lution, and to have received for answer, that Mr. Trenchard had failed them at Taunton. Lord Russell totally denied all knowledge of this message. When the examination was finished, Lord Russell was sent a close prisoner to the Tower. Upon his going in, he told his servant, Taunton, that he was sworn against, and they would have his life. Taunton said he hoped it would not be in the power of his enemies to take it. Lord Russell answered, "Yes; the devil is loose." *

From this moment he looked upon himself as a dying man, and turned his thoughts wholly to another world. He read much in the Scriptures, particularly in the Psalms; but whilst he behaved with the serenity of a man prepared for death, his friends exhibited an honourable anxiety to preserve his life. Lord Essex would not leave his house, lest his absconding might incline a jury to give more credit to the evidence against Lord Russell. The Duke of Monmouth sent to let him know he would come in, and run fortunes with him, if he thought it could do him any service. He answered, it would be of no advantage to him to have his friends die with him.

A committee of the Privy Council came to examine him. Their enquiries related to the meet

ings at Sheppard's, the rising at Taunton, the seizing of the guards, and a design for a rising in Scotland. In answer to the questions put to him, he acknowledged he had been at Sheppard's house divers times, and that he went there with the Duke of Monmouth; but he denied all knowledge of any consultation tending to an insurrection, or to surprize the guards. He remembered no discourse concerning any rising at Taunton, and knew of no design for a rising in Scotland. He answered his examiners in a civil manner, but declined making any defence till his trial, when he had no doubt of being able to prove his innocence. The charge of treating with the Scots, as a thing the Council were positively assured of, alarmed his friends, and Lady Russell desired Dr. Burnet to examine who it could be that had charged him; but, upon enquiry, it appeared to be only an artifice to draw a confession from him; and, notwithstanding the power which the Court possessed to obtain the condemnation of their enemies, by the perversion of law, the servility of judges, and the submission of juries, Lord Russell might still have contested his life, with some prospect of success, had not a new circumstance occurred to cloud his declining prospects. This was the apprehension and confession of Lord Howard. At first, he had talked of the whole matter with scorn and contempt; and solemnly professed

that he knew nothing which could hurt Lord Russell. The King himself said, he found Lord Howard was not amongst them, and he supposed it was for the same reason which some of themselves had given, for not admitting Oates into their secrets, namely, that he was such a rogue they could not trust him. But when the news was brought to Lord Howard that West had de livered himself, Lord Russell, who was with him, observed him change colour, and asked him if he apprehended any thing from him? He replied, that he had been as free with him as any man. Hampden saw him afterwards under great fears; and desired him to go out of the way, if he thought there was matter against him, and he had not strength of mind to meet the occasion. A warrant was now issued against him, on the evidence of West; and he was taken, after a long search, concealed in a chimney of his own house. He immediately confessed all he knew, and more. It appears but too probable, indeed, from the two following extracts, the one from Narcissus Luttrell's diary, and the other from Lady Russell's private notes, that Lord Howard, on the first appearance of danger, endeavoured to save his life at the expense of that of his friends:

"Ever since the first discovery of this plot, (says Narcissus Luttrell,) there have been dis

courses of a peer's coming in to discover the same, which now proves to be the Lord Howard."

Note, endorsed by Lady Russell:-" This was said before (by?) the Lady Chaworth."

"There having run a story of a letter, without a name, writ to the King, promising a discovery against Lord Russell, which some said was Lord Huntingdon's, some Lord Essex's, Lord Howard and his wife being here on Sunday last, a lady coming in, whispered me in the ear, that here was the Lord that now they said had written the said letter to His Majesty. I whispered to her again, and asked her whether she would give me leave to tell him. She answered, Aye, if you will, when I am gone, without naming me. After which, she and all the rest of the company being gone, except Lord Howard and his lady, who staid for their coach, I said to my lord and his wife, My Lord, they say now that you are the person that writ the nameless letter to the King.' To which he replied, My Lord of Essex, as much as I; and I, as much as my Lord of Essex. May my Lord Russell, and all innocent men, live till I accuse them!"

Hampden and Lord Russell were imprisoned upon Lord Howard's information; and, four

days afterwards, Lord Russell was brought to trial: but, in order to possess the public mind with a sense of the blackness of the plot, Walcot, Hone, and Rouse were first brought to trial, and condemned, upon the evidence of Keeling, Lee, and West, of a design to assassinate the King.......

A circumstance of more melancholy interest, but also tending to produce an impression unfavourable to Lord Russell, happened on the very morning of his trial. We have seen that Lord Essex staid in his own house, without any apparent uneasiness, from an apprehension that his flight would be injurious to his friend. An order was now given for his arrest, on the information of Lord Howard. A party of horse was sent to bring him up from his house at Cassiobury. He was at first in some disorder, but soon recovered himself. When he came before · the council, however, he was in much confusion. He was sent to the Tower, and there fell under a great depression of spirits. He sent, by his servant, a very melancholy message to his wife : that what he was charged with was true; that he was sorry he had ruined her and her children; and that he had sent to Lord Clarendon, who had married his sister, to speak freely to him. She immediately sent back to him, to beg that he would not think of her or her children, but only study to support his own spirits; and de