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| Charles Travels to London. 1647 | ||
| Jan 30 | Parliament pays the Scots £100,000 as a first instalment, and the army marches north from Newcastle, leaving Charles in the hands of Parliamentary commissioners. These include his old friends Pembroke and Denbigh. | James Harrington, a friend of the King's sister has been appointed Groom of the King's Bedchamber. |
| Feb 3 | Charles and the commissioners set off from Newcastle to travel the 160 miles to Holdenby House in Northamptonshire - one of Henrietta Maria's houses. | |
| They travel through Durham, Leeds, Nottingham and Leicester. The welcome was warm along the way and people flocked to see him and wish him well. | ||
| Feb 16 | Charles arrives at Holdenby. Parliament has appointed a
man called Thomas Herbert to share the duties of groom of the bedchamber
and to keep an eye on him.
In overall charge of the soldiers guarding the King is Major-General
Richard Browne. The military provided a relaxed presence and allowed
many of the local gentry to visit the King. |
In fact Charles had three grooms as Harrington and Herbert were later joined by James Maxwell. |
| Charles spends his time in worship, reading, playing chess
and walking. He even occasionally rides to nearby towns for a game of
bowls. |
On one these rides Major Bosvile, in disguise, passes him a parcel of letters from the Queen. | |
| May 31 | Cornet George Joyce meets with Cromwell and agrees a plan to
prevent the King being removed to London. While on a mission to guard an
artillery train at Oxford, he has heard that orders have been given to
bring the King to London so that the Presbyterians can make a deal with
him. |
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| Jun 2 | Charles is at Althorpe playing bowls when he is informed
of approaching horsemen. At midnight Joyce and his 50 horsemen arrive and place
guards all round the house.
Joyce knocks at the door of the King's room but the grooms forbid him entrance in case he wakes the King. Joyce's urgency and persistence cause Charles to wake and ask what the noise is. Charles refuses to see Joyce until the morning.
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| Jun 3 | Charles rises early and sends for Joyce and asks him whose
commission he had. Joyce shows him
through the window the troop of men he has with him, saying 'Here
is my commission'. Charles replies 'It is
in fair character, legible without spelling.'
Joyce summons his men and they decide to move the King. Charles prepares to leave, but insists the Parliamentary commissioners go with them. Joyce promised that no hurt would come to the King, he would be treated with respect and that he could retain his own servants. Joyce suggests moving to Oxford or Cambridge, but the King suggests
Newmarket. They were all unaware that the New Model Army was also making
for Newmarket for a general rendezvous. |
Joyce only planned to prevent the King being moved, but is worried after he learns that Col. Graves, one of the regimental guard's commanders, has ridden away in the night. |
| Jun 4 |
Cromwell is suspected of having organised the King's
abduction and leaves London to avoid impeachment by Presbyterians in
Parliament. He rides towards Newmarket for the army rendezvous. |
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| Jun 5 |
Joyce and his men escort the King to Hinchinbrooke House. They move
on to Childerley where they stay for three days. The King is visited by
many from Cambridge University. |
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| Jun 7 |
Fairfax, Cromwell and other senior officers ride out to meet the King.
They deny arranging the abduction but the King does not believe them and
laughingly says 'Unless you hang up Joyce I will
not believe what you say!' |
The first time Cromwell had come face to face with the King. |
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The King refuses to return to Holdenby and Fairfax agrees to let Charles continue his journey to Newmarket. |
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| Jun 8 | Charles arrives at his hunting lodge at Newmarket. He is closely attended by officers of the army, particularly Cromwell and Ireton with whom he negotiates terms which will finally result in the 'Heads of the Proposals' | |
| Jun 19 | Fairfax gives permission for the King to move to Richmond but this is later cancelled. | |
| Jul 3 | The King is taken to Caversham near Reading. | |
| Jul 15 | King Charles is visited by his children, Prince James, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Henry. | |
| Aug 12 | Charles is moved to Oatlands | |
| Aug 24 | Charles is moved to Hampton Court. | |
| Escape from Hampton Court | ||