presented to him The Bills concerning private persons I omit Those that are of a publick nature were as followeth 1. The Additionall Explanatory Petition and advice 2. An Act to adjourn this Parliament till the 20th of January London July 1. This day his Highnesse the Lord Protector was proclaimed in the City with great solemnity About ten a clock in the morning at Whitehall Gate the persons met who were to give attendance upon this Ceremony First the Messengers belonging to the Councill next Trumpetters next them the lifeguard of his Highnesse after them other Trumpetters next his Highnesse his Gentleman after them more Trumpetters next divers officers of the Army gallantly mounted then Trumpetters again next the Searjants at Armes and the Heralds of Armes and Garter principall King of Armes betwixt two Gentlemen-Ushers before his Highnesse Councill in their Coaches proceeding in this order to Temple-Bar At this place they were met by the Lord Major mounted on horseback in his Crimson Velvet Gown and his Colleâ— of ss. with the Recorder and Aldermen of London all in their Scarlet on horseback attended by his Officers Trumpetters and the loud Musick of the City From thence an officer of Arms proceeded before the Aldermen then next before the Lord Major his Mace-bearer the Sword-bearer with his cap of maintenance and a Herald of Armes Then proceeded severall Serjeants at Armes belonging to his Highnesse and councill with Norroy King of Armes next after them Garter principall King of Armes between two Gentlemen Ushers going immediately before the Lords of his highnesse councill and the principal secretary of State in their coaches In this manner they proceeded towards the Royal Exchange making two stands by the way First at chancery-lane end over against the Inner Temple gate where Proclamation was made by the common crier of London according to the tenor of the proclamation already published by act of Parliament the Lord Major Councill the Aldermen of London and all Officers standing bare The second stand was made in Cheapside at the end of Woodstreet where proclamation was made as before Thence they proceeded in order to the Royal Exchange ariving there at Exchange time where Proclamation was made as in all other places by sound of Trumpet in the form aforesaid and the humble petition and advice was published after which the Trumpets sounding three loud acclamations were made by the people Long live the Lord Protector Whitehall Novemb. 5. The fury of the Jesuited popish party in Poland having of late with all violence been executed in a barbarous manner upon the reformed professors who are of the Bohemian confession in those parts insomuch that the Churches are dispersed and the poor christians forced to fly into forein parts for safety of their lives divers of their exiled Pastors being come into England to seek for reliefe the case of the poor exiles stands referred by his Highnesse and the Councill to the consideration of those worthy and pious persons Ministers and others who are the Committee for Piedmont The most inhumane persecutions lately acted by the Papists and their party in Poland against our Brethren of the Reformed Religion are some of them as followeth The first remarkeable is that of Lesna a populous wealthy city and the great refuge of the Reformed who frequently came thither from other parts for shelter The church there was divided into three congregations the Bohemian the Polonian and the German This City they first set upon intending to put all to the Sword and destroy it with fire but the Citizens having notice of their coming on quitted the City leaving all their wealth behind flying through Woods and Boggs into Silesia so that the enemy entring without resistance found none but aged and bed-rid persons whom they barbaroufly flew and after they had plundered the City they reduced it to ashes In other places they cruelly murthered divers Minister of the Word and people of all ages and Sexes making them to end their lives by exquisite tortures The Pastor of the Church of Czvirzin had his eyes first pulled out because he would not renounce the faith then they pulled off with Pincers the Joynts of his fingers but he still remaining constant they poured moulten Lead into his mouth and lastly putting his head between the shuts of a door they severed it from his body The Pastor of the Church of Dembnick and two others after many vilanous abuses offered to their persons had their throats cut Finding also a young Minister in the field they cut off his head with a Sithe and afterwards mangled his body The like cruelty they acted also upon a citizen of Lesna and worse upon many others not sparing even the weaker sex nor children A pious Matron of Lesna with her three children not getting quick enough out of Town was murthered in the open street her hands and feet cut off and two of her children with their heads cut off laid upon her breasts the third by her side A Diuine burnte in the middell of his bookes his Childe pulled from the brest tost on a speare Cords drawne thorow the legs Armes Mens guttes pulled out of there mouthes A Catalogue of the names of those Honourable Persons who are by writ summoned to sit in the other house of Parliament THe Lord Richard Cromwell The Lord Henry Cromwel Lord Deputy of Ireland Nathaniel Fiennes John Lisle Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal Henry Lawrence Lord President of his Highness privy Council The Lord Charls Fleetwood Robert Earl of Warwick Edmond Earl of Mulgrave Edward Earl of Manchester William Lord Viscount Say and Seal Lord John Cleypole Mr. of the Horse Philip Lord Viscount Lisle Charls Lord Viscount Howard Philip Lord Wharton Thomas Lord Fauconbridge Lord John Disbrow Lord Edward Montague Generals at Sea George Lord Evre The Lord Whitelock Sir Gilbert Pickering Col William Sydenham Sir Charls Wolseley M. G. Philip Skippon Lord Strickland Col. Philip Jones Sir William Strickland Francis Rous Esq John Fiennes Esq Sir Francis Russel Sir Thomas Honywood Sir Arthur Hesilrigg Sir John Hobart Sir Richard Onslow Sir Gilbert Gerard Sir William Roberts John Glyn Oliver St. John Lords Chief Justices William Pierrepoynt Esq John Jones Esq John Crew Esq Alexander Popham Esq Sir Christopher Pack Sir Robert Tichborn Edward Whalley Esq Sir John Barkstead Knight Lievtenant of the Tower Sir Thomas Pride Sir George Fleetwood Richard Ingoldsby Esq Sir John Hewson James Berry Esq William Goffe Esq Thomas Cooper Esq Edmond Thomas Esq George Monck Commander in Chiefe of his Highnesse forces in Scotland David Earle of Castils Sir William Lockhart Sir Archibald Johnston of Warriston William Steel Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord Broghil Sir Mathew Tomlinson In number Sixty The Reader is to excuse this List if the names be not set down in their due order because the Copy came to my hand as here you see it Some Heads of the Speech made by His Highnesse January 1657. HIs Highnesse
to have murthered himselfe his Body was according to Law drawn to the open place upon Tower-Hill at a Horses Taile with his head forward and there under the Scaffold of Common execution a Hole being digg'd he was turned in Starke naked and a Stake spiked with Iron was driven through him into the earth That part of the stake which remaines above ground being all plated with Iron which may stand as an example of terror to all Traytors for the time to come A narrative touching Col. Edward Sexby who lately dyed a Prisoner in the Tower Tower of London Jan. 20. COl Edward Sexby was by Warrant dated the 24 of July 1657. committed to the Tower of London close Prisoner for High Treason who within Ten dayes after he came in thither fell sick of an Ague and a Vomiting conceived to be the new disease then predominant which turned into a Feaverish distemper in which sicknesse he continued about nine weeks the strength thereof being so great that it brought him into many distracted fits for a great part of that time in which condition he would Cry out often That he was damned and in Hell and utter such like Expressions and his usuall answer to them that spake any thing to him was That it was a Lye yet notwithstanding lie was under that condition of 〈◊〉 he had some-intervalls wherein he spake very rationally 〈◊〉 severall times when he thought himselfe in a Condition like to dye he would send for the Lievtenant of the Tower with all speed and sometimes late in the Night season causing him to be called out of his Bed affirming that he had somthing of secrecy to reveale unto him in reference to the State and Commonwealth before his death But when the said Lievtenant of the Tower was come to him and that he found his fainting Qualms over and that he was a little better he would fall into other discourse and say The Devill would not let him speak out the Truth nor let him reveale any thing although he had before resolved to it and had much to speake to by way of Discovery yet one day viz. the 12. of October 1657. being well come to himself and having sent for the Lievtenant he was so ingenious as to confesse in part saying unto him Sir John I sent to you to tell you that I am guilty of the whole buisiness of Sindercomb as to the design of killing the Lord Protector c. and to that purpose I furnished Sindercomb with about 500 l. in Money and also with Arms and tyed him to an Engagement that he should not reveale the design And further he said The Letters they have of mine they could not prove them to be mine but by my own confession which I now confesse and acknowledge that they are mine and that I was with Charls Stuart and acquainted him that I was an Enemy to the Lord Protector and I also declare that I received a large sum of Mony from the Spaniard to carry on my said design and to make what confusion I could in England by endeavouring the Klling of the Lord Protector and by what other wayes I had in design and to the end the better to effect it I came into England in a disguised habit and was the principal in putting on others in the said design Many other like passages were spoken by him in presence of many credible witnesses and within two dayes after in the presence of Mr. Caril Minister and others he did acknowledg the former confession to be truth but said it was indiscreetly done of him to acknowledge the letters which they had of his at Whitehall to be his own seeing they could not otherwise prove it and before he had again seen and viewed them And then he again confessed That he was the only man that put on Sindercomb to kill the Lord Protector and that the Book called Killing no Murder he owned and said he was 〈◊〉 of that judgment yet said it was both foolishly and knavishly done in that book to charge the Lievtenant of the Tower touching Sindercombs death With severall other passages which for brevity sake are omitted As to his condition in his sicknesses He falling sick as is before mentioned sent for his own Physitian which was of his acquaintance viz. Doctor Brook who finding him under a Feverish distemper caused him to be let blood and blistered by attractive Medicines laid to his Feet and Arms to draw forth the malignity and he was thereby reasonable well recovered again But not observing his Doctors directions And although his Physitians and Nurses and all people that were held conduceable to his accommodations in all his sicknesses from first to last were made choice of by him and his wife and other relations Yet as to his Diet he wilfully humored and pleased his own appetite whereby he fell into a relapse which brought him into the height of madnesse for a time But after a while by following his doctors prescription he was recovered out of that distracted condition by application of Medicines only he continued disconverted in minde and used many subtil shifts and wiles to have the Guards taken from him and was somthing perplexed because he could not effect it although he was in a great measure recovered from his bodily weaknesse for some season till about the last of December that he complained of something rising in his throat and had stoppages that he could scarce breath and feared an Imposthume to be gathered in his throat and broken and that he should not have strength to bring it up His Wife then sent for a Woman to wash and cleanse his throat but his distemper increasing and coming up to the height of a malignant Fever Doctor Brook his former Physitian was sent for who when he came to him upon the fourth of January instant found him in great sweats and his throat sore and inflamed and that he was in a high Fever having red spots or Pustules with white watery wheyish matter in them like the Chicken Fox upon his Brest Neck and Arms All which the said Doctor judged to come from the putrefaction of his humors heightned by the violence of his former madnesse The Lievtenant of the Tower being made acquainted in what a dangerous condition he was ordered another Doctor and a Chirurgion to be sent for to view him and to advise with Doctor Brooke what they judged of him and what was best to apply to him who judged that he was in a very weak condition and that it did arise from the Malignity of his Disease as aforesaid in a way of naturall causes in which weak condition he continued a day or two more under violent inflamations and Sweatings which so weakened him that by reason thereof upon Wednesday morning the 13 of this instant January having said Lord have mercy upon me I am very sick about five of the clock he breathed out his last and died after which his wife desired his
A Further Narrative of the Passages of these times in the Common-Wealth OF ENGLAND An Act for renouncing and disanulling the pretended Title of Charls Stuart and for the taking away of the Court of Wards and Liveries the Judgment of the House of Commons pronounced by Mr. Speaker against James Naylor the Quaker WITH The Triall of Miles Sundercombe being indicted of high Treason for conspiring against the life of his Highness the Lord Protector Feb. 9. 1656. A DAY Of Publick thanksgiving for the marvellous goodnesse of God to this Nation in the Island of Teneriffe under Generall Blake and giving them great success against the Ships of the King of Spain 16. fier'd and not one of ours lost An exact relation of the manner of the solemn Investiture or happy Inauguration of his Highness the Lord Protector at Westminster June 26. 1657. With his Oath and the Oath of the privy Councell and every person who now is or hereafter shall be a Member of either House of Parliament before he sit shall from and after the first of July 1657. take the same With a particular account of the taking in of the Fort of Mardike in Flanders by Dunkirke with the names of the House of Lord And some heads of the speech made by his Highnesse to both houses Jan. 1657. Which Parliament was dissolved the 4th of Feb. 1657. Printed by M. S. for Thomas Jenner at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange AN ACT FOR Renouncing and disanulling the pretended Title of CHARLS STUART c. FOr the better establishment of the peace of this Common-Wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Territories and Dominions thereunto belonging and for the prevention of the designs and attempts of the enemies thereof The Knights Citizens and Burgesses in this present Parliament assembled Do in the name of all the people of this Commonwealth fully freely absolutely and for ever Disclaim and Renounce all Fealty Homage or Allegiance pretended to be due unto Charls Stuart eldest Son of the late King Charls James Stuart second Son of the said late King Henry Stuart third Son of the said late King or any other the Issue or posterity of the said late King or any person or persons pretending or which shall at any time hereafter pretend Title by from or under him them any or either of them to hold or enjoy the Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland or of either or any of them or to have the Name Title Stile or Dignity of King or Queen of Great Britain King or Queen of England Scotland and Ireland Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal Prince of Scotland Duke of Albany Duke of Rothesay Duke of York Duke of Gloucester any or either of them or to have and enjoy the Power Government or supream Magistracy of this Commonwealth or of any part thereof or of any the Territories or Dominions thereunto belonging or to have or enjoy as King or Queen of England Scotland and Ireland or of either or any of them Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal Duke of Albany Duke of Rothesay Duke of York Duke of Gloucester or Prince of Scotland all or any the Honors Manors Lands Tenements Possessions and Hereditaments heretofore belonging or appertaining to the said Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland or to any or either of them or to the Principalitie of Wales Dutchy of Lancaster or Cornwal or any or either of them And be it declared and Enacted by his Highness the Lord Protector and this present Parliament assembled and the Authority thereof That the said Charls Stuart James Stuart Henry Stuart and all other the Issue and Posterity of the said late King and all and every person and persons pretending or which shall or may at any time hereafter pretend Title or Claim from by or under him or them be and are and shall for ever be absolutely and utterly excluded and debarred from holding or enjoying the Crown of England Scotland and Ireland or any or either of them or any the Dominions or Territories thereunto belonging and from holding or having the Name Title Stile or Dignity of King or Queen of Great Britain King or Queen of England Scotland and Ireland or any or either of them or of any the Dominions thereunto belonging Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal Prince of Scotland Duke of Albany Duke of Rothesay Duke of York or Duke of Gloucester and from all Title Claim or Right as King or Queen of England Scotland and Ireland or of either or any of them Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal Duke of Albany Duke of Rothesay Duke of York Duke of Gloucester or Prince of Scotland unto all or any the Honors Manors Lands Tenements Possessions or Hereditaments heretofore at any time belonging or appertaining to the said Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland or any or either of them and also from having exercising or enjoying any Power Authority Government or Magistracy in or over this Commonwealth or any the people thereof And that all such Right Title Claim or pretence of Right Title or Claim which they or any of them at any time heretofore at present or in time to come have doe shall or may make is hereby declared and adjudged and shall for ever hereafter be adjudged and taken to be utterly void and of no effect And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid and it is enacted That if any person or persons shall endeavour or attempt by force of armes or otherwise or shall be aiding assisting comforting or abetting unto any person or persons that shall by any wayes or means whatsoever endeavour or attempt the reviving or setting up of any pretended Right Title or Claim of the said Charls Stuart James Stuart Henry Stuart or of any other the Issue or Posterity of the said late King or of any person or persons claiming under him or them to any the Offices Stile Title Dignity or Authority aforesaid or any of them or shall declare publish or any way promote such pretended Right Title or Claim or shall give or contribute any summe or summes of Money or other aid or assistance to the said Charls Stuart James and Henry any or either of them That then every such offence shall be and is hereby deemed and adjudged high Treason and all and every the Offender and Offenders therein their Counsellors Aiders and Abettors being thereof convicted within three years after such Offence committed shall be deemed and adjudged Traytors and shall suffer and have such pains of Death and forfeitures as in case of high Treason is used and ordained Hen. Scobell Clerk of the Parliament AN ACT For the taking away the Court of Wards and Liveries WHereas the four and twentieth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty five the Court of Wards and Liveries and all Wardships Liveries Primer-seizins and Oustrelemaines and all other Charges incident or arising for or by reason of Wardships Livery Primer-seizin or
inheritance XIIII The King of Denmark is to restore also to the King of Sweden all such places he took from him in this War and the three ships taken from the Swedish in the Sound are to be prized and the value thereof is to be restored to the Crown of Sweden XV The King of Denmarke is to resign to the King of Sweden all the claims which he pretends to any place in the Island Rugen XVI The King of Denmark is to be reconciled with the Duke of Hostein upon such tearmes as may stand with justice and equity and make an agreement answerably XVII The Forts and castles taken by either party are to be restored but not any Artillery and Amunition and the Subjects of Denmarke are to carry the Swedish Artillery to such places as the King of Sweden shall appoint XVIII Count Vlefield is to be restored to his goods and all his Revenues and charges shall be paid back from that time as the Commissioners shall determine His Lady and Mother in Law shall have liberty to dwell in Denmark where they please the Fees which he and his Son had as Hursholm Moene Hellingen and St Johns Cloyster he is to enjoy again according to the priviledge which they had there and his Lady also is to be restored to her due title of Honor XIX The published Minifestor of the King of Denmark is to be revoked and neither printed nor sold any more XX The King of Denmark is to let the King of Sweden have 2000 Horse and 2000 Foot Whitehall March 12. This afternoon the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Councill of the City of London came hither in a Body to attend his Highnesse as also the Commanders and Officers of the Army And being admitted to his presence his Highnesse was pleased in a Speech at large to represent unto them the danger wherein they of the whole City and the whole Nation were involved at present by reason of the new designes of the old Enemy Charls Stuart and his confederates abroad and his party here at home who have been at work secretly to imbroil the nation again in Blood as soon as he should be able to make his intended invasion His Highness also told them that he knew this to be true That he knew it by Letters of theirs intercepted by certain intelligence from abroad of their proceedings and by information from the mouths of such persons as had been engaged to act with them He acquainted them likewise that the Lord of Ormond whom some now call the Duke of Ormond in person had been lately here for three weekes together being come over on purpose to promote the design by encouraging and engaging as many as he could in and about this City and that he went away again on Tuesday last Also in order to this invasion Charls Stuart was waiting in Flanders having about eight thousand Men quartered in severall places near the water side as at Brugges Brussells Ostend c. And that two and twenty hired Ships were in readinesse to transport them waiting only for the opportunity of some darke night to slip by our Fleet which they may the more easily perform ours being ships of great burthen drawing much water and so not able to ride upon the Flats And therefore seeing a reall danger so near at hand and that the peace and safety of the City and the whole Nation is Highly concerned in it he desired the Citizens might be sensible of it and how much it behoves them to provide for their own and the Nations security And to that end his Highnesse recommended to the Lord Major and the Body of the City the setling of their Militia and that it might be setled in the hands of Pious and sober men well affected to the present Government and such as are free from discontent and faction persons that may carry on the worke with alacrity and discretion to put the City in a posture of defence that they may be in a condition to suppresse tumults and insurrections designed by the Enemies of our Peace and Prosperity Many other particulars his Highnesse insided on to give them an account of the present state of affairs and of divers past transactions but having no notes to help my memory and being afraid lest I may already have faln short in relating the Heads of what was more copiously and much better spoken I have only this to adde That the citizens expressed much cheerfulnesse in the presence of his Highnesse and departed with very great satisfaction Whitehall March 27. These following persons having been lately presented from the City to his Highnesse and the Councill to be added to the Committee of the Militia in London they are accordingly approved Sir Thomas Foot Knight William Thomson Walter Bigge Iohn Frederick Tempest Milner Thomas Chaundler Aldermen Charls Lloyd Therphilus Biddulph William Gower Esquires Mr. Maurice Gethin Mr. Thomas Steynes Mr. Iames Edwards This day a Presentation was made of the following Addresses to his Highness and it was presented by the hand of the noble Lord the Lord Charls Fleetwood attended by the Officers of the Army To his Highnesse the Lord Protector of the Common wealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. The Humble Addresse of the Officers of your Highnesse Army WE being deeply sensible of the continuall dangers from the common enemy that have attended your Highness person and of the immense weight of businesse for the good of the Nation that hath lain and still lieth upon you together with the great opposition from severall sorts of enemies that you have met with ever since you were pleased to undertake the Government for the procuring the quiet and promoting the prosperity of this Common-wealth do judge it our duty to contribute as much as in us lyeth to strengthen your Highnesse hands and obviate the designes of your enemies And therefore do as one Man with plainnesse and sincerity of heart declare unto your Highnesse That notwithstanding the base Calumnies and Lies your and our enemies have cast upon us and dispersed throughout the whole Nation That your Army is divided and much of it from your self We doe remain through the mercy of God firmly united one to another and all of us to your Highnesse as our Generall and Chief Magistrate and hope that God hath so in love and faithfulness cemented us together as that neither the subtilty of Satan nor the malice of crafty and ill-affected men shall be able to severe us And we make it our earnest and humble request to your Highnesse That as a mighty man strengthned by the Lord you will run and not be weary in that race God hath set you in till it please the Lord you have setled the great ends of all our former engagements our civill and spirituall liberty which we hope is already in a good measure well provided for by The Humble Petition and advice And in all your actings tending thereunto We doe freely and heartily engage
the Lord strengthning us to stand by your Highnesse with our lives and shall not be wanting to improve our interest with the Lord for his gracious and mighty assistance with you in the further prosecution of the great work he hath called you to Charls Fleetwood William Goffe John Barkestead Howard Richard Ingoldsby Thomas Pride James Berry Thomas Cooper Philip Twisleton Edward Grosvener John Disbrow Henry Ingoldsby Thomas Talbot George Sedascue Thomas Kelsey Tobias Bridge John Nelthorpe William Bâ—teler Hezekiah Haynes Edward Whalley John Clarke Thomas Sadler Ralph Cobbet Edward Salmon John Mill William Stane Henry Whalley Thomas Margetts By the Committee for the affairs of the poor Protestants in the Valleyes of Piedmont THe All wise and Holy God whose wayes of Providence are alwayes righteous though often secret and unsearchable hath made it the constant lot and portion of his people in this World to follow the Lord in bearing his Cross and suffering persecutions thereby holding forth and verifying that irreconcileable Enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent which was visible betimes in the Blood shed of righteous Abel whom Cain though his Brother slew being of the wicked one yea and for this cause for that his own works were evill and his Brothers good Thus they that are born after the flesh persecute them that are born after the Spirit to this day and so will do while the World lasteth In which Cause and Quarrell the Lord hath very many glorious ends But scarcely have any sort of the Churches Enemies more clearly followed the pernitious wayes of Cain herein than hath the Anti-Christian Faction of Rome done that Mother of Harlots and abominations whose garments are died red with the blood of Saints which they have alwayes cruelly shed and made themselves drunk with even the blood of those holy Followers of the Lamb chiefly who would not receive Antichrists mark nor worship his Image nor drink of the Golden Cup of his Fornications but rather come out from them and witnesse against them though they did it in sack-cloth and were slain for it Among those chosen and faithfull Witnesses the Lord seemed very signally to have raised up those Christians who though dispersed in divers Countreyes have been commonly known by the name of Waldenses who for some Centuries of years have lived among their enemies as Lambs among Wolves to bear their Testimony for the truth of Christ against the Apostacies and Blasphemies of Rome for which they have been killed all the day long and appointed as sheep for the slaughter Nevertheless the Lord the great Shepheard of the sheep hath made their blood thus shed to become a constant seed of faithfull and Valiant witnesses for him which is indeed the more marvellous in our eyes that this Bush hath so long burned and is not yet consumed This little flock and remnant which the Lord hath left and reserved are scattered in the Valleyes of Piedmont of whose tragicall sufferings we have not long since heard and have drawn forth our bowels to them whereof a very faithfull accompt is given to the World both for satisfaction of Brethren and Friends and for stopping the mouthes of all Calumnies The other part of this poor yet precious Remnant hath been dispersed in the Kingdoms of Bohemia and Poland whose sufferings together with the Lords signall providences about them have been very eminent and remarkable as hath been made appear unto us by three godly persons delegated by those persecuted Churches which are now the sad Monuments of their Enemies rage and of the Lords sparing Mercies These have made their addresses to his Highness the Lord Protector by Petition declaring the deplorable estate wherein this persecuted Remnant now lieth and with loud cryes importuning the Christian Bowells and Bounty of this Nation which cannot but be moved to mourn over them and to shew mercy to them And indeed upon a due sense and consideration of this lamentable subject even common humanity but much more christian charity should provoke us to a fellow feeling of their present distressed condition These somtimes flourishing churches where by degrees worn out by the constant underminings and open out rages of the Antichristian party being first driven out of Bohemia into Poland then after their taking root and spreading in Poland unto a numerous company were forced out of the chief Cities there and now at last by the Jesuited and inraged Polish Army persecuted in their few hiding places with fire and sword Their Ministers were tortured to death by most exquisite and unheard of Barbarism by cutting out of the tongues of some pulling out the eyes and cruelly mangling the Bodies of others nor did their rage and Brutish Cruelty reach only to Ministers but to others yea even to women and young Children whose heads they cut off and them at their dead mothers breasts Nay their rage brake out not only upon the living not one of whom they spared that fell into their hands but also upon the dead plucking the bodies of honorable persons and others out of the graves tearing them to pieces and exposing them to publick scorn But the chief Eye sore and object of their Fury was the City of Lesna which after plundering and murthering all whom they found therein they burned to ashes and laid in rubbish only the Lord in his mercy having alarm'd the City of their enemies approaching March the greatest part of the Inhabitants being three famous Churches saved themselve by flight and are now wandring up and down in Silesia the Marguifate of Brandenburg Lusatia and Hungary poor destitute afflicted and naked His Highness and the Councill having referred unto this Committee the Testimonials and Petitions sent by the said Churches We finding upon examination thereof their case to be thus deplorable which is more at large stated and declared in their own Narrative have caused the said Narrative to be translated and here with published thereby to stirr up the Lords people in these Nations to put on bowels of mercies toward these their exiled and afflicted brethren refreshing their hearts by your love and the tokens of it in a cheerfull and liberall supply which will not only preserve this holy seed from perishing that hath a blessing in it but also uphold among them the Purity of Religion and power of the Gospel The rather considerng the present freedome from these bloody outrages we the people of these Nations do by the blessing of the Lord enjoy the continuance whereof we may the more comfortably hope for by how much our compassions are more freely extended to those in misery And if a cup of cold water given to one disciple as such shall not lose its reward how much more when a bountifull relief is given to more then five thousand disciples Which we should be the more forward to advance because they acknowledge they have received much confirmation in the Religion for which they suffer by light received from
our Country man John Wicklof that famous witnesse of Christ against Antichrist even in the darkest times of Popery And I doubt no but that God who hath lately opened your bowels to so large and eminent a Contribution towards the persecuted Protestants at Piedmont for which many Thanksgivings have been made to God on your behalf will again draw out your hearts upon this like sad occasion to the like bountifull liberality it being our duty to cast our bread upon the waters and to give a portion to six and also to seven not being weary of well-doing because in due time we shall reap if we faint not Considering also how honourable it is to â—ct grace and to lay out our selves upon such occasions we recommmend iâ— again as the work of God accompanied with his own voyce calling aloud upon us to inlarge our selves in this ministration and withall to pour out our hearts in faith and prayer that the Lord would yet please to raise up Sâ—on upon the Ruins of Babylon hastening his work and blessing means to it John Trevor Christopher Pack Will. Purefâ—y Edward Cresseâ— Thomas Viner Joseph Caryl John Owen Will. Jenkyn Philip Nyâ— Will Cooper Edmond Caâ—â—â—y A Breviate of the impeachment of high Treason exhibited by Mr. Attorney Generall against John Hewet Doctor of Divinity consisting of these heads 1. THat to embroyl the Commonwealth in new and intestine troubles and to stir up Sedition and Rebellion within the Nation He together with others Traiterously and Maliciously raised force and levied war against his highnes and the government to subvert and alter the same 2. That he traiterously declared published and promoted Charls Stuart Eldest Son of the late King Charls to be King of England Scotland and Ireland c. 3. That he held correspondence with the said Charls Stuart And declared the same by these open deeds I. By conferring with one Trelawney Jo. Stapely and Henry Mallory how to effect the same II. By appoynting places of meeting to consult for effecting the same III. By encouraging Stapely and Mallory thereunto IV. By delivering Commissions to several persons in the Name of and as from the said Charls Stuart concerning the raising of forces and leavying the power aforesaid against his highnesse and the Government and this contrary to the statute in that case made and provided The substance of Sir Henry Slingsby's speech at Tower-Hill June 8. 1658. THat he stood condemned by the court of justice as contriving and endeavoring to withdraw divers officers of the garison of Kingston upon Hull from their duty and perswading them to a surrendring and yeelding up of that Garison and one that held correspondence with some beyond Sea to that end That it was true he had conference upon that account with the officers of that Garison and that he gave Major Waterhouse a commission signed Charls R. but that it was but an old one that had lain by him though he thought fit to make use of it to the Major Many passages he said there were which he would not insist on That some friends of his had made application to his Highnes for the saving of his life but it seemes it was thought fit not to be granted c. and therefore he submitted and was ready to dye c. He spake but low and very little and kept himselfe in a very even temper both in words and behaviour Then addressing himselfe againe to his friends he called for the executioner who having received his reward by the hand of a friend came to him placed the block in the middle of the Scaffold which Sir Henry beheld with his armes folded and a setled countenance an officer standing by with the Ax. Then the prisoner declaring he had no more to say stripped himselfe Before he put off his band he desired a friend standing by to take off a Ring which hung in his Bandstring 't was in the form and about the breadth of an ordinary seal but instead of a seale engraven it had the Picture of the late King done in little and very exactly When the Gentleman had taken it off he said these words to him Pray give this to Harry His doublet being off he kneel'd down before the block and lifting up his hands as before he again prayed privately to himself but was very short Then rising up and embracing his friends one after another tooke his leave of them all After this kneeling down and placing his neck upon the block the executioner struck off his head at one blow The Head was immediately taken off the Scaffold and put in a black Scarff the Body into the Coffin and the Head with it which being nailed up and covered was conveyed off the Scaffold into a Herse drawn by six horses which stood ready to receive it The sum of Doctor Hewet's Speech on the Scaffold Viz. That he had never been in such a Pulpit as this was and that he came thither within a few minutes to suffer death for the Truth and to bear testimony thereto according to that saying of our blessed Lord and Saviour For this end was I born and for this end came I into the world to bear witnesse to the Truth And that in two respects First as a Clergy-man and secondly as a Member of the community in which he lived As a Clergy-man he blessed God that had called him to the office of the Ministry though unworthy and that he had been baptized into the true faith and doctrine of the Gospel and thereby made a member of the Catholique Church especially of that part of it the Church of England which he looked upon as the purest for sound doctrine and orderly discipline of any in the christian world and disowned all others walking contrary thereunto Here the Reader is to observe that the Doctor was not questioned for any poynt of Faith he held but for being a Traitor and so he dyed not for truth but for Treason In the second place as one of the community or civill state he looked upon himselfe as borne a free Englishman and in that capacity had a right to the Liberties and priviledges of this Land and to the Laws thereof Here he tooke occasion to speake of passages at his tryall before the Court of Justice saying that having been advised by persons learned in the Law and being furnished with some books of Law cases and reports he was thereby instructed to make severall demands in court as that he might be satisfied about the jurisdiction of the court then that he might have counsel allowed afterwards being told in court that they were to try him in matter of fact to which he ought first to plead he in the next place said he desired that the matter might be heard by the Judges and thereupon appealed to them which would not be admitted he being told the court had a full Jurisdiction by Act of Parliament That he had alwayes insisted that he might have a Jury to be
slighted and did not follow that Repentance that I promised Therefore I desire all protestants to leave off their sins for Christ his sake and become new men for it is that that brings all men to ruine I beseech God of mercy have mercy upon my soule Lord God I come to thee Lord the Father of heaven have mercy upon me O God the Son Redeemer of the World have mercy upon me O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon me Remember not my offences but spare me good Lord God I beseech thee spare thy servant whom thou hast redeemed for thy dear Sons sake I have no more to say but desire the prayers of all good people Doctor One word remember that saying of the Psalmist Thou shalt answer for me O Lord Ashton The Executioner asking him if he had any more to say he answered No But concluded thus I commit my spirit into thy hands O God the Lord have mercy upon my soul Which being said the Executioner turned him off the Ladder and afterwards being cut down he ripped up his belâ—y tooke out the bowels and burnt them in a fire ready prepared upon the place Then his head was cut off and his body divided into four Quarters Execution being done upon Colonel Ashton and his Quarters conveyed away in a Basket upon a Cart to Newgate The Sheriffs officers went to the Tower to fetch John Betteley to his Execution who was likewise drawn upon the same sled into Cheapside where formerly the Crosse stood where was likewise a Gibbet crected The manner of the execution of John Betteley in Cheapside Being come to the Gibbet on a Sled with a Minister the Minister read and the people sung with him a Psalm beginning thus O Lord consider my distress c Betteley I trust in him that he will certainly save me Then he went up the Ladder His confession followeth LOrd receive my Soul and be mercifull to me I commit my Soule into Almighty Gods hands for he is my Protector and Redeemer I am not ashamed to live nor afraid to dye for my conversation hath been such in Christ Jesus I hope I shall find mercy As concerning them that are my enemies I pray God forgive them their sins I freely forgive them all that have done me wrong As for the late Plot I was never but once in company with them concerned therein I did know of such a thing but deny that I acted therein Shall I damne my soule at this instant I will speake the truth I doe acknowledge I offended God in it and wronged this Nation in hearing it and not discovering it One Brandon that was one of them drew me into the businesse and his man I carrying worke to him could not refraine his house he so often inticed me thereto and would not let me alone till he had got me into a house where we dranke together I have no more to say as to the plot but desire mercy from God Having thus done the Executioner turned him off and the rest of the Sentence was executed upon him as before upon Col. Ashton and his Head and Quarters were conveyed also to Newgate As for the third man Fryer who was to have been executed this day in Smithfield he was drawn on a Sled also from the Tower in the afternoone to Smithfield where after he had performed his Devotions being upon the ladder and the Executioner ready to turn him off a Reprieve came and he was carried back againe to the Tower by the Officers in a Coach Articles of surrender of Dunkerke June 20. 1658. 1. That the Town should be yeelded up with all their great guns their stores of victual Magazins of arms and ammunition without any imbesilment 2. That all Officers and Soldiers should have liberty to march out with their Arms Drums beating Colours flying two pieces of Ordnance and their baggage 3. That they should have the liberty to march with a convoy to conduct them to St. Omers 4. That the inhabitants should remain indemnified in their persons goods enjoying their former custome priviledges for 2 years not be molested touching the exercise of their Religion Hereubon they accordingly marched out on Tuesday the 25 instant being 1000 horse and foot and 700 more that were wounded men and at the same time the besiegers entred into the Town the King himselfe also in person with the Cardinal and the Lord General Lockhart And his Majesty desirous to give due testimonyes of reall friendship and good correspondence with England put the Town into the possession of my Lord Lockhart on the behalfe of his highnesse the Protector our English being entred in here for that purpose and more we expect for the preserving it in our hands This wilâ— we suppose be acceptable news to the Merchants who have formerly suffered so much by this place the obtaining whereof must be attributed next under God to the prudence of his highnesse and to that happy successe wherewith it pleaseth the most High to follow him in all his enterprizes and Actions whereas on the otherside it is observed that nothing but mischiefe and misfortune hath accompanyed the Spaniard in this Country ever since he gave entertainment to and joyned Interest with that Family which hath a fate entailed upon it sufficient to sinke whole Kingdomes as hitherto it hath done and ruined likewise all its particular followers and partakers Which was also most observable even in the late victory wherein the deadliest storm fell upon the Regiment of Charls and his Brother so that very few or none of them escaped with their lives The French Army is since marched to Bergen but what they have done or will doe there we yet here not The Spaniard left behind in this Town about one hundred and forty great guns all brasse except 7 or 8 An Oath to be administred to the Inhabitants of Dunkirke was passed by the Councill being as followeth vix I. A. B. Do in the presence and by the name of Almighty God promise and sweare that from hence forth I shall beare faith and true Allegiance and shall be true and faithfull unto Oliver now Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and his Successors as chiefe Magistrate thereof and shall not design Contrive or Attempt any thing against the person or Authority of the Lord Protector or against the safety just defence or necessary preservation of this Town or place of Dunkirk in and for its safety defence and preservation under the Government of the Lord Protector and his successors against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever and will doe my best endeavor to make known and disclose unto the Protector and his successors or the Commander in chiefe in this place under his said Highnesse for the time being all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against his Person or Authority or against the safety of this Town or place of Dunkirke or for the betraying of it into the hands of any other persons or that tends to the withdrawing of any the persons or people in it from their fidelity to the Lord Protector or to his Government FINIS Oliver Cromwell L. Ptor. of Engd: Scotd: and Ierld: borne at Huntington of the name of Williams of Glamorgan and by K H 8. changed into Cromwell was educated in Cambridge afterward of Lincons Inn at the begining of the Warres Cp of a Troop of Horse raised at his owne charge and by the Parlimt: made ComÌ„ander in cheefe reduced Ierld: and South wales overthrew Dâ— Hambletons Army the Kerkes Army at Dunbar reduced all Scotland defeted ch Stewards Army at Woster he had two Sons Ld Richard Protector in his fathers roome Ld Henery now Ld Debty of Ierld: and 4 Daughters Ly. Bridget first married L: Ierton afterward Lt. C: Fleetâ—â—od Ly: Elizabeth married L: Clapole Ly: Mary married Ld: Vicount Fauconbrige Ly: Francis married the Rt. Hoble. Rob: Rich Granchild to the Hoble. E: of Warwick was declared L Ptr: of End Scd. and Ird. 16 of Decemb: 1653. died 3. Sep 1658. after 14. dayes sicknesse of an agew with great assurance and serenitie of minde peaceabley in his bed Natus 15. Ap 1599. Dunkerke in Flanders surrendred to him 20th of Iune 1658. * It was the first day of the Parliament This Sundercomb had engaged to kill Generall Monk in Scotland and would have engaged the said Mr. Cecil therein also * Hilton deposed fully concerning the Viol case and Trunk of Arms