derick Edward passed through France disguised as an abbe.

The escapades of his son the "Bonnie Prince" will require our
attention presently; we will, therefore, for the moment confine
our thoughts to James II.

With the surrender of Oxford the young Prince James found himself
Fairfax's prisoner. His elder brother Charles had been more
fortunate, having left the city shortly before for the western
counties, and after effecting his escape to Scilly, he sought
refuge in Jersey, whence he removed to the Hague. The Duke of
Gloucester and the Princess Elizabeth already had been placed
under the custody of the Earl of Northumberland at St. James's
Palace, so the Duke of York was sent there also. This was in 1646.
Some nine months elapsed, and James, after two ineffectual attempts
to regain his liberty, eventually succeeded in the following
manner.

Though prisoners, the royal children were permitted to amuse
themselves within the walls of the palace much as they pleased,
and among the juvenile games with which they passed away the
time, "hide-and-seek" was first favourite. James, doubtless with
an eye to the future, soon acquired a reputation as an expert
hider, and his brother and sister and the playmates with whom
they associated would frequently search the odd nooks and corners
of the old mansion in vain for an hour at a stretch. It was,
therefore, no extraordinary occurrence on the night of April 20th,
1647, that the Prince, after a prolonged search, was missing. The
youngsters, more than usually perplexed, presently persuaded the
adults of the prison establishment to join in the game, which,
when their suspicions were aroused, they did in real earnest.
But all in vain, and at length a messenger was despatched to
Whitehall with the intelligence that James, Duke of York, had
effected his escape. Everything was in a turmoil. Orders were
hurriedly dispatched for all seaport towns to be on the alert,
and every exit out of London was strictly watched; meanwhile,
it is scarcely necessary to add, the young fugitive was well
clear of the city, speeding on his way to the Continent.

The plot had been skilfully planned. A key, or rather a duplicate
key, had given admittance through the gardens into St. James's Park,
where the Royalist, though outwardly professed Parliamentarian,
Colonel Bamfield was in readiness with a periwig and cloak to
effect a speedy disguise. When at length the fugitive made his
appearance, minus his s