12th July 2018
A poignant message from Charles I has been discovered in a book he read while he was a prisoner – “Dum spiro Spero” (while I breathe, I hope). It is signed with the initials CR.
The book is a copy of The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser. It belonged to Thomas Herbert, who was an attendant to Charles during his years of captivity. Herbert remained with Charles until his execution and would later write a memoir about his time with the king. In it, he noted this:
‘In many of his books, he delighted himself with the motto Dum spiro Spero; which he wrote frequently as the emblem of his hopes as well as endeavours for a happy agreement with his parliament.’
The English Civil War had begun in 1642, after years of mounting tension between Charles and Parliament. Charles had been held by the Parliamentarians since 1647, though he briefly escaped only to be recaptured. He was executed in 1649, and is the only English monarch to have been tried for treason. He is also the last English monarch to have been executed.
The book with his message was discovered at West Horsley Place, and will be auctioned off to raise funds to restore the historic house.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/05/charles-i-message-poetry-book-university-challenge