

By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 11 
Church of England as it was established by Edwd. the 6% and Eliz. and K. 
James and Charles of ever blessed memory, That I die a loyale subject to 
King Charles the 2" my undoubted soveraigne, and a lover of the good old 
laws, the just privileges of parliament, and the rights and libertyes of the people, 
for the reestablishing of all which I undertooke this engagement and for which 
I am now ready to lay down my life: God forgive the judges and counsell for 
‘perverting the law, God forgive the bloudy minded jury and those that procured 
them. God forgive Captayne Crooke for denying his articles soe unworthily. 
God forgive Mr. Dove and other persons for swearing soe malitiously and falsely 
against mee. God forgive all myne enemyes, I heartily forgive them. God 
bless the king and all that love him. Turne the hearts of all that hate him. 
God bless you all and be mercifull to you and to my soule.”* 
His prayer. 
This is word for word the same as Penruddock’s, and therefore 
is not repeated. His speech challenges our admiration, as a model 
of terse eloquence—the frank language of a thorough soldier. 
The newspapers are very various as to the day of execution, 
placing it on the 7th, 8th or 9th, and 16th of May. 
The 9th is the date Aubrey gives in his Miscellanies, p. 22, ed. 
1720, chapter on days of fatality. Colonel Grove, he says, “ was 
beheaded May the 9th, 1655. On that very day three years his 
son died at London, of malignant fever, and about the same hour.” 
Alas for the fatalists and, Aubrey’s veracity Grove was beheaded 
May 16th, as we shall find further proof of hereafter ! 
The following newspaper slip, evidently from “a round” nibbed 
pen, is worth preserving :—? 
«‘ From Exeter we had the certain news of the execution of Colonels Penruddock 
and Grove which was not until Weduesday last (16th) As by an Eye witness 
take as followeth: ‘ This morning (16th) Colonel Penruddock and Colonel Grove 
were beheaded in the Castle Green at Exeter. I was upon the scaffold and saw 
the Execution ; their heads being severed from their bodies; their speeches were 
but short and to very little purpose; they dyed very stoutly and very desperately, 
vindicating their carriage and actions without any confession or contrition for 
sin at all. I cannot give you the particulars neither indeed are they so con- 
siderable unless it be to prevent false copies which I make no question, but will 
be largely set forth by some though to little purpose and I fear lesse truth.’”’ 
* *There can be no doubt but that this was the speech he then uttered. It will be found 
amongst the Thurloe papers (vol. 3, p. 445), endorsed “Taken in shorthand upon the scaffold 
by N.I. [one of the Izaack’s family ?], a true lover of bis, and his constant visitant in prison; and 
it is in the pamphlet of July 2nd, 1655. 
1 Perfect Diurnail, Monday, May 2l1st, 1655, p. 4373. 
c2 
