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A70520 The last speech & behaviour of William, late Lord Russel, upon the scaffold in Lincolns-Inne-Fields, a little before his execution, on Saturday, July 21, 1683 being condemned for high-treason in conspiring the death of the King, and the subversion of the government &c. : together with the paper delivered by him to the sheriffs, and signed with his own hand : also the last speeches, behaviour, and prayers of Capt. Thomas Walcot, John Rouse Gent., & William Hone, joyner, a little before their execution at Tyburn, on Friday the 20th of July, 1683, being condemned for hihg-treason in conspiring &c. Russell, William, Lord, 1639-1683.; Walcot, Thomas, d. 1683.; Rouse, John, d. 1683.; Hone, William, d. 1683. 1683 (1683) Wing L504; ESTC R9946 28,404 20

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Lord we also beseech thee in the behalf of these poor Kingdoms wherein we are that thou wilt be merciful to them prevent Divisions among them heal all their Breaches compose their Differences make all that are thine of one Heart and Mind in the things of thee our God And Lord if it be thy Will do thou rule in the Heart of the King that he may rule and reign for thee and for the good of thy Church and people Lord favour us with thy mercy assure us of thy love stand by us in the difficult hour take us into thine own Care cause thy Angels to attend us to convey our Souls as soon as they are divided from our Bodies into Abraham's Bosom into the Paradice of our God And Lord we beg that thou wilt be with us with thy extraordinary Presence helping us to trust in thee doing for us beyond what our narrow Hearts are able to ask or think All which we beg for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom O Lord this little time do thou give us Hearts to give thee all Glory Honour and Praise nom and for evermore Amen Sweet Jesus Amen HONE's Prayer GLorious Lord our God thou art the God of the whole Creation and the God that created the Heavens and the Earth in six days by thy power we stand here before thee Lord help us to be looking up unto Jesus Christ who is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of sins Now Lord for thy mercies sake we would be helped to say That Power that raised up Christ from the dead that is able to raise up our poor Souls before thee from Death to Life O Lord for thy mercies sake wash all our Souls in the Bloud of Jesus Christ which speaketh better things than that of Abel and Lord for thy mercies sake pardon all our sins from our first our Original sins and our sins of Sabbath-breaking and our sins of Transgression and the sin for which we are condemn'd O Lord pardon it and let us not go out of the World with one sin hid in our Souls For thy mercies sake pardon all our sins and Lord do thou preserve this Nation and put it into the heart of the King to be merciful and to rule in Truth and Righteousness And for thy mercies sake rule the Affairs of this Nation and help to rule and govern all things for the government of our Souls and our Spirits for thy mercies sake and help us that with joy we may be received into Glory into the eternal Habitations for Christ is sent into the World to that purpose to save sinners of whom we are chief And Lord for thy mercies sake let me have a true belief in Jesus Christ aright to be looking up unto him for Life and for Salvation Oh that we might perish if we perish and be found doing thy will to the utmost of our power Lord accept of us and help us and be with us this little time we shall be in this world All which we beg for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be Glory with the Kingdom both now and for evermore Mr. ROVS's Prayer O Lord our God who art nearer to each and every one of us than we are to our selves It is not all the Confessions to men in the world were it confessed by the Tongues of Angels those glorious Spirits above that can avail any thing with the great God against whom we have sinned or that can procure pardon for the least transgression which deserves eternal wrath And therefore for the Sins that we have been guilty of either against the first or the second Table either against God as our Creator Christ as our Redeemer or the Holy and Blessed Spirit as our Sanctifier the sins that we have committed against thy holy Church and that Faith that I hope we die in the belief of the sins that we have been guilty of against our Neighbours upon one account and another the sins that we have been guilty of against our Governours and Rulers to whom thou hast obliged us under manifold obligations both as Men and Christians the sins that we have been guilty of in our several places Relations and Capacities whatsoever whatever have been their Circumstances and their Aggravations the least whereof deserves everlasting death without the Merits of Jesus for all those greater or lesser sins whether that original sin we brought into the world with us that source and fountain and foundation of all other sins those actual sins and transgressions against any of those that thou hast set over us or those that have been equal with us those relation-sins as Husband and Wife as Master and Servant in every relation and capacity Lord forgive them and wash them away in the blood of the Lamb of God that stands at the right hand of the Majesty on high And because we have no worthiness of our own to recommend us to thee therefore we beg thee for thy Sons sake to fetch arguments from thy self Our righteousness is as filthy rags and the best of us are as a menstruous cloath Fetch Arguments from the riches of thy grace from the goodness of thy nature from the multitude of thy mercies from the blood of thy Son from that blessed eternal intercession that we hope he is making for us and for all that belong to the election of Grace and shall be brought to glory Remember thy Churches hasten the fulfilling of thy promises the accomplishing of thy prophesies through the world the downfal of the man of sin and the destruction of all thy true Churches implacable enemies Lord hasten the day of the calling the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles put an end to Wars and rumours of Wars let the desire of all Nations come Dwell in these Three Nations be a wall of fire round about them prevent any kind of Insurrection at home all manner of Invasion from abroad let those that tarry behind enjoy peace and truth and righteousness Dwell in and reign in the heart of the King Lord bless and prosper him in his Person give him a long a prosperous and an happy Reign Good Father we pray thee let him live here with a flourishing Crown upon his head till thou in thy due time shalt receive him to an eternal Crown hereafter Bless him in his Royal Family and Relations in his Royal Brother Bless him in his Royal Consort make the King a Nursing Father and the Queen a Nursing Mother Confound all hatred malice and envy all evil speaking every thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine and give thy people that live under him to shew that dutifulness and respect as becomes Christians and as becomes Loyal Subjects Bless the Clergy by whatsoever Names or Titles distinguished make them sound in their Doctrine and make them useful and unblameable in their Lives and Conversations Help them to mind the Souls committed to their charge and help them to do their duty that they may be able to say behold here are we and the Children whom thou hast given us Now Lord bless all the Nation from the highest to the lowest from the Prince to the Peasant of all sorts ranks and degrees Give Loyalty towards our dread Sovereign who is a merciful and gracious Prince whom thou hast set as thy Vicegerent to Reign over us who can do nothing but what is just and equal before thee to whom he must give an account of all his Transactions even to thee the King of Kings And Lord grant peace and love and unity one among another and the practical observation of thy holy day and those duties that relate to God and Man Grant that those that follow after us may take particular Example by us We must needs acknowledge and smite upon our thighs that we in Justice are brought hither that we have nothing to do but to condemn our selves and justifie the Justice of the Land and to pray God to bless his Majesty to Reign in these Nations and those that shall succeed him upon the Throne All which we beg upon the account of our Lord Jesus Christ who was dead and behold he lives to whom with thy self and eternal Spirit we desire to ascribe as is due all honour praise and glory everlasting Amen There was these Lines more in the Paper delivered by Captain Walcot than what you have before seen AS to Ireland I am very inclinable to believe could I have charged any body there with being ingaged in the matter for which I suffer I might have had my Life but by the blessing of God I will charge no man wrongfully no not to save my Life and these being some of the last words I am to speak I do aver I knew not an Englishman or Protestant in Ireland any way ingaged in it Besides I was told they that were mostly concerned did not value Ireland and said it must of course follow England Something I heard of one Gentleman in the North and whether it be true or false I will not determine FINIS
THE LAST Speech Behaviour OF William late Lord Russel Upon the Scaffold in Lincolns-Inne-Fields A little before his Execution on Saturday July 21. 1683. BEING Condemned for HIGH-TREASON in Conspiring the Death of the KING and the Subversion of the Government c. Together with the PAPER delivered by him to the Sheriffs and signed with his own Hand ALSO The last Speeches Behaviour and Prayers OF Capt. THOMAS WALCOT JOHN ROVSE Gent. WILLAM HONE Joyner A little before their Execution at Tyburn on Friday the 20th of July 1683. Being Condemned for High-Treason in Conspiring c. Impartially Taken and Published by Authority We do Appoint Thomas Fox to print the Speeches and Papers of the late Lord Russel Capt. Walcot John Rouse and William Hone and that no other person presume to print the same Saturday July 21. 1683. Dudley North. P. Rich. LONDON Printed by J. C. and F. C. for Thomas Fox at the Angel in Westminster-hall 1683. THE Last Speech and Carriage OF THE LORD RVSSEL upon the Scaffold c. On Saturday the 21st of July 1683. ABout Nine in the Morning the Sheriffs went to Newgate to see if my Lord Russel was ready and in a little time his Lordship came out and went into his Coach taking his Farewel of his Lady the Lord Cavendish and several other of his Friends at Newgate in the Coach were Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet who accompanied him to the Scaffold built in Lincolns-Inn-fields which was covered all over with Mourning Being come upon the Scaffold his Lordship bowed to the Persons present and turning to the Sheriff made this following Speech Mr. SHERIFF I Expected the Noise would be such that I should not be very well heard I was never fond of much speaking much less now therefore I have set down in this Paper all that I think fit to leave behind me God knows how far I was always from designs against the King's Person or of altering the Government And I still pray for the preservation of both and of the Protestant Religion Mr. Sheriff I am told that Capt. Walcot Yesterday said some things concerning my knowledge of the Plot I know not whether the Report is true or not Mr. Sheriff I did not hear him name your Lordship Writer No My Lord your Lordship was not named by any of them Lord Russ. I hope it is not for to my knowledge I never saw him nor spake with him in my whole Life and in the words of a Dying Man I profess I know of no Plot either against the King's Life or the Government But I have now done with this World and am going to a better I forgive all the World heartily and I thank God I die in Charity with all Men and I wish all sincere Protestants may love one another and not make way for Popery by their Animosities I pray God forgive them and continue the Protestant Religion amongst them that it may flourish so long as the Sun and Moon indures I am now more satisfied to die then ever I have been Then kneeling down his Lordship prayed to himself after which Dr. Tillotson kneeled down and prayed with him which being done his Lordship kneeled down and prayed a second time to himself then pulled off his Wigg put on his Cap took off his Crevat and Coat and bidding the Executioner after he had lain down a small moment do his Office without a Sign he gave him some Gold then embracing Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet he laid him down with his Neck upon the Block The Executioner missing at his first stroke though with that he took away Life at two more severed the Head from the Body The Executioner held up the Head to the People as is usual in Cases of Treason c. Which being done Mr. Sheriff ordered his Lordships Friends or Servants to take the Body and dispose of it as they pleased being given them by his Majesties Favour and Bounty The Paper delivered to the Sheriffs by My L d. Russel I Thank God I find my self so composed and prepared for Death and my Thoughts so fixed on another World that I hope in God I am now quite weaned from setting my Heart on this Yet I cannot forbear spending some time now in setting down in Writing a fuller Account of my Condition to be left behind me than I 'll venture to say at the Place of Execution in the Noise and Clutter that is like to be there I bless God heartily for those many Blessings which he in his infinite Mercy has bestowed upon me through the whole Course of my Life That I was born of worthy good Parents and had the Advantages of a Religious Education which I have often thank'd God very heartily for and look'd upon as an invaluable Blessing For even when I minded it least it still hung about me and gave me Checks and hath now for many Years so influenced and possessed me that I feel the happy Effects of it in this my Extremity in which I have been so wonderfully I thank God supported that neither my Imprisonment nor the Fear of Death have been able to discompose me to any degree but on the contrary I have found the Assurances of the Love and Mercy of God in and through my blessed Redeemer in whom only I trust and I do not question but that I am going to partake of that Fulness of Joy which is in his presence the hopes whereof does so wonderfully delight me that I reckon this as the happiest time of my Life though others may look upon it as the saddest I have lived and now die of the Reformed Religion a true and sincere Protestant and in the Communion of the Church of England though I could never yet comply with or rise up to all the heights of some People I wish with all my Soul all our unhappy Differences were removed and that all sincere Protestants would so far consider the Danger of Popery as to lay aside their Heats and agree against the Common Enemy and that the Church-men would be less severe and the Dissenters less scrupulous For I think Bitterness and Persecution are at all times bad but much more now For Popery I look on it as an Idolatrous and Bloody Religion and therefore thought my self bound in my Station to do all I could against it And by that I foresaw I should procure such great Enemies to my self and so powerful Ones that I have been now for some time expecting the worst And blessed be God I fall by the Axe and not by the Fiery Tryal Yet whatever Apprehensions I had of Popery and of my own severe and heavy share I was like to have under it when it should prevail I never had a Thought of doing any thing against it basely or inhumanly but what could well consist with the Christian Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom And I thank God I have examined all my Actings in that Matter with so great Care
because Sir Geo. Jefferies insinuated to the Jury as if I had made a Story about going thither but I never said that was the only Reason And I will now truly and plainly add the rest I was the day before this Meeting come to Town for two or three days as I had done once or twice before having a very near and dear Relation lying in a very languishing and desperate Condition And the Duke of Monmouth came to me and told me He was extreamly glad I was come to Town for my Lord Shaftsbury and some hot Men would undo us all if great Care be not taken and therefore for God's sake use your Endeavours with your Friends to prevent any thing of this kind He told me there would be Company at Mr. Shephard's that Night and desired me to be at home in the Evening and he would call me which he did And when I came into the Room I saw Mr. Rumsey by the Chimny though he swears he came in after and there were things said by some with much more Heat than Judgment which I did sufficiently disapprove and yet for these things I stand condemned But I thank God my part was sincere and well meant It is I know inferred from hence and was pressed to me that I was acquainted with these Heats and ill Designs and did not discover them But this is but Misprision of Treason at most So I dye innocent of the Crime I stand condemn'd for and I hope nobody will imagine that so mean a Thought could enter into me as to go about to save my self by accusing others The part that some have acted lately of that kind has not been such as to invite me to love Life at such a rate As for the Sentence of Death passed upon me I cannot but think it a very hard one For nothing was sworn against me whether true or false I will not now examine but some Discourses about making some Stirs And this is not levying War against the King which is Treason by the Statute of Edward the Third and not the consulting and discoursing about it which was all that was witnessed against me But by a strange Fetch the Design of seizing the Guards was construed a Design of killing the King and so I was in that cast And now I have truly and sincerely told what my part was in that which cannot bemore than a bare Misprision and yet I am condemned as guilty of a design of killing the King I pray God lay not this to the charge neither of the King's Counsel nor Judges nor Sheriffs nor Jury And for the Witnesses I pity them and wish them well I shall not reckon up the Particulars wherein they did me wrong I had rather their own Consciences should do that to which and the Mercies of God I leave them Only I still averr that what I said of my not hearing Col. Rumsey deliver his Message from my Lord Shaftsbury was true for I always detested Lying tho never so much to my advantage And I hope none will be so unjust and uncharitable as to think I would venture on it in these my last Words for which I am so soon to give an account to the Great God the Searcher of Hearts and Judg of all Things From the Time of chusing Sheriffs I concluded the Heat in that Matter would produce something of this kind and I am not much surprized to find it fall upon me And I wish what is done to me may put a stop and satiate some Peoples Revenge and that no more innocent Blood may be shed for I must and do still look upon mine as such since I know I was guilty of no Treason and therefore I would not betray my Innocence by Flight of which I do not I thank God yet repent tho much pressed to it how fatal soever it may have seem'd to have proved to me for I look upon my Death in this manner I thank God with other eyes than the World does I know I said but little at the Trial and I suppose it looks more like Innocence than Guilt I was also advis'd not to confess matter of Fact plainly since that must certainly have brought me within the Guilt of Misprision And being thus restrained from dealing frankly and openly I chose rather to say little than to depart from Ingenuity that by the grace of God I had carried along with me in the former parts of my Life and so could easier be silent and leave the whole matter to the Conscience of the Jury than to make the last and solemnest part of my life so different from the course of it as the using little Tricks and Evasions must have been Nor did I ever pretend to a great readiness in speaking I wish those Gentlemen of the Law who have it would make more Conscience in the use of it and not run Men down by Strains and Fetches impose on easie and willing Juries to the Ruine of innocent Men For to kill by Forms and Subtilties of Law is the worst sort of Murder But I wish the Rage of hot Men and the Partialities of Juries may be stopp'd with my Blood which I would offer up with so much the more Joy if I thought I should be the last were to suffer in such a way Since my Sentence I have had few Thoughts but Preparatory ones for Death Yet the Importunity of my Friends and particularly of the best and dearest Wife in the World prevailed with me to sign Petitions and make Addresses for my Life To which I was very averse For I thank God tho in all respects I have lived one of the happiest and contented'st men in the world for now near fourteen years yet I am so willing to leave all that it was not without Difficulty that I did any thing for the saving of my Life that was Begging But I was willing to let my Friends see what Power they had over me and that I was not obstinate nor sullen but would do any thing that an honest Man could do for their Satisfaction Which was the only Motive that sway'd or had any weight with me And now to summ up all as I never had any Design against the King's Life or the Life of any man whatsoever so I never was in any Contrivance of altering the Government What the Heats Wickednesses Passions and Vanities of other men have occasioned I ought not to be answerable for nor could I repress them tho I now suffer for them But the Will of the Lord be done into whose Hands I commend my Spirit and trust that thou O most merciful Father hast forgiven me all my Transgressions the Sins of my Youth and all the Errors of my past Life and that thou wilt not lay my secret Sins to my Charge but wilt graciously support me during that small part of my Life now before me and assist me in my last Moments and not leave me then to be disorder'd by Fear or any
other Temptation but make the Light of thy Countenance to shine upon me for thou art my Sun and my Shield and as thou supportest me by thy Grace so I hope thou wilt hereafter crown me with Glory and receive me into the Fellowship of Angels and Saints in that blessed Inheritance purchased for me by my most merciful Redeemer who is I trust at thy Right Hand preparing a Place for me into whose Hands I commend my Spirit Signed Will. Russel THE SPEECHES Of Captain Walcot Jo. Rouse and Will Hone On Friday the Twentieth of July 1683. CAptain Thomas Walcot being drawn to Tyburn in one Hurdle John Rouse and William Hone in another and there put into a Cart the Reverend Dr. Thomas Cartwright Dean of Rippon and one of His Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary with Mr. Smith the Ordinary of Newgate began to acquaint Captain Walcot That this was the last time he had to spend in the world and therefore desired him to make a good use of it telling him That as death leaves him so Judgment will find him and earnestly exhorted him to make an ingenious Discovery and Confession of what he knew touching the Conspiracy and Treasons of which he had been found guilty and received Sentence to die To this Captain Walcot replyed That he had some Papers in his Pocket of what he had prepared to say in Writing because his memory was bad therefore he desired they might be pulled out and he would read them Then Dr. Cartwright and the Ordinary spake to Hone and Rouse to the effect before-mentioned earnestly desiring them to confess the whole of what they knew instancing some places of Scripture to them as Joshuah's advice to Aeloan c. My Son confess and give glory to God whom you have dishonoured c. telling them they would have imbrued their hands in the Blood of a merciful and good Prince who had often pardoned and gave many Acts of Oblivion and Indemnity to his Subjects and whose Reign hath preserved the purity of the Protestant Religion amongst us That we cannot enjoy more than we do enjoy with other good admonitions for them to make cleer Discoveries of the truth of what they knew Captain Walcot in the mean while was prepared to read his Speech Dr. Cartwright askt him if he could discover any more than he had done already Walcot I 've not in the general I told the King the thing was laid very deep There was a Gentleman with me last night I told him what I told the King and that was all I told him I thought an Act of Indulgence would be very necessary because he had a great many men to take Judgment of I know not the particulars of the Design but the King hath the Lord Howard Mr. West and others that know more than I. I was never in Councel with them nor never with them above four five or half a dozen times Then looking upon his Paper he began his Speech as follows THis great Concourse of people do not only come here to see me dye but also to hear what I shall say and because I would not be reproached and thought to be an Atheist when I am gone I have two or three words to speak for my Religion I do believe in Three persons and one God and I expect and hope to be saved by the Merits and Righteousness of his Son Christ Jesus without the hope of an advantage by any Merits or Righteousness of my own And I believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God that they were not written according to the will of Man but holy men of God writ them as they were inspired by the holly Ghost I believe that these Scriptures ought to be the Rule of our Faith and the method of our Worshipping of God I believe that as Christ is the head of his Church so he is their Law-giver That it is not in the power of any Council or Conclave of Cardinals or power upon earth whatsoever to set up the Precepts and Traditions of men and to make them of equal validity with the word of God I believe it was not because the Jews rejected and Crucified Christ that he rejected them but because they rejected his Word which appears by the Three thousand that God by one Sermon of Peters Converted they being prickt in their hearts and touched in their Consciences cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do and they were that day added to the Church It was certainly because the Jews rejected the Word and Gospel of Christ that the things were hid from their eyes which belonged to their peace It is a dreadful thing to reject the Word of God and it is a dreadful thing to live in a sinful course of life till God withdraws his Spirit from us For it is said it shall not always strive with man Death is the wages of sin I believe had not Adam sinned he and we his posterity had not dyed Death is said to be the King of Terrours but it is only so to those that are terrifyed with a terrifying Conscience that have the arrows of the Almighty sticking in them from Convictions of great guilt and see no hopes of mercy have no assurance of pardon but those that are Christs he takes away the terror and horror and sting of death he enables them to say with Paul To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain he enables not only to get unto Christ but into Christ and so they have Communion and Fellowship with the Father and the Son It is no hard matter to get the notions of the promises of the Gospel into our heads but unless the Lord is pleased to apply them to our hearts we cannot believe except we be in Christ as branches in the Vine we are not Christians indeed It was the case of poor Francis Spira he was certainly a knowing man but notwithstanding he had not faith to apply the promises Christ hath said that he that believes in him though he were dead yet shall he live and he that lives and believes in him shall never dye So if we be able to apply the promises by the Spirit of God we may have comfort through Faith but then Faith is the gift of God and Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and receiving it in the love of God I shall not be tedious Mr. Sheriff I shall be very short Mr. Sheriff Take your own time Walcot As to the present occasion of my death I do neither blame the Judges nor the Jury nor the Kings Councel I only blame some men that in reality and in truth were deeper concerned and more engaged than I that came in as Witnesses against me who Swore me out of my life to save their own and who for fear they should not do it effectually contrived that That I will appeal to you all whether there be a probability in it or not for they said that
through his Grace that the World may understand that I do not dye as Capt. Walcot saies an Atheist I do here declare in the presence of God and this vast number of people what Faith I dye in In that very Faith which was once delivered and in the Belief of that Doctrine which the Church of England makes Profession of and is agreeable to the word of God being founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles whereof Jesus Christ is the Corner Stone There have been very various opinions concerning me upon the account of the various imployments that I have been exercised in both here and beyond Sea It has been my lot to fall under such circumstances and to fall under such misrepresentations and Censures upon the account of some publick Imployments that I have been in for the K. and after I returned from Flanders upon the account of Disbanding it was almost morally impossible for such a one in my capacity to stand right in the affections and opinions of all people When I was imployed in Flanders in the payment of that Army I was then between 2 Rocks I will leave it to the Judgment of all sorts of people you know the Country I need not particularise nor reflect upon opinions and the like But I having been bred up in England and had that education it pleased God to give me I was not fond of nor carried off with that debauchery in those times and sometimes more than once or twice it was my lot that I was like to have been murthered for pleading for and justifying the actions of the King of England Since my return and being imployed under Sir Tho. Player and some others about disbanding there it came to my Lot because I could not humour some Gentlemen who neither feared God nor honoured the King I will not say so of all for I know some were very worthy Gentlemen that scorn'd any of those actions which some would attempt There is one worthy Gent. I can speak very honourably of that so they might have their pockets full of money did not value how the Accounts were stated and at the very same time I was under many temptations of handfuls of Guineas in my hand to do so and so to cheat the K. and because I would not do that I was looked upon as a Jesuit I did wave all these things under those circumstances It hath been my lot likewise being imployed by Sir T. P. and the rest of the Commissioners to fall into those Companies and places where my Lord Shaftsbury and others have been and have had some kind of Discourse which was not Treason but rather a thing that I ever abhorred and declared a detestation of since these hurly burlys concerning Parliaments going off and coming on did discontent the people upon one account or another I confess I have been a hearer and have understood too much of some kind of meetings which I pray God forgive them for and especially those that call themselves Protestants being 10000 times worse than any others That there have been such kind of Designs and Meetings and Clubbs I have not been ignorant of God forgive me that I have not been as careful and as diligent and as ready and forward to discover it a great while since That I ever had a hand in it or the least thought or resolution or intention to appear in it but rather on the contrary have declared my opinion against it both in the sight of God and man as a breach of the Laws of God and the Laws of the Land and contrary to our Duty who are bound to pray for the King and all that are in Authority I do declare in the presence of God I am a perfect stranger and I thank God my Conscience is clear I have acquainted his Majesty in Council and I have had the Honour to be admitted into his Majesties presence in private almost half an hour on Saturday was seven-night where I was as clear and above board and as faithful to his Majesty as I could be in an humble manner according to my duty where I offered to have some time and place allotted that I might give him a whole Scheme of the business For there were a great many Gentlemen that had a respect forme It was their opinions that I had a general Knowledge of all the Clubbs and all the Designs that ever were since the King came in but they were under a mistake I gave his Majesty an account to the best of my knowledge and when I had done his Majesty seemed to be pleased and to thank me for it but before I had power to put it in writing and wait upon his Majesty the Providence of God did so order it the Council thought it fit that I should be committed to Prison where I was some days I have had more kindness among Heathens and Indians I pray God to forgive them for it I had not liberty to send to my Wife big with Child in two days where I was Sir I shall not hold you in suspence and multiply words but what is most proper to this occasion What I have given to his Majesty in Council and what I have spoken to his Majesty in private is nothing but the naked truth to clear my own Conscience that I may not go out of the world with any thing upon me I wish those that call themselves Protestants would discharge their duty better to God and the King than either I or the best Subject ever did I have lookt upon 't as an obligation ever since I knew what it was to be a man to carry my self obedient to those that God has set over me especially the King and those that are in Authority and I have made it my practice to pray for the King as for my own soul. That it has been my lot to be acquainted with those vanities of Clubbs and persons no rational man will wonder considering the Circumstances and places I was called to There is one particular Gentleman Mr. Sheriff I must desire the favour to clear my self by something that I took occasion to speak of yesterday I did acquaint you Mr. Sheriff with what I had spoken to the King how I was interrupted in the further discovery of what I had a mind to say What was further said yesterday it was nothing but the naked truth In the first place as to what was afterwards discourst of as to some particular persons namely and particularly Sir Thomas Player I must do justice to all the world That he hath been acquainted with the Lord Shaftsbury none here will wonder but that he hath been very shy of his Company since he came out of the Tower for he told me many times he never was in his company but once for he did not like some things and saw some designs that he was afraid were going on and thereupon Sir Thomas Player was so ingenuous and honest to the King
those that are Professors of the Protestant Religion and particularly Coffee-Houses where it is very well known too much time is spent and Families and Wives and Children suffer too much I pray God the People may take notice of it and lay it to Heart that spend their time so thinking it is but a Penny and a Penny and so discourse of State-Affairs as if so be they were Gods Counsellors in the Government of the World running from the Coffee-House to the Tavern and from the Tavern to the Coffee-House which hath been the Debauchery of this Age and so bring them into this Dilemma to discourse of those Things neither pleasing to God nor the King nor themselves but their Prejudice The Profanation of the Sabbath-Day is commonly discourst of in this place God forgive me for not observing it as I should I pray God those that follow me may be more careful of their Duty to God and Man for the good of themselves their Souls and their Families those that are young especially and coming up that they may chiefly mind their Concerns for Eternity and that they would pay their Duty and Homage to the King and those that God has set over them and not neglect that great Command to pray for the King and all that are in Authority Being asked if they had any thing more to say They said No. Mr. Ordinary then prayed with them and sung a Psalm and then they desired to pray themselves which was granted Captain Walcot's Prayer O Lord our God Thou art the God of present help in time of Trouble a God that hast promised to be with thy People in the Fire and in the Water O Lord we pray thee that thou wilt afford thy presence to thy poor suffering Servants at this time that thou wilt enable us to pray with Faith to trust in thee to be in expectation and hope of Mercy from thee O Lord thy Servant that speaketh doth confess that the Iniquities at his heels have justly overtaken him that just and righteous art thou in all thy Judgments that he hath reason to bear thy Indignation because he hath sinned O Lord we beg even for thy Son Christ Jesus's sake that our sins may not be brought to our remembrance in order to our despondency or discouragement or our despairing in thy Mercy but rather O Lord in order to an assurance that our great God hath pardoned and forgiven them in the Blood of his Son O do thou bath each of our Souls in that Fountain set open for Sin and for Vncleanness Give us O Lord inward Spiritual strength from thy self and give us cause to bless thy Name for inward supporting Graces for inward assistances O let us find an increase of spiritual strength let us be assured that our Sins are done away and let us also be assured that our Names are written in the Book of Life and let it be such an assurance as may be matter of joy and rejoycing to our Souls O do thou enable every one of us from the inward evidence of thy Spirit to say with thy Servant Job That we know and are assured that our Redeemer lives O do thou give us such an assurance of an Interest in thee that we may be inabled in deed in reality and in truth to say that we have run our race and we have finished our course with Joy O let us now receive the fruit of those many Petitions that we have put up unto thee O let us now find the Spirit influencing our Hearts to a yielding patience and a thorow subjection to the Will of God let us find thy Spirit assuring us that we are thine O let us have stronger Evidences of thy Love stronger Testimonies of thy Affection O give us some inward Tastes of those heavenly Joys that we hope through the Mercy of Jesus Christ in a little time to have a more full Fruition of O Lord do thou speak peace to every one of our Consciences enable us to take hold of thy Strength that thou may'st make Peace with us and let us not be discouraged O Lord since we have a High-Priest that can be touched with our Infirmities let us with Boldness have Access to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and Grace to help in time of need O take away the Sting and Terror that is in Death in any one of us by assuring us of our Interest in thee by assuring us that our Names are recorded in the Book of Life tho we lye under a Sentence of Death from Man we beg that we may have a Sentence of Life eternal from our God and tho we meet thee O Lord in a Field of Blood we beg that thou wilt come to meet with us in a Field of Mercy O Lord extend thy Mercy thou Lord whose Compassions faileth not cause the Bowels of thy tender pity to yearn with Compassion towards us enable every one of us O Lord to die believing in Jesus Christ to die hoping in his Mercy to die relying upon him for Justification for Sanctification and for Adoption O Lord though we have been Prodigals we desire to return to our Fathers House where there is Bread enough O enable us to come unto thee as Children to their Parents O let our Prayers be offer'd with so much Fervour in Christ Jesus that thou may'st think it reasonable to assure us of thy Love O let the Intercession of Jesus Christ be accepted O Lord we beg that he may be our Advocate if our Advocate be our Judge certainly we cannot miscarry O let Jesus Christ be the Hope of every one of our Souls and Lord let not our Hope be like that of the Hypocrite but let our Faith be built upon the Rock of Ages and let us not fail from the apprehension of Affliction and Punishment from men Yet O Lord do thou so order our Hearts and our Spirits aright that thou may'st be the Lot of our Inheritance and our Portion for ever O do thou interest us in thy self Lord carry on thy own Work We desire to come unto thee that we may have life Lord help us Lord put to thy helping Hand Lord teach us truly to leave no Sin unrepented of in any one of our Hearts And O Lord we beg that with us thou wilt give us leave to recommend unto thy Care our poor Wives and Children Thou hast promised to be the Father of the Fatherless and the Husband of the Widdow and thou hast commanded us to cast the Care of them upon thee O do thou make Provision for them deal kindly with them imprint thy own Image upon them and enable them to bear this severe stroke with Patience O Lord stand by and support them let their Ways be found so pleasing and acceptable unto thee that thou may'st think it reasonable to make all their Enemies at Peace Lord interest them in thy Love and do thou favour them with thy Mercies and loving Kindnesses O