The Act

An Act of the Commons of England assembled

In Parliament for erecting of a High Court of
Justice for the Trying and Judging of Charles

Steward King of England

Whereas it is notorious that Charles Steward be now King of

England not content with those many encroachments which his

Predecessors had made upon the people in their Rights and

Freedoms, hath had a wicked design totally to subject the

Ancient and fundamental laws and liberties of his Nation,

And in their place to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical
Government, and that besides all other evil ways and means to bring

His design to pass has prosecuted it with force and second levied

And maintained a civil war in the land against the Parliament

And Kingdom; whereby he country has been miserably wasted,

The public treasure exhausted, trade decayed, thousands

Of people murdered and infinite other miseries committed,

For all which high and treasonable offences the said Charles

Steward might long since justly have been brought to

Exemplary and condign punishment. Whereas also the

Parliament well hoping that the restraint and imprisonment of

His person (after it had pleased god to deliver him into their hands)