He was not got far, when some fishermen of Feversham, who were watching
for such priests and other delinquents as they fancied were making their
escape, came up to him. And they, knowing Sir Edward Hales, took both the
King and him, and brought them to Feversham. The King told them who he
was.[1] And that flying about brought a vast crowd together to look on this
astonishing instance of the uncertainty of all worldly greatness, when he
who had ruled three kingdoms and might have been the arbiter of all Europe
was now in such mean hands, and so low an equipage. The people of the town
were extremely disordered with this unlooked-for accident; and, though for
a while they kept him as a prisoner, yet they quickly changed that into
as much respect as they could possibly pay him. Here was an accident that
seemed of no great consequence. Yet all the strugglings which that party
have made ever since that time to this day, which from him were called
afterward the Jacobites, did rise out of this; for if he had got clear
away, by all that could be judged, he would not have had a party left; all
would have agreed that here was a desertion, and that therefore the nation
was free and at liberty to secure itself. But that following upon this gave
them a color to say that he was forced away and driven out. Till now he
scarce had a party but among the papists. But from this incident a party
grew up that has been long very active for his interests.
[Footnote 1: And desired they would send to Eastwell for the Earl of
Winchelsea; which Sir Basil Dixwell put a stop to by telling him surely
they were good enough to take care of him. Which occasioned the King's
saying he found there was more civility among the common people than some
gentlemen, when he was returned to Whitehall.--_Dartmouth_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account