The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-01
ADMIRABLE CREIGHTON.
History of the Famous Scholar and uni
versaiiy Accomplished Conrtier.


History of the Famous Scholar and Uni
versaiiy Accomplished Conrtier.
81 believe that the only authority for
the life of the Admiral BILE Crichton is a
certain tract by the ingenious Sir
Thomas Urquhart, who translated
Rabelais. The tract is called The Dis
covery of Most Exquisite Jewel in
the Mud No one man can understand
what miracle of a man was this
Crichton, unless he reads the tract,
which is written in a 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 great linguist know
ing twelve languages either to speal,
or write. He was dy to dispute in
Latin on any theme conce rning mathe-
matics, medicine, rhetoric, logic. art,
theology, or Jurisprudence, with any
scholar who should enture. He was n
master of every kind of sport and past
time, and in the tilt yard he had no
rival. Lastly, he was an excellent
actor. One evening. for instance, he
played before the court of Mantua per-
sonating. in a kind of variety show,
dozen characters in succession.
"His skill of fence was exhibited in
his famous duel with certain Italian
gladiator, or soldier of fortune, who
| lived by challenging G all comers at vari-
| Gus courts to fight for large sums of
money. Some he ki lied, winning the
stakes; some he wou nded and gave
| them their lives in exc hange for the
| money. On his arrival at Mantua he
posted on the gates a challenge to all
comers to engage him with the single
rapier for five hundred Spa nish pis-
toles, to be laid down by either side.
Three gentlemen of the court accepted
the challenge. The first was thrust
through the throat and fell dead. The
second was thru st through the heart
and fell dead. The last was thrust be-
low the heart an d was carried off the
field dying. Then Crichton stepped
forward.
"Observe the manner of the profess
sional here. He might have been first.
But then he would only have had the
glory of ridding the world of nuis-
! ance. He allowed three to be killed
first. These dispatched he stepped for,
ward and placed one thousand five
hundred pistoles as the stake. The
/ "a, hot -lor nd h1rf
quhart makes the scene to live. erich
ton wounded his 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 wa'
pleased, and the renown of the 'eX
imious,-Urquhart calls him 'eximious
-Crichton was waited to the stars.
"The manner of his death was tragic
; 1t was Shrove Tuesday. He was at thu
! house of a princess of the court. 4
troop of revelers in d isguse and masks
! game to the house and demanded thu
right of the day to enter. The pag'
who stood at the door demonstrated
They endeavored to push past him; h
y called out and Crichton appeared
/. sword in hand. The others drew, AM
y the unequal combat began. There wer
ten assailants.
In moment six were on their backs
e Crichton pressed forward upon tn
. other four; he was just about to thrus
: Mt one more forward than the rest
! when another called out:
"Hold! Wound not the prince!''
''It was the prince, his own pupil
i who was leading these drunken reve,
e ers Crichton stopped, and, lSneelin
on his left knee, presented the hilt c
!. his sword to the prince. Whether i
: the madness of rag or of drink, on
G knows not, the prince seized the swor
and plunged it into Crichton's hear
Is Thus fell the A dmirable Crichto1
When the prince recovered he wishe
C to kill himself. This would not be a
j. lowed, but his life was embittered, an
e his years were few. Walter Besan
~ IN J.cn1o,, Ouaon