Presently after Mr. TOMKINS was Executed about tenne of the clocke, Mr. CHALLENOR was carried from New-gate, accompanied with Mr. PETERS and some other Divines, and conducted by two Troopes of Horse to Cornhill, where a Gibbet was erected against the Royall Exchange, about which was a Guard consisting of two of the Trained Bands, when he came to the place of Execution, being upon the Ladder (after many Teares of hearty Contrition,) he spake as followeth.
IT Hath pleased God to bring me to this place, God hath now returned my prayer upon me, my prayer was, that if this Designe might not bee Honourable to him, that it might be knowne. God hath heard me and it is discovered, that same very thing hath satisfied me, that I was in an errour; and that I am confident, I was in a great deale of fault; And I confesse I doe now die justly; and I pray God, that I may now glorifie the Lord;
I shall onely thus much declare to the world, that they may take off the aspersion, that was laid upon my partner, and my wife, which neither of them did know of this Designe: I have declared my conscience freely [Page 2]to God and the world in every particular that concernes the businesse; thus much I shall say for my owne particular. There were three things laid to my charge which there was some mistake in; Concerning the Kings Letter, whereas it was thought to be another way I thanke God, it was not that way. Then concerning the Seale, I had no hand in the procuring of it, nor knew not of it till the Friday.
There is another thing that is concerning the seizing of the Magazines, which I had no hand in neither. But I die justly, and I deserve this punishment.
But now to you all that are here, let my example be to you, that you never take your selfe to any thing but what you have warrant for from the Lord; I had no warrant I vow to Ged, that hath now satisfied me that the Lord I hope will forgive me, I have heartily repented, and I beseech you all to take this as a warning.
And whereas there is now a great deale of distraction, and division in the City; and that we now make difference, between Gods Ministers, and Gods Ministers despise no meanes, I acknowledge my fault; I did make fome difference, and I now acknowledge it; and desire the Lord to forgive me, I have received more comfort from such men, then ever I had before.
I shall not now have much to say, But I desire heartily that the whole world would forgive me, I doe beg of my God, and of my Christ (who I have not honoured so much as I should have done) that hee would have mercy upon me.
And now to you all I speake, I doe now as freely forgive you, as I trust my Saviour Jesus Christ, hath forgiven me. And so Lord Jesus, into thy hands doe I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God; and so the Lord take me, and the Lord receive me.
Then his Father tendred him the Kings pardon, Saying
Here is the Kings gracious pardon.
To which Mr. Challenor: replyed,
Sir, I beseech you trouble me not with it.
Pray speak to my friends to take care of my corps, and carry me home.
Whereupon Mr. Peters said to him, You are now before the Lord of heaven, if you have any thing about the Lords, you spoke off so often last night, I beseech you speak your Conscience.
Mr. Challenor answering thus, Gentlemen, It is the happiest day that ever I had;
I shall now (Gentlemen) declare a little more of the occasion of this, as I am desired by [Page 4]Mr. Peters, and to give him, and the world satisfaction.
It came from Mr. Waller under this notion, that if that we could make a moderate party here in London, to stand betwixt the gappe, and in the gappe, to unite the King and the Parliament, it would be a very acceptable work, for now the three Kingdomes lay a bleeding, and unlesse that were done there was no hopes to unite them; withall I made this Reply. Sir, if I could assure you of three parts of London, none of them should stirre, unlesse we had the countenance of the Lords and Commons; To this he replyed, You shall have to countenance this businesse the whole House of Lords except three or four you shall have divers of the House of Commons, wee were promised wee should speak with; these Lords; And in truth except wee had spoken with these Lords, nothing could have been done; for Mr. Abbot, Mr. Blinkehorne, Mr. Luntloe, Mr. King, and my selfe agreed that we would not stirre, till these Lords had declared themselves and would be ingaged.
And now (Gentlemen I have another thing to declare, which shall be in the behalfe, of those that are condemned; As Mr. Waller was the mouth from the Lords, as he did declare, so I was the unhappy instrument, from Mr. Waller to the rest; the sentence is now past, I [Page 5]desire if it might be, that it might be moved to the House, that no more might suffer in the cause. This is all I have to say, and desire your hearty prayers to God for me.
Then one Mr. Smart said unto him, Mr. Challenor, If you were to to live longer, would you ever have done the like againe
Mr. Challenor Answered, I am thus farre confident, that if it had pleased God to lend me [...] life, I think I should have run another course, and I am confident of it; I hope this is the happiest day I ever saw, and I hope God is reconciled to me, in my Saviour Jesus Christ; that hath given me repentance; and I am confident he will returne my prayer for me.
Then at his request Mr. P [...]ters prayed very fervently and devoutly with him: after his prayer was ended, Mr. Challenor spake these words.
Gentlemen, I doe from my heart forgive you and all the world, desiring you and all the world to forgive me also, and so I commend my soule into the hands of my God.