The Delaware herald., 1854-03-22
atltstrllantOus,
Death Of Kings,

William the conquerer died from enormous
fat, from drink, and from the violence of his |
passlons. William Rufus died the death of the
poor stags that he hunted. Henry the First,
died of gluttony, having eaten too much Of a
dish of lampreys. Stephen died in few days,
of what was called lilac passions, which we
suppose may be Il royal word for prussic acid,
or something like it. Henry the Second died
Of broken heart, occasioned by the bad con-
duct of his children. A broken heart is a very
odd complaint for a monarch to die Of Per-
haps "rat's SHANE in his porrdge" meant the
same thing as a broken heart. Richard CGur
de Lion died ike the animal from which his
heart was named. by an arrow from an archer.
John died nobody knows how, but it is said of
chagrin, which, We suppose, is another term for
dose of hellebore. Henry the Third is said
TO have died natural DEATH" which, with
kings and in palaces, means the most unnatural
death by which d mortal can shuttle off tn
mortal coil" Edward the First is likewise
said to have died Of g. "natural sickness "a
sickness which ii would puzzle all the college
of physicians to denominate Edward the
Second was most 'barbarously, indecently mur-
dered by ruffans, employed by his own mother
and her paramour. Edward the Third died of
dotage, and Richard the Second of starvation,
the very reverse Of George the Fourth. Henry
is said to have died of fits caused by uueasi-
ness" and uneasiness IN palaces at these times
was very common complaint. Henry the
Fifth is said to have died 1" of painful afFiic-
ton, prematurely." This is a courtly phrase
for getting rid of a king. Oh that the glori-
GUS hero of Agircourt should have been got I'd
of by the priests, "by painful attiictlon, pre-
maturely." Henry the Sixth died in prison, by
means known then only 10 his jaIlOr, and known
, nov only by heaven. Edward the Fifth wa:
l stranglcd in the tower by his uncle Richard the
, Third, whom Humes declares to have possessed
every quality for government. This RlcharC
the Third was killed in battle, fairly, OF course
y for ali the kings were either killed fair or die,
: naturally, according to the court circulars O
i those days. Henry the Seventh wasted away
!, as miscr ought to do, and Henry the Eight
. died of carbuncles, fat and fury, whilst Edwar
the Sixth died of decline. Queen Mary, tn
j most heartless, or the most bloOd-hearted c
: wretches, is said to have died of " a broke
, heart" whereas she died of a surfeit, from eat
h lng too much Of black puddngs, her sanguinar
Is nature being prone to hogs blood, or blood {
~ any sort. Old Queen Bess is said to have die
a Of melancholy from having sacrificed Essex I
= bis enemies. James the First died Of drinkin
.. and of the effects Of a nameless vice. Charlie
II the First died righteous death on the scafol'
,o and Charles the Second died suddenly it Is sal
- of appoplexy. William the Third died from
;r consumptive habit of body, and from Tie stun
- bling of his horse. Queen Anne died from hC
=, attachment to "strong waters" or, in otht
~ " words, from drunkenness, which the physician
:, politely called the dropsy. Gorge the Fir
- died of drunkenness, which his physicians
+ politely termed an apponetic fit. George Il
~ Second died by a rupture of the heart, whiC
n the period dcals Of that day as politely termed
~ ~ visitation of God 1t is the only instance
- which God ever touched his heart George Il
~ Third died as he had lived-a madman.-
od Throughout life he was at least a consiste
- monarch. George the Fourth died Of gluttoI
"A. and drunkenness William the Fourth di
ot amidst the syrnpathies Of his subjects.