nt Townshend, and the
mother of the celebrated wit, Charles Townshend. Lady Townshend was
renowned for her epigrams, to which, perhaps, in this case, her being
separated from her husband gave additional point. When she heard her
husband vote, "_guilty upon my honour_," she remarked, "I always knew
_my_ Lord was _guilty_, but I never knew that he would own it upon his
_honour_." Her sarcastic humour was often exhibited at the expense of
friend or foe. When some one related that Whitfield had recanted, "No,
madam," she replied, "he has only _canted_." And when Lord Bath ventured
to complain to this audacious leader of fashion, that he had a pain in
his side, she cried out, "Oh! that cannot be, you have _no side_."

A touch of feminine feeling softened the harshness of the professed wit,
always a dangerous, and scarcely ever a pleasing character in woman. As
Lady Townshend gazed on the prisoners at the bar, and saw the elegant
and melancholy aspect of Lord Kilmarnock, the heart that was not wholly
seared by a worldly career is said to have been deeply and seriously
touched by the graces of that incomparable person, and the mournful
dignity of his manner. Perhaps, opposition to her husband, whose
grandfather was Minister to George the First, and whose mother was a
Walpole, gave the additional luxury of partisanship; that passion which
lasted even some weeks after the scene was closed; and when the
fashionable world were left to enjoy, undisturbed by any fears of any
future rebellion, all the dangerous attractions of the dissolute Court.

The first day's proceedings being at an end, the prisoners were
remanded to the Tower. On the following morning the proceedings were
resumed, and the Lords having assembled in the Painted Chamber, took
their places in Westminster Hall. The three lords were then again
brought to the bar, again kneeled down, again were bidden to arise. The
Attorney-General having prayed for judgment upon the prisoners, they
were desired by the Lord High Steward to say "why judgment of death
should not be passed against them according to law."

The reply of Lord Kilmarnock is described as having been a "very fine
speech, delivered in a very fine voice;" his behaviour during the whole
of the trial, a "most just mixture between dignity and submission." Such
is the avowal of one who could not be supposed very favourable to the
party; but whose better feelings were, for once, called into play during
this remarka