ful that slander might afterwards charge him with killing
his brother, begged the Earl of Bath, the lord of the bedchamber then
in waiting, and the Earl of Feversham, captain of the guard, might
stay--saying to the king it was not fitting he should be unattended in
his weak condition. These gentlemen therefore remained. And no sooner
had all others departed than the monk was admitted by a private entrance
to the chamber. The king received him with great joy and satisfaction,
stating he was anxious to die in the communion of the catholic church,
and declaring he was sorry for the wrongs of his past life, which he yet
hoped might be pardoned through the merits of Christ.

He then, as we read in the Stuart Papers, "with exceeding compunction
and tenderness of heart," made an exact confession of his sins, after
which he repeated an act of contrition, and received absolution. He
next desired to have the other Sacraments of the church proper to his
condition administered to him: on which the Benedictine asked if he
desired to receive the Eucharist; eagerly he replied, "If I am worthy
pray fail not to let me have it." Then Father Huddleston, after some
exhortation, prepared to give him the Sacrament; when the dying man,
struggling to raise himself, exclaimed, "Let me meet my heavenly Lord in
a better posture than lying in bed." But the priest begged he would not
move, and then gave him the Communion, which he received with every sign
of fervour. And for some time he prayed earnestly, the monk and the duke
kneeling by the while, silence obtaining in the room. This was presently
broken by the sad and solemn tones of the priest's voice, reading
a commendation of the soul to its Maker: the which being ended, the
Benedictine, with tears in his eyes, took leave of his majesty. "Ah,"
said Charles, "you once saved my body; you have now saved my soul." Then
the monk gave him his benediction, and departed as quietly as he had
come.

Then those waiting without were once more admitted to the room, when
Charles nerved himself to take a sad farewell of those around him. He
first publicly thanked his brother for the services and affection he
had ever rendered him through life, and extolled his obedience and
submission to his commands. Giving him his keys, he said he had left
him all he possessed, and prayed God would bless him with a happy and
prosperous reign. Finally, he recommended all his children to him by
name, excepting only the Duke