The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-09
GveNiNa telegraph
FRIDAY, DECEMBER Q, 1854.
JANUARY rArAL TO KINGS.
Towards tho end Of the last centuTy' one Of th'

I'D
And al the expense of q twenty years war, for
which we are still suffering, we did teach them
better bngs % least We brought backthe eXiled
Bourbong, in the pCr'on OF Louis XVIII, bruther
20 Louis XVI, one Of the royal January victims
Ih,re is q singular resemblance in the circum-
stances the character aud the fate Of the French
and English kings who perished on the scaiiOld
in the gloomy month of January. Both were
called upon to suffer for the tyranny exercised
BY their fOreiahCrs. Both were good domestic
men, and showed, under the most trying circum-
stances degree OF courage and fOrtitudc for
which former yac.llation would not have pre-
pared one.
The solemn closing scene Of tho life OF Charles
I Of England, as Il was represented more than a
century before that Of Louis XVI of France,
must fret he described.
Charles | slept soundly tue night before his
execution, though the noise of the wOrkmen en-
pOyed in framing the scaiioid sounded contin-
ual y in his cars.
Atlength the fatal morning, the morning Of
January the Both, 1919, arrived. The king called
one Of his attendants, and bAde him dress him
with more than usual care for what he was
poastd 10 denomiuatc joyful solemnty. The
strI ct before Whitehall was the place destined
for the execution.
The king was led through the banqueting-
house TO the scafiod attended by Bishop JuXon.
The scanold, covered with black, was guarded by
soldiers. On ii were to be seen the block, the
axe, and the eXeCutioners in masks.
The king surveyed all these solemn prcpara-
lions wi cOmpOsure. He forgave his enemies,
exhorted the people to return to their obedience,
and to acknowledge his son as bis successor and
he signifed his attachment to the Protestant reli-
gOn. Never did Charles appear 30 truly great as
when on the scahOld.
While preparing for the block, Bishop Juxon
called out to him -
"There is but one stage more, which, though
Turbulent and Troublesome, is yet very short
one. Il will soon carry you q great way. 1t will
carry you from earth to heaven, and there you
will find, to your great joy, the prize to which
you hasten-a crown VI glory
~ fI,sw1 .1n 20
au incorruptiblo crown, where no disturbance
can have place"
"You exchange" said the Bishop, "a tempo
raj for an eternal crown-a good exchange"
Charles, having taken off bis cloak, delivered
his george 10 the prelate, prOnouncing the word,
"Remember." Then he laid his head on the
block, and, stretching out his hands as a signal,
one of the eXecutioners severed his head from
his body nc blow, while the other, holding it up,
exclaimed -
"1his is the head of a traitorl"
The spectators testified their horror in sighs,
tears, and lamentations The regicides had risen
TO power as the champions Of liberty, but the
execution of the king was an act OF unJustita6le
tyranny.
the head of Charles I, after its decapitation, is
carefully preserved along with the communion
plate, in the church Of Ashburnham. The blood,
with which it was almost entirely covered, turned
nearly black. The watch of the unfortunate
monarch was also deposited with the linen.
These relics came into the possession of Lord
Ashburnham Immediately after the death Of the
king.
The body of Charles was buried at Windsor,
In the vault that had already received the body
of Henry VIII.
The quaint historian, Lilly states that many
have curiOusly inquired who It was that cut Off
the kings head, aud he says
al have no permission to speak of such things,
only thus much say, he that did It is as valiant
and resolute man as lives, and one of compe-
tent fortune"
Lilly also obseryes:-
''The next Sunday but one after Charles I was
beheaded, Robert Spawn, secretary unto Lieu
tenant General Cromwell at that time, invited
himself TO dine with me, and brought Anthony
Pierson and several others along with him to dim
ner. Their principal discourse at the time was
who It was beheaded the king. One said it was
the common haugman; another, Hugh Peters;
and others also we're nominated, but none con-
cluded. Robert SPAWN, so soCn as dinner
was done, took me by the hand and
carried me 10 the south window: said ne
These are all mistaken; they have not named
the man that did the act. II was Lieutenant
Colonel Joce. / was in the room when he fitted
himself for the work stood behind him when he
did il when done, went in again with him. There
is no man knows this but my master (CrOmWelD,
hetoH, and myself.'"
And now for q parallel scene Of deep tragedy,
enacted across the water. On January q, ll93,
at eight o'clock in the morning, Louis XVI
entered the carriage in which he was to be con
veyed TO execution. The procession was nearly
two hours in reaching the place appointed,
formerly called the Place de Louis XIV, but
which was then denOminated Place de la Revo-
luton. The interval was employed by the king
in his deyotions, and in reading the prayeEs for
the dying
When the carriage stopped at the scafTold the
king said " Nous voici done arrives" (then here
we are). He pulled OIL his coat, unbuttoned the
neck OF his shirt assembled the scatfold, and sur
yeyed for few minutes the immense multitude
then approaching the edge he made motion for
silence and with a raised voice said, in French
of which we give the translation -" Frenchmen
/ die innocent. l forgive my enemies; and
hope that France" but the kings voice was
drowned in the noise of the drums.
Three eXecutiOners then approached 70 seize
Louis XVI At the sight of a cord, with which
one of them attempted 70 tie bis arms, the kinG
showed signs of indignation, and seemed abou
to resist but almost Immediately after submitted
The executioners laid hold Of him, and placed
him on the guOtne. The Abbe EdgewoTth, thI
kings confessor, then kuelt down with his fac(
near to that of the king, and pronounced alouC
these words -"Fils dc 81. LOUIS nlOntez du ciei.'
(Child of 81. Louis, ascend 10 heayen).
The blow fell, and the Abbe EdgewOrth's fact
was sprinkled with the kings blood The exc
cutioners walked round the scanold holding NJ
the kings head to be seen by the people, and somt
cries were heard Of "Vive Ia Nation"-"Viye Il
Republique" Qong live the Nation. Long live
the Repubic.)
There have been many French revolutions ever
In our time. In that Of lSiS, and its resuH, th
ooup d'etGt, there has been much blood split, bu
we have bad no legal numbering OF kings sine
the execution Of Louis XVI on January p, 1893
Course of English Law I'm 1868.
A quaint old English writer thus describes hi
suit for a horse, which our lawyer readers vii
zee the point off,
IA FHEI.