Charles knew that for the present all was lost.  He showed courage and address in covering the flight of his beaten soldiers; but he soon afterward went to France, remaining there and in the Netherlands for eight years as a pensioner of Louis XIV.  He knew that time would fight for him far more surely than infantry and horse.  England had not been called “Merry England” for nothing; and Cromwell’s tyranny was likely to be far more resented than the heavy hand of one who was born a king.  So Charles at Paris and Liege, though he had little money at the time, managed to maintain a royal court, such as it was.

Here there came out another side of his nature.  As a child he had borne hardship and privation and had seen the red blood flow upon the battlefield.  Now, as it were, he allowed a certain sensuous, pleasure-loving ease to envelop him.  The red blood should become the rich red burgundy; the sound of trumpets and kettledrums should give way to the melody of lutes and viols.  He would be a king of pleasure if he were to be king at all.  And therefore his court, even in exile, was a court of gallantry and ease.  The Pope refused to lend him money, and the King of France would not increase his pension, but there were many who foresaw that Charles would not long remain in exile; and so they gave him what he wanted and waited until he could give them what they would ask for in their turn.

Charles at this time was not handsome, like his father.  His complexion was swarthy, his figure by no means imposing, though always graceful.  When he chose he could bear himself with all the dignity of a monarch.  He had a singularly pleasant manner, and a word from him could win over the harshest opponent.

The old cavaliers who accompanied their master in exile were like Napoleon’s veterans in Elba.  With their tall, powerful forms they stalked about the courtyards, sniffing their disapproval at these foreign ways and longing grimly for the time when they could once more smell the pungent powder of the battle-field.  But, as Charles had hoped, the change was coming.  Not merely were his own subjects beginning to long for him and to pray in secret for the king, but continental monarchs who maintained spies in England began to know of this.  To them Charles was no longer a penniless exile.  He was a king who before long would take possession of his kingdom.

A very wise woman—­the Queen Regent of Portugal—­was the first to act on this information.  Portugal was then very far from being a petty state.  It had wealth at home and rich colonies abroad, while its flag was seen on every sea.  The queen regent, being at odds with Spain, and wishing to secure an ally against that power, made overtures to Charles, asking him whether a match might not be made between him and the Princess Catharine of Braganza.  It was not merely her daughter’s hand that she offered, but a splendid dowry.  She would pay Charles a million pounds in gold and cede to England two valuable ports.