[Sidenote:  A.D. 1651.  Sept. 7.]

that he gladly accepted the offer of Humphrey’s horse from the mill; nor did the appearance of the monarch disgrace that of the steed.  He wore a coat and breeches of coarse green cloth, both so threadbare that in many places they appeared white, and the latter “so long that they came down to the garter;” his doublet was of leather, old and soiled; his shoes were heavy and slashed for the ease of his feet; his stockings of green yarn had been much worn, were darned at the knees, and without feet; and an old grey steeple-crowned hat, without band or lining, with a crooked thorn stick, completed the royal habiliments.  The six brothers attended him with arms; two kept in advance, two followed behind, and one walked on each side.  He had not gone far before he complained to Humphrey of the heavy jolting pace of the horse.  “My liege,” replied the miller, “you do not recollect that he carries the weight of three kingdoms on his back.”

At Moseley, cheered by the company of Wilmot, and the attention of Whitgrave and his chaplain, Mr. Hudlestone,[1] he recovered his spirits, fought the battle of Worcester over again, and declared that, if he could find a few thousand men who had the courage to stand by him, he would not hesitate to meet his enemies a second time in the field.  A new plan of escape was now submitted to his approbation.  The daughter of Colonel Lane, of Bentley, had obtained from the governor of Stafford a pass to visit Mrs.

[Footnote 1:  Mr. Whitgrave had served as lieutenant, Hudlestone as gentleman volunteer in the armies of Charles I. The latter was of the family at Hutton John, in Cumberland.  Leaving the service, he took orders, and was at this time a secular priest, living with Mr. Whitgrave.  He afterwards became a Benedictine monk, and was appointed one of the queen’s chaplains.]

Norton, a relation near Bristol.  Charles consented to assume the character of her servant, and Wilmot departed on the following night to make arrangements for his reception.  In the mean time, to guard against a surprise, Hudlestone constantly attended the king; Whitgrave occasionally left the house to observe what passed in the street; and Sir John Preston, and two other boys, the pupils of Hudlestone, were stationed as sentinels at the garret windows.[1] But the danger of discovery increased every hour.  The confession of a cornet, who had accompanied him, and was afterwards made prisoner, divulged the fact that Charles had been left at Whiteladies; and the hope of reward stimulated the parliamentary officers to new and more active exertions.  The house of Boscobel, on the day after the king’s departure,[a] was successively visited by two parties of the enemy; the next morning a second and more rigorous search was made at Whiteladies; and in the afternoon the arrival of a troop of horse alarmed the inhabitants of Moseley.  As Charles, Whitgrave, and Hudlestone were standing near a window, they observed a neighbour