ready humour at repartee, not very well adapted to his situation.  One day that Williamson complained that he could not sleep, he was so haunted with rats, he replied, “What do you say, that you are so haunted with Reitc yeq?” The first day, as he was brought to his trial, a woman looked into the coach, and said, “You ugly old dog, don’t you think that you will have that frightful head cut off?” He replied, You ugly old -, I believe I shall.”  At his trial he affected great weakness and infirmities, but often broke into passions; particularly at the first witness, who was his vassal:  he asked him how he dared to come thither!  The man replied, to satisfy his conscience.  Murray, the Pretender’s secretary, was the chief evidence, who, in the course of his information, mentioned Lord Traquair’s having conversed with Lord Barrymore, Sir Watkin Williams, and Sir John Cotton, on the Pretender’s affairs, but that they were shy.  He was proceeding to name others, but was stopped by Lord Talbot, and the court acquiesced—­I think very indecently.  It is imagined the Duchess of Norfolk would have come next upon the stage.  The two Knights were present, as was Macleod, against whom a bitter letter from Lovat was read, accusing him of breach of faith; and afterwards Lovat summoned him to answer some questions he had to ask; but did not. it is much expected that Lord Traquair, who is a great coward, will give ample information of the whole plot.  When Sir Everard Falkener had been examined(1345) against Lovat, the Lord High Steward asked the latter if he had any thing to say to Sir Everard? he replied, “No; but that he was his humble servant, and wished him joy of his young wife.”  The two last days he behaved ridiculously, joking, and making every body laugh even at the sentence.  He said to Lord Ilchester, who sat near the bar, “Je meUrs pour ma patrie, et ne m’en soucie gueres.”  When he withdrew, he said, “Adieu! my lords, we shall never meet again in the same place."(1346) He says he will be hanged; for that his neck is so short and bended, that he should be struck in the shoulders.  I did not think it possible to feel so little as I did at so melancholy a spectacle, but tyranny and villainy wound up by buffoonery took off all edge of concern-.  The foreigners were much struck; Niccolini seemed a great deal shocked, but he comforts himself with the knowledge he thinks he has gained of the English constitution.

Don’t thank Riccardi for me:  I don’t feel obliged for his immoderate demand, but expect very soon to return him his goods; for I have no notion that the two Lords, who are to see them next week, will rise near his price.  We have nothing like news:  all the world has been entirely taken up with the trial. -Here is a letter from Mr. Whithed to Lord Hobart.  Mr. Chute would have written to-Day, if I had not; but will next post.  Adieu!

(1343) William Murray.

(1344) Sir Dudley Ryder; afterwards Lord Chief Justice.