Escape Of Charles II
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After the final defeat of the Royalists in the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
against Oliver Cromwell's
New Model Army The New Model Army or New Modelled Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 t ...
at the
Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1642 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell def ...
on 3 September 1651, the future
Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...
(already by that time King of Scotland) was forced to flee England. With the support of a network of Royalist gentry, Charles first attempted to escape into Wales, then to
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
disguised as a servant, then to the south coast at
Charmouth Charmouth is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the mouth of the River Char, around north-east of Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council estimated that in 2013 the population of the civil parish was 1,31 ...
. Finally, he rode east to Shoreham from where he sailed for France on 15 October 1651. During the six-week flight, he passed through numerous English counties, and at one point was forced to hide in an oak tree on the grounds of a house that was being searched by Parliamentarian soldiers. A £1000 reward had been offered for information leading to Charles's capture.


Charles's escape


Flight from Worcester

After the
Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1642 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell def ...
on 3 September 1651, Charles returned to his lodgings in
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engl ...
, escaping by the back door as the Parliamentary forces arrived. He fled the city by St Martin's Gate to the north, in the company of Lord Wilmot, Lord Derby, Charles Giffard (or Gifford), and others. Charles wanted to travel to London rather than Scotland, which was the preferred destination of the majority of the party. He told only Wilmot of his plan, arranging to meet at the Three Cranes Tavern. At this point, night was falling, he had no shelter, and he needed the support of his small band of loyal officers. The royal party, in all about sixty mounted officers, initially headed north from Worcester, though their exact route is uncertain. The earliest written account is that of Blount, who mentions "Kinver Heath not far from Kidderminster" and
Stourbridge Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham, at the southwester ...
. The group may have been the party of fugitives observed by
Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 – 8 December 1691) was an English Nonconformist (Protestantism), Nonconformist church leader and theologian from Rowton, Shropshire, who has been described as "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". He ma ...
passing through
Kidderminster Kidderminster is a market town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester, England, Worcester. Located north of the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour and east of the River Severn, in th ...
. One interpretation identifies Kinver Heath as the heath of which Kinver Edge is a remnant, in which case the party would probably have crossed
Cookley Cookley is a village in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England, a few miles to the north of Kidderminster. Also, a few miles south-west of Stourton, Staffordshire and is close to the villages of Kinver and Wolverley. It lies ...
bridge and passed through Blakeshall. However, they would be unlikely to have gone from there to Stourbridge, as this would have involved them turning sharply east. An alternative explanation is that the heath in question was that in the eastern part of the parish of
Kinver Kinver is a large village in the District of South Staffordshire in Staffordshire, England. It is in the far south-west of the county, at the end of the narrow finger of land surrounded by the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and the ...
, east of
Caunsall Caunsall is a hamlet in Worcestershire, England a few miles to the north of Kidderminster and close to the villages of Kinver, Cookley and Wolverley. It lies on the River Stour, and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal The Staffo ...
, Whittington, Dunsley, and including Iverley. This extends beyond the boundary towards,
Hagley Hagley is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire, England. It is on the boundary of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Worcestershire counties between the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and Kidderminster. Its estimated populati ...
,
Pedmore Pedmore is a residential suburb of Stourbridge, in the Dudley district of the West Midlands, England, bordering Lye, Wollescote and Oldswinford. It was originally a village in the Worcestershire countryside until extensive housebuilding during ...
,
Oldswinford Oldswinford or Old Swinford is an area south of the centre of Stourbridge, in the Dudley district, in the county of the West Midlands, England. History Originally, Oldswinford was an extensive ancient parish, covering the whole of the former M ...
, and Wollaston. Willis-Bund's interpretation was that they took the direct route to Stourbridge, though Hagley, but that would not have taken them through Kidderminster nor over anything that could be called Kinver Heath. At Kinver Heath, the party conferred and Lord Derby suggested Boscobel House in
Shropshire Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...
as a safe place of refuge. Derby had been sheltered there the previous week by the Catholic tenants, the five Pendrell brothers, after the Battle of Wigan Lane. The owner of Boscobel, Charles Giffard, who was himself accompanying the group, agreed but suggested that another house on his estate, White Ladies Priory, would be safer than Boscobel House itself. Having agreed on this plan, the party diverted towards
Stourbridge Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham, at the southwester ...
. The town was garrisoned by Parliamentary troops but Charles was able to pass without the alarm being sounded. Heading north again, the party stopped briefly at
Wordsley Wordsley is a suburban village near Stourbridge in the West Midlands, England. It is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and is north of the River Stour. Wordsley is part of the Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Parliamentary constitu ...
before arriving at White Ladies in the early hours of 4 September.


Boscobel, and attempt to escape to Wales

At White Ladies, the King was met by George Pendrell. He contacted his brother
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
who farmed at Hobbal Grange, near Tong. Together, they disguised the King as a farm labourer, "in leather doublet, a pair of green breeches and a jump-coat ... of the same green, ... an old grey greasy hat without a lining nda noggen shirt, of the coarsest linen"; and Richard cut the King's hair, leaving it short on top but long at the sides. However, it was now felt that it would be safer for the King to travel almost alone and so all his followers, apart from Lord Wilmot, were persuaded to leave. At dawn and in pouring rain, Charles was moved out of White Ladies into the nearby Spring Coppice on the estate, hiding there with Richard Pendrell. Shortly afterwards, a company of local militia stopped at White Ladies asking if the King had been seen. The soldiers were told he had journeyed on some time before; convinced, they passed on, but were seen by Charles as they rode by. Charles recalled: "In this wood I stayed all day without meat or drink and by great fortune it rained all the time which hindered them, as I believe, from coming into the wood to search for men that might be fled there". The Pendrells taught Charles how to speak with a local accent and how to walk like a labourer. They explained they knew no way to safely get him to London, but that they knew of a Francis Wolfe who lived near the
River Severn The River Severn (, ), at long, is the longest river in Great Britain. It is also the river with the most voluminous flow of water by far in all of England and Wales, with an average flow rate of at Apperley, Gloucestershire. It rises in t ...
, and whose house, Madeley Court, had several hiding places. After dark, Richard Pendrell took Charles to Hobball Grange, where he had a meal, then immediately set off for Madeley, hoping to cross the River Severn into
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
where the Royalists had strong support. At Evelith Mill, they were challenged by the local miller and the pair fled, though it later transpired that the miller was himself a Royalist who was hiding some members of the defeated army. Charles and Richard arrived at Madeley Court close to midnight on 5 September. At Madeley, Wolfe told Richard and the King that his house was no longer safe, but he provided a barn for Charles to hide in while Richard and Wolfe scouted the Severn crossings. They found that the river was closely guarded, and Charles and Richard were forced to return to Boscobel, wading through a stream along the way and stopping at White Ladies where they learned Lord Wilmot was safe at nearby Moseley Hall. Progress was hampered by Charles' sore and bleeding feet, the shoes that had been provided for him being of coarse leather and far too small. They reached Boscobel House at close to 3 in the morning of 6 September, when Charles's feet were tended to.


Refuge in an oak tree

Colonel William Careless (or Carlis), who had fought at Worcester, had also arrived at Boscobel House. At Careless's suggestion, he and the King spent the day of 6 September hiding in a nearby oak tree (the Royal Oak), while Parliamentary troops searched the surrounding woodland. The exhausted King slept for some of the time, supported by Careless who, when his arms became tired, was "constrained ... to pinch His Majesty to the end he might awaken him to prevent his present danger". They returned to Boscobel House that evening. Meanwhile, another Pendrell brother, Humphrey, reported that while at the local militia headquarters he had been interrogated by a Parliamentary colonel, who questioned him about whether the King had been at White Ladies; however, Humphrey had convinced the officer he had never been there. The Colonel reminded Humphrey of the £1000 reward for information leading to the King's capture and of the "penalty for concealing the King, which was death without mercy". This further emphasised the importance of getting Charles out of the country as soon as possible. Charles spent the night in one of Boscobel's priest holes.


Moseley Hall

At the suggestion of Lord Wilmot, Charles left Boscobel for Moseley Hall late in the evening of 7 September, riding an old horse that had been provided by the miller, Humphrey Pendrell. The King was accompanied by all five Pendrell brothers and Francis Yates (servant to Charles Giffard and brother-in-law to the Pendrells). Soon after leaving Boscobel the horse stumbled, and Humphrey Pendrell joked that it was "not to be wondered at, for it had the weight of three Kingdoms upon its back". The party stopped at Pendeford Mill where Charles dismounted, it being unsafe to continue riding. Three of the brothers took the horse back, while Richard and John Pendrell along with Francis Yates continued with the King to Moseley Hall. At Moseley, the home of Thomas Whitgrave, Charles was given a meal and dry clothes, and Whitgrave's Catholic priest, John Huddleston, bathed the King's bruised and bleeding feet. Touched, Charles told Huddleston, "If it please God I come to my crown, both you and all your persuasion shall have as much liberty as any of my subjects". Charles spent the night and the next two days hiding at Moseley Hall, sleeping in a bed for the first time since 3 September. Later that morning he saw some of his fleeing Scottish troops passing by. When Parliamentary troops arrived at the Hall Charles was hurriedly hidden in a priest hole, secreted behind the wall of a bedroom. The troops accused Whitgrave of fighting for the King at Worcester (which he had not, though he had fought as a Royalist before being wounded and captured at
Naseby Naseby is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census was 687. The village is north of Northa ...
in 1645). Whitgrave convinced the troops that he was too feeble to aid any Royalist fugitives, and they departed without searching the house.


Attempt to escape via Bristol

The King now no longer felt safe at Moseley Hall and Wilmot suggested that he should move on to Bentley Hall near
Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...
, the residence of Colonel John Lane, a colonel in the Royalist Army since 1642, and his sister Jane Lane. Wilmot had learned that Jane had obtained a permit allowing herself and a servant to travel to Abbots Leigh in
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
to visit a friend, Ellen Norton, who was expecting a baby. Abbots Leigh lay just across the
Avon Gorge The Avon Gorge () is a 1.5-mile (2.5-kilometre) long Canyon, gorge on the River Avon (Bristol), River Avon in Bristol, England. The gorge runs south to north through a limestone ridge west of Bristol city centre, and about 3 miles (5&nbs ...
from the important seaport of
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, and Wilmot proposed that the King should take advantage of the permit, travel to Bristol disguised as Jane's servant, and from there take a ship to France. Shortly after midnight on 10 September the King left for Bentley Hall, arriving there in the early hours. Charles was dressed as a tenant farmer's son and adopted the alias 'William Jackson' for the next part of his journey. The party set out, Charles riding the same horse as Jane Lane. They were accompanied by Withy Petre (Jane Lane's sister), her husband John Petre, and Henry Lascelles, another related Royalist officer. Wilmot refused to travel in disguise; he rode half a mile ahead of the party and said that if challenged he would claim to be out hunting. The party rode through
Rowley Regis Rowley Regis ( ) is a town and former municipal borough in Sandwell in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It forms part of the area immediately west of Birmingham known as the Black Country and encompasses the fou ...
then Quinton to
Bromsgrove Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England, about north-east of Worcester and south-west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 34,755 in at the 2021 census. It gives its name to the wider Bromsgrove District, of which it is ...
. At Bromsgrove they found that the horse ridden by Charles and Jane had lost a shoe. The King, playing the role of servant, took the horse to a blacksmith. The King, when he later recounted his story to
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...
and others, said "As I was holding my horse's foot, I asked the smith what news. He told me that there was no news that he knew of, since the good news of the beating the rogues of the Scots. I asked him whether there was none of the English taken that joined with the Scots, He answered he did not hear if that rogue, Charles Stuart, were taken; but some of the others, he said, were taken. I told him that if that rogue were taken, he deserved to be hanged more than all the rest, for bringing in the Scots. Upon which he said I spoke like an honest man; and so we parted". The party reached Wootton Wawen where cavalry of the
New Model Army The New Model Army or New Modelled Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 t ...
had gathered outside the inn. Here John and Withy Petre went ahead of the party. The King, Jane Lane and Henry Lascelles with great coolness rode through the troops. The party continued through
Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon (district), Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands region of Engl ...
, and on to Long Marston where they spent the night of 10 September at the house of John Tomes, another relation of Jane's. Here, in keeping with his guise as a servant, the cook put him to work in the kitchen winding up the jack used to roast meat in the fireplace. Charles was clumsy at this, and the cook asked him, "What countryman are you that you know not how to wind up a jack?" Charles excused himself by saying that as the son of poor people he so rarely ate meat that he did not know how to use a roasting jack. His story was accepted and he was not identified. On 11 September they continued through
Chipping Campden Chipping Campden is a market town in the Cotswold (district), Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its terraced High Street, dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries. A wool trading centre in the Middle Ages, Chipp ...
and on to
Cirencester Cirencester ( , ; see #Pronunciation, below for more variations) is a market town and civil parish in the Cotswold District of Gloucestershire, England. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames. It is the List of ...
, where they spent the night. The next morning they travelled on to
Chipping Sodbury Chipping Sodbury is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated 13 miles (21 km) north-east of Bristol and directly east of Yate. The town ...
and then to
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, arriving at Leigh Court, the residence of George and Ellen Norton in Abbots Leigh, late on the afternoon of 12 September. The Nortons remained unaware of the King's identity during his three-day stay. However, the butler, Pope, who had been a Royalist soldier, immediately recognised him. Charles confirmed his identity to Pope, who later admitted Wilmot into the house unobserved. Pope also attempted to find a ship for the King at the port of Bristol, but discovered none would be sailing to France for another month. While at Abbots Leigh, Charles deflected suspicion by asking a servant, who had been in the King's personal guard at the Battle of Worcester, to describe the King's appearance and clothing at the battle. The man looked at Charles and said, "The King was at least three fingers taller than ou. Since no ships were to be found, Pope suggested the King find refuge at the home of Colonel Francis Wyndham, another Royalist officer, who lived forty miles away in the village of Trent near
Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo (South Somerset), River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish include ...
on the
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
/
Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
border. The Wyndham family were known to both Wilmot and Charles, as the daughter of the King's old nurse had married the elder Wyndham brother Edmund.. Charles and Wilmot decided to make for the south coast with Jane. However, Mrs Norton suddenly went into labour and bore a
stillborn Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source. It results in a baby born without signs of life. A stillbirth can often result in the feeling of guilt or grief in the mother. T ...
infant. As Jane could not now leave Abbots Leigh without raising suspicion, Pope forged a letter to Jane informing her of her father's serious illness and stating that she was required at home. On the morning of 16 September Charles set out for
Castle Cary Castle Cary () is a market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and south of Shepton Mallet, at the foot of Lodge Hill and on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett. History The word Cary derives ...
where he spent the night. The next day he arrived at Trent.


Trent to Charmouth and back – attempt to escape via Charmouth

The King spent the next few days at Trent House while Wyndham and Wilmot attempted to find a ship from
Lyme Regis Lyme Regis ( ) is a town in west Dorset, England, west of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester and east of Exeter. Sometimes dubbed the "Pearl of Dorset", it lies by the English Channel at the Dorset–Devon border. It has noted fossils in cliffs and ...
or Weymouth. Wyndham contacted Captain Ellesdon, a friend in Lyme Regis, one of whose tenants, Stephen Limbry, was sailing from
Charmouth Charmouth is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the mouth of the River Char, around north-east of Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council estimated that in 2013 the population of the civil parish was 1,31 ...
to
Saint-Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo language, Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany. The Fortification, walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth ...
the following week. Charles and Wilmot, it was decided, could board the vessel in the guise of merchants travelling to recover money from a debtor.. At Charmouth, Charles waited at the Queen's Arms Inn for Wilmot to negotiate with Captain Limbry to take them to France. To explain the party's need to depart quietly at night, the landlady was told in confidence that her guests were an eloping couple (Wyndham's cousin and Wilmot posing respectively as bride and groom), with Charles as their manservant. Limbry did not appear, however, having (according to him) been locked in his bedroom by his wife, who was afraid for his safety. Stranded on the beach at dawn, with no sign of the promised boat, Charles and Wyndham decided to head to nearby
Bridport Bridport is a market town and civil parish in Dorset, England, inland from the English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the River Asker, Asker. Its origins are Anglo-Saxons, Saxon and it has a long history as a ...
, hoping to find out there what had happened to Limbry. When they arrived they discovered that the town was filled with Parliamentary troops about to sail for
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
. Charles boldly walked through the soldiers to the best inn and arranged for rooms. The ostler confronted the King, saying "Sure, Sir, I know your face", but Charles convinced him that he and the ostler had both been servants at the same time for a Mr Potter of
Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...
. Wilmot meanwhile had remained behind in Charmouth after his horse had lost a shoe. The inn's ostler, a veteran Parliamentary soldier, became suspicious – and had his suspicions confirmed when a blacksmith told him that one of the horse's shoes had been forged in
Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...
. Learning that the "eloping couple" had departed for Bridport, the ostler informed his commanding officer, who rode after them. Wilmot, also trying to find the King in Bridport, had gone to the wrong inn. He sent a servant to find Charles and passed word that they should meet up outside the town. On meeting, they agreed that they should return to Trent in view of the considerable number of troops in the locality. Taking a small country road (Lee Lane) heading north they narrowly missed a party of troops who were riding from Charmouth. A modern memorial stone in Lee Lane commemorates the narrow escape. Losing their way, Charles and Wilmot decided to stop overnight in the village of Broadwindsor, at The George Inn. That evening, the local constable arrived with forty soldiers who were to be billeted at the inn, en route to Jersey. Fortunately for Charles, attention was diverted by one of the women travelling with the soldiers going into labour, allowing the King to escape the next morning and return to Trent House.


Trent to Shoreham, and escape to France

Charles spent the next twelve nights at Trent House while a passage to France continued to be sought. The night of his return to the house, he had met a cousin of Edward Hyde's who knew Colonel Edward Phelips of
Montacute House Montacute House is a late Elizabethan era, Elizabethan mansion in Montacute, South Somerset, England. An example of English architecture created during a period that was moving from the medieval Gothic architecture, Gothic to the more Classica ...
. Wyndham himself suggested the aid of his friend John Coventry, son of the former Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. Contacted by Wilmot, both Phelips and Coventry pledged themselves to Charles's service. Passage was booked on a ship from
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
on 29 September, but that became impossible when the ship was commandeered to transport troops to Jersey. Phelips, Coventry and Doctor Henchman of
Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Church of England, Anglican cathedral in the city of Salisbury, England. The cathedral is regarded as one of the leading examples of Early English architecture, ...
decided to try the
Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...
coast, and contacted Colonel George Gunter of Racton, between
Havant Havant ( ) is a town in the south-east corner of Hampshire, England. Nearby places include Portsmouth to the south-west, Southampton to the west, Waterlooville to north, Chichester to the east and Hayling Island to the south. The wider borough ...
and
Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...
. On 6 October the King, Julia Coningsby and Henry Peters (Wyndham's servant) left Trent for Heale House at Woodford, between
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
and
Amesbury Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settl ...
, the home of Katherine Hyde, widow of Lawrence Hyde MP. No sooner had Charles arrived than he pretended to leave permanently: riding about the district, visiting
Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric Megalith, megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around high, wide, and weighing around 25 tons, to ...
, and finally returning known only to Mrs Hyde. On 7 October Wilmot visited Colonel Gunter, who found a French merchant, Francis Mancell, now residing in
Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...
. Together they made arrangements with Captain Nicholas Tattersell to carry the King and Wilmot from Shoreham in a coal boat ''Surprise'' for the sum of £80. In the early hours of 13 October, the King and Phelips rode from Heale House to Warnford Down, where they met Wilmot and Gunter. From there, the party set out for Hambledon, where Gunter's sister lived and in whose house they stayed for the night. Next day, they rode to the fishing village of Brighthelmstone (now
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
), fifty miles away, stopping at Houghton for a meal before riding to the village of Bramber, which was filled with soldiers. Gunter decided they would boldly ride through the village. As they were leaving, a party of around fifty soldiers rode rapidly towards them before dashing past and up a narrow lane, giving the travellers a severe fright. At the village of
Beeding Upper Beeding is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the northern end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, north of Shoreham-by-Sea and has a land area of . The site is a bridging p ...
, Gunter left the group to ride on alone while the rest of the party continued by a different route, meeting Gunter at the George Inn at Brighthelmstone on the evening of 14 October. Gunter knew that the George Inn was a safe place to spend the night. However, when Captain Tattersell arrived he recognised the King and was furious. His fury drew the attention of the inn-keeper, who also recognised Charles, having once been a servant to his father Charles I. Charles in his turn recognised the inn-keeper and remarked to Gunter that "the fellow knows me and I him; I hope he is an honest fellow".. Meanwhile, the angry Tattersell demanded an additional £200 as danger-money. Once the King and Gunter had agreed, Tattersell unreservedly pledged himself to the King's service. The King rested briefly before setting out for the boat at Shoreham, a few miles west. Around 2 am on 15 October, the King and Wilmot boarded the ''Surprise'', which sailed on the high tide five hours later. Two hours after that, a troop of cavalry arrived in Shoreham to arrest the King, having been given orders to search for "a tall, black man, six feet two inches in height". The King and Wilmot landed in France at Fécamp, near
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
, on the morning of 16 October 1651.


France, and eventual return to England

The next day Charles went to
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
and then on to Paris to stay with his mother,
Queen Henrietta Maria Henrietta Maria of France ( French: ''Henriette Marie''; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until his execution on 30 January 1649. She was ...
. He was not to return to England for nine years. The death of
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
in 1658 was followed by two years of political confusion, leading to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. On his return to England in 1660 the King granted a variety of annuities and gifts to some of the people who had aided him, including the Pendrell brothers and Jane Lane. Thomas Whitgrave and Richard Pendrell received annual pensions of £200, with £100 to be paid to the descendants of Richard Pendrell in perpetuity. The other Pendrell brothers received lesser pensions. As of the late 1920s, around 40 Pendrells were receiving pensions, including a
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
laundryman who received $400 per year and a professor of English at the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
who got £9/5''s''/6''d''. Pensions are still being paid to a number of Pendrell descendants today. At some point the Whitgrave pension lapsed (it may never have actually been paid), as did that of Jane Lane. Some families who helped the King were awarded
coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...
, or augmentations to existing arms. The arms awarded to Colonel Careless were an oak tree on a gold field with a red fess bearing three royal crowns; the crowns representing the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. The crest is distinguished by a
civic crown The Civic Crown () was a military decoration during the Roman Republic and the subsequent Roman Empire, given to Romans who saved the lives of fellow citizens. It was regarded as the second highest decoration to which a citizen could aspire (the ...
of oakleaves, encircling a crossed sword and sceptre. The Pendrells employed identical arms, differentiated by colour: a field of silver and a fess of black, the crest incorporating a royal crown in place of the civic crown. The Lanes' coat of arms was augmented with the addition of a canton bearing the three lions of England.


Aftermath

In later years Charles loved to recount the exact details of his escape. The
Earl of Clarendon Earl of Clarendon is a title that has been created twice in British history, in 1661 and 1776. The family seat is Holywell House, near Swanmore, Hampshire. First creation of the title The title was created for the first time in the Peer ...
, Charles' doctor George Bate, and
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...
each recorded what they were told. During his escape Charles had been brought into intimate terms with ordinary people with whom he would otherwise have had no interaction. The help of the common people seems to have given him a sense that he was genuinely loved, something he would rarely have experienced in his court under normal circumstances. As Charles II lay dying on the evening of 5 February 1685, his brother and heir the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
brought Father John Huddleston, whom the King had spent time with at Moseley Hall and who was then residing at
Somerset House Somerset House is a large neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building complex situated on the south side of the Strand, London, Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadran ...
, to his bedside, saying, "Sire, this good man once saved your life. He now comes to save your soul." Charles confirmed that he wished to die in the Roman Catholic Church, and Huddleston heard the King's confession and administered
Extreme Unction In the Catholic Church, the anointing of the sick, also known as Extreme Unction, is a Catholic sacrament that is administered to a Catholic "who, having reached the age of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age", except in ...
and the
Viaticum Viaticum is a term used – especially in the Catholic Church – for the Eucharist (also called Holy Communion), administered, with or without Anointing of the Sick (also called Extreme Unction), to a person who is dying; viaticum is thus a par ...
. On the accession of James II, Huddleston continued to stay with the Queen Catherine at Somerset House. Charles purchased the ''Surprise'', the ship he had crossed the Channel on, naming her HMY (His Majesty's Yacht) ''Royal Escape''. She was moored in the Thames off the Palace of Whitehall.


Commemorations and memorials

* Shortly after the Restoration, Isaac Fuller was commissioned to produce a series of five paintings dealing with the early days of the escape. They record, somewhat imaginatively, The King at Whiteladies, The King in Boscobel Wood, The King and Colonel Careless in the oak tree, King Charles II on Humphrey Penderel's mill horse and King Charles II and Jane Lane riding to Bristol. These were purchased by the
National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...
in 1979. * In 1664, the King's birthday of 29 May was designated Oak Apple Day, by Act of Parliament and a special service was inserted in the
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
. For over 200 years the King's birthday was celebrated by the wearing of a sprig of oak leaves in remembrance of the events. The tradition is no longer widely observed. * Hundreds of inns and public houses throughout the country are called 'The Royal Oak', as were eight ships of the Royal Navy. * The escape from England is commemorated around Oak Apple Day each year with a yacht race from Brighton to Fecamp called ''The Royal Escape Race'' and organised by the Sussex Yacht Club. * Another commemoration takes place each year at the
Royal Hospital Chelsea The Royal Hospital Chelsea is an Old soldiers' home, Old Soldiers' retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Founded as an almshouse — the ancient sense of the word "hospital" — by King Charles II of Eng ...
on Founder's Day which takes place close to Oak Apple Day. On Founder's Day, in-pensioners of the Royal Hospital are reviewed by a member of the British Royal Family. * The Monarch's Way is a 625-mile waymarked footpath which approximately follows the escape route starting at the battlefield at Worcester and finishing at Shoreham. * The escape is the subject of
William Harrison Ainsworth William Harrison Ainsworth (4 February 18053 January 1882) was an English historical novelist born at King Street in Manchester. He trained as a lawyer, but the legal profession held no attraction for him. While completing his legal studies in ...
's 1871 novel ''Boscobel, or, The Royal Oak''. * In 2018, the
pop band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guit ...
Barnstormer 1649, headed by
Attila the Stockbroker John Baine (born 21 October 1957), better known by his stage name Attila the Stockbroker,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 208 is an English punk poet, multi instrumentalist musician and songwriter. He ...
, released a song called "Monarch's Way", based on the events of 1651 from an anti-Royalist viewpoint. *
Georgette Heyer Georgette Heyer (; 16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was an English novelist and short-story writer, in both the Regency romance and detective fiction genres. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story conceived for her ail ...
's novel, '' Royal Escape'', published in 1938 is also based on the story. * Gillian Bagwell's 2011 novel ''The September Queen'' recounts the part that Jane Lane played in Charles's escape. The book was released in the United Kingdom 2012 under the title ''The King's Mistress.'' * ''
The Moonraker ''The Moonraker'' is a 1957 British swashbuckler film directed by David MacDonald (director), David MacDonald and starring George Baker (British actor), George Baker, Sylvia Syms, Marius Goring, Gary Raymond, Peter Arne, John Le Mesurier and Pa ...
'', a 1958 British
swashbuckler film A swashbuckler film is characterised by swordfighting and adventurous heroic characters, known as swashbucklers. While morality is typically clear-cut, heroes and villains alike often, but not always, follow a code of honor. Some swashbuckle ...
, loosely based on the later days of the escape, was directed by David MacDonald.


See also

* Charles I's journey from Oxford to the Scottish army camp near Newark (27 April 1646 – 5 May 1646) – a similar trip made by his father through hostile territory with only two companions.


Notes


References and bibliography

* * — Available in various formats at Internet Archive, this is the earliest, not entirely reliable account, of the escape of Charles II, first published shortly after the Restoration in 1660. * * Fea, A. (1897, second ed. 1908) ''The Flight of the King'', London. * * * * * * * * — Presents Pepys's transcription of Charles's account and his edited version side by side, as well as other contemporary accounts. * * * * * * Uglow, J. (2009) ''A Gambling Man: Charles II and the Restoration'', Faber and Faber * * —This also chronicles the delightfully daffy 1911 re-enactment of the events. * * * H.P. Kingston. "The Wanderings of Charles II in Staffordshire and Shropshire" * Jean Gordon Hughes. "A King in the Oak Tree" * *


External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Escape Of Charles Ii English Civil War Cavaliers 1651 in England Charles II of England Charles II