law, and the people are concluded thereby, though the consent of the King and the Peers be not had thereto." On the same day the commons passed an ordinance for creating a High Court of Justice for trying the king and proceeding to sentence against him. So that every shade of opinion should be represented on the commission ap pointed to try the king, the commons de creed that one hundred and thirty-five persons should be called, and that any twenty of them should have power to act. This extraordinary tribunal was com posed of three hereditary peers — Lords Grey, Lisle and Mounson; four aldermen of the city of London; twenty-two baronets and knights; three generals and thirty-four colonels; the twelve judges of the High Court (who, however, declined to serve, on the ground that a king could not be tried by his subjects); three serjeants-at-law, and representative members of various municipalities and the House of Commons, John Bradshaw, serjeant-at-law, contrary to his earnest desire, and his objection to the title given him, was named lord pres ident of the court, Mr. Aske, Dr. Dorislaus, Mr. Steele (attorney), and Mr. Cook (so licitor), were appointed counsel for the kingdom of England, to prepare and prose cute the charge against the king. John Bradshaw was well fitted for the position of president of such a tribunal. He was bold and courageous, deeply im bued with religious principles and more over held firmly the opinion that kings and peasants alike should be amenable to the law. He had been appointed by the commons, chief justice of Chester and was one of the most brilliant of the lawyers who espoused the cause of the people. Milton says of Bradshaw, "He brought to the study of the law an enlightened capa city, a lofty spirit, and spotless manners, obnoxious to none; so that he filled that high and unexampled office, rendered the
more dangerous by the threats and daggers of private assassins with a firmness, a gravity, a dignity and presence of mind, as if he had been designed and created by the Deity expressly for this work, which God in his wonderful providence had ap pointed to be done in this nation, and by so much eclipsed the glory of all former tyrannicides, by how much it is more humane, more just, and more ma jestic, to try a tyrant than to slay him untried." On the 9th of January, 1849, pursuant to the order of the commissioners, proclama tion was Solemnly made by Edward Dendy, serjeant-at-arms, in Westminster Hall, " he riding into the middle of the hall, with the mace on his shoulder, when the Court of Chancery was sitting at a general seal," and also at the Old Exchange and Cheapside, announcing the trial. Drums were beating and trumpets sounding, the streets were thronged with spectators, but no deeds of violence or lawlessness occurred. The trial was an extraordinary one, and special precautions had to be taken to pro tect the court in its work, as well as to pre vent any riotous attempt to rescue the royal prisoner. The site chosen was the united courts of King's Bench and Chancery, at the south end of Westminster Hall, the partition which divided the courts being taken down. Ample space was provided for a large concourse of people to be present at the trial, for the commissioners desired that everything should be as public as possible. The court assembled on the 20th of Jan uary; the royal sword of state was borne before Bradshaw, who was also preceded by a mace and attended by the ushers and offi cers of the court. Bradshaw, in a scarlet robe and covered by his broad-brimmed hat, placed himself in a crimson velvet chair in the center of the court, with a desk and velvet cushion before him; Say and Lisle, serjeants-at-law, on either side of
