in the fame manner. She then requested him to have a pillow to raise his head, when he immediately ordered his old fervant, Griffiths, to bring him a trufs of hay for that purpose. This fingular man died in October, 1794. His houfe, which at his death devolved to Captain Holmes, was a moft miferable building, not having been repaired for half a century: though poor in external appearance, it was, however, discovered to be very rich within; at different times, Captain Holmes found large bowls filled with guineas and half-guineas, and parcels of bank-notes stuffed under the covers of old chairs. Large jugs of dollars and thillings were found in the ftable. At the dead of night he has been known to go to this place, but for what purpofe no one could tell. It now appears, that he used to rob one jug, to add to the bowl, which was, fince his death, found buried in the kitchen.

It took many weeks to explore the contents of his dwelling. One of his richest efcritoirs was the dung-heap in the cow-houfe, which contained near 2500l. and in an old jacket, carefully tied, and ftrongly nailed down to the manger, there were 500l. in gold and bark-notes. In the chimney were about 200l. and in an old tea-pot bank notes to the value of 600l. over which was a bit of paper, whimfically infcribed, "Not to be haftily looked over.”

He left in landed property to the amount of 500l. per annum to Lady Tempest, and after her death to her only fon, Sir Henry Tempest of Stoke-end, Hereford: in fhort, the whole property which he left to Lady Tempest and her brother Captain Holmes, is about 3000l. per annum. Lady Tempest, it ought to be observed here, had but a very short enjoyment of the great acceffion of wealth which The acquired by this mifer's death; for the contracted an illness during her attendance upon Mr. Dancer's laft hours, that in a few months terminated her own life, which happened in January, 1795.

Notwith

Notwithstanding his great penury, Mr. Dancer poffeffed fome praise-worthy qualities. He obferved the most rigid integrity in every tranfaction, and was never averse to afflift those of whom he entertained a good opinion, and whofe embarraffiments required a temporary aid; but, at the fame time, it must be confeffed, he did not lend his money without expecting the usual interest. His fervant, Griffiths, always fared much better than his mafter, having been indulged with whatever he chose to eat and drink, besides a good and comfortable bed to fleep on. The latter Mr. Dancer deemed an unneceffary luxury, yet his allowing his fervant that which he denied himfelf, renders his character still more wonderful.

The Extraordinary Cafe of ELIZABETH WOODCOCK, of Impington, near Cambridge, who was buried in the Snow of February, 1799, Eight Days and Eight Nights. ELIZABETH WOODCOCK, aged forty-two years, went on horseback from Impington to Cambridge, on Saturday, being market-day, the 2d of February, 1799. On her return home in the evening, between fix and feven o'clock, being about half a mile from her own houfe, her horfe started at a sudden light, which proceeded, most probably, from a meteor, a phænomenon which, at this feason of the year, not unfrequently happens. She was herfelf struck with the light, and exclaimed Good God! what can this be!' It was a very inclement ftormy night, a bleak wind blew boisterously from the N. E. The ground was cover. ed by the great quantities of fnow that had fallen during the day, yet it was not fpread uniformly over the furface. The deepest ditches were many of them completely filled up, whilst in the open fields there was but a thin covering; but in the roads and lanes, and many narrow and inclosed parts, it had accumulated to a confiderable depth, no where yet

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fo as to render the ways impaffable, but ftill enough to retard and impede the traveller. The horse, upon his ftarting, ran backward, and approached to the brink of a ditch, which the poor woman recollected, and, fearing left the animal in his fright fhould plunge into it, very prudently difmounted with all expedition. Her intention was to walk, and lead the horse home; but he started again, and broke from her. She repeated her attempt to take hold of the bridle; but the horse, ftill under the impreffion of fear, turned fuddenly out of the road, and directed his steps to the right over the common field. She followed him, in hopes of quickly overtaking him, but, unfortunately, she loft one of her thoes in the fnow. She was already wearied with the exertion she had made, and befides, had a heavy basket on her arm, containing feveral articles of domestic confumption, which she had brought from market. By these means her purfuit of the horse was greatly impeded; The however perfifted, and followed him through an opening in a hedge, a little beyond which the overtook him (about a quarter of a mile from the place where the alighted), and, taking hold of the bridle, made another attempt to lead him home. But he had not re-traced her fteps farther than a thicket, which lies contiguous to the faid hedge, when the found herself fo much fatigued and exhaufted, her hands and feet, particularly her left foot, which was without a fhoe, fo very much benumbed, that fhe was unable to proceed farther. Sitting down then upon the ground in this ftate, and letting go the bridle, Tinker,' fhe faid, calling the horse by his name, I am too much tired to go any farther, you must go home without me;' and exclaimed, Lord have mercy upon me! what will become of me!" The ground on which fhe fat was upon a level with the common field, clofe under the thicket on the South-weft. She well knew the fituation of it, and what was its diftance from and bearing with respect to her own houfe. There VOL. I. No. I,

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