The bible belonging to the priest who was able to smuggle King Charles II out of England during the Civil War is going up for auction and is expected to fetch thousands of dollars.
Father John Huddleston’s bible has an estimated sale price of at least £2,000, having been bought for today’s equivalent of just two and a half pence in the 1950s.
The “very rare” item belonged to Father Huddleston when he arranged for King Charles II to be transported to the safety of France during the English Civil War in 1651.
With the help of the priest and a network of royalist nobles, the monarch escaped the country, first attempting his way out through Wales, then to Bristol disguised as a servant, then to the south coast at Charmouth disguised as a runaway lover.
He eventually rode east to Shoreham when he took a coal ship to France.
The “very rare” item belonged to Father Huddleston when he arranged for King Charles II to be transported to the safety of France during the English Civil War in 1651.
The ‘very rare’ item even features the priest’s signature, further increasing its value at auction.
Auctioneer John Crane says it could be “quite comfortably assumed that this bible was present at the death of King Charles.”
Father Huddleston met the monarch at Moseley Hall in Wolverhampton, where the king was staying as a resting place during his escape. While he was there, the priest tended to his feet, which were bruised and bleeding.
He spent two days in hiding at Moseley Hall, before the Parliamentary troops arrived. Upon his arrival, Father Huddleston was one of many who hid him in a priest hole, hidden behind a bedroom wall.
No longer feeling safe at Moseley Hall, the King moved to Bentley Hall near Walsall, where he disguised himself as a servant and managed to reach Bristol and then France.
He would remain in exile in Europe until 1660, when he returned to Great Britain.
In exchange for the English crown, he promised a general pardon for crimes committed during the English Civil War and the Interregnum to all those who recognized King Charles II as the rightful king.
In 1685, Father Huddleston and the king would meet again, when the priest attended the monarch’s deathbed to convert him to the Catholic faith. He heard his confession before administering the last rites on him, reconciling him to the Church and acquitting him.
Auctioneer John Crane says it could be “quite comfortably assumed that this bible was present at the death of King Charles.”
And it is made even more special by the fact that it contains the signature of Father Huddleston.
“To buy this item is to buy a piece of history,” he said. “The signature alone is probably worth £600-800, but the increase in value would be the fact that it’s your personal bible.”
“Most of the other books you can put a commercial value on, because they’ve been sold before, but this book is so unique that there’s no background to go on.”
Speaking about the importance of the Bible, Mr Crane added: ‘Her association with King Charles and the friendship between him and Father Huddleston makes her unique.
“Had it not been for Father Huddleston organizing the escape of King Charles II, the whole course of history might have been changed.”
Given its historical importance, it is hoped that the bible will not be seized after the purchase.
Father John Huddleston’s bible has an estimated retail price of at least £2,000, having been bought for today’s equivalent of just two and a half pence in the 1950s.
Given its historical significance, Crane hopes the bible won’t be seized after the purchase.
“I hope that a public body or a museum will buy it so that it can be on view for the general public to enjoy and see,” he said.
“It’s not about money, it’s about making sure it goes into the right hands and is kept in a safe place for the benefit of the general public.”
The bible is part of a scheduled international auction at thesaleroom.com/catocrane, which will close on March 30.
