‘many others of seuerall dispositions. All you beeing thus assembled to see mee finish my dayes, the number of which is sum'd vp, for the very mi­nutes of my life may now be reckon­ed. Your expectation is to haue mee say something, to giue satisfaction to the World, and I will doe it so farre as I can, albeit in that speech of mine, I shall (as it was spoken vnto me the last night) but chatter like a Crow. But whatsoeuer I deliuer, I beseech you to take from a wounded bosome, for my purpose is to rip vp my very heart, and to leaue nothing there which may proue any clogge to my Conscience.’

‘Hither am I come to performe a worke which of all others is to Man the most easie and yet to Flesh and Blood is the hardest, and that is, To die. To hide therefore any thing, for any worldly respect, were to leaue a blot vpon my owne Soule, which I trust shall be presented (through the mercies of my Maker, and merits of my Sauiour) acceptable before GODS high Tribunall.’

‘And first I will labour to satisfie some, who before my apprehension were well conceipted of mee, but since my Arraignment, as I vnderstand, ca­ryed of mee but hard opinions, for that at the Barre I stood stiffly vpon [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]the Iustice of my Innocence; and this they impute as a great fault, beeing af­terwards that I was found guilty of the Crime. To which I answer, that I did it ignorantly: Nay I was so farre from thinking my selfe foule in the Fact, that vntill these two Gentle­men, (Doctor Felton and Doctor Whiting, the Physitions for my Soule) told mee how deepely I had imbrewed my hands in the blood of that gentle­man, making mee by GODS law as guilty in the Concealing, as if I had beene a personall Actor in it: till then I say, I held my selfe so ignorant of the deede, and my Conscience so cleere, that I did neuer aske GOD forgiuenesse, nor once repent mee of [Page]the Fact, such was my blindnesse. So that it was not onely an error, or ra­ther a horrible sinne, in mee to consent, but a worse, to deny it, so Bloody, so Treacherous, so Foule, so Filthy a Fact as that was; for which I must confesse the King, and the State haue dealt honorably, roundly, and iustly, with mee, in condemning mee vnto this death. And thus haue I laboured and done my best to cleere this point, being willing by all good meanes to reduce your first opinions of mee; that as formerly your conceipted well of mee, so you would now with a cha­ritable affection performe the last duty of your Christian loues towards mee, praying to GOD, both with [Page]me, and for mee; to the intent that this Cup, whereof I am to drinke, may not be greiuous vnto mee, but that it may be a ioyfull conueiance to a better and more blessed comfort.’

‘Some perhaps will thinke it to be a Rigor of the State, or aggrauation of my iudgement, that I should die in this place, but this doe I take as an honor vnto me, & herein doe I acknowledge my selfe to stand much bound to the State, in that I haue this fauour vouch­safed me to suffer Death in sight of my Charge, euen where I had sinned, on the Tower-hill, rather than in the place of common Execution, where euery base Malefactor dyeth.’

‘Many doe I see here whom I know well, and of whom I am likewise knowne: and now am I a Spectacle for them to be looked on, whom in former times (and in all mens ac­counts) they held neuer likely to come to such an end. But herein he hold the iustice of God, who is so oppos'd a­gainst sinne, because that if we forget to seeke him whilst we may, he will finde vs out when we would not be found of him.’

‘It is expected I should say something of the fact which I haue committed: And hither am I come resolued to cleare my conscience (before I depart this world) of all matters which I ei­ther [Page]knowe, or can now remember. And so much I haue already deliue­red in writing to my Lo. Chiefe Iust­ice:: and to proue that which I wrote is true, I yesterday confirmed it with the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament, wishing vnto you all as much com­fort by those holy Mysteries, as I tooke by them: and I doe heere (though not with such a bloud) yet with mine own bloud, seale that which I haue writ­ten. For my selfe, I will hide nothing to make my fault seeme lesse, but will rip open this very heart of mine, and confesse before God myne owne vn­cleannesse.’

‘I haue sinned exceedingly a­gainst [Page]thee O my maker, and in this am I most faulty, that I did not reueale to the King, so soone as I my selfe had knowledge of the busines. But (alas) feare to loose these worldly pleasures, and the loue to promotion, made me forget my duty to my Soueraigne, and not to regard my God, who is a swift auenger of blood: and would to hea­uen I had trusted to his prouidence, and set the thinges of this world at nought, for heauens sake, and a good conscience. You see, Gentlemen, pro­motion cannot rescue vs from the iust­ice of God, which alwaies pursues af­ter sinne: And therefore I exhort you not to trust in men (how great soeuer) for they cannot hide themselues when [Page]God is angry; neither can they pro­tect you from shame, when God will consume you: he that sitteth in hea­uen, will deride and scorne their foolish Inuentions. As for me, I will not spare to lay open my owne shame: Thinke you I care for the reputation of this world? No, I weigh it not. This my soule shall receiue more comfort from God in my vpright dealing.’

‘My sinne, in this foule fact, was great, for vpon me lay all the blood, shed, and to be shed: I haue made ma­ny children fatherles, many wiues hus­bandles, many parents childelesse: and I my selfe leaue a comfortlesse wife and eight children behinde me for it too: [Page]for if I had reuealed it when I might, I had freed much blood from being spilt, in so much as I could wish (Gods Iustice and charity reserued) I might hang in chaines, till I rotte away by peecemeale: nor cared I what tortures my body were put vnto, so I might ex­paite or free the bloud of so many, (some in one place, and some in ano­ther) which is both like to bee shed, and is already shed, and the Lord knowes when it will haue an end.’

‘Concerning my selfe, I will aggra­uate the crime, by speaking of euery circumstance I can remember. And now it comes into my mind, what trust that gentleman put into me: hee [Page]reputed me to bee most faithfull vnto him; (Oh the vildnesse of my heart!) I proued vnfaithfull, and was his deadly deceitfull friend.’

‘And here (Gentlemen) I exhort you all that you would take notice of this, euer to bee faithfull to those who put you in trust.’

‘Sir Thomas O. trusted me, and I was vnfaithfull and treacherous to him, in drawing tickets for him to his disad­uantage. I promised him secrecy, yet betrayed him, onely to satisfy great­nesse: But God, who sees the secret thoughts of mans heart, will disclose all vnuist actions at last: nay, I am per­swaded that whosoeuer they bee that [Page]commit sinne in their child-hood, at one time or other it will be reuealed.’

‘In this place it commeth to my mind, that in my yonger dayes (as wel beyond the Seas as here) I was much addicted to that idle veyne of Gaming, I was bewitched with it indeed: And I played not for little for final sūms neither, but for Great-ones, yet euer haunted with ill lucke: And vpon a time, being much displeased at my losse, I sayd, not in a carelesse maner, Would I might be hanged; But seri­ously, and aduisedly (betweene God and my selfe) clapping my hands vp­on my breast, I spake thus, If euer I play again, then let me be hangd. Now gentlemen here you may behold the [Page]ustice of God, paying mee my wish and imprecation home. Bee carefull therefore I exhort you, that you vow nothing but that vnto which you will giue all diligence to performe: for the powerful God, before whom you make such vowes, will otherwise bee auegned:’

Jn this place Doctor VVhiting putting him in mind to satisfie the World touching his Religion thus he went on.

‘THe matter you speake to mee of, faith hee, is well thought vpon: for I heare that abroad hath beene [Page]some murmuring and questions made about mee for my Religion; Some giuing out that I was infected with A­nabaptisme: A fond, ridiculous, foo­lish and phantasticall opinion, which I neuer affected but rather despised.’

‘Many may thinke that the manner of my death doth much discourage mee, that I should dye in a halter: I would haue you all to thinke that I scorne all such worldly thoughts: I care not for it, I value not any earth­ly shame at all, so as may haue ho­nour [Page]and glory anon in Heauen: and I make no doubt, but I shall sodaine­ly be more happie then you all, and that I shall see GOD face to face: and if there be any point of innocency in mee at all, I doe vtterly cast it from mee, and I doe commit it wholly to GOD.’

‘And for any matter of Glory, I doe with the Saints of GOD expect it through the merits of Christ, at the Resurrection: yea it is my glorie to die thus. I might haue died in my Bedde, or shooting the Bridge or else haue fallen downe sodainly, in [Page]which death I should haue wanted this space to repent, being the sweet com­fort and assured hope of Gods fauour which of his mercy he hath vouchsa­fed mee; So that it swalloweth vp all feare of death or reproch of the World: wishing vnto all you (Gentlemen) who now behold mee, that wheresoeuer you shall dye, (either in your Beddes or else-where howsoewer) you may feele such comfort and resolution as God in his mercy hath bestowed vppon mee and my wounded Soule for this and the rest of my grieuous Sinnes.’

‘But mee thinkes I heare some of you coniecture and say, that I [Page]expresse no great Arguments or signes of sorrow: You think my heart should rather dissolue and melt into teares, then to appeare so insensible of feare as I may seeme: but I must tell you, teares were neuer common in mee: I may therefore feare though I do not weepe. I haue been couragious both beyond the Seas and heere in mine owne Country: but (Gentlemen) that was when there was no perill be­fore mee. But now the stroke of death is vppon mee. It affrights mee, and there is cause to feare: yet notwith­standing, my heart seemeth vnto you to be rather of stone than of flesh. But I would haue you vnderstand, that this boldnes doth not proceed from [Page]any manly fortitude, for I am a man, fraile as you are, and dare as little look death in the face as any other: ther terors of death doe as much trouble my hu­mane sense, as of any man whatsoeuer: but that which swalloweth vp all man­ner of feare in me, & maketh me to glo­ry and to reioyce in, is, the full assu­rance which I conceiue of the vn­speakable loue of God to those who are his, of which number I perswade my selfe to bee one, and that I shall present­ly enioy it.’

‘I confesse I haue sinned exceedingly, against thee (oh God) many wayes, in prophaning thy holy Sabaoths, in ta­king thy glorious name in vaine, in [Page]my concupiscence in turning all thy graces into wantonnes, in my Riotous wasting so many of thy good Crea­tures, as would haue relieued many poore people, whose prayers I might haue had this day.’

‘I haue sinned against thee in my Child-hood: but Childrens sinnes are childishly performed: but I confirmed them in my manhood, there was my sinne. I am perswaded, there is no sinne, that a man committeth in his life, knowing it to be a sin, and not re­penting of it, but the Lord will iudge it.’

‘I admonish you therefore that are [Page]heere assembled, to take good notice of your sinnes, and let none escape you vnrepented. And yet when you haue done the best you can, there will lie buried some one sinne or other sufficent to condemne you.’

‘O Lord clense mee from my secret sinnes, which are in me so rife. I abu­sed the tender education of my Pa­rents. You perhaps that knew mee will say no; I liued in an honest forme, and was not bad in my life.’

‘But I know best my selfe what I was: & if I who was so esteemed of amongst Men, shall scarcely be saued, what will [Page]become of those, whom you point at for notorious lieuers?’

‘The last night God put into my mind the remembrance of one sinne of mine, which heere I will lay open, that others may take heed. I tooke a vaine pride in my pen, and some of my friendes would tell me I had some induments and speciall gift that way: (though I say nor so my selfe) but mark the iudgement of God in this; that Pen which I was so proud of, hatch struck mee dead, and like Absolons hayre hath hanged me: for there hath dropt a word or two from my Pen, in a letter of mine, which vpon my Saluation I am not a­ble to answer, or to giue any good ac­compt [Page]of. At my Arraignment I plea­ded hard for life, & protested my Inno­cency, but when my owne Pen came against mee, I was forthwith not able to speake anything for my selfe: for I stood as one amazed, or that had no Tongue.’

‘See (Gentlemen) the iust Iudge­ment of GOD, who made that thing of which I was most proud, to be my bane: take notice how strangely sinne is punished, and learne euery-one to striue against it.’

‘I haue heard the word of GOD, and often read it (but without vse) for I must tell you these two worthy, [Page]Gentlemen (to whom I am so much bounden, God reward them for their loue) euen they begat mee very late­ly, for I am not ashamed to confesse that I was to be begotten vnto Christ within these three daies: yea I haue of­ten prayed against sinne, and made many vowes to forsake it, but vppon the next occasion, my foule heart hath beene ready to runne with the wicked.’

‘Had I learned but this one lesson in the 119. Psalme, (Depart from mee ye wicked, I will keepe the Comman­dements of my God &c.) I had beene likely to haue enioyed many dayes heere on eath: whereas now you [Page]all see mee ready to bee cut short by reason of my sinne.’

‘But (O LORD) albeit thou slayest mee, yet will I put my trust in thee: let the LORD doe to me what hee will, I will dye vpon this hand (of trusting in him) if I faile many a soule hath miss'd, but I haue sure hope of mercy in him; hee hath sufficed and succoured mee, I am sure, euer since the sentence of death hath passed vppon mee: such com­fort flowing from the Godly in­deauors of these Gentlemen (the Diuines) that neither the Re­proach of this Death, nor the [Page]Torment of it hath any whit discou­raged me; nay, let me tell you, the last night when I heard the time was appoynted, and saw the warrant in Master Sheriffs hand for my death, it no whit daunted me: But what put this courage into me? onely the hope which I had in GODS mercies.’

‘This Hope was a Seede, and this Seed must come from a Roote; I loo­ked vpon my selfe, and there was ra­ther cause despaire; and iust cause, that I should not approach GODS presence. Thus then I disputed with GOD: This Hope being a Seede must haue a Roote, and this Roote is not any thing in Man, no, it is Prae­scientia [Page](thy fore-knowledge,) O God, who hast elected me from eter­nity.’

‘I will tell you, I receiued more com­fort this morning, comming along the streetes, than euer I did in all my life. I saw much people gathered together, all the way as I came, to see mee brought to this shamefull end: who with their hearty prayers and well wishings gladded and comforted my very soule: insomuch as I could wish that I had come from Westminster hi­ther. I protest vnto you, I thinke I could neuer haue dyed so happily in my bed.’

‘But you will say, these are but spee­chees, and that I being so neere death, [Page]my heart cannot be so free, as I seeme in my speech: I confesse, there are in my brest frailties, which doe terrifie, and will still be busie with me, but I be­seech you when I am at the stroake of death, that you would praie to GOD (with mee) that neither Sathans power, nor my weakenesse, may hinder my confidence. And I beseech God that amongst all who this daie heare mee, some may profit by my end: If I get but one Soule, I shall haue much com­fort in that; for that one soule my be­get another, and that other another.’

‘I haue held you too long, but I will draw to an end: intreating you all to ioyne in praier to God for me.’

After hee had thus Prayed, hee tooke his leaue of all, with these words.

‘GEntlemen, I shall see your faces now no more: and pulling down his Cap in his eies, said some priuat prayer; in which time the Doctors prayed, and called to him, that hee would remember his assurance, and not be dismaied at the Cup, that hee was not drinke of: Hee answered, I will drinke it vp, and neuer looke what is in it.’ And after a little time more spent in [Page]priuat prayer, hee said, ‘Lord receaue my Soule:’ And so yeelded vp the Ghost.