The Press. — London, England, 1856-04-19 00:00:00

-~~___ APRIL 19, 1856• "LUCAN'S FARCE-ALIA ; " OR, WHO NEXT, AND NEXT ? What set a-foot this fatal War For want of wit to see't afar, And, having served its own ambition, Laughs in its sleeve at " that Commission"? (Echo) Coalition! Who on the good ship Britain's deck Steered, while she " drifted" to her wreck; Of all her mingled crew most mean, The Russ in Scottish gaberdine? (Echo) Aberdeen ! Who from resolves resolved to swerve, And God and Mammon strove to serve ; With frightened fingers tied his sword on The while his feet had got a cord on ? (Echo) Why Gordon! Who was the Duke (not born a Dux) That shed his military lux On us ; and took for business, bustle, Strong in lace-coat, cocked-hat, and tassel ? (Echo) Newcastle! Was it that Duke who sent to Malta The troops—and when affairs did alter Unto this question answered " No !" " Did you their destination know? " (Echo) 'Twas so ! And while these blunderers go free— Their error's victim—who is he? Shall evidence be gravely took on His case, while these demurely look on ? (Echo) Lucan! If he forgot to stable horses, They overlooked food for the forces; Who kills the rider gets off freer Than he who lost the steed—oh ! Dea. (Echo) lEstraea ! POLITICAL ILLUMINATIONS. ALL parties being now actively engaged in preparing for the approach ing illuminations, any information upon the subject has general in terest, and we are happy to be able to subjoin a list of some of the devices which will be exhibited by distinguished individuals. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. A Budget in gas, with the in scription, Tax Vobiscum. Sir Benjamin Hall. A Baronet's " Hand," in red lamps, with the motto, Excelsior. Mr. James Wilson. A transparency, representing a Hat, with the legend, " All round my Hat I wear this week's Economist." Sir Joshua Walmsley. A device, showing a farthing candle, extin guished. Mr. W. Williams. A view of Hampton Court Palace, with a Lam beth jackass kicking his heels against a lady's door. Mr. Labouehere. A very elegant transparency of the Sun that will not set upon the Right Hon. Gentleman's dominions, and of the Colo nies that µ•ill not stand his interference. Mr. Ewart. A device of new patent Gallows, for the reformation of criminals, instead of their execution—the culprit is hung by the waist, instead of the neck, while a lecture is delivered to him. Mr. V. Smith. A Coronet, and the motto, Ver-non semper viret. (Vernon will always be rather green.) Mr. F. Peel. A remarkable Tapeworm, in red lamps. Mr. Miall. An Allegory. Dissent presents her favorite child to Britannia, saying, " I give you my all." Britannia replies, " Thank you for nothing." Mr. Bowyer. A great Spoon—motto, altered from Shakspeare, " There's not much matter in these Convertites." Lord John Russell. A transparency. The Genius of the British Constitution, supported by Reform, and attended by Appropriation Clauses, kicks Tests and Corporations, and leads the Jew into her Temple, while Education guards the door, Diplomacy watches the out posts, and the City of London, sweetly smiling, congratulates her Member upon his having done it all on his own hook. Lord Panmure. Device representing a kind uncle watching over an af f ectionate nephew—motto, " Take care of Dowb." THE SLEEP-COMPELLING LEWIS. (IMPROMPTU BY MR. JAMES WILSON, M.P.) A Bower. —Lewis is discovered sleeping.—" The Sainte Tragedy.* How just is the fate by which mortals are led To taste of the bliss that on others they bring When a lawyer is hung, or a parson is wed, Who grudges to either the rope or the ring? Then slumber, my Lewis, too soon shalt thou wake To it c 1 (14 e again that defeats are the mode. Oh ! calmly. my Lell:e Fleep on and partake Of the rest thou so cft hest on others bestowed. 373 DROITS DE COURONNE. ENCOURAGED by the splendid success that has attended his attempts to revive, in the matter of the Wensleydale Peerage, a long-disused and obsolete privilege of the Crown, Lord Cranworth intends to work out the idea in other directions. Instructions have accordingly been given to the functionaries of the Record-office, the Signet-office, and other depart ments, to trace out all the seigneurial rights, tenures in serjeantcy, &c., under which estates were granted by the Tudor, Lancaster, and Plantagenet sovereigns. These tenures it is the Lord Chancellor's intention to revive and enforce, expecting therefrom to obtain a large addition to the revenue—to say nothing of an augmentation in the dignity—of the Crown. Search has, we understand, been already made through the " Pleas of the Crown," " Dugdale's Antiquities," the Exchequer Rolls, and various cartularies, and writs are about to issue against sundry of the Crown tenants in capite who have too long neglected to fulfil the conditions on which they held their lands. Among many others, the heirs of Johannes Russell will be called upon to prove that they still yearly feed two poor men to pray for the souls of her Majesty's predecessors, under penalty of forfeiting the two hydes of land granted on that tenure by King Edward I. The Ailesbury family were bound to supply, three times a year, a load of rushes for the King's chamber, and to furnish, moreover, three eels in winter and two green geese at Michaelmas for the Royal use. These payments have long been omitted, and the defaulters will be called upon to pay up arrears, or forfeit the estates they hold in corn itate Bucks. Certain lands in Dorset, now, it is believed, in the possession of Lord Granville, were originally granted to Thomas, filius Richardi de Cerberg, for the annual payment of one currycomb. On the ground that nu//um tempus occurrit regi, his Lordship will be ordered to send in three gross of the articles forthwith, under pain of confiscation. An estate on the Marches, which fell into the hands of the Campbells when they came south, was held on the serjeantcy of its owner shooting with a balista in the King's armies, at his own cost and charges, for forty days in times of war The ducal head of the house, has, it is reported, offered to perform this service hencefori h regularly if permitted to substitute the longbow for the clumsy balista. Some property, appropriately situated in com. Hunt., was demised by Henry 111 to a tenant who undertook the duty, " currendi ad lupum, vulpem, et cattum," that is, exterminating wolves, foxes, and cats in the Royal forests. The First Lord of the Admiralty now being seized of the property will resume the function " currendi cattum." About foxes he does not feel confident. A considerable demesne in Suffolk was granted by Edward 11. on condition that the holder should, every Christmas, in his Majesty's presence, and for the royal diversion, perform " unum saltum, unum suffiurn et unum bombulum simul et semel." This estate has since descended, through the female branch, with the name of Osborne. The messuages and lands in Norfolk will be forfeited unless the owner pay up, with all arrears, the annual dues exacted by King John namely, four and twenty herring pies, at their first coming in. The writ to this effect will be directed to Sir G. C. Lewis. Sir G. Grey will be required to explain why he has neglected to keep the royal hogs, although holding the lands in Cumberland granted by King Henry on that tenure. The successors of Petrus de Baldewin, in return for estates in Surrey, are bound to go wool-gathering for the Queen among the thorns and briers—" ad colli gendam lanam Dominte Regime per albas spinas." In this ease, however, the Colonial Secretary, present holder of the land, pleads that he has always performed that service in differently well. THE PRESS. THE TEARS OF INDIA. Lord Dalhousie was attended t.. 1 the landing-place by a large concourse of gen tlemen, who evinced the most lively marks of sympathy and sorrow at his departure. Some were literally se. able to do more thaw bow a farewell ; an attewptto give hint a parting cheer at is boat pushed of broke down. Men's throate were too fall, and sere rat ladies lay back in their carriages sobbing audibly.—Times Calcutta Correspondent. When the great Ale xander, that mighty commander, Had finished with India, historians maintain That he sat down and roared, the heroical gander. Because no more kingdoms were left him to gain. Our great Annexander, who " riz up his dander," And seized eve►_y Indian domain that he can, Departs with dry eyes, and, disdaining to maunder, He blubbers by deputy—sensible man ! COMFORT FOR THEM. If when King Dalhousie went The scene was so unmanning, The)'ll look gloomier, c n . per cent., When they've finished wits t .at Gent, Pam's " uncanny Canning." 60,i1V%