The Cry and Revenge of Blood, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5.
Declareth the Conuiction of the Murtherers: 1. Where the Euidences against them are published and opened by the Iudge. 2 Their Inditements found hereupon by the Iury. 3 Their Obstinacy vponupon their finding declared and discussed, with the Vse of all.
By that which formerly hath beene related, concerning the discouery of the murtherers, and such euidences alleadged thereunto, howsoeuer it may séeme the matter to bee so cleere, as that it neede no further triall, yet this being but a preparatiue to ripen the businesse, that so it might hauehave it publicke and iudiciall triall at the Barre: It shall be very necessary to adde somewhat concerning ye Equity and solemnity, of that honorable trial, to the stopping of all gain-saying lippes, and to the aduancement of Gods glory, in such righteous proceeding. And heere to say nothing of the manner of these Trials by witnesses to proue the fact, and Iurers to finde the same, (a course so warrantable, both by the practice of God himselfe, and all Nations, euen by the instinct of Nature, that it shall bee in vaine to light a candle when the Sunne shineth so cleerely:) GiueGive me leaue, I pray you, to poynt at some things especially remarkeable in this Triall, for the more cléere iustifying, and benefit thereof. As,
First, that whereas out of the mouth of two or three witnesses eueryevery truth shall stand: we hauehave not onelyonly heere apparant circumstances, euen from the mouth and actions of the Delinquents, to conuince them sufficiently of the Fact, but also no lesse then 28. Euidences were taken by the worthy Iustice, all of great moment, by way of circumstance and consequence to proue the same: whereof, though no more then 18. were produced at the Barre, because time (which there is precious) would hauehave béene otherwise taken vp, and those that were produced in the iudgement of the Honourable Iudge, were sufficient, yea, more then enough: yet who could desire more then so many Euidences, especially, seeing the rest all aymed at the same end? so cléere was this Triall, so fully iustified.
Secondly, Whereas exception against Witnesses, as it is vsually admitted in honourable Trials so being denied, may seeme to challenge the equity of them, this is also obseruable for the iustifying of this Triall, that howsoeuer the accused were obstinate in denying, or faint in acknowledging the fact: yet, as there was no iust reason, why they should except against the witnesses, so either they did not except against them at all, or onelyonly made such cauils, as either were not consonant to reason, or did confound themselues by their contradiction, or were but triflings to differ or elude Justice.
Thirdly, Whereas in such infamous and strange cases, for the further conuiction of them. The voyce of the people is as the voyce of God, that what generally is currant and auouched, by the generallity, carries with it some warrant of truth: it may bee obserued also for the further iustifying of this Triall, there hath not beene hard of a more generall consent of the people in any Trialls, desiring the discouery of the truth, and approuing, yea, applauding the detection thereof, then was manifest at this triall.
Lastly, If contraries may be gathered by their contraries, seeing it is the policy and malice of Satan, then to resist the light most, when it shiues most cléerely, may not the obstinacy of Land, in opposing such cleere and manifest Euidence, that was brought against him, as prouing hereby more effectuall to harden his heart, by making him desperate, the more cleerely he was conuinced thereby, may not this obstinacy, I say, of that accursed wretch, serue much more to iustifie the truth of this honorable Triall.
I touch this last poynt of speciall purpose, both to satisfie the wise in this particular, whereat the ignorant vsually stumble, and also to stop the mouth of all gaine-saying herein. For why should it seeme strange to any, that offenders should so differ in the issue of their conuiction, that the one should be penitent, and confesse the fact, as Worlich in part hath done, by referring himselfe to the mercy of the Judge, the other should still remaine obstinate, euen to the death, in the iustifying of himselfe. HaueHave we not examples of the like in the Booke of God, one thiefe beeing penitent on the Crosse, and the other continuing obstinate to the death. And may not the eternall decree of God, of two in a bed, electing the one, and reiecting the other, iustifie the execution thereof, in the very last breath, the one iustifying his sinne on the Gallowes, and so condemning himselfe, the other acknowledging his fault, and so interessing himselfe in the mercy of God. And is there not apparant reason of this desperate obstinacy? may not common course preuaile in this case, which is to pleade not guilty to the Fact?
May not hope of life induce thereunto, thereby to preuaile, if it may be, with a corrupt, or pittifull and Ignorant Iurie, and when once we hauehave denied the Fact, may not credite or obstinacy continue in that note? Is it not too apparant, that many preferring their credit and good of their Posterity, before their conscience and benefit of their soules, doe therefore stand obstinate in the deniall of that, which their owne conscience cōuinceth them of: What else meant ye answer of Gardiner to Bishop Day, whē he exorted him on his death-bed, to trust onelyonly in the mercy of Christ, and renounce all Popish trash and selfe-deseruing. Did not the conscience of that Bloud-sucker conuince him of the truth? And yet did the glory and credit of his profession carry him contrary in that reply, that if that gap were opened all would be gone.
Nay, may not such consequences follow hereupon, that if they confesse the truth, others shal be drawne in danger, and so either by bribery or flattery, compassion, or such like, many are contented to sell away their owne soules to Satan, for the preseruing of others.
Doe not these things vsually fall out, and might not Land bee hardened in his sinne, by some or all these meanes? Howsoeuer let him die in his sinne, and let vsus liue to glorifie God, in making a holy vse of these things: though not absolutely iudging of any by their ends: yet wisely iudging of the end, by the former life: that they which liue desperately, doe vsually die obstinately: And so let vsus by the ends of such men, labour to reforme our liues, taking héede of custome in sinne, and hardening our hearts therein, lest when we would, we cannot leaue it, and when we cannot leaue it, we grow to iustifie it, and so not onelyonly die therein, but dye eternally thereby. Concerning further Guidences, and Acts of the Iurie, because they are onelyonly matters of Forme, or needlesse in so great light, I willingly passe them ouer, resting myselfe on such collections, as I hauehave gathered for the iustifying of the Proceedings.
And thus farre of the second Scoene of the second part of the Tragedy, concerning the Conuiction and casting of the Murtherers.