Death and Burial of Charles II

Death and Burial of Charles II is in 1685-1699 Glorious Revolution.

On 2nd February 1685 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 54) suffered a sudden apoplectic fit.

On 5th February 1685 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 54) was received into the Catholic Church in the presence of John Huddlestone (age 76).

On 6th February 1685 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 54) died around midday the morning at Whitehall Palace [Map] attended by Charles Scarburgh (age 69). His brother James (age 51) succeeded II King England Scotland and Ireland. Duke York merged with the Crown. Mary of Modena Queen Consort England Scotland and Ireland (age 26) by marriage Queen Consort England Scotland and Ireland. His brother King James II of England Scotland and Ireland, William Chiffinch (age 83), Richard Mason (age 52) and Archbishop William Sancroft (age 68) were present.

The time of his death reported differtently by different contemporary sources: John Evelyn's Diary 'at halfe an houre after eleven in the morning', the Anonymous Letter to Reverend Roper: 'Yesterday noon', Ambassador Barillon's Account: 'and at noon, he died without any struggle or convulsion.' and Charl;es Scarburgh's Manuscript: 'He expired on February the Sixth soon after noon'.

According to Mark Bryant's book "Private Lives: Curious Facts about the Famous and Infamous' King Charles is supposed to have said the much repested phrase: "I am sorry, gentlemen, for being such a time a-dying." This doesn't appear to come from a contemporary source. Macaulay in his 'History of England', writing much later has "He apologised to those who had stood round him all night for the trouble which he had caused. He had been, he said, a most unconscionable time dying; but he hoped that they would excuse it." Perhaps the nearest we can find in a contemporary source is the Anonymous Letter to Reverend Roper: 'and beg the pardon of the standers by, and those that were employed about him, that he gave them so much trouble: that he hoped the work was almost over...'

On 14th February 1685 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (deceased) was buried without any manner of pomp at Westminster Abbey [Map].

John Evelyn's Diary. ... this was by 6 in the morning on Friday, and it gave him reliefe, but it did not continue, for being now in much paine, and strugling for breath, he lay dozing, and after some conflicts, the physitians despairing of him, he gave up the ghost at halfe an houre after eleven in the morning, being the sixth of February 1685, in the 36th yeare of his reigne, and 54th of his age.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th February 1685. Prayers were solemnly made in all the Churches, especialy in both ye Court Chapells, where the Chaplaines reliev'd one another every halfe quarter of an houre from the time he began to be in danger till he expir'd, according to the forme prescrib'd in the Church Offices. Those who assisted his Majesty's (age 54) devotions were, the Abp. of Canterbury (age 68), the Bishops of London (age 53), Durham (age 52), and Ely (age 47), but more especialy Dr. Ken, the Bp. of Bath and Wells (age 47) receiving the Holy Sacrament, but his Ma* told them he would consider of it, which he did so long 'till it was too late. Others whisper'd that the Bishops and Lords, except the Earles of Bath (age 56) and Feversham (age 44), being order'd to withdraw the night before, Hurlston, the 'Priest, had presumed to administer the Popish Offices. He gave his breeches and keys to ye Duke (age 51), who was almost continually kneeling by his bed-side, and in teares. He also recommended to him the care of his natural children, all except the Duke of Monmouth (age 35), now in Holland, and in his displeasure. He intreated the Queene (age 46) to pardon him (not without cause); who a little before had sent a Bishop to excuse her not more frequently visiting him, in reguard of her excessive griefe, and withall, that his Ma* would forgive it if at any time she had offended him. He spake to ye Duke to be kind to the Dutchesse of Cleaveland (age 44), and especialy Portsmouth (age 35), and that Nelly (age 35) might not starve.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th February 1685. Thus died King Charles II (age 54) of a vigorous and robust constitution, and in all appearance promising a long life. He was a Prince of many virtues, and many greate imperfections; debonaire, easy of accesse, not bloudy nor cruel; his countenance fierce, his voice greate, proper of person, every motion became him; a lover of the sea, and skilfull in shipping; not affecting other studies, yet he had a laboratory, and knew of many empyrical medicines, and the easier mechanical mathe matics; he lov'd planting and building, and brought in a politer way of living, which pass'd to luxury and intolerable expence. He had a particular talent in telling a story, and facetious passages, of which he had innumerable; this made some buffoons and vitious wretches too presumptuous and familiar, not worthy the favour they abus'd. He tooke delight in having a number of little spaniels follow him and lie in his bed-chamber, where he often suffer'd the bitches to puppy and give suck, which render'd it very offensive, and indeede made the whole Court nasty and stinking. He would doubtlesse have ben an excellent Prince, had he ben less addicted to women, who made him uneasy, 'and allways in want to supply their unmeasurable profusion, to ye detriment of many Indigent persons who had signaly serv'd both him and his father. He frequently and easily chang'd favorites, to his greate prejudice. As to other publiq transactions and unhappy miscarriages, .'tis not here I intend to number them; but certainly never had King more glorious opportunities to have made himselfe, his people, and all Europe happy, and prevented innumerable mischeifs, had not his too easy nature resign'd him to be manag'd by crafty men, and some abandon'd and profane wretches who corrupted his otherwise sufficient parts, disciplin'd as he had ben by many afflictions during his banishment, which gave him much experience and knowledge of men and things; but those wicked creatures took him off from all application becoming so greate a King. The history of his reigne will certainely be the most wonderfull for the variety of matter and accidents, above any extant in former ages: the sad tragical death of his father, his banishment and hardships, his miraculous restauration, conspiracies against him, parliaments, wars, plagues, fires, comets, revolutions abroad happening in his time, with a thousand other particulars. He was ever kind to me, and very gracious upon all occasions, and therefore I cannot, without ingratitude, but deplore his losse, which for many respects as well as duty I do with all my soul.

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Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.

In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.

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The History of England by Macaulay. 6th February 1685. The morning light began to peep through the windows of Whitehall; and Charles desired the attendants to pull aside the curtains, that he might have one more look at the day. He remarked that it was time to wind up a clock which stood near his bed. These little circumstances were long remembered because they proved beyond dispute that, when he declared himself a Roman Catholic, he was in full possession of his faculties. He apologised to those who had stood round him all night for the trouble which he had caused. He had been, he said, a most unconscionable time dying; but he hoped that they would excuse it. This was the last glimpse of the exquisite urbanity, so often found potent to charm away the resentment of a justly incensed nation. Soon after dawn the speech of the dying man failed. Before ten his senses were gone. Great numbers had repaired to the churches at the hour of morning service. When the prayer for the King was read, loud groans and sobs showed how deeply his people felt for him. At noon on Friday, the sixth of February, he passed away without a struggle.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th February 1685. His Majesty (age 54) being dead, the Duke, now K. James II (age 51) went immediately to Council, and before entering into any businesse, passionately declaring his sorrow, told their Lordships that since the succession had fallen to him, he would endeavour to follow the example of his predecessor in his clemency and tendernesse to his people; that, however he had ben misrepresented as affecting arbitrary power, they should find the contrary, for that the Laws of England had made ye King as greate a monarch as he could desire; that he would endeavor to maintain the Government both in Church and State, as by Law established, its principles being so firme for monarchy, and the members of it shewing themselves so good and loyal subjects; and that as he would never depart from the just rights and prerogatives of y Crown, so would he never invade any man's property; but as he had often adventur'd his life in defence of the Nation, so he would still proceede, and preserve it in all its lawful rights and liberties. This being the substance of what he said, the Lords desir'd it might be publish'd, as ontaining matter of greate satisfaction to a jealous people upon this change, which his Ma* consented to. Then were the Counsel sworn, and a Proclamation order'd to be publish'd, that all Officers should continue in their stations, that there might be no failure of public justice, till his further pleasure should be known.

John Evelyn's Diary. 14th February 1685. The King (deceased) was this, night very obscurely buried in a vault under Hen. 7th's Chapell at Westminster [Map], without any manner of pomp, and soone forgotten after all this vanity, and the face of the whole Court was exceedingly chang'd into a more solemn and moral behaviour; the new King (age 51) affecting neither prophanenesse nor buffoonery. All the greate Officers broke their staves over the grave, according to form.

Brief Account of the Death of Charles II by Hudleston. A Brief Account of particulars occurring at the happy death of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles II. in regard to religion, faithfully related by his then Assistant, Mr. J. Hudleston.

Translation of a Dispatch from M Barillon. Translation of an Original Dispatch From M. Barillon, The Ambassador of Lewis the IXV. at the Court of England; giving an account of the Death Of Charles The Second; Lately Published in the Appendix to Mr. Fox's History of the Early Part of the Reign of James II.

Ellis' Letters. To the Rev. Francis Roper, Fellow of S^t John's College Cambridge, detailing the particulars of the death of King Charles the Second.

[MS. COLL, MUS. BRIT. VOL. LIX. p. 188.]