Volume 3

The Percy anecdotes / collected and edited by Reuben and Sholto Percy [pseud.].

Date:
pref. 1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Percy anecdotes / collected and edited by Reuben and Sholto Percy [pseud.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    94/658 (page 84)
    tower, and presented himself with the words, ‘ Eccomi, Don Ciro!’ ‘ Here I am, Don Giro !’ He begged them to give him some water to quench his thirst, and desired them to liberate the farmer and his family, who had been shut up all this time in the straw magazine. He declared that they were innocent, and distri- buted money amongst them. He suffered himself to be searched and bound patiently ; some poison was found on him, which he said his companions had prevented him from taking. In prison, he appeared to be interested for the fate of some of his partisans, begging that they might not be persecuted, and declared that they had been forced to do what they had done. He had entertained some hope till the moment when he was placed before the Council of War, and refused per- mission to speak to General Church. He was condemned to death. On his arrival at the place of execution, Ciro wished to remain standing, but was told to kneel; he did so, presenting his breast. He was then in- formed that malefactors like himself were shot with their backs towards the soldiers; he submitted, at the same time advising a priest, who persisted in remaining near him, to with- draw, so as not to expose himself. Twenty-one balls took effect, four in the head, yet he still breathed and muttered in his throat; the twenty-second put an end to him. This fact is confirmed by all the officers and soldiers present at his death. ‘As soon as we perceived,’ said a soldier, very gravely, ‘that he was enchanted, we loaded his own musket with a silver ball, and this destroyed the spell.’ It will easily he supposed that the people, who always attributed to him super- natural powers, were confirmed in their belief by this tenacity of ife, which they considered miraculous. Tiberius. Theodorus Gaddaraeus, who was tutor to Tiberius the Roman Emperor, observing in him, while a boy, a very sanguinary nature and disposition, which lay lurking under a show of lenity, was wont to call him, ‘a lump of clay steeped and soaked in blood.’ His predictions of him did not fail in the event. Tiberius thought death was too light a punish- ment for any one that displeased him. Hearing that one Carnulius, who had displeased, him, had cut his own throat, ‘ Carnulius,’ said he, ‘has escaped me.’ To another, who begged of him that he might die quickly, ‘ No,’ said he, ‘you are not so much in favour as that yet.’ Death of Julius Caesar. If the conspirators had restored liberty to their country, their act had been completely glorious, and would have shown that Caesar, and not Rome, was degenerated. But if we may judge from the consenuences, heaven disapproved of the deed. A particular fate attended the conspirators; not even one of them died a natural death ; and even Brutm. recollecting in his last moments the benefit he had received from Caesar, was staggered in his thoughts of virtue, and broke out into a pathetic expression, signifying, ‘ that he Iiad worshipped virtue as a substance, and had found it only as a shadow so that he seems to have wanted that fortitude of mind, which constantly attends true virtue to the grave. This defect in the character of Brutus, is not improperly expressed in the famous gallery of the great Duke of Tuscany, where there is a very fine head of Brutus, begun by Michael Angelo, but left unfinished ; under it is en- graven, upon a copper-plate, this distich : jj ‘ Dum Bruti effigiem sculptor de niarmore, * ducit, In mentem sceleris venit, et abstinuit.’ Ancient Duelling. A chapter of the Upland law, has been quoted by Dr. Robertson from Stiemook, en- titled, ‘ On Battle and Single Combat; from the old laws which were used in the heathen- time.' ‘If (it says) a man speak to another the words which ought not to be spoken: Thou art not a man’s equal, thou art not a man in thy heart, I am as much a man as thou art; then shall they meet at the meeting of Jj three ways.’ The usage of the heathen daya allowed of duel or single combat, in answer to the inexpiable accusation of cowardice, an ac- cusation which could only be effaced by blood; the recreant who refused to give the satisfac- tion of a gentleman, ‘ where three ways meet.’ lost his law, and never could afterwards defend himself by oath, or be received os a witness. That which was the direful cause of war befoie the rape of Helen, could not fail to inflame anger of the Scandinavians; and their c bats very frequently originated in ‘ ladies’ and druery.’ The last and most memoral duel in Iceland, was fought between the tw\ poets, Gunnlang with the serpent tongue, an Kafn. They contended for the hand of tf fair-haired Pelga, and both died in the confli< The fate of these youthful lovers excited uni-jo versal commiseration ; and it was enacted, one of the greatest folkmates ever known Iceland, and by the advice of one of the wises( men in Iceland, that henceforth the duel shouu be taken away for ever. Scottish Covenanters. The following passage from Bishop Burnet ‘ History of his own Time,’ wall give sonv notion of the kind, though not of the ex- of that hideous persecution, from which thi people of Scotland were delivered by therey lution. ‘When any are to be struck in t] boots, it is done in the presence of the counc: and upon that occasion almost all offer to ri away. The sight is so dreadful, that witho' an order restraining such a number to sta]