Memoires of the Lives, Actions, Sufferings and Deaths of those Noble, Reverend, and Excellent Personages, that suffered by Death, Sequestration, Decimation, or Otherwise, for the Protestant Religion

1668

de Beer Ec 1668 L

London: Printed for Samuel Speed by John Wright [et al]

The Puritans wanted to reform the established Church of England by getting rid of Catholic practices. They were often lampooned as ‘busybodies’ and ‘killjoys’ because they were seen as morally upright and self-controlling, with strict adherence to religious matters such as observing the Lord’s Day (Sunday). They became so powerful that in 1642 they plunged England into Civil War. The beheading of King Charles I of England (ironically a loyal Anglican), not only symbolised Calvinist resistance theories put into practice, but resulted in the establishment of a Puritan state in the British Isles until 1660. Here are the last few sentences said by Charles before he lost his head.