He defended himself
desperately, and would have cut his way through them, had they not
hamstringed his horse. He was brought to Edinburgh mortally wounded. The
wish of the government was that he should be executed in England. But he
was so near death, that, if he was not hanged in Scotland, he could
not be hanged at all; and the pleasure of hanging him was one which the
conquerors could not bear to forego. It was indeed not to be expected
that they would show much lenity to one who was regarded as the chief
of the Rye House plot, and who was the owner of the building from which
that plot took its name: but the insolence with which they treated the
dying man seems to our more humane age almost incredible. One of the
Scotch Privy Councillors told him that he was a confounded villain.
"I am at peace with God," answered Rumbold, calmly; "how then can I be
confounded?"

He was hastily tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged and
quartered within a few hours, near the City Cross in the High Street.
Though unable to stand without the support of two men, he maintained
his fortitude to the last, and under the gibbet raised his feeble voice
against Popery and tyranny with such vehemence that the officers ordered
the drums to strike up, lest the people should hear him. He was a
friend, he said, to limited monarchy. But he never would believe that
Providence had sent a few men into the world ready booted and spurred to
ride, and millions ready saddled and bridled to be ridden. "I desire,"
he cried, "to bless and magnify God's holy name for this, that I stand
here, not for any wrong that I have done, but for adhering to his cause
in an evil day. If every hair of my head were a man, in this quarrel I
would venture them all."

Both at his trial and at his execution he spoke of assassination with
the abhorrence which became a good Christian and a brave soldier. He had
never, he protested, on the faith of a dying man, harboured the thought
of committing such villany. But he frankly owned that, in conversation
with his fellow conspirators, he had mentioned his own house as a place
where Charles and James might with advantage be attacked, and that much
had been said on the subject, though nothing had been determined. It may
at first sight seem that this acknowledgment is inconsistent with his
declaration that he had always regarded assassination with horror. But
the truth appears to be that he was imposed upon by a distinction which