THE Arraignement, Iudgement, Confession, and Execution of Humfrey Stafford Gentleman. Who on the tenth of this present month of Iune, 1607. suffered, at Saint Thomas of Waterings.
AT LONDON Printed by E. A. for A. I. and F. B. & are to be solde at the signe of the Flower-de-Luce and Crowne in Paules Church-yarde. 1607.
To the World. Some speciall reasons for the publication hereof.
1. THe worthie example of impartiall Iustice in Dooming to death so haynous an offender, appeares more perspicuouslye in him, being a Gentleman of high birth, and honorablie descended, then if it had bene executed vpon a meaner offender.
2. As he was a Gentleman of good birth, so his much companye keeping could not chuse but make his vitious life knowne vnto manye thousands, vnto whome happily the report of his repentant death, might neuer [Page] come, it being as great and iust a cause of his friendes ioy and comfort, in that he made so godlye an end, as it was a cause of griefe and sorrowe in that he liued so vngodly a life.
3. That his fall may be a warning to al such as shal reade it, to beware they run not such a race as hee did, least thereby their liues bee shortned as his was.
4. Because that some out of an error, eyther of their owne hearing or vnderstanding, haue giuen it out that hee would haue dyed desperatelye, by casting himselfe from the Ladder, for the truth of which their assertion, they could not gather in all the time of his beeing vppon the Ladder, any the least reason to induce then so to thinke, for so farre was he from casting himselfe off, that not but by the strength of the Executioners Arme, hee could be turned off, because he would by no meanes be guiltie of his owne death.
Lastlye, knowe that some more particulars of his Arraignement and also of his Execution, I could haue set downe, but the former with modestie cannot be well expressed here, although necessitie constrained them to be vttered [Page] there, and the latter being thinges impertinent to this treatise, concerning his repentance, I willingly forbeare: yet are neither so sparingly touched, but that as much may be thereout gathered, as concernes eyther thee to knowe or me to write.
Farewell.
The Arraignement, Conuiction and Iudgement of Humfiey Stafford Gentleman at the Kings-Bench-Barre at Westminster. May the eleuenth, and Iune the eight.
ON the eleuenth of May, 1607. was endighted at the Kings Bench-bar at Westminster, before the Reuerend Iudges there, Humfrey Stafford Gent. &c. for that he had vppon the third of May, in the yeare of our Lord 1606. vnnaturally and feloniously, contrarie to the lawes of God and the King, vsed vnlawfull company with two Boyes, & had them carnaly knowne, the one of them named Richard Robinson, the other Nicholas Crosse, the one about the age of xvii. yeares, the other of xiii. or xiiii. yeres: The place of the fact cōmitted, was at the saide Humfrey Staffords lodging, then in the Parish of Saint Andrewes in Holborne, to which fact he pleaded not guiltie, and for his tryall, put himselfe vpon God and the Countrie, whereuppon for that day, he was returned againe vnto prison in the Kinges Bench in Southwarke, the place [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] from whence he came, vntil the eight of Iune next following, at which time, the saide Humfrey Stafford was againe called to his further answere.
Being come vnto the Barre, his Inditement was again read, whereunto he had before pleaded not guiltie, whereupon was presently impanelled a Iurie of Gentlemen for his tryall: Then were called into the Court his accusers: to wit, the two Boyes, Robinson and Crosse, and one of their Father and Mother. Then M. Stafford being before their faces, the Boyes were asked whether they knew Maister Stafford to be the party whom they meant? they answered yea directly, wherupon an Oath was administred vnto those foure aforenamed, that they should speake the truth, and nothing but truth: The two boyes vpon their oathes did directly charge him with the fact, and the particulars therof: as the time when, the place where, the manner how, the circustances both precedent and consequent (which here for modestye sake I ouer passe.) The man and the Woman testified onelye some matters ensuing vpon the fact, for confirmation of the truth of the Boies allegatiōs, shewing that the boyes had receiued hurt therby, & that they were forced to vse the helpe of a Surgiō for their cure. Maister Stafford stil denyed the fact, affirming and protesting that hee was guiltlesse therein, excusing himselfe, that if he had offended it was in wine; but the Iurie after a little [...]eliberation returned him guiltie, whereupon [Page] one of the Iudges made an exhortatiō vnto him, withall demaunding what he could say for himselfe, wherefore iudgement should not be pronounced against him? Whereupon Maister Stafford desired three or foure dayes respite before sentence were pronounced: for (said hee) I haue some thing to speake, which for some causes vnto my selfe knowne I cannot now vtter. But the honorable bench being not satisfied with that dilatorie answere, Iudgement was presently pronounced, That he shold be conueyed from thence to the place of Execution, there to bee hanged till he were quite dead. The sentence pronoūced, the prisoner was returned backe to the place from whence he came, where he remained vntill the 10. of the same month of Iune, being Wednesday following, in which time hee disposed himselfe to God-ward, hauing made his will, & bequeathed his body to be buried in the Church of S. George in Southwarke.
During the time of his being in Prison, the knowledge of his fact, and the report of the sentence pronoūced against him, cōming vnto some Recusants in the Kings bēch-prison, they studied much how they might seperate him from the bodie of our Church, being a Gent. of good descent, vnto which end they wrote a certain Letter vnto him in Latine, which was closely conueyed vnto him, therein perswading him that there was no Saluation in our Church, and that he should not [Page] admitte of any of our Ministers to conferre with him, but that he should be Cōfessed by some Seminarie Priest, which Letter Maister Stafford hauing receiued, shewed it vnto some of his friends and being himselfe in conscience perswaded of the truth of our Religion, he acknowledged a detestation of the Romish faith and Religion, subscribed with his owne hand, which was also witnessed by the presence of some others, present at the same time, some of them being men of reuerend esteeme, who with their owne mouthes reported it vnto me, which makes me presume of the truth thereof, they being men of known good report, and such as I verilye thinke, make conscience of speaking the least vntruth wittinglye. Which thing I the rather mention, because the world may see how the Papists seeke by al means possible, both in prison & out of prison, to withdraw his Maiesties Subiects frō the truth of Religion, vnto the acknowledgement of the false Doctrine of the whore of Babylon, and that they more especially labour with, and aime at men of great birth and calling, rather then meane Personages, whereby may be gathered that they doe it more of policy then for Conscience sake.
The Execution and confession of Humfrey Stafford Gentleman, Iune the tenth, 1607, at saint Thomas of Waterings.
THe day of his death beeing come, he prepared himselfe thereunto chearefully, and at his setting forwards, he cald for a cleane band, & other thinges, and being asked the reason why he regarded those thinges? oh saide hee, I am now going to a moste ioyfull marriage. He obtained (by request) of maister Arundell, (the vnder Marshal of the Kinges Bench Prison) that hee might goe on foote to his death, who himselfe with Maister Cartwright minister of S. Georges Church (who had laboured much with him for his soules health) did also beare him company, hauing on [Page] the one side his Brother, and on the other side his Kinsman Maister William Stafford. And amongst others who accompained him to his death, was lame Maister Paget, (a reuerend Preacher of Gods word) who also administred him greatest comfort at his death, although not of purpose thereunto appointed, for Maister Paget hauing beene at Detford the same day, in his returne thence towards London, seeing manye assembled at the ordinarie place of Execution, he demaunded of them the reason thereof, who answered that they expected the comming of maister Stafford from the Kings Bench Prison to suffer there. Whereupon Master Paget (willing to doe him good in that extremitie) rode presentlye vnto the Kings Bench to Master Stafford, to yeeld him what comfort he could in that extreamite, & to prepare him rightly vnto God.
Whereupon Maister Stafford reaping much ioy by his ministring, desired his company to his death, whereunto he assented. Maister Stafford being come vnto Saint Thomas of Waterings, at the first, (the throng being greate) hee seemed somewhat amazed, protesting that hee neuer sawe the like (for the weather was exceeding hot, and the prease of people to beholde his death, great.) The rushing and pushing of the people being slacked, Maister Paget was desired to come vnto him, at whose comming, Maister Stafford presently said, Maister Paget is most welcome vnto me, and he [Page] is a man whome I reuerence with all my hart, & then immediately he began to make a general acknowledgement of his sins. Then saide M. Faget, I pray you that you will satisfie the world for this fact, for which you are now to dye, I desire not the particulars of it. M. Stafford replyed with a lowde voice, I acknowledge that I haue deserued death but yet I could not performe mine intention; whereat hee bowed towards the Preacher, and other his friendes, adding with a verie lowe voice For I could not put it in Execution for drunkennesse. Then M. Paget willed him to testifie vnto the world, whether he were not one of those Atheists of the world, who denied that there was a God? No, sayd hee, although my former life mispent, might iustly occasion this question to be moued, yet I vtterly disclaime it, hoping to bee saued by the alone merrits of Christ Iesus, and not by any merrits of mine owne: and although it may bee iustly saide that Humprey Stafford, liued a moste wretched life, yet beare me witnesse I beseech you, that now I dye a moste repentant sinner.
Then M Paget in this his agonye and conflict for his sinnes, comforted him with the examples of many repentant sinners, who vppon their true repentance were receiued into grace and pardoned, as namely that of Ionas, of Manasses, the Prodigall Childe, the Theese vpon the Crosse, at which wordes, Maister Stafford like the true penitant Publican, beate his breast, lifting vp his hands [Page] and eyes towards heauen. Then saide Maister Paget, be of good Comfort, and pray that thou mayest bee that brand taken out of the fire, hee replyed that he hoped he was, and that his sparke of ioy was turned into a flame. Seeing said master Paget he is so penitent, let vs not cast him downe, further, with the burthen of his sinnes, then happilye in this so small a space I shal be able to raise him againe.
Now, said maister Paget, shal we sing a psalme vnto the praise of God? I will said hee, beare you company, wherupon was sung the xxv Psalm, beginning thus: I lift my heart to thee, &c. the Psalme being ended, now said maister Paget, I hope you are able to pray your selfe: I will follow you (saide he) if you please to begin, whereupon, maister Paget made a breefe, but an effectuall prayer, which maister Stafford prayed after him, that the Lord would mollifie and soften his hard heart, which till then had beene so obdurate, and pardon and forgiue his manifolde sins and wickednes, which so long he had wallowed in. After which, hee deuoutlye repeated the mother of all prayers, the prayer of Christ in the Gospell, that fountain head of all Petitions, through which the springes of Gods mercies are opened vnto vs, as on the contrarie, vnthankfulnesse is Ventus vrens, a parching winde that dries vp al the passages, and choketh the fountaines of Gods free mercies and boūties [Page] vnto vs.
All this while maister Stafford stood vpon the lower-most step of the Ladder, and being readie to ascend, the Executioner threw downe an Ash-coloured silke garter to fasten his handes, whereat (said he) it shal not be needfull, for I am resolued to die. Nay, but saide master Paget, you know not what extremitie of paine may force you vnto, whereby you may wrong your self: then said master Stafford let it be so: then hee fastned his owne handes before him, (and his soule doubtlesse fastned vnto euerlasting peace in Christ the Redeemer) but yet so as if he had but stroue to vnloose them, it might easily haue beene performed.
Ascending higher vpon the Ladder with a Ioude and audible voice, hee out of true and perfect contrition, acknowledged againe that hee had been a greeuous offender many and diuerse waies and lifting vp his voice to the people, prayed that his death might be a warning to all others, to beware how they gaue vp themselues to wine, swearing, and companie keeping with such as he tearmed good fellowes, which from his youth hee had greatly delighted in, but especially he wished that all men would haue a care neuer to delight in making of men drunk, which, as it should seeme, was the sin his soule then chiefly stood guiltie of Furthermore, also thanking the Lord for one especial comfort, which his soule now at the houre of his death reioyced in, to wit, that he was guiltlesse of [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the blood of any man, which might well be a great ioy, and vnualuable comfort vnto a soule vntimely departing. I forgiue, (said he) al the world, and him that sought my blood, euen as I would that the world should forgiue me, for they were not mine enemies that brought me to mine end, & this my death, but God of his mercie called me, that I might be saued from eternall death.
Then said he againe with a loude voice, I beseech you let me heare you speake cheerfully that you freely forgiue me; whereat there was an exceeding great noyse with the peoples praying and condiscending: for this his true and vnexpected contrition in his end, made amends for all his former sinnes of his life, though neuer so loathsome & vnnatural. As he was thus preparing for death, hauing before vnbraced his bosome, and looking vpon his owne breast, I thinke (said he) I shall bee long in dying, because I am whole chested, whervpon master Paget out of a Christian loue wished the Hangman to shew him as much fauour as he could in his death, and not to put him to any more torment then needes he must: wherevnto maister Stafford replied, that if he were two whole yeares in dying, he would willingly vndergoe it, for his sinnes had deserued it; yet that his ioyes in Christs mercies were exceeding, and that hee hoped assuredly, that all his sinnes were pardoned, withall confessing that hee had consumed much in riottousnesse, and abhorred liuing, which might haue [Page] relieued many a poore creature, and done many thousands good: but to his exceeding present sorrow he had spent all most vainly and wickedly. The Executioner being some waies moued, sware a great oath, which maister Stafford hearing, reprooued him for it, telling him that such courses had brought him to this end.
He tooke his last farewell of his brother, withall importuning him not to be vnmindfull of some priuate businesse wherewith he had formerly acquainted him, who much grieuing for his brother, and not able to endure to see him die, departed a little before his turning off. Goe now brother (said he) farewell till we meet in heauen. And perceyuing that his brother tooke his death so heauily, I hope (said he) maister Paget will comfort you: who answered, that hee would doe what God would enable him vnto, if hee pleased to resort vnto him. Then took he his leaue of diuers, & amongst the rest, be spake verie heartily vnto maister Arundell, vnder Marshall of the Kings Bench, thanking him for his extraordinarie fauours and kindnesse shewed vnto him in the time of his imprisonment.
The Halter being put about his necke, come (saide he) This Halter is more welcom vnto mee then euer was Ruffe or falling Band: whereupon his friendes looking heauily, hee desired them not to be discomforted, for they should see him die like a Christian, and in that they should haue ioy and [Page] comfort of him. For whereas by reason of the wilde affections and vnbrideled follyes of his youth, they had had but small comfort of him, in his former life, hee stroue nowe to make amendes by putting the more into his death, which indeede (not without great cause) gaue them all much cause of reioycing. For a notorious general sinner dying, all the time of his riotous life to Godwards, as soone as he heartily repents him of his sins, then he begins his life with God, when he prooues a dead man vnto the world, and vtterly mortifies all his filthie affections: so hee neuer truely liued til death toucht him, and a true feeling of all his former offences. The sence and apprehension of death makes men wise, and those that haue spent most follies in their youth, reape most wisdome at such an houre.
A little before his turning of the ladder, I had thought (saide he) to haue leaped off, which yet I will not doe, least I should bee thought to dye desperately, and yet the world shall see I will not dye fearefully. His countenance could not be perceiued to alter much at any time, because hee was a man of an high colour, (for he was of a verie Sanguine Complexion) yet now death seemde a litle to take possession in his eie, for his looke began to be heauie, (for who amongst a million is so hardie-valiant, at the doore of whose heart death arriues not fearefull) knowing wee must all giue account to God the Auditor, at the dreadfull day of [Page] Iudgement, that Auditor whome mans shallowe wit cannot describe, Incomprehensible, iust, respecting no person, the King is his Bayly, to giue him account, as well as the Begger, tis not thy person, not thy state, not thy power, not thy Authoritie and place in this world, which God respectes: That Auditor will not be with bribes corrupted, not ritches, and the vnspeakeble numberlesse treasures of the world, but pure hearts and consciences, washt in the blood of that immaculate lamb preuaile with his mercies.
The Phisitians are of opinion, that a bone being broken in the leg or elsewhere, if it be skilfullye set is faster euer after then any of the rest, so the true repentant sinner, hauing a broken & contrite heart in this world for his offences past, may haue a surer affiance and trust in that Rocke Christ Iesus, for through Tribulation, and heartie sorrow we enter into peace, and euerlasting Glorie, & there is more ioy in heauen for one sinner that repenteth, then for many that neede no repentance.
Now being vppon the point of turning off, hee stroue much with himselfe to expresse the hartines of his repentancce vnto the world, for as his owne wordes gaue him out, I am (saide he) the moste penitent man in the world, withal adding, that if his sins were in number as manye as the sandes vpon the Seashore, or the drops of water that are therein, yet were Gods mercies aboue them all yea (said he) his mercies are farre more then the sinnes of all this company, and [Page] yet heere (looking about him) are a great many, and so praying earnestly to God to receiue his soule in to his Kingdome, he willed the Executioner to do his office, but his face being yet not well couered, the Executioner staying a little, he againe added, Thou hast redeemed me oh Lord God of my saluation, into thy hands I cōmend my spirit. Now, Executioner, I pray thee do thy Office, and then immediately he was turned off the Ladder, not without greate lamentation of the multitude and generall praying for the happines of his soule.
After that his Bodie had fullie satisfied the Law, it had on the morrow Christian Buriall in Saint Georges-Church in Southwarke.