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ENGLAND A COMMONWEALTH.-1649.

This was the sect of Quakers. The founder was George Fox, whc was born of poor parents, and bound apprentice to a shoemaker. He was never a student of books, but the great success of his preaching is a proof that he had studied human nature to some purpose.

CHAPTER CLXXIV.

England a Commonwealth.-Incident connected with the Siege of Pontefract Castle.-The Scots invite Prince Charles to be their King.— They are defeated at Dunbar by Cromwell.-Charles marches into England, and is defeated at Worcester.

1. THE first act of parliament, after the death of the king, was to abolish the house of lords, as being useless and dangerous. A new great seal of England was made, with this legend, as the inscription on a seal is called, "The first year of Freedom, by God's blessing, restored 1648." In 1633, an equestrian statue of brass had been erected in honor of King Charles. The parliament ordered this, which was the first equestrian statue set up in England, to be broken in pieces and sold for old brass. The state, under its new form of government, was called The Commonwealth of England.

2. It was made high treason, which is the highest crime against any government, to call Prince Charles by any other name than Charles Stuart. But some of his friends had the courage to print and distribute a paper proclaiming him King of England. Small bands of the royalists still maintained themselves in different parts of the country, chiefly in the fortified castles. These were all subdued, and the castles, for the most part, destroyed, to prevent their again becoming a source of annoyance. There is quite a romantic story told about the final capture and destruction of one of these.

3. Pontefract Castle had been taken and retaken more than once during the war, and in 1649 was held by a party of Nottinghamshire gentlemen, who valiantly defended themselves. Cromwell himself had gone to Ireland, from which quarter the English had reason to apprehend the most danger, since the Irish were almost all royalists. He therefore sent Lambert, one of his generals, to reduce Pontefract Castle. The garrison were soon obliged to solicit terms; and Lambert agreed that, on giving up the castle, all the garrison should have leave to depart in safety, six persons excepted, whose names he mentioned, who, having been particularly active against the parliament, must be put to death.

4. The garrison could not bear the thought of giving up any of their brother soldiers to certain destruction, and demanded of Lambert that they might have six days allowed them before they surrendered

CLXXIV.-1. What did parliament do after the king's death? called? What of the royalists? 3. What of Pontefract Castie?

What was the state 7. Who supported

BATTLE OF DUNBAR.-1650.

325

the castle; during which it should be permitted for their six companions to use any honorable means of making their escape. Lambert granted their desire, saying that he knew these six persons to be brave and gallant gentlemen, and that, if he might, he would gladly save them all.

5. During the first four days the garrison made frequent sallies, and four of the six contrived to effect their escape. Sir Hugh Cartwright and one other remained behind; and they, being unwilling to expose any more of the lives of their friends, contrived another way of saving themselves. They found a convenient nook amongst the walls, where they caused themselves to be walled up with a month's provisions, trusting to the hope that the king's troops would retake the castle in that time.

6. The rest of the garrison then sent word to Lambert that they were ready to surrender. When they had left the castle, Lambert, luckily for the two immured heroes, destroyed the castle, and left the place in ruins. Sir Hugh and his companion, after ten days, finding all quiet, left their hiding-place, and made their escape.

7. It might naturally be expected that the Irish, who were for the most part Roman Catholics, should be opposed to the parliament; but this body was also opposed to the Scottish Presbyterians, who refused to acknowledge the English republic, and, resolving to adhere to the monarchy, invited Charles to take possession of the throne; but upon such hard conditions that his best friends counselled him not to make such sacrifices for the empty title of king. But Charles, who entertained, probably, the dishonest intention of breaking his promise as soon as his power was established, agreed to everything, and went to Scotland.

8. He found his situation in that country comfortless enough. He was treated with none of the respect usually paid to a sovereign, and was, indeed, little better than a helpless prisoner ir the hands of merciless tormentors. He was naturally of a lively disposition, and delighted only in gayety; but he was not allowed to enter into any kind of amusements, and was harassed from morning till night by the covenanters, who sought, by dint of sermons and exhortations, to convert him to their faith.

9. Under these circumstances, he was secretly rejoiced to learn that Cromwell, who in a few months had reduced Ireland to subjection, was now advancing with a powerful army to drive him from his uneasy throne. Cromwell posted himself at Dunbar, where he was attacked on September 3d, 1650, by the Scots under General Leslie. Though twice as numerous as the English, these met with a terrible defeat, and Cromwell would soon have made himself entire master of the kingdom, had he not been attacked with a violent fit of illness, and obliged to return to England.

10. But the next year he again entered Scotland, and advanced so far into the country as to leave the army of the royalists between himself and England. Charles, seeing the road to England open,

the rights of Prince Charles? 8. What of Charles' situation in Scotland? 9. When and where was the battle between the Scots and English fought? 10. What bold project did

326

DEFEAT OF THE ROYALISTS AT WORCESTER.-1651.

formed the bold resolution of marching forward into that country. believing that he should there be joined by all his friends. But he was deceived in this hope, and he arrived at Worcester with only his 14,000 Scots.

11. Cromwell, when he found that Charles had slipped by him, left his army in Scotland under the command of General Monk, and followed him with all possible expedition, calling upon the people of the country through which he passed to join him in repelling the invaders. The call was promptly obeyed, so that by the time he reached Worcester he mustered a considerable force. The next day, September 3d, 1651, he surrounded the town with his troops, and, attacking the royal army, soon destroyed it.

1. AFTER a desperate resistance, Charles was forced to seek safety in flight, and he did not stop till he reached Whiteladies, a house twenty-six miles from Worcester, on the borders of Shrop

Charles form? 11. What did Cromwell do? When and where were Charles' troopz lefeated?

ADVENTURES OF CHARLES II.-1651.

327

shire and Staffordshire, and occupied by a staunch royalist named George Penderill. The prince met with a most kind reception; but it was thought that he would be safer at a place called Boscobel, situated about a mile distant on a wild hilly common, where lived Richard Penderill, a brother of George's.

2. Richard was sent for, and soon arrived. What followed we will give in the words of the narrative, which was published in the king's name after his restoration. "Richard was no sooner come in than he was called upon to make haste and bring his best clothes, which were a jump and breeches of green, coarse cloth, and a doeskin leather doublet; the hat was borrowed of Humphrey Penderill the miller, being an old gray one, that turned up its brims; the shirt, which in that country language they called hurden, of cloth that is made of the coarsest of the hemp, was had of one Edward Martin, George's band, and William Creswell's shoes, which the king, having unstripped himself of his own clothes, did nimbly put

on.

3. "His buff coat and linen doublet, and a gay pair of breeches, which he wore before, were buried in the ground. The jewels off his arm he gave to one of the lords who attended him. Then Richard came with a pair of shears and rounded the king's hair, which my Lord Wilmot having before cut with a knife, had untowardly notched; and the king was pleased to take notice of his good barbering, so as to prefer his work before my Lord Wilmot's; and now his majesty was à la mode the woodman."

4. Taking an axe in his hand, Charles proceeded to a neighboring wood, where he passed the day without being discovered by the enemy's troops, who had come to Whiteladies in search of him. At nightfall he went to Boscobel, where he ate a hearty supper, and then started for Wales, whence he hoped to escape into France. But after one night and day spent in a barn at Madeby, he returned to Boscobel. Here he found Colonel Careless, who had been his companion in arms at Worcester.

5. Being told that it was dangerous for them either to remain in the house or to go again into the wood, they both mounted into a large oak. This tree had been lopped three or four years before, and being grown out very bushy and thick, could not be seen through; but the fugitives could see the soldiers passing backward and forward, searching for them. Notwithstanding his perilous situation, Charles enjoyed a good nap, resting his head in the colonel's lap. When he awoke he was very hungry, and his friend regaled him with some bread and cheese, which Penderill's provident dame had not forgotten.

6. It was not deemed safe for Charles to remain long in one part of the country; accordingly, at night, on the 7th of September, he set out for Morseby. His feet were so bruised and galled that he could not walk; so Humphrey, the miller, mounted him on his mill-horse, and thus he made his journey in safety. On the 9th he went to the

CLXXV.-1. Whither did Charles fly after his defeat at Worcester? 2, 3, 4. Relate what took place while he remained at Boscobel. In what did he find refuge during part

328

SUCCESSFUL WAR WITH HOLLAND.—1652.

house of Colonel Lane, a steady royalist, whose wife, Mrs. Jane Lane, had some time before obtained permission from the parliament's general, to proceed with a servant to Leigh, near Bristol.

7. It was arranged that Charles should act the servant. Accordingly, early on the 10th, having put on a suit of country gray cloth, and taking the name of William Jackson, he set out on horseback, with Mrs. Lane on a pillion behind him. They stayed that night at the house of Mr. Tombs, at Long-Maston. Will Jackson, of course, passed the evening in the kitchen. The cook, a great rough countrywoman, told him to wind up the roasting-jack for her.

8. This was novel work for Charles, and he set about his task in such a blundering way, that the cook exclaimed to him in a passion, "What countryman are you, that you know not how to wind up a jack?" The king answered, with all appearance of humility, that he was a poor Staffordshire lad; that they seldom had roast meat at home, and that when they had, they did not make use of a jack.

9. On the 12th they arrived safely at Leigh. Upon the pretence that he was sick of an ague, a better chamber was provided for Will Jackson than servants are usually treated with; and some of the best meat, a matter about which he seems to have been by no means indifferent, was sent to him from the master's table.

10. We have not space to relate all Charles' romantic adventures and hair-breadth escapes between this time and the 15th of October, when he succeeded in embarking at Shoreham in a small vessel, from which he was landed the next day in Normandy. During his wandering he was obliged to confide in a large number of persons, both of high and low degree; but not one of them violated this confidence, notwithstanding an enormous sum of money was promised by parliament to any person who would arrest him, and the most severe punishment threatened to be inflicted upon all who should assist in concealing him.

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

Success of the English in a War with Holland.-Cromwell makes himself sole Ruler.-Curious Names adopted by the Puritans.

1. WHILE Charles was wandering about, an unhappy fugitive, the party in power went on triumphantly. Monk was successful in Scotland; Ireton held everything quiet in Ireland. The fleets under Admirals Blake and Ayscue kept off foreign invaders, and reduced to obedience the colonies in America and the West Indies. The country was now in a condition to demand redress for the injuries and insults that had been received from foreign states.

of the time? 6. Relate the particulars of his escape from Boscobel. Wnat happened him till his final escape from the country?