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Mr. LOVE's CASE: Wherein is Publiſhed,

  • Firſt, His ſeveral Petitions to the Parliament.
  • Secondly, A full Narrative of the late Dangerous De­ſign againſt the State, written with Mr. Loves own hand, and by him ſent to the Parliament; where­in he ſetteth down his ſe­veral Meetings and Se­cret Actings with Major Alford, Maj. Adams, Col. Barton, Mr. Blackmore, Mr. Caſe, Mr. Cauton, Dr. Drake, Mr. Drake, Cap. Farr, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Haviland, Major Hun­tington, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Jaquel, Mr Jackſon, Lieut. Col. Jackſon, Cap. Maſſey, Mr. Nalton, Cap. Potter, Mr. Robinſon, Mr. Sterks, Colonel Sowton, Colonel Vaughan, and others.
  • Thirdly, Mr. Loves Speech and Prayer on the Scaffold on Towerhil, Auguſt 22. 1651.

    Printed by an Exact Copy, taken in Short-hand by JOHN HINDE.

  • Fourthly, Animadverſions on the ſaid Speech and Prayer.
Whoſe hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedneſs ſhall be ſhewed before the whole Congregation. Whoſo diggeth a pit, ſhall fall therein: And he that rolleth a ſtone, it will return upon him,
Prov. 26. 26, 27.

London, Printed for R. W. and Peter Cole at the Printing-Preſs in Cornhil, near the Royal Exchange. 1651.

1

To the Supream Authority, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England:The Humble Petition of Chriſtopher Love, a condemned Priſoner in the Tower of London;

Moſt humbly ſheweth,

THat your Petitioner having received the Sentence of Death by the High Court of Juſtice, and is preparing himſelf in all humility and ſerious ſubmiſſion to drink that bitter Cup, the terror where­of, though much abated through the pardoning Mercies of God in the blood of ſprinkling; yet your Petitioner being brought down to the duſt of death, deſires to ſee the righteous Lord in this Sentence, acknow­ledging it to be juſt with the Moſt High to cut him off both in the middeſt of his days, and in the midſt of his Miniſtry; He deſires to be deeply humbled under the mighty hand of God, lying now before the Lord and you, putting his mouth in the duſt, that there may be hope that the Lord will pardon his manifold iniquities, and that your Honors will paſs by his Offences done con­trary to your Laws, which (as he formerly did, ſo ſtill doth confeſs) renders him culpable, for which he is unfeignedly ſorry: Your Petitioner goeth not about to plead Excuſe, but with an humble Submiſſion proſtrates himſelf at your feet, acknowledging he hath offended againſt the Acts of this Common­wealth, and thereby is fallen under your ſore diſpleaſure, of which he is very deeply ſenſible and ſorrowful alſo.

Your Petitioner therefore (having no other refuge left him on earth to redeem his Life from death, but the Favor of this Honorable Houſe) makes his humble Addreſſes to you in the day of his deep Diſtreſs, that you would, as the Elect of God, put on bowels of Compaſsion towards him, that his life may be given him for a prey, that he may give his life for a Sacrifice for the glo­ry of God and good of this Nation; and if the Lord ſhall pleaſe to ſtir up your hearts to remit the Execution, and abſolve him from the Sentence of Death, it will be to him as life from the dead, and he ſhall thankfully acknow­ledge God as the Author, and you as the Inſtruments; and humbly hopes it will be no matter of grief to you in the Great Day of your Accompt, to re­ſcue his life from going down to the Pit, and he is perſwaded that hereby the2 hearts of many that are godly, will be comforted and united, and many Thankſgivings from them will redound to God in your behalf, and will lay Obligations on your Petitioner the remainder of his days to lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlineſs and honeſty, and a Promiſe in his place and calling to endeavor the Peace and Welfare of this Commonwealth.

And your Petitioner ſhall ever pray, &c.
Chriſtopher Love.

To the Supream Authority, The Parliament of the Common­wealth of ENGLAND:The Humble Petition of Chriſtopher Love, a Condemned Priſoner in the Tower of London;

Moſt humbly ſheweth,

THat your Petitioner doth with all Thankfulneſs acknowledge it a ſingular Providence of God, and ſpecial Favor of the Parliament, that a door of Hope is yet open, and opportunity once more offered to proſtrate himſelf at your feet for a Grant of his Life, which if you vouchſafe, he ſhall accept as an Act of great Grace and Mercy. It is no little grief of heart to your Petitioner, that through unadviſedneſs and weakneſs he is fallen under your ſad and hea­vy Diſpleaſure, and hath offended againſt the Laws of this Commonwealth, and now by the Sentence of the High Court of Juſtice (to which he ſubmits with all Chriſtian meekneſs and humble acknowledgement of Gods hand therein) is in inevitable and ſudden danger to loſe his Life, without your mer­ciful and gracious Interpoſition: And whereas there is a Surmiſe of a Plot continued againſt the Peace and Welfare of this Commonwealth, he doth pro­teſt in the preſence of God the Searcher of all hearts, that he knoweth no Plot or Deſign againſt the preſent Government; nor is he privy in the leaſt to any preparations for, or intendments towards any inteſtine Inſurrections or for­reign Invaſions, or to any Correſpondencies now held with any in, or of the Scotiſh Nation, or any other whatſoever: He is not ignorant how much Ma­lignants will triumph at his death, nor is he without natural affections to his dear Wife and Children, nor without real deſires of life to do God and his Countrey ſervice, which are powerful Perſwaſions to him to do whatever he can, without wounding his Conſcience.

Your dying Petitioner humbly prays, That as the Elect of God, you would put on bowels of Compaſſion, and in imitation of your Heavenly Father, (whoſe Mercy rejoyceth againſt Judgement) be pleaſed to abſolve him from the3 Sentence of Death, which will be to him as life from the dead; and this new Life received from your hands, will lay ſtrong Obligations on your Petition­er, to endeavor in his place and calling, the compoſing of Differences among the Godly, and preſerving ſpiritual Peace and Love throughout the Churches of the Saints, as well as the civil Peace and Welfare of the Commonwealth; And he further promiſes neither to Plot, Contrive or Deſign any thing to the hurt of this preſent Government; and if it ſhall be required, to put in further Security for performance hereof; and if none of theſe things ſhould move you to vouchſafe an Abſolute Pardon, yet let him implore thus much from your hands, as his laſt, though very uncomfortable Requeſt, That you would be pleaſed to change the Sentence of death, into Baniſhment into ſome ſtrange Land, where he may ſit alone, lamenting his ſad and deplorable Condition.

And your Petitioner ſhall pray, &c.
Chriſtopher Love.

To the Supream Authority, The Parliament of the Common­wealth of ENGLAND:The humble Petition of Chriſtopher Love condemned to die, and the hour of Execution drawing near;

Moſt humbly ſheweth,

THat whereas there are but very few hours between your Petitioner and Death, he is humbly bold before he breathe out his ſoul to God, to breathe out his Requeſt to the Parliament, by making his laſt Addreſs to you, humbly acknowledging he hath incurred your high Diſpleaſure (of which he is deeply ſenſible) and violated the Laws of this Commonwealth, for which he is un­feignedly ſorrowful, and now alſo ſubmitteth to the Sentence of the High Court, and promiſeth and offereth further Security neither to Plot, Contrive or Deſign the Subverſion of this preſent Government, accounting it as a brand of the higheſt Ingratitude to imploy his life againſt you, if he ſhould by an Act of Grace and Favor receive a new life from you.

Wherefore your dying Petitioner, before he commend his ſoul to God on the Block, he pours out his ſoul to you, at your Bar, That you would be pleaſed by your gracious, merciful and ſeaſonable Interpoſition, to prevent this ſad ſtroke now the hand is even lifted up, and he is as one giving up the ghoſt; and if he have provoked you ſo far as to render him uncapable of an Abſolute Par­don, yet he humbly beſeeches you to change the Sentence of death into perpe­tual4 Baniſhment; in ſo doing, your Mercy will triumph over Iuſtice, and the greatneſs and nearneſs of his danger, he being as one free among the dead, will exceedingly greaten the freeneſs of your Grace and Mercy.

And your Petitioner ſhall pray, &c.
Chriſtopher Love.

To the Supream Authority, The Parliament of the Common­wealth of ENGLAND:The humble Petition of Mary the Wife of Chriſtopher Love;

SHEWETH,

THat your poor Petitioner hath great cauſe to ſay, Bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be You, for your merciful Vote of the 15th of Iuly (a Day never to be forgotten) in adding a moneth to the Life of her dear Husband, which hath opened a door of Hope to her in the midſt of the Valley of Achor, and made her glad, though ſhe be a woman of a ſorrowful Spirit; yet your di­ſtreſſed Handmaid is overwhelmed with grief and anguiſh of Soul, and can­not be comforted when ſhe remembers that doleful Day the 15th of Auguſt, ſo near approaching, her heart doth almoſt die within her, and ſhe is as one giving up the ghoſt, before ſhe is delivered of the fruit of her womb.

Wherefore your greatly diſtreſſed Handmaid doth again pour out her ſoul with renewed and importunate Requeſts, Beſeeching your Honors to commiſerate her deplorable Condition, by putting on bowels of Pity and Compaſſion to­wards her dear condemned Husband; that ſhe may not grapple with the in­tollerable pains of Travel, and the unſupportable thoughts of her Husband's death in one day; O that the Life of your Handmaid and her Babe might be a Ranſom for the Life of her condemned Husband! ſhe had rather chuſe out of love to die for him, then for ſorrow of heart to die with him: Now the good Lord incline your hearts to give him his life for a Prey, whereſoever it ſhall pleaſe your Honors to cast him.

And your Petitioner ſhall ever pray, &c.
Mary Love.

To the Supream Authority, The Parliament of the Common­wealth of ENGLAND:The humble Petition of Chriſtopher Love, a Condemned Priſoner in the Tower of London;

SHEWETH,

THat your Petitioner doth humbly adore the wonderful Goodneſs of God, and moſt thankfully acknowledge the great Mercy of the Parliament, for5 ſo ſeaſonable and acceptable an Act of Grace to ſuch an offending Suppliant, that when there was but a ſtep between him and death, the number of his days being accompliſhed, and he almoſt cut off from the Land of the living, then you mercifully interpoſed and gave him his Life for a moneth longer, which was to him as a Reſurrection from the dead; The conſideration whereof melteth the heart of your Petitioner, and makes him (after a more narrow ſearch into his heart and ways) more deeply ſenſible then ever of his ſin againſt God, and more ſorrowful for his high Crimes and Offences againſt the Parliament, in his late and great Miſcarriages.

He humbly acknowledgeth he hath ſo highly violated the Laws of the Com­monwealth, as that thereby he hath rendered himſelf guilty of the Sentence of death, juſtly paſſed on him by the High Court of Juſtice; He doth alſo herewith humbly offer to your Honors a free and full Narrative under his hand of the whole Deſign (to the beſt of his remembrance) which he leaveth to your grave Wiſdoms and favorable Interpretations, fully reſolving that he will neither plot, contrive or deſign any thing prejudicial to the preſent Go­vernment; but will in his place and calling oppoſe any Deſigns whatſoever (whether in this or the neighbor Nation) that may tend to the ruine of this Commonwealth.

Your dying Petitioner with all humble importunity proſtrates himſelf at your feet, puts his mouth in the duſt, (O that there may be hope!) craving your tender Mercy, begging his Life at your hands, promiſing never to imploy that Life againſt you he ſhall receive from you, but doth hold it his Duty in his place and calling, to lay out himſelf for the glory of God, the good of his people, the Peace and Safety of this Commonwealth.

And your Petitioner ſhall ever pray, &c.
Chriſtopher Love.

A Brief and full NARRATIVE Humbly preſented, with my Petition to the Parliament, By me CHRISTOPHER LOVE.

COnſidering how a clear and full Narrative may ſatisfie the State (although it may prejudice my ſelf) I am willing with an Ingenuous Freedom and openneſs of heart to make known the whole matter, ſo far as I diſtinctly know and well remember, humbly hoping that this large acknowledge­ment6 of mine (which is more then any in the world can prove againſt me) ſhall not be taken as an Aggravation of my fault, but as a Demonſtration of my Ingenuity. Before I mention the matters of Fact, I humbly crave leave to ſignifie the time when, and maner how I came to be intangled in this unhappy Buſineſs.

As for the time, it was after the breaking off the Treaty between the King and the Scots at Jerſey; for before that time (to the beſt of my remembrance) I was not privy to, or acquainted with any meetings about the ſending of Captain Titus (whoſe face I never ſaw) to Jerſey, or ſending Letters to him, or receiving Letters from him whiles he was there; or about ſending any Let­ters to, or receiving Letters from the King, Queen, Jermyn, Piercy, or any other perſon in Forraign parts during the Treaty at Jerſey: But after that Treaty was ended, Mr. William Drake came to me, told me he had News to impart; and to that end, he deſired to know (if he could get Friends toge­ther) whether I was willing that they ſhould meet at my houſe (it being con­veniently ſcituate in the midſt of the City) that ſo he might communicate what he heard of Affairs abroad. To ſatisfie my curioſity to hear News, I was content to let him, with thoſe he ſhould bring to meet at my houſe: Thus for the time when and maner how I came to be preſent at any meetings about In­telligence.

I now come humbly and truly to relate the matter of Fact, which is as fol­loweth; It appeared to me by the Teſtimony of the Witneſſes, that there were frequent meetings by Mr. Drake, Alford, Titus, Adams, and others, ſoon after the death of the late King; and Applications made to the King of Scots, the Queen his Mother, to Jermyn and Piercy, both before and during the Treaty at Jerſey, of which I know nothing, nor was I preſent: But the firſt meeting I was at was at my houſe, and was (as I remember) at the read­ing of a Letter which came from Captain Titus after the Treaty was ended at Jerſey; the Contents of that Letter was (if I miſtake not) to this effect: That the Treaty at Jerſey was broken off through the violent and evil Counſels of deſperate Malignants; and that he had ſomething of concernment to com­municate, which he durſt not do in perſon, being not ſafe for him to come over into England, nor could he well do it by writing, he judging it not fit nor ſafe to ſend by the common Poſt, fearing a miſcarriage; wherefore he deſired ſome body to be ſent over to him to Calice, to whom he might give an accompt of all Proceedings. Upon the reading of this Letter, Mr. Drake moved that ſome perſon ſhould be deſired to go to Calice; for ſaid he, We ſhall hear the whole Relation of the buſineſs at Jerſey: Whereupon Major Adams or Cap. Farr were moved by Mr. Drake to go. There was mention of Major Alford to go, though he was not preſent that I know of; nor was he ever within my7 houſe, as I remember, until after he returned from Calice: So that there was none that I know of was gone. Mr. Drake told me, Major Alford was the fitteſt man to go over to Calice, having buſineſs of his own to go into France, to look after his Prodigal ſon: So that it was (ſaid he) a plauſible pretence to conceal his going over to meet with Titus. There were preſent at this firſt meeting, Mr. Drake, Mr. Jenkins, Major Adams, Dr. Drake, Cap. Farr, Cap. Potter, and my ſelf, with ſome others; but who more, I cannot remember.

About two or three days after Major Alfords return from Calice, Mr. Drake told me he was come to London, and told me he would go to ſeveral Miniſters and Citizens, to deſire them to meet at my houſe, that ſo we might hear what news Major Alford brought with him from Calice, accordingly the next day in the Evening they met at my houſe, Mr. Drake brought Major Alford with him; Major Alford at that meeting gave an accompt of his con­ference with Titus, and of his receiving a Copy of the Kings Letter from him, as alſo a Narrative of the Proceedings at the Treaty of Jerſey: But he ſaid (if I miſtake not) that he brought not over the Letters himſelf, but delivered them to a Paſſenger that came over in the Ship to carry them, leſt that himſelf ſhould be ſearched; but after he came into England, he received the Letter and Narrative from the Paſſenger (but who he was I know not) and ſo brought them to London, Whether the Copy of the Kings Letter was read at my houſe in my hearing, I remember not; yet I deny not, but it was read there: I am ſure I heard that the Contents of it, were to this effect, That he took in good part the Affections and Loyalty of thoſe who formerly had made Applications by way of Petition to him (of which Petition I know no­thing) And if ever God reſtored him or put him in a Condition, he ſhould remember them. The Narrative which Alford brought from Titus, was read in my houſe in my hearing, which was to this effect, He made a large Deſcrip­tion of the King of Scots, commending his Prudent Carriage and good Inclina­tions to an Agreement with the Scots, but that his bad Councel about him hindered it: Alſo he made a Rehearſal of his Sufferings from the Cavaliers at Jerſey, how he was impriſoned in a cloſe Room: Many things elſe was in the Narrative which I have forgotten. There were preſent at this meeting, Major Alford, Mr. Drake, Mr. Caſe, Major Adams, Mr. Jaquel, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Jenkins, Doctor Drake, Cap. Potter, M. Sterks, Cap. Farr, and my ſelf, with ſome others; but who more, I do not remember.

A little before or about the Treaty, between the King and the Scots at Breda, there was a meeting at my houſe, Mr. Drake propoſed, That we ſhould think of ſome way to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots; where by the way, I deſire humbly to give notice, That this was the firſt and onely meeting of this nature, and for this end, as my houſe, that I8 know of. At this meeting, Mr. Drake took out ſome Papers out of his Pocket written in Characters, which he read in my Study; What he read, went un­der the name of a Commiſſion and Inſtructions (as he termed it) to be ſent to the Lord Willoughby; Alderman Bunce, Maſſey, Graves and Titus, to ap­point them to adviſe with, and uſe their Intereſt in Perſons of Honor about the King, to provoke him to agree with the Scots, and to take the Covenant; as al­ſo to adviſe with the Scots Commiſsioners, and perſwade them, That in their Agreemnt with their King, they would have ſpecial reſpect to the Intereſt of Religion, and terms of the Covenant; the Commiſſion ran in this form, as if it were in the names of all the Presbyterial party in England: After I heard it read, I expreſſed my ſelf againſt it, alledging ſeveral Reaſons, chiefly, That it was an Act of high Preſumption for private perſons to ſend Commiſſion with Inſtructions, and an act of notorious falſhood, to ſay, This was in the name of the Presbyterial party of England; when none but a few perſons then preſent knew thereof that I know of: Many in the Company did expreſs a diſlike thereof, as well as my ſelf; I mention not this my diſcent as an Apo­logy to excuſe my ſelf, I know a condemned man ſhould not plead an excuſe, but meerly as a Relation of ſuch Circumſtances which will make my Narrative more clear and full: I ſhall anon mention particulars rather to aggravate, then extenuate my fault. But to return to the buſineſs of this meeting, Mr. Draks did alſo read a Letter in this meeting, but to whom it was, I know not, nei­ther know I the Contents of it; I was at leaſt a dozen times called out of the Room, whiles the Company were there met; ſo that I am not able to give ſo full and particular an accompt of the Contents of the Letter, and of the Commiſſion and Inſtructions: What Mr. Drake did about the Commiſſion and Inſtructions after he was gone from my houſe, I know not; what he ſent away, I know not; nor did I know by whom it was ſent away, until Major Alford declared before the High Court, That he received the Papers from Mr. Drake, carried them to Graveſend, and delivered them to one Maſon (whoſe face I never ſaw) and he carried them to Holland. There were preſent at this meeting, Major Huntingdon (who was never at my houſe before nor ſince, whoſe face I never ſaw before, nor ſince, but at my Tryal) There were preſent alſo Mr. Drake, Dr. Drake, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Cauton, Major Alford, Mr. Gibbons, Major Adams, Cap. Farr, and my ſelf, with ſome others whom I cannot remember.

I was preſent ſometimes at private Faſts, particularly at Major Adams and Colonel Bartons; in both places I ſaw on the Table, a Paper written, by whom know not; where among other ends of thoſe Faſts, this one End was ſpecified, To deſire a Bleſſing upon the Treaty between the King and the Scots. At Major Adams houſe Mr. Caſe Preached and I prayed, but who elſe exer­ciſed,9 I remember not. I confeſs I did in that Faſt pray, That God would reſcue the King from Wicked and Malignant Councels, That God would re­deem him from the Iniquity of his Fathers houſe, That there might be a firm Agreement between him and his Subjects of Scotland, ſuch as might conſiſt with the Intereſt of Religion, and Terms of the Covenant. Preſent at this meeting, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Caſe, Doctor Drake, Mr. Robinſon, Mr. Cauton, Mr. Sterks, Mr. Drake, Major Adams, Mr. Jaquel, my ſelf and many others; but I cannot call one more to minde.

There was a Faſt alſo at Col. Bartons, where Mr. Jenkins and my ſelf Preached, Mr. Caſe, Mr. Cauton, Mr. Robinſon prayed, ſundry other perſons were preſent; but I remember none but Col. Barton, Dr. Drake, Lieut. Col. Jackson, Mr. Drake and Major Adams.

About a year ſince Captain Potter ſpake to me to deſire ſome money for a good uſe, for a poor Scotchman who was to leave this Nation, his name was Sterks, but he was no Agent for any in Scotland that I know of: I gave Captain Potter Ten ſhillings to give to him.

In the moneth of July, 1650. or thereabouts, there was a rough-draft of a Letter read in my houſe, intended to be ſent to the Church of Scotland, by whom it was written, I know not, by whom it was read I remember not, I heard but a part of it read, The ſubſtance of that part of the Letter which I heard, was to ſignifie the great ſufferings that many of the Brethren here were under, what ſnares and dangers we were daily in; yet to aſſure them of our ſtedfaſtneſs to the Covenant, to which end we deſired the help of their prayers, promiſing them ours: I declared my ſelf againſt the ſending away of this Letter, yet it was (as I heard) written afterwards by Mr. William Drake, and that with Sack in a Table Book, or Paper Book, and ſent away by one Col. Bampfield (whoſe face I never ſaw) and without my knowledge or con­ſent carried by him into Scotland: There were preſent at this meeting, Cap. Potter, Doctor Drake, Major Adams, Major Alford Mr. Sterks, Mr. Jeaquel, Mr. Gibbons, Cap. Farr, and my ſelf, with ſome others whom I remember not.

After Dunbar fight, there was a rough-draft of a Letter read in my houſe, it was ſpoken to be directed to the Commiſſioners of the General Aſſembly of the Church of Scotland; The rough-draft was read by Doctor Drake, but that it was written by him, I cannot poſitively ſay: I ſuppoſe he drew up that Letter and Copy which was ſent away, but cannot affirm it. I confeſs I did offer ſome general Heads to be inſerted in the Letter before it was drawn up, which were to this effect: Firſt, To intimate that their Brethren here did ſenſibly lay to heart their ſad loſs, That ſo many of them ſhould fall by the hands of their Brethren. Secondly, To deſire them to ſearch into the cauſe of the Lords ſevere diſpleaſure againſt them. Thirdly, To underſtand the true10 ſtate of their Affairs ſo far as was fit for them to impart; and for us to know, Whether they did ſtill maintain Religious and Covenant-Intereſt. There were preſent at this meeting, Mr. Caſe, Major Adams, Doctor Drake, Captain Maſſey, Lieut. Col. Jackson, Mr. Gibbons, Cap. Potter, and my ſelf, with ſome others whom I remember not.

Soon after this, there was a Letter read in my houſe by Cap. Maſſey, as was ſaid to be from Major General Maſſey, which was the firſt Letter that I remember was read in my houſe, which came from Scotland; This was neer three moneths after Dunbar fight: Together with this Letter from Maſſey, there were Letters read from Alderman Bunce and Mr. Drake at the ſame time (if I miſtake not) The ſubſtance of Alderman Bunces and Mr. Drakes Letters, I have wholly forgotten; but the Contents of Maſſeys Letter was to this Effect, He mentioned the Poverty of his Condition, to what Neceſſities both Titus and himſelf were reduced, having no Command at all in the Scotiſh Army: He alſo in his Letter related the number of the Scots, who were both ſlain and taken priſoners; and wrote for Money and Arms to be ſent him, by the way of Holland: All the company was againſt ſending money on a Mili­tary Accompt to provide Arms; all did diſavow that: But there was a Pro­poſition made (by whom I know not) to ſend them money for a ſupply of their perſonal Neceſſities: The ſum propounded was, either Three hundred pounds, or elſe Four hundred pounds. I confeſs, I did ſecond this Propoſal, and did move for the Contribution of money for them, but named no ſum, and ut­terly diſclaimed the buſineſs of Arms: I moved it chiefly for Maſſey (for I knew not Titus) becauſe Maſſey had formerly done eminent Services for the good of this Nation; and I moved it meerly for a ſupply of his perſonal Ne­ceſſities, without any reference to the War: I confeſs, I did ſubſcribe Ten pounds for that purpoſe, and did give it accordingly, laying it down on the Table in my Parlor, wrapt up in a Paper with C. L. written on it. There were many preſent in the Room, but none ſaw me lay it down (that I know of) nor did I ſee any take it up, yet I believe Cap. Maſſey received it. I con­feſs, I did not onely ſubſcribe the ſum that I my ſelf did give, but I did write down alſo ſome few of the ſums, which others ſaid they would give: Particu­larly I writ down Ten pounds which Lieut. Col. Jackson promiſed to give, Ten pounds which Maj. Adams promiſed to give, and Five pounds which Cap. Farr promiſed to give, and Five pounds which Mr. Jaquel told me of before, if there were need he would give: But I received not the money from any of thoſe forementioned, but onely from Mr. Jaquel I received Five pounds for the uſe of Maſſey and Titus, and the next meeting laid it on my Table, wrapt in a Paper, with Mr. Jaquel written on it. I might poſſibly receive Five or ten pounds from ſome of the company, who met at my houſe, for the uſe of11 Maſſey, but cannot now remember from whom. There were ſeveral ſums of money left on my Table, but I ſaw them not laid down, nor did I ſee any take it up; yet I ſuppoſe Cap. Maſſey did receive it, and return it.

I do confeſs, I writ an anſwer to Maſſey's Letter, which none in the World could accuſe me of; it was the firſt and onely Letter that ever I writ into Scotland, ſince the Wars began: I writ it in long hand, for I never uſed Cypher or Character in all my life. And though before the High Court I did ſay (and that truly) I never wrote Letter to any perſon of the Scotiſh Nation, ſince the Wars began, yet I durſt not ſay, I never writ to any perſon in the Scotiſh Nation, becauſe I did write this one (and but this one) Letter to Maſſey: The ſubſtance of the Letter was to this effect, To let him know, his Friends here could not forget the eminent Services he had formerly done; That we were ſorry to hear of the Neceſſity of his Condition; That ſome Friends here had reſolved, as an Expreſſion of their Reſpects towards him and Cap. Titus, to ſend them Four hundred pounds (although I believe that ſum was never raiſed) for a ſupply of their perſonal Neceſſities: But as for Arms, I wrote expreſly, We could not, we would not provide any; it was neither ſafe, nor fit for us to ingage in a buſineſs of that nature: Wherefore I prayed him to forbear any ſuch motions to us. There were preſent at this meeting theſe perſons following, Major Alford, Lieut. Col. Jackson, Mr. Caſe, Cap. Maſſey, Major Adams, Dr. Drake, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Cauton, Cap. Farr, and my ſelf, with ſome others; but who more, I cannot well remember.

There is one thing I have yet to declare concerning a learned and godly Brother, Dr. Drake, which I hope will not turn to his prejudice; He did twice or thrice bring Letters to my houſe, and read them when we met: I believe they were from his Brother M. William Drake who is in Holland, the matter of them was, An expreſſion of Brotherly affection, a remembring to Friends, and a relation of what News he heard either in Scotland or Holland, and an exciting ſometimes to do ſomething to raiſe money for the Scots, which motion Dr. Drake did reject, and (as he told me) writ a Denial. Dr. Drake did alſo ſhew me the Tranſcript of a Letter (which he ſaid) was from the King; it was written in his Brothers Letter; the ſubſtance of it was to this effect, That he was glad he was joyned in the ſame Covenant with ſuch honeſt men, as he had cauſe to judge them to be; but to whom the Letter was written I know not, nor can I remember one paſſage more in it.

About February laſt paſt, Capt. Potter (and M. Jaquel with him) brought Letters to my houſe, which was the laſt Meeting (to the beſt of my remem­brance) at my houſe about a buſineſs of ſuch a nature, when Capt. Potter came in, he ſaid, He had News to ſhew me, and took out of his pocket ſeveral Let­ters, I think they were moſt, if not all opened, before he brought them to my12 houſe: One Letter was from M. Bayly a Miniſter in Scotland, another from Col. Bampfield, a third ſubſcribed by four Lords of Scotland, viz. Argyle, Lou­don, Lothian and Belcarris; there was a Letter or two more, but from whom or to whom, I know not; I cannot remember the Contents of each Letter on the bare hearing Capt. Potter reading of them, onely in one or more of them, there was a Narration of the Affairs of Scotland, how they ſtood ſince Dunbar Fight; what Diviſions and Parties there were in Scotland, ſome for the King, others for the Kirk, and ſome for neither. There was a motion alſo for 10000 l. to be raiſed for the Affairs of Scotland, but all preſent diſliked the mo­tion, and did utterly refuſe to act any thing in that buſineſs, and reſolved to give a Negative Anſwer: I was deſired to write an Anſwer to Col. Bampfield, which I did, but who writ anſwer to the other Letters I do not know certain­ly, onely this I know, Dr. Drake was deſired to return an Anſwer to M. Bay­ly, which I believe he did: It was agreed on by us who were preſent, That though we did diſlike the motion for raiſing ſo great a ſum for the Scotiſh Af­fairs, yet we would ſend a Gratuity to the meſſenger; we judged it conveni­ent to give Col. Bampfield and his man 40 l. In theſe Letters ſent by Col. Bamp­field were an Anſwer to that Letter which M. Drake writ with Sack in a Table-book or Paper-book, which was ſent in Iuly 1650. but the Anſwer not returned till the February following. I confeſs I writ an Anſwer to Col. Bamp­field's Letter, but to none of the reſt; I wrote (though I knew not the man) on purpoſe to ſtop further Solicitations to us for money; the Contents of the Letter was to this effect, To give him notice of the Receipt of his Letter with the Letters incloſed; I did write peremptorily, we could not, we would not raiſe any moneys, it was neither fit nor ſafe for us to do ſo, I deſired him to deſiſt any ſuch motions for the future, telling him we ſhould not ſatisfie his ex­pectation and the Scots; I writ plainly to him, that we had no occaſion to uſe or employ him in any buſineſs for us: I gave him notice alſo of 30 l. ſent him, and 10 l. given his man, for their care and pains. This was the ſum of that Letter I writ to Col. Bampfield who was then in Holland. Beſides one Letter to Maſſey in Scotland, and this to Bampfield in Holland, I never writ any o­ther about buſineſs of this nature; moreover I gave 5 l. towards the 40 l. and delivered it to M. Jaquel, but whether he returned it or who elſe I do not certainly know, nor who elſe made up the ſum of 40 l. I know not; onely this I know, it was agreed upon that among our ſelves we ſhould raiſe that ſum, and ſo have no more to do with Bampfield; there were preſent when the Letters were read which were ſent by Bampfield, Dr. Drake, Captain Pot­ter, Mr. Jaquel, and my ſelf: This was the laſt meeting, as I remember, which was at my houſe about theſe Tranſactions, I was unwilling to continue it any longer.

14There is one thing more I make bold to mention, That there are other per­ſons, beſides thoſe I have named, who did now and then come to theſe Meet­ings at my Houſe; as Mr. Robinſon, Mr. Nalton, Mr. Haviland, Mr. Black­more, Col: Vaughan, Col: Sowton; theſe were alſo preſent at one time or an­other, but at what particular Meeting I cannot poſitively ſay.

Thus I have clearly laid open the whole matter of Fact ſo far as I well re­member, and diſtinctly know of Paſſages about theſe Meetings and Tranſacti­ons at my Houſe; yea, I have expreſſed more then all the Witneſſes have proved, or then all the men in the world could prove againſt me; and now I humbly hope, the Parliament will be as free in pardoning, as I am in confeſſing, that as by what I have done, I am an object of your juſt diſpleaſure; ſo by what I have confeſſed, I may become an object of your free grace and favor.

I fully reſolving never to ingage again in a buſineſs of the like nature, if through your clemency you paſs by theſe ſundry and great Offences upon my free Confeſſion, and full reſolution to leave them, you will reſemble God him­ſelf, who hath ſaid, He that confeſſeth and forſakes his ſins ſhall finde mercy.

Having thus laid open my heart in this matter, in an ingenuous acknow­ledgement, I humbly crave leave to expreſs my ſelf in a few Particulars for further ſatisfaction to the Parliament.

1. Although I was preſent at ſeveral meetings in my Houſe to hear Letters read, yet I uſed not to be at meetings elſewhere about buſineſſes of this na­ture; it ſeems there were meetings in other places many Moneths before I knew any thing.

2. There are no perſons who uſed theſe meetings, ſo far as I remember (and as I am informed) but they are already diſcovered and made known.

3. There is no Intelligence or Correſpondencies now held that I know of, with any in, or of the Scotiſh Nation, or any imployed by them.

4. I am not privy to, or acquainted with any Plots or Deſigns now carry­ing on, for raiſing inteſtine Inſurrections at home, or joyning with Forreign Invaſions from abroad.

5. There was never any money raiſed that I know of, for any of the Scotiſh Nation to carry on their War; yea, when Letters were read wherein there were motions to that purpoſe, I utterly refuſed to do any thing therein.

6. I do retain as vehement a Deteſtation of Malignancy, whether in Eng­land, or in Scotland, as ever I did, and ſhall in my Place and Calling oppoſe ſuch a Deſign and intereſt with as much zeal and faithfulneſs as ever.

7. Laſtly, I do faithfully promiſe never to ingage in a buſineſs of the like na­ture as this, wherein I have been inſnared; nor ſhall I Plot, Contrive or De­ſign the ſubverſion of this preſent Government, but ſhall under the ſame, lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlineſs and honeſty.

14I have no more to ſay, but to make this humble and laſt requeſt, That this my large Confeſſion may not be taken as an Aggravation of my fault, but as a Demonſtration of my Ingenuity. I acknowledge by your Juſtice, you might in one day leave a Flock without a Shepherd, a Wife without a Husband, Children without a Father, and a Body without a Soul: But my Hope and Prayer is, That your Mercy will triumph over Juſtice, That I ſhall hear that joyful ſound, That my life ſhall ſee the Light, That I ſhall be reſcued from going down to the Grave: To which, if God ſhall incline your hearts, I ſhall devote the remainder of my days, to the glory of God, and good of his peo­ple, The peace and ſafety of this Commonwealth, againſt all the Malignant Enemies, and Oppoſers thereof.

I have but one Requeſt more to make to this Honorable Houſe, That if ſome Paſſages about theſe Meetings and Tranſactions have paſſed my Obſerva­tion, or ſlipt my Memory (as happily through tract of time ſome things have) That you would not impute it to my Wilfulneſs, but to my Forgetfulneſs of things done ſo long ago.

I Atteſt the truth of this Narrative under my Hand. Chriſtopher Love.

Mr. Love's Speech made on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill, Auguſt 22. 1651.

Mr. Love being brought upon the Scaffold by the Sheriffs, Mr. Sheriff Titchburn ſhewed him the Warrant directed to the Sheriffs of London for his Execution, telling him that he took no pleaſure in this Work, but it was a Duty laid upon him.

To which Mr. Love replyed, I believe it, Sir.

Sheriff Titchburn.

I have done my duty for you.

Mr. Love.

The Lord bleſs you.

Lieutenant of the Tower.

The Lord ſtrengthen you in this hour of your Temptation.

Mr. Love.

Sir, I am. I bleſs God my heart is in heaven. I am well.

Sheriff Titchburn.

I deſire you to conſider we have the other to execute afterwards, and ſix a clock is our Hour; but we ſhall give you as much time as we can.

15Mr. Love.

I ſhall be the briefer.

Then putting off his Hat two ſeveral times to the people, he ſpake as followeth;

SECTION I.

BEloved Chriſtians, I am made this day a Spectacle unto God, Angels and Men, and among men I am made a Grief to the Godly, a Laughing­ſtock to the wicked, and a Gazing-ſtock to all, yet bleſſed be my God not a Terror to my ſelf, although there be but a little between me and Death, yet this bears up my heart, there is but a little between me and Heaven. It com­forted Doctor Tailor the Martyr when he was going to Execution, that there were but two Styles between him and his Fathers houſe; there is a leſſer way be­tween me and my Fathers houſe; but two ſteps between me and Glory, it is but lying down upon the Block, and I ſhall aſcend upon a Throne: I am this day ſayl­ing towards the Ocean of Eternity, through a rough Paſſage, to my Haven of Reſt; through a Red-ſea to the Promiſed Land. Me thinks I hear God ſay to me as he did to Moſes, Go up to Mount Nebo and die there, ſo go thou up to Tower-hill and die there. Iſaac ſaid of himſelf that he was old, and yet he knew not the day of his death, but I cannot ſay thus: I am yong, and yet I know the day of my death, and I know the kinde of my death alſo, and the place of my death alſo; it is ſuch a kinde of death as two famous Preachers of the Goſpel were put to before me, John the Baptiſt, and Paul the Apoſtle, they were both beheaded; ye have mention of the one in Scripture Story, and of the other in Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory: And I read in the 20th of the Revelation and the 4th, The Saints were beheaded for the Word of God, and for the Teſtimony of Jeſus.

SECTION II.

But herein is the diſadvantage which I am in in the thoughts of many, who judge that I ſuffer not for the Word, or for Conſcience, but for medling with State matters. To this I ſhall briefly ſay, That it is an old guiſe of the Devil, to impute the cauſe of Gods Peoples Sufferings, to be Contrivements againſt the State, when in truth it is their Religion and Conſcience they are perſecuted for. The Rulers of Iſrael, they would put Jeremiah to death upon a Civil account, though indeed it was onely the truth of his Propheſie made the Rulers angry with him; yet upon a Civil account they did pretend he muſt dye, becauſe he fell away to the Caldeans, and would have brought in Forreign Forces to Invade them: The ſame thing is laid to my charge, of which I am as innocent as Jeremiah was. I finde other inſtances in the Scripture, wherein men the cauſe of their Sufferings were ſtill imputed to medling with State-matters; Paul, though he did but Preach Jeſus Chriſt, yet he muſt dye, if the People might have their will, under the pretence that he was a mver of Sedition. Ʋpon a civil account my life is pretended to be taken away, whereas indeed it is becauſe I purſue my Covenant,16 and will not proſtitute my Principles and Conſcience to the Ambition and Luſts of men.

SECT. III.

Beloved, I am this day to make a double exchange, I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold, and a Scaffold for a Throne; and I might adde a third, I am changing this numerous multitude, the preſence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-Hill, for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy Hill of Zion; and I am changing a guard of Soldiers for a guard of Angels, which will receive me, and carry me into Abrahams boſom. This Scaffold it is the beſt Pulpit I ever preached in; for in the Church-Pulpit, God through his Grace, made me an Inſtrument to bring others to Heaven, but in this Pulpit he will bring me to Heaven. Theſe are the laſt words that I ſhall ſpeak in this world, and it may be this laſt Speech upon a Scaffold may bring God more glory, then many Sermons in a Pulpit.

SECT. IV.

Before I lay down my Neck upon the Block, I ſhall lay open my Caſe unto the people that hear me this day, and in doing it I ſhall avoid all rancer, all bitterneſs of Spirit, animoſity and Revenge, God is my record whom I ſerve in the ſpirit, I ſpeak the truth, and lye not; I do not bring a revengeful heart unto the Scaffold this day; before I came here, upon my bended knees I have begged Mercy for them that denyed mercy to me, and I have prayed God to forgive them who would not forgive me; I have forgiven from my heart the worſt Enemy I have in all the world, and this is the worſt that I wiſh to my Accuſers and Proſecutors who have purſued my blood, That I might meet their ſouls in Heaven.

SECT. V.

I ſhall divide my Speech into three parts; ſpeak ſomething concerning my Charge, and a word concerning my Accuſers, and touching my Judges, without any animoſity at all, and then ſomething concerning my ſelf for my own vindica­tion, and then a word of Exhortation; and ſo I ſhall commit my ſoul to God.

Concerning my Charge, it is black and hideous, many things falſly ſuggeſted, but nothing capital ſufficiently proved by any one act, that I am conſcious to my ſelf, proved againſt me that I did. The Charge was high and full, but the Proof empty and low: Though there were eight Witneſſes that came in againſt me; yet none of them did prove, That ever I writ any Letter, or directed any man to write a Letter into Scotland or into Forreign parts: No man proved, That I ſent away any Letter, that I received any Letter, that I collected, or gave, or lent any Money to aſſiſt or promote the Scotiſh War. This is all that was ſworn againſt me, That I was preſent when Letters were read, that I made a motion for Money to give to Maſſey; ſo that Beloved, my preſence at, and concealment of Letters that were received and ſent from Forreign parts.

17There being a diſturbance amongſt the people, he ſaid, I am amuſed, I muſt break off, things are true.

But the tumult being appeaſed, he went on, ſaying,

SECT. VI.

As concerning my Accuſers I ſhall not ſay much, I do forgive them, and I pray God forgive them alſo; yet what the Evangeliſt obſerves concerning Chriſts Accuſers, I may without vanity or falſhood ſay of mine, that they did not agree among themſelves; yea not onely contradicting one another, but ſometimes a Witneſs contradict himſelf. And though their Teſtimony did condemn my per­ſon, yet I have condemned their Teſtimony; and truly there are many remarkable Circumſtances that I might take notice of, either in, or before, or ſince the Trial, that might be worthy obſervation; but I will not inſiſt upon them, onely in the general; I will name none of them, in the general ſome of them have ſent to me to pray me to forgive them the wrong they have done me. One of them hath written to me under his own hand, to pray me to forgive him the wrong he hath done me; And told me withal, That that day that I ſhould die a violent death, his life would be no comfort to him, becauſe he was an Inſtrument in taking away mine. Others of my witneſſes, they were ſome terrified before they would teſti­fie, ſome hired, ſome fined before they would bear witneſs againſt me, but I will forgive them.

SECT. VII.

As concerning my Judges, I will not judge them, and yet I will not juſtifie them, I believe (I will ſay but this of them) That what moved (John Baptiſt what moved) Herod to cut off John Baptiſts head, moved them to cut off mine, and that was for his Oaths ſake John Baptiſt [meaning Herod] to avoid perjury, he would commit murther, whereas if John Baptiſts head had been upon his ſhoul­ders, he would have been guilty of neither.

SECT. VIII.

I have ſomething in the ſecond place to speak concerning my ſelf, and then I ſhall come briefly to a Concluſion. Concerning my ſelf, I have gone through va­rious reports: There are many Sons of ſlander, whoſe mouths are as open Sepul­chres to bury my Name before my friends can bury my body. My comfort is, there will be a Reſurrection of Names as well as Bodies at the laſt Day; God will not onely wipe off tears from mine eyes this day, but wipe off all blots and reproaches from my Name before many days be over; And though my Body will ſoon rot under ground, yet my hope is, my Name will not rot above it: I am not ignorant what Calumnies are caſt upon me, and more likely to be after I am dead and gone. The very night before my intended Execution the laſt moneth, there was an inſulting Letter written to me to tell me, that after I was dead there ſhould be ſomething publiſhed against me to my ſhame; I hope you will have ſo18 much charity as not to believe Reproaches caſt upon a dead man, who will be ſi­lent in the grave, and not able to ſpeak a word in his own juſtification. I am aſper­ſed both as to my Practices, and as to my Principles.

SECT. IX.

I ſhall begin with the firſt: There are five Asperſions as to my practices that are laid upon me; Firſt, That I am a Lyar, that I am an Extortioner, that I am an Adulterer, that I am a Murtherer, and that I am a turbulent perſon; crimes ſcandalous in any man, but much more abominable in a Miniſter.

Now I hope you will believe a dying man, who dare not look God in the face with a lye in his mouth. I am accuſed of lying, that what I denied before the High Court of Juſtice, that afterwards I ſhould confeſs, or elſe was proved againſt me: Now in the preſence of God I tell you, as I would confeſs nothing that was criminal, ſo I did deny nothing that was true, and that I might ſeal it to you with my blood; what I did deny, the proteſtations I made before the High Court, I make them briefly now, That I never writ Letter to the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or to any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation ſince the Wars began to this day: That I never received any Letter writ to me, either from the King, or from the Queen, or from the Church or State of Scot­land, or from any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation ſince the Wars began to this day: That I never collected, gave or lent one peny of money, either to the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or to any particular perſon to ſend into Scotland, to any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation to this day. It is true, I confeſſed though it was not proved, and happily upon that ground the miſtake might riſe, I did give money to Maſſey, but he is of the Engliſh not of the Scotiſh Nation, and I did write a Letter to him, but he is of the Engliſh not of the Scotiſh Nation. That for which I here come, is for moving onely for money for him, and for being preſent when Letters were read from him and others; and I am ſo far (though man hath condemned me) from thinking that either God or my own Con­ſcience condemns me for a ſin in what I am condemned for, that God and my own Conſcience acquits me; and what I ſaid at the Bar when I received my Sentence that now is to be executed, I ſhall ſay now upon the Scaffold, That for the things I am condemned, neither doth God nor my own Conſcience condemn me.

SECT. X.

The next particular, I am accuſed to be an Extortioner, and this is in the mouths, I am loth to name them becauſe I would not ſhew rancor, but I am char­ged as if I ſhould be a grievous Extortioner, to receive 30 l. for the loan of 300. beſides 8 l. in the hundred for intereſt, which in the preſence of God, and of you all, I do declare to you, is a moſt notorious and an abominable falſhood. I am accuſed likewiſe to be an Adulterer: and that this Report it is not in the mouths of mean men, but in the mouths of thoſe that ſit at ſtern, as if I were a debauched perſon,19 and were guilty of uncleanneſs. Now I tell you through the grace of God, as Lu­ther ſaid of himſelf in another caſe, That he was not tempted to Covetouſneſs, through the grace of God I can ſay, I was not tempted in all my life to unclean­neſs. It doth not much grieve me though theſe ſlanders lye upon me: I know my betters have been worſe accuſed before me. Athanaſius he was accuſed by two har­lets that he had committed folly with them, and yet the man was chaſte and inno­cent. Beza was charged not onely of Drunkenneſs, but of Laſciviouſneſs alſo, and many others have been accuſed with the ſame, if not worſe ſlanders then I have been.

SECT. XI.

But that which goes neareſt my heart, I am accuſed to be a Murtherer alſo, and this is a Charge high indeed; I am charged with the guilt of all the Blood of Scotland, whereas if I did lie under the guilt of one drop of blood, I could not look upon you with ſo chearful a Countenance, and I could not be filled with ſo peace­able a Heart and Conſcience as I am at this day, I bleſs my God I am free from the blood of all: indeed thoſe who lay this to my charge, they do to me as Nero did to the Chriſtians, he put Rome on fire, and then charged the Chriſtians with it: ſo they put England and Scotland into a flame, and yet charge me with the guilt of that Blood, who have poured tears to God night and day to quench the burning which ſome mens Ambition and Luſts have kindled. I would fain know of any man what act it is I have done, what was it was proved in the High Court againſt me to make me guilty of Scotland's blood? Did I ever invite the Scots to invade England? what man did lay that to my charge? Did I ever encourage our Engliſh Army to invade Scotland? what action is it that I have done that makes me guilty of the blood? Indeed this I have done, and this I own, and this I ſtand to; I have as a private man prayed unto God many a day, and kept many a Faſt, wherein I have ſought God, that there might be an Agreement between the King and the Scots upon the intereſt of Religion, and the terms of the Cove­nant. Now by what conſequence can this be ſtrained to charge me with Scotland's blood? For my part, I was but onely at one Meeting where that Question was propoſed (Faſts onely excepted) what ſhould be thought fit to be done to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots, and that was moved in my houſe, and to that end when there were ſome things there produced which they called a Commiſſion and Inſtructions to ſend to Holland; as ſoon as ever I heard them, I did declare againſt them: I did declare that private perſons, it was an act of high preſumption for private perſons to commiſſionate, and an act of notorious falſ­hood to ſay, it was in the Name of the Preſbyterian Party, when none knew of it as I know, but onely thoſe few that were then preſent. Now this is onely a politique Engine to make the Presbyterian Party odious, who are the beſt friends to a well­ordered Government of any ſort of people in the world.

20

SECT. XII.

I am accuſed likewiſe to be a man of a turbulent ſpirit, to be an enemy to the Peace and Quiet of the Nation. Now to this I would be judged, let my Congre­gational and my Domeſtical Relations judge for me, whether I am not a man that would fain have lived quiet in the Land: I am, as Jeremy was, born a man of contention, not actively, I contend, I ſtrive with none, but paſſively, many ſtrive and contend with me; God is my witneſs, my judgement hath put me upon endea­vors after all honorable and juſt ways, for peace and love among the godly. The grief of my heart hath been for the Diviſion, and the deſire of my ſoul for a Ʋnion amongſt Gods People. And when I ſpeak of a union, I would not be miſunder­ſtood: I do not mean a State-union to engage to the preſent Power, that is againſt my Principle, that is to ſay, a Confederacy with them that ſay a Confederacy, that is rather a Combination then a Gospel-union. Thoſe who have gotten Power into their hands by Policy, and uſe it by Cruelty, they will loſe it with Ignominy.

Sher. Titchhurn.

Sir, be modeſt: I am not able to endure this, indeed I am not.

Love.

Sir, I ſhall look God in the face with what I ſay. (Beloved) I am afraid of your Ʋnion which I plead for, to wit, a Church-union (I am ſtopped in many things) a Church union, to wit, love among the Godly. This is it the deſires of my ſoul have been ever for, that thoſe that fear God might walk hand in hand in the fellowſhip of the Gospel, both in truth and love: if this Ʋnion be not, I am afraid through our diviſions a company of looſe Libertines will riſe, who will endeavor not onely to overthrow Doctrines of Faith and Religion and Maners (but then correcting himſelf, he ſaid) Doctrines of Faith and the power of God­lineſs, but even good Maners alſo. I remember an obſervation of Holy Green­ham, giving his judgement upon the State of England, he ſaid thus, There is a great fear of Popery coming into England; I fear that too; but I fear more the coming of Atheiſm into England, then the coming in of Popery; and truly that is my fear alſo. Thus as to my practices.

SECT. XIII.

A word now as to my Principles.

I am accuſed to be an Apoſtate, to be a Turn-coat, to be this, to be that, to be any thing, but what I am. In the General I will tell you, That I bleſs my God, an High Court, a long Sword, a bloody Scaffold, hath not made me in the leaſt to alter my Principles, or to wrong my Conſcience. And that I might diſ­cover to you my Principles, I hope I ſhall do it with freedom; I will iritate and provoke none; what I ſhall ſay, ſhall not be an iritation, or provocation of others, (at leaſt not intended by me) but onely as a genuine and clear Manifeſtation of my Principles how they ſtand.

Firſt, Then my Principles; As to Civil and Religious Affairs, I declare, That21 I die with my Judgement ſet againſt Malignity, I do hate both name and thing; I ſtill retain as vehement a deteſtation of a Malignant Intereſt, as ever I did; yet I would not be miſunderſtood: I do not count the Godly party, our Covenant­ing Brethren in Scotland, I do not count them a Malignant party; nor their de­fending their Nation, and Title to their King, to be a Malignant Intereſt, but an honeſt and a juſtifiable Cauſe.

SECT. XIV.

Secondly, I am of this Judgement (though I am againſt Malignity) yet I am not againſt, but for, a Regulated Monarchy; a mixt Monarchy, as ours was, I judge to be one of the beſt Governments in the world: I did (it is true) oppoſe in my Place and Calling, the Forces of the late King, and were he alive again, and ſhould I live longer, the Cauſe being as then it was, I ſhould oppoſe him longer. I did oppoſe his Forces, but never was againſt the Office: I do as much hate Court Paraſites, who would ſcrew up Monarchy into Tyranny, as thoſe who pull it down to bring in Anarchy: I was never.

Thirdly, I was never for putting the King to death, whoſe Perſon I did pro­miſe in my Covenant to preſerve. It is true, I did in my Place and Calling, op­poſe his Forces, but I did never endeavor to deſtroy his Perſon. There is a ſcandal raiſed of me, That in a Sermon at Windſor I ſhould have theſe words, [That it would never be well with England, till the King were let blood upon the Neck-Vein] Which in the preſence of God, and of you all, I never ſpake ſuch words, as relating to him, though my judgement then was, and ſtill is, for bringing Malignants, who did ſeduce him and draw him from the Parliament, to condign puniſhment. I deem it an ill way to cure the Body Politique, by cutting off the Political Head.

SECT. XV.

Fourthly, I die with my Judgement not ſatisfied to take the Ingagement, I pray God forgive them that impoſe it, and ſubſcribe it, and preſerve thoſe that refuſe it.

I would not (in the next place) be looked upon (now I am a dying man) I would not be looked upon as a man owning this preſent Government, I die with my Judgement againſt it. It is true, in a Caſe of Life, I did Petition the preſent Power, and did give them the Titles they take to themſelves, and other men give them; but herein I did not wrong, nor croſs my Principles: There are many In­ſtances in the Scripture to juſtifie this; Huſhai did give the Title to Abſolon, though Abſolon had no right to the Title: David was the lawful King, and Da­vid himſelf gave him the Title as well as Huſhai: And Calvin he gave a Title to the French King, calling him Rex Chriſtianiſſimus, The moſt Chriſtian King; yet he knew he was a Papiſt: And we gave a Title to King Henry the eighth, to call him, The Defender of the Faith; and yet he had no right to the Title; he22 was an Oppoſer, not a Defender of the Faith: The Title was given him upon an evil ground, becauſe he oppoſed the Faith; he oppoſed the Doctrine of Luther, and therefore the Pope gave him that Title [The Defender of the Faith] and yet none did ſcruple to give him the Title that was then commonly given him.

SECT. XVI.

In the next place, I diſcover my Judgement; I provoke none, onely tell you what my own thoughts are, That ſo after I am dead and gone, I might not be be­lied; for I dare not now bely my Principles: My Judgement is againſt the In­vaſion of the Scotiſh Nation by our Engliſh Army: They who gave us a friendly Aſſiſtance, who were joyned with us in the ſame Covenant, who drew a Sword with us in the ſame Quarrel; ſhould I live a thouſand years, I ſhould never draw a Sword againſt them in all my life. Scotland may ſay as it was ſaid of Edom, The men of my Confederacy that were at Peace with me, have riſen up againſt me, deceived me and prevailed againſt me. Becauſe Scotland will not be a Commonwealth, they ſhall not be a people; becauſe they will not break Covenants, ſome men would have them broken; becauſe they will not lay their Conſciences waſte, their Land muſt be laid waſte.

Laſtly, And ſo I have done, onely with a word of Exhortation. I die cleaving to all thoſe Oaths, Vows, Covenants and Proteſtations, that were impoſed by the Two Houſes of Parliament, as owning them, and dying with my Judgement for them: The Vow and Covenant, The Proteſtation, The Solemn League and Covenant: And this I tell you all, I had rather die a Covenant keeper, then live a Covenant breaker.

SECT. XVII.

I have onely, now I am come to the third and laſt part of my Speech, and ſo I ſhall have done, and commit my Soul unto God who gave it, My Exhortation, it ſhall be to this great City; unto the Godly Miniſtry of it, and unto my own Congregation, from whom death hath parted me, which nothing elſe could.

To the City, I wiſh an affluence and a confluence of all Bleſſings upon it; and yet I fear gray hairs, as the Symptoms of a Declenſion, are here and there up­on it; yet ſhe knows it not. O London, London! God is ſtaining the pride of all thy Glory; thy Glory is flying away like a Bird; contempt of the Miniſtry; oppoſition againſt Reformation; general Apoſtacy; Covenant breaking hath brought London low, and I fear will bring it lower: I tremble to think what evils are coming upon it. This City, it is the Receptacle of all Errors, That as your Commodities have been vented and ſpread from hence into every corner of the Land, ſo hath Hereſies and Blasphemies had their firſt riſe from this great and populous City, and ſpread into all the Country.

SECT. XVIII.

To the Inhabitants of this City, I commend but theſe few Particulars.

23Firſt, Let me beg you to love your painful and your godly Miniſters, if they be taken away, you are like to have worſe come in their rooms: I know the Preſbyterian Miniſters are the great eye-ſore, who have formerly been counted the Chariots, and the Horſmen of Iſrael. But I will ſay to London, as was ſaid to Leyden, That after Junius was taken away (an Orthodox Miniſter) Arminius that peſtilent Heretick came in his room; if your godly Miniſters (as there are ten already at one blow taken from you) if they be taken away, Arminians, Anabaptiſts, nay Jeſuits are like to ſupply their rooms, if God in mercy prevent not.

Secondly, Submit your ſelves to Church-Government, that would lay a curb and reſtraint upon your luſts, it is a golden, and an eaſie yoke, to which if you do not ſubmit, God may lay an heavier, an iron yoke upon your necks.

SECT. XIX.

Thirdly, Take heed of thoſe Doctrines that come under the Notion of New Lights; I have judged that thoſe Doctrines you ought to ſuspect whether they be true, when the brocher of them ſaith it is New; for Truth, it is as old as the Bible: A remarkable paſſage I would ſuggeſt unto you, in Deut. 32. it is ſaid there, They choſe them new gods, that were newly sprung up; what were theſe new gods? the next words tell you, they were old devils, they ſacrificed to devils, not to God: Now their Sacrificing to the old Devil, it was called a Sacrificing (to deceive the People) to new gods that were newly come up; new gods, they were but the old devils: So I ſay of many of thoſe things that go under the notion of New Lights, it is but old darkneſs, old Hereſies raked out of the Dunghil, which were buried in former ages in the Church, with contempt and reproach many hun­dred years ago. Again,

SECT. XX.

Fourthly, Bewail your great loſs that you have in the taking away of ſo many Miniſters out of your City: there are ten Miniſters (if I miſtake not) that are taken away and removed in one blow; thoſe who were burning and ſhining Lights in their ſeveral Candleſticks, and bright Stars in their ſeveral Orbs; though I am not worthy of the world, therefore I am taken out of it; yet as for my ſuffer­ing Brethren who are now in Bonds and Baniſhment, the world is not worthy of them.

Again, in the next place, take heed how you be forward in ingaging in a War with your godly Brethren in the Scotiſh Nation; for my part, I have oppoſed the Tyranny of a King, but I never oppoſed the Title: take heed what you do.

SECT. XXI.

I have ſomething in the next place to ſpeak to the godly Miniſtery of this Ci­ty, were it not that I were a dying man, I would not ſpeak to ſuch reverend and grave men; I would, as Elihu being but a yong man, I would ſay, Multitudes of years ſhould teach wiſdom, and I would hold my tongue; but the words of a24 dying man take, whether they be diſcreet or no, or ſo well ordered and managed or no; for them, I would firſt deſire God to ſhew them mercy, they that have begged for mercy for me at the day of my death, I will beg but this of them, That as they have not been aſhamed of my Chain, ſo they would now wax confident by my Bonds and by my Blood; I know they are maligned and threatned, yet my Prayer is for them, that in Acts 4. 29. Now Lord, behold their threatnings, and grant that thy Servants may Preach thy word with all boldneſs: Though I am but yong, yet I will offer my yong experience to my grave Fathers and Brethren, and that is this; Now I am to dye, I have abundant peace in my own Conſci­ence, that I have ſet my ſelf againſt the Sins and Apoſtacies of this preſent Age: It is true, my faithfulneſs hath procured me ill will from men, but it hath pur­chaſed me peace with God, I have lived in peace, and I ſhall dye in peace: That which I have to beſeech of the Miniſters, is this, To beg them to keep up Church-Government: Whatſoever God doth with the Governments of the world, turning Kingdoms upſide down, yet the Government of the Church will ſtand; And of all Governments, I dye with this perſwaſion, That the Preſbyterial Government makes moſt for Purity and Ʋnity throughout the Churches of the Saints: I would beg them therefore to keep up Church-Government; That they would not let their Elderſhips fall; That they would take heed of too general Admiſſions to the Lords-Supper; That they be not too prodigal of the Blood of Chriſt, by too ge­neral Admiſsions of men to partake of the Supper, that Sealing Ordinance: And now I am ſpeaking to them, I ſhall ſpeak a word of them, and ſo I have done.

SECT. XXII.

I have heard many clamors ſince I came to Priſon, as if that Plot (which it is called) that I am condemned for, as if all the City Miniſters they were engaged in this Deſign, which as a dying man I tell you, That all the Miniſters that were preſent at the meeting, and had a hand in that buſineſs for which I am to be put to death, all thoſe Miniſters, they are either in Priſon, or they are diſcovered already; and therefore, I do here upon my death free the Miniſters of the City, That thoſe who are not yet in trouble, nor diſcovered to the Committee of Exa­minations, none of them had a hand in that buſineſs in which I was ingaged, in which my conſcience doth tell me I have not ſinned.

SECT. XXIII.

I have now (I have done immediatly, for I would fain be at my Fathers houſe) but a word to ſpeak to my own Congregation, and I do return praiſes unto God, and thanksgiving unto him, for the love I have had from them; I found them a ſolid and a judicious people, and many of them Religious: The Miniſtery of that learned man Mr. Anthony Burges did much good amongſt them, though I have cauſe to be humbled, my weak Miniſtery did but little; they afforded me a great25 deal of love, and a liberal maintenance: And this is all I deſire of them, That they would chuſe a godly, learned, and an Orthodox Miniſter to ſucceed; it would be a great comfort to me before I go to Heaven, if I had this perſwa­ſion, that a learned, Orthodox, godly man ſhould fill that Pulpit. And for encouragement to any godly Miniſter, whoſe lot it ſhall be to ſucceed me, I will ſay this to him, That he will have as comfortable a livelihood, and as loving a people, as any people in London, a few only excepted;) I had as much ſatisfaction amongst them, as ever I had in any condition in all my life, and ſhould never have parted from them, had not now death parted us, to which I do ſubmit with all Chriſtian meekneſs and cheerfulneſs.

SECT. XXIV.

I am now drawing to an end of mypeech, and to an end of my life to­gether: But before I do expire my laſt breath, I ſhall deſire to juſtifie God, and to condemn my ſelf. Here I come to that which you call an untimely end, and a ſhameful death; but bleſſed be God, it is my glory, and it is my comfort; I ſhall juſtifie God; he is righteous, becauſe I have ſinned; he is righteous, though he doth cut me off in the midſt of my days, and in the midſt of my Mi­niſtry. I cannot complain that Complaint in the Pſalmiſt, in the 44 Pſalm, Thou ſelleſt thy people for nought, and doſt not increaſe thy wealth by their price. My blood it ſhall not be ſpilt for nought; I may do more good by my death, then by my life, and glorifie God more in dying upon a Scaffold, then if I had dyed of a Diſeaſe upon my bed. I bleſs my God I have not the leaſt trouble upon my ſpirit; but I dye with as much quietneſs of mind, lie down I hope I ſhall upon the Block, as if I were going to lie down upon my Bed to take my reſt. I ſee men hunger after my fleſh, and thirſt after my blood, which will hasten my happineſs, and their ruine, and greaten their guilt: For though I am a man of an obſcure Family, of mean Parentage, ſo that my blood is not as the blood of Nobles; yet I will ſay, mine is a Chriſtians blood, a Miniſters blood, yea it is innocent blood alſo: My blood, my body, my dead body, it will be a morſel which I believe will hardly be digeſted, and my blood it will be bad food for this Infant Commonwealth (as Mr Prideaux called it) for this In­fant Commonwealth to ſuck on: Mine is not Malignant blood, though here I am brought as a grievous and a notorious Offender.

SECT. XXV.

Now Beloved, I ſhall not only juſtifie God (as I do without a Complement,) for he is very Just, that my Priſon was not my Hell, that this Scaffold is not the bottomleſs pit, I have deſerved both, I have deſerved it: I do not only juſtifie God, but I deſire this day to magnifie God, to magnifie the riches of his glorious grace, that ſuch a one as I, born in an obſcure Country in Wales, of obſcure Parents, that God ſhould look upon me, and ſingle me out from among26 all my kinred, ſingle me out to be an Object of his everlaſting Love; that when for the first fourteen years of my life I never heard a Sermon, and yet in the fifteenth year of my life, God through his grace did convert me: And I here ſpeak it without vanity (what ſhould a dying man be proud of?) for theſe twenty years, though I am accuſed of many ſcandalous evils, I ſpeak it to the praiſe and glory of my God, for theſe twenty years God hath kept me, I have not fallen into a ſcandalous ſin; I have laboured to keep a good Conſci­ence from my youth up: I magnifie his grace, that he hath not only made me a Christian, but made me a Miniſter, judged me faithful, and put me into the Ministry; and though the Office be troden upon, and be diſgraced, yet it is my glory, that I dye a despiſed Miniſter: I had rather be a Preacher in a Pulpit, then a Prince upon a Throne; I had rather be an Inſtrument to bring Souls to Heaven, then to have all the Nations to bring in tribute to me. I am not only a Chriſtian, and a Preacher, but, what ever men judg me, I am a Martyr too, I ſpeak it without vanity: Would I have renounced my Cove­nant, and debauched my Conſcience, and ventured my Soul, there might have been more hopes of ſaving my life, that I ſhould not have come to this place: but bleſſed be my God, I have made the best choyce, I have choſe affliction ra­ther then Sin; and therefore welcome Scaffold, and welcome Ax, and wel­come Death, welcome Block, welcome all, becauſe it will ſend me to my Fa­thers Houſe.

SECT. XXVI.

I have great cauſe to magnifie Gods Grace, that he hath ſtood by me du­ring my impriſonment: It hath been a time of no little temptation to me; and yet, bleſſed be his grace, he hath ſtrengthened, and ſtood by me: I mag­nifie his grace, that though now I come to dye a violent death, yet that death is not a terror to me; through the blood of ſprinkling the fear of Death is ta­ken out of my heart: God is not a terror to me, therefore Death is not dread­ful to me. I bleſs my God (I ſpeak it without vanity) I have formerly had more fear in the drawing of a tooth, then now I have in the cutting off my Head. I was for ſome years, five or ſix, under a ſpirit of bondage, and did fear Death exceedingly; but then when the fear of Death was upon me, Death was not neer me: but now Death is neer me, (bleſſed be my Saviour) he hath the ſting of Death in his own ſides, and ſo makes the grave a bed of reſt to me; and makes Death, the laſt Enemy, to be a friend, though he be a grim friend. I bleſs God further, that though I am to be caſt out of the world; I bleſs my God, though men judg me to be caſt out of the world; yet that God hath not caſt me out of the hearts and prayers of his people. I had rather be caſt out of the world, then be caſt out of the heart of any godly man. Some27 think me (it is true) not worthy to live, and yet others judg, I do not deſerve to dye; but God will judg all men, I will judg none.

SECT. XXVII.

I have now done; I have no more to ſay, but to deſire the help of all your prayers, that God would give me the continuance and ſupply of divine grace to carry me through this great work that I am now to do; That I, who am to do a work I never did, I may have a ſtrength that I never had; That I may put off this Body with as much quietneſs and comfort of minde, as ever I put off my clothes to go to bed. And now I am to commend my Soul to God, and to receive my fatal blow: I am comforted in this, though men kill me, they cannot damn me; and though they thruſt me out of the world, yet they cannot ſhut me out of Heaven. I am now going to my long home, and you are going to your ſhort homes: but I will tell you, I ſhall be at home before you; I ſhall be at Heaven, my Fathers houſe, before you will be at your own Houſes. Now I am going to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, to the innumerable company of An­gels, to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator of the new Covenant, to the ſpirits of all men made perfect, to God the judg of all; in whoſe preſence there is fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.

I ſhall conclude.

But then Mr Sheriff Tichburn telling him, that the words were, the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect.

Love. He then corrected himſelf, ſaying, To the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, and to God the Judg of all; in whoſe preſence there is fulneſs of joy, and in whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.

SECT. XXVIII.

I conclude with that ſpeech of the Apoſtle: I am now (in 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7. I am now) to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand; but I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the Faith; Henceforth there is a crown of righteouſneſs layd up for me; and not for me onely, but for all them that love the appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; through whoſe blood (when I have ſhed my blood) I expect Salvation, and remiſſion of ſins. And ſo the Lord bleſs you all.

Then turning to Mr Sheriff, he ſaid;

May I pray?

Sheriff Tichburn.

Yes: but conſider the time.

Love.

I have done Sir.

Then turning to the people, he ſaid; Beloved, I will but pray a little while with you, to commend my Soul to God, and I have done.

Then Mr Aſh told him:

Mr Aſh.

The Houſe is riſen, and therefore

28Love.

To which Mr Love anſwered, I, I, Sir.

After which he prayed with an audible voyce, ſaying,

SECT. XXIX. Mr Love's Prayer.

MOſt Glorious and Eternal Majeſty, Thou art righteous and holy in all thou dost to the ſons of men; though thou haſt ſuffered men to con­demn thy ſervant, thy ſervant will not condemn thee; He juſtifieth thee, though thou cutteſt him off in the midſt of his days, and in the midſt of his Miniſtry; bleſſing thy glorious Name, that though his name be taken away from the Land of the Living, that yet he is not blotted out of the Book of the Living. Father, my hour is come; thy poor creature can ſay without va­nity and falſhood, he hath deſired to glorifie thee upon Earth; glorifie thou now him in Heaven. He hath deſired to bring the Souls of other men to Heaven; let his Soul be brought to Heaven. O thou bleſſed God, whom thy Creature hath ſerved, who hath made thee his hope, and his confidence from his youth; forſake him not, now he is drawing nigh to thee; now he is in the valley of the ſhadow of death, Lord be thou life to him; ſmile thou up­on him, while men frown on him. Lord, thou haſt ſetled this perſwaſion in his heart, That as ſoon as ever the blow is given, to divide his Head from his Body, he ſhall be united to his Head in Heaven. Bleſſed be God that thy ſer­vant dyes in thoſe hopes. Bleſſed be God, that thou haſt filled the ſoul of thy ſervant with joy and peace in beleeving. O Lord, think upon that poor Bro­ther of mine, that is a companion in tribulation with me, who is this day to loſe his life as well as I: O fill him full of the joy of the Holy Ghoſt, when he is to give up the ghoſt: Lord, ſtrengthen our hearts, that we may give up the ghoſt with joy, and not with grief. We intreat thee, O Lord, think upon thy poor Churches: O that England might live in thy ſight; and O that London might be a faithful City to thee; that righteouſneſs might be amongst them: that ſo peace and plenty may be within their walls, and righteouſneſs within their habitation. Lord, heal the breaches of this poor Nation. Make England and Scotland as one ſtaff in the Lords hand; that Ephraim might not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim; but that both might flee upon the ſhoulders of the Philiſtins: that men of the Proteſtant Religion, engaged in the ſame Cauſe and Covenant, might not delight to ſpill each others blood, but might engage againſt the common Adverſaries of our Religion and Liberties. God ſhew mercy to all that fear him.

29

SECT. XXX.

Think upon our Covenant-keeping Brethren in the Kingdom of Scotland, keep them faithful to thee, and let not them that have invaded them over­spread their whole Land: Prevent the ſhedding of more Chriſtian Blood, if it ſeem good in thine eyes. God, ſhew mercy to thy poor Servant who is here now giving up the ghost. O bleſſed Jeſus, apply thy Blood, not only for my Juſtification unto life, but alſo for my comfort, for the quieting of my Soul, that ſo I might be in the joys of Heaven before I come to a poſſeſſion of Hea­ven. Hear the prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy Servant: and though thou haſt denyed prayer as to the particular requeſt concerning my life, yet let herein the fruit of prayer be ſeen, that thou wilt bear up my heart againſt the fear of death. God ſhew mercy to all that fear him: Shew mercy to all that have engaged for the life of thy Servant, let them have mercy at the day of their appearing before Jeſus Christ. Preſerve thou a godly Mi­niſtry in this Nation, and reſtore a godly Miniſtry, and cauſe yet good days to be the heritage of thy people, for the Lords ſake. Now Lord into thy hands thy Servant committeth his ſpirit: And though he may not with Steven ſee the Heavens opened, let him have the Heavens opened; and though he may not ſee upon a Scaffold the Son of God ſtanding at the right hand of God, yet let him come to the glorified Body of Jeſus Chriſt, and this hour have an intel­lectual ſight of the glorified Body of his Saviour. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit, and Lord Ieſus ſtand by me thy dying Servant, who hath endeavored in his life time to ſtand for thee. Lord hear, pardon all his infirmities, wipe a­way his iniquities by the blood of Chriſt, wipe off reproaches from his name, wipe off guilt from his perſon, and receive him pure, and ſpotleſs, and blameleſs before thee in love: And all this we beg for the ſake of Ieſus Chriſt. Amen and Amen.

SECT. XXXI.

Mr Aſh.

You make a Chriſtian end I hope.

Mr Love.

I, I, bleſs God.

Then turning to Mr Sheriff Tichburn, ſaid, I thank you for this kindneſs; Sir, you have expreſſed a great deal of kindneſs to me: Well, I go from a Block to the boſom of my Saviour.

Then he asked, Where is the Executioner?

When the Executioner came forward, he ſaid, Art thou the Officer?

Executioner.

Yes.

Love.

Then lifting up his eyes, he ſaid, O bleſſed Ieſus, that hath kept me from the hurt of death, and from the fear of death. O bleſſed be God, bleſſed be God.

30And taking his leave of the Miniſters, he ſaid;

Love.

The Lord be with you all.

And taking leave of Sheriff Tichburn, he kiſſed his hand.

Then he kneeled down, and made a ſhort prayer privately.

Then after riſing up, he ſaid, Bleſſed be God, I am full of joy and peace in beleeving; I lie down with a world of comfort, as if I were to lie down in my Bed. My Bed is but a ſhort ſleep, and this Death is a long ſleep, where I ſhall reſt in Abrahams boſom, and in the embraces of the Lord Jeſus.

And then ſaying, The Lord bleſs you, he layd himſelf down upon the Scaffold, with his Head ove the Block: And when he ſtretched forth his hands, the Executioner cut off his Head at one blow.

31

THE PREFACE Briefly declaring the occaſion of the ANIMADVERSIONS.

THe Roman Orator commendeth it as the property of a good Orator, not onely to ſpeak things pertinent and proper to his Cauſe for the promoting it, but alſo to take heed of ſpeaking any thing that may prove preju­dicial to it. The great cauſe which Mr. Love both in his life and at his death (at leaſt as himſelf inſinuates over and over in his Diſcourſe enſuing) deſired above all things to plead and promote, was the cauſe of Je­ſus Chriſt, and the ſalvation of the Souls of men. Now though I can eaſily believe that he ſpake and taught many things in the time of his life, and ſome things at the time of his death, which were and are of very good conſequence towards the advancement of this Cauſe; yet I clearly finde him, partly by what I read in the words uttered by him upon the Scaffold immediately before his death, partly by what I have ſeen printed and publiſhed formerly, either in his Name, or with his approbation and conſent, partly alſo by what I have heard from ſome of his Sermons; that he was very defective in the property of a good Orator mentioned, and that he was apt to ſpeak, not onely things very impertinent and eccentrical to his Cauſe, but even ſuch things alſo (ſome­times) which were of a manifeſt inconſiſtency with the Intereſt of it. I ſhall (at preſent) onely give notice of ſuch Paſſages or Touches, which came from him in his Speech or Prayer on the Scaffold, which are of a very prejudicial import to that moſt honorable Cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Salvation of men, to the promotion and maintenance whereof he profeſſeth himſelf to have been ſo entirely devoted: that ſo what he acted or ſpake as a skilful Workman, and was truly and really advantagious to his Cauſe, may have a clear, entire and perfect operation in order hereunto, and not be incumbred, foiled or impeded in their working by things of a contrary tendency and ſpi­rit mixed with it. In this reſpect I truſt his Friends will finde no cauſe (I am ſure will finde no juſt cauſe) of offence in that ſeparation of the vile from the32 precious, which is intended in theſe Animadverſions; eſpecially conſidering, that if Mr. Love himſelf were alive, with that Chriſtian ingenuity whereunto he pretends once and again in this Diſcourſe, he could not but accept it as a Service of love and faithfulneſs, for any man to ſtrengthen thoſe things which are worthy and good in him, by diſabling and weakning that which is other­wiſe: However, it is not meet nor of any good conſiſtence with thoſe ſacred Reſpects which are due from every man unto mankinde, to tempt the living unto folly, by giving honor unto the dead. Better it is that Mr. Love's re­putation ſhould be a little clouded, then that it ſhould glare in the weak eyes of men to make them blinde: As for men of clear intellectuals and compoſed judgements, Mr. Loves Speech might without the leaſt danger of tempting them, have been preſented naked; there being nothing in it but what is tranſ­parent enough to ſuch men: Onely perſons of effeminate and enſlaved ap­prehenſions may poſſibly conceit, that they ſee viſions of worth and excellence, where there is nothing but darkneſs and deceit, and ſo may receive dangerous impreſſions from what they think they ſee, if their eyes be not anointed with ſome eye-ſalve of ſuch an interpretation, which ſhall bring forth that which is within the veyl, into the outer and open Court of the Temple.

ANIMADVERSION upon Sect. I.

IN this firſt Section, we have a firſt-fruits of Mr. Love's Confidence in his death, together with a taſte of that pleaſant Fancy, on which (it ſeems) he fed with much contentment whileſt he yet lived; viz. how honorable that Death which he was now to ſuffer would be unto him, as wherein he ſhould parallel thoſe great Worthies of heaven, Iohn the Baptiſt, Paul, and the Saints beheaded in the Revelation. Far be it from me to envy either Mr. Love's or any other man's confidence in their death. The great Deſire and grand De­ſign of my Soul is, to conſult (with the utmoſt of my endeavors) the Confi­dence of men, yea of all men without exception, in, and at their death. But though I envy no mans confidence in death, yet I confeſs I pity the confidence of many at ſuch a time; yea I pity many ſurviving, fearing leſt the confidence of ſome dying, ſhould prove a ſnare of death unto them. Mr. Love's confi­dence upon the Scaffold my ſoul pitieth, having ſo many and ſuch pregnant grounds of Reaſon in mine eyes to judge it, if not hollow and heartleſs, yet bottomleſs and groundleſs; Yet I confeſs I pity thoſe more, who through ig­norance of their grounds, live under much danger of being enſnared and hard­ned in evil, by occaſion of the ſaid confidence: For when evil doers (eſpecial­ly the firſt-born of this generation, Traitors) ſhall without repentance, and this ſome ways profeſſed, die full of confidence in God, whether real or pre­tended, it is a ſore temptation upon men, not to be ſo tender or fearful of ſuch33 practices, as the hatred and high diſpleaſure of God againſt them, admoniſh­eth them to be. Therefore, for the ſakes of ſuch perſons who are in danger of being made confident in evil by Mr. Love's confidence at his death, I ſhall briefy account unto them the grounds of my great jealouſie and fear, that this confidence was (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) in the face onely, and not in the heart; or if in the heart, yet without any ſubſtantial or ſufficient ground for the raiſing of it.

1. The holy Ghoſt himſelf muſtereth Traitors, Heady, High-minded, per­ſons without natural affection, amongſt ſuch men who have [i. e. ſometimes have, or may have] the Form of Godlineſs, and yet deny the power thereof. Now though Mr. Love and his Abettors in their equivocal Dialect, wherein like Canters, they uſe common and familiar words in uncouth and unknown ſig­nifications, will not (it's like) call men of his [Mr. Love's] practices and ways, either Traitors, Heady, High-minded, without natural affection, &c. yet in the ordinary and beſt known ſignification of theſe terms, and in the ſenſe wherein the holy Ghoſt uſeth them (unleſs they will quarrel our Engliſh Tranſlation) he was both Traitor, Heady, &c. and ſo look'd upon and ad­judged, by perſons who are not wont to pervert or wreſt words into by-ſigni­fications to make the innocent guilty. I do not ſpeak now of the Parliament, Councel of State, or High Court of Juſtice onely, but of all ſorts of perſons in the Land, who have not either their hand or their heart in Mr. Love's coun­ſels and practices. I mention thoſe whom the Apoſtle terms〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with­out natural affection, in reference to Mr. Love, becauſe it was the obſervation of ſome who were preſent at his Execution from firſt to laſt, that though he prayed for his fellow-Traitor and the Scots, not onely the profeſs'd, but highly expreſt Enemies of his Countrey and Nation, yet he made not the leaſt men­tion either of his wife or children, either in his Prayer or Diſcourſe. Now if Mr. Love at his death was no better then a perſon having the Form of Godli­neſs, but denying the power thereof, there was no good ground for that his con­fident rejoycing therein.

2. The Lord Chriſt ſaith expreſly, That if we forgive not men their treſpaſ­ſes, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us our treſpaſſes. Now though Mr. Love pretends fairneſs and clearneſs of ſpirit in this kinde again and again, and that he brought no rancor or revengefulneſs of heart to the Scaf­fold; yet that he was inwardly full of this rottenneſs, his moſt venemous, vi­rulent, falſe and bitter Inſinuations againſt the Parliament and State, uttered upon the Scaffold, teſtifie to the face of his greateſt Advocates: See eſpecially upon this account Sect. 12 where you will finde him ſo unchriſtianly, and with ſuch inſufferable rancor and malice inveighing againſt the State, that one of the preſent Magiſtrates, acknowledged by Mr. Love himſelf (and not with­out34 cauſe) a good Friend of his, openly profeſſed that he was not able to en­dure it. Now if Mr. Love died upon ſuch terms, that his Heavenly Father could not, according to his expreſly declared will, forgive him his treſpaſſes, cer­tainly he could have no ſufficient ground for that confidence which he expreſ­ſed at his death.

3. We read in Scripture of many confidences and rejoycings in men, and theſe Profeſſors, without ſufficiency of ground to juſtifie or bear them out. Paul ſpeaks of ſome who gloried〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the face, or in appearance, not in the heart. And our Savior himſelf ſpeaketh of many, who (as he ſaith) will ſay unto him [i. e. think at preſent that they may with confidence ſay unto him] in that [great] day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name? and in thy Name caſt out devils? and in thy Name done many wonderful works? To whom notwithſtanding he will reply and profeſs, that he never knew them: De­part from me ye that work iniquity, Mat. 7. 22, 23.

4. Mr. Love did not, could not at his death out-confidence the ordinary ſort of Papiſts, Prieſts and Jeſuits amongſt us, that have from time to time drunk of the ſame cup with him (as well as John Baptiſt or Paul) and upon the ſame account, in which particular John Baptiſt and Paul ſeparate from him (as we ſhall ſee preſently) and leave him in the company of thoſe other.

5. It is no very hard matter for a man ſtrongly acted and aſſiſted by a ſpi­rit of popularity (a ſpirit with which Mr. Love hath been obſerved by many to have been one ſpirit or fleſh rather, for many years paſt) to harden himſelf againſt the fear of Death; to ſuppreſs, ſmother and keep under thoſe work­ings of Nature and Conſcience, which ordinarily diſcover themſelves upon the approaches of Death, in ſuch perſons who have no deſign to drive by the ſmo­thering or ſuppreſſing of them; nor any collateral help or aid from any ſuch ſpirit, to enable them to the ſubduing and vanquiſhing of them.

6. Mr. Love (it is more then probable) was not onely vehemently exhort­ed, encouraged, importuned, but even ſolemnly by all the ſacred Intereſts of high Presbytery, conjured by his Clergy-companions, to die like a valiant and reſolute Champion of the Cauſe, and not to bewray the leaſt grudging of any fear or repentance, for any thing he had acted upon the ſervice thereof; leſt it ſhould be ſaid of Presbytery, Her glory was ſtained and betrayed by the cow­ardice of her firſt-born.

Seventhly (and laſtly) when I conſider theſe paſſages in Mr. Love's Prayer, [Sect. 30.] O bleſſed Jeſus, apply thy blood, not onely for my Juſtification unto life, but alſo for the comfort, for the quieting of my Soul, that ſo I might be in the joys of Heaven, before, &c. And farther, Hear the Prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy ſervant; and though thou haſt denied Prayer as to the particular Requeſt concerning my life, yet let herein the fruit of prayer be35 ſeen, that thou wilt bear up my heart againſt the fear of death; When (I ſay) I ſeriouſly conſider the expreſs import of theſe paſſages, they raiſe this appre­henſion in me, (and queſtionleſs upon the ſame terms they will raiſe the ſame in any other man) that Mr. Love's confidence was not at leaſt as yet (I mean in the entrance and beginning of his Speech) aſcended ſo high in his heart and ſoul, as his tongue reported it unto the people. When Saul was dead, David prayed no more for deliverance from him. And if Chriſt (as Mr. Love him­ſelf confeſſeth) denied Prayer concerning his life, why might he not deny it as concerning the quieting of his ſoul, and the bearing up of his heart againſt the fear of Death? And if this be granted, evident it is that Mr Love did but〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, theatrically act the part of a Confident man upon the Scaffold.

Several other things there are, which much dis-ſatisfie me touching the le­gitimacy and well-groundedneſs of Mr Love's rejoycing and confidence at his death, which I ſhall not at preſent (for brevities ſake) mention: How mat­ters ſtood between God and his Soul at his giving up of the Ghoſt, is a ſecret too hard for my ſoul to enter into. I had rather hope (as Mr Aſh ſaid unto him) that he made a Chriſtian end: nor do I deſire to leave any touch or tincture of a contrary impreſſion in any man; My whole intent in what hath been ſaid hitherto, is to put that confidence to rebuke which he brought with him to the Scaffold, not to prove that he died in unbelief.

Concerning that vain-glorious and light Conceit, That his Death ſhould turn to ſuch an high Account of Honor unto him, becauſe John Baptiſt and Paul glorified God by the ſame death, and becauſe he read of Saints to be behead­ed, &c. I ſhall ſpeak little to it, ſuppoſing that it weighs no more then the duſt of the Ballance in the Judgement of any conſidering man. Mr Love well knew, that it is not poena, but cauſa, quae facit Martyrem, not the puniſhment (much leſs the kinde of puniſhment) that makes a Martyr; Which makes me a little to marvel with what face he could ſay (as afterwards we ſhall hear him ſaying) That whatſoever men may judge, yet he died a Martyr. Iohn Baptiſt was be­headed, not ſimply for his Conſcience, or for the diſcharge of his Conſcience, but for the diſcharge of his Conſcience, being honeſt and good, and rightly in­formed: Whereas Mr Love ſuffered a beheading, if for the diſcharge of his Conſcience (which I think to conſidering men muſt needs be very queſtion­able) yet was it for the diſcharge of an erroneous conſcience (as his Petition­ers themſelves pleaded by way of extenuation of his Crime) yea, indeed of a conſcience ſo deſperate erroneous and corrupt, that the like conſcience hath ſcarce been heard of, no not among the Heathen themſelves (much leſs among Chriſtians) viz. That a man ſtands bound, in ſtead of being ſubject to the Powers that are (which is the expreſs Commandment of God) to deſtroy or practice the deſtruction of theſe Powers: So that Mr Love's conſcience for36 which (as he ſaith) he ſuffered, being truly interpreted, was ſuch a conſcience by which he judged himſelf bound to act in a Diametral oppoſition to the plain and expreſs revealed Will of God; And whether ſuch a conſcience as this be a Chriſtian foundation of Martyrdom, let Mr Love's greateſt Friends judge. Concerning Paul and the Saints ſpoken of in the Revelation, they were beheaded for the Word of God, and for the teſtimony of Ieſus; Whereas Mr Love (as himſelf acknowledged in his Narrative written with his own hand, and delivered unto the Parliament) was to ſuffer beheading (in caſe he ſhould not obtain pardon from them) for his ſundry and great Offences; confeſſing with­al, that by what he had done, he was an object of their juſt displeaſure: and a­gain, that by their juſtice they might in one day leave a Flock without a Shep­herd a Wife without an Husband, Children without a Father, &c. Doubtleſs neither Paul nor the Saints mentioned by M. Love, were objects of the juſt diſpleaſure of thoſe who beheaded them; nor were they beheaded for their ſundry and great Offences, nor yet by the juſtice of thoſe who puniſhed them with death. Therefore M. Love being partaker with Iudas in his ſin, the cauſe of his death, can reap no honor for having Iohn or Paul, or the Saints his com­panions in the kinde of his death: And indeed, might he not as well (yea and much better, all this duly conſidered) have propheſied of ſhame and diſhonor likely to acrue unto him by ſuch a kinde of death, which had been frequently inflicted upon Papiſts, Prieſts and Ieſuits for treaſonable practices againſt the State and Supream Rulers thereof, as indulge himſelf with a conceit, That his death muſt needs become a Crown of Honor unto him, becauſe Iohn Baptiſt and the great Apoſtle Paul died the ſame kinde of death, though (as the world knoweth) upon far different occaſions?

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 2.

In this Section Mr. Love buſieth himſelf in waſhing a Blackamoor, hoping by that time he hath done, to make him as white as Snow: That he ſuffereth for the Word, and Conſcience, and not for medling in State-matters; he proves, 1. Becauſe it is an old guiſe of the Devil, to impute the cauſe of Gods Peoples Sufferings, to be Contrivements againſt the State. 2. Becauſe the Rulers of Iſrael would have put Jeremy to death upon a Civil account, whereas the true ground was the truth of his Propheſie, and that this made them angry with him. 3. Becauſe Paul, though he did but preach Chriſt, yet the people would have him dye, under a pretence that he a was mover of Sedition. 4. (And laſtly) becauſe himſelf ſaith, That his Life is pretended to be taken away upon a Civil account, whereas it is indeed, becauſe he purſueth his Covenant, will not proſtitute his Principles, &c. Light and darkneſs have (in a maner) as much communion between them, as the three firſt of theſe Arguments with his Cauſe; For, is any guiſe of the Devil whatſoever, a Demonſtration or proof37 of Mr. Loves Innocency, or that he muſt needs ſuffer for the Word and Con­ſcience, and not for Statizing out of his Sphaer? Who is able to finde out the Quadrature of this Circle? Or muſt Mr. Love needs be innocent of the Crimes charged upon him, and proved againſt him; becauſe Ieremy and Paul were in­nocent from thoſe Imputations, which without any proof at all were charged upon them? Or muſt thoſe Magiſtrates, who, being perſons of known godli­neſs and worth (at leaſt a great part of them) yea, and Mr. Loves real and cordial Friends (moſt of them) upon Tryal found Mr. Love guilty, and paſſed Sentence upon him accordingly; muſt theſe (I ſay) of neceſſity be Corrupt, Malicious, Enemies to the Truth and Word of God, becauſe the Rulers of Iſrael, with whom Ieremy had to do, and the people with whom Paul had to do, were of no better Principles or Temper? Certainly, neither Satan, nor Ieremy, nor Paul, nor their Adverſaries, are any Legal or Rational Compur­gators for Mr. Love in his Cauſe now in Agitation: Indeed if he, or any Ad­vocate for him, could as ſubſtantially prove, as he confidently aſſerts, that which follows in the fourth place, viz. That his life was pretended (I ſuppoſe he would rather have ſaid, intended, though neither would be very proper) to be taken away becauſe he purſues his Covenant, and will not proſtitute his Con­ſcience to the ambition and luſts of men, this would amount ſomewhat near to a Proof of his Concluſion: But alas! for him to affirm ſuch things as theſe, not onely without any ſufficient, yea, or tolerable proof, or colour of proof, but even againſt his own Conceſſions and Confeſſions (in his Narrative ſpeci­fied under the former Section, wherein he pretends over and over to Inge­nuity) proves nothing elſe, but that either he wanteth ingenuity, or the know­ledge of his own heart, or both; when he ſpake (§. 4.) thus, God is my re­cord, whom I ſerve in the Spirit, I speak the truth, I lye not, I do not bring a revengeful heart to the Scaffold this day, &c. I marvel what the man means by a revengeful Heart, Rancor, bitterneſs of Spirit, Animoſity, &c. Surely he is a Barbarian unto me, and ſpeaks