Boscobel; or, the royal oak: A tale of the year 1651

by William Harrison Ainsworth

  CHAPTER VI.

  HOW THE KING BADE FAREWELL TO THE PENDERELS; AND HOW HIS MAJESTY WASRECEIVED BY MR. THOMAS WHITGREAVE OF MOSELEY OLD HALL.

  Moseley Old Hall, which we rejoice to say belongs to a directdescendant of the zealous Roman Catholic gentleman who owned it at theperiod of our story, is one of those charming and picturesque black andwhite houses that date back to the middle of the sixteenth century,when our old English architecture was in its perfection, and delightsthe eye with its irregular frontage, its numerous gables, bay windows,projections, and huge stacks of chimneys.

  MOSELEY OLD HALL.]

  Even now there is an air of seclusion about Moseley Old Hall, but atthe period of which we treat, it was almost surrounded by trees, andthough there were one or two habitations near it--much nearer than itsowner liked--it had a look of extreme privacy.

  The house was large, and contained numerous apartments of all sizes.Indeed, it contained some rooms that were never seen by all itsinmates, though it was whispered about among the servants that therewere closed up passages leading no one knew whither--perhaps to vaults,secret chambers, and secret closets.

  These rumours were not altogether unfounded. Like their friends andneighbours the Giffards, the Whitgreaves had adhered firmly to theold religion, and, like them, had found it necessary to contrivehiding-places for priests and recusants. Many such existed at MoseleyOld Hall, and some are still extant.

  Descended from an ancient Staffordshire family, who had dwelt atBurton, Thomas Whitgreave, owner of Moseley Old Hall, in 1651, hadserved during the early part of the Civil Wars under Captain ThomasGiffard, and had distinguished himself for his bravery; but havingreceived a severe wound, from which he was some time in recovering,he retired to his old family mansion, and took no further part in thestruggle. Still, his zeal for the cause of monarchy was ardent as ever,and his sympathies being entirely for the young king, he was deeplyafflicted by the disastrous result of the Battle of Worcester.

  Thomas Whitgreave was still young--at all events, he was not more thanthirty-five--tall, and handsome, with a grave but kindly expression ofcountenance. At the time he received the king, he was unmarried, buthis mother, a remarkable old lady, resided with him. Mrs. Whitgreavewas as staunch a Royalist as her son, and daily invoked Heaven'svengeance upon the regicide Cromwell.

  Mr. Whitgreave kept up a good establishment, though not a largeretinue of servants. His domestic chaplain was Father Huddlestone,and he behaved with the greatest consideration to the good priest,not only assigning him rooms for study and devotion, but allowing himto take a couple of pupils. Father Huddlestone was very useful in thehouse, and, without being meddlesome, exercised a beneficial influenceover the family. Mrs. Whitgreave was a devotee, and as scrupulous inthe performance of her religious duties as if she had belonged to aconvent. A chaplain, therefore, was a necessity to her, and no onecould have better discharged the sacred office than Father Huddlestone.Not only did the good priest improve the household by his councils, buthis society was extremely agreeable to the master of the house.

  Such was the constitution of Moseley Old Hall at the time when thefugitive king was received within it.

  Among the Roman Catholic gentry of the period, all of whom wereRoyalists, there was necessarily a good deal of private communication,conducted chiefly through the medium of the priests. Thus secretintelligence was conveyed to Father Huddlestone of the king's arrivalat White Ladies, and it was through Father Huddlestone that JohnPenderel was enabled to secure a place of refuge for Lord Wilmot. Itwas from the same quarter that the fugitive king's movements were firstmade known to the good priest and his patron.

  Every preparation had been made at Moseley Old Hall so that the kingcould be got into the house secretly.

  It being now past midnight, all the servants had long since retired torest. Four persons only were on the alert. These were Lord Wilmot, whoremained in his bedchamber; Father Huddlestone, who was stationed ina close, called the Moore, adjoining the mansion; Mr. Whitgreave, whohad repaired to another close, called Allport's Leasow, and concealedhimself in a dry pit, covered with trees; and Major Careless, who waswatching for the king and his companions at the entrance of a longlime-tree walk that led to the ancient mansion.

  Careless had to wait there more than an hour, but at length wasrewarded by the appearance of the party, and satisfied that he couldnot be mistaken, went forth to meet them.

  A cordial greeting passed between Charles and his favourite, and thelatter heartily congratulated his majesty on his safe arrival.

  "I had begun to feel somewhat uneasy," he said. "But I knew yourmajesty was well guarded."

  "Truly, I have been well guarded," said Charles, looking gratefully athis attendants. "But thou wilt be astonished to hear that we have hadan encounter with Colonel Ashenhurst. We owe our escape to a device ofthat clever little page Jasper."

  "What do I hear?" cried Careless. "Has your majesty seen Jasper?"

  "I have only just parted with him," replied Charles. "Nay, do nottrouble yourself. He is safe enough. I left him at Pendeford Mill."

  "This is good news, indeed!" cried Careless, joyfully.

  "I knew it would delight thee," said Charles, smiling. "But let us tothe house. Art thou appointed to do the honours?"

  "Mr. Whitgreave is at hand," replied Careless. "If your majesty willbe pleased to walk on a little further, I will present him to you. Youwill find him a most excellent host."

  They then marched quickly along the lime-tree walk, until they came tothe close which we have said was designated Allport's Leasow.

  Here Careless gave the signal agreed upon, and Mr. Whitgreave, who hadpassed a very anxious hour in the dry pit, immediately issued forthfrom it.

  "Do not present him," said the king, in a low voice, as his hostapproached. "I should like to see whether he will recognise me."

  For a moment or two, Mr. Whitgreave was perplexed.

  With the exception of Careless all the group were habited alike inforester's attire, but the stalwart Penderels were not to be mistaken,so after a second survey Mr. Whitgreave no longer hesitated, but threwhimself at the feet of the right person, exclaiming:

  "This, I am certain, is my royal master."

  "You are right, Mr. Whitgreave," rejoined Charles, giving him his handto kiss. "But oddsfish! I should not have been offended if you had notknown me in this garb--though I cannot be ashamed of it, since it isworn by such brave and faithful fellows as these, who have protected meat the hazard of their lives. May I never want such defenders as youand your brothers!" he added, to William Penderel.

  "We have simply done our duty, my liege," replied William.

  "If others do their duty as well, I shall have reason to be thankful,"said Charles, earnestly. "Mr. Whitgreave," he added, "you will excuseme, but since I must now part with these faithful men, I must tellthem what I feel in your hearing--and in your hearing too, father," hecontinued, as the good priest, who having become aware of the king'sarrival, had come up. "To all the brothers Penderel I owe much, butto the courage and fidelity of William and Trusty Dick I undoubtedlyowe my preservation. Let what I now say be remembered, and repeatedto me hereafter, should the great services they have rendered me beinadequately requited when I have the power to requite them. Farewell,my good and faithful friends!" he continued, with an emotion that hedid not seek to repress. "Farewell!"

  "Must we quit you, my liege?" cried Trusty Dick. "We will quit ourhomes and all dear to us to follow your majesty's fortunes."

  "It cannot be," rejoined Charles. "I am fully sensible of yourdevotion, but we must part. You would only be a hindrance to me.Farewell! farewell!"

  And he stretched out his hand, which the stalwart brothers seized andpressed to their lips.

  "Mr. Whitgreave," he added, "you will take care of these brave men."

  "They shall have the best the buttery can afford, my liege," repliedWhitgreave. "And I will attend to them myself, as I must needs do,seeing that all my servants
are a-bed. Father Huddlestone will conductyour majesty to the house."

  Bestowing a last look at the three stalwart brothers, who seemedgreatly dejected, Charles, accompanied by Careless, followed FatherHuddlestone to the house.

  Entering at the rear of the mansion, Father Huddlestone took the kingand Careless up a back staircase with cautious steps, and as theyneared the summit they perceived a dark figure retreating noiselesslydown a passage.

  Aware that this was Lord Wilmot, Charles kept silence till he hadentered his lordship's room, which was situated at the end of thepassage, and he then gave utterance to his satisfaction.

  Lord Wilmot, as the reader is aware, was a special favourite of theking, and his majesty had more dependence upon him than upon any oneelse, save Careless. Lord Wilmot must not be confounded with his son,the dissolute Earl of Rochester, who figured some years afterwards atthe court of the Merry Monarch. A brave, chivalrous nobleman, he wasable to act as a sort of Mentor to the king.

  Lord Wilmot had, in fact, belonged to the court of Charles I., and hadacquired the grave manners of that period. Tall and strongly built, hehad handsome, expressive features. The Earl of Rochester, as is wellknown, could successfully counterfeit any part he pleased, but he didnot inherit his talent any more than his vices from his father, whocould never be prevailed upon to assume a disguise, declaring that, ifhe did so, he should infallibly be found out.

  Seeing that the king looked much fatigued with his journey, LordWilmot besought him to postpone all conversation till he had taken somerefreshment, and opening a cupboard his lordship produced some catesand a flask of canary.

  Charles sat down, and emptying a goblet of generous wine, insistedupon all the others following his example, and while they were doingso a gentle tap was heard at the door, which was opened by FatherHuddlestone, and Mr. Whitgreave came in.

  "What of my faithful attendants--the Penderels?" cried the king. "Havethey been well cared for? Pardon the question, Mr. Whitgreave. I amsure they have."

  "They are gone, my liege," replied Whitgreave. "And I must saythat I never saw men more grieved to part with a master than theseloyal-hearted fellows are to quit your majesty."

  "Say you sooth?" cried Charles.

  "Your majesty shall judge," replied Whitgreave. "I took them to thebuttery, where I have often seen each and all of them make a heartymeal, and where there was plenty of cold meat, and bade them fall toand spare not. They declined. And when I pressed them further, sayingthey would discredit my house if they went away without supper, theysaid they had no appetite. 'No appetite!' I exclaimed. 'How is this?'But I soon found out what was the matter. Each honest heart was full,and wanted relief. A single morsel of meat would have choked any one ofthem. However, they drank a cup of ale to your majesty's health."

  "And they are gone?" cried Charles. "I should have liked to see theirhonest faces once more."

  "Your majesty knows where to find them should you again require theirservices," said Mr. Whitgreave. "And I am sure nothing will delightthem more than to have another opportunity of proving their fidelity."

  But circumstances, as will be seen as we proceed with our narrative,did not allow Charles to employ any one of the stalwart brothersagain. Their part in our story is played. Yet before dismissing them,we would express our genuine admiration of the loyal men we haveendeavoured to depict. In describing them we have not gone beyond thetruth; nor endowed them with heroic qualities they did not possess. ThePenderel brothers were men of unwavering loyalty, brave as faithful,and possessed of such extraordinary strength as rendered them trulyformidable antagonists. Fortunately, they were not called upon todisplay their valour in action. Had they been required to defend theking from an attack during the nocturnal ride from Boscobel to MoseleyOld Hall, which we have just described, it is certain they would havedone tremendous execution upon his foes, and have delivered him,or died in his defence. That their loyal hearts could not harboura thought of treason, or quail before peril, we have shown. Theirdevotion to the fugitive monarch, and the important services theyrendered him in his hour of need have gained them a page in England'shistory. Very pleasant has it been to chronicle their actions, and wepart from them with regret.