Martina, that if she would conform to the edict, he would make her his empress but on her being taken to the temple, "by a sudden earthquake the blockish idol of Apollo was broken in pieces, a fourth part of his temple thrown down, and, with his ruins, were crushed to death; his priests and many others, and the emperor himself, began to fly." Whereupon St. Martina taunted the emperor; and the devil, in the idol, rolling himself in the dust, made a speech to her, and another to the emperor, and "fled through the air in a dark cloud; but the emperor would not understand it." Then the emperor commanded her to be tortured. The jesuit's stories of these operations and her escapes, are wonderfully particular. According to him, hooks and stakes did her no mischief; she had a faculty of shining, which the pouring of hot lard upon her would not quench; when in gaol, men in dazzling white surrounded her; she could not feel a hundred and eighteen wounds; a fierce lion, who had fasted three days, would not eat her, and fire would not burn her; but a sword cut her head off in 228, and at the end of two days two eagles were found watching her body. "That which above all confirmeth the truth of this relation," says Ribadeneira," is, that there is nothing herein related but what is in brief in the lessons of the Roman Breviary, commanded by public authority to be read on her feast by the whole church." CHRONOLOGY. On this day, in the year 1649, king Charles I. was beheaded. In the Common Prayer Book of the Church of England, it is called "The Day of the Martyrdom of the Blessed King Charles I." and there is "A Form of Prayer, with Fasting, to be used yearly" upon its re currence. The sheet, which received the head of Charles I. after its decapitation, is carefully preserved along with the communion plate in the church of Ashburnham, in this county; the blood, with which it has been almost entirely covered, now appears nearly black. The watch of the unfortunate monarch is also deposited with the linen, the movements of which are still perfect. These relies came into the possession of lord Ashburnham immediately after the death of the king.-Brighton Herald. conceive a greater absurdity than retainLord Orford says, "one can scarce ing the three holidays dedicated to the house of Stuart. Was the preservation of James I. a greater blessing to England than the destruction of the Spanish armada, for which no festival is established? Are we more or less free for the execution of king Charles? still guilty of his blood? When is the Are we at this day stain to be washed out? What sense is there in thanking heaven for the restoration of a family, which it so soon became necessary to expel again?" Lilly, written by himself," Charles I. According to the "Life of William caused the old astrologer to be consulted for his judgment. This is Lilly's account: trusted the Scots with his person, was, "His majesty, Charles I., having infor money, delivered into the hands of the English parliament, and, by several removals, was had to Hampton-court, about July or August, 1647; for he was there, and at that time when my house desirous to escape from the soldiery, and was visited with the plague. He was to obscure himself for some time near London, the citizens whereof began now from the parliament, inclining wholly to be unruly, and alienated in affection to his majesty, and very averse to the army. of all this, and thought to make good His majesty was well informed use hereof: besides, the army and parliament were at some odds, who should be masters. Upon the king's intention to escape, and with his consent, madam worthy esquire) came to receive my Whorewood (whom you knew very well, judgment, viz. In what quarter of this nation he might be most safe, and not to be discovered until himself pleased. When she came to my door, I told her I would not let her come into my house, for I buried a maid-servant of the went. After erection of my figure, I plague very lately: however, up we told her about twenty miles (or thereabouts) from London, and in Essex, I was certain he might continue undiscovered. She liked my judgment very well; and, being herself of a sharp judg ment, remembered a place in Essex about that distance, where was an excellent house, and all conveniences for his reception. morning, unto Hampton-court, to ac- approaching hard fate, or misguided by Ashburnham, went away in the nighttime westward, and surrendered himself to Hammond, in the Isle of Wight. Whilst his majesty was at Hamptoncourt, alderman Adams sent his majesty one thousand pounds in gold, five hundred whereof he gave to madam Whorewood. I believe I had twenty pieces of that very gold for my share." Lilly proceeds thus: "His majesty being in Carisbrook-castle, in the Isle of Wight, the Kentish men, in great numbers, rose in arms, and joined with the lord Goring; a considerable number of the best ships revolted from the parliament; the citizens of London were forward to rise against the parliament; his majesty laid his design to escape out of prison, by sawing the iron bars of his chamber window; a small ship was provided, and anchored not far from the castle to bring him into Sussex; horses were provided ready to carry him through Sussex into Kent, that so he might be at the head of the army in Kent, and from thence to march immediately to London, where thousands then would have armed for him. The lady Whorewood came to me, acquaints me herewith. I got G. Farmer (who was a most ingenious locksmith, and dwelt in Bow-lane) to make a saw to cut the iron bars in sunder, I mean to saw them, and aqua fortis besides. His majesty in a small time did his work; the bars gave liberty for him to go out; he was out with his body till he came to his breast; but then his heart failing, he proceeded no farther: when this was discovered, as soon after it was, he was narrowly looked after, and no opportunity after that could be devised to enlarge him." Lilly goes on to say, "He was be headed January 30, 1649. After the éxecution, his body was carried to Windsor, and buried with Henry VIIIth, in the same vault where his body was lodged. Some, who saw him embowelled, affirm, had he not come unto this untimely end, he might have lived, according unto nature, even unto the height of old age. Many have curiously inquired who it was that cut off his head: I have no permission to speak of such things; only thus much I say, he that did it is as valiant and resolute a man as lives, and one of a competent fortune. For my part, I do believe he was not the worst, but the most unfortunate of kings." Lilly elsewhere relates, "that the next Sunday but one after Charles I. was beheaded, Robert Spavin, secretary unto lieutenant-general Cromwell at that time, invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Pierson, and several others, along with him to dinner. Their principal discourse all dinner-time was, who it was beheaded the king: one said it was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were nominated, but none concluded. Robert Spavin, so soon as dinner was done, took me by the hand, and carried me to the south window; saith he, "These are all mistaken, they have not named the man that did the fact; it was lieutenant-colonel Joice: I was in the room when he fitted himself for the work, stood behind him when he did it; when done, went in again with him. There is no man knows this but my master, viz. Cromwell, commissary Ireton, and myself.'-' Doth not Mr. Rushworth know it? said I. 'No, he doth not know it,' saith Spavin. The same thing Spavin since hath often related unto me when we were alone." MOVEABLE FEASTS. SHROVE TUESDAY regulates most of the moveable feasts. Shrove Tuesday itself is the next after the first new moon in the month of February. If such new moon should happen on a Tuesday, the next Tuesday following is Shrove Tuesday. A recently published volume furnishes a list, the introduction of which on the next page puts the reader in possession of serviceable knowledge on this point, and affords an opportunity for affirming, that Mr. Nicolas's book contains a variety of correct and valuable information not elsewhere in a collected form: : MOVEABLE FEASTS FROM “Tables, Calendars, &c. for the use of His Corpus Christi, or Body of Christ, is a Easter Day. The Paschal Sabbath. The Eucharist, or Lord's Supper, is the seventh Sunday after Shrove Tuesday, and is always the first Sunday after the first full moon, which happens on or next after the 21st of March. following Easter Monday The Eucharist. See Easter day. Holy Thursday. See Ascension day. the Feast of Easter, viz. forty days. Lord's Supper. See Easter day. Low Sunday, is the Sunday next after Easter day. Maunday Thursday, is the day before. Good Friday. Midlent, or the fourth Sunday in Lent, is the fourth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday. Palm Sunday, or the sixth Sunday in Lent, is the sixth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday. Paschal Sabbath. See Easter day. Passion Week, is the week next ensuing After Palm Sunday. Pentecost or Whit Sunday, is the fif- Relick Sunday, is the third Sunday after Rogation Sunday, is the fifth Sunday after Easter day. Rogation Days are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday following Rogation Sunday. Shrove Sunday, is the Sunday next before Shrove Tuesday. It is also called Septuagesima Sunday, so called from Quinquagesima Sunday. its being about the seventieth day before Easter, is the third Sunday before Lent. Sexagesima Sunday, is the second Sunday before Lent, or the next to Shrove Sunday, so called as being about the sixtieth day before Easter. Trinity Sunday, or the Feast of the Holy Whit Monday The Vigil or Eve of a feast, is the day before it occurs. Thus the Vigil of the feast of St. John the Baptist is the 23d of June. If the feast-day falls upon a Monday, then the Vigil or the Eve is kept upon the Saturday preceding. The Morrow of a feast, is the day following: thus the feast of All Souls, is November 2d, and the Morrow of All Souls is consequently the 3d of November. The Octave or Utas of each feast, is always the eighth day after it occurs; for example, the feast of St. Hillary, is the 13th of February, hence the Octave of St. Hillary, is the 20th of that month. In the Octaves, means within the eight days following any particular feast. SEPTUAGESIMA Is the ninth Sunday before Easter Sunday. Shepherd in his "Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer" satisfactorily explains the origin of these days: "When the words Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima were first applied to denote these three Sundays, the season of Lent had generally been extended to a fast of six weeks; that is, thirty-six days, not reckoning the Sundays, which were always celebrated as festivals. At this time, likewise, the Sunday which we call the first Sunday in Lent, was styled simply Quadragesima, or the fortieth, meaning the fortieth day before Easter. Quadragesima was also the name given to Lent, and denoted the Quadragesimal, or forty days' fast. When the three weeks before Quadragesima ceased to be considered as weeks after the Epiphany, and were appointed to be observed as a time of preparation for Lent, it was perfectly conformable to the ordinary mode of computation to reckon backwards, and for the sake of even and round numbers to count by decades. The authors of this novel institution, and the compilers of the new proper offices, would naturally call the first Sunday before Quadragesima, Quinquagesima; the second, Sexagesima; and the third, Septuagesima. This reason corresponds with the account that seems to be at present most generally adopted." There is much difference of opinion as to whether the fast of Lent lasted anciently during forty days or forty hours. FLORAL DIRECTORY. Common Maidenhair. Asplenium tri chomanes. Dedicated to St. Martina. was Ribadeneira relates, that on the 1st of August 1216, the virgin Mary with a beautiful train of holy virgins appeared to this saint at midnight, and signified it was the divine pleasure that a new order should be instituted under the title of Our Blessed Lady of Mercy, for the redemption of captives, and that king James of Aragon had the same vision at the same time, and "this order, therefore, by divine revelation, founded upon the 10th, or as others say, upon the 23d of August." Then St. Peter Nolasco begged for its support, and thereby rendered himself offensive to the devil. For once taking up his lodging in private, some of the neighbours told him, that the master of the house, a man of evil report, had lately died, and the place had ever since been inhabited by " 'night spirits," wherein he commended himself to the virgin and other saints, and "instantly his admonitors vanished away like smoke, leaving an intolerable scent behind them." These of course were devils in disguise. Then he passed the sea in his cloak, angels sung before him in the habit of his order, and the virgin visited his monastery. One night he went into the church and found the angels singing the service instead of the monks; and at another time seven stars fell from heaven, and on digging the ground "there, they found a most devout image of our lady under a great bell,”—and so forth. FLORAL DIRECTORY. Hartstongue. Asplenium Scolopendium. Dedicated to St. Marcella. FEBRUARY. Then came cold February, sitting His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground, Of hasting prime did make them burgeon round. Spenser. This month has Pisces or the fishes for its zodiacal sign. Numa, who was chosen by the Roman people to succeed Romulus as their king, and became their legislator, placed it the second in the year, as it remains with us, and dedicated it to Neptune, the lord of waters. Its name is from the Februa, or Feralia, sacrifices offered to the manes of the gods at this season. Ovid in his Fasti attests the derivation : In ancient times, purgations had the name A pliant branch cut from a lofty pine, Is Februa called; which if the priest demand, name In short, with whatsoe'er our hearts we hold came, But here adopted by another name; A bloody crime, or any sinful stain. Massey's Ovid. Our Saxon ancestors, according to Verstegan, "called February Sprout-hele, by kele meaning the kele-wurt, which we |