Spotlight- The 350th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Monarchy
This page features one of the many treasures that can be found within the William Salt Library collection.
The 350th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Monarchy
The year 2010 marks the 350th anniversary of the restoration of the monarchy under King Charles II.
After the execution of King Charles I in 1649 the countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland had been ruled by the Protectorate and Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell and by his son Richard Cromwell.
In 1651 King Charles II made an attempt, which ultimately ended in failure, to reclaim the monarchy by force. His army was defeated in the Battle of Worcester in 1651, whereupon Charles became a fugitive from the Parliamentarian forces.
Amongst the outstanding collection of documents and volumes in the William Salt Library is a volume entitled 'Boscobel: or, the History of His Sacred Majesties Most Miraculous Preservation After the Battle of Worcester, 3 September 1651' by Thomas Blount, which was published in 1660 to mark the restoration of the monarchy.
© William Salt Library, Stafford, 2010
This volume details the extraordinary events that took place during Charles's attempts to evade capture in England and his escape to the safety of France. It also shows the key role that Staffordshire played in his preservation that ultimately led to his escape from the clutches of the Parliamentarian forces.
During the early hours of 4 September the King took refuge at Boscobel House, which was owned by the Giffard family of Chillington. Here five Catholic brothers called Pendrell helped to disguise the King as a woodsman by cutting his long hair, shaving his beard and by giving him old non-descript clothes to wear.
In the first featured extract, these attempts to mask Charles's extremely distinctive appearance are described.
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© William Salt Library, Stafford, 2010
Then for safety Charles was accompanied by Richard Pendrell to a hiding place in Spring Coppice, pictured below, which was on the estate. Shortly after the King had left the Priory, a company of soldiers, rode up and ransacked the house search for the King.
© William Salt Library, Stafford, 2010
Late in the evening of 7 September Charles left Boscobel for Moseley Old Hall, the home of Thomas Whitgreve and then onto Colonel John Lane's home at Bentley Hall.
When the King reached Bentley Hall in the early morning of 10 September he was quickly dressed as a tenant farmer's son and adopted the alias 'William Jackson' for the next part of his journey. The party then set out, Charles riding the same horse as Jane Lane, Colonel Lane's daughter. They were accompanied by Withy Petre, Jane Lane's sister, her husband John Petre, and Henry Lascelles, another related Royalist officer. In the picture featured below Charles II is shown on horseback along with other members of his party travelling towards Bristol.
© William Salt Library, Stafford, 2010
After a number of aborted attempts to leave Britain at different ports in southern England Charles eventually made his escape to France from Shoreham, Sussex on 14th October 1651.
Following the end of Interregnum period in 1660 Charles II was invited to return to Britain to succeed his father and become King. This ultimately led to the establishment of a system of government that still exists in Britain to this day.
The final featured image from this publication is the frontispiece to the book, which depicts Charles as the once more restored King of England, Wales, Scotland and Wales.
© William Salt Library, Stafford, 2010
William Salt Library Ref: bs 104/1
Follow this link to see previous documents that have been placed under the spotlight.|||
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