things against me I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those that upon so slender and small grounds adjudg'd me to die taking advantage of such simple ignorance as I was in And I had at the very beginning of my pleading engaged their Honors no advantage should be taken against me to my prejudice that in as much as I understood nothing of the Law And having heard that a man in the nicety of the Law might be lost in the severity thereof meerly for speaking a word out of simple ignorance I made it my prayer to them that no advantage might be taken against me to the prejudice of my person and there was to me a seeming consent for the President told me there should be no advantage taken against me and upon these considerations I am afraid there was too great uncharitableness But I pray God forgive them from the very bottom of my soul and I desire that even those that shed my bloud may have the bowels of the God of Mercy shed for them And now having given you the occasion of my coming hither it is fit I should give you somewhat as concerning my self as I am a Christian and as I am a Clergy-man First as I am a Christian I thank God I was baptized to the Holy Church so I was baptized to be a Member of the holy Catholick Church that is the Church of England which I dare say for purity of Doctrine and orderly Discipline till a sad reformation had spoiled the face of the Church and made it a querie whether it were a Church or no I say it was more purely Divine and Apostolical than any other Doctrine or Church in the Christian World whether National or Classical or Congregational And I must tel you That as I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the holy Catholick Church and shall give a most just confession of my Faith both negatively and affirmatively Negatively I am so a Member of the holy Catholick Church that I abhor all Sects Schisms Sedition and Tyranny in Religion Affirmatively so That as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the world that love the same Lord JESUS in sincerity and call on his Name agreeing with those truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God both in the Old and New Testament though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary And I as I am thus a Christian I hope for salvation through the merits of Christ Jesus his bloud I rely on his merits I trust to for the salvation of my own soul though to this Faith Good Works are necessary not meritorious in us but onely made meritorious by Christ his death by his all-sufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteousnesse they become meritorious but in us they are no other than as defiled Rags And truly as I am a Member of the Church so I told you I was a Member of this Community and so pleaded for the Liberties and Priviledges thereof I must now answer something I am aspersed withall in the world They talk of something of a Plot and a Treasonable desâ—gn and that I had a great interest in the knowledge and practise thereof and that for the saving my life I would have discovered and betrayed I cannot tel what I hope my conversation hath not been such here in this City where I have been a long time very wel known as to make one imagine I should intermeddle in such an action and go so contrary to the practise of my profession and I hope there are none so uncharitable towards me as to believe I had a knowledge of that design Here I must come to particulars for a Plot of having a design upon the City of London for the firing of it I so much tremble at the thought of the thing that should have been done as they say for the carrying on of such a design if my heart deceive me not had I known it I so much abhor the thing I should have been the first discoverer of it Nor ever had I correspondencie or meetings with such persons as would have carried on such a design It is said likewise I entertained the Earl the Marquess of Ormond To my remembrance I never saw the face of that honourable person in my life It is said One Lords day I did preach at Saint Gregories and the next Lords day I was at Brussels or Bruges and kist the Kings hand and brought I cannot tel what Orders and Instructions from him This I shal say For these three years last past together I have not been sixty miles from this City of London and I think it is somewhat further to either of those places than threescore miles It is said that I kept correspondence with one Mallory and Bishop They are persons I have heard of their names but never saw their faces and to my knowledge I do not know they know me nor do I know them at all but onely as I have heard of their names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highness was pleased to tel me I was like a flaming Torch in the midst of a sheaf of Corn He meaning I being a publick Preacher was able to set the City on fire by sedition and combustions and promoting designes Here truly I do say and have it from many of those that are Judges of the High-Court that upon examination of the business they have not found me a medler at all in these Affaires And truly I must needs say therefore That it was a very uncharitable act in them who ever they were that brought such accusation against me and irritated his Highness against me I will not say it was malice it might be zeal but it was rash zeal which caused me to be sentenced to this place The God of mercy pardon and forgive them all And truly as I am a Member of the Church and as a Member of the Community where on behalf I have been speaking I cannot but do as our Saviour himself did for his Disciples when he was to be taken from them he blessed them and ascended up to heaven My trust is in the mercy of the most High I shall not miscarry and however my daies are shortned by this unexpected doom and shal be brought untimely to the grave I cannot go without my prayers for a blessing upon all the people of this Land and cannot but bless them all in the name of God and beseech God to bless them in all their waies and his blessing be upon them Let us pray O Most glorious Lord God thou whose dwelling is so far above the highest Heavens that thou humblest thy self but to look upon the things that are in Heaven and that are in earth and thou dost whatsoever thou wilt both in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places In thy hands are
ever I took defended my selfe with Arms I never took up Arms against the People but for my People and the Laws President The command of the Court must be obeyed no answer will be given to the Charge King Well Sir Then the Lord President ordered the default to be recorded and the contempt of the Court and that no answer would be given to the Charge And so was guarded forth to Sir Robert Cotton's house Then the Court adjourned to the Painted Chamber on Tuesday at twelve a clock aod from thence they intend to adjourn to Westminster Hall at which time all persons concerned are to give their attendance Resolutions of the Court at their Meeting in the Painted Chamber Lunae Jan. 22. 1648. THis day the King being withdrawn from the Bar of the High Court of Justice the Commissioners of the said High Court of Justice sate private in the Painted Chamber and considered of the Kings carriage upon the Saturday before and of all that had then passed and fully approved of what the Lord President had done and said in the managing of the businesse of that day as agreeing to their sense And perceiving what the King aimed at viz. to bring in question if he could the Jurisdiction of the Court and the Authority thereof whereby they sate and considering that in the interim he had not acknowledged them in any sort to be a Court or his Judges and through their sides intended to wound if he might be permitted the Supreme Authority of the Commons of England in their Representative the Commons assembled in Parliament after advice with their Councell learned in both Laws and mature deliberation had of the matter Resolved That the King should not be suffered to argue the Courts Jurisdiction or that which constituted them a Court of which debate they had not proper Conusance nor could they being a derivative Judge of that Supreme Court which made them Judges from which there was no appeal and did therefore order and direct viz. Ordered that in case the King shall again offer to dispute the Authority of the Court the Lord President do let him know that the Court have taken into consideration his demands of the last day and that he ought to rest satisfied with this Answer That the Commons of England assembled in Parliament have constituted this Court whose Power may not nor should be permitted to be disputed by him That in case the King shall refuse to answer or acknowledge the Court the Lord President do let him know that the Court will take it as a contumacy and that it shall be so Recorded That in case he shall offer ot answer with a saving notwithstanding of his pretended Prerogative above the jurisdiction of the Court That the Lord President do in the name of the Court refuse his protest and require his positive Answer whether he will own the Court or not That in case the King shall demand a Copy of the Charge that he shall then declare his intention to Answer and that declaring his intention a Copy be granted unto him That in case the King shall still persist in his contempt the Lord President do give command to the Clerk to demand of the King in the name of the Court in these words following viz. Charles Stuart King of England you are accused in the behalf of the People of England of divers high Crimes and Treasons which Charge hath been read unto you The Court requires you to give a positive Answer to confesse or deny the Charge having determined that you ought to Answer the same At the High Court of Justice sitting in Westminster Hall Tuesday Jan. 23. 1648. O Yes made Silence commanded The Court called Seventy three persons present The King comes in with his Guard looks with an austere countenance upon the Court and sits down The second O Yes made and silence commanded Mr. Cook Solicitor General May it please your Lordship my Lord President This is now the third time that by the great grace and favour of this High Court the Prisoner hath been brought to the Bar before any issue joyned in the Cause My Lord I did at the first Court exhibit a Charge against him containing the highest Treason that ever was wrought upon the Theatre of England that a King of England trusted to keep the Law That had taken an Oath so to do That had Tribute paid him for that end should be guilty of a wicked design to subvert and destroy our Lawes and introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government in the defence of the Parliament and their Authority set up his Standard for War against his Parliament and People and I did humbly pray in the behalf of the people of England that he might speedily be required to make an Answer to the Charge But my Lord in stead of making any Answer he did then dispute the Authority of this High Court your Lordship was pleased to give him a further day to consider and to put in his Answer which day being yesterday I did humbly move that he might be required to give a direct and positive Answer either by denying or confession of it but my Lord he was then pleased for to demur to the jurisdiction of the Court which the Court did then over-rule and command him to give a direct and positive Answer My Lord besides this great delay of justice I shall now humbly move your Lordship for speedy judgement against him My Lord I might presse your Lordship upon the whole That according to the known Rules of the Law of the Land That if a Prisoner shall stand as contumacious in contempt and shall not put in an issuable plea Guilty or not Guilty of the Charge given against him whereby he may come to a fair Tryall That as by an implicite confession it may be taken pro confesso as it hath been done to those who have deserved more favour than the prisoner at the Bar has done but besides my Lord I shall humbly presse your Lordship upon the whole Fact The House of Commons the Supreme Authority and jurisdiction of the Kingdome they have declared That it is notorious That the matter of the Charge is true as it is in truth my Lord as clear as Chrystal and as the Sun that shines at noon day which if your Lordship and the Court be not satisfied in I have notwithstanding on the people of Englands behalf severall witnesses to produce And therefore I do humbly pray and yet I must confesse it is not so much I as the innocent blood that hath been shed the cry whereof is very great for justice and judgement and therefore I do humbly pray that speedy Judgement be pronounced against the prisoner at the Bar. President Sir you have heard what is moved by the Councel on the behalf of the Kingdome against you Sir you may well remember and if you do not the Court cannot forget what delatory dealings the Court hath found at your hands
in our ill-willers â—â—u would avoid that spirit Censure us not for having parted with too much of Our own right the price was great the commodity was security to Us Peace to Our People And We are confident another Parliament would remember how useful a Kings power is to a Peoples liberty Of how much we have divested Our self that We they might meet again in a due Parliamentary way to agree the bounds for Prince and People And in this give belief to Our experience never to affect more Greatness or Prerogative than what is really and intrinsecally for the good of your Subjects not satisfaction of Favorites And if you thus use it you will never want means to be a Father to all and a bountiful Prince to any you would ba extraordinarily gracious unto You may perceive all men trust their treasure where it returns them interest And if Princes like the Sea receive and repay all the fresh streams and rivets trust them with they will nor grudge but pride themselves to make them up an Ocean These considerations may make you a great Prince as your Father is now a low one and your state maybe so much the more established as mine hath been shaken For Subjects have learnt We dare say that Victories over their Princes are but Triumphs over themselves and so will be more unwilling to hearken to changes hereafter The English Nation are a sober People however at present under some infatuation We know not but this may be the last time We may speak to you or the world publickly We are sensible into what hand We are faln and yet We bless God We have those inward tefreshments that the malice of Our Enemies cannot perturb We have learnt to own Our self by tetiting into Our self and therefore can the better digest what befals Us not doubting but God can restrain Our Enemies malice and turn their fierceness into his praise To conclude if God give you success use it humbly and far from revenge It he restore you to your Right upon hard conditions what ever you promise keep Those men which have forced Lawes which they were bound to observe will find their triumphs full of troubles Do not think any thing in this World worth obtaining by foul and unjust means You are the Son of Our love and as We direct you to what we have recommended to you so we assure you We do not more affectionatlely pray for you to whom We are a natural Parent then We doe that the ancient glory and renown of this Nation be not buried in irreligion and fanatick humour And that all our Subjects to whom we are a Politick Parent may have such sober thoughts as to seek their Peace in the Orthodox Profession of the Christian Religion as it was established since the Reformation in this Kingdome and not in new Revelations And that the ancient Lawes with the Interpretation according to the known practises may once again be an hedge about them that you may in due time govern and they be governed as in the fear of the Lord. C.R. THe Commissioners are gone the Corn is now in the Ground We expect the Harvest if the Fruit be Peace We hope the God of Peace will in time reduce all to Truth and Order again Which that he may do is the prayer of C. R. AN ELEGIE On the Sufferings and Death OF K. Charles I. COme come let 's Mourn all Eyes that see this Day Melt into Showrs and Weep your selves away O that each Private head could yield a Flood Of Tears whil'st Britain's Head stream's out His Blood Could we pay what His Sacred Drops might claim The World must needs be drowned once again Hands cannot write for trembling let our Eye Supply the Quill and shed an Elegy Tongues cannot speak this Grief know's no such vent Nothing but Silence can be Eloquent Words are not here significant in This Our Sighs our Groans bear all the Emphasis Dread Sir What shall we say Hyperbole Is not a Figure when it speaks of Thee Thy Book is our best Language what to this Shall e're be added is thy Meiosis Thy Name 's a Text too hard for us no men Can write of it without Thy Parts and Pen. Thy Prisons Scorns Reproach and Poverty Though these were thought too courteous Injury How could'st Thow bear Thou Meeker Moses how Was ever Lion bit with Whelps till now And did not roar Thou England's David how Did Shimei's Tongue not move Thee Where 's the Man Where is the King Charles is all Christian Thou never wanted'st Subjects no when they Rebell'd thou mad'st thy Passions to obey Had'st Thou regain'd thy Throne of State by Power Thou had'st not then been more a Conqueror But Thou thine own Soul's Monarch art above Revenge and Anger Can'st Thou tame thy Love How could'st Thou bear Thy Queen's Divorce must She At once Thy Wife and yet Thy Widow be Where are Thy tender Babes once Princely bred Thy choycest Jewels are they Sequestred Where are thy Nobles Lo in stead of these Base savage Villains and Thine Enemies Egyptian Plague 't was onely Pharaoh's doom To see such Vermin in His Lodging-room What Guards are set what Watches do they keep They do not think Thee safe though lock't in Sleep Would they confine Thy Dreams within to dwell Nor let Thy Fancy pass their Centinel Are Thy Devotions dangerous Or do Thy Prayers want a Guard These faulty too Varlets 't was onely when they spake for You. But lo a Charge is drawn a Day is set The silent Lamb is brought the Wolves are met Law is arraign'd of Treason Peace of War And Justice stand's a Prisoner at the Bar. This Scene was like the Passion-Tragedie His Saviour's Person none could Act but He. Behold what Scribes were here what Pharisees What bands of Souldiers What false witnesses Here was a Priest and that a Chief one who Durst strike at God and His Vicegerent too Here Bradshaw Pilate there This make's them twain Pilate for Fear Bradshaw condemn'd for Gain Wretch could'st not thou be rich till Charles was dead Thou might'st have took the Crown yet spar'd the Head Th' hast justifi'd that Roman Judge He stood And washt in Water thou hast dipt in Blood And where 's the slaughter-House White-hall must be Lately His Palace now His Calvarie Great Charles is this Thy Dying-place And where Thou wer 't our King art thou our Martyr there Thence thence Thy Soul took flight and there will we Not cease to Mourn where Thou did'st cease to Be. And thus blest Soul He 's gon a Star whose fall As no Eclipse prove's Oecumenical That Wretch had skill to sin whose Hand did know How to behead three Kingdoms at one blow England hath lost the Influence of her King No wonder that so backward was Her Spring O dismal Day but yet how quickly gon It must be short Our Sun went down at Noon And now ye Senators is this the Thing So oft declar'd Is
with God least of all in matter of Religion and therefore I desire it may be remembred I have always lived in the Protestant Religion established in England and in that I come now to die What Clamors and Slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the external service of God according to the Doctrine and Disciplice of this Church all men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of high Treason in Parliament a crime which my soul ever abhorred this Treason was charged upon me to consist of two parts An endeavour to subvert the Law of the Realm and a like endeavour to overthrow the true Protestant Religion established by those Laws Besides my Answers which I gave to the severall Charges I protested my innocency in both Houses it was said Prisoners protestations at the Barre must not be taken de ipso I can bring no witnesse of my heart and the intentions thereof therefore I must come to my Protestation not at the bar but to my Protestation at this hour and instant of my death in which as I said before I hope all men will be such charitable Christians as not to think I would die and dissemble my Religion I doe therefore here with that caution that I delivered before without all prejudice in the world to my Judges that are to proceed secundum allegata probata and so to be understood I die in the presence of Almighty God and all his holy and blessed Angels and I take it now on my death that I never endeavoured the subversion of the Laws of the Realm nor never any change of the Protestant Religion into Popish superstition and I desire you all to remember this Protest of mine for my innocency in these and from all manner of Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an enemy to Parliaments no God forbid I understood them and the benefits that come by them a great deal too well to be so but I did indeed dislike some misgovernments as I conceived of some few one or two Parliaments and I did conceive humbly that I might have reason for it for corruptio optimi est pessima There is no corruption in the world so bad as that which is of the best thing in it self for the better the thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted and this being the highest and greatest Court over which no other can have any jurisdiction in the Kingdome if by any way a mis-government which God forbid should any ways fall upon it the Subjects of this Kingdome are left without all manner of remedy and therefore God preserve them and bless them and direct them that there may be no mis-conceit much lesse mis-government amongst them I will not inlarge my self any further I have done I forgive all the world all and every of those bitter enemies or others whosoever they have been which have any wayes prosecuted me in this kind and I humbly desire to be forgiven first of God and then of every man whether I have offended him or no if he doe but conceive that I have Lord doe thou forgive me and I beg forgivenesse of him and so I heartily desire you to joyn with me in prayer The Bishop of Canterburies first prayer on the Scaffold O Eternall God and mercifull Father look down upon me in mercy in the riches and fulnesse of all thy mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nailed my sins to the Cross of Christ look upon me but not till thou hast bathed me in the blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the wounds of Christ that so the punishment that is due to my sinnes may passe away and goe over me and since thou art pleased to try me to the uttermost I humbly beseech thee give me now in this great instant full patience proportionable comfort a heart ready to die for thine honour the Kings happinesse and the Churches preservation and my zeal to these farre from arrogancy be it spoken is all the sin humane frailty excepted and all incidents thereunto which is yet known of me in this particular for which I now come to suffer I say in this particular of Treason but otherwise my sinnes are many and great Lord pradon them all and those especially whatsoever they be which have drawn down this present Judgment upon me and when thou hast given me strength to bear it then doe with me as seems best in thy own eyes and carry me through death that I may look upon it in what visage soever it shall appear to me and that there may be a stop of this issue of blood in this more then miserable Kingdome I shall desire that I may pray for the people too as well as for my self O Lord I beseech thee give grace of repentance to all people that have a thirst for blood but if they will not repent then scatter their devices so and such as are or shall be contrary to the glory of thy great name the truth and sincerity of Religion the establishment of the King and his Posterity after him in their just Rights and Priviledges the honour and conservation of Parliaments in their ancient and just power the preservation of this poor Church in her truth peace and patrimony and the setlement of this distracted and distressed people under their ancient Laws and in their native Liberties and when thou hast done all this in meer mercy for them O Lord fill their hearts with thankfulnesse and with religious dutifull obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their daies So Amen Lord Jesus and I beseech thee receive my soul to mercy Our Father which art in Heaven Hollowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Amen When he had finished his Prayer he gave his Paper to Doctor Sterne saying Doctor I give you this that you may shew it to your Fellow-Chaplains that they may see how I am gone out of the world and Gods blessing and his mercy be upon them Then turning to Master Hinde he said Friend I beseech you hear me I cannot say I have spoken every word as it is in my Paper but I have gone very neer it to help my memory as well as I could but I beseech you let me have no wrong done me Hinde Sir you shall not if I doe any wrong let it fall on my own head I pray God have mercy on your soul Cant. I thank you I did not speak with any jealousie as if you would doe so but I spake it onely as a poor man going out of the world it is not possible for me to keep to the words in my paper and a phrase may doe me wrong I did think here would have been an
infamy the greâ—test merit Yet because every understanding is not of the same brightness and those putrid libels may by ill chance fall into some innocent hand hereafter and yet sure such vermin should not be endured long therefore let wise and good men pardon him that hath undertaken this justice for that Gentleman and be pleased to read this sad story not for their satisfaction sake but their sorrows It may dry up a friendly tear perhaps and still a murmuring groan to see the comly posture of his passion how well all was carried by him and how honourably and the honest circumstances may not improbably take off from the sadnesse Why should I grieve that death which had such a living glory in it Or dishonour that bloud with feeble tears which was shed so like the holy Martyrs All that knew this person cannot but witnesse his generall resolution and whether his great courage fell less then it self as that viper hisseth or did not rather rise greater now when the Christian was twisted with the Gentleman let this faithfull relation witness In which though all terms and syllables may not be exactly the same yet if there be a materiall falshood or a wilfull flattery may his neck that wrote it feel a viler destiny then axes or halters Amicus Gerardus sed magis amica veritas From the first day of his imprisonment he foresaw the heavy sentence hovering upon him and therefore gave all diligence to secure himself against it that however he underwent a temporal condemnation he might escape an eternal But after that sad himself doom was pronounced then he bestirred amain and made double hast for heaven It was for his life and therefore he would lose no minute but the same night gave directions to a dear friend for a Minister whom he knew to have long honoured his family to be brought to him early next morning and it pleased Authority to gratifie him in this great desire so that an order was sent freely for the quiet admission of any such person to him With this spiritual friend he spent some hours every day in prayer other ghostly refreshments which God be praised were not without sweet effect and impressions upon his soul There were some other Ministers of great observation for gravity and godlinesse in these times who visited him and who I am confident will put their seal to this truth with me that they found him meek humble modest penitent comforted and not far from the kingdome of God if not already in it but I have good hope he was in possession and so had he through grace Upon the morning which was the last he must see untill that of the Resurrection he submitted to some wholsome orders of the Church and received her comforts by them That done he proceeded to the highest enjoyment of grace that can be administred upon earth the holy Communion whereof with his brother Sir Gilbert Gerard he was a partaker with as much reverence zeal thankfulness holy sorrows and holy joys as a devout soul could evidence He wept as if he would have washed his Saviours wounds which his faith presented in his tears and yet he said he was admirably ravished with all inward peace and comfort in his own conscience This passed he had now nothing to doe but to die which he expected that morning very speedily But by the pleasure of Authority both the time and the place of his execution was altered so that he was to wait a little longer untill evening for his release Many friends and persons of Honour came to take their last leave of him who can gladly witness his undisturbedness and civil cheerfulness to every one of them His brother tarryed continually with him and they are together and though some eruptions of passion could not be restrained now and then where nature was so much concerned yet they were generally pleasant at last parted about half an hour before he was led forth to death with as much calmness and placidness as if they had been to meet again anon safe and unhurt as they had done formerly So have I seen a windy and stormy day conclude in stilness and Sun-shine as if weary and desiring to rest without any breath of trouble The Minister only waiting on him to the last and about five a clock enters the Lieut. of the Tower and the Sheriffe of London Two sure friends that will not leave him as long as he hath life remaining in him They told him a sowr message that they were come to conduct him to his death's blow He reply'd they were very welcome and received them so fearless and untroubled that the Sheriffe told the Minister He was sorry to see him so unfit for that condition but under favour he mistook his condition That which he accounted fitness to die our Pamphlet-monger would have called flagging and cowardise So hard a thing it is to satisfie all curiosities even with our blood and nothing more ingenious then to carry this bitter cup even when so many misconstructions shake it At his lodging he desired the Sheriffe that he would permit the Minister and three others that were his friends and servants to goe upon the Scaffold with him which as it was a seasonable wisdome in him to desire so was it a fortunate kindness from them that granted it else it may be their testimony might have been wanting to his injured reputation He took leave particularly of the houshold where he was a prisoner and was so clearly collected in every thing he did that he went out of his way into the kitchin to bid his Landlady farewell giving thanks for her respects during his bonds which he said he should die in to her As he passed by the Guards in the Tower he gave them money twice and told them he should trouble them no longer being on his remove to better guards He walked along to the Scaffold on Tower-hill shewing a great deal both of humility and respect to the people who generally lamented him and prayed for him As he went he was bare-headed for the most part carrying his hat in his hand and sometimes resting it in a careless bravery on his left side When he came to or rather leap'd upon the Scaffold for he was so far from flagging when to tread that Tragical Stage that many observ'd how sprightfully he seem'd to skip up the steps to it as if he had gone to dance there rather then to die his grim executioner presented himself to him to whom with a cheerful smile he said Welcome honest friend And desiring to see his Ax he took it into his hands and kissing it with a pretty glance of his eye which was a natural loveliness in him towards the Minister he said This will doe the Deed I warrant it The Scaffold was very much crowded with people yet as well as he could he made some turns to and fro upon it with a paper which he had taken
out of his pocket in his hand wherein it seems he had prepared some heads of a speech which he intended to have delivered but the Sheriff and Lieuteant told him if he spoke any thing it must be very brief and that they must not suffer him to speak any thing that was seditious Well Gentlemen said he your will be done but God be praised I never yet had to do with any thing that was seditious I would fain have spoken something to clear my self to the world according to the custom if it might have been But come Sir saith he turning to the Minister Let you and I speake to him that will give us leave and so kneeling down together in a corner of the stage the Minister pray'd with him a short time which done they stood up again Then turning himself to the people and putting off his hat he told them That he was not permitted to speak a few words according to his intention yet he doubted not but what he would have said would come to their eyes though it must not come to their ears But this I desire all to take notice of and this he spoke with a double vehemence that I dye a faithfull subject and servant to King Charles the second whom I pray God to bless and restore to his Rights and had I ten thousand thousand lives I would gladly lay them all down thus for his service Here he was interrupted and the Sheriff wished him rather to confesse what he knew concerning the horrid plot he was condemned for He answered That he had confessed all that he knew concerning any Plot that he thought they knew more of the Plot that condemn'd him then he did but he heartily forgave them The Minister told him it was well done to forgive and pardon those that persecute us That was an act of true Christian love but as his case stood love was not enough He ought to deal in this business upon which his life lay with all candour and sincerity not concealing any thing of that nature as was charged against him as far as he might glorifie God and serve the publick good Upon which lifting up his eyes towards heaven and laying his hand upon his breast Oh Sir says he if there had been any such thing in this breast would I not have revealed it before this time I protest in the sight of Almighty God I know no more of any such design but onely what I have often acknowledged that it was motioned to me by Henshaw who I confidently believe is in their hands and debated twice or thrice when I was with him but I never entertained it at all and at the last flatly disown'd it and told him I would have nothing to do in it He was many times pressing me to nominate what persons I knew I could bring and to have their names but let them shew any such thing if they can against me But I am certain he is in their hands Pawsing here a little and fetching a turn or two on the Scaffold being very hot as he had been all that morning he call'd for some small beer which he had given order to be ready and was brought thither in a stone bottle of which he drank a little once or twice Then the Minister went to him and minded him that something might be expected from him as to his Religion and disposition to dye To which gathering up an extraordinary resolution in his face he replyed I dye a Christian a true Christian according to that Faith and Religion which was professed by the Church of Engl. in the time of our late King of blessed memory And I praise God I am so fitted and ready to dye that I am confident by the merits of Christ Jesus that my sins are pardoned and my salvation is at hand Then turning about he called for his wast-coat and cap and throwing off his doublet put them on whilst his servants helped to put up his hair His wast-coat was not very clean which he took notice of to his man but 't is no great matter said he if the heart be clean all 's well enough Being thus prepar'd he calls for the Block and viewing it as with delight laid himself down upon it to see how it would fit and was so far from sinking at the sight of it that he almost play'd with it and rising quickly pulls a little paper-book out of his pocket which he gave to the Minister willing him to find that particular Prayer which was proper for that occasion but the crowd being great he could not quickly find it so that he kneeled down with the book open a while in his hand as if he had read but quickly shut it and prayed with great expressions of fervency by himself When he had done the Lieutenant said something to him as it seesm concerning his Brother Charls that had witnessed against him I know not what the Lieutenant said for he spake low but Mr. Gerard spake aloud and replyed passionately O Christ Sir I love my poor brother with all my heart he is but a youth and was terrified I know how he was dealt with tell him I love him as well as ever I lov'd him in my life And commend me to my brother Sir Gilbert whose release I beseech you Sir to assist there being no more cause that I know of for his imprisonment then onely that he was found in the same bed with me which sure is no capital crime Having said this he took his leave with him and the Sheriff and all he knew on the Stage and turning about once more to the people desired them to pray for him himself kneeling down with the Minister laid his hand in his bosom and they prayed together the last time After this he bids them all farewel again and besought them to remember they had a poor Soveraign abroad who deserved to be remembred Then forgiving the Executioner and saluting the Minister with his last embrace and kisses he bow'd himself to the stroak of death with as much Christian meekness and noble courage mix'd together as I believe was ever seen in any that had bled upon that Altar And this all the people that were Spectators did seem to understand and acknowledge beholding his fatal blow with an universal sadness and silence whereas when the other Gentleman fell quickly after upon another score of bloud and ryot they gave a great and generall shout as applauding the Justice of the Portugals death but pittying and bewailing the untimely fall of so brave and magnanimous a spirit as did through all the clouds of death shine gloriously in this unfortunate Gentleman His Speech Gentlemen AS this kind of spectacle is no new entertainment to your eyes for you have had a late glut of such objects So is it no strange thing to me to be made such a spectacle for I have been bred upon the Theater of death and have learned that part so well
though I confess a very hard one as to perform it pretty handsomly both as becomes a Gentleman and a Christian Onely I must desire you to expect no fine Prologue or Speech from me I never studied to make Orations a very unfit man to lay plots against a State who am scarce able to lay a few lines of plain English together as I ought But though I cannot speak happily I doubt not but I shall die happily I confess my self a great sinner Who is innocent God be mercifull to me a miserable sinner I adore the justice of God in all this that is come upon me I have deserved to die long since and blessed be God who hath given me such time to prepare But for this Crime I stand condemned for to day I do protest mine own innocency as to any consent or engagement to act in it I hope you will believe me when you consider upon what slender proofs and testimonies I suffer none of them legal or positive but circumstantial For my Brother Charls Alas poor youth how he was wrought upon But I desire all my friends to think honourably of him For my Brother Sir Gilbert This imagination of a Plot is said to have been hatched in France but I fear the nest was at Whitehall As for the King so far from concurring to such a Deed that I am only unsatisfied in this whether I shall die right in his favour because suspected of any thing so unworthy of him I fear he lost his Kingdome by such practises but whether he would recover them so is a question God hath better ways when it shall be good in his sight to plead his cause I was lately in France but on mine own score for I have commanded there and probably might For my past life it hath been but a troublesome one but now I hope I shall rest Since I was any thing I have served the King as I was bound And I wish all that did so had done it as faithfully He was condemned for a Tyrant but God For my Religion though a Souldier I am able to profess I am a Christian Souldier a true Son of the Church of England as constituted under Q. Elizabeth K. James and K. Charls of blessed memory Her Doctrine and Government I embrace Her Truth and Peace I pray God to restore I humbly give thanks to God Almighty for providing me the comfort of a Minister on whose fidelity I might repose my soul And I pray God to bless the poor faithful Ministers of this Church and give you hearts to esteem them the want whereof is no small cause of our misery My days have been few and evil yet God be blessed in all the vanities and folly of youth I have been far from Atheism or contempt of Gods worship I had alwaies awful impressions of Gods honour and service which is now my comfort And now dear Countrymen fare you well I pray God bless you all this whole Nation Alas poor England When will these black days be over When will there be blood enough I wish mine might fill up the measure I forgive all Once more fare you well Commend me to all my friends Pray for me I pray God make you as faithful and loyal as I have lived and as happy as I shall be by and by when I am dead Come Lord Jesus come quickly Father of mercies have mercy on me Saviour of the world save my soul O Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world hear my prayers Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord Jesus receive my soul The last Speech of Mr. Peter Vowell which he intended to have delivered had he been permitted upon Munday the tenth of July 1654. on which day he suffered death in the place where Charing-Cross stood as from the Original paper written with his own hand appeareth Gentlemen AT this earthly Bar from them that pretend to have a great measure of sanctity I had hard measure but to that Bar I am now going the Bar of heaven I shall have Justice yea one day Justice against them except they water their beds and couches with tears of Repentance The Court gave severe and rash Judgement on my body and sent a pitifull fellow but a pitiless fellow that gave as rash a Judgement of my soul but that precious Jewel none of them could touch to hurt The Souls under the Altar cry loud for vengeance long ago how many more of late years have been added to them to help the cry the cry is loud of those lately whose blood hath been unlawfully spilt but vengeance is Gods and I will leave it to him The Court of my Tryal said I was confident and held it as a fault He also whom they sent to the Tower I know not if to entrap me under pretense to comfort my soul told me also I was confident I say the same and the same confidence I bring with me now and by Gods assistance I hope I shall carry it out of this world with my innocency Gentlemen Souldiers Among the ancient and savage sort of Heathen they had a Law once every three six or twelve moneths to offer up a sacrifice of humane blood to their God and that their God was a Divel Among us whether heathen or not you best know of late years we have had a fatal custome once in three six or twelve moneths to make not only a sacrifice but many sacrifices of humane Christian blood our Scaffolds have reek'd and smok'd with the choisest sort of blood But unto what God do you judge What God is he that delights in the blood of man Baal the god of Ekron Beelzebub the god of Flyes Amongst the Primitive Christians that lived neerest the time of our Saviour Christ the greatest Tyrants and persecutors of the Christians lived the persecution was great and yet the courage of those persecuted Christians was so great that it excelled the fury of the persecutors that they came in faster to be kill'd then they could kill they offered their bodies and throats so thick unto the slaughter that the hands of the Tyrants were weary with killing and yet Sanguis Martirum was Semen Ecclesiae and many Heathens came in with the Christians seeing their cheerful constancy rurned Christians and dyed Christians and dyed with them the Christians still encreased the more Of late years here hath been a great persecution in this Nation and yet the sufferers have been so many and present themselves so thick in the vindication of their King Country and Laws that they startled the very enemy himself their constancy so great that the eyes of their Judges dropped tears whether real or true let the Judge of Judges judge They still stand amazed at their constancy though they exceed the old Heathens Are not weary of killing Oh Souldiers How many of you have been brought up and led on by blind Principles wronged in your Education or seduced by your indiscreet