The Protestant Martyrs, Title page
The PROTESTANT Martyrs: OR, THE Bloody Aſſizes, Giving an Account of the Lives, Tryals, and Dying Speeches, of all thoſe Eminent Proteſtants that ſuffered in the Weſt of England, by the Sentence of that Bloody and cruel Judge Jefferies; being in all 251 Perſons, beſides what were Hang'd and deſtroyed in cold Blood. CONTAINING ALSO, The Life and Death of James Duke of Monmouth; His Birth and Education; his Actions both at Home and Abroad; his Unfortunate Adventure in the Weſt; his Letter to King James; his Sentence, Execution and Dying-Words upon the Scaffold: With a true Copy of the Paper he left behind him. And many other curious Remarks worth the Reader's Obſervation.
LONDON: Printed by J. Bradford, at the Bible in Fetter-Lane,
The Proteſtant Martyrs Or, The Bloody Aſſizes, &c.
THE moſt Illuſtrious Prince James Duke of Monmouth is not, for the Illuſtriouſneſs of his Deſcent, inferiour unto any Prince in Europe, being deſcended from the Loins of the moſt Renowned Monarch, King Charles the Second; and alſo his Eldeſt Son: By which Royal Extraction he is deſcended from the incomparably wiſe and vertuous Prince, the Royal Martyr Charles the firſt and his Illuſtrious Conſort Henrietta Maria de Bourbon Daughter of the Great King Henry the Fourth of France: From which two ancient and Illuſtrious ſtocks, he was ingrafted into all the Royal Families of Europe, and hath concentred in his Princely Veins ſome of their Royal Blood; being thereby allied to all thoſe great Perſonages that are of the moſt high and Illuſtrious Quality in Europe; viz. James Duke of York, William of Naſſaw Prince of Orange, the Lady Madamoiſelle Queen of Spain, and her Siſter Madame de Valois, Daughter of the Duke of Oleance, and the late Princeſs Henrietta; alſo to Charles Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine: His Highneſs Rupert, Lewis the fourteenth King of France, now reigning; and many other Princes and Potentates of Europe; which is abundantly ſufficient to demonſtrate the Nobility of his Birth, and the Illuſtriouſneſs of his Extraction. But to render him yet more Eminent, it pleaſed his Royal Father to dignifie him with ſeverel Magnificient Titles, and to confer upon him the ſeveral Great Offices following, vz. Duke of Monmouth and Bucclugh, Earl of Doucaſter and Dalkeith. Lord Scott of Tindale, Whincheſter and Askdale, Lord Great Chamberlain of Scotland, Lord Lieutenant of the Eaſt-Riding of Yorkſhire, Governour of his Majeſties Town and Cittadel of Kingſtone upon Hull, Chief Juſtice in Eyre, of all his Majeſties Forreſts, Chaces, Parks and Warrens on the South-ſide of the River of Trent. Lord General of all his Majeſties Land-forces, Captain of his Majeſties Life-Guards of Horſe, Chancellor of the Univerſity of Cambridge, Maſter of the Horſe to his Majeſty, one of the Lords of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy-Council, and Knight of the moſt noble Oder of the Garter. All which Places he diſcharged with ſo much Honour and Fidelity, that the moſt inveterare and implacable of his Enemies notwithſtanding all their noiſe and clamour againſt him, were not able to produce one ſingle inſtance wherein he acted otherwiſe. Beſides his honour at home, he had likewiſe been highly honoured abroad, by having the Honour to command an Army in Flanders as Lieutenant-General under the French King, whoſe continual ſucceſs and numerous Victories in Flanders may be chiefly attributed to the Conduct and Valour of the Great Monmouth. He was born at Rotterdam, April 9. in the year 1649. in the very heat of our unnatural Broils. About the year 1656. his Mother was ſent a Priſoner to the Tower of London, as appears by a Warrant from the Protector, July 12. 1656. to Barkſtead, then Lieutenant of the Tower, whereby he diſcharged Mrs. Lucy Barlow from her Impriſonment. The Officers found a Grant when ſhe was apprehended, ſigned Charlet R. by which ſhe had an Anuity or yearly Penſiod of five thouſand Livres granted to her for her Life, with an Aſſurance to better the ſame when it ſhould pleaſe God to reſtore him to his Kingdom, and it was ſubſcribed by his Majeſties command Edward Nicholas. During her abode about London, the Cavilears as the Loyaliſts were then call'd, carried themſelves towards her with a profound Reverence and awful Reſpect, treating her … Perſon ſerving her on the Knee. An Engliſh Nurſe was provided … and both for privacy, Lodged at the Houſe of Mr. Claes Ghyſen a Merchant living at Schiedam about a Mile from Rotterdam, his Mother lodging at the ſame time at the Houſe of Mrs. Harvey, Mother to the famous Doctor Harvey, and lived in abundance of Pomp and Splendor, having a Gentleman and other Servants to attend her. Some time after he had been there at Nurſe, his Mother being deſirous to ſee him, took her Gentleman with her, who at a place where ſhe called by the Way to, to pay a Viſit, deſired to be excuſed for ſome ſmall time, from attending on her, till he had diſpatched ſome extraordinary Buſineſs which he pretended, promiſing to return again immediately, and having obtained her Permiſſion, away he went; but like an ungrateful and treacherous Villain, repaired immediately to Mr. Ghyſens at Schiedam, where the Princely Babe was nurſed, and pretending to be ſent for that purpoſe to his Mother, carried him and the Nurſe both away. His Lady waited his coming with abundance of patience, but at length Night drawing on, and no Gentleman appearing, ſhe began to ſuſpect her ſelf to be abuſed, whereupon a Gentleman offering to wait on her thither, ſhe preſently poſted away, and being arrived, and finding her Son gone, I want Words wherewith to expreſs her grief, and ſurprize; ſhe rent her Apparel, tore the Hair from off her Head, and with whole ſhowers of Tears bewailed the greatneſs of her Loſs, and the deplorableneſs of her Condition, yet ſuffered not Grief to prevail ſo far, as to make her uncapable of endeavouring to Right her ſelf; whereupon ſhe preſently gave order for the providing Horſes, which being ready, ſhe preſently poſted away to Maeſland-Sluce, riding all Night, ſhe ſuſpected that he was carried thither, in order to be tranſported to England, there having been ſome inquiry made after him, ſhe arrived there early in the Morning, juſt as the Sieur Newport, one of the Lords of the State, and the Maeſland were taking Boat for the Hague, thoſe that were with her, adviſed her to make her Application to him as the likelieft Perſon to aſſiſt her, telling her that he could Engliſh, whereupon ſhe addreſſed her ſelf to him in that Languiſh, diſcovering to him the Condition of her ſelf and Son, and the Relation they ſtood in to the King of England, with the Circumſtances of his ſtealing away, and pulling out a handful of Gold, If Money will do it, ſaid ſhe, I will ſpare for no Charges; imploring his help and aſſiſtance for the recovery of that Royal Treaſure; this occaſioned abundance of People flocking about them to learn the occaſion of her Addreſs, wherefore he adviſed her to go into ſome Houſe and make no noiſe about it, leſt ſhe thereby prevent the accompliſhing her deſire, which ſhe did, and he preſently ordered a general ſearch to be made, and that no Ships ſhould go off till they were ſearched, notwithſtanding which they could make no diſcovery of him till about 10 or 12 days after, when he was found at Loeſdymen, where he had been all that time concealed, and having to her inexpreſſible Joy recovered him, ſhe took a ſtately Houſe at Boſcal, where they reſided for ſome time.
Upon his Majeſties going for Scotland, in June 1650. he was committed by his Majeſty to the care of his Illuſtrious Grandmother, who lived then at the Par-le-Roy in Paris, and was by her committed to the care of one Goff belonging to her Majeſty, charging him to provide a good careful Nurſe for him, which he did accordingly, commending to her Majeſty one Mrs. Miles▪ a Gentlewoman that belonged likewiſe to her Majeſty.
The Beauty and Make of his Perſon, and the Majeſty of his Port and Cerriage, even whilſt an Infant, plainly diſcover'd the Greatneſs of his Birth, and the largeneſs of his Soul, and every ſucceeding Year of his Childhood, and afforded new Promiſes and Hopes that he would prove an Illuſtrious Branch of growing Honour; making an Early Diſcovery even at that tender Age, not only of a Great and Princely Spirit but alſo of an extraordinary Goodneſs and Sweetneſs of Nature, ſeeming to have that even and well-biaſſed Temper of Mind radicated in his very Nature, which other Men with extraordinary Induſtry and help of Philoſophy and Religion hardly acquire, when arrived at Years of Maturity.
Nor were his Inclinations to Vertue more admirable than the deſire he had to learn uſeful and ſolid Arts, his Genius rendring the Study and Exerciſes thereof, far more acceptable to him, than the Vanity of the moſt exquiſite Divertiſements. Wherefore when he was about 8 or 9 Years of Age, he was taken from Goff, and committed to the Care of Mr. Roſs, a Gentleman, who after His Majeſty's Reſtauration, went Secretary to the Honourable Henry Coventry Eſquire, (in his Embaſſy to Sweden) and ſent to Julen, a Place about 7 Leagues from Paris, there to be accommodated with Learning, and fitted for thoſe great Employments which God and Nature as well as His Majeſty had deſigned him for, in the future part of his Life. He went there by the Name of Mr. Croſſts
Soon after His Majeſty's happy Reſtauration▪ he commanded Mr. Roſs to turn away all his former Servants, and entertain new ones more ſuitable to his Quality; and to demonſtrate his Paternal Love, and to render his own Happineſs the more compleat, ordered him to be brought to Court, that ſo he might always have him in his Royal Preſence; whereupon he was provided with Gentlemen and Pages to wait on him, together with a rich Coach and 6 ſtately Horſes, a Coach-man, Poſtillion, Groom, and Foot-men in good Liveries, wherewith he ſet forward towards England.
About July, 1662. he came to Calis, where he imbarked for England; he Landed at Dover from whence he came by Land to London, and not finding his Majeſty there, he preſently repaired to Hampton-Court, where His Mejeſty then reſided, by whom he was received and imbraced with all the Demonſtrations of Joy imaginable; and about the middle of Auguſt, he came with the Court to White-Hall, where His Majeſty was pleaſed to appoint him his Lodgings in the Privy Gallery.
Soon after His Majeſty was pleaſed to make him a Peer of this Realm, by Creating him Duke of Arkeny, which Title was after changed for that of Monmouth; and the Cap and Robes being preſented to him, in the enſuing Parliament he took his Seat in the Houſe of Peers.
In April, 1663. he was with the uſual Solemnity inſtalled Knight of the Garter at Windſor.
This was followed by that which made his Happineſs yet more full and compleat, His Majeſty being pleaſed to conſent to a Contract of Marriage between his Grace and the only ſurviving Child, and ſole Heir of the late Earl of Bucclugh, a Lady reputed to be the greateſt Fortune, and to have the largeſt Dowery in the Three Kingdoms, her incomparable Vertues, and ſurpriſing Beauty, being no way inferior to (but rather exceeding) her Portion; her Mother, the Counteſs of Wembs, being conſulted about the Match, having received ſatisfaction from His Majeſty in whatſoever ſhe propoſed, ſhe willingly gave her Conſent, and the Marriage was ſpeedily Celebrated with extraordinary Pomp and Splendor, to the great Content of His Majeſty, the Queen's Mother, and the whole Court.
Soon after this, upon the Reſignation of the Lord Brandon Gerard, his Father King Charles, created him Captain of his Life-Guard, and admitted one of his Majeſty's moſt Honourable Privy-Council. In the Year 1672. the French King Lewis XIVth. made great Preparations for a War againſt the Datch, in which King Charles engaging, the Duke was ſent to Command the Engliſh, whoſe Gallantry and Bravery was ſufficiently admir'd by all preſent, where was the French King himſelf. He was attended by a numerous Train of Engliſh Volunteer Gentlemen. With this vaſt Army the French ſat down before Orſoy and Rhinberg, which preſently ſurrender'd: From thence they march'd to Wiſel, accounted an Invincible City, which after 4 Days Siege was deliver'd up; alſo Duysbury ſurrender'd, without venturing the Brunt of a Storm. This Succeſs of the Fren…h ſo terrify'd the Hollanders, that they abandon'd their Towns as faſt as the Enemy approach'd to take Poſſeſſion of them; nay, and of ſome they invite them to be Maſters; for the City Ʋ trecht, with the whole Province, in which were Nine Fine Cities beſides Ʋ trecht it ſelf, receiv'd a French Garriſon: Zutphen and Arnheim follow'd the ſame Fate; and ſuch a rapid Progreſs was made by the Arms of France, that by the 28th of June, they were advanc'd within 4 Leagues of Rotterdam, and the ſame diſtance from Amſterdam. Never was any State nearer Ruin than that of Holland at this time; and where the Policy of England could be to aſſiſt them in ſuch an Expedition, has I believe been dearly experienc'd ſince; for it was no ſmall Aſſiſtance they receiv'd from the Succours under the D. of Monmouth, which will more particularly appear in another Campaign; for this being ended, the Duke took his Leave of the French King, who highly extoll'd his Conduct and Perſonal Bravery, and paſſing through Flanders, arriv'd ſafely in England, and was joyfully receiv'd, eſpecially at Court; but he was in ſolemn manner welcom'd home by his Dutcheſs, who was ſoon after, Auguſt 26…h. happily brought to Bed of a Son, which was Chriſtened Charles, and died ſoon after.
About November following, having taken Leave of the King, he ſet out again for France, where he was received in a very ſplendid manner by the French King and the Nobility; and being arriv'd at Calais, Dec. 18th. he ſent an Expreſs to his Majeſty, to acquaint him that the Prince of Orange was on the 15th ſat down with his Army before Char eroy, and that there was great Expectation in thoſe Parts, what would be the Iſſue of that Enterprize.
The Duke was highly welcom'd in all the Places through which he paſs'd, and return'd to England again before the opening of the Campaign; at what time he attended the King of France into the Field, and is remarkably diſtinguiſh'd in Hiſtory for his Conduct and Valour at the Siege of Maeſtrich, and came into England afterward with great Applauſe. But the next Year the Scale turn'd, and the Duke (as General of his Father's Forces) commanded againſt the French in Conjunction with the Dutch, always behaving himſelf with ſingular Conduct and Perſonal Bravery. What happen'd otherwiſe concerning him, is hardly Material. He grew into Love and Favour with the People, which appear'd in the Buſineſs of the Waliſea Race, for which he was taken into Cuſtody; he was alſo Baniſh'd; but we ſhall paſs over all theſe things, and come nearer to the Deſign in hand, which is the Buſineſs of the Weſt, in which we ſhall comprehend his Death.
King James IId. being aſcended the Throne, and the Duke of Monmouth then abroad, and being ſufficiently ſtunn'd with the unexpected News of the Death of King Charles, having enter'd into a League with the Earl of Argyle, putting great Confidence in his own Courage, and a vain Aſſurance of a Popular Affection and Aſſiſtance, bore up himſelf againſt all pretended Difficulties, and with three ſmall Ships, and between Threeſcore and Fourſcore Men, landed about the 12th of June at Lyme in the Weſt of England, while the Parliament was ſitting: A Romantick kind of Invaſion, and ſcarce parallel'd in Hiſtory; yet with this handful of Men, and afterward with the common People that join'd him, without Arms, Proviſions, Martial Diſcipline, Money, or any one place to retire to in caſe of Accidents, did this Brave unfortunate Man bid fair for a Crown. He landed, as was ſaid before, at Lyme in Dorſetſhire, where he increas'd his Number to One hundred and Fifty, from thence he march'd to Taunton, where he was Proclaim'd King, and Men flock'd to him, and Liſted under him as faſt, as if he had already been Maſter of the whole Country. After ſtaying there a while, he marched in ſome kind of Order to Bridgwater, ſtill increaſing his Numbers; from thence to Bath, where he was denied Entrance, the Train'd-Bands ſtill flying two Days March before him, by Order from the Court, to give pretence to the King to raiſe more Forces. At Philips Norton, by a Surprize or Ambuſh, he cut off the beſt part of a Troop of Horſe, the Duke of Grafton narrowly eſcaping with his Life. With this Succeſs he marched within 2 Miles of Briſtol, where a Conſult being held, he was adviſed not to enter that City, but to retreat back to Bridgwater; which was the firſt thing that diſhearten'd his Party, and hinder'd many from joining with him: Whereas if he had entred Briſtol, where there was no Force to oppoſe him but the Train'd-Bands, and the generality of them for him, not only in their Hearts, but in open Diſcourſes and drinking his Health, he might have furniſh'd himſelf with Men, Arms and Money, to have enabl'd him to march into Glouceſterſhire among the Clothiers, where great Numbers, and ſome of Quality, waited to join him, and by this means might have kept up the War till he had ſhak'd King James's Throne, if not overturn'd it.
In this time the King had ſent an Army into the Weſt againſt Monmouth, under the Command of the Earl of Feverſham as General, who incamp'd upon Sedgmore, not far from Bridgwater, where the Duke of Monmouth and his Party were Quarter'd; and the Duke ſeeing his Men daily Deſert in great Numbers, it was agreed to make one Puſh for all, and to that purpoſe iſſu'd out of Bridgwater by Night; but his Guide miſtaking his way in the Dark, the Duke's Ill Fate lead him upon a Battallion of Dumbarton's Regiment plac'd in his way; who encountering him, alarm'd King James's whole Army, with whom engaging he was Routed; or in all probability he had ſurpriz'd the King's Army in their Camp, and perhaps at that ſingle Blow decided the Fortune of England for once. Yet however, tho' he came too ſoon, before Matters were Ripe, by King James's ſetting up for the open Eſtabliſhment of Popery and Arbitrary Power, yet he may be ſaid to have pav'd the Way for a Nobler Change in the Throne, by leaving King James at Liberty through this ſucceſs, to act without Controul, which at length made him Abdicate the Government. Monmouth paid the Price of his Rebellion with his Blood, being on the 15th of July, 1685. Beheaded on Tower-Hill, by vertue of an Attainder paſs'd upon him in Parliament ſoon after his Landing.