The board humbly submitted it to his Majefty, as their unanimous opinion up on the whole, That the conduct of the faid major-general and colonels was clear from any fufpicion of disobedience of orders or neglect of duty. Ο Extracts from the authentic and circumftantial account of the confinement, behaviour, and death of Adm. Byng. [108.] N Thursday, Jan. 27. when the Admiralday, 27, wn Admiral was fent for on board the St George to receive his fentence, he declared to fome of his friends, that he expected to be reprimanded, and that he poffibly might be cafhiered. [138.] Soon after he had got on board, and was in the cabin upon the quarterdeck, a member of the court-martial came out, and told one of his relations, he had the court's leave to inform him, they had found the Admiral capitally guilty; in order that he might prepare him to receive the fentence. The gentleman went up to him immediately; but was fo furprised, he could not tell how to in form him. The Admiral, obferving his countenance, faid to him, "What is the matter? have they broke me?" The gentleman hefitating in his reply, with fome confufion of countenance, he added, "Well, I understand. - If nothing but my blood will fatisfy, let them take it." Immediately after this, he was fent for into court; where he continued to be the only man that did not appear moved, while his fentence was reading by the judge-advocate; and went afhore afterwards with the fame air and compofure that he came on board. A gentleman afterwards endeavoured to give him confolation, by representing to him, that a fentence without guilt could be no stain, and that there was a great probability of a pardon. He replied, "What will that fignify to me? What fatisfaction can I receive from the liberty to crawl a few years longer on the earth, with the infamous load of a pardon at my back? I defpife life on fuch terms, and would rather have them take it." Some days after the fentence was paffed, he was conveyed on board the Mo narque, and confined in the captain's cabin upon the quarterdeck. And as foon as the warrant for his death arrived at Portsmouth, all his friends who came to fee him, were obliged to leave him before it was dark, and go on fhore. An additional number of marine officers and marines were ordered on board that ship, and centinels were diligently placed, with directions to call aloud to each other, All is well, every five minutes in the night. This circumftance almost totally depriving the Admiral of fleep, becaufe the centinels were moftly close to him where he lay, made him frequently fay, "I did hope for leave to fleep; and apprehend I might be fufficiently guarded and taken care of, without fo frequent a repetition of this noify ceremony close to my ear." At length the lieutenants of the ship had orders to watch in the great cabin, relieving each other every four hours, as is customary at fea; fo that there was always one of them in the cabin with him day and night; and the order to the centinels for calling out every five minutes was then omitted. When Capt. Montague waited upon him, to inform him the warrant from the admiralty was come, he received the news with the fame cool compofure that he had received the fentence. The fame gentleman waited upon him again on the 27th of February, being the day before that which was appointed for his execution, and, in Adm. Bofcawen's name, acquainted him that a refpite was arrived for fourteen days. He compofedly defired his compliments to Adm. Bofcawen, with thanks for his intelligence, without appearing in the fmalleft degree elevated, or even pleafed beyond his ufual. His friends, on that occafion, reprefented to him what had paffed in the houfe of Commons; magnified and dwelt upon every favourable circumftance; and, giving themfelves up to joy, congratulated him on the certainty of an honourable pardon, which they imagined muft follow. He calmly replied, "I am glad you think fo, because it makes you eafy and happy: but I think it is now become an af fair merely political, without any farther relation to right or wrong, juftice or injustice; and therefore I differ in opinion from you." Divine fervice was performed for him every morning, and the rest of the day he spent in chearful converfation, and the adjustment of family-affairs. On Saturday, March 12. in the evening, when his friends were going on fhore as ufual, he took leave of his two nephews in a tender manner, and defired they would not come on board to him again, left any immoderate grief in them fhould foften him. On Sunday morning Capt. Montague, having received a warrant from Adm. Boscawen for his execution the next day, gave it to the Marshal to read to him; which he calmly heard read over, and then remarked, with fome warmth, that the place appointed by the warrant was upon the forecastle. "Is not this," said he, addressing himself to his friends, 66 putting me upon the footing of a common feaman, condemned to be fhot? Is not this an indignity to my birth, to my family, and to my rank in the fervice? I think I have not been treated like an officer in any inftance fince I was difgraced, except in that of being ordered to be shot." He appeared much difturbed at this circumftance, and looked upon it as a grievance. His friends, fearing it could not be altered, becaufe the warrant was exprefsly worded so, represented to him, that it appeared to them an impropriety; but they hoped he would think the place immaterial, a circumftance beneath his notice, and not let any fuch confideration break in upon his tranquillity of mind. He then composed himself again, and replied, "It is very true, the place or manner is of no great importance to me; but I think living admirals fhould confult the dignity of the rank, for their own fakes. I cannot plead a precedent; there is no precedent of an admiral, or a general officer in the army, being shot. They make a precedent of me, fuch as admirals hereafter may feel the effects of." But, on the remonftrances of his friends, he again compofed himself, and appeared in a little time perfectly calm. In the forenoon he heard prayers read by the chaplain of the Monarque, and received the facrament in a very decent devout manner, with fome of his relations and friends. At dinner he was chearful as ufual, very politely helped his friends, and drank their healths; but did not fit long at table. He continued uneasy about the place of execution: and perceiving his friends avoided the fubject," I like to talk upon the fubject," faid he. It is not to be fuppofed I do not think of it; why then fhould it be more improper to talk of it?" He frequently obferved how the wind was; and wifhed it might continue wefterly long enough for the members of his court-martial, who were upon the point of failing, to be prefent at the time the fentence paffed upon him was put in execution. About fix he ordered tea, as usual, for himself and his company; and remarking that his friends took notice of his eafy manner and converfation, he declared it to be owing to his having no remorfe for any tranfaction in his public character, however he might be subject to private and perfonal frailties. He pleafed himself with hopes that the world would not confider him as the mean defpicable coward his enemies had reprefented him, as the court-martial had acquitted him of every thing ignominious. In the evening, his friends, defirous to be with him a little longer for the last night than had been permitted before, fent to Adm. Bofcawen, requesting that indulgence; which was granted for as long as they pleased: but he himself defired they would not exceed the hour of eight, being then about feven. He then ordered a small bowl of punch to be made; helped every one, and taking his own glafs with a little punch in it, My friends," said he, "here is all your healths, and God blefs you all: I am pleafed to find that I have fome friends ftill, notwithstanding my misfortunes." When he had drank, and fet his glass down, he added, "I am to die to-morrow; and as my country requires my blood, I am Ff2 ready. ready to refign it, though I do not as yet know what my crime is." He with ed his judges had been more explicit, in juftice to all future officers, fearing that no admiral will be wifer from the fentence paffed on him: he added, that he was fuppofed not to have affifted the van; but he infifted upon the merit of relieving the three difabled fhips, which were indeed fired upon, but it does not appear that a fingle man was killed on board of them when the enemy paffed. "There is," said the Admiral," but one witness who says they received damage at that time. May not that one witness be mistaken, who was on board the ship confiderably the fartheft removed from the enemy of the three, and who had dropt there out of her ftation, by being difabled before? And why did the enemy bear away from thefe fhips, if it was not because my divifion was under fail clofe after them in a regular line of battle?" The time appointed for his friends to go afhore drawing near, he got up, and withdrew into the ftate-room with one of them at a time; and thanking each in a very pathetic manner for their acts of friendship and fervices, he embraced them in order to take a laft farewel. But they intreating leave to pay their laft refpects and fervices to him in the morning, he confented. One of them obferving the Admiral foftened into tears upon the occafion, faid to him, "Pray, Sir, don't fuffer yourfelf to be difcompofed." He replied, "I have not a heart of ftone: I am a man, and muft feel at parting with my friends; but you will not fee me difcompofed to-morrow." Hereupon his friends went on fhore; and one of them waited on Adm. Bofcawen, to beg that the place of execu. tion might be changed from the forecaftle to the quarterdeck; which was done accordingly. It is remarkable, that the officers, who at twelve at night, and at four in the morning, were relieved from watching in his cabin, when they went to fhew that he was in the ftate-room to their fucceffors, feldom found him awake; and that this laft night they found him both times in a profound fleep. He arose, according to his cu ftom, early in the morning, about five: and feeing the marshal, about fix, Well," said he, "Marshal, I think I have beat you at rifing this morning." Soon after, when he was fhifting, as he did conftantly every morning betimes, "Here," faid he to his valet, "take these fleeve-buttons, and wear them for my fake; yours will do to be buried with." Having directed that he fhould be put into his coffin with his cloaths as he died; recollecting himself, he added, "But hold,- as thefe buttons are gold, my giving them to you may be doubted, and you may be drawn into a fcrape." He spent a confiderable part of the morning in the ftate-room by himself: then came out, and fat down with the marfhal, and breakfasted compofedly, as ufual. His drefs was a plain cloth fuit, a light gray mixture, fuch as he had always wore after he received his order of fufpenfion in Gibraltar bay; having stripped off his uniform, which he immediately threw into the fea, as foon as he had read that order. At nine, when his friends came on board; being informed that the quarterdeck was now the place appointed for his execution, in confideration of his rank, he was greatly pleased at it. He then fpoke about an erasement in his will, which he had recollected; mentioning the fheet, the number of the line from the top, and the words erased. He then thought proper to fign a paper, fpecifying this particular, and three of his friends were witnesses to it. This done, the morning-fervice was performed by the chaplain of the Monarque, and the rest of the morning he spent in walking across the cabin, and converfing fometimes with one friend and sometimes with another. He had always declared, that he would die with his face uncovered, and would give the word of command, faying, "As it is my fate, I can look at it, and receive it." His friends unanimously endeavoured to diffuade him from it; frequently half gained his confent to have his face covered, and he as frequently retracted, retracted, and faid, "No-it cannot be I cannot bear it,-I muft look, and receive my fate." But by representing to him, that it was impoffible the marines could receive the word of command from him, or fee him looking at them, without being intimidated; by hinting that he might be wounded only, and mangled; and by adding every fort of argument, he at laft confented to have a bandage over his eyes, and to make a fignal by dropping a handkerchief, though with very great reluctance: "If it must be so,' faid he, "and you infift; it must be fo." He then defired to be made acquainted with all the particulars of the form, that he might make no mistake; telling his friends, that he had never been prefent at fuch a ceremony himself; propofed pulling off his coat; and when one of his friends informed him, that was quite unneceffary," But," faid he, "it may be faid I kept my coat on as if afraid to receive the blow, or feel the bullets.""No," answered the gentleman, "fuch a remark can never be made; and it must be more decent to make no alteration in dress."- "Well then," replied he, "if it is more decent, no alteration fhall be made." The marines were all drawn up under arms, upon the poop, along the gangways in the waift, and on one fide of the quarterdeck. On the other fide of the quarterdeck was thrown a heap of faw duft, and a cushion placed upon it; and in the middle, upon the gratings, a platoon, confifting of nine marines, to whom he made a prefent of ten guineas, were drawn up in three lines, three in each. The two foremost lines, intended to fire, had their bayonets fixed, as is cuftomary on fuch occafions. The captains of all the fhips in Portfmouth harbour, and at Spithead, were ordered to attend with their boats; but lay abreaft upon their oars, without coming on board, to avoid the inconve nience of fo great a croud as that would have occafioned. The Admiral, about eleven, as he walked across the cabin, obferving the croud of boats out of one of the fide cabin-windows, took his fpying-glafs, and 66 viewed feveral of them; and perceiving many boats from the fhore, as well as the fhip-boats, and the decks, shrouds, and yards, of all the fhips that lay near, covered with men, faid he, Curiofity is ftrong; — - it draws a great number of people together; but their curiosity will be difappointed:- where they are, they may hear, but they cannot fee." A gentleman faid to him, "To fee you fo eafy and compofed, Sir, gives me as much pleasure as I can have on this occafion; but I expected no lefs from the whole of your conduct heretofore, and the last actions of a man mark his character more than all the actions of his life.". "I am fenfible they do, Sir," replied he, " and obliged to you for putting me in mind. I find innocence is the best foundation for firmness of mind." After that he walked about in the cabin for fome time; inquired what time it would be high-water; remarked that the tide would not fuit to carry his body afhore after dark; and expreffed fome apprehenfions, that his body might be infulted going afhore in the day, on account of the prejudices of the people: but on being affured that no fuch-fpirit was remaining among the people at Portsmouth, he appeared very well fatisfied on that head. Then taking a paper out of his pocket, he addreffed himself to the Marshal as follows. "Sir, Thefe are my thoughts on this occafion; I fhall give them to you, that you may authenticate them, and prevent any thing fpurious being published, that might tend to defame me. I have given a copy to one of my relations." The paper was wrote in his own hand, and contained as follows. Few moments will now deliver me A from the virulent perfecutions, and fruftrate the farther malice of my enemies. Nor need I envy them a life fubject to the fenfations my injuries and the injuftice done me muft create. Perfuaded I am, juftice will be done to my reputation hereafter. The manner and caufe of raising and keeping up the popular clamour and prejudice against mc me will be seen through. I fhall be confidered (as I now perceive myfelf) a victim, deftined to divert the indignation and refentment of an injured and deluded people from the proper objects. My enemies themselves must now think me innocent. Happy for me, at this my last moment, that I know my own innocence, and am confcious that no part of my country's misfortunes can be owing to me. I heartily with the fhedding of my blood may contribute to the happiness and fervice of my country; but cannot refign my juft claim to a faithful difcharge of my duty, according to the belt of my judgment, and the utmoft exertion of my ability, for his Majesty's honour, and my country's fervice. I am forry that my endeavours were not attended with more fuccefs, and that the armament under my command proved too weak to fucceed in an expedition of fuch moment. Truth has prevailed over calumny and falfehood, and justice has wiped off the ignominious ftain of my fuppofed want of perfonal courage, or difaffection. My heart acquits me of these crimes. But who can be prefumptuously fure of his own judgment! if my crime is an error in judgment, or differing in opinion from my judges:- and if yet the error of judgment should be on their fide, God forgive them, as I do; and may the distress of their minds, and uneafinefs of their confciences, which in justice to me they have reprefented, be relieved, and fubfide, as my refentment 66 Admiral, opening the state-room door, came out with a stately pace and compofed countenance. He made a bow to his friends in the cabin; and speaking to the Marshal, "Come along," faid he, "my friend;" and walked out upon the quarter-deck. Then turning to the Marshal, with an eafy bow, he gave him the paper containing as above, saying, Remember, Sir, what I have told you relating to this paper;" and went to the cushion, and kneeled down. One of his friends attended him to the cushion, and offered to tie the bandage over his eyes; but having a white handkerchief ready folded in his hand, he replied, with a smile on his countenance, "I am obliged to you, Sir;-I thank God, I can do it myself:-I think I can : - I am fure I can;" and tied it behind his head himself. Then taking the gentleman by the hand, "God bless you, my friend," said he, "don't stay longer here; they may fhoot you.' The marines, in the mean time, advanced about two paces; and, as foon as the gentleman retired, prefented their pieces; the first line kneeling, their bayonets about half a yard from his breaft; the fecond stooping, and close to the firft; the third line standing upright, were appointed a referve, in case any life fhould remain after the two first had fired. The Admiral continued upon his knees fomething more than a minute, appearing very compofed, and to be making an ejaculation; and then dropped his handkerchief, the fignal agreed upon. The platoon immediately fired: one miffed, four paffed through different parts of his breast, and one through his heart, and he funk down motionlefs, gently falling on his fide, as if ftill ftudious to preferve decency and dignity in his fall. As foon as his body was cold, it was put into his coffin, and fent on fhore to the dock-yard in the evening; from whence it has been fince removed to the family burying-place at South-hill in Bedford fhire. On his coffin was the following plain infcription: The Hon. JOHN BYNG, Efq; |