situation. These artifices soon produced the intended effect. Charles,
who was naturally apt to be swayed by counsel, and who had not then
access to any good counsel, took suddenly a resolution of withdrawing
himself, though without any concerted, at least, any rational scheme for
the future disposal of his person. Attended only by Sir John Berkeley,
Ashburnham, and Leg, he privately left Hampton court; and his escape
was not discovered till near an hour after; when those who entered his
chamber, found on the table some letters directed to the parliament, to
the general, and to the officer who had attended him.[**]

* Clarendon, vol. v. p. 76.

** Rush. vol. viii. p 871.

All night he travelled through the forest, and arrived next day at
Tichfield, a seat of the earl of Southampton's, where the countess
dowager resided, a woman of honor, to whom the king knew he might safely
intrust his person. Before he arrived at this place, he had gone to the
sea-coast; and expressed great anxiety that a ship which he seemed to
look for, had not arrived; and thence, Berkeley and Leg, who were not
in the secret, conjectured that his intention was to transport himself
beyond sea.

The king could not hope to remain long concealed at Tichfield: what
measure should next be embraced, was the question. In the neighborhood
lay the Isle of Wight, of which Hammond was governor. This man was
entirely dependent on Cromwell. At his recommendation, he had married
a daughter of the famous Hambden, who during his lifetime had been an
intimate friend of Cromwell's, and whose memory was ever respected
by him. These circumstances were very unfavorable: yet, because the
governor was nephew to Dr. Hammond, the king's favorite chaplain, and
had acquired a good character in the army, it was thought proper to
have recourse to him in the present exigence, when no other rational
expedient could be thought of. Ashburnham and Berkeley were despatched
to the island. They had orders not to inform Hammond of the place where
the king was concealed, till they had first obtained a promise from him
not to deliver up his majesty, though the parliament and the army should
require him; but to restore him to his liberty, if he could not protect
him. This promise, it is evident, would have been a very slender
security: yet, even without exacting it, Ashburnham imprudently, if not
treacherously, brought Hammond to Tichfield; and the king was obliged to
put him