never was such Cruelty in all this World And now we may see how just the Lord is he that all that time had no mercy for any but those that appeared loose Villains is pitied but by few Capt. Madders last Prayer at the same time and place CApt. Madders at the time of the Duke's landing was a Constable at Crewkern in the County of Somerset and so diligent and active for the King in his Office that when two Gentlemen of Lyme came there and brought the News of the Duke's landing and desired Horses to ride Post to acquaint his Majesty therewith he immediately secured Horses for them the Town being generally otherways bent and assisted them so far as any called Loyal in those times could do which was represented to the Lord Chief Justice in expectation thereby to save his Life But an Enquiry being made about his Religion and retuâ—ned by a very worthy Gentleman of those Parts That he was a good Protestant an honest Man had a very good Character amongst his Neighbours O then says he I 'll hold a wager with you he is a Presbyterian I can smell them forty miles Though moderately I now say they can smell him two hundred miles West then surely he must dye because he was and had the Character of an honest man a good Christian and a brave tradesman But to be short I could say a great deal more of him being intimately acquainted with him and was with him to the very last Being brought to the Place of Execution he was the last Man except one executed and he behaved himself whilst the rest were executing with great Zeal and lifting up his hands and eyes would often say Lord make me so willing and ready to the last And God did hear his Prayers for though he seemed to the Spectators to be somewhat unwilling to dye yet at the last he dyed with as much Assurance and Christian Resolution as any for after his publick Prayer he came once down the Ladder and prayed again privately then mounted the Ladder again the Sheriff saying Mr. Madders if you please you may have more liberty he answered No I thank you Mr. Sheriff now I am ready I am willing and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Oh! you cannot imagine what Comfort and Refreshment I have received in a few minutes my Comforts are so great that I cannot contain my self So blessing and praising of God he was translated as I hope we have no grounds to imagine the contrary from Earth to Heaven repeating Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power His publick Prayer was as followeth O Eternal and ever blessed Lord God look down upon me a miserable Sinner with an eye of pity and compassion in and through my dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. O Lord I acknowledge my self a great and grievous Sinner I have sinned against the clearest light and the dearest love I have deserved to have been spurned from thy Presence and from the glory of thy Power and that thou shouldest now say unto me I will have no more to do with such an unworthy wretch such a polluted filthy Creature as thou art and hast been But O Lord there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared and thou hast promised that if a Sinner turn from his wickedness thou wilt have mercy on him and tho' his sins were as scarlet thou wouldest make them white as wool Fulfil O Lord thy gracious promise unto me a poor supplicant in this my last hour of my life purge and cleanse me from all sin and filthiness give me true Repentance and if there lyes any sin not yet repented of O Lord bring it to my Conscience Mind and Memory But I hope O Lord thou hast heard â—y prayers my sighs and groans I hope and trust thou hast pardoned all my sins and wilt immediately receive my soul. Look down in Mercy on my dear Wife and Family be thou a Comfort and all in all unto them Now Lord I am coming to thee assist me to last moment Comfort my distressed Soul do morâ— for me than I am able to ask for or think of but what thou knowest to be needful and necessary for me in and through the Merits of my dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit of Grace be ascribed the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Dying Words of Captain Kidd Executed at the same time and place THis Gentleman was the last â—xeâ—â—â—ed at that time as soon as Captain Madders was â—urned off he began to prepare to follow and calleâ— to his Guards and those present Do you see this pointing up to Eleven that were dead before him do you think this is not dreadful to me thâ—t eleven of twelve of us that but a few hours since came down together are dead and in Eternity and I am just going to follow them and shall immediately be in the same condition Says one to him It must be dreadful to Flesh and Blood Says he Well Gentlemen I will assure you I am so far concerned that methinks I bethink their Happiness that they should be so long before me in bliss and happiness but I 'll make haste to follow I am satisfied this is the best day that ever I saw The day of a Mans Death is said to be better than the day of his Birth and truly so I find it as to my Flesh for I shall be presently free from sin and sorrow I am satisfied God hath done his best for me I might have lived and have forgotten God but now I am going where I shall sin no more 'T is a blessed thing to be free from sin and to be with Christ O how great were the suffâ—rings of Christ for us beyond all that I can undergo how great is that Glory to which I am going Thâ—n taking his leave of the People then present he prayed some small time very devoutly and with seeming great Joy and Comfort the Executioner did his Office There was Executed also at the same time divers others as Mr. William Hewling Dr. Temple Mr. Matthews with some others The â—asâ— Spâ—ech of Dr. Temple of Nottingham at the place of Execution DOctor Temple was one of them that Landed with the Duke and was his Chief Physician and Chyrurgeon he lived in Nottingham but minding to see other parts of the World as I have heard goeâ— for Holland where he came acquainted with the Duke of Monmouth concerning which he thus spoke just as he was going off the Ladder Christian Friends and dear Countrymen I Have somewhat to say and not very much before I depart from you and shall be seen no more And First As to my Engagment with the Duke of Monmouth Secondly How far I was concerned And Thirdly I shall leave all of you to be Judges in mattâ—r of
and give evidence of our Loyalty by our peaceable demeanour and conformity to the laws of the Land and to lay the foundation of our future happiness by being dutiful to our Masters and diligent in our business that so in time we might become good Citizens So they returned again in five Coaches to Russells and supped there altogether and so every one went home The twenty Presenters of this Address were Mr. B y Mr. A h Mr. S ns Mr. M d Mr. B th Mr. Evans Mr. Batty Mr. P le Mr. D n Mr. Noise one of the Persons who first set this design afoot Mr. C ll Mr. S s Mr. S y Mr. H ing Mr. B w Mr. P tell Mr. S th Mr. B n Mr. Mal s Mr. R t s A Letter sent August 19. 1681. thus subscribed To the truly Loyal and Protestant Apprentices of London that were the principal Managers of the late address to my Lord Mayor GO on Heroick Souls and faithful be Unto your God your King your Liberty Let your unbyast actions give the lie To such as scandalize your Loyalty To Caesar render what 's to Caesar due Earth merits Heaven expects no more from you Those rights defend which your brave sires sent down Inviolable as the Throne or Crown Tell supple Parasites and treacherous Knaves You 're humble subjects not degenerate slaves Bow low but scorn to creep for that 's as well Nor for a mess of Broth your Birth-rights sell. Pass by th'affronts that Hell and Rome can send Comfort yourselves when 't is at worst 't will mend But when the Church is shook by Potent foes For her defence your bodies interpose Of Popish mercy never run the risque A Crowned Serpent grows a Basilisk Vindicate then the Gospel and the Laws The cause is Heaven's Heaven will espouse the cause Undauntedly prop up your Churches Walls And joy to fall beneath it if it falls To perish thus who would not be content When mouldring Temples are his Monument THE INTRODUCTION TO THE Western Transactions AND GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THEM I Am sensible 't is a very invidious thing to defend any Action which has had the Publick Stream and cry long against it with which even men of Sense and sometimes Religion too tho' Pride or Shame perhaps seldom lets 'em own the very truth on 't are commonly hurried away as well as others But this is 't is hoped for the general an Age of Confession and Ingenuity and since so many of the greatest men upon Earth have gone before in acknowledging some Notions too far strain'd and others mistaken 't will be no real disgrace but an Honour to follow them when so much in the right And if once Principles and Notions are chang'd or limited we shall necessarily have other thoughts of Things and Persons than we had before and that Action we call'd Rebellion and those Men we thought Rebels while we had a wrong slavish Notion of Obedience when once that 's regulated and we believe with all the World and all Ages and Nations That we are to obey only the lawful Commands of Superiours and submit only to such unjust ones as will not much damage the Commonwealth but resist and defend our selves when all we have dear our Religion Liberty and Lives are visibly and undeniably attack'd and invaded either without all form of Law or what 's worse the wrested pretence of it Then we think truly that such men are so far from being Rebels that they are the worthy true Defenders of their Faith and Country and such an Action so far from Rebellion that 't is highly meritorious and praise-worthy Most men being now satisfied in these Points unless those whom insuperable Interest or Prejudice have poison'd and rooted incorrigibly in the contrary Belief And the truth and reasonableness of them having been undeniably prov'd by many worthy Persons from the Law of Nations the Ends of all Government and the Constitution of our Kingdom and the Practice of former Ages both Popish and Protestant All the Question now must be about Matter of Fact Whether Things were then brought to that Extremity that 't would probably be too late to make any Defence for Religion and Property if 't were not then made and whether or no the Fundamental Contract were then actually violated This is plain that the Protestant Religion and all our Liberties were then most eminently in danger publick Leagues being long before made between his Brittannick Majesty and the King of France for their Extirpation That he who had been voted in Parliament the main Head of the Popish Cause was now grown the Head of the Kingdom or indeed the Popish Deputy here as he is since the King of France's in our Neighbouring Island That for being reconciled to Rome he was actually a Traytor and besides of a Religion whose Oaths could not be depended upon as we were then and long before to be and have since sufficiently felt and experienced That on this account he hardly could keep his Contract as 't was plain he actually did not publickly and notoriously violating those Laws he swore to maintain both before and after he had done it by going to Mass himself setting up Mass-houses and encouraging Popery As for many Grievances and Oppressions he was then as really Guilty of 'em as ever after tho' not in such large and frequent and various Instances some of 'em are those very same which the Parliament inserted among the Proofs and Reasons of the Abdication particularly the issuing out Quo Warranto's for Cities and Corporations the great Cause and Counsellor of which no doubt he was even before he actually I mean publickly reigned In a word the securing the Protestant Interest in all Europe that and their own Liberties in England was the main Cause why many and most engaged in this Design If these were in no danger and not violated they were Rebels If the safety of 'em could be expected any other way but by the Sword they were no better Whether things were in that Condition or no at that time God and the World must be Judges If it were so they were not Rebels If the Case was not so bad and the Mystery of Iniquity not so far reveal'd as it has been since yet preventive Physick is necessary especially when Death is unavoidable without it If a prudent Man is to meet Mischief rushing upon him and not stay for 't till it overwhelms him and take the same Course against a certain Consequence as an actual Evil why then I think 't will be very hard to hang People in one World and damn 'em in another for having as little a Foresight and great a Faith as their Neighbours Others there were who embark't in that Action because they really thought how much mistaken soever they might be that the Duke of Monmouth was the King's Legitimate Son which such as had a personal Love for him might more easily believe Now altho' many who engaged on the former
to those poor Prisoners to be hereafter tryed and Lord if it be thy holy Will stop this issue of Christian Blood and let my guiltless Blood be the last spilt on this account Gentlemen all farewel farewel all the things of the World Then singing some few Verses of a Psalm and putting up some private Ejaculations to himself said O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit and so submitted to the Executioner Sept. 7. 1685. The Behaviour and Dying Speech of Mr. Joseph Speed of Culliton AT the same time and place as he came near the place of his Execution he spying his Country-man and Friend called him and said I am glad to see you here now because I am not known in these parts being answered by his Friend I am sorry to see you in this Condition He replies It is the best day I ever saw I thank God I have not led my Life as Unchristian-like as many have done having since the years of 16 always had the Checks of Conscience on me which made me to avoid many gross and grievous Sins my course of Life hath been well known to you yet I cannot justifie my self all Men err I have not been the least of Sinners therefore cannot excuse my self but since my confinement I have received so great comfort in some assurance of the Pardon of my Sins that I can now say I am willing to die to be dissolved and to be with Christ and say to Death Where is thy Sting and to Grave Where is thy Victory Being ask'd by some rude Soldiers Whether he was not sorry for the Rebellion he was found guilty of He couragiously reply'd If you call it a Rebellion I assure you I had no sinister ends in being concerned for my whole design in taking up Arms under the D. of M. was to Fight for the Protestant Religion which my own Conscience dictated me to and which the said Duke Declared for and had I think a lawful Call and Warrant for so doing and do not question that if I have committed any sin in it but that it is pardoned Pray Mr. Sheriff let me be troubled no farther in answering of Questions but give me leave to prepare my self those few minutes I have left for another World and go to my Jesus who is ready to receive me Then calling to his Friend who stood very near him said My dear Friend you know I have a dear Wife and Children who will find me wanting being somewhat incumber'd in the World let me desire you as a Dying Man to see that she be not abused and as for my poor Children I hope the Father of Heaven will take care of them and give them Grace to be dutiful to their Distressed Mother and so with my dying Love to all my Friends when you see them I take leave of you and them and all the World desiring your Christian Prayers for me to the last moment then repeating some Sentences of Scripture as Colossians chap. 3. v. 1 2. If you then c. and praying very fervently said I thank God I have satisfaction I am ready and willing to suffer shame for his Name And so pouring forth some private Ejaculations to himself and lifting up his hands the Executioner did his Office Tâ—e Soldiers then present said They never before were so taken with a Dying Mâ—n's Speech his Courage and Christian-like Resolution caused many violent Men against the Prisoners to repent of their Tyranny towards them some of whom in a short time died full of horror And thus fell this good Man a true Protestant and one that held out to the end An account of those that suffer'd at Bridport and Lime AT Bridport one John Sparke who was a very good Man and behaved himself with a great deal of Christian-like Courage to the end His Speech and his Devotions c. must be omitted not being possible to take them by reason of the rudeness c. and the shortness of the time allowed him by the Souldiers Next place was Lime where many of Note died Particularly Col. Holmes who was the first of those there executed near the same place where they landed when they came ashore with the Duke of M. Being brought to the place after some difficulty for the Horses that were first put into the Sledge would not stir which oblige-those concerned to get others which they did from the Coachman who had that morning brought them to Town when they were put into the Sledge they broke it in pieces which caused the Prisoners to go on foot to the place of Execution where being come as I told you before the Colonel began thus at the foot of the Ladder he saâ— down with an Aspect altogether void of Fear but on the contrary with a kind of smiling Countenance so began to speak to the spectators to this purpose That he would give them an account of his first undertaking in the design which was long before in London for there be agreed to stand by and assist the D. of M. when opportunity offer'd in order to which he went to Holland with him and there continued until this Expedition in which God had thought fit to frustrate his and other good Mens Expectations He believed the Protestant Religion was bleeding and in a step towards Extirpation and therefore he with these his Brethren that were to suffer with him and Thousands more had adventured their Lives and their All to save it but God Almighty had not appointed 'em to be the Instruments in so glorious a Work yet notwithstanding he did verily believe and doubted not but that God would make use of others that should meet with better success tho the way or means was not yet visible but of this he did not doubt He also was satisfied of the D's Title so that matter did not afflict him on account of his engaging on his Score And going on further with a Discourse of this nature he was asked by a Person Why he did not pray for the King He with a smiling Countenance answer'd I am sorry you do not yet understand the difference between Speaking and Praying And having ended his Discourse he then prepared himself by Prayer for his Dissolution which was very devout and pious for half an hour which was as follows Colonel Holme's Last Prayer MOst glorious most great and most merciful God there is none in Heaven or in Earth that is like unto thee Heaven is thy Throne and the Earth is thy Footstool who shall say unto thee What doest thou Here we are poor deplorable Creatures come to offer up our last Prayers and Services unto thee we beseech thy favourable Ear to our Prayers and the comfort of thy holy Spirit at this time we praise and magnifie thy name for all the Dispensations of thy Providence towards us especially for this thy Providence in bringing us to this place and at this time to suffer shame for thy Name Help and assist all of us
be married to my Husband and to be given to the Embraces of my Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever Learn not to repine at the Holy Determination of an infinite wise God but rest satisfied in his Will knowing that he doth all things for the best to them that fear him Weep not for me who am only changing this World of Temptation of Troubles and Affliction It hath pleased God to call me a little before you but you must soon follow after keep therefore the Fear of God before your Eyes and then you will have cause to rejoyce and not to mourn when at the time of departure you may have cause to say with me I have run my Race I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away which that you may be able to say is the Hearty Prayer of Your Friend and Servant Josias Askew The Account his Friend gives of him TO prevent your further trouble in suing for a pardon I think it convenient â—o lâ—t you know I do not question but my dear Cousin hath had his Pardon Sealed by the King of Kings and is in everlasting Blessedness singing Hallelujahs Salvation Glory and Honour to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever For God did so carry him through to drink that bitter Cup with so much Courage and Chearfulness to the last as was to the Admiration of all Spectators notwithstanding the terrible Sight he sâ—w at the Place of Suffering and so vehemently as he was tryed by the Adversary yet it did not in the least discompose him or alter his Countenance for he continued with a smiling Countenance to the last and was transported above measure I want words to express it he was like one wrapt up in Heaven with his Heart there and his Eyes fixed thereon I could wish you had been there it would have driven away all cause of Sorrow from your Heart to see his Deportment and hear the Gracious Words that proceeded out of his mouth He remembreth his Duty to you both and left Pâ—ul's Blessing with you Grace Mercy and Peace his Love to his dear Sister he desires her not to be troubled for him for he hath made his Peace with God and was assured he should go to eternal Happiness he would have written more to you and to his Sister but that he had so short a time after Sentence that he wanted Opportunity when he went out of Prison he said Gentlemen Now I am going and it is the time I much longed for I would not change with him that passeth Sentence upon me for a World I was with him to the last and seeing his Courage did very much encourage me though I never saw such a sight with my Eyes The behaviour of John Holway before and at the place of his Execution at Warham in the County of Dorset HE lived in Lime where the Duke Landed and Appeared in Arms at that time until his Captain left him then took up Arms under the Duke of Monmouth and went with him until the Kings Proclamation came forth That all that would lay down their Arms before some Justice of the Peace in four days after and take a Certificate for their so doing they should be acquitted and have his Majesties pardon which this Person did though one day too late which Blot my Lord Chief Justice hit being very good at it and passed the Sentence of Death on him Before his Tryal he was not much concerned at his Case and thought himself almost out of danger But to be short he received his Sentence with much Courage and Resolution and by the means of one Mr. Tiller who was to suffer with him was brought to that setled frame of Spirit as is fit for one in that Condition As he was riding in the Cart toward the place of Execution the Troopers being just behind the Cart he told them They shewed like brave Fellows but said he If I were to have my Life for fighting the best five of you I would not question it At the place of Execution he said not much But that he thought his and other mens Blood would be revenged on time or another and said Forgive me have Mercy on my poor Soul pardon all my Sins and the like and so the Executioner did his Office The Last Speech and Prayer of Mr. Matthews at the place of Execution HE was much concerned the Morning before he died to see his Wife weep and to be in such a passion for him which drew Tears from his Eyes and taking her in his Arms said My Dear Prithee do not disturb me at this time but endeavour to submit to the Will of God and although thy Husband is going from thee yet I trust God will be all in all unto thee sure my Dear you will make my passage into Eternity more troublesome than otherwise if you thus lament and take on for me I am very sensible of thy tender love towards me but would have you consider that this Separation will be so much for my Advantage as your Loss cannot parallel I thank God I am willing to die and to be with my Jesus be satisfied the Will of God must be done thy Will be done O God in Earth as it is in Heaven So embracing her took his last farewell of her and prepared to go to the place of Execution where being come he with a very modest sober composed Frame of Spirit stood while he saw several Executed before him his turn being come he thus spake Dear Countrimen I suppose We are all of one Kingdom and Nation and I hope Protestants O I wonder we should be so cruel and Blood-thirsty one towards another I have heard it said heretofore that England could never be ruin'd but by her self which now I fear if a doing Lord have Mercy on poor England turn the Hearts of the Iâ—habiâ—â—nts thereof cause them to love one another and to forâ—et one anothers Infirmities Have meâ—cy O Lord on me Give me strength and patience to fulfil thy Will Comfort my dear and sorrowful Wife be a Huâ—bâ—nd unto her stand by her in the greatâ—st trouble and affliction Let her depend upon thy Pâ—ovidenceâ— be merciful to all men preserve this Nation from Popery find out yet a way for its deliverance if it be thy good Will and give all Men Hearts to be truly thanâ—ful Comfort my fellow sufferers that are immediately to follow Give them strength and comfort unto the end I forgive all the World even all those that have been the immediate Hastners of my Death I am in charity with all Men. And now blessed Lord Jesus into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Eâ—rth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that
not the Assassination If my Lord Howard knew him Guilty of that for which he was committed tho' not the other How cou'd he then say 'T was unjustly done After all this ' twoud be almost superfluous to go any further or insert the Evidence given by Dr. Tillotson Burnet Cox and others not onely of his vertuous and honourable Behaviour but especially of his Judgment about any Stirs or Popular Insurrections That he was absolutely against 'em that 't was folly and madness till things came to be regulated in a Parliamentary way and that he thought 't would ruin the best Cause in the World to take any such ways to preserve it All this and more wou'd not do Dye he must the Duke order'd it the Witnesses swore it the Judges directed it the Jury found it and when the Sentence came to be pass'd the Judge ask'd as is usual What he had to say why it should not be pronounc'd He answer'd That whereas he had been charg'd in the Indictment which was then read to him with Conspiring the Death of the King which he had not taken notice of before he appeal'd to the Judge and Court whether he were Guilty within the Statute on which he was try'd the Witnesses having sworn an Intention of levying War but not of Killing the King of which there was no proof by any one Witness The Recorder told him That was an Exception proper and as he thought his Lordship did make it before the Verdict Whether the Evidence did amount to prove the Charge was to be observ'd by the Jury for if the Evidence câ—me short of the Indictment they cou'd not find it to be a true Charge but when once they had found it their Verdict did pass for Truth and the Court was bound by it as well as his Lordship and they were to go according to what the Jury had found not their Evidence Now I 'd fain know what 's the reason of the Prisoners being ask'd that Question What he has to say for himself Is 't only Formality or Banter He makes an Exception which the Judge himself confesses proper But who was Counsel for the Prisoner Is not the Bench or does it not pretend to be so and why was not this observ'd by them in their Direction to the Jury The Recorder seems to grant it fairly that the Evidence did not prove the Charge and says the Court was to go Not according to the Evidence Well Evidence or none the Truth is was not the Question for being found â—uilty Sentence past upon him whence he was removed to Newgate While he was there the Importunity of his Friends as he says handsomely in his Speech lest they shou'd think him sullen or stubborn prevail'd with him to sign Petitions and make an Address for his Life tho' 't was not without difficulty that he did any thing that was begging to save it But with how much Success it may easily be guess'd by any who knew the Duke's temper nor is it forgotten how barbarously his Lady and Children were repuls'd and the King 's good Nature not suffer'd to save one of the best men in his Kingdom Dr. Burnet and Dr. Tillotson were with him much of the time between his Sentence and Death where to the last he own'd that Doctrine which other good men who were then of another Judgment have since been forc'd into namely the lawfulness of Resistance against unlawful Violence from whomsoever it be After the fruitless Applications for his Pardon after a Farewel and last Adieu in this World to one of the best of Women who stood by him and assisted him in his Trial and left him not till now he at last on Saturday the 21 st of Octob. went into his own Coach about Nine a Clock with Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet whence he was carried to Great Lincolns-Inn-Field to the Scaffold prepar'd for him where among all the numerous Spectators he was one of the most unconcern'd Persons there and very few rejoyc'd at so doleful a Spectacle but the Papists who indeed had sufficient reason my Lord Powis's People expressing as 't is said a great deal of Pleasure and Satiâ—faction There after he had again solemnly protested his Innocency and that he was far from any Design against the King's Person or of altering the Government Nay That he did upon the words of a dying man profess that he knew of no Plot against the Kings Life or Government And delivering one of the finest Speeches in the World to the Sheriff he prayed by himself and with Dr. Tillotson's assistance and embracing him and Dr. Burnet he submitted to the fatal strokes for the Executioner took no less than three before he could fever his Head which when 't was held up as usual there was to far from being any shout that a considerable Groan was heard round the Scaffold His Body was given to his Friends and convey'd to Cheneys in Buckinghamshire where 't was buried among his Ancestors There was a great Storm and many loud Claps of Thunder the day of his Martyrdom An Elegy was made on him immediately after his Death which seems by what we have of it to be writ with some Spirit and a great deal of Truth and Good-will only this Fragment on 't could be retriev'd which yet may not be unwelcome to the Reader 'T is done he 's crown'd and one bright Martyr more Black Rome is charg'd on thy too bulky score All like himself he mov'd so calm so free A general Whisper question'd Which is He Deckt like a Lover tho' pale Death 's his Bride He came and saw and overcame and dy'd Earth wept and all the vainly pitying Croud But Heaven his Death in Thunder groan'd aloud The rest are lost But he has better Justice done him by this honourable Parliament and if the World should possibly be so malicious and silly in after Ages as some are in this and ask What have they done since their Meeting Had we not a Nation sav'd Peace preserv'd and many other almost Miracles to answer 'em yet this one thing wou'd be sufficient That in this Sessions they had Reversed the Judgment against this vertuous pious and honourable Lord. For his Character if we 'll believe the best men and those who knew him best 't is one of the most advantagious the Age or indeed our Nation has yielded Those are great words which Mr. Leviston Gower speaks of him on his Trial but yet not a Syllable too big for his Merit tho' they are very expressive of it That he was one of the best Sons the best Fathers the best Husbands the best Masters the best Friends and the best Christians By others That he was a most vertuous prudent and pious Gentleman A man of that vertue that none who knew him could think him guilty of such a Conspiracy A man of great Honour and too prudent to be concern'd in so vile and desperate a design A Person of great Vertue and
of many Thousand Loyal Apprentices of the same City whose Names are hereunto Subscribed In all Humility Sheweth THat as we are justly sensible of our happiness in being born under the enjoyment of the Protestant Religion so excellent a Government and so gracious a King to whose service we shall ever be ready to sacrifice our Lives so have we continually applyed our selves to discharge our Duties in our proper Callings without presuming to intermeddle in affairs beyond our sphere or concernment But being fully satisfied both by His Majesties frequent Proclamations the Vnanimous Votes of several Parliaments and the notoriousness-of Fact that for divers years past thâ—re hath been and still is a Devilish Plot carryed on by the Papists against the Sacred Life of our Soveraign whom God preserve and to Subvert the Protestant Religion and the Government established In which horrid practices the Conspirators have always appear'd most active and insolent during the Intervals of Parliaments and from thence and the continuing hopes of a Popish Successor take occasion with greater confidence to push on their Fatal Designs Observing likewise that among the many late Addresses there hath been one promoted in the names of some few of our condition in this Honourable City which now is represented as the Act and Sence of the Generality of Apprentices although the far greater part never joined therein as fearing lest the same might seem of a Tendency dishonourable to Parliaments whose Constitution we Reverence and humbly apprehend their Counsels highly necessary in such a Juncture Wherefore though out of an awful Respect we presume not to approach His Sacred Majesty yet we cannot but think it our duty to declare to your Lordship the Chief Magistrate under Him of this Honourable City and to all the World That we shall never be behind any of our Fellow-Apprentices in demonstrations of Loyalty tâ— His Sacred Majesty even to the last drop of our â—lood whenever His Majesties Service shall require it against any Traytors or Rebels whatsoever And also to assure your Lordship That as we do and through God's Grace ever shall Abhor Popery and all its Bloody Traiterous Practices So we do utterly disapprove and dislike any such proceedings from private persons as tend to reproach Parliaments but do unanimously with one heart and with one voice express our satisfaction in and thanks for the humble Petition and Address of your Lordship and the Common-Council presented to His Majesty in May last and since approved of in Common-Hall for the Assembling and Sitting of a Parliament That the God of Heaven may ever bless and preserve his Sacred Majesty and your Lordship and this Great and Honourable City and grant that your Successors in this weighty Trust may imitate your Lordships piety and zeal for the Protestant Religion and His Majesties Service shall ever be the daily prayers of us His Majesties Humble Faithful Loyal and Obedient Subjects Printed for Thomas Goodwill An. 1681. This Name is Composed of Fourteen Letters taken out of the Names of the Chief Managers This Address was Sign'd by about Thirty Thousand Hands and when those Twenty persons that presented it had Subscribed their Names to it they sent Mr. Noise and Mr. Dunton two of the said Presenters to Mr. S to know when they might have leave to Present it to my Lord Mayor which being granted in a few days the Twenty Presenters went in a Body together to Mr. S who introduc'd 'em to my Lord. To whom Mr. B y made a brief speech as follows May it please your Lordship THE occasion of giving your Lordship this trouble is humbly to lay at your Lordships feet an address to your Lordship subscribed by many thousand Loyal Apprentices of this City We do humbly acknowledge to your Lordship that the presumption we may seem guilty of in this matter considering our present stations requires a far greater apology than we are able to make But the principal reasons that incited us thus to address our selves to your Lordship are To demonstrate our Loyalty to his Sacred Majesty Our Zeal for the Protestant Religion And the veneration and esteem we have and ought to have for Parliaments Neither indeed my Lord could we think these sufficient motives to stir us up to this publick application which better becomes graver heads than ours had not some few of our fellow Apprentices lately presented his Majesty with an Address which seemed to be a gratulation for the Dissolution of the two last Parliaments which they now report to have been the act of the majority of Apprentices of this Honourable City Although the far greater part as may by the subscriptions to this Address appear to your Lordship were never concerned therein And although by reason of our present condition we think it an unpardonable crime to approach his Sacred Majesty about matters relating to the State yet we deem it our bounden duty to declare to your Lordship and the whole World That we utterly disclaim any Proceedings especially from Persons in our own Condition that may seem to reflect upon Parliaments the greatest Senate of the Nation And that the generality of Apprentices of this City have a venerable esteem for Parliaments which mâ—y the better appear to your Lordship upon reading the Address it self And I dare be bold to affirm to your Lordship by the Information I have had from those who were employed to take subscriptions to this address That there is not one Subscriber to it who is either Journey-man Tapster Hostler Water-man or the like but all Persons of our own rank â—nd condition Which Address in the name of all the Subscribers thereunto I humbly offer to your Lordship and beg your Lordships favourable reception of it Then his Lordship commanded the Address to be read which being read Mr. B y proceeded thus I have one thing more to say my Lord I understand that there is a common notion about Town that this Address hath been carried on by Faction and that none but Dissenters have been concerned in it I can assure your Lordship of the Contrary for that I know many of the subscribers who are of the Church of England of which Church I boast my self an unworthy Member Then his Lordship was pleased to express himself to this effect Gentlemen THis is a surprize to me and therefore I cannot tell what to say to it But for as â—uch as I have heard your Address read and at first reading can find noâ—hing in it but what becomes Loyal and Obedient subjects I do accept of iâ— I only desire the names of you that are the Presenters Then we told him that our names are those which were next to the Address it self â—t some distance from the rest of the subscribers Then he ordered theâ— all to be called over and so we answered to our names And then his Lordship desired he might have an account of our abodes which we also gave him Then his Lordship advised us to go home
informed is usual in such Cases However I forgive all the World and therein all those that have done me wrong and in particular I forgive Colonel Penruddock although he told me that he could have taken these men before they came to my House And I do likewise forgive him who desired to be taken away from the Grand Jury to the Petty-Jury that he might be the more nearly concerned in my death As to what may be objected in reference to my Conviction that I gave it under my hand that I had discoursed with Nelthrop that could be no Evidence against me being after my Conviction and Sentence I do acknowledg his Majesties Favour in Revoking my Sentence I pray God to preserve him that he may long Reign in Mercy as well as Justice and that he may Reign in Peace and that the Protestant Religion may flourish under him I also return thanks to God and the Reverend Clergy that assisted me in my Imprisonment ALICIA LISLE Mr. Richard Nelthrop HIS Name is often enough met with in Wests and Rumseys Plot and good reason too he being not near to answer for himself As to what he was Accused Outlawed and Executed for his being concern'd in a Design for the Assassination of the King and Duke he solemnly avers as may be seen below in his Speech That he was always highly against it and detested any such thing was never in the least concern'd in it neither in Pursâ— or Person never knew of any Arms bought for that intent nor did believe there was any such Design Than which what Words could be more full and satisfactory He went away in the Heat of Swearing and return'd with the Duke of Monmouth thinking it his Duty as he says to hazard his Life for the preservation of the Protestant Religion and English Liberties but as to the Duke of Monmouth's being declar'd King he was wholly passive in it He was at first committed to Salisbury Prison where he had several Disputes with a learned and good Man whose Opinion then differ'd from his concerning the lawfulness of Defending our selves by Arms against illegal Violence which was his firm Judgment Thence he was brought to London and imprison'd in Newgate He rejected there with scorn some Offers made him of saving his own Life by taking away other Mens and tho' he was under inexpressible Trouble during his close Confinement there which at length arose to Distraction and the impair of his Reason yet 't is remarkable that he as Bateman before him before he came to die after Sentence was very calm and lively again the entire Exercise of his Judgment and Understanding returning with more Joy and Comfort than he had before Pain and Misery He writ one Letter to his Parents another to his Children here inserted together with his last Speech at his Execution the 30 th of Octob. 1685. at 2 in the Morning he wrote the Letter to his Parents c. Wherein he speaks much of his Brother and Fellow-Sufferer Mr Ayloff if I mistake not whom he says He could embrace with more Joy in the Field of Suffering than ever he could have done had he met him in the Field crown'd with Victory and Laurels Mr. Richard Nelthrop's Letter to his Parents Brothers and Sister Dearest Parents and ever loving Brothers and tender hearted and beloved Sister THrough the infinite goodness of God the nearer I approach my End the more Joy and Comfort I find in my suffering Estate that I may so call it I can through mercy say that I have found more true Delight and Content this Night than in all the Days and Nights of my whole Life and I hope the Lord will continue it that his Name may be glorified by me the meanest and poorest of all his Servants but through Free-grace faithful unto the end My Soul is ravished I can hardly write and my Comforts are more unspeakable than my Terrors were I did this Evening see my dearest Brother and Companion his Face was to me as that of an Angel and he gave me that Comfort that I cannot but say my Love to him is beyond what I ever had to my dearest Relations When God comes every thing hath a beauty and lustre upon it here is aâ— Answer of Prayers and such an Answer as dearest Relations must engage you all to be constant in the performance of that Duty which like Jacob's Ladder though it stand upon the Earth yet it reacheâ— up to Heaven Here 's the Love of God made maâ—ifâ—st to a poor Sinner at the last hour like the Thief upon the Cross he that never knew before what the Love of God was to his Soul finds it now filled with it and running over Now â—less the Lord O my Soul yea all that is within me Bless his holy Name for this Dispensation â—ow Light appears out of Darkness in the Face of Jesus now all worldly Joy and Comforts seem to me as they are things not hard to part with Father Mother Brothers Sister Wife Children House and Lands are as my dear Saviour saith to be parted with for him or we are not worthy of him I bless his Name I find no reluctancy to do it he hath brought me to his Foot stool and I can say heartily the Will of the Lord be done in this matter I never before but saw a Beauty in worldly Comforts but now those seem so faded by the greater Lustre and Beauty that I see in God in Christ Jesus that I am astonished where I have been wandring all my days spending my time and my mony for that which is not Bread O strive to get a taste of this Love of God in Christ Jesus and it will perfectly wean you from this deceitful foolish World What is worldly Honour and Riches O set not your hearts upon them but get a Treasure in Heaven that your hearts may be there also O lose no time for if you ever knew the sweetness of it you would never be at rest till you found him whom your Soul loved it will be more yea infinitely more than all worldly Injoyments can afford you tho' in their greatest Perfection it will make your Life sweet and your Death most comfortable It is the Bread which this World knoweth not of and therefore maketh little or no inquiry after it Dearest Relatiâ—ns whilst you and my other dear Friends are like Aaron and Hur holding up the Hands of Moses I am through Grace getting Victory over the Amalekites I can embrace my dear and beloved Brother and Companion with more Joy in the Field of suffering than ever I could have done had I met him crowned with the Laurels of Victory Oh the mercy to die with such a â—riend and such a valiant Souldier of Jesus who hath kept his Garments clean I now begin to pity you that stay behind who have many Temptations to conflict with for a little yea a very little time and my Warfare will be accomplished and if
an honest Man in England that took him not for a Knave not excepting the King that had given him another Testimony in Words In the next page follows An Abstract of Monmouth's true Speech A brief Abstract of his true Speech I Repent in general of all my Sins and am more particularly concerned for what â—lood hath been spilt on my Account and the rather seeing the Issue is such as I fear will prove of fatal consequence to the Reformed Protestant Religion Instead of being counted Factious and Rebellious the very opposing of Popery and Arbitrary Power now arising and appearing plain enough would sufficiently have protected my Cause besides several other most hainous and notorious Crimes such as the unhappy Fate of the Earl of Essex and my Father of ever blessed Memory and others now covered over with Jesuitical Policy should have been detected and avenged I have lived and shall now die in the Faith of this that God will work a Deliverance for his People and then will be discovered the great and horrid and scarcely to be parallell'd Villanies our Enemies have been guilty of but now you see my case is desperate yet know that I die a Martyr for the People and shall rather pity the State that their false and covetous Minds have brought themselves and me to then discover who are the Persons concerned in my overthrow and I heartily forgive all that have wronged me even those that have been instrumental in my Fall earnestly praying for their Souls And I hope King James will shew himself to be of his Brothers Blood and extend his mercy to my Children even as he was wont to his greatest Enemies they being not capable to act and therefore not conscious of any Offence against the Government His ELEGY COme Mortals come now set your selves to weep Is not your glorious M gone to sleep Send us some Tears you Indians from your Shore For it 's our Grief that we can mourn no more We want some Mourners from the utmost Coast Of all the Earth that Grief may not be lost When Britain hath set down and mourn'd her fill She ought to send for other Mourners still Created Things come set your selves to mourn Since lovely M from the World is torn Should you not Mourn and tell your Children so That Ages hence may mourn and sorrow too 'Cause we have lost so great a good as this Who was our Flow'r and mourning Europe's Bliss The Sun did mourn the morning of that Day And with the Clouds of Darkness did array His glorious Face that Mortals might not see His Royal Rays while they did murther thee O Lovely Mon Glory of our Land Who for God's Word did like a Pillar stand All things but Devils seemed then to weep Nor could the Earth almost in silence keep Methought all Joy would vanish from the Earth And pleasantness would stop with Mon 's Breath Methought the Sun might now be angry grown And would no more on Earth be seen or known We fear'd the Heavens now disturbed were And for the Earth would take no further care All good Men griev'd to see that fatal Blow Whilst Floods of Tears did from the Heavens flow But that black Blow instead of proving three Like Russel's Fate Five Bloody Stroaks they see Ye Ages all let this recorded be And let all Mankind M mourn for thee Could we but draw those blessed Looks of his As when we saw him walking hence to Bliss When from the Tower he did the Hill ascend Where Troops of Angels did his Soul attend One would have thought to see him in that throng That he to Bliss already did belong His Countenance all others did out-shine And made his very Foes to Grief incline No sooner was his Soul arriv'd in Bliss Where he receiv'd a better Crown for this But Phoebus and the Earth began to shine And pleasant Looks towards us do incline The Clouds and Tears were wip't from Heavens face And glorious Brightness did again take place Now â—appy Soul we leave thee to thy rest To live in Joys that cannot be exprest ARgile and the Duke of Monmouth being now both safe in their Graves King James was so pufft up with a petty Victory over a few Clubmen and so wrapt up with a Conceit that he had now conquer'd the whole Nation so that now believing himself impregnable he resolves to be reveng'd upon the Western People for siding with his Capital Enemy Monmouth and to that purpose sends down his Executioner in Ordinary Jeffryes not to decimate according to the Heathen way of Mercy but with the Bâ—som of his Cruelties to sweep the Country before him and to depopulate instead of punishment at what time Acquaintance or Relation of any that fell in the Field with a slender Circumstance tack'd to either was a Crime sufficient for the Extirpation of the Family And young and old were hang'd by Clusters as if the Chief Justice had designed to raise the Price of Halters besides the great number of those that upon bare suspition were transported Beyond Sea and there sold for Slaves and the purchase Monâ— given away to satisfie the Hunger of needy Papists After Ages will read with Astonishment the barbarous Usage of those poor People of which among many instances this one may seem sufficient whereby to take the Dimensions of all the rest That when the Sister of the two Hewlings hung upon the Chief Justices Coach imploring Mercy on the behalf of her Brothers the merciless Judge to make her let go caus'd his Coach-man to cut her hands and fingers with the Lash of his Whip Nor would he allow the Respite of the Execution but for two days tho' the Sister with Tears in her Eyes offer'd a hundred pound for so small a Favour And whoever shelter'd any of those forlorn Creatures were hurried to the Slaughter-house with the same inexcrable Out-rage without any consideration either of Age or Sex witness the Execution of the Lady Lisle at Winchester As for Argilâ— and the Duke tho' they might die pityed yet in regard they had declared open Hostility it was no more than they were to expect upon ill Success We shall now to compleat our Western Martyrology and that we may not be too tedious proceed to give the particular Cases of those that were Condemn'd and Executed in the West with their Christian Behaviour and Dying Speeches as their plain Country Friends have preserv'd ' em The Dying Speech and Behaviour of Mr. Matth. Bragg AND we being with Mr. Matthew Bragg who was a Gentleman and descended from an ancient and good Family he was bred an Attorney in which he practised the Law His Case being this He hapned to be upon the Road riding home to his House being come from a Gentleman's House for whom he kept Courts He as before being met with by a Party of Horse belonging to the Duke of Monmouth who were going to search the House of a Roman Catholick for Arms who
lived two or three Miles from the place they met him they required him to go with them and shew them the way he knowing the Country better than they did he desired to be excused telling them It was none of his business and besides had no Arms. But hiâ— Excuses signified nothing they forced him amongst them where they went when being come a Party enter'd the House and searcht it Mr. Bragg never dismounted they being then satisfied took him along with them to Chard where then the Duke of Monmouth was Being there after having set up his Horse where he used to do often having occasion there he was much tampered with to engage in the Design but he refused it but the next morning made haste out of Town not seeing the Duke at all calling for his Horse it was told him That it was seized for the Duke's Service So then he took his Cane and Gloves and walked to his own House which was about five or six Miles and was no more concern'd in the Affair than that after the Duke's Defeat at Kings-Sedge-Moore some busie person informeth and requireth a Warrant from a Justice of Peace for the said Mr. Bragg who obliged himself to enter into a Recognizance to appear at the next Assizes the said Justice accounting the matter in it self but trivial and indeed all Men did judge him out of danger At Dorchester he appeared in Court to discharge his Bail on which he was presently Committed and the next day being Arraigned pleading Not guilty put himself on the Trial of God and his Country which found him and 28 more of 30 Guilty the Lord Chief Justice often saying If any Lawyer or Pâ—rson came under his Inspection they should not escape the Evidence against him was the Roman Catholick whose House was search'd and a woman of ill Fame to whom the Lord Chief Justice was wonderfully kind but his Evidence which were more than Twenty to prove his Innocence signifyed nothing the Jury being well instructed by my Lord Chief Justice Being thus found Guilty Sentence was presently pronounced and Execution awarded notwithstanding all the Interest that was made for him as before recited Thus being Condemned on Saturday and ordered to be Executed on Monday he spent the Residue of his little time very devoutly and much becoming a good Christian and a true Protestant of the Church of England all which availed nothing with this Protestant Judge he was frequently visited by a worthy Divine of the Church of England who spent much time with him and received great satisfaction from him The said Divine told me That his Deportment Behaviour and Converse was so much like an extraordinary Christian that he could not in the least doubt but this violent passage would put him into the fruition of happiness He wisht and desired a little longer time out of no other design but throughly to repent him of his Sins and make himself more sensible of and fit for to receive the Inheritance that is prepared for those that continue in well-doing to the end When he came to the place of Execution with great Courage and Resolution being as he said prepared for Death He behaved himself very gravely and devoutly Being asked when he was on the Ladder Whether he was not sorry for his being concerned in the Rebellion He replyed That he knew of none that he was Guilty of and prayed them not to trouble him adding He was not the first that was martyr'd he was so much a Christian as to forgive his Enemies And after some private Devotions he suddenly was Translated as we have all hopes to believe from Earth to Heaven The only Favour of this Protestant Judge was to give his Body to his Friends in order to its Interment amongst his Ancestors The Behaviour of Mr. Smith Constable of Chardstock ANother eminent Person that suffered with him at the same time and place was one Mr. Smith who was Constable of Chardstock who having some Monies in his hands that belonged to the Militia which came to the knowledge of some of the Dukes Friends they obliged him to deliver it to them which he was forced to deliver and for this was Indicted for High Tâ—eason in assisting the Duke of Monmouth To which he pleaded Not Guilty The Evidence against him were the same with those that had been against Mr. Bragg The said Mr. Smith informed the Court and the Jury what little Credit ought to be given to the Evidence The Lord Chief Justice thundred at him saying Thou Villain methinks I see thee already with a Halter about thy Neck thou impudent Rebel to challenge these Evidences that are for the King To which the Prisoner reply'd very boldly My Lord I now see which way I am going and right or wrong I must die but this I comfort my self with That your Lordship can only destroy my Body it is out of your Power to touch my Soul God forgive your rashness pray my Lord know it is not a small matter you are about the Blood of man is more precious than the whole World And then was stopped from saying any more The Evidences being heard a strict Charge was given the Jury about him To be short the Jury brought him in Guilty so that he with the rest received the Sentence of Death all together and were Executed on Monday but by particular order from my Lord he was ordered to be first Executed The day being come for Execution being Monday he with a Courage undaunted was brought to the Place where with Christian Exhortations to his Brethren that suffered with him he was ordered to prepare being the first to be executed where he spake as followeth Christian Friends I am now as you see lanching into Eternity so that it may be expected I should speak something before I leave this miserable World and pass through those Sufferings which are dreadful to Flesh and Blood which indeed shall be but little because I long to be before a just judge where I must give an account not only for the occasion of my Sufferings now but for Sins long unrepented of which indeed hath brought me to this dismal place and shameful Death And truly dear Country-men having ransacked my Soul I cannot find my small concern with the Duke of Monmouth doth deserve this heavy Judgment on me but I know as I said before it is for Sins long unrepented of I die in Charity with all men I desire all of you to bear me witness I die a true Professor of the Church of England beseeching the Lord still to stand up in the defence of it God forgive my passionate Judges and cruel and hasty Jury God forgive them they know not what they have done God bless the King and though his Judges had no mercy on me I wish he may find Mercy when he standeth most in need of it Make him O Lord a nursing Father to the Church let Mercy flow abundantly from him if it be thy will
cruel Foes Let Babylon come down Let England's King be one of them Shall raze her to the ground 7. Through Christ we yield our Souls to thee Accept us on his Score That where he is there we may be To praise thee ever more After the Hymn sung he prayed devoutly for half an hour after Prayer he gave great satisfaction to all present of his Assurance of Heaven had many weeping Eyes for him and was much lamented in the Town tho' a stranger to the place so unbuttoning himself said to the Executioner I fear not what Man can do unto me I pray thee do thy work in mercy for I forgive thee with all my heart and I also pray to God to forgive thee don 't mangle my Body too much and so lifting up his hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office There was also one William Cox that died with him who also died very couragiously despising the shame in hopes and expectation of a future better Estate He and his two Sons were some of the first that came to the Duke of Monmouth anâ— all taken and all condemned together The Father only suffered the Sons by Providence were preserved When he was going to Execution he desired leave to see his Sons then in another Prison in the Town to whom he gave his Blessing and though he was going to be Executed yet had that satisfaction to hope that God would preserve them which was so Some further Passages relating to Mr. Sampson Larke with his Prayer at the same time and Place when Executed IMmeâ—iately after Colonel Holmes was Executed this gâ—od Man was ordered to prepare to follow accordingly going to dâ—liver some few words to the People some whereof were formerly of his Congregation but being told he could not expecâ— much time because it was so late and so many to be Executed afteâ— him so he suddenly concluded and said I will now speak a few Words to him whicâ— I am sure will hear me And so began his Prayeâ— as followeth Blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Creaturâ— now here before thee cannot but acknowledge from thâ— bottom of our hearts our own unworthiness we muâ—â— confess we have been grievous sinners and have brougâ—â— forth the evil Fruit of it in our Lives to the greâ—â— dishonour of thy Name for which we have deserved thy heavy wrath and indignation to be poured forth upon us not only in this life but in that which is to come O let us bless God for our Sufferings and Afflictions as for our Mercies we bless thee in particular for this O sanctifie it to us let us be effectually convinced of the vanity of the World and of our own sinfulness by Nature and Practice and to see that to be sin which we never saw before O Lord make us sensible of the absolute necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie us and let him be now made much more dear and precious to our Souls than ever that so we may be wrought into a more heavenly Frame and raised to a higher degree of Spirituality and so made more meek and humble and let us judge charitably of others that differ from us in Opinion and Judgment And now O Lord though by thy most righteous Judgment we most justly deserve these Sufferings and such an ignominious Death for our Sins against thee not for Treasons against the Kingdom let us be in a preparedness for it Pardon all our Sins help us quietly to submit to thy holy Will speak peace to all our Souls Look in mercy O Lord on this poor Nation especially on this Town and every particular Person in it let them all mind those things which concern their peace before they are hid from their eyes Comfort my dear and distressed Wife be a Husband unto her deliver her out of the Paw of the Lyon and the Paws of the Bear Look upon all thy poor afflicted ones all Prisoners and Captives work deliverance for them if thou seest it good but thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And now Lord with humble meekness and submission I submit to thy Will depending upon on the Merits of my Saviour to whom with thy blessed Self and Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Praise both now and for ever Amen Then mounting the Ladder he called to some of the Town who weeped for him but were at some distance Go home to your own Houses pray do not weep for me and before you get up yonder Hill I shall be with my heavenly Father in fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so advising those before him to leave off those cruel Sentiments they had taken of him besides some heavenly Discourses with some of his Friends he was turned off to the great grief of the good People of the Town especially those of his own Congregation To give him nothing but his due he was a man mighty charitable relieving and visiting the poor and needy Preached in season and out of season and made it his business to go about doing good and to put poor Souls in a way for Eternal Life he was an old Christian as well as aged in years he was a general loss especially to his dear and tender Wife But all our losses are nothing to be compared to that Glory that he now enjoys Mr. Sampson Larke's Letter to a Friend just before his Execution MY dear Friend I am ready to be offered and the time of my Departure is at hand I have through Grace fought a good fight have finished my course have kept the Faith and am in hopes of the Crown of Righteousness prepared for me and all God's faithful Ones The experiences I have had of the Promises hath given me comfortable hopes that he will carry me to the full end of my Journey with his Name and that Truth of his which I have made Profession of My great Crime is for my being a Preachâ—r of the Gospel and here I am to be made a Sacrifice where I have mostly preached Christ 's Gospel I think my Judges have devised this punishment for my hurt but I trust God will turn it to my good the great trouble I have is for those good Hearts that I must leave behind me But this is my comfort knowing that all such as fear God he will be a Father to them My dear Wife is greatly troubled but through Mercy much supported and something quieted if any of you have opportunity to give her help I hope you will do it As for our confessing our selves Guilty it was expresly as to matter of Fact and not of Form and this I did with some freedom and the rather because all my worthy Brethren that went before me took that way and the many ways having been used to have a further Discovery yet nothing of that kind by any but only by Captain Jones Since our Sentence some wretched men have been with us to draw from us a Confession of our
that for which I am call'd to supper be silent and leave it to God I advise you to all Prudence in this case have your own reserv'd thoughts and let them concerning me support and comfort you if there never happen a time for you to Glory in my Sufferings it will be hereafter do you but walk with God though through Prudence you must hold your Tongue and be not asham'd you had such a Husband I thank God that gave it me whose Courage and Publick Spirit for the Protestant Religion the Civil Liberties of his Country even true English Liberties hath in this ignominious way brought me to the Conclusion and End of my time Mourn not my Dear as one without Hope let the World know you have something from me something from your self as a Christian but ten thousand times more from God to comfort and support you see Christ by an eye of Faith infinitely more lovely and beautiful than my self let him be married to your Soul let him be the chiefest of ten thousand and more dear and precious to you it is not long we shall be separated before we shall see one another in a Spiritual Enjoyment separated from all Fleshly Pleasures and Delights yet iâ—finitely mâ—re sweet and satisfying to Immortal Spirits as you and I us'd to see Sâ—reâ—ms from the Fountain and the largest Streams in the Ocean so let us see one another in God the ever-flowing and over-flowing Fountain of all Good the fathomless and boundless Ocean of Good Seâ—k much the things which are above live with your Affections set upon them and have your Conversation in Heaven whilst you are upon Earth I continue yet to pray for you as for my seâ—f and shall conâ—inue to do it until I die in my last Prayers you shall be interested with my dear Babes whom I hope God will take into Covenant with him and number them among his Adopted Ones and of that incorrupâ—ible Inheritance which is in Heaven I hope God will spare your Life to see them Educated and guide and assist you therein and theirs to be a blessing and comfort to you Coâ—sider your Condition is not single and alone this Country affords a multitude of the like sad and deplorable Instances let this make you more to possess your Soul with Patience and Humility calmly and quietly to submit to the good Will of God I have left a Paper behind me for you to read and our Friend can tell with what difficulty I write it therefore must have many Defects and Imperfections which must be over-looked and mended preserve â—he two Bibles for my dear James and Betty What shall I say more my Dearest I must break off with my Heart full of Love to thee and subscribe my self Thy most dear and Affectionate Husband till Death J. H. Octob. 3. 1685. Captain Abraham Ansley's Last Speech I Am come to pay a Debt to Nature 't is a Debt that all must pay though some after one manner and some after another The way that I pay it may be thought by sâ—me few ignominious but not so by me having long since as a true Engliâ—hman â—houâ—ht it my Duty to venture my â—ife in defence of the Protestant Religion against Popery and Arbitrary Power For this same purpose I came from my House to the D. of M's Army At first I was a Lieutenant and then a Captain and I was in all the Action the Fâ—ot was engaged in which I do not repent For had I a thousand Lives they should all have been engaged in the same Cause although it has pleased the wise God for reasons best known to himself to blast our Designs but he will deliver his People by ways we know nor think not of I might have saved my Life if I would have done as some narrow-soul'd Persons have done by impeaching others but I abhor such ways of Deliverance choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy Life with Sin As to my Religion I own the way and Practice of the Independent Church and in that Faith I die depending on the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ for my Eternal Salvation His Blessing be with you all Farewell to thee poor England Farewell Abraham Ansley Mr. Annesley's Last Letter SIR I now send you my last Farewel being going to lay down my Life with joy and assurance of Life eternal for which blessed be the Holy one of Israel who never leaves nor forsakes those that put their trust in him and give you many thanks for your kindness to me the Lord make it up to you by pouring upon you a daily Portion of his most Holy Spirit and deliver you from your Bonds My Enemies have done what they could to afflict this Body but blessed be the most High who has given me Strength Patience and Courage to endure all they can lay upon me The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Fellowship of his Holy Spirit â—ttend you which is the Prayer of your dying Friend but living Brother in Christ Jesus ABRAHAM ANSLEY From Taunton Castle Sept. 21. 1685. Mr. Josias Askew's Letter to his Father Honoured Father I not having an opportunity to make my Gratitude known to you for all your Endeavours for the saving a poor vain perishing and troublesom Life and seeing it is all in vain I would desire you both to acquiesce in the Will of God and rejoyce with me for this happy day of my departure â—rom this State of Pilgrimage home to the Possession of those Heavenly Mansions which my God and Faâ—her hath provided for me in and through my Lord Jesus Christ It is â—n him alone I put my Trust and Confidence and theâ—efore can boldly sâ—y Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyâ—d yea rather that is risen again and is set down at the right hand of God making intercession for all those that have a well grounded Confidence in him My time is but short and by reason of Company I am disturbed therefore I conclude with my last Breath begging of God that he would keep you constant in his Fear in this day of great temptation and at last receive you to his Glory where we shall once more unite in praising without interruption or distraction World without end Amen Until which time the Grace of God the Father the Love of God the Son the comfortable Refreshings of God the Holy Ghost be with you all youâ—s and the whole Israel of God both now and for ever Which iâ— the hearty Prayer of your Son JOSIAS ASKEW Pray remember me to all with Joy Another Letter to his Friend MADAM YOU have been a Partaker with me in my troubleâ— I would also make you partaker with me in my Joys seâ—ing my Wedding day is come the day of the Bridgroom is at hand and I am this day to be stript of my Rags of Corruption to be cloathed upon with the white Robe of his Righteousness and Purity and to
a Malefactor he is said to have wish'd He had never learn'd to write Jeffreys on the other side then only seem'd in his Element when in the midst of Destruction and Murther For his Religion What a sort of one 't was his Life past sufficiently tells us tho he and his good Brother Commissioner the Balswagger of Chester maliciously persuade thâ— world that they were of the Church of England that after they cou'd do it no more mischief with their Liveâ— they might disgrace it by their Deaths pretending both to die in that Communion But 't is mean to follow 'em any further unless with a wish somewhat like that handsom one History leaves us That all K. William and Q. Mary's Enemies were as honourable bury'd Or in the inspired words of a great Person So O Lord let all thine Enemies perish A Letter to the Lord Chancellor exposing to him the Sentiments of the People with some pertinent Advice in the conclusion My Lord I 'De praise your Lordship but you 've had your share Of that before if not too much by far And now a nobler Field for curses are Yet I 'll not curse but leave you to the crowd Who never baulk their Rage but speak aloud In all the Labrynth's of your crimes they 'll track ye Worse than ten thousand Furies they 'll attack ye We talk not here of Penal Laws or Test Nor how you King of Terrours in the West With more than human Cruelty opprest Those whose Shades now stab through your Anxious Breast To these I leave you each with brandish'd Dart Throughly revenge his Quarrel at your Heart For me I 'll only let your Lordship see How they resent your chang'd Felicity Now may you hear the People as they scoure Along not fear to Damn the Chancellor The Women too and all the tender Crew That us'd to pity all now laugh at you The very Boys how do they grin and prate And giggle at the Bills upon your Gate Nay rather than be frustrate of their hope The Women will contribute for a Rope And those fine Locks that no bless'd Spark might touch On this account Ketch may they love my Lord so much Oh for Dispensing now ah now 's the time Your Eloquâ—nce will hardly blanch the crime And all the turnings of your Proteus-wit With all your little tricks won't help a bit Ev'n that fine Tongue in which your Lordships trust is Now won't altho sometimes it baffled Justice No Ignoramus Juries shall perplex ye But with their Billa vera's now they 'll vex ye From their dire claws no hiding hole you 'll find They speak their own now not a Parties mind Not now as heretofore when on the Bench Flattery and daubing had such Influence And Jeffreys for a Gift would with the Laws dispence But granting all our Laws be out of joint Why yet they do not fear to gain the point A High commission may the Cause decide Your Lordship by a Butcher may be try'd When by commission he is dignify'd His Power you must not doubt if he be satisfy'd This 't is they mean 't is this they wou'd have done But I wou'd chouse 'em ' ery Mothers Son Troth I 'de ' en hang my self ' en quickly done If you 've no Halter never make a pother Take but a Greater one's as good as to'ther For Lord should such a Man as you submit To be the publick Laughter of each grinning Cit Else my Lord take a Razor never fear And cut your Lordships Throat from Ear to Ear. 'T is feasible enough you know who did it Cut both the Jug'lar Veins thro' if you can Else you 'll say Essex was the stouter man I am your Lordships in any thing of this Nature From the little House over against Tyburn where the People are almost dead with expectation of you Jeffreys ELEGY I Very well remember on a Night Or rather in the peep of Morning Light When sweet Aurora with a smiling Eye Call'd up the Birds to wonted Melody Dull Morpheus with his weight upon me leant Half waking and yet sleeping thus I Dreamt Methoughts I saw a Lawyer at his Book Studying Pecunia but never Cooke He scorned Littleton and Plowden too With Mouldy Authors he 'd have nought to do Next Stage I saw him on was Hicks's Hall And heard him mightily to roar and bawl Never did City cryer louder yaul The People star'd at such a noise uncouth Who is 't cries one why 't is the cities Mouth Then straight I saw him plac'd the more 's the pity To be the Speaking Trumpet of the City Knight and Recorder he was made together This Man thought I will live in any Weather Money came in he then grew mighty rich And to climb higher had a deadly Itch. Then presently a Popish Priest came to him That Square Cap Curr thought I will sure undo him Wilt thou now be prefer'd come hither come And be but reconciled unto Rome And for Advancement thou maist rest upon her None of her Sons e're wanted Wealth or Honour Do but declare against the Whiggs and say Thou hates the Ill-contriv'd Fanatick way With that methoughts I saw him tack about And straight he Courted the Curs'd Romish rout Esteem'd it happiness enough to go And kiss his Holinesses stinking Toe Next place I saw him in was Justice Chair Who fled away because she saw him there He with Commission rid the Land about But still he aim'd to keep fair Justice out With angry Look he Brow-beat Rightful Cause And his bold hand did Sacrifice the Laws Tore 'um or Trampled on 'um with his Paws Poor Justice being frighted fled from Earth To Heaven whence she did derive her Birth To the Eternal Justice she did go And made report what Monsters sate below Inquisitor like Spain in England sate And at their pleasure steer'd the Helm of Fate He rid the Western Circuit all around But where he came no justice to be found He improv'd his Talents Martyrs to Condemn Hang draw and Quaâ—ter was his daily Theam He bid 'um to Confess if e're they hope To be Reprieved from the fatal Rope This seem'd a favour but he 'd none forgive The favour was a day or two to live Which those had not that troubled him with Tryal His Business Blood and would have no denyal His Entrails Brass his very Heart was steel Poor Souls he made his Judges Courage feel How valiant to Condemn when in his Power Two hundred he could sentence in an Hour Guilty or not to him was all a case On Martyrs Bodies did his honour raise And to destroy by Retail thought it base The Blood of Protestants for vengeance cry And will I fear to all Eternity Altho' kind Death hath made him scape mans Doom And quietly hath hurl'd him in his Tomb. Then next methought I saw him placed higher O whither will this Canibal aspire The Purse the Mace and all the Honour that Belongeth to Lord Chancellour of State Made