considering likewise that he cou'd not accomplish his Designs while the King remain'd so near the Parliament sent privately to the King that he was in no Safety their and that he wou'd be more secure in the Isle of White upon which the poor King so deluded makes his Escape thither by Night and there sent Propositions to the Parliament which they reject with Indignation Because the King would include the Scots Interest Upon this the Scots Enter England Demanding that the King might be brought to London the Army Disbanded and a lasting Peace settled between the two Kingdoms and joyning with Sir Marmaduke Langdale for the King they rout Lambert at Appleby and afterwards March into Lancashire intending for London but Cromwell and Lambert joyning Armies gave them an Entire Overthrow After which Cromwell Marched into Scotland and was Victorious there and now the Army out Plotting the Parliament call'd loudly to have the King brought to Justice In the mean time His Majesty was Convey'd out of the Isle of White and carried Prisoner to Hurst-Castle and the House being New-Moulded by the Army proceeded to restore the Vote of Non-Address That no Message be received from the King on pain of Treason and that the Council of State shou'd draw up a Charge of Treason against him Decemb 10th the King was brought from Hurst-Castle to Windsor and from thence to St. James's and all things were preparing for his Dismal Tragedy in which the Juncto proceeded notwithstanding the Dissent of the Lords and the Remonstrance of the Parliament of Scotland against it so that they appointed a New Tribunal called the High-Court of Justice who were impower'd to Hear Try Judge and Execute Charles Stuart King of England They Annull'd his Title order'd the Great Seal of England to be Broken and a New one to be made On Saturday Jan. 20th This Wicked High-Court of Justice sat in Westminster-Hall John Bradshaw was President of this Pretended Court the Counsellors to draw up the Charge were Dorislaus Dr. of Civil Laws John Cooke Solliciter Danby Serjeant at Arms With Clerks Messengers and Doorkeepers c. The Court being thus sat and call'd over the King was brought to the Bar by Collonel Hacker Conducting him to a Chair within the Bar And then Bradshaw said to the King Charles Stuart King of England the Commons of England being sensible of the Calamity brought upon this Nation and of the Innocent Blood shed which are Imputed to you as the Author according to that Duty which they ow to God and the Nation and themselves and according to that Power and Fundamental Trust reposed in them by the People have Constituted this High-Court of Justice before which you are now brought and are to hear your Charge upon which the Court will proceed Then the Solliciter accus'd him of High-Treason and the Charge was ordered to be read tho' the King desired first to be heard The King often smil'd whilst the Charge was reading especially at those words Tyrant Traytor Murderer c. Then Spoke Bradshaw Sir you have heard your Charge and you find in the close of it that the Court is Prayed in behalf of the Commons of England that you answer to the Charge which the Court now expects Then the King demanded by what Authority they had brought him thither To which Bradshaw told him That he was not to dispute that but to answer his Charge and the King still denying the Jurisdiction of the Court it was adjourn'd till Monday following so the King was conducted back several factious Fellows and lewd Soldiers shouting out for Justice thinking the rest of the People would have hallow'd to the same Tune but instead thereof they almost all cryed out God bless the King On Monday Jan. 22d the King was brought again to his Tryal at what time the King with abundance of Eloquence argued against their pretended High Court and not being able to out-reason him that Day neither they adjourn'd their Court again till the next which was Tuesday Jan. 23. the Court sate again and seventy three Commissioners were present The King being brought into Court Sollicitor Cook summ'd up what had been already done in it and complaining of the great delay of Justice moved for a speedy Judgment against the King Bradshaw Sir you have heard what is mov'd by the Council on behalf of the Kingdom against you and now the Court expects that you give in your possitive and Final Answer in plain English whether you are Guilty or Not Guilty of these Treasons laid to your Charge King When I was here yesterday I did desire to speak for the Liberties of the People of England I was interrupted I desire to know yet whether I may speak freely or not Bradshaw Sir you have heard the Resolution of the Court upon the like Question and that you ought to acknowledge the Jurisdiction of it and Answer to your Charge and when you have done that you shall be heard at large King For the Charge I value not a Rush it is the Liberty of the People of England that I stand for for me to acknowledge a new Court that I never heard of before I that am your King that should be an example to all the People of England to uphold Justice to maintain the Old Laws Indeed I do not know how to do it You spoke well one day of the Obligation that was laid upon me by God to maintain the Liberties of my People the same Obligation you speak of calls upon me to defend as much as in me lies the ancient Laws of the Kingdom therefore till I know that this is not against the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom I can put in no particular Answer If you will give me time I will shew you my Reasons and this Here the King was again interrupted but recovering himself went on saying By your favour you ought not to interrupt me How I came hither I know not there 's no Law to make your King your Prisoner I was in a Treaty on the publick Faith of the Kingdom made to me by the two Houses of Parliament that was the Representative of the Kingdom and I had almost made an end of the Treaty when I was hurried away and brought hither and therefore Bradshaw Sir you must know the pleasure of the Court. King By your favour Sir Here Bradshaw interrupted him Bradshaw Nay Sir by your favour you may not be permitted to fall into those Discourses you appear as a Delinquent you have not acknowledged the Authority of the 〈◊〉 the Court craves it not of you but once more they command you to give your positive Answer Clerk Do your Duty King Duty Sir Then the Clerk read Charles Stuart King of England you are accused in behalf of the Commons of England of divers Crimes and Treasons which Charge has been read unto you the Court now equires you to give your positive and final Answer by way of Confession or Denial of the Charge King
I say again to you so that I may give Satisfaction to the People of England of the clearness of my Proceedings not by way of Answer but to satisfie them that I have done nothing against that Trust that hath been committed to me I would do it but to Acknowledge a New Court against their Privileges to alter the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Sir you must excuse me Bradshaw Sir this is the third time that you have publickly disavowed this Court and put an Affront upon it how far you have preserved the Privileges of the People your Actions have spoken but truly Sir Men's intentions should be known by their Actions you have written your meaning in bloody Characters throughout the whole Kingdom but Sir you understand the Pleasure of the Court. Clerk Record the Default you that took Charge of the Prisoner take him back again So the King went forth with his Guards and his Court adjourn'd to the Painted Chamber the Cryer as at other times said God bless the Kingdom of England Saturday the 27th of Jan. 1648 the Court sate again in Westminster-Hall Bradshaw was in Scarlet Robes after him 67 Commissioners answer'd to their Names the King came in in his wonted posture with his Hat on a company of Soldiers and seditious Persons were placed about the Court to cry for Justice Judgment and Execution the People not daring to cry God bless him for fear of being beaten again by the Soldiers Bradshaw Gentlemen it is well known to all here present that the Prisoner at the Bar hath been several times convented and brought before this Court to make Answer to a Charge of High-Treason and other Crimes exhibited against him in the Name of the people of England to which Charge being required to Answer he hath been so far from Obeying the Commands of the Court by submitting to their Justice as he began to take upon him reasoning and debating unto the Authority of the Court and to the Highest Court that appointed them to Try and Judge him but being Over-rul'd in that and required to make his Answer he still continued contumacious and refus'd to submit to an answer hereupon the Court that they may not be wanting to themselves nor the Trust repos'd in them nor that any Man's Wilfulness prevent Justice they have consider'd of the Charge and of the Contumacy and of that confession which in Law doth arise on that Contumacy they have also consider'd the Notoriety of the Fact charg'd upon this Prisoner and upon the whole matter they are resolved and have agreed upon a Sentence to be pronounced against him but in respect he doth desire to be heard before the Sentence be pronounced against him the Court doth resolve to hear him yet Sir this I must tell you before-hand which you have been minded of at our Courts if that which you have to say be to offer any Debate concerning the Jurisdiction you are not to be heard in it You have offer'd it formerly and you have struck as the root that is the Power and Supreme Authority of the Commons of England which this Court will not admit a Debate of and which indeed is an irrational thing in them to do being a Court that Acts upon Authority derived from them But Sir if you have any thing to say in defence of your self concerning the matter charged the Court has given me in command to hear you King Since I see that you will not hear any thing of Debate concerning that which I confess I thought most material for the Peace of the Kingdom and for the Liberty of the Subject I shall wave it but only I must tell you that this many a day all things have been taken away from me but that that I call dearer to me than my Life which is my Conscience and my Honour and if I had respect to my Life more than the Peace of the Kingdom and the Liberty of the Subject certainly I should have made a particular defence for my Life for by that at least wise I might have delay'd an Vgly Sentence which I believe will pass upon me therefore certainly Sir as a Man that hath some understanding some knowledge of the World if that true Zeal to my Country had not over born the Care that I have for my own preservation I should have gone another way to work than that I have done Now Sir I conceive that a hasty Sentence once pass'd may sooner be repented of than recall'd and truly the self same desire that I have for the Peace of the Kingdom and the Liberty of the Subject more than my own particular Ends makes me now at last desire that I may say something that concerns both I desire that before Sentence be given that I may be heard in the Printed Chamber before the Lords and Commons This delay cannot be prejudicial to you whatsoever I say if that I say be no Reason those that hear must be Judges I cannot be Judge of that which I have to say if it be reason and really for the welfare of the Kingdom and the Liberty of the Subject I am sure it is very well worth the hearing therefore I do conjure you as you love that which you pretend I hope it is real the Liberty of the Subject and Peace of the Kingdom that you will grant me this hearing before any Sentence passeth but if I cannot get this Liberty I do protest that your fair shews of Liberty and Peace are pure shews and that you will not hear your King Bradshaw said this was declining the Jurisdiction of the Court and delay yet the Court withdrew for half an Hour Advised upon it and Sate again Bradshaw said to the King that the Court had considered what he had moved and also their own Authority the return from the Court said he is this That they have been too much delayed by you already and are Judges appointed by the highest Authority and Judges are no more delay than to deny Justice and notwithstanding what you have Offer'd they are resolved to proceed to Sentence and to Judgment that is their Unanimous Resolution The King press'd again and again that he might be heard by the Lords and Commons in the Painted Chamber with great Earnestness and was often denied by Bradshaw at last the King desired that this motion of his might be entred Bradshaw began in a long Speech to declare the Grounds of the Sentence highly aggravating the King s pretended Offences and misapplying both Law and History to his present purpose and when Bradshaw had done speaking Broughten the Clerk Read the Sentence drawn up in Parchment to this Effect That whereas the Commons of England had appointed them an High-Court of Justice for the Trial of Charles Stewart King of England before whom he had been three times Convened and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other High Crimes and Misdemeanors was read in the behalf of Kingdom of the England c.
The Life and Death of Charles the First King of Great Britain France and Ireland Containing an Account of his Sufferings His TRYAL SENTENCE and Dying Words on the Scaffold and his sorrowful Farewel and Advice to his Children and the whole Nation in general London Printed by J. Bradford in Fetter-Lane The Life and Death of Charles the First King of Great Britain France and Ireland THIS Pious tho' Unfortunate Prince Charles the first King of Great Britain France and Ireland was the Son of James the 6th King of Scots and Anne his Wife Daughter to the King of Denmark He was born at Dunfermeling one of the Principal Towns of Fife in Scotland on Novem. 19. Anno 1600. in so much Weakness that his Baptism was hasten'd without the usual Ceremonies Providence seeming to Consecrate him to Suffering from the very Womb. At 2 years of Age he was created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron of Ardmanock When he was 3 years Old he was committed to the Care and Governance of Sir Robert Cary's Lady as a Reward for being the first Messenger of Queen Elizabeth's Death At 11 years of age he was made Knight of the Garter and the next Year his elder Brother Prince Henry dying he succeeded him in the Dukedom of Cornwall When he was 16 years of Age he was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the Revenues thereof being assigned him for the Maintenance of his Court. At 22 years of Age he was sent by the King his Father into Spain to contract a Marriage with the Iafanta but this was liker to turn into a War with the Spaniards and a Marriage was sought with Henrieta Maria the youngest Daughter of the French King In the interim of which King James died at Theobalds Sunday March the 27th 1625. And Prince Charles was immediately proclaim'd King at the Court Gate and so throughout the three Kingdoms with infinite Rejoycings His first Publick Act was celebrating his Father's Funeral whereat himself was chief Mourner contrary to the Practice of all his Royal Predecessors When he had paid that Debt he next provided for Posterity and therefore hastened the coming over of his Royal Consort whom he received at Dover and was Married on Trinity-Sunday at Canterbury Thus having dispatched the Affairs of his Family he applyed himself to those of the Kingdom in which he seem'd not so much to ascend a Throne as to wrestle with all the Difficulties of a corrupted State whose long Peace had soften'd the Nobles into Court-Pleasures and made the Commons Insolent by a great Plenty His First Parliament began June 18. At the Opening of which the King acquainted them with the necessary Supplies for the War with Spain which they had importunatly thro' his Mediation engag'd his Father in which after some Petitions and Delays they answer'd but with two Subsidies too poor a stock to furnish an Army yet was kindly receiv'd in Expectation of more at the next Sitting For the Infection seizing upon London the Parliament was adjouru'd till August when they were to meet at Oxford and at that time he pass'd some Acts that were presented to him At the next Session he gave a Complying and Satisfactory Answer to all their Petitions and expected a Return in larger Subsidies toward the Spanish War but instead of these there were high and furious Debates Grievances Consultations to form and Publish Remonstrances Accasations against the Duke of Buckingham which the King esteeming Reproaches of his Government Dissolves that Assembly hoping to find one of a less Cholerick Complexion after his Coronation This drew after it another Mischief the Miscarriage of the Designs upon Spain by rendring for want of Supplies the Fleet uncapable of attempting Cadiz And now Feb. 2d the King perform'd the Ceremony of his Coronation after which he began a 2d Parliament wherein the Commons Voted him 4 Subsidies but the Faction then forming in the Kingdom tacking it to other matters as the Ruine of the Duke of Buckingham and Remonstrances against the Government the King Dissolves the Parliament June 18. and the Bill for the Subsidies never pass'd This misunderstanding at Home produc'd another War abroad for the King of France taking advantage of these Domestick Broils began open War and Seiz'd upon the English Merchants in the River of Bourdeaux The next Year 1627 the King quicken'd by the Petitions of the Rochellers who sued for his Protection as well as by the Justice of his own Cause sent the Duke of Buckingham to attack the Isle of Rhee which partly thro' the Duke's Conduct miscarried This occasion'd the King to call another Parliament which in the begining prov'd very shamefull but the Faction labour to form new Discontents and Jealousies and are again hammering out Remonstrances to Reproach him and his Government which the King being unable to endure he Adjourns the Parliament June 26th till Octob. 20. soon after Peace was clapt up with France and King Charles the Second Born all was in Peace and Quietness till 1632 when the King took a journey into Scotland to receive the Imperial Crown there and was accordingly Crown'd at Edenburgh June 10th and return'd with great welcome again into Eungland But the Malecontents here defus'd their Poyson they complain'd of Invasions on their Spiritual Liberttes because the Bishops endeavour'd to reduce the Ceremonies of the Church to their Primitive Observance for which both his Majesty and they were defam'd with Popery And now the Tax of Ship-Money appear'd that was likewise pretended a Breach to their Civil Liberties and contrary to Law because not laid by Parliament Amidst all these difficulties and Calumnies the King hitherto had Govern'd so that sober Men could not Pray for nor Heaven grant in mercy to a People any greater happiness but for the Arts and Fury of some Wicked Men who endeavour'd to overwhelm every Part of the Kings Dominions with a Deluge of Blood The first storm arose from the North where Disputes were manag'd about Church Government till at length the King Marches that way with a Gallant Army and Oblig'd the Scots to sue for an Accommodation but they soon broke their Faith as soon as the King had Disbanded his Army which occasion'd the King to prepare for another Army and in order thereto calls a Parliament in Ireland and another in England which latter he was fain to Dissolve without any Effect The King however Vigourously Prosecuted his Undertaking and rais'd a sufficient Army but could not do it with equal speed to his Enemies so that he gave a Defeat to a Party of it e're the Rear could be brought up Commanded by the Earl of Strafford He was no sooner arriv'd at the Army himself but there follow'd him a Petition of some English Lords Conformable to the Scotch Remonstrance which they call'd the Inventions of the Army so that his Majesty might justly fear some attempts in the South while he was thus Defending himself in the
that an unjust Sentence that I suffer'd to take effect is punish'd by an unjust Sentence upon me so far I have said to shew you that I am an Innocent Man Now to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope there is a good Man Pointing to the Bishop that will bear me witness that I have forgiven all the World and even those in particular that have been the cause of Death who they are God knows I do not desire to know I pray God forgive them but this not all my Charity must go farther I wish that they may Repent indeed they have committed a great sin in that particular I pray God with St. Stephen that be not laid to their charge and withal that they may take the way to the peace of the Kingdom for my Charity commands me not only to forgive particular men but endeavour to the last gasp the peace of the Kingdom So Sirs I do with all my Soul I see there are some here that will carry it farther the peace of the Kingdom Sirs I must shew you how you are out of the way and put you in the way first you are out of the way for certaily all the ways you ever had yet as far as ever I could find by any thing If in the way of Conquest certainly this is an ill way for Conquest in my Opinion is never just except there be a good and just Cause either for matter of Wrong or a just Title and then if you go beyond the first Quarrel that makes that Unjust at the end that was Just at first for if there be only matter of Conquest then it is a Robbery as a Pirate said to Alexander that he was a great Robber himself was but a petty Robber and so Sirs I think for the way that you are in you are much out of the way Now Sirs to put put you in the way believe it you shall never go right nor God will never prosper you until you give God his Due the King his Due that is my Successor and the People their Due I am as much for them as any of you You must give God his Due by regulating the Church according to the Scripture which is now out of order and to set you in a way particularly now I cannot but only this A National Synod freely call'd freely debating among themselves must settle this When every Opinion is freely heard For the King indeed I will not the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that therefore because it concerns my own particular I only give you a touch of it For the people truly I desire their Liberty and Freedom as much as any body whosoever but I must tell you that their Liberty and Freedom consists in having Government under those Laws by which their Lives and theirs may be most their own It is not in having a share in the Government that is nothing appertaining to them a Subject and a Sovereign are clear differing things and therefore until you do that I mean that you put the People into that Liberty as I say they will never enjoy themselves Sir It was for this that now I am come hither for if I would have given way to an Arbitrary Course to have all Laws chang'd according to the Power of the Sword I need not to have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray to God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the People In troth Sirs I shall not hold you any longer I will only say this to you that I could have desired some little time longer because I would have a little better digested this I have said and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God you take take Courses that are the best for the good of the Kingdom and your own Salvation Bishop Tho' your Majesties affections may be very well known as to Religion yet it may be expected that you should say something thereof for the World's Satisfaction King I thank you heartily my Lord for that I had almost forgotten it in Troth Sirs my Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the World and therefore I declare before you all That I dye 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 speaking to the Executioner he said I shall say but very short Prayers and when I thrust out my hands let that be your Sign Then he called to the Bishop 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 with the help of the Executioner and the Bishop Then turning to the Executioner he said I have a good Cause and a righteous God on my side Bishop There is but one Stage more this Stage is turbulent and full of trouble 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 will find a great deal of Cordial Joy and Happiness King I go from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be no disturbance in the World Bishop You are Exchanged from a Temporary to an Eternal Crown a good Exchange Then the King said is my Hair well and took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to the Bishop saying Remember Then he put off his Dublet and being in his Wastecoat he put on his Cloak again then looking upon the Block he said to the Executioner You must set it fast Executioner It is fast Sir King When I put out my Hands this way stretching them out Then do your Work after having said two or three Words to himself as he stood with Hands lift up to Heaven immediately stooping down he laid his Neck upon the Block And then the Executioner again putting his Hair under his Cap the King thinking he had been going to strike said Stay for the Sign Executioner Yes I will and 't pleasure your Majesty Then after a little pause the King stretching forth his Hands the Executioner at one blow severed his Head from his Body which with his Body was put into a Coffin cover'd with black Velvet and carried into his Lodgings at White-hall From thence it was carried to his House at St. James's where his Body was Embalm'd and put into a Coffin of Lead and there lay a Fortnight to be seen of the People On Wednesday seven-night after his Corps embalm'd and coffin'd in Lead was deliver'd to the care of four of his Servants viz. Mr. Herbert Captain Anthony Mildmay Captain Preston and Mr. John Joyner who with others in Mourning accompanied the Herse that night to Windsor and placed it in the Room which was formerly the King's