natural calamitous end. For though that maxim in philosophy is most true and certain, that ❝ corruptio est in instanti,” that death comes to us in a moment, or " in the twinkling of an eye," as the scriptures phrase is; yet are there many previous dispositions which make way unto it; all which are comprehended in the name of Death. And in that latitude of expression do we take the word, in laying down the story of his death before you; which being writ out of an honest zeal to truth, and a sincere affection to his name and memory, shall either be approved of, or at least excused. them afterwards, was he committed to the Tower, being followed almost all the way by the rascal multitude, who barbarously pursued him with reproach and clamours to the very gates; and there detained, contrary to all law and justice almost four years longer. This was the first great breach which was made by parliament in the liberties of the English subject; (save that their like proceeding with the earl of Strafford was a preparative unto it ;) and was indeed the very gap, at which the slavery and oppression, under which this miserable nation doth now pine and languish, did break in upon them. What right could ineaner persons look long imprisonment, without being called unto for, when as so great a peer was doomed to so his answer? What else hath filled so many prisons in most parts of the kingdom, with the best and wealthiest of the subjects, but the most dangerous effects and consequences of this woful precedent? which as it was the leading case unto all our pressures, so might those pressures have been remedied, had the subject made his case their own; and laboured to prevent it in convenient time. But such a miserable infatuation had befallen them generally, that" seeing "they did see, but would not perceive." II. It was the practice and position of the ancient Donatists, the predecessors and proge nitors of the modern Puritan, " occidere quemcunq; qui contra eos fecerit;" [Opt. de Sahis. Donatist. I. 1.] to kill and make away whoever durst oppose their doings, or was conceived to be an hindrance to their growing faction. And by this card their followers in these kingdoms have been steered of late, imprisoning and destroying all who have stood against them. It is long since they entertained such desperate purposes against the life and person of the lord archbishop, threatening his death in scattered libels, telling him that his life was sought for, that neither God nor man could endure so vile IV. But yet the malice of his enemies was a counsellor to live any longer. This was about not so contented. For though some of the the end of March, 1629, and was the prologue to those libels, full of threats and scaudals, which who did not pierce into the depth of the design, more moderate, or rather the less violent, lords, year by year exasperated and inflamed the peo-gave out that they intended only to remove him ple, till they had made them ripe for mischief, and readily prepared to execute whatever their grand directors should suggest unto them. St. Paul did never fight more frequent and more terrible combats with the beasts of Ephesus, for the promotion of the Gospel, than he with these untractable and fiery spirits, who most seditiously opposed his religious purposes of settling unity and uniformity in this church of England. And in this state things stood till the year 1640, in which not only many factious and seditious people in and about the city of London, made an assault by night on his house at Lambeth, with an intent to murder him had they found him there: but the whole faction of the Scots declared in a Remonstrance to the English nation, that one of the chief causes which induced them to invade this realm, was to remove him from his majesty, and bring him to the punishment which he had deserved. III. The parliament had not long continued, but he is named for an incendiary by the Scottish Commissioners; and thereupon accused of treason by the house of commons. And although no particular charge was brought against him, but only a bare promise to prepare it in convenient time; yet was he presently committed to the custody of the gentleman usher, and by bim kept in durance till the end of February, (being full ten weeks:) about which time his charge was brought unto the lords, but in generals only, and longer time required for particular instances. And yet upon this Lydford law, by which they used to hang men first and indict VOL. IV. from his majesty's ear, and to deprive him of standing being taken up before any charge was his archbishopric, which resolution notwithbrought against him, was as unjust, though not so cruel, as the others: yet they shewed only by this overture, that they did reckon without their but not of the counsel. The leading and prehosts, and might be of the court perchance, dominant party thought of nothing less, than that he should escape with life, or go off with liberty: only perhaps they might conceive some restraint, or the indignities and affronts which wicked hopes, that either the tediousness of his day by day were offered to him, would have broke his heart, not formerly accustomed to the Gospel they had called for water," and washed like oppressions. And then like Pilate in the "their hands before the multitude, and said, that they were innocent of the blood of that "righteous person;" thinking that by such wretched fig-leaves, they could not only hide their wickedness, and deceive poor men; but that God also might be mocked, and his allseeing eye deluded, to which "all hearts lie "open, all desires are known, and from which 66 no secrets can be hidden." To this end, not content to immure him up within the walls of the Tower, they rob him of his menial servants, restrain him to two only of his number, and those not to have conference with any others, but in the presence of his warder: and in conclusion make him a close prisoner, not suffering him to go out of his lodging to refresh himself, but in the company of his keeper. And all this 2 R while they vex his soul continually with scan- | matics. But this being put to the question in dalous and infamous papers, and set up factious the house of commons, was rejected by the maand seditious preachers to inveigh against him jor part: not out of pity to his age, or consiin the pulpit to his very face; so to expose him deration of his quality, nor in respect unto the to the scorn both of boys and women, who laws so often violated; but to preserve him yet many times stood up and turned towards him, a while, as a stale or property, wherewith to to observe his countenance, to see if any altera-cheat the citizens of some further sums, and to tion did appear therem. And to the same un-invite the Scots to a new invasion, when their godly end, did they divest him of his archiepis- occasion so required. For it was little doubted copal and episcopal jurisdiction, conferring it by discerning men, but that the Scots, who on his inferior and subordinate officers; seques-made their first invasion on a probable hope of ter his rents under pretence of maintenance for sequestering the lord archbishop and the earl of the king's younger children (as if his majesty's Strafford from his majesty's counsels; and sped revenues which they had invaded, were not it so well in their design, that they who were sufficient for that purpose) convert his house at recompensed already with the death of the one, Lambeth into a prison, and confiscate all his would easily be tempted to a second journey, coals and fuel to the use of their gaoler; deprive upon assurance to be glutted with the blood of him of his right of patronage, and take into their the other. own hands the disposing of all his benefices, seize upon all his goods and books which they found at Lambeth; and in conclusion rifle him of his notes and papers, not only such as were of ordinary use and observation, but such as did concern him in the way of his just defence. In which they did not any thing from the first to the last, but in a proud defiance to the laws of the land, which they most impudently violated in all these particulars, and more than so, they had proceeded step by step, to this height of tyranny, a whole year almost before they had digested their general charge into particular accusations; or ever called him to his answer in due form of law. VI. And this appears more plain and evident, in that about the coming on of the Scots, which was in the midst of January, 1643, they did again revive the business, which had long lain dormant; causing the articles, which they had framed in maintenance of their former accusation, to be put in print about that time, as is apparent by the test of John Browne their clerk, dated the 17th of that month. And as the Scots advanced or slackened in their marches southward, so did they either quicken or retard the work: till hearing of the great successes which they had in Yorkshire, they gave command to master Prynn, a man most mischiev ously industrious to disturb the public, to prosecute the charge against him, and bring him to his long expected trial; as he reports it of himself, [in his Epistle to the Breviate,] who, having rifled him of his papers, and thereby rob V. But God had given him such a measure both of strength and patience, that these afflictions, though most great and irksome, did make no more impressions on him, than an arrow on a rock of adamant. For at his first commit-bed him of those helps, which he had purposely ment he besought his God (as master Prynn observes out of his Manual of Devotions) to " give "bim full patience, proportionable comfort, "and contentment with whatsoever he should "send" and he was heard in that he prayed for. For notwithstanding that he had fed so long on the "bread of carefulness," and drank the "water of affliction:" yet, as the scripture telleth us of the four Hebrew children, "his "countenance appeared fairer and fatter in "flesh, than any of those who eat their portion "of the king's meat, or drank of his wine." And he was wont to say to his private friends, that," he thanked God he never found more "sweet contentment in his greatest liberty, than "in the time of that restraint." And certainly it was no wonder that it should be so, he being conscious to himself of no other crimes, which drew that fatal storm upon him, than a "reli"gious zeal to the honour of God, the happi"ness of the king, and the preservation of the "church in her peace and patrimony," as he professeth at his death before all the people. So that despairing of success in the way intended, his enemies fell upon another, but more desperate course, which was to ship him for New England, and make him subject to the insolensics of Wells and Peters, two notorious schis reserved for his just defence; and having personal quarrels of his own to revenge upon him, was thought to be the fittest blood-hound in the whole kennel, to pursue the scent. And now there was no talk but of quick dispatch. When hatred doth accuse, and malice prosecute, and prejudice and prepossession sit upon the bench, God help the innocent. There is nothing but a miracle can preserve him then; and so it proved in the event: they called him often to the bar, both before and after, caused a strict inquisition to be made into all his actions: they winnowed him like wheat, and sifted him to the very bran, (which was you know the devil's of fice;) they had against him all advantages of power and malice, and witnesses at hand upon all occasions: but stil they found his answers and his resolutions of so good a temper, his innocence and integrity of so bright a die, that as they knew not how to dismiss him with credit, so neither could they find a way to condemn him with justice. And though their consciences could tell them, that he had done nothing which deserved either death or bonds; yet either to reward or oblige the Scots, who would not think themselves secure while his head was on, they were resolved to bring him to a speedy end. Only they did desire, if possible, to lay the odium of the murder upon the common people. And therefore serjeant Wild, in a speech, against him, having aggravated his supposed offences to the highest pitch, concluded thus, "That he was guilty of so many and notorious treasons, so evidently destructive to the com"monwealth, that he marvelled the people did "not tear him in pieces as he passed between "his barge, and the parliament houses." Which barbarous and bloody project when it would not take, and that though many of the_rabble did desire his death, yet none would be the executioner; they then employed some of their most malicious and most active instruments, to go from door to door, and from man to man, to get bands against him; and so petition those to hasten to his condemnation, which must, forsooth, be forced to their own desires: (whereof, and of the magistrates' standing still, and suffering them to proceed without any check, he gave them a memento in his dying speech.) This being obtained, the business was pursued with such heat and violence, that by the beginning of November it was made ready for a sentence; which some conceived would have been given in the King's-Bench, and that their proofs, such as they were, being fully ripened, he should have been put over to a Middlesex jury. But they were only some poor ignorants which conceived so of it. The leading members of the plot thought of no such matter; and, to say truth, it did concern them highly not to go that way: for though there was no question to be made at all, but that they could have packed a jury to have found the bill; but by a clause in the attainder of the earl of Strafford, they had bound the judges not to declare those facts for treason in the time to come, for which they had condemned and executed that heroic peer. And therefore it was done with great care and caution to proceed by ordinance, and vote him guilty first in the house of cominons; in which being parties, witnesses, and judges too, they were assured to pass it as they would themselves; which was done accordingly, about the 20th of November. VII. But yet the business was not done, for the lords stuck at it. Some of which having not extinguished all the sparks of honour, did by the light thereof discover the injustice of so foul a practice; together with the danger that might befal themselves, if once disfavoured by the grandees of that potent faction. A thing so stomached by the commons, that after some evaporations of their heat and passion, which broke out into open threats, they presently drew and sent up an Ordinance to the lords, tending to dispossess them of all power and command in their armies. But fearing this device was too weak to hold, they fall upon another and a likelier project, which was to bring the lords to sit in the commons house; where they were sure they should be inconsiderable both for power and number. And to effect the same with more speed and certainty, they had recourse to their old arts, drew down sir David Watkins with his general muster of subscriptions, and put a petition in his hands, to be tendered by him to the houses, that is, themselves: wherein it was required amongst other things, that they would vigorously proceed unto the punishment of all delinquents; and that for the inore quick dispatch of the public businesses of the state, the lords would please to vote and sit together with the commons. On such uncertai terms, such a ticklish tenure do they now hold their place and power in parliament; who so officiously complied with the house of commons, in depriving the bishops of their votes, and the church's birth-right. And this was it which helped them in that time of need. For by this, though stale and common, stratagem, did they prevail so far upon some weak spirits, that the earls of Kent, Pembroke, Salisbury, and Bullingbrook, the lords North, Gray of Wark, and Br. ws, (a Scotchman, but an English baron, and generally called the earl of Elgin) resolved to yield unto the current of so strong a stream; and thought they made a gaining voyage, if by delivering the lord archbishop to the people's fury, they might preserve themselves in the people's favour. And we know well, both who it was, and what end he came to, who, though he knew that the accused party was delivered him out of envy only, and that he found no evil he was guilty of; yet being wearied with the clamours and the crucifiges of the common people, and fearing that some tumult would be made about it, delivered him unto his enemies to be put to death. And for those other lords who withdrew themselves, and neither durst condemn nor protect the innocent; (though far the major part, as it is reported) it is not easy to determine, whether their conscience were more tender, their collusion grosser, or their courage weaker. All I shall say is only this, that Claudias Lysias in the Acts, had been as guilty of St. Paul's death, as any of the forty who had vowed to kill him; if upon notice of the plot which was laid to murder him, he had brought him down unto the people, or not conveyed him with a strong guard to the court of Felix. The journey's end must needs be foul, which such lewd and crooked ways do conduct unto. And it is worth your observation, that the same day, the 4th of January, in which they passed this bloody ordinance, (as if therein they would cry quittance with his sacred majesty, who on the same accused the six guilty members) they passed another for establishing their new Directory; which in effect is nothing but a total abolition of the common-prayer-book, and thereby shewed unto the world, how little hopes they had of settling their new form of worship if the fountion of it were not laid in blood. VIII. The bill being thus dispatched in the house of lords, (if still they may be called the lords, which are so over-loaded by the common people) there wanted yet the king's assent to give life to it: which they so far contemned, (they had more reason to despair of it) that : they never sought it. They had screwed up their ordinances to so high a pitch, that never act of parliament was of more authority and having found the subjects so obedient as to yield unto them in matters which concerned them in their goods and liberties; it was but one step more to make trial of them, whether they would submit their lives to the self same tyranny: And this they made the first experiment in this kind, both of their own power, and the people's patience; he being the first inan, as himself noted in his speech, (which words are purposely omitted in Hind's copy of it;) that was ever put to death by ordinance in parliament; but whether he shall be the last, further time will shew. Certain it is, that by this ordinance they have now made themselves the absolute masters of the subject's life, which they can call for at their pleasure, as no doubt they will; and left him nothing but his fetters he can call his own. Just as it was observed by our gracious sovereign, upon occasion of the ordinance for the 20th part, that "the same power which robbed the subject of the 20th part of their estates, had by that only made a claim and entitled itself to the other 19, whensoever it should be thought expedient to hasten on the general ruin." In which his majesty hath proved but too true a prophet. And though perhaps some of the people were well pleased with this bloody ordinance, and ran with joy to see it put in execution: yet all wise men do look upon it as the last groan or gasp of our dying liberty. And let both them and those who passed it, be assured of this, that they who do so gladly sell the blood of their fellow subjects, seldom want chapmen for their own in an open market. IX. And here, as it was once observed, that the predominant party of the United Provinces, to bring about their ends in the death of Barnevelt, subverted all those fundamental laws of the Belgic liberty for maintenance whereof they took up arms against Philip 2, so would I know which of those Fundamental Laws of the English government have not been violated by these men in their whole proceedings: for preservation of which laws, or rather under colour of such preservation, they have bewitched the people unto this rebellion: It is a fundamental law of the English government, and the first article in the Magna Charta, that the church of England shall be free, and shall have her whole rights and privileges inviolable: yet to make way unto the condemnation of this innocent man, and other the like wicked and ungodly ends, the bishops must be voted out of their place in parliament, which most of them have held far longer in their predecessors, than any of our noble families in their progenitors. And if the lords refuse to give way unto it, as at first they did, the people must come down to the house in multitudes, and cry, "No bishops, no bishops," at the parliament doors, till by the terror of their tumults they extort it from them. It is a fundamental law of the English liberty, that no freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned without cause shewn, or be detained without being brought unto his answer in due form of law; yet here we see a freeman imprisoned 10 whole weeks together, before any charge was brought against him; and kept in prison 3 years more, before his general accusation was by them reduced into particulars; and for a year almost detained close prisoner, without being brought unto his answer, as the law requires. It is a fundamental law of the English government, that no man be disseised of his freehold or liberties, but by the known laws of the land; yet here we see a man disseised of his rents and lands, spoiled of his goods, deprived of his jurisdiction, divested of his right and patronage; and all this done, when he was so far from being convicted by the laws of the land, that no particular charge was so much as thought of. It is a fundamental law of the English liberty, that no man shall be condemned, or put to death, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land, i. e. in the ordinary way of a legal trial : and sure an ordinance of both houses, without the royal assent, in no part of the law of England, nor held an ordinary way of trial for the English subject, or ever reckoned to be such in the former times. And finally, it is a fundamental law in the English government, that if any other case (than those recited in the statute of 25 Ed. 3,) which is supposed to be treason, do happen before any of his majesty's justices, the justices shall tarry without giving judgment, till the cause be shewn and declared before the king, and his parliament, whether it ought to be judged treason or not: yet here we have a new found treason, never known before, nor declared such by any of his majesty's justices, nor ever brought to be considered of by the king and his parliament, but only voted to be such by some of those few members which remain at Westminster, who were resolved to have it so for their private ends. Put all which hath been said together, and then tell me truly, if there be any difference, for I see not any, between the antient Roman slaves, and the once free-born subject of the English nation, whose life and liberty, whose goods and fortunes depend on the mere pleasure of their mighty masters. X. But to return unto our story, the passing of the ordinance being made known unto him, be neither entertained the news with a stoical apathy, nor wailed his fate with weak and womanish lamentations, (to which extremes most men are carried in this case) but heard it with so even and so smooth a temper, as shewed he neither was afraid to live, nor ashamed to die. The time between the sentence and the execution, he spent in prayers and applications to the Lord his God; having obtained, though not without some difficulty, a chaplain of his own, to attend upon him, and to assist him in the work of his preparation : though little preparation needed to receive that blow, which could not but be welcome, because long expected; For so well was he studied in the art of dying, especially in the last and strictest part of his imprisonment, that by continual fasting, watching, prayers, and such like acts of Christian humiliation, bis flesh was rarified into spirit, and the whole man so fitted for eternal glories, that he was more than half in heaven, before death brought his bloody, but triumphant, chariot to convey him thither. Ile that had so long been a Confessor, could not but think it a release of miseries to be made a Martyr; And as is recorded of Alexander the Great that the night before his best and greatest battle with Darius the Persian, he fell into so sound a sleep, that his princes hardly could awake him when the morning came: so is it certified of this great Prelate, that on the evening before his Passover, the night before the dismal combat betwixt him and death, after he had refreshed his spirits with a moderate supper, he betook himself unto his rest, and slept very soundly, till the time came in which his servants were appointed to attend his rising. A most assured sign of a soul prepared. The fatal morning being come, he first applied himself to his private prayers, and so continued, till Pennington, and other of their public officers, came to conduct him to the scaffold; which he ascended with so brave a courage, such a chearful countenance, as if he had mounted rather to behold a triumph, than to be made a sacrifice, and came not there to die, but to be translated. And to say truth, it was no scaffold, but a throne; a throne whereon he shortly was to receive a crown, even the most glorious crown of Martyrdom. And though some rude, uncivil people reviled him as he passed along with opprobrious language, as loth to let him go to the grave in peace, it never discomposed his thoughts, nor disturbed his patience. For he had profited so well in the school of Christ, that when he was reviled he reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously. And as he did not fear the frowns, so neither did he covet the applause of the vulgar herd, and therefore rather chose to read what he had to speak unto the people, than to affect the ostentation either of memory or wit in that dreadful agony: whether with greater magnanimity or prudence, I can hardly say. As for the matter of his speech, besides what did concern himself and his own purgation, his great care was to clear his majesty, and the church of England from any inclination unto popery; with a persuasion of the which the authors of our present miseries had abused the people, and made them take up arms against their sovereign. A faithful servant to the last. By means whereof, as it is said of Sampson in the book of Judges, that "the men which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life;" so may it be affirmed of this famous Prelate, that he gave a greater blow unto the enemies of God and the king at the hour of his death, than he had given them in his whole life before; of which I doubt not but the king and the church will find speedy fruits. But this you will more clearly see by the speech itself, which followeth here according to the best and most perfect copies. XI. A SPEECH of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, spoken at his death upon the Scaffold on the Tower-hill, January 10, 1644. Good People ;-This is an uncomfortable time to preach, yet I shall begin with a text of Scripture, Heb. xii. 2. "Let us run with patience that race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." I have been long in my race, and how I have looked to Jesus the author and finisher of my faith, he best knows: I am now come to the end of my race, and here I find the cross, a death of shame; but the shame must be despised, or no coming to the right hand of God: Jesus despised the shame for me, and God forbid but I should despise the shame for him; I am going apace, as you see, towards the Red Sea, and my feet are now upon the very brink of it; an argument I hope, that God is bringing me into the land of promise, for that was the way through which he led his people: But before they came to it, he instituted a Passover for them, a Lamb it was, but it must be eaten with sour herbs, I shall obey, and labour to digest the sour herbs, as well as the Lamb. And I shall remember it is the Lord's Passover; I shall not think of the herbs, nor be angry with the hand which gathereth them; but look up only to Him who instituted that, and governs these; For men can have no more power over me than what is given them from above. I am not in love with this passage, through the Red Sea, for I have the weakness and infirmities of flesh and blood plentifully in me; And I have prayed with my Saviour, ut transiret Calix iste, that this cup of red wine might pass from me: But if not, God's will, not mine, be done, and I shall most willingly drink of this cup as deep as he pleases, and enter into this sea, yea and pass through it, in the way that he shall lead me. But I would have it remembered, good people, that when God's servants were in this boisterous sea, and Aaron among them, the Egyptians which persecuted them, and did in a manner drive them into that sea, were drowned in the same waters, while they were in pursuit of them; I know my God whom I serve, is as able to deliver me from this sea of blood, as he was to deliver the three children from the furnace; and, I most humbly thank my Saviour for it, my resolution is now, as theirs was then : They would not worship the image the king had set up, nor will I the imaginations which the people are setting up; nor will I for |