of Him. The Court desires to know, If this be all the Answer you will give.
King. I desire, that you would give Me, and all the world, satisfaction in this: For let
Me tell you, it is not a slight thing you are about. I am sworn to keep the Peace, by the
duty I owe to God, and My Country; and I will do it, to the last breath of My body:
And therefore, you shall do well to satisfie, first God and then the Country, by what Authority
you do it; if by a reserved Authority, you cannot Answer it. There is a God in
Heaven that will call you, and all that give you Power, to an account Satisfie Me in that, and
I will Answer; othewise, I betray My Trust, and the Liberties of the People: And therefore
think of that, and then I shall be willing. For I do vow, That it is as great a sin to
withstand lawful Authority, as it is to submit to a tyrannical, or any otherways unlawful
Authority; And therefore satisfie Me that, and you shall receive My Answer.
L President. The Court expects a final Answer, they are to adjourn till Munday. If You
satisfie not Your Self, though we tell You our Authority; we are satisfied with our Authority,
and it is upon Gods Authority, and the Kingdoms; and that Peace You speak of,
will be kept in the doing of Justice; and that is our present work.
King. For Answer, let Me tell you, you have shown no lawful Authority to satisfie any
reasonable man.
L. President. This is in Your apprehension, we are satisfied that are the Judges.
King. It is not My apprehension, nor yours neither, that ought to decide it.
L. President. The Court hath heard You, and You are to be disposed of as they have commanded.
The Court adjourned till Munday ten of clock, to the Painted Chamber, and thence
hither.
As the King went away, facing the Court, the King said, I fear not that, looking upon,
and meaning the Sword.
Going down from the Court, the People cryed, Justice, Justice, Justice.
Jan. 21. The Commissioners kept a Fast this day in Whitehal, there preached before
them, Mr. Sprig, whose Text was, He that sheds blood, by man shall his[nl] blood be shed. Mr. Fox[nl]leys
was, Judg not, lest you be judged. And Mr. Peters was, I will bind their Kings in chais and
their Nobles in fett[nl]ers of iron. The last Sermon made amends for the two former.
Munday 22. After the King was brought into the Court, about 80 Commissioners being
sat, Mr. Cook the Solicitor General, address himself to the Lord President.
Mr. Cook. May it please your Lordship, I did at the last Court, in the name of the Commons
of England, exhibite and bring into this Court, a Charge of High Treason against
the Prisoner at the Bar, in the name of the Commons of England; the Charge was read to
Him, and His Answer required. My Lord, He was not then pleased to give an Answer;
but instead of answering thereof, disputed the Authority of this High Court. My humble
motion is, That the Prisoner may be directed to make a positive Answer, by Confession, or
Negation; which if He do refuse to do, the matter of Charge is to be taken pre confesso,
and He proceeded against accordingly.
L. President. You was told the occasion of Your coming hither: You heard likewise, that
You were in the name of the Commons of England, to give Answer to the said C[nl]harge;
that thereupon, such proceedings may be had according to Reason and Justice, You then
made some scruples, concerning the Authority of this Court, and knew not by what
Authority You came hither. You propounded Your Questions, and was as often answered;
since that, the Court hath considered thereof, and are fully satisfied with their own Authority,
and did require, That You should Answer, and that You either confess, or deny it: Their
Authority, they will maintain it, and the whole Kingdom will be satisfied with it; and
You are not to lose more time, but to give a positive Answer to it.
King. My Lord, when I was here last, I made that questions, and truly if it was my own