THE SPEECHES OF Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, AND John Bradshaw.

Intended to Have been spoken at their Execution at Tyburne, Jan. 30. 1660. But for many weightie Reasons omitted.

And now Publish't by MARCHIAMONT NEEDHAM And PAGAN FISHER Servants, Poets, and Pampleteers to his Infernal Highnesse.

Imprimatur,

THO. DUN, Esq

LONDON, Printed and are to be sold at the Old Exchange, and in West­minster-Hall 1660. ⟨Feb. 6⟩

Cromwell's SPEECH AT THE GALLOWS.

GENTLEMEN,

IT being a thing commonly expected at this place to speak something; I shall not break that good old custome, (although I must needs confesse, I have broken all else that lay in my power.) In truth Friends, it is a cold Season, and therefore I hope, if I do not speak so much as you may expect, I being grown an old man, you will pardon me; But here is my good Lord Brad­shaw, to whom I shall refer my self to speak the rest: And [Page 4] first hum—hauc—you must understand, (which I should have been loth you should, but that you know alreadie) That I was the Son of a Brewer, in the Isle of Elie, which I need not to have told you, for it is visibly to be seen in my Nose, being the colour of his Copper; I am loth to say ei­ther He, or I were Gentlemen, because many here would be apt to give me the lye. However, for my part I followed al­waies Gentlemens exercises; Swearing, Whoreing, Drink­ing, and other the like commendable qualities, whilst I was a young man; When I grew more in years, I grew more cunning, and having play'd the Fools part before, I play'd the Knaves now; and by my plausible carriage, and opposing in a high nature all Government and Order in Church and State, I won the love, and notice of all the Hair-brain'd Se­ctaries of those times, (who afterwards was very serviceable to my ambitious thoughts, And to let you know what little reason I have to love learning, I was expel'd the Universitie, but I think I was even with them since.

I was forthwith made a Committee-man, and how I be­haved my self therein, is notoriously known. I think I did not at all swerve from the first constitution of that Office, as you may read in that elegant Character of a Committee-man, gi­ven by Mr. John Cleaveland, to which I refer you. But I was not contented with this preferment alone, which made me seek further, (and indeed though I have none of the best Faces, I quickly found 'twas well approved off for a Warlike or Ammunition Face, having the advantage of a light from my Nose, in all dark, and Warlike Stratagems, (not excepting Plundering itself) by which I quickly found a nearer way to get Wealth, then by Brewing; For I fell to hopping from a Captaine to a Collonel, and so on till I got to be a Gene­rall; and now I am fairly hop't hither, what cheats I acted on [Page 5] God and man, you all too well know, and therefore I need not name them: But I must tell you I loved, I, and that my own Daughter Cl [...]ypool, [...], and John Lambert's Lady too; I think shee loved me too, her Husband came to preferment by it; and let him, when he comes hither, tell you the rest, which I know will not be long after▪ You will wonder I am so ingenious to confesse this; Why truly I will tell you, and I speak in presence of two of my loving Friends by me, I did much more, that was in private, which you may wonder at, should I tell; but I was just in it, (I would not do unjustly for a World) 'twas according to my agreement with the old Gentleman, that the King of Sweden keeps his Court with, where I am sure we shall be very merrie; And I think, if I am not mistaken, we have laid a designe; which if we do not differ among our selves, we may carry on with successe; But oh the violencie of some cursed Ca­vele [...]rish spirits, (I think there are not many) but those few may spoile all; and hinder that good work of Refor­mation we intend. But I shall hang, draw, plunder and decimate them; And indeed, it will be an unspeakable comfort to my spirit to go through with so good a work; nay, I hope to make them as good and orderly as my souldiers were here; and I doubt not but to raise great sums for the poore Protestants in Piedmont, and elsewhere, and it shall be my care they shall never have it. But since I speak of Caveleers, I cannot forget George Monck, I thought he had been surely one of us; but he may be glad I left a fool to my son, he had never had his ends else; but let it passe, 'tis not the first time the devil was cheated by a Monk. And now, good people, I find my self spent: I have only one or two words more, and that is in behalf of two old servants of mine Hills and Field: truly, they were my Prin­ters [Page 6] and servants: the first was a great Sufferer before my power was, and I think unjustly, 'twas only for having but two wives (a venial sin I think); I wish these may be enter­tained or suffered to follow their Trades, and I dare under­take to send them work, and for an earnest I desire they may print this my Speech.

Whereupon he was turned off the Ladder, almost be­fore he had done, and now lies buried under the Gal­lows.

His EPITAPH.
Here lies Ignominious Dust,
Which was the only Seat of Lust:
A man, and yet a Monster too,
That did both King and State undo:
'Tis said by all this is his doom,
And that he ne're deserv'd a Tomb.

Ireton's Speech at the Gallows.

Dear Friends,

IT is the Custome of this place to speak, although in­deed I am very unwilling, but it being an ordinary thing on this occasion, you will not be denied; I must indeed confess that I have been absent from you a long time, but yet my Spirit was ever with you, and in continual counsel with my Father Nol and Bradshaw; but before I left you, I perfected my business in sending the King into a better world, though I thought other; yet since I have been in pursuit of him many a time, and made much enquiry after him, but could never find him, nor hear of him, where I have been: It may be some may wonder if I should here declare my self a Gen­tleman. I am sure I have a very fair Coat of Arms to shew sor't, though I confess I bought them.

Truly Friends, I think the Good Old Cause had not so well prospered, in case I had not went Agent to the other world; whither I had not so soon went, but that I thought I might meet many of the Cavaliers there, and be a continual plague to them, by the Interest I had in the black Prince. Indeed I must needs say he shew­ed me a great respect at my first arrival, especially when I did but name my Father Cromwel and Brad­shaws names to him, though at first he took my Father [Page 8] in law to be Dick his Son: but when I informed him he formerly went by another name in his youth, he quickly remembred him, but why should I trouble you with this at this time: I am come hitherto give an account to the Law for my former transactions, ('tis strange a man should give account for that he never cared for) but although you may for breach of them condemn me, and these my Friends, yet we have very good Friends whither we are going, and such as love those best, as are of our Principles: And now I speak of Principles; I ought to tell you what they are, but you know them too well already, however I must be talking if I can­not do any thing. Well, were our Army alive, I think we should not stand thus on Confessions; but it mat­ters not, we have not been ashamed of worse actions then these, and why should we be afraid now: We have that I am sure in us will carry us through ten thousand of these disgraces, and bring us safe to our own homes; We have I assure you a remnant left among you, that will stand for and justifie us, though at last they stand where we do: A remnant I say of those Agitating spi­rits that were in my dayes, that will stand close by the Good Old Cause, though they are sure to meet with Hell and Damnation in the end, which they need not doubt of; and if you all well understood your selves, you would be of my minde; Friends, wonder not if I have not men­tion'd any thing of Religion, for I so much loved the thing, that I ever hated the name, and am an utter enemie to all that pretend to it; and for the Law, I think in all my actions you may see I never owned that: But indeed, I had almost forgot to tell my title of Honour, which was Lord Deputy of Ireland, Noll Cromwells own son (though [Page 9] some thought J vvas only so by Law) but you know J would never indure that term in all my life: And so now I hope I have satisfied you all, yet no more then you knew before, therefore you are all fools to stand so long in the cold for nothing, and so good night to you; for I am going where I shall be warm enough: Only remem­ber me to my Brother the Lord Major that was, who if you had had any wit, you had never made choice of such a Fool, who (though my Brother) hath no more wit then his Horse.

His EPITAPH.
Thus ends he that did betray
His King and Country, made a prey
Of Law and Gospel, and did spend
His chiefest skill to put an end
To Kingly Power, and throw down
Both the Kings Title, and his Crown.

Bradshaw's Speech at the Gallows.

Good People,

I Am here become a sad Spectacle to you this day, and indeed I ever thought I should arive here one day; If I should tell you where I was born, it would be to no purpose, because my Country hath disowned me; I was bred to the profession of the Law, a Judge, nay, a President too, and all to serve this old Gentleman, (poynting to Cromwell.) I found out the first invention for giving opprobrious, wicked, and villanous language to Kings; for which we are now come to a recompence here, but seeing our designs thrive no better here, we will see what we can do in the other World. And truly, I am only now sorry that this good Gentleman, and I should ever differ, considering we serv'd both one Master, and how alike we were in every thing, not only in our Faces, but even in our very lives and death, being all of a mettle too. But the truth is, he had a King in his Belly, and I had a Common-wealth in mine; and to tell you, I thought by it, I was the biger man, and yet I must study the confusion of the Law on the top of Westminster-Abby, in a little Room; and he must have all Whitehall to himself; indeed Friends, you cannot but judge this unjust, and this was the rise of our [Page 11] difference, and though he made me crosse the Cudgells to him, yet at last I got possession of White-Hall, and a President I was there too, for I cannot love to go back­ward in my honours, for the same place is kept for me where I am going, else I should quarel there too, and set all in a flame; and if Old Nick be not too cunning for us, we shall spoile his Monarchy, and make it a Christian Common-wealth. And truly I think James Harrington hath hit it as well as may be, and for my part, I was angry he did not put my Name as Author of it, because I was ever noted that way beyond him; and now to be a Com­missioner of the Great Seal, is a fine thing indeed, I hope I shall have that place too, else I shall not be pleased, and besides there's a great deal of reason for it, nor do I co­vet to have all neither, but my share, my share. But Gentlemen, I am too too worldly at this place; you expect to hear somewhat of my Religion, and for my part, I never knew any such thing in a Common-wealth, except the Jewish Religion, and truly that I would be soonest of, did I love any, because they Crucify'd their King; and truly I may be thought a Jew for the same thing; but though I love the practice, I hate the Religion, it having been so much defaced in my Dear Friend and Brother Miles Corbet; as to the love of my Country, indeed I would do much for her, and if she would but go with me where I am going, I am confident I could procure her to be the Senior Common-wealth, and should take place of Holland, in spite of their Butter Boxes, although I must confesse they are to be highly commended too, for their Religion.

Thus far you may easily understand me, I think, and were I not sufficiently known, I should tell you much more, but I think there is one generall mistake among you [Page 12] all, in thinking me to be an able Lawyer, indeed Friends I must needs clear meself, and professe my ignorance of that, which my thinks you may easily understand by my continual practice against either Law or Reason, and therefore that doubt is easily clear'd: Truly Friends, my case now, may be some of yours hereafter, and therefore I tell you one thing for your comfort, you talk, and ma­ny talk of a thing call'd Conscience, trouble of Consci­ence; truly I must tell you, I beleeve there is no such thing, if there were, sure I might have been acquainted with it, having ventured far in search of it; thereof take my counsel and course, and you will never fear that, and indeed 'tis only a fear. Well Friends, you have warme Cloth on, and do not much feel the cold, but let me tell you I do, being but thin clad, on purpose for my journey, being to go into a very hot Country, where, if it be any of your fortune [...] to come, Gentlemen you shall not want a President, I'le promise you that: And now I think I have spoken more then you expected I should, and there­fore I may now freely take my leave of you, for here's so good company goes along, that I would not stay behind upon any termes, and so I wish you all a good night.

His EPITAPH.
Law lies a bleeding, Monarchy▪
Ext [...]nguisht, sure the Law must die.
Yet both revive, and Bradshaw's made
A sa [...] example to his Trade.
His end to all 's a good take heed,
How they the bounds of Law exceed.
FINIS.

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