The National Register.
London, England, 1814-02-20 00:00:00

MISS LAVINIk ROBINSON.

The verdict of the jury on the inquest kin substance as follows
- That the said Lavinia itubinsun was found drowned-. in the
river Itewell, on the 7th of February, in Pendiebury, in the county
of Lancaster, bnt how, or hy what means she came into the water
of the said river, tur evidence thereof appears to the Jury." • •
• The copy of the original note fonnd on the table in
they room where Lavinia mist her lover were lett on the evening of the
December last:—

With my dying breath I attest myself innocent of the crime
laid to my charge. Adieu! God blest you all ; I cannot outlive his
suspicion." •
The most novel and interesting parts of the evidence are the de-
positions of two sisters and a brother of the deceased, stating their
belief; that the latter, purporting to be Lavinia's hand-writing,
was not written by her ; and the testimony of a Mr. Barlow, v; ho
1k a going home, past the western wall of the New Bailey, betweeo
eleven and twelve o'clock on the evening before stated, saw a gen
tleman and lady, who seemed to be quarrel/log ; followed them
some time; saw the lady struck and knocked down by the gentle-
man ; she got up again, and took hold of his arm; and he wrenched
it from her ; he, seoiug the witness following, auffered her to take
hold esf his arm, and walked on ; witness heard her say, " believe
me—but you won't—l don't care if you murder me, if you'll only
believe me." He heard him say, " Who was it 2 if you don't tell
me, never forgive yon." He saw them muter a lamp near Vie
late Mr. Beck's brewery ; •and being asked to describe their dress,
it corresponded with the dress worn by Miss Robinson and Mr.
that evening. They afterwards went to the new road leading
to the river ; awl when they were about 130 yards from the banks
of the liver. be left them and west home. It appears that fir. H.
accused the deceased of a lapse from chastity—mi what grounds is
of comae not stated. His howekeeper deposes, that he had not on
a great coat, as mentioned by Mr. Barlow to have been worn by the
person he saw. Mr. 11. gave in a written paper, previous to the
"Jury's finding their verdict, which they did after several hours
consultants!). .

THE if ER DOM ADA RI.

FEBRUARY.
Thoughlloily. hitherto cloth sway,

Let 13,,x now tioinincer ;
Until reju Ong Easter-D.4y.
Ur E.tster's Lye appear.

119

20. S'irove Sundae; or, Quingungesima.—Morn : Genesis 9, Lek*
l• Even : Genesis le, (..ialatiteis 3.—Quinguagtsima is so e:,11,1 front
the circumstance of its being about the 'illicit) day kwfute Fester. The
three Sundays anti weeks preceding Lent. I I
C long been dis-
tinguished by the names of Septuagesime S..sagasima, me) Qtlietput.
gesima ; terms which evidently signal/ the seventieth, sivietli, avid
fiftieth. 11'hen the aforesaid terms mete first applied to denote these
three Sundays, the season of Lent w.s gi•nerallv extruded to a I,IA of
six weeks. At this period, moreneer, the Sunday which we now de-
nomintee the Fist in Lent, was styled simply Qoadragesinia, 44 the
fortieth, oteaning the fortieth day befere glister ; the like term was
also apnlied to Lent, anti denoted the QuudragTsimal, t.i sostv ddy..
fast. IVbeit the three aveks before Quadrogrsima ceased 'u be coil-
sidered as weeks offer the Epiphany, nod were appointed to be Ob-
served as a tiaie of Preparation for Lent, it was perfectly coulormable
to the ordinal y mode of computation to reckon backwards, and, for
the sake Of even rood nu:sibers, to count by decades. 11.11ce the
etimpilers of rite new proper t tilers would naturally call the first Sun-
day before Qiradtragesima, Quinquagesima ; the second, Sestteesima ;
end the third, Septuagesima : which distrieution fureislies us with the
must rational solution of the present application of these terms.
New Moon at 25 minutes after 7 in the morning.
21. Monilee.--Col. Despard, originall• a brave otlicier, was Executed
ler I figh Treason, together with Six of his Coospirittors, at lita sunsuits
gel_lane ; Term die. n•
2.2. Shvore Tuesday.—This stands always the first Tuesday after
Sue day, and is the day immediately preceding the firtt
of Leer. Shrove Tuesday (being derived from the Saxon word shriv..,
which implies In cur/M) also TUCS.Iay; oil which
ante.ior to the Reformation, the people it. ever) parish were,
this day, obliged to confess, one by one, to their own parish prios.s, in
their respective churches, the sins of which they had been guilty !
Tina this conlession might not be evaded. er fereotte re the great hell,
in every parish, was rung. about ten u'cluck iu the morning, so as 10 be
heard by all who were thus blamilio,ird to obey the call. The custom
of ringing the great bell, in um um:lent parish churches still continues,
from the hours of 11 to 11, and is called the Pancake-Bell; because,
in all probability, it was Issuel to dine on pancakes rind fritters, sub-
sequently to confession ;I and. tees know that nuoy people, even lio‘%,
finwethilse articles as parts of their dinner on this tiny.
•Vock throwing was formerly much practiaell 011 ti is day ; but, lio-
nettrably for humanity, this most barbarous diversion is nu longer pre-
dominant. The Royal Cock-Pit at NVlittelitill, erected by Henry VIII, is
•now no more. Cock-fighting was one esteemed worthy of Monarchs ;
though Ciumwell prohibited it, by one ut his own acts, Match 31,
1631.
23. Ash Wednesday.—This day is distinguished as the First of Lent ;
being so called trout a custom observed in the ancient Christian ;Attach,
of pettitents expressing the'lr hitheliation at this tittle, by appearing
iu
%odic:loth and ashes, And linettiLeaskes sprinkled on their heads. on
being udinitted to penance l'efore the late Itevolution in France, it
setts customary in the Church' ed Nitre Dante, at Paris, and in other
Cathedral Churches, far notorious iitiesillors, sunset lilies wills ropes round
their necks. to do open rriande on this day ! This kind of disciplute
is now superseded by the amoral tending uf the Curses druaum•rii
agaiust Impenitent Sinners, pubhcl) in the churches, the people repeal,
ing their Amen at the recital! ef each curse.
Bislity of London preaches at the Cliopetßoyal, St. Jantes'3.—lloli-
day at the. I.latik, Smith Sea !louse, and East bidet }louse.
Thursday.—St. Matthias. liavinz been an atten out on Our
Saviour, from his baptism to hii ascetision, Matthias was
clue lifted to
reclaim those matters, cote:titling the Redeetute, of which be bad
evidence in common With the Apostles ; by wham tie W.IS
lee+rei iota
their fellowship, to supply the vaeintey ueeasitteett by the di.adi of the
traitor Judas. He suffered maitereium ; but in allot manner's not
known.
.Duke of Cambridee (Adolphes Frederick) born;
at the Bank, S. S. House, and E. I. Ileose.
Fridee.—Sir Christopher Wit le whose I..ine will be co-extensies
with the Cathedral Chereli of S. Paul, died : 112
26. Saturday.—The Pritice Regent held his Gast flees! Levee, being
on a Tuesday, at Carlton House ; 1811.
Sao rises 6 h. 41 win.