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at some distance, leading on a party of his men. Another party, drawn together in a confused manner, on the extremity of Bench-Hill, adjoining to that of Putney, was gallantly difperfed by the lieutenants Hodges and Wheldon, with two companies of fepoys. The line, in the mean time, advanced through the enemy's camp, by files, in two columns. Surdar Cawn, after fome refiftance, being wounded in the ankle, threw bimfelf, with many of his bravest and most faithful followers, into a fortified houfe, formed in the cavity of a rock, at Corichee, the manfion of his women and the repofitory of his treasures, determined not to furvive the difgrace of a defeat, but to defend himself to the laft extremity. The men, in token of defperation, loofing their hair, difplayed colours on the house, with the found of horns and other martial mufic.

In this fituation, that refolute, body of men waited to receive our troops, when Lieutenant Wooding ton, the major of brigade, with a part of the grenadier fepoys, halted to attack the houfe; and whilth he was giving orders to his men, was wounded through both his legs with a musket-ball. The main body, under Major Abington and Captain Carpenter, foon came up, and, about the fame time, a party of marines and fepoys, under Captain Pruin and Lieutenant Bute, that had been landed from the veffels in the rear of the house, which was thus completely furrounded. This habitation, porte fires being put in the guns, and fired on the thatched roof, by the contrivance of the engineer, was fet on fire, and the defendants, after a refiftance of two hours, were compelled to furrender or to perifh in the flames.

The fuccefs of this day was very great. The enemy's general, and many officers of diftinction, with upwards of two thousand men, were

taken prifoners. All their guns, more than fifty in number, fell into the hands of the victors, with much ammunition, two lacks of rupees, a large collection of grain, feven elephants, a great deal of cordage and timber, and many horfes and draught bullocks.

But the general joy was not a little damped by the fituation of Lieutenant Woodington, the only European officer who was wounded on this memorable occafion; and whose lofs to the army, for he was a very meritorious and active officer, was greatly lamented.

When the fortified houfe, in which the unfortunate Surdar Cawn made his laft ftand, was fet on fire, many of his family and other adherents, in order to avoid the flames, began to drop down from the walls, amidst the fire of the fepoys. Among thefe were feven of the finest women of the east, who compofed the Cawn's feraglio. Captain Chriftie, who happened to pafs by the fpot where the women threw themfelves down from the battlements of the haram, immediately stopt the firing, at the hazard of his life ran up to their affittance, and received them, one after another, in his arms. In the mean time, a party of failors belonging to the Bombay cruizers, that had co-operated with the land-forces in this attack on Surdar Cawn's laft refuge, came up, and for the fake of plunder began to tear off the women's ear-rings, while thefe unfortunate ladies, afraid of even ruder treatment, and uncertain of their fate, endeavoured to put an end to their exilence. But Captain Chriftie, partly by his authority as an officer, and partly by a feafonable diftribution of the jewels, in which the ladies cheerfully feconded him, was enabled, though with difficulty, to fave them from farther violence, by restoring order among the failors. The poor women, when they found X 2 themfelves

"Dans le Ligne Anglais, a quarter of this town, where the English merchants live, I find English grates, EngJifh coal, and English hofpitality, to make me welcome, and the fire-fide cheerful I have never yet been forzunate enough to make any acquaintance in the world of commerce; but if all English merchants and their families are as well informed and civil as those I find here--I should be very glad to be admitted into the city of London as a vifitor to enjoy a little rational conversation, which at the courtend is feldom to be found.

"Here the houses are decorated with the most fumptuous furniture from every country-but you come into a drawing-room, where the floor is of the finest inlaid woods, through a faircafe made of the coarfeft wood in the rudeft manner, and ftinking with dirt. The poftilions wear fheep-fkins-and at a ball, when a nobleman has propofed his hand to a fair lady-he often kiffes her before the whole companyà propos to this custom-I must tell you an anecdote of —

"Thus you perceive he was nearly in the fame predicament as the Chevalier dans la Fée Urgele-and might have faid, pour un baifer faut-il perdre la vie?

"I do not fee here the prejudices of the English, the conceit of the French, nor the stiff German pride-which national foibles make often good people of each nation extremely difagreeable. I am affured the Ruffians are deceitful -it may be fo; but as I do not defire to have intimacies, I am much better pleafed to find new acquaintances pleafant and civil than morofe or pert.

"P. S. I am not a little furprifed to hear people fay: I fhall inherit fo many hundred peafants, or fuch a one loft a village-it is the number of men, and not of acres, that make a fortune great here; fo that a plague or any diftemper that would prove mortal to the pealants, would be death to the nobles pockets likewife.

"I have taken leave of the Emprefs, and you may judge if I do not leave Peterburgh with a good impreffion of her politenefs: the told me before the

opera, that the knew my intention; but as we defer disagreeable things as long as poffible, you shall not take leave till after the fpectacle: thefe words fhe faid with the moft gracious fmile; and asked me if I was fatisfied with the amufements and civilities I met with.

"There is a custom here which I think very abominable: noblemen, who are engaged to marry young ladies, make no ceremony, but embrace them in the midst of a large company at a ball."

Lady Craven next visits Moscow, and proceeds on her journey through the Crimea: fhe gives an account of the old and new inhabitants of the peninfula called the Tauridé, which is not of a very interesting nature and the defcription of her progress to Conftantinople contains little more than a detail of the civilities fhe met with, her mode of travelling, &c.

:

Letter XLI. Batcheferai (a town in the Crimea) April 8.

"In my way hither I dined at the Coffack chief's poft-and my entertain. ment was truly Coffack-A long table for thirty people at one end a half-grown pig roafted whole—at the other a half-grown fheep, whole likewife in the middle of the table an immenfe tureen of curdled milk

there were feveral fide-dishes made for me and the Ruffians, as well as the cook could imagine to our tafteThe old warrior would fain have made me tafte above thirty forts of wine from his country, the borders of the Don; but I contented myself with three or four, and fome were very good. After dinner, from the windows I faw a fine mock battle between the Coffacks; and I faw three Calmoucks, the ugliest fierceft looking men imaginable, with their eyes fet in their head, inclining down to their nofe, and uncommonly fquare jaw-bones-Thefe Calmoucks are fo dextrous with bows and arrows, that one killed a goofe at a hundred paces, and the other broke an egg at fifty-The young Coffack officers tried their fkill with them, but they were perfectly novices in comparison to them-they fung and danced, but their steps and their tones were equally infipid, void of grace and harmony.

"When

them take, hadde them ftylle at theyr owne lyking. And whanne all this was doon, Kyng Edward dyd his diligens and hys myght to amende the relme, and redreffe the wronges in the best maner, to the honor of God, and profyte to the crowne, and to holy cherche, and to a mende the anoyance of the comon peple. The worthiet knyght he was of all the worlde of honor and worfchip, for the grace of God was in hym, and ever hadde the victory of hys enemyes.

THE LAST

WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF HENRY IV*.

II.

IN the name of God, Fadir, and Son, and Holy Goft, thre Perfons and on God, I HENRY, finful wretch, be the grafe of God, kyng of Englond, and of Fraunce, and lord of Irlond, being in myne hole mynd, mak my teftament in manere and forme that fayth. Fyrft I bequeth to Almyghty God my finful foul; the whiche had never be wor thy to be man, but through hys mercy and hys grafe; which lyffe I have mifpendyd, whereof I put me whollily in hys grafe and hys mercy with all myn herte. And what tym hit liketh hym of hys mercy for to tak me to hym, the body for to be beryed in the chirch of Caunterbury, aftyr the defcrecion of my coulin the erchbythcoppe of Caunterbury. And alfo I thank all my lordis and trewe people, for the trewe fervise that they have don to me, and y afk hem forgiuenes if I have miffentreted hem in any wyfe. And als fur as they have offendyd me in wordis, or in dedis in any wyfe, y prey God forgeue hem hit and y do. Alfo y devyfe and ordeyn that ther be a chantre perpetuall of twey

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preeftis for to fing and prey for my foul in the aforfeyd chirch of Caunterbury, in foche plafe and aftyr foch ordinaanfe as hit femeth best to my aforefeyd coufin of Caunterbury. Alfo y ordeyn and devyfe that of my gooddis, reftitution be made to all hem that y have wrongfully greuid, or any good had of theirs without iuft tytle.. Alfo y will and ordeyn that of my goodis, all my debtis be al paied in all haft poffible, and that my feruants be rewardyd aftyr ther nede, and defert of feruife: and efpecyal, Wilkin, John Warren, and William Thorpe, gromes of my chambre. Alfo y will that all thofe that be bond in eny debt that y owe in eny wyfe, or have undyrtake to eny man for eny debt that y owe, or that they can dwlye fhewe hit, that all foche perfons be kept harmlyffe. Alfoy will that all fees and wages that are not paied to be paied, and efpecial to my feruants of my houfhold, befor eny oder. And alfo that all myn annuityes, fees and donacions, grauntyd by me befor this tým be my lettres patents, be kept and paied aftyr the effect of the forfeyd lettres patents; and yn efpeciall to all hem that have been trewe feruants to me and toward me alway. Alfo y will and prey my fon that he have recomendyd Thomas De Crois, that hath well and trwly feruyd me, and alfo Jacob Rayth and Halley. Alfo y will that the queen be endowyd of the duche of Lancaftre. Alfo y will that all my officers both of houfhold and other, the which nedeth to have pardon of eny thing that touch thyr offices both of loffe and oder thing, they have pardon' therof in femblable manere, as y of my grafe have be wont to do befor this tym. And for to execut this teftimony well and trulieh, for grete trwit that I have on my fon the prince, y ordeyne and mak him my executor of my teftament forfeyd,

Privy Seal, and find an exact correfpondence.-R. E. I.

kalling

kalling to him foche as him thinkyth in his difcrecion that can and will labor to the fonneft fpede of my will comprehended in this myn teftament. And to fulfill trwly all things forefeyd, y charge my forefeyd fon upon my bleffying. Wetneffyng my welbelouyd coufins Thomas erch byfhcoppe of Caunterbury forefeyde, and Edward Duke of York, Thomas bifhcoppe of Darefme, Richard the Lord Grey my chamberlaine, John Tiptoft myn treasurer of Englond, John Propbete wardeine of my priuie feale; Thomas Erpingham, John Norbery, Robert Waterton, and meny oder being prefent. In witneffyng whereof my priuy feele be my commaundement is set to this my teftament. I geue at my manere of Grenwich the XXI. dey of the moneth Januer, the yere of owr Lord M.CCCC.VIII, and of our reigne the tenth.

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THE hygh fpiryghte of Henry hadde fhowyd meny and ftrongue markes of hys intention; and very meny of the nobilitie of the relme dyd back and ayd the feyde Henry in hys defygn uponne King Richard; albeit there was not wantyng thofe that dyd fhowe mickle difapprobacion to anie chaynge in the governmente, and meny of prym account; amonge the whych was Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, erle marfhal; who on herying the kings coufin ufe fome exprefyons that he in hys wyfdome thoughte

This piece, by the improvement in the ftile, appears to be a tranfcript from fome author living about the time

treefonable in themfelves and much to the difhonor of the king, he dyd accufe the feyde Henry to the king, and praied hys majeftie to fecure the faftic of hys facrede perfonne and the peace of the relme, by takyng into fafe cuftodye the Duke of Lancaftre, the whych he thoughte was the more efpeciall neceffarie as the duke was a popular manne and was very much lovyd by the peple; whofe affections he had draune towarde hymself by the wily artifyce of flatterynge theyr opinyons. "For," feyde they marchal," if the fpryge of treefon be left to take depe rute, your highneffe choyfeft gardeners of the state (though there be meny and gude workemenne) would not have enough of power to grubbe it upp, unleffe it be taken whyle a faplynge." Whereupponn King Richard dyd fummonn to hys trybunale the accufed duke, and dyd informe hym of the tidyngs that had beenn brought to bys earinge by Thomas Duke of Norfolk, wythale willing hym to clere hymfelf of the treefon layde to hys charge, otherwife to expecte the royale difpleasure. To whych the duke, wyth courage that would feem not nere a kinn to guilte, made answer, "I do beeceech your highnefs hold me not fo lyght in your opynion as to think I would contrive the downfall of the house wherein myfelf dyd holde a lodgynge; or was I to treefon prompt, Thomas of Norfolk holdes not that place in my esteeme whych would befpake hym knowyng of my mefures; albeit I myght have spoke, and he perchance myght witness me, of ftrange abuces in the ftate, but not thereby refuringe to your hignefs perfonale governmente, but of matters more futeyng to your councils eye, whereof hys Grace of Norfolk makes a parte; but by your high

of Henry the Eighth, and found among the before mentioned papers.R. E. I.

nefs

nefs fpeeche, I may. believe, he talkes of plottyng and of treefon; it futes me not to combate wyth your highnefs in the fyghte of wordes, enough to fay I ware a trufty feruant by my fide of floot abylity, and though I bee a flaunderyd mann and fallen in your highneffes good graces, it fhall mak furm my tytle to your love, and prove Thomas of Norfolk to be a flanderer." Wheruppon it became the kings pleafure that the challenge fhoulde bee made known to the marchal, who (as he could no other wyfe) accepted it, and by the mouthe of an heralde bade Henry defyance. Hereuppon the king appoynted the day for the tryale, and gave comande that coftely furnature "fhould be

brought to adorne the lyfts and give a kingly look to the feat whereon he willyd to fee the fyghte. Every thyng beyng made redie, and the day beyng come whereonn King Richards pleasure had £xt the combate, the feats about the lyfts, whych were coveryd all over wyth red cloth and ftuddyed wyth gilded nails for the ufe of the nobilitie and grete menn of the corte, where erly crowdyd; and as foonn as the king had takenn hys place the trumpet fowndyd and the challenger enteryd the lyfts, mountyd on a milk whyte palfyrie; hys armour, whych was of polyfhyd fteele, dazzlyd the eyes of the whole companie, and hys dauntless carrayge fhowyd bym not to bee a wit afrayde. On the other fyde the Duke of Norfolk enteryd, makynge quyte as gude a fhow of galantrye; he was featyd on a forryll horfe that pawyd the grounde and fhowyd the marshal menor of Thomas to the eyes of the attendyng gentery. All was redie, and the kayghts only waytyd the fygnale from the trumpets mouthe to begyn the fyght, when the king, who was of fickle mynd, threwe downe hys gauntlete, whych was the fygnale of parlie, at the fame tyme makyng it known that it was hys

pleasure they fhould not come to combate, but in the ftead he banyfhyd hys coufin Henry for the space of fevin years, and agaynft all justice hys grayce of Norfolk was orderyd to depart the kingdome for his liff. Thus dyd the fyckle king fhow hys love for a kynsmann, whofe deeds of latter date proveyd him not to be worthy.

ANECDOTES,

FROM VOLTAIRE'S LIFE OF CHARLES

THE TWELFTH OF SWEDEN.

[Tranfmitted by a Correfpondent.]

Α

1.

AMONG the prifoners taken at the battle of Narva, was the eldest fon and heir of the King of Georgia. This youth followed Peter the Great of Ruffia, in his expedition against the Swedes, and was taken fighting by fome Finland foldiers, who had already stripped and were going to kill him, when he was refcued from their hands by Count Renfchild, who cloathed and prefented him to his master. Charles fent him to Stockholm, where this unhappy prince died in a few years after. The king, on feeing him depart for his capital, could not help making, in the hearing of his officers, a natural reflection on the ftrange destiny of an Afiatic prince, who, born at the foot of Mount Caucafus, was going to live a captive among the fnows of Sweden: "It is," fays he, " as if I were one day to be a prifoner among the Crim Tartars!" These words made no impreffion at the time; but in the fequel they were remembered too well, when Charles's defeat and flight proved them an involuntary prediction.

11.

ONE day, as Charles was dictating fome letters to his fecretary, to

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