By C. Penruddocke. 11 
sound trunk. With the help of William Penderel’s wood ladder (a 
critic, 1672, on “Baker” ed. of 1665, writes: ‘There were no 
ladders in the case:”) His Majesty crawled to the top of this 
pollard, and, the leaves being still on, he was fairly concealed from 
view. Colonel Careless followed with a couple of pillows, and made 
the King, who was very sleepy, as comfortable a bed as he could.,! 
Some bread and cheese from the Colonel’s capacious pockets, and a 
fairly good nap, did the King much good. From the oak the 
fugitives actually saw soldiers beating the bushes for escaped 
persons, and the fright he then experienced probably caused the 
King to permit William Penderel to cut the hair from the top of 
his royal head as close as scissors would do it—leaving only some 
love locks about his ears in true country style. The hair which was 
eut off was religiously kept by the barber! The closely-cut crown 
Fasti, was the badge of all the lower order of Puritans. ‘ They 
ii. 61. mostly have short bair, which at this time was commonly 
called the Committee cut.” Soon news was brought that a famous 
Puritan colonel from Worcester was in pursuit of the King, and 
there was a talk of a large reward to be offered for his capture. 
Fortunately nothing occurred to prevent a good meal of chicken 
being served up in the oak by Mrs. William Penderel, aforesaid, 
whom the King pleasantly called “ My dame Joan.” After supper, 
bed, but bed this time was in a small place between two walls, 
contrived at the building of the house, and into which the King 
was let down and found the place too short for him. He could not 
sleep, and he was very glad to exchange it next night for a mean 
Boscobel, by Henry bed upon the staircase. The hiding-place was 
G.de Bunsen, Rector eneath a floor, over which was a loose piece 
of Donington, pub. 
1878. of board, and the “ Hole” measured 33ft. by 
44ft. wide, and 5ft. 2in. deep—a horrible place for a man to spend 
a long night in, in total darkness. Sunday, the 7th of September, 
1 Upon minute examination of the woodeut facing page 45 of Blount’s narrative 
of Boscobel two little figures are discovered representing the King and Colonel 
Careless. A winged angel appears above the King holding a crown. The King 
has a hat on his head, Boscobel, ed. 1725. 
