A New Martyrology, Introduction 2 · Account of barbarities
An Impartial Account of K—s Cruelties, with other Barbarities in the West: Never printed before. Sent to the Compiler of this History, by one that was an Eye and Ear Witness to all the matter of Fact.
WHen K—k came first into Taunton, he came with two Cart-loads of Men Bloody, and their Wounds not drest, just as they were hauled into Bridgwater Prison, they were guarded with Granadeers with naked Swords and Bagonets. He also brought with him into Taunton, a great drove of Foot, chain'd two and two together. He hanged nineteen on the Cornhill immediately, not suffering either their Wives or Children to speak to 'em, or to take their leave of 'em.
As they were executing, he K— caused the Pipes to Play, Drums an… Trumpets to sound, that the Spectators might not hear the Cries and Groans of the Dying Men, nor the Cries of their Friends. He caused their Bowels to be burnt, and their Quarters to be boyl'd in Pitch, and hang'd all about the Town.
K— hanged one on the VVhite Heart Sign-Post three times, to try if he wou'd own he had done amiss; but he affirmed (to this effect) That if it was to do again, he wou'd engage in the same cause; so K— would have him hang'd in Chains; and so he was, till King VVilliam came, to the Deliverance of this Nation from Popery and Slavery.
When Jenkins, Hewlings, &c. were to die, before they came out of the B—l, there was a great Fire made on the Cornhill, that so they might see the Fire that was to burn their Bowels.
Some that K— caused to be hanged, he caused also their Bodies to be stript, and their Breasts to be cleav'd asunder, in the place where he caused the Executions to be done; you might have gone up to the Ankles in Blood; he also caused the Hearts of the poor Executed Men to be thrown into the Fire with a great Shout, saying, Here is the Heart of a Traytor.
A Captain of VV— was hang'd, and the Rope broke, wh…reby he hoped to have saved his life; but they took from a Market-horse a Ring-Rope, and hanged him again.
At the Assizes when the Prisoners were brought before the Bar, Jeffreys said, if any Man pleaded Not guilty, he should die.
One not concerned in Monmouth's Business, when asked, said, Not Guilty my Lord: Jeffreys said, take him Jaylor, and let him be Executed another time.
An Honest Man was hanged for sparing for Monmouth's Horse three pennyworth of Hay.
A Constable also was hanged for executing of Monmouth's Warrant.
And many Hundreds were put in the Castle-Hall, by which it was feared they would infect the Town. Frances Burges was taken upon Maidendown, by the persuasion of Sir— was hang'd by fastning a Rope to a Chamber-Window, and set upon a Hoget, and so hang'd. The Executioner was one S— of St. Thomas Parish, Exon.
There was, by good Report, several Scores died in Ilchester by Infectious Diseases, and in their Irons, and Hand-bolt; for if they were not hard-hearted, and us'd the extreamest Rigor imaginable, the Keepers were not counted good Subjects: One of VVelinton that was to be hanged them, was saved, supposed by Order of Sir — and one of Crookern hanged in his stead; this is true, and so it was at other places: But 'twere endless to record all the Cruelties exercised by K— and Jeffreys, after Monmouth's Defeat.
Now that which remains, is to give an Account of Hundreds that had fled and hid themselves up and down in Holes and Rocks, whose Friends make all Application to some great Person or other to procure their Pardons; some to this, some to others, that they thought Favourites with the King; but the Rewards must be ascertain'd before any Application could be made, (for Pardons were just as they were in Rome) according to the ability of the Person, from half a Crown to sixteen thousand Guinea's; Any Tooth good Barber. Divers Lists being sent up, and the Rewards ascertain'd, which amongst many of them put together, did amount to considerable Sums. So that it was now, who could find a Friend to relieve his distressed Relations, which were forced to wander up and down in Caves and Desarts, for fear of being taken. But this Misfortune attended the Agents, that unless my Lord Chancellour were used by his Creatures that were allowed by him so to do, other Applications commonly met with Disapointments.
To conclude, The solemn, serious, dying Declarations, and Christian Courage of the VVestern Sufferers, have always, out-weighed with me, the Evidence of those flagitious Witnesses, who swore these Persons out of their Lives. And I did & do most stedfastly believe, that the only Plot in that day, was the same, which the Almighty has at length owned, and most signally prospered, in the hand of our gracious August and Rightful Soveraign King William; I mean the rescuing the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of England, from a most impetuous Torrent of Popery and Tyranny; wherewith they were very dangerously threatned. And methinks it should even convert a Tory (unless his Brains were pick'd out of his Skull, by him who pickt the Guineas out of his Pocket) when he cast his Eye upon that apposite and Emphatical Expression in the Observator, vol. 2 Number 125. To deal freely with the TRIMMER, I have more Faith, in the Words of one dying Traytor, under the stroke of Iustice, than of twenty Living.
Thus have we given you an Account of what happened in the West (in the Year 85.) being in every Point truth; we shall next give a short touch of the Civilities the poor Sufferers received from the City of Exon, which deserves an everlasting Remembrance: Most sorts of Provisions, as hot Broth, boyled Meat, roast Meat, divers sorts of Pies, were daily sent into the Prison; the Persons that sent them unknown to them. Also if any Person was sick, there should be a Nurse to attend him: Also a Physitian and Chyrurgion to attend, when occasion was. 'Tis said, He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord; the Lord return them an hundred fold.
Thus Reader, by the help of God, we are come to an end of our long Journey, from the yea… 1678. to 1685. The way all along has been full of dirt and blood, and therefore no wonder if the Wheels have driven somewhat heavily. 'Twill be worth thy while as well as mine, to look back on the d…fferent Stages we have taken, which is one of the g…eatest pleasures of a Traveller, who finds delight in reflecting even on that which formerly gave him pain and trouble. He who first broke the way was Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, according to his own Prophesie, That he should be the first Martyr. Mr. Arnold was like to follow him, but that intended stroke not coming home enough, they resolv'd to lay the Foundation firmer, and so struck lower, and began with Stephen Colledge at Oxford, who before his death, said, That it wou'd not stop there, nor his death satisfie those who thirsted after Blood, as appeared plain enough when they had got a Plot and Plotters to their minds, who made it their business, as Walcot tells Cartwright, to invite men to their Meetings, to importune 'em to their Meetings, as it appears, to talk madly and treasonably at those Meetings, and because they were a little too brave to do the same by them, after …ll to deliver them up to be hang'd for coming thither. By which design many of the boldest Patrons of their Country and Religion were destroyed, Essex went first, to whose Death an infamy was added greater than that of those who publickly suffer'd. Russel follow'd but too closely after him, who says in his Speech, He wishes the rage of hot Men, and particular Juries, might be stopt with his Blood, which he would offer up with much the more joy, if he thought he should be the last were to suffer in such a way.] About the same time dyed Walcot, and some others. Col. Sidney came after, one of the first that ever lost his Head by Innuendo's, and who dy'd as he was told, because else the Plot must have dy'd. Holloway came next, brought from …other World to be hang'd in this; whose ingenuous Confession no doubt did his business, there being too many bold Truths in't, which some men cou'd not bear, for him ever to expect a Pardon. But how many Lies beside there might be in his Confession, or others, 'tis impossible to know, unless we knew, not only whose Hands they came through, but how they were there used. And as he from another World, so Armstrong was brought from another Country, to be paid for all his Service to the Royal Family, in their Exile and afterwards. And tho' he was not hang'd first, and try'd afterwards, yet what's much the same, was hang'd without ever being try'd at all. Next to this we took a view of the Design of that unfortunate Gentleman who landed in the West, and of those who embarkt in it, and how far they were justifiable; where follows a particular account of some of the most eminent amongst 'em, and a more general one of the rest: which tho' it might have perhaps been more accurate, yet 'twas thought better to keep near those loose Papers already publish'd on that matter, of which this Book is a sort of a second Edition; and to give that account in the same inartificial Dress which 'twas delivered in by some honest Country Men, who were personally present at most of the Actions and Sufferings there mention'd. And among all these, nothing is more remarkable than what we have taken particular notice of, The strong Perswasion and Belief in which almost all of 'em dy'd, That God would accomplish the great Work of delivering their Country and Religion some other way, tho' he was not pleas'd to accept of their Endeavours. At the return from the Western Circuit, that London might have a little sprinkling of their Mercy, the pious and prudent Mr. Cornish was sacrificed; all whose time of preparation for that which must be call'd his Trial, was from Saturday to Monday, whose courage and constancy at his death, and that dreadful Storm which spoke the displeasure of Heaven in such loud Language after 'twas over, were as much the wonder of England, as the next and last merited their pity, Poor Bateman, who had entirely lost his Reason by his Imprisonment, and the Accidents thereof. But besides all these, and some others, there were some who had Trials of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, were expos'd in the Pillory, and worse than whipt to death, tho' sometimes even that not thought sufficient, without actual Assassination.
Upon the intire review of all this dreadful Scene of Blood and Horror, especially that relating to the Western Affairs, what can be a more natural and useful Reflection, than for us hence to learn, by wound… of our own, yet green and bleeding, the true undissembled kindness of prevailing Popery, and Popish Councils, and what all Protestants, of what character or denomination soever, must expect thence, when rampant and powerful? How can we choose but see, unless we have winkt our selves quite blind, that the Hand of the same Joab has been in all this? That 'twas the famous D. of Y. who was at first as deep in Godfrey's Murther, as in the Fire of London; the same who was at Helm all along after, and as good as manag'd the Executioners Axes and Halters for so many years. 'Twas he who was so near at Essex's Murther, and who hindred so carefully my L. Russel from his Pardon; who was the Staff, the Hop…, the Moses, the Gideon of the Popish Plot and Party, and the eager and inveterate Enemy to the very Name of a true Protestant. He who shew'd so mu…h Mercy to the poor▪ West-Country Men, Women and Children, destroying so many hundreds in cold Blood, and hardly sparing one man that cou'd write and rea…, by his L. Chief-Hangman Jeffreys Lastly, He who was falling upon his own best Friends, who are now sensible they lov'd him to a Fault, and carried their Loyalty to such a heighth for his Service, …s is now better forgotten; since no Party can entir…ly clear themselves even of that Imputation. He who f…ll upon them, and our Religion and Laws, …nd whatever was dear to us, with the greatest and most open violence; and because he cou'd not have his Will, and be a French King in England, resolv'd to leave us to the mercy of his own unkennel'd Irish, and go to France to be there as absolute a Slave as he here would have made us. And yet this is the self-same Person whom some are yet so zealous for, and they have not yet had enough of him.
But whilst these haters of themselves, as well as their Religion and Country, must be left to Man's Justice and God's Vengeance, let's address the Conclusion of these Papers to all true honest men, of good Principles, and firm to the Protestant Religion, and perswade them to pray heartily for K. William and Q. Mary, and fight for 'em as heartily too, as all these Martyrs no doubt would gladly have done: If some of them should not be entirely satisfied with whatever has happen'd in this great Change, yet to remember at the lowest the Duty of Subjects; to think all the Nation may see more than they; to pay Allegiance where they find Protection; to reflect on our almost too happy Condition, compar'd with that of Germany and Ireland, and wherever the French and Popish Arm's and Counsels prevail; to honour the Memory of these Martyrs who suffered for their vigorous appearance against them; and lastly, to thank God sincerely and in good earnest, that we may now, if occasion be, defend our Religion and Liberties with our Swords, which they could only do by laying down their Lives.
FINIS.
An Impartial HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF GEORGE Lord JEFFREYS. LATE Lord Chancellour OF ENGLAND
The Fourth Edition with large Additions.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry, 1693.
TO GEORGE Lord JEFFREYS. LATE Lord Chancellour of ENGLAND.
My Lord,
I Know not to whom I could more properly Dedicate a Treatise of this Nature, than to your Lordship, who lately was Lord Chief Justice of England, and have set such remarkable Copies to inferiour Magistrates. What is here offered may serve as a Mirrour, in which future Administrators of Publick Justice would do well to look; for you may remember, my Lord (if your Lordships present Afflictions have not made you forget as much Law as you ever learnt) Common Law …uns much upon Presidents: And if a Man happen to have none of the best Physiognomies, there is no reason why he should streight grow angry, and fling stones, to break all the Looking-Glasses he meets with, only because they represent the true Figure of the Object.
My Lord, The following Treatise is a true Account of your Lordships Life and Actions (most of which are ready to be attested upon Oath) of your unheard of Cruelties and barbarous Proceedings in your whole Western Circuit: In which all may see at what dear rates our Western Martyrs puchased their Religion, and how that it cost those glorious Sufferers tha… so lately went off the Stage (under your Lordships Sentence) both Whippings and cruel Impriso…ments, …nd the most exquisite Tortures which none could invent or inflict but your Lordship (whose good nature is sufficiently experienced) nor any endure but they whose gallant and noble Souls were born up with heavenly Cordials, and a Power from on high. But, my Lord, rest assured, that their Bl…od still cries for Vengeance, and will be a lasting Monument of your Lordships C…uelties, whilst History can speak or transmit to incredulous Posterity the Remarkables of elapsed Ages; for Hang, Draw and Quarter, and Try Men afterwards, (Witness Sir Thomas Armstrong's death, &c.) has been your peculiar Talent. But you Lordship will now …t last do well to remember that King Alfred caused fourty four Judges in one year to be hang…d as murderers, for their false Judgments.
I hope your Lordship will pardon this present Address, seeing 'tis a priviledge we modern Authors hold by Prescription, to put any great Body's Name in the Front of our Book: Princes have not been able to exempt themselves or their Families from the Persecution of Dedications; nor ever was there (I humbly conceive) any Rule made in your Lordships Court to forbid them.
Suffer then, I beseech your Lordship, this Address to remain a Monument to Posterity, of the sentiments this Age has of your Lordships Conduct and Merits; and Witness to all the World how much its Author is,
Your Lordship's Most humble Servant, JAMES BENT.