Patkul. ready to die: death is more eligible than the solitude of a long imprisonment. Would to heaven only that the kind of it were less cruel. Can you, my dear sir, inform me in what manner I am to suffer?" I answered, that it had not been communicated to me; but that I imagine ed it would pass over without noise, as only the colonel and myself had notice of it. That (replied he) I esteem as a favour; but have you seen the sentence? or must I die, without being either heard or condemned ? My apprehensions are of being put to intolerable tortures.' I comforted him in the kindest manner I could; but he was his own best comforter from the Word of God, with which he was particularly acquainted; quoting, among many other passages, the following in Greek, We must enter into the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations. He then called for pen and ink, and intreated me to write down what he should dictate. I did so, as follows:

Testamentum, or my last will as to the disposition of my effects after my death.-I. His majesty King Augustus, having first examined his conscience thoroughly, will be so just as to pay back to my relations the sum he owes me; which being liquidated, will amount to 50,000 crowns; and as my relations are here in the service of Sweden, that monarch will probably obtain it for them.' "At this he said, let us stop here a little; I will quickly return to finish this will; but now let us address ourselves to God by prayer. Prayers being ended, Now (cried he) I find myself yet better, yet in a quieter frame of mind: Oh! were my death less dreadful, with what pleasure would I expiate my guilt by embracing it!-Yes (cried he, after a pause), I have friends in different places, who will weep over my deplorable fate. What will the mother of the king of Prussia say? What will be the grief of the Countess Levolde, who attends on her? But what thoughts must arise in the bosom of her to whom my faith is plighted? Unhappy woman! the news of my death will be fatal to her peace of mind. My dear pastor, may I venture to beg one favour of you?" I assured him he might command every service in my power. 'Have the good• ness then (said he, pressing my hand), the moment I am no more, to write-Alas! how will you set about it? a letter to Madam Einseidelern, the lady I am promised to-Let her know that I die her's; inform her fully of my unhappy fate: Send her my last and eternal farewell! My death is in truth disgraceful; but my manuer of meeting it will, I hope by heaven's and your assistance, render it holy and blessed. This news will be her only consolation. Add farther, dear Sir, that I thanked her with my latest breath for the sincere affection she bore me: May she live long and happy: This is my dying wish.'-I gave him my band in promise that I would faithfully perform all he desired. "Afterwards he took up a book: This (said he) is of my own writing. Keep it in remembrance of me, and as a proof of my true regard for religion. I could wish it might have the good fortune to be presented to the king, that he may be convinced with what little foundation I have been accused of atheism.' Taking it from his hand, I assured him that my colonel would not fail to present it as soon as opportunity offered.

"The rest of his time was employed in prayer, which he went through with a very fervent devotion. On the 30th of September I was again with him at four in the

morning. The moment be heard me he rose, and rendering thanks to God, assured me he had not slept so soundly for a long time. We went to prayers; and in truth his piety and devout frame of mind were worthy of admiration. About six he said he would begin his confession, before the din and clamour of the people without could rise to disturb his thoughts. He then kneeled down, and went through his confession in a manner truly edifying. The sun beginning to appear above the horizon, he looked out of the window, saying, Salve festa dies! This is my wedding-day. I looked, alas! for another, but this is the happier; for to-day shall my soul be introduced by her heavenly bridegroom into the assembly of the blessed! He then asked me, whether I yet knew in what way he was to die? I answered, that I did not. He conjured me, by the sacred name of Jesus, not to forsake him; for that he should find in my company some consolation even in the midst of tortures. Casting his eye on the paper that lay on the table,This will (said he) can never be finished.' I asked him, whether he would put his name to what was already written? No (replied he, with a deep sigh), I will write that hated name no more. My relations will find their account in another place; salute them for me.' He then addressed himself again to God in prayer, and continued his devotions till the lieutenant entered to conduct him to the coach. He wrapped himself up in his cloak, and went forward a great pace, guarded by 100 horsemen. Being arrived at the place of execution, we found it surrounded by 300 foot soldiers; but at the sight of the stakes and wheels, his borror is not to be described. Clasping me in his arms, Beg of God (he exclaimed) that my soul may not be thrown into despair amidst these tortures!' I comforted, I adjured him to fix his thoughts on the death of Jesus Christ, who for our sins was nailed to a cross.

"Being now on the spot where he was to suffer, he bid the executioner to do his duty well, and put into his hands some money which he got ready for that purpose. He then stretched himself out upon the wheel; and while they were stripping him naked, he begged me to pray that God would have mercy on him, and bear up his soul in agony. I did so; and turning to all the spectators, said to them, Brethren, join with me in prayer for this unhappy man. Yes (cried he), assist me all of you with your supplications to heaven.' Here the executioner gave him the first stroke. His cries were terrible: 'O Jesus! Jesus! have mercy upon me.' This cruel scene was much lengthened out, and of the utmost horror; for as the headsman had no skill in his business, the unhappy victim received upwards of 15 several blows, with each of which were intermixed the most pitcous groans and invocations of the name of God. At length, after two strokes given on the breast, his strength and voice failed him. In a faultering dying tone, he was just heard to say, Cut off my head?' and the executioner still lingering, he himself placed his head on the scaffold: After four strokes with an hatchet, the head was separated from the body, and the body quartered. Such was the end of the renowned Patkul."

Charles XII. has been very generally and severely censured for not pardoning him, and we are not inclined to vindicate the sovereign. Yet it must be remembered, that Patkul was guilty of a much greater crime than that which drew upon him the displeasure of Charles

Patna

tants is estimated at 150,0co. E. Long. 85. 15. Patna N. Lat. 25. 37.

Patkul XI. He incited foreign powers to attack his country when under the government of a boy, hoping, as he said himself, that it would in such circumstances become easy an conquest. He was therefore a rebel of the worst kind; and where is the absolute monarch that is ready to pardon such unnatural rebellion? Let it be remem bered, too, that Charles, amongst whose faults no other instance of cruelty has been numbered, certainly thought that, in ordering the execution of Patkul, he was discharging his duty. That monarch, it is known, believed in the possibility of discovering the philosopher's stone. Patkul, when under sentence of death, contrived to impose so far upon the senate at Stockholm, as to persuade them that he had, in their presence, converted into gold a quantity of baser metal. An account of this experiment was transmitted to the king, accompanied with a petition to his majesty for the life of so valuable a subject; but Charles, blending magnanimity with his severity, replied with indignation, that he would not grant to interest what he had refused to the call of humanity and the intreaties of friendship.

PATMOS, in Ancient Geography, one of the Sporades (Dionysius); 30 miles in compass (Pliny); concerning which we read very little in authors. It was rendered famous by the exile of St John, and the Revelation showed him there. The greatest part of interpreters think that St John wrote them in the same place during the two years of his exile; but others think that he did not commit them to writing till after his return to Ephesus. The island of Patmos is between the island of Icaria and the promontory of Miletus. Nothing has done it more honour than to have been the place of the banishment of St John. It is now called Patino, or Pactino, or Patmol, or Palmosa. Its circuit is five and twenty or thirty miles. It has a city called Patmos, with a harbour, and some monasteries of Greek monks. It is at present in the hands of the Turks. It is considerable for its harbours; but the inhabitants derive little benefit from them, because the corsairs have obliged them to quit the town, and retire to a hill on which St John's convent stands. This convent is a citadel consisting of several irregular towers, and is a substantial building seated on a very steep rock. The whole island is very barren, and without wood; however, it abounds with partridges, rabbits, quails, turtles, pigeons, and snipes. All their corn does not amount to 1000 barrels in a year. In the whole island there are scarcely 300 men; but there are above 20 women to one man, who expect that all strangers who land in the island should carry some of them away. To the memory of St John is an hermitage on the side of a mountain, where there is a chapel not above eight paces long and five broad. Over head they show a chink in the rock, through which they pretend that the Holy Ghost dictated to St John. E. Long. 26. 84. N. Lat. 37. 24.

PATNA, a town of Hindoostan, where the English have factories for saltpetre, borax, and raw silk. It is the capital of the province of Bahar, a dependency of Bengal, in the empire of Hindoostan, situated in a pleasant country, 400 miles east of Agra. It extends seven miles in length on the banks of the Ganges, and is about half a mile in breadth.-Mr Rennel gives strong reasons for supposing it to be the ancient PALIBOTHRA. The town is large, but the houses are built at a distance from each other. The number of inhabiVOL. XVI. Part I.

PATOMACK, a large river of Virginia, in North, Patræ. America, which rises in the Alleghany mountains, scparates Virginia from Maryland, and falls into Chesapeake bay. It is navigable for near 300 miles. Washington is situated on its north bank.

PATONCE, in Heraldry, is a cross, flory at the ends; from which it differs only in this, that the ends instead of turning down like a fleur-de-lis, are extended somewhat in the pattee form. See FLORY.

PATRÆ, a city of Achaia. This place was visited by Dr Chandler, who gives the following account of it. "It has often been attacked by enemies, taken, and pillaged. It is a considerable town, at a distance from the sea, situated on the side of a hill, which has its summit crowned with a ruinous castle. This made a brave defence in 1447 against Sultan Morat, and held out until the peace was concluded, which first rendered the Morea tributary to the Turks. A dry flat before it was once the port, which has been choked with mud. It has now, as in the time of Strabo, only an indifferent road for vessels. The house of Nicholas Paul, Esq. the English consul, stood on part of the wall either of the theatre or the odeum. By a fountain was a fragment of a Latin inscription. We saw also a large marble bust much defaced; and the French consul showed us a collection of medals. We found nothing remarkable in the citadel. It is a place of some trade, and is inhabited by Jews as well as by Turks and Greeks. The latter have several churches. One is dedicated to St Andrew the apostle, who suffered martyrdom there, and is of great sanctity. It had been recently repaired. The site by the sea is supposed that of the temple of Ceres. By it is a fountain. The air is bad, and the country round about overrun with the low shrub called glycyrrhiza or liquorice."

Of its ancient state, the same author speaks thus: "Patræ assisted the Etolians when invaded by the Gauls under Brennus; but afterwards was unfortunate, reduced to extreme poverty, and almost abandoned. Augustus Cæsar reunited the scattered citizens, and made it a Roman colony, settling a portion of the troops which obtained the victory of Actium, with other inhabitants from the adjacent places. Patræ reflourished and enjoyed dominion over Naupactus, Oeanthé, and several cities of Achaia. In the time of Pausanias, Patre was adorned with temples and porticoes, a theatre, and an odéum which was superior to any in Greece but that of Atticus Herodes at Athens. In the lower part of the city was a temple of Bacchus symnetes, in which was an image preserved in a chest, and conveyed, it was said, from Troy by Eurypylus; who, on opening it, became disordered in his senses. By the port were temples; and by the sea, one of Ceres, with a pleasant grove and a prophetic fountain of unerring veracity in determining the event of any illness. After supplicating. the goddess with incense, the sick person appeared, dead or living, in a mirror suspended so as to touch the surface of the water. In the citadel of Patre was a temple of Diana Laphria, with her statne in the habit of a huntress, of ivory and gold, given by Augustus Cæsar when he laid waste Calydon and the cities of Ætolia to people Nicopolis. The Patrensians honoured her with a yearly festival, which is described by Pausanias who G

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was

Patriarch. trumped up a much older era for this patriarchal dignity, and have given us a succession of them down to the fifth century, in which it was abolished, it will not be amiss to give our readers the substance of what they have written of the rise and progress of this order of men; and at the same time to show them the absurdity and falsehood of that pretended succession to this imaginary dignity.

According to them, the first patriarch was Hillel, surnamed the Babylonian, because he was sent for from thence to Jerusalem about 100 years before the ruin of their capital, or 30 years before the birth of Christ, to decide a dispute about the keeping of Easter, which on that day fell out on the Sabbath-day; and it was on account of his wise decision that he was raised to that dignity, which continued in his family till the said fifth century. He was likewise looked upon as a second Moses, because he lived like him 40 years in obscurity, 40 more in great reputation for learning and sanctity, and 40 more in possession of this patriarchal dignity. They make him little inferior to that lawgiver in other of his excellencies, as well as in the great authority he gained over the whole Jewish nation. The wonder will be, how Herod the Great, who was so jealous of his own power, could suffer a stranger to be raised to such a height of it, barely for having decided a dispute which must in all likelihood have been adjudged by others long before that time.

However, Hillel was succeeded by his son Simeon, whom many Christians pretend to have been the venerable old person of that name, who received the divine infant in his arms. The Jews give him but a very obscure patriarchate; though the authors above quoted make him, moreover, chief of the sanhedrim; and Epiphanius says, that the priestly tribe hated him so much for giving so ample a testimony to the divine child, that they denied him common burial. But it is hardly credible that St Luke should have so carelessly passed over his twofold dignity, if he had been really possessed of them, and have given him no higher title than that of a just and devout man.

He was succeeded by Jochanan, not in right of descent, but of his extraordinary merit, which the Rabbies, according to custom, have raised to so surprising a height, that, according to them, if the whole heavens were paper, all the trees in the world pens, and all the men writers, they would not suffice to pen down all his lessons. He enjoyed his dignity but two years, according to some, or five according to others and was the person who, observing the gates of the temple to open of their own accord, cried out, "O temple, temple! why art thou thus moved! We know that thou art to be destroyed, seeing Zechariah hath foretold it, saying, "Open thy gates, O Lebanus, and let the flames consume thy cedars." Upon this he is further reported to have complimented Vespasian, or rather, as some have corrected the story, Titus, with the title of king, assuring him that it was a royal person who was to destroy that edifice; on which account they pretend that general gave him leave to remove the sanhedrim to Japhne.

The Jewish writers add, that he likewise erected an academy there, which subsisted till the death of Akiba; and was likewise the seat of the patriarch; and consisted of 300 schools, or classes of scholars. Another he

] PAT erected at Lydda, not far from Japhne, and where the Patriarch. Christians have buried their famed St George. He li-d ved 120 years, and being asked, what he had done to prolong his life? he gave this wise answer; I never made water nearer a house of prayer than four cubits ; I never disguised my name: I have taken care to cele brate all festivals: and my mother hath even sold my head ornaments to buy wine enough to make me merry on such days; and left me at her death 300 hogsheads of it, to sanctify the Sabbath.-The doctors who flourished in his time were no less considerable, both for their number and character; particularly the famed Rabbi Chanina, of whom the Bath Col was heard to say, that the world was preserved for the sake of him; and R. Nicodemus, whom they pretend to have stopped the course of the sun, like another Joshua.

He was succeeded by Gamaliel, a man, according to them, of unsufferable pride; and yet of so universal authority over all the Jews, not only in the west, but over the whole world, that the very monarchs suffered his laws to be obeyed in their dominions, not one of them offering to obstruct the execution of them. In his days flourished Samuel the Less, who composed a prayer full of the bitterest curses against heretics, by which they mean the Christians; and which are still in useto this day. Gamaliel was no less an enemy to them; and yet both have been challenged, the former as the celebrated master of our great apostle, the other as his disciple in his unconverted state.

Simon II. his son and successor was the first martyr who died during the siege of Jerusalem. The people so regretted his death, that an order was given, instead of 10 bumpers of wine, which were usually drank at the funeral of a saint, to drink 13 at his, on account of his martyrdom. These bumpers were in time multiplied, they tell us, to such shameful height, that the sanhedrim was forced to make some new regulations to prevent that abuse.

These are the patriarchs which, the Rabbies tell us, preceded the destruction of the temple; and we need no farther confutation of this pretended dignity, than the silence of the sacred historians, who not only make not the least mention of it, but assure us all along that they were the high-priests who presided in the sanhedrim; and before whom all cases relating to the Jewish religion were brought and decided. It was the high-priest who examined and condemned our Saviour; that condemned St Stephen; that forbade the apostles to preach in Christ's name; and who sat as judge on the great apostle at the head of that supreme court. The same may be urged from Josephus, who must needs have known and mentioned this pretended dignity, if any such there had been; and yet is so far from taking the least notice of it, that, like the evangelists, he places the pontiff's alone at the head of all the Jewish affairs; and names the high-priest Ananus as having the care and direction of the war against the Romans;-which is an evident proof that there were then no such patriarchs in being.

To all this let us add, that if there had been any such remarkable succession, the Talmudists would have preserved it to future ages; whereas, neither they, nor any of the ancient authors of the Jewish church, make any mention of it; but only some of their doctors, who have written a considerable time after them, as of writers to whom little credit can be given in points of this Ga

nature;