A New Martyrology, Introduction 2 · Speech 3
A brief Abstract of his true Speech.
I Repent in general of all my Sins, and am more particularly concerned for what …lood hath been spilt on my Account, and the rather seeing the Issue is such as I fear will prove of fatal consequence to the Reformed Protestant Religion.
Instead of being counted Factious and Rebellious, the very opposing of Popery and Arbitrary Power, now arising and appearing plain enough, would sufficiently have protected my Cause; besides, several other most hainous and notorious Crimes (such as the unhappy Fate of the Earl of Essex, and my Father of ever blessed Memory, and others now covered over with Jesuitical Policy) should have been detected and avenged.
I have lived, and shall now die in the Faith of this that God will work a Deliverance for his People, and then will be discovered the great and horrid and scarcely to be parallell'd Villanies our Enemies have been guilty of; but now you see my case is desperate, yet know that I die a Martyr for the People, and shall rather pity the State, that their false and covetous Minds have brought themselves and me to; then discover who are the Persons concerned in my overthrow, and I heartily forgive all that have wronged me, even those that have been instrumental in my Fall, earnestly praying for their Souls.
And I hope King James will shew himself to be of his Brothers Blood, and extend his mercy to my Children, even as he was wont to his greatest Enemies, they being not capable to act, and therefore not conscious of any Offence against the Government.
His ELEGY.
COme Mortals, come, now set your selves to weep,
Is not your glorious M— gone to sleep?
Send us some Tears, you Indians, from your Shore,
For it's our Grief that we can mourn no more.
We want some Mourners from the utmost Coast
Of all the Earth, that Grief may not be lost.
When Britain hath set down and mourn'd her fill,
She ought to send for other Mourners still:
Created Things, come set your selves to mourn,
Since lovely M— from the World is torn.
Should you not Mourn, and tell your Children so,
That Ages hence may mourn and sorrow too,
'Cause we have lost so great a good as this,
Who was our Flow'r and mourning Europe's Bliss?
The Sun did mourn the morning of that Day,
And with the Clouds of Darkness did array
His glorious Face, that Mortals might not see
His Royal Rays, while they did murther thee.
O Lovely Mon— Glory of our Land,
Who for God's Word did like a Pillar stand.
All things, but Devils, seemed then to weep,
Nor could the Earth almost in silence keep?
Methought all Joy would vanish from the Earth,
And pleasantness would stop with Mon—'s Breath.
Methought the Sun might now be angry grown,
And would no more on Earth be seen or known.
We fear'd the Heavens now disturbed were,
And for the Earth would take no further care.
All good Men griev'd to see that fatal Blow,
Whilst Floods of Tears did from the Heavens flow.
But that black Blow, instead of proving three,
Like Russel's Fate, Five Bloody Stroaks they see.
Ye Ages all, let this recorded be,
And let all Mankind M— mourn for thee.
Could we but draw those blessed Looks of his,
As when we saw him walking hence to Bliss,
When from the Tower he did the Hill ascend,
Where Troops of Angels did his Soul attend:
One would have thought to see him in that throng,
That he to Bliss already did belong.
His Countenance all others did out-shine,
And made his very Foes to Grief incline.
No sooner was his Soul arriv'd in Bliss,
Where he receiv'd a better Crown for this;
But Phoebus and the Earth began to shine,
And pleasant Looks towards us do incline.
The Clouds and Tears were wip't from Heavens face,
And glorious Brightness did again take place.
Now …appy Soul we leave thee to thy rest,
To live, in Joys that cannot be exprest.
ARgile and the Duke of Monmouth being now both safe in their Graves, King James was so pufft up with a petty Victory over a few Clubmen, and so wrapt up with a Conceit, that he had now conquer'd the whole Nation (so that now believing himself impregnable) he resolves to be reveng'd upon the Western People for siding with his Capital Enemy Monmouth, and to that purpose, sends down his Executioner in Ordinary Jeffryes, not to decimate according to the Heathen way of Mercy, but with the B…som of his Cruelties, to sweep the Country before him, and to depopulate instead of punishment, at what time Acquaintance or Relation of any that fell in the Field, with a slender Circumstance tack'd to either, was a Crime sufficient for the Extirpation of the Family. And young and old were hang'd by Clusters, as if the Chief Justice had designed to raise the Price of Halters; besides the great number of those that upon bare suspition were transported Beyond Sea, and there sold for Slaves; and the purchase Mon… given away to satisfie the Hunger of needy Papists.—After Ages will read with Astonishment the barbarous Usage of those poor People; of which among many instances this one may seem sufficient, whereby to take the Dimensions of all the rest: That when the Sister of the two Hewlings hung upon the Chief Justices Coach, imploring Mercy on the behalf of her Brothers, the merciless Judge to make her let go, caus'd his Coach-man to cut her hands and fingers with the Lash of his Whip. Nor would he allow the Respite of the Execution but for two days, tho' the Sister with Tears in her Eyes offer'd a hundred pound for so small a Favour. And whoever shelter'd any of those forlorn Creatures, were hurried to the Slaughter-house with the same inexcrable Out-rage, without any consideration either of Age or Sex; witness the Execution of the Lady Lisle at Winchester. As for Argil… and the Duke, tho' they might die pityed, yet in regard they had declared open Hostility, it was no more than they were to expect upon ill Success.
We shall now, to compleat our Western Martyrology, (and that we may not be too tedious) proceed to give the particular Cases of those that were Condemn'd and Executed in the West, with their Christian Behaviour and Dying Speeches, as their plain Country Friends have preserv'd 'em.