vited him to make the best defence he could England, that the prisoner may be directed to make a positive answer by way of confession or negation; and that if he refuse so to do, the charge be taken pro confesso, and the court proceed to justice." Then Bradshaw told the prisoner that the court were fully satisfied with their own authority, and did now expect that he should plead guilty or not guilty. Charles repeated that he still questioned the legality of this court; that a king could not be tried by any jurisdiction upon earth; but that it was not for himself alone that he resisted, but for the liberty of the people of England, which was dearer to him than to his judges. He was going on in this strain, talking of the lives, liberties, and estates of his people, when Bradshaw interrupted him by telling him that he, as a prisoner, and charged as a high delinquent, could not be suffered any longer to enter into argument and dispute concerning that court's authority. Charles replied that, though he knew not the forms of law, he knew law and reason: that he knew as much law as any gentleman in England, and was therefore pleading for the liberties of the people more than his judges were doing. He again went on to deny the legality of the court, and Bradshaw again interrupted him; and this was repeated many times. At last the president ordered the serjeant-at-arms to re-actions; you have written your meaning in bloody move the prisoner from the bar. "Well, sir," exclaimed Charles, "remember that the king is not suffered to give in his reasons for the liberty and freedom of all his subjects." "Sir," replied Bradshaw, "how great a friend you have been to the laws and liberties of the people, let all England and the world judge." Charles, exclaiming "Well, sir," was guarded forth to Sir Robert Cotton's house. The court then adjourned to the Painted Chamber, on Tuesday, at twelve o'clock. characters throughout this kingdom. But, sir, you understand the pleasure of the court. Clerk, record the default. And, gentlemen, you that took charge of the prisoner, take him back again.” "Sir," rejoined Charles, "I will say yet one word to you. If it were my own particular, I would not say any more to interrupt you." "Sir," replied Bradshaw, "you have heard the pleasure of the court, and you are, notwithstanding you will not understand it, to find that you are before a court of justice." And then the king went forth with his guards to Sir Robert Cotton's house, where he lay. At the appointed time, sixty-three commissioners met in close conference in the Painted Chamber, and there resolved that Bradshaw should acquaint the king that if he continued As early as the 17th of January, the Rump contumacious he must expect no further time. had been advertised, by private letters from This done, the court adjourned to Westminster Scotland, that the parliament there, nemine conHall, and the king was brought in with the ac- tradicente, did dissent from the proceedings of the customed guard. Coke again craved judgment, parliament of England:--1. In the toleration excensuring the prisoner for disputing the autho- tended to sectaries. 2. In the trial of the king. rity of the court, and the supreme authority and 3. In alteration of the form of government. And jurisdiction of the House of Commons. Brad-upon this day, Tuesday the 23d, the Scottish shaw followed in the same strain, saying, in con- commissioners, the Earl of Lothian and Sir John clusion, "Sir, you are to give your positive and Cheseley, who were in London for the purpose final answer in plain English, whether you be guilty or not guilty of these treasons." Charles, after a short pause, said, "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 whether I may speak freely or not?" Bradshaw replied, that when he had once pleaded he should be heard at large; and he in of treating with Charles and the parliament, sent to the speaker of the Rump their solemn protest against all proceedings for bringing the king to trial.' On the 24th and 25th of January, the fourth and fifth days of the trial, the court sat in the Painted Chamber hearing witnesses, having de Whitelock; Rushworth. termined that, though the king refused to plead, they would proceed to the examination of witnesses ex abundanti-in other words, only for the further satisfaction of themselves. On the sixth day, the commissioners were engaged in preparing the sentence, having then determined that the king's condemnation should extend to death. A question was agitated as to his deprivation and deposition previously to his execution, but it was postponed; and the sentence, with a blank for the manner of death, was drawn up by Ireton, Harrison, Harry Martin, Say, Lisle, and Love, and ordered to be engrossed. kingdom and the liberty of the subject, certainly I should have made a particular defence; for by that, at least wise, I might have delayed an ugly sentence, which I perceive will pass upon me. I conceive that a hasty sentence, once passed, may sooner be repented of than recalled; and truly the desire I have for the peace of the kingdom and the liberty of the subject, more than my own particular ends, makes me now at least desire, before sentence be given, that I may be heard in the Painted Chamber before the lords and commons. I am sure what I have to say is well worth the hearing." Bradshaw told him that all this was but a further declining of the jurisdiction of the court, and sternly refused his prayer for a hearing in the Painted Chamber, which is generally, though perhaps very incorrectly, supposed to have related to a proposal for abdicating in favour of his eldest son. But one of the commissioners on the bench, John Downes, a citizen of London, after saying repeatedly to those who sat near him, "Have we hearts of stone? Are we men?" rose and said in a tremb On the morrow, the 27th of January, and the seventh day of this unlawful but memorable trial, the high court of justice sat for the last time in Westminster Hall; and the Lord-president Bradshaw, who had hitherto worn plain black, was robed in scarlet, and most of the commissioners were "in their best habit." After the calling of the court, the king came in, as was his wont, with his hat on; and as he passed up the hall a loud cry was heard of "Justice! - justice! Execution!-execution!" "This," says White-ling voice, "My lord, I am not satisfied to give lock, was made by some soldiers, and others of the rabble." One of the soldiers upon guard, moved by a better feeling, said, "God bless you, sir!" Charles thanked him; but his officer struck the poor man with his cane. "Methinks," said Charles, "the punishment exceeds the offence." Bradshaw's scarlet robe, and the solemn aspect of the whole court, convinced the king that this would be his last appearance on that stage. The natural love of life seems to have shaken his firmness and constancy, and as soon as he was at the bar he earnestly desired to be heard. Bradshaw told him that he should be heard in his turn, but that he must hear the court first. Charles returned still more eagerly to his prayer for a first hearing, urging repeatedly that hasty judgment was not so soon recalled. Bradshaw repeated that he should be heard before judgment was given; and then remarked how he had refused to make answer to the charge brought against him in the name of the people of England. Here a female voice cried aloud, "No, not half the people." The voice was supposed to proceed from Lady Fairfax, the Presbyterian wife of the lord-general, who still kept aloof, doing nothing; but it was soon silenced; and the president continued his speech, which ended in assuring the king that, if he had anything to say in defence of himself concerning the matter charged, the court would hear him. Charles then said, "I must tell you, that this many a day all things have been taken away from me, but that I call more dear to me than my life, which is my conscience and honour; and if I had a respect to my life more than to the peace of the my consent to this sentence. I have reasons to offer against it. I desire the court may adjourn to hear me," And the court adjourned in some disorder. After half an hour's absence they all returned to their places, and that, too, with a unanimous resolution to send the king to the block. Bradshaw cried out, "Serjeant-at-arms, send for your prisoner;" and Charles, who had passed the time in solemn conference with Bishop Juxon, returned to his seat at the bar. "Sir," said Bradshaw, addressing him, "you were pleased to make a motion for the propounding of somewhat to the lords and commons for the peace of this kingdom. Sir, you did in effect receive an answer before the court adjourned. Sir, the return I have to you from the court is this: that they have been too much delayed by you already." After some more discourse to the same effect, Bradshaw was silent; and then the king, saying that he did not deny the power they had, that he knew they had quite power enough, again implored to be heard by the lords and commons in the Painted Chamber. Bradshaw again refused in the name of the whole court, and proceeded to deliver a long and bitter speech in justification of their sentence. He told the fallen king that the law was his superior, and that he ought to have ruled according to the law; that, as the law was his superior, so there was something that was superior to the law, and that was the people of England, the parent or author of the law. The Painted Chamber was an apartment in the old royal palace at Westminster, used as a place of meeting for the lords and commons when they held a conference. See an engraving and more particular notice of it, vol. ii. p. 588. "Sir," he continued, "that which we are now upon, by the command of the highest court, is to try and judge you for your great offences. The charge hath called you tyrant, traitor, murderer. (Here the king uttered a startling 'Hah!') Sir, it had been well if any of these terms might justly have been spared." Bradshaw concluded his long speech by protesting that in these proceedings all of them had God before their eyes, and by recommending the repentance of King David as an example proper for the king to imitate. Charles then said hurriedly, "I would desire only one word before you give sentence -only one word." Bradshaw told him that his time was now past. Again the king pressed that they would hear him a word-at most a very few words. Bradshaw again told him that he had not owned their jurisdiction as a court; that he looked upon them as a sort of people met together; that they all knew what language they received from his party. The king said that he knew nothing of that, and once more begged to be heard; and Bradshaw once more told him that they had given him too much liberty already, and that he ought to repent of his wickedness, and submit to his sentence; and then, raising his sonorous voice, he said, "What sentence the law affirms to a traitor, a tyrant, a murderer, and a public enemy to the country, that sentence you are now to hear. Make silence! Clerk, read the sentence!" Then the clerk read the sentence, which was "For all which treasons and crimes this court doth adjudge that he, the said Charles Stuart, as tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy to the good people of this nation, shall be put to death by severing his head from his body." Charles raised his eyes to heaven, and said, "Will you hear me a word, sir?" 66 'Sir," replied Bradshaw, "you are not to be heard after sentence." Charles, greatly agitated, said inquiringly, "No, sir?" "No, sir, by your favour," rejoined the inflexible president. "Guards, withdraw to speak; expect what justice other people will have," gave up his hopeless efforts, and turned away with his guard; and as he went through the hall there was another cry for justice and execution. On the evening of the day on which he received his sentence, Charles entreated the commissioners, through the medium, it appears, of Hugh Peters, the republican preacher, to allow him the company of Bishop Juxon; and this was readily granted, as was also the society of the only children he had in England-the Princess Elizabeth, then in her thirteenth, and the Duke of Gloucester, in his ninth year. On Monday, the 29th of January, the house sat early. They passed an act for altering the style and form of all writs, grants, patents, &c., which henceforth, instead of bearing the style and title and head of the king, were to bear "Custodes libertatis Angliæ auctoritate parliamenti," &c. The date was to be the year of our Lord, and no other. The high court of justice sat, and appointed the time and place of execution. The king's children came from Sion House to take their last farewell of their father. He took the princess up in his arms and kissed her, and gave her two seals with diamonds, and prayed for the blessing of God upon her, and the rest of his children- and there was a great weeping. Charles had ever been an indulgent and tender parent. The last night of all was spent by the king in the palace of St. James's, FRONT OF THE BANQUETING HOUSE, WHITEHALL.-After Hollar. your prisoner." Still struggling to be heard, Charles said, confusedly, "I may speak after the sentence by your favour, sir? I may speak after sentence, ever. By your favour"- "Hold!" cried Bradshaw. "The sentence, sir," stammered Charles; "I say, sir, I do". Again Bradshaw stopped him with his determined "Hold!" And then the king, muttering, "I am not suffered where he slept soundly for more than four hours. Awaking about two hours before the dismal daybreak of the 30th of January, he dressed himself with unusual care, and put on an extra shirt because the season was so sharp. He said, "Death is not terrible to me; and, bless my God, I am prepared." He then called in Bishop Juxon, 1 Whitelock. he but the parliament who had begun the war; he deplored having assented to the death of Strafford, saying that he was now punished by an unjust sentence upon himself; he declared that he pardoned his enemies, and died a Christian according to the profession of the Church of England, as he found it left by his father. Turning to Bishop Juxon he said, "I have a good cause and a gracious God on my side." He took single word, "Remember!" then laid his head across the block, and stretched out his hands as a signal. The masked executioner let fall the axe, which severed the neck at one blow; and another man wearing a mask took up the head and shouted, "This is the head of a traitor!" The bloody deed was accompanied by a "dismal, universal groan."" who remained with him an hour in private prayer. About ten o'clock, Colonel Hacker, who was commissioned to conduct him to the scaffold, tapped softly at the chamber-door, to say they were ready. They went together from St James's through the park towards Whitehall, in the front of which the scaffold had been erected. Charles walked erect and very fast, having on the right hand Bishop Juxon, and on the left Colonel Tomlinson, and being followed by a guard of hal-off his cloak, gave his George' to Juxon, with the berdiers, and by some of his own gentlemen and servants, who walked bareheaded. There was no shouting, no gesticulating, no turmoil of any kind: the troops, men and officers, the spectators of all ranks, were silent as the grave, save now and then when a prayer or a blessing escaped from some of them. At the end of the park Charles entered Whitehall, and, passing through the long gallery, went into his own old cabinet chamber. There he was delayed, for the scaffold was not quite ready: he passed the time in prayer with the bishop. At last all was in readiness; and he was led out to the scaffold, which was hung round with black. Vast multitudes of people had come to be spectators: they were all silent, respectful, or awe-stricken; and so were the soldiers. Perceiving that the people could not approach near enough to hear him, he addressed a speech to the gentlemen upon the scaffold. He called God to witness that it was not The George, or badge of the order of the Knights of the Garter, worn by Charles I. at his execution, and given by him to Bishop Juxon, is thus described by Ashmole:-"The George which his late majesty wore at the time of his martyrdom, was curiously set in an onyx, set about with twenty-one large table diamonds in the fashion of a garter; on the back side of the George was the picture of his queen, rarely well limned, set in a case of gold, the lid neatly enamelled with goldsmith's work, and surrounded with another garter, adorned with a like number of equal sized diamonds as was the fore side." In the engraving, a represents the upper side of the George, & the under side, and c the upper side raised, displaying a portrait of Henrietta Maria. 2 Whitelock; Herbert; Warwick; Nalson. CHAPTER XVII.-CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY.-A.D. 1649-1660. THE COMMONWEALTH.-A.D. 1649-1660. Proceedings of the Independents against the royalists after the king's execution-The "Executive Council of State" appointed-Attacks on the new governinent-Prince Charles proclaimed king in Scotland and Ireland-Cromwell makes a hostile landing in Ireland-His victories there-He returns to London-Montrose lands in Scotland-He is defeated, captured, and executed-Arrival of Charles II. in Scotland-Cromwell defeats the Scots at Dunbar-Charles II. marches into England-He is defeated by Cromwell at Worcester-He escapes to France-England, Scotland, and Ireland incorporated into a Commonwealth-War with Holland-Naval victories of Blake-The Rump parliament becomes unpopular-Mutual jealousies between it and the armyCromwell suggests the necessity of a royal rule-He purposes to dissolve the parliament-His summary ejection of the members-Barbone's parliament-Its proceedings-Its speedy dissolution-Cromwell appointed lord-protector of the Commonwealth-Formation of his new government-Signal naval victory over the Dutch in the Downs-Cromwell's strict and impartial justice-He summons a new parliament-His address to the members-They become obstinate-Cromwell dissolves parliament-Plots of Levellers and royalists-Naval successes-A third parliament called-Proposal to make Cromwell king-Discontent and danger produced by it-Cromwell rejects the proposal-Honours bestowed on him by the parliament-His court, and mode of life-Death of Admiral Blake-Meeting of parliament-Members for its upper house-Impracticability of establishing an upper house-Cromwell dissolves the parliament-Plots against his life-His last illnessHis death-His son Richard proclaimed protector-Richard's difficulties-Hostility of parliament towards him -He abdicates-Monk's plots for the restoration of royalty-His caution and duplicity-His professions of devotedness to the Commonwealth-His march into England-His proceedings and intrigues in London-His preparations for the recall of Charles II.-The new king proclaimed, and the Commonwealth terminated. IN the day of the king's execution, | Rump immediately debated how to bring some the Independents prohibited, under of the chief royalists to a speedy trial, and orpain of high treason, the proclama- dered that the vacillating and unprincipled Earl tion of the Prince of Wales, or any of Holland should be removed to London. Duke other, to be king or chief magis- Hamilton was retaken the day after his flight. trate. On the same mournful day On the 1st of February it was voted that HamDuke Hamilton escaped with the Lord Lough-ilton and Holland, with Goring, Lord Capel, and borough out of Windsor Castle. The house or Colonel Owen, should be "the next persons to THE GREAT SEAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH.-From a fine cast in the British Museum. be proceeded against for justice." Capel escaped | Lords should be continued a court of judicature out of the Tower, but was apprehended two days or a court consultatory only. On the 6th the debate was renewed; and it ended that night in after. On the 5th of February the commons debated till six o'clock at night whether the House of This seal is 5 inches in diameter; the obverse gives an interesting representation of the House of Commons at the period. |