A PROTESTATION Against a foolish, ridiculous and scandalous SPEECH, pretended to be spoken by THOMAS WENTWORTH, Late Earl of Strafford, to certain Lords before his coming out of the Tower: As also against the simple and absurd Letter to his Lady in Ireland, together with the only true Copy of his Speech, and the charge delivered to his Son.  
Printed, Anno 1641.   

The Speech suggested to be the late Earl of strafford's, pretended to be spoken in the Tower, being falsely and scandalously imputed to him, is protested against, and the Testimony of the Honourable Persons than present appealed unto therein.  

Lord Primate of Ireland.  
Earl of Cleeveland.  
Earl of Newport.  
Lord Rich.  
Sir William Balfoure.  
Sir Willam Wentworth.  
Sir George Wentworth.  
Doctor Car.  
Doctor Price.   
The paper containing the heads of the Earl of strafford's last Speech, written with his own hand, as it was left upon the Scaffold. 

1 Come to pay the last debt ve own to sin.  
2 Rise to Righteousness.  
3 Die willingly.  
4 Forgive all.  
5 Submit to Justice, but in my intentions from subverting, etc.  
6 Wishing nothing but prosperity to King and People.  
7 Acquit the King constrained.  
8 Beseech to Repent.  
9 Strangeway to write the beginning of reformation and setlement of a Kingdom in blood.  
10 Beseech that demand may rest there.  
12 Call not blood upon themselves.  
13 Die in the Faith of the Church.  
14 Pray for it, and desire the Prayers with me.    

The true Speech as it was delivered. My Lord Primate of Ireland.  
IT is my very great comfort that I have your Lordship by me this day, and I do thank God and your Lordship for it, in regard I have been known to you this many years. I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few words, but I doubt I shall not, the noise is so great.  
My Lords, I come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God, to pay that last debt I own to sin which is death; and by the blessing of that God to rise again through the merits of Jesus Christ to righteousness and life eternal. [Here he was interrupted.  
My Lords, I am come hither to submit to that judgement which hath passed against me; I do it with a very quiet and contented mind, I do freely forgive all the World, a forgiveness that is not spoken from the teeth outwards (as they say) but from the very heart. I can very well say in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand, That there is not a displeased thought arising in me towards any creature. I thank God I can say, and truly too, and my conscience bears me witness, that in all the employments, since I had the honour to serve his Majesty, I never had any thing in the purpose of my heart, but what tended to the joint and individual prosperity of King and people. If it hath been my fortune to be misunderstood, surely I am not the first that hath been so; it is the common portion of us all, while we are in this life, to err, but righteous judgement we must wait for in another place; for here we are very subject to be misjudged one of another. There is one thing I desire to free my self of, and I am very confident (speaking it now with so much cheerfulness) that it cannot be but that I shall obtain your Christian charity in the belief of it: I did always think, the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under, and next under God, the best means to make the King and his people happy, so far have I been from being against Parliaments.  
For my death I here acquit all the World, and beseech the God of Heaven hearty to forgive them, though in the intentions and purposes of my heart I am innocent of what I die for.  
And my Lord Primate, it is a very great comfort unto me that his Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment, as is the uttermost execution of this sentence. I do infinitely rejoice in this mercy of His, and I beseech God to return it upon him, that he may find mercy when he stands most in need of it.  
I wish this Kingdom all the prosperity and happiness in the world; I did it living, and now dying it is my wish; I do most humbly recommend it to every man that hears me, and desire that they will lay their hands upon their hearts, and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happiness of the Reformation of a Kingdom should be written in letters of blood. Consider this when you are in your own homes, and let me be never so unhappy, as that the least drop of my blood should rise up in judgement against any one of you; I acquit you all, but I fear you are in a wrong way.  
My Lords, I here profess, and with that I shall end, That I do die a true and obedient Son to the Church of England, wherein I was born, and in which I was bred, Peace and Prosperity be ever in it. And whereas it is objected (if it be an objection worth the answering) that I have been inclined to Popery, I may truly say that from the time of 21. to this present going on now of 49. years, I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England, nor ever any man the boldness to suggest any such thing, to the best of my remembrance to me: so being reconciled by the mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour, into whose bosom I hope I shall shortly be gathered to, those eternal happinesses that shall never have end.  
I desire hearty the forgiveness of every man for any rash and unadvised words, or for any thing done amiss; And so my Lords and Gentlemen farewell, farewell all the things of this World.  
I desire that you would be silent and join with me in Prayer, and I trust in God we shall all meet, and live eternally in Heaven, there to receive the accomplishment of all happiness, where every tear shall be wiped away from our eyes, and every sad thought from our hearts, and so God bless this Kingdom, and Jesus have mercy upon my Soul.  
To this, added a prayer not taken by any, to strengthen his Faith, confirm him in Patience and Charity, to preserve his Majesty and his Realms in prosperity, and the Church in unity, and to have mercy on his Soul.   

Rising delivered these commands for his Children.  
TO his Son William Wentworth, commends himself, gives him charge to serve his God, to submit to his King with all faith and allegiance in things Temporal; to the Church, in things Spiritual; gives in charge as he will answer it to him in Heaven, never to meddle with the Patrimony of the Church, for it will be the Cancer that will eat up the rest of his estate: Again, charges it as he will answer him in Heaven.   
FINIS.