is future conduct in
life, when these eyes of mine are closed in death, which I could
have wished might have stolen upon me in the ordinary course of
nature, and not by the hand of the executioner. But as my blessed
Saviour and Redeemer suffered an ignominious and cruel death, and
the Son of God, made flesh, did not disdain to have his feet nailed
to the Cross for the sins of the world; so may I, poor miserable
sinner, as far as human nature will allow, patiently bear with the
hands of violence, that I expect suddenly to be stretched out
against me.

"Your Lordship will also, provided there is no hopes of a reprieve
this night, make me acquainted with it as soon as possible, that I
may meet that fate with readiness which, in a state of uncertainty,
I expect with uneasiness. I must also be pressing with your Lordship
that if, in case of death, any paper under my name should come out
as pretended to have been written by me, in the manner or form of a
speech, you will not believe it to be genuine; for I, that am
heartily sorry for disowning my principles in one spoken before your
Lordship and the rest of my peers, will never add to that act of
indiscretion by saying anything on the scaffold but my prayers for
the forgiveness of my poor self and those that have brought me to be
a spectacle to men and angels, especially since I must speak in my
last moments according to the dictates of my conscience, and not
prevaricate as I did before the Lords, for which I take shame to
myself. And such a method of proceeding might do injury to my
brother Carnwath, who, I am told, is in a much fairer way than I am
of not being excluded from grace. I have nothing farther than to
implore your Lordships to charge your memory with the
recommendations I gave you to my wife and children, beseeching God
that he will so sanctify their afflictions, that after the pains and
terrors of this mortal life they may with me be translated to the
regions of everlasting joy and happiness, to which blessed state of
immortality your Lordship shall also, while I am living, be
recommended in the prayers of, my very good Lord, your most
affectionate kinsman,

Kenmure."

"From my prison, in the Tower of London, Feb. 23, 1715."

The following paper, the original of