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which they threw upon the grass by them, with the common unconcern of grave diggers; but soon after perceiving it to stir, they ran to the Curate of the parish, and told him what they had seen. The superstitions Curate immmediately supposed it was the ⟨skull⟩ of some Saint, that had been buried in that place, and therefore posted thither, where, to his great surprise and joy, he found the skull still moving, upon which he cried out, a miracle! a miracle! and resolved to have the precious relic deposited in his church, with all proper ceremonies: for which purpose he sent in all haste for a consecrated dish, a cross, and holy water, his surplice, stole, and cap, ordered all the bells to he rung, and sent to give notice of the joyful news to the parishioners, who thronged in crowds to the place. Then he had the skull placed in the consecrated dish, and being covered with a napkin, it was carried to the church in procession; during which great debates arose among the parishouers, every one insisting that some of their family had been burried in that place, in order that they might assume to themselves the honour of having a saint in their family. Upon their arrival at the church, the skull was placed on the high alter, and Te Deum was begun; but when they came to the verse Te per Orbem, a mole unluckily crawling out of the skull discovered the secret cause of its motion: upon which a stop was put to the ceremony, and the congregation being greatly disappointed, dispersed.
