as Cambden, Spotfwood, Clarendon, Bifhop Burnet, and the late Bishop of Rochester. Whether this Regard to the Words of dy ing Men proceeds from an Imagination that one who stands on the Confines of each State. has jufter Notions of both, than he, whofe Views feem more remote; or from an Opi nion, that the Character of the Man is bef understood from his Behaviour in this laf Scene of Action: It must however be ad mitted, that an Account of his preceding Life, a Relation of the conftant Tenor o his Actions, and his unbyafs'd Difcourfes while under the Enjoyment of an eafy For tune, must certainly contribute fomething towards forming a right Judgment of him. Many indeed take upon them to judge of th Caufe, as well as the Man, purely from wha he fays at that important Hour, and grea Stress they lay upon every the minuteft Ad tion; they take his Words as the Result o a fincere difinterested Mind, not fway'd by any fecular Motives, and therefore then bel qualify'd to make a Judgment of the Stat of Things. But 'tis with great difficulty, if ever the con trary Party will admit, that the Conftancy Serenity, or even the Exultation of the Suf ferer at his Execution, are any Signs he i in the right; or that the Juftification of the En Enterprize at the laft Gafp, adds any weight to the Juftice of his Caufe, tho' the Suffering Side are always ready to ascribe much to the Refolution of their Martyr'd Hero. Indeed, we find Men of the most distant Principles have dy'd, not only with equal Intrepidity, but equal Hopes of future Joys: We find the Cavalier looking on the Caufe of God's Vice-gerent as the Cause of God, and bravely embracing Death and Sufferings, in Defence of his Lawful King, and the ancient Constitution: Soon after, we behold the Regicide, at his Execution, in Raptures at the Thoughts that God had been fo gracious to permit him to imbrue his Hands in Royal Blood, and made him an Inftrument of throwing three Kingdoms into Confufion. He tells the World, as he is turning off, the Saints would gladly leave their bless'd Abodes to dye again in fuch a Caufe. But whatever elfe may be concluded from fuch Scenes as thefe, we easily discern from hence, how far natural Courage, Education, and a Familiarity with Dangers, or the Spirit of Enthusiasm, can carry a Man. To the Speeches and Characters I have added a Table, fhewing the Punishments appropriated to every Crime mention'd in the State Tryals, and which of them were executed, and which of them mitigated, or totally pardon'd. A 3 And And the two firft Tryals being for Herefy, I have, by way of Introduction, fhewn how this Crime was anciently try'd and punish'd, and how at this Day; and given fome Prece dents of the Writ de Heretico comburendo, and of the Warrant for iffuing it. From this fhort Account, the Reader will judge of the Usefulness of these Sheets in general, and more particularly to those Gentlemen who have purchas'd the Tryals, and who feem indeed to expect fomething of this kind to compleat that Work, A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF The feveral PRISONERS mention'd in the STATE TRYALS; fhewing how the respective Sentences were executed on those who were Attainted, and which of them were Acquitted. Illiam Thorpe, Clerk, Lord Cobham, 1535 Sir Thomas More, 1554 Sir Nicholas Throckmorton 1567 James, Earl of Bothwell 1571 Thomas Duke of Norfolk, Parry, Ballard, Babington, Beheaded. Savage, Barnwell, Titch Drawn, 1584 1586 burne, Tilney, Abington, 1586 Mary Queen of Scots, 1600 Earl of Effex 1600 Earl of Southampton A 4 as Traytors. Beheaded. SImprisonm. 1603 Sir Sir Walter Raleigh try'd; and Beheaded. 1603 { m 1618 1605 1606 1615 in Robert Winter, John Grant, Tho. Bates, Tho. Winter, Traytors. Ambrofe Rookwood, Rob.Executed as tors in the Gunpowder Plot, Frances Countess of Somerset, Executed Sasa Traytor Hang'd. and Robert Carr, Earl of Imprisonm. Somerset, Murderers of Sir and Confil. Beheaded. Fitz-Patrick and Broadway,} Hang'd. 1616 Thomas Overbury, Lord Audley 1631 his Servants John Hampden Efq; his Try al in the Cafe of Ship-money,Shot in the 1636. He was in an Engage ment with the K.'s Forces 1643 1644 Archbishop Laud 1644 Connor Lord Macguire 1648 King CHARLES the First Field. |