The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 20, No. 577 | Page 8

with such precision as to send his bullet, at every successive trial, through the aperture in the glove made by the first. Monsieur was, in truth, a splendid and formidable marksman. Mr. G----, in preparing for the duel, happening to cast his eyes on his adversary, perceived that he had slily placed his arm in such a position, as must ensure, on the honourable gentleman's fire, the fulfilment of his vaunt to make him "a dead man." No time was to be lost; the young Englishman's life depended upon dispatch; and, instantly firing, he proved himself as good a marksman as Monsieur ----, by sending his ball, with the utmost precision, through the wily manoeuvrer's elbow, from whence it passed into his side; and he dropped down, disabled, if not dead. Thus did British spirit twice humble, in a remarkable manner, French insolence and presumption!
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A DISTINCTION.
"La-a-dy * *," exclaimed a certain Colonel, in that very original Scotch brogue which a long acquaintance with the world has not tended in any degree to diminish, "alloo me to introduce you to my brother, Carnal M---- ----." "What!" asked the lady, "are you both Colonels?" "Oo--ay--La-a-dy * *, that are we, in troth; but the daff'rence is this, my brother, you see, is Carnal" (Lieutenant-colonel he intended to express), "and I--am fool Carnal!"
M.L.B.
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MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
PETER PENCE
Were an ancient levy, or tax, of a penny on each house throughout England, paid to the Pope. It was called Peter-pence because collected on the day of St. Peter ad vincula. By the Saxons it was called Rome-feoh--i.e. the fee of Rome; and also Rome-scot, and Rome-pennying, because collected and sent to Rome;--and lastly, it was called Hearth-money, because every dwelling-house was liable to it, provided there were thirty-pence viv? pecuni? belonging to it;--nay, and every religious house, the Abbey of St. Alban's alone excepted.
This Peter-pence was at first given as a pension, or alms, by Ina, king of the West Saxons, in the year 727, being then in pilgrimage at Rome; and the like was done by Offa, king of the Mercians, throughout his dominions, in 794; and afterwards by Ethelwulph, through the whole kingdom, in the year 855.
It was not intended as a tribute to the Pope, but chiefly for the support of the English school, or college, at Rome. The popes, however, shared it with the college, and at length found means, to appropriate it to themselves.
At first it was only an occasional contribution; but it became at last a standing tax, being established by the laws of King Canute, Edward the Confessor, the Conqueror, &c. The bishops, who were charged with the collecting it, employed the rural deans and archdeacons therein.
Edward III. first forbade the payment; but it soon after returned, and continued till the time of Henry VIII., when Polydore Virgil resided here as the Pope's receiver general. It was abolished under that prince, and restored again under Philip and Mary; but it was finally prohibited under Queen Elizabeth.
WALTER E.C.
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POPISH RELICS.
Ere the bright dawn of the Reformation lighted upon England, the furniture of churches appears, from ancient records, to have been of a splendid description; and vast sums are stated to have been lavished upon the images of saints, &c. Great Saint Mary's Chapel, Cambridge, is in the possession of an inventory of the goods and chattels possessed by that ancient edifice in the 19th year of Henry VII., of which the following is a transcript:--
"Item--A coat of tawney damask, purfled with velvet, appertaining to our Lady.
"Item--A coat for her son, of the same satin, purfled with black velvet, and spangled with gold.
"Item--A relic, called a box of silver with the oil of St. Nicholas.
"Item--Another little box of silver, with a bone of St. Lawrence.
"Item--A shoe of silver for the image of our Lady, and a piece of a penny, weighing in all two ounces in a box.
"Item--An image of our Lady and her Son, of copper and gilt, with a chrystal stone.
"Item--A collar of gold for to hang about our Lady's neck, of nine links in the collar.
"Item--A cap of black velvet, with fine pearl, for our Lady's son.
"Item--Two maces for St. Edmund.
"Item--Three small crowns for St. Katherine.
"Item--A cross and staff for St. Nicholas."
The orthography of this extract has been modernized, but the idiom (if any) has been retained.
JUVENIS.
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ANCIENT CHAIR.
This curious relic is traditionally called the Prior's Chair, and belonged to the priory of Southwick, which formerly stood near Portsmouth, in Hampshire. It is made of oak, its several parts being fastened together with small wooden pegs. On the back of the chair, within a square panel, is carved an animal somewhat resembling a buck, which was probably the armorial bearing of the prior; as