and imployed for the safety of the Nation being by him and his agents corrupted to the betraying of their Trust and revolting from the Parliament have had entertainment and commission for the continuing and renewing of war and hostility against the said Parliament and people as aforesaid By which cruel and unnaturall wars by him the said Charles Stuart levied continued and renewed as aforesaid much innocent bloud of the Free-people of this nation hath been spilt many families have been undone the publick treasury wasted and exhausted trade obstructed miserablely decayed vast expence and damage to the Nation incurred and many parts of the land spoiled some of them even to desolation And for further prosecution of his said evill designs he the said Charles Stuart doth still continue his Commissions to the said Prince and other Rebels and Revolters both English and Forraginers and to the Earl of Ormand and to the Irish Rebles and Revolters associated with him from whom further invasions upon this Land are thretned upon the procurment and on the behalfe of the said Charles Stuart All which wicked designes wars and evill practises of him The said Charles Stuart have been and are carried on for the advancing and upholding of the personall Interest of Will and Power and pretended Prerogative to himself and family against the publique intrest Common Right Liberty Justice and peace of the people of this Nation by and for whom he was entrusted as aforesaid By all which it appeareth that he the said Charles Stuart hath been and is the occasioner author and contriver of the said unnatural cruel and bloudy wars and therein guilty of all the treasons murthers rapines burning spoils desolations damage and mischief to this Nation acted or committed in the said wars or occasioned thereby And the said John Cook by protestation saveing on the behalf of the people of England the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Charge against him the said Charles Stuart and also of the replying to the Answers which the said Charles Stuart shall make to the premises or any of them or any other Charge that shall be so exhibited doth for the said treasons crim's on the behalf of the said people of England impeach the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Tration Murtherer and a publick an implacable enemy to the Common-wealth of England And pray That the said Charles Stuart King of England may be put to answer all and every the premises that such proceedings examminations tryals sentence and Judgement may be there aupon had or shall be agreable to Justice The King was often times observed to smile in indignation during the reading of the Charge espacially at the words Tyrant TRATOR MURDERER and publick enemy to the Common-wealth The full Proceedings of the High Court of Justice against King Charls I. In Westminster Hall on Saturday the 20. of Ianuary 1648. L. President Bradshaw SIR You have now heard the Charge read containing such matters as do appear therein you have observed that in the Conclusion thereof It is required of the Court in the Name of the Commons of England that you answer to your charge which the Court doth expect The King I would be satisfied by what power I am called hither It is not long since that I was in the Isle of Wight How I came thither the story is longer than I conceive fitting in this place to declare But I there entered upon a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament with as much publick faith as its possible to be obtained from any people in the World I there treated with a number of honourable Lords and Gentlemen and I treated honestly and faithfully with them I cannot say but they dealt very ingenuously with me and we proceeded so far that the Treaty was even concluded Now I would understand by what Authority I mean lawfull I am brought hither There are many unlawfull Authorities in the world as Thieves and Plunderers in the high-wayes I would know by what authority I was taken from thence and carried from place to place I know not where When I have understood the lawfulnesse of the Authority I will make my Answer In the mean time remember that I am your King your lawfull King and weigh well with your selves what sins you heap on your own heads and the anger and judgements of God which you will bring upon this land I say seriously weigh it before you further do proceed from one sin to a greater Therefore declare unto me by what lawfull Authority I sit here and I will not refuse to Answer you In the mean time I will not betray my trust I have a trust committed to me by God by an ancient and lawfull succession I will not betray that by answering to a new and an unlawfull Authority wherefore satisfie me in this and you shall hear further from me L President Bradshaw If you had but pleased to observe what the Court did suggest unto you when you first came hither you had understood by what Authority you were brought hither which Authority doth require of you in the Name of the People of England by whom you are elected King than you make answer to them King No Sir I deny that L. President Bradshaw If you do not acknowledge the Authority of the Court they ought to proceed against you King I tell them that England was never an elective Kingdom but hereditary for almost these two thousand years Therefore declare unto me by what Authority I am brought hither I labour more for the liberty of my people than any of you who pretend to be my Judges and therefore I say declare unto me by what lawfull Authority I am placed here and I will answer you otherwise I shall make no answer at all L. President Bradshaw Sir how well you have administred the power committed to you is sufficiently known The method of your Answering is to put Interrogatories to the Court which doth not become you in this Condition Twice or thrice it hath been represented to you King There is present here a Gentleman Lieutenant Colonel Cobbet demand of him if he did not bring me from the Isle of Wight by force I come not hither to submit my self in this Court I will do as much for the Priviledges of the House of Commons rightly understood as any other I see not here the House of Lords which is able to constitute a Parliament and the King ought to be the Super-intendent there Is this to bring the King to his Parliament Is this to bring the publick Treaty to an end by the publick Faith of the world Either shew me your Authority established by the Scriptures which are the Word of God or confirmed by the constitutions of the Kingdom and I will answer you L. President Bradshaw Sir you have propounded a question and an answer hath been rendred but if you will not answer to what they do propound the Court will take it into
they intend to do yet wee do here declare that we shall not decline or forbear the doing of our duty in the administration of Justice even to your selfe and that according to the merit of your offence although God should permit those men to effect all their bloody designs in in hand against us Sir we will say and will declare it as those Children in the fiery furnace who refused to worship the Golden Image that Nabuchadonazer had set up That their God was able to deliver them from the danger they were neer unto but if he did not deliver them yet they would not fall down and worship the golden Image We shall make this application of it That though we should not be delivered from those bloody hands hearts who conspire the overthrow of the Kingdom in generall and of our selves in particular for being actors in this great work of Justice though I say we should perish in the work yet by the grace in the strength of God we are resolved to go on with it And those are the intire resolutions of us all Sir I say for your selfe that we do heartily wish and desire that God would be pleased to give you a sense of your sins that you may see wherein you have done amisse and that you may cry unto him that God would deliver you from bloody-guiltinesse A good King David by Name was once guilty of that particular guilt he was otherwise upright saving in the matter of Vriath Truly Sir the History doth represent unto us that he was a repentant King and he had died for his sinne but that God was pleased to be indulgent to him and to grant him his pardon Thou shalt not die saith the prophet but the child shall die Thou hast given cause to the Enemies of God to blaspheme King I would onely desire to be heard but one word before you give sentence and it is that to satisfie the world when I am dead you would but heare me concerning those great Imputations which you have laid unto my charge President Sir you must now give me leave to proceed for I am not far from your Sentence and your time is now past King I shall desire you that you will take these few words into your consideration For what soever sentence you shall pronounce against me in respect of those heavy imputations which I finde you have laid to my charge yet Sir It is most true that President Sir I must put you in minde I must Sir although at this time especially I would not willingly interrupt you in any thing you have to say which is proper for us to admit but Sir you have not owned us as a Court and you looke upon us as a sort of people huddled together and we know not what uncivill language we receive from your party King I know nothing of that President You disavow us as a Court and therefore for you to addresse your selfe to us whom you do not acknowledge to be a Court for us I say to judge what you shall speake is not to be permitted and the truth is all along from the to disavow and disown us The Court needed not to have heard you one word for unless they be acknowledged a Court and ingaged it is not proper for you to speak Sir We have given you too large an indulgence of time already and admitted so much delay that we may not admit of any more If it were proper for us we should heare you very freely not decline to hear the most that you could speake to the greatest advantage for your self whether it were totall or but in part excusing those great and hainous charges which are laid upon you But I shall trouble you no longer your sins are of so large a demension that if you do but seriously think of them they will drive you into a sad consideration and we wish that they may improve in you a sad and serious repentance And it is the desire of the Court that you may be so penitent for what you have done amisse that God may at least have mercy on your better part As for the other it is our part and duties to doe that which the law prescribeth we are not now here jus dare but jus dicere we cannot be unmindfull of what the word of God tels us To acquit the guilty is of an equall abomination as to condemn the Innocent we may not acquit the guilty What sentence the law pronounceth to a traytor a tyrant a murtherer and a publike enemy to the Country that sentence you are now to hear read unto you and that is the Sentence of the Court. Hereupon the Lord President commanded the Sentence to be read whereupon M. King who was Cryer of the Court having commanded silence by his Oyes the Clerke read the sentence which was drawn up in Parchment and did run in these words Whereas the Commons of England in Parliament had appointed them an High Court of Justice for the tryall of Charls Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convented and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other Crimes and Misdemeanors was read in the be halfe of the Kingdome of England which Charge followeth in these words This Charge being read said the Clerk Charls Stuard was required to give his answer which he refused to do but expressed these passages and many more such as these are in refusing to answer The Clerk having repeated many passages during the time of his triall in which the King shewed an aversenesse to acknowledge the Court did proceed to read the Sentence which was in these words For all which Treasons and Crimes this Court doth adjudge that the said Charls Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publike Enemy shall be put to death by severing his Head from his Body The Sentence being read the Lord President said This Sentence now read and published is the Act Sentence Judgement and resolution of the whole Court Hereupon the Court stood up as assenting to what the President said King Will you hear me one word Sir President Sir you are not to be heard after the Sentence King No Sir President No Sir by your favour Sir Guard withdraw your Prisoner King I may speak after the sentence By your favour Sir I may speak after Sentence ever The Guard drawing to him he said unto them by your favour hold and turning to the President he said the Sentence Sir I say Sir I do but being not permitted to proceed he said I am not suffered to speak expect what Justice other people will have Cryer All manner of persons that have any thing else to do are to depart at this time and to give their attendance in the Painted Chamber to which place this Court doth forthwith adjourn it self Then the Court arose and the Kings guard did bring him to Sir Rohert Cottons house and he was afterwards conducted to Saint Jameses
I could tell you of some souldiers which are turned out of his troup for defending those conditions of ours but let that pass and hence forward instead of life liberty and estate which were the Articles agreed upon let drawing hanging and quartring bear the Denomination of Captain Crooks Articles However I thank the Protectour for granting me this honourable Death I should now give you an accompt of my Faith But truly gentlemen this poor Nation is rent into so many several opinions that it is impossible for me to give you mine without displeasing some of you However if any be so criticall as to inquire of what Faith I die I shall refer him to the Apostles Athanasius and the Nicene Creed and to the testimony of this Reverend gentleman Dr. Short to whom I have unbosomed my self and if this do not satisfie look in the thirty nine Articles of the Catholick Church of England to them I have subscribed and do own them as authentick Having now given you an account concerning my self I hold my selfe obliged in duty to some of my friends to take off a suspicion which lyes upon them I mean as to some persons of Honour which upon my examination I was charged to have held correspondency with The Marquesse of Hartford the Marquesse of Winchester and my Lord of Pembrook were the persons nominated to me I did then acquit them and do now second it with this protestation That I never held any correspondence with either or any of them in relation to this particular businesse or indeed to any thing which concerned the Protectour or his Government As for the Marquesse of Winchester I saw him some twelve years since and not later and if I should see him here present I believe I should not know him And for the Earle of Pembrook he was not a man likely to whom I should discover my thoughts because he is a man of a contrary judgment I was examined likwise concerning my Brother Freke my Cousin Hastings Mr Dorrington and others It is probable their estates may make them lyable to this my condition but I do here so far acquit them as to give the world this farther protestation that I am confident they are as innocent in this businesse as the youngest child here I have no more to say to you now but to let you know that I am in charity with all men I thank God I both can and do forgive my greatest persecutors and all that ever had any hand in my death I have offered the Protectour as good security for my future demeanour as I suppose he could have expected if he had thought fit to have given me my life certainly I should not have been so ungratefull as to have imployed it against him I do humbely submit to Gods pleasure knowing that the issues of life and death are in his hand My bloud is but a small sacrifice if it had been saved I am so much a Gentleman as to have given thanks to him that had preserved it and so much a Christian as to forgive them which take it But seeing God by his providence hath called me to lay it down I willingly submit to it though terrible to nature but blessed be my Saviour who hath taking out the sting so that I look upon it without terrour Death is a debt and a due debt and it hath pleased God to make me so good a Husband that I am come to pay it before it is due I am not a shamed of the cause for which I die but rather rejoyce that I am thought worthy to suffer in the defence cause of Gods true Church my lawfull King the liberty of the subject and Priviliege of Parliaments Therefore I hope none of mine alliance friends will be ashamed of it it is so far from pulling down my Family that I look upon it as the raising it one story higher Neither was I so prodigall of nature as to throw away my life but have used though none but honourable and honest means to preserve it These unhappy times indeed have been very fatall to my family two of my Brothers already slain and my self going to the slaughter it is Gods will and I humbly submit to that providence I must render an acknowledgment of the great civilities that I have received from this City of Exon and some persons of quality and for their plentiful provision made for the prisoners I thank Mr. Sheriff for his favour towards us in particular to my self and I desire him to present my due respects to the Protectour and though he had no mercy for my self yet that he would have respect to my family I am now striping off my cloaths to fight a duell with death I conceive no other duell lawfull but my Saviour hath puld out the sting of this mine enemy by making himself a sacrifice for me And truly I do not think that man deserving one drop of his bloud that will not spend all for him in so good a cause The truth is Gentlemen in this age Treason is an Individuum vagum like the wind in the Gospell it bloweth where it listeth So now treason is what they please and lighteth upon whom they will Indeed no man except he will be a Traitour can avoid this Censure of Treason I know not to what end it may come but I pray God my own and my brothers bloud that is now to die with me may be the last upon this score Now Gentlemen you may see what a condition you are in without a King you have no law to protect you no rule to walk by when you performe your duty to God your King and Countrey you displease the Arbitrary power now set up I cannot call it government I shall leave you to peruse my triall and there you shall see what a condition this poor Nation is brought into and no question will be utterly destroyed if not restored by Loyal Subjects to its old and glorious Government I Pray God he lay not his Judgement upon England for their sluggishnesse in doing their duty and readiness to put their hands in their bosomes or rather taking part with the Enemy of Truth The Lord open their eyes that they may be no longer lead or drawn into such snares else the Child unborn will curse the day of their Parents birth God Almighty preserve my lawful King Charles the second from the hands of his Enemies and breake down the wall of Pride and Rebellion which so long hath kept him from his just Rights God perserve his Royal Mother and all his Majesties Royall Brethren and incline their hearts to seek after him God incline the hearts of all true English men to stand up as one Man to bring in the King and Redeem themselves and this poor Kingdome out of its more then Egyptian slavery As I have now put off these garments of cloth so I hope I have put off my garments of sin and have put on the
Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir John Bourcher Isaac Pennington Henry Martin William Purifoye John Barkstead Gilbert Millington Thomas Chaloner Matthew Tomlinson John Blakeston Sir William Constable Edmund Ludlow John Hutchison Sir Michael Levesey Robert Titchburne Owen Roe Robert Lilburne Adrian Scroop Richard Dean John Okey John Harrison John Hewson William Goffe Cornelius Holland John Carew John Jones Thomas Lister Peregrine Pelham Thomas Wogan Frances Allen. Daniel Blagrave John Moor. William Say Francis Lascels John Chaloner Gregory Clement Sir Gregory Norton John Venn Thomas Andrews Anthony Stapley Thomas Horton John Lisle John Brown John Dixwell Miles Corbet Simon Menyne John Alured Henry Smith Humphrey Edwards John Frye Edmund Harvey Thomas Scot. William Cawley John Downes Thomas Hammond Vincent Potter Augustine Garland Charles Fleetwood John Temple Thomas Wayte Counsellours assistant to this Court and to draw up the Charge against the KING were Doctor Dorislaus Mr. Aske Mr. John Cooke Solicitor Serjeant Denby Serjeant at Armes M Broughton M. Phelpes Clerks to the Court. Colonel Humfrey Sword bearer Messengers Door-keepers and Cryers were these Mr. Walford Mr. Radley Mr. Paine Mr. Powell Mr. Hull Mr. King The SENTENCE against the said KING January the 27 th 1648. which was read by Mr. Broughton aforesaid Clerk WHereas the Commons of England in Parliament have appointed them an High Court of Justice for the Tryall of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been Three times Convented and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other Crimes and Misdemeanours was read in the behalf of the Kingdome of England c. as in the Charge which was read throughout To which Charge he the said Charles Stuart was required to give his Answer but he refused so to do and so exprest severall passages at his Tryall in refusing to answer For all which Treasons and Crims this Court doth adjudge that the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and Publick enemy shall be put to death by fevering his head from his body This Sentence sayes the President now read and published is the act Sentence Judgement and Resolution of the whole Court. To which the Members of the Court stood up and assented to what he said by holding up their hands The King offered to speake but he was instantly commanded to be taken away and the Court broke up The true manner of proceeding to take off the Kings Head according to the Sentence given as a foresaid Sir Hardress Waller Collonel Harrison Commissary General Ireton Colonel Dean and Colonel Okey were appointed to consider of the Time and Place for the Exceution of the King according to his Sentence given by the pretended High Court of Justice Painted Chamber Monday January the 29 th 1648. VPon Report made from the Committee for considering of the Time and place of the Executing of the Judgement against the King that the said Committee have Resolved That the open street before White-hal is a fit place And the said Committee conceive it fit That the King be there executed the morrow the King having already notice thereof The Court approved thereof and ordered a Warrant to be drawn to that purpose which Warrant was accordingly drawn and agreed to and Ordred to be ingrossed which was done and signed and sealed according as followeth At the High Court of Justice for the Trying and Judging of King CHARLES the I. of England January 29. 1648. VVHereas Charles Stuart King of England is and standeth Convicted Attainted and Condemned of High Treason and other Crimes and Sentence on Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court to be put to Death by severing his head from his body of which Sentence Execution yet remaineth to be done These are therefore to will an require you to see the said Sentence Executed in the open street before Whitehall upon the morrow being the 30. day of this instant Moneth of January between the hours of Ten in the morning and Five in the afternoon of the same day with full effect and for so doing This shall be your sufficient Warrant and these are to require all Officers and Soldiers and other the good people of this Nation of England to be assistant unto you in this service To Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lievtenant Colonel Phray and to every of them Given under our hands and Seals Sealed and Subscribed by John Bradshaw President Thomas Gray Oliver Cromwell Edward Whaley John Okey John Danvers Mich. Lievesey John Bourcher Hen Ireton Tho Maleverer Jo Blackeston Jo Hutchison William Goffe Tho. Pride Henry Smith Vincent Potter William Constable Rich Ingoldsby Will. Cawley John Barkstead Isaac Ewer Val. Walton Peter Temple Tho. Harrison John Hewson Per. Pelham Richard Dean Rob. Tichburn Hump Edwards Dan. Blagrave Owen Roe Will. Purifoye Adrin Scroop James Templer Aug. Garland Edmu. Ludlow Hen. Martia Jo. Allewred Rob. Lilburu Will. Say Anthony Stapley Gregory Norton Tho. â—haloner Tho. Wogan Simon Meyne Tho Horton John Jones Jo. Moore Hardress Waller Gilbert Millington Charls Fleetwood Jo. Venn Greg. Clement Jo. Downes Tho. Waite Tho. Scot. John Carew Miles Corbet Ordered That the Scaffold on which the King is to be executed be covered with Black The Warrant for executing the King being accordingly delivered to those parties to whom the same was directed Execution was done upon him according to the Tenour thereof about Two a clock in the afternoon of the said 30. of January 1648. The Fatall day of the said Execution being Tuesday January the 30. 1648. HIS Majesty continued in Prayer all the morning and receives the Sacrament Just at Ten a Clock before noon he was conveyed on foot from St. James's Palace to Witehall guarded by a Regiment of Foot Soldiers part before part behind with Colours flying and Drums beating his private guard of Patirzans about him and Dr. Juxon Bishop of London next to him on one side and Colonel Tomlinson on the other being come to Whitehall he 〈◊〉 his Cabinet Chamber at his divotions refusing to dine onely about 12 a clock he eat a bit of bread and dranke a glasse of Claret wine from thence he was conveyed into the Banqueting house and the great window inlarged out of which he ascends the Scaffold the rails being hung round and the floor covered with black His Executioners disguised with Visards yet was his Majesty not affrighted He shewed more care of the people living then of himselfe dying for looking round upon the people whom the thick Guards of Soldiers kept a great distance of and seeing he could not be heard by them omitting probably what he purposed to have spoken to them therefore turning to the Officers and Actors by him he delivered him self in a short but excellent Speech which being ended he meekly went to Prayers and after some heavenly discourse between him and the Bishop having prepared himselfe he lifted up his eyes to heaven mildely praying to himself he stooped down to the block as to a prayer-deske and