I TOOK up my abode in a little cottage overlooking Wootton Creek in the Isle of Wight, hard by the village of Wootton. It was a peaceful spot, where the tide of war had not swept, though near enough, 'tis true, to see the scenes of many a stern conflict in former days.
On either side of the creek, well-wooded hills sloped down to the water's edge when the tide was up, or to the fringe of the mudflats when 'twas low water. Just within shelter of the land the creek was of sufficient depth to float a few fishing boats, whence a narrow, winding channel led to the blue waters of the Solent.
My life, or rather existence, at Wootton was of a particularly quiet nature. I lived at peace with my neighbours, and though at first they were certainly inquisitive to the extreme, after a while they found that nothing could be obtained of my former life, and in consequence I was little troubled in that respect.
I thought it advisable to adopt another name, and finally I selected that of Giles White, which seemed sufficiently common to avoid further inquiries of my antecedents.
Of the events that were taking place in the kingdom at large I heard but little for a time.
Of Colonel Firestone and Ralph Granville I heard not a word. Whether they were alive or dead, and how they had fared after leaving Chalton, remained a mystery as far as I was concerned, yet I had a conviction that ere long things would mend, and that I should once again see my old comrades.
Then news began to come in apace. A fisherman brought the tidings that His Majesty had escaped from the power of the Independents, and had sought refuge at Titchfield House, whence he had been escorted by Colonel Hammond to the castle of Carisbrooke. To me, a loyal Cavalier, the news was encouraging, for, though nominally a prisoner, the King was within a few miles of the place where I existed in comparative poverty and obscurity.
One evening I was returning in a small boat from a day's fishing off the mouth of the creek, and just as I was rowing past the little hard on the Fishbourne side, I saw three men standing under the trees. For a while they watched me intently, then one of them called, "Ho, fisherman, can you put us across?"
"Right willingly," I answered, inwardly smiling at their mistake, which was natural enough under the circumstances, and running the boat aground, I told them to jump in.
"What sort of road lieth betwixt here and Newport?" inquired one, a dark-featured man dressed in russet cloth, and armed with rapier and pistols.
"Hilly, but not easily mistaken," I replied. "'Tis an hour and a half's good walk."
Two of the men were sitting astern, and one in the bows. As we neared the opposite side of the creek I turned my head to see how the boat was heading, and, to my surprise, the stranger who sat in the bows gave me a resounding smack on the back.
"Markham!" he cried. "By the powers! What are you doing here—and in this garb?"
In a moment I recalled the man's features 'twas Captain Dixon, the same who was the transport officer at Dartmouth Castle. A few words sufficed to explain my presence in the Isle of Wight then the captain interrupted me by asking:
"And you know the island well?"
"As a fox knows its lair."
"Then come with us if ye be a true Cavalier. In Brading Harbour lies theHappy Adventure. I trove you remember her full well? Peste! A wretched mess we have made of things up to now, for we have been hopelessly lost amid these winding lanes. Canst lead us to Carisbrooke ere midnight?"
"With ease," I replied confidently.
"Then do so, and a greater service to His Majesty you'll never again perform."
By this time the boat had reached the opposite shore, and tying it safely to an iron ring, I set off briskly for the hill, the three cavaliers panting at my heels. Seeing that they were armed, I left them for a time to get my sword from the cottage, then once more we resumed our journey.
Naturally, I was curious to know the nature of our midnight errand, and the three officers (for they were all of Sir Henry Cary's regiment) were not loth to tell me.
"With the blessing of Heaven we hope, ere dawn, to have his sacred Majesty safely aboard theHappy Adventure, and well on his way to France!" explained Captain Dixon. "All preparations are complete; swift horses are in readiness in Carisbrooke Village, where Fire—Fire——"
"Firestone?" I asked eagerly.
"Nay, but I cannot call the man's name to mind."
"'Tis Firebrace, His Majesty's page," explained another, Major Hosken.
"Ay, Firebrace. Well, where Firebrace has arranged to meet us."
"His Majesty is a close prisoner?"
"Close after a fashion, though not so unguarded as before poor Captain Burley's blundering attempt at rescue. No good came of it, for His Majesty was detained within the walls, and Burley was hanged, drawn, and quartered for his pains. Heaven forfend that will not be our lot."
"Burley had courage, but lacked caution, and his hotheadedness was his undoing. We, I take it, have laid our plans aright, using discretion tempered with bravery. Therein lies the difference; though we be willing to risk our lives in His Majesty's cause, we take good care to keep open every possible channel of escape."
Talking of their possibilities of success, the three officers kept up the hot pace I had set, and it was just before eleven as we descended the steep hill leading into Newport.
The familiar streets of the old town were almost deserted, and, unchallenged, we passed along the High Street, and gained the outskirts on the Carisbrooke side.
In the village hard by the church, a man, his features muffled in a dark cloak, was waiting under the shadow of a row of trees. Feigning to ignore him, we passed on; but bef ore we had gone a few steps he tapped thrice with a stick against the stump of a tree. Thereupon we retraced our footsteps, and the man introduced himself as the royal page, Firebrace.
Without further parley, for each man seemed thoroughly to understand his work, we turned down N a side street, through which a brook babbled, the rippling of the water sounding in the night air. Then we began to climb the steep hill on which the castle stands.
Neither lights nor any other signs of human beings were to be seen, and without misadventure we gained the base of the barbican. Here we took shelter in the dry moat, concealing ourselves underneath the centre of three low arches that carried the road from the outwork of the embattled gateway.
Captain Dixon pulled out a gold watch, and holding it close to his face, announced in a low tone that it was a quarter to twelve. Then we heard the tramp of the musketeers relieving guard, every sound of the instructions given to the sentry at the barbican being distinctly audible.
"'Tis Captain Titus," whispered Firebrace, "and he is with us."
This seemed to be the case, for we heard him tell the musketeer to pay no attention to any sounds he might hear without the castle, and to this the man readily complied, he also being a party to the enterprise.
"Now 'tis time," whispered the page; and walking swiftly along the bed of the dry moat, we at length came to a part of the castle where the walls were considerably lower than the rest. Here a stout rope was dangling from the battlements.
"Five minutes will decide whether we have set our heads in a rat trap or not," said Major Hosken. "Now, Dixon, you first—up you go."
Seizing the rope with both hands, the captain swung himself lightly up the sheer face of the wall, and instantly afterwards a shake of the hemp announced that he had reached the battlements in safety. Firebrace followed, and I ascended third, followed in turn by Hosken, while the remaining officer stayed without to facilitate our descent.
I found myself on a narrow stone ledge, protected on its outer side by a parapet breast-high, while the inner side was unfenced. A slip or a false step in the dark, and we should have fallen a depth of thirty feet on the ground of the base-court.
With the air of a man who knows his business, Firebrace led the way along the narrow pathway for about twenty paces. Here a flight of stone steps afforded a descent to the ground, while but three yards away rose the outlines of a detached building.
"'Tis the Great Hall—His Majesty's apartments," whispered the page, as we gained the level of the basecourt. "Watch yonder window."
We had not long to wait, for the hour of twelve was striking. Everything was perfectly still, and though a light gleamed through a window in the gatehouse, there were no signs of any of the guards.
Presently there came the sound of a casement being cautiously opened, and we could see a white face looking down between the bars of a window on the first floor.
Instantly we uncovered, then expectantly awaited His Majesty's appearance. The end of a stout rope fell at our feet, and then the head of our royal master emerged betwixt the bars of the window.
For a brief space we waited in suspense. Then——
"I am stuck fast!" exclaimed the King in a low voice.
"Nay, sire," said the page. "Where Your Majesty's head passes through, your body will surely follow."
"Nay, I repeat, I cannot move either forward or backward," said the King, with a long-drawn groan, wrung from him by the result of his exertions.
Whilst he stuck I heard him groan again and again; yet we could not come to help him, even though Dixon climbed the rope, and grasping the bars with his hands, tried in vain to wrench them asunder—at the risk of his neck had the iron given way suddenly.
In five minutes the attempt was at an end, for His Majesty, using the cord to force his way back into the room, succeeded in freeing himself from the embraces of the iron bars. Then, having suffered the devoted captain to kiss his hand, he retired; whereupon Dixon, muttering softly under his breath at our impotence, slid softly to earth.
For a few moments more we waited beneath the window. Why we tarried I know not, unless we thought that some miracle would bring our royal master to our side.
Then his room became illuminated, and bearing a candle in his hand (which he set in the window as a prearranged sign that he had abandoned the attempt, though we knew to our cost that such was the case already), the King stood before the window, the light shining on his classic features.
As if in final benediction, he raised his right hand in token of farewell, then, as we brought our swords to the salute, he disappeared from view.
'Twas fated to be the last glimpse I had of the face of the Royal Martyr.
I was recalled to the danger of my position by Dixon's hand being laid on my shoulder, and regaining the wall, we slid down the rope to the moat, where we communicated the dismal news of our failure to our comrade.
Then, descending the hill, we each selected a horse, and were soon galloping down the road to Newport.
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
Firebrace, the page, remained in the village, but I accompanied the officers as far as the ford across the creek at Wootton.
They wished me to retain the horse I was using, but, much against my will, I was obliged to refuse, for the presence of the animal at my cottage would give rise to well-founded suspicions. Then, having set them on the right road to Brading Harbour, I bade them farewell, and sick in mind and tired in body, I walked back to my humble dwelling.
Yet I could not sleep, and after tossing restlessly on my bed till daylight streamed into the room, I dressed and went out. A strong easterly wind had sprung up with the rising of the sun, and looking in the direction of Spithead, I saw the drawing sails of a small vessel bowling along on her westward course.
It was theHappy Adventure.
AGAIN, as far as I was concerned, time pursued its even course, and in my retreat I had little cause to complain of the manner of life I was leading, were it not for the galling fate of circumstances that had befallen my King and country. There were hundreds of brave Cavaliers, ruined by their devotion, who lurked in obscurity and sequestration, awaiting the time when their swords were once more to fly from their scabbards in the defence, and for the honour, of His Majesty, so that I comforted myself that in my present position I was by no means an exception.
One dark evening in the month of November I was returning from a long ramble through the woods of Quarr, and on gaining the little hard on the Fishbourne side of the creek, where I had left my boat, I saw the dark sails of a large craft of strange rig glide past up the channel. I say strange, but 'twas strange only as far as the locality was concerned, for I could have staked my all that those sails were cut in the West Country.
The vessel passed on, and disappeared in the darkness, but by the sound of the creaking tackle and shouts of the crew I knew she had dropped anchor just above the pool where the fishing craft are wont to lie.
Now it happened that just at the spot where this craft had brought up there is what the fishermen call a "hard bottom," rocks and large stones abounding, upon which a vessel would do herself an injury when she grounded at low tide; so, as I had to pass the craft on my passage over o the other side, I thought it but right that I shoul warn the crew, who were obviously strangers, of their danger.
The flood tide was making strongly, and it required but a few strokes to bring me alongside the new arrival as she fretted at her hempen cable in the swirl of the swift-running flood.
With the least perceptible jar my little boat rubbed sides with the larger craft, and standing up, I held on to the bulwarks of the latter and peered through the gloom to try and find some of her crew.
The deck was deserted, but from a half-open hatch came the gleam of a lamp that shot upwards through the thick night vapour, like a stray shaft of light that finds its way into the dusty atmosphere of a darkened room.
Judging by the sounds of the different voices, the boat carried a large crew, and for a moment I hesitated to hail them, fearing they might be a gang of smugglers, who, in these troublous times, often added piracy to the list of their numerous accomplishments. But, to my surprise, I heard a well-known voice exclaim: "Yet before we adventure ourselves in this matter, I would fain seek out Sir Humphrey Markham."
Caution was no longer necessary, and pounding on the deck with my fist, I called:
"Ralph! Ralph! 'Tis I—Humphrey."
The next instant Ralph Granville rushed up through the hatch, closely followed by Nick Firestone.
"Come aboard! Come aboard, Humphrey!" exclaimed Ralph. Then, as I came within range of the light, he continued: "And to think we should find you in the garb of a fisherman or woodman!"
"Which, I perceive, is a like garb to that which you yourselves are wearing," I replied, laughing, for there was little difference between our dress and that of the crew, amongst which I recognised Dick, the master of theEmma Farleigh.
Then I realised that I stood once more on the deck of the staunch little craft that effected my rescue from the sea, when my horse carried me willy-nilly over the cliffs of the Cornish coast.
"Come below and tell us how you have fared this long while," exclaimed Firestone. "And how came ye to find us?"
"Find you?" I repeated. "'Twas by pure chance that I saw you come in, not knowing who and what you were. But what brought you in hither?"
"To look for you, knowing that you were somewhere about in these parts. Our business is of a stern nature. Look behind you."
Ranged along the bulkhead of the cabin were several musketoons, pistols, boarding-pikes, and heavy swords known to seamen as cutlasses, while two swivel guns completed the armoury. In addition to Granville, Firestone, and myself, there were ten lusty seamen, all Cornishmen of the good old sea stock, crowded into the little cabin, their bronzed, bearded faces gleaming with zeal and intelligence.
"Turned pirate to build up the fortune of your home, Ralph?" I asked jocosely.
"Nay, lad, nay. 'Tis an affair of duty and honour. In short, we hope to have His Majesty aboard theEmma Farleighor her consort, theThree Brothers, within a couple of days. Dost remember his futile attempt to escape during the spring?"
"Ay," I replied. "Seeing that I had a hand in it."
"Then fie on you for a bungler, Humphrey. But to continue the story of our plans. TheThree Brotherslies in Newtown River, within an hour's ride of Carisbrooke. Thither we will repair, and joining hands, there will be sufficient men to surprise the castle and effect a rescue. Then hey for France! Wilt join with us?"
"There is no need to ask me," I replied. "But will it be an' easy task, think you? Colonel Hammond, I hear, has been removed. He was ordered to Windsor but yesterday week, and Colonel William Sydenham has been given the charge of His Majesty's person."
"Sydenham? I know him to be a red-hot fanatic," remarked Firestone; "and, moreover, a thorough soldier, though he be a rebel. Our task is rendered doubly difficult."
"Nevertheless, we must see the thing through," added Ralph resolutely. "Now, Humphrey, if you have any preparations to make, hurry on with them, for we must needs be at the rendezvous without undue delay."
Accordingly I hurried ashore, took a change of clothing, my sword, and a few small articles of value, since I knew not whether I should ever return; then, locking the door, I left the key in the hands of an old fisherman, one Robert Young, who had oftentimes before looked after my dwelling when I had occasion to be away for long.
When I returned on board, a steady south-easterly breeze was blowing down the creek, and in a very little time the sails were hoisted, and theEmma Farleighglided over the tide towards the Solent.
The night was bitterly cold, but, with Dick in charge on deck, there was no necessity for us to remain without; so we retired to the cabin, there to talk over our respective adventures after we had separated at Chalton.
By and by there was a scurrying of feet on deck, and we heard Dick's powerful voice shout, "Mind your helm, there."
Rushing on deck, we saw the dim outlines of a vessel disappearing astern of us, and even as we looked a light flashed thrice in quick succession above her sides.
"Quick, there, show a flare!" ordered the master and in obedience one of the crew replied with a similar signal, which was replied to with another succession of six flashes.
"'Tis theBrothers, sure enough," said Dick; "I wonder what they are doing out here?"
With the dark water churning up under her forefoot our consort drew up under our lee, and a hasty conversation took place between the two masters, to the effect that the crew of theThree Brothershad heard that the King was to be taken from Carisbrooke over to Hurst Castle that morning, and they feared he would be conducted thence to London.
"Are you sure of it?" shouted Firestone.
"Ay. Walter heard it direct from one of the sofdiers at an inn near Yarmouth, and a coach has already lef t for the castle."
"Then we are too late," exclaimed the colonel, turning to Ralph. "Unless we can intercept the vessel that bears him across the Solent."
"Can we manage that?" asked Granville of the master.
"If us keeps out o' range o' the guns at Hurst Castle, 'twill be safe enow," replied Dick. "An' I'll warrant never a ship on these waters'll show 'er 'eels to the likes o' we."
"Then speak with the Brothers, and desire them to bear us company. Sink or swim, I'll have this craft laid alongside the vessel that bears His Majesty across the Solent."
For the rest of the night the crew were busily engaged in setting up the swivel guns, bending the larger and lighter sails in the place of the heavier winter canvas, and leaving nothing untouched that would increase our speed; and as the grey dawn stole across the eastern sky, we found ourselves standing close in shore within a short distance of Worseley Tower, hard by the little town of Yarmouth.
We observed a small sloop lying at anchor just off the tower, while several soldiers on shore were intently watching us. Presently a boat pushed off from the land, and an officer ordered us roughly to stand farther off.
"Can us not fish here?" asked Dick, who with two others alone remained on deck.
"No, sirrah," replied the officer. "For all I know, you and your other boat may be looking for fish that does not swim in the sea. Get you gone, I say."
There was no help for it. We could have seized the officer, but that deed would not have helped us, for the rebels would have delayed putting His Majesty across till a sufficient number of ships had assembled to guard his passage, or else they might have sent him from Cowes to Titchfield Haven.
So the two vessels stood out from shore, theEmma Farleighleading, with theThree Brothersclose astern. The wind had fallen very light, and we barely moved through the water. A slight haze hung around, entirely blotting out Hurst Castle from our view.
"If this fog becomes no thicker, 'twill serve our purpose well," commented the colonel, as we came on deck once more. But, happening to look shorewards, we observed with great uneasiness that we were being simply borne through the narrow channel by the irresistible force of the tide.
In vain we tried to hold our own, but the wind was not sufficient to enable us to do so, and we observed with dismay that the breeze blew strongly off Yarmouth, while we were practically becalmed.
Then, to our mortification, we saw a party of soldiers hurry on board the sloop, a cloaked, bent figure in their midst, and in utter helplessness we saw the vessel shake out her sails, and heeling over to the breeze, stand on her way towards the frowning walls of Hurst Castle.
Our efforts to rescue His Majesty had failed.
A feeling of depression had seized upon everyone on board both our vessels, and for a long time we breasted the tide at twenty yards apart, without any fixed plan or purpose.
At length Firestone suggested that, to avoid needless risk, and the consequences of an already existing suspicion, theThree Brothersshould return to the west, while theEmma Farleighshould land me at Wootton, and follow at her leisure. This was agreed to, and an hour later our former consort was a mere speck against the western sky.
By this time the sun had completely dispersed the mist, and Hurst Castle stood out clearly against the dark, tree-clad outlines of the New Forest. With the now favouring tide we made for the eastward once more, Firestone and Granville having promised to be my guests at my humble dwelling for a few days, until we had gathered definite news of the fate of our royal master.
But our plans were doomed to receive a rude shock, for, as we rounded Old Castle Point, and were just opening out the entrance to the creek, we saw a small boat rowing hurriedly towards us.
As it drew nearer I recognised the rower as the old fisherman, Robert Young, and calling to us to shake the vessel up in the wind, he came alongside.
"Don't 'e go back home, as you value your life, Master White," he exclaimed breathlessly.
"Why?" I inquired, a sudden suspicion flashing through my mind.
"'Cause a pack of rascally soldiers have taken charge of your cottage. They say that you are a Royalist, and that a price is set on your head. They've ransacked everything in your house, and I had great trouble to steal away and warn you. I'd flee, if I were you, while there is yet time."
"The man has given you good advice, and 'tis certain you ought to profit by it," remarked the colonel. "And we, too, are like to put our heads in a noose should we venture ashore. Clearly England is no place for us."
"So it seems," I replied despondently.
"Then there remains but one course open to the three of us," he continued. "Abroad we may seek refuge until such time that we can adventure our persons in a more successful enterprise. What say you?"
To this we all agreed, and after a consultation with Dick, the latter agreed to land us at Havre, in consideration of a certain sum of money; and before night the white cliffs of the Isle of Wight had vanished beneath the horizon.
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
Very little remains to be told. Directly we landed on French soil we hastened to offer our services to the Prince of Wales.
And here, in a strange land, we await, in common with a devoted and ever-growing band of loyal English refugees, the time when His Gracious Majesty King Charles II will, with the blessing of God, wrest his inheritance from the rebels, at whose lawless hands we have so grievously suffered for King and country.
THE END
Transcribers notes:
- Near the end of chapter III: [One of our men uttered "come" coarse jest] is probably [One of our men uttered "some" coarse jest]
- Halfway chapter VIII: [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatened" catastrophe.] is probably [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatening" catastrophe.]
- Halfway chapter VIII: [for the rebells are leaving "Listithiel" this day.] is probably [for the rebells are leaving "Lostwithiel" this day.]