Romantic Epitaphs.

Lovely and chaste as the primrose pale , Rifled of virgin sweetness by the gale , Mary ! the Avretch who thee remorseless slew Avenging wrath , who sleeps not , will pursue ; For though the deed of blood was veiled in night , Will not the Judge of all mankind do right ? Fair blighted flower , the muse that weeps thy doom , Rears o ' er thy murdered form this warning tomb . "

The writer of the foregoing epitaph was Dr . Booker , vicar of Dudley . The inscription is associated Avith one of the most remarkable trials of the present century . It Avill not be without interest to furnish a few notes on the case . One Abraham Thornton was tried at the Warwick assizes for the murder of Mary Ashford , ancl acquitted . The brother and next of kin of the deceased , not being satisfied with the verdict , sued out , as the law allowed him , an appeal against Thorntonby which he could be put on his trial again . The

, law allowed the law of appeal in case of murder , and it also gave option to the accused of having the appeal tried by Avager of law or by wager of battle . The brother of the unfortunate . woman had taken no account of this , ancl accordingly not only Mr . Ashford , but the judge , jury , ancl bar were taken greatly aback , ancl stricken with dismay when the acoused , being requested to pleadtook a paper from Mr . Readerhis counseland a pair of lovesone of

, , , g , which he drew on , and , throwing the other on the ground , exclaimed , " Not guilty ; and I am read y to defend the same with my body ! " Lord Ellenborough on the bench appeared grave , and the accuser looked amazed , so the court was adjourned to enable the judge to have an opportunity of conferringwith his learned brethren . After several adjournments Lord Ellenborough at last declared solemnly , but reluctantly , that wager of battle was still the

law of the land , and that the accused had a ri ght to his appeal to it . To get rid of the law an attempt was made , by passing a short and speed y Act of Parliament , but this was ruled impossible , as it would have been ex post facto , and people wanted curiously to see the lists set up in the Tothill Fields . As Mr . Ashford refused to meet Thornton , he was obliged to cry " craven ! " After that the appeller was allowed to go at large , ancl he could not be again

tried by wager of law after having claimed his wager of battle . In 1819 an Act was passed to prevent any further appeals for wager of battle . Let us next deal with an instance of pure affection . The churchyard of the Yorkshire village of Bowes contains the grave of two lovers , whose touching fate suggested Mallet ' s beautiful ballad of " Edward ancl Emma . " The real names of the couple were Rodger Wrightson and Martha Railton . The story is rendered with no less accuracy than pathos by the poet : —

" Far in the Avindings of the vale , Fast by a sheltering wood , The safe retreat of health and peace , A humble cottage stood . " There beauteous Emma flourished fair , Beneath a mother ' s eye ; Whose only wish on earth was UOAV

To see her blest and die . " Long had she filled each youth with love , Each maiden with despair , And though by all a wonder owned , Yet kneAV not she was fair . " Till Edwin camethe pride of swains

, , A soul devoid of art ; And from whose eyes , serenely mild , Shone forth the feeling heart . " We are told Edwin ' s father and sister were bitterly opposed to their love . The poor youth pined away . When he Avas d ying Emma was permitted to see him ,