A ring, said to be one of the seven given after the King’s death, was possessed by Horace Walpole and sold with the Strawberry Hill collection. It has the King’s head in miniature and behind, a skull; while between the letters C. R. is this motto:
“Prepared be to follow me.”
There is another of these rings (all of which may be considered as “stamped with an eternal grief”) in the possession of a clergyman. The shank of the ring is of fine gold, enamelled black, but the greater part of the enamel has been worn away by use. On the inner side of the shank an inscription has been engraved, the first letter of which still remains, but the rest of this also has been worn away by much use. In the shank is set a small miniature in enamel of the King, inclosed in a box of crystal which opens with a spring. At the back of the box, containing the miniature, is a piece of white enamel, having a death’s head surmounted by a crown with the date January 30 represented upon it in black. A memorial ring of Charles the First, which has a portrait of the King in enamel and an inscription at the back, recording the day of his execution, was exhibited before the members of the London Antiquarian Society in March, 1854.[288]
Rings, with portraits of Charles the First on ivory, are not uncommon.
When the body of Charles the First was discovered in 1813, (in the royal burial place at Windsor,) the hair at the back of the head appeared close cut; whereas, at the time of the decollation, the executioner twice adjusted the King’s hair under his cap. No doubt the piety of friends had severed the hair after death, in order to furnish rings and other memorials of the unhappy monarch.
A noble character was James Stanley, seventh Earl of Derby, who was beheaded for his loyalty to Charles the First.
As a proof of his bravery, with six hundred horse he maintained fight against three thousand foot and horse, receiving seven shots in his breast-plate, thirteen cuts in his beaver, five or six wounds on his arms and shoulders, and had two horses killed under him.
His manliness shows well in his answer to Cromwell’s demand that he should deliver up the Isle of Wight: “I scorn your proffers; I disdain your favors; I abhor your treasons; and am so far from delivering this island to your advantage, that I will keep it to the utmost of my power to your destruction. Take this final answer and forbear any further solicitations; for if you trouble me with any more messages upon this occasion, I will burn the paper and hang the bearer.”[289]
He was executed contrary to the promise of quarter for life, “an ancient and honorable plea not violated until this time.”
There is a deeply interesting account of his acts and deportment written by a Mr. Bagaley who attended on him. The Earl wrote letters to his wife, daughter and sons; a servant went and purchased all the rings he could get and lapped them up in several papers and writ within them and the Earl made Bagaley subscribe them to all his children and servants. This coupling his servants with his children in connection with these death tokens is charming. The Earl handed the letters with the rings to Bagaley and, in relation to delivering them, he used this beautiful and perfect expression—“As to them, I can say nothing: silence and your own looks will best tell your message.”