Edw. Baineton Io. Corbet Tho. Blunt Tho. Boone Aug. Garland Aug. Skinner Io. Dickeswel Simon Meyne Io. Brown Io. Lewry Esquires c. John Bradshaw Esq Serg. at Law Lord President of the Court Councellors Assistant to the Court and to draw up the Charge against the King Dr. Dorislaus Mr. Aske Mr. Steel Attorney General Mr. Cook Sollicitor General Mr. Broughton Mr. Phelps Clerks to the Court Officers of the Court Sergeant Dandy Sergeant at Arms and Mace bearer Col. Humpreys Sword-bearer Mr. King Crier of the Court Mr. Walford Mr. Radley Mr. Pain Mr. Powel Mr. Hull Messengers and Dore-keepers with tip-staves ON Saturday being the twentieth day of January 1648. The Lord Bradshaw President of the High Cout of Justice with about seventy of the Members of the said Court having Col. Fox and sixteen Gentlemen with Partizans and a Sword born by Col. Humphry and a Mace by Serj. Dandy with their and other Officers of the said Court marching before them came to the place ordered to be prepared for their sitting at the West end of the Great Hall in Westminster where the Lord President in a Crimson Velvet Chair fixed in the midst of the Court placed himself having a Desk with a Crimson Velvet Cushion before him The rest of the Members placing themselves on each side of him upon the several Seats or Benches prepared and hung with Scarlet for that purpose and the Partizans dividing themselves on each side of the Court before them The Court being thus set and silence made the great Gate of the said Hall was set open to the end That all persons without exception desirous to see or hear might come into it upon which the Hall was presently filled and Silence again ordered This done Colonel Thomlinson who had the charge of the King as a Prisoner was commanded to bring him to the Court who within a quarter of an hours space brought him attended with about twenty Officers with Partizans marching before him there being Col. Hacker and other Gentlemen to whose care and custody he was likewise committed marching in his Rear Being thus brought up within the face of the Court The Serjeant at Arms with his Mace receives and conducts him streight to the Bar where a Crimson Velvet Chair was set for the King After a stern looking upon the Court and the people in the Galleries on each side of him he places himself not at all moving his Hat or otherwise shewing the least respect to the Court but presently rises up again and turns about looking downwards upon the Guards placed on the left side and on the multitude of Spectators on the right side of the said great Hall After Silence made among the people the Act of Parliament for the Trying of CHARLES STUART King of England was read over by the Clerk of the Court who sate on one side of the Table covered with a rich Turkey Carpet and placed at the feet of the said Lord President upon which Table was also laid the Sword and Mace After reading the said Act the several names of the Commissioners were called over every one who was present rising up and answering to his Call The King having again placed himself in his Chair with his face towards the Court Silence being again ordered the Lord President stood up and said President CHARLES STUART King of England The Commons of England Assembled in Parliament being deeply sensible of the Calamities that have been brought upon this Nation which is fixed upon you as the principal Author of it have resolved to make inquisition for Blood and according to that Debt and Duty they owe to Justice to God the Kingdome and themselves and according to the Fundamental Power that rests in themselves They have resolved to bring you to Trial and Judgment and for that purpose have constituted this High Court of Justice before which you are brought This said M. Cook Solicitor General for the Common-wealth standing within a Bar on the right hand of the King offered to speak but the King having a staff in his hand held it up and laid it upon the said M. Cooks shoulder two or three times bidding him hold Nevertheless the Lord President ordering him to go on he said Cook My Lord I am commanded to charge Charles Stuart King of England in the name of Commons of England with Treason and high Misdemeanors I desire the said Charge may be read The said Charge being delivered to the Clerk of the Court the Lord President ordered it should be read but the King bid him hold Nevertheless being commanded by the Lord President to read it the Clerk begun The Charge of the Commons of England against CHARLES STUART King of England of High Treason and other High Crimes exhibited to the High Court of Justice THat the said Charles Stuart being admitted King of England and therein trusted with a Limited Power to govern by and according to the Laws of the Land and not otherwise And by his Trust Oath and Office being obliged to use the Power committed to him For the good and benefit of the People and for the preservation of their Rights and Liberties Yet nevertheless out of a wicked design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and Tyrannical Power to rule according to his Will and to overthrow the Rights and Liberties of the People Yea to take away and make void the Foundations thereof and of all redress and remedy of misgovernment which by the fundamental Constitutions of this Kingdom were reserve on the peoples behalf in the Right and Power of frequent and successive Parliaments or National meetings in Councel He the said Charles Stuart for accomplishment of such his Designs and for the protecting of himself and his adherents in His and Their wicked practises to the same Ends hath Traiterously and maliciously levied War against the present Parliament and the people therein Represented Particularly upon or about the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred forty and two at Beverley in the County of York And upon or about the thirtieth day of July in the year aforesaid in the County of the City of York and upon or about the twenty fourth day of August in the same year at the County of the Town of Notingham when and where he set up His Standard of War And upon or about the twenty third day of October in the same year at Edg-Hill and Keinton-field in the County of Warwick And upon or about the thirtieth day of Nov. in the same year at Brainford in the County of Middlesex And upon or about the thirtieth day of Aug. in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred forty and three at Cavesham-bridge near Reding in the County of Berks And upon or about the thirtieth day of October in the year last mentioned at or near the City of Glocester And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbery
here and therefore I tell you and I pray God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the people Introth Sirs I shall not hold you much longer for I will onely say this to you that in truth I could have desired some little time longer because I would have put this that I have said in a little more order and a little better digested then I have done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God that you doe take those courses that are best for the good of the Kingdome and your own salvations Dr. Juxon Will your Majesty though it may be very well known your Majesties affections to Religion ye it may be expected that you should say somewhat for t the worlds satisfaction King I thank you very heartily my Lord for that I had almost forgotten it Introth Sirs My Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the world and therefore I declare before you all That I die a Christian according to the profession of the Church of England as I found it left me by my Father and this honest man I think will witness it Then turning to the Officers said Sirs excuse me for this same I have a good cause and I have a gracious God I will say no more Then turning to Colonel Hacker he said Take care they doe not put me to pain and Sir this and it please you But then a Gentleman coming near the Ax the King said take heed of the Ax pray Take heed of the Ax then the King speaking to the Executioner said I shall say but very short prayers and when I thrust out my hands Then the King called to Doctor Juxon for his Night cap and having put it on he said to the Executioner Does my hair trouble you who desired him to put it all under his cap which the king did accordingly by the help of the executioner and the Bishop then the King turning to Doctor Iuxon said I have a good Cause and a gracious God on my side Doctor Juxon There is but one Stage more this Stage is turbulent and troublesome it is a short one But you may consider it will soon carry you a very great way it will carry you from earth to heaven and there you shall find a great deal of cordial joy and comfort King I goe from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be no disturbance in the world Doctor Juxon You are exchanged from a Temporal to an Eternal Crown a good exchange The king then said to the executioner is my hair well Then the King took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to Doctor Juxon saying Remember Then the King put off his Doublet and being in his Wastcoat put his cloak on again then looking upon the block said to the executioner You must set it fast Executioner It is fast Sir King When I put my hands out this way stretching them out then After that having said two or three words as he stood to himself with hands and eyes lift up Immediately stooping down laid his neck upon the Block and then the Executioner again putting his hair under his Cap the King said thinking he had been going to strike stay for the sign Executioner Yes I will and it please your Majesty And after a very little pause the King stretching forth his hands The Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body the head being off the Executioner held it up and shewed it to the people which done it was with the Body put in a Coffin covered with black Velvet for that purpose and conveyed into his Lodgings there And from thence it was carried to his house at Saint James's where his body was embalmed and put in a Coffin of Lead laid there a fortnight to be seen by the people and on the Wednesday sevennight after his Corps embalmed and coffined in Lead was delivered cheifly to the care of four of his Servants viz. Mr. Herbert Captain Anthony Mildmay his Sewers Captain Preston and John Joyner former Cook to to his Majesty they attended with others cloathed in mourning Suits and Cloaks accompanied the Herse that night to Windsor and placed it in that which was formerly the Kings Bed-chamber next day it was removed into the Deans Hall which Room was hanged with black and made dark Lights burning round the Hearse in which it remained till three in the Afternoon about which time came the Duke of Lenox the Marquesse of Hertford the Marquesse of Dorchster the Earl of Lynsey having obtained an order from the Parliament for the Decent Enterment of the King their royal Master provided the expence thereof exceeded not five hundred pounds at their coming into the Castle they shewed their Order of Parliament to Collonel Wichcott Governour of the Castle desiring the Enterment might be in St. George's Chappel and by the form in the Common Prayer Book of the Church of England this request was by the Governour denyed saying it was improbable that the Parliament would permit the use of what they had so solemnly abolished and therein destroy their own Act To which the Lords replied there is a difference betwixt destroying their own Act and dispensing with it and that no power so binds its own hands as to disable it self in some cases all could not prevail the Governour persisting in the negative The Lords betook themselves to the search of a convenient place for the Burial of the Corps the which after some pains taking therein they discover a Vault in the middle of the Quire wherein as is probably conjectured lyeth the body of King Henry the eight and his beloved wife the Lady Jane Seamor both in Coffins of Lead in this Vault there being Room for one more they resolve to inter the body of the King the which was accordingly brought to the place born by the Officers of the Garrison the four Corners of the Velvet Pall born up by the aforesaid four Lords the pious Bishop of London following next and other persons of Quality the body was committed to the earth with sighs and tears especially of the Reverend Bishop to be denyed to do the last Duty and Service to his Dear and Royal Master the Velvet Pall being cast into the Vault was laid over the Body upon the Coffin was these words set KING CHARLES 1648. A Letter worthy Perusal written by King CHARLES to his Son the PRINCE from Newport in the Isle of Wight Dated November 29. 1648. Son BY what hath been said you may see how long We have laboured in the search of Peace Do not you be discourag'd to tread those wayes in all those worthy means to restore your self to your Right but prefer the way of Peace shew the greatness of your mind rather to conquer your enemies by pardoning then by punishing If you saw how unmanly and unchristianly this implacable disposition is
CHARLES I. KING OF ENGLAND c. England's black Tribunall Set forth in the TRIALL OF K. CHARLES I. At a High Court of Justice at Westminster-Hall Together with his last Speech when he was put to death on the Scaffold January 30. 1648. To which is added the several dying Speeches and manner of the putting to death of Earl of Strafford Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Duke Hamilton Earl of Holland Lord Capell Earl of Darby Sir Alex. Carew Sir John Hotham Capt. Hotham Mr. Nath. Tomkins Mr. Chaloner Col. Jo. Morris Cor. Blackburn Col. Andrews Sir Hen. Hide Col. Gerrard Mr. Pet. Vowell Col. Penruddock Capt. Hugh Grove Sir Hen. Slingsby Doctor Jo. Hewet The fourth Edition corrected and enlarged London Printed for J. Playford 1660. TO THE READER WHereas there has been printed of late years many severall impressions of the Relation of the Tryall of King Charles the 1 st and of the manner of the putting him to Death many of which have been very imperfect having had most of the remarkable passages left out But in this Edition some paines and care has been used to have it exact and perfect the which the Reader will find made good if he compare it to any of the former Printed copies Also an addition of the dying speeches of such of the English Nobilite Clergie and Gentry as has been executed for the cause of the late King from 1642. to 1659. of all which these following are true and exact Copies as no doubt will appear to the reader in the perusuall thereof I. P. A Table of the matters contained in this Book AN Act for the Tryall of the King Pag. 1 The first days proceedings Pag. 6 The Charge drawn up against the King Pag. 8 The second days proceedings Pag. 17 The third days proceedings Pag. 25 The fourth days proceedings K. Charles conference with his children His speech on the Scaffold His letter to his Sonne a little before his death An Elegie on the Death and sufferings of K. Charles A Table of the Speeches The E. of Straffords speech to the Court after his sentence Pag. 49 The E. of Straffords speech on the Scaffold Pag. 53 Mr. Nath. Tomkins Elegie Pag. 58 Mr. Chalenors speech at his Execution Pag. 61 Sir Alex. Carews speech on the Scaffold Pag. 65 Capt. John Hothams speech on the Scaffol Pag. 68 Sir John Hothams speech on the Scaffold Pag. 69 Arch Bishop of Canterburys speech on the Scaffold Pag. 72 Duke Hamiltons speech on the Scaffold Pag. 84 Earl of Hollands speech on the Scaffold Pag. 98 Lord Capells speech on the Scaffold Pag. 124 Col. John Moris speech at his Execution Pag. 121 Cor. M. Blackburn speech at his Execution Pag. 125 Col. Andrews speech on the Scaffold Pag. 126 Sir Hen. Hides speech on the Scaffold Pag. 134 E. of Darby's speech on the Scaffold Pag. 147 Col. Gerrards speech on the Scaffold Pag. 159 Mr. Peter Vowells speech at his Execut. Pag. 170 Col. Penruddocks speech on the Scaffold Pag. 175 Capt. Hugh Goves speech on the Scaffold Pag. 184 Sir Hen. Slingsbys speech on the Scaffold Pag. 185 Dr. John Hewets speech on the Scaffold Pag. 186 KING CHARLES HIS TRYALL Began Saturday January 20 th and ended January 27. 1648. An ACT. An Act of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament for erecting of an High Court of Justice for the Trying and Judging of CHARLES STUART King of England WHereas it is notorious That Charles Stuart the now King of England not content with those many incroachments which his Predecessors had made upon the People in their Rights and Freedoms hath had a wicked design totally to subvert the ancient and fundamental Laws and Liber-of this Nation And in their place to introduce an arbitrary and Tyrannical Government with fire and sword levyed and maintained a cruel war in the Land against the Parliament and Kingdome Whereby the Countrey hath been miserably wasted the publick Treasury exhausted Trade decayed and thousands of People murthered and infinite of other mischiefs committed For all which High and Treasonable Offences the said Charles Stuart might long since justly have been brought to exemplary and condign punishment Whereas also the Parliament well hoping that the restraint and imprisonment of his person after it had pleased God to deliver him into their hands would have quieted the disturbers of the Kingdom did forbear to proceed judicially against him But found by sad experience that such their remissives served onely to incourage him and his complices in the Continuance of their evil practises and in raising of new Commotions designs and invasions For prevention therefore of the like greater inconveniences And to the end that no Magistrate or Officer whatsoever may hereafter presume traiterously and maliciously to immagine or contrive the inslaving or destroying of the English Nation and to expect impunity in so doing Be it ordained and enacted by the Commons in Parliament assembled and it is hereby ordained and enacted by the Authority thereof That Thomas Lord Fairfax General Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant General Henry Ireton Commissary General Phillip Skippon Maior General Sir Hardress Waller Colonel Valentine Walton Col. Thomas Harrison Col. Edw. Whalley Col. Tho. Pride Col. Isaac Ewers Col. Rich. Ingoldsby Col. Rich. Dean Col. John Okey Col. Robert Overton Col. John Harrison Col. John Desborow Col. Will. Goffe Col. Rob. Duckenfield Col. Rowland Wilson Col. Henry Martin Col. William Purefoy Col. Godfrey Bosvile Col. Herbert Morley Col. John Barkstead Col. Matthew Tomlinson Col. John Lambert Col. Edmund Ludlow Col. John Hutchinson Col. Robert Titchborn Col. Owen Roe Col. Robert Manwaring Col. Robert Lilburn Col. Adrian Scroop Col. Algernoon Sidney Col. John Moore Col. Francis Lassells Col. Alexander Rigby Col. Edmund Harvey Col. John Venn Col. Anthony Stapley Col. Thomas Horton Col. Tho. Hammond Col. George Fenwick Col. George Fleetwood Col. John Temple Col. Thomas Waite Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Thomas Honywood Thomas Lord Grey Philip Lord Lisle William Lord Mounson Sir John Danvers Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir John Bourchier Sir James Harrington Sir William Brereton Robert Wallop William Heveningham Esquires Isaac Pennington Thomas Atkins Aldermen Sir Peter Wentworth Thomas Trenchard Jo. Blakston Gilbert Millington Esquires Sir Will. Constable Sir Arthur Hasilrigg Sir Mich. Livesey Richard Salway Hump. Salway Cor. Holland Jo. Carey Esquires Sir Will. Armin Jo. Jones Miles Corbet Francis Allen Thomas Lister Ben. Weston Peter Pelham Io. Gusden Esquires Fra. Thorpe Esq Serjeant at Law Io. Nut Tho. Challoner Io. Anlaby Richard Darley William Say John Aldred Jo. Nelthrop Esquires Sir William Roberts Henry Smith Edmund Wild Iohn Challoner Iosias Barnes Dennis Bond Humphrey Edwards Greg. Clement Io. Fray Tho. Wogan Esquires Sir Greg. Norton Io. Bradshaw Esq Serieant at Law Io. Dove Esq Iohn Fowk Thomas Scot Aldermen Will. Cawley Abraham Burrel Roger Gratwick Iohn Downes Esquires Robert Nichols Esq Serjeant at Law Vincent Potter Esq Sir Gilbert Pickering Io. Weaver Io. Lenthal Robert Reynolds Io. Lisle Nich. Love Esquires Sir
ever I took defended my selfe with Arms I never took up Arms against the People but for my People and the Laws President The command of the Court must be obeyed no answer will be given to the Charge King Well Sir Then the Lord President ordered the default to be recorded and the contempt of the Court and that no answer would be given to the Charge And so was guarded forth to Sir Robert Cotton's house Then the Court adjourned to the Painted Chamber on Tuesday at twelve a clock aod from thence they intend to adjourn to Westminster Hall at which time all persons concerned are to give their attendance Resolutions of the Court at their Meeting in the Painted Chamber Lunae Jan. 22. 1648. THis day the King being withdrawn from the Bar of the High Court of Justice the Commissioners of the said High Court of Justice sate private in the Painted Chamber and considered of the Kings carriage upon the Saturday before and of all that had then passed and fully approved of what the Lord President had done and said in the managing of the businesse of that day as agreeing to their sense And perceiving what the King aimed at viz. to bring in question if he could the Jurisdiction of the Court and the Authority thereof whereby they sate and considering that in the interim he had not acknowledged them in any sort to be a Court or his Judges and through their sides intended to wound if he might be permitted the Supreme Authority of the Commons of England in their Representative the Commons assembled in Parliament after advice with their Councell learned in both Laws and mature deliberation had of the matter Resolved That the King should not be suffered to argue the Courts Jurisdiction or that which constituted them a Court of which debate they had not proper Conusance nor could they being a derivative Judge of that Supreme Court which made them Judges from which there was no appeal and did therefore order and direct viz. Ordered that in case the King shall again offer to dispute the Authority of the Court the Lord President do let him know that the Court have taken into consideration his demands of the last day and that he ought to rest satisfied with this Answer That the Commons of England assembled in Parliament have constituted this Court whose Power may not nor should be permitted to be disputed by him That in case the King shall refuse to answer or acknowledge the Court the Lord President do let him know that the Court will take it as a contumacy and that it shall be so Recorded That in case he shall offer ot answer with a saving notwithstanding of his pretended Prerogative above the jurisdiction of the Court That the Lord President do in the name of the Court refuse his protest and require his positive Answer whether he will own the Court or not That in case the King shall demand a Copy of the Charge that he shall then declare his intention to Answer and that declaring his intention a Copy be granted unto him That in case the King shall still persist in his contempt the Lord President do give command to the Clerk to demand of the King in the name of the Court in these words following viz. Charles Stuart King of England you are accused in the behalf of the People of England of divers high Crimes and Treasons which Charge hath been read unto you The Court requires you to give a positive Answer to confesse or deny the Charge having determined that you ought to Answer the same At the High Court of Justice sitting in Westminster Hall Tuesday Jan. 23. 1648. O Yes made Silence commanded The Court called Seventy three persons present The King comes in with his Guard looks with an austere countenance upon the Court and sits down The second O Yes made and silence commanded Mr. Cook Solicitor General May it please your Lordship my Lord President This is now the third time that by the great grace and favour of this High Court the Prisoner hath been brought to the Bar before any issue joyned in the Cause My Lord I did at the first Court exhibit a Charge against him containing the highest Treason that ever was wrought upon the Theatre of England that a King of England trusted to keep the Law That had taken an Oath so to do That had Tribute paid him for that end should be guilty of a wicked design to subvert and destroy our Lawes and introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government in the defence of the Parliament and their Authority set up his Standard for War against his Parliament and People and I did humbly pray in the behalf of the people of England that he might speedily be required to make an Answer to the Charge But my Lord in stead of making any Answer he did then dispute the Authority of this High Court your Lordship was pleased to give him a further day to consider and to put in his Answer which day being yesterday I did humbly move that he might be required to give a direct and positive Answer either by denying or confession of it but my Lord he was then pleased for to demur to the jurisdiction of the Court which the Court did then over-rule and command him to give a direct and positive Answer My Lord besides this great delay of justice I shall now humbly move your Lordship for speedy judgement against him My Lord I might presse your Lordship upon the whole That according to the known Rules of the Law of the Land That if a Prisoner shall stand as contumacious in contempt and shall not put in an issuable plea Guilty or not Guilty of the Charge given against him whereby he may come to a fair Tryall That as by an implicite confession it may be taken pro confesso as it hath been done to those who have deserved more favour than the prisoner at the Bar has done but besides my Lord I shall humbly presse your Lordship upon the whole Fact The House of Commons the Supreme Authority and jurisdiction of the Kingdome they have declared That it is notorious That the matter of the Charge is true as it is in truth my Lord as clear as Chrystal and as the Sun that shines at noon day which if your Lordship and the Court be not satisfied in I have notwithstanding on the people of Englands behalf severall witnesses to produce And therefore I do humbly pray and yet I must confesse it is not so much I as the innocent blood that hath been shed the cry whereof is very great for justice and judgement and therefore I do humbly pray that speedy Judgement be pronounced against the prisoner at the Bar. President Sir you have heard what is moved by the Councel on the behalf of the Kingdome against you Sir you may well remember and if you do not the Court cannot forget what delatory dealings the Court hath found at your hands
in the County of Berks and upon or about the one and thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred forty and four at Cropredy-bridge in the County of Oxon And upon or about the thirtieth day of September in the last year mentioned at Bodmin and other places near adjacent in the County of Cornwall And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the last year mentioned at Newbery aforesaid and upon or about the eight of June in the year of Lord One thousand six hundred forty and five at the Town of Leicester and also upon the fourteenth day of the same moneth in the same year at Naseby-field in the County of Northampton at which several times and places or most of them and at many other places in this Land at several other times within the years afore mentioned And in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred forty and six He the said C. Stuart hath caused and procured many thousands of the Free-people of the Nation to be slain and by Divisions parties and Insurrections within this Land by Invasions from Forraign parts endevoured and procured by Him and by many other evil wayes and means He the said Charles Stuart hath not onely maintained and carried on the said War both by Land and Sea during the years before mentioned but also hath renewed or caused to be renewed the said War against the Parliament and good people of this Nation in this present year One thousand six hundred forty and eight in the Counties of Kent Essex Surrey Sussex Middlesex and many other Counties and places in England and Wales and also by Sea and particularly He the said Charles Stuart hath for that purpose given Commission to his Son the Prince and others whereby besides multitudes of other persons many such as were by the Parliament intrusted and imployed for the safety of the Nation being by Him or 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 unnatural Wars by Him the said Charles Stuâ—rt levyed continued and renewed as aforesaid much Innocent Blood of the Free-people of this Nation hath been spilt many Families have been undone the publick Treasury wasted and exhausted Trade obstrusted and miserably decayed vast expence and damage to the Nation incurred and many parts of the Land spoyled some of them even to desolation And for further prosecution of his said evil Designs He the said Charls Stuart doth still continue his Commissions to the said Prince and other Rebels and Revolters both English and Forraigners and to the Earl of Ormond and to the Irish Rebels and Revolters associated with him from whom further Invasions upon this Land are threatned upon the procurement and on the behalf of the said Charles Stuart All which wicked Designs Wars and evil practises of him the said Charles Stuart have been and are carried on for the advancing and upholding of the personal Interest of Will and Power and pretended prerogative to Himself and his family against the publick Interest 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 Bloody Wars and therein guilty of all the Treasons Murthers Rapines Burnings 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 saving on the behalf of the people of England the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Charge against the said Charles Stuart and also of replying to the answers which the said Ch. Stuart shall make to the premises or any of them or any other Charge that shall be so Exhibited doth for the said Treasons and Crimes on the behalf of the said People of England Impeach the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publick and 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 proceeedings Examinations Trials Sentence and Judgment may be thereupon had as shall be agreeable to Justice IT is observed that the time the Charge was reading the King sate down in his Chair looking sometimes on the Court sometimes up to the Galleries and having risen again and turned about to behold the Guards and Spectators sate down looking very sternly with a countenance not at all moved till these words viz. Charles Stuart to be a Tyrant and Traytor c. were read at which he laughed as he sate in the face of the Court Charge being read the Lord President replyed President Sir you have now heard your Charge read containing such matters as appears in it you finde That in the close of it it is prayed to the Court in the behalf of the Commons of England that you answer to your Charge The Court expects your Answer King I would know by what power I am called hither I was not long ago in the Isle of Wight how I came there is a longer story than I think is fit at this time for me to speak of but there I entred into a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament with as much publick faith as 't is possible to be had of any people in the world I treated there with a number of Honourable Lords and Gentlemen and treated honestly and uprightly I cannot say but they did very nobly with me we were upon a conclusion of the Treaty Now I would know by what Authority I mean lawful there are many unlawful Authorities in the world Theeves and Robbers by the high wayes but I would know by what Authority I was brought from thence and carried from place to place and I know not what and when I know by what lawful Authority I shall answer Remember I am your King and what sins you bring upon your heads and the Judgment of God upon this Land think well upon it I say think well upon it before you go further from one sin to a greater therefore let me know by what lawful Authority I am seated here and I shall not be unwilling to answer in the mean time I shall not betray my Trust I have a Trust committed to me by God by old and lawful descent I will not betray it to answer to a new unlawful Authority therefore resolve me that and you shall hear more of me President If you had been pleased to have observed what was hinted to you by the Court at your first coming hither you would have known by what Authority which Authority requires you in the name of the people of England of which you are Elected King to
answer them King No Sir I deny that President If you acknowledge not the Authority of the Court they must proceed King I do tell them so England was never an Elective Kingdom but an Hereditary Kingdom for neer these thousand years therefore let me know by what Authority I am called hither I do stand more for the Liberty of my People than any here that come to be my pretended Judges and therefore let me know by what lawful Authority I am seated here and I will answer it otherwise I will not answer it President Sir how really you have managed your Trust is known your way of answer is to interrogate the Court which beseems not you in this condition You have been told of it twice or thrice King Here is a Gentleman Lieut. Col. Cobbet ask him if he did not bring me from the Isle of Wight by force I do not come here as submitting to the Court I will stand as much for the priviledge of the House of Commons rightly understood as any man here whatsoever I see no House of Lords here that may constitute a Parliament and the King too should have been Is this the bringing of the King to his Parliament Is this the bringing an end to the Treaty in the publick faith of the world Let me see a legal Authority warranted by the Word of God the Scriptures or warranted by the Constitutions of the Kingdom and I will answer President Sir You have propounded a Question and have been answered seeing you will not answer the Court will consider how to proceed in the mean time those that brought you hither are to take charge of you back again The Court desires to know whether this be all the Answer you will give or no. King Sir I desire that you would give me and all the world satisfaction in this let me tell you it is not a slight thing you are about I am sworn to keep the Peace by that duty I owe to God and my Country and I will do it to the last breath of my body and therefore you shall do well to satisfie first God and then the Country by what Authority you do it if you do it by a usurped Authority that will not last long There is a God in Heaven that will call you and all that give you power to account Satisfie me in that and I will answer otherwise I betray my Trust and the Liberties of the People and therefore think of that and then I shall be willing For I do avow That it is as great a sin to withstand lawful Authority as it is to submit to a Tyrannical or any other wayes unlawful Authority and therefore satisfie God and me and all the World in that and you shall receive my Answer I am not afraid of the Bill President The Court expects you should give them a final Answer their purpose is to adjourn till Monday next if you do not satisfie your self though we do tell you our Authority we are satisfied with our Authority and it is upon Gods Authority and the Kingdoms and that peace you speak of will be kept in the doing of Justice and that 's our present work King Let me tell you if you will shew me what lawful Authority you have I shall be satisfied But that you have hitherto said satisfies no reasonable man President That 's in our apprehension we think it reasonable that are your Judges King 'T is not my apprehension nor yours neither that ought to decide it President The Court hath heard you and you are to be disposed of as they have commanded Two things were remarkable in this days proceedings 1. It is observed That as the charge was reading against the King the silver head of his staff fell off the which he wondred at and seeing none to take it up he stoop'd for it himself and put it in his pocket 2. That as the King was going away he looking with a very austere countenance upon the Court without stirring of his Hat replyed Well Sir when the L. President commanded the Guard to take him away and at his going down he said I do not fear that pointing with his staff at the sword The people in the Hall as he went down the stairs cryed out some God save the King and some for Justice O yes being called the Court adjourned till Monday next January 22. at 9. in the morning to the Painted Chamber and from thence to the same place again in Westminster Hall January 21. Being Sunday the Commissioners kept a Fast at White-hall there Preached Mr. Spigg his Text was He that sheds Mans bloud by Man shall his bloud be shed next Mr. Foxely his Text Judge not least you be judged Last was Mr. Peters his Text was I will binde their Kings in Chains and their Nobles in fetters of Iron At the High-Court of Justice sitting in Westminster-Hall Monday Jan. 22. 1648. O Yes made Silence commanded The Court called and answered to their names Silence commanded upon pain of imprisonment and the Captain of the Guard to apprehend all such as make disturbance Upon the Kings coming in a shout was made Command given by the Court to the Captain of â—he Guard to fetch and take into his custody those who make any disturbance Mr. Solicitor May it please your Lordship my Lord President I did at the last Court in the behalf of the Commons of England exhibit and give into this Court a Charge of High Treason and other high Crimes against the Prisoner at the Bar whereof I do accuse him in the name of the People of England and the Charge was read unto him and his Answer required My Lord he was not then pleased to give an Answer but in stead of answering did there dispute the Authority of this High Court My humble Motion to this High Court in behalf of the People of England is That the Prisoner may be directed to make a positive Answer either by way of Confession or Negation which if he shall refuse to do that the matter of Charge may be taken pro confesso and the Court may proceed according to justice President Sir You may remember at the last Court you were told the occasion of your being brought hither and you heard a Charge against you containing a Charge of high Treason and other high Crimes against this Realm of England you heard likewise that it was prayed in the behalf of the People that you should give an answer to that Charge that thereupon such proceedings might be had at should be agreeable to justice you were then pleased to make some scruples concerning the Authority of this Court and knew not by what Authority you were brought hither you did divers times propound your Questions and were as often answered that it was by Authority of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament that did think fit to call you to account for those high and capital misdemeanours wherewith you were then charged Since
that the Court hath taken into Consideration what you then said they are fully satisfied with their own Authority and they hold it fit you should stand satisfied with it too and they do require it that you do give a positive and particular Answer to this Charge that is exhibited against you they do expect you should either confess or deny it if you deny it is offered in the behalf of the Nation to be made good against you their Authority they do avow to the whole world that the whole Kingdome are to rest satisfied in and you are to rest satisfied with it and therefore you are to lose no more time but to give a positive Answer thereunto King When I was here last 't is true I made that Question and truly if it were only my own particular case I would have satisfied my self with the Protestation I made the last time I was here against the legality of this Court and that a King cannot be tryed by any Superiour Jurisdiction on Earth but it is not my case alone it is the Freedome and the Liberty of the people of England and do you pretend what you will I stand more for their Liberties For if power without Law may make Laws may alter the fundamental Laws of the Kingdome I do not know what Subject he is in England that can be sure of his life or any thing that he calls his own therefore when that I came here I did expect particular Reasons to know by what Law what Authority you did proceed against me here and therefore I am a little to seek what to say to you in this particular because the Affirmative is proved the Negative often is very hard to do but since I cannot perswade you to do it I shall tell you my Reasons as short as I can My Reasons why in Conscience and the duty I owe to God first and my people next for the preservation of their Lives Liberties and Estates I conceive I cannot answer this till I be satisfied of the legality of it All proceedings against any man whatsoever President Sir I must interrupt you which I would not do but that what you do is not agreeable to the proceedings of any Court of Justice you are about to enter into Argument and dispute concerning the Authority of this Court before whom you appear as a Prisoner and are charged as an high Delinquent if you take upon you to dispute the Authority of the Court we may not do it nor will any Court give way unto it you are to submit unto it you are to give in a punctuall and direct Answer whether you will answer to your Charge or no and what your Answer is King Sir by your favour I do not know the forms of Law I do know Law and Reason though I am no Lawyer professed yet I know as much Law as any Gentleman in England and therefore under favour I do plead for the Liberties of the People of England more then you do and therefore if I should impose a belief upon any man without Reasons given for it it were unreasonable but I must tell you That that Reason that I have as thus informed I cannot yeild unto it President Sir I must interrupt you you may not be permitted you speak of Law and Reason it is fit there should be Law and Reason and there is both against you Sir the Vote of the Commons of England Assembled in Parliament it is the Reason of the Kingdome and they are these too that have given that Law according to which you should have ruled and reigned Sir you are not to dispute our Authority you are told it again by the Court Sir it will be taken notice of that you stand in contempt of the Court and your contempt will be recorded accordingly King I do not know how a King can be a Delinquent not by any Law that ever I heard of all men Delinquents or what you will let me tell you they may put in Demurrers against any proceedings as legal and I do demand that and demand to be heard with my Reasons if you deny that you deny Reason President Sir you have offered something to the Court I shall speak something unto you the sense of the Court Sir neither you nor any man are permitted to dispute that point you are concluded you may not demur the Jurisdiction of the Court if you do I must let you know that they over-rule your Demurrer they sit here by the Authority of Commons of England and all your Predecessors and you are responsible to them King I deny that shew me one precedent President Sir you ought not to interrupt while the Court is speaking to you this point is not to be debated by you neither will the Court permit you to do it if you offer it by way of Demurrer to the Jurisdiction of the Court they have considered of their Jurisdiction they do affirm their own Jurisdiction King I say Sir by your favour that the Commons of England was never a Court of Judicature I would know how they came to be so President Sir you are not to be permitted to go on in that Speech and these Discourses Then the Clerk of the Court read as followeth Charles Stuart King of England You have been accused on the behalf of the People of England of High Treason and other high Crimes the Court have determined that you ought to answer the same King I will answer the same as soon as I know by what Authority you do this President If this be all that you will say then Gentlemen you that brought the Prisoner hither take charge of him back again King I do require that I may give in my Reasons why I do not Answer and give me time for that President Sir 'T is not for Prisoners to require King Prisoners Sir I am not an ordinaay Prisoner President The Court hath considered of their Jurisdiction and they have already affirmed then Jurisdiction if you will not answer we shall give order to record your default King You never heard my Reasons yet President Sir your Reasons are not to be heard against the highest Jurisdiction King Shew me that Jurisdiction where Reason is not to be heard President Sir We shew it you here the Commons of England and the next time you are brought you will know more of the pleasure of the Court and it may be their finall determination King Shew me wherever the House of Commons was a Court of Judicature of that kinde President Serjeant take away the Prisoner King Well Sir remember that the King is not suffered to give his Reasons for the Liberty and Freedome of all his Subjects President Sir You are not to have liberty to use this language how great a friend you have been to the Laws and Liberties of the people let all England and the World judge King Sir under favour it was the Liberty Freedome and Laws of the Subject that
would offer there what ever it is must needs be in delay of the Justice here so as if this Court be resolved and prepared for the Sentence this that you offer they are not bound in justice to grant but Sir according to that you seem to desire and because you shall know the further pleasure of the Court upon that which you have moved the Court will withdraw for a time King Shall I withdraw President Sir you shall know the pleasure of the Court presently the Court withdraws for half an houre into the Court of Wards Serjeant at Armes the Court gives command that the Prisoner be withdrawn and they give order for his return again The Court withdraws for half an houre and returns President Serjeant at Arms send for your Prisoner Sir You were pleased to make a motion here to the Court to offer a desire of yours touching the propounding of somewhat to the Lords in the Painted Chamber for the Peace of the Kingdome Sir you did in effect receive an answer before the Court adjourned Truly Sir their withdrawing and adjournment was pro forma tantum for it did not seem to them that there was any difficulty in the thing they have considered of what you have moved and have considered of their own Authority which is founded as hath been often said upon the Supreme Authority of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament The Court acts accordingly to their Commission Sit the return I have to you from the Court is this That they have been too much delayed by you already and this that you now offer hath occasioned some little further delay and they are JUDGES appointed by the highest JUDGES and Judges are no more to delay then they are to deny justice they are good words in the old Charter of England Nulli negabimus nulli vendemus nulli deferemus Justitiam There must be no delay but the truth is Sir and so every man here observes it That you have much delayed them in your contempt and default for which they might have long since proceeded to judgement against you and notwithstanding what you have offered they are resolved to proceed to punishment and to judgement and that is their unanimous resolution King Sir I know it is in vain for me to dispute I am no Sceptick for to deny the power that you have I know that you have power enough Sir I confesse I think it would have been for the Kingdomes peace if you would have taken the pains for to have shown the lawfulnesse of your power for this delay that I have desired I confesse it is a delay but it is a delay very important for the peace of the Kingdome for it is not my person that I look on alone it is the Kingdomes wel-fare and the Kingdomes peace it is an old sentence That we should think on long before we have resolved of great matters suddenly Therefore Sir I do say again that I do put at your doors all the inconveniency of an hasty Sentence I confesse I have been here now I think this week this day eight dayes was the day I came here first but a little delay of a day or two further may give peace whereas an Hasty Judgement may bring on that trouble and perpetual inconveniency to the Kingdome that the child that is unborn may repent it and therefore again out of the Duty I owe to God and to my Country I do desire that I may be heard by the Lords and Commons in the Painted Chamber or any other Chamber that you will appoint me President Sir you have been already answered to what you even now moved being the same you moved before since the Resolution and the Judgement of the Court in it and the Court now requires to know whether you have any more to say for your self then you have said before they proceed to Sentence King I say this Sir That if you will hear me if you will give me but this delay I doubt not but I shall give some satisfaction to you all here and to my People after that and therefore I do require you as you will answer it at the dreadfull day of judgement that you will consider it once again President Sir I have received direction from the Court King Well Sir President If this must be re-enforc'd or any thing of this nature your answer must be the same and they will proceed to Sentence if you have nothing more to say King I have nothing more to say but I shall desire that this may be entred what I have said President The Court then Sir hath something to say unto you which although I know it will be very unacceptable yet notwithstanding they are willing and are resolved to discharge their Duty Sir you speak very well of a precious thing that you call Peace and it had been much to be wished that God had put it into your heart that you had as effectually and really endevoured and studied the Peace of the Kingdome as now in words you seem to pretend but as you were told the other day Actions must expound Intentions yet Actions have been clean contrary and truly Sir it doth appear plainly enough to them that you have gone upon very erronious principles the Kingdome hath felt it to their smart and it will be no ease to you to think of it for Sir you have held your selfe and let fall such Language as if you had been no wayes subject to the Law or that the Law had not been your Superiour Sir the Court is very well sensible of it and I hope so are all the understanding People of England That the Law is your Superiour That you ought to have ruled according to the Law you ought to have done so Sir I know very well your pretence hath been that you have done so but Sir the difference hath been who shall be the Expositors of this Law Sir whether you and your party out of Courts of Justice shall take upon them to expound Law or the Courts of Justice who are the Expounders nay the Soveraign and the High Court of Justice the Parliament of England who are not only the highest Expounders but the sole makers of the Law Sir for you to set your self with your single judgement and those that adhere unto you against the highest Court of Justice that is not Law Sir as the Law is your superior so truly Sir there is something that is superior to the Law and that is indeed the Parent or Author of the Law and that is the People of England For Sir as they are those that at the first as other Countries have done did chuse to themselves the Form of Government even for justice sake that justice might be administred that peace might be preserved so Sir they gave Laws to their Governors according to which they should govern and if those Laws should have proved inconvenient or prejudicial to the publick they had a power in
them and reserved to themselves to alter as they shall see cause Sir it is very true what some of your side have said Rex non habet parem in Regno This Court will say the same while King That you have not your Peer in some sense for you are Major singulis but they will aver again that you are Minor universis and the same Author tells you that in exhibitione juris there you have no power but in _____ quasi minimus This we know to be Law Rex habet superiorem Deum Legem etiam Curiam and so saies the same Author and truly Sir he makes bold to go a little further Debentei ponere fraenum They ought to bridle him and sir we know very well the stories of old Those Wars that were called the Barons Wars when the Nobility of the Land did stand out for the liberty and property of the Subject and would not suffer the Kings that did invade to play the Tyrants freer but called them to accompt for it we know that truth That they did fraenum ponere But sir if they do forbear to do their duty now and are not so mindfull of their own Honor and the Kingdoms good as the Barons of England will not be unmindfull of what is for their preservation and for their safety Justitiae fruendi causa Reges constituti sunt This we learn the end of having Kings or any other Governors it 's for the enjoying of Justice that 's the end Now Sir if so be the King will go contrary to the end of his Government Sir he must understand that he is but an Officer of trust and he ought to discharge that Trust and they are to take order for the animadversion and punishment of such an offending Governor This is not Law of yesterday Sir since the time of the division betwixt you and your People but it is Law of old And we know very well the Authors and Authorities that do tell us what the Law was in that point upon the Election of Kings upon the Oath that they took unto their People and if they did not observe it there were those things called Parliaments The Parliaments were they that were to adjudge the very words of the Author the plaints and wrongs done of the King and Queen or their Children such wrong especially when the People could have no where else any remedy Sir that hath been the People of Englands case they could not have their remedy elsewhere but in Parliament Sir Parliaments were ordained for that purpose to redresse the grievances of the People that was their main end and truly Sir if so be that the Kings of England had been rightly mindfull of themselves they were never more in Majesty and State then in the Parliament but how forgetfull some have been Stories have told us We have a miserable a lamentable a sad experience of it Sir by the old Laws of England I speak these things the rather to you because you were pleased to let fall the other day you thought you had as much knowledge in the Law as most Gentlemen in England it is very well Sir And truly Sir it is very good for the Gentlemen of England to understand that Law under which they must live and by which they must be governed And then Sir the Scripture says They that know their Masters will and do it not what followes The Law is your Master the Acts of Parliament The Paliaments were to be kept antiently we finde in our author twice in the year That the Subject upon any occasion might have a ready remedy and redresse for his Grievance Afterwards by several Acts of Parliament in the dayes of your Predecessor Edward the third they must have been once a year Sir what intermission of PARLIAMENTS hath been in your time it is very well known and the sad consequences of it and what in the interim in stead of these Parliaments hath been by you by an high and Arbitrary hand introduced upon the People that likewise hath been too well known and felt But when God by his Providence had so brought it about that you could no longer decline the calling of a Parliament Sir yet it will appeare what your ends were against the Antient and your Native Kingdome of Scotland The Parliament of England not serving your ends against them you were pleased to dissolve it Another great necessity occasioned the calling of this Parliament and what your designes and plots and indeavours all along have been for the ruining and confounding of this Parliament hath been very notorious to the whole Kingdome And truly Sir in that you did strike at all that had been a sure way to have brought about that that this laies upon you Your Intention to Subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Land For the great bulwark of Liberty of the People in the PARLIAMENT of England and to Subvert and Root up that which your aim hath been to do certainly at one blow you had confounded the Liberties and the propriety of England Truly Sir it makes me call to minde I cannot forbear to expresse it for Sir we must deal plainly with you according to the merits of your cause so is our Commission it makes me call to minde these proceedings of yours that we read of a great Roman Emperor by the way let us call him a great Roman Tyrant Caligula that wisht that the People of Rome had bad but one neck that at one blow he might cut it off and your proceedings hath been somewhat like to this for the body of the people of England hath been and where else represented but in the Parliament and could you have but confounded that you had at one blow cut off the neck of England but God hath reserved better things for us and hath pleased for to Confound your designes and to break your Forces and to bring your Person into Custody that you might be responsible to Justice Sir we know very well That it is a question on your side very much prest by what Precedent we shall proceed Truly Sir for Precedents I shall not upon these occasions institute any long discourse but it is no new thing to cite Precedents almost of all Nations where the people when power hath been in their hands have been made bold to call their Kings to account and where the change of Government hath upon occasion of the Tyranny and Mis-government of those that have been placed over them I will not spend time to mention France or Spain or the Empire or other Countries Volumes may be written of them But truly Sir that of the Kingdome of Arragon I shall think some of us have thought upon it when they have the justice of Arragon that is a man tanquam in medio positus betwixt the King of Spain and the people of the Country that if wrong be done by the King he that is the King of Arragon the Justice hath power to reform the
wrong and he is acknowledged to be the Kings Superior and is the grand preserver of their priviledges and hath prosecuted Kings upon their miscarriages Sir What the Tribunes of Rome were heretofore and what the Ephory were to the Lacedaemonian State we know that is the Parliament of England to the English State and though Rome seem to have lost its liberty when once the Emperours were yet you shall finde some famous Acts of Justice even done by the Senate of Rome that great Tyrant of his time Nero condemned and judged by the Senate But truly Sir to you I should nor mention these Forreign examples and stories If you look but over Tweed we finde enough in your native Kingdome of Scotland If we look to your first King Fergustuâ— that your stories make mention of he was an elective King he dyed and left two Sons both in their minority the Kingdom made choice of their Unkle his Brother to govern in the minority afterwards the Elder Brother giving small hopes to the People that he would rule or govern well seeking to supplant that good Unkle of his that governed then justly they set the Elder aside and took to the Younger Sir if I should come to what your stories make mention of you know very well you are the 109 King of Scotland for to mention so many Kings as that Kingdome according to their power and priviledge have made bold to deal withall some to banish and some to imprison and some to put to death it would be too long and as one of your Authors sayes it would be too long to recite the manifold examples that your own stories make mention of Reges say they we do create we created Kings at first Leges c. We imposed Lawes upon them and as they are chosen by the suffrages of the People at the first so upon just occasion by the same suffrages they may be taken down again and we will be bold to say that no Kingdome hath yeilded more plentiful experience then that your Native Kingdome of Scotland hath done concerning the deposition and the punishment of their offending and transgressing Kings c. It is not far to go for an example neer you your Grandmother set aside and your Father an Infant crowned and the State did it here in England here hath not been a want of some examples they have made bold the Parliament and the People of England to call their Kings to account there are frequent examples of it in the Saxons time the time before the Conquest since the Conquest there wants not some Presidents neither King Edward the second King Richard the second were dealt with so by the Parliament as they were deposed and deprived and truly Sir who ever shall look into their stories they shall not finde the Articles that are charged upon them to come neer to that height and capitalnesse of Crimes that are layed to your charge nothing neer Sir you were pleased to say the other day wherein they discent and I did not contradict it but take altogether Sir if you were as the Charge speaks no otherwise admitted K. of England but for that you were pleased then to alledge how that almost for a thousand years these things have been stories will tell you if you go no higher then the time of the Conquest if you do come down since the Conquest you are the 24 King from William called the Conqueror you shall find one half of them to come meerly from the State and not meerly upon the point of Discent it were easie to be instanced to you the time must not be lost that way And truly Sir what a grave and learned Judge in his time well known to you is since printed for posterity That although there was such a thing as a Descent many times yet the Kings of England ever held the greatest assurance of their titles when it was declared by Parliament And Sir your Oath the manner of your Coronation doth shew plainly That the Kings of England and though it 's true by the Law the next person in bloud is designed yet if there were just cause to refuse him the People of England might do it For there iâ— a Contract and Bargain made between the King and his People and your Oath is taken and certainly Sir the Bond is reciprocal for as you are the leige Lord so they leige Subjects and we know very well that hath been so much spoken of Ligantis est duplex This we know now the one tye the one Bond is the bond of perfection which is due from the Soveraign the other is the bond of Subjection that is due from the Subject Sir if this bond be once broken farewell Soveraignty Subjectio trahit c. These things may not be denyed Sir I speak it the rather and I pray God it may work upon your heart that you may be sensible of your miscarriages For whether you have been as by your Office you ought to be a Protector of England or the Destroyer of England let all England judge or all the world that hath look'd upon it Sir though you have it by Inheritance in the way that is spoken of yet it must not be denyed that your Office was an Office of Trust and an Office of the highest trust lodged in any single person For as you were the grand Administrator of Justice and others were as your Delegates to see it done throughout your Realms if your great Office were to do Justice and preserve your People from wrong and in stead of doing that you will be the great wrong-doer your selfe If instead of being a Conservator of the Peace you will be the Grand Disturber of the Peace surely this is contrary to your Office contrary to your Trust Now Sir if it be an Office of Inheritance as you speak of your Title by Discent let all men know that great Offices are seizable ond forfeitable as if you had it but for a year and for your life Therefore Sir it will concern you to take into your serious consideration your great miscarriages in this kinde Truly Sir I shall not particularize the many miscarriages of your Reign whatsoever they are famously known it had been happy for the Kingdom and happy for you too if it had not been so much known and so much felt as the story of your miscarriages must needs be and hath been already Sir That that we are now upon by the command of the highest Court hath been is to try and judge you for great offences of yours Sir the Charge hath called you Tyrant a Traytor a Murtherer and a publick Enemy to the Common-wealth of England Sir it had been well if that any of all these termes might rightly and justly have been spared if any one of them at all King Ha President Truly Sir we have been told Rex est dum bene regit Tyrannus qui populum opprimei and if so be that be the definition of
only one word before you give sentence and that is That you would hear me concerning those great imputations that you have laid to my charge President Sir you must give me leave to go on for I am not far from your Sentence and your time is now past King But I shall desire you will hear me a few words to you for truly what ever Sentence you will put upon me in respect of those heavy imputations see by your speech you have put upon me that I Sir it is very true that President Sir I must put you in mind Truly Sir I would not willingly at this time especially interrupt you in any thing you have to say that is proper for us to admit of but Sir you have not owned us as a Court and you look upon us as a sort of people met together and we know what Language we receive from your party King I know nothing of that Pres You dis-avow us as a Court and therefore for you to address your self to us not to acknowledge us as a Court to judge of what you say it is not to be permitted and the truth is all along from the first time you were pleased to dis-avow and disown us the Court needed not to have heard you one word for unless they be acknowledged a Court and engaged it is not proper for you to speak Sir we havâ— given you too much liberty already admitted of too much delay and we may not admit of any further were it proper for us to do we should hear you freely and we should not have declined to have heard you at large what you could have said or proved on your behalf whether for totally excusing or for in part excusing those great heinous charges that in whole or in part are laid upon you But Sir I shal trouble you no longer your sins are so large a dimension that if you do but seriously think of them they will drive you to a sad consideration they may improve in you a sad and serious repentance And that the Court doth heartily wish that you may be so penitent for what you have done amiss that God may have mercy at leastwise upon your better part Truly Sir for the other it is our parts and duties to do that that the Law prescribes we are not here Jui dare but Jus dicere We cannot be unmindful of what the Scripture tels us For to acquit the guilty is of equal abomination as to condemn the innocent we may not acquit the guilty what Sentence the Law affirms to a Traytor Tyrant a Murtherer and a publique Enemy to the Countrey that Sentence you are now to hear read unto you and that is the Sentence of the Court The Lord President commands the Sentence to be read Make an O Yes and command silence while the Sentence is read O Yes made silence commanded The Clerk read the Sentence which was drawn up in parchment Whereas the Commons of England in Parliament have appointed them an high Court of Justice for the Triing of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convented and at first time a charge of high Treason and other crimes and misdemeanors was read in the behalf of the Kingdom of England c. Here the Clerk read the Charge Which Charge being read unto him as aforesaid He the said Charles Stuart was required to give his Answer but he refused so to do and so exprest the several passages at his Tryal in refusing to answer For all which Treasons and Crimes this Court doth adjudge That the said Charles Stewart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publique Enemy shall be put to Death by the severing his Head from his Body After the Sentence read the Lord President said This Sentence now read and published it is this Act Sentence Judgement and resolution of the whole Court Here the Court stood up and assenting to what the President said King Will you hear me a 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 the sentence ever By your favour hold the sentence Sir I say Sir I do I am not suffered for to speak expect what Justice other people will have O Yes All manner of persons that have any thing else to doe 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 rose and the King went with his Guard to Sir Robert Cottons and from thence to White-Hall The Names of those persons that were present at the Sentencing of the King to death Bradshaw O. Cromwell H. Ireton Sir Hardres Waller H. Wanton Tho. Harrison Edw. Whalley Tho. Pride Isaac Ewer Lord Grey of Grooby Will. Lord Mounson Sir Jo. Danvers Sir Tho. Maleverer Sir Jo. Bourchir Isaac Penington Hen. Martin Will. Puresoy Jo. â—arkstead Jo. Blakeston Gilbert Millington Sir William Constable Edward Ludlow Jo. Hutchinson Sir Mich. Livesey Robert Titchborne Owen Roe Robert Lilburn Adrian Scroop Rich. Dean Jo. Okey Jo. Harrison Jo. Hughson Wil. Goffe Cor. Holland Jo. Carew W. Heveningham Miles Corbet Jo. Jones Tho. Lister Pet. Pelham Tho. Wogan Fran. Allen Tho. Challoner Jo. Moore W. Say Jo. Aldred Fran. Lassels Hen. Smith Ja. Challouer Humph. Edwards Greg. Clement Jo. Fry Sir Greg. Norton Ed. Harvey Io. Venn Tho. Scot Tho. Andrewes Alderman of London W. Cawley Anth. Stapley Jo. Downes Tho. Horton Tho. Hamond Jo. Lisle Nich. Love Vincent Potter Augustine Garland Io. Dixwell Symon Meyne Ia. Temple Peter Temple Dan. Blagrave Jo. Brown Tho. Walte Ordered that Sir Hardress Waller Coll. Harrison Com. General Ireton Coll. Dean and Coll Okey are appointed a Committee to consider of the time and place for the Execution of the King according to his sentence given by the high Court of Justice Painted Chamber Lunae Jan. 29. 1648. UPon 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-hall is a sit place And that 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 for that purpose which Warrant was accordingly drawn and agreed unto and ordered to be ingrossed which was done and Signed and Sealed accordingly as followeth The Warrant for beheading the King At the high Court of Justice for the Trying and Judging of Charles Stuart King of England Jan. 29. 1648. WHereas Charles Stuart King of England is and standeth Convicted Attainted and Condemned of high Treason and other high Crimes and Sentence upon Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court to be put to death by the
condemned And I thank God though the weight of the Sentence lye very heavy upon me yet I am as quiet within as I thank Christ for it I ever was in my life and though I am not the first Archbishop but the first man that ever dyed by an Ordinance of Parliament yet some of my Predecessors have gone this way though not by this means for Elfegus was hurried away and lost his head by the Danes and Simon Sudbury in the fury of Wat Tyler and his fellowes And long before these Saint John Baptist had his head danced off by a lewd Woman and Saint Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage submitted his head to a persecuting sword Many examples great and good for they teach me patience and I hope my cause in Heaven will look of another dye then the colour that is put upon it here upon earth and some comfort it is to me not only that I go the way of these great men in their several Generations but also that my charge if I may not be partiall looks somewhat like that against Saint Paul in the 25. of the Acts for he was accused for the Law and the Temple that is the Law and Religion and like that of St. Stephen in the sixth of the Acts for breaking the Ordinances which Moses gave us which Ordinances were Law and Religion but you 'l say do I then compare my self with the integrity of Saint Paul and Saint Stephen no God forbid far be it from me I onely raise a comfort to my self that these great Saints and servants of God were thus laid up in their severall times And it is very memorable that Saint Paul who was one of them and a great one that helped on the accusation against Saint Stephen fell afterwards into the self-same accusation himself yet both of them great Saints and servants of God I but perhaps a great clamour there is that I would have brought in Popery I shall answer that more fully by and by in the mean time you know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself in the eleventh of John If we let him alone all men will believe him Et veniunt Romani and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation Here was a causelesse cry against Christ that Romans would come and see how just the Judgement of God was they crucified Christ for fear lest the Romanes should come his death was that that brought in the Romanes upon them God punishing them with that which they most feared and I pray God this clamour of veniunt Romani of which I have given to my knowledg no just cause help not to bring him in for the Pope never had such an harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and divisions that are among us in the mean time by honour and dishonour by good report and evil report as a deceiver and yet true am I now passing out of this world Some particulars also I think not amisse to speak of First this I shall be bold to speak of the King our gracious Soveraign he hath been much traduced by some for labouring to bring in Popery but upon my Conscience of which I am now going to give God a present account I know him to be as free from this Charge I think as any man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law established as any man in this Kingdom and that he will venture his Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both his affection to Religion and his grounds upon which that affection is built as fully as any man in England The second particular is concerning this great and populous City which God blesse here hath been of late a fashion taken up to gather hands and then goe to the Honourable and great Court of the Kingdome the Parliament and clamour for Justice as if that great and wise Court before whom the causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not doe Justice but at their call and appointment a way which may endanger many an innocent man and pluck innocent bloud upon their own heads and perhaps upon this City also which God forbid and this hath been lately practis'd against my self God forgive the setters of this with all my heart I begge it but many well-meaning people are caught by it In Saint Stevens case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the people against him Acts 6. and Herod went just the self same way for when he had kill'd Saint James he would not venture upon Saint Peter too till he saw how the people took it and were pleased with it in the 12. of the Acts. But take heed of having your hands full of bloud in the first of Isaiah for there is a time best known to himself when God among other sinnes makes inquisition for bloud and when Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us Psalme 9. that God remembers that is not all that God remembers and forgets not saith the Prophet the complaint of the poor and he tells you what poor they are in the ninth verse the poor whose bloud is shed by such kind of meanes Take heed of this It is a fearfull thing at any time to fall into the hands of the living God in the 12. of the Hebrews but it is fearfull indeed then especially when he is making his Inquisition for bloud and therefore with my prayers to avert the Prophesie from the City let me desire that this City would remember the Prophesie that is expressed Jeremiah 26.15 The third particular is this poor Church of England that hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when stormes have driven upon them but alas now it is in a storme it self and God knows whether or how it shall get out and which is worse them a storme from without it is become like an Oake cleft to shivers with wedges made out of its own body and that in every cleft prophanesse and irreligion is creeping in apace while as Prosper saith men that introduce prophaness are cloaked with a name of imaginary religion for we have in a manner almost lost the substance and dwell much nay too much a great deal in Opinion and that Church which all the Jesuites machinations in these parts of Christendome could not ruine is now fallen into a great deal of danger by her own The last particular for I am not willing to be tedious I shall hasten to goe out of this miserable world is my self and I beseech you as many as are within hearing observe me I was born and baptized in the bosome of the Church of England as it stands yet established by Law in that profession I have ever since lived and in that profession of the Protestant Religion here established I come now to die this is no time to dissemble
and to him who is yesterday to day and the same for ever against whom the powers and principalities the gates of Hell shall never be able to prevail lift up and fasten your eyes now upon Christ crucified and labour to behold Jesus stand at the right hand of his Father as the Protomartyr Stephen ready to receive your soul when it shall be separated from this frail and mortal body Alas no man would desire life if he knew beforehand what it were to live it is nothing but sorrow vexation and trouble grief and discontent that waits upon every condition whether publick or private in every station and calling there are several miseries and troubles that are inseparable from them therefore what a blessed thing it is to have a speedy and comfortable passage out of this raging Sea into the Port of everlasting Happiness We must passe through a Sea but it is the Sea of Christs Bloud in which never soul suffered shipwrack in which we must be blown with winds and tempests but they are the Gales of Gods Spirit upon us which blow away all contrary winds of diffidence in his mercy Here one acquainting the Earl his servant was coming he answered So Sir And turning to the under-Sheriffs Son said Cambridg Sir you have your Warrant here Sheriff Yes my Lord we have a Command Cambridg A Command I take this time Sir of staying in regard of the Earl of Denbighs sending to speak with me I know not for what it is he desires me to stay Dr. Sibbald I presume Mr. Sheriff will not grudg your Lordship a few minutes time when so great a work as this is in hand His Lordships servant being returned and having delivered his message to the Earl of Cambridg privately he said So it is done now and then turning to the front of the Scaffold before which as in all the rest of the Palaces there was a great concourse of people he said Cambridg I think it is truly not very necessary for me to speak much there are many Gentlemen and Souldiers there that sees me but my voyce truly is so weak so low that they cannot hear me neither truly was I ever at any time so much in love with speaking or with any thing I had to express that I took delight in it yet this being the last time that I am to do so by a divine Providence of Almighty God who hath brought me to this end justly for my sins I shall to you Sir Mr. Sheriff declare thus much as to the matter that I am now to suffer for which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdom of England Truly Sir it was a Country that I equally loved with my own I made no difference I never intended either the generality of its prejudice or any particular mans in it what I did was by the Command of the Parliament of the Country where I was born whose Commands I could not disobey without running into the same hazard there of that condition that I am now in The ends Sir of that Engagement is publick they are in Print and so I shall not need to specifie them Dr. Sibbald The Sun perhaps will be too much in your Lordships face as you speak Cambridg No Sir it will not burn it I hope I shall see a brighter Sun then this Sir very speedily Dr. Sibbald The Sun of Righteousnesse my Lord. Cambridg But to that which I was saying Sir It pleased God so to dispose that Army under my Command as it was ruined and I as their General clothed with a Commission stand here now ready to dye I shall not trouble you with repeating of my Plea what I said in my own Defence at the Court of JUSTICE my self being satisfied with the commands that is laid upon me and they satisfied with the Justnesse of their procedure according to the Laws of this Land God is just and howsoever I shall not say any thing as to the matter of the sentence but that I do willingly submit to his Divine Providence and I acknowledg that very many ways I deserve even a worldly punishment as well as hereafter for we are all sinful Sir and I a great one yet for my comfort I know there is a God in heaven that is exceeding merciful I know my Redeemer sits at his Right Hand and am confident clapping his hand to his Breast is Mediating for me at this instant I am hopeful through his free grace and all-sufficient merits to be pardoned of my sins and to be received into his mercy upon that I rely trusting to nothing but the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ I have not been tainted with my Religion I thank God for it since my infancy it hath been such as hath been profest in the Land and established and now 't is not this Religion or that Religion or this or that Fancy of men that is to be built upon 't is but one that 's right one that 's sure and that comes from God Sir and in the free grace of our Saviour Sir there is truly something that had I thought my Speech would have been thus taken I would have digested it into some better method then now I can and shall desire these Gentlemen that do write it that they will not wrong me in it and that it may not in this manner be published to my disadvantage for truly I did not intend to have spoken thus when I came here There is sirs terrible aspersions has been laid upon my self truly such as I thank God I am very free from as if my actions and intentions had not been such as they were pretended for but that notwithstanding what I pretended it was for the King there was nothing less intended then to serve him in it I was bred with him for many years I was his domestick servant and there was nothing declar'd by the Parliament that was not really intended by me and truly in it I ventured my life one way and now I lose it another way and that was one of the ends as to the King I speak onely of that because the rest has many particulars and to clear my self from so horrid an aspersion as is laid upon me neither was there any other design known to me by the incoming of the Army then what is really in the Declaration published His person I do profess I had reason to love as he was my King and as he had been my master it has pleased God now to dispose of him so as it cannot be thought flattery to have said this or any end in me for the saying of it but to free my self from that calumny which lay upon me I cannot gain by it yet Truth is that which we shall gain by for ever There hath been much spoken Sir of an invitation into this Kingdom it 's mentioned in that Declaration and truly to that I did and do remit my self and I have been very much laboured for discoveries
over his Lordship called for the Heads-man and asked to see the Axe and taking it in his hand said Friend I will not hurt it and I am sure it cannot hurt me and then kissing it said Me thinks this is as a Wedding Ring which is as a signe I am to leave all the World and eternally to be married to my Saviour Then putting his hand in his pocket said to the Heads-man here friend take these two pieces all that I have thou must be my Priest I pray thee do thy work well and effectually then handling the rough furr'd coat the Heads-man had on This saies he will be troublesome to thee I pray thee put it off and do it as willingly as I put off this garment of my flesh that is now so heavy for my soul then some of the standers by bid the Heads-man kneel and ask his Lordship pardon but he did not but was surly and crabbed but his Lordship said Friend I give thee the pardon thou wilt not aske and God forgive thee also Then turning up his eyes to heaven said aloud How long Lord how long then gently passing over the Scaffold and seeing one of his Chaplains on horseback among the people Good Sir said he pray for me and the Lord return your prayers into your own bosom and I pray remember me kindly to your brother and God remember him for his love to me and mine Then turning towards his Coffin Thou art said he my bridall Chamber in thee I shall rest without a guard and sleep without Souldiers Then looking towards the block he asked if all were ready That saies he methinks is very low and yet there is but one step betwixt that and heaven then turning his eyes to the people he saluted them and desired again their prayers then said I see your tears and hear your sighs and groans and prayers the God of Heaven hear and grant your supplications for me and mine for you and the Mediation of Christ Jesus for us all Here his Lordship caused the block to be turned that he might look upon the Church saying Whilst I am here I will look towards thy holy Sanctuary and I know that within a few minutes I shall behold thee my God and King in thy Sanctuary above under the shadow of thy wings shall be my rest till this calamity be over-past then he pulled off his blew garter and sent it to his Son and pulling off his doublet with a very religious chearfulness he said I come Lord Jesus and O come thou quickly that I may be with thee for ever upon this he said Pray tell me how must I lye I have been called a bloudy man yet truly I never yet had that severe curiosity to see any man put to death in peace then laying himself down on the block after a few minutes he rose again and caused the block to be a little removed then said to the Heads-man Friend remember what I said to thee and be no more afraid to strike then I to dye and when I put up my hand do thy work so looking round about upon his friends and the people he said The Lord blesse you all and once more pray for me and with me at which words he kneeled down and prayed privately within himself with great sighings about half a quarter of an hour concluding with the Lords prayer then rising up again he said smilingly My soul is now at rest and so shall my body be immediately The Lord bless my King and restore him to his rights in this Kingdom and the Lord bless this Kingdom and restore them to their rights in their King that he and they may joyn hand in hand to settle truth and peace and the Lord bless this County and this Town and this People The Lord comfort my sad wife and children and reward all my friends with peace and happiness both here and hereafter and the Lord forgive them who were the cause and authors of this my sad end and unjust death for so it is as to mankind though before God I deserve much worse but I hope my sins are all bathed in the bloud of Jesus Christ So laying his neck upon the block and his armes stretcht out he said these words Blessed be Gods glorius name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen At which words he gave the Heads-man the signe but he either not observing it or not being ready stayed too long so that his Lordship rose up again saying Why doe you keep me from my Saviour what have I done that I die not and that I may live with him Once more I will lay down my self in peace and so take my everlasting rest Then saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly he stretched out his armes and gave the signe repeating the same words Blessed be Gods glorious name for ever and ever Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Then lifting up his hand the Executioner did his work at one blow all the people weeping and crying and giving all expressions of grief and lamentation When the corps was carried off the Scaffold they carried them to a house in the Town where was thrown into his coffin in a peice of paper these two lines Upon JAMES Earl of DERBY Bounty Wit Courage all here in one lie dead A Stanleys hand Veres heart and Cecil's head The sentence of the Council of Warre Resolved by the Court upon the Question That James Earl of Derby is guilty of the breach of the Act of the 12. of August 1651. last past entituled An Act prohibiting correspondence with Charles Stuart or his Party and so of high Treason against the Common-wealth of England and is therefore worthy of death Resolved by the Court That the said James Earl of Derby is a Traitor to the Common-wealth of England and an abettor encourager and assister of the declared Traitors and enemies thereof and shall be put to death by severing his head from his body at the market-place in the Town of Bolton in Lancashire upon wednesday the 15. day of this instant October about the hour of one of the clock the same day A True and Impartial Relation of the Death of Mr. John Gerhard who was beheaded on Tower-hill July 10. 1654. IT was thought needless by the friends of Mr. Gerhard to declare any thing concerning his sufferings to the world more then in their sighs had not the sacrilegious malice of the last weekly-pamphlet thrown some stains upon his name and so incensed them to a vindication as pious as his death was 'T is most certain that there can no blots stick upon true honour which such weak fellowes endeavour against it These are cursed beasts but their horns are short sepulchral dogs that scrape up graves and violate the dead and are fierce and ravenous but yet dogs still And all worthy people will call their rayling praise and what they intend a barking
Gospel 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 perform your duty to God your King and Country you displease the Arbitrary power now set up I cannot call it government I shall leave you peruse my Tryal 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 Judgements upon England for their sluggishnesse in doing their duty and readinesse to put their hands in their bosoms 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 break down that wall of Pride and Rebellion which so long hath kept him from his just Rights God preserve his Royal Mother and all his Majesties Royal 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 Kingdom 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 Robes of Christs Righteousness here which will bring me to the enjoyment of his glorious Robes anon Then he kneeled down and kissed the block and said thus I commit my soul to God my Creator and Redeemer Look on me O Lord at my last gasping Hear my prayer and the prayers of all good people I thank thee O God for all thy dispensations to wards me Then kneeling down he prayed most devoutly as followeth O Eternall Almighty and most mercifull God the Righteous Judge of all the world look down in mercy on me a miserable sinner O blessed Jesus Redeemer of Mankind which takest away the sinnes of the world let thy perfect manner of obedience be presented to thy Heavenly Father for me Let thy precious death and bloud be the ransome and satisfaction of my many and haynous transgressions Thou that sittest at the right hand of God make intercession for me O holy and blessed Spirit which are the comforter fill my heart with thy consolations O holy blessed and glorious Trinity be mercifull to me confirm my faith in the promises of the Gospel revive and quicken my hope and expectation of joyes prepared for true and faithful servants Let the infinite Love of God my Saviour make my love to him stedfast sincere and constant O Lord consider my condition accept my tears asswage my grief give comfort and confidence in thee impute not unto me my former sinnes but most mercifull Father receive me into thy favour for the merits of Christ Jesus Many and grievous are my sins for I have sinned many times against the light of knowledg against remorse of conscience against the motions and opportunities of grace But accept I beseech thee the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart in and for the perfect sacrifice oblation and satisfaction of thy Son Jesus Christ O Lord receive my soul after it is delivered from the burthen of the flesh into perfect-joy in the sight and fruition of thee And at the generall resurrection grant that my body may be endowed with immortality and received with my soul into glory I praise thee O God I acknowledge thee to be the Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy on me Thou that sittest at the right hand of God hear my prayer O Lord Jesus Christ God and Man Mediatour betwixt God and Man I have sinned as a Man be thou mercifull to me as a God O holy and blessed Spirit help my infirmities with those sighs and groans which I cannot expresse Then he desired to see the Axe and kissed it saying I am like to have a sharp passage of it but my Saviour hath sweetned it unto me Then he said if I would have been so unworthy as others have been I suppose I might by a lie have saved my life which I scorn to purchase at such a rate I defie such temptations and them that gave them me Glory be to God on high On Earth peace Good will towards Men. And the Lord have mercy upon my poor soul Amen So laying his Neck upon the block after some private Ejaculations he gave the Heads-man a sign with his hand who at one blow severed his head from his body The Speech of that piously resolved Hugh Grove of Chisenbury in the parish of Enford and County of Wilts Esquire beheaded the 16. day of May 1655. in the Castle at Exon. Good people I Never was guilty of much Rhetorick nor ever loved long Speeches in all my life and therefore you cannot expect either of them from me now at my death All that I shall desire of you besides your hearty prayers for my soul is That you would bear me witnesse I die a true son of the Church of England as it was established by King Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the first of ever blessed memory That I die a Loyall subject to King Charles the second my undoubted Soveraign and a lover of the good old Laws of the Land the just priviledges of Parliaments and Rights and Liberties of the People for the re-establishing of all which I doe undertake this ingagement and for which I am ready to lay down my life God forgive the bloudy-minded Jury and those that procured them God forgive Captain Crook for denying his Articles so unworthily God forgive Mr. Dove and all other persons swearing so malitiously and falsely against me God forgive all my enemies I heartily forgive them God blesse the King and all that love him turn the hearts of all that hate him God blesse you all and be mercifull to you and to my Soul Amen And so meekly laying his neck to the block and giving a signe his head at one blow and a draw of the axe was severed from his body The manner of the Execution of Sir Henry Slingsby on Tuesday the 8. of June 1658. With the substance of his speech before his Death ABout Eleven of the clock Sir Henry Slingsby was brought from the Tower to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill whither being come he fell upon his knees and for a short space prayed