be Loyal I hope my God hath forgiven that when it is upon harmless employment not invading any according to his just Masters Order for indeed I have been alwayes bred up in that Religion my Allegiance hath been incorporated into my Religion and I have thought it a great part of the service due from me to Almighty God to serve the King putting off his hat I need not make any Apology for any thing in relation to the present things in England for were I as I spake before my Judges were I as evil as my Sentence hath here made me black it were impossible for me to have prejudiced any body in England or to England belonging in that imployment but I blesse God for his infinite mercy in Jesus Christ putting off his hat who hath brought me home to him here in this way it was the best Physick for the curing of my Soul and those that have done it have no more power in then that of my body I leave nothing behind me but that I am willing to part withall all that I am going to is desirable And that you may all know that Almighty God hath totally wrought in me a totall Deniall of my self and that there is that perfect Reformation of me within and of my own corruptions by the blessed Assistance of his holy Spirit I desire Almighty God in the abundance of the bowels of his mercy in Jesus Christ not onely to forgive every Enemy if any such be in the world here or wheresoever but to bring him into his bosom so much good and particular comfort as he may at any time whether the Cause were just or unjust have wished me any manner of evill for I take him to be the happy instrument of bringing me to heaven It is tedious but I have an inward comfort I bless Almighty God pray Gentlemen give me leave speaktng to some that prest upon him I should never do it but to give satisfaction to all charitable Hearts I have been troublesome Sheriff You have your liberty to speak more if you please Sir Henry Hide But as to that part Mr. Sheriff that did concern the Deniall as it was affirmed by Master Attorney Generall of my Masters imployment Truly landing at Whitehall I told that Council there was just Commissions to an old Officer by the blessing of God I have be me and I have other good things that God hath blessed me withall more then all the good Christians in the world that are not the Grand Seignior's Slaves and we that are Merchants abroad we allow our selves any sufferance that may induce to our own safety inlargement of Trade or preservation of what is ours Why I had by the grace of my gracious Master a confirmation of my old Commission of Consulage in Greece but as to the Embassie no more then my Credentiall Letters did speak nor no more then that I attempted an Internuncio they call it in those places which is a Messenger between the one and the other King They both unhappily died of severall deaths and both violent too And it is a custom not unknown to you Master Sheriff and other Gentlemen that practice in the world that Princes of course for the continuation of amity do send Messengers where there is peace that the transaction of those publick expressions of reciprocall Affections may be performed but for Embassie God forbid I should own it I never had it however they have used it as the happy means to bring me to God this day I beseech God in the bowels of my Saviour to forgive those people that have done it I owe them no harm so God pay them home with all the good of this and an everlasting life As for Power I have been long absent here in England I meddle with none Sufficient to me in Gods grace to the salvation of my soul I have been alwayes fearfull of offending Almighty God according to the grace he hath given me but to learn new Religion and new Ways that I must say Master Sheriff to you and all others that hear me I cannot dispence with my Conscience to give offence to Almighty God I am now if it may be with your Commission Master Sheriff to pour out my soul to Almighty God in two or three words the place is straitned If I knew wherein to give any satisfaction to any thing whatsoever wherein I have offended or no I am here in the fear of God to do it I forgive them with all my soul and my forgiveness is clear as I am now going to receive Happiness at the hand of my Saviour But if I thought it were satisfaction to Sir Thomas Bendish and all the Company or any who think they have offended me I am come Master Sheriff to pay that Obedience Willingly that Debt I owe to Nature to pay it upon the score of a Subject because Conscience within me tells me not that for the intentions of serving my Prince that I could deserve such a Death though ten thousand times more other ways Doctor Hide There was some suspition that you might impart the way you were upon to some of those Servants that were with you Sir Henry Hide I humbly thank you for remembring me of it and if any be here of the Turky Company this day or any Friend of theirs I shall desire them from a dying Man to take this truth That neither my Brother my innocent Brother that this is with me nor other Gentlemen with me in my company have contributed any thing to their disturbance it was my own business whatsoever hath been done that hath been to evil or loss though I deny both of them in my Intentions I come not here to accuse any man nor excuse my self but I praise God for all his deliverances yet I know I shall do God a great deal of Service and them a great deal of justice in not involving any of my company in any thing of mischief I cannot answer Objections I find a man may be in Turky or in any place all the World over where they will give that Language which they hold sitting but this is beneath me Blessed be Almighty God that hath called me to the Knowledge of him and this ready Obedience which I pray and mercifull accepting of my Saviour and patient Death And I beseech you all whatsoever you are that you will accompany me with your Prayers whereby my Soul may be assisted within me in that passage to my Saviour whither I am going I am weak of body I have discontinued long from the Kingdom I am unacquainted with new Forms I have desired to serve God according to his Commandments after the Old way I have begged mercy of God for all my offences to him and have had my pardon sealed from Heaven by the Bloud of my Saviour I beg pardon of all whosoever whether I have offended them or no I truly forgive them and have besought Almighty God to poure his
to make a question of it I should shame my self and my discretion In the strictnesse of that Law something is done by me that is applicable to some clause therein by which I stand condemnable the means whereby I was brought under that interpretation of that which was not in my self intended maliciously being testimony given by persons whom I pity so false yet so positive that I cannot condemn my Judges for passing sentence against me according to legall Justice for equity lieth in higher breasts As for my accusers or rather betrayers I pity and am sorry for them they have committed Judas his crime but I wish and pray for them Peters tears that by Peters repentance they may escape Judas his punishment and I wish other people so happy they may be taken up betimes before they have drunk up more bloud of Christian men possibly less deserving then my self It is true there have been severall addresses made for mercy and I will put the obstruction of it upon nothing more then upon my own sin and seeing God sees it sit having not glorified him in my life I might do it in my death which I am contented to do I profess in the face of God particular malice to any one of State or Parliament to do them a bodily injury I had none For the cause in which I had long waded I must needs say my engagement or continuance in it hath laid no scruple upon my Conscience it was on principles of Law the knowledge whereof I professe and on principles of Religion my Judgment satisfied and Conscience rectified that I have pursued those ways which I bless God I find no blackness upon my Conscience nor have I put it into the bed-roll of my sins I will not presume to decide controversies I desire God to honour himself in prospering that side that hath right with it and that you may enjoy peace and plenty when I shall enjoy peace and plenty beyond all you possess here in my conversation in the world I do not know where I have an enemy with cause or that there is such a person whom I have to regret but if there be any whom I cannot recollect under the notion of Christian men I pardon them as freely as if I had named them by name I freely forgive them being in free peace with all the world as I desire God for Christs sake to be at peace with me For the business of death it is a sad sentence in it self if men consult with flesh and blood But truly without boasting I say it or if I doe boast I boast in the Lord I have not to this minute had one consultation with the flesh about the blow of the Axe or one thought of the Axe more then as my passe-port to glory I take it for an honour and I owe thankfulness to those under whose power I am that they have sent me hither to a place however of punishment yet of some honour to die a death somewhat worthy of my bloud answerable to my birth and qualification and this courtesie of theirs hath much helped toward the pacification of my mind I shall desire God that those Gentlemen in that fad beadrol to be tried by the H. Court of Justice that they may find that really there that is nominall in the Act an H. Court of Justice a Court of high Justice high in its righteousness though not in its severity Father forgive them and forgive me as I forgive them I desire you now that you would pray for me and not give over praying till the hour of death not till the moment of death for the hour is come already that as I have a great load of sins so I may have the wings of your prayers to help those Angels that are to convey my soul to Heaven and I doubt not but I shall see my Saviour my gallant Master the King of England and another Mr. whom I much honoured my Lord Capel hopeing this day to see my Christ in the presence of the Father the King in the presence of him my Lord Capel in the presence of them all and my self there to rejoyce with all other Saints and Angels for evermore D. Swadling he being upon the Scaffold spake as followeth unto the Colonel You have this morning in the presence of a few given some accompt of your Religion and under general notions or words have given an accompt of your faith charity and repentance To those on the Scaffold If you please to hear the same questions asked here you shall that it may be a generall testimony to you all that he died in the favour of God To the Colonel Now Sir I being to deal with you do you acknowledge that this stroke that you are to suffer is a just punishment laid upon you by God for your former sins Col. Andrews I dare not only not deny it but dare not but confess it I have no opportunity of glorifying God more then by taking shame to my self and I have a reason of the justice of God in my own bosome which I have put to your bosome Doctor You acknowledg that you deserve more then this stroak of the Axe and that a farre greater misery is due to you even the pains and torments of Hell that the damned there endure Col. I know it is due in righteous Judgment but I know again I have a satisfaction made by my elder Brother Christ Jesus and then I say it is not due 't is due from me but quitted by his righteousness Doct. Do you believe to be saved by that Mediator and none others Col. By that and that only renouncing all secondary causes whatsoever Doct. Are you truly and unfainedly sorry before God as you appear to us for all those sins that have brought you hither Col. I am sorry and can never be sorrowful enough and am sorry I can be no more sorry Doct. If God should by a miracle not to put you to a vain hope but if God should as he did to Ezekiah renew your daies what life doe you resolve to lead hereafter Col. It is a question of great length and requires a great time to answer Men in such straits would promise great things but I would first call some freinds to limit how far I should make a Vow that I might not make a rash one and to offer the Sacrifice of fools but a Vow I would make and by Gods help endeavour to keep it Doct. Do you wish health and happiness upon all lawfull Authorities and government Col. I do prize all obedience to lawfull government and the adventuring against them is sinfull and I do not justifie my self what ever my judgment be for my thus venturing against the present Government I leave it to God to judge whether it be righteous if it be it must stand Doct. Are you now in love and charity with all men do you freely forgive them Col. With all the world freely and the
Gospel it bloweth where it listeth So now Treason is what they please and lighteth upon whom they will Indeed no man except he will be a Traitour can avoid this Censure of Treason I know not to what end it may come but I pray God my own and my Brothers bloud that is now to die with me may be the last upon this score Now Gentlemen you may see what a condition you are in without a King you have no Law to protect you no rule to walk by when you perform your duty to God your King and Country you displease the Arbitrary power now set up I cannot call it government I shall leave you peruse my Tryal and there you shall see what a condition this poor Nation is brought into and no question will be utterly destroyed if not restored by Loyal Subjects to its old and glorious Government I pray God he lay not his Judgements upon England for their sluggishnesse in doing their duty and readinesse to put their hands in their bosoms or rather taking part with the Enemy of Truth The Lord open their eyes that they may be no longer lead or drawn into such snares else the Child unborn will curse the day of their Parents birth God Almighty preserve my Lawful King Charles the second from the hands of his Enemies and break down that wall of Pride and Rebellion which so long hath kept him from his just Rights God preserve his Royal Mother and all his Majesties Royal Brethren and incline their hearts to seek after him God incline the hearts of all true English men to stand up as one Man to bring in the King and Redeem themselves and this poor Kingdom out of its more then Egyptian slavery As I have now put off these garments of cloth so I hope I have put off my garments of sin and have put on the Robes of Christs Righteousness here which will bring me to the enjoyment of his glorious Robes anon Then he kneeled down and kissed the block and said thus I commit my soul to God my Creator and Redeemer Look on me O Lord at my last gasping Hear my prayer and the prayers of all good people I thank thee O God for all thy dispensations to wards me Then kneeling down he prayed most devoutly as followeth O Eternall Almighty and most mercifull God the Righteous Judge of all the world look down in mercy on me a miserable sinner O blessed Jesus Redeemer of Mankind which takest away the sinnes of the world let thy perfect manner of obedience be presented to thy Heavenly Father for me Let thy precious death and bloud be the ransome and satisfaction of my many and haynous transgressions Thou that sittest at the right hand of God make intercession for me O holy and blessed Spirit which are the comforter fill my heart with thy consolations O holy blessed and glorious Trinity be mercifull to me confirm my faith in the promises of the Gospel revive and quicken my hope and expectation of joyes prepared for true and faithful servants Let the infinite Love of God my Saviour make my love to him stedfast sincere and constant O Lord consider my condition accept my tears asswage my grief give comfort and confidence in thee impute not unto me my former sinnes but most mercifull Father receive me into thy favour for the merits of Christ Jesus Many and grievous are my sins for I have sinned many times against the light of knowledg against remorse of conscience against the motions and opportunities of grace But accept I beseech thee the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart in and for the perfect sacrifice oblation and satisfaction of thy Son Jesus Christ O Lord receive my soul after it is delivered from the burthen of the flesh into perfect-joy in the sight and fruition of thee And at the generall resurrection grant that my body may be endowed with immortality and received with my soul into glory I praise thee O God I acknowledge thee to be the Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy on me Thou that sittest at the right hand of God hear my prayer O Lord Jesus Christ God and Man Mediatour betwixt God and Man I have sinned as a Man be thou mercifull to me as a God O holy and blessed Spirit help my infirmities with those sighs and groans which I cannot expresse Then he desired to see the Axe and kissed it saying I am like to have a sharp passage of it but my Saviour hath sweetned it unto me Then he said if I would have been so unworthy as others have been I suppose I might by a lie have saved my life which I scorn to purchase at such a rate I defie such temptations and them that gave them me Glory be to God on high On Earth peace Good will towards Men. And the Lord have mercy upon my poor soul Amen So laying his Neck upon the block after some private Ejaculations he gave the Heads-man a sign with his hand who at one blow severed his head from his body The Speech of that piously resolved Hugh Grove of Chisenbury in the parish of Enford and County of Wilts Esquire beheaded the 16. day of May 1655. in the Castle at Exon. Good people I Never was guilty of much Rhetorick nor ever loved long Speeches in all my life and therefore you cannot expect either of them from me now at my death All that I shall desire of you besides your hearty prayers for my soul is That you would bear me witnesse I die a true son of the Church of England as it was established by King Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the first of ever blessed memory That I die a Loyall subject to King Charles the second my undoubted Soveraign and a lover of the good old Laws of the Land the just priviledges of Parliaments and Rights and Liberties of the People for the re-establishing of all which I doe undertake this ingagement and for which I am ready to lay down my life God forgive the bloudy-minded Jury and those that procured them God forgive Captain Crook for denying his Articles so unworthily God forgive Mr. Dove and all other persons swearing so malitiously and falsely against me God forgive all my enemies I heartily forgive them God blesse the King and all that love him turn the hearts of all that hate him God blesse you all and be mercifull to you and to my Soul Amen And so meekly laying his neck to the block and giving a signe his head at one blow and a draw of the axe was severed from his body The manner of the Execution of Sir Henry Slingsby on Tuesday the 8. of June 1658. With the substance of his speech before his Death ABout Eleven of the clock Sir Henry Slingsby was brought from the Tower to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill whither being come he fell upon his knees and for a short space prayed
empty Scaffold that I might have had room to die I beseech you let me have an end of this misery for I have endured it long When room was made he spake thus I le pull off my Doublet and Gods will be done I am willing to goe out of the world no man can be more willing to send me out then I am willing to be gone Sir John Clothworthy What speciall Text of Scripture now is comfortable to a man in his departure Cant. Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo. Sir John Clothworthy That is a good desire but there must be a foundation for that desire as assurance Cant. No man can expresse it it is to be found within Sir John Clothworthy It is founded upon a word though and that word would be known Cant. That word is the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that alone And turning to the Executioner he gave him money saying here honest friend God forgive thee and doe thy office upon me in mercy The Executioner desired him to give some signe when he should strike he answered Yes I will but let me fit my self first Then kneeling down on his knees he prayed thus The Arch-Bishops last prayer on the Scaffold LOrd I am coming as fast as I can I know I must passe through the shadow of death before I can come to see thee but it is but umbra mortis a meer shadow of death a little darknesse upon nature but thou by thy merits and passion hast broke through the jawes of death so Lord receive my soul and have mercy upon me and blesse this Kingdome with peace and with plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Jesus Christ sake if it be thy will And when he said Lord receive my soul which was his signe the Eecutioner did his office The severall Speeches of Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capell immediately before their execution upon the Scaffold in the Palace yard Westminster on Friday March 9. 1649. Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridg his Speech on the Scaffold March 9. 1649. UPon Friday the ninth of this instant being the day appointed for the Execution of the sentence of Death upon the Earl of Cambridge the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel about ten of Clock that morning L. Col. Beecher came with his Order to the several Prisoners at St. James's requiring them to come away According to which Order they were carried in Sedans with a Guard to Sir Thomas Cottons house at Westminster where they continued about the space of two hours passing away most of that time in religious and seasonable conferences with the Ministers there present with them After which being called away to the Scaffold it was desired that before they went they might have the opportunity of commending their Souls to God by prayer which being readily granted and the room voided Mr. Bolton was desired by the Lord of Holland to take that pains with them which was accordingly done with great appearance of solemn Affections among them Prayer being concluded and hearty thanks returned by them all to the Ministers who performed as also to the rest who were their Assistants in this sad time of trouble the Earl of Cambridge prepared first to go towards the place of Execution and after mutual embraces and some short ejaculatory expressions to and for his fellow-sufferers he took his leave of them all and went along with the Officers attended upon by Dr. Sibbald whom he had chosen for his Comforter in this his sad condition The Scaffold being erected in the new Palace-yard at Westminster over against the great Hal-Gate in the sight of the place where the High-Court of Justice formerly sate the Hal-doors being open there was his Excellencies Regiment of Horse commanded by Capt. Disher and several Companies of Col. Hewsons and Col. Prides Regiments of Foot drawn up in the place When the Earl came from Westminster Hall neer the Scaffold he was met by the Undersheriff of Middlesex and a Guard of his men who took the charge of him from Lieut. Col. Beecher and the Partizans that were his Guard The Sheriff of London being also according to command from the High Court of Justice present to see the Execution performed The Earl of Cambridge being come upon the Scaffold and two of his own servants waiting upon him he first spake to the Doctor as followeth E. of Camb. Whether shall I pray first Dr. Sibbald As your Lordship pleases E. of Camb. My Lord of Denbigh has sent to speak with me I know not the faction I may ask you Sir Doe those Gentlemen expect I should say any thing to them or no they cannot hear Dr. Sibbald There will be a greater silence by and by It will not be amiss if your Lordship defer your speaking till you hear from his Lordship Camb. There is something in it He was with the House Dr. Sibbald I suppose he would give no interruption to your Lordship at this time were there not something of concernment in it Camb. He is my Brother and has been a very faithful servant to the State and he was in great esteem and reputation with them He is in the Hall and sent to speak with a servant of mine to send something to me Sibbald It will not lengthen the time much if you stay while you have a return from him My Lord you should do well to bestow your time now in meditating upon and imploring of the free mercy of God in Christ for your eternal Salvation and look upon that ever-streaming Fountain of his precious Bloud that purgeth us from all our sins even the sins of the deepest dye the Bloud of Jesus Christ washes away all our sins and that Bloud of Christ is powred forth upon all such as by a lively Faith lay hold upon him God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life that is now my Lord the Rock upon which you must chiefly rest and labour to fix your self in the free mercy of God through Christ Jesus whose mercies are from everlasting to everlasting unto all such as with the eye of Faith behold him behold Jesus the Author and Finisher of your Salvation who hath satisfied the Justice of God by that All-sufficiency of his Sacrifice which once for all he offered upon the Cross for the sins of the whole world so that the sting of death is taken away from all Believers and he hath sanctified it as a passage to everlasting blessedness It is true the waters of Jordan run somewhat rough and surly betwixt the Wilderness and our passage into Canaan but let us rest upon the Ark my Lord the Ark Christ Jesus that will carry us through and above all those waves to that Rock of ages which no flood nor waves can reach unto
of these Inviters 'T is no time to dissemble How willingly I was to have served this Nation in any thing that was in my power is known to very many honest pious and religious men and how ready I would have been to have done what I could to have served them if it had pleased them to have preserved my life in whose hands there was a power They have not thought it fit and so I am become unuseful in that which willingly I would have done As I said at first Sir so I say now concerning that point I wish the Kingdoms happiness I wish it peace and truly Sir I wish that this bloud of mine may be the last that is drawn and howsoever I may perhaps have some reluctancy with my self as to the matter of my fact for my suffering for my fact yet I freely forgive all Sir I carry no rancour along with me to my grave His Will be done that has created both Heaven and Earth and me a poor miserable sinful creature now speaking before him For me to speak Sir to you State-business and the Government of the Kingdom or my opinion in that or for any thing in that nature truly it is to no end it contributes nothing My own inclination hath been to peace from the beginning and it is known to many that I never was an ill instrument betwixt the King and his people I never acted to the prejudice of the Parliament I bore no Arms I medled not with it I was not wanting by my prayers to God Almighty for the happiness of the King and truly I shall pray still that God may so direct him as that may be done which shall tend to his glory the peace happiness of the Kingdom I have not much more to say that I remember of I think I have spoken of my Religion D. Sibbald Your Lordship has not so fully said it Camb. Truly I do believe I did say something D. Sibbald I know you did 't is pleasing to hear it from your Lordship again Camb. Truly Sir for the profession of my Religion that which I said was the established Religion and that which I have practised in my own Kingdom where I was born and bred my Tenents they need not to be exprest they are known to all and I am not of a rigid opinion many godly men there is that may have scruples which do not concern me at all at no time they may differ in Opinion and now more then at any time differing in Opinion does not move me not any mans my own is clear Sir The Lord forgive me my sins and I forgive freely all those that even I might as a worldly man have the greatest animosity against We are bidden to forgive Sir 'T is a command laid upon us and there mentioned Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us D. Sibb 'T is our Saviours rule Love your Enemies Bless them that Curse you pray for them that persecute you do good to them that despightfully use you Camb. Sir it is high time for me to make an end of this and truly I remember no more that I have to say but to pray to God Almighty a few words and then I have done Then kneeling down with D. Sibbald he prayed thus MOst Blessed Lord I thy poor and most unworthy servant come unto thee presuming in thy infinite Mercy and the Merits of Jesus Christ who sits upon the Throne I come flying from that of Justice to that of Mercy and Tenderness for his Sake which shed his blood for sinners that he would take Compassion upon me that he will look upon we as one that graciously hears me that he would look upon me as one that hath Redeemed me that he would look upon me as one that hath shed his blood for me that he would look upon me as one who now calls and hopes to be saved by his All-sufficient merits For his sake Glorious God have Compassion upon me in the Freeness of thy infinite Mercy that when this sinful soul of mine shall depart out of this frail Carcass of Clay I may be carried into thy Everlasting Glory O Lord by thy Free Grace and out of thy infinite mercy hear me and look down and have Compassion upon me and thou Lord Jesus thou my Lord and thou my God and thou my Redeemer hear me take pity upon me take pity upon me gracious God and so deal with my soul that by thy precious merits I may attain to thy joy and bliss O Lord remember me so miserable and sinful a creature now thou O Lord thou O Lord that dyed for me receive me and receive me into thy own bound of mercy O Lord I trust in thee suffer me not now to be confounded Satan has had too long possession of this soul O let him not now prevail against it but let me O Lord from henceforth dwell with thee for evermore Now Lord it is thy time to hear me hear me gracious Jesus even for thy own Goodness Mercy and Truth O Glorious God O Blessed Father O Holy Redeemer O Gracious Comforted O Holy and Blessed Trinity I do render up my soul into thy hands and commit it with the Mediation of my Redeemer Praising thee for all thy Dispensations that it has pleased thee to confer upon me and even for this Praise and Honour and Thanks from this time forth for evermore D. Sibbald My Lord I trust you now behold with the Eye of Faith the Son of Righteousness shining upon your soul and will cheerfully submit unto him who hath Redeemed us through his Blood even the Blood of Jesus Christ that you may appear at the Tribunal of God clothed with the White Robe of his Unspotted Righteousness the Lord grant that with the Eye of Faith you may now see the Heavens opened and Jesus Christ standing at the Right Hand of God ready to receive you into his Arms of Mercy Camb. Then the Earl turning to the Executioner said Shall I put on another Cap Must this Hair be turn'd up from my Neck There are three of my servants to give satisfaction D. Sibbald My Lord I hope you are able to give all that are about you satisfaction you are assured that God is reconciled unto you through the Blood of Christ Jesus and the Spirit of the Lord witnesseth to you that Christ is become now a Jesus unto you My Lord fasten the Eyes of your Faith upon Jesus the Author and Finisher of your Salvation who himself was brought to a violent death for the Redemption of Mankind he chearfully submitted to his Fathers good pleasure in it and for us Blessed and holy is he that hath part my Lord in the first resurrection that is in the first Riser Jesus Christ who is both the Resurrection and the Life over him the second death shall have no power 'T is the unspeakable joy of a Believer that at the hour of death his soul
up Your Spirit and if there want evidence there is reliance my security lies not in my knowing that I shall come to Heaven and come to Glory but in my resting and relying upon him When the Aâ—chor of Faith is thrown out there may be shakings and tossings but there is safety nothing shall interrupt safety although something may interrupt security my safety is sure although I apprehend it not and what if I goe to God in the dark What if I come to him as Nicodemus did staggering in the night It is a night of trouble a night of darkness though I come trembling and slaggering in this night yet I shall be sure to find comfort and fixedness in him And the Lord of heaven be the strength stay and support of Your soul and the Lord furnish You with all those graces which may carry You into the bosome of the Lord Jesus that when You expire this life You may be able to expire it into him in whom You may begin to live to all Eternity and that is my humble Prayer Holland M. Bolton God hath given me long time in this world he hath carried me through many great accidents of Fortune he hath at last brought me down into a condition where I find my self brought to an end for a dis-affection to this State to this Parliament that as I said before I did believe no body in the world more unlikely to have expected to suffer for that Cause I look upon it as a great judgement of God for my sins And truly Sir since that the death is violent I am the less troubled with it because of those violent death that I have seen before principally my Saviour that hath shewed us the way how and in what manner he hath done it and for what cause I am the more comforted I am the more rejoyced It is not long since the King my Master passed in the same manner and truly I hope that his purposes and intentions were such as a man may not be ashamed not onely to follow him in the way that was taken with him but likewise not ashamed of his purposes if God had given him life I have often disputed with him concerning many things of this kind and I conceive his sufferings and his better knowledge and better understanding if God had spared him life might have made him a Prince very happy towards himself and very happy towards this Kingdom I have seen and known that those blessed souls in heaven have passed thither by the gate of sorrow and many by the gate of violence and since it is Gods pleasure to dispose me this way I submit my soul to him with all comfort and with all hope that he hath made this my end and this my conclusion that though I be low in death yet neverthelesse this lownesse shall raise me to the highest glory for ever Truly I have not said much in publick to the people concerning the particular Actions that I conceive I have done by my counsels in this Kingdom I conceive they are well known it were something of vanity methinks to take notice of them here I 'le rather die with them with the comfort of them in my own bosom and that I never intended in this action or any action that ever I did in my life either malice or bloud-shed or prejudice to any creature that lives For that which concerns my Religion I made my profession before of it how I was bred and in what manner I was bred in a Family that was looked upon to be no little notorious in opposition to some liberties they have conceived then to be taken and truly there was some mark upon me as if I had some taint of it even throughout my whole ways that I have taken every body knows what my affections have been to many that have suffered to many that have been in troubles in this Kingdom I endeavourad to relieve them I endeavoured to oblige them I thought I was tyed so by my Conscience I thought it by my charity and truly very much by my Breeding God hath now brought me to the last instant of my time all that I can say and all that I can adhere unto is this That as I am a great sinner so I have a great Saviour that as he hath given me here a fortune to come publickly in a shew of shame in the way of this suffering truly I understand it not to be so I understand it to be a glory a glory when I consider who hath gone before me and a glory when I consider I had no end in it but what I conceive to be the service of God the King and the Kingdom and therefore my heart is not charged much with any thing in that particular since I conceive God will accept of the intention whatsoever the action seems to be I am going to dye and the Lord receive my Soul I have no relyance but upon Christ for my self I do acknowledge that I am the unworthyest of sinners my life hath been a vanity and a continued sin and God may justly bring me to this end for the sins I have committed against him and were there nothing else but the iniquities that I have committed in the Way of my Life I look upon this as a great Justice of God to bring me to this Suffering and to bring me to this Punishment And those Hands that have been most active in it if any such there hath been I pray God forgive them I pray God that there may not be many such Trophies of their Victories but that this may be as I said before the last Shew that this People shall see of the Blood of Persons of Condition of Persons of Honour I might say something of the Way of our Tryall which certainly hath been as extraordinary as any thing I think hath ever been seen in this Kingdom but because that I would not seem as if I made some complaint I will not so much as mention it because no body shall believe I repine at their actions that I repine at my Fortune it is the will of God it is the hand of God under whom I fall I take it entirely from him I submit my self to him I shall desire to roul my self into the Arms of my blessed Saviour and when I come to this place when I bow down my self there I hope God will raise me up and when I bid farewell as I must now to Hope and to Faith that Love will abide I know nothing to accompany the soul out of this World but Love and I hope that Love will bring me to the Fountain of Glory in Heaven through the Arms Mediation and the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ in whom I Believe O Lord help my Unbelief Hodges The Lord make over unto You the righteousness of his own Son it is that Treasurie that he hath bestowed upon You and the Lord shew You the Light of his Countenance and
fill You full with his joy and kindness O my dear Lord the Lord of Heaven and Earth be with You and the Lord of Heaven and Earth bring You to that Safety Holland I shall make as much haste as I can to come to that glory and the Lord of Heaven and Earth take my soul I look upon my self entirely in Him and hope to find mercy through Him I expect it and through that Fountain that is opened for Sin and for Uncleanness my soul must receive it for did I rest in any thing else I have nothing but sin and corruption in me I have nothing but that which in stead of being carried up into the Arms of God and of Glory I have nothing but may throw me down into Hell Bolton But my Lord when you are cloathed with the righteousnesse of another you will appear glorious though now sinfull in your self The Apostle saith I desire not to be found in my own righteousness and when you are cloathed with another the Lord will own you and I shall say but thus much Doubt not that ever God will deny salvation to sinners that come to him when the end of all his death and sufferings was the salvation of sinners when as I say the whole end and the whole design and the great work that God had to do in the world by the death of Christ wherein he laid out all his councells and infinite wisdom and mercy and goodness beyond which there was a Non ultra in Gods thoughts what this was the great design and great end the salvation of sinners that poor souls should come over to him and live certainly when sinners come he will not reject he will not refuse And my Lord do but think of this the greatest work that ever was done in the world was the bloud of Christ that was shed never any thing like it and this blood of Christ that was shed never any thing like it And this blood of Christ that was shed was shed for them that come if not for them for none it was in vain else you see the Devills they are out of capacity of good by it the Angels they have no need of it wicked men will not come and there are but a few that come over but a few that come over and should he deny them there were no end nor fruit of the bloud and sufferings of the Lord Jesus and had your Lordship been with Christ in that bloudy agony when he was in that bloudy sweat sweating drops of bloud if you had asked him Lord what art thou now a doing art thou not now reconciling an angry God and me together art thou not pacifying the wrath of God art thou not interposing thy self between the justice of God and my soul Would he not have said yea and surely then he will not deny it now My Lord His passions are over his compassions still remain and the larger and greater because he is gone up into a higher place that he may throw down more abundance of his mercy and grace upon you and my Lord think of that infinite love that abundance of riches in Christ I am lost I am empty I have nothing I am poor I am sinfull be it so as bad as God will make me and as vile as I possibly can conceive my self I am willing to be but when I have said all the more I advance that riches and honour that grace of God And why should I doubt when by this he puts me into a capacity into a disposition for him to shew we mercy that by this I may the better advance the riches of his grace and say grace grace to the Lord to all eternity that God should own such a Creature that deserves nothing and the lesse I deserve the more conspicuous is his grace and this is certain the riches of his grace he throweth amongst men that the glory of his grace might be given to himself if we can give him but the glory of his grace we shall never doubt to partake of the riches of it and that fulnesse My Lord that fulness be your comfort that fulnesse of mercy that fulnesse of love that fulnesse of righteousness and power be now your riches and your onely stay and the Lord interpose himself between God and you as your Faith hath indeavoured to interpose him between God and your soul so I doubt not but there he stands my Lord to plead for you and when you are not able to do any thing your self yet lie down at the feet of him that is a mercifull Saviour and knowes what you would desire and wait upon him while you live trust in him when you die there is riches enough and mercy enough if he open not yet die at his doore say there I 'le die there is mercy enough Holland And here is the place where I lie down before him from whence I hope he will raise me to an eternall Glory through my Saviour upon whom I rely from whom only I can expect mercy into his armes I commend my spirit into his bleeding armes that when I leave this bleeding body that must lie upon this place he will receive that soul that ariseth out of it and receive it into his eternall mercy through the merits through the worthiness through the mediation of Christ that hath purchased it with his own most pretious bloud Bolton My Lord Though you conclude here I hope you begin above and though you put an end here I hope there will never be an end of the mercy and goodness of God and if this be the morning of Eternity if this be the rise of Glory if God pleaseth to throw you down here to raise you up for ever say Welcome Lord welcome that death that shall make way for life and welcome any condition that shall throw me down here to bring me into the possession of Jesus Christ Hodges My Lord if you have made a Deed of Gift of your self to Jesus Christ to be found onely in him I am confident you shall stand at the day of Christ my dear Lord we shall meet in happiness Holland Christ Jesus receive my soul my soul hungers and thirsts after him clouds are gathering and I trust in God through all my heavinesse and I hope through all impediments he will settle my interest in him and throw off all the claime that Satan can make unto it and that he will carry my soul in despight of all the calumnies and all that the Devil and Satan can invent will carry it into eternal mercy there to receive the blessednesse of his presence to all Eternity Hodges My Lords it was his own by Creation it is his own now by Redemption and purchase and it is likewise his own by resignation O my Lord look therefore up to the Lamb of God that sits at the right hand of God to take away the sinnes of the World O that Lamb of God! Holland That Lamb of God
into his hands I commit my soul and that Lamb of God that sits upon the Throne to Judge those 24. that fall down before him I hope he will be pleased to look downward and judge me with mercy that fall down before him and that adore him that onely trusts upon his Mercy for his compassion and that as he hath purchased me he would lay his claime unto me now and receive me Bolton My Lord think of this there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ who is it that can condemn it is Christ that justifies and therefore look now upon this My Lord upon this Christ upon this Christ that justifies Hell Death Sinne Satan nothing shall be able to condemn it is Christ that justifies you Holland Indeed if Christ justify no body can condemn and I trust in God in his justification though there is confusion here without us and though there are wonders and staring that now disquiet yet I trust that I shall be carried into that mercy that God will receive my soul Bolton I doubt not my Lord but as you are a Spectacle of pitty here so you are an object of Gods mercy above Holland Then the Earl of Holland looking over among the people pointing to a Souldier said This honest man took me prisoner you little thought I should have been brought to this when I delivered my self to you upon conditions and espying Captain Watson on horse-back putting off his hat said to him God be with you Sir God reward you Sir Bolton My Lord throw your self into the armes of mercy and say there I will Anchor and there I will die he is a Saviour for us in all coditions whither should we goe he hath the words of eternal life and upon him do you rest wait while you live and even trust in Death Holland Here must now be my Anchor a great Storm makes me find my anchor and but in storms no body trusts to his anchor and therefore I must trust upon my anchor Upon that God said Mr. Bolton upon whom your Anchor trusts yea God I hope will anchor my Soul fast upon Christ Jesus and if I die not with that clearness and that heartiness that you speak of truly I will trust in God though he kill me I will relie upon him and in the Mercy of my Saviour Bolton There is mercy enough my Lord and to spare you shall not need to doubt they shall never go begging to another door my Lord that come to him Then the Earl of Holland speaking to Mr. Hodges said I pray God reward you for all your kindness and pray as you have done instruct my Family that they may serve God with faithfulness with holiness with more diligence then truly I have been careful to press them unto you have the charge of the same place you may do much for them and I recommend them to your kindness and the goodness of your Conscience Dr. Sibbald standing by upon the Scaffold in his passage to Col. Beecher expressed himself thus to his Lordship Dr. Sibbald The Lord lift up the light of his counnance upon you and you shall be safe Holland Then the Earl of Holland embraced Lieutenant Col. Beecher and took his leave of him After which he came to Mr. Bolton and having embraced him and returned him many thanks for his great pains and affections to his soul desiring God to reward him and return his love into his bosom Mr. Bolton said to him The Lord God support you and be seen in this great extremity the Lord reveal and discover himself to you and make your death the passage unto eternall life Then the Earl of Holland turning to the Executioner said here my friend let my Cloathes and my body alone there is Ten pounds for thee that is better then my Cloathes I am sure of it Executioner Will your Lordsh please to give me a Sign when I shall strike And then his Lordship said you have room enough here have you not and the Executioner said Yes Bolton The Lord be your strength there is riches in him The Lord of Heaven impart himself to you he is able to save to the uttermost We cannot fall so low as to fall below the everlasting armes of God and therefore the Lord be a support and stay to you in your low condition that he will be pleased to make this an advantage to that Life and glory that will make amends for all Holland Then the Earl of Holland turning to the Executioner said Friend do you hear me if you take up my head doe not take off my Cap. Then turning to his Servants he said to one Fare you well thou art an honest fellow and to another God be with thee thou art an honest man and then said Stay I will kneel down and ask God forgiveness and then prayed for a pretty space with seeming earnestness Bolton The Lord grant you may finde life in death Holland Which is the way of lying which they shewed him and then going to the front of the Scaffold he said to the people God bless you all and God deliver you from any such accident as may bring you to any such death as is violent either by War or by these accidents but that there may be Peace among you and you may find that these accidents that have happned to us may be the last that may happen in this Kingdome it is that I desire it is that I beg of God next the saving of my Soul I pray God give all happiness to this Kingdome to this people and this Nation and then turning to the Executioner said How must I lie I know not Executioner Lie down flat upon your belly and then having laid himself down he said must I lie closer Executioner Yes and backwarder Holland I will tell you when you shall strike and then as he lay seemed to pray with much affection for a short space and then lifting up his head said where is the man and seeing the Executioner by him he said stay while I give the Sign and presently after stretching out his hand and the Executioner being not fully ready he said now now just as the words were coming out of his mouth the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body Arthur Lord Capel his Speech on the Scaffold immediately before his death March 9. 1649. The Execution of the Lord of Holland being thus performed the Lord Capel was brought to the Scaffold as the former and in the way to the Scaffold he put off his Hat to the people on both sides looking very austerely about him And being come upon the Scaffold Lieut. Col. Beecher said to him Is your Chaplain here CApel No I have taken my leave of him and perceiving some of his servants to weep he said Gentlemen refrain your selves refrain your selves and turning to Lieut Col. Beecher he said what did the Lords speak with their Hats off or no Col. Beech. With
his commands to His Majesty that this Kingdom may be an happy and glorious Nation again and that your King may be an happy King in so good and so obedient people God almighty keep you all God almighty preserve this Kingdom God almighty preserve you all Then turning about and looking for the Executioner who was gone off the Scaffold said which is the Gentleman which is the man Answer was made He is coming He then said Stay I must pull off my Doublet first and my Wast-coat and then the Executioner being come upon the Scaffold the Lord Capel said O friend prethee come hither Then the Executioner kneeling down the Lord Capel said I forgive thee from my soul and not onely forgive thee but I shall pray to God to give thee all grace for a better life There is five pounds for thee and truly for my clothes and those things if there be any thing due to you for it you shall be fully recompenced but I desire my body may not be stripped here and no body to take notice of my body but my own servants Look you friend this I shall desire of you that when I lie down you would give me a time for a particular short prayer Lieut. Col. Beecher Make your own sign my Lord. Gapell Stay a little Which side do you stand upon speaking to the executioner Stay I think I should lay my hands forward that way pointing fore-right and answer being made Yes he stood still a little while and then said God almighty bless all this People God almighty stench this bloud God almighty stench stench stench this issue of bloud this will not do the business God almighty find out another way to do it And when turning to one of his servants said Baldwin I cannot see any thing that belongs to my wife but I must desire thee and beseech her to rest wholly upon Jesus Christ to be contented and fully satisfied and then speaking to his Servants he said God keep you and Gentlemen let me now do a business quickly privately and pray let me have your prayers at the moment of death that God would receive my soul L. Col. Beecher I wish it Capell Pray at the moment of striking joyn your prayers but make no noise turning to his Servants it is inconvenient at this time Servant My Lord put on your cap. Capell Should I what will that do me good Stay a little it is well as it is now As he was puting up his hair And then turning to the Executioner he said honest man I have forgiven thee therefore strike boldly from my soul I do it Then a Gentleman speaking to him he said Nay prethee be contented be quiet good Mr. be quiet Then turning to the Executioner he said Well you are ready when I am ready are you not and stretching out his hands he said Then pray stand off Gentlemen Then going to the front of the scaffold he said to the People Gentlemen though I doubt not of it yet I think it convenient to ask it of you That you would all joyn in Prayers with me That God would mercifully receive my soul and that for his alone mercies in Christ Jesus God almighty keep you all Executioner My Lord shall I put up your hair Capell I I prethee do and then as he stood lifting up his hands and eyes he said O God I doe with a perfect and a willing heart submit to thy will O God! I doe most willingly humble my self and then kneeling down said I will try first how I can lie and laying his head over the block said Am I well now Executioner Yes And then as he lay with both his hands stretched out he said to the Executioner Here lie both my hands out when I lift up my hand thus lifting up his right hand then you may strike And then after he had said a short prayer he lifted up his right hand and the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body which was taken up by his servants and put with his body into a coffin as the former A Relation together with the speech of Colonel John Morris lately Governour of Pomfret Castle at the place of his Execution at York August 23. 1649. WHen he was brought out of prison looking upon the Sledge that was there set for him lifting up his eyes to Heaven knocking upon his breast he said I am as willing to go to my death as to put off my doublet to go to bed I despise the shame as well as the Crosse I know I am going to a joyfull place with many like expressions When the Post met him about St. Jame's Church that was sent to the Parliament to mediate for a repreive and told him he could not prevaile in it he said Sir I pray God reward you for your pains I hope and am well assured to find a better pardon then any they can give my hope is not in man but in the living God At the place of execution he made this profession of his faith his breeding his cause he had fought in Gentlemen first I was bred up in the true Protestant Religion having my education and breeding from that honoured house my Dear Lord and Master Strafford which place I dare boldly say was as well governed and ruled as ever any yet was before it I much doubt better then any will be after it unlesse it please God to put a period to these distracted times this Faith and Religion I say I have been bred in and I thank God I have hitherto lived in without the least wavering and now I am resolved by Gods assistance to dye in Those paines are nothing if compared to those dolours and pains which Jesus Christ our Saviour hath suffered for us when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the pains of hell and the cursed and shamefull death which was due to our sinnes Therefore I praise the Lord that I am not plagued with farre more grievous punishment that the like hath befaln others who undoubtedly are most glorious and blessed Saints with Christ in heaven It is the Lords affliction and who will not take any affliction in good part when it comes from the hand of God and what shall we receive good from the hands of God and not receive evil And though I desire as I am carnall that this cup may depart from me yet not my will but thy will be done Death brings unto the godly an end of sinning and of all miseries due unto sin so that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor cry or pain for God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes by death our souls shall be delivered from thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality Therefore blessed are they that are delivered out of so vile a world and freed from such a body of bondage and corruption the soul shall enjoy immediate Communion with God in
blessings upon them I accuse no man I find fault nor quarrell with no man neither with the persons that were the occasions they were but instruments neither at the persons condemning I accept thankfully the Sentence of Death upon my self and I beseech Almighty God that I may be the last that may suffer upon this score or upon any other Master Sheriff If there be any thing wherein I can give any other satisfaction to any Christian whatsoever in any kind as I spake in generall I bless Almighty God from my own Heart now so assisted by the especiall Operation and Motions and Dictates of the Holy Ghost if I can know any thing wherein or how to be now in my dying not having served God so well in my life serviceable to the Church of God of Christ and the full satisaction of any whatsover I am here ready I am unacquainted but in my extasies to Heaven there is that Glory I am going to I beseech Almighty God that he will give me grace to bless his holy Name as for all as for Jesus Christ and in him all things so particularly for this that he hath thought me worthy to bring me hither for my faithfulness to my Master that is the most pious and most just Prince in all the world My Master hath suffered bitterly in England and if there be any failing in his service the fault is onely mine God knows I have done nothing in the business but by the instance of the Merchants I delivered my Letters and there they lie To other things I am a Stranger I hope that God will give me the grace of perseverance in that Christian Religion in that loyalty to my Prince in that love to all the World that now being to give up my accompt to him that I may with comfort be received in the arms of his mercy If there be any thing Master Sheriff that I may give satisfaction in I am ready to do it according to the poor talent I have I will receive my punishment in the way God hath prepared for me and many ways I have been taken up Truly I am bound to all that see me and many thousands more since I came into England not an uncivil look we had strange reports abroad not an uncivil look from any God repay them all and return them from the Throne of his Grace into their own Bosoms And God in particular bless that Honourable Lady who was the occasion of the coming of my Lords Grace of Armagh with the Confirmation of those glorious and eternal Messages of Comfort which now I am going to enjoy being thankfull to all those that know me and know me not for since I am come hither whereas I might have received prejudice in respect to my Loyalty which is not the way now I have from them all received courtesie the Lord repay them I thank God I am otherwise bred and my Allegiance hath been incorporated imbodied into my Religion and besides the great desires of other Gentlemen that I might goe out of the World but that the world might see that the Grace of God hath had a perfect Reformation in me and a willing and thankfull Submission to his Will therefore I repent me not of it but I beseech Almighty God to bless and prosper all people whatsoever that to this Kingdome belong As my Speech is imperfect so is my Health I have forced my self in this Discourse to give that satisfaction which I could And I beseech you Mr. Sheriff if you can hear of any Gentlemen that are wronged what I offer here I am to answer it and I beseech you joyn with me in your Christian Prayres that I may have a passage whither I am now going to give an account not only of every deed but of every word Then turning to his Man he said Sir H. Hide John Which is the Executioner The Executioner being brought to him he said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I have no quarrel with you you are the welcome instrument do your work only let me see the place that I may fit my self for I have an infirm body Sheriff You shall when you have prayed if you please to pray first Sir H. Hide I desire to see the Block I can pray afterwards Here Mr. Executioner is that money that is left here is Four pounds for you Then being shewed the Block he kissed it saying Sir H. Hide It is unworthy for me to put my Head where my Masters was Blessed be God Blessed be his holy Name putting off his Hat I have an infirmity in my Body but God hath enabled me inwardly Pray M. Sheriff let me have a little more room Sheriff Go to Prayer and we will clear the room Sir H. Hide I have I thank Almighty God done those Christian Offices belonging to me at home I come hither only to die Then kneeling down he said the Lords prayer Then having prayed a short space he stood up and turning to the Executioner said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I pray give me direction what I am to doe and doe your Office You will cure all diseases presently pray direct me Then the Executioner going to spread the Scarf over the Block he said Sir H. Hide Put it not on now but by and by D. Hide God Almighty strengthen you Sir H. Hide God reward you all Then the Executioner going to put up his Hair under his Sattin Cap he thought he had been taking of it off Whereupon he said Sir H. Hide Must I have my black Cap off it is very cold all these Diseases will be cured the Lord be thanked Then going to lie down his Man not helping him he said Sir H. Hide John help me a little I pray Did not I tell you I could neither rise nor fall lay me down and lift me up again John Then rising again upon his knees he spake to the Executioner having the Ax in his hand Sir H. Hide Pray Sir give me the Ax. And then taking the Ax in his hand he kissed it and returned it to the Executioner again saying Sir H. Hide I will only say Lord Jesus receive my Soul and when I lift up my Right-hand do your work And then lying down again after a little space he lift up his Right-hand and the Executioner at one stroke severed his Head from his Body The speech of James Earl of Derby upon the Scaffold at Bolton in Lancashire together with his Deportment and prayer before his death on Wednesday the 15. day of October 1651. THe Earl of Derby according to the order of the Court Marshall held at Chester by which he was sentenced to die at Bolton in Lancashire was brought to that Town with a guard of Horse and Foot of Colonel Jones's commanded by one Southley who received his order from Colonel Robert Duckenfield betwixt 12. and 1. of the clock on Wednesday the 15. of October the people weeping praying and bewailing him all the way from the prison
over his Lordship called for the Heads-man and asked to see the Axe and taking it in his hand said Friend I will not hurt it and I am sure it cannot hurt me and then kissing it said Me thinks this is as a Wedding Ring which is as a signe I am to leave all the World and eternally to be married to my Saviour Then putting his hand in his pocket said to the Heads-man here friend take these two pieces all that I have thou must be my Priest I pray thee do thy work well and effectually then handling the rough furr'd coat the Heads-man had on This saies he will be troublesome to thee I pray thee put it off and do it as willingly as I put off this garment of my flesh that is now so heavy for my soul then some of the standers by bid the Heads-man kneel and ask his Lordship pardon but he did not but was surly and crabbed but his Lordship said Friend I give thee the pardon thou wilt not aske and God forgive thee also Then turning up his eyes to heaven said aloud How long Lord how long then gently passing over the Scaffold and seeing one of his Chaplains on horseback among the people Good Sir said he pray for me and the Lord return your prayers into your own bosom and I pray remember me kindly to your brother and God remember him for his love to me and mine Then turning towards his Coffin Thou art said he my bridall Chamber in thee I shall rest without a guard and sleep without Souldiers Then looking towards the block he asked if all were ready That saies he methinks is very low and yet there is but one step betwixt that and heaven then turning his eyes to the people he saluted them and desired again their prayers then said I see your tears and hear your sighs and groans and prayers the God of Heaven hear and grant your supplications for me and mine for you and the Mediation of Christ Jesus for us all Here his Lordship caused the block to be turned that he might look upon the Church saying Whilst I am here I will look towards thy holy Sanctuary and I know that within a few minutes I shall behold thee my God and King in thy Sanctuary above under the shadow of thy wings shall be my rest till this calamity be over-past then he pulled off his blew garter and sent it to his Son and pulling off his doublet with a very religious chearfulness he said I come Lord Jesus and O come thou quickly that I may be with thee for ever upon this he said Pray tell me how must I lye I have been called a bloudy man yet truly I never yet had that severe curiosity to see any man put to death in peace then laying himself down on the block after a few minutes he rose again and caused the block to be a little removed then said to the Heads-man Friend remember what I said to thee and be no more afraid to strike then I to dye and when I put up my hand do thy work so looking round about upon his friends and the people he said The Lord blesse you all and once more pray for me and with me at which words he kneeled down and prayed privately within himself with great sighings about half a quarter of an hour concluding with the Lords prayer then rising up again he said smilingly My soul is now at rest and so shall my body be immediately The Lord bless my King and restore him to his rights in this Kingdom and the Lord bless this Kingdom and restore them to their rights in their King that he and they may joyn hand in hand to settle truth and peace and the Lord bless this County and this Town and this People The Lord comfort my sad wife and children and reward all my friends with peace and happiness both here and hereafter and the Lord forgive them who were the cause and authors of this my sad end and unjust death for so it is as to mankind though before God I deserve much worse but I hope my sins are all bathed in the bloud of Jesus Christ So laying his neck upon the block and his armes stretcht out he said these words Blessed be Gods glorius name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen At which words he gave the Heads-man the signe but he either not observing it or not being ready stayed too long so that his Lordship rose up again saying Why doe you keep me from my Saviour what have I done that I die not and that I may live with him Once more I will lay down my self in peace and so take my everlasting rest Then saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly he stretched out his armes and gave the signe repeating the same words Blessed be Gods glorious name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Then lifting up his hand the Executioner did his work at one blow all the people weeping and crying and giving all expressions of grief and lamentation When the corps was carried off the Scaffold they carried them to a house in the Town where was thrown into his coffin in a peice of paper these two lines Upon JAMES Earl of DERBY Bounty Wit Courage all here in one lie dead A Stanleys hand Veres heart and Cecil's head The sentence of the Council of Warre Resolved by the Court upon the Question That James Earl of Derby is guilty of the breach of the Act of the 12. of August 1651. last past entituled An Act prohibiting correspondence with Charles Stuart or his Party and so of high Treason against the Common-wealth of England and is therefore worthy of death Resolved by the Court That the said James Earl of Derby is a Traitor to the Common-wealth of England and an abettor encourager and assister of the declared Traitors and enemies thereof and shall be put to death by severing his head from his body at the market-place in the Town of Bolton in Lancashire upon wednesday the 15. day of this instant October about the hour of one of the clock the same day A True and Impartial Relation of the Death of Mr. John Gerhard who was beheaded on Tower-hill July 10. 1654. IT was thought needless by the friends of Mr. Gerhard to declare any thing concerning his sufferings to the world more then in their sighs had not the sacrilegious malice of the last weekly-pamphlet thrown some stains upon his name and so incensed them to a vindication as pious as his death was 'T is most certain that there can no blots stick upon true honour which such weak fellowes endeavour against it These are cursed beasts but their horns are short sepulchral dogs that scrape up graves and violate the dead and are fierce and ravenous but yet dogs still And all worthy people will call their rayling praise and what they intend a barking
heedless and heady Teachers How many of you young men have for some small discontent departed from your loving Masters dear Friends or tender Parents and fled into the Army How many of you driven by Tyranous oppression poverty or cruelty have left your dear wives and children And some for novelty or wantonness adhere to this imployment not considering the great danger of spilling innocent bloud How many of you have drawn your Swords you do not know for what How many of you keep drawn your swords you do not know for what You have put to death a pious and just King and in his stead have reared up even another Jeroboam that makes Israel to sin What his goodness is you best know You have put down a good old Law and reared up another of your own to judge the people by my calling for the benefit of the former and for the equity even of your own Law I am in parr condemned here to dye Be you Judge of the proceedings How many of you have had a hand in putting down the ancient true Church and raised up in your own imaginations a new one But alas You know not what you do if you did you would grieve to see what a glorious Church you have ruined you would never have pulled down the hedges and broken down the senses that the wild beasts of the Forrest should come in that the little foxes should devour and the wilde Boar should rout out so stately a Vine When the Jewes were led into captivity their goodly and magnificent Temple was burnt but in processe of time they obtained favour amongst the Heathen Kings they dwelt amongst and had liberty therewith to rebuild rebuild they did and finished a second Temple at which sight all the young men rejoyced to see so gallant a Temple but the old men wept to see how farre different and short the second Temple was from the glory of the first So you young men rejoyce at your imaginary Church but the old men methinks I see some weep Oh weep not for me weep for your Country weep to see Religion Liberty and Laws taken from you weep to see so many good men snatcht away but indeed from the miseries to come and weep for what your unhappy selves will suffer Souldiers however you flourish for a time and perhaps many of you may reioyce at our deaths but believe it as Sampson pull'd the house of the Philistims down when he fell so shall we give you and your Cause a greater blow by our deaths than living we possibly could have done You may for a time flourish but remember what our Saviour said All you that make use of the Sword shall perish by the Sword you shall be cut down like the grass and wither away like the green herbs But do you behold yonder glorious place Do you behold the spangled Heavens where the holy Angels dwell where God himself is rounded with thrones Principalities Powers and the Celestiall Spirits of just men when the Trump shall blow when the dead shall rise at the dreadfull day of judgement How will you answer all your Rapes and Murthers Do you think your hands that have been bathed in the bloud of your King the bloud of so many of your eminent Country-men so unjustly they have been bathed in the bloud of many of your friends your kindred perhaps your Parents can ever reach yonder glorious place without repentance Oh no repent now therefore it is not too late shake off your bloudy Protector rescue your ancient Laws and call in your Royal young PRINCE whom you have long enough wronged Make your Addresses to the great Protector of Heaven and earth as I now do my self for a Pardon for all your former and present transgressions I dye an obedient Son of the Church of England and with a dutifull heart to the KING and desire that none present that love him will be disheartned by my death but continue faithfull to the end And so farewel I forgive all the world c. The Speech of the Honourable Colonel Penruddock the greatest part whereof he delivered upon the Scaffold in Exon. Castle the 16. day of May 1655. the whole he left with a Gentleman and friend of his written with his own hand which is as followeth Together with the manner of his being beheaded As he was ascending the Scaffold baring his knees and bowing himself he used these words This I hope will prove to be like Jacobs ladder though the feet of it rest on earth yet I doubt not but the top of it reacheth to Heaven When he came upon the Scaffold he said O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God who hath given me victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Then with abundance of Christian chearfulnesse he spake to the people as followeth Gentlemen IT hath ever been the custom of all persons whatsoever when they come to die to give some satisfaction to the world whether they be guilty of the fact of which they stand charged The crime for which they stand charged The crime for which I am now to die is Loyalty but in this age call'd high Treason I cannot deny but I was at Southmoulton in this County but whether my being there or my actions there amount to so high a crime as high Treason I leave to the world and to the Law to judg Truly if I were conscious to my self of any base ends that I had in this undertaking I would not be so in jurious to my own soul or disingenuous to you as not to make a publick acknowledgement thereof I suppose that divers persons according as they are biassed in their severall interests and relations give their opinions to the world concerning us I conceive it impossible therefore so to expresse my self in this particular as not to expose both my judgement and reputation to the censure of many which I shall leave behind me Because I will not put others therefore upon a breach of charity concerning me or my actions I have thought fit to decline all discourses which may give them a capacity either to injure themselves or me My Tryall was publick and my severall examinations I believe will be produced when I am in my grave I will refer you therefore to the first which I am sure some of you heard and to the later which many of you in good time may see Had Captain Crook done himself and us that right which a Gentleman and a Souldier ought to have done I had not now been here The man I forgive with all my heart but truly Gentlemen his protesting against those Articles he himself with so many protestations and importunities put upon us hath drawn so much dishonour and bloud upon his head that I fear some heavy judgement will pursue him Though he hath been false to us I pray God I do not prove a true prophet to him Nay I must say more
privately Then standing up he did in a short Speech and with a very low voice address himself to that noble Gentleman Mr. Sheriff Robinson telling him that what he had to say he would speak to him which was to this purpose That he had received a Sentence to die upon account of his endevouring to betray the Garrison of Hull But said All that he did in that business he was drawn into by others That the Officers of that Garrison did believe he had some greater Design in hand and therefore they would needs pump him to the bottome But what he spoke to them in private was brought into evidence against him He likewise said That he did no more than any person would have done that was so brought on That he had made many applications by his Friends for a Reprieve but found his Highness was inexorable He did confess that he did deliver a Commission as it was charged against him But said that it was an old Commission and what he meant was well known to himself but what construction others had made of it might appear by his present condition He discovered little sense of sorrow or fear of Death but said He was ready to submit or words to like purpose Then he addressed himself to private prayer again and kneeling down to the Block he prayed privately for a short space Then laid his head upon the Block and at the signe given the Executioner severed his Head from his Body at one Blow And his Friends put his Body into a Coffin and removed it into a close Coach prepared neer the place The manner of the Execution of John Hewet D. D. on the same Scaffold on Tuesday the same 8. of June 1658. with his speech before his Death AS soon as Sir Henry Slingsby's body was removed as is aforesaid Dr. Hewet was brought upon the Scaffold whither being come together with Dr. Wild Dr. Warmstry Mr. Barwick he fell upon his knees and prayed privately for the space of a quarter of an hour After that he prayed audibly for a good space After which prayer he addressed himself to the people in a speech which continued above the space of an hour the substance of which speech was as followeth I am now become a publick Spectacle to Men and Angels and I hope God who is Omniscient is now beholding me with much pity and great mercy and compassion and the more because I am now come to that end that his own Son came into the world to To bear witnesse to the truth he himself said For this end was I born for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse to the Truth I was brought into the world the Christian world for to bear witnesse to the truth of the Gospel as a common Christian I was brought into the world the Church as a Minister of his blessed Word and Sacraments Blessed be his name for that great honor and dignity and I came into the world to die more immediately for the testimony of JESUS which God hath now called me to I came into this world this Common-wealth to be a member thereof to bear witnesse to the Truths of the Customes the Laws the Liberties and Priviledges thereof So I am a member of the Common-wealth And me thinks it seems to me a strange thing that in as much as we all plead for Liberty and Priviledges and I pleading for the Priviledges the Laws the Statutes and the Customes of this Land yet I should die by those that should stand for the Laws the Statutes and Priviledges of the Land And I am here beheld by those that plead for their Liberties and I hope I am pitied because I here give up my self willingly and freely to be a State-Martyr for the publick good and I had rather die many deaths my self than betray my fellow-freemen to so many inconveniencies that they might be like to suffer by being subject to the wills of them that willed me to this death And it is worthy remembrance that Mr. Solicitor having impeached me of Treason to the Commissioners of the Court against his Highnesse I did often when brought before those Commissioners plead for the Liberties of the people of England though I had no knowledge of the Law yet I had instruction from those that were learned in the Law and had several Law-Cases and Presidents put into my hand though not by them and urged several Law-Cases and made my Appeal First for the Judicature that I was to be tryed by Whether it were according to Law Whether it were according to the Act And whether it were according to the words of the said Act I did appeal to have the said Act argued by learned Lawyers on both sides and then to be resolved by his Highnesse own Councel which was denied me This by the by I pressing the Argument made a second Appeal that those Judges if they would give singly their several Judgements that it was a just and lawfull Court of Judicature I would answer to my Charge I did make another Appeal to those that were his Highness's Councel and pleaded against me That if they would deliver it to me under their hands to be according to Law I would then go on to plead and answer to the Charge What was then said further my spirits being faint I shall not say much but only this I was taken in three defaults upon formality of the Court It seems it is a custome in all Courts which I did not know before that if they answer not the third time speaking by the Clerk that then they are guilty of three defaults and proceeded against as mute I had no such knowledge of the Law So they found me guilty of those defaults and when I would have pleaded and resolved to begin to plead I was taken from the Bar. I did the next day make my Petition to the Court in the Painted-Chamber two Petitions were presented the same in effect the former the Title was mistaken Yet because the Title was mistaken and no answer given therefore it was that another Petition was drawn up to the same effect with a new Title given as I remember presented by the Serjeant at Arms and one writ it over in such haste lest they should be drawn out of the Painted-Chamber into the Court that I had not time to read it over only I subscribed my name and there was in the front of the Petition a word left out but what the word was I know not and this was taken so ill as if I had put an affront and contempt on the Court And it was thought they would have heard me plead and then because of that mistake they sent word I should have my answer when I came into the Court and my answer was the sentence of condemnation And therefore I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that occasioned the charge to be drawn against me to give such unjust