repudiation of the Irish Cessation, the
surrender of the delinquents and the cession of the militia for twenty
years, and of the offices of state to parliament, but remained firm in
his refusal to abolish episcopacy, consenting only to Presbyterianism
for three years. Charles's devotion to the church is undoubted. In April
1646, before his flight from Oxford, inspired perhaps by superstitious
fears as to the origin of his misfortunes, he had delivered to Sheldon,
afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, a written vow (now in the library
of St Paul's cathedral) to restore all church lands held by the crown on
his restoration to the throne; and almost his last injunction to the
prince of Wales was that of fidelity to the national church. His present
firmness, however, in its support was caused probably less by his
devotion to it than by his desire to secure the failure of the whole
treaty, and his attempts to escape naturally weakened the chances of
success. Cromwell now supported the petitions of the army against the
treaty. On the 16th of November the council of officers demanded the
trial of the king, "the capital and grand author of our troubles," and
on the 27th of November the parliamentary commissioners returned from
Newport without having secured Charles's consent. Charles was removed to
Hurst Castle on the 1st of December, where he remained till the 19th,
thence being taken to Windsor, where he arrived on the 23rd. On the 6th
"Pride's Purge" had removed from the Commons all those who might show
any favour to the king. On the 25th a last attempt by the council of
officers to come to terms with him was repulsed. On the 1st of January
the remnant of the Commons resolved that Charles was guilty of treason
by "levying war against the parliament and kingdom of England"; on the
4th they declared their own power to make laws without the lords or the
sovereign, and on the 6th established a "high court of justice" to try
the king. On the 19th Charles was brought to St James's Palace, and on
the next day his trial began in Westminster Hall, without the assistance
of any of the judges, who all refused to take part in the proceedings.
He laughed aloud at hearing himself called a traitor, and immediately
demanded by what authority he was tried. He had been in treaty with the
parliament in the Isle of Wight and taken thence by force; he saw no
lords present. He was told by Bradshaw, the president of the court, that
he was tried by t