body of the Scotch horse. But they were soon intercepted in front and rear, and the Earl of Derby, Lord Talbot, and several others were captured. The former was tried and executed at Bolton in the following month. Richard Penderel took the King into an adjacent wood belonging to Boscobel, called Spring Coppice, while his brothers William, Humphrey, and George acted as scouts, watching all approaches and signs of danger and reporting to the concealed fugitive from time to time whether the coast were clear or clouded. It was about sunrise when he was conducted into the obscurest part of the coppice, "when," says Blount, "the heavens wept bitterly at these calamities; insomuch that the thickest tree in the wood was not able to keep his Majesty dry, nor was there anything for him to sit on; wherefore Richard went to Francis Yates's house (a trusty neighbour who married his wife's sister), where he borrowed a blanket, which he folded and laid on the ground for his Majesty to sit on. At the same time Richard spoke to the goodwife Yates to provide some victuals and bring it into the wood at a place he appointed her. She presently made ready a mess of milk and some butter and eggs, and brought them to his Majesty in the wood; who being a little surprised to see the woman (no good concealer of a secret) said cheerfully to her, 'Good woman,
