all that time but brought forth that Protestation or band of Association as they terme it which is now in print it was then drawun up and without further processe or delay before they came out subscribed by the whole House except the Lord Digby and an Uncle or Friend of his It is thought by some whose heads are not green that it is very like a Covenant in Scotland but that must bee left to furrher time and wiser heads if that CoÌ„ment that perhaps will follow bee not worse then the text it may in probability happen out to bee canonicall enough but the too generall Phrase in it lyes very open to have sences pro re natâ thrust upon them which may bee very justly suspected to have beene intended where the oath and Law-giver is the party only some have observed two remarkable things upon this First Some thinke it Strange that Seeing the House of Commons have lately fined the Convocation House upon this ground especially that they enjoyned an oath which is a Legislative power say they and only due to Parliaments How they at this time as if all the Legislative power were in them without the advise of the Lords I say not of the Church though in matters Ecclesiasticall or approbation of the King which is conceived to bee a mighty encroachment upon his Praerogative should offer either to praescribe or subscribe such an oath as if it were essentiall to our Reformation ever to bee done by the people without Authority of the Superiour powers and yet before it passe in a Stat. It must come in by a Bill usteron proteròn but parhaps it is hoped that by this Anti-dated subscription they shall finde out the more easy passage for the Bill when it comes to bee Propounded Secondly That the House of Commons were foure houres pleading upon that one expression in the Protestation The true reformed Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England Some who were more tender toward the Church desiring that the word discipline might bee adjoyned to the word Doctrine but others mainly opposed that reasoning that no discipline could bee admitted but all to bee esteemed as Popish that was not conteined in the Doctrine that is in the word of God which party at the last did prevaile though the other affirmed that there was more expresse warrant in the word of God for Bishops then for ruling Elders but if some Hint bee not there intended against the Duanes and Chapters the liturgies ceremonies yea the very Bishops of the Church of England let any man judge and of what dangerous consequence that may bee if those who pretend to have authority in all Church affaires may bee permitted to give Sentence is not difficult to determine This day the people mett againe but in smaller number they have threatned to come to morrow with all rheir maine forces and not to desist till the Lievetenant bee executed and their other petitions obteined the oath was likewise presented to the Lords and some say all of them except the eight Recusâ—nt Lords and foure of the Bishops have signed the same but others say they have only admitted the Bill which is more likely I think it is Lncan tells us the tale That when the 100 handed Gyant Briareus whom the Mithologizers of Poems use as a Type of the multitude was first brought into the world his Father Jupiter desired Mercury to set his Scheme and calculate the Starres of his Nativity no Father said Mercury that is needlesse a little time will shew his disposition for so many hands cannot bee long Idle A very lively Idoea of this businesse now in Agitation your selfe may make the application by the events Upon Saterday May the eighth the Bill against the Lord Saterday May 8. Strafford past the Lords there were fourtie five present of which nyneteene voiced for him and twenty six against him the greatest part of his friends absented themselves upon pretence whether true or suppositious that they feared the multitude otherwise his suffrages had more then counterpoised the voters for his death In the Bill hee is condemned of Treason and all his English Lands the other part of the Coat is left for those in Ireland forfeited with an especiall Proviso that this Act shall in no waies bee forceable against others then if it never had been made which to his friends of Judgment smells Strongly of a particular hatred against him as if the same common way of Justice should not equally strike against all which it should doe in true Justice but that Crimes did differ in their Subjects Two wayes there were to have proceeded against him by a Legislative or by a Judiciary power both did strike home alike at his life and his estate both alike ready both sure by reason of the proofs the Difference only this this might have beene done without the King that only by him because this a Sentence that a Statute A man would think the Judiciary way had beene the more sure and that the King would rather have connived and not exercised his Praerogative by a Reprivall then to have Interessed himselfe in the Legislative proceedings by consenting to the Act against him In whom the world conceived for by past and future services he had so great an Interrest But they it seems notwithstanding his Majesties late Attestation of the Gentlemans Innocency in point of Treason were more confident of his gracious Inclination to Justifie their own Act And more desirous too that hee should demonstrate his willingnesse in punishing such transgressors and therefore the Bill went on by the Statute The same day another Bill passed both the Houses that because of the important businesses of the Kingdome the Parliament should not be broken up by the King without the specall advise and consent of both the Houses till all their grievances were redressed and their safety provided for which space of time for any thing I know may last till doomes day some would have had the prefinition of 5 some 7 some 9 yeares put to it others Replyed that this would bee both odious dangerous odious in that it should seem so long a Parliament Dangerous in the same time may happen out possible to be longer some think it an honor I rather a fatality or to sweeten the word a Providence that both their Bills should passe at once as if Generatio unius were Corruptio Alterius And this new Governwent should take life from the death of the Earle of Strafford In the afternoone the House of Commons desired accesse to the King in the Banqueting House and having stayed there an houre for his coming in three words they propounded these two great Bills desiring that hee would give his Royall Assent to them both Quod si non prosint singula Juncta Juvant Withall humbly shewing that the present danger of the Kingdome could admit of no delayes The King told them they should expect an answer on Munday
last with new matter or with supplementall Proofe hee might have leave to speake something in his owne Defence The Lord Steward answered It was all the reason in the world The Lievetenant went on thus MY LORDS This day I stand before you Charged with high-Treason My Lord Straffords last speech in the Hall the burthen is heavie yet farre the more in that it hath borrowed the Patrociny of the House of Commons If they were not Interessed I might expresse a no lesse easie then I doe a safe issue and good successe to the businesse but let neyther my weakenesse pleade my Innocence nor their power my guilt If your Lordships will conceive of my Defences as they are in themselves without referrence to eyther and I shall endeavor so to present them I hope to goe away from hence as cleerly justified as I am now in the testimony of a good Conference by my selfe My Lords I have all along my Charge watched to see that poysoned arrow of Treason that some men would faine have to be feathered in my heart and that deadly cup of wine that hath so intoxicated some petcy misalleaged Errors as to put them in the elevation of high-Treason but in truth it hath not beene my quicknesse to discern any such Monster yet within my breast though now perhaps by a sinistrous Information sticking to my cloathes They tel me of a two fold Treason one against the Statute another by the Common-Lawe this direct that consecutive this individual that Accumulative this in it selfe that by way of construction For the first I must and doe acknowledge that if I had the least suspition of my owne guilt I would spare your Lordships the pains cast the first stone at my self passe Sentence of condemnation against my selfe And whether it be so or not I refer my selfe to your Lordships judgement and Declaration You and only you under the favour and protection of my gracious Master are my Judges under favour none of the Commons are my Peeres nor can they be my Judges I shall ever celebrate the providence and wisdome of your noble Ancestors who have put the keyes of Life and Death so farre as concerns you and your posterity into your own hands not into the hands of your inferiours None but your own selves know the rate of your noble blood none but your selves must hold the ballance in dispencing the same I shall proceede in repeating my Defences as they are reduceable to these two maine points of Treason and for Treason against the Statute which is the only Treason in effect nothing is alleaged for that but the fifteenth two and twentith and twenty seventh Articles Here he brought the sum of all his Replies made to these three Articles before and almost in the same words as before only that testimony of Sir Henâ—y Vanes because it seemed pressing he stood upon it and alleaged five Reasons for the nullifying thereof First That it was but a single testimony and would not make Faith in a matter of Debt much lesse in a matter of Life and Death yea that it was expresly against the Statute to impeach much lesse to condemn him upon high-Treason under the testimony of two famous witnesses Secondly That he was dubious in it and exprest it with an as I doe remember and such or such like words Thirdly That all the Councell of eight except himselfe disclaime the words as if by a singular providence they had taken hold of his eares only Fourthly That at that time the King had levied no forces in Ireland and therefore hee could not bee possibly so impudent as to say to the King that hee had an Army there which hee might imploy for the reducing this Kingdome Fiftly That he had proved by witnesses beyond all exceptions Marquesse Hamilton the Lord Treasurer the Earle of Northumberland Lord Cottington Sir William Pennyman and Sir Arthur Terringham that there was never the least intention to land those Forces in England Hee went on So much for the Articles that concerne Individuall Treason To make up the Constructive-Treason or Treason by way of Accumulation Many Articles are brought against me as if in an heap of Felonies or Misdemeanors for in their conceit they reach no higher some prolificall seede apt to produce what is treasonable could lurke Here I am charged to have designed the ruine and overthrowe both of Religion and State The first seemeth rather to have beene used to make me odious then guilty for there is not the least proofe alleaged concerning my confederacy with the Popish-faction nor could there be any indeede never a servent in Authority beneath the King my Master was ever more hated and maligned by those men then my selfe and that for an Impartiall and strict executing of the Lawes against them Here your Lordships may observe that the greater number of the witnesses used against me eyther from Ireland or from Yorkeshire were men of that Religion But for my owne Resolution I thanke God I am ready every houre of the day to seale my disaffection to the Church of Rome with my deerest blood But my Lords give me leave here to poure forth the griefe of my Soule before you these proceeding against me seeme to be exceeding rigorous and to have more of praejudice then equity that upon a supposed Charge of my Hypocrisy or Errors in Religion I should be made so monstrously odious to three Kingdomes A great many thousand eyes have seen my Accusations whose eares shall never heare that when it came to the upshot I was never accused of them Is this fayre dealing amongst Christians but I have lost nothing by that Popular applause was ever nothing in my conceipt the uprightnesse and integrity of a good Conscience was and ever shall be my continuall feast and if I can be justified in your Lordships judgements from this grand imputation as I hope now I am seeing these Gentlemen have throwne downe the Bucklers I shall account my selfe justified by the whole Kingdome because by you who are the Epitomy the better part yea the very Soule and life of the Kingdome As for my Designe against the State I dare pleade as much Innocency here as in matter of my Religion I have ever admired the wisdome of our Ancestors who have so fixed the pillars of this Monarchy that each of them keepe a due proportion and measure with other and have so handsomly tyed up the nerves and sinnews of the State that the strayning of any one may bring danger and sorrow to the whole oeconomy The Praerogative of the Crowne and the Propriety of the Subject have such mutuall relations this takes protection from that that foundation and nourishment from this And as on the Lute if any one string be too high or too lowly wound up you have lost the Harmony so here the excesse of a Prerogative is oppression of pretended Liberty in the Subject Disorder and Anarchy The Praerogative must be used as God doth
from my heart that from the time that I was one and twenty yeares of age to this present going now upon fourty nine I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England Nor ever had any man the boldnesse to suggest any such thing to mee to the best of my remembrance and so being reconciled by the merrits of Jesus Christ my Saviour into whose bosome I hope I shall shortly bee gathered to those eternall happinesses which shall never have end I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man for any rash or unadvised words or any thing done amisse and so my Lords and Gentlemen Farewell Farewell all the things of this world I desire that you would bee silent and joyne with me in prayer and I trust in God wee shall all meet and live eternally in heaven there to receive the Accomplishment of all happinesse where every teare shall bee wiped away from our eyes and every sad thought from our hearts and so God blesse this Kingdome and Jesus have mercy on my Soule Then turning himselfe about hee Saluted all the noble men and tooke a solemne leave of all considerable persons upon the Scaffold giving them his hand After that hee said Gentlemen I would say my prayers and entreate you all to pray with me and for me then his Chaplaine layd the booke of Common-prayer upon the Chayre before him as hee kneeled downe on which hee prayed almost a quarter of an houre and then as long or longer without the Booke and concluded with the Lords prayer Standing up hee espies his Brother Sir George Wentworth and calls him to him saying Brother we must part remember me to my sister and to my wife and carry my blessing to my Sonne and charge him that hee feare God and continue an obedient Sonne to the Church of England and warne him that hee beares no private grudge or revenge toward any man concerning me And bid him beware that hee meddle not with Church-livings for that will prove a moth and canker to him in his estate and wish him to content himselfe to bee a Servant to his Country not ayming at higher Preferments Aliter To his Sonne Master Wentworth hee commends himselfe and gives him charge to serve his God to submit to his King with all faith and Allegiance in things temporall to the Church in things Spirituall chargeth him againe and againe as hee will answer it to him in heaven never to meddle with the Patrimony of the Church for if he did it would be a Canker to eate up the rest of his Estate Carry my blessing also to my daughter Anne and Arabella charge them to serve and feare God and hee will blesse them not forgetting my little Infant who yet knowes neither good nor evill and cannot speake for it selfe God speake for it and blesse it now said hee I have nigh done one Stroke will make my wife husbandlesse my deare children fatherlesse and my poore Servants Masterlesse and will seperate me from my deare brother and all my friends But let God bee to you and them all in all After this going to take off his doublet and to make himself unready hee said I thank God I am not affraid of Death nor daunted with any discouragement rising from any feares but doe as chearfully put off my doublet at this time as ever I did when I went to bed then hee put off his Doublet wound up his haire with his hands and put on a white Cap. Then hee called where is the man that is to doe this last office meaning the executioner call him to me when hee came and asked him forgivenesse hee told him he forgave him and all the world then kneeling down by the block hee went to prayer againe himselfe The Primate of Ireland kneeling on the one side and the Minister on the other To the which Minister after prayer hee turned himselfe having done prayer and spake some few words softly having his hands lifted up and closed with the Ministers hands Then bowing himselfe to lay his head upon the block he told the Executioner that hee would first lay down his head to try the fitnesse of the block and take it up againe before he would lay it down for good and all And so he did and before he layed it down again he told the Executioner that he would give him warning when to strike by stretching forth his hands And presently laying down his neck upon the block and stretching forth his hands the Executioner strooke off his head at one blow and taking it up in his hand shewed it to all the people And sayd God save the King His body was afterwards embalmed and appointed to be carried into York-shire there to be buried amongst his Ancestors He left these three Instructions for his Sonne in Writing First That hee should continue still to be brought up under those Governors to whom hee had committed him As being the best he could pick out of all those within his knowledge and that he should not change them unlesse they were weary of him that he should rather want himselfe then they should want any thing they could desire Secondly He charged him as he would answer it at the last day not to put himselfe upon any publique employments till he was thirty yeares of age at least And then if his Prince should call him to Publique Service he should carefully undertake it to testify his obedience and withall to be faithfull and sincere to his Master though he should come to the same end that himselfe did Thirdly That he should never lay any hand upon any thing that belonged to the Church He foresaw that ruine was like to come upon the Revennues of the Church and that parhaps they might be shared amongst the Nobility and Gentry But if his Sonne medled with any of it he wished the curse of God might follow him and all them to the Destruction of the most Apostolicall Church upon Earth FINIS
morning The Court at this time was surcharged with a confluence of People quasi Civitas tota sedibus suis mota as if the whole Citty was come to petition for Justice a Government indeede worse then a Democrasie where the people doe not rule but play the Tyrants If there were no Monarchy there needs no conscience to obay it But where it is and cannot protect it selfe the good subject must either forget himselfe or his loyalty A two edged sword killing either the body or the soule nor in this are men in better ease then the winged Fishes that our Southerne Mariners tell us of which if they swim beneath the water are cath'd by the Dolphin if they fly above for refuge are snatched away by the hungry Ravenous foules Lord helpe then the times or help our patience and Resolutions give us either redresse in thee or confidence in thee The wiser sort conceived these two Bills too big for them to desire at once and that both of them together might procure a flat deniall but the more couragious knew the readyer way by farre having often had experience of his Majesties readinesse to grant just desires resolving that hee that expects to loose the day is beaten at his own diffidence and it is the qualitie of some men to swallowe Camells upon a sudden who if you give them leisure will perchance streine at a Gnatt Their Resolutions may ayme at this but despaire to remedy that nature gives the reason Omne agens se exercet intra sphaeram Activitatis dangers if they come but stragling upon us wee may collect our spirits well enough and easily resist them but if they come by whole troopes Amazement and feare admitts of no consultation for the future but only intends to decline the present and pressing hazard whereon the ancient Gaules made their first on-setts with valour beyond the courage of men and with fearefull cryings and shouts belying rheir own Animosity to stupify and quell that of the enemy Sunday All the day the King was resolute never to give Sunday way to the Bill against the Lord Strafford telling them withall that it seemd strange to him that the man could not dy unlesse hee and hee only by giving Sentence the Kings Legislative way should condemne him the Lord Pembrok brought the King a piece of Scripture 2. Sam. 19. from the 5. to the 9. verse the words indeede became a Joab rather then himselfe till hee had scattered the force of the Kings not eldest sonne yet eldest daughter the Kingdome of Scotland heere is some Analogy with Absolon and in nothing else for David was sorry for shedding the nocent they not sorry for shedding the Innocent blood though the Issue bee not the same Foure Bishops were sent for by the King the Primate of Ireland the Bishop of Durham Lincolne and Carlile some Foure Bishops say and I doe rather believe it that the King was desirous the Bill should bee voiced againe and argued the Bishops had their suffrages in the Admission though not in the approbation of the Bill others thinke in regard the Primate was there who had no Interest in this Kingdome it was to resolve the Kings Conscience for my part I see not how they should doe this seeing the businesse was grounded upon a case in Law which none of them unlesse the Bishop of Lincolne had learned when hee was Lord Keeper could possibly discusse for if the King was tender in it how could they perswade him to give way if not what needed their Resolutions But it may bee that they perswaded him that in Conscience hee might preferre the opinion of the Judges before his own And that if though with some reluctation they thought upon their oathes the Proceedings to bee lawfull hee might give way to them This is not unlikely because the judges were sent for the same time and it seems for the same service And if it bee so I admire and adore too the wonderfull providence of God who in his praeparatory Act to his unlawfull Judgment which undoubtedly will follow suffers not only the King and the Countrey but the Church too as if her Cup were not yet full to be involved But could this bee to the matter of fact the King I am sure knew him to bee free from any the least intention of subverting the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome And could the Bishops satisfie thi scruple too it may bee they are perswaded that the Proofs might bee taken Implicitly from the House of Commons as the Law from the Judges It is reported indeed that they besought the King with many teares to give way and that to prevent the ruine of the Kingdome which these States-men who will bee ever content with the longest life for themselves till by peece meale they bee thrust from all did see would necessarily follow well I dare prophesie to them they shall not want their Reward neither from King nor people for the next tumult of people shall bee against their Liturgies Surplices and Church ornaments And seeing they have now over-perswaded the King in this if they can procure him then to protect themselves from those imminent dangers which hang over their heads they shall doe a miracle sed quos pordere vult Jupiter dementat some body else will perswade the King that to satisfie the Common People and to prevent the Ruine of the Kingdome Bishopricks Deanes Prebends and all Cathedrals must down Sedomen avertat Deus optimus Sundâ—y All day nothing sounded in the King eares but feares terrors and threatnings of worse and worse the noise of Drums and Trumpets were Imagined to bee heard of rebelling people from every Corner of the Kingdome yea Apprentices Coblers and fruiterers presented thmselves as all ready running into the Kings Bed-chamber After they had wrestled him breathlesse and as they doe with great fishes given him scope of Lyne wherein to spend his strength at last victus dedit manus being overcome with such uncessant Importunities hee yeelded up the Bucklers And about nine of the clock at night oh deplorable necessity of the times or rather oh the frailtie of humane nature I that can neither foresee nor susteine this necessity the King promised to signe both the Bills the next morning which was accordingly done and a Commission drawn up for his I do not care in what relation you take the word Execution Ingentes Curae stupent loquuntur leves Though I had resolved with the Painter who could not expresse his griefe sufficiently in weeping for his daughter heere to have drawn the Curteine yet it will not bee something must overflow Consider the Gentleman as a man his Judgement Memory Eloquence reall perfections in this age of appearances consider him as a Subject his Loyalty his Courage his Integrity to King and Countrey in these disloyall and faint-hearted times consider him as a Christian his love to the Church his respect to Church-men in this prophane and over-weening Generation
let Worth Honesty and Religion weepe his funerals who suffers for all and yet by all yea as an Enemy to all these talke not to me hereafter of Justice Equity or Conscience they are but names and those scornfull and empty names too It is Power Faction and Interest that are the managers of humane affaires and swaies the times I defie all History to furnish us with the like Paralel of a man accused by his Countrey by reason of his noble and eager desires to mainteine them in plenty and reputation convicted by the Church for his actuall performance serious intention to restore both the Dignities Revennues thereof his Prince even forc't to condemn him after his Integrity to perswade due obedience and to protect royall Authority Happy yea thrice happy hee whose Innocence was wedded to his Perfection and both of them for so it shall ever be in my Kalender crowned with Martyrdome Forgive I intreate you these broken Expressions of a passionate Soule my obliegements to the Gentleman were little my expectation from him nothing only an ingenious though perhaps a simple thought of the present Crimes and future punishment of this Kingdome unlesse God be more mercifull whether from the privation of his Life or merit of his Death hath extorted thus much from me Remember the story of Innocent Socrates You desire me to be present and see the Catastrophae of the businesse I should pluck out mine eyes if I thought they had so much cruelty to behold such a spectacle you may thinke it courage but I inhumanity My owne sinnes doe too much interest me in his sufferings though I be not accessory by my sight The zealous Pilgrims of the Turkish Religion after they had seen the blessed spectacle of Mahomets-Tombe at Mecca doe presently make themselves blinde by continuall poaring upon hot burning Bricks so destroying the optick-nerves as thinking themselves unworthy ever afterwards to looke upon any worldly object I leave your selfe Sir to make the application I dare ingeniously say it that all my sufferings to this time and I have not beene without a round share of them did never touch me so neerely as the sufferings of Justice Religion and Loyalty by this one Fact Not for any evill consequence to me God knows I am beneath the reach of Fortune and can easily change my Clymate but for that Clowde which hangeth over the Publique and will not I feare be dissolved till the measures of Deservings bee made up Brim full What turbulency what confusion is within me you may easily guesse by these symptomes that are without those raw and indigested expressions it is my daily labour to obtein the Mastery of my selfe and my affections but upon such extraordinarie times and occasions they grow too strong for me I must give way and retyre before I get new strength againe Hence it is that though at the Lord Straffords last departure out of this World I might have beene assured of his Mantle that is the doubling of his Perfections upon me and of a capacity to admit of the least of them yet I could not have attended his Execution my heart was too weake and my eyes too blinde to behold such a woefull spectacle but be you assured he will not dy like one of the vulgar nor like one of those wanton Coursers who can rush fiercely into the battell yet withall start at his owne shadow He hath done and can doe greater things then die and that too without any in-decorum As he hath lived for the reall Demonstration of his service and fidelity so he can die for the pretended safety of his Soveraigne and that in a strange way too as if the head could not be safe but by cutting off the right hand Sir your desires have oblieged me to untie my wounds yet scarce bound up and by reflection upon that sad object to fall a bleeding againe nor can I grant your suite to make that great Lord speake in his owne dialect Pythagoras transmutation could not have found out a sit lodging for that noble Soule nor doth nature give us wonders every day nor streyne hereselfe ambitiously to shew forth the utmost reach of her perfections or master peece and to present us with such a rare conjunction of such a courage attended with loyalty to danger wisedome accompanied with eloquence to admiration What could not that man thinke What thinke and not speake What speake and not doe But I will not be too Rhetoricall that Speech or rather blemish Printed and pretended to be spoken by him in the Tower is as like him as he was to a Pedant his Soule now laughs if that naturall sence could reach so high at that poore injury it doth exceedingly well become the charity of the times not only to perturbe his rest but also by belying his Expressions to make his owne hands the scatterers of his owne dust and his own Tongue the Trumpet of his owne infamy That Speech is a foist and a ly His other Speech on the Scaffold and with it his Letter to the King you shall finde at the end of this Letter in the best way we could get it something of his greatnesse appears in his phrase and as much life too as could by snatches be gathered from his mouth yet it comes farre short of that grace which â—t had when it was delivered by himselfe what by the escapes of the Observers What by the Faint-heartednesse of the Presse which durst not speake freely for feare of Arbitrary Treason Two observable Expressions I had from an understanding Auditor First Sir George Wentworth weeping extremely upon the Scaffold was thus checked by him Brother what doe you see in me that deserves these teares doth my feare betray my guiltinesse or my too much boldnesse any Atheisme Thinke now and this is the third time that you doe accompany me to my Marriage Bed Nor did I ever throwe off my cloathes with such freedom and content as in this my preparation to my Grave That Stock pointing to the block appointed for his Execution must be my pillow here must I rest and rest from all my labors no thoughts of envie no dreames of Treason Jealousies of foes cares for the King the State or my selfe shall interrupt this nap therefore Brother with me pitty mine enemies who beside their intention have made me blessed rejoyce in my Innocency rejoyce in my Happinesse Secondly Kneeling downe upon the Scaffold hee made this Protestation I hope Gentlemen you doe think that neither feare of losse nor love to Reputation will cause me to bely God and my owne Conscience for now I am in the dore going out and my next step must be from time to eternity eyther of Peace or Payne to cleere my selfe to you all I doe solemnly protest before God I am not guilty so farre as I can understand of that great Crime laid to my Charge nor have ever had the least inclination or intention to damnify or praejudice the