18 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. not, for the world, subscribe to that as true, which he knew to be false. He, therefore, resolvedto suffer on the gallows, rather thanbe guilty of such prevarication and hypocrisy. But the day before sentence was to be passed upon him, he offered the following submission, drawn up by himself, dated February 19, 1591 : " Concerning the book whereof I was by due course of " law convicted, by referring myself to the trial of the law, " and that by the verdict of twelve men, I am found to be " the author of it, for which cause an humble submission is " worthily required and offered of me. Although I cannot " disavow the cause and substance of the doctrine debated " in it, which I must needs acknowledge to be holy, and (so " far as I can conceive of it) agreeableto the word of God ; "yet I confess, the manner of writing it is such, in some "parts, as may worthily be blamed, andmight provoke her " majesty's indignation. Wherefore the trial of the law " imputing to me all such defaults as are in that book, and " laying the punishment of thig same in most grievous " manner upon me ; as my molt humble suit to her most " excellent majesty is, that her mercy and gracious pardon "may free me from the guilt and offence, which the said " trial of the law bath cast upon me, and further, of her " great clemency, to restore me to the comfort of my life " and liberty ; so do I promise,in all humble submission to " God and her majesty, to carry myself in the whole " course of my life, in such humble and dutiful obedience, " as shall befit a minister of the gospel and a dutiful " subject, fervently and continually praying for the good "preservation of her highness's precious life and happy " government, to the honour of God, and comfort of her " loyal and dutiful subjects.". Previous to this, Mr. Udal had often, and with great earnestness, petitioned his judges for theirmediationwiththe queen.+ In Isis letter to Puckering, dated November 11, 1590, he thus expressed himself:-" I resolved to call to your remembrance my hard estate, which I pray you to accept as proceeding from him who wisheth as well to you as to his own soul. I need not offer to yourlordship's con- sideration of the miserable state I am in, being deprived of that, living by which myself, my wife and children, should be supported ; and spending the little substance which God has given me, in this tedious state of imprisonment; Strype's Annals, vol. iv. p. 27.-State Tryals, vol. i. p. 152-155. + Baker's NS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 50-52.
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