Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
History
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
Curiosities and wonders; Encyclopedias and dictionaries; Folklore
The procession was two hours and three-quarters on its way. Lord
Ferrers conversed very freely during the passage. He said, "the
apparatus of death, and the passing through such crowds of people,
are ten times worse than death itself; but I suppose they never saw a
lord hanged, and perhaps they will never see another." He said to the
sheriff. "I have written to the king, begging that I might suffer where
my ancestor, the Earl of Essex, the favourite of Elizabeth, suffered,
and was in great hopes of obtaining that favour, as I have the honour
of being allied to his Majesty, and of quartering part of the royal
arms. I think it hard that I must die at the place appointed for the
execution of common felons."
The scaffold was hung with black by the undertaker, at the expense of
Lord Ferrers' family. His lordship was pinioned with a black sash,
and was unwilling to have his hands tied, or his face covered, but
was persuaded to both. On the silken rope being put round his neck,
he turned pale, but recovered instantly. Within seven minutes after
leaving the landau, the signal was given for striking the stage, and in
four minutes he was quite dead. The corpse was subjected to dissection.
STRANGE FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.
The following, taken from an old magazine, is a singular manifestation
of eccentricity in a person who, from the books he selected to be
buried with him, was evidently a man of an educated and refined mind:--
Died, May 4, 1733, Mr. John Underwood, of Whittlesea, in
Cambridgeshire. At his burial, when the service was over, an arch was
turn'd over the coffin, in which was placed a small piece of white
marble, with this inscription, "_Non omnis moriar_, 1733." Then the six
gentlemen who follow'd him to the grave sung the last stanza of the
20th Ode of the 2d book of Horace. No bell was toll'd, no one invited
but the six gentlemen, and no relation follow'd his corpse; the coffin
was painted green, and he laid in it with all his cloaths on; under his
head was placed Sanadon's "Horace," at his feet Bentley's "Milton;"
in his right hand a small Greek Testament, with this inscription in
gold letters, "eimientobaus [Greek: ei mi en to bausa], J. U," in his
left hand a little edition of "Horace" with this inscription, "_Musis
Amicus_, J. U.;" and Bentley's "Horace" under his back. After the
ceremony was over they went back to his house, where his sister had
provided a cold supper; the cloth being taken away the gentlemen sung
the 31st Ode of the 1st Book of "Horace," drank a chearful glass,
and went home about eight. He left about 6,000_l._ to his sister, on
condition of her observing this his will, order'd her to give each of
the gentlemen ten guineas, and desir'd they would not come in black
cloaths. The will ends thus, "Which done I would have them take a
chearful glass, and think no more of John Underwood."
QUICK TRAVELLING IN OLD TIMES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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