Country for to clear my self both as an honest man a good King and a good Christian I shall begin first with my Innocency In troth I think it not very needful for me to insist long upon this for all the world knows that I never did begin a war with the two Houses of Parliament and I call God to witness to whom I must shortly make an Account That I never did intend for to incroach upon their Priviledges they began upon me it is the Militia they began upon they confest that the Militia was mine but they thought it fit for to have it from me and to be short if any body will look to the Dates of Commissions of their Commissions and mine and likewise to the Declarations will see clearly that they began these unhappy Troubles not I so that as the guilt of these Enormous crimes that are laid against me I hope in God that God will clear me of I will not I am in Charity God forbid that I should lay it upon the Two Houses of Parliament there is no necessity of either I hope they are free of this guilt for I do believe that ill Instruments between them and me has been the chief Cause of all this bloudshed so that by way of speaking as I find my self clear of this I hope and pray God that they may too yet for all this God forbid that I should be so ill a Christian as not to say that Gods Judgments are just upon me Many times he does pay Justice by unjust Sentence that is ordinary I will only say this that an unjust Sentence * that I sufferred to take effect Strafford is punished now by an unjust Sentence upon me this I have said to shew you that I am an Innocent man Now for to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope there is * Pointing to Dr. Juxon a good man that will bear me witness That I have forgiven all the world and even those in particular that have been the chief causers of my death who they are God knows I do not desire to know I pray God forgive them But this is not all my Charity must go further I wish that they may repent for indeed they have committed a great sin in that particular I pray God with St. Stephen that this be not laid to their Charge nay not only so but that they may take the right way to the peace of the Kingdom for my Charity commands me not only to forgive particular men but my Charity commands me to endeavour to the last gasp the Peace of the Kingdom Turning to some Gentlemen that wrote So Sir I wish with all my soul and I do hope there is some here will carry it further that they may endeavour the Peace of the Kingdom Now Sirs I must shew you both how you are out of the way and will put you in the way first you are out of the way for certainly all the way you ever have had yet as I could find by anything is in the way of Conquest certainly this is an ill way for Conquest Sir in my opinion is never just except there be a good just Cause either for matter of Wrong or just Title and then if you go beyond it the first quarrel that you have to it is it that makes it unjust at the end that was just at first But if it be only matter of Conquest then it is a great Robbery as a Pirat said to Alexander that he was the great Robber he was but a Petty Robber And so Sir I do think the way that you are in is much out of the way Now Sir for to put you in one way believe it you will never do right nor God will never prosper you until you give God his due the King his due that is my Successors and the People their due I am as much for them as any of you You must give God his due by regulating rightly his Church according to his Scriptures which is now out of order For to set you in a way particularly now I cannot but only this A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle this when that every Opinion is freely and clearly heard For the King indeed I will not then turning to a Gentleman that touched the Ax said Hurt not the Axe that may hurt me * Meaning if he did blunt the edge For the King the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that therefore because it concerns my own particular I only give you a touch of it For the People and truly I desire their Liberty and Freedom as much as any body whosoever but I must tell you that their Liberty and Freedom consists in having of Government those Laws by which their Life and their Goods may be most their own It is not for having share in Government Sir that is nothing pertaining to them A Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and therefore until they do that I mean That you do put the people in that Liberty as I say certainly they will never enjoy themselves Sir it was for this that now I am come here If I would have given way to an-Arbitrary way for to have all Laws changed according to the power of the Sword I needed not to have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray God it be not laid to your Charge that I am the Martyr of the People Introth Sirs I shall not hold you much longer for I will only say this to you that in truth I could have desired some little time longer because I would have put this that I have said in a little more Order and a little better digested then I have done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God that you do take those courses that are best for the good of the Kingdom and your own Salvations Dr. Juxon Will Your Majesty though it may be very well known your Majesties Affections to Religion yet it may be expected that you should say somwhat for the worlds satisfaction King I thank you very heartily my Lord for that I had almost forgotten it Introth Sirs My Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the world and therefore I declare before you all That I die a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as I found it left me by my Father and this honest man * Pointing to Dr. Juxon I think will witness it Then turning to the Officers said Sirs excuse me for this same I have a good Cause and I have a Gracious God I will say no more Then turning to Col. Hacker he said Take care they do not put me to pain and Sir this and it please you But then a Gentleman coming near the Axe the King said Take heed of the Axe pray take heed of the Axe Then the King speaking to
the title was mistaken and no answer given therefore it was that another petition was drawn up to the same effect with a new Title given as I remember presented by the Serjeant at arms and one writ it over in such hast lest they should be drawn out of the Painted-Chamber into the Court that I had not time to read it over only I subscribed my name and there was in the front of the Petition a word left out but what the word was I know not and this was taken so ill as if I had put an affront or contempt upon the Court And it was thought they would have heard me plead and then because of that mistake they sent word I should have my answer when I came into the Court and my answer was the sentence of condemnation And therefore I pray with all my sonl that God would forgive all those that occasioned the charge to be drawn against me to give such unjust things against me I pray with all my soul that God would forgive all those upon so slender and small grounds adjudg'd me to die taking advantage of such simple ignorance as I was in And I had at the very beginning of my pleading engaged their honours no advantage should be taken against me to my prejudice that in as much as I understood nothing of the Law And having heard that a man in the nicety of the Law might be lost in the severity thereof meerly for speaking a word out of simple ignorance I made it my prayer to them that no advantage might be taken against me to the prejudice of my person and there was to me a seeming consent for the President told me there should be no advantage taken against me and upon these considerations I am afraid there was too great uncharitableness But I pray God forgive them from the very bottom of my soul and I desire that even those that shed my blood may have the bowels of the God of mercy shed for them And now having given you the occasion of my coming hit her it is fit I should give you somewhat as concerning my self as I am a Christian and as I am a Clergy-man First as I am a Christian I thank God I was baptized to the holy Church so I was baptized to be a Member of the holy Catholique Church that is the Church of England which I dare say for purity of Doctrine and orderly Discipline till a sad reformation had spoiled the face of the Church and made it a query whether it were a Church or no I say it was more purely Divine and Apostolical then any other Doctrine or Church in the Christian world whether National or Classical or Congregational And I must tell you That as I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the holy Catholick Church shall give a most just confession of my Faith both negatively and affirmatively Negatively I am so a Member of the Catholick Church that I abhor all Sects Schisms Sedition and Tyranny in Religion Affirmatively so that as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the world that love the same Lord JESUS in sincerity and call on his Name agreeing with those truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God both in the Old and New Testament though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary And I as I am thus a Christian I hope for salvation through the Merits of Christ Jesus his blood I relie on his merits I trust to for the salvation of my own soul though to this Faith good Works are necessary not meritorious in us but onely made meritorious by Christ his death by his alsufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteousness they become meritorious but in us they are no other than as defiled Rags And truly as I am a Member of the Church so I told you I was a Member of this Community and so pleaded for the Liberties and Priviledges thereof I must now answer something I am aspersed withal in the World They talk of something of a Plot and a Treasonable design and that I had a great interest in the knowledge and practise thereof and that for the saving my life I would have discovered and betrayed I cannot tell what I hope my conversation hath not been such here in this City where I have been a long time very well known as to make one imagine I should intermedle in such an action and go so contrary to the practice of my profession and I hope there are none so uncharitable towards me as to believe I had a knowledge of that design Here I must come to particulars for a Plot of having a design upon the City of London for the firing of it I so much tremble at the thought of the thing that should have been done as they say for the carrying on of such a design if my heart deceive me not had I known it I so much abhorre the thing I should have been the first discoverer of it Nor ever had I had correspondency or meerings with such persons as would have carried on such a design It is said likewise I entertained the Earl the Marquess of Ormond To my remembrance I never saw the face of that honourable person in my life It is said one Lords day I did preach at Saint Gregories and the next Lords day I was at Brussels or Bruges and kist the Kings hand and brought I cannot tell what Orders and Instructions from him This I shall say For these three years last past together I have not been sixty miles from this City of London and I think it is somewhat further to either of those places than threescore miles It is said that I kept correspondency with one Mallory and Bishop They are persons I have heard of their names but never saw their faces and to my knowledge I do not know they know me nor do I know them at all but only as I have heard of their names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highnesse was pleased to tell me I was like a flaming Torch in the midst of a sheaf of Corn He meaning I being a publick Preacher was able to set the City on fire by sedition and combustions and promoting designes Here truly I do say and have it from many of those who are Judges of the High-Court that upon examination of the business they have not found me a medler at all in these Affairs And truly I must needs say therefore That it was a very uncharitable act in them whoever they were that brought such accusation against me and irritated his Highness against me I will not say it was malice it might be zeal but it was rash zeal which caused me to be senrenced to this place The God of mercy pardon and forgive them all And truly as I am a Member of the Church and as a member
as to the Embassie no more then my Credential Letters did speak nor no more then that I attempted an Internuncio they call it in those places which is a Messenger between the one and the other KING They both unhappily died of several Deaths and both violent too And it is a Custom not unknown to you Master Sheriff and other Gentlemen that practice in the World that Princes of course for the continuance of Amity do send Messengers where there is Peace that the transaction of those publique expressiens of reciprocal Affection may be performed but for Embassie God forbid I should own it I never had it however they have used it as the happy means to bring me to God this day I beseech God in the Bowels of my Saviour to forgive those people that have done it I owe them no harm so God pay them home with all the good of this and an everlasting life As for power I have been long absent here in England I meddle with none Sufficient to me is Gods grace to to the salvation of my soul I have been alwayes fearful of offending Almighty God according to the grace he hath given me but to learn new Religion and new Wayes that I must say Mr. Sheriff to you and all others that hear me I cannot dispence with my Conscience to give offence to Almighty God I am now if it may be with your permission Master Sheriff to pour out my soul to Almighty God in two or three words the place is straitned if I knew wherein to give any satisfaction to any thing whatsoever wherein I have offended or no I am here in the fear of God to do it I forgive them with all my soul and my forgiveness is clear as I am now going to receive happiness at the hands of my Saviour But if I thought it were satisfaction to Sir Thomas Bendish and all the Company or any who think they have offended me I am come Mr. Sheriff to pay that Obedience willingly that Debt I owe to Nature to pay it upon the score of a Subject because Conscience within me tels me not that for the intentions of serving my Prince that I could deserve such a Death though ten thousand times more other ways Dr. Hide There was some suspition that you might impart the way you were upon to some of those servants that were with you Sir Henry Hide I humbly thank you for remembring me of it and if any be here of the Turky Company this day or any Friend of theirs I shall desire them from a dying Man to take this Truth That neither my Brother my innocent Brother that this is with me not other Gentlemen with me in my Company have contributed any thing to their disturbance it was my own business whatsoever hath been done that hath been to evil or loss though I deny both of them in my intentions I come not here to accuse any man not excuse my self but I praise God for all his deliverances yet I know I shall do God a great deal of Service and them a great deal of Justice in not involving any of my Company in any thing of mischief I cannot answer Objections I finde a man may be in Turky or in any place all the World over where they will give that Language which they hold fitting but this is beneath me Blessed be Almighty God that hath called me to the knowledge of him and this ready Obedience which I pray and mercifully accepting of my Saviour and patient death And I beseech you all whatsoever you are that you will accompanie me with your Prayers whereby my Soul may be assisted within me in that passage to my Saviour whether I am going I am weak of body I have discontinued long from the Kingdom I am unacquainted with new Forms I have desired to serve God according to his Commandements after the old way I have begged mercy of God for all my offences to him and have had my pardon sealed from Heaven by the blood of my Saviour I beg pardon of all whosoever whether I have offended them or no I truly for give them and have besought Almighty God to pour his blessings upon them I accuse no man I find fault nor quarrel with no man neither with the persons that were the occasions they were but instruments neither 〈◊〉 the persons condemning I accept thankfully the Sentence of Death upon my self and I beseech Almighty God that I may be the last that may suffer upon this score or upon any other Master Sheriff If there be any thing wherein I can give any other satisfaction to any Christian whatsoever in any kind as I spake in general I bless God Almighty from my own Heart now so assisted by the special Operation and Motions and Dictates of the Holy Ghost If I can know any thing wherein or how to be now in my dying not having served God so well in my life serviceable to the Church of God of Christ and the full satisfaction of any whatsoever I am here ready I am unacquainted but in my extasies to Heaven there is that glorie I am going to I beseech Almighty God that he will give me grace to bless his holie Name as for all as for Jesus Christ and in him all things so particularly for this that he hath thought me worthie to bring me hither for my faithfulness to my Master that is the most pious and most just Prince in all the World My Master hath suffered bitterly in England and if there be any failing in his service the fault is only mine God knows I have done nothing in the business but by the instance of the Merchants I delivered my Letters and there they lie To other things I am a stranger I hope that God will give me the grace of perseverance in that Christian Religion in that loyaltie to my Prince in that love to all the World that now being to give up my account to him that I may with comfort be received into the Arms of his Mercie If there be any thing Master Sheriff that I may give satisfaction in I am readie to do it according to the poor talent I have I will receive my punishment in the way God hath prepared for me 〈…〉 nie waies I have been taken up Truly I am bound to all that see me and manie thousands more since I came into England not an uncivil look we had strange Reports aborad not an uncivil look from anie God repay them all and return them from the Throne of his grace into their own Bosoms And God in particular bless that honourable Ladie who was the occasion of the coming of my Lords Grace of Armagh with the Confirmation of those glorious and eternal Messages of Comfort which now I am going to enjoy being thankful to all those that know me and know me not for since I am come hither whereas I might have received prejudice in respect to my Loyaltie which is not the
so many Martyrs in this Kingdom to which glory and Crown far above all his other Diadems this Defender of the Faith was through so many future hazards to aspire And the better to clear his innocency from those malicious aspersions it suffered under though the Sun at noon-day never was brighter or clearer than his entire profession of the Protestant Religion of his being in heart a Papist his Majesty being at Christ-Church in Oxford in 1643 and prepared to receive the Sacrament from the hands of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh used these publick expressions just before the receiving of the blessed Elements My Lord I Espy here many resolved Protestants who may declare to the World the resolution I now do make I have to the utmost of my power prepared my Soul to become a worthy receiver and so may I receive comfort by the blessed Sacrament as I do intend the establishment of the true Protestant Religion as it stood in its beauty in the happy dayes of Queen Elizabeth without any connivance of Popery I bless God that in the midst of these publick distractions I have still liberty to communicate and may this Sacrament be my damnation if my heart do not joyn with my lips in this Protestation But even this most sacred asseveration and then which nothing can more oblige belief and confidence was by these profaners of all holy things rejected and slighted and measured by their own perjurious Oaths and Covenants wherefore the King to undeceive the Forein Reformed Churches since he could not convince his own Subjects with whom their Emissaries had tampered and insinuated the same detestable falshood and who seemed to be otherwise affected to this their noble Defender than their duty required in those his times of affliction published a Declaration in Latin and sent it abroad the tenour whereof being of main concernment to our purpose is in English as followeth CHARLES by the special Providence of Almighty God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith To all those who profess the true reformed Protestant Religion of what Nation condition and degree soever they be to whom this present Declaration shall come Greeting Whereas we are given to understand that many false Rumours and scandalous Letters are spread up and down amongst the Reformed Churches in Forein parts by the politick or rather the pernicious industry of some ill affected persons that we have an inclination to recede from that Orthodox Religion which we were born baptized and bred in and which we have firmly professed and practised through the whole course of our life to this moment and that we intend to give way to the introduction and publick exercise of Popery again in our Dominions which conjecture or rather most detestable calumny being grounded upon no imaginable foundation hath raised these horrid Tumults and more than barbarous Wars throughout these flourishing Islands under pretext of a kind of Reformation which would not prove only incongruous but incompatible with the Fundamental Laws and Government of this our Kingdom We desire that the whole Christian World should take notice and rest assured that we never entertained in our imagination the least thought to attempt such a thing or to depart a jot from that Holy Religion which when we received the Crown and Scepter of this Kingdom we took a most solemn Sacramental Oath to profess and protect Nor doth our most constant practise and daily visible presence in the exercise of this sole Riligion with so many asseverations in the head of our Armies and the publick attestation of our Lords with the circumspection used in the education of our Royal Off-spring besides divers other undeniable Arguments only demonstrate this but also that happy alliance of mariage we contracted between our eldest Daughter and the illustrious Prince of Aurange most clearly confirms the reality of our Intentions herein By which nuptial engagement it appears further that our endeavours are not only to make a bare profession thereof in our own Dominions but to enlarge and corroborate it abroad as much as lieth in our power This most Holy Religion with the Hierarchy and Liturgy thereof we solemnly protest that by the help of Almighty God we will endeavour to our utmost power and last period of our life to keep entire and immovable and will be careful according to our Duty to Heaven and the tenour of the aforesaid most sacred Oath at our Coronation that all our Ecclesiasticks in their several stations and incumbencies shall preach and practise the same This came very seasonably into the World as to the Protestant part of it who never imagined or thought Subjects of their perswasion would take up Arms or resist without some grievous alteration in Religion though they condemn it in any case whatsoever and therefore the Protestant States abroad did wholly decline their owning of them though they did nothing positively for the Kings assistance which by this means he could not rationally promise to himself from the Catholick Princes who would not engage without some great advantages for his Popish Subjects against which his Majesty was so religiously resolved though he were most dutifully and cordially served by them throughout the War To resume our narrative the Kingdom was all in a flame the Sectaries every where finding Friends to their specious Cause and having the City of London for their inexhaustible Magazine and supplies of men money and Arms. Divers fields were fought in the chief whereof the King himself was personally present with various success till the year 1645 where at Naseby he received that fatal overthrow which ushered in so many succeeding calamities most unworthy of his great virtues and piety I cannot but observe before I come to repeat the perpetration of all their complicated mischief in his murder how gradually his enemies forsook their allegiance and how the paint of their religious and loyal pretences wore off by time which will leave their fair-faced impiety indelible First their General must go fight with the Kings Army and rescue him from his evil Councellors but preserve his Person this Riddle was resolved in my Lord Fairfaxes Commission when they had so far engaged their partakers that there was no way of receding from those dangerous courses where there was not such a word but kill and slay without exception During the War all their importunate desires were that he would be graciously pleased to disband his Army and return to his most dutiful Subjects at Westminster afterwards towards the expiration of the War when he urged what they had so vehemently obtested they were most ungraciously displeased at the proposal and so proceeded in conclusion to that heighth of impiety as Tacitus speaks of another cursed caytiffe Ferox scelerum quia prima provenerant their successe in one wickednesse provoking them to more For the King being every where worsted and besieged in his Chief Garrison the University of Oxford was advised and resolved to cast
Commodity was Security to Us Peace to Our People And We are confident another Parliam would remember how useful a Kings Power is to a Peoples Liberty Of how much We have divested Our self that We and they might meet again in a due Parliamentary way to agree the bounds for Prince and People And in this give belief to our Experience never to affect more Greatness or Prerogative then what is really and intrinsecally for the good of your Subjects not satisfaction of Favorites And if you thus use it you will never want means to be a Father to all and a bountiful Prince to any you would be extraordinarily Gracious unto You may perceive all men trust their Treasure where it returns them Interest and if Princes like the Sea receive and repay all the fresh streams and Rivers trust them with they will not grudge but pride themselves to make them up an Ocean These Considerations may make you a great Prince as your Father is now a low one and your state may be so much the more established as mine hath been shaken For Subjects have learnt We dare say that Victories over their Princes are but Triumphs over themselves and so will be more unwilling to hearken to Changes hereafter The English Nation are a sober People however at present under some Infatuation We know not but this may be the last time We may speak to you or the world publickly We are sensible into what hand We are faln and yet We bless God We have those inward Refreshments that the malice of Our Enemies cannot perturb We have learnt to own our self by retiring into Our self and therefore can the better digest what befals Us not doubting but God can restrain our Enemies malice and turn their fierceness into his Praise To conclude if God give you success use it humbly and far from Revenge If he restore you to your Right upon hard conditions whatever you promise keep Those men which have forced Laws which they were bound to observe will find their Triumphs full of Troubles Do not think any thing in this world worth obtaining by foul and unjust Means You are the Son of our Love and as We direct you to what we have recommended to you so we assure you We do not more affectionately pray for you to whom We are a Natural Parent then We do that the ancient Glory and Renown of this Nation be not buried in Irreligion and Phanatick humour And that all Our Subjects to whom VVe are a Politick Parent may have such sober Thoughts as to seek their peace in the Orthodox Profession of the Christian Religion as it was established since the Reformation in this Kingdom and not in new Revelations And that the ancient Laws with the Interpretation according to known practises may once again be an hedge about them that you may in due time govern and they be governed as in the fear of the Lord. C. R. The Lord Capel beheaded March 9. 1949. in the Palace yard Westminster THis Noble Lord Noble in his Life nobler in his Death and Memory noblest in his Posterity who fill the trumpet of Fame that summons all men to render them their deserved honours though he was not like some of our foregoing Martyrs viz. Sr. Charles Lucas and Sr. George Lisle murthered in the instant of the rendition of Colchester having quarter for life given him by the General yet did not long survive their hard fate being brought with more solemnity more perfidiousness though alike glory to his Death which he suffered with a Christian and no Roman but Colchester Spirit and resolution He was no great Captain nor ever undertook such a charge serving without any signal command in his Majesties Armies though no doubt sufficient thereto yet he is no less to be eternized for his indeavours his courage constancy and faithful adherence to the King when deserted by a great part of the Nobility parting with and hazarding a great and ample Estate which was sequestred from him and in conclusion laying down his life so that he may justly be stiled one of the Worthies of the English Nobility and his name ever to be honourably mentioned according to that of the Psalmist Psal 112.6 The Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance He was Son and Heir to Sr. Arthur Capel of Hadham Hall in Herefordshire a Gentleman of Great Estate and who loved and followed the old mode of our Nation kept a Noble and bountiful House and shewed forth his Faith by his charity extending it in such abundant manner to the poor that he was bread to the hungry drink to the thirsty eies to the blind and legs the the same so that he might justly be stiled Great Almoner to the King of Heaven As this diffusive charity and bounty spread it self abroad no less did his Relative love and Paternal affection bestow it self on this his Son whom he most liberally educated to a perfection in Learning as his rich expressions and elegant stile in his Book Printed after his death and in other letters do best evidence Sr. Arthur dying as this Noble Lord inherited his Estate so did he his Virtues his pious bounty appearing so conspicuous that some envious persons who hate good works in others because they will do none themselves have maliciously traduced him as inclining to Popery But as such aspersions amongst persons of understanding signifie nothing more than the speakers malice so wrought it in others a deserved commendation of this Noble Person especially in those times and our own are worse when Charity lay bed-rid and Faith only and such hungry notions were talkt of whereas his Faith appeared by his works From the degree of Knight the ancient Dignity of his Family now advanced to the Earldom of Essex he was made Baron Capel of Hadham a little before the time the Earl of Strafford received his Tryal which in this brave Lords conscientious Judgment of himself was his original condemnation in foro coeli During the Rebellion and those differences between the King and Parliament he constantly and faithfully adhered to his Majesty contributing both in purse and person to his aid and assistance being appointed in that time for his eminent wisdom and prudence Councellour to the Prince by the King his Father whom he abandoned not till the disbanding of my Lord Hopton's Army in Cornwall from whence his Highness took shipping to Scilly giving my Lord an honourable but sorrowful dismission and conge to return home and attend though his heroical mind spur'd him on to pursue his most unworthy fate For at his coming home upon those Articles having scarce warmed himself there after his long absence from thence but some hopes appearing of the King's restauration to his former Authority by the coming in of Duke Hamilton with a potent Army as also by the Welch Insurrection and the rising of several Counties who declared for the same purpose he with a select number of his friends acquaintance and
way now I have from them all received courtesie the Lord repay them I thank God I am otherwise bred and my Allegiance hath been incorporated embodred into my Religion and besides the great desires of other Gentlemen that I might go out of the World but that the World might see that the Grace of God hath had a perfect Reformation in me and a willing and thankful submission to his Will therefore I repent me not of it but I beseech Almightie God to bless and prosper all people whatsoever that to this Kingdom belong As my Speech is imperfect so is my health I have forced my self in this Discourse to give that satisfaction which I could And I beseech you Mr. Sheriff if you can hear of any Gentlemen that are wronged what I offer here I am to answer it and I beseech you join with me in your Christian prayers that I may have a passage whether I am now going to give an account not only of everie deed but of everie word Then turning to his Man he said Sir H. Hide John which is the Executioner The Executioner being brought to him he said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I have no quarrel with you you are the welcom instrument do your work only let me set the place that I may fit my self for I have an infirm body Sheriff You shall when you have prayed if you please to pray first Sir H. Hide I desire to see the Block I can pray afterwards Here Mr. Executioner is that mony that is left here is four pounds for you Then being shewed the Block he kissed it saying Sir H. Hide It is unworthie for me to put my head where my Masters was blessed be God blessed be his holy Name putting off his Hat I have an infirmitie in my body but God hath enabled me inwardly Pray Mr. Sheriff let me have a little more room Sheriff Go to prayer and we will clear the room Sir H. Hide I have I thank Almighty God done those Christian Offices belonging to me at home I am come hither only to die Then kneeling down he said the Lords Prayer Then having prayed a short space he stood up and turning to the Executioner said Sir H. Hide Honest Friend I pray give me direction what I am to do and do your Office you will cure all diseases presently pray direct me Then the Executioner going to spread the Scarff over the Block he said Sir H. Hide Put it not on now but by and by D. Hide God Almightie strengthen you Sir H. Hide God reward you all Then the Executioner going to put up his hair under his Sattin Cap he thought he had been taking of it off whereupon he said Sir H. Hide Must I have my black Cap off it is very cold all these diseases will be cured the Lord be thanked Then going to lie down his Man not helping him he said Sir H. Hide John Help me a little I pray Did not I tell you I could neither rise nor fall Lay me down and lift me up again John Then rising again upon his knees he spake to the Executioner having the Ax in his hand Sir H. Hide Pray Sir give me the Ax. And then taking the Ax in his hand he kissed it and returned it to the Executioner again saying Sir H. Hide I will only say Lord Jesus receive my Soul and when I lift up my right-hand do your work And then lying down again after a little space he lift up his right-hand and the Executioner at one stroke severed his head from his body Mr. Benson Executed Octob. 7. at London 1650. THis person was ingaged and trapan'd into the same unfortunate business with Colonel Andrews on purpose by his means to draw in also Sir John Gell of whom before he having been a servant and retainer to the said Knight many years before He had also born office and had a command under him during the time Sir John serv'd the Parliament and numbred himself afterwards amongst these who being uncommissioned were generally known by the name of Reformadoes Upon these accounts he became obnoxious to them especially of the men at Westminster who by their instruments searching into his discontents soon worked him into the Plot. A capacious design it was which comprehended and included all interests Cavalier Presbyterian and Leveller together with those formerly cashier'd Officers under Essex and which had it taken its wicked intended effect would have made them appear so cunning and terrible so disheartned and terrified all men against opposing or endeavouring against the tyranny that their new Common-wealth would have been a solitude or wilderness where like beasts not men we should have been afraid one of another Col. Andrews at his taking was of opinion that this person was of the gang that betrayed him but in appeared to the contrary for Barnard had clearly possest him with the reality and feasibleness of the design into which he was so rationally as he thought and upon such sure grounds engaged such and such great persons being nominated as principal therein that not onely it was his belief but his confidence on which he had raised great hopes of advantage to himself that this meritorious piece of service would take effect Nay so certain was he that in the last trick put upon Colonel Andrews in reserence to the drawing in of Sir John Gell which was a menace that if the Colonel did not procure Sir Johns hand and seal the Confederates would themselves go over to the King in Holland and give such an account of the affair to his Majesty as should tend little to the crediand honour of them both that Mr. Benson was inveigled in the head he should be the man intrusted with the delivery thereof and receive the designed mony for the Colonel to defray the management of that service This conceit was so rooted in him that he quitted it not till he was really surprised and in custody Nay when there so strong was his fancy and so set upon the issue of this businesse that he complained to himself of the Colonel through whose backwardness and slow procedure therein he thought it only miscarried not yet dreaming that he was made the stalkingly-horse to his as well as their destruction It was imagined that they would have contented themselves with that industrious service he did them by so exactly realizing their counterfeit plot as a bird set to chirp others by his merry note into the snare but no such matter having mist the great ones they would be sure of the small to give some satisfaction to their unsatiable thiâ—st of blood and in order to some accomplishment of their design sacrifice one of a sort and interest to their policy and Government and him they marked out for a Reformado of whom by their claim of arrears due to them for service there was some danger and this was the most speedy and easie way of paying them At his Execution he spoke very little
much worse but I hope my sins are all bathed in the blood of Jesus Christ So laying his neck upon the block and his armes stretcht out he said these words Blessed be Gods glorious Name for ever and ever Let the whole Earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen At which words he gave the Headsman the sign but he either not observing it or not being ready stayed too long so that his Lordship rose up again saying Why do you keep me from my Saviour what have I done that I die not and that I may live with him Once more I will â—ay my self down in peace and so take my everlasting rest Then saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly he stretched out his arms and gave the sign repeating the same words Blessed be Gods glorious Name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Then lifting up his hand the Executioner did his work at one blow all the people weeping and crying and giving all expressions of grief and lamentation When the corps were carried off the Scaffold they carried them to a house in the Town where was thrown into his Coffin in a piece of paper these two lines Upon James Earl of Derby Bounty Wit Courage all here in one lie dead A Stanleys hand Veres heart and Cecil's head The sentence of the Council of VVar. Resolved by the Court upon the Question That James Earl of Derby is guilty of the breach of the Act of the 12. of August 1651. last past entituled An Act prohibiting correspondence with Charles Stuart or his party and so of High-Treason against the Common-wealth of England and is therefore worthy of death Resolved by the Court. That the said James Earl of Derby is a traytor to the Common-wealth of Eagland and an abettor encourager and assister of the declared Traytors and enemies thereof and shall be put to death by severing his head from his body at the Market place in the Town of Bolton in Lancashire upon VVednesday the 15. day of this instant October about the houre of one of the Clock the same day Sir Timothy Feverston Haugh beheaded at Chester Octob. 22. 1651. HAving nothing but the History of the War for my direction to this Gentlemans memory I will confine my self within the compass of that discovery and venture not to derive him any further hoping his honourable Relations will for their own as well as his sake be pleased to vouchsafe a full and perfect account of him hereafter to the embalming his fame to Posterity He was engaged in the unhappy Defeat at Wiggan with theafore said noble Earl to whose assistance whether he came with the King and was left by him there with those small Forces could be spared or that he voluntarily joyned or came from the Isle of Man with that Party I cannot determine this is for certain he was taken prisoner at that unlucky overthrow in Lancashire and secured afterwards till the Grand Business was over at Worcester Upon the coming back of the Forces assigned to Cheshire for their stationary Quarters and the bringing of the Earl of Derby thither they were both imprisoned at Chester and after the Trial and Condemnation of the Earl of Derby was likewise brought before the said Court-Martial and as no better was or could be expected by him or any other person had likewise the said Sentence only differing in time and place He behaved himself at his Death couragiously and Christianly telling those Monsters of men the foulness of their faults and confidently averring that the Justice of God would at last overtake them if they timely returned not to their duty and after some few prayers and among them one for the Kings preservation which yet was in doubt he resigned his Soul to God and hath added one to the glorious Company of Martyrs Colonel Benbow shot no death at Shrewsbury Octob. 1651. I Must confess my self at a losse here but though I could receive nothing else but his Name yet to that there is so much due on this account of Martyrdome that I durst not omit him putting hereby an occasion into the hands of this Gentlemans Relations to rescue his and perpetuate their Name to after Ages I conceive him to be one of those loyal Gentlemen who came in with the Earl of Shrewsbury then Lord Talbot or Colonel Howard my Lord Howard of Esericks Son to the King at Worcester and who for his former Services done the King in the War before was obnoxious to their malice Most certain it was he was taken notice of and observed to be very active in that Engagement at Worcester in the flight from whence he was taken though most of the other English escaped by the favour and concealment of the Country nor did ever the Scots finde civiller usage after a Defeat save those who through their glorious valour fell and escaped the better way to Heaven After he was taken he was conveighto Shrewsbury a place which the King from Worcester had summoned by a Letter to Colonel Mackworth the Governour which Royal Command they thought fit to question with loyal Blood as they pretended to expiate the storming of Bolton by Prince Rupert with the murder of the Earl of Derby Whatever the reasons of their proceedings there against him might be I cannot ascertain thus much from all hands we have that he went not lesse in his death then in his life maintaining his Religion to God his Duty to the King and his Innocency to the World to the last minute of his breath which found several wayes to expire by their Bullets and to ascend with his Soul to Heaven with a Quinque Domine c. Colonel John Gerhard and Mr. Vowel the one beheaded at Tower-hill and the other hanged at Charing-Crosse July 10. 1654. OLiver Cromwel that Monster of English production had but newly invaded the Magistracy over these Nations when as the Hydra before him had done he commenced his Tyrannical Regiment with a Sacrifice of Loyal blood which all along cemented the frame of his five yeares Usurpation as the Walls of Babylon were said to be mortar'd A cursed Rule it was among those State-Innovators that there was no surer way of establishing their Tyrannie and bring their Models to any sound constituon but by profusely letting blood especially in the Plurisie of so many dangers which their evil and abominable actions did daily threaten them This they termed Preventional Cure for suspecting all hands to be about their eares they resolved to be before hand with some that the terror of the Example being contrary to all reason Justice and Law and a perfect avowing of their Tyranny might reach to every man that who with the sense of so apparent danger and destruction out of which once engaged there was no rescue or deliverance but by death might be stupified into a degenerous fear and abject servility of mind to endure whatever their insupportable Domination should load upon
done formerly So have I seen a windy and stormy day concluding in stilness and Sunshine as if weary and desiting to rest without any breath of trouble The Minister only waiting on him to the last and about five a clock enters the Lieut. of the Tower and the Sheriff of London Two sure friends that will not leave him as long as he hath life remaining in him They told him a sowr message that they were come to conduct him to his death's blow He reply'd they were very welcome and received them so fearlesse and untroubled that the Sheriffe told the Minister He was sorry to see him so ukfit for that condition but under favour he mistook his condition That which he accounted fitness to die our Pamphlet-monger would have called flagging and cowardise So a hard thing it is to satisfy all curiosities even with our blood and nothing more ingenious then to carry this bitter cup even when so many misconstructions shake it At his lodging he desired the Sheriffe that he would permit the Minister and three others that were his friends and servants to go upon the Scaffold with him which as it was seasonable wisdome in him to desire so was it a fortunate kindnesse from them that granted it else it may be their testimony might have been wanting to his injured reputation He took leave particularly on the Houshold where he was as a prisoner and was so clearly collected in every thing he did that he went out of his way into the kitchin to bid his Lanlady farewell giving thanks for her respects during his bonds which he said he should die in to her As he passed by the Guards in the Tower he gave them mony twice and told them he should trouble them no longer being on his remove to better Guards He walked along to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill shewing a great deal both of humility and respect to the people who generally lamented him and prayed for him As he went he was bare-headed for the most part carrying his hat in his hand and sometimes resting it in a carelesse bravery on his left side When he came to or rather leap'd upon the Scaffold for he was so far from flagging when to tread that Tragical stage that many observed how sprightfully he seem'd to skip up the steps to it as if he had gone to dance there rather then to die his grim executioner presented himself to him to whom with a chearfull smile he said Welcome honest friend And desiring to see his Ax he took it into his hands and kissing it with a pretty glance of his eye which was a natural lovelinesse in him towards the Minister he said This will do the deed I warrant it The Scaffold was very much crowded with people yet as well as he could he made some turns to and sro upon it with a paper which he had taken out of his pocket in his hand wherein it seemes he had prepared some heads of a speech which he intended to have delivered but the Sheriff and Lieutenant told him if he spoke any thing it must be very brief and that they must not suffer him to speak any thing that was seditious Well Gentlemen said he your will be done but God be praised I never yet had to do with any thing that was seditious I would fain have spoken something to clear my self to the world according to the custom if it might have been But come Sir saith he turning to the Minister Let you and I speak to him that will give us leave and so kneeling down together in a corner of the stage the Minister pray'd with him a short time which done they stood up again Then turning himself to the people and putting off his hat he told them That he was not permitted to speak a few words according to his intention yet he doubted not but what he would have said would come to their eyes though it must not come to their ears But this I desire all to take notice of and this he spoke with a double vehemence that I die a faithful subject and servant to King Charles the second whom I pray God to bless and râ—store to his rights and had I ten thousand thousand lives I would gladly lay them all down thus for his service Here he was interrupted and the Sheriff wished him rather to confess what he knew concerning the horrid Plot he was condemned for He answered That he had confessed all that he knew concerning any Plot that he thought they knew more of the Plot that condemned him then he did but he heartily forgave them The Minister told him it was well done to forgive and pardon those that persecute us That was an act of true Christian love but as his case stood love was not enough He ought to deal in this business upon which his life lay with all candour and sincerity not concealing any thing of that nature as was charged against him as far as he might glorisie God and serve the publick good Upon which lifting up his eyes towards heaven and laying his hand upon his breast Oh Sir sayes he if there had been any such thing in this breast would I not have revealed it before this time I protest in the sight of Almighty God I know no more of any such design but only what I have often acknowledged that it was motioxed to me by Major Henshaw who I confidently believe is in their hands and debated twice or thrice when I was with him but I never enâ—ertaived it at all and at the last flatly disown'd it and told him I would have nothing to do in it He was many times pressing me to nominate what persons I knew I could bring to have their names but let them shew any such thing if they can against me But I am certain he is in their hands Pawsing here a little and fetching a turn or two upon the Scaffold being very hot as he had baen all that morning he call'd for some small beer which he had given order to be ready and was brought thither in a stone bottle of which he drank a little once or twice Then the Minister went to him and minded him that something might be expected from him as to his Religion and disposition to dye To which gathering up an extraordinary resolution in his face he replyed I dy a Christian a true Christian according to that Faith and Religion which was professed by the Church of England in the time of our late King of blessed memory And I praise God I am so fitted and ready to dye that I am confident by the merits of Christ Jesus that my sins are pardoned and my salvation is at hand Then turning about he called for his wast-cote and cap and throwing off his doublet put them on whilst his servants helped to put up his hair His wast-coat was not very clean which he took notice of to his man but 't is no great matter saith he