A King of a Prince

Once upon a time, over 300 years ago, there lived a Prince and his 3 advisors, the Earl of Berkshire, a most inept man, Chancellor Hyde, a chronic sufferer of gout, and Bishop of Salisbury who loved the Church so well he could see no other course. The Prince's father, the King, had been a very good father when the Prince was young, but a civil war broke out and the King was busy fighting for his crown.

The Prince didn't much care for his advisors because they never let me do anything. They were also so adept at being diplomatic they could never reach a decision. But that was their job, to advise the prince and keep him safe.

Once, when the Prince was in Bristol gathering troops, the question came where to send the 300 horsemen the Prince had rallied.

"Send them to London to take back Parliament" said the Earl.
"Keep them here to protect us all" said the Chancellor.
"Send them to church to pray for more men" said the Bishop.

But the advisors could not agree. Finally the prince said, "Send them to my father."

"Oh no," said the advisors, "that would never do." The only time they ever agreed was to disagree with the Prince.

But the Prince sent the army to his father anyway.

A short while later, when the enemy was getting close to capturing the Prince, the advisors thought it best to escape. But to where?

"We should go to the East" said the Earl.
"We should go to the North" said the Chancellor.
"We should go to church" said the Bishop.

But the advisors could not agree. Finally the prince said, "We should said to Jersey where we will be safe?"

"Oh no," said the advisors, "that would never do."

So, they sailed to Jersey where they were safe for awhile.

However, the enemy was eager to get their hands on the Prince. So, they wrote a letter to the Prince, asking him to give himself up and secure his life.

"We should tell them to try to get the Prince." said the Earl.
"We should tell them to stay away." said the Chancellor.
"We should tell them to go to . . ."

"NO!" said the Prince. "We shall tell them I wish them well and blessings of peace. But unfortunately, I must decline for the present."

"Oh no," said the advisors, "that would never do."

So the Prince wrote his letter anyway.

Since the enemy was refused, they sent ships to Jersey to capture the Prince. Again, the Prince needed to escape.

"We should sail to the Netherlands" said the Earl.
"We should sail to Scotland" said the Chancellor.
"We should sail to Jerusalem" said the Bishop.

"We shall sail to France, where I can rejoin my mother." said the Prince.

"Oh no," said the advisors, "that would never do."

Unable to make a decision, they sailed to France.

While in France, the young Prince learned of his father's defeat. The enemy had the King a prisoner and were going to put him on trial.

"We should attack with an army of Frenchmen" said the Earl.
"We should stay here in safety" said the Chancellor.
"We should pray for the King" said the Bishop.

"We shall write a letter asking them to let my father go." said the Prince.

"Oh no," said the advisors, "that would never do." So, the prince wrote his letter offering Parliament any terms they would accept, if they would only release his father, the King.

The letter made it to Parliament, but was never opened. The King was accused, convicted and executed. When the news reached the Prince,

the Earl said nothing,
the Chancellor said nothing,
the Bishop said nothing,

The Prince said nothing, for he was not a Prince anymore, but a King.

Thus is the true story about the plight of King Charles II and his escape from England.