f the prisoner
he knew nothing, his confinement having taken place several years before
he belonged to the gaol.

Abraham Mosely, a servant of the head keeper, was then called, but he
was not sworn; another gentleman was afterwards brought to the bar; as
the book was handed to him to be sworn, Mr. Radcliffe, looking earnestly
at him, inquired what book it was that he was going to be sworn upon:
the officer answered it was the New Testament. Mr. Radcliffe replied,
"He is no Christian, and believes neither in God nor devil." The
evidence of this witness, whose name is suppressed, was, however,
received, and it seems not to have been inconsistent with his alleged
character. It was the disclosure of a confidential conversation on the
part of Mr. Radcliffe, who had imparted to the witness in what manner he
had escaped from Newgate in 1715. The witness was asked whether the
prisoner was drunk when he made this confession: he answered that he
was. Then being asked if he were drunk himself, he replied that he never
got drunk; upon which Mr. Radcliffe said hastily, that "some people
would get drunk if at free cost."

The prisoner examining no witnesses, the Chief Justice summed up the
case, and in ten or fifteen minutes the jury, who had retired, brought
in a verdict of guilty. A Rule was then made for the proper writ for the
execution of the prisoner, on the eighth of December, and he was
remanded to the Tower. When informed by the Court of the time fixed for
his doom, Mr. Radcliffe said he wished they had given him a longer time,
that so he might have been able to acquaint some people in France, and
that his brother, the Earl of Morton, and he might "have set out on
their journey together."

The unhappy Mr. Radcliffe returned to his prison. Much has been written
of the arrogance and intemperance of his conduct and language, but much
must be allowed for the subservience of the contemporary writers, as
well as for the irritated feelings of the man. Considering himself as a
nobleman, and meeting with disrespect, and, perhaps, harsh usage, a
quick temper was aggravated almost to madness. To his inferiors the
passion and pride of his character were so offensive that the warders of
the Tower could be scarcely induced to give him their attendance; and
this inconvenience was the more severely felt as a man named McDermont,
who had been his equerry for twenty-three years, was sent to Newgate on
the very day when Mr. Radcliffe entere