BY the advice of this great statesmen, Lord Cobham, the ruling party shewed the rebels all possible clemency, and were sparing in their executions. The most regretted amongst the disaffected party was the Earl of Worcester; a learned and / accomplished person, born in an age when the nobility prided themselves in their ignorance, and left learning only to monks and schoolmasters. But his knowledge did not produce, in this hot-headed young man, the effects which naturally attended it, – a prudent conduct, or a softened heart; for he enraged his rulers against him, by fomenting acts of sanguinary cruelty. He had headed a party himself of those ruffians, who lawlessly used violence to whomsoever opposed them; but, being defeated, he fled, and concealed himself in obscurity.

A party of officers were dispatched to seize his person. He defended himself valiantly till he fell, after killing two of the officers, and receiving himself several wounds, one of which proved severely fatal.

He left a young and beautiful widow, / whose history is eventful; and which serves to shew how much the females, in those days, espoused the cause of the different parties, which then actuated the conduct of all ranks in the kingdom.

Clarissa Dalentour was the cherished foundling of a foreign prince and princess of high rank. She was brought up with their family, and received a finished and polite education with the young princes. The lady, to whom was principally confided the care of Clarissa's tuition, instilled into her young and susceptible mind principle of the most enthusiastic love for virtue, and a detestation for oppression and tyranny, under whatever guise they might shelter themselves. To a mind endued with the finest sensibility, those lessons were productive of some danger.