England under Charles II. from the Restoration to the Treaty of Nimeguen, 1660-1678: English History from Contemporary Writers
Taylor, W. F.
1889
He is however tried and executed. Pepys's Diary, vol. 1., pp. 281, 288, 290., ed. 1854. May 22, 1662,
This morning comes an order from the secretary of state, Nicholas, for me to let one Mr. Lee, a councellor, view what papers I have relating to passages of the late times, wherein Sir H. Vane's hand is employed, in order to the drawing up his charge; which I did. | |
June 7, . | |
Sir J. Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, . . . says that yesterday . . . Sir H. Vane had a full [sic] hearing at the king's bench, and is found guilty; and that he did never hear a man argue more simply than he in all his life, and so others say. | |
June 14, . | |
About eleven o'clock, having a room got ready for us, we all went out to the Tower-hill, and there over against the scaffold, made on purpose this day, saw Sir H. Vane brought. A very great press of people. He made a long speech, many times interrupted by the sheriff and others there; and they would have taken his paper out of his hand, but he would not let it go. But they caused all the books of those that writ after him [i.e. the reporters] to be given to the sheriff; and the trumpets were brought under the scaffold that he might not be heard. Then he prayed, and so fitted himself and received the blow. | |
June 18, . | |
I hear the courage of Sir H. Vane at his death is talked on everywhere as a miracle. | |