as　likewise　crowded　with　troopers；　but　this　did　not　dismay　his　majesty。
  〃I　alighted；〃　said　he；　〃and　taking　the　horses；　thought　it　the　best　way　to　go　blundering　in　among　them；　and　lead　them　through　the　middle　of　the　soldiers　into　the　stable；　which　I　did；　and　they　were　very　angry　with　me　for　my　rudeness。　　As　soon　as　I　came　into　the　stable　I　took　the　bridle　off　the　horses；　and　called　the　ostler　to　me　to　help　me；　and　to　give　the　horses　some　oats。　　And　as　the　hostler　was　helping　me　to　feed　the　horses；　'Sure；　sir；'　says　he；　'I　know　your　face？'　which　was　no　very　pleasant　question　to　me。　　But　I　thought　the　best　way　was　to　ask　him　where　he　had　lived；　or　whether　he　had　always　lived　there　or　no。　　He　told　me　that　he　was　but　newly　come　thither；　that　he　was　born　in　Exeter；　and　had　been　ostler　in　an　inn　there；　hard　by　one　Mr。　Potter's；　a　merchant　in　whose　house　I　had　lain　in　the　time　of　the　war。　　So　I　thought　it　best　to　give　the　fellow　no　further　occasion　of　thinking　where　he　had　seen　me；　for　fear　he　should　guess　right　at　last；　therefore　I　told　him；　'Friend；　certainly　you　have　seen　me　then　at　Mr。　Potter's；　for　I　served　him　a　good　while　above　a　year。'　'Oh；'　says　he；　'then　I　remember　you　a　boy　there；'　and　with　that　was　put　off　from　thinking　any　more　on　it；　but　desired　that　we　might　drink　a　pot　of　beer　together；　which　I　excused　by　saying　that　I　must　go　wait　on　my　master；　and　get　his　dinner　ready　for　him；　but　told　him　that　my　master　was　going　to　London；　and　would　return　about　three　weeks　hence；　when　he　would　be　there；　and　I　would　not　fail　to　drink　a　pot　with　him。〃
  The　king　and　his　friends；　having　dined　at　the　inn；　got　word　that　the　master　of　the　ship；　suspecting　that　it　was　some　dangerous　employment　he　had　been　hired　for；　absolutely　refused　to　fulfil　his　contract。　　Therefore　they；　being　sad　at　heart　and　fearful；　retraced　their　steps　to　Trent；　and　presently　his　majesty　went　further　into　Sussex；　and　abode　with　a　staunch　Royalist；　one　Colonel　Gunter；　who　resided　within　four　miles　of　Salisbury。　　This　excellent　man　at　last　succeeded　in　hiring　a　ship　to　carry　away　the　king；　and　so　Charles　made　another　journey　to　Brighthelmstone；　where　he　met　the　captain　of　the　vessel　and　the　merchant　that　had　hired　her　on　behalf　of　Colonel　Gunter；　both　of　whom　had　been　kept　in　ignorance　of　their　future　passenger's　identity。　　Arriving　at　Brighthelmstone；　they　entered　an　inn　and　ordered　supper；　during　which　the　captain　more　than　once　looked　hard　at　the　king。　　And　the　meal　being　ended；　the　captain　called　the　merchant　aside　and　said　he　was　not　dealt　with　fairly；　inasmuch　as　he　had　not　been　told　the　king　was　the　person　to　be　conveyed　from　thence。　　The　merchant；　not　being　so　wise　as　the　master；　denied　such　was　the　case；　but　the　honest　fellow　told　him　not　to　be　troubled。　　〃For　I　think；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　God　and　my　country　good　service　in　preserving　the　king：　　and　by　the　grace　of　God　I　will　venture　my　life　and　all　for　him；　and　set　him　safely　on　shore；　if　I　can；　in　France。〃
  Nor　was　this　the　last　of　his　majesty's　numerous　risks；　for　being　presently　left　alone；　he　stood　thoughtful　and　somewhat　melancholy　by　the　fire；　resting　one　hand　on　a　chair；　and　the　landlord；　coming　in　and　seeing　him　engaged　in　this　manner；　softly　advanced；　suddenly　kissed　the　king's　hand；　and　said；　〃God　bless　you；　wherever　you　go。〃　　Charles　started；　and　would　have　denied　himself；　but　the　landlord　cried　out；　〃'Fore　God；　your　majesty　may　trust　me；　and；〃　he　added；　〃I　have　no　doubt；　before　I　die；　to　be　a　lord；　and　my　wife　a　lady。〃
  That　night；　the　last　his　majesty　was　to　spend　in　England　for　many　years；　he　was　sad　and　depressed。　　The　scenes　of　bloodshed　he　had　witnessed；　the　imminent　dangers　he　had　escaped；　were　vividly　present　to　his　mind。　　The　past　was　fraught　with　horror；　the　future　held　no　hope。　　Though　a　king；　he　was　about　to　become　an　outcast　from　his　realm。　　Surmising　his　thoughts；　his　companions　sought　to　cheer　him。　　Now　the　long…desired　moment　of　escape　was　at　hand；　no　one　thought　of　repose。　　The　little　vessel　in　which　he　intended　sailing　lay　dry　upon　the　shore；　the　tide　being　at　low　water。　　The　king　and　his　friends；　the　merchant；　the　captain；　and　the　landlord；　sat　in　the　well…lighted　cosy　parlour　of　the　seaport　inn；　smoking；　playing　cards；　telling　stories　and　drinking　good　ale。
  With　all　such　diversions　the　hours　wore　heavily　away。　　Their　noisy　joviality　had　an　undercurrent　of　sadness；　jokes　failed　to　amuse；　laughter　seemed　forced；　words；　mirthful　in　leaving　the　lips；　sounded　ominous　on　reaching　the　ear。　　At　four　o'clock　the　captain　rose　to　survey　his　ship；　and　presently　returned　saying　the　tide　had　risen。　　Thereon　the　king　and　his　friends　prepared　to　depart。　　A　damp；　chilly　November　fog　hung　over　the　sea；　hiding　its　wide　expanse　without　deadening　its　monotonous　moan。　　A　procession　of　black　figures　leaving　the　inn　sped　noiselessly　through　darkness。　　Arriving　at　the　shore；　those　who　were　not　to　accompany　his　majesty；　knelt　and　kissed　his　hand。　　Then　he；　with　Lord　Wilmot　and　the　captain；　climbed　on　board　the　vessel　and　entered　the　cabin。　　The　fog　had　turned　to　rain。　　Four　hours　later；　the　tide　being　favourable；　the　ship　sailed　out　of　port；　and　in　due　time　the　king　was　safely　landed　in　France。
  CHAPTER　III。
  Celebration　of　the　Kings　return。Those　who　flocked　to　Whitehall　My　Lord　Cleveland's　gentlemen。Sir　Thomas　Allen's　supper。　Touching　for　King's　evil。That　none　might　lose　their　labour。　The　man　with　the　fungus　nose。The　memory　of　the　regicides。　Cromwell's　effigy。Ghastly　scene　at　Tyburn。The　King's　clemency。The　Coronation　procession。Sights　and　scenes　by　the　way。His　Majesty　is　crowned。
  The　return　of　the　king　and　his　court　was　a　signal　for　universal　joy　throughout　the　nation　in　general　and　the　capital　in　particular。　　For　weeks　and　months　subsequent　to　his　majesty's　triumphal　entry；　the　town　did　not　subside　from　its　condition　of　excitement　and　revelry　to　its　customary　quietude　and　sobriety。　Feasts　by　day　were　succeeded　by　entertainments　at　night；　〃and　under　colour　of　drinking　the　king's　health；〃　says　Bishop　Burnet；　〃there　were　great　disorder　and　much　riot。〃
  It　seemed　as　if　the　people　could　not　sufficiently　express　their　delight　at　the　presence　of　the　young　king　amongst　them；　or　satisfy　their　desire　of　seeing　him。　　When　clad　in　rich　velvets　and　costly　lace；　adorned　with　many　jewels　and　waving　feathers；　he　walked　in　Hyde　Park　attended　by　an　〃abundance　of　gallantry；〃　or　went　to　Whitehall　Chapel；　where　〃the　organs　and　singing…men　in　surplices〃　were　first　heard　by　Mr。　Pepys；　a　vast　crowd　of　loyal　subjects　attended　him　on　his　way。　　Likewise；　when；　preceded　by　heralds；　he　journeyed　by　water　in　his　barge　to　open　Parliament；　the　river　was　crowded　with　innumerable　boats；　and　the　banks　lined　with　a　great　concourse　anxious　for　sight　of　him。　　Nor　were　his　subjects　satisfied　by　the　glimpses　obtained　of　him　on　such　occasions；　they　must　needs　behold　their　king　surrounded　by　the　insignia　of　royalty　in　the　palace　of　his　ancestors；　and　flocked　thither　in　numbers。　　〃The　eagerness　of　men；　women；　and　children　to　see　his　majesty；　and　kisse　his　hands　was　so　greate；〃　says　Evelyn；　〃that　he　had　scarce　leisure　to　eate　for　some　dayes；　coming　as　they　did　from　all　parts　of　the　nation：　　and　the　king　being　as　willing　to　give　them　that　satisfaction；　would　have　none　kept　out；　but　gave　free　access　to　all　sorts　of　people。〃　　Indeed　his　loyal　subjects　were　no　less　pleased　with　him　than　he　with　them；　and　in　faith　he　was　sorry；　he　declared；　in　that　delicate　strain　of　irony　that　ran　like　a　bright　thread　throughout　the　whole　pattern　of　his　speech；　he　had　not　come　over　before；　for　every　man　he　encountered　was　glad　to　see　him。
  Day　after　day；　week　after　week；　the　Palace　of　Whitehall　presented　a　scene　of　ceaseless　bustle。　　Courtiers；　ambassadors；　politicians；　soldiers；　and　citizens　crowded　the　antechambers；　flocked　through　the　galleries；　and　tarried　in　the　courtyards。　Deputations　from　all　the　shires　and　chief　towns　in　the　three　kingdoms；　bearing　messages　of　congratulation　and　loyalty；　were　presented　to　the　king。　　First　of　all　came　the　worshipful　lord　mayor；　aldermen　and　council　of　the　city　of　London；　in　great　pomp　and　state；　when　the　common…sergeant　made　a　speech　to　his　majesty　respecting　the　affection　of　the　city　towards　him；　and　the　lord　mayor；　on　hospitable　thoughts　intent；　besought　the　honour　of　his　company　to　dinner；　the　which　Charles　promised　him　most　readily。　And　the　same　day　the　commissioners　from　Ireland　presented　themselves；　headed　by　Sir　James　Barry；　who　delivered　himself　of　a　fine　address　regarding　the　love　his　majesty's　Irish　subjects　bore　him；　as　proof　of　which　he　presented　the　monarch　with　a　bill　for　twenty　thousand　pounds；　that　had　been　duly　accepted　by　Alderman　Thomas　Viner；　a　right　wealthy　man　and　true。　　Likewise　came　the　deputy　steward　and　burgesses　of　the　city　of　Westminster；　arrayed　in　the　glory　of　new　scarlet　gowns；　and　the　French；　Italian；　and　Dutch　ministers；　when　Monsieur　Stoope　pronounced　an　harangue　with　great　eloquence。　　Also　the　vice…chancellor　of　the　University　of　Oxford；　with　divers　doctors；　bachelors　of　divinity；　proctors；　and　masters　of　arts　of　the　same　learned　university；　who；　having　first　met　at　the　Temple　Church；　went　by　two　and　two；　according　to　their　seniority；　to　Essex　House；　that　they　might　wait　on　the