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1654.]

condemned and executed.

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prison, a gallows was erected at Charing-cross ; whither Mr. Vowel was brought; who was a person utterly unknown to the king, and to any person intrusted by him, but very worthy to have his name and memory preserved in the list of those who shewed most magnanimity and courage in sacrificing their lives for the crown. He expressed a marvellous contempt of death; "which," he said, he suffered without having committed any fault." He professed his duty to the king, and his reverence for the church; and earnestly and pathetically advised the people to return to their fidelity to both; "which," he told them,

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they would at last be compelled to do after all "their sufferings." He addressed himself most to the soldiers; told them, "how unworthily they prostituted themselves to serve the ambition of an unworthy tyrant;" and conjured them "to "forsake him, and to serve the king; which, he was sure, they would at last do." And so having devoutly recommended the king, and the kingdom, and himself, to God in very pious prayers, he ended his life with as much Christian resolution, as can be expected from the most composed conscience.

The protector was prevailed with to shew more respect to Mr. Gerard in causing him to be beheaded, who was brought the afternoon of the same day to a scaffold upon the Tower-hill. But they were so ill pleased with the behaviour of him who suffered in the morning, that they would not permit the other to speak to the people, but pressed him to discover all the secrets of the plot and conspiracy. He told them, "that if he had a hundred

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Don Pantaleon Sa, his quarrel with [B. XIV. lives, he would lose them all to do the king any service; and was now willing to die upon that suspicion; but that he was very innocent of "what was charged against him; that he had not "entered into or consented to any plot or conspiracy, nor given any countenance to any discourse to that purpose;" and offered again to speak to the people, and to magnify the king; upon which they would not suffer him to proceed; and thereupon, with great and undaunted courage, he laid down his head upon the block.

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The same day was concluded with a very exemplary piece of justice, and of a very different nature from the other two. The ambassador of Portugal had a very splendid equipage, and in his company his brother don Pantaleon Sa, a knight of Malta, and a man eminent in many great actions; who out of curiosity accompanied his brother in this embassy, that he might see England. This gentleman was of a haughty and imperious nature; and one day being in the new exchange, upon a sudden accident and mistake, had a quarrel with that Mr. Gerard, whom we now left without his head; who had then returned some negligence and contempt to the rhodomontadoes of the Portuguese, and had left him sensible of receiving some affront. Whereupon the don repaired thither again the next day, with many servants, better armed, and provided for any encounter, imagining he should there find his former adversary, who did not expect that visit. But the Portuguese not distinguishing persons, and finding many gentlemen walking there, and, amongst the rest, one he believed very like the other, he thought he was not to lose the occasion,

1654.]

Mr. Gerard, and imprisonment.

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and entered into a new quarrel; in which a gentleman utterly unacquainted with what had formerly passed, and walking there accidentally, was killed, and others hurt; upon which, the people rising from all the neighbour places, don Pantaleon thought fit to make his retreat to his brother's house; which he did, and caused the gates to be locked, and put all the servants in arms to defend the house against the people; which had pursued him, and flocked now together from all parts to apprehend those who had caused the disorder, and had killed a gentleman.

The ambassador knew nothing of the affair, but looked upon himself as affronted, and assaulted by a rude multitude; and took care to defend his house till the justice should allay the tumult. Cromwell was quickly advertised of the insolence, and sent an officer with soldiers to demand and seize upon all the persons who had been engaged in the action and so the ambassador came to be informed of the truth of the story, with which he was exceedingly afflicted and astonished. The officer demanded the person of his brother, who was well known, and the rest of those who were present, to be delivered to him, without which he would break open the house, and find them wherever they were concealed. The ambassador demanded the privilege that was due to his house by the law of nations, and which he would defend against any violence with his own life, and the lives of all his family; but finding the officer resolute, and that he should be too weak in the encounter, he desired respite till he might send to the protector; which was granted to him. He

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Don Pantaleon Sa is executed. [B. XIV. complained of the injury that was done him, and desired an audience. Cromwell sent him word, that a gentleman had been murdered, and many "others hurt; and that justice must be satisfied; " and therefore required that all the persons engaged might be delivered into the hands of his officer; without which, if he should withdraw the soldiers, and desist the requiring it, "the people would pull down the house, and exe"cute justice themselves; of which he would not 66 answer for the effect. When this was done, "he should have an audience, and all the satisfaction it was in his power to give." The ambassador desired, "that his brother, and the "rest, might remain in his house, and he would I be responsible, and produce them before the justice as the time should be assigned." But nothing would serve but the delivery of the persons, and the people increased their cry, "that "they would pull down the house." Whereupon the ambassador was compelled to deliver up his brother, and the rest of the persons; who were all sent prisoners to Newgate. The ambassador used all the instances he could for his brother, being willing to leave the rest to the mercy of the law; but could receive no other answer but that justice must be done;" and justice was done to the full; for they were all brought to their trial at the sessions at Newgate, and there so many of them condemned to be hanged as were found guilty. The rest of those who were condemned were executed at Tyburn; and don Pantaleon himself was brought to the scaffold on Tower-hill, as soon as Mr. Gerard was executed; where he lost

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1654.] The state of Scotland and Ireland.

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his head with less grace than his antagonist had done.

Though the protector had nothing now to do but at home, Holland having accepted peace upon his own terms, Portugal bought it at a full price, and upon an humble submission, Denmark being contented with such an alliance as he was pleased to make with them, and France and Spain contending, by their ambassadors, which should render themselves most acceptable to him; Scotland lying under a heavy yoke by the severe government of Monk, who after the peace with the Dutch was sent back to govern that province, which was reduced under the government of the English laws, and their kirk, and kirkmen, entirely subdued to the obedience of the state without reference to assemblies, or synods; Ireland being confessedly subdued, and no opposition made to the protector's commands; so that commissions were sent to divide all the lands which had belonged to the Irish, or to those English who had adhered to the king, amongst those adventurers who had supplied money for the war, and the soldiers and officers; who were in great arrears for their pay, and who received liberal assignations in lands; one whole province being reserved for a demesne for the protector; and all these divisions made under the government of his younger son, Harry Cromwell, whom he sent thither as his lieutenant of that kingdom; who lived in the full grandeur of the office: notwithstanding all this, England proved not yet so towardly as he expected. Vane, and the most considerable men of the independent party, from the time he had turned them out of

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