AN Impartial Account Of all the Material Circumstances Relating to Sir Thomas armstrong, K t.  
Who was Executed at Tyburn for High Treason, on Friday the 20th of June, 1684. From the first discovery of the Plot, to the day of his Execution As his being Impeached of High Treason, for conspiring the Death of the King, &c. His Flight, and his Majesties Proclamation issued out thereupon, for his Apprehending. His continuance in Holland. The Indictment of High Treason against him, and Process of Outlawry entered thereon. His being Apprehended at Leyden in Holland, and brought into England.  
His commitment to Newgate, and the Award of Death against him at the Kings-Bench-Bar at Westminster. The manner of his Behaviour till the Day of his Execution. Together with his last Dying Words at the place of Execution, &c.  

Entered according to Order.   
Re-printed at Edinburgh, by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, 1684.   

An Impartial Account of all the Circumstances Relating to Sir Thomas Armstrong Knight, who was Executed at Tyburn for High-Treason, on Friday the 20. of June, 1684.  
AFter divers Heats and Feuds, and many close and underhand Contrivances in June, or about the beginning of July, 1683. one Mr. Keeling came in and made Oath that divers disaffected Persons had a Design upon the Lives of his most Sacred Majesty, and his Royal Brother, and the Established Government to Subvert, by Raising Insurrection, and levying War and Rebellion, Impeaching many of them by Name, and mentioning the place and preparations, and the reason of the Defeat in the enterprise, viz. The Fire at New-Market, which caused his Majesty and his Royal Highness, to depart sooner then was expected, &c. whereupon divers were apprehended, some came in and Confirmed Mr. Keelings Testimony, and others fled; amongst the latter of which, was Sir Thomas armstrong, who thereupon was proclaimed a Traitor, and a Reward of 500. pound offered to any that could bring him to Justice, strictly commanding him to surrender himself into the hands of the public Magistrate, which he refusing to do, had a Bill of High-Treason, soon after found against him by the Grand-Jury for the City of London: Whereupon, after proclamation according to Law, being made in Court, and he not yet appearing to answer the King, Process of Outlawry was made out against him, and entred up in Michaelmas-Term last, whereby he stood attainted of High-Treason, yet was he not heard of for many Months after, though it was conjectured he was in Holland, or in some of the Hans Towns; but in the end Notice was given to the Honourable Thomas Chidly Esq; his Majesties Envoy Extraordinary to the States of Holland, that he and divers others who had been Impeached as Conspirators against the life of his Majesty, and against whom it did openly appear upon the trials of some who had suffered, that they had held many Consults, and carried on the designed Rebellion, and particularly against Sir Thomas, it appeared that he did go to view the Kings Guards in order to their being surpriz●d, and gave his opinion it was feizable) were in the Town of Leyden( the very place where Sir Thomas was born) and shewed themselves publicly; whereupon by virtue of a Treaty made between his Majesty and the States, he obtained leave to apprehended him, whereupon sending his Steward and Secretary to the Head Ballew, who acts there in the Nature of an under Sheriff, he with his Officers went readily with them, and entered the Room where Sir Thomas Armstrong and divers others were very merry, but upon the sudden, and unexpected approach of the Officers were somewhat consternated, when as one of the Gentlemen catching sir Thomas by the middle,  told him he must go for England with him: Nay, says he, I will not, I'll see you hanged first, to which the Gentleman replied, he should go, and he doubted not but to see or hear of his being hanged before he returned.  
Whereupon he made some oppositions, but being over-powr'd by the Officers( and his company making their Escapes) he was carried on Ship-board, and wafted over, when being Landed at Tower-Wharf, and soon after conveyed to Newgate, upon a Warrant of Commitment signed by the Right Honourable Sidny Godolphin Esq; one of the principal Secretaries of State, he continued from the 11th of June to the 14th of the same Instant in the Prison aforesaid, and then in the morning of that day brought to the Bar of the Court of Kings-Bench Westminster, where Mr. Attorney General moved on the behalf of the King; that seeing Sir Thomas armstrong the Prisoner at the Bar, stood attainted of High-Treason by Outlawry, for Conspiring the Death of the King, and to Levy War and Rebellion, &c. Execution might be awarded against him according to Law, and a day appointed by the Court, &c. Upon which motion, the Copy of his Commitment was red, and thereupon being Ordered to hold up his hand, the clerk of the Crown demanded what he could say for himself,( seeing that upon an Indictment of High-Treason found in London, Process of Outlawry had been Issued out and Entered up, by virtue of which he stood attainted of the High-Treason, specified in the said Indictment) why the Court should not award Execution against him according to Law? whereto he replied, that he was beyond the Seas, and had no notice of the prosecution; further alleging that he was present within a twelvemonth and a day, specified by Act of Parliament, in case of surrender; and that thereupon he desired the Outlawry might be set aside, and he permitted to make his Defence upon trial, but was  told that he was not Comprehended within the words of the Statute; for that he was brought thither by Compulsion, and did not surrender himself into the hands of the Magistrate, nor did it appear he was at all inclinable so to do: Then he desired the Statute might be red, and that he might have Council assigned him to argue the point, the former of which was granted, but the words of the Statute appearing quiter contrary to his Case, and the latter request over-ruled, as not allowable to a Person under his Circumstances: he then instanced the case of one under the same Circumstance, meaning as 'tis supposed Mr. Holloway, who had the offer of a New trial by Mr. Atto●ny General, to which the Court returned Answer, that it was the Kings Pleasure and Mercy, and that his Majesty knew how, and when best to dispose of it, and that if it was his Pleasure so to Order in the Present, God forbid but he should have the Benefit of it, or if it was his Majesties Pleasure to Pardon Sir Thomas armstrong, the Court would acquiesce therein, but no such Mercy or Indulgence appearing, it was a Duty incumbent upon the Court to award Execution against him, &c.  
The proceedings having been thus far, the Keeper of New gate was asked what days were usual for Execution, who replied Wednesdays and Fridays were commonly the days in such cases; whereupon the Court ordered his Execution on the ensuing Friday, which is the 20. Instant, saying that a Rule of Court should be sent, and what else the Law in that case Required, upon which the Prisoner desired further to be heard, and that he might be dealt with according to Law, or have the benefit of it, &c. But urging nothing material to the present case, he was answered, that he should have the benefit of the Law, and thereupon the Keeper was ordered to see him Executed according to Law, or as the Law in that case Requites, then the Prisoner pretending Innocence, Mr. Attorney-General informed their Lordships that he had many plain and convincing Evidences against the Prisoner, and that it appeared he was so far from Relenting, that he had continued a correspondence by Letters, &c. In Relation to the carrying on the Design, which appeared by divers Papers found about him, upon his being Apprehended, and would have proceeded, but the Court  told him the Law had its course, and that they could not take notice of any thing in that Nature, commanding the Keeper to take back his Prisoner, which was accordingly done, and he Re-conveyed to New gate to expect his Dissolution; when retiring in private, and seriously Re-collecting himself, he seriously reflected upon his past spent Life, and the short time he had to continue in this World, appearing somewhat dejected, and often breathing forth short Ejaculations, confessing his Sins were many, desiring that God of his infinite Mercy would pardon him, and wash him in the Blood of his dear Son.  
At his Request Dr. Teneson Minister of St. Martins in the Fields came to visit him, and Pray with him, giving him such saving Counsel and Spiritual Consolation, as to all appearance wrought effectually in preparing him for a state of Salvation, so that his temper was in a short time wonderfully changed: The said Doctor out of his pious inclination, and ardent desire to deliver his Soul out of the snares of the Tempter, often visiting him during the Intervene.  
The fatal day being come, he was( after having been visited by divers Friends and Relations) put into the Sledg, having on a Black svit, suitable to his Mournful condition, and Conducted by a strong Guard to Tyburn, the place of Execution, where arriving about Eleven in the Morning, he stood a considerable time in the Sledg, and took leave of his Friends, &c. and then desired that Dr. Teneson might be called, which was done, and the Dr. as soon as he could get through the Crowd,( which was exceeding great,) came, then was Sir Thomas helped into the Cart, as also the Dr. who kneeling down, prayed fervently with him, desiring God to pardon his manifold sins, and give him a sense of his saving Grace, that so he might lay hold of his Mercies by Faith, and be washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, &c. concluding with the Lords Prayer, and the Benediction of the Church of England, then both rising, Sir Thomas after a while kneeled again, and Prayed himself, desiring God to season this Affliction to him for the Salvation of his Soul, beseeching him not to lay his sins to his Charge, but forgive him the offences he had committed against him, and pardon his abusing the many mercies and opportunities of Grace he had bestowed upon him, and that he would bless these Nations, and sand Unanimity amongst them, &c. Then rising again, he gave his hat and Wigg to his Gentleman, and then prayed again fervently, confessing that he had grievously sinned, and that justly for his sins he was come to an untimely End, yet hoped it might prove to the saving of his poor Immortal Soul, &c. When having been in the Cart for the space of half an hour, his Cap was put on, and the Rope thrown over the Beam and fastened, then his hands were tied, he still putting up Ejaculations to Heaven, with these Sentences, viz. Lord have mercy upon my Soul, Christ Jesus have mercy upon me, &c. He passed from this Life to a state of Immortality, his lips trembling when he was cast from off the Cart.  
When he had hung about 20 or 30 minutes, he was cut down and Quartered, his Bowels burnt, as by Law in that case is required, and his Quarters brought back to Newgate, to be Disposed of at his Majesties pleasure.  
FINIS.