s 



Records oj the Rising in the Wed, A I). 1055. 



II 1 would have beene so unworthy as others have bene T suppose I might by 

 a lye have saved my Hie which I scorne to purchase at such a rate, L dehe such 

 temptations and them that gave them me. [This sentence is not inthc pamphlet.] 



I have no more to say now but to tell you I am in charity with all men and 

 that 1 thanke God I can [and do] forgive my greatest psecutors [and all that 

 ever had any hand in my death. I have offered the Protector as good security 

 for my future demeanour as I suppose he would have expected ; if he had thought 

 fit to have given me my life, I should not have been so ungrateful as to have 

 employed it against him]. 1 do humbly submitt to God's pleasure knowing 

 that y e issues of life and death are in his hands. My blood is but a small 

 sacrifice if it had beene saved I am so much a gent as to have given thankes to 

 him that pserved it and so much a Christian as to forgive them which take it 

 away.* These unhappy times have [indeed] beene very ffatall to my family 

 two of my brothers are already slaine in the most just defence of the king's 

 cause and myselfe going to the slaughter. + 



It is God's will I humbly submitt to that Providence. I must remember to 

 [render an acknowledgement] acknowledge y e great civilit y that I have rec d . 

 from this Citie of Exon and some psons of quality. % I shall close with praiers 



* The pamphlet : "But seeing God by his providence hath called me to lay it down, I willingly sub- 

 mit to it, though terrible to nature; but blessed be my Saviour who hath taken out the sting ; so 

 that I look upon it without terror. Death is a debt, and a due debt ; and it hath pleased God to 

 make me so good a husband, that I am come to pay it before it is due. I am not ashamed of the 

 cause for which I die, but rather rejoyce that I am thought woithy, to suffer in the defence and cause 

 of God's true church, my Lawfull King, the Liberty ol the subject, and priviledge of Parliaments. 

 Therefore I hope none of my alliance and friends will be ashamed of it; it is so far from pulling 

 down my Family that I look upon it, as the raising it one story higher. Neither was I of so prodigall 

 of nature as to throw away my life, but have used (though none but honourable and honest) means 

 to preserve it." 



1 1 have already mentioned the death of his brother Henry. Who the other? brother was that he 

 alludes to here I have not been able to discover. 



t Pamphlet : " And for theis plentifull provision made for the prisoners. I thank Mr. Sheriff for 

 his favour towards us, in particular to myself ; and I desire him to present my due respects to the 

 Protector, and though he had no mercy for myself, yet that he would have respect for my family, 



I am now stripping off my cloaths to fight a duell with death (I conceave no other duell lawful) 

 but my Saviour hath pulled out the sting of this mine enemy by making himselfe a sacrifice for me ; 

 and truly I do not think that man deserving one drop of his blood, that will not spend all for him in 

 so good a cause. 



The truth is gentlemen, in this age Treason is an ' individuam vagum,' like the wind in the gos- 

 pel, 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 pro- 

 tect you, no rule to walk by ; when you perform your duty to God, your king and country, you 

 displease the Arbitrary powers now set up : (I cannot call it Government) I shall leave you to peruse 

 my triall, and there you shall see, what a condition this poor Nation is brought into; and (no ques- 

 tion will be utterly destroyed, if not restored (by Loyall subjects) to its old and glorious Government. 

 J pray God he lay not his judgements upon England for their sluggishnesse in doing their duty, and 

 readinesse to put their hands in their bosomes, 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 un- 

 born will curse the day of their Parents' birth. 



God Almighty Preserve my lawfull 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 Roy all Mother, and all his Majestie's Roy all 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 Kingdome, out of its more then Egyptian Slavery. 



