first news of the king's escape to the
princess of Orange. Charles gave him for his coat of arms, by the name of
Carlos, an oak in a field, or, with a fesse, gules, charged with three
royal crowns, and for his crest a crown of oak leaves, with a sword and
sceptre, crossed saltierwise.--Boscobel, 85.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 1651. Sept. 7.]

that he gladly accepted the offer of Humphrey's horse from the mill; nor
did the appearance of the monarch disgrace that of the steed. He wore a
coat and breeches of coarse green cloth, both so threadbare that in many
places they appeared white, and the latter "so long that they came down to
the garter;" his doublet was of leather, old and soiled; his shoes were
heavy and slashed for the ease of his feet; his stockings of green yarn had
been much worn, were darned at the knees, and without feet; and an old grey
steeple-crowned hat, without band or lining, with a crooked thorn stick,
completed the royal habiliments. The six brothers attended him with arms;
two kept in advance, two followed behind, and one walked on each side. He
had not gone far before he complained to Humphrey of the heavy jolting pace
of the horse. "My liege," replied the miller, "you do not recollect that he
carries the weight of three kingdoms on his back."

At Moseley, cheered by the company of Wilmot, and the attention of
Whitgrave and his chaplain, Mr. Hudlestone,[1] he recovered his spirits,
fought the battle of Worcester over again, and declared that, if he could
find a few thousand men who had the courage to stand by him, he would not
hesitate to meet his enemies a second time in the field. A new plan of
escape was now submitted to his approbation. The daughter of Colonel Lane,
of Bentley, had obtained from the governor of Stafford a pass to visit Mrs.

[Footnote 1: Mr. Whitgrave had served as lieutenant, Hudlestone as
gentleman volunteer in the armies of Charles I. The latter was of the
family at Hutton John, in Cumberland. Leaving the service, he took orders,
and was at this time a secular priest, living with Mr. Whitgrave. He
afterwards became a Benedictine monk, and was appointed one of the queen's
chaplains.]

Norton, a relation near Bristol. Charles consented to assume the character
of her servant, and Wilmot departed on the following night to make
arrangements for his reception. In the mean time, to guard against a
surprise, Hudlestone constantly attended the king; Whitgrave occasionally
left the house t