fill You full with his joy and kindness O my dear Lord the Lord of Heaven and Earth be with You and the Lord of Heaven and Earth bring You to that Safety Holland I shall make as much haste as I can to come to that glory and the Lord of Heaven and Earth take my soul I look upon my self entirely in Him and hope to find mercy through Him I expect it and through that Fountain that is opened for Sin and for Uncleanness my soul must receive it for did I rest in any thing else I have nothing but sin and corruption in me I have nothing but that which in stead of being carried up into the Arms of God and of Glory I have nothing but may throw me down into Hell Bolton But my Lord when you are cloathed with the righteousnesse of another you will appear glorious though now sinfull in your self The Apostle saith I desire not to be found in my own righteousness and when you are cloathed with another the Lord will own you and I shall say but thus much Doubt not that ever God will deny salvation to sinners that come to him when the end of all his death and sufferings was the salvation of sinners when as I say the whole end and the whole design and the great work that God had to do in the world by the death of Christ wherein he laid out all his councells and infinite wisdom and mercy and goodness beyond which there was a Non ultra in Gods thoughts what this was the great design and great end the salvation of sinners that poor souls should come over to him and live certainly when sinners come he will not reject he will not refuse And my Lord do but think of this the greatest work that ever was done in the world was the bloud of Christ that was shed never any thing like it and this blood of Christ that was shed never any thing like it And this blood of Christ that was shed was shed for them that come if not for them for none it was in vain else you see the Devills they are out of capacity of good by it the Angels they have no need of it wicked men will not come and there are but a few that come over but a few that come over and should he deny them there were no end nor fruit of the bloud and sufferings of the Lord Jesus and had your Lordship been with Christ in that bloudy agony when he was in that bloudy sweat sweating drops of bloud if you had asked him Lord what art thou now a doing art thou not now reconciling an angry God and me together art thou not pacifying the wrath of God art thou not interposing thy self between the justice of God and my soul Would he not have said yea and surely then he will not deny it now My Lord His passions are over his compassions still remain and the larger and greater because he is gone up into a higher place that he may throw down more abundance of his mercy and grace upon you and my Lord think of that infinite love that abundance of riches in Christ I am lost I am empty I have nothing I am poor I am sinfull be it so as bad as God will make me and as vile as I possibly can conceive my self I am willing to be but when I have said all the more I advance that riches and honour that grace of God And why should I doubt when by this he puts me into a capacity into a disposition for him to shew we mercy that by this I may the better advance the riches of his grace and say grace grace to the Lord to all eternity that God should own such a Creature that deserves nothing and the lesse I deserve the more conspicuous is his grace and this is certain the riches of his grace he throweth amongst men that the glory of his grace might be given to himself if we can give him but the glory of his grace we shall never doubt to partake of the riches of it and that fulnesse My Lord that fulness be your comfort that fulnesse of mercy that fulnesse of love that fulnesse of righteousness and power be now your riches and your onely stay and the Lord interpose himself between God and you as your Faith hath indeavoured to interpose him between God and your soul so I doubt not but there he stands my Lord to plead for you and when you are not able to do any thing your self yet lie down at the feet of him that is a mercifull Saviour and knowes what you would desire and wait upon him while you live trust in him when you die there is riches enough and mercy enough if he open not yet die at his doore say there I 'le die there is mercy enough Holland And here is the place where I lie down before him from whence I hope he will raise me to an eternall Glory through my Saviour upon whom I rely from whom only I can expect mercy into his armes I commend my spirit into his bleeding armes that when I leave this bleeding body that must lie upon this place he will receive that soul that ariseth out of it and receive it into his eternall mercy through the merits through the worthiness through the mediation of Christ that hath purchased it with his own most pretious bloud Bolton My Lord Though you conclude here I hope you begin above and though you put an end here I hope there will never be an end of the mercy and goodness of God and if this be the morning of Eternity if this be the rise of Glory if God pleaseth to throw you down here to raise you up for ever say Welcome Lord welcome that death that shall make way for life and welcome any condition that shall throw me down here to bring me into the possession of Jesus Christ Hodges My Lord if you have made a Deed of Gift of your self to Jesus Christ to be found onely in him I am confident you shall stand at the day of Christ my dear Lord we shall meet in happiness Holland Christ Jesus receive my soul my soul hungers and thirsts after him clouds are gathering and I trust in God through all my heavinesse and I hope through all impediments he will settle my interest in him and throw off all the claime that Satan can make unto it and that he will carry my soul in despight of all the calumnies and all that the Devil and Satan can invent will carry it into eternal mercy there to receive the blessednesse of his presence to all Eternity Hodges My Lords it was his own by Creation it is his own now by Redemption and purchase and it is likewise his own by resignation O my Lord look therefore up to the Lamb of God that sits at the right hand of God to take away the sinnes of the World O that Lamb of God! Holland That Lamb of God
to make a question of it I should shame my self and my discretion In the strictnesse of that Law something is done by me that is applicable to some clause therein by which I stand condemnable the means whereby I was brought under that interpretation of that which was not in my self intended maliciously being testimony given by persons whom I pity so false yet so positive that I cannot condemn my Judges for passing sentence against me according to legall Justice for equity lieth in higher breasts As for my accusers or rather betrayers I pity and am sorry for them they have committed Judas his crime but I wish and pray for them Peters tears that by Peters repentance they may escape Judas his punishment and I wish other people so happy they may be taken up betimes before they have drunk up more bloud of Christian men possibly less deserving then my self It is true there have been severall addresses made for mercy and I will put the obstruction of it upon nothing more then upon my own sin and seeing God sees it sit having not glorified him in my life I might do it in my death which I am contented to do I profess in the face of God particular malice to any one of State or Parliament to do them a bodily injury I had none For the cause in which I had long waded I must needs say my engagement or continuance in it hath laid no scruple upon my Conscience it was on principles of Law the knowledge whereof I professe and on principles of Religion my Judgment satisfied and Conscience rectified that I have pursued those ways which I bless God I find no blackness upon my Conscience nor have I put it into the bed-roll of my sins I will not presume to decide controversies I desire God to honour himself in prospering that side that hath right with it and that you may enjoy peace and plenty when I shall enjoy peace and plenty beyond all you possess here in my conversation in the world I do not know where I have an enemy with cause or that there is such a person whom I have to regret but if there be any whom I cannot recollect under the notion of Christian men I pardon them as freely as if I had named them by name I freely forgive them being in free peace with all the world as I desire God for Christs sake to be at peace with me For the business of death it is a sad sentence in it self if men consult with flesh and blood But truly without boasting I say it or if I doe boast I boast in the Lord I have not to this minute had one consultation with the flesh about the blow of the Axe or one thought of the Axe more then as my passe-port to glory I take it for an honour and I owe thankfulness to those under whose power I am that they have sent me hither to a place however of punishment yet of some honour to die a death somewhat worthy of my bloud answerable to my birth and qualification and this courtesie of theirs hath much helped toward the pacification of my mind I shall desire God that those Gentlemen in that fad beadrol to be tried by the H. Court of Justice that they may find that really there that is nominall in the Act an H. Court of Justice a Court of high Justice high in its righteousness though not in its severity Father forgive them and forgive me as I forgive them I desire you now that you would pray for me and not give over praying till the hour of death not till the moment of death for the hour is come already that as I have a great load of sins so I may have the wings of your prayers to help those Angels that are to convey my soul to Heaven and I doubt not but I shall see my Saviour my gallant Master the King of England and another Mr. whom I much honoured my Lord Capel hopeing this day to see my Christ in the presence of the Father the King in the presence of him my Lord Capel in the presence of them all and my self there to rejoyce with all other Saints and Angels for evermore D. Swadling he being upon the Scaffold spake as followeth unto the Colonel You have this morning in the presence of a few given some accompt of your Religion and under general notions or words have given an accompt of your faith charity and repentance To those on the Scaffold If you please to hear the same questions asked here you shall that it may be a generall testimony to you all that he died in the favour of God To the Colonel Now Sir I being to deal with you do you acknowledge that this stroke that you are to suffer is a just punishment laid upon you by God for your former sins Col. Andrews I dare not only not deny it but dare not but confess it I have no opportunity of glorifying God more then by taking shame to my self and I have a reason of the justice of God in my own bosome which I have put to your bosome Doctor You acknowledg that you deserve more then this stroak of the Axe and that a farre greater misery is due to you even the pains and torments of Hell that the damned there endure Col. I know it is due in righteous Judgment but I know again I have a satisfaction made by my elder Brother Christ Jesus and then I say it is not due 't is due from me but quitted by his righteousness Doct. Do you believe to be saved by that Mediator and none others Col. By that and that only renouncing all secondary causes whatsoever Doct. Are you truly and unfainedly sorry before God as you appear to us for all those sins that have brought you hither Col. I am sorry and can never be sorrowful enough and am sorry I can be no more sorry Doct. If God should by a miracle not to put you to a vain hope but if God should as he did to Ezekiah renew your daies what life doe you resolve to lead hereafter Col. It is a question of great length and requires a great time to answer Men in such straits would promise great things but I would first call some freinds to limit how far I should make a Vow that I might not make a rash one and to offer the Sacrifice of fools but a Vow I would make and by Gods help endeavour to keep it Doct. Do you wish health and happiness upon all lawfull Authorities and government Col. I do prize all obedience to lawfull government and the adventuring against them is sinfull and I do not justifie my self what ever my judgment be for my thus venturing against the present Government I leave it to God to judge whether it be righteous if it be it must stand Doct. Are you now in love and charity with all men do you freely forgive them Col. With all the world freely and the
blessings upon them I accuse no man I find fault nor quarrell with no man neither with the persons that were the occasions they were but instruments neither at the persons condemning I accept thankfully the Sentence of Death upon my self and I beseech Almighty God that I may be the last that may suffer upon this score or upon any other Master Sheriff If there be any thing wherein I can give any other satisfaction to any Christian whatsoever in any kind as I spake in generall I bless Almighty God from my own Heart now so assisted by the especiall Operation and Motions and Dictates of the Holy Ghost if I can know any thing wherein or how to be now in my dying not having served God so well in my life serviceable to the Church of God of Christ and the full satisaction of any whatsover I am here ready I am unacquainted but in my extasies to Heaven there is that Glory I am going to I beseech Almighty God that he will give me grace to bless his holy Name as for all as for Jesus Christ and in him all things so particularly for this that he hath thought me worthy to bring me hither for my faithfulness to my Master that is the most pious and most just Prince in all the world My Master hath suffered bitterly in England and if there be any failing in his service the fault is onely mine God knows I have done nothing in the business but by the instance of the Merchants I delivered my Letters and there they lie To other things I am a Stranger I hope that God will give me the grace of perseverance in that Christian Religion in that loyalty to my Prince in that love to all the World that now being to give up my accompt to him that I may with comfort be received in the arms of his mercy If there be any thing Master Sheriff that I may give satisfaction in I am ready to do it according to the poor talent I have I will receive my punishment in the way God hath prepared for me and many ways I have been taken up Truly I am bound to all that see me and many thousands more since I came into England not an uncivil look we had strange reports abroad not an uncivil look from any God repay them all and return them from the Throne of his Grace into their own Bosoms And God in particular bless that Honourable Lady who was the occasion of the coming of my Lords Grace of Armagh with the Confirmation of those glorious and eternal Messages of Comfort which now I am going to enjoy being thankfull to all those that know me and know me not for since I am come hither whereas I might have received prejudice in respect to my Loyalty which is not the way now I have from them all received courtesie the Lord repay them I thank God I am otherwise bred and my Allegiance hath been incorporated imbodied into my Religion and besides the great desires of other Gentlemen that I might goe out of the World but that the world might see that the Grace of God hath had a perfect Reformation in me and a willing and thankfull Submission to his Will therefore I repent me not of it but I beseech Almighty God to bless and prosper all people whatsoever that to this Kingdome belong As my Speech is imperfect so is my Health I have forced my self in this Discourse to give that satisfaction which I could And I beseech you Mr. Sheriff if you can hear of any Gentlemen that are wronged what I offer here I am to answer it and I beseech you joyn with me in your Christian Prayres that I may have a passage whither I am now going to give an account not only of every deed but of every word Then turning to his Man he said Sir H. Hide John Which is the Executioner The Executioner being brought to him he said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I have no quarrel with you you are the welcome instrument do your work only let me see the place that I may fit my self for I have an infirm body Sheriff You shall when you have prayed if you please to pray first Sir H. Hide I desire to see the Block I can pray afterwards Here Mr. Executioner is that money that is left here is Four pounds for you Then being shewed the Block he kissed it saying Sir H. Hide It is unworthy for me to put my Head where my Masters was Blessed be God Blessed be his holy Name putting off his Hat I have an infirmity in my Body but God hath enabled me inwardly Pray M. Sheriff let me have a little more room Sheriff Go to Prayer and we will clear the room Sir H. Hide I have I thank Almighty God done those Christian Offices belonging to me at home I come hither only to die Then kneeling down he said the Lords prayer Then having prayed a short space he stood up and turning to the Executioner said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I pray give me direction what I am to doe and doe your Office You will cure all diseases presently pray direct me Then the Executioner going to spread the Scarf over the Block he said Sir H. Hide Put it not on now but by and by D. Hide God Almighty strengthen you Sir H. Hide God reward you all Then the Executioner going to put up his Hair under his Sattin Cap he thought he had been taking of it off Whereupon he said Sir H. Hide Must I have my black Cap off it is very cold all these Diseases will be cured the Lord be thanked Then going to lie down his Man not helping him he said Sir H. Hide John help me a little I pray Did not I tell you I could neither rise nor fall lay me down and lift me up again John Then rising again upon his knees he spake to the Executioner having the Ax in his hand Sir H. Hide Pray Sir give me the Ax. And then taking the Ax in his hand he kissed it and returned it to the Executioner again saying Sir H. Hide I will only say Lord Jesus receive my Soul and when I lift up my Right-hand do your work And then lying down again after a little space he lift up his Right-hand and the Executioner at one stroke severed his Head from his Body The speech of James Earl of Derby upon the Scaffold at Bolton in Lancashire together with his Deportment and prayer before his death on Wednesday the 15. day of October 1651. THe Earl of Derby according to the order of the Court Marshall held at Chester by which he was sentenced to die at Bolton in Lancashire was brought to that Town with a guard of Horse and Foot of Colonel Jones's commanded by one Southley who received his order from Colonel Robert Duckenfield betwixt 12. and 1. of the clock on Wednesday the 15. of October the people weeping praying and bewailing him all the way from the prison
over his Lordship called for the Heads-man and asked to see the Axe and taking it in his hand said Friend I will not hurt it and I am sure it cannot hurt me and then kissing it said Me thinks this is as a Wedding Ring which is as a signe I am to leave all the World and eternally to be married to my Saviour Then putting his hand in his pocket said to the Heads-man here friend take these two pieces all that I have thou must be my Priest I pray thee do thy work well and effectually then handling the rough furr'd coat the Heads-man had on This saies he will be troublesome to thee I pray thee put it off and do it as willingly as I put off this garment of my flesh that is now so heavy for my soul then some of the standers by bid the Heads-man kneel and ask his Lordship pardon but he did not but was surly and crabbed but his Lordship said Friend I give thee the pardon thou wilt not aske and God forgive thee also Then turning up his eyes to heaven said aloud How long Lord how long then gently passing over the Scaffold and seeing one of his Chaplains on horseback among the people Good Sir said he pray for me and the Lord return your prayers into your own bosom and I pray remember me kindly to your brother and God remember him for his love to me and mine Then turning towards his Coffin Thou art said he my bridall Chamber in thee I shall rest without a guard and sleep without Souldiers Then looking towards the block he asked if all were ready That saies he methinks is very low and yet there is but one step betwixt that and heaven then turning his eyes to the people he saluted them and desired again their prayers then said I see your tears and hear your sighs and groans and prayers the God of Heaven hear and grant your supplications for me and mine for you and the Mediation of Christ Jesus for us all Here his Lordship caused the block to be turned that he might look upon the Church saying Whilst I am here I will look towards thy holy Sanctuary and I know that within a few minutes I shall behold thee my God and King in thy Sanctuary above under the shadow of thy wings shall be my rest till this calamity be over-past then he pulled off his blew garter and sent it to his Son and pulling off his doublet with a very religious chearfulness he said I come Lord Jesus and O come thou quickly that I may be with thee for ever upon this he said Pray tell me how must I lye I have been called a bloudy man yet truly I never yet had that severe curiosity to see any man put to death in peace then laying himself down on the block after a few minutes he rose again and caused the block to be a little removed then said to the Heads-man Friend remember what I said to thee and be no more afraid to strike then I to dye and when I put up my hand do thy work so looking round about upon his friends and the people he said The Lord blesse you all and once more pray for me and with me at which words he kneeled down and prayed privately within himself with great sighings about half a quarter of an hour concluding with the Lords prayer then rising up again he said smilingly My soul is now at rest and so shall my body be immediately The Lord bless my King and restore him to his rights in this Kingdom and the Lord bless this Kingdom and restore them to their rights in their King that he and they may joyn hand in hand to settle truth and peace and the Lord bless this County and this Town and this People The Lord comfort my sad wife and children and reward all my friends with peace and happiness both here and hereafter and the Lord forgive them who were the cause and authors of this my sad end and unjust death for so it is as to mankind though before God I deserve much worse but I hope my sins are all bathed in the bloud of Jesus Christ So laying his neck upon the block and his armes stretcht out he said these words Blessed be Gods glorius name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen At which words he gave the Heads-man the signe but he either not observing it or not being ready stayed too long so that his Lordship rose up again saying Why doe you keep me from my Saviour what have I done that I die not and that I may live with him Once more I will lay down my self in peace and so take my everlasting rest Then saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly he stretched out his armes and gave the signe repeating the same words Blessed be Gods glorious name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Then lifting up his hand the Executioner did his work at one blow all the people weeping and crying and giving all expressions of grief and lamentation When the corps was carried off the Scaffold they carried them to a house in the Town where was thrown into his coffin in a peice of paper these two lines Upon JAMES Earl of DERBY Bounty Wit Courage all here in one lie dead A Stanleys hand Veres heart and Cecil's head The sentence of the Council of Warre Resolved by the Court upon the Question That James Earl of Derby is guilty of the breach of the Act of the 12. of August 1651. last past entituled An Act prohibiting correspondence with Charles Stuart or his Party and so of high Treason against the Common-wealth of England and is therefore worthy of death Resolved by the Court That the said James Earl of Derby is a Traitor to the Common-wealth of England and an abettor encourager and assister of the declared Traitors and enemies thereof and shall be put to death by severing his head from his body at the market-place in the Town of Bolton in Lancashire upon wednesday the 15. day of this instant October about the hour of one of the clock the same day A True and Impartial Relation of the Death of Mr. John Gerhard who was beheaded on Tower-hill July 10. 1654. IT was thought needless by the friends of Mr. Gerhard to declare any thing concerning his sufferings to the world more then in their sighs had not the sacrilegious malice of the last weekly-pamphlet thrown some stains upon his name and so incensed them to a vindication as pious as his death was 'T is most certain that there can no blots stick upon true honour which such weak fellowes endeavour against it These are cursed beasts but their horns are short sepulchral dogs that scrape up graves and violate the dead and are fierce and ravenous but yet dogs still And all worthy people will call their rayling praise and what they intend a barking
that coming on the road to Exon he the said Captain Crook told me Sir Joseph Wagstaffe was a gallant Gentleman and that he was sorry he was not taken with us that then he might have had the benefit of our Articles but now said he I have beset all the Country for him so that he cannot escape but must be hanged He also questioned me as I passed through Salisbury from London whether he had given me conditions Which I endeavouring to make appear to Major Butler he interrupted me and unwillingly confess 't it saying I profered him four hundred pounds to perform his Articles which had been a strange profer of mine had I not really conditioned with him And I told him then having found him unworthy I would have given him five hundred pounds believing him to be mercenary To make it yet farther appear I injure him not by styling him unworthy after these Articles were given he profered to pistoll me if I did not perswade another house to yield which then were boldly resisting To which my servant John Biby now a prisoner replyed I hope you will not be so unworthy as to break the Law of Arms. Thus much I am obliged to say to the honour of the Soulderie that they have been so far from breaking any Articles given to others that they have rather bettered them then otherwise It is now our misfortune to be made presidents and examples together but I will not doe the Protectour so much injury as to load him with this dishonour since I have been informed that he would have made our conditions good if Crook that gave them had not abjur'd them This is not a time for me to enlarge upon any subject since I am now become the Subject of death But since the Articles were drawn by my hand I thought my self obliged to a particular Justification of them I could tell you of some souldiers which are turned out of his troup for defending those conditions of ours but let that passe and henceso ward in stead of life liberty and estate which were the Articles agreed upon let drawing hanging and quartering bear the Denomination of Captain Crooks Articles However I thank the Protectour for granting me this honourable Death I should now give you an account of my Faith But truly gentlemen this poor Nation is rent into so many severall opinions that it is impossible for me to give you mine without displeasing some of you However if any man be so criticall as to enquire of what faith I die I shall refer him to the Apostles Athanasius and the Nicene Creed and to the testimony of this Reverend gentleman D. Short to whom I have unbosomed my self and if this doe not satisfie look in the thirty nine Articles of the Catholick Church of England to them I have subscribed and do own them as authentick Having now given you an accompt concerning my self I hold my self obliged in duty to some of my friends to take off a suspition which lyes upon them I mean as to some persons of Honour which upon my examination I was charged to have held correspondency with The Marquesse of Hartford the Marquesse of Winchester and my Lord of Pembrook were the persons nominated to me I did then acquit them and do now second it with this protestation That I never held any correspondency with either or any of them in relation to this particular businesse or indeed to any thing which concern'd the Protectour or his Government As for the Marquesse of Winchester I saw him some twelve years since and not later and if I should see him here present I believe I should not know him And for the Earl of Pembrook he was not a man likely to whom I should discover my thoughts because he is a man of a contrary judgement I was examined likewise concening my Brother Freke my Cousin Hastings Mr. Dorrington and others It is probable their estates may make them liable to this my condition but I doe here so far acquit them as to give the world this farther protestation that I am confident they are as innocent in this businesse as the youngest child here I have no more to say to you now but to let you know that I am in charity with all men I thank God I both can and doe forgive my greatest persecutors and all that ever had any hand in my death I have offered the Protectour as good security for my future demeanour as I suppose he could have expected if he had thought sit to have given me my life certainly I should not have been so ungratefull as to have imployed it against him I do humbly submit to Gods pleasure knowing that the issues of life and death are in his hand My bloud is but a small sacrifice if it had been saved I am so much a Gent. as to have given thanks to him that preserved it and so much a Christian as to forgive them which take it But seeing God by his providence hath called me to lay it down I willingly submit to it though terrible to nature but blessed be my Saviour who hath taken out the sting so that I look upon it without terrour Death is a debt and a due debt and it hath pleased God to make me so good a husband that I am come to pay it before it is due I am not ashamed of the cause for which I die but rather rejoyce that I am thought worthy to suffer in the defence and cause of Gods true Church my lawful King the liberty of the Subject and Priviledge of Parliaments Therefore I hope none of my alliance and friends will be ashamed of it it is so far from pulling down my Family that I look upon it as the raising of it one story higher Neither was I so prodigal of nature as to throw away my life but have used though none but honourable and honest means to preserve it These unhappy times indeed have been very fatall to my family two of my Brothers already slain and my self going to the slaughter it is Gods will and I humbly submit to that providence I must render an acknowledgment of the great civilities that I have received from this City of Exon and some persons of quality and for their plentifull provision made for the prisoners I thank Mr. Sheriff for his favour towards us in particular to my self and I desire him to present my due respects to the Protectour and though he had no mercy for my self yet that he would have respect to my family I am now stripping off my cloaths to fight a duell with death I conceive no other duell 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 Treason is an individuum vagum like the wind in the
privately Then standing up he did in a short Speech and with a very low voice address himself to that noble Gentleman Mr. Sheriff Robinson telling him that what he had to say he would speak to him which was to this purpose That he had received a Sentence to die upon account of his endevouring to betray the Garrison of Hull But said All that he did in that business he was drawn into by others That the Officers of that Garrison did believe he had some greater Design in hand and therefore they would needs pump him to the bottome But what he spoke to them in private was brought into evidence against him He likewise said That he did no more than any person would have done that was so brought on That he had made many applications by his Friends for a Reprieve but found his Highness was inexorable He did confess that he did deliver a Commission as it was charged against him But said that it was an old Commission and what he meant was well known to himself but what construction others had made of it might appear by his present condition He discovered little sense of sorrow or fear of Death but said He was ready to submit or words to like purpose Then he addressed himself to private prayer again and kneeling down to the Block he prayed privately for a short space Then laid his head upon the Block and at the signe given the Executioner severed his Head from his Body at one Blow And his Friends put his Body into a Coffin and removed it into a close Coach prepared neer the place The manner of the Execution of John Hewet D. D. on the same Scaffold on Tuesday the same 8. of June 1658. with his speech before his Death AS soon as Sir Henry Slingsby's body was removed as is aforesaid Dr. Hewet was brought upon the Scaffold whither being come together with Dr. Wild Dr. Warmstry Mr. Barwick he fell upon his knees and prayed privately for the space of a quarter of an hour After that he prayed audibly for a good space After which prayer he addressed himself to the people in a speech which continued above the space of an hour the substance of which speech was as followeth I am now become a publick Spectacle to Men and Angels and I hope God who is Omniscient is now beholding me with much pity and great mercy and compassion and the more because I am now come to that end that his own Son came into the world to To bear witnesse to the truth he himself said For this end was I born for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse to the Truth I was brought into the world the Christian world for to bear witnesse to the truth of the Gospel as a common Christian I was brought into the world the Church as a Minister of his blessed Word and Sacraments Blessed be his name for that great honor and dignity and I came into the world to die more immediately for the testimony of JESUS which God hath now called me to I came into this world this Common-wealth to be a member thereof to bear witnesse to the Truths of the Customes the Laws the Liberties and Priviledges thereof So I am a member of the Common-wealth And me thinks it seems to me a strange thing that in as much as we all plead for Liberty and Priviledges and I pleading for the Priviledges the Laws the Statutes and the Customes of this Land yet I should die by those that should stand for the Laws the Statutes and Priviledges of the Land And I am here beheld by those that plead for their Liberties and I hope I am pitied because I here give up my self willingly and freely to be a State-Martyr for the publick good and I had rather die many deaths my self than betray my fellow-freemen to so many inconveniencies that they might be like to suffer by being subject to the wills of them that willed me to this death And it is worthy remembrance that Mr. Solicitor having impeached me of Treason to the Commissioners of the Court against his Highnesse I did often when brought before those Commissioners plead for the Liberties of the people of England though I had no knowledge of the Law yet I had instruction from those that were learned in the Law and had several Law-Cases and Presidents put into my hand though not by them and urged several Law-Cases and made my Appeal First for the Judicature that I was to be tryed by Whether it were according to Law Whether it were according to the Act And whether it were according to the words of the said Act I did appeal to have the said Act argued by learned Lawyers on both sides and then to be resolved by his Highnesse own Councel which was denied me This by the by I pressing the Argument made a second Appeal that those Judges if they would give singly their several Judgements that it was a just and lawfull Court of Judicature I would answer to my Charge I did make another Appeal to those that were his Highness's Councel and pleaded against me That if they would deliver it to me under their hands to be according to Law I would then go on to plead and answer to the Charge What was then said further my spirits being faint I shall not say much but only this I was taken in three defaults upon formality of the Court It seems it is a custome in all Courts which I did not know before that if they answer not the third time speaking by the Clerk that then they are guilty of three defaults and proceeded against as mute I had no such knowledge of the Law So they found me guilty of those defaults and when I would have pleaded and resolved to begin to plead I was taken from the Bar. I did the next day make my Petition to the Court in the Painted-Chamber two Petitions were presented the same in effect the former the Title was mistaken Yet because the Title was mistaken and no answer given therefore it was that another Petition was drawn up to the same effect with a new Title given as I remember presented by the Serjeant at Arms and one writ it over in such haste lest they should be drawn out of the Painted-Chamber into the Court that I had not time to read it over only I subscribed my name and there was in the front of the Petition a word left out but what the word was I know not and this was taken so ill as if I had put an affront and contempt on the Court And it was thought they would have heard me plead and then because of that mistake they sent word I should have my answer when I came into the Court and my answer was the sentence of condemnation And therefore I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that occasioned the charge to be drawn against me to give such unjust
things against me I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that upon so slender and small grounds adjudg'd me to die taking advantage of such simple ignorance as I was in And I had at the very beginning of my pleading engaged their Honors no advantage should be taken against me to my prejudice that in as much as I understood nothing of the Law And having heard that a man in the nicety of the Law might be lost in the severity thereof meerly for speaking a word out of simple ignorance I made it my prayer to them that no advantage might be taken against me to the prejudice of my person and there was to me a seeming consent for the President told me there should be no advantage taken against me and upon these considerations I am afraid there was too great uncharitableness But I pray God forgive them from the very bottom of my soul and I desire that even those that shed my bloud may have the bowels of the God of Mercy shed for them And now having given you the occasion of my coming hither it is fit I should give you somewhat as concerning my self as I am a Christian and as I am a Clergy-man First as I am a Christian I thank God I was baptized to the Holy Church so I was baptized to be a Member of the holy Catholick Church that is the Church of England which I dare say for purity of Doctrine and orderly Discipline till a sad reformation had spoiled the face of the Church and made it a querie whether it were a Church or no I say it was more purely Divine and Apostolical than any other Doctrine or Church in the Christian World whether National or Classical or Congregational And I must tel you That as I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the holy Catholick Church and shall give a most just confession of my Faith both negatively and affirmatively Negatively I am so a Member of the holy Catholick Church that I abhor all Sects Schisms Sedition and Tyranny in Religion Affirmatively so That as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the world that love the same Lord JESUS in sincerity and call on his Name agreeing with those truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God both in the Old and New Testament though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary And I as I am thus a Christian I hope for salvation through the merits of Christ Jesus his bloud I rely on his merits I trust to for the salvation of my own soul though to this Faith Good Works are necessary not meritorious in us but onely made meritorious by Christ his death by his all-sufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteousnesse they become meritorious but in us they are no other than as defiled Rags And truly as I am a Member of the Church so I told you I was a Member of this Community and so pleaded for the Liberties and Priviledges thereof I must now answer something I am aspersed withall in the world They talk of something of a Plot and a Treasonable desâ—gn and that I had a great interest in the knowledge and practise thereof and that for the saving my life I would have discovered and betrayed I cannot tel what I hope my conversation hath not been such here in this City where I have been a long time very wel known as to make one imagine I should intermeddle in such an action and go so contrary to the practise of my profession and I hope there are none so uncharitable towards me as to believe I had a knowledge of that design Here I must come to particulars for a Plot of having a design upon the City of London for the firing of it I so much tremble at the thought of the thing that should have been done as they say for the carrying on of such a design if my heart deceive me not had I known it I so much abhor the thing I should have been the first discoverer of it Nor ever had I correspondencie or meetings with such persons as would have carried on such a design It is said likewise I entertained the Earl the Marquess of Ormond To my remembrance I never saw the face of that honourable person in my life It is said One Lords day I did preach at Saint Gregories and the next Lords day I was at Brussels or Bruges and kist the Kings hand and brought I cannot tel what Orders and Instructions from him This I shal say For these three years last past together I have not been sixty miles from this City of London and I think it is somewhat further to either of those places than threescore miles It is said that I kept correspondence with one Mallory and Bishop They are persons I have heard of their names but never saw their faces and to my knowledge I do not know they know me nor do I know them at all but onely as I have heard of their names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highness was pleased to tel me I was like a flaming Torch in the midst of a sheaf of Corn He meaning I being a publick Preacher was able to set the City on fire by sedition and combustions and promoting designes Here truly I do say and have it from many of those that are Judges of the High-Court that upon examination of the business they have not found me a medler at all in these Affaires And truly I must needs say therefore That it was a very uncharitable act in them who ever they were that brought such accusation against me and irritated his Highness against me I will not say it was malice it might be zeal but it was rash zeal which caused me to be sentenced to this place The God of mercy pardon and forgive them all And truly as I am a Member of the Church and as a Member of the Community where on behalf I have been speaking I cannot but do as our Saviour himself did for his Disciples when he was to be taken from them he blessed them and ascended up to heaven My trust is in the mercy of the most High I shall not miscarry and however my daies are shortned by this unexpected doom and shal be brought untimely to the grave I cannot go without my prayers for a blessing upon all the people of this Land and cannot but bless them all in the name of God and beseech God to bless them in all their waies and his blessing be upon them Let us pray O Most glorious Lord God thou whose dwelling is so far above the highest Heavens that thou humblest thy self but to look upon the things that are in Heaven and that are in earth and thou dost whatsoever thou wilt both in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places In thy hands are