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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34573	Stafford's memoires, or, A brief and impartial account of the birth and quality, imprisonment, tryal, principles, declaration, comportment, devotion, last speech, and final end, of William, late lord viscount Stafford, beheaded upon Tower-hill on Wednesday the 29. of December 1681 hereunto is also annexed a short appendix concerning some passages in Stephen Colleges trial.	Corker, James Maurus, 1636-1715.	1681 (1681)	Wing C6306; ESTC R20377	92,206	80

Stafford's Memoires OR A Brief and Impartial Account OF THE BIRTH and QUALITY IMPRISONMENT TRYAL PRINCIPLES DECLARATION COMPORTMENT DEVOTION Last SPEECH and Final END OF WILLIAM late Lord Viscount STAFFORD Beheaded upon Tower-hill on Wednesday the 29. of December 1681. Published for Rectifying all Mistakes upon this Subject Wisd 4. Vitam illorum estimabamus insaniam Finem illorum sine Honore c. Hereunto is also annexed a short APPENDIX concerning some Passages in STEPHEN COLLEDGES TRIAL Printed in the Year MDCLXXXI The INTRODUCTION IT is a wonder to see how Passion and Interest predominate over Reason in Mankind Nothing is done nothing said without some tincture of either or both Even common Occurrences are usually related as Men would have them to be rather then as they are Plain-dealing is almost fled And all things now a days whether Private or Publick Sacred or Prophane are according to different Inclinations without regard to Truth promiscuously made the Subject of a Satyr or Panegirick An obvious example of this we have in the several accounts given of the Tryal Declaration Demeanor and Death of the late Lord Stafford concerning whose Tragedy though acted for the most part in the face of the whole Nation yet there have flown about in a manner as many and those contradictory Stories as there are Relaters and such as know least commonly talk most to compleat the Error It is true the Printed Tryal set forth by Authority is no wise liable to these gross mistakes But it hath swelled in the Press by forms c. To so vast a volume that few can spare either money to buy it or time to read it Besides it is in a manner silent of matters chiefly designed for the Subject of this Treatise viz. My Lords Comportment Declaration Devotion Last Speech and other Occurrences which happened inclusively from the time of his Tryal to his final end Having therefore attained to a most exact and certain knowledge of these particulars I shall for the satisfaction of the curious and manifestation of Truth give together with an abstract of the whole Tryal and some occurrences concerning it a plain and sincere relation of what I know and can by unquestionable Evidence justify to be true And herein I shall also totally abstain from any the les● moralizing upon transactions whereby to forestal the Readers Judgment But contenting my self with a plain and candid Relation of things as I find them leave every one to the freedom of his own censure and verdict upon them SECT I. My Lords Birth Education Quality c. William Howard Viscount Stafford was second Son to Thomas Earl of Arundel and Uncle to the now Duke of Norfolk In his youth he was educated with all care and industry imaginable to improve in him the endowments of Nature and Grace And to speak truth he was ever held to be of a generous Disposition very Charitable Devout addicted to Sobriety inoffensive in his words and a lover of Justice When he arrived to years of maturity he married Mary descended from the ancient Dukes of Buckingham Grandchild to Edward and Sister and sole Heiress to Henry Lord Stafford To whose Title he succeeded being created by the late King Charles of Glorious memory Baron Anno 1640. And soon after Viscount Stafford During the time of the last bloody Rebellion he suffer'd much for his Loyalty to the King Always behaving himself with that courage and constancy as became a Nobleman a good Christian and a faithful Subject After his present Majesties joyful restauration he lived in Peace Plenty and Happiness Being blessed with a most Virtuous Lady to his Wife And many pious and dutiful Children In which state he remained till the 66. year of his age when happened this Revolution of his fortune as followeth SECT II. My Lords Imprisonment Charge and Arraignment c. ABout Michaelmas Anno 1678. Mr. Titus Oates formerly a Minister of the Church of England accused upon Oath before the King and Council and not long after also before the two Houses of Parliament several Roman Catholicks some Persons of Quality and amongst the rest the Lord Viscount Stafford of High Treason for intending and designing the Death of the King the introducing of Popery and subversion of the Government My Lord though he immediately heard of this Impeachment yet relying as he said on his own Innocence never left his Family nor withdrew himself from his ordinary known Acquaintance and Affairs till the 25th of October 78. when by Virtue of a Warrant from the Lord Chief Justice he was sent Prisoner to the Kings Bench and from thence soon after to the Tower where he remained above two years before he could be admitted to Tryal During this interval the whole Nation was surprized and allarm'd with the noise of an horrid Plot contriv'd by the Pope Priests and Jesuits wherein the King was to be murthered Armies raised Protestants Massacred and the three Kingdoms destroyed by Fire and Sword the People were affrighted searches made Guards doubled and all in an uproar The King hereupon consulted the Parliament and both Houses declared it a Plot. Yet to strengthen the Evidence as yet but weak and make farther discoveries Indempnities are promised Rewards proposed and encouragements given by Proclamation to any who would make out upon Oath the particulars of what in substance was already declar'd By this and the like sedulity of the King and three succeeding Parliaments several new Witnesses came in First Captain Bedlow Next Dugdale Prance and two others Bolron and Mowbray out of the North Then Mr. Jennison Smith Seigneur Francisco Dangerfield Zeile Lewis c. Lastly one Mr. Turbervile who together with Oates and Dugdale gave Evidence against this Lord Stafford of whom we now treat After two years Imprisonment when many Roman Catholicks both Priests and others had been Executed and most of the rest Imprisoned or fled At length my Lord was brought to his Tryal on the 30 th day of Novem. 1680. at the Peers Bar in Westminster-Hall the House of Commons being present and the Lord Chancellor High-Steward of England The Impeachment was drawn in the name of the Commons of England wherein my Lord was charged together with other Papists for having imagin'd and contriv'd to murder the King to introduce Popery and subvert the good Government of Church and State established by Law To this Impeachment my Lord being thereupon arraigned pleaded Not Guilty Allegations in proof of the Plot in general ¶ 1. THen the Cause was opened and the Commons Learned Counsel who were appointed Managers of the Tryal set forth the Charge in most Copious and Eloquent Language And beginning first with the Plot in general they shew'd to the life the Wickedness the Malice the Horror of so Dreadful Bloudy and Hellish a Design They strongly insisted on the express Positive Oaths of the Witnesses upon whose Testimony the credit of this Plot chiefly depended They amply dilated upon the Letters of Coleman

desired Mr. Lievtenant of the Tower might speak what he knew Hereupon Mr. Lievtenant declared That the Lord Aston would have come to an account with Dugdale in his the Lievtenants presence But that Dugdale put it off and said he would come some other time but from that time to this he never heard of him UPon these Testimonies the Mannagers made these following Observations First It was manifest from several Circumstances that Dugdale went not away from Tixal for Debt as seems here to be pretended but for fear of being apprehended for the Plot which argues he was then Conscious of his own Guilt in that matter Secondly Whereas Sawyer attests that Dugdale Swore he would be revenged on my Lord Aston because he would not own him for his Servant when Arrested for Debt If this were true yet seeing this Revenge was not intended against my Lord Stafford but against my Lord Aston It is Impertinent to be urged against Dugdale's present Evidence To which the Papists Answer To the first It is no wonder if at a time when Roman Catholicks were universally suspected and persecuted on account of the Plot Dugdale though not Conscious of any Guilt either in himself or others Yet being then a Catholick and hitherto undetermined to set up for an Evidence was in some apprehensions of comming into trouble and might therefore withdraw upon that Score But what is that to the present purpose Is it not also undeniably proved here That Dugdale was in Debt That for Debt he was Arrested and Imprisoned That for his Misdemeanors and not for Religion he was discarded by his Master That at last Beggery had surrounded him Revenge possessed him and Desperation Seized him If this hath been clearly proved 't is no hard matter to judge what was his end and aim in making his Discoveries And my Lords further Inferences hereupon are Soild and Good To the second The Evidence given of Dugdale's Revenge was not produced as if the said Revenge was chiefly intended against my Lord Stafford but only to shew that Dugdale was now upon the point of bidding adieu to Conscience and Honesty And desirous to satisfie at once both his Malice and Penury He contrived his Plot after the Model given him by Oates and Bedlow wherein he Accused some out of Revenge and others amongst whom my Lord Stafford as the most proper Persons to compleat the Number of Actors in his Tragick Farce IN defence of Dugdale's Reputation in point of Honesty Mr. Whitby declared That Dugdale had been long my Lord Aston's Servant received my Lord's Rents made his Bargains and Governed the rest of the Family That he dealt honestly with him That he had heard indeed some Trades-men complain he put them off without Money and would not pay them But that my Lord would hear nothing against him William Southal a Coroner deposed that he knew no ill of Mr. Dugdale that he was the Lord Aston's Bayliff and had a good repute with all those People who had dependence on the Family But that he himself never had any business with him Then he the said Southal gave a large relation how he had perswaded Dugdale being then in Custody for Debt to Discover the Plot By putting him in mind of his Duty and Allegiance to the King and assuring him If he would make a timely Discovery he should not only obtain his Majesties Gracious Paerdon but also a Reward of Two Hundred Ponnds By force of which Argument Dugdale at last assented to make Discoveries And accordingly gave in his several Depositions first in the Countrey before two Justices of the Peace afterwards before the Councel and lastly before the two Houses of Parliament Concerning this Southal the Lord Ferrers informed the Court That he had been very active against the King in the late Wars and had the Repute of a Pernicious Man against the Government To Impugne which Information the Lord Brook declared in behalf of Southal that his Mother had imployed him and found him honest in their Affairs And Mr. Gower farther testified That he found Southal extraordinarily zealous in prosecuting the Papists UPon these Evidences the Mannagers made these Observations First Mr. Whitby not only declares that Dugdale had dealt honestly by him But that my Lord Aston himself would hear nothing against him Secondly It is not always the Stewards fault if Workmen to great Persons sometimes want their Wages Thirdly Mr. Southal an understanding and zealous man had with much difficulty and strong Arguments the good fortune at last to succeed in parswading Mr. Dugdale to make a fair and plain Discovery of the whole Plot to the great happiness not only of Mr. Dugaale but of the whole Nation To which the Papists Answer To the first Though Dugdale perhaps dealt honestly with Mr. Whitby yet he might be a Knave and deal dishonestly with other People for all that And if my Lord Aston refused to hear any thing against him this very refusal argues there were Complaints made of him And my Lord himself in time both gave Ear to his Crimes and Discarded him for them as is already proved To the second Those Stowards who receiving Moneys of their Masters to pay poor Labourers their Wages shall as Dugdale did Defrand them of it the better to defray their own Extravagant Expences are no honest Men. To the third The Papists do not understand to what purpose this Testimony of Southal's is here produced for it is granted That Dugdale being in Goal and brought to extremity did after much struggling and reluctancy of Conscience abandon his Soul to Perjury And conceiving fair hopes of Success by the prosperous adventures of Oates and Bedlow by the present promise of 200 l. and by the perswasion of Southal a notorious Cromwellian at last plunged himself into deep and horrid Oaths not only incredible but morally impossible to be true THe second weighty Exception made by my Lord against Dugdale's Deposition was That he had directly and palpably Perjured himself in divers parts and circumstances of his said Deposition For instance of this First Dugdale now Swears He had an exact knowledge and deep concern in the Plot. He was not only a Confident but an Assistant in raising Armies Killing the King c. Now my Lord proved by several Irrefragable Witnesses That the said Dugdale had before at sundry times and on sundry occasions with dreadful Oaths and Execrations professed he knew nothing of any such thing The Witnesses were these Sir Walter Baggot and Mr. Kinnersley both Parliament-men Attested That Dugdale being Examined before them and other Justices of the Peace though he then took the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in their Presence yet absolutely denyed any knowledge of the Plot. Mr. Whitgrave also a Justice of the Peace Attested that he earnestly Pressed and Encouraged Dugdale to make a Discovery of what he knew telling him Now he had taken the Oaths they looked upon him as one of

along with you to shew you the way for I have asked his Lord leave for him to go Upon this Dugdale having now leave went along with Furnesse to the Stable and took Horse Furnesse his Horse was not ready but he overtook Dugdale within half a Mile and they arrived at the Race together about twelve a Clock My Lord himself with other persons of Quality came to the Race not long after and returned back to Tixal about seven at Night The same Mr. Furnesse and George Leigh both Attested that my Lord never sent either of them for Dugdale that he never bid them go out of the Chamber or absent themselves whilst Dugdale alone remained with him No nor did they know that my Lord was ever alone with Dugdale either that Morning or in his whole Life To Infringe the last Particle of this last Evidence the Mannagers produced these Witnesses Mr. Hanson Deposed That he once saw Dugdale with my Lord in the Parlour at Tixal but durst not be positive whether they were alone or not William Ansell Deposed That passing through the Court at Tixal he saw my Lord walking with Dugdale That he heard no Discourse between them That there might be more in the Company but he saw no more And lastly added that talking one day with Dugdale about the Plot Dugdale answered God Blast him if he knew any thing of it UPon these Evidences the Mannagers made these Observations First My Lords two Witnesses Furness and Leigh were his own Servants Secondly They were very positive in a matter hard to remember viz That Dugdale never was in my Lords Company And therefore that easie Credit should not be given to them but rather to Hanson and Ansell who both Swear that they have seen my Lord and Dugdale together To which the Papists answer These common Sophismes and weak Objections made to the Convincing Evidence here given by my Lord in Confutation of the main matter laid to his Charge argue the Mannagers at a loss for an Answer To the first Whom could my Lord produce but his Servants to contradict the Falsities of a man that pretends to have heard him speak Treason whilst he was Dressing in his Bed-Chamber Are Ponest Servants because Servants no good Witnesses To the second Though it should be granted that at other times and upon other occasions Dugdale might have been in my Lord's Company either unknown to his Servants or not remembred by them or even by my Lord himself which is the utmost of what the Testimony of Hanson and Ansell can amount to yet this doth not at all weaken my Lord's Evidence nor clear Dugdale from Perjury herein For the chief things which my Lord s two Servants well remembred distinctly Attested and by most remarkable Circumstances fully proved was That my Lord did not send either of them for Dugdale nor was Dugdale alone with my Lord in his Chamber on the 21th of September in the Morning On all which particulars Dugdale laid the Stress of his Evidence and here it is he is directly Perjured FOurthly Dugdale at the forenamed Tryal of Sir George Wakeman positively Swore as my Lord proved by two Witnesses Mr. Gyfford and Mr. Lydcot both present at the said Tryal That he the said Dugdale having received a Letter on the 14th of October which mentioned the death of a Justice of Peace did the same day at an Ale-house in Tixal impart the Contents of the said Letter to Mr. Sambidge Kinsman to my Lord Aston And Mr. Philips Minister of Tixal And that they answered They heard nothing of it before Now to confute this my Lord produced for Witnesses the same Mr. Sambidge and Mr. Philips Mr. Sambidge protested upon his Salvation Dugdale never told him any such thing Nor did he ever hear of it till the Friday or Saturday Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was found at Bury-Hill Mr. Philips attested That he never heard of it either by Letter or Word of Mouth from Dugdale or any other till the death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was publickly known To ballance this Evidence the Mannagers produced these Witnesses Mr. Ansel deposed That at the Ale-house and day above named he heard Mr. Dugdale mention the death of a Justice of Peace Mr. Sambidge and Mr. Philips being then both in the House but not in the same Room with Ansel when Dugdale told the News William Hanson deposed That at the time and place aforesaid he heard Dugdale say There was a Justice of Peace Murdered that lived at Westminster And that when Dugdale told this News Mr. Sambidge and Mr. Philips were by and might have heard it if they would Mr. Birch and Mr. Turton both attested That about the fifteenth or sixteenth of the same October the news of Sir Edmundbury Godfreys Death was spread about the Countrey and seemed to take its first rise from Tixal UPon these several Evidences the Mannagers made these Observations First Mr. Sambidge was something deaf and might not here when Dugdale told him the news of the Death of a Justice of Peace Secondly Mr. Phillips the Parson being perhaps very Studious in his Employment might be wanting in point of Memory Thirdly The other Witnesses produced in Confirmation of Dugdel's Evidence make it our that he did impart the news at the time place and in the presence of the parties above-mentioned To which the Papists answer To the first If what the Mannagers alledge be true then is Dugdale here also proved Perjured by the Mannagers themselves For he expresly Swore at the said Tryal of Sir George Wakeman That Mr. Sambidge both heard and answered him Saying He heard nothing of the news before To the second No honest man affirms or denies any past words or actions but according as he remembers and to pretend want of Memory in a direct Evidence is the common Road whereby to evade all humane Testimony To the third The other Witnesses on behalf of Dugdale do in no sort make out the thing for which they are produced For Ansel doth not own that Philips and Sambidge were so much as in the same Room with Dugdale when he mentioned the death of a Justice of Peace Hanson indeed herein contradicting Ansel tells us they were in the Room but could not say they heard much less answered to the discourse of Dugdale which is the chief matter of Perjury here charged upon him As for what Mr. Birch and Turton declared concerning the Rumour soon after spread of the death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey it nothing at all Enervates the present proof of Periury seeing it may well be true there was such a report and yet false that Dugdale had such a discourse with Sambidge and Philips as he positively Swears and they both as positively deny But enough hath been already said upon this Subject where we treated of the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey FIfthly Dugdale in an Information given upon Oath Swore That presently after one Howard Almoner to the Queen went beyond

the Seas he was told by George Hobson then Servant to the Lord Aston That there was a Design intended for the Reformation of the Government to the Popish Religion Now it was owned and acknowledged in Court point blank contrary to this Information That the said Hobson was not Servant to the Lord Aston nor known by Dugdale three years after the departure of the said Almoner out of England UPon this proof of Dugdale's Perjury the Mannagers made this observation viz That Dugdale's words cited in the Information are capable of two senses either they may import Hobson told him there was a Design ever since the Almoner went away Or they may import Hobson told him presently after the Almoner went away there was a Design The first sense may refer to the matter told The second to the time when told The words taken in the first sense argue no contradiction in Dugdale's Testimony To which the Papists answer The words of the Information taken in their plain obvious and connatural sense clearly import Hobson related to Dugdale there was a Design which relation Hobson made to Dugdale presently after the time one Howard went beyond the Seas Nor can any other construction be put upon the words without manifestly wresting them from their Genuine signinification as every impartial Reader may see So that the proof here given of Dugdales Perjury is unanswerable THe third main Exception made by my Lord against Dugdale's Deposition was That he being conscious of his ill grounded Evidence had endeavoured to Suborn divers Persons to make false Oaths That so he might strenghten his own by others Perjury To make good this Exception Samuel Holt a Protestant attested That Dugdale desiring to speak privately with him told him If he would Swear that Walter Moore carryed Mr. Evers away he would give him Forty Pounds bidding him not be affraid to Swear for fear of my Lord Aston for he would hire him an Horse to get to London and place him so that where he now got one Shilling he should then get Five William Robinson attested That meeting with Dugdale about a twelve month ago he the said Dugdale perceiving Robinson to be then Dejected and Poor endeavoured to corrupt him by giving him a Treat and assuring him He should not want Money if he would please to be ruled by him Then he took an Handkerchief out of his Pocket wherein there seem'd to be about ten pounds and bid him If he wanted take Money there And lastly told him He could furnish him with Money and put him in a way to get Money if he would come in as Evidence against my Lord Stafford Which Robinson refused to do not knowing my Lord or any thing of him John Morral a Barber gave attestation in these words Mr. Dugdale the 6th of August last was twelve month sent for me to the White Horse in Ridgley and there when I came to him he told me I knew as much of the Plot as he I told him I was Innocent of the thing He Swore God dam him I knew as much as he Then I told him If he knew no more of it then I did he knew no more then my Lord Mayors great Horse did Then he took me aside Come said he you are a poor Man and Live poorly I can put you in a way whereby you may Live Gallantly I will give you Fifty Pounds in hand if so be you will Swear against Mr. Howard Sir James Simmons Mr. Herbert Aston and other Gentlemen of the Countrey that they were at such Meetings at Mr. Herbert Astons upon the Conspiracy of the Plot. To take off the Credit of the two first Witnesses in this matter viz. Holt and Robinson nothing material being objected against Morral or his Evidence the Mannager s produced Witnesses to prove they were Persons of evil reputation Against Holt one Sampson Rawlins a Taylor Deposed that Holt was a Drunken lewd Fellow That he heard him say There were none but Rogues would take Dugdale's part That he stole some Bottles of Wine out of my Lord Astons Celler That he called him the said Rawlins Rogue because he came up in His Majesties Service and would have Murdered him because he took Dugdales part Against Robinson the Earl of Macklesfield and Mr. Booth a Parliament Man both Deposed That Robinson was a Person of evil and prophane Conversation making a practice of Cheating at Dice Cock-fighting c. That he owned himself upon Examination to be a Rogue And had no other imployment or Livelihood To these unquestionable Evidences against Robinson my Lord reply'd He knew nothing of Robinson before and added It was very observable That Dugdale knowing it seems his Friend and Comrade Robinson to be a Cheat and then in want thought him a tool fittest for his purpose the most easily prevailed upon and most proper to make a Knight of the Post So that the two last worthy Witnesses did by their Evidence rather confirm then lessen the belief of Dugdale's Tampering with Robinson herein UPon these several Evidences the Mannagers made these Observations First It was not likely that Dugdale a stranger to Robinson should attempt to Suborn him to Swear against a Person he knew not and in a matter whereof he was wholly Ignorant Secondly It doth not appear that Dugdale had any ill will to Moore that should induce him to Suborn Holt to Swear against him Thirdly Both Robinson and Holt were Infamous Men the one being a Common Cheat the other a Drunken Quarrelsom Fellow and seeming to favour the Plotters Fourthly Morral was but a Poor Barber of no Reputation and one who might easily be brought to say what he did To which the Papists answer To the first Robinson was no Stranger to Dugdale He was as the Earl of Macklesfeild and Mr. Booth attested every where about Staffordshire remarkably known for Cheating at Dice Cock-sightings Races c. exercises also frequent with Dugdale himself Nor is it material that Robinson knew not my Lord Stafford nor any thing of him It was not Dugdale's business to find out a Man who to discharge a good Conscience would Swear what he knew But who to get Money would Swear what he knew not For which purpose Dugdale had good reason to think Robinson a very proper Instrument To the second It is plain matter of Fact that Dugdale having accused and Imprisoned Moore for carrying away E●ers but not able to prove it he would have hired Holt to make out his false accusation To the third If Robinson and Holt were Cheats and Rogues my Lord well inferred they were the more likely to be chosen by Dugdale for such Imployments as he had for them Though for Holt the greatest offence laid to his Charge seems to be that he Quarrelled with Dugdale's Witnesses as thinking no honest Man would take his part To the fourth Though Morral was Poor yet it doth not appear but that he was so honest as not to be

Assistence of another in this World Notwithstanding all which Catholicks are taught not so to Relie on the Prayers of Others as to neglect their own Duty to God in Imploring his Divine Mercy and Goodness in Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh in Despising the World in Loving and Serving God and their Neighbours in Following the Footsteps of Christ our Lord who is the Way the Truth and the Life To whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen THese are the Principles These the Treasons These the Idolatryes and Superstitions which though no other then what We have Receiv'd of our Forefathers and what the greatest part of the Christian World now profess yet have drawn upon Us poor Catholicks in England such Dreadful Punishments I Beseech you Sir consider our Case without Passion or Prejudice and I am confident you will see We are not such Monsters as our Adversaries Represent Us to be nor entertain such Principles as are Inconsistent with our Duty to God and the King You seem to say This very Plot with which We are charged proves us Guilty of wicked Principles But under Favour You here commit a Vicious Circle in way of Arguing For first here are wicked Principles alledg'd to make good the Proof of a Plot And these being deny'd the Plot is introduced to make out the wicked Principles As if a Man should say a thing because he thought so and give no Reason why he thought so but only because he said so which instead of Proof is to beg the Question Certain I am Catholicks both Taught and Practis●d Principles of Loyalty at a Time when the King and Kingdom felt the Dire Effects of contrary Perswasions In Fine whatsoever is pretended against Us it is manifest We suffer for our Religion and for our Religion wrongfully traduced It is a farther Comfort to Us that our Sufferings God be praised are in some measure not unlike to those of Christ our Lord For it was laid to his Charge as it is to Ours that he was a Traytor to Caesar That he perverted the People and endeavovred the Destruction of Church and State Nor were there wanting then as now an OATS and BEDLOE two false Witnesses to Swear all this Thus God I hope hath Predestinated Us as the Apostle saith to be conform to the Image of his Son to the end that Suffering with Him We may through his Mercy be Glorified together with him Sweet Jesus Bless our Soveraign Pardon our Enemies Grant Us Patience and Establish Peace and Charity in our Nation THus much of my Lord's Principles in Reference to God and the King Whether they be agreeable to Reason and conformable to the Law and Ghospel of Christ I leave to the Impartial Reader to Judge SECT IV. My Lord's Declaration before the House of Lords after his Condemnation SOon after my Lords Tryal several of his Relations and Acquaintance some out of zeal against Popery and others out of kindness to my Lord were daily urgent with him to make Discoveries of all he knew as the only remaining remedy whereby to save his Life regain the Kings favour and attract the applause of the whole Nation My Lord always reply'd He was most willing and ready out of a meer sense of Duty and Conscience independent of any Temporal advantage to himself to discover with all imaginable Sincerity the utmost utmost of what he knew either to the King or House of Lords when ever they required it The Lords being informed hereof Ordered his appearance before them the next day When he came and had audience granted he made his acknowledgments to this effect That he thought it no crime in any Man to wish his Neighbour might be of the same Religion wherein he himself hoped to be saved Nay to seek and promote it by such ways and means as the Laws of God and the Nation allow That there had been at divers times and on sundry occasions endeavours used and overtures made to obtain an Abrogation or at least a Mitigation of Severities against Catholicks But this to be procured no otherwise then by Legal and Parliamentary means That he himself went to Breda whilst the King was there and propounded 100000 l. in behalf of the Catholicks to take off the penal Laws That after the King came in there was a Bill brought into the House in favovr of Catholicks but it was opposed by my Lord Chancellour Hide That there had likewise been framed by the Lord Bristol and others in order to the proposing of them in Parliament several forms of Oaths contained in such terms as might fully express all Duty and Allegiance to the King yet not entangle tender Consciences with Clauses and Provisoes disagreeable to Faith and no wise appertaining to Loyalty but neither did this succeed That afterwards he had offered some proposals as well to the Lord Chancellour at his House at Kenfington as to the Duke of York concerning some lawful expedients conducing to the good as he thought both of Catholicks and the whole Nation And also about Dissolving the long Parliament the substance of which he likewise communicated to my Lord Sbastsbury who said He doubted not but that there would come great advantages to the King by it These he avouched were the chief and only Designs he ever had or knew of amongst Catholicks for promoting their Religion Of more then these he protested before Almighty God and their Lordships he was wholly ignorant But this Declaration not being satisfactory towards the detecting any Damnable Conspiracy the Lords thought sit without any further Examination to remand him back to the Tower On this occasion there run about both Town and Countrey an universal Rumor That the Lord Stafford had now made a full and perfect Discovery of the whole Plot And that the Papists could not for the future have the Impudence to deny it after the Confession though to save his Life of so Honourable a Person But this proved a mistake And by the way it was very observable My Lords Adversaries took this false Alarm with so much eagerness and joy as sufficiently denoted they were not well assured of the truth of the former Evidence given against him SECT V. My Lord's Comportment and Exercise after Sentence THe greatest part of his time from his last Sentence to his final End he employed in serious Recollection and fervent Prayer wherein he seemed to receive a daily encrease both of Courage and Comfort as if the Divine Goodness say the Papists intended to ripen him for Martyrdom and give him a taste of Heaven before-hand Indeed he behaved himself in all things like a Man whose Innocence had banished the Fear and horrour of Death Some few days before his Execution he received a Letter which because it is fouly suspected to have come from some Colledge or Seminary beyond Seas I shall here set it down verbatim to the end every one