"Though I know not where to hide my head at this time," he said boldly, "yet I dare not refuse to own that not only my hand, but my heart also, was in that action"; and he concluded by declaring he should consider it the highest honour of his existence to have it inscribed on his tomb: "_Here lieth one who had a hand and a heart in the execution of Charles Stuart_." Having thus spoken, he left the House, most of the Republicans accompanying him.

The Dissolution Act was passed, and there was an end of the Long Parliament.

Their last resolution was that the 6th of April should be a day of general fasting and humiliation.[1] [Footnote 1: Commons Journals of dates; Ludlow, 863-864; Noble's Lives of the Regicides, II.

169-199 (Life of Scott, with evidence of Lenthall and others at his trial); Phillips, 694; Guizot, II.
167-168.] Though the House was dissolved, the Council of State was to sit on, with full executive powers, till the meeting of the new Parliament.
Annesley was now generally, if not habitually, the President of the Council, and in that capacity divided the principal management of affairs with Monk.
The Parliament having provided for expenses by an assessment of L100,000 a month for six months, the Council could give full attention to the main business of preserving the peace till the elections should be over.

Conjoined with this, however, was the important duty of carrying out a new Militia Act which the Parliament had framed.