Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
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A67220
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Claustrum regale reseratum, or, The Kinges concealment at Trent published by A.W.
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Wyndham, Anne.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing W3772; ESTC R34100
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16,571
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51
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cunning till the blessed Restauration of his Majesty to his glorious Throne so filled their hearts with joy that it broke open the door of their lips and let their tongue loose to tell this Miracle to the amazed World would were not the Persons yet alive and the Story fresh in memory rarifie it into a Romance The reproaches and scandals by which some envious persons have sought to diminish and vilifie the faithful services which the Colonel out of the integrity of his soul performed unto his Majesty shall not here be mentioned Because by taking up dirt to bespatter him they defile their own hands and the gun they level at his Reputation recoils to the wounding of their own These things thus premised by way of Introduction open the Gate through which you may enter and in the ensuing Pages as in several Tables take a full view of the Particulars The Disguise his Majesty put on secured him from the Cruelty of his Enemies but could not altogether hide him from the prying eyes of his dutiful Subjects For in the time of his stay at Leigh one John Pope then Butler to Sir George Norton but formerly a Soldier for the King in the West through all those clouds espied the most Illustrious Person of the King With him his Majesty after he saw himself discovered was pleased familiarly to discourse And speaking of the great Sufferings of very many of his Friends in the Western parts most whereof were well known to Pope his Majesty enquired if he knew Colonel Francis Wyndham who in the time of the late Wars was Governor of Dunster-Castle Very well Sir answered Pope The King then demanding what was become of him Pope replies That the Colonel had married Mrs Anne Gerard one of the daughters and heiresses of Thomas Gerard Esq late of Trent in Somersetshire and that he had newly brought thither his Mother the Lady Wyndham his Wife and family and that he believed the Colonel intended there to reside and live His Majesty having received this intelligence concerning the Colonel together with an exact information of the scituation of Trent sought an opportunity to speak with Mrs Lane from whom the better to conceal himself he then kept at a distance and by means of Mr Lassels who accompanied the King in this journey obteining his desire his Majesty with much contentment imparted to Mrs Lane what Pope had informed him concerning Colonel Wyndham and his habitation telling her withall That if she could bring him thither he should not much doubt of his safety In this very point of time comes the Lord Henry Wilmot since Earl of Rochester from Dirham in Gloucestershire the seat of John Winter Esq a person of known loyalty and integrity to Leigh My Lord had attended his Majesty in his passage Westward and on Friday morning September the 13. met accidentally Captain Thomas Abington of Dowdswell in the County of Gloucester at Pinbury Park and being known by the Captain who had served under his Lordship in the Wars was that night by him conducted to Mr Winter 's from whom his Lordship as he hath often since acknowledged received great Civilities Mrs Lane presently reveals to the Lord Wilmot the Kings resolution to remove to Trent whereupon my Lord demanded of Henry Rogers Mr Winter's servant and his Lordships guide from Dirham to Leigh whether he knew Trent He answered That Colonel Wyndham and his Master had married two Sisters and that he had often waited on his Master thither These things so happily concurring his Majesty commanded the Lord Wilmot to haste to Trent and to ascertain the Colonel of his speedy Approach His Lordship took leave and continuing Rogers for his guide with one Robert Swan arrived at Trent the sixteenth of September Rogers was sent in forthwith to the Colonel to acquaint him that a Gentleman a friend of his desired the favour of him that he would please to step forth and speak with him The Colonel enquiring of Rogers whether he knew the Gentleman or his business answered No he understood nothing at all but only that he was called by the name of Mr. Morton Then without further discourse the Colonel came forth and found the Gentleman walking near the Stable whom as soon as he approached although it was somewhat dark he saluted by the Title of My Lord Wilmot His Lordship seemed to wonder that he should be known but it was nothing strange considering the Colonels former acquaintance with him being one of the first that engaged under his Command in his late Majesties service Besides his Lordship was not in the least altered except a Hawk on his fist and a Lure by his side might pass for a Disguise This Confidence of his Lordship really begat admiration in the Colonel calling to mind the great danger he was in and whose Harbinger he was For he advertised the Colonel that the King himself was on his way to Trent intending that very night to lodge at Castle-Cary a Town six miles thence hoping by Gods assistance to be with him about ten of the clock next morning At this joyful news the Colonel was transported there having run a report that his Majesty was slain in the Fight at Worcester and giving God thanks for his wonderful mercy he assured his Lordship That for his Majesties preservation he would value neither his life family nor fortune and would never injure his Majesties confidence of him Not doubting but that God who had led his Majesty through the midst of such inexpressible dangers would deliver him from all those barbarous threats and bloody intentions of his Enemies With these and such like expressions the Colonel brought the Lord Wilmot into his parlour where he received an exact account of his Majesties condition and present affairs Next morning the Colonel found it necessary to acquaint the Lady Wyndham his mother and also his own Lady with the particulars the Lord Wilmot had over-night imparted to him concerning the King The relation he gave them did not through the weakness of their sex bring upon them any womanish passion but surprized with joy they most cheerfully resolve without the least shew of fear to hazard all for the safety of the King And so begging Gods blessing upon their future endeavours they contrive how his Majesty might be brought into the house without any suspition to their family consisting of above twenty persons Among them therefore Mrs Julian Coningsby the Lady Wyndham's Neece Elianor Withers Joan Halsenoth and Henry Peters whose loy alty to the King and fidelity to themselves they had sufficiently experienced are made privy to their design Next they consider what Chambers are fittest for his Majesties reception Four are made choice of amongst which the Lady Wyndham's was counted most convenient for the day-time where the servants might wait with most freedom upon his Majesty Then a safe place is provided to retreat unto in case of search or imminent danger And lastly Employments are designed to remove
all others out of the way at the instant of his Majesties arrival All which after a while answered their desires even beyond their expectation Between nine and ten the next morning the Colonel and his Lady walking towards the fields adjoining to the house espied the King riding before Mrs Lane and Mr Lassels in their company Assoon as his Majesty came near the Colonel He called to him Frank Frank 〈◊〉 how dost thou do By which gracious pleasance the Colonel perceived that though his Majesties habit and countenance were much changed yet his Heroick spirit was the same and his mind immutable The Colonel to avoid the jealous eyes of some neighbours instantly conveyed the King and Mrs Lane into the Lady Wyndham's Chamber where the passions of Joy and Sorrow did a while combat in them who beheld his Sacred Person For what loyal Eye could look upon so Glorious a Prince thus eclypsed and not pay unto him the homage of tears But the consideration of his Majesties safety the gracious words of his own mouth confuting the sad reports of his untimely death together with the hope of his future preservation soon dried them up In al short time the Colonel brought the Lord Wilmot to the King and then the Ladies withdrew into the Parlour having first agreed to call Mrs Lane Cousin and to entertain her with the same familiarity as if she had been their near Relation That day she stayed at Trent and the next morning early Mr Lassels and she departed His Majesty after he had refreshed himself commanded the Colonel in the presence of the Lord Wilmot to propose What way he thought most probable for his Escape into France for thither he desired with all speed to be transported The Colonel the King giving him this opportunity entertained and encouraged his Majesty with this remarkable passage of Sir Thomas Wyndham his Father Who not long before his death in the Year 1636 called unto him his five Sons having not seen them together in some years before and discoursed unto us said he of the long Peace and Prosperity this Kingdom had enjoyed under its Three last Glorious Monarchs Of the the many Miseries and Calamities which lay sore upon our Ancestors by the several Invasions and Conquests of Forein Nations and likewise by Intestine Insurrections and Rebellions And notwithstanding the strange mutations and Changes in England He shewed how it pleased God in love to our Nation to preserve an undoubted Succession of Kings to sit in the Regal Throne He mentioned the healing Conjunction of the two Houses of York and Lancaster and the blessed Vnion of the two Crowns of England and Scotland stopping up those fountains of Blood which by National feuds and quarrels kept open had like to have drowned the whole Island He said he feared the beautiful garment of Peace would shortly be torn in pieces through the Neglect of Magistrates the general Corruption of manners and the prevalence of a Puritanical faction which if not prevented would undermine the very pillars of Government My sons We have hitherto seen serene and quiet Times but now prepare your selves for cloudy and troublesom I command you to honour and obey our Gracious Soveraign and in all times to adhere to the Crown and though the Crown should hang upon a Bush I charge you forsake it not These words being spoken with much earnestness both in gesture and manner extraordinary he arose from his chair and left us in a deep consultation what the meaning should be of The Crown hanging upon a Bush These words Sir said the Colonel made so firm an impression in all our breasts that the many afflictions of these sad Times cannot raze out their undelible characters Certainly these are the days which my Father pointed out in that Expression And I doubt not God hath brought me through so many dangers that I might shew my self both a dutiful Son and a loyal Subject in faithfully endeavouring to serve your Sacred Majesty in this your greatest Distress After this Rehearsal the Colonel in obedience to his Majesties command told the King That Sir John Strangways who had given many testimonies of his loyalty having two Sons both of them Colonels for his Royal Father lived but four miles from Trent That he was a person of great fortune and interest in Dorsetshire and therefore he supposed that either Sir John or his Sons might be serviceable to his Majesties occasions The King in prosecution of this proposal commanded the Colonel to wait on them and accordingly the next morning he went over to Melbury the place where Sir John dwelt No sooner was he come thither but he met with Colonel Giles Strangways and after usual salutations they walked into the Park adjoyning to the house where Colonel Wyndham imparted the reason and end of his present Visit Colonel Strangways his answer was That he was infinitely grieved because he was not able to serve his Majesty in procuring a Vessel according to expectation That he knew not any one Master of a Ship or so much as one Mariner that he could trust All that were formerly of his acquaintance in Weymouth being for their loyalty banished and gone beyond the sea and in Pool and Lime he was a meer stranger having not one Confident in either A hundred pounds in Gold he delivered to Colonel Wyndham to present to the King which at his return by command was deposited in the hands of the Lord Wilmot for his Majesties use About this time the Forces under Cromwell were retreated from Worcester into the several Quarters of the Country some of which coming to Trent proclaimed the Overthrow of the Kings Army and the Death of the King giving out that he was certainly killed And one of them affirmed that he saw him dead and that he was buried among the rest of the slain no injury being offered to his body because he was a Valiant Soldier and a Gallant man This welcome News so tickled the Sectaries that they could not hold from expressing their joy by making Bonfires firing of Guns Drinking and other jollities And for a close of all to the Church they must and there ring the Kings knell These rude Extravagancies moved not his Majesty at all but onely as if he were more troubled for their madness than his own misfortune to this most Christian and compassionate Expression Alas poor people Now though the King valued not the menaces of his proud Enemies being confident they could do him no hurt yet he neglected not to try the faithfulness of his Friends to convey him out of their reach Thus the former design proving unsuccessful and all hope of Transfretation that way being laid aside the Colonel acquainted his Majesty that one Captain William Ellesden of Lime formerly well known unto him with his Brother John Ellesden by means of Colonel Bullen Reymes of Wadden in Dorsetshine had conveyed over into France Sir John Berkley now Lord Berkley in a time of