believeth not shall be damned; which she did read; and this witness being then present, and I saying the same then before him, I suppose, from this text, he accused me that I should say, he would be damned, because I repeated, and shewed them our Saviours words, as they appear in that place of Scripture. I having thus answered all the testimonies this witness could bring in against me, I referred myself to his lordship, and all the bench to judge whether any thing this witness had said against me, would make me guilty: the judge said but little to it, but called for the next witness (who was father to this first) who was so much grieved at the proceedings of his ungracious son that he could not forbear to shed tears all the time that his son produced such accusations against me; so that he appeared more witness against his son's ungodliness, than a witness against me: yet the judge asked him many questions, whether he had ever heard, seen, or known any such or such things of or from me to all which questions he answered no, he knew nothing against me; so that the judge seeing he shewed so much kindness, he asked him what he was? He answered, a catholic; whereupon the judge bade him go away, saying, he was too much my friend, and therefore he would not accept of him as a witness, but called the third. This witness was an old man, and very deaf, who was forced to come against me by a warrant, swore against his will: the judge asked him several questions, whether he heard me say any prayers; he answered, yes, but he could not well understand or hear what they were, because he was so deaf; he asked them whether they were English or Latin? he answered, he could not well tell, he thought it was both; and I think, it might be neither, for ought he could hear, he was so very deaf: then he asked him what cloaths I had on? he answered, he could not well tell; I had something on that was white, a surplice he thought; and the judge was willing to suppose this to be a priest's habit at mass, or when he gave the sacrament; but I told his lordship, that this could be no proof of any such matter, because, all over the world, among Catholics, such garments were worn by thousands in time of prayer, who never were, nor will be priests, as is well known to those that have been travellers: and I told his lordship, that if he pleased to call for them there may be several travellers, of several sects and opinions present in the hall, that would be sufficient witnesses as well of this, as of the holy bread and water, which the other witness as well as this old man said I had given them, which they suppose to be the sacrament; but the judge would call for none, but called for the fourth witness.This witness was a young woman, who was also by violence forced to come and swear what she had heard, seen or known concerning me about the matter in question. The judge asked her whether I had taught her any thing, whether she had been at confession or communion, what I said to her, what penance I gave her; and he asked also the like questions of the old man, the former witness, to all which they were both very unwilling to answer; for which some of the rude people curst' the old man for an old doating fellow, and were as much vexed at the young woman, because she was so dejected, that she could not speak, but looked like one that was half dead, as some of the people said in anger she was so. The judge perceiving in what condition she was, said aloud, What men are these priests that have such power over people, that they are not able to speak against them; he therefore bid them remember they were in the presence of God, and were bound in conscience to speak the truth of what they had heard or seen; so at last they owned that I had read in the bible, and other books to them, and that they had confest what troubled them, and had received something like a wafer from me, and that they had believed what I had read to them; yet they both declared publicly, that I did not bid them come to confession, or take the wafer or bread; and when they took it that I did not tell them it was the sacrament, neither did they know whether it was or no: by all which is appeared according to the letter of the law, and in conscience, that none of these testimonies were of sufficient force to make me guilty. A man's life is not to be taken away upon surmises, or possibilities, that this might be the communion, as well as other holy bread. For the law requires, that it must be proved that there was an administration of the sacrament by one that had taken orders from a foreign power; of taking orders there was not the least accusation mentioned against me by any of the witnesses, much less could it be proved, no not so much that I pretended to give the sacrament any more than it might be holy water, or holy bread, as I desired my lord to consider; neither was it the wearing of a surplice that could prove I said mass; for priests never wear sur. plices at mass: and if a man's wearing a sur plice at prayer, prove him a priest, then all the singing-boys in every Protestant Cathedral Church, and in all other churches in christendom, all those boys, though but of ten or twelve years of age, must be by consequence all popish priests; and all Jews who constantly in sy nagogues put on a white garment like a surplice, as I and all travellers have seen them do when we have gone to see them pray: all these Jews must be Romish Priests:-Out of all which it evidently appears that none of these testimonies the witnesses brought against me, were any way concluding according to justice to make me guilty of being a priest. As for my reading the bible to them, or in satisfying them in what they doubted, or bidding them say their prayers, and particularly the Lord's prayer, which the last two witnesses to.d the judge I had done, and the like (he fearing to answer to all the questions he asked them) to these I answered, that I own I had done so ; whereupon the judge said, that out of this it appeared, that I had taken upon me the priest's office. I told him, that with his leave I would shew how it did no ways follow; for, out of this it only followed, that I had done the duty of a good christian, and every man in the like circumstances is bound as a christian to do the like that I had done. I told him, that they, doubting of such things, and desiring me to shew them if such places were in the bible, or not, and desiring to know what I did believe of those points, and the reasons why I believed them, I turned to such places in the bible, and read it to them, and bid them read the same themselves, which they did, and so were satisfied. And I told my Lord, for what I had done I had the scripture warrant, and scripture command also to do it, and so had every christian command to do the like; for the scripture commands all to be ready to give an answer to every man concerning the reason of the hope which is within us, and this I had done to them, or to any other that had asked me as they did. But I told my Lord withal, that I knowing the statute of persuasion, bad always so much regard to that, when any would discourse with me concerning my faith, or their's, I told them, that (being there was such a statute as the statute of persuasion) though I was bound to give them an account of my faith and hope, if for conscience sake they asked me, yet I told them I would not incur the penalty of that statute by using any force or persuasion against their consciences; for violent forcing of consciences was against the law of God; yet I told them what I did believe, and shewed them the places of scripture on which my faith was grounded, according as they desired me to do for them, and then I would leave it to God and their own consciences; and if they did not believe those texts, I had no more to say to them; and if they did believe them, they best knew before God and their consciences what they had to do; so that it was not my persuasion, but God and their souls salvation that was to determine them in the belief of what they read in the bible: and I bade them bear witness that I told them thus, if in case we should ever be called in question before any judge; and thus I have discoursed, as several would bear witness for me. I told his lordship this was true, and so did those witnesses; for, they declared publicly what I said was true, whereupon I did appeal to my lord, if I was not innocent in this point; and as for my bidding them say their prayers, or when they desired to ease their minds by declaring what troubled them, I desired to clear myself by asking my lord, with his leave, what nation or sect in the world ought not, and did not counsel and wish their neighbours in their troubles to ease themselves by prayer to God; and much more every good christian ought, when he understood that his brother had acted the prodigal son, offended his Heavenly Father, and therefore was troubled in conscience, ought, I say, to persuade him to return by repentance, and beg mercy of our Father which is in heaven: I having done no more but this, have only done a pious christian duty to my neighbours, which any man, though I no priest, may and ought to do the same. having pleaded these things for myself, the judge was pleased to tell me, I had a nimble tongue, and wit, and that by those discourses I strove to make the jury attend more to my pleading for myself, than to the witnesses arguments against me: to which I replied, I spoke nothing but truth, which I ought to do to defend myself against my enemies, therefore I hoped his lordship would not be offended: but if I have exceeded (as his lordship said I did) because I hindered him from speaking, I humbly craved his pardon, and hoped I should obtain it, being my con cerns and reasons to plead, as I did, were of no less consequence than life and death. But for all this the judge told the jury, that they were to consider the accusations of the witnesses against me, as having done such and such things which priests use to do; neither was it necessary that the witnesses should prove me to have taken orders from foreign power, and so to prove me positively to be a priest; for that (they not having seen me take orders) they could not do, but it was sufficient they had seen me do such things, by which it might be presumed it was so. Whereupon I answered, that there was never a proof yet alledged, that did or could make that appear or be sufficient to conclude me to be so, and therefore I was no more guilty than many thousands, of whom all these things alledged against me might be verified, who never were nor would be priests, as I had sufficiently shewed, why therefore should they be thought sufficient to conclude against me. I therefore desired the judge, before he sent out the jury, he would give me leave to speak a word or two to them. He answered no, he would not. I then desired his lordship would give me leave to speak again to him before them, ere they went out; to which he assented: I therefore desired his lordship to give me leave to ask this question of him, which the jury might hear. Suppose all the proofs which had been by all the witnesses brought against me, were to be alledged against the jury, or some of them, so that if the arguments were judged by them to be of force or concluding, some of those of the jury should lose part of their estates and credit, and being in some danger of their lives, who of all the jury on whom this peril were like to fall, would judge those arguments alledged against me, sufficient to condemn them to the loss of part of their estates, or part of their credit with some danger of their lives? I therefore desired it might be considered, that my all lay at stake, all my concerns in the world; credit and life not only in some danger, but certainly to be condemned, if those arguments brought in by them against me should be judged to be of force. Therefore I desired they would deal by me as if it were their own case, according as I had proposed it to them, and so I should give no further trouble in speaking, being it was not judged fit I should say any more (as I had desired) to the jury. I had only one favour more to beg of the to me, and the like, being these are things done as well by those that were no priests, as by priests; according to the judge's own opinion, these actions ought not to have been judged actions were judged sufficient against other gentlemen; although I did not alledge this to the judge, yet it was sufficient he knew it, and might, if he had pleased, done with me accordingly, though he did not, but sending the jury out, sent me from the bar. judge before they went out, which was, that his lordship would read a paper before them which I had ready, whereby I could prove, that the first and chiefest witness against me, which was Rogers, ought not in justice to be ad-sufficient proofs against me, no more than such mitted as a competent witness against me, as the writing I offered the judge would shew; which writing I gave to the judge, and he read it over privately to himself, and seeing the hand of him that wrote it at the bottom, who offered to swear for me against Rogers, the judge asked where this witness for me was, and why I had him not ready? I answered he was hard by in the prison for debt, if he pleased to send for him; but the judge would not send for him. I then desired the judge that at least I or any else here present, might read my paper publicly, that all might know it was true, that I had such a sufficient witness for me against Rogers; but the judge neither would let me, nor any else read it openly, but however I made bold to tell publicly all the contents of the paper, which were word for word as the witness wrote it with his own hand and name at the bottom; thus I being afterward called again to the bar, and it being declared unto me, that the jury had found me guilty, the bill was read against me; and then I was asked what I had to say for myself, why I should not die, that I might speak before the sentence of death past against me. To which I answered, I only desired to know for what I was to die; for I have shewed that all things alledged against me heretofore, were insufficient to prove me a priest, or take away my life. The judge answered, That the jury had found me guilty, and that now there was no more to be said concerning the proof, but that was to be condemned as a priest. To which I replied, That though the jury had found me Guilty, yet I was still innocent from any guilt of death, and with his lordship's permission I would prove it. He asked me how? I answered, thus; I had not been out of England, to take any orders from foreign power since the king's restoration to his crown, neither had I any opportunity to take any orders in before his majesty came into England: but England; therefore if I were a priest, I was so “Memorandum, That upon the 12th of De-I cember last past, or thereabouts, came three men to the castle of Worcester, and as they came up the stairs, Rogers desires one of them to call for one Mr. Johnson, and see if he would answer to that name or not; and entering into the room, he asked where was Mr. Johnson, and which was he, though he was at that time present in the room, and none else but one man and myself drinking at the door, and in my conscience knew him not. (In witness to this I will lay down my oath.) HENRY HOLLAND." By this it may appear, that if the judge would let my witness appear to have sworn, I might have cast Rogers, the chief witness against me; and why it was not granted, let all that hear it judge. However, I still contiuued to plead, that all proofs alledged against me were insufficient, which I can make appear even in the judge's own opinion, though I did not tell him so; for you must know, that before in his circurt, though witnesses swore against a gentleman (whom they would have proved a priest) that they saw him marry people and baptize, which are the actions of a priest, yet the judge declared, that because these actions might be done by such as were no priests, as well as by priests, as it appeared, because justices of the peace married people in Cromwell's time, and any man or woman might at some times christen children; therefore such common actions, as he declared, could not prove the accused gentleman to be a priest for doing them, and thereupon the judge freed him. Whereupon I infer, That all the actions the witnesses swear they saw me do, as wearing a surplice, giving the water, exhorting to prayer, shewing points out of the Bible, hearing others grievances, which they of themselves declared whatever I had done before the king cane into England, cannot make me now Guilty, sapposing I had transgressed the law before, because his majesty before his return, put out several proclamations, that none should ever be troubled for their religion, or consciencesake; and since his coming into England, he had done the same by several proclamations: and what was yet more, not long since, had set forth his declaration, that every one should freely practise his own religion of what sect or persuasion soever, which declaration, if I were a priest, I might safely rely on, as well as all others. To which the judge replied, where had I the seal to that declaration? I answered, I never questioned but that a subject might take his king's word declared in his public proclamation without his seal. The judge answered, However if I were a priest now in England, I was guilty. I replied, That supposing I had formerly taken orders before the king came to England, I could not altogether degrade myself, or be otherwise now, than what I was ordained then; therefore if I were a priest, I cannot now be guilty for it, because all that ever was done before the king's restoration, in what respect soever, was all forgiven and blotted out by the king's general pardon to all subjects, even to those who had a hand in the death of his royal Father, and so the Catholics for their religion were not excluded out of the general pardon; wherefore I told his lordship I was not guilty. Whereupon he told me I was guilty, and presumed far to plead so resolutely, and with such confidence before him and all the Bench. I craved his pardon for my fault, but desired his lordship to consider, that I was bid speak if I had any thing to say for myself, before the sentence of death past against me, and therefore I had reason to plead home, since this was the last time I was like to speak for my life in this world, which I hope his lordship and the bench would consider; but if notwithstanding so many proclamations, grants for liberty of conscience, and his majesty's general pardon to all who had relied on them, if all this would not secure me, but my believing those things had caused me to err, and my error must cause me to lose my life, I had no more to say. So the judge sat down, and pronounced against me the sentence of death, That I should be drawn, hanged, and quartered, disbowelled, my intrails burot, my head cut off, my body to be cut in four quarters, and my quarters to be at the king's disposal. Which sentence being pronounced, I bowed, and said aloud, Thanks be to God, God save the king; and I beseech God to bless your lordship, and all this honourable Bench. The judge replied, You have spoken very well, I do not intend you shall die, at least not for the present, until I know the king's further pleasure. I was not, I thank God for it, troubled with any disturbing thoughts either against the judge for his sentence, nor the jury that gave in such a verdict, nor against any of the witnesses; for I was then of the same mind, as by God's grace I ever shall be, esteeming them all the best friends to me in all they did or said that ever I had in my life, or ever shall have, except upon the like occasion. And I was, I thank God, so present with myself, whilst the judge pronounced the sentence to deliver me to death, that without any concern for any thing in this world, I did actually at the same time offer myself and the world to God. After the judge was gone from the bench to the other end of the hall, I stayed with the keeper in the hall, where several Protestant gentlemen, and others, who had heard my trial, came to me, though strangers, and told me how sorry they were for me. To whom, with thanks, I replied, that I was troubled they should grieve for me, or my condition, who was joyful for it myself; for I told them I had professed this faith and religion all my life-time, which I was as sure to be true, as I was sure of the truth of God's word on which it was grounded, and therefore in it I deposed my soul, and eternal life and happiness; and therefore should I fear to lose my temporal life for this faith, whereon my eternal life depends, I were worse than an infidel; and whosoever should prefer the life of their bodies before their faith, their religion, or conscience, they were worse than heathens. For my own part I told them, I was as ready by God's grace to die to-morrow, as I had been to receive the sentence of death to day, and as willingly as if I had a grant of the greatest dukedom: so we sate talking half an hour, and I returned to the prison, there to remain, as long as it pleased God and the king, whom God long preserve in all happiness. There was another objection which I forgot to put in, until I had finished the former writing, and it was an objection which the judge was pleased to put against me himself, and it was that I had changed my name, and went in several places by several names. To which I answered, the reason was, because in Cromwell's time, in the great troubles, our family suffered much, my father was imprisoned and a fellow prisoner with sir Thomas Ashton, both confined together, which sir Thomas is now one of his majesty's admirals of the fleet. And for my own part, I going beyond sea to travel, I changed my name; and then coming into England again before the king's restoration, I was glad to conceal myself, and go by several names, as many others of the king's loyal subjects did, the better to be able to do his majesty the best service I could, which according to my small ability, I did endeavour both before and since the king came into England, like a dutiful subject, and like the rest of our family who all endeavoured to serve his majesty: for I have two brothers served him, the one a volunteer at sea in sir William Reeves ship, which sir William was killed in the last engagement with the Dutch; and the other brother had a command under his royal highness the duke of York at land: therefore I hope the changing of my name on such an occasion as I did, could not be imputed as a guilt upon me, nor speak me other than a dutiful subject; which I could have made further appear before the bench, but I did not judge it convenient to say any more to the judge there in public. But before his lordship went out of Worcester, I presented him with a petition, to acquaint his lordship, that I having had the honour to kiss his majesty's hand, before his restoration, in the Low-Countries; as also I have had the honour to be one of those whom his majesty was pleased to grace with being entertained by us, his then best subjects; his majesty was pleased to make us a gracious promise, that when it should please God to restore him to his crown, we should not live so in banishment as then we did. Of this in my petition I did acquaint the judge, and beseeched him that he would be pleased, by declaring this to the king, to endeavour to obtain some gracious favour from his majesty for me, my condition now being such, that I could never have greater need to be partaker of his gracious promise and clemency. The judge promised me he would make an address to his majesty for me in this behalf, which whether he hath done or no, I wish some body may put him in mind to do it for me. I do not here mention the place where in parti cular, nor the other persons to whom his majesty made that promise, if you remember, you know I did tell you, with several other particular circumstances, which I need not here make any further mention of. The Last SPEECH of Mr. FRANCIS JOHNSON, Priest, of the order of St. Francis, who was executed (as a Priest only) at Worces ter, upon the 22d of August, A. D. 1679. Which he spake, for the most part upon the ladder, immediately before his execution, (but being interrupted) and that which he did speak, being taken by an unskilful scribe, was printed by the halves, and so imperfect, that it was in some places nonsense. To correct that abuse this which he spake is published by a friend. Almighty God, out of his infinite goodness to this world, through the merits of his Son Christ Jesus, ordained or made choice of three virtues whereby we must walk, which are these, viz. Faith, Hope, and Charity. First, by virtue of faith, we are to believe all things that are done in this world; Secondly, by virtue of Hope, we are to believe and hope for all things in another world. And the reason why Christians do believe this hope, is to bring and conduct them to salvation in the other world. And if we hope in God, we cannot but believe God for with the mouth confession is made, but with the heart (and through faith) we must believe unto salvation; so that faith is not to be trodden under foot, or to be hid under a bushel, but to be set upon a candlestick, Luke 12. "Whosoever doth confess me before men, him will I confess before the angels of God;' and therefore all are bound to believe that there is but one faith; and if but one faith, then but one christian faith. There is but one faith, one Lord, one baptism; if it be so, how can this stand with so many sectaries as there are? If there be but one faith, how can this be? ་ I believe the creed of St, Athanasius, (which is in your common prayer-book) there it is said, 'that whosoever will be saved, it is necessary before all things that he hold the Catholic faith; and that if he keep not that faith whole ' and undefiled, he shall perish everlastingly.' And as St. James saith, Jam. ii. 10. He that 'keepeth the whole law, and yet offendeth in one point is guilty of all;' so they that believe, must be all of the same faith. And that this ought to be done, I appeal to all the saints that are gone before, of whom it is said, that their faith was such, as by it they stopt the mouths of lions, they turned the edge of the sword, and caused 'the fire to cease that it should not burn; so they were oppressed they wandered about in sheeps-cloathing and goats cloathing,' Heb. xi. Therefore I say there must be an unity of faith. 6 I desire all Catholics to consider this, that it is better to be reviled by man now in this world, than be reviled by God in the world to come. Mat. xvi. it is said the Catholic church is built upon a rock. And Mat. xviii. he who will not believe the church let him be as a heathen and publican. This faith must be established so in every one, because Christ said, He would send the Holy Ghost, and be will shew us, or them, what to do. This is the rule of faith: This faith was published at Rome. And St. Paul writing to the Christians there, rejoiceth that their faith was renowned in the whole world. Go ye name of the Father.' And this is the faith I therefore, baptizing all nations in the confess and believe in, and which I die for. I come now to speak of the second virtue, which is hope. I hope I shall have such reward, that neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive.' Those that have hope, shall be as Mount Sion, that shall not be removed; those that have firin hope, there is nothing can disturb them; as David saith, God is round about those that do hope in him, as the mountains are round about Hierusalem.' I come to the third virtue, and that is charity. It is true, now this body of mine in this shipwreck is full of sin, but when that shipwreck is over, I shall come to inherit that rock that shall never fail. Now welcome shipwreck that makes the body suffer, but brings the soul to that haven which is joyful. Now many there be that talk much of charity, few understand it, and fewer that practise it. This is the greatest virtue, 1 Cor. xiii. Though ye speak with tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, it availeth nothing.' So then we ought to have love and charity, or else it prevaileth nothing. It is expected I should say something of the Plot. As to this, I shall declare two points of my faith. First, I believe that all are bound to obey the king's laws. Secondly, I do declare, that those that do break the law in word, or any action, or that do act any thing against his majesty's life, that is a sin unto damnation, as much as it was a sin in Judas to betray Christ. An oath is a taking God to witness, and is as much as if he took his life and justice to stake. So that he who takes a false oath, is guilty of destroying the life of God and his justice, and of his own damnation. And if I were but guilty of this, I do declare, that all the sin of damnation would fall upon me, because I denied the truth, and so struck at God by my sin, in denying the truth; that is one damnation. A second damnation is, that if any man know of an evil against his majesty, his kingdom and nation, and to hide and not discover it, he shall answer for those mischiefs that come thereby; so that a man would have made and committed as many sins, as there be men in England that had suffered. A third damnation is to die in this lie and with this perjury in his mouth; whereby he loses heaven and all its enjoyments, and dies in greater sins than the devils themselves, |