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THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.

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opening of Parliament. The Duke, by reason of his tender age, would be absent; and it was resolved that Piercy should seize him, or assassinate him. The Princess Elizabeth, a child likewise, was kept at Lord Harrington's house at Warwickshire; and Sir Everard Digby, Rookwood, Grant, being let into the conspiracy, engaged to assemble their friends on pretence of a hunting match, and, seizing that Princess, immediately to proclaim her Queen. The day so long wished for now approached, on which the Parliament was appointed to assemble. The dreadful secret, though communicated to above twenty persons, had been religiously kept during the space of near a year and a half. At last, ten days before the meeting of Parliament, Lord Monteagle, a Catholic, son to Lord Morley, received the following letter, which had been delivered to his servant by an unknown hand: "My Lord-Out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation. Therefore I would advise you, as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this Parliament; for God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time. And think not slightly of this advertisement; but retire yourself into the country, where you may expect the event in safety. For though there is no appearance of any stir, yet I say they will receive a terrible blow this Parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This counsel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and can do you no harm; for the danger is past as soon as you have burned this letter. And I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it, unto whose holy protection I commend you." Monteagle knew not what to make of this letter; and though inclined to think it a foolish attempt to frighten and ridicule him, he judged it safest to carry it to Lord Salisbury, secretary of state. Though Salisbury too was inclined to pay little attention to it, he thought proper to lay it before the King, to whom it appeared not so light a matter; and it was thought advisable to inspect all the vaults below the houses of parliament. This care belonged to the Earl of Suffolk, lord: Chamberlain, who purposely de

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THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.

layed the search till the day before the meeting of par liament. He remarked those great piles of wood and fagots which lay in the vault under the upper house; and he cast his eyes upon Fawkes, who stood in a dark corner, and passed himself for Piercy's servant. That daring and determined courage, which so much distinguished this conspirator even among those heroes in villany, was fully painted in his countenance, and was not passed unnoticed by the chamberlain. Such a quantity also of fuel for the use of one who lived so little in town as Piercy, appeared a little extraordinary; and, upon comparing all circumstances, it was resolved that a more thorough inspection should be made. About midnight, Sir Thomas Knevet, a justice of the peace, was sent with proper attendants; and before the door of the vault, finding Fawkes, who had just finished all the preparations, he immediately seized him, and, turning over the fagots, discovered the powder. The matches, and every thing proper for setting fire to the train, were taken in Fawkes's pocket; who, finding his guilt now apparent, and seeing no refuge but in boldness and despair, expressed the utmost regret that he had lost the opportunity of firing the pow der at once, and of sweetening his own death by that of his enemies. Before the council he displayed the same intrepid firmness, mixed even with scorn and disdain; refusing to discover his accomplices, and showing no concern but for the failure of the enterprise. This obstinacy lasted two or three days; but being confined to the Tower, left to reflect on his guilt and danger, and the rack being just shown to him, his courage, fatigued with so long an effort, and unsupported. by hope or society, at last failed him, and he made a full discovery of all the conspirators. Catesby, Piercy, and the other criminals, who were in London, hearing that Fawkes was arrested, hurried down to Warwickshire, where Sir Everard Digby was already in arms in order to seize the Princess Elizabeth. She had escaped into Coventry; and they were obliged to put themselves on their defence against the country, who were raised from all quarters, and armed by the sheriff. The people rushed in upon them. Piercy and

DIRGE. THE BOY AND HIS BIBLE.

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Catesby were killed by one shot. Digby, Rookwood, Winter, and others, being taken prisoners, were tried, confessed their guilt, and died, as well as Garnet, by the hands of the executioner.

DIRGE.

THE summer winds sing lullaby
O'er Mary's little grave;

And the summer flowers spring tenderly,
O'er her their buds to wave.

For Oh! her life was short and sweet
As the flowers which blossom at her feet.

A little while the beauteous gem
Bloom'd on the parent's breast;
Ah! then it wither'd on the stem,
And sought a deeper rest;

And we laid on her gentle frame the sod,
But we knew that her spirit was fled to God.

The birds she lov'd so well to hear,
Her parting requiem sing,

And her memory lives in the silent tear
Which the heart to the eye will bring;
For her kind little feelings will ne'er be forgot
By those who have mourn'd her early lot,

ANECDOTE OF A BOY AND HIS BIBLE.

SOME time ago, two little boys, decently clothed, the eldest appearing about thirteen, and the youngest eleven, called at the lodging-house for vagrants in Warrington, for a night's lodgings. The keeper of the house, very properly took them to the vagrant office to be examined, and, if fit objects, to be relieved. The account they gave of themselves was extremely affecting. It appeared, that but a few weeks had elapsed since these poor little wanderers had re

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PLAIN OF MARATHON.

sided with their parents in London. The typhus fe ver in one day carried off both father and mother, leaving them orphans in a wide world, without a home and without friends! After the death of their parents, having an uncle in Liverpool, they resolved to throw themselves upon his protection. Tired therefore and faint, they arrived in this town on their way. Two bundles contained their little all; in the younger boy's was found a neatly covered and carefully preserved Bible. The keeper of the lodging-house, addressing the little boy, said, "You have neither money nor meat, will you sell me this Bible? I will give you five shillings for it." "No! (replied he, the tears rolling down his cheeks,) I will starve first." "Why do you love the Bible so much?" He answered, "No book has stood my friend so much as my Bible." "Why, what has your Bible done for you?" He answered, "When I was a little boy, about seven years of age, I became a Sunday scholar in London: through the kind attention of my master, I soon learnt to read my Bible; this Bible, young as I was, shewed me that I was a sinner; it also pointed me to a Saviour, and I thank God that I found mercy at the hands of Christ, and I am not ashamed to confess him before the world. The Bible has been my support all the way from London hungry and weary, often have I sat down by the wayside to read my Bible, and have found refreshment from it." He was then asked, "What will you do when you get to Liverpool, should your uncle refuse to take you in?" He replied, "My Bible tells me, when my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up."-Blessed Bible, that contains such promises! And thrice happy boy, that could apply its promises with so much faith and feeling!

;

PLAIN OF MARATHON.

THE day was now far spent; and, as the evening drew on, we returned towards the village of Marathon, having completed our survey of the plain. The climate

Greece, during winter, is delightful; and the winter

PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE SUPPLICATED. 155

months are the most proper for travelling in the country. The morning had been cloudy, but before noon the sky became clear, and at sun-set it exhibited that mild serenity which our own poets consider to be peculiarly characteristic of an English autumn.

"No spring or summer's beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one autumnal face."

It reminded us of that "even-tide" of the year which a late writer has forcibly described as the season when "we regard, even in spite of ourselves, the still, but steady advances of time:" And if there be a spot upon earth pre-eminently calculated to awaken the solemn impressions which such a view of nature is fitted to make upon all men, it may surely be found in the Plain of Marathon; where, amidst the wreck of generations, and the graves of ancient heroes, we elevate our thoughts towards Him "in whose sight a thousand years are but as yesterday;" where the stillness of nature, harmonizing with the calm solitude of that illustrious region which was once a scene of the most agitated passions, enables us, by the past, to determine of the future. In those moments, indeed, we may be said to live for ages;-a single instant, by the multiplied impressions it conveys, seems to anticipate, for us, a sense of that eternity-" when time shall be no more;" when the fitful dream of human existence, with all its turbulent illusions, shall be dispelled, and the last sun having set in the last night of the world, a brighter dawn than ever gladdened the universe shall renovate the dominions of darkness and of death.

PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE SUPPLICATED.

THUS far on life's perplexing path,

Thus far the Lord our steps hath led;

Safe from the world's pursuing wrath,

Unharm'd through floods hung o'er our head;

Here then we pause, look back, adore,
Like ransom'd Israel from the shore.

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