rite. 5. That the faid King (diffembling with God and men, oppof- Epifle to the ing Papists in words, yet cherishing and protecting them (all he Reader bemay) in deeds, exhibited many royall orders, expreffes, letters of fore the popish grace, protection unto popish Recufants, feminary Priefts, during Royal favou all his raign, to stay all manner of proceedings and executions of the Law against them, contrary to the Judges and Justices Oaths, and fince this unhappy civill Warre, the Papifts both in England and in Ireland, have been armed against the Parliament by the faid Kings Commiffion, yea put into places of great Command and truft, admitted free access to his Camp, and Court, where they have bin in favours, and preserved from all violence, injury, &c. notwithstanding his many printed Declarations, Proclamations, Proteftations, Vowes against Popery and Papists, to blind and delude the over credulous vulgar; and notwithstanding his brave, real, royal, defence of the Proteftant Religion so often promised, the best and most zealous Proteftants, Minifters, people, both in England and Ireland, have bin every where moft cruelly maffacred, plundered, tortured, imprisoned, ruined by the blood-thirsty Popish Cavaliers, many of their Houses and almost whole Towns, fired, fackt by his fpeciall Commiffion. 6. That the faid King did admit Can, the Popes legate, and Romes that under the very name, notion, and Authority of the Popes MafterLegate, into familiar acceffe to, and conference with him, by all peece, p. 37. Arts, Policies, and Arguments, to pervert and draw him with his 3. Kingdoms, to a new fubjection to the fee of Rome, as Cardinall Pool, the Popes Legate, extant in England, before this in Queen Maries Raign, reconciled her and the Realme to Rome, to their intolerable prejudice, (an act fo inconfiftant to the Lawes of this Realm, with the Kings ancient and late Remonftrances, Oaths, Proteftations to maintain the Proteftant Religion; as may ever amaze the World, which ever lookes more at real actions, than verball Proteftations. 7. That the King (after Endimain Porter, had gained the Cuftody of the great Seal of England) did iffue out divers Proclamations under the great Seal, proclaiming the Parliament Traytors and Rebells, yea, did grant Commiffions to Irish and English Papifts, contrary to his former Proclamations, to raise Popish forces both at home and in forraign parts for his defence, as his trustieft and most loyall Subjects, and did fend letters and Commiffions of favour to the Irish Rebells, and hinder all fupply from hence to the Proteftant party there. 8. That the faid King (after the bloody Irish Rebells had destroyed the precious lives of above a hundred and forty Thousand Proteftants in Ireland, and were like to be overcome by the Parliaments Forces (fent from hence and from Scotland to relieve the Proteftant party) condefcended to Articles of pacification with ૦ ૧ ૧ 2 thefe ibid. thefe Rebells, contrary to an Act of Parliament, and both Houses confents, wherein the faid wicked Rebells are declared his Majefties good Catholick Subjects, and no Rebells at all. 9. That the faid King did fend for many thousands of the said Rebells into England to maffacre the Proteftant English here, and fight against the Parliament, as they did in Ireland heretofore. Whereas it flyes up and down in the mouths of the over-credulous vulgar that Mr. Wil. Prinne (fince his admission into the Honourable House of Commons) hath most petulently exclaimed against the Armies late Remonftrance; wherein they defire Juftice may be done against the King (as the grand Delinquent of the Kingdom,) and furiously enveighed against the fame, as if he was newly become the Kings Advocate: these therefore are to stop the current of fuch reports, and to defire that men may deffen their ears thereunto, confidering that not only their tender care of the priviledges of Parliament, (requiring no notice to be taken of any mans Speech within these walles) but also their respects and love unto Mr. Prinne (that hath written fo much of the peoples and Kingdoms intereft and power to call their Kings and Governours to accompt for their unjuft, wicked and tyrannicall Government) doth require the fame, for if occafion be offered the prefent proceedings of the Army in requiring juftice to be done upon the King, and all other Delinquents, as thofe that lately fomented a fecond War, invited the Scots into this Kingdom to that end, &c. fhall be clearly, fully, convincingly afferted, argued, and maintained from the feverall labours, pains, and writings of the faid Author Mr. William Prinne. A Perfect NARRATIVE of the whole Proceedings of the To thefe Proceedings of the Tryal of the King, I fay, Imprimatur, GILBERT Reader, Here being fome impertinent and imperfect Narratives of these two days Proceedings of the High Court of Justice, concerning the King, Spread abroad, I have for the greater fatisfaction of the Nation in their Proceedings, thought fit (by leave of Authority) to publifh this fubfequent Relation and Account. A January 20. 1648. C. W. T the High Court of Juftice fitting in the great Hall at The Act of the Commons in Parliament (for the Tryal of the King) was read, after the Court was called, and each Member rising up as he was called, The King came into the Court (with his Hat on) the Sergeant ufher'd him in with the Mace: Col. Hacker, and about thirty Officers and Gentlemen more, came as his Guard. Lord Prefident. CHARLES STUART King of England, the Commons of England, affembled in Parliament, being fenfible of the great Calamities that have been brought upon this Nation, and of the innocent Blood that hath been shed in this Nation, which are referred to you as the Author of it; and according to that duty which they owe to God, to the Nation, and to themselves; and according to that Power and Fundamental Trust that is reposed in them by the People, have constituted this high Court of Justice, before which you are now brought, and you are to hear your Charge, upon which the Court will proceed. Mr. Cook, Solicitor General. My Lord, in behalf of the Commons of England, and of all the people thereof, I do accufe Charles Stuart, here prefent, of high Treason, and high Misdemeanors; and I do, in the name of the Commons of England, defire the Charge may be read unto him. The King. Hold a little. Lord Prefident. Sir, the Court commands the Charge to be read, if you have any thing to fay afterwards, you may be heard. The The CHARGE of the COMMONS of England, against CHARLES STUART King of England, Of high Treafon, and other high Crimes, exhibited to the High Court of Juftice,' Saturday the 20 of January, 1648. (With Col. Lilburn's Notes.) The Court being fate, and the prisoner at the Barr, M. Cook Solicitor General, Spake thus, My Lord, In behalf of the Commons of England, and of all the people thereof, I do accufe CHARLES STUART, bere prefent, of High TreaJon, and high Mifdemeanours: And I do, in the name of the Commons of England, defire the Charge may be read unto Him. Which the Clerk then read, as followeth, T Hat the faid CHARLES STUART being * admitted King of England, and therein trufted with a limited Power to govern by, and according to the Laws of the + Land, and not otherwife; and by this Truft, Oath, and Office, being obliged to use the power committed to him for the good and benefit of the People, and for the prefervation of their Rights and Liberties: Yet nevertheless, out of a wicked Defign, to erect, and uphold in himfelf 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 redrefs and remedy of mifgovernment, which by the fundamental Conftitutions of this Kingdom were reserved on the peoples behalf, in the right and power of frequent and fucceffive Parliaments, or National meetings in Councel: He the faid Charles Stuart, for accomplishing fuch his Defigns, and for the protecting of himself and his adherents, in His and Their wicked practices to the fame Ends, hath trayterously and maliciously levied War against the present Parliament and the People therein § Reprefented. Particularly, upon or about the 13 day of June, in the yeer of our Lord, 1642, at Beverly in the County of York: And upon, or about the 30 day of July, in the yeer abovefaid, in the County of the City of York: And upon or about the 24 day of Auguft, in the fame yeer, at the County of the Town of Nottingham (when, and where he fet up his Standard of war;) And · alfo on, or about the 23 day of October, in the fame yeer, at Edg-Hill, and Keinton-field, in the County of Warwick: And upon, or about the 13 day of November, in the fame yeer, at Brainford, in the County of Middlefex: And upon, or about the 30 day of Auguft, in the yeer of our Lord 1643, at Cavesham Bridge, neer Reading, in the County of Berks: And upon, or about the 13 day of October, in the yeer laft mentioned, at, or neer the City of *Then his induction is better than theirs, that come in by abfolute conqueft, and now govern us by the fword, as flaves. + But H. Peters faith there is now no Law, but the fword and the will and pleasure of thofe that now rule by it. See his difcourfe with mee, 25 May, 1649. p. 4. 5. Cromwels, and the rest of the great Swordmens conflant practice. And fo hath Cromwel and Ireton, &c. which I will prove upon my life; and therefore as traitors, ought to dye much more than the King, who till now hath by Parliaments, c. themselves been often declared not to be fubject to the penall part of the Law. of Glocefter: And upon, or about the 13 day of November, in the yeer last men-tioned, at Newbery, in the County of Berks: And upon, or about the 31. day of July, in the yeer of our Lord 1644, at Cropredy Bridge, in the County of Oxon: And upon, or about the 30 of September, in the yeer laft mentioned, at Bodmin, and other places neer adjacent, in the County of Cornwal : And upon, or about the 30 day of November, in the yeer laft mentioned, at Newbery aforefaid: And upon, or about the 8 day of June, in the yeer of our Lord 1645, at the Town of Leicester: And alfo upon the 14 day of the fame month, in the fame yeer, at Nafeby-field, in the County of Northamp-At which feveral times and places, or most of them, and at many other places in this Land, at feveral other times within the yeers aforementioned; and in the yeer of our Lord, 1646, He the faid Charles Stuart, hath caused and procured many thousands of the free people of the Nation to be flain; and by Divisions, Parties, and Infurrections, within this Land, by invasions from forrain parts, endeavoured and procured by Him, and by many other evill wayes and meanes, He the faid Charles Stuart, hath not only maintained and carryed on the faid War, both by Land and Sea, during the yeeres be-fore mentioned, but also hath renewed, or caused to be renewed, the faid War against the Parliament, and good People of this Nation in this prefent * yeer: 1648, in the Counties of Kent, Effex, Surrey, Suffex, Middlefex, and many other Counties and places in England and Wales, and alfo by Sea; and particularly, He the faid Charles Stuart, hath for that purpose, Given Commiffions to his fon the Prince and others, whereby, befides. multitudes of other perfons, many fuch as were by the Parliament intrufted and imployed for the fafety of the Nation; being by him or His Agents, corrupted, to the betraying of their Truft, and revolting from the Parliament, have had entertain-·· ment and Commiffion, for the continuing and renewing of war and hoftility, against the said Parliament and People, as aforefaid. By which Cruel and Unnaturall wars by him the faid Charles Stuart, levyed, continued, and renewed, as aforefaid, much innocent blood of the + Free People of this Nation hath been spilt, many Families have been undone, the Publick Treasury wafted and exhaufted, Trade obftructed and miferably decayed, vaft expenceand damage to the Nation incurred, and many parts of the Land fpoyled, fome of them even to defolation. And for further profecution of His faid Evill defigns, He the faid Charles Stuart, doth ftill continue His Commiffions to the faid Prince, and other Rebels and Revolters, both English and Forrainers; and to the Earl of Ormond, and to the Irish Rebels and Revolters, affociated with him; from whom fur ther *Of which years war Cromwel and Ireton by their cheating, jugling and hindering the fetling the liberties of the Nation, are and were more guilty of by thousands of degrees than the King or any of his party, and if they had been but honeft to their primitive engagements, the wars had never been, upon whofe heads alone principally all the blood fhed in thofe wars yes, fay I, John Lilburn. But I am fure the chief profecutors of this charge have made us now perfect flaves, and are moft fuperlatively guilty of all that in the next words followeth. |