The SENTENCE against the said KING, January the 27th. 1648. which was read by Mr. Broughton aforesaid, Clerk.
WHereas the Commons of England in Parliament, have appointed them an High Court of Justice for the Tryall of Charles Stuart King of England, before whom he had been Three times Convented, and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other Crimes and Misdemea∣nours was read in the behalf of the Kingdom of England, &c. as in the Charge which was read throughout.
To which Charge, he the said Charles Stuart was requi∣red to give his Answer, but he refused so to do; and so exprest several passages at his Tryal in refusing to answer.
For all which Treasons and Crimes, this Court doth adjudge, That the said Charles Stuart, as a Tyrant, Traytor, Murtherer, and Publick enemy, shall be put to death, by severing his head from his body.
This Sentence (sayes the President) now read and published is the Act, Sentence, Judgement and Resolution of the whole Court. To which the Members of the Court stood up and assented to what he said by holding up their hands.
The King offered to speak, but he was instantly commanded to be taken away, and the Court broke up.
The true manner of proceeding to take off the Kings Head, according to the Sentence given as aforesaid.
SIr Hardress Waller, Collonel Harrison, Comissary General Ireton, Colonel Dean, and Colonel Okey, were appointed to consider of the Time and Place for the Execution of the King, according to his Sentence, given by the (pretended) High Court of Justice.
Painted Chamber, Monday January the 29th 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 Whitehal is a fit place: And the said Committee conceive it fit, That the King be there executed the morrow, the King having already notice thereof.
The Court approved thereof, and ordered a Warrant to be drawn to that purpose, which Warrant was accordingly drawn and agreed to, and Ordered to be ingrossed, which was done, and signed and sealed accordingly, as followeth.
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 Crimes, and Sentence on Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court, to be put to Death, by the severing his head from his body, of which Sentence Execution yet remaineth to be done. These are therefore to will and require you, to see the said Sentence Executed in the open street before White∣hall upon the morrow, being the 30. day of this instant Moneth of January, between the hours of Ten in the morn∣ing, and Five in the afternoon of the same day, with full ef∣fect; and for so doing, This shall be your sufficient Warrant: and these are to require all Officers and Soldiers and other the good people of this Nation of England to be assistant unto you in this service.
Given under our hands and Seals.
To Colonel Francis Hacker, Colonel Huncks, and Lieutenant Colonel Phray, and to every of them.
Sealed and Subscribed by,
- John Bradshaw.
- Thomas Gray.
- Oliver Cromwell.
- Edward Whaley.
- Mich. Livesey.
- John Okey.
- John Danvers.
- John Bourcher.
- Hen. Ireton.
- Tho. Maleverer.
- Jo. Blackeston.
- Jo. Hatchison.
- William Gaffe.
- Tho Pride.
- Peter Temple.
- Tho. Harrison.
- Joh. Hewson.
- Henry Smith.
- Per. Pelham.
- Richard Dean.
- Rob. Tichburn.
- Hump. Edwards.
- Dan. Blagrave.
- Owen Roe.
- Will. Purefoye.
- Adrian Scroop.
- James Templer.
- Aug. Garland.
- Edmond Ludlow.
- Hen. Martin.
- Vincent Potter.
- William Constable.
- Rich. Ingoldsby.
- Will. Cawley.
- Joh. Barkstead.
- J. Dixwell.
- Isaac Ewer.
- Val. Walton.
- Simon Meyne.
- Tho. Horton.
- Jo. Jones.
- Jo. Moor.
- Hardress Waller.
- Gilbert Millington.
- G. Fleetwood.
- Jo. Alured.
- Rob. Lilburn.
- Will. Say.
- Anthony Stapley.
- Gregory Norton.
- Tho. Chaloner.
- Tho. Wogan.
- Jo. Venn.
- Greg. Clement.
- Jo. Downs.
- Tho. Waite.
- Tho. Scot.
- John Carew.
- Miles Corbet.
Ordered, that the Scaffold on which the King is to be executed be covered with black.
The Warrant for executing the King being accordingly delivered to those parties to whom the same was directed, Execution was done upon him according to the Tenour thereof about Two a clock in the afternoon, of the said 30. of January 1648.
HIS Majesty continued, in Prayer all the morning, and receives the Sacrament. Just at Ten a Clock before noon, he was conveyed on foot from St. James's Palace to Whitehall, guarded by a Regiment of Foot Soldiers, part before, part be∣hinde, with Colours flying, and Drums beating, his private guard of Partizans about him, and Dr. Juxon Bishop of London, next to him on one side, and Colonel Tomliason on the other; being come to Whitehall, he continued in his Cabinet Chamber at his Devotions, refusing to dine, only about 12 a clock he eat a bit of Bread, and drank a glasse of Claret wine; from thence he was conveyed into the Banquetting house, and the great window inlarged, out of which he ascends the Scaffold, the rails being hung round, and the floor covered with black; His Exe∣cutioners disguised with Vizards, yet was his Majesty not affrighted: He shewed more care of the people living, then of himself dying: for looking round about upon the people, whom the thick Guards of Soldiers kept a great distance off, and seeing he could not be heard by them, omitting (probably) that he purposed to have spoken to them, therefore turning to the Officers and Actors by him, he delivered himself in a short (but excellent) Speech, which being ended, he mockly vent to Prayers, and after some heavenly discourse between him and the Bishop, having prepared himself, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, mildly praying to himself, he stooped down to the block as to a Prayer deske, and most humbly bowed his generous Neck to God, to be cut off by the Vizarded Executioner, which was sodain∣ly done a one blow. Thus fell King Charles, and thus all Britain with him.