The traytors last farewell:

The traytors last farewell:

or, Treason miraculously discover'd Being a full and true account of one Sir Thomas Armstrong, who with other rebels, had conspired the death of our soveraign Lord the King, and subverting the government: and though he fled beyond the seas for refuge, yet there the hand of justice found him out; and was brought back to England, where he received the due sentence of death, which was accordingly executed on the 20th. of this instant June, 1684. To the tune of, Let Oliver now be forgotten.

Houghton Library, EB75 P4128C no. 319; EBBA 34455

Old Tony he led you to Ruin,
to kick against Power and State,
But now it has prov'd your undoing,
for all he'd a Politick Pate:
For now you may see they look sowre,
The Law has invincible Power,
And I do hope will all Traytors devour,
Now 'tis in vain for to babble and prate.

O Armstrong, you see your Condition,
you find what your Plotting hath done,
Your Pride and your haughty ambition,
did force you from England to run:
For the old course you were taken,
Loyal Allegience forsaken,
It doth appear such Laws you were making,
But now it will fill you with horror and fear.

Sure Armstrong was highly besotted,
to act in so horrid a thing,
For treacherously you have Plotted,
against a most Soveraign King:
And when you heard the Narration,
Of the Kings Proclamation,
The Sea you crost, forsaking the Nation,
But now all your hopes is drowned at last.

For hatching and Plotting of Treason,
O Armstrong you entred your hand,
Contrary to Law, Right, or Reason,
against the great King of the Land:
Every Wheel was in motion,
They did it in point of Devotion,
At last for fear you crossed the Ocean,
And now a fine halter doth fall to your share.

You aim'd at the very Foundation,
our gracious good King and the Heir,
The strength and the stay of the Nation,
but now you are catcht in the Snare:
For Armstrong you dy'd a Traytor,
Gray will be found little better,
When he comes here early or later,
And Ferguson too [??] come in for a share.

These were the Blades of Sedition,
maintainers of Tony's Old Cause,
That rail'd against Lawful Succession,
to tread down our National Laws:
Yea both the Prince and his power,
Dayly they sought to devour,
They would have sent Loyal hearts to the Tower
Without all dispute this was their intent.

Those Villains then in the conclusion,
had they but obtained their will,
The Land would have been in Confusion,
and innocent Blood for to spill:
Then let us pray for the King and respect him
The Heavens I hope will direct him,
With all his Train ever protect him,
And send him a long and prosperous Reign.

But Armstrong was never so daunted,
no, ne'r since he first drew his breath.
O then he with Horror was haunted,
when he receiv'd Sentence of Death:
He fain would have have [sic] come to a Tryal,
But yet there was a denial,
O Armstrong, you had better been Loyal,
Then to be found to be one of the Crew.

But let him have what he deserved,
and give to each Traytor his due,
Let Charles our good King be preserved,
from all the implacable Crew:
Let Drums and Trumpets sound it,
Hang up each treach'rous Round-head,
So let them swing, thus be confounded,
While we that are Loyal cry, God save the King.

FINIS.

hanging, drawing and quartering

treason

Tyburn

[London] : Printed for I. Deacon at the Angel in Guilt spur-Street without Newgate

Let Oliver now be forgotten is also known as How Unhappy is Phillis in Love, and first appeared in 1681 (Simpson 1966, pp. 320-22).