e."

There were even no chains used in this state prison; of fetters and
manacles we had indeed a plenitude, all of an antique pattern and
covered with rust; but no irons such as are put upon their prisoners by
vulgar gaolers in Newgate and elsewhere. I have heard say, that when
poor Counsellor Layer, that was afterwards hanged, drawn, and quartered
as a Jacobite, and his head stuck atop of Temple Bar hard by his own
chambers,--was first brought for safer custody to the Tower, breakings
out of Newgate having been common, the Government sent down word that,
as a deep-dyed conspirator and desperate rebel, he was to be
double-ironed. Upon this Mr. Lieutenant flies into a mighty heat, and
taking boat to Whitehall, waits on Mr. Secretary at the Cockpit, and
tells him plainly that such an indignity towards his Majesty's prisoners
in the Tower was never heard of, that no such base modes of coercion as
chains or bilboes had ever been known in use since the reign of King
Charles I., and that the King's warders were there to see that the
prisoners did not attempt Evasion. To which Mr. Secretary answered, with
a grim smile, that notwithstanding all the keenness of the watch and
ward, he had often heard of prisoners escaping from durance in the
Tower, notably mentioning the case of my Lord Nithesdale, who escaped in
his lady's clothes, and without more ado informed the Lieutenant that
Counsellor Layer must be chained as directed, even if the chains had to
be forged expressly for him. Upon which Mr. Lieutenant took a very surly
leave of the Great Man, cursing him as he comes down the steps for a
Thief-catcher and Tyburn purveyor, and sped him to Newgate, where he
borrowed a set of double-irons from the Peachum or Lockit, or whatever
the fellow's name it was that kept that Den of Thieves. And even then,
when they had gotten the chains to the Tower, none of the warders knew
how to put them on, or cared to sully their fingers with such hangman's
work; and so they were fain to have a blacksmith with his anvil, and a
couple of turnkeys down from Newgate, to rivet the chains upon the poor
gentleman's limbs; he being at the time half dead of a Strangury; but so
cruel was justice in those days.

When I first came to the Tower, we had but few prisoners; for it was
before the Great Rebellion of the 'Forty-five; and for a few years
previous the times had been after a manner quiet. Now and then some
notorious Jacobite, Seminarist, or seditious