CHARLES II. IN DORSET. 17 



thither by the fair, and the coast was beleaguered by a detach- 

 ment of Kepublicaus, prepared to embark iu the expedition 

 destined to reduce Guernsey and Jersey, whose headquarters were 

 at Bridport when Charles arrived. Here Colonel Wyndham, who 

 began to despair of the safety of his charge, asked the King 

 doubtingly what they must now do. Unwilling to abandon 

 Wilmot, with whom he had appointed a meeting in the town, 

 Charles, with prompt decision, rode into the yard of the principal 

 inn of Bridport, the George -a site now covered by the premises of 

 Messrs. Beach and Co., chemists, which to this day have an 

 inscription commemorative of the event pushing his way with 

 the horses among the crowd of surly troopers who obstructed 

 the entrance to the stable. Having, like a practised serving-man, 

 made good his point, at the expense of some rough language from 

 the soldiers, the King was somewhat startled by the observation 

 of the ostler that " surely he had seen his face before." Main- 

 taining his countenance perfectly, he drew from the man that he 

 had lived at an inn at Exeter, close to the house of a Mr. Potter, 

 who had in fact entertained part of the Royal staff during the 

 civil wars. "Friend," said Charles, "you must have certainly 

 seen me at Mr. Potter's, for I served him above a year." The 

 ostler, perfectly recognising this statement, parted from him with 

 a mutual promise that they would drink a pot of beer together on 

 the young man's return, and Charles, after talking with equal 

 freedom to the troopers, joined his friends on pretence of waiting 

 on them at dinner. After they had dined Lord Wilmot came 

 riding up the street with Peters, and, catching sight of the party 

 at the window proceeded to the other inn, whence he despatched 

 Peters to appoint a meeting out of the town and hasten their 

 departure. Fearing pursuit from Charmouth, which in fact was 

 already on foot, the Royal party, now joined by Wilmot and 

 Peters, stayed no long time in Bridport, but, if we may believe 

 the historical accounts, pushed straight through the town, as if 

 to reach Dorchester, distant some 15 or 16 miles, then, whether by 

 accident, or, intending, it may be, to return once more to Trent, 



