acted that Religious and Reverend Divine Doctor Hewet the golden-tongu'd Chrysostom entered the Lists of Death In this warfare the Doctour put on the spiritual armor of a blessed confidence delivering his minde to the people in these following words I am now become a publick spectacle to men and Angels and I hope God who is omniscient is now beholding me with much pitty and great mercy and compassion and the more because I am now come to that end that his own Son came into the world to to bear witness to the Truth he himself said For this end was I born for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the Truth I was brought into the world the Christian world for to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel as a common Christian I was brought into the world the Church as a Minister of his blessed Word and Sacraments Blessed be his name for that great honor and dignity and I came into the world to dye more immediately for the testimony of Jesus which God hath now called me to I came into this world this Commonwealth to be a member thereof to bear witness to the truths of the Customs the Laws the Liberties and Priviledges thereof so I am a Member of the Common-wealth And methinks it seems to me a strange thing that in as much as we all plead for Liberty and Priviledges and I pleading for the Priviledges the Laws the Statutes and the Customs of this Land yet I should dye by those that should stand for the Laws the Statutes and Priviledges of the Land And I am here beheld by those that plead for their Liberties and I hope I am pittied because I here give up my self willingly and freely to be a State-Martyr for the publick good and I had rather dye many deaths my self then betray my fellow-freemen to so many inconveniences that they might be like to suffer by being subject to the wills of them that willed me to this death And it is worthy remembrance that Master Solicitor having impeached me of Treason to the Commissioners of the Court against his Highness I did often when brought before those Commissioners plead for the liberties of the people of England though I had no knowledge of the Law yet I had instructions from those that were learned in the Law and had several Law-cases and Presidents put into my hand though not by them and urged several Law-cases and made my appeal First for the Judicature that I was to be tryed by Whether it were according to Law Whether it were according to the Act and whether it were according to the words of the said Act I did appeal to have the said Act argued by learned Lawyers on both sides and then to be resolved by his Highness own Councel which was denied me This by the by I pressing the Argument made a second Appeal that those Judges if they would give singly their several judgements that it was a just and lawful Court of Judicature I would answer to my Charge I did make another Appeal to those that were his Highnesses Councel and pleaded against me That if they would deliver it to me under their hands to be according to Law I would then go on to plead and answer to the Charge What was then said further my spirits being faint I shall not say much but onely this I was taken in three defaults upon formality of the Court It seems it is a custom in all Courts which I did not know before that if they answer not the third time speaking by the Clerk that then they are guilty of three defaults and proceeded against as mute I had no such knowledge of the Law So they found me guilty of those defaults and when I would have pleaded and resolved to begin to plead I was taken from the Bar. I did the next day make my Petition to the Court in the Painted Chamber two Petitions were presented the same in effect the former the Title was mistaken Yet because the title was mistaken and no answer given therefore it was that another Petition was drawn up to the same effect with a new title given as I remember presented by the Serjeant at Arms and one writ it over in such haste lest they should be drawn out of the Painted Chamber into the Court that I had not time to read it over onely I subscribed my name and there was in the front of the Petition a word left out but what the word was I know not and this was taken so ill as if I had put an affront and contempt on the Court And it was thought they would have heard me plead and then because of that mistake they sent word I should have my answer when I came into the Court and my answer was the sentence of condemnation And therefore I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that occasioned the charge to be drawn against me to give such unjust things against me I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that upon so slender and small grounds adjudg'd me to dye taking advantage of such simple ignorance as I was in And I had at the very beginning of my pleading engaged their Honours no advantage should be taken against me to my prejudice that in as much as I understood nothing of the Law And having heard that a man in the nicety of the Law might be lost in the severity thereof meerly for speaking a word out of simple ignorance I made it my prayer to them that no advantage might be taken against me to the prejudice of my person And there was to me a seeming consent for the President told there should be no advantage taken against me and upon these Considerations I am afraid there was too great uncharitableness but I pray God forgive them from the very bottom of my soul and I desire that even those that shed my blood may have the bowels of the God of mercy shed for them And now having given you the occasion of my coming hither it is fit I should give you somewhat as concerning my self as I am a Christian and as I am a Cleargy-man First as I am a Christian I thank God I was baptized to the Holy Church so I was baptized to be a Member of the Holy Catholique Church that is the Church of England which I dare say for purity of Doctrine and orderly Discipline till a sad Reformation had spoiled the face of the Church and made it a query whether it were a Church or no I say it was more purely Divine and Apostolical then any other Doctrine or Church in the Christian World whether National or Classical or Congregational And I must tell you That as I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the holy Catholique Church and shall give a most just confession of my Faith both negatively and affirmatively negatively I am so a Member
What have we not deserved yet O the long-suffering and patience and goodness of our God! O Lord our God we pray thee that thy patience and long-suffering might lead to repentance that thou wouldest be pleased thou who delightest not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his sins and live that thou wouldest turn us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned draw us and we shall run after thee draw us with the cords of Love and by the bands of loving kindness by the powerful working of thy holy spirit in our souls working contrition in our hearts and a godly sorrow for all our sins even a sorrow to repentance and a repentance to salvation never to be repented of Lord break those stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word mollifie them by the oyl of thy grace smite these rocky hearts of ours by the rod of thy most gracious power that we may shed forth rivers of tears for all the sins we have committed O that thou wouldest make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough that thou wouldest humble us more and more in the true sight and sense of all our provocation against thee and that thou wouldest be pleased in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all our sins Lord let his blood that speaks better things then that of Abel cry louder in thine ears for mercy then all those mischiefs and wickednesses that have been done amongst us for vengeance O besprinkle our polluted but penitent souls in the blood of Jesus Christ that we may be clean in thy sight and that the light of thy countenance may shine upon us Lord be pleased to seal unto our souls the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins say to each of our souls and say that we may hear it that thou art well pleased with us and appeased towards us Lord do thou by the Spirit assure our spirits that we are thy children and that thou art reconciled to us in the blood of Jesus Christ To this end O Lord create in us new hearts and renew right spirits within us Cast us not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from us but give us the comfort of thy help and establish us with thy free spirit Help us to live as they redeemed ones and Lord let us not any longer by our wicked lives deny that most holy faith whereof our lips have for so long time made profession but let us that call on the name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity and hate every evil way Help us to cast away all our transgressions whereby we have transgressed and make us new hearts Carry us along through the pilgrimage of this world supplying us with all things needful for us thy grace alone is sufficient for us Lord let thy grace be assistant to us to strengthen us against all the temptations of Satan especially against those sins whereunto we are most prone either by custom or constitution or most easily provoked O Lord with what affliction soever thou shalt punish us do not punish us with spiritual judgements and desertions Give us not over to our own hearts lusts to our vile lewd and corrupt affections give us not over to hardness and impenitency of heart but make us sensible of the least sin and give us thy grace to think no sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our lives and conversations and Lord keep us from presumptuous sins O let not them get the dominion over us but keep us innocent from the great offence O Lord our strength and our Redeemer And Lord sanctifie unto us all thy methods and proceedings with us fitting us for all further tribulations and tryals whatsoever thou in thy divine pleasure shalt be pleased to impose upon us Lord give us patience constancy resolution and fortitude to undergo them that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we may fear none ill knowing that thou O Lord art mercifully with us and that with thy rod as well as with thy staff thou wilt support and comfort us and that nothing shall be able to separate us from thy love which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. And gracious God we beseech thee be thou pleased to look mercifully and compassionately on thy holy Catholique Church and grant that all they that do confess thy holy Name may agree together in the truth of thy holy Word and live in unity and godly love Thou hast promised O Lord the gates of hell shall not prevail against thy Church perform we beseech thee thy most gracious promises both to thy whole Church and to that part of it which thou hast planted and now afflicted in these sinful Lands and Nations wherein we live arise O Lord and have mercy upon our Sion for it is time that thou have mercy upon her yea the time is come for thy servants think upon her stones and it pittieth them to see her in the dust Lord maintain thine own cause rescue the light of thy truth from all those clouds of errours and heresies which do so much obscure it and let the light thereof in a free profession break forth and shine again among us and that continually even as long as the Sun and Moon endures To this end O Lord bless us all and bless him the posterity which in Authority ought to rule over and be above us Bless him in his soul and in his body in his friends and in his servants and all his relations Guide him by thy Counsel prosper him in all undertakings granting him a long prosperous and honourable life here upon earth and that he may attain to a blessed life hereafter And gracious God look mercifully upon all our Relations and do thou bring them to the light of thy truth that are wandering and ready to fall Confirm them in thy truth that already stand show some good token for good unto them that they may rejoyce O let thy good hand of providence be over them in all their wayes And to all orders and degrees of men that be amongst us give religious hearts to them that now rule in Authority over us Loyal hearts in the subjects towards their Supream and loving hearts in all men to their Friends and charitable hearts one towards another And for the continuance of thy Gospel among us restore in thy good time to their several places and callings and give Grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops Pastors and Curates that they may both by their Life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively word and rightly and duly administer thy Holy Sacraments And Lord bless thy Church still with Pastors after thine own heart with a continual succession of faithful and able men that they may both by Life and Doctrine declare thy truth and never
Bed-chamber and one of his Majesties Honourable Privy Councel in his Realms both of England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter The same Parliament likewise was the Duke accused of High Treason by the Earl of Bristol and the Earl of Bristol in like manner accused of High Treason by the Duke the Factions of both sides were passing jocund at this contest observing That whilest between these Grandees mutual malice brake out truth came to her own But that Parliament being broke up abruptly the people were frustrated of their expectations To recover the Dukes reputation which seem'd eclipsed by this charge of High Treason a Navy being made ready for the relief of Rochel the Duke was made Commander both by Sea and Land who endeavouring by his Atchievements to remove all cause of calumny against him by the ill successe of that enterprize more exasperated the hatred of the people The cause of this expedition that we may relate things in order to truth was as followeth The French King during the Treaty of Marriage between England and France pretending a Martial design against Italy and the Valtoline obtained of King James the Loan of the Vant-guard a parcel of the Navy Royal and with the owners consent of six Merchants Ships more but a rumour being spread that those ships were intended against Rochel then revolted from him an express caution was put in to the contrary But before those ships set out King James died and the French King and the Rochellers by the mediation of King Charles came to an accord but no sooner was the French Army advanced for Italy but the Rochellers upon pretence that the King had not kept touch with them in slighting Fort Lewis under the leading of Subize surprize the Isle of Rhee surprize many ships in the Harbour and bad fair for the taking of Fort Lewis had not the Duke of Vendosme posted thither with relief The French King nettled at this insolency began to raise an Army sets forth all the ships he could procure obtained naval aid of the Dutch and demanded of Captain Pennington the delivery of the English ships agreeable to his Masters promise Pennington refuses to deliver any till a further signification of his Majesties pleasure but King Charles rather willing to submit to the hazard of Lewis his breach of faith then to the blame of receding from his own promise returned answer That his will was that he should consign up his own and the six Merchants ships to the service of his Brother With these Forces he quickly undoeth what Subize had done forceth him from his strength reprizeth many of his ships and so impetuously chaseth him as he with much difficulty escaped to the Isle of Oleron King Charles discontented for the misimployment of his ships sent an expostulatory message to his Brother demanding the cause of this violation of his Royal Parole and withal requiring the restitution of his ships Lewis returneth answer That the Rochellers had first temerated and slighted their faith with him and that necessity enforced him to use all means to impede the progress of so great disloyalty which he could not well do without the aid of the English Ships his own Fleet being upon other service And for the restitution of those ships he replyed That his Subjects by whom they were mann'd held them contrary to his minde and therefore wisht him to come by them as he could This answer nothing pleased King Charles other discontents also arising and Rochel being close beleagured by the Duke of Guise a Navy was made ready whereof the Duke was made Admiral as you have heard June the 27. the year of our Lord 1627. he set sail from Portsmouth with about 6000. Horse and Foot their design was intended against Fort Lewis upon the Continent near Rochel but upon a false information that the Duke D' Angoulesm was there with fifteen thousand men whereas indeed he had but three thousand Foot and two hundred Horse they altered their determination and instantly directed their course towards the Isle of Rhee July the 30. early in the morning they shewed themselves upon the Islands of Oleron to the number of about twenty Sail being at first supposed to be Dunkerks waiting the motion of the Hollanders then in the road but upon their nearer approaches toward the Isle of Rhee and that the Hollanders took no Alarm they were then suspected to be English At a certain Fort called De la Pree they landed to the number of 1200. whom to oppose Sieur de Toiras Governour of the Cittadel of Saint Martins with the like number encountred the Fight continued fierce and doubtful On the English side were slain Sir William Heyden and Sieur de Blancard a French-man Agent from the Duke of Rohan and the Protestants Of the French the Governours Brother and the Barron of Chuntal of common Souldiers on both sides about nine hundred whereof the French bare the greater share and now having tryed a taste of each others valour the French retire to their Garrison and the English to their Ships Three dayes together both sides lay quiet as if they had spent their whole stock of valour at once or sworn a truce on both sides at length the Duke went on shore again intrenching himself until he had debarqued all his Horse and receiving a recruit from Rochel of 500. Foot marcheth directly towards St. Martins Fort. Upon his approach the Islanders abandoned the Town and fled into the Castle so that the Duke being now possessed of the one thought it would not be long ere the other was his but those who reckon without their host we say must reckon twice two moneths together the Duke encamped before this Fort during which time Toiras the Governour had hired a French man to have stabbed the Duke who being taken by the English confessed his intentions But what detriment the French could not do the English by treachery they performed otherwise that gallant Gentleman Sir John Burroughs being slain with a Musquet shot from the Castle as he was viewing the English Works whose body was after honourably enterred at Westminster At length the Castle was reduced to a condition of yielding when in the very nick of necessity Mounsier Balin at an high flood in the dead of night conveyed in twelve Pinnaces laden with Provision which so cheared their drooping spirits that they resolved to stand it out resolutely which accordingly they did till at last they were relieved by the Marshal of Schomberg who with four thousand Foot and two hundred Horse landed at Fort de la Pree and undiscovered marched up to the view of the Fort and of the English The Duke alarm'd at this sudden apparition fearing to be charged front and rear resolved to rise and be gone the French upon their retreat came up to the very tail of their rear hallowing to them in a Bravado whereupon the English were drawn up in Battalia but the