COUNTESS OF DERWENTWJLTER. 23 



For treason tried, condemn'd to die, 

 Which grieved the nation's heart full sorely ; 



In his youth and bloom, sad was his doom, 

 For the brave Prince he lov'd so dearly. 



No more fair Dilston towers he law, 



Nor Tyne's fair stream, that runs so clearly ; 



Nor his Ladyf bright, his heart's delight, 

 He died for the Prince he lov'd so dearly. 



was, he narrowly escaped being killed in his own room. 

 A Scottish gentleman, named Murray, who had waited 

 upon him to remonstrate against the surrender, was so 

 enraged as to fire a pistol at him ; and but for the 

 prompt interposition of Mr Patten, who struck up 

 Murray's arm at the moment of the discharge, the ball 

 would certainly have pierced Forster's body. 



f If the Countess of Derwentwater had by her in- 

 fluence brought the Earl into his present dangerous 

 state she now exerted herself heroically to save him. On 

 Sunday, the 10th of February, accompanied by the 

 Duchesses of Cleveland, Bolton, and Buccleuch, and 

 other ladies of the highest rank, she went to St. James's 

 palace, and as the King was returning from the chapel, 

 knelt before him and implored mercy for his noble 

 captive. Her prayer for the royal intercession was sup- 

 ported by the ladies who accompanied her ; but George 

 I. was not of a nature to be moved by such piteous 

 appeals. It is tolerably certain that the prayer of the 

 Earl's gentle advocates was heard with aversion by King 

 George. The Earl's consanguinity to the exiled House 

 of Stuart was of itself an offence which the occupier of 

 the Stuart's throne could not forgive ; besides, the his- 

 toric page on which his dark and portentous shadow is 

 cast records that he was incapable of generosity towards 

 any but favourites and mistresses ; that he was arrogant 

 and imperious as he was ignorant, immoral, and de- 

 praved. The Peers, who on the following Wednesday 

 ventured to advocate mercy to the Earl, incurred King- 

 George's marked displeasure ( 



