The Protestant Martyrs, Floating text 3
Mrs. Graunt's Speech, written the Day before her Sufferings.
NOT knowing whether I ſhould be ſuffered or able, becauſe of Weakneſſes that are upon me through my hard and cloſe Impriſonment, to ſpeak at the Place of Execution; I writ theſe few Lines to ſignifie, That I am well reconciled to the Way of my God towards me, though it be in Ways I looked not for; and by terrible Things, yet in Righteouſneſs; having given me Life, he ought to have the diſpoſing of it, when and how he pleaſes to call for it; and I deſire to offer up my All to him, it being but my reaſonable Service; and alſo the firſt Terms that Jeſus Chriſt offers, that he that will be his Diſciple, muſt forſake all and follow him; and therefore let none think hard, or be diſcouraged at what hath happened unto me; for he doth nothing without Cauſe, in all he hath done to us, he being holy in all his Ways, and righteous in all his Works; and 'tis but my Lot in common with poor deſolate Sion at this Day. Neither do I find in my Heart the leaſt Regret for what I have done in the Service of my Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, in ſuccouring and ſecuring any of his poor Sufferers, that have ſhewed Favour in his righteous Cauſe: Which Cauſe, though now it be fallen and trampled upon, as if it had not been anointed, yet it ſhall revive, and God will plead it at another Rate than ever he hath done yet, and reckon with all its Oppoſers and malicious Haters; and therefore let all that love and fear him, not omit the leaſt Duty that comes to Hand, or lies before them, knowing that now it hath need of them, and expects they ſhall ſerve him. And I deſire to bleſs his holy Name, that he hath made me uſeful in my Generation to the Comfort and Relief of many Deſolate Ones, and the Bleſſing of thoſe that are ready to periſh has come upon me, and being helpt to make the Heart of the Widow to ſing. And I bleſs his holy Name, that in all this, together with what I was charged with, I can approve my Heart to him, that I have done his Will; tho' it does croſs Man's Will, and the Scriptures that ſatisfie me are, Iſa. 16. 4. Hide the Outcaſts, bexray not him that wandereth. And Obad. 13, 14. Thou ſhouldſt not have given up thoſe of his that eſcape in the Day of his Diſtreſs. But Man ſays, You ſhall give them up, or you ſhall dye for it. Now who to obey, judge ye. So that I have Cauſe to rejoyce and be exceeding glad, in that I ſuffer for Righteouſneſs ſake, and that I am accounted worthy to ſuffer for Well doing, and that God has accepted any Service from me, which has been done in Sincerity, tho' mixed with manifold Infirmities, which he hath been pleaſed for Chriſt's ſake to cover and forgive. And now as concerning my Fact, as it is called, alas it was but a little one, and might well become a Prince to forgive; but he that ſh ws no Mercy, ſhall find none: And I may ſay of it in the Language of Jonathan, I did but taſte a little Honey, and lo I muſt die for it. I d…d but relieve an unworthy, poor, diſtreſſed Family, and lo I muſt dye for it. Well, I deſire in the Lamb-like Goſpel-Spirit to forgive all that are concerned, and to ſay, Lord, lay it not their Charge; but I fear he will not: Nay, I believe when he comes to make Inquiſition for Blood, it will be found at the Door of the furious Judge; who, becauſe I could not remember Things through my Dauntedneſs at Burton's Wife's and Daughter's Vileneſs and my Ignorance, took Advantage thereat, and would not hear me, when I had called to mind that which I am ſure would have invalidated their Evidence; tho' he granted ſomething of the ſame Nature to another, yet denyed it to me. My Blood will alſo be found at the Door of the unrighteous Jury, who found me Guilty upon the ſingle Oath of an out-lawed Man; for there was none but his Oath about the Money, who is no legal Witneſs, though he be pardoned, his Out-lawry cannot be recalled; and alſo the Law requires two Witneſſes in point of Life: And then about my going with him to the Place mentioned, 'twas by his own Words, before he was Out-lawed, for 'twas two Months after his abſconding; and tho' in a Proclamation, yet not High Treaſon, as I have heard; ſo that I am clearly murdered by you. And alſo Bloody Mr. A. who has ſo inſatiably hunted after my Life; and though it is no Profit tlo him, through the ill Will he bore me, left no Stone unturned, as I have ground to believe, till he brought it to this; and ſhewed favour to Burton, who ought to have dyed for his own Fault, and not bought his Life with mine; and Capt. R. who is cruel and ſevere to all under my Circumſtances, and did at that time, without all Mercy or Pity, haſten my Sentence, and held up my Hand, that it might be given, all which, together with the Great One of all, by whoſe Power all theſe, and a Multitude more of Cruelties are done, I do heartily and freely forgive, as againſt me; but as it is done in an implacable Mind agaigſt the Lord Chriſt, and his righteous Cauſe and Followers, I leave it to him who is the Avenger of all ſuch Wrongs, who will tread upon Princes as upon Mortar, and be terrible to the Kings of the Earth: And know this alſo, that though ye are ſeemingly fixt, and becauſe of the Power in your Hand, are writing out your Violence, and dealing with a deſpight…ul Hand, becauſe of the old and new Hatrred; by impovering and every way diſtreſſing thoſe you have got under you; yet unleſs you can ſecure Jeſus Chriſt, and all his Holy Angels, you ſhall never do your Buſineſs, nor your Hands accompliſh your Enterprizes; for he will be upon you e'er you are aware; and therefore, O that you would be wiſe, inſtructect and learn, is the Deſire of her that finds no Mercy from you,
Elizabeth Graunt.