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Anecdotes, Memoirs, &c.

EXTRAORDINARY ANECDOTE

OF CHARLES THE SECOND.

HE King, when at Bruffels, being defirous

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and refolved to fee his filler the Princefs of Orange, but withal under a neceffity to make the journey with the utmoft fecrecy, did communicate his defign to no perfon whatfoever. He ordered

Fleming, (a fervant of the Earl of Wigton) who was in his fervice, and of whofe fidelity he neither then nor ever after did doubt, fecretly to provide a couple of good horfes, and have them ready at a certain place and time of the next enfuing night, by his Majefty appointed: that Fleming, with thefe horfes, fhould remain alone till he heard from the King.

At the time appointed, the King (having gone to bed, and afterwards dreffed himself, and privately gone out of a back door, and leaving only a letter to fome one of his fervants in whom he confided, with an account of his having gone from them for a few days, and with directions to keep his abfence as fecret as poffible, under pretence of being indifpofed) came to the place: there he found Fleming with the horses, as he had directed. He then acquainted Fleming of his defign of going to the Hague; and not regarding the hazards he might be expofed to, away he went with his flender equipage and attendance, travelling through the moft fecret bye-ways, and contriving it fo, that he came to the Hague by fix in the morning, and alighted at a scrub inn in a remote part of the town, where he was confident none would know him under the difguife he was then in. He immediately fent Fleming to acquaint his fifter where he was, and to leave it to her to contrive the way and manner of his having access to her, fo as not to be known.

Fleming having difpatched his commiffion in a very fhort time, (lefs than an hour) was no fooner returned to the King, (finding him in the room. where he had left him, and where he had been ftill alone) than an unknown perfon came and afked

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afked of the landlord, if two Frenchmen had not alighted at his houfe that morning? The landlord replied, that indeed two men had come, but of what country he knew not. The ftranger defired him to tell them he wanted to speak to them; which he having done, the King was much furprized, but withal inclined to fee the perfon.Fleming oppofed it; but the King being pofitive, the person was introduced, being an old reverendlike man, with a long beard and ordinary grey cloaths; who looking and fpeaking to the perfon of the King, told him he was the perfon he wanted to speak to, and that all alone, on matters of importance. The King believing it might perhaps be a return from his fifter, or being curious to know the refult of fuck an adventure, defired Fleming to withdraw; which he refufed, till the King taking him afide, told him there could be no hazard from fuch an old man, for whom he was too much, and commanded him to retire.

They were no fooner alone, than the stranger bolted the door, (which brought the King to think on what might or would happen) and at the fame time falling upon his knees, pulled off his very nice and artificial mafk, and difcovered himself to be Mr. Downing, (afterwards well known by the name of Sir George, and Ambaffador from the

King to the States, after his reftoration) then Envoy or Ambaffador from Cromwell to the States, being the fon of one Downing, an Independent Minifter, who attended fome of the Parliamentmen who were once fent to Scotland to treat with the Scots to join against the King, and who was a very active virulent enemy to the Royal Family, as appears from Lord Clarendon's History.

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The King, you may easily imagine, was not a little furprized at the difcovery: but Downing gave him no time for reflection, having immediately fpoke to him in the following manner:That he humbly begged his Majefty's pardon for any share or part he had acted during the rebellion against his Royal intereft; and affured him, that though he was juft now in the fervice of the Ufurper, he wifhed his Majefty as well as any of his fubjects; and would, when an occafion offered, venture all for his fervice; and was hopeful, what he was to fay would convince his Majefty of his fincerity: but before he mentioned the caufe of his coming to him, he muft infill that his Majefty would folemnly promife to him not to mention what had happened, to Fleming, or any other perfon whatsoever, until it pleafed God his Majefty was reftored to his crowns, when he fhould not have reafon to defire it to be concealed; though