LAwe is the principall foundation, (whereon the welfare of euery good man consisteth and dependeth, and true execution, the life of the same, without which, no peace or safety, can bee either vnto the Church or Common-wealth: but Iniquity would in a most high nature flourish, yea, to the vtter extirpating of all the godly, and vertuous were they not by them supprest, who are the true Contradicters, and opposers thereof. Whithin the bounds and lymites of Lawe, the person, goods, lands, houses, chattels, and possessions, are confined, and vnder the wings of the same sheltred, thether to fly for redresse against all the outragious and wilfull violaters of the same. Therefore by all Christian Kings, and Princes, Statuts & penall lawes, were conceiued, and enacted, debellare superbos, & parcere subiectis, to subdue, and subiect enormious offenders, and to patronize submisse and humble minded good Christians, whose protection, and preseruation of life, state, and person: wholesome and good lawes, doe as with a hedge inuiron, and inclose all the exclude all intruders into any of the least lists or limits. Christians [Page] Kings and Princes, whom none but God alone maketh chiefe and electeth to beare rule ouer his people, it hath pleased him to stile them with this most glorious Title: I sayd yee are as gods, all men whatsoeuer, shall honour, feare, and obey you: and as gods heere on earth yee shall behaue your selues in your Royall authority from me deriued (saue and destroy) spare and punish, honour and dishonour, exalt the vertuous, and loue them for there vertuous integrity, and rebuke shame and confusion put to the wicked. And in them there is an externall Maiestie, whereon stedfastly looking, it stricketh terror and amasement to the heart) stupidity to the sences, as not daring to behold the glorious luster of that brightnesse; reason, valour, fortitude, strength, vnderstanding, all with Ioshua sonne standing still in the valley of Aialon, and like a Gyant refreshed at there command swiftly running.
There shining glorious faces, are like the Sunne in a mans eyes, which at the first much dazeleth them: but with vse and continuance, they can the better, and oftener lookt thereon.
Behold, it hath resemblance to God, whom for to see, to flesh and blood, nothing more intollerable, yet most especially terrible to the wicked and vngodly: the contemptuous neclectors of his will, rebels to his Lawes, Malefactors dares not behold the face, nor cannot indure to heare speake of a priuate Magistrate, which is in them apart, and little glimmering light of that Deity: these secondary meanes are subordinate, like the Moone, and Starres, from the glorious Sunne: namely doe receiue light, and heate from thence. Reuerend Iudges, and Magistrates, doe shinne in there kind expound the Lawe, and to speake vnto the people, in truth equitie and vprightnes. They as from a liuing spring deriue there sweete issuing streames, which doe runne through out all the parts, and coasts of this Kingdome, to giue each there refreshing [Page] in due time and season, namely vnto the oppressed, to yeild remedy and redresse, and vnto the fatherlesse, and friendlesse, to be a sure refuge, in the time of there troubles, that great and vild mightines, may not get the vpper hand of the vertuous, to trample them vnder there feete. The Sunne is no whit abased, though his radient Beames be splendeth on the stincking dunghill, as well as on the sweetest flower on the Garden, to each according to nature, hee extracteth, and good or bad, neysome or wholesome sents, disperseth. Though the Sunne shinne, on the bad as well as the good, on that which is loathsome, as well as oderiferous is the insperion thereon, any way there vnto preiudicious no whit at all, for euery thing whereunto the heate thereof extendeth, it cherisheth, making it to yeald foorth the fruit, in dead time, season, and place, Because where the corne groweth, and by the Sunne is rypened, the Cockle doth likewise prosper, is that in the Sunne, or in the Garden? the flower, nettle, and the thorne the sweet heathe and the stincking weede, or the tilled lands with the bushes, Briars or Brambles is that the cause of these contrarieties, nothing lesse: All mankinds, nature with sinne is corrupted, and depraued in Adam, all things there natures change, mans heart of innocencie is nowe made nought, Gods blessed earth before mans transgression, now after his digression accursed it is, with barrennesse bringing foorth vnprofitable fruites such as Nettle, Thornes, and Thistles and Bryars, to hinder the plentifull groweth of any good, of which corrupt kind namely of bad: in each nature, climate and quality, the worser part exceedeth the best, more bad ground, then good, more sinners then Saints, more vitious then vertuous, there is in the whole world a deludge of Iniquity, more prone, swifter running after all manner of wickednesse to perpetrate them, then willing to performe any of the least Office, or intertaine such motion inclining vnto God, or goodnesse.
[Page]Princes in their Lawes and Courses, imitate that lust One in Heauen: Iustice and Mercy kisse and méet each other: Rewards they promise to the vertuous, and Threatening of Punishments to the wicked: the one, to incourage in their way, the other, to deter, and retyre in their way: experience how they are honoured and promoted, that are sauoured with integritie, and instruments of punishments, as Sword and Fire, that to good are refractorie: yet will not God punish, nor adiudge, nor condemne, but hee before visites the sinnes and offences of the people. The Kings Maiesty imitates his God in this, whom he vnfainedly feareth and serueth.
This God on Earth, with the Sunne Moone, and States of Nobilitie, Clergie, and Gentrie, his Court is centured, and gloriously adorned, and are come to visit and inquire.
To iudge the cause, and discerne betwéene the people, he appoints the reuerend Iudges, and ciuill Magistrats, to discerne and search into the Cause: and to the Malefactor, they call others to testifie, in there Legall Procéedings, that they will not in any the least manner be taxed with iniustice, or wrong. The Fact, and Prisoner, are produced, and publikely in Court read, Euidence of the matter of fact vpon Oath sworne, and bound at a day of appearance to iustifie the truth, and nothing but the whole truth, as they would haue God to helpe them.
THE MANNER OF THE Courts Proceedings.
VPon the Oathes and deliberated inquiries of 15. reputed honest conscionable men, now all Causes are begun to be consulted of: and least they should erre in the Termining, and yéelding of their Verdict if ought they doubt, they addresse themselues vnto the reuerend Iudges, and Honourable Benchors, to be by them of their doubts resolued, in the matter informed, how to procéed iustly, truly, and conscionable. And that these thrée things shall concurre and agrée in their procéedings, namely, iustly, truly and conscionably, to inquire and search out the truth, they solemnly euery man take their Oathes on the holy Euangelist, to the vttermost of their power so to doe: the accuser is sent vp with the Bill of Indictment against the prisoner to them preferred, Oath made of the manner of the Fact, wherein they cannot erre, without wilfully they will. And behold the vigilant eye of Iustice! They haue a Kéeper sworne, to attend their going in, and commings forth, that none shall heare their priuate conferrings. Where they sit, none approcheth that place, after testimonie giuen, that by this meanes, sauour and hatred may be layd aside: if in one mans brest, yet not in many: for there are fifteene in number of them: and if that one will disagree, they exclude him, and chuse another: And that there may not [Page] be the least inuasion, sinister dealing, for parson, or priuate causes, or respects, the Keeper that attendeth them, is not to approch vnto them, vnlesse they call him, nor to speake with them, except it vs to know whether they be agreed of their Verdict, or no, and then to proclayme to the Court a Verdict, and to vsher them into the face of the Court, there to manifest and declare what they haue done in those weighty matters committed to their trust, iudgement, and conscience. Whose Names I haue here set downe.
The Names of the Grand Inquest for London.
- Thomas Gresham.
- Richard Brislow.
- Iohn Allen.
- Thomas Riley.
- Iohn May.
- Gutbert Haselwood.
- Thomas Gommersall.
- Henry Perkins.
- Clement Pargiter.
- Iohn Smith.
- William Checkley.
- Iohn Collet.
- Thomas Gatwood.
- Iames Ballard.
- Iohn Tilney.
The Names of Middlesex Iury for the Quest of Inquirie.
- [Page]Iohn Waterwoorth.
- Francis Marsh.
- William Gualter.
- Thomas Bates.
- Thomas Chatfield.
- Nicholas Day.
- Thomas Faulkener.
- Richard Barnes.
- Robert Browne.
- Iohn Baker.
- George Smith.
- Thomas Stanger.
- Francis Andrewes.
- Iohn Monday.
- Edward Saunders.
- Nathaniel Lomsden.
- Iohn Smith.
- William Stanley.
- Zacharie Howe.
These by the Worshipfull Bench, are told what a weightie matter they are about, the peace and prosperitie of a King, and a whole Kingdome, the honour and glorie of God, his Church, and Gospell: they must inquire of the seditious disturbers, and of the hurting, slaying of the persons, stealing their goods or chattels, if any [Page] such Malefactors be brought before them, they all ioyntly must agrée, acquite, or condemne.
And behold how God himselfe approueth of what is done, by reuealing most strangely, as consequently I will relate, on a sudden the secret lurking Malefactor, and the dubious hidden Truth: nay, in the end themselues to say, both Iury and Iudges are cleare, and iust and vpright in what they haue done, in their Proceedings.
Iustice imitates God two manner of wayes in their Proceedings: not rashly doe they begin; but first, here is their preparation; (Inquirie) whether the Crime bee so, or no; (iustly) whether there be cause or matter to punish, or spare; or the Originall whence the accusation or scandall should tise: Reason, Conscience, and Law, these are the Guides and Lights to informe their Vnderstanding, to speake, to iudge, and deeme of the Cause and Prisoner: (fairely) each party, the accused, and accuser, are face to face; where, what he can obiect, must be vpon Oath, and the Prisoner, after such testimonie deposed against him, is suffered to speake as much as hee can for himselfe, and with patience they heare him, and most temperately, modestly, mildly, and charitably, the Iudge of the Court replyeth answere, according to the nature of their Offence. Mercifully, lento pede, with God, slow to anger, sorrie for the Offences of the People, with temperate inuections: Witnesse that often Miserere, which by heart is learned; for not a Letter of it, one among a hundreth almost can truely tell: yet this mercifull warning they vse. And when Sentence is to procéede; from such a Doue, Gall, from such swéetnesse, bitternesse: as the Lawes rigour, Religious Exhortations, good Perswasions, by that Tongue vttered, and vnfained Sorrow and Compassion, by watrie [Page] eyes expressed, and their Charitie shewed, in preparing for distressed Soules, the Balme of Gilead: though they wound, yet others to heale: and though they by the Law haue terrified them, by the Sentence of Death, on these mortall Bodies, they comfort them againe by that swéet heauenly Voyce of the Gospell sent from the God aboue.
The Names of the Iury of London for Life and Death.
- Patricke Powell.
- Iohn Lambe.
- Thomas Euerit.
- Iohn Higgins.
- Ralph Clarke.
- Iohn Latheman.
- Thomas Yorke.
- Samuel Bridges.
- Thomas Withers.
- William Smith.
- William Hunter.
- Iohn Mallard.
The Names of the Iury of Middlesex, for Life and Death.
- [Page]Robert Estrey.
- Thomas Barret.
- Henry Burnet.
- William Haward.
- Robert Ewer.
- Richard Halsey.
- Iohn Heerd.
- Henry Bird.
- William Lifeild.
- George Winche.
- William Page.
- Allen Parsons.
The tenour of these Iury mens Oathes, vpon the holy Sacrament they doe protest, true, and truly to try, and true deliuerance make betwéene out Soueraigne Lord the King, and the Prisoners at the Barre, So helpe them God, and the Contents of that Booke. And the Fore-mans Oath they ioyntly accept. And after such Oath sworne, the Indictment is read to them, the Witnesse produced, the Prisoner is brought forth to the Barre, in their publike view, that they may see and behold him, and as God directeth, so they conclude. The Honourable and learned Benchers, whose Names are subscribed, if ought they doubt of, they are most willing [Page] to resolue doubts, and to informe, that they may not ere, and often times it falleth out that the Iury of life and death, acquites them whom the Grand Inquest sound before guilty.
THE NAMES OF THE HONORAble and Worshipfull Benchers, and Iustices in this Sessions for the Citty of London, and County of Middlesex.
- THe Right Honourable Sir William Cokayne Lord Mayor of the Honourable Cittie of London, with diuers of the Aldermen his Bretheren.
- The Honourable Sir Henry Mountague, Lord Chiefe Iustice.
Iustices for London.
- [Page]Sir Edward Sackucile.
- Maister Robert Heath Esquier, Recorder.
- Sir Thomas Bennet
- Sir Thomas Lowe.
- Sir Thomas Middleton.
- Sir Iohn Iolles.
- Sir Iohn Lemon.
- Sir George Boules.
- Sir Iohn Bennet.
- Maister Thomas Iones Esquier, common
- Seruient of the Cittie.
- Maister Robert Deane.
- Maister Ieames Cambell.
- Sheriffes of the Cittie of London.
Iustices for the Countie of Middlesex.
- Sir Thomas Fowler.
- Sir Baptist Hickes.
- Sir Allen Apsley, Lieutenant of the Tower of London.
- Sir Francis Dercy.
- Sir Henry Spiller, with diuers Iustices of the same County, learned, and iudicious.
A true Relation of the Arraigning, Indicting and conuicting of Andrew Ward, alias Alliar, and Iohn Percy: who were both hanged at Tiburne on Monday, the 13. of December, 1619.
IT is verified in these persons, of whom I am now to relate somewhat, that which the Prophet Dauid saith, That euill shall hunt the wicked person, to ouerthrow him. Which in fine happened, and befell to these; neuer leauing off to doe wickedly, as to worke mischiefe, till they were payd with that they had deserued, which was shame and confusion. Shamelesse were all their Facts and Procéedings, without any humanitie, or feare of God, or Man, or respect to Manhood: as their vsage manifested the same, towards those who fell into their hands, or stood at their mercy.
These two committed a Robbery vpon Hounslaw Heath, vpon the person of an Atturney, comming Westward vp to London, to the Terme: they tooke away all he had, stript him of all his apparrell, and put on him some of their vile Clothes, and tooke his Shirt eff his back, and scoffingly said, That that Shirt was too fine for him, he should haue another to keepe him warme: and after this done, they bound him, and left him, and so fled.
Hauing so well sped, they were fleshed on for more such Booties, to meet withall, and to get such Prizes, thence they coasted towards Royston: and within a [Page] weeke after they robbed one a little on this side Royston, whom they bound, and tooke all that he had: the Rich and Captaine Theefe cobbed, as they say, the poore Theefe: but somewhat they had, for which they payd deare. A riding Cloake one of them had taken from the Gentlemans Man: the which hee espyed vpon one of their Backes, riding towards Drury Lane: but their Iourney was stayed; They must leaue their Turning, and keepe on straight their way: which the Serieants will bring them to; their Inne, and Place most fit for such, euen Tiburne.
A Relation why Thomas Horsey was hanged at Smithfield Barres on Tuesday, the 14. of December, 1619.
THis Thomas Horsey had murthered out Elizabeth Couer, dwelling in Turne-mill Street, in an Alley called Persons Alley. She was a Woman of a most lewd life, and they both vnlawfully accompanied together: But so it fortuned, that such loue which was betweene them, could not long continue, nor haue a happy Issue; but Mischiefe did attend them both likewise, as did the other two, formerly treated of.
These two lustie, lustfull Louers, fell at variance betweene themselues, and suddenly hee slew her with a Pen-knife. After the Fact committed, he fled, and got passage out of England, with Sir Walter Rauleigh, late deceased, into (Guiana) where, and in some other [Page] places, before he returned, he was absent for the terms of three yeares, after this Murther was by him committed. In this Processe of time, hee thought none would haue knowne, or sought after him, to make him answere for the same, but that it had beene forgotten. At his returne into England, he boldly repayred to renew his old acquaintance, withsome others of his deceased friends fashion, and by this meanes he was taken, and apprehended.
At his Arraignement he conidently and boldly denyed the Fact, and said another, who was in his companie did it, but not himselfe: But at his death, he freely confessed it, and said, hee meant not to slay her, but to giue her a marke, for remembrance of her abusing of him: and his conclusion concrning her, was, That he thought in his conscience, through her destruction, that many hundreds were [...]aued from the Gallowes.
A true declaration of the manifold Facts done by Richard Earper, who was executed on Monday last at Tiburne.
AS Almighty God ouertooke others in their mischiefes, so hee suddenly surprised him, as to the hearing of many thousands, hee out of his owne mouth confessed, and spake as followeth.
The Fact for which hee died, was for Robbing the house of Sir Richard Sutton, and Sir Iohn Ofley, [Page] which house he Robbed once before this time, and confessed that the Cushions which stood in the Windowes of Sir Richard Suttons house hee had, and burnd them, and for the second time he Robd the house, he got into a Garden, and climed vp to a Window wherein he entred, and tooke such things, who pleased, and so came downe the Staires of the same and got foorth. But marke how strangely God reueiled him, by a Dagger which he tooke of Sir Iohn Oflyes, he gaue it to Sir Iohns Brother, of whom he [...]nquired how he came by that Dagger, who sayd that Harper was the man that gaue it him, and so there doubts were resolued, that none but he could Rob that house: this Arraingnement, he boldly denyed that fact, and all others of that nature: but God who bringeth all things to light, reuealed at the last that he was, a secret notorious Theefe, and Burglaer, as I will heereafter who [...] was by the Iury found guilty, and adiudged by the Court to death and both Iustly, as himselfe confessed the day before his Execution, and at the time of his Execution. The Euening before he su [...], he disgu [...]sed him selfe in Womans apparrell, and got away by water [...] vnto the Banckes-side: but God preuented him, and would not not let him so escape or flye vengeance, for the Keeper soone ouertooke him.
At the place of Execution he much bewailed his lewd life, and declared that he had beene brought vp to the Latine Tongue and Musicke, but such was his most wicked continued course of life, and sayd that hee was no sooner entertained into a Seruice, but company and women withdrewe him from thence, and counselled him often to shifte. It was demaunded of him to cleere his Conscience, and to tell vnfainedly vnto the whole world whether that woman with whom he accompanyed were his wife, or not? and he thus replyed answere to them, [Page] God forgiue me for it, thou knowest that she is not. Hee lastly confessed, that hee had vsed to robbe the Court many times, and that he had stolne twise the Kings Maiesties cushions from his Chaire of State, and that Suite which was of an Orrange-tawny-colour broad-cloth, he stole out of the Spicery, with a Fetherbed.
For these his most fowle and vile offence, he wept most bitterly, and prayed heartily vnto GOD for pardon and remission: vnto whose vnexpressable mercie, I must leaue him.
At this Sessions was arraigned and executed at Tyburne Thomas Porter a Brewer by Trade, who in playing at the Cards with one Christopher Body, a Player, fell out with him, who so prouoked him, that hee tooke a Nowle, that lay on the Boarde, and thrust it into his side, of which mortall wound he dyed.
At this Sessions were conuicted and executed vppon the statute of Vagrancie, Samuell Prat, and Iohn Smith, both which the Statute adiudged to be Fellons, without any benefite of Cleargie, hauing béene before whipt, and burnt in the Shoulder, with a Romane R. and returning backe with their Passes, they were both adiudged to dye: and the one was hanged at White Chappell, and the other at Grayes Inne Lane ende.
Conclusion.
THus Life is destroyed by Life, and Earth turnes Earth to Earth. The Life of the Law, which is iust, takes away the Life of the lewd, and vniust. Iudges, Men made of Earth, turnes these miserable wretches vnto the Graue, Dust, and Earth. But Christianitie requires of mee to lodge this hope in my breast, That he who came downe from Heauen to Earth, to bring vs vnto euerlasting Life, though Death and Graue haue now swallowed them vp, and gotten the victorie of them; yet by vertue of his most powerfull Conquest, and glorious Resurrection, they shall rise out of the dust of their Graues; for their Corruption, then to put on Incorruption, for their Mortall and transitorie Life, an Immortall and euerlasting Life: Which Lord Iesus graunt vnto vs all, in thy appointed time.
FINIS.