The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-23
a RELIC OF CHARLES 1.
The siIISen Vest He Wore When Be-
headed Recently Sold in London.
From the London Sketch.


headed Recently Sold in London.
From the London Sketch.
However sorry a figure the Stuart dy-
nasty cut I'm the history of this country
there is no denying the fact that the re-
lies OF Charles | and Charles III are much
more eagerly competed for when the oc-
cur at auction or elsewhere then those
of any other two kings from William I to
her present gracious majesty. No relic
of recent years has excited so much or
such widespread interest as the silk un-
dervest worn by Charles / at his execu-
ton, and sold under the hammer of Hen
ry Stevens, In King street, Covent Gar
den, on Tuesday, Nov. g. Most personal
relics require to be taken cum grano snIis,
for their history is often very hazy and
the pedigree one which does not bear too
severe a scrutiny. So far as such things
can be authenticated, the vest OF our
martyred King may pass as genuine. The
Secret History Of Whitehall" page 302l,
contains the following interesting state
ment: THE bishop Juxon) put on his
che Kings nlghtcap, and unclothed him
to his sky-colored vest"
After the execution, the vest came into
the possession OF DR. Hobbs, the Kings
physician, who attended him upon that
OCCASION The doctor preserved this relic
of his royal master, and from him Il came
into possession of Susannah Hobbs, his
daughter, who married Temple Stranger
of Rawlings In the county of Oxford
shire. Temple Stranger married a second
time, I'm 1867. and his second wife, Grace,
apparently not only treasured the relic.
but thoughtfully wrote q brief account Of
show It came into the possession of her
husband 1t then passed-through whom
or In what manner is not quite clear-into
the hands of Temple Hardy, who left Il at
his death to Adimarl d'Aeth of Knowlton
In tla Of nA Al a
miral died in 1873. Its history during the
last quarter of a century Is not stated
but, from the documents which went with
the vest, the authenticity of 1t may be
considered as shove suspicion
The quality CT the silk of the vest is Of
the finest possible texture; the article is
very thick. and essentially a winter gar
ment Charles was executed, It may be
noted, on jan 30, 1G49), exceedingly soft
and exceedingly warm. 1t very closely re-
sembfed a tisherman's jersey In general
appearance, except a row Of elaborate silk
buttons 1t has on the front, and, for those
who like minute detail In such matters.
1t may further be mentioned that the vest
Is 80 inches long, 1914 inches under the
armpits, GA inches from wrist TO wrist, 61A
inches round the neck There are several
stains, caused almost certainly by drops
Of blood. According to a contemporary
print lately reproduced in Sir John Skel-
toms book on Charles l. the King was
stripped TO his waist when his head was
ON the block but those who know any,
thing about the contemporary prints" of
the period need not be told that thea
prints are more often than not full OF in
congrultes of the widest description
There are many reasons, which need not
be here detailed, for assuming that tha
King was not stripped 20 his waist IN or
der to be executed, so that A. e. Brook
the other day, may be congratulated on
having attained the summum bonun of the
collectors earthly happness-he has got
something absolutely unique, and some
thing, moreover, that will be looked upon
with peculiar reverence by many who re-
gard Charles as a martyr.
Interesting as As this vest, It is not the
only relic of this monarch's execution. The
counterpart which covered his bed the
night before his execution-a thick, rich
blue satin, embroidered with gold and sill
yer in deep border-was, up to about half
a century ago, and may be stall for all that
L know, used by the ChampDey's family.
of Orchardleigh, near Frome, Somerset.
as a christening mantle, from the period
it came into their possession by marriage
with the sole heiress of the Chambers, OF
Cams Hail, near Fareham, a family con-
uected with Cromwell. Further than this.
the sheet which received the head of the
King after his decaptation, the shirt worn
by him TO the scaffold his white silk
drawers and his watch were bequeathed
to the clerk of Ashburnham, SUSSEX. and
TO his successors forever" TO be kept in
the church. They are not, however in the
church, but in the possession of the Earl
of Ashburnham. whoee title to the own
ership appears to be the proverbal nine
points"
CHANGING over this hist, it seems difficult
TO imagine what other articles of attire the
King could have worn--except boots and
stocklngs-on that fatal January morn
ing. But there are at least two other me-
mentces, for they can hardly be termed
relics of the execution. have a note-but
I Gannot at this moment verify il or state
the exact date-that comparatively recent
ly the prayer book used by the King on
The scaffold sold for 100 gulneas.
The second is the celebrated gold pattern
hve-broad piece by Rawlings. usually
known as '@rhe Juxon Medal" which two
years ago was sold at Sotheby's for $40
and mas since been purchased by the trus-
tees of the British museum. The coin IL
self Is a splendid one. and Is not ongy one
Of the finest works OF the enRraver. but
was presented by the King 10 Bishop Jux-
on on the scaffold. iust before his execu-
tlon Oi al the relies Of the unfortunate
Charles there IS none OF greater artistic
beauty than this unique coin.