royalty restored-第8部分

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d　face　with　dust；　and　a　third　brought　him　a　suit　of　clothes。　　〃The　habit　of　the　king；〃　says　Pepys；　〃was　a　very　greasy　old　grey　steeple…　crowned　hat；　with　the　brims　turned　up；　without　lining　or　hatband；　the　sweat　appearing　two　inches　deep　through　it　round　the　band　place；　a　green　cloth　jump…coat；　threadbare；　even　to　the　threads　being　worn　white；　and　breeches　of　the　same；　with　long　knees　down　to　the　garter；　with　an　old　sweaty　leathern　doublet；　a　pair　of　white　flannel　stockings　next　to　his　legs；　and　upon　them　a　pair　of　old　green　yarn　stockings；　all　worn　and　darned　at　the　knees；　with　their　feet　cut　off：　　his　shoes　were　old；　all　slashed　for　the　ease　of　his　feet；　with　little　rolls　of　paper　between　his　toes　to　keep　them　from　galling；　and　an　old　coarse　shirt；　patched　both　at　the　neck　and　hands；　of　that　very　coarse　sort　which　go　by　the　name　of　nogging　shirts。〃

When　Charles　was　attired　in　this　fashion；　Richard　Pendrell　opened　a　back　door　and　led　him　out　into　the　wood；　not　a　moment　too　soon；　for　within　half　an　hour　Colonel　Ashenhurst；　with　a　company　of　Cromwell's　soldiers；　rode　up　to　Whiteladies；　rushed　into　the　house；　searched　every　chamber　and　secret　place；　pulled　down　the　wainscoting；　and　otherwise　devastated　the　mansion　in　the　search　for　the　king。　　A　damp　cold　September　morning　now　lengthened　to　a　day　of　gloom　and　depression。　　Rain　fell　in　heavy　torrents；　dripped　from　the　leafless　branches　of　trees；　and　saturated　the　thick　undergrowth　and　shrubs　where　his　majesty　lay　hidden。　　Owing　to　the　condition　of　the　weather；　the　soldiers　neglected　to　search　Boscobel　Wood；　and；　after　uttering　many　threats　and　imprecations；　withdrew　from　Whiteladies。　　When　he　considered　himself　quite　alone；　Richard　Pendrell　ventured　forth；　taking　with　him　a　billhook；　that　if　observed　he　might　seem　engaged　in　trimming　hedges；　and　drawing　near　the　spot　where　his　majesty　lay；　assured　him　of　his　safety。　　Later　on　he　besought　an　old　woman；　his　neighbour；　to　take　victuals　into　the　wood　to　a　labourer　she　would　find　there。　　Without　hesitation　the　good　woman　carried　some　eggs；　bread；　butter；　and　milk　towards　the　spot　indicated　to　her。　　On　seeing　her　the　king　was　much　alarmed　fearing　recognition　and　dreading　her　garrulity；　wherefore　he　said　to　her：　　〃Can　you　be　true　to　anyone　who　hath　served　the　king？〃　　Upon　which　she　readily　made　answer：　　〃Yes；　sir；　I'd　die　sooner　than　betray　you。〃　　Being　reassured　at　this；　he　ate　heartily。

When　night　fell；　Richard　brought　him　into　the　house　again；　and　the　king；　now　abandoning　his　intention　of　proceeding　to　London；　expressed　his　anxiety　to　reach　Wales　where　he　had　many　friends；　and　which　afforded　him　ready　opportunities　of　escaping　from　the　kingdom。　　Pendrell　expressed　himself　willing　to　conduct　him　thither。　　Accordingly；　about　nine　of　the　clock；　they　set　out　with　the　determination　of　crossing　the　Severn；　intending　to　pass　over　a　ferry　between　Bridgenorth　and　Shrewsbury。　　When　they　had　walked　some　hours　they　drew　near　a　water…mill。　　〃We　could　see　the　miller；〃　said　the　king　in　relating　the　story；　〃as　I　believe；　sitting　at　the　mill…door；　he　being　in　white　clothes；　it　being　a　very　dark　night。　　He　called　out　sturdily；　'Who　goes　there？'　Upon　which　Richard　Pendrell　answered；　'Neighbours　going　home；'　or　suchlike　words。　　Whereupon　the　miller　cried　out：　　'If　you　be　neighbours；　stand；　or　I　will　knock　you　down。'　Upon　which；　we　believing　there　was　company　in　the　house；　Richard　bade　me　follow　him　close；　and　he　ran　to　a　gate　that　went　up　a　dirty　lane　up　a　hill。　　The　miller　cried　out：　　'Roguesrogues！'　And　thereupon　some　men　came　out　of　the　mill　after　us；　which　I　believe　were　soldiers；　so　we　fell　a…running；　both　of　us　up　the　lane　as　long　as　we　could　run；　it　being　very　deep　and　very　dirty；　till　at　last　I　bade　him　leap　over　a　hedge；　and　lie　still　to　hear　if　anybody　followed　uswhich　we　did；　and　continued　lying　down　upon　the　ground　about　half　an　hour；　when；　hearing　nobody　come；　we　continued　our　way。〃

This　led　to　the　house　of　an　honest　gentleman　named　Woolfe；　living　at　Madeley；　who　was　a　Catholic；　and　loyal　to　his　king；　and　as　such　was　known　to　the　Pendrells。　　When　they　drew　near　to　his　house；　Richard；　leaving　his　majesty　in　a　field；　went　forward　and　asked　this　worthy　man　if　he　would　shelter　one　who　had　taken　part　in　the　battle　of　Worcester；　whereon　he　made　answer　he　would　not　venture　his　neck　for　any　man　unless　it　were　the　king　himself；　upon　which　Pendrell　made　known　to　him　it　was　his　majesty　who　sought　refuge　from　him。　　Mr。　Woolfe　came　out　immediately　and　carried　the　king　by　a　back　way　into　a　barn；　where　he　hid　him　for　the　day；　it　being　considered　unsafe　for　him　to　stay　a　longer　period　there；　as　two　companies　of　militia　were　at　that　time　stationed　in　the　town；　and　were　very　likely　to　search　the　house　at　any　minute。　　Moreover　he　advised　his　majesty　by　no　means　to　adventure　crossing　the　Severn；　as　the　strictest　guard　was　then　kept　at　the　ferries　to　prevent　any　Royalist　fugitives　from　escaping　into　Wales。　　The　king　was　therefore　obliged　to　retrace　his　steps；　and　now　sought　Boscobel　House；　not　far　distant　from　his　first　resting…place　of　Whiteladies。　　Arriving　there；　he　remained　secreted　in　the　wood；　whilst　Richard　went　to　see　if　soldiers　were　in　occupation　of　the　dwelling。　　There　was　no　one　there；　however；　but　Colonel　Careless；　the　same　good　man　and　true　who　had　helped　to　keep　Sudbury　Gate　whilst　Charles　made　his　escape。

The　Colonel　had　been　hiding　in　the　forest；　and；　being　sore　pressed　by　hunger；　had　come　to　beg　a　little　bread。　　Being　informed　where　the　king　was；　he　came　forth　with　great　joy；　and；　the　house　not　being　considered　a　safe　refuge；　they　both　climbed　into　the　branches　of　a　leafy　oak；　situated　in　an　open　part　of　the　wood；　from　whence　they　could　see　all　round　them。　　They　carried　with　them　some　bread　and　cheese　and　small　beer；　and　stayed　there　that　day。　　〃While　we　were　in　the　tree；〃　says　the　king；　〃we　saw　soldiers　going　up　and　down　in　the　thicket　of　the　wood；　searching　for　persons　escaped；　we　seeing　them　now　and　then　peeping　out　of　the　wood。〃　　When　this　danger　had　passed　away；　the　king；　worn　out　by　his　sore　fatigues；　laid　his　head　on　his　friend's　breast　and　slept　in　his　arms。　　At　night　they　descended；　and　going　to　Boscobel　House；　were　shown　a　secret　hiding…place；　such　as　were　then　to　be　found　in　the　mansions　of　all　Catholic　families；　called　the　priests'　hole　a　little　confined　closet　built　between　two　walls；　in　the　principal　stack　of　chimneys；　and　having　a　couple　of　exits　for　the　better　escape　of　those　compelled　to　seek　its　shelter。　　Here　the　king　rested　in　peace　for　a　day　and　a　night。

Meanwhile　Humphrey　Pendrell　went　into　Shifnal　to　pay　his　taxes；　and　it　being　known　he　had　come　from　Whiteladies；　he　was　questioned　closely　as　to　whether　he　knew　aught　of　Charles　Stuart。　On　stoutly　denying　all　knowledge　of　him；　he　was　told　that　any　man　who　discovered　him　would　gain　a　thousand　pounds；　but　he　that　sheltered　him　would　suffer　death　without　mercy；　these　being　the　terms　of　a　proclamation　just　issued。　　This　the　honest　miller　on　his　return　narrated　to　the　king；　swearing　roundly　he　would　run　all　risks　for　his　sake。　　It　chanced　at　this　time　one　of　the　Pendrells　heard　that　my　Lord　Wilmot　who　had　not　been　able　to　make　his　way　to　London；　was　hiding　in　a　very　secure　place；　at　the　house　of　a　gentleman　named　Whitegrave；　above　seven　miles　distant。　This　coming　to　the　king's　knowledge；　he　became　anxious　to　see　his　faithful　friend　and　hold　communication　with　him。　　Accordingly　one　of　the　Pendrells　was　despatched　to　request　Lord　Wilmot　to　meet　his　majesty　that　night；　in　a　field　close　by　Mr。　Whitegrave's　house。　　And　the　time　of　night　being　come；　the　king　was　impatient　of　delay；　but　his　feet　were　sore　from　the　rough　shoes　he　had　worn　on　his　journey；　so　that　he　was　scarce　able　to　walk；　therefore　he　was　mounted　on　Humphrey's　mill…horse；　and；　the　four　loyal　brothers　forming　a　guard；　they　directed　their　way　towards　Moseley。　　The　king's　eagerness　to　see　Wilmot　being　great；　he　complained　of　the　horse's　slow　pace。　　〃Can　you　blame　him；　my　liege；〃　said　Humphrey；　who　loved　a　jest；　〃that　he　goes　heavily；　having　the　weight　of　three　kingdoms　on　his　back？〃

When　they　had　travelled　with　him　a　great　part　of　the　journey　it　was　thought　safer　three　of　them　should　withdraw　themselves。　　They　therefore　turned　away；　but　scarcely　had　they　gone　when　the　king；　who；　being　lost　in　thought；　had　remained　unconscious　of　their　departure；　suddenly　stopped；　and　caused　John；　who　remained；　to　speedily　summon　them　back。　　When　they　returned　he　gave　them　his　hand　to　kiss；　and；　with　that　charm　of　manner　which　never　failed　in　winning　friends；　said　to　them　sadly；　〃My　sorrows　make　me　forget　myself。　　I　earnestly　thank　you　all。〃

They　kissed　his　hand　heartily；　and　prayed　God　to　save　him。　　In　the　days　of　his　prosperity　he　remembered　their　kindness　and　rewarded　their　loyalty。

Arriving　at　the　trysting　place　the　king　found　Mr。　Whitegrave；　a　Benedictine　monk　named　Father　Huddlestone；　Sir　John　Preston；　and　his　brother　awaiting　him。　　It　may　be　mentioned　here　this　monk　was　destined；　many　years　later；　to　play　an　important　part　in　the　closing　scene　of　his　majesty's　life。　　Mr。　Whitegrave　conducted　Charles　with　great　show　of　respect　to　his　house；　where　the　king　spoke　with　my　Lord　Wilmot；　feasted　well；　and　rested　safe　that　night