20 CHARLES II. IN DORSET. 



coast, and, if they had not already made up their minds, at all 

 events confirmed their intention of returning once more to Trent 

 for shelter until some means of escape might offer from some 

 Sussex seaport. It was now, if at all, that Pilsdon, I think, must 

 have been visited. It was the home of Sir Hugh Wyndham, 

 uncle of Colonel Wyndham, the companion of Charles's flight; it 

 was near Broadwindsor, and was, moreover, an out-of-the-way 

 secluded abode. That such an idea was entertained at that time 

 is extremely probable, and it may be, as Ainsworth has it, that 

 " Colonel Wyndham would have proposed Pillesdon as a retreat, 

 but he said the house would surely be searched now, so Charles 

 said he would not go to Pillesdon, but return to Trent." That 

 such a course was considered by Charles's friends to be in the 

 highest degree probable, we know from the fact that Captain 

 Ellesdon, when he learnt of the failure of the attempt to cross 

 the Channel from Charmouth, " came to Pillesdon and enquired 

 of Sir Hugh and his lady for the King and Colonel, confidently 

 affirming that they must needs be there." That such a course 

 would have been extremely hazardous we know, too, because " at 

 this juncture the report of the King's being at Charmouth was 

 grown so common that the soldiers lying in those parts searched 

 the houses of several gentlemen who were accounted Royalist, 

 thinking to surprise him ; amongst which Pilisdon (the house of 

 Sir Hugh Wyndham, uncle to Colonel Francis Wyndham) was 

 twice rifled. They took the old baronet, his lady, daughters, and 

 whole family and set a guard upon them in the hall whilst they 

 examined every corner, not sparing either trunk or box. Then 

 taking a particular view of their prisoners they seized a lovely 

 young lady, saying she was the King disguised in woman's 

 apparel. At length, being convinced of their gross and rude 

 mistake, they desisted from offering any further violence to that 

 family."* There is about half-a-mile from the old house at 



* This graphic description by Mrs. Anne Wyndham refers no doubt to 

 what took place at Pilsdon during the second of these domiciliary visits. 

 The first took place probably about a couple of months earlier, in pursuance 

 of an order of the Council of State to Colonel Heane or Hayne, who had 



