|
|
The World’s Famous Orations, Vol 3
Rumbold
Speech on the Scaffold*
(1685)
But as pride hath been the bait the devil hath caught most by ever since the creation, so it continues to this day with us. Pride caused our first parents to fall from the blessed state wherein they were created they aiming to be higher and wiser than God allowed, which brought an everlasting curse on them and their posterity. It was pride caused God to drown the old world. And it was Nimrod’s pride in building Babel that caused that heavy curse of division of tongues to be spread among us, as it is at this day, one of the greatest afflictions the Church of Godgroaneth under, that there should be so many divisions during their pilgrimage here; but this is their comfort that the day draweth near where, as there is but one shepherd, there shall be but one sheepfold. It was, therefore, in the defense of this party, in their just rights and liberties, against popery and slavery!2 I die this day in defense of the ancient laws and liberties of these nations; and the God, for reasons best known to Himself, hath not seen it fit to honor us, as to make us the instruments for the deliverance of His people, yet as I have lived, so I die in the faith that He will speedily arise for the deliverance of His Church and people. And I desire of all you to prepare for this with speed. I may say this is a deluded generation, veiled with ignorance, that the popery and slavery be riding in upon them, do not perceive it; the I am sure there was no man born marked of God above another, for none comes into the world with a saddle on him back, neither any booted and spurred to ride him. Not but that I am well satisfied that God hath wisely ordered different stations for men in the world, as I have already said; kings having as much power as to make them great and the people as much property as to make them happy. And to conclude, I shall only add my wishes for the salvation of all men who were created for that end.
* Delivered in Edinburgh. Rumbold was captured after having beea wounded and then separated from his companions in arms. An immediate trial had been ordered that he might be condemned before he died of his wounds. He was found guilty on June 26, 1685, sentenced to be executed the same afternoon, and was drawn and quartered, the quarters being exposed on the gates of English towns.
2 At this point Rumbold was interrupted by drum beating. He said he would say no more on that subject, "since they were so disingenuous as to interrupt a dying man."
Chicago: Richard Rumbold, The World’s Famous Orations, Vol 3 in The World’s Famous Orations, ed. William Jennings Bryan (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, December, 1906), 148–149. Original Sources, accessed November 23, 2024, http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=81WXSLRB6448N44.
MLA: Rumbold, Richard. The World’s Famous Orations, Vol 3, in The World’s Famous Orations, edited by William Jennings Bryan, Vol. The World#8217;s Famous Orations, New York, Funk and Wagnalls, December, 1906, pp. 148–149. Original Sources. 23 Nov. 2024. http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=81WXSLRB6448N44.
Harvard: Rumbold, R, The World’s Famous Orations, Vol 3. cited in December, 1906, The World’s Famous Orations, ed. , Funk and Wagnalls, New York, pp.148–149. Original Sources, retrieved 23 November 2024, from http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=81WXSLRB6448N44.
|