A TRUE COPY OF THE SPEECH OF Mr. Francis johnston's, alias Dormore, alias Webb, alias Wall; A PRIEST OF THE Church of Rome, (Who was Convicted before Mr. Justice Atkins, at Worcester, last Lent-Assizes, upon an Indictment on the Statute of the 27 Eliz. Cap. 2.) Which he spoke upon the Ladder, immediately before his Execution, on Friday last, August 22. 1679. With ANIMADVERSIONS upon the same.  
ALmighty God, out of his infinite Goodness to this World, through the Merits of his Son Christ Jesus, ordained or made choice of Three Virtues, whereby we must walk; which are these, viz. Faith, Hope, and Charity. First, By the Virtue of Faith, we are to believe all things that are done in this World. Secondly, By Virtue of Hope, we are to believe and hope for all things in another World: And the Reason why Christians do believe this Hope, is to bring and conduct them to Salvation in the other World. And if we Hope in God, we cannot but Believe God: For with the Mouth, Confession is made; but with the Heart, (and through Faith) we must believe unto Salvation. So that Faith is not to be trodden under Foot, or to be hidden under a Bushel; but to be set upon a Candlestick. Luke the 12th. Whosoever doth confess me before Men, him will I confess before the Angels of God; And him that denies me before Men, him will I deny before the Angels of God. And therefore, all are bound to believe, that there is but one Faith; and if but one Faith, then but one Christian Faith. There is but one Faith, one Lord, one Baptism: And if it be so, How can this stand with so many Sectaries as there are? And if there be one Faith, How can this be?  
I believe the Creed of St. Athanasius, (which is in your Common-Prayer-Book) and there it is said, That whosoever will be saved, 'tis necessary before all things, that he hold the Catholick-Faith; and that if he keep not that Faith whole and undefiled, he shall parish everlastingly And as St. James saith, (J●●●. ●. 10.) He that keepeth the whole Law, and let offendeth in one ●●int is guilty of All: So they that believe, must be all of the same Faith. And that the aught to be done, I do appeal to all the Saints that are gone before; of whom it is said, Heb. 11. That their Faith was such, as by it they stopped the Mouths of Lions, they turned the Edge of the Sword, and caused the Fi●● to cease, that it should not burn: And They were oppressed so, they wandered about in Sheep-Cloathing, and Goat's Clothing. Therefore, I say, there must b●●n Unity of ●●ith.  
I desire all Catholics 〈◊〉 consider th●● That it is better to be Reviled by Men now in this World, than 〈◊〉 be Revile● by God in the World to 〈◊〉 me. ●aith. 〈◊〉 its said, The Catholic Church is b●●●t upon a Rock▪ And Mat●● 18. He who will not believe the Church, let him be as a Heathen and a Publican. This Faith must be Established so in every one, because Christ said, He would send the Holy Ghost, and he shall show us (or them) what to do. This is the Rule of Faith: This Faith was published at Rome: and St. Paul writing to the Christians there, Rejoiceth that their Faith was Renowned in the whole World. Go ye therefore, Baptising all Nations in the Name of the Father. And this is the Faith which I Confess and Believe in, and which I try for.  
I come now to speak of the Second Virtue, which is Hope. I Hope, I shall have such Reward, that neither Eye hath s●en, nor Ear heard, nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive.  
Those ●●at have Hope, shall be as Moun● Zion, that shall not be Removed: Those that have Firm Hope, there is nothing can disturb them; because David saith, That God is round about His; that do hope in Him, as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem.  
I come to the Third Virtue, and that is Charity. It's true now this Body of mine in this Shipwreck, is full of Sin; but when that Shipwreck is over, I shall come to inherit that Rock, that shall never fail. Now, welcome Shipwreck, that makes the Body suffer, but brings the Soul to that Haven which is Joyful. Now many there be, that talk much of Charity, few understand it, and fewer that practice it. This is the greatest Virtue. 1 Cor. 13. Though you speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, and have not Charity, it availeth nothing. So then, we ought to have Love and Charity, or else it prevaileth nothing.  
'Tis Expected I should say something of the Plot: as to this, I shall declare two points of my faith.  
First, I believe, that all are bound to obey the King and his Laws.  
Secondly, I do declare, that those that do break the Law in Word, or any Action, that doth Act any thing against his Majesty's Life, that it is a sin unto damnation, as much as it was a sin in Judas to betray Christ. An Oath, is taking God to witness; and is as much as if he took his Life and Justice to stake; so that he that takes a false Oath, is guilty of destroying the Life of God, and his Justice, and of his own Damnation: And if I were but Guilty of this, I do declare, that all the sin of Damnation would fall upon me, because I denied the truth, and so struck at God by my sin, by denying of the Truth, that one Damnation.  
A Second Damnation is, that if any man know of an evil against his Majesty, his Kingdom and Nation, and to hid, or not discover it, he shall Answer for those Mischiefs that come thereby: so that a man would have made and Committed as many sins as there are men in England, that had suffered.  
A Third Damnation is, to die in this Lie, and with this perjury in his mouth; that he loses Heaven and all the enjoyments, and dies in greater sins than the Devils themselves.  
Fourthly, I should have been Guilty of my own death, for that Justice A●●ins offered me my Life, if I would confess what I knew of the Plot; which had I known, and not discovered, would have made me the Cause of my own death which would been a fourth Damnation.  
I would have said more, but that I gave my speech to a friend to be printed.  Mr. Sheriff. 
I Pray Sir, speak on what you have to say, and no one shall interrupt you.  Mr Johnston. 
Now I have no more to do, but to make my address to Almighty God with all the powers of my soul, that I may have his mercy and pardon of my sins; and therefore I beg, that all the Catholics that join in union of this same Faith, would make an address unto God for me that we may receive pardon for our Sins: I have nothing now, but wishes left; I wish I may Imitate David in his Repentance, and that My Eyes may run down with Tears, because I have not kept God's Laws. I wish with the prophet Jeremiah, that Rivers of waters may fall from my Eyes, by reason of sin, Lam. 3.48. But Tears will not be proper to me at this time, I have kept myself from them, left by shedding Tears, some might say, I was unwilling to die, or feared death: but instead of Tears, I offer all the Blood in my veins; and I wish every drop were an Ocean, and I would offer it up unto God; and I wish, that I might become a Man like David; I wish I had Marry magdalen's penitential Tears; I wish I had her Arms to embrace the feet of mercy; I wish I had all the Graces of Saints and Angels, and I would offer them all to God for the Romission of my sin: this is my desire, and this I wish for, as much as is in me. I offer first my Life, and I beseech and desire of God, to turn his face from my sins, but not from me. I offer up my Life in satisfaction for my sins, and for the Catholic Cause: and I beg for those that be my Enemies in this my death, and I desire to have them forgiven, because I go to that World of Happiness, sooner than I should have gone. And, humbly beg pardon from God and the World; And this I beg for the Merits and Mercy of Jesus Christ. I beseech God to bless his Majesty; and give him a long Life, and happy Reign in this World, and in the World to come. I beseech God to bless all my Benefactors, and all my Friends, and those that have been any way under my charge. I beseech God to bless all the Catholics, and this Nation, and his Majesty's privy Council; and grant that they may Act no otherwise, than what may be for the Glory of God, 〈◊〉 12. who will bring to light and to judgement all, both good and evil.  
So I beseech God, that he will give them Grace to serve him.  
I beseech God to Bless the Parliament that is now in Election, that they may determine nothing, but what they themselves do hope to be judged by at the last day.  
I beseech God to bless all that suffer under this Persecution, and to turn this our Captivity into Joy; that they which Sow now in Tears, may Reap in Joy.  
I beseech God to save the Death of my Body, and to receive my Soul. I have no more to say.  Mr. Sheriff. 
I give you no Interruption, but only whereas you said, That you Died for the Faith; that is not so: You do not Die for that; but because you being his Majesty's Subject, received Orders from the Church of Rome, beyond the Seas; and came again into England, contrary to the Law.  Mr. Johnst. 
That was pardoned by the King's Act of Grace.  Mr. Sher. 
That Act pardoned only Crimes committed before the making of it; but not those done since, as your Continuance in England was.  Mr. Johnst. 
I am sorry, if I have given Offence in any thing I have said: My Reason for it was, because when I was sent for to the Judges upon Sunday-Night, Judge Atkins told me, I Died not for being concerned in the Plot, but for being a Priest.  Mr. Sher. 
No, but for your Continuance in England against the Law, (being a Priest.)  Mr. Johnst. 
God Receive my Soul.  Mr. Sher. 
Sir, You may take your own time, and you shall have no Interruption. Sir, Will you be pleased to have your own time.  Jailor. 
Sir, Pray give the Sign, when you please to be Turned Off.  Mr. Johnst 
I will give you no Sign; Do it when you will.  
(And so he was Executed.)  

ANd thus this Popish Faction design to delude the World, by pretending that they die only as Martyrs for their Religion; This Priest, with great Asseverations denies his knowledge of the Horrid and Damnable Plot, wherein we have not much reason to give credit to him, since it has been lately so fully and undeniably demonstrated, That Lies, Equivocations; yea and the most solemn Asseverations to an untruth, even at the last Moment, is not only Lawful, but Meritorious, when it may advance the Interest of Holy Church. Besides, if I forbidden a man to come into my House upon pain of death, and he will be so obstinate, notwithstanding he knows the penalty, to rush in upon me, if he lose his Life in the Quarrel, he will be Judged by all wise men to die like a Fool, and his blood is upon his own head. Again, we are fully satisfied, that whoever shall seduce any of the Subjects of this Kingdom to the Popish Religion, does at the same Instant, make the Person Seduced a Rebel and Traitor against his Prince and Country; since in a Letter written by that blessed Saint Hartcourt, lately departed at Tyburn, He does there allow his Proselytes to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; reserving the sense they take it in, to themselves; whereby we may evidently perceive, that they make use of Religion only as a Politic Engine, which they manage as may best serve their cursed designs; and that no Oaths, Tests, or Obligations whatsoever, can possibly bind or oblige them, but that they may be Indulged in breaking or evading the force thereof, which our wise Ancestors were very sensible of; and therefore with great prudence made this Excellent Law against their Leaders, since (if a Factious Priest have the sole Command of the Conscience, and that whatever he Commands must be indispensable obeyed) no Prince, nor Government can possibly be safe or secure; and therefore Persons of such Principles as the Romish Clergy avow and own, ought with the greatest Reason to be hooted out of the World, as being the most cursed, and dangerous Enemies to mankind. Let us therefore conclude with the Prayer of the Church in the Old Liturgy.  Be thou O Lord our mighty Protector, and scatter our Cruel Popish Enemies, who delight in Blood, strengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles, and Magistrates of this Land with Judgement, and Justice, to cut off those workers of Iniquity, whose Religion is Rebellion, whose Faith is Faction, whose practice is Murdering Souls and Bodies, and to root them out of the Confines and Limits of this Kingdom, that they may never prevail against us, nor Triumph in the Ruin and destruction of thy Church and People. 
Amen.   
FINIS.