October 14 - 1651 - so close and yet...

Charles went to bed on the night of October 13 at the homeof Colonel Gounter's sister and her husband, Thomas Symonds.  According to Gounter, "the King slept wellall night; and by breake of day, the Colonel putting twoe neats-tongues [oxtongues] in his pocketts, which he thought they might neede by the way, theysett out and began their journey."

Charles was traveling with Gounter and his cousin ThomasGounter, and Wilmot and his man Robert Swan. Colonel Phelipps made for London, to make arrangements for money to bewaiting for the king at Rouen. (I'm not sure how he managed this, but apparently he must have had some financialcontact in London who could make the necessary arrangements clandestinely.) Arundel Castle"They were no sooner come to Arundel hill, as they rodeclose by the castle," but they nearly ran into the Governour, Captaine Morley,who was out hunting. "The Colonel, the better to avoid them, it being a steepehill they were to goe downe, presently alighted, and his company … did as hedid, and soe happily they escaped them. The King, being told whoe it was, replyed merrily: 'I did not like hisstarched mouchates.'" (I think this means moustache, but haven't been able toconfirm that!  It sounds as if Charles'sspirits were good, as it seemed that he might actually get out of England soon.)"So wee came to Howton," Gounter continued, "where onhorseback wee made a stop at an ale-house for some bread and drinck; and thereour neats-tongues stood us in very good steede, and were heartily eaten.  From thence, being come to Bramber, wee foundthe streetes full of soldiers, on both sydes the houses, whoe unluckily, and unknowento mee, were come thither the night before to guard.  But luckily (or rather, by a special providence)were just then come from their guard at Bramber-bridge into the towne for refreshment.  Wee came upon them unawares, and were seenebefore wee suspected any thing."

Bramber Bridge
from Alan Fea's The Flight of the KingCharles's heart must have sunk to see the troops – it was arepeat of the situation he had encountered at Stratford-upon-Avon and Bridport,though it was good they had left their post guarding the bridge.

"My Lord Wilmot was readie to turne back, when I stept inand said: 'If wee doe, wee are undone. Lett us goe on boldly, and wee shall not be suspected.'  'He saith well,' said the King.  I went before, he followed, and soe passthrough without any hinderance.

"It was then betweene three and fower of the clock in the afternoone.  Wee went on, but had not gone farre but a newterror possessed us: the same soldiers riding after us, as fast as theycould.  Whereupon the King gave mee ahem.  I slackt my pace till there werecome up to mee, and by that tyme the soldiers were come, whoe rudely passed byus (beeing in a narrow lane), soe that we could hardly keepe out sadles forthem; but passed by without any further hurt, being some 30 or 40 in number."

Another close call, and just when safety was almost insight! 
Bagshall's house, Beeding
from The Flight of the King"When wee were come to Breeding, a little village where Ihad provided a retreatement for the King (one Mr. Bagshall's house), I wasearnest that his Majestie would stay there a whyle, till I had viewed thecoast.  But my Lord Wilmot would by noemeanes, for feare of those soldiers, but carried the King out of theroade.  Soe wee parted: they were theythought safest, I to Brighthemston, being agreed they should send to mee whenfixed anywhere and readie."

Eventually Charles, Wilmot, and Swan followed Gounter toBrighton, where, as Charles recalled "we were to meete with the Maister of the ship,as thinking it more convenient for us to meet there, then just at Shoram wherethe ship was."

Gounter reached the rendezvous first.  "Being come to the said Brighthemston, Ifound all cleere there and the inne (the George) free from all strangers attthat tyme.  Having taken the best roomein the house and bespoken my supper, as I was entertaining myselfe with a glassof wine, the King, not finding accommodation elsewhere to his mind, was come tothe inne.  And upp comes myne host (oneSmith by name) 'More guests,' saith he to mee. He brought them up into another roome, I takeing no notice.  It was not long, but drawing towards the Kingsroome, I heard the Kings voice saying aloud to my Lord Wilmot: 'Here, Mr.Barlow, I drinck to you.'  'I knowe thatname,' said I to myne hoast… 'I pray enquire, and whether he was not a major inthe Kings army.'"

The host having confirmed that Barlow/Wilmot was the man whoGounter thought he was, and forestalling any suspicion on the part of thelandlord, Gounter "made a motion to joyne companie and because my chamber wasthe largest, that they would make use of it: which was accepted, and soe weebecame one companie againe.

King's Head, No. 9 West Street, Brighton, demolished in 1934
It was formerly the George, and may have been the inn at which Charles waited at Brighton"At supper, the King was cheerfull, not shewing he leastsigne of feare or apprehension of any daunger, neyther then or att any tymeduring the whole course of this busines. Which is noe small wonder, considering that the very thought of his ennemies,soe great and soe many, soe diligent, and soe much interested in his ruine, wasenough, as long as he was within their reach and as it were in the very middestof them, to have daunted the stoutest courage in the world."

Now another complication arose.  As Charles told Samuel Pepys in 1680, themerchant Mançel who had negotiated with Captain Tattersall had onlybeen told that his passenger was a gentleman who had escaped fromWorcester.  But the king "observed thatthe maister of the vessel looked very much upon me.  And as soon as we had supped, calling theMerchant [Mançel] aside, the Maister told him that he had not dealtfairly with him: for though he had given him a very good price for the carryingover that Gentleman, yet he had not been cleare with him, for says he, he isthe King, and I very well know him to be soe. Upon which the Merchant denying it, saying that he was mistaken, theMaister answered, I know him very well, for he tooke my ship, together withother fishing Vessels at Bright-Hempson in the yeare 1648 (which was when Icommanded the King my Fathers Fleete, and I very kindly let them goeagaine).  But sayes he to the Maister, benot troubled at it, for I thinck I doe God and my Country good service inpreserveing the King, and by the grace of God I will venture my life and allfor him, and sett him safely on shoare (if I can) in France.

"Upon which the Merchant came and told me what had past betweenthem; and thereby found my selfe under a necessity of trusting him. But I tookenoe kind of notice of it presently to him. But thinking it convenient nott to let him goe home, least he should beasking advice of his wife or any Boddy elce, we kept him with us in the Inn,and satt up all night drinking beer and takeing Tobacco with him."  Charles didn't want a repeat of what hadhappened with Stephen Limbry at Charmouth.

Drinking and takeing TobaccoBut the evening's alarms were not at an end.  Charles recalled "And heere I also runanother very greate danger… for as I was standing after supper by theFire-Side, leaneing my hand upon a Chaire (and all the rest of the Companybeing gon into another Roome) the Maister of the Inn came in and fell a-talkingwith me, and just as he was looking about and saw there were no boddy in theroome, he upon a suddain kissed my hand that was upon the back of the Chaire,and said to me, God bless you, where soe ever you go; I doe not doubt before Idye but to be a Lord, and my Wife a Lady. So I laughted and went away into the next Roome, not desireing then anyfurther discourse with him, there being noe Remedy against my being known byhim, and more discourse might but have raised suspicion.  On which consideracion I thought it best forto trust him in that manner, and he proved very honest."

Gounter also described the incident, which he found verydistressing.  "Supper ended, the Kingstood his back against the fyer, leaning over a chaire.  Up comes mine host … runs to the King,catcheth his hand; and kissing it, said, 'It shall not bee said but I havekissed the best man's hand in England.'

Brighthelmstone by J.M.W. Turner"He had waited att the table att supper, where the boatemenalsoe sate with us, and were then present. Whether he had seene or heard anything that could give him any occasionof suspicion, I knowe not.  In verydeede, the King had a hard task, soe to carrie himself in all things that hemight be in nothing like himselfe, majestie beeing so natural unto him, thateven when he said nothing, did nothing, his very looks (if a man observed) wereenough to betray him.  It was admirableto see how the King (as though he had not beene concerned in these words, whichmight have sounded in the eares of another man as the sentence of death) turnedabout in silence, without any alteration of counternance or taking notice ofwhat had beene said.

"About a quarter of an hower after, the King went to hischamber, where I followed him, craved his pardon with earnest protestation thatI was as innocent, soe altogether ignorant of the cause how this hadhappened.  'Peace, peace, Colonell,' saidthe King, 'the fellow knowes mee, and I him. He was one … that belonged to the back-staires to my Father.  I hope he is an honest fellow.'"

The king was lucky, and the host and Captain Tattersall wereamong the many people over the course of his adventures who recognized him butdidn't give him away. Still, things didn't progress smoothly that night.  Gounter asked Tattersall "in what readiness hewas.  He answered hee could not off thatnight, because, for more securitie, he had brought his vessel into a creeke andthe tyde had forsaken it, soe that it was on the ground… [A]ll the whyle thebusiness had beene in agitation, to this very tyme, the winde had beenecontrarie.  The King then opened thewindowe, tooke notice that the wind was turned, and told the master of the ship,Whereupon, because of the wind and a cleare night, I offered 10li. More to the man to get of that night.  But that could not bee."
[image error] Posy ring given to Captain Tattersall by Charles II
from The Flight of the KingGounter also recalled that though Tattersall kept his mouthshut, he wanted more money, and the carefully laid plan almost fell apart atthe last minute. "When we thought wee had agreed, the boateman starts back, andsaith 'Noe,' unlesse I would ensure the barke. Argue it wee did with him how unreasonable it was, beeing soe well paid&c., but to noe purpose, soe that I yielded at last and 200li. was his valuation, which was agreedupon.  But then, as though he had beeneresolved to frustrate all by unreasonable demands, he required my bond.  At which, mooved with much indignation, Ibegan to bee as resolute as he, saying, among other thing, there were moreboates to bee had besides his; if hee would not, another should, and made asthough I would go to another.

"In this contest, the King happily enterposed: 'Hee saithright (saith his Majestie),' a gentlemans word, especially before witnesses, isas good as his bond.  At last the man'sstomach came downe; and carrie them he would, whatever came of it; and beforehe would be taken, he would runn his boate under the ater.  So it was agreed that about twoe in the nightthey should bee aboard.

"The boateman in the meanetyme went to provide fornecessaries, and I persuaded the King to take some rest.  He did, in his cloaths, and My Lord Wilmotwith him, till towards twoe of the night."