The bloody assizes, or, A compleat history of the life of George Lord Jefferies, from his birth to this present time ... to which is added Major Holmes's excellent speech, with the dying speeches and prayers of many other eminent Protestants : none of which were ever before publish'd ...

Some Remarkable Passages, with the Dving Prayers of many Eminent Persons who suffered in the West under the cruel Sentence of the late Lord Chancellor, then Lord Chief Justice Jefferys▪ and the most remarkable Circumstances that Attended their Execution, An Account of the behaviour of Coll. Holmes in Lyme, and at the place of his Execution. And his last Prayer.

HE with Eleaven more were brought from Dorchester to Lyme six in a Coach, and six in a Cart, as he was drawn through the Town, he chearfully beholding the People, advised them not to be discouraged, at their severe Deaths, for that though it was their

hard fortunes to loose the day, in so good a Cause, yet he questioned not but it would be Revived again, and by such means as he nor they could not imagine, God I hope and trust will never let this Na∣tion to fall into Popery, being brought to the Inn, where they stoped, near two hours, untill the Butchers had prepared every thing ready for the slaughter, they were visited by a very worthy Divine, and Vicar of that Town, who offered them those spiritual helps, usually in those Occasions, which some of them Embraced, and others not; their Principles being Different from the Church of England: The Jaylor speaking to Coll Holmes to knock off his Irons, he said, Great Men of State wear Chains, and 'tis accounted for their honour, but though there is a vast difference, betwixt those Golden ones and mine, yet I take mine to be more Honourable, as that good Apostle said, he accounted it an honour to suffer shame for his Ma∣sters Name, the Sledge being in readiness they prepared to enter it; but Alas! who should draw such Men to Execution though Men were so bloody, the very Beasts refused to draw them; and instead of going forward they went backwards, and could by no means, make them do it, which so inraged some Persons, that they took the Coach Horses out of the Coach▪ and placed them to the Sledge; but presently the Sledge broke in peices; then spake this worthy good Man: Pray Gentlemen you see all your strivings will not do, to draw us to Execution, I verily believe there is more in it then you are aware of, pray read about the Prophet, that went out of Gods way, his Beast saw that he could not.

Give us leave and we will walk to the place; Being there come the Coll. prepared first to mount that Tragical Stage, the heads of his Speech you have before, therefore his Prayer take as followeth,

Coll. Holme's Last Prayer.

MOst Glorious, most great, and most merciful God, there is none in Heaven nor in Earth that is like unto thee, Heaven is thy Throne, and the Earth is thy footstool, who shall say unto thee, what doest thou? here we are poor deplorable Creatures come to offer up our last Prayers, and Services unto thee▪ we beseech thy favourable Ear to our Prayers, and the comfort of thy holy Spirit, at this time, we praise and magnifie thy name, for all the dispensations of thy providence towards us, especially for this thy providence, in bring∣ing us to this place and at this time, to suffer shame for thy Name;

help and assist all of us to submit to thy will patiently. Pardon all our Sins▪ remove them out of thy presence as far as the East is from the West, and accept of us in the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ, thou who art the searcher of hearts, and tryer of Reins let there not at the moment of death be the least spark of Sin indwelling in us, nor the strivings of Flesh and Blood, that may hinder us from a joyful passage unto thee, give us patience also under these sufferings and a deliverance to all others from undergoing them, and in thy good time work deliverance for poor England, let thy Gospel yet florish amongst them, hasten the downfall of Antichrist, we trust the time is near come; prevent O Lord this effusion of Christian Blood, and if it be thy will, let this be the last; Lord bless this Town, let them from the highest to the lowest set the fear of God before their Eyes; Bless all sorts and Conditions of Men in all Ranks and Qua∣lities, pardon all their Sins, give them all true Repentance, and the Grace of thy holy Spirit, fit and prepare us for the chearful fulfilling of thy holy will, let the Comforter be still with us, be merciful to all our Friends and Relations and Acquaintance, forgive our Ene∣mies, accept of our thankfulness, for all the Mercies and favours af∣forded us, and hear and graciously answer us, in these our Requests, and whar else thou knowest needful and expedient for us, and all for our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ his sake; who Dyed for us, that we might Reign with him for ever and ever, to whom with thee and thy Blessed Spirit of Grace be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, glory and Praise both now and for ever, after which, im∣bracing his Fellow sufferers, and kissing them and giving them some ghostly Comforts, he desired help of the Sheriff to go up the Ladder, having but one Arm, and the Gallows higher then ordinary, which was granted: And in a short time after the Executioner did his Of∣fice; thus fell, the valiant and good Christian C••ll▪ Holmes, his dying Words, we have now found come to pass, he was much la∣mented by all that saw him, except by some, that 'tis feared, are delivered up to a feared Conscience.

Mr. Christopher Batiscombe, his last Speech and Prayer imediately before he suffered at Lyme 12th of September. 168••.

HE was well known to be a Gentleman, and of a good Estate in Dorchester shire, and a true Protestant, well beloved among the Gentry of that Country; It was his fortune to be concerned with the

D. M. and was very faithful to him to the last, during the time of the Bloody Assizes at Dorchester, where he received his Sen∣tence of death, was divers times sent for to the Chamber of the then L. C. J. and promoted with offers of Life to betray some Gentle∣men, which he refused saying, he scorned to purchase his Life by such indirect means; and he accordingly chose death rather then Life; seeing it could not be purchased, but by such unworthy means. The day being come he prepared himself, and received the Holy Sacrament, walking down to the Place of Execution, with much chearfulness and Christian Courage, when he was mounting the Ladder, smiled, and said, I am not afraid of this, I am go∣ing to a better Place, from a poor and miserable World, to a Celestial Paradise, a Heavenly Jerusalem; I might have chosen; whether I would have undergone this Death, if I had hearkened to the L. C. J. but it was upon such unworthy terms, that should I have accepted of my Pardon, it would have been troublesome to me; I dye a true Protestant, I am in Charity with all Men, God preserve this Nation from Popery, the Lord bless you all; so taking his leave of them, he knew, after Prayer, he lanched into Eternity.

Some Passages Relating to Mr. Sampson Larke with his Prayer, at the same time and place when Executed.

IMmediately after Col. Holmes was Executed; this good Man was ordered to prepare to follow▪ accordingly going to deliver some few Words to the People, some whereof were formerly of his Congregation, but being told, he could not expect much time; because it was so late, and so many to be Executed after him, so he suddenly concluded, and said, I will now speak a few Words to him which I am sure will hear me, and so began his Prayer, as followeth,

Blessed Lord God, we thine unworthy Creatures, now here be∣fore thee cannot but acknowledg from the bottom of our Hearts our own unworthiness, we must confess we have been grievous Sin∣ners and have brought forth the Evil Fruit of it in our Lives, to the great dishonour of thy Name, for which we have deserved thy heavy wrath and indignation to be powred forth upon us, not only in this Life, but in that which is to come.

O let us bless God for our Sufferings and Afflictions, as for our Mercies, we bless thee in particular for this, O sanctifie it to us, let us be effectually convinced of the vanity of the World, and of our own sinfulness by Nature and Practise, and to see that to be

Sin which we never saw before; O Lord make us sensible of the absolute Necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie us, and let him be now made much more dear and precious to our Souls than ever, that so we may be wrought into a more▪ Heavenly Frame, and raised to a higher degree of Spirituality, and so made more meek and humble, and let us judge Charitably of others, that differ from us in Opinion and Judgment; and now O Lord, though by thy most righteous Judgment, we most justly deserve these suf∣ferings, and such an ignominious death, for our Sins, against thee, not for Treasons against the Kingdom, let us be in a preparedness for it: Pardon all our Sins, help us quietly to submit to thy holy will, speak peace to all our Souls, look in mercy O Lord, on this poor Nation, especially on this Town, and every particular Person in it, let them all mind those things which concerns their peace before they are hid from their Eyes, comfort my dear and distressed Wife, be a Husband unto her, deliver her out of the Paw of the Lyon, and the Paws of the Bear, look upon all thy poor afflicted ones, all Pri∣soners and Captives, work deliverance for them if thou seest it good, but thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven, and now Lord with humble meekness and submission I submit to thy will, de∣pending upon the merits of my Saviour, to whom with thy blessed self and Spirit be ascribed all Honour and praise both now and for ever. Amen.

Then mounting the Ladder, he called to some of the Town who weeped for him, but were at some distance, go home to your own Houses, pray do not weep for me, and before you get up yonder Hill, I shall be with my Heavenly Father, in fulness of Joy and Pleasure for ever more, and so advising those before him to leave off those cruel Sentiments they had taken of them, besides some Heavenly discourses with some of his Friends, was turned off to the great grief of the good People in the Town, especially those of his own Congre∣gation. To give him nothing but his due, he was a man- mighty charitable, relieving and visiting the poor and needy, Preached in season and out of season▪ and made it his business to no about doing good, and to put poor Souls in a way for Eternal Life, he was an old Christian, as well as aged in Years▪ he was a general loss.

Especially to his dear and tender Wife, but all our losses are no∣thing to be compared to that Glory that he now enjoys.

FINIS.