Sir Charles Lucas HIS LAST SPEECH At the place of Execution, where hee was shot to Death.
⟨Dept y e 7 th⟩ London Printed for R. Smithurst, neer Pye-corner, 1648.
THE SUBSTANCE Of the first Speech by Sir
Charles Lucas, After notice was given Him that he must be shot to death.
AS I am a free-borne English-man, I desire that I may have the benefit of the Lawes of the Land: That I may see my accusers, and plead face to face: and have liberty to put in my Answer, and bee tryed by indifferent Judges.
[Page 2] Was it ever knowne that a man did suffer in this kind in cold blood, by such an order as this, after a surrender by Treaty, upon termes of Mercy, Oh what mercy can there be in death, save onely that one kind is not so bitter as another.
I doe humbly desire this favour (if it may be) that I may have the liberty to speak with the Lord Generall, by whose power I am thus condemned to suffer death: I have something which I would impart unto His Excellency, that I hope may give him such satisfaction, as may cause this bloody cloud to bee removed from over my head.
Sir Charles Lucases last speech which Hee made at the place of Execution.
I Am now to pay that debt which wee all owe, every man must dye, that is most certaine, but how, or when is not knowne to [Page 3] any, It is my chance now, (though unhappily in blood) none of you know when it may be any of your turnes.
As for my offence it is (you all know) for maintaining His Majesties Cause, which hath been according to my judgement, and I beleeve that I went the right way, And I am sure I was firme to that Cause I undertooke.
But seeing I must dye, and that there is no way to obtaine mercy, but that I must now finish my course in this way, to which I beseech Almighty God to assist me, to dye with comfort in my Saviour.
I bequeath my soule into the hands of my Maker, God the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost, three Persons, and one God; Oh! doe thou my Lord God almighty (for my blessed Saviour the Lord Jesus sake) receive my soule to eternall glory.
I have lived a Protestant and a Protestant here I dye, in the faith of the Church of England, that hath beene established so many yeares.
As for my body, I doe desire you that it [Page 4] may be decently carried to my owne house, and that my friends my have liberty to interre it with my Ancestors, and set it in the vault of the Church where they were laide before me; And in the interim, that there bee no incivillity offered to my body here, when I am dead, and that my corps may remaine quiet without molestation when it is carried away.
As for these Souldiers who stand ready to shoot me, I yeeld my life to their hands, and I pray God to forgive them, I do freely from my heart forgive them. And so to thee O Lord I commend my soul, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, Oh Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, receive my soul to thy mercy, Come Lord Jesus receive my soule.
(And so being shot, he fell down and dyed.)
A Speech made by C. R. one of the Lord Generalls Officers, in answer to Sir Charles Lucas his first speech
You have surrendered this Garrison upon mercy, which word mercy you desired might be explained, which was accordingly by your Commissioners and ours, the explanation you well know was, that you should be rendred to us with certaine assurance of Quarter, so as the Lord Generall may be free, to put some immediatly to the sword, (if wee see Cause) And do you now dispute the case against your selfe, and your owne Act.
His Excellency (you know) may execute you all (all the cheife Officers among you) And that he saves any it is mercy.
Now that he causeth you, and some few others to be executed, and saves all the rest, how can you call it cruelty?
A second Speech, Spoken by a private Souldier.
DO you not remember, that when we delivered up Froome Garrison (as I take it) to your selfe, upon faire Quarter, you notwithstanding killed two of us with your own hand, and of forty hanged fourteen more of us afterwards, notwithstanding the surrender, and your engagement to give Quarter.