Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-04-07

trance in the coffin on theirway to the
grave-and not a few have been by acct
dent discovered TO have been buried alive,
aad to have made violent struggles under
the earth to break their prison bounds
One Of those instances ought to have been
enough to deter the relatives of deceased
persons from intering-the body till GER
tain stage Of putrefaction testiies the i'm
possibility of recovery. To the many
which have from time 10 time been pub
lished as caution to society on this sub
jeci, am about TO furnish you with one ad-
dition, which stands recorded on the pages
OF the anecdotes of the times in which it
occurred, authenticated by several respec-
table historians. An instance so singular
is well calculated to attract public atten-
ton, and 10 be treasured up in the memo
y-and therefore | offer il 10 the public,
in order 10 stimulate the relatives and
friends of persons whose animation has
been suspended by drowning or any other
accident, and to encourage them not to re.
lax in their efforts to recover them, how
ever hopeless appearances may be. | also
mean it as salutary check on persons Of
another description, the residuary legatees,
second cousins, iavorite housekeepers, and
religious intimates OF wealthy old bachel-
ors, rich widows, and childless, or childish
old men; would desire them not to be too
hasty in laying them ont, and 10 pay some
little regard to decency and decorum, be.
fore they sendfor the undertaken, screw up
the coffin, and rummags for the will. A
spark Of life not yet wholly extinguished
may be reused into fame, and their ava
ricious hopes be ultimately defeated BY
new devlsee.
The circumstance propose to relate,
took place in the middle Of the sixteenth
century, during the reigns Of queen Eliza.
beth Of England, and Charles the ninth Of
France, ata period when The intrepid fe.
male who filed the English throne felt it
her duty or her interest to interfere in the
wars Of The league, and actually sent an ar
my of six thousand men, under the COM
mand of Ambrose Dudley, carl Of Warwick,
who took possession OF Dieppe and Havre
de Grace, but was too late to prevent the
city OF Rouen being taken by assault by the
Duke Of Guise and his party.
1t was at this siege, in defending fort St.
Catharine, strong post, that Francis de
St. Civile, a young man OF a good family in
Normandy, leading on the company he
commanded, received musket shot, which
entering his right cheek, and passing OF.
liguely downwards, was buried in his neck.
A considerable efiusion Of blood took place,
he fell motionless on the ground, and soon
after being considered as dead, was strip.
ped, and with another corpse, committed
to the earth.
A'faIhful servant long corrected with,
and warmly attached to bis family, impa-
tiently waited his return, and OF being told
what had happened, was anxious 10 see the
body Of bis beloved master, and with an
amiable superstition to give it christian bu-
rial. In the eagerness OF zeal and Of love,
he procured several soldiers Of NJ. dc St.
CiSiIe's company 10 attend him with torch
es to the spot where the captain was bu.
ried. The day was already closed, when
he received the melancholy intelligence
and solemn stiffness reigned over spot
so lately the scene Of carnage and confu-
sion.
They opened many graves in vain, and
as they were fearful Of exciting the atten-
ton, and craving upon them the fire Of the
besiegers, were preparing to return with
out having accomplished their business,
when this rusty domest;c's attention was
suddenly attracted by some bright body on
the ground, which rejecting the blaze of
the torch sparkled in his eyes. Turning
back to examine the cause, he saw unco-
yered hand and arm Of some corpse al
ready buried: on closer inspection, and
gazing with eager looks, he found that The
glit:ering object was diamond ring on one
Of the fingers this he instantly recognized,
having formerly brought it TO his master as
a token of love from the mistress of the
young soldiers heart.
The body was disin:erred without delay,
and the valet, bearing it in his arms, return.