royalty restored-第6节

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llowed　by　the　sheriffs'　men　in　red　cloaks　and　silver　lace；　and　by　a　great　body　of　gentlemen　in　black　velvet　coats　with　gold　chains。　　Next　rode　six　hundred　brave　citizens；　twelve　ministers；　the　king's　life　guards；　led　by　Sir　Gilbert　Gerrard；　the　city　marshals　with　eight　footmen；　the　city　waits　and　officers；　the　sheriffs　and　aldermen　in　scarlet　gowns；　the　maces　and　heralds　in　great　splendour；　the　lord　mayor　carrying　a　naked　sword　in　his　strong　right　hand；　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　and　General　Monk；　soon　to　be　created　Duke　of　Albermarle。

Now　other　heralds　sound　their　trumpets　with　blasts　that　make　all　hearts　beat　quicker；　church　bells　ring　far　louder　than　before；　voices　are　raised　to　their　highest　pitch；　excitement　reaches　its　zenith；　for　here；　mounted　on　a　stately　horse　caparisoned　in　royal　purple　and　adorned　with　gold；　rides　King　Charles　himself；　on　his　right　hand　his　brother　of　York；　on　his　left　his　brother　of　Gloucester。　　Handkerchiefs　are　waved；　flowers　are　flung　before　his　way；　words　of　welcome　fall　upon　his　ear；　in　answer　to　which　he　bows　with　stately　grace；　smiles　most　pleasantly；　and　gives　such　signs　of　delight　as　〃cheared　the　hearts　of　all　loyal　subjects　even　to　extasie　and　transportation。〃　　Last　of　all　came　five　regiments　of　cavalry；　with　back；　breast；　and　head　piece；　which　〃diversified　the　show　with　delight　and　terrour。〃　　John　Evelyn　stood　in　the　Strand　and　watched　the　procession　pass；　when　that　worthy　man　thanked　God　the　king　had　been　restored　without　bloodshed；　and　by　the　very　army　that　had　rebelled　against　him。　〃For　such　a　restauration　was　never　mention'd　in　any　history　ancient　or　modern；　since　the　returne　of　the　Jews　from　the　Babylonish　captivity；　nor　so　joyfull　a　day　and　so　bright　ever　seene　in　this　nation；　this　hapning　when　to　expect　or　effect　it　was　past　all　human　policy。〃

For　full　seven　hours　this　〃most　pompous　show　that　ever　was〃　wound　its　way　through　the　city；　until　at　nine　of　the　clock　in　the　evening　it　brought　his　majesty　to　the　palace　of　Whitehall；　where　the　late　king　had　〃laid　down　his　sacred　head　to　be　struck　off　upon　a　block；〃　almost　twelve　years　before。　　Then　the　lord　mayor　and　his　aldermen　took　their　goodly　leave；　and　the　king　entered　into　the　banquet　hall；　where　the　lords　and　commons　awaited　him；　and　where　an　address　was　made　to　him　by　the　Earl　of　Manchester；　Speaker　to　the　House　of　Peers；　congratulating　him　on　his　miraculous　preservation　and　happy　restoration　to　his　crown　and　dignity　after　so　long　and　so　severe　a　suppression　of　his　just　right　and　title。　　Likewise　his　lordship　besought　his　majesty　to　be　the　upright　assertor　of　the　laws　and　maintainer　of　the　liberties　of　his　subjects。　　〃So；〃　said　the　noble　earl；　〃shall　judgment　run　down　like　a　river；　and　justice　like　a　mighty　stream；　and　God；　the　God　of　your　mercy；　who　hath　so　miraculously　preserved　you；　will　establish　your　throne　in　righteousness　and　peace。〃　　Then　the　king　made　a　just　and　brief　reply；　and　retired　to　supper　and　to　rest。

The　worthy　citizens；　however；　were　not　satisfied　that　their　rejoicements　should　end　here；　and　〃as　soon　as　night　came；〃　says　Dr。　Bate；　〃an　artificial　day　was　begun　again；　the　whole　city　seeming　to　be　one　great　light；　as；　indeed；　properly　it　was　a　luminary　of　loyalty；　the　bonfires　continuing　till　daybreak；　fed　by　a　constant　supply　of　wood；　and　maintained　with　an　equal　excess　of　gladness　and　fewel。〃　　Wine　flowed　from　public　fountains；　volleys　of　shot　were　discharged　from　houses　of　the　nobility；　drums　and　other　musical　instruments　played　in　the　streets；　citizens　danced　most　joyfully　in　open　places；　and　the　effigy　of　Cromwell　was　burned；　together　with　the　arms　of　the　Commonwealth　with　expressions　of　great　delight。



CHAPTER　II。

The　story　of　the　king's　escape。He　accepts　the　Covenant　and　lands　in　Scotland。Crowned　at　Scone。Proclaimed　king　at　Carlisle。The　battle　of　Worcester。Bravery　of　Charles。　Disloyalty　of　the　Scottish　cavalry。The　Royalists　defeated。　The　King's　flight。Seeks　refuge　in　Boscobel　Wood。The　faithful　Pendrells。Striving　to　cross　the　Severn。Hiding　in　an　oak　tree。Sheltered　by　Master　Lane。Sets　out　with　Mistress　Lane。Perilous　escapes。On　the　road。The　king　is　recognised。　Strange　adventures。His　last　night　in　England。

That　King　Charles　had　been　miraculously　preserved；　as　my　Lord　Manchester　set　forth；　there　can　be　no　doubt。　　His　courageous　efforts　to　regain　the　Crown　at　the　battle　of　Worcester　and　his　subsequent　escapes　from　the　vigilant　pursuits　of　the　Cromwellian　soldiers；　would；　if　set　down　in　justice　and　with　detail；　present　a　story　more　entertaining　than　any　romance　ever　written。　　Here　they　must　of　necessity　be　mentioned　with　brevity。

In　the　year　1645；　Charles　I。；　having　suffered　the　loss　of　many　great　battles；　became　fearful　of　the　danger　which　threatened　his　family　and　himself。　　He　therefore　ordered　his　son　Charles；　who　had　already　retired　into　the　west；　to　seek　refuge　in　the　Scilly　Isles。　　The　prince　complied　with　his　desires；　and　went　from　thence　to　Paris；　where　his　mother；　Henrietta　Maria；　had　already　taken　shelter；　and；　after　a　short　stay　with　her；　travelled　to　the　Hague。　　Soon　after　the　king　was　beheaded；　the　Scots；　who　regarded　that　foul　act　with　great　abhorrence；　invited　Charles　to　come　into　their　kingdom；　provided　he　accepted　certain　hard　conditions；　which　left　the　government　of　all　civil　business　in　the　hands　of　Parliament；　and　the　regulation　of　all　religious　matters　in　charge　of　the　Presbyterians。　　No　other　prospect　of　regaining　his　rights；　and　of　enabling　him　to　fight　for　his　throne　presenting　itself；　he　accepted　what　was　known　as　the　Covenant；　and　landed　in　Scotland　in　1650。　　He　was　received　with　the　respect　due　to　a　monarch；　but　placed　under　the　surveillance　forced　on　a　prisoner。　　The　fanatical　Presbyterians；　jealous　of　that　potent　influence　which　his　blithe　ways　exercised　over　all　with　whom　he　associated；　neither　permitted　him　to　attend　the　council　nor　command　the　army；　they；　however；　preached　to　him　incessantly；　admonished　him　of　his　sins　and　those　of　his　parents；　guarded　him　as　a　captive；　and　treated　him　as　a　puppet。　　Meanwhile　Cromwell；　being　made　aware　of　his　presence　in　the　kingdom；　advanced　at　the　head　of　a　powerful　body　into　Scotland；　fought　and　won　the　battle　of　Dunbar；　stormed　and　captured　Leith；　and　took　his　triumphal　way　towards　Edinburgh　town。　　Charles　was　at　this　time　in　Perth；　and　being　impatient　at　his　enforced　inaction　whilst　battles　were　fought　in　his　name；　and　lives　lost　in　his　cause；　made　his　escape　from　the　Covenanters；　with　the　determination　of　arousing　the　Royalists　who　lay　in　the　north。　　But　the　Scots　soon　overtook　and　recaptured　him。　　However；　this　decisive　action　awoke　them　to　a　better　understanding　of　the　deference　due　to　his　position；　and　therefore　they　crowned　him　at　Scone　on　the　first　day　of　the　year　1651；　with　much　solemnity；　and　subsequently　made　him　commander　of　the　army。

After　spending　some　months　in　reorganizing　the　troops；　he　boldly　declared　his　intention　of　marching　into　England；　and　fighting　the　rebel　force。　　Accordingly；　on　the　31st　of　July；　1651；　he　set　out　from　Sterling　with　an　army　of　between　eleven　and　twelve　thousand　men。　　At　Carlisle　he　was　proclaimed　king；　and　a　declaration　was　published　in　his　name；　granting　free　grace　and　pardon　to　all　his　subjects　in　England；　of　whatever　nature　or　cause　their　offences；　saving　Cromwell；　Bradshaw　and　Cooke。　　He　then　marched　to　Lancashire；　and　on　the　23rd　of　August　unfurled　the　Royal　standard　at　Worcester；　amidst　the　enthusiastic　acclamations　of　his　troops　and　the　loyal　demonstrations　of　the　citizens。　　Weary　of　civil　strife；　depressed　with　fear　of　Cromwell's　severities；　and　distrustful　of　the　Presbyterians；　who　chiefly　composed　the　young　king's　army；　the　Royalists　had　not　gathered　to　his　standard　in　such　numbers　as　he　had　anticipated。　　His　troops；　since　leaving　Scotland；　had　been　reinforced　merely　by　two　thousand　men；　but　Charles　had　hopes　that　fresh　recruits　would　join　him　when　news　of　the　rising　got　noised　abroad。

The　Republicans　were　filled　with　dismay　at　the　king's　determined　action；　but　were　prompt　to　make　a　counter…move；　Accordingly；　additional　troops　were　levied；　London　was　left　to　be　defended　by　volunteers；　and　Cromwell；　heading　an　army　of　thirty…four　thousand　men；　marched　against　the　Royalists。　　On　the　28th　of　August；　they　drew　near　Worcester；　and　on　the　3rd　of　September　the　battle　was　fought　which　will　remain　for　ever　famous　in　the　annals　of　civil　war。　　On　the　morning　of　that　day；　the　king；　ascending　the　cathedral　tower；　saw　the　enemy's　forces　advancing　towards　Worcester：　　before　reaching　the　city；　it　was　necessary　they　should　cross　the　Severn；　and；　in　order　to　prevent　this　if　possible；　Charles　hurried　down　and　directed　that　some　of　his　troops；　under　the　command　of　Montgomery；　should　defend　Powick　Bridge；　whilst　he　stationed　others　under　Colonel　Pitscottie　lower　down；　at　a　point　of　the　river　towards　which　the　Republicans　were　marching　with　pontoons；　by　means　of　which　they　intended　to　cross。　The　young　king；　hopeful　of　victory　and　full　of　enthusiasm；　rode　speedily　out　at　the　head　of　his　troops　and　placed　them　at　their　various　stations。　　Scarcely　had　he　done　so；　when　he　became　aware　that　the　main　body　of　the　enemy　had　opened　an　artillery　fire　on　Fort　Royal；　which　guarded　the　city　on　the　south…east　side。