take upon you the Ministery of the Church of England And these words do not become a Minister of the Gospel His reply was God Damn the Gospel This is truth said Oates I speak it in the presence of God and Man The whole substance of this attestation Smith absolutely forswore saying Not one word of this is true upon my Oath Then addressing himself to Oates 'T is a wonderful thing said he you should say this of me But I will sufficiently prove it against you That you have confounded the Gospel And denied the Divinity too THis is the Sum of the Evidence given as well by Dr. Oates against Dugdale Turbervil and Smith as by Dugdale Turbervil and Smith against Dr Oates From which fatal manner of self-condemning and Perjuring each other The Papists with two good consequence draw these deductions Either Oates attesting these things against the aforenamed Witnesses In the word of a Priest As he was a Minister of the Gospel Sincerly In the presence of God and Man c. Did give true Evidence or not If he did Then are Dugdale Turbervil and Smith both in their Testimony against Colledge and in their several Oaths here against Oates doubly forsworn But if Oates did not give here true Evidence as the other three positively Swear he did not then is he guilty of manifest Perjury So that from the reciprocal Testimony of each other in this matter It is an undenyable demonstration Either Oates the Pillar of the Plot or Dugdale Turbervil and Smith the joynt Supporters of it or Both and All are Perjur'd Men and can justly Challenge no right of beleif or credit to any thing they ever did or shall swear Hence the Attorney General in this very Tryal ingeniously complained It is an unhappy thing That Dr. Oates should come in against these Men that supported his Evidence before And Mr. Serjeant Jefferies rightly inculcated to the Jury If Dugdale Smith and Turbervil be not to be believed you Perjure said he three Men And in them trip up the Heels of all the Evidence and Discovery of the Plot. In like manner The Papists argue If Oates also be not to be believed the whole Fabrick of the Plot Falls What Dr. Oates the Quondam Top-Evidence The prime Discoverer The Saviour of the King and Nation from Popish Massacre He swear false He not to be believed What Account shall be given to God and the World for the Bloud-shed and the Severities used upon his Sole or chief Evidence Yet it is impossible if Dugdale Smith and Turbervil Swear not false Oates should Swear true Or if he Swear not false They should Swear true And as it is impossible both should Swear true So is it next to impossible if either Swear false the Plot should be true However most assuredly one part of the Witnesses against my Lord Stafford without which the other could never have found credit are here by their very Compartners proved Perjur'd Men. IT is objected They might all of them peradventure have sworn true before Though some of them for certain Swear false now The Papists answer So might they all of them for certain have sworn false before though some of them peradventure swear true now We are not to Judge of Men's past or future proceedings in order to Justice by what they possibly might be but by what they probably were or will be And to make a rational Judgment herein we have no other Rule to guide us in the knowledge of covert intentions then the Test of Overt actions Seing therefore these Witnesses are proved actually Perjur'd We have no rational ground to believe but that upon the same motives and in the same concurence of Circumstances they both did and will commit the same Crimes Men of lost Consciences and desperate Fortunes allured by gain and encouraged by Indempnities regard not what when nor how they Swear And my Lord Stafford had just Cause to say If it be permitted these Men daily to frame new accusations If easy Credit be given to all their Fables And whatever they shall from time to time Invent may pass for good Evidence Who can be secure At this rate they may by degrees Impeach the whole Nation both Catholicks and Protestants for Crimes which neither they nor any Man else ever yet dream't on It is also objected by Colledge's Party That Dugdale Smith and Turbervil are Papists in Masquerade and now made use on to Sham off the Popish Plot by turning it upon the Presbyterians Wherefore though credit may be given them when they Swear against Papists yet the same credit ought to be denyed when they bear Testimony against his Majesties true Protestant Subjects The Papists answer First Granted that Dugdale Smith and Turbervil be real Papists how is it proved they were imployed to Sham off the Plot Why may not Papists be good Witnesses against the Presbyterians in point of Treason without Suspition of a Sham Is Treason a thing so strange and unheard of amongst the Presbyterians Or why should credit be given to the Witnesses when they Swear against the Papists who are only charged with a Design to Kill the King And Credit be denyed to the same Witnesses when they Swear against those who actually Killed the King Secondly What the least Argument or Appearence is there that Dugdale Smith and Turbervil are Papists or Popishly affected They profess the Protestant Religion They frequent the Protestant Church They receive the Protestant Communion They take all Oaths and Tests can be required of them as was acknowledged in this very Tryal They practise neither Fasting Pennance nor other works of Supererrogation the Symptomes of Popery They pursue their former Design of Swearing against the Papists with as much obstinacy and violence as ever as was likewise proved in this Tryal And is it possible the Papists should imploy in their Shams and Intrigues if they had any the very Persons who at the same time make it their Trade and Lively-hood to cut their Throats Indeed if any of the Witnesses against my Lord Stafford be Popishly affected It is Dr. Oates Whose present Disparagement of his fellow Evidence look's said Mr. Sollicitor General as if he were again returning to St. Omers Lastly It is argued The Jury bringing in Colledge Guilty of High Treason by that very Verdict cleared Dugdale Smith and Turbervil of the Perjury charged upon them by Dr. Oates It is answered First The Jury brought in their Verdict against Colledge not upon the sole Testimony of Dugdale Smith and Turbervil but more especially upon the Evidence given by Sir William Jennings and Mr. Maisters Persons of known worth and honesty As also upon pregnant proof made and acknowledged in a manner by Colledge himself That he by Combination with others appeared in open Arms at an appointed time and place ready for and Designing publique Acts of Hostility in the very presence of the King yet without his Knowledge or Authority which by
Stafford's Memoires OR A Brief and Impartial Account OF THE BIRTH and QUALITY IMPRISONMENT TRYAL PRINCIPLES DECLARATION COMPORTMENT DEVOTION Last SPEECH and Final END OF WILLIAM late Lord Viscount STAFFORD Beheaded upon Tower-hill on Wednesday the 29. of December 1681. Published for Rectifying all Mistakes upon this Subject Wisd 4. Vitam illorum estimabamus insaniam Finem illorum sine Honore c. Hereunto is also annexed a short APPENDIX concerning some Passages in STEPHEN COLLEDGES TRIAL Printed in the Year MDCLXXXI The INTRODUCTION IT is a wonder to see how Passion and Interest predominate over Reason in Mankind Nothing is done nothing said without some tincture of either or both Even common Occurrences are usually related as Men would have them to be rather then as they are Plain-dealing is almost fled And all things now a days whether Private or Publick Sacred or Prophane are according to different Inclinations without regard to Truth promiscuously made the Subject of a Satyr or Panegirick An obvious example of this we have in the several accounts given of the Tryal Declaration Demeanor and Death of the late Lord Stafford concerning whose Tragedy though acted for the most part in the face of the whole Nation yet there have flown about in a manner as many and those contradictory Stories as there are Relaters and such as know least commonly talk most to compleat the Error It is true the Printed Tryal set forth by Authority is no wise liable to these gross mistakes But it hath swelled in the Press by forms c. To so vast a volume that few can spare either money to buy it or time to read it Besides it is in a manner silent of matters chiefly designed for the Subject of this Treatise viz. My Lords Comportment Declaration Devotion Last Speech and other Occurrences which happened inclusively from the time of his Tryal to his final end Having therefore attained to a most exact and certain knowledge of these particulars I shall for the satisfaction of the curious and manifestation of Truth give together with an abstract of the whole Tryal and some occurrences concerning it a plain and sincere relation of what I know and can by unquestionable Evidence justify to be true And herein I shall also totally abstain from any the les◠moralizing upon transactions whereby to forestal the Readers Judgment But contenting my self with a plain and candid Relation of things as I find them leave every one to the freedom of his own censure and verdict upon them SECT I. My Lords Birth Education Quality c. William Howard Viscount Stafford was second Son to Thomas Earl of Arundel and Uncle to the now Duke of Norfolk In his youth he was educated with all care and industry imaginable to improve in him the endowments of Nature and Grace And to speak truth he was ever held to be of a generous Disposition very Charitable Devout addicted to Sobriety inoffensive in his words and a lover of Justice When he arrived to years of maturity he married Mary descended from the ancient Dukes of Buckingham Grandchild to Edward and Sister and sole Heiress to Henry Lord Stafford To whose Title he succeeded being created by the late King Charles of Glorious memory Baron Anno 1640. And soon after Viscount Stafford During the time of the last bloody Rebellion he suffer'd much for his Loyalty to the King Always behaving himself with that courage and constancy as became a Nobleman a good Christian and a faithful Subject After his present Majesties joyful restauration he lived in Peace Plenty and Happiness Being blessed with a most Virtuous Lady to his Wife And many pious and dutiful Children In which state he remained till the 66. year of his age when happened this Revolution of his fortune as followeth SECT II. My Lords Imprisonment Charge and Arraignment c. ABout Michaelmas Anno 1678. Mr. Titus Oates formerly a Minister of the Church of England accused upon Oath before the King and Council and not long after also before the two Houses of Parliament several Roman Catholicks some Persons of Quality and amongst the rest the Lord Viscount Stafford of High Treason for intending and designing the Death of the King the introducing of Popery and subversion of the Government My Lord though he immediately heard of this Impeachment yet relying as he said on his own Innocence never left his Family nor withdrew himself from his ordinary known Acquaintance and Affairs till the 25th of October 78. when by Virtue of a Warrant from the Lord Chief Justice he was sent Prisoner to the Kings Bench and from thence soon after to the Tower where he remained above two years before he could be admitted to Tryal During this interval the whole Nation was surprized and allarm'd with the noise of an horrid Plot contriv'd by the Pope Priests and Jesuits wherein the King was to be murthered Armies raised Protestants Massacred and the three Kingdoms destroyed by Fire and Sword the People were affrighted searches made Guards doubled and all in an uproar The King hereupon consulted the Parliament and both Houses declared it a Plot. Yet to strengthen the Evidence as yet but weak and make farther discoveries Indempnities are promised Rewards proposed and encouragements given by Proclamation to any who would make out upon Oath the particulars of what in substance was already declar'd By this and the like sedulity of the King and three succeeding Parliaments several new Witnesses came in First Captain Bedlow Next Dugdale Prance and two others Bolron and Mowbray out of the North Then Mr. Jennison Smith Seigneur Francisco Dangerfield Zeile Lewis c. Lastly one Mr. Turbervile who together with Oates and Dugdale gave Evidence against this Lord Stafford of whom we now treat After two years Imprisonment when many Roman Catholicks both Priests and others had been Executed and most of the rest Imprisoned or fled At length my Lord was brought to his Tryal on the 30 th day of Novem. 1680. at the Peers Bar in Westminster-Hall the House of Commons being present and the Lord Chancellor High-Steward of England The Impeachment was drawn in the name of the Commons of England wherein my Lord was charged together with other Papists for having imagin'd and contriv'd to murder the King to introduce Popery and subvert the good Government of Church and State established by Law To this Impeachment my Lord being thereupon arraigned pleaded Not Guilty Allegations in proof of the Plot in general ¶ 1. THen the Cause was opened and the Commons Learned Counsel who were appointed Managers of the Tryal set forth the Charge in most Copious and Eloquent Language And beginning first with the Plot in general they shew'd to the life the Wickedness the Malice the Horror of so Dreadful Bloudy and Hellish a Design They strongly insisted on the express Positive Oaths of the Witnesses upon whose Testimony the credit of this Plot chiefly depended They amply dilated upon the Letters of Coleman
the last Words of a dying Protestant who might but would not live by a false accusation of himself or others may be credited The Papists were innocent of this Murder and the forenamed Witnesses Perjured in their Evidence As for what is objected about a Letter sent from London to Tixall c. It is answered supposing such a Letter was really sent and received That a Letter intimating the Murder of a Justice of the Peace might well be Writ from London on Saturday when Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was known to be missing and arrive at Tixall in Staffordshire by the common Post on Munday following And thereupon Dugdale might tell the news the self same day to divers Gentlemen at Tixall What of all this Where 's the Inference against the Papists Yet this is all some Gentlemen seemed to attest whilst others denyed and all can be necessarily deduced from the receipt of such a Letter But that this Justice of the Peace was Sir Edmundbury Godfrey and that the Papists had Murdred him is proved only by the Common tract of Dugdales peremptory Swearing without any rational motive of credibility Thus much of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey As for the Narratives and from them deduced Stories of Firing the City Burning the Navy Black-Bills Fire-Balls Sham-Plots Wild-Irish Spanish-Pilgrims with other the like innumerable Popperies and known contradictions to wise men though they make a dreadful sound amongst the Mobile yet carry along with them such an excess of Gross and Ridiculous Nonsence that to sober understandings they only serve to demonstrate the Perjury of the Witnesses and need no Confutation in Equitable Courts such as ours are no wise disposed per fas nefas without appearance of Justice to oppress the Innocent And whereas it is alledged as a main Argument of Popish Guilt That the two Houses of Parliament have declared it a Plot and several Persons in several Courts of Judicature have been Tryed Condemned and Executed for it The Papists answer with all due Submission to the Government in defence of Innocence That it is not Impossible nor altogether without President That a Lawful Authority proceeding Secundum allegata Probata should be abused and consequently drawn into a Mistake by the Malice and Perjury of Wicked Men. Those who make it their study and Trade to frame Artificial Lyes and have time assistance and all imaginable encouragement and opportunity for it may easily invent plausible Stories with more coherence then any hitherto devised such as may amuse and deceive the most just and prudent Persons especially in a conjuncture when a transporting Zeal to the Protestant and as Papists say a misconceived prejudice to the Catholick Religion influenceth the Nation Nor have all been Convicted who were Impeached and Tryed upon the Plot but as some have been Condemned so others Impeached upon the same Evidence and in the same Courts of Judicature have been acquitted the wickedness and forgery of the Witnesses detected and their Depositions rejected as unworthy of Credit It is further hoped the Wisdom Justice and Integrity of the State will at length discover the whole Imposture vindicate the Innocent and Punish the Injury herein done to God to the King to the Nation and to almost all Europe To the Instances given of Popish malice and Bloodiness from former examples viz. Queen Mary's Cruelties the Powder Plot the Irish Barbarisme the French Massacre c. committed by Profest Papists It is answered that by the same reason and to as good purpose the Trayterous Seditions and Outrages in Germany France Bohemia and Holland Authorized and Fomented by Calvin Swinglins Beza and other Reformers the late Bloody Wars in England the almost yesterday's Remonstrances and Practices in Scotland The even now actual Rebellion in Hungary raised and managed by Protestants for Protestanizm But above all that never to be paralelled Hellish Murder of the Lords Annointed Our glorious Soveraign Charles the first in cold Blood by outward form of Justice on pretence of Reformation might be imputed to the Protestant Religion For all these now mentioned Horrid Villanies were committed by Protestants Protestants who gloried in being more then ordinarily refined from Popish Errors and Superstitions If it be said as most justly it may the Church of England never taught such Practices the same say and protest the Papists in behalf of their Church But because meer recrimination is no justification on either side And for that a full decision of this heavy charge dependeth much on the right understanding of Roman Catholick Principles in matter of obedience to God and the King We shall treat of this Subject apart by it self when we come to examine the Principles of My Lords Faith and Religion Reflections upon the several above-cited Depositions of Smith Dugdale Oates and Jenison LAstly The above-cited Depositions respectively made by Smith Dugdale Oates and Jenison in proof of the Plot in general are liable also to divers remarkable Exceptions And the Papists stick not here to say they wonder how so many and gross Incongruities and Falshoods attested only by Infamous Men could pass for currunt Truths amongst Persons of Justice Worth and Prudence For instance Smith in his Deposition gives us to understand That being as yet a Protestant but troubled it seems with some doubts in matters of Religion he applyed himself for satisfaction to certain Priests in France They to settle his mind told him They would shortly bring in their Religion into England Right or Wrong a notable argument to convince a well-meaning Protestant But neâ—â—er this as you may well think nor all the Jesuits could say or do â—ould prevail with him so that he lived and studied with them several years a likely story remaining still a professed Protestant At length the Jesuits desponding as well they might of their own abilities herein sent him to be converted by Cardinal Grimaldi and he it was did the Feat which none of the Priests or Jesuits could compass The Cardinal to remove all Scruples from the tender Conscience of his new Convert and further to convince his Judgment in the truth of his Religion entertained him one day with this Learned and Pious discourse viz. That he had great assurances the Popish Religion would prevail in England and that there was but one in the way and that to accomplish their designs they must take him out of the way Thus the young Man being now well confirmed in his Faith was made a Priest and sent into England with Instructions to teach his Countrey-men They were not obliged to obey their King and that to Murder him was a Meritorious Act. But the misfortune was that arriving in England he quite mistook his Errand And though he continued firm in the belief of the Popish Doctrine and Principles yet made it his whole business to root out the Jesuits the Popes chief Emissaries and disswade Roman Catholicks from sending Moneys to Colledges beyond Seas Dugdale tells us All
Christian Mysteries and Duties respectively necessary to Salvation 8. This Church thus Spread thus Guided thus visibly Continued in One Vniform Faith and Subordination of Government is that Self-same which is termed the Roman Catholick Church The Qualifications above-mentioned viz. Vnity Indeficiency Visibility Succession and Vniversality being applicable to no other Church or Assembly whatsoever 9. From the Testimony and Authority of This Church it is that We Receive and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word And as She can assuredly tell Us This or That Book is God's Word so can she with the like Assurance tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture Enlightning Her to Understand both It and all Matters Necessary to Salvation From These Grounds it Follows 10. All and only Divine Revelations deliver'd by God unto the Church and proposed by Her to be Believ'd as such are and ought to be esteem'd Articles of Faith and the contraty Opinions Heresie And 11. As an Obstinate Separation from the Vnity of the Church in known declared Matters of Faith is formal Heresie So a wilful Separation from the Visible Vnity of the same Church in Matters of Subordination and Government is formal Schism 12. The Church proposeth unto Us Matters of Faith First and chiefly By the Holy Scripture in Points plain and Intelligible in it Secondly By Definitions of General Councils in Points not sufficiently Explained in Scripture Thirdly By Apostolical Traditions deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles to all Succeeding Ages Fourthly By her Practice Worship and Ceremonies Confirming her Doctrines PARAGRAPH II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority 1. GEneral Councils which are the Church of God Representative have no Commission from Christ to Frame New Matters of Faith these being sole Divine Revelations but only to explain and ascertain unto us what antiently was and is received and retained as of Faith in the Church upon arising Debates and Controversies about them The Definitions of which General Councils in matters of Faith only and proposed in such oblige under pain of Heresie all the Faithful to a Submission of Judgment But 2. It is no Article of Faith to believe That General Councils cannot Err either in matters of Fact or Discipline alterable by circumstances of time and place or in matters of Speculation or Civil Policy depending on meer humane Judgment or Testimony Neither of these being Divine Revelations deposited in the Catholick Church in regard to which alone she hath the promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost Hence it is deduced 3. If a General Council much less a Papal Consistory should undertake to depose a King and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance no Catholick as Catholick is bound to submit to such a Decree Hence also it followeth 4. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may without the least breach of any Catholick Principle Renounce even upon Oath the Teaching Mantaining or Practising the Doctrine of deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie by any Authority whatsoever as Repugnant to the fundamental Laws of the Nation Injurious to Soveraign Power Destructive to the Peace and Government and by consequence in His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable Yet not properly Heretical taking the Word Heretical in that connatural genuine sense it is usually understood in the Catholik Church on account of which and other Expressions no wise appertaining to Loyalty it is that Catholicks of tender Consciences refuse the Oath commonly call d the Oath of Allegience 5. Catholicks believe That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of St Peter Vicar of Jesns Christ upon Earth and Head of the whole Catholick Church which Church is therefore sitly stiled Roman Catholick being an universal Body united under one visible Head Nevertheless 6. It is no matter of Faith to believe That the Pope is in himself Infallible seperate from a General Council even in Expounding the Faith By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees though ex Cathedra as they term them taken exclusively from a General Council or Vniversal Acceptance of the Church oblige none under Pain of Heresie to an interior Assent 7. Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks believe that the Pope hath any direct or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes Hence if the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispence with His Maiesties Subjects from their Allegiance upon account of Heresie or Schism such Dispensation would be vain and null and all Cathelick Subjects notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution would be still bound in Conscience to defend their King and Countrey at the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes even against the Pope himself in case he should invade the Nation 8. And as for Problematical Disputes or Errors of particular Divines in this or any other matter whatsoever the Catholick Church is no wise responsible for them Nor are Catholicks as Catholicks justly punishable on their Account But 9. As for the King Killing Doctrine or Murder of Princes Excommunicated for Heresie It is an Article of Faith in the Catholick Church and expresly declared in the General Council of Constance That such Doctrine is Damnable and Heretical being contrary to the known Laws of God and Nature 10. Personal Misdemeanors of what Nature soever ought not to be Imputed to the Catholick Church when not Justifyable 〈◊〉 the Tenents of her Faith and Doctrine For which Reason though the Stories of the Paris Massacre the Irish Cruelties Or Powder-Plot had been exactly true which yet for the most part are Notoriously mis-related nevertheless Catholicks as Catholicks ought not to Suffer for such Offences any more then the Eleven Apostles ought to have Suffered for Judas's Treachery It is an Article of the Catholick Faith to believe that no Power on Earth can License Men to Lye to Forswear and Perjure themselves to Massacre their Neighbours or destroy their Native Countrey on pretence of promoting the Catholick Cause or Religion Furthermore all Pardons and Dispensations granted or pretended to be granted in order to any such ends or Designs have no other validity or Effect then to add Sacriledge and Blasphemy to the above-mentioned Crimes 12. The Doctrine of Equivocation or Mental Reservation however wrongfully Imposed on the Catholick Religion is notwithstanding neither taught nor approved by the Church as any part of her Belief On the contrary Simplicity and Godly Sincerity are constantly recommended by her as truly Christian Vertues necessary to the Conservation of Justice Truth and Common Society PARAGRAPH III. Of some Particular controverted Points of Faith 1. EVery Catholick is obliged to believe that when a Sinner Repenteth him of his Sins from the bottom of his Heart and Acknowledgeth his Transgressions to God and his Ministers the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ
the Law is adjudged Treason 2ly The Papists do not undertake to make good Oates's Charge of Perjury against Dugdale Smith and Turbervil Nor theirs against him But only to shew that the guilt of this Horrid Crime lyeth amongst them And consequently whether it be charged upon Oates as the Chief Swearing-Master and Original Author of the Plot Or upon Dugdale Smith and Turbervil at his Pedants and Accessaries in the Imposture Or as is most rational upon Both and All of them It follow 's That the Lord Stafford dyed by Perjury And Roman Catholicks have wrongfully suffered by their Villanies the loss of their Fortunes their Estates their Liberties their Lives Luke 19. Verse 22. Out of thine own Mouth will I Judge thee Thou Wicked Servant THus I have here Briefly and Impartially set down what occur's to me on this occasion And now for an Appology to the whole Treatise Seing the Papists as well as all other Men have a natural right when Impeached to defend their Innocence I hope it will not be Imputed a fault in me to have Rehearsed some of their Arguments as they lay within the Limits and Sphere of my Design If any Persons of Depraved Judgments shall from hence draw sinister Reflections upon the Justice of the Nation I declare they abuse both the Government themselves and Me by such their unjust Paraphrase FINIS Some Errors escaped the Press PAge 1. Line 30. for lesse read least p. 14. l. 36. for it is credible r. is it credible p. 30. 1. 10. for Deposited r. Deposed Ibid. 1. 16. for left himself to r. left to himself p. 31. l. 35. for injured r. invred p. 37. 1. 3. for Railed r. Railyed p. 39. 1. 2. for addressed r. addressed p. 49. 1. 37. for justifiable to her Tenents r. justifiable by her Tenents p. 54. 1. 36. for Creature r. Creator p. 67. 1. 12. for Implored r. I Implere Tryal p. 4. Pag. 7 c. Pag. 17 c The motives of his Perversion His Imployment in England pag. 21. c. His Contribution for Arms c. 50. l. Armies ready at an hours warning The Popes contribution 1000 l. Pag 25. c Pag. 25. c. his feigned Conversion The Provincial of Castile contribution 10000 l. Pickering receive'd a Discipline Afterwards a Promise of 30000 Masses Page 32. A Twenty pound Debt returned for a Reward to kill the King page 30 Page 17. The Papists plea against the Plot in general Pag. 70. Page 123. a Coleman's Tryal Coleman's Letters Sir Edmundbury Godfrey's Murder Pag. 20. Pag. 87. Pag. 136. Fire-Balls Sham-Plots c. The Votes of both Houses of Parliament declaring it a Plot. * See the Tryals of Wakeman Corker Marshal Earl of Castlemain Sir Tho. Gascoin Lady Powis Tempest c. Gunpowder-Treason French Massacre c. Ireland's Tryal Page 40. c. The first onset against My Lord. My Lords Address Page 25. c. Pag. 24. c. Dugdal 's Infamy and Beggery Pag. 94. c. Pag. 84. c. Pag. 87. c. Pag. 145 c. Pag. 163. Pag. 175 Pag. 147 Pag. 163. Pag. 168. Dugdale's Perjury Pag. 87. c. Pag. 175. Pag. 74. page 147. page 83. c page 80 c Page 132 c. Page 174. Page 177. Page 175. Page 178. Dugdales Subornation of Oaths Page 90. c. Pag. 138. c. Dugdale 's Improbable manner of Swearing Page 22. Page 46 c. Page â—28 c. Page 130 c. This Oates affirms in Langhorns Tryal Page 101. Page 179. Oates's new Porgeries Page 102. Page 25. Page 126. Oates his Apostacy and Sacriledge Page 123. Turbavil's Perjury in seven Particulars Page 120 c. Pag. 122. Pag. 152. Page 109. Page 151. Page 108. Page 113. Page 181. Page 106 Page 180. Page 112. Page 110 Page 182. Page 101. Page 116. Turbervil 's loose manner of Life Page 154. Page 163. c. The sum of my Lord's Plea as to matters of Fact Page 167. c. My Lord's Plea as to matters of Law Page 199. c. The sum of the Evidence against my Lord. Page 170. Page 171 c. Page 184. Page â—â—â— Answer to 〈◊〉 Lord's Plea in matters of Law Page 190. My Lord 's particular Address Page 198. Page 212. My Lord High Steward's Speech His Religion imputed to him as the Câ—â—se of his Guilt Page 21â— The Sentence Page 54. Page 53. Ibid. Ibid Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. An Objection Answered The intent of this Epistle 〈…〉 Christ a Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 22. applicable by Faith b Mark 16. 16 Heb. 11. 6. c Eph. 4. 4. c. Which is but One d Jam. 2. 10. e 1 Cor. 1. 20. Mat. 16. 17. Supernatural By the Divine Providence to be learnt f Isai 35. 8. By the Divine Providence to be learnt g Joh. 9. 41. h Mat. 11. 25. i John 15. 22. Not from private Interpretation of Scripture but from the Universal Church dilated continued and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end k 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 22. 29. l 1 Jo. 4. 1 6. Prov. 12. 15. m Mat. 18. 17. Luke 10. 16. n Psal 2. 8 sa 2. 2 c. 49. 6. Matth. 5. 14. o Isai 59. 21. Joh. 16. 13. Ezek 37. 26. Eph. 5. 25. c. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Mat. 16. 18. p Mat. 28 20. Joh. 14 16. q Deut 17. â—8 c. Mat. 23. 2. This Church is the same with the Roman Chtholick From the Testimony of which we believe the Scripture to be Gods Word Divine Revelations only Matters of Faith r Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22. Philip 2. 2. s Mat. 16. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Mat. 18. 17. t Isai 59. 21. Joh. 14. 26. u 1 Cor. 11. 19. Mat. 18. 17. What Heresie what Schism How Matters of Faith are proposed by the Church x Tit. 3 10. 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 12. 25. y Joh. 5. 39. z Acts 15. per tot a 2 Thes 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. b Jam. 2. 18. Gal. 1. 7 8. What is the Authority of General Councils c Deut. 17. 8. Mat. 18. 17. Acts 15. pertot Luke 10 16. Heb. 13. 7. 17. An Explanation of the same Authority d Joh. 14 16. e 1 Tim. 6. 20. A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance A second Deduct on concerning the same Of the Oath of Allegiance The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible d Mat. 16. 17. Luke 22. 31. Jo 21. 17. e Eph. 4 11 c. Nor hath any Temporal Authority over Princes 1 Pet. 2. v. 17. c. The Church not responsible for the Errors of particular Divines King-Killing Doctrine Damnable Heresie Conc. Const Sess 15. Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church No Power on Earth can authorise Men to Lye Forswear Murther c. Equivocatâ—on not allowed in the Church Of Sacramental Absolution a Ex. 18. 21. 2 Cor. 7. 10. b Psa 32. 5. Pro.
he I may perhaps shake for cold but I trust in God never for fear After some time spent in Spiritual discourses at length about Ten a Clock word was brought him That Mr. Lieutenant waited for him below upon which he sweetly saluted his Friends bidding them not grieve for him for this was the happiest day of all his Life then he immediately went down and walked along by the Lieutenants Chair who had the Gout through a lane of Soldiers to the Barrs without the Tower There the Lieutenant delievered him to the Sheriffs and they from thence Guarded him to the Scaffold erected on Tower-Hill All the way as he passed several thousands of People crowded to see him many civilly saluted him and few there were amongst that vast number whose hearts were not touched and mollified with Compassion for him Having mounted the Scaffold there appeared in his Countenance such an unusual vivacity such a Chearfulness such a Confidence such a Candor as if the Innocence of his Soul had shined through his Body Nothing of that Mortal paleness Nothing of those Reluctances Convulsions and Agonies incident to persons in his condition could in the least be perceived in him He looked Death in the face with so undaunted a Resolution as gave many occasion to say Grace had left in him no Resentments of Nature After a short pause viewing the People and finding them attentive to what he should say he stept to one side of the Scaffold and with a Graceful Air and intelligible Voice pronounced his last Speech as followeth My Lord's last Speech BY the permission of Almighty God I am this day brought hither to Suffer Death as if I were Guilty of High Treason I do most truly in the presence of the Eternal Omnipotent and All-knowing God protest upon my Salvation that I am as Innocent as it is possible for any Man to be so much as in a thought of the Crimes laid to my Charge I acknowledge it to be a particular Grace and Favour of the Holy Trinity to have given me this Long time to prepare my self for Eternity I have not made so good use of that Grace as I ought to have done partly by my not having so well recollected my self as I might have done and partly because not only my Friends but my Wife and Children have for several days been forbidden to see me but in the presence of one of my Warders This hath been a great trouble and distraction unto me but I hope God of his Infinite Mercy will Pardon my Defects and accept of my good Intentions Since my long Imprisonment I have considered often what could the Original Cause of my being thus Accused since I knew my self not Culpable so much as in a thought and I cannot believe it to be upon any other account then my being of the Church of Rome I have no reason to be ashamed of my Religion for it Teacheth nothing but the Right Worship of God Obedience to the King and due Subordination to the Temporal Laws of the Kingdom And I do submit to all Articles of Faith believed and taught in the Catholick Church believing them to be most consonant to the Word of God And whereas it hath so much and often been objected That the Church holds that Sovereign Princes Excommunicated by the Pope way by their Subjects be Deposed or Murthered As to the Murther of Princes I have been taught as a Matter of Faith in the Catholick Church That such Doctrine is Diabolical Horrid Detestable and contrary to the Law of God Nature and Nations And as such from my heart I Renounce and abominate it As for the Doctrine of Deposing Princes I know some Divines of the Catholick Church hold it but as able and Learned as they have Written against it But it was not pretended to be the Doctrine of the Church that is any Point of Catholick Faith Wherefore I do here in my Conscience declare that it is my true and real Judgement That the same Doctrine of Deposing Kings is contrary to the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom Injurious to Sovereign Power and consequently would be in me or any other of His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable I believe and profess That there is One God One Saviour One Holy Catholick Church of which through the Mercy Grace and Goodness of God I die a member To my great and unspeakable grief I have offended God in many things by many great Offences but I give him most humble thanks not in any of those Crimes of which I was Accused All the Members of either House having liberty to propose in the House what they think fit for the good of the Kingdom accordingly I proposed what I thought fit the House is Judge of the fitness or unfitness of it and I think I never said any thing that was unsitting there or contrary to the Law and Vse of Parliament for certainly if I had the Lords would as they might have punished me so I am not culpable before God or Man It is much reported of Indulgences Dispensations and Pardons to Murther Rebel Lie Forswear and Commit such other Crimes held and given in the Church I do here profess in the presence of God I never Learned Believed or Practised any such thing but the contrary And I speak this without any Equivocation or Reservation whatsoever And certainly were I guilty either my self or knew of any one that were Guilty whosoever that were so of any of those Crimes of which I am accused I were not only the greatest Fool imaginable but a perfect Mad-man and as wicked as any of those that so falsly have accused me If I should not discover any ill Design I knew in any kind and so upon Discovery save my Life I have so often had so fair occasions proposed unto me And so am guilty of Self-Murther which is a most grievous and hainous Sin and though I was last Impeached at the Lords Bar yet I have great grounds to believe that I was first brought to Tryal on the belief that to save my Life I would make some great Discovery And truly so I would had I known any such thing of any ill Design or Illegal Dangerous Plot either of my self or any other Person whatsoever without any Exception But had I a thousand Lives I would lose them all rather then Falsly accuse either my self or any other whatsoever And if I had known of any Treason and should thus deny it as I do now upon my Salvation at this time I should have no hope of Salvation which now I have through the Merits of Christ Jesus I do beseech God to bless His Majestly who is my Lawful King and Sovereign whom I was always by all Laws Humane and Divine bound to Obey and I am sure that no Power upon Earth either singly or all together can legally allow me or any body else to lift up a Hand against him or his Legal Authority I do hold that the
Constitution of the Government of this Kingdom is the only way to continue peace and quietness which God long continue Next to Treason I hold Murther in Abhorrence and have ever done and do And I do sincerely profess that if I could at this time free my self Immediatly and Establish what Religion I would and what Government I would and make my self as great as I could wish and all by the death of one of these Fellows that by their Perjuries have brought me to the place where I am I so much abhor to be the cause of any Mans death that I would not any way be the cause of their Murther how much less would I endeavour the Assassination of his Majesty whom I hold to be a Gracious a King as ever this or any other Nation had And under whom the People may enjoy their Liberties as much as ever any did And if it please God to grant him Life and Happiness according as I have always Wished and Prayed for I am morally perswaded that he and all his Dominions will be as happy and prosperous as ever People were Which I beseech God grant I do most humbly ask Pardon of the Almighty and All-merciful God for all the great Offences I have committed against his Divine Majesty and I know he would not have the Death and Confusion of a Sinner but that he may Repent and Live In that assurance I hope knowing he never despiseth a Contrite Heart And though I have not so feeling a Contrition as I would yet I have it as well as I can and I doubt not but that God will accept of the Good Will I do desire that all People will forgive me any Injury that I have done them in any thing either Wilfully or by Chance and I do heartily forgive all People in this World that have Injured me I forgive even those Perjured Men that so Falsly have brought me hither by their Perjuries I do now upon my Death and Salvation aver That I never spoke one Word either to Oates or Turbervil or to my knowledge ever saw them until my Tryal And for Dugdale I never spoke unto him of any thing but about a Foot-boy or Foot-man or Foot-race and never was then alone with him All the Punishment that I wish them is that they may repent and acknowledge the Wrong that they have done me then it will appear how Innocent I am God forgive them I have a great Confidence that it will please Almighty God and that he will in a short time bring Truth to Light then You and all the World will see and know what injury they have done me I hope that I have made it appear that I have some Conscience for if I had none certainly I would have saved my Life by acknowledging my self Guilty which I could have done though I know I am not in the least Guilty And I having some Conscience make very ill use of it for I throw my self into Eternal Pain by thus plainly and constantly denying thus at my Death the knowledge of what I am accused of in the least I have said thus much in discharge of my Conscience and do aver upon my Salvation what I have said to be really true I shall say little of my Tryal and whether it were all according to the known Law I am too much a Party to say much of it if it were not so God forgive him or them that were the cause of it My Judges were all Persons of Honour who were all as much bound to Judge rightly as if they had been upon Oath upon what was legally proved And not to Vote but according as in their Consciences they were satisfied And if any of them did otherwise upon any account whatsoever I beseech God forgive them I do heartily I shall end with my hearty Prayers for the happiness of his Majesty that he may enjoy all happiness in this World and the World to come and govern his People according to the Laws of God and that the People may be sensible what a Blessing God hath so miraculously given them and obey him as they ought I ask Pardon with a prostrate Heart of Almighty God for all the great Offences that I have committed against his Divine Majesty and hope through the Merits and Passion of Christ Jesus to obtain everlasting Happiness into whose hands I commit my Spirit asking Pardon of every Person that I have done any wrong unto I do freely forgive all that have any ways wronged me I do with all the Devotion and Repentance that I can humbly invoke the mercy of our Blessed Saviour I beseech God not to Revenge my Innocent Bloud upon the Nation or on those that were the Cause of it with my last Breath I do with my last Breath truly assert my Innocency and hope the Omnipotent All-seeing Just God will deal with me accordingly HIS Speech being ended he delivered several Written Copies of it to the Sheriffs and others near him one of which Writ with his own hand he sent to the King Then he returned to the middle of the Scaffold where encompassed by his Catholick Friends He kneeled down and reverently making the Sign of the Cross pronounced aloud with exceeding Devotion this following Prayer AGnosco Domine Jesu peccata mea multa magna pro quibus timeo sed spero in misericordiâ miserationibus tuis quarum non est numerus Secundum igitur magnam misericordiam tuam miserere mei secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam Si Peccata mea magnasunt major est misericordia tua Si multae infinitae sunt miserationes tuae Si ego commisi unde me possis condemnare Tu non amisisti unde potes soles salvare Credenti in potentiâ tuâ dicenti Domine si vis potes me mundare tu statim respondisti Volo mundare Credo quod ipse credidit Spero quod ipse speravit Imploro quod ipse imploravit Dic igitur animae meae Salus tua ego sum Sana me Domine Jesu sanabor Salvum me fac salvus ero misericordias tuas in aeternum cantabo Ne projicias me igitur à faciê tuâ Spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Sed redde mihi laetitiam Salutaris tui Spiritu principali consirma me Tu dixisti dulcissime Jesu Convertimini ad me ego convertar ad vos Ego me ex toto corde meo ex totâ animâ ex totâ mente meâ converto ad te Converte te igitur misericordissime ad indignum famulum tuum quem pretioso sanguine redemisti Tu dixisti Omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus consitebor ego eum coram Patre meo qui in coelis est Ego te Sanctam tuam Religionem Catholicam vivens confiteor moriens adjuvante gratiâ tuâ confitebor dignare me igitur suscipere ponfiteri coram patre tuo qui in Coelis