Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	king_n	lord_n	parliament_n	20,596	5	6.9552	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34574	Stafford's memoires, or, A brief and impartial account of the birth and quality, imprisonment, tryal, principles, declaration, comportment, devotion, last speech, and final end of William, late Lord Viscount Stafford, beheaded on Tower-hill Wednesday the 29. of Decemb. 1680 whereunto is annexed a short appendix concerning some passages in Stephen Colledges tryal / the whole now again set forth for a more ample illustration of that so wonderfully zealous pamphlet entituled The papists bloody aftergame, writ in answer to the said Memoirs, and published by Langley Curtis, 1682.	Corker, James Maurus, 1636-1715.; Curtis, Langley, fl. 1668-1725.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6306A; ESTC R40876	92,519	237

impossible the same should be true for Falshood may but Truth cannot be inconsistent of parts LAstly the Managers having amply dilated and discanted upon each particular Evidence and Argument alledged as well against my Lord as in his defence and making even critical remarks upon whatever might be drawn either to the advantage of the one or prejudice of the other the substance of all which hath been already specified in its proper place At length they concluded with sharp and moving Aggravations against the Popish Principles whereof also we shall by and by according to promise give a distinct account And insisting a while on this Subject with much accuteness of Wit and seeming applause they closed up their Evidence THus when there was a period put to proof in matters of Fact there began a debate as to matter of Law concerning a doubt proposed by my Lord the other of his Queries not being admitted disputable viz. Whether two Witnesses be necessary to every Overt-Act in point of Treason This Question being referred to the Judges they determined it to the Negative After this my Lord petitioned the Court as a peculiar favour That he might offer some things to their Lordships Consideration the purport of which was That he had proved direct Perjury upon all the three Witnesses against him That as well at the instance of his Wife Daughter and Friends as out of sincerity of Conscience he would in the presence of Almighty God declare to them All that he knew That he verily believ'd there had been in former times Plots and Designs against the Crown and Government as the Gun-powder-Treason c. owned by the Traytors themselves at their death wherein some Roman Catholicks as well as others might be concerned which Plots he from his heart as both his Duty and Religion taught him detested and abhorred That it was ever indeed his opinion That An Act of Comprehension for Dissenting Protestants and a Tolleration for Roman Catholicks yet so as not to admit them into any Office of Profit or Dignity would much conduce to the happiness of the Nation But this not otherwise to be procured or desired then by a free consent of the King Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That he never read or knew of Coleman's Letters or Consultations for Tolleration till he saw the Letters themselves in the Printed Tryal How far Coleman was Criminal he did not know but he believed he did that which was not justifiable by Law That as to the damnable Doctrine of King killing If he were of any Church whatsoever and found that to be its Principle he would leave it That he knew the disadvantage he was under in being forced alone to stand a contest with the Learned Gentlemen the Managers who have those great helps of Memory Parts and understanding in the Law all which he wanted That therefore he hoped their Lordships would not conclude barely upon the manner either of his or their expressions But seriously debating the merits of the Cause in it self would please to be his Councel as well as his Judges That seing he was to be Acquitted or Condemned by their Lordships Judgments He knew they would lay their hands upon their Heart Consult their Consciences and their Honours And then he doubted not they would do what was just and equitable That with submission to their Lordships he thought it hard measure and contrary to Law that any one should be Imprisoned above two years without being admitted to Tryal And that it was of evil consequence for any one to have Justice denyed him so long till his Opponents had found occasion to gain their ends That however those large Allowances and Rewards granted to the Witnesses for Swearing might peradventure be an effect of His Majesties Grace and Bounty yet it was not easily conceivable how the hopes and promises of so great Sums should not prove to dissolute indigent Persons ●ong Allurements and temptations to Perjury Finally That the defence he had made he owed it to the worth and dignity of his Family He owed it to his dear Wife and Children at which words he was observed to weep He owed it to his Innocence He owed it to God the Author of Life That he confided their Lordships would duly reflect what a dreadful thing Murder is and the Bloud of Innocents And that he verily believed none of the House of Commons desired his Death for a Crime of which he was not Guilty That he hoped their Lordships would not permit him to be run down by the shouts of the Rable the Emblem of our past Calamity It began in the late times with the Lord Strafford and so continued till it ended in the Death of the King the most execrable Murder that ever was committed And where this will end said he God knows To conclude He again declared in the presence of God of his Angels of their Lordships and all who heard him That he was entirely Innocent of what was laid to his charge That he left it to their Lordships to do Justice and with all submission resigned himself to them To this discourse of my Lord's the Managers returned for answer That his Lordship's last Address was not regular nor according to the due method of proceedings for if after his Lordship had summed up his Evidence and the Prosecutors had concluded theirs he should begin that work again and they by consequence be admitted to reply he might still rejoyn upon them and so there would be no end of proceedings They therefore desired this Indulgence granted to my Lord might not serve for a future Precedent The Conclusion of the Tryal ¶ 5. HEre then the Lord High Steward wholly terminating all further process on either side The Court gave final Judgment And the Lord High Steward collecting the Votes my Lord Stafford was Pronounced Guilty by fifty five Votes against thirty one When the Votes were pass'd the Lord High Steward declar'd to the Prisoner He was found Guilty of High Treason whereof he was Impeached To which my Lord Stafford answer'd God's holy name he praised my Lord for it Then the Lord High Steward ask'd him What he could say for himself why Judgment of Death should not be given upon him according to Law He reply●d My Lord I have very little to say I confess I am surprized at it for I did not expect it But Gods will be done and your Lordships I will not murmer at it God forgive those who have Falsly Sworn against me WE are now come to the final Sentence of Death For a Prologue to which the Lord High Steward made a short ●athetick Speech wherein after some reflections upon the Plot in General he descended to my Lords Case in particular And then advised his Lordship as now a supposed guilty Person to bethink himself of the State and Condition he was in Of his Religion and Guides that t is said had seduced him Of the repentance due to

Species or Kinds in doing of which he instituted not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly shewing his Death or Bloudy Passion until he come For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was performed by a distinct Effusion of Bloud so is the same Sacrifice Commemorated in that of the Altar by a distinction of the Symbols Jesus therefore is here given not only to us but for us and the Church thereby enriched with a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice usually termed Mass 11. Catholicks Renounce all Divine Worship and Adoration of Images or Pictures God alone we Worship and Adore nevertheless we make use of Pictures and place them in Churches and Oratories to reduce our wandring thoughts and Enliven our Memories towards Heavenly things And farther we allow a certain Honour and Veneration to the Picture of Christ of the Virgin Mary c. beyond what is due to every Prophane Figure not that we believe any Divinity or Vertue in the Pictures themselves for which they ought to be Honoured but because the Honour given to the Pictures is referred to the Prototypes or things represented In like manner 12. There is a kind of Honour and Veneration Respectively due to the Bible to the Cross to the Name of Jesus to Churches to the Sacraments c. as things peculiarly appertaining to God also to the glorified Saints in Heaven as the Domestick Friends of God yea to Kings Magistrates and Superiors on Earth as the Vicegerents of God To whom Honour is due Honour may be given without any Derogation to the Majesty of God or that Divine Worship appropriate to him Furthermore 13. Catholicks believe That the blessed Saints in Heaven replenished with Charity pray for us their fellow-Members here on Earth that they Rejoyce at our Conversion that seeing God they see and know in him all things suitable to their happy state that God is Inclinable to hear their Requests made in our behalf and for their sakes grants Us many Favours That therefore it is good and Profitable to Desire their Intercession And that this manner of Invocation is no more Injurious to Christ our Mediator nor Superabundant in it self then it is for one Christian to beg the Prayers and Assistance of another in this World Notwithstanding all which Catholicks are taught not so to Relie on the Prayers of others as to neglect their own Duty to God In Imploring his Divine Mercy and Goodness in Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh in Despising the World in Loving and Serving God and their Neighbours in Following the Footsteps of Christ our Lord who is the Way the Truth and the Life To whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen THese are the Principles These the Treasons These the Idolatries and Superstitions which though no other then what We have Received of our Fore-fathers and what the greatest part of the Christian World now profess yet have drawn upon Us poor Catholicks in England such Dreadful Punishments I beseech you Sir consider our Cause without Passion or Prejudice and I am confident you will see We are not such Monsters as our Adversaries Represent Us to be nor entertain such Principles as are Inconsistent with our Duty to God and the King You seem to say This very Plot with which We are charged proves Us guilty of wicked Principles But under Favour You here commit a Vicious Circle in way of Arguing For first here are wicked Principles alledg'd to make good the Proof of a Plot And these being deny'd the Plot is introduced to make out the wicked Principles As if a man should say a thing because he thought so and give no Reason why he thought so but only because he said so which instead of Proof is to beg the Question Certain I am Catholicks both Taught and Practised Principles of Loyalty at a Time when the King and Kingdom felt the Dire Effects of contrary Perswasions In Fine whatsoever is pretended against Us it is manifest We suffer for our Religion and for our Religion wrongfully traduced It is a farther Comfort to Us that our Sufferings God be praised are in some measure not unlike to those of Christ our Lord For it was laid to his Charge as it is to Ours that he was a Traytor to Caesar That he perverted the People and endeavoured the Destruction of Church and State Nor were there wanting then as now an Oates and Bedloe two false Witnesses to Swear all this Thus God I hope hath Predestinated Us as the Apostle saith to be conform to the Image of his Son to the end that Suffering with Him We may through his Mercy be Glorified together with him Sweet Jesus Bless our Soveraign Pardon our Enemies Grant Us Patience and Establish Peace and Charity in our Nation THus much of my Lord's Principles in Reference to God and the King Whether they be agreable to Reason and Conformable to the Law and Ghospel of Christ I leave to the Impartial Reader to Judge SECT IV. My Lord's Declaration before the House of Lords after his Condemnation SOon after my Lords Tryal several of his Relations and Acquaintance some out of zeal against Popery and others out of kindness to my Lord were daily urgent with him to make Discoveries of all he knew as the only remaining remedy whereby to save his Life regain the Kings favour and attract the applause of the whole Nation My Lord always reply'd He was most willing and ready out of a meer sense of Duty and Conscience independent of any Temporal advantage to himself to discover with all imaginable Sincerity the utmost of what he knew either to the King or House of Lords when ever they required it The Lords being informed hereof Ordered his appearance before them the next day When he came and had audience granted he made his acknowledgments to this effect That he thought it no crime in any Man to wish his Neighbours might be of the same Religion wherein he himself hoped to be saved Nay to seek and promote it by such ways and means as the Laws of God and the Nation allow That there had been at divers times and on sundry occasions endeavours used and overtures made to obtain an Abrogation or at least a Mitigation of Severities against Catholicks But this to be procured no otherwise then by Legal and Parliamentary means That he himself went to Breda whilst the King was there and propounded 100000 l. in behalf of the Catholicks to take off the penal Laws That after the King came in there was a Bill brought into the House in favour of Catholicks but it was opposed by my Lord Chancellour Hide That there had likewise been framed by the Lord Bristol and others in order to the proposing of them in Parliament several forms of Oaths conceived in

think I never said any thing that was unfitting there or contrary to the Law and Vse of Parliaments For certainly if I had the Lords would as they might have punished me So I am not culpable before God or Man It is much reported of Indulgences Dispensations and Pardons to Murther Rebel Lie Forswear and Commit such other Crimes held and given in the Church I do here profess in the presence of God I never Learned Believed or Practised any such thing but the contrary And I speak this without any Equivocation or Reservation whatsoever And certainly were I guilty either my self or knew of any one that were Guilty whosoever that were so of any of those Crimes of which I am accused I were not only the greatest Fool imaginable but a perfect Mad-man and as wicked as any of those that so falsly have accused me If I should not discover any ill Design I knew in any kind and so upon Discovery save my Life I have so often had so fair occasions proposed unto me And so am guilty of Self-Murther which is a most grievous and hainous Sin and though I was last Impeached at the Lords Bar yet I have great grounds to believe that I was first brought to Tryal on the belief that to save my Life I would make some great Discovery And truly so I would had I known any such thing of any ill Design or Illegal Dangerous Plot either of my self or any other Person whatsoever without any Exception But had I a thousand Lives I would loose them all rather then Falsly accuse either my self or any other whatsoever And if I had known of any Treason and should thus deny it as I do now upon my Salvation at this time I should have no hope of Salvation which now I have through the Merits of Christ Jesus I do beseech God to bless his Majesty who is my Lawful King and Soveraign whom I was always by all Laws Humane and Divine bound to Obey and I am sure that no power upon Earth either singly or altogether can legally allow me or any body else to lift up a hand against him or his Legal Authority I do hold that the Constitution of the Government of this Kingdom is the only way to continue peace and quietness which God long continue Next to Treason I hold Murther in Abhorrence and have ever done and do And I do sincerely profess that if I could at this time free my self immediatly and Establish what Religion I would and what Government I would and make my self as great as I could wish and all by the Death of one of those Fellows that by their Perjuries have brought me to the place where I am I so much abhor to be the cause of any Mans death that I would not any way be the cause of their Murther how much less would I endeavour the Assassination of his Majesty whom I hold to be as Gracious a King as ever this or any other Nation had And under whom the People may enjoy their Liberties as much as ever any did And if it please God to grant him Life and Happiness according as I have always Wished and Prayed for I am morally perswaded that he and all his Dominions will be as happy and prosperous as ever People were Which I beseech God grant I do most humbly ask Pardon of the Almighty and All-merciful God for all the great Offences I have committed against his Divine Majesty and I know he would not have the Death and Confusion of a Sinner but that he may Repent and Live In that assurance I hope knowing he never despiseth a Contrite Heart And though I have not so feeling a Contrition as I would yet I have it as well as I can and I doubt not but that God will accept of the Good Will I do desire that all People will forgive me any Injury that I have done them in any thing either Wilfully or by Chance and I do heartily forgive all People in this World that have Injured me I forgive even those Perjured Men that so Falsly have brought me hither by their Perjuries I do now upon my Death and Salvation aver That I never spoke one word either to Oates or Turbervil or to my knowledge ever saw them until my Tryal And for Dugdale I never spoke unto him of any thing but about a Foot-boy or Foot-man or Foot-race and never was then alone with him All the Punishment that I wish them is that they may repent and acknowledge the Wrong that they have done me then it will appear how Innocent I am God forgive them I have a great Confidence that it please Almighty God and that he will in a short time bring Truth to Light then You and all the World will see and know what Injury they have done me I hope that I have made it appear that I have some Conscience for if I had none certainly I would have sav'd my Life by acknowledging my self Guilty which I could have done though I know I am not in the least Guilty And I having some Conscience make very ill use of it for I throw my self into Eternal Pain by thus plainly and constantly denying thus at my Death the knowledge of what I am accused of in the least I have said thus much in discharge of my Concience and do aver upon my Salvation what I have said to be really true I shall say little of my Tryal and whether it were all according to the known Law I am two much a Party to say much of it if it were not so God forgive him or them that were the cause of it My Judges were all Persons of Honour who were all as much bound to Judge rightly as if they had been upon Oath upon what was legally proved And not to Vote but according as in their Consciences they were satisfied And if any of them did otherwise upon any account whatsoever I beseech God to forgive them I do heartily I shall end with my hearty Prayers for the happiness of His Majesty that he may enjoy all happiness in this World and the World to come and Govern his People according to the Laws of God and that the People may be sensible what a Blessing God hath so miraculously given them and obey him as they ought I ask Pardon with a prostrate Heart of Almighty God for all the great Offences that I have committed against his Divine Majesty and hope through the Merits and Passion of Christ Jesus to obtain everlasting Happiness into whose hands I commit my Spirit asking Pardon of every Person that I have done any wrong to I do freely for give all that have any ways wronged me I do with all the Devotion and Repentance that I can humbly invoke the mercy of our Blessed Saviour I beseech God not to Revenge my Innocent Bloud upon the Nation or on those that were the cause of it with my last Breath I do with my last Breath truly

to the Tower where he remain'd above two years before he could be admitted to Tryal During this interval the whole Nation was surpriz'd and allarm'd with the noise of an horrid Plot contriv'd by the Pope Priests and Jesuits wherein the King was to be Murthered Armies raised Protestants Massacr'd and the three Kingdoms destroy'd by Fire and Sword the people were affrighted searches made Guards doubled and all in an uproar The King hereupon consulted the Parliament and both Houses declar'd it a Plot Yet to strengthen the Evidence as yet but weak and make farther discoveries Indempnities are promised Rewards proposed and encouragments given by Proclamation to any who would make out upon Oath the particulars of what in substance was already declar'd By this and the like sedulity of the King and three succeeding Parliaments several new Witnesses came in First Captain Bedlow Next Dugdale Prance and two others Bolron and Mowbray out of the North Then Mr. Jennison Smith Seigneur Francisco Dangerfield Zeile Lewis c. Lastly one Mr. Turbervile who together with Oates and Dugdale gave Evidence against this Lord Stafford of whom we now treat After two years Imprisonment when many Roman Catholicks both Priests and others had been Executed and most of the rest Imprisoned or fled At length my Lord was brought to his Tryal on the 30 th day of Novemb. 1680. at the Peers Bar in Westminster-Hall the House of Commons being present and the Lord Chancellor High-Steward of England The Impeachment was drawn in the name of the Commons of England wherein my Lord was charged together with other Papists for having imagin'd and contriv'd to murther the King introduce Popery and subvert the good Government of Church and State established by Law To this Impeachment my Lord being thereupon arraigned pleaded Not Guilty Allegations in proof of the Plot in general ¶ 1. THen the Cause was opened and the Commons Learned Counsel who were appointed Managers of the Tryal set forth the Charge in most Copious and Eloquent Language And beginning first with the Plot in general they shew●d to the life the Wickedness the Malice the Horror of so Dreadful Bloudy and Hellish a Design They strongly insisted on the express positive Oaths of the Witnesses upon whose Testimony the credit of this Plot chiefly depended They amply dilated upon the Letters of Coleman and others clearly demonstrating the busy Designs and Activity of the Writers They pressed home the execrable Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey charged upon the Papists as well by the Oaths of Captain Bedlow and Mr. Prance self-acknowledged Partners in the Assasination as also by a certain Letter sent from London to Tixal intimating the Murder of a Justice of Peace and communicated by Dugdale to divers Gentlemen in Staffordshire the third day after the Murder was committed They displayed to the full view the Sham-Plots and Counter-Contrivances whereby 't is said the Papists would have subborned the King's Evidence and turn'd all their Guilt upon His Majesty 's known and well-experienced Loyal Protestant Subjects They urg'd the Firing the City the burning the Navy the calling in French-Armies Wild Irish Spanish-Pilgrims c. Asserted in the several Depositions and Narratives of Dr. Oats Captain Bedlow Mr. Dangerfield c. They re-capitulated the several Tryals of Ireland Whitebread Langhorn c. And alledged the Votes of both Houses of Parliament declaring it a Plot. To strengthen all this They ript up the Cruelties of Queen Mary the French and Irish Massacres the Powder-Plot c. They anatomiz'd the wicked Principles from whence spring evil Practices of Murdering Lying Swearing Faith-breaking Equivocating c. Imputed to the Papists as held by them Lawful and matters of Faith In short nothing was omitted nothing neglected throughout the whole Process But every the least Circumstance enforced and advanced to its full proportion with such vigour of Wit and Industry as fitly corresponded to so great a Cause prosecuted by so high an Authority before so Illustrious Judges and August an Assembly When the Managers themselves had made these efforts to shew the Vniversal Conspiracy as they term'd it they produc'd six Witnesses to the same effect whereby to second and confirm what they had thus in general asserted Mr. Smith's Deposition THe first was Mr. Smith who deposed That going into France he became aquainted with Abbot Montague and one Father Bennet These persons to induce him to be a Catholick told him he should have an Imployment among them and that in a few years they would bring in their Religion into England right or wrong But this was not sufficiently prevalent with him to turn Papist yet he lived with them several years That at last he went into Italy where the Jesuits perswaded him to discourse with Cardinal Grimaldi the which he did That the Cardinal made much of him and he it was perverted him to the Romish Religion That upon occasion of shewing him a pair of Hangings this Cardinal told him He had great assurance the Popish Religion would prevail in England That there was but one in the way And that to accomplish their Designs they must take him out of the way That the Jesuits there also publickly preached and privately taught That the King of England being an Heretick whoever took him out of the way would do a meritorious act That after this he studied several years at Rome And that whilst he was in the Colledge he saw several of Coleman's Letters That being made a Priest he was sent into England with instructions to inform the Papists They were not obliged to obey the King but that they should endeavour to promote the Popish Religion That upon his arrival in England he was placed with one Mr. Jenison in the Bishoprick of Durham where his main Imployment was to root out the Jesuits as men ill-principled and to disswade the Papists from sending Money to Colledges beyond seas That one Thomas Smith told him he received a Letter from the Lord Stafford wherein my Lord said He expected some suddain Change Dugdale's Deposition NExt to Mr. Smith was Stephen Dugdale who deposed That for about 15 or 16 years together he had been acquainted by several Letters and other means there was a Design carried on for the bringing in of the Romish Religion That the Papists were to have Money and Arms ready against the King's Death for he said he heard nothing of killing the King till the year 78 That in October 78. my Lord Aston and others should go to dispose of certain Arms they received to the value of 30000 l. That the King of France was acquainted with all these Designs and that he would furnish the Papists with Men and afford them other Aid and assistance if the King should die or be taken away That he saw a Letter writ to Mr. Evers for all the Jesuits Letters were returned to him wherein were these words This night Sir Edmundbury Godfrey is dispatch'd That he

time wherein Turbervil Swears He was at a Consult there And it is strange so weighty and convincing a proof of Perjury in a matter of so high and serious a concern should be shifted off by a trifling Jest LAstly My Lord upon occasion made some Remarks upon Turbervil's Beggery Loose manner of Life and divers odd Circumstances in the course of his Evidence which much reflected upon his Reputation To support it therefore the Managers produced these Witnesses Mr. Arnold Jones Hobby and Scudamore Deposed That they knew Turbervil but for their parts never heard or saw any evil by him Mr. Matthews a Minister Deposed the same as to Turbervil's Reputation and added That Turbervil a little before he made his Discovery owned himself a Roman Catholick but seemed to have a mind to quit that Religion being convinced by the Arguments Matthews gave him of the Excellency of the Principles and Practices of the Protestant Church yet would never acknowledge he knew one Syllable of the Plot. UPon these several Remarques the Managers made this Observation The good Character here given of Turbervil by four Witnesses shew him a Man of much Vertue and Integrity And it ought to be considered as a farther addition to his Praise that he had the grace though indigent to refuse the proposal made to him by my Lord of Killing the King To which the Papists answer It is no sufficient proof of Turbervil ●s Vertue and Integrity that four Persons say They know no ill of him He may be guilty nevertheless of a Thousand Crimes unknown to them few or none are so entirely abandoned and detested by all Mankind as not to find four Persons in the World who will make a favourable report of them But it is evident from what hath been already proved That Turbervil was a Man in all points compleatly equipped for a Knight of the Post For first He was Indigent Secondly He was horridly addicted to Cursing and Swearing Thirdly He looked upon feigning Discoveries as the only way to get Moneys All this is manifested by his own Words and Conversation with Mr. Yalden and Mr. Porter before-mentioned As I hope for Salvation said he I know nothing of the Plot. The Devil take the Duke of York Monmouth and all God damn me there is now no Trade good but that of a Discoverer Who shall ever want Witnesses that can find men thus qualified And wheras it is said he had the grace to refuse the proposal made to him of Killing the King It ought first to be proved otherwise then by his own assertion He had such a proposal made before the refusal of it can be Justly alledged as an argument of grace in him Finally It is very remarkable what Parson Matthews the last of the Witnesses here Deposeth viz. That though Turbervil had a mind to quit the Roman-Catholick Religion being as he said convinced by the Arguments Matthews gave him of the excellency of the Principles and Practices of the Protestant Church yet he would never acknowledge to the said Matthews his new Ghostly Father That he knew one syllable of the Plot. The sum of the whole Evidence both for and against my LORD ¶ 4. IN this sort passed and ended the Particular Evidence given as well by the Managers against my Lord as by my Lord in his own defence After this the Court required each Party to sum up their respective Evidence And it being by course of Law my Lord's turn to begin He performed it to this purpose First He pleaded his Age his want of Endowments his Exhausted Spirits and strength in his long Tryal In consideration of which he hoped their Lordships who were both his Judges and Councel would Pardon the many defects he must needs commit in Summing up his defence Then he Recapitulated the whole Evidence already specified as well as his weak memory and discomposed condition would permit He reminded their Lordships of the several points wherein he had proved the Witnesses Forsworn He recounted their sayings and unsayings to the same things The various Contradictions the moral Impossibilities and Absurdities as to divers though before-hand studied parts of their Evidence Inferring from hence That he who will Forswear himself in one thing is not to be credited in any He insisted upon the Infamy of the Witnesses and Wickedness of their Lives especially the more the Atheistical Sacriledge of some of them acknowledged in open Court He Inculcated their former Beggery compared to the present Encouragement Caresses and Allurements of Gain and Applause they find in their new Employment He alledged their Subornation of others to make good their Forgeries Their baere Oaths without any Corroborating circumstances but what depended on the same Oaths Concluding that such as will Swear Lyes will never stick at Swearing of false Circumstances to handle those Lyes together And having thus summed up his Defence as well as a weak Old Man harrassed and spent with five days Pleading And as he said depriv●d of Sleep could do on a suddain He cast himself into their Lordships hands desiring them to remember how faithfully he had served the King in the late Wars How much himself his Wife and Family had suffered on that account How easily he might have prevented those Miseries if he would as others did have turned a Rebel And consequently how unlikely it is he should now in his Old Age and settled contented State be guilty of so horrid a Crime proved only against him by the Incredible Stories of three Infamous Men. Then he proceeded to propose certain Points or Doubts in Law which occurred in his case concerning the manner of his Impeachment the continuance of it from Parliament to Parliament Whether the Indictment contained an Overt Act necessary to a Conviction of Treason Whether Men who Swear for Money ought to be credited or admitted for Witnesses Whether the Plot being supposed a Plot of the Papists was as yet legally proved so Lastly Whether there being but one particular Witness to any one particular point such an Evidence be sufficient in Law WHen my Lord had ended his Queries the Learned Managers those dexterous Masters of Law and Eloquence addressed themselves to sum up the Evidence and Illustrate the Proofs on their side That part which regards the especial matters charged by the Witnesses upon my Lord in particular I have already incerted in the body of the Tryal as the said several matters respectively occurred The other Arguments made use of to enforce a belief of my Lord's Guilt and advance the credit of the Witnesses Take here together with the Papists Answers in short as followeth THe Managers therefore argued They had made it plain and apparent in the beginning of the Tryal by the Testimonies of six positive Witnesses by the Declaration of both Houses of Parliament by Coleman's Letters by the Tryal and Conviction of other Traytors that there was a general Design amongst the Papists to introduce their Religion

Damnation and this at a time when they might have saved both Bodies and Souls by meerly discharging a good Conscience in acknowledging the Truth and becoming honest men This I say is Inhumane and contradictory to all sense and reason to believe Now therefore I come to what you so often and so earnestly press me to viz. To satisfie the world and clear myself my Fellow Sufferers and my Religion from the imputation laid upon us on pretence of such Principles by a true and candid Explanation of my Belief and Judgment in the main points of Faith and Loyalty controverted between Catholicks and Protestants as they severally relate to God and the King PARAGRAPH I. Of the Catholick Faith and Church in General 1. THe Fruition of God and Remission of Sin is not attainable by man otherwise then in and by the Merits of Jesus Christ who gratis purchased it for us 2. These Merits of Christ are not applied to us otherwise that by a Right Faith in Christ 3. This Faith is but One entire and conformable to its Obiect being Divine Revelations to all which Faith gives an undoubted assent 4. These Revelations contain many Mysteries transcending the natural reach of Humane Wit and Industry Wherefore 5. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to provide Man of some way or means whereby he might arrive to the knowledge of these Mysteries Means visible and apparent to all Means proportionable to the Capacities of all Means sure and certain to all 6. This way or means is not the reading of Scripture interpreted according to the private Reason or Spirit of every disjunctive Person or Nation in particular But 7 It is an Attention and Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholick or Vniversal Church established by Christ for the Instruction of all Spread for that end throughout all Nations and visibly continued in a Succession of Pastors and People throughout all Ages From which Ghurch Guided in Truth and secured from Error in Matters of Faith by the promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost every one may and ought to Learn both the Right Sense of Scripture and all other Christian Mysteries and Duties respectively necessary to Salvation 8. This Church thus Spread thus Guided thus visibly Continued in One Vniform Faith and Subordination of Government is that self same which is termed the Roman Catholick Church The Qualifications abovementioned viz. Vnity Indeficiency Visibility Succession and Vniversality being applicable to no other Church or Assembly whatsoever 9. From the Testimony and Authority of This Church it is that We Receive and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word And as She can assuredly tell Us This or That Book is God's Word so can she with the like Assurance tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture Enlightning Her to Understand both It and all Matters Necessary to Salvation From These Grounds it Follows 10. All and only Divine Revelations deliver'd by God unto the Church and proposed by Her to be Believed as such are and ought to be esteem'd Articles of Faith and the contrary Opinions Heresie And 11. As an Obstinate Seperation from the Vnity of the Church in known declared Matters of Faith is formal Heresie So a wilful Separation from the Visible Vnity of the same Church in Matters of Subordination and Government is formal Schism 12. The Church proposeth unto Us matters of Faith First and chiefly By the Holy Scripture in Points plain and Intelligible in it Secondly By Definitions of General Councils in Points not sufficiently Explained in Scripture Thirdly By Apostolical Traditions deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles to all Succeeding ages Fourthly By her Practice Worship and Ceremonies Confirming her Doctrine PARAGRAPH II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority 1. GEneral Councils which are the Church of God Representative have no Commission from Christ to Frame new matters of Faith these being sole Divine Revelations but only to explain and ascertain unto us what antiently was and is received and retained as of Faith in the Church upon arising Debates and Controversies about them The Definitions of which General Councils in matters of Faith only and proposed as such oblige under pain of Heresie all the Faithful to a Submission of Judgment But 2. It is no Article of Faith to believe That General Councils cannot Err. either in matters of Fact or Discipline alterably by circumstances of time and place or in matters of Speculation or Civil Policy depending on meer humane Judgment or Testimony Neither of those being Divine Revelations deposited in the Catholick Church in regard to which alone she hath the promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost Hence it is deduced 3 If a General Council much less a Papal Consistory should undertake to depose a King and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance no Catholick as Catholick is bound to submit to such a Decree Hence also it followeth 4. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may without the least breach of any Catholick Principle Renounce even upon Oath the Teaching Mantaining or Practising the Doctrine of Deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie by any Authority whatsoever as Repugnant to the Fundamental Laws of the Nation Injurious to Soveraign Power Destructive to the Peace and Government and by consequence in His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable Yet not properly Heretical taking the Word Heretical in that connatural genuine sense it is usually understood in the Catholick Church on account of which and other Expressions no wise appertaining to Loyalty it is that Catholicks of tender Consciences refuse the Oath commonly called the Oath of Allegiance 5. Catholicks believe That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of St. Peter Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth and Head of the whole Catholick Church which Church is therefore fitly stiled Roman Catholick being an universal Body united under one visible Head Nevertheless 6. It is no matter of Faith to be believe That the Pope is in himself Infallible seperate from a General Council even in Expounding the Faith By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees though ex Cathedra as they term them taken exclusively from a General Council or Universal Acceptance of the Church oblige none under Pain of Heresie to an interior Assent 7. Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks believe that the Pope hath any direct or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes Hence If the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispence with His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance upon account of Heresie or Schism such Dispensation would be Vain and Null and all Catholick Subjects notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution would be still bound

for crimes detested by God and Nature This man surely can never die without such Conflicts of horrour and despair as will almost prevent the hand of the Executioner yet there appeared in my Lord no other Symptoms then those of a most pleasing Tranquility as if Innocence had Guarded him As if the Injustice of others had secured him As if the Holy Ghost had fortified him As if Christ Jesus had united him to his Sufferings and undertaken his conduct and defence THat very morning he was to dye he writ a Letter to his Lady which afterwards he delivered on the Scaffold to a Friend there present the contents whereof are these My Dear Wife I Have I give God humble thanks slept this night some hours very quietly I would not dress me until I had by this given you thanks for all your great Love and Kindness unto me I am very sorry that I have not deserved it from you God reward you Were I to live numbers of years I assure you I would never omit any occasion to let you know the Love I bear you I cannot say what I would nor how well and many ways you have deserv'd God of His most infinite mercy send us an happy meeting in Heaven My last request unto you is that you will bear my Death as well as you can for my sake I have now no more to do but as well as I can though not so well as I would to recommend my sinful Soul unto the mercy of the Holy Trinity who through the Passion Bloud and Merits of our Saviour I hope will mercifully grant me a place though the lowest in Heaven God grant it And bless you and Ours Your truly loving Husband W. H. St Thomas of Canterbury 's day 1680. past six in the Morning The Manner and Circumstances of my Lord 's Final End WHen the hour appointed for his Death drew near he expected with some impatience the arrival of Mr. Lieutenant telling his Friends that were about him he ought not to hasten his own Death yet he thought the time long till they came for him A Gentleman then with him in his Chamber put him in mind that it was a cold day and that his Lordship would do well to put on a Cloak or Coat to keep him warm He answered He would For said he I may perhaps shake for cold but I trust in God never for fear After some time spent in Spiritual discourses at length about Ten a Clock word was brought him That Mr. Lieutenant waited for him below upon which he sweetly saluted his Friends bidding them not to grieve for him for this was the happiest day of all his Life then he immediatly went down and walked along by the Lieutenants Chair who had the Gout through a lane of Soldiers to the Barrs without the Tower There the Lieutenant delivered him to the Sheriff● and they from thence Guarded him to the Scaffold erected on Tower-Hill All the way as he passed several thousands of People crowded to see him many civilly saluted him and few there were amongst that vast ●ber whose hearts were not a li● ●ched and mollified with Compassion for him Having mounted the Scaffold there appeared in his Countenance such an unusual vivacity such a Chearfulness such a Confidence such a Candor as if the Innocence of his Soul had shined through his Body Nothing of that Mortal paleness Nothing of those Reluctances Convulsions and Agonies incident to persons in his condition could in the least be perceived in him He looked death in the ●a●e with so undaunted a Resolution as gave many occasion to say Gr●e had left in him no Resentment●●f ●ature After a short pause viewing th● People and finding them attend●●o what he should say he step● to one side of the Scaffold and with a Graceful Air and intelligible Voice pronounced his last Speech as followeth My Lord's last Speech BY the permission of Almighty God I am this day brought hither to Suffer Death as if I were Guilty of High Treason I do most truly in the presence of the Eternal Omnipotent and All-knowing God protest upon my Salvation that I am as Innocent as it is possible for any Man to be so much as in a thought of the Crimes laid to my Charge I acknowledge it to be a particular Grace and Favour of the Holy Trinity to have given me this Long time to prepare my self for Eternity I have not made so good use of that Grace as I ought to have done partly because not only my Friends but my Wife and Children have for several days been forbidden to see me but in the presence of one of my Warders This hath been a great trouble and distraction unto me but I hope God of his Infinite Mercy will Pardon my Defects and accept of my good Intentions Since my long Imprisonment I have considered often what could be the Original Cause of my being thus Accused since I knew my self not Culpable so much as in a thought and I cannot believe it to be upon any other account then my being of the Church of Rome I have no reason to be ashamed of my Religion for it Teacheth nothing but the Right Worship of God Obedience to the King and due Subordination to the Temporal Laws of the Kingdom And I do submit to all Articles of Faith believed and taught in the Catholick Church believing them to be most consonant to the Word of God And whereas it hath so much and often been objected That the Church holds that Soveraign Princes Excommunicated by the Pope may by their Subjects be Deposed or Murdered As to the Murder of Princes I have been taught as a Matter of Faith in the Catholick Church That such Doctrine is Diabolical Horrid Detestable and contrary to the Law of God Nature and Nations As for the Doctrine of Deposing Princes I know some Divines of the Catholick Church hold it but as able and Learned as they have Written against it But it was not pretended to be the Doctrine of the Church that is any Point of Catholick Faith Wherefore I do here in my Conscience declare that it is my true and 〈◊〉 Judgment That the same Doctrine of Deposing King● is contrary to the 〈◊〉 a● Lawpunc of this Kingdom Injurious to Soveraign Power and consequently would be in me or any other of his Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable I believe and profess That there is One God One Saviour One Holy Catholick Church of which through the Mercy Grace and Goodness of God I die a member To my great and unspeakable grief I have offended God in many things by many great Offences but I give him most humble thanks not in any of those Crimes of which I was Accused All the Members of either House having liberty to propose in the House what they think fit for the good of the Kingdom accordingly I proposed what I thought fit the House is Judge of the fitness or unfitness of it and I

Smith and Turbervil be real Papists how is it proved they were imployed to sham off the Plot Why may not Papists be good Witnesses against the Presbyterians in point of Treason without Suspition of a sham Is Treason a thing so strange and unheard of amongst the Presbyterians Or why should credit be given to the Witnesses when they swear against the Papists who are only charged with a Design to kill the King and credit be denyed to the same Witnesses when they swear against those who actually killed the King 2ly What the least Argument or Appearance is there that Dugdale Smith and Turbervil are Papists or ●opishly affected They profess the Protestant Religion they frequent the Protestant Church they receive the Protestant Communion they take all Oaths and Tests can be required of them as was acknowledged in this very Tryal They practise neither Fasting Pennance nor other works of Supererogation the Symptoms of Popery They pursue their former design of swearing against the Papists with as much obstinacy and violence as ever as was likewise prov'd in this Tryal And is it possible the Papists should employ in their shams and intrigues if they had any the very Persons who at the same time make it their Trade and Lively-hood to cut their Throats Indeed if any of the Witnesses against my Lord Stafford be Popishly affected it is Dr. Oates whose present disparagement of his fellow Evidence look● said Mr. Sollicitor General as if he were again returning to St. Omers Lastly It is argued The Jury bringing in Colledge Guilty of High Treason by that very Verdict cleared Dugdale Smith and Turbervil of the Perjury charged upon them by D. Oates It is answered 1 st The Jury brought in their Verdict against Colledge not upon the sole Testimony of Dugdale Smith and Turbervil but more especially upon the Evidence given by Sir William Jennings and Mr. Maisters Persons of known worth and honesty As also upon pregnant proof made and acknowledged in a manner by Colledge himself That he by Combination with others appeared in open Arms at an appointed time and place ready for and designing publick Acts of Hostility in the very presence of the King yet without his knowledge or authority which by the Law is adjudged Treason 2 ly The Papists do not undertake to make good Oate's Charge of Perjury against Dugdale Smith and Turbervil Nor theirs against him But only to shew that the guilt of this horrid crime lyeth amongst them And consequently whether it be charged upon Oates as the chief Swearing-Master and Original Author of the Plot or upon Dugdale Smith and Turbervil as his Pedants and Accessaries in the Imposture Or as is most rational upon both and all of them It follows That the Lord Stafford dyed by Perjury And Roman Catholicks have wrongfully suffered by their Villanies the loss of their Fortunes their Estates their Liberties their Lives Luke 29 Verse 22. Out of thine own Mouth will I Judge thee Thou Wicked Servant THus I have here Briefly and Impartially set down what occurs to me on this occasion And now for an Appology to the whole Treatise Seing the Papists as well as all other Men have a natural right when Impeached to defend their Innocence I hope it will not be Imputed a fault in me to have Rehearsed some of their Arguments as they lay within the Limits and Sphere of my Design If any Persons of Depraved Judgments shall from hence draw sinister Reflections upon the Justice of the Nation I declare they abuse both the Government Themselves and Me by such their unjust Paraphrase FINIS Tryal p 4. Pag 7. c. Pag. 17. c. The motives of his Perversion His Imployment in Eng. Pag. 21 c. His Contribution for Arms c. 500 l. Armies ready at an hours warning The Popes contribution 1000 l Pag. 25. c. Pag. 25. c. his feigned Conversion The Provincial of Castile contribution 10000 l. Afterwards a Promise of 30000 Masses Pag. 32. A Twenty pound Debt remitted for a reward to kill the King Pag 30. Pag. 17. ●e Papists 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 Plot in ●eral Page 123. (a) Colemans Tryal Coleman's Letters Sir Edmundbury Godfrey's Murder Page 20 Page 77. Page 136 Fire-Balls Sham-Plot c. The Votes of both Houses of Parliament declaring it a Plot. * See the Tryals of Wakeman Corker Marshal Earl of Castlemain Sir Tho. Gascoin Lady Powis Tempest c. Gunpowder Treason French Massacre c. Ireland's Tryal Page 40. c. The first onset against my Lord. My Lords Address Page ●5 c. Pa 24. c. Dugdal's Infamy and Beggery Pa. 94 c. Pa. 84. c. Pa. 87. c. Pag. 145. c. Pag. 163. Pag. 175. Pag. 147. Pag. 163. Pag. 168. Dugdale's Perjury Pag. 82. c. Pag 175. Pag 74. Page 147 Pag. 83 c. Pag. 80. c. Pag. 32. c. Page 174. Pag. 117. Page 175. Pag. 178. Dugdale's Subornation of Oaths Pa. 93. c. Pag. 138. c. Page 186. Dugdale's Improbable manner of Swearing Page ●2 Pa. 46. c. P. 728 c Pag. 130 c. This Oates affirms in Langhorns Tryal Page 101. Page 1●9 Oates's new Forgeries Pag. 102. Page 25. Pag. 126. Oates his Apostacy and Sacriledge Page 123. Turbervil's Perjury in seven Particulars Page 120. c. Pag. 122. Page 152. Page 109. Page 131. Page 108. Page 113. Page 181. Page 106. Page 180. Page 112 Page 110. Page 182. Page 101. Page 116. Turbervil's loose manner of Life Page 154. Page 163. The sum of my Lord's Plea as to matters of Fact Pag 167. c. P 199. c. The sum of the Evidence against my Lord. Page 17● Page 171 c. Page 184. Pag. 151. Answer to my Lord's Plea in matters of Law My Lord 's particular Address Page 198. Page 212. My Lord High Steward's Speech His Relations imputed to him as the Cause of his Guilt Page 214. The Sentence Page 54. Page 53. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. ●bid Ibid. An Objection Answer'd The intent of this Epistle Redemption in Christ a Eph. 2.8 1 Cor. 15.22 applicable by Faith b Mar. 16.16 Heb. 11.6 Which is but one c Eph. 4.4 c. d Jam. 2.10 Supernatural e 1 Cor. 1.20 Mat. 16.17 By the Divine Providence to be learnt f Isai 35.8 g Joh. 9.41 h Mat. 11.25 i John 15.22 Not from private Interpretation of Scripture k 2 Pet. 3 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 22.29 l 1 Jo. 4.1 and 6. Prov. 12.16 m Mat. 18.17 Luk. 10.16 but from the Universal Church dilated continued and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end n Psal 2 8. Isa 2 2. c. 49.6 o Mat. 5.14 Isai 59.21 Joh. 16 13. Ezek. 37.26 Eph. 5.25 c. 1 Tim. 3 15. Mat. 16.18 p Mat. 28 20. Joh. 14 16. q Deut. 17 8. c. Mat. 23 2. This Church is the same with the Roman Catholick r Can. 6 8. Joh 10.16 Rom. 15 5. Joh. 17 22.