JOURNEY TO LONDON. 107 



At Aylesbury great were the rejoicings in 18 14, and 

 loud the shoutings when it was announced that the 

 alHed armies had entered Paris, that the great Napoleon 

 had signed his abdication, and that "the King would 

 have his own again." The town of Aylesbury was eji 

 fete as the French King passed through it on his way to 

 London — a narrow street leading into the Market Square 

 still perpetuates the memory of the event by bearing 

 the name of Bourbon Street. My father with five other 

 young men mounted their horses to form a small body- 

 guard and rode by the side of the King's carriage, intend- 

 ing to go as far as the first stage to Great Berkhampstead, 

 about fourteen miles from Hartwell. The Kinsf's carriasre 

 was drawn by four post-horses, and several other carriages 

 followed. On arriving at Berkhampstead the first change 

 of horses was at the King's Arms, then kept by a Mr. 

 Page, who had three very good-looking daughters, one 

 of whom, sweet Miss Polly — not sweet Anne — Page, the 

 King had often been much struck with ; and he never 

 passed through the town either going to or coming from 

 the Metropolis without having a chat and paying atten- 

 tions to " sweet Polly Page." This was well known to 

 my father and his friends, and they knew therefore that 

 a quarter of an hour or so would be consumed in the 

 ostensible act of changing horses, while the King would 

 devote the time to a flirtation with the fair Polly. They 

 therefore pushed on to Boxmoor, about four miles, gave 

 their horses a mouthful of hay and some water, and 

 waited for the King's arrival, intending to accompany 

 him as far as Watford. His Majesty caught sight of 

 the cavalcade, and expressed to my father the pleasure 



