The main Royalist army was defeated at Preston on 17 August, but the revolt in Kent ended only after Deal and Sandown Castle surrendered in September. The Second Civil War was fought with greater bitterness than the first, with both sides executing prisoners, while it convinced Livesey, Oliver Cromwell and others that further talks with Charles were pointless. After MPs who supported continuing negotiations were excluded by Pride's Purge in December, Livesey was included in the reduced body known as the Rump Parliament. Appointed to the High Court of Justice for the trial of Charles I, he signed the death warrant for his execution on 30 January 1649.