The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-12 00:00:00

SAINT MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND.

PENNANT styles the late St. Martin's-le-Grand
Imperium in irnperio, surrounded by the city, yet subject for
three centuries to the government of Westminster. Certainly
this was a very singular neighbourhood, and though at present
a mere blank piece of ground, few spots are more fertile in his
torical recollections. The ancient College which stood here
claims its foundation from Withred, King of Kent, as far back
as the year 700, and was rebuilt and endowed by two noble
Saxon brothers, Ingelric and Edward, about 1056. It was
dedicated to St. Martin, and acquired the addition of Le.
Grand, or the Great,. from the extraordinary privileges it pos-
sessed, amongst which, from very early times, was the hazard-
ous one of sanctuary. William the Conqueror, in 1068, con.
firmed all his predecessors' grants,
.and added himself to its
,estates all the moor-land about Cripplegate. He besides made
itindependent of every other ecclesiastical jurisdiction, from
the regal and even the papal, The College was governed by

. .
I In 1586, theloieigners living here, French,
.oerman, Dutch,
and Scotch, were so numerous, that an account of them and
their trades was ordered to be taken by the Government. Many
of them were then found to be slioernakers and tailors, whence
tally men,' who sold shreds of cloth, button-makers, button-
mould-makers' - and other persons connected with those trades,
who remained there till the great fire. Here also resided (for
the most part strangers) goldsmiths, purse-makers, linen=
drapers, some stationers, merchants, 'and silk-weavers. Among
the latter, Strype :stipposes two silk-throwers who lived here to
have been the first of that trade inLondon, and to have brought
the art into England. They were named, the one John James,
and the other Anthony Einerick, were both Spaniards, subjects
of Philip 11. and were naturalized by Queen telimheth. The
whole of the inhabitants at the time of this survey only amount-
ed to 161. In the year 1569, there were 269.
The trades here, in former times, seemed to have lived in a
great measure separate. Round-court, one of the places de-
stroyed in the late alteration, Strype informs us " was famous
for milliners, and such as sold copper-lace, called St. Martin's
lace." The name of Mould-makers-rents, another place pulled
down, plainly speaks its appropriation. Of other courts, &c.
the old names had been changed, with the exception of Angel..
alley, which still retained its ancient cognomen.. We may,
barely to commemorate them, mention Deans-Court, Great
and Little ; [lark Entry, George-street, St. John's alley, Back-
alley, Christopher's-alley, Four-dove-court, and King's-bead-
court, as other populous places here, noiv entirely swept away.
St Martin-le-grand Church, with those of Bow, St. Giles,
Cripplegate, and Barking, and its curfew bell long after the
servile injunction laid on the Londoners had ceased. These
were- sounded to 'give timely notice to the inhabitantteof those
districts to keep within, and not to wander in the streets,
which were infested by a set of ruffians, who made a practice
of insulting, wounding, robbing, and murdering the people
within they happened to meet abroad during. night.

Several of the Deans of this foundation were, in former times,
great men. One William ;Hulse, in Edward the Third's
reign, was chief Chamberlain of the I.lxchquer, and receiver
and keeper of the King's treasure and jewels. Another,
William Dighton, prebendary of St. -Martin's, was Clerk of
the Privy Seal ; and Peter de Saloandia; Leap here in Edward
the Second's time, was afterwards promoted to the Archeipisco-
pal See of Lyons in France. But these were all eclipsed by
the celebrated 'William of Niriekhirn, afterwirds -Bishop
Winchester, who was'flean of -St. Martin-lc4rand in lao,.at
which time he thoroughly; 'repaired the College; and probably
enlarged the Church. Edviaidl.. and other of our old monarchs,
seem also to have occasionally -resided here, from their grants, 1
which are dated from S. Zfortinum 3fagnum.

It is perhaps import:lilt to society to knritv,
that this wretched victim to hie eassiens and crimes was at
length aroused to a trite Sense of the coneolatiens of religion,
and an admission of the serenity: they gave to that fortitude and
courage with which nature seemed to have so abundantly sup-
plied him. From the beginning of his imprisonment the
Chaplain of -the gaol stippled him with the religions books
which he thought best,calculatedeo awaken his mind to spirituel.
impressions. To the Rev.. Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Wilson, lie'
was also indebted for similar means of' restoring his mind tots
proper consideration of his situation : these marks of humane
attention to the prisoner, which were always acknowledged by,l
him with gratitude, and particularly ireall his communications
with the Chaplain, whose province it more immediately was to
administer them, nevertheless, do :not seem for some elute to
have had their full effect.• Ile went at all times cool and collected,
but his fortitude Seemed- the result of 'natural courage ; his
mind was never, until the very near approach of his trial, suf.
ficiently plastic to receive the impression, that whatever view he
might take of the course that became him in meeting the par-
ticular 'crime laid to his ehare-e it was time under any elter-
-
native to reflect seriously upon his past life, and prepare . for
eternity. From his first imprisonment, the Bible and other re-
ligious societies had sent him books of devotion, and zeal.
ous (sometimes indiscreet) indiYidhals, both anonymously
and by name, forwarded to him tracts and sermons,. and
sometimes private admonitions, recommending the course
which they thought he ought to pursue. He used occasionally
to talk of those efforts from without'to tamper with his state of
mind with much levity; and to some of the anonymous letters
thus sent to him, he often, when seeaking.of them touthers,
applied a huMorous tone of criticism, which, if it had emanat-
ed from anr other person, might not have been deemed inop-
portune. 'When spoken to before trial respecting the murder,
he was always most anxious to evade conversation on that par-
ticular topic, and anxious to turn the_ subject, which he often
did with considerable address, and then became fluent upon
any other event in his life which suggested itself at the mo-
ment, and was lively or adventurous enough to furnish interest
to those with whom he happened to be in conversation. When
'spoken to respecting any partichlar fact of which it was pre-
sumed he had any information; he either' comMunicatedavhat
he said he knewirea prompt and fluent manner, or-else laugh-
ed at the notion that he knew any thing upon the point.
When spoken to about gaming-houses, or the company of
pugilists, his answer was uniform—that he had not known
I either for two years, and many of the principal individuals
engaged in • them. for . nearly three years—that accident,
rather than any predilection for such associates, had led
hini among them—that he was always a loser, and often, he
believed, a dupe. Be repeatedly said to several of those who
visited him in prison, that on the very last night he entered a
gaming-house in the metropolis, said to be kept by a person of
the name of Bennett, and inwhich he had previously lost some
money, that that individual, at his departure, presented him
with a 501. note, saying,.." Take'this, Thurtell ; pray don't
come here again ; you are not the man we want;" and he
never entered the house afterwards. When walking in the •
yard with his fellow-prisoners, he was in the habit of enter-
taining them with any story of his life which, whilst it withdrew
his mind from reflection, prevented those ,round him, if they
s
Were so disposed (which rarely occurred), from introducing any
that was calculated to embarrass him. But it was only I
within the last few days that he seriously turned his thoughts
to religious instruction. He appeared for a fortnight after the
adjournment of the commission busily and exclusively occupied
in arranging his defence, and revising the materials which he
Anecdotes" farmed originally no part of his statement ; they
Y provided for it. The extracts from the " Percy
had previously
were transmitted to him after his solicitors had furnished him:
with the materials which their view of the case suggested, and
he was at first somewhat embarrassed in the mode of embodying
them in the address lie had already prepared and reduced to me-
mory. As the day of the trial approached, it was apparent to
those who were immediately around him, that his mind assumed
turn, and that he turned with an air of greater
ath serious
to the perusal of the religious books which were
left by the Chaplain in his apartment : the previous collections
of tracts and hooks of prayer transmitted by private societies or
individuals, had been disregarded, or destroyed, and the two or
three which Were left by the Chaplain became evidently a
source of consolation to the prisoner. The moment the trial
terminated he turned to them with an intense feeling of devo-
tion ; his fortitude never failed him, nor varied, but he became
e
more resigned, and his seriousness subsided into deep and un-
affected penitence. In his desire to apply himself for forgive-
ness to Heaven, he wished not to be disturbed with particular
questions ; and to the credit of all who had access to him in
this temper of mind, no obtrusive Or unbecoming attempt was
made to extort from him disclosures,—an attempt however,
that, considering the unbroken spirit of the man, the despe-
rate. fidelity which he devoted to the last 'associates of his ca-
reer, and with which, dying, he sealed his connexion with
thorn,. would in all probability, not otily have failed, . but
withdrawn him, by the renewal of irritation, and the suspi-
cion which it ••might have attached to all who approached him
at his, last moments, from the opportunity which he fully en-
joyed of endeavouring to make his peace with Heaven, by a
full and unqualified contrition for all his offences. The stamp of
his character was observable in the selection' he made from
hooks of devotion put into his hands; he turned with an
knowledgment of thankfulness
to the passages which were
marked for his perusal -but recurred on the day and night be-
fore his execution, to some of the eloquent passages in Dr.
Paley's posthumous volume of tracts, which are to be found in
the prayers for a perion troubled in mind awl conscience, end
these passages, which were remarkable for vigour of truth, he
read with great fervour himself, and then begged of Mr. .
•son, jun., 'or one df the attendants, to repeat to him with as
much earnestness and emphasis as they could command, while
he walked -up and down the room. Although often sub-
dued into tears at the recital of particular passages, the 'ob-
durate perversion of his mode of thinking repressed every sug-
gestion of conscience to disclose the secrets of his last haunts,
and the guilt of his associates; and to the last moment of his
existence lie seemed to think that the imperfect retribution to
society of his general declaration of penitence and contrition
was all which he was bound to administer. On the night
of the first day's adjournment of the trial, he became struck
with, the force of some of the details that were urged in
evidence against him at the close of the prosecution. He ap-
peared to have previously had no idea that his identity could have
been so clearly established in evidence. The night was dark,
and there was no moon at the hour ; but the passing; at thenio-
merit of the stage-coach with lights, as Clarke stood at one side
of the road, while Thurtell drove his gig at the other, afforded
under all the circumstances an almost miraculous opportunity
for recognition, which he never miticipateci. The moment of
his removal after condemnation to the gaol, ,he, after a few ge-
neralremarks upon the evidence, abandoned all intention of
speaking a word more upon the subject—an intention to which
he adhered. The.followmg are the prayers which he read, and
had repeated to him on the night before his execution. The last
prayer from Dr. Paley's Tracts he read over several times be-
fore be fell asleep upon his bed : •
•" 0 mast just and holy Lord God, who bringest to iight the
hidden things of darkness, and by thy just and wise providence
dost bring to shame and punishment ; disappointing. the
hopes of wicked Men ; visiting their sins upon them in this pre.
sent life, that thou mayest deter others from the evil of their
ways and save their souls. in the day of judgment : 0 Lord,
in mercy look down upon this thy. servant,. who now is before
thee, to confess thy justice, in makiug him a sad example to
others. He with sorrow amid shanie confesseth, it would, be just
with thee, should death eternal be the wages of his sins, and
everlasting sorrow be the recompence of his iniquity. He ha.s,
we confess, 0 Lord, despised thy mercy, and abused thy good-
ness, and has, therefore, no reason to expect any other than, to
be made an everlasting sacrifice to thy justice. When thou
hast, by the ministry of thy word, and the interposition of thy
providence, called him to repentance, he has slighted thine ad-
monitions. Oh, how just, therefore, would it be now in thee
to disregarel his cry, in this day of trouble, when distresS and
anguish are come upon him. He confesses that he hath har-
dened hiS heart, notwithstanding all thy importunities to him
to repent and live that he has still gone on from one wicked-
ness to another, eagerly repeating the works of darkness, and
even hating to be reformed ; that he has notoriously broken his
baptismal vows, and given encouragement :to others to bias-
pheme. our holy faith ; and that on these accounts he has
nothing to expect but that thou shouldest deal with him accord-
to.his sine, and reward him according to the.multitude of
his offences. But thou, 0 God, hest been pleased to declare,
'that With thee is mercy and plenteous redemption ; that thou
desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should re-
pent and Bee. ThOu hast so loved the world, that thou gayest
thy only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should

How did you happen to leave it ?--I was obliged to leave it
' for my good behaviour.—(A laugh.)
Your good behaviour ! What, do they flog men in that regi-
ment for their good behaviour ?--Yes ; I was flogged for re-
fusing to kill an innocent child, which my Colonel' ordered me.
Where was this ?—ln Ireland ' • the child lay in a bamboo. I
was ordered to kill all. I refused. I was flogged and discharg-
ed. I call that good behaviour:
Re-examined r—ithYiet.o have a•pensionew ?
—Ye-s;x aammiinke
keep
Mr. A
motheroys.Et.. E
w
Mr. SCAREETT, in reply, said no human being could be-
lieve that any Colonel ordered Cais rnan to kill a Child, and that
the witness was obviously.entitled to,no credit. •
At this moment a cat, who has two days befiire visited, tile
Bench, appeared in the seat appropriated to the 4ing'n Comae!,
ran briskly along the desk, and took her station in the seat of
the Lord Chief Justice, from. which she quickly retteated
amidst the laughter of his Lordship and of the Omit. • •
Mr. SCAIIEE'DT said he supposed a cat would soon he en
emblem of, justice, for she had now three days sitecessiyely
made her way to the Bench. (It was suggested by a gentled-fa:l
of the bar, that she was looking for ratr.)
The LORD ClifEß .JUSTICE informed the Jury, that their
verdict must, on the pleadings, be for the plaintiff, and that in
estimating the amount of the damages, they would probably
consider whether any and what degree of provocation led to
the assault.
The Jury found a verdict for the plahrtiff_,...Dimages 101..
The Loan CHIEF JUSTICE sat till..past seven o'clock,, at-
which time he had got throtigh all the causes in the paper except..
three, which were made rev:awls by consent._

PARIS PAPERS.

[l' Monitenr of Friday, Jan. 9.]

The last letters from Gibraltar say, that the
British Government has forbidden all Spaniards,
'without exception, to enter that place, who have
belonged to the revolutionary Government ; and
that in consequence one of the leaders of that

party, %% ho was repairing thither, could not enter.
it is said also, that Lopez Banos had been pub-
licly insulted by officers of the garrison.
13y a royal dacision all articles of consumption
for the French troops are to he exempt from duty,
.only subject to the same formalities as if they
had paid the duties.

[From the Courier Francais.]
PARIS, JAN. o.—The Emperor Alexander leas
been pleased to give his noblest ribbon of Knighthood to 31. de
Chateaubriand, and nothing to M. de Villele. What a check
to the President of the Council of Ministers. He could not
leave such a mark of disfavour without answer. The answer
has not been delayed. M. de Villele received the blue ribbon
from the King. In his turn M. de Chateaubriand found him-
self in arrears the ribbons of the North are handsome, but to
French Gentleman, what is comparable to the bine ribbon ?
N. de Chateaubriand could not dispense with it; he has just
cbtained it, but by a true tour de Jarnac of dreadful atrocity ;
he. has not obtained it singly, nor as a mark of rare and spe-
civ.l favour. The Duke de Doudeauville and the Duke de
Daman received it at the same time. These two Gentlemen,
we know, are not of such a political importance, that the fa-

•
veurs shed on them can be considered as the approbation and
regard of a system. Among such pale associates, the blue
ribbon of M. de Chateaubriand loses something of its lustre;
it is not like that of M. de Villele, simple and significative.—
Dtcidedly in this war of ribbons, M. de Chsteaubriand has the
worst; he will undoubtedly make some great effort to regain
the sv.perior position which the Emperor Alexander intended
to give him. But he must take his measures well, not to find,
as it happens now, a check in success itself. 31. de Villele is
very malicious.

( From the Etoile of Fr:clay.)

PAttrs, JAN. B.—lt is affirmed that the King,
in the Council held on Wednesday last, nomi-
nated K nights-Commanders of his Orders, the
Archduke Francis Charles Joseph, second son of
the Emperor of Austria, the Prince Royal of
Prussia, Frederick William, the Grand Duke
Constantine Paulowitch, brother of the Emperor
of Russia, and Count Nesselrode, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Isis Majesty the Emperor
Alexander.
His Royal Highness the Duke d'Angoulerno
has authorised numerous naval officers of all
ranks to accept and wear decorations of the se-
veral Spanish Orders of Merit, in token of his
satisfaction for the services rendered by the
navy, and the active manner in which the squad-
ron seconded the operations of the army in the
glorious campaign which has just been ended.
M. de Saldanha, Count de Porto Santo, Am-
bassador of the King of Portugal at Madrid, has
just received from the King of Spain the Grand
Cross of Charles 111: 1-If. Majesty the Queen
has also deigned to confer upon his wife the
decoration of the Noble Dames of Maria Louisa.
jiy judgment of the Chamber of Police Cor-
rectionelle of Bordeaux, passed on the 3LI instant,
M. B• Constant has been smenced to a month's
imprisonment, for having decorated himself with
the Cross of the Legion of Honour, without hav-
ing been authorized.

Three Royal Ordinances, dated yesterday,
have been published. The first nominates the
Viscount de Chateambriasul " Knight Commander
of our Orders ;" the second confers the same
distinction upon the Dukes de Doudeauville and
de Damas ; and the third appoints the Baron de
Vitrolles a Minister of State, and member of the
Privy Council.

The appeal of the widow Lecouffe and her
son, against their conviction fur the murder of
Madame Jerome, has been rejected by the Court
of Cassatioa.

AIADRID, PEc. 30.
The King has appointed Lieut-General Don.
Pedro Grimarest Captain-General of Arragon ;
the Count de St. Roman Inspector-General of
the Militia ; Major-General Don Diego Dallas-
teros, Inspector-General of the Cavalry ;- and
Don Pedro de Sotoinayor, Governor of San
Lucar de Barrameda.

Our journals stated some time ago what took
place at Mater°, when:Marshal Moncey passed
through that town, and gave orders to escort
into France the assassins of the Bishop of Mich.
it appears that ..the competent authorities hare
energetically addressed the King to claim the,

The Official Part contains only a license to
M. Castaimg to take the name of Cheveigno.

(NON-OFFICIAL PART.)
NUREMBURG, JAN. 3.—lt has not yet been
possible to come to a formal arrangement at Con-
stantinople respecting the unloading of European
merchandize intended for the Russian ports in
the Black Sea. The Turkishauthorities require
so many formalities for those ships which are
b vposed to have a right of exemption from
unloading, that the Captains rather sell their
cargoes than wait for whole months for leave to
prosecute their voyage to the Black Sea.
it is notorious that the Porte does its ut-
most to impede the trade of Europe with the
European ports in the Euxine. Persons who
pretend to be well informed assert, that the
Ottoman Government has been secretly advised
to follow this line of conduct by foreign agents
hostile to Russia.
The right of visiting all foreign vessels that
arrive in Turkish ports is still exercised in
the most arbitrary manner, under the pretext
that it is necessary to ascertain that there are no
Greek rebels, or Greek property on hoard.—
Allany complaints have lately been made to the
Foreign Ministers at Constantinople, who have
not failed to apply, in the most energetic terms,
to the Reis Effendi, but the answers have been
vague and ambiguous, without any positive pro-
mise that justice shall be done.
Mitottin,Eocc.2B.—lt is still affirmed that the
decrees of the provincial Junta and the Regency,
relative to the re-installation of the Royalist
municipalities, will be executed till his Majesty
shall have decided on the mode of making the I
ePCtionS.