The indictment was in Latin, but Vane was not permitted to either read it or to hear it read in that language, which he thoroughly understood; but it was declared that the averments in the same were broad enough to permit any species of evidence which bore upon the subject, whether manifested by acts or deeds or not. The judges who presided were the willing tools of the King, and they hesitated at nothing. They neither regarded the laws of God nor man. Vane's case was not a solitary one, for in that "frightful record" of the State trials, there are many instances where all that was necessary to convict was to indict. But not in that age had one stood at the bar who possessed such transcendent abilities, or who could, single-handed and alone, without the aid of counsel or without a witness, cope with court and counsel in such a manner as he could and did. The court was organized to convict, and he was prosecuted not only by the court but by the attorney general, the solicitor general and four other lawyers, among whom were Glyn and Maynard, who had taken part against Strafford when he fought for his life.

In answer to the indictment, he urged that as the offences charged in it were committed by him as a member of Parliament, or as acting in obedience to it, no inferior court, according to long established usage, was qualified to sit in judgment upon him, and that the only tribunal that he was amenable to was Parliament itself. He therefore objected to pleading either guilty or not guilty, as that would be recognizing the jurisdiction of the tribunal. "It may be better," he said, "to be immediately destroyed by special command, without any form of law. It is very visible beforehand, that all possible means of defense are taken and withheld. Far be it from me to have knowingly, maliciously or wittingly offended the law, rightly understood and asserted; much less to have done anything that is morally evil." He protested against the arbitrary action of the court which he more than intimated had already prejudged his case, and refused for some time to plead to the indictment in any shape. He did however at length plead "not guilty" and was then returned to the tower. His trial commenced four days later.

He claimed the right to be represented by counsel. but it was denied him, the judges saying in bitter irony that "they would be his counsel." The attorney general, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, began by specifying the overt acts upon which the indictment was based. Almost every one of these acts related to his course and conduct while a member of Parliament, and Vane suggested that if they were to take his life for these things they might as well slay the whole Parliament at once, and be done with it. The journals of Parliament were produced to show what he had said and done, and every thing was claimed to be evidence against him, while nothing was allowed in his favor.

Vane demanded delay that he might summon witnesses on his part and prepare for his defense, but this was denied him and he was hurried onward to his doom. Vane's defense has been handed down by himself. It was written out immediately after his condemnation and is overwhelming in argument and in vindication of his course. He fought for his life for ten hours, without refreshment, but it was of no avail. The jury were packed against him. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

He claimed the right to take exceptions to the rulings of the court but this was denied him, and when called up for sentence, he staggered the judges by tendering to them a bill of exceptions, and cited the statute of Edward I., which the judges confessed they had overlooked, by which it was among other things provided: "That if any man find himself aggrieved by the proceedings against him before any justices, let him write his exceptions, and desire justices to set their seals to it;" but the infamous wretches denied him the right. Vane caused each judge to put himself individually upon record as denying him this right, which caused them much embarrassment and confusion.

At last he reminded the court that before they could pass judgment upon him he desired them to determine

1. Whether a Parliament were accountable to any inferior court?

2. Whether the King being out of possession-Here the

court broke in impatiently, "that the King was never out of possession."-Whereupon Vane instantly rejoined that if that was the case, the indictment must inevitably fall to the ground, for the charge against him was that "he endeavored to keep out his majesty, and how could he keep him out if he were not out?" He felt however that all was useless and at length accepted his fate.

The reporter of "The State Trials," in referring to this incident, says, that "when he saw they would overrule him in all, and were bent upon his condemnation, he put up his papers appealing to the righteous judgment of God, who would judge them as well as him."

The execution was appointed to take place the 14th of June. The sentence was that he should be hanged, cut down while living, his body cut open and his bowels burnt before his face; that his head should be severed from his body and his body then quartered. It was finally agreed "out of mercy" that he should undergo the milder and less barbarous punishment of being beheaded, but this was granted simply as a favor.

The bill of exceptions that he prepared has been carefully preserved, and would be at the present day considered a most interesting relic.

While awaiting his doom he wrote out in prison his "Reasons for an Arrest of judgment, writ by the Prisoner but refused to be heard by the Court;" in which he arraigns his persecutors in the most vigorous manner. He shows that every principle of law and justice was violated in his case, and it will remain for all time a monument to his intrepidity and a lasting disgrace to those who so cruelly treated him.

Among his memoranda is an abridged account or substance of what he said when defending himself at his trial, in which he says: "The causes that did happen to move his late Majesty to depart from his Parliament and continue for many years, not only at a distance and in disjunction from them, but at last in a declared posture of enmity and war against them, are so well known and fully stated in print, not to say written in characters of blood on both parts, that I shall only mention it and refer to it. This matter was not done in a corner. The

appeals were solemn, and the decision by the sword, was given by that God who, being the judge of the whole world, does right and cannot do otherwise. By occasion of these unhappy differences, most great and unusual changes, like an irresistible torrent did break in upon us, not only to the disjointing that parliamentary assembly among themselves, but to the creating such formed divisions among the people, and to producing such a general state of disorder, that hardly any were able to know their duty and with certainty to discern who were to command and who to obey. All things seemed to be reduced, and in a manner resolved into their first elements and principles."

This gives a very clear presentation of the condition of things at the time when Charles I. was called to account for his misdeeds. Vane shows distinctly that he never acted as one of the Judges of the High Court of Justice, and even disapproved many of the measures resorted to both before and after that time. He shows, further, that when he had voluntarily retired to private life, he was willfully and wickedly drawn forth from that retreat and put on trial for no crime whatever, either in thought or deed. His untimely end was indeed the work of fiends. Charles II. had not wit enough to discern or comprehend it.

On the 13th of June, he took leave of his children, but the parting scene is too painful to be narrated. On the 14th of June, 1662, in the full glory of ripened manhood, Vane was brought forth to die, on Tower Hill.

Of his associates who had striven with him for the rights of the people, many had passed peacefully from earth in the due course of nature, and many had suffered terrible deaths, as cruelly and unjustly as he was about to suffer, while others had bowed themselves ignobly before the monster that now occupied the throne, and had been left with life. Fairfax had thus bowed and retired to private life, and Lambert, who had been tried with him (Vane), had submitted and was then cultivating flowers and working embroidery. The heads of Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshawe grinned from the gables of Westminster Hall. Pym and Hampden had died in the morning

of the strife, and Blake had fallen somewhat later, but all of their bodies had been flung into dishonored graves. Harrison and Scot, and many others had been torn limb from limb. The immortal Milton, now old and blind, had been long in hiding, but was kept informed of all passing events, while Algernon Sidney was reserved for a later day, but for a like fate with himself.

Of those who are known as the regicides, four and twenty had died natural deaths. Ten had been hanged, drawn and quartered. The prison walls had closed around twenty five more, some of whom were never to leave it alive-while twenty, who had made their escape to foreign lands, were followed by hue and cry. Some fell by the dagger of the assassin, and three, Goff, Whalley and Dixwell, had fled to the wilds of America. They roved the woods with the savage denizens of the forests, and slept in caves and amid the rocks, watched over, however by a kind Providence, and ministered to by - sympathizing friends.

Downes, Garland, Harvey, Hevingham, Millington, Potter, Challoner, Harrington, Phelps, Smyth, James Temple, Peter Temple, Tichbourne, Wayte, Sir Hardress Waller, and Mayne and Haselrig all died in the Tower. Silburne perished in Jersey, and Henry Morten at Chepstow Castle, whither they had respectively been transferred, while Fleetwood and Helvlet were ultimately released, and died in America; at least Fleetwood did. Lambert died in Guernsey. Hutchinson perished after years of imprisonment in Deal Castle. They died in exile, in prison, by the hand of the assassin, on the battle field and on the scaffold. Their generation was not worthy of them; but no cause has ever been maintained by more steadfast striving, or possessed a nobler line of martyrs.

According to the custom of the times, Vane was expected to address the multitude who had assembled to see him die, but the King had notified him in advance that he would "not be permitted to say anything reflecting upon his majesty or the government." His response to the message was made on the scaffold, where at the very opening of his address he said: "I shall do nothing but what becomes a good Christian and an