A copy of Mr. Ashton's paper, delivered to the sheriff at the place of execution, January 28, 1690/1 Ashton, John, d. 1691. 1691 Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 2 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A26028 Wing A3991_VARIANT ESTC R34402 14397613 ocm 14397613 102297 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A26028) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 102297) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1056:12) A copy of Mr. Ashton's paper, delivered to the sheriff at the place of execution, January 28, 1690/1 Ashton, John, d. 1691. 1 sheet ([2] p.) s.n., [London? : 1691?] Caption title. Imperfect: pages stained. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Executions and executioners -- England. Great Britain -- History -- William and Mary, 1689-1702. 2007-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-09 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-09 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A COPY of Mr. Ashton's Paper , Delivered to the SHERIFF AT THE Place of Execution , January 28. 1690-91 . Mr. Sheriff , HAving observed that the Method of making Speeches at the Place of Execution was not always attended with the designed Successes ; and thinking it better to imploy my last Minutes in Devotion and holy Communion with my God , I have prepared this Paper to leave in your Hands , as well to assert my Principles as to testifie my Innocency . As to my Religion ; I profess , by God's Grace , to dye in the Faith into which I was baptized , that of the Church of England , in whose Communion ( nothing doubting of my Salvation , through the Merits of my Saviour ) I have always thought my self safe and happy : According to her Principles , and late much esteemed Doctrine ( though now unhappily exploded ) I have regulated my Life , believing my self obliged , by my Religion , to look upon my Rightful , Lawful Prince ( whatever his Principles were , or his Practices might be ) as God's Vicegerent , and accountable ( if guilty of Male-administration ) to God only , from whom he received his Power ; and always believing it to be contrary to the Laws of God , the Church , and the Realm , upon any Pretence whatsoever , to take up Arms against him ; And let all the World take Notice , in this Belief I dye . But I have more particular Obligations to the King my Master , whom I have had the Honour to serve , and received many signal Favours from him , for Sixteen Years past : So that Gratitude ( a Thing not much esteemed at this time ) as well as Duty and Religion , commanded the utmost Service I could pay him . And when I had these Considerations , That we were Born his Liege Subjects , That we had Solemnly professed our Allegiance , and often confirmed it with Oaths , That his Majesty's Usage , after the Prince of Orange's Arrival , was very hard , severe , and ( if I may so say ) unjust : And that all the new Methods of settling this Nation have hitherto made it more miserable , poor , and more exposed to Foreign Enemies : And the Religion we pretend to be fond of Preserving , now , much more than ever , likely to be Destroyed ; There seems to me no way to prevent the impending Evils , and save these Nations from Poverty and Distraction , but the calling home our injured Sovereign ; who , as a true Father of his Country , has ( notwithstanding all his Provocations and Injuries ) a natural Love and Tenderness for all his Subjects . And I am so far from Repining at the loss of my Life , that had I Ten thousand I should rather think my self Obliged to sacrifice them all , than to omit any just and honest Means to promote so good and necessary a Work. And I advise and desire all my Fellow Subjects to think of their Duty , and turn to their Allegiance , before the severe Judgments of God overtake them , for their Perjury and Rebellion : But certainly the Good and Interest of these Nations , abstracted from all other Considerations , will e're long convince them of the Necessity of doing it . Having thus frankly delared my Principles , I know the Inference will be , That I have Acted accordingly ; and , consequently , that I am now ●ustly Condemned : But as I ingenuously own the Inference , I as positively deny the Consequence ; for whatever my Inclinations or Actings have been , yet , as to the Matter I was Sentenced to dye for , I declare my self Innocent . And I will appeal , even to the Judges themselves , whether or no , upon my Tryal , there appeared the least Proof that I knew a Tittle contained in the Papers : But Presumption was with the Jury thought sufficient to find me Guilty ; though , I am told , I am the First Man that ever was Condemned for High Treason upon bare Suspition or Presumption ; and that contrary to my Lord Coke's , and other eminent Lawyers Opinions . The knowledge of my own Innocency , as to the Indictment and Charge against me , was that that Armed me with so much Assurance , and occasioned my casting my Life upon the first Twelve Men of the Pannel , without challenging any : But though I have , I think , just Reason to complain of the severe Charge given by the Judges , and hard Measure I have received ▪ not to mention my close Imprisonment , the hasty and violent Proceedings against me , nor the Industry used in the return of fitting Persons to pass upon me , the denying me a Copy of the Pannel , &c. Yet as I hope for Pardon and Forgiveness at the Hands of God , so do I most heartily pray for and forgive them , and all my Enemies , all the World ; nay , even that Judge and Jury-man who did so signally ( contrary to common Justice ) expose themselves to destroy me . But let the Will of God be done ; I rely wholly upon his Mercy , and the Merits of my blessed Saviour , for Salvation ; I do chearfully and intirely resign my self into his Hands , as into the Hands of a faithful Creator , in sure and certain Hopes of a happy Resurrection . Bless , protect and strengthen , O Lord God , my good and gracious King and Master : In thy due time let the Virtue , Goodness and Innocency , of the Queen my Mistress , make all their Enemies blush ; and silence the wicked and unjust Calumnies that Malice and Envy have raised against her : Make her and these Nations happy in the Prince of Wales , whom , from unanswerable and undoubted Proofs , I know to be her Son : Restore them all when thou feest fit to their just Rights ; And on such a Bottom as may support and establish the Church of England , and once more make her Flourish , notwithstanding what she hath received of late from her prevaricating Sons . Forgive , forgive , O Lord , all my Enemies ; bless all my Friends ; comfort and support my dear afflicted Wife , and poor Babes ; be thou a Husband and a Father to them ; for their Sakes only I could have wished to have Lived , but pardon that Wish , O good God , and take my Soul into thy e●erlasting Glory . Amen . J. ASHTON .