trayed Walcot. Then, he said, he wondered not he had sworn falsely of him; but till then he thought he had forgot himself. He spoke of all who had appeared against him with great pity, but with no resentment. He spoke particularly of Lord Howard, and said, he had been well enough known before, but was now so much better, that he could betray nobody any more. Lord Essex had forced him to admit Lord Howard to a meeting at his house: for when he saw Lord Howard, Sydney, and Hampden coming in, he said to Lord Essex, "What have we to do with this rogue ?" but Lord Essex forced him to stay: having that mistrust, however, he said very little. At another time, Lord Essex himself said to Lord Russell, upon his mentioning his suspicions of Lord Howard, "If you should betray me, every body would blame you, and not me; but if Lord Howard should betray us, every body would blame us as much as him." Lord Russell told Dr. Burnet many particulars, in which Lord Howard had sworn falsely against him, but which Burnet, unfortunately, omits to mention. He said he could not complain of Pemberton for any thing but this,-that, in summing up the evidence, he had taken no notice of the witnesses he had brought, to show that no credit was due to Lord Howard.

He felt no difficulty in writing a letter to the

King; for, he said, though he never did any thing he thought contrary to his interest, yet many railleries, and other indecent things, had passed, for which he prayed God to forgive him, and resolved to ask the King's pardon: and he said, he thought he must likewise let the King know that he forgave him; and for this purpose he hit on the expression, "I forgive all concerned in my death, from the highest to the lowest." He was very careful to say nothing which might appear offensive. He would not say to the King, he had been devoted to his true interest and service; for, he said, the King will say I declined to serve him when I left the council. Nor would he subscribe himself a loyal subject; for, he said, that would not look well in a man attainted of treason, and would seem an impeachment of the sentence.

when finished, was as follows:

The letter,

"Since this is not to be delivered till after my death, I hope Your Majesty will forgive the presumption of an attainted man's writing to you. My chief business is, humbly to ask your pardon, for any thing that I have either said, or done, that might look like want of respect to Your Majesty, or duty to your government. In

which, though I do to the last moment acquit myself of all designs against your person, or of altering of the government, and protest I know of no design, now on foot, against either; yet. I do not deny, but I have heard many things, and said some things contrary to my duty; for which, as I have asked God's pardon, so I humbly beg Your Majesty's. And I take the liberty to add, that though I have met with hard measure, yet I forgive all concerned in it from the highest to the lowest; and I pray God to bless both your person and government, and that the public peace, and the true Protestant religion, may be preserved under you, And I crave leave to end. my days with this sincere protestation, that my heart was ever devoted to that which I thought. was your true interest; in which, if I was mistaken, I hope your displeasure against me will end. with my life, and that no part of it shall fall on my wife and children; which is the last petition will ever be offered you from, May it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most faithful, most dutiful, and most obedient subject, W. RUSSELL" Newgate, July 19, 1688."

A copy of this letter in the Woburn papers, is thus endorsed :-" A copy of my Lord's let ter to the King, to be delivered after his death, and was so, by his uncle, Colonel Russell."

It appears, by the following note. of Dr. Burnet, that a copy was sent to the King before Lord, Russell's death, with the hope of inclining him to mercy. Yet so strangely are things misrepresented, that one writer blames Burnet for having a copy of Lord Russell's letter sent to the King after his death, instead of the original; and another is still more severe on Lord Russell, for going out of the world with an insult to his sovereign.

Dr. Burnet to Lady Russell.

Endorsed by Lady Russell:-" Dr. Burnet to me, upon a note I sent to him, for my Lord's, leave to show his letter to the King."

My lord is in so wonderful a temper, that I dare not attempt diverting him from those thoughts with which he is so full. presume to offer my advice, that you your copy of his letter to the King.

But I will shall send You.

You may

because it

say you dare not send the original, were the transgressing his orders; but by the copy, that is more in your power, the King will see what it is; and if it has no effect, upon

* Dalrymple.

↑ See article RUSSELL, in the Biographia Britannica.

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sending back your copy, you will send the original. I think you may do this; and it is the last thing.

"I am,

"Your faithfullest servant,

"G. BURNET."

Lord Cavendish having sent him a proposition, by Sir James Forbes, to change clothes with him, and remain in prison, whilst he made his escape, he, in a smiling way, sent his thanks to him, but said he would make no escape. He probably thought that flight would look like a confession of guilt, and might prejudice his associates, and injure the great cause to which his whole life had been devoted. He said he was very glad he had not fled, for he could not have lived from his children, and wife, and friends that was all the happiness he saw in life. He was glad that some (probably alluding to Lord Grey) who had not lived so as to be fit to die, had escaped. Of Lord Essex, he said, he was the worthiest, the justest, the sincerest, and the most concerned for the public of any man he ever knew. He ascribed his last fatal act, in great part, to Lord Essex's regret for having introduced Lord Howard to him.

When he spoke of his wife, the tears would sometimes come into his eyes, and he would