October 10 and 11, 1651 - Another new plan - will this one succeed?

Charles spent October 10 and 11 as he had spent the dayssince October 6, hidden in the secret little chamber at Heale House, with Mrs.Hyde and her sister bringing him food, and waiting for further news.

On the morning of Friday, October 10, Colonel Gounter, oncemore having had very little sleep, set out from his house to Chichester to meetFrancis Mançel or Mansell, the French merchant who he hoped would beable to provide a ship to get the king out of England.  "The marchant being destitute of a horse,"Gounter lent him the horse that Mr. Hyde had lent him the previous night and borrowed one for himself from his cousin Captain Thomas Gounter, who he sent toLord Wilmot to report on how plans were progressing.

Brighton in the late 18th centuryColonel Gounter and Mansell arrived at Brighthelmstone (nowBrighton) at about two o'clock, but "the seaman [Mansell] chiefly depended on"had gone to Chichester, where he was to pick up some freight. Fortunately, "asProvidence would have it," Captain Tattersall was touching at Shoreham, onlyfour miles from Brighthelmstone.  Gounterpersuaded Mansell "to send to him immediately to come to him upon earnestbusiness," and asked Mansell to handle the negotiations, such matters "beinghis affaire and trade … promising the marchant to make good and pay himwhate're he should agree for, but withall desired to get it as low as he could." Brighton in the early 19th century
Tattersall insisted "he would knowe what he should carrie,or he would not treate," so Mansell told Tattersall what Gounter had told him –that he would be carrying as passengers a couple of gentlemen who had to getout of England because they had been involved in a duel.  By two a.m. on Saturday, October 11, Gounter,Mansell, and Tattersall had "made a parfect agreement."  Tattersall would get sixty pounds "in hand,before he tooke them into the boate," and on Tuesday, October 13, he "was tobee in readiness upon an hower's warning and … to stay there under pretence offraughting his barke, to see all things in readiness against the Colonel andhis twoe friends arrival." 

Gounter had to go make arrangements to get the king toShoreham, but "privatly promised the marchant to defray all his charges, and togive him fifty pounds as aforesaid for his peynes, which was afterwards accordinglydone….

1583 map of southern coast of England
"Brighthelm" at right and "Shoram" to its left
"All things agreed upon, the Colonel tooke leave of themarchant about 3 of the clock, with all expedition to give my Lord Wilmot thisaccount."  He arrived at Hyde's house,where Wilmot had been staying, between eight and nine that night, only to learnthat Wilmot and Thomas Gounter had gone to the home of a Mr. Browne, a tenantof Hyde who had married Thomas Gounter's sister.  But Hyde was home, as well as Colonel Phelipps, "in hischamber goeing to bed, who was very inquisitive to knowe how things stood."

[image error] ShorehamWhen Gounter told Phelipps the much-hoped for news that "allthings were well and in a readines … the noble Colonel Philipps replyed, 'Thoushalt bee a sainct in my almanack for ever.'" Hyde urged Gounter to stay the night, but "he knew he was expected, andcould not in honour but give his account without delay."

Church of St. Mary de Haura, Shoreham
the name means St. Mary at the Harbor
It was falling into disrepair even in the 17th centuryPhelipps insisted on accompanying Gounter to tell LordWilmot the good news.  When Gounter "hadsaluted him and given him a full account of all the proceedings, the noble Lordwas infinitly pleased and satisfied." They agreed that Phelipps would go to fetch the king, "by reason thatColonel Gounter was much tyred, and would need rest for further imployement."

It seemed that finally things were going as hoped.