JAMES THE SECOND.

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Far superior in station to those exiles who have hitherto cm>.been named was Ford Grey, Lord Grey of Wark. He had iC85 .been a zealous Exclusionist, had concurred in the design of Lordinsurrection, and had been committed to the Tower, but hadsucceeded in making his keepers drunk, and in effecting hisescape to the Continent. His abilities were respectable, andhis manners pleasing: but his life had been sullied by a greatdomestic crime. His wife was a daughter of the noble houseof Berkeley. Her sister, the Lady Henrietta Berkeley, wasallowed to associate and correspond with him as with a brotherby blood. A fatal attachment sprang up. The high spirit andstrong passions of Lady Henrietta broke through all restraintsof virtue and decorum. A scandalous elopement disclosed tothe whole kingdom the shame of two illustrious families.

Grey and some of the agents who had served him in his amourwere brought to trial on a charge of conspiracy. A sceneunparalleled in our legal history was exhibited in the Court ofKing’s Bench. The seducer appeared with dauntless front,accompanied by his paramour. Nor did the great Whig lordsflinch from their friend’s side even in that extremity. Thosewhom he had wronged stood over against him, and weremoved to transports of rage by the sight of him. The oldEarl of Berkeley poured forth reproaches and curses on thewretched Henrietta. The Countess gave evidence, broken bymany sobs, and at length fell down in a swoon. The juryfound a verdict of guilty. When the court rose, LordBerkeley called on all his friends to help him to seize hisdaughter. The partisans of Grey rallied round her. Swordswere drawn on both sides: a skirmish took place in West-minster Hall; and it was with difficulty that the Judges andtipstaves parted the combatants. In our time such a trialwould be, fatal to the character of a public man; but in that agethe standard of morality among the great was so low, andparty spirit was so violent, that Grey still continued to have

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