Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-03-12
lMLIISUlELIL.AlN1
TITUS OATES.

Every history of England that has thus far been writ
ten has immorallzed the biography Of Titus Oates,
Tost infamous hypocrite and scoundre in the LARGER
sense who during the peo1 he fourished preacher
Of the gospel in the regns Of james and Charles Of En-
gland was the cause of the sacrifice of thousands of
lives.
Nacaulay in his "Hstory of England, )" gives the fol-
low thrilling decscr ption Of the punishment to which
Oales's luamy at last subjected him. We copy it with
out further preface - Charleston Mercury
James, short time before his accession, had Instituted
civil suit against Oates for defamatory Words and
jury had given damages to the enormous amount ola
hundred thousand pounds. The defendant had been ia
ken in execution. and was lying in prison debtor,
without hope ofelease Two bills Of Indictment against
him for perjury had been found by the grand jury of
Mlddlesex, few weeks before the death Of CHARLES
Soon after the close of the elections the trial came up
Among the upper and middle classes Oates had scarce
" friend left. All intelligent Wings were now con
WINGED that, even if his narrative had foundation in
fact he had erected on thai foundation superstruc
ture of romance considerable number of low fanat
les, however, still regarded him public beneacor
These people well knew that, if he were convicted his
sentence would be of extreme severity; and were
therefore, ndefagabe in their endeavors to manage an
escape. Though as yet in Confinement only fol- debt, he
put in irons by the authorities Of the Kings Bench
prison. and even SO he with difficulty kept in safe
custody. The masf that que rded his door was poison
ed and the very night preceding his trial. ladder of
ropes introduced into his cell.
On the day in which he brought 10 the bar Wes.-
minister Hall was crowded with spectators among whom
were many Roman Catholics, eager see the misery
and hunllla ton of their prosecutor few years
er, his short neck, his legs those of badger
his forehead low that Of baboon his purple cheeks
and his morstrous length of chin had been familiar to
all who frequented the of law He had been the
idol OF the nation Wherever he appeared, had IN
covered their heads him. The lives and the estates
of the magnates of the realm had been his mercy
Times had now changed and many, who had formerly
regarded him rhe deverer Of his country shuddered at
the sight of those hdeous features which vany SEEM
ed to be written by the hand Of God.
1t was proved beyond all possibility Of doubt, that this
man had by false testimony, deliberately murdered
eral gutless persons. He called in vain on the most
eminent members of The Parliament, which had reward
ed and extoed him, give evidence in his favor
Some of them whom he had summoned absented them
selves None of them said anything tending to his vim
dlcaton. The Earl Of Huntington bitterly reproach-
ed him with having deceived the houses and drawn on
them the guilt of shedding innocent blood. The Judg-
es brow beat and reved the prisoner with ntemper-
ance which, even in the atrocIous cases i'll becomes
the judicial character. He betrayed however, no signs
offear or of shame, and faced the storm of invecve
which burst upon him from bar, bench, and witness box :,
with the nsolence ofdespair lie convicted on both
indictments. His offence, though, in moral light
murder of the most aggravated kind, was, in the eye Of
the law, mere y misdemeanur.
The tribunal, however, DESTROYS to make his pun
lshment than that of feons and traitors and
not merely put him to DEATH but put him to death by
frghItu torrents. He sentenced to be stripped Of
his clerical habit to be poried in Palace Yard be led
round Westminster Hall, with inscription declaring
his inamy his head to be pored again front Of
the Royal Exchange, to be whipped from Aldgate to
Newgae and af er interval Of two days.to be whip
ped from Newgate to Tyburne. If, against all probab
y he should happen to survive this horrible nicon he
was 10 be sept close prisoner during life. Five times,
every year, he to be brought forth from his dun
geon and exposed on the pory in different parts Of the
capital.
This rigorous sentence was vigorously executed On
the day on which Oates piorled Palace Yard he
was merciessy pelted and risk of being pulled
in pieces but in the city, his pariisans mustered in great
force, raised riot, and upset the piIlorv. They were
however, unable to their favorite 1t was sup
posed that he would try to escape the horrible doom
which awaited him, by swallowing poison. All that he
ale and drank was, therefore, carefully inspected. On
the following morning, he brought forth to undergo
the hrst hoggng. Al an early hour, an innumerable
multitude filled all the from Aldgate to the Bailey
The hangman laid the lash with such unusual sever
y as showed that he had received special instructions
The blood ran down in rvules. For time, the crim
nal showed strange obstinacy Tut last his stubborn