as to the Embassie no more then my Credential 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 several 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 continuance of Amity do send Messengers where there is Peace that the transaction of those publique expressiens of reciprocal Affection 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 is Gods grace to to the salvation of my soul I have been alwayes fearful of offending Almighty God according to the grace he hath given me but to learn new Religion and new Wayes that I must say Mr. 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 permission 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 hands 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 Mr. 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 tels me not that for the intentions of serving my Prince that I could deserve such a Death though ten thousand times more other ways Dr. 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 not 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 not 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 finde a man may be in Turky or in any place all the World over where they will give that Language which they hold fitting 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 mercifully accepting of my Saviour and patient death And I beseech you all whatsoever you are that you will accompanie me with your Prayers whereby my Soul may be assisted within me in that passage to my Saviour whether 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 Commandements 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 blood of my Saviour I beg pardon of all whosoever whether I have offended them or no I truly for give them and have besought Almighty God to pour his blessings upon them I accuse no man I find fault nor quarrel with no man neither with the persons that were the occasions they were but instruments neither 〈◊〉 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 general I bless God Almighty from my own Heart now so assisted by the special 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 satisfaction of any whatsoever I am here ready I am unacquainted but in my extasies to Heaven there is that glorie I am going to I beseech Almighty God that he will give me grace to bless his holie Name as for all as for Jesus Christ and in him all things so particularly for this that he hath thought me worthie 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 only 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 loyaltie to my Prince in that love to all the World that now being to give up my account to him that I may with comfort be received into the Arms of his Mercie If there be any thing Master Sheriff that I may give satisfaction in I am readie to do it according to the poor talent I have I will receive my punishment in the way God hath prepared for me 〈…〉 nie waies I have been taken up Truly I am bound to all that see me and manie thousands more since I came into England not an uncivil look we had strange Reports aborad not an uncivil look from anie God repay them all and return them from the Throne of his grace into their own Bosoms And God in particular bless that honourable Ladie 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 thankful 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 Loyaltie which is not the
you possesse 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 do 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 pass-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 blood answerable to my birth and qualification and this courtesie of theirs hath much helped towards the pacification of my mind I shall desire God that those Gentlemen in that sad bed-rol to be tried by the High Court of Justice that they may find that really there than is nominal in the Act an High 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 Master whom I much honoured my Lord Capel hoping 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 Doctor Swadling he being upon the Scaffold spake as followeth unto the Colonel You have this morning in the presence of a few given some account of your Religion and under general notions or words have given an account 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 general testimoney 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 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 bosom which I have put to your bosom Doctor You acknowledge that you deserve more then this stroak of the Axe and that a far 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 Judgement but I know again I have a satisfaction made by my Elder-brother Christ Jesus and then I say it is not due â—is due from me but quitted by his Righteousness Doct. Do you believe to be saved by that Mediator and none other Col. By that and that only renouncing all secondary causes whatsoever Doct. Are you truly and unfeignedly 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 days what life do 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 friends to limit how far I should make a Vow that I might 〈◊〉 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 lawful Authorities and Government 〈◊〉 Col. I do prize all obedience to lawful Government and the adventuring against them is sinful and I do not justifie my self whatever my judgement be for my thus adventuring 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 Lord forgive them and forgive me as I freely forgive them Doct. You have for some late years laid down your Gown and took up the Sword and you were a man of Note in those parts where you had your residence I have nothing to accuse you for want of diligence in hindering the doing of injuries yet possibly there might be some wrong done by your Officers or those under you to some particular men If you had your Estate in your hands would you make restitution Col. The wrongs themselves you bring to my mind are not great nor many some things of no great moment but such as they are my desire is to make restitution but have not wherewithall Doct. If you had ability would you likewise leave a legacy of thankfulness to Almighty God something to his poor Servants to his lame Members to his deaf Members to his dumb Members Col. My will hath always been better then my ability that way Doct. Sir I shall trouble you very little further I thank you for all those heavenly Colloquies I have enjoyed by being in your Company these three days and truly I am very sorry I must part with so heavenly an Associate We have known one another heretofore but never so Christian-like before I have rather been a Scholar to learn from you then an Instructor I wish this Stage wherein you are made a Spactacle to God Angels and the World may be a School to all about you for though I will not diminish your sins nor shall I conceal nor hypocrize my own for they are great ones betwixt God and my self yet I think there is few here have a lighter load upon them then you have if we consider things well and I only wish them your Repentance and that measure of Faith which God hath given you and that measure of Courage you have attained from God and that constant perseverance God hath crowned you with hitherto Col. His Name be praised Here the Doctor
is a Fundamental Law of the English liberty that no Free-man shall be taken or imprisoned without cause shewn or be detained without being brought unto his Answer in due form of Law yet here we saw a Freeman imprisoned ten whole weeks together before any Charge was brought against him and kept in prison three years more before his general Accusation was by them reduced into particulars and for a year almost detained close prisoner without being brought unto his answer as the Law requires It is a Fundamental Law of the English Government that no man be disseised of his Freehold or Liberties but by the known Laws of the Land yet here was a man disseised of his Rents and Lands spoyled of his Goods deprived of his jurisdiction devested of his Right and Patronage and all this done when he was so far from being convicted by the Laws of the Land that no particular charge was so much as thought of It is a Fundamental Law of the English Liberty that no man shall be condemned or put to death but by lawful judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land i. e. in the ordinary way of a legal tryal and sure an Ordinance of both Houses without the Royal Assent is no part of the Law of England nor held an ordinary way of trial for the English subject or ever reckoned to be such in the former times And finally it is a Fundamental Law in the English Government that if any other case than those recited in the Statute of King Edward 3. which is supposed to be Treason do happen before any of his Majesties Justices the Justices shall tarry without giving judgment till the cause be shewn and declared before the King and His Parliament whether it ought to be judged Treason or not yet here we had a new found Treason never known before nor declared such by any of His Majesties Justices nor ever brought to be considered of by the King and His Parliament but only voted to be such by some of those few Members which remained at Westminster who were resolved to have it so for their private ends Put all which hath been said together and then tell me truly if there by any difference for I see not any between the ancient Roman slaves and the once Free-born Subjects of the English Nation whose lives and liberties whose goods and fortunes depend on the meer pleasure of their mighty Masters But to return unto our Story the passing of the Ordinance being made known unto him he neither entertained the news with a Stoical Apathy nor wailed his Fate with weak and womanish Lamentations to which Extreams most men are carried in this case but heard it with so even and so smooth a temper as shewed he neither was afraid to live nor ashamed to die The time between the Sentence and the Execution he spent in Prayers and applications to the Lord his God having obtained though not without some difficulty a Chaplain of his own to attend upon him and to assist him in the work of his preparation though little preparation needed to receive that Blow which could not but be welcom because long expected For so well was he studied in the Art of dying especially in the last and strictest part of his Imprisonment that by continual Fasting Watching Prayers and such like Acts of Christian Humiliation his flesh was rarified into Spirit and the whole man so fitted for eternal Glories that he was more then half in heaven before death brought his bloudy but triumphant Chariot to convey him thither He that had been so long a Confessor could not but think it a release of miseries to be made a Martyr And as it is recorded of Alexander the great that the night before his best and greatest Battel with Darius the Persian he fell into so sound a sleep that his Princes hardly could awake him when the Morning came so is is certified of this great Prelate that on the Evening before his Passeover the night before the dismal combat betwixt him and death after he had refreshed his spirits with a moderate Supper he betook himself unto his rest and slept very soundly till the time came in which his Servants were appointed to attend his Rising a most assured sign of a Soul prepared The fatal morning being come he first applied himself to his private Prayers and so continued till Penington and other of their publick Officers came to conduct him to the Scaffold which he ascended with so brave a courage such a cheerful countenance as if he had mounted rather to behold a triumph then to be made a Sacrifice and came not there to die but to be translated And to say Truth it was no Scaffold but a Throne a Throne whereon he shortly was to receive a Crown even the most glorious Crown of Martyrdom And though some rude uncivil people reviled him as he passed along with opprobrious Language as loath to let him go to the Grave in peace it never discomposed his thoughts nor disturbed his patience For he had profited so well in the School of Christ that when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously And as he did not fear the Frowns so neither did he cover the applause of the vulgar Herd and therefore rather chose to read what he had to speak unto the People then to affect the Ostentation either of memory or wit in that dreadful Agony whether with greater Magnanimity or Prudence I can hardly say As for the matter of his Speech besides what did concern himself and his own purgation his great care was to clear His Majesty and the Church of England from any inclination unto Popery with a persivasion of the which the Authors of our then miseries had abused the People and made them take up Arms against their Soveraign approving himself a faithful Servant to the last By means whereof as it is said of Samson in the Book of Judges that the men which he slew at his death were more then they which he slew in his Life so may it be affirmed of this famous Prelate that he gave a greater blow unto the enemies of God and the King at the hour of his Death then he had given them in his whole life before But this you will more clearly see by the Speech it self which followeth here according to the best and most perfect Copies The Speech of the L. Archbishop of Canterbury spoken at his Death upon the Scaffold on the Tower-hill Jan. 10. 1644. Good People THis is an uncomfortable time to preach yet I shall begin with a Text of Scripture Heb. 12.2 Let us run with patience that Race which is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of
and Patrimony and the settlement of this distracted and distressed People under their ancient Laws and in their native Liberties And when thou hast done all this in meer mercy for them O Lord fill their hearts with thankfulnesse and with Religious dutiful-obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their daies So Amen Lord Jesus Amen and receive my Soul into thy Bosome Amen Our Father which art c. The Speech and Prayers being ended he gave the Paper which he red unto Dr. Sterne his Chaplain now Lord Bishop of Carlisle desiring him to shew it his other Chaplains that they might know how he departed out of this World and so prayed God to shew his mercies and blessings on them And noting how one Hinde had employed himself in taking a Copy of his Speech as it came from his mouth he desired him not to do him wrong in publishing a false or imperfect Copy Which as Hinde promised him to be â—areful of calling for punishment from above if he should do otherwise so hath he reasonably well performed his promise he next applied himself to the fatal Block as to the Haven of his rest But finding the way full of people who had placed themselves upon the Theatre to behold the Tragedy he desired he might have room to dye beseeching them to let him have an end of his miseries which he had endured very long All which he did with so serene and calm a mind as if he had been rather taking order for another mans funeral then making way unto his own Being come near the Block he put off his doublet and used some words to this effect Gods will be done I am willing to go out of this World no man can be more willing to send me out of it And seeing through the chinks of the boards that some people were got under the Scaffold about the very place where the Block was seated he called on the Officers for some dust to stop them or to remove the people thence saying it was no part of his desires that his bloud should fall upon the heads of the People Never did man put off mortality with a braver courage not look upon his bloudy and malitious Enemies with more Christian charity And thus far he was gone in his way towards Paradise with such a Primitive magnanimity as equalled if not exceeded the example of ancient Martyrs Then he turned towards his Executioner and gave him money saying without the least distemper or change of countenance here honest friend God forgive thee and do thy office upon me with mercy and having given a sign when the blow should come he kneeled down upon his knees and prayed as followeth The Lord Arch-Bishops Prayer as he kneeled by the Block LOrd I am coming as fast as I can I know I must pass 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 jaws of death So Lord receive my Soul and have mercy upon me and blesse this Kingdom with Peace and Plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Jesus Christ 's sake if it be thy will Then laying his head upon the Block and praying silently to himself he said aloud Lord receive my Soul which was the signal given to the Executioner who very dextrously did his office and took it off at a blow his Soul ascending on the wings of Angels into Abrahams bosome and leaving his Body on the Scaffold to the care of men after he had lived 71 years 13 weeks and 4 dayes which was interd in Alhollows Barkin Church with the decent Ceremonies of the Church of England On the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury I Need no muse to give my passion vent He brews his tears that studies to lament Verse chymically weeps that pious raine Distill'd with Art is but the sweat o' th brain Who ever sob'd in numbers can a groan Be quaver'd out by soft division T is true for common formal Ellegies Not Bushels Wells can match a Poets eyes In wanton water-works hâ—e'l turn his tears From a Geneva Jig up to the Sphears But when he mourns at distance weeps aloof Now that the Conduit-head is our own roof Now that the fate is publick we may call It Britaines Vespers Englands Funeral Who hath a Pensil to express the Saint Put he hath eyes too washing off the paint There is no learning but what tears surround Like to Seths Pillars in the Deluge drown'd There is no Church Religion is grown From much of late that she 's increast to none Like an Hydropick body full of Rheumes First swells into a bubble then consumes The Law is dead or cast into atrance And by a Law dough-bak't an Ordinance The Lyturgie whose doom was voted next Died as a Comment upon Him the Text. There nothing lives life is since he is gone But a Nocturnal Lucubration Thus have you seen Deaths Inventory read In the sum total Canterburies dead A sight would make a Pagan to baptize Himself a Convert in his bleeding eyes Would thaw the rabble that fierce beast of ours That which Agena like weeps and devours Tears that flow brackish from their Souls within Not to repent but pickle up their sin Mean time no squallid grief his look defiles He guilds his sadder fate with noble smiles Thus the worlds eye with reconciled streams Shines in his showers as if he wept his beams How could success such villanies applaud The State in Strafford fell the Church in Laud The twins of publick rage adjudg'd to dye For Treasons they should act by Prophecy The facts were done before the Laws were made The trump turn'd up after the game was plaid Be dull great spirits and forbear to climbe For worth is sin and eminence a crime No Church-man can be innocent and high 'T is height makes Grantham steeple stand awry Master Robert Yeomans and Master George Bowcher Citizens of Bristol murdered there May 30 1643. THere were few cities in the Kingdom for all the Artifices and popular cheats of those at Westminster who had debauched a great number of the Kings good Subjects wherein his Majesties Cause had not an equal share in the Affection and Opinion of the Inhabitants if in some places it went lesse in others it was paramount as the Difference was visible in the neighbouring Cities of Glocester and Bristol In the last whereof we shall present you with a very sad and deplorable example of Loyalty and cruelty in the persons of Mr. Yeomans and Mr. Bowcher intending it as a sweet Oyntment to embasm their Funerals that though with their Saviour the Ignominy of whose Crosse sanctified even the death of that accursed Tree in their death they were numbred among the Transgressors yet Loyalty being their Epitaph they may make their Graves amongst the
there being no danger of Opposition they wade on in Bloud commanding Mr. Bowcher to ascend the Ladder He had written what he had intended to speak being very large exhorting those who had set their hands to this Plow meaning the defence of the Kings cause not to be too hasty as terrified with their Sufferings to take them off and words to such purpose describing the Schismaticks according to the Character of them drawn by the Pensil of the Holy Ghost in Scripture phrase in which he was excellently well read being confest by his very enemies to be a very Religious man instancing in that remarkeable place of S. Jude Proud Boasters Heady Unstable c. But it was not permitted him to speak all out by those men who knew themselves so much concerned at last pressed on to the acceleration of his end by those who were swift to shed bloud he desired to sing Psal 16. which being ended he began to recommend himself to God by pathetical Prayers and Ejaculations wherein he was interrupted by a Factious Levite one Rosewel who called him Hypocrite and Apostate reviling him that after so strict a conversation and so much time spent in the Profession of Religion he should render all suspected for hypocrisie by so obstinate perseverance in Rebellion against the Parliament This shook not the constancy of this Resolved Martyr who held up with St. Bernard Scutum Conscientiae contra Gladium Linguae the Buckler of a good Conscience against the Blowes of a malicious Tongue and so sustaining himself with that comfortable Promise of our Saviour Blessed are you when men shall revile you c. he yielded himself to the will and desire of his Murderers The Factious Priest in his very fall from the Ladder pursuing him with the same odious Names of Hypocrite and Apostate thereby if possible to disturb the Peace of his Soul in the moment of his Death a devilish Practise in extending Malice even to the Endeavours of a second Death These two Glorious Martyrs now lying under the Altar having thus through their Ignominious deaths in a Glorious cause and with a pure Conscience rendred their Souls to God the sad Spectators smite their Brests and return Never was there so general a Face of sorrow such bitter lamentations heard in that City as on that day Their Bodies taken down were both carried to Mr. Yeomans his House Father in Law to the Martyr In the Evening M. Bowchers Body was conveyed to his own House a sad Spectacle to his poor Widow and seven Orphans and at night both were interred Mr. Yeomans at Christ-Church Mr. Bowchers at St. Warburghs their Funerals being attended by those Orthodox Ministers the Persecution had left and by most of the honest well-affected Citizens though they knew that they could not express this Piety to the dead but to the hazard of losing their Liberties and plundering their Estates This most horrid Fact no History no not that of the Anabaptists in Germany comes near so that it is miserably and cruelly beholding to a Parallel in the same Kingdom the deplorable Butchery of Mr. Tompkins and Mr. Challoner in London which soon after followed as it doth here in order of time Mr. Tompkins and Mr. Challoner Condemned by a sentence of a Court Martial and executed in London July 5 1643. THe rebellious faction having sacrificed those Gentlemen to the Moloch of their disloyal cruelty under the vizor of a blessed Reformation in one of the chiefest Cities in the West thereby to strike terror in the minds of all men who should dare to be honest and be according to their duty faithful to their Soveraign to which in spight of all their specious pretences they saw the wisest and sobrest part of the Nation very much inclined and to give more flagitious authority to their illegal and salvage proceedings by perpetrating the same violences in the Metropolis of the Kingdom before the faces of al the English Courts of Judicature thereby to amuse the weaker and unintelligent sort of people upon whom their main design was bottomed as if they had the Law clearly on their side in that horrid rebellion proceeded further in the same manner against these two Martyrs the cause of whose Deaths take as followeth being upon the same account with their preceding fellow sufferers After that the Faction had waded so far in their disloyalty against the King as to levy a War against him had seized most of his Magazines Cities and places of Defence had possest themselves of all his Ships and therewith infested those places which stood for him had defied and bid him battle wherein his Sacred Person was alike endangered with the meanest of his Rebels in which it pleased God so to assist the King that those at Westminster found themselves deceived in the Kings strength he suddenly after Edg-hill fight marching up to Branford near London and putting the Members and the tumultuous Cititzens into a deserved consternation and confusion and yet amidst all these terrors of War had offered them terms of Peace laying aside the great advantages his Majesty might promise himself from the state of affairs in which his successes had placed him yet notwithstanding all his repeated proposals for an accommodation nothing could be effected with those men whose ears were deaf to the charms of Peace though never so prudent and rational as being widely distant from those ends and designs which they had laid in the War being the spoil of three Kingdoms When I say these Gentlemen perceived into what a miserable condition the whole Nation reflecting tenderly also upon bleeding Ireland was like speedily to be reduced by the dissembled covetousnesse rebellious obstinacy implacable malice and devilish cunning and subtilty of their popular cheats upon the multitude then did several worthy Citizens endeavour to interpose and obviate those growing mischiefs which they did foresee would inevitably fall upon this Church and State First of all therefore they addrest themselves by way of Petition earnestly sueing to the two Houses that they would vouchsafe to hear their Soveraign and not preclude or prejudice the way to an agreement by a resolute fixednesse in those courses which they humbly shewed could not but be dreadful and destructive to the Publick A Petition to this effect with many thousand hands and hearts was accordingly tendred whereunto they received a slight answer that the Houses would do what in their wisdom they thought fit and that the Petitioners were as their duty was to acquiesse and rest in their Counsels and determinations which should provide without their direction for the safety of the Kingdom From this Answer to this purport and effect they soon wel perceived what the temper of those men was and that their first whimsie that dark cloud of jealousies and fears was big with a tempestuous storm impending over the lives and estates of the King and his good Subjects They saw a seditious and pragmatical person continued Lord Mayor
Death entertained by any with more Magnanimity and undaunted Resolution and Bravery of mind both the Roman and Christian confidence striving to Excellency in this harsh Encounter with an unexpected Death Sr. Charles was the first by designation to be sacrificed to their Cruelty who having retired himself a while to offer up his last Prayers to God commending his Soul into his hands presented himself to his Executioners and tearing open his Doublet exposed his naked Breast saying aloud Now Rebels do your worst and so by their murdering Bullets was dispatched in the place Sr. George Lisle was appointed to be next in this Tragedy of whom take this brief Account He was extracted from a Gentile Family in Surrey and from the beginning of the Troubles had strenuously and couragiously assisted the King The most remarkable place saving this of his Death where his great Spirit and military experience most manifested it self was at the second Newberry Battel where he made good his ground being Col. of a Regiment of Foot against several Charges both of Horse and Foot of the Enemy who did all they could to drive him from some Advantages which could they have obtained by subduing that handful of men might have facilitated their way to Victory This he sustained with an Invincible Resolution animating his Souldiers and leading them on without any Supplies or Reserves several times and for the more Encouragement took off his own Doubler and charged in his Shirt bidding them come on once more for the King then for the Prince then for the Duke till such time as night came and quitted him from his hot Service and Enemies together This noble Action was taken notice of by the K. acknowledged so at Court which rendred him deservedly famous among the Sword-men of his own Party and as dreadful to the other so that having him in their hands by this Surrender they resolved to be thus cowardly and basely rid of him It being as was said before his turn to die seeing and beholding that sad Spectacle the dead Body of his dearest Friend he fell upon it and kissed it as if he meant to breath into it another Soul and with a free and full yet true Relation of his Vertues and Endowments he did often repeat these words In how short a moment has a brave Spirit expired well this Priority was due to thee but I shall not be long behind thee my Death which is now at hand shall restore thee to me After this standing up and taking five Pieces of Gold out of his Pocket he gave one to his Executioners and the other four he sent to four Friends in London and then addressing himself to the standers by he said Oh how many do I see here about me whose Lives I have saved in hot bloud and now must mine be taken away most barbarously in cold bloud Sure the like was never heard of among the Goths and Vandals or the very Barbarians in any Age. After which words some short Ejaculations and some few Invocations upon the name of Jesus as he stood in an unconquerable Resolution of mind and in an Heroick Posture he was also dispatched by the same hands Thus these 2 stars of the first Magnitude for valourous Loyalty were put out and extinguished by the malice of their Enemies but though they shine not here in that splendor which their desired Lives would have appeared in yet they shine in a full Lustre in that Region of Glory whither the Violence of their Enemies transplanted them Most certain it is that upon the Ground where Sr. Charles Lucas fell when he was shor there hath grown no grass where the Print of his Body was it remaining still bare though it be green round about an indignation of the unreasonable unjust and cruel usage of so brave a person and if the Earth be punished that groan'd at their untimely end how much more heavy will their punishment be that contrived and rejoyced at it Since the Restitution of his Majesty the corps of these Worthies have been taken up and with all due Magnificence attended by the Gentry thereabouts and the Mayor and other principal persons of Colchester interred in the Repositories of the Right Honourable Family of the Lucas's with a Funeral Oration and other requisite Solemnities the deserved Honour to their precious memory Major Pitcher shot to death in St. Paul's Church-yard London December 29. 1648. THis Gentleman nor his Ancestry being known unto me I will not presume to trace him but as the fruitfulnesse of Nile answers for its original Springs so the Loyalty and gallantry of this person may satisfie our inquisition after his birth and descent till his relations will do him the honour and us the happiness and pleasure of a full account His Death was too lamentably publick but the cause for which he died was not generally known wherefore we will pay these justs and dues to his memory in a brief narative of the latter part of his honourable life In the year 1648 when Major General Langhorne Collonel Poyer and Powel took up Arms in Wales for the King this Gentleman out of his Sense of the Kings and Kingdoms misery the ruine and sacriledge daily committed on the Church freely engaged with the said persons for the restoration of the Laws and his Soveraign But it pleased God not to succeed that enterprise so that at St. Fagon's that Loyal Army of Welch men was defeated by the Parliament Forces under Collonel Horton from whence the remaines of that field betook themselves to Pembroke Town which being well fortified and provided held the Army now recruited with Forces under Cromwell a three-months Siege but seeing no hopes of relief after a hard defence made the Garrison render'd themselves upon Articles the main whereof and to our purpose were that the three Collonels above named should be at mercy all other Officers to depart the Kingdom for three years not to return before upon pain of death and the private Souldiers to go home engaging not to bear Arms against the Parliament In the Article of departing the Kingdom this valarous Gentleman was concernd who seeing the distracted estate of the Kingdom and how odious the Faction at Westminster were to the generality of the people concluded that there might be some occasion of further service and that it was base and ungenerous to desert his Prince at those times of exigence which called for and required every mans helping and assisting hand Being therefore in London upon the same design in defiance of those forced Articles which contrary to all Law banisht a Subject from his Country for doing his duty and would expose him to the mercy of other Climates for his affection to his own he was betrayed and apprehended and presently after condemned by a Council of War for contrarying the said Capitulation and as a preparatory Offering to that great Sacrifice of the King which followed in the next moneth he was shot to death
will make my conclusion with it that is That God Almighty would confer of his infinite and inestimable Grace and mercy to those that are the causers of my coming hither I pray God give them as much mercy as their hearts can wish and truly for my part I will not accuse any one of them of malice truly I will not nay I will not think there was any malice in them what other ends there is I know not nor will I examine but let it be what it will from my very Soul I forgive them every one And so the Lord of Heaven blesse you all God Almighty be infinite in goodnesse and mercy to you and direct you in those wayes of obedience to 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 a 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 Wastcoat 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 only forgive thee but I shall pray to God to give thee all grace for a better life There is five pound 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 bedy may not be stripped here and no body to take notice of my body but my own Servants Look you Friend this I shall defire of you that when I lye down you would give me a time for a particular short Prayer Lieu. Col. Beecher Make your own sign my Lord. Capel 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 blesse all this people God Almighty slench this blood God Almighty stench stench stench this issue of blood this will not do the business God Almighty find out another way to do it And then 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 mee have your prayers at the moment of death that God would receive my Soul L. Col. Beecher I wish it Capel 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. Capel Should I what will that do me good Stay a little it is well as it is now As he was putting 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 Iesus God Almighty keep you all Execut. My Lord shall I put up your hair Capel I I prethee do and then as he stood lifting up his hands and eyes he said O God I do with a perfect and willing heart submit to thy will O God! I do most willingly humble my self and then kneeling down said I will try first how I can Lye and laying his head upon the Block said Am I well now Execut. Yes And then as he lay with both his hand stretched out he said to the Executioner Here lie both my hands out when I lift up my hands 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 I Shall omit Duke Hamilton not only because of another Nation though a Peer of this but because it is in question whether he suffered not for obeying the commands of the Scotch Parliament and Kirk who sent him as General in that Expedition and that the Kings Interest was but collateral Let him therefore rest in his honourable grave while we softly and reverently pass over it to that of the Earl of Holland Henry Earl of Holland beheaded on the Scaffold in the Palace-yard at Westminster at the same time THis Lord in the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the Martyr was his special favourite and peculiar friend so that after that assassinate upon the Duke of Buckingham he was made Chancellor of the University of Cambridge having been newly before from Baron Rich of Kensington raised to the Honour of the Earldom of Holland and sent Colleague with the Earl of Carlisle in that splendid Embassy into France about the marriage of the Queen Mother Notwithstanding all these favours so freely conferred on him so uncertain variable and unobligeable are the minds of men for I cannot impute his siding with the Parliament to have been from any disgust or dislike he received from the King especially when Religion becomes the bone of contention he was one of those Lords that remained at London and made up a House of Peers although he never took up Arms Command or Employment against his good Master and Soveraign About the middle of the War sceing how unreasonably the Parliament persisted in carrying on the War being so often fruitlesly courted by the King to an accommodation he and the Earl of Bedford forsook their part and quarrel and escaped to the King at Oxford where finding not that kind and favourable reception they expected being looked on shily by the Court there especially this Lord he privately departed to London again having left a fair account of himself to the King But when the War was ended and the Parliament had refused to treat with his Majesty and so to settle the Kingdom he then took up Arms in earnest in the Kings behalf being real and cordial on this his last undertaking and engaged with him the Duke of
I find a great Reward of it for I have found their Prayers and their kindness now in this distress and in this condition and I think it a great reward and I pray God reward them for it I am a great sinner and I hope God will be pleased to hear my prayers to give me faith to trust in him that as he hath called me to death at this place he will make it but a passage to an eternal Life through Jesus Christ which I trust to which I rely upon and which I expect by the Mercy of God And so I pray God bless you all and send that you may see this to be the last execution and the last bloud that is likely to be spilt among you And then turning to the side-rayl he prayed for a good space of time after which Mr. Bolton said My Lord now look upon him whom you have trusted My Lord I hope that here is your last Prayer there will no more Prayers remain but Praises and I hope that after this day is over there will a day begin that shall never have end and I look upon this my Lord the Morning of it the Morning of that day My Lord You know where your Fulness lies where your riches lie where is your only Rock to anchor on you know there is fulness in Christ If the Lord comes not in with fulness of Comfort to you yet resolve to wait upon him while you live and to trust in him when you die and then say I will die here I will perish at thy feet I will be found dead at the feet of Jesus Christ Certainly he that came to seek and save lost sinners will not reject lost sinners when they come to seek him He that intreateth us to come will not sleight us when we come to intreat him My Lord there is enough there and fix your heart there and fix your eyes there that eye of Faith and that eye of Hope exercise these Grace now there will be no exercise hereafter As your Lordship said here take an end of Faith and take an end of Hope and take a Farewel of Repentance and all these and welcome God and welcome Christ and welcome Glory and welcome Happiness to all Eternity and so it will be an happy passage then if it be a passage here from misery to happiness And though it be but a sad way yet if it will bring you into the presence of Joy although it be a Valley of Tears although it be a shadow of death yet if God will please to bring you and make it a passage to that happiness welcome Lord. And I doubt not but God will give you an heart to tast some sweetness and Love in this bitter Potion and to see somthing of Mercy and Goodness to you and shew you some sign and token of good so that your soul may see that which we have had already experience of blessed be God for it many Experiences many Expressions not only in words nor tears God hath not left us without much Comfort and evidence and I hope my Lord you that have given so many Evidences to us I hope you want none your self but that the Lord will be pleased to support you and bear 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 Anchor of Faith is thrown out there may be shakings and tossings but there is Safety nothing shall interrupt Safety although somthing may interrupt Security my safety is sure although I apprehend it not and what if I go 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 staggering 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 besom 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 Judgment 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 deaths 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 manâ—er and truly I hope that his purposes and intentions were such as a man may not be ashamed not only to follow him in the way that was taken with him but likewise not ashamed of his putposes 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 Pr. very happy toward himself 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 nevertheless this lowness shall raise me to the highest glory for ever Truly I have non 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 somthing of vanity methinks to take notice of them here I 'le rather die with them with the comfort of them in my own bosom that I never intended in this Action or any action that ever I did in my life either malice or bloudshed 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
waies 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 endeavoured to relieve them I endeavoured to oblige them I thought I was tied 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 underst and 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 die and the Lord receive my Soul I have no Reliance but upon Christ For my self I do acknowledge that I am the unworthiest 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 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 Bloud of persons of Condition of Persons of Honour I might say somthing of the way of our Trial 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 * Pointing to the Block place when I bow down my self there I hope God will raise me up and when I bid farewel 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 Treasury 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 Earth bring you to that Safety Holland I shall make as much hast 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 Righteousness of another you will appear Glorious though now sinful 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 Counsels and infinite wisdom and goodness beyond which there was a non ultra in Gods thoughts when this was the great design and great end the salvation of poor 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 Bloud 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 Devils 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 few that come over but a few that come over and should he deny them there were no end nor fruit of the Blond 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 mill 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 an 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 sinful 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 me 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 less I deserve the more conspiâ—uous is his
especially that of the King 's they made no bones of him but condemned him to the Gibbet with such fury and hast that they would scarce afford him time to recommend himself from their merciless Bar to the merciful and just Tribunal of Heaven which would ere long judge righteously in his cause between his Enemies and himself He was not long in preparation for his dissolution having as well learned as taught the necessity of Death improved to him into an easie suffering undergoing of it by the glory of his cause so that he quietly submitted to their Sentence and with Christian resolution owning his actions in order to his duty laid down his life the day and year aforesaid and will therefore deservedly among the rest of his glorious Company be had in precious and everlasting remembrance Not long afterwards followed the rendition of Pontefract-Castle surprized as aforesaid by Col. Morris they had stood it out to extremity there being no place in England for the King besides therefore were forced to accept of very hard Conditions which were that six of the garison whom they should chuse should be left at discretion The reason of this calling out this Number was a resolution to Sacrifice them to the ghost of the said Rainsborough being assured that those that performed that exploit were then in the Castle might be discovered upon view Among those or rather for those this Gentleman was taken being the Governor of the place and with Cornet Michael Blackbourn and the others brought to the City of York and committed to that Goal until the Summer-Assizes held there by Baron Thorp for that County when an Indictment of Treason was brought against them for levying War against the Parliament therupon found guilty by a pack'd Jury and after Sentence of being hanged drawn and quartered they were executed the day and year aforesaid the rigour of dismembring them being only abated At their death they spake as followeth The Speech of Col. John Morris Governour of Pontefract 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 Cross I know I am going to a joyful place with many like expressions When the Post met him about St. James Church that was sent to the Parliament to mediate for a reprieve and told him he could not prevailin it he said Sir I pray God reward you for your pains I hope and am well assured to finde 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 honorable House my dear Lord 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 unless 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 dy in These pains are nothing if compared to those dolors and pains which Jesus Christ our Saviour hath suffered for us when in a bloody-Sweat he endured the Wrath of God the pain of Hell and the cursed and shameful death which was due to our sins therefore I praise the Lord that I am not plagued with far more grievous punishment that the like hath befallen 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 carnal 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 aâ—ter death there shall be no more sorrow nor cry nor pain for God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes by Death our souls shall be delivered from thraldom and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortal 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 evetlasting bliss and glory it takes us from the miseries of this world and society of sinners to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem I bless God I am thought worthy to suffer for his Name and for so good a cause and if I had a thousand lives I would willingly lay them down for the cause of my King the Lords Anointed the Scripture commands us to fear God and honour the King to be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as supreme or to to those that are in authority under him I have been always faithful to my Trust and though I have been most basely accused for betraying Leverpool yet I take God to witness it is a most false aspersion for I was then sick in my bed and knew not of the delivering of it till the Officers and Souldiers had done it without my consent and then I was carried prisoner to Sir John Meldrum afterwards I came down into the Country and seeing I could not live quietly at home I was perswaded by Colonel Forbes Colonel Overton Lieut-Colonel Fairfax whom I took for my good friends to march in their Troops which I did but with intention still to do my King the best service when occasion was and so I did and I pray God to turn the hearts of all the Souldiers to their lawful Sovereign that this Land may enjoy Peace which till then it will never do and though thou kill me yet will I put my trust in thee wherefore I trust in God he will not fail me nor forsake me Then he took his Bible and read divers Psalms fit for his own occasion and consolation and then put up divers prayers some publiquely and some privately the publique was this whiâ—h follows His Prayer WElcome blessed hour the period of my Pilgrimage the term of my Bondage the end of my cares the close of my sins the bound of my travels the Goal of my race and the haven of my hopes I have fought a long fight in much weakness I have finished my course though in great faintness and the Crown of my joy is that through the
purpose a scandal which obliquely hit Sir Henry to the taking away his life but was doubly aymed at his Majesty whom they would render to his Subjects as they in their Traiterous Papers had called him an Enemy to the Common-wealth At his going to Constantinople several Messages past betwixt him and Sir Thomas Bendish in order to his audience which usually is prepared by the Resident there which his mistakes and jealousie was a long time delayed and at last frustrated The Vizier being wrought upon to betray him and to send him away for England by the Ships then bound thither from Smyrna in one whereof contrary to his Designation and reinfect with some of Sir Thomas Bendisheâ— men who sided with him in obedience to the Kings Authority he arrived at London and was presently committed to the Tower where he past his Examination I shall omit any further account but refer the Reader to that Apology or Defence which Sir Thomas Bendish lately published in excuse of himself and to free and clear his Reputation charged with the guilt of this Martyrs death and more especially to what Sir Henry himself said a view whereof you have in the subsequent leaves After some while imprisonment he was brought before the High Court of Justice and heard in defence of his life wherein he would have used and desired to speak in the Italian Language being through long disuse of his Mother-tongue not so ready and expressive as that important matter required he should be which request by the folly and madnesse of his Judges was imputed to him as an affected pride and vanity In conclusion by a Power intrusted and lodged in that High Court of Justice by Authority of Parliament he was sentenced to be beheaded and the place and day assigned for the Execution The main incentive to this villany was without doubt the nearnesse of his Honourable Brother to the King at whom this blow glanced if also they did not remember and reckon their two presumptuous Emissaries and Agents Dorislaws and Achtan into the score However it was Sir Henry nothing dismaid at this outrage against his Life and Honour quietly submitted to his doom and at his death though accompanied thereto with many diseases and Infirmities couragiously asserted his Cause owned his Master the King and cleared them both from any Aspersions and so rendered his Soul to God Sir Henry Hide 's speech on the Scaffold near the Exchange immediately before his Execution March 4. 1650. REader Take notice that this Speech following is published in those very words that the Gentleman delivered them and though there be some abrupt breakings off and other expressions not so smooth as might have been yet I could not with henesty alter a word and therefore have I tyed my self to his own expressions that I may neither abuse the world or the dying man or my self THe Gentleman came in a Coach to the Scaffold attended by the Lieutenant of the Tower and the Sheriffs of London and also in his company one of his servants and Dr. Hide I Am come to put in practice the Christian Profession Sir Hen. Hide and as I owe a death to nature and sin now I pay it upon the score of grace Dr. Hide Blessed be God that hath enabled you to it God hath and will enable you Sir H. Hide Looking round on the People he said A populous City God bless it and grant they may live to his Grace Then turning to his Man he said John I pray now though I have not been a good Master to you be you a good Servant and accompany me with your prayers and help me both in body and mind John Have you my things about you John Then staying for his Servants they being not on the Scaffold he said I had rather have my Servants then strangers Then the Lieutenant of the Tower coming to him he said pray Sir rejoyce with me I thank Almighty God I am brought hither to suffer for him Lieut. of the Tower I am glad you are so comforted Gods Will be fulfilled in all things Sir H. Hide If God call me to him and I glorifie him it is well I seek only the company of your Christian Prayers Lieut. of the Tower I shall not be wanting in that God willing Then the Chirurgion coming but not his Kinsman who was called for he said My kinsman is of no use you may be useful about my body I hope Mr. Sheriff that you 'l give order I may have a little more room here Sheriff Yes yes Sir Sir H. Hide And likewise for libertie of speech and that it shall please you for I am not acquainted with the forms here of England that I may speak my own sense I am now going into the presence of Almightie God a very little without any disturbance Sheriff Why Sir you shall Sir H. Hide John where is my Coffin John It is here Sir Sheriff Sir it seems these men cannot be found Sir H. Hide But if Mr. Barret could be found After some stay Mr. Barret being not found the Sheriff spake to him saying Sheriff You have your libertie you know your time Sir H. Hide Where is the place of standing that way or this way pointing towards the Exchange and the Poultery Sheriff Which way you please you may stand which way you will but that way you must lie pointing towards the Exchange Sir H. Hide I am indifferent it is not the way to heaven where a man stands One brought word to him that there was no help to be had Sir H. Hide That is no hinderance to my felicity Dr. Hide God enable you that you may find that joy and comfort which is due to the glory of his holy Name he will not forsake you that have put your trust in him Sir H. Hide I will open my heart and my mouth with thanksgiving if this Gentleman please to give way Then turning towards the Poultery he put off his Hat and said Glory be to God on high on Earth Peace good will to men CHristian People I come hither to die I am brought hither to die and that I may die Christian-like I humbly beseech your Christian Prayers that by the benefit of them my passage may be the more easie Yet because men in that condition which it hath pleased God to reduce me carry more credit to their Speeches In the discharge of my Duty towards God I shall use a few words and so dispatch I pray all of you joyn with me to praise this Almighty God to whom I desire to render all hearty thanks as for all his mercies so in particular for this That he hath brought me hither That whereas I owe a duty to Sin and to Nature I can pay it upon the account of Grace And because it is fit to render an account of the hope that is in me I shall tell you to the praise of Almighty God That I have been born and bred up in the Doctrine of
much worse but I hope my sins are all bathed in the blood of Jesus Christ So laying his neck upon the block and his armes stretcht out he said these words Blessed be Gods glorious Name for ever and ever Let the whole Earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen At which words he gave the Headsman the sign but he either not observing it or not being ready stayed too long so that his Lordship rose up again saying Why do 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 â—ay my self down in peace and so take my everlasting rest Then saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly he stretched out his arms and gave the sign 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 were carried off the Scaffold they carried them to a house in the Town where was thrown into his Coffin in a piece 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 VVar. 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 traytor to the Common-wealth of Eagland and an abettor encourager and assister of the declared Traytors 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 VVednesday the 15. day of this instant October about the houre of one of the Clock the same day Sir Timothy Feverston Haugh beheaded at Chester Octob. 22. 1651. HAving nothing but the History of the War for my direction to this Gentlemans memory I will confine my self within the compass of that discovery and venture not to derive him any further hoping his honourable Relations will for their own as well as his sake be pleased to vouchsafe a full and perfect account of him hereafter to the embalming his fame to Posterity He was engaged in the unhappy Defeat at Wiggan with theafore said noble Earl to whose assistance whether he came with the King and was left by him there with those small Forces could be spared or that he voluntarily joyned or came from the Isle of Man with that Party I cannot determine this is for certain he was taken prisoner at that unlucky overthrow in Lancashire and secured afterwards till the Grand Business was over at Worcester Upon the coming back of the Forces assigned to Cheshire for their stationary Quarters and the bringing of the Earl of Derby thither they were both imprisoned at Chester and after the Trial and Condemnation of the Earl of Derby was likewise brought before the said Court-Martial and as no better was or could be expected by him or any other person had likewise the said Sentence only differing in time and place He behaved himself at his Death couragiously and Christianly telling those Monsters of men the foulness of their faults and confidently averring that the Justice of God would at last overtake them if they timely returned not to their duty and after some few prayers and among them one for the Kings preservation which yet was in doubt he resigned his Soul to God and hath added one to the glorious Company of Martyrs Colonel Benbow shot no death at Shrewsbury Octob. 1651. I Must confess my self at a losse here but though I could receive nothing else but his Name yet to that there is so much due on this account of Martyrdome that I durst not omit him putting hereby an occasion into the hands of this Gentlemans Relations to rescue his and perpetuate their Name to after Ages I conceive him to be one of those loyal Gentlemen who came in with the Earl of Shrewsbury then Lord Talbot or Colonel Howard my Lord Howard of Esericks Son to the King at Worcester and who for his former Services done the King in the War before was obnoxious to their malice Most certain it was he was taken notice of and observed to be very active in that Engagement at Worcester in the flight from whence he was taken though most of the other English escaped by the favour and concealment of the Country nor did ever the Scots finde civiller usage after a Defeat save those who through their glorious valour fell and escaped the better way to Heaven After he was taken he was conveighto Shrewsbury a place which the King from Worcester had summoned by a Letter to Colonel Mackworth the Governour which Royal Command they thought fit to question with loyal Blood as they pretended to expiate the storming of Bolton by Prince Rupert with the murder of the Earl of Derby Whatever the reasons of their proceedings there against him might be I cannot ascertain thus much from all hands we have that he went not lesse in his death then in his life maintaining his Religion to God his Duty to the King and his Innocency to the World to the last minute of his breath which found several wayes to expire by their Bullets and to ascend with his Soul to Heaven with a Quinque Domine c. Colonel John Gerhard and Mr. Vowel the one beheaded at Tower-hill and the other hanged at Charing-Crosse July 10. 1654. OLiver Cromwel that Monster of English production had but newly invaded the Magistracy over these Nations when as the Hydra before him had done he commenced his Tyrannical Regiment with a Sacrifice of Loyal blood which all along cemented the frame of his five yeares Usurpation as the Walls of Babylon were said to be mortar'd A cursed Rule it was among those State-Innovators that there was no surer way of establishing their Tyrannie and bring their Models to any sound constituon but by profusely letting blood especially in the Plurisie of so many dangers which their evil and abominable actions did daily threaten them This they termed Preventional Cure for suspecting all hands to be about their eares they resolved to be before hand with some that the terror of the Example being contrary to all reason Justice and Law and a perfect avowing of their Tyranny might reach to every man that who with the sense of so apparent danger and destruction out of which once engaged there was no rescue or deliverance but by death might be stupified into a degenerous fear and abject servility of mind to endure whatever their insupportable Domination should load upon
you to be satisfied with the brief account of the principal persons here because it will be not only some trouble to write their particular stories involved in the general design of this Service but by reason the whole was transacted by these mens Purses Authority and more signalized by their life death I presume not neither to be punctual in the matter of Colonel Penruddock for that he himself was abused in the hopes of the publishing his Examinations and Tryal wherein the high injustice offered him would most plainly appear especially in the business of Capt. Crook and therfore shall transmit the memory of this noble and Heroick Royalist with as much honor solemn veneration as indignation zeal against those Times and Persons that envied us the Retrospect of this his glory by forbidding suppressing any account thereof to be published that they might thereby conceal their base treachery and unlawful proceedings Colonel Penruddock thus butchered Colonel Groves a somewhat antient and very grave man was brought upon the reaking Scaffold he had been an Officer of that Dignity and Command in the Kings Armies before and therefore that honourable solemnity of murther was afforded him He spoke at his Trial little to his Judges whose enjoyned business and meritorious Service with Oliver he well knew was to bereave him of his life but addrest himself wholly to the Jury who were a packt number of Schismaticks and who Serpent like were deaf to his Charmes of Reason and Law though pressed and tenacioufly urged by him As he said little at the Bar so he said less at the Block but piously and fervently recommended his Soul to God desiring him to forgive his Enemies and so laid down his life and slept in the Lord their Speeches follow After this Execution was past they proceeded not because they saw it pleased the people for the Royal people of Exeter never beheld the like detestable sight in their violence against others of the meaner sort who were taken in that same business at Southmolton who by their discriminating malice were destined to the Gibbet nine of whom suffered thereat averting their most righteous Cause and telling the Sheriff a Knight of Olivers that another account and estimate would not long after be made of them to the shame and confusion of their Enemies After they were dead they were all honourably buried in that City all sorts of persons in great numbers following them to their Graves which was highly resented and stuck deeply in Cromwels stomack but he knew not which way to punish the City for that piety no more then he could brook or prevent their charity the Citizens from the time of the imprisonment of them being above fourscore in number maintaining them with all necessaries even to abundance and superfluity But though he could not stop the giver he found a way to hinder the receiver for after the Assizes wherein many more were condemned besides them that were Executed and the others still kept in durance in expectation of future tryal he caused them to be transported to the Barbado's selling them as slaves to some of those Turkish Merchants who trade in the lives of men as this Butcher Crommwel in their deaths who sold and employed them in those Plantations where the Pagan clowns or more properly villains used and worked them beyond their strength and endurance which soon after the Tyrant was gone to his place came to a hearing in Parliament in Richards non-age The same Judges at their return back held another Assize at Chard in Somersetshire where Cromwells Scouts had gleaned up a few of those scattered persons two whereof they murthered there but Major Hunt whom they had principally designed for the gorge gave them the slip in the habit of one of his Sisters who staid behind in his Chamber in bed which they discovered not till morning to the unspeakable intolerable vexation of the tyrant who threatned all manner of deaths to the Jaylor I had almost forgot their errand at Salisbury where they likewise beheaded on Mr. _____ of Hungerford and one Mr. Kency and three others were hanged for the same matter much stir was made and many addresses were presented to Cromwel in the behalf of them but all proved ineffectual onely one Mr. Dean the only son of a widow and he not actually in arms was after sentence reprieved The sufferers dyed constantly and assured in their just actions as the rest and gave glory to God and received it again in their eternal recompence 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 cheerfulnesse 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 Southmolton in this County but whether my being there or my actions there amount to so high a crime as high Treason I leave it to the world and to the Law to judge Truly if I were concious to my self of any base ends that I had in this underâ—aking I would not be so injurious to my own soul or disingenuous to you as not to make a publique acknowledgment thereof I suppose that divers persons according as they are biassed in their several interests and relations give their opinions to the world concerning us I conceive it is 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 enjure themselves or me My tryal was publick and my several 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
respect to my family I am now stripping off my clothes to fight a duel with death I conceive no other duel lawful but my Saviour hath pulled out the sting of this mine enemy by making himself a sacrifice for me And truly I do not think that man deserving one drop of his bloud that will not spend all for him in so good a cause The Truth is Gentlemen in this Age Trea on is an individium vagum like the wind in the Gospel it bloweth wher it listeth So now Treason is what they please lighteth upon whom they will Indeed no man except he will be a Traytor can avoid this Censure of Treason I know not to what end it may come but I pray God my own and my Brothers blood 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 walke 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 to 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 sluggishness in doing their duty and readiness 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 that is unborn will curse the day of their Parents birth God almighty preserve my Lawful K. 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 Majestys Royal Brethren and incline their hearts to seek after him God incline the hearts of all true Englisâ—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 have put on the Robes of Christs Righteousnesse 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 upon 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 towards me Then kneeling down he prayed most devoutfuly as followeth O Eternal 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 sins 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 heynous transgressions Thou that sittest at the right hard of God make intercession for me O holy and blessed Spirit which art 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 reviveâ— and quicken my hope and expectation of joys prepared for true and faithfull servarâ—ts Let the infinite Love of God my Saviour make 〈◊〉 love to him steafast sincere and constant O Lord consider my condition accept my tears aswage my grief give me comfort and confidence in theâ— impute not unto me my former sins but most mercifull Fathâ—r 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 knowledge against remorse of conscience against the motions 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 general 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 sins 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 Mediator 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 Savior 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 lye 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 true Speech of that Valiant and piously resolved Hugh Grove of Chisenbury in the Parish of Enford and County of Wilts Esquire beheaded the 16th 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 cannor 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 Charls the first of blessed memmory That I die a Loyall Subject to King Charls 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 did undertake this engagement and for which I am ready to lay down my life God forgive the bloody-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 maliciously 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 merciful to you and to
my soul Amen And so meekly laying his Neck to the block and giving a sign his head at one blow and a draw of the axe was severed from his body Sir Henry Slingsby and Dr. Hewyt beheaded on Tower hill June 8. 1658. THis was the last Act of Cromwel's Tragedies Death putting soon after a period to his Usurpation and Epilogizing other mens fate with his own his life had been attended and his hours measured with stillation of blood now they were determined this full pomp of slaughter went before and ushered his long desired Funerals to his usurped Grace He never stirt'd a Plot but money stuck at the bottom He had an Army of Janizaries which without constant pay could never be kept at his beck and obedience and all the design he practised could not raise him money without the tricks of Jealousies and Fears that State-Device serving by fondness and force to bring in mony for the Cause from the beginning to the very ending and this was the original of this horrid Plot. For nothing else can be made out he had lately so frighted all men by his known intelligence at the Kings Court that none but mad-men except the condition of the Tyrannie were altered would venture upon any new Contrivance the Usurper being stronger and farther seated in his Domination then ever before and the severity of his Revenge against those whom he took in such practices was so fresh and recent in memory that nothing but Desperation could thrust men upon such Pikes Therefore ho had recourse to his old Artifices and because no body would be dealing with him he would be dealing with others to make the people believe and apprehend danger and afterwards pay for the delivery from that is to say for the perpetration of it The Design was laid in all quarters North East West and South but centred in the City of London 't was a General Conbination betwixt him and his Secretary and so â—e not dive in it further but leave those parties who are concerned in the death 's of these and some preceding persons to consider of the rest and proceed to the Narrative The first man that was produced in this Plot which was to subvert the Usurpation till the Tyrant introduce and restore our Sovereign with a particular kind reference to the City which should be fired by its former Incendiaties was Sir Henry Slingsby a Gentleman of a very Noble Family in York shire of an ample and large Revenue and Estate in York shire but exhausted and wasted in the Kings Service and afterwards wholly sequestred for the Parliament This Knight for some time before had been a prisoner in Hull in order to the security of the Peace as their Tyrannie termed it but for manyyeares together no stranger to such demeurances In that Garrison he became acquainted as the solace of misery and life necessirated him with some of the Officers they likewise insinuating and ingratiating with him but more particularly when instructions were given them of trapanning him into some design against their Sultan Cromwel This engaged them into a nearer famisiarity Sir Henry's case and hard usage is lamented the state of the Kingdome laid open and the oppression of the people aggravated with many the like overtures to feel if the pulse of Sir Henry would beat an Alarm to an insurrection which for their part truly they feared but should not draw a Sword against any who should so attempt the regaining and recovery of their liberty To these Discoveries Sir Henry gave some pleasant but not serious eare though he did not utterly disbelieve the discontents of those men knowing if it was absolute truth they spoke and might in time be accomplished and therefore let fall some words tending to that purpose on which they replying and professing their serious service to the King if occasion presented it drew some further matter from Sir Henry which was the offering of a Commission to them to secure that place for the King This was an old Commission and which had lain by him a long while â—oremote and distant were his thoughts from effecting any thing Before they had thus brought him on and had then produced upon the sudden and unexpected hopes of gaining that Town The producing of this Commission was enough for their Tyrants satisfaction who straight gave Order that he should be sent up to London who after some Examination he was sent to the Tower and finally brought before a High Court of Justice where he manifested the Juggle by which he was brought into the snare and demonstrated the impossibility of his doing any prejudice to the State but that was no Argument there so that he was sentenced to be beheaded by vertue of a late Act of one of Olivers Conventions whereby it was made Treason to hold intelligence with the Kings Majesty Much application was made to save his life by the Lord Viscount Fauconbridge his Nephew who had lately married one of the Usurpers Daughters but as Sir Henry said at the Scaffold he was inexorable the truth is the Tyrant supposed that his not sparing a person so related to him would make all the World believe there was a reality of some horrid design which could not be dispensed with without extream danger to the publique He said very sittle at his death not caring to busy the world with his concerns having spoken largely to his Charge at his Trial before the said High Court the substance on the Scaffold was this The fatal Execution of Sir Henry Slingsby on Tuesday the 8. of June 1658. upon Tower-Hill 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 privately Then standing up he did 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 endeavouring to betray the Garrison of Hull But said All that be did in that businesse 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 bottom But what he spake 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 Highnesse 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 dscovered 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 sign 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 Doctor Hewyt THis Venerable Doctor was next brought upon the Stage and baited to Death by their Belial President Lisle His objected Crimes were for conspiring against the Government with divers others and holding intelligence with the King branched out into several Articles After the Charge exhibited he demurted to their Jurisdiction citing divers Law-Cases and Presidents to back the Reasons he alledged against their Authority but withal prayed the Court he might not be taken upon the nicety punctilio of their Law that if they would please to evince the legality of their Court to him he would instantly plead to his Charge and leave himself to them While he thus disputed with them they took advantage of three times demanding his Plea after which they would not admit of it though he thrice petitioned them that they would please to accept thereof but it seems they were more contented without it being not able to prove their Charge their Witnesses failing them as it appeared after wards in other mens cases whom they had appointed for the slaughter They were also the more peremptory and untractable to this reverent person because of his great Esteem and Abilities which he had a long while employed at St. Gregories in the service of this Church King and Kingdom whose cause he forbore not to plead in the worst of those times till he was taken from his Ministry by the Tyrant and his Eloquent Tongue silenced in the Grave And if Cromwel had any particular malice to any person in the contrivance of their death this good Doctor was one whom he upbraided with railing and unbecoming language at his Examination before him as may appear in the Doctor 's Speech on the Scaffold to which we refer the Reader and with the rest of this Taper-light now expiring bring him down to his Monument He prayed very fervently earnestly for the space of almost half an hour and then sealed his Martyrdom by having his head severed from his body with much Christian Magnanimity where we leave him till his appearance with the Lamb with his white Robes and Crown of Martyrdom The Horrid Execution of the reverend Doctor John Hewyt 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. Hewyt was brought upon the Scaffold whether being come together with Dr. Wild Dr. Warmstry and 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 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 witness to the truth he himself said For this end was I born for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the Truth I was brought into the world the Christian world for to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel as a common Christian I was brought into the world the Church as a Minister of his blessed Word and Sacraments Blessed be his name for that great honour 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 inconvences 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 not the 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 denyed me This by the by I pressing the Argument made a second appeal that those Judges if they would give singly their several judgments 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 Council 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