The flight of the king : being a full, true, and particular account of the miraculous escape of His Most Sacred Majesty King Charles II. after the battle of Worcester

Front matter

The Flight of the King After the Battle of Worcester G/iar/rj The Flight of the King 'Being A Full True and Particular Account os the Miraculous Escape of His Most Sacred Majesty King Charles II. after the Battle of Worcester By Allan Fea With Numerous Sketches & Photographs by the Author & 16 Portraits in Photogravure John Lane, The Bod ley Head London & New York m-d-ccc-xcvii " Antiquities or remnants of history, are, as was said, "Pictures of a Wreck; in which industrious persons by an exact and scrupulous diligence and observation, out of monuments, names, words, traditions, private records and evidences, fragments of stories, passages of books that concern not story, and the like, do save and recover something from the deluge of time!' — Bacon. " There are few episodes in the chronicles of real life which raise human nature so much in our own estimation as the story of the escape of Charles after the battle of Worcester."

Jesse^s" Memoirs of the Stuarts." Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson &* Co. A t the Ballantyne Press To FRANCIS WHITGREAVE, Esq. <Jlnd other descendants of those loyal families who risked their lives and fortunes in preserving the life of their Sovereign, the following pages are respectfully dedicated, to perpetuate the fast fading recollection of their fidelity and the memory of the old spirit of loyalty in England CONTENTS

Part I An Historical Tour From Worcester To Shoreham Chap

page I. WORCESTER TO WHITELADIES 3 II. WHITELADIES . 17 III. HOBBAL, EVELITH, AND MADELEY .... 25 IV. BOSCOBEL AND THE ROYAL OAK 36 V. MOSELEY HALL 63 VI. BENTLEY HALL, LONG MARSTON, AND CIRENCESTER . 8 1 VII. ABBOTS LEIGH, CASTLE CARY, AND TRENT HOUSE . 97 VIII. CHARMOUTH, BRIDPORT, AND BROAD WINDSOR . . I29 IX. FROM TRENT TO HEALE HOUSE I44 X. FROM HEALE TO HAMBLEDON l6l XI. FROM HAMBLEDON TO BRIGHTON .... I73 XII. FROM SHOREHAM TO FECAMP 1 84

Part II Tract

I. A TRUE NARRATIVE AND RELATION OF HIS MAJESTY'S • MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM WORCESTER ON THE 3RD OF SEPTEMBER 1651, TILL HIS ARRIVAL AT PARIS . 199 Contents PAGE TRACT 2. A SUMMARY OF OCCURRENCES, RELATING TO THE MIRACU LOUS PRESERVATION OF OUR LATE SOVEREIGN LORD, KING CHARLES II., AFTER THE DEFEAT OF HIS ARMY AT WORCESTER IN THE YEAR 1651 ..... 219 3. EXTRACT FROM DR. GEORGE BATE'S " ELENCHUS MOTUUM NUPERORUM IN ANGLIA," 1 662-3 237 4. CAPTAIN ALFORD'S NARRATIVE 269 5. COLONEL GOUNTER'S NARRATIVE 279 Appendix 305 Pedigrees : CARLOS FAMILY, OF BROOM HALL 307 WOLFE FAMILY, OF MADELEY 309 TOMES FAMILY, OF LONG MARSTON . . . . 3II CONNECTION BETWEEN THE NORTON, TRENCHARD, LONG AND PENRUDDOCKE FAMILIES ..... 313 CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FAMILIES OF HYDE, GOUNTER AND SYMONS, AND THE DESCENT OF THE BLACKMANS FROM THE LAST-NAMED 315 Index 339 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE King Charles II.

(From a miniature by Samuel Cooper in the possession of His Grace the Duke of Richmond.) Frontispiece Map of the King's flight from Worcester to Shoreham . 3 Charles's lodgings at Worcester : present day. (From a sketch by the author) . 4 Charles's lodgings at Worcester in 1799. (From an old drawing by J. Ross, 1799) 5 Gloves left by the King at Worcester. (From a drawing by W. B. Redfam in the Anastatic Society's Publications, 1877) 7 The " Old White Horse," Stourbridge. (From a sketch by the author) . . . . . . . . . 15 House near Stourbridge where the fugitives halted. (From a sketch by the author) . . ... . . .16 The half timber house of Whiteladies, showing a portion of the older structure, which still exists. (From a sketch by the author, enlarged from an old print in Blount's Boscobel, 1660) 18 Whiteladies : present day.

(From a sketch by the author) . 19 Dame Joan's headstone at Whiteladies : in 1809. (From an engraving in the " Gentleman' s Magazine," 1809) . . 20 Dame Joan's headstone at Whiteladies: present day. (From a photograph by the Author) . . . . .21 Hobbal Grange. (From a sketch by the author) ... 27 Mr. Wolfe's house at Madeley. (From a sketch by the author) 30 Old Court Yard, at Madeley. (From a sketch by the author) X List of Illustrations PAGE Barn where the King was hidden : Madeley. (From a sketch by the author) ......... 32 Entrance to Barn : Madeley. (From a sketch by the author) 33 Tankard given by Charles II. to Francis Wolfe of Madeley. (From a sketch by the author of the facsimile in possession of the Society of Antiquaries) ....... 34 Boscobel House : present day. (From a photograph by M. Laws, Wolverhampton) ....... 37 Ancient barn at Boscobel.

(From a photograph by the author) 38 The "Parlour" Boscobel. (From a photograph by M. Laws, Wolverhampton) ....... 39 Exit from hiding-place in the chimney, Boscobel. (From a sketch by the author) . . . . . . . -41 Entrance to the " Priest's Hole " in " The Gallery," Boscobel. (From a sketch by the author) .... 42 Hiding-place behind the wainscot in the " Squire's Bedroom," Boscobel. (From a sketch by the author) . . 43 Interior of " Priest's Hole," Boscobel. (From a sketch by the author) .......... 45 Boscobel House : as it appeared at the end of the last century. (From an engraving in Shaw's Staffordshire, 1798, reproduced in " The Gentleman's Magazine," 1809) . . 46 The successor to the Royal Oak : present day. (From a photograph by the author) ....... 48 The successor to the Royal Oak : as it appeared in the beginning of this century with the old brick wall enclosure.

(From an engraving in the " Gentleman's Magazine," 1809) ......... 49 Gold acorn vinaigrette, set with rubies and turquoise. (In the possession of C. Penruddocke, Esq) ..... 53 Salver in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford ; made from the wood of the Royal Oak 54 Medals commemorating the escape of Charles II. . . 55 Relics given by the King to the Penderel family. (From engravings in " The Mirror," vol. xxi. p. 345) ... List of Illustrations PAGE The Royal Oak Cup, said to have been originally intended for the proposed Knights of the Royal Oak. It bears the inscription : " Donum Munificentissimi Regis Caroli Secundo anno 1676." (In the possession of the Worshipful Company of Barbers. From an engraving in Cripps' Old English Plate) ......... 62 Moseley Hall. (From a sketch by the author) .... 65 Back entrance, Moseley, approached from "The Long Walk."

(From a sketch by the author) .... 67 Staircase, Moseley Hall. (From a photograph by the author) 68 " The King's Bedroom," Moseley. (From a photograph by the author) .......... 69 Staircase, Moseley. (From a Photograph by the author) . 71 Entrance to hiding-place, Moseley. (From a sketch by the author) 72 Hiding-place where the king was concealed by Thomas Whitgreave, Moseley. (From a sketch by the author) . 73 Entrance to Thomas Whitgreave's " study " over the porch, Moseley. (From a sketch by the author) . . 75 Entrance to " the chapel," Moseley. (From a sketch by the author) 76 Impression (enlarged) from Thomas Whitgreave's signet ring 78 Entrance porch, Moseley. (From a sketch by the author) . 80 The old stables, Bentley Hall : present day. Where the King's horse was kept while he was in hiding at Moseley.

(From a photograph by the author) 82 Bentley Hall. (Sketch from an engraving in Plot's History of Staffordshire, 1686) 83 Mr. Tomes's house, Long Marston. (From a sketch by the author) 87 Mr. Tomes's house, south side. (From a photograph by the author) 88 Mr. Tomes's house. (From an old drawing in possession of Commander Carrow, R.N.) .89 List of Illustrations l'A Fireplace in the old kitchen, Long Marston. (From a photograph by the author) 9° The Long Marston " Jack." (From a photograph by the author) 91 Packington Old Hall. (From a photograph in the possession of the Rt. Hon. Lady Aylesford) 92 The " Sun Inn," Cirencester. (From a sketch by the author) 93 " King Charles's room," Sun Inn, Cirencester. (From a sketch by the author) ........ 94 Old Gatehouse, Abbots Leigh. (From a drawing in the King's Library, British Museum, by J. H. Grim, 1788) . 98 Abbots Leigh Court in 1788.

(From a drawing by Grim in the British Museum) . . .... . . -99 Abbots Leigh Court, side view. (From a drawing by Grim in the British Museum) ....... 101 Gold pouncet box, given by Charles II. to Jane Lane. (In the possession of the Rev. Vernon G. Yonge) . . . 106 Snuff box, given by Charles II. to Jane Lane. (In the possession of John Cheese, Esq. From a photograph by G. Ward, Amersham) ........ 107 Impression from the First Cut of the Lane Crest after the Grant by Charles II., 1678. (In the possession of Colonel Cecil Lane) 108 Exterior of the King's secret quarters at Trent House : present day. (From a sketch by the author) . . .111 " Lady Anne Wyndham's room," Trent. (From a photograph by the author) . . . . . . . .113 Trent House in 1864. [The upper window above the flagstones which formed the garden boundary is that of Lady Wyndham's room.]

(Sketch by the author from a drawing by the Rev. J. S. Brooke, in the Anastatic Drawing Society's Publications of 1864) . rr. Interior of the Brewhouse, Trent. (From a sketch by the author) . . . . . . . . . .us Entrance to hiding-place, Trent. (From a sketch by the author) tIg List of Illustrations PAGE The King's hiding-place, Trent. (From a sketch by the author) U7 Cap worn by Charles II. at Trent House. (Now in the possession of Mrs. Harbin of Newton Somerville. From a photograph by Messrs. Chaffin and Sons, Yeovil) . . . ng Melbury Hall, Dorset. (From a photograph in the possession of the Right Hon. the Earl of Ilchester) . . . .122 " Elsdon's Farm." (From a sketch by the author) . . . 124 Wylde Court, Hawkchurch. (From a photograph by the author) . . . . , 125 Panelled room, Wylde Court.

(From a sketch by the author) 126 Entrance porch, Wylde Court. (From a photograph by the author) 127 Jane Lane. (From a rare print in the possession of E. W. Hennell, Esq.) 128 The " Queens Armes," Charmouth : south side. (From a sketch by the author) ........ 131 The " Queens Armes," Charmouth : south side. (From a photograph by the author) 132 The " Queens Armes," Charmouth : interior. (From a sketch by the author) ........ 133 The " Queens Armes," Charmouth : as it appeared in the early part of this century. (From an old drawing) . . 135 Remains of the old "George Inn," Bridport. (From a photograph by the author) 137 Pilsden. (From a photograph by the author) .... 138 Remains of the old " George Inn," Broad Windsor. (From a sketch by the author) 141 Interior of Outhouse of the old "George Inn," Broad Windsor.

(From a sketch by the author) .... 142 Remains of the Broad Windsor bedstead. (From a sketch by the author) 143 The " King's Arms," Salisbury. (From a sketch by the author) 145 The " King's Arms," Salisbury : window facing the yard. (From a sketch by the author) 149 List of Illustrations PAGE The " King's Arms," Salisbury : interior quadrangle. (From a sketch by the author) 15° The " King's Arms," Salisbury : corner of panelled room. (From a sketch by the author) ...... 151 John Coventry's house, Salisbury. (From a sketch by the author) 153 Entrance to hiding-place in the summer house, Salisbury. (From a photograph by the author) . . . . .154 Summer house : showing the carved facing wherein is the peep-hole from the hiding-place. (From a photograph by the author) 155 Courtyard of the " George Inn," Mere.

(From a photograph by the author) 157 Interior of "George Inn," Mere. (From a sketch by the author) 158 " King Charles's stairs," Mere. (From a sketch by the author) 159 Heale House. (From a photograph by the author) . . . 163 Carved oak fireplace, Heale House. (From a sketch by the author) . 164 Racton House : south front in 1782. (From a drawing by Grim in the King's Library, British Museum) . . .170 Racton House: interior in 1789. (From a drawing by Grim in the King's Library, British Museum) .... 171 Punch bowl presented to the Symons family of Hambledon by King Charles II. (This engraving has been reproduced by permission of the Sussex Archæological Association) . 174 Old cottage, Racton : traditionally connected with the King's escape. (From a sketch by the author) . . . 176 Bramber bridge.

(From a photograph by W. Fry, Brighton) 178 Mr. BackshalPs house, Beeding. (From a sketch by the author) 179 Ring given by Charles II. to Captain Tattersal. (In the possession of Sir George Shiffner, Bart.) (From a photograph by E. Reeves, Lewes) jg Pension Grant to Robert Swan, and his Autograph. (Facsimile of original document in the possession of E. W. Hennell ES?0 'i93 List of Illustrations PAGE Charles II. (From a miniature by Samuel Cooper in the South Kensington Museum) To face sage 197 William Penderel at the age of 84. (From a print in the possession of the author) ....... 205 Jane Penderel, mother of the Penderel brothers. (From the Boscobel copy of a portrait in the possession of Henry Dutton, Esq., at Conway) To face sage 209 Richard Penderel. (By Zoust, formerly in the Jennens Collection.)

(From a mezzotint by Houston in the possession of the author) To face page 212 " Trusty Dick." (Richard Penderel.) (From a rare print in the possession of the author) . ...... 217 Thomas Whitgreave. (From a painting in the possession of the Whitgreave family at Burton Manor, Stafford) To face page 219 Father John Huddlestone. (From a portrait in the possession of Mrs. Stopford Sackville at Drayton House, Northants) To face page 228 Jane Lane. (From a painting in the possession of the Right Hon. the Earl of Aylesford at Packington Hall, Warwickshire) To face page 237 Colonel John Lane. (From a miniature by Samuel Cooper in the possession of the Rev. Vernon G. Yonge at Charnes Hall, Staffordshire) Tofacepage 245 Charles II. and Jane Lane riding pillion. (From a contemporary print in the possession of the author) .... 249 Jane Lane.

(From a painting said to have been painted in 1652, in the possession of the Lane family at King's Bromley Hall, Staffordshire) Tofacepage 252 Jane Lane. (From a painting, attributed to Lely, in the possession of the Earl of Aylesford, at Packington Hall, Warwickshire) . ..... Tofacepage 256 Tapestry needlework by Jane Lane representing portraits of Charles I., Charles II., James, Duke of York, and (?) the Earl of Derby* (In the possession of Mrs. Meyer of Wimborne.) [Jane Lane died before it was completed] . 261 xv b List of Illustrations PAGB Jane Lane. (From a painting in the possession of the Rev. J. W. Darnbrough, and now at " High Berrys," Ripon) Tofacepage 264 Mary Lane (supposed portrait of). (From a miniature in the possession of Mrs. Dilke of York. This miniature is said to be Jane Lane, but it more probably represents her sister) Tofacepage 269 Colonel (Sir Francis) Wyndham.

(From a painting [formerly at Trent House] in the possession of Mrs. Harbin at Newton Somerville, Somersetshire) .... Tofacepage 272 Mrs. Hyde of Heale. (From a painting by Jansen in the possession of the Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon at The Grove, Watford) Tofacepage 279 Dr. Humphry Henchman. (From a painting by Lely in the possession of the Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon at The Grove, Watford) Tofacepage 288 Colonel Edward Phelips. (From a painting in the possession of W. R. Phelips, Esq., at Montacute House, Somersetshire) Tofacepage 296 Charles II. and Jane Lane riding pillion. (From a painting by Isaac Fuller, in the possession of the Right Hon. the Earl of Roden at Hyde Hall, Sawbridgeworth) .... 334 • It has been conjectured that the fourth portrait represents Henry, Duke of Gloucester, but it bears no resemblance to his features, besides being too old.

Introduction

With a purely historical aim in view, we have attempted in the following pages to illustrate the adventurous and romantic story of the escape of King Charles II. after the battle of Worcester, following step by step the hazardous journey from that city to the Sussex coast, and describing with pen and pencil the present condition or fate of the various houses which afforded the royal fugitive a safe asylum in the year 1651. With this object, the first part of our work is therefore presented in the form of a tour taken in the present day ; the thread of the story being sustained throughout from various authentic and contemporary sources, and from family and local traditions not hitherto recorded in a collective form. The second part consists of five interesting pamphlets not included in Hughes's well-known and scholarly compilation, "The Boscobel Tracts," and will therefore form a supplement to that work.

It will be as well for those readers who are not acquainted with the story of Charles II.'s Introduction escape, to peruse these Tracts first ; because, to avoid too much repetition, the " Historical Tour" (Part I.) does not pretend to embrace all the particulars of the king's adventures detailed in them, which are best read in their original form. The five Tracts are as follows: i. "A True Narrative and Relation of His Most Sacred Majesty's Miraculous Escape from Worcester, on the third of September 1651, till his arrival at Paris."1 2. "A Summary of Occurrences from the Personal Testimony of Thomas Whitgreave and John Huddleston." 3. "An Extract from Dr. Bate's ' Elenchus Motuum Nuperorum in An glia.'" 4. "Captain Alford's Narrative." 5. "Colonel Gounter's Narrative." The first of these Tracts was mentioned by Hughes as unreliable ; but with the exception of one or two slight discrepancies, it is by far the most circumstantial record of the early part of the king's adventures, and in no way can it be classi fied with the erroneous account of Danvers.2 It is particularly interesting as being the first printed article upon the subject, and it was evidently used freely by Blount for his " Boscobel',' (1660), generally recognised as the most accurate descrip- 1 The same account is given in " England's Triumph," &c., 1660. 2 See Introduction to Hughes's " Boscobel Tracts."

" A True Narrative, &c." is reprinted in the " Harleian Miscellany," vol. iv. p. 441. Introduction tion of the king's adventures. Blount's accuracy, however, may not go entirely unchallenged, for in the " Kingdom's Intelligencer " for the year 1662 we find the following announcement: "By ex press command from his Majesty, we are to acquaint the reader that a little book named ' Boscobel,' (being a relation of his Majesty's happy and miraculous escape after the fight at Worcester), hath divers errors and mistakes in it, and [is] therefore not to be admitted as a true and perfect narrative of his Sacred Majesty's deliverance."1 Tract 2, "The Summary of Occurrences," by Thomas Whitgreave and John Huddleston, is similar to the Whitgreave Narrative, given in the " Boscobel Tracts," but contains a little additional matter, viz., some further particulars described by Father Huddleston.2 1 The king's own copy of Blount's " Boscobel," from the library of Barton Hall, Bury St. Edmunds, was sold recently (July 2, 1896) at Sotheby's for £14 15s. Strong doubts may be enter tained as to the authorship of " Boscobel," for Dr. Nash, in his " History of Worcestershire," mentions a letter wherein Thomas Blount denies it : " How the world," he says, " comes to be so kind as to give it to me, I know not ; but whatever merit it may have ....

I do not choose to usurp it. I scorn to take the fame of another's productions : so if the same opinion prevails amongst my friends in your part of the world, I desire you to contradict it, for I do not so much as know the author of the piece." 2 Hughes seems to infer that the Whitgreave " Narrative " was printed first of all in the Retrospective Review (1826), but it was published in the Gentleman's Magazine thirty-seven years before. See Gentleman's Magazine, June 1789, vol. lix. p. 592. XX Introduction The account in Tract 3, given by Dr. George Bate, M.D. (formerly physician to Charles I.), was, as he states, " delivered from the king's own mouth," and it is therefore interesting to compare this with Charles's narrative of his adventures, dictated to Samuel Pepys eighteen years afterwards.1 The original MS. of the King's narrative (as we shall hereafter term it, to distinguish it from his earlier accounts of his adventures,)2 is preserved in the Pepysian Library at Mag dalen College, Cambridge, and is written in cypher similar to the world-famed " Diary."

It was printed for the first time in 1766, by Sir David Dalrymple (Lord Hailes), by permission of Dr. Sandby, Master of Magdalen, some fifty-nine years anterior to the deciphering of the diary by Lord Braybrooke. A few months after Charles II. had dictated at Newmarket this account of his flight, his brother James wrote to Pepys for a transcript, promising 1 October 3 and 5, 1680. 2 Viz., The account of his adventures as related to the Queen mother and Court in Paris, upon his arrival there in 1651, and that described on the quarterdeck of the Naseby [rechristened The Charles] in crossing to Dover, May 23, 1660. See Harleian MSS., British Museum, No. 991, Fol. 90 ; Pepys's Diary ; Parlia mentary History, &c. N.B. The particulars of his escape, given by the king while Cromwell was in power, must be taken with caution, because naturally his lips were in a great measure sealed for fear he might jeopardise the lives of those in England to whom he owed his safety ; indeed, some of his statements were no doubt calculated to mislead his enemies.

Introduction that no copies should be taken of it.1 The letter he received in answer is worthy of note, and ought to have found a place in the preface of Dal rymple's work : " For what your Royal Highness is pleased to command from me," says Pepys, " touching the Worcester Paper, my covetousness of rendering it as perfect as the memory of any of the survivors (interested in any part of that memorable story) can enable me to make it, has led me into so many distant inquiries relating thereto, as have kept me out of a capacity of putting it together as I would, and it ought, and shall be, as soon as ever I can possess myself of all the memorials I am in expectation of towards it : which I shall also, for your Royal Highness's satisfaction, use my utmost endeavours in the hastening ; begging your Royal Highness in the meantime to receive this transcript of what I took from his Majesty's own mouth, with a considerable addition I have since obtained to it in writing from Colonel Philips, suitable to what I am pro mised, and daily look for from Father Hurleston" [sic]} Tract 4, Captain Alford's story, is from the Tanner Collection of Manuscripts in the Bodleian 1 Letter from the Duke of York to Pepys, Edinburgh, May 21, 1681.

See Pepys's "Correspondence." 2 Pepys to Duke of York, June 4, 1681, ib. A later edition of Dalrymple's " Account of the Preservation of Charles II." was published in 1803. It is reprinted in the " Boscobel Tracts." Introduction Library, and appeared for the first time in print in Cary's "Memorials of the Great Civil War," 1842. Though this account contains many errors — the author, a merchant, and afterwards Mayor of Lyme Regis, being abroad at the time of the king's unsuccessful expedition to Charmouth — it is too interesting a document to be ignored. "Colonel Gounter's Narrative," Tract 5, is un doubtedly one of the most valuable of all the accounts of the flight of the king. The original manuscript of this, now in the British Museum, was found in a secret drawer of an old bureau, formerly in possession of the Gounter family, and purchased by a Mr. Bartlett, of Havant, when their ancient seat at Racton was dismantled about the year 1830.

It was first published in a newspaper called the Surplice, and afterwards in Parry's " Coast of Sussex," 1833, and Cary's "Memorials," 1842. This MS., however, appears to have been known more than a century anterior, for the later editions of Blount's " Bos cobel" (1725, 1748, &c.) evidently had reference to it, though the authority is not specified.1 Some MSS. formerly in possession of Samuel Pepys,2 at Magdalen College, Cambridge ; a very 1 A MS. copy of the original is in the Tanner " Collection of Letters and Papers during the Year 1651," in the Bodleian Library. 2 In the Pepysian Library we also found a MS. mentioned in the correspondence of both Evelyn and Pepys, viz., An account Introduction scarce little book published in 1664, entitled "Miraculum Basilicon";1 the Historical MSS. Commission Reports, and the Calendar of the State Papers (Domestic and Clarendon) ; the marginal notes to the original manuscript of Cap tain Ellesdon's letter to Lord Clarendon;2 and the 1769 Worcester edition of " Boscobel," have fur nished some additional and interesting details of the king's adventures.

"Whiteladies," published in 1660, the only copy of which is in the Greville Library of the British Museum, is word for word the same as the first edition of Blount's work. "The Royal Oak," by John Danvers, published the same year, is, on account of its numerous in accuracies, valueless as an historical document ; and this we also found to be the case with the narrative given by Pere D'Orleans from the manuscripts of the Advocate-General de Lamoi gnon, who visited England in 1665 and personally interviewed King Charles upon the subject. of the Escape of Worcester, taken from Charles's dictation and the Queen Mother's letters at Paris, by Sir Richard Browne, and published by Mons. Renodant in the Weekly Extraordinary, Anno 165 1. As this MS. treats mainly of the battle (similar in all respects to Blount's account), and says nothing of the escape, it has been of little service in the present work. 1 " Miraculum Basilicon," by Abraham Jenings, 1664.

The only copy we have come across is in the British Museum Library, but unfortunately many pages are missing. 2 Now in the possession of Mrs. M. C. Baillie-Hamilton. Introduction A Mr. Manning, of Leamington, privately pub lished in 1 86 1 a few sketches illustrative of the " Boscobel Tracts,"1 but though of interest, they are unfortunately very much out of drawing. Some of these sketches were utilised by Harrison Ainsworth for the illustrations of his novel, "Bos cobel," and they also appeared in a little work bearing the same title by William Parke, of Wolverhampton. With the above exception, there has been, as far as we are aware, no other attempt to illustrate a fragment in history that should be popular, not perhaps for the sake of the hero of the adventures, but because it presents a picture — unequalled in the annals of the country — of the devotion of the subject to his sovereign.

But a word may be said in defence of the hero also. The character of the Second Charles, as drawn from his subsequent life, as we all know, degenerates into far from an ideal in any sense ; but it must be remembered that had he been captured (and well for his memory, perhaps it had so happened !) a far different man would have been handed down to posterity. The cause alone, in which he came forward to avenge his murdered father, with many constituted him a hero, and 1 The descriptions of the old buildings associated with Charles's escape, given by Hughes in the " Boscobel Tracts," are but brief, and the errors in the earlier edition of 1830 remain unaltered in the second of 1857. Introduction inspired his subjects with feelings of loyalty and affection ; but his bravery, displayed at Worcester fight, and the chivalrous manner by which he vainly endeavoured to rally his troops — encourag ing and entreating his men to stand to their arms — his presence of mind, fortitude, and generous good humour displayed afterwards throughout his many trials and sufferings — proved him to have possessed, at any rate in the prime of his youth, many excellent and noble qualities.

We cannot conclude these prefatory remarks without acknowledging the kind help and valuable assistance we have received on every side. Among those to whom we are indebted we would especially mention Francis Whitgreave, Esq., of Burton Manor, Stafford,1 and Charles Penruddocke, Esq., of Compton Park, Salisbury, who have been ever willing to supply such information as lay in their power. To E. W. Hennell, Esq., an unrivalled authority upon the Stuarts, we are equally indebted for the generous way in which he has placed his most valuable collection of MSS., &c, at our service; and to Rt. Hon. the Earl of Clarendon, Rt. Hon. the Earl of Roden, W. R. Phelips, Esq., Rev. V. G. Yonge, Rev. J. W. Darnbrough, Sir G. C. Shiffner, Bart., John Cheese, Esq., Mrs. S. A. 1 We deeply regret to say that Mr. Whitgreave after a long illness died in June 1896.

Introduction Bagot Lane, Mrs. Stopford Sackville, Mrs. Har bin, and Mrs. Dilke for permission to reproduce hitherto unpublished portraits, miniatures, &c, in their possession ; and we are also under the greatest obligation to the following : Rt. Hon. the Earl of Ilchester, Sir Charles Isham, Bart., Hyde S. Tooker, Esq., Commander W. G. Carrow, R.N., Dr. Garnett, C.B., LL.D., J. W. Bradley, Esq., B.A., John G. Carlos, Esq., W. T. C. Giffard, Esq., Rev. Francis Lane, Rev. F. H. Arnold, Rev. J. B. Bloxam, Rev. L. B. Penley, Rev. Charles Druith, Colonel R. Gunter, M.P., S. H. H. Isaacson, Esq., H. Hall, Esq., Zachery Edwards, Esq., G. G. Alder, Esq., G. F. Hill, Esq., D. Nightingale, Esq., F.S.A., J. Penderel Brodhurst, Esq., Rt. Hon. Lady Aylesford, Mrs. M. C. Baillie- Hamilton, Thos. J. Mann, Esq., &c, and to the Sussex Archæological Society and the Society of Antiquaries.