end of his Journey one came from a Friend to the Sled side to tell him that endeavours were used to get his Body for burial What care I saith he what becomes of my Body when I am dead let them do what they will with it I blesse God my Soul is safe Many other excellent Passages are yet behind scattered in the hands of several Friends which cannot be yet brought together but care is taken that they shall not be lost but are all preserved to a more large Account when the afore-mentioned History of his Life and Death comes out together with several choice Letters of his very worthy of Record All which will ask some time to prepare and put them into due order for the Presse The Several SPEECHES and PRAYERS of Col. John Okey Col. John Barkstead and Miles Corbet Esq at the place of Execution April 19. 1662. UPon April 19. 1662. being the day appointed for the Execution of Col. John Barkstead Col. John Okey and Miles Corbet Esq who were drawn on three several Hurdles from the Tower to Tyburn Col. Barkstead was first brought to the place of Execution and then Col. Okey and then Mr. M. Corbet who at a good distance of time one after another mounted a Cart which was prepared for them to stand in whilst they spake to the people Col. John Barkstead was the first that ascended the Cart And as soon as he was in he lifted up his eyes to Heaven and said Blessed be God and then immediatly one supposed to be of the Life-guard cryed out very loud He is almost dead if he be not quickly hanged he will be dead before therefore hang him hang him before he be quite dead See how he looks But being much spent he waved speaking to that And after he was tyed up finding the Rope very strait he would sit on the side of the Cart to rest himself but could not till the Rope was somewhat loosened After resting himself it was expected he would say something before the other Prisoners came which was at least half an hours distance The Sheriff therefore spake to him to this effect Sheriff You must not speak any thing in justification of such an horrid Offence for which you came hither to suffer To which Col. Barkstead replyed I cannot speak much Barkst by reason of the weakness of my body I desire to get as much refreshment as I can before I speak Then the Sheriff spake to Mr. Hastings Sheriff who was Under-Sheriff of the County of Middlesex Will not you dispatch one first of all To which the Under-Sheriff answered We use to hang all together Undersh Col. Barkstead then lifted up his eyes and hands to Heaven Then replyed the Sheriff Let it be according as it use to be Sheriff Execut. Then said the Executioner to Col. Barkstead You may be going on in your own prayers and lose no time Barkst I shall be but short and taking something out of a silver Box putting it into his mouth lifting up his eyes said I bless God I have a better Comforter than this Then being asked by some person of quality whether he were not sorry for what he had done He answered Sir I shall be sorry for whatever the Lord convinceth me to be a sin When the Lord sets home that upon my soul I shall express it unto God and man and truly that must be from him alone Mr. Th. Porter Then Mr. Thomas Porter spake to him I am sorry to see you there but you will be a happy man within this half hour Barkst I have I bless God an assurance through Jesus Christ that I shall be so but feeling the Cart stir under him as he did several times before and thereby the Rope pinched him he desired it might be eased Then Col. Okey was brought towards the Cart and when Col. Barkstead saw him he lifted up his eyes and hands Some of the Sheriffs Officers when Okey came to the Cart said of him That he was a lusty stout brave man as ever fought in England Sheriff Then said the Sheriff to Col. Okey I hope I need not give you this Caution that you make no justification of this horrid Offence not to justifie that Offence for which you are brought hither this day Okey To which Col. Okey made this reply Sir I must not lye for God much less for you I hope you will give me leave to speak what lies upon my conscience whether I am guilty or not guilty We will speak something of what lyes upon us Then Mr. Corbet being at the Cart ready to come up Col. Okey stooping down to help him up said Come brother Corbet how do you and clapping his hand upon his breast Okey said I thank God I have it here Then speaking to the Sheriff he said May I have my Hat on or stand bare Sheriff Which you please said the Sheriff you have your liberty for that Then Col. Okey addressed himself to speak to the People as followeth Colonel Okey's Speech GENTLEMEN THe Providence of God hath brought me to this place to pay that which every man oweth I shall not trouble you with what is superfluous which is to tell you of my Family which of all the Families in Israel was the least and I was the least of that Family It is not unknown to most here what troubles have been in this Nation and how eminently the hand of God did appear therein Among many others that were called forth to serve the King and Parliament as then the Cause was stated I was one which I did faithfully according to the best of my power and knowledge I here do bless God that I was called to that Work For I am perswaded in my heart that it was for the Glory of God and the good of his People however it was turned at last and if I had as many lives as I have hairs on my head I should have ventured them all in that Cause I have nothing upon me as to that and I thank God I am fully satisfied as to that Cause but I shall say no more to that but only this in general That as the Parents of him that was born blind being asked by the Pharisees how he came to his sight answered He is of Age let him speak for himself and so the Cause is sufficiently able to speak for it self But as to that vvhich I have been adjudged for and am come hither to give my Life for viz. the Death of the late King I shall only say thus much That I think most of you know that I vvas none of the Counsel within or without neither did I know any thing of the Tryal of the King or who vvere the Judges till I saw my Name inserted in a Paper and I did sit there but once or twice but for any malice to him I had no more than to my own soul but prayed for him to
their leaves of them seemed to have a better opinion both of their Persons and their Cause then they had before and did withal give them assurance that they should not be delivered up to be sent for England untill they had had a more Publique Hearing of what they could say in their own defence But by the extream Officiousness of Sir Geâ—rge Downing and his continued Sollicitations accompanied as is reported with strange menaces these persons were soon after not only contrary to the particular engagements of the Lords before mentioned but also against the very Laws of Nations and of all humane Society and Commerce yea against their own former practise in the Case of Ravilleak who murdered the King of France By order from the States General at two of the clock in the Morning taken out of Prison and being manacled with wrist-Irons chayns and locks were thrust into a Vessel lying at Delst and from thence conveyed into one of the King of Englands Frigots provided for the purpose and so in a few dayes were brought for England where they Arrived at the Tower of London upon the Lords Day in the Evening being the day of where they were forthwith disposed of by Order of the Lieutenant to their several Prison Lodgings and there continued in a very comfortable Condition in respect of the Peace Joy and Patience in which they did possesse their Souls as will more fully appear in the ensuing part of this Narrative untill the 16. of April 1662. Upon which day they were carried up by Water to the Kings Bench Bar to receive Judgement having been already by Act of Parliament attaynted of High Treason for compassing the death of the late King Charles the First After a very short dispute whether the Prisoners at the Bar were the Persons named in the forementioned Act of Attainder yea or no Witnesses being produced who made full proof in the Affirmative and the Prisoners themselves confessing it the Jury without going from the Bar gave in their Verdict that they were the Persons named in the said Act whereupon Judgement was given against them accordingly After Sentence was given they were remanded back to the Tower and in what frame of Spirit they were and how full of Joy and Peace in believing and how sweetly and patiently both to themselâ—es and others they spent that little time which remained from the day of their Tryal to the day of their Suffering the following Collection of the occasional Speeches and Discourses which fell from them will abundantly testifie Their Opinion of the Covenant In Satisfaction to many Friends that much desired to know what their opinions were as to the Covenant and the late proceedings against it and also what they thought of the Condition of these Nations they freely and fully upon occasion still answered and largely discoursed to this effect Truly said they we can affirm and do affirm it that it was in pursuance of the Covenant that we acted and that in defence of it we now suffer and doubt not but in due time God will own his Cause and this Covenant and in such a manner too as shall be to the amazement yea to the Horrour and Confusion of them that oppose it and of others also the heretofore professed Friends of it who have lately acted so strangely upon it Was it ever imagined that any of the very first and strictest Composers and urgers of this Covenant either Here or in Scotland should deal with it as they have done That they should divide the civil part of it from the Religious and whilst their Zeal is all in a flame for the former they should be key-cold for the latter leaving that to the utmost Hazzard which was the main if not almost the whole Concernment and Intendment of it Is it likely that God will long bear with such juggling as this Or can any expect that it will passe in the Day of their Accounts Men may think to baffle with God and their own Consciences to invent shifts distinctions pretenses and put fair glosses on their Actions but let them not be deceived God is not mocked he never was and never will be as they will find at last if they repent not When some mentioned the burning of the Covenant and by Authority of Parliament too Why what then said they what though the Common Hangman hath made Bonefires of it yet is the Obligation to it burned also No verily it neither is nor can be nor is it any humane Law that can take it off but still it doth and will abide in full force and virtue either to be conscientiously performed by them that are under it or to be severely pleaded against them if they neglect it But it seems the Covenant must be abjured also and is abjured already by some and this by a Publick Law too from the Peoples representatives in Parliament and so is made the Act of the whole Natiâ—n Be astonished Oh Heavens and tremble Oh Earth Let the Sun it self be cloathed in blacknesse at this so horrid an impiety what abjure such a Covenant a Covenant so Solemnly taken a Covenant for the matter of it so Religious so Holy so universally owned by three Nations and owned in yea Authorized by Parliament sworn to by the King himself a Covenant so zealously pressed upon Peoples Consciences â—he force of which hath been so strongly urged and improved for the bringing his Majesty to the Throne what a Covenant that engageth to a Reformation and a Reformation according to the best and highest Patterns This Covenant abjured and thus abjured even by a Law and upon such deep and and sore penalties What is this but to bid defiance to God himself yea to put it to the Tryal whether there be a God or no that doth indeed look down from Heaven upon the doings of men Psal. 14.2 and whether he be such a God as will avenge these things Is it not his word that is made the Rule of this Covenanted-Reformation and was it not he himself even his own Al-knowing Divine Majesty that was attested and called in as a Witnesse to the sincerity of their hearts that took this Covenant and that upon their own eternal Damnation or Salvation And must this Covenant be abjured now This Covenant Is not Gods own Word and God himself too after a sort abjured in that Act whoever are gulty of it and what if some of those that do or shall abjure it or urge the abjuring of it upon others have formerly been Professors of Religion and so far Professors of it that they have seemed to have been in love with it delighted in it and so to have tasted of the powers of the World to come will not these of all others be the very chief of sinners whilest they become guilty of no lesse than the very sin against the Holy Ghost or at least border as near to it as possibly may be Oh amazing vengeance oh most dreadful of all
Judicial strokes that can fall upon the Reprobate minds of men May not the dismal doom of Francis Spira be here remembred and Solomons back-slider in heart who shall be filled with his own wayes Prov. 14.14 Though to commit murther upon the high way and to do it deliberately and in cool blood too be a most horrid crime a crime against the very light of Nature and against the second Table yet how short doth it come of this the highest of all crimes imaginable a crime that murthers conscience that murthers souls that murthers Religion it self a crime against the first Table most immediately against the Soveraign God! and the greatest of that nature that men can be guilty of Indeed one sin more is found now common among us that comes the nearest to it of all others and that is not onely the jeering of godlinesse and godly men but the histrionical acting of the Zeal and Affection even the sweetest and warmest such as the most Gospel Ministers are sometimes moved with in Praying and Preaching by way of mockery and derision upon Stage-Playes Oh horrible horrible horrible Abomination even such an abomination that must needs make desolate Oh tremandous fact if this be not to do despight to the spirit of grace what is the corrupting and vitiating even the Flower of the three Nations in the Nobility and Gentry as well as the Youth of the City by the Blasphemous Obscene and Filthy Stage-Playes as aforesaid the polluting the eyes and hearts of Common Spectators even in the open Streets by the many impudently Spotted Painted Faces and shamelesly exposed nakednesse The most odious conversation of the Pantaloon Gallants as they are called with their Bruitish Concubines in Stews and Brothel houses are but petty sins to these Such as the fleshly and more carnal parts are ruined by but those other sins reach higher even to the Superiour part the mind and conscience not but that all sins even the least that are have an influence upon the mind too yet not to such eminent and manifold degrees of guilt as these Did the poor deluded people ever intend these things Did they imagine that matters of this nature would have been ever countenanced yea enforced and that by a Law and among other things did they ever mean or think that their burning and shining ligâ—ts should be extingushed or did they think it possible it could have been done so soon at least did they ever dream of such grossely Ignorant Lazy Sottish Debauched wretches to be put into places of Preferment and the fat things of the three Nations some of them possessing 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 yea 9 or 10. Preferments together not fully discharging any one of them in their own persons no nor by their Deputies neither whilst many hundreds if not some thousands of Faithful Painful able Ministers are wholly laid aside they and their Families in the mean time being ready to perish for want of bread for their bodies as well as the Congregations from whence they are thrust are ready to perish for want of bread for their Souls did they ever aim at the encouraging or at least at the permitting of Priests and Iesuites to come swarming in among us and that by thousands from all forreign parts which we are well assured of since we have been abroad and in some of those Countries too from whence they came such busie and Industrious Agents they are for their Great Master the Pope and so successeful already that they boldly affirm it in Print that there is a common favour voted for them in this Nation as may be seen and read in one of those three Popish Books of Contention between the said Priests and Jesuites among themselves which were lately Printed and Sold Publiquely at the Exchange Sure by this time the eyes of City and Country must needs be opened unless they are wholly given up to blindness to see their too late lamented mistakes especially in the choises they have made or been constrained to make Now the poor Vnder tenants that have given their vote as their Landlords pleased now thâ— abused Inhabitants of Towns and Corporations that have gratified the letters of their powerful soliciters or menacers rather for men that either they never knew or could never have any tolerable satisfaction in may see and feel unto their sorrow what miseries they have brought upon themselves and their posterities when their few remaining lights are all quite put out when darkness thick darknesse covers them when they are ready to perish for want of vision Prov. 19.18 and a little time hath brought in that woful ignorance and brutality which the high contempt of so glorious a Gospel as these Nations and especially this City of London hath so lâ—ng enjoyed deserves then what may not easily be done with or to such a people what vassallage or bondage spiritual or temporal will they not submit unto Ah poor England ah thou City of London what woes and calamities even of thine own procuring art thou already fallen into and how inevitably must thou undergo them Thou triumphedst in the undoubted expectation of assured peace greatest plenty most prosperous and mighty trade but how art thou already tossed with cares and fears threatned with scarcity and want impoverished with the losse of trading thou boastedst of freedom from taxes and other publick burdens but what two years didst thou ever find so costly before and so heavy to thee besides thy other constant Assesments and payments what thinkest thou of the Pole-money the benevolence the chimney-money the Protections to thy debtors the monopolies that have come upon thee thick and three-fold Thou didst reckon to be the glory of Nations the crowning City to shine as bright in thy stones of fire as ever proud 〈◊〉 did Esa. 22.8 Ezek. 28.14 but how greatly art thou disappointed what plagues and judgements rather mayest thou not look for suddenly to overtake thee for our parts we are now dying men but if we were sure to live yet the very apprehensions of these things makes us even dye already Well what remedy remains surely none but that which in a manner we see too much cause even to despair of and that is such a speedy hâ—arty and through Repentance such a general Reformation such a closinâ— and firm vniting of all parties as our deplorable condition requireâ— and the Covenant we have bin speaking of binds us all to Objâ—ctions we know there are against this Covenant and such too as seem to have â—â—rength and weight in them but when Examined by impartial Judges will be found otherwise Some object against the Matter of the Covenant but to the intelligent and considerative Reader do not the very words of it and that in the literal and grammatical construction most plainly declare that the great scope and aim of it is the preservation and Reformation of the true Prostetant Religion both Personal and National and that the preservation of other 〈…〉 secured
What Roaring and Ranting What uncontrolable wickedness rageth every where through the Land Even as if the men of these times had been delivered on purpose to do all these abominations Jerem. 7.10 may not ruful England as much now as ever sit down in tears and even weep her eyes out for grief Dr. Gauden himself being Judge It is true indeed there are many that cry up the blessednesse of these times and the happy changes we are now under that do in a manner conclude that it is impossible any thing can be now done which may admit of amendment that nothing ought now to be accounted grievous or oppressive no not though Princes themselves become companions of theeves Esay 1.23 though open Robberies Assaults and Murthers be done by them upon the very high wayes The Poor Commons of England travelling about their lawful occasions may be now slain and their innocent blood bought and sold if they be great men or great mens Sons that do it They may Kill and Murther and do what they please and yet shall find a deliverance Oh! how are witnesses even in the case of blood now tampered with silenced ' or over-awed by Bribes or Threats What Corrupt and Vnrighteous Juryes have we How is Judgement turned into wormwood Murther into man-slaughter and man-slaughter into murther as the case lyes for or against a Phanatique as they call him or a poor Commoner But may not such as bring the price or guilt of innocent blood upon their own Families as well as pollute the Nation with it chance to have the innocent blood of themselves or some of theirs be enquired after by the next Jury whilest thus they encourage the hands of murtherers against their Brethren As for those that blesse themselves with such times times as these what are they for the most part at least but men of most filthy and dissolute lives such as were described before Haters of God and godlinesse such as cannot indure holinesse of Life or soundnesse of Doctrine but are even mad against a convincing Ministry in the Nation and the pious Examples of such neighbours as walk most close with God least their own wickednesse should be reproved or shamed and what ever their pretended devotion may be yet are they not such generally as care no more for one Religion then for another any further then it suits with the full swing and dominion of their lusts and is it not for this very reason that they contend so much for present things even with a zeal as hot as hell For our parts we account it no priviledge to live to behold what is already come in part upon us and is farther coming upon these Nations therefore are the lesse sollicitous about our death And however at present we may be judged to suffer as malâ—factors yet who can tell but that our blood may prove as fattening and sructifying towards the Common Cause as the bloud of the Martyrs did in the Church and then it will be no soliscisme to say Sanguis Martyrum semen est ut Ecclesiae sic Reipublicae Some Occasional Passages Discourses and Letters of Col. John Barksteads as they were taken from his own mouth or left behind him in writing under his own hand AFter Liberty was granted to some of his Relations and Friends to visit him in his imprisonment very many of them did at several times repair to him Those who first came to him were so affected with those choice Expressions which dropt from him that like the Woman of Samaria they made it their work to invite and encourage others to partake of the same Mercy with themselves upon which many had the opportunity to hear him speak and amongst them several sober and descreet Persons did commit to writing the things that were most remarkable which fell from him And here we begin with what he spake to several Friends who came to visit him during the time of his imprisonment Having been saith he but a very little while off of my Watch in that time giving way to a Parley with Flesh and Bloud Sathan who is never idle was not now wanting but put me for some hours to it endeavouring to present to me the greatnesse of the Sufferings I was yet to go through and my own weaknesse to go thorow them I saw indeed my own weaknesse and inability and taking the Bible to look for a word from whence I might get strength and encouragement the Lord brought to me that place of Isaiah 26.3 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he truâ—teth in thee And so v. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength And so v. 8. Yea in the way of thy Judgement O Lord have we waited for thee the desires of our souls is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee The Lord helped him by this word to conquer all his fears which did arise from the sense of his own weaknesse and utter insufficiency to conflict with those difficulties and deaths which did now encounter him neither was the Lord wanting in renewing his strength from other portions of his good Word which upon the opening of his Bible his eye by Providence was still directed to whereof hear him give his following account When I was sayes he locked up in my lodging in the Tower alone I began to consider what my present condition called for from me and taking my Bible my joy I first pitched on this Scripture Psalm 4. vers 4. Stand in aw and sin not commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be still and vers 5. Offer the Sacrifice of Righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord. After some hours spent in Reading and Meditating upon these words and finding not one syllable in which there was not an overflowing fulness as to me At this time of my Affliction I was lead forth in my Spirit abundantly to add more the goodnesse of the Lord to me that I should so providentially pitch upon this Scripture And now my heart being filled with ravishing Joys and Rejoycings I looked a little further and reading vers 7. Thou hast put gladnesse in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased I found that Scripture aboundantly made good to me and can truly seal to this that in all my full enjoyments of the Creature I never had such Joy and Gladnesse in my heart as now and that all the Afflictions Cares and Torments I have met with are nothing to those sweet enjoyments that God hath given in through Christ No no there is more affliction in the least sin then in the greatest of Sufferings and that I can truly say there hath not one private thought past through me that I was sorry or wish I had not been so far engaged in this Glorious Cause but I have rather admired the great love of Christ to me that he
is very suspiâ—â—ous of it self and so willing to know the worst of it self it bemoans and afflicts it self and thinks better of others then of it self the 3 Col 12. As the Elect of God put on the bowels of meekness loving-kindness and humility this must be done as the elect of God We read in Numbers that the Nazarites as they were to drink no wine so they were to drink no vinegar Now a Nazarite was a Type of one set apart for God such are all believers whom God hath set apart for himself God expects they should drink no vinegar that is they should not be of froward peevish waspish and sowr spirits But on the contrary of sweet meek and gentle spirits which is of great price both with God and man and of great advantage to us both in relation to our souls bodies I have been the larger in this having been here in speaking to my own soul O had I had the acquaintance with this grace formerly which the Lord hath been teaching me in the Wilderness I should certainly have been more watchful of those floods of passions then I was I should have known that nothing could be well done in anger or passion I should have considered my own frailty and laboured to have turned the stream of my affections another way I should certainly have set a higher price on the grace of meekness then I did and have made it more my business to have been humbling my soul for what had been past been mindful of renewing my Covenant daily and thereby kept my peace with my God I must beg your pardon for giving you the trouble of so many scribed lines one of thine to me excells all I can write but the excellency of the grace of meekness together with the usefulness of it at all times but more especially at such a time as this Indeed when I set pen to paper I intended anothâ—r subject but having had occasion to make tryal of the usefulnes of this Transcendent grace I could not pass it by but was enforced to present you a last of those full drafts the Lord hath been pouring forth into me even in the Wilderness of the Wilderness this I shall unridle to you hereafter But if this grace of meekness be of so transcendent excellency and usefulness then how much doth it concern us to labour both to get and keep it which that we may do the first and principâ—l means is certainly to study the word more and therein of a more full knowledge of God and Christ and of our selves Of our selves consider what once we were what we might have been and what it cost Christ to bring us out of that condition and what we would be if God should leave us to our selves but for a very little space in what condition should we then certainly be in one day Let these and the like consideratieons cause us to rise and be doing and to labour to get and keep our hearts in a ready frame and temper for every duty the Lord shall call us forth to either to do or suffer and not only so but to get our hearts in love with the duty love makes hard and difficult things light and easy and heâ— let us not loose our former encouragements nor continue in the guilt of any one sin but be careful to preserve all our former Experience to be very careful to order the duties of our present condition and conversation to beware of disturbing passions and entertain all opportunities of enjoying communion with the Saints let us be much in the exercise of faith and alwayes labouring after strength of grace indeavouring as much as in us lies to make all the wayes of Christ easie that so they may be delightful to us and when we have done all to leave the successe and issue to the Lord all whose wayes are even and none of them crooked or contrary one to the other they certainly bring strength and in all of them there is good success for that a gracious soul hath all the passages of Gods Providence to help him they being eases to the soul for that they ease the soul from care yea they make all other things easy in the wayes of Christ a gracious soul is alwayes receiving its wages in its work Psalm 110. Thy people are a willing people in the day of thy power the heart of a Christian doth readily embrace Christ because there is something in a Christians heart like Christ and from hence it is that the wayes of the Lord become strength to the righteous it must needs be easie yea even at that time when others may look upon them as most rough difficult and hard A skilful Sailor will make way to his desired port with a three quarter wind yea if he have Sea-room he will lay hold on some Tack or other though the wind blow directly against him The way from Egypt to Canaan was not long nor difficult but behold through unbelief together with a murmuring and repining spirit The constant Hand-Maids what windings and turnings did they meet with in the Wilderness before they came to Canaan the same spirit is and will be at work in every one of us and if the Lord give us not strength will exceedingly trouble us therefore we must take heed of vinegar spirits and consider that a gracious heart accounts his duty his priviledge and the reason is because the word that commands it is sweet and therefore it is he would rather come under any other burden then cast off the Yoke of Christ for that this is to him easie Now if we will follow Christ we must not think of following the World for that is at continual enmity with Christ yea those that follow the World are natural Enemies to themselves being at emnity with God To follow the World is a slighting of Christ by leaving the example of Christ and his Saints It is also below the excellency of a Christian for the Mysteries of Godliness are above the riches of the Word again it puts the soul upon a necessity of miscarrying to follow the World crosses all our prayers it hinders us from the receiving of good and deprives us of the good we had before But I must abruptly break off and take my leave of you I am Yours J. B. Another Letter of Col. Barksteads written to a Christian Friend in London MY Dear Friend I am very sensible of my great neglect of that duty which is incumbent upon me to you-ward in the Relation I stand to you that I had not long before this given you an Account how it hath been with me and what the Lord hath done for me his poor unworthy servant since I last saw you that I have been a Stranger in a strange Land I need not tell you I am perswaded you will judge favourably of me till you understand how it hath pleased the Lord to deal with me The truth is my condition in some
respect may resemble the Dove that Noah sent out of the Ark that could find no place to set the foal of her foot on thus hath it been for some moneths with me so that I could not with any conveniency because of those that bear an evil will to Zion write to you but my Dear Friend though I have been absent from you in the body yet I can say truly I have not been so in my Spirit the Lord knows how my Soul hath both night and day longed after you and all the rest of my Christian Friends in Christ Jesus and in all my approaches to the Throne of Grace I have made it my earnest request to the Lord Jesus Christ that the Father of all glory would give unto you more and more the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ And that you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing being fruitful in all good works increasing in the blessed knowledge of our God and that you may be filled with all the love of God to his glory and your everlasting comfort I know you are ignorant why I left my Native Country and all that was near and dear unto me in this world but which is most of all the pretious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the communion of his people a losse of losses not to be made up but in Christ and in him alone and therefore my dear Friend though now you enjoy the light yet you do not know how soon it may be taken from you or you from it it is and shall be my continual prayers that it may not be for it is indeed the Judgement of all Judgements The Lord God pardon unto me in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that great neglect of it whereof I was guilty while I was with you that I did not improve it more to the comfort of my own soul. Oh my Dear Friend did you but see and hear that which I have seen and heard in my Travels especially among those that profess Popery it would make your hearts to tremble that blaspheming the Blessed Name of the Lord all manner of wickedness the horrid prophanation of the Lords day and other abominations and Oh that I could have said that I had not seen and heard too much of the same even among those that term themselves of the Reformed Religion Alas alas the best of what they enjoy here is but as the bran to the wheat in comparison to what the Lord hath bestowed on you and therefore I beseech you prize the Gospel more and more and those Godly Ministers that it hath pleased the Lord to send among you for the Lord hath not done for other people as he hath done for you I am verily perswaded it is one great cause among many others that the Lord hath dealt so severely with his own people as to give them up into the hands of his and their enemies hath been the slighting despising contemning and undervaluing the precious Gospel and the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ the Lord in great mercy pardon it not only to his own people but to the whole Nation if it be his blessed will that they may yet know the things that concerns the glory of God and their own everlasting â—â—st before they be hid from their eyes Oh the pretious Jewel of the Gospel to which all the other enjoyments even the quintessence of whatever this world can afford are not to be compared What is there in this base world but vanity of vanities what is there in great men or great things a sparkle of fire or a storm at Sea or a treacherous Friend brings all to nothing in a moment As we have seen by sad experience every day do witness the Truth of it Therefore saith the Apostle love not the World not the things of the World a little grace is worth ten thousand worlds It was a notable saying of that worthy Marquess that he was not worthy of Christ that would not give the whole World for one dayes Communion with him Oh it is a good thing to have a heart established in grace it is good in times of prosperity it is good in dayes of adversity Oh it is good in such a day as this when one wave comes on the neck of another yet the Lord even then remembers those whom he hath promised he will never leave nor forsake yea though their troubles be many yet the Lord will deliver them out of all in his blessed time for all things shall certainly work for the glory of God and the good of his own people And now my Dear Friend do I most humbly beg in the Name of the Lord Jesus the continuance of your Prayers to the Lord for me that he would be pleased to give me more and more of his Holy Spirit that while he is pleased to give a being in the Land of the living I may in some measure live answerable to the many unexpected mercies he hath bestowed on me his poor and unworthy Servant both in relation to my soul and body and that too since I came into a strange land and truly as I want a heart to be thankful to the Lord so I want expressions to let you know it I shall onely at present say it was good for me that I have been Afflicted and if the Lord gives me life I shall not fail to let you know the goodness of the Lord to me in this day of my greatest of troubles which have not been a few And as I humby desire your Prayers for me so do I also beg your thanks to the Lord for me who hath been so gracious to me every way And oh that now with a chearful heart I might honour the Lord in this day of very great troubles and that I might be very humble and thankful and be fitted to live or to dye as the Lord shall be pleased to call me forth That which lyeth with some waite on my Spirit is not so much the losse of these outward things for I praise the Lord he hath carried me in some measure above them but that I should sin against so blessed a God and loving a Father as I have done and that I should with many of his own People provoke the Lord to give up so many of his People so far into the hands of his and their enemies as he hath done at this day would an ordinary chastisement have prevailed certainly the common Enemy had not had their will over them the good Lord sanctifie his present hand of affliction to all his more and more and oh that now in this day of his East wind he would be pleased for his Name sake to stay his rough wind and that that may be the fruit to purge them from their sin and that his People may yet live to praise him in the great Congregation and there to declare the goodness of the Lord to them in the
curse and wrath and death O Lord hath not He born our sins and so likewise our shame and carried our sorrows O Lord what shame was cast upon Him as thy poor Worms are at this day and at this time a shame in the eyes of many present O Lord he was despised and rejected of men O did not He suffer death did not that Righteous one that Holy one suffer death O he dyed for those sins of ours He was cut off from the Land of the Living He poured-out his Soul unto death Nay Lord blessed Father it pleased thee to put Him to grief and he hath born our sins and ô Lord the chastisements of our Peace was laid on Him he was made sin for us Blessed Lord we will lay all our sins upon the head of the scape Goat upon our Lord Jesus Christ Him thou hast given to be a Propitiation O dear Lord in him and through his Blood thou hast found out a way of Atonement for sin and by that one Oblation that he once offered he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto thee through him Lord we come in the blood of that Mediation we desire to lay hold on the Atonement and Propitiation that he hath offered up unto thee O he hath satisfied thy Justice He that knew no sin he was made sin and thou didst lay our sins upon him and thou hast accepted of that satisfaction that he hath made and thou hast raised him from the dead and set him at thy right hand and though he dyed but once yet by that one Oblation he hath satisfied for all our sins O here is the Blood of God the Lord Jesus Christ which was God and man O that Righteous one he loved us and dyed for us that we might live he bare thy Wrath that we might be reconciled that we might find mercy yea and through him thou art merciful Thou God of Mercy shew Mercy to our souls and to the souls of all those in this great Assembly that is met here and dear Father accept us in his Mediation O 't is our comfort though he dyed but once having satisfied thy Justice thereby he doth ever live to make Intercession for Sinners Lord here is Comfort for poor wretched Sinners the Great Mediator that is so pleasant in thy sight whom thou hearest alwayes O he doth continually live to make Intercession for us we pray thee in and through Him accept these poor Prayers of ours these poor Petitions and Requests of ours which we make known to thee O it is pardoning love we seek O Reconciliation with thee before we go hence and be seen no more O Lord we do believe that thou hast sealed our Pardon that thou art reconciled to us and that there is Peace betwixt thee and our poor souls through that great Peace-maker else it would go ill with us now we are going out of this world O come and sprinkle every one of our souls with that precious Blood O that we that are in our selves vile Wretches may yet stand righteous before thee in his Righteousness O the same Righteousness of Christ which thou hast appointed for thou hast made him to be Righteousness for us and Sanctification and Redemption and He is the Lord our Righteousness O put that Robe upon us that glorious Robe of his Righteousness that we may be presented now not having our own righteousness for that is like a vile filthy Rag a menstruous cloth but cloath us with that Righteousness that we may be presented before thee in and through him without spot and without wrinkle before thy presence through him with exceeding joy O thou hast made him our King O that he would now undertake our Cause the Cause of our poor souls Come Lord Jesus thou King of Saints come tread our Enemies under our feet especially that great Enemy O Lord he hath conquered Satan he hath born our sins and hath condemned sin O he took the likeness of sinful flesh and in his flesh condemned sin in the flesh O that now through his Righteousness we might fulfil thy holy Law He is our Righteousness his obedience we now fly to O dear Lord thou hast set before us as a Refuge to fly unto that blessed hope even those Glorious things the Gospel holds out O the hope of Eternal Life which thou that art the faithful God that canst not lye hast promised unto us O thou hast set this hope of perfect Justification and perfect Sanctification before us O thou hast held it forth this same hope of Righteousness thou hast set it before us and now we fly unto it in this day of our distress to lay hold upon it O thou art pleased Lord that we might have strong consolation thou art pleased to confirm this thy Covenant with an Oath That by two immutable things the Covenant of God and the Oath of God we might have strong Consolation Now we fly to this Covenant through Jesus Christ. O be a God in Covenant with us Father say to us every one that we are thine that thou art in Covenant with us and then say Fear not Worms Else ah Lord God now were we to encounter with Death that King of Terrors what would become of us but O Lord speak Peace to us speak Comfort to us thou God of Comfort O comfort our hearts O Lord it must be done by our dear Lord Jesus Christ himself Our Father hath given us Everlasting Consolation Come and comfort our hearts ô comfort us with thy Love ô Lord ô set thy Banner of Love over us Thou dost not despise the affliction of the afflicted blessed be thy Name We have found thee Lord we bear witness to thee before this great Assembly O thou hast not despised the affliction of the afflicted thou hast seen us in our low estate and been very good to us We have had a Banner of Love over us and we bless thy Name for this very Affliction that thou hast laid upon us O that we could bear witness to thee in the face of this great City and before this great Assembly of thy Goodness and Faithfulness and of thy Mercy which endures for ever O we have tasted of thy Love and it 's good to cleave unto thee Father thou art a Refuge to the Poor and Strength to the Poor and Needy Come and be a Refuge to us in this great Storm truly we are to go through a great Storm before we come unto thee ô that we may finde Death a sweet in-let and a passage into thy blessed Arms through Jesus Christ When our poor souls shall be coming to thee we pray thee give thy Angels charge over us and strengthen us against the fears and terrors of Death O let fresh strength come from Jesus Christ at this present It is not all the Graces we have had will now do us any good unless we have fresh supplies Our fresh springs are in thee Arise O Spring O
shall only speak a word or two unto the Lord and no more Colonel Barkstead's Prayer O Eternal and ever-blessed Lord God Thou who sittest upon the highest Heavens who hast the highest Heavens for thy Throne and the Earth for thy Footstool We poor Creatures are here by thy Providence brought at this day to this place at this time and by Thee it is that we are in the Condition we are now in for which O Lord we blesse Thee and for which we can blesse thy Name Blessed be thy Name O Lord that Thou wert pleased before Thou broughtest us hither to speak Peace to our poor souls in the Blood of Jesus Christ and blessed for ever be thy Name that thou givest-in Assurance of Peace Pardon and Reconciliation to our Souls at this very minute blessed be thy Name Dear Father for the Lord's sake continue it and ô draw forth the hearts of thy poor Creatures even while one blast of breath is in us to blesse thy holy Name Father we pray Thee remember the Nation in which we live the King whom Thou hast set over the Nation Lord make him Thine and cause him to rule for Thee in Righteousness and for thy Glory that so Lord he may rule to the Comfort of all that fear thy Name O dear Father look in mercy upon all that fear thy Name in the Nation make them all of one heart and mind to advance thy Name and Glory to live in Unity one with another and to make it their business to seek Peace and pursue it that so they may thereby truly advance the Kingdom and Scepter of Jesus Christ who is coming and will come O dear Father carry forth the spirits of thy People to love Thee and one another and to walk closely and humbly and holily before Thee all their dayes Remember the Relations of thy poor Creatures here before Thee Lord do good to them that we leave behind us we commit them into thy Arms Lord take them into thine Arms O Lord thou hast said in thy Word Leave thy fatherless Children I will preserve them alive and let thy Widows trust in me Lord it is thy Word and this is thy Command that we should leave them with Thee therefore we leave them in thy Arms. Dear Father we desire from the bottom of our hearts freely and fully to forgive all that we any wayes think have done us wrong in any kind whatsoever freely and fully either in England or elsewhere and we pray Thee shew kindness to those that any wayes have shewed kindness to us for the Lord Jesus sake reward all their labour of love a thousand fold into their bosoms Look in mercy upon the Chief Magistrates that are here at this time dear Father pardon their sins and reconcile them unto thy self in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in which we pray Thee wash their souls And O Lord as for the person that is now appointed to take away our lives and to destroy our Bodies dear Father do not Thou destroy his Soul but wash his Soul in the Blood of Jesus Christ Even that person that is to wash his hands in our Blood O pardon him and let not any of his sins be remembred before Thee We leave ourselves with Thee and blessed be thy Name Thou hast been good unto us and thy Presence is with us and there is nothing that gives trouble to us at this moment Father continue this thy loving-kindness to us O Lord thou hast not blessed be thy Name caused Death to be terrible to us no Lord thy poor Creature can say with freeness and comfort that there hath not been any thing of trouble or terror that hath past thy Servant since he came into this place either for what he is to suffer or the manner of his Sufferings but here he is before Thee and begs further help and strength from Thee being willing to surrender up his Soul to Thee in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Then Col. Okey spake a few words more as followeth I did break off duty because you desired it and I would not be troublesome to you Then he very earnestly expressed himself further as followeth O love the Lord and hate all things that are evil I have found by experience more evil in the least sin than good in any thing this world can afford Therefore I beg it of all that are here To love God and to hate that that is evil The Lord give you Peace and Truth I hope our Relations shall not fare the worse for us but that you will shew them kindness And as to what my Brother said I thank the Lord I have the Assurance of his Love and the Pardon of my Sins through the Riches of his Grace and free love in Jesus Christ. After this Col. Barkstead called a young man who was known to him and taking a silver Box out of his pocket he charged him to give it to his Daughter Their Speeches and Prayers being ended the Executioner cleared the Cart of the rest of the People who were gotten in and then pulled down their several Caps over their eyes and upon the lifting up their hands the Cart was drawn away at which time Col. Barkstead especially was heard to say Lord Jesus receive our Souls and after he had hanged for a little space he lifted up his hand That which many did especially take notice of was That there was not so much as the least attempt made by any to raise a triumphant shout upon the drawing away of the Cart but there rather appeared the symptoms of an universal face of Sadness in that vast and generally tumultuous Assembly who were the Spectators of their several Deaths They all hung near about a quarter of an hour The first that was cut down was Col. Barkstead who was quartered according to the Sentence the other two hanging all the while The next cut down was Col. Okey Mr. Corbet hanging still who after Col. Okey was quartered had the Execution done upon him also according to the Sentence Their several Quarters were brought back to Newgate about five of the Clock in the Afternoon to be boyled A brief Account of Col. Okey's Funeral WHen Col. Okey's Body was quartered it pleased the King to send a Warrant to the Sheriff of London to deliver the macerated Body to be buried where his Wife should think meet Which thing being granted without Petition or Application from her or his Relations and the Rumour of his Funeral suddenly flying about the City and the place appointed at Stepney where his first Wife lieth in a fair Vault which he purchased formerly for a Burying-place for him and his Family there was a numerous Concourse of sober substantial People assembled to Christ-Church to attend the Corps and some thousands more were coming thither to that purpose so that there were in view about Twenty thousand People attending that Solemnity at and coming to the place aforesaid who in a solemn and peaceable manner behaved themselves as that affair required Yet it so pleased the King to revoke this first Grant to Mris. Okey and by the Sheriff of London to disappoint and send home again the Company attending the Funeral which Sheriff with much harshness and many bitter words did his work The People though much troubled at the disappointment yet so soon as they understood the King's pleasure departed and left the mangled Limbs to the dispose of them that had devoted them to the Gibbet and Ax the Company left many a thousand sighs to attend him to his then unknown Grave That Night the Body was carried to the Tower of London and there by Mr. Glendon Parson of Barkin was buried with the Service-Book afresh wounding his bleeding Limbs thereby but Rapes are imputed only to the Ravisher Mr. Glendon could not but say that his Body was laid there in sure and certain hope of a Joyful Resurrection His Testimony was true though a Poet of their own And now there he lyes and the Tower of London is his Tomb. His Epitaph he partly writ in the hearts of thousands at the place of Execution FINIS