WILLIAM AND MARY.

47

her who had been dearest to the brave sufferer, who had sate,with the pen in her hand, by his side at the bar, who hadcheered the gloom of his cell, and who, on his last day, hadshared with him the memorials of the great sacrifice, hadsoftened the hearts of many who were little in the habit ofpitying an opponent. That ltussell had many good qualities,that he had meant well, that he had been hardly used, was nowadmitted even by courtly lawyers who had assisted in sheddinghis blood, and by courtly divines who had done their worst toblacken his reputation. When, therefore, the parchment■which annulled his sentence was laid on the table of that as-sembly in which, eight years before, his face and his voice hadbeen so well known, the excitement was great. One old AVhigmember tried to speak, but was overcome by his feelings.“I cannot,” he said, “name my Lord Russell without disorder.It is enough to name him. I am not able to say more.” Manyeyes were directed towards that part of the house where Finchsate. The highly honourable manner in which he had quitted alucrative office, as soon as he had found that he could not keepit without supporting the dispensing power, and the con-spicuous part which he had borne in the defence of the Bishops,had done much to atone for his faults. Yet, on this day, itcould not be forgotten that he had strenuously exerted himself,as counsel for the Crown, to obtain that judgment which w’asnow to be solemnly revoked. He rose, and attempted to de-fend his conduct: but neither his legal acuteness, nor thatfluent and sonorous elocution which was in his family a heredi-tary gift, and of which none of his family had a larger sharethan himself, availed him on this occasion. The House was inno humour to hear him, and repeatedly interrupted him bycries of “Order.” lie had been treated, he w'as told, withgreat indulgence. No accusation had been brought againsthim. Why then should he, under pretence of vindicating him-

ciiap

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1681 ).