1821 .} 
} 139 ] 
CORNUCOPIA, 
Of Literary Curiosities and Remarkable Facts . 
PRIVATE MARRIAGES. 
ANY years ago the parsons of the 
Fleet, and of May Fair, were 
noted for the celebration of private mar¬ 
riages ; and it appears that the village 
of Hampstead was not less remarkable 
for its conveniences of that kind to 
couples who wished to increase their 
happiness by a little air and exercise. 
About the beginning of the last cen¬ 
tury there stood near the Wells, a place 
called Sion Chapel, which appears to 
have been the property of the keeper of 
an adjoining tavern. By the following 
advertisements from the papers of 1710 
and 1716, it will be seen what tempta¬ 
tions he held out to such parties as 
should keep their wedding-dinner in 
his gardens. 
44 April IS, 1710.— As there are 
many weddings at Sion Chapel, Hamp¬ 
stead, five shillings only is required for 
all the church fees of any couple that 
are married there, provided they bring 
with them a licence or certificate, ac¬ 
cording to the act of parliament.—Two 
sermons are continued to be preached 
in the said chapel every Sunday; and 
the place will be given to any clergy¬ 
man that is willing to accept of it, if he 
is approved of.” 
44 Sept. 8, 1716.—Sion Chapel, at 
Hampstead, being a private and plea¬ 
sure place, many persons of the best 
fashion have lately been marled there. 
Now, as a minister is obliged constantly 
to attend, this is to give notice, that 
all persons upon bringing a licence, and 
who shall have their wedding-dinner in 
the gardens, may be married in the said 
chapel without giving any fee or reward 
whatsoever: and such as do not keep 
their wedding-dinner at the gardens, 
only five shillings will be demanded of 
them for all fees.” 
A return to an order of the House of 
Commons in 1820, states the charge of 
a regiment of Life Guards, consisting of 
eight troops, of one farrier, 42 men per 
troop, and 274 troop-horses, for one 
day’s pay, £65. 5s. 6d.; total charge, 
including clothing, &c. for the year, 
£32,000.16s. 8d. 
The charge of a regiment of Horse 
Guards, of eight troops, a farrier, 42 
men per troop, and 274 troop-horses, 
for one day’s pay, £81. 8s. Id; total 
charge, including clothing, &c. for the 
year, £30,188. 17s. 6d. 
The charge of a regiment of Dragoon 
Guards, consisting of eight troops, of 46 
rank and file per troop, and 273 troop- 
horses, for one day’s pay, £49 2s. 3d ; 
total charge, including clothing, &c. 
for the year,£24,835.12s. lid, 
MODERN WITCHCRAFT. 
The trial of an indictment, the King v. 
Betty Townshend , in 1816, developed 
some disgraceful circumstances of the 
credulity of the mass of the people. The 
prisoner was 77 years old, resided in 
the parish of Taunton, and by the su¬ 
perstitious and ignorant had long been 
considered as a witch. Her appearance 
was calculated to sanction the idea, and 
her levees were much frequented by 
those who chose to pay for a peep into 
futurity. The prosecutor, Jacob Fool, 
was a poor man, residing in the hamlet 
of Taunton, and was in the habit of 
sending his daughter, about twelve 
years old, with apples in a basket to 
Taunton market. In January of that 
year, the child met the old woman, who 
stopped her, and after examining her 
basket, asked 44 hast got any money ?” 
on the child answering in the negative, 
she ordered her to get some and bring 
to her, threatening to 44 kill her by 
inches” if she disobeyed. The terrified 
child borrowed two shillings of Mr. 
Bruford, druggist, in Taunton, which 
she gave to the prisoner; and after¬ 
wards, in consequence of similar threats, 
borrowed 11. 4s. 6d. of the same gentle¬ 
man, at six different periods. At length 
Pool called on Mr. Bruford to pay him 
a bill, and was informed of the sums 
his daughter had borrowed 44 to go to 
market” with, and on questioning the 
child, the threats of the 44 witch” had 
made so strong an impression on her, 
that it was with great difficulty that 
she could be brought to disclose the 
truth. Pool’s wife and a woman named 
Johnson then went to the house of the 
prisoner, and interrogated her as to the 
facts ; she swore and raved in a violent 
manner, and vowed that, if they dared 
to accuse her, she would make them 
44 die by inches.” Mrs. Pool replied, 
44 no, thee shalt not; I’ll hinder that 
and taking a pin from her clothes, she 
scratched the witch from the elbow to 
the wrist, that by dra wing her blood she 
might dispel the power of her incanta¬ 
tions ! The prisoner being found guilty, 
the judge observed, that her extreme 
old 
