Relation of Passages and Speeches in the Star Chamber, Speech
Mr. Burtons heavenly and moſt comfortable Speech, which he made at the time of his fuffering, both before and while he ſtood in the Pillary, which was ſomething diſtant from the other double Pillary, wherein Dr. Baſtwicke and Mr. Prynne ſtood.
THE night before his ſuffering, about eyght a clock, when he firſt had certaine notice thereof, upon occaſion of his Wives going to aſke the Warden, whither her Huſband ſhould ſuffer the next day, immediately he felt his ſpirits to be rayſed to a farre higher pitch of reſolution and courage to undergoe his ſufferings, then formerly he did, ſo as he intreated the Lord to hold up his ſpirits at that heigth all the next day in his ſufferings, that he might not flagg nor faint, leaſt any diſhonour might come to his Majeſtie or the cauſe: And the Lord heard him: For all the next day in his ſuffering (both before and after) his ſpirits were carried aloft as it were upon Eagles wings (as himſelfe ſaid) farre above all apprehenſion of ſhame or paine.
The next morning (being the day of his ſufferings) hee was brought to Weſtminſter, and with much cheerefullnes beeing brought into the Pallace-yard unto a Chamber that looked into the Yard, where he viewed three Pillaries there ſet up: Me thinkes (ſaid hee) I ſee Mount Calvery, where the three Croſſes (one for Chriſt, and the other two for the two theeves) were pitched: And if Chriſt were numbred among theeves, ſhall a Chriſtian (for Chriſts cauſe) thinke much to be numbred among Rogues, ſuch as wee are condemned to be? Surely, if I be a Rogue, I am Chriſts Rogue, and no mans. And a little after, looking out at the caſement toward the Pillary, hee ſayd: I ſee no difference betweene looking out of this ſquare window, and yonder round hole poyning towards the Pillary) hee ſaid: It is no matter of difference, to an honeſt man. And a little after that, looking ſome what wiſhly upon his Wife, to ſee how ſhee did take it; ſhee ſeemed to him to be ſomething ſadd▪ to whom hee thus ſpake: Wiſe, why art thou ſo ſadd? To whom ſhee made anſwer; Sweet heart, I am not ſadd: No, ſaid hee? See thou be not, for I would not have thee to diſhonour the day, by ſhedding one teare, or fetching one ſigh: for behold therefore thy comfort, my triumphant Chariot on the which I muſt ride for the honour of my Lord & Maſter: And never was wedding day ſo welcome and joy full a day, as this day is; and ſo much the more, becauſe I have ſuch a noble Captaine and Leader, who hath gone before mee with ſuch undauntednes of Spirit, that hee ſayth of himſelfe, I gave my backe to the ſmiters, my cheekes to the nippers, they pluckt off the haire, I hidd not my face, from ſhame and ſpitting, for the Lord God will helpe mee; therefore ſhall I not be confounded, therefore have I ſet my face like a flint, and I know I ſhall not be aſhamed. At length being carried toward the Pillary, hee met D. Baſtwicke at the foot of the pillary; where they lovingly ſaluted and embraced each other; and parting a little from him, hee returned (ſuch was the ardency of his affection) and moſt affectionately embraced him the ſecond time, being heartily ſorry hee miſſed Mr. Prynne, who was not yet come before hee was gonne up to his Pillary, which ſtood alone next the Starre-Chamber, and about halfe a ſtones caſt from the other double Pillary, wherein the other two ſtood: ſo as all their faces looked Southward, the bright Sun all the while for the ſpace of two howers ſhining upon them: Being ready to be put into the Pillary ſtanding upon the Scaffold, he ſpied Mr. Prynne new come to the Pillary, & Dr. Baſtwicke in the Pillary, who then haſted of his band, & called for a Handkercher, ſaying: What, ſhall I be laſt? or ſhall I be aſhamed of a Pillary for Chriſts, who was not aſhamed of a Croſſe for mee? Then being put into the Pillary, …e ſayd: Good people, I am brought hither to be a ſpectacle to the world, to Angels, and men. And howſoever I ſtand here to undergoe the puniſhment of a Rogue, yet except to bee a faithfull ſervant to Chriſt, & a loyall Subject to the King, be the property of a rogue, I am no Rogue. But yet if to bee Chriſts faithfull Servant, and the Kings loyall Subject, deſerve the puniſhment of a Rogue, I glory in it, and I bleſſe my God, my conſcience is cleare, & is not ſtained with the guilt of any ſuch crime, as I have beene charged with, though otherwiſe I confeſſe my ſelfe to be a man ſubject to many frailties & humane infirmities. Indeed, that Booke intiteled, An Apology of an Appeale with ſundry Epiſtles, and two Sermons, for God and the King, charged againſt me in the Information, I have, and doe acknowledge (the miſprinting excepted) to be mine, and will by Gods grace never diſclaime it whilſt I have breath within mee. After while, hee having a Noſegay in his hand, a Bee came and pitched on the Noſegay, & began to ſuck the flowers very ſavourly, which hee beholding and well obſerving, ſaid: Doe yee not ſee this poore Bee? She hath found out this very place to ſuck ſweetnes from Chriſt. The Bee ſucking all this while, and ſo tooke her flight. By and by, hee tooke occaſion from the ſhining of the Sunne, to ſay: You ſee how the Sunne ſhines upon us, but that ſhines as well upon the evill as the good, upon the juſt and unjuſt, but that the Sonne of righteouſnes (Ieſus Chriſt, who hath healing under his wings) ſhines upon the ſoules and conſciences of every true beleever onelyonly, and no clowd can hide him from us, to make him aſhamed of us, no not of our moſt ſhamefull ſufferings for his ſake: And why ſhould wee be aſhamed to ſuffer for his ſake who hath ſuffered for us? All our ſufferings be but fleabitings to that bee endured, hee endured the Croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet on the right hand of God: Hee is a moſt excellent patterne for us to looke upon, that, treading his ſtepps, and ſuffering with him, wee may bee glorified with him. And what can wee ſuffer, wherein hee hath not gone before us, even in the ſame kinde? Was hee not degraded, when they ſcornefully put on him a purple Robe, a Reede into his hand, a thorny Crowne upon his head, ſaluting him with Hayle King of the Iewes; and ſo diſrobed him againe? was not hee deprived, when they ſmote the Shepherd, and the Sheepe were ſcattered? Was not violence offered to his ſacred perſon, when hee was buffited, and ſcourged, his hands and his feet pierced, his head pricked with thornes, his ſide goared with a Speare, &c.? Was not the Croſſe more ſhamefull, yea and more painfull then a Pillary? Was not hee ſtript of all he had, when he was left ſtarke naked upon the Croſſe, the Souldiers dividing his garments, and caſting lots upon his veſture? And was hee not confin'd to perpetuall cloſe impriſonment in mans imagination, when his body was layd in a Tombe, and the Tombe ſealed, leaſt hee ſhould breake priſon, or his Diſciples ſteale him away? And yet did hee not riſe againe, and thereby brought deliverance and victory to us all, ſo as we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us? Here then we have an excellent Patterne indeed. And all this hee uttered (and whatſoever elſe hee ſpake) with marvailous alacrity.
One ſayd unto Mr. Burton, Chriſt will not be aſhamed of you at the laſt day. Hee replied, Hee knew whom he had beleeved, and that Chriſt was able to keep that he had committed to him againſt that day. One aſked him how hee did? Hee ſaid, never better, I bleſſe God, who hath accounted mee worthy thus to ſuffer. The Keeper, keeping of the people from preſſing neere the Pillary; hee ſayd, Let them come and ſpare not, that they may learne to ſuffer. This ſame Keeper, being weary, and ſitting him downe, aſked Mr. Burton, if he were well, and bad him be of good comfort. To whom hee replied, Are you well? If you be well, I am much more, and full of comfort, I bleſſe God. Some aſked him, if the Pillary were not uneaſy for his neck and ſhoulders. Hee anſwered: How can Chriſts yoake be uneaſy? This is Chriſts yoake, and he beares the heavier end of it, and I the lighter, & if mine were too heavy, hee would beare that too. O good people! Chriſt is a good and ſweet Maſter, & worth the ſuffering for! And if the world did but know his goodnes, & had taſted of his ſweetnes, all would come and be his ſervants; and did they but know what a bleſſed thing it were to beare his yoake, O! who would not beare it?
The Keeper going about to eaſe the Pillarie, by putting a ſtone or a bricke-batt betweene, Mr. Burton ſayd, Trouble not your ſelfe, I am at very good eaſe, and feele no wearines at all. And eſpying a young man at the foote of the Pillary, and perceyving him to looke pale on him: Hee ſaid, Sonne, Sonne, what is the matter you looke ſo pale? I have as much comfort as my heart can hold, and if I had need of more, I ſhould have it. One aſked him a while after, if he would drinke ſome aqua vitae. To whom he replied, that he needed it not; for I have, ſayd he, (laying his hand upon his breaſt) the true water of life, which, like a well doth ſpring up to eternall life. Pawſing a while, he ſayd with a moſt cheereful, & grave countenance, I was never in ſuch a Pulpit before, but little doe ye know (ſpeaking to them that ſtood about him) what fruits God is able to produce from this drye tree; They looking ſtedfaſtly upon him, hee ſayd, Marke my words, and remember them well, I ſay, Little doe you know, what fruites God is able to produce from this dry tree: I ſay, remember it well, for this day will never be forgotten; and through theſe holes (poynting to the Pillary) God can bring light to his Church. The Keeper going about againe to mend the Pillary, he ſayd: Doe not trouble your ſelfe ſo much: But indeed we are the troublers of the world. By & by after, ſome of them offering him a cup of wine; He thanked them, telling them, he had the wine of conſolation within him, & the joyes of Chriſt in poſſeſſion, which the world could not take away from him, neither could it give them unto him. Then he looked towards the other Pillary, and making a ſigne with his hand, cheerefull called to Dr. Baſtwicke, and Mr. Prynne, aſking them, how they did? Who anſwered, Very well. A woman ſaid unto him, Sir, every Chriſtian is not worthy this Honour, which the Lord hath caſt upon you this day. Alas (ſaid he) who is worthy of the leaſt mercy? But it is his gracious favour & free gift, to account us worthy in the behalf of Chriſt to ſuffer any thing for his ſake. Another woman ſaid, There are many hundreds which by Gods aſſiſtance wou…d willingly ſuffer, for the cauſe you ſuffer for this day. To whom he ſaid, Chriſt exalts all of us that are ready to ſuffer afflictions for his Name with meeknes & patience: But Chriſts military diſcipline in the uſe of his ſpirituall warfare in point of ſuffering, is quite forgotten, and we have in a manner loſt the power of religion, in not denying our ſelves, and following Chriſt as well in ſufferings as in doing. After a while Mr. Burton calling to one of his friends for a Handkercher, returned it againe, ſaying: It is hott, but Chriſt bore the burthen in the heate of the day; Let us alwayes labour to approove our ſelves to God in all things, and unto Chriſt, for therein ſtands our happines, come of it what will in this world.
A Chriſtian friend ſayd to Mr. Burton, The Lord ſtrengthen you. To whom hee replied, I thanke you, and I bleſſe his name hee ſtrengthens. For though I am a poore ſinfull wretch, yet I bleſſe God for my innocent conſcience in any ſuch crime as is laid againſt mee; and were not my cauſe good, and my conſcience ſound, I could not enjoy ſo much unſpeakeable comfort in this my ſufferings as I doe: I bleſſe my God. Miſtris Burton ſends commendation to him by a friend: Hee returned the like to her, ſaying, Commend my love to my wife, and tell her, I am hartely cheerefull, and bidd her remember what I ſayd to her in the morning, namely, That ſhe ſhould not blemiſh the glory of this day with one teare, or ſo much as one ſigh. She returned anſwer, that ſhee was glad to heare him ſo cheerefull; and that ſhee was more cheerefull of this day, then of her wedding day. This Anſwere exceedingly rejoyced his heart, who thereupon bleſſed God for her, and ſayd of her, Shee is but a young Souldier of Chriſts, but ſhee hath already endured many a ſharp brunt, but the Lord will ſtrengthen her unto the end: And hee having on a payre of new gloves, ſhewed them to his friends there about him, ſaying: My wife yeſterday of her owne accord bought me theſe wedding gloves, for this is my wedding day.
Many friends ſpake comfortable to Mr. Burton, and hee againe ſpake as comfortably to them, ſaying: I bleſſe my God, that called me forth to ſuffer this day. One ſaid to him, Sr. by this (Sermon) your ſuffering God may convert many unto him. Hee anſwered: God is able to doe it indeed. And then he called againe to Dr. Baſtwicke and Mr. Prynne aſking them how they did? Who anſwered as before. Some ſpeaking to him concerning that ſuffering of ſhedding his blood: Hee anſwered, What is my blood to Chriſts blood? Chriſts blood is a purging blood, but mine is corrupted and polluted with ſin. One friend aſked another, ſtanding neere Mr. Burton, If there ſhould bee any thing more done unto him▪ Mr. Burton overhearing him, anſwered: Why ſhould there not be more done? For what God will have done, muſt bee accompiſhed. One deſiring Mr. Burton to be of good cheere: To whom hee thus replied: If you knew my cheere, you would be glad to be partaker with mee; for I am not alone, neither hath God left me alone in all my ſufferings, & cloſe impriſonment, ſince firſt I was apprehended. The Halbertmen ſtanding round about, one of them had an old ruſty Halbert, the Iron whereof was tacked to the ſtaffe with an old crooked naile; which one obſerving, and ſaying, What an old ruſty Halbert is that? M. Burton ſaid, This ſeemes to mee to be one of thoſe Halberts, which accompanied Iudas, when he went to betray & apprehend his Maſter. The people obſerving Mr. Burtons cheerefulnes, and courage in ſuffering, rejoyced, and bleſſed God for the ſame. Mr. Burton ſaid againe, I am perſwaded that Chriſt my Advocate, is now pleading my cauſe at the Fathers right hand, and will judge my cauſe, (though none be found here to plead it) and will bring forth my righteouſnes as the light at noone day, & cleere my innocency in due time. A friend aſking M. Burton, if he would have bin without this particular ſuffering? To whom hee ſayd, No: not for a world. Moreover, he ſayd, that his conſcience is the diſcharge of his Miniſteriall duety and function, in admoniſhing his people to beware of the creeping in of Popery & Superſtition, exhorting them to ſticke cloſe unto God & the King, in duties of obedience was that which firſt occaſioned his ſufferings, & ſayd, as for this truth I have preached, I am ready to ſeale it with my blood, for this is my Crowne both here and hereafter. I am jealous of Gods honour, and the Lord keepe us that wee may doe nothing that may diſhonour him, either in doing or ſuffering, God can bring light out of darkenes, and glory out of ſhame: And what ſhall I ſay more? I am like a Bottle which is ſo full of liquor, that it cannot runne out freely; So I am ſo full of joy, that I am not able to expreſſe it.
In concluſion: ſome tolde him of the approach of the Executioner, and prayed God to ſtrengthen him. Hee ſayd, I truſt hee will, why ſhould I feare to follow my Maſter Chriſt, who ſayde: I gave my Backe to the ſmiters, and my cheecke to the nippers, that plucked of my haire, I hidde not my face from ſhame and ſpitting, for the Lord God will helpe mee, therefore ſhall I not bee confounded, I have ſet my face like a flint, and I know that I ſhall not bee aſhamed.
When the Executioner had cut off one eare, which hee had cut deepe and cloſe to the head, in an extraordinary manner: Yet this Champion of Chriſt never once mooved or ſtirred for it, though he had cut the veyne, ſo as the blood ranne ſtreaming downe upon the Scaffold, which divers perſons ſtanding about the Pillary, ſeeing, dipped their Handkerchers in, as a thing moſt precious, the people giving a mournefull ſhout, and crying for the Chyrurgeon, whom the crowd and other impediments for a time kept off, ſo that hee could not come to ſtop the blood; This Patient all the while held up his hands, and ſayd, Bee content, It is well, bleſſed bee God. The other eare, being cut no leſſe deepe, hee then was freed from the Pillary, and come downe, where the Chyrurgeon waiting for him, preſently applyed remedy for ſtopping the Blood after a large effuſion thereof, yet for all this hee fainted not in the leaſt manner, though through expenſe of much blood hee waxed pale. And one offering him a little wormwood water, hee ſayd: It needs not, yet through importunitie he onelyonly taſted of it, and no more, ſaying, My maſter Chriſt was not ſo well uſed, for they gave him Gall and Veniger, and you give me ſtrong water, to refreſh mee, bleſſed be God. His head being bound up, two Friends led him away to an houſe provided for him in Kings Street, where being ſet downe, and bid to ſpeake little, yet hee ſayd after a pawſe, This is too hot to hold long. Now, leſt they in the roome, or his wife ſhould mis-take, and thinke he ſpake of himſelfe concerning his paine, hee ſayd; I ſpeake not this of my ſelf: for that which I have ſuffered is nothing to that my Saviour ſuffered for mee, who had his hands & feete nayled to the Croſſe: And lying ſtill a while, …e tooke Mr. Prynnes ſufferings much to heart, and aſked the people how he did, for (ſaid he) his ſufferings have beene great. He aſked alſo how Dr. Baſtwicke did, with much compaſſion and griefe, that hee (being the firſt that was executed) could not ſtay to ſee how they two fayred after him. His wife being brought to him, behaved herſelf very graciouſly towards him, ſaying: Wellcome Sweet heart, wellcome home. He was often heard to repeate theſe words:
The Lord keepe us, that we doe not diſhonour him in any thing.
AMEN.
End of the text · John Bastwick, Relation of Passages and Speeches in the Star Chamber (1638)