Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday 30 January 2022

Relics of the Royal Martyr


Today is the anniversary of the beheading of King Charles I in 1648/9. The cult of the Royal Martyr has been accompanied by various relics, anf two of these have been in the news in recent years.

The first is what is believed to be the second shirt or waistcoat/vest he wore so as not to shiver with the cold, and be mistaken for showing fear.

What was once believed to be that shirt was acquired for the Royal Collection in 1911 and is preserved at Windsor Castle. However a report from 1998 argues that the item has been misidentified and that it is in fact a woman’s night dress of the period. This is set out in an article from The Independent which can be read at Charles I's shirt is really lady's nightie

What appears to be the real second shirt is now in the collection of the Museum of London and was due to go on display as part of an exhibition about London executions which has, I assume, been delayed by the pandemic. From the various press reports about this shirt it was clearly going to be the main attraction.

There are pictures of it, together with others of the gloves the King is believed to have worn on that day and of a monogrammed pocket handkerchief, in articles from the Guardian at Shirt worn by Charles I for his execution to go on display in London, from the BBC News website at Vest worn by Charles I at execution to be shown, from The Tatler at The blood-stained shirt worn by King Charles I on day of his execution will go on display, from the Smithsonian Magazine at See Charles I's Stained Execution Shirt and from the MailOnline at Was this the waistcoat that Charles I was wearing when he was beheaded?

A second link to that grim day is a games compendium that was sold at auction in 2012. The exquisitely made piece with its amber inlays allows for playing chess, draughts, backgammon and Nine Men’s Morris. It is believed that this was taken by the King with him from St James’s Palace to Whitehall, presumably to use to wile away the time before he stepped out onto the scaffold. There is an illustrated article about it from the MailOnline at Cheque mate: Chess board taken by King Charles to his execution sells for £600,000 to private collector



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