Charles I

PREFACE.

The history of the life of every individual who has, for any reason, attracted extensively the attention of mankind, has been written in a great variety of ways by a multitude of authors, and persons sometimes wonder why we should have so many different accounts of the same thing. The reason is, that each one of these accounts is intended for a different set of readers, who read with ideas and purposes widely dissimilar from each other. Among the twenty millions of people in the United States, there are perhaps two millions, between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, who wish to become acquainted, in general, with the leading events in the history of the Old World, and of ancient times, but who, coming upon the stage in this land and at this period, have ideas and conceptions so widely different from those of other nations and of other times, that a mere republication of existing accounts is not what they require. The story must be told expressly for them. The things that are to be explained, the points that are to be brought out, the comparative degree of prominence to be given to the various particulars, will all be different, on account of the difference in the situation, the ideas, and the objects of these new readers, compared with those of the various other classes of readers which former authors have had in view. It is for this reason, and with this view, that the present series of historical narratives is presented to the public. The author, having had some opportunity to become acquainted with the position, the ideas, and the intellectual wants of those whom he addresses, presents the result of his labors to them, with the hope that it may be found successful in accomplishing its design.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Page

I. HIS CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 13

II. THE EXPEDITION INTO SPAIN 34

III. ACCESSION TO THE THRONE 58

IV. BUCKINGHAM 81

V. THE KING AND HIS PREROGATIVE 107

VI. ARCHBISHOP LAUD 131

VII. THE EARL OF STRAFFORD 155

VIII. DOWNFALL OF STRAFFORD AND LAUD 177

IX. CIVIL WAR 203

X. THE CAPTIVITY 234

XI. TRIAL AND DEATH 261

ENGRAVINGS.

Page

PORTRAIT OF HAMPDEN Frontispiece.

ILLUMINATED TITLE

TOWER OF LONDON 1

CHARLES I. AND ARMOR BEARER 10

QUEEN HENRIETTA MARIA 11

WINDSOR CASTLE 22

THE ESCURIAL 55

ST. STEPHEN'S 76

LAMBETH PALACE 133

WESTMINSTER HALL 187

STRAFFORD AND LAUD 199

THE KING'S ADHERENTS ENTERING YORK 221

THE LANDING OF THE QUEEN 228

NEWARK 236

CARISBROOKE CASTLE 254

RUINS OF CARISBROOKE CASTLE 265

[Illustration: CHARLES I. AND ARMOR BEARER]

[Illustration: QUEEN HENRIETTA MARIA]

KING CHARLES I.