Recovering himself, he said, "Good
woman, can you be faithful to a distressed Cavalier?"--"Yes, sir," she
replied, "and I will die sooner than betray you." He was afterwards visited
by Jane, the mother of the Penderells. The old woman kissed his hands, fell
on her knees, and blessed God that he had chosen _her_ sons to preserve, as
she was confident they would, the life of their sovereign.
It had been agreed between the king and Wilmot, that each should make
the best of his way to London, and inquire for the other by the name of
Ashburnham, at the Three Cranes in the Vintry. By conversation with his
guardian, Charles was induced to adopt a different plan, and to seek an
asylum among the Cavaliers in Wales, till a ship could be procured for his
transportation to France. About nine in the evening they left the wood
together for the house of Mr. Wolf, a Catholic recusant at Madeley, not far
from the Severn; but an accidental alarm lengthened their road, and added
to the fatigue of the royal wanderer.[1]
[Footnote 1: The mill at Evelyn was filled with fugitives from the battle:
the miller, espying Charles and his guide, and afraid of a discovery,
called out "rogues;" and they, supposing him an enemy, turned up a miry
lane, running at their utmost speed,--Boscobel, 47.
Pages:
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469