THE Last Dying Speech AND BEHAVIOUR OF Capt. Thomas Vaughan: Who was Executed for HIGH-TREASON, AT Execution-Dock, on Wednesday, Decemb. the 9th. 1696.

BEing brought on a Hurdle to the Place of Execution, where a Gibbet was E­rected; and before he went up the Ladder, he desired Liberty to Pray; which being readily granted, he stood by the Ladder, and said, ‘I Bequeath my Soul to God, and my Body to the Earth; I abandon all Material Good, as mere Vanity. I repent heartily of my Sins; I pardon, with all my Heart, all my Enemies from the bottom of my Heart. I believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; God all-wise, all-good, and hope to be saved by the Merits of the Second Per­son, who dy'd on the Cross, to save me: And I believe whatever the Holy CatholickRo­manChurch proposes to me to believe; and I hope, through the Merits of my Saviour, to have all my Sins pardon'd: I resign my self to him, relying on his Mercy, for the Par­don of all my Sins, and in that hope am ready to die: And I beseech the Blessed Virgin, and all the Saints and Angels in Heaven, to receive my Soul; JesusMaria, help me to Embrace thee in my Arms; and if my Heart fails, enable me to do it in my Judgment. I say, with all Humility,Jesu Maria, have Mercy on me.’

There being a great Crowd, he said, ‘Pray let me say my Prayers. Merciful God, let me not die in any of the Seven deadly Sins. I repent me, from the bottom of my Heart, that I have sinned in Thought, Word, or Deed. I forgive all the World; I resign my self into thy Arms; let thy Mercy shelter me, sweet God of Heaven; Jesu Maria, have Mercy on me. O God, I come unto thee, in Remem­brance of the five Wounds of my Saviour; beseeching thee, for the sake of his Wounds, be pleased to have Mercy on my poor Soul. I repent from the bot­tom of my Heart, that I have sinned. God's Will be done, and not mine.’

Executioner.

If the Gentleman has done, give way.

Capt. Vaughan.

No, I have not done yet.

He Prays by himself.

Then the Executioner pull'd off his Cravat.

Capt. Vaughan.

I am a great Sinner; let me beg of you a little time to repent.

Then he pray'd some time by himself: And, when he had done, said, ‘Now, my Lad, when you please.’

Then he went up the Ladder, and had the Rope ty'd about his Neck. And that being done, he said, I have something to say publickly.’

Capt. Vaughan's Speech.

I Do not value this Death; it is nothing in comparison of the Death our Saviour suffer'd for me. Whatever I have undergone in my whole Life, that I offer in Recompence for my past Sins, hoping God will have Mercy on my poor Soul. I am here to suffer Death; I declare I never bore Arms but for the King of France, and out of France. I was true to my-Trust. It's true, I bore King James my Master's Commission, and I thought I was obliged to do it; and I thought, that what I did for the King of France, I did for King James. I ask all Men Pardon, that I have any way wronged; I did not act dishonourably to those I took, to my Knowledge: Therefore I beg that you would Recommend it to the Government, not to be hard on that poor Man; and I own I did that, to see whether I could save my Life, yet they did not prove to me as I thought they would; I did it clearly to get my self loose out of their Hands: So I beg of you, that I may have leave to say my Prayers a little.

Mr. Marshall.

Pray do, Capt. Vaughan, take your own time.

Capt. Vaughan.

O my dear God, I offer my Soul to thee, Jesu Maria, my dear Lord and Saviour, my dear God of Heaven, have Mercy on me. I offer my Soul and Body to thee, my dear God and Saviour; I desire the Prayers of all good Christians; I forgive, from the bottom of my Heart, all Persons in the World; and I ask them Forgiveness that I have offended, and I hope they will forgive me. Mr. Sheriff, I humbly beg, that I may not be put off, till I say my Prayers; till I put my Cap over my Face.

Mr. Marshall.

No, no, take your own time.

Then he continued a considerable time in his Prayers to himself, and after­wards said,‘Mr. Sheriff, I beg you will desire of the Government, they will do no harm to the People I was a means of accusing.’

Mr. Marshall.

I will take Care to represent what you desire.

Capt. Vaughan.

O all good Christians, pray for me. O God, into your Arms I commit my Soul: I am heartily sorry that I have sinned in Thought, Word, or Deed. Well, I leave my Blessing to you all; I humbly beg your Prayers. I humble my self to Death for the Love of Christ, freely, from my very Heart; I offer my self to Death; into thy Hands, my dear God and Saviour, I com­mit my self.

Then he pray'd a short time to himself, and pull'd the Cap over his Eyes, and was turn'd off; and being dead, was quarter'd according to his Sentance:

ADVERTISEMENT.

NExt Week will be Published the Tryals at large of the Pyrates of Every's Crew; and also, the Tryal of Capt. Vaughan, for High-Treason. Published by Autho­rity, and Printed for John Everingham, Bookseller, at the Star, in Ludgate-street.

LONDON: Printed for E. Whitlock, near Stationers-Hall, 1696.

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