FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  
30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   >>  
outhern storm, that o'er the ocean raves, And swells in mountain heights its restless waves, Can aught avail, with all their force combined, To shake the man with firm, though tranquil, mind! Guided by Justice and by Wisdom's laws, Secure he stands to guard his righteous cause. What--tho' in awful haste the tott'ring world, By Heaven's command, be into ruin hurl'd: As on a rock unshaken he remains, Upborne by Him who all the just sustains! Destruction's thunders rage from pole to pole-- Yet he undaunted smiles, and bids them calmly roll! TOSCAR. * * * * * ST. SEPULCHRE'S BELL. (_For the Mirror_.) Among the list of benefactions in the parish church of St. Sepulchre is the following, relative to the tolling of the church-bell on the eve of the execution of unhappy criminals: "Robert Doue, Citizen and Merchant Tailor of London, gave to the parish church of St. Sepulchre's the somme of L50. That after the several Sessions of London, when the prisoners remain in the gaole as condemned men to death, expecting execution on the morrow following, the clarke (that is, the parson) of the church shoold come in the night time, and likewise in the morning, to the window of the prison where they lye, and there ringing certain tolls with a hand-bell appointed for the purpose, he doth afterwards (in most Christian manner) put them in mind of their present condition and ensuing execution, desiring them to be prepared therefore as they ought to be. When they are in the cart, and brought before the wall of the church, there he standeth ready with the same bell, and after certain toles rehearseth an appointed praier, desiring all the people there present to pray for them. The Beadle, also, of Merchant Taylors' Hall hath an honest stipend allowed to See that this is duly done." It has been a very ancient custom, on the night previous to the execution of condemned criminals, for the bellman of the above parish to go under Newgate, and, ringing his bell, repeat the verses beneath (which, by the above extract, it would appear, should be the duty of the clergyman), as a friendly admonition to the wretched prisoners: "All you that in the condemned hold do lie, Prepare you, for to-morrow you shall die! Watch all and pray, the hour is drawing near That you before the Almighty must appear: Examine well yourselves, in time repent, That you may not t' eternal f
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  
30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   >>  



Top keywords:

church

 

execution

 

condemned

 

parish

 

Sepulchre

 

desiring

 

criminals

 

Merchant

 

present

 
prisoners

morrow
 
ringing
 

appointed

 
London
 

brought

 
standeth
 
people
 

praier

 

rehearseth

 

manner


prepared

 

Christian

 
purpose
 
ensuing
 

condition

 

Prepare

 

wretched

 

clergyman

 

friendly

 

admonition


repent

 

eternal

 

drawing

 

Almighty

 

Examine

 

prison

 

allowed

 
stipend
 

honest

 

Beadle


Taylors

 

repeat

 
Newgate
 

verses

 

beneath

 

extract

 
ancient
 
custom
 

previous

 
bellman