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Primary sourceDocument23 January 1649

A Perfect Narrative of the Whole Proceedings of the High Court of Justice in the Tryal of the King

Published by order of the High Court of Justice · 23 January 1649

A 1649 printed account of Charles I's trial, recording the charges against him and his refusal to accept the court's authority.

This contemporary printed account records the trial at which Charles I was condemned, including his refusal to accept the court's authority.

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Scanned title page of 'A Perfect Narrative of the Whole Proceedings of the High Court of Justice in the Tryall of the King', printed text in black on white paper, with handwritten number 12 at top left. Imprimatur by Gilbert Mabbot, printed for John Playford, London, dated Jan. 23, 1649.
A Perfect Narrative of the Whole Proceedings of the High Court of Justice in the Tryal of the King, printed for John Playford, 1649.

About this source

What it is

This pamphlet, printed in 1649 by order of the High Court of Justice, records the proceedings of the trial of Charles I in Westminster Hall, held on 20 and 22 January 1649. It names Serjeant Bradshaw as Lord President, with Solicitor General Cook presenting the charge, and is held today by the British Library.

Why it matters

The document preserves the moment Charles was formally accused in the name of the Commons of England of being the author of 'great Calamities' and 'innocent Blood' shed in the nation. It also records Charles's repeated refusal to recognise the court's authority to try a king, a stance that shaped how the trial, and his death, were understood by contemporaries and later generations.

Look closer

  • Why might Charles have refused to answer the charges against him?
  • Who published this account, and why might that affect how the trial is described?
  • What does the court's language about 'the People' claim about where its authority came from?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Charles I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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