LordRussellmighthaveeasilyescaped,butscornedtodoso,beinginnocentofanywrong;LordEssexmighthaveeasilyescaped,butscornedtodoso,lesthisflightshouldprejudiceLordRussell.
Butitweigheduponhismindthathehadbroughtintotheircouncil,LordHoward-whonowturnedamiserabletraitor-againstagreatdislikeLordRussellhadalwayshadofhim.Hecouldnotbearthereflection,anddestroyedhimselfbeforeLordRussellwasbroughttotrialattheOldBailey.
Heknewverywellthathehadnothingtohope,havingalwaysbeenmanfulintheProtestantcauseagainstthetwofalsebrothers,theoneonthethrone,andtheotherstandingnexttoit.Hehadawife,oneofthenoblestandbestofwomen,whoactedashissecretaryonhistrial,whocomfortedhiminhisprison,whosuppedwithhimonthenightbeforehedied,andwhoseloveandvirtueanddevotionhavemadehernameimperishable.Ofcourse,hewasfoundguilty,andwassentencedtobebeheadedinLincoln\'sInn-fields,notmanyyardsfromhisownhouse.Whenhehadpartedfromhischildrenontheeveningbeforehisdeath,hiswifestillstayedwithhimuntilteno\'clockatnight;andwhentheirfinalseparationinthisworldwasover,andhehadkissedhermanytimes,hestillsatforalongwhileinhisprison,talkingofhergoodness.Hearingtherainfallfastatthattime,hecalmlysaid,\'Sucharainto-morrowwillspoilagreatshow,whichisadullthingonarainyday.\'Atmidnighthewenttobed,andslepttillfour;evenwhenhisservantcalledhim,hefellasleepagainwhilehisclotheswerebeingmadeready.Herodetothescaffoldinhisowncarriage,attendedbytwofamousclergymen,TILLOTSONandBURNET,andsangapsalmtohimselfverysoftly,ashewentalong.
Hewasasquietandassteadyasifhehadbeengoingoutforanordinaryride.Aftersayingthathewassurprisedtoseesogreatacrowd,helaiddownhisheadupontheblock,asifuponthepillowofhisbed,andhaditstruckoffatthesecondblow.Hisnoblewifewasbusyforhimeventhen;forthattrue-heartedladyprintedandwidelycirculatedhislastwords,ofwhichhehadgivenheracopy.TheymadethebloodofallthehonestmeninEnglandboil.
TheUniversityofOxforddistinguisheditselfontheverysamedaybypretendingtobelievethattheaccusationagainstLordRussellwastrue,andbycallingtheKing,inawrittenpaper,theBreathoftheirNostrilsandtheAnointedoftheLord.ThispapertheParliamentafterwardscausedtobeburnedbythecommonhangman;