When the bishop John Atherton was executed in Dublin in 1640 the preparation started seven days before the execution and two days before it Mass and communion took place.At the site of execution, Atherton himself ”made a large and an elegant Speech”. The liturgical action then continued with the reading of psalms, prayers, and the singing of a psalm. Atherton then took off his outer clothing, put on a cap and a handkerchief, climbed the ladder, and there said his goodbye to some persons and prayed until he was pushed off.289 Sears McGee sees a clear distinction between the Anglican and Puritan view of conversion, where the Anglicans described conversion as simple while Puritans founded a more difficult conversion in predestination. However, the Anglican understanding was not an easy way either, as they saw conversion as to a significant part an act of human will and work.290 A situation from Tyburn in 1684 indicates that the preparation could have an additional object, at least in the eyes of the public: because one of the condemned, John Gowan, refused to participate in the prayers and to publicly confess or deny the murder of his wife, the priest and therefore the execution and the public waited for some ninety minutes.291 Thus one can wonder if any part in the public display was understood by the priest as necessary for salvation? According to the BritishMurderAct of 1752 also priests required an official permit for their visits to murderers, and preparation for death and pastoral care were only mentioned in a reference to Holy Communion as an exception to the rule that condemned prisoners could only receive bread and water. Executions were to take place two days after sentencing, although any which fell on a Sunday would be postponed until Monday.292 Among Anglicans the execution and its message 288 Ippel-Breedveld 1986 p 5, 9. 289 Barnard 1641 p 1, 10, 25 sqq (quotation p 25). 290 McGee 1976 p 24 sqq, 33. 291 Laqueur 1989 p 320. 292 25Geo. II, c. 37 ss 1, 6–8 in Pickering 1765 p 380 sqq. In Scotland however the quick executions of the MurderAct did not become reality as older legislation giving a respite for 30 days south of River Forth and 40 days north of the river was valid, Bennett 2018 p16 sq. 94
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