Charles retired to Kidderminster that evening.  The Duke of Buckingham, the gallant Lord Derby, Wilmot, afterwards Earl of Rochester, and some others, rode near him.  They were followed by a small body of horse.  Disconsolately they rode on northwards, a faithful band of sixty being resolved to escort his Majesty to Scotland.  At length they halted on Kinver Heath, near Kidderminster:  their guide having lost the way.  In this extremity Lord Derby said that he had been received kindly at an old house in a secluded woody country, between Tong Castle and Brewood, on the borders of Staffordshire.  It was named ‘Boscobel,’ he said; and that word has henceforth conjured up to the mind’s eye the remembrance of a band of tired heroes, riding through woody glades to an ancient house, where shelter was given to the worn-out horses and scarcely less harassed riders.

But not so rapidly did they in reality proceed.  A Catholic family, named Giffard, were living at White-Ladies, about twenty six miles from Worcester.  This was only about half a mile from Boscobel:  it had been a convent of Cistercian nuns, whose long white cloaks of old had once been seen, ghost-like, amid forest glades or on hillock green.  The White-Ladies had other memories to grace it besides those of holy vestals, or of unholy Cavaliers.  From the time of the Tudors, a respectable family named Somers had owned the White-Ladies, and inhabited it since its white-garbed tenants had been turned out, and the place secularized.  ‘Somers’s House,’ as it was called, (though more happily, the old name has been restored,) had received Queen Elizabeth on her progress.  The richly cultivated old conventual gardens had supplied the Queen with some famous pears, and, in the fulness of her approval of the fruit, she had added them to the City arms.  At that time one of these vaunted pear-trees stood securely in the market-place of Worcester.

At the White-Ladies, Charles rested for half an hour; and here he left his garters, waistcoat, and other garments, to avoid discovery, ere he proceeded.  They were long kept as relics.

The mother of Lord Somers had been placed in this old house for security, for she was on the eve of giving birth to the future statesman, who was born in that sanctuary just at this time.  His father at that very moment commanded a troop of horse in Cromwell’s army, so that the risk the Cavaliers ran was imminent.  The King’s horse was led into the hall.  Day was dawning; and the Cavaliers, as they entered the old conventual tenement, and saw the sunbeams on its walls, perceived their peril.  A family of servants named Penderell held various offices there, and at Boscobel.  William took care of Boscobel, George was a servant at White-Ladies; Humphrey was the miller to that house, Richard lived close by, at Hebbal Grange.  He and William were called into the royal presence.  Lord Derby then said to them, ’This is the King; have a care of him, and preserve him as thou didst me.’