[We have seen it stated that this case was tried in the Court of King's
Bench about the year 1687 or 1688.]
_Did St. Paul's Clock ever strike Thirteen._--There is a very popular
tradition that a soldier, who was taxed with having fallen asleep at
midnight, whilst on guard, managed to escape the severe punishment annexed
to so flagrant a dereliction of duty, by positively averring, as evidence
of his having been "wide awake," that he had heard the clock of St. Paul's
Cathedral strike _thirteen_ at the very time at which he was charged with
having indulged in forbidden slumbers. The tradition of course adds, indeed
this is its point, that, upon inquiry, it was found that the famous horary
monitor of London city had, "for that night only," actually treated those
whose ears were open, with the, till then, unheard of phenomenon of
"thirteen to the dozen." Can any of your readers state how this story
originated, or whether it really has any foundation in fact?