Relation of Passages and Speeches in the Star Chamber, Execution
THE Execution of the Lords Cenſure in Starre-Chamber upon D. Baſtwijcke, M. Prynne, and M. Burton, in the Pallaceyard at Weſtminſter, the 30th. day of Iune laſt 1637. at the ſpectation whereof the number of people was ſo great (the place being very large) that it cauſed admiration in all that beheld them; who came with tender affections to behold thoſe three renowned Souldiers and Servants of Ieſus Chriſt, who came with moſt undaunted and magnanimous courage thereunto, having their way ſtrawed with ſweet hearbes from the houſe out of which they came to the Pillary, with all the honour that could bee done unto them.
Dr. Baſtwijcke and Mr. Burton firſt meeting, they did cloſe one in the others armes three times, with as much expreſſions of love as might bee, rejoycing that they met at ſuch a place, upon ſuch an occaſion, & that God had ſo highly honoured them, as to call them forth to ſuffer for his glorious Truth.
Then immediately after, M. Prynne came, the D. and hee ſaluting each other, as M. Burton and hee did before. The D. then went up firſt on the Scaffold, and his wife immediately following, came up to him, and like a loving Spouſe ſaluted each care with a kiſſe, and then his mouth; whoſe tender love, boldnes, and cheerefullnes ſo wrought upon the peoples affections, that they gave marvailous great ſhowte for joy, to behold it. Her Huſband deſired her not to bee in the leaſt maner diſmay'd at his ſuffrings: And ſo for a while they parted, ſhe uſing theſe words: Farewell my Deereſt, be of good comfort, I am nothing diſmay'd. And then the D. began to ſpeake theſe words.
There are many that are this day Spectators of our ſtanding here,D. Baſtwijcke. as Delinquents, though not Delinquents, we bleſſe God for it. I am not conſcious to my ſelf wherein I have committed the leaſt treſpaſſe (to take this outward ſhame) either againſt my God, or my King. And I doe the rather ſpeake it, that you, that are now beholders, may take notice, how farre innocency will preſerve you in ſuch a day as this is; for wee come here in the ſtrength of our God, who hath mightily ſupported us, and filled our hearts with greater comfort then our ſhame or contempt can bee. The firſt occaſion of my trouble was by the Prelates, for writing a Booke againſt the Pope, and the Pope of Canterbury ſayd I wrote againſt him: and therefore queſtioned me: But if the Preſſes were as open to us, as formerly they have been, we would ſhatter his Kingdom about his eares: But bee ye not deterred by their power, neither bee affrighted at our ſufferings; Let none determine to turne from the wayes of the Lord, but goe on, fight couragiouſly againſt Gog & Magog. I know there be many here who have ſet many dayes apart for our behalfe, (let the Prelates take notice of it) and they have ſent up ſtrong prayers to heaven for us, we feele the ſtrength and benefit of them at this time; I would have you to take notice of it; we have felt the ſtrength & benefit of your prayers all along this cauſe. In a word, ſo farre I am from baſe feare, or caring for any thing that they can do, or cast upon me, that, had I as much blood as would ſwell the Theames, I would ſhedd it every droppe in this cauſe, therefore be not any of you diſcouraged, be not daunted on their power, ever labouring to preſerve Innocency, & keep peace within, goe on in the ſtrength of your God, and hee will never fayle you in ſuch a day as this; As I ſayd before, ſo I ſay againe; Had I as many lives as I have heires on my head, or droppe of blood in my veines, I would give them up all for this cauſe; this plot of ſending us to thoſe remote places, was firſt conſulted and agitated by the Jeſuites, as I can make it plainly appeare. O ſee, what times we are fallen into, that the Lords must ſit to act the Ieſuites plots! For our owne parts, wee owe no mallice to the perſons of any of the Prelats, but would lay our necks under their feet to doe them good as they are men, but against the uſurpation of their power, as they are Biſhops, we doe profeſſe our ſelves enemies till doomes day.
Mr. Prynne ſhaking the Dr. by the hand, deſired him that hee might ſpeake a word or two. With all my heart, ſayd the Doctor.
Te cauſe (ſayd Mr. Prynne) of my ſtanding here, is, for not bringing in my Anſwer, for which my cauſe is taken pro confeſſo againſt mee. What endeavours J uſed for the bringing in thereof, that, God and my owne conſcience, and my Counſell knowes, whoſe cowardiſe ſtands upon Record to all ages. For rather then J will have my cauſe a leading cauſe, to deprive the ſubjects of that libertie which J ſeek to maintaine, J rather expoſe my perſon to a leading example, to beare this puniſhment: And J beſeech you all to take notice of their proceedings in this cauſe, when J was ſerved with a Subpoena into this Court, J was ſhut up cloſe priſoner, that J could have no acceſſe to Counſell, nor admitted pen, inke or paper to draw up my anſwere by my Jnſtructions, for which J feed them twice (though to no purpoſe) yet when all was done, my Anſwer would not be accepted into the Court, though I tendered it upon my oath. I appeale to all the world, if this were a legall or juſt proceeding. Our accuſation is in point of Libell (but ſuppoſedly) againſt the Prelates: to cleere this now, I will give you a little light what the Law is in point of Libell (of which profeſſion I have ſometimes beene, and ſtill profeſſe my ſelfe to have ſome knowledge in) you ſhall finde in caſe of Libell, tvvo ſtatutes: The one, in the ſecond of Queene Mary; The other, in the ſeventh of Queene Elizabeth. That in the ſecond of Queene Mary, the extremity and heighth of it runs thus: That, if a Libeller doth goe ſo farre and ſo high as to Libel againſt King or Queene, by denomination, the high and extremity of the Law is, that they lay no greater fine on him then an hundred pounds, vvith a moneths impriſonment, And no corporall Puniſhment, except hee doe refuſe to pay his fine; and then to inflict ſome puniſhment in lievve of that fine, at the moneths end. Neither was this Cenſure to be paſſed on him, except it vvere fully prooved by tvvo vvitneſſes, vvho vvere to produce a certificat of their good demeanor for the credit of their report, or elſe confeſſed by the Libeller. You ſhall finde in that Statute 7. Eliz. ſome further addition to the former of 2. Marie, and that onelyonly in point of fine & puniſhment, and it muſt ſtill reach as high as the perſon of King or Queen. Here this ſtatute doth ſet a fine of two hundred pounds; the other, but one: This ſets three moneths empriſonment; the former but one: So that therein onelyonly they differ. But in this they both agree, namely, at the end of his impriſonment to pay his fine, and ſoo to goe free vvithout any further queſtion: But if hee refuſe to pay his fine, then the Court is to inflict ſome puniſhment on him correſpondent to his fine. Novv, ſee the diſparity between thoſe times of theirs, and ours. A libeller in Queen Maries time, vvas fined but an hundred pounds, in Queen Elizabeth time tvvo hundred; In Queen Maries daeys but a moneths impriſonment; In Queen Elizabeths three moneths; and not ſo great a fine, if they libelled not againſt King or Queen. Formerly the greatest fine vvas but tvvo hundred pounds, though against King or Queen; Novv five thouſand pounds, though but against the Prelates, & that but ſuppoſedly, vvhichwhich cannot be prooved: Formerly, but the moneths impriſonment; Novv perpetuall impriſonment: Then, upon paying the fine, no corporall puniſhment vvas to be inflicted; But novv, infamous puniſhment, vvith the loſſe of blood, and all other circumſtances that may aggravate it. See novv vvhat times vve are fallen into, vvhen that Libelling (if it vvere ſo) againſt Prelates onelyonly, ſhall fall higer, then if it touched Kings and Princes?
That vvhichwhich I have to ſpeake of next, is this: The Prelates finde themſelves exceedingly agrieved and vexed against vvhat vve have vvritten concerning the uſurpation of their calling, vvhere indeed vve declare their calling not to be Iure divino. I make no doubt, but there are ſome Intelligencers or Abbertors vvithin the hearing, vvhom I vvould have vvell knovv and take notice of vvhat I novv ſay. I here in this place make this offer to them: That, if I may be admitted a faire diſpute, on faire termes, for my cauſe, that I vvill maintaine, and doe here make the challenge against all the Prelates in the Kings Dominions, and againſt all the Prelates in Chriſtendome, (let them take in the Pope, and all to help them) that their calling is not Iure Divino. I will ſpeake it againe; I make the challenge, againſt all the Prelates in the Kings Dominions, and all Christendome to maintaine, that their calling is not Iure Divino. If I make it not good, let mee bee hanged up at the Hall-Gate: Where upon the people gave a great ſhout.
The next thing that I am to ſpeake of, is this: The Prelates find themſelves exceedingly agrieved and vext against vvhat I have vvritten in point of Lavv, concerning their Writs and Proces, That the ſending forth of Writs and Proces in their ovvne name, is against all Lavv and Iuſtice, and doth entrench on his Majesties Prerogative Royall, and the Subjects Liberties. And here novv I make a ſecond challenge againſt al the Lavvyers in the Kingdom in way of fayre Diſpute, That I vvill maintaine, the Prelates ſending forth of Writs and Proces in their ovvne names, to be against all Lavv and Iustice, and entrencheth on his Majesties prerogative Royall, and ſubjects Liberty. Lest it ſhould bee forgotten, I ſpeake it again, I here challenge all the vvhole Society of the Lavv upon a fayre diſpute, to maintaine, that the ſending forth of Writs and Proces in the Prelates ovvne names, to be against all Lavv and Iustice, and entrencheth on the Kings Prerogative Royall, & the Subjects Liberty. If I bee not able to make it good, let mee bee put to the tormentingest death they can deviſe.
Wee praiſe the Lord, vvee feare none but God and the King: Had vvee reſpected our Liberties vvee had not ſtood here at this time: it vvas for the generall good and Liberties of you all, that vve have now thus farre engaged our ovvn Liberties in his cauſe. For did you know, how deeply they have entrenched on your Liberties in point of Popery; If you knew but into what times you are caſt, it would make you looke about you: and if you did but ſee what changes and revolutions of perſons, cauſes and actions, have beene made by one man, you would more narrowly looke into your priviledges, and ſee how farre your Liberty did lawfully extend and ſo maintaine it.
This is the ſecond time that I have beene brought to this place who hath beene the Author of it, I thinke you all well know: For the firſt time, if I could have had leave given me, I could eaſily have cleered my ſelfe of that vvhichwhich was then laid to my charge: As alſo I could have done now, if I might have been permitted to ſpeake. That booke for vvhichwhich I ſuffered formerly, eſpecially for ſome particular vvords therin vvritten, vvhichwhich I quoted out of Gods vvord, and ancient Fathers, for vvhichwhich notvvithſtanding, they paſſed Cenſure on me; that ſame booke vvas tvvice licenſed by publicke Authority, and the ſame vvords I then ſuffered for, they are againe made uſe of, and applied in the ſame ſence by Heylin in his booke lately printed, and dedicated to the King, and no exceptions taken againſt them, but are very vvell taken.
Dr. Baſtwicke.
Aye (ſaid D. Baſtvvicke) and there is another Booke of his licenſed, vvherein he rayles againſt us three at his pleaſure; and againſt the Martyrs that ſuffered in Queen Maries dayes, calling them Schiſmaticall Hereticks, and there is another Booke of Pocklingtons licenſed; they bee as full of lyes as dog bee full of fleas, but vvere the preſſes as open to us as they are to them, vvee vvould pay them, and their great Maſter that upholds them, and charge them vvith notorious Blaſphemy.
M. Pryn.
Said Mr. Prynne, You all at this preſent ſee, there be no degrees of men exempted from ſuffering: Here is a Reverend Divine for the ſoule, a Phiſition for the Body, and a Lawyer for the Eſtate: I had thought they vvould have let alone their ovvne Society, and not have meddled vvith any of them. And the next (for ought I knovv) may bee a Biſhop. You ſee they ſpare none of vvhat ſociety or calling ſoever, none are exemted that croſſe their ovvne ends. Gentlemen, looke to your ſelves; If all the Martyrs that ſuffered in Queen Maries dayes, are accounted and called Schiſmaticall hereticks, and Factious Fellowes: What ſhall vve looke for? Yet ſo they are called in a Booke lately come forth under Authority. And ſuch Factious Fellovves are vvee, for diſcovering a Plot of Popery. Alas poore England! vvhat vvill become of thee, if thou looke not the ſooner into thine ovvne Priviledges, and maintaineſt not thine ovvne lavvfull Liberty? Chriſtian people: I beſeech you all, ſtand firme, and bee zealous for the cauſe of God, and his true Religion, to the ſhedding of your deareſt blood, othervviſe you vvill bring your ſelves, and all your poſterities, into perpetuall bondage and ſlavery.
Novv, the Executioner being come, to ſeare him, and cut of his eares, M. Prynne ſpake theſe vvords to him: Come friend, Come, burne mee, cu… mee, I feare not. I have learn'd to feare the fire of hell, and not what man can doe unto mee: Come, ſeare mee, ſeare mee, I ſhall beare in my body the markes of the Lord Ieſus: Which the bloody Executioner performed vvith Extraordinary Cruelty, Heating his Iron tvvice, to Burne One Cheeke: And cut one of his eares ſo cloſe, that hee cut off a piece of his Cheeke. At vvhichwhich exquiſit torture Hee never mooved vvith his body, or ſo much as changed his Countenance, but ſtill lookt up as vvell as he could tovvards Heaven, vvith a ſmiling countenance, even to the aſtoniſhment of all the beholders. And uttering (aſſoone as the Executioner had done) this Heavenly ſentence: The more I am beaten downe, the more am I lift up. And returning from the execution in a boate, made (as I heare) theſe tvvo verſes by the vvay, on the Tvvo Charasters branded on his Cheekes.
S. L. STIGMATA LAUDIS.
STIGMATA maxillis bajulans inſignia LAVDIS
Exultans remeo, victima grata Deo.
Which one ſince thus Engliſhed:
S. L. LAUDS SCARS.
Trimphant I returne, my face deſcries,
LAUDS ſcorching SCARS, Gods greatefull ſacrifice.