4

JOURNAL of the SIEGE of FORT ST. PHILIP.

movements, both with their army and
fleet, and the brave general and his garri-
fon were as properly employed in provid-
ing for their fecurity, and the annoyance
of the enemy; feveral meffages paffed on
both fides, and fome polite complements
between gen. Blakeney and the duke de A
Richlieu. On the 30th, in the morning,
the first gun was fired from the garrison,
(being the first on either fide) at a party
of the enemy who advanced to a point of
land called Phillipit, which ftands in the
middle of the harbour, fronting the gar-
rifon: Some of them were killed, and the
reft efcaped. We now received orders to
fire at the enemy wherever we saw them
within fhot of the garrifon; nothing more
remarkable this day. On the morrow,
Saturday, May 1, the French general fent
a drummer with a meffage to the governor,
who returned the fame day with his answer. C
The governor fent capt. Chisell to the op-
pofite fide of the harbour, to examine if
the enemy were erecting any works there,
but perceived nothing. Our centinels, who
faced the town, kept a fmart firing all
night, fuppofing great numbers of the
enemy there, who gave however but three D
or four fhot in exchange. May 2, the
governor fent a drummer with a letter
to the French general, who returned the
fame day with an anfwer. The French
fleet appeared fome leagues to the west,
and in the afternoon a large party of the
enemy advanced, with implements for erect-
ing batteries, on the other fide of the wa-
ter towards Cape Mola; but our fire from
the fort put them into great confufion, and
killing a number of their men, the reft
were compelled to take fhelter behind the
rocks, until, by favour of the night, ar-
riving at their deftination, they began to
erect their works, notwithstanding we kept
a brisk fire towards the Cape, for the major
part of the night. On the morning of
May 3, the enemy's fleet was fcarce percep-
tible; but between 2 and 3000 men were
very difcernable at Cape Mola, erecting a
gun and bomb-batteries. The governor G
ordered a continual fire from the castle,
and Queen's Redoubt, which greatly im-
peded and drove them from their works
for fome time. We did great execution
among them, particularly of thofe em-
ployed in carrying fafcines; a deferter
from the enemy was killed on the glacis H
by the centinels; each firing at him, who
feeing him fall, fuppofed he only meant to
fhelter himself from the fire of the garrifon,
till the contrary was found, by a boy
whom they difpatched in queft of him,
who returned with his hat. We began

Jan.

on May 4, to play our cannon and mortars, for the first time, at the enemy, who, continuing their works had advanced pretty far, and obliged them a fecond time to abandon their works. Capt. Theodore, with eight Greeks, joined us, in order to do duty; and the day concluded with firing fome bombs at the enemy, as they returned to their works.. On Wednefday, May 5, their batteries being now very confpicuous, we continued a brisk firing, which did great execution among the men, and destroyed a great part of B their works: Our centinels firing from the Marlborough guard, at fome of the enemy who came to view that fort, killed one of their engineers, difguifed in a Spanish habit, which concluded the execution of this day. On the 6th, we perceived the enemy had finished a five gun battery, and a three mortar battery: We received orders to cannonade them without intermiffion, which was executed with great bravery, from Charles-fort, Cumberlandbattery, and Queen's-redoubt; but Charlesfort only continued their fire the whole night. On the 7th, in the morning, the enemy's fleet appeared in fight, which had not been feen for two days before. They were now 24 in number, and because fo encreafed we were apprehenfive they had fallen in with, and taken fome English merchantmen, which apprehenfion arofe from our having heard a great firing, at a E confiderable diftance at fea. This night a party was detached into town to learn, if poffible, whether the enemy were erecting any works there; when ferjeant Young, and a private foldier of the royal Welch fuzileers, were made prifoners, whose captivity lafted as long as the fiege. On SaF turday, May 8, the enemy opened the two batteries already mentioned, and each fide feemed to exert great fpirit and refolution, by an inceffant fire the whole day. That of the garrifon killed fome of the enemy's gunners, and did otherwife great injury to their batteries; while we, on our part, were not altogether excluded from the common events of war, having, however, but one man wounded by the enemy, whofe fhot grazing along the touch-hole of a loaded gun difcharged it, levelled as it was, at their own baitery. Accident was at this time more an enemy than the French; for two additional gunners loading a cannon not well fpunged, thro' eagerness of annoying the enemy, the latent fire caufed a difcharge, which coft them both their lives; they were of lord Effingham's regiment. In the night a party of the enemy advanced, almoft as near as our palifadoes, who

with

1757

EXECUTION of RAVAILLA C.

with undaunted bravery stood and return-
ed our fire for about 10 minutes, when
they thought proper to retire, the darkness
of the night preventing the difcovery of
their lofs, if any; there was none on our
fide. On the 9th, they renewed their at-
tack with the dawn; and had the fuccefs A
to beat down one of our embrafures on
the castle, and wounded one man by the
Splinters of their fhells. The vane of our
fag-ftaff was alfo fhot away by one of
their cannon-balls. We fired without in-
termiffion for the whole day, and in the
night a detached party of the enemy at- B
tacked Marlborough-fort; they were about
500, who were fo bravely repulfed by a
captain's guard of 50 men only, that they
retired with forme lofs, and great precipita-
tion, after two hours almoft incredible re-
fitance, with very little lofs to us; after
which the remainder of the night paffed C
undisturbed by any further action. On the
10th, an incessant firing was again renew-
ed and kept up, with great fpirit and re-
folution on both fides; one woman only,
a follower of col. Rich's regiment, had
the ill fortune to be wounded on this day.
The enemy having erected two mortar bat- D
teries in the town, our mortars and co-
horns were directed to keep a continual
fire upon that part of it. Lieut. Kennedy,
of col. Rich's regiment, was detached, by
water, round Cape Mola, to make his ob
fervation of the enemy's works. On the
11th, nothing material happened on either
fide, the firing was continued with the
ufual brifknefs, and we had one man
wounded: We continued our fire the
whole night to annoy their works; and
the enemy obferving the brifknefs of our
fire upon the town, continued theirs with
their utmost efforts from Cape Mola, for
the whole night.

5

made him a very fit tool for the Romish priests to work upon. He declared, his main motive for killing the king was, that he had not, as he was able to do, brought back the followers of the pretended reformation to the Catholick, Apoftolick, and Roman church. Upon his trial, he perfifted in acquitting every one of having any concern in the murder, and in affirm ing he himself was the fole contriver and perpetrator of it; nor could the most excruciating tortures force the fecret of his accomplices from him; tho' it is not to be doubted he was incited to the commiffion of the fact by the priests, who alone, by their artful infinuations, promises, and wiles, can work a man up to fuch a pitch of defperation and refolution.

At three o'clock, on May 27, 1610, when he was taken from the prifon of the Conciergerie, and put into the tumbril, the crowd was fo great, that it was with the utmost difficulty the archers and officers of justice could force themselves a pafage; and as foon as the prifoner appeared, that vaft multitude began to cry out, Wicked wretch, traitor, &c.

The enraged populace continued their cries and exclamations, till he arrived at the Greve, where, before he was taken out of the tumbril to mount the fcaffold, he was again exhorted to reveal his accomplices; but he perfifted in his former declaration, that he had none; again imploring parE don of the young king, the queen, and the whole kingdom, for the crime he had committed.

F

[To be continued in our next.]
The following Account of the dreadful
Execution of FRANCIS RAVAILLAC,
for the Murder of HENRY IV. King of
France, by fabbing him in his Coach, G
will not be unpleafing to our curious
Readers, as the fame Torments may pof-
fibly be experienced by the Wretch who
made an Attempt upon the Life of the
prefent French King. (See p. 45.)

RANCIS Ravaillac was born at

the thirty. H

fecond year of his age when he commit-
ted this horrid murder. He had been a
kind of pettifogger or follicitor for 14
years before. He was of a fuperftitious
and contemplative difpofition, much given
to vapours and fancies, and often imagin-
ing he faw yifions and revelations, which

When he had afcended the scaffold, the two doctors comforted him, and exhorted him to acknowledge the truth; and after performing the duties of their function, the clerk approached him, and urged him to think of his falvation now at the clofe of his life, and to confefs all he knew; to which he only answered as he had done before.

The fire being put to his right hand, holding the knife with which he had ftabbed the king; he cried out, Oh God! and often repeated Jefu Marie! While his breaft, &c. were tearing with red-hot pincers, he renewed his cries and prayers; during which, being often admonished to acknowledge the truth, he perfifted in de nying that he had any accomplices. The

execrations, crying, that he ought not to have a moment's refpite. Afterwards, by intervals, melted lead, and fcalding oil, were poured upon his wounds; during which he fhricked aloud, and continued his cries and exclamations.

The

6

SENTENCE on RAVAILLAC.

The doctors again admonished him, as likewife the clerk, to confefs, and were preparing to offer up publickly the ufual prayers for the condemned; but immediately the people, with great tumult and diforder, cried out against it, faying, that no prayers ought to be made for that wicked wretch, that damned monster. So that the doctors were obliged to give over. Then the clerk remonftrating to him, that the indignation of the people was a judg ment upon him, which ought to induce him to declare the truth, he perfifted to anfwer as formerly, faying, I only was concerned in the murder.

He was then drawn by four horfes, for half an hour, by intervals.

B

C

Jan.

bing him twice in the body with a knife; that he repents of the fame, and begs pardon of God, the king, and the laws : From thence he fhall be carried to the Greve, and, on a fcaffold to be there erected, the flesh fhall be torn with redA hot pincers from his breafts, his arms, and thighs, and the calves of his legs; his right hand, holding the knife wherewith he committed the aforefaid parricide, shall be fcorched and burned with flaming brimftone; and on the places where the flesh has been torn with pincers, melted lead, boiling oil, fcalding pitch, with wax and brimstone melted together, fhall be poured: After this, he shall be torn in pieces by four horfes, his limbs and body burnt Being again questioned and admonished, to afhes, and difperfed in the air. His he perifted in denying that he had any ac- goods and chattels are alfo declared to be complices; while the people of all ranks forfeited and confifcated to the king. And and degrees, both near and at a distance, it is further ordered, that the houfe in continued their exclamations, in token of which he was born fhall be pulled down their great grief for the lots of their king, to the ground (the owner thereof being Several perfons fet themfelves to pull the previoully indemnified) and that no other ropes with the utmost eagerness; and one building fhall ever hereafter be erected of the nobleffe, who was near the crimi- on the foundation thereof: And that nal, alighted off his horfe, that it might within fifteen days after the publication of be put in the place of one which was tired D this prefent fentence, his father and mowith drawing him. At length, when he ther fhall, by found of trumpet, and pubhad been drawn for a full hour by the lick proclamation in the city of Angoulême, horfes, without being difimembered, the be banished out of the kingdom, and forpeople, rufhing on in crowds, threw them- bid ever to return, under the penalty of felves upon him, and with fwords, knives, being hanged and strangled, without any fticks, and other weapons, they truck, farther form or procefs at law. The court tore, and mangled his limbs; and vio- E has alfo forbidden, and doth forbid, his lently forcing them from the executioner, brothers, fifters, uncles, and others, from they dragged them thro' the streets with henceforth, to bear the faid name of Rathe utmost eagerness and rage, and burnt vaillac, enjoining them to change it to them in different parts of the city. fome other, under the like penalties; and ordering the fubftitute of the king's attorney-general to caufe this prefent fentence to be published and carried into execution, under pain of being anfwerable for the fame; and before the execution thereof, the court doth order, that the faid Ravaillac fhall again undergo the torture, for the difcovery of his accomplices."

As this account of the execution is not fo full as we could with, we shall fubjoin the fentence of the parliament upon Ra

vaillac.

F

"The court hath declared, and doth declare, the faid Ravaillac duly attainted of the crime of high-treafon, divine and human, in the highest degree, for the most wicked, most abominable, and most deteftable parricide, committed on the per- G fon of the late king, Henry IV. of good and laudable memory; for reparation whereof, the court hath condemned, and doth condemn him, to make the amende honorable, before the principal gate of the church of Paris, whether he fhall be carried and drawn in a tumbril, in his thirt, bearing a H lighted torch of two pound weight, and that he fhall there fay and declare, that wickedly and traiteroufly he hath cominitted the aforefaid mott wicked, most abominable, and moft detettable parricide, and murdered the faid lord the king, by Aab

CHEAP FOOD for the POOR.

8 DESCRIPTION of CAER And that 30 perfons may with rice be fupported a whole day for 2s. id. if. which is very little more than three farthings and a third part of a farthing per day each.

As this fort of food may at prefent be a great relief to many poor families in A diftrefs, we recommend it to the rich to caufe large quantities of it to be every day fresh made, by which they may relieve multitudes of their poor neighbours at no very great expence.

N. B. The reader is defired to correct
the following errata in the said Magazine, B
79, col. 1, viz. line 35, for four, v. five;
37, for meal, r. meat; 1. 54, for fleeced,
r. fleeted.

A DESCRIPTION of CAERNAR-
VANSHIRE, with an accurate
MAP of that County, drawn from C
the beft Authorities.

CAERN

AERNARVANSHIRE, a county of North-Wales, called, before the divifion of that principality into counties, Snowden foreft, in Latin Snaudonia and Arvonia, is bounded on the fouth by Mcrionethshire, from which it is feparated D by rivers, meers, and mountains, and the Irish fea, which also bounds it to the west and north, except where it is oppofite to the Isle of Anglesea, and, on the east, the river Conway parts it from Denbighshire, which river and the sea send forth or receive the great number of other E rivers and meers which very plentifully water the county, and afford excellent fish and fowl to its inhabitants. The air of Caernarvanfhire is fharp and piercing, and it is in general very mountainous, particularly in the middle, which may not improperly be called The British Alps, which was one caufe that it was the laft county that was fubjugated to the English dominion. It is not unfertile, feeding great herds of cattle. Its breadth from east to west is about 25, and its length, fomething obliquely, near so miles; its circumference being 250 miles, or thereabout. It contains G about 370,000 acres, 1765 houses, has 68 parish churches, one city, and five other market towns, and is in the diocefe of Bangor, Caernarvanfhire fends two members to parliament; one for the county, who is, in the prefent parliament, Sir John Wynne, Bart. and one for Caer- H narvon, who is now Robert Wynne, Efq;

The Snowden, or fnowy mountains, are of an uncommon height, and feem to be mountains piled upon mountains; for when you have climbed one rock, you come to a vale, abounding in grafs, and generally a lake, and paffing on, afcend another, and fomtimes a third and

F

NARVANSHIRE.

Jan.

fourth, before you reach the highest peaks : There is plenty of herbs and plants amongst them to exercise the skill of the botanists, many of which are of the fame kind as are to be found in the Italian Alps. There is no fnow upon them from the first of April to the middle of September, except fome large heaps here and there, which near the tops will fometimes not be confumed till the middle of June. The number of lakes in this mountainous track are computed to be near 60, and abound in eels and trouts. There are many monuments of ancient fkill and industry remaining in this county, particularly of the military kind. The towns are,

1. Bangor, formerly fo large as to be called Bangor the Great, is fituated low, on the fea fhore, its cathedral is very mean and old, but the houfes are tolerably well built, and it is not badly inhabited: It is a bishop's fee, the prefent diocefan being Dr. Egerton, and is governed by the bishop's fteward, who holds courts leet and courts baron for his lord. Its market is on Wednesday, and its diftance from London 180 computed, and 236 meafured miles.

2. Caernarvan, the county town, commodiously feated on the fea-fhore, from whence it has a delightful profpect of the Ifle of Anglefea. Formerly the princes of Wales had their exchequer and chancery here: It is a place of great strength, being encompaffed, on all fides but the east, with the fea and two rivers, and a strong caftle, where, in one of the towers, called the Eagle Tower, Edward II. the first prince of Wales, was born. It is well built and inhabited, tho' it has but one parish church. It is governed by the mayor, who is always conftable of the caftle, an alderman, two bailiffs, a town clerk, and other fub-officers. It has a market weekly, on Saturdays, well fupplied with corn and all forts of provifion; its diftance from London is 186 computed, and 251 meafured miles. It gives title of marquiss to the duke of Chandois.

3. Conway, or Aberconway, feated on the banks of that fine navigable river, has a market weekly on Saturdays, and is 170 computed miles from London, being at once the poorest and pleasantest town in the county,

4. Pulhely, or Salt-pool, has a market weekly, on Wednesdays, for corn and provifions, and enjoys a fmall fea trade. It is governed by a bailiff.

5. Newin, governed alfo by a bailiff, has a market on Fridays.

6. Crekith, has a market on Saturdays, and is about fix miles N. E. of Pulhely.