The hypocritical affectation of sanctity among the regicides never failed to rise in proportion to the violence of their outrages. "Should any one, "" said Cromwell, in the house of commons," have "proposed to bring the king to punishment, I "should have regarded him as the greatest traitor; "but since Providence and necessity have cast us upon it, I will pray to God for a blessing on your "counsels; though I am not prepared to give you 66 any advice on this important occasion. Even I "myself, when I was lately offering up petitions for "his majesty's restoration, felt my tongue cleave to "the roof of my mouth, and considered this pre"ternatural movement as the answer which Heaven, having rejected the king, had sent to my suppli. "cations."

The charge and accusation upon which they resolved to proceed against the king being settled and agreed on, they passed that monstrous act (January 6th), by which they constituted a court that should be called the high court of justice, to consist of one hundred and fifty judges, whereof the major part might proceed, and who should have authority to try the king, whether he were guilty of what he was accused of, or not, and in order thereunto to examine such witnesses as should be produced. They resolved that these judges should be promiscuously nominated as well of members of the house as of such other of their good and godly men in the kingdom. All the chief officers of the army were named, and such aldermen and citizens of London as had been most violent against peace, and a few country gentlemen, whose zeal for the cause had been noticed. One Bradshaw, a lawyer, much employed by the factious, though little known in Westminster Hall, was chosen to be the lord president of the high court. Coke was appointed solicitor for the people of England. Dorislaus, Steele, and Aske, were

named assistants. The court sat in Westminster Hall.

. Colonel Harrison, the son of a butcher, and the most furious enthusiast in the army, was sent with a strong party to conduct the king to London. At Windsor, the duke of Hamilton, who was there detained a prisoner, was admitted into the king's presence, and falling on his knees, passionately exclaimed, "My dear master!"I have indeed been so to you;" replied Charles, embracing him. No farther intercourse was allowed between them.

Charles was convinced that his death was resolv ed upon, but notwithstanding all the preparations which were making, he could not believe that his enemies really meant to conclude their violences by a public trial and execution. A private assassination he every moment looked for, though Harrison assured him that his apprehensions were entirely groundless. All exterior symbols of sovereignty were now withdrawn, and his attendants had orders to serve him without ceremony. At first he was shocked with instances of rudeness and familarity to which he had been so little accustomed. Nothing so contemptible as a despised prince! was the reflection which they suggested to him. But he soon reconciled his mind to it as he had done to his other calamities.

It is remarkable, that in calling over the high court at its first sitting, when the crier pronounced the name of Fairfax, which had been inserted in the number, a voice from one of the spectators cried, "He has more wit than to be here." When the impeachment was read against the king in the name of the people of England, the same voice in a louder tone answered, "No, nor the hundredth part of "them." Upon which one of the officers bid the soldiers to fire into the box whence those insolent words were uttered; but it was discovered that

they came from the general's wife, lady Fairfax, a person of a very noble extraction, one of the daughters and heirs of Horace, lord Vere of Tilbury; who having no great reverence for the church of England, had unhappily concurred in her husband's entering into rebellion, never suspecting what calamities it would bring upon the kingdom, and now abhorred its consequences, and did all she could to hinder her husband from acting any part in it.

When Charles was first brought before the highcourt at Westminster Hall (January 20th), he looked upon them, and sat down without the least appearance of trouble, never stirring his hat; while the impudent judges sitting covered, fixed their eyes upon him without the least shew of respect. The abominable libel, which they called a charge and impeachment, being read by the clerk, Bradshaw, after he had insolently reprehended the king for not having shewed more respect to that high tribunal, told him, "That the parliament of England had appointed "that court to try him for the several treasons and "misdemeanors which he had committed against "the kingdom during the evil administration of "his government, and that upon the examination "thereof, justice might be done;" and after a great display of effrontery, asked the king what answer he had to make to that impeachment.

The king, though long detained a prisoner, and now prosecuted as a criminal, sustained by his magnanimous courage the majesty of a monarch. With great temper and dignity, he told them, he would first know by what authority they presumed by force to bring him before them, and who gave them power to judge of his actions, for which he was accountable to none but God; though they had been always such as he need not be ashamed to own them before all the world; that he was

their king, that they were his subjects, who owed him respect and obedience; that no parliament had authority to call him before them; that they neither were the parliament, nor had any authority from it to sit as his judges; that he had himself a trust committed to him, and one most sacred and inviolable; he was entrusted with the liberties of his people, and the royal dignity of their monarch, and would not so much betray them, as to answer any thing they objected against him, and recognize a power, founded on the most atrocious violence and usurpation.

Bradshaw advised him with the utmost arrogance, not to deceive himself with an opinion, that any thing he had said would do him any good; that the parliament knew their own authority, and would not suffer it to be called in question, or de bated, therefore he required him to think better of it against he should be next brought thither, and answer to his charge, otherwise he could not be so ignorant, as not to know what judgment the law pronounced against those who stood mute, and obstinately refused to plead.

Three times was Charles produced before this bloody court, and as often declined their jurisdiction. On the fourth, the judges having examined some witnesses, by whom it was proved, that the king had appeared in arms against the forces commissioned by the parliament, they pronounced sentence against him, (January 27th.)

It must be acknowledged, that the magnanimous and dignified behaviour of this unfortunate prince reflects an immortal honour upon his memory. Firm and intrepid, he maintained in all his replies to his judges the utmost perspicuity and justness both of thought and expression. He rose into no passion at that momentous authority which was assumed against him, and seemed to look with con

tempt on all the efforts of human malice and iniquity. The soldiers, instigated by their officers, were brought, though with reluctance, to cry aloud for justice; "Poor souls," said the king to one of his attendants, "for sixpence they would do as much "against their commanders." Some of them were permitted to go to the utmost length of brutal insolence, and to spit in his face as he was conducted along the passage to the court; but a pious recollection of like insults offered to our blessed Saviour, encouraged him to endure this with a christian resignation. In the mean time, he saw generous tears glittering in the eyes of a great many people, who, though under the rod of lawless unlimited power, could not forbear with their most ardent prayers, pouring their wishes for the preservation of that same prince, whom in their misguided fury they had before so violently rejected. One soldier too, seized by contagious sympathy, demanded from heaven a blessing on oppressed and fallen majesty ; his officer overhearing the prayer, beat him to the ground in the king's presence. "The punishment, "methinks, exceeds the offence," observed the king.

As soon as the intention of trying the king was known in foreign countries, it was universally abhorred, as the utmost effort of undisguised usurpation, and the most heinous insult on law and justice. The French ambassador, by orders from his court, interposed in the king's behalf. The Dutch employed their good offices; the Scots exclaimed and protested against the violence; the queen, the prince of Wales, wrote the most pathetic letters to the parliament, but all solicitations were insolently rejected. Another noble and generous application was made as unsuccessfully to those murderers, who called themselves the house of commons. Richmond, Hertford, Southampton, and Lindesey, presented themselves as the king's counsellors, declared