VVHen Men ingrateful, and base Souls are by their Prince's fa­vours, raised most Commonly they degenerate into Terasons, and the fowlest Crimes that Intrest or Ambition can put into their Minds, not onely against those that are their Equals, but against that power that raised them; and that they ought most to reverence and respect as bound to it, not only by the Laws of Man, but likewise by those of Heaven, which have commanded us to honour and Obey the King, and that it is Damnation to resist his power; yet such have been our Trayterous Sons of Rome, that blinded by their Superstitious Zeal and gross Errors they have not re­gard either; but have gone on in such horrid and diabolick Conspiracies which had they not been prevent by an Almighty Arm. and we plucked out of the Jaws of Ruin and Desolation; their horrible effects, had [...]de the World look pail to see the Kingdoms lie welltring in their Childrens Bloods; whilst on each hand in­sulting Papists with Fire and Sword, destroyed each Sex and Age of their merciless cruelty many Countrys can testfie; witness Bohemia, Abligentia, Waldentia, Pod­mont, Flanders, France, Ireland, England, and, an [...] many Countreys more where those Slaves to the Scarlet Beast, and Enemies to the Gospel have Tyranized; but let us leave those acts of Antient times, and come to these our Modern ones, [Page 2] and take a serious veiw of the mighty Stratagems, and Dark contrivances they had for this Fifteen or Sixteen Years past been brooding.

First, To Fire the famous City and great Metropolis of the Nation by, That to reduce us to poverty, and in rich themselves by the plunder; that uot taking effect, a Massacre was next designed; but first the King must be Murthered to be­gin the bloody Scean and Tragical destruction to perfect this, they had hired se­veral Persons with vast Sums, five Hundred or a Thousand pound, was a small offer, and over and above a Pardon for their sins; for ever such was their Igno­rance hudwinked to rush upon Damnation; nay so far went, they, when they saw the courage of their Ruffins fail, and that God held back their [...]ands; as to offer Waik [...]man, Ten Thousand pounds actually for to Administer a Dose of Poison, but at last Heaven brought to light their Hellish practices, so deep in Night and Darkness laid, and the grand Traytors were apprehended and lodged safe in the strong Tower; this Lord of whose deserved fall we intend to Treat, being one of the Number, and proved to be guilty of most or all the before mentioned villa­nies; for so we may rightly term such vile and horrid Treasons in his Plea be­fore the Lords assembled in Parliament, he could not well deny the same, they were sworn so positively and plain against him, by those very men whom he had endeavored, or did actually hire to undertake the same by which it was seen that Heavens imediate hand was in the discovery and means to bring him to his de­served punishment; so that after several Evidences for him had argued backward and forwards confounding their Testimonys almost at every Question demanded of them rather to his disadvantage, then profit, so that one of his Servants was heard to say to him in Court that he wondered he would ever trust Mr. Dudgale (one of the meterial Evidences for the King) with any of his secrets for he had often told he would betray his Trust, or words to that effect.

After he had, had a fair Tryal before his Peers which lasted for the space of Six days he was Cast by his Peers and found guilty of the High Treason, with which he was charged; upon which he made many Apologies but of no avail, for the most part being convinced of the illegality of his Opinions by the Lord high Steward. So that at last he was brought to the Bar with the Tower Ax boren before him, to receive Sentance of death, at which he seemed much dismayed; for it is most commonly observed those that are inclined to cruelty and eagerly hunt after the lives of others, are not willing to graple with death himself; one thing is worthy to be observed which never yet any Papists owned, that upon his Tryal he being questioned as to the Plot of Gunpowder Treason, whither he did not beleive that was carried on by the Papists? His answer was, That he did beleive it, but that they were very vile and wicked men. His Sentance af­ter a most Anthentick Speech made by the Lord High Stward, was, That he must go to the place from whence he came, and from thence be drawn upon a Hurdle to the appointed place of Execution, there to be hang'd up by the Neck not till he was dead, but to be cut down alive, his privy Members to be cut off, and his Bowels to be riped out and burnt before his face, then his Head to be severed from his body, and his Four Quarters to be divided and disposed of according to his Majesty's pleasure, or to this effect; then the Ax being boren before him, he was conveyed by the Leiutenant, and a Guard of Partizans into the Barge, that lay at Old Pallace Stairs, and in it to the Tower, where he went through Tray­tors Gate to his former Lodging; seeming very much discontented and troubled in Mind; for no doubt his Conscience being awaked he began to think of his latter end.

Being come into the Tower to his old Lodging he behaved himself very modest­ly fetching many sighs at the reflection of his Tottering State, and the near a­proch of Death; being often observed to pray to himself and meditate upon the misery his horrid Treason had involved him in: For souler Crimes have not been known, the he past doubt was guilty of during his Imprisonment; after condem­nation Dr. Burnet, and several other Godly Ministers were with him, to preswade him to a free Confession of the horrid Plot, and so far prevailed with him as to make him somewhat relent, bur 'twas not long, for being over awed by Rome's pernicious Serpents that lay hissing Damnation in his Ears. If he discovered out, he was no doubt compelled to recant those: thought yet something more then [Page 3] ever Catholick did: yet, he owned, for he did confess their was a Plot to promoate the Catholick Religion, and that there were several Geatherings and Contributions to propa­gate the same; but devised that ought was intended or de­signed against the Life of his Majesty, upon the pretence of of a Discovery, he was likewise according to his own desire brought to the Bar of the House of Lords, where he shewed his Malice and his weakness by endeavouring to spot the candid Reputation of some Honourable worthies, but in vain, for it not only begat him a sharpe Reproofe, but likewise incenced the House against him, being remmand­ed to the Tower, where he continued very pensive when he knew the day was perfixed for his Execution which was the 29th. of this instant December, and that now inter­cession would be vain; the watches being warned, and the Trained-Bands ordered to be in Arms, on Wednesday the date above mentioned; be was brought our of the Tower by a Guard of Partizans, and conveyed through a lain of Souldiers and the Hamblets Wards, the Ax being boren before him to the place of Execution, being come to the Scaffold he was by the assistance of some Offi­cers of the Tower, helped upon the Scaffold that stood upon the Hill where no sooner being mounted, but his countenance altered exceedingly as dreading much the near approach of certain Death, whilst many Catholicks that crouded as near as possible and had taken up stand­ings: look as dejected as he to see the Champion of their Cause now bogle at Death; many prayers he made and often lifted up his hands with divers Protestations, for the space of half an hour, was observed to weep often casting his eyes upon his Friend that stood nearest him as being loath to bid the World farewel, though he would not have blushed to have been a main Agent in distroy­ing so many Thousands as were intended a Sacrifice to Rome Yet, Notwithstanding his fear: Stafford, must re­ceive the reward of his black Treasons, in order to which accordingly he laying his Head on the Block, after some Time the Executioner did his Office and at one blow se­vered [Page 4] his Head from his Body, doth of them containing life and motion for a good space especially the Body which stirred [...]nd wallowed to and fro, and had the Simptoms of Life, for about a quarter of an hour after the blow was given as it is credibly reported by those who had the ordering of the same; thus fell the Tray­tor, in the Snare he had laid for others, and had his own Blood justly shead, who did design to make Three Kingdoms Swim in Blood; after Execution his Body was conveyed back into the Tower, to be disposed of as his Majesty shall think fit.