The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-07-06 00:00:00

first court, the wary general was'struck by the appearance
of what seemed a considerable force. Not only the main
guard occupied the first court, but men were ranged in

open fugi. ne top of the walls, and on the towers,
in such a manner as to appear more numerous than they

A, on t

really we

This was done by the advice of Captain Farmer, not
only to prevent a surprise, but to intimidate the enemy
by appearance of strength, for the army which besieged
Lathom amounted to 4,01 men. Sir Thomas, and a
gentleman of quality who accompanied him, were received
with a lofty courtesy. But when he offered terms, the
lady required a month's delay to consider of them.
" Not a day's," was the reply, and Fairfax departed.
He was still uncertain whether to commence a regular
siege, or to attempt to take the place by storm ; but he
was deceived by a mean negotiation between one of his
officers and the chaplain of the house, into the belief that
the countess had no store of provisions. He therefore
decided on a siege : for fourteen days hostilities were de-
layed—then, supposing that her supplies were exhausted,
he summoned the countess to surrender. The answer,
sent by a trumpeter, was worthy the heroine who penned
it. It was this :—" That, as she had not lost her regard
for the Church of England, nor her allegiance to her
prince, nor her faith to her lord, she could not, therefore,
as yet, give up the house ; that they must never hope to
gain it till she had either lost all of these, or her life, in
defence of them." And this reply came after a torturing
continuance of suspense of fourteen days.
The Beige now began in earnest, and it continued with-
out let or intermission during a space of three months.
Many were the gallant feats of arms which distinguished
the sorties made by the garrison ; and well was the spirit
men sustained by the heroic courage of their mis-
,. She feared neither shot nor shell. More than
once a cannon-ball passed through the chamber, and much
was she annoyed by the fire of a mortar—a new engine of
war in those days—at least to the troops which held
Lathom House. But she made light of every peril which
threatened her own person, and taught her people, by the
example which she set, to prefer death to dishonour.
These things have occurred elsewhere, therefore we need
not dwell upon them. But possibly the following little
anecdote may interest, though that, too, might be
paralleled, had we leisure, at this moment, to look about
fr its f

.or its tac-simile.
It happened, during the progress of the siege, that a dog,
belonging to some gentleman in the house, proved himself
a friend to man in a very remarkable manner. Me chap-
lain, who managed all correspondence carried on by the
garrison with their friends without, by means of ciphers,
was in great want of some means of conveying his de-
spatches out of the house, surrounded on every side, as it
was, by enemies ; till, observing that a dog was in the
habit of going to and fro from his master in the house t
his mistress, who lived a short distance from it, he deter-
mined to make the animal his messenger. Having tied
his despatch, tightly rolled, by a thin string, to the neck
of the animal, he managed to convey intelligence of it to

the gentlewoman, wife of the dog's master, and directed
her to forward all she received, as she best could, to his
majesty. She did so ; and having kept the trusty crea-
ture by her for a day or so without food, she then turned
him out of doors, and he invariably returned to his mas-
ter in Lathom House. By this means the poor besieged
inhabitants sent intelligence of their condition to the king
and his friends, and received in their turn news back from
them. For many months the faithful animal discharged
this important office, bringing encouragement to the gar-
rison, enabling them to know on what they might de-
pend ; so that, having accurate information of the state
of the king's affairs, they were never excited by false
hope, nor too much cast down by the disappointment of
ill-founded expectations. But the fate of the faithful dog
was melancholy. One day, when returning to the house,
laden with tidings as usual, an idle soldier discharged his
musket at the poor creature. The dog, true to his trust,
managed to drag himself near the gate with his_prseseiciautis,
cargo, and then laid himself
down and died. His
deprived the garrison of a most sure and trusty. friend,
and of the greatest comfort and solace of which their con-
dition was susceptible—the means of communication with
the outer world.
During three months the contest was protracted, but
Charlotte de la Tremouille prevailed. The parliamentary
general, on the 27th of May, withdrew his forces to 80l-

s of Lathom, two thousand alone marched away, such
been the slaughter ; and the 'Eagle Tower still rose
?riot's in its untouched strength, the banner of the
Lleys -waving proudly over it. A short interval of
less was there in the halls of Lathom, and a brief

season of repose to the noble Charlotte, before another
host appeared before the gates. No longer were the
cropped locks and demure faces of the parliamentarians
No, a gallant band, headed by one of the hand-
hers of his time, came riding gaily and tri-
be voice of Prince Rupert,

nig the last and the preceding year, country members had
been more occupied with watching the attitude and the
proceedings of the ministry, and less with the conflicting
statements of rival companies and engineers. Had they
been attending to the Currency and the Corn-laws, we
ought to have escaped from a commercial crisis, in which
even the railway shareholder, as I imagine, has been to-
thorn House. lerably severely pinched. And really, Ido not think that
Rupert was, at this period, in the full perfection of his we are compensated in the sight of Heaven, by our five
auth, being twenty-five years of age. His portrait, and guineas a-day, for the enormous immoralities which we
hat of his less distinguished brother, Prince Maurice, contract in this overgrown and seductive city. There are
afford specimens of the noblest style of manly beauty. some thousands of us here, all living like plethoric game-
As you gaze upon them, in the hall of Warwick Castle, cocks ; and, so far as I can gather, going, in plain lan-
limned by Vandyke, you feel how much such persons, guage, as fast as possible to the devil. I wish you saw the
such countenances, a bearing so aristocratic, yet so free, scramble which takes place in the lobby of the committee
must have influenced the affections even' of the rudest rooms at twelve. A perfect torrent of engineers, sur-
oldiery. Perhaps of the two, the handsomer is Maurice; veyors, solicitors, agents, and witnesses—in the middle of
but his is the more subdued countenance—the more which, every here and there, appears the cauliflower head
effeminate expression, if such a term can be applied to of a counsel—pours up the stairs. The refreshment table

somest c
umni-arant

m:eign accents, was heard saluting the lady of

apert, the hero alone appears. And below is blocked up with thirsty demons, all clamorous for
.uyish words of his, uttered when hunt- soda-water, their matutinal tea having failed to quench the
n some English park in 1633 : old hereditary drought. You wrestle your way
• I wish I could break my neck, for then I should committee-room, and before the members meet, you bk.
• '"----'and !" come the edified auditor of such scraps of information as
the following :—" Whaur d'ye think Jimsc-- 4
tae last nicht after The
VEsuvius.—The cone surmounted, we I dinna ken : some deil's ouckie's errand, I'se be boun,
-e edge of a dark crater some two miles in cir- —" Gosh, man ! we gaed tae the Puckadully Saloon ; at,
id of no great depth. We experienced new sensa- Jimsey there took twa turns wi' an opera dancer in thF
ng the fissured crust which covers it. Polka. Eh, man ! she was a grand yin."—" Was --
s were crackling around us; at every other feared, Jimsey ?"—" Me feared ? Deil a bit.
)ugh partial rents the red-hot lava flowing I was unto like Count Dorsy."=" And
of the sea, and momentary explosions after ?"—" I dinna mind : I was awful ton.
Is the subterranean gas escaped. The wasna muckle better mysel'. Me and Watts
`hat of the bed of some vast furnace, gaed down to Greenitch, and we foregathered wi' twa
'red the cooling masses with orange Paisley lads in the steam-hnnt •
sted the

into th

leave my bones in
(The conclusion next week.)

Lnd me gae
—" I'm sup

Judge and Jury ?'

CRATER. OF

whaur did ye g

of smoke which d'ye find yoursel' this morning, Watt
and bottom. I I ava. I vv(

%t eleven with my boots on,

I somebody

cl. with ash

helped theirsel' to my watci

I dinna

mouth of the funnel. It was a lake of I pinchb
smoke whirled up from it; occasional'
ame with fumes of brinrtoi

Geordie

Wha
That's mair nor c

He's an awtu

then

made i

WC cot

ly our cou

I then f

would seem c

the obl

which we did not like ; there v

But still, v

look for a Government

those who will form i

t When inpowert they will do. then:

various events. en,

m,

no longer hesitation
doubts to the winds

The time was con
md• then we rem(

painful

1, and in

vice and the injunctions of Sir D
the midst of difficulty and discourag
ourselves with the confidence which his assuram
we remembered the reliance which he placed on t
Protestant feelino, of England ; we cheered ourselvea,
above all, on that highest support to which his words and
his example pointed • we felt that if our cause was good,
He that guides a good cause would not fail us. ..`Vg did,
therefore, under the pressure of strong circumstances, its
your Grace well. remeinbers' (the Duke of Ilfanchester),
with von at our head, form the National Club."

Thus we a:

fly indebted to thi

nent, we cheered

fldential Associaiion, which will for ever upl

preeminence c

ition and in
We hop

of our country ; in despite of all thf
trigues of a dissatisfied and apostatical few
the Protestant electors of Liverpool will besti]
and each resolve to do his duty in returning Sir Digby
and thus show to the country at large, that they are sti]
true and honest to their principles.

LIVERPOOL JULY

Poynton

Lolhario...
Chanticleer

Inheritres

Brocardo....
The Conjuror
Yardley ... .

Roweda

Inglewood
Cossack...

Gwalior.
Picnic . ,

Conspiracy

ACCEPTANC

yrs. st.lb
. 6.. 8

MEETIN

S FOR THE CUP

5 1 Sheraton

4. . 8 4 I Plaudit

aged.. 8 4 I Comet

4.. 8 4 I Hydrometer

Fitzallen
Crown Prince,
Don John...

aged.. 8 3 Woodpecker ..
... 4.. 7 12 Flahowlah
... 4.. 7 12 Romance
aged.. 7 8 Punch
6..7 8 Wanota
5 Camera Obscura

5 I Wiseacre

4 The Lamb
2 Geraldine

5:: 7 2 hiss Castling,
4.. 7 2 Queen Mary ,
4 7 1

5..7 0
4. . 6 12
5.. 6 11
4.. 6 11
5..6 6
4.. 6 6
4..6 6

THE CROPS AND THE FOOD MARKETS

Potatoes are looking most promising, not the slightest
of disease being visible.—Kilkenny Journal. _ _ _

LIMERIcx.--:The reports hence'are most cheering. Po-
tatoes have been dug in several districts, and found to be
of the best quality.

HARVEST PROSPECTS.—AII our provincial contempo-
raries concur in bearing testimony to the luxuriant and
healthy appearance of the crops in their respective dis-
tricts.

WATERFORD.—In the memory of man never was there
such a magnificent appearance of a great harvest. All
crops are in a gloridus state of progress. No blight here!
No prospect of more causes of disease, famine, and death
in this neighbourhood ! Waterford Chronicle.
The bug-bear of the potato blight seems to have en-
tirely disappeared, and we hear nothing either of Mr.
Smee's vastator or Mr. Cooper's electricity.—Unhappily.
we cannot yet be sure that disease will not attack the po-
tato ; but it is well to know that it has not.—Pilot.

PROSPECTIVE CHEAPNESS OF POTATOES.—SO confi-
dent are the growers of the healthiness of the potato crop
this year, that we were told on Thursday, by a highly
respectable gentleman, of .a farmer who had engaged to
deliver five hundred loads in October, at five shillings per
load!—Manchester Threes.

We have been favoured by Mr. Robert Jackson, Bally-
saxe, county Meath, with an ordinary specimen of white
wheat the stalk of which measures four feet in length, and
the ear is full and weighty. He assures us that the con-
dition of the oat and potato crops warrants the most san-
guine anticipations of an abundant produce.—Dublin
Evening Herald.

We have been requsted by a subscriber to state the
latest periods at which the different varieties of turnips
should be sown this season (Swedes not included)—Aber-
deens till the 10th of July ; Dales hybrid till the 31st of
July ; but the sooner now that either of the above are
sown the better. Norfolks and Globes at any time in
July ; stone and Dutch turnips to the middle of August ;
but, except on good land, and on well sheltered stations,
this is a late period at which to sow any kind of turnip.—
Irish Farmers' Gazette,

CHEAPNESS OF VEGETABLES.—The supply of vegeta-
bles to the London markets is very abundant. At Co-
vent-garden, good new potatoes, not the least diseased,
have been selling as low as Bs. per hundred weight, with a
good supply. Lettuces were selling at 3d. per score'; cab-
bage plants, from 2s. to 2s. 6d. per dozen bunches ; cab-
bages, from 9d. to ls. 6d. per dozen, and other commodi-
ties equally cheap. So great has been the supply of haut-
boys and strawberries, that the hawkers of the metropolis
were selling them about the streets at the low price of 2d.
per pound.

ARRIVALS OF GRAlN.—Upwards of 8,000 quarters of
grain arrived at this port last week at two successive
tides. One beautiful brig, the Warrior, of Montrose, has
2,000 quarters. Those cargoes are all from foreign ports,
and we hear that much more is on the way, From the
pre-occupied state of our numerous granaries no stowage
could be obtained, and in the meantime the vessels in
which freights came had to be detained for want of better
accommodation. This does not bear out the assertion of
famine abroad with which interested parties alarmed us
so much throughout the winter and spring.—Perth Con-
stitutional.

THE FOOD CROPS IN AMERICA.--According to the
New York Morning Herald, the prospects of the grain
crop are highly promising in these countries. There are
no blighted spots in the wide fields of the states. Some
of the wheats were injured in the spring by the drought
and the cold winds, but where they partially failed, fine
crops of maize sown in their place had sprung up. The
weather latterly had been very fine and feeding. Where
tobacco, too, was unpromising, it has been superseded by
spring wheat and other grain. From the eastern states
the accounts are most cheering, and a greater quantity of
-4,thiffs is expected than was ever before produced in
. A Much greater breadth of potatoes has
also been sown than formerly. In New Jersey alone the
surface sown with corn exceeds that of last year by
100,000 acres, which at a low estimate ought to yield four
millions of bushels ! Pennsylvania will yield more than
Michigan can this year spare 500,000

one season

barrels of flour. The blight reached the southern portor
of Racine and Walworth counties, but all through tbc
northern, middle, and western sections, the standinf
grain presents a luxuriant appearance ; and it is confi.
dently expected that the surplus for export will greatl
1
exceed that of any form

ear. Last

the territory was someti
The Wisconsin Sentin

doubt ea

for the prese

c know

1 Smith; was o
very lOw degree
pain, as well a

the Limerick 1

shadow of a doubt but tha
,ntsitnes are very much di,

d assuredly the pap
Sligo, Clare. Westr

received

in abo'

I,cotch and Ei
tained rottenn

whether of wheat

ivation c

July 6, 1841.

THE APPROACHING GENEfiAL ELECTION.

Mr. Macgregor, of the Board of Trade, has put up for
Glasgow. If elected, he is to resign his official situation.
A Currency Reform Association has been formed at
Paisley.

The intention of Mr. Ewart fto solicit again the repre-
sentation of Dumfries has been announced. He will by
returned-without opposition. -

The Hull Packet says there is a likelihood of Mr. Ser-
geant Wilkins becoming a candidate for the representation
of a borough in Yorkshire at the forthcoming election.
OLDHAM.—The friends of Messrs. Fielden and Cobbett
are vigorously prosecuting their canvass and speak in con-
-1

CARNARVONSIII

3r our coup

nd rage