waies that I have taken every body knows what my Affections have been to many that have suffered to many that have been in troubles in this Kingdom I endeavoured to relieve them I endeavoured to oblige them I thought I was tied so by my Conscience I thought it by my Charity and truly very much by my Breeding God hath now brought me to the last instant of my time all that I can say and all that I can adhere unto is this That as I am a great sinner so I have a great Saviour that as he hath given me here a Fortune to come publickly in a shew of shame in the way of this suffering truly I underst and it not to be so I understand it to be a Glory a glory when I consider who hath gone before me and a glory when I consider I had no end in it but what I conceive to be the Service of God the King and the Kingdom and therefore my heart is not charged much with any thing in that particular since I conceive God will accept of the intention whatsoever the Action seems to be I am going to die and the Lord receive my Soul I have no Reliance but upon Christ For my self I do acknowledge that I am the unworthiest of sinners my Life hath been a vanity and a continued sin and God may justly bring me to this end for the sins I have committed against him and were there nothing else but the iniquities that I have committed in the way of my Life I look upon this as a great Justice of God to bring me to this Suffering and to bring me to this Punishment and those hands that have been most active in it if any such there hath been I pray God forgive them I pray God there may not be many such Trophies of their Victories but that this may be as I said before the last shew that this People shall see of the Bloud of persons of Condition of Persons of Honour I might say somthing of the way of our Trial which certainly hath been as extraordinary as any thing I think hath ever been seen in this Kingdom but because that I would not seem as if I made some complaint I will not so much as mention it because no body shall believe I repine at their Actions that I repine at my Fortune it is the will of God it is the hand of God under whom I fall I take it entirely from him I submit my self to him I shall desire to roul my self into the Arms of my blessed Saviour and when I come to this * Pointing to the Block place when I bow down my self there I hope God will raise me up and when I bid farewel as I must now to Hope and to Faith that Love will abide I know nothing to accompany the Soul out of this world but Love and I hope that Love will bring me to the fountain of glory in Heaven through the Arms Mediation and the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ in whom I believe O Lord help my Unbelief Hodges The Lord make over unto you the Righteousness of his own Son it is that Treasury that he hath bestowed upon you and the Lord shew you the light of his countenance and fill you full with his Joy and Kindness O my dear Lord the Lord of Heaven and Earth be with you and the Lord of Heaven Earth bring you to that Safety Holland I shall make as much hast as I can to come to that Glory and the Lord of Heaven and Earth take my Soul I look upon my self entirely in him and hope to find Mercy through him I expect it and through that Fountain that is opened for sin and for uncleanness my soul must receive it for did I rest in any thing else I have nothing but sin and Corruption in me I have nothing but that which in stead of being carried up into the Arms of God and of Glory I have nothing but may throw me down into Hell Bolton But my Lord when you are cloathed with the Righteousness of another you will appear Glorious though now sinful in your self The Apostle saith I desire not to be found in my own Righteousness and when you are cloathed with another the Lord will own you and I shall say but thus much Doubt not that ever God will deny Salvation to sinners that come to him when the end of all his death and sufferings was the Salvation of sinners when as I say the whole end and the whole Design and the great work that God had to do in the world by the death of Christ wherein he laid out all his Counsels and infinite wisdom and goodness beyond which there was a non ultra in Gods thoughts when this was the great design and great end the salvation of poor sinners that poor souls should come over to him and live certainly when sinners come he will not reject he will not refuse And my Lord do but think of this the greatest work that ever was done in the world was the bloud of Christ that was shed never any thing like it And this Bloud of Christ that was shed was shed for them that come if not for them for none it was in vain else You see the Devils they are out of capacity of good by it the Angels they have no need of it wicked men will not come and there are but few that come over but a few that come over and should he deny them there were no end nor fruit of the Blond and Sufferings of the Lord Jesus and had your Lordship been with Christ in that bloudy Agony when he was in that bloudy sweat sweating drops of Bloud if you had asked him Lord what art thou now a doing art thou not now reconciling an angry God and me together art thou not pacifying the wrath of God art thou not interposing thy self between the Justice of God and my soul Would he not have said Yea and surely then he mill not deny it now My Lord his Passions are over his Compassions still remain and the larger and greater because he is gone up into an higher place that he may throw down more abundance of his mercy and grace upon you and my Lord think of that infinite love that abundance of riches in Christ I am lost I am empty I have nothing I am poor I am sinful be it so as bad as God will make me and as vile as I possibly can conceive my self I am willing to be but when I have said all the more I advance that Riches and honour that Grace of God And why should I doubt when by this he puts me into a capacity into a disposition for him to shew me Mercy that by this I may the better advance the riches of his Grace and say grace grace to the Lord to all Eternity that God should own such a Creature that deserves nothing and the less I deserve the more conspiâ—uous is his
in to comfort him and to pray God to strengthen him whom with like gracious and Christian expressions he chearfully thanked At the Gibbet there was no Ladder set not any for that purpose brought so retrograde and averse had Providence disposed of things to the most abominable murther as if it had indignitated its detestation thereof nor could any be procured from the Neighbours thereabouts or any other place all men denying to be the least accessary to that infamous business thereupon a Joyn-stoo was fought from the Mews and upon that he was put that by how many degrees he was nearer the Earth at his fall by so many degres he might be higher in glory in Heâ—ven at his ascending by an equal parallel Having devoutly prayed for himself the King Church and Kingdom and for the consummation of this life into bliss he addrest some few words to the people which were too harsh for the eares of the Souldiers to whom they were principally directed but was soon silenced and not suffered to speak out the remainder Then after a short permission of some few Ejaculations wherewith he recommended his departing Soul to God the stool was drawn from under him and so he quietly past hence to a glorious state of Immortality Major Henshaw now Major of the City Regiment of Horse was said to be concerned in this business Much discourse there was then about him but he timely withdrew himself beyond the Sea and escaped that storm that would have overwhelmed him and now honourably survives to reap the fruit and reconpence of those Services he hath done his King and Country Nothing can better express the noble gallantry and Christian bravery of these two men then what is left behinde of their own recorded by some of their worthy and intimate Friends to whom I should have rendred the obligation if I could have had a perfect account from them which so nearly concerns my design as it doth their deceased Friends Memory and Honour I do therefore willingly refer the Reader to what followes extracted from such Copies as are true and Authentique where he may be more fully satisfied The Speech and manner of putting to death Col. John Gerhard who was beheadon Tower-hil July 10. 1654. IT was thought needle sse by the friends of Col. Gerhard to declare any thing concerning his sufferings unto the World more then in their sight had not the sacrilegious malice of the last weekly Pamphlet thrown some stains upon his name and so incensed them to a vindication as pious as his death was 'T is most certain that there can no blots stick upon true honour which such weak fellows endeavour against it These are cursed beasts but their horns are short sepulchral dogs that scrape up graves and violate the dead and are fierce and ravenous but yet dogs still And all worthy people will call their railing praise and what they intend a barking infamy the greatest 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 vermine 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 comely 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 blood with feeble tears which was shed so like the holy Martyrs All that knew this person cannot but witnesse his generous resolution and whether his great courage fell lesse then it self as that viper hisseth or did not rather rise greater now when the Christian was twisted with the Gentlemen let this faithful relation witness In which though all terms and syllables may not be exactly the same yet if there be a material 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 doom was pronounced then he bestirred himself amain and made double hast for heaven it was for his life and therefore he would loose 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 unto 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 and 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 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 not far from the Kingdom 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 till 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 Gâ—rhard he was a partaker with as much reverence zeal thankfulnesse 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 noâ—ing to do 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 undisturbednesse and civill chearfulnesse to every one of them His brother tarryed continually with himâ— and though some eruptions of passion could not be restrain dâ—now and then where nature was so much concerned yet they were generally pleasant and at last parted about half an hour before he was led forth to death with as much calmnesse and placednesse as if they had been to meet again anon sase and unhurt as they had
the Executioner said I shall say but very short Prayers and when I thrust out my hands Then the King called to Dr. Juxon for his Night-cap and having put it on he said to the Executioner Does my hair trouble you who desired him to put it all under his Cap which the King did accordingly by the help of the Executioner and the Bishop then the King turning to Doctor Juxon said I have a good Cause and a Gracious God on my side D. Juxon There is but one stage more this Stage is turbulent and troublesom it is a short one But you may consider it will soon carry you a very great way it will carry you from Earth to Heaven and there you shall find a great deal of cordial Joy and Comfort King I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be no disturbance in the world Dr. Juxon You are exchanged from a Temporal to an Eternal Crown a good Exchange The King then said to the Executioner Is my Hair well Then the King took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to Dr. Juxon saying Remember * It is thought to give it to the Prince Then the King put off his Doublet and being in his Wastcoat put his Cloak on again then looking upon the Block said to the Executioner You must set it fast Executioner It is fast Sir King When I put my hands out this way stretching them out then After that having said two or three words as he stood to himself with hands and Eyes lift up immediatly stooping down laid his Neck upon the Block and the Executioner again putting his hair under his Cap the King said thinking he had been going to strike stay for the sign Executioner Yes I will and it please your Majesty And after a very little Pause the King stretching forth his Hands the Executioner at one blow severed his Head from his Body the head being off the Executioner held it up and shewed it to the People which done it was with the Body put in a Coffin covered with black Velvet for that purpose and conveyed into his Lodgings there And from thence it was carried to his House at St. James's where his Body was embalmed put in a Coffin of Lead laid there a Fortnight to be seen by the people and on the Wednesday seven-night after his Corps embalmed and coffined in Lead was delivered chiefly to the care of four of his Servants viz. Mr. Herbert Captain Anthony Mildmay his Sewers Captain Preston and John Joyner formerly cook to his Majesty they attended with others cloathed in Mourning Suits and Cloaks accompanied the Herse that night to Windsor and placed it in that which was formerly the Kings Bed-Chamber next day it was removed into the Deans Hall which Room was hanged with Black and made dark with Lights burning round the Herse in which it remained till Three in the Afternoon about which time came the Duke of Lenox the Marquess of Hertford the Marquess of Dorchester the Earl of Lindsey having obtained an Order from the Parliament for the Decent Interment of the King their Royal Master provided the Expence thereof exceeded not five hundred Pounds at their coming into the Castle they shewed their Order of Parliament to Col. Whichâ—ott Governour of the Castle desiring the Interment might be in St. Georges Chappel and by the Form in the Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England this Request was by the Governour denied saying it was improbable that the Parliament would permit the use of what they had so solemnly abolished and therein destroy their own Act. To which the Lords replied there is a difference betwixt destroying their own Act and dispensing with it and that no power so binds its own Hands as to disable it self in some cases all could not prevail the Governour persisting in the Negative The Lords betook themselves to the search of a convenient place for the Burial of the Corps the which after some paines taken therein they discover a Vault in the middle of the Quire wherein as is probably conjectured lieth the Body of King Henry the Eighth and his Beloved Wife the Lady Jane Seamor both in Coffins of Lead in this Vault there being room for one more they resolve to interre the Body of the King the which was accordingly brought to the place born by the Officers of the Garrison the four Corners of the Velvet Pall born up by the aforesaid four Lords the pious Bishop of London following next and other Persons of Quality the body was committed to the Earth with Sighs and Tears especially of the Reverend Bishop to be denied to do the last duty and Service to his Dear and Royal Master the Velvet Pall being cast into the Vault was laid over the Body upon the Coffin was these words set KING CHARLES 1648. I cannot let pass this Horrid Act of treason without letting the world know of the Damnable hypocrisie of that Arch Traytor Oliver Cromwel The Day assigned for Murdering of the King being come the Council of War sate which then managed all A Letter without name was addressed to the Council to represent to them by Reasons Conscience of and Prudence the formidable Consequence of so strange and execrable an Execution Cromwel seemed to be much toucht at it which caused some then present to suspect that he had a hand in procuring it and proposed it to the consideration of the Council many of which began to relent and lean toward Compassion Cromwel observing it made a Turn toward the Door and sent one of his Confidents to those to whom the Execution was committed to command them to dispatch the business then returning to the Council-Table made a large discourse shewing the Inconvenience of this Execution and advised them so to secure the Person of the King that he might neither do nor receive hurt which Discourse was seconded by others and re-assumed by himself with a great many words to lengthen out the time until one briskly entring into the Chamber told them Gentlemen you may cease to consult the Work is done the King is executed upon which Cromwel fell down upon his Knees with great Devotion and made an Eloquent Prayer giving Glory to God and acknowledging his Divine Justice A Letter worthy Perusal written by King Charles to his Son the Prince from Newport in the Isle of Wight Dated Nov. 29. 1648. Son BY what hath been said you may see how long We have laboured in the search of Peace Do not you be discouraged to tread those waies in all those worthy means to restore your self to your Right but prefer the way of Peace shew the Greatness of your mind rather to conquer your Enemies by pardoning them then by punishing If you saw how unmanly and unchristianly this implacable disposition is in our ill-willers you would avoid that Spirit Censure Us not for having parted with too much of Our own Right the Price was great the
men to have saved the precious life of the King c. which being to be had will need no other Commendation When the other two Lords were beheaded he was brought last to the Scaffold where he spake as followeth His Lordship in the way to the Scaffold put of his hat to the People on both sides looking very austerely about him And being come upon the Scaffold Lieut. Collonel Beecher said to him Sir Is your Chaplain here CAPEL No I have taken my leave of him and perceiving some of his Servants to weep he said Gentlemen refrain your salves refrain your selves and turning to Lieut. Col. Beecher he said what did the Lords speak with their hats off or no Col. Beech. With their Hats off And then coming to the front of the Scaffold he said I shall hardly be understood here I think and then began his Speech as followeth Capel The conclusion that I made with those that sent me hither and are the cause of this violent death of mine shall be the beginning of what I shall say to you When I made an address to them which was the last I told them with much sincerity that I would pray to the God of all mercies that they might be partakers of his inestimable and boundless mercies in Jesus Christ and truly I still pray that Prayer and I beseech the God of Heaven forgive any injury they have done to me from my Soul I wish it And truly this I tell you as a Christian to let you see I am a Christian But it is necessary I should tell you somewhat more that I am a Protestant And truly I am a Protestant and very much in love with the profession of it after the manner as it was established in England by the Thirty nine Articles a blessed way of profession and such an one as truly I never knew none so good I am so far from being a Papist which some body have truly very unworthily at some time charged me withall that truly I profess to you that though I love Good Works and commend Good Works yet I hold they have nothing at all to do in the matter of Salvation my Anchor-hold is this That Christ loved me and gave himself for me that is that that I rest upon And truly something I shall say to you as a Citizen of the whole World and in that consideration I am here condemned to die truly contrary to the Law that governs all the World that is the Law of the Sword I had the protection of that for my life and the honour of it but truly I will not trouble you much with that because in another place I have spoken very largely and liberally about it I believe you will hear by other means what Arguments I used in that case But truly that that is stranger you that are English-men behold here an English-man here before you and acknowledged a Peer not condemned to die by any Law of England not by any Law of England nay shall I tell you more which is strangest of all contrary to all the Laws of England that I know of And truly I will tell you in the matter of the civil part of my death and the Cause that I have maintained I die I take it for maintaining the fifth Commandment injoyned by God himself which enjoyns reverence and obedience to Parents All Divines on all hands though they contradict one another in many several opinions yet all Divines on all hands do acknowledge that here is intended Magistracy and Order and certainly I have obeyed that Magistracy and that Order underwhich I have lived which I was bound to obey and truly I do say very confidently that I do die here for keeping for obeying that fifth Commandment given by God himself and written with his own finger And now Gentlemen I will take this opportunity to tell you that I cannot imitate a better nor a greater ingenuity than his that said of himself For suffering an unjust judgment upon another himself was brought to suffer by an unjust judgment Truly Gentlemen that God may be glorified that all men that are concerned in it may take the occasion of it of humble repentance to God Almighty for it I do here profess to you that I did give my Vote to that Bill against the Earl of Strafford I doubt not but God Almighty hath washed that away with a more precious blood the Blood of his own Son and my dear Saviour Jesus Christ and I hope he will wash it away from all those that are guilty of it truly this I may say I had not the least part nor degree of malice in doing of it but I must confess again to Gods glory and the accusation of mine own frailty and the frailty of my Nature that truly it was unworthy Cowardize not to resist so great a torrent as carried that business at that time And truly this I think I am most guilty of of not courage enough in it but malice I had none but whatsoever it was GOD I am sure hath pardoned it hath given me the assurance of it that Christ Iesus his Blood hath washed it away and truly I do from my Soul wish that all men that have any stain by it may seriously repent and receive a remission and pardon from God for it And now Gentlemen we have had an occasion by this intimation to remember his Majesty our KING that last was and I cannot speak of him nor think of it but truly I must needs say that in my opinion that have had time to consider all the images of all the greatest and vertuousest Princes in the World and truly in my opinion there was not a more vertuous and more sufficient Prince known in the World than our gracious King CHARLES that died last God Almighty preserve our King that now is his Son God send him more fortunate and longer dayes God Almighty so assist him that he may exceed both the vertues and sufficiencies of his Father For certainly I that have been a Councellour to him and have lived long with him and in a time when discovery is easily enough made for he was young he was about thirteen fourteen fifteen or sixteen years of age those years I was with him truly I never saw greater hopes of vertue in any young person than in him great judgment great understanding great apprehension much honour in his nature and truly a very perfect Englishman in his inclination and I pray God restore him to this Kingdom and unite the Kingdoms one unto another and send a great happinesse both to you and to him that he may long live and Reign among you and that that Family may Reign till thy Kingdom come that is while all temporal power is consummated I beseech God of his mercy give much happinesse to this your King and to you that in it shall be his Subjects by the Grace of Iesus Christ Truly I like my beginning so well that I
the Church of England I have no negative Religion believing to be saved by the onely merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ putting off his Hat and whatsoever else is profest in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England authorized by Law humbly beseeching Almighty God to restore unto this Church her Peace Prosperity and Patrimony whereof I have been an obedient and a loving however an unworthy Son And now both my Hope being confident and my Faith perfected there remains onely Christian Charity Charity we carry into heaven Charitie on Earth and that I leave beseeching all whomsoever I have offended whether I have or no to forgive me as I from the bottom of my heart do them whomsoever blessing Almighty God for the happy advantage he takes to bring me nearer to heaven blessing Almighty God that he hath given me this advantage as he hath been merciful to me before the foundation of the world in my Saviour so that now he hath in mercy honoured me with suffering for his Name in obedience to his Commandment On this day seven night I was summon'd before that Justice which condemned me on Friday last praised be Almightie God that by this way he hath brought me the nearer to himself putting off his hat My Charge I presume is publick as my punishment is visible if there have been any thing in the management of my part being unskilful having discontinued my own Countrie many years I shall beseech the Christian charity of all you my beloved Country-men to impute it unto the right part the ignorance that is in this skilful way of managing It was objected unto me there that I had a vanitie of delighting in strange Tongues I was best skill'd in the Italian but free from that vanity I thank Almightie God and therefore I would in defence of my life if it had been the Custom here or the Judges favour have used that Language It was objected That I did not so freely as a thorow-paced Cavalier own my Master I was told since I came into England for other skill I have not in your Laws that a legal Denial in Law might be tolerable I hope I did not exceed the bounds of that in any thing for God forbid that I should be ashamed of serving so good so pious so just a Master putting off his hat for that I therein rejoyce and I humbly beseech Almightie God to fill my heart and my tongue and all that hear me this day with thankfulness for it As to the business that another construction had been made and believed here then what was there the righteous God knoweth it if any weakness was in the management that was mine I was sent to serve and protect not to in jure any and as God acquits me of the intention in matter of Fact as having done any manner of evil that way however here understood blessed be his holy Name putting off his hat so those Gentlemen of the Turkey Company if they would seriously consider for they know it very well the impossibilitie of my doing them any manner of harm Whereas that of the Embassie objected against me that my Master never honoured me with all I was never worthy of it I was his Messenger an Internuncia for the conservation only of his good Subjects of all the Merchants until such time as he could confirm that Gentleman now Resident or to send any other and they themselves know that there was impossibility in me as I bless God there was an innocency in me unto any such intention to do them any harm for my Masters Commands were point-blank the contrary I was onely sent for their good as I never owned the Title so the very Letters themselves speaking no other I never did so much as think of any manner of Address unto the Grand Seigniour but gave him the Letter from my Master the rest of the English Nation that were there present may when they please assert so much This I would insert That those Gentlemen as they have been losers by the miscarriages of others may now have no breach of their charity with me but if it be as it seems it is now in this Country a Sin to be Loyal I hope my God hath forgiven that when it is upon harmless employment not invading any according to his just Masters Order for indeed I have bin alwais bred up in that Religion my Allegiance hath been incorporated into my Religion and I have thought it a great part of the service due from me to Almighty God to serve the King putting off his Hat I need not make any Apology for any thing in relation to the present things in England for were I as I spake before my Judges as evil as my Sentence hath made me black it were impossible for me to have prejudiced any body in England or to England belonging in that employment but I bless God for his infinite mercy in Jesus Christ putting off his Hat who hath brought me home to him here in this way it was the best Physick for the curing of my Soul and those that have done it have no more power then that of my body I leave nothing behind me but that I am willing to part withal all that I am going to is desireable And that you may all know that Almighty God hath totally wrought in me a total Denial of my self and that there is that perfect Reformation of me within and of my own corruption by the blessed assistance of his holy Spirit I desire Almighty God in the abundance of the bowels of his mercy in Jesus Christ not only to forgive every Enemy if any such be in the World here or wheresoever but to bring him into his Bosom so much good and particular comfort as he may at any time whether the Cause were just or unjust have wished me any manner of evil for I take him to be the happy instrument of bringing me to Heaven It is tedious but I have an inward comfort I bless Almighty God pray Gentlemen give me leave speaking to some that prest upon him I should never do it but to give satisfaction to all charitable hearts I have been troublesome Sheriff You have your liberty to speak more if you please Sir Henry Hide But as to that part Master Sheriff that did concern the Denial as it was affirmed by Master Attorney General of my Masters employment Truly landing at Whitehall I told that Council there was just Commissions to an old Officer by the blessing of God I have by me and I have other good things that God hath blessed me withall more then all the good Christians in the World that are not the Grand Seigniour's Slaves And we that are Merchants abroad we allow our selves any sufferance that may conduce to our own safety enlargement of Trade or preservation of what is ours Why I had by the grace of my gracious Master a confirmation of my old Commission of Consulage in Greece But
you to be satisfied with the brief account of the principal persons here because it will be not only some trouble to write their particular stories involved in the general design of this Service but by reason the whole was transacted by these mens Purses Authority and more signalized by their life death I presume not neither to be punctual in the matter of Colonel Penruddock for that he himself was abused in the hopes of the publishing his Examinations and Tryal wherein the high injustice offered him would most plainly appear especially in the business of Capt. Crook and therfore shall transmit the memory of this noble and Heroick Royalist with as much honor solemn veneration as indignation zeal against those Times and Persons that envied us the Retrospect of this his glory by forbidding suppressing any account thereof to be published that they might thereby conceal their base treachery and unlawful proceedings Colonel Penruddock thus butchered Colonel Groves a somewhat antient and very grave man was brought upon the reaking Scaffold he had been an Officer of that Dignity and Command in the Kings Armies before and therefore that honourable solemnity of murther was afforded him He spoke at his Trial little to his Judges whose enjoyned business and meritorious Service with Oliver he well knew was to bereave him of his life but addrest himself wholly to the Jury who were a packt number of Schismaticks and who Serpent like were deaf to his Charmes of Reason and Law though pressed and tenacioufly urged by him As he said little at the Bar so he said less at the Block but piously and fervently recommended his Soul to God desiring him to forgive his Enemies and so laid down his life and slept in the Lord their Speeches follow After this Execution was past they proceeded not because they saw it pleased the people for the Royal people of Exeter never beheld the like detestable sight in their violence against others of the meaner sort who were taken in that same business at Southmolton who by their discriminating malice were destined to the Gibbet nine of whom suffered thereat averting their most righteous Cause and telling the Sheriff a Knight of Olivers that another account and estimate would not long after be made of them to the shame and confusion of their Enemies After they were dead they were all honourably buried in that City all sorts of persons in great numbers following them to their Graves which was highly resented and stuck deeply in Cromwels stomack but he knew not which way to punish the City for that piety no more then he could brook or prevent their charity the Citizens from the time of the imprisonment of them being above fourscore in number maintaining them with all necessaries even to abundance and superfluity But though he could not stop the giver he found a way to hinder the receiver for after the Assizes wherein many more were condemned besides them that were Executed and the others still kept in durance in expectation of future tryal he caused them to be transported to the Barbado's selling them as slaves to some of those Turkish Merchants who trade in the lives of men as this Butcher Crommwel in their deaths who sold and employed them in those Plantations where the Pagan clowns or more properly villains used and worked them beyond their strength and endurance which soon after the Tyrant was gone to his place came to a hearing in Parliament in Richards non-age The same Judges at their return back held another Assize at Chard in Somersetshire where Cromwells Scouts had gleaned up a few of those scattered persons two whereof they murthered there but Major Hunt whom they had principally designed for the gorge gave them the slip in the habit of one of his Sisters who staid behind in his Chamber in bed which they discovered not till morning to the unspeakable intolerable vexation of the tyrant who threatned all manner of deaths to the Jaylor I had almost forgot their errand at Salisbury where they likewise beheaded on Mr. _____ of Hungerford and one Mr. Kency and three others were hanged for the same matter much stir was made and many addresses were presented to Cromwel in the behalf of them but all proved ineffectual onely one Mr. Dean the only son of a widow and he not actually in arms was after sentence reprieved The sufferers dyed constantly and assured in their just actions as the rest and gave glory to God and received it again in their eternal recompence The Speech of the Honourable Colonel Penruddock the greatest part whereof he delivered upon the Scaffold in Exon. Castle the 16. day of May 1655. the whole he left with a Gentleman and friend of his written with his own hand which is as followeth Together with the manner of his being beheaded As he was ascending the Scaffold baring his knees and bowing himself he used these words This I hope will prove to be like Jacobs ladder though the feet of it rest on Earth yet I doubt not but the top of it reacheth to Heaven When he came upon the Scaffold he said O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God who hath given me victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Then with abundance of Christian cheerfulnesse he spake to the people as followeth Gentlemen IT hath ever been the custom of all persons whatsoever when they come to die to give some satisfaction to the world whether they be guilty of the fact of which they stand charged The crime for which they stand charged the crime for which I am now to die is Loyalty but in this age call'd high Treason I cannot deny but I was at Southmolton in this County but whether my being there or my actions there amount to so high a crime as high Treason I leave it to the world and to the Law to judge Truly if I were concious to my self of any base ends that I had in this underâ—aking I would not be so injurious to my own soul or disingenuous to you as not to make a publique acknowledgment thereof I suppose that divers persons according as they are biassed in their several interests and relations give their opinions to the world concerning us I conceive it is impossible therefore so to expresse my self in this particular as not to expose both my judgement and reputation to the censure of many which I shall leave behind me Because I will not put others therefore upon a breach of Charity concerning me or my actions I have thought fit to decline all discourses which may give them a capacity either to enjure themselves or me My tryal was publick and my several examinations I believe will be produced when I am in my grave I will refer you therefore to the first which I am sure some of you heard and to the later which many of you in good time may see Had Captain Crook done himself and