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Primary sourceSpeech30 January 1649

King Charles his Speech made upon the Scaffold at Whitehall-Gate

Charles I · 30 January 1649

A pamphlet printed within days of Charles I's execution, recording the final speech he gave on the scaffold just before being beheaded.

These are recorded as Charles I's own last words, spoken moments before his execution.

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Title page of a 1649 printed pamphlet, 'King Charls his Speech made upon the Scaffold at Whitehall-Gate', printed by Peter Cole in London. A library stamp from the Royal Irish Academy overlays the text. Decorative floral borders frame the page.
King Charls his Speech made upon the Scaffold at Whitehall-Gate, printed by Peter Cole, 1649. British Library.

About this source

What it is

This 1649 pamphlet, printed by Peter Cole in London, records the words King Charles I spoke on the scaffold at Whitehall immediately before his execution. It is held today by the British Library.

Why it matters

Printed within days of the event, this speech let Charles have the last word in public even as his enemies had taken his life. In it he argued that a subject and a sovereign are 'clean different things', defending the principle of monarchy to the end. The speech helped turn Charles, in the eyes of many of his supporters, into a martyr for the people's liberties rather than simply a defeated king.

Look closer

  • Why would supporters of Charles want his final words printed and spread quickly?
  • What does Charles's claim that king and subject are 'clean different things' tell you about his view of monarchy?
  • How might this printed speech have been read differently by his supporters and his enemies?

This speech 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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Secondary source

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Primary source

Petition of Right

Edward Coke (drafting committee) · 7 June 1628

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Primary source

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

Title page of a printed document in black type on a light background with an ornate decorative border. Text reads: Nineteen Propositions Made By both Houses of Parliament, to the Kings most Excellent Majestie: With His Majesties Answer thereunto. By the King. Printed by his Majesties special command at Cambridge, by Roger Daniel, printer to the famous University, 1642.Document

Primary source

Nineteen Propositions

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