ventures, before any else set thitherward. If those adventures, or returns, were increased here for the finders content, and profit, there is no man would grudge it: but to keep others out for ever, unless they pay, and submit themselves according to their order, and to their government, or, under the pretence of one place found, to include more than was ever meant, seems very injurious. Again: my proposition is not any way so tumultuous, as that thereby I would excuse all order and form of government in trades; or otherwise, to intend a promiscuous kind of calling, or rather confusion of all sorts. Who knoweth not that the commonwealth consisteth, non ex medico, & medico; sed ex medico, & agricola? As also that there must be œconomical and discreet partition and proportion amongst the members, divers trades, to maintain the general body commerce? I have only pointed at some aberrations, but as the novice, travelling through strange countries, tapmando, or tanquam canis ad Nilum. The prosecuting of this argument would draw on a larger discourse than all the whole former, and would then exceed a corollary, and detain the reader too long. Neither like I the issue of meddling, when men tire themselves with controuling of publick matters, yet many times cannot manage their own affairs. I make no intrusion into merchants mysteries, neither desire to pry into the state's secrecy. It was a foolish complaint of the poet, cur aliquid vidi? It is much more for me to say, cur aliquid scripsi? I am so far from giving any cause of publick offence, that I would not justly provoke any private person. I was born in the city, and live amongst seamen, And as some almanack-makers, when they pretend exactness in their calculations, though they do but rove, use to appropriate their observations to the place they live in; so I, writing with the same knowledge, would say I desire good to the meridian of these two places; notwithstanding, as they say also, these may serve alike to all the land.

THE

LIEUTENANT OF THE TOWER'S

SPEECH AND REPENTANCE,

AT THE

TIME OF HIS DEATH,

Who was executed upon Tower-hill, on the 20th Day of November, 1615,

FOR THE MURDER OF

SIR THOMAS OVERBURY.

Mors mihi Lucrum.

London, printed by G. Eld for Na. Butter, and are to be sold at his Shop near St. Austin's Gate. Quarto, containing thirty-six Pages.

TO THE READER.

TO satisfy the world, which, in a cause of this nature, is commonly distracted into various opinions, adding or detracting from the truth, according to the humorous disposition with which it meets; and to do right to the dead gentleman, who (albeit his offence was foul to God and man, and hateful to himself) deserved both love and pity, for the Christian end he made, have I, Reader, for thy sake, collected the substance of that speech, delivered by him before his execution, though I may fail in circumstance perhaps in his order. Many false copies of it pass from hand to hand, and many untrue rumours of him: this, if thou art not too much given over to misbelief, will stay both, as being with much labour gotten together, and confirmed by approbation of such judgments as were then present, and nearest and best understood him. Though I confess it falls short of that grace and life wherewith he delivered it, who, I must needs say, did it more exactly, even beyond ordinary report: and so praying unto Almighty God, that thou mayest make that good use of this discourse, as he meant thee that made it, and as I do that relate it, I commit thee to God.

I

SEE many faces in this place, which I know right well, both lords and gentlemen, whom I have honoured, and do still love, with many others of several dispositions. All you being thus assembled to

*This is the 21st number of the Catalogue of Pamphlets in the Harleian Library.

see me finish my days, the number of which I summed up, for the very minutes of my life may now be reckoned. Your expectation is to have me say something, to give satisfaction to the world, and I will do it so far as I can, albeit, in that speech of mine, I shall, as it was spoken unto me the last night, but chatter like a crow. But, whatsoever I deliver, I beseech you to take from a wounded bosom, for my purpose is to rip up my very heart, and to leave nothing therein, which may prove any clog to my conscience.

Hither am I come to perform a work, which, of all others, is to man the most easy, and yet to flesh and blood is the hardest, and that is, to die, To hide, therefore, any thing for any worldly respect, were to leave a blot upon my own soul, which I trust shall be presented, through the mercies of my Maker, and merits of my Saviour, acceptable before God's high tribunal.

And, First, I will labour to satisfy some, who, before my apprehension, were well conceited of me, but since my arraignment, as I understand, carried of me but hard opinions; for that, at the bar, I stood stiffly upon the justice of my innocence; and this they impute as a great fault, seeing afterwards that I was found guilty of the crime: to which I answer, That I did it ignorantly: nay, I was so far from thinking myself foul in the fact, that until these two gentlemen, Doctor Felton and Doctor Whiting, the physicians for my soul, told me how deeply I had imbrewed my hands in the blood of that gentleman, making me, by God's law, as guilty in the concealing, as if I had been a personal actor in it: till then, I say, I held myself so ignorant of the deed, and my conscience so clear, that I did never ask God forgiveness, nor once repent me of the fact, such was my blindness. So that it was not only an error, or rather a horrible sin, in me to consent, but a worse, to deny it, so bloody, so treacherous, so foul, so filthy a fact as that was; for which, I must confess the King, and the state, have dealt honourably, roundly, and justly, with me, in condemning me unto this death. And thus I have laboured, and done my best, to clear this point, being willing, by all good means, to reduce your first opinions of me; that, as formerly you conceited well of me, so you would now, with a charitable affection, perform the last duty of your Christian loves towards me, praying to God, both with me, that this cup, whereof I am to drink, may not be grievous unto me, but that and for me, to the intent, that it may be a joyful conveyance to

a better and more blessed comfort.

Some, perhaps, will think it to be a rigour of the state, or aggravation of my judgment, that I should die in this place; but this do I take as an honour unto me, and herein do I acknowlege myself to stand much bound to the state, in that I have this favour vouchsafed me, to suffer death in sight of my charge, even where I had sinned, on the Tower-hill, rather than in the place of common execution, where every base malefactor dieth.

Many do I see here whom I know well, and of whom I am likewise well known: and now am I a spectacle for them to be looked on, whom, in former times, and in all men's accounts, they held never likely to come to such an end. But herein behold the justice of God, who

is so opposed against sin, because, that, if we forget to seek him whilst we may, he will find us out when we would not be found of him.

It is expected I should say something of the fact which I have com→ mitted; and hither am I come, resolved to clear my conscience, before I depart this world, of all matters which I either know, or can now remember. And so much I have already delivered in writing to my lord chief justice; and, to prove that which I wrote is true, I yesterday confirmed it with the receiving of the blessed sacrament, wishing unto you all as much comfort by those holy mysteries, as I took by them. And I do here, though not with such a blood, yet with my own blood, seal that which I have written. For myself, I will hide nothing to make my fault seem less, but will rip open this very heart of mine, and confess before God mine own uncleanness,

I have sinned exceedingly against thee, O my Maker, and in this am I most faulty, that I did not reveal it, to the King, so soon as I myself had knowledge of the business. But, alas! fear to lose these worldly pleasures, and the love to promotion, made me forget my duty to my Sovereign, and not to regard my God, who is a swift avenger of blood; and, would to Heaven I had trusted to his providence, and set the things of this world at nought, for Heaven's sake, and a good conscience. You see, gentlemen, promotion cannot rescue us from the justice of God, which always pursues after sin; and therefore I exhort you not to trust in men, how great soever, for they cannot hide themselves, when God is angry; neither can they protect you from shame, when God will consume you : he that sitteth in Heaven will deride and scorn their foolish inventions. As for me, I will not spare to lay open my own shame: think you I care for the reputation of this world? No, I weigh it not. Thus my soul shall receive more comfort from God in my upright dealing.

My sin, in this foul fact, was great, for upon me lay all the blood, shed, and to be shed: I have made many children fatherless, many wives husbandless, many parents childless, and I, myself, leave a comfortless wife, and eight children behind me for it too; for, if I had revealed it when I might, I had freed much blood from being spilled, insomuch as I could wish, God's justice and charity reserved, I might hang in chains, till I rot away by piecemeal; nor cared I what tortures my body were put unto, so I might expiate, or free the blood of so many, some in one place, and some in another, which is both like to be shed, and is already shed, and the Lord knows when it will have an end.

Concerning myself, I will aggravate the crime, by speaking of every circumstance I can remember. And now it comes into my mind, what trust that gentleman put into me: he reputed me to be most faithful unto him, O the vileness of my heart! I proved unfaithful, and was his deadly deceitful friend.

And here, gentlemen, I exhort you all, that you would take notice of this, ever to be faithful to those who put you in trust.

Sir Thomas Overbury trusted me, and I was unfaithful and treacherous to him, in drawing tickets for him to his disadvantage. I promised him secrecy, yet betrayed him, only to satisfy greatness: but God,

who sees the secret thoughts of man's heart, will disclose all unjust actions at last: nay, I am persuaded, that whosoever they be that commit sin in their childhood, at one time or other it will be revealed.

In this place it cometh to my mind, that in my younger days, as well beyond the seas as here, I was much addicted to that idle vein of gaming, I was bewitched with it indeed : and I played not for little or for small sums neither, but for great ones, yet ever haunted with ill luck : and, upon a time, being much displeased at my loss, I said, not in a careless manner, would I might be hanged; but seriously, and advisedly, between God and myself, clapping my hands upon my breast, I spake thus, If ever I play again, then let me be hanged. Now, gentlemen, here you may behold the justice of God, paying me my wish and imprecation home. Be careful, therefore, I exhort you, that you vow nothing but that unto which you will give all diligence to perform; for the powerful God, before whom you make such vows, will otherwise be avenged.

In this place, Doctor Whiting putting him in mind to satisfy the world, touching his religion, thus he went on:

The matter you speak to me of, saith he, is well thought upon; for I hear that abroad have been some murmuring and questions made about me for my religion; some giving out, that I was infected with anabaptism; a fond, ridiculous, foolish, and phantastical opinion, which I never affected, but rather despised.

Many may think, that the manner of my death doth much discou rage me, that I should die in a halter: I would have you all to think, that I scorn all such worldly thoughts: I care not for it, I value not any earthly shame at all, so as I may have honour and glory anon in heaven: and I make no doubt, but I shall suddenly be more happy than you all, and that I shall see God face to face; and, if there be any point of innocency in me at all, I do utterly cast it from me, and I do commit it wholly to God.

And, for any matter of glory, I do, with the saints of God, expect it through the merits of Christ, at the resurrection; yea, it is my glory to die thus. I might have died in my bed, or shooting the bridge, or else have fallen down suddenly, in which death I should have wanted this space to repent, being the sweet comfort, and assured hope of God's favour, which, of his mercy, he hath vouchsafed me; so that it swalloweth up all fear of death, or reproach of the world; wishing unto all you, gentlemen, who now behold me, that, wheresoever you shall die, either in your beds, or elsewhere howsoever, you may feel such comfort and resolution, as God in his mercy hath bestowed upon me and my wounded soul for this and the rest of my grievous sins.

But, methinks I hear some of you conjecture and say, that I express no great arguments or signs of sorrow: You think my heart should rather dissolve and melt into tears, than to appear so insensible of fear as I may seem; but I must tell you, tears were never common in me; I may therefore fear, though I do not weep. I have been courageous both beyond the seas and here in my own country; but, gentlemen, that was when there was no peril before me: but now the stroke of