than when it is merely put nine times through the ring. Bride-wain is a custom also observed in Cumberland, where the friends of a new married couple assemble together in consequence of a previous invitation, (sometimes actually by public advertisement) and are treated with cold pies, frumentry, and ale. The company afterwards join in all the various pastimes of the country, and at the conclusion, the bride and bridegroom are placed in two chairs, the former holding a pewter dish on her knee, half covered with a napkin. Into this dish every person present, how high or low soever, makes it a point to put something; and these offerings occasionally amount to a considerable sum. It is supposed that the name of wain is derived from a very ancient custom, now obsolete in the north of England presenting a bride, who had no great stock of her own, with a waggon load of furniture or provisions. On this occasion the horses were decorated with ribbons. A RETROSPECTION. For the Olio. Anecdotiana. AN ATTEMPT TO CONVERT THE POPE. velled to Rome about the year 1655, for John Perrot, a fanatical quaker, trathe purpose of attempting the conversion of the Pope. His project, however, was rendered abortive by the "Holy Inquisition," who soon made him their prisoner; but, after many examinations, considering him as a madman, he was released; and upon his return home, he published a book the following singular title, containing much interesting matter, with Rams against Rome." Battering DIOGENES. 66 H.B.A. A person asking Diogenes what was the best dinner hour, was answered, Any hour." of "Nay," said the man, 66 any hour will not suit rich and poor too." "But it will, though," retorted the philosopher; a rich man can dine any hour that he likes-but a poor man, any hour that he can. "" Caledonia! thou island of beauty and fame! Though fallen from thy greatness thou still art the same As of yore, when thy panoplied chieftains so brave, Drew the sword in thy quarrel and fought to the death, 66 CONUNDRUM. H.B.A. Why is a quack doctor like a bombardier? Because he uses his mortar for the destruction of mankind. H.B.A. EPITAPH IN BANBURY CHURCHYARD, OXFORDSHIRE. That no power might subdue thee, no tyrant (From Cole's MS. in the British Mu enslave, seum.) Diary and Chronology. Wednesday, Sept. 29. St. Jerome.-High Water 8m after 4 morn.-25m after 4 Aftern. St. Jerome.-Our saint, who is allowed to have been one of the most learned fathers of the church, was born at Stridonium, now Idigni, a small town upon the confines of Pannonia. Having triumphed over all vices, and made his life a martyrdom of penance and labours, at length by a fever he died, much advanced in years, A.D. 420. The writings of St. Jerome are particularly elegant, and his manner of treating his subject, impressive. Thursday, OCTOBER. 1. St. Piat, mart. A.D. 286.-Sun rises 12m after 6-sets 47m after 5. Oct. 1, 1811.-Expired at Dromore, in his 82nd year, Dr. Percy, the pious, liberal, and benevolent, bishop thereof. The writings of this distinguished prelate are held in the highest estimation; and his " Reliques of Ancient Poetry," will endear his name to every lover of Old English Poesy. Friday, October 2. St. Thomas,-High Water 17m after 5 Morn.—35m after 5 Aftern. St. Thomas.-This saint was bishop of Hereford, and he is said to have died on his way to Rome, to complain of wrongs done him by the Archbishop of Canterbury, A.D. 1282. Oct. 2, 1808.-Died on this day at New York, John Adams, the successor of Washington in the presidency of the United States of America. He was a conspicuous leader in the American revolution. Saturday, October 3. St. Gerard, Abbot, died 959.-Sun rises 16m after 6-sets 43m after 5. Oct. 3, 1812.-On this day commenced the dreadful burning of Moscow, which destroyed the greater part of the city. The firing of the capital by the governor placed Buonaparte and his invading army in the greatest distress, and compelled him to make a most precipitate retreat. Before the conflagration began, Moscow contained 9158 houses, and afterwards there remained standing only 2926; and a large part of those were materially damaged. Sunday, October 4. SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Lessons for the Day, 2 chap. Ezekiel Morn.-13 chap. Ezekiel Even. Festival of the Rosary. "The festival of the Rosary, which takes place in catholic countries, on the first Sunday of this month, was instituted by Pius V. in thanksgiving for the victory gained over the infidels at Lepanto, on Sunday, the 7th October, 1751. The habit of saying the Rosary on the beads at night, as practised by pious christians at the present day, does not comprehend the whole office of the Rosary, as said on this festival; it is, however, a practice of devotion, in which, by fifteen Our Fathers, and a hundred and fifty Hail Marys, the faithful are taught to honour our divine Redeemer in the fifteen principal mysteries of his sacred life. The number of these Pater Nosters and Ave Marias, is often lessened in the evening devotions, and in the Angelical Salutation, repeated at certain hours of the day. Monday, October 5. St. Placidus.-Moon's First Quar. 49m after 11 nigh. St. Placidus. Our saint was the founder of a monastery at Messina, in Sicily, where he had not lived many years before a pagan barbarian landed, and, out of hatred to the christian name, and the religious profession of these servants of God, put St. Placidus and his fellow-monks to the sword, and burnt their monastery, about the year 546. Oct. 5, 1087.-Anniversary of the coronation of King William Rufus, the second surviving son of the Norman conqueror. He had all his father's vices, without his few virtues, a stern magnanimity perhaps excepted; imperious, cruel, and avaricious, he regarded his word or oath only as means to delude the credulous; religion he scorned; an Israelite who knew his character, gave him a large sum of money to persuade his converted son to return to Judaism. Rufus did his honest endeavour, but in vain; "Well," said he, to the father, "I have done what I could, but I have not succeeded. It is not my fault, though, so we will divide the money between us." 99 Another time, when ten Englishmen had been cleared by the ordeal of fire, from a charge of killing deer, the impious Rufus exclaimed, "Pretty jus tice above, indeed, to let ten such scoundrels escape." To close the character of Rufus:-He was a man more fierce than seemed consistent with human nature. By the advice of the worst of men, (which he always followed) he perpetually har. rassed his neighbours with war, and his own subjects with soldiers and taxes. Tuesday, October 6. St. Bruno.-High Water, 31m after 8 Morn.-12m after 9 Aftern. St. Bruno -This saint, who was the founder of the Carthusian monks, died A.D. 1101. Oct. 6, 1794.-On this day, the committee of Public Safety announced to the convention, that the French had gained a complete victory over the Austrians, near Juliers, in Germany. The surrender of that city, which is situated adjacent to Cologne, was the result of the engagement. valley, dropping from the fountain of Past Timet:-but his shout in the day VALDRWULF; OR, THE FIEND battle, rang like the voice of Thor, when VALDRWULF was illustrious in war; he was the Etheling of the isles beyond the eastern ocean of mists. He was the pride of the Scald, descended from the Father of ages, whose glory fills the halls of Valhalla. He was tall and graceful as a pine on the mountain tops of Scandia; his strength was like the oak's in the forest of Andreswald; his flowing locks streamed on the winds like the golden banner of Ella; his face was beautiful as the countenance of Balder, and his eyes bright and sunny as those of the luminous Genii who dwell in the boundless heaven; his voice to his friends was sweet as the honey-dew that blesseth the night-blown flowers of the * Vide the ninth fable of the Edda. 12-VOL. IV. N he thunders in the stormy chamber of his clouds; his sinewy limbs were marked with spell-figures and devices of many colours; for he was of the warlike race of the Angles. Ella, who had won dominion in the seaencircled land of the Britons, whose raven-banner had conquered its southern shores, but could not his kingly state protect in peace, sent to Valdrwulf for aid against his foes, that he might take CaerAndred, their chief city of strength. Valdrwulf drew his sword, and clashed on his sounding buckler the signal of warfare; he girded on his garments of ring ing steel, brightly gleaming like the meteor visions of the northern skies. His valiant companions followed him to the crowded shore; there he dispensed bracelets of gold and gems, the spoils of his might, and filled with money-gifts the hands of the brave. His banner floated on the ocean winds, from the tall mast of his war-ship, stored with the weapons of Hilda, with the glittering apparel of heroes, and precious vessels of fine gold and silver. The white-bosomed maiden of Rothgar had often viewed with delight the noble form of Valdrwulf, and listened in her father's chamber of shields to the song of the Scalds, as, from the harp, came the sweet sound of song to the praise of his gallant exploits. But Valdrwulf vowed to Odin, to the father of spells, never to know the joys of love, till he had won rule and power in the white Isle of the West. The maiden of Rothgar forsook her father's bannered halls; she was no longer a cupbearer in the gilded chamber of Thegns, nor witnessed its joyous games, or listened to the music that wandered from the harp of the Scald :-she fled in sorrow, no one knew the place of her abode. There came to Valdrwulf, as he mounted the deck, a lovely youth in the habiliments of the field; his white buckler, without device, hung on his arm, which showed he yet had won no trophies in fight; his seaxant glittered by his side, but his eyes of diamond fire, outshone the lustre of his brand; while his hair flowed over the rings of his mail in dark clusters, rich as the tresses of Freya, the goddess of love and beauty. "I swear to follow Valdrwulf," cried the youth, "6 over the field of pirates, the stormy path of the merchant, to the white land in the west, which lies beyond the mists of the hazy ocean, to be his loving brother in arms, and if he fall, tó perish by his side." Valdrwulf, the giver of bracelets, was charmed with the noble beauty and boldness of the youth. They vowed eternal friendship in each other's arms; they pierced their veins, they tasted each other's + Saxon sword. blood mingled with wine, from a golden cup, the pledge of truth and constancy; and poured forth the remainder to Odin, king of battles. The sea-winds are filling the lifted sails of the kingly war-ship of Valdrwulf. She tilts the white surge from her prow, and mounts gallantly the wide-rolling billows. The waves of ocean are turned to gold, and the heavens glow like the choicest ruby; the purple cloud throne of the sun, the king of splendours, rests on the ocean's sapphire verge; sea and sky are enshrined in glory, while afar off, the dim vessel appears like a shadowy spot on the bright orb of the moon. Ella sits thoughtful on the dais, retired from the place of combat, the meeting of the armed. He sits gloomy and sad, at the feast of warriors in his lofty pavilion, hung with gleaming web, and pictured cloth of purple and gold, in the midst of his camp, near the walls of Caer-Andred. Hard fought had been the battle of the day, for the Britons stood firm on their bulwarks of strength. Saxon blood drenched the mounds that encompass the hill city of the Cymry, and many places are empty at the banquet, wont to be filled with the dark-browed warriors of renown. But it is not the battle alone that thins the ranks of weaponed men in the host of the war king of the south. The giant fiend of the moor, a monster demon that delights in murder, enters the camp, when deep sleep falls on the Thegns, and dyes his iron club in their gore.† How he enters undiscovered, or how he returns, sated with hot blood, none can tell. But now the mead-cup circles joyously round the lord of his kinsmen in that tent of shields, and the Scald of the feast strikes his harp to valiant deeds of other years. A shout rings through the camp!Ella starts from his high seat, and the British watchmen sound the loud trump of alarm, snatching their weapons from the walls of their fortress. A messenger informed King Ella that Valdrwulf Etheling of the Isles, and his valiant-looking bands, were arrived at the camp from their wave journey over the deep waters of the loud sounding ocean. Joyously were they welcomed to the pavilion of the princely son of Odin. Now came forth Elgitha the queen, to the banquet of the men of strength; her robes of * Saxo. Gram. lib. 1. + This incident is borrowed from the Saxon poem of BEOWULF in the British Museum. needle-work were wrought with figures of gold and crimson; on her head and arms were bands of starry jewels, and her white veil flowed down her shoulders, like the mantling foam of the rock-o'erleaping torrent. Her eye was bright with pleasure, and her voice like music that comes over the moonlight waters of summer. She gave the hydromel cup to the illustrious strangers of battle, and filled the horn of hospitality to its golden brim. Then was told by King Ella, sitting on his stool of power, the strange tale of the Fiend of the Moor, the Thyrse of the black valley. Valdrwulf vowed to encounter him alone. The paleness of fear came over the cheek of his youthful friend, like the white cloud passing athwart the gloryful moon; but the warriors marked not the change which fell on him, pondering deep on the nightly visitation of the bloodquaffing Fiend of the Moor. The hour of rest came on; Ella and his queen, with her damsels, beautiful as the shining elves, withdrew to the bright web-hung tent of repose. The warders prepared the couch of sleep for the strangers; they took the mail of gleaming rings, the cap of steel with its eagle plumes, from the weary Etheling of the Ísles; he sunk with his chiefs on the rushy couch, and his spirit wandered in the fairy land of dreams. There was a mournful sound in the black valley; the winds of midnight came forth, shaking its hundred groves of oak. The dark fiend of the moor arose; he forsook his gloomy solitude: the dim cloud of the mountain was his robe, and the red meteor of the fen cast its wavering light on his hideous visage. Onward he strode through the camp of the Saxons; he thirsted for noble blood, he sought the royal pavilion. Sleep went before him; death was at his side; the warders saw not his coming. He stood in the tent door-dreadful as Loke the evil one, fiercely savage as the wolf who shall destroy the spouse of Erigga, when the twilight of the gods shall cover all things! He saw the beautiful form of Valdr wulf's friend, and savagely laughed aloud with joy. He aimed his club at the head of the fair youth, whose darkly flowing locks became red with gushing blood? Shrieks rang through the pavilion. Valdrwulf awoke, and saw the ghastly fiend standing over his dying friend, shouting with joy! He snatched his magic Ring armour was worn by the Saxons, whatever may be said to the contrary, the confirmation of this is to be found in their poems. |