himself with royal dignity, with royal haughtiness, strong in his divine right; ‘smiles’ contemptuously, ‘looks with an austere countenance’;—does not seem, till the very last, to have fairly believed that they would dare to sentence him. But they were men sufficiently provided with daring; men, we are bound to see, who sat there as in the Presence of the Maker of all men, as executing the judgments of Heaven above, and had not the fear of any man or thing on the Earth below. Bradshaw said to the King, ‘Sir, you are not permitted to issue out in these discoursings. This Court is satisfied of its authority. No Court will bear to hear its authority questioned in that manner.’—‘Clerk, read the Sentence!’—
And so, under date Monday 29th January 1648-9, there is this stern Document to be introduced; not specifically of Oliver’s composition; but expressing in every letter of it the conviction of Oliver’s heart, in this, one of his most important appearances on the stage of earthly life.
‘TO COLONEL FRANCIS HACKER, COLONEL HUNCKS, AND LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PHAYR, AND TO EVERY OF THEM
and Judging of Charles Stuart, King of
England, 29th January 1648.
‘Whereas Charles Stuart, King of England, is and standeth convicted, attainted and condemned of High Treason and other high Crimes; and Sentence upon Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court, To be put to death by the severing of his head from his body; of which Sentence execution yet remaineth to be done:
‘These are therefore to will and require you to see the said Sentence executed, in the open Street before Whitehall, upon the morrow, being the Thirtieth day of this instant month of January, between the hours of Ten in the morning and Five in the afternoon, with full effect. And for so doing, this shall be your warrant.
