or diplomatic William of Orange
had arranged that no opportunity should be lost for James to
make use of a passport which the Duke of Berwick had obtained
for "a certain gentleman and two servants." James's movements,
therefore, were hampered in no way. But the King, ever suspicious,
planned his escape from Rochester with the greatest caution and
secrecy, and many of his most attached and loyal adherents were
kept in ignorance of his final departure. James's little court
consisted of the Earls of Arran, Lichfield, Middleton, Dumbarton,
and Ailesbury, the Duke of Berwick, Sir Stephen Fox, Major-General
Sackville, Mr. Grahame, Fenton, and a few others.

On the evening of the King's flight the company dispersed as was
customary, when Ailesbury intimated, by removing his Majesty's
stockings, that the King was about to seek his couch. The Earl
of Dumbarton retired with James to his apartment, who, when the
house was quiet for the night, got up, dressed, and "by way of
the back stairs," according to the Stuart Papers, passed "through
the garden, where Macdonald stayed for him, with the Duke of
Berwick and Mr. Biddulph, to show him the way to Trevanion's
boat. About twelve at night they rowed down to the smack, which
was waiting without the fort at Sheerness. It blew so hard right
ahead, and ebb tide being done before they got to the Salt Pans,
that it was near six before they got to the smack. Captain Trevanion
not being able to trust the officers of his ship, they got on
board the _Eagle_ fireship, commanded by Captain Welford,
on which, the wind and tide being against them, they stayed till
daybreak, when the King went on board the smack." On Christmas
Day James landed at Ambleteuse.

Thus the old town of Rochester witnessed the departure of the
last male representative of the Stuart line who wore a crown.
Twenty-eight years before, every window and gable end had been
gaily bedecked with many coloured ribbons, banners, and flowers
to welcome in the restored monarch. The picturesque old red brick
"Restoration House" still stands to carry us back to the eventful
night when "his sacred Majesty" slept within its walls upon his
way from Dover to London--a striking contrast to "Abdication
House," the gloomy abode of Sir Richard Head, of more melancholy
associations.

Much altered and modernised, this old mansion also remains. It
is in the High Street, and is now, or was recently, occupied as a
draper's shop. Here may be see