that if I possibly could, I would get to London as soon, if not sooner, than the ness of our defeat could get there: and it being near dark, I talked with some, especialy with my lord Rochester, (then Wilmot,) about their opinions, which would be the best way for me to escape, it being impossible, as I thought, to get back m Scotland. I found them mightily distracted, and their opinions diferent very much of the possibility of getting to Scotland, but not one agreeing with mine for going to London, saving my lord Wilmot; and the truth is, I did not impart my design of going to London to any but my lud Wilmot. But we had such a number of beaten 'men with us (of the horse) that I strove, as soon as ever it was dark, to get from them; and though I could not get them to stand by me against the enemy, I could not get rid of them, now I had a miod to it. So we (that is my 14 duke of Buck, Luderdale, Derby, Wilmot, Tom Blake, duke Darcy, and several others of my servants) went along north ward towards Scotland; and at last we got about sixty that were gentlemen and officers, and slipt away out of the high road that goes to Lancashire, and kept on to the right hand, letting all the beaten men go along the great road. And ourselves not knowing very well which way to ga, for it was then too late for us to get to London on horseback, riding then directly for it, nor could we do it, because there was yet many menple of quality with us that I could not get rid of. So we rode through a town short of Woolverhampton, between that and Worcester, and went through. There being a troop of the enemy's there that night, we rode very quietly through the town, they having nobody to watch, nor they suspecting us no more than we did them, which I learnt after wards from a country fellow. We went that night about twenty-five miles, to a place called White Lady, hard by Tong Castle, by the advice of Mr. Gifford, where we stopt and got some little refreshment of bread and cheese, such as we could get, it being just beginning to be day. This White Lady's was a private house that Mr. Gifford, who was a Shropshire man, had told me belonged to honest people that lived thereabouts; and just as we came thither, there came in a country fellow that told us there was -3,000 of our horse hard by Tong Castle, upon the heath, all in disorder, under David Lesely, and some other of the general officers; upon which, some of the people of quality that were with me, were very anxious that I should go to him, a d endeavour to get into Scotland, which I thought was absolutely impossi ble, knowing very well that the country would all ri-e upon us, and that the men who had deserted me, when they were in good order, w not stand to nie when they had been beaten. This made me take the resolution of puting myself into disguise, and endeavouring to get on foot to London in a country fellow's habbit, with a pair of ordinary grey cloth breeches, and lethern doublet, and a gicen jerkin, which I took in the house of White Ladies. I also cut my bair very short, and lung my cloths into a privy house, that nobody might see that any body had been striping themselves. I acquainted none with my resolution of going to London but iny i Wilmot, they all desireing me not to accquaint them what I intended to do, because they knew not what they might be forced to confess; on which consideration, they all with one voice beg'd me not to tell them what I intended to do; (so all the persons of quality, and officers, who were with me, except my 1 Wilmot, with whom a place was agreed upon for metting at London, if we escap❜d, and who endeavoured to go on horse. back, in regard, as I think, of his being too big to go on foot) were resolved to go and join the 3000 horse, thinking to get away with them to Scottland. But as I did before believe, they were not marched more than six, after they got to them, but they were routed by a single troop of horse, which shews my opinion was not wrong in not sticking to men who had run away. As soon as I was disguised, I took with me a country fellow, whose name was Rich's Penderell, whom Mr. Gifford had undertaken to answer for to be an honest man; he was a Roman Catholic, and I chose to trust them, because I knew they had hiding holes for priests, that I thought I might, make use of in case of need, I was no sooner gone (but the next morning after the battle, and broad day), out of y' house with this country fellow, but being in a great wood, I set myself at the edge of the wood, near the highway, that was there the better to see who came after us, and wether they made any search after the runaways; I immediately saw a troop of horse coming by, which I conceived to be the same troop that broak our our S000 horse. But it did not look like a troop of the army's but of the militia, for the fellow before it did not look at ali like a soldier. In the wood I stayed all day, without meat or drink, and by great good fortune it rained all the time, which hindered them, as I beheve, from coming into the wood to search for men that might be fed thither; and one thing is remarkable enough, that those with whom I have since spoke of them that joined with the horse upon the heath, did say, that it rained little or nothing with them all the day, but only in the wood where I was, this contributing to my safety. As I was in the wood, I talked with the fellow about going to London, and asking him many questions about what gentlemen he knew, I did not find that he knew any one of quality in the way towards London; and y'e truth is, my mind changed as I lay in the wood, as I resolv'd to think of another way of making my escape, which was to get over the Severn, into Wales, and get either to Swansea, or some other of the sea-port towns, that I knew had commerce with France, to the end that I might get over that way, as being a way that I thought none would suspect my taking; besides that, I remember several honest gentle men that were of my acquaintance in Wales. So that night, as soon as it was dark, Rich' Penderell and I took our journey on foot towards the Severn, intending to pass over at a ferry half way between Shrewsberry and Bridgnorth; but as we were going in the night, we came by a mill, where I heard some people talking (nem" that I had got some bread and cheese the night before at one of the Penderell's houses, I not going in) and as we conceived it was about twelve or one o'clock at night, and the country fellow desired me not to answer if any body should ask me any questions, because I had not got the accent of the country, but as we came to the mill, we c' see the miller, as I believe, sitting at the mill-door, he being in white cloths; it being a very dark night, he call'd out, Who goes there, upon which R' Pendereil answered, Neighbours going home, or some such like words; whereupon the miller cried out, If you be neighbours stand, or else I'll nock you down; upon which, we believing there was company in the house, ye fellow bid me follow him close, and he run to a gate that went up a dirty lane, up a hill, and opening the gate, the miller cried out, Rogues, rogues, and thereupon some men came out of the mill after us, who believe were soldiers. So we tell a running, both of us up the lane, as long as we c' run, it being very deep and very disty, till at last I bid him leap over & hedge and lye still, to hear if any body followed us, which we did, and continued lying down upon the ground about half an hour, when hearing nob dy come, we continued our way over to the village upon the Severn, where the fellow told me there was an honest gentleman, one Mr. Woolf lived in that town, where I might be in great safety, for that he had hiding holes for priests. But I c not go on till I knew a little of his mind, wether he w receive so dangerous a guest as me, and therefore stayed in a field under a hedge, by a great tree, commanding him not to say it was I, but only to ask Mr. Woolf wether he wreceive an English gentleman, a person of quality, to hide him all the next day, till we c' travel again by night, for I durst not go but by night, Mr. Wool, when the country fellow had told him that it was one that had escaped from the battle of Worcester, said, that for his part it was so dangerous a thing to harbour any body that was known, that he w' not venture his neck for any man, unless it was for the king himself; upon which R' Penderell very indiscreetly, and without my leave, told him it was I, upon which Mr. Woolf reply'd, he sh' be very glad to venture all he had in the world to secure me. Upon which R Penderell came and told me what he had done, at which I was a little troubled, but then there was no remedy, the day being just coming on, and I must either venture that, or run some greater danger. So I came into the house & back way, where I found Mr. Woolf, an old gentleman, who told me he was very sorry to see me there, because there was two company's of the millitia foot at thas time in arms in the town, and keept a guard at the ferry, to examine every body that came that way, in expectation of catching some that might be making their escape that way, and that be durst not put me into any of the hiding holes of his house, because they had been discovered, and consequently if any search sh'd be made, they w'd repair to those hotes; and that therefore, certainly I had no other way of security, but to go into his barn, and there lye behind his corn and hay. So after he had given us some cold meat, that was ready, we, without making any bustle in the house, went went and lay in the barn all the next day; when, towards evening, his son, who had been a prisoner at Shrewsberry, an honest inan, who had been released and came house to his father's house, and as soon as ever it began to be a little darkish, Mr. Woolf and his son brought us some meat into the bara, and there we discoursed with them wether we might safely get over the Severn into Wales, which they advised me by no means to adventure upon, because of the strict guards that were kept all along the Severn, where any passage c'd be found, for preventing any body's escaping that way into Wales. Upon which, I took a resolution of going that night the same way back again to Pendereli's house, where I knew I sh'd hear some news what was become of my l' Wilmot, and resolved again upon going to London. So we set out as soon as it was dark, but as we came by the mill again, we had no mind to be questioned a second time there, and therefore asking R' Penderell if he c' swim or no, and how deep the river was, he told me it was a scurvy river, not easy to be passed in all places, and that he co'd not swim. So I told him that y' river, being but a little one, I w' undertake to help him over, upon which we went over some closes to the river side, and entering the river first to see wether I myself c' go over, who knew how to swim, found it was but a little above my middle, and thereupon, taking Rich' Penderell by the hand, I helped him over. Which being done, we went on our way to one of the Penderells brother's, (his house being not far from White Ladies) who had been guide to my 'Wilmot, and we beleived by that time might be come back again. For any I'd Wilmot intended to go to London upon his own horse. When I came to this house, I enquired where my Wilmot was, it being now towards morning, and having traveled these two pights on foot. Penderell's brother told ne, he had conducted him to a very honest gentleman's house, one Mr. Whitgrave's, not far from Woolverhampton, a Roman Catholic; I asked him what news, he told me there was one major Carles in the house, who was that country man, whom I knowing, he having been a major in our army, and having made his escape thither, a Roman Catholic also, I sent for him into the room were I was, and consulting him what we sh'd do the next day, he told me, that it w be dangerous for me either to stay in that house, or to go into the wood,, (there being a great wood hard by Boscobell,) that he knew but one way how to pass the next day, and that was, to get up into a great oak in a pretty plain place, where we might see round about us, for the enemy w'd certainly search all the wood for people that had made their escape. Which proposition of his, I approving. we (that is to say Carles and I went and carried up some victualls, for the whole day, viz. some bread, cheese, and small beer, and nothing ebe, and got up into a great oak that had been lopt some three or four years ago, and being grown out again very bushy and thick, co'd not be seen thro', and here we stay'd all the day; and I having in the mean time sent Penderell's brother to Mr. Whitgrave's, to know wether my I'd Wilmot was there or no, and had word bro't me that night that my I'd was there; that there was a very secure hiding hole in Mr. Whitgrave's house, and that he desired me to come thither to him. (Meinorandum) that whilst we were in the tree we saw soldiers going up and down in the thickest of the wood, searching for persons that had escaped, we seeing thein now and then peep out of the wood. That night, Rich' Penderell and I went to Mr. Whitgrave's, about seven miles off, where I found the gentleman of the house and an old grandmother of his, and father Hudleston, who had then the care of bringing up two young gentlemen, who I think were sir John Preston and his brother, they being boys. Here I spoke with my ' Wilmot, and sent him away to Col. Lanes, about five or six miles off, to see what means c'd be found for my escaping towards London; who told my I'a, after some consultation thereon, that he had a sister that had a very fair pretence for going hard by Bristol to a cousin of her's, that was married to one Mr. Norton, who lived two or three miles beyond Bristol, on the Somersetshire side, and she might carry me there as her man, and from Bristol I might find shipping to get out of England. So the next night I went away to Col. Lanes, where I changed my cloths into a little better habbit, like a serving man, being a kind of grey cloth suit, and the next day Mrs. Lane and I took our journey towards Bristol, resolving to lye at a place called Long Marston, in the vale of Eveshamn. But we had not gone two hours on our way, but ye mare I rode on cast a shoe, so we were forced to ride to get another shoe at a scattering village whose naure begins begins with somthing like Long, and as I was holding my horses foot, I asked ye smith What news? he told me there was no news since that good news (that he knew of) of y' beating those rogues the Scotts. I ask'd him Were there none of the English taken that joined with y'e Scotts? he answered, That he did not hear that that rogue Charles Stuart was taken, but some of the others were taken, but not Charles Stuart. I told him that if that rogue was taken, he deserved to be hanged more than all the rest, for bringing in the Scotts. Upon which he said, I spoke like an honest man; and so we parted. Here it is to be noticed, that we had in company with us Mrs. Lane's sister, who was married to one Mr. she being then going to my 14 Pagett's, hard by Windsor, so we were to part, as accordingly we did, at Stratford Avon. upon But a mile before we came there, we espied upon y'e way a troop of horse, whose riders were alighted, and their horses eating some grass by the way-side, staying there, as I thought, while their muster-master was providing their quarters. Mrs. Lane's sister's husband, who went along with us as far as Stratford, seeing this troop of horse just in our way, said, that for his part he would not go by them, for he had been once or twice beater. by some of the parlim soldiers, and he w' not run the venture again; I hearing him say so, beg' Mrs. Lane, softly in her ear, that we might not turn back but go on, for that the enemy w'd certainly send after us to enquire who we were, if they sh'd see us return. But all she c' say in the world w'd not do, but her brother-in-law turn'd quite round, and went into Stratford another way, the troop of horse being just then getting on horseback, about twice twelve score off; and as I told her, we did meet y' troop, just but in the town of Stratford. But then her brother and we parted, he going his way, and we our's towards Long Marston, where we lay at a kinsman's, I think, of Mrs. Lanes; neither the said kinsman, nor her brother-inlaw, knowing who I was. The next night we lay at Cirencester, and so from thence to Mr. Norton's house, beyond Bristol, where, as soon as ever I came, Mrs. Lane call' the buttler of the house (a very honest fellow, whose name was Pope, and serv'd Tom Germayne, a groom of my bed-chamber, when I was a boy at Richmond) and bad him take care of Wm Jackson, (for that was my MONTHLY MAG. NO. 203. name) as having been lately sick of an ague, whereof she said, I was still weak and not quite recovered; and the truth was, my late fatigues and want of meat had indeed made me look a little pale. Besides this, Pope had been a trooper in the king my father's army, but I was not to be known in y'e house for any thing but Mrs. Lanes serv. Mem'd that one Mr. Lassels, a cousin of Mr. Lane's, went all the way with us to Col. Lane's on horseback, single, I riding before Mrs. Lane. Pope the buttler took great care of me that night, (I not eating with the servants as I otherwise sh'd have done upon account of my not being well.) The next morning as we arose pretty early, having a pretty good stomach, and went to the buttery hatch to get my breakfast, where I found Pope and two or three other men in the room, and we all fell too eating bread and butter, to which he gave us very good ale and sack, and as I was setting there, there was one that look'd like a country fellow, sat just by me, who talking, gave so particular an acc't of the battle of Worcester to the rest of the company, that I concluded he must be one of Cromwell's soldiers; I asked him, How he came to give so good an acct of that battle; he told me he was in y'e king's regiment, by which I tho't he meant one Col. King's reg'; but questioning him further, I perceiv'd that he had been in my reg of guards, in major Broughton's company, that was my major in the battle. I asked him what kind of a man I was, to which he answered, by describing exactly both my cloths and my horse; and looking upon me, he told me that the king was at least three fingers taller than I, upon which I made what haste I c'd out of the buttery, for fear he sh' indeed know me, as being mone afraid when I knew he was one of our own soldier's, than when I took him for one of the enemy's. So Pope and I went into the hall, and just as we came into it, Mrs. Norton was coming by thro' it. Upon which I, plucking of my hát, and standing with it in my hand as she passed by, I observ'd, just as I was putting it off, that Pope look'd very earnestly in my face. But I took no notice of it, but put on my hat again and went away, walking out of the house into the fields, I had not been out half an hour, but coming back I went up into the chamber where I lay, and just as I came thither, Mr. Lassells came to me, and in a little trouble said, What shall we do, I am afraid Pope knows you, for he says very T positively positively to me, that it is you; but I have denied it. Upon which I presently without more ado, asked him wether he was an honest man or not, when he answered me, that he knew him to be so honest a fellow that he durst trust him with his life, as having been always on our side; I thought it better to trust him than go away leaving that suspicion upon him, and thereupon I sent for Pope, and told him that I was glad to meet him there, and would trust him with my life as an old acquaintance; upon which, being a discreet fellow, he asked what I intended do, for, (says he) I am ex. tremely happy I know you, otherwise you might run great danger in this house; for tho' my master and mistress are good people, yet there are at this time one or two in it that are very great rogues, and I think I can be usefull to you in any thing you will command me; upon which I told him my design of getting a ship (if possible) at Bristol, and to that end bade him go that very day immediately to Bristol, to see if there was any ships going either to Spain or France, that I might get a 'passage away in. Falso told him that my I'd Wilmot was coming to meet me here, for he and I had agreed at Col. Lane's, and were to meet this very day at Nor. ton's; upon which Pope told me, that it was most fortunate that he knew me, and had heard this from me, for if my la Wilmot sh' have come thither, he would have been most certainly known to several people in the house, and therefore he wago, and accordingly went out to meet my I'd Wilmot, a mile or two from the house, carrying him to an ale-house not far off, where he lodged him till it was dark, and then brought him hither by a back-door into my chamber, I still passing for a serving man; and Lasell's and I lay in one chamber, he knowing all the way who I was: so after Pope had been at Bristoll to enquire for a ship, but could hear of none ready to depart beyond, sea sooner than above a month, which was too long for me to stay thereabouts, I betook myself to the advising afresh with my I'd Wilmot and Pope, what was to be done, and the latter telling me that there lived somwhere in that country upon the edge of Somersetshire, at Trent, within two miles of Sherbourne, Frank Windham, y'e knight marshall's brother, who being my old acquaintance and a very honest man, I resolved to get to his house; but the night before we were to go away, we had a misfortune that might have done us some prejudice; for Mrs. Norton, who was big with child, fell into labour and miscarried of a dead child, and was very ill, so that we could not tell how in the world to find an excuse for Mrs. Lane to leave her cousin in that condition; and indeed it was not safe to stay any longer there, where there was so great a resort of disaffected and idle people. At length consulting with Mr. Lasell's, I thought the best way would be to counterfeit a letter from her father's house, old Mr. Lane's, to tell her that her father was extremely ill, and commanded her to come away immediately, for fear she sh's not find him alive, which letter Pope delivered sowell while they were all at supper, and Mrs. Lane playing her part so dexterously, that all believed old Mr. Lane to be in great danger, and gave his daughter the excuse to go away with me the next morning early; accordingly the next morning we went directly to Trent, to Frank Windham's house, and lay that night at Castle Casey, and the next night came to Trent, where I had appointed my 1 Wilmot to meet me, whom I still took care not to keep with me, but sent him a little before, or left him to come after me. When we came to Trent, my 1 Wilmot advised with Frank Windham, wether he had any acquaintance at any sea-port town upon the coast of Dorset, or Devonshire, who told me he was very well acquainted with Giles Strangways, and that he would go directly to him, to inform himself wether he might not have some acquaintance at Weymouth, or Lyme, or some of those ports. But Giles Strangways proved not to have any, as having been long absent from all those parts, as not dareing to stir abroad, be ing always faithfull to the king, but he desired Frank Windham what he could do therein himself, it being unsafe for him to be found busy upon the seacoast. But withall, he sent me 500 broad pieces, which he knew were necessary for me in the condition I was now in, for I durst not carry any money about me in those mean cloths, and my hair cut short, (but about 10 or 12 shillings in silver.) Frank Windham, upon this, went himself to Lyme, and spoke with a merchant there, to hire a ship for my transportation, being forced to acquaint him that it was I that was to be carried out. The merchant undertook it (his name being - -) and according hired a vessel for France, appointing a day for my coming to Lyme to embark; and accordingly we set out from |