The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . reen. Charles was physically utterlyunfitted for enterprises of this kind. He made no experiments until thenight for action came, and then found that he could not pass between thebars, a difficulty which Firebrace had foreseen and begged him to provideagainst by cutting a bar. Cromwell not only gave a correct account ofthis attempt, but foretold the method of the next in the following letterto Colonel Hammond :—? Intelligence came to the hands of a very considerable person that THE ISLE OF WIGHT 29 the king at
The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . reen. Charles was physically utterlyunfitted for enterprises of this kind. He made no experiments until thenight for action came, and then found that he could not pass between thebars, a difficulty which Firebrace had foreseen and begged him to provideagainst by cutting a bar. Cromwell not only gave a correct account ofthis attempt, but foretold the method of the next in the following letterto Colonel Hammond :—? Intelligence came to the hands of a very considerable person that THE ISLE OF WIGHT 29 the king attempted to get out ot his window and that he had a cordof silk with him whereby to sHp down, but his breast was so big, the barwould not give him passage. This was done in one of the dark nightsabout a fortnight ago. . The guard that night had some quantity of winewith them. The same party assures us that there is aqua fortis gone downfrom London to remove that obstacle which hindered, and that the samedesign is to be put in execution the next dark night. Again in another. King Charles Whukzv, Carisbrook Cintlc. By R. Ser/e. letter, dated April 22nd, he writes, The aqua fortis was spilt by theway by accident, but yesterday about four oclock, a fat plain man carriedto the king a hacker, which is an instrument made here on purpose tomake the kings two knives, which he hath by him, cut as saws. Thetime assigned is May Day at night for the kings escape, but it may besooner if opportunitv serves. Colonel Hammond acted on this information, so far as to remove theking to another set of rooms, built against the main wall of the castle. 30 THE ISLE OF WIGHT with windows looking over the old-scarp and moat, towards Carisbrookvillage. Thev were on the right of the main gate, and still remain, onebeing open, and the other, and smaller window, that from which the kingwas to make his second attempt, being blocked with masonry. Thelarger window, which was that of the kings sitting-room,
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcornishc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1903
