CHAPTER III.
HOW THE KING RODE THE MILLER'S HORSE; AND HOW HE WAS ESCORTED DURINGHIS RIDE.
As it was not likely, after the strict search that had just takenplace, that another visit would be paid to Boscobel by the troopers,Charles felt quite easy, and passed the remainder of the day intranquil meditation.
While sitting by himself in the oak parlour, he revolved his plans forthe future, should he be happily restored to his kingdom, and formedmany noble resolutions which would have greatly elevated his characteras a sovereign if they had been carried out.
At this period of his career Charles was unspoiled, and if his higherqualities had been called into play, and his unquestionable militarygenius fully developed, he might have proved himself worthy of hisgrandsire, on his mother's side, the great Henry the Fourth of France.
Above all, his heart was uncorrupted and his kindly disposition had nothardened into selfishness. His natural gaiety never deserted him, andhis constitutional indifference to danger sustained him under the mosttrying circumstances. Possible perils were never allowed to weigh uponhis mind, and in thus acting he showed true philosophy. His unconcernastonished all who came near him, and Joan and her husband could notsufficiently admire his liveliness of manner. Whether he was quite sofree from anxiety as he appeared may be questioned, but at any rate hewore a very pleasant mask.
To such a point did he carry his rashness, that at the risk of beingseen by an enemy on the watch, he strolled forth into the garden, andsat for some time in the little arbour.
As soon as it grew dusk, and they could steal through the forestunperceived, the king's promised escort began to appear; each stoutfellow being armed with pike or bill, as he had been in the morning,when the brave little band had resolved to effect Charles's rescue.
First to arrive was James Yates, who had married a sister of thePenderels. The king had seen him before, as he had served under CharlesGiffard, at Worcester, and had guided the royal fugitive to WhiteLadies. James Yates was stoutly made, and had a soldier-like bearing,but he was not so largely proportioned as his brothers-in-law. However,he was as loyal as they were, and just as ready to shed his blood inthe good cause. We grieve to say that he suffered for his loyalty,being executed at a subsequent date at Chester. Charles was very gladto see him, and possibly the gracious words then addressed to him bythe king may have cheered the brave fellow's latest moments.
Ere long the others arrived, and now that they were all assembled,armed and accoutred in the best way they could, Charles thought he hadnever seen a finer set of men.
"With such a body-guard I shall not fear the enemy," he said.
"Your majesty shall not be taken, while we can defend you," they criedwith one voice.
"I hope you have brought your horse for me, Humphrey?" said the king.
"Ay, sire," replied the sturdy miller. "Robin is already in the barn."
"'Tis well!" cried Charles. "Now sit down to supper, and mind me not."
The king had already supped, and supped very heartily, for hismisfortunes had not taken away his appetite, but his majesty ate littlein comparison with those who followed him.
It was wonderful to see how quickly the heaped up trenchers werecleared, and how soon the tall tankard of ale was emptied. But thetrenchers were filled again, and so was the tall tankard, though onlyto be emptied once more. Luckily, there was enough and to spare, forJoan knew the powers of her guests, and had provided accordingly.
When the plain but plentiful repast was ended, and the horn cups werefilled for the last time, the stalwart brethren arose, and drank theking's health and confusion to his enemies; after which, WilliamPenderel asked pardon for the freedom they had taken, and declared theimpulse was uncontrollable, adding that whenever it pleased his majestyto set forth they were ready to attend him.
Charles sighed, for he was unwilling to depart.
However, there was no help. So he took leave of Dame Joan, expressinghis deep sense of the great services she and her husband had renderedhim, and promising to reward them adequately, if he should ever be ableto do so.
"I have every belief that a time will come, when I shall be ableto prove my gratitude to you, my good dame, and to your worthyhusband--indeed, to all my good friends and servants whom I see aroundme, and then be sure that I will not forget you, one and all. Trust tomy royal word."
"We want no reward, my liege," said William Penderel. "What we havedone has been from pure devotion to your majesty, and from no sordidmotive."
"That is quite true," cried the others, "and we entreat your majesty tobelieve what William says."
"I firmly believe it," said the king. "Loyal and disinterested you mustbe, or you would never serve a fugitive king, who can reward you onlywith promises. But I shall not forget your services--yours, especially,my good dame. And now adieu," he added, taking Joan's hand, andpreventing her from making the profound obeisance she meditated. "Weshall meet again in happier days."
So saying, he quitted the house by the back door, followed by WilliamPenderel and his sturdy brothers and brother-in-law.
The miller's horse--a short, well set, strong animal, which in thesedays would be described as a stout cob--was brought out of the barn byhis master, who held the bridle while the king mounted.
Meantime, Joan had come forth with a lantern, and its light showeda curious scene--all the stalwart brothers, armed with their billsand pikes, grouped around the king, who was now in the saddle--whileWilliam Penderel was arranging the order of march.
With the king's approval, it was settled that Humphrey and Johnshould form the advanced guard, while the rear should be brought upby George Penderel and Francis Yates. William and Trusty Dick were tomarch on either side of his majesty, who was well pleased to have theircompanionship, as they were his favourites. Till this moment Charleshad not formed an exact notion of William Penderel's height, and he wassurprised to find that the gigantic forester stood on a level with him,though he himself was seated on the mill-horse.
Before the little band got into the order of march, William Penderelsaid to his brothers, in deep impressive accents which vibrated throughthe king's breast, and moved him greatly:
"His majesty needs no assurance of our fidelity. Nevertheless, sincehe has deigned to choose us as his guards, let us swear by all we holdsacred to defend him to the last, and against all odds."
"We swear it," cried the others. "We will die before harm shall befalhim."
Charles thanked them earnestly for their zeal, adding that he well knewtheir oath would be kept.
The brave little band then quitted the yard in the order prescribed.
Proud of the trust reposed in them, the loyal brothers almost hopedthat their fidelity might be proved. Woe to any rebel patrol that mightattempt to stop them! In addition to their wood-bills, William andTrusty Dick had each a pistol--taken from Madmannah. But it was not intheir weapons, but in their stout hearts, and strong thews and sinews,that Charles had the greatest reliance. Perhaps, no monarch ever hadsuch an escort as he now possessed in those hardy foresters.
Just as Charles rode out of the yard with a guard on either side,he saw Dame Joan standing at the door with the lantern in her hand,straining her eyes through the gloom, and shouted an adieu to her. Thiswas the last he beheld of the faithful creature.
After passing some outbuildings, the party came in front of the house,which presented a long irregular outline. The night was not dark, forthe moon, then in its first quarter, had just risen, and its beamsillumined the gables and black and white chequer-work of the oldhunting-lodge.
Not without emotion did Charles contemplate the huge fantasticchimney-stack, in the recesses of which he had been hidden; while thelittle arbour, which next caught his eye, excited a different kindof interest. Mentally he bade farewell to a spot which he felt wouldalways have interest for him. Yet strange to say, though he often spokeof Boscobel in after times, he never revisited the house.
"Take me past the oak," he said to Tr
usty Dick. "I desire to see thetree once more."
Word to this effect was given to those in advance, but they hadanticipated his majesty's wishes, and intended to take him past theroyal oak.
Shortly afterwards the party halted beside the noble tree. Howbeautiful it looked at that hour! its summit silvered by the moonlight,while a few beams found their way through openings in the branches, andfell upon the massive stem. Charles was enchanted.
"Truly that is a royal tree!" he thought. "How majestic it looks amongthe oaks that surround it, though they are all noble trees, and how itlords it over them--like a king among his peers!" He then added aloudto Trusty Dick, "But for you, my good friend, I should not have madeacquaintance with this grand old tree, and I should therefore have lostsome of the happiest moments of my life, for though in great jeopardy,I was never happier than during my day's sojourn in the oak; and ifI am spared I shall ever look back to the time with satisfaction.Farewell, old tree!" he added. "May I spend another happy day amid thyfriendly boughs!"
He then moved on, and the party took their way through a thicket, wherethe moon's radiance being intercepted by the branches overhead, it wasso dark that they could not see many yards before them, and they had toproceed with great caution--the advanced guard halting ever and anon.But nothing occurred to cause them alarm.
At length they reached an opening in the wood, and a broad moonlitglade lay before them, but they hesitated to cross it, and kept amongthe trees; and the prudence of the step was shown a few minutesafterwards, when a patrol, whom they must infallibly have encounteredhad they gone straight on, appeared on the lawn.
The sight of the enemy aroused the choler of the loyal brothers, andHumphrey expressed a strong desire to give the knaves a drubbing, but,of course, he was not allowed to gratify his inclination.
There were no witnesses of the passage of the king and his companionsthrough the forest--but had there been, the sight would have been worthviewing. Those dark gigantic figures indistinctly seen among the treeslooked strange and mysterious. And when the party issued forth intosome more open spot not overhung by boughs, so that the moonlight fellupon them and cast their black shadows on the ground, they looked stillmore unearthly. Despite the peril to which he was exposed, and the manydifficulties and hindrances he had to undergo, the king enjoyed theride. He would have enjoyed it still more if the horse he bestrode hadbeen less rough of motion. But his majesty's seat in the saddle was farfrom easy.
At last he lost all patience, and exclaimed:
"Plague take thy horse, Humphrey! Never before was I so jolted."
But his good humour was instantly restored by the miller's readyresponse.
"Generally, Robin goes well enough," said Humphrey. "But your majestymust consider that he has now got the weight of three kingdoms on hisback."
Charles laughed, and made no further complaint.
Boscobel; or, the royal oak: A tale of the year 1651 Page 57
