[The] Kings last Speech at his time of Execution, as he made upon the Scaffold,
a little before his Death, which was to this effect:
Which shall in Verse, and not in Prose,
Through England range to Friends and Foes.
To the Tune of, Gerheards Mistris.
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I Come
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My blessed Saviour, now behold I come
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to thy Kingdome,
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At thy Tribunal seat to be an Heir
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Of bliss;
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The Angels joys is onely Heavenly bliss,
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sweet Saviour kiss
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With Lips of Grace, for God alone I fear:
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Sweet Christ
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Descend down with thy Spirit,
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to sanctifie my Soul;
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Cleanse every chink, from filth and stink,
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for I with sin am foul:
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Oh wash
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Me with thy blood so precious,
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which on the Cross was shed,
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Annoint my heart, in every part,
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that when my body's dead,
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My soul
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May soon ascend to fair Olympus high,
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above the Sky,
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Amongst the Saints and Martyrs for to be
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In grace
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Amongst Gods Angels, there to be in Grace,
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a dwelling place
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Prepar'd for those who put their trust in thee:
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I will
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O Lord rely upon thee,
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that when the stroak of death
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Hath ta'en away my life this day,
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and stop'd my vital breath:
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I may
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Be shaddowed with thy mercies,
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and covered with thy Wings;
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In Heaven to be, above with thee,
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which art the King of Kings.
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O Lord,
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That I a Protestant do dye,
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though scandals flye,
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Which do report that I a Papist am,
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But God
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Which knows the secrets of a Princes mind,
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can see, and find
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That I am innocent, like to a Lamb;
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For all
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The wealth that is in Europe
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I'de not infringe my Oath,
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For grace I look, and on Gods book
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I plighted have my troth:
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For which
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My secret Protestation
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I never will forsake,
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Although I dye, by tyranny,
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and loose my life at stake.
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The Second Part, to the same Tune.
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IN heart
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And mind I freely do forgive all those
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which are my foes,
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Let not my blood O Lord in judgement rise:
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Let not
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This foul and filthy act which they commit,
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yet they think fit
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To blast that Sun, which gives light to the skies:
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In heart
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Lord I do desire
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that thou wouldst pass this by,
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That I and they, which part this day,
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may be friends though I dye:
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For he
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Shall certainly be blest
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that loves to dye in peace;
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Oh that my life, might free all strife,
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that Englands Wars may cease.
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Oh that
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My wretched life a ransome now might be,
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this Land to free,
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From all her troubles, grievous wars and cares,
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Then I
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Should think my self a happy man to dye,
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from misery,
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For to expell old Englands poysoning Wars:
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Yet is
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My state most sure and happy,
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though England ne'r be free;
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For God will scourge, those that do urge
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his mighty Majesty;
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And all
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Which do transgress his Statutes,
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and will not him obey,
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Those God will smite, and put to flight,
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that headlong run astray.
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Oh Lord
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Look down in mercy, and compassion take,
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though they forsake
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Both thee their God, and me their Soveraign King,
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That when
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Their breath departs: for why, they are but men
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we may agen
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Meet in thy Kingdom, laud and praise to sing
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To thee,
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The God and great Jehovah,
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Omnipotent art thou,
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Which wilt respect, thy own elect,
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and make thy foes to bow:
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For those
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Which do oppose Gods power,
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and are stiff-necked too,
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Like Pharaoh they shall plagued be,
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the Lord doth Kings subdue.
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Now for
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My wife, and eke my Royal Children all,
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before my fall,
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I will petition to Almighty God,
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That they
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May be preserv'd, to God I humbly pray
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both night and day,
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Oh let them not feel Vassals cruel Rod:
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But from
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Their foes O Lord defend them
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even for my Saviours sake,
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Now in distress, their wrongs redress,
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and pitty on them take;
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For they
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Are fatherless appointed,
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and I e'n trodden down,
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Let Charles my Son, when I am gone,
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possess alone the Crown.
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My soul
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Into celestial Heaven I do commit,
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a place most fit
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For to receive the spirit of a Saint,
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To drink
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The draught of sure and everlasting life,
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that's free from strife,
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Where neither soul nor spirit shall not faint.
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Come Death
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And do thy execution,
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for thou to me art blest,
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From hence I flye, above the sky,
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unto a throne of rest.
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Farewel
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My Wife, and dearest Children,
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true Subjects all adue,
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Here must I dye, for what, and why,
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it is well known to you.
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