204 



The Ayliffes of GrittenJiam. 



him " a very weak man, with something more blended and wrought 

 up with that weakness." 



With respect to what was called " The Grand Deed " (viz., the 

 deed by which Mrs. Strangways Horner had engaged to give him 

 £3000, and an annuity) the chaplain (who published an account of 

 AylifiVs behaviour after conviction) says that he was very closely 

 pressed by several gentlemen to tell the truth, but he would not 

 even then admit anything to make it null and void. There is, 

 however, at Melbury a private diary kept by the Lord Ilchester of 

 that day, in which is the following entry, written 19th November, 

 1759, the day of Ayliffe's execution : — 



" He forged various leases, and obtained many fraudulent leases and deeds of 

 Mrs. Horner's particularly one giving him £3000, and 400 guineas annuity for 

 three lives. This was called The Grand Deed : and he had the impudence to 

 declare that it was obtained honestly ; but when Death came very near him he 

 was stung with remorse, and about two hours before he was hanged he wrote a 

 paper voluntarily in which he declared that this deed was a fraud and imposition 

 and that Mrs. Horner knew nothing about it." 



His behaviour after sentence is thus described by the chaplain :— 

 "The Morning of Execution. 



" It is much to be wished we could assure the public he had spent 

 the last night like a true penitent, sensible of the approaching period 

 of his life ! The decisive moment ! in which his last lot must be 

 cast for eternity. But, alas ! no such matter ; For, 



" On enquiry, it was said he had been calling for his wife, ranting, 

 raving, talking out of the window, more like one out of his senses 

 than in his right mind ; that though often intreated by one of the 

 keepers [who watched with him] to be quiet and betake himself to 

 his devotions, or to his rest, he could not be prevailed on either to 

 read or pray ; that they were alarmed at seeing him attempt to take 

 something out of a bottle, which, on their doubt, and endeavour to 

 prevent, the prisoner told them it was only a little medicine, but 

 which, on tasting, was found to be a glass of some warm cordial to 

 keep up his drooping heart ; and that he did not sleep above two 

 hours in the whole night. It was added, that one of the keepers 



