petition had passed the House in their favour. I then gave them some money to drink to the lords and his majesty, though it was but trifling; for I thought that if I were too liberal on the occasion, they might suspect my designs, and that giving them something would gain their good humour and service for the next day, which was the eve of the execution. The next morning I could not go to the Tower, having so many things on my hands to put in readiness; but in the evening, when all was ready, I sent for Mrs. Mills, with whom I lodged, and acquainted her with my design of attempting my lord's escape, as there was no prospect of his being pardoned, and this was the last night before the execution. I told her that I had everything in readiness, and that I trusted she would not refuse to accompany me,-that my lord might pass for her. I pressed her to come immediately, as we had no time to lose. At the same time, I sent for Mrs. Morgan, then usually known by the name of Hilton, to whose acquaintance my dear Evans (her maid) had introduced me, which I looked upon as a very singular happiness. I immediately communicated my resolution to her. She was of a very tall and slender make, so I begged her to put under her own riding hood one that I had prepared for Mrs. Mills, as she was to lend hers to my lord,that in coming out he might be 'On our arrival at the Tower, the first I introduced was Mrs. Morgan; for I was only allowed to take in one at a time. She brought in the clothes that were to serve Mrs. Mills, when she left her own behind her. When Mrs. Morgan had taken off what she had brought for my purpose, I conducted her back to the staircase; and in going I begged her to send me in my maid to dress me, that I was afraid of being too late to present my petition that night if she did not come immediately. I despatched her safe, and went partly down stairs to meet Mrs. Mills, who had the precaution to hold her handkerchief to her face, as was very natural for a woman to do when she was going to bid her last farewell to a friend on the eve of his execution. I had, indeed, desired her to do it, that my lord might go out in the same manner. Her eyebrows were rather inclined to be sandy, and my lord's were dark and very thick; however, I had prepared some paint, of the colour of hers, to disguise his with. I also bought an artificial head-dress of the same coloured hair as hers; and I painted his face with white, and his cheeks with rouge, to hide his long beard, which he had not had time to shave. All this provision I had before left in the Tower. The poor guards, whom my slight liberality the day before had endeared me to, let me go quietly with my company, and were not so strictly on the watch as they usually had been; and the more so, as they were persuaded, from what I had told them the day before, that the prisoners would obtain their pardon. I made Mrs. Mills take off her own hood, and put on that which I had brought for her. I then took her by the hand, and led her out of my lord's chamber, and in passing through the next room, in which there were several people, with all the concern imaginable, I said: "My dear Mrs. Catherine, go in all haste and send me my waiting-maid; she certainly cannot reflect how late it is; she forgets that I am to present a petition to-night, and if I let slip this opportunity I am undone, for to-morrow will be too late. Hasten her as much as possible, for I shall be on thorns till she comes." Everybody in the room, who were chiefly guards' wives and daughters, seemed to compassionate me exceedingly, and the sentinel officiously opened the door. When I had seen her out, I returned back to my lord and finished dressing him. I had taken care that Mrs. Mills did not go out crying, as she came in, that my lord might the better pass for the lady who came in crying and afflicted; and the more so, because he had the same dress she wore. 'When I had almost finished dressing my lord in all my petticoats, excepting one, I perceived that it was growing dark, and was afraid that the light of the candles might betray us; so I resolved to set off. I went out leading him by the hand, and he held his handkerchief to his eyes. I spoke to him in the most piteous and afflicted tone of voice, bewailing bitterly the negligence of Evans, who had ruined me by her delay. Then said I: "My dear Mrs. Betty, for the love of God run quickly and bring her with you. You know my lodging, and if ever you made despatch in your life, do it at present. I am almost distracted with this disappointment." The guards opened the doors, and I went down stairs with him, still conjuring to make all possible despatch. As soon as he had cleared the door, I made him walk before me, for fear the sentinel should take notice of his walk; but I still continued to press him to make all the despatch he possibly could. At the bottom of the stairs I met my dear Evans, into whose hands I confided him. I had before engaged Mr. Mills to be in readiness before and stood half in it, that those in the outward chamber might hear what I said; but held it so close that they could not look the Tower to conduct him to 'In the meanwhile, as I had pretended to have sent the young lady on a message, I was obliged to return up-stairs and go back to my lord's room, in the same feigned anxiety of being too late; so that everybody seemed sincerely to sympathize with my distress. When I was in the room, I talked to him as if he had been really present, and answered my own questions in my lord's voice, as nearly as I could imitate it. I walked up and down, as if we were conversing together, till I thought they had time enough thoroughly to clear themselves of the guards. I then thought proper to make off also. I opened the door, I bid my lord a formal farewell for that night, and added, that something more than usual must have happened to make Evans negligent on this important occasion, who had always been so punctual in the smallest trifles; that I saw no other remedy but to go in person; that if the Tower were still open when I finished my business, I would return that night; but that he might be assured that I would be with him as early in the morning as I could gain admittance to the Tower; and I flattered myself I should bring favourable news. Then, before I shut the door, I pulled through the string of the latch, so that it could only be opened on the inside. I then shut it with some degree of force, that I might be sure of its being well shut. I said to the servant as I passed by, who was ignorant of the whole transaction, that he need not carry candles in to his master till my lord sent for him, as he desired to finish some prayers first. went down stairs and called a coach, as there were several on the stand. I drove home to my lodgings, where poor Mr. Mackenzie had been waiting to carry the petition, in case my attempt failed. I told him there was no need of any petition, as my lord was safe out of the Tower, and out of the hands I of his enemies; but that I did not know where he was. 'I then desired one of the servants to call a chair, and I went to the Duchess of Montrose, who had always borne a part in my distresses. When I arrived, she left her company to deny herself, not being able to see me under the affliction which she judged me to be in. By mistake, however, I was admitted; so there was no remedy. She came to me; and as my heart was in an ecstasy of joy, I expressed it in my countenance as she entered the room. I ran up to her in the transport of my joy. She appeared to be exceedingly shocked and frighted, and has since confessed to me that she apprehended my trouble had thrown me out of myself, till I com 'I discharged the coach, and sent for a sedan-chair, and went to the Duchess of Buccleuch, who expected me about that time, as I had begged of her to present the petition for me, having taken my precautions against all events. I asked if she were at home, and they answered that she expected me, and had another duchess with her. I refused to go up-stairs, as she had company with her, and I was not in a condition to see any other company. I begged to be shown into a chamber below stairs, and that they would have the goodness to send her grace's maid to me, having something to say to her. I had discharged the chair, lest Imunicated my happiness to her. might be pursued and watched. When the maid came in, I desired her to present my most humble respects to her grace, who they told me had company with her, and to acquaint her that this was my only reason for not coming up-stairs. I also charged her with my sincerest thanks for her kind offer to accompany me when I went to present my petition. I added that she might spare herself any further trouble, as it was now judged more advis-king, he flew into an excess of able to present one general petition in the name of all: however, that I should never be unmindful of my particular obligations to her grace, which I would return very soon to acknowledge in person. She then advised me to retire passion, and said he was betrayed, for it could not have been done without some confederacy. He instantly despatched two persons to the Tower, to see that the other prisoners were secure, lest they We were placed in the almsroom, and I was installed provost, to the great regret of my predecessor, who was removed elsewhere. This alms-room was very large, and contained six beds of twelve civil prisoners, who were generally people of some consideration and respectability; and besides, there were one or two young scapegraces, pickpockets, or prisoners for some light offences, whose business it was to make the beds, to cook, and keep clean the room. They slept upon a mattress in a corner of the apartment; they were, in fact, our valets de chambre. The provostship with which I was invested was a sufficiently onerous employment. He who possesses this office in the almsroom has to distribute all the charitable donations which are made to the prison. They are generally considerable, and are all brought into this room. There is a box, which hangs by a chain from the sill of the window, to receive the charity of the passers-by. The provost, who has the key of this box, opens it every morning to take the money out, and to distribute it to all the prisoners, as well to the civil, if they wish it, as to the criminal. Besides this, every morning the turnkeys go with carts or barrows throughout the town to collect the offerings of bakers, butchers, brewers, and fishmongers. They go also to the different markets, and all that they collect is brought to the alms-room to be divided and distributed in all the apartments and cells by the provost, in proportion to the number of prisoners in each, of which the jailor gives him a list every day, and of which the total, when I arrived there, was from five to six hundred. Although I had become the distributor-general of these alms, I was unable to remedy one abuse, which prevented any of this charity reaching the prisoners condemned to the galleys. The jailor received their share of the money from the box, to use it, he said, in making soup for them; but, alas! what soup that was! It was generally composed of bad and putrid pieces of beef, which he cooked for them with a little salt, the very smell of which made me sick. Six weeks after we had resided in this happy apartment, M. de Lambertie came to see us, and told us that the chain was to start to-morrow for Dunkirk, where were six of the king's galleys, but that he had got us exempted from going, passing us off for sick; we must therefore remain that day in bed till the chain had started, which we did. This procured us the blessing of remaining in this comfort three months longer, after which another chain set out; and with this we went, as I will now narrate. In January 1702, M. de Lambertie came to see us, and told us that the chain would start |