to consider calmly of the matter and this no doubt was very well known by those who order'd things in the manner before-noted But I say 't were to be wished for the Honour of the English Nation that this had been all the foul play in the case and that there had not been so many Thousand Guinea's imployed in this and other Tryals as the great Agitators thereof have lately confess'd to have been The Names of his Jury as I find them in Print are as follow John Martayn William Rouse Jervas Seaton William Fashion Thomas Short George Toriano William Butler James Pickering Thomas Jeve Hugh Noden Robert Brough Thomas Omeby When he found he must expect neither Favour nor Justice as to the delaying of his Tryal he excepted against the Fore-man of the Jury because not a Freeholder which for divers and sundry Reasons almost if not all the Judges having the happiness to light on different ones and scarce any two on the sâ—me was over-ruled and given against him though that same practice since declared and acknowledged one of the great Grievances of the Nation His Indictment ran in these words He did conspire and compass our Lord the King his Supreme Lord not onely of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Soveraign Lord the King to kill and to Death to bring and put and the ancient Government of this Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly subvert and a miserable Slaughter among the Subjects of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move procure and stir up within this Kingdom of England And lower He and divers others did consult agree and conclude Insurrection and Rebellion against our Sovereign Lord the King to move and stir up and the Guards for the preservation of the Person of our said Soveraign Lord the King to seize and destroy Now that all this was not intended as matter of Form only we may see by the Kings Councils opening the Evidence The first says He was indicted for no less than conspiring the Death of the Kings Majesty and that in order to the same he and others did meet and conspire together to bring our Sovereign Lord the King to Death to raise War and Rebellion against him and to Massacre his Subjects And in order to compass these wicked Designs being assembled did conspire to seize the Kings Guards and his Majesties Person And this he tells the Jury is the charge against him The Attorney General melts it a little lower and tells 'em the meaning of all these Tragical Words were A Consult about a Rising about seizing the Guards and receiving Messages from E. of Shaftsbury concerning an Insurrection Nor yet does the proof against him come up so high even as this though all care was used for that purpose and kind Questions put very frequently to lead and drive the Evidence but one of them Witnessing to any one Point The first of whom was Col. Rumsey who swears That he was sent with a Message from Shaftsbury who lay concealed at Wapping to meet Lord Russel Ferguson c. at Shepherds 's to know of them what Resolution they were come to about the Rising design'd at Taunton That when he came thither the Answer was made Mr. Trenchard had fail'd 'em and no more would be done in that business at that time That Mr. Ferguson spoke the most part of that Answer but my Lord Russel was present and that he did speak about the Rising of Taunton and consented to it That the Company was discoursing also of viewing the Guards in order to surprize 'em if the Rising had gone on and that some undertook to view 'em and that the Lord Russel was by when this was undertaken But this being the main Hinge of the business and this Witness not yet coming up to the purpose they thought it convenient to give him a Jog to Refresh his Memory Asking him Whether he found my Lord Russel averse or agreeing to it Who no doubt answer'd Agreeing But being afterwards in the Tryal ask'd Whether he could Swear positively that my Lord Russel heard the Message and gave any Answer to it All that he says is this That when he came in they were at the Fire side but they all came from the Fire-side to hear what he said All that Shepherd witnesses is That my Lord Russel c. being at his house there was a Discourse of surprizing the Kings Guards and Sir Thomas Armstrong having viewed them when he came thither another time said They were remiss and the thing was feizible if there were Strength to do it and that upon his being question'd too as Rumsey before him Whether my Lord Russel was there He says He was at that time they discours'd of seizing the Guards The next Witness was the florid Lord Howard who very artificially begins low being forsooth so terribly surprized with my Lord of Essex's Death that his Voice fail'd him till the Lord Chief Justice told him the Jury could not hear him in which very moment his Voice returned again and he told the reason why he spoke no louder After a long Harangue of Tropes and fine Words and dismal General Stories by which as my Lord complains the Jury were prepossessed against him he at last makes his Evidence bear directly upon the point for which he came thither And swears That after my Lord Shaftsbury went away their Party resolved still to carry on the design of the Insurrection without him for the better management whereof they erected a little Cabal among themselves which did consist of Six Persons whereof my Lord Russel and himself were two That they met for this purpose at Mr. Hambden's house and there adjusted the place and manner of the intended Insurrection That about ten days after they had another meeting on the same business at my Lord Russel's where they resolved to send some Persons to engage Argyle and the Scots in the design and being ask'd too that he was sure my Lord Russel was there Being ask'd whether he said any thing he answer'd That every one knew him to be a Person of great Judgment and not very lavish of Discourse Being again goaded on by Jeffreys with a But did he consent We did says he put it to the Vote it went without contradiction and I took it that all there gave their consent West swears That Ferguson and Col. Rumsey told him That my Lord Russel intended to go down and take his Post in the West when Mr. Trenchard had fail'd ' em Whose hear-say-Evidence being not encouraged Jeffreys ends very prettily telling the Court they would not use any thing of Garniture but leave it as it was As for Rumsey the first Witness As to his Person My Lord Candish prov'd on the Trial that my Lord Russel had a
and give evidence of our Loyalty by our peaceable demeanour and conformity to the laws of the Land and to lay the foundation of our future happiness by being dutiful to our Masters and diligent in our business that so in time we might become good Citizens So they returned again in five Coaches to Russells and supped there altogether and so every one went home The twenty Presenters of this Address were Mr. B y Mr. A h Mr. S ns Mr. M d Mr. B th Mr. Evans Mr. Batty Mr. P le Mr. D n Mr. Noise one of the Persons who first set this design afoot Mr. C ll Mr. S s Mr. S y Mr. H ing Mr. B w Mr. P tell Mr. S th Mr. B n Mr. Mal s Mr. R t s A Letter sent August 19. 1681. thus subscribed To the truly Loyal and Protestant Apprentices of London that were the principal Managers of the late address to my Lord Mayor GO on Heroick Souls and faithful be Unto your God your King your Liberty Let your unbyast actions give the lie To such as scandalize your Loyalty To Caesar render what 's to Caesar due Earth merits Heaven expects no more from you Those rights defend which your brave sires sent down Inviolable as the Throne or Crown Tell supple Parasites and treacherous Knaves You 're humble subjects not degenerate slaves Bow low but scorn to creep for that 's as well Nor for a mess of Broth your Birth-rights sell. Pass by th'affronts that Hell and Rome can send Comfort yourselves when 't is at worst 't will mend But when the Church is shook by Potent foes For her defence your bodies interpose Of Popish mercy never run the risque A Crowned Serpent grows a Basilisk Vindicate then the Gospel and the Laws The cause is Heaven's Heaven will espouse the cause Undauntedly prop up your Churches Walls And joy to fall beneath it if it falls To perish thus who would not be content When mouldring Temples are his Monument THE INTRODUCTION TO THE Western Transactions AND GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THEM I Am sensible 't is a very invidious thing to defend any Action which has had the Publick Stream and cry long against it with which even men of Sense and sometimes Religion too tho' Pride or Shame perhaps seldom lets 'em own the very truth on 't are commonly hurried away as well as others But this is 't is hoped for the general an Age of Confession and Ingenuity and since so many of the greatest men upon Earth have gone before in acknowledging some Notions too far strain'd and others mistaken 't will be no real disgrace but an Honour to follow them when so much in the right And if once Principles and Notions are chang'd or limited we shall necessarily have other thoughts of Things and Persons than we had before and that Action we call'd Rebellion and those Men we thought Rebels while we had a wrong slavish Notion of Obedience when once that 's regulated and we believe with all the World and all Ages and Nations That we are to obey only the lawful Commands of Superiours and submit only to such unjust ones as will not much damage the Commonwealth but resist and defend our selves when all we have dear our Religion Liberty and Lives are visibly and undeniably attack'd and invaded either without all form of Law or what 's worse the wrested pretence of it Then we think truly that such men are so far from being Rebels that they are the worthy true Defenders of their Faith and Country and such an Action so far from Rebellion that 't is highly meritorious and praise-worthy Most men being now satisfied in these Points unless those whom insuperable Interest or Prejudice have poison'd and rooted incorrigibly in the contrary Belief And the truth and reasonableness of them having been undeniably prov'd by many worthy Persons from the Law of Nations the Ends of all Government and the Constitution of our Kingdom and the Practice of former Ages both Popish and Protestant All the Question now must be about Matter of Fact Whether Things were then brought to that Extremity that 't would probably be too late to make any Defence for Religion and Property if 't were not then made and whether or no the Fundamental Contract were then actually violated This is plain that the Protestant Religion and all our Liberties were then most eminently in danger publick Leagues being long before made between his Brittannick Majesty and the King of France for their Extirpation That he who had been voted in Parliament the main Head of the Popish Cause was now grown the Head of the Kingdom or indeed the Popish Deputy here as he is since the King of France's in our Neighbouring Island That for being reconciled to Rome he was actually a Traytor and besides of a Religion whose Oaths could not be depended upon as we were then and long before to be and have since sufficiently felt and experienced That on this account he hardly could keep his Contract as 't was plain he actually did not publickly and notoriously violating those Laws he swore to maintain both before and after he had done it by going to Mass himself setting up Mass-houses and encouraging Popery As for many Grievances and Oppressions he was then as really Guilty of 'em as ever after tho' not in such large and frequent and various Instances some of 'em are those very same which the Parliament inserted among the Proofs and Reasons of the Abdication particularly the issuing out Quo Warranto's for Cities and Corporations the great Cause and Counsellor of which no doubt he was even before he actually I mean publickly reigned In a word the securing the Protestant Interest in all Europe that and their own Liberties in England was the main Cause why many and most engaged in this Design If these were in no danger and not violated they were Rebels If the safety of 'em could be expected any other way but by the Sword they were no better Whether things were in that Condition or no at that time God and the World must be Judges If it were so they were not Rebels If the Case was not so bad and the Mystery of Iniquity not so far reveal'd as it has been since yet preventive Physick is necessary especially when Death is unavoidable without it If a prudent Man is to meet Mischief rushing upon him and not stay for 't till it overwhelms him and take the same Course against a certain Consequence as an actual Evil why then I think 't will be very hard to hang People in one World and damn 'em in another for having as little a Foresight and great a Faith as their Neighbours Others there were who embark't in that Action because they really thought how much mistaken soever they might be that the Duke of Monmouth was the King's Legitimate Son which such as had a personal Love for him might more easily believe Now altho' many who engaged on the former
another place yet was not the indefatigable Zeal of that Party discouraged but Mr. Farewell a person intrusted in managing the Estates and Lands of the Jesuits and Pain Brother to the famous Pain who wrote St. Coleman's Elegy set a new Project on foot to the same purpose in some Letters sent to Prance and printed by N. Thomson which indeed if we look close into 'em will appear to be Sir Roger in little there being the self same Expressions in one as the t'other and his Mystery seeming to be hardly more than their Letters spread a little thinner The Blood gubling out of the Wound Bedlow and Prances East and West Contradictions The Wax dropt on his Clothes after he was found and several other things the self same in both of ' em And I remember at that very time 't was shrewdly suspected and rumour'd about Town that the same person lay behind the Curtain and thrust their Cats-feet into the Fire who has since appear'd publickly in prosecution of the same Cause Before their Trial they reckon'd their Witnesses by the hundred pretending to make his Self-murther as clear as the Sun When they came to it and had all the fair Play imaginable Pain 's heart fail'd him and he pleaded Guilty Farewell made so poor a Defence and the Matter was so clearly prov'd against 'em that Farewell and Thomson were both fined by the Court and sentenced to stand in the Pillory with this Inscription over them For Libelling the Justice of the Nation by makinâ— the World believe that Sir E.B.G. murther'd himself Where how abundantly they were honour'd by the Spectators all who know any thing of the Story can't but remember Thus it lay for some time and no person was so hardy to make any farther Attempts that way while there was any possibility of having Justice against 'em But when the Sheriffs Juries nay King and all were chang'd when that past which poor Oates and all the World have cause to remember when if Prance wou'd not unconfess he knew he must tread the same dolorous way that Oates had gone before him and had now done all that cou'd be desired Then Sir Roger took up the Cudgels and publish'd his Book call'd The Mystery of Sir E. B.G 's Death unfolded Or which wou'd have been a fitter Title The second Edition with Additions of Farewell and Pain 's Letters The main of what he advances there will be answer'd in clearing as was propos'd the Objections against the Evidence relating to that matter If the ill Character of the persons who gave it be urg'd to invalidate their Testimony as this does not reach all of 'em so it has been often answer'd Who but such were fit for such Villanies If their seeming Disagreement in some part of their evidence what greater Argument that 't was no Combination If Prance retracted we are told by Sir Roger himself That he was a white-liver'd Man and so might be frighted out of truth as well as into it And indeed on that very reason 't was long before suspected that if he shou'd ever be bore hard upon he wou'd not be able to stand it But the Papists wou'd never kill him because he had obliged'em As if Gratitude were a Popish Vertue or Charity any more than Faith were to be kept with Hereticks Those that think so let 'em look back and see if the last Reign be enough to convince ' em It may be urg'd on Here are several Testimonies in the Trial of the Murtherers and since that invalidate the Evidence there given Warner and his Wife and Maid about Green That he was at home all that Evening when he was accused for committing it ' Twou'd be enough to oppose to this their Confession to Captain Richardson That they cou'd do him no good But besides this Mr. Justice Dolbin's Observation on the Trial clears it effectually They swore to the Saturday fortnight after Michaelmas day which was says the Justice the 19 th of Octob. not the 12 th on which the Murther was committed If Broadstreet and others testifie they were in the Room where the Body was laid and Hills Wife so rubs up her Memory that after so many years she remembers what she cou'd not upon his Trial That she and he and their Child lay in the Room all that very time when the Body was said to be there ' Twou'd not be a shift but an Answer That they were Papists that swore it who can swear any thing But besides Broadstreet acknowledged before the Duke of Monmouth That Hill was gone from his Lodgings before this time as was prov'd on the Trial. Mrs. Tilden says There was but one Key to their Door Mrs. Broadstreet at the same time with what she own'd about Hill That there were six or seven Contradictions in others we see as well as the King's Evidence and these being much homer and more irreconcileable than theirs must of necessity destroy the belief of what else they testifie But the home thrust is The Centinels saw no Sedan carried out This the printed Trial easily sets right The Centinels were Trollop and Wright Trollop staid till Ten and saw a Sedan go in but none out again Wright till One but saw none go out It must be in Trollops time being as Prance says about Twelve The Centinels being then at Bury's Lodge smoking and drinking Trollop says on the Trial he was never at the Lodge but so does not Wright as any one may see by consulting it he being never ask'd the Question 'T will give a great Light into this Deed of Darkness in the next place to consider several Circumstantial Evidences which wou'd of themselves go very far to prove that Sir E. B. G. was murther'd by the Papists and that in the very place and manner which has been already described The first of these from Sir Edmond's own mouth which has been already hinted but shall here be farther clear'd 'T was indeed so notorious that Sir E. G.B had boding thoughts and a sort of a Prophetical Intimation of his Death and that by the Papists and discours'd of so publickly and generally that Sir Roger cou'd not deny all the Matter of Fact but endeavours to avoid the force on 't when he says as is witnessed by several On my Conscience I shall be the first Martyr This he interprets I doubt I shan't live long Sure though he says in one place The Man was no Fool yet he must be supposed to be no better any more than all the Readers if neither he nor they made any difference between being hang'd and martyr'd But the very reason of this â—nterpretation was for what Sir R. dearly loved that he might have opportunity for a Reflection on the Parliament He fear'd says he that the Parliament wou'd call him to account and that nothing wou'd satisfie 'em but his Life for not discovering it sooner In opposition to this any impartial man need but consider what follows Esquire Robinson on
business in a little dark Lane near the Temple as he was passing through it pretty late in the Evening and had no doubt dispatch'd him and either found some way to make the World believe he had done it himself as they wou'd have done in the former instance or started some other Sham to have remov'd the Odium from their own Party But the Gentleman having had apprehension of some such Accident made better use of it than Sir Edmond before him and having luckily a Sute of private Armour on receiv'd several Stabs the Villains gave him upon that and so sav'd his life But they finding their Attempts that way unsuccessful were resolv'd to take another course with him and having got him down with some desperate weapon or other fit for the purpose made several Trials to cut his Throat and gave him some dangerous wounds about that part which while he was strugling with them to preserve a Boy providentially goes by with a Light which their Deeds of Darkness not being able to endure they all ran away and left Mr. Arnold weltering in his Blood who yet by God's Providence recoverâ—d again and liv'd to see Justice done to one of the Villains that used him in that barbarous manner His name was Giles and was discover'd by a wound in his Leg which one of his Accomplices ran through in the scuffle as he was making a Stab at Mr. Arnold He was try'd for the Action found Guilty of it and Sentenced to stand in the Pillory for the same which was accordingly executed with a liberal Contribution over and above from the enraged Rabble who sufficiently made up for the Gentleness of his Sentence though as Severe a one as our mild Laws could inflict upon such Offenders Mr. COLLEDGE NO Body can doubt but that 't was now very much the Interest of the Papists to get off if possible that foul Imputation of a Plot which stuck so deep upon 'em which had been confirm'd by Sir Edmond's Murther Coleman's never to be forgotten Letters Arnold's Assassination and a great deal of Collateral Evidence which fell in unexpectedly many of those who gave it being utterly unacquainted with the first Discoverers After several unfortunate attempts they had made to this purpose after the Living had perjur'd themselves and the Dying done worse to support their desperate Cause after Attempts to blast and ruine some of the Evidence and buy off others of 'em in both which publick Justice took notice of and punish'd 'em being of a Religion that sticks at no Villany to serve an Interest and certainly the most indefatigable and firm People in the World when they set about any Design especially where Diana is concern'd not being yet discouraged they resolv'd to venture upon one Project more which prov'd but too successful to the loss of the bravest and best Blood in the Kingdom and that was to Brand all those who were the steddiest Patriots and so their greatest Enemies of what Rank soever they were with the odious Character of Persons disaffected to the Government or in the old Language Enemies to Caesar They pretended to perswade the World that after all this great noise of a Popish Plot 't was onely a Presbyterian one lay at the bottom This they had endeavour'd in the Meal-tub Intrigue the Names of most of the worthy Persons in England being cull'd out to be sworn into it But this miscarrying like the Mother on 't Mrs. Celiers Miscarriage in Newgate they had by this time taken breath form'd new Designs and procur'd new Witnesses which might do business more effectually and tho' they cou'd not write nor spell their Names and so were not very well skill'd in Book-learning yet at Buke-blawing they were admirable by which Character you may easily guess they were Irish-men Nor did they want Fools to believe any more than Knaves to manage this Design by their continued unwearied Contrivances a great many easie and some well-meaning People having by this time been wrought upon to believe almost as implicitly as they themselves whatever the Priests wou'd have ' em One thing whatever happen'd they were pretty sure of That whether this Plot were believed or no they shou'd carry on their Intrigue by it If 't was they had what they wish'd If it shou'd be discover'd 't wou'd yet confound and amuse Peoples minds and make 'em so sick of Plot upon Plot that it might make 'em almost stagger in their belief of the other They had besides all this a strong Party at Court to favour their Enterprizes The King was the Duke's and the Duke all the World know who 's T was necessary to flesh their Blood-hounds by degrees to bring People on by little and little to attempt some of inferiour Rank for a beginning and not split the Cause for want of good management And who so fit as poor Colledge to be the first Victim of their Perjury and Malice by whose Death besides being rid of a troublesom Fellow and breaking the Ice to make room for those to follow they might also expect this advantage That the middle sort of People wou'd be discourag'd in their just hatred of Popery and Papists and prosecution of the Laws against them 'T was by such Methods as these that Mr. Colledge began to signalize himself in the VVorld Being a Man of Courage Industry and Sharpness he made it much of his Business to serve his Country as far as possible in searching after Priests and Jesuits and hunting those Vermin out of their lurking Holes in which he was very serviceable and successful and for which no doubt they did not fail to remember him The first time we meet with him in Publick is I think in Stafford's Trial where he 's brought in for Mr. Dugdale as a Collateral Evidence But by that time the VVind was a little upon turning and the Tide of Popular Aversion not quite so strong against Popery being by the cunning of our common Enemy diverted into little Streams and private Factions and Arbitrary Power driving on as the best way to prosecute the Designs of Rome to which the City of London in a particular manner made a vigorous Resistance which displeasing the grand Agitators no wonder they endeavour'd as much as possible to do it a mischief their kindness to it having been sufficiently experienced in 66. and even since In order to which the K. was pleas'd by the advice of his Ghostly Brother to alter the common and almost constant course of Parliaments and call one at Oxford instead of London Many of the Members whereof and especiallâ— those of London were apprehensive of some design upon 'em there having formerly in the Gun-powder Treason and ever since sufficiently found the Love of the Papists to Protestant Parliaments and knowing very well what they were to expect from their kindness if they shou'd be attempted upon by 'em and found defenceless And more ground of Suspicion they had because as Colledge protests in
he came by it He was a man of very good sound sense considerably more than those of his Rank generally have which he had much improved in his latter time by conversation with Persons of Honour and Quality In fine he liv'd sufficiently belov'd by those who knew and did not fear him and dy'd lamented by his Friends and admired and esteemed by his very Enemies Some time after his Death his Picture was sold about Town which as I remember very much displeased the Observator Under it were these Lines engraven By Irish Oaths and wrested Laws I fell A Prey to Rome a Sacrifice to Hell My guilty Blood for speedy Vengeance cries Hear hear and help for Earth my Suit denies Part of a Poem written by Mr. Stephen Colledge a while before he was sent to Oxford where he suffered Death Aug. 31. 1681. WHat if I am into a Prison cast By Hellish Combinations am betray'd My Soul is free although my Body's fast Let them repent that have this evil laid And of Eternal Vengeance be afraid Though Racks and Gibbers can my Body kill My God is with me and I fear no ill What boots the clamours of the giddy Throng What Antidote 's against a poysonous Breath What Fence is there against a Lying Tongue Sharpen'd by Hell to wound a man to Death Snakes Vipers Adders do lurk underneath Say what you will or never speak at all Our very Prayers such Wretches Treason call But Walls and Bars cannot a Prison make The Free-born Soul enjoys its Liberty These clods of Earth it may incaptivate Whilst heavenly Minds are conversant on high Ranging the Fields of Blest Eternity So let this Bird sing sweetly in my Breast My Conscience clear a Rush for all the rest And sure of this the World 's so well aware That here 't is needless more for me to say I must conclude no time have I to spare My winged hours do flie too fast away Mâ— work Repentance must I not delay I 'll add my Prayers to God for England's good And if he please will Seal them with my Blood ARTHUR Earl of Essex THat Party and those Persons who were engag'd to manage the Designs before-mention'd were now entred on the most compendious way of introducing what they desir'd as well as avoiding what their own Consciences and all the World knew they deserv'd Having those in their own hands who had the Executive part of the Government in theirs and finding no doubt a sort of malicious pleasure as well as advantage in destroying People by those Laws which were made to preserve 'em a Villany to be compared with nothing but the Treason of that Monster of a Priest who gave the Emperour Poison in the Blessed Sacrament Having wrought up the Nation and all Parties therein to a high ferment making one side mad for Slavery as if they had all been at Constantinople as well as their Sheriff and learnt the Doctrine of the Bow-string some of 'em treated others cajoled others frightned and some few reason'd into the Belief of Absolute Authority in Kings and Obedience Active as well as what is call'd Passive to be paid to all their Commands Some honest several learned more witty men joyning in with all their power to advance the Transactions at that time on the wheel And on the other side exasperating that Party who were more tenacious of their Liberties as much as possible against the Constitution which they saw so horridly abused both in Church and State perswading 'em all the Clergy were for making 'em Slaves and themselves and the Court great to ride upon 'em whereas really it was only a Party tho' too large who made more noise tho' they had neither more sense nor number than those who differ'd from 'em and by this means rendring many of the trading part of the Nation especially so dissatisfied with 'em and eager against 'em that they began to think they had reason to fear as bad Effects thereof as they had experienced in the last Age and so sided more closely with that Party whence they expected Protection When things were in this posture and a great many Persons either taken off from their natural Love to a lawful Liberty which is so much of the very nature of an English-man the Managers of the great Intrigue which was to accomplish our ruine resolv'd after they had begun with Colledge to rise higher and flie at nobler Game and take off all those whom they cou'd not win over or against whom Interest or Revenge had more keenly engag'd 'em and who were most likely to make the most vigorous opposition against their Attempts But finding the London Juries unmoveably honest and no way to accomplish their Designs on these Persons while their Witnesses wou'd not be believ'd and no way to get Juries fit for their turn but by having Sheriffs of the same stamp and finding the Party they had gotten after all their tricks which many of those who then knew are now ashamed of visibly and fairly out-numbred by those who were not yet ripe for Slavery they bethought themselves of one way to rid themselves of that Inconveniency which was by a Quo Warranto against the City of London that they might more effectually and with less noise have what Sheriffs they pleas'd or in effect hang whomever they thought their Enemies and not be forc'd almost to blush at those visible and sensible Illegalities with which they had forc'd those Officers upon the City This they had accomplish'd in the Year 1683. when Judgment was given against the Charter of London whose Liberties had been confirm'd to 'em by William the Conquerâ—r and deliver'd down before from immemorial Ages and this by two Judges only in Westminster-Hall tho' the greatest Cause one may venture to say that ever was legally try'd therein Now by this time they had after so many former fruitless endeavours brought something of a Plot to bear and with this Advantage above all their former that there was really something in 't altho' as Bays says in another Case That Truth which was notoriously blended with Lies and Perjuries The occasion of it we may best meet with in Holloway's most ingenuous Acknowledgment By Arbitrary and â—llegal ways and force of Arms they had got Sheriffs to their mind Witnesses they had before but wanted Jurors to believe them Nâ—w they have got Sheriffs who will find Jurors to believe any Evidence against a Protestant and so hang up all the King's Friends by degrees None being suffered to come near the King but those who have been declared Enemies to the King and Kingdom who to save themselves do endeavour to keep all things from the King's knowledge and perswade him against Parliaments c. Thus much for the Occasion The Design seems to be the same with what was intended at first by many of those great and eminent Persons both Clergy and Laity in their late appearance in Arms tho' by the Providence of God for
them and to avert the Evils that threatned the Nation to sanctifie those Sufferings to him and tho' he fell a Sacrifice to Idols not to suffer Idolatry to be established in this Land c. He concludes with a Thanksgiving that God had singled him out to be a Witness of his Truth and for that Good Old Cause in which from his Youth he had been engag'd c. His Epitaph ALgernon Sydney fills this Tomb An Atheist by declaiming Rome A Rebel bold by striving still To keep the Laws above the Will And hindring those would pull them down To leave no Limits to a Crown Crimes damn'd by Church and Government Oh whither must his Soul be sent Of Heaven it must needs despair If that the Pope be Turn-key there And Hellcan ne're it entertain For there â—s all Tyrannick Reign And Purgatory's such a pretence As ne're deceiv'd a man of sense Where goes it then where 't ought to go Where Pope and Devil have nought to do His Character THere 's no need of any more than reading his Trial and Speech to know him as well as if he stood before us That he was a Person of extraordinary Sense and very close thinking which he had the happiness of being able to express in words as manly and apposite as the Sense included under ' em He was owner of as much Vertue and Religion as Sense and Reason tho' his Piety lay as far from Enthusiasm as any mans He fear'd nothing but God and lov'd nothing on Earth like his Country and the just Liberties and Laws thereof whose Constitutions he had deeply and successfully inquired into To sum up all He had Piety enough for a Saint Courage enough for a General or a Martyr Sense enough for a Privy-Counsellor and Soul enough for a King and in a word if ever any he was a perfect English man Mr. James Holloway MR. Holloway was by Trade a Merchant but his greatest dealing lay in Linnen Manufacture which as appears from his Papers he had brought to such a heighth here in England as had it met with suitable encouragement would as he made it appear have imployed 80000 poor People and 40000 Acres of Land and be 200000 Pounds a year advantage to the Publick Revenues of the Kingdom The Return of the Habeas Corpus Writ calls him Late of London Merchant though he lived mostly at Bristol He seems to be a Person of Sense Courage and Vivacity of Spirit and a Man of Business All we can have of him is from that publick Print call'd his Narrative concerning which it must be remembred as before that we have no very firm Authority to assure us all therein contained was his own writing and perhaps it might be thought convenient he should die for fear he might contradict some things published in his Name But on the other side where he contradicts the other Witnesses his Evidence is strong since be sure that was not the Interest of the Managers to invent of their own accords tho' some Truth they might utter tho' displeasing to gain credit to the rest Taking things however as we find 'em 't will be convenient for method's sake to take notice first of the Proceedings against him then of some pretty plain footsteps of practice upon him and shuffling dealing in his Case and lastly of several things considerable in his Narrative He was accused for the Plot as one who was acquainted with West Rumsey and the rest and having been really present at their Meetings and Discourses on that Subject absconded when the publick News concerning the Discovery came into the Country tho' this as he tells the King more for fear that if he was taken up his Creditors would never let him come out of Gaol than any thing else After some time he got to Sea in a little Vessel went over to France and so to the West-Indies among the Caribbe-Islands where much of his Concerns lay But writing to his Factor at Nevis he was by him treacherously betray'd and seiz'd by the Order of Sir William Stapleton and thence brought Prisoner to England where after Examination and a Confession of at least all he knew having been Outlawed in his Absence on an Indictment of Treason he was on the 21th of April 1684. brought to the Kings Bench to shew cause why Execution should not be awarded against him as is usual in that case He opposed nothing against it only saying If an ingenuous Confession of Truth could merit the King's Pardon he hoped he had done it The Attorney being call'd for order'd the Indictment to be read and gave him the offer of a Trial waving the Outlawry which he refused and threw himself on the King's Mercy On which Execution was awarded tho' the Attorney who had not so much Law even as Jeffreys was for having Judgment first pass against him which is never done in such cases according to which he was executed at Tyburn the 30th of April It seem'd strange to all men that a Man of so much Spirit as Mr. Holloway appear'd to be should so tamely die without making any manner of Defence when that Liberty was granted him It seemed as strange or yet stranger that any Protestant should have any thing â—hat look'd like Mercy or Favour from the Persons then at the Helm That they should be so gracious to him as 't is there call'd to admit him to a Trial which look'd so generously and was so cry'd up the Attorney calling it A Mercy and a Grace and the Lord Chief Justice saying He 'd assure him 't was a great Mercy and that it was exceeding well Now all this Blind or Mystery will be easily unriddled by two or three Lines which Holloway speaks just after My Lord says he I cannot undertake to defend my self for I have confessed before His Majesty that I am guilty of many things in that Indictment Which was immediately made use of as 't was design'd Good Mr. Justice Withens crying out full mouth'd I hope every body here will take notice of his open Confession when he might try it if he would Surely none but will believe this Conspiracy now after what this man has owned So there 's an end of all tâ—e Mercy A Man who had before confessed in order to be hang'd had gracious Liberty given him to confess it again in Publick because they knew he had precluded all manner of Defence before and this publick Action would both get 'em the repute of Clemency and confirm the belief of the Plot. Now that there had been practice used with him and promises of pardon if he 'd take this method and own himself guilty without Pleading is more than probable both from other practices of the same nature used towards Greater Men and from some Expressions of his which look exceeding fair that way Thus in his Paper left behind him I had he says some other Reasons why I did not plead which at present I conceal as also why I
did not speak what I intended Other Reasons besides his Confession to His Majesty and Reasons to be conceal'd Now what should those be but Threatnings and Promises to induce him to silence and publick acknowledgment of all Which appears yet plainer from another passage I am satisfied that all means which could be thought on have been used to get as much out of me as possible If all means then without straining those before mentioned But if he made so fair and large an acknowledgment here 's more Mystery still Why wan't his Life spar'd Let any read his Confession and Speech or these Passages observed out of them and he 'll no longer wonder at it He was a little squeasie Conscienc'd and would not strain so far as others in accusing Men of those black Crimes whereof they were innocent nay as was before said vindicating them from those Aspersions cast upon them and for which some of them particularly my Lord Russel suffer'd Death He says The Assassination was carry'd on but by three or four and could never hear so much as the Names of above Five for it That he and others had declared their abhorrence of any such thing That Ferguson was not in it And besides speaks some things with the Liberty of an Englishman shews the very Root of all those Heats which had been rais'd Says what was true enough That the Protestant Gentry had a Notion of a Devilish Design of the Papists to cut off the Kings Friends and stirring men in both last Parliaments That they had long had Witnesses to swear them out of their Lives but no Juries to believe 'em That now the point about the Sheriffs was gain'd that difficulty was over That the King had bad Council about him who kept all things from his Knowledge That if things continued thus the Protestant Gentry resolv'd to get the King from his Evil Council and then he 'd immediately be of their side and suffer all Popish Offenders to be brought to Justice Hence 't was plain no Assassination no Plot against the King or Government intended only Treason against the D. of York and the Papists who were themselves Traytors by Law But â—et one bolder stroke than all this He prays the King's Eyes might be open'd to see his Enemies from his Friends whom he had cause to look for nearer home Was a Man to expect pardon after this no certainly which he soon himself grew sensible of and prepared for Death the Council as he says taking it very heinously that he should presume to write such things As for what Sheriff Daniel urges That what he says about the King were but Glossy Pretences He answers him very well That 't was far otherwise Here was plain matter of Fact The Kingdom in eminent danger the Fitt just coming on which has since so near shaken to pieces all the frame of Church and State which has so many years been rising to this Compleatness Ordinary ways and usual Remedies could not prevail these Protestants were forced to betake themselves to extraordinary in defence of the Government and Laws and not against 'em any more than 't would have been to have taken Arms and rescu'd the King from a Troop of Banditti who had got possession of his Person the Papists who had him being as visibly and notoriously obnoxious to the Government and as dead Men in Law most of 'em as publick Thieves and Robbers Thus much of Mr. Holloway the Popish tender Mercy towards him his Confession and Execution Mr. Holloway declared that Mr. West proposed the Assassination but none seconded him That he could not perceive that Mr. Ferguson knew any thing of it and Holloway said It was our design to shed no Blood He being interrogated by Mr. Ferguson's Friend Mr. Sheriff Daniel whether he knew Ferguson He answer'd That he did know him but knew him to be against any design of killing the King Sir Thomas Armstrong BUt the next had not so fair play because they knew he 'd make better use on 't They had this Lion in the Toils and did not intend to let him loose again to make sport lest the Hunters themselves should come off ill by it He had been all his Life a firm Servant and Friend to the Royal Family in their Exile and afterwards He had been in Prison for 'em under Cromwel and in danger both of Execution and Starving for all which they now rewarded him He had a particular Honour and Devotion for the Duke of Monmouth and pusht on his Interest on all occasions being a Man of as undaunted English Courage as ever our Country produced He was with the Duke formerly in his Actions in Flanders and shar'd there in his Danger and Honour His Accusation was his being concern'd in the General Plot and that too of Killing the King but he was indeed hang'd for running away and troubling 'em to send so far after him The particulars pretended against him were what the Lord Howard witnessed in Russels Trial Of his going to kill the King when their first design fail'd But this was there onely a Supposal tho' advanc'd into a form'd Accusation and aggravated by the Atturney as the Reason why he had a Trial denied him when Holloway had one offered both of 'em being alike Outlawed On which Outlawry Sir Thomas was Kidnapt in Holland and brought over hither in Chains and rob'd by the way into the bargain Being brought up and askt what he had to say that Sentence shou'd not pass upon him he pleaded the 6th of Edw. 6. wherein 't is provided That if a Person outlawed render himself in a year after the Outlawry pronounc'd and traverse his Indictment and shall be acquitted on his Trial he shall be discharged of the Outlawry On which he accordingly then and there made a formal Surrender of himself to the Lord Chief Justice and ask'd the benefit of the Statute and a fair Trial for his Life the Year not being yet expired If ever any thing cou'd appear plain to common Sense 't was his Case The Statute allows a years time the year was not out he surrender'd himself demands the benefit of it and all the Answer he could get or Reason to the contrary was the positive Lord Chief Justice's We don't think so and we are of another Opinion Nay cou'd not have so much Justice as to have Counsel allow'd to plead it tho' the Point sufficiently deserv'd it and here was the Life of an old Servant of the King 's concern'd in it When he still pleaded That a little while before one meaning Holloway had the benefit of a Trial offered him if he 'd accept it and that was all he now desired The Lord Chief Justice answers That was onely the Grace and Mercy of the King The Atturney adds The King did indulge Holloway so far as to offer him a Trial and his Majesty perhaps might have some Reason for it The very self-same some Reason no doubt on 't which
repent But ye who hallow with deserv'd applause A better Martyr for a better cause You who to fate and fortune scorn to yield Who still dare own you 're friends to Dangerfield And you dear partner of his Joy and Grief The worthiest him the best the tend'rest Wife Who most who best adore his memory Who only I must grant lov'd more than me Bring his dear all which at your bottom lies His fair remains which I shall ever prize Whose fathers vigorous soul plays round her eyes All all in a full ring together come And Join your Prayers and Curses round his Tomb. Curst be the wretch who did him first ensnare Too mean to let his name have here a share A double curse for them that thought it good Such a Wife shou'd sell such a Husband's Blood Still double double till I 'm out of breath On all that had a hand a finger in his Death My Curse a Friends a Wives an Orphans too For all of this side damning is their due The little plagues of Egypt to begin Ashwe'nsdays curses for each lesser sin With whate're angry heaven since could find To bait and lash impenitent mankind Gouts Feavers Frenzies Claps Consumptions Cramps Whatever may put out their stinking Lamps May kind Abortions in some lucky hour The fruit and hope of their vain lust devour Or if they 're born may the unwholesome fry Creep only like young Toads abroad and dye Heartily thus let 's curse and if vain pitty move Straight think agen on manly rage and love Swear by his Blood and better while we live This on our selves if we his blood forgive And may who e're his Murd'rers death deplore Feel all these curses and ten thousand more Dangerfield's Ghost to Jeffreys REvenge Revenge my injur'd shade begins To haunt thy guilty Soul and scourge thy sins For since to me thou ow'st the heaviest score Whose living words tormented thee before When dead I 'm come to plague thee yet once more Don't start away and think thy Brass to hide But see the dismal shape in which I dy'd My Body all deform'd with putrid Gore Bleeding my Soul away at every Pore Pusht faster on by Francis less unkind My Body swoln and bloated as thy Mind This dangling Eye-ball rolls about in vain Never to find its proper seat again The hollow Cell usurpt by Blood and Brain The trembling Jury's Verdict ought to be Murder'd at once by Francis and by Thee The Groans of Orphans and the pond'rous guilt Of all the Blood that thou hast ever spilt Thy Countreys Curse the Rabbles spite and all Those Wishes sent thee since thy long wisht Fall The Nobles just Revenge so bravely bought For all the Ills thy Insolence has wrought May these and more their utmost force combine Joyn all their wrongs and mix their Cries with mine And see if Terror has not struck thee blind See here a long a ghastly Train behind Far far from utmost WEST they crowd away And hov'ring o're fright back the sickly Day Had the poor Wretches sinn'd as much as Thee Thou shou'dst not have forgot Humanity Who ' ere in Blood can so much pleasure take Tho' an ill Judge wou'd a good Hang-man make Each hollows in thy Ears Prepare Prepare For what thou must yet what thou canst not bear Each at thy Heart a bloody Dagger aims Upward to Gibbets point downward to endless Flames Mr. NOISE AMong those who suffer'd innocently for Lea's Plot this poor young Gentleman was one tho' omitted in due place who tho' he lost not his Life immediately by it was yet put to such Extremities as both injur'd his Reason and ruin'd his Fortunes He was born of a good Family not far from Reading in Barkshire and being a younger Son was bound Apprentice to a Linnen-Draper in London In which capacity he was a great Promoter of the Apprentices Address intended to be presented to the King for redress of Grievances and further Prosecution of the Popish Plot. A Crime which those concern'd cou'd never pardon and which was now lookt on both by himself and all his Friends as the Cause of these his Troubles Lea swore against him that he was concern'd in this Plot which he absolutely denying tho' no other Witness came in against him and he was ne're brought to a Trial he underwent a long and severe Imprisonment loaded with Irons and kept from his Friends so long till his Trade was ruin'd before he was set free and he himself then rendred so unfit for business that he was forc'd entirely to leave it off and betake himself to Travel where never quite recovering himself he in a little time after fell sick and dy'd And here 't will not be improper to remind my Readers that about this time things running very high for Popery and Arbitrary Power the consideration thereof was very afflicting to Mr. Noise Yet notwithstanding all this he was silent a long while and minded onely the proper business of his Calling resolving not to concern himself with State-affairs as deeming them above his Sphere and Condition which Silence and Resolution he had still kept notwithstanding the great and ineffable Evils he saw impending over us which were much the more apparent upon the Prorogations and Dissolutions of so many Parliaments in so dangerous and so critical a Juncture but that casually reading one of the VVeekly Intelligences he happen'd therein to meet with something Entituled An Address from the Loyal Young Men Apprentices of the City of London To His Majesty The Title he thought concern'd him as being a Loyal Apprentice of the same City and therefore he deliberately read it over At first it seem'd to bear a fair aspect as it was a Tender of Thanks to His Majesty for His most Gracious Declaration but considering that this Declaration contain'd in it several severe Reflections on the Proceedings of the late Parliaments terming them Arbitrary Illegal and Unwarrantable Mr. Noise dreaded the coâ—sequence of such Reflections as believing that 〈◊〉 stood not with Modesty for Apprentices to charge the Great Senate of the Nation with Arbitrary Illegal and Unwarrantable Proceedings and resolv'd what in him lay to Vindicate himself and Fellow-Apprentices which is thought to have been the cause of all his Sufferings before-related and to satisfie the whole World that the far greater part of the Apprentices of London have too great a Veneration for Parliaments which under His Majesty are the Bulwarks of our Lives Liberties and Properties for to be concern'd in any thing tending to Reproach or Reflect upon them he advisâ—d with several sober Persons about it who did not disapprove of his Design but Advice therein they would not give Wherefore Mr. Nâ—ise thinking to Petition the Lord Mayor would be the most modest and proper way to demonstrate a dislike of and detestation to all such actions he caused the following Petition to be drawn up and Presented viz. To the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London the humble Address
account only did not believe this nor know any thing of his Intention of being proclaim'd King nor approved of it when 't was done and tho' had he been able to make out his Title or let his Pretensions alone he had not wanted in all likelyhood a sufficient Assistance from the Nobility and Gentry none of whom for those Reasons coming in to him yet on the other side 't is hardly doubted that these men who thought he had a right were really obliged to follow the Dictates of their Conscience though mistaken and do whatever lay in their power to the utmost Venture of their Lives to fix him on his Father's Throne to which they verily believed he had a proper Right and Title And these Men too acting on the same Reasons with the foremention'd for deliverance of their Country as well as defence of him whom they thought their King The earnest Zeal and Concern and Love which most of 'em manifested for the Protestant Religion being besides so conspicuous in their Lives and Deaths I know not how they can without impudence be branded with the infamous Name of Rebels nor think 't will be any Arrogance to honour 'em with the just and dear-bought Title of Martyrs One thing there is very observable in most if not all of those who laid down their Lives in this Cause both in England and Scotland that besides that extraordinary Divine courage and chearfulness with which they dy'd they had Expressions plainly boding that great Deliverance which Providence has since that miraculously accomplished for these Kingdoms 'T would be endless to give almost all the innumerable Instances of it Mr. Nelthrop says God had in his wonderful Providence made him and others Instruments not onely in what was already fallen out but he believed for hastning some other great VVork he had yet to do in these Kingdoms Mrs. Gaunt says God 's cause shall revive and he 'd plead it at another rate than yet he had done against all its malicious Opposers And speaks yet more strangely of those then uppermost and likely to be so That tho' they were seemingly fixt and using their Power and Violence against those they had now got under 'em yet unless they could secure Jesus Christ and all his Holy Angels they should never do their Business but Vengeance would be upon 'em ' ere they were aware Capt. Ansley whose Speech is as pretty a neat thing as close and Christian and couragious as perhaps any that ever was made by Man in his Condition after he had said He did not repent what he had done but if he had a thousand Lives would have engag'd 'em all in the same Cause adds just after Though it has pleased the wise God for Reasons best known to himself now to blast our Designs yet he will deliver his People by ways we know not nor think of Rumbold said just the same Mr. Hewling says I question not but in his own time God will raise up other Instruments to carry on the same Cause they dy'd for for his own Glory Mr. Lark That he was confident God would Revenge their Bloods Now it will be very harsh to say all these and several more to the same purpose were nothing but Enthusiasm since spoken by Persons of all Sexes and Ages in twenty different places in the most calm and serene Tempers and the Persons not wild or fanciful and their Words miraculously made good by the Event which shews God honour'd 'em with being Prophets as well as Martyrs To proceed to the Persons who suffer'd in this Cause here and in the West and other places chiefly under Jeffrey's Insulting Cruelty His dealing with 'em is not to be parallel'd by any thing but the new French Dragoons or the old Cut-throats and Lords Chief-Justices of the poor Albigenses or Waldenses at Merindol and Cutrices Had the Great Turk sent his Janisaries or the Tartar his Armies among 'em they 'd scaped better Humanity could not offend so far to deserve such punishment as he inflicted A certain Barbarous Joy and Pleasure grinn'd from his Brutal Soul through his Bloody Eyes whenever he was Sentencing any of the Poor Souls to Death and Torment so much worse than Nero as when that Monster wisht he had never learnt to Write because forc'd to set his Name to Warrants for Execution of Malefactors Jeffreys would have been glad if every Letter he writ had been such a Warrant and every Word a Sentence of Death He observ'd neither Humanity to the Dead nor Civility to the Living He made all the West an Aceldama some places quite depopulated and nothing to be seen in 'em but forsaken VValls unlucky Gibbets and Ghostly Carcases The Trees were loaden almost as thick with Quarters as Leaves The Houses and Steeples covered as close with Heads as at other times frequently in that Country with Crows or Ravens Nothing could be liker Hell than all those Parts nothing so like the Devil as he Caldrons hizzing Carkases boyling Pitch and Tar Sparkling and Glowing Blood and Limbs boyling and tearing and mangling and he the great Director of all and in a word discharging his Place who sent him the best deserving to be the late King 's Chief Justice there and Chancellor after of any Man that breath'd since Cain or Judas Some of the more Principal Persons who fell under his Barbarous Sentences 't is thought worth the while to treat distinctly and particâ—larly of throwing the reâ—t together after 'em and onely Reprinting the former Account if any are lest out it being necessary to hasten to prevent Shams If the Book be accepted and come to another Edition they shall be Inserted and if any Faults or Mistakes found acknowledged and regulated And the first whom we shall make especial Remarks on are The Hewlings IF any one would see true Pure Popish Mercy let 'em look on these two Gentlemen the onely Sons of their virtuous and sorrowful surviving Parents the Comforts Props and Hopes of their Name and Family carefully educated virtuously disposed both of them after all repeated applications if but for one of their Lives barbarously Executed A particular Care was taken by their Father in their Education forming their Minds by his own Example and constant Instructions and Prayers as well as other pains of Ingenuous Masters to the strictest Rules of Piety and Vertue Nor was their pious and very tender Mother less careful in that particular The Elder Mr. Benjamin Hewling had Tutors in the Mathematicks and other parts of Philosophy a course of which he went through successfully enough and so as to render him as compleat in his Mind as Nature had form'd his â—ody After which he went to Holland as his Brother Mr. William Hewling from whence this last returned with the Duke Both of 'em had Commands in the Army the Elder had a Troop of Horse the younger was a Lieutenant of Foot and discharged their Places with much more Conduct and Bravery than could
the Mayor and Sheriff hall'd them forwards themselves Balaam-like driving the Horses When they came to the place of Execution which was surrounded with Spectators many that waited their Coming with great sorrow said That when they saw him and them come with such chearfulness and joy and evidence of the Presence of God with them it made Death appear with another Aspect They first embraced each other with the greatest Affection then two of the elder Persons praying audibly they joyn'd with great seriousness Then he desired leave of the Sheriff to pray particularly but he would not grant it only ask'd him if he would pray for the King He answered I pray for all men He then requested they might sing a Psalm the Sheriff told him It must be with the Ropes about their Necks which they cheerfully accepted and sung with such heavenly joy and sweetness that many present said It both broke and rejoyc'd their hearts Thus in the experience of the delightfulness of praising God on Earth he willingly closed his Eyes on a vain World to pasâ— to that Eternal Employment Sept. 30. 1685. All present of all sorts were exceedingly affected and amazed Some Officers that had before insultingly said Surely these Persons have no thoughts of death but will find themselves surprized by it after said That they now saw he and they had something extraodinary within that carried them through with such joy Others of them said That they were so convinc'd of their Happinâ—ss that they would be glad to change Conditions with them All the Souldiers in general and all others lamenting exceedingly saying That it was so sad a thing to see them so cut off they scarce knew how to bear it Some of the most malicious in the place from whom nothing but railing was expected said as they were carried to their â—rave in Taunton Church voluntarily accompanied by most of the Town That these Persons had left a sufficient Evidence that they were now glorified Saints in Heaven A great Officer in the King'â— Army has been often heard to say That if you would learn to die go to the young Men of Taunton Much more was utter'd by them which shew'd the blessed and glorious frames of their hearts to the Glory of Divine Grace but this is what occurs to memory Mr. Benjamin Hewling about two hours before his death writ this following Letter which shew'd the great composure of his Mind Mr. Hewlings last Letter a little before his Execution Taunton Sept. 30. 1685. Honoured Mother THat News which I know you have a great while feared and we expected I must now acquaint you with That notwithstanding the Hopes you gave in your two last Letters Warrants are come down fâ—r my Execution and within these few hours I expect it to be peâ—formed Blessed be the Almighty God that gives comfort and support in such a day how ought we to magnifie his holy Name for all his Mercies that when we were running on in a course of sin he should stop us in our full career and shew us that Câ—rist whom we had pierced anâ— out of hiâ—â—ree Grace enable us to look upon him with an Eâ—e of Faith believing him able to save to the utmost all such as come to him Oh admirable loâ—g suffering and patience of God that when we were dishonoâ—ring hiâ— Name he did not take that time to bring honour to himself by our destruction But he delighteth not in the death of a sinner buâ— had rather he should turn to him and live And he has many ways of bringing his own to himsâ—lf Blessed be his Holy Name that through Affliction he has taught my heart in some measure to be comformable to his Will which worketh patience and patience worketh experience and experience hope which maketh not ashamed I bless God I am not ashamed of the Cause for which I lay down my life and as I have engaged in it and fought for it so now I am going to sâ—al it with my Blood The Lord still carry on the same Cause which hath been long on foot and tho' we die in it and for it I question not but in his own good time he will raise up other Instruments morâ— worthy to carry it on to the glory of his Name and the advancement of his Church and People Honoured Mother I know there has been nothing left undone by you or my Friends for the saving of my Life for which I return many hearty acknowledgments to your self and them all and it 's my dying request to you and them to pardon all undutifulness and unkindness in every Relation Pray give my Duty to my Grandfather and Grandmother Service to my Vnkles and Aunts and my dear Love to all my Sisters to every Relation and Friend a particular Recommendation Pray tell 'em all how precious an Interest in Christ is when we come to die and advise them never to rest in a Christless Estate For if we are his it 's no matter what the World do to us they can but kill the Body and blessed be God the Soul is out of their reach for I question not but their malice wishes the damnation of that as well as the destruction of the Body which has too evidently appeared by their deceitful flattering promises I commit you all to the care and protection of God who has promised to be a Father tâ— the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widdow and to supply the want of every Relation The Lord God of Heaven be your Comfort under thesâ— Sorrows and your Refuge from these Miseries we may easily foresee coming upon poor England and the poor distressed People of God in it The Lord carry you through this vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet your dying Son Ben Hewling Their Characters THey were both of very sweet and obliging Tempers as hâ—s appeared in their History it being a very hard matter for their worst Enemies when they once knew 'em well not to honour and love ' em Mr. Benjamin the elder reconciled the Lamb and the Lion exactly In the Field he seem'd made only for War and any where else for nothing but Love He without flatterry deserv'd to be call'd a very fine man of a lovely proportion extreamly well made as handsom a Meen good an Air as perhaps few in England exceeded him His Picture is pretty like him The younger Mr. William somewhat taller and more slender His Face fresh and lively as his Spirit being Master of an extraordinary vivacity and briskness of Temper Both of 'em vertuous pious and couragious far above their years and indeed seem'd to be Men too soon one of 'em not being Twenty the eldest but Two and twenty when they dy'd verifying that common Observation That whatever is perfect sooner than ordinary has generally a shorter Period prefix'd it than what 's more base and ignoble Mr. Christopher
forgive as against me but as it is done in an implacable mind against the Lord Christ and his righteous Cause and Followers I leave it to him who is the Avenger of all such Wrongs who will tread upon Princes as upon Mortar and be terrible to the Kings of the Earth And know this also that though ye are seemingly fixt and because of the Power in your hand are writing out your Violence and dealing with a despiteful hand because of the old and new hatred by impoverishing and every way distressing of those you have got under you yet unless you can secure Jesus Christ and all his holy Angels you shall never do your business nor your hands accomplish your Enterprizes for he will be upon you ere you are aware and therefore O that you would be wise instructed and learn is the desire of her that finds no mercy from you ELISABETH GAVNT Postscript SVch as it is you have it from her who hath done as she could and is sorry she can do no better hopes you will pity and cover weakness shortness and any thing that is wanting and begs that none may be weakned or humbled at the lowness of my Spirit for God's Design is to humble and abase us that he alone may be exalted in this day and I hope he will appear in the needful time and it may be reserves the best Wine till last as he hath done for some before me none goeth to Warfare at his own charge and the Spirit bloweth not only where but when it listeth and it becomes me who have so often grieved quenched and resisted it to wait for and upon the motions of the Spirit and not to murmur but I may mourn because through want of it I honour not my God nor his blessed Cause which I have so long loved and delighted to love and repent of nothing about it but that I served him and it no better A brief Account of Mr. Roswell's Tryal and Acquittal ABout the same time Mr. Roswell a very worthy Divine was tryed â—or Treasonable Words in his Pulpit upon the Accusation of very vile and lewd Informers and a Surry Jury found him guilty of High Treason upon the most villanous an improbable Evidence that had been ever given notwithstanding Sir John Talbot no countenancer of Dissenters had appeared with great generosity and honour and testified That the most material Witness was as scandalous and infamous a Wretch a lived It was at that time given out by those who thirsted for Blood that Mr. Roswell and Mr. Hays should die together and it was upon good ground believed that the happy deliverance of Mr. Hays did much contribute to the preservation of Mr. Roswell tho' it is very probable that he had not escaped had not Sir John Talbot's worthy and most honourable detestation of that accursed Villany prompted him to repair from the Court of King's Bench to King Charles II. and to make a faithful representation of the Case to him whereby when inhuman bloody Jeffryes came a littlâ— after in a transport of Joy to make his Report of the Eminent Service he and the Surry Jury had done in finding Mr. Roswell guilty the King to his disappointment appeared under some reluctancy and declared that Mr. Roswell should not die And so he was most happily delivered The Earl of Argyle WE must now take a step over into Scotland that poor Country which has been harass'd and tired for these many years to render them perfect Slaves that they might help to enslave England to prevent which and secure the Protestant Religion which 't was grown impossible to do but by Arms this good Lord embark'd from Holland about the same time with the Duke and arrived in Scotland with what Forces he could make to which were added some others who joyn'd him which after several Marches and Counter-Marches were at length led into a Boggy sort of a place on pretence or with intention to bring him off from the other Army then upon the heels of 'em where they all lost one another dispers'd and shifted for themselves the E. being taken by a Country-man and brought to Edinburgh where he suffer'd for his former unpardonable Crime requiring Care shou'd be taken of the Protestant Religion and explaining his taking the Test conformable thereto for the Legality of which he had the hands of most of the eminent Lawyers about the City He suffer'd at Edinburgh the 30 th of June 1685. His Speech has a great deal of Piety and Religion nor will it be any disgrace to say 't was more like a Sermon 'T is as follows The Earl of Argyle's last Speech June 30. 1685. JOB tells us Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of trouble and I am a clear Instance of it I shall not now say any thing of my Sentence or escape about three years and a half ago nor of my return lest I may thereby give Offence or be tedious Only being to end my days in your Presence I shall as some of my last Words assert the truth of the matter of Fact and the Sincerity of my Intentions and Professions that are published That which I intend mainly now to say is To express my humble and I thank God chearful Submission to his Divine Will and my willingness to forgive all Men even my Enemies and I am heartily well satisfied there is no more Blood spilt and I shall wish the stream thereof may stop at me And that if it please God to say as to Zerubbabel Zech. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts I know Afflictions spring not out of the dust God did wonderfully deliver and provide for me and has now by his special Providence brought me to this place and I hope none will either insult or stumble at it seeing they ought not for God Almighty does all things well for good and holy Ends tho we do not always understand it Love and hatred is not known by what is before us Eccles. 9.1 and 8.11 12 13. Afflictions are not only foretold but promised to Christians and are not only tolerable but desirable We ought to have a deep Reverence and Fear of God's displeasure but withall a firm hope and dependance on him for a blessed Issue in compliance with his Will for God chastens his own to reâ—ine them and not to ruine them whatever the World may think Heb. 12.3 to 12. Prov. 3.11 12. 2 Tim. 1.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Math. 10.18 to 40. Matth. 16.24 to 28. We are to imitate our Saviour in his Sufferings as 1 Pet. 2.23 and 1 Pet. 4.16 to 20. We are neither to despise our Afflictions nor to faint under them both are extreams We are not to suffer our Spirits to be exasperated against the Instruments of our trouble for the same Affliction may be an effect of their Passion and yet sent by God to punish us for sin Tho 't is a
condemned me are pleased to call such Preachings Rendezvouses of Rebellion yet I must say this of them they were so far from being reputed such in my Eyes that if ever Christ had a People or Party wherein his Soul took pleasure I am bold to say these Meetings were a great part of them the Shining and Glory of God was eminently seen amongst these Meetings the convincing Power and Authority of our Lord went out with his Servants in those blasphemously nick-nam'd Conventicles This I say without Reflection upon any I have a word to say farther that God is calling Persons to Repentance and to do their first Work O that Scotland were a mourning Land and that Reformation were our Practice according as we are sworn in the Covenant Again that Christians of Grace and Experience would study more streightness and stability in this day when so many are turning to the right hand and many to the left he that endureth to the end shall be saved he has appointed the Kingdom for such as continue with him in his Temptations Next if ever you expect to hâ—ve the Form of the House shewed you in all the Laws thereof goings out thereof and comings in thereof then think it no shame to take shame to you for all that has been done sitting down on this side Jordan is like to be our Bane Oh! when shall we get up and run after him till he bring us into the promised Land let us up and after him with all our heart and never rest till he return I recommend my Wife and young one to the care and faithfulness of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the God that has fed me to this day and who is the God of my Salvation their God and my God their Father and my Father I am also hopeful that Christians Friends and Relations will not be unmindful of them when I am gone Lastly I do further bear my Testimony to the Cross of Christ and bless him that ever he counted me worthy to appear for him in such a lot as this Glory to him that ever I heard tell of him and that ever he fell upon such a method of dealing with me as this and therefore let none that loves Christ and his Righteous Cause be offended in me And as I have lived in the Faith of thiâ— that the three Kingdoms are married Lands so I die in the Faith of it that there will be a Resurrection of his Name Word Cause and of all his Interest therein tho' I dare not determine the time when nor the manner how but leave all these things to the infinitely wise God who has done and will do all things well Oh that he would return to this Land again to repair our Breaches and take away our Back-sliding and appear for his Work Oh that he were pacified towards us Oh that he would pass by Scotland once again and make our time a time of Love Come Lord Jesus come quickly Himself hasten it in his own time and way The Lord is my light and life my joy my song and my salvation the God of his chosen be my Mercy this day and the inriching comforts of the holy Ghost keep up and carry me fair through to the Glory of his Grace the Edification of his People and my own eternal Advantage Amen Sic Subscrib JOHN KID August 14 th 1679. Tolbooth Ante horam Septimam ☞ Thus Reader having given thee a faithful Account of the Behaviour and Dying Speeches of the most Eminent Persons who suffered in Scotland I shall return again for London where the last Person of Quality that suffered was the Duke of Monmouth whose Expedition and sufferings c. you have in the following Pages JAMES Duke of Monmouth THe last Person with whom we shall conclude this mournful Tragedy and the greatest in it is the late James D. of Monmouth one indeed who if he had been a little less might have been at this time one of the greatest men both in England and the World By reason of some passages in his Life not so defensible 't was thought at first better to draw a veil before that unfortunate Prince and say nothing at all of him But what allowances are made for Custom and Education God only knows I remember a shrewd Answer given to an Objection of this Nature Where said one shou'd he learn any better But however where there has been any time to think soberly of past actions or none of that nature reiterated Charity is oblig'd to judge favourably And besides the good West-Country-men wou'd be very angry if they shou'd not find their Master that they lov'd so well and suffer'd so much for among the rest of these noble Hero's None can deny but he was a great General a Man of Courage and Conduct and great Personal Valour having signaliz'd himself both at Mons and Maestricht so as to gain an high and just reputation He was all along true and firm to the Protestant Interest in and out of Parliament tho abhorring any base way of promoting it as well as his Friend my L. Russel This intended as a Character rather or very short Compendium than any History of his Life He was all along the Peoples Darling whose hearts were entirely his by his Courtesie and Affability as other Persons loâ—â— 'em by their sourness and haughty pride After Russel's death he went into Flanders whence had he prosecuted his Dâ—sign and gone as 't is said he intended into the Emperour's Service how many Lawrels might he have won and how many more would now have been growing for him But his Fate was otherwise he came over into England an exact account of whose Enterprize another place of this Book presents you as 't was compiled by one present in all that action After the defeat of his Army at Sedgemoor he fled with my L Gray who was first taken and he himself a little after brought up to London and on his Attainder in Parliament beheaded on Tower Hill 'T is said a certain brave old Officer who then came over with him and since with the Prince offer'd with a small of party of Horse to have ventur'd thro' all the Guards and took him off the Scaffold But they cou'd not be got together his time was come Providence had design'd other things that our deliverance should be more just anâ— peaceable and wonderful and that the glory thereof shou'd be reserved for their Sacred Majesties King William and Queen Mary Whom God grant long to Reign The thing I shall in the next place do that I may leave out nothing material relating to the Western Affair is to insert the late Duke of Monmouth's Declaration as it was taken from a Copy printed in Holland the Year 1685. The Declaration of James Duke of Monmouth and the Noblemen Gentlemen and others now in Arms for the Defence and Vindication of the Protestant Religion and the Laws Rights and Priviledges of England AS Government
which by vertue of the said Old Charters belonged to their several and respective Corporations and to deliver themselves from those late Parasites and Instruments of Tyranny set up to oppress them Moreover for the restoring the Kingdom to its Primitive Condition of Freedom and Safety we will have the Corporation and Militia Acts repealed and all Outlawries of Treason against any person whatsoever upon the late pretended Protestant Plot reversed and also all other Outlawries Banishments Warrants Judgments Imprisonments and Injurious Proceedings against any other persons upon any of the Penal Statutes made against Protestant Dissenters made null and void And we will have new Laws enacted for placing the Election of Sheriffs in the Freeholders of the several Counties for settling the Militia in the several Shires and for preventing all Military standing Forces except what shall be raised and kept up by Authority and Consent of Parliament And whereas several Gentlemen and others who have been worthy and zealous Asserters of the Protestant Interest and Laws of the Kingdom are now in custody in divers places within the Realm upon most unjust Accusations Pretences Proceedings and Judgments we do hereby further declare their said Imprisonments to be Illegal and that in case any violence shall be offered to them or any of them we will revenge it to the utmost upon such of our Enemies as shall fall into our hands And whereas the said J. D. of Y. in order to the expediting the Idolatrous and bloody Designs of the Papists the gratifying his own boundless Ambition after a Crown and to hinder inquiry into the Assassination of Arthur Earl of Essex hath poisoned the late King and thereby manifested his Ingratitude as well as Cruelty to the World in murthering a Brother who had almost ruined himself to preserve and protect him from punishment We do therefore further declare That for the aforesaid villanous unnatural Crime and other his Crimes before mentioned and in pursuance of the resolution of both Houses of Parliament who voted to revenge the Kings Death in case he came to an untimely end we will prosecute the said J. D. of Y. till we have brought him to suffer what the Law adjudged to be the punishment of so execrable a Fact And in a more particular manner his Grace the Duke of Monmouth being sensible of the barbarous and horrid Parricide committed upon his Father doth resolve to pursue the said J. D. of Y. as a mortal and bloody Enemy and will endeavour aâ— well with his own hand as by the assistance of his Friends and the Law to have Justice executed upon him And the said James Duke of Monmouth the now Head and Captain General of the Protestant Forces of this Kingdom assembled for the end aforesaid from the generousness of his own Nature and the love he bears to these Nations whose wellfare and settlement he infinitely preferrs to whatsoever may concern himself doth not at present insist upon his â—itle but leaves the determination thereof to the Wisdom Justice and Authority of a Parliament legally chosen and acting with freedom And in the mean time doth profess and declare by all that is sacred that he will in conjunction with the People of England imploy all the Abilities bestowed upon him by God and Nature for the Re-establishment and Preservation of the Protestant Reformed Religion in these Kingdoms and for restoring the Subjects of the same to a free exercise thereof in opposition to Popery and the consequences of it Tyranny and Slavery To the obtaining of which end he doth hereby promise and oblige himself to the People of England to consent unto and promote the passing into Laws all the methods aforesaid that it may never more be in the power of any single Person on the Throne to deprive the Subjects of their Rights or subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Government designed for their Preservation And whereas the Nobility Gentry and Commons of Scotland are now in Arms upon the like motives and inducements that we are and in prosecution of Ends agreeable with ours We do therefore approve the justice of their Cause commend their Zeal and Courage expecting their and promising our assistance for carrying on that glorious Work we are jointly engaged in Being obliged for avoiding tediousness to omit the recounting many Oppressions under which the Kingdom hath groaned and the giving a deduction of the several steps that have been taken for introducing of Popery and Tyranny We think fit therefore to signify both to our Countrymen and Forreigners that we intend a larger Testimony and Remonstrance of the Grievances Persecutions Cruelties and Tyrannies we have of late lain under and therein a more full and particular Account of the unparallell'd Crimes of the D. of Y. And we make our Appeal unto God and all Protestant Kings Princes States and Peoples concerning the Justice of our Cause and the necessity we are reduced unto of having our recourse to Arms. And as we do beseech require and adjure all sincere Protestants and true English men to be assisting to us against the Enemies of the Gospel Rights of the Nation and Liberties of Mankind So we are confident of obtaining the utmost Aid and Succour which they can yield us with their Prayers Persons and Estates for the dethroning the said Tyrant c. Nor do we doubt being justified countenanced and assisted by all Protestant Kings Princes and Common-wealths who either regard the Gospel of Jesus Christ or their own Interest And above all our dependance and trust is upon the Lord of Hosts in whose name we go forth and to whom we commit out Cause and refer the Decision betwixt us and our Enemies in the day of Battel Now let us play the Men for our People and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth good unto him ☞ Thus Reader I have given you a Copy of the Duke of Monmouth's Declaration which was disperst in the West of England in the year 1685. But it not being the part of an Historian to make Remarks I have satisfied my self with barely inserting it leaving every Reader to make what Reflections on it he thinks fit What follows concerning the late Lord Jefferys should have been printed in his Life next to the word Bribed in page 19 but was there Omitted JEffreys prosecuted Mr. Baxter for his Paraphrase upon the New Testament and sent him to Prison he coming out by an Habeas Corpus was fain to abscond in the Country in constant pain till the Term. Then his oft Waitings at the Bar where he could not stand and then to be ragingly treated by Jeffreys and Withins and called Rogue and Knave and not sufâ—ered to speak one word of Answer for himself and his Counsel being reviled that offered to speak for him was far harder to him than his Imprisonment And then going from the Bar he only said That his Predecessor thought otherwise of him Jeffrys reply'd There was not
Spectacle that they behold me with high complacency and delight but to the other I am a mournful and unpleasant one and they behold me with no less pity and compassion Concerning the first I can say I freely and heartily forgive them and heartily pray that God would most mercifully and graciously prevent their mourning through Misery not only here but eternally hereafter Concerning the other I will say Weep for your own sins and for the sins of the Nation for the highest Rebellions that ever were committed against the great and eternal God lament bitterly for those sins that have been the meritorious Cause of the late terrible Judgment that which I fear will cause God to break in upon this Nation with an overflowing Deluge of Judgments which are far more tremendous and dreadful As for sympathizing with me in drinking this bitter Cup appointed for me I return you most humble and hearty thanks earnestly desiring God to come unto you and fill your Soulâ— with all Celestial Comforts and Spiritual Consolations Something I must say to purge and clear my self from a false Accusation laid to my Charge as that I was engaged with Col. Blood in rescuing Col. Mason near Boston when he was sent down with a Guard from London to York to be Tryed for High Treason and that I was the Man that killed the Barber of that City â—nd that also I was with him when he stole the Crown Now as I am a dying Man and upon the very brink of a very stupendous Eternity the â—â—uth and reality whereof I fiâ—mly believe without any reservation or the least equivocation I do declare in the Presence of the All-seeing God that impartial Judge before whom in a very little time I must appear I never saw nor conversed with Mr. Thomas Blood from 1656 till after he stole the Crown which was in 71 or 72. nor was ever engaged with him in any of his Treasonable Plots or Practices 'T is true I being involved in great trouble of another Nature of which I have given to the World a Narrative and which is notoriously known in the Country where I then lived by some that were Enemies to me for my preaching I was perswaded to apply my self to Mr. Blood to procure by his Intercession his late Majesties gracious Favour accordingly he brought me into his Royal Presence while I was there his Majesty carried it with great Clemency without expressing one word of that which I am now charged with Mr. Blood continued with his Majesty a little longer than I did then he told me that he had granted me a Pardon which I did thankfully accept of knowing it would free me from all Penalties and Troubles that I was obnoxious to and were occasioned to me by my Non-conformity Then engaging him to take out my Pardon he told me That he got it out with several others that had been engaged with him in several Treasonable Designs and Actions at which I was troubled supposing it might be imputed to me thereby yet God knows I have often since reflected upon it with great regret and dissatifaâ—tion If Mr. Blood did inform the late King to make himself the more considerable and to bring as many of his Party as he could to accept of their Pardons that hâ— might be rendered utterly incapable of Plotting any further Mischief against his Government or any other ways that I was engaged with him in any of his Treasonable Attempts I now appeal to God as a dying Man concernâ—ng it that he hath done me an irreparable wâ—ong I also in the same manner do declare That I was never ingaged with any Party in Plotting or Designing or Contriving any Treason or Rebellion agâ—inst the late King and particularly that I was altogether uncoâ—cerned in and unacquainted with that for which my Lord Russel and others suffer'd and as much a stranger to any against the present King And whereas it is reported of me That at Taunton I perswaded the late Duke of Monmouth to assume the Title of King I do once more solemnly declare That I saw not the said Duke nor had any Converse with him 'till he came to Shipton-Mallet which was thirteen days after he landed and several days after he had been at Taunton And 't is as false that I rid to and fro in the West to stir up and perswade Men to go into his Army and rebel against his present Majesty for I was iâ— the East Country when the Duke landed and from thence I went directly to him when he was at Shipton Mallâ—t not one Man accompanying me from thence But hitherto as I lived so now I die owning and professing the true Reformed Christiaâ— commonly called the Protestant Religion which is founded on the pure written Word of God only and which I acknowledge likewise to be comprehended in the Article of the Doctrine of the Church This Religion I have made a reasonable and free choice of and have heartily embraced not only as it protests against all Pagan and Mahometan Religion but against the Corruption of the Christian and I humbly and earnestly pray to God that by his Infinite Wisdom and Almighty Power he will prevent not only the utter extirpation but diminution thereof by the heighth and influence of what is contrary thereto and for that end the Lord make the Professors of it to live up more to its Principles and Rules and bring their Hearts and Conversations more under the Government and Power of â—he same I die also owning my Ministry Non-conformity for which I have suffer'd so much and which doth now obstruct the King's Grace and Mercy to be manifested and extended to me For as I chose it not constrainedly so I appeal to God as a dying Man not moved from sullenness or humour or factious temper or erroneous Principles of Education or from secular interests or worldly advantages but clearly from the Dictates of my own Conscience and as I judged it to be the Cause of Goâ— and to have more of Divine Truth in it than that which is contrary thereto so now I see no Cause to repent of it nor to recede from it not questioning but God will own it at the last Judgment-day If no more had been required after the late King's Restauration to qualifie Ministers for publick Preaching than was after the first Restauration from the time of Charles the First probably I might have satisfied my self therewith and not scrupled Conformity thereto but the Terms and Conditions thereof by a particular Law made in 1662. being not only new but so strict and severe that I could never have satisfaction in my own Conscience after all Endeavours used for a Complyance therewith and a Conformity thereto To say nothing of the Covenant which I never took but the giving my Assent and Consent have been too difficult and hard for me to comply with And I very well remember that about fourteen years ago entring into a Discourse with Mr. Patrick
be married to my Husband and to be given to the Embraces of my Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever Learn not to repine at the Holy Determination of an infinite wise God but rest satisfied in his Will knowing that he doth all things for the best to them that fear him Weep not for me who am only changing this World of Temptation of Troubles and Affliction It hath pleased God to call me a little before you but you must soon follow after keep therefore the Fear of God before your Eyes and then you will have cause to rejoyce and not to mourn when at the time of departure you may have cause to say with me I have run my Race I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away which that you may be able to say is the Hearty Prayer of Your Friend and Servant Josias Askew The Account his Friend gives of him TO prevent your further trouble in suing for a pardon I think it convenient â—o lâ—t you know I do not question but my dear Cousin hath had his Pardon Sealed by the King of Kings and is in everlasting Blessedness singing Hallelujahs Salvation Glory and Honour to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever For God did so carry him through to drink that bitter Cup with so much Courage and Chearfulness to the last as was to the Admiration of all Spectators notwithstanding the terrible Sight he sâ—w at the Place of Suffering and so vehemently as he was tryed by the Adversary yet it did not in the least discompose him or alter his Countenance for he continued with a smiling Countenance to the last and was transported above measure I want words to express it he was like one wrapt up in Heaven with his Heart there and his Eyes fixed thereon I could wish you had been there it would have driven away all cause of Sorrow from your Heart to see his Deportment and hear the Gracious Words that proceeded out of his mouth He remembreth his Duty to you both and left Pâ—ul's Blessing with you Grace Mercy and Peace his Love to his dear Sister he desires her not to be troubled for him for he hath made his Peace with God and was assured he should go to eternal Happiness he would have written more to you and to his Sister but that he had so short a time after Sentence that he wanted Opportunity when he went out of Prison he said Gentlemen Now I am going and it is the time I much longed for I would not change with him that passeth Sentence upon me for a World I was with him to the last and seeing his Courage did very much encourage me though I never saw such a sight with my Eyes The behaviour of John Holway before and at the place of his Execution at Warham in the County of Dorset HE lived in Lime where the Duke Landed and Appeared in Arms at that time until his Captain left him then took up Arms under the Duke of Monmouth and went with him until the Kings Proclamation came forth That all that would lay down their Arms before some Justice of the Peace in four days after and take a Certificate for their so doing they should be acquitted and have his Majesties pardon which this Person did though one day too late which Blot my Lord Chief Justice hit being very good at it and passed the Sentence of Death on him Before his Tryal he was not much concerned at his Case and thought himself almost out of danger But to be short he received his Sentence with much Courage and Resolution and by the means of one Mr. Tiller who was to suffer with him was brought to that setled frame of Spirit as is fit for one in that Condition As he was riding in the Cart toward the place of Execution the Troopers being just behind the Cart he told them They shewed like brave Fellows but said he If I were to have my Life for fighting the best five of you I would not question it At the place of Execution he said not much But that he thought his and other mens Blood would be revenged on time or another and said Forgive me have Mercy on my poor Soul pardon all my Sins and the like and so the Executioner did his Office The Last Speech and Prayer of Mr. Matthews at the place of Execution HE was much concerned the Morning before he died to see his Wife weep and to be in such a passion for him which drew Tears from his Eyes and taking her in his Arms said My Dear Prithee do not disturb me at this time but endeavour to submit to the Will of God and although thy Husband is going from thee yet I trust God will be all in all unto thee sure my Dear you will make my passage into Eternity more troublesome than otherwise if you thus lament and take on for me I am very sensible of thy tender love towards me but would have you consider that this Separation will be so much for my Advantage as your Loss cannot parallel I thank God I am willing to die and to be with my Jesus be satisfied the Will of God must be done thy Will be done O God in Earth as it is in Heaven So embracing her took his last farewell of her and prepared to go to the place of Execution where being come he with a very modest sober composed Frame of Spirit stood while he saw several Executed before him his turn being come he thus spake Dear Countrimen I suppose We are all of one Kingdom and Nation and I hope Protestants O I wonder we should be so cruel and Blood-thirsty one towards another I have heard it said heretofore that England could never be ruin'd but by her self which now I fear if a doing Lord have Mercy on poor England turn the Hearts of the Iâ—habiâ—â—nts thereof cause them to love one another and to forâ—et one anothers Infirmities Have meâ—cy O Lord on me Give me strength and patience to fulfil thy Will Comfort my dear and sorrowful Wife be a Huâ—bâ—nd unto her stand by her in the greatâ—st trouble and affliction Let her depend upon thy Pâ—ovidenceâ— be merciful to all men preserve this Nation from Popery find out yet a way for its deliverance if it be thy good Will and give all Men Hearts to be truly thanâ—ful Comfort my fellow sufferers that are immediately to follow Give them strength and comfort unto the end I forgive all the World even all those that have been the immediate Hastners of my Death I am in charity with all Men. And now blessed Lord Jesus into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Eâ—rth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that
trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen After which going up the Ladder he desired the Executioner not to be hard to him who answered No and said I pray Master forgive me To which he said I do wiâ—h my whole Heart and I pray God forgive thee but I advise thee to leave off this bloody Trade The Executioner said I am forced to do what I do it 's against my mind So lifting up his hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office The Behaviour and Dying Words of Mr. Roger Satchel who was executed at Weymouth in the County of Dorset THis Gentleman at the time of the Dukes landing at Lyme lived at Culliton about five Miles West of that Town and was supposed to be concerned in the design with the Duke He always was a great Admirer of him which got him many Enemies among the Gentry of that County He always hated the name of a Papist and as it fell out he did foresee Popery advancing as his Words to divers of his Neighbours can testifie As for his Disposition he was of a very generous and Heroick Spirit But to proceed No sooner had he the news of the Dukes being landed but he sets himself to work to serve him desiring all he knew to joyn with him and was one of the first that went to him to Lyme and was with him to the end But after the Rout travelling to and fro to secure himself was at last taken at Chard by three Moss Troopers under no Discipline who made it their business to ruine their Neighbours in those parts they are so well known I need not say any more He was from thence carry'd to Ilchester and so secured in Ilchester Goal and at the Bloody Assizes at Dorchester took his Tryal and received his Sentence with the rest Great application was made for him but my L. C. Justice Jeffreys Ears were deaf and so was order'd to be executed at Weymouth After Sentence two of his Friends came to him and told him There was no hope He answer'd My hope is in the Lord. After which he spent most of his time before Execution in Prayer and Meditation and conferring with many good Persons The morning being come he prepared himself and all the way drawing to Execution was very devout Being come to the place there was a Minister I think of that place who sung a Psalm and prayed with them and would have some Discourse with this Person which he avoided as much as possible but he asked him What were his Grounds for joyning in that Rebellion who answered Had you Sir been there and a Protestant I believe you would have joyned too but do not speak to me about that I am come to die for my sins not for my Treason against the King as you call it So pointing to the Wood that was to burn his Bowels he said I do not care for that what matters it what becomes of my Body so my Soul be at rest So praying to himself near half an hour and advising some he knew never to yield to Popery he was turned off the Ladder He was a couragious bold spirited Man and one of great Reason Just and punctual in all his business and one that did much good amongst his Neighbours There was at the same time and place one Mr. Lancaster executed whose Courage and Deportment was such that he out-braved Death and in a manner challenged it to hurt him saying I die for a good Cause and am going to a gracious God I desire all your Christian Prayers 't is good to go to Heaven with Company And much more he spake concerning the Duke of Monmouth whom he supposed at that time to be living and so praying privately for some small time he was turned or rather leaped over the Ladder If I mistake not he said he was born or lived in Bridport The last Speech of Mr. Benjamin Sandford at the place of Execution at Bridport HE with Nine more were brought from Dorchester to Bridport to be Executed Coming to the place of Execution he held up his Hands to Heaven and turning himself to the People said I am an Old Man you see and I little thought to have ended my days at such a shameful place and by such an ignominious Death and indeed it is dreadful to Flesh and Blood as well as a Reproach to Relations but it would have been a great deal more if I had suffered for some Felonious Account Says one to him Is not this worse do you think than Felony He answered I know not any thing that I have done so bad as Felony that this heavy Judgment should fall upon me except it be for my sins against my God whom I have highly provok'd and must acknowledge have deserved ten thousand times more Lord I trust thou hast pardoned them Seal my pardon in the Blood of my Saviour Lord look upon and be with me to the last Moment There was also Executed at the same time one John Bennet a poor Man but pious and of good Report with his Neighbours in Lyme where he lived I have heard that when he was on Trial a certain Person inform'd his Lordship that the Prisoner then at the Bar had Alms of the Parish And that his Lordship should reply Do not trouble your selves I will ease the Parish of that trouble In Prison and at the place of Execution he behaved himself so to all that many of his Enemies pitied him and would if it had lain in their power as they said have saved him His Son being then present offered to have died for him and was going up the Ladder if it might have been suffer'd He prayed some short time and so was translated as we have hopes to think from this troublesome World into Celestial Joy and Happiness Next follows many Excellent Hymns made by several Worthy Persons that were Prisoners for the sake of Christ. TRiumphing Songs with glorious Tongues Let 's offer unto him That loved so to undergo The product of our Sin Leaving his Throne from Heaven came down Sinners for to Redeem From Hell and Wrath and second death Christ underwent great pain His side was gor'd his hands were bor'd His feet were nailed down And all was for the Redemption Of sinful wicked Man O how straitned prest and pained Was Christ to be Baptized And in Affliction to be plunged His Body Sacrificed Let God be blest for Jesus Christ Who is our splendid King Hallelujahs sweet with spirit meet High praises to him sing For Blood for Wounds for Love whose bounds Extended unto all For scoffâ— and smites for jeers for flouts Which upon Christ did fall Now Christ haste unto us again Thy Scepter for to sway Thy Kingdom come thy will be done Come Jesus come away With glorious bands and shiâ—ing trance Of Angels in the Skye Which forth