never
attempted afterwards to speak to her.

But, shocked as he was with her falsehood and her cruelty, he imagined
that she intended no other use of her lie, than to set herself free from
his embraces and solicitations, and was very far from suspecting that
she would treasure it in her memory as an instrument of future
wickedness, or that she would endeavour for this fictitious assault to
deprive him of his life.

But when the queen was solicited for his pardon, and informed of the
severe treatment which he had suffered from his judge, she answered,
that, however unjustifiable might be the manner of his trial, or
whatever extenuation the action for which he was condemned might admit,
she could not think that man a proper object of the king's mercy, who
had been capable of entering his mother's house in the night, with an
intent to murder her.

By whom this atrocious calumny had been transmitted to the queen;
whether she that invented had the front to relate it; whether she found
any one weak enough to credit it, or corrupt enough to concur with her
in her hateful design, I know not; but methods had been taken to
persuade the queen so strongly of the truth of it, that she, for a long
time, refused to hear any of those who petitioned for his life.

Thus had Savage perished by the evidence of a bawd, a strumpet, and his
mother, had not justice and compassion procured him an advocate of rank
too great to be rejected unheard, and of virtue too eminent to be heard
without being believed. His merit and his calamities happened to reach
the ear of the countess of Hertford, who engaged in his support with all
the tenderness that is excited by pity, and all the zeal which is
kindled by generosity; and, demanding an audience of the queen, laid
before her the whole series of his mother's cruelty, exposed the
improbability of an accusation by which he was charged with an intent to
commit a murder that could produce no advantage, and soon convinced her
how little his former conduct could deserve to be mentioned as a reason
for extraordinary severity.

The interposition of this lady was so successful, that he was soon after
admitted to bail, and, on the 9th of March, 1728, pleaded the king's
pardon.

It is natural to inquire upon what motives his mother could prosecute
him in a manner so outrageous and implacable; for what reason she could
employ all the arts of malice, and all the snares of calumny, to take
away the life of