[...] BLOODY MURTHERER, OR, THE UNNATURAL SON HIS Iust Condemnation.
At the Assizes Held at Monmouth, MARCH 8. 1671/2.
With the Suffering of his Sister and Servant, For the MURTHER of his Mother, Mrs. GRACE JONES.
FOR WHICH The said Son was prest to Death, his Sister burnt, and his Boy Hang'd.
WITH A True Accompt of their TRIALS, Penitent Behaviour, Prayers, Speeches, and Circumstances thereunto Relating; With Letters of several Worthy DIVINES.
By Allowance.
LONDON, Printed by H. Lloyd for Jonathan Edwin at three Roses in Ludgat-street. 1672.
A POEM upon the late Execrable Murther committed by Henry Jones (and his Confederate Boy George Bridges) Octob. 11, 1671. upon his Mother Mrs. Grace Jones of Monmouth Widow, and their deserved Executions, the one March 11. the other March 16. 1671/2.
The Wicked Life, Horrid Murther, and Penitent Death of HENRY JONES:
ALthough the unhappy Times we live in, (which may not unfitly be termed the very Rust of the Iron-age) are too pregnant with sad instances of prodigious Crimes, and unparallel'd Villanies, Men striving with a cursed Emulation to out-vie each other in wickedness; And that crying Scarlet-sin of Murther so overflows (like a torrent) almost in every street; That it seems to many but a piece of Gallantry to stab at the Majesty of God by killing and destroying Man, his Image; yet shall we seldom meet with any Impiety, swell'd to that height in all Circumstances, as this which at present hath engaged our Pen. An Action that at once infringes all Bonds of Gratitude, and Obligations of Humanity; and violates the Tyes of Nature as well as the Dictates of Grace; so strange and lamentable, so cruel and execrable, that it needs no flourish of words, or Epithets, to render it odious, but is in it self so transcendently abominable, as it is uncapable of being aggravated by any Rhetorick; for who hears [Page 2] of a Mother wilfully murther'd by her own Son, but his senses startle, and his heart is instantly brimful of horrour and indignation.— The perfect Narrative of this deplorable Fact, with its concomitant circumstances, we undertake, not out of prejudice to the deceased Malefactor, who having partly satisfied the Law, by yielding up his body to death here on earth; hath (as we hope, and have no weak Grounds to believe, as shall appear in the sequel) obtained a Pardon also of Almighty God for such his grievous sin, that his Soul may live for ever in Heaven. Nor do we publish it to gratifie their liquorish Fancies, who delight in hearing strange stories, or to furnish the already too talkative World with more vain Discourses; But to the end, that the Readers observing herein (as in a Chrystal Mirrour) the variety and violence of the Devils temptations; And the Allurements of sin, wherewith these poor Creatures (the Authors and Actors of this horrid Butchery) suffered themselves to be seduced with the Miraculous detection, and severe punishment of the same; Nay, by the terrours thereof be for the future retained within the lists of Charity towards Men, filial respect and duty towards their Parents and Superiors, and (which includes all) religious obedience towards God and his Commandments: And I hope the World (wicked and insensible as it is) hath not yet so totally renounced and abandoned all Vertue, [Page 3] Piety and Prudence, as not a little by these Examples to reflect; and imitate the wise and skilful Pilot, who mourns to see the Rocks whereon his fellow-Voyagers have suffered shipwrack; and yet again rejoyceth, that by the sight thereof he may avoid his own; Lastly, that we may all admire the Riches of Gods Grace, which denies not to receive the vilest and most crimson sinners, whenever they with a sincere and hearty Repentance make their Addresses to his Throne for mercy and forgiveness.
The principal Actor in this barbarous Tragedy was Henry Jones, the son of Thomas Jones, late of Monmouth in Southwales, and Grace his Wife; Parents miserably unhappy to bring into the World so ungrateful and unnatural a Wretch, that justly came to suffer an ignominious death, for bereaving her of life, from whom he thus derived his own: It were no less injury to truth, then affront to the Countrey of his Nativity, should we deny him to be by descent a Gentleman, his Father being a Person of a competent estate, and good repute in those Parts: But alas! what a sorry and contemptible Glory is it, to bear only the empty names and painted Coats of Generous Ancestors, whilst we by neglecting the imitation of those vertues that first made them eminent, disgrace their Memories, and commit Actions more vile then the basest of the plebeian Rabble. [Page 4] His Provident Father considering, That no quality does more adorn or embellish then Learning, took particular care to have his greener years seasoned with the Rudiments of Literature, which one would have thought should have served him for the more regular Conduct of his future life; and rein'd him in from such matchless enormities; But Learning alone, without being grafted on a stock of good natural Parts, and watered with the dew of Heavenly Grace, is commonly not only barren of happy fruit, but very dangerous whilst it puffs up its empty-headed Possessors, and makes them self-will'd, conceited, and temerarious in their undertakings: He was no sooner arriv'd to that Age, which loyally (though not always truly) entitles us to discretion, but he was freed from the Tyranny of the Rod and Ferula, and Articl'd with an Attorney; an Imploy not unlike to continue and thrive, since Pride, Fraud, Malice, Revenge and Contention do daily increase amongst Neighbours. But—
Whilst his careful and Indulgent Parents feed themselves with hopes of his rising by the Law; 'Tis (alas!) his destiny most wretchedly to fall by it; He wore out his five years Tearm with his Master, without any thing worthy of [...] unless we shall say, that by keeping debauched [Page 5] Company, learning to drink, and other Extravagancies too frequently practised by some, (I had almost said in this seducing Age, by most) young Cl [...]rks; he then laid a foundation for the sad Superstructure of his succeeding life, and that his ruine may perhaps not amiss be calculated from thence—. After the Expiration of his said Tearm, he continued some time in London, making Addresses and Courtship to several Women; but not succeeding herein, and his father being lately dead, leaving him some estate, though it seems, not enough to satisfie his boundless desires: He thereupon returns home to Monmouth, and married the Daughter of a Glocester-shire Gentleman, with whom (as 'tis reported) he had a competent Portion; and one that (had it stood with the Decrees of Providence) seem'd to deserve a better Match, since Fame gives her the commendable Character of vertuous and discreet: But since Marriages are first ordained in Heaven before they are consummated on Earth, 'tis equal vanity in any that have submitted their Necks to that yoke, to murmur and complain: As 'tis for Bowlers, when they have made their Cast, to cry, either Rub or Fly: Heaven to some gives agreeable and happy Consorts to assist and support their weaknesses; to others lewd and unequal Yoke-fellows, for the trial of their patience: The first have Reason to applaud its mercy in Hymns of Thanksgiving; the last, to evidence their own [Page 6] obedience, by a cheerful submission in the discharge of their Duties.
The old Gentleman his father, being very tenderly affectionate towards his wife, and having other children fot her to maintain, left her at his death an estate of about 100 l. per ann. for life, that was afterwards to descend to the said Henry her son, which brings us directly to the occasion that first excited this inconsiderate wicked young Man to the horrid thoughts of murthering her.
He found this rate of living, above what his estate or Practice of Law, (which he followed in the Country) could maintain, and would often be borrowing money of his Mother, somtimes pretending one urgent occasion, and then another, which she, like a kind Mother, for several times very readily supply'd him with.
At last, finding by his often requests her small Exchequer would soon be exhausted, and that he wasted it vainly and profusely, she grew more reserved, and less free to part with her money, which put him into a rage: and the devil takes hold of the opportunity to mind him of 100 l. per ann. to come to him after her death, and suggested, that she liv'd too long: hereupon without fear of God, or regard to his soul, he like an unnatural Villain, entertains thoughts of sending her out of the world; hellish thoughts and infernal resolutions! which will not [Page 7] only strangle those that embrace, but confound all that hearken to them: he consults about this bloody business with his will, not his conscience: with his wicked heart, but not with his precious soul: His faith is so weak towards God, and so strong with the devil, that he will not retire with grace, but advance with impiety: His wilde youth hath no regard to her Reverend Age, nor hath all the blood that streams in his veins power to prompt him that 'tis derived from hers, which he goes about most inhumanely to spill: he is hellishly resolved on the matter, and now proceeds to the manner of her Tragedy: He proposes to himself several ways for to murther her, and the Devil who is never absent on such hellish occasions, makes him as well industrious as vindictive and implacable in the contriving and finishing it: At last, having a servant, a Boy of about fifteen years of Age, named George Bridges; the son, as is reported, of a Butcher, he resolves to make him his Confederate and Confident in this black design, whereupon preparing him with fair words, obliging him to secrecie, with horrid Oathes and Imprecations, and tempting him with a Promise of five pounds in Money, and a new suit of Cloathes for his infernal service in the business; he discovers to him his intentions of killing his Mother, and engag'd him therein: But she seldom going forth they knew not how to bring [Page 8] about their wicked purpose, though for a Moneth together they waited for an opportunity. At last he inspires them with a stratagem, which took effect to all their Ruines. Thi [...] wicked Son and his young Villain privately steal several Sheaves of Corn out of a Barn his Mother had in the Fields, not above a quarter of a Mile distant from Monmouth Town, and carry them down to a small Wood, about two Furlongs beyond the said Barn, on a Riverside call'd Munnow, being a place designed for Executing their Inhumane Villiany; having thus laid the Train, and spread his Nets for the Life of his Innocent Mother, this graceless Son on Wednesday, the Eleventh of October last past, (like a cursed Hypocrite) under the officious and specious pretences of care and diligence, invites his tender Mother to her own bloody Funeral, coming and acquainting her, that she had certainly lost Corn out of her aforesaid Barn, and that he had often told her so, but she would never beleeve it; but now he could make it appear, if she would be pleased to go with him thither, and that she would do very well to look after it: Hereupon through his much importunity she condescended and went with him towards the Evening in her Slippers to the Barn, where seeing Corn scattered towards the afore-mentioned Wood, he told her it was gone that way to his knowledge; for (says he) if you go but a little [Page 9] further, you shall find several Sheaves of your Wheat, which she yielding to, came to the Wood-side, but was very unwilling to go in, till by his Intreaties she was prevail'd upon; and, according to his Stories, found indeed several Sheaves, but meets also with a Death no less cruel then unexpected; for as she was stooping to take up some of the ears of Corn, and rubbing them in her hands to see whether they were thresh'd or no, this graceless, inhumane, and unnatural Wretch, her Son, attended with his aforesaid Confederate George Bridges, who had waited on them thither, discharges a Pistol at her, from which she received a mortal shot, with a slug or loget, in the right side of her head, about an inch above her ear, the slug remaining in her head; the Wound was found, when prob'd by Chyrurgions to be about six inches in length; she falling down, they for the present left her; but fearing, it seems, they had not compleatly done their work; about two houres after they return, and though one would have thought the direful Reflections on what they had done, might have rais'd in them a Consternation, and the ghastly spectacle of a Murthered Mother, touch'd and somewhat mollified the obdurate heart of this wicked son: yet contrariwise, so little were they dismay'd thereat, and such small Impression could this woful Object make on their savage spirits. That these sons of darkness fell afresh to their bloody banquet, (it being then about 9. of the [Page 10] Clock the same Evening) when the amazed and blushing Sun had withdrawn it self far enough from beholding so foul and barbarous an Action; And then the young Assassinate, George Bridges (young indeed in years, but old in wickedness) steps on [...]e bloody stage to present the second Act of this most lamentable Tragedy; for doubting she was not yet quite dead, and her soul fully dispatch'd into the other world; this young son of Belial, George Bridges, with a Knife cuts her throat, making a Transcision about five inches long, clear through the great Artery and Jugular veins; and (as 'tis credibly related) this Imp of Hell, a stranger to Grace, and Rebel to Nature, scoffingly told his Master on that horrid occasion, That his Mothers throat cut as tough as an old Ewes: and here 'tis observable how these two wretched creatures could be so hardned in wickedness, and bold in villany, as to have the impious courage to return unto the place and person where they had so lately committed such an abomination; for although their Guide and Conductor the black Prince of the Air, assisted them with the obscurity of Night, yet every Bird and Bush might, methinks, have strucken Terror in their conscious souls, and they might by time have reflected on what they had done, and consider'd they had b [...]en hatching Cockatrice-Eggs, and weaving the Spiders web. But God was not i [...] all their thoughts, and the Divel had lull'd the [...]eared cons [...]ences into a lethargick Slumber not to be awakened but with Thunder, their thoughts were wholly th [...]ghts of Blood, wasting and destruction [Page 11] were in their paths, which in short time fell on their own heads; this being done, the son then took from her what money she had about her (reported to be about 5 li. enough to pay the Villain his promised reward that assisted in her murther) and several Rings off her fingers, which Providence after order'd partly to discover it; then they endeavor'd to drag her dead body to the before-mention'd river Munnow (hard by the wood-side) but it prov'd too heavy for them, or on I know not what other considerations, they at last left it neer the place where they did the Fact; the boy went to the farm-house of his slain Mystriss near the wood, & the son home to her house in Monmouth, who coming to the door, gave a little rap with his fingers, his Sister Mary who stay'd up for him, presently let him in (as 'twas afterwards prov'd against her at the Assizes) & that night wash'd his bloody clothes: Next morning early, on Thursday Octob. 12. a poor woman of Monmouth going into this Wood to gather some sticks, saw this dead body, and approching neer, fo [...]nd it to be Mrs. Jones whom she well knew, and therupon returning back, acquainted the Magistrates, that in such a wood lay such a person murther'd, on which they went to the house of Mrs. Grace Jones, and found her son Henry in bed, and told him they heard his Mother was murther'd; he made strange of it, and seem'd to be much troubled at it: but going with the townsmen to the place where his mother lay dead, by her was found several footsteps, and measuring the feet of them that were present, they found those footsteps [...]o fit the feet of Henry Jones, and suspecting him [...] be concerned, they charged him with the murther, [Page 12] and had him and his Man before two or three Justices met for that purpose, who examin'd first the Boy, and then the Master; the Boy confess'd that his Master shot her in the head, and the Master said the Boy cut her throat; and so the one impeach'd the other. After this, the daughter M. Jones was taken into examination, suspecting her to be guilty with her brother in this Murther, not only for beating of the little children for crying, and making enquiry for their mother, but for washing her Brothers bloody cloaths, and endeavoring to conceal her mothers death; yet some friends thinking her to be innocent became Bail for her, & shewent at liberty; but within five or six weeks after she made her escape from Monmouth, and was gone several miles towards London, which the Bail hearing of, she was pursued, apprehended and carried back again, where she was committed prisoner till the next Assizes, together with her brother and the said George Bridges.
After Mr. Jones's commitment, several able Ministers went to visit him, viz. The Reverend and learned Dr. Goodwin Minister of the Town of Monmouth, Mr. Pollington Minister of Newland, and Mr. Betham Minister of Whit-Church, who used their most strenuous endeavors to make him sensible of the heinousness of his sin, with which from the first moment of his being taken into custody, he seem'd to be extremely affected: besides these, one Mr. Jackman Minister of Newent sent a Letter of Advice to him, which being full of excellent Matter, we should not discharge our duty, if we did not publish it here verbatim, as followeth.
A Godly learned Ministers Letter, to Mr. Jones, soon after he was committed to prison.
IN giving you the trouble of these Lines, I have no other design than the discharge of my Conscience, and the awakening of yours, by a faithful and friendly admonition. My Office, as a Minister, binds me to lay out my self for the salvation of mens Souls? and being deeply apprehensive of the danger of yours, both in respect of that bloody fact which you have committed, and the sins which made God leave you to commit that unnatural Murder: I could not but give you my best advice, though at a distance. — Now, since Conviction of Sin is the first step to Repentance: I beseech you in the fear of God to consider how hideous and gastly the Sin is which you have commited, which had it been only of a stranger that had no way obliged you, might have made you go mourning to your Grave. How much more then to take away the Life of her who gave you yours, that bare you in her Womb, dandled you on her Knees, and nursed you in her bosom? Oh! of what a deep dye [Page 14] is a Mothers Blood? what a prodigious sin is Matricide! In this how have you out sinned Cain? as much as a Mother is dearer than a Brother, and hath done more for you than a Brother or Sister can do. Can a Mother forget her Child, saith the Prophet, Isa. 49.15. But can a Child forget a Mother? Could you forget what pains she underwent in bearing? what trouble in nursing? what care in providing for you? But then if you consider yet further. How suddenly you thrust her out of the world, whereby she was deprived of time to put the affairs of her Soul in order, it may more humble you; and consider, whether depriving her of space to call on the Lord for mercy, you may not have hurt her Soul more than her Body, especially if she was taken away in an unprepared estate. And further, all this was done not rashly, in your drink or passion; but was a premeditate and deliberate act of your Soul. Oh! how doth my Soul bleed at the consideration of your horrid Sin; mine Eyes are not dry whilst I write, I know not how yours are in reading it. As t'was an act of your hand, your body was guilty of the Sin; but as it was a deliberate act, your Soul is partaker in the guilt, and both Soul and Body defiled with your Mothers blood. But alas! my Brother, the act is not all, though bloody; the corruption of Nature, and Fountain that sent forth those bitter streams, is to be bewailed. The Cause is worse than the Effect; that deep pollution of your Nature, and that corruption which [Page 15] put on this wicked act, is to be bewailed. The sins of your life, which provoked God to give you up to shed a Mothers blood, are to be lamented; It is like by committing many other sins, and by neglecting to serve God, your heart came to be hardened by degrees, and so from one wickedness to another, till at last you adventured on this high crime. — Think then I beseech you in how full a manner your Heart was under the dominion of the Devil; and what quiet and peaceable possession he had of your Soul; so that if this sin had not been committed, you might have perished for your other transgressions. — And now I beseech you to consider, whether it doth not concern you, to think in what a woful estate your Soul is, when a studied and deliberate slaughter of a Mother, fills up the measure of your sins, what hope remaineth of escaping Eternal misery, without deep and sound Repentance, when the Scripture saith expresly, that Murderers are shut out of Heaven, Rev. 22.15. —
I write not this to drive you to despair; but to draw you to Repentance. And oh! that you would cast your self down in the dust, and bitterly bewail this bloody and black sin, with the sins of your life, which prepared you for this; Oh that you would be continually on your Knees, begging for Pardon and Peace; Oh that your head were a Fountain of Tears, and that you could weep day and night for the wrong you have done, not only to your own Soul, but also to him that made you, and her that bare you; Great [Page 16] sins must have great Repentance; 'tis not true except it he very deep; 'tis not true except it be for all as well as some; 'tis not true except it be for sin as sin; tis not true except it bewails original corruption, as Davids Repentance of his Murder and Adultery, left not his depravity unlamented, Psal. 51.5.
Now that you may not miscarry this great work of such high concernment; but that your Repentance may be Repentance unto Salvation, never to be repented of. I beseech you for Gods and your own Souls sake, to observe and follow these directions.
1. Beware of whatsoever may be an hindrance to the true humiliation of your Soul.
Take heed of too much company, or bad company, privacy or retiredness may be much for your advantage; vain company will have vain discourse; desire all such to depart from you, whose discourse tends not to your Souls profit, let only such be conversant with you, who will help you in your work, which is to fit your self for an happy Eternity.
2. Take heed of worldly and vain discourse, loose not precious time in unprofitable talk, spend not your Breath otherwise than in penitent sighs, groans, and prayers, and in giving warning to such as come about you to avoid the sins which brought you to this sad condition. —
3 Take heed of pleasing your appetite, in taking too much drink, or in a too liberal use of meats, be [Page 17] much in fasting which is an help to Prayer, and let the diet you take be moderate, and mean as becomes one that judgeth himself unworthy of life or comfort; abstinence from the enjoyments of this life, is a great help and furtherance of mortification and humiliation; Bishop Atherton found that by shutting the Windows, making the room somewhat dark, was helpful to humiliation
4. Take heed of thinking that if your life pay for your Mothers, you do thereby make satisfaction to God; for though that be some satisfaction to the Law of the Land, yet not to God, who is only satisfied by the death of his Son Jesus Christ, which satisfaction you must lay hold on by Faith, and apply the blood of Christ to wash away the foul sins of your Mothers blood. — And such faith cannot be separated from true repentance: therefore you must practice the one, that you may be assured of the other.
2. Embrace all means that may further and promote you in the way and work of Repentance.
1. Read much in the Scriptures, and such Soul-searching Books as may help to awaken, direct, comfort, and further you in the way of Salvation; especially look much into those books as treat of Conversion, Repentance, and the last things, as Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell: it would do well also to get such Books as have been set forth of penitent Malefactors. as Bishop Atherton, Nathaniel Butler, Thomas Savage, and others, who being cast into Prison for great crimes, were through Divine [Page 18] mercy brought to Repentance, and left the world not without hope of Salvation; read also the Penetential Psalms, and labour to get your heart affected by reading, and be not contented except you profit by it.
2. Meditate much on the guilt of your last great sin, and the former that led you to it; wast no thoughts about the world or worldly things, think much how God might possibly chastise your Parents for their worldliness in and by you, for whom it may be they were more careful to provide, than for their immortal Souls. — And think also of your own ingratitude, who requited a dear Mother so evil, as to take away her life, whose greatest fault it may be was, that she was too eager to make you great and rich in this world. — Think also of the strict Justice and severe vengeance of God, whose wrath is a consuming fire, and also who is a terrible avenger of Innocent blood, which cryeth for vengeance. — think also what is like to become of the Body and Soul of that poor wretch, who was your Companion in guilt, and who was drawn by you to be a partaker of Blood; that so his sin and misery (as well as your own, may incite and draw on to Repentance. —
Pray without ceasing, for Mercy, Pardon and Peace; cry unto God for a broken and contrite heart, and say often with a bleeding heart, as David, Psal. 51.14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God, let prayer be your continual exercise. Above [Page 19] all things pray for a saving sight and sense of sin, and of your need of Christ. And that you may be deeply humbled as well for your other sins as this last, was not your breath in unprofitable discourse, which may be better spent this way. You have a blessed Eternity to provide for, and all the time you have to live on Earth, is little enough to bewail the sins of your life, and to fit your self for an everlasting state. — Therefore redeem your precious time, and account every Minute of great value; be very thrifty of it: Oh let not drinking, gaming or vain talk devour those precious hours which you may and ought to improve for your Eternal Salvation. Redeem all you can from sleep, company, vain discourse, &c. and spend it in self-examination, humuliation, prayer, confession of sins, and supplication for Mercy; Remember God upon your Bed, and meditate on him in the night watches; remember the greatness of your sin, and the worth of your Soul, and let it be your great business to get the one pardoned, and the other saved: If Soul-helping friends come to visit you, hold them fast, and intreat their Prayers and Counsel, and let them not leave you till you hove reaped some spiritual benefit from them; but if worldly and carnal friends come to see you, such as have little favour of God and Grace, dismiss them speedily with some good admonition, for the time they stay is like to be lost, which you should esteem as an unvaluable Treasure.
Lastly, let me intreat you for your Souls sake, and [Page 20] by the Prayers that I have made, and the Tears I have shed for it, that you would not slightly read these lines which I have written, nor throw them away after once reading them; but that you would ponder on them, and endeavour to practice the instructions given you by him that desires your Repentance and Salvation. And oh! that God would set your sin home to your Conscience, and save you from Eternal death and the wrath to come. By what I have written, you see, that I look not upon you as utterly past hope and help, your sin, though great, is not unpardonable if you can truly believe and heartily repent; the blood which David and Manassah shed, was upon their true Repentance forgiven. And the Arm of the Lord is not shortened, nor the Fountain of Mercy exhausted; The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, 1 John. 1.7. Though they be as Red as Scarlet, or as Crimson, Isa. 1:18. You are not yet so far from Heaven; but you may by true Faith and Repentance get it. Nor are you so near Hell, but you may yet by the means of God escape it; but remember the Work you have to do is great, your time short, and your strength small; therefore whatsoever you find in your heart to do for your Salvation, do it with all your might, Eccles. 9.10. you have lost too much time already, loose no more; but immediately about this great Work, to make up the dreadful breach that is between God and your Soul, and to fit it for his glorious presence, which that you may diligently [Page 21] and faithfully perform to your everlasting Salvation, is, and shall be earnestly requested (whilst you are on this side the Grave) by him who is
Directed thus. For Mr. Henry Jones, Prisoner in Monmouth.
BY the labours of the aforesaid Ministers, and the repeated perusal of this Pathetical, Soul-searching, Heart-melting Letter, it pleased the great God in infinite Mercy, to give this desperate Malefactor a sense of his most dangerous state, the grievousness of his sins, and the necessity of a Christ to preserve him from the Jaws of everlasting destruction, henceforward, he was very little concerned for his body, or the pains of death it was to suffer; but extreamly sollicitous about the affairs of his Soul. He was often bewailing his sinful heart, and the Errors of his life; how much time he had wretchedly wasted in the Devils service, and how little he had now to spend for Gods Glory and his Souls advantage, he was very diligent in reading the Holy Bible, and good Books, and very frequent and fervent in Prayer, some forms of which (we conceive) for the assistance of his Memory, were found after his death, in writing, in the Prison, which take as follows.
O Almighty God, Lord of Heaven and Earth, Judge of Angels and Men, give leave to a vile, wretched and dejected Soul to come into thy presence, who deserves nothing but Plagues and Torment, Fire and Brimstone, permit a trembling Malefactor to look towards thy Mercy Seat, and for Jesus sake attend unto my cry, and hear the voice of my Tears. O Eternal goodness, if thou forsakest me, the huge load of my sins will sink me into desperation, and fiery Prison, my estate is most sad, and pittyable, and there is none to deliver me, let thy tender Mercies speedily prevent me; for I am brought very low. I am astonished at the sight of my Iniquities; for they are great and numberless, O Lord support me with thy blessed Arms, or I shall fall into a Sea of misery, and never rise again; fear and terrours do surround me, and the evil spirits watch for my ruine: may I not, a grievous sinner, beg one drop of comfort, who am ready to perish, may I not pray to thee in the time of my distress, when thy fierce Waves are coming over my Soul, my pensive, fainting, and troubled Soul: I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors I am dictracted, wilt thou be angry with me for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger into all Generations? most Gracious God, give me leave to lie at thy sacred feet, and sigh and mourn, and bewail my self a little, before I descend [Page 24] into my Grave, where there is no repenting, give me leave to confess my Iniquities, and beg this favour, that I may not go down into the Regions of darkness, and dwell with Devils, Ezek. 18.31. thou willest not the death of sinners, thou takest no pleasure in their Torments. O then Well-spring of Life and Salvation, who hast promised pardon to the penitent, let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee, whose heart is melted in the midst of his Bowels. I confess O Lord I have been proud, and prophane, and despised thy truths, I have been greedy of the world, and distrusted thy providence, I have made hast to be rich, and ruined my self, This O God was the bitter root from whence all my sorrows do grow, my worldly-mindedness. This made me unhallow thy day, and despise Religion, the promises of God, and Eternal felicities: it was my filthy, base, and sordid covetousness, which drew me to disobedience and blood guiltiness, which cuts me off in the midst of my days. O that I should be such a Son of Belial, as to die my hands in the blood of my Parent, that bore me upon her Knees, and laid me in her bosom, that I should be such a wretch as to side with the Devil, and the unrighteous Mammon in taking away her life, who groaned for me. O the fulness of this deed of darkness, which fills me with grief, horror and astonishment; but is there no Balm in Gilead? no [Page 25] Physician there, to heal a wounded spirit, to support a sinking sinner? O Father of Mercy, though my goods and life is forfeited by this Hellish deed, let not my hopes of Heaven be left, and my precious Soul. Thou O God of truth hast said it, John 1.9. If we confess our sins, thou art faithfull and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And how unrighteous was I, to send her out of the world, who rejoyced greatly when I came into it? I speak it Lord in the bitterness of my heart, I am the vilest Son, the bloodyest Villain that ever breathed in the Air. Never was Turk or Moor guilty of such horrid wickedness; but thou seest my prost [...]ation, and thou hast heard my groans, put my Tears into thy Bottle, are they not in the Books? O searcher of Hearts, thou knowst it is not life, but unfaigned sorrow, and Mercy that I implore. Burn this my flesh, wound and destroy it, so that my Soul lie in the Arms of Jesus. O wash me clean in that purple River which flowed from his side, and let all my lusts be drowned in my sorrows. Jer. 1.9. O that my head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night! O God of Patience and consolation, look not upon the blackness of my crime, but upon the wounds of thy Son, who is mighty to save, Isa. 63.1. for his sake let my Prayer come before [Page 26] thee; for my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth near unto the Grave. Isa. 63.15. Look down from Heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy Glory, where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of the bowels and of thy mercy towards me? are they restrained?
O holy Jesus offer up my suit to thy Father, and plead for a Soul who begs compunction of Spirit, and thy loving kindness, and the addition of a few days to my life, that I may give testimony to my friends, and the world, that I am a penitent Murderer, as David and Manasses, and many more, who now are in the City of God. O most Gracious and Merciful Father, who art unwilling that any should perish, speak Peace to my troubled and guilty Soul, and heal the gaping wounds which I have made in my Conscience, and knock off my Chains of flesh, and take me to thy self, though I become least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ever blessed Jesus, I humbly beseech thee to save the Soul of my servant, whom I have drawn to the gates of death and misery, by engaging him to joyn with me in spilling the blood of the Innocent, for the horridness of which I cannot weep enough, if my Tears would make a River, and rise above its Banks, and drown the Fields [Page 27] where I sinned. O thou Prince of Peace, look with a favourable Eye upon thy Servants, who are bound in affliction, and Iron, may thy wounds satisfie for those which we have given, and thy blood for that which we spilt, and deliver us from the Eternal Prison, the crime, I confess, was hainous and desperate; but it was I, O Lord it was I that did it, lay not my sin to my Servants charge, but pity and pardon him for thy name sake, and deliver him from the spirits of darkness, and eternal damnation. O my dear Saviour, though we suffer here an ignominious death, and become objects of scorn and derision, spectacles to men and Angels, do thou hear and help, and forgive us, that we may shortly dwell in the blessed Regions, where we shall never sin, nor sorrow more. Do it for thy everlasting Mercy sake, most Merciful Saviour Jesus, in whose name and words we further pray.
Our Father, &c.
O Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought, let thy Spirit help my infirmities, and enable me to offer a Spiritual Sacrifice unto thee by Jesus Christ.
O Most Gracious and Glorious Lord God the Saviour of the world, who art infinitely holy and happy, and it is from thee I must expect the possibility of being either the vilest of thy Creatures, or the unworthiest among such as own a God. I do humbly prostrate my self before thee, confessing from the bottom of my heart, that I have transgressed my duty towards thee my Neighbour, and my self, and that by neglecting to do those things, that thou hast expresly forbidden; and this not through ignorance and frailty, but knowingly and willingly against the motions of thy Spirit, and the checks of my own Conscience to the contrary: and to my shame I confess that I have lifted up violent hands against her that bore me, being the Instrument to take away that life whence I derived my own, such is the terror of my sin, the stain of my polluted Conscience, that nothing but the blood of my Redeemer can wash it. I am troubled for my sins, and my thoughts are disquieted within me. I pant for mine heaviness, and all the day long I groan for my offences. Psal. 15.14. Deliver me from guiltiness O God, and in mercy save my Soul. And since my life hath hitherto been a president for the height of pride and cruelty, my actions to this remainder of my life did loudly say there is no God, since the Devil h [...] tempted me to destroy my body; O give me Grace to beguile [Page 30] him of my Soul: let me henceforth be the more diligent and careful, as I have been hitherto remises and wilfull, my misery is unspeakable: O let me not loose my Relations and Soul too; but grant me I implore thy goodness, a sincere Contrition, a hearty confession and Repentance, which thou hast promised, Mercy and Pardon. I have sinned with Peter and David: O! give me their heart-melting sorrow and Salvation, make me a great Penitent, as I have made my self a great sinner, let my Tears not only confess, but my heart change from a brutish to a Christian temper, that I out of due sense of my horrid Impiety, and a serious apprehension of my guilt, which lies before me, may with all earnestness of Spirit, with all vigour and resolution, beg, and at last obtain Mercy for Christ his sake, who dyed upon the Cross, to save sinners, of whom I am chief, 1 Tim. 1.15. O! heal my Soul by his wounds, let his Innocence attend for my guilt, the purity of his hands propitiate for the filthiness of mine, let his Blood spilt upon the Cross, expiate for that which I have spilt upon the ground. O! my heart bleeds within me: I could endure a thousand torments, but a wounded Conscience who can bear? so wofull, and so eternally miserable is my condition, without the assistance of the Almighty, thou art my succour and my terror; but I fly from thee, unto the; from the Tribunal [Page 31] of thy Justice, to the bosom of thy Mercy; though the Wages of sin is death, yet I beseech thee for thy Mercy sake, free me, though not from Temporal death, yet from that which is Eternal, that my Execution here, may be my passing to Glory. O! thou who willest not the death of a Sinner, save my Soul; though my sins be like Manasses numberless, as the Sand, like Davids, Red as the Scarlet, yet thou canst make me whiter than Snow, wash me with Hyssop, give me a sincere compunction, and a perfect abhorrence of my wicked self, that I may lay fast hold upon Christ, through lively faith and repentance, and then welcome torments and death it self, then though I die, I shall live to this end and purpose, to enlighten my mind and dark understanding with those graces that are requisite for a dying man, let thy preventing Graces keep me from the Devil, my former confederate, and now my adversary. O! give me Grace, not to yield any more to his suggestions: Let him not betray my Soul; but that I may stand upon my guard, and baffle all his assaults, that as he overcame me here, I may live to conquer him, and at my death triumph over him, and all his Strategies. Lord thou knowest the retirement of my Breast, the secrets of my bosom, pity my wofull Condition, and lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me, in order to the removal of this Clog [Page 32] upon my Conscience, that I rightly understanding what I have committed, may not deceive my self, with the show of Repentance, and finally through thy Grace and Mercy, inherit the Kingdom which my Saviour purchased for me, to whom be ascribed all Honour and Glory, &c.
Of Contrition.
O Holy Lord God, who art a Mercifull imbracer of true Penitents, but yet a consuming fire to obstinate and perverse sinners, shall I approach thee, who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy wrath, and so little sincere Repentance to incline thy Mercy. O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard and obdurate heart of mine, that I may water my Couch with Tears, that I may heartily bewail the Iniquities of my life, and mourn for my Scarlet sins, and blush for my hainous crime; strike this Rock O Lord, that the Waters may flow out, even floods of Tears to wash my polluted Conscience, my drowsy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin, my life hitherto has been but a sinful dream. Lord awake my Soul, though it be with Thunder, and let me rather feel thy terrors, than not feel my sins, thou hast sent thy son to heal the broken hearted; but Lord what will that avail me, if my heart be whole: O break it, that it may be capable of his healing virtue, and grant I beseech thee, that having once tasted [Page 34] the bitterness of my sin, I may fly from it, as from the face of a Serpent, and take my Sanctuary in the Arms of my Saviour, that I, by the showers of thy Grace, may bring forth the fruits of a sincere Repentance, in the speedy amendment of my life, to the praise of thy Name, the Comfort of my Friends, and the Eternal welfare of my Immortal Soul, for Jesus Christ his sake.
Our Father, &c.
For Patience.
O Lord God of our Salvation, which art the God of Patience and Mercy, and givest Comfort and consolation to those that are in misery and distress, stay the unbridled Nature of my dear Wife, who is now over-whelmed with misery, sorrow and distress, give her Patience, and strengthen her feeble Nature in all discontentedness of mind, doubts, fears, murmurings, rage and furious actions in this life, let no prophaness enter into her heart, but grant her a stayed mind, a grave, sober, and quiet disposition. O! thou that so patiently, peaceably, mildly, meekly, truly and willingly, didst suffer affliction, persecution, and many hainous and heavy sorrows for us. I beseech thee, let thy Patience discharge and rule her Impatience, and let thine infirmities strengthen her weakness; informe her Ignorance, comfort her in sadness and affliction, kindle her love, and discharge, and abandon her fear, moderate her anger and passion. O Lord grant her true Patience [Page 36] to bear thy Holy Will in all things. O Lord her Heart bleeds within her, she is brought very low, even to the Gates of death, though she be reviled, reproached, bespitted, scoffed, and abused, let her bear it patiently, and give her thy Grace, and patience to take all in good part, whatsoever shall befall her, and let her heart acknowledge it to be thy doings, and to come from thy Providence, and our base unruly minds, quiet her Soul in the many disquieting changes and chances in this world, and open her Eyes now in her discomfort, necessi- and need, that she may see hope and comfort in thee, prosper her in all her endeavours, and Actions, and grant I beseech thee that she may obtain her hearty desire. Make me O Lord a joyfull Mother, and speak comfortably to her Soul, and tell her, that the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the World, will have Mercy upon her. O Lord Jesus, it is the Joy of her Heart, to hear that thou hast taken and born all our infirmity. I humbly mind thee for thy promises, for the performance of them all, that we may be partakers. Prevent her from all evil, that may befall her, and tearm all things to the best for her good in thee, and grant her Patience, and thy will be done, [Page 37] for Jesus Christ his sake, who is the Son of thy Love, and our only Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose name I further call upon thee, saying.
Our Father, &c.
Besides he had with his own hand noted the most comfortable Promises, and places fit for his Condition in the Bible, writing down the words at large, which since it may possibly be useful to some sin-sick Soul, we have here also inserted them, in the words of his own Paper, as follows.
Psal. 15.14. Deliver we from blood-guiltiness O God, thou God of my Salvation, and my Tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. —
Let Tears run down like a River day and night, give thy self no rest, let not the Apple of thine eye cease. —
Lam. 2:18, 19. Arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the Watches, pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. —
Hos. 13.9. Thou hast destroyed thy self, but in me is thine help.
Job 14.13, 14. O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave, that thou wouldst keep me secret, untill thy wrath be past. If a man die shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my Change come,
Psal. 88.2, 3, 9, 10, 12. Let my Prayer com [...] before thee, incline thine ear unto my cry; — For my Soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the Grave. — Mine Eye mournet [...] by reason of affliction; Lord I have called dail [...] upon thee, I have stretched out mine hands unt [...] [Page 39] thee. — Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the Dead arise and praise thee, shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy Righteousness in the Land of forgetfulness. —
Psal. 6.1, 4, 5. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. — Return O Lord, deliver my Soul, O save me for thy Mercy sake; — For in death there is no remembrance of thee, in the Grave there is no giving thanks unto thee. —
Psal. 15.5. Behold I was born in sin, and in Iniquity did my Mother conceive me.
Psal. 25.11. Against thee O Lord have I sinned, against thee, even thee O Lord, have I sinned and done wickedly, and Lord pardon mine Iniquity, for it is exceeding great.
John 6.37. And he that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.
2 Sam. 12.9, 13. David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord; and Nathan said to David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin.
Isa. 45.18, 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain.
Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will abundantly pardon.
Ezek. 18.23, 30, 32. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord, and not that he should turn from his ways and live.— Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions, [Page 40] so Iniquity shall not be your ruine; for I have no pleasure in him that dyeth, wherefore turn your selves and live.
Mica 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardonest Iniquity, and passeth by transgression, that retainest not thy anger for ever, and delightest in Mercy.
Mat. 18.11. the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am chief.
Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his Imaginations, and return to the Lord, and he will have Mercy upon him, and to our God, for he is ready to forgive.
Isa. 57.10. I have seen his ways, and will hear him, I will lead him, and restore comfort unto him, and to those that lament.
Psal. 103.13. As a Father hath compassion on his Children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him.
Psal. 144.3. Lord what is man that thou takest Knowledge of him, or the Son of man that thou makest account of him.
Job 16.21, 22. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleaded for his Neighbour. — When a few days are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
In this manner this penitent Malefactor passed [Page 41] the time in a very sorrowfull and Religious frame of Spirit, for about half a year in Prison, untill the last assizes for Monmouth, the seventh of March, last past; at which time being brought to his Tryal, out of consideration (as 'tis believed) to save his Estate for his VVife and Child, whereof she was there ready to be delivered, he would not plead to the Indictment, but stood mute, and thereupon had Judgment to be pressed to death, a Sentence that carryes with it so much of terrour, that we think it not improper to set it down, with the Reason thereof, as one published by that grand Piller of your Law, the learned Lord Cook, in the second Book of his Institutes, in his Comment on Prim. Westm. Cvp. 12.
The Judgement or Sentence in case of standing mute, called, Pain, Fort, & Dure.
THat the Prisoner shall be remanded to the Prison, and laid there in some low and dark house, where he shall lie naked on the bare Earth, without any Litter, Rush or other Cloathing, and without any Garment about him, but something to cover his Privities, and that he shall lye upon his back, his head uncovered, and his feet, and one Arm shall be drawn to one quarter of the house, and the other Arm to another quarter, and in the same manner shall be done with his Legs; and there shall be laid upon his Body Iron and Stone, as much as he can bear, and more, and the next day following, he shall have three Morsels of Barley without any Drink, and the second day he shall drink thrice of the water that is next to the house of the Prison (except running water) without any Bread, and this shall be his diet untill he be dead.
Thus we see they are to die three manner of ways, (viz.) Onere, Fame, & Frigore, by weight, [Page 43] famine, and cold, and therefore (if executed according to the severity of the Law) 'tis a punishment of all others the most grievous and fearful; the reason of this terrible Judgment is there rendred, because he refused to stand to the common Law of the Land, that is, Lawful and due Tryal according to Law, and thereupon his punishment for this contumacy, is more severe, lasting and grievous, then it should have been for the crime it self, if he had been Convicted of it, which he cannot be, without Answer.
THis Action of Mr. Jones, standing mute, administred occasion to some to dispute its lawfulness, and theteupon a very Judicious Casuist drew up the ensuing Case of Conscience.
CASE OF CONSCIENCE.
Whether a guilty Malefactor ought to Answer to the lawful Demands of his Judge.
Affirmatur,
Because, 1. He cannot deny a Truth whereof he is himself Convicted, without Lying; nor can he deny, or any way detract from his Duty of Answering (being demanded by a superiour and lawful Power,) without being likewise guilty of Contumacy and sad Inobedience.
2. A Malefactor, who is condemned already in foro Conscientiae, cannot, without remorse deny, nor indeed wave or conceal his Confession (when he is Juridice demanded) without giving offence to the glory of God, as it was in the Case of Achan, Josh. 7.19.
3 The publick Good which is intended by the lawful demands of the Judge, ought not to be frustrated (Give me leave to speak conscienciously) by the private evasions of the Criminal.
4. The Person guilty, not pleading, may be supposed to die for his Crime of Contumacy, not the Fact which requires satisfaction in this life.
5. All humane Policy, when repugnant to the manifestation of Justice, legal Procedure, and the Convictions of a tender, though doubtful Conscience, is altogether unallowable.
But to proceed in our Narrative, The same way that was appointed for putting the before-recited terrible Sentence in Execution March 11 last, he writ to his Wife as followeth.
Henry Jones his last Letter to his wife.
AFter my hearty prayers to the God of Heaven and Earth for thee and my poor child or Childrens welfare when born; I do beseech the for Jesus sake to feare God, and pray Continually to him, to endue thee and thy poor child or more with grace, wisedom and understanding, and to give thee a contented mind, in what estate Soever he is pleased to set thee; That thou mayst take all things with a true, religious and satisfied eye, praising him in every thing, and doing no wrong to any man, but what good thou canst to all, never covering any mans estate or plenty of Riches, but satisfied with any small competent maintenance, wherewith to supply thee and my poor Child or Childrens bodies in this life, and to make you more sensible of a better which is to come, I should have bin very glad to have heard thou wert safely delivered of thy burden before I die. But since it pleaseth Almighty God, that it shall be otherwise, I desire thee to be contented, and to bear all the Lords dispensations very patiently, who I hope will turn all things to the best for thee in short time: As for my suffering an ignominious and terrible death, I conjure thee not immoderately to afflict thy self about it; Oh! consider how flight [Page 47] and trivial the momentary pains I can here go through are, in comparison of those inconceiveable endless torments, which I must confess my self justly to have deserved: bless the Lord with me, that he hath dealt so gently as to awaken me to a sense of my horrid sins; That I now see the sinfulness of sin, of all sin, and the need of a Iesus; Through whose pity, grace and mercy I stedfastly hope (though my body suffer for a moment) yet my poor soul shall be pardoned, freed and absolved from eternal damnation; And that he will make thee and all the Worid take example by me, not to offend so good and gracious a God: And as for my Sister Mary, who is to suffer with me or presently after, I do hereby assure thee and all the World, as I have a soul and hope for salvation, she is as clear, free, innocent and guiltless, from having any hand in contriving, plotting, or knowing any thing of my Mothers death, before or after: as any of her Prosecutors, or of the Officers, who took me upon suspicion, until they themselves did suspect me: And therefore I think it is some just and deserved affliction, which God is pleased to lay upon me for the sins of our Parents, not but that we have deserv'd this and ten thousand times more for the sins we have commitred our selves! However I desire thee hence to consider, how angry the Lord is with us sometimes, when he is pleased to inflict such punishment upon her for leud living, and committing such sins: [Page 48] as are termed (with all people) small, and little made of, amongst men in our times; Consider, I say, my dear Heart, my dear Life, my dear Self, what odious and hateful a thing the least sin is in the sight of Almighty God: since she, poor wretch, is now to be burnt to death for lewd living, wantonness, lying, living merrily and idlely; Oh, my dear Wife, go sorrowing to thy Grave for the days of thy vanity, and that idle merry life thou hast formerly lived in: Do not buy such trifles, and indeed a nothing but sorrow, at so dear a Price, as the love of so holy a God, and a happy Eternity: O my dear heart, it cannot choose but make thee tremble (to read it, as well as me to write it) what sins have I committed in killing my Mother, and what Punishment have I deserved for such great sins: when my poor dear Sister is punish'd for so small offences, as people term them, (but great with God.) How ought I to pray the Lord to pardon me so great faults, and that for so small pains and little punishment: Oh praise the Lord all the days of thy life for his goodness and mercy towards us, both in this life and that which is to come: Keep the day that I am put to death as a solemn Fast from diet, but especially from sin, with Prayers and Thanksgiving to the end of this thy mortal life: Retire and confine thy self to a solitary and solid way of living: have as little to do with any in worldly affairs as thou canst: let thy house be in some retired place, free from frequent Resorters, unless it be they who fear God, and live soberly and [Page 49] godly in this present wicked world: let such be thy Comforters and Companions, [...]live like the Ostrich and Pellican: Comfort thy self in nothing but in the Lord God, bring up mine and thy poor childe or children always in the fear of the Lord: And whatever thou doest, be continually in prayers for them, and thy poor self, My dear Mall: And when thou art most under affliction and distress in this life, be then most frequent & fervent in prayers before God, confessing all thy sins (even those thou mayst count small) as well as great and presumptuous sins, desiring pardon and forgiveness, and grace and abstinence for the future: be humble, m ek, and lowly at all times, but especially when thou art before Almighty God: I would have written more large unto thee, but I refer my self to the bearer, who will, I hope, satisfie thee fully, and how and when I was put to death: I can say no more, but my Dearest Dear, farewel: Farewel on Earth; Thy dying Husband hoping to meet in Heaven,
After this, being brought into the place where Execution was to be done, which was in a Cellar belonging to George Sadler the Goaler. After several pious and devout Ejaculations, he spake to the Spectators to this effect,
'That he came very willing to suffer death, since [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 48] [...] [Page 49] [...] [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 48] [...] [Page 49] [...] [Page 50] the crimes he had committed were so odious both in the sight of God and man: That he acknowledged he no longer deserved to tread on the face of the earth, or to look up to Heaven; That he had been a very wicked Liver from his youth up, and that the burthen of his sins would be much more grievous to his soul, then the weight that was to press his body to death, had he not a firm belief, and assured hope, That his blessed Saviour would preserve him from sinking under them, whose Promise it is, Come to me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give rest to your souls: He exprest himself deeply affected with the sense of his guilt, in drawing in his boy to be a sharer in the horrid Act; He exprest himself now in Charity, and reconciled to all the world, but his wicked self: He confest it was covetousness and extravigancy, or rather covetousness to maintain extravigancy, that first put him upon this wicked Act of murthring his dear and tender Mother, he wish'd that all the World might take warning by him, not to get a habit, and live in a custom of sinning, though only in things which we count little things, and venial escapes, lest thereby they provoke the Justice of God to give them to commit some great and monstrous wickedness as he had done, and thereby brought himself to this untimely and infamous death; Finally, he desired all that were present to be earnest with God in his behalf for mercy and acceptance in Christ Iesus, Taat he might be patient in the pangs of his sufferings, and receive [Page 51] everlasting tonsolation, whereupon a godly Divine there present, made this ensuing Prayer.
The Prayer said at Henry Jones his Execution.
O Almightie God, Lord if Heaven and Earth, Judge of Angels and men, give leave to a vile, wretched and dejected soul to come into thy Presence, who deserves nothing but plagues and tormentts, fire and brimstone: Permit a trembling Malefactor to look towards thy Mercie-Seat, and for the Holy Jesus sake attend unto his Cry, and hear the voice of his tears. O eternal Goodness, if thou for sakest him, the vast weight of his sins will sink him into desperation. His state is most sad and deplorable, and there is none to deliver him: let thy tender mercies speedity prevent him, for he is brought very low: He is astonished at the sight of his iniquities, which are great and numberless. O L rd support him with thy blessed Arms, or he will fall into a S [...]a of miserie, and never rise again. Fears and terrors surround him, and the evil spirits watch for his ruine: may he not, a gr [...]e [...]ous sinner, beg one drop of comfort, wh [...] is readie to perish? may he not pray to th [...] in the time of his distress and calamity, when thy fierce wa [...]es are coming over his fainting troubled soul? He is afflicted and readie to die— Oh, wilt thou [...]e angr [...]e with him fo [...]ver? wilt thou draw out thine anger unto all generations? Most gracious God, give him leave to lie at thy sacred feet and bewail himself a little, before he desc [...]nd into his graue wh re there is no repenting; give him leave to confess his iniquity and beg thy favour, that he may not go down into the Regions [...]f darkness, and dwell with devils, for thou willest no [...] the d [...]ath of sinners, thou takest no pleasure in their torments. O [...] W [...]ll-spring of life and saluation, who hast promised Pa [...]don to the Penitent, let the fighing of the Prisoner come before thee, whose heart is melted in the midst of his bowels. He confesses, O Lord, his pride and prophaneness, and contempt of thy G [...]sp [...]l, that he has been greedie of the world, and distrusted thy Pr [...]v [...] dence, that he has made haste to be rich, and ruin [...]d himself, that it was his base and sordid covetousness, which drew him into disobedience, and blood-guiltinesse, which [...] him off in th [...] midst of his days.
O that he should be such a son of Belial, as to die his hands in the blood of his Parent, that bore him upon her Knees, and laid him in her Bosome! thdt he should be such a Wretch, as to side with the devil, and the unrighteous Mammon, in taking away her life who brought him into the World! O the foulness of this deed of darkness, which fills him with grief, horrour and astonishment! But is there no Balm in Gilead? no Physician there to heal a wounded spirit, to support a sinking sinner? O Father of mercies, though his life is forfeited by this Hellish Act, let not his H [...]pes of Heaven be lost, and his precious soul. Thou, O God of Truth, sayst, If we confess our sins, thou art faithful and just to forgive them. And he acknowledges, O Lord, in the bitterness of his soul, that he is the vilest, bloudiest Villain that ever breath'd in thy Air; that no Turk or Moor has been guilty of more horrid Wickedness: but thou seest his Prostration, thou hast heard his g [...]ans: O put his tears into thy bottle, are they not in thy Book? O Searcher of all hearts, thou knowest, 'tis not life but mercy which he implores: Do what thou pleasest with his vile body: but let his soul, we beseech thee, lie in the Arms of Jesus. O wash him clean in that purple stream which flowed from his side, and let all the sins of this po [...]r M l [...]factor be drowned in a flood of sorrow. O that h [...]s Head was waters, and his Eyes a Fountain of tears!— O God of patience and consolation, look not upon the blackness of his crime, but upon the wounds of thy Son, who is mighty to save: O that he may have a share in his death and intercession. For Iesus sake, let his Prayer come before thee, for his soul is full of troubles, and his life draweth nigh unto the Grave. Look down from Heaven, and behold from the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory: O Holy Iesus, offer up our suit to thy Father, and plead for a soul who begs Compunction of spirit, and thy loving-kindness, which is better then life, that he may declare he is a Penitent Murderer, as David, Manasses, and many others, now in thy Kingdom. O most gracious Lord, who art unwilling that [...]y should perish, speak Peace to this troubled, guil y soul, and [Page 53] heal the gaping wounds which he has in his heart: knock off his chains of flesh, and take him unto thee, though he be the least in thy Kingdom: Ever-blessed Iesus, we humbly beseech thee also, save the soul of his poor ignorant servant, whom he hath drawn to the Gates of death, by engaging him to joine with him in spilling the blood of the innocent: for the h rridness of which Fact they cannot weep enough, if their tears could make a River, and rise above its banks, and drown the Field where they sinned. O thou Prince of Peace, look with an eye of mercie upon these Wretches, who are bound in affliction and iron: may thy wounds satisfie for those which they have given, and thy blood for that which they have spilt, and save them from the eternal Prison: Pity and pardon them, and deliver them from the spirits of darkness, and everlasting damnation.
O our dearest Saviour, though this poor, vile and dejected Sinner, suffers an ignominious death, and becomes an object of scorn and derision to many, a Spectacle to men and Angels; do thou bear, help, and save his immortal soul, for thy everlasting mercies sake, most merciful Saviour Iesus, in whose Name and words we further pray, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.
This Prayer ended, the Prisoner kneeled down, and prayed near a quarter of an houre softly by himself, and then was put into the Press, which whether it were not made convenienr for that purpose, or whether for the detestableness of his Crime, it was intended he should suffer the rigour of the Law, I know not, but certain it is, That he lay therein almost two days and nights before he was dead; and yet endured it with that courage and patience, as became one that was sensible his sins deserved infinitely more grievous torments, or rather one that had the assurance of faith, that his sins were washed away in the blood of Iesus; and that he was going to take possession of Ioys unspeakable and endless, ravish'd with the apprehension thereof, he could not only go through, but welcom the greatest pains that in this World could be inflicted.
George Bridges his unhappy servant stood his trial, was found guilty of the Murther, and condemned to be hang'd, which was accordingly ex [...]cuted on Saturday, March 16. last past. He seemed very sorrowful and penitent, and confessed he did cut his Mystriss's Throat after she was shot: The Prayer used at his death was as follows.
A Prayer at the Execution of George Bridges.
O Eternal God, and Father of mercies, in much pity and compassion behold this weak and rrembling Malefactor, who in all Humility begs the remission of his sins and follies: who with shame and sorrow casts himself down at thy feet, and confesses his manifold and insufferable wickednesses, his ignorance of thy Law, and contempt of holy duties, his falshoods and lies, dissimulations and hypocrisies, cruelties and blood-guiltiness. He confesses, O God, that he has deserved the heaviest of thy wrath, to beseparated from the comforts of thy Presence, and the Glories of thy Kingdom.
But blessed be thy Name, that thou invitest sinners to thy [...]elf, and offerest them Pardon upon repentance; that thou hast sent thy only Son into the World to die for such, and [...]ast promised salvation upon their true Confession and deep Humiliat on. O holy God, who art full of long-suffering [...]nd patience, have mercy upon this fearful miserable sinner, [...]nd pardon him his ignorance and anger, and all the errors of his life, and hear his earnest groans now in the time of his affliction and trouble, O what shall we say to thee thou Preserver of men? thou takest no pleasure in seeing the blood of thy children: thou wouldst not have any to die in his transgressions. O God of mercies pity and pardon this timorous dying person, and clense his guilty soul in the blood of the immaculate Lamb, which speaketh better things then that of Ahel. Return, O Lord, deliver his soul: O save him for thy mercies sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the Grave who shall give thee thanks.
Blessed God, thou hast said, thou wilt hear the prayer of two or three; Will thou not attend unto the cries, an [...] tears of a Multitude, who are at thy Throne of grace in behalf of this poor wretch who by the Seductions of the devi [...] and his own hearts lusts was drawn to commit a black, an [...] horrid wickedness, to plot and contrive the de [...]th of hi [...] Mistriss, and to lie in wait for her fall. For thy Name-sak [...] O Lord, pardon his iniquity for it is great; The trouble of his heart are enlarged: O bring thou him out of his d [...] stresses.
O most Gracious Father, let not this sad, and timerou [...] Sinner sink under the burden of his transgressions and cal [...] mities: To thee alone he makes his complaint, and Prayer And he trembles at thy judgements: let not the evil Spiri [...] and his feares prevaile in the time of his trouble, and sorrow, and dissolution.
O God, we beseech thee, give thy afflicted servant a pe [...] fect and sound repentance, and assurance of thy favour tell him that thou hast seal'd his Pardon to him with t [...] blood of Jesus, that thou hast accepted his Confession, a [...] hast heard his g [...]oans, and that he shall quickly be tak [...] from a miserable and sinful world to a Celestial Mansion. [...] dearest Lord, take from thy poor and sinful servant all ino [...] dinate fear of death, and give him earnest desires after C [...] lestial pleasures: and when his soul shall take a farewel [...] this world, let thy holy Angels carry it into the Regions eternal joy, peace, and felicities, for Christ Jesus sake, o [...] dearest Lord. In whose Name and words we further pra [...] Our Father, &c.
As for Mary Jones, though she from first to last protested her innocency, yet it being proved, Not only that she stay'd up for her brother that fatal Night the Murther was committed, but that very Night washed his bloody Clothes, beat the Chil [...]ren for enquiring after their Mother, and since [...]ndeavoring to flie for it, all which was testified, with several other circumstances, by two credible Witnesses, she also was hereupon found guilty as consenting to the Fact; and condemned to be burnt.
Which Sentence was executed the same day that the Boy suffered, viz. Mar. 16. she being drawn along with him on a Sledd, and burned at a Stake nigh the Gallows: She to the last insisted on her Innocence, and gave Certificates thereof to several Persons under her own hand, with most solemn Protestations; and begged of the Lord on the day she was to die, That he would please to shew some sign or token to clear her to the world, which some will have to be Answered by the stubborn Horses refusal to go on with the Sledd when she came against the Church, going to the place of suffering; the falling down of part of the Church-wall then, a strange Meteor and Storm, with I know not how many other Prodigies: but wiser men judge all these to be but raised stories, or at best, forced observations of some melancholy and credulous Heads: 'Tis certain, her sex, youth, and vehement denial of being privy to the Fact, were very powerful Advocates to plead for pity in the spectators breasts, whose tears at her death seem'd [Page 58] almost enough to quench the flames she was exposed to, she said not much at the stake, but what ten [...] ed to declare her innocency in the particular fa [...] charged, though having bin a grand sinner, she a [...] knowledged she had otherwise duely deserved t [...] worst she could suffer. And concluding her discour [...] with a Protestation, that she freely and heartily di [...] forgive all the world.
The Prayers following were put up for her as she sto [...] at the Place of Execution, a numerous throng acco [...] panying each word with sighs and tears.
A Prayer at the Execution of Mary Jones.
O Eternal and most merciful God, who hast made the way [...] troubles and afflictions, the way to Jerusalem and everlasti [...] pleasures: Look in abundant mercy upon a sorrowful sin [...] soul, upon a wretched and vile sinner, who hath none to he [...] and deliver her: O pardon and forgive her all her secret sin lusts and passions, her averseness to religion and vertue, and h [...] want of love to Prayer and holy Offices, to the Word of G [...] and pious Christians: her easie yieldings to the assaults of S [...] tan, and violent resistings of the motions of thy Spirit: H [...] slavish fears and distrust of thy Providence, her greediness of t [...] world, and neglect of the things above, the omissions and lu [...] warmness of her Prayers, and whatsoever has provok'd the [...] lay this great punishment upon her; O God we beseech thee, [...] [...]e be guiltie of the charged crime, of taking away the lif [...] [...] her Mother, let a River of tears run down her cheeks, and w [...] her clean in the blood of the Holy Jesus; If she was not c [...] scious to that fearful and horrid deed of darkness, clear her [...] nocencie to this great multitude by her readiness and che [...] fulness to die, to go through this fierie trial, or by what to [...] [...]eems best to thine infinite W [...]sdom, and let thine holy Ang [...] [Page 59] minister to her in her sorrow, and wipe the tears from her eyes, and sweat from her bodie, and carry her soul into thine everlast [...]ng Kingdom, where, if she arrives, she shall never sin, nor sigh, nor be accused or tempted, judgd or cond [...]mn'd, where she wi [...]l have s [...]und and solid j y, perfect Peace and felicity, and [...] Anthems for ever with Angels and all the Martyrs of [...]sus.
O Almighty and most gracious Saviour, who didst suffer with meekness & p [...]tience those severe stripes of thy Fathers wrath which we did deserve, but thou didst feel, and hast estab ish'd with mankind a Covenant of Faith and Patience, a Law of S [...]fferings, making the way of the Cross to be the way of Heaven: Give t [...] thy handmaid thy grace, that according [...]o thy excellent example, and holy Commandment, she may bear the burden of the Lord, with an even and willing, an obedient and loving spirit. O let her never charge thee foolishly, nor murmure secretly—but with faith and [...]pe submit her body and soul to thy merciful and just disp [...]nsation; that she may not discompose the duties of her repentance by a new sin, nor provoke thee to anger by her impatience—nor neglect the doing of any thing that can be in her power, or in her duty to her body or her soul. O God b [...] merciful to thy handmaid, and press her not with an unequal load, but remember that she is dust and vani [...]y, and dies in thy displeasure. Give her [we pray thee] a quiet mind and peaceful conscience; and deliver her not into the will of her spiritual enemies, but let her be justify'd by thy mercy, sanctify'd by thy spirit, saved by thy infinite and eternal goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord [and Saviour] In whose Name and words we further pray, Our Father, &c.
Which words being ended, The Exe [...]utioner (with a a flaming Torch) sets fire to the straw and Faggots, and in less then an houre after, her body is there consumed to Ashes.
Thus have we traced our bloody Murtherers into the other world, where we Charitably leave them all to the mercies of a most Righteous God, who we may observe in this Example doth often punish one sin with another: A wild dissolute course of Living Engages this unhapy young Gentleman in Covetousness and unjust greedy desires after his Mothers rightfull Estate, to supply his Extravagancies; These unlawfull desires Tempt him to Trample on and violate all Laws of Nature and Grace on Earth and Heaven; And with barbarous hands to Murther her whom in duty and Affection he was bound to obey, honour, and with the hazard of his life preserve; Thus lessercrimes draw on and prepare us for greater, for when we first forsake God, no wonder if he abandon us to our selves and our sins, and the fruit thereof Calamity, Misery, Infamy, and Perdition; Wherefore since we see humane (or rather such Inhumane) Cruelty is ever met with and punished by divine [...]stice let us fly their Crimes that we may avoid their punishments, Reassuming our reasons and recalling our wandering thoughts from Hell to Earth, purposely to Elevate them from Earth, and fix them on Heaven, and consecrate them and our Souls from sin to Righteousness, from Satan to God, that so we may piously Live and peaceably die in this world and Gloriously Reign in that which is to come.
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