CHARLES I. KING OF ENGLAND c. England's black Tribunall Set forth in the TRIALL OF K. CHARLES I. At a High Court of Justice at Westminster-Hall Together with his last Speech when he was put to death on the Scaffold January 30. 1648. To which is added the several dying Speeches and manner of the putting to death of Earl of Strafford Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Duke Hamilton Earl of Holland Lord Capell Earl of Darby Sir Alex. Carew Sir John Hotham Capt. Hotham Mr. Nath. Tomkins Mr. Chaloner Col. Jo. Morris Cor. Blackburn Col. Andrews Sir Hen. Hide Col. Gerrard Mr. Pet. Vowell Col. Penruddock Capt. Hugh Grove Sir Hen. Slingsby Doctor Jo. Hewet The fourth Edition corrected and enlarged London Printed for J. Playford 1660. TO THE READER WHereas there has been printed of late years many severall impressions of the Relation of the Tryall of King Charles the 1 st and of the manner of the putting him to Death many of which have been very imperfect having had most of the remarkable passages left out But in this Edition some paines and care has been used to have it exact and perfect the which the Reader will find made good if he compare it to any of the former Printed copies Also an addition of the dying speeches of such of the English Nobilite Clergie and Gentry as has been executed for the cause of the late King from 1642. to 1659. of all which these following are true and exact Copies as no doubt will appear to the reader in the perusuall thereof I. P. A Table of the matters contained in this Book AN Act for the Tryall of the King Pag. 1 The first days proceedings Pag. 6 The Charge drawn up against the King Pag. 8 The second days proceedings Pag. 17 The third days proceedings Pag. 25 The fourth days proceedings K. Charles conference with his children His speech on the Scaffold His letter to his Sonne a little before his death An Elegie on the Death and sufferings of K. Charles A Table of the Speeches The E. of Straffords speech to the Court after his sentence Pag. 49 The E. of Straffords speech on the Scaffold Pag. 53 Mr. Nath. Tomkins Elegie Pag. 58 Mr. Chalenors speech at his Execution Pag. 61 Sir Alex. Carews speech on the Scaffold Pag. 65 Capt. John Hothams speech on the Scaffol Pag. 68 Sir John Hothams speech on the Scaffold Pag. 69 Arch Bishop of Canterburys speech on the Scaffold Pag. 72 Duke Hamiltons speech on the Scaffold Pag. 84 Earl of Hollands speech on the Scaffold Pag. 98 Lord Capells speech on the Scaffold Pag. 124 Col. John Moris speech at his Execution Pag. 121 Cor. M. Blackburn speech at his Execution Pag. 125 Col. Andrews speech on the Scaffold Pag. 126 Sir Hen. Hides speech on the Scaffold Pag. 134 E. of Darby's speech on the Scaffold Pag. 147 Col. Gerrards speech on the Scaffold Pag. 159 Mr. Peter Vowells speech at his Execut. Pag. 170 Col. Penruddocks speech on the Scaffold Pag. 175 Capt. Hugh Goves speech on the Scaffold Pag. 184 Sir Hen. Slingsbys speech on the Scaffold Pag. 185 Dr. John Hewets speech on the Scaffold Pag. 186 KING CHARLES HIS TRYALL Began Saturday January 20 th and ended January 27. 1648. An ACT. An Act of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament for erecting of an High Court of Justice for the Trying and Judging of CHARLES STUART King of England WHereas it is notorious That Charles Stuart the now King of England not content with those many incroachments which his Predecessors had made upon the People in their Rights and Freedoms hath had a wicked design totally to subvert the ancient and fundamental Laws and Liber-of this Nation And in their place to introduce an arbitrary and Tyrannical Government with fire and sword levyed and maintained a cruel war in the Land against the Parliament and Kingdome Whereby the Countrey hath been miserably wasted the publick Treasury exhausted Trade decayed and thousands of People murthered and infinite of other mischiefs committed For all which High and Treasonable Offences the said Charles Stuart might long since justly have been brought to exemplary and condign punishment Whereas also the Parliament well hoping that the restraint and imprisonment of his person after it had pleased God to deliver him into their hands would have quieted the disturbers of the Kingdom did forbear to proceed judicially against him But found by sad experience that such their remissives served onely to incourage him and his complices in the Continuance of their evil practises and in raising of new Commotions designs and invasions For prevention therefore of the like greater inconveniences And to the end that no Magistrate or Officer whatsoever may hereafter presume traiterously and maliciously to immagine or contrive the inslaving or destroying of the English Nation and to expect impunity in so doing Be it ordained and enacted by the Commons in Parliament assembled and it is hereby ordained and enacted by the Authority thereof That Thomas Lord Fairfax General Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant General Henry Ireton Commissary General Phillip Skippon Maior General Sir Hardress Waller Colonel Valentine Walton Col. Thomas Harrison Col. Edw. Whalley Col. Tho. Pride Col. Isaac Ewers Col. Rich. Ingoldsby Col. Rich. Dean Col. John Okey Col. Robert Overton Col. John Harrison Col. John Desborow Col. Will. Goffe Col. Rob. Duckenfield Col. Rowland Wilson Col. Henry Martin Col. William Purefoy Col. Godfrey Bosvile Col. Herbert Morley Col. John Barkstead Col. Matthew Tomlinson Col. John Lambert Col. Edmund Ludlow Col. John Hutchinson Col. Robert Titchborn Col. Owen Roe Col. Robert Manwaring Col. Robert Lilburn Col. Adrian Scroop Col. Algernoon Sidney Col. John Moore Col. Francis Lassells Col. Alexander Rigby Col. Edmund Harvey Col. John Venn Col. Anthony Stapley Col. Thomas Horton Col. Tho. Hammond Col. George Fenwick Col. George Fleetwood Col. John Temple Col. Thomas Waite Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Thomas Honywood Thomas Lord Grey Philip Lord Lisle William Lord Mounson Sir John Danvers Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir John Bourchier Sir James Harrington Sir William Brereton Robert Wallop William Heveningham Esquires Isaac Pennington Thomas Atkins Aldermen Sir Peter Wentworth Thomas Trenchard Jo. Blakston Gilbert Millington Esquires Sir Will. Constable Sir Arthur Hasilrigg Sir Mich. Livesey Richard Salway Hump. Salway Cor. Holland Jo. Carey Esquires Sir Will. Armin Jo. Jones Miles Corbet Francis Allen Thomas Lister Ben. Weston Peter Pelham Io. Gusden Esquires Fra. Thorpe Esq Serjeant at Law Io. Nut Tho. Challoner Io. Anlaby Richard Darley William Say John Aldred Jo. Nelthrop Esquires Sir William Roberts Henry Smith Edmund Wild Iohn Challoner Iosias Barnes Dennis Bond Humphrey Edwards Greg. Clement Io. Fray Tho. Wogan Esquires Sir Greg. Norton Io. Bradshaw Esq Serieant at Law Io. Dove Esq Iohn Fowk Thomas Scot Aldermen Will. Cawley Abraham Burrel Roger Gratwick Iohn Downes Esquires Robert Nichols Esq Serjeant at Law Vincent Potter Esq Sir Gilbert Pickering Io. Weaver Io. Lenthal Robert Reynolds Io. Lisle Nich. Love Esquires Sir
this your Clorious King Did you by Oaths your God and Countrie mock Pretend a Crown and yet prepare a Block Did you that swore you 'd Mount Charles higher yet Intend the Scaffold for His Olivet Was this Hail Master Did you bow the knee That you might murther Him with Loyaltie Alas two Deaths what cruelty was this The Ax design'd you might have spar'd the Kiss London did'st thou Thy Princes Life betray What could thy Sables vent no other way Or else did'st thou bemoan His Cross then ah Why would'st thou be the cursed Golgotha Thou once hadst Men Plate Arme a Treasurie To bind thy King and hast thou none to free Dull blast thou should'st before thy Head did fall Have had at least thy Spirits Animal Did You Ye Nobles envie Charles His Crown Jove being fal'n the Punie-gods must down Your Raies of Honor are eclip'st in Night The Sun is set from whence You drew your Light Religion Vail's her self and Mourns that She Is forc'd to own such horrid Villanie The Church and State do shake the Building must Expect to fall whose Prop is turn'd to Dust But cease from Tears Charles is of light bereav'n And snuft on Earth to shine more bright in Heav'n FINIS Englands Black Tribunall THE SECOND PART Set forth in the DYEING SPEECHES And manner of Putting to Death of viz. Earl of Strafford Archbishop of Canterbury Duke of Hamilton Earl of Holland Lord Capell Earl of Derby Sir Alex. Carew Sir John Hotham Capt. John Hotham Mr. Nath. Tompkins Mr. Chaloner Coll. Jo. Moris Cor. Blackburn Coll. Andrews Sir Henry Hide Coll. Gerrard Mr. Peter Vowell Coll. Penruddock Capt. Hugh Grove Sir Hen. Slingsby Doctor Jo. Hewit London Printed 1660. The Earl of Straffords Speech or the conclusion of his Defence before the Lord High Steward and the rest of the Lords sitting in Westminster Hall April 12. 1641. Together with his Speech on the Scaffold immediately before his Execution on Tower-Hill May 12. 1641. MY Lords There yet remains another Treason that I should be guilty of the endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Lawes 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 conceive that there is either Statute Law nor Common-Law that doth declare the endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall Laws to be high treason For neither Statute Law nor Common-Law written that ever I could hear of declareth it so And yet I have been diligent to enquire as I believe you think it doth not concern me to do It is hard to be questioned for life and honour upon a Law that cannot be shown There is a rule which I have learned from Sir Edward Cooke De non apparentibus non existentibus eadem ratio Jesu where hath this fire lain all this while so many hundreds 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 punished 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 then to conform 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 set as a token that there is an Anchor there that party that owes the Anchor by the Maritine Lawes shall give satisfaction for the dammage 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 providence can availe nor prevent my destruction Lay aside all humane wisdom and let us rest upon divine Revelation if you will condemn before you forewarn the danger Oh my Lords may your Lordships be pleased to give that regard unto the Peerage of England as never to suffer our selves to be put on those nice points upon such contractive interpretations and these are where Laws are not clear or known If there must be a tryal of wits I do humbly beseech you the subject and matter may be somewhat else then the lives and honours of Peers My Lords we find that the primitive times in the progression of the plain Doctrine of the Apostles they brought the Books of Curious Arts and burned them And so likewise as I do conceive it will be wisdom and providence in your Lordships for your posterity and the whole Kingdom to cast from you into the fire these bloody and most mysterious Volumes of constructive and Arbitrary Treason and to break your selves to the plain Letters of the Law and Statute that telleth us where the crime is and by telling what is and what is not shews us how to avoid it And let us not be ambitious to be more wise and learned in the killing Arts then our forefathers were It is now full two hundred and forty years since ever any man was touched for this alledged crime to this height before my self we have lived happily to our selves at home and we have lived gloriously to the world abroad Let us rest contented with that our fathers left us and not awaken those sleepy Lions to our own destructions by raking up a few musty Records that have lyen so many ages by the walls quite forgotten and neglected May your Lordships be Nobly pleased to adde this to those other mis-fortunes befallen me for my sins not for my Treasons that a president should be derived from me of that disadvantage as this will be in the consequent to the whole Kingdom I beseech you seriously to consider it and let not my particular cause be looked upon as you do though you wound me in my interest in the Common-wealth and therefore those Gentlemen say that they speak for the Common-wealth yet in this particular I indeed speak for it and the inconveniencies and mischiefes that will heavily fall upon us for as it is in the first of Henry the fourth no man will after know what to do or say for fear Do not put my Lords so great difficulties upon the Ministers of State that men of wisdome honour and vertue may not with cheerfulnesse and safety be imployed for the publick if you weigh and measure them by grains and scruples the publick affaires of the Kingdome will be laid wast and no man will meddle with them that hath honours issues or
empty Scaffold that I might have had room to die I beseech you let me have an end of this misery for I have endured it long When room was made he spake thus I le pull off my Doublet and Gods will be done I am willing to goe out of the world no man can be more willing to send me out then I am willing to be gone Sir John Clothworthy What speciall Text of Scripture now is comfortable to a man in his departure Cant. Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo. Sir John Clothworthy That is a good desire but there must be a foundation for that desire as assurance Cant. No man can expresse it it is to be found within Sir John Clothworthy It is founded upon a word though and that word would be known Cant. That word is the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that alone And turning to the Executioner he gave him money saying here honest friend God forgive thee and doe thy office upon me in mercy The Executioner desired him to give some signe when he should strike he answered Yes I will but let me fit my self first Then kneeling down on his knees he prayed thus The Arch-Bishops last prayer on the Scaffold LOrd I am coming as fast as I can I know I must passe 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 jawes of death so Lord receive my soul and have mercy upon me and blesse this Kingdome with peace and with plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Jesus Christ sake if it be thy will And when he said Lord receive my soul which was his signe the Eecutioner did his office The severall Speeches of Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capell immediately before their execution upon the Scaffold in the Palace yard Westminster on Friday March 9. 1649. Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridg his Speech on the Scaffold March 9. 1649. UPon Friday the ninth of this instant being the day appointed for the Execution of the sentence of Death upon the Earl of Cambridge the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel about ten of Clock that morning L. Col. Beecher came with his Order to the several Prisoners at St. James's requiring them to come away According to which Order they were carried in Sedans with a Guard to Sir Thomas Cottons house at Westminster where they continued about the space of two hours passing away most of that time in religious and seasonable conferences with the Ministers there present with them After which being called away to the Scaffold it was desired that before they went they might have the opportunity of commending their Souls to God by prayer which being readily granted and the room voided Mr. Bolton was desired by the Lord of Holland to take that pains with them which was accordingly done with great appearance of solemn Affections among them Prayer being concluded and hearty thanks returned by them all to the Ministers who performed as also to the rest who were their Assistants in this sad time of trouble the Earl of Cambridge prepared first to go towards the place of Execution and after mutual embraces and some short ejaculatory expressions to and for his fellow-sufferers he took his leave of them all and went along with the Officers attended upon by Dr. Sibbald whom he had chosen for his Comforter in this his sad condition The Scaffold being erected in the new Palace-yard at Westminster over against the great Hal-Gate in the sight of the place where the High-Court of Justice formerly sate the Hal-doors being open there was his Excellencies Regiment of Horse commanded by Capt. Disher and several Companies of Col. Hewsons and Col. Prides Regiments of Foot drawn up in the place When the Earl came from Westminster Hall neer the Scaffold he was met by the Undersheriff of Middlesex and a Guard of his men who took the charge of him from Lieut. Col. Beecher and the Partizans that were his Guard The Sheriff of London being also according to command from the High Court of Justice present to see the Execution performed The Earl of Cambridge being come upon the Scaffold and two of his own servants waiting upon him he first spake to the Doctor as followeth E. of Camb. Whether shall I pray first Dr. Sibbald As your Lordship pleases E. of Camb. My Lord of Denbigh has sent to speak with me I know not the faction I may ask you Sir Doe those Gentlemen expect I should say any thing to them or no they cannot hear Dr. Sibbald There will be a greater silence by and by It will not be amiss if your Lordship defer your speaking till you hear from his Lordship Camb. There is something in it He was with the House Dr. Sibbald I suppose he would give no interruption to your Lordship at this time were there not something of concernment in it Camb. He is my Brother and has been a very faithful servant to the State and he was in great esteem and reputation with them He is in the Hall and sent to speak with a servant of mine to send something to me Sibbald It will not lengthen the time much if you stay while you have a return from him My Lord you should do well to bestow your time now in meditating upon and imploring of the free mercy of God in Christ for your eternal Salvation and look upon that ever-streaming Fountain of his precious Bloud that purgeth us from all our sins even the sins of the deepest dye the Bloud of Jesus Christ washes away all our sins and that Bloud of Christ is powred forth upon all such as by a lively Faith lay hold upon him God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life that is now my Lord the Rock upon which you must chiefly rest and labour to fix your self in the free mercy of God through Christ Jesus whose mercies are from everlasting to everlasting unto all such as with the eye of Faith behold him behold Jesus the Author and Finisher of your Salvation who hath satisfied the Justice of God by that All-sufficiency of his Sacrifice which once for all he offered upon the Cross for the sins of the whole world so that the sting of death is taken away from all Believers and he hath sanctified it as a passage to everlasting blessedness It is true the waters of Jordan run somewhat rough and surly betwixt the Wilderness and our passage into Canaan but let us rest upon the Ark my Lord the Ark Christ Jesus that will carry us through and above all those waves to that Rock of ages which no flood nor waves can reach unto
Mastet Wentworth he commends himself and gives him charge to serve his God to submit to his King with all faith and Allegiance in things temporal to the Church in things Spiritual chargeth him again and again as he will answer it to him in heaven never to meddle with the Patrimony of the Church for if he did it would be a Canker to eat up the rest of his Estate Carry my blessing also to my daughter Anno and Arabella charge them to serve and fear God and he will blesse them not forgetting my little Infant who yet knows neither good nor evil and cannot speak for it self God speak for it and blesse it now said he I have nigh done one Stroke will make my wife husbandless my dear children fatherlesse and my poor Servants Masterlesse and will separate me from my dear Brother and all my friends But let God be to you and them all in all After this going to take off his doublet and to make himself unready he said I thank God I am not affraid of Death nor daunted with any discouragement rising from any fears but do as chearfully put off my doublet at this time as ever I did when I went to bed then he put off his doublet wound up his hair with his hands and put on a white Cap. Then he called where is the man that is to do this last office meaning the executioner call him to me when he came and asked him forgiveness he told him he forgave him and all the world then kneeling down by the block he went to prayer again himself the Primate of Ireland kneeling on the one side and the Minister on the other To the which Minister after prayer he turned himself having done prayer and spake some few words softly having his hands lifted up and closed with the Ministers hands Then bowing himself to lay his head upon the block he told the executioner that he would first lay down his head to try the fitness of the block and take it up again before he would lay it down for good and all And so he did and before he layed it down again he told the Executioner that he would give him warning when to strike by stretching forth his hands And presently laying down his neck upon the block and stretching forth his hands the Executioner strook off his head at one blow and taking it up in his hand shewed it to all the people and said God save the King His body was afterwards embalmed and appointed to be carried into York-shire there to be buried amongst his Ancestors He left these three Instructions for his Sonne in writing First That he should continue still to be brought up under those Governors to whom he had committed him As being the best he could pick out of all those within his knowledg and that he should not change them unlesse they were weary of him that he should rather want himself then they should want any thing they could desire Secondly He chargeth him as he would answer it at the last day not to put himself upon any publique employments till he was thirty years of age at least And then if his Prince should call him to Publique Service he should carefully undertake it to testify his obedience and withall to be faithfull and sincere to his Master though he should come to the same end that himself did Thirdly that he should never lay any hand upon any thing that belonged to the Church He foresaw that ruine was like to come upon the Revenues of the Church and that perhaps they might be shared amongst the Nobility and Gentry But if his Son medled with any of it he wished the curse of God might follow him and all them to the destruction of the most Apostolicall Church upon Earth The Satyrick Elegie upon the Execution of Master Nathaniel Tomkins July the 5. 1643. To the Citizens of London T IS Tomkins glad spectators whom you see Hang as the Trophy of your tyranny Whose loyall harmlesse bloud is spilt By and for you yet no pale guilt Dwells in your faces with dry eyes You murther and call 't Sacrifice I will not say of fools but sure no man Can call such heathen Offerings Christian Such bloudy deep-dy'd Crimson facts Must not be call'd Apostles acts Though Case were godfather the Dove Descended on the Son of Love And not the Kite or Eagle no such fowle Must stand as Embleme of a Christian soul Though your new Buffe-Divines can draw Bloud from the Gospel and make 't Law A killing Letter and can bring Christ into th' field to kill the King When both the Canon and the Musket shot Proclaim'd you guilty of a Pouder-plot Blacker than Fauxes and more fell Than that you say was hatcht in Hell When to defend them you let flye At King Prince Duke Nobility T is true you bear a bloudy Crosse but this No badge of murther but Religion is And Walworth's Dagger in your field Shews a Lord Major a Rebell kill'd But now he is one and yet he And Walworth wears one Liverie For my part since Edge-hill I ' count that we Live not by right but onely courtesie He that dares smite my King is more Than I dare think grand Seigniour And I his vassaile and my breath Is his whose nod or frown is death Brittain where's now thy liberty thy walk Is not thine own thy gesture nor thy talk Thou mayst smile Treason now a look If cast a squint upon a book Sign'd with H. E. will strike th' as dead As Basiliskes or Gorgons head Isles were Informers punishment at Rome Where they liv'd Exiles ours is now become Their Paradice He that can spye Malignant in the face or eye Is a mad-man need nothing fear Preferments grow at Westminster For knaves and Sycophants and such as can Ruine three Kingdomes to make up one man Thus fell brave Tomkins rather thus He stood as did Calimachus And more spake dead for he did come A dead man to receive his doom Which as he did fore-know he scorn'd nor cou'd Their number or their malice chill his bloud He stood undaunted nor did fear The Saw-pit Lord or Manchester Nor yet Sir Johns bloud-guilty front With Straffords head engrav'd upon 't Nor the rest of City Judges that were there For nothing but to murther and forswear Thus dy'd the Roman Thrasea Brave man and thus fell Seneca Both wise and rich and fortunate Save in his tyrant pupills hate Nero who laugh't to see Rome frie and sung Unto his Harp the flames of Ilium You doe the same and worse for now A Kingdom 's all on fire whilst you Idle and glad spectators lend Fresh fuell lest the fire should spend Look to 't thou bloudy City fast and pray London that this prove not Acheldama From your black doom we 'll this conclusion draw You have no Gospel Tomkins had no Law Mr. Challenor his Confession and speech made upon the ladder before his Execution on
that purpose he had a Commission from the Earl of Essex and by deputation from him by consent of Parliament the Charge and government thereof was intrusted upon Sir Alexander Carew but by the said Alexander Carew as is justly proved by divers Witnesses the designe was plotted contrived After his heart was possessed with these Treaties with the Enemy it soon vented it self into outward expression First by openly declaring his resolution to hold this Island for the King then by indeavouring to put that resolution in practice Many other circumstances were alleaged against him to this purpose and made good against him by divers Witnesses viz. Mr. Frances the Mayor of Plymouth Mr. Willis and Mr. Randall both Ministers Robert Roe Captain John Hancock Mr. Perce Mr. Deep Merchants Arthur Skinner besides divers of his own Souldiers All which by their several Depositions did clearly prove his said design to betray the Island to the Enemy Many of which actions as aforesaid though clearly proved and testified upon oath the said Sir Alex. Carew denied and pleaded that the Ordinance of Parliament did look forward and not backward and that he ought not to be tryed by them Unto which Mr. Mills Advocate of the Court replied 1. That your defence was grounded upon the Ordinance of Parliament which they hold not onely insufficient but to reflect upon the wisdome and justice of the Parliament 2. That the exception grew upon a great mistake for the two Articles which they proceeded against you is upon the second and seventh Articles which are very clear against you viz. the second and seventh Whosoever shall plot c. as in the Article both look back as well as forward and these Articles do not create a new but only declare the punishment of that was before which by all the Laws Civill is death and treachery and treason which is your case which is a Law to be taken notice of and known by all commanders in Armies For the Proviso in the Ordinance it is plain in it self After which the Sentence of the Court was pronounced The Sentence against Sir Alexander Carew Baronet Sir Alexander Carew Baronet You have been arraigned and convicted before this honorable Court Martial That you being a Commander in the service of the Parliament and particularly Commander of St. Nicolas Island and the Forces there have traiterously deserted your trust and persidiously plotted and combined and indeavoured to betray the said Isle and Forces to the Enemy For which the honorable Court Martial doth adjudge you to death by having your head severed from your body According to which Sentence of the Court upon Munday 23. of December 1644. Sir Alex. Carew Baronet was brought from the Tower by the Lieutenant and his officers to Tower-Hill attended by three Companies of the trained Bands of the City where being come upon the scaffold after some conference with the Ministers he addressed himself to the people there present Sir Alexander Carew's Speech on the Scaffold Gentlemen I Hope you will in consideration of my weak body not expect that I should speak much to you neither is it my part to discourse nor my desire of my actions and to justifie my self but I shall rather confess as the poor Publican did God be mercifull to me a sinner I desire your prayers to God for me and I pray to God for you that no one drop of my blood may be required at any mans hands I forgive all the world with as full and free heart as mortall man can and I beseech God in heaven to forgive me mine the God of heaven and earth that seeth heareth and beholdeth knowes that I lie not I have desired with unfained desire and hearty affection to be dissolved and to be with Christ knowing that it shall be better for me being assured thereby to be freed from the miseries of sin and enter into a better life It was the last words of my Grandfather and here of my Father the assurance of their eternal peace and happinesse after the dissolution of this body of theirs in which they lived here on earth it is mine likewise I have no more to say but humbly take my leave of you Upon the conclusion of his Speech he desired the People then present to joyn with him in singing the 23. Psalm which he read very distinctly to them and joyned with them with much fervency therein The Psalm being ended he put on his Cap and unbuttoned himself and with much resolution laid his head on the block The Executioner at two blows severed his head from his body Captain Hotham's Speech on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill immediately before his Execution Wednesday January 1. 1644. Gentlemen YOU see here in what condition I stand you all come here to look upon me as a Spectacle of shame and Justice And I believe a great many of you are possest with very great Crimes that I have committed of Treason against the Parliament Those things I must declare to you all that this Conscience knows no guilt of I did ingage my self in the Parliaments cause I did them service in possessing of Hull I preserved their Forts and Magazines I preserved their Towns and Forces wheresoever they came and never miscarried It hath pleased God to bring me to this end for my sins to him which I acknowledge to be just but not for any sins that I have committed in Treason against the Parliament Neither do I know any Treason or intention of Treason in my poor Father that lies in the same condition that I do whatsoever other men do call Treason This I testifie to you all here some few words more he spake to this purpose After the Executioner did his office Sir John Hotham's Speech on the Scaffold on Tower-hill immediately before his Execution Thursday January 2. 1644. HE being come upon the Scaffold with Mr. Peters and other Ministers and his Friends Mr. Peters spake these words on his behalf to the people near the Scaffold Gentlemen It is the desire of Sir John Hotham That since he hath in his chamber fully discovered to divers Ministers his mind fully and clearly that many questions may not be put to him here but that he may seriously and quietly speak what he is guilty of and what he is guiltless in and so the Lord direct him Sir John Hothams Speech Gentlemen I Know no more of my self but this That I deserve this Death from God Almighty and that I deserve damnation and the severest punishments from him As for the business of Hull the betraying of it from the Parliament the Ministers have all been with me and given me good counsell I thank them Neither was I any waies guilty of it that 's all I can say to that Act. For other offences rash words anger and such things no man hath been more guilty I beseech God to forgive me I have received as many favours as any man from God and I have been as ingrateful as
blessings upon them I accuse no man I find fault nor quarrell with no man neither with the persons that were the occasions they were but instruments neither at the persons condemning I accept thankfully the Sentence of Death upon my self and I beseech Almighty God that I may be the last that may suffer upon this score or upon any other Master Sheriff If there be any thing wherein I can give any other satisfaction to any Christian whatsoever in any kind as I spake in generall I bless Almighty God from my own Heart now so assisted by the especiall Operation and Motions and Dictates of the Holy Ghost if I can know any thing wherein or how to be now in my dying not having served God so well in my life serviceable to the Church of God of Christ and the full satisaction of any whatsover I am here ready I am unacquainted but in my extasies to Heaven there is that Glory I am going to I beseech Almighty God that he will give me grace to bless his holy Name as for all as for Jesus Christ and in him all things so particularly for this that he hath thought me worthy to bring me hither for my faithfulness to my Master that is the most pious and most just Prince in all the world My Master hath suffered bitterly in England and if there be any failing in his service the fault is onely mine God knows I have done nothing in the business but by the instance of the Merchants I delivered my Letters and there they lie To other things I am a Stranger I hope that God will give me the grace of perseverance in that Christian Religion in that loyalty to my Prince in that love to all the World that now being to give up my accompt to him that I may with comfort be received in the arms of his mercy If there be any thing Master Sheriff that I may give satisfaction in I am ready to do it according to the poor talent I have I will receive my punishment in the way God hath prepared for me and many ways I have been taken up Truly I am bound to all that see me and many thousands more since I came into England not an uncivil look we had strange reports abroad not an uncivil look from any God repay them all and return them from the Throne of his Grace into their own Bosoms And God in particular bless that Honourable Lady who was the occasion of the coming of my Lords Grace of Armagh with the Confirmation of those glorious and eternal Messages of Comfort which now I am going to enjoy being thankfull to all those that know me and know me not for since I am come hither whereas I might have received prejudice in respect to my Loyalty which is not the way now I have from them all received courtesie the Lord repay them I thank God I am otherwise bred and my Allegiance hath been incorporated imbodied into my Religion and besides the great desires of other Gentlemen that I might goe out of the World but that the world might see that the Grace of God hath had a perfect Reformation in me and a willing and thankfull Submission to his Will therefore I repent me not of it but I beseech Almighty God to bless and prosper all people whatsoever that to this Kingdome belong As my Speech is imperfect so is my Health I have forced my self in this Discourse to give that satisfaction which I could And I beseech you Mr. Sheriff if you can hear of any Gentlemen that are wronged what I offer here I am to answer it and I beseech you joyn with me in your Christian Prayres that I may have a passage whither I am now going to give an account not only of every deed but of every word Then turning to his Man he said Sir H. Hide John Which is the Executioner The Executioner being brought to him he said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I have no quarrel with you you are the welcome instrument do your work only let me see the place that I may fit my self for I have an infirm body Sheriff You shall when you have prayed if you please to pray first Sir H. Hide I desire to see the Block I can pray afterwards Here Mr. Executioner is that money that is left here is Four pounds for you Then being shewed the Block he kissed it saying Sir H. Hide It is unworthy for me to put my Head where my Masters was Blessed be God Blessed be his holy Name putting off his Hat I have an infirmity in my Body but God hath enabled me inwardly Pray M. Sheriff let me have a little more room Sheriff Go to Prayer and we will clear the room Sir H. Hide I have I thank Almighty God done those Christian Offices belonging to me at home I come hither only to die Then kneeling down he said the Lords prayer Then having prayed a short space he stood up and turning to the Executioner said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I pray give me direction what I am to doe and doe your Office You will cure all diseases presently pray direct me Then the Executioner going to spread the Scarf over the Block he said Sir H. Hide Put it not on now but by and by D. Hide God Almighty strengthen you Sir H. Hide God reward you all Then the Executioner going to put up his Hair under his Sattin Cap he thought he had been taking of it off Whereupon he said Sir H. Hide Must I have my black Cap off it is very cold all these Diseases will be cured the Lord be thanked Then going to lie down his Man not helping him he said Sir H. Hide John help me a little I pray Did not I tell you I could neither rise nor fall lay me down and lift me up again John Then rising again upon his knees he spake to the Executioner having the Ax in his hand Sir H. Hide Pray Sir give me the Ax. And then taking the Ax in his hand he kissed it and returned it to the Executioner again saying Sir H. Hide I will only say Lord Jesus receive my Soul and when I lift up my Right-hand do your work And then lying down again after a little space he lift up his Right-hand and the Executioner at one stroke severed his Head from his Body The speech of James Earl of Derby upon the Scaffold at Bolton in Lancashire together with his Deportment and prayer before his death on Wednesday the 15. day of October 1651. THe Earl of Derby according to the order of the Court Marshall held at Chester by which he was sentenced to die at Bolton in Lancashire was brought to that Town with a guard of Horse and Foot of Colonel Jones's commanded by one Southley who received his order from Colonel Robert Duckenfield betwixt 12. and 1. of the clock on Wednesday the 15. of October the people weeping praying and bewailing him all the way from the prison