SIR THOMAS MORE'S HEAD.-A...
The Times, 1824-06-21T00:00:00

SiR THOmAS MORE'S HEAD.-A fevw davs since, in making some necessary repairs in St. Dunstan's churcl, Canterburv, a box was found, containing the head of the great Lord Chancellor of England, who was condemned to the block by that ruthless King. Henry VIII.. for refusing totalletheoath of supremacy to that self- willed Aonarch. The head, with the exception of a few of the teeth, was much decayed; ard the sacred remaitls have been restored to their resting-place. Our readers are aware that Sir Thomas was be- headed on the 6th of July, 1535, in the 53d year of his age, but they are not, perhaps. equally aware, that after the execution, though the body was buried in the clhurch of St. Peter, in the Tower, and after- wards in Chelsea church, where it now lies, yet his head was set on a pole upon London-bridge. and was afterwards privately bought by his danglhter ALargaret, wife of John Roper, Esq. (a distinguished family long resident in the parish of St. Dunstan). His daughter preserved the head in a box with much devotion, and placed it in a vault, parly in the wall on the south aide of the church, where it was' recently discovered, and very near to her own tomb. The south chasseel of the church i5 called t'3_pgoCh:isssL ssd4heremnug the helmet and surcoat, wi~th the anna of Sir'T. M0ore on it.-Kent Herald. Our readers wvouldl collect from the proceelings of two public meetings detailed in our last paper,that a "strike" of tbe jour- neyman bricklayers in this town had taken place for an advance of sixpence per day upoD their wages, and that the masters had deter- mined to resist this demand, judging it to be tireasonable. We are informe(d that a number of the men have since turned in, and resumed their work at 'thc old prices, and that several others from distant places have arrived, so that the progress of the different build. ings has not been imnpeded so much as was anticipated. Under these circumstances, it is a subject worthy the serious consideration of the workmen who still stand out, whether a perseverance in the strike will not be permanently injurious to their interests, by intro- ducing such an influx of strangers into the town as may overstock the market witb this kind of labour, and thereby produce even a de- preciation of wsrages. We feel great pleasure in having to state,tbat not the sliglhtest infraction of the public peace has taken place. The journeymen tailors have also grounded their arm:, without anv symptoms of returning suberdination; and if that important body should continue to hold out, the beaut monde will have to end4re the heazy misfortune of being two or three weeks behind the fashion, at a juncture when gaiety ought to be in its zenith. The sawyers have also made a strike, and have now been three weeks unem- ployed.-_Leeds fercury. On Monday, Jeffery Leak, James Taylor, John Firth, and .John Bottomley, late workmien of Alessrs. Stirk and Horsfield, of this town machine.makers, were convicted of leaving the service of their employers before the term for which they had respectively hired themselves had expired, and were sentenced to be imprisoned one month in the House of Correction at W17akefield, and to be cor- rected, which, in the interpretation invariably put uhpon it, means flogged. Wre mention this conviction for the purpose of expressillg our strong disapprobation of'exposing thesubjectsof this free coun- try to so brutal addegrading a punishm'ent, and also of csLlngthe serious attention of the labouring classes to tiis abc inat- ment, in the hopethat it will induce them to petition Parliament for its immediate repeaL Since the above paragraph was at press, we have been informed that the magistrates have altered their judg- ment, and committed the workmen for two months, leaving out the flogingu; but this fact does not in the least lessen the cogency of our remarks on the case as it originally stood.-Leeds Mfercuzry. 1)UEL.-A meeting took place at Dieppe, on the 8th inst., between M1lr. Lucius'John French, late of the. Royal Navy, and an officer of the Swiss regiment quartered in that town. The circun.- stance which led to the meeting was at first of a verv trifling ntture and the necessary explanations were conducted on the part of ir. French with such sang froid, that his antagonist conceived there existed no inclination to give him a meeting, and accordingly re- ported among his friends that DIr. French had acted with cowardice. his reportresched the ears of Mr. French, who soon took the steps necessary to convince him of his error, and a meeting was appointed. 31r. French was accompanied by MRr. Murray, Light Dragoons, and by Captain Brazier, R.N.; the Swiss by an offlcer of his own corps. y the first shlot the Swiss was wounded ir the left breast; a second round was fired withoateffect, M1r. French's pistol having- missed fire; the parties were -preparing for a third shot, when they were ar- rested by a couple of gendarmes ; after which a reconciliation was effected by the interference of the secdn&s.-British Traveler., MlA'RLEOOUGH-STRFEET.-On Satirday last Wm. Ramsy Ro- binson, the young man in custody upon various charges of felony, and whose ease has, during the past week, excited a censiderable de- gree of public interest, wasbrought up fot the magistrates' final deri. sion, as to whether or not Mr.-Andrews's application to have the prisoner admitted to bail could be complied with. On the last ex- amination Air. Abraham, the young man's master, offered bail to the ampuntof 2,0001., four gentlemen in 5001. each, for his appear. ance to meet the charges against him at thbesessions, and the magis- trates took until Saturday to consider upon the sabject, whes Air. DYEt, who presided, said, that after the best consideration that himselfand his brother magistrates coald give the proposal, they were of opinion that the circumstances of suspicion were too strong in this case to warrant them in doing what, if their duty permit- tcd, they should be very happy to do, to grant the required- favour eitherto Mr. Andrews or Mr. Abraham. IUr.DrR, tberefore,aaid that the prisoner muststand committed, but he had no doubtthatan arratngement might be made not to mix him up with the other nc- soners in Newgate. SMr. SheriffLaiurie, who attended,' aid t t he wonld take care that the prisqoher should be kept separate from - the others, and io a room byhimnself% until thesessons. MIARYLEsRO2N1 OFrrCE.-On Saturday last, Rllhr Till and JohnAr .ead, footman tq LIord Rossmore, were brought before the sitting Miagistrate by Staples, charged with robbing Lord Rossmore. of a miniature-set in gold, also avaluable crystal box niounted in; gold. It appeared tbathis lIordlhip, having missed the mitiature looked over other valutables that were irn the same place, and foun| that a crystal box was also tnissing. Hislordship immediately comn municated his loss to this office. Staples was despatched, when, after diligent inquiiy, he traced the minniature to ir. Burchett's,'! pawnbroker, Paddington-street. where it was pawned for thirteen- shillings, in the nanme of Till. Staples, knowing the party, iriniediately Went 'to her lodgings, and tound on her person theduplicateof the rniniature. She stated that it was given to her by a Alrs. Hudson, who lodged in the sameiottse with ter. TF!e forenian of ir. Hall, pawnbroker, of High-stroet, sttated that the prisoner Till came to their shop and inqui ed the value of the box. I1r. l-allbeing'suspicionx, retained the box until Till could produce the owner. Ste accordinglybrought Ars. Hudson, who .tated that; she received it from a footman in Slsepherd's-market, as security for 75. which lie was indebted to her, and inqusired if any pern bath been there respecting it; this confirmned Alr. Halls suspicions and he accordingly advertised it in The Times. Till admitted that she pawned the miniattire,and also ofreirtd the box for sale, but declared tiat it was at the request of Alr3 . Hudson. TheprisonerAlead declared his innocence of tobbinghis Lordship ; but arlmittetl that he had introduced a woman, it-migist be ludion, into his Lordship's house.. The Magistrate asked Staples ithe had strong suspicioti -of thc prisoner 31ead. ' taples replied that he had, but itwrould be requisite to remand the 'prionrs, as 'at present it asimpos-sible to bring forward Hud- son, shc being so ill that at present she could not-be mxoved. The prisoners wrere accordingly reissaded.