A historic prayer book belonging to the priest who protected King Charles II and helped save his life has been publicly displayed at one of England’s famous stately homes.
Newsroom (09/07/2023 16:40, Gaudium Press) The personal missal of Father John Huddleston, a priest who protected King Charles II and helped save his life, is now on public display at Moseley Old Hall in Wolverhampton, England. The missal, which is nearly 400 years old, was purchased by the National Trust at an auction with the help of a substantial donation from a volunteer and the support of the Friends of the National Libraries.
Following the Battle of Worcester in 1651, Charles II sought refuge at the home of the Catholic Whitgreave Family, where Father Huddleston resided disguised as a servant. Huddleston agreed to hide the king in his room, which had a trap door leading to a priest hole beneath the floor of the cupboard. This allowed Charles II to hide when soldiers came searching for him.
The historic missal, known as the Missale Romanum, was published in Paris in 1623. It is believed that this missal played a role in Charles II’s conversion to Catholicism on his deathbed in 1685. After the monarchy was restored in 1660, Charles appointed Huddleston as chaplain to his mother, Queen Henrietta Maria, and his wife, Catherine of Braganza.
On his deathbed at Whitehall Palace in 1685, Charles asked for Huddlestone, who heard the king’s confession, gave him holy communion and finally received him into the Catholic Church.
It is alleged that the Duke of York later commented that the priest had twice saved the king’s life — first his body, then his soul.
Sarah Kay, Cultural Heritage Curator, expressed delight in securing the important book, as it plays a central role in the story of Moseley. Displaying and interpreting the missal will help tell the remarkable story of Charles II’s escape.
Tim Pye, National Curator, highlighted the significance of the Huddleston Missal as a rare book and its importance in understanding the use and circulation of Roman Catholic books during a time when it was risky to be anything other than Anglican. The inscriptions and annotations made by Huddleston in the missal reflect its personal and precious nature to him.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
