was not done for the Lords stuck at it Some of which having not extinguished all the sparks of honour did by the light thereof discover the injustice of so foul a practice together with the danger might befal themselves if once disfavoured by the Grandees of that potent Faction A thing so stomacked by the Commons that after some evaporations of their heat and passion which broke out into open threats they presently drew and sent up an Ordinance to the Lords tending to dispossesse them of all power and command in their Armies But fearing this device was too weak to hold they fall upon another and a likelier project which was to bring the Lords to sit in the Commons House where they were sure they should be inconsiderable both for power and number And to effect the same with more speed and certainty they had recourse to their old Arts drew down Sir David Watkins with his general muster of subscriptions and put a petition in his hands to be rendred by him to the Houses that is themselves wherein it was required among other things that they would vigorously proceed unto the punishment of all Delinquents and that for the more quick dispatch of the publick businesses of the State the Lords would please to vote and sit together with the Commons On such uncertain terms such a ticklish Tenure do they now hold their place and power in Parliament who so officiously complied with the House of Commons in depriving the Bishops of their Votes and the Churches birth-right And this was it which helped them in that time of need For by this though stale and common Stratagem did they prevail so far upon some weak spirits that the Earls of Kent Pembroke Salisbury and Bullingbrooke the Lords North Gray of Wark and Brews a Scotchman but an English Baron and generally called the Earl of Elgin resolved to yield unto the current of so strong a stream and thought they had made a gaining voyage if by delivering the Lord Arch-Bishop to the Peoples fury they might preserve themselves in the Peoples favour And we know well both who it was and what end he came to who though he knew that the accused party was delivered him out of envy only and that he found no evil he was guilty of yet being wearied with the clamours and the Crucifiges of the common people and fearing that some tumult would be made about it delivered him unto his enemies to be put to death And for those other Lords who withdrew themselves and neither durst condemn nor protect the innocent though far the major part as it is reported it is not easie to determin whether their consciences were more tender their Collusion grosser or their courage weaker All I shall say is only this that Claudius Lysias in the Acts had been as guilty of Saint Paul's death as any of the forty who had vowed to kill him if upon notice of the Plot which was laid to murther him he had brought him down unto the people or not conveied him with a strong guard to the Court of Felix The journies end must needs be foul which such lewd and crooked waies do conduct unto And it is worth your observation that the same day the fourth of January in which they passed this bloody Ordinance as if therein they would cry quittance with his Sacred Majesty who on the same accused the six guilt Members they passed another for establishing their new Directory which in effect was nothing but a total abolition of the Common-Prayer-Book and thereby shewed unto the World how little hopes they had of setling their new form of Worship if the foundation of it were not laid in blood The Bill being thus dispatched in the House of Lords if still they may be called Lords which are so over-loaded by the Common-people there wanted yet the Kings Assent to give life to it which they so far contemned they had more reason to despair of it that they never sought it They had screwed up their Ordinances to so high a pitch that never Act of Parliament was of more authority and having found the Subjects so obedient as to yield unto them in matters which concerned them in their goods and liberties it was but one step more to make trial of them whether they would submit their lives to the self-same tyranny And this they made the first experiment in this kind both of their own power and the peoples patience he being the first man as himself noted in his Speech which words are purposely omitted in Hindes Copy of it that was ever put to death by Ordinance in Parliament but was not the last as we have too sadly experienced Certain it is that by that Ordinance they then made themselves the absolute Master of the Subjects lives and left them nothing that they could call their own but ruine and destruction Just as it was observed by our Gracious Soveraign upon occasion of the Ordinance for the 20th part that the same power which robbed the Subject of the twentieth part of their Estates had by that only made a claim and entituled it self to the other nineteen when soever it should be thought expedient to hasten on the general ruin In which His Majesty proved but too true a Prophet And though perhaps some of the people were well pleased with this bloody Ordinance and ran with joy to see it put in execution yet all wise men did look upon it as the last groan or gasp of our dying liberty And let both them and those who passed it be assured of this that they who did so gladly sell the blood of their fellow Subjects seldom want Chapmen for their own in an open Market And here as it was once observed that the predominant Party of the United Provinces to bring about their ends in the death of Barnovelt subverted all those fundamental Laws of the Belgick liberty for maintenance whereof they took up Arms against Philip the Second so would I know which of those Fundamental Laws of the English Government have not been violated by these men in their whole proceedings for preservation of which Laws or rather under colour of such preservation they did bewitch the people unto that Rebellion It is a Fundamental Law of the English Government and the first Article in the Magna Charta that the Church of England shall be free and shall have her whole Rights and Priviledges inviolable yet to make way unto the condemnation of this innocent man and other the like wicked and ungodly ends the Bishops must be Voted out of their place in Parliament which most of them had held far longer in their Predecessors than any of our noble families in their Progenitors And if the Lords refuse to give way unto it as at first they did the people must come down to the House in multitudes and cry No Bishops no Bishops at the Parliament doors till by the terror of their tumults they extort it from them It
of which place we shall confine and circumscribe all his Glories After that the Parliament by the success of their unlawful Arms had reduced the King his Friends Armies Towns and Forts into their power it was hoped by all men that now they would appear what they had so long fallaciously pretended themselves the Assertors of the publick Peâ—ce and Liberty in order whereunto no other Expedient was visible then by complying with their reiterated Protestations of Loyal Obedience to the King in a present and speedy Resumption of him to the Exercise of his Royal Authority his Majesty having and being willing to grant all that in Honour Justice and Conscience could be expected from him But contrary thereunto they Voted to settle the Kingdom without him as impossible as to have day without the Light of the Sun and so experimented in the dark Confusions that followed those Trayterous Resolves which so much discontented the Generality of the People who were now for the most part undeceived of those principles which had been cunningly spread amongst them of the Kings Averseness to hearken to his Parliaments that after several fruitless Petitions for a Composure and Treaty with the King from several Counties in the delivery whereof to the Houses some of the Petitioners as of Surry were killed and wounded and sent home otherwise unanswered they resolved to try another way and have Recourse to Arms. Col. Langhorn Powel and Poyer rise in Wales the Scots enter England but that which most alarm'd the two Houses was the Kentish Business which lookt full of Terrour the whole County unanimously declaring for a speedy Closure with the King and had formed to that purpose a very considerable Army made up with a numerous Company of Volunteers from London under the command of the Earl of Norwich against these therefore General Fairfax himself was sent with 6000 men as requiring his Presence who was valiantly opposed at Maidstone by part of the Kentish Army but they being not relieved by their Body at Rochester were for the most part cut off and the Town gained whereupon the Earl of Norwich with 3000 men marched hastily to Black heath and from thence ferryed and swam over the greatest part of his Army into Essex side and quartered at Bow and Stratford Being there he met with this Noble Heroe Sr. Charles Lucas and other eminent Persons of Honour and Quality as the Lord Capel Lord Loughborough with a compleat Body of resolved men with whom after they had skirmished with some Parliament Horse at Mile-end they marched to Chelmsford where they seized the Committee and thence to Colchester a Town defenceless and inconsiderable as was generally supposed both by the Enemy and the Adjacent Parts of the Countrey either to receive by a provisional way of Relief any great Force into it or by reason of the untenable Condition of it to hold out any time if they should venture to take up or stay there Yet so constantly couragious vigilant and incredibly industrious were these Loyally disposed Gentlemen as this Town which by reason of the inpreparation of Necessaries could not probably hold out against so potent and terrible an Enemy the space of one week continued 3 Moneths in a most resolute Defiance and resistance of a Victorious Army glutted with such variety of Conquests and supplied with such fresh and continual Recruits to accomplish those unjust Triumphs and Trophies which they had begun to rear upon the Ruines of the whole Kingdom But at length after many stout Endeavours in Sallies Eruptions and perpetual Firings gallantly performed the Loyal Garrison having eaten up all their Horses the Dogs and Cats and whatsoever though most reluctant to Nature being sweetned with Prunes and some other Fruit and Spice whereof some store was found in the Town at their Coming could afford them nourishment was compelled to come to a Capitulation though it was bravely resolved the night before to attempt breaking through which was not unfeasable by which it was concluded the Town should be surrendred upon these hard conditions the Officers at Mercy and the Souldiery upon Quarter for Life The Reason of these hard Conditions and their standing out so long which occasioned them was threefold The first was That not only the County wherein they were besieged but most of the Counties in England had engaged themselves that they would joyn with and Assist them in the business but all those Mountains of Promise came to nothing an inconsiderable Party appearing about Saffron Walden being routed by Major Sparrow The Second and which seemed more probable was the hopes they had from London a great many Persons of Quality and known Royalists therein having listed themselves under the Earl of Holland who had with him in that Action the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Peterborough the Lord Francis Villers and others these appeared at Kingston in a formidable manner but were presently supprest by Sr. Michael Livesey and the aforesaid Lord Francis bringing up the Rear was there killed refusing the Quarter offered from Rebels the Earl of Holland fled to St. Neats in Bedfordshire where his Quarters were beaten up by Col. Scroops Regiment of Horse where Col. Dalbeir was slain and himself taken Prisoner and carried to Warwick Castle The third and chiefest Reason which induced them to the continuance of the Siege was their daily Expectation of the Advance of the Scotch Army then entred England and to whom were joyned a number of Gallant Persons who had appeared for the King throughout the War Commanded by Sr. Marmaduke now Lord Langdale Over this Kirk-Army Duke Hamilton was made General a Person suspected of all hands and of whom and his success his Majesty it is said very much desponded when first he had notice of his Commanding in Chief And so it fell out for at Preston in Lancashire Lieut. Gen. Cromwel met with this Army and with 1â—000 men totally defeated them so that Hamilton was forced to fly and was taken by the Lord Grey of Grooby at Uttoxeter in Staffordshire and brought Prisoner to London where as Earl of Cambridge he was afterwards for this business beheaded But I venture not to Canonize him a Martyr Colchester being thus defeated of all hopes of Relief rendred it self to the Victors and 5 hours after the Surrender according to a Decree of a Council of War ensued the death of these two Noble Persons being destined by them to be shot 〈◊〉 a military Execution The only Reason why they were picked out from among the rest was nothing else but their superlative Courage and their fixedness of Duty towards the King in whose Cause and Defence they assured themselves they would never be wanting as long as their Breath would last were the Difficulties and Dangers of doing it never so greats and so many An Honourable Enemy would have scorned so unwarrantable and impotent revenge and for which the Names of some Persons will stink for ever But never was the Message of
information I thought fit to propose and do humbly crave their pardon if this weak and mean endeavour cannot reach that grandeur of Spirit with which they constantly endured their fiery tryals and dreadful and doleful sufferings I observe the order of time and not of Dignity and shall begin with the right Honourable the Lord Finch of Fordwich who being Lord Keeper of the Seal upon their arbitrary proceedings against the life of the Earl of Strafford wisely withdrew himself and endured banishment and exile from his own Country for sixteen years and then returned and died in Honour His faithful serving his Soveraign in that great employment being all his charge and accusation Mr. Secretary Windebanke who pursued the same course to avoid the Popular fury and died abroad The Right reverend Father in God Matthew Lord Bishop of Ely who with eleven more of his Sacred Order were committed to the Tower in 1641 from which imprisonment he never â—irred till the end of the year 1659 at which time by the means of the ever renowned Lord General the Duke of Albemarle he was set at liberty from thence in kind remembrance of those fatherly counsels and happy advice the said noble Duke had during his restraint in the same place for the same account of Loyalty received from this reverend Bishop who is now reestablished in this same Diocesse to the Honour and support of this restored Church Doctor Featly a very Learned Religious and grave Divine to whom this Church oweth much for his accurate defences of its Doctrine and Discipline being for no other cause committed to Peter House by an Order of Parliament languished there a year and a half and with much importunity was at last removed to Chelsey Colledge for the aire but he died there within three weeks after his coming being too far spent by his barbarous misusage Sir Robert Heath Lord Chief Justice of England known so well for his integrity and moderation and as famous for his constant Loyalty of whom quarrelsome John Lilburn a sworn Enemy to the Royal Party gave so noble a character before his Judges at Guild-hall forced to abandon his Country fled over towards the expiration of the War into France being by the bloody prevalent Faction at Westminster excepted from mercy not long after the Kings death with grief and anxiety of mind to see the miseries and ruines of the King and his Country he himself died at Caen in Normandy and was received no doubt into mercy Judge Bartlet who weathered the same Storm being the first committed of that reverend Robe and long survived their high and insignificant charge and accusation This gives us an Evidence of the intended Justice of the Reformers who would first put out the eyes of the Law that the Subject might see the better Sir Ralph afterwards Lord Hopton who so couragiously and prudently and as an Expert Captain commanded for the King in the West and had so many notable successes after his disbanding in Cornwall he took Shipping with the Prince our now Soveraign into the Island of Scilly and from thence into France following the Kings hard Fortune in all his peregrinations till Death arrested him at Paris and put an end to his Travel Judge Jenkins one of his Majesties Justices in Wales brought to the Chancery Bat for some misdemeanours of Loyalty where he denied the Authority of the Court for that the Seal was contrary to Law as well as the Commissioners whereupon he was sent to the Tower where he persisted in his integrity published several Presidents and Statutes and argued them Rebels and owned the same again at other bars did what he could to set the Army and the Parliament together by the ears desied them and their threats and asserted the King and the Laws against their usurpation was continued a close Prisoner till they were weary of him and then was sent to Windsor in the same quality where he continued of the same mind till without thanks he was permitted the liberty of the Town This brave stout person is yet living but when dead his memory shall endure for evermore Mr. Secretary Sir Edward Nicolas who constantly abode with the King from the beginning of his troubles and afterwards continued the same Service and Office to his present Majesty in all his troubles abroad by no less trouble than Honour having faithfully and prudently managed that employment to the happy effect of his Majesties Restitution Sir Edward Hide now the Right Honourable Earl of Clarendon Lord Chancellour of England the Counsel-Favourite of his late Martyr'd Majesty and therefore no wonder so hated by the Faction at Westminster and traduced by their scandalous Votes being excepted likewise out of their mercy He not only continued the same advice but also saw it in conclusion attain that successe to which it had alwaies been directed but had missed of approbation till the general applause and shouts of our Deliverance The Lord Wilmot afterwards by King Charles the Second made Earl of Rochester who throughout the War particularly at Roundway Down neer the Devizes so valiantly behaved himself passed over with the Prince and my Lord Hopton into Scilly and accompanied his Highnesse in all those difficulties he passed more especially at Worcester and in his Majesties happy conveyance from thence which he principally managed And here I must not omit the Duke of Buckingham with an honourable reference also to his noble Brother my Lord Francis Villers who young at Kingston as in the primitive times gave early testimony to this cause the valiant Earl of Cleveland the Lord Wentworth his Son and other Gentlemen in that Expedition who suffered for their assistance and obedience to his Majesty in those commands As also my Lord Gerard now Captain of his Majesties Life-guard who bore part afterwards as well as before in the calamity and misfortune of the Kings adventures in forrein parts My Lord Wilmot unhappily died a little before the Kings restitution and hath left behind him the sweet favour of a most Loyal affection to his Majesty Nor without due observation can I pass by the Earl of Norwich my Lord Loughborough Bernard Gascoign Col. Far Squire Hales and the rest engaged in that design at Colchester nor Sr. John Owen for the same endeavour in Wales being condemned with the said Earl of Norwich by the High Court of Justice but must give their names and memories their veneration Nor likewise the right reverend Dr. Shelden now Lord Bishop of London and the famous Dr. Hamond who were a long while in restraint and threatned with more cruelties at the same time expecting to have been transported to some forreign plantations Dr. John Berkenhead who so hazardously and in so very great dangers and several imprisonments asserted his Majesties cause in its lowest extremities this Gentleman is so deservedly well reputed that this mite will signifie nothing Sr. Marmaduke Langdale now Lord Langdale a Person not inferiour to any of his Majesties
thus made the unsearchable Providence of God all hands were set to work to demolish and throw down that goodly structure and Fabrick of Government under which this Nation had so long flourished upon the Support and Bâ—sis of the Three Estates The King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal To the Ruine of all which these New Modellers proceeded in this Method most prophetically foretold by that incomparable M. Hooker Hook Eccles Pol. Lib. 8. init under the Embleme of a stately and well-spreaded Tree consisting chiefly of 3 great Boughs to all which it seemed not at first expedient to offer the Edge of the Axe at once but rather to single them and strike at the weakest first making shew that the Lop of that one Dolus Intervalla scelerum poscebat Tacit. shall draw the more abundance of Sap to the other two that thereby they may the better prosper This was put in practice by our Deformers and the Bishops first designed to the Fatal Stroke the weighty Fall of whom was sure to draw down the other two with any the least touch together with them For a Parliament being called in Nov. 1640 with as much Clamour as Impudence did these Factious Incendiaries of the Puritan Party affront and assault the Members of both Houses thrusting their Demands into the Two Houses under the Title of Petitions being backt with armed Force and Violence several tumultuous Rabbles came swarming down to Westminster by the Kings Gates at White-Hall others in Boats and Barges armed likewise by water obtruding their unknown Caprichio's and conceits upon the Parliament many of whom were so far from checking or resisting so dangerous a Torrent which had overflowed the Banks of either Modesty Loyalty or Christianity that they rather abetted sided with and countenanced those treasonable Attempts nor did these Tumults cease till the King was forced to abandon his own House to save Himself His Honour and Conscience But before they began this great Enterprize upon a whole Order so rooted and setled by the Laws their Dignities and Revenues so reverenced and esteemed for their individual Persons and Worth by all men of Wisdom and Honour so supported and defended by the King and his Authority which at first they durst not grapple with his chief Ministers of State his Judges and for the greatest part of the Nobility they cast about how to effect their Tragical Intentions and Designs another more cruel but plausible way and indeed otherwise then so they could not possibly or at least probably have accomplished their Mischiefs Therefore they began with the Terrible Outcries of Justice of calling Delinquents and the Kings evil Counsellers words of course with Traytors to condigne punishment Many there were whom they had put down in their black List for such and many violent Speecâ—es were made by the Faction in the House of Commons concerning them that what they wanted in the matter substance of the Charge or guilt they might make up in the number quality of those whom they pretended to be guilty Divers of them to avoid the popular Fury knowing themselves to be marked out by the chief of the Faction for Ruine and withal that the grearness of their places could not consist without some little Offences which their enemies had opportunity to aggravate withdrew themselves out of a wise confideration of the prevalency and overbearing power of those men But some whose Honour and Innocency could endure no such Eclipses and betwixt whose greatness and Verrue they scorned the Vulgar and hopeless peopâ—es Oblequy should so interpose as to darken and obscure their Glory and Lustre stood still in their Orbs and Stations and shone with the same brightness of Integrity The pretended Crime was a dutiful Observation of the Fifth Commandment which lay in the way to their designed absolutenesse the Faction was engaged against all Power or Authority but that of their own Wils and could allow no render Consciences to the Second Table which having prophaned in the first and most important Command they easily contravened and abrogated the rest in murdering plundering and adulterating the Affections perjuring and insaâ—iably covering the Goods and Lives of their Fellow-Subjects who may deservedly be canonized for Martyrs for Confessing and Maintaining to their death so precious and so commanded a Duty of Loyal Obedience Amongst the first of these was the Earl of Sirafford a Person whom the Faction knew to be a firm Friend to the Bishops and a great Lover of that Sacred Function and Order one that had manifested that Affection to them in his Administration of the Government of Ireland a wise yea the wisest Subject in the Kingdom who stood as a Bulwark and Defence against all Invasions Plots and Conspiracies against either Church or State and without whose Removal they well knew they should effect nothing The King had summoned this very Parliament by his Advice concurring with others of his Council having called him out of Ireland somtime before to assist him in the War against the aforesaid Rebellious Scots as Lâ—Gen to his Army then upon the Borders from whence he was no sooner come to London and at the opening of the Parliament taken his Place in the House of Lords but a Charge of High Treason was exhibited against him by the Commons and thereupon he was committed to the Black Rod and from thence to the Tower of London This was the first Parliament wherein the Faction was predominant not that their particular number made them so but they closed with all Interests that were any way offended at the Government and some well-meaning men there were too that were led by the Nose by these forsooth good Patriots but having by these means got the Vote of the Commons in their own management they resolved noâ— to abate the least Ace of that Power The King in the beginning of the Parliament to remove all Distrust and Jealousie of him had granted them whatever they had demanded had signed the Bill for a Triennial Parliament had Enâ—cted that he would not dissolve this without the Consent of the Lords Commons themselves so that there rested nothing of the Kings part which Reasonable men could desire for him more to grant or they to ask therefore he took it very unkindly that in the midst of these Favours and Grants they should so unhansomly affront him in challenging his Prime Minister of State in so high a manner But they were resolved to passe the Limits of all Duty and Obedience and having the King so engaged as beforesaid and necessitated also for Money to put and impose any thing upon him though never so disagreeable to his honour and Conscience nay to common Reason To this purpose after the Charge was exhibited the Faction in the House and their Agents and Partisans in the City who had their Correspondents also in the Country as appeared afterwards by several Petitions brought out of divers Counties of England drew down a confused Râ—bble
an overture was made by other Lords then about the King for a Peace with the Scots which soon after taking effect the King returned to Westminster where he had summoned his Parliament according to the advice of this Lord and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury both whom they rendred odious to the People upon the very account of being Enemies to Parliaments The very first thing of consequence done at the first Sessions was a charge exhibited by the House of Commons against this Earl which consisted of 28. Articles of high Treason Feb. 16 1640. The substance of them all was That he had endeavoured to subvert the fundamental Laws and Governments of the Realms of England and Ireland that he had done ill Offices betwixt the King and the Scots and betwixt the King and his Subjects of this Kingdom that he had advised the King to bring up the Army out of the North and overawe the Parliament and that he had informed his Majesty that he had an Army of 10000 men in Ireland ready to be transported for the same Service His Tryal thereupon April 13. ensued which was done with all solemnity a Court being made for the purpose with seats for both Houses and a Canopy for the King with a Terrasse before it The Earl of Arundel was Lord High Steward his Accusers were Pym St. Johns Whitlock Sr. Walter Earles Serjeant Glyn Maynard Stroud Mr. Selden Hambden c. The Lieutenant warded all their blows defending himself bravely and learnedly so that there was no hopes of prevailing against his innocence by the Law before the Lords that were his Judges But the implacable fury of the House of Commons since chey could effect nothing this way put them upon another which was to draw up a Bill of Attaindor and present it to the Lords whereby the matter of Fact was declared to have been sufficiently proved and then as to Law that he had incurred the censure of Treason the Lords stumbled at this way of proceeding as a path leading to their own destruction it being a course unsuitable to the practice and state of the Kingdom and their own safety and against Common Justice To this it was replied by the Commons that if the Lords would not joyn with them in this way they feared a rupture might follow for that the People would not be satisfied without Justice done upon the Earl as the Author of all their grievances The Lords stood for a while to their first determination and heard the Earl by his Council at their Bar as to matter of Law this made the House of Commons though the King in a set speech to them had cleared the Earl from any design of Treason or consulting to any arbitrary Government nor could he concur to punish him as a Traitor the more eager Whereupon the Londoners came down in Tumults crying Justice and threatning the Lords as aforesaid so that at last the said Bill ushered in by a Protestation passed the whole House of Commons nemine contradicente but the Lord Darby and one or two more and presently after the House of Lords where were present 45 26 against him and 19 for him most of his friends absenting themselves for fear of the multitude Immediatly the Kings assent was required to the Bill who consulted with the Bishops who all but the Bishop of London now his Grace of Canterbury and who as the King observed in his Book fared the best of all advised him against it but that which most swayed the King to sign it which he bitterly afterwards repented was a Letter of the Earls to his Majesty which being too long here to insert I shall only give you that Passage wherein he desires his Majesty to passe the Bill And therefore in few words as I put my self wholly upon the Honour and Justice of my Peers so clearly as to beseech your Majesty might please to have spared that Declaration of yours on Saturday last and intirely to have left me to their Lordships so now to set your Majesties Conscience c. at liberty I do most humbly beseech you for the preventing of such mischief as may happen by your refusal to pass the Bill by this means to remove praised be God I cannot say this accursed but I confess this unfortunate thing forth of the way towards that blessed agreement which God I trust shall for ever establish betwixt you and your Subjects Sir my consent herein shall more acquit you to God than all the World can do besides to a willing man there is no injury done c. I have also here inserted for their excellency and elegancy these two following Speeches the first at Westminster Hall to the Lords at the conclusion of his Trial the other at the Scaffold which are as follow MY Lords There yet remaines another Treason that I should be guilty of the endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Laws of the Land that they should now be Treason together that is not Treason in any one part of Treason accumulative that so when all will not do it is woven up with others it should seem very strange Under favour my Lords I do not concieve that there is either Statute Law nor Common-Law that doth declare the endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Laws to be high Treason For neither Statute-Law nor Common-Law written that ever I could here of declareth it so And yet I have been diligent to enquire as I believe you think it doth concern me to do It is hard to be questioned for life and honour upon a Law that cannot be shewn There is a Rule which I have learned from Sir Edward Cooke De non aparentitibus non existentibus eadem ratio Jesu where hath this fire lain all this while so many hundred of years without any smoak to discover it till it thus burst out to consume me and my children extreme hard in my opinion that punishment should precede promulgation of Law punishment by a Law subsequent to the Acts done Take it into your considerations for certainly it is now better to be under no Law at all but the will of men than to conforme our selves under the protection of a Law as we think and then be punished for a crime that doth precede the Law what man can be safe if that be once admitted My Lords it is hard in another respect that there should be no token set upon this offence by which we should know it no admonition by which we should be aware of it If a man passe down the Thames in a Boat and it be split upon an Anchor and no booy be ser as a token that there is an Anchor there that party that ows the Anchor by the Maritine Laws shall give satisfaction for the damage done but if it were marked out I must come upon my own peril Now where is a mark upon this crime Where is the token this is high Treason If it be under water and not above water no humane
and Patrimony and the settlement of this distracted and distressed People under their ancient Laws and in their native Liberties And when thou hast done all this in meer mercy for them O Lord fill their hearts with thankfulnesse and with Religious dutiful-obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their daies So Amen Lord Jesus Amen and receive my Soul into thy Bosome Amen Our Father which art c. The Speech and Prayers being ended he gave the Paper which he red unto Dr. Sterne his Chaplain now Lord Bishop of Carlisle desiring him to shew it his other Chaplains that they might know how he departed out of this World and so prayed God to shew his mercies and blessings on them And noting how one Hinde had employed himself in taking a Copy of his Speech as it came from his mouth he desired him not to do him wrong in publishing a false or imperfect Copy Which as Hinde promised him to be â—areful of calling for punishment from above if he should do otherwise so hath he reasonably well performed his promise he next applied himself to the fatal Block as to the Haven of his rest But finding the way full of people who had placed themselves upon the Theatre to behold the Tragedy he desired he might have room to dye beseeching them to let him have an end of his miseries which he had endured very long All which he did with so serene and calm a mind as if he had been rather taking order for another mans funeral then making way unto his own Being come near the Block he put off his doublet and used some words to this effect Gods will be done I am willing to go out of this World no man can be more willing to send me out of it And seeing through the chinks of the boards that some people were got under the Scaffold about the very place where the Block was seated he called on the Officers for some dust to stop them or to remove the people thence saying it was no part of his desires that his bloud should fall upon the heads of the People Never did man put off mortality with a braver courage not look upon his bloudy and malitious Enemies with more Christian charity And thus far he was gone in his way towards Paradise with such a Primitive magnanimity as equalled if not exceeded the example of ancient Martyrs Then he turned towards his Executioner and gave him money saying without the least distemper or change of countenance here honest friend God forgive thee and do thy office upon me with mercy and having given a sign when the blow should come he kneeled down upon his knees and prayed as followeth The Lord arch-Arch-Bishops Prayer as he kneeled by the Block LOrd I am coming as fast as I can I know I must pass through the shadow of death before I can come to see thee But it is but umbra mortis a meer shadow of death a little darknesse upon nature but thou by thy merits and passion hast broke through the jaws of death So Lord receive my Soul and have mercy upon me and blesse this Kingdom with Peace and Plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Jesus Christ 's sake if it be thy will Then laying his head upon the Block and praying silently to himself he said aloud Lord receive my Soul which was the signal given to the Executioner who very dextrously did his office and took it off at a blow his Soul ascending on the wings of Angels into Abrahams bosome and leaving his Body on the Scaffold to the care of men after he had lived 71 years 13 weeks and 4 dayes which was interd in Alhollows Barkin Church with the decent Ceremonies of the Church of England On the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury I Need no muse to give my passion vent He brews his tears that studies to lament Verse chymically weeps that pious raine Distill'd with Art is but the sweat o' th brain Who ever sob'd in numbers can a groan Be quaver'd out by soft division T is true for common formal Ellegies Not Bushels Wells can match a Poets eyes In wanton water-works hâ—e'l turn his tears From a Geneva Jig up to the Sphears But when he mourns at distance weeps aloof Now that the Conduit-head is our own roof Now that the fate is publick we may call It Britaines Vespers Englands Funeral Who hath a Pensil to express the Saint Put he hath eyes too washing off the paint There is no learning but what tears surround Like to Seths Pillars in the Deluge drown'd There is no Church Religion is grown From much of late that she 's increast to none Like an Hydropick body full of Rheumes First swells into a bubble then consumes The Law is dead or cast into atrance And by a Law dough-bak't an Ordinance The Lyturgie whose doom was voted next Died as a Comment upon Him the Text. There nothing lives life is since he is gone But a Nocturnal Lucubration Thus have you seen Deaths Inventory read In the sum total Canterburies dead A sight would make a Pagan to baptize Himself a Convert in his bleeding eyes Would thaw the rabble that fierce beast of ours That which Agena like weeps and devours Tears that flow brackish from their Souls within Not to repent but pickle up their sin Mean time no squallid grief his look defiles He guilds his sadder fate with noble smiles Thus the worlds eye with reconciled streams Shines in his showers as if he wept his beams How could success such villanies applaud The State in Strafford fell the Church in Laud The twins of publick rage adjudg'd to dye For Treasons they should act by Prophecy The facts were done before the Laws were made The trump turn'd up after the game was plaid Be dull great spirits and forbear to climbe For worth is sin and eminence a crime No Church-man can be innocent and high 'T is height makes Grantham steeple stand awry Master Robert Yeomans and Master George Bowcher Citizens of Bristol murdered there May 30 1643. THere were few cities in the Kingdom for all the Artifices and popular cheats of those at Westminster who had debauched a great number of the Kings good Subjects wherein his Majesties Cause had not an equal share in the Affection and Opinion of the Inhabitants if in some places it went lesse in others it was paramount as the Difference was visible in the neighbouring Cities of Glocester and Bristol In the last whereof we shall present you with a very sad and deplorable example of Loyalty and cruelty in the persons of Mr. Yeomans and Mr. Bowcher intending it as a sweet Oyntment to embasm their Funerals that though with their Saviour the Ignominy of whose Crosse sanctified even the death of that accursed Tree in their death they were numbred among the Transgressors yet Loyalty being their Epitaph they may make their Graves amongst the
against St. Faith's Door a good and suitable prop to such constant Loyalty which he resolutely maintained to his last and so bravely exposed himself to their bullets Collonel Poyer shot to death in Covent Garden I Cannot deny this Gentleman a room in this Martyrology those that came the eleventh hour shall find entertainment though he was formerly for the Parliament especially because he was mainly concernd in this aforesaid businesse of Pembroke He rendred at mercy and by order of a Council of War drew lots with the other two for his life which fell upon him and thereupon he was shot as aforesaid The execrable and horrid Murther of our late Martyred Soveraign King Charls the First of ever blessed memory I Intend not to write the History of this Pious Prince so excellently and curiously drawn by himself and those who have traced his memorials and remains not taking a far prospect of him which was fair and beautiful and pleasant in the beginning of his Reign but viewing neerer at hand the black and dismal cloud which wrapt up and enveloped his setting glories now by Divine Justice and favour risen again to their full and radiant lustre We shall retrospect no further than the beginning of the Scotch War at which time the Symptomes of a general Rebellion first appeared For what the Scots covertly implyed in their undutiful Papers Declarations and Remonstrances was soon after avowedly insisted on by the prevailing Faction of the long Parliament The King was loaded with an heavy imputation of being led by evil Councellors that their design was to introduce Popery to erect an arbitrary Government as in the businesse of Ship-money Patents and Monopolies That he declined Parliaments as the boundaries of his unlimited Prerogative to the great burden and oppression of his Subjects No sooner therefore had he composed the Scotch War but to take away and remove all jealousie and distrust of him in his People though all along his Reign he had found some popular leading Grandees to be the untractable and unsatisfiable Enemies of his Kingdoms Peace he summoned his last the long Parliament in November 1640 which by a gracious Act of his was not to be dissolved or prorogued without their own consent and if that should so determine a Bill also was signed by him for a Tâ—iennial or perpetual Parliament that so his Subjects might rest confident and assured in the due manage and administration of the Government But these favours gave the Faction no other satisfaction then that they saw they might presume to add other demands and by how much more gracious his Majesty was to them they judged they might be the more impudent towards him in which they failed not a tittle dasiring as their only safety from the danger of the Prerogative the Militia in their own disposal the only defence and the unseparable right of his Crown To attain this they most insolently by their partisans in the City tumult him at his Court at White-hall from which to avoid both the danger and dishonour that rebel rout threatned he was compelled to withdraw to see if by his absence that rage and madnesse might be allayed and the two Houses set at freedom which by his presence was the more enflamed and the Priviledge of Parliament prostituted to the licentious and mad frenzy of the multitude But this afforded them their desired advantage from hence they calumniate the King that since he could not dissolve the Parliament he would invalidate their Authority and render them uselesse and unserviceable to those great ends for which they were called by refusing to concur with them and departing from that his great Council With these and such like suggestions they so filled the minds of men who were predisposed by some former discontents and who had their Authority through some disuse of it in great reverence that every where but especially in London parties were framed intelligencies and correspondencies held Divers Petitions presented in the pursute of these designs to the Parliament offering to stand by them with their lives and fortunes to the attainment of those ends held forth in their Declarations and Resolves which in conclusion were summed up in that unhappy Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom by the Lords and Commons remaining at Westminster divers of both Houses either out of fear of the rabble or conscience of their duty absenting themseves and retired home or followed the King's Fortune who having traversed some ground about London from one of his Royal Palaces to another in hope the distemper would abate and the People return to their reason and obedience together at last finding his hopes frustrated by more unreasonable demands every message to him from the two Houses came burdened with he resolved to go for York and secure his Magazine at Hull But Sr. John Hotham being newly sent thither by the Parliament refused the Kings admittance into that Town unless himself with some few of his retinue would please to enter the King passionately complained of this to the Parliament but with as little redress as his demand of Justice against the Authors of the Tumults this was the Inrroduction to those after violences of his Royal Person and Authority For the Parliament forthwith raised an Army under the command of the Earl of Essex and the County of York humbly professed themselves to the Service of his Majesty whereupon August the 22 1642. he set up his Standard at Nottingham whence after he had marched into Shrewsbury and having raised a considerable Army thereabouts was on his way to London he was overtaken by the Earl of Essex at a place called Edge Hill where ensued a fierce Fight with equal loss on both sides October 23 1642. where God was pleased to cover the Kings head in the day of Battel and permit him to fall by their execrable hands in the time of Peace to which he so often solicitously wooâ—d them In their Generals Commission they had tyed him up with a limitation the preservation of the Kings Person but left their bullets at random A subtil time-serving distinction between the Cannon and the Axe which afterwards they trayterously lifted up against his Annoynted and sacred Head The Parliament to strengthen their Cause treat with the Scots and for the better mutual assurance and to difference their abettors and fautors from the Kings Leige People as well as to lay a baite for all sacrilegious and covetous minded men to invite them to supplies of money in this rebellion enter into a Solemn League and Covenant the main design whereof was the utter extirpation as previous and necessary to the Kings destruction of Episcopacy and the established Government of the Church of England Popery being added also for the greater colour of this engagement against which the King issued forth his Royal Proclamation laying open the mischievous design thereof being resolved to maintain the Religion so long and so happily professed and sealed by the blood of
the Executioner said I shall say but very short Prayers and when I thrust out my hands Then the King called to Dr. Juxon for his Night-cap and having put it on he said to the Executioner Does my hair trouble you who desired him to put it all under his Cap which the King did accordingly by the help of the Executioner and the Bishop then the King turning to Doctor Juxon said I have a good Cause and a Gracious God on my side D. Juxon There is but one stage more this Stage is turbulent and troublesom it is a short one But you may consider it will soon carry you a very great way it will carry you from Earth to Heaven and there you shall find a great deal of cordial Joy and Comfort King I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be no disturbance in the world Dr. Juxon You are exchanged from a Temporal to an Eternal Crown a good Exchange The King then said to the Executioner Is my Hair well Then the King took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to Dr. Juxon saying Remember * It is thought to give it to the Prince Then the King put off his Doublet and being in his Wastcoat put his Cloak on again then looking upon the Block said to the Executioner You must set it fast Executioner It is fast Sir King When I put my hands out this way stretching them out then After that having said two or three words as he stood to himself with hands and Eyes lift up immediatly stooping down laid his Neck upon the Block and the Executioner again putting his hair under his Cap the King said thinking he had been going to strike stay for the sign Executioner Yes I will and it please your Majesty And after a very little Pause the King stretching forth his Hands the Executioner at one blow severed his Head from his Body the head being off the Executioner held it up and shewed it to the People which done it was with the Body put in a Coffin covered with black Velvet for that purpose and conveyed into his Lodgings there And from thence it was carried to his House at St. James's where his Body was embalmed put in a Coffin of Lead laid there a Fortnight to be seen by the people and on the Wednesday seven-night after his Corps embalmed and coffined in Lead was delivered chiefly to the care of four of his Servants viz. Mr. Herbert Captain Anthony Mildmay his Sewers Captain Preston and John Joyner formerly cook to his Majesty they attended with others cloathed in Mourning Suits and Cloaks accompanied the Herse that night to Windsor and placed it in that which was formerly the Kings Bed-Chamber next day it was removed into the Deans Hall which Room was hanged with Black and made dark with Lights burning round the Herse in which it remained till Three in the Afternoon about which time came the Duke of Lenox the Marquess of Hertford the Marquess of Dorchester the Earl of Lindsey having obtained an Order from the Parliament for the Decent Interment of the King their Royal Master provided the Expence thereof exceeded not five hundred Pounds at their coming into the Castle they shewed their Order of Parliament to Col. Whichâ—ott Governour of the Castle desiring the Interment might be in St. Georges Chappel and by the Form in the Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England this Request was by the Governour denied saying it was improbable that the Parliament would permit the use of what they had so solemnly abolished and therein destroy their own Act. To which the Lords replied there is a difference betwixt destroying their own Act and dispensing with it and that no power so binds its own Hands as to disable it self in some cases all could not prevail the Governour persisting in the Negative The Lords betook themselves to the search of a convenient place for the Burial of the Corps the which after some paines taken therein they discover a Vault in the middle of the Quire wherein as is probably conjectured lieth the Body of King Henry the Eighth and his Beloved Wife the Lady Jane Seamor both in Coffins of Lead in this Vault there being room for one more they resolve to interre the Body of the King the which was accordingly brought to the place born by the Officers of the Garrison the four Corners of the Velvet Pall born up by the aforesaid four Lords the pious Bishop of London following next and other Persons of Quality the body was committed to the Earth with Sighs and Tears especially of the Reverend Bishop to be denied to do the last duty and Service to his Dear and Royal Master the Velvet Pall being cast into the Vault was laid over the Body upon the Coffin was these words set KING CHARLES 1648. I cannot let pass this Horrid Act of treason without letting the world know of the Damnable hypocrisie of that Arch Traytor Oliver Cromwel The Day assigned for Murdering of the King being come the Council of War sate which then managed all A Letter without name was addressed to the Council to represent to them by Reasons Conscience of and Prudence the formidable Consequence of so strange and execrable an Execution Cromwel seemed to be much toucht at it which caused some then present to suspect that he had a hand in procuring it and proposed it to the consideration of the Council many of which began to relent and lean toward Compassion Cromwel observing it made a Turn toward the Door and sent one of his Confidents to those to whom the Execution was committed to command them to dispatch the business then returning to the Council-Table made a large discourse shewing the Inconvenience of this Execution and advised them so to secure the Person of the King that he might neither do nor receive hurt which Discourse was seconded by others and re-assumed by himself with a great many words to lengthen out the time until one briskly entring into the Chamber told them Gentlemen you may cease to consult the Work is done the King is executed upon which Cromwel fell down upon his Knees with great Devotion and made an Eloquent Prayer giving Glory to God and acknowledging his Divine Justice A Letter worthy Perusal written by King Charles to his Son the Prince from Newport in the Isle of Wight Dated Nov. 29. 1648. Son BY what hath been said you may see how long We have laboured in the search of Peace Do not you be discouraged to tread those waies in all those worthy means to restore your self to your Right but prefer the way of Peace shew the Greatness of your mind rather to conquer your Enemies by pardoning them then by punishing If you saw how unmanly and unchristianly this implacable disposition is in our ill-willers you would avoid that Spirit Censure Us not for having parted with too much of Our own Right the Price was great the
will make my conclusion with it that is That God Almighty would confer of his infinite and inestimable Grace and mercy to those that are the causers of my coming hither I pray God give them as much mercy as their hearts can wish and truly for my part I will not accuse any one of them of malice truly I will not nay I will not think there was any malice in them what other ends there is I know not nor will I examine but let it be what it will from my very Soul I forgive them every one And so the Lord of Heaven blesse you all God Almighty be infinite in goodnesse and mercy to you and direct you in those wayes of obedience to his Commands to His Majesty that this Kingdom may be an happy and glorious Nation again and that your King may be an happy King in so good and so obedient a people God Almighty keep you all God Almighty preserve this Kingdom God Almighty preserve you all Then turning about and looking for the Executioner who was gone off the Scaffold said which is the Gentleman which is the man Answer was made He is coming He then said Stay I must pull off my Doublet first and my Wastcoat and then the Executioner being come upon the Scaffold the Lord Capel said O friend prethee come hither Then the Executioner kneeling down the Lord Capel said I forgive thee from my Soul and not only forgive thee but I shall pray to God to give thee all grace for a better life There is five pound for thee and truly for my clothes and those things if there be any thing due to you for it you shall be fully recompenced but I desire my bedy may not be stripped here and no body to take notice of my body but my own Servants Look you Friend this I shall defire of you that when I lye down you would give me a time for a particular short Prayer Lieu. Col. Beecher Make your own sign my Lord. Capel Stay a little Which side do you stand upon speaking to the Executioner Stay I think I should lay my hands forward that way pointing fore-right and answer being made Yes he stood still a little while and then said God Almighty blesse all this people God Almighty slench this blood God Almighty stench stench stench this issue of blood this will not do the business God Almighty find out another way to do it And then turning to one of his Servants said Baldwin I cannot see any thing that belongs to my Wife but I must desire thee and beseech her to rest wholly upon Jesus Christ to be contented and fully satisfied and then speaking to his Servants he said God keep you and Gentlemen let me now do a business quickly privately and pray let mee have your prayers at the moment of death that God would receive my Soul L. Col. Beecher I wish it Capel Pray at the moment of striking joyn your Prayers but make no noise turning to his Servants it is inconvenient at this time Servant My Lord put on your cap. Capel Should I what will that do me good Stay a little it is well as it is now As he was putting up his hair And then turning to the Executioner he said honest man I have forgiven thee therefore strike boldly from my Soul I do it Then a Gentleman speaking to him he said Nay prethee be contented be quiet good Mr. be quiet Then turning to the Executioner he said Well you are ready when I am ready are you not and stretching out his hands he said Then pray stand off Gentlemen Then going to the front of the Scaffold he said to the People Gentlemen though I doubt not of it yet I think it convenient to ask it of you That you would all joyn in Prayers with me That God would mercifully receive my Soul and that for his alone mercies in Christ Iesus God Almighty keep you all Execut. My Lord shall I put up your hair Capel I I prethee do and then as he stood lifting up his hands and eyes he said O God I do with a perfect and willing heart submit to thy will O God! I do most willingly humble my self and then kneeling down said I will try first how I can Lye and laying his head upon the Block said Am I well now Execut. Yes And then as he lay with both his hand stretched out he said to the Executioner Here lie both my hands out when I lift up my hands thus lifting up his right hand then you may strike And then after he had said a short Prayer he lifted up his right hand and the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body which was taken up by his Servants and put with his body into a coffin I Shall omit Duke Hamilton not only because of another Nation though a Peer of this but because it is in question whether he suffered not for obeying the commands of the Scotch Parliament and Kirk who sent him as General in that Expedition and that the Kings Interest was but collateral Let him therefore rest in his honourable grave while we softly and reverently pass over it to that of the Earl of Holland Henry Earl of Holland beheaded on the Scaffold in the Palace-yard at Westminster at the same time THis Lord in the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the Martyr was his special favourite and peculiar friend so that after that assassinate upon the Duke of Buckingham he was made Chancellor of the University of Cambridge having been newly before from Baron Rich of Kensington raised to the Honour of the Earldom of Holland and sent Colleague with the Earl of Carlisle in that splendid Embassy into France about the marriage of the Queen Mother Notwithstanding all these favours so freely conferred on him so uncertain variable and unobligeable are the minds of men for I cannot impute his siding with the Parliament to have been from any disgust or dislike he received from the King especially when Religion becomes the bone of contention he was one of those Lords that remained at London and made up a House of Peers although he never took up Arms Command or Employment against his good Master and Soveraign About the middle of the War sceing how unreasonably the Parliament persisted in carrying on the War being so often fruitlesly courted by the King to an accommodation he and the Earl of Bedford forsook their part and quarrel and escaped to the King at Oxford where finding not that kind and favourable reception they expected being looked on shily by the Court there especially this Lord he privately departed to London again having left a fair account of himself to the King But when the War was ended and the Parliament had refused to treat with his Majesty and so to settle the Kingdom he then took up Arms in earnest in the Kings behalf being real and cordial on this his last undertaking and engaged with him the Duke of
strength of thy grace I have both kept the true faith and have fought for my King the Lora's Anointed's cause without any wavering for which and in which I die I do willingly resign my flesh I despise the World and I defie the Devil who hath no part nor share in me And now what is my hope my hope Lord Jesu is even in thee for I know that thou my Redeemer livest and that thou wilt immediately receive my soul and raise up my body also at the last day and I shall see thee in my flesh with these eyes and none other And now O Lord let thy Spirit of comfort help mine infirmities and make supplication for me with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed I submit my self wholly to thy will I commit my soul to thee as my faithful Redeemer who hast bought it with thy most precious blood I confess to all the world I know no name under heaven by which I may be saved but thine my Jesu my Saviour I renounce all confidence in any merits save thine I thank fully acknowledge all thy blessings I unfeignedly bewail all my sins I stedfastly believe all thy promises I heartily forgive all my Enemies I willingly leave all my Friends I utterly loath all earthly comforts and I entirely long for thy coming Come Lord Jesus come quickly Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The private were to himself his Hat being before his eyes After this he put up divers short Ejaculations As I know my Redeemer liveth Father into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed it O God thou God of truth Lord Jesus receive my spiriâ— and many of the like and so he yielded to Death The Speech of Coronet Michael Blackbourn immediately before his death August 23. 1649. It is expected I should say somethingâ— and indeed it is my desire to say something and but a little I Am not a Gentleman by birth but my Parents are of an honest quality and condition I was brought up in the Protestant Religion and in that Religion I have lived and in that I now dy I have some five or six years since engaged in this War wherein I had no other end or intention but to do my King true and faithful service according to my duty and the dictate of my Conscience I have not done so much service as I desired but I have been always faithful to him and wish I could have done him more and for his Son the King that now is I wonder any man of this Kingdom should have the boldness or impudence to life up his hand against him to keep him from his Crown whereof he is Heir apparent and hath as good right and title to it by his Birth-right as any man living hath of his Inheritance or Possession I pray God bless him forgive all my Enâ—mies and Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Dr. Levens executed at the Old Exchange London the 18. of July 1650. THis learned Gentleman was descended of an antient family in Oxford-shire whose chief seat and residence was near Botley within a mile of the Universitie His education was truly generous his profession the Civil Law wherein he was graduated a Doctor and in which he was excellently known before these Wars But when these uncivil broils began he laid aside the practice of that Law which was not onely silenced by the depression and annihilation of the Hierarchy in whose Courts it is most generally used but also despair'd of for any future resuscitation during the Troubles and he took himself to the service of his Sovereign then most unlawfully and uncivilly assaulted and affronted by the Members at Westminster He continued most part of the War in the Garâ—ison at Oxford and his own adjacent dwelling till such time as the surrender of the said City into the hands of the Parliament where he had the same terms and was concluded in the Articles of that Capitulation which being forced to accept and lay down his arms he again resumed his wonted studies From these he was again avocated by those monstrous and horrid actions of those times which indulged not any man his private concerns in the danger and trouble of the publick nor could he forsake or desert his first cause with its fortune and serve the times by a base and abject indifferency He had to the infinite distraction of his mind and trouble of his soul seen the barbarous Regicide perpetrated upon the life of his Sovereign the Royal Family renounced and banished all the friends thereof in most eminent danger to be destroyed and undone for adhehering to them and the Laws in the late War the Church and State renversed and a sad confusion and ruine of the Kingdom unless obviated by Providence and means therewith used to be impendent and unavoidable Upon these and the like considerations this Gentleman very considerable in his numerous acquaintance prudence and integrity became engaged for the Son our present Sovereign as before for his Royal Father several consultations and private meetings were held by him and others in order to this service to which purpose he also received Commissions from the King then in France for several Officers of these Forces designed to be raised and other Instructions as the affair proceeded The Common-wealth as it was then called was in its infancy which made its politick Guardians very cautious and jealous of attempts upon it the Kings interest was no whit the less formidable because his person was beyond the Sea the just indignation and noble anger of his Subjects being ready to boil over upon any sudden motion they had also so oppressed the generality of the people with grievous insupportable Taxes that they might well fear and suspect some more forcible and prosperous enterprise against them by how much their impâ—eties and high provocations had further incensed both heaven and earth Therefore they employed their Emissaries and Spies to give them intelligence if any such designs were on foot and so to countermine all plots against them Their sagacious industry in this soon answered their expectation for these flies prying up and down engaging in all companies assimulating themselves to their complexion opinion and study light at last upon some glimpses of this business which they followed so close that at last they made a perfect and full discovery of the main businesse and that this Doctor Levens was the chief Agitator and manager thereof in whose breast the Cabal was principally lodged and entrusted and upon whose apprehension they might be informed and satisfied in every circumstance An Order was thereupon made by the Council of State and a Warrant signed by Bradshaw the President to seize and bring him before them and to search his Chamber and break up his Trunks for papers he then being at London the place most expedient for the design which accordingly was done a file or two of Musketeers guarding and securing the house where the said Papers were among which
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 embodred into my Religion and besides the great desires of other Gentlemen that I might go 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 thankful submission to his Will therefore I repent me not of it but I beseech Almightie God to bless and prosper all people whatsoever that to this Kingdom 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 join with me in your Christian prayers that I may have a passage whether I am now going to give an account not only of everie deed but of everie 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 welcom instrument do your work only let me set 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 mony that is left here is four pounds for you Then being shewed the Block he kissed it saying Sir H. Hide It is unworthie 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 infirmitie in my body but God hath enabled me inwardly Pray Mr. 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 am 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 do and do your Office you will cure all diseases presently pray direct me Then the Executioner going to spread the Scarff over the Block he said Sir H. Hide Put it not on now but by and by D. Hide God Almightie 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 Mr. Benson Executed Octob. 7. at London 1650. THis person was ingaged and trapan'd into the same unfortunate business with Colonel Andrews on purpose by his means to draw in also Sir John Gell of whom before he having been a servant and retainer to the said Knight many years before He had also born office and had a command under him during the time Sir John serv'd the Parliament and numbred himself afterwards amongst these who being uncommissioned were generally known by the name of Reformadoes Upon these accounts he became obnoxious to them especially of the men at Westminster who by their instruments searching into his discontents soon worked him into the Plot. A capacious design it was which comprehended and included all interests Cavalier Presbyterian and Leveller together with those formerly cashier'd Officers under Essex and which had it taken its wicked intended effect would have made them appear so cunning and terrible so disheartned and terrified all men against opposing or endeavouring against the tyranny that their new Common-wealth would have been a solitude or wilderness where like beasts not men we should have been afraid one of another Col. Andrews at his taking was of opinion that this person was of the gang that betrayed him but in appeared to the contrary for Barnard had clearly possest him with the reality and feasibleness of the design into which he was so rationally as he thought and upon such sure grounds engaged such and such great persons being nominated as principal therein that not onely it was his belief but his confidence on which he had raised great hopes of advantage to himself that this meritorious piece of service would take effect Nay so certain was he that in the last trick put upon Colonel Andrews in reserence to the drawing in of Sir John Gell which was a menace that if the Colonel did not procure Sir Johns hand and seal the Confederates would themselves go over to the King in Holland and give such an account of the affair to his Majesty as should tend little to the crediand honour of them both that Mr. Benson was inveigled in the head he should be the man intrusted with the delivery thereof and receive the designed mony for the Colonel to defray the management of that service This conceit was so rooted in him that he quitted it not till he was really surprised and in custody Nay when there so strong was his fancy and so set upon the issue of this businesse that he complained to himself of the Colonel through whose backwardness and slow procedure therein he thought it only miscarried not yet dreaming that he was made the stalkingly-horse to his as well as their destruction It was imagined that they would have contented themselves with that industrious service he did them by so exactly realizing their counterfeit plot as a bird set to chirp others by his merry note into the snare but no such matter having mist the great ones they would be sure of the small to give some satisfaction to their unsatiable thiâ—st of blood and in order to some accomplishment of their design sacrifice one of a sort and interest to their policy and Government and him they marked out for a Reformado of whom by their claim of arrears due to them for service there was some danger and this was the most speedy and easie way of paying them At his Execution he spoke very little
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 hast 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 or contempt upon 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 sonl 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 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 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 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 blood may have the bowels of the God of mercy shed for them And now having given you the occasion of my coming hit her 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 Catholique 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 query whether it were a Church or no I say it was more purely Divine and Apostolical then 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 shall give a most just confession of my Faith both negatively and affirmatively Negatively I am so a Member of the 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 blood I relie 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 alsufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteousness 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 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 practise thereof and that for the saving my life I would have discovered and betrayed 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 intermedle 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 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 abhorre the thing I should have been the first discoverer of it Nor ever had I had correspondency or meerings 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 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 than threescore miles It is said that I kept correspondency 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 only as I have heard of their names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highnesse 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 designes Here truly I do say and have it from many of those who are Judges of the High-Court that upon examination of the business they have not found me a medler at all in these Affairs And truly I must needs say therefore That it was a very uncharitable act in them whoever 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 senrenced 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
Abr. Reynoldson Sr. John Gaire Ald. Adams Ald. Bunch and Major Gen. Brown who suffered a sharp and tedious Imprisonment The Right Honourable John now Lord Viscount Mordant Brother to the Earl of Peterborough who indefatigably laboured in the Kings Business being really engaged in the matters wherewith he was accused and came off but by one saving voyce at his Trial before the said Court when others not concerned at all were there condemned no sooner got his Liberty by the death of Oliver but he was as earnestly busie as before against the Rump and by Proclamation commanded to render himself by such a time or else be reputed a Traytor He now lives and hath seen some of them suffer the Reward of such and is Governour of Windsor Castle Mr. now Sr. Thomas Woodcocke a Confederate in the same Design with my Lord Mordant so wisely managed his Defence at the aforesaid Bar the same time that he was fairly acquitted by those bloudy Justices and soon after set at Liberty which by his Majesties Gracious Favours is improved into Honour Mr. Christopher Pits Brother to M. Pits of Hampshire who married the Lady Chandois I the rather mention his Noble Family because of the Nobleness of this subsequent Action He was apprehended with Mr. Garrent and other Citizens for the same business of the Lord Mordant and committed to New-gate after his Examination taken they would have made use of him having not enough against his Life as a witness against his Associates and in order thereunto brought him down to the High Court where he refused and resolutely denied to give any Evidence concerning or against the Prisoners whereupon after many vain Threats and Menaces he was by the Court sent back to Newgate there condemned to perpetual Imprisonment and fined 1000 l. which he willingly submitted to rather then be guilty of the Bloud of his Friends though a kind of forcible necessity would have seemed to warrant such an Action He continued a Prisoner but at large after Olivers death till the Coming of the General when he forsook that Station and recommenced his Freedom with the Kingdoms Mr. William Garrent who was tried before the same Court for the same business escaped as is generally believed through the want of that Evidence they relied upon from Mr Pits with much ado he was quitted and soon after set at Liberty Henry Friar who was one of those also was condemned at the said Court and was brought afterwards to West-Smithfield where in the Rounds a Gibbet was erected upon the Ladder and ready to die the Reprieve was produced and he carried back again to the Tower whence not long after he was dismist John Sumner and Oliver Allen the like the one drawn on a Hurdle to Bishopsgate and the other to Grace-Church street the places of their appointed Execution but were both there reprieved and afterwards freed Sr. George Booth now Lord Delameres who in 1659. rose against the Rump and was proclaimed Traytor with Major Gen. Egerton Col. Worden and Sr. Thomas Middleton being defeated near Northwich in Cheshire fled in disguise to Newport Pagnel and was there taken and sent Prisoner to the Tower of London and soon after his Estate was Ordered to be sequestred and sold and Preparations to be made for his Trial but upon the division of his and their fore-gotten Spoyles betwixt that Remnant at Westminster and their Commander Lambert which brought about through the Prudence and Loyalty of our Noble General the Re-admission of the Secluded Members he was set at Liberty and his Estate freed likewise which is now mounted to the Honourable Revenue of a Barony Sr. Thomas Middleton ingaged in the same Quarrel after this Defeat was forced to flee leaving his Sons to defend Chirke Castle which rendred soon after to Col. Zanchy but the happy Revolution aforesaid restored him and his Estate together I do here also leave out all Persons who condemned by Courts Martial with others that suffered or alone were afterward reprieved because it is an undertaking of so wide a circumference that is impossible without much Errour and Uncertainty particularly I passe by the Names of those who were kept so long in Durance at Exeter and were afterwards sent away to the Barbadoes for the Rising with Col. Penruddock because of the Prosixity of that Roll and I would not be partial Lastly It were an infinite Task to particularize the several Sequestrations Plunderings and Rapines committed on the Kings good Subjects the Product of which Spoyles amounted to a vast sum of Treasure and might be sister to the Publick Faith-Money as Violence and Fraud are seldom asunder But what is herein defective would indeed be redundant and therefore I refer every Particular of those sufferers to the General Day of Account when they shall receive full Recompence FINIS Courteous Reader THere is now Published the Reconciler of the Bible Inlarged wherein above three thousand seeming Contradictions throughout the Old and New Testament are fully and plainly Reconciled being a very useful Work for all such as desire to understand the Sacred Scriptures aright unto Salvation And sold by Simon Miller at the star in S. Pauls Church Yard Courteous Reader These Books following are Printed for Simon Miller or Sold by him at the Star in St. Pauls Church Yard Small Folio THe Reconciler of the Bible Enlarged wherein above Three Thousand seeming Contradictions throughout the Old and New Testament are fully and plainly reconciled A like work never yet extant and may serve for the Explanation of the most difficult Places of the Bible being useful for all such as desire to understand the Sacred Scriptures aright unto Salvation Humbly presented to the Censure of the Sons of the Prophets By J. T. and T. M. Ministers of Gods Holy Word and Sacraments Astrology restored or an Introduction to the Language of the Stars in four Books by William Ramsey Gent. The Civil Wars of Spain in the Reign of Charles the Fifth Emperor of Germany and King of that Nation wherein our Late unhappy Differences are paralell'd in many Particulars A General History of Scotland from the Year 767. to the death of King James c. by David Hume of Godscroft The History of this Iron Age wherein is set down the true state of Europe as it was in the Year 1500. also the Causes of all the wars and Commotions that have happened to this present time with the memorable Sieges and Battels together with the lively Effigies of the most Renowned Persons Mr. Paul Baine his Practical Commentary on the whole Epistle of S. Paul to the Ephesians The most pleasant and profitable History of Francion wherein all the Vices that usually attend youth are plainly laid open that the Misfortunes of some may teach others to abandon Vice done into English by a Person of Honour Eighteen Books of the Secrets of Art Nature being the sum and substance of Natural Philosophy first designed by Doctor John Weeker and now
much enlarged by Dr. R. Read The Queen of Arragon a Play in Folio In Quarto Large Jo. Barkley his Argenis Translated by Sr. Robert le Grise Knight by his Late Majesties special Command with Figures or without Quarto small An Experimental Treatise of Surgery by Felix Wortz Abrahams Faith or the good Old Religion c. by John Nicholson Minister of the Gospel The Anatomy of Mortality by George Stroud Attersols three Treatises Universal Husbandry improved or divers rare and choyce Experiments and Secrets in Husbandry Gardening and Planting with divers Rarities of Gabriel Plat and others by Sam. Hartlib Aynsworth on the Cantic Gralle against Appolonius A Treatise of Civil Policy c. By Sam. Rutherford Professor of Divinity of St. Andrews in Scotland Politick and Military Observations of Civil and Military Government containing the Birth Encrease Decay of Monarchies the Carriage of Princes and Magistrates Mr. Pinchin his Meritorious Price of mans Redemption cleared Astrology Theologized shewing what Nature and Influence the Stars and Planets have over men and how the same may be diverted and avoided Wells his Souls Progress Christ tempted the Devil conquered Being a plain Exposition on the Fourth Chapter of St. Matthews Gospel By John Gumbleden Minister of the Gospel The Saints Society D. Stoughtons thirteen choyce Sermons with his Body of Divinity The Reasons of the dissenting Brethren concerning the Presbyterian Government together with the Answer of the Assembly of Divines The Doctrine of mans Redemption by Edward Holioke Of the Doctrine of the Church of England sweetly harmonizing with the Confessions of Faith of all the Protestant Reformed Churches The Philosophical Touchstone or Observations upon Sr. Kenelme Digby's Discourses of the Nature of Bodies and of the reasonable Soul by Alexander Ross The Saints Triangles of Dangers deliverances and Duties by Nathanael Whiting Minister of the Gospel The Confession of Faith of all the Congregational Churches of England agreed upon at the Savoy 1659. An History of Angels being a Treatise of our Communion and War with them by Henry Lawrence The Description of the Universal Quadrant c. by Tho. Stirrup Mathem The whole Art of Drawing Painting Limning and Etching collected out of the choycest Italian and German Authors by Alex. Brown Practitioner Several Pieces of Mr. Edward Bagshaw Student of Christs-Church 1. Exercitationes duae de Presbyt Episcop 2. A Discourse of Christ and Antichrist 3. Signs of the Times or Prognosticks of Future Judgments with the way how to prevent them Large Octavo A Treatise of the Divine Promises by Edw. Liegh Esquire The Rights of the Crown of England as it is established by Law by Edward Bagshaw Esquire of the Inner Temple Florus Anglious with the Lively Effigies of all the Kings and Queens since the Conquest cut in brass The Life and Reign of King Charls from his Birth to his Dâ—th bp Lambert Wood. The Night-search the second part by H. Mill. A view of the Jewish Religion with their Rites Customs and Ceremonies Useful Instructions for these Evil times held forth in Twenty two Sermons bp Nicholas Lockier Provost of Eaton Colledge The Nâ—llity of Church-Censures or Excommunication not of Divine Institution but a meer humane Invention Written by the Famous Tho. Erastus and never before Englished Merry Drollery in two Parts being a Collection of Jovial Poems Merry Songs and Witty Drolleries intermixt with pleasan Catches Small Octavo Edw. Waterhouse Esquire His Discourse of Piety and Charity Panacea or the Universal Medicine being a Discourse of the admirable Nature Vertues of Tobacco by Dr. Everard and others A View and Defence of the Reformation of the Church of England very useful in these times Mr. Pet. du Moulin his Antidore against Popery published on purpose to prevent the Delusions of the Priests and Jesuits who are now very busie among us Vinditiae Gratiae Sacramentalis duobus Tractatulis comprehensae 1. De Efficacia Sacramentorum in genere 2 De Efficacia Baptismi quantum ad parvulos quibus praesigitur Epistola Reverendissimi Patris Johannis Davenanti nuper Episcopi Sarisburiensis Dr. R. Record his Urinal of Physick Rare Verities or the Cabinet of Venus unlockt and her Secrets laid open Ovid de Ponto in English The Loves of Clerrio Lozio a Romance Herberts Devotions Mr. Knowles his Rudiment of the Hebrew Tongue Florus Anglicus or an exact History of England from the Reign of William the Conqueror to the death of the Late King Lingua or the Combate of the Tongue and five senses for superiority a serious Comedy acted by Oliver Cromwel the Late Usurper The Spirits Touchstone being a clear Discovery how a man may certainly know whether he be truly taught by the Spirit of God or not The poor mans Physitian and Chyrurgion now Printing Physical Rarities containing the most choyce Receipts in Physick and Chyrurgery for the cure of all Diseases Incident to mans Body by R. VVilliams To which is added the Physical Mathematicks by Hermes Tris-megistus The Idol of Clowns or the Relation of VVat Tylers Rebellion The Raconian Catechism in English The Life of that incomparable man Faustus Socinus Senensis described by a Polonian Knight The Golden Fleece or a Discourse of the Cloathing of England Dr. Sibbs his Divine Meditations Vigerius Precepts of Idiotismes Grotii Poemata Three Books of M. Matthews Minister at Swansey in South-Wales Duodecimo Dr. Smiths Practise of Physick Proverbs English French Dutch Italian and Spanish all Englished and Alphabetically digested The London Distiller or the whole Art of Distillations laid open Fryer Bacon his Discovery of the Miracles of Art Nature and Magick The Grammar War Posselius Apothegmes Fasciculus Florum Crashaws Visions The Juniper Lecture Helvicus Colloquies The torments of Hell shaken or a discourse with many proofs shewing that there not is a punishment after this Life for any to endure that shall never end by Sam. Richardson The understanding Christians duty often to commemorate the death and Passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus with the necessary preparatives thereunto The Christian Souldier his Combat with the three Arch Enemies of Mankind the World the Flesh and the Devil Seasonable Advice to the Apprentices of the Honourable City of London touching their duty to God and their Masters Heinsius de Crepundiis The History of Russia or the Government of the Emperour of Muscovia with the Manner and Fashions of the People of that Countrey Drexelius his School of Patience Drexelius his right Intention of every ones Action A School or Nurture for Children or the Duty of Children to Parents very useful for all that intend to bring up their Children in the Fear of God A Help to Prayer being the duty of every man and Woman that intends to be saved Viginti Quarto The New Testament The third Part of the Bible Sr. Richard Bakers Meditations and Prayers for every day of the Week All the Works of that Great and Glorious Monarch and Martyr King Charles the first Collected into one Volumn The London Chanticleers a Play