Mr. LANGHORN's MEMOIRES, WITH SOME MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS Of his, During his Imprisonment: AS ALSO HIS Petition to His Majesty, AND HIS SPEECH AT HIS EXECUTION. All which were Left by him, and Written with his own Hand. Printed in the Year M.DC.LXXIX. BEing adjudged to die by a Public Judgement, for the Crime of High-Treason, Charged and Sworn against me at my Trial by two Witnesses, namely Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe; And having both before my Trial, and after the Judgement given, declared my Innocency to All with whom I have had the Liberty to converse since my first Imprisonment, I take it to be my Duty to leave a Testimony under my Hand, for the farther Justification of my Innocency, and of the Truth, against all those Calumnies which have been, and may be laboured by ill Men to be cast upon me; And the rather, because I do not know whether it will be allowed me to speak with freedom at my death; or if that should be permitted, yet I well know that what I may then say, may be misrepresented to the prejudice of Truth. I am not in the mean time ignorant, what prejudice I lie under, and how difficult it is for me to express myself in such words, as may gain Belief with the World But my design being only to satisfy good Men, who accustom themselves to judge according to the Rules of right Reason; And as they would have others judge of them; I shall not much care for the Censure of the Multitude. The Crime which I am Charged, is the most heinous of all Crimes; But whether I am in Truth Guilty, can only lie within the knowledge of the Great God, who is the Searcher of all Hearts, my own Conscience, and the Consciences of my beforenamed Accusers. My God, I am sure, knows my Innocency, and will acquit me at the great day of Judgement. My Conscience with great Joy and Peace bears me witness, that I am so perfectly innocent of the Treason for which I stand Condemned, That it invokes Almighty God to witness, that I was never in the whole course of my life guilty of so much as one Disloyal Thought against my Sovereign Lord King CHARLES the Second, whom I here own in the presence of God, to be my True and Lawful King and Sovereign, taking the words in the same sense in which they are taken and intended, in the Oath commonly called, The Oath of Allegiance. As to all other Persons who have judged, or shall take upon them to judge of me, whether I am Guilty or not Guilty of that Crime, of which I here profess myself to be Innocent, I am sure that according to Reason they must disclaim, to make any Judgement upon science or strict knowledge; And must own, if that they can make no other Judgement, than what must be grounded upon their Belief, which can never have, or pretend to have any greater or higher certainty, than the Motives of the Credibility upon which it is built and grounded. I do not, nor would I be taken to arraign the Justice of the King, of the Government, of the Judges, before whom I was Tried; or of the Jury who gave the Verdict upon which Judgement was given against me, whilst I pretend to examine the motives of Credibility upon which a Judgement of Belief in this Case is to be grounded In the mean time I hope that neither His Majesty, nor my Lords the Judges, nor my Jury will take it ill, if I presume to say, That neither the Judges, nor the Juries of England do, or ever did claim to be guided in their Proceed in Cases of this nature, by any Spirit of Infallibility. The Lord Coke, in his Pleas of the Crown, reports a sad, but very true Case of a Person Condemned and Executed for the Murder of a Girl, who, after the Execution of the Party so Condemned, was found to be living, and in perfect health. And I think it is well known to most Men of our Times, that even since His now Majesty's Happy Restauration to His Crown and Dignities, there happened a more sad Accident, where three Persons, viz. the Mother and two Sons were Condemned, Executed, and Hanged in Chains, for the Murder of a Person, who was afterwards found to be living, and never to have been any ways assaulted, or hurt by those who were Executed for his Murder. Here then there were innocent Persons Condemned and Executed by Public Verdicts and Judgements; And what hath happened, may again happen; and yet the Juries, the Judges, the Justice, the King and Government no way blemished, they proceed, and must always be taken to proceed according to the Rules of Law and Justice. But there was certainly great Faults somewhere in those two Notorious Cases ; as there is likewise in my Case, supposing it to be true what I here affirm in the presence of God, to be true in relation to my Innocency, notwithstanding the Judgement given against me. Having therefore disclaimed, as I here again do, all Intentions of Arraigning the Justice of my King, my Judges, or my Jury, I will recommend to be considered the Motives of which a right Judgement grounded upon Belief is to be made by Men not biased by Passion or Prejudice, touching my being Guilty or Innocent of that horrid Crime, of which by Judgement of Law I stand Condemned; which Motives of Credibility can only be truly and clearly known and represented, by a just, true, and sincere stating of my Case, with all its Circumstances, with as much brevity as it is capable of, which I here give as followeth. The first news which I had, and the first mention which I ever heard of this Plot and Treason against His Majesty, for which so many have been lately Executed, and for which I stand Condemned, was on the 29th of September last, when I heard several Priests were taken, and in Custody, being Charged by one Mr. Oats for High Treason. On Monday come seven-night after, being the 7th of October, I was myself seized on in my Chamber in the Temple, by a Messenger of the Council, by virtue of a Warrant under the hands of Four Privy Councillors, issued out against John Langhorne Esq my name being Richard, I told the Messenger that he could not seize me by virtue of that Warrant. To which he answered, That he believed me the Person intended, and would run the hazard; whereupon I submitted, and went with him to Newgate. And though upon my coming thither, I told the chief Gaoler Captain Richardson, that he could not justify the detaining of my Person by virtue of that Warrant; He not only told me, that he would run the hazard of it, but immediately made me a close Prisoner, and continued me so, with the utmost strictness, for about eight Months. From hence it must in all reason be agreed, that there being a full Week passed from the time wherein I heard of Persons being Committed for the Plot, to the time of my being seized, I must be a perfect Madman to appear publicly, and not to sly or conceal myself, if I were conscious of any the least imaginable Gild. And the same conclusion must necessarily follow, upon my so quiet submitting myself upon a Warrant made against one of another name, to one who had no Title by his Warrant to make me a Prisoner. And it may reasonably also be conceived, that Mr. Oates, upon whose sole Information (as I have since heard) that Warrant was issued, was not so well acquainted with me as at my Trial he swore himself to be, since he knew not my right Christian name, of which scarce any Persons were ignorant, who ever had any manner of Conversation or Business with me. After Michaelmas Term, having continued under the close Imprisonment for two Months, without ever having been so much as Examined, or told what I was Committed for; I considered that too long a silence on my part, might possibly be rather taken for a Sullenness, than Patience. And that there being a Sessions then very near, it imported me to prevent, as far as I could, that I should not be surprised by a Trial; and hurried from my close imprisonment to a Bar, without being permitted to speak with any of my Friends, or to prepare for my Trial. Hereupon I addressed myself to the said Captain Richardson, to procure leave to address a Petition to His Majesty; and having leave, I did about the 10th day of December, deliver a Petition to my said Keeper, to be Humbly presented by him to His Majesty, there being no possibility for me to put the same into any other hand to be delivered. Whether this Petition did ever come to His Majesty, or not, I could not know with certainty, but I believe it did; the substance of it was, to represent the miseries of my close Imprisonment, together with my Innocency, and total Ignorance of all particular matters with which I could be Charged; and to pray, that I might be admitted to an Examination; and confronted with my Accusers, as I conceive the Law required, to the End I might justify myself before His Majesty, and be discharged, if there should appear no just Cause for my being longer detained; or otherwise, that by knowing what was Charged against me, I might be enabled to make my just Defence at my Trial; and might for that purpose have the liberty of the Gaol, and of speaking freely with my Friends, and of sending for such Witnesses as I should have occasion to use for my just Defence; and might not be surprised and hurried to a Trial, without any possibility of being able to make any Defence. To this Petition I could never obtain any Answer; but about the 16th day of December, I was sent for down out of my Chamber, into Captain Richardson's House, where I found three Noble Lords of Parliament, who professed to come to me in Charity, as I believe they did. These Noble Lords, when I was brought into their presence, were pleased to tell me, That I stood Charged with High-Treason (but of what in particular, they did not say) and that there was great and evident Proof against me, which would most certainly take away my Life. And that they had heard so good a Character of me in the World, That they were moved in Charity and Compassion to come to me, to advise me to make a free and full Confession of the Plot and Treason against His Majesty and the Government, with which I stood Charged, and thereby save my Life. And they were pleased to offer me to become my Mediators for a Pardon, for the saving of my Life, and of my Estate, in case I would make such Confession. I was much amazed to hear of such a Charge against me, when my Conscience cleared me from all Gild of that nature, so much as in thought. I therefore asked their Lordships, Whether from the Character they had received of me in the World, they did believe me to be an Honest man? To which it was answered by one of their Lordships, That their Answer to that Question of mine was to be distinguishing, viz. That I had so good and unblemished a Reputation in the World, that if I were to give Evidence in any Concern of Ten or twenty thousand Pounds, he should value my Evidence as highly as any Man's Evidence whatsoever; But that in this present Case, if I should swear my Innocency, or that I knew nothing of the Plot or Treason with which I was Charged, his Lordship would not believe one word that I should swear. This Answer made me see, That it would be in vain for me to make any Asseverations to their Lordships of my Innocence and Ignorance of any Plot designed against His Majesty; wherefore omitting that, I humbly represented my condition to their Lordships, as to my close Imprisonment, and my never having been Examined, so as to make me capable of making a just Defence, by a fore knowledge of what was Charged against me. And I told them, That although it was supposed by the Law, that in Criminal Cases the Affirmative was to be proved by the King's Witnesses, and that a Negative could not be proved; yet it was known by all, that there might in many Cases such Affirmatives be proved by the Prisoner as to many circumstances, as might clearly prove the Affirmative, sworn by the King's Witnesses, to be impossible to be true. And that for this Reason, if I should be surprised by a sudden Trial, without knowing what was Charged against me, and the circumstances of the Charge, and without having the liberty of the Gaol, and of my Friends coming freely to me, in order to my preparing for my Trial, and for my just Defence, it would be the same thing as to murder me. To all which, one of the said Lords replied, (it was the Earl of Shaftsbury) That he took this way of close Imprisonment to be Illegal, and that to be so surprised by a Trial, would be the same thing as to cut my Throat; and his Lordship did thereupon tell me, That care should be taken, that I should have a just liberty and freedom in the Gaol for my Friends to come to me, and should not be surprised by a Trial, as I seared to be. This Promise of this Noble Lord gave me great comfort; but notwithstanding this, my close Imprisonment continued. My opinion was, that I was forgotten; and therefore I did several times send to Captain Richardson, to put their Lordships in mind of it; and when that was without effect, I apprehended that Captain Richardson neglected me. But I find since, that those Lords must have been understood to have intended to move the House of Lords, in relation to the making good of that Promise; and that by the Dissolving of that Parliament, (which happened shortly after, though unknown then to me) there was no possibility for the making of such motion. My close Imprisonment continuing in January or February following, my poor Wife procured leave from His Majesty to see me; but not otherwise, than in the presence of my Keeper. Upon her coming, I bemoaned myself to her, that I was totally ignorant of what was Charged against me; and had still a continuance of my Fear, that I should be surprised with a Trial, without being able to make any Defence. My Wife, much troubled to hear this, could not give me any answer to remove my apprehension, because Captain Richardson was present; but against the time of her next coming to me, she procured an Abstract to be made of the several Narratives of Mr. Colemans and Mr. Ireland's Trials; and when she came next, she endeavoured to give it to me, to the end I might from thence know what was at those Trials given in Evidence relating to me. But Captain Richardson discovering her intention, took the Paper; and though he told me he would restore it to her, he carried it to the Privy Council, and would not permit my Wife to see me any more. Upon the delivery of the Paper to the Council, (which was on the first day of March) a most worthy Friend of mine had Licence from His Majesty to come to me, to exhort me to confess my knowledge of the Plot, to represent unto me my danger, if I refused; and to give me hopes of a free Pardon, in case I complied therein In truth he represented my condition to me so dismally, that had not Almighty God been very merciful unto me, his discourses would have been of sufficient force to have deprived me of my understanding. In short, he both told me I was to expect no Mercy, without a discovery made by me of the Plot, and that there was two or three express Witnesses against me, who had been believed already by several Juries; and that it was unreasonable in me to expect, that other Juries should not believe what former Juries had believed. He added, That the whole People were so possessed of a full belief of the Plot, from the Testimony of those Witnesses, and of such strange an Abhorrence against all of my Religion, that whatever could be said against me, would be believed by every Jury; and whatever I should pretend to give in Evidence for my Defence, would be disbelieved and rejected, though an Angel should come from Heaven to confirm it. To all which I gave answer, That my Trust and Reliance was in my God, and only in Him, that I had no doubt but my God, who knew my Innocency, would stand by me and assist me, and find some way for the justification of my Innocency, which to him I did aver and declare in the Presence of God, and by invoking his Divine Majesty, to testify the Truth of what I so averred and declared, with all the Solemnity that I could use, and that can be used by a Christian in any case of like nature. I told him that there must be two several Persons perjured, or I must be safe; and I could not think that two Persons should conspire in Perjury, for the destroying of so inconsiderable a Person as I knew myself to be. And I added, that in case my God should so far withdraw his Grace from me, by abandoning me to a Reprobate Sense, as to leave me to submit to the Temptation of charging other Persons faslly with any Crime or Plot, by which I should endanger the Lives of others, for the saving of my own Life, I was totally ignorant how to frame a Plot that should seem credible; and could not in possibility frame any thing that could agree with what was at the present affirmed by my Accusers, I being totally ignorant of what they had affirmed After this Person had left me, I was in the beginning of March, and about one or two days before the meeting of the now Parliament, again sent for down into Captain Richardson's House, where I found two most Honourable Lords of His Majesty's Council, who gave me the same Exhortation and Invitation, in order to a discovery of the Plot, as I had received before from my other Friend; with this great addition, That their Lordships showed me an Order of Council to secure me of my Pardon, in case I should make such Discovery; but with this Condition, that I must make it then, or else the assurance of Pardon, promised by that Order, to be void. My Conscience being clear and innocent, I made the same Answers to these Noble Lords, as I had done to the former Person who had been sent to me; whereupon, before their departure, they delivered into my hands that Paper which my Wife had formerly prepared for me, it being (as I found) the Opinion of His Majesty, and of the Council, that I should have it. Upon all these Circumstances duly considered, I hope it will appear to every charitable Judgement, That if I had been in the least measure conscious to myself of any Treason, I must (as I have said before) be esteemed to have totally lost my understanding, and to have become a perfect Lunatic, in refusing to Discover what (in case I had been Guilty) I could not but see would be proved against me, especially when my Discovery was so fully secured, of producing me a Pardon. My close Imprisonment continued until two or three days before Whitsunday, about which time it was allowed to some of my Friends to come to me with freedom, in order to my preparing for my Trial, which was appointed to be at the end of Whitsun week. By these Friends, I had the Printed Narrative brought to me of all the former Trials relating to this Plot, but I could have no light (otherwise than from them) of what would be Charged against me in Evidence. I found it given in Evidence by Mr. Oats at Mr. Coleman's Trial, That he communicated the substance of a Treasonable Consult unto me, on the 25th of April 1678 The very next day (as he then swore) after the Consult, and saw several Commissions then in my Chamber lying before me; and that after that time, he had never seen me. And I was glad to find that he had (as I conceive by what he then swore) locked himself up by his Oath to a time, and could not, without Perjury, charge any thing against me as done after that time. And so far as I could make any Judgement of what was deposed by Mr. Bedloe against me at Mr. Ireland's Trial, touching my Registering the Consults of the Jesuits, I conceived it was only intended by him upon his hear-say. This was the whole (so far as I could gather from the printed Narrative) of what appeared to be charged. I did remember the name of Oats, having once by his hand received a Letter; but I did not remember his Person. And as for Mr. Bedloe, I did not remember ever at any time to have heard his name. I found also from the said Narratives, That the Court had declared both those Witnesses to be Ill Men. And as to Mr. Oates, I found that he had owned himself to have been first a Protestant, than a Roman Catholic; and now upon this Charge laid by him upon me, and others, (of more Value in the World by much, than my poor self) to profess himself again to be a Protestant. I also found, That upon comparing the several Evidences which he had given against others, he had apparently contradicted himself, and affirmed several things which could not subsist to be all true, because they were contradictory one to the other. And as to Mr. Bedloe, I found by the Narrative of Mr. read's Trial, That he swore himself at that Trial to be slatly Perjured, when he gave Evidence against Mr. Whitebread and Mr. Fenwyck at Mr. Ireland's Trial; for being then sworn to speak the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth against the said Mr. Whitebread and Fenwyck. And having then affirmed upon his said Oath, That he was a Stranger to them, and knew nothing to give in Evidence against them, he did at the said Trial of Mr. Reading, swear that it was impossible that he should be such a Stranger to Mr. Whitebread and Mr. Fenwyck, as he affirmed himself to be at their Trials, when he was sworn to give Evidence against them. I was also informed, (and there was a Witness to prove the same) That when at one of the former Trials Witnesses were tendered, to prove that Mr. Bedloe was a very Ill Man, and that for that Reason no Credit was to be given to him. He answered in the Court publicly, That they might save their labour to prove how Ill he had been, for he readily owned the worst things that could be said of him; but that having the King's Pardon, he was safe. And as to both Mr. Oates, and Mr. Bedloe, I was informed from good hands: 1. That they had owned themselves (with what Truth I will not undertake to say) Guilty of the same Treason that they now charged upon me and others; and this was evident, from what they swore at every Trial. 2. That they had received their Pardons more than once each of them. 3. That they had received great Rewards for the Evidences by them given against others in the same case. 4. That they expected greater and farther Rewards for the Evidence to be given against me, and others. All which, I conceived, would render their Evidence unfit to be credited by any Jury, if not wholly invalid in Law. Having gained these Lights, after my long Imprisonment, I did with very great longing expect my Trial, and with great joy went to it when the day came, (which was Saturday in Whitsun-Week, being the 14th of June now past) though in my passage from the Gaol to the Court, I found myself condemned by the Multitude before my Trial, which (I thank my God) put me in remembrance of what my blessed Jesus suffered, from the like Vote of the People. I shall forbear to repeat the Particulars of my Trial, because I will give no occasion to think, That I have any intention to Arraign the Justice of my King, or of the Government, or of my Judges, or Jury; only I shall crave leave to observe these following Particulars, viz. I. That the Two first Witnesses which were Sworn for the King, Deposed nothing against me; Those were Mr. Dugdale, and Mr. Prance. II. That Mr. Oats, who was the Third Witness Sworn for the King, and the first whose Evidence charged me, Deposed, That he had two several Communications with me since the Month of April 1678. namely, in July and August 1678. whereas at the Try●● of Mr. Coleman, he had expressly Sworn, That after the Month of April 1678 he had never seen me to his knowledge or remembrance. III. That Mr. Bedloe Deposed, That as he and Mr. Coleman were together walking in my Chamber in the Temple, he saw me Entering several Treasonable Letters into a Loo● in my Study; and that the said Book was a great Book, lying upon the Desk in my Study: Whereas every person who knows my said Chamber, and the situation of my Study, cannot but know, that it is impossible to look out of my Chamber into my Study, so as to see any one Writing there, and that I never had at any time any Desk in my Study. What passed farther at my Trial I forbear to mention, for the Reason before given, but refer to such Narrative of my Trial, as I hear is published in Print; which if it be truly made, I thank the Reporter for his Justice; if untruly, I then beg of God to pardon the Reporter's Injustice. In the mean time I do here, in the Presence of the Great God, who is the God of Truth, and the Searcher of all Hearts, Declare and Protest: 1. That as to Mr. Bedloe, I do not know, remember or believe, that I ever saw him, or heard him speak, before that time that he appeared in the said Court, to give Evidence against me at my said Trial. 2. That I did never see or speak with Mr. Oats at any time since the Month of November 1677. so that I can with great Truth affirm, and do affirm, in the Presence of the All-knowing God, That whatever was given in Evidence against me by the said Bedloe, was utterly false and untrue. As likewise whatever was given against me in Evidence by the said Oats, as spoken by himself, or by me, in the Months of April, July and August, 1678. o● at any other times after the Month of November 1677. As also what was sworn in Evidence against me by the said Oats, at his first coming to me in the Month of November 1677. which related to my prejudice; and which I could have proved to be false by a very good Witness, in case I could have foreseen, that Mr. Oates would have had the confidence to have given any thing in Evidence against me, as pretended to have been spoken by me at that time. But Mr. Oates, at the Trial of Mr. Coleman, gave a clear evidence of his skill in this kind of Fencing, and of his great care and cunning, to prevent that no Person, whose Life he designs to take away by his Evidence, shall ever be able to know what he intends to swear, or consequently to produce any Witness to discover or disprove his Perjuries: For being then upon his Oath, and being interrogated what he had informed against Mr Coleman before His Majesty and the Council at Mr. Coleman's Examination there, before he was Committed to Newgate, Mr. Oates did not blush to swear, That he did only at that time inform what he judged sufficient, whereupon to ground Mr. Coleman's Commitment; and concealed what he had farther to say, lest he should by saying it, enable Mr. Coleman to produce Witnesses as to the circumstances of time and place, to disprove what Mr. Oats should say against him, or to the like effect. Add to all this, that which Mr. Oats answered at my Trial, when interrogated by me, (and to my best remembrance Bedloe gave the like answer to the same question) what Gratification or Reward he had received, for his pretended Discovery of this by him pretended Plot, and for giving Evidence against such as had been Tried thereupon; and particularly, whether he had not received the Sum of 500 l. and did not expect to receive a farther Gratification for his farther Services therein? He boldly answered, That he was so far from having received any such Sum, or any Reward for his said Services, that he was out of Purse 750 l. of his own moneys, in the prosecution of the same. Which, how great an Untruth that is, I refer to His Majesty, and those who manage His Majesty's moneys and Treasury; and to all who knew the most extreme Poverty of these two Persons, Oats and Bedloe, before they relieved their Wants, and found the way to supply their Necessities, by charging those Persons with Treason who have been Executed, or remain still Prisoners upon their Accusations. After Judgement was given against me, upon the Verdict found upon the Evidence of these two Men, there were two Persons came to me to the Gaol, as sent by the Earl of Shaftesbury, or his Order, to propose something to me in Charity, for the saving of my Life. The first thing by them proposed to be done by me for that end, was a Discovery to be made by me of the Plot and Treason for which I stood Condemned. But when I had satisfied them so far, as to my Solemn Protestations made in the Presence of God, were of force to satisfy them touching my Innocency, and my total Ignorance of any Plot or Treason ever at any time designed against His Majesty, other than the late Unparallelled Treason and Rebellion, which was before His Majesty's Happy Restauration. They were pleased to propose farther, That it was well known, that I had been made use of as a Council for the Jesuits, and in that Capacity could not but know what Estates they had in England, or at least a very great part of those Estates; and that if I would freely make a Discovery of such Estates of that nature as should be of a considerable value, I should thereby obtain my Pardon; the granting of which, upon such Discovery, might be well justified to the Parliament at their next Meeting. Having well weighed this latter Proposal, and considered, That it would be a Sin against Truth, to deny that I had knowledge of such Estates; and that all the Scandal which could be taken by my Discovery of them, could not be so great, as my Denial would be offensive to God. And having no Doubt, but that my frank and sincere discovering and owning what was within my knowledge, though to the Displeasure of those who were to be concerned therein, would make it evident to all Honest and Judicious persons, That in case I knew any of the Plot, or of any Treason intended against His Majesty, (the concealment of which by me would be a Sin unto Damnation) I would without Difficulty discover the same, for the saving of my Soul, as well as of my Life, since I was ready to make a Discovery of such Estates, the concealment of which could be no Sin against God or the King. I freely engaged myself to Discover all that I knew touching such Estates, for the Service of His Majesty; and the Persons by whom the same was so proposed, went from me, with a resolution, to report my ready compliance therein unto his said Lordship. After this, I did by some Friends prevail to have a Report made to His Majesty, of what had passed between those two Persons and me, with which His Majesty seemed (as I was informed) to be well satisfied, and directed, That I should send unto, and intrust His Majesty with so much as I could remember (without having resort to Writings) of those Estates, which I with all readiness did: And I took that Command from His Majesty, to be an evident implied promise of a Pardon, for the securing of my Life. This Engagement of mine, to make this Discovery, occasioned a Reprieve to be granted me for some days; but after the said Reprieve granted, my Lord of Shaftesbury was pleased to intimate unto me by one of the aforesaid Persons, by whom it was first proposed unto me to make such Discovery, That no Pardon should be granted to me, without a full Discovery made by me of the Plot. And his Lordship was also pleased to come to Captain Richardson's house, and sending for me thither, to tell me to this effect, viz. That as my Parts and Reputation in the World had made me fit for Employment, so I might rest secure, That in case I would make a full Discovery of the Plot, I should be put into as good a Post, both as to Honour as Estate, as my own Heart could wish; but if I failed to do that, no Discovery of Estates could or should procure my Pardon. I laboured, what I could, by Solemn Protestations to satisfy his Lordship of my Innocency, and my total Ignorance of any Plot or Treason whatsoever; and this I did so fully, (as I conceived) That in case Almighty God should have so far withdrawn his Grace from me, as to leave me to a Reprobate Sense, and to permit against truth, to have pretended a knowledge of a Plot, to the prejudice of any person, merely for the saving of my own poor Life, and the obtaining those advantages with which I was tempted, I ought not in any measure to have been believed. But blessed be my God, who hath by his Grace so far strengthened, as to enable me rather to choose and lose my Life in Innocency, and save my Soul, than by Falsities to lose my Soul, and become Guilty of the Blood of others, against whom I could not with Truth testify any thing of any Crime. After his said Lordship had given me the Temptation before mentioned, I had several Persons applied to me, with Discourses tending wholly to make me despair of Pardon, unless I would discover a Plot; and to persuade me, that it was not Honourable nor Honest for me to discover any Estates, which His Majesty might seize on, in case I did not know, That the Owners of the said Estates were Traitors. But I took all these Discourses to signify no more than a Repentance, for having proposed to me to make a Discovery of Estates: And therefore having sent such Discovery unto His Majesty, as I was able to make upon my Memory; I laboured by my Friends, and did obtain a farther Reprieve, together with an Order, requiring to send into the Council by a day limited, such Discovery as I could make; and a Licence to have all my Writings and Papers in my Chamber perused by such as I nominated, and according to such Direction as I should give, for the better enabling me to perfect such Discovery. This was conceived by me, and my Friends, to be intended by His Majesty, as an Assurance of a Pardon, it being to engage the whole Council, as His Majesty was pleased to engage Himself before, when He Commanded me to trust Him; and it seemed evident, that this Discovery required, must be a Discovery of Estates, otherwise the perusal of Papers and Writings had been to no purpose. In Obedience to the said last mentioned Command, I applied with all Diligence to complete my Discovery, my Papers and Writings were examined by my Friends, and my Discovery was perfected, and delivered in unto the Council, at the precise day for that purpose limited, and it amounted to the value (as I computed the same) of between Twenty and thirty thousand Pounds Sterling, and was annexed to a Petition, wherein I declared my Innocency and Ignorance of any Treason or Plot, and my sincere dealing as to my said Discovery; and oftered to submit myself to be examined upon Interrogatories upon Oath, or to undergo any Trial of any Test, for the giving satisfaction, that the Discovery then by me made was complete, and that I knew of no other Lands belonging in any ways to the Jesuits, other than what I had then and there Discovered; and likewise for the purging of myself touching any other matter, upon which it should be thought fit to Examine me. And in my said Discovery, I expressed every thing with such certainty as to the Names of the Estates, and the Places where they lay, and the Values (so far as I was able to give the same) and the Persons (so far as I knew) concerned therein, that it was easy to seize the same immediately for the use of His Majesty: So that I thereby did all that was in my power, in order to my giving a perfect Obedience to the said Commands of His Majesty, and to what was thereby required from me. And my Friends, as well as myself, had no Doubt, but that as Almighty God requires no more from us, for the obtaining his pardon of our Sins, and the salvation of our Souls, than what His Divine Majesty knows to be possible for us to do on our parts; so the King's Majesty, and His Council, would require no more from me, for the saving of my poor Life, and the obtaining of my Pardon, than what was possible for me on my part to do. I also looked upon the Public Honour and Faith to be now firmly engaged for the security of my Life, and the granting of a Pardon to me, I having fully performed my part, of that which was the Condition. And it being clear, that when once my Discovery was delivered in, and read in Council, it ceased to be a Secret, and that nothing therein contained, could afterwards remain as a thing undiscovered. It was likewise evident that by this Act I had done (as I believed) more than any other single person now living, who is merely a Layman, could do for the Service of His Majesty. And that if there were any such Plot, as is affirmed by Oats and Bedloe, and that any person now charged therewith, had knowledge thereof, and should be required, as I had been, to discover what he knows for the saving of his Life, he would hardly be induced to make such Discovery, in case my Life should be taken away, after my so free Discovery of all that was within my knowledge to be discovered, was in obedience to so great a Command delilivered out of my hands. However I rested satisfied, That in case my Life should be taken away for the Crime for which I stand Condemned, and after my Obedience given to His Majesty's Commands, in making the said Discovery, I should die with this great comfort, That I should have a double Martyrdom. First, as dying perfectly Innocent of the Crime for which I should lose my Life. And secondly, as choosing rather to die, than to sin against my God, and my Neighbour, by charging others falsely, and becoming guilty of their Blood, and of the Ruin of their Families, by accusing them of a Crime, of which my own Conscience must bear me witness, that I did never know them, or any of them Guilty; but on the contrary, believe them to be perfectly Innocent. Whereas if I had on the other side denied myself to have known any thing of those Estates, which I was required to discover, I must have sinned against the God of Truth, by affirming a Lye. And if Confessing, That I had knowledge of such Estates, I should rather have chosen to die, than to have made a Discovery of such my knowledge for the saving of my Life, I should have appeared (in some sort at least) guilty of my own Blood, through my obstinacy. Upon the delivering of this Discovery, and the reading of it in the Council, the Lord Viscount Hallifax produced a Letter written to him (as his Lordship affirmed) from the Earl of Roscommon from Brussels, in which Letter the said Earl taking notice, that he had heard of my being Reprieved, affirmed himself to be much satisfied, That my Life should be saved; and gave this Reason, That my Life might be useful to the Public, or to the like effect. These words were taken to my great Disadvantage, and to import, as if the Earl of Roscommon did know, That I was able to make a Discovery of the Plot. And though the words might well bear a more kind sense, and did not, without forcing, so much as incline to that unkind Interpretation; yet upon the reading of that Letter, my Discovery was rejected, after having been Publicly read, and ordered to be sent unto me by a Clerk of the Council, and notice to be given to me, That by an Order of Council, I was Reprieved only until the 14th day of July; and that if before that day I did not make a Discovery of the Plot, I was to expect no farther mercy. My Friends were more astonished at this Order than myself was, and being now in this condition, I presumed yet once more, to address a Petition, in which I prayed, That my Life might be saved, though to be spent in Banishment; and to the end that I might do all that in me lay, to express and declare my Innocency, I did, to that Petition, annex this following Declaration, and Protestation, viz. I Do Solemnly and Sincerely, in the Presence of Almighty God, Profess, Testify, and Declare, as followeth: That is to say, I. That I do believe, and own my mies Most Gracious Sovereign Lord the King's Majesty, King CHARLES II. to be my True and Lawful Sovereign King, in the same Sense and Latitude, to all Intents and Purposes, as in the Oath commonly called, The Oath of Allegiance, His said Majesty is expressed to be King of this Realm of England. II. That I do in my Soul believe, That neither the Pope, nor any Prince, Potentate, or Foreign Authority, nor the People of England, nor any Authority out of this Kingdom, or within the same, hath or have any Right to dispossess His said Majesty of the Crown and Government of England, or to Depose Him therefrom, for any Cause, or pretended Cause whatsoever; Or to give Licence to me, or to any other of His Majesty's Subjects whatsoever, to bear Arms against His Majesty, or to take away His Life, or to do Him any Bodily Harm; Or to disturb the Government of this Kingdom, as it is now Established by Law; Or to Alter, or go about to Alter the said Government, or the Religion now Established in England, by any way of Force. III. That I neither am, nor ever was at any time Guilty, so much as in my most secret Thoughts, of any Treason, or Misprision of Treason whatsoever. iv That I do Believe, That if I did know, or should know of any Treason, or Treasonable Design that was, or is intended, or should be intended against His said Majesty, or the Government of this His Majesty's Kingdom, or for the Alteration by Force, Advice, or otherwise, of the said Government, or of the Religion now Established in this Kingdom, and should conceal, and not discover the same unto His said Majesty, or His Majesty's Council or Ministers, or some of them, That such Concealment would be to me a Sin unto Death, and Eternal Damnation. And I do Solemnly, in the Presence of God, Profess, Testify, and Declare, That as I hope for Salvation, or expect any benefit by the Blood and Passion of Jesus Christ, I do make this Declaration, and every Part thereof, in the Plain and Ordinary Sense of the Words, wherein the same stands written, as they are commonly understood by English Protestants, and the Courts of Justice of England, without any Evasion, or Equivocation, or Delusion, or Mental Reservation whatsoever. And without any Dispensation, or Pardon, or Absolution already granted to me, for this, or any other purpose, by the Pope, or any other Authority or Person whatsoever, or without any hope of any such Dispensation. And without thinking or believing that I am, or can be acquitted before God or Man, or absolved of this Declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope, or any other Person or Persons, or Power whatsoewer, should Dispense with, or Annul the same, or Declare that it was, or is Null or Void from the beginning. This, with my Petition, was Presented to His Majesty in Council on, Thursday, the 10th of July instant; and after the reading of my Petition, my said Protestation and Declaration was (as I am informed) begun to be read, but when the person that read the same, came to read that part of it, in which I aver my Innocency, he was not (as I am informed) permitted to read farther; and it was declared, That I was to expect no farther mercy, unless I would make a Discovery of the Plot, which (God is my Witness) I cannot do, because I know nothing of it directly or indirectly. And now having related all the particular Circumstances of my Case, so far as my memory can recollect them; and made such Protestations and Declarations as is before mentioned, I shall only recommend to be considered by all impartial Judgements, those solemn and serious Protestations which were made by those others, who have lost their Lives already upon the Evidence given against them, by the same Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, and pray that it may be duly weighed, Whether the Solemn Oaths and Protestations of sober Men, made by them immediately before their respective Deaths, and this Protestation of mine before mentioned, made at a time, when my Confession and Discovery of a Plot or Treason against my King (in case I had been privy unto, or known such Plot or Treason) would not only have saved my Life, and secured me of a Pardon; but would also have entitled me unto, and (in all probability) put me into the full possession of Preferments and Advantages, greater than I ever (I thank my God) coveted; Be not more considerable to move a Belief of my Innocency, than the Evidence given against me by my Accusers , to move a Belief of my Gild? It is said, it is not upon the bare Oaths of those two Witnesses, but upon the Verdict of the Twelve Jurors, that I am found Guilty. I am sure that every judicious Person, who understands our Proceed in our Law of England, in all Cases of this Nature, doth know, and can answer, That the Verdict of the Twelve Jurors is grounded wholly upon the Evidence given by the Witnesses. The Jurors Belief of the Witnesses produced and sworn to give Evidence against me, was the foundation of their Verdict, and justifies them in Law; and the Verdict given by the Jurors, doth in Law justify the Judgement given by the Judges, for the taking away of my Belief. And I beseech God that the same Rule of Law, may, at the great and terrible day of Judgement, acquit as well the Jurors, who gave that Verdict, as the Judges, who gave that Judgement, from all Gild of my Blood. But I must again refer it to the Consciences of all , judicious, and good Men, whether in Christian Charity, the motives of Credibility founded upon such Judgement, the Verdict, which was solely grounded upon the Evidence of Mr. Oats and Mr. Bedloe, be of greater force to a good and charitable Conscience to pronounce me Guilty, than the several other motives which I have here represented, will be found to pronounce me Innocent? It will no way concern me as to my own particular, whether the world shall adjudge me Innocent, or not; it is sufficient for me, That my Conscience doth with great Joy and Peace acquit me. And that the God of all Truth, my dearest Jesus, who is Truth itself, doth know me to be Innocent. And that the Consciences of those most Unhappy Men, Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, will at the last day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest, be compelled, to the Glory of God, and their own shame, To proclaim me Innocent. I beseech Almighty God to give those miserable Men a true and sincere Repentance for the Sin which they have committed, and by which they have drawn upon themselves, the Gild of my Innocent Blood. I do here profess myself to die a Member of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, of which, the Bishop of Rome is the Supreme Visible Head of Government on Earth, as the Successor of the Holy Apostle St. Peter. And of which Church our blessed Lord Jesus is the Supreme, Invisible Head, of influence to Guide, Govern, and direct the same by his Holy Spirit. And I do take my Religion to be the sole Cause of my being the Object of the Malice of my Enemies, who are the Causers of my Death. If what I here say be any ways disbelieved because of my Religion, I humbly recommend it to the consideratjoin of sober Men, whether such disbelief upon this ground, be not, 1. To cast a Reproach and Blemish upon the Honour and Reputation of all our most Pious Ancestors, and our whole Nation, who lived and died before the 20th Year of King Henry VIII. and who did all live and die in the same Faith, and Members of the same Church, of which by God's Grace I am now a Member, though unworthy. 2. To cast a like Reproach upon all the Princes, States and People of the World, who are Members of the same Church. 3. To give a just Occasion to the same Princes, States and People, never to give Credit to any thing affirmed or sworn by any English Protestant; and consequently, 4. To lay a Foundation for the total destroying of all Trade, as well as Conversation, with all those Princes, States and People. We must learn to do unto others, as we would have others do unto us. And it is not a good Answer to say, That this Disbelief is only in relation to the Jesuits, and those who make use of them: For there is scarce any Prince of this Religion now living, who doth not make use of a Jesuit for his Ghostly Father; which will likewise be a clear Evidence, That those Princes (known to all the World not to be Fools or Madmen) have not an Opinion, That the Doctrines and Principles of the Jesuits, are any ways Pernicious and Dangerous to Government, as the Pulpits of England repute them to be. And certainly if an English Protestant should in France, cast the two Execrable Murders of those two Kings of that Kingdom, who were killed by Clement and Ravillack, upon the Jesuits, or as an effect of any Doctrine of our Church, That Church, and that Order, would with much greater ease clear themselves from such a Reproach, than our English Protestant's could clear themselves, in case the Murder of Queen Mary of Scotland (our King's Great Grandmother) or of our last most excellent Prince King CHARLES I. should be cast as a Reproach upon the Doctrines of the Protestant Church of England, or of any other Party professing Protestancy, these Murders being committed under the Solemn Species and Formalities of Public Justice; when it is well known, That Clement and Ravillack were only two private Villains, who were disowned by all the World. Nor do there want Authors, who call themselves, and are reputed to be Protestants, who, in their Public Writings, justify these two Murders, of Queen Mary, and King Charles I. Nay, there may, peradventure, be found more Authors, reputed Protestants, who justify the People to have a Power to Depose, and take away the Lives of Kings, than there are found Authors, reputed to be Catholics, who assert the Pope to have Power to Depose Princes. Yet, God forbid, That I should call these Positions, or Opinions, the Doctrines of the Church of England; I impure these Actions, to the Passions of wicked and ambitious Men; and those Doctrines, to those only, who writ or own them; and certainly the same Charity cannot, without Sin, be denied to us, by all sober Judgements. But if this Justice be denied unto me, and those of my Religion, I beseech God to pardon such as are so uncharitable; And I do most hearty, and from my Soul, forgive those who want this Charity, as I do the before named Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, and all others, who are any ways guilty of my Death, or of my not obtaining my Pardon, or of rejoicing at the shedding of my Innocent Blood; and all who have done me any Injury whatsoever, SWEET JESUS Forgive Them, They know not what they do. July 12. 1679. Richard Langhorne. The Affections of my SOUL, after Judgement given against me in a Court of Justice, upon the Evidence of False Witnesses. I. IT is told me I must Die Ignominiously, By the Hand of the Executioner: O Happy News! I see myself honoured with the Livery of Jesus, I receive the Judgement of Death As an Enemy to Caesar, As Designing the Death of my King, And the Depriving Him of His Crown, His Government. Whilst in the mean time My Jesus knows, My Conscience rejoicing testifies, That I never yet harboured In my heart at any time, So much as one Disloyal Thought Against my King and Sovereign. And the Consciences Of my Accusers must Testify At the last and dreadful Judgement, To the Glory of my God. And the Justification of Truth, That I am perfectly Innocent Of all and every the Crimes, Of which they swore me Guilty. II. IT is told me I must Die A Death of Dishonour in the Vain Opinion of the World, O Happy News! My Jesus calls me by this Sentence, To bear his Cross, and follow him. The Judge declares my Death necessary For the King, and for His People; The People shout and cry out, Crucify, Crucify. He who was perfect Innocency, Hath set before me his Example, He opened not his mouth, He justified not himself, He forgave, and prayed for his Enemies. O what Happiness To be dignified with so many Circumstances Of the Death of Jesus! III. IT is told me I must Die, O sweet and happy News! Rejoice, O my Soul, For thou hast no cause for Fear, Thy Jesus hath died for thee; He hath paid a Ransom for thee; He hath bought thee with his Life; He hath satisfied for thy Sins; He hath purchased Paradise for thee; He hath adopted thee his Brother; He hath adopted thee the Son of his Father; He hath cleansed thee by his Blood; He hath given thee his Body for thy security; Upon his Cross he declared thee Son of his Mother; And he now gives thee his Cross to bear, As an evidence that thou art one of his. iv IT is told me I must Die, O Happy News! Be glad, O my Soul, And rejoice in Jesus thy Saviour. If he intended thy Perdition, Would he have laid down his Life for thee? Would he have expected thee with so much Patience, And given thee so long a time for Penance? Would he have called thee with so much Love, And illuminated thee with the Lights of his Spirit? Would he have drawn thee with so great force, And favoured thee with so many Graces? Would he have given thee so many good desires? Would he have set the Seal of the Predestinate upon thee, And dressed thee in his own Livery? Would he have given thee his own Cross, And given thee shoulders to bear it with Patience? V IT is told me I must Die, O Happy News! Come on, my dearest Soul, Behold thy Jesus calls thee, He prayed for thee upon his Cross, There he extended his Arms to receive thee; There he bowed down his head to kiss thee; There he cried out with a powerful voice, Father receive him, he is mine; There he opened his Heart to give thee entrance; There he gave up his Life, to purchase life for thee. VI IT is told me I must Die, O Blessed News! I must quit Earth for Heaven, My earthly Prison for a liberty of joy; My Banishment for my Country prepared for me. I must pass From Time, to Eternity; From Misery, to Felicity; From Change, to Immutability; From Death, to Immortality. I must leave what I possess on earth, To possess my God; To enjoy my Jesus; To converse with Angels and Saints. I must go to fill My Spirit with a plenitude of light; My Will with a fullness of peace; My Memory with a collection of all good; My senses with a satiety of pleasures. I must go where I shall find All things which I can desire, Nothing that I can fear. I shall no more want any good, God shall be unto me all in all, And my All to all Eternity. VII. IT is told me I must Die, O Happy News! I shall be freed from Misery; I shall no more suffer Pain; I shall no more be subject to Sin; I shall no more be in danger of being damned. But from henceforth I shall see, and I shall live; I shall praise, and I shall bless; And this I shall always do, Without ever being weary Of doing what I always am to do. VIII. IT is told me I must Die, O what Happiness! I am going To the place of my rest; To the Land of the Living; To the Haven of Security; To the Kingdom of Peace; To the Palace of my God; To the Nuptials of the Lamb; To sit at the Table of my King; To feed on the Bread of Angels; To see what no Eye hath seen; To hear what no Ear hath heard; To enjoy what the heart of man cannot comprehend. IX. IT is told me I must Die, O News of Joy! Let us go, my Soul, I am content, I joyfully renounce this Life, And render it back to him that gave it me; I remit my Spirit into his hands; I recommend my Soul and Body to my Jesus; I accept this Death most willingly, And offer it with the Merits of Jesus, As a satisfaction for my many Sins. I believe every thing that he hath revealed; I hope for every thing that he hath promised; I acknowledge and know my own nothingness; I give him all that I can call my own; I am willing to Die For his Glory, For his Love, Out of Gratitude for his Favours, And to satisfy his Justice. I am willing to Die for him, as he Died for me I am willing to Die, To see my Jesus, To love my Jesus, To bless my Jesus, And to sing his Praises to all Eternity. Come on, my Soul, let us go and rejoice, He, who by his Grace, hath enabled thee to know Thy own Miseries, And his Mercies He who hath enabled thee to Detest thyself, And to rely on him, Commands thee to shake off all Fear; It is not for any thing in thee, That he enables thee to these Acts, Or that he loves thee, and will save thee; He doth it because he is God, Perfect Love, and perfect Goodness. X. O Father of Mercy, Behold thy Child, who hath been a Prodigal; Who, having wasted all his Goods, And spent his time in Vanity, Drawn by thy Grace and Love, Is now returning to thy house, And humbly begs for Pardon at thy hands. Alas! I have lived as without reason, Since first I had the use of reason; I have done nothing of myself but evil, From the time that I first knew what Good was, I have sinned against Heaven, and against thee, I deserve not the Title of thy Son, Or to have admittance into thy house. And though I am wholly Innocent Of the Crime for which I am sentenced now to Dye, Yet from thy hands I have deserved a Death to All Eternity. But thou hast made me know, That thou canst not cease to be a Father, For my having often ceased to comport myself As thy Child. Thou canst not lose thy Goodness, By my having often forgotten my Gratitude; Thou canst not forget to be a Father of Mercy, By my having become a Child of Misery. XI. O my Father, O Thou the best of all Fathers, Have pity on the most wretched of all thy Children; I was lost, but by thy Mercy am now found; I was dead, but by thy Grace am now raised again; I was gone astray after Vanity, But am now ready to appear before thee. O my Father, Come now in mercy and receive thy Child; Give him the Kiss of Peace; Remit unto him all his Sins; Cloth him with thy Nuptial Robe; Receive him into thy House; Permit him to have a place at thy Feast; And forgive all those who are Guilty of his Death. XII. O Jesus, The Comforter of the Afflicted; The Refuge of the Oppressed; The Redeemer of the Captives; The Hope of the Distressed; Behold I address unto thee, Who never drivest any from thee, Who approach unto thee with Faith, Hope and Love. My Heart tells thee, That it burns with a desire to see thee, And that for that end it is impatient to Die. Come sweet Jesus, Come quickly, Draw my Soul from this Prison; Recall me from this Panishment; Conduct me to my dear Country; Behold the Just expect me; My Friends reach out their Arms towards me. O how beautiful are thy Tabernacles! O how admirable is thy Palace! O what content shall I have with thee! What Happiness in thy Company! I Dye with a desire to Die. Come blessed Jesus, And receive my Spirit, Which languisheth to be with thee; Into thy hands, O Jesus, I recommend my Spirit. Acts of Resignation, Thanksgiving, FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE. BLessed Jesus, who art the Way, the Truth, And the Life, Behold I do most willingly Take up and bear my Cross, as thou hast Commanded me, and do give thee most humble Thanks, that thou art pleased to dignify My Death with so many circumstances of Thy most Sacred Passion, as thou art pleased To bestow on it. I firmly believe (O my Jesus) whatsoever Thou hast proposed unto me by thy Holy Catholic And Apostolic Church; because thou hast spoken it, Blessed be thy Name, that by thy Grace I have Lived in this Faith, and that thou hast pleased To think me worthy to Die for it. On thee (O my Jesus) I profess wholly and solely To rely, and to hope in thee, and in thy Blood With so much love shed for me, by which I Firmly conside, That thou wilt save me, Though most unworthy. I love thee (O my Jesus) For thyself, and beg that thou wilt increase That Love in me; I am sorry (O my God) from my Heart and Soul, that I have at any time sinned Against thee, and this (as I hope by thy grace) for The Love of thee. Several Acts of my SOUL, upon the last words of our blessed JESUS. I Do from my heart (O my Jesus) pardon all my Enemies, and particularly those, upon whose false And untrue Testimonies, I am adjudged to Die for Crimes, of which thou (my Jesus knowest) and their Consciences at the dreadful Day of Judgement Must testify, that I am wholly innocent, Father Forgive them, they know not what they do. Behold (O my Jesus) I am now coming unto thee, Confirm it unto my Soul by thy holy Spirit, that This day I shall be with thee in Paradise. O Lamb of God, who upon thy Cross didst adopt me In the person of St. John, to be the Son of thy Blessed Mother, and before whose Throne thy Holy Saints now offer the Incense of Prayer for thy Servants upon earth, mercifully receive those Prayers which are addressed to thee, for me the most Unworthy of thy Creatures. O blessed Jesus, who upon thy Cross wert pleased To suffer an Abandonment, to the end I might Not be abandoned by thy Father at my Death. Blessed be thy Name, that thou art pleased to be now With me by thy Holy Spirit, and not to forsake Me in this great time of Trial. O my dearest Jesus! who upon thy Cross didst suffer Thirst, for the perfecting the work of my Redemption. Behold I now thirst to be with thee, blessed be Thy Name that thou art pleased to give me this Thirst. O my Jesus, who upon thy Cross didst consummate Thy life for the love of me, blessed be thy Name, that thou permittest me to consummate My life for thee in thy service. O my dearest Jesus, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. The several Circumstances of the Passion of our Lord, Accompanying my Death, by which he vouchsafes to grace me, a poor Sinner, and to refresh my memory, in relation to his blessed Merits. 1. To be Judged by a PUBLIC SENTENCE. 2. To Die the most Ignominious of all Deaths. 3. By the Hands of the Public Executioner 4. As an Enemy to Caesar and the Government. 5. To Die Hanging on a Tree. 6. To be stripped of all my . 7. To have all my Blood entirely shed, by Emboweling and Quartering. 8. With a public declaring my Death to be Necessary for the People. 9 The multitude shouting, Crucify, Crucify. 10. The People rejoicing at this Sentence and Death 11. Occasioned by False Witnesses. 12. The Witnesses induced by Malice and Rewards. To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. The Humble PETITION of Richard Langborne, A Prisoner Condemned in the Gaol of Newgate. Humbly showeth, THat Your Majesty's Petitioner, with all gratitude of Heart and Soul imaginable, humbly thanks Your Majesty for Your Mercy, in giving him Life until Monday next. That Your Petitioner is wholly ignorant of the substance of that Letter mentioned in Your Majesty's Order of Council, of the 3d instant, to have been written by the Earl of Roscomon, as also of the Grounds upon which it was written; and therefore hopes that Your Majesty will not permit Your Petitioners Life to be taken away, before that be clearly understood. That Your Petitioner having, in obedience to Your Majesty's particular Command, made a full, clear, and sincere Discovery of all those Estates which Your Majesty commanded him to discover, humbly offers unto Your Majesty's merciful Consideration, the Protestation and Declaration by Your Petitioner hereunto annexed; by which he no way intends to reflect upon Your Majesty's Justice, or the Justice of the Judges or Jury by whom he was Tried: and humbly begs, That the same may not be interpreted to intent any such reflection. And that Your Majesty will please to consider, That it is not impossible for an innocent person to be Condemned, since it is not many Years past, That Three Persons were Executed, and Hanged in Chains, being Condemned for the Murder of one, who appeared afterwards to be living: And this without any just cause of Reflection upon the Justice of Your Majesty, or of their Judges or Jury. That Your Petitioner humbly begs leave to hope. That when Your Majesty shall have considered his said Declaration, you will, out of the abundance of Your natural inclinations to Mercy, either vouchsafe to give him his Pardon, so as to enable him to spend the remainder of His Life, in the Service of Your Majesty, and his Country; or at least, give him leave to live, though it be abroad, and in perpetual Banishment, he having fully obeyed Your Majesty's Commands, in discovering every thing within his knowledge, which hath been required to be by him discovered; and the Case of your Petitioner being singular, as not having above any one Witness to any one particular matter of Fact given in Evidence against him, as the Judges can inform Your Majesty. Your Majesty's Petitioner therefore Humbly casts himself at Your Majesty's Feet, Humbly imploring Your Royal Mercy; and that You will be Graciously pleased to give him his Life, that he may spend it wholly in praying for Your Majesty's long and happy Life, Reign and Government. And Your Petitioner (as in Duty bound) shall daily pray for Your Mo●● Sacred Majesty, etc. R. Langhorne. THE SPEECH OF Richard Langhorne Esq At his EXECUTION, July 14. 1679. Being left in Writing by him under his own Hand. IN regard I could not foresee, whether I should be permitted to speak at my Death, so as to make a Public Declaration of my Innocency and Loyalty, as a Christian ought to do; considering likewise, That if it should be permitted unto me, it would be more advisable for me rather to prepare beforehand, and set down in Writing the very words in which I should make my Declaration, than to trust my Memory with them; to the end that the same may be well considered of, and digested by me, and that all Mistakes might be prevented, as far as may be. I say, in regard of this, I have in the present Paper reduced what I have to declare, as to my Innocence and Loyalty: And 'tis in these following words. I Do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of Almighty God, Profess, Testify, and Declare, as followeth: That is to say, 1. That I do with my Heart and Soul, believe and own my Most Gracious Sovereign Lord, the King's Majesty, King CHARLES II. to be my True and Lawful Sovereign, Prince and King, in the same Sense and Latitude, to all Intents and Purposes, as in the Oath commonly called, The Oath of Allegiance, His said Majesty is expressed to be King of this Realm of England. 2. That I do in my Soul believe, That neither the Pope, nor any Prince, Potentate, or Foreign Authority, nor the People of England, nor any Authority out of this Kingdom, or within the same, hath or have any Right to dispossess His said Majesty of the Crown or Government of England, or to Depose Him therefrom, for any Cause, or pretended Cause whatsoever; or to give Licence to me, or to any other of His said Majesty's Subjects whatsoever, to bear Arms against His said Majesty, or to take away His Life, or to do Him any bodily Harm, or to disturb the Government of this Kingdom, as the same is now established by Law; or to alter, or go about to alter the said Government, or the Religion now established in England, by any way of Force. 3. That I neither am, nor ever was, at any Time or Times, Guilty, so much as in my most secret Thoughts, of any Treason, or Misprision of Treason whatsoever. 4. That I did not in the Month of November, or at any other Time or Times whatsoever, say unto Mr Oates, or unto any other Person or Persons whatsoever, in relation to my Sons in Spain, or either of them, or in relation to any other Person or Persons whatsoever, That if they did continue in the World, (as Secular Priests, or otherwise) they should suddenly have great Promotions in England for that things would not last long in the posture wherein they then were; nor did I ever say any words to that, or the like effect, to any Person or Persons whatsoever. 5. That I did never in all my Life-time write any Letter, or other thing whatsoever, unto, or receive any Letter or other thing, from Father Le Cheese, or any French Jesuit whatsoever; or from Father Anderton, or Cardinal Barbarino, or any other Cardinal; nor did I ever see any Letter, or the Copy of any Letter, or other Paper, or other Thing, written, or purporting to be written unto the said Le Cheese, or unto the said Father Anderton, or the said Cardinal Farbarino, by any Person or Persons whatsoever, other than the printed Letters, printed in the Narrative of the Trial of Mr. Edward Coleman, lately Executed, which I never saw otherwise, than in the said printed Narrative; nor did I ever hear any mention made by any Person whatsoever, of the name of Le Cheese, or Father Le Cheese, before I read the said printed Narrative. 6. That I did never in all my Life-time make any Entry or Entries, into any Book or Books, or ●ake, or make, or write, or cause to be written into any Book or Books, or otherwise, any Letter or Letters, or any Copy or Copies of any Letter or Letters, written by the said Edward Coleman, to any person or persons whatsoever. 7. That I did never in all my Life time Enter or Register into any Book or Books, Paper or Papers whatsoever, or take, or make, or write, or cause to be written, any Copy or Copies, of any Act or Acts, Consult or Consults, Determination or Determinations, Order or Orders, Resolve or Resolves, or other matter or thing, at any time made, determined, resolved, passed, decreed, or agitated, at any Congregation or Congregations, Consult or Consults, Chapter or Chapters, Assembly or Assemblies, of the Society or Order of the Jesuits, or of any other Religious Order whatsoever; nor did I ever see, read, or heard read, nor did any person or persons, at any time whatsoever, ever communicate unto me, any such Act, Consult, Determination, Order, Resolve, Matter or Thing whatsoever. 8. That I did never in all my Life-time, to my knowledge, belief or remembrance, see or speak with Mr. Bedloe, who gave Evidence against me at my Trial, until I saw him in that Court wherein he gave Evidence against me. 9 That after the Month of November, which was in the Year of our Lord 1677. I did never see or speak with Mr. Titus' Oats before named, until I saw him in the same Court where he gave Evidence against me at my Trial. 10. That I did never see in all my Life time, to my knowledge, belief or remembrance, any Commission or Commissions, Patent or Patents, Grant or Grants, Order or Orders, Instrument or Instruments, Writing or Writings, or other Matter or Thing whatsoever, under, or pretended to be under the Hand and Seal, or the Hand or the Seal of Johannes Paulus de Oliva, or any other General of the Jesuits whatsoever, other than the Paper or Instrument produced and showed unto me in the said. Court at my Trial, which whether it was signed or sealed by the said de Oliva, I do not know. 11. That I did never in all my Life-time write, or cause, or procure to be written, any Treasonable Letter or Letters whatsoever, or any thing which was or is Treason or Treasonable, in any Letter or Letters, Book or Books, Paper or Papers, or otherwise howsoever. 12. That I believe, that if I did know, or should know of any Treason or Treasonable Design, that was, or is intended, or should be intended against His said Majesty, or the Government of this His Majesty's Kingdom, or for the Alteration by Force, Advice, or otherwise, of the said Government, or of the Religion now Established in this Kingdom, and should conceal and not discover the same unto His said Majesty, or His said Majesty's Council or Ministers, or some of them; that such concealment would be in me a Sin unto death, and eternal damnation. 13. That I do believe, that it is no ways lawful for me to lie, or speak any thing which I know to be untrue; or to commit any Sin, or do any Evil, that Good may come of it. And that it is not in the power of any Priest, or of the Pope, or of God himself, to give me a Licence to lie, of to speak any thing which I know to be untrue, because every such Lie would be a sin against Truth: And Almighty God, who is perfect Truth, cannot give me a Licence to commit a sin against his own Essence. And I do Solemnly, in the Presence of God, Profess, Testify and Declare, That as I hope for Salvation, and expect any Benefit by the Blood and Passion of my dearest Saviour Jesus Christ, I do make this Declaration and Protestation, and every Part thereof, in the plain and ordinary Sense, wherein the same stands written, as they are commonly understood by English Protestants, and the Courts of Justice of England, without any Evasion, or Equivocation, or Delusion, or Mental Reservation whatsoever. And without any Dispensation or Pard●n, or Absolution already granted to me, for this, or any other purpose, by the Pope, or any other Power, Authority or Person whatsoever; or, without any hope, expectation or desire of any such Dispensation; and without thinking or believing, that I am, or can be acquitted before God or Man, or absolved of this Declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope, or any other Person or Persons, or Power or Authority whatsoever, should dispense with or take upon him or them to dispense with, or annul the same; or declare that it was, or is, or aught to be Null or Void in part, or in the whole, from the beginning, or otherwise howsoever. Having made this Declaration and Protestation in the most plain Terms that I can possibly imagine, to express my sincere Loyalty and Innocency, and the clear intention of my Soul, I leave it to the judgements of all good and charitable Persons, whether they will believe what is here in this manner affirmed and sworn by me in my present Circumstances, or what is sworn by my Accusers I do now farther declare, That I die a Member (though an unworthy one) of that Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, mentioned in the Three Holy and Public Creeds, of which Church our Lord Jesus Christ is the Invisible Head of Influence, to illuminate, guide, protect, and govern It, by his Holy Spirit and Grace; and of which Church, the Bishop of Rome, as the Successor of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is the visible Head of Government and Unity. I take it to be clear, That my Religion is the sole Cause, which moved my Accusers to charge me with the Crime, for which, upon their Evidence, I am adjudged to die; and that my being of that Religion, which I here profess, was the only ground which could give them any hope to be believed, or which could move my Jury to believe the Evidence of such men. I have had not only a Pardon, but also great Advantages, as to Preferments, and Estates offered unto me, since this Judgement was against me, in case I would have forsaken my Religion, and owned myself Guilty of the Crime charged against me, and charged the same Crimes upon others: But, blessed be my God, who, by his Grace, hath preserved me from yielding to those Temptations, and strengthened me rather to choose this Death, than to slain my Soul with Sin, and to charge others, against Truth, with Crimes, of which I do not know that any Person is Guilty. Having said what concerns me to say as to myself, I now humbly beseech God to bless the King's Majesty with all Temporal and Eternal Blessings, and to preserve Him and his Government from all Treasons and Traitors whatsoever; and that His Majesty may never fall into such hands, as His Royal Father of Glorious Memory fell into. I also humbly beseech thee (O God) to give true Repentance and Pardon to all my Enemies, and most particularly to the said Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, and to all who have been any ways accessary to the taking away of my Life, and the shedding of my innocent Blood, or to the preventing the King's Mercy from being extended unto me; and likewise to all those who rejoiced at the Judgement given against me, or at the execution of the said Judgement; and to all those who are or shall be so unchristianly uncharitable, as to disbelieve, and to refuse to give credit unto my now Protestations. And I beseech thee (O my God) to bless this whole Nation, and not to lay the Gild of my Blood unto the Charge of this Nation, or of any other particular Person or Persons of this Nation. Unite all (O my God) unto thee and thy Church, by true Faith, Hope and Charity, for thy mercy's sake. And for all those who have showed Charity to me, I humbly beg (O my Jesus) that thou wilt reward them with all Blessings both Temporal and Eternal. 13 July, 1679. R. Langhorne. HAving given you now Reader the Speech at length, which Mr. Langhorne had prepared (for the Reason he mentions) against his Execution, it will not be, perchance, ungrateful to you, to know, that when he came down from his Chamber at Newgate, to be put into the Sledge, he had it with him, but the Sheriff (telling him, that he must use no Papers at the Gallows) took it away, so that he repeated there so much of it only as he could remember; therefore to satisfy the Curiosity of those also, that would know what and how much that was, I shall here give you the Particulars, with some other things that occurred, before he was turned over. When the Hangman was putting the Rope over his Head, he took it into his hands, and kissed it. Afterwards said: I do not know whether you will allow me liberty of Speech, or no; and the Noise of the People being so great, that I believe it is impossible to speak to be beard. SILENCE was Commanded. Mr. L. I would gladly speak to Mr. Sheriff HOW; who coming up to him, he addressed himself thus: Mr. Sheriff. I having some doubt, whether I should be suffered to speak, in relation to my Innocency and Loyalty, I did, for that Reason, prepare what I had to say, and what I intended to say in Writing, and it is delivered into your hands, Mr. Sheriff; and therefore for the particular and precise Words and Expressions, I do refer myself to that, and I hope you will be so just to my Memory, that you will permit it to be seen. I shall therefore make only a short Preface, and I do declare, in the Presence of the Eternal God, and as I hope to be saved by the Merits and Death of my dear Jesus, That I am not Guilty directly or indirectly, of any Crime that was sworn against me; I do not speak this to Arraign the Court of Public Justice, either Judges or Jury, but those Men that did swear it; and the Jury had liberty to believe, or not believe, as they pleased; And I do likewise say, with the same Averrment, That I did never in my Life see any Commissions or Patent, or any Writing, or any other Thing, under the hand of Johannes Paulus de Oliva, etc. S. Nor under no other hand. L. No, nor under any other hand, of any Commission or Patents, for the Raising of an Army, or any Thing else against the King. S. What was the Patents for? for Nothing! L. I never saw any, nor do I believe there was any: And whereas I have read in a Narrative, that I sent a Commission by my Son, to the Lord Arundel of Warder, and that I delivered another to the Lord Petre (or Peter) with my own hands, I take God to Witness, that I never saw him in my life, or ever, to my knowledge, saw the face of that Lord; nor did I send or know of any thing that was sent to my Lord Arundel of Warder, of that nature. S. Shorten your business, you have, Mr. Langhorne, and your Party, so many ways to Equivocate, and after Absolution you may say any thing. L. I refer myself to that Paper I gave you, Mr. Sheriff. S. I think it is not fit to be Printed. I will do you no wrong L I do not think you will. S. You have already printed a Paper, or some body for you. L. Sir, I did not Print it, and it was done without any Direction or Permission of mine. The Lord preserve His Majesty from all manner of Treason, and preserve Him from falling into such Hands, as His Royal Father, of Glorious Memory, fell under; I pray God to forgive my Enemies, as I freely do those that Accused me, those that Witnessed against me; and all others that either desired my Blood, or rejoice at the shedding of it; and all Persons that have any ways concerned themselves with me, I freely forgive them with all my Soul, and beg my dear Jesus to forgive them, and all others. God Almighty bless you, and bless the whole Nation, and the Government, and preserve it from all Evil and Mischief that I am afraid is coming on it, for the shedding of Innocent Blood. Sweet Jesus, lay not my Innocent Blood to their Charge. I shall say no more now Publicly. Asked the Executioner, Whether the Rope was right or no? He said, Yes; and he asked him, Whether he did forgive him? To which Mr. Langhorne said, I freely do. I shall now recommend myself to God in Private. S. You may have liberty. The Writer. The Lord have Mercy on your Soul. L. The Lord in Heaven reward your Charity. Crossed himself, prayed again. Blessed Jesus, into thy Hands I recommend my Soul and Spirit, now at this instant take me into Paradise; I am desirous to be with my Jesus; I am ready, and you need stay no longer for me. FINIS.