captivate the female heart, were conftant fources of mifery to this unfortunate woman. Strype has given us an Epitaph written by her chaplain, Dr. Park hurt, afterward bishop of Nor wich, which perhaps was engraved on the monument erected for her in the chapel of Sudley caftle: it is as follows: Hoc Regina novo dormit Katharina fepulchro, Quem poftquam e vivis Parca tuliffet atrox, Huic peperit natam ; a partu cum feptimus orbem Englished thus: In this new tomb the royal Kath'rine lies, And faithful partner once of Henry's throne. When now feven days this tender flower had bloom'd, With faints fhe triumphs, we with mortals mourn. There is an original picture of her in the gallery at Lambeth, over the chimney-piece. Remarks on the Title of Thane and Abthane. By Robert Riddel, of Glen Riddel, Efq. In a Letter to Mr. Gough.-From the fame Work. Sir, Friars carse, near Dumfries. GREEABLE to my promife the title of Thane in Scotland, and the authority that was annexed to that most antient and honourable office by our kings and the eftates, in the earlier ages of the Scottish monarchy. A Thane (which fignifies a fervant) held under the king a jurifdiction over a district called a Thanedom, and afterwards a She riffdom riffdom or County. His office was to give judgment in all civil and criminal cafes within his Thanedom. Upon perufing the claims of hereditary jurifdiction in Scotland, when they were annexed to the crown in 1748, I find that in the year 1405 a receipt was granted by Robert duke of Albany, regent of Scotland, for infefting Donald, thane of Calder, in his thanedom, as heir at law to Andrew, thane of Calder, his father, to whom he had previously been ferved heir, and returned in the heritable offices of Shireef (or Thane) of Nairn, and conftable of the caftle of Nairn. He was accordingly feafed of his lands and thanedom; and the feafine is produced as a voucher in the year 1748, to prove the fact. By this it appears that the thanes of Calder exercised a jurifdiction over the thanedom, and afterwards fheriffdom of Nairn. The title of earl (an English dignity derived from the Saxon word Eorlas, fignifying honour) was firft introduced into Scotland by Malcolm Canmore, and gained ground to the prejudice of the more ancient title of Thane. The title of earl was often granted without any jurifdiction annexed to it; but the dignity of Thane, never. And this perhaps was the chief reafon for its total difufe in the year 1476, when William thane of Calder had his thanedom erected into a free barony and regality. He was the laft Thane in Scotland; for the crown, to add to its influence, then abolished this dignity. As to the very antient title of Abthane, I am more at a lofs to point out the nature and extent of its jurifdiction. I find Crinan, Abthane of Dull and the Western Ifles, (who married Beatrix the eldest daughter of Malcolm the Second, and was father to Duncan the First king of Scotland) was confidered as the most powerful man in the kingdom. It is generally thought that he exercifed the office of chief jufticiar over the kingdom: perhaps in a fimilar manner as it was exercifed by the family of Afgyle fo late as the year 1628, when the lord born heiritable jufticiar of all Scotland did refign that high office to king Charles I. In addition to the office of chief jufticiar: Crinan (as it was thought) was the king's fteward over the crown lands in the Weftern Ifles, as well as a large diftrict on the main land of Scotland, called Dull. What was the extent of the crown's patrimony called Dull, I do not know; but in the claim of Sir Robert Menzies for the lordship of Apin O Dull, in 1748, the lord advocate, in his reply, fays, that the lordship of Apin O Dull was anciently a part of the patrimony of the crown ; and it is natural to fuppofe that it was part of Crinan's Abthanedom. The lordship of Apin O Dull, as claimed by Sir Robert Menzies, comprehended the lands fituated in the parishes of Weem, and Dull, and Logierant. Crinan was the laft Abthane of Scotland; for his fon, Dunoan the First, appointed Bancho thane of Lochaber, as his dapifer or fenef callus. And Malcolm Canmore appointed Walter to the office of dapifer domini regis, which became hereditary in his family until they fucceeded to the throne in the perfan of Robert the Second." A A MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. The Vicar's Tale.-Extracted from the Olla Podrida, a Periodical Work, compleat in Forty-four Numbers. The fhort and fimple annals of the poor. Gray. B the hamlet. Affairs were in this he addreffed me; and when he be- fible for you to proceed. Should that be the cafe, you will be much diftreffed for lodgings, the place affording no accommodations for travellers, as my parishioners are neither willing nor able to fupport an alehouse; and, as we have few travellers, we "have little need of one but if EING on a tour to the North, I was, one evening, arrested in my progrefs, at the entrance of a small hamlet, by break-On feeing my broken equipage, ing the fore-wheel of my phaeton. This accident rendering it impracticable for me to proceed to the nexe town, from which I was now fixteen miles diftant, I directed my fteps to a small cottage, at the door.rienced will render it impofof which, in a woodbine arbor, fat a man of about fixty, who was folacing himself with a pipe. In the front of his houfe was affixed a small board, which I conceived to contain an intimation, that travellers might there be accommodated. Addreffing myself therefore to the old man, I requested his affiftance; which he readily granted; but on my mentioning an intention of remaining at his houfe all night, he regretted, that it was not in his power to receive me, and the more fo, as there was no inn in the village. It was not till now that I difcovered my error concerning the board over the door, which contained a notification, that there "was taught that ufeful art, of which, if we credit Mrs. Baddeley's Memoirs, a certain noble lord was fo grossly ignorant. In fhort, my friend proved to be the fchoolmafter, and probably fecretary, to you will accept the best accom❝modation my cottage affords, it "is much at your fervice."After expreffing the fenfe I entertained of his goodness, I joyfully accepted fo defirable an offer.As we entered the hamlet, the fun was gilding with his departing beams, the village fpire, whilft a gentle breeze refreshed the weary hinds, who, feated beneath the venerable oaks, that overfhadowed their cottages, were repofing themfelves, after the labours of the day, and listening attentively to the tale of an old foldier, who, like myself, had wan dered dered thus far, and was now diftreffed for a lodging. He had been in feveral actions, in one of which he had loft a leg; and was now, like many other brave fellows, "Doom'd to beg "His bitter bread, thro' realms his valor "fav'd." When they reached the town it "was market day,and I saw several of the people from our village, who were all forry to hear what had happened, and endeavoured to procure my release, but in vain. After taking an affecting leave of my neighbours, I was marched to Portfmouth; and there, together with an hundred "more, embarked for the coast of "Africa. During the voyage, most of our number died, or became fo enfeebled by fickness as The apto make them unfit for fervice. "This was owing partly to the climate, partly to the want of water, and to confinement in the fhip. When we reached the coast of Africa, we were landed, and experienced every poffible "cruelty from our officers. At length, however, a man of war "arrived, who had loft feveral ma My kind host invited me to join the crowd, and liften to his tale. With this requeít I readily complied. No fooner did we make our appearance, than I attracted the attention of every one. pearance of a ftranger, in a hamlet, two hundred miles from the capital, is generally productive of furprife; and every one examines the new comer with the moft áttentive obfervation.+So wholly did my arrival engrofs the villagers, that the veteran was obliged to defer the continuation of his narrative, till their curiofity fhould be gratified. Every one there took an opportunity of teftifying the good-will they bore my venerable hoft, by offering him a feat on the grafs. The good man and myself. were foon feated, and the brave veteran refumed his narrative, in the following words "After," continued he, "I had been intoxi"cated, I was carried before a juftice, who was intimate with "the captain, at whofe requeft he "attefted me before I had fufficiently recovered my fenfes to fee the danger I was encounter-gular marine, I was not entitled 46 ing. In the morning, when I came to myself, I found I was in cuftody of three or four foldiers; "who, after telling me what had "happened, in fpite of all I could "fay, carried me to the next town, without permitting me to take "leave of one of my neighbours. rines in a late action; and I, "with fome others, was fent on "board to ferve in that station.. "Soon after we put to fea, we fell in with a French man of war. In the action I lost my leg, and was near being thrown "overboard; but the humanity of "the chaplain preferved my life, and on my return to England procured my difcharge. I applied for the Chelfea bounty; ** but it was refufed me, because I "loft my limb when acting as a "marine and, as I was not a re to any protection from the Admiralty. Therefore, I am reduced to live on the good-will "of those who pity my misforTo be fure mine is a "hard lot; but the King does not "know it, or, (God blefs his Majefty he is too good to let K 3 ...thofe tunes. thofe ftarve who have fought his battles." The village clock now ftriking eight, the worthy Vicar rofe; and, flipping fomething into the old man's hand, defired me to follow him. At our departure, the villagers promised to take care of the old man. We returned the farewell civilities of the ruftics, and directed our steps to the vicarage. It was fmall, with a thatched roof. The front was entirely covered with woodbine and honey fuckle, which ftrongly fcented the circumambient air. A grove of ancient oaks, that furrounded the houfe, caft a folemn fhade over, and preferved the verdure of, the adjacent lawn; through the midst of which ran a fmall brook, that gently murmured as it flowed. This, together with the bleating of the fheep, the lowing of the herds, the village murmurs, and the diftant barkings of the trufty curs, who were now entering on their office as guardians of the hamlet, formed a concert, at leaft equal to that in Tottenham-court-road. On entering the wicket, we were met by a little girl of fix years old. Her drefs was fimple, but elegant; and her appearance fuch as fpoke her destined for a higher fphere. As foon as fhe had informed her grandfather that fupper was ready, fhe dropped a courtefy, and retired. I delayed not a moment to congratulate the good old man on poffeffing fo great a treasure. He replied, but with a figh; and we entered the houfe, where every thing was diftinguished by an air of elegant fimplicity that furprised me. On our entrance, he introduced me to his wife; a woman turned of forty, who ftill poffeffed great re mains of beauty, and had much the appearance of a woman of fashion. She received me with easy politenefs, and regretted that she had it not in her power to entertain me better. I requested her not to diftrefs me with unneceffary apologies, and we fat down to fupper. The little angel, who welcomed us at the door, now feating herself op. pofite to me, offered me an opportunity of contemplating one of the fineft faces I had ever beheld. My worthy hoft, obferving how much I was ftruck with her appearance, directed my attention to a picture which hung over the mantle. It was a ftriking likeness of my little neighbour, only on a larger scale That, Sir, faid he, is Harriet's mother. Do you not think there is a vaft refemblance? To this I affented; when the old man put up a prayer to Heaven, that the might refemble her mother in every thing, but her unhappy fate. He then ftarted another topick of conversation; without gratifying the curiofity he had excited concerning the fate of Harriet's mother; for whom I already felt myself much interested. Supper being removed, after chatting fome time, my worthy hoft conducted me to my bed-chamber; which was on the ground-floor, and lined with jafmine, that was con. ducted in at the windows. After wishing me good night, he retired, leaving me to reft.The beauty of the scenery, however, and my ufual propenfity to walk by moon-light, induced me to leave my fragrant cell. When I fallied forth, the moon was darting her temperated rays through the fhade that fur. rounded the cottage, tipping the tops of the venerable oaks with filver. |