day, which was the eve of the executi on. The next morning I could not go to the tower, having fo many things in my hands to put in readiness; but in the evening, when all was ready, I fent for Mrs. Mills, with whom I lodged, and acquainted her with my defign of attempting my lord's escape, as there was no profpect of his being pardoned; and this was the laft night before the execution. I told her, that I had every thing in readinefs, and that I trufted fhe would not refufe to accompany me, that my lord might pass for her. I preffed her to come immediately, as we had no time to lofe. At the fame time I fent for a Mrs. Morgan, then ufually known by the name of Hilton, to whofe acquaintance my dear Evans had introduced me, which I look upon as a very fingular happinefs. I immediately communicated my refolution to her. She was of a very tall and flender make; fo I begged her to put under her own riding-hood, one that I had prepared for Mrs. Mills, as he was to lend her's to my lord, that, in coming out, he might be taken for her. Mrs. Mills was then with child; fo that the not only of the fame height, but nearly of the fame fize as my lord. When we were in the coach, I never ceafed talking, that they might have no leifure to reflect. Their furprife and aftonishment, when I firft opened my defign to them, had made them confent, without ever thinking of the confequences. On our arrival at the tower the firft 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 the had brought for my purpofe, I conducted her back to the ftair cafe; and, in going, I beg ged her to fend me in my maid to drefs me; that I was afraid of being too late to prefent my last petition that night, if fhe did not come immediately. I dif patched her fafe, and went partly down tairs 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 he was going to bid her laft farewell to a friend, on the eve was of his execution. I had, indeed, defired her to do it, that my lord might go out in the fame manner. Her eye-brows were rather inclined to be fandy, and my lord's were dark, and very thick: however, I had prepared fome paint of the colour of her's to difguife his with. I alfo bought an artificial head-drefs of the fame coloured hair as her's; and I painted his face with white, and his cheeks with rouge, to hide his long beard, which he had not had time to have. All this provision I had before left in the tower. The poor guards, whom my flight liberality the day before had endeared me to, let me go quietly with my company, and were not fo ftrictly on the watch as they usually had been; and the more fo, as they were perfuaded from what I had told them the day before, that the prifoners 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 paffing through the next room, in which there were feveral people, with all the concern imaginable, I faid, My dear Mrs. Catherine, go in all hafte, and fend me. my waiting-maid: the certainly cannot reflect how late it is to the forgets that I am to prefent a petition to-night; and if I let flip this opportunity, I am undone; for to-morrow will be too late Hafien her as much as poffible; for I fhall be on thorns till fhe comes. Eve ry body in the room, who were chiefly the guards wives and daughters, seemed to compaffionate me exceedingly and the centinel officiously opened the door. When I had feen her out, I returned back to my lord, and finifhed dreffing him. I had taken care that Mrs. Mills did not go out crying as the came in, that my lord might the better pass for the lady who came in crying and afflicted; and the more fo, because he had the fame drefs which he wore. When I had almoft finished dreifing 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 refolved to set off. I went out leading him by the hand; and he held his handkerchief to his eyes. I spoke L I fpoke to him in the moft piteous and to make off alfo. I opened the door afflicting tone of voice, bewailing bit and flood half in it, that thofe in the terly the negligence of Evans, who had outer chamber might hear what I said: ruined me by her delay. Then faid I, but held it so close that they could not My dear Mrs Betty, for the love of God look in. I bid my Lord a formal farerun quickly and bring her with you. well for that night; and added, that You know my lodging; and, if ever fomething more than ufual must have you made difpatch in your life, do it at happened, to make Evans negligent on prefent, I am almoft diftracted with this important occafion, who had althis disappointment. The guards open ways been fo punctual in the fmalleft ed the doors, and I went down ftairs trifles; that I faw no other remedy than A with him, ftill conjuring him to make to go in perfon; that, if the Tower all poffible difpatch. As foon as he had were ftill open when I finished my buficleared the door, I made him walk be nefs, I would return that night; but fore me, for fear the centinel fhould take that he might be affured I would be notice of his walk; but I ftill continue with him as early in the morning as I ed to prefs him to make all the hafte he could gain admittance into the Tower; poffibly could. At the bottom of the and I flattered myfelf I should bring tairs I met my videar Evans, into whofe favourable news. Then, before I fhut hands I confided him. I had before en- the door, I pulled through the ftring of gaged Mr. Mills to be in readinefs be the latch, fo that it could only be openfore the Tower to conduct him to fome ed on the infide. I then fhut it with place of fafety, in cafe we fucceeded. fome degree of force, that I might be He looked upon the affair fo very im- fure of its being well fhut. I faid to probable to fucceed, that his aftonifh- the fervant as I paffed by, who was ment, when he faw us, threw him into ignorant of the whole tranfaction, that fuch confternation, that he was almoft he need not carry in candles to his out of himself; which Evans perceiving, mafter till my Lord fent for him, as he with the greateft prefence of mind, defired to finish fome prayers firit. I without telling him any thing, left he went down ftairs, and called a coach. fhould mistrust them, conducted him As there were feveral on the ftand, I to fome of her own friends, on whom thes could rely, and fo fecured him, without which we should have been undone. When fhe had conducted him, and left him with them, fhe returned to find Mr. Mills, who by this time had recovered himself from his aftonishment. They went home together; and having found a place of fecurity, they conduct ed him to it. drove home to my lodgings, where poor, Mr. Mackenzie had been waiting to carry the petition, in cafe my attempt had failed. I told him there was no need of any petition, as my Lord was fafe out of the Tower, and out of the hands of his enemies, as I hoped; but that I did not know where he was. I difcharged the coach, and fent for a fedan chair, and went to the Duchefs In the mean while, as I had pretend- of Buccleugh, who expected me about ed to have fent the young lady on a that time, as I had begged of her to meffage, I was obliged to return up prefent the petition for me, having taftairs, and go back to my Lord's room, ken my precautions against all events, in the fame feigned anxiety of being too and asked if he were at home; and late; fo that every body feemed fincerely they anfwered, that the expected me, to fympathize in my diftrefs. When I and had another Duchefs with her. I was in the room, I talked to him as if refufed to go up ftairs, as fhe had compahe had been really present, and answered ny with her, and I was not in a conditi my own questions in my Lord's voice as on to fee any other company. I begged nearly as I could imitate it. I walked to be fhewn into a chamber below stairs, up and down, as if we were converfing and that they would have the goodness together, till I thought they had time to fend her Grace's maid to me, having enough thoroughly to clear themselves fomething to fay to her. I had dif of the guards. I then thought proper charged the chair, left I might be pur fued fued and watched. When the maid When I left the Duchefs, I went to came in, I defired her to prefent my moft humble refpects to her Grace, who they told me had company with her, and to acquaint her, that this was my only reafon for not coming up ftairs. I alfo charged her with my fincereft thanks for her kind offer to accompany me when I went to prefent my petition. I added that the might fpare herself any further trouble, as it was now judged more advifeable to prefent one general petition in the name of all: However, that I fhould never be unmindful of my particular obligations to her Grace, which I would return very foon to acknowledge in perfon. I then defired one of the fervants to call a chair, and I went to the Duchefs of Montrofe, who had always borne a part in my diftreffes. When I arrived fhe left her company to deny herfelf, not being able to fee me under the affiction which the judged me to be in. By miflake, however, I was admitted; fo there was no remedy. She came to me; and as my heart was in an ecftacy of joy, I expreffed it in my countenance as the entered the room. I ran up to her in the tranfport of my joy. She feemed to be extremely fhocked and frighted; and has fince confeffed to me, that the apprehended my trouble had thrown me out of myself, till I communicated my happinefs to her. She then advised me to retire to fome place of fecurity, for that the king was highly difpleafed, and even enraged at the petition that I had prefented to him, and had complained of it feverely. I fent for another chair: for I always difcharg ed them immediately, left I might be purfued. Her Grace faid the would go to court, to fee how the news of my Lord's efcape were received. When the news was brought to the king, he flew into an excefs of paffion, and faid he was betrayed; for it could not have been done without fome confederacy. He inftantly dispatched two perfons to the Tower, fo fee that the other prifoners were well fecured, left they fhould follow the example. Some threw the blame upon one, fome upon another the Duchefs was the only one ་་. a houfe which Evans had found out for me, and where the propofed to acquaint me where my Lord was. She got thither fome few minutes after me, and told me, that when she had feen him fecure, the went in fearch of Mr. Mills, who, by the time, had recovered himself from his aftonishment; that he had returned to her houfe, where the had found him; and that he had removed my Lord from the firft place, where the had defired him to wait, to the houfe of a poor woman, directly oppofite to the guardhoufe. She had but one fmall room up one pair of ftairs, and a very small bed in it. We threw ourfelves upon the bed, that we might not be heard walking up and down. She left us a bottle of wine and fome bread, and Mrs. Mills brought us fome more in her pocket the next day. We fubfifted on this provifion from Thurfday till Saturday night, when Mrs. Mills came and conducted my lord to the Venetian Ambaífador's. We did not communicate the affair to his excellency; but one of his fervants concealed him in his own room till Wednesday, on which day the Ambaffador's coach and fix was to go down to Dover to meet his brother. My lord put on a livery, and went down in the retinue, without the leaft fufpicion to Dover, where Mr. Mitchell (which was the name of the Ambaffador's fervant) hired a fmall veffel, and immediately fet fail for Calais. The paffage was fo remarkably fhort, that the captain threw out this reflection, that the wind could not have ferved better if his paffengers had been flying for their lives, little thinking it to be really the cafe. Mr. Mitchell might have eafily returned without being fulpected of having been concerned in my Lord's efcape: but my Lord feemed inclined to have him continue with him, which he did, and has at prefent a good place under our young mafter. This is as exact and as full an account of this affair, and of the perfons concerned in it, as I could polibly give you, to the best of my memory, and you may rely on the truth of it. For my part, I abfconded to the house where I remained, till I were affured of my Lord's fafe arrival on the continent. I then wrote to the Duchefs of Buccleugh (every body thought till then that I was gone off with my Lord), to tell her, that I underfood I was fufpe&ted of having contrived my Lord's efcape, as was very natural to fuppofe; that if I could have been happy enough to have done it, I fhould be flattered to have the merit of it attributed to me: but that a bare suspicion, without proof, could never be a fufficient ground for my being punifhed for a fuppofed offence, though it might be motive enough for me to provide a place of fecurity; fp I entreated her to procure leave for me to go with fafety about my bufinefs. So far from granting my requeft, they were refolved to fecure me if poffible. After feveral debates, Mr. Solicitor General, who was an utter firanger to me, had the humanity to fay,, that, fince I showed fo much refpect to Government as not to appear in public, it would be cruel to make any fearch after me: upon which it was decided, that if I remained concealed, no further fearch fhould be made; but that if I appeared either in England or Scotland, I fhould be fecured. But that was not fufficient for me, unless I could fubmit to expofe my fon to beggary. My Lord fent for me up to town in fuch hafte, that I had no time to fettle any thing before I left Scotland. I had in my hands all the family papers: I dared truft them to nobody. My houfe might have been fearched without warning, confequently they were far from being fecure there. In this diftrefs. I had the precaution to bury them under ground; and nobody but the gardener and myfelt knew where they were. I did the fame with other things of value. The event proved that I had acted prudently; for, after my departure, they fearched the houfe; and God knows what might have tranfpired from thefe papers. All thefe circumstances rendered my prefence abfolutely neceffary, otherwife they might have been loft; for, though they retained the higheft prefervation, after on very fevere winter; for, when I took them up, they were as dry as if they came from the fire fide; yet they Hib. Mag. Oct. 1792. tra could not poffibly have remained for much longer without prejudice. In fhort, as I had once expofed my life for the fafety of the father, I could not do lefs than hazard it once more for the fortune of the for. I had never velled on horfeback but from York to London, as I told you; but the difficulties did not now arife from the feverity of the feafon, but from the fear of being known and arrefted. To avoid this, I bought three fadule horses, and fet off with my dear Evans and a very trafly fervant, whom I brought with me out of Scotland. We put up at all the fmalleft inns on the road that could take in a few horfes, and where I thought I was not known; for I was thoroughly known in all the confiderable inns on the north road. Thus I arrived fafe at Traquair, where I thought myfelf fecure; for the Lieutenant of the country being a friend of my Lord's would not permit any fearch to be made for me, without fending me previous notice to abfcond. Here I had the affurance to reft myself for two whole days, pretending that I was going to my own houfe with the leave of the Government, and fent no notice to my own houfe, left the magiftrates of Dumfries might make too narrow inquiries about me: fo they were ignorant of my arrival in the country till I were at home, where I ftill feigned to have permiflion to remain. To carry on the deceit the better, I fent for all my neighbours, and invited them to come to my houfe. I took up my papers at night, and fent them off to Traquair. It was a peculiar ftroke of providence that I made the dispatch I did, for they foon fufpected me; and, by a very favourable accident one of them was overheard to fay to the Magiftrates of Dumfries, that the next day they would infift upon feeing my leave from Government. This was bruited about: and when I was told of it, I expreffed my furprize that they had been fo backward in coming to pay their refpects; But, said I, better late than never: Be fure to tell them that they fhall be welcoine whenever they choose to come. This was after dinner; but I loft no time to put every thing in readiness, but with all ST poffibl poffible fecrefy, and the next morn- when he was coming. I had also anoing before day break I fet off ther lady with me; and we three reagain for London with the fame atten- mained in a room between the king's adants; and, as before, I put up at the partments and the drawing-room; fo fmall inns, and arrived fafe once more. that he was obliged to go through it: On my arrival, the report was ftill and, as there were three windows in it, fresh of my journey into Scotland, in we fat in the middle one, that I might defiance of their prohibition. A lady have time enough to meet him before he informed me, that the king was extreme- could pafs. I threw myself at his feet, ly incenfed at the news: that he had and told him in French, that I was the iffued orders to have me arrefted; ad- unfortunate countess of Nithsdale, that he ding, that I did whatever I pleafed, in might not pretend to be ignorant of my defpite of all his defigns; and that I had perfon. But, perceiving that he wanted given him more anxiety and trouble to go off without receiving my petition, than any woman in all Europe. For I caught hold of the fkirt of his coat, that which reafons, I kept myself as clofely he might ftop and hear me. He enconcealed as poffible till the heat of thefe deavoured to escape out of my hands; rumours had abated. In the mean while, I took the opinion of a very famous lawyer, who was a man of the ftricteft probity; he advised me to go off as foon as they had ceafed fearching for me. I followed his advice; and about a fortnight after, I efcaped without any accident whatever. The reafon he alledged for his opinion was this, that although, in other circumftances, a wife cannot be profecuted for faving her husband; yet in cafes of high treafon, according to the rigour of the law, the head of a wife is refponfible for that of a hufband; and as the king was fo highly incenfed, there could be no answering for the confequences, and he therefore intreated me to leave the kingdom. The king's refentment was greatly augmented by the petition which I had prefented, contrary to his exprefs orders; but my lord was very anxious that a petition might be prefented, hoping that it would be at leaft ferviceable to me. I was in my own mind convinced that it would anfwer no purpofe; but, as I wifhed to please my lord, I defired him to have it drawn up; and I undertook to make it come to the king's hand, notwithftanding all the precautions he had taken to avoid it. So the first day I heard that the king was to go to the drawing-room, I dreffed myfell in black, as if I had been in mourning, and fent for Mrs. Morgan (the fame who accompanied me to the tower); becaufe, as I did not know his majefly perfonally, I ight have mistaken fome other perfon r him. She ftaid by me, and told me but I kept fuch ftrong hold, that he dragged me upon my knees from the middle of the room to the very door of the drawing-room. Atlaft one of the blue ribbons who attended his majesty took me round the waift, while another wrefted the coat out of my hands. The petition which I had endeavoured to thruft into his pocket fell down in the fcuffle, and I almost fainted away through grief and disappointment. One of the gentlemen in waiting picked up the petition and as I knew that it ought to have been given to the lord of the Ledchamber who was then in waiting, I wrote to him, and entreated him to do me the favour to read the petition which I had the honour to prefent to his majefty. Fortunately for me, it hap pened to be my lord Dorfet, with whom Mrs. Morgan was very intimate. Ac cordingly, the went into the drawingroom, and delivered him the letter, which he received very graciously. He could not read it then, as he was at cards with the prince; but as foon as ever the game was over he read it, and behaved, as I afterwards learned, with the warmeft zeal for my intereft, and was feconded by the duke of Montrofe, who had feen me in the anti-chamber, and wanted to speak to me. But I made him a fign not to come near me, left his acquaintance might thwart my defigns. They read over the petition feve ral times, but without any fuccefs; but it became the topic of their converfation the reft of the evening; and the harthnefs with which I had been treated foon spread |