"When my Lord Capell, Duke Hamilton, and the Earl of Holland,
were beheaded in the Palace-yard, in Westminster, my Lord Capell
asked the common hangman, said he, 'Did you cut off my master's
head?' 'Yes,' saith he. 'Where is the instrument that did it?'
He then brought the ax. 'Is this the same ax; are you sure?'
said my Lord. 'Yes, my Lord,' saith the hangman, 'I am very sure
it is the same.' My Lord Capell took the ax and kissed it, and
gave him five pieces of gold. I heard him say, 'Sirrah, wert
thou not afraid?' Saith the hangman, 'They made me cut it off,
and I had thirty pound for my pains.'"

William Franks Mathews.

_Charade_ (Vol. ii., p. 120.).--I think I can answer Mr. Gatty's Query
as to the authorship of the charade in question. A schoolfellow of mine
at Charterhouse wrote the following:

"What's that which all love more than life,
Fear more than death or mortal strife;
That which contented men desire,
The poor possess, the rich require,
The miser spends, the spendthrift saves,
And all men carry to their graves?"

This was taken from the original copy, and it was certainly his own
invention while at school, and was written about five years ago. I have
not seen him since, and do not like therefore to give his name.

While on the subject of charades, can any of your correspondents inform