lee titan 
a coe 
By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 177 
The only evidence against him was that he had been with the 
risers at Blandford—for I pass by the story of James Tracey, the 
tallow-chandler of Mere, about the mysterious messenger arriving 
at Mr. Willoughby’s house, on the Friday before the rising, with 
a letter for Richard Green the younger. Mr. Willoughby explained 
that.after the Cavaliers had left Salisbury, his mother-in-law induced 
him to follow them and endeavour to bring her son back, that he 
overtook them at Blandford, failed in his object, and returned that 
night to his house. The authorites did not know then what they 
knew afterwards, that the kind old man had again ridden after the 
Cavaliers very fast, and near Sherborne rejoined them,’ with the 
same object, and succeeded; for we read in the humble petition of 
Richard Green, of the Middle Temple, gent, which was addressed to 
His Highness, the beginning of April, 1655, that he left the risers 
near that place :— 
‘¢ Sheweth 
that at Sarum your petitioner being seduced in to the late unhappy engagement 
against the public peace of your Highness’s Government of this Commonwealth 
but being truly sensible of the evil of such proceedings, withdrewe himself 
from the party of [off t.e., near] Sherborne upon monday night and voluntarily 
delivered himself a prisoner to Major Hansey submitting to your highness’s 
mercy for this your petitioner’s first offence.”’* 
We may feel sure that this was the motive of Mr. Willoughby’s 
second journey to the risers, disclosed by Mr. Kitson of Bishopston 
for the first time in the following summer. 
Whether Green heard of St. Loe’s surrender, and distrusted him, 
we cannot tell, (St. Loe mentioned his being at the great meeting 
at Salisbury); for some reason he wisely escaped from Major 
Hansey ; and was not forthcoming in the day of judgment. Mr. 
Willoughby was liberated, but his enemies were still hunting him 
some months later. I rejoice to say their efforts were in vain, 
non obstante Farmer King, of Maiden Bradley, who revived the old 
story of his being at Blandford; and the information of the above- 
mentioned Mr. Kitson. 
13 Th.,378. Ibid, 648. *Ibid, 648 ‘Ibid, °30 and 648. 
* Ibid, 332. 
VOL. XIII.—NO. XXXYIII. oO 
