hearty welcome; but their patience was soon put to the severest trial; the
night[f] passed away, no boat entered the creek, no ship could be descried
in the offing; and the disappointment gave birth to a thousand jealousies

[Footnote 1: This lady received a reward of one thousand pounds for her
services, by order of the two houses.--C. Journals, 1660, December 19, 21.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1651. Sept. 17.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1651. Sept. 18.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1651. Sept. 19.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1651. Sept. 20.]
[Sidenote e: A.D. 1651. Sept. 23.]
[Sidenote f: A.D. 1651. Sept. 24.]

and apprehensions. At dawn of day the whole party separated; Wilmot, with a
servant, going to Lyme to inquire after the master of the vessel; Charles,
with his companions, proceeding to Bridport to wait the return of Wilmot.
In Bridport he found fifteen hundred soldiers preparing to embark on an
expedition against Jersey; but, unwilling to create a real, by seeking to
eschew an imaginary, danger, he boldly pushed forward to the inn, and led
the horses through the crowd with a rudeness which provoked complaint. But
a new danger awaited him at the stable. The hostler challenged him as
an old acquaintance, pretending to have known him in the service of Mr.
Potter, at Exeter. The fact was that, during the civil war, Charles had
lodged at that gentleman's house. He turned aside to conceal his alarm; but
had sufficient presence of mind to avail himself of the partial mistake of
the hostler, and to reply, "True, I once lived a servant with Mr. Potter;
but as I have no leisure now, we will renew our acquaintance on my return
to London over a pot of beer."