King's Mercy from being extended tâ— me as I am told but the Will of the Lord be done the Life to come is infinitely better than this Many more things are laid to my Charge which I am no more guitly of than your self If your Vncle be in Town go speedily to him and give him my dear Love I pray for you who am Your most Affectionate Uncle J. H. Octob. 5. 1685. A Letter to his Wife Sept. 23. 1685. My Dearest Love I Hope you received a few Lines from me by the way of London once more I write to you by your faithful and trusty Friend W. D. who hath been at Exon. If there be need for it he knows many of my dear and faithful Friends there who wish you would come and live among them and if your Estate fail I think iâ— very advisable so to do I hope God will stand by you and defend you My dear seâ— me in God as I must you I must now bid adieu to all Earthly and Worldly Comforts and all the pleasant and delightful Objects of Sense I bless God for all present Mercies and Comforts hitherto I have had what will be after this day I know not but the Will of the Lord be done My Dear Be very cautious not to speak one Word lest it be wrested to a wrong Sense which may ruinâ— you I have not writ what I would of this Nature take the Advice of Friends and of what I send by our Friend O let not the Everlasting Arms of God be with-drawn from you one Moment and let him strengthen you with all Might according to his glorious Power and to all Patience and Long-suffering with Joyfulness Pray hard for Victory over Passion and be much in private Closet Prayer with God and often read the Holy Bible and other good Books the Lord continually guide direct and counsel you My Dear I return you a thousand thanks for all the Love you have shew'd me and my Children and particularly for the high and great Demoâ—stration you have given hereof in this day of my distress I hope my Daughters will be as dutiful to you and be as much concerned for your comfort and welfare as if you had travelled with them and brought them into the world God bless my dear little Ones and them together I shall die their most affectionate and praying Father God I hope will uphold support and comfort me at the last hour and enable me to overcome the Temptations I shall violently be assaulted with before I die God by his infinite and freest Mercies in Jesus Christ pardon all the neglect of Relative Duties which I have bitterly lamented and bewail'd before God with all the Sins I am guilty of for the sake of our dearest Lord and Redeemer The Lord make you grow in all Gracâ— more than ever and make this great Affliction so humbly purifying and spiritualizing to you as wâ—ll as me that it may work for us both a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Let him take your Soul into his most dearest Embraces and lodge it in the bosom of his Love here and make us to meet in the full and everlasting Fruition and Enjoyment of him hereafter Though it be daâ—gerous for you to vindicate that I die for yet be not too much cast down for it I will say no more as to that My hearty and affectionate Respects to all my dear Friends I need not name them I hope to meet them with your self to inherit Eternal Life through the Merits of Christ's Death Farewel my Dear farewel in the Lord until we meet to be married to him for ever My heart is as full of Love to thee as it was the first day I married thee and if God spar'd my Life it should have been as fully manifested until death Therefore I rest Your most Affectionate and Endeared Husband J. H. Sept. 23. 1685. Another Letter My Dearest Love I Received your Letter by Mr. Skinner I bless God that you and my Babes are well the Lord continue their Lives to be a Blessing and Comfort to you and enable you to see them well Educated in the fear of God and when God takes me away let him be a Husband to guide direct succour comfort and support you and to lodge your Soul in the Bosom of his Love and let him be a Father to them and their Portion for ever Monday last my Brother went to London to try what could be done for me what the success will be I know not I desire the Lord every day to prepare me for Death and carry me above the Fear of it by the discoveries of his everlasting Love unto my Soul and clearing up my Right and Title to everlasting Life and by Sealing up to me the Pardon of all my Sins through the most precious Blood of Jesus Chrâ—st Let uâ— pray hard and much for each othâ—r When I leave this world it shall be with Prayer foâ—â—hee if God give me life how shall I study to be a comfort to thee and to live up to my Marriage as well as Baptismal â—ovenant to all my Friends Tendâ—r my affectionate Respects I hope their Prayers will one way or other be heard for me let the Almighty be your Proâ—â—ctor Supporter and Comforter There be two Books I do recommend to you to read when you are retir'd as well as in your Family Pierce's Preparation for Death and Fox's Redâ—mption of Time Now let our Soulâ— meet together in one most Blessed God in our dearest Jesus and sweetest Saviour let them clasp and cling about him and be sick for the love of hâ—m and that we may meet to enjoy him fully to Etâ—rnity and be satisfied with his Love for ever A thousand Loves if I had them I would send to thee next to my dearest Lord Jesus and the things that are heavenly spiritual and immortal I love thee what I can spare for thee is convey'd to thee and my dear Children from Thy most Affectionate and Faithful Husband and their most loving Father J. H. Another Letter My most dear Love I Hope you have received my last once more as a dead aâ—d living Man through difficulty I write to you though I yet do not know when or where I shall die but expect Death every day when that Message is brought to me I hope through the Grace and Strengâ—h of Christ it will be no surprize to me that neither my Lips Flesh nor Heart will tremble when I hear it I know the cause for which I suffer God hath and has singled me out from many of my Brethren which I never have been without some apprehensions of for above these twenty years to lay down my Life how far it is for his Cause will be judged at the last day I bless God who hath kept me from all Temptations to Conformity though it has brought me to ruine and destruction in this world it will be no fit Season for you to Vindicate
that seek the ruine of their Parents that begot them and brought them forth or them that lay violent hands upon themselves dashing out their own Brains cutting their own Throats hanging and drawing themselves ripping up their own Bellies tearing out their own Bowels they being in different senses Children and Members of that Body Politick they design and attempt the Destruction of and when I know not how long the Duration and Continuance of these things shall be or a Conclusion or End by God shall be put thereto who by Divine and Unerring Wisdom governs the World why shall my Soul be unwilling to take its flight into the unseen and eternal World Where no sullied sordid or impious thing most incongruous and unbecoming Nature shall be seen and found and where I shall behold no narrow conclusive contracted Soul there habitually preferring their private before a publick good but all most unanimously and equally center in one common universal good and where the sighs and groans and cries of the afflicted and persecuted shall be heard no more for ever I earnestly exhort all most highly to prize and value Time and diligently improve it for Eternity to be wise seriously and seasonably to consider of their latter End for by the irrepealable and irreversible Law of Heaven we must all die yet we know not how where or when Live with your Souls full of solicitude and care with a most deep concernedness and most diligent industriousness whilst you have time and opportunity and the means of Grace Health and Strength make sure of these two great things viz. 1. What merits for you a Right and Title to Eternal Life and Glory and the future unchangeable Blessedness as the Redeemers most precious Blood and Righteousness that thereby a real Application and Imputation may be unto you by sincere Believing 2. That that which makes you qualified Subjects for it is the great work of Regeneration wrought in your Souls being renewed in the Spirit of your Minds the Divine Nature being imprest upon them repairing of the depraved Image of God in you thâ—t being transformed into his own likeness thereby in the World you may mind anâ— savour more the things of the Spirit than the things of the Flesh Celestial and Heavenly more than Terrestrial and Earthly Superiour more than inferiour things And therewith have a holy Life and Conversation conjoyned that results and springs from the same as Fruit from the Root and Acts from the Habits Let all in order thereto seriously consider these few Texts of sacred Scripture let them predominately possess you let them be deeply and indelibly Transcribed upon your Souls let them be assimilated thereunto and made the written Epistles the lively Pictures thereof Matth. 5.8 20. Blessed be the pure in heart for they shall see God Vers. 20. For I say unto you except your Righteousness exceed the Righâ—eousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven John 3.3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God c. Gal. 5.19 20 to 23. Now the works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery c. James 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of fiâ—st fruits of his Creatures 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Vers. 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your Minds c. Colos. 3.1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Set your affections on things above not c. Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts c. Eph. 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation c. 1 Pet. 1.15 But as he that hath called you is holy so be ye c. Vers. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed c. Psal. 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself c. I shall mention now no more the whole Bible abounds with these Texts with what a Renovation and Change of our Carnal and Corrupt Hearts and Natures there must be with Holiness of Life and Conversation before we can be capable of a future and blessed Immortality and of inheriting the Kingdom of God for ever and ever Amen A Letter written by Mr. John Hicks Octob. 5. the day before his Death My Dear Nephew I Am yet in the Land of the Living though in the Mouth of Death I have been concern'd for you next to my own Children before I die I thought fit 〈◊〉 write two or three Lines to you aâ— a Manifestation of my great Love to you I earnestly desire the welfar of you here and to Eternity hereafter next to my own Wife and Children you will want me when I am gone but I hope the Lord will take care of you make it your business to walk with him to serve him faithfully flee youthful Lusts and Remember your Creator in the days of your Youth be deeply concern'd to have your Heart and Nature chang'd and an interest in Christ secur'd unto you Death comes suddenly you know not when where nor how you shall die Let time therefore be most precious to you fill it up with Work and Duty Live by faith more than by sense and this will stand by you when you come to â—ie Seek the things which are above and set your Affections upon them have your Conversation in Heaven whilst you are upon Eaâ—th When you see your Parents give my dear Love to them and their Children the Lord grant that we may meet in his everlasting Kingdom When you see any of your Cousins give my dear Love to them and be not asham'd of my Sufferings I wrote last Saturday was a Seven-night to my Brother George but whether he is at London or Worcester I know not I wrote to him to desire him to Petition the King that some Favour and Mercy might be shewed me if he thought fit Things that are made to aggravate my Crime I am clear from as that I perswaded the Duke of Monmouth to assume the Title of King at Taunton when I was not there with him or in Thirteen days after he came into England and that I rode to and fro in the West to perswade People to go in to his Army when I was in the East and caâ—â— from thence to hiâ— in the West but my Non-conformity cuts me and obstructs the
Ink bid the Gentlemen write the Discharge as effectually as he would which he signed Adding that he was now sensible my Lord Chancellor had been a very ill Man and done very ill things If he was thus censur'd by his Master for his former Services he had a bad Opinion of him Without Prophecy any man might predict his Service and Interest was ceased and his Life would have been like the Scape Goat he must have born all their Crimes and been beheaded for his own for no less indignation than Death was couched in the Words Thus may be seen what would have been his end The Court by this time beginning to scatter and the Prince of Orange approaching the King thought fit to withdraw himself upon notice of which the Lord Chancellor betook him self to Wapping disguised like a Sea-man in order to his escape to Hamborough in a Collier but being discovered he was brought before Sir J. Chapman Lord Mayor of the City London in a strange disguise very different from the Habit in which he formerly appeared And by reason of the Lord Mayors Indisposition he not being able to Commit him he offered to go to the Tower to be out of the hands of Rabble who there in great numbers with clubs and staves threatned him with present destruction But having a Guard of the Train'd-bands to conduct him he got thither safe and soon after was charged in custody by a Warrant of Commitment from the Lords at White-hall where he continued under much affliction aâ—d indisposition having since moved for his Habeas Corpus to be bailed but was not able to attain it He had not been in the Tower many days but as 't is said whether true or no I cannot affirm he had a Barrel of Oysters sent him upon sight of which he said to the bearer Well then I see I have some Friends left still but upon opening the Barrel he he found them to be only Friends that were impatient till they gave him a prospect of his future destiny for verily the mighty Present was nothing but a good able Halter Now as I sâ—id before whether this passage be true or no. I cannot say but this I am sure if we consider his Lordships Life and Cruelties the Moral of it is veâ—y good The Humble Petition of the VVidows and Fatherless Children in the West of England WE to the number of a Thousand and more Widdows and Fatherless Children of the Counties of Dorset Somerset and Devon our dear Husbands and tender Fathers having been so Tyrannously Butcher'd and some Transported our Estates sold from us and our Inheritance cut off by the severe and harsh Sentence of George Lord Jeffreys now we understand in the Tower of London a Prisoner who has lately we hear endeavoured to excuse himself from those Tyrannical and Illegal Sentences by laying it on Information by some Gentlemen who are known to us to be good Christians true Protestants and English-men We your poor Petitioners many hundreds of us on our Knees have begg'd Mercy for our dear Husbands and tender Parents from his cruel hands but his thirst for Blood was so great and his Barbarism so cruel that instead of granting mercy for some which were made appear to be Innocent and Petitioned for by the flower of the Gentry of the said Counties he immediately executed and so barbarously that a very good Gentlewoman at Dorchester begging on her Knees the Life of a worthy Gentleman to Marry him and make him her Husband this vile Wretch having not common Civility with him and laying aside that Honour and Respect due to a Person of her worth told her come I know your meaning some part of your Petition I will grant which shall be that after he is Hanged and Quartered you shall have thaâ— Member you best like when living and so I will give Orders to the Sheriff These with many hundred more Tyrannical Acts are ready to be made appear in the said Counties by honest and credible Persons and therefore your Petitioners desire that the said George Jâ—ffreys late Lord Chancellor the vilest of men may be brought down to the Counties aforesaid where we the good Women in the West shall be glad to see him and give him another manner of Welcome than he had there three Years since And your Petitioners shall â—ver Pray c. Thus he continued for some months in the Tower his Chronical Indispositions the Stone c. encreasing very fast upon him The ingenious Dr. Lower was his Physician But Nature being now tired out by a tedious Combat with his Disease and the Guilt of his former bloody Life we hope it touched his Conscience He having besides by his intemperate Life notoriously known contracted an ill habit of Body he at last very happily for himself if not his Relations too dy'd in the Tower the Morning about Nine of the Clock An. Dom. 1689. Thus Reader you have seen the Rise and Fall of this Unfortunate Great Ill Man And so at present after we have endeavoured at his Character we take our Farewel Jeffreys's Character HE was of Stature rather above a middle sort than below it his Complexion inclining to Fair his Face well enough full of a certain briskness tho' mixt with an Air a little malicious and unpleasant He was a man of tolerable sense and had as of necessity he must by so long practice and going through such Publick Places got some Law tho' as little as 't was more than he had occasion to make use of since the Dispensing Power having as good as seated all Law in the Kings Breast he by that found out a more compendious method of attaining it than was formerly known He had a pretty large stock of Ill Nature and Wit in which lay his greatest Excellency tho' a very unenvy'd one But in fine His Brow and his Tongue were absolutely the two best Accomplishments he was master of By the help of which and that before mentioned by his brisk sudden and sharp Interrogatories he sometimes put falshood and perhaps oftner the truth it self out of countenance But that ill-favour'd Wit which he had lay all of the wrong side much like that of those unlucky Animals all whose Wit lyes in tricks and mischief He spoke many pleasant things but very few handsom ones disgracing all with intolerable Railing mean passions and perfect Billings-gate and would commonly even upon the Bench it self fall into Heats both as to words and actions not only unworthy of a Judge but even of any prudent man He seem'd without wronging him to have a great deal of baseness and cruelty in his Nature having a particular delight and relish in Cruelty and Blood and such things as give horrour and aversion to all the rest of mankind He was in this case worse than even Nero for whereas that monster had once so much good Nature or at least pretended it that when he was to sign a Warrant for the execution of
them daily with his own hands Nor did he neglect Justice while he was exercising Mercy but to the amazement and almost terrour of the Beholders pursu'd a Malefactor who had taken Sanctuary in a Pesthouse thinking none wou'd be so desperate as to follow him and with his own hands fetch'd him thence when the other Officers dar'd not venture after him 'T was either his Acquaintance among the Papists before intimated and hence his being consequently better known by those who were of that Party or his industry and indefatigable care in the Discharge of his Office or both to which we may rationally attribute the addressing of the first Discovery of the Popish Plot to him rather than any other The clearest Method for the Description of his Martyrdom will be first to enquire into the Occasion of it and then the Manner Circumstances and Authors and lastly the several Endeavours have been used to clear the Papists of that indelible Guilt which sticks upon 'em from so horrid a Villany For the Occasion of his Martyrdom what was said in the Summing up the Evidence concerning him but modestly and on supposition only we may yet venture to affirm positively This Protestant Magistrate was certainly murder'd because he was a Proâ—estant But the particular and special Reasons were these following 1. He had taken Examinations about the Popish Plot and those not only as the Attorny General said in the Trial of the Assassines perhaps but undoubtedly more than are now extant Mr. Oates addressed himself to him with his Depositions he had taken them and enquired something closely into the Design as his manner was in any thing which belong'd to his Office This the Papists very well knew and therefore found it convenient to be rid of a troublesome busie man who now he was engaged in the business was likely to pierce to the bottom on 't and he being once out of the way the Evidence might very easily have been dispos'd of to their satisfaction But here those whose Interest 't is to get clear of such a Charge object very pertly What need or what advantage in taking off a Justice when the same things were deposed in other places 2. The second Reason or Occasion for this Murder will easily answer that Objection They not only bore him Malice for what he had already done in Oates's case and might probably be ignorant of those secret Passages transacted before King and Council in relation to Oates's Depositions but were sensible of a deeper Reason than all this and which brought them into more danger than the other See it in the Lord Stafford's Trial p. 22. and 24. Mr. Dugdale had received a Letter the very night on which this Gentleman was martyr'd of which more anon with these words in 't This Night Sir E.B.G. is dispatch'd This came from the Papists to Ewers a Popish Priest at my Lord Aston's who after he had read it communicated the good News to Mr. Dugdale telling him One of their Enemies was taken out of the way He being desirous to know how things went ask'd what was the Reason they took away his Life Ewers tells him There was a Message sent to Mr. Coleman when in Newgate to desire him that he wou'd not reveal any thing of the Plot which Message came from the Duke of York To which Coleman replyed What was he the nearer for he had been so foolish as to reveal all to Sir E.B.G. already But upon the Examination of Oates before Sir E.B.G. he was afraid he would come in as Evidence against him having shewn himself eager in the business To which the Duke of York sent word again If he wou'd take care not to reveal but conceal it Sir E.B.G. shou'd not come in against him And the next news was that he was dispatch'd Now this effectually takes off the former Cavil and this Sâ—r Roger cou'd not but be sensible of and concluding so unanswerably against whâ—t he built so much upon e'ne lets it fairly drop and mentions not a syllable of it in all his Book Which Evidence of Mr. Dugdales is beyond contradiction confirm'd by several hints unluckily given in Sir Roger 's own Depositions pa. 187. where Mr. Wynnel deposes Sir E. told him Coleman wou'd dye and mention'd Consults about a Toleration Adding further That he was Master of a dangerous secret that wou'd be fatal to him Hence nothing can be plainer to any reasonable man than that Sir Edmond was acquainted with Mr. Coleman as well as Dr. Oates and knew even the minute Circumstances in those Letters which afterwards were brought against him and stood in fear of his Life for that very Reason as for the same he afterwards lost it For the Manner of his Death those who were Accomplices therein shou'd best know it and the Objections against their Evidence the Reader may find clear'd if he 'll take the pains to look a little lower After the poor Gentleman had several days been dog'd by the Papists as Dr. Oates Mr. Prance and Mr. Bedlow unanimously swear and which he as good as acknowledged to Mr. Robinson as appears on the Trial of his Murtherers they at last accomplish'd their wicked design on Saturday Octob. 12. 1678. and under a pretence of a Quarrel which they knew his Care for the publick Peace wou'd oblige him to prevent about Nine at night as he was going home got him into the Water-gate at Somerset-House When he was thus trapan'd in and got out of hearing from the Street toward the lower end of the Yard Green one of the Assassines threw a twisted Handkerchief round his Neck and drew him behind the Rails which notwithstanding his age and weakness are objected against its probability taking him thus at a surprize and in the dark 't was easie for him to do especially three or four more of 'em immediately falling in to assist him there they throtled him and lest that shou'd not be enough punch'd and kickt him on the Breast as sufficiently appear'd when his Body was found by the marks upon it and lest he shou'd not be yet dead enough another of 'em Girald or as I find him called in other places Fitz-Girald wou'd have run him through but was hindered by the rest lest the Blood shou'd have discover'd 'em But Green to make sure work wrung his Neck round as 't was found afterwards on the inspection of the Surgeons For the disposal of the Body they all carried it up into a little Chamber of Hills another of the Murtherers who had been or was Dr. Godwin's man where it lay till Monday night when they remov'd it into another Room and thence back again 'till Wednesday when they carried him out in a Sedan about Twelve a clock and afterwards upon a Horse with Hill behind him to support him till they got to Primrose-Hill or as some say 't is call'd Green-Bury-Hill near a Publick House call'd the White house and there threw him into a Ditch with his Gloves
to consider calmly of the matter and this no doubt was very well known by those who order'd things in the manner before-noted But I say 't were to be wished for the Honour of the English Nation that this had been all the foul play in the case and that there had not been so many Thousand Guinea's imployed in this and other Tryals as the great Agitators thereof have lately confess'd to have been The Names of his Jury as I find them in Print are as follow John Martayn William Rouse Jervas Seaton William Fashion Thomas Short George Toriano William Butler James Pickering Thomas Jeve Hugh Noden Robert Brough Thomas Omeby When he found he must expect neither Favour nor Justice as to the delaying of his Tryal he excepted against the Fore-man of the Jury because not a Freeholder which for divers and sundry Reasons almost if not all the Judges having the happiness to light on different ones and scarce any two on the sâ—me was over-ruled and given against him though that same practice since declared and acknowledged one of the great Grievances of the Nation His Indictment ran in these words He did conspire and compass our Lord the King his Supreme Lord not onely of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Soveraign Lord the King to kill and to Death to bring and put and the ancient Government of this Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly subvert and a miserable Slaughter among the Subjects of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move procure and stir up within this Kingdom of England And lower He and divers others did consult agree and conclude Insurrection and Rebellion against our Sovereign Lord the King to move and stir up and the Guards for the preservation of the Person of our said Soveraign Lord the King to seize and destroy Now that all this was not intended as matter of Form only we may see by the Kings Councils opening the Evidence The first says He was indicted for no less than conspiring the Death of the Kings Majesty and that in order to the same he and others did meet and conspire together to bring our Sovereign Lord the King to Death to raise War and Rebellion against him and to Massacre his Subjects And in order to compass these wicked Designs being assembled did conspire to seize the Kings Guards and his Majesties Person And this he tells the Jury is the charge against him The Attorney General melts it a little lower and tells 'em the meaning of all these Tragical Words were A Consult about a Rising about seizing the Guards and receiving Messages from E. of Shaftsbury concerning an Insurrection Nor yet does the proof against him come up so high even as this though all care was used for that purpose and kind Questions put very frequently to lead and drive the Evidence but one of them Witnessing to any one Point The first of whom was Col. Rumsey who swears That he was sent with a Message from Shaftsbury who lay concealed at Wapping to meet Lord Russel Ferguson c. at Shepherds 's to know of them what Resolution they were come to about the Rising design'd at Taunton That when he came thither the Answer was made Mr. Trenchard had fail'd 'em and no more would be done in that business at that time That Mr. Ferguson spoke the most part of that Answer but my Lord Russel was present and that he did speak about the Rising of Taunton and consented to it That the Company was discoursing also of viewing the Guards in order to surprize 'em if the Rising had gone on and that some undertook to view 'em and that the Lord Russel was by when this was undertaken But this being the main Hinge of the business and this Witness not yet coming up to the purpose they thought it convenient to give him a Jog to Refresh his Memory Asking him Whether he found my Lord Russel averse or agreeing to it Who no doubt answer'd Agreeing But being afterwards in the Tryal ask'd Whether he could Swear positively that my Lord Russel heard the Message and gave any Answer to it All that he says is this That when he came in they were at the Fire side but they all came from the Fire-side to hear what he said All that Shepherd witnesses is That my Lord Russel c. being at his house there was a Discourse of surprizing the Kings Guards and Sir Thomas Armstrong having viewed them when he came thither another time said They were remiss and the thing was feizible if there were Strength to do it and that upon his being question'd too as Rumsey before him Whether my Lord Russel was there He says He was at that time they discours'd of seizing the Guards The next Witness was the florid Lord Howard who very artificially begins low being forsooth so terribly surprized with my Lord of Essex's Death that his Voice fail'd him till the Lord Chief Justice told him the Jury could not hear him in which very moment his Voice returned again and he told the reason why he spoke no louder After a long Harangue of Tropes and fine Words and dismal General Stories by which as my Lord complains the Jury were prepossessed against him he at last makes his Evidence bear directly upon the point for which he came thither And swears That after my Lord Shaftsbury went away their Party resolved still to carry on the design of the Insurrection without him for the better management whereof they erected a little Cabal among themselves which did consist of Six Persons whereof my Lord Russel and himself were two That they met for this purpose at Mr. Hambden's house and there adjusted the place and manner of the intended Insurrection That about ten days after they had another meeting on the same business at my Lord Russel's where they resolved to send some Persons to engage Argyle and the Scots in the design and being ask'd too that he was sure my Lord Russel was there Being ask'd whether he said any thing he answer'd That every one knew him to be a Person of great Judgment and not very lavish of Discourse Being again goaded on by Jeffreys with a But did he consent We did says he put it to the Vote it went without contradiction and I took it that all there gave their consent West swears That Ferguson and Col. Rumsey told him That my Lord Russel intended to go down and take his Post in the West when Mr. Trenchard had fail'd ' em Whose hear-say-Evidence being not encouraged Jeffreys ends very prettily telling the Court they would not use any thing of Garniture but leave it as it was As for Rumsey the first Witness As to his Person My Lord Candish prov'd on the Trial that my Lord Russel had a
very ill opinion of him and therefore 't was not likely he would entrust him with such a Secret As to his Evidence squeez'd out of him as it was in both branches of the Design seizing the Guards and the Rising of Taunton he says in gross and general That he was agreeing to one and spoke about and consented to the other For his agreeing to the seizing the Guards he might think as the Lord Howard does after that Silence gives consent for it appears not nor does he swear that my Lord spoke one word about it But he himself in his last Speech which was not a Jesuit's which we have all the reason in the world to believe exactly true since as he himself says in it He always detested Lying tho' never so much for his advantage and hoped none would be so unjust or uncharitable to think he 'd venture on it in thee his last words for which he was so soon going to give an account to the great God the Searcher of Hearts and Judge of all things In this last Speech he protests that this time of which Rumsey swears there was no undertaking of securing and seizing the Guards nor none appointed to view or examine them only some discourse there was of the feazibleness of it He had heard it mentioned as a thing might easily be done but never consented to as a thing fit to be done Now I 'd ask any man of Sense and Honour who did but know my Lord Russel let 'em be never so much his Enemy if there were any such which of these two they really judge most worthy to be believed There is but one against one Rumsey who either swore upon liking for saving his Life or was a Trapan That he was consenting to the seizing the Guards or my Lord Russel on his Death and Salvation solemnly affirming That he was so far from consenting to any such thing that there was not so much as any such Undertaking mention'd in the Company while he was with ' em Especially when 't is observable that Rumsey never instances in the terms in which he gave his Consent The same is to be said of the other Branch of his Evidence as to the Message of the Insurrection which he says he brought into the Room found the Lord Russel and the rest by the Fire whence they all came to him and heard his Message and the Lord Russel discoursed of the subject on 't and consented to 't To all which let 's again oppose not only what he answer'd in his Trial wherein he says That he would swear he never heard or knew of that Message which Rumsey says he brought to them but also what he says in confirmation thereof in his Speech I shall aver that what I said of my not hearing Col. Rumsey deliver any Message from my Lord Shaftsbury was true And a little before When I came into the Room I saw Mr. Rumsey by the Chimney tho' he swears he came in after One thing more is observable That when West came to give in his Garniture-Evidence he runs in a Length further than Rumsey and remembers Rumsey had told him what it seems he himself had forgot That on Mr. Trenchards failing 'em my Lord Russel was to go in his place and take up Posts along in the West And indeed had not West miss'd his Cue and by imitating my Lord Howard's Example begun first with Hear-say he had made as stabbing an Evidence as e're a one of the other Or had they but let him run to the end of his third and take things methodically as his Lordship did before him For Shepherd all must grant he says not a Syllable to the purpose or any thing which affects my Lord. He can hardly tell whether he was there when there was the discourse of seizing the Guards but speaks not a word of my Lord 's hearing or in the least-wise consenting thereunto As for my Lord Howard's Evidence we may without Scandalum Magnatum affirm that every Lord is not fit to make a Privy-Coâ—nsellor no nor every witty Lord neither especially in a Business of such a Concern He does very well to say the Council of six all chose themselves for had not he given his own Vote for himself hardly any body else wou'd have done it since his Character is so notoriously different from that which he himself gives of my Lord Russel whom he says every one knew him to be a Person of great Judgment and not very lavish of Discourse For his Evidence he too is so happy to have a better Memory than Rumsey as well as West had and says That the Duke of Monmouth told him Rumsey had convey'd my Lord Russel to Shaftsbury on whose perswasion the Insurrection was put off about a Fornight longer Of this Rumsey himself says not a Syllable He says further That when they had enquir'd how Matters stood in the Countrey and the Duke of Monmouth had found Trenchard and the West-Country fail'd them on this 't was put off again and this about the 17 th or 18 th of October Now this same Action Rumsey speaks of but takes a larger Scope as to the Time the end of October or beginning of November far enough from the 17th or 18th of the Month before Rumsey says On this Disappointment of the Taunton men and Trenchard Shaftsbury resolv'd to be gone Lord Howard That he was so far from it that he and his Party resolv'd to do it without the Lords and had set one time and t'other and at last the 17 th of Novemb. which also not taking effect then Shaftsbury went off As to his Evidence which was closer the Story of the Council of Six besides the former Improbability that he among all the men in England shou'd be chosen one of 'em 't is remarkable that in their former greater Consults at Shepherds which he and Rumsey mention the Lord Howard was never present nor so much as touches on 't in his Evidence tho' here if any where the grand Affair of seizing the Guards and the Answer to Shaftsbury about Taunton was concerted All that appears of truth in the Matter seems to be what my Lord Russel acknowledges That those Persons named met very often that there was no form'd Design but onely loose talk about those Conceâ—ns That there was no Debate of any such thing as was sworn nor putting any thing in a Method but my Lord Howard being a Man of a Voluble Tongue and one who talkt very well they were all delighted to hear him Nor indeed does my Lord Howard positively Swear even supposing this form'd Consult to be true that my Lord Russel actually consented to it or discoursed of it Only That he was there and that he took it and that he did give his consent 'T is a very ill Cause that needs either a Lye or a Cheat to defend it My Lord Russel himself being so ingenuous to acknowledge whatever of Truth any that knew
him will believe to be in his part of the Design 't would be an Injury to his Memory to do any otherwise It appears then from his own acknowledgment that Howard Armstrong and such others had sometimes discoursed of ill Designs and Matters in his Company And as he says in his Speech What the Heats Wickedness Passions and Vanities of other Men had occasion'd he ought not to be answerable for nor cou'd be repress ' em Nay more he did sufficiently disapprove those things which he heard discours'd of with more Heat than Judgment But for himself declares solemnly again and again That he was never in any design against the King's Life or any Man's whatsoever nor ever in any Contrivance of altering the Government If so what then becomes of all the Story of the Council of Six and is 't not to be thrown among the same Lumber with the old famous Nagshead Tavern Business 'T will be still said he was an Ill Man in being Guilty by this very Confession of Misprision of Treason Supposing this true That was not Death and he dy'd as he says Innocent of the Crime he stood condemned for And besides every Lord has not Brow hard enough nor Tongue long enough nor Soul little enough to make an Informer against others to save his own Life I hope says he no Body will imagin that so mean a thought could enter into me as to go about to save my Life by accusing others The part that some have acted lately of that kind has not been such as to invite me to love Life at such a rate But all this does not depend on his naked word since the Evidence who swore against him being such as were neither credible nor indeed so much as legal Witnesses the Accusation of it self must fall to the ground If legal they were not credible because as my Lord Delamere observes in this Case they had no Pardons but hunted as the Cormorant does with strings about their Necks which West in his Answer to Walcot's Letter ingenuously acknowledges and says 'T is through God's and the King's Mercy he was not at the apparent point of Death That is in a fair construction was not just turning over but was upon trial to see whether he 'd do Business and deserve to scape hanging Much such an honourable way of getting Pardon as the Fellow who sav'd his own neck by turning Hangman and doing the good Office to his own Father Nor indeed was the great Witness the honourable Lord who cast this Noble Person so much as a legal any more than a credible Witness No Man alive has any way to clear himself from the most perjur'd Villains Malice if he swears against him Point-blank but either by Circumstance of Time or invalidating his very Evidence Let any think of another way if they can The first of these was precluded 'T was that which had before been made use of to sham off a truer Plot and much more valid Evidence But here Rumsey and the rest came to no determinate Time but only about such a time about the end of October or beginning of November and others cloud the precise time in so many words that 't is impossible to find it All then that could be done was as to the Person Now what thing can be invented which can more invalidate the Evidence any person gives than his solemn repeated voluntary Oath indubitably prov'd against him that such a Person is innocent of that very Crime of which he afterwards accuses him If this be the Case or no here let any one read the following Depositions and make an indifferent Judgment My Lord Anglesey witnesses He was at the Earl of Bedford 's after his Son was imprisoned where came in my Lord Howard and began to comfort him saying He was happy in so wise a Son and worthy a person and who could never be in such a Plot as that That he knew nothing against him or any body else of such a barbarous Design But this was not upon Oath and onely related to the Assassination as he says for himself in his paring-distinction Look then a little lower to Dr. Burnet whom the Lord Howard was with the night after the Plot broke out and then as well as once before with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven did say He knew nothing of ANY Plot nor believ'd ANY Here 's the most solemn Oath as he himself confesses voluntarily nay unnecessarily tho' perhaps in my Lord Bedford's Case Good-nature might work upon him Here 's the paring of his Apple broke all to pieces No shadow no room left for his Distinction between the Insurrection and Assassination but without any guard or mitigation at all he solemnly swears he knew not of ANY Plot nor believed ANY But 't was no great matter for the Jury were resolv'd to know and believe it whether he did or no. There 's but one little Subterfuge more and the Case is clear All this Perjury all these solemn Asseverations he tells us were only to brazen out the Plot and to out-face the Thing for himself and Party This he fairly acknowledges and let all the World be the Jury whether they 'd destroy one of the bravest Men in it on the Evidence of such a Person But there 's yet a farther Answer His Cousin Mr. Howard who was my Lord's intimate Friend who secur'd him in his House to whom he might open his Soul and to whom it seems he did he having made Application to Ministers of State in his Name that he was willing to serve the King and give him Satisfaction To him I say with whom he had secret Negotiations and that of such a Nature will any believe that he wou'd out-face the Thing here too That he wou'd Perjure himself for nothing where no danger no good came on 't No certainly his Lordship had more Wit and Conscience and Honour he ought to be vindicated from such an Imputation even for the credit of his main Evidence for my Lord Gray he tells us was left out of their Councils for his Immoralities and had he himself been such a sort of a Man those piercing Heads in the Council wou'd have certainly found him out before and never admitted him among them As for the very Thing Mr. Howard tells it as generously and with as much honest Indignation as possible in spite of the Checks the Court gave him He took it says he upon his Honour his Faith and as much as if he had taken an Oath before a Magiâ—â—rate that he knew nothing of any Man concern'd in this Business and particularly of the Lord Russel of whom he added that he thought he did unjustly suffer So that if he had the same Soul on Monday that he had on Sunday the very day before this cou'd not be true that he Swore against the Lord Russel My Lord Russel's suffering was Imprisonment and that for the same matter on which he was try'd the Insurrection
into the Hall yet they immediately found it The Substance whereof was For a Conspiracy to Depose the King and stirring up Rebellion and writing a Libel for that purpose The most part of the Evidence brought against him was only Hearsay as against my Lord Russel nay West whose Evidence was then refused now was admitted to tell a long Story of what he had from one and t'other Rumsey's was much of the same Nature In the Reer came that never failing Evidence the Lord Howard who witnesses he was one of the Council of Six and engaged one of the deepest in their Consults And more than that exercises his own Faculty very handsomly in an account of two Speeches Mr. Hamden made on the Occasion which indeed were such fine things that some might think it worth the while to swear against a man only to have the Reputation of reciting 'em and whom they are most like Mr. Hamden or my Lord 's own witty self let any man Judge The next Evidence was a Paper said to be of the Prisoners writing which was found in his Study The Substance of which was an Enquiry into the Forms of Government and Reasons of their Decays The Rights of the People and Bounds of Soveraignty and Original of Power In which were those heinous treasonable Expressions The King is subject to the Law of God as ae Man to the People who made him such as a King c. And Examples of evil Kings and Tyrants whom sometimes a Popular Fury had destroy'd at others the Ordines Regni either reduc'd or set them aside when their Government was a Curse instead of a Blessing to their People VVell what Treason to be found in all this and a great deal more Nothing but a Jesuits enchanted Telescope cou'd have found any in it If there were any Mistakes as he says in his Speech they ought to have been confuted by Law Reason and Scripture not Scaffolds and Axes First 'T was not proved to be his Writing nor did he confess it Treason and Life are critical things one ought to be as fairly prov'd as t'other to be cautiously proceeded against Tho' he might write it he had the Liberty of an English man not to accuse himself the very same thing which was afterwards put in practice by those Reverend Persons who later than he and cheaper too defended their Countries Liberty with only the loss of their own But owning he Writ it How very few if any things therein are not now generally and almost universally believ'd and are the foundation of the practice and satisfaction of the Conscience of every Man tho' then confuted with the single Brand of Commonwealth Principles being indeed such as all the World must whether they will or no be forc'd into the belief of as soon as Oppression and Tyranny bears hard upon 'em and becomes really unsupportable But supposing they were now as wicked Principles as they were call'd then yet what was that to the then present Governours He answer'd Filmer for his own satisfaction or rather began to do it many years before the Makers of this Plot dreamt of that or bringing him into it Kept it private in his own Study where it might have lain till Dooms-day had not they fetch'd it out to make somewhat on 't 'T was suggested and Innuendo'd that this Book was written to scatter among the people in order to dispose 'em to rebel as 't is in the Indictment But how ridiculous that is any one will see who considers the Bulk of it which was such that as he says in his Speech The fiftieâ—h part of the Book was not produced nor the Tenth of that read tho' he desired it and 't was usual and yet after all as it had never been shewn to any man so 't was not finish'd nor cou'd be in many years Now is this a business likely to be calculated for a Rebellion when it cou'd neither be finish'd till several years after 't was over and besides if it had the Bulk made if so improper to be disperst for that purpose for which 't was pretendedly design'd No those who are to poison a Nation in that manner know better things and more likely ways 'T is to be done in little Pamphlets and Papers easily read over understood and remembred as the Declaration-Gentlemen t'other day very well knew But still here being not a Syllable in these Papers of King Charles any more than of the King of Bantam or the Great Mogul against whom they might as well have made it Treason 't was all supply'd by a fine knack call'd an Innuendo that is in English such Interpretation as they 'd please to affix on his words Thus when he writes Tarquin or Pepin or Nero they say he meant King Charles and so scandalously of him as well as wickedly of the Gentleman make a Monster and a Ravisher of their King and then take away anothers Life for doing it There was a Minister I have somewhere read of who was accused for writing a Libel against Queen Elizabeth and her Government and the Fact there 't is true lay as this does upon Innuendo's though much more plain and pregnant But all the Punishment inflicted on him tho' that thought severe enough reached not his Head the loss of his Hand being thought sufficient while with that which was left he pulled off his Hat and Prayed God to bless the Queen But this was under a mild Reign and truly Protestant Government As for my Lord Howard's Evidence had the Jury been any but such as they were and Sidney describes them they would not have hang'd a Jesuit upon the credit on 't he having one would think that read the Tryals taken a pride in damning himself deeper and deeper against every new appearance in publick on purpose to try the skill and face of the Council in bringing him off again To the Evidence brought against him in my Lord Russel's Case he had taken care that these following should be added The E of Clare witnesses that he said after Sidney's Imprisonment if question'd again He would never plead Had it not been a pleasant thing for my Lord Howard to have been Press'd to death for not speaking and that he thought Colonel Sidney as innocent as any Man breathing Mr. Ducas says the same so does my Lord Paget and Mr. Edward and Philip Howards and Tracy and Penwick and Mr. Blake that he said he had not his Pardon and could not ascribe it to any Reason but that he must not have it till the Drudgery of Swearing was over But though there was no reasonable Answer could be given to all this tho Sidney pleaded the Obligations my Lord Howard had to him and the great Conveniency he might think there might be in his being hang'd since he was some Hundreds of Pounds in his Debt which would be the readiest way of paying him and had besides as it appeared a great mind to have the Collonel's Plate secured at his
own House tho never Man in the World certainly ever talk't stronger Sense or better Reason or more evidently batter'd the Judges and left 'em nothing but Railing 'T was all a case with him as well as the others and the Petty Jury could as easily have found him Guilty without hearing his Tryal as the Grand Jury did as soon as e're they saw the Bill Never was any thing more base and barbarous than the summing up the Evidence and Directions to the Jury who yet stood in no great need of 'em Nor more uncivil and sawcy a Reflection on the Noble Family and Name of the Sidneys than the Judges saying That he was born a Traitor Never any thing Braver or more Manly than his Remonstrance to the King for Justice and another Trial Nor lastly more Roman and yet truly Christian than his end The brave old Man came up on a Scaffold as unconcern'd as if he had been going to fight and as lively as if he had been a Russel In his last Speech he gives almost all the substance of all those Books which have been lately written in the Defence of the late Transactions and no disgrace to 'em neither since Truth and Reason are eternal and one and the same from all Pens and Parties and at all times however there may be some times so bad that they won't bear some Reason any more than some Doctrine He there says as much in a little as ever Man did That Magistrates were set up for the Good of Nations not e contra If that be Treason K. Charles the First is guilty on 't against himself who says the same thing That the Power of Magistrates is what the Laws of the Country make it That those Laws and Oaths have the force of a Contract and if one part is broken t'other ceases And other Maxims of the same necessity and usefulness He besides this gave a full Account of the Design of his Book of his Tryal and the Injustice done him therein of the Jury's being packt and important points of Law over-ruled and ends with a most Compendious Prayer in which he desires God would forgive his Enemies but keep 'em from doing any more mischief And then he laid down his Head and went to Sleep TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble Petition of Algernoon Sydney Esquire SHEWETH THAT your Petitioner after a long and close Imprisonment was on the seventh day of this Month with a Guard of Souldiers brought into the Palace-yard upon an Habeas Corpus directed to the Lieutenant of the Tower before any Indictment had been exhibited against him But while he was there detain'd a Bill was exhibited and found whereupon he was immediately carried to the King's Bench and there Arraign'd In this surprize he desir'd a Copy of the indictment and leave to make his exceptions or to put in a special Plea and Council to frame it but all was denied him He then offer'd a special Plea ready ingross'd which also was rejected without reading And being threatned that if he did not immediately plead Guilty or not Guilty Judgment of High Treason should be entered he was forc'd contrary to Law as he supposes to come to a general issue in pleading not Guilty Novemb. 21. He was brought to his Tryal and the Indictment being perplexed and confused so as neither he nor any of his Friends that heard it could fully comprehend the scope of it he was wholly unprovided of all the helps that the Law allows to every man for his Defence Whereupon he did again desire a Copy and produced an Authentick Copy of the Statute of 46 Ed. 3. whereby 't is enacted That every Man shall have a Copy of any Record that touches him in any manner as well that which is for or against the King as any other person but could neither obtain a Copy of his Indictment nor that the Statute should be read The Jury by which he was try'd was not as he is inform'd summon'd by the Bailiffs of the several Hundreds in the usual and legal manner but names were agreed upon by Mr. Graham and the Under-Sheriff and directions given to the Bailiffs to summon them And being all so chosen a Copy of the Pannel was of no use to him When they came to be called he excepted against some for being your Majesties Servants which he hoped should not have been return'd when he was prosecuted at your Majesties Suit many more for not being Free-holders which exceptions he thinks were good in Law and others were lewd and infamous persons not fit to be of any Jury But all was over-rul'd by the Lord Chief Justice and your Petitioner forc'd to challenge them peremptorily whom he found to be pick'd out as most suitable to the Intentions of those who sought his Ruin whereby he lost the Benefit allow'd him by Law of making his Exceptions and was forc'd to admit of Mechanick Persons utterly unable to judge of such a matter as was to be brought before them This Jury being sworn no Witness was produc'd who fixed any thing beyond hear-say upon your Petitioner except the Lord Howard and them that swore to some Papers said to be found in his House and offer'd as a second Witness and written in an Hand like to that of your Petitioner Your Petitioner produc'd ten Witnesses most of them of eminent Quality the others of unblemish'd Fame to shew the Lord Howard's Testimony was inconsistent with what he had declared before at the Tryal of the Lord Russel under the same Religious obligation of an Oath as if it had been legally administred Your Petitioner did further endeavour to shew That besides the Absurdity and Incongrui-of his Testimony he being guilty of many crimes which he did pretend your Petitioner had any knowledge of and having no other hope of Pardon than by the drudgery of swearing against him he deserv'd not to be believ'd And similitude of Hands could be no evidence as was declared by the Lord Chief Justice Keiling and the whole Court in the Lady Carr's case so as that no evidence at all remain'd against him That whosoever wrote those Papers they were but a small part of a Polemical Discourse in answer to a Book written about thirty years ago upon general Propositions apply'd to no time nor any particular case That it was impossible to judge of any part of it unless the whole did appear which did not That the sence of such parts of it as were produc'd could not be comprehended unless the whole had been read which was denied That the Ink and Paper sheweth them to be writ many years ago That the Lord Howard not knowing of them they could have no concurrence with what your Petitioner is said to have design'd with him and others That the confusion and errors in the writing shew'd they had never been so much as review'd and being written in an Hand that no man could well read they were not fit for the Press nor
Sarah â—ain and afterwards of Mr. Jennison That Ireland was in Town when others witness he was in the Country But now at his Tryal Bedlo and Pain being dead and Jennison fled into Holland he was absolutely incapacitated of making any Defence that way and so was found Guilty of both Indictments The Judgment against him was just as merciful as could be expected from Papists acting by a Jeffreys part of which was To be whipt from Algate to Newgate on Wednesday and on the Friday following from Newgate to Tyburn and stand on the Pillory five times a year and be Prisoner during Life Which he bore with a great deal of Strength and Courage tho had not Providence provided him a Body and Soul made one would think on purpose for it 't would have kill'd him if he 'd had the strength of twenty Men. He had in all above two thousand Lashes as some that were by reckon'd em up Such a thing as was never inflicted by any Jew Turk or Heathen but Jeffreys nay the merciful Jews thought one less than God Almighty had appointed sufficient and never gave but 39 at a time all St. Paul's 3 times not coming near the third part of the Doctors Had they hang'd him they had been merciful had they flead him alive 't is a question whether it had been so much torture How good and merciful those Persons who will vindicate this worse than barbarous and inhumane Action are let the World and future Ages be Judges in the mean while we 'll safely defy all History to shew one Parallel of it either on man or Dog from the Creation of the World to the year 1685. But there needs no more aggravation of it or urging what is plain enough that the thus dealing with him even supposing his Crime as great as they 'd have it was yet the highest affront and indignity even to Humanity it self 'T will besides this be an unanswerable Observation That it had been impossible for a Man to have held out the Second Whipping after the first was over while the Wounds were fresh about him and every new stroke more than a double torment either to have undergone this without Confession or dropping down Dead with extremity of pain had he not both had truth on his side and also a more than common support and assistance from him who saw his Innocency This Whipping of his being the greatest Confirmation to his Evidence that was possible to be given After his return to Prison after all this Usage yet if possible more barbarous tearing off the Plaisters from his Wounds crushing him with Irons thrusting him into Holes and Dungeons and endeavouring to render him as infamous to the Nation and all the World as Cain or Judas he bore up against aâ—l this and more with so strange and almost mirâ—culous a Patience that during his four yâ—aâ—s Imprisonment he was never once heard to sigh or maniifest any impatience under his Condition He refused all the Offers of the Jesuits who even after this had the Impudence to proâ—ose to him his recanting his Evidence He had still a strong Belief that he sâ—ould see better â—imes and get his freedom again which he had in that General Goal-delivery graâ—ted all England by the then Prince of Orange's Heroick Undertaking Since that he has presented his Case and Petition to the Parliament to the House of Commons as well as the House of Lords And tho the Honourable House of Lords were offended at what they judged a slight of their Jurisdiction in his Addressing to the House of Commons while his Cause lay before them and exprest their resentments thereof accordingly The Commons have since that taken his Case into Consideration and as well as four succeeding Parliaments before 'em own'd his Cause and censur'd the Proceedings of Jeffâ—eys against him and 't is not doubted but will appoint him Rewards suitable to his Sufferings and Merit His Character HIs Firmness and Courage even perhaps to a Fault have been visible through these mentioned and all his other Actions since he appear'd on the publick Stage His Passions are lively and warm and he 's the worst made for a Dissembler an Hypocrite or a secret Villain of any Man in the World Nor have all his Sufferings much sunk him tho he be a little alter'd in this particular He 's open and frank and speaks whatever he thinks of any Persons or things in the World and bearing himself justly enough on his Services to his Country is not careful to keep that Guard which others do on his Words and Actions He has Wit enough a pleasant Humour and sufficiently divertive to those he knows and his Learning is far from contemptible He has a good Library is no mean Critick in the Greek and well acquainted with the Schoolmen and Fathers He 's owner of as much Generosity as any Man and as much tenderness to any in Misery scorning to strike at those below him an example of which very remarkable there was in his inhumane Judges Fall he being almost the only Person who has been heard to pity him tho' one would have thought he should have been the last In a word as this present Age has now begun to do him Justice so t is not doubted will make an end on 't and those succeeding joyn with it in making honourable mention of his Name and Services to the Protestant Religion Mr. Johnson MUch about the same time the pious reverend and learned Mr. Johnson met with much the same Usage His great Crimes were Being my Lord Russel 's Chaplain Writing the famous Julian the Apostate and endeavouring to perswade the Nation not to let themselves be made Slaves and Papists when so many others were doing their parts to bring 'em to it And 't is a question whether any Man in the World besides his Friend the Reverend Dr. Burnet did more Service with his Pen or more conduc'd to our great and happy Revolution both among the Army and in other places For some of these Good Sâ—rvices he was Accused Imprisoned Tryed and Condemned to be divested of his Canonical Habit and be whipt as far as Oats was before him which was perform'd and which he underwent as he did with Courage and Constancy above a Man and like a Christian and a Martyr He remain'd ever since in the Kings Bench till the Prince's coming deliver'd him The following Paper was Published by Mr. Samuel Johnson in the year 1686. For which he was Sentenced by the Court of King's-Bench Sir Edward Herbert being Lord Chief Justice to stand three times on the Pillory and to be Whipp'd from Newgate to Tyburn which Barbarous Sentence was Executed An Humble and Hearty ADDRESS to all the English Protestants in this present Army Gentlemen NExt to the Duty which we owe to God which ought to be the Principal Care of Men of your Profession especially because you carry your Lives in your Hands and often look Death in the
informed is usual in such Cases However I forgive all the World and therein all those that have done me wrong and in particular I forgive Colonel Penruddock although he told me that he could have taken these men before they came to my House And I do likewise forgive him who desired to be taken away from the Grand Jury to the Petty-Jury that he might be the more nearly concerned in my death As to what may be objected in reference to my Conviction that I gave it under my hand that I had discoursed with Nelthrop that could be no Evidence against me being after my Conviction and Sentence I do acknowledg his Majesties Favour in Revoking my Sentence I pray God to preserve him that he may long Reign in Mercy as well as Justice and that he may Reign in Peace and that the Protestant Religion may flourish under him I also return thanks to God and the Reverend Clergy that assisted me in my Imprisonment ALICIA LISLE Mr. Richard Nelthrop HIS Name is often enough met with in Wests and Rumseys Plot and good reason too he being not near to answer for himself As to what he was Accused Outlawed and Executed for his being concern'd in a Design for the Assassination of the King and Duke he solemnly avers as may be seen below in his Speech That he was always highly against it and detested any such thing was never in the least concern'd in it neither in Pursâ— or Person never knew of any Arms bought for that intent nor did believe there was any such Design Than which what Words could be more full and satisfactory He went away in the Heat of Swearing and return'd with the Duke of Monmouth thinking it his Duty as he says to hazard his Life for the preservation of the Protestant Religion and English Liberties but as to the Duke of Monmouth's being declar'd King he was wholly passive in it He was at first committed to Salisbury Prison where he had several Disputes with a learned and good Man whose Opinion then differ'd from his concerning the lawfulness of Defending our selves by Arms against illegal Violence which was his firm Judgment Thence he was brought to London and imprison'd in Newgate He rejected there with scorn some Offers made him of saving his own Life by taking away other Mens and tho' he was under inexpressible Trouble during his close Confinement there which at length arose to Distraction and the impair of his Reason yet 't is remarkable that he as Bateman before him before he came to die after Sentence was very calm and lively again the entire Exercise of his Judgment and Understanding returning with more Joy and Comfort than he had before Pain and Misery He writ one Letter to his Parents another to his Children here inserted together with his last Speech at his Execution the 30 th of Octob. 1685. at 2 in the Morning he wrote the Letter to his Parents c. Wherein he speaks much of his Brother and Fellow-Sufferer Mr Ayloff if I mistake not whom he says He could embrace with more Joy in the Field of Suffering than ever he could have done had he met him in the Field crown'd with Victory and Laurels Mr. Richard Nelthrop's Letter to his Parents Brothers and Sister Dearest Parents and ever loving Brothers and tender hearted and beloved Sister THrough the infinite goodness of God the nearer I approach my End the more Joy and Comfort I find in my suffering Estate that I may so call it I can through mercy say that I have found more true Delight and Content this Night than in all the Days and Nights of my whole Life and I hope the Lord will continue it that his Name may be glorified by me the meanest and poorest of all his Servants but through Free-grace faithful unto the end My Soul is ravished I can hardly write and my Comforts are more unspeakable than my Terrors were I did this Evening see my dearest Brother and Companion his Face was to me as that of an Angel and he gave me that Comfort that I cannot but say my Love to him is beyond what I ever had to my dearest Relations When God comes every thing hath a beauty and lustre upon it here is aâ— Answer of Prayers and such an Answer as dearest Relations must engage you all to be constant in the performance of that Duty which like Jacob's Ladder though it stand upon the Earth yet it reacheâ— up to Heaven Here 's the Love of God made maâ—ifâ—st to a poor Sinner at the last hour like the Thief upon the Cross he that never knew before what the Love of God was to his Soul finds it now filled with it and running over Now â—less the Lord O my Soul yea all that is within me Bless his holy Name for this Dispensation â—ow Light appears out of Darkness in the Face of Jesus now all worldly Joy and Comforts seem to me as they are things not hard to part with Father Mother Brothers Sister Wife Children House and Lands are as my dear Saviour saith to be parted with for him or we are not worthy of him I bless his Name I find no reluctancy to do it he hath brought me to his Foot stool and I can say heartily the Will of the Lord be done in this matter I never before but saw a Beauty in worldly Comforts but now those seem so faded by the greater Lustre and Beauty that I see in God in Christ Jesus that I am astonished where I have been wandring all my days spending my time and my mony for that which is not Bread O strive to get a taste of this Love of God in Christ Jesus and it will perfectly wean you from this deceitful foolish World What is worldly Honour and Riches O set not your hearts upon them but get a Treasure in Heaven that your hearts may be there also O lose no time for if you ever knew the sweetness of it you would never be at rest till you found him whom your Soul loved it will be more yea infinitely more than all worldly Injoyments can afford you tho' in their greatest Perfection it will make your Life sweet and your Death most comfortable It is the Bread which this World knoweth not of and therefore maketh little or no inquiry after it Dearest Relatiâ—ns whilst you and my other dear Friends are like Aaron and Hur holding up the Hands of Moses I am through Grace getting Victory over the Amalekites I can embrace my dear and beloved Brother and Companion with more Joy in the Field of suffering than ever I could have done had I met him crowned with the Laurels of Victory Oh the mercy to die with such a â—riend and such a valiant Souldier of Jesus who hath kept his Garments clean I now begin to pity you that stay behind who have many Temptations to conflict with for a little yea a very little time and my Warfare will be accomplished and if
comfort when we may say to them with David Psal. 59.3 Not for my transgession nor for my sin O Lord. Nor are we by fraudulent pusillanimous Compliances in wicked Courses to bring sin upon our selves Faint Hearts are ordinary false Hearts choosing Sin rather than Sufferings and a short Life with eternal Death before Temporal Death and a Crown of Glory Such seeking to save a litle loses all and God readily hardens them to proceed to their own destruction How many like Hazaâ—l 2 King 8.13 run to excesses they never thought they were capable of Let Rulers and others read seriously and weigh Prov. 1.10 to 20. 2 Chr. 28.6 to 17. Prov. 24.11 12. and Prov. 2â— 10. and avoid what is bad and follow what is good For me I hope by Gods strength to joyn with Job chap. 13.15 and the Psalmist Psal. 22.4 and 167. and shall pray as Psal. 74.19 to 24. And Psal. 122.6 to 9. And Luke 1.74 75. and shall hope as Psal. 94.14 15. I do freely forgive all that directly or indirectly have bâ—â—n â—he cause of my being brought to this place first or last and I pray God forgive them I pray God send Truth and Peace in these Three Kingdoms and continue and increase the glorious Light of the Gospel and restrain the Spirit of Prophanity Atheism Superstition Popery and Persecution and restore all that have back-slidden from the Purity of their Life or Principles and bless his whole People with all Blessings spiritual and temporal and put an end to their present Trials And I intreat all People to forgive me wherein I have offended and concur with me to pray That the great good and merciful God would sanctifie my present Lot and for Jesus Christ his sake Pardon all my Sins and receive me to his Eternal Glory It is suggested to me That I have said nothing of the Royal Family and it remembers me that before the Justices at my Trial about the Test I said That at my Death I would pray That there should never want one of the Royal Family to be a Defender of the True Ancient Apostolick Catholick Protestant Faith which I do now And that GOD would enlighten and forgive all of them that are either luke-warm or have shrunk from the Profession of it And in all Events I pray God may provide for the Security of his Church that Antichrist nor the Gates of Hell may never prevail against it Colonel Rumbold AT the same place died Colonel Richard Rumbold Jun. 26. 1685. most of what occurr'd considerable in his Defence and Speech you have had already in the business of the Assassination Two or three Passages more there are worth Remarks in the same as Arguments of his Sense and Courage For this Cause he says were every hair of his Head and Beard a Life he 'd joyfully sacrifice 'em all That he was never Antimonarchical in his Principles but for a King and Free Parliament the King having power enough to make him great and the People to make 'em happy That he died in the Defence of the just Laws and Liberties of the Nations That none was markt by God above another for no Man came into the World with a saddle on their backs nor others booted and spurr'd to ride upon 't And being askt if he thought not his Sentence dreadful answer'd He wisht he had a Limb for every Town in Christendom The Last Speech of Col. Richard Rumbold at the Market-Cross of Edinburgh with several things that passed at his Tryal 26 Jun. 1685. AT the same place died Colonel Richard Rumbold about Eleven of the Clock he was brought from the Castle of Edinburgh to the Justices Court in a great Chair on Mens Shoulders where at first he was asked some Questions most of which he answer'd with silence at last said He humbly conceived it was not necessary for him to add to his own Accusation since he was not ignorant they had enough already to do his Business and therefore he did not design to fret his Conscience at that time with Answering Questions After which his Libel being read the Court proceeded in usual manner first asking him If he had any thing to say for himself before the Jury closed His Answer was He owned it all saving that parâ— of having Designed the King's Death and desired all present to believe the words of â— Dying Man he never directly nor indirectly intended such a Villany that he abhorred the very thoughts of it and that he blessed God he had that Reputation in the World that he knew none that had the Impudence to ask him the Question and he detested the thoughts of such an Action and he hoped all good People would believe him which was the only way he had to clear himself and he was sure that this Truth should be one day made manifest to all Men. He was again asked If he had any exception against the Jury He answered No but wished them to do as God and their Consciences directed them Then they withdrew and returned their Verdict in half an hour and brought him in Guilty The Sentence followed For him to be taken from that Place â—o the next Room and from thence to be Drawn on a Hurdle betwixt Two and Four of the Clock to the Cross of Edinburgh the Place of Execution and there to be Hang'd Drawn and Quartered He received his Sentence with an undaunted Courage and Chearfulness Afterwards he was delivered into the Town-Magistrates Hands they brought to him two of their Divines and offered him their Assistance upon the Scaffold which he altogether refused telling them That if they had any good Wishes for him he desired they would spend them in their own Closets and leave him now to seek God in his own Way He had several Offers of the same kind by others which he put off in like manner He was most serious and fervent in Prayers the few-hours he lived as the Sentinels observed who were present all the while The Hour being come he was brought to the Place of Execution where he saluted the People on all sides of the Scaffold and after having refreâ—hed himself with a Cordial out of his Pocket he was supported by two Men while he spoke to the People in these words Gentlemen and Brethren Iâ— is for all Men that come into the World once to Die and after Death to Judgment and since death is a Debt that all of us must pay it is but a matter of small moment what way it be done and seeing the Lord is pleased in thiâ— manner to take me to himself I confess something hard to Flesh and Blood yet blessed be his Name who hath made me not only Willing but Thankful for his honouring me to lay down the Life he gave for his Name in which were every Hair in this Head and Beard of minâ— a Life I should joyfully sacrifice them for it as I do this And Providence having brought me hither I think it most
necessary to clear my self of some Aspersions laid on my Name and first That I should have had so horrid an Inâ—ention of Destroying the King and his Brother Here he repeated what he had said before to the Justices on this Subject It was also laid to my Charge That I was Antimonarchical It was ever my Thoughts That Kingly Government was the best of all Justly Executed I mean such as by our ancient Laws that is a King and a Legal Free Chosen Parliament The King having aâ— I conceive Power enough to make him Great the People also as much Property as to makâ— them Happy they being as it were contracted to one another And who will deny me that this was not the Just constituted Government of our Nation How absurd is it then for Men of Sense to maintain That though the one Party of this Contract breaketh all Conditions the other should be obliged to perform their Part No this error is contrary to the Law of God the Law of Nations and the Law of Reason But as pride hath been the Bait the Devil hath catched most by ever since the Creation so it continues to this day with us Pride caused our first Parents to fall from the blessed Estate wherein they were created they aiming to be Higher and Wiser than God allowed which brought an everlasting Curse on them and their Posterity It was Pride caused God to Drown the Old World And it was Nimrod 's Pride in building Babel that caused that heavy Curse of Division of Tongues to be spread among us as it is at this day One of the greatest Afflictions the Church of God groaneth under That there should be so many Divisions during their Pilgrimage here but this is their Comfort that the Day draweth near whereas there is but One Shepherd there shall be but One Sheepfold It was therefore in the Defence of this Party in their Just Rights and Liberties against Popery and Slavery At which words they Beat the Drums To which he said They need not trouble themselves for he should say no more of his Mind on that subject since they were so disingenuous as to interrupt a Dying Man only to assure the People he adhered to the True Protestant Religion detesting the erroneous Opinions of many that called themselves so and I Die this day in the Defence of the ancient Laws and Liberties of these Nations And though God for Reasons best known to himself hath not seen it fit to honour Vs as to make Vs the Instruments for the Deliverance of his People yet as I have Lived so I Die in the Faith that he will speedily arise for the deliverance of his Church and People And I desire all of you to preparâ— for this with speed I may say This is a deluded Generation vail'd with Ignorance that though Popery and Slavery be riding in upon them do not perceive it though I am sure thâ—re was no Man born marked of God above another for none comes into the world with a Saddle on his Back neiâ—her any Booted and Spurr'd to Ride him not but that I am well satisfied that God hath wisely ordered different Stations for Men in the World as I have already said Kings having as much Power as to make â—hem Great and the People as much Property as to make them Happy And to conclude I shall only add â—y Wishes for the Salvation of all Men who were created for that end After ending these words he prayed most fervently near three quarters of an hour freely forgiving all Men even his greatest Enemies begging most earnestly for the Deliverance of Sion from â—ll her Persecutors particularly praying for London Edinburgh and Dublin from which the Streams run that Rule God's People â—n these three Nations Being asked some hours before his Execution â—f he thought not his Sentence Dreadful He answered He wished he had a Limb for every Town in Christendom A Brief Account of the Last Speech of Mr. John King at the place of Execution at Edenburgh on the 14th day of August 1679. Men and Brethren I Do not doubt but that many that are Spectators here have some other end than to be edified by what they may see and hear in the last words of one going to Eternity but if any one of you have Ears to hear which I nothing doubt but some of this great gathering have I desirâ— your Ears and Attention if the Lord shall help and permit me to speak to a few things I bless the Lord since infinite Wisdom and holy Providence has so carved out my Lot to dye after the manner that I do not unwillingly neither by force It 's true I could not do this of my self Nature always having an Inclination to put the Evil day far off but through Gracâ— I have been helped and by this Grace yet hope I shall 'T is true through Policy I might have shunned such â— hard Sâ—ntence if I had done some things but though I could I durst not God knows redeem my life with the losâ— of my Integrity and Honesty I bless the Lord that since I have been apprehended and made a Prisoner God hath very wonderfully upholden me and made out that comfortable word Fear not be not dismayed I am with thee I will strengthen thee I will uphold thee by the righâ— hand of my Righteousness Isaiah 42.10 I thanâ— the Lord he never yet gave me leave so much aâ— to have a thought much less to seek after anâ— shift that might be in the least sinful I did always and yet do judge it better to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season therefore I am come hither to lay down my life I bless the Lord I dye not as a Fool dyeth though I acknowledge I have nothing to boast of in my self Yea I acknowledge I am a sinner and one of the chiefest that hath gone under the name of a Professor of Religion yea amongst the unworthiest of those that have preached the Gospel my Sins and Corruptions have been many and have defiled me in all things and even in following and doing of my Duty I have not wanted my own sinful Infirmities and Weaknesses so that I may truly say I have no Righteousness of my own all is evil and like filthy Rags but blessed be God that there is a Saviour and an Advocate Jesus Christ the Righteous and I do believe that Jesus Christ is come into the World to save Sinners of whom I am the chief and that through Faith and his Righteousness I have obtained Mercy and that through him and him alone I desire and hope to have a happy and glorious Victory over sin Satan Hell and Death and that I shall attain unto the Resurrection of the just and be made Partaker of Eternal Life I know in whom I have believed and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day I have
according to my poor Capacity preached Salvation in his Name and as I have preached so do I believe and with all my Soul have commended it and still do commend to all of you the riches of his Grace and Faith in his Name as the alone and only way whereby to come to be saved It may be many may think but I bless the Lord without any solid ground that I suffer as an Evil-Doer and as a busie body in other mens matters but I reckon not much upon that having the Testimony of my own Conscience for me It was the lot of our blessed Saviour himself and also the lot of many of his eminent precious Servants and People to suffer by the World as Evil-doers Yea I think I have so good ground not to be scar'd at such a Lot that I count it my non-such honour and Oh what am I that I should be honoured so when so many Worthies have panted after the like and have not come at it My Soul rejoyceth in being brought into Conformity with my Blessed Lord and Head and so Blessed a Company in this way and lot and I desire to pray that I may be to none of you this day upon this account a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence and blessed is he that shall not be offended in Christ and his poor Followers and Members because of their being Condemned as Evil-doers by the World As for these things for which Sentence of Death hath past against me I bless the Lord my Conscience doth not condemn me I have not been Rebellious nor do I judge it Rebellion for me to have endeavoured in my Capacity what possibly I could for the born-down and ruined interest of my Lord and Master and for the Relief of my poor Brethren afflicted and persecuted not only in their Liberties Priviledges and Persons but also in their Lives therefore it was that I joyned with that poor handful the Lord knows who is the searcher of Hearts that neither my design nor practice was against his Majesty's person and just Government but I always studied to be Loyal to lawful Authority in the Lord and I thank God my heart doth not condemn me of any Disloyalty I have been Loyal and I do recommend it to all to be Obedient to higher Powers in the Lord. I have been looked upon by some and represented by others to be of a divisive and Factious Humour and one that stirred up division in the Church but I am hopeful that they will all now give me their Charity being within a little to stand before my Judge and I pray the Lord forgive them that did so misrepresent me but I thank the Lord whatever Men have said against me concerning this that on the contrary I have often disswaded from such wayâ— and practices as contrary to the Word of God and of our Covenanted and Reformed Religion and as I ever Abhorred division and Faction in the Church as that which tends to its utter Ruin if the Lord prevent it not So I would in the Bowels of my Lord â—â—d Master if such an one as I am may presume to â—erswade and Exhort both Ministers and Professors if there bâ— any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies that you be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves Phil. 1.12 Harmoniousness and Honesty in the things of God can never enough be sought after and things that tend to the prejudice and hurt of Christs interest can never enough be fled from and avoided And as I am come hither willingly to lay down my Tabernacle so also I die in the Belief and Faith of the Holy Scriptures and in the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Christians and Protestant Reformed Churches and particularly the Church of Scotland whereof I am a poor Member I shall but say a few words First All you that are profane I would seriously Exhort you that you return to the Lord by serious Repentance if you do iniquity shall not be your Ruine if you do not know that the day of the Lords Vengeance is near and hastneth on Oh know for your comfort there is a door of mercy yet open if you be not despisers of the day of Salvation And you that have been and yet are Reproachers and persecutors of Godliness and of such as live Godly take heed Oh take heed sad will be your day when God arises to scatter his Enemies if you repent not for your ungodly deeds Secondly All those who are taken up with their own private â—â—terests and if that go well they Care the less â—or the interest of Christ take heed and be zealous and repent lest the Lord pass the Sentence I will spew you out of my mouth Thirdly For the truly Godly and such as are Lamenting after the Lord and are mourning for all the abominations of this City and are taking pleasure in the very Rubbish and Stones of Zion be of good Courage and Cast not away your Confidence I dare not say any thing to future things but surely the Lord has a handful that are precious to him to whom he will be Gracious to these is a dark night at present how long it will last the Lord knows Oh let not the sad disasters that his poor people meet with though very astonishing Terrifie you beware of snares that abound Cleave fast to your Reformed Religion do not Shift the Cross of Christ if you be called to it it is better to suffer than sin accounâ— the reproaches of Christ greater Riches than all the Treasures of the World In the last place let not my Death be Grievous to any of you I hope it will be more profitable both for you and me and for the Church and interest of God than my life could have been I bless the Lord I can freely and Frankly forgive all men even as I desire to be forgiven of God pray for them that persecute you bless them thaâ— Curse you As to the cause of Christ I bless the Lord I never had cause to this day to repent for any thing I have suffered or can now suffer for his name I thank the Lord who has shewed mercy to such a vile sinner as I am and that ever he should advance me to so High a dignity as to be made a Minister of his blessed and everlasting Gospel and that ever I should have a Seal set to my Ministry upon the hearts of some in several places and Corners of this Land the Lord visit Scotland with more and more faithful Pastors and send a Reviving day unto the people of God in the mean time be patient be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord and live in Love and peace one with another and the Lord be with his poor Afflicted Groaning people that yet remain Now
I bid farewel to all my Friends and dear Relations Farewell my poor Wife and Children whom I leave in the good hand of him who is better than seven Husbands and who will be a Father to the Fatherless Farewell all Creature Comforts Welcome everlasting Life everlasting Glory Welcome everlasting Love everlasting Praise Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Sic Subscrib JOHN KING August 14 th 1679. Tolbooth Circa horam Septimam A brief Account of the last Speech of Mr. John Kidd at the place of Execution at Edinburgh on the 14th day of August 1679. Right Worthy and well beloved Spectators and Auditors COnsidering what bodily Distempers I have been exercised with since I came out of the Torture viz. Scarce two hours out of my naked bed in one day it cannot be expected that I should be in a Case to say any thing to purpose at this Juncture especially seeing I am not as yet free of it however I cannot but Reverence the good hand of God upon me and desire with all my Soul to bless him for this my present Lot It may be there are a great many here that judge my Lot very sad and deplorable I must confess Death it self is very â—eâ—rible to Flesh and Blood but as it is an out-let to sin and an in-let to Righteousness it is the Christians great and inexpressible Priviledge and give me leave to say this that there is something in a Christian Condition that can never put him without the reach of insufferableness even shame death and the Cross bâ—ing included And then if there be peace betwixt God and the Soul nothing can damp peace with Goâ— through our Lord Jesus Christ this is a most supporting ingredient in the bitterest Cup and under the sharpest and firiest Tryal he can be exposed unto thiâ— is my mercy that I have something of this to lay Claim unto viz. The intimations of Pardon and Peace betwixt God and my Soul And as concerning that for which I am condemned I Magnifie his grace that I never had the least challenge for it but on the contrary I Judge it my Honour that ever I was counted worthy to come upon the Stage upon such a consideration another thing that renders the most despicable Lot of the Christian and mine sufferable is a felt and sensible presence from the Lord strengthening the Soul when most put to it and if I could have this for my Allowance this day I could be bold to say O death where is thy sting and could not but cry out Welcome to it and all that follows upon it I grant the Lord from an act of Soveraignty may come and go as he pleases but yet he will never forsake his people and this is a Cordial to me in the Case I am now exposed unto Thirdly The exercising and putting forth his glorious Power is able to Transport the Soul of the Believer and mine above the reach of all sublunary Difficulties and therefore seeing I have hope to be kept up by this power I would not have you to look upon my Lot or any other that is or may be in my Câ—se in the least deplorable seeing we have ground to believe that in more or less he will perfect his Power and Strength in Weakness Fourthly That I may come a little nearer to the purpose in hand I declare before you all in the sight of God Angels and Men and in the sight of that Son and all that he has Created that I am a most miserable Sinner in regard of my Original and Actual Transgressions I must confess they are more in number than the Hairs of my Head They are gone up above my Head and are past numbring I cannot but say as Jacob said I am less than the least of all God's Mercies yet I must declare to the exalting of his Free Grace That to me who am the least of all Saints is this Grace made known and that by a strong hand and I dare not but say he has loved me and washed me in his own Blood from all Iniquities and well is it for me this day That ever I heard or read that faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief Fifthly I must also declare in his sight I am the most unworthiest that ever opened his mouth to preach the unsearchable Riches of Christ in the Gospel Yea the sense of this made me altogether unwilling to fall about so great a Work until by the importunity of some whose Names are precious and savoury to me and many others I was prevailed with to fall about it and yet I am hopeful not altogether without sâ—me fruit and if I durst say it without Vanity I never found so much of the presence of God upon my Spirit as I have found in Exercises of that Nature though I must still confess attended with inexpressible Weakness and this is the main thing for which I must lay down my Tabernacle this day viz. That I did preach Christ and the Gospel in several places of this Nation for which I bless him as I can That ever such a poor obscure person as I am have been thus priviledged by him for making mention of his Grace as I was able In the next place though to many I die desired yet I know to not a few my Death is not desired and it is the rejoycing of my heart that I die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ who has loved me and given himself for me and in the Faith of the Prophets and Apostles and in this Faith of there 's not a Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved but the Name of Jesus and in the Faith of the Doctrine and Worship of the Kirk of Scotland as it is now established according to the Word of God Confession of Faith Catechisms larger and shorter and likewise I joyn my Testimony against Popery Perjury Profanity Heresie and everything contrary to found Doctrine In the Close as a dying Person and as one who has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful I would humbly leave it upon godly Ministers to be faithful for their Lord and Master and not to hold their peace in such a day when so many wayâ— are taken for injuring of him his Nâ—me Way Sanctuary Ordinances Crown and Kingdom I hope there will be found a party in this Land that will continue for him and his Matters in all Hazzards and as faithfulnesâ—â—s called for in Ministers so Professors would concern themselves that they Countenance not nor abet any thing inconsistent with former Principles and Practices Let the Land consider how Neutral and Indifferent we are grown in the Matters of God even like Ephraiâ— long ago a Cake not turned As concerning that which is the ground of my Death viz. Preaching here and there in some Corners I bless my God I have not the leasâ— Challenge for it and tho' those that
cruel Foes Let Babylon come down Let England's King be one of them Shall raze her to the ground 7. Through Christ we yield our Souls to thee Accept us on his Score That where he is there we may be To praise thee ever more After the Hymn sung he prayed devoutly for half an hour after Prayer he gave great satisfaction to all present of his Assurance of Heaven had many weeping Eyes for him and was much lamented in the Town tho' a stranger to the place so unbuttoning himself said to the Executioner I fear not what Man can do unto me I pray thee do thy work in mercy for I forgive thee with all my heart and I also pray to God to forgive thee don 't mangle my Body too much and so lifting up his hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office There was also one William Cox that died with him who also died very couragiously despising the shame in hopes and expectation of a future better Estate He and his two Sons were some of the first that came to the Duke of Monmouth anâ— all taken and all condemned together The Father only suffered the Sons by Providence were preserved When he was going to Execution he desired leave to see his Sons then in another Prison in the Town to whom he gave his Blessing and though he was going to be Executed yet had that satisfaction to hope that God would preserve them which was so Some further Passages relating to Mr. Sampson Larke with his Prayer at the same time and Place when Executed IMmeâ—iately after Colonel Holmes was Executed this gâ—od Man was ordered to prepare to follow accordingly going to dâ—liver some few words to the People some whereof were formerly of his Congregation but being told he could not expecâ— much time because it was so late and so many to be Executed afteâ— him so he suddenly concluded and said I will now speak a few Words to him whicâ— I am sure will hear me And so began his Prayeâ— as followeth Blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Creaturâ— now here before thee cannot but acknowledge from thâ— bottom of our hearts our own unworthiness we muâ—â— confess we have been grievous sinners and have brougâ—â— forth the evil Fruit of it in our Lives to the greâ—â— dishonour of thy Name for which we have deserved thy heavy wrath and indignation to be poured forth upon us not only in this life but in that which is to come O let us bless God for our Sufferings and Afflictions as for our Mercies we bless thee in particular for this O sanctifie it to us let us be effectually convinced of the vanity of the World and of our own sinfulness by Nature and Practice and to see that to be sin which we never saw before O Lord make us sensible of the absolute necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie us and let him be now made much more dear and precious to our Souls than ever that so we may be wrought into a more heavenly Frame and raised to a higher degree of Spirituality and so made more meek and humble and let us judge charitably of others that differ from us in Opinion and Judgment And now O Lord though by thy most righteous Judgment we most justly deserve these Sufferings and such an ignominious Death for our Sins against thee not for Treasons against the Kingdom let us be in a preparedness for it Pardon all our Sins help us quietly to submit to thy holy Will speak peace to all our Souls Look in mercy O Lord on this poor Nation especially on this Town and every particular Person in it let them all mind those things which concern their peace before they are hid from their eyes Comfort my dear and distressed Wife be a Husband unto her deliver her out of the Paw of the Lyon and the Paws of the Bear Look upon all thy poor afflicted ones all Prisoners and Captives work deliverance for them if thou seest it good but thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And now Lord with humble meekness and submission I submit to thy Will depending upon on the Merits of my Saviour to whom with thy blessed Self and Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Praise both now and for ever Amen Then mounting the Ladder he called to some of the Town who weeped for him but were at some distance Go home to your own Houses pray do not weep for me and before you get up yonder Hill I shall be with my heavenly Father in fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so advising those before him to leave off those cruel Sentiments they had taken of him besides some heavenly Discourses with some of his Friends he was turned off to the great grief of the good People of the Town especially those of his own Congregation To give him nothing but his due he was a man mighty charitable relieving and visiting the poor and needy Preached in season and out of season and made it his business to go about doing good and to put poor Souls in a way for Eternal Life he was an old Christian as well as aged in years he was a general loss especially to his dear and tender Wife But all our losses are nothing to be compared to that Glory that he now enjoys Mr. Sampson Larke's Letter to a Friend just before his Execution MY dear Friend I am ready to be offered and the time of my Departure is at hand I have through Grace fought a good fight have finished my course have kept the Faith and am in hopes of the Crown of Righteousness prepared for me and all God's faithful Ones The experiences I have had of the Promises hath given me comfortable hopes that he will carry me to the full end of my Journey with his Name and that Truth of his which I have made Profession of My great Crime is for my being a Preachâ—r of the Gospel and here I am to be made a Sacrifice where I have mostly preached Christ 's Gospel I think my Judges have devised this punishment for my hurt but I trust God will turn it to my good the great trouble I have is for those good Hearts that I must leave behind me But this is my comfort knowing that all such as fear God he will be a Father to them My dear Wife is greatly troubled but through Mercy much supported and something quieted if any of you have opportunity to give her help I hope you will do it As for our confessing our selves Guilty it was expresly as to matter of Fact and not of Form and this I did with some freedom and the rather because all my worthy Brethren that went before me took that way and the many ways having been used to have a further Discovery yet nothing of that kind by any but only by Captain Jones Since our Sentence some wretched men have been with us to draw from us a Confession of our
Heldore an Irishman who was contemporary with me in Dublin concerning Conformity which he much endeavour'd to persuade me to I urg'd the severity of the forementioned Conditions against it and after some Debates and Reasons with him I told him I did believe they were contrived and designed on purpose to prevent our Publick Preaching and to keep us out of the Church To which he ingenuously reply'd He judged it was so For said he a Bishop in Ireland whose Name I have forgot told me the very same But though I could not wade through and conquer this Difficulty yet I censure not those that did it and I believe after all the hottest Disputes and most vehement Debates and violent Contests between Conformist and Non-conformist there are of both Parties will be glorified in Heaven hereafter According to the 29th Article of the Church of England a visible Church is a Congregation of Faithful Men in the which the pure Word of God is preached the Sacraments of the Lord duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance and all those things that of neccessity are requisite and necessary to Salvation so with such a Church have I held the most intimate Communion and with such did I live could hold it I would not therefore be so incorporated with any Church as to exclude me from and render me uncapable of holding Communion with other Churches I was never strongly bound up to any form of Ecclesiastical Government but that under which a pure and undefiled Religion doth flourish and that which contains and really practises Holiness and advances the Kingdom of God in the World that can I approve of and willingly live under were I to live I did approve of the ancient and present form of Civil Government English Monarchy I am fully satisfy'd with and do also declare that it is not warrantable for any Subject to take up Arms against and resist their lawful Soveraigns and rightful Princes and therefore had I not been convinced by several things that I have read and heard to believe that the late D. of Monmouth was the Legitimate Son of his Father Charles the Second I had never gone into his Army judging that without this I could not be freed from the guilt of Rebellion which I always resolved to keep my self clear from And tho' his Father deny'd he was marry'd to his Mother I thought it might be answer'd with this That Kings and Princes for State reasons often cannot be fathomed by their Subjects affirming and denying things which otherwise they would not do and make even their natural Affections to truckle and stoop thereto I exhort all to abhor all Treasonable Plots and pretences of all Rebellion with the highest Detestation and to take the plain Text of Sacred Scripture to walk by in honouring and obeying and living in subjection to rightful Kings and not readily to receive or suddenly to be impress'd with evil Reports and Defamations of them also not raâ—hly to be Propagators of the same I desire God to forgive all mine Enemies and to give me an heart to forgive them which are many some mighty anâ— all most malicious Particularly Barter of Lisnel who betâ—ayed me â—nd proved such a Trâ—ytor to James D. of Monmouth his old and inâ—imaâ—e Friend I am grievously afflâ—cted that I should prove the occasion of the greâ—t Sufferings of so many Persons and Families But this hâ—th fallen under the Just and Wise ordeâ—ing of Divine Providence as David's going to Abimeâ—ech when he proved the occasion of the Dâ—ath of aâ—l the Persons Men Women and Children in the City But who shall say unto God What doest thou The care of my most dear Wife and a great many Children I cast upon God who I hope will be better than the best of Husbands unto her and the best of Fathers unto them God knows how just and legal Right my Wife hath unto her Estate to him therefore I commit her to defend her from the violence and oppression of men particularly from a most inhumane and unnatural Brothâ—r But no wonder if he will lay violent hâ—ndâ— upon his Sisters Estate that hath so often laid them on his own Father I die a deeply humbled self-judging and self-condemning Sinner loathing and abhorring my many anâ— great Iniquities and my self for them earnestly desiring full Redemption from the bonds of Corruption under which I have groaned so many years longing for a most perfect Conformity to the most holy and glorious God the only infinite pure Being thirsting for a permit diffusion of his Grace through all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul panting after peâ—fâ—ct spiritual Life and Liberty and a consummate Love to my dearest Jesus who is an All comprehensive Good and to be satisfied with his Love for ever A Vigorous and vehement Zeal for the Protestant Religion with a Belief I had of the Dukes Legitimacy hath involved me in this ignominious Dâ—ath yet blessed be God that by sincere Repentance and true Faith in the Blood of Jesus there is pâ—ssage from it to a glorious eternal Life and from these bitter â—orrows to the fulnesâ— of sweetest Joys that are in his Presence and from these sharp bodily pains to those most pure pleasures that are at his Right hand for evermore And blessed be God that such a death as this cannot prevent and hinder Christ's changing of my vile Body and fashioning it like his Glorious Body in the general Resurrection day I am now going into that World where many dark things shall be made perfectly manifest and clear and many doubtful things fully resolved and a plenary satisfaction given concerning them all Disputes and mistakes concerning Treason Rebellion and Schism shall be at an end and cease for ever many things that are innocâ—nt lawful and laudable which have foul Marks and bâ—ack Characters stampt and fix'd upon 'em here they shall be perfectly purified and fully cleansed from there where at one view more shall be known of them than by all wrangling Debates and eager Disputes or by reading all Polemical Books concerning them here I greatly deplore and bewail the greedy Appetite and insatiable Thirst that Professing Protestants have â—fter the Blood of their Brethren and the high pleasure they take in the effusion thereoâ— But what will not Men do when they are either Judicially blinded or their secular worldly Interest insensibly insinuates and winds it self into their Religion is so twisted and incorporated with it that it animates and acts it is the Life and Soul the vital Form and Power and made wholly subservient thereunto I bless God for all my Sufferings and particularly for this last for the benefit and fruit of it by God's sanctifying of them to me have been great hereby I have been effectually convinced of the Vanity of the World and my own sinfulness by nature and practice and to see that to be sin which I never saw before and to be more throughly humbled for what I know to be sin
Party his name was Best and desired him to remember his Service to his Lordship upon notice of which he immediately caused him to be fetched back and committed him to York Goal from whence he was brought by Habeas Corpus to the Kings Bench and Imprisoned for a Fine of 500 l. c. And other instances of the greatness of his Stomach tho' in another nature is that which so remarkably happened at Kingstone upon Thames at the Midsummer Assizes held there for the County of Surrey 1679. At this Assize being Counsel in a Case upon Nisi prius before Sir Richard Weston one of the Baronâ— of the Exchequer and desiring to ingross all the Questions without suffering those on the other side to ask the Witness what was convenient in carrying on and managing the Cause he was desired by the Judges to hold his Tongue c. upon which some words passing this Person told him He did not use him like a Counsellor curbing him in the managing his Breviate c. to which the Judge fiercely replyed Ha! since the King has thrown his favours upon you in making you Chief Justice of Chester you think to run down every body if you find your self aggrieved make your complaintâ— here 's no body cares for it And this Person replying That he had not been used to make complaints but rather stopped those that were made when being again commanded to hold his Tongue he sat down and wept for anger c. And here by the way it will not be amiss to let the Reader have a taste of some passages that happened on the publick Stage of business in the Jocular part of this great Man's Life and the Repartees he met with of which I shall instance a few Once it happened upon a Trial that a plain Country Fellow giving Evidence in the Court and pressing it home moved this Person who was Counsel on the other side to pick a quarrel with the poor mans Leather Doublet and amongst other Interrogations bawl'd out You Follow in the Leather Doublet pray what have you for swearing The man upon this looking steadily on him replyeâ— Truly Sir if you have no more for Lying than I have for Swearing you might wear a Leather Doublet as well as I. This bluntly retorted moved at that time much laughter and filled the Town with the Discourse of it Another time it so fell out that some Musicianers brought an Action against a person at whose Wedding they had play'd for the money they were promised or expected when in the midst of the Evidence this Person called to one of them viz. You Fidler c. at which the man seeming to be disgusted he again upon the Parties alledging himself to be a Musicianer demanded What difference there was between a Musicianer and a Fidler As much Sir said he as there is between a pair of Bagpipes and a Recorder And he then being Recorder of London it was taken as a suitable Repâ—rtee A Country Gentleman having Marryed a City Orphan comes and demands her Fortune which was about 1100 l. but by all Friends that he could make could not procure it till he goes to Jeffreys then Recorder and gave him 10 Guineas to be his Friend to get out his Wifes Fortune upon which Jeffreys told him that the Court of Aldermen would sit such a day the Gentleman appearing was call'd in Jeffryes being present who ask'd him Sirrah what 's your business Upon which the Gentleman told him That he had married a City Orphan and desired he might have her Portion out o' th' Chamber upon which Jâ—ffreys askt him If he had askt the consent o' th' Court of Aldermen He told him No Upon which he call'd him Rogue Rascal Sirrah you should have ask't leave from the Court for such a Marriage He told him he understood not the custom o' th' City and begg'd their pardon being a Country Gentleman Upon this Jeffreys abus'd him again but afterwards gives him a Note for his Mony his Publick Railing upon him being only to blind the Court that they might not suspect him Bribed Being at a Country Assize as Judge an Old Man with a great Beard came to give Evidence before him and not doing it to his mind he began to cavil with his Beard and amongst other Expressions told him That if his Conscience was as large as his Beard he might well swear any thing This so netled the Old Blade that without any respect to his Greatness he briskly replyed My Lord If you go about to measure Consciences by Beards you Lordship has none Many more of this kind might be mentioned but not being greatly to the purpose they are willingly omitted Which the Reader will be apt to believe if he examines his Dealings with Mr. Moses Pitt Bookseller which that I may set in their true light I shall give 'em in Mr. Pitts own words which are as follows Among several Houses I built both in King-street and Duke-street Westminster I built a great House in Duke-street just against the Bird Cages in St. James's Park which just as I was a finishing I Lett to the Lord Chancellor Jeffreys with Stables and Coach-houses to it for 300 l. per Annum After which when he the said Chancellor came to see the House Alderman Duncomb the great Banker being with him and looking about him saw between the House and St. James's Park an idle piece of Ground he told me He would have a Cause-Room built on it I told him that the Ground was the Kings He told me that he knew it was but he would Beg the Ground of the King and give it me He also bid me make my own Demands and give it him in Writing the which I did and unto which he did agree and commanded me immediately to pull down the Park-Wall and to build as fast as I could for he much wanted the said Cause-Room My Agreement with him was That he should beg of King James all the Ground without the Park-Wall between Webbs and Storeys inclusive which said Ground is Twenty Five Foot in breadth and near Seven Hundred Foot in length to the best of my Memory for Ninety Nine Years at a Pepper-Corn per Annum which he the said Lord Chancellour was to make over the said King 's Grant to me for the said number of Years without any Altâ—rations with liberty to pull down or Build on the King's Wall and to make a Way and Lights into the King's Park according as I pleas'd In consideration of my Building on the said Ground of the Kings and the said Lord Chancellor's Enjoyment of it during his Occupation of the said House All which the Lord Chancellor Agreed to For that purpose sent for Sir Christopher Wren Their Majesties Surveyor and my self and Ordered Sir Christopher to take care to have the said Ground measured and a Plat-form taken of it and that Writings and Deeds be prepared for to pasâ— the Great Seal Sir Christopher ask'd
immediately well Armed as many as we were entered the Town Friday the whole day was spent in Listing of Men which flock'd to us so fast that we could scarce tend them with Arms. The like on Saturday also and then about ten of the Clock at night 300 of our Men were sent to Bridport about six English Miles off to Storm that Town betimes in the Morning which we did accordingly taking many Prisoners out of their Lodgings and had not our Soldiers been a little too eager of Plunder we had made a good dayâ— work on 't but there lying about a Wood some of the Kings Forces we were forced to retreat losing three or four Men and killing several of theirs and taking Eight Prisoners this was the first Action which he had Sunday also was spent in Listing and Monday Morning but in the Afternoon we marched out of Lime for Axminster a little Town four Miles off our Party was near 2000 Foot and 300 Horse though we Landed not full an hundred Men and all these in the space of four days About two Miles from Lime we espied the Duke of Albermarle with about 4000 Men designing that Night to quartâ—r in the same Town which we had news of in the way yet we marched on in good order and came into the Town lined all Hedges Planted our Field-Pieces and expected nothing more than that we should give 'em battel they being not an English Mile from the Town they made towards us as soon as they heard that we were there but the Duke of Albermarle finding his Men to be all Militia-Men of the County of Devonshire and that they had no stomach to fight against Monmouth Retreated when he came within a quarter of an English Mile of the Town He came from Exon with these Forces intending to lay a siege against Lime presuming we could not be ready in so short a time but finding us so well prepared to receive him he wisely retired his Men being in great disordeâ— and confusion supposing we had pursued them which was Debated but the Duâ—e said it was not his business to fight yet till his Men had been a little Disciplin'd but rather to make up into the Country as fast as possible to meet his Friends not questioning but there would have been in several parts of the Kingdom some Action on the News of his Success But this in the end prov'd fatal to us for had we but follow'd them we had had all their Arms several more men and might have march'd in two days with little or no opposition to the very Gates of Exon the County-Troops resolving not to fight us and several came to us that Night with their Arms. But missing this opportunity we march'd on for Taunton Lodging at several small Towns by the way which still-received us as kindly as possible and all the way met with the loud Acclamations of the Country praying God to succeed our Arms. Thursday we came to Taunton about twenty Mile from Lime To give a particular Account of our Reception here would be too tedious the Streets throng'd with People we could scarce enter all endeavouring to manifest their Joy at his coming and their Houses Doors and Streets garnished with green Boughs Herbs and Flowers all the Emblems of Prosperity The next day Twenty six young Gentlewoman Virgins with Colours ready made at the charge of the Townsmen presented them to his Grace the Captain of them went before with a Naked Sword in one hand and a small curious Bible in the other which she presented also making a short Speech at which the Duke was exâ—remely satisfied and assured her He came now in the Field with a design to defend the Truths contained therein and to Seal it with his Blood if there shou'd be any occasion for it Nothing now could content the Country but he must be proclaimed King which he seemed exceeding averse to and really I am of Opinion from his very heart They said The Reason why the Gentry of England â—oved not was because he came on a Common-wealth-Principle This being the Cry of all the Army he was forced to yield to it and accordingly Saturday Morning he was Proclaimed In the Afternoon came out three PROCLAMATIONS one setting a Sum of Mony on the Kings Head as he had done before by the other The Second Declaring the Parliament of England A Seditious Assembly and if they did not separate before the end of June to give Power and Authority to any that would attempt to lay hold of them as Rebels and Traytors The Third To declare the Duke of Albermarle a Traytor who now lay within six Miles of us having had time to Rally his Men if he laid not down his Arms forthwith a Message also was sent to command him but he sent word That he was a Subject to JAMES the Second the late Kings Brother and that he knew no other Lord. We tarried here till Sunday Morning and then march'd fot Bridgewater seven Miles from thence We were now between four and five thousand Men and had we not wanted Arms could have made above ten thousand We were received here as in other places but did little more than Read our Declaration which we did also in all other Towns the Magistrates standing by in their Gowns and likewise our Proclamation and so march'd forward for Glassenbury from Glassenbury design'd for Bristol three days March from that Place designing to Attaque it Accordingly we arrived at Canshum Bridge a little Town three Miles English from Bristol intending to enter next morning the Duke of Beauford being there with a Garrison of about Four Thousand Men being heâ—e lodg'd in the Town we were on a sudden Alarm'd with the noise of the Approach of the Enemy being in no small Confusion on this unsuspected News The Duke sent one up the Tower to see whether he could discover them marching as soon as he came up he saw them at the very entrance into the Town fighting with our Men. Here we had a small Skirmish our Men being in the Fields adjoyning to the Town refreshing themselves but it lasted not long for before he could bring word they were fled being not above sixty Horse-Men They did us mischief killed and wounded above Twenty Men whereas we killed none of theirs only took four Prisoners and their Horses and wounded my Lord Newburg that it was thought mortal they came thither thinking it had been their own Forces and had not our undisciplin'd Fellows been a little too eager and suffer'd 'em to come a little farther on they would have enter'd the Town and we must have had every man of them their Infantry was following but on their Return came not forward These Forces being so near and Bristol being so well mann'd also the Duke was loth to pass the Bridge for Bristol though some Gentlemen that came over with us and were prescribed upon the account of the former Plot being Bristol men and knew the
a Malefactor he is said to have wish'd He had never learn'd to write Jeffreys on the other side then only seem'd in his Element when in the midst of Destruction and Murther For his Religion What a sort of one 't was his Life past sufficiently tells us tho he and his good Brother Commissioner the Balswagger of Chester maliciously persuade thâ— world that they were of the Church of England that after they cou'd do it no more mischief with their Liveâ— they might disgrace it by their Deaths pretending both to die in that Communion But 't is mean to follow 'em any further unless with a wish somewhat like that handsom one History leaves us That all K. William and Q. Mary's Enemies were as honourable bury'd Or in the inspired words of a great Person So O Lord let all thine Enemies perish A Letter to the Lord Chancellor exposing to him the Sentiments of the People with some pertinent Advice in the conclusion My Lord I 'De praise your Lordship but you 've had your share Of that before if not too much by far And now a nobler Field for curses are Yet I 'll not curse but leave you to the crowd Who never baulk their Rage but speak aloud In all the Labrynth's of your crimes they 'll track ye Worse than ten thousand Furies they 'll attack ye We talk not here of Penal Laws or Test Nor how you King of Terrours in the West With more than human Cruelty opprest Those whose Shades now stab through your Anxious Breast To these I leave you each with brandish'd Dart Throughly revenge his Quarrel at your Heart For me I 'll only let your Lordship see How they resent your chang'd Felicity Now may you hear the People as they scoure Along not fear to Damn the Chancellor The Women too and all the tender Crew That us'd to pity all now laugh at you The very Boys how do they grin and prate And giggle at the Bills upon your Gate Nay rather than be frustrate of their hope The Women will contribute for a Rope And those fine Locks that no bless'd Spark might touch On this account Ketch may they love my Lord so much Oh for Dispensing now ah now 's the time Your Eloquâ—nce will hardly blanch the crime And all the turnings of your Proteus-wit With all your little tricks won't help a bit Ev'n that fine Tongue in which your Lordships trust is Now won't altho sometimes it baffled Justice No Ignoramus Juries shall perplex ye But with their Billa vera's now they 'll vex ye From their dire claws no hiding hole you 'll find They speak their own now not a Parties mind Not now as heretofore when on the Bench Flattery and daubing had such Influence And Jeffreys for a Gift would with the Laws dispence But granting all our Laws be out of joint Why yet they do not fear to gain the point A High commission may the Cause decide Your Lordship by a Butcher may be try'd When by commission he is dignify'd His Power you must not doubt if he be satisfy'd This 't is they mean 't is this they wou'd have done But I wou'd chouse 'em ' ery Mothers Son Troth I 'de ' en hang my self ' en quickly done If you 've no Halter never make a pother Take but a Greater one's as good as to'ther For Lord should such a Man as you submit To be the publick Laughter of each grinning Cit Else my Lord take a Razor never fear And cut your Lordships Throat from Ear to Ear. 'T is feasible enough you know who did it Cut both the Jug'lar Veins thro' if you can Else you 'll say Essex was the stouter man I am your Lordships in any thing of this Nature From the little House over against Tyburn where the People are almost dead with expectation of you Jeffreys ELEGY I Very well remember on a Night Or rather in the peep of Morning Light When sweet Aurora with a smiling Eye Call'd up the Birds to wonted Melody Dull Morpheus with his weight upon me leant Half waking and yet sleeping thus I Dreamt Methoughts I saw a Lawyer at his Book Studying Pecunia but never Cooke He scorned Littleton and Plowden too With Mouldy Authors he 'd have nought to do Next Stage I saw him on was Hicks's Hall And heard him mightily to roar and bawl Never did City cryer louder yaul The People star'd at such a noise uncouth Who is 't cries one why 't is the cities Mouth Then straight I saw him plac'd the more 's the pity To be the Speaking Trumpet of the City Knight and Recorder he was made together This Man thought I will live in any Weather Money came in he then grew mighty rich And to climb higher had a deadly Itch. Then presently a Popish Priest came to him That Square Cap Curr thought I will sure undo him Wilt thou now be prefer'd come hither come And be but reconciled unto Rome And for Advancement thou maist rest upon her None of her Sons e're wanted Wealth or Honour Do but declare against the Whiggs and say Thou hates the Ill-contriv'd Fanatick way With that methoughts I saw him tack about And straight he Courted the Curs'd Romish rout Esteem'd it happiness enough to go And kiss his Holinesses stinking Toe Next place I saw him in was Justice Chair Who fled away because she saw him there He with Commission rid the Land about But still he aim'd to keep fair Justice out With angry Look he Brow-beat Rightful Cause And his bold hand did Sacrifice the Laws Tore 'um or Trampled on 'um with his Paws Poor Justice being frighted fled from Earth To Heaven whence she did derive her Birth To the Eternal Justice she did go And made report what Monsters sate below Inquisitor like Spain in England sate And at their pleasure steer'd the Helm of Fate He rid the Western Circuit all around But where he came no justice to be found He improv'd his Talents Martyrs to Condemn Hang draw and Quaâ—ter was his daily Theam He bid 'um to Confess if e're they hope To be Reprieved from the fatal Rope This seem'd a favour but he 'd none forgive The favour was a day or two to live Which those had not that troubled him with Tryal His Business Blood and would have no denyal His Entrails Brass his very Heart was steel Poor Souls he made his Judges Courage feel How valiant to Condemn when in his Power Two hundred he could sentence in an Hour Guilty or not to him was all a case On Martyrs Bodies did his honour raise And to destroy by Retail thought it base The Blood of Protestants for vengeance cry And will I fear to all Eternity Altho' kind Death hath made him scape mans Doom And quietly hath hurl'd him in his Tomb. Then next methought I saw him placed higher O whither will this Canibal aspire The Purse the Mace and all the Honour that Belongeth to Lord Chancellour of State Made
fat with Treason he did daily thrive Till to his highest pitch he did arrive The Church of England saw a Traitor Lurch Who went about to undermine their Church Witness else Maudlin Colledge and the rest He was the stoutest Stickler for the Test But could not help it 'cause he was so high He soaâ—'d above the sight of humble Eye Abhor'd Petitioners as heretofore Such Varlets still was banisht from his Dore Now being on the top of Fortune's Wheel The Giddy Goddess did begin to reel A warning 't is to all depending on her Of Ice is made the Pinacle of Honour Or Glassie substance brittle shining hew That afar off doth make a Golden Shew Those that are Low admire it and would Climb Altho' they break their Necks the very time And now methoughts he hearing preparations That were a forming in the Neighbour Nations Prepares for his own safety now in time Thinking the Thunder would on him incline Therefore being ask'd what were the Princes Heads Of 's Declaration feelingly he said His Head was one aim'd at 'mongst many others Knowing in Villany he 'd many Brothers With that betook him to his heels and run Thinking by Bribes he could not ruin shun He took a Colliâ—rs Coat to Sea to go Was ever chancellour arrayed so But like to like he 'd needs Anticipate Devil Incarnate or Colier of State He dealt in deeds of darkness black as night Such a blâ—ck habit needs must fit him right Brave sight to see him in a Colliers Skin Come pence a piece my Masters enter in My Lord Mayor sounded and was stricken dumb To see his Metamorphos'd Lordship come A Countrymâ—n he flouted once I hear Ask'd what he had for Swearing T was too dear You Bumpkin in the Leather Jacket there To whom the Hobnail quickly did reply Hadst thou no more for lying than poor I Have here for Swearing thou might quickly wear A Lether one insteâ—d of Plush Thâ—ed-bare Now had he seen my Lord in Colliers Buss Bumpkin had past for Prophet sure enough The Mobile and Rout with Clubs and Staves Swore that his Carcass ne're should lie in Graves They'd â—at him up alive within an hour Their Teeth should tear his flesh and him devour Limb him they would as Boys on Shrovetide do Some cryed I â—m for a Wing an Aroâ— for what are you I am for his Hâ—ad says one for his Brains says t'other And I am for his Sowse his Eâ—rs another Oh cries a thiâ—d I am for his â—uâ—tocks brave Nine pound of â—takes fâ—om them I mean to have I know the Roguâ— is fleâ—hy says a sourth The Sweet brâ—â—dâ— Luâ—gs and Heart then nothing worth Yes quoth anothâ—r out noâ— good to Eat A Heart of Stâ—el wiâ—l nâ—'re prove tender meat But we â—ust them dispose another way A good rich Lawyâ—r will a round sum pay For such a set of Loud and bellowing Lungs Enough to serve a hâ—ndred Stentors Tongues We 'll sâ—ll his Heart to the Pope to make a show A Relique on 't anâ— he 'll get money too But whilst they were dividinâ— him in thought The Lord Mayor ordered Souldiers to be brought Who resceud hiâ— from out the Rabbles power And straight away they took him to tâ—e Tower With much ado â—e there â—as brought at Last To think on all his wicked actions past FINIS An Alphabetical Table of the Chief Matters contained in thiâ— Book A. ANslâ—ys Abraham last Speech His last Letter p. 506. p. 505. Argile Earl his Sufferings His last Speech p. 409. p. 408. Armstrong his Sufferings and dying words His Elegy p. 132. p. 126. Arnold a brief account of his Sufferings p. 25. Askews Letter to his Father Another Letter to his Friend p. 508. The Account his Friend gives of him p. 509. p. 506. Author's Sentiments concerning the Western Sufferers p. 527. Axminster and Honiton an account of those executed there p. 459. B. BAtemans Sufferings p. 141. Battiscomb his Life and Sufferings He was executed at Lime in company of eleven Persons p. 449. His last words p. 373. p. 369. Battiscomb a further account of his Behaviour A Poem on a Lady that came to Jâ—ffreys to beg Mr. Battiscomb's Life p. 373. His Character p. 374. p. 474. Boddys last Speech p. 479. Bragg his dying Speech and Behaviour p. 437. Bridport and Lime an accoâ—nt of those that sâ—ffered there p. 444. C. CIvilities of the Citizens of Exon to the Western Sufferers p. 528. Colledge his Lâ—fe Tryal and last Words The Verses upon his Picture p. 39. Poem wâ—itten by himself Ibid. p. 27. Cornishes Sufferings A hint at the occasion of his Martyrdom Passages before his Death p. 136. An account of a Poem made in his time p. 139. His Character Ibid. p. 132. Cox Sufferings and Triumphant Death p. 451. D. DAngerfield his Life and Sufferings His Character p. 156. His Elegy Ibâ—d His Ghost to Jeffreys p. 166. p. 153. E. ESsex Earl his Life and Martyrdom His Character p. 60. His Elegy p. 61. p. 40. G. GAunts Sufferings Her dying Speech p. 4â—2 Her Postscript to the said Speech p. 406. p. 400. Gatchets Sufferings p. 462. Gaâ—chils Behaviour and dying Words p. 520. Godfrey Sir Edmondbury his Life and Martyrdom Anagram upon his Name p. 23. Poem on his Death p. 24. p. 1. H. HAmlings Case p. 460. Hewlings both Benjamin and William an account of their behaviour both before and at their Execution with several Letters to divers of their Relations The Character of the two Hewlings p. 368. A further account of Mr. W. Hewling p. 448. He is executed with Dr. Temple Mr. Mathers and some others p. 468. p. 184. Hicks John last Speech His Letter to his Nephew the day before his Death p. 497. His Letter to his Wife p. 499. Another Letter to his Wife p. 501. Another Letter to his Wife p. 502. p. 481. Hymns made by several Sufferers p. 516. Holloway his Life Sufferings and dying Words p. 120. Holway of Lime his Behaviour before and at the place of Execution His last Words p. 511. p. 510. Holmes his Sufferings His dying Words p. 445. His last Prayer p. 446. p. 444. Holmes Coll. a further account of his Behaviour p. 477. Hones Accusation His dying Words Ibid. p. 102. Huckers Letter to the Bookseller concerning his Father His Letter to his Friend p. 522. p. 521. I. JEffreys Late Lord Chancellor his Life and Death following Dedication of his Life to himself following the Title Page Poem to the Memory of the Lord Jeffreys following the Dedication His Birth and Parentage p. 6. His Behaviour at School p. 7. His Father Prophecies that he 'll die with his Shooes and Stockins on Ibid. His Dream p. 9. His entring himself in the Inner Temple p. 8. His Marriage and early Son p. 10. He is made Recorder of London Ibid. Hiâ— Abhorrence of Petitioning p. 13. His bâ—ing on his Knees before the House of Commons p. 14. His ill Practices whilst Recorder p. 16. His Vehement
discourse to the Jury against the Lord Russel p. 25. His sordid Treat of Mâ— Baxter D d 2 p. 431. A Narrative of Monmouths whole Expedition while in the Wâ—st which was the Prologue to Jeffreys cruelties there p. 24. His secret Villanies p. 35. His Bloody Practices in the West p. 36. The Charge given by the Lord Jeffreys at Bristol in his return from his Wâ—stern Campaign p. 44. He calls the Mayor of Bristol Kidnapping Rogue p. 52. He is made Lord Chancellor for his Cruelties in the West Ibid. How he raised Money by procuring Pardons p. 53. He is made Baron of Wem p. 59. What followed thereupon Ibid. The P. of Oâ—ange approaching he flies to Wapping in a Disguise p. 62. He is taken and brought before the Lord Mayor Ibid. Is committed to the Tower p. 63. The Western Widows Petition against him while in the Tower Ibid. He dies in the Tower p. 64. His Character p. 65. A Letter sent to him there p. 66. His Elegy p. 67. p. 533. Jenkins William his Behaviour both before and at his Execution with several Letters to divers of his Relations His Character p. 385. p. 375. Introduction to the New Martyrology shewing the Reasons why this work is Undertaken Johnson the Accusation against him His Address to all English Protestants in the Army p. 151. His Character p. 152. p. 149. K. K S Cruelties related by an Eye and Ear witness who also gives an account of other Western Barbarities p. 524. King John an account of his last Speech at the place of Execution at Edenburgh p. 418. Kidd John his last Speech at the place of Execution at Edenburgh p. 424. Kidd Capt. his dying Speech in the West of England p. 467. L. LArke Sampson his Sufferings His last Words p. 448. Some further Passages relating to Mr. Sampson Larke with his Prayer when executed p. 452. His Letter to his Friend just before his Execution p. 452. p. 447. Laurence Thomas his Case and Sufferings p. 462. Lisle Lady her Sufferings Her last Speech p. 386. p. 385. List of all them that were condemn'd and suffer'd in the West in the Year 1685. Jeff. Life p. 54. M. MAdders Sufferings His last VVords upon the Ladder p. 465. His last Prayer p. 466. p. 464. Matthews last Speâ—ch and Prayer at the place of Execution p. 511. Monmouth â—uke his Sufferings and Death His Declaration in the West D d 2 p. 117. A brief Abstract of his true Speech p. 433. His Elegy p. 434. p. 431. Monmouth and Argile being both defeated what followed thereupon p. 435. N. NElthrope Richard his Sufferings His Letter to his Parents Brothers and Sisters p. 390. His Letter to his Children p. 393. His last Speech p. 396. p. 388. Noises Sufferings He engages in the Prentices Petition to the Lord Mayor p. 170. A Copy of the said Petition Ibid. An account of 30000 Prentices that signed it p. 172. The Speech that was made at presenting this Petition p. 173. The Lord Mayors answer to the Prentices Speech p. 175. The Names of the 20 Presenters of this Petition Ibid. A Poem dedicated to 'em p. 176. p. 168. O. OAtes an account of his Life and Sufferings His Character p. 148. p. 142. P. PArrots Sufferings His Behaviour at the place of Execution Ibid. His last Speech Ibid. p. 473. Poem to the memory of those who suffered in the West next the Title page Potts sufferings courage and dying VVords p. 459. R. REview of what has been written in this New Marâ—yrology p. 529. Robins of Charmouth his Sufferings His last Sayings p. 471. p. 470. Roses Suffâ—â—ings and Courage p. 459. Roswâ—lls Tryal and Acquittal p. 407. Rouses Tryal and Accusation His dying VVords p. 100. p. 99. Rumbold a brief 〈◊〉 of his Sufferings A larger account of Rumbolds Sufferings with his last Speech and several things that past at his Tryal p. 413. p. 412. Russel Lord his Life Tryal and Martyrdom His Elegy p. 85. His Character p. 86. An Account of his last Speech p. 88. p. 64. S. SAndfords last Speech at the place of Execution p. 515. Saâ—chels Behaviour and dying VVords p. 513. Sherborn an account of those executed there with their dying VVords p. 456. Sidney Algernoon his Sufferings Tryal and Martyrdom His Petition to his Majesty p. 111. An account of the Paper he delivered to the Sheriffs on Tower-Hill p. 115. His Epitaph p. 119. His Character Ibid. p. 104. Smith of Charâ—stock his Behaviour and dying Speech p. 440. Speak Charles his Sufferings and last words p. 472. Speed of Culliton his Behaviour and dying Speech p. 442. Spâ—ague and Cleg executed at Culliton with their dying words p. 457. Sprague John a further account of him p. 475. T. TEmple his last Speech p. 468. Tylers Suffâ—rings He is executed with some other Persons p. 449. His lâ—st Speech Ibid. A Hymn made by him a little before his Execution p. 450. p. 449. W. WAlcot his Life Tryal and Martyrdom An account of his Speech p. 99. His last Prayer p. 100. p. 93. Western Transactions the Introduction to 'em with general Observations upon 'em The Lives and dying Speeches of those that suffered in the West p. 437. p. 177. VVhippings in the West Mr. Hale whipt Ibid. Mrs. Brown whipt Ibid. A poor Boy of Weymouth of 12 years of Agâ— was whipt till he had the Flesh of his back so cut with whipping that he died p. 464. p. 463. FINIS * This Pious and couragious Man Mr. Ayloff suffer'd Martyrdom in London about the same time that Mr. Nelthrop did Here was a glorious Instance of Filial Affection As I find 'em in his Treatise entituled They cry of the Oppressed p. 105. * Aâ—d behold thou art taken in thy mischief because thou art a bloody Man 2 Sam. 16. â— 8.
ill their Character yet seem to be no way concerned in so bloody and barbarous a Conspiracy how home soever it might be charg'd upon ' em West and Rumsey were the main Pillars and almost only Witnesses on which the Credit of that Action depended who appear all through the great and almost sole Managers thereof and who accuse others for being concerned in it What and how much their Credit weighs we have already hinted but shall yet confront it with further Testimonies relating to this matter and that of dying men who could expect no pardons in this World nor 'tother for a Falshood Besides Rumbold's solemn Protestation see Walcot's Speech and Paper wherein he as deeply affirms as a man can do That West bought Arms for this Villanous Design which can't be express'd with Detestation enough without any direction of his nay without any Direction Knowledge or Privity of his West says in his Answer to this as well as in his Evidence That Walcot joyn'd in the direction about the nature and size of those Arms that he was very Intimate and Familiar with this Rumbold who was to be the principal Actor in the Assassination But Rumbold's Death before recited clears himself and Walcot and shews us what West is In another place he affirms That Walcot told him Ferguson had the chief management of the intended Assassination Rumbold's hard-name as has been said already Ferguson's ill Name and the absence of 'em both brought 'em in all probability into the business and Walcot's being past answering for himself or them made it very advisable to charge so much on him So in the same nature Ferguson was the Author of that Expression Walcot had from West Ferguson undertook for the Duke of Monmouth Ferguson proposed to see for an opportunity between Windsor and Hampton-Court The Men to commit the Assassination were all provided by Ferguson Rumbold c. And I remember another of 'em or he himself talks of fifty men engag'd for the very Action Now as meer Good Nature and the Love I have to my Countreymen will never suffer me to believe there could be so many Englishmen found and Protestants too who would consent to kill their King never any one having acknowledged such a design besides poor Hone who was so stupid he could not give one sensible Answer to what Cartwright ask'd him at his Death So plain Testimony and Dint of Fact and Reason forces me to conclude these Persons here charged were not guilty See what Rouse says of it He was told they did not intend to spill so much as one drop of blood But most particularly Holloway He could not perceive Ferguson knew any thing of the New-Market design but Rumsey and West were deep in 't Again Holloway ask'd West who was to act the Assassination To which he could give but a slender Answer and could or would name but Two Men Rumbold and his Brother Just such probable stuff as Colledges seizing the King by himself at Oxford So that he goes on we found they had but few Men if more than two and no Horses only a parcel of Arms he shew'd at a Gunsmith's And lower at another time West only named Rumsey and Rich. Goodenough as concerned in the Assassination West again proposed the Assassination but none seconded him Rumsey was for the old Strain of killing the King to which not one consented He could never find above five concerned in it He heard Walcot speak against it I knew Ferguson to be against any such Design Upon the whole the World is left to its Liberty to believe at least Three Dying Mens Asseverations against those who so plainly swore others Necks into the Halter to get their own out that West himself is not ashamed to own in his forementioned Answer That he was still in danger of Death though not so eminent as it had been not at the apparent point of Death And at the close of this Paper If it shall please the King to spare my Life for my Confession it is a great happiness c. Which part of his Evidence every body will easily believe From all which here lies a fair Supposition of the Innocency of this Captain and others of what they were Accus'd found Guilty Sentenc'd and Dy'd for it being on West's Evidence and such as his that he and others were Arraign'd and Condemn'd the Captains Defence being much the same with what he says in his Speech 'T is well known that the Witnesses against Captain Walcot swore for their own lives with Halters about their Necks and it 's as true that most of the Witnesses had talkt at a mad rate in the hearing of some of those whom they destroyed but see what Captain Walcot in a most solemn manner declared with his last breath An Abstract of Captain Walcots Speech Captain Walcot denied any design of killing the King or of engaging the Guards whilst others killed him And said that the Witnesses invited him to Meetings where some things were discoursed of in order to the asserting our Liberties and Properties which we lookt upon to be violated and invaded That They importuned and perpetually solicited him and then deliver'd him up to be hang'd That They combined together to swear him out of his Life to save their own and that they might do it effectually They contrived an Vntruth That he forgave them tho' guilty of his Blood But withal earnestly begg'd That they might be observed that Remarks might be set upon them whether their end be peace and he concluded with what made Sir Roger L'Estrange a great deal of Sport but yet Heaven has made it good That when God hath a Work to do he will not want Instruments With him was try'd Rouse who was charg'd with such a parcel of mad Romance as was scarce ever heard of and one wou'd wonder how Perjury and Malice which use to be sober sins cou'd even be so extravagant as to hit on 't He was to seize the Tower pay the Rabble uncase the Aldermen to be Pay-master and Flea-master General and a great deal more to the same Tune In his Defence he says no great Matter but yet what looks a thousand times more like Truth than his Accusation That the Tower Business was only discourse of the feasibleness of the thing as Russel's about the Guards but without the least in tent of bringing it to action That all he was concern'd in any real Design he had from Lee and was getting more out of him with an intention to make a Discovery But it seems Lee got the whip-hand of him they were both at a kind of Halter-Combat Rous's foot slipt and Lea turn'd him over and sav'd his own Neck His Dying Words MR. Rouse declared that he was told that They did not intend to spill one drop of Blood and affirmed that Lee the Witness against him did by his Evidence make him the Author of the very Words that came out of his the said Lee's own Mouth
A Brief Extract of Captain Walcots Prayer O Lord our God Thou art a God of present help in time of Trouble a God that hast promised to be with thy People in the Fire and in the Water O Lord we pray Thee that thou wilt afford thy Presence to thy poor suffering Servants at this time O Lord thy Servant that speaketh doth confess that the Iniquities at his Heels have justly overtaken him O do thou bathe each of our Souls in that Fountain set open for Sin and for Vncleanness O do thou enable every one of us from the inward Evidence of thy Spirit to say with thy Servant Job That we know and are assured that our Redeemer lives O give us some inward Tasts of those Heavenly Joys that we hope through the Mercy of Jesus Christ in a little time to have a more full Fruition of O Lord do thou speak Peace to every one of our Consciences though we lie under a Sentence of Death from Man we beg that we may have a Sentence of Life Eternal from our God and though we meet Thee O Lord in a Field of Blood we beg that Thou wilt come to meet with us in a Field of Mercy O Lord though we have been Prodigals we desire to return unto our Fathers House where there is Bread enough O enable us to come unto Thee as Children to their Parents Lord put to thy helping Hand Lord teach us truly to leave no Sin unrepented of in any one of our Hearts And O Lord we beg that with us thou wilt give us leave to recommend unto thy Care our Poor Wives and Children Thou hast promised to be the Father of the Fatherless and the Husband of the Widow and thou hast commanded us to cast the Care of them upon Thee O do thou make Provision for them and enable them to hear this severe stroke with Patience O Lord we also beseech Thee in the behalf of these Poor Kingdoms wherein we are that Thou wilt be merciful to them prevent Divisions among them heal all their Breaches compose their Differences make all that are thine of one Heart and Mind in the things of thee our God Lord favour us with thy Mercy assure us of thy Love stand by us in the difficult Hour take us into thine own Care cause thy Angels to attend us to convey our Souls as soon as they are divided from our Bodies into Abraham 's Bosom All which we beg for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom O Lord this little time do thou give us Hearts to give thee all Glory Honour and Praise now and for evermore Amen Sweet Jesus Amen Hone was accused and owns himself Guilty of a Design to Kill the King and the Duke of York or one or neither for 't is impossible to make any Sense of him When they came to suffer Walcot read a Paper in which was a good rational Confession of his Faith Then comes to the Occasion of his Death for which he says he neither blames the Judges Jury nor Council but only some men that in reality were deeper concern'd than he who combin'd together to swear him out of his Life to save their own and that they might do it effectually contriv'd an untruth c. He forgives the World and the Witnesses Gives his Friends advice to be more prudent than he had been prays that his may be the last Blood spilt on that account wishes the King wou'd be merciful to others says he knew nothing of Ireland and concludes with praying God to have mercy upon him He had then some Discourse with Cartwright wherein he tells him That he was not for contriving the Death of the King nor to have had a Hand in 't and being urg'd with some Matters of Controversie tells him He did not come thither to dispute about Religion but to die Religiously But tho' dying be a serious Business yet 't is almost impossible to read his Discourse with the Dean without as violent temptations to laughter as Compassion Never was so exact an Imitation of the Scene of the Fisherman and Kings in the Rehearsal when he tells 'em Prince Pretty-man kill'd Prince Pretty-man One wou'd think him very near in the same Case with Bateman who came after him His Replies are so incongruous that there 's hardly either Sense or English to be made out of ' em But the poor Fellow talks of Snares and Circumstances and no body knows what and says in one Line He was to meet the King and Duke of York but he did not know when where nor for what In the next he was for killing the King and saving the Duke and when askt the Reason answers the only sensible thing he said all through That he knew no Reason that he did not know what to say to 't And when the Dean charges him with the Murderous Design That he knew as little of it as any poor silly man in the World Rouse comes next gives an Account of his Faith professing to die of the Church of England tells his former Employment and manner of Life acknowledges he heard of Clubs and Designs but was never at 'em and a perfect Stranger to any thing of that Nature Gives a Relation of what past between him and his Majesty on his Apprehension Talks somewhat of Sir Thomas Player the Earl of Shaftsbury and accommodating the King's Son as he calls it tho' not while the King reign'd Then falls upon Lee and the Discourse they had together who as he says swore against him on the Trial those very words he himself had used in pressing him to undertake the Design Speaks of a Silvers Ball which he proposed to be thrown up on Black-Heath and after some Discourse with the Ordinary gives the Spectators some good Counsel Then they all three singly prayed and then the Sentence was Executed upon ' em Algernon Sidney Esq THe next Victim to Popish Cruelty and Malice was Colonel Algernon Sidney of the ancient and noble Name and Family of the Sidneys deservedly famous to the utmost bounds of Europe who as the ingenious Mr. Hawles observes was meerly talkt to death under the notion of a Common-wealths Man and found Guilty by a Jury who were not much more proper Judges of the Case than they wou'd have been had he writ in Greek or Arabick He was arraign'd for a Branch of this Plot at Westminster the 17 th of Novemb. 1683. where tho' it cannot be said the Grand Jury knew not what they did when they found the Bill against him since no doubt they were well instructed what to do yet it must that they found it almost before they knew what ' t was being so well resolv'd on the Case and agreed on their Verdict that had he been Indicted for breaking up an House or robbing on the High-way 't was doom'd to have been Billa vera as much as 't was now For tho' the Indictment was never presented to 'em before they came
William Gillet Thomas Lissant William Pocock Christopher Stephens George Cantick Robert Allen Joseph Kelloway Yeovil 8. Francis Foxwell George Pitcher Bernard Devereax Bernard Thatcher for concealing Bovet William Johnson Thomas Hurford Edward Gillard Oliver Powel Netherstoe 3. Humphrey Mitchel Richard Cullverell Merrick Thomas Dunster 3. Henry Lackwell John Geanes William Sully Dulverton 3. John Basely John Lloyd Henry Thompson Bridgewater 12. Robert Fraunces Nicholas Stâ—dgell George Lord Jeffreys Joshua Bâ—llamy William Moggeridge John Hurman Robert Roper Richard Harris Richard Engram John Trott Roger Guppey Roger Hore Isaiah Davis Ratcliffe-Hill at Bristol 6. Richard Evans John Tinckwell Christopher Clerk Edward Tippoâ— Philip Cumbridge John Tucker alias Glover Illminster 12. Nicholas Collins Sen. Stephen Newman Robert Luckis William Kitch Thomas Burnard William Wellen John Parsons Thomas Trocke Robert Fawne Western Hillary John Burgen Charles Speake Stogersey 2. Hugh Ashley John Herring Wellington 3. Francis Priest Philip Bovet Robert Reed South-petherton 3. Cornelius Furfurd John Parsons Thomas Davis Porlock 2. James Gale Henry Edny Glasenbury 6. John Hicks Richard Pearce Israel Briant William Mead James Pyes John Broâ—me Taunton 19. Robert Perret Abraham Ansley Benjamin Hewling Peirce Murren John Freake John Savage Abraham Matthews William Jenkins Henry Lisle John Dryer John Hucker Jonathan England John Sharpe William Deverson John Williams John Patrum James Whittom William Satchel John Trickey Langport 3. Humphrey Peirce Nicholas Venton John Shellwood Arbridg 6. Isaac Tripp Thomas Burnell Thomas Hillary John Gill Senior Thomas Monday John Butcher Cutherston 2. Richard Bovet Thomas Blackmoâ—e Minehead 6. John Jones alias Evens Hugh Starke Francis Barlet Peter Warren Samuel Hawkins Richard Sweet Evilchester 12. Hugh Goodenough Samuel Cox William Somerton John Masters John Walrand David Langwell Osmond Barrâ—t Matthew Cross Edward Burford John Mortimer John Stevens Robert Townsden Stogummer 3. George Hillard John Lockstone Arthur Williams Castlecary 3 Richard Ash Samuel Garnish Robert Hinde Milton-port 2. Archibald Johnson James Maxwel Keinsham 11. Charles Chepman Richard Bowden Thomas Trock Lewis Harris Edward Halswell Howel Thomas George Badol Richard Evans John Winter Andrew Rownsden John Phillelrey Suffer'd in all 239 Besides those Hanged and Destroyed in Câ—ld Blood This Bloody Tragedy in the West being over our Protestant Judge returns for London soon after which Alderman Cornish felt the anger of some body behind the Curtain for it is to be Noted that he was Sheriff when Best prayed an Indictment might be preferr'd and was as well as Sheriff Bethel earnest in promoting it in alledging that it was no ways reasonable that the Juries of London should lie under such a reproach c. But passing this over we now find this Person Arriv'd at the Pinacle of Honour the Purse and Mace were reserved for him vacant by the Death of the Lord Keeper North and he advanced to the Lord Chancellourship of England rais'd by this means as one might think above the Envy of the Croud and it might be wished in so dangerous a heighth he had looked better to his Footsteps for now being created Baron of Wem we find him in a High Commission or Ecclesiastical Court Suspending rhe Honourable Lord Bishop of London from performing the Episcopal Office and Function of that See and for no other default than not readily complying with the Kings Letter in Suspending Dr. Sharp Dean of Norwich for Preaching a Sermon in the Parish Church of St Giles in the Fields at the request of the Parishioners shewing the Errors and Fallacies of the Romish Religion the better to confirm them in the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of England Nor was it this good Bishop alone that was aimed at for Magdalen Colledge in Oxford was next attempted and in that very Mother of Learning and Chief Seminary of our Church such alterations made as startled the Kingdom by whose Counsel I undertake not to determine but in the midst of Liberty of Conscience as twice declared The Church of England had a Test put upon her Sons which seemed such a Paradox that has been rarely heard of viz. To Read the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in the Churches during the time of Divine Service and a Mark and Penalties threatned to the Refusers which was evidently demonstrated by the Imprisonment of those pious Patriots of their Country and Pillars of the Church His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Bishop of Bathe and Wells Ely Peterborough Chichester St. Asaph and Bristol who for shewing their Reasons why they could not comply with this Command by way of Humble Petition were sent to the Tower and afterwards Tryed upon Information of High Misdemeanour at the Court of Kings-Bench where their Innocency appearing in a large manner they were acquitted to the scandal of their Accusers yet Orders were sent into all parts of England to return and account to the Lord Chancellor of those that refused to Read the Declaration that they might be proceeded against for a Contempt of what their Consciences would not permit them to do and for a time they were extreamly hot upon it Much about this time there was a considerable Suit depending before him in Chancery between a great Heiress and others which was sufficiently talk'd of in the World not without loud and deep reflections on his Honesty and Honour for having given the Cause for the young Lady he very speedily afterwards married her to his Son with this remarkable Circumstance She being a Papist to make sure Work he married them both ways both by a Priest of the Church of Rome and a Divine of the Church of England And here I think we may place the Heighth and Acme of his Honour and Happiness where he 's not like to tarry long for on the News of the great Preparations in Holland and that the Prince of Orange was certainly design'd for England the determined Councils cool'd and then quite ceas'd so that the Church of England men whose Cause the Prince had espoused were restored again to the Commissions and Trusts they had by what Justice I know not been lately deprived of and amongst other Charters that were on this occasion restored was that of the City of London and that which makes it more memorable was that it was brought to Guild-Hall by this Person tho he was not attended with the Shouts and Acclamations he expected nor seem'd so florid or frolicksom as heretofore which some looked upon as a bad Omen and it 's reported soon after he being ask'd by a Courtier What the Heads of the Princes Declaration were he should answer He waâ— sure his was one whatever the râ—st were When the late King James was secur'd at Feversham he desired to see his Landlord and demanded his Name who proved a Person who had turned himself over to the Kings Bench for a Fine which fell upon him and Captain Stanbrooke in Westminster by the Lord Chancellours means at the Board which King James calling for a Pen and