people.---Amidst all the fufferings which Charles 3. Sir Heneage Finch, follicitor-general, at the tryal of the regicides, publickly acquitted the parliament, and confequently the people reprefented, from all blame in this matter. Hear his words: Whatsoever, in the year 1648, could have been done by a parliament to fave the life of a king, was done in this cafe. They opened a way to a treaty in fpight of the army; and while thefe fons of Zeruiah, who were too hard for them, were engaged in fervice in the remoter parts, they haftened the treaty as much as was poffible; the debates ripen, his majefty's conceffions were voted a good ground for peace: notwithstanding the remonftrances of the army ftill flew about their ears, and notwithftanding the oppofitions of a fearful and unbelieving party of the houfe of commons, whom the army had frighted into an awful and flavish dependance upon them. And when nothing elfe could be done for him, they were so true to the obligations they lay under, that they refolved to fall with him; and did fo. For the < army, who faw the treaty proceed fo faft, made as great hafte to break it. They feize upon the bleffed perfon of our facred king by force, and bring him to London; and here they force the parliament, fhut out fome members, imprifon others; and then call this wretched little company which was left, a parliament. By this, and before they had taken upon them the boldness to diffolve the house of peers, they pafs a law, and erect, forfooth! an high court of juftice, as they (2) Exact call it (n).'- -Sir Edward Turner, on the fame occa- and impar fion, faid, My lords, this was not a national crime: ( and our good and gracious fovereign hath done us that of regicides 'honor and right to vindicate us in foreign nations; and p. 37, 4to., now he is come home in power and glory, he does continue in the fame mind (o).' . tial account of the tryal Lond. 1660 (0) Id. p. The lord chief baron Bridgman, from the bench, de- 4o. clared it to be his opinion also, that of 46 members which fat in the house of commons, there were but 25 or 26 men that did vote the act for the tryal of the king (p).' (p) Id. p. (2) King Charles's works, P. 797. Charles underwent, he feems to have pre ferved 4. Charles himfelf, on his tryal, faid, he was far from charging the two houfes with the proceedings of that day (9). And, 5. In the preamble to the act for the attainder of fe veral perfons, guilty of the horrid murther of king Charles I. we have the following paffages. In all humble manner fhew unto your moft excellent majefty, your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects the lords and commons in parliament aflembled, that the horrid and • execrable murther of your majefty's royal father, our late moft gracious fovereign Charles the Firft, of ever bleffed and glorious memory, hath been committed by a party of wretched men, defperately wicked, and hardned in their impiety, who having first plotted and ⚫ contrived the ruin and deftruction of this excellent monarchy, and, with it, of the true reformed pro, teftant religion, which hath been fo long protected by it, and flourished under it, found it neceffary, in order to the carrying on of their pernicious and traitorous defigns, to throw down all the bulwarks and fences of law, and to fubvert the very being and conftitution of parliament, that fo they might at laft make their way open for any further attempts upon the facred perfon of his majesty himfelf; and that, for the more eafy effecting thereof, they did first feduce fome part of the then army into a compliance, and then kept the reft in fubjection to them, partly for hopes of preferment, and chiefly for fear of lofing their imployments and arrears, until by these, and other more odious arts and devices, they had fully ftrengthned themselves both in power and faction; which being done, they did declare against all manner of treaties with the person of the king, even then while a treaty by advice of both houfes of parlia ment was in being, remonftrate against the houses of ⚫ parliament for fuch proceedings, feize upon his royal perfon, while the commiffioners were returned to the houfe of parliament with his anfwer; and when his conceffions had been voted a ground for peace, feize < • upon ferved great equanimity; and before, at, On upon the house of commons, feclude and imprison fome members, force out others, and there being left but a small remnant of their own creatures (not a tenth part of the whole), did feek to fhelter themselves by this weak pretence, under the name and authority of a parliament; and, in that name, laboured to profecute what was yet behind and unfinished of their long intended treason and confpiracy. To this purpose they • prepared an ordinance for erecting a prodigious and un• heard-of tribunal, which they called an high court of ⚫ juftice, for tryal of his majefty; and having eafily procured it to pafs in their house of commons, as it then ftood moulded, ventured to fend it up from thence to the peers then fitting, who totally rejected it; where< upon their rage and fury increafing, they prefume to pass it alone, as an act of the commons, and in the ⚫ name of the commons of England; and having gained ⚫ the pretence of law, made by a power of their own making, pursue it with all poffible force and cruelty; ⚫ until at laft, upon the 30th Jan. 1648, his facred majefty was brought upon a fcaffold, and there publickly 'murthered before the gates of his own royal palace (r).' (r) Stat. Those gentlemen who talk of the execution of this prince anno 12mc as a national fin, would do well to confider these autho- xxxii. rities. (EEEE) Amidst his fufferings he preferved great equanimity; and before, at, and after his trial, his patience or infenfibility were very remarkable.] Sir Thomas Herbert, who conftantly attended his majefty from the time that he was at Holmby to his execution at Whitehall, fhall be my voucher for his equanimity and patience. His majefty, fays fir Thomas, had information from private hands of the late proceedings in the house of 'commons-by which his majefty was apprehenfive of their [the army-party's] ill intentions towards his per • fon Car. II. c (3)Memoirs, p.108. (:) Id. p. 253. On the scaffold he is thought to have excelled himself, and to have died much greater 'fon and government, and did believe his enemies aimed at his depofing and confinement in the Tower, or fome fuch like place; and that they would feat his fon the prince of Wales in his throne, if he would accept of it. But as to their taking away his life by tryal in any court ⚫ of justice, or in the face of his people, that he could ⚫ not believe, there being no fuch precedent, or mention in any of our hiftories. Such were his majefty's imaginations, until he came to his tryal in Weftminster-hall; for then he altered his opinion. Nevertheless his faith overcoming his fear, he continued his accustomed prudence and patience, fo as no outward perturbation could be difcerned; with chriftian fortitude, fubmitting to the good pleasure of the Almighty; fometimes fighing, but never breaking out into a paffion, or uttering a reproachful or revengeful word against any that were his adverfaries, faying only, "God forgive their impiety (s)." And when his majefty was brought the fecond time before the court, in Westminster-hall, fome foldiers 'made a hideous cry for juftice, juftice; fome of the officers joining with them. At which uncouth noise the king feemed fomewhat abafhed, but overcame it with patience. As his majesty returned from the Hall to Cotton-boufe, a foldier that was upon the guard faid aloud, as the king paffed by, "God bless you, fir." The king thanked him; but an uncivil officer ftruck him with his cane upon the head; which his majesty obferving, faid, the punishment exceeded the offence. Being come to his apartment in Cotton-houfe, he immediately, upon his knees, went to prayer. Afterwards he asked Mr. Herbert, if he heard that cry of the foldiers for juftice? who answered, he did, and marvelled thereat, "So did not I (faid the king); for I am well affured the foldiers bear no malice to me." The cry was no doubt given by their officers, for whom the foldiers would do the like, were there occafion (†).' When greater than he had lived. His body, after his When the prefident Bradshaw gave judgment against to heaven, as appealing to the Divine Majefty, the 118. moft fupream judge (z). The king, at the rifing of («)Memoirs, the court, was with a guard of halberdiers returned to P. 117. Whitehall, in a clofe chair, through King Street, both 'fides whereof had a guard of foot-foldiers, who were filent as his majefty paffed.-Nothing of the fear of death, or indignities offered, feemed a terror, or provoked him to impatience; nor uttered he a reproachful word, reflecting upon any of his judges (albeit he well knew that fome of them had been his domeftick fervants), or against any member of the houfe, or officer of the army: fo wonderful was his patience, though his fpirit was great, and might have otherwife expreffed his refentments upon feveral occafions. It was a true chriftian fortitude to have the maftery of his paffion, and fubmiffion to the will of God under fuch temptations (w).' I will add but one paffage more. The (v) Id. p. night before his execution, the king continued reading and praying more than two hours. The king commanded Mr. Herbert to lie by his bedfide upon a pallat, where he took fmall reft. But nevertheless the king for four hours, or thereabouts, flept foundly; and awaking about two hours afore day, he opened his curtain to call Mr. Herbert; there being a great cake of wax fet in a filver bafon, that then, as at all other times, burned all night; fo that he perceived him fomewhat difturbed in fleep: but calling him, bad him rife; "for, faid his majefty, I will get up, having a great work to "do this day." However, he would know why he was fo troubled in his fleep. He replyed, "May it pleafe your majefty, I was dreaming.' "I would know "your dream,' faid the king; which being told, his majefty faid it was remarkable. "Herbert, this is my "fecond marriage-day: I would be as trim to day as "may be; for before night I hope to be efpoufed to my "blessed Fefus." He then appointed what cloathes he 66 " would |