Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-06-04
HOnOred Hearts.

THE romantic incidents connected with
the heart of Robert Bruce and also that
of the gallant Marquis of Montrose are
pretty well known. Such incidents,
however remarkable, are by no means
singular, as the following facts will
show:
Paul Whitehead, sometime Secretary
to the Medmenham Club, and dabbler
in rhyme, dying in 1714, left his heart to
his noble friend and patron, Lord lie
Despencer, to be deposited in the mauso-
leum in West Wycombe. Lord lie De
spencer accepted the bequest, had the
heart wrapped in lead and placed in a
marble urn, and on the 10Th of May,
1715, it was carried to its resting place
with much ceremony. Preceding the
bier bearing the urn marched grena-
dier officer in full uniform, nine grena-
diers, two deep, the odd one last, two
German flute-players, two surpliced
choristers, with notes pinned to
their backs" two more flute players,
eleven men in surplices, two French
horn-players, six fifers, four bassoon-
players and six drummers with muffled
drums. Lord lie Despencer, as chief
mourner, followed the bier in his uni
form as Colonel of the Bucks Militia,
and was succeeded by nine officers of
the same corps, two fifers, two drum
mers, and twenty soldiers with their fire.
locks reversed. The musicians played
the " Dead March in SAUL" DIR. Arnold,
Mr.. Attercury and another gentleman
beating time with scrolls of paper The
church bells tolled and cannon was
discharged every three and half min
utes. Upon reaching the mausoleum
Nla.- grTf rFYt al
and round it singing funeral glees, then
the urn was carried inside and placed
upon pedestal bearing the name of the
whilom owner of the heart, and the
| lines:
Unhallowed hands this urn forbear;
No gems, no Oriental spoil
Lie here concealed; but, what's more rare,
A heart that knew no guile.
Spite of the injunction, some unhalloweC
hand stole the urn In 1859, and the
whereabouts of Whitehead's heart re
mains mystery to the present day.
We are not sure that Byron's should b,
reckoned among the lost hearts, but WI
have somewhere read that, when it wa
resolved to send his body from Msso
longhi TO England, the Greeks entreatet
that he heart of the poet, who dreamed
Greece might still be free and wrough
his best to make the dream a reality
might be left to them. The claim wa
allowed, and they inclosed the preciou
relic in silver casket. When the fal
of Missolonghi could no longer b
averted, party of its defenders sailed
bearing the heart with them, to cut thei
way through the Turkish army. TIL
attempt was u successful one, but tn
heart of the famous Englishman was lef
4 Il la lasa
the desperate band had passed. NapOle
on's heart came nigh to suffer NOR
ignoble fate. 1t had been removed froI
the great captains body to be put in
, separate case; and fearing Nine. Be
trand might steal it, since she had dC
clared her determination to become il
possessor, the doctor in charge place
the heart in glass upon his bedrool
table. In the middle of the night tn
sound of breaking glass started him OF
of doze, just in time to enable him
1 detect brown rat dragging the En
) peror's heart toward his hole The do
+ tor rescued it, fastened it in a silvt
e urn, and placed it in the coffin with th
< body; but had he slept little nor
S soundly the heart of "imperial C@si
0 dead" would have served as titbit for
S rats supper Shelley's heart detied cr'
Y nation and after his body was consume
y was snatched from the subslding flame
G by Capt Trelawny and found TO
c entire-a circumstance commemorate
I by the words, "Cor Cordium, +" inscribC
t on marble slab, marking where d
S poets ashes and heart lie in the Protes
n ant burialplace at Rome.
i When Richard the Lion-hearted kne'
C he should never don armor or dra
c sword again he willed that his boo
o should be laid at his dead fathers feet
l. Fontevrault, in token of his sorrow 4
g the many uneasinesses he had caus'
d him in his lifetime, but he bequeath'
If his heart to Rouen, in the acknowled
y ment of the great truth and constancy
his Norman subjects. The bequest W
gratefully accepted, and duly honor
r with beautiful shrine in the cathedrS
,s but its beauty did not save it from bell
n DESTROYED In 1873 with other Plantagen
A memorials. In 1888 the mutilated eifil
'd of the famous crusader was discover
" under the cathedral pavement, and ne
10 Il a leaden casket which had inclosed
~ heart, which the finders replaced. /
lr fore long, however, il was taken
again, and removed to the Museum