The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-06-29
ADMIRABLE CREIGHTON.
History Of the Famous Scholar and uni
verealiy Accomplished Courtler.


81 believe that the only authority for
the life of the Admirable Crichton is a
certain tract by the ingenious Sir
Thomas Urquhart, who translated
Rabelais. The tract is called The Dis
covery Of a Most Exquisite Jewel in
the Mud. No one man can understand
what miracle of man was this
Crichton, unless he reads the tract.
which Is written in fine scholarly
Rabelaisian spirit of extravaganza. Let
me tell the story, though the beauty of
the narrative cannot be translated into
modern Journalese. Crichton was one
of the many Scots of good family who
took service in foreign courts. their
poverty Sharpening their wits to an in
credible extent.
''Crichton was in the service of the
duke of Mantua, whose son was his
pupil. He was a great linguist. know
ing twelve languages either to speak
or write. He was rea dy to dispute in
Latin on'any theme conce rning mathe-
maths, medicine, rhetoric, logic, art,
theology. or Jurisprudence, with any
scholar who should enture He was a
master Of every kind of sport and past
time, and in the tilt yard he had no
rival LASTLY, he was an excellent
actorI One evening, for instance. he
playeH before the court OF Mantua, per-
sonattng, in kind of variet Y show, a
dozencharacters in succession.
"HSsSill. of fence was exhibited in
his fah1otis duel with u certain Italian
gladiator or soldier of fortune, who
lived by challenging all corners at vari-
Gus courts to fight for large sums of
money. Some he XII He'd, winning the
stakes; some be wou nded and gave
them their liveS in exc hange for the
money. On his arrival at Mantua he
posted on the ates a challenge to all
Corners to engage him with the single
rapier for five hundred Spa nish pis-
toles, to be laid down b V either side
Three gentlemenlof the court accepted
the challenge. The first was thrust
through the throat and fell dead. The
second was thru 1t through the heart
and fell dead. The last was thrust be-
low the heart and was carried off the
field dying. I'll ZEN Crichton stepped
forward.
''Observe the manner of the profess
sional here. He hight have been first.
But then he would only have had the
glory of Kidding the world of nuis-
ance. He allowed three to be killed
first. These d ispatched he stepped for
ward and placed one thousand five
hundred pistoles as the stake. The
event you know beforehand, but Ur-
quhart makes the scene to live. erich
ton wounded h is enemy in three places
viz, the thr ee places where he had
wounded the three m en- killed. The
duelist, who had the true artistic feel
ing, expressed his extreme satisfaction
at being killed by so mastery hand.
Crichton gave the one thousand five
hundred pistoles to tn e widows of the
three men, and so everybody was
pleased, and the renown of the 'ex-
imious, -Urquhart calls him 'eximious'
ICrichton was waited to the stars.
1.-THE manner of his death was tragic.
1t was Shrove Tuesday. He was at the
house of a princess of the court. A
troop of jewellers in isguse and masks
camesy,.the house and demanded the
right Of the day to enter. The page
who stood at the door demonstrated
They endeavor ed to push past him; he
called out and Crichton appeared
sword in hand. The others drew, and
the unequal combat began. There were
ten assailants.
In moment six were on their backs.
Crichton pressed forward upon the
other four; he was just about to thrust
at one more forward than the rest,
| when another called out
"Hold! Wound not the prince"'
'It was the prince, his own pupil,
who was leading these drunken revel-
ers Crichton stopped, and, kneeling
on his left knee, presented the hilt of
his sword to the prince. Whether in
the madness of rag or of drink, one
knows not, the prince seized the sword
and plunged it into Crichton's heart.
Thus fell the A dmirable Crichton.
When the prince recovered he wished
to kill himself This would not be al
lowed, but his life was embittered, and
his wears were few. Waiter Besant,
in London Queen.