THE CRUEL TRAGEDY Or Inhuman BUTCHERY, of Hamor and Shechem, with other their Adherents. Acted by Simeon and Levi, in Shechem, a City in Succoth a County or Lordship in Canaan. Lately revived and reacted here in England, by Fairfax and Ireton, upon the persons of Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle, in Colchester, the 28. Aug. 1648. Presented to public view in Meditations, discoursing the former, discovering the latter, and comparing the circumstances of both, and Dedicated to the honoured memory of the two last named Worthies. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Hosea 4.2. Printed in the Year 1648. The Preface. Gentlemen: THough I am denied the liberty of the Pulpit, yet I cannot be denied the freedom of the Press to publish these sad meditations upon the tragical end of 2 of England's Worthies: an Office (I must confess) that deserved to be performed by an abler pen, but could not (I am sure have) been dictated from a more honest heart; an heart more affected with the worthiness of their lives, or more afflicted for the barbarous suddenness of their cruel deaths: I forbear to remember what they were, 'tis recorded in each noble valiant breast; nor would I have you doubt of what they are, crowned Conquerors in Heaven, though murdered captives here on earth. Funeral Sermons ought to be, not so much for the Encomium of the dead, as the benefit of the living, either by instruction or conviction; which latter this piece especially labours to effect: which I beseech God it may compass with that success, that they, who had an hand themselves, or abetted and countenanced others in this so bloody a deed, being convinced of their cruelty, may be struck with remorse and horror at the remembrance of so cursed a sin, which all good men cannot but abhor, and so do I. Farewell. GEN. 45.5.6.7. CRuelty (though exercised upon an Heathen) is always odious, and butchery upon cold blood (though committed upon ravishing, treacherous, hypocritical Infidels) makes even Israel to stink (or be abhorred) among the Inhabitants of Canaan, and the Perizzites. Gen. 34.30. To have the swords of the chosen seed, sons of those Fathers whom God loved, Deut. 4.37. of children elected by the Lord their God, to be a precious People unto himself, above all people that are upon the earth. Deut. 7.6. of a People, not more in number then any people, but the fewest of all people; Deut. 7.7. of them whom he called of his free grace, and mere love which he bore to them. Deut. 7.8. That the swords (I say) of this chosen seed, of the sons of such Fathers of the children so elected, of a people so few in number, and by free grace, and mere love, so called: That their swords (I say once again) should become the Instruments of violence; and that cruelty, murdering cruelty should be deliberately consulted, and premeditately acted in their habitations, was so horrid an inhumanity in the eyes and thoughts of the good old experienced Patriarch, Jacob, and so detestable a fact in his apprehension, that the remembrance therefore made such a deep impression in his soul as to the day of his death could not be defaced; but on that day (as if but then their swords had freshly been latcht into the Shechemites' hearts, and the Relation of that bloody act, even than pierced his soul) his last gasp almost, breathes itself into this fatal, fearful prediction The Text. 5. Simeon and Levy, brethren in iniquity; the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, (or their swords were instruments of violence) 6. Oh my soul! come not thou into their secret: unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfe will they digged down a wall. 7. Cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce; and their rage, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. And divides itself by respiting commaes, or breath-recovering accents, into these 7 particulars. The Division. 1. A distinguishing appellation, Simeon and Levi. 2. A stigmatising compellation, Brethren in iniquity. 3. An affirmative Position, charge, or impeachment, the Instuments of cruelty are in their habitations. 4. an ingeminated conjuration Of his soul to abjure their secrets, Oh my soul come not thou into their secrets. Of his honour to abjure their Assemblies. Unto their Assembly, Oh mine honour be not thou united. 5. That conjuration grounded upon a cause arguing the deserved detestation of two actions, the effect of a two fold affection. 1. Of their anger vented in the execution done upon their enemies: for in their anger they slew a man. 2. Of their peevish perverseness, their battering down a Wall, or forcing an entering into a City; and in their self-will they digged down a wall. 6. A bitter imprecation, or dreadful execration, Cursed be their wrath; for it was fierce. rage; for it was cruel. 7. A Prophetic divination, or fatal prediction of— division among themselves: I will divide them in Jacob. dispersion among others: and scatter them in Israel. In all which he expresseth how cordially, and conscientiously, he abominated so horrid a Tragedy as will be discovered in handling these particulars, unto the exposition whereof I next proceed. The exposition of the first particular. The distinguishing appellation, Simeon and Levi. And why they named above all the rest, it being evident that the other sons of Jacob were actors in the design as well as they, and that in revenge too, Gen. 37.27? It is true, they were actors in the work of revenge, but not the manner of acting: the coming of sore self submitted and wounded men three days after a Treaty, and a seeming reconciliation, when they thought themselves safe, and feared no such revengeful act, the coming (I say) upon men at such a time, and in such a condition and putting them to death in cold blood, was the sole design of those two by name, and was (as the 25. verse plainly expresseth it) acted by them alone; and therefore in this definitive sentence which Jacob passed upon that bloody fact, and the judgement which he pre-threatned should fall upon the actors, by their proper names he distinguisheth them two from the rest, and points at them, that so it might be unquestionably evident that they were the men. The Observations. 1. Observe hence in the first place that in criminal causes of so bloody and cruel a nature, a definitive sentence (whether of death, or of judgement) is not to be pronounced (much less hastily executed) upon surmises or suggestions; but only upon real evidence, for undisputable reasons, and upon sufficient grounds. 2. In the records of such inhuman Tragedies and cruel executions, the contrivers and actors may digito demonstrari & dici hi sunt, be pointed out by name to distinguish them from others, and said of these are the men; Jacob doth so here, Simeon and Levi. The Application. The contrivees and principal actors (in the execution of Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lyle, upon a bare surmise of having no Commission, and at best but upon a disputable reason) having neglected the duty required in the former observation, have purchased to themselves the guilt of Simeon and Levi, the cruel murder of two worthy men, though submitted to mercy, and therefore in our making mention of that inhuman Tragedy may be distinguished from others by their proper appellation, and by name pointed at Fairfax, and Ireton, as Simeon, and Levi, brethren in iniquity, which is the second particular. The exposition of the second particular 2. The stigmatising compellation, brethren in iniquity; brethren, not so much in respect of their affinity or nearness of blood, as of the vicinity and compliance of their affections in plotting the treachery, and likewise of the conjuncture of, or equal readiness in their desires to effect so inhuman a villainy; fratres in iniquitate, that is saith one, similimi & conjunctissimi scelere, putà feritate, audacia, dolo & crudelitate, they were linked in the same bands of iniquity, alike possessed with a revengeful, fierce, crafty, and cruel desire of blood, brethren in iniquity (that is) with the same degree of affection, complotters, and contrivers of this violent bloody design. The Observations. 1. There are commonly partners in contriving cruel designs, brethren that will be ready to lay their heads together in plotting bloody villainy, and evil actions shall not want associates, companions in their executions: As bonum, so malum, is sui diffusivum, seldom is mischief agitated to perfection without two heads; cast in thy lot among us, we will have but one purse, we will be brethren, Pro. 1.14. is the insinuating policy of those whose designs are violence, revenge, or blood: Witness the two Elders in the story of Susanna, were it not Apocryphal, but in that which is Canonical, Bigthan and Teresh in the book of Hester, 2.21. Jozachar, and Jehozabad, in the 2 of Kings 12.21. and Simeon, and Levi, in the Text. The Application. And want there witnesses to this truth in our days? No Fairfax and treton were the joint contrivers, and designers of the late cruel execution of his Majesties and Kingdoms two loyal Subjects at Colchester; though their death were assented to by their Counsel of War, and acted by their Soldiers. 2. Brethren in iniquity, they are recorded to be, brethren they were, so far the compellation might stand with their reputation and be for their credit, as being a badge of honour; but in iniquity being added, it tends to their shame and disgrace, and proves the brand of their infamy, charactizing their cruelty and villainy: Fowl actions deserve for their authors foul denominations, and the contrivers of odious designs, are worthy to be stigmatised with odious names. If Jeroboam (to compass his ambitious ends) make all Israel turn Rebel; God thinks fit to set this mark of disgrace upon his name. Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, 1 Kings 16.26. and if Simeon and Levi (to execute their revengeful ends) will be like in complotting a design of cruelty, they shall be conjoined in a character demonstrating their villainy: brethren in a plot of inhumanity Jacob stigmatizes with the compellation of, brethren in iniquity: And this is done that so the generations to come, reading the odiousness of such crimes in the disgracefulnesse of the author's compellations or (nicknames) may be afraid of the brand, and if they would not receive it, be so afraid of the sin as not to commit it. The Application. And now you that are Simeon and Levies parallels, are ye moved and startled at this stigmatising compellation? you should then have been moved by their example and shame, and startled at the contriving and designing so parallel an execution; since you have not been afraid to imitate Simeon and Levi, in the transgression, I will not be afraid to imitate Jacob by this Transition, Fairfax and Ireton, brothers in iniquity; yea and to charge you with the impeachment charged upon them in the affirmative position, and the third particular. The exposition of the third particular. The affirmative position, charge or impeachment; the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; that is all the infernal affections of their minds, all the external Members of their bodies, and all the weaons of war that they were furnished with, were wholly converted to the acting cruelty, all were employed by them to this end to execute this bloody design. What cruelty, and weapons! instruments of cruelty in the habitations of the chosen seed! Yes, for it is here positively affirmed, that the instruments of cruelty were in the habitations of the sons of Jacob, the faithful son of God and godly grandchild of the Father of the faithful, Abraham. The Observations. 1. The true seed of the promise, the chosen seed declared so by God himself, may harbour intentions of, and proceed to be actors in cruel designs; witness the occasion of these words of Jacob on his death bed, viz. the deliberated and consulted murder of Hamor and Shechem, though concealed by deceitful communications, parleys, or treaties, till by their submission to Siweon and Levies desires, they had given them advantage and opportunity to effect the same, which they made use of, and in cold blood, the third day after they had them at their mercy with their swords, they fell upon them and slew them, who had made themselves unable to resist or defend themselves by yielding to that proposition, which they did believe had been made to no other end then to effect a reconciliation in peace, love, and union: For this crafty dealing with Hamor and Shechem, till they had got them to submit in a manner to their mercy, and then in cold blood murdering of them, doth Jacob charge them here with this impeachment, positively affirming that the instruments of cruelty were in their habitations, and that was the occasion of this his speech upon his death bed, and is a proof of the truth of this observation that, men, who are declared to be of the chosen seed, and that by the testimony of God himself, may harbour intentions of, and proceed to be actors in cruel designs, and may employ all the faculties of their souls and members of their bodies to effect the same. The Application. And have we not them in our days who bear witness to this truth also, and who may be truly charged with this impeachment? Yes, for that their hearts (who seem to others, and report themselves to be the elect and chosen of God, Saints, and holy ones) that their hearts (I say) may contrive mischief, and with David's cruel man, Psal. 140.2. imagine evil things, and harbour war continually; but yet with their tongues talk deceitfully. That the words of their mouths may be softer than butter, and more gentle than oil, and yet their thoughts at that time be very swords forged for the war, which is in their hearts. When by craft they have got an advantage, that their feet my make haste to execute premeditated revenge, and be swift in running to do mischief. That their hands may be ever ready to shed blood, and their right hand the right hand of falsehood, whilst it takes by the beard to kiss, smiting its sword into the fift rib to kill, 2 Sam. 20.9.10. In a word: That all the affections of their souls, (though religiously seeming, but deceitful, be the words of their mouths) members of their bodies, and swords by their sides (who in our days are termed the chosen of God, Saints and holy ones) may prove instruments of cruelty, is a truth fully justified by the late act of Fairfax and Ireton, parallel to this of Simeon and Levi here, the putting to the sword these two valiant Commanders. Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George lisle in cold blood, the third day after they had yielded themselves to their mercy, and within two hours after notice given to them of death; and therefore we may say of them that the instruments of cruelty are in their habitation. That's the first observation. But before I touch upon the second, it is requisite that we revive, and consider the whole story. Shechem the son of Hamor an uncircumcised Canaanite had wrought Villainy in Israel. Gen. 34 7. committed that which was to the reproach of Jacob and his sons, v. 14. both these by Jacob were passed by with silence, and their redress committed to the Lord, and by Sechem endeavoured to be satisfied and repaired: to this end Shechem desires a Personal Treaty (the sole means with God's blessing to effect a reconciliation, if without hypocrisy) Jacob consents really, intending a reconciliation with Shechem, who entreated it with humble submission; and with Hamor who had propounded it, with promise of a considerable satisfaction: with his sincerity, and integrity had the matter been ended peaceably, between them who had no other ends but love, peace, union, and amity. But the sons of Jacob, pretending to embrace the motion, intent to compass their premeditated revenge, and in Order thereunto begin their cruelty with craft, and shroud their craft under the cloak of Religion: If you will submit to our discipline, serve the God whom we serve, and receive on your Bodies the badge or ensign of our Covenant, according to the Ordinance of God, circumcision, then may we yield to your desires, otherwais know we cannot do this thing; we cannot give our sister to an uncircumcised man Gen. 34.14. a covenant intended not for the salvation of the soul, but the destruction of the body. The Fatherly affection to the son, and the intended conjugal affection to the desired Wife, cause both Hamor and Shechem (waving the painfulness of the execution) to embrace that condition themselves, and to persuade their people thereunto; also they dissemble with them, as they themselves had been dissembled with by jacob's sons; common profit is pretended in order thereunto; (shall not their flocks and substance be ours? Gen. 34.23.) though Shechems' love was therein only meant (the hope of profit is the most powerful motive to the common People, and the mention of commodity makes the vulgar sort proud to be prodigal of their skin and blood) therefore they also are content to smart; and so all put the knife to their own foreskins: and now Simeon and Levi taking advantage of this submission to their mercy, and inability to make resistance by reason the soreness of the Shechemites own-given wounds, on the third day took either of them his sword and went into the City boldly, and slew every male, v. 25. This design taken in hand upon so just a cause but carried on with such craft, dissimulation, and hypocrisy, and in cold blood so barbarously executed, is by Jacob sharply reprehended in them, Gen. 34.30 and here made a charge, impeachment, or affirmative position of their cruelty, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations: This premised, the second Doctrinal conclusion will be this. 2 Doct. Though the uncircumcised Infidels, work villainy in Israel, Gen. 34.7. and commit an act to the shame and reproach of the faithful promised seed, Christians, Gen. 34.14. and afterwards with humble submission sue for an honourable reconciliation, in hopes by a Personal Treaty, to conclude all in love peace, union, and amity, and thereupon yield themselves up to their mercy; yet if Israel, Christians, Saints take advantage of such submission, and in cold blood murder those uncircumcised Infidels, this charge may be justly put in, and this impeachment drawn up against them, cruelty are in their habitations, this is jacobs' charge against Simeon and Levi; yea although (which is more) the design of the Shechemites were to possess themselves of the flocks, substance, and all the cattle of jacob, and all his sons, Gen. 34.23. The Application. This charge hen I must draw up, and this impeachment put in against fairfax and Ireton, those principal actors in that riot, which in cold blood was committed on the lives of those two worthy Christian Cavaliers, Sir Charles Lucas, and Sir George Lisle, by their according to their own report) elected selves, and holy Worthies, that Army of Saints, as the deluded, seduced, blinded, or besotted people of this Land term them: For if that bloody fact committed by Simeon and Levi, upon Hamor and Shechem, Infidels; For which yet they might pretend some cause, and had a fair colour, were by Jacob justly condemned, and this charge put in against them, that cruelty was in their habitations: Certainly I may be bold to put in the same impeachment against Fairfax and Ireton, and declaim against, that their bloody act as the quintessence of cruelty, and putting to the sword, after a submission to mercy, those two noble Christians, who had not injured them at all, much less in so high a nature; who took up arms only to recover their own substance, and not to possess themselves of theirs, and were gathered together in a body, to no other end then by a Personal Treaty to compose all differences, satisfy all public interests, and effect an happy reconciliation between the King and his Subjects, and between the subjects themselves, that so the King might live in glory and command, the subjects in plenty and obedience, and all in peace, righteousness, and fitting liberty (which Fairfax, Ireton, and the rest of their adherents pretended in all their Remonstrances and Declarations; in which it is apparently they talked but deceitfully) And shall men of these principles, taking up arms to these good and religious ends, after they are over poured, and have yielded to the mercy of the Victors, in cold blood be shot to death? and yet shall they that have been chief plotters and actors, with their adherents and abettors be looked upon and acknowledged the elect children, the chosen people? No, let them be pointed at by their known appellations or proper names, Fairfax and Ireton, as being prodigies of nature, stigmatised with their deserved character or proper appellation, brethren in iniquity, as the shame branded shame of their Nation, and charged with that impeachment (unto which themselves cannot but plead guilty, and none that impartially compares the circumstances will acquit of as innocent) this affirmative position, the instruments of cruelty are in their tents or habitations, Psal. 14. as the scorn of truly valiant soldiers: And therefore here I conjure all that would not be thought to have a favour to, or an hand in so foul an act, with their souls to abjure their secrets or counsels, and with their bodies to avoid their companies, Assemblies, Committees, or Counsels of war, as good old Jacob doth teach them by his example here; and so I come to the fourth particular. The fourth particular expounded. The ingeminated conjuration, Of his soul to objure their secrets, etc. Of his honour to abjure their Assemblies etc. 1. Oh my soul come not thou into their secret, that is oh my soul, mind, will and affections, I conjure you not to give the least connivance to the impious results of such consultations, nay not to be so much as present, when such wicked designs are discussing. Observations. A good man should conjure his spirit and inward man not to partake with bloody men in their secretly contrived machinations and counsels; but to adjue and utterly renounce all voted either Ordinances of close Committees, or Orders of a Counsel of War, that tend to the execution of any cruel design. 2. Unto their Assembly, O mine honour be not thou united; that is, O my glory, honour or reputation, if thou desiret to be preserved, I conjure thee to abjure, renounce, utterly disclaim the companies of such bloody projectors, to avoid the societies of such inhuman voters, and then to have no union with the congregations or assemblies of such implacable and merciless Councillors: If they account it their glory and honour to be an Assembly that can do what they will without control; much good may it do them, but far be such honour from me. A good man as he will conjure his inward man not to consent to such bloody machinations, nor affect such cruel counsels; so will he also conjure his outward man not so much as to join itself with such companions, nor be an instrument with their assemblies to effect such cruel actions; as he will not join with them in the consultation or contriving of them, so neither in the execution or effecting them, as the faculties of his soul shall not be counsellors, so neither shall the members of his body be actors of such foul proceed, as Jacob did conjure both here, O my soul, etc. unto their Assembly, not to join with them either in thought, word, or deed, either in inward affection or outward action, of which conjuration in himself, and as an argument to provoke others thereunto: in the next whods he declares the ground, cause or reason thereof, thereby to move in others a detestation or hatred of two actions; the effects of a twofold passion, and the fifth partionlar. The exposition of the first particular. The double actions of a two fold affection, Of their anger, Of their self-wilful revenge. Of their anger; For in their anger they slew a man, that is, being incensed for the injury done unto their sister, and the reproach which thereby did accrue unto themselves; in cold blood after submission to mercy they slew a man, Hamor and Shechem the chief Commanders put for the rest of their subjects or soldiers. Observation. Some natures are not satisfied but with the life blood of their injuers, nor will some men's anger be reconciled, but hunt implacably for the life of its object. 2. Of their self-wilful revenge and in their self-will they digged down a wall, that is wilfully bend upon revenge they prosecuted it with such violence, that nothing was of force to hinder the executing thereof; a wall shall not resist the fury of malice, but down goes that too before they will be prevented: that is saith one, in the night they broke down the wall of Shechem, which stood betwixt them and the object of their revenge, and entering at the breach did act that bloody tragedy; But I shall thus expound it, by craft and policy having undermined, circumvented, Hamor and Shechem the two stoutest Commanders, who by their valour were as a wall unto their City, and whose undaunted courage, they durst not singly, and upon equal terms meet or encounter, but now over poured by this crafty advantage, they dig them down, that is as it is the nature of all cowards, they slay them and insult upon them in their fall. The Application. And now how near a resemblance there was between the manner of Simeon and Levies taking away the lives of Hamor and Shechem, and of Fairfax and Iretons destroying those two valiant Commanders in Colchster; and what a vast disproportion there was betwixt the causes that provoked both of them to so cowardly, bloody an act, I shall leave it to any endued with common sense and reason to judge; and I doubt not but it will be a powerful argument to provoke all who will not be thought to have a favour to, or hand in so base and unworthy an action to adjure the counsels or secrets, renounce the companies or assemblies, and departed from the tents of such wicked worthless men, from their soul's detesting such cowardly cruelty, and such inhuman butchery, which was so abominable in the sense and apprehension of the good old Patriarch Jacob (though in his sons) that the consideration thereof caused him to convert his last words to them, which should have been a benediction into a malediction; cursed be their wrath for it was fierce, and their rage for it was cruel: and to period his speech of them with a prophetic divination, and fatal prediction against them, I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel, which contains the two last particulars, The exposition of the 2 last particulars. 6. Cursed the their Wrath, Rage, For it was Fierce, Cruel. Cursed, that is, ill success may it have, may such a thing never prosper, or be blest by God or man; But may men for the future tremble at it as an Anathema, and shun it as a Maranatha, a thing deserving the malediction of men, and bitter curse of God. Their wrath, their progress in passion, the cherrishing that humour, and harbouring that ill affection. Their rage, wrath, heightened to a perfection, or the highest degree of passion; for there are three degrees of passion. The first is anger a sudden, but short collition of the humours. The second is wrath, a continuance of the disturbance, and a countenancing of the passion. The last is rage, the discomposure degreed unto perfection by savouring and feeding the passion, the effects whereof are executed with implacable cruelty. Be angry but sin not, passionmay forcibly break in upon us, but we must not cherish it till it prove wrath, muchless humour it to perfection till it becomes rage, breaking out into cruel effects, that is to sin, and that sin is here cursed: Cursed be their wrath their rage; cursed be their sinful actions, not persons, the person bears the stamp, or image of God, therefore hopes of reconciliation upon reformation; but sin defaceth that stamp, deformeth that image, therefore cursed to prevent the committing thereof by imitation. Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce, violent in the increase, rage for it was cruel, implacable at the full growth: Passio igitur dignasane maledictione; these qualities render them worthy of a curse, and were the cause of jacob's cursing, as himself here testifies. Good men are such lover of equity, that although they know they may justly pronounce a malediction against the sin, yet they hold it convenient to produce the cause, so good a man was Jacob, from whose rule not to digress. The Application. Let us consult those very men themselves, who were the Actors in that Tragedy at Colchester: Say, ye the two heads of our new and new qualified Israel, ye holy Leaders of that Army of Saints! may we not say cursed be your wrath for it was fierce? did not your anger swell to that height in the prosecution of the ends at which it aimed, that it would upon no terms admit of so much as a Treaty, much less hearken to the honest means of reconciliation with them till they had submitted to your mercy? and was it not then fierce? and after they had submitted to your mercy, can you deny that your rage would not be satisfied with any thing but their lives? and was it not then cruel? wrath thus fierce in the increase, rage thus cruel in the full growth as certainly worthy of a curse; Cursed then be your wrath for it was fierce, and your rage for it was cruel. And may the 7. particular jacob's fatal predictions be fulfilled in you and your assissinates for conclusion: may you be divided among yourselves, may you be dispersed amongst others, for the Lord may be said to pronounce this sentence, aswell against you that have more than justified Simeon and Levi by imitations, as against them that set you down their own example for your instruction: I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel; it is just with God to divide them, thereby to make way for a mercy upon a Kingdom, who so easily were united in their forces and affections to bring miseryupon a Kingdom; and it is policy to disperse them, who in a body have contrived and acted so many cruel designs, to the ruin and destruction of so many families, lest they should again be gathered to an head, tali suo consilio aliis perniciem machinentur, by such Counsels hatch and exercise the like cruelties on others, to this, that they have executed on the forenamed valiant Champions; to whose immortal honour, but the shame of the cruel contrivers and actors of their death, I record this transition for the conclusion. Fairfax and Ireton; Brethren in iniquity, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, quarters, Tents, or Armies; or their swords are instruments of violence: Oh my soul! come not thou into their secret, unto their Assembly, Oh mine honour! be not thou united; for in their wrath upon premeditation they slew Sir Charle Lucas, and Sir George Lisle, and in their self-will they craftily undermined, and after submission to mercy, in cold blood cruelly murdered those two valiant Commanders, who had by their incomparable valour and undaunted courage, like a wall defended Colchester: Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce, and their rage for it was cruel. And what Jacob did foretell of them by way of prophecy; I will beg by way of prayer for these; divide them Lord among themselves here in England, and scatter or disband them among the Inhabitants of all his Majesties Dominionsk, that such a merciless pack of so cruel blood thirsty Tyrants may never gather to an head again to destroy the people and disturb the peace of this thy Israel. Amen. And wheresoever they shall like Cain, their brother, and first murderer, wander, let this still be presented to their thoughts, for a scourge unto their souls. Satia te sanguine Cry. They that delight man's precious blood to spill, Their stomaches shall of their own blood have fill. Thus I leave them to the vengeance of him who makes inquisition for blood; and this in memory of our two murdered Worthies. Epitaphium. STAy! stay! oh mortal! contemplate the Dust, Which Hence, expects to rise among the just And Loyal souls; Lucas is this, this lisle, The Living Glory, dead, shame of this Isle: But wouldst Athenian like desire to know What bloody hand did sign the cruel blow? Fairfax and Ireton (prejudging Loyalty,) Doomed 'em to die by new found piety; Such false Simeon and Levi showed, When both their hands, in rage, in blood embrued Father and son, with Loyal Subjects, all They murdered to make up one Funeral. If F. with S. and I. be compared with L, Judge whethers crime comes nearest unto Hell. Prosopopeia. Sleep honoured Pair in peace, your wars are done: Revenge! Awake! strike Tom and Ireton. FINIS.