THE Truest Relation of the Earl of strafford's Speech on the Scaffold on Tower-hill, before he was beheaded, May 12. 1641.  
Together with his deportment before and at the end of his Execution.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

The truest relation of the Earl of strafford's Speech on the Scaffold on Tower-hill before he was beheaded, May 12. 1641.  
Together with his deportment before and at the end of his execution.  
MY Lord Primate of Ireland, and my Lords, and the rest of these noble Gentlemen, It is a great comfort to me to have your Lordships by me this day, because I have been known to you a long time, and I now desire to be heard a few words:  
I come here my Lords to pay my last debt to sin, which is death; and through the mercies of God, to rise again in eternal glory.  
My Lords, if I may use a few words, I shall take it as a great courtesy from you: I am come here my Lords, to submit to the judgement that is passed against me, I do it with a very quiet and contented mind; I do freely forgive all the world, a forgiveness not from the teeth outwards (as they say) but from my heart; I speak it in the presence of Almighty God, before whom I stand, that there is not a displeasing thought that ariseth in me against any man; I thank God, I say truly, my conscience bears me witness, that in all the honour I had to serve his Majesty, I had not any intention in my heart, but did aim at the joint and individual prosperity of the King and his people, although it be my ill hap to be misconstrued: I am not the first man that hath suffered in this kind, it is a common portion that befalls men in this life, righteous judgement shall be hereafter; here we are subject to errors and misjudging one another.  
One thing I desire that I might be heard, and do hope that for Christian charities sake I shall be believed: That I was so fare from being against Parliaments, that I always did think Parliaments in England to be the happy constitutions of the Kingdom and Nation, and the best means under God, to make the King and his people happy: As for my death I do here acquit all the world, and beseech God to forgive them: In particular, I am very glad his Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment, as the utmost execution of this sentence, I do infinitely rejoice in it, and in the mercy of his, and do beseech God to return to him the same, that he may find mercy when he hath most need of it. I wish this Kingdom all prosperity and happiness in the world, I did it living, and now dying it is my wish.  
And I profess hearty, and do humbly recommend it to you, and w●sh that every man would lay his hand on his heart, and consider seriously, whether the beginning of the people's happiness should be written in letters of blood. I fear they are in a wrong way: I desire Almighty God, that no one drop of my blood rise up in judgement against them. I have but one word more, and that is for my Religion.  
My Lo: I do profess myself seriously, faithfully, and truly, to be an obedient son of the Church of England: in that Church I was borne and bred, in that Religion I have lived, and now in that I die; prosperity and happiness be ever to i●.  
It hath been said I was inclined to Popery: if it be an objection worth the answering, let me say truly from my heart, that since the time that I was 21. years of age, unto this day, going on 49 years, I never had thought or doubt of the truth of this Religion, nor had ever any the boldness to suggest to me the contrary (to my best remembrance,) & so being reconciled to the mercies of Christ lesus my Saviour, into whose bosom I hope shortly to be gathered to enjoy eternal happiness, which sh●ll never have end. I desire hearty to be forgiven of every man, if any rash or unadvised word hath passed, and desire all your prayers; and so my Lo: farewell, and farewell all things in this world.  
The Lord strengthen my faith, and give me confidence and assurance in the merits of Christ Jesus, I trust in God we shall all meet to live eternally in heaven, and receive the accomplishment of all happiness, where every tear shall be wiped from our eyes, and sad thought from our hearts: And so God bless this Kingdom, and Jesus have mercy on my soul.  
Then turning himself about, he saluted all the Noble men, and took a solemn leave of all considerable persons on the Scaffold, giving them his hand:  
And after that he said, gentlemans, I would say my prayers, and I entreat you all to pray with me, and for me; then his Chaplain laid the book of Common prayer upon the chair before him as he kneeled down, on which he prayed almost a quarter of an hour, than he prayed as long or longer without a book, and ended with the Lords prayer; then standing up he spies his brother Sir George Wentworth, and calls him to him, and saith, brother we must part, remember me to my sister, and to my wife, and carry my blessing to my eldest son, and charge him from me, that he fear God and continue an obedient son of the Church of England, and that he should approve himself a faithful subject to the King, and tell him that he should not have any private grudge or revenge towards any concerning me, and bid him beware that he meddle not with Church live, for that will prove a moth & canker to him in his estate, and wish him to content himself to be a servant to his country, as a Justice of peace in his County, and not aiming at higher preferments; carry my blessing also to my daughters Anne and Arrabella, charge them to fear and serve God, and he will bless them, not forgetting my little Infant that yet knows neither good nor evil, and cannot speak for itself, God speak for it and bless it; then said he, now I have nigh done, one stroke will make my wife husbandless, my dear children fatherless, and my poor servants masterless, and separate me from my dear brother and all my friends, but let God be to you and them, all in all.  
After that, going to take off his doublet, and to make himself unready, he said, I thank God I am no more afraid of death, nor daunted with any discouragements rising from any fears, but do as cheerfully put off my doublet at this time, as ever I did when I went to bed. Then he put off his doublet, and wound up his hair with his hands, and put on a white cap.  
Then he called, Where is the man that should do this last office? (meaning the Executioner) call him to me. When he came and asked him forgiveness, he told him he forgave him and all the world. Then kneeling down by the block, he went to prayer again himself, the Bishop of Armach kneeling on the one side, and the Minister on the other; to the which Minister after prayer he turned himself, and spoke some few words softly, having his hands lifted up: this Minister closed his hands with his; then bowing himself to the earth to lay his head on the block, he told the Executioner that he would first lay down his head to try the fitness of the block, and take it up again before he would lay it down for good and all, and so he did: and before he laid it down again, he told the Executioner that he would give him warning when to strike, by stretching forth his hands; and then laid down his neck on the block, stretching out his hands, the Executioner struck off his head at one blow, than took the head up in his hands, and shown it to all the people, and said, God save the King.  
FINIS.