The Last Words Of Distinguished Men And Women Part 16

Some authorities say Bishop Hooper's last words were. "Good people, give me more fire." Other authorities have it, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

HOPKINS (Rev. Samuel, D. D., distinguished theologian and controversialist: founder of the so-called "Hopkinsian Theology"), 1721-1803. "_My anchor is well cast, and my s.h.i.+p, though weather-beaten, will outride the storm._"

HOTMAN (William, Revolutionary soldier and patriot, the record of whose n.o.ble and courageous spirit is preserved upon a grave-stone at Groton, Connecticut), --1781. "_We will endeavor to crawl to this line; we will completely wet the powder with our blood; thus will we, with the life that remains in us, save the fort and the magazine, and perhaps a few of our comrades who are only wounded!_"

The entire inscription upon the stone reads thus:

"On the 20th of October, 1781, four thousand English fell upon this town with fire and sword--seven hundred Americans defended the fort for a whole day, but in the evening about four o'clock, it was taken. The commander declined delivering up his sword to an Englishman, who immediately stabbed him! All his comrades were put to the sword. A line of powder was laid from the magazine of the fort to be lighted to blow the fort up into the air. William Hotman, who lay not far distant, wounded by three stabs of a bayonet in his body, beheld it, and said to one of his wounded friends, who was still alive, 'We will endeavor to crawl to this line; we will completely wet the powder with our blood; thus will we, with the life that remains in us, save the fort and the magazine, and perhaps a few of our comrades who are only wounded!' He alone had strength to accomplish this n.o.ble design. In his thirtieth year he died on the powder which he overflowed with his blood. His friend, and seven of his wounded companions, by that means had their lives preserved. Here rests William Hotman."

HOUGH (John, Bishop of Oxford, afterward Bishop of Worcester), 1651-1743. "_We part to meet again, I hope, in endless joys_," to some friends who were with him at the time of his death.

HOUSTON (Samuel, known as "Sam," commander-in-chief of the Texan army and "Hero of San Jacinto," President of Texas, and, after annexation, United States Senator), 1793-1862. "_Texas! Texas!_"--after a pause, he faintly breathed the name of his wife, "_Margaret_," and pa.s.sed away.

HOWARD (William, Viscount Stafford. Having been accused by t.i.tus Oates of complicity in the Popish Plot, he was convicted of treason and executed December 29th, 1680. It is believed that he was innocent), 1612-1680. "_I do forgive you._"

Having embraced and taken leave of his friends, he knelt down and placed his head on the block: the executioner raised the axe high in the air, but then checking himself suddenly lowered it. Stafford raised his head and asked the reason for the delay. The executioner said he waited the signal. "I shall make no sign," he answered; "take your own time." The executioner asked his forgiveness. "I do forgive you," replied Stafford, and placing his head again in position, at one blow it was severed from his body.--_Bell's "Chapel and Tower."_

HOWARD (John, distinguished philanthropist), 1726-1790. "_Suffer no pomp at my funeral, nor monumental inscription where I am laid. Lay me quietly in the earth and put a sun-dial over my grave, and let me be forgotten._"[26]

A rude obelisk is erected over his grave, bearing the brief Latin inscription, "Vixet propter alios"--he lived for the good of others.

He may have lived for others but it is recorded of him that he was a tyrant in his own house; that his cruel treatment caused the death of his wife; and that he was in the habit of punis.h.i.+ng his only son with the greatest severity. Dr. Forbes Winslow thinks Howard was insane, and there is much to justify that opinion.

[26] Tacitus said, "At my funeral let no tokens of sorrow be seen, no pompous mockery of woe. Crown me with chaplets, strew flowers on my grave, and let my friends erect no vain memorial to tell where my remains are lodged."

Ludovious Cortesius, a rich lawyer at Padua, commanded by his last will, that no man should lament; but, as at a wedding, music and minstrels to be a delight to the people, should be provided; and instead of black mourners, he ordered that twelve virgins clad in green should carry him to the church.

The Hon. T. G. Shearman wrote in his diary (read at his funeral in Plymouth church, Brooklyn, N. Y.) under date of May 21, 1894: "Give me an unostentatious, cheery funeral, in no darkened room, and with no dreariness of any kind."

HULL (Isaac, commodore), 1775-1843. "_I strike my flag._"

HUMBERT I. (King of Italy), 1844-1900. "_It is nothing._" These words were spoken as he sank into the arms of his aide, upon receiving the third bullet from the revolver of the a.s.sa.s.sin Bressi, at Monza, where he attended a gymnastic fete and distributed prizes.

"The King at once took his place on the platform amid the tumultuous cheering of the people. He wore civilian attire, and appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. In distributing the prizes, his Majesty made a speech which he concluded by saying:

"'It gives me great pleasure to be among my own people after so long an absence from Monza.'

"These, as it proved, were the last words King Humbert uttered publicly.

The distribution of the prizes ended at 10:30 o'clock, and on leaving the platform the King entered the first of the two four-wheeled court carriages that were waiting. He sat on the right of Lieut.-Gen.

Ponziovaglia, his chief aide.

"As the carriage began to move the members of the various gymnastic societies gathered round and cheered the King enthusiastically. His Majesty, smiling and acknowledging the demonstration, brought the carriage to a temporary halt.

"It was beginning to start again when three revolver shots rang out, startling every one. The horses were frightened and began to rear, and almost simultaneously the people saw that the King had fallen into the arms of his aides, bleeding from his neck and breast.

"The murderer was instantly recognized and the enraged people fell upon him with the evident intention of killing him. He was kicked, cuffed and beaten with canes. He would not have escaped alive if carbiniers and members of the fire brigade had not rushed through the crowd and seized the culprit. They formed a cordon round him and conveyed him to jail amid the execrations of the crowd.

"Meantime the King was taken with all speed to the royal castle, while the second carriage was sent to the local hospital for surgeons. Before these could reach the castle the King had died.

"Upon receiving the terrible news the Archbishop of Milan hastened to Monza and solemnly blessed the corpse.

"Each of the three bullets had hit the King. One struck him on the left collarbone, another between the fifth and sixth ribs on the right side, while the one that inflicted the fatal wound entered the heart.

"As he fell the King said to his aide: 'It is nothing.' These were the last words he uttered, and he was dead when the carriage arrived at the palace.

"The body was borne tenderly up a long flight of steps and carried into a chamber and placed on a bed. The King's eyes were open, but he gave no sign of life. The Queen threw herself on the body of her husband, alternately calling to him in tones, filled with anguish, and praying the doctors to tell her the truth. When they were convinced that the King was dead the Queen submitted to be led gently away. The surgeons then removed the King's clothing and examined his wounds. The Queen afterward returned and kept her vigil beside the body, praying until a late hour.

"Bystanders say the a.s.sa.s.sin rushed through the crowd and raised the revolver. Several attempted to seize the weapon, but Bressi fired before they could do so. He was captured with the smoking revolver still in his hand, and exultingly admitted his guilt."

_Carriere Della Sera._

HUMBOLDT (Friedrich Heinrich Alexander, Baron von, author of the "Cosmos"), 1769-1859. "_How grand the sunlight! It seems to beckon earth to heaven._"

HUNT (James Henry Leigh, English poet and _litterateur_), 1784-1859.

"_Deep dream of peace._"

HUNTER (William, a young man of nineteen, burned at the stake for his faith, in the time of Mary I., of England), 1536-1555. "_Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit!_"

"William said to his mother:--'For my little pain which I shall suffer, which is but a short braid, Christ hath promised me, mother (said he), a crown of joy; may you not be glad of that, mother?' With that his mother kneeled down on her knees, saying, 'I pray G.o.d strengthen thee, my son, to the end; yea, I think thee as well-bestowed as any child that ever I bare.'

"Then William Hunter plucked up his gown and stepped over the parlor groundsel and went forward cheerfully; the sheriff's servants taking him by one arm and his brother by another. And thus going in the way, he met with his father according to his dream, and he spake to his son saying, 'G.o.d be with thee, son William;' and William said, 'G.o.d be with you, good father, and be of good comfort; for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry.' His father said, 'I hope so, William,' and so departed. So William went to the place where the stake stood, even according to his dream, where all things were very unready. Then William took a wet broom f.a.ggot, and kneeled down thereon, and read the fifty-first Psalm till he came to these words, 'The sacrifice of G.o.d is a contrite spirit; a contrite and a broken heart, O G.o.d, thou wilt not despise!'

"Then said the sheriff, 'There is a letter from the Queen. If thou wilt recant thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt be burned.' 'No,' quoth William, 'I will not recant, G.o.d willing.' Then William rose and went to the stake, and stood upright to it. Then came one Richard Ponde, a bailiff, and made fast the chain about William.

"Then said master Brown, 'There is not wood enough to burn a leg of him.' Then said William, 'Good people! pray for me, and make speed and despatch quickly; and pray for me while you see me alive, good people!

and I will pray for you likewise.' 'Now?' quoth master Brown, 'pray for thee! I will pray no more for thee than I will pray for a dog.'

"Then was there a gentleman which said, 'I pray G.o.d have mercy upon his soul!' The people said, 'Amen, amen.'

"Immediately fire was made. Then William cast his psalter right into his brother's hand, who said, 'William! think of the holy pa.s.sion of Christ, and be not afraid of death.' And William answered, 'I am not afraid.' Then lifted he up his hands to heaven and said, 'Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit,' and, casting down his head again into the smothering smoke, he yielded up his life for the truth, sealing it with his blood to the praise of G.o.d."

_Fox's "Book of Martyrs."_

HUNTER (Dr. William, distinguished anatomist and physiologist. He is chiefly remembered by his "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus,"

consisting of thirty-four plates engraved by the most eminent artists of the day, with explanations in English and Latin), 1717-1783. "_If I had strength to hold a pen I would write down how easy and pleasant a thing it is to die._"

HUNTINGTON (Selina, Countess of, an English lady, eminent for her piety and munificence), 1707-1791. "_My work is done; I have nothing to do but to go to my Father._"