Charles dismissed his Nephew from all his employments and commands.

Simultaneously with this hasty sentence, the King wrote a letter to Rupert which expressed in noble language his bitterness and grief. It was worthy the

occasion and the man, and is one of a series of documents which would have stamped their author as the ablest writer of the age, even if the tragic interest which surrounds his story had not partially disarmed criticism and softened political wrath.

"Though the loss of Bristol be a great blow to me, yet your surrendring it as you did, is of so much affliction to me, that it makes me forget not only the consideration of that place, but is lykewaies the greatest tryall of my constancy that hath yet befalen me; for what is to be done after one, that is so neer me as you ar, both in blood and friendship, submits himself to so meane an action? (I give it the easiest term) Such

* *

I have so much to say, that I shall say no more of it: only, lest rashness of judgment be layed to my charge, I must remember you of your letters of the 12th of August, whereby you assured me (that if no mutiny hapned,) you would keep Bristol for fower months. Did Did you keep it fower days? Was there anything like mutiny? More questions might be asked, but now, I confesse to little purpose. My conclusion is, to desyre you to seek your subsistence untill it shall please God to determine my condition somewhere beyond seas; to which end I send you herewith a passe, and I pray God to make you sensible of your present condition, and give you means to redeme what you had lost; for I shall have no greater

joy in a victory, than a just occasion without blushing to assure you of my being

"Your loving Oncle and most

"Faithful Friend

*

A letter from the King to Secretary Nicholas dated also Hereford, the 14th September, proves that he thought his Nephew had betrayed him. had betrayed him. It enclosed copies of his letters, a warrant to arrest Colonel Legge, the Governor of Oxford, who was known to be devotedly attached to Rupert, "and lastlye, a warrant to be directed to what person shall be thought fittest for the appreheninge my Nepheu Rupert, in case of such extreamitye as shall bee hereafter specifyed, and not otherwise the warrant for my Nepheu's comitment is onlye that you may have the power to doe it, if instead of submitting to, and obeying my commands in going beyond the sea, you shall find that he practise the raysinge of mutinye or any other disturbance." The King added the following paragraph in a postscript "Tell my Sone that I shall lesse greeve to heere that he is knoked in the head then that he should doe so meane an action as is the rendring of Bristoll Castell & Fort upon the termes it was."

"Sire,

Rupert replied to the King's letter:

"To the King

"I have received both your letters of the same tenor, from Ragland,* September 14th with the other

* The letter dismissing Rupert is dated Ragland, September 14th, though the second letter is dated from Hereford. The fact is explained thus :-it appears by the iter Carolinum that the King was at Ragland from 11th to the 14th September, on that day the following is the entry Abergavenny dinner 14th. Sunday the 14th to Monmouth, dinner the Governors; to Hereford supper.”

intimations of your pleasure of the same date, which, as far as my power can make them, are already obeyed : my not having any command, or meddling in your service, rendering it very easy for me to comply with your will to have it so; for no other motive or consideration first or last made me an actor but to do you service, and that as you desired. desired. How I have behaved myself, from the beginning until the misfortune of your command engaged me in Bristol, from inferior persons I shall not desire greater justification or applause than that which I have received from your Majesty, wherefore I pass all former times without mention, and come to this; of which I only say, that if your Majesty had vouchsafed me so much patience as to hear me inform you before you had made a final judgment-I will presume to present this much-that you would not have censured me as it seems you do and that I should have given you as just satisfaction as in any former occasion, though not so happy. But since there is so great appearance that I must suffer that it is already decreed; what otherwise I should have. desired to have given your Majesty an account, now I am obliged to seek for my own clearing that what you will have me bear, may be with as much honour to me as belongs to integrity. If your Majesty will admit me to that opportunity, I desire to wait on you to that end as soon as I can, when I know I have your leave for it, which I humbly desire to have. If I must be so unfortunate not to to be allowed (if since the first duty that I owe, which is to your Majesty, is not suffered me, to perform wherein else I should rest) in the next place I owe myself that justice as to publish to the world what I think will clear my erring, in all this business now in question, from any foul deed or neglect, and vindicate

K

me from your desert of any prevailing malice, though I suffer it. Your commands that I should dispose of myself somewhere beyond seas, be pleased to consider of, whether it be in my power (though you have sent me a pass) as times now are, to go by it. Wherever I am, or how unhappy so ever, and by your will made so, yet I ever retain that duty to your Majesty which I have ever

as

"Your Majesty's most humble, and most

obedient Nephew, and faithful humble servant,
"RUPERT.

"September, 1645."

The letter of Rupert was not couched in courtly language, but it correctly portrayed the state of his haughty and ungoverned spirit. He had right on his side when he complained of being condemned unheard and demanded an enquiry into his conduct, but the taunts with which his remonstrance and demand were mingled sat ill on the partizan who had endangered his Uncle's Crown. Perhaps the Royal pass was no longer available in an outport; but it was not for the man who rendered up the last and most important of them thus to reproach his Sovereign with its loss. Possibly if his demand had been refused him, he might justly have prepared and published the vindication of which his letter spoke; until that refusal had been given, he had no right to menace the King with such a step.

Rupert determined to seek Charles and win from his justice or fears a retractation of the stigma cast upon him-but where was the King from 7th September to 14th October? When he finally reached Newark, he had wandered from Ragland to Chirk, from Hereford to

Chester, amid the mountains of Wales, across the broad plain of Shropshire, thence back again to where the stately castle towered above the rapid Severn and the terraced houses of Bridgnorth, and then, turning Eastward, rested for a while in the Close of Lichfield.

"Often," says Mr. Disraeli,* "the King rode hard through the night, and saw the break of day, which only recalled the weary fugitive to the anxious cares of a retreat, or a pursuit. Once, late in the evening, the King summoned several gentlemen together, and after their conference, he dismissed them to their beds with this pathetic address, "Gentlemen! go you and take your rest, for you have houses and homes, and beds to lodge in, and families to love and live with-but I have none! My horse is waiting for me to travel all this night, and return to the place whence I came." The King had long been like a hunted partridge flitting from one ground to another this is an affecting image given of his erratic and anxious courses."

After many wanderings Charles had reached Newark. That town was conveniently placed either for a retreat on Oxford, or for a march Northward, should the King determine on a junction with Montrose. Rupert resolved to go there, and fought his way with a troop of Officers and attendants to Belvoir Castle. When Charles heard of his Nephew's approach, he wrote a letter to him requiring him "to stay at Belvoir" till further orders, and reprehending him for not having given obedience to his former commands." Nevertheless, the Prince persevered, and the Garrison of Newark with Sir Richard Willis, the Governor, accompanied by Lord Gerrard and a hundred horse.

* Disraeli' Commentaries on the Life of Charles I., vol 5, p. 103, edit. 1831.