82 



THE OAK. 



romantic hall ; and tradition records, that Eliza- 

 beth shot a buck, with her own royal hand, from 

 this tree."* 



Evelyn, who wrote his Sylva in the reign of 

 Charl-es 11. , thus dedicated the Fourth Edition to 

 that Monarch. To you then, Royal Sir, does 

 this Fourth Edition continue its humble addresses, 

 since you are our Xemorensis Rex: as having once 

 had your temple, and court too, under that sacred 

 Oak which you consecrated ^vith your presence, 

 and we celebrate, with just acknowledgement to 

 God, for your preservation." 



The tree here alluded to, called the Royal 

 Oak," formerly stood at Boscobel, in Shropshire, 

 but was destroyed soon after it attained its noto- 

 riety by the ill-judged curiosity of the Royalists. 

 For the same author, speaking of an Oak which 

 put forth its buds about Christmas, says : — King 

 James went to visit it, and caused benches to be 

 placed about it ; which giving it reputation, the 

 people never left hackmg of the boughs and bark 

 till they killed the tree : as I am told they have 

 served that famous Oak near White-Lady's, which 

 hid and protected our late Monarch from being 

 discovered and taken by the rebel soldiers who 

 were sent to find him, after his almost miraculous 

 escape at the battle of Worcester." In the course 

 of this spoliation a huge bulk of timber, consist- 

 ing of many loads, was carried away in handfuls. 

 Several saplings were raised in different parts of 

 the country from its acorns, one of which grew 

 near St. James's Palace, where Marlborough 

 House now stands ; and there was another in the 



* Lauder's Gilpin. 



