At nine o'clock at night the House
divided, when the measure was rejected by a majority of thirty-
three votes, amongst which were those of the fourteen bishops
present.
Mortified by this unexpected decision, the violent passions of
the defeated party hurried them on to seek the blood of those
peers lodged in the Tower. Of the five, William Howard, Viscount
Stafford--youngest son of the Earl of Arran, and nephew of the
Duke of Norfolk--was selected to be first put upon his trial;
inasmuch as, being over sixty years, and a sufferer from many
infirmities, it was judged he would be the least capable of
making a vigorous defence. Three perjured witnesses swore he had
plotted against the king's life, but no proof was forthcoming to
support their evidence. Notwithstanding this was "bespattered
and falsified in almost every point," it was received as
authentic by the judges, who made a national cause of his
prosecution, and considered no punishment too severe for a
papist. After a trial of five days sentence of death was
pronounced upon him, and on the 29th of December, 1680, he was
beheaded on Tower Hill.
Like those who had suffered from similar charges, he protested
his innocence to the last; but his words met with a reception
different from theirs. Their dying speeches had been greeted by
groans, hisses, and signs of insatiable fury; but his
declarations fell upon silent and sympathizing hearts. When he
had made denial of the crimes of which he was accused, a great
cry rose from the mob, "We believe you--we believe you, my lord;"
and then a single voice calling out "God bless you!" the words
were taken up and repeated by a vast throng, so that the last
sounds he heard on earth were those of prayer.
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