21.1. The second speech of the duke of Summerset to the people.
The second speech of the duke of Summerset to the people.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _DEerelie beloued friends, there is no such matter in hand, as you vainlie hope or beleeue. It seemeth thus good to almightie God, whose ordinance it is meet & necessarie that we be all obedient vnto. Wherfore I praie you all to be quiet, and without tumult: for I am euen now quiet, and let vs ioine in praier vnto the Lord, for the preseruation of our noble king, vnto whose maiestie I wish continu|all health, with all felicitie and abundance & all maner of prosperous successe: where|vnto the people cried out, Amen. Moreo|uer, I wish vnto all his councellors the grace and fauour of God, whereby they may rule althings vprightlie with iustice, vnto whome I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient, the which is EEBO page image 1069 also verie necessarie for you, vnder the paine of condemnation, and also most pro|fitable for the preseruation and safegard of the kings maiestie. And forsomuch as here|tofore I haue had oftentimes affaires with diuers men; & that it is hard to please euerie man that hath beene offended or in|iuried by me, I most humblie require and aske them forgiuenesse: but especiallie al|mightie God, whome thoroughout all my life I haue most greeuouslie offended. And vnto all other, whatsoeuer they be that haue offended me, I doo with my whole heart forgiue them.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And once againe (dearelie beloued in the Lord) I require that you will keepe your selues quiet and still, least thorough your tumult you might cause me to haue some trouble, which in this case would nothing at all profit me, neither be anie pleasure vnto you. For albeit the spirit be willing and readie, the flesh is fraile and wauering, and thorough your quietnesse I shall be much more the quieter: but if that you fall vnto tumult, it will be great trouble & no gaine at all vnto you. Moreo|uer, I desire you to beare me witnesse, that I die heere in the faith of Iesus Christ, desiring you to helpe me with your praiers, that I maie perseuere constant in the same vnto my liues end.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then he turning himselfe about knéeled downe vpon his knées,Doctor Cox the dukes [...]. vnto whome doctor Cox, which was there present, to counsell and aduertise him, deliue|red a certeine scroll into his hand, wherein was con|teined a briefe confession to God. Which being read, he stood vp againe on his féet, without anie trouble of mind as it appeared, and first bad the shiriffes fare|well, then the lieutenant of the tower, & certeine o|ther that were on the scaffold, taking them all by the hands. Then he gaue the executioner monie, which doone, he put off his gowne, and knéeling downe a|gaine in the straw, vntied his shirt strings: and then the executioner comming to him, turned downe his collar round about his necke, and all other things which did let and hinder him. Then he couering his face with his owne handkerchiefe, lifting vp his eies vnto heauen, where his onelie hope remained, laid himselfe downe along, shewing no maner of trou|ble or feare; neither did his countenance change, but that before his eies were couered there began to ap|péere a red colour in the middest of his cheeks.
[...]x. Fl. out of [...] Fox in [...] and Monuments. The godlie [...] of the [...] of Sum| [...]erset.¶ Thus this most méeke and gentle duke lieng a|long and looking for the stroke, bicause his doublet couered his necke he was commanded to rise vp and put it off: & then laieng himselfe downe againe vpon the blocke, and calling thrise vpon the name of Iesus, saieng: Lord Iesu saue me, as he was the third time repeating the same, euen as the name of Iesu was in vttering, in a moment he was bereft both of head and life; and slept in the Lord Iesus, be|ing taken awaie from all the dangers and euils of this life, and resting now in the peace of God: in the preferment of whose truth and gospell he alwaies shewed himselfe an excellent instrument and mem|ber, and therefore hath receiued the reward of his la|bours. Thus gentle reader thou hast the true histo|rie of this worthie and noble duke, and if anie man report it otherwise, let it be counted as a lie.]