128 LIVES OF THE PURITANS,. " from the dead : The consideration whereof melteth the " heart of your petitioner, and makes him, after a more " narrow search into his heart andways, more deeply sensible than ever of his sin against God, and more sorrowful for " his high crimes and offences against the parliament, in " his late and great miscarriages. " He humbly acknowledgeth he hath so highly violated " the laws of the commonwealth, as that thereby he hath " rendered himself guilty of the sentence of death justly " passed upon him by the high court of justice. He doth " also herewith humbly offer to your honours a free and " full narrative, under his hand, of the whole design, to the " best of his remembrance, which he leaveth to your grave " wisdoms' favourable interpretation, fully resolving that he " will neither plot, contrive, nor design any thing preju- " dicial to the present government; but will, in his place " and calling, oppose any designs whatsoever that may tend " to the ruin of the commonwealth. " Your dying petitioner, with all humble importunity, " prostrates himself at your feet, and puts his mouth in the " dust; andoh ! that there maybe hope ! craving your tender " mercy, begging his life at your hands; promising never " to employ that life against you, which he shall receive " from you; but doth hold it his duty, in his place and " calling, to lay out himself for the glory of God, the good " of his people, and the peace and safety of this common- " wealth. And your petitioner shall ever pray, &c. " CHRISTOPHER LOVE." In the narrative accompanying this petition, Mr. Love admits many of the things objected against him at his trial. It is dated from the Tower, July 22, 1651, but much too long for our insertion.. But, as Mr. Neal justly observes, the affairs of the commonwealth being now at a° crisis, and King Charles II. having entered England at the head of i sixteen thousand Scots, t was thought necessary to strike the presbyterian party with some degree of terror, by making an example of one of their favourite ministers. We are informed, that, at this juncture, Colonel Fortescue was sent to General Cromwell, then in the north, with a petition in behalf of Mr. Love ; but that both the general and the rest of the officers declined meddling in the affair.+ Other his- torians, however, affirm, that Cromwell actually sent a letter of reprieve and pardon for Mr. Love ; but that the pbst-boy 4. Love's Case, p. 5-14. 1 Whitlocke's Mew. p. 4,74.
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