during the last act of King Richard the Third, will be sent to a neighbour's over the way; and on account of the prodigious demand for places, part of the stable will be laid into the boxes on one side, and the granary be open for the same purpose on the other. Vivat Rex. THE EAR OF BIRDS NOT TO BE DECEIVED, The sense of hearing in birds is singularly acute, and their instinct leads them instantly to detect the slightest variation in the song of those of their own kind. The following is a laughable instance of this :— A bird-catcher, wishing to increase his stock of bullfinches, took out his caged bird and his limed twigs, and placed them in such a situation of hedge and bush as he judged favourable to his success. It so happened that his own bird was one of education, such as is usually termed a piping bullfinch. In the first instance a few accidentally thrown out natural notes, or calls, had attracted three or four of his kindred feather, which had now taken their station not far distant from the cage. There they stood in doubt and curiosity, and presently moving inch by inch, and hop by hop towards him and the fatal twigs, they again became stationary and attentive. It was in this eager and suspended moment that the piping bullfinch set up the old country-dance of Nancy Dawson." Away flew every astounded bullfinch as fast as wings could move, in such alarm and confusion as bullfinches could feel and they only can venture to describe. FLYING COACH. If the Exeter Flying Stage arrived from London at Dorchester in two days, and at Exeter at the end of the third day, about 1739, the speed must have been considered surprising. Those who made use of such a conveyance were doubtless looked upon as presumptuous, neck-or-nothing mortals. There was a "Devizes chaise " from London at this time which took a route through Reading, Newbury, and Marlborough. There is a good house at Morcomb Lake, east of Charmouth, now no longer in the road, owing to this having been diverted. This was a road-side inn, where the judges slept. The Fly Coach from London to Exeter slept there the fifth night from town. The coach proceeded the next morning to Axminster, where it breakfasted, and there a woman barber shaved the coach, AN AGED SPIRIT DRINKER. Daniel Bull M'Carthy, of the county of Kerry, Ireland, died 1752, aged 111. At the age of eighty-four he married a fifth wife, a girl little more than fourteen years of age, by whom he had twenty children-one every subsequent year of his life. It was remarked that he was scarcely ever seen to expectorate; nor did any extent of cold ever seem to affect him. For the last seventy years of his life, when in company, he drank plentifully of rum and brandy, which he always took neat; and, if in compliance with solicitations he took wine or punch, always drank an equal sized glass of rum or brandy, which he designated a wedge. The temperature of his body was generally so hot that he could bear but little clothing, either by day or night upon his person. There are few trees in the world like the giant tree in the island of Pulo Penang, of which the annexed engraving is a correct representation. It is one of the various kinds of palm, and some idea may be formed of its height from the fact that it is twice as tall, and quite as straight, as the mainmast of a line-of-battle ship; there are no branches, no twigs anywhere to be seen, save just at the very summit, and here they bend over gracefully, something like what one would imagine a large-sized palm-tree to be, if gazed at through Lord Rosse's telescope. It is a only specimen of its kind to be met with in the whole island. PUNISHING FALSE ACCUSERS. Wisdom may sometimes be learned at a Quarter Sessions, and it would be advantageous if we occasionally took a hint from our ancestors. The magistrates at sessions in Charles the First's reign could and did address themselves to questions arising between parties moving in humble life, very important to them, and who could now-a-day in vain seek redress in the same quarter. A modern Bridget might continue to charge men with a breach of promise of marriage without legal measures being available against her. This was not so in 1626. Her case was considered, and her injurious conduct and mode of life were duly estimated, with what result we shall learn from the following entry in the minute book of a quarter sessions in Devonshire of that date:-"Forasmuch as it hath appeared unto this Court that Bridget Howsley of Langton, spinster, liveth idly and lewdly at home, not betaking herself to any honest course of life, and hath lately falsely and scandalously accused one [left blank in the original] of Honiton, in Devon, challenging a promise of marriage from him, which tended much to his disgrace, and that she is a continual brawler and sower of strife and debate between her neighbours, inhabitants of Langton aforesaid, this court doth therefore think fit and order that the said Bridget Howsley be forthwith committed to the House of Correction, there to be set on work and remain for the space of six whole months, and from thenceforth until she shall find very good sureties for her appearance at the next Sessions, after the said six months shall be expired, or until she shall procure a master that will take her into service." A PHASE OF THE SOUTHCOTTIAN DELUSION. One of the most remarkable cases on record of combined knavery, credulity, and superstition, is the belief which so extensively prevailed about fifty years ago in the mission and doctrines of Joanna Southcott, and of which, strange to say, some traces remain even to the present day. Is it not astonishing that so recently as the year 1814, August 3rd, the following paragraph-which we believe gives a correct statement of the facts-should have appeared in the Courier newspaper? "Joanna Southcott has lately given out that she expects in a few weeks to become the mother of the true Messiah. She is nearly seventy years of age. cradle of most expensive and magnificent materials has been bespoken by a lady of fortune for the accouchement, and has been for some days exhibited at the warehouse of an eminent cabinet maker in Aldersgate-street. Hundreds of genteel persons of both sexes have been to see this cradle, in which her followers believe the true Messiah is to be rocked. The following has been given us as a correct description: A child's crib, three feet A six inches, by two feet, of satin wood, with brass trellis, side and foot board; turned feet, carved and gilt, on castors; a swing cot, inside caned, to swing on centre; at each end gilt mouldings, top and bottom for gold letters; a canopy cover, with blue silk; carved and gilt under it, a gold ball, and dove, and olive branch; green stars at each corner, gilt; blue silk furniture; an embroidered celestial crown, with Hebrew characters, gold letters; a lambs'-wool mattress, with white fustian down bed, down pillow, and two superfine blankets." HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES OF KING EDWARD THE FIRST. Edward the First kept three Christmasses at Rhuddlan castle, in Flintshire; and it is a fact not generally known, that his queen Eleanor, exclusively of theyoung prince Edward, born at Caernarvon, was delivered of a princess there in 1283. This shows that his entire household must have been transferred into Wales, at the time his policy was directed to complete the annexation of the principality of Wales to that of England. In an ancient record in the tower of London, dated 1281-2, and translated by Samuel Lysons, Esq., is a curious roll of Edward's expenses when at Rhuddlan. It consists of four sheets, containing the particulars, under proper heads, of the sums of money paid for the maintenance of his household. The sum of the expenses in this roll is £1,395 10s., which sum, with the expenses of the other roll of the queen's household is £2,220 2s. 10d. The roll is very curious, but too long to be inserted here. We append the following as a specimen of the various items it contains: Paid on the day of the queen's churching in oblations to mass 3 0 The queen's gift to divers minstrels attending her churching 10 0 0 A certain female spy, to purchase her a house as a spy 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 8 For the celebration of mass for the soul of William de Bajor 0 1 10 For the carriage of 80 casks of wine from the water to For a cart bringing lances and cross bows from Ruthlan to Hope For the carriage of £3,000 from the king's wardrobe to the queen's wardrobe. For 600 turves, to place about the queen's stew pond in the castle Carriage of figs and raisins to Aberconway Paid the same for 1,040 archers, &c. &c. 0 1 0 4 10 GARRICK'S CUP. This celebrated Shakspearean relic was presented to David Garrick, by the Mayor and Corporation of Stratford-upon-Avon, in September, 1769, at the Jubilee which he instituted in honour of his favourite Bard. It measures about 11 inches in height. The tree from which it is carved was planted by Shakspeare's own hand, in the year 1609, and after having stood 147 years, was, in an evil hour, and when at its full growth and remarkably large, cut down, and cleft to pieces for fire-wood, by order of the Rev. Francis Gastrell, to whom it had become an object of dislike, from its subjecting him to the frequent importunities of travellers. Fortunately, the greater part of it fell into the possession of Mr. Thomas Sharp, a watchmaker of Stratford, who, "out of sincere veneration" for the memory of its immortal planter, and well knowing the value the world set upon it, converted the fragments to uses widely differing from that to which they had been so sacrilegiously condemned. Garrick held this cup in his hand at the Jubilee, while he sung the beautiful and well-known air, which he had composed for the occasion, beginning "Behold this fair goblet, 'twas carved from the tree, Which, O my sweet Shakspeare, was planted by thee; As a relic I kiss it, and bow at the shrine, What comes from thy hand must be ever divine! Bend to thee, Blest Mulberry; And thou like him immortal be!" QUICK WORK. Mr. John Coxetter, of Greenham Mills, Newbury, had two South down sheep shorn at his factory exactly at five o'clock in the morning, from the wool of which, after passing its various processes, a complete |