d scarcely listen to that protracted harangue with an
unbiassed judgment. The tenour of the Lord High Steward's address had,
throughout, one marked feature; it presented no hope of mercy; it left
no apology nor plea upon which the unhappy prisoners might expect it. It
amplified every view of their crime, and pointed out, in strong and able
language, its effect upon every relation of society.

In conclusion, Lord Hardwicke said, "I will add no more: it has been his
Majesty's justice to bring your lordships to a legal trial; and it has
been his wisdom to show, that as a small part of his national forces was
sufficient to subdue the rebel army in the field, so the ordinary course
of his law is strong enough to bring even their chiefs to justice.

"What remains for me, is a very painful, though a very necessary part.
It is to pronounce that sentence which the law has provided for crimes
of this magnitude--a sentence full of horror! Such as the wisdom of our
ancestors has ordained, as one guard about the sacred person of the
king, and as a fence about this excellent constitution, to be a terror
to evil doers, and a security to them that do well."

And then was heard, thrilling every tender heart with horror, the
sentence of hanging, first to be put into execution, and followed by
decapitation. The horrible particularities were added--"_of being hanged
by the neck,--but not till you are dead--for you must be cut down
alive;_"--the rest of this sentence, since it has long ago been suffered
to fall into oblivion, may, for the sake of our English feelings, rest
there. By those to whom it was addressed, it was heard in the full
conviction that it might be carried out on them: since that very
morning, nine prisoners of gentle birth had suffered the extreme
penalties of that barbarous law.[373]

Of the calm manner in which his doom was heard by one of the state
prisoners, Horace Walpole has left the following striking anecdote:

"Old Balmerino keeps up his spirits to the same pitch of gaiety: in the
cell at Westminster, he showed Lord Kilmarnock how he must lay his head;
bid him not wince, lest the strokes should cut his head or his
shoulders; and advised him to bite his lips. As they were to return, he
begged they might have another bottle together, as they should never
meet any more till--he pointed to his neck. At getting into his coach,
he said to the gaoler, 'Take care, or you will break my shins with this
d----d axe.'"[37