Former Ages Never Heard of, Floating text 11
The Speech of Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge, on the Scaffold in the Pallace yard, the ninth of March, 1649.
I Think it is truly not very necessary for me to speak much, there are many Gentlemen and Souldiers there that see me, but my voyce truly is so weak, so low, that they cannot hear me, neither truly was I ever at any time so much in love with speaking, or with any thing I had to expresse, that I took delight in it; yet this being the last time that I am to doe so, by a Divine providence of Almighty God, who hath brought me to this end justly for my sins; I shall to you, Sir, Master Sheriff, declare thus much, as to the matter that I am now to suffer for, which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdome of England: Truly Sir, it was a Countrey that I equally loved with my owne, I made no difference, I never intended either the generality of its prejudice, or any particular mans in it; what I did was by the Command of the Parliament of the Countrey where I was borne, whose Command I could not disobey, without running into the same hazard there, of that condition that I now am in.
It pleased God so to dispose that Army under my Command, as it was ruined; and I, as their Generall, cloathed with a Commission, stand here, now ready to dye; I shall not trouble you, with repeating of my Plea, what I said in my owne Defence at the Court of Justice, my self being satisfied with the Command that is laid upon me, and they satisfied with the justnesse of their procedure according to the Lawes of this Land. God is just, and howsoever I shall not say any thing as to the matter of the Sentence, but that I doe willingly submit to his Divine providence, and acknowledge that very many wayes I deserve even a worldly punishment, as well as hereafter, for we are all sinfull, Sir, and I a great one; yet for my comfort, I know there is a God in Heaven that is exceeding mercifull, I know my Redeemer fits at his right hand, and am confident (clapping his hand on his brest) is mediating for me at this instant, I am hopefull thro his free grace, and all-sufficient merits, to be pardoned of my sins, and to be received into his mercy, upon that I rely, trusting to nothing but the free grace of God through Jesus Christ: I have not been tainted in my Religion I thank God for it, since my infancy, it hath been such as hath been profest in the Land, and established, and now it is not this Religion or that Religion, nor this or that fancy of men that is to be built upon, it is but one that's right, one that's sure, and that comes from God, Sir, and in the free grace of our Saviour. Sir, there is truly somewhat that (he then observing the Writers) had I thought my Speech would have been thus taken, I would have digested it into some better method then now I can, and shall desire these Gentlemen that doe write it, that they will not wrong me in it, and that it may not in this manner be published to my disadvantage, for truly I did not intend to have spoken thus when I came here.
There are, Sirs, terrible aspersions that have been laid upon my self, truly such, as I thank God, I am very free from; as if my actions & intentions had not been such as they were pretended for, but that notwithstanding what I pretended it was for the King, there was nothing lesse intended then to serve him in it. I was bred with him for many years; I was his domestick servant, and there was nothing declar'd by the Parl. that was not really intended by me; and truly, in it I ventured my life one way, and now I lose it another way: and that was one of the ends, as to the King; I speak only of that, because the rest ha's many particulars; and to clear my self from so horrid an aspersion as is laid upon me: neither was there any other designe known to me by the incoming of that Army, then what is really in the Declaration published. His person, I doe professe, I had reason to love as he was my King, and as he had been my Master: It hath pleased God now to dispose of him, so as it cannot be thought fl…ttery to have said this, or any end in me for the saying of it, but to free my self from that Calumny which lay upon me: I cannot gain by it, yet Truth is that which we shall gain by for ever.
There hath been much spoken, Sir, of an invitation into this Kingdome, it's mentioned in that Declaration, and truly to that I did and doe remit my self: and I have been very much laboured for discoveries of these inviters; 'tis no time to dissemble, how willing I was to have served this Nation in any thing that was in my power, is known to very many honest, pious, and religious men, and how ready I would have been to have done what I could to have served them, if it had pleased them to have preserved my life, in whose whose hands there was a power: They have not thought it fit, and so I am become unusefull in that which willingly I would have done. As I said at first (Sir) so I say now concerning that point, I wish the Kingdome happinesse, I wish it peace, and truly Sir, I wish that this blood of mine may be the last that is drawn: and howsoever I may perhaps have some reluctancy with my self, as to the matter of my suffering, for my Fact, yet I freely forgive all, Sir, I carry no rancour along with me to my Grave, his will be done that ha's created both Heaven and Earth, and me a poor miserable sinfull Creature now speaking before him. For me to speak, Sir, to you of State businesse, and the Government of the Kingdom, or my opinion in that, or for any thing in that nature, truly it is to no end, it contributes nothing: My owne inclination hath been to peace, from the beginning, and it is known to many, that I never was an ill instrument betwixt the King and his people; I never acted to the prejudice of the Parl. I bore no Arms, I medled not with it, I was not wanting by my prayers to God Almighty for the happinesse of the King; and truly I shall pray still, that God may so direct him, as that may be done wch shall tend to his glory, and the peace and happinesse of the Kingdome
For my Religion, that which I said was the established Religion, and that which I have practiced in my own Kingdome where I was born and bred; my Tenets they need not to be exprest, they are known to all and I am not of a rigid opinion; many godly men there are that may have scruples which doe not concerne me at all at no time; they may differ in opinions, and more now then at any time; differing in opinion does not move me (not any mans) my owne is clear: Sir, the Lord forgive me my sins, and I forgive freely all those that even I might as a worldly man, have the greatest animosity against; We are bidden to forgive, Sir 'tis a Command laid upon us (and there mentioned) Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespasse against us.
Then the Earl turning to the Executioner, said, Shall I put on another Cap? Must this haire be turn'd up from my Neck? There are three of my Servants to give satisfaction; he also asked him which way he would have him lye.
The Executioner pointing to the front of the Scaffold, the Earl replyed, what, my head this way?
After a little discourse in private with some of his Servants, he kneeled downe by the side of the Scaffold and prayed a while to himselfe.
Then with a chearfull and smiling countenance (embracing Dr. Sibbalds) he said, truly Sir I doe take you in mine arms, and truly, I blesse God for it, I doe not fear, I have an assurance that is grounded here (laying his hand upon his heart) now that gives me more true joy then ever I had. I passe out of a miserable world, to go into an eternall and glorious Kingdome; and Sir, though I have been a most sinfull creature, yet Gods mercy I know is infinite, and I bless my God for it, I goe with so clear a conscience that I know not the man I have personally injured.
Then imbracing those his Servants which were there present, said to each of them, You have been very faithfull to me, and the Lord blesse you.
And so turning himselfe to the Executioner, he said, I shall say a very short prayer unto my God, while I lye downe there, and when I stretch out my hand (my right hand) then Sir, doe your duty, and I doe freely forgive you, and so I doe all the world.
Then the Earl of Cambridge said to the Executioner, Must I lye all along, he answered, yes, and 't please your Lordship. Then he said, when I stretch out my hands— but I will fit my head, first tell me if I be right, and how you would have me lye, and being told he must lye a little lower, he said,
Well, stay then till I give you the signe. And so having laine a short space devoutly praying to himselfe, he stretcht out his right hand, whereupon the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body, which was received by two of his Servants then kneeling by him, into a Crimson Taffety Scarfe, and that with the body immediately put into a Coffin brought upon the Scaffold for that purpose, and from thence conveyed to the House that was Sir John Hamilton's at the Mews.