Monmouth

the 6th.

1685. Courage. Thereupon he march'd out of Bridg water by Night, with Defign to furprize the King Army, which then lay encamp'd at Sedgmor; but his Guide miftaking his Way in the Dark the Duke's ill Fate led him upon a Battalion of Dum. barton's Regiment plac'd in his Way, who encountering him, aların'd King James's whole Army. with whom he engag'd. The Fight was obftinată. and dubious for a while: For although Colon routed July Oglethorp had quickly broke the Rebels Horse, commanded by the Lord Grey, who made but a faint Refiftance; yet the Infantry fought with great Refolution, being headed by the Duke of Mar mouth; who during the whole Action, maintain' the Reputation of Bravery which he had gain'd in the World; but at lalt he was forc'd to yield: and the King's Army being much Superior both in Numbers, Artillery, and good Difcipline, obtaind a compleat Victory. A confiderable Number of the Malecontents were kill'd upon the Spot, molt of the reit were taken Prifoners, and the Duke had much ado to Preferve Fifty Horse to fecure his Retreat; which however were foon difpers'd; fo miny Parties being fent after him, that he was con ftrain'd to retire almoft alone into a Wood. The common People, who ever fide with the Conqueror; and who were excited befides by theReward promis'd to any one that thould fecure Monmouth us'd fo extraordinary Diligence, that the next Day after the Fight the Lord Grey was taken in a Pea fant's Habit; and the next Day after that the Duke of Monmouth himself was found in a thick Bufh, cover'd with a tatter'd Cloak, and trem bling either with Cold, or Fear. 'Tis faid he was difcover'd by the Faithfulness of one of his Dogs, who having loft his Mafter the Day of the Fight, follow'd him by the Scent, and ftopt at the Place where he had taken Shelter.

'Tis an eafie matter to contract a Familiarity with Danger, when a whole Army bears a fhare in it, and when the eager Purfuit of Honour and Glory makes us overlook the Horrors of approaching Death; but when the appears with the

ghaftly

ghaftly Pomp of a Scaffold and an Ax, the greateft 1685: Heroes generally behold her like other Men, and cannot but be terrify'd at the Sight. Thus the Duke of Monmouth was no fooner taken, but thinking himself already in the Hands of the Executioner, his former Spirit funk into Pufillanimity, which made him meanly endeavour to ward off the impending Blow, by the following fubmiffive Letter which he wrote to the King from Ringwood.

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36

Sir,

"Your Majefty may think it is the Misfortune The Duke I now lye under, makes me make this Appli- of Mon"cation to you: But I do affure your Majefty, it mouth's "is the Remorfe I now have in me, of the Wrong Letter to I have done you in feveral things; and now in King "taking up Arms against you. For my taking up James. Arms, it never was in my Thoughts fince the King died: The Prince and Princels of Orange "will be Witnefs for me of the Affurance I gave "them that I would never ftir against you. But

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t

my Misfortune was fuch, as to meet with fome "horrid People, that made me believe things of "Your Majefty, and gave me fo many false Arguments, that I was fully led away to believe, that it was a Shame, and a Sin before God, not to "do it. But, Sir, I will not trouble Your Majefty at prefent with many things I could fay for 66 my felf, that, I am fure, would move your Compaffion. The chief end of this Letter being "only to beg of you, that I may have that Happi"nefs as to fpeak to Your Majefty: For I have "that to fay to you, Sir, that, I hope, may give

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૬૯.

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you a long and happy Reign. I am fure, Sir, "when you hear me, you will be convinc'd of the "Zeal I have for your Prefervation, and how "heartily I Repent of what I have done. I can "fay no more to Your Majefty now, being this દ Letter muft be feen by thofe that keep me. There"fore, Sir, I fhall make an End, in begging of "Your Majefty to believe fo well of me, that I $6 would rather Die a Thousand Deaths, than excufe

.
"any

1685.

66

any thing I have done, if I did not really think my felf the molt in the Wrong that ever a Man was; and had not from the bottom of my Heart 66 an Abhorrence for thofe that put me upon it, "and for the Action it felf. I hope, Sir, God Almighty will ftrike your Heart with Mercy and "Compattion for me, as he has done mine with "the Abhorrence of what I have done. Where"fore, Sir, I hope I may live to fhew you how "Zealous I fhall ever be for your Service; and "could I fay but one Word in this Letter, you 66 would be convinc'd of it; but it is of that Confequence, that I dare not do it. Therefore, Sir, "I do beg of you once more to let me fpeak to you; for then you will be convinc'd how much I "Thall ever be,

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Your Majesty's most

Humble and Dutiful,

MONMOUTH.

This Letter had been little regarded, if at the fame time the Duke had not writ another, in very moving Terms, to the Queen Dowager; who having ever had an Affection for him, and being now touch'd with Pity for his Misfortunes, prevail'd with the King that he fhould fuffer the Duke to fpeak to him. The Duke being brought to the King's Prefence, fell prefently at his Feet, and having anfwer'd the feveral Questions the King ask'd him, and confefs'd he deferv'd to Die, he conjur'd him, with Tears in his Eyes, not to use him with the feverity of Juftice, and to grant him a Life which he would ever be ready to Sacrifice for his Service. He mention'd to him the Examples of feveral great Princes, who had yielded to the Impreffions of Clemency upon the like Occafions, and who had never afterwards repented of those Acts of Generofity and Mercy; and to make his Heart relent by the foft Motions of Nature, he told him, he was his Brother's Son; and that if

he

1685.

racter.

he fhould take his Life, 'twould be his own Blood he fhould fpill. The King was not fo hard-hear ted as to tell him, That when he was troubled with ill Blood, he gave his Arm to his Surgeon to let it out; as the barbarous Philip II. told his Son, Don Carlos, whom he had condemn'd to Die; but however, he was not fo generous as to fuffer him to Live. He anfwer'd, He was forry for his Misfortune; that his Crime was of too great Confequence to be left unpunifh'd; and that he muft of neceffity fall a Victim to Reasons of State; and accordingly he was Monfent to the Tower, where the next Day but one mouth after his Arrival he was Executed, unheard, by beheaded Virtue of an Attainder paft upon him in Parlia- July 16ment. 'Tis Remarkable, that before he fubmitted his Neck to the Ax, he deliver'd a Paper, wherein in a Prophetical Spirit, he plainly foretold the wonderful Deliverance of the People of England, which Providence has fince wrought by King Wil liam. Thus ended his Days; James Duke of His Cha Monmouth, a Man of more Bravery than Conduct; who putting great Confidence in popular Affection and Affiftance, fram'd the Romantick Defign of invading a Kingdom; and who with a handful of Men, without Arms, Provifions, Martial Difcipline, or any Place of Strength to retire to in cafe of Accidents, had certainly bid fair for a Crown, if the Treachery of the Lord G--- had not occafion'd his Defeat. He was extreamly Handfome, and of noble Afpect; Generous, Affable, Conftant in his Friendship, Juft to his Word, and an utter Enemy to all forts of Cruelty. 'Tis true, he was too ealie in his Nature, and too fond of popular Applaufe, and thofe over-weenings led him infenfibly into all his Misfortunes. In fhort, he was unhappy, not only in the manner of his Death, but the Education of his Youth; whereby he became too much tainted with the Vices of the then Court; but he faid himself upon the Scaffold, and acknowledg'd it for a Mercy, that for two Years before he had apply'd himself to Study and the Practice of Religion in his Retirement; but was unfortunately drawn into that Confpiracy,

168.5 which cot him his Life. As for the Lord G--who certainly deferv'd the fame Treatment, his Treachery pleaded for him with King James, who foon after fign'd his Pardon.

The reft of the Rebels did not meet with the

Bloody Af fame Favour; for whereas wife and good Princes fizes in the Weft. content themfelves upon fuch Occafions with punishing the Ring-leaders, and fome few of their Adherents; by a Barbarity not to be parallell'd in the Reigns of Nero, Caligula, and the most Celebrated Tyrants, not only thofe who had been actually in Arms with the Duke of Monmouth, but even those who had any ways affifted, or fo much as harbour'd them, were equally involv'd in the Crime of his Infurrection. Confidering how the feverity of English Laws is generally mitigated by the Mildnefs of the Judges, Pofterity will hardly believe the Cruelties committed by the Lord Chief Juftice Jeffreys; who with four other Judges his Affiftants, and a Body of Troops commanded by Kirk, was fent into the West of England, with a fpecial Commiffion to try the poor Wretches. I with I could fpare my Reader the Horror which the Account of these Bloody Affizes will certainly create in any Human Breath; but the fevere Laws of Hiftory will not fuffer me to pass over in Silence the following Particulars. At Winchester, Mrs. Alicia Lifle, a Woman of extream Age, was try'd for concealing Mr. Hick's, a Non-Conformift Minifter, and Richard Nelthrop, (the latter being a Stranger, and the former in no Proclamation) and tho' the Jury brought her in three times Not Guilty; yet Jeffreys's Threats fo far prevail'd, that he was at latt found Guilty of High-Treason, and Beheaded for it. From Winchester Jeffreys pofted to Dorchefter, where understanding there were Thirty Perfons that had been found by the Grand Inquest, to have been affifting to the Duke of Monmouth, he contriv'd this Stratagem to dispatch them: When they came upon their Trials, and before they had pleaded, he told them, That whofoever pleaded Not Guilty, and was found otherwise, Thould have little Time to Live; and if any expect

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