134. Can we
be surprised, if, under such circumstances, he sought to escape? Nor
was his parole an objection. He conceived himself released from it by
misconduct on the part of Hammond, who, at last, aware of that persuasion,
prevailed on him, though with considerable difficulty, to renew his
pledge.--Journals, x. 598. After this renewal he refused to escape even
when every facility was offered him.--Rushworth, vii. 1344.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1648. Nov. 27.]

In the morning, when the commissioners took their leave,[a] Charles
addressed them with a sadness of countenance and in a tone of voice which
drew tears from all his attendants. "My lords," said he, "I believe we
shall scarce ever see each other again. But God's will be done! I have made
my peace with him, and shall undergo without fear whatever he may suffer
men to do to me. My lords, you cannot but know that in my fall and ruin you
see your own, and that also near you. I pray God send you better friends
than I have found. I am fully informed of the carriage of them who plot
against me and mine; but nothing affects me so much as the feeling I have
of the sufferings of my subjects, and the mischief that hangs over my three
kingdoms, drawn upon them by those who, upon pretences of good, violently
pursue their own interests and ends." Hammond departed at the same time
with the commissioners, and the command at Carisbrook devolved on Boreman,
an officer of the militia, at Newport on Rolfe, a major in the army. To
both he gave a copy of his instructions from the parliament for the safety
of the royal person; but the character of Rolfe was known; he had been
charged with a design to take the king's life six months before, and had
escaped a trial by the indulgence of the grand jury, who ignored the bill,
because the main fact was attested by the oath of only one witness.[2]

The next morning[b] a person in disguise ordered one

[Footnote 1: Appendix to Eveyln's Memoirs, ii. 128.]

[Footnote 2: Journals, x. 615, 345, 349, 358, 370, 390. Clarendon, iii.
234.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1648. Nov. 28.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1648. Nov. 29.]

of the royal attendants to inform the king that a military force was on
its way to make him prisoner. Charles immediately consulted the duke of
Richmond, the earl of Lindsey, and Colonel Coke, who joined in conjuring
him to save his life by an immediate escape. The night was dark and stormy;
they were acquainted with the watchword; and Coke