parations had been made for the intended tournament. the king? "I have been pimp to the count;" and f Many gentlemen had already arrived on the occasion, all mounted as superbly as they could possibly be, with numbers of trumpets, fifes, etc., that stunned the hearers. A great spot of ground was palisadoed for the tournament, adorned with numbers of elegant booths for the ladies and gentlemen spectators. On the first of May, the noble lady Lisetta, made her appearance, and, like another sun, eclipsed all the other ladies, as much by her noble manners as her superior beauty. All those that were anxious to obtain her, came forth with different devices, and began to thump at one another most gloriously. Ricardo advanced in the ring, mounted on the above mentioned horse, forcing his way through all the combatants. The tour nament lasted the best part of the day, and Ricardo was always victor, being more expert and used to the sport; he boldly attacked, defended himself, and wheeled round with the agility of one well trained to the sport. Every one inquiring who he was, they were told he was a foreign nobleman, just arrived. He, however, remained victor, and all the others were defeated; one went one way, the other another, but all much dispirited; and, shortly after, Count Aldobrandini entered the list, covered with armor, and ran up to Ricardo and challenged him, and Ricardo counter-challenged; and, after a seeming hard contest, as had been first agreed, the said Ricardo suffered himself to be dismounted, but never had he done any thing with more regret, for he had fallen in love himself with the lady; but he was bound to obey the king, and, of course, the commands of Aldobrandini. The count, remaining the conqueror, rode round | the ring, sword in hand, his suit and barons coming into the ring to attend him, and greeting him. When he pulled off his vizor, every one was struck with amazement, and more particularly the lady. Thus did the count gain the lovely Lisetta, and took her home, where great rejoicings were continued for some time. Ricardo, returning to the king, was asked what had occurred; "Please your majesty," said Ricardo, "I am just come from a tournament, in which the count mischievously introduced me." "How!" said Ricardo related the story, which very much surprised the king. Be not astonished, my liege, at what has happened, but rather be surprised that I should have done such a thing, for I never in my life did any thing I regret so much, and felt so much grief, for so extremely beautiful is she whom the count has so slily gained. The king thought awhile, then said, "Ricardo, do not be down-hearted, this will prove a fortunate event to thee." It happened a little while after that the said Count Aldobrandini died without heir; the lady Lisetta, being left a widow, was taken home to her father; but he scarcely ever spoke or looked at her; the lady began to wonder very much at this, and being unable to bear it any longer, she said to her father-" Father, I wonder much at your behavior to me, recollecting that I was your darling child, that you loved me better than all your other children, and leaped with joy whenever you beheld me—that is, while I was a maiden; now, I know not what can be the cause, you scarcely seem able to look at me." Her father answered, "Thou canst not wonder so much at me as I wonder at thee, for I thought thee more wise, considering why, and by what contrivances, I married thee to the count, merely that thou mightest have children, and remain possessed of his riches." It so happened that all Aldobrandini's possessions fell to the king, of France, who, remembering the generous conduct of Ricardo, sent to Provence to signify unto Carsivallo, that he wished to give his daughter to a squire of his, who, by right, ought to be her husband. Carsivallo, who understood the matter, answered the king, that he was master to do as his majesty pleased. The king mounted his horse, and with a large retinue went to Provence, and conducted Ricardo with him, and formed this match, that is, that Lisetta should be his wife, after which he created him count, and bestowed on him the county which Aldobrandini had been lord of. This match gave great satisfaction to all, but especially to the lady, and so they lived together in happiness and comfort. Boston, 1838. : P. C. LADY! the day of brief enjoyment o'er, And show us bright within its chrystal bed I will not ask from fame a prouder meed THE following excellent article appeared some few years ago in the columns of one of the daily papers. It is too good to be lost. There is a part of the state of Mississippi so much like what the Egyptian Lake Moris was, and so rapidly becoming what it now is, and will be, that I know of no better mode of designating it, than by the appellation of Morian Mississippi. Morian Mississippi extends from north latitude 35 degrees, and 13 degrees 9 minutes west of Washing. ton, over a territory entirely alluvial, as far south as the mouth of the Yazoo, in latitude 32 degrees 24 minutes, longitude 13 degrees 52 minutes; below which the high lands are washed by the river. The Morian Territory has a length of 180 miles from north to south, estimated between its extreme parallels of latitude, but, following the windings of the Mississippi, it is 310 miles. On the north its breadth is 12 miles from east to west; but the high lands touch the river at Memphis, 11 miles due north of the line. Its greatest breadth is, between Carroll county and Island 75, about 65 miles. The entire area embraces at least 7000 square miles, or 4,480,000 acres, of which a very considerable part lies in the county of Washington. Throughout the whole extent of the country just mentioned, but more particularly in those parts which suffer, at this time, only partially, from overflows, mounds of various magnitudes are to be seen. Whether they owed their origin to the causes that produced the pyramids of Egypt, or not, I leave for the speculation of others, preferring, for the present, to make a detail of facts. Some of the principal mounds of Morian Mississippi, are situated as follows: the geographical positions being referred to that of Natchez, in latitude 31 degrees 33 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 14 degrees 21 minutes west of Washington, or 91 degrees 23 minutes west of Greenwich, and believed to be within two miles of the truth: Mound No. 1 is near the Mississippi. It is from 60 to 70 feet high. It has been surrounded by a brick wall, of which remains are yet to be seen, and also a ditch. The wall must have been from 6 to 8 feet high. The bricks are quite rotten, and crumble in the hand. The works are on the southern side of the Bayou, which is for several miles remarkably straight, and thought to be the work of art. Mound No 2 is 6 feet high, and contains about an acre. Mound No. 3 contains about an acre on the top, and there are near it several large and small ones: the whole presenting, at a distance, something like the appearance of a town. The mounds are on both sides of Deer Creek, which passes near the large one. Mound No 4 is at least 30 feet high, and contains about 4 acres of ground. Mound No. 5. To Mr. E. Hyde of Washington county, I am indebted for information relative to the mounds at this place, where he lived several years, and also for other matters of fact. He states that pieces of ware have been found in them which resemble pots, mugs, and tea kettles. They were stamped with flowers. One which was almost entire might have held two gallons. Stone tomahawks or hatchets, of curious workmanship, have also been found here. Instead of eyes, they have grooves, around which vines were probably fastened, and served for handles or helves. Here there are seven mounds within a hundred yards of each other. Within a few miles north of this place, at least 50,000 acres of land are from 6 to 8 feet above the highest overflow. It is, nevertheless. all alluvial. Mound No 6 is 100 feet across the top, and 14 to 15 feet high. There are many smaller ones round it, in which fire coals and burnt brick have been found. Mound No. 7 is 12 or 14 feet high, and contains about 4 acres. It is built upon a bank of oyster shells, which forms about two-thirds of its height. The depth of the oyster shells is unknown, but they extend to the bank of the Sunflower river. No. 8. which ia rather a fortification than a mound, is near the bank of Yazoo, left hand side. I have walked at least a mile around it, and think it may enclose 40 acres. I have no doubt that it was made by the ancients of the country. The Choctaws have no tradition of its origin, except that the English made it, which is not at all probable. As in Mississippi, so in Morian Louisiana, mounds are large and numerous. I can hardly entertain a doubt that they owed their origin rather to useful purposes than anything else. The large ones were places of refuge for the living, during the floods, and the small ones burial places for the dead. Owing to the nature of the country, several hundred of the people were obliged to dwell together, part of the time, within a small space. No wonder that they made some progress in the arts, and succeeded in making durable walls of brick, and the ware that is generally found in the south-west. If, as I am inclined to think, mounds were first made on alluvial ground, it is easy to admit that time would consecrate the custom of building them for the dead, and that it would be preserved by the descendants of the ancients of the country-even when dwelling in high lands, far above all inundation They would, however, probably care less about build ing their mounds high; and accordingly we find them generally very low in non-alluvial lands. This fact I can vouch for with respect to almost every part of Mississippi, and affirm, but with less means of knowing, with regard to all Louisiana. In relation to small pyramidal mounds, I might remark that, according to Choctaw tradition, they served as signs to denote the residences of the principal chiefs of villages. They are not numerous in Mississippi. I may now state that the parts of Mississippi and Louisiana which are, and have been, subject to inundation, embrace about 25,000 square miles. For how many ages have the turbid waters of the Mississippi been encroaching upon the ocean to form so much al luvion! If we suppose the whole area of the Missis- | sippi basin to be 1,500,000 square miles, and the annual excess of rain above the evaporation to be 8 inches, then, if the 10,000th part of the water of the Mississippi be sediment, it would require 5,000 years to produce alluvion 20 feet deep on a surface of 25,000 square miles. If it be said that more than a ten thousandth part of the Mississippi be alluvion, the depths of its deposites sufficiently exceed 20 feet deep to make up for the disproportion. the said years have him at his command, both his soul and his body. Now, if any one will please to reckon from the 3rd of September, 1651, till the 3rd of September, 1658, he shall find it to a day, just seven years, and no more, at the end of which he died, but with extremity of tempestuous weather, that was by all men judged to be prodigious; neither indeed was his end more miserable (for he died mad and despairing) than he had left his name infamous.” Archdeacon Eachard then gives "a relation or na rative of a valiant officer called Lindsey, an intimate friend of Cromwell's, the first captain of his regiment, and therefore commonly called Colonel Lindsey," which is to this effect. "On the 3rd of September, in the morning. Cromwell took this officer to a wood side, not far from the army, and bid him alight and follow him into that wood, and to take particular notice of what he saw and heard. After they had both alighted and secured their horses, and walked some way into the wood, Lindsey began to turn pale, and to be seized with horror from some unknown cause, upon which Cromwell asked him how he did, or how he felt himself? He answered, that he was in such a trembling and consternation, that he never felt the like in all the conflicts and battles he had engaged in; but whether it proceeded from the gloominess of the place, or the temperament of his body he knew not. How now, said Cromwell, what, troubled with vapors ? Come forward, man. They had not gone above twenty yards before Lindsey, on a sudden, stood still, and cried out, by all that's good, he was seized with such unaccountable terror and astonishment, that it was impossible for him to stir one step farther. Upon which Cromwell called him faint-hearted fool, and bid him stand there and observe, or be a witness, and then advancing to some distance from him, he met with a grave elderly man, with a roll of parchment in his hand, who delivered it to Cromwell, who eagerly perused it. Lindsey, a little recovered from his fear, heard several loud words between them; particularly, Cromwell said, this is but for seven years, I was to have had it for one-and-twenty, and it must and shall be so. The other told him positively, it could not be for above seven years. Upon which Cromwell cried CROMWELL'S COMPACT WITH THE DEVIL! with great fierceness, it should be for fourteen years. But the other peremptorily declared, it could not possibly be for any longer time, and if he would not take There is a tract, published and sold by W. Boreham, at the Angel, in Paternoster Row, price 6d., en-it so, there were others who would accept it. Upon titled "True and Faithful Narrative of Oliver Cromwell's Compact with the Devil for Seven Years, on the Day of which he gained the Battle of Worcester." The tract opens with the following extract from Mr. Archdeacon Eachard's History of the Kings of England, which he quotes from the History of Inde pendency, part iv. p. 13. which Cromwell, at last, took the parchment, and returned to Lindsey with great joy in his countenance, and cried, now Lindsey the battle is our own! I long to be engaged. Returning out of the wood, they rode to the army, Cromwell with a resolution to engage as soon as it was possible, and the other with the design of leaving the army as soon. After the first charge, Lindsey deserted his post, and rode away with all possible speed day and night, till he came into the county of Norfolk, to the house of an intimate friend, "It was believed, and not without some good cause, that Cromwell, the same morning he had defeated the king's army at Worcester fight, had conference personally with the devil, with whom he made a con-one Mr. Thorogood, minister of the parish. tract, that to have his will then, and in all things else after, for seven years from that time, (being the 3rd of September, 1651,) he should at the expiration of Cromwell, as soon as he missed him, sent all ways after him, with a promise of a great reward to any one who should bring him, alive or dead. Thus far, the narrative of Lindsey himself, but something far- | Queen Mary, daughter of Henry IV. of France, which ther is to be remembered to complete and confirm the is derived from votre tres humble serviteur. The usual story. salutation before that time was, "God keep you," "God be with you;" and among the vulgar, "How dost do?" with a thump on the shoulder. When Mr. Thorogood saw his friend Lindsey come into his yard, his horse and himself just tired, in a sort of amaze, said, "How now, colonel, we hear there is likely to be a battle shortly." "Yes, there has been a battle, and I am sure the king is beaten; but if ever I strike a stroke for Cromwell again, may I perish eternally, for I am sure he has made a league with the devil, and the devil will have him in due time." Then desiring protection from Cromwell's inquisitors, he went in and related to him the whole story, and all circumstances, concluding with these remarkable words: "that Cromwell would certainly die that day seven years the battle was fought!" The strangeness of the relation caused Mr. Thorogood to order his son, John, to write it at full length in his common-place book, which I am assured is still preserved in the family of the Thorogoods. 64 NEW MOON.-In Scotland, especially among the Highlanders, the women make a courtesy to the new moon; and our English women in this country have a touch of this, some of them sitting astride on a gate or stile the first evening the new moon appears, and saying, "A fine moon-God bless her." The like I observed in Hertfordshire. EDUCATION.-There were very few fine schools in England before the reformation. Youth were generally taught Latin in the monasteries; and young wo men had their education, not at Hackney as now, sellicit anno 1678, but at nunneries, where they learnt needle-work, confectionery, surgery, physic, (apothecaries and surgeons being at that time very rare,) writing, drawing, etc. Old Jacquar, now living, has often seen from his house the nuns of St. Mary Kings their rocks and wheels, to spin, sometimes to the number of three score and ten, all whom were not nuns, but young girls sent there for their education. PAINTED CLOTHS.-In the halls and parlors of great houses were wrote texts of Scriptures on the painted cloths. GLASS WINDOWS.-Glass windows, except in churches and gentlemen's houses, were rare before the time of Henry VIII. In my own remembrance, before the civil wars, copyholders and poor people had none. We have also "Minutes taken out of Mr. Secre tary Thurloe's pocket-book, by the late Mr. John Milton, in Wilts, coming forth in the Nymph Hay, with ton, and given by him to his nephew, Mr. John Philips. The following is an extract :-August 17, 1658, my master, the Protector, caused me to take a bond out of a little ebony casket, and to burn it, say. ing, "the completion of it was well nigh come to pass!" He died the 3rd of September following! We have also a long letter from his daughter to her sister, the Lady Viscountess Falconbridge; this is part," when he and I are only sitting in his bed-chamber together, he seems very often talking to a third person, and cries, you have cheated me, the purchase was intended by me for seven years longer, I will not be so served. And again, sometimes as the fit takes him, to divert the melancholy, he dines with the officers of the army at Hampton Court, and shows an hundred antic tricks, as throwing of cushions at them, and putting burning hot coals into their pockets and boots! Immediately after this, fear and astonishment sits in his countenance, and not a nobleman approaches him, but he fells him! Now, he calls for his guards, with whom he rides out encompassed behind and before, for the preservation of his highness, and at his return at night, shifts from bed to bed for fear of sur prise." OLD CUSTOMS AND MANNERS. BY JOHN AUBREY, 1678. COURT RUDENESS.-Till this time, the court itself was unmannered and unpolished. King James's court was so far from being civil to women, that the ladies, nay, the queen herself, could hardly pass by the king's apartment without receiving some affront. INNS.-Public inns were rare. Travellers were entertained at religious houses for three days together, if occasion required. MEN'S COATS.-About ninety years ago, noblemen and gentlemen's coats were of the bedels and yeomen of the guards; i. e. gathered at the middle. The benchers in the inns of court yet retain that fashion in the make of their gowns. UNIVERSITY FLOGGING.-At Oxford (and, I believe, at Cambridge) the rod was frequently used by the tutors and deans; and Dr. Potter, of Trinity College, I knew right well, whipped his pupil with his sword by his side, when he came to take his leave of him to go to the inns of court. YOUNGER BROTHERS-No younger brothers were to betake themselves to trades, but were churchmen or retainers to great men. ARCHITECTURE.-The Normans brought with them into England civility and building, which, though it was Gothic, was yet magnificent. Mr. Dugdale told me, that about the time of King Henry III, the pope gave a bull, or patent, to a company of Italian architects, to travel up and down Europe, to build churches. JUSTICES' HALLS--The halls of the justices of the peace was dreadful to behold; the screen was garnished with corselets, and helmets gaping with open mouths, with coats of mail, lances, pikes, halberds brown bills, batterdastors, and buckles. GENTRY MEETINGS.-The meetings of the gentry were not at taverns, but in the fields or forests, with SALUTATIONS.—The use of "Your humble ser-hawks and hounds, and their bugle-horn, in silken vant" came first into England on the marriage of bawderies. |