The last Speech and Prayer with other Passages of Thomas Venner

The Chief Incourager and Pro­moter of the late Horrid Rebellion, immedi­ately before his Execution in Coleman­street on Saturday last being the 19th of Ianuary, 1660.

Together with the names of the rest that were con­demned for the same Fact.

LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.

The last Speech and Prayer, with other passages of Tho. Venner.

ON Saturday the nineteenth of Janu­ary one thousand six hundred and sixty, in persuance of the judgement of the Court at the Sessions house in the Old Baily, whereby sixteen of the late Rebels were condemned to be hang'd, drawn, and quartered.

Thomas Venner formerly a Cooper in London, but of late a pretended Preacher of a private Con­gregation in Coleman street, was with Roger Hoskins a Button-seller in Clements Lane, and a member of his Church drawn from Newgate unto Coleman­street aforesaid upon a Hurdle, where two Gibbets were erected for their execution, being the place where they had first contrived, and where the said Master Venner had first promoted, encouraged and at last unanimously agreed upon the late Rebel­lion and Insurrection.

Being come to the Gallows, by reason of his many wounds he was taken out of the Sledge by two of the Sheriffs Officers, and led to the Ladder, being come to the foot thereof, one met him that was a brother preacher of his in former time, but of late times better instructed, spake unto him saying,

Now Mr. Venner you are going to your last home therefore confess your sinnes, and acknowledge this great fault and wickedness, for which you are now to dye.
Venner.

I now speak as I said before, that what I did was according to the best light I had, and ac­cording to the best understanding that the Scripture will afford.

D.

But with all Gods people before death there must be confession of sinne according to the Scripture.

Venner.

There must be conviction before there can be confession, which I cannot find in my own conscience.

D.

But David saies, that we should pray against blood-guiltinesse, and desires God to deliver us from it, and this surely must needs lye upon your spirit.

Venner.

Do not be an instrument of Satan to take [Page 5]away that comfort I have within me now I am go­ing to dye.

Upon which, command was given that they should not speak any farther to him.

As he went up the Ladder, he used this ex­pression.

The Lord judge between me and thee.

And being upon the Ladder, with the Rope a­bout his neck, he spake as followeth.

Friends,

I Desire in the feare of the Lord to acknowledge why I am brought to this place at this time: What I did was from the Word of the Lord, you ought to believe that the Fourth Monarchy is come, and that it is the duty of the people of God to looke for liberty: And there is one thing that lyes upon my spirit for the Testimony of King Jesus, which is, and I doe here declare it, that I have done nothing but what was for the propagation of his Government and Rule, and for the advancement of his Kingdom, according to the light which I had given me: I have beene very much wounded, and [Page 6]for five or six dayes before I came hither I thought I should have dy'd, but Gods providence hath brought me hither that I might declare unto you and to all the world that I dye for the testimony of his truth.

Now the Lord help you and the Lord help us all to consider really that there is no standing against God, for he will be too hard for you: now if you be of his party it will hold and none shall resist you, but if not, know that he can raise Servants out of the dust to doe his own work.

And therefore Oh Friends doe not rise against God, these are the last words I must say; but the Lord will speake more by my death then by my life. Therefore all that I have to say to you is this, All the Doctrines that ever I have preached are truth, every word thereof was by the spirit of Truth, according to the word and the best light which I had within me, and the same I now seale with my Blood.

And therefore the Lord help you to lay it to heart and to your consciences, and therefore Oh that I could speak it, for I am faint, and indeed I cannot speake.

Here one told him again that David desired to be cleansed from blood-guiltinesse, to which Master Venner said, how! a man blood-guilty in the service of King Jesus?

Here he was desired now he was going out of the World, to make some kind of confession to shew some signe of Repentance of his fault.

To which he answered and said, that he had no fault to confesse, end if what he did for the glorification of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ, he was there ready to suffer for it.

At last he was bid to prepare himselfe for death, for he had but a few minutes to live.

Venner.

I will pray first

and so began. ‘[Page] OH Good Lord; I am coming to thee; Oh Lord forgive me? Oh Lord comfort me; in­to thy hands Oh Lord I commit my spirit:’ at which words he was turned off the Ladder, and having hang'd the space of a quarter of an hour, he was out down and quartered according to his Sentence.

A List of the names of those that are condemned to dye.

  • Roger Hoskins.
  • Leonard Goaler.
  • John Allen.
  • John Pym.
  • William Gotsingham.
  • William Ashton.
  • Giles Pritchard.
  • Rich. Martin.
  • John Smith.
  • Tho. Hopkins.
  • Will. Corbet.
  • John Elstone.
  • Tho. Harris.
  • John Gardiner.
  • John Wells,
  • Robert Brierly.
FINIS.

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