THE ROYAL oak, OR, AN historical Description OF The Royal progress, wondered Travels Miraculous Escapes, and Strange Accidents of his Sacred Majesty CHARLES the II. Third Monarch of Great Britain. Wherein is observable, and worth public view,  
I, His majesty's strange and wonderful escape from Worcester fight, the disrobing himself of his Princely Ornaments, the casting away his Chain of Gold, and the cutting of his precious Hair and curled Locks, by the Lord Wilmot for a Disguise.  
II. The pursuing of his Royal Person by Oliver Cromwell, and his bloodhounds, and the manner how he escaped, making a hollow oak His royal palace, within four miles of Woolverhampton.  
III. The memorable Travels of Mris Jane Lane and his Majesty, His riding before her to make an escape, and his going in a Livery cloak by the name of William, servant to Mr. Lastel.  
iv. The Discourse betwixt his Majesty and the cookmaid at the three Crowns in Bristol: Her several Questions, where he was Born, and what Trade he was. With the King's answer, and the remarkable passages that happened in the kitchen upon the Maids employing the King to wind up the Jack.  
V. The strange and wonderful escape of Mris Lane into France, from a Troop of horse sent by Oliver to seize on her, and plunder her House.  
The Fourth Edition amplified and enlarged,  
By John Danverd a Loyal Subject and Servant to His Majesty.  
LONDON, Printed by J. C. for J. J. 1660.   

The Royal oak, &c.  
AFthe the great and fatal fight at Worcester, between his majesty's forces and the Cromwellion Rebels, the field being lost, not for want of courage, by the King's party, but by those numerous supplies, who served only like the Turkish Asapi, to blunt the Royal Swords, so that their wearied Arms no longer able to hold out, were forced to retreat, and at length (notwithstanding the generous example of his Majesty, who performed things worth wonder) to a disorderly fight; yet 'tis worthy of observation, that upon Cromwell's advance near the City, his Majesty in person and in the head of the Horse, drew out against him, and that with so much valour and courage, that Cromwell's own lifeguard, and the best of his old soldiers, (who were thought almost invincible) were forced to retire, till seconded by Fleetwood, Disbrow, Lambert, and others, who overpowered the King's forces, being above five to one, and so loath was his Majesty to decline the field, that upon his earnest endeavours to have his horse and foot rally, twice had he his Horse shot under him, and at length was forced to shift for himself, and to provide for his own safety, and so with some Nobles and servants, not without a great deal of difficulty, forced to quit the field, and by the most frequented Roads that they could possibly find out, rid to the farm-house of a noble Gentleman on the Borders of Staffordshire, where they no sooner arrived but his Majesty disrobed himself of his Princely ornaments and accouterments, and particularly of a chain of Gold, or Spanner-string, worth 300l. sterling, the present of a Scottish Lad, which he bestowed upon a servant of his there present: which done, for his farther disguise, he proceeding to the cttuing off his hair, and the Cot affording neither shears nor Sciffars to perform it, 't was by the Lord Wilmot cut off with a knife. And now every one is commanded to shift for himself, & this poor Prince left alone to the sole protection of the Almighty, he choosing none but one friend to accompany him, with whom he wandered into a Wood, within four miles (say some) of Woolverhampton, where finding a hollow Oak, he was now content to make it his palace, for here he for some days concealed himself, his Friend still towards night going out to provide him so●e refreshment during this his solitary confinement. In the mean time the Lord Wilmot who was commanded with the rest to seek his fortune, was by chance pursued by some soldiers, but meeting with a country fellow formerly a soldier in the Old King's Army, he was by him secured, though somewhat strangely, for he carries him into a Malt-house belonging to Mrs. Jane Lane, and having no othet convenient place to hide him in, clapped him under the Kilne, though there were then some fire in it, and the Malt so oaking on the top. In the mean time, the soldiers then in pursuit of him, entered the house, and having made about three quarters of an hours search everywhere else, but not at all suspecting the Kilne, where they saw the fire burning, they departed, and the Lord Wilmot was taken out of the Kilne almost ready to faint with the extremity of the heat. The country-fellow having thus secured this Lord, acquaints Mrs. Lane with what he had done, and she extteamly glad of it, gets him to her house, wherhin conference she inquires of the King's safety. The Lord Wilmot gives her the former relation of his great miseries & Distress, which forces tears from the tender-hearted Gentlewoman, she earnestly entreats him to take some course for the finding out of his Majesty, and conducting him to her house, she being resolved to venture haet life, had she ten thousand, for the saying of his Royal Majesty. The Lord Wilmot glad of so happy an opportunity to serve his Majesty, and so great a probability of securing him, the next n●ght finds him out, and conducts him from the Royal Oak to the house of Mrs. Jane Lane, where after a large condoling of his hard fortune, consultation was had for a conveniency for his escape beyond sea, and at length it was concluded, that Bristol would be the most convenient place to take shipping, That his Majesty should ride before Nrs. Lane by the name of William servant to Nr. Lastel her father in law, who was to go with them; and thus it was immediately given out, that Mr. Lastel and Nrs. Lane were to take a Journey in the West, to visit some friends, and shortly after they set forward. In this journey there happened many accidents worthy commemoration: and fi●st, the King's Majesty riding now as a servant to one of the faithfullest of his Subjects, in a Livery cloak, though not without that respect that durst be given to him; complains to Ms. Lane that the cloak wearied him, whereupon she desires Mr. Lastels to carry it; and long they had not rid so, but they met upon the Road her Brother in Law, who amongst others questions demanded of her, if her Father must carry her man's cloak; to which she readily answered, that it was so big that it often endange●ed the throwing her off the horse, and that she had therefore desired him to carry it. The next & most important accident of all was, tha coming to a town where they were to pass through, there was a Troop of horse there to be quartered drawn up, which caused some fear, but at length with resolution they passed on, and the Captain taking them for honest travellers, made h●s Troop open to the right and left, and so permitted them to pass. Another accident there happened, which one may say was almost comical in this Tragedy, Ms. Lane coming into the inn, leaves his Majesty under the name of Willi. her servant in the kitchen, with whom the maid enters into discourse, she asks him where he was born, and what trade he was, he answers at Brumingham, and a Naylor's son, and after a great deal of other discourse, the Jack being down, the maid desires him to wind it up, which he willingly undertakes, but goes the wrong way about it, and prejudices it; at which the maid grew angry asking him where he was bred and telling him he was the ve●yest clownish booby that ever she saw in all her life; which railing of hers made his Majesty, notwithstanding his present misery, go out of the Room smiling.  
Mrs. Lane notwithstanding his Majesty went as her servant, yet had a greater respect for him before others, pretended him her Tenant's son; but on the Road she would always ask what he would have to dinner or supper, and what piece of that he liked, which she would always be sure to get made ready, and give him, he still sitting at the lower end of the table.  
But ro come to the end of their journey, being arrived at Bristol they lodged at the house of a Noble gentleman there, and kinsman to Mr. Lastles: the King finding it to be a house of great resort, feins himself sick of an Ague, and so keeps his Chamber all the day, coming down only at nights; but one night coming down and being somewhat cold craves a glass of Wine of the Butler, who carries him into the Butlery; this Butler having before served his majesty's Father in the Wars, looking earnestly upon him, suspected him to be the King, so easily will Majesty appear though veiled in the utmost disguises, and thereupon pulling off his hat, told him very ceremoniously. That he might command what Wine he pleased; of which the King took no notice, but drinking off his Wine went out; yet the Butler could not satisfy his suspicion, but went up to Mr. Lastels, and demanded of him how long he had had that servant, whreupon Mr. Lastels was very angry at his boldness, in daring to ask him such a question, but the Butler still persisted, and whispering told him that he believed it was the King, whereupon Mr. lastels' seeing he was discovered, sends immediately for his Majesty, whom he acquaints with the Butlets discovery of him with whom the King was somewhat angry, in regard he did not first acquaint himself with his suspicion, it not being impossible, but that Mr. Lastels' might not have know him to be the King; but upon pardon asked by the Butler, it was granted by the King, and he afterwards proved very instrumental in his majesty's conveyance through the country.  
But here at Bristol the chief design they had in hand failed them; for though there were a little bark lay there, judged most convenient for the business, yet the Master would for no reward transport a single person, though he was so honest as only to deny it and made no further search or inquiry concerning the person, which might perhaps have tended to a discovery.  
This design here failing, his Majesty desired to be brought some miles Westward to the house of a worthy Gentlen an whom he knew to be a trusty friend, where coming he finds the gentleman in the field with his servants, having discovered himself to him, he was by him con●eyed to a convenient stand till right, (having first taken leave of his true friends who had thus far conducted him, with the danger of their Lives and Estates,) from whence he was in the dusk conveyed into the house, and there carefully concealed for a week, till such time as preparation could be made in some Western Port of a passage for him; but coming afterwards there where it was provided, chancing to dine with a parliament-colonel, than there, he thought it the safer to lose the benefit of that passage, than adventure to embark himself singly, which might breed suspicion, and perhaps have been the means after so many deliverances to have betrayed him into the hands of his enemies.  
This passage than likewise failing him, he returned back to the place from whence he come, and concealed himself three weeks longer, till in the end he being resolved on, he by the assistance of Mr Ph. was conveyed through the moll byways they could imagine to a gentlewoman's house in Sussex, where he lay some few days, till a person of true worth and honour made provision of a faithful master, who who with a small Vessel wafted him to a small Creek in Normandy, to the great content of the King's sacred Majesty, and all his loyal Subjects, and to the honour of the master, with the due reward, as in time may appear.  
Perhaps the Reader may think it tedious, that I have given so large a relation of his Majesties from that fight at Worcester, but it was a work so full of wonder and providence, and so many false relations there are abroad, that I could do no less than recount all those miseries and hardships which this poor Prince endured for the sakes of us his Subjects, and more would he willingly have endured even death itself, to the redeeming of us from the tyranny and oppression which we then groaned under.  
But let him that shall look upon the several passages of his life, read them over & over, consider the several difficulties he passed, the many dangers he was in to be betrayed, the country being up round about, the sum of money set upon him to be paid those that betrayed him, which many hundreds out of covetousness made it their business to search for him, and they will confess ingeniously, that God was never so merciful to any people as to us, in delivering his Sacred Majesty out of the hands of his enemies, who breathed out nothing but his death and destruction, that we may yet have hope to be a happy Nation.  
Within few days after this his majesty's great and miraculous deliverance, Some ill-affected persons gave notice to the usurping Tyrant Oliver Cromwell of the escape of his Majesty by the privacy of Mris Jane Lane, he not knowing how to satisfy his bloody intentions otherwise, gave command that a Troop of Hoise should go and seize on her, in the mean time she having notice given by a friend of hers at Whitehall, immediately disguised herself, and through much difficulty passed to Bristol, and so escaped into France. No sooner was she gone, but the Troop of horse came according to the command of Oliver) plundered net House, but to the great grief of that Arch Rebel the prey was gone before.  
FINIS.