(1345) He was secretary to the Duke, whom he had attended into Scotland during the rebellion.

(1346) Lord Byron has put nearly the same words into the mouth of Israel Bertuccio, in his tragedy of Marino Falicro.-E.

522 Letter 131 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, April 10, 1747.

I deferred writing to you as long as they deferred the execution of old Lovat, because I had a mind to send you some account of his death, as I had of his trial.  He was beheaded yesterday, and died extremely well, without passion, affectation, buffoonery, or timidity:  his behaviour was natural and intrepid.  He professed himself a Jansenist; made no speech, but sat down a little while in a chair on the scaffold, and talked to the people round him.  He said, “he was glad to suffer for his country, dulce est pro patria mori; that he did not know how, but he had always loved it, nescio qua natale solum, etc.; that he had never swerved from his principles; that this was the character of his family, who had been gentlemen for five hundred years.”  He lay down quietly, gave the sign soon, and was despatched at a blow.  I believe it will strike some terror into the Highlands, when they hear there is any power great enough to bring so potent a tyrant to the block.  A scaffold fell down, and killed several persons; one, a man that had rid post from Salisbury the day before to see the ceremony; and a woman was taken up dead with a live child in her arms.  The body(1347) is sent into Scotland:  the day was cold, and before It set out, the coachman drove the hearse about the court, before my Lord Traquair’s dungeon, which could be no agreeable sight:  it might to Lord Cromartie, who is above the chair.(1348) Mr. Chute was at the execution with the Italians, who were more entertained than shocked:  Panciatici told me, “It was a triste spectacle, mais qu’il ne laissoit d’`etre beau.”  Niccolini has treasured it up among his insights into the English constitution.  We have some chance of a Peer’s trial that has nothing to do with the rebellion.  A servant of a college has been killed at Oxford, and a verdict of wilful murder by persons unknown, brought in by the coroner’s inquest.  These persons unknown are supposed to be Lord Abergavenny,(1349) Lord Charles Scot,(1350) and two more, who had played tricks with the poor fellow that night, while he was drunk, and the next morning he was found with his skull fractured, at the foot of the first Lord’s staircase.  One pities the poor boys, who undoubtedly did not foresee the melancholy event of their sport.

I shall not be able till the next letter to tell you about Riccardi’s gems:  Lord Duncannon has been in the country; but he and Lord Carlisle are to come to me next Sunday, and determine.