Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A26028
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A copy of Mr. Ashton's paper, delivered to the sheriff at the place of execution, January 28, 1690/1
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Ashton, John, d. 1691.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing A3991_VARIANT; ESTC R34402
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2,051
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4
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A COPY of Mr. Ashton's Paper Delivered to the SHERIFF AT THE Place of Execution January 28. 1690-91 Mr. Sheriff HAving observed that the Method of making Speeches at the Place of Execution was not always attended with the designed Successes and thinking it better to imploy my last Minutes in Devotion and holy Communion with my God I have prepared this Paper to leave in your Hands as well to assert my Principles as to testifie my Innocency As to my Religion I profess by God's Grace to dye in the Faith into which I was baptized that of the Church of England in whose Communion nothing doubting of my Salvation through the Merits of my Saviour I have always thought my self safe and happy According to her Principles and late much esteemed Doctrine though now unhappily exploded I have regulated my Life believing my self obliged by my Religion to look upon my Rightful Lawful Prince whatever his Principles were or his Practices might be as God's Vicegerent and accountable if guilty of Male-administration to God only from whom he received his Power and always believing it to be contrary to the Laws of God the Church and the Realm upon any Pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against him And let all the World take Notice in this Belief I dye But I have more particular Obligations to the King my Master whom I have had the Honour to serve and received many signal Favours from him for Sixteen Years past So that Gratitude a Thing not much esteemed at this time as well as Duty and Religion commanded the utmost Service I could pay him And when I had these Considerations That we were Born his Liege Subjects That we had Solemnly professed our Allegiance and often confirmed it with Oaths That his Majesty's Usage after the Prince of Orange's Arrival was very hard severe and if I may so say unjust And that all the new Methods of settling this Nation have hitherto made it more miserable poor and more exposed to Foreign Enemies And the Religion we pretend to be fond of Preserving now much more than ever likely to be Destroyed There seems to me no way to prevent the impending Evils and save these Nations from Poverty and Distraction but the calling home our injured Sovereign who as a true Father of his Country has notwithstanding all his Provocations and Injuries a natural Love and Tenderness for all his Subjects And I am so far from Repining at the loss of my Life that had I Ten thousand I should rather think my self Obliged to sacrifice them all than to omit any just and honest Means to promote so good and necessary a Work And I advise and desire all my Fellow Subjects to think of their Duty and turn to their Allegiance before the severe Judgments of God overtake them for their Perjury and Rebellion But certainly the Good and Interest of these Nations abstracted from all other Considerations will e're long convince them of the Necessity of doing it Having thus frankly delared my Principles I know the Inference will be That I have Acted accordingly and consequently that I am now â—ustly Condemned But as I ingenuously own the Inference I as positively deny the Consequence for whatever my Inclinations or Actings have been yet as to the Matter I was Sentenced to dye for I declare my self Innocent And I will appeal even to the Judges themselves whether or no upon my Tryal there appeared the least Proof that I knew a Tittle contained in the Papers But Presumption was with the Jury thought sufficient to find me Guilty though I am told I am the First Man that ever was Condemned for High Treason upon bare Suspition or Presumption and that contrary to my Lord Coke's and other eminent Lawyers Opinions The knowledge of my own Innocency as to the Indictment and Charge against me was that that Armed me with so much Assurance and occasioned my casting my Life upon the first Twelve Men of the Pannel without challenging any But though I have I think just Reason to complain of the severe Charge given by the Judges and hard Measure I have received not to mention my close Imprisonment the hasty and violent Proceedings against me nor the Industry used in the return of fitting Persons to pass upon me the denying me a Copy of the Pannel c. Yet as I hope for Pardon and Forgiveness at the Hands of God so do I most heartily pray for and forgive them and all my Enemies all the World nay even that Judge and Jury-man who did so signally contrary to common Justice expose themselves to destroy me But let the Will of God be done I rely wholly upon his Mercy and the Merits of my blessed Saviour for Salvation I do chearfully and intirely resign my self into his Hands as into the Hands of a faithful Creator in sure and certain Hopes of a happy Resurrection Bless protect and strengthen O Lord God my good and gracious King and Master In thy due time let the Virtue Goodness and Innocency of the Queen my Mistress make all their Enemies blush and silence the wicked and unjust Calumnies that Malice and Envy have raised against her Make her and these Nations happy in the Prince of Wales whom from unanswerable and undoubted Proofs I know to be her Son Restore them all when thou feest fit to their just Rights And on such a Bottom as may support and establish the Church of England and once more make her Flourish notwithstanding what she hath received of late from her prevaricating Sons Forgive forgive O Lord all my Enemies bless all my Friends comfort and support my dear afflicted Wife and poor Babes be thou a Husband and a Father to them for their Sakes only I could have wished to have Lived but pardon that Wish O good God and take my Soul into thy eâ—erlasting Glory Amen J. ASHTON