Boscobel Or, The History of his Sacred Majesties most Miraculous Preservation After the Battle of Worcester, 3. Sept. 1651

Set in the chaotic days following the defeat at Worcester in September 1651, this modest pamphlet records the desperate flight of a young monarch forced to flee his kingdom. Written by a contemporary who watched the king’s movements from the shadows of Boscobel House, the narrative offers a vivid glimpse of the perils, disguises, and narrow escapes that marked the first weeks of Charles’s exile. The writer emphasizes the fragile nature of power, describing how a sovereign can be reduced to hiding among common folk or facing the scaffold. The style blends factual report with the moral reflections common to seventeenth‑century pamphleteering.

Beyond the personal drama, the text sketches the broader religious and political turmoil that tore England apart, recalling the fervor that pitted neighbour against neighbour. It also serves as a rare window into the propaganda of the Restoration era, reproduced here after centuries of scarcity. Listeners will hear a voice that bridges history and personal survival, inviting them to imagine the tension of a kingdom on the brink.