But he said he found the courage of a man that could venture, in the heat of blood, was very different from the courage of a dying Christian, and dying in cold blood. That must come from an inward peace of conscience, and assurance of the mercy of God; and he had that to such a degree, that though, from the first day of his imprisonment, he reckoned he was a dead man, it had never given him any sort of trouble. He added, that God knew the trouble he had been in some weeks before, when his son was ill, had gone nearer his heart, and taken more of his rest from him, than his present condition had done; and that he had had a cholic a little while before, which had so oppressed his spirits, that he saw how little a man could do, if he came to die in such a manner: whereas he had now all his thoughts perfectly about him, and had no other apprehensions of death than being a little gazed at by his friends and enemies, and a moment's pain. Though he had been guilty of many defects and failings (amongst which he reckoned the seldom receiving the sacrament), yet, he thanked God he had a clear conscience, not only in relation to the public (in which he had gone so sincerely that he was sure he had nothing to answer for but sins of ignorance, and some indecent discourses, in which he had been generally more guilty by hearing them, and be

ing pleased with them, than by much speaking), but in relation to all his other concerns. He had spent much, but it was in no ill way. He could never limit his bounty to his condition; and all the thoughts he had of the great estate that was to descend upon him, was to do more good with it; for he had resolved not to live much above the pitch he was then at. He thanked God, that now, for these many years, he had made great conscience of all he did, so that the sins of omission were the chief things he had to answer for. God knew the sincerity of his heart, that he could not go into a thing he thought ill, nor could he tell a lie.

He asked Dr. Burnet if the scorn he had of some ill men, particularly the Lord Howard, was inconsistent with a perfect forgiveness. He said, he heartily prayed God to touch his heart; and was sure, that, if it was in his power, he would do him no hurt but good; but he could not forbear thinking very ill of him, and despising him. Dr. Burnet satisfied him on this head, by showing him, from the fifteenth Psalm, that a part of the character of one that shall dwell in God's holy hill, is he in whose eyes a vile person is despised.

Rumsey and Lord Howard were two men of whom he always had a secret horror. Sheppard he thought better of, till he was told he had be

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. 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. The letter, when finished, was as follows:

"May it please Your Majesty;

"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 letter to the King, to be delivered after his death, -and was so, by his uncle, Colonel Russell."