a poor man nigh Mr. Huntbach) myself being better able to secure my Lord than them, who seemed very willing, and bidd the messenger bring them, and that att night he would himself wait on his Lordship, and that I should about midnight expect his comeing into a close called Allport's Leasow, wherein was a great drie pitt, covered with many Trees, where the Colonel accordingly came; and having tied his horse in the said Pitt, I brought him through my backside to my Lord's Chamber, who when they saw each other, they renewed their former acquaintance, the Colonel formerly having served in my Lord's Brigade. The Colonel then invited my Lord to his house as far more safe, myself, as hee stiled mee a papist, and more liable to searches, besides, his Sister, the Lady Jane, had newlie gott a pass from Capt. Stone, Governor of Stafford, for herself and a man to go into the West, which might be a convenient opportunity for his passage away. But the day before I haveing shewn his Lordship a privacie in my house, formerly made in tymes of persecution, and in which after the late unfortunate warre, I secured myself against the violent strict search of Capt. Stone's Troop, his Lordship so approved of itt for his securitie, that he wisht 100,000 friends of his were with him; gave the Colonel many thanks for his kind offer, but for the present said hee was well pleased and satisfied with his present quarters, but desired him to keep the opportunity of his Sister's pass, and his horses, till he heard from him again, and so took leave of him and I conducted back to his horses. This morning being Friday Jo. Pendrell came to my Lord, and staid all day with him, who att night sent him to White Ladyes, to enquire what was become of the King; who returned, and said he went from thence the night before Madeley in Shropshire, with a design to gett over Severn, and so to steer for Wales, (but Severn was so guarded he could not pass, but was forct to stay there all that night and next day in a Barn of Mr. Woolfs) of whose removal as soon as my Lord heard, he resolved speedily to remove to Col. Lane's and wisht mee to send to him to have his horses sent for him that night, which I did and they came accordingly ; and so, after many thanks for all my care and kind entertainment, haveing dismissed Jo. Pendrell, hee went, and safelie arrived at the Colonel's the next morning, Mr. Huddleston and myself were walking in the long walk and concluding in the afternoon to go to White Ladyes to receave a perfect relation of all the transactions there, where unexpectedly wee saw Jo. Pendrell comeing to us, and asking us where my Lord was, wee telling him he was gone from hence, hee replyed, wee then are all undone, for att my return yesterday, there being no passage over Severn, the King was forct on Friday night, to come back to Boscobell, and there mett with Col. Carelos, and that they had no entertainment for him, neither knew they how to dispose of him, who grew very melancholly upon itt: but hearing by mee that I left my Lord here, hee sent mee to his Lordship to gett a place for his security with him here. Whereupon Mr.Huddleston and myself went with Pendrell to the Colonel, hee being a stranger to him, and we durst not write by him; where I being arrived, acquainted the Colonel that Pendrell came to us from some Sat.-Sunday Sunday person of eminent qualitie, whose name he was not to discover, to bring him to my Lord; and therefore I came with him myself, that hee should not be afraid to give admittance, whereupon the Colonel immediatlie took him to my Lord, who, after some private conference and direcions for Mr. Huddleston and myself, hee sent him to us, to return with speed, and in the way homewards to acquaint us the person hee came from was the King, which his Lordship till then never discovered; and that hee desired myself to attend his comeing that night, about an eleaven of clock, att his usuall pitt in Alport's Leasow; and that Mr. Huddleston and self should appoint a place in my ground, whither he and his Brothers should bring the King, about 12 or one of clock that night, which we accordingly did, and Pendrell speedily sent away to acquaint his Majestie. Att night, Mr. Huddleston and self, as soon as all the familie was gone to bedd, went to our severall stands, hee to a close called the Moore, and myself to the usual drie pitt. My Lord came punctually according to his howre, whom I brought up to his chamber, and after the time prefixed, hee wisht me to go to Mr. Huddleston, to see if they were come with his friend, as hee called him; but I returning and telling him they were not, hee seemed much troubled and apprehensive of his miscarriage, then after a little while he wisht mee to go again, and to stay in the orchard expecting them, where, after a while, I saw them comeing up the long walke, which I speedily acquainted his Lordship with, who wished mee to stay att the orchard door, and to shew him the way to the stayrs, where my Lord expected him, with a light. When hee came to the door with the Pendrell's guarding him, he was so habitted like one of them, that I could not tell which was hee, only I knew all the rest, I could scarce putt off my hatt to him, but hee discovering by the light the stayrs, ymediatlie went to them, where his Lordship expected him, and took him up to his chamber; then I took the Pendrells into the buttry to eate and drink, that I might dispatch them away, and secure the house; but 'ere they had done, my Lord sent Mr. Huddleston down to mee, desireing mee to come up, which accordingly I did, and conieing att the chamber door, his Majestie and my Lord being both at a cupboard's head nigh to itt, talking, his Lordship said to mee, this gentleman under disguise, whom I have hitherto concealed, is both your maister, mine and the maister of us all, to whom wee all owe our duty and allegiance; and so, kneeling down, he gave me his hand to kiss, and bidd me arise, and said he had receaved from my Lord such a character of my loyaltie and readines in those dangers to assist him and his friends, that hee would never bee unmindful of me or mine; and the next word after was, where is the private place my Lord tells me of? which being already prepared and shewed him, hee went into itt, and when come forth, said it was the best place hee was ever in. Then hee returning to his chamber, sitting down by the fire side, wee pulled off his shoes and stockings, and washed his feet, which were most sadly galled, and then pulled off likewise his apparell and shirt, which was of hurden cloth, and put him one of Mr. Huddleston's, and other apparell of ours; then after he had refreshed himself a little by eating some biskett, and drinking a glass of wine, he grew very chear Sunday Night. ful, and said, if it would please Almighty God to send him once more an army of 10,000 good and loyall soldiers and subjects, he feared not to expell all those rogues forth of his kingdom: then after an howres' discourse, or more, he was desirous to repose himself on a bedd that night. The next day, the servants were sent all forth to work, only the cook maid, a Catholike kept within to get provisions, as pretended, for a relation of Mr. Huddleston's, who fled to him from Worcester fight, neither she, nor Mr. Huddleston's schollars admitted to his sight, nor having the least suspect who hee was, the boys having, during his stay, liberty to play, and to watch who were comeing, whereupon Sir Jo Preston one night att supper with Monday. ight, Tuesday. the other boys said, eate hard boys, for wee have been on the life Guard and hard duty this day, (more trulie spoken than hee was aware). In the morning, my Lord took my mother to his Majestie, and acquainted him who shee was, who, kneeling down to kiss hand, he most gratiously saluted, and when she had brought up dinner, would have had her sitt down with him, Mr. Huddleston and myself wayting. In the afternoon I was sent to Hampton, to enquire after news, and at my return wisht by my Lord to send for his horses that night from Col. Lane's, which I did accordingly, and he returned with them. All that night, his Majestie lay on his bed, Mr. Huddleston watching within, and myself without doors. The next morning my studie door being open, his Majestie was pleased, with Mr. Huddleston and self to go into itt, and for diversion to look forth of it into the court and comon roade, where he saw many of his soldiers, and some of his own regiment, which he knew, come up to the doors, some for provisions, and others for plaisters for their wounds. There he told us of the Scotts usage, and of his march from thence to Worcester, and of the fight there, and enquired of us how this country and the gentry stood affected, and who were against him then, looking upon severall books, he saw Mr. Turbervill's catechisme, and read a little of itt, said itt was a pretty book, and that hee would take itt with him. In the afternoon reposing himself on his bed in the parlour chamber, and inclineing to sleep, as I was watching at the window, one of the neighbours I saw come running in, who told the maid, soldiers were comeing to search, who, thereupon, presentlie came running to the staires head, and cried, Soldiers, soldiers are comeing; which, his Majestie hearing, presentlie started out of his bedd and run to his privacie where I secured him the best I could, and then leaving him, went forth into the street to meet the soldiers, who were comeing to search, who as soon as they saw, and knew who I was, were readie to pull mee in pieces, and take me away with them, saying I was come from the Worcester fight; but after much dispute with them, and by the neighbours being informed of their false information, that I was not there, being very ill a great while, they let mee goe; but till I saw them clearly all gone forth of the town, I returned not, but as soon as they were, I returned to release him, and did acquaint him with my stay, which hee thought long, and then hee began to bee very chearful again. In the interim, whilst I was disputing with soldiers, one of them called Southall, came into Afternoon. Tuesday night. the ffould, and asked a smith, as hee was shooing horses there, if he could tell where the king was, and he should have a thousand pounds for his payns, as the smith called Holbeard since severall times hath told mee and others. This Southall was the great Priest Catcher, and Capt. Lane's, and Mr. Vernon's true cavalier in the plotting time. That afternoon my Lord sent word he would send Colonel Lane with an horse for the king about midnight, and that I must expect him att the usuall place. At night, his Majestie wisht Mr. Huddleston to shew him our oratory, saying, hee knew, hee was a priest, and hee needed not fear to own itt to him, for if it pleased God to restore him to his kingdom, we should never need more privacies; who having seen itt, said itt was a very decent place. Afterwards, I went to the Colonel, and took a nephew, Mr. Fra Reynolds, with mee, to hold the horses whilst the Colonel went up to the house with me, who arriving, I brought him to the orchard stile, where he would stay and expect till we brought his Majestie to him; of which, I acquainting his Majestie, he sent mee for my mother to come to take leave of him; who, bringing with her some raysings, almonds, and other sweet meats, which, shee presenting to him, some whereof hee was pleased to eat, and some took with him; afterwards, wee all kneeling down, and praying Almighty God to bless, prosper, and preserve him, hee was pleased to salute my mother, and give her thanks for his kind entertainment, and then giving his hand to Mr. Huddleston and myself to kiss, saying if itt pleased God to restore him, hee would never be unmindful of us, hee took leave and went, conducted with Mr. Huddleston and self, to the Colonel, and thence to his horses expecting him, where, he having gott on horseback, wee kneeled, and kiss his hand again, offering all our prayers for his saftie and preservation, Mr. Huddleston putting on him a cloak of his to keep him from cold and wett, which, afterwards, by the Colonel's order, was sent to mee, wee took leave." We need not remark on the artless and circumstantial detail of this curious manuscript. It bears internal and indisputable marks of genuineness. The Mr. Huddleston, referred to in it, was a Catholic priest, better known as Father Hodlestone, a half brother to Sir William Hodlestone, who, with eight brothers, raised two regiments for the king, and served with them. The king, though forgetful of the name, was mindful of the services of his loyal host, Mr. Whitgreave. The copy of a grant from the crown, dated 30th July, 18th Charles II., is now before us, in which a life-annuity of £200 per annum is given to Mr. Whitgreave. It recites, "KNOW YEE that wee reflecting upon the greate loyalty and fidelity of Thomas Whitgreave, Esquire, and particularly in the time of our grattest danger, after our escape from Worcester, when he used all his indeavours to secure us from the search and violent pursuite which our enemies used to pursue us, WEE have thought fit, by some particular marks of our favour and bounty to him, to expresse the value wee have put upon his good services and affection, and to beget in posterity a like confidence in the future," &c. By a second grant, dated the 15th June, 29th Charles II. we find that this annuity was continued to Thomas Whitgreave, junior, at the request of his father, and in the life time of the latter: it was vested in trustees therein named, during his minority, the grant reciting-" Wee being willing further to reward the good service and faithfulnesse of the said Thomas Whitgreave (the father) before menconed, by making a suitable provision for his son, Thomas Whitgreave, to take effect after his father's decease." Pensions were also granted to the Pendrells, Lady Jane Lane, and Mr. Lane, and to other noted loyalists; and, by an entry in the Commons' Journals,* it appears, that a bill was intended to secure them to their respective descendants. They were, however, not long continued, and, we believe, were never paid by King William; and only three years, during the Tory ministry, at the latter end of Queen Anne's reign. One exception, only, we have heard rumoured, in the Pendrell pension being still enjoyed by the descendants of their honest family. We never pass, however, the antient house of Mozely, still standing with its original gable ends and casement windows, without ruminating on the circumstances which have made it an object of interest to the antiquarian and historical pilgrim. Boscobel House is still remaining, very little altered since it had thus the honour to be a royal residence. An excellent engraving of its modern front is given in "Shaw's history of Staffordshire," and in the " Gentleman's Magazine,” vol. lxii., 113. The "Royal Oak," in the woods of Boscobel, did not long survive the popular and cavalier rage for loyal relics: there were as many tobacco-stoppers reported to have been made from this tree as would have formed a forest. The place where it once flourished, is yet to be discovered by a square wall built round it, where is another tree, from one of its acorns; and over the door, on a large stone, the following Latin inscription : Latin Inscription on Royal Oak at Boscobel. ET IANA FITZHERBERT QUERCUS AMICA JOVI. * Comm. Journ., 20 July, 1689; vol. x., p. 230. p. |