soon beyond the sound of the voices. He now took a northerly direction,
traveled through Kensington, and then keeping east of Acton, where he
knew that some Parliament troops were quartered, he rode for the village
of Harrow. He was aware that the Royalists had fallen back to Oxford,
and that the Parliament troops were at Reading. He therefore made to the
northwest, intending to circuit round and so reach Oxford. He did not
venture to go to an inn, for although, as a rule, the keepers of these
places were, being jovial men, in no way affected toward the Commons,
yet he feared meeting there persons who might question and detain him.
He obtained some provision at a small village shop, in which he saw a
buxom woman standing behind her counter. She appeared vastly surprised
when he entered and asked for a manchet of bread, for the contrast
between his ruddy countenance and his Puritan hat and bands was so
striking that they could not fail to be noticed. The good woman looked
indeed too astonished to be able to attend to Harry's request, and he
was obliged to say, "Mother, time presses, and I care not to be caught
loitering here."

Divining at once that he was acting a part, and probably endeavoring to
escape the pursuit of the Commons, the good woman at once served him
with bread and some slices of ham, and putting these in the wallets of
the saddle, he rode on.

The next morning, in riding through the village of Wickham, his career
was nearly arrested. Just as he passed a sergeant followed by three or
four Parliament soldiers came out from an inn, and seeing Harry riding
past, addressed him:

"Sir, will it please you to alight, and to offer up a few words of
exhortation and prayer?"