CHAPTER II.
HOW THE KING WAS WELL-NIGH CAPTURED BY MADMANNAH.
Seated in the arbour, to which he had retired on the departure ofFather Huddlestone and his companions, Charles endeavoured to reviewhis position calmly.
His great desire had been to remain at Boscobel till the vigilanceof his enemies should relax, and an opportunity of reaching thecoast might occur to him, but after Father Huddlestone's earnestrepresentations of the great risk he would run, he felt the necessityof seeking another hiding-place, and where could a more secure retreatbe found than was offered by Moseley Old Hall? Mr. Whitgreave, theowner of the mansion, belonged to the old religion, and the unfortunatemonarch had learnt from recent experience that those who had provedmost faithful to him in his hour of peril were Roman Catholics.Besides, Father Huddlestone had given him positive assurance of thefidelity of Mr. Whitgreave's household. There was no risk, therefore,of betrayal. The great danger lay in the journey. If he could onlyreach Moseley Old Hall in safety all would be well.
Still, he felt reluctant to quit Boscobel. The Penderels had completelywon his regard. Their devotion had impressed him deeply, and he wellknew that men so honest and trusty, and possessed of such good soundsense, were rarely to be met with. Having been thrown so much intotheir company--especially into that of Trusty Dick--he knew them moreintimately than he had ever done persons in their humble station, andhe formed a very high and perfectly just opinion of their worth.
Naturally, the uppermost thought in his mind was how to reach thecoast, and procure a vessel to convey him to France, and he wasconsidering how he could best accomplish his object, when the sound ofquick footsteps on the gravel-walk leading to the mount caught his ear.He immediately looked forth, and saw it was Trusty Dick, who had cometo warn him.
"Your majesty must not stay here any longer," said the faithful fellow."The enemy is at hand."
On hearing this Charles hurried to the house, where he found WilliamPenderel and his wife in great consternation, for they had just learntfrom Dick that Colonel James, being dissatisfied with the result of thefirst investigation, was about to make another search of the house, andwas coming thither with his troopers.
"I will again take refuge in the oak," cried Charles. "I shall be safeamid its branches."
"There is not time to reach the tree," said Dick, who could not concealhis uneasiness. "Besides, that rascally trooper whom your majesty madea prisoner is with them."
"You must hide in the secret closet, my liege, or in the priest'shole," said Joan.
"There are other hiding-places," added William Penderel, "but none sosecure as the secret closet in the chimney. Go thither at once, sire, Ientreat you. There is not a moment to lose."
"I must not be found here," cried Trusty Dick, "my presence wouldexcite suspicion. But I shall not be far off."
Snatching up a sword that had been left for him by Careless, Charleshurried up-stairs, and opened the door of the secret closet. Whilehe was thus employed, he fancied he heard some one in the adjoiningchamber, and at once flew to the trap-door, and let himself down intothe lower chamber. In his haste, he had left the sword lying on thefloor of the bedroom, and had upset a fauteuil--and, worst of all, hehad left the door of the secret closet open--but he felt sure Joanwould quickly follow and put all right.
CHARLES HIDING IN THE SECRET CLOSET AT BOSCOBEL HOUSE.]
And so she would have done, had she not been prevented. How great washer terror, on entering the bedchamber, to see a trooper standingthere, amid all these evidences of the king's hasty retreat.
The trooper she beheld was Madmannah. He had got into the house throughan open window, and had made his way privily up-stairs. Placing hispike at her breast, he ordered her instantly to quit the room, and shedid not dare to disobey.
Casting an anxious glance at the accusing sword, but still hoping thetrap-door might not be discovered, Joan went down to the hall, whereanother scene of terror awaited her.
Colonel James was interrogating her husband, who was standing beforethe stern Republican leader with a trooper on either side of him. Ezra,who was stationed at the foot of the staircase, allowed her to enterthe hall, but bade her hold her tongue. Colonel James was seated nearthe table. His aspect was unusually severe, but William Penderel didnot quail before his menacing looks. The forester's gigantic figuredwarfed the troopers who stood on either side of him.
"I know thou art a stubborn knave," said Colonel James; "but I willwrest the truth from thee. I am certain that Charles Stuart isconcealed within this house, and I mean not to depart without him. ButI will not waste time in the search. Thy life is already forfeited forthy treasonable conduct, and I should be justified in putting theeto death; but I will spare thee, if, without more ado, the malignantprince be delivered up to me. Nay, more, I will reward thee. Dost hearme, sirrah?" he continued, finding that his words produced no visibleimpression upon the prisoner. "I am not one to be trifled with, as thouwilt find."
As he spoke, he arose, strode towards the prisoner, and drawing apistol from his belt, placed it at Penderel's head.
"Speak the truth, or thou art a dead man," he said. "Where is theprince?"
This was too much for Joan. She could not stand by and see her husbandshot. Rushing forward, she besought the fierce Republican leader tospare him.
"A word from thee will save his life," said Colonel James, lowering thepistol and turning towards her.
"Woman, I forbid you to speak," said William Penderel, sternly.
"Shoot me if you will," cried Joan to the Republican leader, "I havenothing to declare. Charles Stuart is not here."
"That is false," exclaimed Colonel James. "Deliver him to me, or yeshall both die. Your treasonable practices are known to me. I am awarethat the fugitive prince and one of his attendants were concealed in anoak hard by this house. Where are they? They cannot have escaped."
"Wherefore not?" rejoined William Penderel. "If, as you assert, theywere hidden in an oak, they could not be here. Search the house, and ifyou find him you seek, then put us to death."
Finding he could not intimidate the resolute forester, Colonel Jamesleft him in charge of a couple of troopers, with orders to shoot himif he attempted to escape, and commanded Joan to conduct him over thehouse.
"If Charles Stuart be found hidden within the house, thou and thyhusband shall assuredly die," he said. "But if it be as thou affirmest,I will spare you both."
"Where will you begin the search?" inquired Joan.
"I will leave no room unvisited," replied Colonel James. "But I willfirst examine the bedchambers."
Joan's heart quaked as the stern officer marched up-stairs andproceeded to the principal bedroom. Colonel James was astonished byfinding Madmannah standing in the midst of the room, leaning on hispike, with the door of the secret closet wide open.
"Hast thou found the malignant prince?" he exclaimed.
"Yea, verily, colonel, I have discovered his hiding-place, as youperceive," replied Madmannah. "There is the stool on which he somewhilesat--there is the cup from which he drank--above all, there is hissword. I have waited for you to make further search, that you may havethe credit of the capture. But I claim the reward."
"Thou shalt have it," replied Colonel James, stepping into the closet.
He saw at a glance that it was empty, but feeling sure there must besome secret recess, he struck the panels on either side with the pommelof his sword, but discovering nothing, he at last turned to Joan, whowas standing by watching his proceedings with ill-disguised anxiety,and remarked:
"There must be a hiding-place here. Disclose it at once, or I willcause my men to break down the panels."
Joan obeyed, drew back the sliding door, and Colonel James instantlysprang through the aperture into the inner room.
Finding no one within it, he vented his disappointment in an angryexclamation.
"Where is the malignant prince, woman?" he demanded, fiercely.
"Gone," she replied. "That is all I w
ill tell you."
"Thou art deceiving me, woman," he exclaimed.
But finding threats useless, he proceeded to make a very carefulinvestigation of the little room in which they stood. Had he searchedthe outer closet with equal strictness he must infallibly havediscovered the trap-door.
Dreadfully frightened, Joan had great difficulty in supporting herself,and it was an inexpressible relief to her when Colonel James strodeback into the bedchamber.
"'Tis plain the malignant prince is not here, Madmannah," he said tothe trooper, who seemed greatly disappointed by the result of thesearch.
"I could have sworn I heard him," said Madmannah. "But there are otherhiding-places in the house. Answer truthfully, on your life, woman," headded to Joan.
"I will conceal nothing," she replied, anxious to get them away. "Thereis a priest's hole in the garret."
"A priest's hole!" exclaimed Colonel James. "Show it to me."
Joan took them to the garret, raised the trap-door, and displayed thecavity.
After peering into the hole, Colonel James ordered Madmannah, who hadfollowed him, to descend and examine it. Not without difficulty didthe trooper, who was rather stout, obey his leader's injunction. Butonce in the hole, he found it impossible to get out, and had to takeoff his breast-plate before he could be extricated from his unpleasantposition. He had found nothing, for the pallet on which Careless slepthad been removed.
Enraged at his ill-success, Colonel James then went down-stairs,and searched the parlour, the windows of which have been describedas looking into the garden. His investigations were rewarded by thediscovery of the little altar in the oratory, and offended by the sightof it, he caused it to be destroyed.
After this, he again tried the effect of menaces upon William Penderel,but found the stout forester as stubborn as ever. Nothing could beextorted from him.
At last, after a long and fruitless search, the baffled Republicanleader took his departure, and the faithful pair, who had passed anhour of the greatest anxiety, congratulated each other on their escape.
Not till she was quite satisfied that the troopers were gone did Joanventure to release the king from his confinement. He had heard thefootsteps of Colonel James in the closet overhead, and thought that thetrap-door must be discovered. Had he not feared that a guard must bestationed outside, he would have attempted to escape into the forest.
Now that the danger was passed he laughed at it. But though he madelight of his own fears, he did not underrate the risk incurred on hisaccount by stout-hearted William Penderel and his devoted wife.
Later on, Trusty Dick made his appearance. It appeared that thefaithful fellow had resolved, if the king had been captured by ColonelJames, to rescue him or perish in the attempt; and with this viewhe had hastily assembled his brothers--John, Humphrey, and George,together with his brother-in-law, Francis Yates.
Armed with pikes and bills, they had laid in wait for the troopers,near the house, but as the men came forth without their prey, and hadevidently failed in their design, the devoted little band separated,and each man hurried back to his abode--George to White Ladies, Johnto his little farm, Humphrey to the mill, and Francis Yates to hiscottage--rejoicing that their services had not been required.
"But before parting," said Dick, in conclusion, "we all agreed to meethere to-night to escort your majesty to Moseley Old Hall."
From this simple statement, Charles comprehended how well he wasguarded over by these brave and loyal brothers.
Boscobel; or, the royal oak: A tale of the year 1651 Page 56