A PROTESTATION Against a foolish, ridiculous and scandalous SPEECH, pretended to be spoken by THOMAS WENTWORTH, Late Earle of Strafford, to certaine Lords before his comming out of the Tower: As also against the simple and absurd Letter to his Lady in Ireland, together with the onely true Copy of his Speech, and the charge de­livered to his Son.

Printed, Anno 1641.

The Speech suggested to bee the late Earl of Straffords, pretended to be spoken in the Tower, being falsly and scandalously imputed to him, is protested against, and the Testimony of the Honourable Persons then present appealed unto therein.

  • Lord Primate of Ire­land.
  • Earle of Cleeveland.
  • Earle of Newport.
  • Lord Rich.
  • Sir William Balfoure.
  • Sir Willam Wentworth.
  • Sir George Wentworth.
  • Doctor Carre.
  • Doctor Price.

The paper containing the heads of the Earl of Straffords last Speech, written with his own hand, as it was left upon the Scaffold.

  • 1 Come to pay the last debt ve owe to sin.
  • 2 Rise to Righteousnesse.
  • 3 Die willingly.
  • 4 Forgive all.
  • 5 Submit to Justice, but in my intentions from subverting, &c.
  • [Page 2]6 Wishing nothing but prosperity to King and People.
  • 7 Acquit the King constrained.
  • 8 Beseech to Repent.
  • 9 Strange-way to write the beginning of refor­mation and setlement of a Kingdome in bloud.
  • 10 Beseech that demand may rest there.
  • 12 Call not bloud upon themselves.
  • 13 Die in the Faith of the Church.
  • 14 Pray for it, and desire the Prayers with me.

The true Speech as it was delivered. My Lord Primate of Ireland.

IT is my very great comfort that I have your Lord­ship by me this day, and I doe thanke God and your Lordship for it, in regard I have bin knowne to you this many yeares. I should bee very glad to obtaine so much silence as to be heard a few words, but I doubt I shall not, the noyse is so great.

My Lords, I come hither by the good will and plea­sure of Almighty God, to pay that last debt J owe to sin which is death; and by the blessing of that God to rise againe through the merits of Jesus Christ to righteous­nesse and life eternall. [Here he was interrupted.

My Lords, I am come hither to submit to that judg­ment which hath passed against me; I do it with a very [Page 3] quiet and contented minde, I do freely forgive all the World, a forgivenes that is not spoken from the teeth outwards (as they say) but from the very heart. J can very well say in the presence of Almighty God before whom J stand, That there is not a displeased thought arising in mee towards any creature. I thanke God I can say, and truly too, and my conscience beares mee witnesse, that in all the employments, since I had the honour to serve his Majesty, J never had any thing in the purpose of my heart, but what tended to the joynt and individuall prosperity of King and people. If it hath been my fortune to be misunderstood, surely I am not the first that hath been so; it is the common porti­on of us all, while wee are in this life, to erre, but righteous judgment we must wait for in another place; for here we are very subject to be misjudged one of an­other. There is one thing I desire to free my felfe of, and J am very confident (speaking it now with so much cheerfulnesse) that it cannot be but that J shall obtaine your Christian charity in the belief of it: I did alwaies thinke, the Parliaments of England were the happiest Con­stitutions that any Kingdome or Nation lived under, and next under God, the best means to make the King and his people happy, so far have J been from being a­gainst Parliaments.

For my death J heere acquit all the World, and be­seech the God of Heaven heartily to forgive them, though in the intentions and purposes of my heart I am innocent of what I die for.

And my Lord Primate, it is a very great comfort un­to me that his Majesty conceives me not meriting so se­vere and heavy a punishment, as is the uttermost execu­tion of this sentence. J doe infinitely rejoyce in this [Page 4] mercy of His, and J beseech God to returne it upon him, that hee may find mercy when hee stands most in need of it.

I wish this Kingdome all the prosperity and happi­nesse in the world; I did it living, and now dying it is my wish; J doe most humbly recommend it to every man that heares mee, and desire that they will lay their hands upon their hearts, and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happinesse of the Re­formation of a Kingdome should be written in letters of bloud. Consider this when you are in your owne homes, and let mee bee never so unhappy, as that the least drop of my bloud should rise up in Iudgement against any one of you; I acquit you all, but I feare you are in a wrong way.

My Lords, I here professe, and with that I shall end, That I doe die a true and obedient Sonne to the Church of England, wherein J was born, and in which I was bred, Peace and Prosperity be ever in it. And whereas it is objected (if it bee an objection worth the answering) that J have beene inclined to Popery, J may truly say that from the time of 21. to this present going on now of 49. yeares, I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England, nor ever any man the boldnesse to suggest any such thing, to the best of my remembrance to me: so being reconciled by the mer­cies of Christ Jesus my Saviour, into whose bosome I hope J shall shortly bee gathered to, those eternall happinesses that shall never have end.

I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man for any rash and unadvised words, or for any thing done amisse; And so my Lords and Gentlemen farewell, farewell all the things of this World.

I desire that you would be silent and joyne with me in Prayer, and J trust in God we shall all meete, and live eternally in Heaven, there to receive the accom­plishment of all happinesse, where every teare shall be wiped away from our eyes, and every sad thought from our hearts, and so God blesse this Kingdome, and Jesus haue mercy upon my Soule.

To this, added a prayer not taken by any, to streng­then his Faith, confirme him in Patience and Charity, to preserve his Majesty and his Realmes in prosperity, and the Church in unitie, and to have mercy on his Soule.

Rising delivered these commands for his Children.

TO his Sonne William Wentworth, commends him­selfe, gives him charge to serve his God, to submit to his King with all faith and allegeance in things Tem­porall; to the Church, in things Spirituall; gives in charge as he will answer it to him in Heaven, never to meddle with the Patrimony of the Church, for it will bee the Cancer that will eate up the rest of his estate: Again, charges it as he will answer him in Heaven.

FINIS.

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