wo
or three days in fruitless inquiries for a ship which might convey him to
Newcastle or Scotland, whilst Hudson repaired to the French agent

[Footnote 1: Hearne's Dunstable, ii. 787-790.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1646. April 22.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1646. April 25.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1646. April 26.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1646. April 27.]
[Sidenote e: A.D. 1646. April 28.]
[Sidenote f: A.D. 1646. April 30.]

at Southwell, and returned the bearer of a short note sent by Montreuil,
from whom the messenger understood that the Scots had pledged their
word--they would give no written document--to fulfill on their part the
original engagement made in their name at Oxford.[1] On this slender
security--for he had no[a] alternative--he repaired to the lodgings of
Montreuil early in the morning, and about noon was conducted by a troop of
horse to the head quarters at Kelham. Leslie and his officers, though they
affected the utmost surprise, treated him with the respect due to their
sovereign; and London in the name of the commissioners required that he
should take the covenant, should order Lord Belasyse to surrender Newark,
and should despatch a messenger with the royal command to Montrose to lay
down his arms. Charles soon discovered that he was a prisoner, and when,
to make the experiment, he undertook to give the word to the guard, he was
interrupted by Leven, who said: "I am the older soldier, sir: your majesty
had better leave that office to me."

For ten days the public mind in the capital had been

[Footnote 1: The Scots had made three offers or promises to the king. The
first and most important was the engagement of the 1st of April. But the
Scottish commissioners with the army shrunk from the responsibility of
carrying it into execution; and, as it appears to me, with some reason,
for they had not been parties to the contract. The second was the modified
offer agreed upon by both bodies of commissioners at Royston. But this
offer was never accepted by the king, and consequently ceased to be binding
upon them. The third was the verbal promise mentioned above. If it was
made--and of a promise of safety there can be no doubt, though we have only
the testimony of Hudson--the Scots were certainly bound by it, and must
plead guilty to the charge of breach of faith, by subsequently delivering
up the fugitive monarch to the English parliament.]

[Footnote 2: Peck, Desid. Curios. I. x. No. 8. Ashburnham, ii. 76.
Rushworth, vi. 26