A Relation of the Attachment, Life, Death, and confession of Will. Waller, Alias Walker, Ward, or Slater, a Priest and Jesuite, which was hang'd, drawne, and quartered at Tyburne, on Munday being the 26. day of July, Anno Dom. 1641.
THis Jesuit whose confession I shall now relate unto you, was condemned upon Saturday the 24. of July, for withstanding the Kings Proclaimation; which was to the effect that by such a day of the moneth they should all leave England; this man and his companion which at this time lyes in Prison, thinking by obscurity to follow their owne wayes in spite of all commands whatsoever, stayd behind, but marke how it fell out; one evening he being walking in the Garden of one, which at this time I will not name, was murmuring to himselfe. Shall I live cooped up thus? shall my enemies live in honour and I in disgrace? hath Saint Peter forgot his accustomed goodnesse, or hath the blessed Virgin lost all her priviledge which once she had to command her sonne: have I thus long [Page 2] been a faithfull sonne to Rome? or have I so often times invoked the Saints to assist me in the most learned latine tongue? have I not made new Saints, and new fasting dayes? Why then doe not any of them in this my adversity assist mee? have not crosses, beads, and crucifixes been alwayes my delight; hath not more water been hallowed with this my mouth then by any Jesuite this day living? Who upon Ashwednesday, or Good-Friday hath been more forward to punish offenders then I? who hath kept more commemorations then I? or caused more cominations? who hath strived to suggest more then I? Or who upon their death beds hath turned to Rome more then I? when I was Confessour to the Lady Wootton living in Canterbury, and S. Austins Monastery in Kent. Did not I turne her Lord upon his death bed to our Religion; have not I made the whole Abby like to a second Rome? Have not all the Prebends in the Cathedrall there, like damned Heretiques as they were, strived to turne her, to them: And have not my perswasions returned her againe? Have I not been alwayes true? accuse me he that can: and yet are my hayres made gray before my time; I cannot walke abroad for feare of the Law, which by my Orders, should command; Nay, before my banishment was proclaimed, did not each Hereticall Vassall affront me, either by their words or deeds? by prophaning the sacred n [...]me of our holy Father the Pope, most blessed saint: Peters [Page 3] successor, I was called Pope Joanes disciple? what she was it was unknowne to all our Order at the first; why then should I be branded with her? I suffer now, but long I vow not so to doe; Ile gaine my liberty, although it be through blood: Kings by my brethren often have murthered been, the Heavens have lent me armes and heart as well as they, and why should I feare to add another part to their Tragedies.
Thus to himselfe was he heard to murmour by an honest country-man, who presently went to a Justice of peace, and accquainted him with what he had heard (from whose Clerke this relation came unto me) upon whose words he was attached, and sent unto Newgate; from whence the time being come he was guarded to the common Sessions-house in the Old Bayly, belonging to the City; where he was tryed, convicted and condemned; a little before the sentence of death past upon him, he was boasting to his companion after this manner, Why should we feare death whence I know our meritorious actions will give us life eternall.
O vaine and foolish man, I feare thy presumptious life hath caused thy everlasting death; the death of thy poore soule, which was bought at so high a rate, the price of it was blood, thy loving and kind Saviours blood; how then can any mortal man merit Heaven by his owne works; which is impossible to be attained, but by the meritorious death of our Saviour: but I proceed.
[Page 4] This Jesuite being condemned upon Saturday, on Munday following was to dye, and did so; but before he went into the Cart to be carryed to the place of Execution: he made this confession to his Partner (which was condemned also, but repreived, how long I cannot truely tell) Brother I am now going to that place which will create me a Martyr; I am to dye, and joyfully doe I goe unto it, knowing that I dye a Saint, because I was always true to the Apostolicall sea of Rome; as for my pardon, long since I had it from our Ghostly Father, the Pope; which makes me the more willing to dye, insomuch as I know it to be of sufficient force to save my soule.
O horrid and blasphemous words, of a man which as then had not two houres to live!
If onely the Lamb of God can take away the sins of the World, which is Christ our Saviour; how can the Pope forgive sins: but it is manifested by Scripture, that the Lamb of God can onely take away the sins of the World, wherefore the Pope is a deceiver. He bid his friend be constant to Rome; as he ever was, and to feare death no more then he did; that being said, he was guarded to the Cart, and with a cord bound therein, and comming nigh S. Pulchres Church, it is a common use, the Bell tolling there, for the sexton to read a Prayer to those which are to dye, and desire the standers by, to pray for the salvation of their soules: This Jesuite all the while he was praying, seemed rather to looke [Page 5] upon the Dyall to see what houre of the day it was, then to marke what the sexton said: Being come unto Tyburne, the common place of Execution, the Sheriffe asked him what his name was, he answered, Waller, notwithstanding he was nick-nam'd by pick-pockets; then did he aske him in what Religion he dyed, he answered, a Roman Catholique and a Priest; before the Cart was drawne away the Sheriffe bidding him pray, hee turned about and gave money to the people, and then by the help of the Hangman, upon his knees he prayed in Latine and crossed himselfe: And so he ended his most miserable and (I feare) accursed life.