these ships, if it was not because my division was under sail
close after them, in a regular line of battle?_"

Here the Admiral stopt; and the conversation for a few minutes turning
upon other subjects, he desired to be particularly remembered to several
absent friends. The time he appointed for his friends to go ashore drawing
near, he got up, and withdrew into the state-room with one of them at a
time; and thanking each in a very pathetick manner, for their acts of
friendship and services, he embraced them, and took his leave; with
intention, as he told them, to spare them the disagreeable and painful
office, as his friends, of seeing him next day. But they intreating leave
to pay their last respects and services to him in the morning, he
consented. One of them observing the Admiral softened into tears upon the
occasion, said to him, "Pray, Sir, don't suffer yourself to be
discomposed." He replied, "_I have not a heart of stone; I am a man, and
must feel at parting with my friends; but you will not see me discomposed
to-morrow_." He then dismissed them all, wished them a good night, and
desired they would come to him next day at nine; chusing to have the
morning to himself.

He carefully avoided desiring any thing himself, that could look like a
favour; but one of his relations waited upon Admiral _Boscawen_ that
evening, and represented to him, that appointing the fore-castle for the
place of execution was an indignity to Admiral _Byng_'s rank, and hoped
that he would change the place to the quarter-deck. Admiral _Boscawen_
said, the order from the admiralty expresly appointed it so; but if it was
his request, he would consider of it, and do what lay in his power. The
gentleman replied, _I do make it my request, Sir_; and Admiral _Boscawen_,
after considering a little, promised to give directions that the
quarter-deck should be the place; which was done accordingly.

When the officers, who watched in the great cabbin with the Admiral,
relieved each other in the night, the officer who was relieved, always
made it a rule, at twelve at night, and at four in the morning, to go into
the state-room with the other, to show that the Admiral was there, and
deliver over his charge. They seldom found him awake at these hours; but
that last night, in particular, they found him both times in a profound
sleep.

It was his custom to rise early, and to banter the Marshal for being
seldom up so early as him. He was up on _Monday_