A true COPY OF CERTAIN PASSAGES OF THE Lord Archbishop of Canterbury HIS SPEECH SPOKEN on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill immediately before his Death Ian. 10. 1644.  
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the university. 1644.   

Good People,  
THis is an uncomfortable time to Preach, yet I shall begin with a Text of Scripture, Heb 12. 2. Let us run with Patience that race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  
I have been long in my Race, and how I have looked to Jesus the Author and finisher of my Faith, He best knows: I am now come to the end of my Race, and here I find the cross, a death of shame, but the shame must be despised, or no coming to the right hand of God; Jesus despised the shame for me, and God forbid but I should despise the shame for Him: I am going apace (you see) towards the Red-Sea, and my feet are now upon the very brink of it; an Argument, I hope, that God is bringing me to the Land of Promise, for that was the way through which he led his People: But before they came to it, He instituted a Passeover for them, a lamb it was, it must be eaten with sour herbs. 
Exod. 12.8.  I shall obey, and labour to digest the sour herbs, as well as the lamb, For I shall remember it is the Lord's Passeover; I shall not think of the Herbs, nor be angry with the hand that gathereth them; but look up only to Him which instituted that, and governs these; For men can have no more power over me than what is given them from above. 
Ioh. 19.11.  I am not in love with this passage, through the Red-Sea, for I have the weakness and infirmities of flesh and blood in me; And I have prayed, as my Saviour taught me, 
Luk. 22.42.  ut transiret Calix iste, that this Cup of Red-wine might pass from me: But if not, God's will (not mine) be done, and I shall most willingly drink of this Cup as deep as He pleases, and enter into this Sea, yea and pass through it, in the way that he shall lead me.  
But I would have it remembered (Good people) that when God's Servants were in this boisterous Sea, and Aaron among them, the Egyptians which persecuted them (and in a manner drove them into that Sea) were drowned in the same waters, while they were in pursuit of them; I know my God whom I serve, is as able to deliver me from this Sea of blood, as he was to deliver the three Children from the Furnace; 
Dan. 3.  and (I most humbly thank my Saviour for it) my Resolution is now as theirs was then; They would not worship the Image the King had set up, nor I the Imaginations which the People are setting up; I will not forsake the Temple and truth of God, to follow the bleating of jeroboam's calf in Dan or in Bethel. As for this Peo●ple, they are at this day miserably misled, (God of his mercy open their Eyes that they may see the right way) for now the Blind do lead the Blind, 
Luk. 6.39.  and if they go on, both will certainly fall into the ditch. For myself, I am (and I acknowledge it in all humility) a most grievous sinner many ways, by thought, word, and deed, and I cannot doubt, but God hath mercy in store for me (a poor Penitent) as well as for other sinners. I have now, upon this sad occasion, ransacked every corner of my Heart, and yet (I thank God) I have not found (among the many) any one sin which deserves death by any known Law of this kingdom; And yet hereby I charge nothing upon my Judges; for if they proceed upon proof (by valuable witnesses) I or any other Innocent, may be justly condemned; But (I thank God) though the weight of the sentence lies heavy upon me, I am as quiet within, as ever I was in my life. And though I am not only the first Archbishop, but the first man that ever died by an Ordinance of Parliament, yet some of my Predecessors have gone this way, though not by this means; For Elphegus was hurried away & lost his head by the Danes; Simon Sudbury was beheaded in the fury of Wat Tyler & his fellows; & long before these, St John Baptist had his head danced oft by a lewd woman; And St Cyprian, Archbishop of Carthage, submitted his head to the persecuting Sword. Many Examples (great and good) and they teach me patience; for I hope my Cause in Heaven will look of another dye then the colour which is put upon it here. And some comfort it is to me, not only that I go the way of these great men in their several generations, but also that my Charge (as foul as it is made) looks like that of the Jews against St Paul (Acts. 25.) For he was accused for the Law and the Temple, that is, the Law and Religion; And like that of St Stephen (Acts. 6.) for breaking the Ordinances which Moses gave, that is, Law and Religion, the holy place and the Law (vers. 13.) But you'll say, do I compare myself with the integrity of St Paul and St Stephen? No, far be it from me; I only raise a Comfort to myself, that these great Saints & Servants of God were laid at in their several times, as I am now. And it is memorable, that St Paul who helped on the Accusation against St Stephen, did after fall under the very same Accusation himself. Yea, but here's a great Clamour that I would have brought in Popery; I shall Answer that more fully by and by; In the mean time you know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself, 
Joh. 11.48.  If we let him alone all men will believe in him, Et venient Romani, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation. Here was a causeless cry against Christ, that the Romans would come; And see how just the judgement of God was; they crucified Christ for fear the Romans should come, and his death was it which brought in the Romans upon them, God punishing them with that they most feared: and I pray God, that this Clamour of Venient Romani (of which I have given no cause) help not to bring them in; for the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation, as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us. In the mean time by Honour and dishonour, by good report and evil report, as a deceiver and yet true, am I passing through this world, 2. Cor. 6.8.— Some other particulars I think not amiss to speak of.  
And first, for His Sacred majesty, the King our gracious sovereign; He also hath been much traduced for bringin● in of Popery, but on my Conscience (of which I shall give God a very present account 〈…〉 owe Him to be as free from this Charge, as any 〈…〉 (according to the Religion by Law established) as any man in this Kingdom; And that He will venture His Life as far, and as freely for it; and I think I do, or should know, both His affection to Religion, and his grounds for it, as fully as any man in England.  
The second particular is concerning this great and Populous City, (which God bless.) Here hath been of late, a fashion taken up, to gather hands, and then go to the Great Court (the Parliament) and clamour for Justice; as if that great and wise Court, before whom the Causes come, (which are unknown to the many) could not, or would not do justice, but at their appointment. A way, which may endanger many an Innocent man, and pluck his blood upon their own heads, and perhaps upon this City also: And this hath been lately practised against myself; the Magistrates standing still, and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check; God forgive the Abetters of this (with all my heart I beg it) but many well meaning People are caught by it. In St Stephen's case, when nothing else could serve, they stirred up the People against him; 
Act. 6.12.  and when Herod had killed St James, he would not venture on St Peter, till he found how the other pleased the People. 
Act. 12.3.  But beware you that cry so much for justice, lest when you cry for yourselves you have nothing but justice; Take heed, take heed of having your hands full of blood, 
Isa. 1.15.  for there is a time (best known to himself) when God (above other sins) makes Inquisition for blood, and when that Inquisition is on foot, the Psalmist tells us, 
Ps. 9.12.  That God remembers (that's not all) He remembers and forgets not the Complaint of the poor, that is, him whose blood is shed by oppression, vers. 9 take heed of this; 
Heb. 12.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but then especially, when he is making Inquisition for blood; And (with my Prayers to avert it) I do heartily desire this City to remember the prophecy that is expressed, Ier. 26.15.  
The third particular is the poor Church of England. It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when storms have driven upon them. But, alas, now 'tis in a storm itself, and God only knows whether, or how it shall get out; and (which is worse than a storm from without) it's become like an oak cleft to shivers with wedges made out of its own body, and at every cleft, profaneness and Irreligion are entering in, while as Prosper speaks (in his second Book De vitae contemptu, cap. 4.) Men that introduce profaneness are cloaked with the name of Imaginary Religion; for we have lost the Substance & dwell too much in Opinion, and that Church which all the Jesuits could not ruin, is fallen into danger by her own.  
The last particular (for I am not willing to be long) is myself; I was borne and baptised in the bosom of the Church of England established by Law; in that profession I have ever since lived, and in that I come now to die; what Clamours and slanders I have endured, for labouring to keep a Conformity in the external service of God, according to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church, all men know, and I have abundantly felt.  
Now at last I am accused of High Treason in Parliament: a Crime which my soul ever abhorred; this Treason was charged to consist of two parts, An endeavour to subvert the laws of the Land, and a like Endeavour to overthrow the true Protestant Religion Established by Law. Besides my answers which I gave to the several Charges, I protested my Innocency in both Houses. It was said Prisoners protestations at the bar must not be taken, I can bring no other witness of my heart and the intentions thereof; I must therefore come now to it upon my Death, being instantly to give God an account for the truth of it; I do therefore here in the presence of God and his holy angels, take it upon my death, That I never endeavoured the subversion either of Law or Religion; and I desire that you would all remember this Protestation of mine for my Innocency, in these, and from all Treason● whatsoever whereof I would not for all the World be so guilty as some are. I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliament●: Noah, I understand them, and the benefit that comes by them, too well, to be so; But I did dislike the misgovernment of some Parliaments many ways, and I had good reasons for it; Corruptia optimi est p●ssima, and that being the highest Court, over which no other hath jurisdiction, when That is misinformed or misgoverned, the Subject is left without all remedy. But I have done, I forgive all the World, all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me, and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first, and then of every man: and so I heartily desire you to join in Prayer with me.  

O eternal God and merciful Father, look down upon me in mercy, in the Riches and fullness of thy mercies look upon me; but not until thou hast nailed my sins to the cross of Christ, not till thou hast bathed me in the blood of Christ, not till I have hid myself in the wounds of Christ: that so the punishment due unto my sins may pass over me. And since thou art pleased to try me to the uttermost, I humbly beseech thee to give me now in this great instant, full Patience, pr●portionable Comfort, and a heart ready to die for thy Honour, the King's happiness, and this church's preservation. My zeal to these (Far from Arrogancy be it spoken) is all the sin (Human frailty excepted and all incidents thereunto) which is yet known to me in this particular, for which I now come to suffer; I say in this particular of Treason; but otherwise my sins are many and great; Lord pardon them all, and those especially (whatsoever they are) which have drawn down this present judgement upon me: and when thou hast given me strength to bear it, do with me as seems best in thine own eyes. Amen. And that there may be a stop of this Issue of blood, in this more than miserable Kingdom, O Lord I beseech thee, give grace of Repentance to all bloodthirsty people; but if they will not repent, O Lord, Confound all their devices, Defeat and Frustrate all their designs and Endeavours, which are or shall be contrary to the Glory of thy great Name, the truth and sincerity of Religion, the establishment of the King and His Posterity after Him in their just Rights and privileges, the Honour and Conservation of Parliaments in their just power, the preservation of this poor Church in its Truth, Peace, and Patrimony, and the settlement of this distracted and distressed People under their ancient laws, and in their native Liberties. And when thou hast done all this in mere mercy for them, O Lord, fill their hearts with thankfulness, and Religious dutiful obedience to thee and thy commandments all their days: So Amen, Lord Jesus, Amen, and receive my soul into thy bosom, Amen. Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.