ing intrepidity: when the executioner defired him to stretch out his neck valiantly, "I with," replied he, "thou mayeit ftrike as valiantly." Sulpicius Afper, the Centurian, another of the confpirators, being asked by Nero why he had conSpired against him; anfwered in a few words" Because there was no other relief against thy abominable crimes !"

THE ROYAL MASON. RICHARD Plantagenet, natural fon of king Richard III. is faid to have died with a trowel in his hand. The following curious Anecdote on this fubject is contained in a French work, entitled "Lettres to Count de B-."

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Sir Thomas Moyle, being employed in building a caftle in the parish of Eaftville, in the burial regifters of which are ftill feen these words, Richard Plantagenet was interred the 22d of December 1550," obferved that his principal mafon retired at the ufual hours of breakfast and dinner, and that when he got to the distance of about an hundred paces, he took a book from his pocket, and read while making his repast.

Sir Thomas, defirous of knowing what book fo much engaged the attention of his mafon, endeavoured for fome days to furprife him, but always without effect; for when the mafon heard him approaching, he put the book in his pocket and went

away.

The curiofity of fir Thomas was ftill more excited by this caution; but as he was continually on the watch, he at length difcovered that his mafter mafon read Virgil's Eneid, and that he was a man of no mean talents. He therefore formed a clofe intimacy with him, and admitted him to his table; where, by treat

and attention, he drew from him the following confeffion

"Fate, which does every thing in the world, would have it that I fhould be a mafon; nevertheless, my ancestors caufed cities to be built, and I build your caftle. They had palaces, and poffeffed a throne, but I poffefs only an humble cot. I have not always known what I am; but when ignorant of my own extraction, I was happier and more contented than at prefent.

"Until the age of fixteen I was boarded with a master, at whofe houfe I was vifited every three months by a man of great dignity, who paid for my board, faluted me very refpectfully, and then retired, after having taken great pains to let me know that he was not my father.

"This man came one day (a month before the expiration of a quarter) begged me to accompany him, and making me get into an elegant coach, conducted me to the gate of a beautiful palace, before which we alighted. After croffing several large halls, we arrived at one much better ornamented than the reft, where my conductor left me, and defired me to wait for a few moments.

"I had not remained here long, when a nobleman about the age of forty-fix, fuperbly dreffed, and wearing a garter enriched with diamonds, entered the apartment, advanced towards me, and clafping me for fome time in his arms, embraced me, and afked a great number of questions, which I answered in the best manner I could.

"With this perfon I remained a quarter of an hour; at the expiration of which, he gave me a purfe filled with pieces of gold, embraced me again, and departed. My firft guide then made his appearance, and, without revealing the mystery of this strange vifit, conveyed me back to my place of refidence, and left

me

me a prey to a thousand reflections which afforded me very little fatiffaction.

"Some months after, when it was fcarcely day, the fame man returned, and brought ne a rich drefs, which he made me put on, and defired me to follow him. Having obeyed, I found a phaeton, with fix horfes waiting for us at the gate, into which we mounted, and inftantly drove to Bofworth, to the tent of king Richard III. who as foon as he perceived us came to meet me, laid hold of my hand, and discovered himself to be the fame perfon who had before received me with fo much kindness.

"This prince, after clafping me in his arms, fhewed me to fome noble, men who flood round him, faying, 6 Behold my fon!' then turning towards me,My child,' faid he, 'I fhall fight to-morrow for my crown, and your's; it fhall either remain on my head, or I fhall lofe my life. As you are by far too young, my fon, do not expofe yourself in the combat. You fee that eminence before you, poft yourself there; your guide will follow you, and thence you may be a fpectator of the event of the battle. If I am victorious, fly to my arms, and I fhall acknowledge you as my fon; but if I am vanquifhed, be perfuaded that you have no father furviving; fly as far as you can, and reveal to no one the fecret of your birth, for none of my friends can hope for mercy from the conqueror, whofe intereft it will be to destroy even the last branch of my family. Go,' faid he, with his eyes bathed in tears, while his words were interrupted by fighs-'go, my fon, fulfil your destiny; carry with you this portfolio, and give it to your guide, who will take care of it for you.' Then turning towards him, he added, I recommend to you my fon and this depofit.'

"Motionlefs at this difcourfe, I was ftruck almoft fenfelefs; and, VOL. II.

divided between a defire to follow the deftiny of my father, and the fear of difobeying him, I waited with my eyes fixed on him, till he fhould renew his orders for me to retire, or permit me to remain near him; but my guide took me by the hand, and dragged me towards the eminence, for my legs were almost incapable of fupporting the weight of my body.

"I fall only tell you that I faw my unhappy father, on a white horfe, make wonderful efforts by his valour, and bring back to the charge his fhattered troops, always ready to fly. I faw, and I ftill fhudder at the thoughts of it, a Scotfman fall furioufly upon him, and after lofing one of his arms by a fabre, make ufe of the other to cut off the prince's head; and this head at length carried in triumph on the end of a pole, decided my fate and that of the battle.

"When I had loft all hopes, I turned towards my guide, to pour forth in his bofom the burden of my grief; but alas! the unhappy man was no longer near me; he had fled with the portfolio which my father delivered to him, and thus deprived me of every refource.

"Not knowing what courfe to purfue in this critical conjuncture, I mounted a horfe, which I found tied to a tree, and which he had left me, and repaired to London, where I fold him, and all the other effects that I poffeffed.

"I took lodgings in Piccadilly, where the money I had procured from the fale of my effects supported me for nearly eighteen months; bur my purfe being at length empty, I faw no other resource to preferve my life, but to conceal my name, and no means of efcaping mifery but to labour.

"As fome mafons lodged in the fame tavern with me, I one day ac cofted them as they were fitting down X

to

to dinner. Contentment feemed to beam in all their countenances, joy animated their converfation, and the food which was fet before them, though exceedingly fimple, awaken ed my appetite. Having entered into converfation with them, I asked them feveral questions refpecting their condition, and their emoluments; and being very well fatisfied with their answers, Í hired myfelf to them as a day labourer.

66 My first attempts were fucceff ful, and my progrefs fo rapid, that at the end of twenty years, being highly distinguished by my mafter, I became his foreman. He then pro pofed to admit me to his table; and the fon of Richard, who had not difdained to handle the trowel, thought himself very happy to eat at the table of a man who had taught him the use of it; I therefore accepted his proposal with pleasure.

"Sir William, for this was the name of my master, had a daughter who rendered my refidence in his house very agreeable. Like Hebe, fhe was full of graces; her virtue was equal to that of Lucretia, and her countenance was never contracted by a frown.

"I lived with the father and daughter till the death of the former, in the most perfect harmony, and without ever thinking of the future; but this unexpected lofs, by filling our hearts with forrow, told us that we could no longer live in a manner that would wound the delicacy of my virtuous companion, and fcandalize our neighbours, and that we must either feparate, or unite together for life.

"The idea of the grandeur I was going to renounce for ever, could not even for a moment prevail over the friendship which I entertained for the daughter of my deceafed mafter: I difclofed my paffion to her; the gave me a favourable re ception, and when the time of

mourning was expired, I married her. By this virtuous fpoufe I had three children, who are ftill my greatest comfort. Having fucceeded to the employment of my mafter, I am now become your principal mafon. This is my hiftory, which you was fo defirous to learn."

Sir Thomas, much furprised by. this recital, and filled with respect for the mafon, "Prince," faid he, "it does not belong to me to examine whether your highness could do better than affume the fituation of your master; but this I know, that as you are the fon of my fovereign, I confider myself obliged to offer you a lodging in my castle, with full affurance that you fhall remain there unknown, and live in whatever manner you think proper."

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"Sir Thomas," cried the mason, fpare your titles, and look upor me as a man much lefs unfortunate than you imagine. I have triumphed over the caprice of fortune, and I have rendered myself independent. of others. My wife has preserved her honour, which in the world the must have loft; my children do not regret the want of honours which they never expected; and the labour of their hands procures enough for the fubfiftence of my family. I fhall confent to partake of your bounty, fince you require it, but only upon condition that you keep within those bounds which I fhall prescribe."

"Speak," faid fir Thomas, "and be affured that I will grant whatever you may require." "Well," faid the mafon, 66 give me a fmall corner in your park, on which I may build a cot, to defend me and my family from the inclemency of the weather. Nothing more I beg of you, elfe I must retract my requeft."

Sir Thomas, admiring the dif interestedness of his mafon, was obliged,

THE COURAGEOUS SOLDIER.

[Tranfmitted by J. R. of Liverpool.] PREVIOUS to the battle of Malplaquet, in 1709, a young Swiss recruit, while his regimentals were making, procured a round iron plate, bordered with fmall holes, which he defired the taylor to faften on the infide of his coat, above his left breaft, that he might not be fhot through the heart; the taylor, how ever, being a humorous fellow, placed it in the feat of his breeches. The

neage, he tuck fait, till övertaken by one of the purfuers, who inftantly with his bayonet, gave him a push in the breech; but the point of the weapon luckily hitting the iron plate, pufhed the young foldier clear from the hedge, and clear from the enemy, who paffed on, in the full affurance that he had completed his intention. This favour able circumftance induced the Swifs to confefs, that the taylor, by judg ing fo nicely of the true refidence of his heart, had proved himself the beft anatomift of the two.

[Related by Mr. Bruce, in his Travels to discover the Source of the Nile.]

T HERE began then the fil

thiest of all ceremonies that ever difgraced any nation ftiling themselves Chriftians; a ceremony that cannot be put in terms fufficiently decent for modeft ears, without adapting the chate language of fcripture, which, when neceffity obliges to treat of grofs fubjects, always makes choice of the least offenfive language.

All thofe, whether women or men, who have fiefs of the crown, are obliged to furnish certain numbers of horfe and foot. The women

a rule, in order to compofe a court or company for Ozoro Efther. At is obliged to fit at the door of his the end of a day of battle each chief has flain a man, prefents himself in tent, and each of his followers, who his turn, armed as in fight, with the bloody foreskin of the man whom he has flain hanging upon the wrist of his right hand. In this, too, he holds his lance, brandishing it over his matter, or mistress, as if he intended to strike; and repeating in a feeming rage, a rant of nonfenfe, which admits of no variation, "I am John the fon of George, the fon of William, the fon of Thomas; I am the rider upon the brown horfe; I faved your father's life at fuch a battle; where would you have been if I had not fought for you to-day? you give me no encouragement, no

that he throws his bloody fpoils upon the ground before his fuperior. Another comes afterwards, in his turn, and does the fame; and, if he has killed more than one man, fo many more times he returns, always repeating the fame nonfenfe, with the fame geftures. I believe there was a heap of above four hundred that day, before Ozoro Efther; and it was monstrous to fee the young and beautiful Tecla Mariam fitting upon a ftool prefiding at fo filthy a ceremony; nor was the without furrprife, fuch is the force of custom, that no compliment of that kind was paid on my part; and ftill more fo, that I could not be even prefent at fo horrid and bloody an exhibition.

The fuperiors appear at this time with their heads covered as before their vaffals; their mouth, too, is hid, and nothing is feen but their eyes this does not proceed from modefty, but is a token of fuperiority, of which, covering or uncovering the head is a very fpecial demonftration. After this ceremony is over, each man takes his bloody conqueft, and retires to prepare it in the fame manner the Indians do their fcalps. To conclude this beaftly account, the whole army, on their return to Gondar, on a particular day of review, throws them before the king, and leaves them at the gate of the palace.

but intimated that he must take off his fhoes. On complying with this ceremony, he was politely con ducted into the hall, and feated upon a carpet in the midst of the af fembly. The whole building forms a fquare of about forty feet. The hall is in the centre, divided from four other apartments by wooden arches, upon pillars of the fame materials. The walls above the arches were hung with European looking glaffes in gilt frames, and with pictures. On the left hand, as one enters, is the chancel, which is furnished with an altar covered with cloth of gold, raised a little above the ground in a declining pofition. About it were feveral flower-pots and rofe-water bottles, and three urns to receive the dona tions of the charitable. On a low defk, near the altar, flood a great book, of folio fize, from which fome portions are daily read in the divine fervice. When notice was given that it was noon, the congregation arranged themselves upon the carpet on each fide of the hall. The great book and defk were brought from the altar, and placed at the. oppofite extremity. An old filverhaired man kneeled down before the desk, with his face towards the altar, and by him fat a man with a drum, and two or three with cym.. bals. The book was now opened, and the old man began to chant to the time of the inftruments, and at the conclufion of every verle, most of the congregation joined chorus in a refponfe, with countenances exhibiting great marks of joy. Their tones were not harfh; the time was quick; and Mr. Wilkins learned that the fubject was a hymn in praife of the unity, omniprefence, and omnipotence of the Deity. The hymn concluded, the whole company got up and prefented their faces, with joined hands, towards

the