royalty restored-第8部分

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ls　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。　　Next　morning　the　worthy　host　had　private　notice　given　that　a　company　of　soldiers　were　on　their　way　to　arrest　him　as　one　who　had　served　in　the　king's　army。　　He；　being　innocent　of　this　charge；　did　not　avoid　them；　but　received　them　boldly　at　his　door；　spoke　confidently　in　his　own　defence；　and　referred　them　to　the　testimony　of　his　neighbours；　whereon　they　departed　quietly。

It　was　feared；　however；　the　house　was　no　longer　safe；　and　that　another　refuge　had　best　be　sought　for　his　majesty。　　Therefore；　Father　Huddlestone　informed　the　king　of　an　honest　gentleman；　the　owner　of　a　fair　estate　some　six　miles　removed；　who　was　generous　and　exceedingly　beloved；　and　the　eldest　justice　of　peace　in　the　county　of　Stafford。　　This　gentleman　was　named　Lane；　〃a　very　zealous　Protestant；　yet　he　lived　with　so　much　civility　and　candour　towards　the　Catholics；　that　they　would　all　trust　him　as　much　as　they　would　any　of　their　own　profession。〃　　The　king；　however；　not　being　willing　to　surprise　this　worthy　man；　immediately　despatched　the　Benedictine　to　make　certain　of　his　welcome；　receiving　due　assurances　of　which　he　and　Lord　Willmot　set　out　by　night　for　Master　Lane's　mansion；　where　they　were　heartily　received；　and　where　Charles　rested　some　days　in　blessed　security。　　Knowing；　however；　in　what　risk　he　placed　those　who　sheltered　him；　and　how　vigilant　the　pursuit　after　him；　he　became　most　anxious　for　his　safe　delivery　out　of　the　kingdom。　　To　this　end　it　was　desirable　he　should　draw　near　the　west　coast；　and　await　an　opportunity　of　sailing　from　thence　for　France。

The　members　of　Master　Lane's　family　then　living　with　him　consisted　of　a　son　and　a　daughter：　　the　former　a　man　of　fearless　courage　and　integrity；　the　latter　a　gentlewoman　of　good　wit　and　discretion；　as　will　be　seen　hereafter。　　Consulting；　amongst　themselves　as　to　the　best　means　of　compassing　the　king's　escape；　it　was　resolved　Mistress　Lane　should　visit　a　kinswoman　of　hers　with　whom　she　had　been　bred；　that　had　married　one　Norton；　and　was　now　residing　within　five　miles　of　Bristol。　　It　was　likewise　decided　she　should　ride　on　her　journey　thence　behind　the　king；　he　being　habited　in　her　father's　livery；　and　acting　as　her　servant；　and　for　greater　safety　her　sister　and　her　sister's　husband　were　to　accompany　them　on　the　road。　　Mistress　Jane　Lane　then　procured　from　a　colonel　of　the　rebel　army　a　passport　for　herself　and　her　servant；　her　sister　and　her　brother…in…law；　to　travel　without　molestation　to　her　cousin　Mistress　Norton；　who　was　ready　to　lie　in。　　With　this　security　Jane　set　out；　her　brother　bearing　them　company　part　of　the　way；　with　a　hawk　upon　his　fist　and　two　or　three　spaniels　at　his　heels；　which　warranted　him　keeping　the　king　and　his　friends　in　sight　without　seeming　to　be　of　their　company。

The　first　day's　journey　was　not　accomplished　without　an　exciting　incident。　　The　horse　ridden　by　Mistress　Lane　and　the　kingnow　bearing　the　name　of　William　Jacksonlost　a　shoe；　and　being　come　to　Bromsgrove；　he　must　dismount　and　lead　the　animal　to　the　village　blacksmith。

〃As　I　was　holding　my　horse's　foot；〃　said　his　majesty；　when　narrating　the　story　to　Mr。　Pepys；　〃I　asked　the　smith　what　news。　He　told　me　that　there　was　no　news　that　he　knew　of；　since　the　good　news　of　the　beating　the　rogues　of　the　Scots。　　I　asked　him　whether　there　was　none　of　the　English　taken　that　joined　with　the　Scots；　He　answered　he　did　not　hear　if　that　rogue；　Charles　Stuart；　were　taken；　but　some　of　the　others；　he　said；　were　taken。　　I　told　him　that　if　that　rogue　were　taken；　he　deserved　to　be　hanged　more　than　all　the　rest；　for　bringing　in　the　Scots。　　Upon　which　he　said　I　spoke　like　an　honest　man；　and　so　we　parted。〃

At　the　end　of　the　first　day's　journey　they　were　met　by　Lord　Wilmot　at　the　inn；　and　he　continued　to　join　them　wherever　they　rested　at　night；　without　appearing　to　travel　with　them　by　day。　Mistress　Lane　took　all　possible　care　to　guard　the　king　against　recognition；　stating　at　every　house　of　accommodation　where　they　tarried　he　was　〃a　neighbour's　son　whom　her　father　had　lent　her　to　ride　before　her　in　hope　that　he　would　the　sooner　recover　from　a　quartan　ague　with　which　he　had　been　miserably　afflicted；　and　was　not　yet　free。　　〃Which　story　served　as　sufficient　excuse　for　his　going　to　bed　betimes；　and　so　avoiding　the　company　of　servants。　At　the　end　of　three　days　they　arrived　at　their　destination。　　Jane　Lane　was　warmly　received　by　her　cousin；　and　the　whole　party　made　heartily　welcome。　　Jane；　however；　did　not　entrust　her　secret　to　Mistress　Norton's　keeping；　but　repeated　her　tale　of　the　good　youth　being　newly　recovered　from　ague；　and　desired　a　chamber　might　be　provided　for　him；　and　a　good　fire　made　that　he　might　retire　early　to　bed。　　Her　desires　being　obeyed；　the　king　withdrew；　and　was　served　with　an　excellent　good　supper　by　the　butler；　a　worthy　fellow　named　Pope；　who　had　been　a　trooper　in　the　army　of　Charles　I。；　of　blessed　memory。

〃The　next　morning〃　said　the　king　continuing　his　strange　story；　〃I　arose　pretty　early；　having　a　very　good　stomach；　and　went　to　the　buttery…hatch　to　get　my　breakfast；　where　I　found　Pope　and　two　or　three　other　men　in　the　room；　and　we　all　fell　to　eating　bread　and　butter；　to　which　he　gave　us　very　good　ale　and　sack。　　And　as　I　was　sitting　there；　there　was　one　that　looked　like　a　country　fellow　sat　just　by　me；　who；　talking；　gave　so　particular　an　account　of　the　battle　of　Worcester　to　the　rest　of　the　company　that　I　concluded　he　must　be　one　of　Cromwell's　soldiers。　　But　I；　asking　how　he　came　to　give　so　good　an　account　of　that　battle；　he　told　me　he　was　in　the　King's　regiment；　by　which　I　thought　he　meant　one　Colonel　King's　regiment。　　But　questioning　him　further；　I　perceived　he　had　been　in　my　regiment　of　Guards；　in　Major　Broughton's　companythat　was　my　Major　in　the　battle。　　I　asked　him　what　kind　of　man　I　was；　to　which　he　answered　by　describing　exactly　both　my　clothes　and　my　horse；　and　then；　looking　upon　me；　he　told　me　that　the　king　was　at　least　three　fingers　taller　than　I。　　Upon　which　I　made　what　haste　I　could　out　of　the　buttery；　for　fear　he　should　indeed　know　me；　as　being　more　afraid　when　I　knew　he　was　one　of　our　own　soldiers　than　when　I　took　him　for　one　of　the　enemy's。　　So　Pope　and　I　went　into　the　hall；　and　just　as　we　came　into　it　Mistress　Norton　was　coming　by　through　it；　upon　which　I；　plucking　off　my　hat　and　standing　with　it　in　my　hand　as　she　passed　by；　Pope　looked　very　earnestly　in　my　face。　　But　I　took　no　notice　of　it；　but　put　on　my　hat　again　and　went　away；　walking　out　of　the　house　into　the　field。〃

When　he　returned；　however；　the　butler　followed　him　into　a　private　room；　and　going　down　on　his　stiff　knees；　said；　with　tears　in　his　old　eyes；　he　was　rejoiced　to　see　his　majesty　in　safety。　　The　king　affected　to　laugh　at　him；　and　asked　him　what　he　meant；　but　Pope　told　him　he　knew　him　well；　for　before　he　was　a　trooper　in　his　father's　service　he　had　been　falconer　to　Sir　Thomas　Jermyn；　groom　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　king　when　he　was　a　boy。　　Charles　saw　it　was　useless　longer　to　deny　himself；　and　therefore　said　he　believed　him　to　be　a　very　honest　man；　and　besought　he　would　not　reveal　what　he　knew　to　anyone。　　This　the　old　man　readily　promised；　and　faithfully　kept　his　word。　　Having　spent　a　couple　of　days　at　Norton's；　the　king；　by　advice　of　Lord　Wilmot；　went　to　the　house　of　a　true　friend　and　loyal　man；　one　Colonel　Windham；　who　lived　at　Trent。　　This　town　was　notable　as　a　very　hotbed　of　republicanism；　a　proof　of　which　was　afforded　his　majesty　on　the　very　day　of　his　entrance。　　As　he　rode　into　the　principal　street；　still　disguised　as　a　waiting　man　to　Mistress　Lane；　he　heard　a　great　ringing　of　bells；　and　the　tumult　of　many　voices；　and　saw　a　vast　concourse　of　people　gathered　in　the　churchyard　close　by。　　On　asking　the　cause　he　was　informed　one　of　Cromwell's　troopers　was　telling　the　people　he　had　killed　Charles　Stuart；　whose　buff　coat　he　then　wore；　whereon　the　rebels　rang　the　church　bells；　and　were　about　to　make　a　great　bonfire　for　joy。

Having　brought　him　to　Trent；　Mistress　Lane　returned　home；　carrying　with　her　the　king's　friendship　and　gratitude；　of　which　he　gave　her　ample　proof　when　he　came　unto　the　throne。　　Charles　stayed　at　Colonel　Windham's　over　a　week；　whi