A true copie of a paper delivered by the Duke of Hamilton to some of his servants at St James that morning before he suffred, in the presence of Doctor Sibbald. Hamilton, James Hamilton, Duke of, 1606-1649. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A45375 of text R217437 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing H485). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 9 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A45375 Wing H485 ESTC R217437 99829103 99829103 33539 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A45375) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 33539) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1988:6) A true copie of a paper delivered by the Duke of Hamilton to some of his servants at St James that morning before he suffred, in the presence of Doctor Sibbald. Hamilton, James Hamilton, Duke of, 1606-1649. 4 p. printed by Samuell Broun English bookeseller, dwelling in the Achter-om at the signe of the English Printing house, [Hage : Anno M. DC. XLIX. [1649]] Caption title. Imprint from colophon. Reproduction of the original in the Jesus College Library, Cambridge. eng Hamilton, James Hamilton, -- Duke of, 1606-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Last words -- Early works to 1800. A45375 R217437 (Wing H485). civilwar no A true copie of a paper delivered by the Duke of Hamilton to some of his servants, at St James that morning before he suffred, in the presen Hamilton, James Hamilton, Duke of 1649 1709 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2008-04 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-07 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-08 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-08 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A true COPIE of a Paper delivered by the Duke of Hamilton to some of his Servantes , at St James that morning before he suffred , in the presence of Doctor Sibbald . I Know you that are here , to be true , and faithfull to me , I will therefore in your hearing , say some what in order to my selfe , and to my present Condition , and giue you also this Copie of it , which after I am gone may perhaps be thought necessary to be published as the last testimony of my loyaltie to my King , for whom I now dye , and of my affection to my Countrey , for the pursuance of whose pious , and loyall Comands , I am now to suffer . That my Religion hath allwayes bin , and still is Orthodoxe I am confident no man doubtes , I shall not therefore need to say much to that Particular , onely that I am of the true reformed Protestant Religion , as it is professed in the Church of Scotland . I doe take God to witnes , that I haue bin constantly a loyall and faithfull subject , and servant to his late Majestie ( in spite of all malice and Calumnie , ) I haue had the honour since my Childhood , to attend , and be neare him , till now of late , and during all that tyme I observed in him as eminent vertues , and as litle vice , as in any man I ever knew , And I dare say he neuer harboured thought of Countenancing Popery in any of his Dominions , otherwise then was allowed by the Lawes of England , and that among all his Subjects , there could not be found a better Protestant then him selfe , And surely also , he was free from having any intent to exercise any tyranny , or absolute Power , ouer his Subjects , and that he hath beene so unfortunate , I rather impute the Cause of it to the sins of his people , then to his owne . For my owne part , I doe protest neuer to haue swerued from that true alleageance , which was due vnto him , and that hath Constantly bin paid ( to my Comfort I speake it ) to his Progenitours , by my Ancestours for many ages without spott , or dishonour , and I hope shall be still by my successours to his posterity . I doe heartily wish well to , and pray for , his Royall Issue , and shall dye a true , and loyall subject to his eldest son Charles the second the vnquestionable King by right , of all his Fathers Kingdomes , I hope ( though I doe not liue to see it ) that Gods Justice and Goodnes will in his owne time establish him on the throne of his Father , which I doubt not some of you will see come to passe , and I am Confident that till then , and soe long as men deepely plunged in guilt , and selfe Interest vsurpe power , and gouernment , These Kingdomes will fall short either of Peace , or any other permanent happines . I speake this from my just affection to the Royall Race , and much Compassion to his Majesties Subjects , but not from any Malice , anger , or desire of Reuenge , against any , for what I haue , or am to suffer , for I forgiue all men . It is well knowne what Calumnies , and aspersions haue beene throwne vpon me , by men of seuerall Parties , and Interests , not excepting those who would seeme to carrie much affection to his late Majestie as though I had expressed disseruice , or disloyaltie vnto him , the which how malitious and groundles they were , I appeale to God , who with my owne Conscience , clearely beareth witnes of my innocency therein , And I shall beg mercie from him to whom I am now to giue an account of all my thoughts and actions , as I haue still had a faithfull , and a loyall heart to my Master . It hath bin a generall Complaint , that I perswaded his Majestie to passe the Act for Contynuing this Parliament , I dispute not whether the doing of it at that time , might haue bin reputed good , or bad , but surely it was not I that did perswade it . Neither did I at all , deale with his Majestie for his Consent to the Bill of attainder , for taking away the life of the Earle of Strafford whose great parts , and affection , is knowne I highly valued , yet some haue beene pleased to attribute to me the Cause of that concession , but were his Majestie now living , I am confident he would publiquely Cleare me in both these , as he hath bin pleased many tymes in priuate formerly to doe . And truely I am not conscious to my selfe ( though I haue bin for many yeares a privie Councellour to him ) of euer giving him any aduice that tended to other End ( as I conceived ) then the good and Peace of his Majestie and his Dominions . It hath bin rumoured , since my last imprisonment , that I should confesse my selfe , to be the greatest Instrument vnder his Majestie ( by making vse of his Scottish great Seale ) for authorising the warre in Ireland , A report so false , and simple , as in my opinion , iudicious and honest men will not beleeue it , And truely , as I am free from having hand therein , in any maner of way , so , I am of nothing more confident , then that his Majestie was also absolutely free there of , and that he was not in any Case , a Causer or Countenancer , of those Irish troubles . I haue bin often examined touching Persons of severall quallities within this kingdome , that ( as is supposed ) did invite into England the late Army from Scotland , or promised assistance after theire Comming , and of late much perswasion hath bin used with me to that purpose , as that vpon my discouerie thereof depended the onely meanes of my preseruation , I will not say that I had any thing to reveale , which would haue beene satisfactorie , but this I desire you to attest to the world , that I haue not accused , or said any thing , that may reflect on any man , of what degree soeuer within the Kings Dominions , And indeed , it was so Contrarie to my Conscience , and so derogatorie to my honour , that if I had beene able yet I should neuer haue preiudiced any in that nature , though it had beene to saue me a 100. liues . Touching that foule , and sencelesse slander , that I betraid the Army vnder my Conduct , the care , and paines I then tooke to preuent the losse of it , and the neare approach of my suffring for it , will I suppose abundantly Contradict this aspersion , I was satisfied with the justnes and necessity of that engagement , vpon the Growndes of the Declaration of the Parliament of Scotland , fearing then , the sad confusions which hath since followed here , both in Church , and State , and particularly the fatall fall of my Master , to the preservation of whose Person , I was by obligation , and a naturall affection , as passionately tied , as I could be by dutie , and alleagiance . And now I confesse , I am void of all rancour , or displeasure against any , though I am within few houres to dyes adiudged by a lawlesse , and arbitrary Court of purpose erected ( as is said ) to destroy my Master and some of his seruants , and for a great part composed of men Mechanick , and vnfit to be Judges , my death being decreed ( right or wrong ) as is reported before ever the tryall began , and though my death is no lesse then murder , yet I forgiue all , and pray to God to doe it , and that my blood be not laid to theire Charge , or to some powerfull , and eminent mens , who , as is thought vpon some sinister Ends , haue many moneths since Contriued my destruction , which now is ready to take effect . And though I haue answered to that Court , in regard of the justnes of my defence , which I thought would haue waighed with them , yet I neuer thought , nor doe I acknowledge any Iurisdiction , or lawfull Authority in the same , not withstanding , I doe with all Christian humility submitt to the Punishment which for my other personall sins , the Lord hath justly brought vpon me . I should have spoken much more , yet would not haue said so much , but for feare lest either my memorie might slipp it on the Scaffold , or that the rudenes of some people by noise or otherwise , might have interrupted me speaking on this subject , Soe I thanke God , I am well prepared , God blesse you , Remember me to all my freinds . I know I haue beene a great sinner , yet through faith I haue an assurance that God will forgiue me , and have mercie vpon me through the alone suffring , and intercession of Jesus Christ my Sauiour . AMEN . HAGE : Printed by SAMUELL BROUN English Bookeseller , Dwelling in the Achter-om at the Signe of the English Printing house . Anno M. DC . XLIX .