It was the practice in those days, and long after, for malefactors to make a speech" upon the ladder," before they were" turned off," as it was called; the mode of executing criminals, before the invention of the modern drop, being for the hangman to push the miserable wretch off the ladder, and sometimes to swing off along with him, in order to abridge his sufferings by adding the weight of his own body to that of the malefactor. But before this took place, the condemned person addressed the surrounding multitude from the ladder; and generally, these speeches were very long. Hence the practice of crying about the dying speeches of criminals after their execution. Where the offenders suffered for political crimes, as in cases of high treason, these speeches were frequently of great interest, as every indulgence was granted to persons in that situation, who, when there was no longer any hope of life, unbosomed themselves more freely than during their trials, with respect to all the circumstances of the crime for which they were about to suffer.

Harrison's "speech upon the ladder," was throughout in the same strain of vehement piety, of enthusiastic appeals to God, and of confident reliance upon his mercy. Nor did he let fall a single expression, which indicated the slightest change in his belief, that in all he had done he had been merely fulfilling the will of heaven. If possible, indeed, this persuasion seems to have been stronger upon him, thus standing on the brink of eternity, than when pleading before his judges. It is easy to understand how a mind thus constituted, could meet death with a cheerful longing. We extract from his dying speech its most striking passages.

Gentlemen-I did not expect to have spoken a word to you at this time; but seeing there is a silence commanded, I will speak something of the work, God had in hand in our days. Many of you have been witnesses of the finger of God, that hath been seen amongst us of late years in the deliverance of his people from their oppressors; and in bringing to judgment those that were guilty of the precious blood of the dear servants of the Lord, and how God did witness thereto, by many wonderful and evident testimonies, as it were immediately from heaven; insomuch that many of our enemies, who were persons of no mean quality, were forced to confess, that God was with us, and if God did but stand neuter, they should not value us. And, therefore, seeing the finger of God hath been pleading this cause, I shall not need to speak much to it: in which work, I with others were engaged; for the which I do, from my soul,bless the name of God who, out of the exceeding riches of his grace, accounted me worthy to be instrumental in so glorious a work. *** [The people observing him to tremble in his hands and legs, he took notice of it.] Gentlemen, by reason of some scoffing that I hear, I judge that some do think I am afraid to die, by the shaking I have in my hands and knees; I tell you no, but it is by reason of much blood I have lost in the wars, and many wounds I have received in my body, which cause this shaking and weakness in my nerves. I have had it these twelve years. Gentlemen, take notice that for being instrumental in that cause, I am brought to this place to suffer death this day; and if I had ten thousand lives, I could cheerfully and freely lay them down all to witness to this matter. I have gone joyfully and willingly many a time to lay down my life upon the account of Christ; but never with so much joy and freedom as at this time. I do not lay down my life by constraint but willingly; for if I had been minded to have run away, I might have had many opportunities; but being so clear in the thing, I durst not turn my back, nor step a foot out of the way. *** I have been this morning before I came hither, so hurried up and down stairs, (the meaning whereof I knew not) that my spirits are almost spent; therefore, you may not expect much from me. Blessed be the name of God, that I have a life to lose upon so glorious and so honorable an account."

Here he prayed to himself, and began to shed tears, and the hangman having pulled down his cap, he thrust it up again, and continued his address to the populace; after which, he again prayed to himself. Then, uttering aloud these words, at the conclusion of them he was turned off. "By God I have leaped over a wall; by God I have run through a troop; and by my

God I will go through this death, and he will make it easy to me. Now, into thy hands, Oh Lord Jesus, I commit my spirit!"

Thus perished a man who, if he did not wear religion as a mask, (and we confess our inability to believe that he did,) was one of the most extraordinary instances of its sincere perversion to justify crimes of the blackest die, that can be found in history. They who contend that Harrison was only a consummate hypocrite, will find it difficult, we apprehend, to make their hypothesis a consistent and satisfactory explanation of his whole conduct : while, by admitting the delusion which had taken possession of his mind, (a delusion partaking strongly of insanity, we allow,) the delusion that the reign of Christ, upon earth, was at hand, and that he was a chosen instrument to prepare the way for that great event, we have at once an intelligible clew to actions which upon any other supposition are inexplicable. It is common enough for men to cloke their designs with pretences, and while these pretences answer the end for which they are employed, they are persisted in with every appearance of sincerity: but it is equally common, and indeed constantly the case, that when they can be so used no longer, the cheat becomes apparent, by the true motives disclosing themselves. But we find Harrison as resolute, as energetic, as dauntless, when" the cause" lay prostrate, without the slightest hope that it would ever be able to recover itself, as when, from its prosperous career, there was as little reason to expect it would ever be humbled or overthrown. This steadfast fidelity cannot take root in the loose, sandy soil of artifice and pretence.* Others, there were, and they formed a large majority, who unquestionably assumed the fanatical humor of the time, as an engine with which to work out their political designs.Even Hampden, when asked why his party" pretended religion," did not scruple to answer, "did we not use the pretence of religion, the people could not be persuaded to assist us." Hence, Archbishop Sancroft, in his "Modern Policies," lays down as his "first principle," that" the politician must have the shadow of religion, but the substance hurts," and observes, "there is no mask that becomes rebellion and innovation so well as religion; nothing that so much conceals deformity and pretends beauty. 'Tis an excellent thing," he adds, 66 so to dissimulate piety, that when we act strongly against it, in that very article of wickedness, the people saint us."

In conformity with the barbarous spirit of our ancient laws respecting the execution of traitors, Harrison's body was cut down, before life was extinct, his bowels taken out and burned, his head severed from his body, and his body divided into quarters, which were conveyed back to Newgate upon

* The following "Observations," appended to an account of Harrison's trial and execution, published at the time (Dec. 1660), in a small duodecimo volume, will shew the tone and temper of the royalist party, in whose memory the tyranny and oppression of the regicides were still fresh.

"To commit villany unparallel'd, and bravely to outface death, is the badge of a desperate traytor, and an unhappy Christian. In this villain's life I find nothing of repentance, as if the murther of a King, and the ruine of Church and State were of so slight a consequence, that amongst birds of his own feather treason becomes meritorious, and his detestable death a glorious martyrdome.

"First, he calls it God's cause, nay, the very interest of the Son of God; his usurpation he terms the fear of the Lord; unheard of impudence! Can God be the author of treason? Or can man expect mercy from God's hands that voluntarily transgresseth? Prosperum & felix scelus virtus vocatur was heathenish philosophy, though without question a maxime in the Commonwealth of his conscience, whilst religion was made the stalking horse to his rebellion.

Kings are the only flowers in God's terrestrial garden, that wear the inscription of Noli me tangere, warranted by God's own mouth, Touch not mine annointed, &c. Divinity lies circuled within the compass of a crown; and he that with unreverent hands strikes at majesty, dies a traytor both to God and man. Die then, Mr. Harrison, and let thy sin perish with thee, whilst thy memory shall want the mercy of a sigh to rescue thy abominable Name from putrefaction: and may all the rest of thy accursed Crue dance at thy wedding."

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the same hurdle in which he had been carried to the gallows. His head was afterwards fixed to a pole, and placed on the top of Westminster Hall, and his mangled limbs exposed on some of the city gates. Ludlow, in his "Memoirs," (vol. III.) says "his sentence was so barbarously executed, that he was cut down alive, and saw his bowels thrown into the fire!" If this revolting circumstance actually took place, there may probably be some truth. in what we find mentioned in the State Trials. (vol. II. p. 408 fol. edit.)— "Then he was turned off, and was cut down alive; for, after his body was opened, he mounted himself, and gave the executioner a box on the ear."

The next who was put upon his trial was Colonel Adrian Scroope, or Scroop, a gentleman of a good family in Buckinghamshire. He had never sat in Parliament, but being a great puritan, and by consequence opposed to episcopacy, he espoused the popular side, took arms against the King at the commencement of the civil war, commanded a troop of horse, and subsequently accepted a commission from the Parliament. By Cromwell's persuasions, he was induced to become one of the members of the Court by whom the King was tried; his name was also signed to the warrant for his execution. It does not appear that he distinguished himself, like most of the other regicides, by any active participation in those measures which plunged the country into rebellion, and afterwards subjected it to the iron despotism of a military yoke. As an assenting member, however, of the court by whom the King was adjudged to death, and as one of the subscribing authorities to the warrant by which that judgment was carried into effect, he was included in the number of those to whom the King's proclamation, commanding his father's judges to appear, was addressed.

Scroope immediately surrendered himself to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and a vote passed the House, that he should be fined one year's, value of his estate only. But happening, shortly after, in a conversation with General Brown, to say something which appeared like a justifying of the King's death, his words were reported to the House, himself excepted from the general pardon, brought to trial, found guilty, and executed. This was rather a hard measure of justice, considering that other of the regicides, (Marten among them) certainly more criminal than he was, who had equally been found guilty, and upon whom sentence had equally passed, were suffered to escape. Had it been determined that every one who sat in judgment upon the King, and every one who signed the warraut, should, upon conviction, be executed, no sufficient reason could have been pleaded in favour of Scroope: but, as a selection was made, as ten only out of the twenty-nine who were tried, were brought to the scaffold, and as many of those who escaped were every way more deserving of condign punishment than Scroope, it is difficult to understand why he was thus abandoned to his fate.

There being nothing to prove upon his trial, beyond the two facts of his presence when the King was tried, and the authenticity of his signature, (the latter Scroope himself admitted; but denied that the seal was his) the proceeding itself offers little for comment. The following was the evidence of Major General Brown, who was also Lord Mayor elect at the time.

Council.-My Lords, we shall conclude our evidence with Major General Brown, the Lord Mayor elect. [The Lord Mayor elect sworn.]

Council. Be pleased to tell my Lords what discourse hath lately passed between the prisoner at the bar and you, concerning the death of the King.

Lord Mayor elect.-My Lords, upon some occasion, I was accidentally at the chamber of the speaker; there I met this gentleman, whom indeed I knew not s he told me who he was; and when I understood who he was, I said to him, (or words to this purpose, I cannot tell the words) because I would not distaste him, and say you have done this; therefore I put it thus-we have done this. "What a sad case have we" said I, "brought this kingdom unto." Why?" saith he. "You see," said I, "how it is ruined, now the King is murdered, &c." Saith he, some are of one opinion, and some of another." Sir," said I, "do you think

it was well done, to murder the King?" Saith he, "I will.not make you my confessor, Sir." It was much to this purpose.

،،

Upon General Brown's own shewing, he tried to ensnare Scroope into an admission that might work to his injury; and that Scroope suspected his purpose is evident from the wariness of his reply. His first answer, some are of one opinion and some of another," did not go very far beyond Sir Roger de Coverly's prudential maxim, that "much may be said on both sides of every question;" while his second, when he found himself more closely pressed, "I will not make you my confessor, Sir," was at most only the dexterous evasion of a man who did not choose to have his thoughts enticed out of him. Upon evidence like this, however, Scroop was consigned to the scaffold, after having been sentenced to the milder penalty of only a year's forfeiture of his estates.

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Brown was hardly an unexceptional witness: for he had once been in the same situation as Scroope, so far as having borne arms against the King. He was qualified therefore to say we have done this," when speaking of the state to which the kingdom had been reduced. Granger's account of his conversion is, that being "one of the parliamentary commi ssioners deputed to receive the King from the Scots army [when they basely sold him] and perceiving the great advantage his Majesty had in his dispute with their politicians and divines, and probably penetrating the designs of the independents [he was himself a zealous presbyterian] he returned to his allegiance, and ever after inflexibly adhered to it." The inflexibility of his allegiance would seem more than doubtful from the following sentence in Clarendon, (vol. iii. page 533, Oxford 8vo. edit.) who is describing the operations of Charles II. in Scotland, previously to the battle of Worcester. "About the end of July, by the cowardice, or treachery of Major General Brown, who had a body of four thousand men to keep it, Cromwell's forces under Lambert gained the pass, by which they got behind the King." Renegades are never worth much. After the restoration, Brown was created a Baronet by Charles II, and was Lord Mayor of London at the time of Venner's fanatical insurrection, on which occasion he distinguished himself by his activity and zeal in heading the city militia against the insurgents. "There was not," observes Clarendon, in his "Continuation of his own Life," "any man in England who did rase out the memory of what he had formerly done amiss, with a more signal acknowledgment, or a more frank and generous engagement against all manner of factions."

Scroope, in his defence, alluding to what Brown had deposed against him, said, "there is one witness whom I must confess I am very sorry to see: truly he is a worthy gentleman, but I desire the Lord may forgive that which he hath spoken; I did never intend anything in it, neither can I directly remember that I spake those words. I must confess that when I had appeared, according to the proclamation, such discourse, or somewhat like it, was raised; but not of my procuring; I did not procure the discourse; I never intended the justification of the fact; but it was my ill success that I should meet with that worthy gentleman to have so much discourse with him." And afterwards he observed, "I came in upon the proclamation, and, my Lords, by means of those unhappy words, that were reported of me in the House of Commons, I came to be excepted, and upon the very last day of passing that act; whereas, before, I was no excepted person. I beseech you take notice of this."

It certainly seems to have been a case for mercy; but probably, reasons with which we are now unacquainted, had an influence in determining that mercy should be withheld.

Scroope was executed on the 17th of October, 1660, five days after his trial, at the same place, and with the same ceremonies, as to decapitation, quartering, &c. as Harrison and the rest. He seems to have been infected with the overstrained godliness which was then so general, but not to the extravagant height which made the sanctified hypocrisy of Crowwell and others

at once ridiculous and disgusting. After his condemnation, one of his children hung weeping upon his neck.-" Peace, child," said he,-" peace -be still-not a word: thou hast a blessed portion. Who would be troubled to die? For, can any one have greater honor than to have his soul carried up to heaven upon the wings of the prayers of so many saints?" His nephew coming into his dungeon the night before his execution, said to him "Uncle, I am sorry to see you in this condition, and would desire you to repent of the fact for which you are brought hither, and trust to the King's mercy." Scroope thrust him out, exclaiming "avoid Satan!"

Three other of the regicides, Scott, Clement, and Colonel Jones, were executed along with him, or rather, on the same day. Scott and Clement being first conveyed to the gallows, Jones and Scroope had to wait till the sad scene was passed with them, and the return of the sledge, which brought back their mutilated bodies. During this awful interval, Scroope, addressing his fellow sufferer, said, "well, brother Jones, do you spend your time as the Lord shall direct you; I intend to take a little sleep, for I slept not well last night, and my countenance is not so fresh as I would have it." He then laid himself down, and slept so soundly, that he snored loudly, and so continued till the sledge came back, when, being awakened, he sprung from the bed with cheerful alacrity. A friend who was present, asked him how he did? "Very well, I thank God," was his reply, very well," laying a marked emphasis upon the word very, and then added with still greater emphasis, never better in all my life. And now, I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord!'"

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Arrived at the place of execution, he addressed the people, and adverted, in these terms, to the witness whom he considered as the chief, if not sole cause of his being condemned to die. "You see an object here," he began, “that hath been in a better place; however, the Lord Jesus hath sent me to this place, that in this place I should die. I have no animosity nor malice against any man, nor ever had, neither have I any evil will to those that have brought me here; nor to the jury that found me guilty; nor judges that passed sentence; nor to him through whose means I am brought here to suffer. I say, once more, the Lord forgive him. I shall not name him, for I come not hither to reflect upon any man's person. I will not tell you what my breeding hath been, because it is not good for any man (especially at such a time as this) to boast of his lineage; but this I shall say, that I was born and bred a gentleman." After a few more words, he knelt down and prayed audibly, in the language of sincere and unaffected piety, suitable to the condition of one who was about to appear in the presence of his Creator, passing from the tribulations of this earth to the hoped for felicity of an eternal state. Who among us, at such a moment, would not find comfort in supplicating a God of infinite justice, but also, of infinite mercy, in words like these?

Oh Lord! thou art my father! A present help in trouble. Thou art my father! I believe in thee. I come unto thee Lord Jesus, that went unto thy father and my father, thy God and my God; and this is that which doth support my spirit and enable me to undergo this death with cheerfulness and readiness. Lord! thou knowest my heart, and affections, and desires. O! deal not with me, according to my sins! For I am a miserable wretched sinner. "If thou enter into judgment who is able to stand before thee? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou may'st be feared." O Lord! thou seest my failings, my infirmities, my weaknesses: I beseech thee that thou would'st bear with me: thou art a tenderhearted father: thou art my strength, when my heart and my strength faileth, then thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever! O Lord! be with me in this hour of temptation, and carry me through it: for thou art my God and my father, into whose hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me! Scroope was of a tall, commanding person, of a soldier-like bearing, and well stricken in years at the time of his execution.