THE LAST SPEECHES OF Thomas Wentworth, Late Earle of Strafford, and Deputy of IRELAND. The one in the Tower, the other on the SCAFFOLD on Tower-Hill, May the twelfth. 1641. Together with his deportment before and at the end of his Execution.

London printed, 1641.

His Speech in the Tower to the Lords, before he went to Execution.

RIght Honourable, and the rest, you are now come to convey me to my death: I am willing to die, which is a thing no more than all our Predecessors have done, and a debt that our Posterity must in their due time discharge, which since it can be no way avoyded, it ought the lesse to be feared; for that which is common to all, ought not to be intollerable to any: It is the Law of Nature, the tribute of the flesh, remedy from all worldly cares and troubles; and to the truly penitent, a perfect path to blessednesse. And there is but one death, though severall wayes unto it: mine is not naturall, but enfor­ced by the Law and Iustice: It hath been said that the Lawes vex one­ly the meaner sort of people, but the mighty are able to defend them: it is not so with me, for to the Law I submit my selfe, and confesse that I receive nothing but Iustice: for he that politikly intendeth good to a Common-weale, may be called a just man, but he that practiseth ei­ther for his owne profit, or any other sinister ends, may be well tearmed a delinquent person; neither is delay in punishment any priviledge for pardon. And moreover, I ingenuously confesse with Cicero, That the death of the bad is the safety of the good that be alive.

Let no man trust either in the favour of his Prince, the friendship and consanguinity of his Peeres, much lesse in his owne wisedome and knowledge, of which I ingenuously confesse I have been too confident. Kings, as they are men before God, so they are Gods before men, and I may say with a great man once in this Kingdome, Had I strived to obey my God as faithfully, as I sought to honour my King diligently, I had stood, and not fallen. Most happy and fortunate is that Prince, who is as much for his justice feared, as for his goodnesse beloved: For the greater that Princes are in power above other, the more they ought in vertue to excell other; and such is the Royall Soveraigne whom I late served.

For my Peeres, the correspondence that I had with them during my prosperity, was to me very delightfull and pleasing, and here they have commiserated my ruine, I have plentifully found, who (for the most generous of them) I may boldly say, though they have detested the fact, yet they have pittied the person delinquent; the first in their loyal­ty, the last in their Charity: ingenuously confessing, that never any sub­ject, [Page 2] or Peere of my rank, had ever that helpe of Counsell, that benefit of time, or a more free and legall tryall than I have had: in the like whereof, none of my predecessors hath had so much favour from his Prince, so much sufferance from the people; in which I comprehend the understanding Commons, not the many headed Monster, Multi­tude: But I have offended, am sentenced, and must now suffer.

And for my too much confidence in my supposed wisdom & know­ledge, therein have bin the most deceived: for he is wise to himself, that knowes by others faults to correct his owne offences: to be truely wise is to be Secretaries to our selves; for it is meere folly to reveale our in­timate thoughts to strangers: wisdom is the most precious Gem with which the mind can be adorned, and learning the most famous thing for which a man ought to be esteemed, and true wisdome teacheth us to doe well, as to speake well: in the first I have failed, for the wisdome of man is foolishnesse with God.

For knowledge, it is a thing indifferent both to good and evill, but the best knowledge is for a man to know himselfe; hee that doth so shall esteeme of himselfe but little, for he considereth from whence hee came, and whereto he must goe, he regardeth not the vaine pleasures of this life, he exalteth God, and strives to live in his feare; but hee that knoweth not himselfe, is wilfull in his own wayes, unprofitable in his life, unfortunate in his death, and so am I. But the reason why I sought to attaine unto it, was this: I have read that he that knoweth not that which he ought to know, is a bruit beast among men; hee that know­eth more than he ought to know, is a man amongst beasts: but hee that knoweth all that may be known, is a God amongst men. To this I much aspired, in this I much failed; Vanity of vanities, all is but vanity.

I have heard the people clamour and cry out, saying, That through my occasion the times are bad, I wish that when I am dead they may prove better: most true it is, that there is at this time a great storme impending (God in his mercy avert it.) And since it is my particular lot, like Ionah, to be cast into the sea, I shall thinke my life well spent, to appease Gods wrath, and satisfie the peoples malice.

O what is eloquence more than ayre? fashioned with an articulate and distinct sound, when it is a speciall vertue to speake little and well, and silence is oft the best Oratory; for fools in their dumbnesse may be accounted wise: It hath power to make a good matter seeme bad, and a bad cause appeare good: but mine was to me unprofitable, and like the Cypresse trees, which are great and tall, but altogether without fruit.

What is honour? but the first step to disquietnesse, and power is still [Page 3] waited on by envy, neither hath it any priviledge against infamy. It is held to be the chiefe part of honour, for a man to joyne to his office and calling; curtesie and affability, commiseration and pitty: for there­by he draweth to him with a kind of compulsion, the hearts of the mul­titude. But that was the least part of my study, which now makes me call to minde, that the greater the persons are in authority, the soon­er they are catcht in any delinquency, and their smallest crimes are thought to be Capitall, the smallest spot seems great in the finest linen, and the least flaw is soonest found in the richest Diamond. But high and Noble spirits finding themselves wounded, grieve not so much at their owne paine and perplexity, as at the derision and scoffes of their enemy: but for mine own part, though I might have many in my life, I hope to find none in my death.

Amongst other things which pollute and contaminate the minds of great spirits, there is none more hainous then Ambition, which is sel­dome unacompanied with Avarice: Such to possesse their ends, care not to violate the Lawes of Religion, and Reason, and to breake the bonds of Modesty and Equity, with the nearest tyes of Consanguinity, and Amity; of which as I have beene guilty, so I crave at Gods hands forgivenesse. It is a Maxime in Philosophy, that ambitious men can be never good Counsellors to Princes; the desire of having more is com­mon to great Lords, and a desire of Rule a great cause of their Ruine.

My Lords, I am now the hopelesse President, may I be to you all an happy example: For Ambition devoureth gold, and drinketh blood, and climbeth so high by other mens heads, that at the length in the fall, it breaketh its owne neck: therefore it is better to live in humble con­tent, than in high care and trouble: For more precious is want with honesty, than wealth with infamy: For what are we but meere Va­pours, which in a serene Element ascend high, and upon an instant, like Smoake vanish into nothing: or like ships without Pilots, tost up and downe upon the Seas by contrary winds and tempests. But the good husbandman thinkes better of those eares of Corne, which bow down, and grow crooked, than those which are straight and upright, because he is assured to finde more store of Grain in the one than in the other. This all men know, yet of this, how few make use: The defect where­of must be now my pain: may my suffering prove to others profit.

For what hath now the favour of my Prince, the familiarity with my Peeres, the volubility of a tongue, the strength of my memory, my learning, or knowledge, my honours, or Offices, my power, and po­tency, my riches, and treasure, (all these the speciall gifts, both of Na­ture, and Fortune) what have all these profited me? Blessings I ac­knowledge, [Page 4] though by God bestowed upon man, yet not all of them together upon many: yet by the divine Providence, the most of them met in me: of which had I made happy use, I might still have flou­risht, who now am forced immaturely to fall.

I now could wish, (but that utinam is too late) that God with his outward goodnesse towards me had so commixed his inward grace, that I had chused the medium path, neither inclining to the right hand, nor deviating to the left; but like Icarus with my waxen wings, fear­ing by too low a flight to moisten them with the Waves: I soared too high, and too neare the Sun, by which they being melted, I aiming at the highest, am precipitated to the lowest, and am made a wretch­ed prey to the Waters: But I who before built my house upon the sand, have now setled my hopes upon the Rock my Saviour: by whose only merits my sole trust is, that whatsoever becomes of my body, yet in this bosome my soule may be sanctuaried.

Nimrod would have built a Tower to reach up to heaven, and called it Babel; but God turned it to the confusion of Languages, and dissi­pation of the people. Pharaoh kept the children of Israel in Bondage and after having freed them, in his great pride would have made them his prey; but God gave them a dry and miraculous passage, and Pha­raoh and his hoast a watry Sepulchre. Belshazzer feasted his Princes and Prostitutes, who drunke healths in the Vessels taken from the Tem­ple, but the hand of God writ upon the wall, Mene, Tekel, Phoras, and that night before morning, was both his kingdome and life taken from him: Thus God lets men go on a great while in their own devi­ces, but in the end it proves their own ruine and destruction, never suf­fering them to effect their desired purposes: therefore let none presume upon his power, glory in his greatnesse, or be too confident in his riches: These things were written for our Instruction, of which the li­ving may make use, the dying cannot; but wit and unfruitfull wis­dome are the next neighbours to folly.

There can be no greater vanity in the world, than to esteeme the world, which regardeth no man; and to make slight account of God who greatly respecteth all men; and there can be no greater folly in man, than by much Travell to encrease his goods, and pamper his bo­dy, and in the interim with vain delights and pleasures, to lose his soul. It is a great folly in any man to attempt a bad beginning, in hope of good ending; and to make that proper to one, which was before com­mon to all, is meere indiscretion, and the beginning of discord, which I positively wish may end in this my punishment.

O how small a proportion of earth will containe my body, when [Page 5] my high minde could not be confined within the spacious compasse of two Kingdomes? But my houre draweth on, and I conclude with the Psalmist, not aiming at any one man in particular, but speaking for all in generall: How long will you Iudges be corrupted? how long will yee cease to give true Iudgement? &c. Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the Councell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornfull, therefore they shall not stand in the Iudgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous, &c.

About the houre of twelve a clock the aforesaid Lord of Strafford was conveyed to the Scaffold on Tower hill, where was a Court of Guard made by the severall Companies of the Souldiers of the City of London, and the Hamlets of the Tower on each side as he passed to the Scaffold: before marched the Marshals men to make way, then the She­riffes of Londons Officers with their Halberds; after them the Kings Guard, or Warders of the Tower; Next came one of his Gentlemen, bare headed, in mourning habit, the Lord Strafford following him clad in black Cloth, with divers others in the same habit, which were his at­tendants; then the Lord Bishop of Armagh, and other good Divines; with the Sheriffes of London, and divers honourable personages.

When he came to the Scaffold, he there shewed himselfe on each side in full view to all people, and made this short speech, with as much alacrity of spirit, as a mortall man could expresse, viz.

The Earle of Straffords first Speech on the Scaffold.

MY Lord Primate of Ireland (and my Lords, and the rest of these Gentlemen) it is a very great comfort to me, to have your Lordship by mee this day, in regard I have been knowne to you a long time: I should be very glad to obtain so much silence, as to be heard a few words, but I doubt I shall not; my Lord I come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God, to pay that last debt I owe to sin, which is death, and by the bles­sing of that God to rise again through the merits of Christ Jesus to eternall glory; I wish I had been private, that I might have been heard; My Lord, if I might bee so much [Page 6] beholding to you, that I might use a few words, I should take it for a very great curtesie; My Lord, I come hither to submit to that judgement which hath past against me, I doe it with a very quiet and contented minde, I doe freely forgive all the world, a forgivenesse that is not spoken from teeth outward (as they say) but from the heart; I speake it in the presence of Almighty God, before whom I stand, that there is not so much as a displeasing thought in mee arising to any creature; I thanke God I may say truly, and my Conscience beares me witnesse, that in all my services since I have had the honour to serve his Majesty in any em­ployment, I never had any thing in my heart, but the joynt and individuall prosperity of King and People; if it have been my hap to be misconstrued, it is the common porti­on of us all while we are in this life, the righteous judge­ment is hereafter, here we are subject to error, and apt to be misjudged one of another; there is one thing I desire to cleere my selfe of, and I am very confident, I speake it with so much clearenesse, that I hope I shall have your Christian charity in the beliefe of it; I did alwaies ever thinke the Parliaments of England, were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdome, or any Nation lived under, and under God the meanes of making King and People happy, so far have I been from being against Parliaments; for my death, I here acquit all the world, and pray God heartily to for­give them; and in particular, my Lord Primate, I am ve­ry glad that his Majesty is pleased to conceive me not me­riting so severe, and heavy a punishment as the utmost ex­ecution of this sentence; I am very glad, and infinitely re­joyce in this mercy of his, and beseech God to turne it to him, that he may finde mercy when he hath most 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, I doe now professe it from my heart, and doe most humbly recommend it unto every man here, and wish every man to [Page 7] lay his hand upon his heart, and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happinesse of a People should bee written in letters of Blood, I feare you are in a wrong way, and I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my Blood may rise up in judgement against you.

(My Lord,) I professe my selfe a true and obedient Son to the Church of England, to that Church wherein I was borne, and wherein I was bred; prosperity and happinesse, be ever to it: and whereas it hath been said that I have en­clin'd to Popery, if it be an Objection worth answering, let me say truly, that from the time since I was one and twenty yeares of age, till this houre, now going upon 49. I never had thought in my heart, to doubt of the truth of my Reli­gion in England: and never any had the boldnesse to sug­gest to me the contrary, to the best of my remembrance; and so being reconciled to the mercies of Christ Iesus my Saviour, into whose bosome I hope shortly to be gather'd to those eternall happinesses that shall never have end. I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man, both for any rash or unadvised word, or deed, and desire your Prayers: And so my Lords farewell, farewell all the things of this world, LORD strengthen my faith, give me confidence and assurance in the merits of Christ Iesus. I desire you that you would be silent and joyne in Prayers with me; and I trust in GOD that we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven, there to receive the accomplishment of all hap­pinesse, where every teare shall be wiped from our eyes, and every sad thought from our hearts: And so God blesse this Kingdome, and Iesus have mercy upon my Soule.

THen turning himselfe about, he saluted all the No­blemen, and tooke a solemne leave of all considerable persons on the Scaffold, giving them his hand.

And after that he said, Gentlemen, I would say my pray­ers, and I intreat you all to pray with me, and for me; then his Chaplaine laid the booke of Common prayer upon the [Page 8] Chaire before him as he kneeled down, on which he prayed almost a quarter of an houre, then he prayed as long or longer without a booke, and ended with the Lords prayer; then standing up he spies his brother Sir George Went­worth, and calls him to him, and saith, brother wee must part, remember me to my sister, and to my wife, and carry my blessing to my eldest Son, and charge him from mee, that he feare God and continue an obedient Sonne of the Church of England, and that he should approve himselfe a faithfull subject to the King, and tell him that he should not have any private grudge or revenge towards any con­cerning me, and bid him beware that he meddle not with Church livings, for that will prove a moath and canker to him in his estate, and wish him to content himselfe to be a servant to his Countrey, as a Justice of peace in his Coun­ty, and not aiming at higher preferments; carry my bles­sing also to my daughters, Anne and Arrabella, charge them to feare and serve God▪ and he will blesse them, not forgetting my little Infant that yet knowes neither good nor evill, and cannot speake for it selfe, God speake for it and blesse it; then said he, now I have nigh done, one stroke will make my wife husbandlesse, my deare children father­lesse, and my poore servants masterlesse, and seperate mee from my deare brother and all my friends, but let God be to you and them, all in all.

After that, going to take off his dublet, and to make himselfe unready, he said, I thanke God I am no more afraid of death, nor daunted with any discouragements rising from any feares, but doe as chearefully put off my dublet at this time, as ever I did when I went to bed. Then he put off his dublet, and wound up his haire with his hands, and put on a white Cap.

Then he called, Where is the man that should doe this last office? (meaning the Executioner) call him to mee. When he came and askt him forgivenesse, he told him hee [Page 9] forgave him and all the world. Then kneeling downe by the block, he went to prayer again himselfe, the Bishop of Armach kneeling on the one side, and the Minister on the other; to the which Minister after prayer he turned him­selfe, and spoke some few words softly, having his hands lifted up: this Minister closed his hands with his; then bowing himselfe to the earth to lay his head on the block, he told the Executioner that he would first lay downe his head to try the fitnesse of the block, and take it up againe before he would lay it downe for good and all, and so hee did: and before he laid it downe againe, he told the Exe­cutioner that he would give him warning when to strike, by stretching forth his hands; and then laid down his neck on the block, stretching out his hands, the Executioner strucke off his head at one blow, then took the head up in his hands, and shewed it to all the people, and said, God save the King.

FINIS.

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