The Sun.
London, England, 1827-08-07 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, At 6

Letters have just been received here _from' the
Experimental Squadron, which was at anchor in the
Tagus on the 20th July. .The Columbine appears
to have maintained her superiority in sailing upon
every occa3ion, and, in one of the trials upon a wind,
had, in nine hours, beat the .Sapphire, 28, and the
three corvettes, viz. Wo/f, Acorn, and Satellite, so
far as to be able only to discern half their courses
out of the water. They did not expect to remain
above a few days in the Tagus.
This day arrived his Majesty's ship Slaney, from
the East Indies. •

The Duke and Duchess of Clarence are expected
to return to town on Thursday.

THE GAMES OF OLDEN TIMES.

-
Viscount and Viscountess GAGE gave a grand
fete on Friday last, at their seat at Fide-place, Sussex, to
about a hundred and sixty of the nobility and gentry, at
which the ancient game of quintain was revived. The
sports commenced by gentle Men riding with light spiked
staves at rings and apples, suspended by a string, after which
they changed their weapons to stout poles, and attacked
the two quintsins, which consisted of logs of wood-fashioned
to resemble the head and body of a man, and set upright
upon a high bench, on which they were kept by a chain
passing through the platform, and having a weight sus-
pended to it, so that if the log was not struck full and
forcibly the figure resumed its seat. One was also divided
in the middle, and the upper part being fixed on a pivot
turned if not struck in the centre, and requited its assailant by
a blow with a staff, to which was suspended a small bag of
flour. The purses for unhorsing this quintain were won by
John Slater and Thomas Treheck, Esqrs. The other
figure which did not . turn, opposed a lance towards the
assailant's face, and the rider was to avoid the lance, and
unhorse the quintain at the same time. The purses were
won by Sheffield *aye, ESq., and the Honourable John
Pelham. A' third pair of purses were offered for un-
horsing the quintain. by striking on a coloured bell, whidh
hooped round the waist of the figure, thereby raising the
weight, which was considerable, by a much shorter lever
than when struck higher up. This was a feat reqdiring
great strength of arm and firmness of seat, and though not
fairly won according to the rules of the game, the purses
were ultimately assigned to the very spirited exertions
of Messrs. Cayley and Gardener. Viscountess GAGE
distributed the prizes to the conquerors. Abotit six
o'clock the numerous party sat down to a cold colla-
tion of upwards of three hundred dishes, consisting of
every delicacy, the season could possibly afford, inelud:
ing the choicest collection of fruits, and wines of the.
finest quality; after which many recontinued. the game of
quintain ; others diverted themselves at rifling the target.
The ladies amused themselves at archery. In the evening
the assemblage of Nobility and Gentry retired to the grand
hall, where fashionable quadrilles, concluded the amuse-
ments of the day.

THE HUNTINGDONSHIRE TRAGEDY.

Every circumstance connected with the eccentric life
and tragical death of the Reverend J. Waterhouse, will
long beheld in public remembrance. The Rector, accord-
ing to the register 'of his birth, had attained the advanced
age of 81 years. He was, from youth, an early riser. At
the hour of five in the morning, be might be observed in
his farm-yard, inspecting his "swinish multitude"—issuing
orders to his domestics—and contemplating the matchless
proportions of a favourite grey horse, which he intended as
'a present to his late Royal Highness the Duke of York,
for whom the Rev. Gentleman .entertained the warmest
esteem.

Although this whimsical pastor never risked matrimony,
his indiscretions had furnished scandal with a succession of
unwelcome incidents ; and the dread of delicate disclosures,
rendered him afraid to prosecute those who unblushingly
preyed upon his• property. Often I►as this deluded minister,.
after being plundered,. gone to Lucas, the'parish constable,
proceeded with him to the cottage of Slade's parents, and.
identified property of which be had been deprived. On
these occasion the the peace-officer. took possession of the
discovered booty immediately, however,-on quitting this
" den of thieves," the venerable expounder usually
marked-4' Well, officer, here's your money ; let them
rest this time; but if they sin again, I will not forgive
them their trespasses.'' _ _

The rustics paid him none of those tokens of respect
usually bestowed on the spiritual guides of our villages
They regarded him as a tyrant—and as an insincere pro-
fessor of the doctrines which he promulgated. The worst
feelings were engendered against him ; and even the
horrible termination of his existence, extrdcted not a tear
from those he was wont to admonish.

Mr. Waterhouse made a Fingular request, with regard
to his funeral,,some time ago :—"- Let the," said•he to his
clerk, "he buried twelve feet deep—my coffin standing
perpendicularly on its foot : let my face front the east: • I
shall then he ready : for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised."—This request was not complied
with : his grave was dug to nearly the depth of twelve
feet, and his coffin was placed•%a that position, in which—
" The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

On searching for the weapon with which it was sup-
posed Mr. Waterhouse was murdered, an alarming dis-
covery took place, in the soil of a privy belonging to the
Rectory-house—that of the perfect shell of an infant. No
inquiry, however, has yet been made relative to this suspi.
cious circumstance.

ALTERED DEMEANOUR OF SLADE, THE

MURDERER.

The gloom and horror of solitary confinement have
already wrought a .surprising change in the conduct of
Slade. His.voluntary confession. of the manner in which
he perpetrated the dreadful crime, for which in .a short
time he will have to pay the forfeit of his life, has made
him more composed, and. penitence has superseded obdu-
racy. He has been attacked by fits, but has recovered
their effects. A religious person, who visited him lately,
remarked " Slade, what an awful situation would you
have been placed. in, had Mr. Waterhouse shot you whilst
endeavouring to deprive him of life. Think of eternity !"
" I was tint afraid of that taking place," replied Slade;
"it is not many young men could have mastered me. I am
glad that I have confessed to this murder, for I should have
gone murdering on." After some further conversation of
an admonitory description, this person noticed, to the pri-
soner, " I always thought that the wounds on Mr. Water-
house, •and the cuts on the tub,
.had been done with a
sword." " Yes," rejoined Slade; " and 'so would any one
of common sense,"- - Slade asserts, that during -three years
of his-youth he did not commit a single depredation ; bUt,
unluckily, having fallen into the companionship of fled-
dings, he became hardened in crime, and almost fearless
of its discovery. When visited his face is frequently
bathed with repentant tears, and he gradually becomes
more awakened to the necessity of sincere devotion, and
the terrible but just sentence passed on him by an earthly
tribunal.