This day being the appointed time for the execution of the sentence of death
upon the E. of Cambridge, the E. of Holland, and the L. Capell, about ten of the clock
that morning Lieu. Col. Beecher came with his order to the several prisoners at S.
Jameses, requiring them to come away: according to which Order, they were
carried to Sir R. Cotton house at Westminster, and from thence brought to the
place of execution in the new Palace yard, where they made several speeches,
which for general satisfaction to the people, I shall here communicate as followeth.
And so proceed in order, as they came upon the Scaffold.
Cambridge. Mr. sheriff, As to the mattee that I am now to suffer for, I
shall declare thus much, which is, as being a traytor to the Kingdom of England,
it was a Country that I equally loved with my own, I never intended
either the generality of its prejudice, or any particular mans in it; what
I did was by the command of the Parl. of the Country where I was born, whose
commands I could not disobey, without running into the same hazard there
of that condition I am now in. But it pleased God so to dispose that Army
under my command, as it was ruined; and I, as their Generall, clothed with
a Commission, stand here now ready to die. I have not bin tainted with my
Religion I thank God for it since my infancy it hath been such as hath bin
profest in the Land. and established, and now tis no: this Religion nor that
Religion, nor this or that fancy of men that is to be built upon, tis but one
thats right, one thats sure, and that comes from God. As for those terrible
of persions cast upon me, as if my action and intentions had not been such
as they were pretended for, I thank God I am very free from; but that notwithstanding
what I pretended it was for the King, there was nothing
lesse intended then to serve him in it, and there was nothing declared by
the Parl. that was not really intended by me; and truly in it, I ventured my
life one way, and now lose it another way: neither was there any other design
known to me by the incoming in of that Army, then what was really for
the good of Religion, King, and Kingdom. His person, I do professe, I had
reason to love, as he was my King, and as he had bin my Master: it has plesed
God so to dispose of him so as it cannot be thought flattery to have said
this, or any end in me for the saying of it. but to free my self from that calumny
which lay upon me. And truly sir. I wish the Kingdoms happinesse, I
wish its peace, and I wish that this bloud of mine may be the last that is
drawn: and howsoever I may perhaps have some reluctancy with my self as to
the matter of my suffering, yet I freely forgive all. Sir, I carry no rancour
along with me to my grave: his will be done that has created both Heaven
and earth, and me a poor miserable creature now speaking before him. As
for my own inclination, it hath bin to peace from the beginning; and it is
knows to many, that I never was an ill instrument betwixt the King and
his people; I never acted to the prejudice of the Parl. I was not wanting by
my prayers to God Almighty for the happinesse of the King; and truly I shal