repetition of the word ground-ivy, both before and after the Come buy my-has a very fine effect; or, as the critics would fay, it is impreffive and brilliant.

But, while I allow the merit of this very natural and popular compofition, what fhall I fay to cucumbers ? The original tune is entirely forgotten, and a fort of Irish lilt is fubftituted for the original. But although I object to this tune by itself, I am perfuaded that those who admire the fublime thunder of a chorus will be highly gratified by a chorus of cucumber, women in a narrow street. I have often liftened to it, when it took my attention from every thing else.

Fresh falmon is objectionable both on account of the words and the music.— The mufic was originally part of the celebrated water piece, but they have mangled it fo, that the compofer himfelf could not recognize the original air.-Befides fome ufe the word dainty, and fome delicate to the fame notes, which occafions an unpleasant femiquaver. Indeed, in genoral, the words delicate might be as well left out.

Little or nothing of the bravura has been attempted in our cries, if we except the rolypolys; green peas is a very fine inftance of this fpecies of compofition; I know of nothing in any of our Operas which goes beyond it; it is to be regretted peas don't laft all

the year.

But to go over all the cries, Sir, in one letter is not poffible, elfe I could eafily prove that we are as much degenerated in this kind of mufic, as we are improved in every other the barrel-organ men have, debauched our fish and garden-stuff women; for indeed how can a woman, be the ever fo good a finger, liften to their play-houfe-tunes, and whip her afs along at the fame time? It cannot be done, Sir; people who have nice ears, are eafieft diftur. bed by founds; and how can one give the elegant melody of Winfdar beans, and liften at the fame time to God fave the King.

This is a mufical age, and our great improvements have attracted the notice and the company of foreigners, and it much becomes us to reform the prefent barbarous fyftem of cries-We can hear a concert, Sir, but now and then; the cries affail our ears at all the hours of the day. I am, Sir, your's,

JOEL COLLIER, jun.

P. S. If any scheme is fet on foot for the valuable purpofes I mention; I beg farther to intimate, that I have lately compofed a fet of appropriate airs for each article, from foot at feven in the morning, to hot ginger. bread at ten at night-alfo a fet of tunes for the watchmen in much better time than they at present perferve.-These I fhall be happy to fubmit to any Com mittee of Mufical Cognofcenti, that may be appointed-If not, I thall print them by fubfcription, at half a guinea the fett. J. C. jun. to be heard of at I hope, Sir, the few hints I have the 'Change, Billingsgate, or the mar here offered will not be difagreeable. ket Covent-Garden, any morning.

Authentic Relation of the heroic Magnanimity with which the Bramin Rajah Nunducomar fuffered. Written by Mr Macraby (the Sheriff) who attended

him.

H

him, that I was come to fhew him this laft mark of refpect, and to affure him, that every attention fhould be given the next morning which could afford him comfort on fo melancholy an occafion; that I was deeply concerned that the duties of my office

EARING that fome perfons had fuppofed Mahraja Nun<ducomar would make an addrefs to the people at his execution, I have ⚫ committed to writing the following ⚫ minutes of what paffed both on that ⚫ occafion, and alfo upon my paying him a vifit in prifon the preceding even-made me of neceffity a party in it; ⚫ing, while both are fresh in my remembrance.

Friday evening, the 4th of Auguft, upon my entering his apartment in the jail, he arofe and faluted me in his ufual manner: after we were ⚫ both feated, he spoke with great ease, and fuch feeming unconcern, that 1 really doubted whether he was fenfible of his approaching fate. I ⚫ therefore bid the interpreter inform

but that I would attend to the laft to fee that every defire he had fhould be gratified; that his own palanquin and his own fervants fhould attend him, and that fuch of his friends, who I understood were to be prefent, fhould be protected. He replied, that he was obliged to me for this vifit, that he thanked me for all my favours, and intreated me to continue it to his family; that fate was

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