Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	lord_n	see_v	9,072	5	3.5745	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27409	The bloody assizes, or, A compleat history of the life of George Lord Jefferies, from his birth to this present time ... to which is added Major Holmes's excellent speech, with the dying speeches and prayers of many other eminent Protestants : none of which were ever before publish'd ...	Bent, James.; Holmes, Abraham, d. 1685.; Tutchin, John, 1661?-1707.; Oates, Titus, 1649-1705.; Dunton, John, 1659-1733.; J. S. (John Shirley), fl. 1680-1702.	1689 (1689)	Wing B1905; ESTC R23364	51,348	72

time because it was so late and so many to be Executed after him so he suddenly concluded and said I will now speak a few Words to him which I am sure will hear me and so began his Prayer as followeth Blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Creatures now here before thee cannot but acknowledg from the bottom of our Hearts our own unworthiness we must confess we have been grievous Sinners and have brought forth the Evil Fruit of it in our Lives to the great dishonour of thy Name for which we have deserved thy heavy wrath and indignation to be powred 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 Practise 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 concerns 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 in Earth as it is in Heaven and now Lord with humble meekness and submission I submit to thy will depending upon 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 ever more and so advising those before him to leave off those cruel Sentiments they had taken of them besides some Heavenly discourses with some of his Friends was turned off to the great grief of the good People in 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 no 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 FINIS 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 returned 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 'le 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 Revel 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 acknowledg 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 thô his sins were as scarlet thou wouldst 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

three thousand Foot and a thousand Horse we had more at least five thousand Men and Horse but not well Arm'd yet in the Field 'T is said we lost not above three hundred and they Foot but after when we were routed in our retreat lost a vast many more tho they pursued not in some hours after The most remarkable Persons that were taken in this total Rout were Collonel Holmes Major Perrot the Constable of Crookhorn and Mr. Williams Servant to the late Duke of Monmouth After the Field was clear of the Dukes Men the Earl of Feversham Marched with five hundred Foot and a Party of Horse and Dragoons to Bridgwater where he found the Dukes Forces that were left there fled and dispersed into several Places When his Lordship having left these Men in the Town under the Command of Collonel Kirk and hearing the late Duke of Monmouth was fled with about fifty Horse the greatest number of the Dukes Men that were left together he sent out divers Parties in pursuit of him and others that fled the Field When on the 7th of July about five in the Morning some of the Lord Lumly's Men seized the Lord Gray and another Person near Holt-Lodge in Dorsetshire four miles from the West of Ringwood and the said Lord Lumly making further inquiry among the Cotts was informed by one Anna Ferrant that two Men went over a Hedge proving to be the out bounds of many Inclosures some of which were over grown with Fern others with Pease and Oats but Guards being set upon the Avenues after divers attempts to escape the Brandenburgh one of the Parties observed to enter the Ground was taken on the 8th day of July about five in the Morning who confessing he departed from the late Duke of Monmouth about one of the Clock that morning in the out-bounds diligent search was made when about Eleven of the Clock the same morning he was found by one Henry Parking hid in a Ditch covered with Fern who calling others to assist him the said late Duke was in the end Taken and together with the Lord Gray and the Brandenburgh with a strong Guard brought by easie Journeys to White-Hall where they arrived on the 13th of July and after some Examination were committed to the Tower when on Wednesday the 15th of July the late Duke of Monmouth pursuant to a Warrant Signed for his Execution upon his Attaindure of High-Treason was delivered to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex about Ten in the morning and conducted to a Scaffold erected on Tower-Hill where after about half an hours continuance he laying down his Head had it striken off by the Executioner the which together with his Body being put into a Coffin covered with Velvet were carried away in a Velvet-covered Hearse in order to his Interment After the Duke was Beheaded many Prisoners taken and those that fled by Parcels taken up and down were secured in divers Goals in order to their Prosecution as was said according to Law which was the Occasion of this great Man's shewing his parts at that Degree as he did no one else fit to be made a Tool for such a Bloody Tragedy as he acted The Tryals were deferred for some time after the fatal Blow given to the Duke of Monmouth on Tower-Hill which was the 15th of July following because of my Lords being at Tunbridge but the latter end of August he with a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer assisted with four other Judges set forward with a Party of Horse and made by special Commission their General The first place he came at was Winchester where were divers Prisoners on Suspition but here began the Tragedy for the Lady Lisle was there Arraigned for High-Treason in Harboring Mr. Hicks and Mr. Nelphrope that had been concerned with the Duke the Lady being on Tryal the Jury were dissatisfied once and again but my Lords Threats and other Managery so disposed the Jury that at last they brought the Lady in Guilty on which he pronounced the Sentence of Death on her as usual in such Cases but she had the favour of being Beheaded their other Prisoners were carried to Salisbury and this was the most remarkable thing at that Assizes From thence they set forward for Salisbury where were many Prisoners that had been pick'd up and down the Countrey then in the Goal the which with those that were brought from Winton were ordered to be carried to Dorchester there not being Evidence enough to accomplish what was then designed by my Lord so that little of moment passed there but to pursue the Matter proceeds from thence to Dorchster where he with his Assistants Gown-Men and Sword-Men Arrived on the 3d. of September on which day being Thursday the Commission was Read. Friday Morning was an Excellent Sermon Preached before their Lordships by a worthy Divine Chaplain to a worthy Person of that County much tending to Mercy It was observed that while my Lord Chief-Justice was at Church in Prayers as well as at Sermon he was seen to laugh which was so unbecoming a Person in his Character that ought in so weighty an Affair as he was then entring upon to have been more serious and have craved the Help and Assistance of God Almighty The Sermon being over their Lordships repaired to the Court which by Order of the Lord Chief-Justice was hung with Red Cloath a Colour suitable to such a succeeding bloody Tragedy being accompanied by a Numerous Company of the Gentry of that County as well as the Flower of the Neighbouring Counties of Somerset and Devonshire and then proceeded to give his Charge in which Charge by reason of the Severity of his Sentiments and Positions laid down to make Discoveries of all such as were Abettors Aidors or Assisters to the late Duke of Monmouth on Pain of High-Treason which was a great Surprize to all the Auditors and so vehemently Urged and so passionately Expressed as seemed rather the Language of a Romish Inquifitor than a Protestant Judge and then Adjourned until eight of the Clock next Morning when was a Bill found against Thirty Persons charged for High-Treason for Aiding and Assisting the late Duke of Monmouth who put themselves on their Tryals notwithstanding my Lord's threatning That in Case any did put themselves on Tryal and the Country found them Guilty they should have but a little Time to live and at the same time Insinuated That it were better to Plead Guilty if they expected any Favour These Thirty being on Tryal the Evidences being Sworn and Examined before the JVRY Upon the whole by the violent Deportment of the Lord Chief-Justice and sharpness of the JVRY they found Twenty-nine GUILTY though some of them were very hardly dealt with and not so Criminal as my Lord and their Countrey imagined Particularly amongst the Twenty-nine were Mr. Matthew Brag of Thorncomb and Joseph Speed of Culliton in the County of Devonshire and Mr. Smith Constable of Chardstock in the said

guilty of High Misdemeanours had not the good Gentleman and his Lady been virtuous People abhorring the Debaucheries of the times and of such a competent Estate able to spare ten or twelve thousand Pounds the hard usage this honest brave Gentleman and his vertuous Lady had and their sufferings to relate them would be too large and besides it is so well known in most places in the West that I shall without saying any more proceed And next for Mr. Parret who was Executed at Taunton if I mistake not he said he was a Londoner and a Brewer when he came to the place of Execution he seemed a Man almost unconcerned at Death after some time he began to deliver himself somewhat low in Voice to the People and after rising by degrees he seemed more like a Minister in a Pulpit preaching devoutly than a Prisoner just going to Execution but I being then not well could not tarry to see his end but the Character I had was That he desired all not to be faint hearted because of their fall and to think that there was no hopes remaining He said He verily believed God would yet work out deliverance for them and at the time they were in the greatest Extremity that would be God's opportunity put your whole trust and confidence and dependance on the Lord and he will never leave you nor forsake you and much more but having no more exact Coyy I shall not enlarge but come to some other A Poem on a Lady that came to my Lord Chief Justice to beg Mr. Bescombs Life Sister to one of the Sheriffs in the West which he deny'd HArder than thine own Native Rocks To let the Charming Silvia kneel And not one spark of Pity feel Harder than senseless Stones and Stocks Ye Gods what showers of Pearls she gave What precious Tears enough to save A bleeding Monarch from the Grave By every hapless Virgin Curst Winter blasts not more unkind Deaf as the rugged Northern Wind By some Welch Wolf in Murders nurst Hast thou Eyes or hast thou none Or are they worse than Marble grown Since Marbles weep at Silvia's moan Rebbels stiff and supple Slaves All the frantick World divide One must stoop and t'other ride Cringing fools and Factious Knaves Tho' falling on the losers part Gentler Death arrests my Heart And has in Honey dipt his Dart. Life farewell thou gaudy Dream Painted or'e with griefs and joys Which the next kind hour destroys And drown them all in Lethes Stream What blest Mortal could not die Might he with me Embalmed lie In precious Tears from Silvias Eye The Last Speech OF HENRY BODDY Executed at BATH WHile he was in Prison especially after Sentence he behaved himself mighty Humble Meek and was much in Meditation which was observed by several Divines especially one who attended him to his Last his name Mr. Simpson his poor Wife coming to see him at Wells and to make her Interest with some Friends if possible to save his Life but finding it lost Labour and that she could by no means prevail she died there for grief before her Husband was Executed to his great grief When he came to the place of Execution he delivered himself to the People in these Words Good People I am come here to pay a Debt due to Nature which every one one time or another must pay though not in this manner or nature I am Condemned as a Traytor and Rebel against my King which were things I always hated and abhorred and therefore give me so much time as to Deliver my self to you and what I say I hope you will believe me at this time being just going to give an account not only for every Idle word but for all things I have done since I have had a being I was Born in Lyme-Regis in the County of Dorset and bred up a Seaman from my Infancy I have had the Honour to serve His Majesty King Charles the Second in his Wars with the Dutch and French divers times I always thought it to be the Duty of every true English-man to stand up in his Countries quarrel with Forreigners to maintain our Ancient Priviledges and Honour of our Nation I served him faithfully and as for any undertaking now with the late Duke of Monmouth for which I am now come to suffer Death as for my designs I am sure they were good for I did believe him to be my Soverign's Son and Heir but if otherwise I have done amiss and am sorry and hope the Lord hath pardoned it While I was in Arms I am sure there 's none can say I have personally wronged them I desire all your Prayers for me to the last I am no Orator therefore if you please speaking to the Minister do those last spiritual Services for me as for to Pray with me and for me The Minister being much taken with him desired leave of the Sheriff to ask him some questions which being granted the Minister said unto him I must make bold with you but not to hold you too long before I pray but to satisfie my self and the People on what ground you stand I mean as concerning your Everlasting state Now pray resolve me a few things First Whether you do own that Doctrine of Non-Resistance own'd by the Church That it is not lawful on any account whatsoever to take up Arms against the King O Sir as to that I Answer Could I have been satisfied he had been my Lawful Prince I should not have done it But said the Minister He is and you are not to be judge except you own those things some People will hardly have Charity for you after you are Dead What matters that said he would you have me now you put me so close to it to lye No I will not I say If he was my Lawful King I was missed in my judgment and have committed a great Error but Lord I hope thou hast washed away all my sins in and through the Blood of my dear Redeemer in whose alone Merits I hope for Mercy I desire to be asked no more Questions Then the Minister Prayed very devoutly near half an hour after which lifting up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven quietly submitted to Death This Bloody Tragedy in the West being over our Protestant Judge returns for London soon after which Alderman Cornish felt the anger of some body behind the Curtain for it is to be Noted that he was Sheriff when Best prayed an Indictment might be preferred and was as well as Sheriff Bethel earnest in promoting it in alledging that it was no ways reasonable that the Juries of London should lie under such a reproach c. But passing this over we now find this Person arrived at the Pinacle of Honour the Purse and Mace were reserved for him vacant by the Death of the Lord Keeper North and he advanced to the Lord Chancellourship of England rais'd by this means as one might think above the envy of the

the day being great they should want time So then he stopt and replyed he could make application where he should not meet with interuption and so apply'd himself to Prayer which he performed with great Devotion and Zeal for a quarter of an hour to the great satisfaction of the Auditors and so taking leave of his suffering Brethren he mounted the Stage which was to be the last Act he made in this World being on the Ladder he saw some of his Friends and Neighbours weeping and mourning for him to whom he spake pray weep not for me I am going to a place of Bliss and Happiness wherefore pray repair to your Houses and ' ere you get thither I doubt not but I shall be happy with my God and Saviour where all tears shall be wiped away and nothing shall remain but Hallelujahs to all Eternity There was also Mr. William Hewling of London a young Gentleman under twenty who came over with the D. of M. he seemed to be in a calm and composed frame of Spirit and with a great deal of Courage and Seriousness he behaved himself there is already something said of his converse and discourse which amongst others is Printed therefore we shall say nothing more of him but that in all manner of Appearance he dyed a good Christian true Protestant and doubtless now enjoys the benefit of it there were several worthy Men more there Executed viz. Mr Christopher Battiscombe Dr. Temple Captain Madders Captain Mathews Captain Kid c. in all twelve who all of them dyed with that Courage and Resolution as became Christians and such who eminently had adventured their Lives and Fortunes in defence of what was most dear to them and namely our Religion which though God did not think those fit to defend and secure it yet in his infinite wisdom we hope it will be in some measure secured by other Instruments the Glory of the same being only due to him So that now leaving this Place we proceed to other parts of the Country where with the like Butchery were only five Executed amongst which was one M. Tyler of Bristol who had had Command in the Dukes Army where he behaved himself very stoutly to the last after the Army was dispersed he amongst others were taken received Sentence of Death at Dorchester and here brought for the Completion of the same and from hence we hope was Translated to Heaven he spent his time between the Sentence and Execution very devoutly in confirming and strengthening those that were to be his fellow Sufferers And made it his business to bring them to a willingness to submit to and a preparedness for Death The day being come and he brought to the Place of Execution he thus spoke my Friends you see I am now on the brink of Eternity and in a few minutes shall be but Clay you expect I should say something as is usual in such cases as to the matter of fact I dye for it doth not much trouble me knowing to my self the ends for which I ingaged with the D. of M. were both good and honourable here being stop'd and not suffered to proceed farther he then comforted his fellow sufferers desiring them to joyn with him in Singing a Hymn which he himself composed for the occasion as followeth 1. O Lord how Glorious is thy Grace And wondrous large thy Love At such a dreadful time and place To such as Faithful prove 2. If thou wilt have thy Glory hence Though a shameful death we dye We Bless thee for this Providence To all Eternity 3. Let these Spectators see thy Grace In thy Poor Servants shine While we by Faith behold thy Face In that blest Son of thine 4. Though Men our Bodies may abuse Christ take our Souls to rest Till he brings forth the joyful news Ye are my Fathers blest 5. Appear for those that plead thy Cause Preserve them in the way Who own King Jesus and his Laws And dare not but obey 6. O God confound our 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 for to forgive thee dont 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 dyed with him who also dyed 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 D. of M. and 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 An Account of those Executed at Sherborn AT Sherbon in the same County were Executed twelve who all dyed Couragiously especially one Mr. Glisson of Yeovel in the County of Somerset his extraordinary deportment and carriage at the Place of Execution was so very considerable as gave great satisfaction to his Friends and Amazement to his Enemies he declared to the World that he dyed a true Protestant and had not ingaged with the D. of M. but Judged it high time to stand up for the Defence of the same though God Almighty had thought fit to frustrate his designs and to bring him to that Place to Seal the same with his Blood also John Savage and Richard Hall of Culliton in the County of Devon suffered at the same time and Place in their particular Conversation they valued most those that they saw most of Piety in and pittyed others that they saw not so well prepared saying that the remembrance of our vanity may cause compassion towards such as were in such a Condition exhorting all to be serious and to consider their latter end which deserved the greatest attention of mind the way to dye comfortably being to prepare for it seriously and if God should miraculously preserve us from this Death now before our Eyes It should be the duty of us all to spend the remaining part of our time in such a manner as now when we see death just at the Door At the hour of Execution their chearfulness and comfort was much increased saying now the will of