To the curious dilettanti in dates, &c. (such as our friend P.T.W. &c.) the following almost coinciding circumstances may not prove uninteresting:—The recent engagement took place on the anniversary of the memorable battle of Salamis, 480 B.C. when the invading army of Xerxes was defeated by the Greeks; and on which day Euripides, the Greek tragic poet, was born: Nestor is said to have been born at Navarino, as we have already mentioned: and, lastly, the attack, of which the subjoined plan is illustrative, was made on the eve of the anniversary of the glorious battle of Trafalgar, in which victory the vice-admiral of Navarino, then captain of the Orient, was engaged.

REFERENCES

1. The English Squadron.

2. French Squadron.

3. Russian Squadron.

4. The combined Turko-Egyptian Fleet.

5. The boat sent by the "Dartmouth" to one of the Turkish Fire Ships, in which Lieutenant G.W.H.F. Fitzroy was killed.

6. and 7. Turkish Fire ships.

The other figures denote the depth of water in English fathoms.

SEASONABLE RELICS

PART OF AN ANCIENT SONG

The following is part of an old song which I have faithfully copied; it was, I am told, sung at Wakes in the north of England, and also previous to Christmas: from the appearance, little doubt is left as to its being of northern composition.

I have seen in former volumes of the MIRROR, specimens of two ancient ballads, and as they are a curiosity, I have sent mine as being, I think, equally so. There is an old ballad which I have met with and purchased, entitled "The Outlandish Knight," but it is certainly greatly altered, though the tale is preserved.

This ean night, this ean night, Every night and awle, Fire and fleet,1 and candle lyght, And Chryst receyve thy sawle. When those from hence dost passe awaye, Every night and awle, To whinnye moore thou com'st at last, And Chryste receyve thy sawle. If ever thou gav'st either hosen or shune, Every night and awle, Sit thee down and put them on, And Chryst receyve thy sawle. But if hosen and shune thou never gav'st nean, Every night and awle, The whinnes shall prick thee to the bare beane, And Chryst receyve thy sawle. From whynne moore then thou may'st passe, Every night and awle, To brigge of dread thou com'st at last, And Christ receyve thy sawle. From brigge of dread that thou may'st passe, Every night and awle, To purgatory fire thou com'st at last, And Chryst receyve thy sawle. If e'er thou gav'st either meate or drinke, Every night and awle, The fire shall never make thee shrynke, And Chryst receyve thy sawle. But yf meate and drinke thou never gav'st neane, Every night and awle, The fire shall burn thee to the bare beane, And Chryst receyve thy sawle.

The next I give you is an extract from the Court Rolls of the Borough of Hales Owen, of the

Custom of Bride Ale

"A payne ys made that no person or persons that shall brewe any weddyn ale to sell, shall not brewe aboue twelve stryke of mault at the most, and that the said persons so marryed shall not keep nor haue above eyght messe of persons at hys dinner within the burrowe, and before hys brydall daye he shall keep no unlawfull games in hys house nor out of hys house on payne of 20s."

Besides "Bride Ale," there was the Church Ales, and Easter Ales, Whitsuntide Ales, and a quantity of others which we have no accounts of. I conclude this short notice with the hope of soon supplying you with a fund of information against Christmas.

W.H.H.

BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF HELEN

Princess Helen was born of an egg, And scarcely ten years had gone by, When Theseus beginning to beg, Decoyed the young chicken to fly. When Tyndarus heard the disaster, He crackled and thunder'd like Etna, So out gallop'd Pollux and Castor, And caught her a furlong from Gretna. Singing rattledum, Greek Romanorum, And hey classicality row. Singing birchery, floggera, borum, And folderol whack rowdy dow. The newspapers puffed her each day, Till the princes of Greece came to woo her, Then coaxing the rest to give way, She took Menalaus unto her, So said they, "though we grieve to resign, Yet if ever you're put to a shift, Let your majesty drop us a line, And we'll all of us lend you a lift. With our rattledum, &c." Menelaus was happy to win her. But she soon found a cure for his passion, By hobbing or nobbing at dinner, With Paris, a Trojan of fashion. This chap was a slyish young dog, The most jessamy fellow in life, For he drank Menalaus' grog, And d—me made off with his wife. Singing rattledum, &c. The princes were sent for, who swore They would punish this finikin boy; So Achilles and two or three more, Undertook the destruction of Troy. But Achilles grew quite ungenteel, And prevented their stirring a peg, Till Paris let fly at his heel, And he found himself laid by the leg. With his rattledum, &c. The Grecians demolish'd the city, And then (as the poets have told) Dame Helen might still be called pretty, Though very near sixty years old. Menelaus, when madam was found, Took her snugly away in his chaise, So Troy being burnt to the ground, Why the story goes off with a blaze. And a rattledum, &c.

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The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 284, November 24, 1827

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REFERENCES

SEASONABLE RELICS

PART OF AN ANCIENT SONG

Custom of Bride Ale

BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF HELEN

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