Days. 7 THOMAS A BECKET-Son of Gilbert à Becket, a British merchant, and Sheriff of London, was born at that place, A. D. 1119; and prosecuted his studies at Oxford, in France, and in Italy. He was a clerk in the Sheriff's office, when he attracted the notice of Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury. Through him he obtained two livings in Kent, and a Prebend in London, and Lincoln; and, on the accession of Henry II. to the throne, the Chancellorship of England, which first introduced him to the knowledge and favour of the king, who on the death of his patron, A. D. 1162, placed Becket in his situation. No sooner did the politic prelate find himself seated in the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury, than he suddenly changed the mode of his life, from extravagance, and luxurious gaiety, which he had affected while mounting in the favour of the monarch, into an extreme austerity; and such a conduct followed as soon lost him the king's affections, and forced him to quit the kingdom.-Becket, on this, resigned his Archbishopric into the hands of the Pope, and received it again, to hold as of him; and afterwards ventured to excommunicate several officers of the crown; and even threatened the king himself. Henry, alarmed, came to a reconciliation; and when the Archbishop, who maintained his loftiness of manner till the king yielded to all his demands, prepared to throw himself at his feet, he not only prevented him, but held his stirrup while he remounted. Becket's return was like a triumphal entry; and his conduct was still so overbearing that the king at length exclaimed, "Shall this fellow, who came to court on a "lame horse, with all his estate in a wallet behind him, trample upon "his king, the royal family, and the whole kingdom!--Will none of "the lazy cowardly knights whom I maintain, deliver me from this "turbulent priest." This was not uttered in vain;-four of his barons determined to reduce the Archbishop to submission, or make him pay the forfeit of his life.-Accordingly, repairing to Canterbury, and getting admission into his apartment, they demanded that he should absolve the Bishops whom he had excommunicated, and make satisfaction to the king; intimating, that his life was in danger if he refused. This being ineffectual, they desired his servants to take care that he did not flee.-" Flee," said the prelate, " I will never flee "from any man living!" and on his friends hurrying him into the church, and being about to close the doors, he exclaimed, "Begone, ye cowards! I charge you on your obedience not to shut the door! "What! make a castle of a church!"-On the barons approaching him, after having armed themselves, and exclaiming, "Where is "the traitor! where is the Archbishop!"-Becket boldly called out, 66 T Days. AUGUST, XXXI. Days. THE name of this month, like that of July, (which see ante,) was changed in the time of the Romans, from the word "Sextilis," indicating its order in the year, to the name of the Emperor. Cæsar Augustus made this change, because in this one month, he became consul, celebrated three triumphs, reduced Egypt under his power, and put an end to the civil wars. The Saxons called it "Arn"monat," harvest month, (" Arn," harvest.) According to some it should be "barn monat," because the barns were then filled with corn. In the ancient Belgic, it retains a sound, nearer the original; "Oogst maend;" the word Oogst also signifying harvest. LAMMAS DAY, one of the four old quarter days of the year,-Whitsuntide, Lammas, Martinmas, and Candlemas. Various reasons are assigned for the origin of this title. Some suppose it to have been from the custom of presenting a live lamb in the Church, on that day. Others derive it from "Loaf mass;" the Saxons offering loaves, made of new wheat, the first fruits of their corn. Skinner says it is "Lamb-mass," because lambs then cease to be in season. Dr. Barnard makes it “Lat-mas,” a summer season; and Johnson a corruption of Lattermath." This term is however perhaps itself a corruption of latter lammas-the extended period allowed to tenants in which to pay their rent ;-whence the saying, " he will pay at "latter lammas:"-an inelegant way of expressing the same thing as, "at the Greek calends," (see ante, p. 108.) In the Roman calendar the day is called the feast of "St. Peter ad vincula," or in bonds, commemorating the imprisonment of the Apostle; a name given it by the Empress Eudoxia, who, having been presented by the Pope, with the fetters of St. Peter, determined that the 1st of August, hitherto observed in memory of Augustus Cæsar, a Heathen Prince, should thenceforward rather commemorate the fame of a Christian Apostle. It has also been denominated THE GULE OF AUGUST; from the circumstance of a Roman Virgin having been cured of a disease in her throat, (gula), by kissing the chains of St. Peter. The word Lammas being thus connected with St. Peter, some antiquaries account for the term, by supposing the Apostle to have been the Patron of Lambs, from the charge given to him by our Lord,-Jo. xxi. 15—“ Feed 'my "lambs." Days. 6 TRANSFIGURATION.-This festival, designed to commemorate our Saviour's appearance on Mount Tabor, with Moses and Elias,-Mat. xvii.-is very ancient in the Greek Church; though it was not universally regarded as a holiday by the Latin Church, till the year 1456; at which time Pope Calixtus decreed its observance. Our Reformers laid it aside; considering it a relict of Roman Catholic superstition. 7 10 NAME OF JESUS.-This day was formerly considered as the anniversary of the birth of our blessed Lord; but is now celebrated in honour of the Name of Jesus. The 7th of August was dedicated, before the alteration by our Reformers, to the memory of Afra, a Cretan courtezan, who suffered martyrdom after she had been converted to Christianity. The letters I. N. R. I., seen on crucifixes, compose the title affixed by Pilate on the cross,-John, xix. 19-22-and mean "Jesus "Nazarenus Rex Judæorum;"-Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Other crosses have I. H. C.-" Jesus Humanitatis "Consolator,"—the consoler of mankind; and I. H. S. "Jesus "hominum Salvator,"-the Saviour of men. ST. LAWRENCE, a Spaniard, was one of the seven deacons under Sixtus, Bishop of Rome, and treasurer of that Church. On refusing to deliver up that which was committed to him, though both tempted by the most seducing promises, and threatened by the most cruel torments, he was put to death by torture on a grate of iron, made red hot, A. D. 258. This he bore with such extraordinary fortitude that he is said to have exclaimed to the tyrant Valerian, on his savagely commanding his men to "roast him, boil him, burn him!"-" Tyrant! "this side is done enough; now turn the other!"-Philip the Second of Spain, having gained the battle of St. Quintin on the anniversary of St. Lawrence, in which it had been necessary to batter down a monastery, erected in honour of the Saint, made a vow, to expiate this sacrilege; which he did, by the erection of the Escurial, the largest palace in Europe, and termed by the Spaniards, the eighth wonder of the world. This building is in form of a gridiron reversed; with four towers at the angles, representing legs, and a row of out buildings forming the handle. The instrument of martyrdom is also introduced on the doors, windows, altars, and other parts: and in the principal front is a statue of the Saint, with a gilt gridiron in his right hand. The whole edifice cost eight millions sterling, and is furnished with silver lamps, and candlesticks, of immense value. In the vene. ration for St. Lawrence even Spanish superstition has yielded to Days. 12 Spanish pride. "St. Lawrence," says a courtier to the monarch, "did not thus nobly bear his sufferings by the aid of God's grace, but "by the natural valour of a Spaniard !”-- PRINCE OF WALES born. The title of "Prince of Wales" has been given to the eldest son of the monarch of England, from the days of Llewellyn, the last Welsh, or British prince; who refusing to attend the coronation of Edward I., A. D. 1272, was subdued by him, and killed in battle, and his head, crowned with ivy, was placed on the Tower of London. In order to reconcile the Welsh to a new sovereign, Edward sent his queen, Eleanor, to Caernarvon Castle, where she brought forth a son, A. D. 1284: and upon this event, the king assembled the Welsh barons, and proposed to give them, as their prince, one "born amongst themselves, who could not speak a word "of English, and whose life was irreproachable;" and when they joyfully accepted this, the infant was presented to them. On the 24th of March, 1305, he was, by royal charter, created Prince of Wales, and invested with the honours and revenues of the principality. Before this time, the term " Etheling," Excellent, or Noble, was the title given by the Saxon monarchs, and first borne by a nephew of Edward the Confessor, thence called Edgar Atheling. The heir of the crown was formerly styled "Lord Prince," and after the Conquest," Duke of Normandy." The next titles were, "Earl of Chester," and "Duke of Cornwall," both granted by charter, by Edward III. to his son, the Black Prince. On the union of England and Scotland, A. D. 1707, the additional titles of "Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, and "Seneschal, or Steward of Scotland (borne by the sons of the kings of Scotland), were made hereditary in the Heir Apparent. The dukedom of Cornwall is hereditary in the first born son, but in no other and the title of Prince of Wales is bestowed by creation, and may be on female, as well as male, issue; for Henry VIII. created his daughter Mary, Princess of Wales, before he had a son. The earldom of Chester is likewise by creation, and not by descent. The proper style is now "Prince of Wales, and Electoral Prince of Bruns"wick Lunenburg, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, Earl of Chester "and Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Great "Steward of Scotland." The arms are the same as those of the monarch, with the addition of a label of three points. The motto " Ich dien," I serve, and the Days. three ostrich feathers, the crest of the King of Bohem ia, whofell in the battle of Cressy, A. D. 1346, were then assumed by Edward the Black Prince. The latter, which he took from the head of the vanquished monarch, probably with reference to an old custom of bestowing a feather on a victorious warrior, to wear in his cap; whence the saying, "this will be a feather in his cap." His Royal Highness, George, Augustus, Frederick, the Prince Regent, their Majesties first child, was born on the 12th of August, 1762, at half past 7 o'clock in the morning. On the 17th, letters patent were ordered for creating him Prince of Wales, and Earl of Chester; and on the following day he was christened. He took his seat in the House of Peers, November 11, 1783; and at the Privy Council the 21st of the same month. On the 8th of April, 1795, be married the Princess Caroline of Brunswick (see ante, May 17), by whom he has issue one daughter, Charlotte Augusta, the Presumptive Heiress to the Crown, (see ante, January 7.) His Royal Highness, on the continued indisposition of his Majesty, was appointed REGENT, February 6, 1811, but did not assume full powers till April in the ensuing year; and his reign has been characterised by circumstances, and a succession of events, brilliant, and glorious to the country, beyond all parallel! A magnanimous, uniform, and unwearied resistance to the power that threatened universal ruin, has at length, by the blessing of Heaven, accomplished its object, and the wishes of Europe.-The menaces of invasion have been hurled back, and realised, on the boasting foe.-The British military character has rivalled an hitherto unrivalled naval fame.-And the splendid course has been terminated, and the noble disinterested contest been rewarded, by the grand, and decisive victory of Waterloo: the capture of Paris, and the re-seating of Louis XVIII., a second time, on the throne of his ancestors:-the surrender of Bonaparte himself, to the long-defamed British nation! now acknowledged to be "the most "disinterested, the most generous, and the most constant, of all his "enemies;" (his own words addressed by letter to the Prince Regent): and lastly, the conveyance of this extraordinary character, in a British ship of war, a prisoner, and an exile, to a small rock in the bosom of the Atlantic Ocean, far, and probably for ever, removed, from the wide scenes of his vast and insatiable ambition! How truly have" the vanity of human wishes," and the instability of human greatness, been exemplified in the life of this man, who appeared for a time, like a prodigious meteor, that swept along the earth, and carried death and destruction in its train! now shorn of its beams, |