to the Queen, and, entertaining her with one in English, their Majesties were most graciously pleased to admit all the company to the kissing of their hands.

"March 17th. Early in the morning his Majesty left this place, and went to Burford, fourteen miles distant, at whose approach there, the Bailiff and other Members of the Borough met him, with their maces before them; and, after their congratulations, presented to him a very rich saddle; afterwards (taking a short repast in Sir John Lenthall's house there) he went to the horse-race on the plain adjoining, where were beheld more nobility and gentry than ever were on Newmarket-heath. At night he went to Cornbury, to the house of the Earl of Clarendon, where he supped and lodged that night. Next day he returned to Oxford about four in the afternoon."

The cause of this Royal visit to Oxford was the sitting of Parliament there *.

PRETENDED GHOSTS.

Of all the attempts at what is termed practical wit, that is most contemptible and injurious which trifles with the fears or superstition of weak persons; indeed, there are moments when people of great strength of mind and undoubted courage

may be taken by surprize, and terrified into illness and perhaps the deprivation of some of their faculties. The assumption of a supernatural character has often proved fatal sport, sometimes to the witling who undertakes it. In a late instance, near Hammersmith, a person yet lives who must ever feel the deepest horror in reflecting that his folly produced the death of an innocent man, and the trial for his life of another. Let that dreadful fact, and, the following, serve as warnings to prevent similar acts of insanity.

"A leather-dresser's wife in Barnaby-street dying lately, an apprentice of the house one evening dressed himself in the usual apparel of his deceased Mistress; and, placing himself in a chair where she was wont to sit, waited the maid's coming, intending only to make sport with her. But no sooner she entered the room, but she was so surprized and affrighted (conceiving it her Mistress's Ghost), that she fell down dead for the present; and though recovered to life, remains as one distracted: but it is hoped, by advice of able Physicians, she may be restored to health.

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However, this ought to be a warning to unadvised youth, not to attempt such dangerous frolics, since they know not but the consequence may be irreparable *

* True Protestant Mercury, 1681.

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THE

THE DISAPPOINTED SUICIDE.

Langley Curtiss, who has furnished the Compiler of these Anecdotes with several materials, risked his credit by printing the paragraph which follows in his publication of March 23d, 1681.

"A remarkable accident happened lately in Salisbury Court in Fleet-street, which, out of respect to art, may not be unfit to be related. A person that formerly lived handsomely, being decayed, and consequently despairing, some time since, in a frosty evening, retiring into Stenconduit fields near Islington, endeavouring to make away with himself, cut his throat, not only the outward part, but his very windpipe, and besides stabbed himself in three places of the belly, and lay wallowing in his blood all night, at least till the sharpness of the air, in some measure, closed the wounds, and then came home in the morning in a condition altogether desperate. But, by the skill of Mr. J. Mollins, a neighbouring surgeon, he is, beyond all expectation, perfectly cured."

THE GRAND SEIGNIOR, HIS VIZIER, AND

WINE LICENCES.

Mahomet forbade all good Mussulmen the use of Wine. His Alcoran is absolute on this point; but every Mahometan, like our English Counsellors, chooses to expound the law in his own

way.

way. Charles Thompson, esq. says, in his Travels through Turkey, "So much has been already said concerning Mahomet's prohibiting the use of wine to his disciples, that little more need be added on that subject. We may observe, indeed, that many of them do not look it as upon absolutely forbidden; and even those who do, cannot help confessing it is an excellent liquor; and that the temptation is so inviting, that the sin of drinking is very excusable. When a Turk has tasted the least drop of wine, he thinks the crime will be no greater if he drink a gallon; and therefore, if they once begin, they swallow it down so plentifully, that they are usually intoxicated before they desist.

"No doubt but many Turks conscientiously abstain from wine all their life-time; but the generality, as far as I can observe or learn, make no great scruple of drinking it in private. It is reckoned a very heinous crime, however, to drink it during their great fast, or Ramezan; at which time, it is said, the person found transgressing used formerly to have melted lead poured down his throat. But I do not understand that this severity is exercised at present, though the offender never escapes punishment if discovered."

The above extract will explain the succeeding article, which appeared in March 1681.

"Advice from Sir John Finch, his Majesty's ambassador at Constantinople, confirms the late

news,

news, that the Vizier's Chiaw, or Substitute, was taken off; the manner thus. Some persons had made a complaint to the Grand Seignior, that, notwithstanding he had strictly forbid the vending of wine, being always forbidden to Turks by the Alcoran (though formerly allowed to be vended to Christians and Jews residing here), yet the Taverners had underhand, for fifty purses of money, procured a licence of the Vizier, or his Chiaw on which the Grand Seignior sent for the Vizier, and taxed him with it; who, being conscious of his guilt, and seeing the Grand Seignior's displeasure, flung the same upon the Chiaw, and immediately dispatched the executioner to strike off his head, giving him money not to suffer him to speak for himself, lest he might declare his Master's guiltiness; and then presented it to the Grand Seignior, together with his estate, being of a mighty value, which he had extorted and amassed together in that station. in the space of three years. And this advice is the more welcome, since the Chiaw was a great oppressor of the English nation, and another put in his place, who is a great favourer of them. Besides, his brother is made one of the five Viziers of the bench; and it is hoped that now the avene of 40,000l. laid against the English may be taken off, and a way opened for their future benefit."

THE