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An Abstract of the Late Noble Lord Russel's Speech to the Sheriffs; as also of a Paper delivered by him to them at the place of his much lamented Execution on July 21. 1683.
IN his Speech to the Sheriffs, he tells them, that for fear of not being well heard, he had couched what he had to say upon that sad occa∣sion in the Paper he delivered them; only he protests his Innocence of any Designs against the King's Person, or the then Government, and prays for the preservation of both, and of the Protestant Religion; and in short, declares that he forgives all the World, and wishes that all True Prote∣stants may Love one another, and not make way for Popery, by their Animosities.
In the Paper, He first declares himself Com∣pos'd for Death, and weaned from this World: Then he affectionately thanks God, as in general, so in particular, for his advantagious Birth, and Religious Education, of which in that important occasion, he found such happy and powerful Ef∣fects as kept him up against the fear of Death, and all other Discomposures, and armed him with such assurances in God's Love and Mercy, as made the most joyful of the visibly saddest Mo∣ments of his Life.
He professes to die as he had lived, a sincere Protestant of the Church of England, tho' he never could come up to the heighths of some; wishes