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ACCOUNT of the Behaviour and Execution of the late Ld LOVAT, and fome further particulars of his Life.

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NOE have already in our volume of last year given a brief A account of the mott remarkable tranfactions of the late Lord Lovat's life, (See Vol. XVI. p. 325) his character P. 339, the infcription on a monument B by him erected, and fome circumstances relating to it p. 397. The lord prefident's letter to him and his answer, in the fame volume p. 84, 86. His letter to the duke p. 350. The form of his impeachment p. 624, and in laft month his trial and fentence. It remains to carry this extraordinary and remarkable perfon (unfortunate to himself and MANY others) to his execution, and to bring together fuch circumftances of his life, as were not before come to our knowledge.

That the private and publick character already given of Lord Lovat, is in general true, will appear from a memorable fpeech of the Ld Belhaven, in the laft parliament held at Edinburgh, in Nov. 1706, against the then projected union of the two kingdoms: His lordfhip fpeaking of this nobleman, then capt. Frajer, on occafion of the Scots plot, commonly called Frafer's plot, E lays, "That he deferved, if practicable, to have been hanged five feveral times, in five different places, and upon five different accounts at, leaft; as having

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been notoriously a traitor to the court of St James's, a traitor to the court of St Germains, a traitor to the court of VerJailles, and a traitor to his own country of Scotland; in being not only an avowed and reftlefs enemy to the peace and quiet of its established government and conftitution, both in church and ftate, but likewife a vile proteus apoftate, backward and forward, and a feducer of others in point of religion, as the tide or wind changed: and moreover, that (abftracted from all thofe his multiplied acts of treafon, abroad and at home) he deferved to be hang'd as a condemned criminal, out-law, and fugitive, for the barbarous, cruel, and moft flagitious rape, he had, with the affiftance of fome of his vile and abominable band of affociated ruffians, violently committed on the body of a right honourable and virtuous lady, the widow of the late lord Lovat, and fifter of his grace the late duke of Athol. Nay, fo harden'd was capt. Frafer become in wickedness, that he audaciously erected a gallows, and threaten'd to hang thereon one of the faid lady's brothers, and fome other gentlemen of quality, who accompanied him, in going to refcue her out of that criminal's cruel hands."

His lordship married three wives; the firft was the lady dowager Lovat, the fecond a daughter of the Laird of Grant, fifter to the prefent Sir Lodovic Grant, Bart. by whom he had itfue the third a near relation to the noble fatwo fons and two daughters now living; mily of Argyle, by whom he had alio a fon named Archibald; but he used this lady fo ill, that her friends interpofing,

See his face, Vol. 1746.p.640.

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a feparation took place. In 1740 he married his eldest daughter to the Laird of Cluny, chief of the clan of the M' Pherfons, probably with a view to ftrengthen his intereft, and enable him the more effectually to put his long meditated defign in execution; fince he might certainly have found a fon in law, much fuperior in every refpect, except in numbers of men fit for fervice,

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He was very affiduous to inculcate on all occafions, that an abfolute obedience was due from the clans to their lords, and that his refentment of any injury, fufficiently justified them in revenging it, whether right or wrong; that this was their opinion, however derived, will appear from the following inftance. At a meeting of the freeholders and collectors of the land-tax, at the court house at Inverness in the year 1744, for the choice of the collector of the cefs or land tax, where were prefent Ld Lovat, Ld Prefident, Ld Fortrofe, and the Laird of M'Leod; on fome difpute between the Lords, Lovat and Fortroje, the former was fo provoked as to give the other the lye; upon which the latter ftruck the other a blow on his face with his fift; which his lordflip, notwithftanding his great age, returned with feveral frokes of his cane; the other gentlemen interpofing, they were parted. One Frafer of Foyer, afterwards in the rebellion, being in the gallery, and feeing the indignity that was ofered to his chief, jumped fuddenly into the court, and prefented his piftol to Ld Fortrole's face: Lord Prefident threw himfelf between them, which fo irritated Foyer that he would have fhot him, or Ld Fortrofe, or both of them; but was prevented by a gentleman ftanding by, who nimbly threw his plaid over the piftol, which prevented the threatned mitchief. Weapons of all forts were immediately drawn on both fides, and a bloody fkirmish was like to enfue. To prevent which Ld Prefident and Mr MLeod prevailed on Ld Fertroje to go with them out of the court-houfe into the freet; where another of the Lovat clan, having heard how his chief had been affronted, rufhed fuddenly on L.d Fortrofe, and as he was walking between Ld Prefident, and Mr McLeod, knocked him down with a long flick. Both parties being prodigiously irritated. with these reciprocal infults, dangerous H coniequences, it was feared, would enfie. from refentments carried to extremiries between the Fraters and Mac Kenzies, two powerful and neighbour

ing clans; but the Ld Prefident and other friends interpofing, the parties were at length reconciled.

Not long after the battle of Prefton Pans, Soo of the Frafers being affembled and armed, were fent to join the rebels at Perth, but his lordship to conceal their real defign gave out, that a large number of his cattle were ftolen and carried off by a party of robbers, and that there was certain information brought in that the thieves were driving them Southwards. Whereupon the mafter of Lovat was detached after them at the head of the abovementioned body of Frajers; but ufing too little caution in their march, they were intercepted by a party of the rebels, and forced to take on with them.

About this time he wrote many letters to the young pretender and others, which not only manifeft his zeal in the caufe, but the cunning, vanity and selfinterestednets which conftitute his character.

In thefe letters his lordship (as hinted in the news papers) displays in anoRentatious manner his zeal for the pretender's caule, magnifies his own fervices in it, extols the bravery and fidelity of his clan; exhorts his fon to behave gallantly, for if he fhould fail of fucces, he had committed treafons enough to hang 30 peers, and 100 commorers, &c.

In aufwer to his fon, who had invjEted the young pretender to vifit his lordfhip, and fee the agreeable diverfion of catching a jalmon with a rod and line) he remarks that fuch interview 'would not be at all convenient; and for his child him of fishing, Cumberland, he heard, was upon bis march, and would foon drive all fuch fancies as that out of his head.

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BEHAVIOUR on the Day of his EXE

CUTION.

On Thurid y, April 9, the day fixed for his execution, he waked about 3 in the morning, and was heard to pray with great devotion; at 5 he rofe, called for a glais of wine and water as ufual, appeared chearful, fat and read till 7, and then drank another glafs of wine and water; at 8 he defired his wig might be tent that the barter might have time to comb it out genteely, and provided himiclf with a purte to hold the money, which he intended for the executioner.

At about half an hour after nine his lord

Lord LovAT's behaviour after Sentence.

lordship eat very heartily of minced veal, ordering coffee and chocolate for his friends, whofe healths he drank in wine and water.

About 11 the sheriffs fent to demand his body, upon which he defired the gentlemen would retire for a few moments, while he faid a prayer, and this being immediately complied with, he presently called for them again, saying I am ready.

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At the bottom of the first pair of ftairs, General Williamfon invited him into his rooms to reft himself, which he accepted, and on his enterance paid his refpects to the company politely, and, talk'd freely: He defired of the general in French that he might take leave of his lady, and thank her for her civilities: But the general told his lordship in the fame language, that he was too much affected with his lordship's misfortunes to bear the fhock of feeing him, and, therefore, hoped his lordship would excufe her. He then took his leave and proceeded; at the door he bow'd to the fpectators, and was conveyed from thence to the outward gate, in the governor's coach, where he was deliver'd to the theriffs, who conduct- D ed him in another coach to the house (hired for the two former lords) near the fcaffold, in which was a room lined with black.cloth, and hung with fconces for his reception.

His friends were at first denied entrance, but upon application made by E his lordship to the theriffs for their admittance, it was granted. Soon after his lordship addrefling himself to the fheriffs thanked them for the favour, and taking a paper out of his pocket delivered it to one of them, faying he fhould make no fpeech, and that they might give the word of command when F they pleased.

Á gentleman prefent beginning to read a prayer to his lordship while he was fitting, he called one of the warders to help him up, that he might kneel: He then pray'd filently a fort time, and was afterwards fet again in his chair; being afked by one of the G fheriffs, if he would refresh himself with a glass of wine, he declined it, because no warm water could be had to mix with it, and took a little burnt brandy and bitters in its ftead.

He defired that his cloaths might be delivered to his friends with his corps, and faid that for that reafon he fhould H give the executioner ten guineas.

He allo defired of the Theriffs that his head might be received in a cloth, and

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put into the coffin, which the fheriffs, after conferring with fome gentlemen prefent, promiled fhould be done; and that the holding up the head at the corners of the fcaffold fhould be dispenfed with, as it had been of late years at the execution of lords, as they had no written order to the contrary,in the warrant (See p.197) and without it might be liable to cenfure.

When his lordship was going up the fteps to the fcaffold affifted by two warders he look'd round, and feeing fo great a concourfe of people, God fave us (fays he) why should there be fuch a buftle about taking off an old grey head, that cannot get up three steps without three bodies to Jupport it.

Turning about and obferving one of his friends much dejected, he clapped him on the fhoulder, faying Chear up thy heart, man, I am not afraid, why Should you?

As foon as he came upon the scaffold, he asked for the executioner, and prefented him with 10 guineas in a purfe; then defiring to fee the ax, he felt the edge, and faid he believed it would do.

Soon after he role from the chair, which was placed for him, and looked at his coffin, on which was written. SIMON DOMINUS FRASER de LoVAT, Decollat. April 9, 1747, Ætat. juæ 80.

He then fat down again and repeated from Horace.

Dulce et decorum pro patriâ môri.❤
and afterwards from Ovid,

Nam genus et proavos, et quæ non fecimus ipfi,
Vix ea nofira voco

He then defired all the people to stand off, except his two warders, who fupported his lordship while he said a prayer; after which he called his follicitor and agent in Scotland, Mr Wm Frajer, and prefenting his gold-headed cane, faid, I deliver you this cane in token of my jenje of your faithful fervices, and of my committing to you all the power I have upon earth, and then embraced him. He allo called for Mr James Frajer, and faid, My dear James, I am going to bea

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* Thefe ejaculations being told to a gentle-
man, he reply'd inftantly,-to the first,
With juftice may LOVAT this adage apply :'
For the good of their country, ALL criminals die,
To the fecond-

Thine alone is the bonour of all theu baft done :
Such father no bonour tranfmits to a jon,

ven, but you must continue to crawl a lit- He maintained an appearance of that tle longer in this evil world. And taking facetious difpofition for which he was leave of both, he deliver'd his hat, wig remarkable, to laft; and feems to have and cloaths to Mr Wm Frafer, and de- taken great pains to quit the ftage, not fired him to fee that the executioner did only with decency, but with that dignot touch them: He order'd his cap nity, which is thought to distinguish to be put on, and unloofing his neck-the good confcience, and the noble cloth and the collar of his fhirt, he mind. kneeled down at the block, and pulled the cloth which was to receive his head close to him.

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But being placed too near the block, the executioner defired him to remove a little further back, which with the warders affiftance was immediately done, and his neck being properly placed, he told the executioner he would fay a fhort prayer, and then give the fignal by dropping his handkerchief. In this pofture he remained about half a minute, and then, throwing his handkerchief on the floor, the executioner at C one blow fevered his head from his body, which was received in the cloth, and together with his body put into the coffin, and carried in a hearfe back to the Tower, where it remain'd till 4 o' clock, and was then taken away by an undertaker, in order to be fent to Stotland, and depofited in his own tomb in the church of Kirkill; but leave not being given as was expected, it was again brought back to the Tower, and interred near the bodies of the other lords.

His lordship profeffed himself a papift, and at his request was attended by Mr Baker, belonging to the Sardinian ambaffador and though he infifted much on the fervices he had done the prefent royal family, in 1715, yet he declared, but a few days before his death, that he had been concerned in all the fchemes formed for reftoring the houfe of Stuart, fince he was fifteen years old.

His intellectual powers feem to have been confiderable, and his learning extenfive: He fpoke the Latin, French and English fluently, and other modern languages intelligibly. He ftudied at Aberdeen, and difputed his philofophy in Greek, and though he was educated a proteftant, yet after 3 years ftudy of divinity and controverly turn'd papift.

He had made a codicil to his will, where all the pipers, from Jonie Graot's honie to Edinburgh, were invited to play before his corpfe for which they were to have an hand- 1 nce, and though he did not expect complied with, yet he faid he was

good old women of his country

Caronach before him.

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But it may be remarked, on this occafion, that as dying is an event of infinite moment, and its iffue at beft uncertain, nothing can be more incongruous and abfurd than to treat it with levity, negligence, or prefumption.

As the review of a life in which virtue has been an active, growing and governing principle, can alone enable human nature to meet its diffolution with a rational fortitude, and render a ferene and chearful deportment in the laft awful moments, beautiful and becoming; fo an air of intrepidity, and a forced pleafantnefs, at the hour of death, in a perfon whofe life has been remarkable for the most daring and flagitious enormities, initead of reflecting any new honour upon him, renders him yet more odious and contemptible, as fuch a conduct can proceed only from. infolence, ignorance, or infenfibility.

Let us not, therefore, be deceived by fpecious appearances, or dazzled with a falfe luftre: Let us not judge of the man or the caufe in which he dies by the manner of his dying; but rather cenfure, or approve, his dying behaviour, by comparing it with the general tenor of his life, and then only yield our approbation to the appearances of fortitude, ferenity and chearfulness, when his moral conduct feems to afford him fuch a profpect of eternity, as may fill his heart with correfpondent fentiments, and infpire him with fuch an hope of heaven, as is confiftent with knowledge, reafon, and humility.

The following poem may not be unacceptable to our learned readers, and will probably procure an Englifb tranflation for others.

CHARACTER of Lord LOVAT.

Accumulatque mero ; dat mellitafque placentas; W deprefice by a religion, which