The horses were ready, the party mounted, and Davy was carried back to the Maudlin bridge, bearing in his hand the silver goblet, as witness of his exploit. Half dead he made his way home to Winny, who anxiously awaited him; got to bed about four in the morning, to which he was confined by illness for months afterwards. And as Davy "lived from hand to mouth," his means were soon exhausted. Winny took the goblet and pledged it with Mr. Alexander Whitney, the watchmaker, for five shillings. In a few days after a gentleman who lived not twenty miles from Creywell Cremony came in to Mr. Whitney's, saw the goblet, and recognised it as being once in his possession, and marked with the initials "M. R.," and on examining it found it to be the identical one which he had bestowed, some years before, on a Spanish merchant. Davy, when able to get out, deposed on oath before the Mayor of Ross (who is still living) to the facts narrated above. The Spanish gentleman was written to, and in reply corroborated Davy's statement, saying that on a certain night his wine-store was broken open, vessels much injured, and his wine spilled and drunk, and the silver goblet stolen. Davy was exonerated from any imputation of guilt in the affair, and was careful, during his life, never again to rest at night on the Maudlin bridge.
Patrick Cody.
Mullinavat, county of Kilkenny.
Footnote 1:[(return)]
Every good housewife is supposed to sweep the kitchen floor previously to her going to bed; and the old women who are best skilled in "fairy lore" affirm, that if, through any inadvertence, she should leave the dust thus collected behind the door at night, this dust or sweepings will have the power of opening the door to the fairies, should they come the way. It is also believed that, if the broom should be left behind the door, without being placed standing on its handle, it will possess the power of admitting the fairies. Should the water in which the family had washed their feet, before going to bed, be left in the vessel, on the kitchen floor, without having a coal of fire put into it, if not thrown out in the yard, it will act as porter to the fairies or good people.
Minor Notes.
The Duke of Wellington and Marshal Ney. Parallel Passage in the Life of Washington and Major André.—J. R. of Cork (Vol. vi., p. 480.) tells how Wellington was in his youth smitten with the charms of a lady, who, in after-life having appealed to him to save the life of Ney, was not simply unsuccessful in her object but was ordered to quit Paris forthwith. J. B. Burke, in the Patrician, vol. vi. p. 372., tells how Washington endeavoured to win the love of Mary Phillipse, and how he failed: how years rolled on, and the rejected lover as Commander-in-Chief of the American forces was supplicated by the same Mary, then the wife of Roger Morris, to spare the life of Andre. The appeal failed, and one of the General's aides was ordered to conduct the lady beyond the lines.
St. Johns.
St. Bernard versus Fulke Greville.—On lately reading over the fine philosophical poem Of Humane Learning, by Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke, I was struck at finding that the 144th stanza was a literal transcript from St. Bernard. Some of your readers may possibly be amused or interested by the discovery: