A BRIEF AND TRUE RELATION OF THE MURDER of Mr. THOMAS SCOTT Preacher of God's Word and Bachelor of Divinity.  
Committed by John Lambert Soldier of the Garrison of Vtricke, the 18. of june. 1626.  
With his Examination, Confession, and Execution.  
LONDON, Printed for Nath. Butter. 1628.   

A brief and true Relation of the Murder of Master Thomas Scott.  
AMongst many disastrous events and cruel murders which have lately happened in these parts, no one is so lamentable; at that which was committed upon Sunday last being the 18. of june, 1626. by one john Lambert. His father (he said) had been sometimes Master of a ship, and his mother was a Gentlewoman, borne in Warwickshire, and lived and died near Tower-hill in London, where he was borne. Himself had been brought up with a Merchant of Wine in London; and for a while was his Factor in France, where he learned the language perfectly. But his estate failing him, in the end was forced to betake him to Arms, and follow the war. He was at this time aged thirty and six years, of a tall stature, and well clothed.  

The Murder was in this manner committed.  
Master Scot who had preached in the forenoon, and in the afternoon about two of the clock coming toward St. Peter's Church to perform the exercise of that day, was accompanied with his brother Master William Scott, (that was come but 7. days before out of England to see his brother) and with his Newhew Thomas Scott. Master Scott coming betwixt them both, & approaching near unto the Church yard; Lambert who had seated himself by 12. of the clock at the Churchyard gate to attend his coming, espying him draw nigh, rose up from his fear, and made towards them, drew his Rapier (which he had purposely sharpened) & put in a thrust towards his heart. But his brother perceiving the thrust so near, which the lap of his cloak beat it a little downwards: and it entered through a skirt of his doublet, and wastband of his hose into his be lie. Whereupon falling down he was raised up again by his brother, and nephew, betwixt whom he was.  
This being done, Lambert sought by flight to have escaped, but he was presently apprehended, & brought back to Master Scott; who told him he had never offended him, and asked him what reason had moved him to so wicked a fact.  
Lambert very audaciously and insolently replied; that what he had done, he would answer; And that he was a Traitor to his Sovereign, and had injured him by hindering his preferment to the Queen of Bohemia. Master Scott replied, I know thee not, God forgive thee and I do from the bottom of my heart.  
The rumour hereof was presently brought into the Church, by the Readers wife coming in with an open exclamation; Whereupon all the people ran forth much amazed and confused, and some of them drawing their swords, would have slain Lambert. But Mons: Van Hilton Secretary of the States, and others there present persuaded them to put up their swords, and to let justice pass upon him. Lambert was presently brought to prison; and Master Scott, went himself to Mr. james Nelthorpe the Chirurgeon his house, and all this while was of good courage. After his wound was searched he said, Master james what think you? I hope it will soon be healed; but Master james shaked his head, and replied nothing to him, which Master Scott perceiving answered himself, Then must I prepare myself for God, and for death. And these were the last words he spoke, who was presently carried home in a chair, unclad, laid in his bed, and about one hour after died, which was about four of the clock in the afternoon.  
Lambert all this while made no show of any sorrow; but most impudently affirmed (as it were triumphingly) That if it were to be done, he could yet do it again; making a fond and vain show of hope of deliverance, which he persuaded himself of, by an apprehension, or rather a Satanical illusion, which had thus blinded & seduced him thereunto. For, afterwards very often he publicly affirmed unto all that conferred with him, and more especially to the Commander of the garrison, and the Preacher that went unto him to stir him up to repentance: That he knew they all could not hurt him; For, saith he, my heavens, my Mistress, the spirits of my Sovereign in the Queen of Bohemia will free me presently. And calling for pen and ink to write unto her, he there write something to no purpose, and then the pen and ink was taken from him.  
In this blinded and seduced opinion of his own worth, of that good deed, (as he termed it) and of the insurie which Master Scott had done unto him, he continued all the next day: adding other circumstances thereunto, how that the resolution to do this damnable fact, had been taken about eight weeks before: And that his spirits had urged and enforced him thereunto. And he confessed that the Sunday before he had feared himself in the same place thinking then to have killed him; but he was by an evil spirit carried unto the town walls, and with that spirit guarded to his lodging where it left him, and that presently after in his lodging he was assaulted by many good spirits, (as he called them) who would give him no ease night nor day, until that deed should be performed; and assured him that Master Scott alone was the cause of the hindrance of his preferment, and advancement; And that as soon as he should be slain, than his advancement should presently follow.  
With these, and many other fond reasons, he hardened himself, and to the Sergeant Mayor of the Garrison, he affirmed that the fact was just, lawful, according to God's word, and the law of Moses, which by Scrip-he would justify; For, (saith he) confirm that law of Lex talionis, he might recompense one evil deed with another, as an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, &c. and then he had done but justice, for which no law could convince or condemn him.  
In this seduced and blinded obstinacy, he continued till Tuesday at night: For, all the exhortations and admonitions that could be used to him could nothing at all prevail with him. Now the next day after the fact was done, he being only examined, and having answered as is aforesaid: his examinations were by the present commander of the garrison (Captain William Droumownd Sergeant Maior of a Scottish Regiment, sent unto Vienna, to the Governor, the Baron of Brederode, who by post sent them to the Prince. from whom came answer back again upon the tuesday following to proceed in justice against him according as the nature of his fact did require. Which by sharp examination upon the rack was effected on Wednesday following.  
A little before which time he began to have some feeling of the fact, and a kind of sorrow for the same; desiring the aid of the Officers to labour for his release, and said to be well contented to offer his right hand for sais faction for the deed, so that his life might be spared. And yet even at the very instant of his torture would not be persuaded but that his heavens, and his Sovereign (who daily and hourly had termed him one of heaven's worthies, and heavens elect, and many the like epithets) would free him, and not suffer him to be hurt, but found the contrary.  
Afterwards he confessed further, that he intended often to have acquainted Master Scott with these temptations, to have revealed the same, but considering that by some means or other it might be known; and for which the soldiers would have raised jests, & mocked and leered him there with, he therefore held his resolution. And moreover upon the rack, and afterwards being charged, that he was hired to do this deed, and desired that he would reveal the truth, who they were that had set him on in this action: He very seriously protested, that although he had served the en emie for the space of three months or thereabouts under a Scotch Captain before Bergenup Zome the time of that siege, and afterwards a while in garrison in Flanders; yet he himself was never any Papist; And that he was not set on, nor hired, by any Priest, jesuit or other whatsoever; But that the spirit had persuaded him of the injuries as is aforesaid, and that he could have no rest until that fact was performed.  
He affirmed likewise that he never miss the hearing of Master scott's Sermons; and that very often he had heard him preach unto his good content, with delight and comfort.  
The same wednesday was Master Scott buried in Vtricht, after a very honourable manner; accompanied with all the Ministers, Elders, and Deacons of the several Congregations; with the Deputies of the States of the Province, and most of the Magistrates of the town in mourning cloaks; with a train of Burghers, and the Commanders, Captains, Officers and Soldiers of the Garrisons, the like hath not been seen, nor known in Vtricht; with a general lamentation of all men for the loss of so worthy a man.  
The day following, the Council of War assembled to determine the sentence, who there a greed that the offender should be Raiebracht, that is, to have his bones broken upon a wheel, and so to be set up by the ordinary place of justice; which, when Lambert understood, with an earnest desire he entreated that his body might be buried. Upon this his entreaty, that sentence was altered, and it was resolved, that the next day his right hand should be cut off, and nailed to the gallows, than he to be hanged, and his dead body to be laid upon a wheel without any burial.  
The same evening the Preacher, and other godly men being sent unto him, to give him warning and to prepare him for death: They found him as uncapable of instruction, and as full of his fond and imaginary conceits as before; Then likewise affirming that his Sovereign, who daily and hourly appeared unto him as the spirit of the late Queen Elizabeth in the Queen of Bohemia, the spirit of his Sovereign King james, and of his Excellency the late Prince of Orange; by whom he was entitled one of Heaven's Worthies, Heavens Elect, etc. And from these vain fantasies he could not be brought neither by threatening of his temporal death, nor of his soul's damnation hereafter. He continued in this obstinacy, and obdurateness, 09 notwithstanding whatsoever promises, or threatenings could be spoken unto him concerning his salvation or damnation. In all other discourses, whereof there were sundry both in English and in good French, he was very sensible, able enough, & prompt, and held a good formality therein, to the admiration of many that were sent and heard him.  
At the place of execution there was no alteration in him, His right hand was first cut off, and nailed to the gallows; And after that the Preacher had exhorted him, and prayed with him, he was hanged. And very seldom hath it been seen that a man should live so long as he did hanging, though the Executioner did the best he could to help to rid him out of his pain.  
FINIS.    

A Funeral Elegy upon the untimely and much bewailed death of that reverend Preacher of God's Word Mr. THOMAS SCOTT, slain upon Sunday the 18. of june, 1626. Stilo veteri.  
Such is hell's rage against God's sons, God's Saints,  
Such good men's wrongs; such are their pains and plaints  
Whilst they live here; Such wicked men's despite  
Against God's Word, that Word of power and might;  
They join with hell their bodies here to slay,  
Who join with God to save their souls for aye.  
They stop their breath who pray to God's good Spirit,  
To breathe into their souls Christ's saving merit.  
With swords deviding their two darling twins,  
Who with God's Word divide their souls and sins:  
Witness this corpse, this sacrificed Saint,  
Whom none of crime, none could of wrong attaint.  
Yet on God's day upon God's Word attending,  
By cursed hands his blessed days had ending.   

Another.  
Man's life's a warfare, wayfare. Ah good man  
Thou foundst it true; Thy words, thy writings can  
Witness to all, inflamed with true Zeal  
To God, to Church, to King, to Commonweal,  
Armed with valour, to thine eternal praise  
Thou warr'dst against the monsters of our days;  
Oppos'd great giants sins, great sinners hence  
Warr'd against thee, and wronged thy innocence.  
From War to wayfare thou did'st run thy race  
In warlike lands disposing time and place,  
To Gods great glory, and the Churches good,  
Till hellish hands exhausted thy heart's blood.  
Well, 'twas God's will who had decreed it best  
To call thee from thy labour to his rest.  
Then farewell father, mounted from mortal eyen,  
Such was thy life, I wish my soul with thine.   

Certificate.  
THe Soldier (named john Lambert, the Preachers name was Mr. Thomas Scott) watching his opportunity murdered him, and publicly examined at Vtricht, on the rack, and after, made this vain & ridiculous relation, That the spirit his Mistress, the heavens elect, the favourite to Q Elizabeth the late Queen of England, whose spirit transmigrated into her Majesty the Queen of Bohemia, which Q. of Bohemia so favoured him, that she intended to receive him into her service. ●nd considering with himself why he was not entertained into her service, a spirit suggested to him, that M. Scott hindered him, and until such time as the said M. Scott was killed, he should not be entertained into his Majesty's service. Whereupon, he was resolved to kill him; He confessed also that he was never hired or induced, by the persuasions of any Priest, jesuit, or any other person to attempt this bloody act. He was twice racked & whipped on the rack; At which time of his racking and whipping, and at other times of his private and public examinations, yea even to his death, he continued in his foresaid confession, avouching and solemnly protesting, on his hope of salvation, the naked & whole truth of his said confession. That this was the sum and substance of his confession, we whose names are hereunder written, do faithfully and in the word of truth, sincerely witness & testify.  
jeremiah Elborough Pastor of the English Church at Vtricht, who was present at his Confession upon the rack, and at his death.  
I whose name is here underwritten, Commander of the right Honourable the Lord Viscount Wimbledon his foot Company, was likewise at the said Lambert's Confession both before and at his death, who on the rack protested as is above written. This is truth.  
Hv: HANKINSON.