"This gate is free to all men, good and true;
Right welcome thou, if worthy to pass through."
T. Hughes.
Chester.
"Time and I," &c. (Vol. vii., p. 181.).—Who was the author of this adage? Lord Mahon gives it as a favourite saying of Mazarin (History of England, vol. ii. p. 100., small edition). Mr. Stirling (Cloister Life of Charles V., p. 151., 2nd edition) tells us that it was a favourite adage of
that temporising monarch. Perhaps it was a well-known Spanish proverb.
Cheverells.
Lowbell (Vol. vii., p. 181.).—The inclosed was taken from the Northampton Herald of the 16th April, 1853:
"On Monday last this village was thrown into a state of great excitement by the tidings that a married labourer, named Samuel Peckover, had taken poison, with the intent of destroying himself. This was found to be the case. He had swallowed a dose of mercury, such as is commonly used for sheep, and, but for the timely arrival of Mr. Jones, surgeon, from Brackley, who administered him a powerful antidote, he would have expired within a short time. The circumstance which led the misguided man to attempt this rash act was as follows:—Although a married man, and wedded to a very respectable woman, he had seduced a young female of the village, named Adelaide Hirons, who was delivered of a female child on Saturday last. This disgraceful affair, of course, had become known to the neighbours, who expressed great indignation at his most disreputable conduct, and they in consequence determined to put him to open shame by 'lowbelling' him in front of his cottage in the evening, when all the old pots and kettles in the village were put in requisition, and a continual discord was kept up for two or three hours, by way of administering him a wholesome punishment for his breaking the marriage vows. It is supposed that the fear of this impending disgrace, and also remorse for his crime, were the cause of his thus attempting to make away with himself, and to rush unprepared and unpardoned into the presence of his Maker!"
F. James.