HOW CHARLES ASCENDED THE WORCESTERSHIRE BEACON; AND OF THE AMBUSCADE
PREPARED FOR HIM AS HE CAME DOWN.
After examining the preparations made for the defence of the old
mansion, Charles sat down with Careless and the officer in command of
the garrison to a repast prepared for him in the great hall. When he
had finished it he ordered his horses. The officer asked if his majesty
required his escort.
"No," replied Charles. "I am not about to return to Worcester. I am
charmed with this place, and shall sleep here to-night. I mean to ride
to Malvern. Major Careless will attend me."
So his majesty set forth, accompanied only by his aide-de-camp. A
pleasant ride through the woods brought them to the foot of the
giant hill, on a ridge of which stood the little secluded village of
Malvern. Yes, the little secluded village of Malvern. Where terraces of
well-built houses now spring above each other on the hill-side--where
countless white villas peer from out the trees, contrasting charmingly
with the foliage, and helping to form one of the prettiest towns in
England--a town as healthful as pretty--nothing was then to be seen
but a few small habitations, in the midst of which rose the old priory
church, and the beautiful gateway adjoining it. The priory was pulled
down at the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and with it the glory of
Malvern had departed. Devotees were still attracted by the Holy Well,
and marvellous cures were said to be wrought by its waters, but such
pilgrims were rare, and Malvern remained an obscure, unfrequented
village, until its beauties and salubrity were discovered in the early
part of the present century.
Charles and his attendant halted on the ridge on which this charming
town is now built, and surveyed the extensive prospect it commands.
They were not aware that they were watched from behind a tree by a
tall, ill-favoured man, in the garb of a Puritan. This eavesdropper,
who had followed them cautiously for some minutes, ascertained their
purpose, and as soon as they began to ascend the hill, he hurried down
to the little inn near the priory gate.
All difficulties in the ascent of the lofty hill, known as the
Worcestershire Beacon, have now been removed, and well-made paths
enable even invalids to reach its summit almost without fatigue. But
at the time when Charles and his attendant mounted it, it had a stern,
solitary air, and its silence was unbroken by any sound except that of
the sheep-bell, or the cry of a bird of prey. Sheep-tracks alone led
up its rugged sides, and conducted the pedestrian through the broad
patches of furze, or past huge protruding rocks, to the smooth turf
above. Charles being a daring horseman, took the nearest road, and not
unfrequently came to places where it was too steep to proceed with
safety, and had to retrace his course and seek a less dangerous ascent.
The only person in sight was a shepherd tending his flock, and he was
far off. At length the king and his attendant gained the rounded summit
of the hill, which was covered by turf smooth as velvet, and fragrant
with thyme.
Hitherto, both Charles and Careless had been too much occupied by the
difficulties of the ascent to pay much attention to the vast panorama
opening upon them as they mounted the hill. But as they now gazed upon
it, they were lost in admiration, and quite forgot the trouble they had
experienced.
It boots not to describe the thoughts that passed through the king's
breast, as his eye ranged over that astonishing prospect, which,
comprehending as it does nine or ten counties, showed him a large
portion of his kingdom, and that perhaps not the least beautiful
portion. How many towns and villages--how many noble mansions--could
he count in that wide-spread landscape! On the left, and almost as it
seemed at his feet, lay the old and faithful city of Worcester, with
his army encamped around it. Two other cathedral towns, with their
church towers and steeples--Gloucester and Hereford--could likewise be
distinguished. Charles sought the Severn for some time in vain. Owing
to the height of its banks, it could only be here and there discerned.
He hung long upon this incomparable prospect, and then turned to the
Herefordshire side of the hill, whence the view was almost equally
fine, three distinct mountainous chains, of beautifully varied form,
meeting his gaze.
On quitting the green sward the perils of the descent commenced, and
they were obliged to proceed with caution, the ground being covered
with loose stones and fragments of rock. They proceeded singly,
Charles taking the lead, and were skirting a huge mass of granite that
obstructed their course, when suddenly half a dozen men, armed with
muskets, whose steel caps and buff coats showed they were Parliamentary
soldiers, and who had evidently been lying in ambush behind the rocks,
sprang forward, one of them seizing the king's bridle, and two others
forcibly preventing him from using his arms. Careless was treated in
precisely the same manner, and the capture was so quickly executed
that it was perfectly successful.
At the same time two persons appeared on the top of the rock, which
rose to some little height above them. In one of these Careless
recognised Colonel James; the other, who kept back, was the spy we have
previously mentioned.
"Release me, villains!" cried Charles, furiously, as he vainly
attempted to free himself from the grasp of the soldiers who held him.
"Not so," said the leader of the ambuscade from above. "The Lord hath
delivered thee into my hand, as He delivered Jabin, King of Canaan,
into the hands of the children of Israel. I will not put thee to death,
but will take thee and thine officer as prisoners to the Lord General,
to deal with ye as he may see fit. With thy capture the invasion of the
men of Moab is at an end."
Scarcely were the words uttered than a loud report was heard, and he
dropped on the rock, apparently mortally wounded.
"The Amalekites are upon us!" shouted the spy. "Save yourselves!"
So saying, he jumped down on the other side of the rock and disappeared.
Supposing their commander killed, and not knowing what force might be
upon them, the soldiers did not dare to carry off their prize, but
sought safety in flight.
Next moment, from among the rocks beneath, issued Sir Clement Fisher,
who had fired the shot, while close behind him appeared Colonel Lane
and his sister.
"Heaven preserve your majesty!" shouted the two Cavaliers, raising
their hats; while Jane, whose dark eyes flashed, and whose face was
radiant with delight, echoed the loyal aspiration.
Charles heard them, and raised his hat in response.
"Haste thee to Madresfield Court," he said to Careless. "Bring a
detachment of horse to scour these hills. I will have the villains who
have dared to lay hands upon me."
"Your majesty----"
"Obey me. I shall have Colonel Lane and Sir Clement Fisher with me.
Away! Spare not the spur."
Thus enjoined, Careless dashed down the rocks at the hazard of his neck.
Charles then descended to his preservers, who had moved to a less
rugged spot, and thanked them heartily.
"The prophecy is fulfilled," he said to Jane. "You have saved my life."
"Nay, it was Sir Clement who delivered you, sire," she replied. "But
I may, at least, claim the merit of having perceived your majesty's
peril."
"You may claim more," remarked Sir Clement Fisher. "Had it not been
for your coolness and self-possession, we could not have succeeded in
effecting his majesty's deliverance."
"I said you are my guardian angel, and so you are," cried Charles. "But
I must learn what took place. Let me have the description from your own
lips."
"Since your majesty commands me, I must speak, though Sir Clement could
better explain the matter," she rejoined, blushing. "Then, thus it
was, sire. We had accomplished our errand, and were returning through
yonder pass between the hills, when we observed your majesty and Major
Careless near the beacon. We could see you both quite distinctly,
and our gaze never quitted you till you were about to commence your
descent. I then begged my brother to quit the lower road, in order
that we might meet you as you came down. Your course lay towards those
rocks, and while gazing in that direction, I noticed some armed men
moving stealthily about among them, and pointed them out to my brother
and Sir Clement, who at once recognised them as rebel soldiers, and
felt sure that an ambuscade had been placed there. What was to be done?
Impossible to warn you. A plan occurred to me. I showed my companions
how, by keeping among the rocks, we could approach the ambuscading
party unperceived, and they followed my counsel, as it seemed the sole
chance of saving your majesty. We got near enough to enable Sir Clement
to bring down the leader of the troop."
"And luckily not another shot was needed," said Sir Clement.
"I know not whether you were my deliverer or Sir Clement," said
Charles. "But I am equally indebted to you both. And now you must all
accompany me to Madresfield Court. I shall need your escort, gentlemen."