[29] See a letter to his father on the same occasion, f. 381 _infra_.
According to Bishop Forbes, Mr. Deacon was the son of Dr. Thomas
Deacon, who, he adds, (f. 40 _infra_), was a non-jurant bishop in
Manchester. But another contemporary authority describes him as the
son of an eminent and wealthy doctor of medicine in Manchester, and
states that Thomas was educated at the university to qualify him for
the same professions.--'History of the Rebellion,' extracted from the
_Scots' Magazine_, 1755, pp. 294-301. The fact is that Dr. Deacon
engaged in both professions. Three of his sons joined the Prince.
Thomas was appointed a lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment, and
so was his brother Robert, while Charles, the youngest, aged about
seventeen, was made an ensign. All were taken at the surrender of
Carlisle, and sent prisoners to London. Robert became so ill on
the way that he was left at Kendal, and died there. Charles was
reprieved, though he was taken to the place of execution under a
military guard to see his brother and others suffer. The head of
Thomas Deacon, with others, was sent to Manchester to be stuck up
on the Exchange there. His father was the first to come and gaze
upon it, and saluting it, thanked God that he had had a son who
could die for his lawful prince. Dr. Deacon only survived his son
about six years, and the inscription on his tombstone is worthy
of note:--'Here lie interred the remains (which through mortality
are at present corrupt, but which shall one day surely be raised
again to immortality and put on incorruption) of Thomas Deacon, the
greatest of sinners and most unworthy of primitive bishops, who died
16th February 1753, in the 56th year of his age.--Axon's _Annals of
Manchester_, pp. 89-90.
[Sidenote: 30 July 1746]
[Sidenote: _fol._ 37.] MY DEAR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN,--I am come here to
pay the last debt to nature, and I think myself happy in having an
opportunity of dying in so just and so glorious a cause. The deluded
and infatuated vulgar will no doubt brand my death with all the
infamy that ignorance and prejudice can suggest. But the thinking few
who have not quite forsaken their duty to God and their king, will
I am persuaded look upon it as being little inferiour to martyrdom
itself, for I am just going to fall a sacrifice to the resentment and
revenge of the Elector of Hanover and all those unhappy miscreants
who have openly espoused the cause of a foreign German usurper and
withdrawn their allegiance from their only rightful, lawful and
native sovereign, King James the 3d. It would be trifling here to
expatiate on the loss of so many brave subjects' lives who have had
the courage to appear in defence of their native King; [Sidenote:
_fol._ 38.] the vast, the immense treasure squandered away in
defence of the Usurper; the heavy load of taxes and debts under
which the nation groans; the prevalence of bribery and corruption;
the preference of strangers to natives, and innumerable other
inconveniencies which must necessarily attend a foreigner's sitting
on the throne of Great Britain, and which must be too obvious to
every impartial, unprejudiced Englishman.
Moreover, I think it is very evident that the very mercy of the
Usurper is no less than arbitrary power, and the freedom of
Parliament, bribery, and corruption; from which unhappy circumstances
nothing else can restore this nation and bring it to its former
happiness and glory but inviting King James the 3d to take possession
of his undoubted right.
I profess I die a member, not of the Church of Rome, nor yet that of
England, but of a pure Episcopal Church which [Sidenote: _fol._ 39.]
has reform'd all the errors, corruptions and defects that have been
introduc'd into the modern Churches of Christendom--a church which
is in perfect communion with the antient and universal Church of
Christ, by adhering uniformly to antiquity, universality and consent,
that glorious principle which if once strictly and impartially
pursued would, and which alone can, remove all the distractions and
unite all the divided branches of the Christian Church. This truly
Catholick principle is agreed to by all the Churches, Eastern and
Western, Popish and Protestant, and yet is unhappily practised by
none but the Church in whose holy communion I have the happiness to
die. May God of his great mercy daily increase the members thereof.
And if any would enquire into its primitive constitution, I refer
them to our Common Prayer-Book, intitled 'A compleat Collection of
Devotions, both publick and private, [Sidenote: _fol._ 40.] taken
from the Apostolick constitutions, antient Liturgies, and the Common
Prayer-Book of the Church of England, printed at London. 1734.[30]
[30] This book was compiled by Mr. Deacon's father, a non-jurant
bishop in Manchester.--F.
I sincerely declare I forgive all my enemies, who have raised
on me any false or scandalous reports, the pretended Court by
which I was tried, and all those who were witnesses against me,
particularly the unfortunate, deluded Mr. Maddox,[31] who has added
the sin of unparallel'd ingratitude to those of treachery to his
fellow-subjects, perfidiousness to his lawful prince and perjury
against his God, having sworn away the lives of those very persons
who chiefly supported him while he attended on the Prince's army, and
for a month after he was taken prisoner. And further, I affirm on
the word of a dying man he perjured himself in the evidence he gave
against me at my trial, as I verily believe he did in what he swore
against [Sidenote: _fol._ 41.] most if not all of the others.[32]
[31] Samuel Maddock or Maddox, an apothecary's apprentice in
Manchester. He was appointed ensign in the Manchester Regiment, and
after being taken prisoner became king's evidence. Some witnesses
averred that Maddox held a bad character; that as apprentice he
had wronged his master, and was not worthy of credence even upon
his oath.--'History of the Rebellion,' extracted from the _Scots'
Magazine_, 1755, pp. 279 _et seq._ See also ff. 91, 98 _infra_.
[32] Maddox deponed against Mr. Deacon, that he 'sat at the table
at the Bullhead at Manchester, took down the names of such as
enlisted in the Pretender's service, and received a shilling for
each; and when he was writing he employed himself in making blue
and white ribbons into favours, which he gave to the men who
enlisted.'--'History of the Rebellion,' _ut supra_, p. 289.
Lastly, I most freely forgive my two principal enemies, the Elector
of Hanover and his son, who claims the pretended title of Duke of
Cumberland, who are actually guilty of murder in putting me with
many others to death, after the latter had granted a regular, formal
capitulation in writing; which is directly contrary to the laws of
God and nations, and I hope will be a sufficient warning to all those
who shall hereafter have spirit, honour and loyalty enough to take up
arms in defence of their lawful sovereign, King James the 3d, or any
of his successors against the Usurper and his descendants. I say, I
hope it will be a sufficient warning for them never to surrender to
Hanoverian mercy, but to die bravely with swords in their hands. Not
but I submit with the utmost chearfulness and tranquility to this
violent death, being thoroughly [Sidenote: _fol._ 42.] convinc'd that
thereby I shall be of much more service to my beloved country and
fellow-subjects as well as my only lawful king, my dear, brave Prince
of Wales and the Duke of York (whom God of his infinite mercy bless,
preserve and restore!), than all I could do by fighting in the field
or any other way.
I publickly profess that I heartily repent of all my sins, but am
so far from reckoning the fact for which I am to die one of them
that I think I shall thereby be an honour to my family, and if I
had ten thousand lives would chearfully and willingly lay them
down in the same cause. And here I solemnly affirm that malicious
report to be false and groundless which has been spread (merely
with design to involve my relations in inconveniencies), that I
engaged in this affair thro' their persuasion, instigation and even
compulsion. On the contrary, I was always determin'd to embrace the
first opportunity [Sidenote: _fol._ 43.] of performing my duty to my
Prince, which I did without consulting or being advised to it by any
friend on earth.
And now, my dear countrymen, I have nothing more to say than to
advise you to return to your duty before it be too late and before
the nation be entirely ruin'd. Compare the paternal and tender
affection which your King has always shewn for this, his native
country, with the rashness of the Usurper, and his great regard to
his German dominions, the interest of which has been always preferr'd
to that of England. Compare the extraordinary clemency and humanity
of the ever glorious Prince Charles with the horrid barbarities and
cruelties of the Elector's son which he perpetrated in Scotland.
Remember what solemn promises have been given by both our King and
Prince Charles to protect you in your laws, religion and liberties.
Has not the Prince thrown himself into your [Sidenote: _fol._ 44.]
arms? Has he not given sufficient proof of his abilities in the
Cabinet, as well as bravery in the field? In fine, he has done his
part, and consequently the sin must lye at your door if you do not
yours.
May God be pleased to bless this land and to open the eyes of the
people that they may discern their duty and true interest, and
assist in restoring their only natural King to his indisputable and
just right! God bless and prosper him, and guide him in all his
undertakings! So prayeth