Then the King took off his Cloak and his George, giving his George to Dr Juxton, saying, Remember, (it is thought for the Prince) and some other small Ceremonies past. After which the King stooping down, laid his Neck upon the Block; and after a little pause, stretching forth his hands, the Executioner at one blow severed his Head from his Body. Then his Body was put in a Coffin, covered with black Velvet, and removed to his Lodging-Chamber in Whitehall. Being imbalmed and laid in a Coffin of Lead to be seen for some days, at length upon Wednesday the 17th of February, it was delivered to four of his servants, Herbert, Mildmay, Preston, and Joyner, who with some others in mourning Equipage attended the Herse that night to Windsor, and placed it in the Room which was formerly the King’s Bedchamber.
Next day it was removed into the Deans Hall, which was hung with black, and made dark, and Lights were set burning round the Herse. About three in the afternoon the Duke of Richmond, the Marquess of Hartford, the Earls of Southampton and Lindsey, and the Bishop of London, came thither, with two Votes passed that Morning, whereby the ordering of the King’s Burial was committed to the Duke, provided that the Expences thereof exceeded not £500. This Order they shewed to Col. Whichcot the Governor of the Castle, desiring the Interment might be in St George’s Chappel, and according to the form of the Common Prayer: The latter Request the Governor denied, saying, That it was improbable the Parliament would permit the use of what they had so solemnly abolished, and therein destroy their own Act.
The Lords replied,
That there was a difference betwixt destroying their own Act, and dispensing with it; and that no Power so binds its own hands, as to disable it self in some Cases. But all prevailed not.
The Committee to whom the ensuing Proclamation was referred made report hereof, and the House assented to the same: Here take it at large.
“Whereas Charles Stuart King of England, being for the notorious Treasons, Tyrannies and Murders committed by him in the late unnatural and cruel Wars, condemned to death; whereupon after execution of the same, several Pretences may be made, and Titles set on foot unto the Kingly Office, to the apparent hazard of the public Peace: For prevention whereof, Be it enacted and ordained by this present Parliament, and by Authority of the same, That no Person or Persons whatsoever do presume to proclaim, declare, publish, or any way promote Charles Stuart, Son of the said Charles, commonly called the Prince of Wales, or any other Person, to be King or Chief Magistrate of England, or of Ireland, or of any the Dominions belonging to them, or either of them, by colour of Inheritance, Succession, Election, or any other Claim whatsoever, without the free Consent of the People in Parliament first had and signified by a particular Act or Ordinance for that purpose; any Statute, Law, Usage, or Custom to the contrary hereof in anywise notwithstanding.
“And be it further enacted and ordained, and it is hereby enacted and ordained, That whosoever shall, contrary to this Act, proclaim, declare, publish, or any way promote the said Charles Stuart the Son, or any other Person, to be King, or Chief Magistrate of England, or of Ireland, or of any the Dominions belonging to them, or to either of them, without the said consent in Parliament signified as aforesaid, shall be deemed and adjudged a Traitor to the Commonwealth, and shall suffer the pains of Death, and such other Punishments as belong to Crimes of High Treason. And all Officers as well Civil as Military, and all other well-affected Persons are hereby authorised and required forthwith to apprehend all such Offenders, and to bring them in safe Custody to the next Justice of the Peace, that they may be proceeded against accordingly.”
8. Excerpts from Balfour’s Annales of Scotland.
9 Martij, 1649.—The parliament past a most strange acte this mounthe, abolishing the patronages of kirkes, wich pertined to laymen since euer Christianity was planted in Scotland. Francis, Earle of Balcleuche, and some others, protested aganist this acte as vrangous, and all togider derogatorey to the just rights of the nobility and gentrey of the kingdome of Scotland, and so departed the parl: housse. Bot current was carried for the presbeteries and churche way, in respecte Argyle, the Chanceler, and Arch: Johnston, the kirks minon, durst doe no wtherwayes, lest the leaders of the church should desert them, and leaue them to stand one ther auen feeitt, wich without the church non of them could weill doe.