him will believe to be in his part of the Design 't would be an Injury to his Memory to do any otherwise It appears then from his own acknowledgment that Howard Armstrong and such others had sometimes discoursed of ill Designs and Matters in his Company And as he says in his Speech What the Heats Wickedness Passions and Vanities of other Men had occasion'd he ought not to be answerable for nor cou'd be repress ' em Nay more he did sufficiently disapprove those things which he heard discours'd of with more Heat than Judgment But for himself declares solemnly again and again That he was never in any design against the King's Life or any Man's whatsoever nor ever in any Contrivance of altering the Government If so what then becomes of all the Story of the Council of Six and is 't not to be thrown among the same Lumber with the old famous Nagshead Tavern Business 'T will be still said he was an Ill Man in being Guilty by this very Confession of Misprision of Treason Supposing this true That was not Death and he dy'd as he says Innocent of the Crime he stood condemned for And besides every Lord has not Brow hard enough nor Tongue long enough nor Soul little enough to make an Informer against others to save his own Life I hope says he no Body will imagin that so mean a thought could enter into me as to go about to save my Life by accusing others The part that some have acted lately of that kind has not been such as to invite me to love Life at such a rate But all this does not depend on his naked word since the Evidence who swore against him being such as were neither credible nor indeed so much as legal Witnesses the Accusation of it self must fall to the ground If legal they were not credible because as my Lord Delamere observes in this Case they had no Pardons but hunted as the Cormorant does with strings about their Necks which West in his Answer to Walcot's Letter ingenuously acknowledges and says 'T is through God's and the King's Mercy he was not at the apparent point of Death That is in a fair construction was not just turning over but was upon trial to see whether he 'd do Business and deserve to scape hanging Much such an honourable way of getting Pardon as the Fellow who sav'd his own neck by turning Hangman and doing the good Office to his own Father Nor indeed was the great Witness the honourable Lord who cast this Noble Person so much as a legal any more than a credible Witness No Man alive has any way to clear himself from the most perjur'd Villains Malice if he swears against him Point-blank but either by Circumstance of Time or invalidating his very Evidence Let any think of another way if they can The first of these was precluded 'T was that which had before been made use of to sham off a truer Plot and much more valid Evidence But here Rumsey and the rest came to no determinate Time but only about such a time about the end of October or beginning of November and others cloud the precise time in so many words that 't is impossible to find it All then that could be done was as to the Person Now what thing can be invented which can more invalidate the Evidence any person gives than his solemn repeated voluntary Oath indubitably prov'd against him that such a Person is innocent of that very Crime of which he afterwards accuses him If this be the Case or no here let any one read the following Depositions and make an indifferent Judgment My Lord Anglesey witnesses He was at the Earl of Bedford 's after his Son was imprisoned where came in my Lord Howard and began to comfort him saying He was happy in so wise a Son and worthy a person and who could never be in such a Plot as that That he knew nothing against him or any body else of such a barbarous Design But this was not upon Oath and onely related to the Assassination as he says for himself in his paring-distinction Look then a little lower to Dr. Burnet whom the Lord Howard was with the night after the Plot broke out and then as well as once before with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven did say He knew nothing of ANY Plot nor believ'd ANY Here 's the most solemn Oath as he himself confesses voluntarily nay unnecessarily tho' perhaps in my Lord Bedford's Case Good-nature might work upon him Here 's the paring of his Apple broke all to pieces No shadow no room left for his Distinction between the Insurrection and Assassination but without any guard or mitigation at all he solemnly swears he knew not of ANY Plot nor believed ANY But 't was no great matter for the Jury were resolv'd to know and believe it whether he did or no. There 's but one little Subterfuge more and the Case is clear All this Perjury all these solemn Asseverations he tells us were only to brazen out the Plot and to out-face the Thing for himself and Party This he fairly acknowledges and let all the World be the Jury whether they 'd destroy one of the bravest Men in it on the Evidence of such a Person But there 's yet a farther Answer His Cousin Mr. Howard who was my Lord's intimate Friend who secur'd him in his House to whom he might open his Soul and to whom it seems he did he having made Application to Ministers of State in his Name that he was willing to serve the King and give him Satisfaction To him I say with whom he had secret Negotiations and that of such a Nature will any believe that he wou'd out-face the Thing here too That he wou'd Perjure himself for nothing where no danger no good came on 't No certainly his Lordship had more Wit and Conscience and Honour he ought to be vindicated from such an Imputation even for the credit of his main Evidence for my Lord Gray he tells us was left out of their Councils for his Immoralities and had he himself been such a sort of a Man those piercing Heads in the Council wou'd have certainly found him out before and never admitted him among them As for the very Thing Mr. Howard tells it as generously and with as much honest Indignation as possible in spite of the Checks the Court gave him He took it says he upon his Honour his Faith and as much as if he had taken an Oath before a Magiâ—â—rate that he knew nothing of any Man concern'd in this Business and particularly of the Lord Russel of whom he added that he thought he did unjustly suffer So that if he had the same Soul on Monday that he had on Sunday the very day before this cou'd not be true that he Swore against the Lord Russel My Lord Russel's suffering was Imprisonment and that for the same matter on which he was try'd the Insurrection
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
he was very much above but meerly from the true respect he had for 'em and a sense of that imminent Danger they were in which his piercing Judgment and long Experience made him more sensible of and his Courage and Vertue more concern'd at than others not only those who sat unconcern'd Spectators or shar'd in their Ruins but even then most of them who were engag'd with him in the same Common Cause of their Defence and Preservation Nothing of such an impatience or eargerness or black melancholy cou'd be discern'd in his Temper or Conversation as is always the Symptom or Cause of such Tragical-Ends as his Enemies wou'd perswade us he came to Lastly What may be said of most of the rest does in a more especial and eminent manner agree to the illustrious Essex and than which nothing greater can be said of Mortality He liv'd an Hero and dy'd a Martyr Upon the Execrable Murther of the Right Honourable Arthur Earl of Essex MOrtality wou'd be too frail to hear How ESSEX fell and not dissolve with fear Did not more generous Rage take off the blow And by his Blood the steps to Vengeance show The Tow'r was for the Tragedy design'd And to be slaughter'd he is first confin'd As fetter'd Victims to the Altar go But why must Noble ESSEX perish so Why with such fury drag'd into his Tomb Murther'd by slaves and sacrific'd to Rome By stealth they kill and with a secrect stroke Silenâ—e that Voice which charm'd when e'er it spoke The bleeding Orifice o'reflow'd the Ground More like some mighty Deluge than a Wound Through the large space his Blood and Vitals glide And his whole Body might have past beside The wreaking Crimson swell'd into a Flood And stream'd a second time in Capel's Blood He 's in his Son again to Death pursu'd An Instance oâ— the high'st Ingratitude They then malicious Stratagems Imploy With Life his dearer Honour to destroy And make his Fame extinguish with his Breath An Act beyond the Cruelties of Death Here Murther is in all its shapes compleat As Lines united in their Centre meet Form'd by the blackest Politicks of Hell Was Cain so dev'lish when his Brother fell He that contrives or his own Fate desires Wants Courage and for fear of Death expires But mighty ESSEX was in all things brave Neither to Hope nor to Despair a Slave He had a Soul too Innocent and Great To fear or to anticipate his Fate Yet their exalted Impudence and Guilt Charge on himself the precious Blood they spilt So were the Protestants some years ago Destroy'd in Ireland without a Foe By their own barbarous Hands the Mad-men dye And Massacre themselves they know not why Whilst the kind Irish howl to see the Gore And pious Catholicks their Fate deplore If you refuse to trust Erroneous Fame Royal Mac-Ninny will confirm the same We have lost more in injur'd Capel's heir Than the poor Bankrupt age can e're repair Nature indulg'd him so that there we saw All the choice strokes her steddy hand cou'd draw He the Old English Glory did revive In him we had Plantagenets alive Grandeur and Fortune and a vast Renown Fit to support the lustre of a Crown All these in him were potently conjoyn'd But all was too ignoble for his Mind Wisdom and Vertue Properties Divine Those God-like ESSEX were entirely thine In his great Name he 's still preserv'd alive And will to all succeeding times survive With just Progression as the constant Sun Doth move and through its bright Ecliptick Run For whilst his Dust does undistinguish'd lye And his blest Soul is soar'd above the Sky Fame shall below his parted Breath supply William Lord Russel THE next who fell under their Cruelty and to whose Death Essex's was but the Prologue was my Lord Russel without all Dispute the finest Gentleman one of 'em that ever England bred and whose pious Life and Virtue was as much Treason against the Court by affronting 'em with what was so much hated there as any thing else that was sworn against him His Family was ancient tho' not rais'd to the Honours it at present enjoys till King Edward's time when John Russel a Dorsetshire Gentlemen who had done many Services and receiv'd many favours from the Crown both in Henry the Seventh and Henry the Eighth's time being by the latter made Lord High Admiral and at his Death Lord High Steward of England for the Solemnity of the Coronation obtain'd such a Victory for his young Master against his Rebels as was rewarded with the Title of The Earl of BeÌ„dford The Occasion of it thu Idolatry and Superstition being now rooting out by the Publick Authority and Images every where pulling down the Loyal Papists mutined and one of their Priests stabb'd a Commander of the Kings who was obeying his Orders and ten thousand of the deluded Rabble rise in the Defence of that barbarous Action and their old Mass and Holy-water Against whom this fortunate Lord was sent with an Army who routed 'em all relieved Exeter which they had besieg'd and took their Gods Banners Crucifixes and all the rest of their Trumpery wherein the deluded Creatures trusted for Victory Thus the Family of the Russels were early Enemies to the Romish Superstition tho' this brave Gentleman only paid the Scores of all his Ancestors The Son and Heir of this John was Francis second Earl of Bedford who was as faithful to the Crown as his Father an Enemy and Terror to the French and a Friend to the Protestant Religion as may appear by the Learned Books of Wickliff which he collected and at his Death bequeath'd to a great Man who he knew wou'd make good use of ' em His eldest Son William Lord Russel the present Earl of Bedford is sufficiently known to every true English-man and his Person and Memory will be honoured by them as long as the World lasts But 't is necessary good men should not be immortal if they were we should almost lose their Examples it looking so like Flattery But to do 'em Justice while they are living with more safety and less censure we may discourse of that Noble Gentleman his Son and Name-sake William Lord Russel who made so great a Figure in our Courts and Parliaments before he was sacrificed to the Cruelty and Revenge of his Popish Enemies If we 'd find his first Offence which lay behind the Scene and was indeed the Cause of his Death though other Colours were necessary to amuse the Publick we must look some years backward as he himself does in his last Speech wherein he tells the World He cannot but think his Earnestness in the matter of the Exclusion had no small influence on his present Sufferings Being chosen Knight of the Shire for Bedfordshire where the evenness and sweetness of his Behaviour and his virtuous Life made him so well-beloved that he 'll never be forgotten He began sooner than most others to see into that danger we were in
I 'd say those precious Showrs which from him fell Might rescue ev'n a Jeffreys out of Hell But this is Mercy tâ—nder Mercy all One Death is for a Dangerfield too small All Hell had doubly sworn he should not live â—nd they 'll as soon repent aâ— they 'll forgive High rampt great Lucifer above his Throne Where Monarch absolute he Reigns alone â—haking the Scaly horrour of his Tail He swore this last Plot could not should not fail A Pursuivant was sent nor far he sought But soon their Engine to the presence brought The milder Furies started when he came The Ghosts div'd down thro' Seas of melted flame And heard and felt new Torments at his Name Th' Old Dragon only smil'd and thus began Dear part of me dear something more than Man Let Parry Clement Ravilack combine And cram their Souls great Murderer into thine I love a Man that 's resolute and brave Not silly Conscience or Customs Slave Safety you 're sure of that at least is due Nor must we Sir forsake such Friends as you Go then and prosper thus I thee inspire VVith Sparks of my own noble gen'rous Fire Chuse what you like Rewards you need not fear Be Chancellor or Observator here Go on and act a deed so worthy me That Hell may both admire and envy thee Away he comes a double Francis now Half Devil half Papist ravell'd on his brow Two strings to 's Bow for fear one should not do Stelletto's sometimes fail take Poison too Against such powerful Reasons who'll presume To speak These these are the two Keys of Rome These to blest Peter's Successors were given Opening Hell to themselves to others Heav'n Poison which o're so many a Convert brings Poison the safest Pill for resty Kings Not all the Reasons in strong Box e're pent Can châ—llenge half so much of Argument Steel that can sometimes work as great a Cure VVhere Patients th' Operation can endure Steel which tho' so unlike it poison Apes Drest in as many neat convenient shapes A Knife when the French Harry is to die Anon a Sword a Razor by and by But now since holy Church requires it 't will Turn Coward and sneak into Canes to kill Close by the Heroe now Hell's Viceroy stood And views him crusted o're with Wounds and Blood Who all unmov'd tho' all one Clod of Gore His Masters Characters undaunted wore Such marks he wore as Scythians ne're invent At which all but a Francis would relent He Hell and his great Master does invoke Then with a gen'rous fury gives the stroâ—e Wretch well thou aim'dst too well thou 'st struck his head Thou 'st pierc'd his Eye or else he 'd lookt thee dead Tho' wounded all tho' like great Sampson blind Ah could he too like him his Enemies find No Friend no Devil should have repriev'd at all He 'd crusht thy pois'nous Soul away kill'd thee with his fall Run Monster for thy cursed Life and see If Vengeance cannot run as fast as thee The very Rabble's mov'd the unthinking Croud Th' unweildy Clock's wound up and strikes aâ—oud Tho' Hag-rid now so long yet 't is not â—am'd Revenge they name but ah 't is only nam'd Ah had their Clacks but held Heav'n had lockt dowâ— And with kind Thunder fir'd the ungrateful Town Pity the bloudy stain was washt with â—lood It like a Noble Canker shou'd have stood Consuming rotting poys'ning great and small Cottage and Pallace Beams and Stones and all 'T is well at last he merits their esteem Now now they love yes now they pity him Revenge they with unknown good nature cry With unsuspected ingenuity But to please Fools ' twan't worth the while to dye Yes Brutes at last no doubt you 'l think him brave O he 's done well his death will charges save Revenge revenge runs through the opening Town Revenge they cry and hunt the murd'rer down The Beast was earth'd indeed but 't was in vain Cain fled but God had set a mark on Cain Close close they hunt and lug him out again May Conscience and the Rabble him attend While we our duty pay to such a Friend Some Tears e'ne by Religious leave are due Some Tears and some well meaning Curses too Can Mothers weep when their soft Infants Bones Kind Papists crush against the kinder Stones When the dear pledges from Chast Nuptials Born Are for their milder Hounds in pieces torn Sleeping and smiling from their quiv'ring Breast Are broacht on Pikes and sent to longer rest Can man himself restrain unmanly cries When his dear other self is rape't before his Eyes Nay can he groans curses tears themselves forbear To see his Babes hang in their Mothers Hair All this have the good Catholicks done before All this they now prepare agen or more And he the handsel of their malice trys To see if yet their hand be in he dies Tare off his useless Plaisters you that can You that have more or less than Hearts of Man Look there he floating lies o're flown and drown'd In Tides of poyson'd gore roll'd from the weltring wound All o're beside it dropt in gentle Rains But here burst down in Seas and Hurricanes What dire convulsions shake that beauteous frame None of its self is lest besides the Name How ghastly horror rears its dismal Throne Where once sat charms that cou'd be there alone Dreadful distortions rack that bloated face And gone are every Beauty every Grace His gloomy Eye-ball rolls in mortal pain And feels for the departed light in vain Where are those Eyes that cou'd so well inspire Loves soft fair charming harmless lambent fire Blood flows without as Poison flows within And half bears up his black distended Skin Where manly friendship reign'd and softer love Blood blood is all below and horror all above Pitty be gone and nobler rage succeed Others besides a Dangerfield shall bleed Bring forth the Prisoner let him let him live For I no more than Jeffreys can forgive O for an age of torment might he lye Like Titius rack't like the keen Vulture I· Jove 's own Ambrosia can't be half so good As his broy'ld flesh nor Nectar as his Blood But what 's one mouth loose him and cry 't is he Lose him among the well-oteeth'd Mobile The 'yl quarter him not by the Arm or Leg But into Atoms tare Hells Scanderbeg What a bare hanging such a death were fit For some well meaning harmless Jesuit One who poor Soul knows but their little things Burning proud Cities poys'ning stabbing Kings He hath a deed well worth Damnation done And perfected those strokes they but begun Hanging Why they almost deserv'd that curse Who dared but think that he deserv'd no worse The best the bravest thing for which almost I cou'd be foolish and forgive his Ghost Is that he triumphs in the Blood he spilt And bravely stands and glory's in his guilt Hes hit me full and I 'd no worse invent No no 't was pitty he shou'd e're
Battiscomb HE was another Young Gentleman of a good Family and very great hopes and of a fair Estate which lay in Dorsetshire somewhere between Dorchester and Lyme He had studied sometime at the Temple and having Occasions in the Country about the time of my Lord Russel's Business he was there seiz'd on suspicion of being concern'd in 't and clapt into the County Goal at Dorchester where he behaved himself with that Prudence and winning Sweetness and shew'd so much Wit and innocent pleasantry of Temper as extreamly obliged both all his Keepers and Fellow-Prisoners and even Persons of the best Quality in that Town 'T is indeed a genteel well-bred place as almost any in England at such a Distance from London The Streets are fair and large and Buildings pretty regular two sweet plentiful Rivers running by it It stands on a Chalky Hill but wants not store of good Water The Market-house is a pleasant little Pile that very much sets off the Town There are three Churches in 't and one in its adjoyning Parish 'T is endowed with several Alms-houses a good Grammar-School well enough provided which has had the happiness of ingenious Masters and by their Care produced no inconsiderable number of good Scholars There are two or three fine old Roman Fortifications near the Town which Camden and Speed take notice of The People on 't are generally Civil and Gallant enough if not a little on the extream that way They knew how to value such a Gentleman as Mr. Battiscomb and made him such frequent Visits in the Prison till the place it self was so far from being Scandalous that there was generally all the Conversation and where you might be sure to meet the best Company in the Town of both Sexes Mr. Battiscomb had the happiness not to be displeasing to the Fair Sex who had as much Pity and Friendship for him as consisted with the Rules of Decency and Vertue and perhaps their Respect for him did not always stop at Friendship tho' it still preserved the other bounds inviolable Pity is generally but a little way from Love especially when the Object of it is any thing extraordinary But after he had been there some time and nothing could be prov'd against him which could any ways affect him he was at length almost unwillingly deliver'd from this sort of happy slavery And when the Duke landed appear'd with him and serv'd him with equal Faith and Valour till the Rout at Sedgmoor when he fled with the rest and got up as far as Devonshire where he was seiz'd in a Disguise and brought to his Old Palace the Prison at Dorchester He behav'd himself there the second time in the same courteous obliging manner as he did at the first tho' now he seem'd more thoughtful and in earnest than before as knowing nothing was to be expected but speedy Death Tho' his Courage never droop't but was still the same if it did not increase with his Danger At his Tryal Jefferyes rail'd at him with so much eagerness and barbarity that he was observ'd almost to foam upon the Bench. He was very angry with him because he was a Lawyer and could have been contented all such as he should be hang'd up without any Trial and truly 't was no great matter whether he or the rest had had that Formality or no. Mr. Battiscomb was as undaunted at the Bar as in the Field or at Execution How he demeaned himself in Prison before his Death take this following Account verbatim as 't was written by his Friends Tho' that which occur'd most remarkable after his Sentence must not be omitted Several Young Ladies in the Town among whom one who is particularly mention'd in the Poem went to Jeffreys to beg his Life who repulst 'em at such a bruitish rate as nothing with one Spark of humanity would have been Guilty of and in a manner even too uncivil to be mentioned The Particulars may be seen in the Petition of the Widows and Orphans of that Country The Account given of him by his Relations HE was observed to be always serious and chearful ready to entertain Spiritual Discourse manifesting Affection to God's People and his Ordinances he seem'd to be in a very calm indifference to Life or Death referring himself to God to determin it expressing his great satisfaction as to some Opportunities of Escape that were slipt saying That truly he sometimes thought the Cause was too good to flee from suffering in it tho' he would use all lawful means for his Life but the Proâ—idence of God having prevented this he was sure it was best for him for he said be blest God he could look into Eternity with Comfort He said with respect to his Relations and Friends to whom his Death would be afflictive that he was willing to live if God saw good but for his own part he thought Death much more desirable He said I have enjoyed enough of this World but I never found any thing but Vanity in it no rest or satisfaction God who is an Infinite Spiritual Being is the only suitable Object for the Soul of Man which is spiritual in its Nature and too large to be made happy by all that this world can afford which is all but sensual Therefore methinks I see no reason why I should be unwilling to leave it by Death since our Happiness can never be perfected till then till we leave this Body where we are so continually clogg'd with Sin and Vanity frivolous and foolish Trifles Death in it self is indeed terrible and Natural Courage is too low to encounter it nothing but an interest in Christ can be our comfort in it he said which Comfort I hope I have intimating much advantage to his Soul by his former Imprisonment The day he went from Dorchester to Lyme after he had received the News of his Death the next day he was in the same serious cheerfulness declaring still the same Apprehension of the desirableness of Death and the great supports of his Mind under the Thoughts of so sudden passing through it alone from the hope of the Security of his Interest in Christ taking leave of his Friends with this Farewel Tho' we part here we shall meet in Heaven Passing by his Estate going to Lyme he said Farewel Temporal Inheritance I am now going to my heavenly eternal one At Lyme the Morning that he died it appeared that he had the same supports from God meeting Deâ—th with the same cheerfulness and after he had prayed a while to himself without any appearance of Reluctancy yielded up his Spirit Sept. 2. 1865. A Poem on a Lady that came to my Lord Chief Justice to beg Mr. Battiscomb's Life Sister to one of the Sheriffs in the West which he denied HArder than thine own Native Rocks To let the Charming Silvia kneel And not one spark of Pity feel Harder than sensless Stones and Stocks Ye Gods what showers of Pearls she gave VVhat precious Tears enough
the Times encourages Vice and depresses Vertue Raises those who are consent to be Slaves themselves so they may but make others so and trample on others while they are kick'd themselves while it industriously opposes the very sparks of Ingenuity and Liberty and takes off as fast as possible either by Clandestine Plots or open Cruelty whoever dare be any braver or better or honester than their Neighboâ—rs while Providence all the while seems to nod and sit an unconcerned Spectator of the Ravage that 's made in the VVorld then there 's no little danger lest even those who are truly though weakly religious and virtuous should yet be hurried away in the stream of sour and melancholy Thoughts be tempted to think with the Royal Prophet that all things were carried caeco impetu that they have cleansed their Heart in vain and be almost ready with him to condemn the Generation of the righteous 'T is a question whether ever any Age in the VVorld gave more advantage and colour for these kind of Thoughts than this last wherein we have had the sad experience of Debauchery and Villany rampant and triumphant and to all appearance most prosperous and happy wherein 't was much more dangerous either to be distinguishingly vertuous or to forsake Villany than to continue in one and laugh at t'other when so many of the Flower of our Nobility and Gentry either lost their Lives or Estates or Liberties or Country whilst a Crew of Parasites triumphed and fluttered in their Ruins To see a Russel die meanly and ignobly in the Flower of his Age an Essex or a Godfrey sacrified to the insatiable ambition and revenge of their Enemies who yet not content with their Lives would like the Italian stab on after Death and tho' they could not reach their Souls endeavour to damn their Memories These and too many other such melancholy Instances would be ready to make a short-sighted Man exclaim with Hercules in the Tragoedian That Vertue is but an empty Name or at least could only serve to make its Owners more sensibly unhappy But altho' such Examples might a little work on a weaker Vertue that which is more confirmed and solid can more easily resist it 'T is not impatient nor uneasie but still beliâ—ves that Heaven is awake that the Iron Hands of Justice will at length overtake the Offenders and by their destruction vindicate the Honour and Innocence of those whom they have ruin'd It considers any Riddles in Providence as a curious piece of Opticks which if judged of either before 't is finished or by piâ—ce-meal here an Eye and there another distorted Feature appears not only unpleasing but really dreadful which yet if viewed when 't is compleat and taking all the Features together makes a Figure sufficiently regular and lovely VVho almost could have imagined without some such Reflections as these that those brave Men we have seen for some years past pick'd out and cut off one after another with as much Scandal and Obloquy as cou'd be thrown upon 'em by the ungenerous Malice of their Enemies when the very attempt to clear their Reputation has been made almost Capital and involved those who had courage enough to attempt it in little less mischief than what they themselves endured That over these Phoenixes should rise again and flourish in their Ashes That so many great Pens should already have done some of 'em Justice and the VVorld as much to all the rest And with how much more Joy if'twere possible would those Heroes have received their Crowns could they have foreseen their Deaths wou'd have tended so far to work up the Nation to such a just resentment as wou'd at last have so great an Influence as we â—â—d it had on our late glorious Deliverance But since we have yet no form'd History of all those who have suffer'd under the Cruelty and Injustice not to use so harsh a word as Tyranny of late years since such a design may be of no little use both to show what our former Discords have cost us and to vindicate the memories of the Sufferers as well from the malice of their Enemies as hasty kindnâ—ss of their Friends and besides to leave Posterity so many great Examples of those who preferr'd their Liberty and Religion before all else that was dear in the VVorld and because they could not live Free dy'd so For such Reasons as these this VVork is undertaken which if it deserves the acceptance of the Reader no doubt will find it there being few good Books written which have not been favourably received in the VVorld If any be so weak to object that the Subjects of this History are ill match'd some of 'em being of one Communion and some of another It might be enough to send 'em to Fox's Martyrology for an Answer tho' some few years since 't is granted this Objection wou'd have look'd more dreadful whâ—re they may find Hooper and Ridley differing in their Opinions but yet agreeing at the Stake and accordingly ranged by that great Man in the same noble Army The Kindness and Gratitude of the Courts of England and Rome made no distinction between 'em nay not so much as to eat either of them last but as occasion served took one or t'other Fas est ab hoste and since they made no difference in their Deaths altho' they endeavour'd it as much as possible in their Lives since there 's no doubt there 's none betwixt 'em now but they all agree in Heaven I see no Reason why any Party should envy the other that Glory which for suffering in the same Cause they 〈◊〉 deserve There has been formerly some Discourse about Town of a weak or malicious Design a-foot to publish an History of Persecutions and charge it on one particular Party of Protestants But as such a thing wou'd be most pernicious to the Common Cause so God knows if it should go round it would be endless This design is quite contrary as ' its hoped its effects will be 'T is to lay the Fault where it ought to be and make those Friends who have been too long impos'd upon almost to each others Ruine Others may be offended with the Title of Martyrs and Martyrdom which so often occurs in the following Papers both because some of those concerned were accused for Plots against the Government and others were in actual Arms. But 't is possible for a Person at the same time to be a Church and State Martyr Naboth's accusation was for speaking blasphemous VVords against God and the King The Apostles of our Saviour and the Christians afterwards were accused as those who turned the VVorld upside down and Enemies of the Empire These Answers 't is own'd may be accommodated to any Party being general things but in the Body of the Discourse we hope to fix 'em and to prove in particular of the Persons mention'd that they deserv'd that great Name both on account of the Cause and their dying
not the Assassination If my Lord Howard knew him Guilty of that for which he was committed tho' not the other How cou'd he then say 'T was unjustly done After all this ' twoud be almost superfluous to go any further or insert the Evidence given by Dr. Tillotson Burnet Cox and others not onely of his vertuous and honourable Behaviour but especially of his Judgment about any Stirs or Popular Insurrections That he was absolutely against 'em that 't was folly and madness till things came to be regulated in a Parliamentary way and that he thought 't would ruin the best Cause in the World to take any such ways to preserve it All this and more wou'd not do Dye he must the Duke order'd it the Witnesses swore it the Judges directed it the Jury found it and when the Sentence came to be pass'd the Judge ask'd as is usual What he had to say why it should not be pronounc'd He answer'd That whereas he had been charg'd in the Indictment which was then read to him with Conspiring the Death of the King which he had not taken notice of before he appeal'd to the Judge and Court whether he were Guilty within the Statute on which he was try'd the Witnesses having sworn an Intention of levying War but not of Killing the King of which there was no proof by any one Witness The Recorder told him That was an Exception proper and as he thought his Lordship did make it before the Verdict Whether the Evidence did amount to prove the Charge was to be observ'd by the Jury for if the Evidence câ—me short of the Indictment they cou'd not find it to be a true Charge but when once they had found it their Verdict did pass for Truth and the Court was bound by it as well as his Lordship and they were to go according to what the Jury had found not their Evidence Now I 'd fain know what 's the reason of the Prisoners being ask'd that Question What he has to say for himself Is 't only Formality or Banter He makes an Exception which the Judge himself confesses proper But who was Counsel for the Prisoner Is not the Bench or does it not pretend to be so and why was not this observ'd by them in their Direction to the Jury The Recorder seems to grant it fairly that the Evidence did not prove the Charge and says the Court was to go Not according to the Evidence Well Evidence or none the Truth is was not the Question for being found â—uilty Sentence past upon him whence he was removed to Newgate While he was there the Importunity of his Friends as he says handsomely in his Speech lest they shou'd think him sullen or stubborn prevail'd with him to sign Petitions and make an Address for his Life tho' 't was not without difficulty that he did any thing that was begging to save it But with how much Success it may easily be guess'd by any who knew the Duke's temper nor is it forgotten how barbarously his Lady and Children were repuls'd and the King 's good Nature not suffer'd to save one of the best men in his Kingdom Dr. Burnet and Dr. Tillotson were with him much of the time between his Sentence and Death where to the last he own'd that Doctrine which other good men who were then of another Judgment have since been forc'd into namely the lawfulness of Resistance against unlawful Violence from whomsoever it be After the fruitless Applications for his Pardon after a Farewel and last Adieu in this World to one of the best of Women who stood by him and assisted him in his Trial and left him not till now he at last on Saturday the 21 st of Octob. went into his own Coach about Nine a Clock with Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet whence he was carried to Great Lincolns-Inn-Field to the Scaffold prepar'd for him where among all the numerous Spectators he was one of the most unconcern'd Persons there and very few rejoyc'd at so doleful a Spectacle but the Papists who indeed had sufficient reason my Lord Powis's People expressing as 't is said a great deal of Pleasure and Satiâ—faction There after he had again solemnly protested his Innocency and that he was far from any Design against the King's Person or of altering the Government Nay That he did upon the words of a dying man profess that he knew of no Plot against the Kings Life or Government And delivering one of the finest Speeches in the World to the Sheriff he prayed by himself and with Dr. Tillotson's assistance and embracing him and Dr. Burnet he submitted to the fatal strokes for the Executioner took no less than three before he could fever his Head which when 't was held up as usual there was to far from being any shout that a considerable Groan was heard round the Scaffold His Body was given to his Friends and convey'd to Cheneys in Buckinghamshire where 't was buried among his Ancestors There was a great Storm and many loud Claps of Thunder the day of his Martyrdom An Elegy was made on him immediately after his Death which seems by what we have of it to be writ with some Spirit and a great deal of Truth and Good-will only this Fragment on 't could be retriev'd which yet may not be unwelcome to the Reader 'T is done he 's crown'd and one bright Martyr more Black Rome is charg'd on thy too bulky score All like himself he mov'd so calm so free A general Whisper question'd Which is He Deckt like a Lover tho' pale Death 's his Bride He came and saw and overcame and dy'd Earth wept and all the vainly pitying Croud But Heaven his Death in Thunder groan'd aloud The rest are lost But he has better Justice done him by this honourable Parliament and if the World should possibly be so malicious and silly in after Ages as some are in this and ask What have they done since their Meeting Had we not a Nation sav'd Peace preserv'd and many other almost Miracles to answer 'em yet this one thing wou'd be sufficient That in this Sessions they had Reversed the Judgment against this vertuous pious and honourable Lord. For his Character if we 'll believe the best men and those who knew him best 't is one of the most advantagious the Age or indeed our Nation has yielded Those are great words which Mr. Leviston Gower speaks of him on his Trial but yet not a Syllable too big for his Merit tho' they are very expressive of it That he was one of the best Sons the best Fathers the best Husbands the best Masters the best Friends and the best Christians By others That he was a most vertuous prudent and pious Gentleman A man of that vertue that none who knew him could think him guilty of such a Conspiracy A man of great Honour and too prudent to be concern'd in so vile and desperate a design A Person of great Vertue and
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
Death he replyed Nay a greater than the Apostles our Lord himself died not only a shameful but a painful Death He further said This manner of Death hath been the most terrible thing in the World to my thoughts but I bless God now am I neither afraid nor ashamed to die He said The parting with my Friends and their grief for me is my greatest difficulty but it will be but for a very short time and we shall meet again in endless Joys where my dear Father is already enter'd him shall I presently joyfully meet Then musing with himself a while he with an extraordinary seriousness sung these two Verses of one of Herbert's Poems Death is still working like a Moâ—e Digging my Grave at each remove Let Grace work so on my Soul Drop from above Oh come for thou dost know the way Or if to me thou wilt not move Remove me where I need not say Drop from above He then read the 53 d of Isaiah and said He had heard many Blessed Sermons from that Chapter especially from the 16 th Verse All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way but the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all seeming to intimate some impress made on his Soul from them but was interrupted then he said Christ is all When the Sheriff came he had the same chearfulness and serenity of mind in taking leave of his Friends and in the Sledge which seemed to increase to the last as those present have affirmed joyning in Prayer and in singing a Psalm with great appearance of Comfort and Joy in his Countenance insomuch that some of his Enemies that had before censured his chearfulness for unthoughtfulness of his Danger and therefore expected to see him much surprized now professed they were greatly astonished to see such a Young Man leave the World and go through Death as he did Mr. Jenkyn's Letter to Mrs. Scot on the 26 th of September 1685. Dear Sister THE News which came in my Brothers Letter of the 22 d Instant to Mr. Dewy did not at all surprize me for indeed I expected no other and seeing all hopes of saving my Life are blasted I thought my self bound to write a Line or two to so near a Relation as your self wherein I might take my leave of you and bid you farewel till we shall meet again in Glory and never be separated more As for my own part tho such a sort of Death as I am like to suffer be that which I always dreaded when at a distance I have sometimes thought of it yet I â—hank my God now it draws near even but a few hours off I find my self supported under the thoughts of it and hope by his strength who will never forsake his own I shall be enabled chearfully to undergo it with Glory to his Name and comfort to my own and the Souls of others that are more nearly concerned for me and as I have made it my own endeavour to submit to the Will of God in this sad Dispensation without murmuring or repining I hope you have been sensible of your Duty in the same respect which is Patiently to submit to his Will and eye his Hand in this severe stroke And though God has been pleased to deny success to your endeavours for the saving of my Life yet I am satisfied nothing has been wanting on your parts and for all the trouble you have been at on my account tho I do not live to shew my Gratitude yet I render you my dying thanks and beg your Prayers for my support in the last moments of my Life If you receive this before my Death the certain time of which I have not notice of pray remember my Love to My Brother and Thanks for all Kindnesses and as for my young Relations my Prayer for them shall be That they may see more happy days than I have done and die a more peaceable I can't say more happy Death And now Dear Sister I take my leave of you and commiâ— you to the protection of that God who hath made every thing beautiful in his time and will shew you the meaning of this Providence which now we do not understand to whom I trust I am now going and into the enjoyment of whose Presence I doubt not but ere long you will meet Dear Sister Your affectionate Brother WILLIAM JENKYN Mr. Jenkyn's Letter to his Mother on the 29 th of September at 12 at Night Taunton Dear and Honoured Mother I Have even now received the News of Execution to morrow which tho I have so short notice of yet I hope I am prepared for it and by God's strength enabling me I shall joyfully be carryed through it The kindness you have been pleased to shew in your great Concern for me since I have been under this trouble as well as the Duty I owe to so near a Relation as your self engages me to acquaint you with my present condition for your satisfaction which truly is such that I must beg you to accept this present Letter for my last Farewel And tho this sad Providence cannot but be grievous to so near and affectionate a Relation as your self yet I hope it already has and still does yield the peaceable fruits of Righteousness to your self and me who have been severely exercised with it As for my own part I hope I can truly say that God has by this Providence weaned mâ— from the World and made me willing to leave anâ— to be dissolved that I may be with Christ which iâ— far better And now I am come to die I hope I caâ— truly say I have nothing else to do but to die anâ— having fought a good Fight and finished my Coursâ— I am now in expectation of that Crown of Rewarâ— which God the righteous Judge of the whole Earth hâ— promised to all those that love his appearing and 〈◊〉 it is my great work to be now every moment fitting 〈◊〉 self for my great and last change so 't is the 〈◊〉 which belongs to you and the rest of my dear Relationâ— to resign me up into the hands of that God whose 〈◊〉 am and to whom I am going and not repine at 〈◊〉 righteous Will which we ought quietly to submit 〈◊〉 I bless God I die with a clear Conscience and thouâ—â— I have deserved much worse at the hands of God 〈◊〉 my past sins than I am like to undergo yet I counâ—â— with respect to Man I die a Martyr for the Protâ—stant Religion and meerly for doing my duty in oppâ—sing of that flood of Popery which seem'd to be just oveâ—whelming the Church and Interest of Christ in theâ—â— Nations and I wish that the Prudentialists of ouâ— Age that have withdrawn their helping hand froâ— so glorious a Design do not within a few days 〈◊〉 the smart they have deserved by this their basenesâ—â— But being now just leaving the World it 's grievous to look back on
that intent nor did I believe there was any such design or ever heard of any disappointment in such an Affair or Arms or Time or Place save what after the Discovery of the General Design Mr. West spoke of as to Arms bought by him And as to my self I was in the North when the late King was at New-market and the first News I had of the Fire was at Beverly in Yorkshire As to my coming over with the late D. of Monmouth it was in prosecution of the same ends but the Lord in his Holy and Wise Providence hath been pleased to blast all our undertakings tho there seemed to be a very unanimous and zealous Spirit in all those that came from beyond the Seas And as to the D. of Monmouth's being declared King I was wholly passive in it I never having been present at any publick Debate of that Affair and should never have advised it but complained of it to Col. Holmes and Captain Patchet I believe the Lord Gray and Mr. F the chief Promoters of it As to the temptation of being an Evidence and bringing either into trouble or danger the meanest Person of his Life upon the Account for which I suffer I always abhorred and detested the thoughts of it both when in and out of danger and advised some very strongly against it except when under my Distraction in Prison that amongst other temptations did violently assault me but through the goodness of my dearest God and Father I was preserved from it and indeed was wholly incapable and could never receive the least shadow of comfort from it but thought Death more eligible and was some time asore out of my distracted and disquieted condition wholly free from it though not without other Temptations far more Criminal in the sight of men I bless the Father of all Mercies and God of all Consolations that I find a great Resignedness of my Will to his finding infinitely more comfort in Death than ever I could place in Life tho in a condition that might seem honourable every hour seeing the Will of God in ordering this Affair more and more cleared up to me God hath given God hath taken blessed be his holy Name that hath enabled me to be willing to suffer rather than to put forth my hand to Iniquity or to say a Confederacy with those that do so I am heartily and sincerly troubled for what hath happened many mens Lives being lost and many poor distressed Families ruin'd the Lord pardon what of sin he hath seen in it He in his wonderful Providence hath made me and others concerned Instruments not only for what is already fallen out but I believe for hastening some other great work he hath to do in these Kingdoms whereby he will try and purge his People and winnow the chaff from the Wheat the Lord keep those that are his faithful unto the end I die in Charity with all the World and can readily and heartily forgive my greatest Enemies even those that have been Evidences against me and I most humbly beg the pardon of all that I have in the least any way injur'd and in a special manner humbly ask pardon of the Lady Lisle's Family and Relations for that my being succoured there one Night with Mr. Hicks brought that worthy Lady to suffer Death I was wholly a Stranger to her Ladiship and came with Mr. Hicks neither did she as I verily believe know who I was or my Name till I was taken And if any other have come toany loss or trouble I humbly beg their pardon and were I in a condition I would as far as I was able make them a requital As to my Faith I neither look nor hope for merey but only in the Free-grace of God by the Application of the Blood of Jesus my dearest and only Saviour to my poor sinful Soul My distresses have been exceeding great as to my Eternal State but through the infinite goodness of God tho I have many sins to answer for yet I hope and trust as to my particular that Christ came for this very end and purpose to relieve the Oppressed and to be a Physician to the Sick I come unto thee O blessed Jesus refuse me not but wash me in thine own Blood and then present me to thy Father as righteous What tho' my Sins be as Crimson and of a Scarlet Dye yet thou canst make them as white as Snow I see nothing in my self but what must utterly ruine and condemn me I cannot answer for one action of my whole Life but I cast my self wholly upon thee who art the Fountain of Mercy in whom God is reconciling himself to the World the greatest of Sins and Sinners may find an All sufficiency in thy Blood to cleanse 'em from all sin O dearest Father of Mercy look upon me as righteous in and through the imputed Righteousness of thy Son he hath payed the Debt by his own own Offering up himself for sin and in that thy Justice is satisfied and thy Mercy is magnified Grant me thy Love O dearest Father assist me and stand by me in the needful hour of Death give thy Angels charge over my poor Soul that the Evil One may not touch nor hurt it Defend me from his power deliver me from his rage and receive me into thine Eternal Kingdom in and through the alone Merits of my dearest Redeemer for whom I praise thee To whom with thy self and holy Spirit be ascribed all Glory Honour Power Might and Dominion for ever and for ever Amen Dear Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Amen R. NELTHROPE Newgate Octob. 29. 1685. Mrs. Gaunt ONe of the great Reasons why Mrs. Gaunt was burnt was 't is very possible because she lived at Wapping the honest Seamen and hearty Protestants thereabouts being such known Enemies to Popery and Arbitrary Government that the Friends of both gave all who oppose it the Name of Wappingers as an odious Brand and Title She was a good honest charitable Woman who made it her business to relieve and help whoever suffer'd for the forementional Cause sparing no pains refusing no office to get them assistance in which she was the most industrious and indefatigable woman living Among others whom she had thus relieved who were obnoxious persons was one Burton whom with his Wife and Family she had kept from starving for which may the very name of 'em be register'd with Eternal Infamy they swore against her and took away her Life Tho she says in her Speech there was but one Witness against her as to any mony she was charg'd to give him and that he himself an Outlawed person his Outlawry not yet revers'd he not being outlawed when she was with him and hid him away That which she writ in the Nature of a Speech has a great deal of Sense and Spirit and some strange Expressions which were mention'd in the Introduction to all these matters which she concludes with these words addrest to her
I bid farewel to all my Friends and dear Relations Farewell my poor Wife and Children whom I leave in the good hand of him who is better than seven Husbands and who will be a Father to the Fatherless Farewell all Creature Comforts Welcome everlasting Life everlasting Glory Welcome everlasting Love everlasting Praise Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Sic Subscrib JOHN KING August 14 th 1679. Tolbooth Circa horam Septimam A brief Account of the last Speech of Mr. John Kidd at the place of Execution at Edinburgh on the 14th day of August 1679. Right Worthy and well beloved Spectators and Auditors COnsidering what bodily Distempers I have been exercised with since I came out of the Torture viz. Scarce two hours out of my naked bed in one day it cannot be expected that I should be in a Case to say any thing to purpose at this Juncture especially seeing I am not as yet free of it however I cannot but Reverence the good hand of God upon me and desire with all my Soul to bless him for this my present Lot It may be there are a great many here that judge my Lot very sad and deplorable I must confess Death it self is very â—eâ—rible to Flesh and Blood but as it is an out-let to sin and an in-let to Righteousness it is the Christians great and inexpressible Priviledge and give me leave to say this that there is something in a Christian Condition that can never put him without the reach of insufferableness even shame death and the Cross bâ—ing included And then if there be peace betwixt God and the Soul nothing can damp peace with Goâ— through our Lord Jesus Christ this is a most supporting ingredient in the bitterest Cup and under the sharpest and firiest Tryal he can be exposed unto thiâ— is my mercy that I have something of this to lay Claim unto viz. The intimations of Pardon and Peace betwixt God and my Soul And as concerning that for which I am condemned I Magnifie his grace that I never had the least challenge for it but on the contrary I Judge it my Honour that ever I was counted worthy to come upon the Stage upon such a consideration another thing that renders the most despicable Lot of the Christian and mine sufferable is a felt and sensible presence from the Lord strengthening the Soul when most put to it and if I could have this for my Allowance this day I could be bold to say O death where is thy sting and could not but cry out Welcome to it and all that follows upon it I grant the Lord from an act of Soveraignty may come and go as he pleases but yet he will never forsake his people and this is a Cordial to me in the Case I am now exposed unto Thirdly The exercising and putting forth his glorious Power is able to Transport the Soul of the Believer and mine above the reach of all sublunary Difficulties and therefore seeing I have hope to be kept up by this power I would not have you to look upon my Lot or any other that is or may be in my Câ—se in the least deplorable seeing we have ground to believe that in more or less he will perfect his Power and Strength in Weakness Fourthly That I may come a little nearer to the purpose in hand I declare before you all in the sight of God Angels and Men and in the sight of that Son and all that he has Created that I am a most miserable Sinner in regard of my Original and Actual Transgressions I must confess they are more in number than the Hairs of my Head They are gone up above my Head and are past numbring I cannot but say as Jacob said I am less than the least of all God's Mercies yet I must declare to the exalting of his Free Grace That to me who am the least of all Saints is this Grace made known and that by a strong hand and I dare not but say he has loved me and washed me in his own Blood from all Iniquities and well is it for me this day That ever I heard or read that faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief Fifthly I must also declare in his sight I am the most unworthiest that ever opened his mouth to preach the unsearchable Riches of Christ in the Gospel Yea the sense of this made me altogether unwilling to fall about so great a Work until by the importunity of some whose Names are precious and savoury to me and many others I was prevailed with to fall about it and yet I am hopeful not altogether without sâ—me fruit and if I durst say it without Vanity I never found so much of the presence of God upon my Spirit as I have found in Exercises of that Nature though I must still confess attended with inexpressible Weakness and this is the main thing for which I must lay down my Tabernacle this day viz. That I did preach Christ and the Gospel in several places of this Nation for which I bless him as I can That ever such a poor obscure person as I am have been thus priviledged by him for making mention of his Grace as I was able In the next place though to many I die desired yet I know to not a few my Death is not desired and it is the rejoycing of my heart that I die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ who has loved me and given himself for me and in the Faith of the Prophets and Apostles and in this Faith of there 's not a Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved but the Name of Jesus and in the Faith of the Doctrine and Worship of the Kirk of Scotland as it is now established according to the Word of God Confession of Faith Catechisms larger and shorter and likewise I joyn my Testimony against Popery Perjury Profanity Heresie and everything contrary to found Doctrine In the Close as a dying Person and as one who has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful I would humbly leave it upon godly Ministers to be faithful for their Lord and Master and not to hold their peace in such a day when so many wayâ— are taken for injuring of him his Nâ—me Way Sanctuary Ordinances Crown and Kingdom I hope there will be found a party in this Land that will continue for him and his Matters in all Hazzards and as faithfulnesâ—â—s called for in Ministers so Professors would concern themselves that they Countenance not nor abet any thing inconsistent with former Principles and Practices Let the Land consider how Neutral and Indifferent we are grown in the Matters of God even like Ephraiâ— long ago a Cake not turned As concerning that which is the ground of my Death viz. Preaching here and there in some Corners I bless my God I have not the leasâ— Challenge for it and tho' those that
lived two or three Miles from the place they met him they required him to go with them and shew them the way he knowing the Country better than they did he desired to be excused telling them It was none of his business and besides had no Arms. But hiâ— Excuses signified nothing they forced him amongst them where they went when being come a Party enter'd the House and searcht it Mr. Bragg never dismounted they being then satisfied took him along with them to Chard where then the Duke of Monmouth was Being there after having set up his Horse where he used to do often having occasion there he was much tampered with to engage in the Design but he refused it but the next morning made haste out of Town not seeing the Duke at all calling for his Horse it was told him That it was seized for the Duke's Service So then he took his Cane and Gloves and walked to his own House which was about five or six Miles and was no more concern'd in the Affair than that after the Duke's Defeat at Kings-Sedge-Moore some busie person informeth and requireth a Warrant from a Justice of Peace for the said Mr. Bragg who obliged himself to enter into a Recognizance to appear at the next Assizes the said Justice accounting the matter in it self but trivial and indeed all Men did judge him out of danger At Dorchester he appeared in Court to discharge his Bail on which he was presently Committed and the next day being Arraigned pleading Not guilty put himself on the Trial of God and his Country which found him and 28 more of 30 Guilty the Lord Chief Justice often saying If any Lawyer or Pâ—rson came under his Inspection they should not escape the Evidence against him was the Roman Catholick whose House was search'd and a woman of ill Fame to whom the Lord Chief Justice was wonderfully kind but his Evidence which were more than Twenty to prove his Innocence signifyed nothing the Jury being well instructed by my Lord Chief Justice Being thus found Guilty Sentence was presently pronounced and Execution awarded notwithstanding all the Interest that was made for him as before recited Thus being Condemned on Saturday and ordered to be Executed on Monday he spent the Residue of his little time very devoutly and much becoming a good Christian and a true Protestant of the Church of England all which availed nothing with this Protestant Judge he was frequently visited by a worthy Divine of the Church of England who spent much time with him and received great satisfaction from him The said Divine told me That his Deportment Behaviour and Converse was so much like an extraordinary Christian that he could not in the least doubt but this violent passage would put him into the fruition of happiness He wisht and desired a little longer time out of no other design but throughly to repent him of his Sins and make himself more sensible of and fit for to receive the Inheritance that is prepared for those that continue in well-doing to the end When he came to the place of Execution with great Courage and Resolution being as he said prepared for Death He behaved himself very gravely and devoutly Being asked when he was on the Ladder Whether he was not sorry for his being concerned in the Rebellion He replyed That he knew of none that he was Guilty of and prayed them not to trouble him adding He was not the first that was martyr'd he was so much a Christian as to forgive his Enemies And after some private Devotions he suddenly was Translated as we have all hopes to believe from Earth to Heaven The only Favour of this Protestant Judge was to give his Body to his Friends in order to its Interment amongst his Ancestors The Behaviour of Mr. Smith Constable of Chardstock ANother eminent Person that suffered with him at the same time and place was one Mr. Smith who was Constable of Chardstock who having some Monies in his hands that belonged to the Militia which came to the knowledge of some of the Dukes Friends they obliged him to deliver it to them which he was forced to deliver and for this was Indicted for High Tâ—eason in assisting the Duke of Monmouth To which he pleaded Not Guilty The Evidence against him were the same with those that had been against Mr. Bragg The said Mr. Smith informed the Court and the Jury what little Credit ought to be given to the Evidence The Lord Chief Justice thundred at him saying Thou Villain methinks I see thee already with a Halter about thy Neck thou impudent Rebel to challenge these Evidences that are for the King To which the Prisoner reply'd very boldly My Lord I now see which way I am going and right or wrong I must die but this I comfort my self with That your Lordship can only destroy my Body it is out of your Power to touch my Soul God forgive your rashness pray my Lord know it is not a small matter you are about the Blood of man is more precious than the whole World And then was stopped from saying any more The Evidences being heard a strict Charge was given the Jury about him To be short the Jury brought him in Guilty so that he with the rest received the Sentence of Death all together and were Executed on Monday but by particular order from my Lord he was ordered to be first Executed The day being come for Execution being Monday he with a Courage undaunted was brought to the Place where with Christian Exhortations to his Brethren that suffered with him he was ordered to prepare being the first to be executed where he spake as followeth Christian Friends I am now as you see lanching into Eternity so that it may be expected I should speak something before I leave this miserable World and pass through those Sufferings which are dreadful to Flesh and Blood which indeed shall be but little because I long to be before a just judge where I must give an account not only for the occasion of my Sufferings now but for Sins long unrepented of which indeed hath brought me to this dismal place and shameful Death And truly dear Country-men having ransacked my Soul I cannot find my small concern with the Duke of Monmouth doth deserve this heavy Judgment on me but I know as I said before it is for Sins long unrepented of I die in Charity with all men I desire all of you to bear me witness I die a true Professor of the Church of England beseeching the Lord still to stand up in the defence of it God forgive my passionate Judges and cruel and hasty Jury God forgive them they know not what they have done God bless the King and though his Judges had no mercy on me I wish he may find Mercy when he standeth most in need of it Make him O Lord a nursing Father to the Church let Mercy flow abundantly from him if it be thy will
to submit to thy Will patiently Pardon all our sins remove them out of thy presence as far as the East is from the West and accept of us in the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ thou who art the Searcher of Hearts and Tryâ—r of Reins let there not at the moment of Death be the least spark of sin indwelling in us nor the strivings of Flesh and Blood that may hinder us from a joyful passage unto thee Give us patience also under these Sufferings and a deliverance to all others from undergoing them and in thy good time work a deliverance for poor England let thy Gospel yet flourish among them hasten the downfall of Antichrist we trust the time is come Prevent O Lord this effusion of Christiaâ— Blood and if it be thy will let this be the last Lord bless this Town let them from the highest to the lowest set the fear of God before their Eyes Bless all sorts and conditions of Men in all Ranks and Qualities pardon all their sins give them all true Repentance and the Grace of thy Holy Spirit fit and prepare us for the chearful fulfilling of thy Holy Will let the Comforter be still with us be merciful to all our Friends and Relations and Acquaintance forgive our Enemies accept of our thankfulness for all the Mercies and Favours afforded us and hear and graciously answer us in these our Requests and what else thou knowest needful and expedient for us and all for our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ his sake who died for us that we might Reign with him for ever and ever to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit of grace be ascribed as is most due all honour glory and praise both now and for ever After having ended his Prayer he took occasion to speak to his suffering Brethren taking a solemn leave of them encouraging them to hold out to the end and not to waver observing that this being a glorious Sun-shining day I doubt not though our Breakfast be sharp and bitter it will prepare us and make us meet for a comfortable Supper with our God and Saviour where all sin and sorrow shall be wiped away so embracing each of 'em and kissing of them told the Sheriff You see I am imperfect only one Arm I shall want assistance to help me upon this Tragical Stage which was presently done and Execution suddenly followed Now follows the Execution of Mr. Sam. Larke MR. Sampson Larke who was a very eminent pious man and had lived in that Town but little bâ—fore many years he was there well acquainted and all People that knew him had a value for him behaving himself with that Humility and Circumspection as no body could have any other occasion but to value him He design'd to have spoken somewhat on a portion of Scâ—ipture and was beginning having mentioned the place he intended to speak upon but was interrupted and told the work of the day being great they should want time So then he stopt and reply'd He could make application where he should not meet with interruption And so apply'd himself to Prayer which he performed with great Devotion and Zeal for a quarter of an hour to the great satisfaction of the Auditors and so taking leave of his suffering Brethren he mounted the Stage which was to be the last Act he made in this World being on the Ladder he saw some of his Friends and Neighbours weeping and mourning for him to whom he spake Pray weep not for me I am going to a place of Bliss and Happiness wherefore pray repair to your Houses and ' ere you get thither I doubt not but I shall be happy with my God and Saviour where all tears shall be wiped away and nothing shall remain but Hallelujahs to all Eternity There was also Mr. William Hewling of London a young Gentleman under Twenty who came over with the Duke of M. he seemed to be in a calm and composed frame of Spirit and with a great deal of Courage and Seriousness he behaved himself There is already something said of his Converse and Discourse which amongst others is printed therefore we shall say noâ—hing more of him but that in all manner of appearance he di'd a good Christian a true Protestant and doubtless now enjoys the benefit of it There were several worthy men more there executed viz. Mr. Christ. Baâ—tiscomb Dr. Temple Capt. Madders Capt. Marthews Captain Kid c. in all Twelve who all of them died with that Courage and Resolution as became Christians and such who eminently had adventured their Lives and Fortunes in defence of what was most dear to them and namely our Religion which though God did not think fit to desend and secure it yet in his wisdom we hope it will be in some measure secured by other Instruments the Glory of the same being only due to him So that now leaving this Place we proceed to other parts of the Country where with the like Butchery were only five executed amongst whom was one Mr. Taylor of Bristol who had Command in the Dukes Army where he behaved himself very stoutly to the last after the Army was dispersed he among others was taken received Sentence of Death at Dorchester and here brought for the completion of the same and from thence we hope was translated to Heaven He spent his time between the Sentence and Execution very devoutly in confirming and strengthning those that were to be his Fellow-Sufferers And made it his business to bring them to a willingness to submit to and a preparedness for Death The day being come and he brought to the place of Execution he thus spoke My Friends You see I am now on the Brink of Eternity and in a few Minutes shall be but Clay You expect I should say something as is usual in such Cases as to the matter of Fact I die for it doth not much trouble me knowing to my self the ends for which I engaged with the Duke of M. were both good and honourable Here being stopp'd and not suffer'd to proceed further he then comforted his Fellow-sufferers desiring them to joyn with him in singing an Hymn which he himself composed for the occasion as followeth A HYMN made by Mr. Joseph Tyler a little before his Execution 1. O Lord how Glorious is thy Grace And wondrous large thy Love At such a dreadful time and place To such as Faithful prove 2. If thou wilt have thy Glory hence Though a shameful Deaâ—h we die We bless thee for this Providence To all Eternity 3. Let these Spectators see thy Grace In thy poor Servants shine While we by Faith behold thy Face In that bless'd Son of thine 4. Though Men our Bodies may abuse Christ took our Souls to rest Till he brings forth the joyful news Ye are my Fathers blest 5. Appear for those that plead thy Cause Preserve them in the way Who own King Jesus and his Laws And dare not but obey 6. O God confound our
cruel Foes Let Babylon come down Let England's King be one of them Shall raze her to the ground 7. Through Christ we yield our Souls to thee Accept us on his Score That where he is there we may be To praise thee ever more After the Hymn sung he prayed devoutly for half an hour after Prayer he gave great satisfaction to all present of his Assurance of Heaven had many weeping Eyes for him and was much lamented in the Town tho' a stranger to the place so unbuttoning himself said to the Executioner I fear not what Man can do unto me I pray thee do thy work in mercy for I forgive thee with all my heart and I also pray to God to forgive thee don 't mangle my Body too much and so lifting up his hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office There was also one William Cox that died with him who also died very couragiously despising the shame in hopes and expectation of a future better Estate He and his two Sons were some of the first that came to the Duke of Monmouth anâ— all taken and all condemned together The Father only suffered the Sons by Providence were preserved When he was going to Execution he desired leave to see his Sons then in another Prison in the Town to whom he gave his Blessing and though he was going to be Executed yet had that satisfaction to hope that God would preserve them which was so Some further Passages relating to Mr. Sampson Larke with his Prayer at the same time and Place when Executed IMmeâ—iately after Colonel Holmes was Executed this gâ—od Man was ordered to prepare to follow accordingly going to dâ—liver some few words to the People some whereof were formerly of his Congregation but being told he could not expecâ— much time because it was so late and so many to be Executed afteâ— him so he suddenly concluded and said I will now speak a few Words to him whicâ— I am sure will hear me And so began his Prayeâ— as followeth Blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Creaturâ— now here before thee cannot but acknowledge from thâ— bottom of our hearts our own unworthiness we muâ—â— confess we have been grievous sinners and have brougâ—â— forth the evil Fruit of it in our Lives to the greâ—â— dishonour of thy Name for which we have deserved thy heavy wrath and indignation to be poured forth upon us not only in this life but in that which is to come O let us bless God for our Sufferings and Afflictions as for our Mercies we bless thee in particular for this O sanctifie it to us let us be effectually convinced of the vanity of the World and of our own sinfulness by Nature and Practice and to see that to be sin which we never saw before O Lord make us sensible of the absolute necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie us and let him be now made much more dear and precious to our Souls than ever that so we may be wrought into a more heavenly Frame and raised to a higher degree of Spirituality and so made more meek and humble and let us judge charitably of others that differ from us in Opinion and Judgment And now O Lord though by thy most righteous Judgment we most justly deserve these Sufferings and such an ignominious Death for our Sins against thee not for Treasons against the Kingdom let us be in a preparedness for it Pardon all our Sins help us quietly to submit to thy holy Will speak peace to all our Souls Look in mercy O Lord on this poor Nation especially on this Town and every particular Person in it let them all mind those things which concern their peace before they are hid from their eyes Comfort my dear and distressed Wife be a Husband unto her deliver her out of the Paw of the Lyon and the Paws of the Bear Look upon all thy poor afflicted ones all Prisoners and Captives work deliverance for them if thou seest it good but thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And now Lord with humble meekness and submission I submit to thy Will depending upon on the Merits of my Saviour to whom with thy blessed Self and Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Praise both now and for ever Amen Then mounting the Ladder he called to some of the Town who weeped for him but were at some distance Go home to your own Houses pray do not weep for me and before you get up yonder Hill I shall be with my heavenly Father in fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so advising those before him to leave off those cruel Sentiments they had taken of him besides some heavenly Discourses with some of his Friends he was turned off to the great grief of the good People of the Town especially those of his own Congregation To give him nothing but his due he was a man mighty charitable relieving and visiting the poor and needy Preached in season and out of season and made it his business to go about doing good and to put poor Souls in a way for Eternal Life he was an old Christian as well as aged in years he was a general loss especially to his dear and tender Wife But all our losses are nothing to be compared to that Glory that he now enjoys Mr. Sampson Larke's Letter to a Friend just before his Execution MY dear Friend I am ready to be offered and the time of my Departure is at hand I have through Grace fought a good fight have finished my course have kept the Faith and am in hopes of the Crown of Righteousness prepared for me and all God's faithful Ones The experiences I have had of the Promises hath given me comfortable hopes that he will carry me to the full end of my Journey with his Name and that Truth of his which I have made Profession of My great Crime is for my being a Preachâ—r of the Gospel and here I am to be made a Sacrifice where I have mostly preached Christ 's Gospel I think my Judges have devised this punishment for my hurt but I trust God will turn it to my good the great trouble I have is for those good Hearts that I must leave behind me But this is my comfort knowing that all such as fear God he will be a Father to them My dear Wife is greatly troubled but through Mercy much supported and something quieted if any of you have opportunity to give her help I hope you will do it As for our confessing our selves Guilty it was expresly as to matter of Fact and not of Form and this I did with some freedom and the rather because all my worthy Brethren that went before me took that way and the many ways having been used to have a further Discovery yet nothing of that kind by any but only by Captain Jones Since our Sentence some wretched men have been with us to draw from us a Confession of our
not only of Commission but of Omission also Hereby I have been brought to a more thorough deep inward sense and feeling of the absolute necessity of the righteousness of Christ to justifie me and he hath been made much more dear and precious to my Soul than ever he was before Hereby my Soul hath been more refin'd from the Drofs of sensuality wrought into a more Heavenly Frame raised up to a higher pitch of Spirituality hereby I am made more meek and humble and so judge more charitably of others that differ from me in Opinion and Judgment so though by Gods most righteous Judgment I have been apprehended and most justly and deservedly undergo this Suffering for my Sins yet I hope they have wrought for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory fitting and preparing me making me a better qualified Subject for and far more meet to be a Partaker of the same â—y the Grace and Strength of God I will not purchase my Life by the Death and Blood of my Protestant Brethren but choose to die rather than be a Betrayer of them the impetuous and violent assault of this I dreaded more than Death it self Blessed be God I was not exposed unto it and conquered by it as some have been having such full boâ—ily vigour and strength being in such perfect Heâ—lth notwithstanâ—ing my Age predominating in me it hath made it more difficult to die than if I had been clogged and incumber'd with infirmities made to bow and stoop under them by pâ—evailing Diseases and Distempers gradually worn out therewith which many times makes men weary of Life and to desire to die and this in Conjunction with many things which I forbâ—ar to mention highly gratifying and pleasing to sense which I must leave for ever strengthens and heightens the Difficulty and begets a gâ—eater Regret and Reluctancy in my Will to have the Earthly Tabernacle of my Body dissolved and my Soul to dislodge and quit the same But now when the black and gloomy Shades of Death do overspread me I can say to the glory of Gods most Free and Powerful Grace True Faith in some measure hath changed the difficulty into a Facility and easiness of dying It hath very much subdued the reluctancy of my Will against it for it makes Future things present and invisible things visible and doth realize and substantiate the same to me and as by it I penetrate and pierce into Eternity and behold invisible and immortal things so hereby blessed be God I have obtained a greater Victory over Sense The World is crucified to me and I to the World and all the most pleasant and delightful Objects therein all finite faâ—â—ing Creatures Comforts and Enjoyments are become minute and small despicable and contemptible to me in comparison thereof being infinitely câ—ntained and comprehended therein Shall my Soul clasp and cling about these mortal and perishing things Shall it cleave and be glued to them Shall it be confin'd and captivated into what is kept in the narrow bounâ—s of Time and in this lower World shall it earnâ—stly desire and thirst for muddy Streams yea Rivers of Flesh-pleasing good when by an Eye of Faith I can look into the Indeficient Inexhaustible purest Fountain the Immense Immensurate Ocean of Divine Good hoping to drink thereof to swim and bathe my Soul therein for ever and ever And when I consider how long my Ears have been bound up and tyed to their innumerable and horrid Oaths and cursed Blasphemies and mine eyes to see the Profanation of the Day of God and when I beheld such an overflowing Flood of most prodigious Impiety such an inundation of most monstrous Iniquity and so much Hell upon Earth and that there is so much decay of holy Zeal and true Piety and Christian Religion among the Professors of it such seeming incurable Breaches and Divisions such expiring Love and Charity and parting 's among 'em it hath powerful influence on my Soul to reconcile it more to Death and makes it electively and from choice to leave this present World and to take up my abode in that which is unseen and future where there shall be nothing but perfect love and holiness a sinless state and serving God with all unweariedness and perfection with the highest complacency and delight that immortal Souls can be capable of there is perfect peace and concord the innumerable Company of Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect all fastned together with indissolvible and uninterrupted Chains of most pure Love and all continually wrapt up in and transported with the highest Admiration of God's Love his infinite and incomprehensible excellencies and perfections singing Halelujahs to him without ceasing and triumphing in his praise for ever and ever The Consideration also that I know so little of these sublime profound and Divine Mysteries of the most glorious Mystery of Salvation by Jesus Christ that I am so uncapable to fathom the depth of the Providences of God whose ways are in the Sea and whose paths are in the deep Waters and whose footsteps are not known and particulaâ—ly in the late stupendous and amazing one and that I am so ignorant of the Nature of Angels and Spirits with their Offices and Operations and of their high and glorious exâ—ellencies and that I am so little acquainted with the Nature of my own Soul as at present dwelling in and united to my Body and as disunited and separated from it how without Corporeal Organs it shall most vivaciously and vigorously peâ—form all its proper Functions and Offices and more than ever strongly and indefatigably serve the Lord Jesus most fervently and abundantly love him and delight in him every way much more obtain the supream and highest end of its Creation and Being and this makes me much more willing to die that I may have the knowledg thereof with innumerahle other things that I am now either ignorant of or do but imperfectly know and so be made happy by a plenitude of fulness of injoying intellectual Pleasures which are of all other most suitable sweet and satisfactory to immortal Souls And also I see that he that departs from iniquity makes himself a Prey and so many plunging themselves into the ways of Iniquity lest they should be accounted odious and vile which makes them so much degenerate not only from Christianity but from Humanity it self as if they were scarce the Excrement of either contemning even that most Noble Generous Heroick Spirit that dwelt in many Heathens who accounted it most honourable and glorious to contend for their Rights and Liberties yea to suffer Death and the worst of Deaths in Defence of the same and judge them accursed and most execrable in the World that do so and not only so but for their own profit and advantage have many of them inslaved their Posterity by it and are most industrious and laborious most fierce and furious to destroy them whereby they are become as unnatural as Children
King's Mercy from being extended tâ— me as I am told but the Will of the Lord be done the Life to come is infinitely better than this Many more things are laid to my Charge which I am no more guitly of than your self If your Vncle be in Town go speedily to him and give him my dear Love I pray for you who am Your most Affectionate Uncle J. H. Octob. 5. 1685. A Letter to his Wife Sept. 23. 1685. My Dearest Love I Hope you received a few Lines from me by the way of London once more I write to you by your faithful and trusty Friend W. D. who hath been at Exon. If there be need for it he knows many of my dear and faithful Friends there who wish you would come and live among them and if your Estate fail I think iâ— very advisable so to do I hope God will stand by you and defend you My dear seâ— me in God as I must you I must now bid adieu to all Earthly and Worldly Comforts and all the pleasant and delightful Objects of Sense I bless God for all present Mercies and Comforts hitherto I have had what will be after this day I know not but the Will of the Lord be done My Dear Be very cautious not to speak one Word lest it be wrested to a wrong Sense which may ruinâ— you I have not writ what I would of this Nature take the Advice of Friends and of what I send by our Friend O let not the Everlasting Arms of God be with-drawn from you one Moment and let him strengthen you with all Might according to his glorious Power and to all Patience and Long-suffering with Joyfulness Pray hard for Victory over Passion and be much in private Closet Prayer with God and often read the Holy Bible and other good Books the Lord continually guide direct and counsel you My Dear I return you a thousand thanks for all the Love you have shew'd me and my Children and particularly for the high and great Demoâ—stration you have given hereof in this day of my distress I hope my Daughters will be as dutiful to you and be as much concerned for your comfort and welfare as if you had travelled with them and brought them into the world God bless my dear little Ones and them together I shall die their most affectionate and praying Father God I hope will uphold support and comfort me at the last hour and enable me to overcome the Temptations I shall violently be assaulted with before I die God by his infinite and freest Mercies in Jesus Christ pardon all the neglect of Relative Duties which I have bitterly lamented and bewail'd before God with all the Sins I am guilty of for the sake of our dearest Lord and Redeemer The Lord make you grow in all Gracâ— more than ever and make this great Affliction so humbly purifying and spiritualizing to you as wâ—ll as me that it may work for us both a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Let him take your Soul into his most dearest Embraces and lodge it in the bosom of his Love here and make us to meet in the full and everlasting Fruition and Enjoyment of him hereafter Though it be daâ—gerous for you to vindicate that I die for yet be not too much cast down for it I will say no more as to that My hearty and affectionate Respects to all my dear Friends I need not name them I hope to meet them with your self to inherit Eternal Life through the Merits of Christ's Death Farewel my Dear farewel in the Lord until we meet to be married to him for ever My heart is as full of Love to thee as it was the first day I married thee and if God spar'd my Life it should have been as fully manifested until death Therefore I rest Your most Affectionate and Endeared Husband J. H. Sept. 23. 1685. Another Letter My Dearest Love I Received your Letter by Mr. Skinner I bless God that you and my Babes are well the Lord continue their Lives to be a Blessing and Comfort to you and enable you to see them well Educated in the fear of God and when God takes me away let him be a Husband to guide direct succour comfort and support you and to lodge your Soul in the Bosom of his Love and let him be a Father to them and their Portion for ever Monday last my Brother went to London to try what could be done for me what the success will be I know not I desire the Lord every day to prepare me for Death and carry me above the Fear of it by the discoveries of his everlasting Love unto my Soul and clearing up my Right and Title to everlasting Life and by Sealing up to me the Pardon of all my Sins through the most precious Blood of Jesus Chrâ—st Let uâ— pray hard and much for each othâ—r When I leave this world it shall be with Prayer foâ—â—hee if God give me life how shall I study to be a comfort to thee and to live up to my Marriage as well as Baptismal â—ovenant to all my Friends Tendâ—r my affectionate Respects I hope their Prayers will one way or other be heard for me let the Almighty be your Proâ—â—ctor Supporter and Comforter There be two Books I do recommend to you to read when you are retir'd as well as in your Family Pierce's Preparation for Death and Fox's Redâ—mption of Time Now let our Soulâ— meet together in one most Blessed God in our dearest Jesus and sweetest Saviour let them clasp and cling about him and be sick for the love of hâ—m and that we may meet to enjoy him fully to Etâ—rnity and be satisfied with his Love for ever A thousand Loves if I had them I would send to thee next to my dearest Lord Jesus and the things that are heavenly spiritual and immortal I love thee what I can spare for thee is convey'd to thee and my dear Children from Thy most Affectionate and Faithful Husband and their most loving Father J. H. Another Letter My most dear Love I Hope you have received my last once more as a dead aâ—d living Man through difficulty I write to you though I yet do not know when or where I shall die but expect Death every day when that Message is brought to me I hope through the Grace and Strengâ—h of Christ it will be no surprize to me that neither my Lips Flesh nor Heart will tremble when I hear it I know the cause for which I suffer God hath and has singled me out from many of my Brethren which I never have been without some apprehensions of for above these twenty years to lay down my Life how far it is for his Cause will be judged at the last day I bless God who hath kept me from all Temptations to Conformity though it has brought me to ruine and destruction in this world it will be no fit Season for you to Vindicate
a Malefactor he is said to have wish'd He had never learn'd to write Jeffreys on the other side then only seem'd in his Element when in the midst of Destruction and Murther For his Religion What a sort of one 't was his Life past sufficiently tells us tho he and his good Brother Commissioner the Balswagger of Chester maliciously persuade thâ— world that they were of the Church of England that after they cou'd do it no more mischief with their Liveâ— they might disgrace it by their Deaths pretending both to die in that Communion But 't is mean to follow 'em any further unless with a wish somewhat like that handsom one History leaves us That all K. William and Q. Mary's Enemies were as honourable bury'd Or in the inspired words of a great Person So O Lord let all thine Enemies perish A Letter to the Lord Chancellor exposing to him the Sentiments of the People with some pertinent Advice in the conclusion My Lord I 'De praise your Lordship but you 've had your share Of that before if not too much by far And now a nobler Field for curses are Yet I 'll not curse but leave you to the crowd Who never baulk their Rage but speak aloud In all the Labrynth's of your crimes they 'll track ye Worse than ten thousand Furies they 'll attack ye We talk not here of Penal Laws or Test Nor how you King of Terrours in the West With more than human Cruelty opprest Those whose Shades now stab through your Anxious Breast To these I leave you each with brandish'd Dart Throughly revenge his Quarrel at your Heart For me I 'll only let your Lordship see How they resent your chang'd Felicity Now may you hear the People as they scoure Along not fear to Damn the Chancellor The Women too and all the tender Crew That us'd to pity all now laugh at you The very Boys how do they grin and prate And giggle at the Bills upon your Gate Nay rather than be frustrate of their hope The Women will contribute for a Rope And those fine Locks that no bless'd Spark might touch On this account Ketch may they love my Lord so much Oh for Dispensing now ah now 's the time Your Eloquâ—nce will hardly blanch the crime And all the turnings of your Proteus-wit With all your little tricks won't help a bit Ev'n that fine Tongue in which your Lordships trust is Now won't altho sometimes it baffled Justice No Ignoramus Juries shall perplex ye But with their Billa vera's now they 'll vex ye From their dire claws no hiding hole you 'll find They speak their own now not a Parties mind Not now as heretofore when on the Bench Flattery and daubing had such Influence And Jeffreys for a Gift would with the Laws dispence But granting all our Laws be out of joint Why yet they do not fear to gain the point A High commission may the Cause decide Your Lordship by a Butcher may be try'd When by commission he is dignify'd His Power you must not doubt if he be satisfy'd This 't is they mean 't is this they wou'd have done But I wou'd chouse 'em ' ery Mothers Son Troth I 'de ' en hang my self ' en quickly done If you 've no Halter never make a pother Take but a Greater one's as good as to'ther For Lord should such a Man as you submit To be the publick Laughter of each grinning Cit Else my Lord take a Razor never fear And cut your Lordships Throat from Ear to Ear. 'T is feasible enough you know who did it Cut both the Jug'lar Veins thro' if you can Else you 'll say Essex was the stouter man I am your Lordships in any thing of this Nature From the little House over against Tyburn where the People are almost dead with expectation of you Jeffreys ELEGY I Very well remember on a Night Or rather in the peep of Morning Light When sweet Aurora with a smiling Eye Call'd up the Birds to wonted Melody Dull Morpheus with his weight upon me leant Half waking and yet sleeping thus I Dreamt Methoughts I saw a Lawyer at his Book Studying Pecunia but never Cooke He scorned Littleton and Plowden too With Mouldy Authors he 'd have nought to do Next Stage I saw him on was Hicks's Hall And heard him mightily to roar and bawl Never did City cryer louder yaul The People star'd at such a noise uncouth Who is 't cries one why 't is the cities Mouth Then straight I saw him plac'd the more 's the pity To be the Speaking Trumpet of the City Knight and Recorder he was made together This Man thought I will live in any Weather Money came in he then grew mighty rich And to climb higher had a deadly Itch. Then presently a Popish Priest came to him That Square Cap Curr thought I will sure undo him Wilt thou now be prefer'd come hither come And be but reconciled unto Rome And for Advancement thou maist rest upon her None of her Sons e're wanted Wealth or Honour Do but declare against the Whiggs and say Thou hates the Ill-contriv'd Fanatick way With that methoughts I saw him tack about And straight he Courted the Curs'd Romish rout Esteem'd it happiness enough to go And kiss his Holinesses stinking Toe Next place I saw him in was Justice Chair Who fled away because she saw him there He with Commission rid the Land about But still he aim'd to keep fair Justice out With angry Look he Brow-beat Rightful Cause And his bold hand did Sacrifice the Laws Tore 'um or Trampled on 'um with his Paws Poor Justice being frighted fled from Earth To Heaven whence she did derive her Birth To the Eternal Justice she did go And made report what Monsters sate below Inquisitor like Spain in England sate And at their pleasure steer'd the Helm of Fate He rid the Western Circuit all around But where he came no justice to be found He improv'd his Talents Martyrs to Condemn Hang draw and Quaâ—ter was his daily Theam He bid 'um to Confess if e're they hope To be Reprieved from the fatal Rope This seem'd a favour but he 'd none forgive The favour was a day or two to live Which those had not that troubled him with Tryal His Business Blood and would have no denyal His Entrails Brass his very Heart was steel Poor Souls he made his Judges Courage feel How valiant to Condemn when in his Power Two hundred he could sentence in an Hour Guilty or not to him was all a case On Martyrs Bodies did his honour raise And to destroy by Retail thought it base The Blood of Protestants for vengeance cry And will I fear to all Eternity Altho' kind Death hath made him scape mans Doom And quietly hath hurl'd him in his Tomb. Then next methought I saw him placed higher O whither will this Canibal aspire The Purse the Mace and all the Honour that Belongeth to Lord Chancellour of State Made