Struggle for Constitutional Government 243 against Fisher, which would ground me against popery. He told me he had forgiven all his enemies, and hoped God would forgive them also ; and commanded us, and all the rest of my brothers and sisters, to forgive them. He bid me tell my mother that his thoughts had never strayed from her, and that his love should be the same to the last. Withal he commanded me and my brother to be obedient to her, and bid me send his blessing to the rest of my brothers and sisters, with commendation to all his friends. So after he had given me his blessing, I took my leave. Further, he commanded us all to forgive those people, but never to trust them, for they had been most false to him, and to those that gave them power ; and he feared also to their own souls ; and desired me not to grieve for him, for he should die a martyr ; and that he doubted not but the Lord would settle his throne upon his son, and that we should all be happier than we could have expected to have been if he had lived; with many other things, which at present I cannot remember. Charles I closed a brief address which he made at the last moment as follows : [As for the people,] truly I desire their liberty and free- 319. An dom as much as anybody whomsoever : but I must tell vou account of the 6X- that their liberty and freedom consist in having of govern- ecution of ment, those laws by which their life and their goods may Charles I. be most their own. It is not for having share in govern- ment, sirs ; that is nothing pertaining to them ; a subject and a sovereign are clear different things. And therefore until they do that, I mean that you do put the people in that liberty, as I say, certainly they will never enjoy them- selves. Sirs, it was for this that now I am come here. If I would have given way to an arbitrary way, for to have all laws changed according to the power of the sword, I needed not to have come here ; and therefore I tell you (and I pray God it be not laid to your charge) that I am the martyr of the people. . . .
