Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-07-06
The Head of Charles the First.


Queries recalls Sir Henry Halford' S
account of the appearance of the
remains Of King Charles l. sixty-two
years ago. The corpse was buried ia
the vault Of Henry VIII. in St,
Georges Chapel. at Windsor, and
the coffin was opened BY the com
mand and in the presence of the
Prince Regent on April l, 1913.
Halford who Witnessed the disiuter-
ment, wrote a report Of the proceed.
ing, which was authenticated by the
sign manual of the Regent. After
remarking on the striking resemblance
of the head, even 10 It's decayed state;
to the coins, busts and especially the
Vandyke pictures Of the king the
report proceeded:
when thc head had been entirely
disengaged from the attachments
which confined it it was found to be
loose, and, without any difficulty,
was taken up and held to view. 1t
was quite wet, and gave a gTeeniSh
red tinge to paper and to linen which
touched it. The back part of the
scalp was entirely perfect, and had
remarkably fresh appearance, the
pores Of the skin being more distinct.
as they usually are when soaked in
moisture and the tendops and Iiga-
men1s of the neck we're Of consider
bic substance and ErmneSS. The
hair was thick at the back part Of the
mead, and in appearance almost
black. 4 portion OF it, which has
since been cleaned and dried, is OF
beautiful dark brown color. That Of
the beard was a redder brown. On
the back part Of the head it WAS more
than an inch iii length, and had
probably been cut 50 short for the
convenience Of the cxecutiouer, or
perhaps by the piety of friends soon
after death, in order TO furnish nc
MORALS Of their Unhappy king.
Con holding up the head to exam
inc the place OF separation from the
body, the muscles OF the neck had
evidently retracted themselves consii-
erabIy, and the fourth ceryiczl
yerterbra was found to be cut through
its substance, leaving the surface OF
the divided portions perfectly smooth
and even in appearance which could
have been produced only by 4 heavy
blow inflicted with avery sharp in>iru>
mcnt. and which furnished the last
proof wanting to identify King
Charles I. After this examination Of
the head, which served every purpose
in view, and without examining the
body belo" the neck, it was immcd-
lately restored to lis situation, the
coffin was soIdered Up again and the
vault closed.
Neither of the collins had any
inscription upon their. The larger
one, supposed Oh good grounds TO
contain The remains OF King Henry
VIII, measured six feet ten incbe,
in length and bad been enclosed in
an elm one OF two Or three inches in
thickness, : but this was dccayed, and
lay ali in fragments near it. The
!eaden coffin appeared to have been
beaten ia by violence about ;he mid
die. and a coa.iderab!e opening in
that part Of it exposed 4 mere skcie>
ton Of the king. Some beard remain
ed upon the Chin, and there was moth
ing to discriminate the parsonage
contained in it, The smlil,r ca!lin,
understood to be that OF Queen Jane
Seymour, was not touched, mere
curiosity not being considered by the
Prince Regent as sufficient motive
for disturbing these remains"
The. correspondent contradicts
HalfoIds conjecture that the kings
hair was cut short for the convenience
of the executioner, by quoting the
following extract from the State
Trial report of the execution: He
(the king called to the Bishop for
his nightcap, and having put it on
he said to the executioner, Does my
hair trouble you?' who desired him
to put it all under his cap, which the
king did accordingly, by the help of
the executioucr and Bishop. Then
the king said to the execulioner, Is
my hair well?"