fortia’s travels in 6Weden. 509

nefs, an* inconteftible proof of my furprize, and the real grief I felt at this fatal event.Moreover, who can reafonably imagine that an old man of feventy years of age, weigheddown and wafted by the viciflitudes he has undergone, dropping by degrees into thegrave, and occupied wholly on his latter end, could have allied his phlegm and indif-ference to the violence and ambition of a parcel of madmen, and plot with them a con-fpiracy againft the perfon of the King, and a revolution, contrary to his confcience, tohis reafon, and to prudence.

“ But, Sire, fince no half-proof, nothing circumftantial, admiffible by law, has beenproduced againft me,, how can the parliament, wholly unprovided with thefe, haveventured to impofe on me a real punilhment, a punilhment the mod fevere that in myunfortunate fituation it pofiibly could do, that of depriving me of my liberty, and tholeattentions which my age requires, by confining me in a fortrefs the reft of my days.

“ The chief motive of this fentence cannot be, as alledged by parliament, to induceme, through the remonftrances of the clergy, to make confeffion. of fault; for if this wereabfolutely neceffary, it would be equally practicable in a houfe here in the city, whereclergymen are to be found more enlightened and more eloquent than could be in a dis-tant fortrefs.

“ And fuppofing the parliament to be influenced by the three royal letters cited by theKing’s folicitor, Your Majefty will perceive that the King’s letter, dated nth November1756, ftates, that c£ doubtlefs for the pitrpofe of difcovering others concerned , fame of theaccomplices may, even before trial, be confined in a fortrefs until more ample information beprocured and it is exprefsly ordained in this letter, that the prifoner Ihould be crimi-nal, and his crime proved; but this citation cannot be looked upon as regarding himarrefted merely on fufpicion. As for the other two letters of His Majefty, neither canbe deemed as applying to the cafe.

“ To conclude ; as he who committed this horrible crime has been legally andjuftlypunilhed, and as thofe who formed this infamous’ confpiracy have been difcoverecl andcondemned; while againft me, as I have Ihewn, no witnefs or legal charge has beenbrought in the whole courfe of the trial, I live in hope that Your Majefty will decidethat a more rigid confinement, for the purpofe of extorting confeffion, ought not to takeplace; imploring, if I Ihould have miftaken the meaning of the law, the clemency ofYour Majefty.

“ I am, for the few remaining days I have to live, with conftant zealand the molt profound fubmiffion, Sire,

“ Your Majefty’s inoft humble, &c.

“■ Ch. Fred. Pecklin.”

Copy of the anonymous Letter of Liliehom to Guftavus III. on the day of his

affajfination.

“ Deign, and gracioully allow an anonymous perfon, whofe pen is guided by thevoice of honour and confcience, with the molt perfe& franknefs, to warn you that thereare individuals, as well in the provinces as here in the city, w'ho breathe nothing buthatred and vengeance againft you, to the length even of your deftruftion by fome modeof affaffination. That they fhould have failed the night of the laft maiked ball hasbeen a fubjeft of regret with them j and they notice with pleafure that another is an-nounced for to-day. Affaffins fhun the day; nothing, they fay, can be more favourable

to