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to other Ends (as I conceiv'd) than the Good and Peace of his Majesty and his Dominions.

It hath been rumour'd, fince my laft Imprisonment, that I fhould confefs my felf to be the greatest Inftrument under his Majefty (by making ufe of his Scotifh Great Seal) for authorizing the War in Ireland; a Report fo falfe and fimple, as, in my Opinion, judicious and honeft Men will not believe it. And truly, as I am free from having Hand therein in any manner of way, fo I am of nothing more confident, than that his Majesty was also abfolutely free thereof, and that he was not in any Cafe a Caufer or Countenancer of those Irish Troubles.

I have been often examin'd touching Perfons of feveral Qualities within this Kingdom, that, as is fuppos'd, did invite into England the late Army from Scotland, or promis'd Affiftance after their coming; and of late much Perfuafion hath been us'd with me to that Purpofe, as that upon my Discovery thereof depended the only Means of my Preservation. I will not fay that I had any thing to reveal, which would have been fatisfactory; but this I defire you to atteft to the ས་ World, that I have not accus'd, or faid any thing that may reflect on any Man, of what Degree foever, within the King's Dominions: And indeed it was fo contrary to my Confcience, and fo derogatory to my Honour, that if I had been able, yet fhould I never have prejudiced any in that Nature, tho' it had been to fave me an hundred Lives.

Touching that foul and fenfelefs Slander, that I betray'd the Army under my Conduct, the Care and Pains I then took to prevent the lofs of it, and the near Approach of my fuffering for it, will, I fuppofe, abundantly contradict this Afperfion. I was fatisfied with the Juftnefs and Neceffity of

that

that Engagement upon the Grounds of the Declaration of the Parliament of Scotland, fearing then the fad Confufions which have fince follow'd here both in Church and State, and particularly the fatal Fall of my Malter, to the Prefervation of whofe Perfon I was by Obligation and natural Affections as paffionately tied, as I could be by Duty and Allegiance.

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And now I confefs I am void of all Rancour of Displeasure against any, tho I am within few Hours to die, adjudged by a lawless and arbitrary Court, of purpose erected, as is faid, to deftroy my Master, and fome of his Servants, and for a great Part compos'd of Men mechanick and unfit to be Judges; my Death being decreed right or wrong, as is reported, before ever the Trial begun. And tho' And tho' my Death is no lefs than Murder, yet I forgive all, and pray to God to do it, and that my Blood be not laid to their Charge, or to fome powerful and eminent Mens, who, as is thought, upon fome finiftrous Ends, have many Months fince contriv'd my Deftruction, which now is ready to take effect. And tho' I have anfwer'd to that Court in regard of the Juftnefs of my Defence, which I thought would have weighed with them: Yet I never thought, nor do I acknowledge any Jurifdiction, or lawful Authority in the fame, notwithstanding I do with all Chriftian Humility fubmit to the Punishment, which for my other perfonal Sins the Lord hath juftly brought upon me. I fhould have fpoken more, yet would not have faid fo much, but for fear left either my Memory might flip it on the Scaffold, or that the Rudeness of fome People, by Noife or otherwife, might have interrupted me fpeaking on this Subject. So I thank God I am well prepar'd. God bless you, remember me to all my Friends. I know I have been a great Sin

ner,

ner, yet thro' Faith I have an Affurance that God will forgive me, and have Mercy upon me, thro the alone Suffering and Interceffion of Jefus Chrift my Saviour. Amen.

About nine a-clock the Officers call'd to the Prifoners to prepare to go, and they were carried in Sedans, ftrongly guarded, to Sir Robert Cotton's House: When they came to Sir Robert Cotton's, three or four Officers came from Cromwell, defiring the Duke to make fome Difcoveries, who fhould not only be prefer'd, but be made a great Man; but he refus'd, as he had formerly done on thofe Occafions, and faid, if he had as many Lives as Hairs on his Head, he would lay them all down, rather than redeem them by fo base a Means. Then they all went to Prayers, and they had fome excellent Preachers waiting on them, and praying with them. Some Wine was brought them, and they all drank one to another, and embrac'd and kifs'd each other with much Tenderness. The Duke was first led to the Scaffold, and on the way other Officers came from Cromwell, renewing the former Offers, if he would make Discoveries, but he rejected them with fcorn.

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When the Duke came to the Scaffold, percei ving greater Silence than he expected, tho' he had refoly'd to make no publick Speech, yet being invited by the Attention he obferv'd, he spoke to the People; but as he had not premeditated it, no Copy remains but what was printed from the Notes of the Hearers, and therefore Dr. Burnet Says he only gives us the Heads of it; as follows,

He addrefs'd himfelf to the Sheriff, and told him, he judg'd it not very neceffary for him to speak much, his Voice was fo weak and low, that few of the Croud that look'd on would hear him; nor was he ever fo much in love with speaking, or

with any thing he had to fay, that he took much Delight in it: Yet fince this was his last, he beng by the Divine Providence of Almighty God rought juftly to that End for his Sins, he would fpeak a little to the Sheriff, for his Voice could not reach others. He was now to fuffer as a Traitor to the Kingdom of England, a Country which he had ever lov'd equally with his own, not having intended any general Prejudice to it, or to any particular Perfon in it: His late Actings were the Commands of his own Country, which he could not disobey. It is true, it had pleased God fo to difpofe of the Army under his Command, that it was ruin'd, and he for being cloathed with a Commiffion to be General, ftood now ready to die. He would not repent what he had pleaded for his own Defence, God was Juft; nor would he fay any thing of his Sentence, but that he did willingly fubmit to God's Providence, acknowledging that on many Accounts he deferv'd Punishment in this Life, as well as in the next, for he confefs'd himself a great Sinner: Yet for his Comfort he knew there was a God in Heaven, who was very merciful, and that his Redeemer did fit at his right Hand, and he was confident that he was mediating for him at that very Inftant, being hopeful, thro' his all-fufficient Merits, to be pardon'd all his Sins, and to be receiv'd into his Mercy, trufting only to the free Grace of God thro' Jefus Chrift. He declar'd he had never been tainted in the Religion profefs'd and eftablifh'd in the Land, in which he had been bred from his Infancy: It was not this or that Mode or Fancy of Religion that was to be built on, but one that was right and fure, and came from God.

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Here obferving Some were taking Notes, he faid be did not expect that, or be bad digefted what he had faid into a better Method: But defir'd that what he had Jaid might not be publish'd to his Difadvantage, fince be had not intended to fpeak any thing when he came to that Place. Then he went on, and faid, Many dreadful Afperfions had been caft on him, as if his Intentions had not been fuch as he pretended; but he thank'd God he was unjustly blam'd: That for the King he had ever lov'd him, both as he was his King and his Mafter, with whom he had been bred many Years, and had been his DomeftickServant, and that there was nothing the Parlia ment of Scotland declar'd for the King, that was not really intended by himfelf; and as he hazarded his Life for him one Way, fo he now was to lofe it another; and that his Defign of Leading in the Army to England was really that which was publish'd in the Declaration, in fo far as concern'd the King: He was not then to speak of the rest of the Declaration, which had many other Particulars in it; and for what he faid of his Duty to the King, there was no Reafon to fufpe&t him of Flattery, or any other End in faying it (God having now fo difpos'd of his Majefty) but tho' he could gain nothing by it, yet he ow'd the freeing himself of that Calumny to Truth, by which all Men fhall gain for ever. There had been many Difcourfes founded on a Part of the Scotifh Declaration, which mention'd an Invitation to come to England, upon which he had been much labour'd for difcovering the Inviters; but he had and did ftill remit himself to the Declaration, without any other Anfwer. He was ever willing to ferve this Nation in any thing was in his Power, which was known to many worthy Perfons in it; and he would ftill have continued i thofe Refolutions, had those, in whofe Hands the

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