English Extracts.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 483, 10 June 1867, Page 2

English Extracts.

The TionuQiiN’E Baeonetc?. Tho Lrt'don correspondent of the Sydney Mor'-ing Herald writes as follows in a! * to the case of Sir Roger Tichborne :— 1- Never was public cariosity rnort completely aroused, and never I.as it beet more completely disai pointed, than in thit instance. The Press teemed with contra dictory statements, a lawsuit was threatened, and for weeks the lovers of scandal gloated over the treat promised them. But all is over now. The last scene of the melodrama has bees performed behind, the curtain, end all we know is that Sir

| Roger has been formally recognised by hi* family, end has gone to reside again in the homes of his ancestors. Meanwhile, it wa may trust a morning paper, the adventure* of the baronet have been dramatised, and are now being performed at the Winchester Theatre. The local papers, too, are raking up all the olden traditions and legends of the Tichborno famry. One of these is entitled the “ Tichbome Pole,” and originally appeared some ys#ra back in the Winchester Observer:— ‘ The legend telb that, at some remote period, a Lady Mabella, on her deathbed, besought her lord, the Tichbome of those days, to supply her with the means for beq.ueathinga gift or dole of bread to any one who would apply for it annually on the Feastof the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin. Sir Roger promised her the proceeds of as much land as she could go over while » brand or billet of a certain size was burning ; she was bedridden and nearlydying j and her avaricious lord believed that he had imposed conditions which would place within very narrow limits th<* area of land to be alienated. But ha was mistaken. A miraculous degree of strength, was given to her. She was carried by her attendants into a field, where she crawled round many goodly acres. A field of twenty-three acres, at Tichbome, to tin* day bears the name of the “ Crawl.” The lady just before her death, solemnly warned her family against any departure from the terms of the dole ; she predicted that the family name would become extinct, and. the fortunes impoverished, if the dole were ever withdrawn. The Tichbome- dole, thus established, was regarded as the occasion of an annual festival during many/ generations. It was usual to bake fourteen hundred loaves for the dole, of twentysix ounces each, and to give twopence to, any applicant in excess of tho number that could then be served. This custom was continued till about tho middle of the last century: when, under pretence of attending Tichbome, vagabonds, gipsies, and idlers of every description, assembled from, all quarters, p.lfering, throughout theneighbourhood ; and at last, in 1793, on, account of the complaints of the magistrates ami gentry, it was discontinued.. This gave great oifence to many who bad. been accustomed to receive the dole.. And now arose a revival of old traditions. The good Lady Mabella, as tho legend' told, had predicted that, if tho dole should be withheld, the mansion would crumble to ruins; that the family name would become extinef- through tho failure of ma!» heirs ; and that this failure would be occasioned by a generation of seven sous being followed by a generation of seven daughters. Singularly enough, tho old housapartially foil down in ISO 3 ; the baronet of that day had seven sous: tho eldest of" these had seven daughters ; and the owner of the family estates became s Doughty, instead of a Tichbome.’ ”

Paistcl Case. —Tho death of the wealthy Earl of Brownlow, at the age of only lour--and-twcnty years, seems a sudden call from tho apparent enjoyment of all worldly advantages, but has been in reality a relief bom an existence trying indeed to the re* signation of the most exemplary Christian. Born to high rank and unbounded wealth,, his life was one long struggle against thosufferings of an enfeebled constitution inherited from his birth. Ho never, w» believe, knew a day’s health, and what volumes does not that speak ! But bis own affliction only seemed to inspire him with the desire to confer acts of kindness and charity upon others. By the extensive circle of bis family connections lie was regarded with well-merited affection. To his numerous tenants and dependants ha was the jubtest and most generous of land- | lords and masters, and to the outer world his charity was unbounded. One instance of the iaiicr is so striking and so illustrative that we cannot refrain from mentioning it. So delicate was he that the winter* of this climate would have been at one® fatal to him, and for many years he passed them at Madiera. On these occasions h* used to discover individuals afflicted with the same delicacy of constitution as himself, but. who were totally unable to afford t!ie solace which wealth procured for him. These, sometimes, to tho number of thirty or forty, he prevailed upon to accept hi* “invitation up u a voyage in search of health,” as ho delicately termed his nobla act of thoughtful kindness. From England to Madeira during the winter, and thencs back to England, ho took upon himself every possible clwge of these poor people, including not only every enjoyment of which they were capable, but also the advantage of the first-rate medical skill which was necessary for his own case. Every packet brought every luxury possible ol transportation from nis numereu* estates, aud all were as freely at the disposal of his profejis as his own. lie had no greater gratification than to perceive that he bad been the happy means of procuring for others that glow of health which, alas, was destined never to be seen on his own cheeks. He was once described by one who ktm'.v him moat intimately as “ the most amiable mortal breathing.”—Court Journal,