278 Notes on the History of Mere. 
Battle of Worcester. In ‘“ Baker's Chronicles”’ the incident is thus 
narrated :— 
“ The King in his way to Salisbury (from Colonel Wyndham’s at Trent) came 
to a Town called Mere to the George, an acquaintance of the Colonels, where 
drinking in the Cellar, the Host seeing the King stand off as a servant, said, 
‘Thou lookest like an honest Fellow, Here’s a Health to the King’ ; who unreadily 
answering it made the man expostulate with the Colonel what Fellow he had 
brought. The King from Mere went to the House of Mrs. Hide and was 
joyfully there received, and introduced to a secret place in the House and here 
Colonel Robert Phillips came to him and Col. Windham took his leave of his 
Majestie and returned.” 
The landlord of the George at this time was Christopher Phillips. 
In a History of England, by Gawrence Kchard, Archdeacon of 
Stowe, the story takes this form :— 
“The Travellers about Noon arrived at Mere, a little Market Town in 
Wiltshire, and dined at the George Inn, the Keeper of which was known by the 
Colonel to be faithful. He sat at the Table with the King, and discoursing with 
the Colonel told him the News. ‘That he heard the Men of Westminster, not- 
withstanding their Victory at Worcester, were in a great Maze not knowing 
what had become of the King; but the most received opinion was, that he was 
come in Disguise to London, and many Houses had been searched for him there,’ 
at which his Majesty was observed to smile. After Dinner he familiarly asked 
the King, ‘If he were a friend to Cesar?’ to which bis Majesty answering ‘ Yes,’ 
then said he, ‘ Here is a Health to King Charles’ in a Glass of Wine ; which 
his Majesty and the Colonel both pledged ; and so taking Horse, at Night they 
arrived at Hele.” 
The principal inhabitants seem to have been loyal to the Royal 
cause. The Vicar, Dr. Chafyn, was shamefully treated by the 
Cromwellian soldiers. Walker, in his “ Sufferings of the Clergy,” 
says -— 
“This worthy Dr. was by the Oliverian Soldiers dragged out of his House 
and barbarously Abused by one of the soldiers; who kick’d him in the Privy 
members, and afterward forced him to Mount on a poor Galled Horse's Back 
without Saddle; and so in that disgraceful manner they carried him to Fisherton’ 
Prison, where he continued some few weeks ; but finding him to grow Weaker, 
they sent him home; where, after a few days, he died with the Anguish of the 
aforesaid Grief; Plundering his House and Stable of all his Goods and Horses ; 
leaving his Relict and Family in a Forlorn and Mean Condition.” 
This happened in 1645. 
The same year Mr. Richard Green, of Mere, for his delinquency, 
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