in the encounter, in order to avoid a similar downfall for himself. The laws allowed every knight to bring with him a page, who stood aloof from the contest, and supplied his master with a sword or truncheon. The combatants, in two parties, having entered the bar. riers, the one by the eastern, and the other by the western gate, arranged themselves for battle; and at the cry of the heralds-"To achievements to achievements!" they closed their vizors, couched their spears, and impatiently waited the signal of onset. This was given by the president dropping his wand or truncheon, and the trumpets at the instant sounding the charge; and then commenced the furious hurtling of men and horses, and shivering of spears, and the clashing of helmets and shields. Ghastly wounds, lameness, and death, generally summed up the disasters of the day. At the close of each day, (tournaments sometimes last for several days,) the names of those who had most distinguished themselves were proclaimed by the heralds, and the rewards distributed by the ladies; after which the joys of the banquet succeeded; the successful combatants, after being unarmed by those fair hands that had distributed the prizes, were advanced to an honoured place at the board; where their value was commended by princes and redoubted warriors, and sung by attendant minstrels. Such was the nature of that august festival, which may be regarded as the great master-piece of chivalry. Edward III. saw in chivalry the instrument most suited to the temper and circumstances of the age, and that, therefore, by which his vast designs could be accomplished. Every showy tournament he proclaimed increased the number and spirit of his supporters, and added to his real strength. His great opponent, Philip of Valois, adopted the same course, and a rivalry in these splendid pageantries was the consequence. In 1344, Edward gave a grand tournament at Windsor; and to avoid a distinction of rank, he erected a circular hall, 200 feet in diameter, where he feasted all the knights at one table, which was called the Round Table, in memory of Arthur: the French king, Philip, then established one similar in Paris. Edward instituted the since illustrious Order of the Garter, April 23, 1349, and Philip increased the number and splendour of his jousts and tournament. In 1874, he held a grand tournament in Smithfield, to gratify the pride of Alice Pierse, whom Edward III., in his dotage, had chosen for his mistress, and on that occasion had dignified with the appellation of the Lady of the Sun. She appeared, by the king's side, in a triumphal chariot, clothed in gorgeous apparel, and accompanied by a great number of ladies of high rank, each of whom led a knight on horseback by the bridie. The procession set out from the Tower, and was attended by the principal nobility, richly accoutred; and many gallant feats of arms were performed by the Knights who entered the lists, which were kept open during seven successive days. (To be continued.) TO THE AUTUMNAL CROCUS. Crocus of autumnal day, Thou dost strive thy charms to hide; But where beauty thron'd is seen, Though retired 'tis surely spied, And from place conceal'd the gem, Graces sovereign's diadem. > Crocus, sweet's thy loveliness, May no ills or sorrows wound ye, Naked from the rich parterre, Leaves nor sheath the florist spies, All thy beauties naked are; 'Midst the music of the waters. 66 him, but it was agreed at last that he should pay ten pounds in hand, and grant a promis sory note for the balance; and the bill, which was certainly a curiosity of its kind, was regularly negociated through a Carlisle bank, and as regularly retired when it became due. At the time alluded to, there were two rival inns, as well as rival priests, at Springfield, and the house at which a lover arrived was regulated by the inn he started from at Car. lisle. Though he might wish to give a pre ference, and issue positive orders on the subject, those orders were uniformly disobeyed, The post-boys would only stop at their fa vourite house, and that for the best of all reasons, that the priest went snacks with them, and knew fuil well the value of their patronage. Excepting in the case of sickness or absence, the welders" never deserted their colours-all the guests of the one house were married by Mr. Laing; of the other by Mr. Elliot; so that those who were most deeply concerned had very little to say in the business. In this way something like a mo nopoly existed; and what is more strange still, not only the post-boy who drove a couple but the whole of his brethren about the in were permitted to share in the profits of the day. Altogether the marrying business must bring a large sum annually into Springfield; and persons may be met with who confess, without scruple, that it forms "the principa benefit and support of the place." Upon a average, three hundred couples are married in the year, and half-a-guinea is the lowest fe that is ever charged, even in the case of what are called poor and pedestrian couples. h September last one gentleman had given forty pounds; and, independently of the money th is spent in the inns, many hundreds annually must find their way into the pockets of the priests, and their concurrents, the post-boys In its legal effect the ceremony at Gretna green merely amounts to a confession befor witnesses that certain parties are man and wife; and the reader is aware that little mo is required to constitute a marriage in Scot (Concluded from page 134.) land-a marriage which may be censured by Until lately there were two rival practition- church courts, but which is perfectly binding ers at Springfield, one of whom married the in regard to property and the rights of che grand-daughter of Paisley, and fell heir to his dren. Still a formula has a wonderful vale trade, in much the same way that some per- in the eyes of the fair; and the priests, be sons acquire the right of vending quack medi- lieve, read a considerable part of the Engi cines. Still the other gets a good deal of cus- marriage service, offer up a prayer, requ tom; and here, as in every thing else, compe- the parties to join hands, sign a record, & tition has been favourable to the interests of But on this part of their vocation they pr the public. Though a bargain is generally dently observe a strict silence; for, although made before hand, a marriage-monger who the law cannot reach them at present, they had no rival to fear might fix his fee at any could scarcely hope to escape punishme sum he pleased; and instances have occurred were they openly to assume the characte in which the parties complained that they had parsons. They also grant lines, of which been taxed too heavily. Not long before my following is a literal copy :-"These are visit to Springfield, a young English clergy-certify to all whom it may concern, that man, whose father disapproved of the choice and came before me, and & he had made, arrived for the purpose of being clared themselves to be both single pers married. The fee demanded was 30 guineas, and were lawfully married according to tis a demand to which his reverence demurred, way of the Church of England, and agree and at the same time stated that though he ably to the laws of the Kirk of Scotland had married many a couple himself, his fee Given under my hand at Springfield, never exceeded half a guinea. The clergy- Gretna-green, this day, &c., before the man, in fact, had not so much money about witnesses." Tapering shoot thy pencill'd leaves, Nurst by sun and fed by dew, Which the garden joy'd receives. Thus when beauty far is fled, Virtue lifts its verdant head! GRETNA GREEN. At my request Mr. Elliot produced the marriage record, which, as a public document, is regularly kept, and which, to confess the truth, would require to be correct, seeing that it is sometimes tendered as evidence in court. It is true, they cannot subpoena a witness from Scotland, but the priest is of course allowed his expenses, and as he himself remarked, "when a man knows that he goes in a good cause, why should he be either backward or afraid ?" A stranger who had leisure to rusticate about Springfield, tippling with the priests, and pumping the crones and oracles of the village, might pick up many a queer story that would add to his stock of standing jokes, or peradventure eke out the well-thumbed pages of the "Encyclopædia of Wit;" but, as my time did not admit of this, I can only retail one or two. man arrived from the south of England, and hero of which was a spruce young Irishman, was united to a lady considerably his junior who dealt extensively in bacon hams, and who, in years and appearance, and who, very unfor- in the course of his trade, became acquainted tunately, happened to be the sister of his for- with a rich wholesale merchant in Portsmouth, mer wife. The veteran bridegroom was in who, after years of trafficking, conceived so high spirits, scattered his money very freely, good an opinion of Pat, that he invited him to and seemed so well satisfied with the accom- drink tea, and spend the evening. Now, it modations of the place, that he was in no haste so happened that the said merchant had a fair to retire from the scene of his second nup. daughter, who was blessed with a pair of beautials. At length, however, the carriage was tiful sparkling eyes, the radiance of which ordered to the door; and just as the sun was suffered no diminution when they chanced to sinking in the west, the happy pair bade adieu bend on a well-favoured man. One visit led to Springfield, and with a degree of haste, not to another, until the parties from acquaintat all requisite in their situation, made the ances became friends, and father and daughter best of their way to merry England. Nor had agreed so cordially as to the merits of the they left the inn above an hour or so, when a Irishman, that the latter at least saw no obsecond chaise and four drove up, and dis-jection to a closer connexion. Maidenly charged a fresh cargo of lovers, younger, modesty is a jewel in woman, and though she fairer, and better matched, but neither so durst not say so in as many words, her eyeswealthy nor so prodigal as the first. And aye, her charming black eyes-looked and Not long ago, a gentleman who had settled whom, reader, might the second pair be?- laughed unutterable things. And did their somewhere in Cumberland arrived at Spring-whom but a handsome, well-favoured youth, eloquent expression-their soul-melting lanfield, and spent an hour or two in one of the and the only daughter of the former bride- guishment-find no response in the breast of inns, chiefly, I believe, from motives of curi- groom, who, in revenge for her father's frailty the other? Tell it not in Gath. The temosity. He was accompanied by his daughter, and folly, had yielded to the entreaties of an perament of an Irishman is too ardent to a very beautiful and interesting creature, honest yeoman, that had wooed her long and prove a non-conductor to the electricity of though not more than seventeen or eighteen loved her dearly. On fair grounds the young love; want of gratitude, want of devotion, years of age. As the parties had never crossed lady had no objection whatever to a step- are none of the besetting sins of his nation; the Sark before, they were both more than mother, but a step-mother and an aunt in the and show him but a fair one anxious to be ordinarily curious to know every thing about same person formed a species of relationship wooed, willing to be won, or in other words Scotland and Scotch marriages. In particular utterly irreconcileable with her notions of pro- in a positive state, and his heart that instant they expressed a wish to see the "Black-priety; and as she was determined to change loses its former negative character, and be. smith," not doubting that a true son of Vul- her residence at any rate, she thought it just comes filled to overflowing with the subtile can, with a begrimed face and leathern apron, as prudent to change her condition at the fluid. And so it fared in the present instance. would pop in upon them and demand their same time. On arriving at Carlisle, the father In the course of time the lovers had arranged pleasure. But here they were speedily unde- found a letter awaiting him at the inn, marked the whole preliminaries, and as the consent of ceived, and when Mr. Elliot arrived, the gen- "in baste," and revealing to him the secret the father was not to be obtained, the Hibertleman endeavoured to be as witty as possible, of his daughter's elopement; and not doubt- nian resolved to run away with his daughter, stating, among other things, that he wished to ing that the parties had gone on the same even at the risk of losing an excellent cusintroduce to him a youn ladgy, who, at some errand as himself, he immediately ordered tomer for his hams. Once, twice, thrice, he future period, might have occasion for his fresh horses, and hurried back to Gretna- tried to effect his romantic purpose, but every services. To this salutation Mr. Elliot an- green. The carriages, in fact, must have met time he was pursued and overtaken, and on swered drily that he had known as unlikely on the road; but the night being dark, neither the last occasion had nearly fallen by the hand things come to pass; and in less than three or party was aware of the circumstance; and of a gentleman he was anxious to call by the four months the same young lady actually though the Yorkshire proprietor reached name of brother. But Miss had a maid came before him, and was married to one of Springfield before his daughter and her lover-that maid was in the lover's interest, and her father's ploughmen. In point of looks had departed, he was unfortunately a stage too through her agency a fourth elopement was the bridegroom and bride seemed formed for late. Long and loudly he bragged and bul- planned and executed. Pat, in the mean time, one another, and the jocular priest, who from lied, and fain would he have carried his had visited Scotland, had spoken with the the first recognised his old acquaintance, ven- daughter along with him; but to this the "welder" at Gretna-green, had even left a tured to hint after dinner that surely Mr. yeoman objected most stoutly, and when the trunk of clothes at the inn; and returning to would not be angry with his fair daughter for other threatened to disinherit his child, he England at the appointed time, maid, misproving herself so apt a scholar, and profiting coolly replied, "that he knew the value of a tress, and man started a fourth time for the by the lesson he had himself taught. But good wife, though without a guinea or a friend wished-for goal, under new and happier auslas! alas! the blow fell so heavily on the to take her part-that in a moderate way he pices. Aware that they would be rather hotly Door Cumbrian, that it at first threatened to could do his own turn, as well as the purse- pursued, they halted at a stage, where differreak his heart, or unsettle his understanding. proud gentleman he was addressing-and that ent roads met, hired a second chaise, sent the The lovely and light-hearted Beatrice was the as to the rest he would trust to Providence maid off as a decoy duck, bribed the post-boys pple of his eye-the stay and pride of his and his own industry." to tell a cock-and-bull story, and then held aturer years; and so far from wishing to on their way rejoicing. The ruse took; Pat atch her with a common clown, there were gained several stages in advance, yet fearing w even of the better class of yeomen that he might be overtaken, at Carlisle he pree deemed worthy to aspire to such an honour. ferred the shore to the inland road, arrived at the course of time, however, the old man's Sanfield, engaged a boat, and, though the tide rath gradually gave way to better feelings; was ebbing, immediately passed to the oppofarm, taken for the son-in-law, was stocked site side. For a mile or more the lady had to ad plenished, nobody knew how; and if rebe borne through the sand and sludge; and, rt may be credited, the praiseworthy conby the time the boatman had gained the beach, et of the young people led before long to a she was in a pretty plight for a bonny bride. mplete and permanent reconciliation. The night, in fact, was dark, and the hour On another occasion, a middle-aged gentlelate, but the lover's heart was light notwith "Nobly spoken!" roared the exhilarated priest; "and faith, let me tell you, sir, thoug. the lines are now your own property, if you'll restore the bit of paper, I'll hand you over every note, and wash my hands of the whole business." But to this condition the Yorkshireman demurred, and perceiving that matters could not be mended, he left the apartment and the village too,"growling all the while like a Russian bear." I have still another anecdote to relate, the 140 standing, and bounding away to Springfield, he soon ascertained that the coast was clear, hired a chaise, and returning to the shore, introduced the shivering fair one first into the presence of his friend, Mr. Elliot, and afterwards to the comforts of a cheerful fire, a glass of negus, and a bit of supper. The infuriated father, who, thanks to the decoy duck, had been sent a wool-gathering somewhere in Yorkshire, did not arrive till late next day; and on learning how snugly matters had been managed, his passion absolutely knew no bounds. Two of his daughters, he said, had married foreigners-one an Irish, the other a Scotch rogue, but the evil consequences of their disobedience would cleave to them through life, and for his part he would not have cared though they had mated with clerks, so that they had been natives of his own country. Even the priest came in for a share of his ungovernable fury, and in an unguarded moment he actually prayed that his house might ere long tumble about his ears, and bury his wife and family in the ruins. This day is published, price 2d., HE TRIAL of the Rev. Mr. STEPHENS at CHESTER on a charge of Sedition, with his Memorable Defence at full length. Stephens's Farewell Sermon, preached at Ashtonunder-Lyne, in his own Chapel. Price 1d., forming No. 13 of STEPHENS'S SERMONS; the only uniform and complete edition of these celebrated discourses Price 6d., NAPOLEON for the PEOPLE On the Possibility of Limiting Populousness; to NA with 500 Engravings. which is added, the Theory of Painless Extinction Richard Oastler's Letter on the Present State of the Working Classes, price 1d. London: W. Dugdale, 37, Holywell-st., Strand; and may be had of T. P. Carlile, 220, Deansgate, Manchester, and every bookseller throughout the kingdom. Mr. H. Vincent. Mr. Richard Carlile. Each portrait is surrounded by an emblematic design, which gives to the picture a highly interestng and elegant appearance. It is a remarkable fact that the two former ___R occupants of the woolsack were both married at Gretna-green. I allude, of course, to Lords Erskine and Eldon, and could tell a long story of the former, did not delicacy warn me to forbear. A white counterpane is preserved at the inn, as a sort of relic, which was thrown over his lordship, his children, and spouse, while the priest discharged the duties of his assumed office. In place of the usual marriage lines, the ex-Chancellor, who arrived bonneted and dressed like a female, wrote, as I was told, "a long paternoster of his own;" but he afterwards applied for a regular certificate, which was forwarded to him on payment of an additional fee. Mr. Laing, since deceased, engrossed the greatest share of business, and in his register appeared the following names, with many others of nearly equal note:-Earl of Westmoreland; Hon. Charles Law, son of Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough; Sir Thomas Lethbridge, Bart., and his son John Lethbridge, Esq., who, in this instance, was careful to tread in the footsteps of his father. In conclusion, it may be mentioned that the villa at Gretna, so long the residence of Col. Maxwell, has been for some years occupied as an inn, and that this circumstance, coupled with the change that had previously taken place in the road over which the mail travels, have done no good to the village of Springfield. At first, the landlord of the new inn sent to Springfield for the priest when his services were required; but as this was inconvenient, and as the "welder" was not always at his post, a substitute was found in another individual, who, after a very little practice, acquitted himself to the satisfaction of all concerned. JOHN M'DIARMID. THE OLD SERIES OF THE "FLY." The 63 numbers which form the old series may be had of any bookseller, each accompanied by a lithographic print. Price 6d. each, printed on imperial paper for Also, on ONE SHEET, portraits of Feargus *** A very liberal allowance to the Trade. Now publishing, by J. Oldfield, at the late Mr. Price 1s. 6d. handsomely bound in leather. A with a dedication to Bloomfield, Bishop of 2. CONTENTS. 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