e　enemy　had　opened　an　artillery　fire　on　Fort　Royal；　which　guarded　the　city　on　the　south…east　side。　　He　therefore　galloped　back　in　hot　haste　to　headquarters；　and　reconnoitred　the　advanced　posts　eastward　of　the　city；　in　full　front　of　the　enemy's　fire。　　Meanwhile　Montgomery；　having　exhausted　his　ammunition；　was　obliged　to　retreat　in　disorder　from　Powick　Bridge；　followed　by　the　Cromwellians。　　The　king　now　courageously　resolved　to　attack　the　enemy's　camp　at　Perry　Wood；　which　lay　south…east　of　Worcester。　　Accordingly　he　marched　out　with　the　flower　of　his　Highland　infantry　and　the　English　cavaliers；　led　by　the　Dukes　of　Hamilton　and　Buckingham。　Cromwell；　seeing　this；　hastened　to　intercept　the　king's　march；　whereon　a　fierce　battle　was　bravely　fought　on　either　side。　Nothing　could　be　more　valiant　than　the　conduct　of　the　young　king；　who　showed　himself　wholly　regardless　of　his　life　in　the　fierce　struggle　for　his　rights。　　Twice　was　his　horse　shot　under　him；　but　increasing　danger　seemed　but　to　animate　him　to　greater　daring。　So　bravely　did　his　army　fight　likewise；　that　the　Republicans　at　first　gave　way　before　them。　　For　upwards　of　four　hours　the　engagement　raged　with　great　fierceness。　　Cromwell　subsequently　declared　it　　was　〃as　stiff　a　contest　as　he　had　ever　seen；〃　and　his　experience　was　great。　　Success　seemed　now　to　crown　the　Royalists；　anon　to　favour　the　Roundheads。　　The　great　crisis　of　the　day　at　length　arrived：　　the　Cromwellians　began　to　waver　and　give　way　just　as　the　Royalist　cavalry　had　expended　their　ammunition；　the　king　had　still　three　thousand　Scotch　cavalry　in　the　rear　under　the　command　of　Leslie；　who　had　not　yet　been　called　into　action。　　He　therefore　ordered　them　to　advance；　but；　to　his　horror；　not　one　of　these　men；　who　had　looked　on　as　passive　spectators；　made　a　movement。　　In　this　hour；　when　victory　or　defeat　hung　upon　a　thread　the　Scots　ignominiously　failed　their　king。　　Charles　instantly　saw　he　was　undone。　　The　English　cavalry　continued　to　fight　bravely；　in　their　desperation　using　the　butt　ends　of　their　muskets；　but　they　were　gradually　compelled　to　give　way　before　the　enemy；　who；　seeing　their　condition；　had　renewed　the　attack。　　The　Royalists　therefore　fell　back　into　the　city。　When　the　king　re…entered　Worcester　he　saw　before　him　a　scene　of　the　most　disastrous　confusion。　　Royalists　and　Republicans　encountered　and　fought　each　other　in　every　thoroughfare；　the　air　was　filled　with　the　report　of　muskets；　the　imprecations　of　soldiers；　the　groans　of　wounded　men；　and　the　shrieks　of　women。　The　streets　ran　red　with　blood。　　At　such　a　sight　his　heart　sank　within　him；　but；　manning　himself　for　fresh　efforts；　he　called　his　troops　together　and　sought　to　incite　them　with　courage　to　make　a　final　charge。　　〃I　would　rather；〃　he　cried　out；　〃you　would　shoot　me　than　keep　me　alive　to　see　the　sad　consequences　of　this　fatal　day。〃　　Those　who　heard　him　were　disheartened：　　it　was　too　late　to　retrieve　their　heavy　losses：　　most　of　them　refused　to　heed　him；　many　sought　safety　in　flight。　　Then　the　young　king's　friends；　gathering　round；　besought　him　to　make　good　his　escape；　and　accordingly；　with　a　sad　heart；　he　rode　out　of　St。　Martin's　Gate　humbled　and　defeated。　　In　order　to　cover　his　retreat　from　the　enemy　now　advancing；　my　Lord　Cleveland；　Sir　James　Hamilton；　Colonel　Careless；　and　some　other　worthy　gentlemen　defended　Sudbury　Gate；　towards　which　the　main　body　of　the　Republicans　approached。　　They　held　this　position　a　sufficient　time　to　gain　the　end　for　which　it　was　undertaken。　　But　at　length　the　Republicans；　forcing　open　the　gate；　marched　upon　the　fort；　defended　by　fifteen　hundred　soldiers　under　Colonel　Drummond。　This　loyal　man　refusing　to　surrender；　the　fort　was　speedily　stormed；　and　he　and　those　of　his　men　who　survived　the　attack　were　mercilessly　put　to　the　sword。
  Dr。　George　Bate　gives　a　quaint　and　striking　picture　of　what　followed。　　〃Deplorable　and　sad　was　the　countenance　of　the　town　after　that；〃　writes　he；　〃the　victorious　soldiers　on　the　one　hand　killing；　breaking　into　houses；　plundering；　sacking；　roaring；　and　threatening；　on　the　other　hand；　the　subdued　flying；　turning　their　backs　to　be　cut　and　slashed；　and　with　outstretched　hands　begging　quarter；　some；　in　vain　resisting；　sold　their　lives　as　dear　as　they　could；　whilst　the　citizens　to　no　purpose　prayed；　lamented；　and　bewailed。　　All　the　streets　are　strewed　with　dead　and　mangled　bodies。　　Here　were　to　be　seen　some　that　begged　relief；　and　then　again　others　weltering　in　their　own　gore；　who　desired　that　at　once　an　end　might　be　put　to　their　lives　and　miseries。　　The　dead　bodies　lay　unburied　for　the　space　of　three　days　or　more；　which　was　a　loathsome　spectacle　that　increased　the　horror　of　the　action。〃
  Concerning　his　subsequent　dangers　and　narrow　escapes；　the　king；　in　his　days　of　peace　and　prosperity；　was　wont　to　discourse　at　length；　for　they　had　left　impressions　on　his　mind　which　lasted　through　life。　　Edward　Hyde；　Lord　Clarendon；　his　Lord　High　Chancellor；　Dr。　George　Bate；　his　learned　physician；　and　Samuel　Pepys；　Esquire；　sometime　Surveyor…General　to　the　Victualling　Office；　have　preserved　the　records　of　that　time　of　peril；　as　told　by　his　majesty。　　True；　their　various　stories　differ　in　minor　details；　but　they　agree　in　principal　facts。　　The　king　had　not　ridden　many　miles　from　Worcester　when　he　found　himself　surrounded　by　about　four　thousand　of　his　army；　including　the　Scots　under　the　command　of　Leslie。　　Though　they　would　not　fight　for　him；　they　were　ready　enough　to　fly　with　him。　　At　first　he　thought　of　betaking　himself　to　Scotland；　but　having　had　sad　proof　of　the　untrustworthy　character　of　those　with　whom　he　travelled；　he　feared　they　would　further　betray　him　if　pursued　by　the　enemy。　　He　therefore　resolved　to　reach　London　before　the　news　of　his　defeat　arrived　thither；　and　make　his　escape　from　thence；　but　this　scheme　presented　many　difficulties。　　Amongst　the　persons　of　quality　who　accompanied　him　were　my　Lord　Duke　of　Buckingham；　the　Earls　of　Derby　and　Lauderdale；　and　the　Lords　Wilmot　and　Talbot。　　During　their　journey　it　fell　from　my　Lord　Derby's　lips；　that　when　he　had　been　defeated　at　Wigan；　one　Pendrell；　an　honest　labourer　and　a　Papist；　had　sheltered　him　in　Boscobel　House；　not　far　distant　from　where　they　then　rode。　　Hearing　this；　the　king　resolved　to　trust　this　same　faithful　fellow；　and　for　the　present　seek　such　refuge　as　Pendrell　could　afford。　　It　was　not　easy；　however；　for　his　majesty　to　escape　the　Scots；　but　when　night　came；　he　and　his　gentlemen　slipped　away　from　the　high　road；　which　the　others　continued　to　pursue；　and　made　for　Boscobel　Wood；　led　by　Charles　Giffard；　a　loyal　gentleman　and　true。　　The　house　they　sought　was　situated　between　Tong　Castle　and　Brewood；　in　a　woody　place　most　fitting　for　retreat；　it　was；　moreover；　six　and　twenty　miles　from　Worcester；　and　stood　in　Shropshire；　on　the　borders　of　Staffordshire。
  In　order　to　gain　this　haven　of　rest；　it　was　necessary　for　them　to　pass　through　Stourbridge；　where　a　troop　of　the　Republican　army　lay　quartered。　　Midnight　had　fallen　ere　they　reached　the　town；　which　was　now　wrapt　in　darkness；　and　was；　moreover；　perfectly　still。　　The　king　and　his　friends；　dismounting；　led　their　horses　through　the　echoing　streets　as　softly　as　possible；　being　filled　the　while　with　dire　apprehensions。　　Safely　leaving　it；　they　rode　into　the　wood　until　they　came　to　the　old　convent　of　Whiteladies；　once　the　home　of　Cistercian　nuns；　who　had　long　since　been　driven　from　their　peaceful　retreat。　　The　house　was　now　the　habitation　of　the　Giffard　family；　with　whom　George　Pendrell　lived　as　servant。　On　being　aroused；　he　came　forth　with　a　lantern；　and　admitted　them；　when　Charles　Giffard　made　known　to　him　in　whose　presence　he　stood；　and　acquainted　him　with　their　situation。　　Thereupon　the　honest　fellow　promised　to　serve　the　king　faithfully；　and　sent　immediately　for　his　brothers　four：　　William；　who　took　charge　of　Boscobel　House；　not　far　removed；　Humphrey；　who　was　miller　at　Whiteladies；　Richard；　who　lived　at　Hobbal　Grange；　and　John；　who　was　a　woodman；　and　dwelt　hard　by。　　When　they　had　all　arrived；　Lord　Derby　showed　them　the　king's　majesty；　and　besought　them　for　God's　sake；　for　their　loyalty's　sake；　and　as　they　valued　all　that　was　high　and　sacred；　to　keep　him　safe；　and　forthwith　seek　some　place　of　decent　shelter　where　he　might　securely　lurk。　　This　they　readily　swore　to　compass；　though　they　risked　their　lives　in　the　attempt。
  It　being　considered　that　greater　safety　lay　in　the　king　being　unattended；　his　loyal　friends　departed　from　him　with　many　prayers　and　hopes　for　a　joyful　reunion：　　all　of　them　save　my　Lords　Wilmot　and　Buckingham　set　out　to　join　Leslie's　company；　that　they　might　proceed　together　towards　Scotland；　but　they　had　not　marched　six　miles　in　company　with　the　Scots　when　these　three　thousand　men　and　more　were　overtaken　and　were　routed　by　a　single　troop　of　the　enemy's　horse；　and　my　Lord　Derby；　being　taken；　was　condemned　and　executed。　　Lords　Wilmot　and　Buckingham　set　out　for　London；　to　which　place　it　was　agreed　the　king　should　follow　them。
  When　his　majesty's　friends　had　departed；　the　Pendrells　undertook　to　disguise　him；　towards　which　end　one　of　them　cut　the　long　locks　reaching　his　shoulders；　another　rubbed　his　hands　and　face　with　dust；　and　a　third　brought　him　a　suit　of　clothes。　　〃The　habit　of　the　king；〃　says　Pepys；　〃