THE ARRAIGNMENT AND EXECUTJON of the late Traitors, with a relation of the other Traitors, which were executed at Worcester, the 27. of january last passed.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON Imprinted for jeffrey Chorlton, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Great North door of Paul's. 1606.   

TO All faithful and obedient Subjects  
GEntle Reader;  
the horrible and abominable Treason of the Traitors lately executed, with many others, some already executed at Worcester, and others their confederates, whom God of his mercy at his good pleasure bring to light, and give the due punishment of their deserts. This treason I say, so horrible and detestable in the sight both of God and man, for which their bewitched hearts, not having that true repentance, that in true Christians may be required: I have set thee down a brief discourse touching the Arraignment of these that were here in London and Westminster, upon just condemnation executed upon Thursday and Friday being the 30. and 31. days of januarie last passed, to the joy of all true subjects, that living under so blessed and gracious a King, may rejoice to see the cutting off, of all such accursed traitors, as intend the death of his Majesty, and subversion of the whole kingdom: and so beseeching God to root out all such wicked weeds as may be hurtful in so good a ground as this our land, which I hope doth contain a world of loving Subjects unto his Majesty, and their Country, which do continually pray to God toblesse his Majesty, with our gracious Queen, Prince Henry, and the rest of his royal Progeny, with long life, a blessed peace, and never ending happiness, & to continue his holy word and blessed Peace among us, and to give us all grace with one heart, ever to love & serve him in all true faithfulness. I end.  
Your loving friend, T. W.   

A Brief Discourse upon the Arraignment and Execution of the 8. Traitors, Digbie, the two Winters, Grant, Ruckwood, Caies, Bats and Johnson, alias Faulks, four of which were executed in Paul's Churchyard in London, upon Thursday being the 30. of january: the other 4. in the old Palace in Westminster, over against the Parliament house, upon Friday next following.  
NOt to aggravate the sorrow of the living in the shame of the dead, but to dissuade the idolatrously blinded, from seeking their own destruction, in the way to damnation, I have here briefly set down a discourse of the behaviour and carriage of the eight persons afore named, from the time of their imprisonment, to the instant of their death: the nature of their offence, the little show of their sorrow; their usage in prison, and their obstinacy to their end. First, for their offence, it is odious in the ears of all humane Creatures, that it could hardly be believed, that so many monsters in nature, should carry the shapes of men: Murder, oh, it is the crying sin of the world, and such an intended Murder, as had it taken effect, would have made a world to cry; and therefore the horror thereof, must needs be hateful to the whole world to hear of it.  
Men that saw them go to their Execution; did in a sort grieve, to see such proper men in shape, go to so shameful an end, but the end was proper to men of so unproper minds, who to satisfy ablinded conceit, would forget their duties to God and their King, and unnaturally seek the ruin of their Native Country: They are said to be borne unhappy, that are not some way profitable to their Country, and then, how accursed are they borne, that seek the destruction of the whole Kingdom?  
Papists will perhaps idly say, it was a bloody execution, but in respect of their desert, in the blood they intended to have shed, it was a merciful punishment; For if jezabel a Queen for seeking the murder of one private man, was thrown out of a window, and fed upon by dogs: How can these people be thought to be cruelly used, that could intend and practise so horrible a villainy, as the death of so gracious a King, Queen and Prince, so Noble Peers, & the ruin of so flourishing a Kingdom.  
But since my intent is chiefly to make report of the manner of their demeanours from the prison to the Arraignment, & from thence to Execution. I will truly set down, what I have gathered, touching the same. After their apprehension in the Country, and brought up to London, upon the Appearance of their foul treason, before his majesties most Honourable Council, they were by their commandment committed to his majesties Tower of London, where they wanted nothing, that in the mercy of a Christian prince, was thought fit, and indeed too good for so unchristian offenders. For in the time of their imprisonment they seemed to feel no part of fear, either of the wrath of God, the doom of justice, or the shame of sin; but as it were, with seared Consciences, senseless of grace, lived, as not looking to die, or not feeling the sorrow of their sins; and now that no subtle Fox, or rather Goose, that would feign seam a Fox, shall have cause, to say or think, that the justice of the law hath not been truly ministered, according to the rules of the divine will, behold here a true report, as I said before of their behaviour, and carririage, from their apprehension, to their imprisonment, and from condemnation to their execution. In the time of their imprisonment, they rather feasted with their sins, then fasted with sorrow for them; were richly appareled, fared deliciously, and took Tobacco out of measure, with a seeming carelessness of their crime, as it were daring the Law to pass upon them: but, the Almighty, and our most merciful good God first revealed them. His Majesties and his Counsels careful head apprehended them, the law plainly did decipher them, justice gave judgement on them, and death made an end of them: but to come to their Arraignment, and to deliver the manner of their behaviour, after they went from the Tower by water & come to Westminster before they came into the hall, they made some half hours stay, or more in the Star chamber, whether being brought, and remaining till the Court was all ready to hear them, and according to the law to give judgement on them, it was strange to note their carriage even in their very countenances: Some hanging down the head, as if their hearts were full of doggedness, and other forcing a stern look, as if they would fear death, with a frown, never seeming to pray, except it were by the dozen, upon their beads, and taking Tobacco, as if that hanging were no trouble to them; saying little but in commendation of their conceited religion, craving mercy of neither God nor the king for their offences, and making their Consciences, as it were as wide as the world; and to the very gates of Hell, to be the cause of their hellish courses to make a work meritorious.  
Now being come into the hall, and upon the scaffold at the bar standing to answer to their Inditements, They all pleaded not guilty, but were all found guilty, Digby without craving mercy, or favour, of either God, or the King made only five worldly requests, that his wife might have her lointer, his children the lands entailed, by his father; his sisters their legafies in his hand unpaid, his debts paid, and for his death, to be beheaded, and not hanged.  
Robert Winter in like manner thinking himself already half a Saint for his whole villainy, said little to any purpose, that either made show of sorrow, or sought mercy, but only made a request to the king for mercy towards his Brother, in regard of his offence as he said, through his only persuasion.  
His brother said little, but with a guilty conscience, swallowed up a concealed grief, with little show of sorrow for that time.  
Grant stubborn in his idolatry, seemed nothing penitent for his villainy, asked little mercy, but as it were careless of grace received the doom of his desert.  
The younger Winter said little, but to excuse the fowlenes of his fact, in being drawn in by his brother, and not of his own plotting, with little talk to little purpose troubled the time the lesser while.  
Ruckwood out of a studied speech would feign have made his bringing up and breeding in idolatry, to have been some excuse to his villainy, but a fair talk, could not help a fowl deed, and therefore being found guilty of the treason, had his judgement with the rest of the traitors.  
Now after their condemnation and judgement, being sent back to the Tower, there they remained till the Thursday following; upon sleds and hurdles they were drawn into Paul's Churchyard; Four of them, uz. Euerarde Digble, the elder Winter, Grant, and Bates, of whom I forgot to speak, having no great matter to speak of, but only that being a villainy, and hoping of advancement by the same, he had the reward of a traitor.  
Now these four being drawn to the scaffold, made one purpose for their execution: First went up Digbie a man of a goodly parsonage, and a manly aspect, yet might a wary Eye in the change of his countenance, behold an inward fear of death, for his colour grew pale and his eye heavy, notwithstanding that he enforced himself, to speak as stoutly as he could, his speech, was not long and to little good purpose only that his belied conscience, being but indeed a blinded conceit, had led him into this offence, which in respect of his religion alias in deed Idolatry, he held no offence but in respect of the law he held an offence for which, he asked forgiveness of God, of the king, and the whole kingdom, and so with vain, and superstitious crossing of himself betook him to his Latin prayers, mumbling to himself, refusing to have any prayers of any, but of the Romish Catholics, went up the Ladder and with the help of the hangman made an end of his wicked days in this world.  
After him went Winter, up to the Scaffold whére he used few words to any good effect, without ask mercy of either God or the king for his offence, went up the ladder, and making a few prayers to himself, staid not long for his execution  
After him went Grant, who abominably blinded with his horrible idolatry, though he confessed his offence to be heinous, yet would feign have excused it by his conscience, for Religion: a bloody religion, to make so bloody a conscience: but better that his blood and all such as he was, should be shed by the justice of law, than the blood of many thousands to have been shed by his villainy, without law or justice: but to the purpose, having used a few idle words to ill effect, he was as his Fellows before him, led the way to the Halter: and so after his crossing of himself, to the last part of his tragedy.  
Last of them came Bates, who seemed sorry for his offence, and asked forgiveness of God, and the king, and of the whole kingdom, prayed to God for the preservation of them all, and as he said, only for his love to his Master, drawn to forget his duty to God, his king and Country, and therefore was now drawn from the Tower to Paul's Churchyard, and there hanged & quartered for his treachery. Thus ended that days business.  
The next day being Friday, were drawn from the Tower to the old Palace in Westminster, over against the Parliament house, Thomas Winter theyon her brother, Ruckewoode, Cayes & Faulks the Miner, justly called the Devil of the Vault: for had he not been a Devil incarnate, he had never conceived so villa nous a thought, nor been employed in so damnable an action.  
The next day being Friday were drawn from the Tower to the old palace in Westminster, Thomas Winter, Rookewoode Caies and Faulkes, where Winter first being brought to the scaffold, made little speech, but seeming after a sort as it were sorry for his offence, and yet crossing himself, as though those were wards to put by the devils Stoccadoes, having already made a wound in his soul, of which, he had not yet a full feeling, protesting to die a true Catholic as he said; with a very pale and dead colour went up the ladder, and after a swing or two with a halter, to the quartering block was drawn, and there quickliedispatched.  
Next him came Ruckwood, who made a speech of some longer time, confessing his offence to God, in seeking to shed blood, and ask therefore mercy of his divine Majesty, his offence to the King, of whose Majesty he likewise humbly asked forgiveness, his offence to the whole state of whom in general he asked forgiveness, beseeching God to bless the king, the Queen, and all his royal Progeny, and that they might long live to reign in peace, and happiness over this kingdom, but last of all to mar all the pottage with one filthy weed to mar this good prayers with an ill conclusion: he prayed God to make the king a Catholic, otherwise a Papist, which God for his mercy ever forbid: and so beseeching the King to be good to his wife and children, protesting to die in his Idolatry, a Romish Catholic, he went up the ladder, and hanging till he was almost dead, was drawn to the block, where he gave his last gasp.  
After him came Caies, who like a desperate villain using little speech, with small or no show of repentance, went stoutly up the ladder, where not staying the Hangman's turn, turned himself of with such a leap, that with the swing, he broke the Halter, but after his fall, was quickly drawn to the block, and there was quickly divided into four parts.  
Last of all came the great Devil of all, Faulkes alias johnson, who should have put fire to the powder: His body being weak with torture and sickness, he was scarce able to go up the ladder, but yet with much ado, by the help of the Hangman, went high enough to break his neck with the fall: who made no long speech, but after a sort, seeming to be sorry for his offence, asked a kind of forgiveness, of the King, and the State, for his bloody intent, with his crosses & his idle ceremonies, made his end upon the gallows, and the block, to the great joy of the beholders, that the land was ended of so wicked a villainy.  
Thus have I ended my discourse upon the Arraignment, and execution of these eight traitors executed upon thursday, and friday last passed in paul's churchyard and the old palace at westminster.  
Now there is certain report of the execution done on munday being the 27. of januarie in the city of worcester, upon one Perkins and his man, for the receiving of traitors. God be blessed for it and continue the justice of law to be executed upon all such rebellious and traitorous wretches as either plot such villainies, conceal such treasons, or relieve such traitors, for since the betraying the Lord of heaven and earth, was there ever such a hellish plot practised in the world? if the Pope were not a very Devil, and these jesuits, or rather jebusites; and Satanical seminaries, very spirits of wickedness, that whisper in the ears of Eva to bring a world of adam's to destruction how could nature be so senseless or reason so graceless as to subject wit so to will, as to run all headlong to confusion? is this a rule of religion? or rather of a legion, where the Synagogue of Satan sat in counsel for the world's destruction, for the satisfaction of a lousy humour or bloody devotion, or hope of honour, or to make way to some mad fury to bring the most flourishing kingdom on the earth to the most desolation in the world, to kill at one blow or with one blast, King, Queen, Prince and Peer Bishop, judge, and Magistrate to the ruin of the land, and utter shame to the whole world, and left naked to the invasion of any enemy: is this a holy father that begets such wicked children? is this religion, where is no touch of charity? or is there any spark of Grace, in these priests? that so poison the souls, & break the necks of so many people.  
Ignorance in the simple and Idolatry in the subtle, take ceremonies for certainties superstition for religion envy for zeal, and murder for charity, what can that church be but hell where the devil sings such masses: servus servorum says he that would be Dominus dominorum servant of servants, that would be master of masters; is not he a cunning herdsman, that can make one painted cow, or printed Bull give him more milk, than many a Herd of better kine: are not these sweet Notes to be taken in the nature of the Popish government, kill princes; sow seditions, maintain bawdy houses, blind the simple, abuse the honest, bereave the innocent, swear and forswear, so it be for the pope's profit, the Church will absolve you, and if you miss the mark to hit the mischief you shooteat, you shall be a hanging Saint, till you be taken down to the Devil. Oh fine persuasions, that infinite sins by numbered prayers, inward curses, by outward cross, an offence against God by a pardon from man, should be believed to be helped. A child cannot conceive it, a wise man cannot digest it, and surely none but either blind women or mad men can believe it. If a man would but a little look into their Idolatries, he should see a world of such mockeries, as would make him both laugh at their fooleries, and abhor their villainies. Their kissing of babies, their kneeling to wooden Ladies, their calling to Saints that cannot hear them, their praying by the dozen, their taking of penance, their pilgrimages to Idols, their shavings and their washings, their confessions and their crossings, and their devilish devices to deceive the simple of their comfort. These with a world of such tricks, as would make jacke an Apes a fine juggler: He that could see them with that clear eye, that can judge betwixt light and darkness, would, if they were his friends, be sorry for them, if his enemies, laugh at them, and howsoever, or whatsoever leave them, & say as he may say, that Papistry is mere idolatry, the Pope an incarnate Devil, his Church a Synagogue of Satan, and his priests the very locusts of the earth.  
But let us leave them to their loathsome puddles, and let us be thankful to Almighty God, for the clear water of life, that in his holy word, we receive from the fountain of his gracious mercy, & let us a little look into the difference betwixt the Traitorous Papist, that dieth for his villainy, and the faithful Protestant that dieth for the truth of his conscience in the belief of the word of God.  
The traitorous Papist will pull down princes, and subvert Kingdoms; murder and poison whom they cannot command; The faithful protestant prayeth for princes, and the peace of the people, and will endure banishment, but hate rebellion: The proud papist will show intemperancy in passion, while the humble protestant will embrace affliction with patience: The Protestant cries to GOD for mercy for his sins, the Papist gives authority to sin, when before the offence the pardon is purchased.  
I say, was it not a strange speech of Digbie, through the blindness of his bewitched wit, that to bring the kingdom into the popish Idolatry, he cared not to root out all his posterity.  
Oh the misery of these blinded people, forsake the true God of heaven and earth to submit their service to the Devil of the world, be Traitors to their gracious Princes to serve a proud ungracious prelate, lose their lands, goods, beggar their wives and children, lose their own lives with an open shame, and jeave an infamy to their name for ever, only to obey the command of a cunning Fox, that lying in his den prayeth on all the geese that he can light on, and in the proud belief to be made Saints will hazard their souls to go to the Devil.  
But how many millions hath this Devil enchanted, & how many kingdoms hath he ruinated, and how many massacres hath he plotted, and how many souls hath he sent to damnation? God for his mercy cut him off or open the eyes of all them Christian princes, that they may agree together and pull him down. For during his pride, Princes that are of his Religion, will be but as Copiesholders to his Countenance, Soldiers that fight not under his banner, shall be as shake-rags to his Army; Lawyers except they plead in his right, shall have but curses for their fees: Divines, if not of his opinion, shall be excommunicate out off his Church, Merchants that bring not him commodities shall keep no shops, in his Sanctuary, nor Beggars that pray not for his Monarchy, shall have any alms in his Basket: and therefore I hope, that God will so wipe off the scales from the eyes of the blind, that both one and other, Soldier and Lawyer, Divine and Say man, rich and poor, will so lay their heads, their hearts and hands, and their purses together, that where as he hath been long in rising, and could not sit fast, when he was up, shall take a fall of sudden, and never rise again, when he is down: to which praver, I hope all true Christians will say Amen.  
FINIS.