and give evidence of our Loyalty by our peaceable demeanour and conformity to the laws of the Land and to lay the foundation of our future happiness by being dutiful to our Masters and diligent in our business that so in time we might become good Citizens So they returned again in five Coaches to Russells and supped there altogether and so every one went home The twenty Presenters of this Address were Mr. B y Mr. A h Mr. S ns Mr. M d Mr. B th Mr. Evans Mr. Batty Mr. P le Mr. D n Mr. Noise one of the Persons who first set this design afoot Mr. C ll Mr. S s Mr. S y Mr. H ing Mr. B w Mr. P tell Mr. S th Mr. B n Mr. Mal s Mr. R t s A Letter sent August 19. 1681. thus subscribed To the truly Loyal and Protestant Apprentices of London that were the principal Managers of the late address to my Lord Mayor GO on Heroick Souls and faithful be Unto your God your King your Liberty Let your unbyast actions give the lie To such as scandalize your Loyalty To Caesar render what 's to Caesar due Earth merits Heaven expects no more from you Those rights defend which your brave sires sent down Inviolable as the Throne or Crown Tell supple Parasites and treacherous Knaves You 're humble subjects not degenerate slaves Bow low but scorn to creep for that 's as well Nor for a mess of Broth your Birth-rights sell. Pass by th'affronts that Hell and Rome can send Comfort yourselves when 't is at worst 't will mend But when the Church is shook by Potent foes For her defence your bodies interpose Of Popish mercy never run the risque A Crowned Serpent grows a Basilisk Vindicate then the Gospel and the Laws The cause is Heaven's Heaven will espouse the cause Undauntedly prop up your Churches Walls And joy to fall beneath it if it falls To perish thus who would not be content When mouldring Temples are his Monument THE INTRODUCTION TO THE Western Transactions AND GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THEM I Am sensible 't is a very invidious thing to defend any Action which has had the Publick Stream and cry long against it with which even men of Sense and sometimes Religion too tho' Pride or Shame perhaps seldom lets 'em own the very truth on 't are commonly hurried away as well as others But this is 't is hoped for the general an Age of Confession and Ingenuity and since so many of the greatest men upon Earth have gone before in acknowledging some Notions too far strain'd and others mistaken 't will be no real disgrace but an Honour to follow them when so much in the right And if once Principles and Notions are chang'd or limited we shall necessarily have other thoughts of Things and Persons than we had before and that Action we call'd Rebellion and those Men we thought Rebels while we had a wrong slavish Notion of Obedience when once that 's regulated and we believe with all the World and all Ages and Nations That we are to obey only the lawful Commands of Superiours and submit only to such unjust ones as will not much damage the Commonwealth but resist and defend our selves when all we have dear our Religion Liberty and Lives are visibly and undeniably attack'd and invaded either without all form of Law or what 's worse the wrested pretence of it Then we think truly that such men are so far from being Rebels that they are the worthy true Defenders of their Faith and Country and such an Action so far from Rebellion that 't is highly meritorious and praise-worthy Most men being now satisfied in these Points unless those whom insuperable Interest or Prejudice have poison'd and rooted incorrigibly in the contrary Belief And the truth and reasonableness of them having been undeniably prov'd by many worthy Persons from the Law of Nations the Ends of all Government and the Constitution of our Kingdom and the Practice of former Ages both Popish and Protestant All the Question now must be about Matter of Fact Whether Things were then brought to that Extremity that 't would probably be too late to make any Defence for Religion and Property if 't were not then made and whether or no the Fundamental Contract were then actually violated This is plain that the Protestant Religion and all our Liberties were then most eminently in danger publick Leagues being long before made between his Brittannick Majesty and the King of France for their Extirpation That he who had been voted in Parliament the main Head of the Popish Cause was now grown the Head of the Kingdom or indeed the Popish Deputy here as he is since the King of France's in our Neighbouring Island That for being reconciled to Rome he was actually a Traytor and besides of a Religion whose Oaths could not be depended upon as we were then and long before to be and have since sufficiently felt and experienced That on this account he hardly could keep his Contract as 't was plain he actually did not publickly and notoriously violating those Laws he swore to maintain both before and after he had done it by going to Mass himself setting up Mass-houses and encouraging Popery As for many Grievances and Oppressions he was then as really Guilty of 'em as ever after tho' not in such large and frequent and various Instances some of 'em are those very same which the Parliament inserted among the Proofs and Reasons of the Abdication particularly the issuing out Quo Warranto's for Cities and Corporations the great Cause and Counsellor of which no doubt he was even before he actually I mean publickly reigned In a word the securing the Protestant Interest in all Europe that and their own Liberties in England was the main Cause why many and most engaged in this Design If these were in no danger and not violated they were Rebels If the safety of 'em could be expected any other way but by the Sword they were no better Whether things were in that Condition or no at that time God and the World must be Judges If it were so they were not Rebels If the Case was not so bad and the Mystery of Iniquity not so far reveal'd as it has been since yet preventive Physick is necessary especially when Death is unavoidable without it If a prudent Man is to meet Mischief rushing upon him and not stay for 't till it overwhelms him and take the same Course against a certain Consequence as an actual Evil why then I think 't will be very hard to hang People in one World and damn 'em in another for having as little a Foresight and great a Faith as their Neighbours Others there were who embark't in that Action because they really thought how much mistaken soever they might be that the Duke of Monmouth was the King's Legitimate Son which such as had a personal Love for him might more easily believe Now altho' many who engaged on the former
from Popery and all those fatal consequences which have since happened and described them as plainly as if he had more than the ordinary inspection of a prudent man into Futurities Thus in his first Speech on the Discovery of the Popish Plot in 78. He has these words I am of Opinion that the Life of our King the Safety of our Country and the Protestant Religion are in great danger from Popery and that either this Parliament must suppress the power and growth of Popery or else that Popery will soon destroy not only Parliaments but all that is near and dear to us And lower I humbly move that we may resolve to take into our consideration in the first place how to suppress Popery and prevent a Popish Successor without which all our endeavours about this matter will not signifie any thing And how much he was in the right as to all these Guesses which then no doubt were nick-named Groundless and Factious Fears and Jealousies all the World is now satisfied Nothing can be more handsom than what he says on this Subject in his last Speech which gives the reasons of his acting at that time and being so earnest for the Bill in which indeed is as fair a State of that great Question as we shall any where find in so little a compass I cannot says he but give some touch about the Bill of Exclusion and shew the reasons of my appearing in that business which in short is this That I thought the Nation was in such danger of Popery and that the expectation of a Popish Successor as I have said in Parliament put the Kings Life also in such danger that I saw no way so effectual to secure both as such a Bill As to the Limitations which were proposed if they were sincerely offer'd and had pass'd into a Law the Duke then would have been excluded from the Power of a King and the Government quite alter'd and little more than the name of a King left So I could not see either sin or fault in the one when all People were willing to admit of the other But thought it better to have a King with his Prerogative and the Nation easie and safe under him than a King without it which must have bred perpetual Jealousies and continual struggle Thus far that Noble Lord with whom concurred at that time very many great and good Men as true Lovers of the Regulated Monarchy of England as of the Protestant Religion and indeed all were at that time unanimous in the House of Commons and other places except some honest Men who despaired of obtaining his Exclusion Others who strained their Charity almost as far as Origen who hoped well even of the Devil and they came not far short believing a Papist would be honest or grateful Some who were indifferent Their private Obligations to the Duke byassing their Judgments too much on his side Others fearful that the contrary Tide ran so strong they could have no safety but under his Protection and perhaps more than all these others who fairly bought and sold their Religion and Liberties the Blood and Souls of themselves and honester men whom 't is not doubted but our Chronicles will mark as long as our Nation has any in 't that can but write themselves or read what others have written The Reader will pardon this little Digression and go on with me to remark some strange Expressions in another Speech of his 'T was on a Debate in the House for Mony to be given for the Relief of Tangier Doth not says he the Dukes Interest indanger the Kings Life and are not our Lives and Fortunes in danger to be snatch'd up by his Power and shall we yet make him stronger by putting Mony into his hands And a little lower When his Majesty shall be pleased to free us from the danger of a Popish Successor and remove from his Council and Places of Trust all those who are for his Interest because there can be no distinction made between the Dukes Interest and the Popish Then I shall conclude that what Mony we shall give will be disposed of according to his Majesties own Royal Pleasure and for the true Protestant Interest and I shall be ready to give even all that I have in the World if his Majesty shall have occasion for it I have been the larger in this to undeceive the World as to that clamouring against those Parliaments for not giving the King Mony the true reason of which we may here plainly perceive But there is one passage so very remarkable and I know not how to call it less than Prophetical in the beginning of this same Speech that it must by no means be omitted 't is as follows If ever there should happen in this Nation any such Change that I should not have Liberty to live a Protestant I am resolv'd to die one And I think he was as good as his Word For being mark't out and among others appointed for the Slaughter he was taken up and imprisoned for that end and purpose in the Tower and brought to his Tryal above all days in the year on Essex's day the 13th of July 1683. He was brought to the Old Baily arraigned and the same morning tryed for High Treason He earnestly desired he might have respite and might not be tryed that day since he had some Witnesses that could not be in Town till the Night nay they were in such post-hast and so hot a scent for his Blood that on his earnest desire they would not stay so much as till the Afternoon pretending 't was against President and they could not do it without the Attorney General 's Consent tho 't is notorious that both Plunket the titular Irish Primate and Fitz-Harris before spoken of were both of them try'd a whole Term after they were arraign'd tho in both Cases the Attorney opposâ—d it and even here in the case of Treason at the Old-Baily too Whitebread's Tryal was put off to another Sessions If 't is pleaded The Case is different and that there was reason for the one but not for the other 'T will be readily granted Tho my Lords Evidence were not ready theirs was They had concerted business better and just at that time News was brought hot into the House That my Lord of Essex had this Morning prevented Justice as has been before remarked in the Story of Essex as also That several of the Jury had said They had never found Russel Guilty had it not been for that Accident And indeed were that all in the Case there would be still room for a great deal of Charity For though that was no proper Evidence against the Prisoner yet very few Persons in the World perhaps could have been found whose Minds would have been so firm and Reason so clear as not to be whether they wou'd or no hing'd and byass'd by such a sudden report as this brought in among 'em when they had no time
could be in some years tho' the writer of them had intended it which did not appear But they being only the present crude and private thoughts of a man for the exercise of his own understanding in his studies and never shewed to any or applied to any particular case could not fall under the Statute of 25 Ed. 3. which takes cognizance of no such matter and could not by construction be brought under it such matters being thereby reserved to the Parliament as is declared in the Proviso which he desired might be read but was refused Several important points of Law did hereupon emerge upon which your Petitioner knowing his own weakness did desire that Council might be heard or they might be referr'd to be found specially But all was over rul'd by the violence of the Lord Chief Justice and your Petitioner so frequently interrupted that the whole method of his Defence was broken and he not suffer'd to say the tenth part of what he could have alledged in his defence So the Jury was hurried into a Verdict they did not understand Now for as much as no man that is oppressed in England can have relief unless it be from your Majesty your Petitioner humbly prays that the Premises considered your Majesty would be pleased to admit him into your presence and if he doth not shew that 't is for your Majesties Interest and Honour to preserve him from the said oppression he will not complain tho' he be left to be destroy'd An Abstract of the Paper delivered to the Sheriffs on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill December 7. 1683. by Algernoon Sidney Esquire before his Execution FIRST having excused his not speaking as well because it was an Age that made Truth pass for Treason for the proof of which he instances his Trial and Condemnation and that the Ears of some present were too tender to hear it as because of the Rigour of the Season and his infirmities c. then after a short reflection upon the little said against him by other Witnesses and the little value that was to be put on the Lord Howard's testimony whom he charges with an infamous life and many palpable perjuries and to have been byassed only by the promise of pardon c. and makes even tho' he had been liable to no exceptions to have been but a single Witness He proceeds to answer the charge against him from the writings found in his Closet by the Kings Officers which were pretended but not Lawfully evidenced to be his and pretends to prove that had they been his they contained no condemnable matter but principles more safe both to Princes and People too than the pretended high-flown plea for Absolute Monarchy composed by Filmer against which they seemed to be levelled and which he says all intelligent men thought were founded on wicked Principles and such as were destructive both to Magistrates and People too Which he attempts to make out after this manner First says he if Filmer might publish to the World That Men were born under a necessary indispensable subjection to an Absolute King who could be restrained by no Oath c. whether he came to it by Creation Inheritance c. nay oâ— even by Usurpation why might he not publish his opinion to the contrary without the breach of any known Law which opinion he professes consisted in the following particulars 1. That God had left Nations at the liberty of Modelling their own Governments 2. That Magistrates were instituted for Nations and not Econtra 3. That the Right and Power of Magistrates was fixed by the standing Laws of each Country 4. That those Laws sworn to on both sides were the matter of a contract between the Magistrate and People and could not be broken without the danger of dissolving the whole Government 5. The Vsurpation could give no Right and that Kings had no greater Enemies than those who asserted that or were for stretching their Power beyond its Limits 6. That such Vsurpations commonly effecting the slaughter of the Reigning Person c. the worst of crimes was thereby most gloriously rewarded 7. That such Doctrines are more proper to stir up men to destroy Princes than all the passions that ever yet swayed the worst of them and that no Prince could be safe if his Murderers may hope such rewards and that few men would be so gentle as to spare the best Kings if by their destruction a wild Vsurper could become Gods Anointed whiâ—â— he says was the scope of that whole Treatise and asserts to be the Doctrine of the best Authors of all Nations Times and Religions and of the Scripture and so owned by the best and wisest Princes and particularly by Lewis 14 th of France in his Declaration against Spain Anno 1667. and by King James of England in his Speech to the Parliament 1603. and adds that if the writer had been mistaken he should have been fairly refuted but that no man was ever otherwise punished for such matters or any such things referred to a Jury c. That the Book was never finished c. nor ever seen by them whom he was charged to have endeavoured by it to draw into a Conspiracy That nothing in it was particularly or maliciously appplied to Time Place or Person but distorted to such a sense by Innuendo's as the Discourses of the expulsion of Tarquin c. and particularly of the Translation made of the Crown of France from one Race to another had been applied by the then Lawyer 's Innuendo's to the then King of England never considering adds he that if such Acts of State be not allowed good no Prince in the World has any title to his Crown and having by a short reflection shewn the ridiculousness of deriving absolute Monarchy from Patriarchal Power he appeals to all the World whether it would not be more advantagious to all Kings to own the derivation of their Power to the consent of willing Nations than to have no better title than force c. which may be over-powered But notwithstanding the Innocence and Loyalty of that Doctrine he says He was told he must die or the Plot must die and complains that in order to the destroying the best Protestants of England the Bench was fill'd with such as had been blemishes to the Bar and instances how against Laâ— they had advised with the King's Council about bringing him to Death suffer'd a Jury to be pack'd by the King's Sollicitors and the Vnder-Sheriff admitted Jury-men no Free-holders received Evidence not valid refus'd him a Copy of his Indictment or to suffer the Act of the 46 th of Ed. 3. to be read that allows it had over-ruled the most important Points of Law without hearing and assumed to themselves a Power to make Constructions of Treason tho' against Law Sense and Reason which the Stat. of the 25 th of Ed. 3. by which they pretended to Try Him was reserved only to the â—arliament and so praying God to forgive
was Originally instituted by God and this or that Form of it chosen and submitted to by Men for the Peace Happiness and Security of the Govern'd and not for the private Interest and personal Greatness of those that Rule So That Government hath always been esteemed the best where the Supream Magistrates have been invested with all the Power and Prerogatives that might capacitate them not only to preserve the People from Violence and Oppression but to promote their Prosperity And yet where nothing was to belong to them by the Rules of the Constitution that might enable them to injure and oppress them And it hath been the Glory of England above most other Nations that the Prince had all intrusted with him that was necessary either for the advancing the Wellfare of the People or for his own Protection in the discharge of his Office And withall stood so limited and restrained by the Fundamental Terms of the Constitution that without a Violation of his own Oath as well as the rules and measures of the Government he could do them no hurt or exercise any act of Authority but through the administration of such hands as stood obnoxious to be punished in case they transgressed So that according to the Primitive Frame of the Government the Prerogatives of the Crown and the Priviledges of the Subject are so far from justling one another that the Rights reserved unto the People tended to render the King Honourable and Great and the Prerogatives setled on the Prince were in order to the Subjects Protection and Safety But all humane things being Subject to perversion as well as decay it hath been the fate of the English Government to be often changed and wrested from what it was in the first settlement and institution And we are particularly compelled to say that all the boundaries of the Government have of late been broken and nothing left unattempted for turning our limited Monarchy into an absolute Tyranny For such hath been the transaction of Affairs within this Nation for several years last past that though the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the People were fenced and hedged about by as many Laws as the Wisdom of man could devise for their Preservation against Popery and Arbitrary Power our Religion hath been all along countermined by Popish Counsels and our Priviledges ravished from us by Fraud and Violence And more especially the whole Course and Series of the Life of the D. of Y. hath been but been one continued Conspiracy against the Reformed Religion and the Rights of the Nation For whosoever considers his contriving the Burning of London his instigating a Confederacy with France and a War with Holland his fomenting the Popish Plot and encouraging the Murther of Sir Ed. Godfrey to stifle it his charging Treason against Protestants and suborning Witnesses to swear the Patriots of our Religion and Liberties out of their Lives his hireing execrable Villains to Assassinate the late Earl of Essex and causing those others to be clandestinely cut off in hopes to conceal it his adviseing and procuring the Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliaments in order to prevent their looking into his Crimes and that he might escape the justice of the Nation Such can imagine nothing so black and horrid in it self or so ruinous and destructive to Religion and the Kingdom which we may not expect from him The very Tyrannies which he hath exercised since he snatched the Crown from his Brothers head do leave none under a possibility of flattering themselves with hopes of safety either in their Consciences Persons or Estates For in in defiance of all the Laws and Statutes of the Realm made for the security of the Reformed Protestant Religion he not only began his Reign with a bare-faced avowing himself of the Romish Religion but hath called in multitudes of Priests and Jesuits for whom the Law makes it Treason to come into this Kingdom and hath impowered them to exercise their Idolatries And besides his being daily present at the Worship of the Mass hath pubickly assisted at the greatest fopperies of their Superstition Neither hath he been more tender in trampling upon the Laws which concern our Properties seeing in two Proclamations whereof the one requires the Collecting of the Customs and the other the continuing that part of the Excise which was to â—xpire with the late Kings Death he hath violently and against all the Law of the Land broken in upon our Estates Neither is it any extenuation of his Tyranny that he is countenanced in it by an extrajudicial Opinion of seven or eight suborned and forsworn Judges but rather declaring the greatness and extent of the Conspiracy against our Rights and that there is no means feft for our relief but by Force of Arms For advancing those to the Bench that were the scandal of the Bar and Constituting those very Men to declare the Laws who were Accused and Branded in Parliament for Perverting them we are precluded all hopes of Justice in Westminster Hall And through packing together by False Returns new Illegal Charters and other corrupt means he doth at once deprive us of all expectations of Succour where our Ancestors were wont to find it and hopes to render that which ought to be the Peoples Fence against Tyranny and the Conservator of their Liberties the means of subverting all our Laws and of establishing of his Arbitrariness and confirming our thraldom So that unless we could be contented to see the Reformed Protestant Religion and such as profess it extirpated Popish Superstition and Idolatry established the Laws of the Land trampled under foot the Liberties and Rights of of the English People Subverted and all that is Sacred and Civil or of regard amongst men of Vertue or Piety Violated and unless we could be willing to be Slaves as well as Papists and forget the example of our noble and generous Ancestors who conveyed our Priviledges to us at the expence of their Blood and Treasure and withall be unmindful of our duty to God our Country and Posterity deaf to the Cries and Groans of our oppressed Friends and be satisfied not only to see them and our selves Imprisoned Robbed and Murthered but the Protestant Interest throughout the whole World betrayed to France and Rome We are bound as Men and Christians and that in discharge of our duty to God and our Country and for the satisfaction of the Protestant Nations round about us to betake our selves to Arms. Which we take Heaven and Earth to witness we should not havâ— done had not the malice of our Enemies depriveâ— us of all other means of redress and were not the Miseries that we already feel and those which do further threaten us worse than the Calamities of War And it is not for any personal Injuries or private Discontents nor in pursuance of any corrupt Interest that we take our Swords into our hands but for vindicating our Religion Laws and Rights and rescuing our Country from Ruin
Integrity One whom those he had long convers'd with never heard utter so much as a word of Indecency against the King And others of the highest Quality who had been often in his Company say That they had never heard any thing from him but what was honourable just and loyal His Person was tall and proper his Temper even and agreeable and such as rendred his vertues even more lovely than they did him His Piety and Devotion as unaffected and yet as remarkable as his Love to the Church of England The true Church of England as he himself calls it not those Tumours and Wens that grow upon it and pretended to be not only part but all of it in our late bad times to whose Heighths and Extravagances he thinks it no shame in his Speech to confess he could never rise He was of a noble Courage which he did not express by Quarrels or Duelling but serving his Country at Sea in the most dangerous Wars and at Land in the Parliament in more dangerous Councils and Debates He was there a true Englishman still the same you knew where he would be for he never mov'd A strenuous Asserter and Defender of his Country's Religion and Rights against all Opposers and that in a Lawful and Parliamentary Method He spoke little there but always very home and much to the purpose And that was as true a Character of him formerly recited as if it had come from a better man That every one knew the Lord Russel to be a person of great Judgment and not very lavish of Discourse Lastly which will give no small heightening to his Character He had Mr. Johnson to his Chaplain An Abstract of the Late Noble Lord Russel's Speech to the Sheriffs as also of a Paper delivered by him to them at the place of his much lamented Execution on July 21. 1683. IN his Speech to the Sheriffs he tells them that for fear of not being well heard he had couched what he had to say upon that sad occasion in the Paper he delivered them only he protests his Innocence of any Designs against the King's Person or the then Government and prays for the preservation of both and of the Protestant Religion and in short declares that he forgives all the World and wishes that all True Protestants may Love one another and not make way for Popery by their Animosities In the Paper He first declares himself Compos'd for Death and weaned from this World Then he affectionately thanks God as in general so in particular for his advantagious Birth and Religious Education of which in that important occasion he found such happy and powerful Effects as kept him up against the fear of Death and all other Discomposures and armed him with such assurances in God's Love and Mercy as made the most joyful of the visibly saddest Moments of his Life He professes to die as he had lived a sincere Protestant of the Church of England tho' he never could come up to the heighths of some wishes more Moderation both in Church-men and Dissenters and that the Common Danger of Popery might move them to lay aside their Differences and all Persecuting Inclinations as more unseasonable than at any other time He declares he had a notion of Popery as of an Idolatrous and Bloody Religion and thought himself bound to act in his station against it notwithstanding the Power of the Enemies he was sure to meet with on that account c. But yet he professes he never thought of doing any thing against it basely or inhumanely against the Maxims of Christian Religion or the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom for his sincerity in which he appeals to God renouncing all Passion By-End or Ill Design as also all Designs of changing the Government which was in his Opinion the best in the World and for which as well as his Country which he valued above his Life he was ever ready to venture it Disclaims all thoughts against the King's Life denying even the Lord Howard to have said any thing tending to prove it Prays Sincerely for the King and Nation and wishes they may be mutually happy in one another that the King may be truly a Defender of the Faith that the Protestant Religion and Kingdom may flourish under Him and He be happy in both Worlds As to his share in the prosecution of the Popish Plot he declares he acted sincerely in it as really believing as he still did the truth of such a Conspiracy and disclaims his knowledge of any practices with the Witnesses which he protests against as abominable and disowns Falshood or Cruelty ever to have been in his Nature He persists in his Opinion that Popery was breaking in upon the Nation and grieves to see Protestants instrumental to it declares his fears of the sufferings the Protestant Religion was like to undergo and bewails the publick and shameless Impiety that abounded and modestly admonishes all persons and particularly his Friends well-wishers to the Protestant Cause that were defective to live up to its Principles Then he declares his Submission to God's pleasure freely forgives his Enemies and desires his Friends to seek no Revenge for his Blood After which he looks back and gives some little touches concerning his past behaviour and the manner of his Treatment at his Trial. He confesses he moved much for the Bill of Exclusion as the only effectual Remedy to secure both the King's Life the Protestant Religion and the Frame of the Government He thinking none of them could be safe so long as there was any hopes of a Popish Successor and that the Limitations proposed to Bind the Duke were effectual Remedies against those fears because the Nation could never be easie and safe under a King without a Prerogative But yet imputes his present Sufferings to the Revengeful Resentments some Persons retained for his Earnestness in that matter Next as to his conspiring to seize the Guards he disowns that ever he was concerned in any such Design or ever heard talk of any such thing as designed but only once as of a thing feazible against which likewise he warmly declared himself and said the consequence of it was so like to end in Massacring the Guards in cold Blood that he could not but abhor the thoughts of it as approaching too near the Popish Practice at which the Duke of Monmouth taking him by the hand cried out affectionately that he saw they were both of a temper he adds on that occasion that he always observed in that Duke an abhorrence to all base things He proceeds to shew how he went to the Meeting at Mr. Shepherd's at the Duke of Monmouth's earnest request chiefly to endeavour to prevent any such disorderly proceedings as the Duke feared would be otherwise put on by some hot men whose rash courses he did accordingly most vigorously oppose and yet was condemned only for not discovering them though he endeavoured to reform them because he would not stoop to
A Brief Extract of Captain Walcots Prayer O Lord our God Thou art a God of present help in time of Trouble a God that hast promised to be with thy People in the Fire and in the Water O Lord we pray Thee that thou wilt afford thy Presence to thy poor suffering Servants at this time O Lord thy Servant that speaketh doth confess that the Iniquities at his Heels have justly overtaken him O do thou bathe each of our Souls in that Fountain set open for Sin and for Vncleanness O do thou enable every one of us from the inward Evidence of thy Spirit to say with thy Servant Job That we know and are assured that our Redeemer lives O give us some inward Tasts of those Heavenly Joys that we hope through the Mercy of Jesus Christ in a little time to have a more full Fruition of O Lord do thou speak Peace to every one of our Consciences though we lie under a Sentence of Death from Man we beg that we may have a Sentence of Life Eternal from our God and though we meet Thee O Lord in a Field of Blood we beg that Thou wilt come to meet with us in a Field of Mercy O Lord though we have been Prodigals we desire to return unto our Fathers House where there is Bread enough O enable us to come unto Thee as Children to their Parents Lord put to thy helping Hand Lord teach us truly to leave no Sin unrepented of in any one of our Hearts And O Lord we beg that with us thou wilt give us leave to recommend unto thy Care our Poor Wives and Children Thou hast promised to be the Father of the Fatherless and the Husband of the Widow and thou hast commanded us to cast the Care of them upon Thee O do thou make Provision for them and enable them to hear this severe stroke with Patience O Lord we also beseech Thee in the behalf of these Poor Kingdoms wherein we are that Thou wilt be merciful to them prevent Divisions among them heal all their Breaches compose their Differences make all that are thine of one Heart and Mind in the things of thee our God Lord favour us with thy Mercy assure us of thy Love stand by us in the difficult Hour take us into thine own Care cause thy Angels to attend us to convey our Souls as soon as they are divided from our Bodies into Abraham 's Bosom All which we beg for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom O Lord this little time do thou give us Hearts to give thee all Glory Honour and Praise now and for evermore Amen Sweet Jesus Amen Hone was accused and owns himself Guilty of a Design to Kill the King and the Duke of York or one or neither for 't is impossible to make any Sense of him When they came to suffer Walcot read a Paper in which was a good rational Confession of his Faith Then comes to the Occasion of his Death for which he says he neither blames the Judges Jury nor Council but only some men that in reality were deeper concern'd than he who combin'd together to swear him out of his Life to save their own and that they might do it effectually contriv'd an untruth c. He forgives the World and the Witnesses Gives his Friends advice to be more prudent than he had been prays that his may be the last Blood spilt on that account wishes the King wou'd be merciful to others says he knew nothing of Ireland and concludes with praying God to have mercy upon him He had then some Discourse with Cartwright wherein he tells him That he was not for contriving the Death of the King nor to have had a Hand in 't and being urg'd with some Matters of Controversie tells him He did not come thither to dispute about Religion but to die Religiously But tho' dying be a serious Business yet 't is almost impossible to read his Discourse with the Dean without as violent temptations to laughter as Compassion Never was so exact an Imitation of the Scene of the Fisherman and Kings in the Rehearsal when he tells 'em Prince Pretty-man kill'd Prince Pretty-man One wou'd think him very near in the same Case with Bateman who came after him His Replies are so incongruous that there 's hardly either Sense or English to be made out of ' em But the poor Fellow talks of Snares and Circumstances and no body knows what and says in one Line He was to meet the King and Duke of York but he did not know when where nor for what In the next he was for killing the King and saving the Duke and when askt the Reason answers the only sensible thing he said all through That he knew no Reason that he did not know what to say to 't And when the Dean charges him with the Murderous Design That he knew as little of it as any poor silly man in the World Rouse comes next gives an Account of his Faith professing to die of the Church of England tells his former Employment and manner of Life acknowledges he heard of Clubs and Designs but was never at 'em and a perfect Stranger to any thing of that Nature Gives a Relation of what past between him and his Majesty on his Apprehension Talks somewhat of Sir Thomas Player the Earl of Shaftsbury and accommodating the King's Son as he calls it tho' not while the King reign'd Then falls upon Lee and the Discourse they had together who as he says swore against him on the Trial those very words he himself had used in pressing him to undertake the Design Speaks of a Silvers Ball which he proposed to be thrown up on Black-Heath and after some Discourse with the Ordinary gives the Spectators some good Counsel Then they all three singly prayed and then the Sentence was Executed upon ' em Algernon Sidney Esq THe next Victim to Popish Cruelty and Malice was Colonel Algernon Sidney of the ancient and noble Name and Family of the Sidneys deservedly famous to the utmost bounds of Europe who as the ingenious Mr. Hawles observes was meerly talkt to death under the notion of a Common-wealths Man and found Guilty by a Jury who were not much more proper Judges of the Case than they wou'd have been had he writ in Greek or Arabick He was arraign'd for a Branch of this Plot at Westminster the 17 th of Novemb. 1683. where tho' it cannot be said the Grand Jury knew not what they did when they found the Bill against him since no doubt they were well instructed what to do yet it must that they found it almost before they knew what ' t was being so well resolv'd on the Case and agreed on their Verdict that had he been Indicted for breaking up an House or robbing on the High-way 't was doom'd to have been Billa vera as much as 't was now For tho' the Indictment was never presented to 'em before they came
Holloway says he had for not pleading But Sir Thomas the Atturney goes on deserv'd no favour because he was one of the Persons that actually engaged to go on the King 's hasty coming from Newmarket and destroy him by the way as he came to Town and that this appeared upon as full and clear Evidence and as positively testified as any thing could be and this in the Evidence given in of the late horrid Conspiracy Now Id fain know who gives this clear and full Evidence in the Discovery of the Conspiracy Howard's is meer Supposition and he 's all who so much as mentions a syllable on 't that ever cou'd be found on search of all the Papers and Trials relating to that Affair To this Sir Thomas answers in his Speech That had he come 'to his Trial he cou'd have prov'd my Lord Howard 's base Reflections on him to be a notorious falshood there being at least ten Gentlemen besides all the Servants in the House cou'd testifie where he Dined that very day Still Sir Thomas demanded the Benefit of the Law and no more To which Jeffreys answer'd with one of his usual barbarous Insults over the Miserable That he shou'd have it by the Grace of God ordering That Execution be done on Friday next according to Law And added That he shou'd have the full Benefit of the Law repeating the Jest lest it should be lost as good as three times in one Sentence Tho' had not his Lordship slipt out of the World so slily he had had as much benefit the same way and much more justly than this Gentleman Then the Chief Justice proceeds and tells him We are satisfied that according to Law we must Award Execution upon this Outlawry Thereupon Mrs. Matthews Sir Thomas's Daughter said My Lord I hope you will not Murder my Father For which being Brow-beaten and Checkt She added God Almighty's Judgments Light upon YOV The Friday after he was brought to the place of Execution Dr. Tennison being with him and on his desire after he had given what he had to leave in a Paper to the Sheriff Prayed a little while with him He then Prayed by himself and after having thanked the Doctor for his great Care and Pains with him submitted to the Sentence and died more composedly and full as resolutely as he had lived 'T is observable that more cruelty was exercised on him than any who went before him not onely in the manner of his Death but the exposing his Limbs and Body A fair warning what particular Gratitude a Protestant is to expect for having oblig'd a true Papist Another thing worth remembring in all other Cases as well as this tho occasion is here taken to do it is That whereas in Holloway's Case Jeffreys's observ'd That not one of all concern'd in this Conspiracy had dared to deny it and lower to deny the Truth of the fact absolutely T is so far from being true that every one who suffer'd did it as absolutely as possible They were Try'd or Sentenc'd for Conspiring against the King and Government that was their Plot but this they all deny and absolutely too and safely might do it for they consulted for it not conspired against it resolving not to touch the King's Person nay if possible not to shed one drop of Blood of any other as Holloway and others say For the King's Life Sir Thomas says as the Lord Russel Never had any Man the impudence to propose so base and barbarous a thing to him Russel and almost all besides say They had never any design against the Government Sir Thomas here says the same As he never had any Design against the King's Life nor the Life of any Man so he never had any Design to alter the Monarchy As he liv'd he says he dy'd a sincere Protestant and in the Communion of the Church of England tho' he heartily wish'd he had more strictly liv'd up to the Religion he believed And tho' he had but a short time he found himself prepared for Death and indeed as all his Life shew'd him a Man of Courage so his Death and all the rest of his Behaviour did a Penitent Man a Man of good Sense and a good Christian. At the place of Execution Sir Thomas Armstrong deported himself with Courage becoming a great Man and with the Seriousness and Piety suitable to a very good Christian. Sheriff Daniel told him that he had leave to say what he pleased and should not be interrupted unless he upbraided the Government Sir Thomas thereupon told him that he should not say any thing by way of Speech but delivered him a Paper which he said contained his mind he then called for Dr. Tennison who prayed with him and then he prayed himself In his Paper he thus expressed himself That he thanked Almighty God he found himself prepared for Death his thoughts set upon another World and â—eaned from this yet he could not but give so much of his little time as to answer some Calumnies and particularly what Mr. Attorney accused him of at the Bar. That he prayed to be allowed a Tryal for his Life according to the Laws of the Land and urged the Statute of Edward 6. which was expresly for it but it signified nothing and he was with an extraordinary Roughness condemned and made a precedent tho' Holloway had it offered him and he could not but think all the world would conclude his case very different else why refused to him That Mr. Attorney charged him for being one of those that was to kill the King He took God to witness that he never had a thought to take away the King 's Life and that no man ever had the Impudence to propose so barbarous and base a thing to him and that he never was in any design to alter the Government That if he had been tryed he could have proved the Lord Howard's base Reflections upon him to be notoriously false He concluded that he had lived and now dyed of the Reformed Religion a Protestant in the Communion of the Church of England and he heartily wished he had lived more strictly up to the Religion he believed That he had found the great comfort of the Love and Mercy of God in and through his blessed Redeemer in whom he only trusted and verily hoped that he was going to partake of that fulness of Joy which is in his presence the hopes whereof infinitely pleased him He thanked God he had no repining but chearfully submitted to the punishment of his Sins He freely forgave all the World even those concerned in taking away his Life tho' he could not but think his Sentence very hard he being denied the Laws of the Land On the Honourable Sir Thomas Armstrong Executed June 20. 1684. HAd'st thou abroad found safety in thy flight Th' Immortal honour had not fam'd so bright Thou hadst been still a worthy Patriot thought But now thy Glory 's to perfection brought In exile and in
of many Thousand Loyal Apprentices of the same City whose Names are hereunto Subscribed In all Humility Sheweth THat as we are justly sensible of our happiness in being born under the enjoyment of the Protestant Religion so excellent a Government and so gracious a King to whose service we shall ever be ready to sacrifice our Lives so have we continually applyed our selves to discharge our Duties in our proper Callings without presuming to intermeddle in affairs beyond our sphere or concernment But being fully satisfied both by His Majesties frequent Proclamations the Vnanimous Votes of several Parliaments and the notoriousness-of Fact that for divers years past thâ—re hath been and still is a Devilish Plot carryed on by the Papists against the Sacred Life of our Soveraign whom God preserve and to Subvert the Protestant Religion and the Government established In which horrid practices the Conspirators have always appear'd most active and insolent during the Intervals of Parliaments and from thence and the continuing hopes of a Popish Successor take occasion with greater confidence to push on their Fatal Designs Observing likewise that among the many late Addresses there hath been one promoted in the names of some few of our condition in this Honourable City which now is represented as the Act and Sence of the Generality of Apprentices although the far greater part never joined therein as fearing lest the same might seem of a Tendency dishonourable to Parliaments whose Constitution we Reverence and humbly apprehend their Counsels highly necessary in such a Juncture Wherefore though out of an awful Respect we presume not to approach His Sacred Majesty yet we cannot but think it our duty to declare to your Lordship the Chief Magistrate under Him of this Honourable City and to all the World That we shall never be behind any of our Fellow-Apprentices in demonstrations of Loyalty tâ— His Sacred Majesty even to the last drop of our â—lood whenever His Majesties Service shall require it against any Traytors or Rebels whatsoever And also to assure your Lordship That as we do and through God's Grace ever shall Abhor Popery and all its Bloody Traiterous Practices So we do utterly disapprove and dislike any such proceedings from private persons as tend to reproach Parliaments but do unanimously with one heart and with one voice express our satisfaction in and thanks for the humble Petition and Address of your Lordship and the Common-Council presented to His Majesty in May last and since approved of in Common-Hall for the Assembling and Sitting of a Parliament That the God of Heaven may ever bless and preserve his Sacred Majesty and your Lordship and this Great and Honourable City and grant that your Successors in this weighty Trust may imitate your Lordships piety and zeal for the Protestant Religion and His Majesties Service shall ever be the daily prayers of us His Majesties Humble Faithful Loyal and Obedient Subjects Printed for Thomas Goodwill An. 1681. This Name is Composed of Fourteen Letters taken out of the Names of the Chief Managers This Address was Sign'd by about Thirty Thousand Hands and when those Twenty persons that presented it had Subscribed their Names to it they sent Mr. Noise and Mr. Dunton two of the said Presenters to Mr. S to know when they might have leave to Present it to my Lord Mayor which being granted in a few days the Twenty Presenters went in a Body together to Mr. S who introduc'd 'em to my Lord. To whom Mr. B y made a brief speech as follows May it please your Lordship THE occasion of giving your Lordship this trouble is humbly to lay at your Lordships feet an address to your Lordship subscribed by many thousand Loyal Apprentices of this City We do humbly acknowledge to your Lordship that the presumption we may seem guilty of in this matter considering our present stations requires a far greater apology than we are able to make But the principal reasons that incited us thus to address our selves to your Lordship are To demonstrate our Loyalty to his Sacred Majesty Our Zeal for the Protestant Religion And the veneration and esteem we have and ought to have for Parliaments Neither indeed my Lord could we think these sufficient motives to stir us up to this publick application which better becomes graver heads than ours had not some few of our fellow Apprentices lately presented his Majesty with an Address which seemed to be a gratulation for the Dissolution of the two last Parliaments which they now report to have been the act of the majority of Apprentices of this Honourable City Although the far greater part as may by the subscriptions to this Address appear to your Lordship were never concerned therein And although by reason of our present condition we think it an unpardonable crime to approach his Sacred Majesty about matters relating to the State yet we deem it our bounden duty to declare to your Lordship and the whole World That we utterly disclaim any Proceedings especially from Persons in our own Condition that may seem to reflect upon Parliaments the greatest Senate of the Nation And that the generality of Apprentices of this City have a venerable esteem for Parliaments which mâ—y the better appear to your Lordship upon reading the Address it self And I dare be bold to affirm to your Lordship by the Information I have had from those who were employed to take subscriptions to this address That there is not one Subscriber to it who is either Journey-man Tapster Hostler Water-man or the like but all Persons of our own rank â—nd condition Which Address in the name of all the Subscribers thereunto I humbly offer to your Lordship and beg your Lordships favourable reception of it Then his Lordship commanded the Address to be read which being read Mr. B y proceeded thus I have one thing more to say my Lord I understand that there is a common notion about Town that this Address hath been carried on by Faction and that none but Dissenters have been concerned in it I can assure your Lordship of the Contrary for that I know many of the subscribers who are of the Church of England of which Church I boast my self an unworthy Member Then his Lordship was pleased to express himself to this effect Gentlemen THis is a surprize to me and therefore I cannot tell what to say to it But for as â—uch as I have heard your Address read and at first reading can find noâ—hing in it but what becomes Loyal and Obedient subjects I do accept of iâ— I only desire the names of you that are the Presenters Then we told him that our names are those which were next to the Address it self â—t some distance from the rest of the subscribers Then he ordered theâ— all to be called over and so we answered to our names And then his Lordship desired he might have an account of our abodes which we also gave him Then his Lordship advised us to go home
account only did not believe this nor know any thing of his Intention of being proclaim'd King nor approved of it when 't was done and tho' had he been able to make out his Title or let his Pretensions alone he had not wanted in all likelyhood a sufficient Assistance from the Nobility and Gentry none of whom for those Reasons coming in to him yet on the other side 't is hardly doubted that these men who thought he had a right were really obliged to follow the Dictates of their Conscience though mistaken and do whatever lay in their power to the utmost Venture of their Lives to fix him on his Father's Throne to which they verily believed he had a proper Right and Title And these Men too acting on the same Reasons with the foremention'd for deliverance of their Country as well as defence of him whom they thought their King The earnest Zeal and Concern and Love which most of 'em manifested for the Protestant Religion being besides so conspicuous in their Lives and Deaths I know not how they can without impudence be branded with the infamous Name of Rebels nor think 't will be any Arrogance to honour 'em with the just and dear-bought Title of Martyrs One thing there is very observable in most if not all of those who laid down their Lives in this Cause both in England and Scotland that besides that extraordinary Divine courage and chearfulness with which they dy'd they had Expressions plainly boding that great Deliverance which Providence has since that miraculously accomplished for these Kingdoms 'T would be endless to give almost all the innumerable Instances of it Mr. Nelthrop says God had in his wonderful Providence made him and others Instruments not onely in what was already fallen out but he believed for hastning some other great VVork he had yet to do in these Kingdoms Mrs. Gaunt says God 's cause shall revive and he 'd plead it at another rate than yet he had done against all its malicious Opposers And speaks yet more strangely of those then uppermost and likely to be so That tho' they were seemingly fixt and using their Power and Violence against those they had now got under 'em yet unless they could secure Jesus Christ and all his Holy Angels they should never do their Business but Vengeance would be upon 'em ' ere they were aware Capt. Ansley whose Speech is as pretty a neat thing as close and Christian and couragious as perhaps any that ever was made by Man in his Condition after he had said He did not repent what he had done but if he had a thousand Lives would have engag'd 'em all in the same Cause adds just after Though it has pleased the wise God for Reasons best known to himself now to blast our Designs yet he will deliver his People by ways we know not nor think of Rumbold said just the same Mr. Hewling says I question not but in his own time God will raise up other Instruments to carry on the same Cause they dy'd for for his own Glory Mr. Lark That he was confident God would Revenge their Bloods Now it will be very harsh to say all these and several more to the same purpose were nothing but Enthusiasm since spoken by Persons of all Sexes and Ages in twenty different places in the most calm and serene Tempers and the Persons not wild or fanciful and their Words miraculously made good by the Event which shews God honour'd 'em with being Prophets as well as Martyrs To proceed to the Persons who suffer'd in this Cause here and in the West and other places chiefly under Jeffrey's Insulting Cruelty His dealing with 'em is not to be parallel'd by any thing but the new French Dragoons or the old Cut-throats and Lords Chief-Justices of the poor Albigenses or Waldenses at Merindol and Cutrices Had the Great Turk sent his Janisaries or the Tartar his Armies among 'em they 'd scaped better Humanity could not offend so far to deserve such punishment as he inflicted A certain Barbarous Joy and Pleasure grinn'd from his Brutal Soul through his Bloody Eyes whenever he was Sentencing any of the Poor Souls to Death and Torment so much worse than Nero as when that Monster wisht he had never learnt to Write because forc'd to set his Name to Warrants for Execution of Malefactors Jeffreys would have been glad if every Letter he writ had been such a Warrant and every Word a Sentence of Death He observ'd neither Humanity to the Dead nor Civility to the Living He made all the West an Aceldama some places quite depopulated and nothing to be seen in 'em but forsaken VValls unlucky Gibbets and Ghostly Carcases The Trees were loaden almost as thick with Quarters as Leaves The Houses and Steeples covered as close with Heads as at other times frequently in that Country with Crows or Ravens Nothing could be liker Hell than all those Parts nothing so like the Devil as he Caldrons hizzing Carkases boyling Pitch and Tar Sparkling and Glowing Blood and Limbs boyling and tearing and mangling and he the great Director of all and in a word discharging his Place who sent him the best deserving to be the late King 's Chief Justice there and Chancellor after of any Man that breath'd since Cain or Judas Some of the more Principal Persons who fell under his Barbarous Sentences 't is thought worth the while to treat distinctly and particâ—larly of throwing the reâ—t together after 'em and onely Reprinting the former Account if any are lest out it being necessary to hasten to prevent Shams If the Book be accepted and come to another Edition they shall be Inserted and if any Faults or Mistakes found acknowledged and regulated And the first whom we shall make especial Remarks on are The Hewlings IF any one would see true Pure Popish Mercy let 'em look on these two Gentlemen the onely Sons of their virtuous and sorrowful surviving Parents the Comforts Props and Hopes of their Name and Family carefully educated virtuously disposed both of them after all repeated applications if but for one of their Lives barbarously Executed A particular Care was taken by their Father in their Education forming their Minds by his own Example and constant Instructions and Prayers as well as other pains of Ingenuous Masters to the strictest Rules of Piety and Vertue Nor was their pious and very tender Mother less careful in that particular The Elder Mr. Benjamin Hewling had Tutors in the Mathematicks and other parts of Philosophy a course of which he went through successfully enough and so as to render him as compleat in his Mind as Nature had form'd his â—ody After which he went to Holland as his Brother Mr. William Hewling from whence this last returned with the Duke Both of 'em had Commands in the Army the Elder had a Troop of Horse the younger was a Lieutenant of Foot and discharged their Places with much more Conduct and Bravery than could
shall sing Triumphing Songs With sweet Hallelujah Set up thy standerd and prepare War against Babylon For her destruction draweth near As here we read her doom Lord blow the Trumpet and awake The Nations round about â—tir up the spirit of the Medes Which did old Babel rout For Babel must drink of that Cup Which Sion deep did wound Jerusalem did first begin And so the Cup goes round But Babel must drink up the dregs Of Wrath which do remain With which no mixture she shall have To mitigate her pain For 't is the vengeance of our God And of his Temple too The vials that fill up his Wrath The three last Trumpets wo. When Jacob as a battle Ax In great Jehovah's hand Shall break down all those Mountains tall That in his way do stand O then let us Rejoyce because The time appointed is That Babel shall be seen to fall And Sion shine in Bliss Our Lord draws near as doth appear By Signs by him fore-told Then Virgins come meet your Bridegroom His Wondrous Works behold The Night grows dark ' be still and hark What is the Bridâ—grooms Voice That when the 〈◊〉 comes swiftly by It may your 〈◊〉 â—ejoyce Your light grows dim arise and trim Your Lamps from all their Soyl And see your Light shines clear and bright Supply'd with Gospel-Oyl Some Virgins now do Sleepy grow And don't their Vessels fill Nor fear a want when Oyl grows scant And none be found to sell. And at Mid-night all in a Fright Oyl-shops they cannot find And none will spare out of his share And so they are left behind Thus Foolish sleep in dangers deep And think their Lord delays But his own Bride â—ath surely spi'de Some of his Glorious Rays And will not sleep unless she keep Her Watch-lightâ— burning still With Oyl in store laid up therefore Let him come when he will And though her Garments had some rents And spots not perfect white Yet they 'll be cleans'd or quickly chang'd For Rayments of Delight With her Bridegroom she 〈◊〉 find room In Chambers of his Love When the Unwise he will deâ—pise And them from him remove The behaviour and dying words of Mr. Gatchill Executed at Taunton THE said Mr. Gatchill was a Constable of the Hundred he was surprized by a Party of the Dukes and shewed a Warrant to bring in Provisions and other Necessaries for the use of the Army which if he had not obeyed was threatned to have his House burnt so that he was obliged to do what he did for his own Preservation But this was not sufficient for being found Guilty he was Executed As he was drawn to Execution he looked on the People aâ—d said A Populous Town God bless it Just bâ—fore he was Executed he spake That the Crime he was Accused of and Condemned for was High Treason but he did not know himself to be Guilty of it and that what he did he was forced to do And further said I am so well known to you that I do verily believe you have Charity to think that what I speak is true As for the Niceties of the Law I do not well understand them And much more to the same effect he spake And so after Prayer with his suffering Brother Mr. Simon Hambling he was Executed There was also Executed at Taunton Mr. John Hucker a very worthy Gentlman of that Town He had some ill Friends in the Duke's Army that cast Aspersions on him as though he was the Person that was a Traytor to the Duke by firing a Pistol in Sedgmoor but I have strictly examined many on that Point and can find it to be nothing but the worst of an Enemies Malice to wound him after his Death in his Reputation which he always valued highly when living To be short he has left the Character amongst his Neighbours of an honest Man a good Christian and one that was true to the Interest of the Duke and Sealed it with his Blood The following Letter my Bookseller received from Mr. Robert Hucker now living in Taunton which I thought proper to print word for word than so my Reader may see what care I have taken to have all the Accounts I give concerning Mr. Hucker well attested Mr. Dunton Taunton Feb. 24 th 1691 2. LOoking over the Advertisements to the Athenian Mercury I found your intention of making some Additions to the Book called the Bloody Assizes and finding others that suffered with my Father their Relations have printed their Last Letters I have here sent you a Letter written by my Father but some hours before he was Executed the main reason why I consented to have it Printed was That persons mouths may be stopt from their false and lying Accusations he carried himself like a Christian under Confinement but when he came to look Death in the Face it was with so much Courage that it was to the Astonishment of the Beholders for there was many a weeping Eye amongst both Officers and Souldiers for him and those his Fellow-Sufferers I crave a Line from you of the Receipt of this with which you will oblige Sir Your unknown Friend and Servant ROBERT HUCKER Direct to me in Taunton Mr. John Huckers Letter to his Friend a little before his Execution I Was in hopes to have had liberty to speak a few words at the place of Execution till a few minutes since but now am persuaded the contrary Therefore excuse these abrupt-Lines I bless God I am now reconciled to this contemptible Death it was long ere I could but now God hath done it for me and I thankfully submit to it from the hands of the wise God whom I have offended And therefore desire to accept my punishment knowing he doth all things well without any wrong to his Creatures I had lately some Discourse with two Persons whereof one was of Quality concerning the things laid to my charge I was told that it was three things One was That I was an enemy to or against the Protestant Religion that I was troublesome and had acted vigorously in Elections of Members for Parliament and upheld the Meetings I own my self a Protestant and die an Asserter of that Religion and I pray God I do not prove a better Friend to it than those that have so industriously endeavoured the taking away my Life and that they see it not when it 's too late As to the Meetings I bless God I ever was at any of them and that I was any way instrumental to the upholding of them and am troubled that I have I fear sinfully deprived my self of them and do believe if ever the Ordinances of God were rightly administred and the Gospel effectually preached it was in those Meetings that were held in Taunton the Lord bless the Seed that was there sown As to Elections of Members for Parliament I judge it my Birthright and therefore was industrious in it but I hope never did I am surâ— never intended troublesomness to any in
it but especially to my Superiors I had ever a venerable and due esteem of Magistrates as the Ministers of God and they Administring an Ordinance of God I also lye under a Reproach of being unfaithful to an Interest that I owned which I utterly deny and disown I pray God bless and forgive my violent Enemies that havâ— industriously sought the taking away my Life It 's the hearty Prayer of JOHN HVCKER From Taunton-Castle a little before he suffered Sept. 30th 1685. An Impartial Account of K s Cruelties with other Barbarities in the West Never printed before Sent to the Compiler of this History by one that was an Eye and Ear Witness to all the matter of Fact WHen K k came first into Taunton he came with two Cart-loads of Men Bloody and their Wounds not drest just as they were hauled into Bridgwater Prison they were guarded with Granadeers with naked Swords and Bagonets He also brought with him into Taunton a great drove of Foot chain'd two and two together He hanged nineteen on the Cornhill immediately not suffering either their Wives or Children to speak to 'em or to take their leave of ' em As they were executing he K caused the Pipes to Play Drums anâ— Trumpets to sound that the Spectators might not hear the Cries and Groans of the Dying Men nor the Cries of their Friends He caused their Bowels to be burnt and their Quarters to be boyl'd in Pitch and hang'd all about the Town K hanged one on the VVhite Heart Sign-Post three times to try if he wou'd own he had done amiss but he affirmed to this effect That if it was to do again he wou'd engage in the same cause so K would have him hang'd in Chains and so he was till King VVilliam came to the Deliverance of this Nation from Popery and Slavery When Jenkins Hewlings c. were to die before they came out of the B l there was a great Fire made on the Cornhill that so they might see the Fire that was to burn their Bowels Some that K caused to be hanged he caused also their Bodies to be stript and their Breasts to be cleav'd asunder in the place where he caused the Executions to be done you might have gone up to the Ankles in Blood he also caused the Hearts of the poor Executed Men to be thrown into the Fire with a great Shout saying Here is the Heart of a Traytor A Captain of VV was hang'd and the Rope broke whâ—reby he hoped to have saved his life but they took from a Market-horse a Ring-Rope and hanged him again At the Assizes when the Prisoners were brought before the Bar Jeffreys said if any Man pleaded Not guilty he should die One not concerned in Monmouth's Business when asked said Not Guilty my Lord Jeffreys said take him Jaylor and let him be Executed another time An Honest Man was hanged for sparing for Monmouth's Horse three pennyworth of Hay A Constable also was hanged for executing of Monmouth's Warrant And many Hundreds were put in the Castle-Hall by which it was feared they would infect the Town Frances Burges was taken upon Maidendown by the persuasion of Sir was hang'd by fastning a Rope to a Chamber-Window and set upon a Hoget and so hang'd The Executioner was one S of St. Thomas Parish Exon. There was by good Report several Scores died in Ilchester by Infectious Diseases and in their Irons and Hand-bolt for if they were not hard-hearted and us'd the extreamest Rigor imaginable the Keepers were not counted good Subjects One of VVelinton that was to be hanged them was saved supposed by Order of Sir and one of Crookern hanged in his stead this is true and so it was at other places But 't were endless to record all the Cruelties exercised by K and Jeffreys after Monmouth's Defeat Now that which remains is to give an Account of Hundreds that had fled and hid themselves up and down in Holes and Rocks whose Friends make all Application to some great Person or other to procure their Pardons some to this some to others that they thought Favourites with the King but the Rewards must be ascertain'd before any Application could be made for Pardons were just as they were in Rome according to the ability of the Person from half a Crown to sixteen thousand Guinea's Any Tooth good Barber Divers Lists being sent up and the Rewards ascertain'd which amongst many of them put together did amount to considerable Sums So that it was now who could find a Friend to relieve his distressed Relations which were forced to wander up and down in Caves and Desarts for fear of being taken But this Misfortune attended the Agents that unless my Lord Chancellour were used by his Creatures that were allowed by him so to do other Applications commonly met with Disapointments To conclude The solemn serious dying Declarations and Christian Courage of the VVestern Sufferers have always out-weighed with me the Evidence of those flagitious Witnesses who swore these Persons out of their Lives And I did do most stedfastly believe that the only Plot in that day was the same which the Almighty has at length owned and most signally prospered in the hand of our gracious August and Rightful Soveraign King William I mean the rescuing the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of England from a most impetuous Torrent of Popery and Tyranny wherewith they were very dangerously threatned And methinks it should even convert a Tory unless his Brains were pick'd out of his Skull by him who pickt the Guineas out of his Pocket when he cast his Eye upon that apposite and Emphatical Expression in the Observator vol. 2 Number 125. To deal freely with the TRIMMER I have more Faith in the Words of one dying Traytor under the stroke of Iustice than of twenty Living Thus have we given you an Account of what happened in the West in the Year 85. being in every Point truth we shall next give a short touch of the Civilities the poor Sufferers received from the City of Exon which deserves an everlasting Remembrance Most sorts of Provisions as hot Broth boyled Meat roast Meat divers sorts of Pies were daily sent into the Prison the Persons that sent them unknown to them Also if any Person was sick there should be a Nurse to attend him Also a Physitian and Chyrurgion to attend when occasion was 'T is said He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord the Lord return them an hundred fold Thus Reader by the help of God we are come to an end of our long Journey from the yeaâ— 1678. to 1685. The way all along has been full of dirt and blood and therefore no wonder if the Wheels have driven somewhat heavily 'T will be worth thy while as well as mine to look back on the dâ—fferent Stages we have taken which is one of the gâ—eatest pleasures of a Traveller who finds delight in reflecting even on that which formerly
of Exclusion which our most Gracious King told us he could not without a manifest Infringement of the Royal Prerogatives of the Crown which are too sacred for us to touch consent to Had we not the Cursed Counsel of Achitophel Kings are God's Vicegerents on Earth and are indeed Gods on Earth and we Represent them Now when God Almighty had of his Infinite Goodness called this Blessed Prince unto himself he sends a Prince who assures us he will imitate his Royal Brother and Renowned Predecessor in all things especially in that of his Clemency and Mercy and that too upon the word of a King A King I will assure you that will not be worse than his Word Nay Pardon the Expression that dare not be worse than his Word Which of you all that had a Father Murthered by another and that deliberately too under colour of Justice which added to the Crime and your Brother nay your selves thrust out from your Inheritancâ— and banished from your Country nay that sought your blood likewise would not when it was in your power revenge such Injuries and ruin such Persecutors But here our most blessed Prince whom God long preserve hath not only forgiven but will venture his Life for the Defence of such his Enemies Has he not ventured his Life already as far as any man for the Honour of these Kingdoms Nay I Challenge this City to shew me any one man of it that perchance may not be worth a Groat that has ventured his Life so far for the safety of these Kingdoms as this Royal Prince hath done Good God! what an Age do we live in shall not such a Prince be secure from the Sedition Rebellion and Plots of Men He is scarce seated on his Royal Throne where God Almighty grant he may long Reign but on the one hand he is invaded by a Condemned Rebel and Arch-Traytor who hath received the just reward of his Rebellion On the other hand up starts a Poppet Prince who seduces the Mobile into Rebellion into which they are easily bewitched for I say Rebellion is like the sin of Witchcraft this man who had as little Title to the Crown as the least of you for I hope all you are Legitimate being overtaken by Justice and by the goodness of his Prince brought to the Scaffold he has the confidence good God! that men should be so impudent to say That God Almighty did know with what joyfulness he did die a Traytor having for these two years last past lived in all Incontinency and Rebellion notwithstanding goodness of an Indulgent Prince so often to pardon him but it is just like him Rebellion as I told you is like the sin of Witchcraft For there was another which I shall not name because I will not trample on the dust of the Dead but you may remember him by the words of his Speech he tells you That he thanks his God that he falls by the Ax and not by the Fiery Trial. He had rather he had as good have said die a Traytor than a Blessed Martyr Great God of Heaven and Earth what reason have men to Rebel But as I told you Rebellion is like the sin of Witchcraft Fear God and Honour the King is rejected by People for no other reason as I can find but that it is written in St. Peter Gentlemen I must tell you I am afraid that this City hath too many of these People in it And it is your Duty to search them out For this City added much to that Ships Loading there was your Tyly's vour Roe's and your Waâ—es men starred up like Mushrooms Scoundrel Fellows mere Sons of Dunghills These men must forsooth set up for Liberty and Property A Fellow that carries the Sword before Mr. Major must be very careful of his Property and turn Politician as if he had as much Property as the Person before whom he bears the Sword though perchance not worth a Groat Gentlemen I must tell you you have still here the Tyly's the Roe's and the Wades I have brought a Brush in my Pocket and I shall be sure to Rub the Dirt where ever it is or on whomsoever it sticks Gentlemen I shall not stand Complementing with you I shall talk with some of you before you and I part I tell you I tell you I have brought a Besome and I will sweep every mans door whether great or small Must I mention Particulars I hope you will save me that trouble yet I will hint a few things to you that perchance I have heard of This is a great City and the Magistrates wonderful Loyal and very forward to assist the King with Men Mony and Provisions when the Rebels were just at your Gates I do believe it would have went very hard with some of you if the Enemy had entered the City notwithstanding the Endeavours that was used to accomplish it Certainly they had and must have great incouragement from a Party within or else why should their design be on this City Nay when the Enemy was within a Mile of you that a Ship should be set on fire in the midst of you as a Signal to the Rebels and to amuse those within when if God Almighty had not been more gracious unto you than you was to your selves so that Wind and Tyde was for you for what I know the greatest part of this City had perished and yet you are willing to believe it was an Accident Certainly here is a great many of those men which they call Trimmers A Whig is but a meer Fool to these for a Whig is some sort of a subject in comparison of these for a Trimmer is but a cowardly and base-spirited VVhig for the VVhig is but the Journey-man-Prentice that is hired and set on in the Rebellion whilst the Trimmer is afraid to appear in the Cause he stands at a doubt and says to himself I will not assist the King until I see who has the best of it And refuses to entertain the King's Friends for fear the Rebels should get the better of it These men stink worse than the worst dirt you have in your City these men have so little Religion that they forget that he that is not for us is against us Gentlemen I tell you I have the Kalendar of this City here in my hand I have heard of those that have searched into the very sink of a Conventicle to find out some sneaking Rascal to hide their Mony by night Come come Gentlemen to be plain with you I find the dirt of the Ditch is in your Nostrils Good God! where am I in Bristol This City it seems claims the Priviledge of Hanging and Drawing amongst themselves I find you have more need of a Commission once a Month at least The very Magistrates which should be the Ministers of Justice fall out one with another to that degree they will scarce Dine with each other whilst it is the business of some cunning men that lye
William Gillet Thomas Lissant William Pocock Christopher Stephens George Cantick Robert Allen Joseph Kelloway Yeovil 8. Francis Foxwell George Pitcher Bernard Devereax Bernard Thatcher for concealing Bovet William Johnson Thomas Hurford Edward Gillard Oliver Powel Netherstoe 3. Humphrey Mitchel Richard Cullverell Merrick Thomas Dunster 3. Henry Lackwell John Geanes William Sully Dulverton 3. John Basely John Lloyd Henry Thompson Bridgewater 12. Robert Fraunces Nicholas Stâ—dgell George Lord Jeffreys Joshua Bâ—llamy William Moggeridge John Hurman Robert Roper Richard Harris Richard Engram John Trott Roger Guppey Roger Hore Isaiah Davis Ratcliffe-Hill at Bristol 6. Richard Evans John Tinckwell Christopher Clerk Edward Tippoâ— Philip Cumbridge John Tucker alias Glover Illminster 12. Nicholas Collins Sen. Stephen Newman Robert Luckis William Kitch Thomas Burnard William Wellen John Parsons Thomas Trocke Robert Fawne Western Hillary John Burgen Charles Speake Stogersey 2. Hugh Ashley John Herring Wellington 3. Francis Priest Philip Bovet Robert Reed South-petherton 3. Cornelius Furfurd John Parsons Thomas Davis Porlock 2. James Gale Henry Edny Glasenbury 6. John Hicks Richard Pearce Israel Briant William Mead James Pyes John Broâ—me Taunton 19. Robert Perret Abraham Ansley Benjamin Hewling Peirce Murren John Freake John Savage Abraham Matthews William Jenkins Henry Lisle John Dryer John Hucker Jonathan England John Sharpe William Deverson John Williams John Patrum James Whittom William Satchel John Trickey Langport 3. Humphrey Peirce Nicholas Venton John Shellwood Arbridg 6. Isaac Tripp Thomas Burnell Thomas Hillary John Gill Senior Thomas Monday John Butcher Cutherston 2. Richard Bovet Thomas Blackmoâ—e Minehead 6. John Jones alias Evens Hugh Starke Francis Barlet Peter Warren Samuel Hawkins Richard Sweet Evilchester 12. Hugh Goodenough Samuel Cox William Somerton John Masters John Walrand David Langwell Osmond Barrâ—t Matthew Cross Edward Burford John Mortimer John Stevens Robert Townsden Stogummer 3. George Hillard John Lockstone Arthur Williams Castlecary 3 Richard Ash Samuel Garnish Robert Hinde Milton-port 2. Archibald Johnson James Maxwel Keinsham 11. Charles Chepman Richard Bowden Thomas Trock Lewis Harris Edward Halswell Howel Thomas George Badol Richard Evans John Winter Andrew Rownsden John Phillelrey Suffer'd in all 239 Besides those Hanged and Destroyed in Câ—ld Blood 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 preferr'd 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 Arriv'd 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 Croud and it might be wished in so dangerous a heighth he had looked better to his Footsteps for now being created Baron of Wem we find him in a High Commission or Ecclesiastical Court Suspending rhe Honourable Lord Bishop of London from performing the Episcopal Office and Function of that See and for no other default than not readily complying with the Kings Letter in Suspending Dr. Sharp Dean of Norwich for Preaching a Sermon in the Parish Church of St Giles in the Fields at the request of the Parishioners shewing the Errors and Fallacies of the Romish Religion the better to confirm them in the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of England Nor was it this good Bishop alone that was aimed at for Magdalen Colledge in Oxford was next attempted and in that very Mother of Learning and Chief Seminary of our Church such alterations made as startled the Kingdom by whose Counsel I undertake not to determine but in the midst of Liberty of Conscience as twice declared The Church of England had a Test put upon her Sons which seemed such a Paradox that has been rarely heard of viz. To Read the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in the Churches during the time of Divine Service and a Mark and Penalties threatned to the Refusers which was evidently demonstrated by the Imprisonment of those pious Patriots of their Country and Pillars of the Church His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Bishop of Bathe and Wells Ely Peterborough Chichester St. Asaph and Bristol who for shewing their Reasons why they could not comply with this Command by way of Humble Petition were sent to the Tower and afterwards Tryed upon Information of High Misdemeanour at the Court of Kings-Bench where their Innocency appearing in a large manner they were acquitted to the scandal of their Accusers yet Orders were sent into all parts of England to return and account to the Lord Chancellor of those that refused to Read the Declaration that they might be proceeded against for a Contempt of what their Consciences would not permit them to do and for a time they were extreamly hot upon it Much about this time there was a considerable Suit depending before him in Chancery between a great Heiress and others which was sufficiently talk'd of in the World not without loud and deep reflections on his Honesty and Honour for having given the Cause for the young Lady he very speedily afterwards married her to his Son with this remarkable Circumstance She being a Papist to make sure Work he married them both ways both by a Priest of the Church of Rome and a Divine of the Church of England And here I think we may place the Heighth and Acme of his Honour and Happiness where he 's not like to tarry long for on the News of the great Preparations in Holland and that the Prince of Orange was certainly design'd for England the determined Councils cool'd and then quite ceas'd so that the Church of England men whose Cause the Prince had espoused were restored again to the Commissions and Trusts they had by what Justice I know not been lately deprived of and amongst other Charters that were on this occasion restored was that of the City of London and that which makes it more memorable was that it was brought to Guild-Hall by this Person tho he was not attended with the Shouts and Acclamations he expected nor seem'd so florid or frolicksom as heretofore which some looked upon as a bad Omen and it 's reported soon after he being ask'd by a Courtier What the Heads of the Princes Declaration were he should answer He waâ— sure his was one whatever the râ—st were When the late King James was secur'd at Feversham he desired to see his Landlord and demanded his Name who proved a Person who had turned himself over to the Kings Bench for a Fine which fell upon him and Captain Stanbrooke in Westminster by the Lord Chancellours means at the Board which King James calling for a Pen and