A88596:14
The true and perfect speec [sic] of Mr. Christopher Love on the scaffold on…
The true and perfect speec [sic] of Mr. Christopher Love on the scaffold on Tower-Hill on Friday last, being the two and twentieth day of this instant August, 1651. Comprising his funeral sermon; his exhortation to the citizen his propositions touching religion; and his prayer immediately before his head was severed from his body. Together with Mr. Gibbons his speech; and the manner of his deportment, carriage, and resolution: published for the good of the Common-wealth of England.The true and perfect speec [sic] of Mr. Christopher Love on the scaffold on Tower-Hill on Friday last, being the two and twentieth day of this instant August, 1651. Comprizing his funerall sermon; his exhortation to the citizen his propositions touching religion; and his prayer immediately before his head was severed from his body. Together with Mr. Gibbons his speech; and the manner of his deportment, carriage, and resolution: published for the good of the Common-wealth of England.
London: printed by John Clowes, 1651London: printed by Iohn Clowes, 1651
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I was only at one meeting where such things were proposed, namely to promote the agreement between the King and Scots: I do declare against the Commissions as they called them, and it is an Act of high presumption and of notorious falsehood to say it was a plot of the Presbyterian party; it was the subtlety of a politic party to raise this thereby to make the Presbyterians odious, who are the best ordered persons for a Government in the World.
I was only at one meeting where such things were proposed, namely to promote the agreement between the King and Scots: I do declare against the Commissions as they called them, and it is an Act of high presumption and of notorious falsehood to say it was a plot of the Presbyterian party; it was the subtilty of a politique party to raise this thereby to make the Presbyterians odious, who are the best ordered persons for a Government in the World.
I am said to be a man of A turbulent spirit, and an enemy to the peace of this Nation, indeed I am borne a man of contention, not active but passive • many strive and contend with me, I strive with no man, the grief of my heart hath been for divisions, and the desire of my soul for a union among Gods people, I do not mean a State union to engage against the present power, that is rather a combination & a confederacy then a union: Those that have gotten power by policy and use it with cruelty, shall lose it with Ignominy; I remember an observation of holy Greenwood, giving his judgment upon State, Government he feared the coming in of Popery; I fear Atheism, Blasphemy, and all manner of Heresy is rushing in upon this Land; that as to my practise, A word now to my principles. I am accused to be an apostate, to be this, to be that, to be any thing, but what I am: A high Court, A long Sword, and a bloody Scaffold, hath not made me to change my principles, what I shall say is not to provoke any; I die with my judgement set against malignity; I do not count the covenanting Godly party in Scotland to be Malignants for defending their Land against invaders though against malignity, not against a mixed Monarchy: I did oppose the forces of the late King in my place and calling, and should he live now and were I to live longer, should do it still; I did oppose his forces, but […] never against the Office of a King; I was against Court Parasites that would screw up Monarchy to Tyranny, as against those that pull it down to bring in Anarchy, I was never for putting him to death, nor did I ever endeavour to destroy his person, there