Putting the King on Trial

On january first, 16, forty nine, the rump par ment voted to create a high court of justice to put king charles on trial for treason. Only about 80 ever showed up and even these guys started dropping out as things progressed. Charles would appear before the court of high justice three times between january twentieth and january seventh. He refused to enter a plea each time. And he superrefused to do what everyone was desperately hoping he would do, agreed to abdicate. But by now, charles had himself settled on the final cruel necessity. In his mind, the deed was already done and he was already a martyr.