The Cry and Revenge of Blood, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. 7.
1 Containing the execution of the Murtherers, 2 And such accidents as fell out therein. 3 Together with such Vses as may be made thereof.
VVe are now come to the last Scoene of this Tragedy, concerning the Execution of the murtherers.
And herein we may first behold the singular wisedome of God in disposing thereof, according to the diuers condition of the Murtherers. For, wheras there was two conuicted & condemned, for this haynous murther; namely, Land and Worlich: Though these both were brought to the Gallowes, and knew no more but they should both dye, yet such was the prouidence of God, guiding the heart of the Reuerend Iudge, that the one being more tractable to confesse the truth, and giuing sou… hope of his repentance, both for his owne and the Countries good (who expect yet a further discouery of foure principall offenders, not yet knowne or conuicted:) Hee was therefore onelyonly brought vponupon the Ladder, and so prepared to execution, that so he might conuince the other of the crime, being still obstinate therein, and satisfie the world concerning his owne guiltinesse of the Fact: Wherein, as he did not obscurely bewray himselfe, at least an accessary, though not so cleerely and particularly as was expected for his comfort, yet he spared not to challenge his fellow, standing obstinate on the dentall, and by many circumstances conuicted him to…es the chiefe Murtherer: Whereby, as it may seeme, hee was not an Actor in the Murther himselfe, but onelyonly priuie thereto by relation or consequence, so was hee therefore repriued, for the further cleering of the truth, and freeing of his owne conscience from any secret burthen yet lay therevpon. As for the other, who the more hee was conuicted, remained still more obstinate: whether in policy, that hee might be also repriued, in hope of mollifying his heart, and bringing him to repentance, or vponupon desperatenesse, and so seeing no way but one, must now prepare himselfe to the vengeance of God, and confound the worlds expectation, or harden the world in such like sinnes: therefore was he iustly cut off, that he might doe no more mischiefe, though to his owne greater confusion, thus dying in his sinne. And yet behold the power of Gods iustice preuayling on his conscience, though he would not confesse his sinne in particular, yet he acknowledged to his shame, what the world tooke too much notice of, and himselfe did formerly much glory in, that he was much delighted in Drunkennnsse himselfe; yea, which was the hight of his sin, he was strong to be are his drinke, and so gloried to draw others into the same excesse, that so hee might pride himselfe in his great power, that could out drinke others, and thereby also more easily make prey of them. Which, as it was the meanes whereby hee caught Iohn Leeson in his snare, so if consequents may be gathered by their Antecedēts, it must needs follow hereupon that he made prey of him: especially, seeing he could not deny, but he accompanied him that day at the Mill-hill, when he was made away, and his pretences that Iohn was gone for Ireland, as were disprooued and confounded by contradictions in his owne, and wiues speeches. But howsoeuer such apparent conuictions, both at the Barre and Gallowes, euen from his owne mouth, though he stil denied the: fact, as … hath bin giuen heretofore the t…, so wee hope time will more …eetely discouer his madnesse herein. And so we leaue him to the fruite of his si…. But before we end this Sc…, one scruple is to be cleered, that wheras Justice so …ends the …ying thereof in the punishment of the body, as that it specially aymes at the good of the soule: it might seeme therefore to hauehave beene fitter, that Worlich being more penitent, would hauehave dyed presently, and Land being so obstinate, should hauehave beene respited for his better preparing to his end. For satisfaction where of, we must know, that as the iudgement against sinne is directed by a speciall in…ct scour God, and so therin doth vsually …ble his …teous …, which is, th… to h… that hath shal be giuen, but to him th… nothing, shall be taken away … that which he s… th… hauehave: therefore to Worlich that hath some spacke of grace, and …rse, opportunity was further yeelded to encrease and perfect the worke, And from Land that hath nothing, in truth if wee may c…e by the effect, therefore that was taken away which it seemed belonged vntounto him, euen longer time and space of Repentance, A notable Image of Gods righteous decras, in the hardening of ye one & softning of the other, and a wise item to obstinate sinners, that what they hauehave beene in their liues, they likely prooue in their deathes. And withall, a sweete word of comfort, to al broken and bleeding hearts, that the Lord wil waite vponupon them that he may hauehave mercy vponupon them.
And this we wish hartily, may be portion of that poore soule that now is respited in the hope thereof. And thus endeth the history of this bloudy Tragedy. Iustifying the Righteous Do…e of the Lord, That he that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed againe.
CHAP. 8.
Containing the conclusion of the whole. With promise of further light.
THus hast thou, Christian Reader, a briefe of the most lamentable History which euer I heard or read of concerning the cruell murther of this widowes children. Together with the admirable discouery thereof by the Finger of God, as also the procéedings against so many of the Malefactors as are yet discouered. What now remaineth but that thou glorifie God with me for the execution of his righteous iudgements. Assuring thee that as I was an eye witnesse of these particulars, so I hauehave deliuered thee therein the truth, according to the euidences confirmed by the consent of the best warrants to establish the same: onelyonly I hauehave forborne to specifie the particular information of many witnesses, because as many of them were spared at the Barre, séeing the rest were sufficient; so of those that were giuen in, I hauehave also spared some, as specifying the same in effect with those that are wouen into the history: because I did not so much respect the order of their allegations at the Barre, as the fitnesse of their application, to the vse and life of the Story. If herein I hauehave giuen any light or spirit by this manner of handling, remember I wrote it not, for a nine dayes wonder to vanish like a dreame; but that it might leaue such impression in thy heart, as might prouoke thée to know the Lord by his executing of Justice: and so hereby learne to make vse of his Prouidence in all his workes: promising thee, that if thou shalt profitably vse this discouery to this end, thou shalt be fitted not onelyonly with further light herein, as occasion shall be offered, but as thou maiest make profitable vse of many other labours published by me formerly for the common good: so thou shalt shortly be furnished with my long expected Paines, concerning the Delusions of the Time, and cure of a wounded Spirit, which I am reuising and polishing at my best leysure,s for thy good herein. And so desiring thy harty prayers vntounto God for his furtherance hereunto, I commend thee to the grace of our Glorious Lord.
In whom I rest, thine and the Churches seruant THO. COOPER.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Cooper, The Cry and Revenge of Blood (1620)