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"I received your letter with indignation, and with scorn-I return you this answer, that I cannot but wonder, whence you should gather hopes from me, that I should (like you,) prove treacherous to my Sovereign, since you cannot be insensible of my former actions in his late Majesty's service, from which principle of loyalty, I am no ways departed.

"I scorn your proffers; I disdain your favour; I abhor your treasons; and am so far from delivering this island to your advantage, that I will keep it to the utmost of my power to your destruction.

"Take this final answer, and forbear any further solicitations; for if you trouble me with any more messengers, upon this occason, I will burn the paper, and hang the bearer.

--

"This is the immutable rosolution, and shall be the undoubted practice of him who accounts it the chiefest glory to be his Majesty's most loyal,

and obedient subject,

Castletown, July 12, 1519.

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Anecdote of the Masked Man, who cut off the head of King Charles I.

Lord S, who commanded the English army at the battle of Dettingen, fell under the displeasure of King George II. for having given his royal master, a lesson of prudence and caution.

His lordship finding he possessed few of the requisites for a courtier, retired into Scotland; but upon his leaving the contiTent, he received a letter, appointing place and time, upon business of the last moment. He arrived, without any attendants, but not totally divested of fear; when he entered a garret, that announced every species of misery. He perceived, by the glimmerings of an obscure lamp, an old man, stretched out upon a bed, who had scarce any vestige of a human form.→ "My Lord," said he, "I was impatient to see you; and I felicitate you on the laurels you have so recently won; be seated,

and fear nothing from a man, who is in his hundred and twenty-fifth year." He made the panegyric of this general; and condemned the injustice of his sovereign; He then asked Lord S--, he did not want certain instruments which related to his family, his nobility, and his fortune.--"Yes," replied his lordship, with emotion; "I have lost certain papers, which deprive me of a great part of my inherit ance." Upon this, he gave his lordship the key of a casket, in which were deposited the writings in question. whom" said he, "am I indebted for this inestimable favour?" "Oh, my dear son," replied the old man, "come, and embrace your great grandfather." Lord S———, was astonished at this rencounter; and was still more so, when he confessed, "that he was the masked executioner of Charles the First. An insatiable thirst of vengeance suggested this abominable crime; as I then looked upon this prince as my most cruel enemy, and persecutor; I even

"To

suspected him, of having seduced my daughter. I sacrificed my allegiance, to a thirst of revenge; and I became the mere creature of Cromwell, who had seized upon the reins of government; and as the last af front to Majesty, the King knew, to whom he was indebted for his executioner. I have been a fugitive-a voluntary outcast in Europe, and Asia, for fourscore years; lost to my family, the world, and to myself-It appears to me, that Heaven has permitted me to live thus long, as a punishment for my crime.

"This casket, is the only remains of my fortune, and my past existence; I have heard of your disgrace, and before I quitted this miserable existence, I was willing to contribute to your welfare; the only return, I ask,. is, that you will leave me to the habits of penitence, and shed a tear to the memory of one, who has incurred: the displeasure of the Almighty." In vain did Lord S. endeavour to recal his ancestor to a sense of his danger, and to

press his return to Scotland; at last, he seemed to yield to his earnest solicitations; but on his repeating the visit the next day, he found he had quitted the spot; and notwithstanding every possible inquiry was made, his fate remains a mystery to this hour.

Anecdote of the King of Prussia.

In one of the private visits, which the great Frederick was wont to pay his soldiers, he met a jolly fellow, who had that evening deserted the service of Mars, for that of Bacchus. The monarch, entering in discourse with him, asked him, "How he was able, out of his small stipend, to make so large an offering to the God of wine ;" and added, "I assure you, comrade, my pay is the same as yours; yet, I cannot afford it-Pray, tell me, how you can do this?" "Give me your hand, my lad; you seem an honest fellow, and I'll tell you the secret-to-day, I have been drinking

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