224

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

V.

16S5~

Cases ofGrey,

Co-

chrane,

S torey,

distinctly traced in every case either to a sordid or to amalignant motive, either to thirst for money or to thirst forblood.

In the case of Grey there was no mitigating circumstance.His parts and knowledge, the rank which he had inherited inthe state, and the high command which he had borne in therebel army, would have pointed him out to a just governmentas a much fitter object of punishment than Alice Lisle, thanWilliam Hewling, than any of the hundreds of ignorantpeasants whose skulls and quarters were exposed in Somerset-shire. But Grey’s estate was large and was strictly entailed.He had only a life interest in his property; and he could for-feit no more interest than he had. If he died, his lands atonce devolved on the next heir. If he were pardoned, hewould be able to pay a large ransom. He was thereforesuffered to redeem himself by giving a bond for forty thou-sand pounds to the Lord Treasurer, and smaller sums to othercourtiers.*

Sir John Cochrane had held among the Scotch rebels thesame rank which had been held by Grey in the west of Eng-land. That Cochrane should be forgiven by a prince vindic-tive beyond all example, seemed incredible. But Cochranewas the younger son of a rich family; it was therefore only bysparing him that money could be made out of him. His father,Lord Dundonald, offered a bribe of five thousand poundsto the priests of the royal household; and a pardon wasgranted.**

Samuel Storey, a noted sower of sedition, who had beenCommissary to the rebel army, and who had inflamed theignorant populace of Somersetshire by vehement harangues inwhich James had been described as an incendiary and a

* Burnet, i. GIG., and Speaker Onslow’s note; Clarendon to Ro-chester, May 8.1G86.

•• Burnet, i. 031.