New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-26
How Kings and Queens Have Died.

Queen Victoria completed her fifty-third year,
May "a as 1910 was her birth year. She can
hardly be called old, though she has entered
upon the decline Of life-and in England they do
"ot count hity,three as so advanced a time az
wc count II. English soyereigns till later times
We're not long lived persons, and passed away
rapidly, thanks to hard living, hard riding, hard
eating, hard fighting, barbed arrows, sharp
axes. pointed daggers, and red hot pokers.
William |. died froE; saddle, pommel being
driven upon his big stomach-or, perhaps we
should say, from his big stomach having been
driven against a saddle pommel, William H.,
u is supposed, from Walter Tyrrels arrow.
Henry /. from much grief and more lampreys.
stephen from the lilac passion-which is fine
name for extreme collie. Henry II. from fever,
brought on by rage. Richard ]. by the arrow
OF Bertrand de Gourdon. John, from eating
too many peaches, and washing them down with
TOO much new ale-though peaches never hurt
any one yet, and you can't eat too many of en-,
save that they are so couioundedy costly; and
had John joined the total abstinence society, and
kept the pledge he might have lived fifty years
longer, to be anything but blessing to his sub
leets, particularly the Jews, to whom he was
dentist in ordinary Henry III. went Off from
sort of fever. Edward !. O4ougshanks) from
dysentery and general weakness, which made it
impossible 10 use his long legs eitherin walking or
riding Edward II. was killed with hot poker.
Edward III. expired from n general decline, at
the grand elimacteric. Richard lis head came
into collision with Sir Piers Extnn's axe. and
SO was clouted beyond repair Oae authority
says he died in Scotland, having escaped from
his English prison. Henry ~. died Of white
eprosy and black care. Henry V. was killed
by dysentery, after escaping the dangers Of Aim
court. Henry VI. is supposed to have been
killed-some say that the Duke of Gloucester
who made himself Richard III. t.ckled him to
death with his dagger-and others that lac died
of frenzy, on hearing some bad news, which was
the more strange because he had seldom heard
anything else during his life. Edward ~. was
killed by women, wine, and war. Edward "
IS said to have been smothered by his uncle
Richard, who had pressing occasion for his
throne but the story rests on slender evidence.
Richard III. died by the sword on Bosworth
field. Henry VII. was worn out by anxiety and
trouble. Henry VIII. died from excessive fat.
Edward VI. died young, from debility. Mary
l. from dropsy. Elizabeth from care, uneasi-
ness, Jealousy, and .perplexity. James l. from
tertian ague mental modification. Charles /.
met with fatal accident; the edge of Greg
DRY Brandon's sharp broad-axe fell upon him
between the head aud shoulders, Just at the
moment be had placed his throat on a dull block.
Charles II. died from appoplexy; and so did
his brother James II. Mary H. from small
box and her consort and co king William LII.
from complication of complaints, which the
stumbling of his horse. whereby his collar bone
was broken, brought 20 a crisis. Anne died
from appopIexy, or from some similar complaint,
brought on by indigestion, as she was a very
gross liver, and to a surieit Of black cherries
has been assigned the occasion Of her dissolu
ton. George |. died in a fit. in his carriage,
while on his way to his beloved Hanover; and
George ii. died even as suddenly, OF a tit in his
closet. George lIt's death was from old age,
and general decline Of all The powers.
George Tvs death was immediately occa-
stoned by congestion of the lungs, but he had
been much troubled by govt and dropsy, and by
other complaints. William ". died from ossiG-
cation of the heart.
Kings are very human, and their sovereignty
cannot keep of sickness, nor their divinity
hedge ont death. We hope it will be very many
years before any one. will be able to speak OF
the cause or occasion of Queen Victoria DEATH
So good a woman and excellent sovereign
ought to attain to the high honor of having the
Longest reign of any sovereign in English his
tory. The longest reign in English history is
that Of George H., which lasted for about
three months over fitynine years 1760-lS2O.)
The longest reign IN European history, so far a.
we can recollect, is that of Louis XIV, which
lasted for some months over seventy.two years
(l6i8-l7l5.) The place of seniority has been
assigned TO Ferdinand l., King Of the two
Siciiies but he reigned only sixty-six years
(l159-l725. )-B0StoB Troceler.