SLINGSBY. 249 



guards, as if by accident or mistake, aimed a blow 

 with a pole-axe at Lord Stanley ; who aware of the 

 danger slunk under the table; and though he saved 

 his life, received a severe wound in the head in the 

 protector's presence. Turning to Hastings, the 

 Protector exclaimed I arrest thee traitor, and added 

 make speed, and dispatch him quickly ; for by St f 

 .Paul, I will not go to dinner, till thy head be off. 

 Hastings was seized, was hurried away and instant- 

 ly beheaded on a timber log, which happened to 

 lay in the court of the tower. Two hours after, a 

 proclamation, well penned and fairly written, was 

 read to the citizens of London; enumerating his 

 offences, and apologizing to them from the sudden- 

 ness of the discovery, for the sudden execution of 

 that nobleman, who was very popular amongst them : 

 but the saying of a merchant wag much talked of on 

 the occasion ; who remarked that the proclamation 

 was certainly drawn by the spirit of prophecy, 



Being thus barbarously murdered, there are two 

 circumstances attending his death, which engaged 

 the attention of the public at the time, and are wor- 

 thy to be remarked. The first is, that shortly after 

 midnight, preceding that fatal day, the lord Stanley 

 sent a trusty messenger to his house, to inform him 

 of a dream he had that very night ; viz. that a boar 

 with his tusks so razed both their heads, that the 

 blood ran about their shoulders ; which made so 

 great an impression upon himself, considering that 

 the protector had a boar for his device, that he cau- 

 sed his horse to be made ready, resolving to have 

 ridden away that night, if Hastings would have 3C". 

 1 i 



