as she is on a summer cruise. We then edged away to the northward, and coasted along a fine hewn granite quay, for two knots at least, then tacked from the river to the south, and kept the fautalke canal on board, (lined with the same granite,) till we brought up in the Mechanike; (d—n their hard names!) where all hands went to work, and made up for our long run by full allowance in good moorings. In the evening watch we went to hear Jacky Dobro* jaw and sing in a wondrous fine house, where there was a large empty birth kept for the Czarina, drefsed out with gold bound velvet, and silk curtains with gold halliards, such as I never saw in my born days, not even on board the admiral ;—then the awning over head was so fringed and bespangled, that we could scarce see the play for looking at it. But there was the lefs lofs, as we did not understand their lingo ;-they sung, though, a good stick, and hugged Moll and Sue by the glafs. But the best of all came at last, in what they called a ballet, when they footed it away in three tiers, and kicked up such a breeze, as did one's heart good to see them; but a couple of hands in the middle were the funniest of all, who rolled on their under works from side to side, like a fhip in a heavy sea, and then whirled round like a water spout to the music in the stern gallery. We saw here a number of smart looking frigates; but they were all so devilishly painted, that we were afraid to hail them. * Jacky Dobro is the cant name of English sailors for the Russians. I forgot to tell you that Will Gasket did not fetch the playhouse with the rest of the squadron. He had got a little by the head, and made such bad weather of it, that he could not lay round Mother Bumboat's corner; but, after two or three boards, run foul of it, and foundered in half a foot mud, with a stony bottom; there he lay till our landlady turned: out all hands and weighed him. The swabbers were set to clean his rigging; but he could not get into trim to pass muster at the play; so he brought to for the night in his old anchorage. We would have taken Will in tow next morning, although still a little top heavy; but, as Crocus says he wants careening as well as scrubbing, we shall leave him in town to be hove down. To-morrow we shall get under way again for Cronstadt, if we can clear out with the landlady; but Old Nick may run down in a kabitka for me, as I fhall keep the rest of my timbers sound for his majesty's service. Keep a good look out, mefsmate, to have a sea pye on the stocks when we get aboard, (a two decker at least,) with a full allowance of grog to drink wives and sweethearts in Old England; and make all clean for a Saturday night engagement with your fhipMATT. MARLINSPIKE.. BOB JOLLYBOAT. Jos. CHOKABLOK. mates. Postscript. Saturday morning, first watch. OUR anchors are all a-peek; but we must not loose top gallant sails yet, till Jack Flip get out of limbo, where he was stowed away last night, for running on board a fine gentleman. Jack had got his beer on board, and was tearing it away down the quay at four knots an hour, to fetch his quarters before all hands were turned in, when he made an unlucky yaw just alongside of the fine gentleman, and fhoved him overboard into the street; all hands are in a hellifh funk, that he is some commifsioned officer or other, about Palace, as he had a red safh slung athwartships, and a silver badge on his larboard bow. We have got the boatswain of a Russian man of war to parly with the limbo gang, as we do not understand their lingo; but he says, Jack will get a dozen at the gangway, if we cannot muster amongst us a yellow boy; and we are just going to our merchant to raise it; as Mother Bumboat has left us all as light as a cork jacket. A TRUE RELATION OF THE INTERMENT OF KING CHARLES I. IN THE CHAPEL OF ST GEORGE, IN WINDSOR CASTLE, FROM AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT OF UNQUESTIONABLE AUTHORITY. Communicated by a correspondent. WEDNESDAY, the 27th of February 1648, the corpse being brought to Windsor castle in a hearse, by Mr Murray the king's coachman, accompanied by the duke of Richmond and Lennox, the Marquis of Hartford, the earl of Lindsay, the earl of Southampton, and bishop Juxon; and being placed in the dean's hall, the aforesaid lords sent for a plumber to open the coffin and lead. They being fully satisfied it was the king, his head was sewed to his body. They gave orders to the plumber to cast a piece of lead, some two feet long, with this inscription: "This is king Charles I. 1648," and solder the lead across the roof of the coffin. This being done, the coffin was nailed up, and remained two days in the hall, being darkened with velvet pall, and two lighted capers upon the coffin. After which time, the corpse was carried by two soldiers of the garrison into the chapel, the lords above named bearing up the pall: bishop Juxon, and the governor of the castle, whose name was Whichcot, and the officers of the garrison, with others, following the corpse; which corpse, with the velvet pall, was placed upon two trufsels, in a vault in the middle of the choir, by king Henry VIII. and his queen Jane. The governor commanded some of his officers to see the workman close up the vault. The governor would not suffer the bishop to bury the king after the church of England manner; neither would the lords allow of his way. There was nothing read at the grave; the bishop's lips were observed to move. They were all full of tears and sorrow. -The soldiers had twelvepence each for carrying the corpse to the grave. This king's interment, like that of Oliver Cromwell, has been much disputed; and it has never before been authentically proved, that the real body of king Charles I. was deposited in the royal chapel at Windsor. ANACREON'S DOVE. A translation from the Greek, the completion of which employed Dr Johnson fifty-two years. LOVELY courier of the sky, Whence and whither dost thou fly? Grac'd with all that charms the heart; < Venus courted by an ode, On her bard the dove bestow'd, Drop asleep upon his lyre. More than all thou canst not know; Let me now my pinions try, I have chatter'd like a pye. |