Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/286

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272
Walks in the Black Country

without waiting to be thanked by him for a devotion and loyalty seldom equalled by any other example in English history. The other brothers, on coming up to the company awaiting him in the grove, and while he was kissing Lord Wilmot on the cheek, were also retiring without apparently expecting or wishing a word of thanks from the sovereign they had served so faithfully. But before they had got beyond hearing, he called them back and said: "My troubles make me forget myself: I thank you all." And he gave them his hand to kiss.

Blount's quaint and simple description of Charles's dress and appearance, when thus transferred to Lord Wilmot and his host at Moseley, presents a closing picture in these dissolving views of his personality. "His Majesty's attire was then a leather doublet, a pair of green breeches, and a jump coat (as the country calls it) of the same green, a pair of his own stockens with the tops cut off, because embroidered, and a pair of stirrop stockens which were lent him at Madeley, a pair of old shoes, cut and slashed to give ease to his feet, an old grey, greasy shirt of the coarsest linnen, his face and hands made of a reechy complexion by the help of the walnut tree leaves." He only remained one night at the Moseley house, and there ran into the most imminent peril of capture; for several soldiers bolted in, but found all the