■WILLIAM AND MARY.

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to the Solicitors of the Treasury, to the witnesses for the Crown, crap.and to the keepers of the state prisons, were elicited: but about ^ —the packing of the juries no evidence could be obtained. TheSheriffs kept their own counsel. Sir Dudley North, in par-ticular, underwent a most severe cross examination withcharacteristic clearness of head and firmness of temper, andsteadily asserted that he had never troubled himself about thepolitical opinions of the persons whom he put on any panel, buthad merely inquired whether they were substantial citizens.

Ho was undoubtedly lying; and so some of the Whig peers toldhim in very plain words and in very loud tones: but, thoughthey were morally certain of his guilt, they could find no proofswhich would support a criminal charge against him. The in-delible stain however remains on his memory, and is still asubject of lamentation to those who, while loathing his dis-honesty and cruelty, cannot forget that he was one of the mostoriginal, profound and accurate thinkers of his age. *

Halifax, more fortunate than Dudley North, was completelycleared, not only from legal, but also from moral guilt. Hewas the chief object of attack; and yet a severe examinationbrought nothing to light that w'as not to his honour. Tillotsonwas called as a witness. He swore that he had been the channelof communication between Halifax and Russell when Kussellwas a prisoner in the Tower. “My Lord Halifax,” said theDoctor, “showed a very compassionate concern for my LordRussell; and my Lord Russell charged me with his last thanksfor my Lord Halifax’s humanity and kindness.” It was provedthat the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth had borne similartestimony to Halifax’s good nature. One hostile witness indeed Maicvo-was produced, John Hampden, whose mean supplications and jo]m° ° fenormous bribes had saved his neck from the halter. He was I1J “P dei1 -now a powerful and prosperous man: he was a leader of the* Lords’ Journals, Doc. 20. 1080; Life of Dudley North.

Macaulay, History. V. 12