but lent him ten pounds and conducted him and his company safe to Worcester The next day after His Majesty arrival at Worcester being Saturday the 23. of August He was Proclaimed King of Great Britain France and Ireland by Mr. Thomas Lisens Mayor and Mr. James Bridges Sheriff of that Loyal City with great acclamations On the same day His Majesties sent abroad a Declaration Given at His City of Worcester summoning upon their Alleageance All the neighboring Nobility Gentry and others from sixteen to sixty to appear in their persons and with Horse and Armes at Pitchcroft on the Tuesday following where His Majesty would be present Upon Sunday 24. August Mr. Crosby an eminent Divine of that City preach'd before His Majesty in the Cathedral Church And in his Prayer styled His Majesty Supreme head over all persons in his Dominions At which some of the Scots took exception and Mr. Crosby was afterwards admonish'd to forbear such expressions Tuesday the 26. of August was a Rendevouz in Pitchcroft neer the City of such Loyal Subjects of that and the adjacent Counties as would come in to His Majesties aid Here appeared Francis Lord Talbot now Earl of Shrewsbury with about sixty horse Mr. Mervin Touchet Sir John Packington Sir Walter Blount Sir Ralph Clare Mr. Ralph Sheldon of Beoly Mr. John Washburn of Witchingford with forty horse Mr. Thomas Hornyold of Blackmore park with forty horse Mr. Tho. Acton Mr. Rob. Blount of Kenswick Mr. Rob Wigmore of Lucton Mr. Francis Knotsford Mr. Peter Blount and divers others Notwithstanding which access the number of His Majesties Army both English and Scots was conceiv'd not to exceed 12000. men viz. ten thousand Scots and about 2000. English and those too not excellently Arm'd nor plentifully stored with Ammunition Mean time Cromwell that grand Patron of Sectaries had amass'd together a numerous Body of Rebels commanded by himself in cheif and by the Lord Grey of Groby Fleetwood Lambert under him consisting of above thirty thousand Men being generally the Scum and Froth of the whole Kingdome One part of which were Sectaries who through a Fanatique zeal were become Devotes to this great Idol The other part seduc'd persons who either by force or fear were unfortunately made Actors or participants in this so horrible and fatal a Tragedy Thus then began the Pickeerings to the grand Engagement Major General Massey with a commanded party being sent by His Majestie to secure the Bridge and Pass at Upton upon Severn 7. miles below Worcester On Thursday the 28. of August Lambert with a far greater number of Rebels attaq'd him and atter some dispute gain'd the Pass the river being then fordable Here the Major General behav'd himself very gallantly receiv'd a Shot in the hand from some Musketiers the Enemy had placed in the Church and retreated in good order to Worcester During this Encounter Cromwell himself whose Head-quarter was the night before at Pershore advanc'd to Stoughton within 4. miles of the City on the Southside and that Evening a Party of his horse faced it The next day August the 29. the Sultan appear'd with a great body of horse and foot on Redhil within a mile of Worcester where he made a Bonne mine but attempted nothing And that night his Head-quarters were at Judge Berkleys house at Speachley Saturday August 30. It was resolv'd by His Majesty a Council of War to give the Enemy a Camisado by beating up his Quarters that night with 1500. select horse and foot commanded by Major General Middleton and Sir William Keyth All of them wearing their Shirts over their Armor for distinction which accordingly was attempted and might in all probability have been successful had not the design been most traiterously discover'd to the Rebels by one Guyes a Tailor in the Town who was hang'd afterwards as the just reward of his treachery In this Action Major Knox was slain and some few taken Prisoners A considerable party of the Rebels commanded by Col. Lambert Col. Ingoldsby not yet a convert and Col. Gibbons being got over the Severn at Upton march'd the next day to Powick Town where they made an Halt for Powick-bridge lying upon the river Team between Powick Town Worcester was guarded by a Brigade of His Majesties horse and foot commanded by Major General Robert Montgomery and Col. George Keyth The fatal 3. of September being come His Majesty this morning holds a Council of War upon the top of the Colledge-churchsteeple the better to discover the Enemies posture Here His Majesty observ'd some firing at Powick and Cromwell making a bridge of boats over Severn under Bunshill a mile below the City towards Team mouth His Majesty presently goes down commands all to their Arms and marches in person to Powick bridge to give orders as well for maintaining that bridge as for opposing the making the other of boats and hasted back to his Army in the City Soon after His Majesty was gone from Powick bridge the Enemy assaulted it furiously which was well defended by Montgomery till himself was dangerously wounded and his Ammunition spent so that he was forced to make a disorderly retreat into Worcester And Col. Keyth was taken Prisoner at the Bridge At the same time Cromwell had with much celerity finisht his bridge of boats and plancks over the main river without any considerable opposition whereby he might communicate with those of his party at Powick bridge and was the first Man that led the rest over and then went back himself and rais'd a Battery of great guns against the Fort-royal on the South-side the City His Majesty being return'd from Poick bridge march'd with the Duke of Buckingham and some of His Cavalry through the City and out at Sudbury gate by the Fort-royal where the Rebels great shot came frequently neer His Sacred Person By this time Cromwell was got to an advantageous Post at Perry wood within a mile of the City swelling with pride and confident in the numbers of his men but Duke Hamilton formerly Lord Lanerick with his own Troop and some High-landers Sir Alexander Forbus with his Regiment of Foot and divers English Lords and Gentlemen voluntiers by His Majesties command and encouragement engaged him and did great execution upon his best men forced the great Sultan as the Rhodians in like case did the Turk to retreat with his Janizaries and were once Masters of his great Guns Here His Majesty gave an incomparable Example of valor to the rest by charging in Person which the High-landers especially imitated in a great measure fighting with the but-ends of their muskets when their Ammunition was spent but new Supplies of Rebels being continually poured upon them and the Scotch Horse not coming up in due time from the Town to His Majesties relief His Army was forced to retreat in at Sudbury gate in much disorder In this Action Duke Hamilton who fought valiantly was mortally wounded of which he dyed within few days Sir John
Charles ye 2d was proclaymed King of great Britain France Ireland at Worcester 23d Aug 1651. Boscobel OR THE HISTORY OF HIS Sacred Majesties Most miraculous Preservation After the Battle of WORCESTER 3. Sept. 1651. JOEL 1. 2. Hear this ye Old men and give ear all ye Inhabitants of the Land Has this been in your dayes or in the dayes of your Fathers LONDON Printed for Henry Seile Stationer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1660. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY SIR AMong the many Addresses which every day offers Your Sacred Majesty This humbly hopes Your particular gracious Acceptance since it has no other ambition then faithfully to represent to Your Majesty and by Your Royal permission to all the world the History of those miraculous Providences that preserv'd You in the Battle of Worcester conceal'd You in the Wilderness at Boscobel and led You on Your way towards a Land where You might safely expect the returning favours of Heaven which now after so long a tryal have graciously heard our Prayers and abundantly crown'd Your Patience And as in the conduct of a great part of this greatest Affair it pleased God the more to endear his mercies to make choice of many very little though fit Instruments So has my weakness by this happy President been encourag'd to hope it not unsuitable for me to relate what the wisest King thought proper for them to act wherein yet I humbly beg Your Majesties pardon being conscious to my self of my utter incapacity to expresse either Your unparallel'd Valour in the day of Contending or which is a vertue far less usual for Kings Your strong and even Mind in the time of Your Sufferings From which sublime Endowments of Your most Heroick Majesty I derive these comforts to my self That whoever undertakes to reach at Your Perfections must fall short as well as I though not so much And while I depend on Your Royal Clemency more than others I am more obliged to be Your Majesties Most Loyal Subject AND Most Humble Servant Tho. Blount TO THE READER BEhold I present you with an History of Wonders wonders so rare and great that as no former Age can parallel succeeding Times will scarce believe them Expect here to read the highest Tyranny and Rebellion that was ever acted by Subjects and the greatest hardships and persecutions that ever were suffer'd by a King yet did His Patience exceed His sorrows and His vertue at last became victorious Some particulars I confess are so superlatively extraordinary that I easily should fear they would scarce gain belief even from my modern Reader had I not this strong Argument to secure me That no ingenuous person will think me so frontless as knowingly to write an untruth in an History where His Sacred Majesty my dread Soveraign and the best of Kings bears the principal part and all the other persons concern'd in the same action except the Earl of Darby and Lord Wilmot still alive ready to poure out shame and confusion on so impudent a Forgery But I am so far from that foul crime of publishing what 's false that I can safely say I know not one line unauthentick such has been my care to be sure of the truth that I have diligently collected the particulars from most of their mouths who were the very Actors themselves in this Scene of Miracles To every individual person as far as my industry could arrive to know I have given the due of his merit be it for Valour Fidelity or whatever other quality that any way had the honour to relate to His Majesties service And though the whole Complex may want elegance and politeness of style which the Nature of such Relations does not properly challenge yet it cannot want Truth the chief ingredient for such Undertakings In which assurance I am not afraid to venture my self in your hands Read on and wonder Charles II. THE HISTORY OF HIS SACRED MAJESTIES Most miraculous preservation AFTER THE Battle of WORCESTER c. IT was in June in the year 1650. That CHARLES the Second undoubted heir of CHARLES the First of Glorious Memory King of Great Britain France and Ireland After his Royal Father had been Barbarously murder'd and Himself Banish'd his own Dominions by his own rebellious Subjects took Shipping at Scheevling in Holland and having escap'd great dangers at Sea arriv'd soon after at Spey in the North of Scotland On the first of January following His Majesty was Crown'd at Scoon and an Army raised in that Kingdome to invade this in hope to recover His Regalities here then most unjustly detain'd from him by some Members of the Long Parliament and Oliver Cromwell their General Who soon after most traiterously assum'd the Title of Protector of the new minted Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland The first of August 1651. His Majesty with His Army began His March into England and on the fifth of the same Month at His Royal Camp at Woodhouse near the Border publish'd His Gracious Declaration of General Pardon and Oblivion to all His loving Subjects of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales that would desist from assisting the Usurped Authority of the pretended Common-wealth of England and return to their obedience Except only Oliver Cromwell Henry Ireton John Bradshaw John Cook and all others who did actually sit and vote in the murder of His Royal Father His Majesty after the publication of this gracious Offer march'd his Army into Lancashire where He received some considerable Supplies from the Earl of Derby that Loyal subject and at Warrington Bridge met with the first opposition made by the Rebels in England but His Majesties presence soon put them to flight In this interim His Majesty had sent a Copy of His Declaration enclosed in a gracious Letter to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London which by order of the Usurpers then sitting at Westminster was on the 26. of August publickly burnt at the Old Exchange by the Hangman and their Declaration Proclaimed there and at Westminster by beat of Drum and sound of Trumpet by which His Sacred Majesty to whom they could afford no better title then Charls Stuart His Abettors Agents and Complices were Declared Traytors Rebels and publique Enemies Impudence and Treason beyond Example After a tedious March His Majesty with His Army arriv'd at Worcester on the 22. of August being near three hundred miles from S. Johnstons in Scotland having left the Earl of Darby in Lancashire as well to settle that and the adjacent Counties in a liam Penderel the house-keeper and his wife who to preserve so eminent a person adventur'd to receive my Lord and kept him in safety till Sunday night following when according to my Lords desire of going to Worcester he convey'd him to Mr. Humphry Elliots house at Gataker Park a true hearted Royalist which was about nine miles on the way from Boscobel thither Mr. Elliot did not onely freely entertain the Earl
Douglas also received his deaths wound and Sir Alexander Forbus was Shot through both the calves of his legs lay in the wood all night and was brought a prisoner to Worcester the next day The Rebels in this Encounter had great advantage as well in their numbers as by fighting both with horse and foot against His Majesties foot only the greatest part of His horse being wedg'd up in the Town and when the foot were defeated a part of His Majesties horse afterwards fought against both the Enemies horse and foot upon great disadvantage At Sudbury gate a Cart loaden with Ammunition was overthrown and lay cross the passage of the gate so that His Majesty could not ride into the Town but was forc'd to dismount and come in on foot In the Friers street His Majesty put off his Armor which was heavy and troublesome to him and took a fresh horse and then perceiving many of His Foot-souldiers begin to throw down their Arms and decline fighting His Majesty rod up and down among them sometimes with his hat in his hand entreating them to stand to their Arm 's and fight like Men other whiles encouraging them but seeing himself not able to prevail said I had rather you would shoot me then keep me alive to see the sad consequences of this fatal day Such was the magnaminity of this Prophetique King During this hot Engagement at Perry-wood and Red-hil the Rebels on the other side the Water possess'd themselves of S. Johns and those of His Majesties Army that were there without any great resistance laid down their Arms and submitted to mercy When some of the Enemy were entred and entring the Town both at the Key Castle hill and Sudbury gate without any Conditions Th' Earl of Cleveland Sir James Hamilton Col William Carlis then Major to the Lord Talbot Capt. Tho. Hornyold Capt. Tho. Giffard and Capt. Richard Kemble Captain Lieutenant to the Lord Talbot rallied what force they could though inconsiderable to the Rebels numbers and Charg'd the Enemy very gallantly at Sudbury gate and in the Street or that name Here Sir James and Capt. Kemble were desperately wounded and others slain yet this Action did much secure His Majesties march out at S. Martins gate who had otherwise been in danger of being taken in the Town About the same time Colonel Drummond with a Party of Scots maintain'd the Castle hill with much resolution till such time as Conditions were agreed on for Quarter So that the Rebels having at last subdued all their opponents fell to Plundring the City unmercifully few or none of the Citizens escaping but such as were Sectaries and of their party When His Majesty saw no hope of Rallying His thus discomfited foot He march'd out of Worcester at S. Martins gate about six of the Clock in the evening with his main Body of horse as then commanded by General David Lesley but were now in some confusion The Foot consisting most of Scots were almost all either slain or taken and such of them who in the Battle escaped death liv'd longer to dye for the most part more miserably many of them being afterwards knock'd o' the head by Country people some bought and sold like slaves for a small price others went begging up and down till Charity failing them their necessities brought upon them diseases and diseases death Before His Majesty was come to Barbon's bridge about half a mile out of Worcester He made several Stands faced about and desired the Duke of Buckingham Lord Wilmet and other of His Commanders that they might rally and try the fortune of War once more But at the Bridge a serious Consultation was held and then perceiving many of the Troopers to throw off their Arms and shift for themselves they were all of opinion the day was irrecoverably lost and that their only remaining work was to save His Majesty from those ravenous Wolves and Regicides Whereupon His Majesty by advise of His Council resolv'd to march for Scotland Immediately after this Result the Duke ask'd the Lord Talbot If he could direct the way Northwards His Lordship answer'd that he had one Walker in his Troop former Scout-master to Col Sands that knew the way well Who was accordingly call'd to be the Guide and perform'd that duty for some miles but being come to Kinver heath not far from Kederminster and day-light being gone Walker was at a puzzle in the way Here His Majesty made a Stand and consulted with the Duke Earl of Derby Lord Wilmot c. whether He might march at least to take some hours rest The Earl of Derby told His Majesty that in His flight from Wiggan to Worcester he had met with a perfect honest man and a great convenience of concealment at Boscobelhouse before mentioned but withall acquainted the King it was a Recusants house And it was suggested that those people being accustomed to persecution and searches were most like to have the readiest means and safest contrivances to preserve Him His Majesty therefore resolv'd to goe thither The Lord Talbot being made acquainted with His Majesties resolution and finding Walker dubious of the way called for Mr. Charles Giffard a faithful Subject and of the noble Family of Chillington to conduct His Majesty towards Boscobel which office Mr. Giffard willingly undertook having one Yates a servant with him very expert in the wayes of that Countrey and being come neer Sturbridge it was under consideration whether His Majesty should march through that Town or no and resolved in the affirmative and that all about His Person should speak French to prevent any discovery of His Majesties presence Mean time Lesley with the Scottish Horse had in the close of the Evening taken the more direct way North-ward by Newport His Majesty being left onely attended by the Duke of Buckingham Earl of Derby Earl of Lauderdail Lord Talbot Lord Wilmot Colonel Thomas Blague Colonel Edward Roscarrock Mr. Marmaduke Darcy Mr. Richard Lane Mr. William Armorer since Knighted Mr. Hugh May Mr. Charle Giffard Mr. Peter Street and some others in all about sixty Horse At a house about a mile beyond Sturbridge His Majesty drank and eat a crust of bread the house affording no better provision and as His Majesty rode on he discoursed with Col Roscarrock touching Boscobel-house and the security which the Earl of Darby and he found at that place Upon further consideration by His Majesty and Council and to the end the Company might not know whither His Majesty directly intended Mr. Giffard was required to conduct His Majesty to some house neere Boscobel the better to blind the design of going thither Mr. Giffard proposed Whiteladies another Seat of the Giffards lying about halfe a mile beyond Boscobel and 26. miles from Worcester and stil reteins its ancient name of Whiteladies from its having formerly been a Monastery of Cistertian Nuns whose habit was of that colour His Majesty and his Retinue being safely conducted to Whiteladies by Mr. Giffard alighted
now as they hop'd out of danger of any present surprise by pursuit George Pendrel who was a servant in the house opened the Dores and after His Majesty and the Lords were entered the House His Majestes Horse was brought into the Hall and by this time it was about break of day on Thursday morning Here every one was in a sad consult how to escape the fury of bloud-thirsty Enemies but the greatest solicitude was to save the King who was both hungry and tired with this long and hasty March Col. Roscarrock presently caused Barthol Martin a boy in the House to be sent to Boscobel for William Penderel and Mr. Charles Giffard sent also for Richard Penderel who lived near hand at Hobbal Grange they both came forthwith to Whiteladies and were brought into the Parlour to the Earl of Derby who immediately took them into the inner Parlour where the King was and told William Penderel in particular This is the King pointing at His Majesty thou must have a care of Him and preserve Him as thou didst me to which commands William yielded ready obedience and Mr. Giffard and also much conjure Richard to have an especial care of his Charge Whilst William and Richard were thus sent for His Majesty had been advised to rub his hands on the back of the Chimney and with them his face in order to a disguise and some person had cut off his Locks of hair His Majesty having put off his blue Ribband Buff-coat and other Princely ornaments put on a noggen course shirt of Edward Martins who lived in the House and Richard Penderels green Suit and Leather Doublet but had not time to be so exactly disguised as he was afterwards for both William and Richard Penderel did advertise the company to make haste away in regard there was a Troop of Rebels commanded by Colonel Ashenhurst quarter'd at Cotsal but three miles distant some of which Troop came to the House within half an hour after the Company were gone Richard Penderel conducted the King out at a back dore unknown to most of the Company except some of the Lords and Colonel Roscarrock who waited on His Majesty into the backside and there with sad hearts took leave of him and carried him into an adjacent wood belonging to Boscobel call'd Spring Coppice about half a mile from Whiteladies William Humphry and George scouting abroad and bringing what news they could learn to His Majesty in the wood as occasion required His Majesty being thus as they hoped in a way of security the Duke Earl of Derby Earl of Lauderdail Lord Talbot and the rest having for their guide Mr. Charles Giffard and being then not above 40. horse of which number His Majesties pad-nag was one rode by Mr. Richard Lane one of the Groom's of His Majesties bed-chamber march'd from Whiteladies Northward by the way of Newport in hope to overtake or meet General Lesley with the main Body of Scotch horse As soon as they were got into the Road the Lord Leviston who commanded His Majesties life guard overtook them pursued by a party of Rebels the Lords with their Followers faced about and repeld them but when they came a little beyond Newport some of Lilburn's men met them in the Front other Rebels from Worcester pursued them in the Rear themselves and horses being sufficiently tired the Earl of Derby Earl of Lauderdail Mr. Charles Giffard and some others were taken and carried prisoners first to Whitchurch and from thence to an Inn in Bunbury where Mr. Giffard found means to make an escape but the noble Earl of Derby was carried to Westchester and there tryed by a pretended Court Martial held the first of October 1651. by vertue of a Commission from Cromwel grounded on an execrable Rump-Act of the 12. of August then last past the very title whereof cannot be mentioned without horror but it pretended most traiterously to prohibit correspondence with CHARLES STUART their lawful Soveraign under penalty of high Treason loss of life and estate Prodigious Rebels In this black Tribunal there sate as Judges these persons and under these titles Col. Humphry Mackworth who was plac'd in the Sella Curulis President Major General Mitton Col. Robert Duckenfield Col. Henry Bradshaw Col. Thomas Croxton Col. George Twisleton Lieu. Col. Henry Birkinhead Lieu. Col. Simon Finch Lieu. Col. Alex. Newton Capt. James Stepford Capt. Samuel Smith Capt. John Downes Capt. Vincent Corbet Capt. John Delves Capt. John Griffith Capt. Tho. Portington Capt. Edward Alcock Capt. Ralph Pownall Capt. Rich. Grantham Capt. Edw. Stelfax This was the Authority and some of these the persons that condemned this noble Earl to death notwithstanding his just Plea That he had Quarter given him by one Captain Edge who took him Prisoner But this could not obtain Justice nor any Intercession mercy So that on the 15. of October He was executed at Boulton in Lancashire in a most barbarous and inhumane manner The Earl of Lauderdail with divers others were carryed prisoners to Windsor castle where they continued many years Whilst the Rebels were plundring these noble persons the Duke with the Lord Leviston Col. Blague Mr. Marmaduke Darcy and Mr. Hugh May forsook the road and betook themselves to a by-way and got into Chessardine woods not far from Nâ—wport where they receiv'd some refreshment at a little obscure house and afterwards met with two honest Laborers in an adjoining wood to whom they commmunicated the exigent and distresse which the fortune of war had reduc'd them to and finding them like to prove faithful the Duke thought fit to imitate his Royal Master quitted his horse delivered his George which was given him by the Queen of England to Mr. May who preserved it through all difficulties and after restor'd it to his Grace in Holland and chang'd habit with one of the Workmen and in this disguise was convey'd by one Nich. Mathews a Carpenter to the house of Mr. Hawley an hearty Cavalier at Bilstrop in Nottingamshire from thence to the Lady Villiers house at Brooksby in Leicestershire and after many hardships and encounters his Grace got secure to London and from thence to His Majesty in France At the same time the Lord Leviston Col. Blague Mr. Darcy and Mr. May all quitted their horses severally shifted for themselves and most of them through various dangers and sufferings contrived their escapes In particular Mr. May lay 21. dayes in a hay-mow belonging to one Bold an honest husband man who liv'd neer Chessardine Bold having all that time Rebel-souldiers quartered in his house yet faild not to give a constant relief to his more welcom Guest and when the Coast was clear of Souldiers Mr. May came to London on foot in a disguise The Lord Talbot seeing no hope of rallying hasted towards his Fathers house at Longford neer Newport where being arrived he convey'd his horse into a neighbours barn but was immediately pursued by the Rebels who found the horse sadled and by that concluded