During their absence Charles had formed a new plan of attempting to escape by sea, and had despatched a trusty messenger to look out for a ship in the harbour of Southampton.  He was still meditating on this project when Ashburnham returned, and announced that Hammond with his companion was already in the town, awaiting his majesty’s commands.  The unfortunate monarch exclaimed, “What! have you brought him hither?  Then I am undone.”  Ashburnham instantly saw his error.  It was not, he replied, too late. They were but two, and might be easily despatched.  Charles paced the room a few minutes, and then rejected the sanguinary hint.  Still he clung to

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1647.  Nov. 13.]

the vain hope that a ship might he procured; but at the end of two hours, Hammond became impatient; and the king, having nerved his mind for the interview, ordered him to be introduced, received him most graciously, and, mingling promises with flattery, threw himself on his honour.  Hammond, however, was careful not to commit himself; he replied in language dutiful, yet ambiguous; and the king, unable to extricate himself from the danger, with a cheerful countenance, but misboding heart, consented to accompany him to the island.  The governor ordered every demonstration of respect to be paid to the royal guest, and lodged him in Carisbrook Castle.[1]

The increasing violence of the Levellers, and the mutinous disposition of the army, had awakened the most serious apprehensions in the superior officers; and Fairfax, by the advice of the council, dismissed the agitators to their respective regiments,[a] and ordered the several corps to assemble in three brigades on three different days.  Against the time a remonstrance was prepared in his name, in which he complained of the calumnies circulated among the soldiers, stated the objects which he had laboured to obtain, and offered to persist in his endeavours, provided the men would return to their ancient habits of military obedience.  All looked forward with anxiety to the result; but no one with more apprehension than Cromwell.  His life was at stake.  The Levellers had threatened to make him pay with his head the forfeit of his intrigues with Charles; and the flight of that prince, by disconcerting their plans, had irritated their former animosity.  On the appointed day the first

[Footnote 1:  Journals, ix. 525.  Rushworth, vii. 874.  Ashburnham, ii.  Berkeley, 377-382.  Herbert, 52.  Ludlow, i. 187-191.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1647.  Nov. 8.]

brigade, that on which the officers could rely, mustered in a field between Hertford and Ware; and the remonstrance was read by order of Fairfax to each regiment in succession.  It was answered with acclamations; the men hastened to subscribe an engagement to obey the commands of the general; and the sowers of discord, the distributors of seditious pamphlets, were pointed out, and taken into custody.  From this corps Fairfax proceeded