I. 1649. communications with each other respecting sub- CHAP. lunary events, they should have their resentments excited, and their angry passions inflamed, and that such circumstances should influence their opinions and determinations in the passing scene: one man contributes to an event, that he may establish the sagacity of his own predictions, and another that he may enjoy the disappointment and mortification of a rival: and, lastly, ambition had doubtless its share in producing this memorable catastrophe, the ambition of some who aspired to high place in the promised republic; and, it may be, though I believe this was not the case, the ambition of some, who looked beyond the republic, who regarded it merely as the steppingstone to something further, and who anticipated the day when they should mount to higher station on its ruins. affairs. We have been compelled to pass over several State of events, which occurred during the last three or four weeks of the life of Charles, that we might give an exclusive and undivided attention to the trial, and to what happened to him individually during the concluding scenes of his existence. To these we will now therefore return. It has already appeared that Whitlocke and 1648. Widdrington, keepers of the great seal, held a tions. He is described by Whitlocke, as a gentleman of known integrity, of great abilities in his profession, and married to a sister of the lord general, Fairfax. Whitlocke, Mar. 2, 1648. Consulta III. 1648. BOOK consultation, on the eighteenth, and again on the twenty-first of December, with Cromwel, Lenthal and Dean, to consider how the settlement of the kingdom might best be effected. One of the propositions here discussed, was that of deposing the king, passing over his two elder sons, as having borne arms against the parliament, and placing the crown on the head of the youngest, the duke of Gloucesterf. There is great reason to believe that this was the proposal supported by Whitlocke. Resolu tions on the vernment go The time however was now arrived, when the future leaders of the army judged it proper to hold a of England. plainer language. On the twenty-third the committee was appointed to consider how to proceed in a way of justice against the king and other capital offenders. Whitlocke and Widdrington, whose names stood at the head of this committee, had resolved to have no concern in the business of bringing a sovereign prince to trial by his own subjects; and therefore, being summoned to the committee on the twenty-sixth, they went out of town together, that they might escape any further application on that heads. It was on the same day that the question of considering how the settlement of the kingdom might best be effected, and the care of presenting some general heads for that purpose, were first referred to the committee • Vol. II, p. 653. 'Whitlocke, Dec. 23. Vol. II, p. 658. I. 1649. majorit Represenever have been Jexpelled by force of wims. ordered. for preparing proceedings against the king". The CHAP. h Journals, Dec. 26. * Journals, Jan. 6. i Vol. II, p. 661. Journals, Jan. 4. III. 1649. Proceed ings of the oners of the seal. BOOK graved the map of England and Ireland, and on the other a representation of the house of commons, with the inscription, "In the First Year of Freedom, by God's Blessing Restored." On this day Whitlocke and Widdrington by mutual commissi agreement made their appearance in the house, that they might not by inference be included among the members who refused all concern with the present government". Whitlocke, with interesting ingenuousness remarks, "January 12. We heard demurrers, forenoon and afternoon, in the Queen's Court; the counsel were more peremptory and unsatisfied than ordinary, and used us like declining officers :" and the next day, "Some told us for news, that new commissioners of the great seal were to be appointed, serjeants Bradshaw, Thorpe and Nicholas. This was supposed to be discourse only, as some would have it.” Petition of the common council. On the fifteenth a declaration was voted, shewing the grounds on which the house acted in annulling the resolution that the king's answers to the propositions were a ground to proceed upon for the settlement of the peace of the kingdom". The same day a petition was presented from the common council of the city of London, approving of the proceedings against the king, and of the declaration that the supreme power is in the house of commons. To this petition the lord mayor and the court of aldermen had refused their concur- CHAP. rence P. I. 1649. ings of the of Scotland. The parliament of Scotland met on the fourth of January, and the next day a letter was read Proceedfrom the Scots' commissioners in London, recapi- parliament tulating the events which had lately taken place there, and desiring to be instructed as to the conduct they should observe. The instructions that were given were cautious and temperate. They were directed, to do nothing which should imply an approbation of the late violence put upon the house of commons in England; to address themselves to such members of both houses as were friendly to the Scottish nation; to do nothing that should tend to justify the king's proceedings and actions, or the duke of Hamilton's invasion, or that should afford occasion to a new war; to declare that the king's last concessions were not satisfactory to the Scots in point of religion; to protest against any criminal proceeding in relation to him; and to shew how grievous such proceeding would be as connected with the delivery of his person by the Scots at Newcastle 9. oners sent According to Whitlocke, certain papers were Commissioffered from the Scots' commissioners to the house into Scotof commons on the sixteenth, but were laid aside and not read, on the ground of their not acknow Ibid. Whitlocke. Rushworth. 1 Balfour, Annals, Vol. III, p. 373 to 385. land. |