THE LADY AND THE PALFREY. IN a bundle of MSS., as authentic as the facts we are about to relate, was found some stray leaves of a novel. Who was the publisher, who the author, does not appear; but the passage is complete in itself, and relates the following history, which we relate in our own words for the sake of brevity. There was a feud betwixt the lords of two castles, and it arose thus: Sir Edgar and the Baron Harnheim were rival suitors for the hand of the Lady Gertrude, sole child and heiress of an old captain who had led them both to victory and renown. Of the two Gertrude favoured the baron, while her father would fain have her united to his rival. "Let us fight for her!" exclaimed the latter; and the baron was nothing loth. They fought, and Sir Edgar was victorious. on the weekly payment being increased a shilling, to which Peel at first demurred, and a difference between the partners took place, which was eventually compromised by the lodger paying an advance of 6d. a week. William Yates's eldest child was a girl named Ellen, and she very soon became an especial favourite with the young lodger. On returning from his hard day's work at "The Ground," he would take the little girl upon his knee, and say to her, "Nelly, thou bonny little dear, wilt be my wife ?" to which the child would answer 66 Yes," as any child would do. "Then I'll wait for thee, Nelly; I'll wed thee, and none else." And Robert Peel did wait. As the girl grew in beauty towards womanhood, his determination to wait for her was strengthened; and after the lapse of ten years-years of close application to business and rapidly increasing prosperity -Robert Peel married Ellen Yates when she completed her seventeenth year; and the pretty child, whom her mother's lodger and father's partner had nursed upon his knee, became Mrs. Peel, and eventually Lady Peel, the mother of the future prime minister of England. Lady Peel was a noble and beautiful woman, fitted to grace any station in life. She possessed rare powers of mind, and was, on every emergency, the high-souled and faithful counsellor of her husband. For many years after their marriage she acted as his amanuensis, conducting the principal part of his business correspondence, for Mr. Peel himself was an indifferent and almost unintelligible writer. She died in 1803, only three years after the baronetcy had been been conferred upon her husband. It is said that London fashionable life-so unlike what she had been accustomed to at home-proved injurious to her health; and old Mr. Yates was afterwards accustomed to say, "If The baron, whose countenance had Robert hadn't made our Nelly a lady' fallen under the stern rebuke of Gershe might ha' been living yet."-Self-trude's father, was rejoiced at this queshelp, by Saml. Smiles. The cedar of Lebanon was introduced and cultivated in this country as far back as the year 1683, and there are but few old country seats in Britain which do not possess specimens of this celebrated tree. "He shall not have her yet," muttered the baron, as he paced the banquetinghall of his castle. Night fell, and two hundred soldiers rode towards Sir Edgar's castle, headed by his rival. An assault was made upon the sleeping garrison, and the place carried. Sir Edgar was taken prisoner. That day the baron wore over his armour the scarf which Gertrude had prepared for his first contest with his enemy. "This was not well done," cried the old captain, as soon as the baron had informed him of his treacherous surprise upon Sir Edgar, and demanded the hand of his daughter, who stood by at the time. "Was it not?" exclaimed Gertrude, with indignation. "We shall see. My lord," she added, addressing the baron, "will it please you to be wedded this night ?" tion; and confident in the lady's love, which, indeed, she had often professed, smiled his assent. remarked Gertrude, to the astonishment "I will summon my confessor, then," of both, and the unfeigned gratification of the treacherous baron. "Remain here!" and, as she said this, she pressed his hand and departed. The page sits by the baron's portico, and the lady's palfrey paws upon the ground, impatient for Gertrude's return. The confessor has passed, and entered with the lady. The baron's soldiers carouse in the armoury of the castle. Who is it comes forth? "None but the brave deserve the fair!" whispers the priest as Gertrude is lifted into her saddle. But some one springs into it along with her. Is it Sir Edgar who seizes the reins and drives his spurs into the palfrey's sides? "She is won; they are gone Over bank, bush, and scaur ?" But to-morrow shall be his nuptial feast. The treachery of the baron must be avenged! Wondering that the Lady Gertrude returns not, he remounts his war-horse, and spurs madly back, he and a dozen followers to Harnheim Castle. His prisoner is gone! "Where are the villains who have betrayed me?" he exclaimed. More than two hundred men stare in stupid, halfdrunken astonishment as the baron bold strides into the armoury and demands Sir Edgar at their hands. But he is gone, and the baron raves in vain. A space more, and Sir Edgar's summons is heard at the castle gates. "False villain!" he cries, "I return to take vengeance on your treachery." The baron and his retainers rush to their weapons, but confound one another in the scramble. Sir Edgar pours his stout men into the castle. It is won, and he returns in triumph to the lady of his love. Will she love him? "None but the brave deserve the fair." It may be said, too, none but the just deserve them. 'Twas a mistake for the Lady Gertrude to show favour to the false baron. But his falsehood turned the scale of her just love against him; and, when succeeding days strengthened her tender admiration of his rival, she felt and confessed that she had never loved before. FLOWER-SLEEP. PLANTS.-Plants and flowers, in the mysteries of sleep, exhibit a curious and beauleaves at night; others, of the kind called tiful diversity. Some plants droop their compound, as clover and vetches, close their leaflets together in pairs, and occasionally the whole leaf droops at the same time. The three leaflets of clover bring their faces to the outside, and so form a little triangular pyramid, whose apex is the point of union between the leaflets and the stalks. Lupines, which have leaves resembling a seven-fingered hand without a palm, fold them together like a lady's half-closed parasol; chickweed rises its leaves so as to embrace the stem; and some species of lotus, besides many of its elegant family, the leguminosa, bring them together in such a way as to ture seed-vessels from the chill air of night. protect the young flower-buds and immaThese are only a few out of the many cases which could be instanced of change in the position of leaves, whilst in flowers there seems to be no limit to variation. The greater number shut the petals at night, the stalks declining on one side; but there are some which roll their petals back, and curl them up like miniature volutes. When the petals are numerous, they usually form a conical pent-house, as every one must have observed in marigolds and daisies. When there are only three or four, the complicate elaborateness of their interfoldings is most beautiful, and baffles all description: Such is the common scarlet poppy of the corn-fields, and the less gaudy eschscholtzia of the flower-garden. The corollas of plants, like dead-nettles and snapdragon, are not formed to open and shut; but the protection which the internal parts of the former kind derive from their nocturnal closing has here a substitute in the form of the flower. The sleep of such plants is probably unaccompanied by any external change. The same may be said of campafour-petaled flowers of cruciferæ, it should nulas and other bell-shaped flowers. The have been observed, are remarkably careless of repose. Their sleep never appears sound, or even constant for many successive nights; they seem restless; and in the morning always look dozy and uncomfortable. When flowers are overblown, or the plant, if an annual, is near its decay, the phenomena of sleep with humanity, the characteristics of old are very considerably diminished, partaking, age. In fact, they only sleep in perfection when in the full energy of youth and health. 66 THE MAIDEN," AN OLD INSTRUMENT OF EXECUTION. This strange-looking instrument of death is preserved in the museum of the Royal Scotch Society of Antiquities, is of woodwork (painted black), strongly fastened with iron. An upright frame rises to the height of about thirteen feet, across a pulley at the top, a rope is passed, to which is fastened a heavy block of dark coloured granite; at the bottom of this is a large blade-means were used to fasten the loose end of the rope to a spring; when the person to be put to death had placed his head upon the block, the blade and stone having been raised to the top of the machine, by a touch of the spring, was let loose, and the head of the victim instantly struck off. The Scottish "Maiden" is of far older date than the French guillotine; by the former, the unfortunate Montrose suffered. This instrument forms a striking feature of the Edinburgh Museum of Antiquities; and in company with many other curious objects connected with Scotish history, here are relics of Mary of Scotland, and other royal and distinguished personages-here hang the inscribed banners of the Covenanters, which in in the old time have been over many a bloody field-here is preserved the identical stool thrown by the energetic old Scotch woman, at the head of the preacher, which led to such important historical events, and other matters of great interest. In glancing at the methods of execution in past and present times, it is worth while to note the gradual decline of the terrible punishment of death. The Earl of Derwentwater, and the Lords Lovatt and Balmerino, were the last of the nobility who suffered death for political offences in England, and since, Earl Ferrers was hanged at Tyburn for the murder of his servant. Not many years ago people were hanged for sheep-stealing, horse-stealing, house-breaking, highway robberies, arson, stealing wet linen, forgery, and many other offences. In the reign of Henry VI., numbers of persons were gathered up in the streets of London and hanged without the proof of any crime, except destitution, if that could be so called, and during the days of the superstition of witcheraft, upwards of two thousand persons are known to have perished in England and Scotland in one year. In the reign of George III., it was common to hang six and seven; and at times, upwards of a dozen persons of both sexes, old and young. In the reign of Charles II., Evelyn saw opinions were less tolerant than in these days -but when those of both opinions persecuted each other to the death. The story of this stone is a melancholy and yet an interesting one, which is well worthy of a record amongst the wonderful things mentioned in those pages. Near the inscribed stone, above engraved, once lived Rowland Taylor, "a Doctor of both Civil and Common Law, and a Right Proper Divine." He continued in well doing and great respect at Hadleigh until the reign of Queen Mary, when some of the other party brought a Roman Catholic Priest to officiate in his room. This was not done without opposition-on the part of Dr. Taylor-but by the aid of armed men possession was taken of the church, and the original minister thrust out. Two days afterwards he was summoned vised him to flee; but Taylor determined to face his enemies, and took his departure amid the weeping of his flock. On his arrival he was received by the Bishop with gross abuse. In reply Taylor said: "My lord, I am neither traitor nor heretic, but a true subject and faithful Christian man, and am come, according to your commandment, to know what is the cause that your lordship hath sent for me?" The Bishop charged him with being married. "Yea,' quoth Taylor, "that, I thank God, I am; and have had nine children all in lawful wedlock; and blessed be God that hath ordained matrimony." a woman boiled in Smithfield, for some by Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, to come crime. On the banks of the Thames, near before him in London, and answer the comBlackwall, and elsewhere, pirates, &c.,plaints made against him. His friends adwere hung in chains: on moors, by the roadsides, and in other places, the dead bodies of culprits were hung on gibbets left bleach ing in the weather. In London the places of execution were not confined to either the front of the Old Bailey, or Tyburn, but persons were hanged for arson or murder, before the houses in which the offences had been committed; on some of those occasions, rioting took place in the streets, and the body of the culprit was forcibly carried away; in some cases, persons were killed in the crowd, and, in consequence, the practice was disused. The public brutality of hanging and quartering-the exhibitions at so much a head for admission to view the half dissected body of a criminal, and other disgraceful arrangements, are now, fortunately, to be classed amongst the customs which have passed away. Dr. Taylor was deprived of his benefice, and on the 20th of June, 1585, he was again summoned before Bishop Gardiner and the other bishops, who urged him to recant, and, on refusal, sentence of death was charged in a similar way. passed upon him and others who were After this Dr. Taylor was bestowed in the prison of the Clinke till it was towards night, and then he was removed to the Compter by the Poultry. Here Bishop Bonner went on the 4th of February, to endeavour to prevail upon Taylor to alter his opinions, this was, however, without avail; and, after a stormy interview, the Bishop departed, leaving the martyr to his fate. On the morning following, at two o'clock, the sheriff of London, with his officers, brought him, without light, from the Compter to Aldgate. His wife, suspecting that he would be carried away thus privately, had watched from the time they had thus parted within the porch of St. Botolph's Church-having her daughter Mary with her, and a little orphan girl named Elizabeth, whom the martyr had reared from the age of three years to thirteen; and when the sheriff and his company came nigh to where they stood, the child Elizabeth said, "O my dear father! Mother, mother, there is my father led away." The darkness being so great that no one could see the other; his wife cried, "Rowland, Rowland, where art thou?" Taylor answered, "Dear wife, I am here," and he stayed, and the sheriff's men would have forced him, but the sheriff said, "Stay a little, my masters, pray you, and let him speak to his wife." Then he took his daughter Mary in his arms, and he and his wife and the orphan girl kneeled and prayed, and the sheriff and many who were present wept, and he arose and kissed his wife, and shook her by the hand and said, "Farewell, my dear wife, be of good comfort, for I am quiet in my conscience; God shall stir up a father for my children." He had three other, besides the daughter Mary and the young Elizabeth. I In the darkness Dr. Taylor was taken to the Woolsack Inn at Aldgate-the gates were shut, but at eleven of the clock he was put on horseback without the gates, and delivered to the sheriff of Essex. When they arrived outside Taylor saw his son Thomas standing against the rails in the John care of his man, John Hull, and he said, THE VIRGIN, AN INSTRUMENT OF EXECUTION "Come hither, my son Thomas." Hull lifted the child up and set him on the horse before his father. Taylor put off his hat, and spoke a sentence to the people in favour of matrimony, and then lifted up his eyes and prayed for his son, and laid his hat on the child's head and blessed him. This done, he delivered his child to John Hull, and said to him, "Farewell, John Hull, the faithfulest servant ever man had." In the midst of armed attendants and officers of the sheriff Dr. Taylor was carried across the country, in some places his face covered FORMERLY USED IN GERMANY. Terrible were the means of punishment used in England during what may be called the most enlightened of the mediæval times in England, and when the rack, thumbscrew, and other instruments, many of which are still preserved in the Tower and in the collections of the curious were employed. These, however, seem insignificant when compared with the inventions which were provided in Germany for the purpose of extorting confession, changing opinion, or |