Consent they do Pronounce and Declare this judicial Verdict and say that after the end of the said Parliament specified in the Commission viz. After the first of June in the Seven and twentieth year of the Queen divers Matters were compassed and imagined in England by Anthony Babington and others with the Privity of Mary Queen of Scots pretending Title to the Crown of England tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our Sovereign Lady the Queen and furthermore that after the said Day and Year and before the Date of our Commission the said Mary hath compassed and imagined in this Kingdom of England divers Matters tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our said Sovereign against the Form of the Statute specified in the said Commission Soon after a Parliament was called wherein the House of Peers by the Chancellor petitioned the Queen that the Sentence might be promulgated and withal besought Her Majesty for the Safety of Her Person and Kingdoms to execute Justice on the Queen of Scots the Queen in her Answer shewed a great reluctancy to cut her off but concluded with Her Thanks for their Care and Advice but in a case of so great consequence said She would not be rash but consider and some Twelve days after desir'd the Parliament to consult some other way of Safety and to spare the Queen of Scots but they persisted in their former Advice so that some time after the Sentence was proclaimed throughout London and all the Kingdom King James upon the news sends one Kieth to Queen Elisabeth to intercede on his Mothers behalf and after him came the Master of Gray and Sir Robert Melvill to whom She said She was sorry no way could be found out to Save their King's Mother and secure her own Life they offer Pledges of the Scots Nobility for Her Security and wondred what should move any Man to attempt any thing against Her Majesty for Queen Mary's sake because said Queen Elisabeth they think She shall succeed me and She a Papist they to salve this Proposed that the Right of Succession might be made over in King James's Person and this would cut off the hopes of the Papists and they were sure Queen Mary would readily resign all her Right to Her Son but Queen Elisabeth urged She had no Right being Declar'd uncapable of Succession tho' the Papists would not allow her Declaration and this brought them again to press the Resignation but the Earl of Liecester who stood by objected that Queen Mary being a prisoner she could not deny 't the Scots Answer That it being made to her Son with the Advice of all her Friends in Europe in case Queen Elisabeth should miscarry none will partake with the Mother against her Son c. Here the Queen misunderstanding the Ambassador's meaning was told that the King would be in his Mother's Place Say you so said she 'Sdeath that were to cut my own Throat he shall ne'r come to that place and be Party with me and added Well tell your King what I have done for him to keep the Crown on his Head since he was Born and for my part I shall keep the League betwixt us and if he break it it shall be a double Fault and in passion got away Melvill followed her praying respite of Execution not an Hour said she and so they parted Some time after she Signed a Warrant for a Mandate fitted for the Great Seal for her Execution and entrusted the same with Davidson one of her Secretaries to be in a readiness in case of danger but he too hastily got it to pass the Seal which some said she would afterwards have recalled but was prevented by the earnest prosecution of Beal Clerk of the Council who was sent by them to the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent Derby and Cumberland to take care of her Execution unknown to the Queen for it was said that she should tell Davidson at that instant that she was resolved of another way then by death the Earls arriving at Fotheringham Castle in Northamptonshire where she was detained gave her notice on Monday Feb. 6. 1586. to prepare for Death the Wednesday next following but one when the fatal day came she was cloathed in Black had an Agnus Dei about her Neck a pair of Beads at her Girdle with a Golden Cross at the end of them and so passed through the Hall and mounted the Scaffold raised Two Foot high and Twelve broad Railed about with a low Stool a Cushion and a Block all covered with Black being set down the Lords and the Sheriffs of the County stood on her Right Hand Sir Annias Paulet and Drewry on her Left the two Executioners one the Common Hangman of London and the other of the County standing before her and the Knights and Gentlemen placed round about without the Rail Silence being made the Clerk of the Council having read the Commission for her Execution the People shouted and cryed God Save our Queen then Dr. Fletcher Dean of Peterborough standing before her gave her several Godly Exhortations as preparatory for her Death but she little regarded him and at last interrupted him saying he needed not trouble himself that she was a Roman Catholick and so forth then the Earls offered to join in Prayer with her that she might be enlightned in the true Faith but that she refused to do saying she would use her own Devotions then they required the Dean to Pray who did it with an audible Voice the Queen all the while sitting on her Stool with a Latin Prayer Book in her Hand a Crucifix and a pair of Beads and not minding what he said when the Dean had done the Queen with her own People all in Tears Prayed aloud in Latin and concluded her self with an English Prayer professing to be Saved by Christ's Blood and thereupon kissed the Crucifix then her Women begun to undress her and one of the Executioners taking from her Neck the Agnus Dei tyed behind the Queen laid hold on it gave it to her Women saying he should have Money but she suffered them and her Women to take off her Chain and Apparrel in some haste always smiling and put off her strait Sleeves with her own Hands hindring the Fellow who rudely offer'd at it to do it and now being in her Petticoat and Kirtle prepared for Death she crossed and kissed her Women who were lamentably skreeking and crying and crossed also her Men-Servants who stood without the Rails and then kneeled upon her Cushion saying in Latin the whole Psalm In te Domine confido ne eoufundas in aeternum and groping for the Block laid down her Head putting her Chin over the Block with both her Hands and held them there which might have been cut off with her Head had they not been timely espyed being thus fixed while one of the Executioners gently held her down the other with two stroaks with the Axe
to the utmost for to serve his Majesty and was really rewarded with a Suit worth 1500 Pounds tho' he was cheated of one half by a true Scot that pretended great friendship to him he returned to Sommerset about Three next Morning which was the day he was to come to his Trial and told him he had been with the King found him a most Affectionate Master and full of Grace in his intentions towards him but said for to satisfy Justice the Earl must appear tho' to return again instantly without any further proceedings against him and that thereby he should come to know his Enemies and their Malice tho' they should have no power to hurt him with this device he allaid the Earl's Fury and got him quietly about Eight in the Morning to the Hall yet fearing his former bold Language might revert him again and that finding himself thus brought within the Toye by this trick he might be more enraged to fly into some strange discovery he took care to place two Servants on each side of him every one having a Cloak on their Arms and gave them a positive Command If Sommerset did any way fly out against the King that they should immediately Hoodwink him with the Cloak take him by force from the Bar and carry him away for which he would not only secure them from any danger but they should be sure of a bountiful Reward but the Earl finding himself over-reached recollected a better temper and went on calmly in his Tryal where he held the Court till Seven at night but he that had seen the King's restless motion and concernedness of Mind all that day by his sending to every Boat he saw landing at the Bridge and cursing all that came without tidings would have easily judged all was not right and that there were very good grounds for Sommerset's boldness but at last having word brought him that he was condemned with the particulars of the Trial all was quiet You may judge of the Story as you please but my Author Sir A. W. says he and another Gentleman had it from Sir George Moor's own Mouth in Wanstead Park and 't is very remarkable that tho' the King made the most direful imprecations that could be to Sir Edward Coke at Theobalds upon the discovery of Overbury's Murder he would pardon any thing of them yet he gave both the Earl and Countess as deep in the sudds as any a Lease of their Lives allowed the Earl 4000 l. per Annum and kept correspondence with him by Letters almost every week to his dying day I shall not enter upon any further narration of Overbury's death of the Countess of Essex Divorce and her Marriage with Sommerset how the Discovery was made how the King was made a Pimp as he told Sir Edward Coke to carry on their Bawdry and Murder as being not pertinent to the present Design but acquaint you that the Lady Arabella Steward whose Genealogy we have already given you dying about this time in the Tower sets Mens Tongues and Fears at work that she went the same way she had been Married some years before to Sir William Seymour Son to the Lord Beauchamp and Grandchild to Edward Earl of Hertford and both of them being at some distance allyed to the Crown such a conjunction would not be admitted in the Royal Almanack so dreadful is every Apparition that comes near Princes Titles especially if they light upon jealous and weak Minds Sir William was for the Marriage committed to the Tower and the Lady Arabella confined to her House at Highgate but both of them after some imprisonment concluded to make their escape together beyond Sea appointing to meet at a certain place upon the Thames Sir William leaving his Man in his Bed to act his part with his Keeper got out of the Tower in disguise and came to the place appointed she dress'd like a young Gallant in Man's Cloaths followed him from her House but staying somewhat longer than the limited time it made him suspicious of her interception so that he went away leaving notice if she came that he was gone away before for Dunkirke the poor Lady thus desolate fraught with Fears and lugging in her slight was apprehended and sent in her Husband's room into the Tower where she ended her sorrowful days somewhat too early as was generally believed tho' no clear proof thereof could e'r be made it 's certain the King was very jealous of his Title to the Crown which at times made him very uneasy tho' besides actual possession he had apparently the best of any Title in the World and the free Speeches of his Subjects upon that head did not a little contribute to that uneasiness as was that of Tobie Matthews Bishop of Durham who being at Law with the King about some Priviledges which he claimed in his Bishoprick and having one day stated the case before some of his Friends and they seeming to approve of it Yes says the Bishop I could wish he had but half as good a Title to the Crown But one Hydra's Head is no sooner cut off but up starts another one of the Judges for Wales being about this time holding the general Assizes at Pembrooke there was among other Malefactors brought to the Bar to be Tryed for Murder one whose Name was Plantagenet a Name that for some hundreds of years had swayed the English Scepter from the time of Henry II. down to Henry VII the Judge hearing of the Name deferred the Man's Tryal and sends to acquaint the King with it who upon the news was in no small tiff but dispatcht away Orders immediately to bring the Man up when he was brought into his Presence Cousin said he How do you do the poor Man in a trembling amazement made no ready Answer but at length recollecting his Spirits replyed He knew of no Relation he was to his Majesty nay but said the King If thy Name be Plantagenet thou must be my Cousin and so entring into another Communion with him engaged him for a considerable Reward to change his Name into that of Steward from whom as I have been credibly informed the Family of the Stewards late of the County of H. but now extinct were descended It was now the Fifteenth year of the King's Reign when he goes to visit his Native Country of Scotland accompanied with Buchingham now prime Favourite but upon his return some of the looser Bishops pretending Recreations and Liberty to Servants and the common People of which they craved to themselves too much already procured the King to put out a Book to permit Dancing about Maypoles Churchyards and such debauched exercises upon the Lords Day after Evening Prayer wherein all Ministers were enjoined to read it to their Parishioners and those that refused were brought into the High Commission which was Plague sufficient but this brought him some disquiet and particularly one time the King being to go from London to Theobalds on a Monday
lines to this unfortunate King who now had no more to do then patiently to submit to what time produced but how pleasing soever these Votes were to the Army the Scots and diverse parts of the English Nation were not content with them and so they rise in Arms in Essex Kent Suffolk Norfolk Wales and the North and declare for the King and People Part of the Fleet also Revolted to Prince Charles but all these Revolts were quelled by a Victorious Army in a short time But while the Army was busied abroad the Members having gotten possession of the Fleet and the City of London being well affected to them they joyn with the Scotish Commissioners and rescine the Votes of the Non-addresses to the King and appointed a conference with him at Newport in the Isle of Wight to continue for forty days and to that purpose take him out of Prison and allow him the Liberty of the Island and the King upon the matter with reluctancy enough grants the Scots and the Members their own Demands But no endeavours of his Subjects nor the joynt desires of the Scots and Members could protect this unhappy Prince from his approaching Ruine for the Army now every where Victorious over the Scots and Royalists draw together and make a Remonstrance against all Peace with the King that Justice might be done upon Him the Crown-land and Church-land might be sold to Pay their Army and that the present Parliament be Dissolved and another Called But the Members were intent upon the King's Answer to their Propositions and laid aside the Armies Remonstrance which they take as a slighting of them and then seized the King in the Isle of Wight and make Him a Prisoner in Hurst-Castle an unhealthy place and March to London putting Garrisons in Noblemen's Houses and Whitehall and Post themselves about the Pallace-yard But the Members for all this Met upon the First of Decemb. 1648. and Voted the King's Concessions to be a sufficient ground for a Peace and then Adjourn'd for a Week yet when they were to Meet again they found all the Avenues to the House beset with Soldiers who Excluded all that were not of their Faction from entring the House which were not one fourth part and made the residue Prisoners This Juncto called afterward the Rump Parliament having in this manner Purged the House Assume to themselves the Supream Power of Ordering the English Affairs Confirm the Votes of Non-Addresses and raze the Votes of having a Conference with the King and the Declaration that the King's Concessions were a sufficient ground for a Peace out of the Journals of the House and Vote First That all Power resides in the People Secondly That the Power belongs to the Peoples Representatives in the House of Commons Thirdly That the Votes of the Commons have the Force of a Law without the King Fourthly That to take up Arms against the Representatives of the People or the Parliament was High-Treason Fifthly That the King Himself took up Arms against the Parliament and therefore was guilty of all the Blood shed in the Civil War and ought by His own Blood to expiate the fame But the Ordinance for the King's Trial being sent up to the Lords for their Concurrence they Rejected it January the 2 d and Adjourned for 10 days but first sent back that they would give Answer Whereupon the Commons search the Lords Journal-Book and find these Votes 1. To send an Answer 2. That their Lordships do not concur to the Declaration 3. That their Lordships Reject the Ordinance for Tryal of the King But the Commons for all that go on and Vote the Lords Dangerous Order the King to be brought to London under a Guard Read and Ingrossed the Ordinance for his Tryal on the 6 th of January and the Manner was referred to the Commissioners who were to Try Him and to that end to Meet in the Painted Chamber on Munday January the 9 th who Resolved that Proclamation should be made in Westminster-Hall that the Commissioners were to Sit again to Morrow and that all those who had any thing to say against the King should be heard In this manner Mr. Denby who was Sergeant at Arms to the Commissioners Rode into the Hall with his Mace and some other Officers all bare attended with Six Trumpets on Horseback who Sounded in the midst of the Hall the Drums of the Guard in the mean time Beating without in the Pallace-yard at the Old Exchange and in Cheapside The Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of London Petition'd the House of Commons for Justice against the King to Settle the Votes that the Supream Power was in them and the City resolved to stand by them to the utmost and because nothing should obstruct the intended Work Hillary Term was Adjourned for Fourteen days and Proclamation made thereof in the Cities of London and Westminster and other Market-Towns but that this poor Prince might have some glimmering of hope the Scots Parliament begun January 2 d. understanding what was done at London in reference to the King's Tryal Dissent from the said proceedings and Direct some Papers To William Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the House of Commons which the House took as an Affront and Denyal of their Authority and so thought not sit to Read them but yet Voted to send Commissioners into Scotland to preserve a Good Correspondence between both Nations Several Ministers from their Pulpits Declaimed also against the Proceedings against the King's Person some of the Nobility offer'd themselves Pledges in his behalf and January 19 the Scottish Commissioners deliver'd some Papers and a Declaration from the Parliament of Scotland wherein they express a dislike of the present Proceedings and declare That the Kingdom of Scotland had an undoubted Interest in the King's Person who was not deliver'd to the English Commissioners at Newcastle for the Ruine of his Person but for the more speedy Settlement of the Peace of his Kingdoms That they extreamly Dissented and Declared against the Tryal of Him in regard of the Great Miseries that were like to ensue thereupon and desired leave to make their Personal Addresses to Him The like Papers were also Presented to the General but all signify'd nothing for the Commissioners for the Tryal proceeded to make all things in a readiness and to that purpose Order'd that the Sword and Mace tho' they had the King's Arms thereon should be brought into the Court at His Tryal and the King to be brought from St. James's where he was then a Prisoner to Sir Robert Cotton's House at Westminster They erected a Tribunal called The High Court of Justice over which was appointed One hundred and fifty Judges at the upper end of Westminster-Hall the Courts of Chancery and Kings-Bench being ordered into one and these Judges were impower'd to Convent Hear Judge and Execute Charles Stuart King of England All things being now fitted up the King on Saturday the 20 th was brought from St. James