Public Fast--Extracts from Lady Huntingdon’s
Letters--Prayer-meetings for the Nation--Mr. Venn--Mr.
Berridge--Singular effects of his preaching--Mr. Romaine
and Mr. Madan’s visit to Everton--Mr. Wesley preaches at
Everton--Convulsive motions amongst the congregation--Letters to
Lady Huntingdon--Lady Huntingdon visits Mr. Berridge--Mr. Venn
and Mr. Fletcher preach at Everton--Loud cries amongst their
hearers--Duke of York--Dr. Dodd--Murder of Mr. Johnson--Lord
Ferrers--Tried by his Peers--Visited in prison by Lady
Huntingdon--Singular conduct of Lord Ferrers--Execution.
At the commencement of the year 1759, we find Lady Huntingdon at Bath,
accompanied by Lady Fanny Shirley and Lady Selina Hastings. On the
4th of January her Ladyship went to Bristol to meet Mr. Wesley, who
accompanied her to Bath, and after preaching to several of the nobility
at her house, proceeded to Salisbury, on his way to London.
Early in February, Lady Huntingdon returned to London; and Friday, the
16th, being the day appointed for a public fast, her Ladyship went
to the Tabernacle to hear Mr. Whitefield, who addressed an immense
congregation from those solemn words, “Rend your hearts, and not your
garments,” &c. In the evening she heard Mr. Wesley at the Foundry, who
preached to an overflowing multitude from “Seek the Lord while he may
be found,” &c. Every place of public worship was crowded on this day,
and an unusual air of seriousness pervaded all ranks.
“Surely (observes her Ladyship) the Lord has appeared remarkably
for our sinful land. O that the prayers and supplications which
so lately ascended from so many quarters may be heard and
answered, and abundant blessings be poured down upon our sinful
country! If our cup of iniquity is not yet full, gracious Lord,
O spare us!--spare thy people, and hide them in the clefts of
the Rock of Ages!”
Her Ladyship felt “a particular call in Providence” to wrestle
mightily with God in behalf of our nation, and for the important work
of intercession, prayer-meetings were established at her house. On
Wednesday, the 21st of February, Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Charles Wesley,
Mr. Maxfield, and Mr. Venn successively engaged in this solemn
exercise; and on Friday, the 23rd, Mr. Romaine, Mr. Wesley, Mr. Madan,
and Mr. Jones conducted the service at her Ladyship’s house, when a
deep sense of the Divine presence seemed to penetrate every soul in
attendance.
“I trust (says her Ladyship) great and permanent effects will
follow, and national judgments be suspended. May the Lord
graciously countenance this attempt, and grant that increasing
prayer in the name of Jesus may ascend from every heart. Of
late I have felt the most ardent desires for the exaltation
of the Lord Jesus in every heart, and the most holy ardour of
desire to promote his cause upon earth. I seem to have done
nothing, and would lie down in the dust before him, and lament
my unfaithfulness, my unprofitableness, and my unfruitfulness.
May he increase my faith, animate my heart with a zeal for his
glory, enlarge my sphere, and make me more faithful in the
sphere in which I move.
“Thursday, the 27th (says Mr. Wesley), I walked, with my brother
and Mr. Maxfield, to Lady Huntingdon’s. After breakfast, came in
Messrs. Whitefield, Madan, Romaine, Jones, Downing, and Venn,
with some persons of quality, and a few others. Mr. Whitefield,
I found, was to have administered the sacrament, but he
insisted upon my doing it: after which, at the request of Lady
Huntingdon, I preached on 1 Cor. xiii. 13--”_And now abideth
faith, hope, charity, these three--but the greatest of these is
charity_.”
On the evening of Wednesday, the 28th, the usual prayer-meeting was
held at her Ladyship’s house, when Mr. Wesley, Mr. Venn, and Mr. Madan
engaged in the solemn service, which was closed by a short exhortation
from Mr. Whitefield. The following morning Mr. Jones preached, and
Mr. Romaine concluded with a short scriptural prayer, and the usual
benediction. At the prayer-meeting on Friday evening, Mr. Charles
Wesley gave an address; and the other parts of the service were
conducted by Messrs. Whitefield, Romaine, Downing, and Venn. The
Lord’s Supper was administered on Tuesday, the 6th of March, by Mr.
Whitefield, when he addressed the communicants in a most solemn and
impressive manner. “All were touched to the heart (says her Ladyship),
and dissolved in tears. My inmost soul felt penetrated at the height
and depth of that love which passeth knowledge, and I was ready, with
Peter, to say, ‘_It is good to be here_.’ Lord, teach me how to
improve to the utmost these gracious visitations.”
Mr. Whitefield was assisted by Messrs. Romaine and Madan. The former
prayed before and the latter after the distribution of the elements.
Amongst the communicants were the Earl and Countess of Dartmouth,
Countess of Chesterfield, Lady Gertrude Hotham, Sir Charles Hotham,
Mrs. Carteret, Mrs. Cavendish, Sir Sidney Halford Smythe, Mr. Thornton,
Rev. Messrs. Venn, Jones, Maxfield, Downing, and others. When this
solemn service was concluded, the Earls of Chesterfield and Holderness,
and several persons of distinction, with a few others, came in. Mr.
Whitefield preached with his accustomed eloquence and energy from that
passage--“Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” “On
this occasion (her Ladyship observes), The Lord was eminently present.
The word seemed clothed with an irresistible energy, and drew sighs
from every heart and tears from every eye. Mr. Fletcher concluded with
a prayer, every syllable of which appeared to be uttered under the
immediate teaching of the Spirit, and he has told me since that he
never had more intimate communion with God, or enjoyed so much of his
immediate presence, as on that occasion. Ah! how poor and trifling does
all created good appear when thus highly favoured of God. He in mercy
keeps me sensible of my weakness, and dependent upon himself, for which
I praise him. He has strengthened my body to undergo more fatigue than
usual, without being hurt by it. But my pen would fail to testify of
the goodness of my God. Bless the Lord, O my soul! and forget not all
his benefits.”
It was now that John Berridge, the vicar of Everton, in Bedfordshire,
and Mr. Hicks, vicar of Wrestlingworth, by their preaching, produced
the same convulsions in their hearers as had formerly prevailed at
Bristol.[197]
Lady Huntingdon wrote to Mr. Romaine from Bath, requesting him and Mr.
Madan to repair immediately to Everton, and examine minutely into the
circumstances. They were warmly received by Mr. Berridge and Mr. Hicks.
At first they were astonished, and for a time doubted whether the work
was genuine; but after they had conversed with several of those who had
fallen in violent convulsive fits, and had accompanied Mr. Berridge
and Mr. Hicks in some of their itinerant excursions, and witnessed the
effects of their preaching, they were filled with a solemn awe, and
felt fully convinced the work was of God, though occasionally mingled
with the wild-fire of enthusiasm.[198]
Filled with astonishment at what God had wrought, and at the surprising
work which he was carrying on in the hearts of multitudes, Mr. Romaine
and Mr. Madan returned to London, and Mr. Wesley went to Everton, who,
after describing the cries and convulsions, says--
“I have often observed more or less of these outward symptoms to
attend the beginning of a general work of God. So it was in New
England, Scotland, Holland, Ireland, and many parts of England,
but after a time they gradually decreased, and the work goes on
more quietly and silently. Those whom it pleases God to employ
in his work ought to be quite passive in this respect. They
should _choose_ nothing, but leave entirely to him all the
circumstances of his own work.”
In a letter to Lady Huntingdon, Mr. Wesley says--
“The agreeable hour which I spent with your Ladyship the last
week recalled to my mind the former times, and gave me much
matter of thankfulness to the Giver of every good gift. I have
found great satisfaction in conversing with those instruments
whom God has lately raised up. But still there is I know not
what in them whom we have known from the beginning, and who have
borne the burden and heat of the day, which we do not find in
those who have risen up since, though they are of upright heart.
Perhaps, too, those who have but lately come into the harvest
are led to think and speak more largely of justification, and
the other first principles of the doctrine of Christ. And it may
be proper for _them_ so to do. Yet _we_ find a thirst
after something farther. We want to sink deeper and rise higher
in the knowledge of God our Saviour. We want all helps for
walking closely with Him whom we have received, that we may the
more speedily come to the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ.
“Mr. Berridge appears to be one of the most simple as well
as most sensible men of all whom it pleased God to employ in
reviving primitive Christianity. I designed to have spent
but one night with him; but Mr. Gilbert’s mistake (who sent
him word I would be at Everton on Friday) obliged me to stay
there another day, or multitudes of people would have been
disappointed. They come now twelve or fourteen miles to hear
him; and very few come in vain. His word is with power: he
speaks as plain and home as John Nelson, but with all the
propriety of Mr. Romaine and the tenderness of Mr. Hervey.
“At Colchester, likewise, the word of God has free course--only
no house will contain the congregation. On Sunday I was obliged
to preach on St. John’s-green; the people stood on a smooth
sloping ground, sheltered by the walls of an old castle, and
behaved as men who felt that God was there.
“I am persuaded your Ladyship still remembers in your prayers
your willing servant, for Christ’s sake,
“JOHN WESLEY.”
Mr. Berridge informed Lady Huntingdon of his call to Cambridge, to
preach before the University, complaining of his ill health and want of
assistance in his own parish. Her Ladyship applied to Mr. Fletcher, who
volunteered his service till Mr. Madan or Mr. Romaine could relieve him.
Soon after he had gone to Everton, Lady Huntingdon, accompanied by Mr.
Madan, proceeded thither, anxious to witness the astonishing effects
which had there resulted from the preaching of the Gospel. She had
intimated her intention to Mr. Berridge some days before her departure
from London, and on the morning after their arrival, at an early hour,
an amazing concourse of people had been collected from all parts.
At seven o’clock Mr. Berridge preached in a field near the church,
when the power of God fell upon all the assembled multitude in a very
uncommon manner. At eleven o’clock public service commenced in the
church. Mr. Hicks read prayers, after which Mr. Venn explained the “joy
that is in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” In the afternoon,
the church being unable to contain a fifth of the people, Mr. Madan
stood in the open air and cried to the listening multitude, “If any man
thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” The following day there was
a public service again: Mr. Fletcher read prayers, and Mr. Madan spoke
very energetically on “Ye must be born again.” The congregation was
immense, the windows being filled within and without. In the afternoon
Mr. Berridge read prayers, and Mr. Venn enforced these solemn words on
an attentive congregation--“This is life eternal, to know thee, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Great numbers,
who were unable to gain admittance, remained about the church after the
service was concluded: Mr. Berridge addressed them from the words of
the prophet--“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while
he is near.”
The arrival of Lady Huntingdon at Everton, and the preaching of the
ministers who accompanied her, was quickly reported for many miles
round, and awakened considerable attention, insomuch that on the
following day it was judged _ten thousand_ at least assembled
to hear. While Mr. Venn was enforcing those awful words of the
prophet--“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not
saved,” several persons, both men and women, sunk down and wept
bitterly. In the afternoon a still greater multitude collected. The
evening being calm and still, all heard distinctly, whilst Mr. Berridge
preached on these words--“Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the
sin of the world.” Towards the close of the sermon, five persons,
almost at once, sunk down as dead. Others cried with a loud and bitter
cry, “What must we do to be saved?” In a little time all was silent,
and Mr. Berridge finished his sermon, after which the service concluded
with singing--
“Arm of the Lord, awake! awake!
Thine own immortal strength put on,” &c.
Mr. Madan having consented to remain at Everton, to supply Mr.
Berridge’s church till Mr. Romaine was at liberty to take his place,
Lady Huntingdon returned to London with Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Venn, and
Mr. Berridge, whom her Ladyship was desirous of introducing to the
religious circles of the metropolis, with a view to his spiritual
improvement. During his stay he preached two or three times in the
city churches, assisted by Mr. Whitefield and the Messrs. Wesley,
and expounded almost every morning and evening at Lady Huntingdon’s,
besides his occasional lectures at Lady Gertrude Hotham’s, in New
Norfolk-street, Grosvenor-square, and Lady Fanny Shirley’s, in South
Audley-street.
It was about this time that Prince Edward, afterwards created Duke
of York, paid a visit to the Magdalene. His Royal Highness having
expressed a wish to attend the evening service, a party was formed at
Northumberland House for that purpose. The Prince[199] was accompanied
by Colonel Brudenel, Lady Northumberland, Lady Mary Coke, Lady
Carlisle, Miss Pelham, Lady Hertford, Lord Beauchamp, Lord Huntingdon,
and Horace Walpole. As soon as he entered the chapel the organ played,
and a hymn was sung by the Magdalenes, about one hundred and thirty in
number. After the prayers were read, Dr. Dodd preached an eloquent and
impressive sermon from Luke xix. 20, which was afterwards published, by
the express desire of the Prince; a hymn was then sung, after which his
Royal Highness was conducted to the parlour, where the Governors kissed
the Prince’s hand. He particularly noticed Lady Huntingdon and Lady
Chesterfield, with whom he conversed for several minutes on the merits
of the sermon and the excellence of the institution, expressed himself
highly gratified at what he had witnessed, and at taking his departure
left fifty pounds for the benefit of the institution.[200]
The dreadful calamity by which Lady Huntingdon’s family was afflicted
in 1760 had a powerful effect on her Ladyship’s mind for a season.
Lawrence, fourth Earl of Ferrers, eldest son of her uncle, the Hon.
Lawrence Shirley, by a daughter of Sir Walter Clarges, of Aston, in
Hertfordshire, Bart., though he was at times a very intelligent person,
and a nobleman conversant in the constitution of his country, yet,
on divers occasions, exhibited symptoms of constitutional insanity.
For more than a twelvemonth he had supplied a topic for conversation
by an attempt to murder his wife, and every body that took her part.
Having broken the peace, which the House of Lords had bound him over
to keep, the cause was again brought before them; but instead of
attending it, he went to the assizes at Hertford to appear against a
highwayman.[201] The Countess was sister to Sir W. Meredith, and had
no fortune. The Earl always said she had trepanned him into matrimony,
having met him at an assembly where he was intoxicated, and having
kept him in a state of drunkenness till the ceremony was over. As he
was seldom sober before or afterwards, it is hardly fair to impute his
excesses to this pretty, and, unless it were a crime to wish to be a
Countess, very blameless person.
His misfortunes, as he called them, were dated from his marriage,
though he had been guilty of horrid excesses unconnected with
matrimony, and is even believed to have killed a groom, who died a year
after receiving a cruel beating from him. He had a mistress before his
marriage, by whom he had two or three children, and he took her again
after the separation from his wife. He was fond of both, and used
both ill: Lady Ferrers so ill--always carrying pistols to bed, and
threatening to kill her before morning, beating her, and being jealous
without provocation--that she obtained a separation from him by Act of
Parliament, in which were appointed receivers of his estate, to secure
her allowance. This he could not bear. However, he named his steward as
one of these receivers. Afterwards, finding out that Mr. Johnson[202]
had paid Lady Ferrers fifty pounds without his knowledge, and
suspecting him of being in the confederacy against him, he determined,
when he failed of opportunities of murdering his wife, to kill the
steward, which he effected.
Having ordered Mr. Johnson to attend him at Stanton, his Lordship
contrived to send all the men-servants out of the way, so that there
was no person in the house but himself and three female servants.
On Mr. Johnson entering the room, Lord Ferrers locked the door. His
lordship then ordered him to settle an account, and after a little
time produced a paper, purporting, as he said, to be a confession of
his villany, and required Mr. Johnson to sign it. Johnson refused;
on which his lordship, drawing a pistol from his pocket, ordered him
to kneel down, which the terrified man did, upon one knee; but Lord
Ferrers cried out so loud as to be heard by one of the women at the
kitchen door, “Down on your other knee--declare what you have acted
against Lord Ferrers--your time is come, and you must die.” He fired,
and the ball entered Mr. Johnson’s body just below the last rib, yet he
did not drop, but rose up, and expressed the sensations of a dying man
both by his looks and broken sentences. An alarm was soon given, and
Dr. Kirkland was sent for.[203]
At the time of his arrest, Lord Ferrers was armed with a blunderbuss,
two or three pistols, and a dagger. From Ashby-de-la-Zouch his Lordship
was sent to Leicester gaol, and from thence, about a fortnight
afterwards, was brought to London, in his own landau and six horses,
under a strong guard. He was dressed like a jockey, in close riding
frock, boots, and cap. Immediately on his arrival, he was carried
before the House of Lords. It is impossible to conceive the shock which
the evidence contained in the coroner’s inquest gave the court: many
of the Lords were standing to look at him, but they soon turned from
him with detestation. He was then committed to the custody of the Black
Rod, and ordered to the Tower.
After two months’ imprisonment in the Tower, on the 16th April, 1759,
Lord Ferrers was brought to his trial in Westminster Hall. He would
not plead _guilty_, and yet had nothing to plead; and at last, to
humour his family, pleaded _madness_, against his inclination.
It was melancholy to see two of his brothers brought to depose to
lunacy as existing in their own blood, in order to save their brother’s
life.[204] On a former affair, in the House of Lords, he is said to
have behaved with great shrewdness; no such thing, however, appeared
at his trial; and it was afterwards pretended that his being forced by
his family, against his inclination, to plead insanity, prevented his
exerting his parts; but Lord Ferrers did not act in anything as if his
family had influence over him.[205]
The trial lasted three days. His Lordship was sentenced to be hanged,
and to have his body dissected and anatomized, the evidence of his
insanity not proving satisfactory to their Lordships. But the Right
Hon. Lord Henley, late Earl of Nottingham, who acted as High Steward
at this awful solemnity, with consent of the Peers, respited his
Lordship’s execution till Monday, May 5th. On receiving sentence, the
unfortunate nobleman begged his Peers to recommend him to mercy: but
all application from himself and friends proved ineffectual, and he was
left for execution.
The conduct of Lord Ferrers after his condemnation was singular and
extraordinary. The very night he received sentence he played at
picquet, and would have continued to play every evening, had not
permission been refused, at the particular request of Lady Huntingdon
and other members of his family. Lord Cornwallis, Governor of the
Tower, shortened his allowance of wine after his conviction, agreeably
to the strict acts concerning the crime of murder which had passed both
Houses of Parliament. This his Lordship much disliked, and at last
pressed his brother to intercede, that at least he might have more
porter; “for (said he), what I have is not a draught.” Mr. Shirle
remonstrated, but at last consented. Then said the Earl, “Now is as
good a time as any to take leave of you. Adieu!”
Very great exertions were made by Lady Huntingdon and other branches
of the family to save his life. Two petitions were presented to the
King--one by his mother, and the other by all the members of his
family; but his Majesty said, as the House of Lords had unanimously
found him guilty, he would not interfere. Another petition was
presented by my Lord Keeper, but the King refused to hear him.
Dr. Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, offered his services to his Lordship:
he thanked the Bishop, and said, as his own brother was a clergyman,
he chose to have him; but Lady Huntingdon was more frequently with
him than any other relation. The Earl, although by no means disposed
to pay attention to the subjects she brought before his mind, allowed
her to visit him frequently, and often sent for her _for the sake
of company_. He grew tired of her Ladyship’s unwearied exertions
to produce effect upon a conscience so hardened and impenetrable, and
complained that she was enough to provoke anybody; yet he permitted
her to visit him to the last, even after he had declined seeing his
brothers; and had two interviews with Mr. Whitefield, to whom he
behaved with great politeness. At Lady Huntingdon’s request, Mr.
Whitefield repeatedly offered up public prayer for Lord Ferrers; “and
that impertinent fellow (says Horace Walpole) told his enthusiasts,
in his sermons, that my Lord’s heart was stone.” The very hardened
conduct of Lord Ferrers, through every intricacy of this most horrid
affair, even to the last moment of his departure out of life, but
too well justified Mr. Whitefield. Witness his fearful insensibility
the night before his execution, when he made one of his keepers read
_Hamlet_ to him after he was in bed; he paid all his bills in
the morning as coolly as if leaving an inn; and half an hour before
the arrival of the sheriffs to convey him to the place of execution,
corrected some verses he had written in the Tower, in imitation of the
Duke of Buckingham’s epitaph:--
“_Dubius sed non improbus vixi._
In doubt I lived--in doubt I die,--
Yet stand prepared the vast abyss to try--
And undismay’d, expect eternity!”[206]
On the morning of the 5th of May his body was demanded of the keeper
at the gates of the Tower by the sheriffs of London and Middlesex.
His Lordship being informed of it, sent a message to the sheriffs
requesting that he might go in his own landau, instead of the
mourning coach that had been provided by his family; and his request
being granted, he entered his landau, drawn by six horses, with Mr.
Humphries, chaplain of the Tower, who had been admitted to his Lordship
that morning for the first time. The landau was conducted to the outer
gate by the officers of the Tower, and was there delivered to the
sheriffs. Here Mr. Sheriff Vaillant entered the landau of Lord Ferrers,
and expressing his concern at having so melancholy a duty to perform,
his Lordship said “he was much obliged to him, and took it kindly that
he accompanied him.”
He was dressed in his wedding clothes, which were of a light colour,
and embroidered in silver, and said he thought this, at least, as good
an occasion of putting them on as that for which they were first made.
Soon after Mr. Sheriff Vaillant came into the landau, he said, “You may
perhaps, sir, think it strange to see me in this dress, but I have my
particular reasons for it.”
Sir William Meredith, and even Lady Huntingdon, were strongly convinced
that his courage would fail him at last; but they were deceived.
His courage rose where it was most likely to fail. The mixture of
pageantry, shame, ignominy, and even of delay, could not shake his
resolution. He set out from the Tower at nine, amidst crowds of
spectators.[207]
The procession was two hours and three quarters on its way; but during
the whole time Lord Ferrers appeared perfectly easy and composed,
though he often expressed his desire to have it over, saying, “that the
apparatus of death, and the passing through such crowds of people,
were ten times worse than death itself.” At first his Lordship talked
on indifferent matters, and observing the prodigious confluence of
people, he said, “But they never saw a lord hanged, and perhaps will
never see another.” One of the dragoons was thrown in consequence of
his horse’s leg becoming entangled in the hind wheel. Lord Ferrers
expressed much concern, and said, “I hope there will be no death to-day
but mine,” and was pleased when Mr. Sheriff Vaillant told him that
the man was not hurt. He told the sheriff “that he had written to the
King to beg that he might suffer there where his ancestor, the Earl of
Essex, the favourite of Elizabeth, had suffered, and was in great hopes
of obtaining that favour, as he had the honour of being allied to his
Majesty, and of quartering part of the royal arms; he thought it hard
(he said) that he must die at the place appointed for the execution
of common felons.” The sheriff made excuses to him on his office. “On
the contrary (said the Earl), I am much obliged to you. I feared the
disagreeableness of the duty might make you depute your under-sheriff.
As you are so good as to execute it yourself, I am persuaded the
dreadful apparatus will be conducted with more expedition.”
Mr. Humphries, chaplain of the Tower, who sat backwards, then thought
it his turn to speak, and began to talk on religious subjects; but Lord
Ferrers received the overture with impatience. However, the chaplain
persevered, and said he wished to bring his Lordship to some confession
or acknowledgment of contrition for a crime so repugnant to the laws
of God and man, and wished him to endeavour to do whatever could be
done in so short a time. The Earl replied, “he had done everything he
had purposed to do with regard to God and man; and as to discourses on
religion, you and I, sir (said he to the clergyman), shall probably
not agree on that subject. The passage is very short--you will not
have time to convince me, nor I to refute you; it cannot be ended
before we arrive.” The clergyman still insisted, and urged that, at
least, the world would expect some satisfaction, and would naturally be
very inquisitive concerning the religion his Lordship professed. Lord
Ferrers replied, with some impatience--
“Sir, what have I to do with the world? I am going to pay a
forfeit life, which my country has thought proper to take from
me. What do I care now what the world thinks of me? But, sir,
since you do desire some confession, I confess one thing to you:
I do believe there is a God, the Maker of all things. As to
modes of worship, we had better not talk of them: all nations
and countries have a form of religion by which the people are
governed, and whoever disturbs it I look upon as an enemy
to society. Whatever my notions may have been, I have never
propagated them, or endeavoured to gain persons over to my
persuasion. I always thought Lord Bolingbroke in the wrong to
publish his notions on religion: I will not fall into the same
error. The many sects, and their disputes about religion, have
almost turned morality out of doors: and I can never believe
what some sectaries teach, that faith alone will save mankind;
so that if a man just before he dies should say only, ‘I
believe’--that _that_ alone will save him.”
The chaplain represented to him that it would be expected from one of
his calling, and that even decency required, that some prayer should be
used on the scaffold, and asked his leave, at least, to use the Lord’s
Prayer there. Lord Ferrers replied, “I always thought it a good prayer:
you may use it if you please.”
The landau being now advanced to the place of execution, his Lordship
alighted from it, and, with the same composure and fortitude of mind he
had possessed from the time he left the Tower, mounted the scaffold: it
was hung with black by the undertaker, at the expense of his family.
Under the gallows was a newly-invented stage, to be struck from under
him. He showed no kind of fear or discomposure, only just looking at
the gallows with a slight motion of dissatisfaction. He said little,
kneeled for a moment at the Lord’s Prayer, and afterwards, with great
energy, uttered the following ejaculations, “O God! forgive me all my
errors--pardon all my sins.”
His Lordship then, rising quickly, mounted the upper stage. He had come
pinioned with a black sash, and was unwilling to have his hands tied
or his face covered, but was persuaded to both. When the rope was put
round his neck he turned pale, but recovered instantly. Within seven
minutes after leaving the landau the signal was given for striking the
stage, and in four minutes he was quite dead.[208]
Mr. Shirley remained in London some time after the execution in
order to pay his brother’s debts, that no further dishonour might be
reflected on his memory. Lady Huntingdon, likewise, continued in London
till the end of June. This is confirmed by an extract of a letter from
the Countess of Northumberland to Mr. Lindsay, dated June 17th:--
“As I am in doubt about your direction I shall send this to
Northumberland House, and order them to carry it to Lady
Huntingdon, where, I conclude, they will be able to learn how
to convey it safely to you. My Lord desires his compliments to
you, and I beg to trouble you with mine to Lady Huntingdon, Lady
Selina, and Mrs. Hastings.”[209]