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Death of an Infamous Character |
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DEATH OF AN INFAMOUS CHARACTER. -- An Individual died here a short time since who obtained an unenviable celebrity more than twenty years ago. This was the Bishop of Clogher, who was indicted for an unnatural crime, committed in St. James's, London, in 1822, forfeited bail, and fled, was degraded from his ecclesiastical dignity, and has never been heard of till now. He kept house, under the assumed name of Thomas WILSON, at No. 4, Salisbury-place, Edinburgh, to which he removed four years ago, having previously resided in Glasgow. His mode of living was extremely private, scarcely any visitors being known to enter his dwelling, but it was remarked that the post occasionally brought him letters sealed with coronets. His incognito was wonderfully preserved.
It was only known to one or two individuals in the neighbourhood, who kept the secret till after his death. The application for interment was made in the name of Thomas WILSON. There was a plate upon the coffin which he had got prepared some years before, but without any name upon it. It bore a Latin inscription, the sense of which was as follows: -- "Here lie the remains of a great sinner, saved by grace, whose hope rests in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ." The preparation of this inscription years before shows that he was deeply penitent. He was very anxious to conceal his true name, having got it carefully obliterated from his books and articles of furniture.
He gave instructions that his burial should be in the nearest churchyard, that it should be conducted in the most private and plain manner, and at six o'clock in the morning. His directions were complied with, except in the selection of the ground. His body was drawn to the new cemetery in a hearse with one horse, followed by five mourners in a one-horse coach, at seven in the morning. Such was the obscure and humble death and funeral of the Hon. and Rev. Percy JOCELYN, the son of a peer, who spent the early years of his life in the society of the great, and held one of the highest ecclesiastical dignities in the empire. He was uncle to the present Lord RODEN. -- Scotsman of Saturday.
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Carlisle Patriot