een the one selected. The latter lies beneath the floor
of this garret, or "Popish chapel," as it was once termed. At the
top of a flight of steps leading to it is a small trap-door, and
when this is removed a step-ladder may be seen leading down into
the recess.[1] The other place behind the wainscot is situated
in a chimney stack and is more roomy in its proportions. Here
again is an inner hiding-place, entered through a trap-door in
the floor, with a narrow staircase leading to an exit in the
basement. So much for Boscobel.

[Footnote 1: The hiding-place in the garret measures about 5 feet
2 inches in depth by 3-1/2 or 4-1/2 feet in width.]

Moseley Hall is thus referred to by the King: "I... sent Penderell's
brother to Mr. Pitchcroft's [Whitgreaves] to know whether my
Lord Wilmot was there or no, and had word brought me by him at
night that my lord was there, that there was a _very secure
hiding-hole_ in Mr. Pitchcroft's house, and that he desired
me to come thither to him."

It was while at Moseley the King had a very narrow escape. A
search-party arrived on the scene and demanded admittance. Charles's
host himself gives the account of this adventure: "In the afternoon
[the King] reposing himself on his bed in the parlour chamber
and inclineing to sleep, as I was watching at the window, one of
the neighbours I saw come running in, who told the maid soldiers
were comeing to search, who thereupon presentlie came running to
the staires head, and cried, 'Soldiers, soldiers are coming,'
which his majestie hearing presentlie started out of his bedd and
run to _his privacie, where I secured him the best I could_,
and then leaving him, went forth into the street to meet the
soldiers who were comeing to search, who as soon as they saw
and knew who I was were readie to pull mee to pieces, and take
me away with them, saying I was come from the Worcester fight;
but after much dispute with them, and by the neighbours being
informed of their false information that I was not there, being
very ill a great while, they let mee goe; but till I saw them
clearly all gone forth of the town I returned not; but as soon
as they were, I returned to release him and did acquaint him
with my stay, which hee thought long, and then hee began to bee
very chearful again.

In the interim, whilst I was disputing with the soldiers, one
of them called Southall came in the ffould and asked a smith,
as hee was shooing horses there, if he could te