He did often complain to the Court that the King trifled away time He moved â—hat if the King would not plead to â—hat wicked Charge the things conâ—ained therein might be taken pro confesso and the last day he demanded Judgment of the Court against the Prisoner at the Bar which was the title he gave the King of England c. Upon which sentence passed and the horrid murther was soon committed after the same And it is to be observed That this Mr Cook was at that time prickt in Conscience by the expression which he used to an old friend of his discoursing with whom about the Kings Death he said That the King was a wise and a gracious Prince but he must die and Monarchy witâ— him And now having had a finger iâ— this innocent bloud he was resolved to plunge himself over head and ears therein for presently after he writâ— a Book intituled Monarchy no creaturâ— of Gods making and therein says That the late King meaning our blessed Soveraign King CHARLS the First was the fattest Sacrifice that ever was offered to Queen Justice c. These things made the Rump Parliament begin to think of a way to reward him and Ordered him as the thanks of the House 300 l. per Annum in the County of Waterford in Ireland whither they sent him likewise and made him a Judg of that Law which himself contrary to his Oath his Conscience and his Reason had thus traiterously and maliciously broken and offended He was not long in Ireland before the Commissioners for Government of Ireland made choice of him as the chief Judg to examine try and give sentence upon the Irish according to such Qualifications as a pretended Act of that Rump Parliament had made and allowed and to transplant whom they pleased into Connaught some for their murther of the Protestants and others for their pretended delinquency in assisting of the King For which action I have heard his moderation much commended During the time of his being thus a Judg he was smitten with sudden checks of Conscience which often made him even upon the Bench to fall into strange sighs and groans expressing his sorrow for the Death of the King and hath been often seen to strike his breast which was seconded with a groan and then followed this expression Ah poor Charls poor Charls As if the guilt of that innocent bloud lay heavy upon his Soul and tormented him with continual and renewed disturbances He continued in Ireland for some years during which time he preached up and down the Country favoured the Anabaptists and at last the Government changing he was fiezed upon in Ireland and sent by the Parliament or Convention there unto the Council of England to receive the just punishment of his demerits Being brought to London he was immediately sent to the Tower where he remained some time untill he was brought to Newgate and received a fair Tryal in the Old Bayly London Upon his Plea before the Court he expressed himself with such Law Learning that the Judg applauded the same saying That he was very sorry to see that one that understood the Law so much should transgress it so much It was proved against him That he often interrupted the King in his Answers to that Court and did use many unhandsom and uncivil expressions towards the King all the time of that wicked Tryal he being one of the loudest-mouth'd Bloud-hounds that pursued that innocent Lamb-like Prince in a full cry all those days in which he was brought before them The Jury that were upon him went not out of the Court but suddenly found him guilty On Tuesday following he was Ordered to die at Chairing Cross He was now as penitent at his Death as formerly he had expressed himself in his life He was drawn upon a hurdle from Newgate to Chairing-Cross aforesaid all the way as he went lifting up his hands and his eyes he would often turn his face towards the people desiring them to pray for him Being come to the aforesaid place he went up the Ladder very penitently and chearfully he told the Sheriff That as for himself hâ— thanked God he could welcomâ— Death but as for Mr Peters who waâ— to die with him he could very well have wished that he might be repreived for some time for that he was neither prepared nor fit to die He said little as to the making of a Speech but prayed most earnestly and with affection both for the King and people which beâ—ng done the Executioner did his Office and being quartered his Head was Ordered to be set on Westminster-Hall and his Limbs were sent to be set upon the Gates of the City of London Law lies a bleeding Monarchy Expires sure then the Law must dy But both revive and Cook is made A sad example to his Trade His Head stands as a fair Take-heed How they the bounds of Law exceed The Life of Master Hugh Peters MR. Hugh Peters a man of a continued turbulent spirit and as it is generally reported little better than frantick One that as he was a general Abettor and Encourager of all turbulent principles so he particularly improved them in that horrid Act of the Kings murther He was brought up as I am informed in the University of Cambridg and from thence having taken his Degrees he set up the trade of an itinerary Preacher never being constant or fixt to any one place or benefice and roved about the world like an universal Church-man called Jesuits for sometimes he was in new-New-England sometimes in Holland about the Low Countreys and anon here in England where he pretended that his tender conscience could not be yoked to the Church of England nor submit to the Order and Government of the Bishops When these unhappy Wars began within these at that time unfortunate Nations this Hugh Peters began to shew himself a forward Incendiary to stir up and animate all factious and discontented persons now to appear and vindicate themselves and children from the Imposition of Prelatical Tyranny and persuaded such whose heads were as giddy and whimsical as his own That it was the Lords Cause and that now he was carrying on his own work among them When the Parliament had raised Forces he goes out Chaplain to a Regiment and many times appearâ—ed a Captain in Arms himself he preached the Souldiers into courage to maintain and justifie their Rebellion and by wicked and absurd comparisons would tell the Souldiers That Heaven was full of Red-coats that had been killed in that Cause and that all they that continued in the same should arrive at the like happiness It would be too tedious to insert the many frenzical and frenetick humours which this prophane Prophet used during the time of the Armies tyrannical domination and how the more politick chief Officers have laughed in their sleeves to see this sad wretch abuse both the Scriptures and the Souldiers too with his wicked and scandalous interpretations
second breach occasioned their second disturbance Lambert having lately victoriously overcome an undisciplined handful of men in Cheshire under the command of â—ir George Booth comes up to London like a Conqueror and sets the Wheels so on work as if possible to turn out that Rump Parliament again and so by Olivers policy to take the Government upon himself And thus these Traytors fell out amongst themselves which brought Our Soveraign to his Right Mr. Scot was much tickled at this sudden News and appears now as one that could not brook such an inâ—â—rruption to which purpose he with Mr. Weaver Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper c. Gentlemen of far honester principles then himself set on foot several designs for regaining the sitting of that Juncto as that of Portsmouth taking the Tower of London c. which brought them again once more to their Usurped Government and he is imployed by them with Mr. Luke Robinson to be as Spies over the actions and intentions of wise General Monck who was now upon his March towards London which proved ineffectual for their designe for although they would not suffer him to speak with any persons but where they were present yet they could not gain from him the least cranny to peep out at whereby they might understand or guess at his future intended purposes Soon after that Noble General gives the Secluded Members liberty to go into the House who till that time had been debarred by force from that their priviledge who onely sate to consider how another Parliament might be called and to dissolve that but supposed Parliament And before their intended dissolution Mr. Scot stands up and moves the House that before they did dissolve they would declare That all the Proceedings which had been made in relation to the Kings murther should be confirmed by the Parliament which motion was so ill recented that had not some moderate persons interceeded he had been at that time called to the Bar of the House for mentioning them to be so barbarous as to be conceived to countenance or own the Kings murther at which time he used this wicked expression That he desired no greater honour then to have it Engraved upon his Tomb-stone Here lies Tho Scot one of the Judges of the late King to the end the World might take notice of it The Parliament which met the 23d of April being summoned Mr. Scot flies beyond the Seas to seek a place for that hot head which he said he could not hide which proved true for not long after his Majesties restauration he was taken notice of in Flaâ—ders and there seized and sent Prisoner into England and brought to the Tower of London where he remained some time until he was brought to his Tryal Upon his Arraignment in the Old Baâ—ley he hâ—d little to say for himself pleading the power by which he acted to be a legal p wer bec use they were owned by the people c. But being told that the power by which he acted were not the â—enth part of the Commons of England and that if there had been a ful House of Commons and Lords likewise they could not by any Act of theirs take away the life of the poorest Cripple at the Gate much less the Kings He was left to his Jury and so was presently found Guilty And on Wednesday following he with others were drawn from Newgate â—n a Hurdle to their aforesaid appointed place of Execution All the way as he went his countenance was composed with a seeming cheerful gravity and being come to Charing Cross he obdurately and insensibly ascended the Ladder He spake very little to the people his chief business there as he said being to pray which being ended he made no long stay but was soon executed and qâ—artered according to his Sentence his Head was set up on the Gate of London Bridge and his Quâ—rters were set on the Gates of the City This treacherous Scot desired to have No other Motto on his Grave Then this That he was one that laid This bloody Scene anth ' King betrayd But he no Grave could now attain Whereâ—y that Motto should remain The Life of Col. Daniel Axtel COl Daniel Axtel was a man of a malicious and covetous spirit he was born of very private Parents and sent up to London to be put forth Apprentice He had not staid long at his Trade which was a Grocer before these destructed Nations began to shew their distempers and seeing nothing but letting of it blood would as they said procure its settlement he appeared a very forward instrument in taking up of Armes He went forth into the War but a private Souldier yet notwithstanding being a spiritually gifted man for so he was termed he very quickly arrived at the mark of a more publick notice When the Army were gathered together at New Market in a mutinous manner against their Masters the Parliament Agitators were chosen out of each Company to represent their pretended grievances Here Col. Axtel then but an ordinary Officer was looked upon as an eminent and fit person to carry on that factious and wicked design of refusing to disband the Army when they were commanded thereunto by the Parliament and when the Parliament and the King had come to Tearms of Peace in the Isle of Wight he comes up in the head of the Agitators and at the Bar of the Parliament House he is forward in impeaching the Members thereof calling them rotten Members c. and at that time being Lieutenant Colonel to Col. Hewsons Regiment of Foot he was very active that day the Secluded Members were imprisoned and disturbed and was more then ordinary Officious in the doing thereof When the High Court of cruel Injustice was established all the time during their sitting he commanded the Guards in Westminster-hall which attended them and when the King came through the Hall to his Tryal he commanded the Souldiers to cry Justice Justice and had the valour to beat such as did not execute his commands and when Bradshaw taxed the King with delayes and trifling away time saying the Commons of England demanded him to answer to his Charge a Lady from the Gallery said not half the Commons of England this Col. Axtel said to s Souldiers shoot the Whore pull her down c. And after upon the last day of their sitting he again commanded them to cry Execution Execution Afterwards being the day when this unparaleld murther was to be accomplished Col. Axtel was very busie that morning at Cromwels Chamber door where Ireton and Harrison then lay together in Whitehall and Col. Hunks Col. Hacker and Col. Phaire to whom the Warrant for â—xecution was directed being sent for thither Oliver Cromwel would have had them signed a Sub warrant to the â—xecutioner for the murther of the King but Col. Huncks refusing this Col. Axtel told him he was a peevish man and that he was sorry to think that now they were going into a safe Harbour
thereof When the King was siezed at Holmby by the damnable impudence of a till that time mean and despised Officer he was the first man that ever was heard to make mention of the Kings Death or for ought I know so much as to imagine it He was at the several meetings with Cromwell Ireton Harrison and those other few persons that contrived it privately among themselves at the Star in Colemanstreet and the Nags head over against Basinghall street he prepared the People and Souldiers by Sermons for that wicked murther and made use of his Calling wherein he should have been the Minister of Peace to be the Trumpeter of Treason Afterwards when the King was at Windsor he was among the wicked Council of the Army at the hatching of this Design and when they brought the King from thence to London he rode before him audaciously like his Almoner This wicked Jesuitical Priest was the onely busie man that directed how and where the Act for Establishing the High Court of Justice should be proclaimed which done he said That there was a day a coming meaning that day when the King should be murthered that the Saints had been for many years a praying for And when that bloody Court sate he used this expression That he could even reverence them their sitting did so much represent the great day of Judgment and the tryal of the whole world which should then be performed by the Saints And now Mr Peters begins not onely as a private person but as a Minister to prosecute this worst of Evils For the next day after the Court of that Injustice sate he preached at Whitehall before that grand Tyrant Oliver Cromwell and for his Text took that then abused place of Scripture Psal 149. the three last verses To bind their Kings in chains and their Nobles in fetters of iron This honour have all the Saints c. The Murther of the King is finished and now Hugh Peters runs on to make Divinity the handmaid of his Devilish Doctrine For the next Sunday after that abominable Fact was committed he preaches again and took his Text Isai 14.18 19 20 21. All the Kings of the Nations even all of them lie in glory every one in his own house But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch and as the rayment of those that are slain thrust through with a sword that go down to the stones of the pit as a carcase troden under feet Thou shalt not be joyned with them in burial c. Upon the top of the margin whereof was written The Tyrants fall And in his Application of that misinterpreted Text he compared the King of Babylon to the King of England all the time of which odious comparison Cromwell sate before him laughing not being able to forbear the same to see this wicked Instrument of the Devils thus plausibly and confidently to avouch and maintain this hellish practice The next occurrence which happened during these strange transactions was the Parliaments appointing Oliver Cromwell to be Lord Lievtenant of Ireland and to reduce the Earl of Ormond and the Lord In chiquin to the obedience of that Rump Parliament Who is appointed his Companion but Mr Hugh Peters and he must be the immediate Chaplain to the Devils Champion In this Expedition for Ireland it was strange and almost wonderful to think how God curst them with success and how suddainly that Nation which had so long groaned with the dayly effusion of bloud was within the space of a year or a little more reduced to that usurped power Here Mr Peters advised them to make short work of the business and by giving an example to the strongest Garrison they might thereby frighten the whole Nation Pursuant whereunto Tredagh was stormed and although Quarter was promised yet none was given and 4500 souls were there butchered most of which were English and Protestants Which cruel Act giving an allarm to the whole Countrey caused the rest to surrender upon Articles About the year 1656. when Oliver Cromwell had assumed the Government Hugh Peters is a great Courtier a continual Asserter and Vindicator of his Usurpation but however it came to pass Hugh Peters is presently out of favour because he had too far courted a Court-Lady as some say his active spirit had carnally known her hereupon Hugh Peters grows litrle better than stark mad raves like a Bedlamite and shews himself much more void of sense than ever he was before yet notwithstanding for the wicked service he had done and for the further more damnable services which they expected he might he was again dub'd a favorite to his aforesaid wicked Patron Finally in the begining of the last year of Olivers Tyranny Dunkirk being now besieged and every day expected to be taken Hugh Peters is sent over to encourage the Souldiers as â—his former wont had been and being landed upon the Sands of Flanders he immediately fell down upon his knees and hypocritically praying told the Souldiers That he had assurance from God that they were to be the Instruments of making his name known to the utmost parts of the earth Presently after Oliver dies and Peters preaching the next day in the Chappel at Whitehall took his Text in Deuteronomy My Servant Moses 〈◊〉 dead The drift of his Sermon being to make out Oliver Cromwell equallâ— the Servant of God as Moses haâ— been And here ends the further mentioâ— of our Prophet for Governmenâ— ever and anon afterwards being shifted from one factious party to another at last all proved for Restaurâ—tion of our Gracious Sovereign which happy day now hastening anâ— like the wings of morning makinâ— haste to a perfect day Hugh Peteâ— with that black crew desire to be a abscond and as much in the dark 〈◊〉 their actions had been now play Nâ— inventus But the eye of the Almighty Providence at last found him out Although he flew for sanctuary to 〈◊〉 Womans bed that had now newlâ— lyen in But the intelligence beinâ— certain that he was there they pressâ— in upon him he denying his name tâ— be Peters but his name was Thompson and begging of the Constable and â—â—e rest that they would not call â—im Peters for fear the people â—hould tear him to pieces But beâ—â—g brought to the Tower he not â—nely confessed himself to Sir John â—â—binson but was well known to be â—he same man And here we shall conclude his wicked life and come to the passages of his miserable death Being â—rought to hiâ— Tâ—yal it is strange to â—hink with what stupidity he behaâ—ed himself for although upon â—is Arraignment he said he would not plead guilty for all the World yet upon his Tryal he was found â—o be as is before exprest one of the principal Actors in that sad Tragedy and brought in guilty by his Jury not being able to plead the least rational circumstance for himself On Tuesday following he was ordered to die but was much
surrender up that power which God and the People had put upon him In the year 1656 a Parliament was called and indeed his last where none were suffered to sit but such as would sign to own his usurpation and one day when about a hundred and odde sate the greatest part whereof were either his own servants alliance or friends he is voted King as some of them have said since only to set him upon that ticklish pinacle that so his fall â—ight be the greater but the Army â—ould not endure that title which so â—â—tely they had buried with so much â—retetended seeking of God otherâ—ise called hypocrisie and mocking â—f God but yet he accepts of the â—ignity preheminence and preâ—ence of a King in all respects whatâ—oever and acts as one accordâ—ngly But here his heart is broke he â—o ingratiate himself with the Peoâ—le mittigates the Tax although his expence increased the publike Assesment is reduced from 120 to â—hreescore thousand pounds per menâ—em and the charge of the Navy and Army continues as before whereby he ran much behind hand with them both and in the mean time the King our now gracious Sovereign began to revive in the hearts of the people several sums of money are sent him out of England of which Oliver gets intelligence then he begins to contrive plots many innocents are drawn in Dr. Heâ—it tâ—aâ— innocent lamb with others are devoured by this ravenous Wolfe the Gen ry all the Nation over are disturbed and imprisoned and all things now begin to be in a strange confusion he sends for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London and to them Crocodile like he weeps and tels a story of the Kings preparation on the other side the water that a great plot had been designing against him to the imbrewing the Nation again in blood with other strange stories never thought of before he contrived them himself and now like the Devil he began to rave and tear when he perceived his Kingdom to be at an end and at last having a Jury of distempers in him all concentring together at one time to agonize that wicked body that had been the Author of so much misâ—hief and Murther he died on the â—hird of September 1658 and alâ—hough he had at that time the soâ—â—mnization of a Funeral fit for a â—ing of England yet his ignominiâ—us Statue and the mock Pomp of â—â—at dayes glory was soon turned inâ—â— shame and disgrace by his own â—ouldiers and friends who now â—y the change of Government from â—ichard his Son to the Rump Parliaâ—ent defaced and destroyed that â—tate wherein he was set up in Westminster Abbey and converted â—is Protectorship into a more scurâ—ilous disparagement then that of â—ne of his meanest Souldiers We â—ill take leave of this Monster and â—ome to some of his wicked Abetâ—ors only will leave this Superâ—cription to be engraven on his Tomb if he be thought worthy of one Here lies ignominious dust Which was the only seat of lust A man and yet a Monster too That did both King and State undo Most people say this is his doom That here he don't deserve a Tomb. The Life of Ma. Gen. Thomas Harrison HAving given you a short account of the General of this black Aâ—my the next whose picture shall be presented to you is Maj. General Harrison a great Canter in Divinity and a principal Header of the Fifth Monarchy Professors He was born at Newcastle under line in the County of Stafford of very mean parents although he afterwards arrived to a very considerable Estate being gained chiefly by the miseries of the times and the hypocrisie of his pretended preaching His Father was a Butcher who brought him according unto his abâ—litie unto Learning and after a while placed him with one Mr. Hulk an Attourney of Cliffords Inn. But what ever the matter was he desired to live rather by the ruines than by the practice of the Law For not long after he betook himself from his Pen to the Sword and so insinuated himself with the deluded Army that he past from one command to another till at last he attained to be Major General of Wales in which imployment to characterize his tyrannie would swell to a volumn far exceeding this intended Discourse The Laws of the Land were not executed in Wales but Major General Harrisons Laws were there in full force No Orthodox Minister could there be suffered but whom he pleased to allow and with the assistance of his Chaplain Mr. Vavasor Powel a giddy headed Parson and second Brother to H. Peters he endeavour'd the modeling of that Countrey so as that none but their own proselytes should teach and instruct the people In a word he was the chief Holden forth to that dangerous people called Fifth Monarchiers and the chief Incendiary to set on foot malignant and evil designs against that sacred Institution of Kings and Princes and one that upon the trial of our most innocent Sovereign used this expression That they should blacken that white person as much as they could in drawing up their charge against him About the time of the Murther of our said Soveraign he was in great reputation with the Armie insomuch as he was several times intrusted with the Kings person during that wicked confinement He brought him from the Isle of Wight to Windsor and there had the charge of his person And it was reported to the King at that time That this Major General Harrison had a design on foot to murther him privately Which upon Harrisons trial he denied saying That the King did once task him with such a thing but would not believe it when he saw his countenance and that the King said unto him If those persons had been present that brought him such a report he would give them the lie for that he himself had some skill in Physiognomy and perceived in his face better principles When the King was brought to his trial this Harrison was every day at that bloody Court he was at all the private meetings for carrying on that wicked Act he was at the consultations for drawing up that horrid Charge he was one who appointed the time the place and the manner of the Kings Execution and he was lying in the bed with Ireton in a Chamber in Whitehall where Cromwell lay Likewise when those Miscreants contrived a Sub-warrant to murther the King which was drawn up by Cromwell for Hacker to signe that morning when this unparalel'd act was done He continued one of the Darlings of that Rump Parliament untill the year 1653. about which time they began to think of a New Representative as they then called it But Maj. General Harrison contents not himself with the illegal power of the Rump Parliament but conspires with Cromwell for their dissolution although by his own confession in Newgate it happened otherwise which take as followeth That morning that Cromwell went to dissolve them being the 23. of April 1653. he called Harrison
pitch on a fitter man unto whom to direct that wicked Warrant for to see the Kings murther performed That morning this horrible act was to be committed Cromwel sends for this Hacker with Col. Phaire and Col. Huncks and would have those three to sign a Sub Warrant for the Kings murther the last two refused but Col. Hacker subscribes to whatsoever Cromwel himself had Written for that purpose This Col. Hacker likewise by virtue of the said unwarrantable Warrant from that High Court of Injustice goes to Col. Thomlinson who had then the custody of the Kings person and demands the King from him carries him in the middest of his own Regiment through St. James Park conducts him through the Gallery to the Banqueting House and from thence brings him upon the Scaffold and there stands according to his pretended Warrant to see that bloody and unparaleld Execution Afterwards he continues in the Army sides with all parties that have the Government and was a Col. in the Army at the very time when the King came home and being seized and examined in order to find out the mystery of this Regicide he vvas sent to the Tower of London and shortly after vvith the rest brought to his Tryal His Tryal vvas very short in regard he could not deny the aforesaid actions of his in that unparaleld business and being asked by the Court to whom he directed his Sub warrant to strike the fatal blow he answered that he did not know for Cromwel bid him write somthing and bid him put his hand to it but whose hand he put in for that purpose he could not tell This being all his plea he was soon brought in guilty likewise And on Friday following he vvas drawn from Newgate on a Hurdle to Tyburn vvhere he spake very little for himself onely left the vvhole business of prayer to be carried on by Col. Axtel vvho performed it for them both after vvhich being ended he vvas onely hanged and being cut down he vvas put in a Heâ—se vvhich was there brought to carry bâ—ck his Body his Son hath begged the same from the King vvho granted him his Fathers body vvithout quartering and accordingly buried the same in the City of London As for Quarter Master William Hewleâ— in regard that though he be Condemned yet is Reprieved in order to a clear discovery of this wicked act I shall leave his Character and Description to the time when Justice shall likewise make him an Example for putting on a Vizor on his Faces and a Frock on his Body for such a horrid purpose There are eighteen more Condemned viz. Sir Hard ess Waller William Hevenningham Isaac Pennington Hen. Ma tin Gilbert Millington Roâ—ert Titch urn Owen Roe Robert Lilbuâ—n Henâ—y Smith Edmund Harvey John Dowâ—s Vincent Potter Augustine Gaâ—land George Fleetwood Simoâ— Mâ—yne Thomas Wâ—it James T mple Peter Temple of whom I think nâ—t convenient to write â—ny thiâ—g of their lives til I shall be prepared to give an account alâ—o of the manner of their deaths These are close prisoners in the Tower of London till the pleasure of the Parliament shall be declared concerning them Several others there are viz. William Say John Barkstead Sir Michael Livesly Miles Corâ—et Thomas Woogan Mr. Love Daniel Blagrave Andrew Broughton Eâ—ward Denby John Dixwel Thomas Challoâ—er John Lâ—sle William Cawley John Okey Will. Goff John Hewson Valentine Wanton Ed Whaley Edw. Ludlow Cor. Holland Who vvander about the World as Vagabons like Cain vvith they cry of blood at their Heels vvho at last vvill â—o question be found out by the All searching hand of divine Justice and brought to receive a condigne punishment fâ—r their horrible Treason of whom also in time we shall give you a more perfect account And thus I conclude the story of these few wretched and miserable Traytors whose Limbs are set up as Lots Wife 's Pillar of Salt the remarkable examples of the Almighties just punishment that thus would imbrew their hands in the Sacred blood of his own Anointed which was so far a Deicide as Kings are called Gods upon the Earth and which ought to be the prayers of all truly Christianized That God would cleanse the City and Nation from the guilt of that precious blood so inhumanely and unchristianly shed as before sail and keep these Nations from Rebellion and privy Conspiracy from all false Doctrine and Heresie that no Jesuitical plots from abroad or Anabaptistical or Schismatical consultations at home may he ever able to raise Sedition in the people or distâ—â—â— the peace of the King The Life of Henry Ireton HEnry Ireton Son-in-Law to Oliver Cromwell a man full of wicked policy and contrivance and his Fathers chief Councellour and second in all his undertakings he arives at Comisary Gene. in the Army very factious in his Principles and a great encourager of all that were such A great Promoter of the Kings Death one that stood in the margent of Olivers enterprize in that wicked murder he was not only of the High Court of Justice but took upon him with Major Gen. Harison c. the appointing of the time place and manner of the Kings Execution After which he goes over with his Father Cromwell into Ireland and by him is left Lord Deputy thereof here he made victorious in the reducing of many Garisons there and at last sets down before Limerick which Siege was the last that ever he made for not long after the surrender of that City he dyed of the Plague his Death was very suddain and strange to the Army but however he was sent into England carryed to Summerset House where his Father mocks his Body with that vain glory which himself had often declared against and a Funeral in great state is made by the Army interring him among the Kings of England and Iretons Wife Oliver Cromwels own Daughters ordered by her Fathers means 2000 pound in money and 2000 pound per Annum out of the Land of Goran in Ireland being of the Lands belonging to the Marquess of Ormond which he hath now repossed again according to an Act of Parliament made in that behalf Oliver erects a Tomb for this victorious Sectarian Champion with his Effigies and his Wifes lying by him in King Henry the sevenths Chappel which is since ignominiously broken down and no footstep lest of his remembrance in that royal and stately memorial of our English Kings and his name is now as rotten as his Carcass perished through the wickedness of his bloody Life The Life of John Bradshaw JOhn Bradshaw borne in Cheshire and better sure it had been if he had nere been born a man although brought up in that honourable practice of the Law yet a shameful and most wicked destroyer of the very foundation and corner stone thereof he was made Judge of the County Palatine of Chester and afterwards of the Sheriffes Court in Guild-hall London and from thence most auda tiously and impudently he appears in the
Mr. Love whom formerly he so earnestly thirsted after and would not appeare to helpe him either in his Imprisonment Confinements or Death But at last he himselfe was not much regarded The judgements of God followed him in a troubled Conscience and at last going to Bed very well with his wife he was found dead by her the next morning no persons that were with him that night nor his wife that lay by him being in the least sensible of his approaching end The Life of Sir William Constable SIR VVilliam Constable was one of those who appeared eminently against Kingly power he was a Colonel in the Parliaments Army and a great Sider with the Sectarian part thereof his Estate was engaged for Debt and he knew no way to recover his Decays but by saying and doing as those wretches commanded He sold his Estate to Sir Marmaduke Langdale for twenty thousand pounds and afterwards beggs it againe of the Parliament for that as he said Sir Marmaduke Langdale was a Delinquent and so his Estate was in their Dispose his thus decay'd fortune made him side with the Conspirers of the King's Death and he was one of his Judges and set his Hand and Seal for taking away the Life of the King and did as much as in him lay for transplanting and removing the very Name memory thereof He died in the Reigne of the last usurping Tyrant that I pray England may ever have The Life of Sir John Danvers SIR John Danvers was a Collonel in the said Army was Brother to the Earle of Danby who he proved to be a Delinquent in that Rump-Parliament whereby he might overthrow his will and so compasse the Estate himselfe he sided likewise with the Sectarian party was one of the King's Judges and lived afterwards some years in his sin without repentance But drawing near to his Death I have cause to believe that he repented of the wickednesse of his Life for that then Mr. Thomas now Dr. Fuller was conversant in his Family and preached severall times at Sir John Danver's desire in Chelsey Church where I am sure all that frequented that Congregation will say he was instructed to repent of his misguided and wicked Consultations in having to doe with the Murther of that just Man He died but how I cannot give an account and hath no Question received his Judgement The Life of Isaac Ewer ISaac Ewer began his Estate with the Wars and increased therein according to the successe thereof he was a Colonel at Colchester Siege and there was at the Councell of War upon Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle he was one of the Kings Judges Signed the Warrant for the Murther afterwards went with Cromwell into Ireland he was at that unheard of bloudy Quarter which was given to 4000 five hundred accomplisht Men at Tredagh in Ireland where none in Armes escaped their Murther although many of them laid down their Armes upon promise of their lives which notwithstanding they Murthered he was afterwards at the Siege of Clonmel in Ireland and from thence at Waterford where the Town being taken he died suddenly after of the Plague and was there buried The Conclusion ANd thus you see how Evil pursued these wicked Men who thus thirsted after the bloud of their Soveraign Nay I say of one of the most Pious Princes as ever Ruled the English Scepter A King who had no other fault but his too much Clemency wherewith his nature did abound whose Piety was as Transcendent as his Clemency immoveable as the Rock which neither the unruly VVaves of Sedition impetuously breaking thereupon nor the Boysterous and Irresistable winds of persecution could work into the least complyance or disturb in his resolved stedfastness one that like the Palme Tree that could flourish with the greater splendor by how much he was Prest with ponderous inconveniences and with our Saviour could bear the Crosse with as much ease as he did his Crown and improve his Afflictions to the right use for which God Originally intended them he could Spurne at the Glittering Glory of an Earthly Crown and handling Christs Crown of Thornes could by the eye of Faith discern an immortal and eternal Crown of Glory His Patience under Gods Afflicting hand was like that of St. Paul's farre above all that the world could doe to abuse it and not only so but rejoycing in his Tribulation also The Imprisonment of his Body could not in the least confine his mind but rather give the greater advantages to his heavenly Soul for nearer and more desired converses with the King of Kings No undutiful or unhandsome usage which he received from the meanest of his People could Aggravate him into any passionate reflections or exasperate above the degree of his sweet and complacent Temper he could not be wrought beyond the bounds of his reason although he had to do with unreasonable Men nor was ever heard to use any expressions of Gaul and Wormwood towards those that gave him Gaul and Vinegar to Drink he blessed those that cursed him he prayed for those that persecuted him and he desired that those who would not suffer him to live with them in his Earthly Kingdome might be received with him into the Capacious Kingdome of Heavenly Glory His Charity was as Vniversall as that required from a Vniversal Christian viz. To the greatest and most eminent of his forward Adversaries to those who spit in his Face he desired that their Faces might shine with the Vnction of the Spirit and others who Vilifyed him with crying out Justice and Execution against him he prayed that their sinne might be forgiven and that they might not receive that Justice upon themselves which they called for unjustly to be Executed upon him Nay and further he did often declare that he did as freely forgive all the world with as much freedom as he did hope to be forgiven and named one particular person among the rest saying viz. I forgive Miles Corbet too One who made it the greatest â—f his study to stretch abused law Arguments against the King and aggravating the Kings demanding Justice against the Five Members with all the exasperating circumstances imaginable which was the chief Original cause of the future civil and unhumane Bloudshed yet our most Pious and charitable Prince had charity even for this Man His moderation was known unto all men far above all mortal rules or observations take him which way you will either as Man a Christian or a KING and in all three you shall find him to abound in his moderation his private Life as a Man was above the reach of envy to Tax him with any thing that might Blot or Staine his blamelesse conversation His Christianity caused him to comply with the Peevish Precipitate Distempers of the times hoping thereby to allay that furious Fire which broke out among the Giddy headed People And this our Gracious Soveraigne throwing the water of his compassionate Christianity thereon to quench it it proved like water cast on Lime burn'd and smoak't with the greater Violence His Kingly moderation far exceeded the other two for he Stooped and Condiscended even to things below himself that he might let all the wâ—rld see his readinesse to comply with any thing that might gratifie their distempered and infatuated frenzy which though nothing could do he yet retained his aforesaid serious and moderate temper and having at that time to deal with a contradicting and gainsaying People he moderately contrives all things as much as in him lay to reconcile and make up their ruined and irrecoverable Breaches And lastly His moderate Diet his temperance in all other affairs his constancy to his Queen his fixed Religion his heavenly Inclinations his continued Devotions his melting Clemeny and his abused Charity do all like so many Foiles shew the blacknesse of that Barbarous Action of Butchering such a Pious Prince the parallell of whom cannot be Sampled among the now Peaceable Kings of the Earth In a word His very Enemies could give him no worse a caracter then what is contained in this dimidium of his reall worth which is represented but in dead colours which no dâ—ubt but a more curious Pen will represent to it's lively Species Some have said as Cornet Joyce that if ever King of England went to Heaven our Glorious Martyr King Charles did who laid down his Life and rather would loâ—â— his Prerogative then the People shouâ—â— loose their Priviledge Oliver Croâ—well himself said that he was a vnwise and Pious Man but that he wiâ—â—Vnfortunate in his War And Cook said he was Wise and a Graciouâ— Prince but that he must Dye and Monarchy with him And this was he whom these miserable Men Sentenced to Death as a Murtherer and a Traytor whom Divels must acknowledge as one whose pure conversation might cause his Name to be Registred in the Calanders of the Sainted Martyrs valuing not so much his own as the Lives and Safeties of his People A Gentleman standing at his sad interment threw this Distick into the Vault Non Carolus magnus nec Carolus quintus Sed Carolus Agnus hic Jacet intus FINIS