State Trials, Political and Social. Volume 1 (of 2)
History
State Trials, Political and Social. Volume 1 (of 2)
Trials -- Great Britain
_Stammers_ was afterwards in Hewson's troop when Hulet was
captain-lieutenant, and marched at his orders to Luttrels-town; there
Hulet questioned him as to his previous service, and asked whether he
had ever served in the King's army: 'with that he walks about the room
two or three turns; saith he, I was the man that beheaded King Charles,
and for doing it I had an hundred pounds, saying I was a serjeant at
that time.'
Cross-examined, he said that he had been in the troop about a fortnight;
and that when he first saw Hulet he pretended that he was brother to one
Chambers. Hulet said that his evidence did not agree with that which he
had given in his examination at Dublin, and desired that the latter
might be read; which was done, and it agreed with the testimony he had
just given.
_Toogood_ was in Dublin in 1650, about September; he had some business
with Hewson, where he saw Hulet, and observed that he was very familiar.
I asked Hewson what he was, he told me he was his
captain-lieutenant of horse; I desired to know where he had him?
he told me he made him so from a serjeant, and a very mettled
fellow he was; it was he that did the King's business for him
upon the scaffold. In 1653 there was a disbanding of the army in
Ireland; this gentleman was then continued captain-lieutenant
in Pretty's regiment; I discoursed with Pretty concerning him,
and one part of it, I remember, was about the King's death; and
he did tell me that he was assured by col. Hewson that Hulet
either cut off the King's head, or held it up, and said, 'Behold
the head of a traitor.' Col. Pretty could not tell me which of
the two it was; but I saw the person that did it, and methought
he did resemble this person.
Twelve months afterwards he came to live near the prisoner in Ireland,
and meeting him at the White Horse in Carlow, asked whether he was the
man that cut off the King's head or not.
Saith he, Why do you ask me this question? I told him I had
heard so by several, namely by Hewson and Pretty; upon that he
said, 'Well, what I did, I will not be ashamed of; if it were to
do again I would do it.' Once since that time, about half a year
afterwards, I was in the same place, and there talking about the
King's death, he was telling me it was true, he was one of the
two persons that were disguised upon the scaffold. I desired to
know what if the King had refused to submit to the block? saith
he, there were staples placed about the scaffold, and I had that
about me that would have compelled him, or words to that effect;
other times I have heard him speak something to this ... I have
observed in Ireland, that it hath been generally reported that
he was either the man that cut off the King's head or he that
held it up, as I said before, and I have heard them sometimes
call him Grandsire Greybeard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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