her yea the time is come for thy servants think upon her stones and it pitieth them to set her in the dust Lord maintain thine own cause Rescue the light of thy Truth from all those clouds of Errors and Heresies which doe so much obscure it and let the light thereof in a free profession break forth and shine again among us and that continually even as long as the Sun and Moon endures To this end O Lord blesse us all and blesse Him the posterity which in Authority ought to rule over and be above us Blesse Him in His soul and in His body in his Friends and in His Servants and in His Relations Guide Him by thy Counsell prosper Him in all undertakings granting Him a long prosperous and honourable life here upon earth and that He may attain to a blessed life hereafter And gracious God! look mercifully upon all our Relations and doe thou bring them to the light of thy Truth that are wandring and ready to fall Confirm them in thy Truth that already stand Shew some good token for good unto them that they may rejoyce O let thy good hand of providence be over them in all their ways And to all orders and degrees of men that be amongst us Give religious hearts to them that now rule in Authority over us Loyall hearts in their Subjects towards their Supreme And loving hearts in all men to their Friends and charitable hearts one towards another And for the continuance of thy Gospel among us restore in thy good time to their severall Places and Callings and give Grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops Pastors and curates that they may both by their Life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively word and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments And Lord blesse thy Church still with Pastors after thine own heart with a continuall succession of faithfull and able men that they may both by Life and Doctrine declare thy Truth and never for fear of favour back slide or depart from the same And give them the assistance of thy spirit that may inable them so to preach thy word that may keep thy People upright in the midst of a corrupted and corrupt generation And good Lord blesse thy people every where with hearing ears understanding hearts consciencious souls and obedient lives especially those over whom I have had either lately or formerly a charge that with meek heart and due reverence they may hear and receive thy holy word truly serving thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the days of their lives And we beseech thee of thy goodnesse O Lord to comfort and succour all those that in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sicknesse or any other adversity Lord help the helpless comfort the comfortless visit the sick relieve the oppressed help them to right that suffer wrong set them at liberty that are in Prison restore the banished and of thy great mercy and in thy good time deliver all thy people out of their necessities Lord do thou of thy great mercy fit us all for our latter end for the hour of death and the day of Judgment and doe thou in the hour of death and at the day of Judgement from thy wrath and everlasting damnation good Lord deliver us through the cross and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ In the mean time O Lord teach us so to number our dayes and me my Minutes that we may apply our hearts to true wisdome that we may be wise unto salvation that we may live soberly godly and righteously in this present world denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts Lord teach us so to live thaâ— we may not be afraid to die and that we may so live that we may be alwaies prepared to die that when death shall seize upon us it may not surprise us but that we may lift up our heads with joy knowing that our redemption draws nigh and that we shall be for ever happy being assured that we shall come to the felicitie of the chosen and rejoyce with the gladness of the people and give us such a fulnesse of thy holy Spirit that may make us stedfast in this faith and confirm us in this hope indue us with patience under thy afflicting hand and withall a cheerful resolution of our selves to thy divine disposing that so passing the pilgrimage of this world we may come to the Land of promise the heavenly Canaan that we may reign with thee in the world to come through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose blessed Name and Words we further call upon thee saying Our Father c. Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arme O Lord be the defence of me and all other thy servants thy mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ our salvation thy true and holy Word our instruction thy Grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation to the end and in the end through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS Here the King would have delivered his Reasons * Hereabout the King was stopt and not sufferd to speak any more concerning Reason Here an honorable Lady interrupted the Court saying not halfe the People but she was soon silenced * Pointing to Dr. Juxod * Turning to some Gentlemen that wrote * Meaning if he did blunt the edge * Pointing to Dr. Juxon * It is thought for to give it to the Prince * He was hereunto moved by Mr. Peters * An. Aet 72. * Lib. 2. de vitae Contemp. Cap. 4. * Observing the Writers * Looking towards M. Bolton * Pointing to the Block * At which word King and Laws a Trooper said aloud we will neither have King Lord nor Laws and upon a sudden the souldiers being either surprized with fear at a strange noise that was heard or else falling into mutiny presently fell into a tumult riding up and down the streets cutting and slashing the people some being killed and many wounded his Lordship looking upon this sad spectacle said thus Gentlemen it troubles me more then my own death that others are hurt and I fear die for me I beseech you stay your hands I flie not you pursue not me and here are none to pursue you But being interrupted in his speech and not permitted to go on further for which the Officers were much troubled he turn'd aside to his servant and gave him the speech into his hand saying I will speak to my God who I know will hear me and when I am dead let the world know what I would have said Here his Lordship was interrupted but it was as follows in his own copy under his own hand Here his Lordship began to speak again M. Bond. M. Caryl
into his hands I commit my soul and that Lamb of God that sits upon the Throne to Judge those 24. that fall down before him I hope he will be pleased to look downward and judge me with mercy that fall down before him and that adore him that onely trusts upon his Mercy for his compassion and that as he hath purchased me he would lay his claime unto me now and receive me Bolton My Lord think of this there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ who is it that can condemn it is Christ that justifies and therefore look now upon this My Lord upon this Christ upon this Christ that justifies Hell Death Sinne Satan nothing shall be able to condemn it is Christ that justifies you Holland Indeed if Christ justify no body can condemn and I trust in God in his justification though there is confusion here without us and though there are wonders and staring that now disquiet yet I trust that I shall be carried into that mercy that God will receive my soul Bolton I doubt not my Lord but as you are a Spectacle of pitty here so you are an object of Gods mercy above Holland Then the Earl of Holland looking over among the people pointing to a Souldier said This honest man took me prisoner you little thought I should have been brought to this when I delivered my self to you upon conditions and espying Captain Watson on horse-back putting off his hat said to him God be with you Sir God reward you Sir Bolton My Lord throw your self into the armes of mercy and say there I will Anchor and there I will die he is a Saviour for us in all coditions whither should we goe he hath the words of eternal life and upon him do you rest wait while you live and even trust in Death Holland Here must now be my Anchor a great Storm makes me find my anchor and but in storms no body trusts to his anchor and therefore I must trust upon my anchor Upon that God said Mr. Bolton upon whom your Anchor trusts yea God I hope will anchor my Soul fast upon Christ Jesus and if I die not with that clearness and that heartiness that you speak of truly I will trust in God though he kill me I will relie upon him and in the Mercy of my Saviour Bolton There is mercy enough my Lord and to spare you shall not need to doubt they shall never go begging to another door my Lord that come to him Then the Earl of Holland speaking to Mr. Hodges said I pray God reward you for all your kindness and pray as you have done instruct my Family that they may serve God with faithfulness with holiness with more diligence then truly I have been careful to press them unto you have the charge of the same place you may do much for them and I recommend them to your kindness and the goodness of your Conscience Dr. Sibbald standing by upon the Scaffold in his passage to Col. Beecher expressed himself thus to his Lordship Dr. Sibbald The Lord lift up the light of his counnance upon you and you shall be safe Holland Then the Earl of Holland embraced Lieutenant Col. Beecher and took his leave of him After which he came to Mr. Bolton and having embraced him and returned him many thanks for his great pains and affections to his soul desiring God to reward him and return his love into his bosom Mr. Bolton said to him The Lord God support you and be seen in this great extremity the Lord reveal and discover himself to you and make your death the passage unto eternall life Then the Earl of Holland turning to the Executioner said here my friend let my Cloathes and my body alone there is Ten pounds for thee that is better then my Cloathes I am sure of it Executioner Will your Lordsh please to give me a Sign when I shall strike And then his Lordship said you have room enough here have you not and the Executioner said Yes Bolton The Lord be your strength there is riches in him The Lord of Heaven impart himself to you he is able to save to the uttermost We cannot fall so low as to fall below the everlasting armes of God and therefore the Lord be a support and stay to you in your low condition that he will be pleased to make this an advantage to that Life and glory that will make amends for all Holland Then the Earl of Holland turning to the Executioner said Friend do you hear me if you take up my head doe not take off my Cap. Then turning to his Servants he said to one Fare you well thou art an honest fellow and to another God be with thee thou art an honest man and then said Stay I will kneel down and ask God forgiveness and then prayed for a pretty space with seeming earnestness Bolton The Lord grant you may finde life in death Holland Which is the way of lying which they shewed him and then going to the front of the Scaffold he said to the people God bless you all and God deliver you from any such accident as may bring you to any such death as is violent either by War or by these accidents but that there may be Peace among you and you may find that these accidents that have happned to us may be the last that may happen in this Kingdome it is that I desire it is that I beg of God next the saving of my Soul I pray God give all happiness to this Kingdome to this people and this Nation and then turning to the Executioner said How must I lie I know not Executioner Lie down flat upon your belly and then having laid himself down he said must I lie closer Executioner Yes and backwarder Holland I will tell you when you shall strike and then as he lay seemed to pray with much affection for a short space and then lifting up his head said where is the man and seeing the Executioner by him he said stay while I give the Sign and presently after stretching out his hand and the Executioner being not fully ready he said now now just as the words were coming out of his mouth the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body Arthur Lord Capel his Speech on the Scaffold immediately before his death March 9. 1649. The Execution of the Lord of Holland being thus performed the Lord Capel was brought to the Scaffold as the former and in the way to the Scaffold he put off his Hat to the people on both sides looking very austerely about him And being come upon the Scaffold Lieut. Col. Beecher said to him Is your Chaplain here CApel No I have taken my leave of him and perceiving some of his servants to weep he said Gentlemen refrain your selves refrain your selves and turning to Lieut Col. Beecher he said what did the Lords speak with their Hats off or no Col. Beech. With
his commands to His Majesty that this Kingdom may be an happy and glorious Nation again and that your King may be an happy King in so good and so obedient people God almighty keep you all God almighty preserve this Kingdom God almighty preserve you all Then turning about and looking for the Executioner who was gone off the Scaffold said which is the Gentleman which is the man Answer was made He is coming He then said Stay I must pull off my Doublet first and my Wast-coat and then the Executioner being come upon the Scaffold the Lord Capel said O friend prethee come hither Then the Executioner kneeling down the Lord Capel said I forgive thee from my soul and not onely forgive thee but I shall pray to God to give thee all grace for a better life There is five pounds for thee and truly for my clothes and those things if there be any thing due to you for it you shall be fully recompenced but I desire my body may not be stripped here and no body to take notice of my body but my own servants Look you friend this I shall desire of you that when I lie down you would give me a time for a particular short prayer Lieut. Col. Beecher Make your own sign my Lord. Gapell Stay a little Which side do you stand upon speaking to the executioner Stay I think I should lay my hands forward that way pointing fore-right and answer being made Yes he stood still a little while and then said God almighty bless all this People God almighty stench this bloud God almighty stench stench stench this issue of bloud this will not do the business God almighty find out another way to do it And when turning to one of his servants said Baldwin I cannot see any thing that belongs to my wife but I must desire thee and beseech her to rest wholly upon Jesus Christ to be contented and fully satisfied and then speaking to his Servants he said God keep you and Gentlemen let me now do a business quickly privately and pray let me have your prayers at the moment of death that God would receive my soul L. Col. Beecher I wish it Capell Pray at the moment of striking joyn your prayers but make no noise turning to his Servants it is inconvenient at this time Servant My Lord put on your cap. Capell Should I what will that do me good Stay a little it is well as it is now As he was puting up his hair And then turning to the Executioner he said honest man I have forgiven thee therefore strike boldly from my soul I do it Then a Gentleman speaking to him he said Nay prethee be contented be quiet good Mr. be quiet Then turning to the Executioner he said Well you are ready when I am ready are you not and stretching out his hands he said Then pray stand off Gentlemen Then going to the front of the scaffold he said to the People Gentlemen though I doubt not of it yet I think it convenient to ask it of you That you would all joyn in Prayers with me That God would mercifully receive my soul and that for his alone mercies in Christ Jesus God almighty keep you all Executioner My Lord shall I put up your hair Capell I I prethee do and then as he stood lifting up his hands and eyes he said O God I doe with a perfect and a willing heart submit to thy will O God! I doe most willingly humble my self and then kneeling down said I will try first how I can lie and laying his head over the block said Am I well now Executioner Yes And then as he lay with both his hands stretched out he said to the Executioner Here lie both my hands out when I lift up my hand thus lifting up his right hand then you may strike And then after he had said a short prayer he lifted up his right hand and the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body which was taken up by his servants and put with his body into a coffin as the former A Relation together with the speech of Colonel John Morris lately Governour of Pomfret Castle at the place of his Execution at York August 23. 1649. WHen he was brought out of prison looking upon the Sledge that was there set for him lifting up his eyes to Heaven knocking upon his breast he said I am as willing to go to my death as to put off my doublet to go to bed I despise the shame as well as the Crosse I know I am going to a joyfull place with many like expressions When the Post met him about St. Jame's Church that was sent to the Parliament to mediate for a repreive and told him he could not prevaile in it he said Sir I pray God reward you for your pains I hope and am well assured to find a better pardon then any they can give my hope is not in man but in the living God At the place of execution he made this profession of his faith his breeding his cause he had fought in Gentlemen first I was bred up in the true Protestant Religion having my education and breeding from that honoured house my Dear Lord and Master Strafford which place I dare boldly say was as well governed and ruled as ever any yet was before it I much doubt better then any will be after it unlesse it please God to put a period to these distracted times this Faith and Religion I say I have been bred in and I thank God I have hitherto lived in without the least wavering and now I am resolved by Gods assistance to dye in Those paines are nothing if compared to those dolours and pains which Jesus Christ our Saviour hath suffered for us when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the pains of hell and the cursed and shamefull death which was due to our sinnes Therefore I praise the Lord that I am not plagued with farre more grievous punishment that the like hath befaln others who undoubtedly are most glorious and blessed Saints with Christ in heaven It is the Lords affliction and who will not take any affliction in good part when it comes from the hand of God and what shall we receive good from the hands of God and not receive evil And though I desire as I am carnall that this cup may depart from me yet not my will but thy will be done Death brings unto the godly an end of sinning and of all miseries due unto sin so that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor cry or pain for God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes by death our souls shall be delivered from thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality Therefore blessed are they that are delivered out of so vile a world and freed from such a body of bondage and corruption the soul shall enjoy immediate Communion with God in
any fortunes to lose My Lords I have now troubled you longer then I should have done were it not for the interest of those dear pledges a Saint in heaven left me I should be loth my Lords there he stopped What I forfeit for my self it is nothing but that my indiscretion should forfeit for my child it even woundeth me deep to the very soul You will pardon my infirmity something I should have said but I am not able and sighed therefore let it passe And now my Lords I have been by the blessing of Almighty God taught that the afflictions of this life present are not to be compared to the eternal weight of that glory that shall be revealed to us hereafter And so my Lords even so with tranquility of mind I do submit my self freely and clearly to your Lordships judgments and whether that righteous judgement shall be to life or death Te Deum laudamus te Dominum consitemur The Earl of Straffords Speech on the Scaffold immediately before his Execution on Tower-hill May 12. 1641. My L. Primate of Ireland IT is my very great comfort that I have your Lordship by me this day in regard I have been known to you this many years and I doe thank God and your Lordship for it that you are here I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few words but I doubt I shall not the noise is so great My Lords I am come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last debt I owe to sin which is death and by the blessing of that God to rise again through the merits of Jesus Christ to righteousnesse and life eternal Here he was a little interrupted My Lords I am come hither to submit to that Judgement which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented mind I thank God I doe freely forgive all the world a forgivenesse that is not spoken from the teeth outwards as they say but from the very heart I speak it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not a displeasing thought arising in me towards any man living I thank God I can say it and truly too my conscience bearing me witness that in all my imployment since I had the Honour to serve his Majestie I never had any thing in the purpose of my heart but what tended to the joynt and Individuall prosperity of King and people although it hath been my ill fortune to be misconstrued I am not the first that hath suffered in this kind it is the common portion of us all while we are in this life to erre Righteous Judgement we must wait for in another place for here we are very subject to be mis-judged one of another There is one thing that I desire to free my self of and I am very confident speaking it now with so much chearfulnesse that I shall obtain your Christian charity in the belief of it I was so far from being against Parliaments that I did alwaies think the Parliaments of England were the most happy constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and the best means under God to make the King and people happy For my Death I here acquit all the world and beseech the God of Heaven heartily to forgive them that contrived it though in the intentions and purposes of my heart I am not guilty of what I dye for And my Lord Primate it is a great comfort for me that his Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as is the utmost execution of this Sentence I do infinitely rejoyce in this mercy of his and I beseech God return it into his own bosome that he may find mercy when he stands most in need of it I wish this Kingdom all the Prosperity and happinesse in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish I do most humbly recommend this to every one who hears me and desire they would lay their hands upon their hearts and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happinesse and reformation of a Kingdom should be written in Letters of bloud consider this when you are at your homes and let me be never so unhappy as that the last drop of my bloud should rise up in Judgement against any one of you but I fear you are in a wrong way My Lords I have but one word more and with that I shall end I professe that I die a true and obedient Son to the Church of England wherein I was born and in which I was bred Peace and prosperity be ever to it It hath been objected if it were an objection worth the answering that I have been inclined to Popery but I say truly from my heart that from the time that I was one and twenty years of age to this present going now upon forty nine I never had in my heart to doubt of this religion of the Church of England Nor ever had any man the boldnesse to suggest any such thing to me to the best of my remembrance and so being reconciled by the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour into whose bosome I hope I shall shortly be gathered to those eternall happinesses which shall never have end I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man for any rash or unadvised words or any thing done amisse and so my Lords and Gentlemen Farewell Farewell all the things of this world I desire that you would be silent and joyn with me in prayer and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in heaven there to receive the Accomplishment of all happinesse where every teare shall be wiped away from our eyes and every sad thought from our hearts and so God blesse this Kingdom and Jesus have mercy on my Soul Then turning himself about he saluted all the noble men and took a solemn leave of all considerable persons upon the Scaffold giving them his hand After that he said Gentlemen I would say my prayers and intreat you all to pray with me and for me then his Chaplain laid the book of Common-prayer upon the Chaire before him as he kneeled down on which he prayed almost a quarter of an hour and then as long or longer without the Book and concluded with the Lords prayer Standing up he espies his Brother Sir Gorge Wentworth and calls him to him saying Brother we must part remember me to my Sister and to my wife and carry my blessing to my Son and charge him that he fear God and continue an obedient Son to the Church of England and warne him that he bears no private grudge or revenge toward any man concerning me And bid him beware that he meddle not with Church-livings for that will prove a moth and canker to him in his estate and wish him to content himself to be a Servant to his Country not aiming at higher Preferments Aliter To his Son
and to him who is yesterday to day and the same for ever against whom the powers and principalities the gates of Hell shall never be able to prevail lift up and fasten your eyes now upon Christ crucified and labour to behold Jesus stand at the right hand of his Father as the Protomartyr Stephen ready to receive your soul when it shall be separated from this frail and mortal body Alas no man would desire life if he knew beforehand what it were to live it is nothing but sorrow vexation and trouble grief and discontent that waits upon every condition whether publick or private in every station and calling there are several miseries and troubles that are inseparable from them therefore what a blessed thing it is to have a speedy and comfortable passage out of this raging Sea into the Port of everlasting Happiness We must passe through a Sea but it is the Sea of Christs Bloud in which never soul suffered shipwrack in which we must be blown with winds and tempests but they are the Gales of Gods Spirit upon us which blow away all contrary winds of diffidence in his mercy Here one acquainting the Earl his servant was coming he answered So Sir And turning to the under-Sheriffs Son said Cambridg Sir you have your Warrant here Sheriff Yes my Lord we have a Command Cambridg A Command I take this time Sir of staying in regard of the Earl of Denbighs sending to speak with me I know not for what it is he desires me to stay Dr. Sibbald I presume Mr. Sheriff will not grudg your Lordship a few minutes time when so great a work as this is in hand His Lordships servant being returned and having delivered his message to the Earl of Cambridg privately he said So it is done now and then turning to the front of the Scaffold before which as in all the rest of the Palaces there was a great concourse of people he said Cambridg I think it is truly not very necessary for me to speak much there are many Gentlemen and Souldiers there that sees me but my voyce truly is so weak so low that they cannot hear me neither truly was I ever at any time so much in love with speaking or with any thing I had to express that I took delight in it yet this being the last time that I am to do so by a divine Providence of Almighty God who hath brought me to this end justly for my sins I shall to you Sir Mr. Sheriff declare thus much as to the matter that I am now to suffer for which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdom of England Truly Sir it was a Country that I equally loved with my own I made no difference I never intended either the generality of its prejudice or any particular mans in it what I did was by the Command of the Parliament of the Country where I was born whose Commands I could not disobey without running into the same hazard there of that condition that I am now in The ends Sir of that Engagement is publick they are in Print and so I shall not need to specifie them Dr. Sibbald The Sun perhaps will be too much in your Lordships face as you speak Cambridg No Sir it will not burn it I hope I shall see a brighter Sun then this Sir very speedily Dr. Sibbald The Sun of Righteousnesse my Lord. Cambridg But to that which I was saying Sir It pleased God so to dispose that Army under my Command as it was ruined and I as their General clothed with a Commission stand here now ready to dye I shall not trouble you with repeating of my Plea what I said in my own Defence at the Court of JUSTICE my self being satisfied with the commands that is laid upon me and they satisfied with the Justnesse of their procedure according to the Laws of this Land God is just and howsoever I shall not say any thing as to the matter of the sentence but that I do willingly submit to his Divine Providence and I acknowledg that very many ways I deserve even a worldly punishment as well as hereafter for we are all sinful Sir and I a great one yet for my comfort I know there is a God in heaven that is exceeding merciful I know my Redeemer sits at his Right Hand and am confident clapping his hand to his Breast is Mediating for me at this instant I am hopeful through his free grace and all-sufficient merits to be pardoned of my sins and to be received into his mercy upon that I rely trusting to nothing but the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ I have not been tainted with my Religion I thank God for it since my infancy it hath been such as hath been profest in the Land and established and now 't is not this Religion or that Religion or this or that Fancy of men that is to be built upon 't is but one that 's right one that 's sure and that comes from God Sir and in the free grace of our Saviour Sir there is truly something that had I thought my Speech would have been thus taken I would have digested it into some better method then now I can and shall desire these Gentlemen that do write it that they will not wrong me in it and that it may not in this manner be published to my disadvantage for truly I did not intend to have spoken thus when I came here There is sirs terrible aspersions has been laid upon my self truly such as I thank God I am very free from as if my actions and intentions had not been such as they were pretended for but that notwithstanding what I pretended it was for the King there was nothing less intended then to serve him in it I was bred with him for many years I was his domestick servant and there was nothing declar'd by the Parliament that was not really intended by me and truly in it I ventured my life one way and now I lose it another way and that was one of the ends as to the King I speak onely of that because the rest has many particulars and to clear my self from so horrid an aspersion as is laid upon me neither was there any other design known to me by the incoming of the Army then what is really in the Declaration published His person I do profess I had reason to love as he was my King and as he had been my master it has pleased God now to dispose of him so as it cannot be thought flattery to have said this or any end in me for the saying of it but to free my self from that calumny which lay upon me I cannot gain by it yet Truth is that which we shall gain by for ever There hath been much spoken Sir of an invitation into this Kingdom it 's mentioned in that Declaration and truly to that I did and do remit my self and I have been very much laboured for discoveries
Peace of the Kingdome That made me think it no improper time being prest out by Accidents and Circumstances to seek the Peace of the Kingdome which I thought was proper since there was something then in Agitation but nothing agreed on for sending Propositions to the King that was the furthest aym that I had and truly beyond that I had no intention none at all And God be praised although my blood comes to be shed here there was I think scarce a drop of blood shed in that Action that I was engaged in For the present Affairs as they are I cannot tell how to judge of them and truly they are in such a condition as I conceive nobody can make a judgment of them and therefore I must make use of Prayers rather then of my Opinion which are That God would bless this Kingdome this Nation this State that he would settle it in a way agreeable to what this Kingdome hath been happily governed under by a King by the Lords by the Commons a Government that I conceive it hath flourished much under and I pray God the change of it bring not rather a prejudice a disorder and a confusion then the contrary I look upon the Posterity of the King and truly my Conscience directs me to it to desire that if God be pleased that these People may look upon them with that Affection that they owe that they may be called in again and they may be not through blood nor through disorder admitted again into that power and to that glory that God in their Birth intended to them I shall pray with all my soul for the happiness of this State of this Nation that the blood which is here spilt may even be the last that may fall among us and truly I should lay down my life with as much cheerfulnesse as ever person did if I conceived that there would be no more blood follow us for a State or Affairs that are built upon blood is a foundation for the most part that doth not prosper After the blessing that I give to the Nation to the Kingdome and truly to the Parliament I do wish with all my heart happiness and a blessing to all those that have been Authors in this business and truly that have been Authors in this very work that bringeth us hither I do not only forgive them but I pray heartily and really for them as God will forgive my sins so I desire God may forgive them I have a particular relation as I am Chancellour of Cambridge and truly I must here since it is the last of my prayers pray to God that that University may go on in that happy way which it is in that God may make it a Nursery to plant those persons that may be distributed to the Kingdom that the souls of the people may receive a great benefit and a great advantage by them and I hope God will reward them for their kindness and their affections that I have found from them I have said what Religion I have been bred in what Religion I have been born in what Religion I have practised I began with it and I must end with it I told you that my actions and my life have not been agreeable to my Breeding I have told you likewise that the Family where I was bred hath been an exemplary Family I may say so I hope without vanity of much affection to Religion and of much faithfulness to this Kingdom and to this State I have indeavoured to do those actions that became an honest man and a good English-man and which became a good Christian I have been willing to oblige those that have been in trouble those that have been in persecution and truly I find a great reward of it for I have found their prayers and their kindnesse now in this distresse and in this condition and I think it a great reward I pray God reward them for it I am a great sinner and I hope God will be pleased to hear my prayers to give me faith to trust in him that as he hath called me to death at this place he will make it but a passage to an eternal life through Jesus Christ which I trust to which I rely upon and which I expect by the mercy of God And so I pray God bless you all and send that you may see this to be the last execution and the last blood that is likely to be spilt among you And then turning to the side rayl he prayed for a good space of time after which M. Bolton said My Lord Now look upon him whom you have trusted My Lord I hope that here is your last prayer there will no more prayers remain but praises And I hope that after this day is over there will a day begin that shall never have end And I look upon this my Lord the morning of it the morning of that day My Lord You know where your fulness lies where your riches lie where is your only rock to anchor on You know there is fulness in Christ If the Lord comes not in with fulness of Comfort to You yet resolve to wait upon him while You live and to trust in him when You die and then say I will die here I will perish at thy feet I will be found dead at the feet of Jesus Christ Certainly he that came to seek and save lost sinners will not reject lost sinners when they come to seek him He that entreateth us to come will not slight us when we come to entreat him My Lord there is enough there and fix your heart there and fix Your Eies there that Eye of Faith and that Eye of Hope Exercise these Graces now there will be no exercise hereafter As Your Lordship said Here take an end of Faith and take an end of Hope and take a Farewel of Repentance and all these and welcome God and welcome Christ and welcome Glory and welcome Happiness to all Eternity and so it will be a happy passage then if it be a passage here from misery to happiness And though it be but a sad way yet if it will bring You into the presence of joy although it be a valley of tears although it be a shadow of death yet if God will please to bring You and make it a passage to that happiness welcome Lord. And I doubt not but God will give You a heart to tast some sweetness and love in this bitter Potion and to see something of Mercy and Goodness to You and shew You some signe and token of good so that Your soul may see that which we have had already experience of blessed be God for it many Experiences many Expressions not onely in words but tears God hath not left us without much comfort nor evidence and I hope my Lord You that have given so many Evidences to us I hope You want none Your self but that the Lord will be pleased to support You and bear
up Your Spirit and if there want evidence there is reliance my security lies not in my knowing that I shall come to Heaven and come to Glory but in my resting and relying upon him When the Aâ—chor of Faith is thrown out there may be shakings and tossings but there is safety nothing shall interrupt safety although something may interrupt security my safety is sure although I apprehend it not and what if I goe to God in the dark What if I come to him as Nicodemus did staggering in the night It is a night of trouble a night of darkness though I come trembling and slaggering in this night yet I shall be sure to find comfort and fixedness in him And the Lord of heaven be the strength stay and support of Your soul and the Lord furnish You with all those graces which may carry You into the bosome of the Lord Jesus that when You expire this life You may be able to expire it into him in whom You may begin to live to all Eternity and that is my humble Prayer Holland M. Bolton God hath given me long time in this world he hath carried me through many great accidents of Fortune he hath at last brought me down into a condition where I find my self brought to an end for a dis-affection to this State to this Parliament that as I said before I did believe no body in the world more unlikely to have expected to suffer for that Cause I look upon it as a great judgement of God for my sins And truly Sir since that the death is violent I am the less troubled with it because of those violent death that I have seen before principally my Saviour that hath shewed us the way how and in what manner he hath done it and for what cause I am the more comforted I am the more rejoyced It is not long since the King my Master passed in the same manner and truly I hope that his purposes and intentions were such as a man may not be ashamed not onely to follow him in the way that was taken with him but likewise not ashamed of his purposes if God had given him life I have often disputed with him concerning many things of this kind and I conceive his sufferings and his better knowledge and better understanding if God had spared him life might have made him a Prince very happy towards himself and very happy towards this Kingdom I have seen and known that those blessed souls in heaven have passed thither by the gate of sorrow and many by the gate of violence and since it is Gods pleasure to dispose me this way I submit my soul to him with all comfort and with all hope that he hath made this my end and this my conclusion that though I be low in death yet neverthelesse this lownesse shall raise me to the highest glory for ever Truly I have not said much in publick to the people concerning the particular Actions that I conceive I have done by my counsels in this Kingdom I conceive they are well known it were something of vanity methinks to take notice of them here I 'le rather die with them with the comfort of them in my own bosom and that I never intended in this action or any action that ever I did in my life either malice or bloud-shed or prejudice to any creature that lives For that which concerns my Religion I made my profession before of it how I was bred and in what manner I was bred in a Family that was looked upon to be no little notorious in opposition to some liberties they have conceived then to be taken and truly there was some mark upon me as if I had some taint of it even throughout my whole ways that I have taken every body knows what my affections have been to many that have suffered to many that have been in troubles in this Kingdom I endeavourad to relieve them I endeavoured to oblige them I thought I was tyed so by my Conscience I thought it by my charity and truly very much by my Breeding God hath now brought me to the last instant of my time all that I can say and all that I can adhere unto is this That as I am a great sinner so I have a great Saviour that as he hath given me here a fortune to come publickly in a shew of shame in the way of this suffering truly I understand it not to be so I understand it to be a glory a glory when I consider who hath gone before me and a glory when I consider I had no end in it but what I conceive to be the service of God the King and the Kingdom and therefore my heart is not charged much with any thing in that particular since I conceive God will accept of the intention whatsoever the action seems to be I am going to dye and the Lord receive my Soul I have no relyance but upon Christ for my self I do acknowledge that I am the unworthyest of sinners my life hath been a vanity and a continued sin and God may justly bring me to this end for the sins I have committed against him and were there nothing else but the iniquities that I have committed in the Way of my Life I look upon this as a great Justice of God to bring me to this Suffering and to bring me to this Punishment And those Hands that have been most active in it if any such there hath been I pray God forgive them I pray God that there may not be many such Trophies of their Victories but that this may be as I said before the last Shew that this People shall see of the Blood of Persons of Condition of Persons of Honour I might say something of the Way of our Tryall which certainly hath been as extraordinary as any thing I think hath ever been seen in this Kingdom but because that I would not seem as if I made some complaint I will not so much as mention it because no body shall believe I repine at their actions that I repine at my Fortune it is the will of God it is the hand of God under whom I fall I take it entirely from him I submit my self to him I shall desire to roul my self into the Arms of my blessed Saviour and when I come to this place when I bow down my self there I hope God will raise me up and when I bid farewell as I must now to Hope and to Faith that Love will abide I know nothing to accompany the soul out of this World but Love and I hope that Love will bring me to the Fountain of Glory in Heaven through the Arms Mediation and the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ in whom I Believe O Lord help my Unbelief Hodges The Lord make over unto You the righteousness of his own Son it is that Treasurie that he hath bestowed upon You and the Lord shew You the Light of his Countenance and
fill You full with his joy and kindness O my dear Lord the Lord of Heaven and Earth be with You and the Lord of Heaven and Earth bring You to that Safety Holland I shall make as much haste as I can to come to that glory and the Lord of Heaven and Earth take my soul I look upon my self entirely in Him and hope to find mercy through Him I expect it and through that Fountain that is opened for Sin and for Uncleanness my soul must receive it for did I rest in any thing else I have nothing but sin and corruption in me I have nothing but that which in stead of being carried up into the Arms of God and of Glory I have nothing but may throw me down into Hell Bolton But my Lord when you are cloathed with the righteousnesse of another you will appear glorious though now sinfull in your self The Apostle saith I desire not to be found in my own righteousness and when you are cloathed with another the Lord will own you and I shall say but thus much Doubt not that ever God will deny salvation to sinners that come to him when the end of all his death and sufferings was the salvation of sinners when as I say the whole end and the whole design and the great work that God had to do in the world by the death of Christ wherein he laid out all his councells and infinite wisdom and mercy and goodness beyond which there was a Non ultra in Gods thoughts what this was the great design and great end the salvation of sinners that poor souls should come over to him and live certainly when sinners come he will not reject he will not refuse And my Lord do but think of this the greatest work that ever was done in the world was the bloud of Christ that was shed never any thing like it and this blood of Christ that was shed never any thing like it And this blood of Christ that was shed was shed for them that come if not for them for none it was in vain else you see the Devills they are out of capacity of good by it the Angels they have no need of it wicked men will not come and there are but a few that come over but a few that come over and should he deny them there were no end nor fruit of the bloud and sufferings of the Lord Jesus and had your Lordship been with Christ in that bloudy agony when he was in that bloudy sweat sweating drops of bloud if you had asked him Lord what art thou now a doing art thou not now reconciling an angry God and me together art thou not pacifying the wrath of God art thou not interposing thy self between the justice of God and my soul Would he not have said yea and surely then he will not deny it now My Lord His passions are over his compassions still remain and the larger and greater because he is gone up into a higher place that he may throw down more abundance of his mercy and grace upon you and my Lord think of that infinite love that abundance of riches in Christ I am lost I am empty I have nothing I am poor I am sinfull be it so as bad as God will make me and as vile as I possibly can conceive my self I am willing to be but when I have said all the more I advance that riches and honour that grace of God And why should I doubt when by this he puts me into a capacity into a disposition for him to shew we mercy that by this I may the better advance the riches of his grace and say grace grace to the Lord to all eternity that God should own such a Creature that deserves nothing and the lesse I deserve the more conspicuous is his grace and this is certain the riches of his grace he throweth amongst men that the glory of his grace might be given to himself if we can give him but the glory of his grace we shall never doubt to partake of the riches of it and that fulnesse My Lord that fulness be your comfort that fulnesse of mercy that fulnesse of love that fulnesse of righteousness and power be now your riches and your onely stay and the Lord interpose himself between God and you as your Faith hath indeavoured to interpose him between God and your soul so I doubt not but there he stands my Lord to plead for you and when you are not able to do any thing your self yet lie down at the feet of him that is a mercifull Saviour and knowes what you would desire and wait upon him while you live trust in him when you die there is riches enough and mercy enough if he open not yet die at his doore say there I 'le die there is mercy enough Holland And here is the place where I lie down before him from whence I hope he will raise me to an eternall Glory through my Saviour upon whom I rely from whom only I can expect mercy into his armes I commend my spirit into his bleeding armes that when I leave this bleeding body that must lie upon this place he will receive that soul that ariseth out of it and receive it into his eternall mercy through the merits through the worthiness through the mediation of Christ that hath purchased it with his own most pretious bloud Bolton My Lord Though you conclude here I hope you begin above and though you put an end here I hope there will never be an end of the mercy and goodness of God and if this be the morning of Eternity if this be the rise of Glory if God pleaseth to throw you down here to raise you up for ever say Welcome Lord welcome that death that shall make way for life and welcome any condition that shall throw me down here to bring me into the possession of Jesus Christ Hodges My Lord if you have made a Deed of Gift of your self to Jesus Christ to be found onely in him I am confident you shall stand at the day of Christ my dear Lord we shall meet in happiness Holland Christ Jesus receive my soul my soul hungers and thirsts after him clouds are gathering and I trust in God through all my heavinesse and I hope through all impediments he will settle my interest in him and throw off all the claime that Satan can make unto it and that he will carry my soul in despight of all the calumnies and all that the Devil and Satan can invent will carry it into eternal mercy there to receive the blessednesse of his presence to all Eternity Hodges My Lords it was his own by Creation it is his own now by Redemption and purchase and it is likewise his own by resignation O my Lord look therefore up to the Lamb of God that sits at the right hand of God to take away the sinnes of the World O that Lamb of God! Holland That Lamb of God
be Loyal I hope my God hath forgiven that when it is upon harmless employment not invading any according to his just Masters Order for indeed I have been alwayes bred up in that Religion my Allegiance hath been incorporated into my Religion and I have thought it a great part of the service due from me to Almighty God to serve the King putting off his hat I need not make any Apology for any thing in relation to the present things in England for were I as I spake before my Judges were I as evil as my Sentence hath here made me black it were impossible for me to have prejudiced any body in England or to England belonging in that imployment but I blesse God for his infinite mercy in Jesus Christ putting off his hat who hath brought me home to him here in this way it was the best Physick for the curing of my Soul and those that have done it have no more power in then that of my body I leave nothing behind me but that I am willing to part withall all that I am going to is desirable And that you may all know that Almighty God hath totally wrought in me a totall Deniall of my self and that there is that perfect Reformation of me within and of my own corruptions by the blessed Assistance of his holy Spirit I desire Almighty God in the abundance of the bowels of his mercy in Jesus Christ not onely to forgive every Enemy if any such be in the world here or wheresoever but to bring him into his bosom so much good and particular comfort as he may at any time whether the Cause were just or unjust have wished me any manner of evill for I take him to be the happy instrument of bringing me to heaven It is tedious but I have an inward comfort I bless Almighty God pray Gentlemen give me leave speaktng to some that prest upon him I should never do it but to give satisfaction to all charitable Hearts I have been troublesome Sheriff You have your liberty to speak more if you please Sir Henry Hide But as to that part Mr. Sheriff that did concern the Deniall as it was affirmed by Master Attorney Generall of my Masters imployment Truly landing at Whitehall I told that Council there was just Commissions to an old Officer by the blessing of God I have be me and I have other good things that God hath blessed me withall more then all the good Christians in the world that are not the Grand Seignior's Slaves and we that are Merchants abroad we allow our selves any sufferance that may induce to our own safety inlargement of Trade or preservation of what is ours Why I had by the grace of my gracious Master a confirmation of my old Commission of Consulage in Greece but as to the Embassie no more then my Credentiall Letters did speak nor no more then that I attempted an Internuncio they call it in those places which is a Messenger between the one and the other King They both unhappily died of severall deaths and both violent too And it is a custom not unknown to you Master Sheriff and other Gentlemen that practice in the world that Princes of course for the continuation of amity do send Messengers where there is peace that the transaction of those publick expressions of reciprocall Affections may be performed but for Embassie God forbid I should own it I never had it however they have used it as the happy means to bring me to God this day I beseech God in the bowels of my Saviour to forgive those people that have done it I owe them no harm so God pay them home with all the good of this and an everlasting life As for Power I have been long absent here in England I meddle with none Sufficient to me in Gods grace to the salvation of my soul I have been alwayes fearfull of offending Almighty God according to the grace he hath given me but to learn new Religion and new Ways that I must say Master Sheriff to you and all others that hear me I cannot dispence with my Conscience to give offence to Almighty God I am now if it may be with your Commission Master Sheriff to pour out my soul to Almighty God in two or three words the place is straitned If I knew wherein to give any satisfaction to any thing whatsoever wherein I have offended or no I am here in the fear of God to do it I forgive them with all my soul and my forgiveness is clear as I am now going to receive Happiness at the hand of my Saviour But if I thought it were satisfaction to Sir Thomas Bendish and all the Company or any who think they have offended me I am come Master Sheriff to pay that Obedience Willingly that Debt I owe to Nature to pay it upon the score of a Subject because Conscience within me tells me not that for the intentions of serving my Prince that I could deserve such a Death though ten thousand times more other ways Doctor Hide There was some suspition that you might impart the way you were upon to some of those Servants that were with you Sir Henry Hide I humbly thank you for remembring me of it and if any be here of the Turky Company this day or any Friend of theirs I shall desire them from a dying Man to take this truth That neither my Brother my innocent Brother that this is with me nor other Gentlemen with me in my company have contributed any thing to their disturbance it was my own business whatsoever hath been done that hath been to evil or loss though I deny both of them in my Intentions I come not here to accuse any man nor excuse my self but I praise God for all his deliverances yet I know I shall do God a great deal of Service and them a great deal of justice in not involving any of my company in any thing of mischief I cannot answer Objections I find a man may be in Turky or in any place all the World over where they will give that Language which they hold sitting but this is beneath me Blessed be Almighty God that hath called me to the Knowledge of him and this ready Obedience which I pray and mercifull accepting of my Saviour and patient Death And I beseech you all whatsoever you are that you will accompany me with your Prayers whereby my Soul may be assisted within me in that passage to my Saviour whither I am going I am weak of body I have discontinued long from the Kingdom I am unacquainted with new Forms I have desired to serve God according to his Commandments after the Old way I have begged mercy of God for all my offences to him and have had my pardon sealed from Heaven by the Bloud of my Saviour I beg pardon of all whosoever whether I have offended them or no I truly forgive them and have besought Almighty God to poure his
at Chester to the place of his death He was brought to a house in the Town near the Crosse where the Scaffold was raised and as he passed by said VENIO DOMINE I am prepared to fulfill thy will O my God this Scaffold must be my Crosse blessed Saviour I take it up willingly and follow thee From thence going into a Chamber with some friends and servants he was advertized by the Commander in Cheif that he had till 3. of the clock allowed him to prepare for death for indeed the Scaffold was not ready the people of the Town and Country generally refusing to carry so much as a planck or strike a naile or to lend any assistance to that work their cry being generally in the steerts Oh sad day O wofull day shall the good Earl of Derby dye here many sad losses have we had in this Warre but none like unto this for now the Antient Honour of our Countrey must suffer here and adde to his trouble most of the Timber that built the Scaffold was of the ruines of Latham house but nothing could alter his Lordships resolution and courage for with a stedfast composed countenance and a chearfull he called the company which were present to prayers with him wherein he shewed admirable fervency and a kind of humble importunity with Almighty God that he would pardon his sinnes be mercifull to his soul and be gracious to this land in restoring the King Laws and Liberty and that he would be a Husband to his Wife a Father to his Children and a Friend to all those that suffered by his losse or that had been friends to him Rising from prayer he sate down with a very pleasing countenance and assured the standers by that God had heard his prayers which the blessed Spirit of God witnessed unto him in the present Comforts he now felt in his soul Then he entred into a discourse of his life and beseech't God to forgive him the daies and time he had mis-spent and said it was his Comfort that although he had not walked so circumspectly as he ought to have done yet he ever had a sense of his sinnes and a tender respect to all the Services Servants and Ordinances of his God and that he knew God had mercy for him that he had strengthened and comforted him against all the terrours of death After these and some other words to this purpose he desired his friends and the people by to pray with him again which when he had ended rising from him his knees he appeared fully satisfied of a gracious Return to his prayers and never after shewed any sadnesse in his countenance His next businesse was with his Sonne the Lord Strange whom he publickly charged to be dutifull to his sad Mother affectionate to his distressed Brothers and Sisters and studious of the peace of his Country But especially said he Son I charge you upon my blessing and upon the blessings you expect from God to be ever dutifull to your distressed Mother ever obedient to hers commands and ever tender how you in any thing grieve or offend her She is a person well known to the most eminent personages of England France Germany and Holland noted for piety prudence and all honourable vertues and certainly the more you are obedient to her the more you will increase in favour with God and Man Then he desired to be private in the room himself where he was observed to be about half an hour upon his knees with frequent interjections of groans and sighs before his God then when he called the company in again his eyes witnessed to us that he had abundantly mixed tears with his prayers he told us that he was very willing to leave the world being assured by the Testimony of Gods Spirit that he should be carried from trouble to rest and peace from sorrow to joy from life to death and that death had no other bitternesse in it to him but that it took him from his dear Wife and Children whom he humbly commended to the protection and providence of a better Husband and a better Father and that yet he did not doubt but that the Generall and they who sate in the seat of Authority would make provision for them hoping that his death might satisfie all those who sought his life whom he freely forgave and desired God to doe the like Then calling for his Sonne he took his leave of him and blessed him which indeed would have grieved any ones heart though never so hardned to see the parting of him now with his Son and with his two Daughters the Lady Katharine and the Lady Amely Stanley upon the Road betwixt Chester and Bolton the day before This ended he called the Officer and told him he was ready In his way to the Scaffold the people prayed and wept and cryed aloud to whom his Lordship with a cheerfull countenance and courteous humblenesse said Good people I thank you and I beseech you still pray for me and our blessed God return your prayers back into your own bosomes The God of Mercies blesse you the Son of God establish you in righteousnesse and the Holy Ghost fill you with all comforts Coming neer the Scaffold he looked up and said God I thank thee I am not afraid to goe up here though I am to die there there are but these few steps to my eternity then kissing the ladder he went up and saluted the people he walked a turn or two upon the Scaffold then went to the East-end of the Scaffold and pulled off his hat again and saluted the people with a cheerful countenance said I am come by the will of my heavenly Father to die in this place and I thank God I doe with all willingnesse and readinesse submit to his most blessed will 'T is a place I desired to see when I was last in the Country both for the mutual obligations that have been betwixt this Town and my family as also for your particular respects to me whom I have understood to be ready to clear me from that soul imputation That I was a man of blood and that particularly I killed one Bootle here in cold blood I doubt not but there are here many men present both that day this Town was taken and divers other times during this war that can justifie I preserv'd many lives but I know there is not any one present that can lâ—y the blood of any man whatsoever to my charge unlesse what might casually happen in the fury and heat of a battel and why I die in this Town I know not unlesse it be to perswade the Nation that I fall as a sacrifice for that blood which some said I shed here from which I am acquitted before you and from which I had also cleared my self before my grand Judges at Westminster had they pleased to hear me before they had destroyed me that report being hastily brought up among them by some that I hope God
though I confess a very hard one as to perform it pretty handsomly both as becomes a Gentleman and a Christian Onely I must desire you to expect no fine Prologue or Speech from me I never studied to make Orations a very unfit man to lay plots against a State who am scarce able to lay a few lines of plain English together as I ought But though I cannot speak happily I doubt not but I shall die happily I confess my self a great sinner Who is innocent God be mercifull to me a miserable sinner I adore the justice of God in all this that is come upon me I have deserved to die long since and blessed be God who hath given me such time to prepare But for this Crime I stand condemned for to day I do protest mine own innocency as to any consent or engagement to act in it I hope you will believe me when you consider upon what slender proofs and testimonies I suffer none of them legal or positive but circumstantial For my Brother Charls Alas poor youth how he was wrought upon But I desire all my friends to think honourably of him For my Brother Sir Gilbert This imagination of a Plot is said to have been hatched in France but I fear the nest was at Whitehall As for the King so far from concurring to such a Deed that I am only unsatisfied in this whether I shall die right in his favour because suspected of any thing so unworthy of him I fear he lost his Kingdome by such practises but whether he would recover them so is a question God hath better ways when it shall be good in his sight to plead his cause I was lately in France but on mine own score for I have commanded there and probably might For my past life it hath been but a troublesome one but now I hope I shall rest Since I was any thing I have served the King as I was bound And I wish all that did so had done it as faithfully He was condemned for a Tyrant but God For my Religion though a Souldier I am able to profess I am a Christian Souldier a true Son of the Church of England as constituted under Q. Elizabeth K. James and K. Charls of blessed memory Her Doctrine and Government I embrace Her Truth and Peace I pray God to restore I humbly give thanks to God Almighty for providing me the comfort of a Minister on whose fidelity I might repose my soul And I pray God to bless the poor faithful Ministers of this Church and give you hearts to esteem them the want whereof is no small cause of our misery My days have been few and evil yet God be blessed in all the vanities and folly of youth I have been far from Atheism or contempt of Gods worship I had alwaies awful impressions of Gods honour and service which is now my comfort And now dear Countrymen fare you well I pray God bless you all this whole Nation Alas poor England When will these black days be over When will there be blood enough I wish mine might fill up the measure I forgive all Once more fare you well Commend me to all my friends Pray for me I pray God make you as faithful and loyal as I have lived and as happy as I shall be by and by when I am dead Come Lord Jesus come quickly Father of mercies have mercy on me Saviour of the world save my soul O Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world hear my prayers Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord Jesus receive my soul The last Speech of Mr. Peter Vowell which he intended to have delivered had he been permitted upon Munday the tenth of July 1654. on which day he suffered death in the place where Charing-Cross stood as from the Original paper written with his own hand appeareth Gentlemen AT this earthly Bar from them that pretend to have a great measure of sanctity I had hard measure but to that Bar I am now going the Bar of heaven I shall have Justice yea one day Justice against them except they water their beds and couches with tears of Repentance The Court gave severe and rash Judgement on my body and sent a pitifull fellow but a pitiless fellow that gave as rash a Judgement of my soul but that precious Jewel none of them could touch to hurt The Souls under the Altar cry loud for vengeance long ago how many more of late years have been added to them to help the cry the cry is loud of those lately whose blood hath been unlawfully spilt but vengeance is Gods and I will leave it to him The Court of my Tryal said I was confident and held it as a fault He also whom they sent to the Tower I know not if to entrap me under pretense to comfort my soul told me also I was confident I say the same and the same confidence I bring with me now and by Gods assistance I hope I shall carry it out of this world with my innocency Gentlemen Souldiers Among the ancient and savage sort of Heathen they had a Law once every three six or twelve moneths to offer up a sacrifice of humane blood to their God and that their God was a Divel Among us whether heathen or not you best know of late years we have had a fatal custome once in three six or twelve moneths to make not only a sacrifice but many sacrifices of humane Christian blood our Scaffolds have reek'd and smok'd with the choisest sort of blood But unto what God do you judge What God is he that delights in the blood of man Baal the god of Ekron Beelzebub the god of Flyes Amongst the Primitive Christians that lived neerest the time of our Saviour Christ the greatest Tyrants and persecutors of the Christians lived the persecution was great and yet the courage of those persecuted Christians was so great that it excelled the fury of the persecutors that they came in faster to be kill'd then they could kill they offered their bodies and throats so thick unto the slaughter that the hands of the Tyrants were weary with killing and yet Sanguis Martirum was Semen Ecclesiae and many Heathens came in with the Christians seeing their cheerful constancy rurned Christians and dyed Christians and dyed with them the Christians still encreased the more Of late years here hath been a great persecution in this Nation and yet the sufferers have been so many and present themselves so thick in the vindication of their King Country and Laws that they startled the very enemy himself their constancy so great that the eyes of their Judges dropped tears whether real or true let the Judge of Judges judge They still stand amazed at their constancy though they exceed the old Heathens Are not weary of killing Oh Souldiers How many of you have been brought up and led on by blind Principles wronged in your Education or seduced by your indiscreet
Gospel it bloweth where it listeth So now Treason is what they please and lighteth upon whom they will Indeed no man except he will be a Traitour can avoid this Censure of Treason I know not to what end it may come but I pray God my own and my Brothers bloud that is now to die with me may be the last upon this score Now Gentlemen you may see what a condition you are in without a King you have no Law to protect you no rule to walk by when you perform your duty to God your King and Country you displease the Arbitrary power now set up I cannot call it government I shall leave you peruse my Tryal and there you shall see what a condition this poor Nation is brought into and no question will be utterly destroyed if not restored by Loyal Subjects to its old and glorious Government I pray God he lay not his Judgements upon England for their sluggishnesse in doing their duty and readinesse to put their hands in their bosoms or rather taking part with the Enemy of Truth The Lord open their eyes that they may be no longer lead or drawn into such snares else the Child unborn will curse the day of their Parents birth God Almighty preserve my Lawful King Charles the second from the hands of his Enemies and break down that wall of Pride and Rebellion which so long hath kept him from his just Rights God preserve his Royal Mother and all his Majesties Royal Brethren and incline their hearts to seek after him God incline the hearts of all true English men to stand up as one Man to bring in the King and Redeem themselves and this poor Kingdom out of its more then Egyptian slavery As I have now put off these garments of cloth so I hope I have put off my garments of sin and have put on the Robes of Christs Righteousness here which will bring me to the enjoyment of his glorious Robes anon Then he kneeled down and kissed the block and said thus I commit my soul to God my Creator and Redeemer Look on me O Lord at my last gasping Hear my prayer and the prayers of all good people I thank thee O God for all thy dispensations to wards me Then kneeling down he prayed most devoutly as followeth O Eternall Almighty and most mercifull God the Righteous Judge of all the world look down in mercy on me a miserable sinner O blessed Jesus Redeemer of Mankind which takest away the sinnes of the world let thy perfect manner of obedience be presented to thy Heavenly Father for me Let thy precious death and bloud be the ransome and satisfaction of my many and haynous transgressions Thou that sittest at the right hand of God make intercession for me O holy and blessed Spirit which are the comforter fill my heart with thy consolations O holy blessed and glorious Trinity be mercifull to me confirm my faith in the promises of the Gospel revive and quicken my hope and expectation of joyes prepared for true and faithful servants Let the infinite Love of God my Saviour make my love to him stedfast sincere and constant O Lord consider my condition accept my tears asswage my grief give comfort and confidence in thee impute not unto me my former sinnes but most mercifull Father receive me into thy favour for the merits of Christ Jesus Many and grievous are my sins for I have sinned many times against the light of knowledg against remorse of conscience against the motions and opportunities of grace But accept I beseech thee the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart in and for the perfect sacrifice oblation and satisfaction of thy Son Jesus Christ O Lord receive my soul after it is delivered from the burthen of the flesh into perfect-joy in the sight and fruition of thee And at the generall resurrection grant that my body may be endowed with immortality and received with my soul into glory I praise thee O God I acknowledge thee to be the Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy on me Thou that sittest at the right hand of God hear my prayer O Lord Jesus Christ God and Man Mediatour betwixt God and Man I have sinned as a Man be thou mercifull to me as a God O holy and blessed Spirit help my infirmities with those sighs and groans which I cannot expresse Then he desired to see the Axe and kissed it saying I am like to have a sharp passage of it but my Saviour hath sweetned it unto me Then he said if I would have been so unworthy as others have been I suppose I might by a lie have saved my life which I scorn to purchase at such a rate I defie such temptations and them that gave them me Glory be to God on high On Earth peace Good will towards Men. And the Lord have mercy upon my poor soul Amen So laying his Neck upon the block after some private Ejaculations he gave the Heads-man a sign with his hand who at one blow severed his head from his body The Speech of that piously resolved Hugh Grove of Chisenbury in the parish of Enford and County of Wilts Esquire beheaded the 16. day of May 1655. in the Castle at Exon. Good people I Never was guilty of much Rhetorick nor ever loved long Speeches in all my life and therefore you cannot expect either of them from me now at my death All that I shall desire of you besides your hearty prayers for my soul is That you would bear me witnesse I die a true son of the Church of England as it was established by King Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the first of ever blessed memory That I die a Loyall subject to King Charles the second my undoubted Soveraign and a lover of the good old Laws of the Land the just priviledges of Parliaments and Rights and Liberties of the People for the re-establishing of all which I doe undertake this ingagement and for which I am ready to lay down my life God forgive the bloudy-minded Jury and those that procured them God forgive Captain Crook for denying his Articles so unworthily God forgive Mr. Dove and all other persons swearing so malitiously and falsely against me God forgive all my enemies I heartily forgive them God blesse the King and all that love him turn the hearts of all that hate him God blesse you all and be mercifull to you and to my Soul Amen And so meekly laying his neck to the block and giving a signe his head at one blow and a draw of the axe was severed from his body The manner of the Execution of Sir Henry Slingsby on Tuesday the 8. of June 1658. With the substance of his speech before his Death ABout Eleven of the clock Sir Henry Slingsby was brought from the Tower to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill whither being come he fell upon his knees and for a short space prayed