206 



The Ayliffes of Grittenham'. 



thanks, for this sudden [I will not say unexpected] deliverance from 

 the jaws of death. 



" Some explain this incident to be the effect of a contrivance be- 

 tween himself and a correspondent who sent him a letter, in hopes 

 either of the mob taking the alarm at the word reprieve, and at- 

 tempting to realize it by a rescue : or else that he might at least 

 gain a little time, in which he imagined it possible a reprieve might 

 come. This may account for his not being moved or surprized at 

 the cry, as being in the secret ; and seems to shew that he had a 

 scheming head to the last. 1 



" In this interval a message was brought me to the coach, by a 

 servant in livery, written w T ith a pencil on a scrip of paper ; If Mr. 

 Ayliffe has a desire to speak to Mr. Fannen [who was one of the 

 principal witnesses against him] he is just at hand, and will come to 

 him, and prays God to forgive him and have mercy on his soul. 



" When Mr. Fannen came to the cart, Mr. Ayliffe said, Oh, dear 

 Mr. Fannen, pray give my duty to Mr. Fox and Lady Caroline, and 

 thank them, and I am very sorry I ever did any thing to make Mr. 

 Fox bring me to this end. I hope Mr. Fox forgives me. I answered, 

 Mr. Fox had forgiven him from his heart long since, and I hoped 

 he would find the same forgiveness from God Almighty, and that I 

 hoped God would be merciful to him. He then said, Do pray for 

 me, or do pray with me ; after prayers, when he stood up, he said 

 aloud, Oh dear Mr. Fannen pray what is to come of my body ? I 

 answered him really Mr. Ayliffe I don't know. I hope Mr. Fox 

 will let me be buried ; I made answer, that I dared say he had no 

 objection to it. 



" He then said again, Oh dear, dear Mr. Fannen, pray desire Mr. 

 Fox to let me be buried at Redbourn in Hartfordshire, it is the place 

 of my wife's nativity, and she will be buried there with me. 2 I an- 

 swered I would tell Mr. Fox his request. About one minute before 

 he was turned off, (or not so long quite) he cried out, Oh dear Mr. 



1 This is incorrect. It was a letter from his wife ; which, however, at that 

 moment he declined to read. 



2 A heserse and four horses was in waiting for this purpose, provided at Mr. 

 ITox's expense. 



