ourt-martial. It was answered that quarter could be granted to enemies
only, not to traitors. He offered to surrender his Isle of Man in exchange
for his life, and petitioned for "his grace the lord general's, and the
parliament's mercy." But his petition was not delivered by Lenthall before
it was too late. It was read in the house on the eve of his execution,
which took place at Bolton, in Lancashire, Oct. 15, 1651.--State Trials, v.
294. Heath 302. Leicester's Journal, 121. Journals, Oct. 14.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1651. Sept. 10.]

away; of almost every other individual of note the fate was ascertained;
that of Charles Stuart remained an impenetrable mystery. At last, when a
belief prevailed, both among his friends and foes, that he had met
with death from the peasantry, ignorant of his person and quality, the
intelligence arrived, that on the 17th of October, forty-four days after
the battle, he had landed in safety at Fecamp, on the coast of Normandy.

The narrative of his adventures during this period of suspense and distress
exhibits striking instances of hair-breadth escapes on the part of the
king, and of unshaken fidelity on that of his adherents. During the night
after the battle he found himself in the midst of the Scottish cavalry, a
body of men too numerous to elude pursuit, and too dispirited to repel an
enemy. Under cover of the darkness, he separated from them with about sixty
horse; the earl of Derby recommended to him, from his own experience, the
house of Boscobel as a secure retreat; and Charles Giffard undertook, with
the aid of his servant Yates, to conduct him to Whiteladies, another house
belonging to Mrs. Cotton, and not far distant from Boscobel. At an early
hour in the morning, after a ride of five-and-twenty miles, they reached
Whiteladies;[a] and while the others enjoyed a short repose from their
fatigue, the king withdrew to an inner apartment, to prepare himself for
the character which he had been advised to assume. His hair was cut
close to the head, his hands and face were discoloured, his clothes were
exchanged for the coarse and threadbare garments of a labourer, and a heavy
wood-bill in his hand announced his pretended employment. At sunrise the
few admitted to the secret took their leave of

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1651. Sept.]

him with tears, and, summoning their companions to horseback, rode away,
they scarcely knew whither but with the cheering hope that they should draw
the attentio