with a negative to his demand." Bradshaw
then delivered a solemn speech to the King, declaring how he had through
his reign endeavored to subvert the laws and introduce arbitrary
government; how he had attempted, from the beginning, either to destroy
parliaments or to render them subservient to his own designs; how he had
levied war against the Parliament, by the terror of his power to
discourage forever such assemblies from doing their duty, and that in
this war many thousands of the good people of England had lost their
lives. The clerk was lastly commanded to read the sentence, that his
head should be severed from his body; "and the commissioners," says
Ludlow, "testified their unanimous assent by standing up." The King
attempted to speak, "but, being accounted dead in law, was not
permitted."

On January 29th the court met to sign the sentence of execution,
addressed to "Colonel Francis Hacker, Colonel Huncks, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Phayr, and to every one of them." This is the
memorable document:

"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
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.

"And these are to require all Officers and Soldiers, and others
the good people of this Nation of England, to be assisting unto
you in this service.

"Given under our hands and seals.

"JOHN BRADSHAW.
"THOMAS GREY.
"OLIVER CROMWELL."
And fifty-six others.

The statements of the heartless buffoonery, and the daring violence of
Cromwell, at the time of signing the warrant, must be received with some
suspicion. He smeared Henry Marten's face with the ink of his pen, and
Marten in return smeared his, say the narratives. Probably so. With
reference to this anecdote it has been wisely observed, "Such 'toys of
desperation' commonly bubble up from a deep flowing stream below."
Another anec