this Land look upon them O Lord withan Eye of Pity not with â—n Eye of Fury and Indignation O look not upon all those great and grievous Sins that have provoked thee most justly to Wrath and Displeasure against us Gracious God who can stand in thy Sight when thou art angry When thou with rebuke dost correct Man for Sin thou makest his Beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a Garment O Lord thy Indignation and Wrath lies heavy upon us and thou hast vexed us with thy Scourges thou hast made us a Reproach and a by Word amongst our Neighbours and the very Heathens laugh us to scorn O that thou wouldst turn us again O Lord God of Hosts that thou wouldst shew us the Light of thy Countenance that we may behold it that thou wouldst humble us for all those Sins and grievous Transgressions that are amongst us for those Atheisms for those Infidelities horrid Blasphemies and Prophaneness for those Sacriledges for those Heresies for those Schisms Errors and all those Blindnesses of Heart Pride vain Glory and Hypocrisie for that Envy Hatred and Malice and all Uncharitableness that hath set us one against another that we are so dashed one against another even to destroy each other Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah O Lord we are like those Moabites and Ammonites c. This thou hast done to us O Lord because we have rebelled against thee O how greatly and grievously have we sinned against thee yet for all this thou hast not requited us according to our ill deservings for thou mightest have brought us to Desolation and Destruction Fire might have come down from Heaven and destroyed us our Foreign Enemies and the Enemies of thee and thy Christ our Saviour might have swallowed us up What have we not deserved yet O the long Suffering and Patience and Goodness of our God! O Lord our God we pray thee that thy Patience and long Suffering might lead to Repentance that thou wouldst be pleased thou who delightest not in the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn from his Sins and live that thou wouldst turn us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned draw us and we shall run after thee draw us with the Cords of Love and by the Bands of loving kindness by the powerful working of thy Holy Spirit in our Souls working Contrition in our Hearts and a Godly Sorrow for all our Sins even a Sorrow to Repentance and a Repentance to Salvation never to be repented of Lord break those stnoy Hearts of ours by the Hammer of thy Word mollify them by the Oil of thy Grace smite these rocky Hearts of ours by the Rod of thy most gracious Power that we may shed forth Rivers of Tears for all the Sins we have committed O that thou wouldst make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough that thou wouldst humble us more and more in the true Sight and Sense of all our Provocation against thee and that thou wouldst be pleased in the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all our Sins Lord let his Blood that speaks better Things than that of Abel cry louder in thine Ears for Mercy then all those Mischiefs and Wickednesses that have been done amongst us for Vengeance O besprinkle our polluted but Penitent Souls in the Blood of Jesus Christ that we may be clean in thy Sight and that the Light of thy Countenance may shine upon us Lord be pleased to Seal unto our Souls the free Pardon and Forgiveness of all our Sins say to each of our Souls and say that we may hear it that thou art well pleased with us and appeased towards us Lord do thou by the Spirit assure our Spirits that we are thy Children and that thou art reconciled to us in the Blood of Jesus Christ To this end O Lord create in us new Hearts and renew right Spirits within us Cast us not away from thy Presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from us but give us the Comfort of thy Help and establish us with thy free Spirit Help us to live as thy redeemed ones and Lord let us not any longer by our wicked Lives deny that most Holy Faith whereof our Lips have for so long Time made Profession but let us that call on the Name of the Lord Jesus depart from Iniquity and hate every evil Way Help us to cast away all our Transgressions whereby we have transgressed and make us new Hearts Carry us along through the Pilgrimage of this World supplying us with all Things needful for us thy Grace alone is sufficient for us Lord let thy Grace be assistant to us to strengthen us against all the Temptations of Satan especially against those Sins whereunto we are most prone either by Custom or Constitution or most easily provoked O Lord with what Affliction soever thou shalt punish us do not punish us with spiritual Judgments and Desertions Give us not over to our own Hearts Lusts to our vile lewd and corrupt Affections give us not over to Hardness and Impenitency of Heart but make us sensible of the least Sin and give us thy Grace to think no Sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our Dives and Conversations and Lord keep us from Presumptuous Sins O let not them get the Dominion over us but keep us Innocent from the great Offence O Lord our Strength and our Redeemer And Lord sanctify unto us all thy Methods and Proceedings with us fitting us for all further Tribulations and Tryals whatsoever thou in thy divine Pleasure shalt be pleased to impose upon us Lord give us Patience Constancy Resolution and Fortitude to undergo them that though we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death we may fear none ill knowing that thou O Lord art mercifully with us and that with thy Rod as well as with thy Staff thou wilt support and comfort us and that nothing shall be able to seperate us from thy Love which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. And gracious God we beseech thee be thou pleased to look mercifully and compassionately on thy Holy Catholick Church and grant that all they that do confess thy Holy Name may agree together in the Truth of thy Holy Word and live in Unity and godly Love Thou hast promised O Lord the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against thy Church perform we beseech thee thy most gracious promises both to thy whole Church and to that Part of it which thou hast planted and now afflicted in these sinful Lands and Nations wherein we live arise O Lord and have Mercy upon our Sion for it is time that thou have Mercy upon her yea the Time is come for thy Servants think upon her Stones and it pittieth them to see her in the Dust Lord maintain thine
Merits and Mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ not doubting but that through the red Sea of his Blood he should arrive at the Heavenly Canaan and in little space behold his Saviour whom his Soul so much longed after Then fixing his Eyes upon the Multitude he spake to this effect I am brought here to a shameful Death I am an English Man born and as many know a Gentleman born I was drawn into this Business by several Persons and am now brought here for my former Sins God hath delivered me several Times from several Judgments he hath visited me at this Time because I slighted and did not pursue that Repentance that I promised Therefore I desire all good People to leave off their Sins for Christ his sake and beagme new Men for it is that that brings all Men to ruin I beseech God of Mercy have Mercy upon my Soul Lord God I come to thee Lord the Father of Heaven have Mercy upon me O God the Son Redeemer of the World have Mercy upon me O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have Merâ—y upon me Remember not my Offences but spare me good Lord God I beseech thee spare thy Servant whom thou hast vedeamed for thy dear Sons sake I have no more to say but desire the Prayers of all good People Having ended his Speech he committed his Spirit into the Hands of God and having said Lord have Morcy upon my Soul he was turned off the Ladder and instantly cut down his Belly ripped up and his Bowels burnt in a Fire ready prepared for that purpose he being not yet Dead then was his Head cut off and his Body divided into four Quarters put into a Basket and conveyed back to Newgate Next they proceeded and fetcht John Betley for there was a great deal of Business done by the Executioner that Day into Cheapside where formerly the Cross stood where was likewise a Gibbet set up being come to the Place with a Minister the Minister read and the People sung with him a Psalm beginning thus O Lord consider my Distress c. Then he went up the Ladder and said as followeth LOrd receive my Soul and be merciful to me I commit my Soul into Almighty Gods Hands for he is my Protector and Redeemer I am not ashamed to live nor afraid to die for my Conversation hath been such in Christ Jesus I hope I shall find Mercy As concerning them that are my Enemies I pray God forgive them their Sins I freely forgive them all that have done me wrong As for the late Plot I was never but once in Company with them concerned therein I did know of such a Thing but deny that I acted therein Shall I damn my Soul at this Instant I will speak the Truth One Brandon that was one of them drew me into the Business and his Man I carrying Work to him could not refrain his House he so often enticed me thereto and would not let me alone till he had got me into a House where we drank together I have no more to say as to the Plot but desire Mercy from God Having this said the Executioner turned him off and the rest of the Sentence was executed upon him as before upon Colonel Ashton and his Head and Quarters were conveyed also to Newgate Some two Days after one Edmund Stacy also about the same Conspiracy was executed in Cornhil over against the Exchange as also a Youth in Smithfield having the Rope about his Neck the horror of Death being worse then Death it self but for his Souls Health was Reprieved the Torrent of Blood being for a while stayed Whilst these Tradgedies were acting on the Land a strange Accident no less prodigious happened on the Water a Whale of a monstrous bigness at least sixty Foot and of a proportionable Breadth was cast up on the River of Thames near London which by the common People was accounted a Prognostication of the Protectors Death which ensued not long after But to return to Flanders where we formerly left the Sea whereof like a sharp Humour did always nourish the Wounds of incurable Evils nor was the French their letting of her Blood sufficient she wanted an English Physician to treat her Our Armies whose Valours made not a stand at Mardike but with a gallant Resolution besieged Dunkirk which being a Place of great Importance the Spaniard intended to relieve and with an Army of sixteen thousand came within an English Mile and a half of the French Quarters whereupon the Engeish and French uniting their Forces leaving some part of them before Dunkirk to make good the Approaches and guard the Trenches with fifteen thousand Men and ten Pieces of Cannon set upon the Spaniard whom after a long and sharp Fight they put to a total Rout and Confusion with the Loss of three thousand five hundred Men which Victory was in a manner wholy attributed to the Valour of the English The Loss of this Day lost the Spaniard Dunkirk who quickly after surrendered up the Town upon these following Conditions 1. That the Town shall be yielded up with all their great Guns their stores of Victuals Magazines of Arms and Ammunition without any embezlement 2. That all Officers and Soldiers shall have Liberty to marth out with their Arms Drums beating Golours flying two Pieces of Oridinance and their Baggage 3. That they shall have the Liberty to march with a Convoy so conduct them to Saint Omers 4. That the Inhabitants should remain indempnified in their Persons and Goods and enjoying their former Customs and Priviledges for two Years and not be molested touching the Exercise of their Religion The Articles signed the Spaniards marched out being about one Thousand Horse and Foot and seven hundred more that were wounded the French according as it was articled before put the English in Possession thereof which ever since they have maintained I have heard of an expression of the Governours of Ostend A little before the Massacre there a Person of Quality being sent thither about the exchange of Prisoners after he was civilly treated the Glasses of Wine going freely about the Governour being in a safe Place began to throw forth Words to this effect Sir is this the Mode of your Mushroom Protector hath he no other Way to pay my Master the King of Spain for his Bullion but with Bullets Soon after the taking of Dunkirk deceased the Lady Cleypoll second Daughter to the Protector a Lady whom Posterity will mention with an honourable Character who often interposed and became an humble Supplicant to her Father for many Persons design'd to dye her last request as it was thought for some eminent Persons being deny'd was a means of hastening her Death which much sadned her Father's Spirits nor did he long survive her her Death causing more Wounds in his Heart than all he received in the Wars But as his Severity was great to his Enemies so did he excell in
Articles 7. That no Parliament be dissolved by the Protector but end every three Years and the Protector to issue out Warrants 8. All the Crown Revenues left to go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 9. To make Peace or War as he pleaseth with the advice of his Council in the interval of Parliaments but not to raise Money without the Parliament unless in extraordinary Causes 10. Whatsoever goes out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England to go out in the Name of the Lord Protector 11. That it is Treason to speak against the present Government 12. That all forfeited and confiscated Estates go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 13. That all Acts of Parliaments made and Estates sold stand good and be enjoyed 14. That the Lord Protector have Power to confer titles of Honour and to dispose of the great Places of trust 15. That in the interval of Parliaments the Lord Protector with his Councilâ— do order the Affairs of the Nation 16. That all Articles of War be kept 17. That the known Laws of the Common-wealth be continued 18. That a standing Army be maintained of ten thousand Horse and twenty thousand Foot 19. That Christian Religion be maintained such as is contained in the Word of God 20. That all Persons shall have Liberty of Conscience provided that they disturb not the Civil Government except the Popish and Prelatical party 21. That no Papist or Delinquent in Arms since the Year 1649 elect or be elected a Parliament Man under Penalty of forfeiture of one Years revenue and the Moiety of his personal Estate 22. That the Lord Protector have Power to pardon all Offenders except Murther 23. That Writs be issued out in Jul next for summoning the Parliament either by the Protector or in course 24. That when the Protector dies the Council then sitting shall summon all the Members of the Council the Major part to elect one to be Protector before they stir out of the Council Chamber and the Person so chosen not to be under the age of twenty one Years nor of the Family of the Stuarts These Articles sworn to he was proclaimed Lord Protector in the Palace-yard at Westminster and by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in their Scarlet Gowns at the Royal Exchange who to ingratiate themselves with their new Governour bestowed on him a costly Feast at Grocers Hall it is an usual observation that Persons that make their ways with their Swords that their shows to take the People generaly are more stately then those of successive Princes what he admitted of as with his own permission was nothing to those dutiful solemnities that pursued his Memory without dispute he had studied the art and ordinance of self-denying insomuch that the Parliament perceiving that he did but complement his Generalship which he might with safety and most right have accepted they pressed him the less as he seemed to push away that with his little finger that they were certain he was ready to grasp with both his Hands The greatest Admiration that hath furprized me hath been what in the compass of a Year I have observed the Tides and Streams of Petitions out of most Counties that at the first rise or promise of greatness have pursued every alteration as Party-coloured as Joseph's Coat and as variable as the Rainbow it is not to depictured how Janus-faced they have been on all occasions with how many religious expressions and wishes they have made their Addresses and masqued their self-interests if it were possible in so short an interim of time at once adoring so many rising Suns Since I have so strangely dissgressed it will not be amiss to take notice of a Book lately come forth intituled History and Policy reviewed concerning the political transactions of the Protector publish'd in a strange name written in the stile of the holy Court in which the Author undertakes a prodigious Enterprize to compare Cromwel to Moses his Pen is too palpably â—â—aught with Flattery yet not without unâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Subtilty he having like the little Gentleman in the short Jacket pickt the Vermin out of Nic. Machiavels Head for his use throwing off one side principles honester then his own Machiavel never so disguising himself with the Vizard of Religion that he appears to be an arranter Devil than the Florentine certain I am that I never read a Book that more pleased or displeased me But to proceed at his first instalment Heavens bless us immediately follows a Plot miraculously discovered eleven of the grand Conspirators being apprehended were committed to the Tower where having remained a while they were again set at Liberty This web was not well spun his Spies and Informers which he entertained at vast expence put on their Spectacles that they might see better against the next occasion In the Interim the Scots under the Earls of Glencarne and Kenmore raised another Army of 4000 Horse and Foot but were soon dissipated by the vigilancy of Colonel Morgan who after a short but smart Fight killed â—one hundred and fifty of them and defeated all the rest Suspicions are necessary Alarms as they at least suffer persons not to be overtaken with too much security of their Affairs Another great Plot was now again discovered the chief Conspirators were said to be Mr. Thomas and John Gerrard Brothers John Jones an Apothecary and Thomas Tendor Somerset Fox and Master Peter Vowel who were all condemned but two only suffered viz. Mr. Vowel who was hanged Also about the same time the Portugal Ambassadors Brother was brought to his Tryal for the pistoling of one Mr. Greenwood by a Knight of Malta one of his high spirited followers the tumult being afterwards occasion'd from his retinue he having been first very uncivilly treated by Mr. Gerrard in his expatiating of the New Exchange as he termed it in his Declaration for which Mr. Gerrard received a prick with his Dagger and afterwards had the honour to die the same Death The young unfortunate Stranger suffered a very high favour to please the New Exchange Chevaliers Mean while the Scotch Highlanders impatint of bearing the English yoke resolved to try the other bout to which purpose they assembled together in great Numbers having General Middleton to their Leader who was newly come to them out of Holland but all their endeavours vanished into Smoak General Monk on the twentieth July 1654 at a place called Loughberry gave them such a charge as utterly defeated them and made them incapable of ever after thinking of appearing in Arms again Soon after was a Parliament called who no sooner were set but fell upon questioning the Power by which they were convocated and doubting of its lawfulness were soon dissolved by the same Power which they distrusted The Protector at the dissolution of this short Parliament made a very long Speech wherein amongst many other passages he hath this expression This one thing I speak as thus advised and before God as
labour till he shall be released by Parliament and during that time be debarred the use of Pen Ink and Paper and shall have no relief but what he earns by his daily Labour which accordingly was executed upon him December 17. 1656. His Flies and Familiars were still useful to him for the discovering of more strange designs the revealing of which no Question kept many Conspiracies from being attempted to which effect there is yet another Plot against the Protectors Life intended by Miles Sindercomb alias Fish one who had formerly been a Parliament Soldier under the command of Sir John Reynolds together with one Cecil induced thereunto as is said by Don Alonso the late Spanish Ambassador to the effecting their designs they are said to have hired a House at Hammersmith adjoining by the High-way side to have shot him in his Coach as he passed by but that failing they intended to have shot him in Hide-Park and to that purpose they filed off the Hinges of the Gates for their better escape and this miscarrying they intended to have fired White Hall For these Offences Sindercomb was arraigned at the Upper Bench Bar in Westminster Hall February 9. 1656. where being found guilty by the Jury he was condemned to be hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn but before his Execution he was found dead in his Bed and several presumptions of a violent Death appearing on him it was concluded he poysoned himself Afterwards he was drawn from the Tower unto Tower-hill at a Horse's-Tail with his Head forward and there under the Scaffold turned into a hole stark naked and a Stake spiked and plated with Iron driven thro' him into the Earth It is to be observed that whatsoever the vigilancy of the Guard of the Tower was over this Gentleman that he died with as fresh a Colour as Sir Thomas Overbury is said to have expired with But to return where we left that successful Sea-man General Blake the Protectors intended Drake an honest stout incomparable Sea-man he failing with his Fleet to Sancta Cruza in the Island of Teneriff in which Port lay sixteen great Spanish Vessels laden with rich Merchandizes from the Indies He on the 20th of April 1657. set upon them and destroyed them all not sixty of his own Men being lost But to return June the 20. 1657 the Protector with great Magnificence was installed at Westminster the Parliament then sitting and in Westminster Hall a rich Cloth of State was set up and under it a Chair of State placed upon an ascent of two degrees covered with Carpets and before it a Table with a Chair appointed for the Speaker of the Parliament and on each side of the Hall upon the said Structure were Seats raised one above another and decently covered for the Members of Parliament and below them Seats on one side for the Judges of the Land and on the other side for the Aldermen of the City of London About two of the Clock in the Afternoon the Protector met the Parliament in the Painted Chamber and passed such Bills as were presented to him after which they went in order to the place appointed in Westminster Hall the Protector standing under the Cloth of Estate the Lord Widdrington Speaker of the Parliament addrest himself to him in this Speech May it please your Highness You are now upon a great Theatre in a large Chore of People you have the Parliament of England Scotland and Ireland before you on your Right Hand my Lords the Judges and on your Left-Hand the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs of London the most noble and populous City of England The Parliament with the Interposition of your sufferage makes Laws and the Judges and Governours of London are the great Dispencers of those Laws to the People The Occasion of this great Convention and Intercourse is to give an Investiture to your Highness in that eminent Place of Lord Protector a Name you had before but it is now settled by the full and unanimous consent of the People of these three Nations assembled in Parliament you have no new Name but a new date added to the old Name the 16 of December is now changed to the 26 of June I am commanded by the Parliament to make oblation to your Highness of four Things in order to this Inauguration The first is a Robe of Purple an Emblem of Magistracy and imports Righteousness and Justice when you have put on the Vestment I may say and I hope without Offence that you are a Gown Man This Robe is of a mixt Colour to shew the mixture of Justice and Mercy which are then most excellent when they are well tempered together Justice without Mercy is Wormwood and Bitterness and Mercy without Justice is of a too soft a Temper for Government for a Magistrate must have two Hands Plectentem Amplectentem The next thing is a Bible a Book that contains the Holy Scripture in which you have the Honour and Happiness to be well versed This is the Book of Life consisting of two Testaments the Old and New In the first we have Christum velatum Christ in Types Shadows and Figures in the latter we have Christum revelatum Christ revealed This Book carries in it the grounds of the true Christian Protestant Religion it's a Book of Books it contains in it both precepts and examples for good Government Alexander so highly valued the Books of his Master Aristotle and other great Princes other Books that they have laid them every Night under their Pillows These are all but Legends and Romances to this one Book at Book to be had always in remembrance I find it said in a Part of this Book which I shall desire to read and it is this Deut. 17. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests and Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the Days of his Life that he may learn to fear the Lord God and to keep all the Words of his Law and those Statutes to do them That his Heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandment to the Right Hand or to the Left to the end he may prolong his Days in his Kingdom he and his Children in the midst of Israel The next Thing that I am to offer to your Highness is a Scepter not unlike a Staff for you are to be a Staff to the Weak and Poor it's of ancient use in this kind it's said in Scripture in reference to Judah the Royal Tribe That the Scepter shall not depart from Judah It was of like use in other Kingdoms and Governments Homer the Prince of the Greek Poets calls Kings and Princes Scepter-bearers The last Thing is a Sword not a Military but a Civil Sword a Sword rather for a Defence than an Offence not to defend
my Soul that God would forgive all those that upon so slender and small Grounds adjudg'd me to dye taking Advantage of such simple Ignorance as I was in And I had at the very beginning of my pleading engaged their Honours 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 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 Blood 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 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 querry 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 tell 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 Testaments tho' 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 Blood 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 only made meritorious by Christ his Death by his all sufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteousness they become meritorious And truly as I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of this Community and so pleaded for the Liberties and Priviledges thereof I must now answer something I am aspersed withal in the World They talk of something of a Plot and a Treasonable Design and that I had a great Interest in the Knowledge and Practice thereof and that for the saving my Life I would have discover'd and betray'd I cannot tell what I hope my Conversation hath not been such here in this City where I have been a long Time very well known as to make one imagine I should intermeddle in such an Action and go so contrary to the Practice 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 trouble 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 Correspondency 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 Gregory's and the next Lords Day I was at Brussels or Bruges and kist the Kings Hand and brought I cannot tell what Orders and Instructions from him this I shall 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 then threescore Miles It is said that I kept Correspondence with one Barrow 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 knew me nor do I know them at all but only as I have heard of their Names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highness was pleased to tell 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 Dâ—signs 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 Meddler at all in these Affairs And truly I must needs say therefore that it was a very uncharitable Act in them who ever they were that brought such Accusations 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 whereon 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 Days are shortned by this unexpected doom and shall 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 Ways 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 doest whatsoever thou wilt both in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and in all deep Places in thy Hands are the Hearts of all Men and thou turnest them which way soever thou wilt O Lord look in Mercy and Compassion we beseech thee on this great and innumerous People of
own Cause rescue the Light of thy Truth from all those Clouds of Errors and Heresies which do so much obscure it and let the Light thereof in a free Proffession break forth and shine again among us and that continually even as long as the Sun and Moon endures To this end O Lord bless us all and bless him the Posterity which in Authority ought to rule over and be above us Bless him in his Soul and in his Body in his Friends and in his Servants and all his Relations Guide him by thy Council prosper him in all Undertakings granting him a long prosperous and honourable Life here upon Earth and that he may attain to a Blessed Life hereafter And gracious God look mercifully upon all our Relations and do thou bring them to the Light of thy Truth that are wandering and ready to fall Confirm them in thy Truth that already stand show some good Token for good unto them that they may rejoyce O let thy good Hand of Providence be over them in all their Ways And to all Orders and Degrees of Men that be amongst us give Religious Hearts to them that now rule in Authority over us Loyal Hearts in the Subjects towards their Supream and loving Hearts in all Men to their Friends and charitable Hearts one towards another And for the Continuance of thy Gospel among us restore in thy good Time to their several Places and Callings and give Grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops Pastors and Curates that they may both by their Life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively Word and rightly and duly administer thy Holy Sacraments And Lord bless thy Church still with Pastors after thine own Heart with a continual Succession of faithful and able Men that they may both by Life and Doctrine declare thy Truth and never for fear or favour backslide or depart from the same and give them the Assistance of thy Spirit that may enable them so to preach thy Word that may keep the People upright in the midst of a corrupted and corrupt Generation And good Lord bless thy People every where with hearing Ears understanding Hearts conscientious Souls and obedient Lives especially those over whom I have had either lately or formerly a charge that with meek Heart and due reverence they may hear and receive thy Holy Word truly serving thee in Righteousness and Holiness all the Days of their Lives And we beseech the of thy Goodness and Mercy to comfort and succour all those that in this transitory Life be in Trouble Sorrow Need Sickness or any other Adversity Lord help the Helpless and comfort the Comfortless vifit the Sick relieve the Oppressed help them to right that suffer wrong set them at Liberty that are in Prison restore the Banished and of thy great Mercy and in thy good Time deliver all thy People out of their Necessities Lord do thou of thy great Mercy fit us all for our latter end for the Hour of Death and the Day of Judgment and do thou in the Hour of Death and at the Day of Judgment from thy Wrath and everlasting Damnation good Lord deliver us through the Cross and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ In the mean Time O Lord teach us so to number our Days and me my Minutes that we may apply our Hearts to true Wisdom that we may be Wise unto Salvation that we may live soberly Godly and Righteously in this present World denying all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts Lords teach us so to live that we may not be afraid to dye and that we may so live that we may be always prepared to dye that when Death shall seize upon us it may not surprize us but that we may lift up our Heads with Joy knowing that our Redemption draws nigh and that we shall be for ever happy being assured that we shall come to the Felicity of the Chosen and rejoice with the Gladness of the People and give us such a fullness of thy Holy Spirit that may make us stedfast in this Faith and confirm us in this Hope indue us with Patience under thy afflicting Hand and withal a chearful Resolution of our selves to thy divine disposing that so passing the Pilgrimage of this World we may come to the Land of Promise the Heavenly Canaan that we may reign with thee in the World to come through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose blessed Name and Words we farther call upon thee saying Our Father c. Let thy mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm O Lord be the Defence of me and all other thy servants thy mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ our salvation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation to the end and in the end through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen His Speech and Prayer ended with much Meekness and spiritual Consolation He submitted his Neck to the stroak of the Ax to as great a Loss of the Church of Christ and of all good Men as hath happened in our Times I have the more enlarged my self that my Reader might not without a kind of a Consternation or Possession of strange Amazement pass by the Concernments of this blessed Heroe The same Day of Doctor Hewets Tryal was also tryed John Mordant of Clement Danes Esquire with whom he was a Fellow-Prisoner the Charge against him was for combining with Henry Bishop of Parham in Sussex Gent. Hartgil Baron and Francis Mansil with divers others for raising War against Oliver Lord Protector in the behalf of Charles Stuart and confering with J. Stapely Esq Henry Mallory and others how to effect the same and delivering Commissions to several Persons in the Name of and as from the said Charles Stuart c. He stood long upon it as did â—â—e Doctor before to have Council assigneâ— him and that he might be tryed by a Jury but finding it would not be granted he at last pleaded not Guilty many Witnesses deposited against him yet he by his Ingenuity so cleared himself that notwithstanding many Endeavours to the contrary he was discharged July the 17. following Colonel Ashton and John Betley were executed the one in Tower-street the other in Cheap-side Colonel Ashton was the first being drawn on a Sledge that Worthy Divine Doctor Warmestry submitting for the good of a poor Christians Soul to lie along with him upon the Sledge that he might lose no Time for his spiritual Converse They were drawn from Newgate to Tower-street over against Mark-lane end where a Gibbet was erected As he ascended the Ladder Doctor Warmestry said Almighty God who is a strong Tower be with thee and make thee know and feel that there is no other Name under Heaven whereby to attain everlasting Life but by the Name of Jesus The Blessing of God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost be with you henceforth and for ever Amen He being upon the Ladder exprest a great deal of Confidence he had in the