The loss of the French far exceeded that of the English army. The battle of Poictiers was fought in 1356, between the Prince of Wales and the French King John, but with very superior numbers on the part of the French, who were totally defeated, and the king and his favourite son Philip taken prisoners. The modesty and politeness with which the prince treated his royal prisoners, were the brightest gem in his crown of victory.

30.-KING CHARLES I, MARTYR.

King Charles 1 was beheaded on this day. Some interesting particulars of his execution, and of the finding of his body, are detailed in T.T. for 1814, p. 8, and in T. T. for 1815, p. 16. The following curious information is from a report of the trial said to be taken in short-hand at the time. The clerk having read the sentence, the king said,

"Will you hear me a word, Sir?”

Presid. "Sir, you are not to be heard after sen

tence."

"King. "No, Sir?"

Presid. "No, Sir, by your favour, Sir. Guard, withdraw your prisoner."

King." I may speak after sentence, by your favour, Sir----I may speak after sentence ever----By your favour---the sentence, Sir,---I say, Sir, I do----I am not suffered to speak, expect what justice other people will have."

'As the king was led away by the guard, the impudent soldiers, who lined the way as he passed along, reviled him; others threw their broken pipes in his way as he passed down the stairs, to make him stumble : some blowed their tobacco in his face, which was a smell he of all things had an aversion to; one yet more impudent than the rest, spit in his face, which the good king patiently wiped off with his handkerchief, without rebuking the fellow. But all the rabble soldiery, as he passed

The king spake these imperfect sentences as the guards were haling him away.'

along, cried out, "Justice, justice;" which the king observing, he only said, "Poor souls! for a piece of money they would do so for their commanders."

Sunday, Jan. 28. This day was spent by the king altogether in acts of devotion, he refusing all visits from his friends, whom he ordered to be told, that his time was precious, and the best thing they could do for him was to pray for him.

Monday, Jan. 29, his children were brought to take their leave of him, viz. the Lady Elizabeth and the Duke of Gloucester. He first gave his blessing to the Lady Elizabeth, bidding her that when she should see her brother James, she should tell him that it was his father's last desire that he should no more look upon his brother Charles as his eldest brother only, but be obedient to him as his sovereign; and that they should love one another, and forgive their father's enemies. The king added, "Sweetheart, you will forget this." "No," said she, "I shall never forget it as long as I live." He bid her not grieve and torment herself for him; for it would be a glorious death he should die, it being for the laws and liberties of this land, and for maintaining the true Protestant religion. He recommended to her the reading of Bishop Andrew's Sermons, Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, and Archbishop Laud's Book against Fisher. He further told her, that he had forgiven all his enemies, and hoped God would likewise forgive them. He bade her tell her mother, that his thoughts had never strayed from her, and that his love should be the same to the last. After this he took the Duke of Gloucester, being then a child of about seven years of age, upon his knees, saying to him, "Sweetheart, now they will out off thy father's head:" upon which the child looked with great earnestness upon him. The king proceeding, said, "Mark, child, what I say, they will cut off my head, and perhaps make thee a king: but mark what say, you must not be a king so long as your brothers Charles and

James do live; for they will cut off your brothers' heads when they can catch them, and cut off thy head too at last; and therefore I charge you do not be made a king by them." At which the child fetched a deep sigh, and said, "I will be torn in pieces first." Which expression falling from a child so young, occasioned no little joy to the king. This day the warrant for execution was passed, signed by fifty-nine of the judges, for the king to die the next day, between the hours of ten in the morning and five in the afternoon.'

The king having arrived at the place of execution, made a long address to Colonel Tomlinson; and afterwards turning to the officers, he said, "Sirs, excuse me for this same: I have a good cause and a gracious God: I will say no more. ." Then turning to Colonel Hacker, he said, "Take care that you do not put me to pain ;" and said, "This and please you-----” A gentleman coming near the axe, he said, "Take heed of the axe-pray take heed of the axe." Then speaking to the executioner (who was masked) he said, "I shall say but very short prayers, and when I thrust out my hands-----." Then he asked the bishop for his cap, which, when he had put on, he said to the executioner, "Does my hair trouble you?" who desiring it might be all put under his cap, it was put up by the bishop and executioner. Turning to the bishop, he said, "I have a good cause, and a gracious God on my side." To which the bishop answered, "There is but one stage more, which, though turbulent and troublesome, yet it is a very short one; it will 'soon carry you a very great way. It will carry you from earth to heaven; and there you will find, to your great joy, the prize you hasten to,-a crown of glory.' The king added, "I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown, where no disturbance is, no disturbance in the world." The bishop replied, "You are exchanged from a temporal to an eternal crown, a good exchange." Then the king asked the executioner if his hair was well. After which, putting off

his cloak, doublet, and his George, he gave the latter to the bishop, saying, "Remember." After this he put on his cloak again over his waistcoat, inquiring of the executioner if the block was fast, who answered it was. He then said, "I wish it might have been a little higher." But it was answered him, it could not be otherwise now. The king said, "When I put out my hands this way, then-----." He prayed a few words standing, with his hands and eyes lift up towards heaven, and then stooping down, laid his neck on the block. Soon after which the executioner putting some of his hair under his cap, the king thought he had been going to strike, bade him stay for the sign. After a little time the king stretched forth his hand, and the executioner took off his head at one stroke. When his head was held up, and the people at a distance knew the fatal stroke was over, there was nothing to be heard but shrieks, and groans, and sobs, the unmerciful soldiers beating down poor people for this little tender of their affection to their prince. Thus died (to use the Earl of Clarendon's words) "The worthiest gentleman, the best master, the best friend, the best husband, the best father, and the best christian, that the age in which he lived produced."-(See Dr. Nicholls's Comment on the Book of Common Prayer, fol. 1710; Form of Prayer for 30th of January.)

A brutal and unmanly insult to the memory of this martyred sovereign was offered by the adherents of Cromwell in the institution of the CALVES' HEAD CLUB, the orgies of which were celebrated so late as the year 1735. See T. T. for 1814, p. 10.

January the 30th is, by the Jews, called New Year'sday for the trees, because all those trees that were planted upon or after that day were reckoned from the growth of the ensuing year, and their fruit was tithed accordingly; and because tithes of different years were not to be put together, but to be paid every

year separately. On this day, also, the daughters of Shiloh, clothed in white, went into the fields to dance; on which account, and some concomitant circumstances, the antient Jews thought no festival was equal to it. This is the day mentioned in Judges, chap.xxi, 21, and was the means of preserving one of the tribes of Israel.

History of Astronomy.

Of the Astronomy of the Antients.

ALTHOUGH We have, in our last volume, treated of the History of Astronomy, yet we shall, without going over the same ground, give another very brief sketch on the same subject, in order that we may present the reader with a more enlarged view of the discoveries of modern times, particularly those of the illustrious Dr. Herschel, who has so greatly enlarged the boundaries of this interesting science.

The progress of astronomy was, for a long series of ages, embarrassed and uncertain. Frequently the lovers of this science did not arrive at the true cause of the phenomena to which they were the witnesses, till all the hypotheses which imagination could suggest had been exhausted; of course the truths that have been discovered have almost always been combined with errors, which time and accurate observations only have separated from it. We shall see, from the following brief account, for which we shall be much indebted to the System of the World' of the celebrated La Place, that astronomy remained, during a great many ages, in its infancy; that it increased and flourished in the school of Alexandria, and became stationary till the time of the Arabs, who improved it by their observations; and that, within the last three centuries, it has rapidly risen to that state of perfection, in which we behold it at the present day..