A LUCKLESS QUESTION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9813, 24 August 1897, Page 6

A LUCKLESS QUESTION.

In the reign of King James the First the Lord Sanquhar, the representative of the ancient Scottish family of Creichton, was condemned and executed for murder under very peculiar circumstances. This young nobleman was one of the many who accompanied Kfng James to London when he took possession of the English throne. It chanced that one day, while practising with foils with a fencing-master named Turner, Lord Sanquhar had the misfortune to receive a thrust in the eye, of which he lost the sight. The occurrence was purely accidental, as his lordship at the time freely acknowledged : and he showed, and had reason to show, no resentment. But two or three years afterwards he chanced to visit the French Court, and paid his respects to King Kenry IV., who, in the course of conversation, asked him how he lost his eye. Lord Sanquhar, not caring to dwell on the details of the unlucky accident,

;' """£'. merely replied that it was by the thrust of a. sword. "Does the man who did Mi_7 injury still live?" asked the King, w £ ' would scarcely have put such a question tf he had been acquainted with the circum, stances. But the young nobleman becanm impressed wi.ii the idea that hi ß wZ could only be satisfied by the death of \Z unfortunate fencing-master, whom he -auserf to be pistolled by two of his servants in hi* owr school. The affair excited much in dignation in London, whore it was reaaraed as another instance of the license permitted by the King to his countrymen, „t that time exceedingly unpopular. The Gov.rn ment was obliged to investigate tha can..* the actual murderers declared that they had only carried out the instructions of their master, and they and he wore brought to trial, found guilty and hanged. Great efforts were made by his relatives to obtain Lord Sanquhar's pardon ; but in view o the temper of the Londoners, King Jnme wm literally afraid to grant it.-Ludgatt Monthly.