John Huddleston

John Huddleston (15 April 1608 – buried 13 September 1698) was an English priest and monk of the Catholic Order of St Benedict.

[1] In 1651 he was staying at Moseley Old Hall, Staffordshire, as chaplain to Thomas Whitgrave's family, prominent local Catholics.

John Penderell happened to meet Father Huddleston, who suggested that the young King should go to Moseley Old Hall on the night of 7 September.

To guard against surprise Huddleston was constantly in attendance on the future King of England; his three pupils were stationed as sentinels at upper windows and Thomas Whitgrave patrolled the garden.

During the disturbances produced by Titus Oates's pretended revelations of the 'Popish Plot', the House of Lords voted on 7 December 1678 that Huddleston, Thomas Whitgrave, the brothers Penderell, and others involved in Charles II's escape should "for their said service live as freely as any of the King's Protestant subjects, without being liable to the penalties of any of the laws relating to Popish recusants".

When Charles II lay dying on the evening of 5 February 1685, his brother and heir the Duke of York brought Huddleston to his bedside, saying, "Sire, this good man once saved your life.

[2] Huddleston then heard the King's confession, reconciled him to the Church and absolved him, afterwards administering Extreme Unction and the Viaticum.