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Whereas Charles Stewart, late king of England, Ireland, and the territories and dominions there

and too belonging, path by authority derived from Parliament to be declared to be justly

condemned, a judge to die and put to death, for many treason's murders and other heinous

offences committed by him. And whereas it has been found by experience that the office

of a king in this nation and Ireland is unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous to the liberty,

safety, and public interest of the people. Be it therefore enacted and ordained by this

present Parliament, that the office of a king in this nation shall not henceforth be exercised

by any one single person. And by the abolition of the Kingley office provided for in this

act, a most happy way is made for this nation to return to its just and ancient right of

being governed by its own representatives from time to time chosen and entrusted for that

purpose by the people, as shall most conduce to the lasting freedom and good of this common

wealth. So Tom Holland, the year is 1649, King Charles I has had his head cut off, and as

a loyal reader of the Guardian, you're probably delighted by those words that are read out,

aren't you? I was just thinking what a wonderful way to mark the coronation year. You read

out the sentence pronounced on Charles I and the abolition of the monarchy. I was such

in a stonishing moment, isn't it? And we did two episodes on the trial of Charles I,

which I still think is the single most extraordinary episode in the whole of English history.

Well, obviously the question is, what are people going to do next? What happens next?

...