Further, he commanded us all to forgive those people, but never to trust them; for they had been most false to him, and to those that gave them power, and he feared also to their own souls; And desired me not to grieve for him, for he should die a Martyr, and that he doubted not but the Lord would settle his Throne upon his Son, and that we should be all happier, then we could have expected to have been, if he had lived: With many other things, which at present I cannot remember.
_Another Relation from the Lady_ Elisabeth.
The King said to the Duke of _Glocester_, that he would say nothing to him but what was for the good of his soul: he told him, that he heard that the Army intended to make him King; but it was a thing not for him to take upon him, if he regarded the welfare of his soul; for he had two Brothers before him: and therefore commanded him upon His blessing, never to accept of it, unless it redowned lawfully upon him: And commanded him to fear the Lord, and he would provide for him.
So falls that stately Cedar: while it stood That was the onely glory of the Wood: Great _Charles_, thou earthly God, celestial _M_an, Whose life, like others, though it were a span: Yet in that span, was comprehended more Then Earth hath waters or the Ocean shore; Thy heavenly vertues, Angels shou'd rehearse, It is a theam too high for humane Verse: He that would know thee right, then let him look Upon Thy rare incomparable Book, And read it or'e and o're; which if he do, Hee'l find thee _king_, _and Priest_, _and Prophet too_: And sadly see our losse, and though in vain, With fruitlesse wishes, call thee back again. Nor shall oblivion sit upon thy Herse, Though there were neither Monument, nor Verse. Thy Suff'rings & thy Death let no man name; It was thy Glorie, but the Kingdoms Shame.
_His Majesties Reasons against the pretended Jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice, which he intended to deliver in writing on Munday_ January 22, 1648.
Faithfully transcribed out of the originall Copie under the Kings own hand.
Having already made my protestations not only against the illegality of this pretended Court, but also that no earthly power can justly call me (who am your King) in question as a Delinquent, _I_ would not any more open my mouth upon this occasion, more then to refer my selfe to what I have spoken, were I alone in this case concerned. But the duty I owe to God in the preservation of the true Liberty of my People, will not suffer me at this time to be silent: For, how can any free-born Subject of England call life or any thing he possesseth his own, if power without right daily make new, and abrogate the old fundamentall Law of the Land, which I now take to be the present case. Wherefore when I came hither, I expected that you would have indeavoured to have satisfied me concerning these grounds, which hinder me to Answer to your pretended Impeachment, but since I see that nothing I can say will move you to it (though Negatives are not so naturally proved as Affirmatives) yet I will shew you the Reason why I am confident you cannot judge me, nor indeed the meanest man in England; for I will not (like you) without shewing a reason, seek to impose a belief upon My Subjects.