The man (he was butler to the family) felt himself honoured
by the royal confidence, and endeavoured to repay it by his services. He
removed to a distance from the king two individuals in the house of known
republican principles; he inquired, though without success, for a
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1651. Sept. 11.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1651. Sept. 14.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1651. Sept. 15.]
ship at Bristol to carry him to France or Spain; and he introduced Lord
Wilmot to his chamber at the hour of midnight. There they sat in council,
and resolved[a] that the king should remove the next day to the house of
Colonel Windham, a Cavalier whom he knew, at Trent, near Sherburn; that a
messenger should be despatched to prepare the family for his arrival; and
that to account for the sudden departure of Miss Lane, a counterfeit letter
should be delivered to her, stating that her father was lying at the point
of death. The plan succeeded; she was suffered[b] to depart, and in two
days the prince reached[c] his destination. The following morning[d] Miss
Lane took her leave, and hastened back with Lassells to Bentley.[1]
In his retirement at Trent, Charles began to indulge the hope of a speedy
liberation from danger. A ship was hired at Lyme to convey a nobleman and
his servant (Wilmot and the king) to the coast of France; the hour and
the place of embarkation were fixed; and a widow, who kept a small inn
at Charmouth, consented to furnish a temporary asylum to a gentleman in
disguise, and a young female who had just escaped from the custody of a
harsh and unfeeling guardian.
Pages:
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477