A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Memorable Passages and Transactions, that have attended the Life, and Untimely Death, of the Unfortunate Sir John Johnstoun, Who was Executed at Tyburn, on the 23d. of December 1690 For Ste [...]ling Mistress Mary Wharton.
Together with his Behaviour in Prison, and what he Wrote there, touching the Matt [...]r for which he Dyed: With his Pious Exhortations, and Dying Expressions, &c. With a Short ELOGIE, Written by an Impartial Hand, upon this Melancholly Occasion.
Licensed according to Order.
LONDON Printed, and Reprinted at EDINBURGH, by John Reid, and are to be sold at his Printing-House in Bell's Wynd, Anno Dom, 1694.
A Brief HISTORY OF THE Memorable Passages and Transactions, that have attended the Life and Untimely Death, of the Unfortunate Sir JOHN JOHNSTOUN; Who was Executed at Tyburn, on the 23d. of December 1690, for Stealing of Mrs. MARY WHARTON.
IF we seriously consider the various Circumstances that attend Humane Affairs, they cannot but make us conclude, with the Philosopher, that no Man, however prosperous his Condition may be in the beginning, or the greatest part of his Life, can be accounted Happy, before we see his Latter. end: For no Man can be accounted truely so, how great or promising soever his Affairs may be, till the Conclusion crowns the Felicity. It happened once, (as we find it in a Credible Author) that a great and powerful Person, admireing in the Progress of his many Successors, he was never [Page 4] crossed, disappointed, or met with the least Misfortune; Which made him seriously ponder with himself, (as we may say) to tempt his Destiny; and concluded to cast a precious Ring, which he esteemed above all his Riches, from a Rock into the Sea, to try how Fortune would deal with him on that account; And so it happened, beyond his expectation, that several Fishes being taken for his Use, the Ring was found in the Belly of one of them; which seized him with a Melancholly and Conceit, That his Misfortunes when they came, would sit heavy upon him, and so indeed it happened; For he soon after fell by a violent Death. And many Stories, undoubtedly real, we might mention of this kind, but not being very pertinent to this Affair, what has been said may reasonably suffice; Though to make a little further progress of a somewhat different nature: Many Persons, before any grand Misfortune has befallen them, have, by an impulse in the Soul, in one manner or other foreseen it, and perhaps, laboured to shun it one way, when it has unexpectedly fallen out the contrary: But to come nearer,
This unhappy Person, the Subject of our Discourse, whose untimely Fall has given an Occasion of much Talk, was, as farr as we can learn, and as indeed appeared in his Conversation one of a Liberal Education, the Son of [Page 5] considerable Parents who in his tender years, took care to bring him up in those wayes that might make him appear an accomplished Gentleman, and carry some Figure in the World, dstinguishing him from the Inferiour Rank of Men; not leaving any thing undone that might make him fit for Conversation, or apt to do things worthy of his Birth and Education.
He was by Birth a Native of Scotland, where indeed Learning (and especially the Latin Tongue) is very much promoted, and encouragement given on that occasion, it being a Language intelligable to most Nations, especially to Travellers, or Men of any parts, rendring Conversation familiar in distant Countries, and amongst people otherwise of various speech: And although diverse Advantages offered in his Younger years, yet nothing was so pleasing to him, as a desire to make himself known in the Field of Honour, the thirst of Military glory filled his Breast, and finding no considarable Service offer for the Advantage of his own Countrey, he resolved to make himself known abroad: And having a sufficient fortune to defray the charges of such an undertaking, (as being, according to report, no less then a Barronet of the Kingdom of Scotland, and the second of that Rank, viz. Sir John Johnston of Caskaban:) Nor did his expectations fail him, for he found [Page 6] good Entertainment in Flanders, and other places, behaving himself so like a Gentleman, that he soon was taken notice of, and preferred, doing many things that redounded to the gaining him respect and Credit: So that being looked upon as a fit person for service of this kind, he was not long without a Command, and did many signal Exploits, to the Advancement of his own Reputation, and the encouragement of others: And when he had leasure times, he Travelled to take a Survey of the Countrey, and to inform him in the Manners and Customs of the People, and so he spent a considerable part of his dayes, and Fortunate had it been for him, if he had alwayes courted Glory in the Camp of Mars, and not in an unlucky hour, meddled with the soft intrigues of Venus, which proved his Ruine: For having now leasure to be in England with his Company, where he behaved himself very civilly, and we hear not of any thing that offered as a blot upon him, till a Woman of Chester accused him with a Rape, which afterwards he avers, appeared to be maliciously suggested, the Woman being incited to it, as she said, when it came to a true Understanding, by her Brother, who threatned her with death if she would not swear it, and to avoid his fury, fled to Ireland; the Circumstance of which, appears more at large in his Dying Words, though not much pertinent to what where [Page 7] undertake, then that he absolutely denyed it with his almost last breath. Likewise another Trick of the same nature, he said was put upon him at Ʋtrecht in Holland, where he Quartered.
But to return: He having an opportunity to be in London, and frequenting places where a resort of Gentlemen usually are, amongst others, he had a familier acquaintance with one Mr. Montgomery, a Genleman of considerable fortune; as also Captain James Campbel, both his Countrymen, though that acquaintance proved very unlucky: However, a strict friendship being knit between them, he was found to be one in the party that interprized the carrying away of Mrs. Mary Wharton, Daughter to Philip Wharton, Esq Deceased, a Virgin under fourteen years of age, and an Heiress of 1500, and above a Thousand pounds in Monies, and other effects; For which he was Tryed, Cast, and received Sentence at the Old Baily: But since, having met with a paper sufficiently testified to be his own Handwriting, and left as the last Protestations of a Dying-man, we may, as we hope, without giving any offence, incert the Account he gives of the whole matter, as it happened in the many Circumstances that attend this affair.
His Behaviour in Prison, and what he wrote there, touching the Matter for which he Dyed.
SIR, (sayes he, meaning the Minister to whom [Page 8] he gave or sent the Letter) I think it not amiss, as a Dying-man, to give you a short account of all my innocency, and all the reason they have for bringing me to this untimely End.
On Fryday Morning, being the day she was taken way, about ten of the Clock, Captain Campbel, and Mr. Montgomery came to my Lodging with a Haunch of Venison: I asked them what they were going to do? Mr. Montgomery told me, it was to treat Maddam Biarly, and the rest of the young Ladies; And that he would have Captain Campbel Married to one of them this night; And asked me if I would go and be a Witness to it. I told him, it must be by consent, or I would have nothing to do with it. He told him, that if he did not procure her consent, he would not meddle with it; And so we parted, he desiring me to come and meet him at six of the Clock, at a Coffie-house near his Lodging, which I did, and met Captain Campbel there, and sometimes afterwards Mr. Montgomry came and called us to the door, and told us, The Business was done. About 8 of the Clock, Madam Biarly's Coach came by, and they went all away; Captain Campbel called a Coach and Six Horses, and bid us go in and ordeted the Coach-man to drive after her Coach and stop in Great Queens street.
When she was put into the Coach, (as I am a [Page 9] Dying Man, and now receive the Sacrament) I could perceive no discomposure in her at all: For after some time spent by Mr. Campbel in his Amours, she began to talk of my Lord Argyle, and told us that she had seen some of his Children at Ham, & that he was Married to the Dutches of Lauderdales Daughter, and asked him if he were the second Brother. Upon some Discourse, which I do not well remember, she gave him here hand, that she would marry him. This good Humour continued still with her, so that when the Parson desired her to say the Words after him, she spake with so Audible a Voice, that the People in the Room heard her louder than the Minister.
After the Ceremony was over, it was observed, that her Wedding-Ring was too bigg: Her Husband told her he would change it to morrow: She said, No, it is not Lucky to change a Wedding-Ring. At Supper there was nothing to be observved, but an equal Satisfaction between both: When it was asked her, whether she inclined to Bed? she freely consented. The next morning when we came and asked them how they rested? she in particular, answered, Very Well. About 10 of the Clock, Mr. Montgomery asked her, if she would go to Mr. Pontac's to Dinner? she said, With all her Heart: Where we went and stayed till 4 in the Afternoon, and the House full of People. Then we went to our Lodgings, [Page 10] and played at Cards till half an hour after 9; Then she went to Bed with all the seeming pleasantness imaginable. This is the Truth, and no more, as I am a Dyng Man; Neither truely, was it ever my intention or design, to be a Witness of any thing that would look like a Force; Neither indeed, was there any occasion for it, she being so very frank and free of her self to the Marriage. I forgot to tell you, I desired her in the Coach, not to be afraid of any thing, for I told her, there should be nothing of Force imposed upon her, she told me, she was not at all afraid of that; she wrote likewayes to her Aunt freely a Letter, Desiring she might not be troubled for her, for she was very well with her Husband Captain Campbel, &c.
And in this he persevered upon his frequent taking the Sacrament; And at the time of Execution, he likewayes wrote a Letter, to shew a Christian Temper, wherein he expressed himself heartily, willing freely to forgive those that had injured him, intreating and requesting his Friends to rest satisfied, &c.
During his continuance in Prison, after Condemnation, he sent for several Eminent Divines to assist him with Consolation and Comfort, and to prepare him for another World; Appearing wholly to set himself about the Great Work he had to do, in making sure his Peace for an Eternal Consolation; He was oft [Page 11] in Meditations and Prayers, expressing his own vileness and unworthiness, for the sins he had committed against GOD, through the frailty of Youth, and the corruption of Nature; Earnestly begging that he might be throughly washed and cleansed in the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, that so his pollutions being done away, he might at the end of his Life, enter into one more Glorious; and so he continued to wean himself from worldly things, and fix his thoughts upon everlasting. Joyes, and have his eyes up to the Place whither he hoped he was hastening; He shewed a very even Temper and Disposition, and received the Counsel and Cordial Advice that was given him, with much heed and attention, and made all manner of visible Improvement of it, receiving the Notice, that he must prepare for Execution, with great mildness and less concern, than was expected upon the approach of such mellancholy News.
On Tuesday morning about eleven of the Clock, he was put into a Mourning Coach, and followed by a Herse, to bring back the Body, he was attended by two worthy Divines, and was so far from fear of death, that before he came out of the prison. he blessed God that his Mind was so well satisfied, and by the Grace of God he was so prepared to die, that if a Reptive should come▪ it would do him an injury rather than a kindness; And when he came to the place [Page 12] of Execution, one of his friends by the Coach side, told him, that he then came from the King, and no Reprive could be obtained for him, at which, he did not in the least seem moved, being come out of the Coach, and standing in a Cart, he made a very long speech to the people, mostly relating to the Circumstances that attend the unhappy Accident that had occasioned his coming thither, in all the Matterial points, agreeing with what is mentioned in his Letter: And then came to his Exhortaion in these, or as near as could be taken, like words.
His Pious Exhortations, and dying Expressions, &c.
I Must now exhort you to be carefull for the Salvation of your own precious Souls: Gentlemen, He that has been a bred Souldier, has not perhaps Lived so strick to the Rules of Christianity as some other Men. I confess, I have left undone those things which I ought to have done, and have done those things which I ought not to have done; But however, Let me intreat you, that you would remember your Latter end: I pray God that none of you all may come to an Ʋntimely End, yet remember, that you must come to an end, your time must have a period: I bless God, my Life and Conversation has not been so odious and obnoxious to the World, nor I hope, in the Sight of God, but that I have Confidence in his Mercy, and I [Page 13] hope that these Divines have been with me, can justifie that there is nothing that hath come from me, but what hath proceeded from a true and penitent Heart; And I begg, that you would offer up your Prayers to the Throne of Grace for me, because no man can say, he does not bear the Prayers of the Righteous, for GOD hides all men to pray, and not to faint.
Well Gentlemen, He that made Heaven and Earth keep and defend you from all Misfortunes, from the power of death and hell, and then you need not fear, for Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him; Therefore offer up Prayer, not only for your selves, but for me who am a dying Man.
Having said thus much, the Ministers prayed with him, then he prayed to himself, and read two prayers in a book called, A form of prayers for Prisoners, then read the 15 and the 103 Psalms, and having prayed again, he put on his cap and took his last leave of the Spectators in a most humble manner, recommending them to the Protection of Almighty GOD, desiring the concurrence of their prayers to the last breath; and after he had given the sign to be turned of the Cart in the midst of Prayer & pious Ejaculations drew away, and left his Soul to the arms of his Merciful Redeemer, Few eyes that beheld the sad spectacle, refraining from tears, to see a Gantleman so untimely cut off in the prime and strength of his days, being cut down, His body [Page 14] was put into the Conffin, and conveyed away in the herse, and the next day he was Interred.
Thus Reader, have we given you a brief Account of the matterial Circum stances that have attended the Life of this Gentleman to his Unfortunate Grave, recommending to the perpetual and serious Consideration of either Sex, they may pray God to keep them from such misfortunes. Amen.