I trust that this
barbarous practice will soon be forgotten.
R.G.P.M.
_The Story of Mr. Fox._--Your correspondent F.L., who has related the
story of Sir Richard, surnamed Bloody, Baker, is, doubtless, aware of a
similar tale with which Mr. Blakeway furnished my late friend James
Boswell, and which the latter observed "is perhaps one of the most happy
illustrations of Shakspeare that has appeared."--(Malone's _Shakspeare_,
vol. vii. pp. 20. 163.)
The two narratives of Bloody Baker and Mr. Fox are substantially the
same. Variations will naturally creep in when a story is related by word
of mouth; for instance, the admonition over the chamber in Mr. Fox's
house--
"Be bold, be bold! but not too bold
Lest that your heart's blood should run cold."
is altogether of a more dignified character than the similar warning
given by the parrot, at p. 68. Each of these worthies, Baker and Fox, is
seen bringing into his house the corpse of a murdered lady, whose hand
falls into the lap of the concealed visitor; but in Fox's story the
ornament on the hand is a rich bracelet, in Baker's a ring. The
assassins are, in both stories, invited to the visitor's house, and upon
Fox _summary_ justice is inflicted.
It may be asked, if Baker was burned, how came he to have a tomb with
gloves, helmet, &c., suspended over it in Cranbrook Church? Such honour
was not paid to a man of higher rank in Salisbury Cathedral, a murderer
also, who was hung, viz.
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