1.-SAINT PHILIP AND SAINT JAMES THE LESS. Philip was born at Bethsaida, near the sea of Tiberias, the city of Andrew and Peter. He was one of the first disciples, and an apostle. James the Less, called also James the Just, and, by the apostle Paul, James, the Lord's brother, was the son of Joseph, afterwards husband to the Virgin Mary, as is probable by his first wife. The first of these martyrs was stoned to death, and the second, having been thrown from a high place, was killed by a fuller's staff. *2. 1808. JOHN COLLIns died. He was the author and performer of an Entertainment, consisting of recitation and singing, called THE EVENING BRUSH for rubbing off the Rust of Care, which was very popular about the year 1788. Many of his songs had great humour and merit; but his Date Obolum Belisario, for simplicity and pathos, was a treat of a very high nature indeed. *2. 1738. FIRST METHODIST SOCIETY. 3.-INVENTION OF THE CROSS. The Romish church celebrates this day as a festival, to commemorate the invention or finding of a wooden cross, supposed to be the true one, by Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. *3. 1495.-JAMAICA DISCOVERED. *4. 1618.-BOOK OF SPORTS, Or lawful Recreations upon Sunday after Evening Prayers and upon Holidays, was issued by King James I. This curious volume permitted Maygames, Morris-dances, Whitsun-ales, the setting up of May-poles, &c.; and had it not allowed churchales' and dancing on the Sabbath, would have been The church-ale was a festival instituted sometimes in honour of the church-saint, but more frequently for the purpose of contributing towards the repair or decoration of the church. On this occasion it was the business of the churchwardens to brew a considerable quantity of strong ale, which was sold to the populace in the churchyard, and to unexceptionable in its tendency. The Book of Sports was directed to be read by every minister to his parishioners, under a penalty. *4. 1677.-DR. ISAAC BARROW DIED, A celebrated mathematician and divine-but a very lengthy preacher. King Charles II. used to call him the most unfair preacher in the world, for he exhausted every subject he undertook. 6. JOHN EVANGELIST, A. P. L. John the Evangelist, so called from the Greek term Evάyyɛλos, the messenger of glad tidings, was a Galilean by birth, the son of Zebedee and Salome, the younger brother of James, but not of him that was surnamed the Just, and who was the brother of our Lord. His brother James and he were surnamed by Jesus, the Sons of Thunder, meaning the principal ministers of the gospel, and John was more endeared to him than any of his disciples. He was condemned to be thrown into a cask of burning oil, Ante Port. Lat., before the gate of Latina; hence the letters added to his name. lived to the reign of Trajan, and died about ninety years of age. 7.-ROGATION SUNDAY. He This day takes its name from the Latin term rogare, to ask; because, on the three subsequent days, sup plications were appointed by Mamertus, Bishop of Vienna, in the year 469, to be offered up with fasting to God, to avert some particular calamities that threatened his diocese. the better sort in the church itself, a practice which, independent of the profit arising from the sale of the liquor, led to great pecuniary advantages; for the rich thought it a meritorious duty, beside paying for their ale, to offer largely to the holy fund. It was no uncommon thing indeed to have four, six, or eight of these ales yearly, and some times one or more parishes agreed to hold annually a certain number of these meetings, and to contribute individually a certain sum.-Drake's Shakspeare, vol. i, p. 177. 11.-ASCENSION DAY. From the earliest times, this day was set apart to commemorate our Saviour's ascension into heaven: all processions on this, and the preceding rogation days, were abolished at the reformation. In London, on this day, the minister, accompanied by the churchwardens, and a number of boys, with wands, walk in procession, and beat the bounds of the parish. But this is not always practised, nor in every year. For an account of some curious ceremonies on this day in the south of France, see T. T. for 1818, p. 87, *12. 1640. EARL OF STRAFFORD EXECUTED. On this day he was brought from the Tower to the scaffold upon Tower Hill, where the Bishop of Armagh, the Earl of Cleveland, Sir George Wentworth, brother to the Earl of Strafford, and others of his friends, were present, to take their leave of him. He told the people, when on the scaffold, with a composed undaunted courage, he was come to satisfy them with his head; but that he much feared, that the reformation that was begun in blood would not prove so fortunate to the kingdom as they expected, and he wished; and after great expressions of devotion to the church of England, and the protestant religion established by law, and professed in that church, of his loyalty to the king, and affection to the peace and welfare of the kingdom, with marvellous tranquillity of mind delivered his head to the block, where it was severed from his body at one blow; many of the standers by, who had not been over charitable to him in his life, being much affected with the courage and christianity of his death. Thus fell the greatest subject in power, and little inferior to any in fortune, at that time in the three kingdoms; a man of great parts, and extraordinary endowments of nature, adorned with the addition of art and learning; had a readiness of conception, was of great observation, and a piercing judgment, both in things and persons.-Clarendon and Rushworth. How uncertain is the state Of that greatness we adore! 'Tis but ruin gilded o'er, To enslave us to our fate; Whose false delight is easier got than kept, Then how fondly do we try, With such superstitious care, To build fabrics in the air; Or seek safety in the sky, Where no stars but meteors are To portend a ruin nigh: And, having reached the object of our aim, 15. 1791.-WILLIAM BAKER DIED. If to have had his funeral sermon preached, and his life written, by an eminent divine of the church of England, can give a person a claim to a place in our brief chronological biography, then may William Baker justly claim a place; for this was done for him, though a poor peasant, by WILLIAM GILPIN. *17. 1653.-OLIVER CROMWELL. His picture was affixed to a pillar in the Royal Exchange on this day. This singular incident, though it occurred nearly four years previous to the actual offer of the crown to Cromwell by the Parliament, yet may be thought to evince his desire, even at that early period, to assume the kingly dignity, as his connivance at it is not improbable. It is thus quoted in Peck's Collection of Curi 'These lines were occasioned by the impeachment of the Earl of Strafford, and are from the Rump, a collection of Songs and Poems on the times, from 1689 to 1661. See also Campbell's Poets, vol. iii, p. 407. 2 From Dr. Nalson's MS. Collections, ous Historical Pieces,' printed in 1740. On Tuesday last (the 17th May, 1653), about the Exchange time, a gentleman well accoutred.comes thither in a coach, and brings with him the LORD GENERAL'S PICTURE, which he fixed upon one of the pillars thereof. Which done, he walks two or three turns there, takes his coach, and returns. After the Exchange time was over, it was pulled down and brought to the Lord Mayor of this citie, who, that afternoon, carried it to Whitehall to the LORD GENERAL himself,' Over the picture was written, 'TIS I, and under it these verses:— Ascend three thrones, GREAT CAPTAIN and divine, Come, priest of God, bring oyl; bring robes; bring gold; Pay you in's wrath, with interest.-Kneel and pray Cromwell became Protector in the month of December in the same year. 19.-SAINT DUNSTAN. Dunstan was a native of Glastonbury, and nobly descended; Elphegus, Bishop of Winchester, and Athelm, Archbishop of Canterbury, being his uncles; he was also related to King Athelstan. He was a skilful painter, musician, and an excellent forger and refiner of metals: he manufactured crosses, vials, and sacred vestments; he also painted and copied good books. Dunstan was promoted to the see of Worcester by King Edgar; he was afterwards Bishop of London, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He died in 988, in the 64th year of his age, and in the 27th of his archie * His coat of arms (a lion rampant) is here alluded to. M |