Did you know that King Charles I of England was considered by some a saint? He lost his head to Oliver Cromwell's Puritans for refusing to compromise his Anglican Catholic beliefs. It is no secret that he hoped for eventual reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. And it is generally believed that his dying word, "Remember", referred to a vow to have confiscated papal holdings in England returned to the Vatican. His official feast day was removed from  the Anglican calendar by good Queen Victoria, as she felt regicide was something best forgotten.

     Although the father may have been sainted, unfortunately, his son was only sated. Nicknamed "Old Rowley" by those who loved him least, Charles II was an irresponsible, irrepressible, free spender and the dandiest of dandies with his flowing wig, ruffles, lace and greatcoat with all the fineries. He was, in fact, the very antithesis of Cromwell's "Glorious Revolution."

     Legend has it that we derive our sirloin steak from one of his fancies. Once, while addressing his court at dinner, he looked down at his plate and said, "Fond as I am of all of you, yet I have a still greater favorite—the loin of a good beef." He then reached for his sword, dubbed the meat and said, "Therefore, good beef roast, I knight thee, 'Sir Loin', and I proclaim that a double loin be known as 'Baron.'"

     How does history judge Charles II? In Westminster Abbey, someone scratched these words on a case with his effigy:

"Here lies our sovereign lord, the King
Whose word no man relied on,
Who never said an honest thing
And never did a wise one."

Acknowledgments: 2, 4, 35, 50

© Russ Brown, 1998