Writing to the Bishop of Salisbury, Paul spoke of his being unfortunately at Preston among the rebels; but that he left them ‘upon the first opportunity.’ He asserted that ‘Fear more than Choice’ had taken him there. He had once the honour to be under the bishop’s patronage. If the prelate would only get his life spared, he promised that it should be wholly employed in pouring down abundance of blessings on King George, the Royal Family, the three kingdoms generally ‘and the Church in particular.’ In despairing terms, Paul again turned to the archbishop. Life, only life! The truly repentant rebel asks for no more. ‘I do not question,’ he said, ‘but that your gracious temper and compassion will move you to assist one that had once the honour to be instituted into a Living, in your diocese of Lincoln, by your Grace.’ [Sidenote: _PAUL AND PATTEN._] On Monday, July 9th, the poor man again wrote in a fit of abject terror to the archbishop: ‘The Dead Warrant is come down for Execution Friday next.’ Then he, as it were, screamed for mercy. Except, being at Preston, he was entirely innocent of all ‘ill steps,’ and knew of no designs against King George, beyond that town. ‘The things that are laid to my charge, namely, the preaching up rebellion, advising my parishioners to take up arms, and that I preached several seditious sermons, all these are false, upon the word of a clergyman, as I have a certificate to prove, for six years, the time of my being at Orton, handed by most of the parish.’ He begs that he may be ‘saved from that ignominious death of the halter;’ and he promises a rich return in prayers for the benefit of all who had done their best to bring him ‘out of these great troubles.’ Between the day on which the last letter was written and the eve of the day of execution, no better messenger of joy visited poor Paul than the reverend rascal Patten. This worthy was sent, apparently, to ‘pump’ him, but he brought no promise of mercy for any communications Paul might make; and accordingly the doomed man, as he wrote to Lord Townshend, on that terrible eve, simply called Heaven to witness that, to quote his own words, ‘I carried no letter off from Preston, though I told Mr. Patten so, which was only a feint, that I might go off; and if Mr. Patten will do me justice, he can tell you, my Lord, how uneasy I was when I discovered my rashness.’ His last words were, ‘I once more crave your Lordship’s kind assistance to procure me my life.’ [Sidenote: _PAUL, A JACOBITE AGAIN._] This prayer was not heeded. On the following day, crowds witnessed the journey of both Paul and Hall to Tyburn. Other crowds were to be seen outside the newspaper office window at Amen Corner, eagerly reading the original letters of Paul to the Archbishop and Viscount Townshend, by whom they had been sent into the city, to gratify public curiosity.