After a further three days of internal consultation, and the private interview of witnesses, Charles was recalled to Westminster Hall on 27th January 1649 to hear the verdict. Dressed in scarlet, he listened to his sentence in silence as a loyal public gallery erupted around him. 'For all which treasons and crimes, this court doth adjudge that he, the said Charles Stuart, as a tyrant, traitor, murderer and public enemy to the good people of this nation, shall be put to death by the severing of his head from his body.'
He then tried to speak to the Court. And was again refused. But this time, he cried out demanding his say. Desperately shouting, he was dragged away. It seemed as if the penny had finally dropped: he was to die. After all the games, the debates, the endless negotiations it had come to this. Suddenly the dreadful reality of a glorious martyrdom was very much upon him.
A kangaroo court of a military junta had taken upon itself the right of life and death over the nation's monarch. This was not a triumph of republican ideology, it was a triumph of political necessity. The verdict had been sealed months beforehand. For war to end, Charles had to go. Petitions across the country flooded in pleading for leniency and a new settlement. But both sides were now committed to their cause. Cromwell, having finally accepted the strategy of trial and execution, supported it to the hilt, shouting down discordant voices and holding Richard Ingoldsby's hand to sign the death warrant.
The inevitable execution was delayed while Parliament passed an Act to prevent Charles' son being immediately declared king on his father's death.
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There was no mechanism to try a King. Assassination would have been easy. But Cromwell and the Remaining men in Parliament did it the hard way.
Imagine if a Motor Car had turned up in the 17th Century and it was being driven all over the place killing People and destroying Property. It would be necessary to create laws to inhibit it. Well... Charles was not a motor car but his life was just a long stream of deaths, torture and Property Theft. If he wanted something he had it. THe Star Chamber is a case in point and concerns our old mate John Lilburn. He was called before the court and handed a blank piece of paper to sign. He asked what he was signing and they said whatever we are able to extract from you. Lilburn, knowing the Law said "I cannot be made to sign anything without the presence of a notary.".
It was not Kangaroo. It was set up Carefully with the best people they could get. Charles refused to plead and they didn't 'press' him. After the verdict, he could not be allowed to speak because he was no longer a citizen.
Charles told his men at Nottingham
Promis d them to live and die with them he made a folemn Protestation them in thefe Words I of the promifè in the Prefence of Almighty God and the hope for his Blessing and Protection that I will to the utmast of my Power défend and maintain the true Reform D Protestant Religion established the Church of England and by the Grace of God in the fame live die of the rule by the known Laws of the Land and that Liberty and Property of the Subjeff be preferred by them with fame Care as my own Juff Rights And if it pleafè God by his upon this Army rais d for my necessary Defense to preferve me from Řebellion I of the folemnly and faithfully promifè in the Sight of God maintain the just Priviledges and Freedom of Parliament and to the known Laws of the Land to my utmosf Power and obsèrve inviolably the Laws confented to by me this Parliament In mean while this Time of War and the Necessity and Straits am now driven to beget any Violation of Thofe I hope it shall be by God and Men to the Authors Of the War and not to Me who have earnestly labor for the Prefervation of the Peace of the Kingdom I willingly fail in thefe Particulars I will expect no in Aid or Relief any Man or Protection from Heaven But in this Resolution I hope the chearful Affifiance of Allgood Men and am confident of God's blessing.
The Court was set up. It was far kinder to Charles than it was to the less guilty Strafford and Mr. Herbert was allowed to attend the King to the end. I'd like the writer above to explain to us what he would have done.