caftle's trea

fonable prac

the great patron, fupporter, and the martyr of the Wickliffites, or, as they were in those days generally called the Lollards. Few authors fince the reformation give, credit to the chroniclers of thofe times, who being generally monks * are fufpected of partiality, There are however fufficient facts allowed by all hiftorians for us to form an undoubted and unbiaffed judgment upon the real cause of his death; and Mr. Stowe, who dedicated his work to the archbishop of Canterbury fince the reformation, barring his perfonal impartiality and credit as an hiftorian, appears from this circumstance to command the belief of all parties, when he fpeaks of Sir John Oldcastle,

After the relation of the rebellion raised by him and his men in St. Giles's Field, and how many were put to death for the fame, he informs us, that Sir John Oldcastle escaped out of prifon and lived abroad as an outlaw for four or five years, and after that,

Sir John Old-" molefting a great part of England with riding, roving, and fpoylinge in the abfence of K. Henry, that was accupied in warres beyond the feas. Whilst these things were in

tices in England.

Vid. Barrington's Obfervations on the Ancient Statutes, p. 347.

Stowe's An. 5 H. V. p. 570, & feq.

doing (beyond the fea) by the king, the fauourers of Syr John Oldcastle beganne to rage in England, who with great profers and promifes of money ftyrred up the Scotts to invade the realme in the king's absence, affirminge the fame would be easily wonne. And it was faid, that Syr John Oldcastle talked with William (Douglass) the Scott, at Pomfrett, promifing him a great fumme of money to perfuade the people to come with him, and to bringe with him him, who was falfely called K. Richard the II. and to fet him up as king. Alfo indentures and other wrytings were found, made betwixt Syr John Oldcaftle and the Duke of Albany in Scotland, wherein the Scotts were inuited to befeege Rookefborow and Barwicke, &c.

"Towards the end of the yeare 1417 Syr John Oldcastle was taken by chance in the

territory of the Lord Powefe neere the borders of Wales, not without danger and hurt of fome, that tooke him; neyther could he himfelfe be taken before he was wounded. He was brought up to London in a litter wounded during the parliament, and there examined. As foone as Syr John Oldcastle was brought into the parliament before the king's brother, the duke of Bedford, regent and gouernour of the realme, and the other ftates,

Mm4

Sir John Oldprifoner.

caftle taken

Questioned in parliament upon his treafon.

ftates, his indightment was read before him, of his forcible infurrection against the king in Saint Gyles Field, and other treasons by him committed. The question was asked, how he would excufe himfelfe, and fhew why he should not be deemed to dy? But he seeking other talke, began to preach of the mercyes of God, and that all mortall men, that would be followers of God ought to preferre mercy aboue judgment. And that vengeance perteyned only to the Lord, and ought not to be practifed by them, that worshipped God, but to be left to God alone. With many other words to detract tyme, untill the cheese justice admonished the regent not to fuffer him to spend the tyme fo vaynely, &c. But he againe began to talke nothing to the purpose, untill the cheefe juftice commaunded him to anfwere finally, why he fhould not fuffer death. To which he ftoutly answered, that he had no judge among them, fo long as his liege lord K. Richard was aliue, and in the Condemned as realme of Scotland. Which anfwere when

a traitor.

he had made, because there needed no further witneffe, he was condemned to be drawne and hanged upon a gallowes, and to be burned hanging upon the fame. Which judgment was executed on him on the 14th of December, in Saint Gyles Field. Where many honorable

'honorable perfons being prefent, the last words, that he fpake were to Syr Thomas Erpingham, adjuringe him, that if he faw him rise from death to life againe the third day, he would procure that his fect might be in peace and quiett."

It cannot certainly appear strange, that Sir John Oldcastle holding the doctrines I have before mentioned, fhould act in a feditious and treasonable manner towards his fovereign. I forbear to mention many inftances of fuch attempts, which are related by cotemporary authors, for the reason I have before alluded to. No doubt nor question can however be raised against the authenticity of the record; for if it were not perfectly authentic, it may be fairly concluded, that (particularly confidering its tendency) Sir Robert Cotton would not have included it in his collection, nor would Mr. Prynne, that still more noted republican, have published it in his abridgment of these records of the tower. * "On Tuesday the 18th of December, and the 29th day of this parlia

ment, Sir John Oldcastle, of Cowling, in the · county of Kent knight being outlawed upon treafon in the King's Bench, and excom

* Cot. Abridgment of the Records of the Towerr revifed, &c. by William Prynne, 5 H. VI. p. 553, 554municated

Record for his high treason.

execution for

municated before the archbishop of Canter bury for herefies, was brought before the lords, and having heard his faid conviction, answered not thereto in excufe; upon which record and proceffe it was adjudged, that he fhould be taken as a traitor to the king and realm; that he fhould be carried to the tower of London, and from thence drawn through London to the new gallows in St. Gyles, without Temple-barr, and there to be hanged and burned hanging. The record out of the King's Bench is at large, the effect whereof is, that the faid Sir John Oldcastle, and others, to the number of twenty men, called Lollards, at St. Cyles aforefaid, did confpire to fubvert the state of the clergy, and to kill the king, his brother, and other nobles. The archbishop of Canterburies inftrument for his excommunication is there alfo at large."

It is to be collected from facts, that notwithstanding the severity and rigour of those times, which even produced the infamous ftatute de beretico comburendo (afterwards repealed by the 29th of Car. H.) our anceftors proceeded capitally against Sir John Oldcastle (fometimes called Lord Cobham, on account of his being in right of his wife the lord of the manor of Cobham) and his affociates, not for their fpeculative errors in