or else to give them some States of the question whereunto they might confine themselves Upon this motion the House was adjourned for that day nor hath it met since for the House of Commons are turned to their old byas and will hear of nothing but the Bill of Attainder but the Lords seem to be more resolute than before because they find that they have no Authority to declare a Treason in a Fact already past the Salvo of the twenty fifth of Edward the third being Repealed withall that if the Bill of Attainder should proceed the King hath as great power to hinder that at the last blow as any other Statute but I hope the Lords will disburthen him of that envy All the which stand obliged to the Lord Strafford in blood affection or deserving and all who have been interessed with him in the King's Service and many too who both hate his person and dislike his proceedings will doubtless look upon it and tender their own safety all of them in likelihood being subject to the Charge of Treason if ever they chance to be called to do the King Service in any place of importance I cannot express how much the voice of the multitude is now altered from what it was lately nothing now talked of what should be done but only of what must be done So that if the Lord Strafford dyes his very Enemies will confess that it is done more for necessity than for Justice and rather for the satisfaction of rancorous apprehensions than for any guiltiness in the Cause Thursday last viz. April 29. was designed for the Agitation of the long intermitted business concerning the Lieutenant and the way was this The Lords did meet at the Great Hall at Westminster about Nine of the Clock not in their Robes nor did the Lord Steward sit upon his Sack but with the rest promiscuously nor did the Committee for the House of Commons stand at the Bar but sat with the rest of their Fellows and the Earl of Strafford sat behind the place where he used to sit before the reason of these changes were because the Diet was appointed not for a Meeting but for a Conference so curious are we and that 's all about formalities The King Queen and Prince were there according to their Custom not a man spake a word in the House all the time but only Mr. St. John the King's Sollicitor one of the Committee whose drift and purpose was to furnish the Lords with reasons why the House of Commons had proceeded with a Bill of Attaindor And withal to reply to what the Lord Strafford had spoken either by himself or his Council in matter of Law The Speech is in Print If it were not without my Sâ—ere to give my opinion of Mr. St. John's Speech it should be this That he spake little 〈◊〉 â—othing to purpose except in his fift or sixt Arguments and in them I believe without his book if not I should conceive it better and safer to live under the Laws of any other Nation that these of England where all Law is at last resolved into an Arbitrary power and that by these very men who so much elsewhere enveigh against it Of the Presidents which seem to pinch hardest many of them were since the Proviso Repealed which is an Argument in my apprehension of the Pleaders penury others nothing to purpose as that of Felony c. to the other few if Lawyers can give satisfaction I am confident Mr. St. John did rather advantage than hurt the Earl by his Pleading The next news which we expect to hear is with what Resolution he went out of this World for it is concluded amongst the major part of his Judges that one must die for the People It were well if the blood of one two or three could satisfie The Bill for certain is past the higher House to which 't is thought the King will be perswaded to give way The Scaffold is built upon the Tower-Hill God grant him Mercy for his other Sins and I hope he will easily answer that of Treason He dies as we hear upon the Twenty third Article for the words attested by Sir Henry Vane though His Majesty publickly protested the Words were never spoken by him Upon the close of Mr. St. John's Speech the House dissolv'd nor was there a Word spoken but by Mr. St. Johns only the Lord Lieutenant used the last part of his Rhetorick and by a dumb eloquence Manibus ad Syderatensis all along Mr. St. Johns Speech made his Replies with a deep silence Upon Friday he Petitioned the Lords to be heard again and that because his Lawyers had not fully spoken at their last meeting but this was denied him because the House were to have the last Speech nor were they content to speak again Upon this Information or what else is not known the King it seems fearing the Inconstancy of the Lords came to the House of Saturday at Ten of the Clock and having called for the House of Commons spake much to this effect The King's Speech to the House of Commons THat He had sincerely without Affection or Partiality endeavoured to inform himself concerning the Lieutenants Charge and had at length seriously pondered with himself both concerning the matter of Fact and the matter of Law and now it stood him in hand to clear their judgments then to exonerate his own Conscience For them He had two things to declare First That there was never such a Project nor had the Lord Strafford ever offered such advise for the Transporting of the Irish Army into England so that in nothing the Lieutenant had been more mis-understood than in that Which imputation did in no small measure reflect on himself the King as if he had intended to make War upon His own good Subjects which thought he said was far enough from his Breast nor could any man in probability think so unworthily of him who had perceived how graciously he had dealt with His Subjects elsewhere that had deserved a great deal worse Secondly That the Lieutenant had never advised him to establish an Arbitrary Government nor if he had should he have escaped condign punishment nor would any of His good Subjects ever think otherwise unless they conceived him either to be a Fool or a Tyrant that he either could not or would not discern such wickedness He was well content he said with that Authority and Power which God had put into His hands nor should he ever think it His Prerogative to intrude upon the Propriety of the Subject For Himself and His own Conscience he said he was now to Declare That in His own judgment there was nothing in the Process against the Lieutenant that deserved the censure of Treason Over-sights and Mis-demeanours there were in such a measure that he confessed the Lord Strafford was never worthy hereafter to bear any Office in His Kingdoms no not so much as of a Constable but was to
At this the Lieutenant rose and humbly intreated the Lords no evidence should be received against him upon an Article of such importance but what might be thought authentique and such a one under favour he conceived that Copy not to be First Because no transcript but the Original only can make faith before the Kings Bench in a matter of Debt therefore far be it from them to receive a most slender Testimony in matter of Life and Death before the supream Judicatory of the Kingdom Secondly If Copies be at any time received they are such as are given in upon Oath to have been compared with the Originals which are upon Record such an one was not that Copy It was Replied by Master Glin for all of them spake as occasion served that the House had but the day before admitted Copies as Evidences much more should they do this when it was prosecuted by the Officer himself who best knew it having executed the same To this the Lieutenant answered that all other Copies ought to be received upon Oath to have been compared with the Original as right reason requireth but that this was not so and for the Officer himself proâ—ucing it that was the best Argument he could use why it should not be admitted For said he Master Savil may be charged with Treason for seising Men of War upon the Kings Subjects he hath nothing for his defence but a pretendedâ—Warrant from me Now what he swears to my prejudice is to his own advantage nor can a Man by any equity in the World be admitted to testify against another in suum justificationem The point seemed exceeding weighty and in effect was the groundwork of the whole Article which not proved nothing could evince him to have been accessary to the Consequence The upper House therefore adjourned themselves and went up to their own Court and after a very hot contestation between the sactions and above an hours stay they returned and declared that the Lords after mature deliberation had resolved that the Copy should not be admitted and desired them to proceed to other preoâ—s which after a little pause they did First the Lord Renelaugh affirms that he heard of such a Warrant and knew sometimes three sometimes five Souldiers Billeted by it Secondly Master Clare declares the very same Thirdly Another Deposeth he had seen such a Warrant under the Deputies Hand and Seal And so much for the proof For the Statute they alleaged one of Edward 3.6 that whosoever should carry about with them English Enemies â—sh Râ—bels or Hooded-Men and less them upon the Subject should be punished as a Traytor Another of Hen. 6.7 That whosoever should â—ess Men of War in his Majesties Dominions should be thought to make War against the King and punished as a Traytor They concluded It was evident the Lord Strafford had incurred the penalty and breach of both the Statutes and therefore desired the Lords should give out Judgment against him as a Traytor The Lord Lieutenants Reply was That in all the course of his Life he had intended nothing more than the preservation of the Lives Goods and welfare of the Kings Subjects and that he dared profess that under no Deputy more than under himself had there been a more free and un-interrupted course of Justice To the Charge he answered First That the Customes of Ireland differed exceedingly from the Customes of England and was clear by Cooks Book and therefore though sessing of Men might seem strange here yet not so there Secondly That even in England he had known Souldiers pressed upon men by the presidents of York and Wales in case of known and open Contempts and that both in point of Outlary and Rebellion and also even for sums of Debt between party and party there is nothing more ordinary than these Sessings to this day in Scotland whereby the chief house of the owner is seized upon Thirdly That to this day there hath been nothing more ordinary in Ireland than for the Governours to appoint Souldiers to put all manner of Sentences in execution which he proved plainly to have been done frequently and familiarly exercised in Grandisons Faulklands Chichesters Wilmot Corks Evers and all preceding Deputies times And had even for Outlaries for the Kings debts in the Exchequer of Collection of Contribution money and which comes home to the point for peteet sums of money between party and party so that he marvailed quâ fronte or with what boldness it could be called an Arbitrary Government lately brought in by him To this the Lord Dillon Sir Adam Loftis and Sir Arthur Teringham deposed the last of whom told that in Faulklands time he knew twenty Souldiers Sessed upon a Man for refusing to pay sixteen shillings sterling Fourthly That in his instructions for executing his Commissions he hath express warrant for the same as were in the instructions to the Lord Faukland before him both of which were produced and read Fifthly That although all these presidents were not yet it were not possible to govern the Kingdom of Ireland otherwise which had been from all times accustomed to such summary proceedings Sixthly That no Testimony brought against him can prove that erer he gave warrant to that effect and for the Deeds of the Serjeant at Arms he did conceive himself to be answerable for it As for the Acts of Parliament he had reserved them to the dispute of his Lawyers but was content to say thus much for the present First That it is a ground in the Civil Law that where the King is not mentioned there he cannot be included But with all distance to his sacred Person be it spoken he conceived himself to be in his Master the Kings place for so his Commission did run in that Kingdom of Ireland Secondly The words of the Statute are not appliable to him for God knows he never went about in person to lay Souldiers upon any of the Kings Subjects Thirdly That the Kings own Souldiers enquiring in a customary way obedience to his Orders could in no construction be called Irish-Rebels English Enemies or Hooded-men Fourthly That the use and custom of the Law was the best Interpreter thereof and for that he had already spoken enough Fifthly That it favoured more of prejudice than equity to start out such an old Statute against him and none others though culpable of the same Fact to the overthrow and ruine of him and his Posterity Sixthly That under favour he conceived for any Irish Custom or upon any Irish Statute he was to be judged by the Peers of Ireland Seventhly That Statute of what force soever was repealed First By the Tenth of Henry the Seventh where it is expresly declared nothing shall be reputed Treason hereafter but what is so declared by the present Statute now not a word there of any such Treason Secondly By the eleventh of Queen Elizabeth where expresly power is given to the Deputy of Ireland to sess and lay
Bridgeman who made it manifest that the Salvo of 25 Edward 3. was repealed and that no man could now be convicted of Treason but by the Letter of that Statute But being put to Voice it was carried for the Bill and a Committee appointed for to draw it up This gave occasion of much talk abroad and they who were otherwise the Lord Strafford's Enemies could not find Equity enough in the Bill of Attainder Some could not conceive what difference imaginable was betwixt the Bill and the Charge presented before for in the Charge he was accused of Treason and the Bill though they had no Legislative power seemed nothing but an Affirmation of the same Others who would have the Bill understood of a Definitive sentence because it was consecutive to the Proofs were not satisfied but that it was against all practice that the Commons should give sentence upon the death of a Peer and that it was against common Equity too that the Party accusant should give the Judgment if the complainers were admitted to be Judges A third sort gave it out that this was no Sentence against the Lord Strafford but only a passing of a new Act of Parliament about a matter not hitherto declared Treasonable but yet these doubted that by declaring the matter of Fact to be approved and applying the censure to it in reference to the Lord Strafford it would ever be thought a Sentence against him to blemish his own Fame and the Blood of his Posterity Moreover that if they were about to make a new Act it were strange to punish a man for the breach of such a Statute as was not yet extant in Rerum Naturâ which should in reason refer only to fuâ—ure obedience And what is more strange though there were a new Statute yet by what Authority the Parliament hath or could declare any Individual or Accumulative Act which is already to be Treasonable which must be Treason by virtue of a Statute or else no Treason at all now there is none can be brought except the twenty fifth of Edward the third whereof the Letter of that Statute cannot by their own Confession nor was not so much as once alleaged against the Lord Strafford and for the Salvo or Proviso which they mainly insisted on the same stands repealed by two posterior Acts of Parliament You have the Mutterings of all sorts of People The Lords fearing the Proceedings as a beaten Path trodden out to the ruin of their own Lives and Estates told the House of Commons in their Conference upon Thursday That they would go on the same way they did already and according to the Order of the House give full Audience to the Lord Strafford's Councel in matter of Law and that they themselves as competent Judges would by themselves only give Sentence in the Cause nor was there any other course sutable to the practice and Statutes of the Kingdom the Safety of the Nobility or to Equity or common Justice It was replied by them of the Lower House That they were resolved to go on with their Bill and if the same should be rejected by the Lords they feared a Rupture and Division might follow to the utter Ruine and Desolation of the whole Kingdom that no content would be given to the Subject and this was a strong Argument indeed yet better beseeming Partiality and Violence than the pretended Justice and Piety of the times unless the man who had so much intruded upon their Right and discontented the People might be punished as a Traytor and for the practice of the Kingdom that no man had ever found such a favourable hearing and that the Process against Essex Norfolk Somerset were all of them closed up in one day Upon Friday the Lords gave Answer That they could expect nothing from the House of Commons but what should tend to the Peace and Preservation of the Kingdom nor was there a more forceable way than to preserve the Laws and Customs thereof lest Innovation so much complained of by them might unhappily be found among themselves That the Subjects should have all that Justice could afford but that an Act of Injustice would never give satisfaction to the World nor safety to themselves the Eyes of all Foreign States being fixed upon the business now in agitation and the wisdom of our Nation either to be much advanced or depressed by their Judgments in this Case That the Process against Norfolk and Essex for Somerset was convict only of Felony and had not so much Animadversion to save himself by his Book were for direct and formal Treasons comprised in one or two Individual Acts but this against the Lord Strafford only Arbitrary and Accumulative to be pick'd out of Twenty eight Articles And therefore that it was impossible to have a full Examination of them all to give Sentence against him and those Noble men were charged with some Actual breach of Statutes formerly made but here a new Statute was to be made or else he to be found guiltless They concluded that they had given Order for his appearance on Saturday and that in the Great Hall at Westminster where the House of Commons might if they pleased be present After some deliberation with the House the Conferrers answered That since the Lords had so resolved they would not deny to be there present and to hear what his Councel could say for him but to reply any more in public they neither could nor would because of the Bill already past only if the Lords should take any scruple in the matter of Law they would be ready to give them satisfaction by a private Conference so they willingly declined to do what indeed they could not possibly do that is to give public satisfaction in the matter of Law Upon Saturday they convened in the Great Hall but they that were of the Committee for the great Charge did not stand at the Bar as before but sat promiscuously with the rest of their Fellows so that a mouth was not opened in the behalf of the House of Commons all that day After they were set the Lord Steward told the Lieutenant That the Lords had resolved to give him a fair hearing in the matter of Law and therefore desired that the Councel might keep that distance moderation and respect to the Judicatory that was fitting and not at all to meddle with the matter of Fact The Lieutenant replied That in all humility he did acknowledge that favour from the Lords and that it was such an one too as he could not but expect from such honourable Peers and just Persons in whose integrity and goodness under that which he had placed above he had reposed his chiefest confidence for his Councel they knew much better than himself what concerned the point of Discretion and Reverence and that he doubted not but that they would give all satisfaction and obedience Then his Councel were called to the Bar Mr. Lane the Prince's Attorney Mr. Gardiner Recorder of
be answerable for all his Errors when they were to be charged upon him and to this noâ— of them should concur with greater alacrity than himself That he hoped none of theâ— would deny to give him the priviledge of the first Voice which was That he would never in heart nor hand concur with them to punish this man as a Traytor and desired therefore that they would think of some other way how the Business might be composed Nor should it ever be less dear to him though with the loss of His dearest Blood to protect the Innocent than to punish the Guilty At this the House of Commons startled and adjorned themselves till Monday divers censures are past upon the King's Speech even of those that lov'd His Honour some think he was drawn to this by a certain fore-knowledge of the Lords facility to give way to the Commons and that it was better to express himself then if by that means he could hinder the Sentence than to countermand the Execution thereof when it was passed and so draw all the envy upon himself Others are of opinion which is more probable that this hath been a Plot of the Kings bosome enemies to set him at odds with His Subjects that thereby they might Fish the more securely in these troubled Waters The reason is because it is very likely the Lord Strafford might have passed free by the Voices of the Lords but now howsoever the matter falleth out all the blame will be imputed to the King for if he be condemned it will be no thanks to the King if justified that will certainly be laid to the King too as who by His Threats and Menaces hath forestalled the Voices of his Nobility It is conceiv'd by wise men and such as wish no evil to my Lord Strafford that it had been far better both for the King and him to have first â—â—yed the utmost of the Lords for the King because it was both possible and probable that he might have gained the Declaration of the Lords for him if not it was time enough to Interpose His own Power afterwards for the Lord Strafford because it hath made the House of Commons a great deal the more pressing fearing by the King 's Peremptory Answer from whom in regard of the advantage of the times they expected nothing but a Concedimus omnia that there is some Plot under hand And these thoughts produced the late tumults of the Londoners of which more by and by And it is verily thought that for these two Reasons the Lieutenants seeming Friends but indeed real Enemies have put the King upon this way hoping thereby that the Lords should find occasion to pretend necessity of doing that which perhaps in regard of common equity or the King's displeasure they could nor durst have done howsoever Facta est alia the King is now so far ingaged that with respect to Honour and Conscience he cannot retire for if the Procedure be by a Legislative Power it falls directly upon him nor can he give his assent if by a Judiciary then must he either hinder the Execution or be said to have Charged himself with Injustice This hath produced strange alterations even the Marriage of the Prince of Orange done on Sunday last May the Second with ordinary Solemnity is now exceeding hateful to the Commons which so much before desired it some say the Precipitation of that Marriage Imports no good others that the Parliament had condescended to that Marriage but did not expect that Acceleration a third sort that the Party is mean enough if not too low for the King of England's Eldest Daughter all of them that the Dutch-men have offered Money to the King for a new Service of War and have thereby bought this Honour this is increased by the Landing of a Dutch-man who is to be Gentleman of the Kings Horse And shortly with us the Hollander will be no less odious than the Spaniard Oh the wonderful changes of the untoward unconstant and giddy multitude How unhappy a time it is to know what Liberty means and to get the Reins cast about their own necks it ranges madly up and down nec modum tenens nec terminum nor is capable of subsistance till it hath lost it self and what it so much affects Liberty So Knives are put into the hands of Children who discern no danger but affect them for their splendor and glittering So Poyson into the Mouths of Fools which is judged only by the Taste and Sweetness But it seems the Judgment of this Kingdom cannot be prevented and because they have sinned against themselves by abusing their Plenty and Fatness it is the just Judgement of God that they be the Executioners of his Judgments upon themselves Before I tell you of Monday and Tuesdays Madness I must tell you when and whence this fury hath its first motion Upon the Thursday before a great many Apprentices beset the Spanish Embassadors House neer Bishopsâ—gate threatning to pull it down and kill the Man the Mayor of London comes amongst them and with a great deal of pains persuaded them to retire home and afterwards entred into the Ambassador's House at his coming in the Ambassador desired him to pull down his Sword which was carried before him because he was now where the King of Spain had Jurisdiction That being done he told the Lord Mayor that in all his life time he had never seen such a barbarous attempt and desired to know whether England was a civil Nation or no where the Law of Nations was so monstrously violated The Mayor replied That they were of the base and rascally sort of People and intreated the Tumult might not be imputed to the Town The Ambassador answered That he could hardly acknowledge that to be a Town â—eâ— scarce a Society of Men where there was so little Civility and Government The Mayor told him That the people were discontent because Mass was said in his house The Ambassador replied That the English Ambassador had the free Exercise of his Religion at Madrid and that he would rather forgo his life than any of those Privileges due to him by â—action and the Law of Nations The Mayor answered They were the more incensed against him because the Londoners popishly affected were permitted to come into his house to Mass which was beyond both Law and Custom The Ambassador replied That if the Mayor would keep them without doors he would promise to send for none of them but if they came once within his doors he could not in preservation of his Conscience or his Master's Honour deny them either access to his Religion or safeguard to their Persons as far as in him lay Upon this a Guard was appointed to attend the Ambassador's house whether to keep out Papists or to preserve them that were within or to let in others is yet to be disputed The storm was quiet from thence 'till Monday when the people being inflamed again by the King's Speech
times or help our patience and Resolutions give us either redress in thee or confidence in thee The wiser sort conceived these two Bills too big for them to desire at once and that both of them together might procure a flat denial but the more couragious knew the readier way by far having often had experience of his Majesties readiness to grant just desires resolving that he that expects to lose the day is beaten at his own diffidence and it is the quality of some men to swallow Camels upon a sudden who if you give them leisure will perchance strain at a Gnat. Their Resolutions may aim at this but despair to remedy that Nature gives the reason Omne agens se exercet intra spharam Activitatis Dangers if they come but stragling upon us we may collect our spirits well enough and easily resist them but if they come by whole troops Amazment and Fear admits of no consultation for the future but only intends to decline the present and pressing hazard whereon the ancient Gaâ—ls made their first on-sets with valour beyond the courage of men and with feareful cryings and shouts belying their own Animosity to stupify and quell that of the enemy Sunday All the day the King was resolute never to give way to the Bill against the Lord Strafford telling them withal that it seemed strange to him that the man could not dy unless he and he only by giving Sentence the Kings Legislative way should condemn him The Lord Pembrook brought the King a piece of Scripture 2 Sam. 19. from the 5 to the 9 verse the words indeed became a Joab rather than himself till he had scattered the force of the Kings not eldest Son yet eldest Daughter the Kingdom of Scotland here is some Analogy with Absalom and in nothing else for David was sorry for shedding the nocent they not sorry for shedding the Innocent blood though the Issue be not the same Four Bishops were sent for by the King the Primate of Ireland the Bishop of Durham Lincoln and Carlile Some say and I do rather believe it that the King was desirous the Bill should be voiced again and argued the Bishops had their suffrages in the admission though not in the approbation of the Bill others think in regard the Primate was there who had no Interest in this Kingdom it was to resolve the Kings Conscience for my part I see not how they should do this seeing the business was grounded upon a case in Law which none of them unless the Bishop of Lincoln had learned when he was Lord Keeper could possibly discuss for if the King was tender in it how could they persuade him to give way if not what needed their Resolution But it may be that they persuaded him that in conscience he might prefer the Opinion of the Judges before his own and that if though with some reluctation they thought upon their Oaths the Proceedings to be lawful he might give way to them This is not unlikely because the Judges were sent for the same time and it seems for the same Service and if it be so I admire and adore too the wonderful providence of God who in his preparatory Act to this unlawful Judgment which undoubtedly will follow suffers not only the King and the Country but the Church too as if her Cup were not yet full to be involved But could this be to the matter of Fact the King I am sure knew him to be free from any the least intention of subverting the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom and could the Bishops satisfie this scruple too it may be they are persuaded that the Proofs might be taken Implicitly from the House of Commons as the Law from the Judges It is reported indeed that they besought the King with many Tears to give way and that to prevent the ruin of the Kingdom which these Statesmen who will be ever content with the longest life for themselves 'till by piece-meal they be thrust from all did see would necessarily follow Well I dare Prophesie to them they shall not want their Reward neither from the King nor People for the next tumult of people shall be against their Liturgies Surplices and Church-Ornaments And seeing they have now over-persuaded the King in this if they can procure him then to protect themselves from those imminent dangers which hang over their heads they shall do a miracle Sed quos perdere vult Jupiter dementat Some body else will persuade the King that to satisfie the common People and to prevent the Ruin of the Kingdom Bishopricks Deans Prebends and all Cathedrals must down Sed omen avertat Deus optimus Sunday all day nothing sounded in the King's Ears but fears terrors and threatnings of worse and worse the noise of Drums and Trumpets were imagined to be heard of rebelling People from every corner of the Kingdom yea Apprentices Coblers and Fruiterers presented themselves as already running into the King's Bed-Chamber After they they had wrestled him breathless and as they do with great Fishes given him scope of Line wherein to spend his strength at last victus dedit manus being overcome with such uncessant Importunities he yielded up the Buckler And about Nine of the Clock at Night oh deplorable necessity of the times or rather oh the frailty of human Nature that can neither foresee nor sustain this necessity the King promised to Sign both the Bills the next Morning which was accordingly done and a Commission drawn up for his I do not care in what Relation you take the word Execution Ingentes Curae stupent loquuntur leves Though I had resolved with the Painter who could not express his Grief sufficiently in weeping for his Daughter here to have drawn the Curtain yet it will not be something must overflow Consider the Gentleman as a Man his Judgment Memory Eloquence real Perfections in this age of appearances consider him as a Subject his Loyalty his Courage his Integrity to King and Country in these disloyal and faint-hearted times consider him as a Christian his love to the Church his respect to Church-men in this prophane and over-weaning Generation let Worth Honesty and Religion weep his Funerals who suffers for all and yet by all yea as an Enemy to all these talk not hereafter to me of Justice Equity or Conscience they are but Names and those scornful and empty Names too It is Power Faction and Interest that are the managers of human Affairs and sways the times I defie all History to furnish us with the like Parallel of a man accused by his Country by reason of his noble and eager desires to maintain them in plenty and reputation convicted by the Church for his actual performance and serious intention to restore both the Dignities and Revenues thereof his Prince even forced to condemn him after his integrity to persuade due obedience and to protect Royal Authority Happy yea thrice happy he whose Innocence was wedded to
his Perfection and both of them for so it shall ever be in my Kalender crowned with Martyrdom Forgive I intreat you these broken Expressions of a passionate Soul my obligements to the Gentleman were little my expectation from him nothing only an ingenious though perhaps a simple thought of the present Crimes and future punishment of this Kingdom unless God be more merciful whether from the privation of his Life or merit of his Death hath extorted thus much from me Remember the story of Innocent Socrates You desire me to be present and see the Catastrophe of the business I should pluck out mine Eyes if I thought they had so much cruelty to behold such a spectacle you may think it courage but I inhumanity My own Sins do too much interest me in his sufferings though I be not accessory by my sight The zealous Pilgrims of the Turkish Religion after they had seen the blessed Spectacle of Mahomet's Tomb at Mecca do presently make themselves blind by continual poaring upon hot burning Bricks so destroying the Optick Nerves as thinking themselves unworthy ever afterwards to look upon any worldly Object I leave your self Sir to make the application I dare ingeniously say it that all my sufferings to this time and I have not been without a round share of them did never touch me so nearly as the sufferings of Justice Religion and Loyalty by this one Fact Not for any evil consequence to me God knows I am beneath the reach of Fortune and can easily change my Climate but for that Cloud which hangeth over the public and will not I fear be dissolved till the measures of deservings be made up brim full What turbulency what confusion is within me you may easily guess by these Symptomes that are without those raw and indigested expressions it is my dayly labour to obtain the Mastery of my self and my affections but upon such extraordinary times and occasions they grow too strong for me I must give way and retire before I get new strength again Hence it is that though at the Lord Strafford's last departure out of this World I might have been assured of his Mantle that is the doubling of his Perfections upon me and of a capacity to admit of the least of them yet I could not have attended his Execution my heart was too weak and my Eyes too blind to behold such a woful spectacle but be you assured he will not dye like one of the vulgar nor like one of those wanton Coursers who can rush fiercely into the Battel yet withall start at his own shadow He hath done and can do greater things than dye and that too without any in-decorum As he hath lived for the real Demonstration of his service and fidelity so he can dye for the pretended safety of his Soveraign and that in a strange way too as if the head could not be safe but by cutting off the right hand Sir your desires have obliged me to unty my Wounds yet scarce bound up and by reflection upon that sad object to fall a bleeding again nor can I grant your suit to make that great Lord speak in his own dialect Pythagoras's transmutation could not have found out a fit lodging for that noble Soul nor doth nature give us wonders every day nor strain her self ambitiously to shew forth the utmost reach of her perfections or Master-piece and to present us with such a rare conjunction of such a courage attended with loyalty to danger wisdom accompanied with eloquence to admiration What could not that man think What think and not speak What speak and not do But I will not be too Rhetorical that Speech or rather Blemish printed and pretended to be spoken by him in the Tower is as like him as he was to a Pedant his Soul now laughs if that natural sence could reach so high at that poor injury it doth exceedingly well become the Charity of the times not only to perturb his rest but also by belying his Expressions to make his own hands the Scatterers of his own dust and his own Tongue the Trumpet of his own infamy That Speech is a foist and a lye His other Speech on the Scaffold and with it his Letter to the King you shall find at the end of this Letter in the best way we could get it something of his greatness appears in his phrase and as much life too as could by snatches be gathered from his mouth yet it comes far short of that Grace which it had when it was delivered by himself what by the escapes of the Observers what by the Faint-heartedness of the Press which durst not speak freely for fear of Arbitrary Treason Two observable Expressions I had from an understanding Auditor First Sir George Wentworth weeping extreamly upon the Scaffold was thus checked by him Brother what do you see in me that deserves these Tears Doth my fear betray my guiltiness Or my too much boldness any Atheism Think now and this is the third time that you do accompany me to my Marriage Bed Nor did I ever throw off my Clothes with such freedom and content as in this my preparrtion to my Grave That Stock pointing to the Block appointed for his Execution must be my Pillow here must I rest and rest from all my labours no thoughts of Envy no dreams of Treason jealousies of Foes cares for the King the State or my self shall interrupt this nap therefore Brother with me pity mine Enemies who beside their intention have made me blessed rejoyce in my Innocency rejoyce in my happiness Secondly Kneeling down upon the Scaffold he made this Protestation I hope Gentlemen you do think that neither fear of loss nor love to Reputation will cause me to bely God and my own Conscience for now I am in the door going out and my next step must be from Time to Eternity either of Peace or Pain to clear my self to you all I do solemnly protest before God I am not guilty so far as I can understand of that great Crime laid to my Charge nor have ever had the least inclination or intention to damnifie or prejudice the King the State the Laws or Religion of this Kingdom but with my best endeavours to serve all and to support all So might God be merciful to his Soul His words did justifie him more there than in Westminster Hall and made such a deep impression in the hearers that a great many of those who cryed out for Justice against him after their fury was spent and their madness strewed with cold Blood wished their Tongues had been cut out of their heads before they had opened their mouths against him others most ignobly imputed this to his effronted boldness and are so persuaded of their own infallibility that they marvelled he believed not his Actions to be Errors upon their Word and did not confess their Opinions to be Truth it self A kind of People they are beyond the cure of Bedlam and