om a corruptible to an incorruptible crown; where no
disturbance can have place." At one blow was his head severed from his
body. A man in a visor performed the office of executioner: another,
in a like disguise, held up to the spectators the head, streaming with
blood, and cried aloud, "This is the head of a traitor!"

It is impossible to describe the grief, indignation, and astonishment
which took place, not only among the spectators, who were overwhelmed
with a flood of sorrow, but throughout the whole nation, as soon as the
report of this fatal execution was conveyed to them. Never monarch, in
the full triumph of success and victory, was more dear to his people,
than his misfortunes and magnanimity, his patience and piety, had
rendered this unhappy prince. In proportion to their former delusions,
which had animated them against him, was the violence of their return
to duty and affection; while each reproached himself either with active
disloyalty towards him, or with too indolent defence of his oppressed
cause. On weaker minds, the effect of these complicated passions was
prodigious. Women are said to have cast forth the untimely fruit of
their womb: others fell into convulsions, or sunk into such a melancholy
as attended them to their grave: nay, some, unmindful of themselves, as
though they could not or would not survive their beloved prince, it is
reported, suddenly fell down dead. The very pulpits were bedewed with
unsuborned tears; those pulpits, which had formerly thundered out the
most violent imprecations and anathemas against him. And all men
united in their detestation of those hypocritical parricides, who, by
sanctified pretences, had so long disguised their treasons, and in this
last act of iniquity had thrown an indelible stain upon the nation.

A fresh instance of hypocrisy was displayed the very day of the king's
death. The generous Fairfax, not content with being absent from the
trial, had used all the interest which he yet retained to prevent the
execution of the fatal sentence; and had even employed persuasion with
his own regiment, though none else should follow him, to rescue the
king from his disloyal murderers. Cromwell and Ireton, informed of this
intention, endeavored to convince him that the Lord had rejected the
king; and they exhorted him to seek by prayer some direction from Heaven
on this important occasion: but they concealed from him that they had
already signed the warrant for the exe