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APPENDIX.
morning, as he was gazing from his prison window, he perceived a hoy, with whose open countenance he became so impressed, that he determined to trust him with his secret, and, making signals to him, (which were observed and answered by the lad,) the earl " engaged him by money and promises," to convey the ring, which he took from his finger, to Lady Scroop,* (a friend of his lordship's,) and beg her to present it to her majesty. The youth readily undertook the commission ; but, from some mistake, instead of conveying it to Lady Scroop,- he carried it to her sister, the Countess of Nottingham. This lady shewed it to her husband, the admiral, the implacable foe to Essex, who commanded her, under pain of his heaviest displeasure, to conceal the jewel, and not to breathe a word of the event to mortal ears. The countess complying with her lord's command, the queen was kept in ignorance, and the Earl of Essex fell a victim to his supposed stubbornness, for, according to Camden, the chief reason that prevented Queen Elizabeth from granting him a pardon was his obstinacy in not supplicating for mercy. As soon as the countess had concluded her relation, she earnestly begged her majesty's forgiveness ; but the queen, losing all command of herself at this harrowing statement, violently shook the dying woman, and exclaiming, " God may have, mercy upon you, but I never can !" left the apartment in an agony of grief. As soon as she gained her dressingcloset, she threw herself upon the floor, tearing her grey hair, and calling upon the name of Essex. She refused to sleep upon a bed, and, according to some authors, would never after receive any sustenance. This, however, must be a mistake, for the Countess of Nottingham died on the 25th February,.1603, and her majesty did not depart this life until the 24th of March following—a period of about twenty-seven days. After the demise of Queen Elizabeth, this ring passed, with the other jewels, to her successor, James I, from whom it was handed down to his unfortunate son, Charles I., and who, at the instigation of his queen, Henrietta Maria, presented it to Sir Thomas Warner. From Sir Thomas Warner, it passed (in a direct line) to his great grandson, Col. Edward Warner, who bequeathed it by will (dated 27th Dec, 1732, proved in the P. C. of Canterbury, 21st Feb. following) to his brother, Ashton Warner, as " a diamond ring, in shape of a heart, given by Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Essex." From the Hon. Ashton Warner it descended, as an heirloom, to his son, Joseph Warner, and it is now in possession of Charles Warner, Esq., solicitor-general of Trinidad. * Philadelphia Cary, second daughter to Henry Lord Hunsdon, married to Thos. Scroop, of Bolton, in Yorkshire, who succeeded his father in his title, in 1508, made governor of Carlisle Castle, and warden of the West Marches, in 1593, and K. G. in 1599.