Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-12-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FATE OF TWO KINGS. Towards the end of the last century one the popular songs ended with tbe distich— January's the month tek murdering of kings; Bat we'll teach these,rencb Jacobins much better things. There is a singular resemblance in the circumstances, the character, and the fate of the French and English klngs who perished on the scaffold in the gloomy month of January, Both were called upon to suffer for the tyranny exercised by their forefathers; both were good domestic men, and showed, under the most trying circumstances, a degree of courage and fortitude for which former vacillation would , not have prepared one. The solemn closing scene of the life of Charles I. of England, as it was represented more than a, century before that of Louie X.VI. of France, must first be described. Charles I. slept soundly the night before his execution, though the noise of the workmen employed in framing the scaffold soanded continually in his ears. At length the fatal morning, the morning of January the 30th, 1649, arrived. The King called one of his attendants, and bade him dress him with more than usual care, for what ho was pleased to denominate a joyful solemnity. The street before Whitehall was the place destined for execution. The King was led through the banquetinghouse to the scaffold, attended by Bishop Juxon. The scaffold, covered with black, was guarded by soldiers. On it were to be seen the block, the axe, and the executioners in masks. The King surveyed all these solemn preparations with composure. Ile forgave his enemies, exhorted the people to return to their obedience, and to acknowledge his son as his successor; and be signified his attachment to the Protestant religion. Never did Charles appear so truly great as when on the scaffold. While preparing for the block Bishop Juxon called out to him— " There is but one stage more, which, though turbulent and troublesome, is yet a very short one. It will soon carry you a great way. It will carry you from earth to Heaven, and there you will tind, to your great joy, the prize to which you hasten—a crown of glory." "I go" replied Charles, "front a corruptible , to an incorruptible crown, where no disturbance can have place." ; "You exchange," said the Bishop, a temporary for an eternal crown—a good exchange. Charles, having taken off his cloak, delivered his George to the prelate, pronouncing the word, " Remember !" Then he laid his head on the , block, and, stretching out his bands as a signal, one of the executioners severed his head from , his body at a blow, while the other, holding it up, exclaimed— " This is the head of a traitor." ' 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 unjustifiable tyranny. It is a curious fact that the sheet that received the head of Charles 1., after its decapitation, is carefully preserved, along with the communionplate, in the church of Aslibernham. 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 I. was buried at Wind- ' sor in the vault that had already received the ' body of Henry