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Sir John Oldcastle having been outlawed upon an Indictment for High
Treason, for that he with divers others called _Lollards_, to the
number of Twenty Thousand, had assembled themselves at _St. Giles’s in
the Fields_, levyed War, and conspired the Death of the King and the
Subversion of the Religion and Government established, and standing
also excommunicated for Heresy, he was brought before the Parliament on
the 18th of December, 1417, and it being demanded what he had to say
why Execution should not be awarded against him according to Law, he
ran out into a Discourse foreign to the matter, concerning the Mercy of
God, &c., whereupon the Chief Justice required him to answer directly,
if he had anything to object against the Legality of the Process;
he replyed, _he could not own them for his judges, as long as his
Sovereign Lord_ King Richard _was living in Scotland_. Upon this Answer
a Rule was made for his Execution, _viz._, That he should be carried
back to the Tower, and from thence drawn through London to the New
Gallows at St. Giles’s in the Fields, and there be hanged, and burnt
hanging, which Sentence was executed with Rigour. He was hanged as a
Traytor, and burnt as a Heretick.
The DYING SPEECHES and EXECUTION of John Ballard, priest; Anthony
Babington, Esq.; John Savage, Gent.; Robert Barnwell, Gent.; Chidiock
Titchborne, Esq.; Charles Tilney and Edward Abington, Gent. (Seven of
the Conspirators against Queen Elizabeth) for High Treason
On the 20th of September, 1586, a Gallows being set up on purpose in
St. Giles’s Fields, where they us’d to meet, these seven were drawn
thither to their Execution.
John Ballard, the Priest, the principal Conspirator, confess’d, that he
was guilty of those things for which he was condemned, but protested
they were never enterprised by him upon any hope of preferment, but
only, as he said, for the advancement of true Religion. He craved
pardon and forgiveness of all persons, to whom his doings had been any
scandal, and so made an end; making his prayers to himself in Latin,
not asking her Majesty forgiveness, otherwise than if he had offended.
Anthony Babington, Esq., also confessed, That he was come to die, as he
had deserved; howbeit that he (as Ballard before) protested that he was
not led into those actions upon hope of preferment, or for any temporal
respect; nor had ever attempted them. For his wife, he said, she had
good friends, to whose consideration he would leave her: And thus he
finished, asking Her Majesty forgiveness, and making his prayers in
Latin.
John Savage, Gent., confessed his guilt, and said (as the other two
before) that he did attempt it, for that in conscience he thought it
a deed meritorious, and a common good to the weal publick, and for no
private preferment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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