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THE
SPEECH
Of the LATE
Lord R U S S E L,
To the S H E R I F F S :
4
Together with the P A P E R delivered by him to them^
at the Place of Execution, on July 21. 1683.
Mr. S heriff,
IExpefled the Noife would be fuch, that
I could not be very well heard : I was
never fond of rauchfpeaking, much lels
now; Therefore I have fet down in this
Paper, all that I think fit to leave behind nie.
God knows how far I • was always from De-
figns againll the King's Perfon, or of altering
the Govfernment ^ and I ftill pray for the Pre-
fervation of both, and of the Proteftant Re-
ligion.
J am told, that Captain Walcot has faid
fome things concerning my knowledg of the
Plot; I know not whether the Report is
true, or not I hope it is not: For to my
knowledg, I never faw him, or fpake with
him in my whole Life •, and in the Words of
a dying Man, I profefs I know of no Plot, ei-
ther againfl; the King's Life, or the Govern-
ment. But I have now done with this World,
and am going to a better. I forgive all the
World, and 1 thank God I die in Charity
with all Men ; and I wifh all fincere Prote-
ftants may love one another, and not make
way for Popery by their Aniraofities.
T7;e ^ JT deliver d to tf/e
S H B F F S.
I Thank God, I find my felf fo compolcd
and prepared for Death,and my Thoughts
fo fixed on another World, that I hope ia
God, 1 am now quite weaned from fetting
ihy Heart on this. Yet I cannot forbear
fpending fome time now, in fetting down
in Writing a fuller Account of my Con-
dition, to be left behind me, than I'll
venture to fay at the Place of Execution, in
the Noife and Clutter that is like to be there.
I blefs God heartily for thofe many Blellings,
which he in his infinite Mercy has beftowed
upon me, through the whole Courfe of my
Life : That 1 was born of worthy good Pa-
rents, and had the Advantages of a religi-
ous Education ; which 1 have ofcen thank'd
God very heartily for, and look'd upon as an
invaluable Blelling : For even when I minded
it leaft, it ftill hung about me, and gave me
checks, and has now for many Years fo influ-
enced and poffeiled me, that 1 feel the happy
ElFefts of it in this my- Extremity, in wnich
I have been fo wonderfully (I thank God )
fupported, that neither my Imprifonment,
nor the Fear of Death, have been able to dif-
compofe me to any degree-, but on the con-
trary, I have found the Alfurances of the Love
and Mercy of God, in and through my blef-
fed
fed Redeemer, in whom only I truft; and I
do not queftion, but that I am going to par-
take of thatFulnefs of Joy which, is in his
prefencc, the hopes whereof does fo wonder-
fully delight me, that I reckon this as the
happieft time of my Life, tho others may
lookjjpon it as the faddeft._
I have lived, and now die of the Reformed
Religion, a true and fincere Proteftant, and
in the Communion of the Church of England^
tho I could never yet comply with, or rife
np to all the heights of many people.^ I wilh
with all my Soul, all our unhappy Differences
were removed, and that all fincere Proteflants
would fo far confider the Danger of Popery,
as to lay afide their Heats, and agree againft
the Common Enemy ; and that the Church-
men would be lefs fevere, and the Difienters
lefs fcrupulous : For I think Bitternefs and
Perfecution are at all times bad, but much
more now.
For Popery, I look on it as an Idolatrous
and Bloody Religion •, and therefore thought
my felf bound, in my Station, to do all I could
againft it. And by that, I forefaw I fhould
procure fuch great Enemies to my felf, and
fo powerful Ones, that! have been now for
Ibme time expedting the worfl. And blefied
. be God, I fall by the Axe, and not by the
Fiery Tryal. Yet, whatever Apprehenfions
I had of Popery, and of ray own fevere and
Jieavy lhare I was like to have under it, when
it Ihonld prevail, I never had a Thought of
doing any thing againft it bafely, or inhu-
manly, •, out what could well confift with the
Chriflian Religion, and the Laws and Liber^
ties of this Kingdom. And I thank God, I
have examinM all my Adlings in that Matter,
with fo great Care, that I can appeal to God
Almighty^ who knbws my Heart, that I went
on Sincerely^ without being moved, either by
Paflion, By-End, or Ill-Defign. IhavealWays
loved my Country much more than my Life ^
and never had any Defign of changing the
Government, which I value^ and look upon
as one of the beft Governments in the World,
and would always have been ready to Venture
my Lifefor the preferving ofit, and would
have fuffered any Extremity,rather thaii have
confented to any Defign to take away the
King's Life: Neither ever had Man the Ifn-
pudence to propofe fo bafe and barbarous a
thing to me. And I look on it as a very un-
happy, and uneafy part of my prefent Con-
dition. That in my Irididment there fhould
be fo much as mention of fo vile a Faft ^ tho
nothing in the leaft was faid to prove any fuch
Matter but the contrary, by the Lord Hovs>-
ard: Neither does any Body, I am confident,
believe the leaft ofit. So that I need not, I
think, fay more.
For the King, I do fincerely pray for him,
and wilh well to hira,and to the Nation, That
they may be happy in one anotherjthat he may
be indeed the Defender of the Faith; That the
Proteftant Religion, and the Peace, and Safe
2 )
ty of the Kingdom may be preferVed,and fion-
rilh under his Government j and that He in
his.Perfon may be happy, both here, and
hereafter.
As for the ilrare I had in the Profecution of
thePopifli Plot, I take God to Witnefs, that
I proceeded in it in the Sincerity of my
Hearty being then really convinced (as I am
ftill) that there was a Confpiracy,againft the
King, the Nation, and the Proteftant Religi-
on : And I likewife profefs,that J never knew
anything, either direftly or indireftly, of
any Pradlice with the Witneffes ^ 'which 1 look
upon as fo horrid a thing, that 1 could never
have endured it. For, I thank God, Fallhood
and Cruelty were never in my Nature, but
always the fartheft from it imaginable. I did
believe, and do ftill, that Popery is breaking
in upon the Nation ^ and that thofe who ad-
vance it, will flop at nothingj to carry on
their Defign ; I am heartily forry that fo ma-
ny Proteflants give their helping Hand to it.
But I hope God will prefcrve the Proteftant
Religion, and this Nation: tho I am afraid it
will fall under very great Tryals, and very
fharp Sufferings. And indeed the Impiety, and
Profanenefsthat abounds,and appears fo fcan-
daloufly bare-fac'd every where, gives too
juft reafon to fear the worft things which, .can
befal a People. I pray God prefent it, and
give thofe who have fhew'd Concern for the.
Publick Good,and who have appeared Hearty
for the true Intereft of the Nation, and the
Proteftant Religion, Grace to live fo, that
they may not caft a Reproach on that which
they endeavour to advanle; which (God
knows)has often given me many'fad Thoughts.
And 1 hope fuch of my Friends as may think
they are touch'd by this, will not take what I
fay in ill part, but endeavour to amend their
ways, and live fuitable to the Rules of the
true Reformed Religion ; which is the only
thing can adminifter true Comfort at the lat-
ter End, and revive a Man when he comes to
Dye.
As for my prefent Condition, I blefs God,
I have no Repining in my Heart atHt. I
know for my Sins I have defervedmuch worfe
at the Hands of God; So that I cheerfully fub-
mittofofmall a Puniffiment, as the being ta-
kenoffa few Years fooner, and. the being
made a Spedacle to the World. I do freely
forgive all the World, particularly thofe con-
cerned in taking away my Life: and I delire
and conjure my Friends to think of no Re-
venge, but to fubmit to the holy Will of
God, into whofe Hands I refign my felf en-
tirely.
But to look back a little; I cannot but give
fbme touch about the Bill of Exclufion, and
fhew the Reafons of my appearing in that Bu-
finefs ^ which in fhort is this; That I thought
the Natjon was in fuch danger of Popery, and
that the Expeftation of a Po0j Succefor ( as
I have faid in Parliament) put the King's
Life likewife in fuch danger, that I faw no
way
( ;
ivay ib b^dual-to fkure both, as fuch a Bill.
As to the UmMuons which were propofed,
if t^y were fineerely offered, and had pafs'd
into a Law, the Duke then would have been
excluded frc«ft the Power of a King, and the
Governnient quite altered, and little more
than die Name of a King left- So I could
not fee cither Sin or Fault in the one, when all
People were willing to admit of 'tother; but ^
thought it better to have a King with his Pre-
rogadve, and the Nation eafy and fafe under
him, than a King without it, which mult have
bred perpetual Jealoufies, and a continual
Struggle. All this I fay, only to juftify my
felf, and not to inflame others: Though I
cannot but think my Earneftnefs in that mat-
ter has had no fmall Influence in my prefent
Sufferings. But I have now done with this
World, and am going to a Kingdom which
cannot be moved.
And as to the confpi ring to feize the Guards,
which is the Crime for which I am condemn-
cd, and which was made a conftrudive Trea-
. fon for taking away the King's Life, to bring
it widiin the Statute of Edw. the zd. I fhall
give this true and clear Account. 1 never
was at Mr. Shefheard's with that Com-
pany but once, and there was no unde;rtaking
the-n of fecurjng, or feizing the Guards ^ nor
none appointed to view, or examine them :
SomePilcourfe there was of the Feafiblenels
of it \ and feveral times by accident, in gene-
ral Difcourfeeifewhett, I have heard it men-
tion'd, as a thing might ealily be done, but
never confented to as to be done. And I re-
member particularly at my Lord Shafisbnry%
there being feme general Difcourfe of this
kind, I immediately flew out, and ex(;laim'd
againft it, and ask'd. If the thing fucceeded,
what mult be done next but malfacring the
Guards, and kilUng .them in cold Blood?
Which 1 look'di upon,as fo deteffable ^ thing,
and lb like a Popilh Pradice, th^t I could not
but abhor it. And at the fame time the Duke
of MonrnoMh took ipe by the Hand, and told
me very kindly, My Lord, I fee you and I are
of a Temper; Did you evey hear fb horrid a
thing ? And I mull; needs do him that Jultice
to declare, that I never obferved in him but
an Abhorrence to all bafe things.
As to my going to Mr. Shepheard's, I went
with an Intention to tafte Sherry •, for he had
promifed me to referve for me the next very
good Piece he met with, when I went out of
Town; and if he tecolleds, he may jremem-
ber I ask'd him about it, and he went and
fetclfd a Bottle 5 but when 1 tafted it, I faid
'twas hot in the Mouth ■, and defined that
whenever he met with a choice Piece, he
would keep it for me; which he promifed.
I enlarge the more upon this, .becaufe Sir Ce*?.
Jefferies infinuated to the Jury, as if I had
made a Story about going thither 5 buti ne-
Tm- faid, that vv^s the only Reafon: And
1 will now truly, and plainly add the reft.
I was the day before this Meeting^ come to
)
Town, for two or three days, as I had
done once or twice before; having a very
near and dear Relation lying in a very Ian-
guilliing and defperate Condition: And the
Duke of Monmomh came to me, and told me.
He was extreamly glad I was come to Town ^
for my Lord Shafisbury^ and feme hot Men
would undo us all: How fo,ray Lord, I faid ?
Why (anfwered he) they'll certainly do feme
diforderly thing or other, if great Care be not
taken, and therefore for God's fake ufe your
Endeavours with your Friends to prevent any
thing of this kind. He told me,there would be
Company at Mr. Sfjepfew/af's that Night, and
defired me to be at home in the Evening, and
he would call me •, which he did : And when
I came into the Room, I faw Mr. Rmifey by
the Chimriy ^ though he fwears he came inaf~.
ter ^ and there were things faid, by feme
with much more Heat, than Judgment, which
I did fufficiently difapprove,' and yet for
thefe things I ftand condemned. But I thank
God, my part was fincere, and well meant.
It is, I know, inferred from hence, and was
prefled to me, that I was acquainted with
thefe Heats and ill Deflgns, and did notdif-
cover them. But this is but Mifprifion of
Treafon atmoft. So I dye innocent of the
Criine I ftand condemn'd for, and I hope no-
body will imagine that fo mean a Tholight
could enter into me, as to go about to fave
ray felf, by accufing others. The part that
Ipnic bave aded- lately of that kind, has not
been fuchastoinvitemeto loVe Life at fuch
a rate.
As for the Sentence of Dedth paffed upon
me, I cannot but think it a very hard one.
For nothingwas fworn againft me C whether
true or falle, I will not now exatiiine ) but
fome Difcourfes about making fome Stirs-
And this is not levying War againft the
King, . which is Treafon by the Statute , of
Edward the Third, and not the cpnfulting
and difcourfing about it, which wa's all that
was witnelTed againft me. But, by a ftrange
Tetchy the Deiign of feizing the Guards, was
cdnftrued a Defign of killing the King and
fo 1 was in that call.
And now I have truly and' fineerely told
what my part was in that, which cannot be
more than a bare Mifprifion; and yet I arri
condemned as guilty of a Defign of killing
the King. I pray God lay not thiis to the
cfiarge, neither of the King^s Counfel, nor
Judges, nor Sheriffs, nor Jury : And for the
Witnelles, I pity them, and wilh' them well.
I fliall not reckon up the Particulars wherein
they did me wrong; I had rather their owii
Confciences Ihould do that, to which, and the:
'Metci^s of God, I leave them. Only I lhall
avert, that what I faid of my not hearing
Col. Rumfey delive* any Meflage from my
Lord ShaftsbHfy^ was' true for I always de-
tefted Lying, the never fo much to my ad-
vantage. And I hope none will be fo unjult
(^
and uncharitahla, as to think I would venture
on it i h thefe nry laft Words, for which I am
fo foon to give an account to the Great God,
the Searcher of Hearts, and Judg of all
Things.
From the Time of chufing Sheriffs, I con-
eluded the Heat in that Matter would pro-
. dace fomething of this kind •, and I am
not much furprized to find it fall upon me.
And I wifli what is done to me, may put a
. ftop, and fatiate forae Peoples Revenge, and
that no more innocent Blood be fhed ^ for I
mull, and do hill look upon mine as fuch,
iince I know I was guilty of noTreafon ; and
therefore I would not betray my Innocence by
Flight, of which 1 do not CI thank God )
yet repent, ( tho much prefled to it) how
fatal ibever it may have feem'd to have pro-
ved to me -for I look upon my Death in this
manner, (I. thank God)- with other eyes
. than the World does. I know I faid but lit-
tie at the Trial, and I fuppofe it looks more
like Innocence than Guilt. I was alio advis'd
not to confefs Matter of Fad plainly, fince
that mult certainly have brought me within
the Guilt of Mifprifion. And being thus fe-
drained from dealing frankly and openly, I
chofe rather to fay little, than to depart from
that Ingenuity, that, by the Grace of God, I
. had carried along with me in the former parts
of my Life, and fo could eafier be Glent, and
leave the whole Matter to the Confcience of
the Jury, than to make the laft and folemnell
part of my Life lb different from the- Courfe
of it, astheuGng little Tricks and Evafions
mud have,been. Nor did I ever pretend to.a
great,'f.eadinefs in fpeaking : I wilh thofe
Genfiemen of the Law, who have it, would
, -make more Confcience in the ufe of it, and
not run Men down by Strains and Fetches,
impofe on eafy and willing Juries, to the
Ruipe of innocent Men For to'kill by Forms,
and Subtilties of Law, is the word fort of
Murther. But F wifh the Rage of hot Men,
)^pnd the Partialities of Juries, may be dopp'd
With ray Blood, which I would offer up with
fo much the more Joy, if I thought I fhould
be the lad were to fuffer in fuch a way;
. , Since my. Sentence, 4 have had but few
Thoughts, but Preparatory ones for Death:
Yet the Importunity of my Friends, and par-
ticularly of the Bed and Deared Wife in the
World, prevailed with me to Ggn Petitions,
and make an Addrefs for my Life : To which
I was very averfe. For (I thank God) tho
in all refpects I have lived one of the happied,
and contented'd Men of the World, (for now
very near fourteen years) yet I am fo willing
to leave all, that it was not without Difficul-
ty, that I did any thing for the faving of my
Life, that was Begging. But I was willing to
let my Friends fee what Power they had over
me, and that I was not Obdinate, nor Sullen,
but would do any thing that an honed Man
could do, for their Satisfaftion. Which was
the only Motive that fway'd, or had any
weight with me.
And now to fum up all: As I never had
any DeGgn -againd the King's Life, or the
Life of any Man whatfoever- •, fo I never was
in any Contrivance of altering the Govern-
mcnt. 'What the Heats, Wickednefs, Palh-
ons, and'Vanities of other Men have occaGon-
ed, I ought not to be anfwerable for •, nor
could I reprefs them, tho I now fuffer for
them. But the Will of the Lord be done ^
into whofe Flands I commend my Spirit; and
trud that Thou, O mod Merciful Father,
had forgiven me all my Tranfgrelfions j the
Sins of my . Youth, and all the Errors of my
pad Life ; and that Thou wilt not lay my
fecret Sins and Ignorances to my Charge; but
wilt gracioudy fupport me during that finall
part of my Time now before me, and affid
me in my lad Moments,! and not leave me then
to be diforder'd by F^.^r, or any other
Temptation; but make the Light of thy
Countenance to Ihine upon me, for Thou art
my Sun, and my Shield : And as Thou fup-
ported me by thy Grace, fo I hope thou wilt
hereafter Crown me with Glory, and receive
me into the Fellowlhip of Angels, and Saints,
in that blelfed Inheritance purchafed for me
by my mod merciful Redeemer; who is, I
trud, at thy Right Hand, preparing a place
for me, and is ready to receive me: Into
whofe Hands I commend my Spirit.
Cntitti acco^Bi'nff to 2D?tier*
L 0 N DO N :
Printed for ^aln.Darhy^ fey Diredtion. of the LadyS 5 HL. 168],