declaration he made to the surgeon on his arrival. He stood by him
while he examined the wound, described the manner in which the ball had
penetrated, and seemed surprised that it should be lodged within the
body. When he demanded the surgeon's opinion of the wound, the operator
thought proper to temporize for his own safety, as well as for the sake
of the public, lest the earl should take some other desperate step, or
endeavour to escape. He therefore amused him with hopes of Johnson's
recovery, about which he now seemed extremely anxious. He supported
his spirits by immoderate drinking, after having retired to another
apartment with the surgeon, whom he desired to take all possible care of
his patient. He declared, however, that he did not repent of what he had
done; that Johnson was a villain who deserved to die; that, in case of
his death, he (the earl) would surrender himself to the house of peers
and take his trial. He said he could justify the action to his own
conscience, and owned his intention was to have killed Johnson outright;
but as he still survived, and was in pain, he desired that all possible
means might be used for his recovery. Nor did he seem altogether
neglectful of his own safety: he endeavoured to tamper with the surgeon,
and suggest what evidence he should give when called before a court of
justice. He continued to drink himself into a state of intoxication,
and all the cruelty of his hate seemed to return. He would not allow
the wounded man to be removed to his own house; saying he would keep him
under his own roof that he might plague the villain. He returned to
the chamber where Johnson lay, insulted him with the most opprobrious
language, threatened to shoot him through the head, and could hardly be
restrained from committing further acts of violence on the poor man, who
was already in extremity. After he retired to bed, the surgeon procured
a sufficient number of assistants, who conveyed Mr. Johnson in an easy
chair to his own house, where he expired that same morning in great
agonies. The same surgeon assembled a number of armed men to seize the
murderer, who at first threatened resistance, but was soon apprehended,
endeavouring to make his escape, and committed to the county prison.
From thence he was conveyed to London by the gaoler of Leicester, and
conducted by the usher of the black rod and his deputy into the house
of lords, where the coroner's inquest, and the affidavits touching the