Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1905-08-26 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

WILLIAM ANDREWS.  The humbler meanbers of society who carsnaitted suicide in bygone times were usually buried at the meeting of four cress roads, and a 6take was driven through the body. When fele ck se closed the careers of the rich they were usually interrtd in the churchyards of this country. In Shakespeare's time this cla.ss distinction prevailed, as we gather from the grave scene in "Hamlet," when the clowns a prapaa:ng the grave of "Ophelia." The followmg are the dramatist's words:  "Second Clown: But is thin law? "First Clown: Ay, marry, is't; crownor's quest law. "Second Clown: Will you ha' the truth on't If this had not been a gont,ewoinan, she should bave been buried out o' Christian burial.  "First Clown: Why, there thou eay'st; and the more pity that great folk should have emutenvnce in this world to drown or hang themeelves more than their even Christian" (that is, their equal fellow Christian). Bearing somewhat on this subject there is a striking passage in William Hone is "Every Day Book." Mention is first made of a fatal duel in 1803. It appears two inilitiary officers quarrelled, and fought at Primrose Hill, because their dogs had quarrercd in Hyde Park. Moralising on the fatal event, the writer concludes his reflections as follows :—"The humble strieidie is buried with ignominy in a cross road, and the finper-post marks his grave for public scorn. The proud duellist reposes in a Christian grave beneath marble, proud and daring as himself."  The more human of OUT eou:ntrymen eondimmed burial at cross roads. and a muchneeded reform was brought about. Before, hcwever, reproducing the Act of Parliament itsperiting the burial of isuieddes. it will not be without interest to give some details of burials in the highways. Simpson, in his volume of "Derby Gleanings," reocrds that on the 10th of July, 1618, "an old incorrigible rogue cut his own throat, in the county gaol, and was buried in Green-lane, Derby." We have not any particulars of this "incorrigible rogue," but he would doubtless be interred at nig it, and a stake driven through his body. In the parish register of West Hallam, in the same county, we get another instance of burial at 'four lane ends. The entry reads:—"l69B, Katharine, the wife of Thomas Smith, a,lso Cutler, wa4s found felo de se by ye coroner's ingticst and interred in ye crossways near windmill on ye same day." The local historian is silent respecting this oase of suicide, and all that is now known of the poor woman's end is contained in the parish register. A Norwieh newspaper of 1728 states that the body of a hat-presser, after a verdict of felo de se-, was accordingly buried in the highway. Even as late as October 31st, 1899, we find it stated in a daily paper that a singular discovery was made at Harbourne, near Birmingham. A number of labourens were engaged in the vicinity of four cross roads excavating the ground for the purpose of widening the road, when they unc-arthed the skeleton of a man, with a wooden stake driven through the sternum. The skeleton was evidently that !,1 a suicide, who in accordance with the custom of the 041 clays, had had a stake driven through his heart and then been buried at the dead of night at cross roads. Not far from Reston Lincolnshire, is a thorn tree known as the "13:awthorn Tree," which ;s represented in a pretty picture in Pishey T horn mem 's " Hicitary and Antiquities of Boetun " (1856). It is in the parish of Fishtott, and at the intersections of the Tower-l-anie and the road to Fialrtoft Ohnreli th* low roma to Freioton. tree," Map Thompson. "is  traditionally stated to have been originally a stake driven into the grave of a (feinatlie) suicide, who %VIM buried a.t cross -roads." Phi a singular story i 6 vrnerally bedieved in the distriot.  *l2.e Ae .0e ..,11. .1, ve,Apkavevoleve_orplttat,y# Ar.t.me.gt. ~t. ...I. Nve_q,4 -if• N i s'A TX li .1 ~ ki A• IA —*To A A Ay 7AV