CHAPTER XIX.
OF THE KING'S DEATH.
The sentence of death on the King I had looked for, but that it wouldindeed be executed I could not believe. But when I said so much toJohn Ellgood I found that he thought otherwise.
"Philip," said he, "I have seen more of these men than you. Of thosewho stood in arms against the King many desire nothing more than toprotect the liberties of this realm against him, or, if you wouldrather have it so, against his ill-counsellors. These at the firstprevailed; but 'tis otherwise now. In civil troubles the more violentever gain the upper hand. What befell the more moderate sort we sawwith our own eyes when Colonel Pride and his men laid violent handsupon some fifty members of the House of Commons. They that now bearrule, of whom the Lieutenant-General Cromwell is the chief, areresolved to have no truce with kingship. Whether they seek the good oftheir country or their own aggrandisement I know not, but so it is.And they know full well that after the King's death, of truce or peacethere can be no more talk. On this, therefore, they are steadfastlyresolved."
"But the kings," I said, "the kings of France and Spain, will theysuffer it?"
"I doubt," answered he, "whether they would so much as stir a fingerto hinder it. But whether they would or no, there will be no time orspace of action. Be sure that execution will follow sentence rightspeedily."
And so indeed it was. Before three days had passed since thepronouncing of the sentence, 'twas all finished. Of the kings, too,John Ellgood spake but too truly. Their ambassadors said not a word tohinder the King's death. Indeed, the only word of remonstrance came,not from a king, but from a republic, the States of the Dutch being,by their envoy, very earnest with the Parliament that they should nottake the King's life.
As for our hopes of delivering His Majesty by force of arms orstratagem, they were at an end, so closely and strongly was the Kingguarded. Yet were we loath to depart, hoping even against hope to thevery end that the people, ay, and the very soldiers, might riseagainst this monstrous deed.
Of that which I shall now write down, part I heard from the lips ofSir Thomas Herbert, who was gentleman of the body to the King, andindeed had been so from his first surrender by the Scots, and partlyfrom a certain Doctor Farrer, a physician who stood very near to thescaffold.
This is the narration of Sir Thomas Herbert:
"For awhile after the King came to London he dined publicly in thePresence Chamber, and was served after the usual state--the carver,server, cup-bearer, and gentleman-usher attending and doing theiroffices--being given on the bended knee. But this was changed bycommand of the generals, and thereafter the dishes were brought up bysoldiers; the cup was no longer given upon the knee. At first HisMajesty was much discomposed, saying that no king had ever wanted suchobservance, and asking, 'Is there anything more contemptible than adespised prince?' But his remedy was to restrict his diet to as fewdishes as possible, and to eat in private.
"Of the trial, if that mockery of justice may be so called, there isno need for me to speak. You yourselves saw it. You would hear of HisMajesty's behaviour in private. On the day when sentence waspronounced, in the evening, the King gave me a ring from his finger('twas an emerald set between two diamonds), and bade me go with it toa lady living in King Street, in Westminster (that I knew afterwardsto be the King's laundress), and give it to her without sayinganything. Being arrived at the lady's house I delivered her the ring.She took me into a parlour and there left me, and in a short whilereturned with a little cabinet that was closed with three seals. Thenext day, after prayers, which the Bishop had daily with the King, HisMajesty broke the seals open and showed us what was contained in it;there were diamonds and jewels, for the most part broken Georges andGarters. 'You see,' said he, 'all the wealth now in my power to giveto my two children.'
"The next day, being the twenty-ninth day of January, came thePrincess Elizabeth and the Duke of Gloucester her brother, to takefarewell of the King their father, and to ask his blessing. ThePrincess, being the elder, was most sensible of her father'scondition, as appeared by her sorrowful look and excessive weeping;and her little brother, seeing his sister weep, took the likeimpression. The King took them both upon his knees, and gave them hisblessing, and admonished them of their duty to the Prince hissuccessor and to their other relations. Then he gave them all thejewels, save the George that he wore, which was cut in an onyx withgreat curiosity, and was set about with twenty fair diamonds, and thelike number on the reverse.
"That same day the Bishop of London preached before the King, takingfor his text, Romans ii. 16: '_Of that day when God shall judge thesecrets of men by Jesus Christ_;' and, after the sermon, continuedwith the King till it was some hours past dark.
"After the Bishop was gone to his lodging, the King continued twohours more in meditation and prayer. He then bade me sleep on a palletby his bedside. I took small rest, but the King slept four hours, andawaking two hours before dawn opened his curtain to call me. Andperceiving that I was disturbed in my sleep, for there was a lightthat burned all night, being a cake of wax set in a silver basin, hecalled me and bade me rise. 'For,' said he, 'I will get up, having agreat work to do this day.' In a little while he said, 'This is mysecond marriage day; I would be as trim to-day as may be, for beforenight I hope to be espoused to my Lord.' He then appointed whatclothes he would wear, and said, 'Let me have a shirt on more thanordinary, by reason that the season is so sharp as may probably makeme quake. I would not have men think it fear. I fear not death. Ibless God I am prepared.'
"Then I besought the King's pardon if I had been negligent in myservice. After this the King delivered me his Bible, in the margin ofwhich he had written annotations, and charged me to give it to thePrince. He also commanded me to give to the Duke of York his largering sundial of silver, a jewel which he had much prized; and he gavecommandment about sundry books to be given to diverse persons.
"After this I withdrew, and the King was for about an hour in privatewith the Bishop. The Bishop read to him, after prayers, thetwenty-seventh chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, which relates thepassion of our Saviour. The King asked the Bishop if he had madechoice of that chapter as being applicable to his present condition.The Bishop answered, 'May it please your gracious Majesty, it is theproper lesson for the day;' whereupon the King was much affected.
"After this Colonel Hacker knocked at the door, and, coming in, saidin a trembling manner, ''Tis time to go to Whitehall, when yourMajesty may have some further time to rest.' For a short while theKing was private, afterwards he took the Bishop by the hand and said,'Let us go;' and when he had passed through the garden into the park,he took from my hand a little silver clock, which he had bidden mecarry, and gave it to me to keep in memory of him.
"There were several companies of horse and foot in the park, making aguard on either side as the King passed; and there was also a guard ofhalberdiers, some going before, and some following after; and thedrums beat, making such a noise that one could hardly hear whatanother spoke.
"Being come to Whitehall the King passed into his bedchamber; andafter prayer he bade me bring him some bread and wine, which beingbrought, the King broke the manchet and ate a mouthful of it, anddrank a glassful of claret wine. After that I saw the King no more,for I could not bear to look upon the violence they would offer himupon the scaffold."
Here follows what I heard from Master Farrer:--
"The King seeing that his voice could not reach the people, spake whatwas in his mind to the gentlemen upon the scaffold, justifying himselffor all that he had done, save for consenting to the death of my LordStrafford, and forgiving his enemies. While he was speaking one of thegentlemen touched the edge of the axe, thereupon the King said, 'Hurtnot the axe; that may hurt me.'
"The Bishop asked him that, for the world's satisfaction, he would saysomething of his affection for religion. The King said, 'I die aChristian according to the profession of the Church of England, as Ifound it left me by my father.' Then, turning to Colonel Hacker, hesaid, 'Tak
e care that they do not put me to pain.' Also to a gentlemanthat came near the axe he said twice, with much earnestness, 'Touchnot the axe.' Then, speaking to the executioner, he said, 'I shall saybut very short prayers, and after that thrust out my hands.'
"The Bishop said, 'There is but one stage more. This stage isturbulent and troublesome, but you may consider it will carry you avery great way; it will carry you from earth to Heaven.'
"Then the King said, 'I go from a corruptible crown to anincorruptible, where no disturbance can be.'
"Then he took off his cloak and his George, giving his George to theBishop, and said at the same time, 'Remember!' and this done, laid hishead upon the block; and I noted that his eye was as quick and livelyas ever I have seen it."
_Execution of King Charles I._]
But what I myself saw and heard may be told in few words. The scaffoldhad been made against the wall of the Palace of Whitehall, by thebanqueting chamber, and the King, coming through one of the windows ofthis same chamber, stepped upon it. It was hung about with black, andin the midst was a block and an axe, and by the block stood two menthat had their faces covered with masks. A great number of soldiersstood about the scaffold, so that the people could not come near it;but the street and the tops of the houses and the windows were filledwith such a multitude of people as I should think had scarcely beforebeen gathered together. I could see the King speaking to them thatwere on the scaffold, and to the man that had the axe, and to theBishop that stood by his side. After that I could see that he put hishair under his cap, for he had put a night-cap on his head, theheadsman and the Bishop helping him. Then he knelt down, and laid hishead upon the block. This done, there was silence for the space ofabout a minute, and the King stretched out his hands. Thereupon theheadsman let fall the axe, which with one blow divided the head fromthe body. Then the other man that was masked took up the head by thehair, and cried out in a loud voice, "This is the head of a traitor!"to which all the people answered with such a dismal groan as was neverheard before.
With the King at Oxford: A Tale of the Great Rebellion Page 20
