had little elfe to do but to prepare himself for death. Indeed, the commons were highly offended with the king's fpeech, faying, It was an unprecedented thing, that he should meddle with bills before they were presented to him; and, that it had a tendency to take away the freedom of votes. Upon this they adjourned till Monday, the third of May.

When the bill of attainder against the earl paffed both houfes, the king was in the greateft agitation and perplexity. He loved Strafford, and was convinced that he had done nothing but what was conformable to his intentions and the maxims he would have introduced into the government. He might be guilty, with regard to the people, upon many accounts; but certainly he was not fo with refpect to the king, who had always approved of his conduct: befides, his majesty had protefted, in full parliament, that he could not, nor would, do any thing against his confcience; and he did not believe in his confcience that the earl was guilty. On the other hand, if he confented to the bill of attainder, after having declared that it was against his confcience, he would fhew that he was reduced to this extremity by the neceffity of his affairs, fo would not be thanked for it, and, for the time to come, would be able to refuse his parliament nothing but, if he rejected the bill, he plainly perceived the confequences his refufal might be attended with; and, that, at leaft, he should be accufed of denying his people

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people juftice, contrary to the advice of both houfes of parliament.

It seems probable that, in this extremity, fome one advised the king to diffolve the parliament; at least the commons imagined he had no other expedient left to extricate himself from the difficulty he was, involved ia; and therefore, to deprive him of this refuge, the fame day, the fourth of May, they ordered the bringing in of a bill for the continuance of the prefent parliament, that it might not be diffolved without the confent of both houses.

Then the king called his privy-council together, and fent for his lawyers. He laid before them his fcruples, and the reafons which ought to prevent him from giving his confent to the bill: but Juxon, bishop of London, was the only person that ventured to advise the king to reject a bill prefented to him by both houses. All the rest did their utmost to perfuade him to fatisfy his people, alledging that the life of any perfon ought not to be put in the ballance with the fafety of the kingdom. With regard to his fcruples, they told him, that he might confult his bishops, who would give him the beft advice.

The king, not meeting with the fatisfaction he expected from his council, fent for fome bishops to advise with. It is affirmed, that Neile, archbishop of York, faid to him upon this occafion, that there was a private and a public confcience; that his public confcience, VOL. V. H

as

as a king, might not only dispense with, but oblige, him to do that which was against his private confcience as a man; and fo, in plain terms, advised him, even for conscience fake, to pass the act.

What helped the moft, however, to determine Charles, was a letter from Strafford himfelf, who, hearing the ftraits the king was in, humbly befought him to pass the bill, to remove him out of the way, towards a blessed agreement, which he doubted not God would for ever establish between him and his fub. jects adding, that his confent would more acquit his majefty to God than all the world could do befides. To a willing man there is no injury. At leaft, the king, no longer able to withstand the prefling inftances of the parliament, and his own counsellors, or, rather, the fear of the calamities he forefaw might befal him and his pofterity, if he refufed to confent to the bill, figned a commiffion to three lords to pass it in his name.

But, notwithstanding the earl of Strafford's letter, when the king fent fecretary Carleton to him, to acquaint him with what was done, and the motives of it, the earl seriously asked the fecretary, whether his majefty had paffed the bill or not; as not believing, without fome aftonishment, that the king would have done it: and, being again affured that it was paffed, he rose from his chair, lifted up his eyes to heaven, laid his hand on his heart, and faid, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in any

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of the fons of men, for there is no help in them."

On Wednesday, the twelfth of May, 1641, being come to the place of execution, he mounted the scaffold, made his obeisances, and began to take his laft farewel of his friends, who appeared much more concerned than himself. Obferving his brother, Sir George Wentworth, to weep exceffively, "Brother," faid he, with a chearful briskness, "What do you fee in me to deserve these tears? Doth any indecent fear betray in me a guilt, or my innocent boldness any atheism? Think now that you are accompanying me the third time to my marriage-bed: never did I throw off my cloaths with greater freedom and con. tent than in this preparation to my grave. That ftock," pointing to the block, "muft be my pillow; here fhall I reft from all my labours ; no thoughts of envy, no dreams of treafon, jealoufies or cares for the king, the ftate, or myself, fhall interrupt this eafy fleep: therefore, brother, with me, pity thofe who, befides their intention, have made me happy; rejoice in my happiness, rejoice in my innocence."

Then kneeling down, he made this proteftation: "I hope, gentlemen, you do think, that neither the fear of lofs, nor love of reputation, will fuffer me to belye God and my own confcience at this time. I am now in the very door, going out, and my next ftep muft he from time to eternity either of peace or pain. H2

Το

To clear myfelf before you all, I do here fo. Jemnly call God to witnefs, I am not guilty, fo far as I can underftand, of the great crime laid to my charge; nor have ever had the leaft inclination or intention to damnify or prejudice the king, the ftate, the laws, or the religion, of this kingdom; but, with my beft endeavours, to ferve all, and to fupport all; fo may God be merciful to my foal.”*

Then rifing up, he said he defired to speak fomething to the people, but was afraid he fhould be heard but by few, in regard of the noife; but having firft fitted himself to the block, and rifing again, he thus addressed himfelf to the fpectators.

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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 lordfhips by me this day, because I have been known to you a long time; and I now defire to be heard a few words. I come here by the good will and pleasure of almighty God, to pay that laft debt I owe to fin, which is death; and, by the bleffing of that God, to rife again, thro' the merits of Jefus Chrift, to righteoufness and life eternal." Here he was a little interrupted.

My lords, I am come hither to submit to that judgment which hath passed against me, I do it with a very quiet and contented mind; I thank God I do freely forgive all the world; a forgiveness that is not spoken from the teeth outward, as they fay, but from the very heart:

I speak