be argued. But whether the general tale related by her, was true or false, the innocency of the parties she accused is unquestionable.

BLACKFRIARS-THE FATAL VESPERS.

In the year 1623, a dreadful accident occurred within the precincts of the dissolved monastery at Blackfriars, by which ninety-four persons lost their lives, and many others were maimed and miserably wounded. This event, which is historically commemorated as 'The fatal Vespers, or doleful Even-Song,' happened on Sunday, the 26th of October, in the above year; or, according to the New, or Romish' Style, on the 5th of November, as was afterwards triumphantly noticed by those who affected to consider it as a judgment on the Catholics. The Count de Tillier, ambassador in ordinary from the court of France, had for a considerable time been a resident in Blackfriars, and it was probably under his protection that the meeting took place which led to so fatal a result. In an old building, adjoining to the gate of his residence, and with which it appears to have been likewise connected, on an upper floor, upwards of 300 persons assembled, to hear a sermon preached by the learned Father Drury, of the Order of the Jesuists, who was a descendant of the Druries of Norfolk, and the son of Dr. Drury, a late civilian professor in the Court of Arches. In the midst of his discourse the flooring gave way under the overbearing weight of the assembled multitude, and the pressure of the falling mass broke down the next floor, which fell with accelerated

weight upon the lower story, but that having been built upon arches remained firm. Every possible assistance was immediately rendered to the unhappy sufferers; and by the direction of Mr. Sergeant Finch, Recorder of the City, guards were placed at all the avenues and passages of the Blackfriars, and also at the French Ambassador's, where, on the following day, the Recorder and Sheriffs made a strict enquiry into the cause of the accident. The public mind was in a state of great excitation, but the confusion and alarm at length subsided, on its being clearly proved that the disaster arose from the defective state of the building. Father Drury was himself killed, together with two other Romish priests. Various pamphlets were written on this occasion, descriptive of the circumstances, and mingled with such reflections as either the bigotry or the belief of the writers gave birth to. One of the most curious, composed by the Rev. Samuel Clark, "Pastor of Bennet Fink," and first published in 1657, is here reprinted.

THE FATAL VESPERS: a True and Full Narrative of that Signal Judgement of God upon the Papists, by the fall of the House in Black friers, London, upon their fifth of November, 1623.

On the Lords day, October the twenty sixth according to the English account: but November the fifth according to the Popish account, went far and near, that one Drury, a Romish Priest (a man of parts and eminent gifts) would preach that day in the afternoon in a fair house in Black-Friers, London, whither all that would might freely come and hear him.

Upon this report very many, Protestants as well as

Papists, Schollars as well as others, assembled thither about three a clock in the afternoon. That mansion house was now inhabited by the French Ambassador: and the Sermon was to be in a Garret, into which there were two passages: One out of the Ambassadors withdrawing room which was private, the other more common without the great gate of the said mansion house.

Under this Garret was another large chamber which one Rediate, another Romish Priest, had hired for himself: Unto whom Papists frequently repaired to hear Mass, and make confessions. Under this room was the aforesaid withdrawing chamber of the Ambassador: supported with strong Arches of stone, being immediately over the entrance into the great house: And at the Southend of the Garret, and on the West-side thereof, there were bed-chambers, and closets which other Priests had hired for themselves: The bed-chamber at the Southend, was severed from the Garret only by a partition of Wanscote which was taken down for the Sermon time: The length of the Garret from North to South was almost 40 foot, the breadth about 16 foot: The two aforesaid passages met on one pair of stairs leading to the Garret which had only that one door leading into it.

More came to this place than possibly it could hold, so that many for want of room returned back again : Others went into the aforesaid Redyates chamber, and tarried with him. The whole Garret, rooms adjoining, door, and top of the stairs were as full as they could hold. In the Garret were set chairs and stools for the better sort: most of the women sate on the floor, but most of the men stood thronged together: In all about 200. were there assembled. In the midst was a table and a chair for the Preacher.

All thing thus prepared, and the multitude assembled,

about three a clock the expected Preacher, having on a Surplice girt about his middle with a linen girdle, and a tippet of scarlet on both his shoulders, same in, being attended by a man that brought after him his book and hour-glass.

As soon as he came to the table, he kneeled down with shew of private devotion for a little while: then rising up, and turning himself to the people, he crossed himself, took the book (which was said to be a Rhemist Testament) out of his mans hands, and the hour-glass being set on the table, he opened the book, read the Gospel appointed by the Romish Calendar for that day, being the twenty first Sunday after Pentecost: the Gospel was in Matth. 18. 23, &c. The text being read, he sate down, put on a red cap over a white linnen one turned up about the brims: He made no audible prayer, but having read his text, which was the parable of forgiving debts, he spake something on the occasion of it, and then propounded these three special points to be handled. 1. The debt we owe to God.

2. The mercy of God in forgiving it.

3. Mans unmercifulness to his brother.

Having insisted some while on the misery of man by reason of the debt wherein he stands bound to God, he passed on to declare the rich mercy of God, and the means which God had afforded to his Church, for partaking thereof: Amongst which he reckoned up the Sacraments, and especially pressed the Sacrament of Penance, as they call it.

When he had discoursed on these points about half an hour, on a sudden the floor whereon the Preacher and the greatest part of his auditory were, fell down with such violence, as there with the floor of the chamber under it, where Redyate and his company were, was bro

ken down with it, so that both the floors, with the beams, girders, joyces, boards, and seelings, with all the people on them, fell down together upon the third floor, which was the floor of the French Ambassadors withdrawing chamber, supported with strong arches as aforesaid.

There being a partition on the South-side of the middle chamber which reached up to the floor of the Garret, which was at the Northwest corner. Hereupon some through amazement, would have leaped out at a window almost forty foot from the ground: but the people without, telling them of the certain danger if they leaped down, kept them from that desperate attempt: at length by breaking a wall on the West side they discerned chambers adjoining thereto, and so by creeping through that hole into the chambers, they were saved: So were all they that stood on the stair head at the door leading into the Garret: For the stairs were without the room, and nothing fell but the floores, neither walls nor roof.

Also amongst those that fell, many escaped; for some of the timber rested with one end on the walls, and with the other on the third floor that yeelded not, and so both such as abode on those pieces, and such as were directly under them, were thereby preserved. Amongst the multitude that fell there was a Minister who (through Gods providence) fell so between two pieces of timber, as that the timber kept his upper-parts from crushing: and holpe him by his clasping about the timber to pull out his feet from amongst the dead corpses.

Amongst others, the present preservation and future destruction of one Parker was very remarkable. This Parker was a factor for the English Seminaries, and Nunnes beyond Sea, especially at Cambre; and he had so dealt with two of his brothers here, that he had got from one of them a son, and from the other a daughter, to