Introduction
Following defeat at Worcester on September 3rd, 1651, King Charles II (who was just twenty-one at the time) reluctantly fled to France, stumbling in disguise towards the south coast, never more than a step ahead of Cromwell’s men. In 1680, the King looked back in the company of Samuel Pepys on those anxious days, and what happened one famous night at Boscobel House in Shropshire.
WHEN I came to this house,* I inquired where my Lord Wilmot was;* it being now towards morning, and having travelled these two nights on foot, Penderell’s brother told me* that he had conducted him to a very honest gentleman’s house, one Mr Pitchcroft,* not far from Wolverhampton, a Roman Catholic.* I asked him, what news?
He told me that there was one Major Careless in the house that was that countryman;* whom I knowing, he having been a major in our army, and made his escape thither, a Roman Catholic also, I sent for him into the room where I was, and consulting with him what we should do the next day. He told me that it would be very dangerous for me either to stay in that house or to go into the wood, there being a great wood hard by Boscobel; that he knew but one way how to pass the next day, and that was, to get up into a great oak, in a pretty plain place, where we see round about us; for the enemy would certainly search at the wood for people that had made their escape.
* Boscobel House in Shropshire, some 34 miles north of Worcester. Originally a farm building, it was converted into a home in 1632 by John Giffard of Chillington. At the time of the Battle of Worcester, it was one of several properties leased by the Penderels, sons (five in all) of Giffard’s late under-steward William. Boscobel served as a safe house for Roman Catholic clergy, who since the death of King Charles I in 1649 had been experiencing increased persecution. It has two priest-holes built into it, one of which was used by Charles II. For more, visit English Heritage.
* Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester (1612-1658). It turned out that he was staying with Thomas Whitgrave at Moseley Old Hall, whom the King misremembered as ‘Mr Pitchcroft’ (see note 4).
* Richard Penderel (?1606-1672) was tenant of Hobbal Grange farm in Tong; Humphrey rented Whiteladies near the ruined Cistercian priory of the same name, and William (Jr) was tenant at Boscobel House.
* “The king is mistaken in calling Mr Whitgrave Mr Pitchcroft” noted Pepys. “Pitchcroft is the name of a very large meadow, contiguous to the city of Worcester, where part of the king’s troops lay on the night before the battle, and which his majesty might have a distant view of from the top of the tower of the cathedral, where he held a council just before the unfortunate engagement. It is not to be wondered at, if, after the interval of twenty-nine years, the king should mistake the name of a place for the name of a person.”
* Charles II (r. 1649-1685) became a Roman Catholic on his death-bed in 1685; his younger brother James, who had become a Roman Catholic in the 1660s while living in Paris, succeeded him as James II of England (r. 1685-1688).
* William Careless (?1610-1689), who had given loyal service to the King in his army. As Charles indicates, he was a local, a man of that country round about. After the Restoration, William’s surname was changed, officially, to Carlos (conveniently, Spanish for ‘Charles’) on the grounds that one who had taken such good care of the young King could not be surnamed ‘Careless’ any longer.
Précis
Following defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, Charles II managed to get to Boscobel House in Shropshire. Guessing Cromwell’s men would search the house, he thought of hiding in the neighbouring wood, but local man William Careless recommended a densely canopied oak that stood all alone, saying that it was less likely to be searched. (57 / 60 words)
Following defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, Charles II managed to get to Boscobel House in Shropshire. Guessing Cromwell’s men would search the house, he thought of hiding in the neighbouring wood, but local man William Careless recommended a densely canopied oak that stood all alone, saying that it was less likely to be searched.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, just, may, not, or, ought.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
