Chap. VI. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. 623 fu ch bigotry in religion, and intrigue in politics, that her alliance to thi!l King . 1' I l r. h . d fi h Charles II. nation was ttt e e1s t an a JU gment rom eaven. 1662 To procure more ready money for thefe extravagancies, it was refolved ~-" to fell the town of D unkirk to the f rench, for .five hundred tho ufand Sale of DunJ h . .n f I . 'I ktrk pounds. The lord chan cell or Clarmaon was t e proJe~..,or o t 11s VI eR : bargain, as appears by the letters of count D'Eflrades, publi!hed fince p,"~~';;, 301 , l1is death, in one of which his lordlhip ack nowledges, that the thought 302, 303. came from hin!fefj: Several mercenary pamphlets were di fperfed to jull:ify this [ale; bu t the war with France in the reigns of king William and queen Anne, have fufficien tly convinced us, that it was a fatal flab to our trade a.nd commerce: infomuch that even the queen's !all: minifl:ry durfi not venture to make a peace with France, till the fortificat ions of it were demoli!hed. But to divert the people's eyes to other objet.l:s, it was refolved to go on Execution of with the profecution of ll:ate crimi nals, and with humbling and cru!h ing ~~~,.~of ~he t he non-conformill:s : Three of the late king's judges being apprehend- mg s;u 'ges. ed in Holland, by the forward zeal of Sir G. D owni11g (viz. ) colon el Okey , C01·bet, and Berkflead, were brought over to E11gland by permif~ fion of the fiates, and executed on the at.l: of attainder, Apri/19. They died with the fame refolution and courage as the former had done, declaring they had no malice againfl the late king, but apprehended the authority of p~rlia ment fufficient to j ufl: ify their conduct. Before the parl iament rofe, the houfe addreifed the king to bring colonel Triah if eo– Lambert and Sir Henry Vane, pri foners in the 'lo~ver, to th eir trial ; and lont! Lam- . d . 1 J h · d h K' , B ' B h bert ami Szr accor mg y zme 4 , t ey were arra1gne at t e zng senctJ ar ; t e H Vane former for levying war againfl the king; and the latter for compaffing · ' his death. Lambert was conviCted , but for his fubmiilive behaviour pardoned as to life, and confined in the ifle of Gucrnjey, where he remained a patient prifoner till his death, which happened about thirty years aft~r. Sir Harry Vane had fuch an intcrell: in the convention parliament'; that bo th lords and commons petitioned fo r his life, which h is majefiy promifed; and yet afterwards, at the infiigation of the prefent houfe of commons, he was tried and executed. Sir Harry made a brave defence, but it was Execution if determined to !acrifice him to the ghofl of t.he earl· of Stra!Jord; and Sir H. Vane, when his friends would have had him pet~tion for his life, he refufed, B6rnet,{ faying, if the king had not a greater regardfor his word and honour than 1 3• 1 4 • he had for his life, he might take it. Neverthelefs bi{hop Burnet fays, '' He was naturally a fearful man, and had a head as dark in the notions '' of religion ; but when he faw his death was determined, he compofed " himfelf to it with a refolution that furp•ized all that knew h ow little " of that was natural to him -- He was beheaded on Tower-Hill June " 14, where a new and very indecent praCtice was begun; it was obferved
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