©National Archives

Trial record of Charles I, 1549 This is the formal record of the proceedings of the High Court of Justice, specially convened for the trial of Charles I.

According to this account, written by John Phelps, clerk of the court, Charles was brought from his confinement in Windsor castle to St James's Palace on 19 January 1649. The following day he was led into Westminster Hall to be tried by the assembled commissioners of the court. The King, however, refused to accept the legality of the court and would not answer the numerous charges made against him.

On 27 January the commissioners retired from Westminster Hall to the Painted Chamber and, having considered the evidence, found Charles I guilty and sentenced him to death. The execution was carried out on the balcony of the Banqueting House, Whitehall, on 30 January.

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