I need to know what Charles the First's last words were and preferably what Oliver Cromwell said afterwards.
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4Welcome to History:SE. What has your research shown you so far? Where have you already searched? What did you find? Please help us to help you. You might find it helpful to review the site tour and Help Centre and, in particular, How to Ask.– sempaiscubaSep 18, 2018 at 16:28
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5"ouch!" (Sorry, couldn't resist)– user31561Sep 18, 2018 at 17:15
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5Isn't that covered by the Wikipedia page? Or perhaps I don't fully understand the question?– MCW ♦Sep 18, 2018 at 17:35
1 Answer
The Execution of Charles I of England. Source: Wikipedia
King Charles' Last Words:
His address to the crowd, from the scaffold:
"[As for the people,] truly I desire their liberty and freedom as much as anybody whomsoever; but I must tell you that their liberty and freedom consist in having of government, those laws by which their life and their goods may be most their own. It is not for having share in government, sirs; that is nothing pertaining to them; a subject and a sovereign are clear different things. And therefore until they do that, I mean that you do put the people in that liberty, as I say, certainly they will never enjoy themselves. Sirs, it was for this that now I am come here. If I would have given way to an arbitrary way, for to have all laws changed according to the power of the sword, I needed not to have come here; and therefore I tell you (and I pray God it be not laid to your charge) that I am the martyr of the people. . ."
Followed by his last words on the scaffold to the bishop:
"I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown; where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the world."
And these are his very last words, spoken to the executioner:
"When I put out my hands this way, then - ... Stay for the sign."
Source: The Execution of Charles I, 1649 (read the entire account on this link)
References for the information found on that link: The anonymous account of Charles' death appears in Robinson, James Harvey, Readings in European History (1906); Schama, Simon, A History of Britain vol. II (2001); Wedgwood, C. V, A Coffin for King Charles; the Trial and Execution of Charles I (1964).
Oliver Cromwell's Reaction:
"Cruel necessity."
Source: Reported remarks over the body of Charles I after his execution (January 1649), as quoted in Oliver Cromwell : A History (1895) by Samuel Harden Church, p. 321. Found on the Wikiquote page for Oliver Cromwell.