obtain leave to be removed to his own house; and when the earl heard the poor creature was dead, he said he gloried in having killed him.  You cannot conceive the shock this evidence gave the court-many of the lords were standing to look at him-at once they turned from him with detestation.  I had heard that on the former affair in the House of Lords, he had behaved with great shrewdness—­no such thing appeared at his trial.  It is now pretended, that his being forced by his family against his inclination to plead madness, prevented his exerting his parts--but he has not acted in any thing as if his family had influence over him—­consequently his reverting to much good sense leaves the whole inexplicable.  The very night he received sentence, he played at picquet with the warders and would play for money, and would have continued to play every evening, but they refuse.  Lord Cornwallis, governor of the Tower, shortened his allowance of wine after his conviction, agreeably to the late strict acts on murder.  This he much disliked, and at last pressed his brother the clergyman to intercede that at least he might have more porter; for, said he, what I have is not a draught.  His brother represented against it, but at last consenting (and he did obtain it)—­then said the earl, “Now is as good a time as any to take leave of you—­adieu!” A minute journal of his whole behaviour has been kept, to see if there was any madness in it.  Dr. Munro since the trial has made -,in affidavit of his lunacy.  The Washingtons were certainly a very frantic race, and I have no doubt of madness in him, but not of a pardonable sort.  Two petitions from his mother and all his family were presented to the King, who said, as the House of Lords had unanimously found him guilty, he would not interfere.  Last week my lord keeper very good-naturedly got out of a gouty bed to present another:  the King would not hear him.  “Sir,” said the keeper, “I don’t come to petition for mercy or respite; but that the four thousand pounds which Lord Ferrers has in India bonds may be permitted to go according to his disposition of it to his mistress’ children, and the family of the murdered man.”  “With all my heart,” said the King, “I have no objection; but I will have no message carried to him from me.”  However, this grace was notified to him and gave him great satisfaction:  but unfortunately it now appears to be law, that it is forfeited to the sheriff of the county where the fact was committed; though when my Lord Hardwicke was told that he had disposed of it, he said, to be sure he may before conviction.

Dr. Pearce, Bishop of Rochester,(57) offered his service to him:  he thanked the Bishop, but said, as his own brother was a clergyman, he chose to have him.  Yet he had another relation who has been much more busy about his repentance.  I don’t know whether you have ever heard that one of the singular characters here is a Countess of Huntingdon,(58) aunt of Lord Ferrers.  She is the Saint Theresa of