There was
nothing for it but another flight, which, this time, brought him into
Wiltshire, where he took refuge at Hele House, the residence of Mr.
Hyde.
Charles himself tells an interesting story of one of his adventures
while at Trent House. He, with some companions, had ridden to a place
called Burport, where they were to wait for Lord Wilmot, who had gone to
Lyme, four miles farther, to look after a possible vessel. As they came
near Burport they saw that the streets were full of red-coats,
Cromwell's soldiers, there being a whole regiment in the town.
"What shall we do?" asked Colonel Windham, greatly startled at the
sight.
"Do? why face it out impudently, go to the best hotel in the place, and
take a room there," said Charles. "It is the only safe thing to do. And
otherwise we would miss Lord Wilmot, which would be inconvenient to both
of us."
Windham gave in, and they rode boldly forward to the chief inn of the
place. The yard was filled with soldiers. Charles, as the groom of the
party, alighted, took the horses, and purposely led them in a blundering
way through the midst of the soldiers to the stable. Some of the
red-coats angrily cursed him for his rudeness, but he went serenely on,
as if soldiers were no more to him than flies.
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