which he was
condemned might admit, she could not think that man a proper object of
the king's mercy who had been capable of entering his mother's house in
the night with an intent to murder her.

By whom this atrocious calumny had been transmitted to the queen,
whether she that invented had the front to relate it, whether she found
any one weak enough to credit it, or corrupt enough to concur with
her in her hateful design, I know not, but methods had been taken to
persuade the queen so strongly of the truth of it, that she for a long
time refused to hear any one of those who petitioned for his life.

Thus had Savage perished by the evidence of a bawd, a strumpet, and his
mother, had not justice and compassion procured him an advocate of rank
too great to be rejected unheard, and of virtue too eminent to be heard
without being believed. His merit and his calamities happened to reach
the ear of the Countess of Hertford, who engaged in his support with
all the tenderness that is excited by pity, and all the zeal which is
kindled by generosity, and, demanding an audience of the queen, laid
before her the whole series of his mother's cruelty, exposed the
improbability of an accusation by which he was charged with an intent to
commit a murder that could produce no advantage, and soon convinced her
how little his former conduct could deserve to be mentioned as a reason
for extraordinary severity.

The interposition of this lady was so successful, that he was soon after
admitted to bail, and, on the 9th of March, 1728, pleaded the king's
pardon.

It is natural to inquire upon what motives his mother could persecute
him in a manner so outrageous and implacable; for what reason she could
employ all the arts of malice, and all the snares of calumny, to take
away the life of her own son, of a son who never injured her, who was
never supported by her expense, nor obstructed any prospect of pleasure
or advantage. Why she would endeavour to destroy him by a lie--a lie
which could not gain credit, but must vanish of itself at the first
moment of examination, and of which only this can be said to make
it probable, that it may be observed from her conduct that the most
execrable crimes are sometimes committed without apparent temptation.

This mother is still (1744) alive, and may perhaps even yet, though her
malice was so often defeated, enjoy the pleasure of reflecting that the
life which she often endeavoured to destroy was at