Dryden, and honour his
Memory, alight, and join with me in gaining my Lady's Consent, to let me
have the Honour of his Interment, which shall be after another manner
than this, and I will bestow L1000 on a Monument in the Abbey for him."
The Gentlemen in the Coaches, not knowing of the Bishop of Rochester's
Favour, nor of Lord Halifax's generous Design (these two noble Spirits
having, out of Respect to the Family, enjoin'd Lady Elsabeth and her Son
to keep their Favour concealed to the World, and let it pass for her own
Expense), readily came out of the Coaches, and attended Lord Jeffreys up
to the Lady's Bedside, who was then sick. He repeated the purport of
what he had before said, but she absolutely refusing, he fell on his
knees, vowing never to rise till his request was granted. The rest of
the Company, by his Desire, kneeled also; she being naturally of a
timorous Disposition, and then under a sudden surprise, fainted away. As
soon as she recover'd her Speech, she cry'd, "No, no!" "Enough
gentlemen," reply'd he (rising briskly), "My Lady is very good, she
says, Go, go!" She repeated her former Words with all her Strength, but
alas in vain! her feeble voice was lost in their Acclamations of Joy!
and Lord Jeffreys order'd the Hearseman to carry the Corps to Russell's,
an undertaker in Cheapside, and leave it there, till he sent orders for
the Embalment, which, he added, should be after the Royal Manner.
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