The saying of John late Duke of northumberland upon the scaffold, at the time of his execution.  
The. xxii. of august.  
Anno. 1553.   

The saying of John late Duke of northumberland, vpon the scaffold at the time of his execution.  
GOod people, all you that be here present to see me die. Though my death be odyouse and horrible to the flesh, yet I pray you judge the beste in goddes works, for he doth all for the best. And as for me, I am a wretched sinner,& haue deserved to die, and most justly am condemned to die by a law. And yet this act wherefore I die, was not altogether of me( as it is thought) but I was procured and induced thereunto by other. I was I say induced thereunto by other, howbeit, God forbid that I should name any man unto you, I will name no man unto you,& therfore I beseech you look not for it.  
I for my parte forgive all men, and pray God also to forgive thē. And yf I haue offended any of you here, I pray you and all the world to forgive me: and most chiefly I desire forgiveness of the queens highnes, whom I haue most greuouslye offended. Amen said the people. And I pray you all to witness with me, that I depart in resolve love and charity with all the world,& that you will assist me with your prayers at the hour of death.  
And one thing more good people I haue to say unto you, which I am chiefly moved to do for discharge of my conscience,& that is to warn you and exhort you to beware of these seditiouse preachers, and teachers of new doctrine, which pretend to preach Gods word, but in very deed they preach their own fancies, who were never able to explicate themselves, they know not to day what they would haue to morrow, there is no stay in their teaching& doctrine, they open the book, but they cannot shut it again. Take hede how you enter into strange opinions or new doctrine, which hath done no small hurt in this realm, and hath justly procured the ire and wrath of god vpon us, as well may appear who so list to call to remembrance the manifold plagues that this realm hath ben touched with all since we dissevered ourselves from the catholic church of Christ, and from the doctrine which hath ben received by the holy apostles, martyrs, and all saints, and used through all realms christened since Christ.  
And I verily believe, that all the plagues that haue chanced to this realm of late yeares since afore the death of king henry the eight, hath justly fallen vpon us, for that we haue divided ourself from the rest of christendom whereof we be but as a spark in comparison? Haue we not had war, famine, pestilence, the death of our king, rebellion, sedition among ourselves, conspiracies? Haue we not had sundry erroneous opinions sprung up among us in this realm, since we haue forsaken the unity of the catholic church? and what other plagues be there that we haue not felt?  
And yf this be not able to move you, then look vpon germany, which since it is fallen into this scysme and division from the unity of the catholic church, is by continual dissension and discord, brought almost to utter ruin& decay. Therfore, leste an utter ruin come among you, by provoking to much the just vengeance of God, take up betimes these contentions,& be not ashamed to return home again, and join yourselves to the rest of Christen realms, and so shall you bring yourselves again to be membres of Christes body, for he cannot be head of a dyfformed or monstrous body.  
look vpon your creed, haue you not there these words: I believe in the holy ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, which is the universal number of all faithful people, professing christ, dispersed through the universal world: of which number I trust to be one. I could bring many mo things for this purpose, albeit I am unlearned, as all you know, but this shall suffice.  
And hear I do protest unto you good people, most earnestly, even from the bottom of my heart, that this which I haue spoken is of myself, not being required nor moved thereunto by any man, nor for any flattery, or hope of life, and I take witness of my lord of Worcestre here, mine old friend and gostely father, that he found me in this mind and opinion when he came to me: but I haue declared this onely vpon mine own mind and affection, for discharge of my conscience,& for the zeal and love that I bear to my natural country. I could good people rehearse much more even by experience that I haue of this evil that is happened to this realm by these occasions, but you know I haue an other thing to do, whereunto I must prepare me, for the time draweth away.  
And now I beseech the queens highnes to forgive me mine offences against her majesty, whereof I haue a singular hope, forasmuch as she hath already extended her goodness& clemency so far vpon me that where as she might forthwith without iudgement or any further trial, haue put me to most vile& cruel death, by hanging drawing, and quartering, forasmuch as I was in the field in arms against her highnesse, her majesty nevertheless of her most merciful goodness suffered me to be brought to my iudgement, and to haue my trial by the lawe, where I was most justly& worthelye condemned. And her highnes hath now also extended her mercy and clemency vpon me for the manner and kind of my death. And therefore my hoop is, that her grace of her goodness will remyt al the rest of her indignation and displeasure towards me, which I beseech you all most heartily to pray for, and that it may please God long to preserve her majesty to reign over you in much honour and felicity. Amen, said the people.  
And after he had thus spoken he kneeled down, saying to them that were about: I beseech you all to bear me witness that I die in the true catholic faith, and then said the psalms of Miserere, and De profundis, and his Pater nostre in Latin, and six of the first verses of the psalm, In te domine speravi, ending with this verse, Into thy hands O lord I commend my spirit.  

And when he had thus finished his prayers, the executioner asked him forgiveness, to whom he said: I forgive the with all my heart, and do thy parte without fear. And bowing toward the block he said, I haue deserved a thousand deaths, and thereupon he made a cross vpon the straw, and kissed it, and laid his head vpon the block, and so dyed.    

¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY John Cawood, printer to the queens highnes, dwelling in Pauls churchyard at the sign of the holy ghost.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.