ns, taking
into consideration the last message, intrusted[d] to a committee the task
of enlightening the ignorance of the Lords. In a conference

[Footnote 1: Journals, vii. 76, 100, 111.]

[Footnote 2: Ibid. 106. In the preceding year, the Scottish commissioners
had "preached stoutly against the superstition of Christmas;" but only
succeeded in prevailing on the two houses "to profane that holyday
by sitting on it, to their great joy, and some of the assembly's
shame."--Baillie, i. 411.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1644 Dec. 17.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1644 Dec. 23.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1644 Dec. 26.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1645 Jan. 2.]

the latter were told that treasons are of two kinds: treasons against
the king, created by statute, and cognizable by the inferior courts; and
treasons against the realm, held so at common law, and subject only to the
judgment of parliament; there could not be a doubt that the offence of Laud
was treason of the second class; nor would the two houses perform their
duty, if they did not visit it with the punishment which it deserved. When
the question was resumed, several of the Lords withdrew; most of the others
were willing to be persuaded by the reasoning of the Commons; and the
ordinance of attainder was passed[a] by the majority, consisting only, if
the report be correct, of six members.[1]

The archbishop submitted with resignation to his fate, and appeared[b] on
the scaffold with a serenity of countenance and dignity of behaviour, which
did honour to the cause for which he suffered. The cruel punishment of
treason had been, after some objections, commuted for decapitation, and the
dead body was delivered for interment to his friends.[2] On Charles the
melancholy intelligence made a deep impression;

[Footnote 1: Journals, 125, 126. Commons, Dec. 26. Laud's Troubles, 452,
Rushworth, v. 781-785. Cyprianus Aug. 528. From the journals it appears
that twenty lords were in the house during the day: but we are told in the
"Brief Relation" printed in the second collection of Somers's Tracts, ii.
287, that the majority consisted of the earls of Kent, Pembroke, Salisbury,
and Bolingbroke, and the lords North, Gray de Warke, and Bruce. Bruce
afterwards denied that he had voted. According to Sabran, the French
ambassador, the majority amounted to five out of nine.--Raumer, ii. 332.]

[Footnote 2: Several executions had preceded that of the archbishop.
Macmahon, concerned in the design to surprise the cas