THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES A EOYALIST STORY. LONDON : PRINTED BY SrOTTISlVOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET / 7y^^><>t^^-^//^^<^«>^^_^-^^\. DONNINGTON CASTLE : A ROYALIST STORY. IN FOURTEEN STAVES. WITH NOTES. COLONEL COLOMB, Author of HEARTHS AND WATCHFIRES ' and 'THE SHADOWS OF DESTIXT. LONDON : LONGMANS, GKEEN, AND CO. 1871. All rights reserved. PR INTRODUCTORY. Letter to some person unknown concerning the poem ' Donnington Castle ' and another work. At ye Signe of ye Blew Boare in Ivy Lane, Oct. 23d 1670. Sir I dewly rec d y e Bokes & hastene to in- forme you th' y e Poem shall be printed in the newest & beste manner either in two or in one Volume Q t0 , another pocket edition (with gilte leves) in twelves presentlie followinge. But Sir y r tearmes under favour are high, and I pray you to remember how bad things be in y e Cittie (God knoweth when they shall mende). Further- more I beg leave to tell you th' y e s d poem sholde doubtlesse abate somewhat of its valew if it be not proven y e genuine handiwerke of Colonel Richard* Lovelace. I pray you, there- fore, let Master Posthumous furnish me spedilie, heshall not only with wh' proofes there be that " it was not lu ' nishe " spoken by the Poet himself at a grcatc convivial th< m.' 1 The celebrated Kentish poet. ui>outlU' Tis no " Meeting in Kent y lastc Time y* Kentish men suclic tjreate " rose" but also somewhat to shew that " Sir matter « j j in Bois dyd comcndc y e Style and Matter" whether he dyd or no. as you do affirme. For w h Proposition I crave you will excuse y e libertie ; for indeede S r I do not in y e leaste question y e truthe of anie-thing you affirme, but I would observe that bothe y e worthy Gents, in question are now dead. But it is neverthelesse true that Master Starkcy of Flcte S* (w th whom I take it you are not unacquainted) saith, " that he hath had this " verie coppie of the Poem in hys owne hande, " and that it was brought to him by Sir W m " Davenant long ago, who also said it was by " another hand, but th l Master Starkcy does in- .Says Star- key so ? " deed believe it to be Sir IV'" Davenant s owne Then he « wr it e ing, and th* y e Love p ts were writ when " S r W m dyd strive with Master May for to be " Poet Laureate, w h was long before y e late " Troubles dyd begin (w h may very plainly be " seen by the alteracions)." All thys considered, 'tis but reasonable, Sir, by y r leave, that you abate one should abate somewhat. But, Sir, I should not be backwarde to offer you all y e sum you name, if the other 1 Boke by Will Lendall, Esq., about 1 This MS. has also been preserved. the great risynge in Kent in behalfe of His late Maj y be given to me to bring forth as a Venture at y e same time. Sir, I deal not at all in Musick, and though y e song may, as you affirme, have been often- times sunge at the Globe in Kinge James's tyme, I do thinke the Poem might be more agreeablie prefaced to the Duke of Bucks, than to the La. you mention, seeing that John Packer, whose Tell him house ' Denington Castle was, was secretary to jj£" t ° Wl y e said Duke's father. {Master Phil. Packer? y e Duke, hys son beinge also a verie gracious and inge- nious gent.) Expectynge y r pleasure, I rest, y rs hartilie, Andrewe Paterson. P.S. — Sir, if the Earle of Clarendon be Merke writinge an History of the late Troubles, wee tjjkethof in Cittie heare nothing thereof. I understand )' e Rumpe, . r t iii- i when 'tis not from youre Letter wheth r this or some other we ii be the coppie w h Sir John Bois dyd as you known he 1 ^ _ •* J was a crea- say presente to y e Earle y e time he wente 3 over ture of in y e NonsjicJie to his presente Most Gracious j.-,, a v r j^.'' Maj y w th tidyngs that y e Rumpe had founde its Gibbs, and t- , , Atkins Lnde t ofye 1 See notes to Stave XII. 2 For mention of this gentleman see Evelyn's Sylva, p. 166. 3 See Diary of Pepys. DONNINGTON CASTLE. SONG DEDICATORY. Co ^nllua. Forasmuche as it is knowne that Will Shakespeare did oft-times and continuallie falle verie deep in Love, I holde tht my Sylvia will not thinke it amisse if I here preface this my Historie of that faithfulle Knt. Sir John Bays w th a Dedi- cation to Her, who deserveth beste y e Appelacion of " moste kinde " as well as of " moste fayre." That sadde Roundheade, but worthy Poet, John Milton, when he payd that jealous complimente to hys mightie Progenitor, saying, forsooth ! that he but "warbled wyld native woodnotes," knew verie well that Will was much more than a Ballad-monger. All who do hold him lesse, shall be pleased to caste theyre eyes over the musicke followinge and claim, if they dare, y e author- shippe of y e Tune to which y e undoubted wordes are sett. Virginals. €o ^plfoia. Modcrato. 22 rj gsi ga^igsgas aj^^ Dolce.- W&EEE&EEtt^ t=x JKJl*^ — pp^i^ip^^ii^iii sempre pia lento aljin. gan$. Y e Voice. ^m. ^g ^^ppi^^g l^s i. Who is Sil - uia ? what is she ? That all our swaines com - mend 2. Is she kinde as she is faire? For beau-ty Hues with kind- ^ ^g^P^ ^^I^^^^^^^S her? Ho - ly, faire, and wise is she, The Hcau'n such grace did lend her, nesse ! Loue doth to her eyes re-paire, To help him of his blind-nesse, And DONNINGTON CASTLE. That she might ad - mir - ed be, that she might ad - mir - ed be. be - ing help'd, in - ha - bits there, in - ha - - - - - bits there. 3- Then to Sil - uia, then to Sil - uia let us sing, . . That Sil - uia ^F^g^^-lT^^ ^f =? ex - cell - ing : she ex - eels each mor - tall thing up - on the ^t^?5 ^^ B^^=fB^ dull earth dwell - ing, up - on the dull earth dwell - ing. To her let us [Here must y* vir-ginals sound y e selfe same ^ I * I * 3=-&-tr ^m t straine as before.] gar - lands bring, let us gar - - lands bring ! CONTENTS. STAVE I. Castle and Cavalier II. Of Boys and the beloved Elizabeth III. Of Boys and the Maid in Gbe IV. The Feast . V. The Song . VI. The Dance VII. To Church VIII. The Eival shall Win IX. The Love-knot Torn X. The Love-knot Tied . XI. Of the Former Days XII. The Siege of Donnington XIII. The Last Assault XIV. Castle and Cavalier Triu PAGE 1 11 23 37 59 71 S3 87 1 H3 111 121 127 149 177 DONNINGTON CASTLE A ROYALIST STOEY. STAVE THE FIEST. 4Ta£tfc anti Catoalicr. DONNINGTON CASTLE: A ROYALIST STORY. Supposed to have been narrated by the poet, in person, at a great convivial meeting, in Kent, at the time the Kentish-men ro-.e for the King, in 1648. STAVE THE FIRST. Cattle anft Cabaltcr. The Royal Standard, proud and gay, O'er ruined 1 wall and rampart flies ; The watchful Castle stands at bay, And covenanting might defies ; To bar the London road it stands, With culverin all pointing down, Lest arm'd rebellion's venturous bands Should reach the King at Oxford 2 town. 1 The castle at the period the poet speaks of (Oct. 1644) had already been several times battered and bombarded by the Parlia- ment forces. 2 Oxford was the seat of the King's Government from 1642 to 1646. 4 DONNINGTON CASTLE. II Dragooner 1 and musqueteer From Newbury forth are gone, In scarf 2 and with bandolier; 3 The sun on their helmets shone : With partizan, pike and spear, The Parliament men came on ! A victory there Hoping to gain, With a psalm and a prayer, And a battering 4 train ; For they thought to lay Donnington low as the ground ; And, like Jericho's wall, That the Castle would fall At the Puritan trumpet's sound ! ill Bat nought could those within appal, So stout and bold was each defender ; Colonel Boys, and his merry men all, Swore they would sooner die than surrender ! IV Ladies and gallants, come list while I sing, How Donnington Castle held out for the King ! 1 So termed in the King's Articles of War, Oxford, 1643. The dragoon, or dragooner, was' an infantry soldier on horseback. 2 Scarfs were worn by both parties, sometimes over the shoulder and sometimes round tho waist, the colour being the distinguishing badge. 3 Bandolier contained charges of powder. * Si ego artillery. DONNING TON CASTLE. 5 V But I hold it wise to warn you, before I begin — that if bere there be Covenant men, They will carp at a story of love and war, Set down by a Royalist pen. But to show you how deeply I value their snarls, Here goes my hat 1 to the roof for King Charles. VI The Cavalier for Royal cause Will toil endure, and danger brave ; But while he fights for King and laws, A mistress true he still must have. Did Colonel Boys of faithful love Next to his heart no token wear — Portrait in little, 2 fiow'r, or glove, The cherished gift of lady fair ? VII Would you learn at what shrine he did kneel or fall, The upward course you must with me trace Of the stream of time that floweth apace, And events of a former day recall. 1 This appears to have been the frequent signal for reaction in favour of the King after the loyal party had been suppressed. For example, when the Surrey petitioners thronged into Westminster Hall, May 16, 1648, a Diurnal of that period relates that ' the club-men of Surrey,' raising ' a combustion ' in the Hall, 'pressing upon the court of guard, threw up their hats for King Charles.' — See King's Pamphlets, 1648. * Miniature. DONNING TON CASTLE. Leave we, then, him and his merry men all, As to their posts on the ramparts they go, Running with bullet 1 and match 2 to and fro, Or pointing the minion 3 and culverin 4 low — Making all ready to meet the foe, With bang 5 for bang, and with blow for blow, "While loud rings the trumpet on Donnington wall. VIII Now Berkshire fades upon the sight, To southern fields we take our flight, Washed by the Thames and by the sea, ' Unconquered ' 6 boasting still to be. IX Ye men of Kent, and Kentish men, What though full oft the poet's hand Hath touched with glorifying pen The praises of your favoured land ; 1 Now called round shot. 2 Slow and quick match. Bore Weight Wght. of shot Chge. Point blank range Extreme range paces 1,500 2,500 3 Minion (a piece of ordnance . 4 Culverin (a piece of ordnance) . .. inches H 5k lbs. 1,000 4,500 lbs. 4 lbs. 4 12 paces 150 200 — See Monson's Tracts, p. 342. 6 ' Scotch Montrose hath lately well banged the rebels.' — News- letter. Beport of Boyal Commission on Hist. MSS., 1870. ' "lis well known that black Tom Fairfax ' (Lord Fairfax) ' and his tatter-rags ' (the Parliament army) 'got a bang from the Kentish men.' — Tract 'printed in 1648, King's Pamphlets. 6 ' Invicta' is the motto of Kent. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 7 To touch them lightly once again, Can I refuse at your command ? No ; for the minstrel's heart must yield To Beauty's charm, by truth revealed. x From all her sister shires so gay, Sweet Kent doth bear the palm away; For England makes her garden there : Her swains are brave, her maids are fair ; Flow'rs, stars, and eyes do brightly shine, Where climbing hops with roses twine, Where cherry orchards bloom in spring, And nightingales in chorus sing. ' Invicta ' be thy motto still ! May hostile envy plot in vain Thy fields to spoil, thy sons .to kill, Thy hearths and altars to profane ! May the white cliffs that skirt the sea, A wall impregnable still be To Kent the fair and Kent the free ! l XI Have you heard of the Conqueror's Roll of fame, Recording the names of his followers all, Who under his banner from Normandy came ? Suspended it was upon Battle 2 wall : 1 It is almost superfluous to remark that both 'men of Kent ' and 'Kentish-men' to this day boast that 'they have never been con- quered.' - The Battle Abbey Eoll. 8 DONNINGTON CASTLE. Among the names which were writ thereon, The Herald will tell you that Boys was one. If further yon question, he'll answer again : ' In Kent his descendants have flourished since then.' But I come not pedigree here to prove, But to sing you a story of war and of love, ' Boys of Bonnington ' — This is the title the Herehaughte l saith Of the Colonel 2 brave whom we left at Donnington, Royalist true to the death ! The scene we shift, and we shift the time, For both are commanded in minstrel's rhyme. xn In the jovial days of old, Ere treason had begun Its projects fierce and bold, In sixteen-forty-one. 3 1 Herald. - ' Bonnington is an ancient seat near Godneston, from whence the numerous families of the Bois took their origin; and from hence was branched out into those divisions of their names who have settled at Bredville, Betshanger, Hawkhurst, and other places in this county; and they all derive themselves from John de Bosco, who is mentioned in the Boll of Battle Abbey among such gentlemen as came into England with William I. ; and at this place they had in- habited for seventeen descents in Phillipot's time, when Bonnington was in possession of that brave soldier Sir John Boys, to whose coat armour King Charles J. gave the augmentation of a crown imperial or, on a canton azure, for his service at Donnington Castle, Berkshire.' ■ — Harris s Hist, of Kent. See also Hasted's Hist, of Kent, ix. 245,6. For the pedigree of Boys see Berry's County Genealogies ; ' Kent.' 3 The year of Strafford's execution, Laud's impeachment, the Irish massacre, and the Grand Remonstrance. DOSNIKGTON CASTLE. 9 How gaily passed the time ! We did both dance and sing, And 'twas not made a crime If we did pledge ' the King.' The laws we did uphold ; The Church was honour'd then ; And we were only bold 'Gainst foes of Englishmen. Now mirth and joy are dead, And gloom is over all ; For freedom also fled When Charles did leave Whitehall. 1 The Church — the laws — are gone ! And Englishmen do learn, Against themselves alone Their deadly blows to turn ! XIII The former days, the former days ! Which all too lightly we did prize — 2 1 The Civil War commenced virtually on the retirement of the King from Whitehall (to Hampton Court, and finally to York), after the failure of his attempt to seize Kimbolton and the five members. Soon afterwards the Parliament seized the power of the Militia, and issued their Commission of Array. 2 • During the whole time . . which was a period of above twelve years (1G28 to 1640) this kingdom . . enjoyed the greatest calm and the fullest measure of felicity that any people in any age for so long a time have been blessed with, to the wonder and envy of all other parts of Christendom. . . I5ut all these blessings could but enable— could not compel us to be happy.' — 10 DONNINGTON CASTLE. Oh ! could we bring them back again, With playmates lost and brothers slain ! Alas ! the thought is vain, is vain, And tears do mount into mine eyes ! XIV Pledge we the cup, but in silence all, To the days and the friends we can never recall ! Clarendon's Hist, of the Rebellion, vol. i. p. 131. Oxford, 1826. Elsewhere Clarendon uses the expression ' those jolly days,' in allu- sion to the same period. STAVE THE SECOND. 13 STAVE THE SECOND. m Mavs atrtr tljc brtobrU ettjalirtlj. i The Weald of Kent was mantled with snow, And the wind piped shrill through the oak-woods hoar; For sharp was the season of Christmas-tide In sixteen hundred and thirty four. Rivers to summer level had dried With white ice checking the current's flow ; Hard and black was the ice on the mere ; Starry the sky ; and, her crescent clear (As it were crystal with silver combining), Royal Diana did coldly show, With golden Venus beside her shining ! Decked with green was the old church quire, Where the Vicar his evensong saw has said, With blessing for living, and hope for the dead. Decked with green were both chamber and hall, Where the yule-log hissed on the sea-coal fire; Young and old, rich and poor, wise and foolish, and all, Assembled at hospitality's call, Awakened the echoes of roof and wall Which music and mirth inspire. 14 DOSNINGTON CASTLE. II ' No, not a note of the carol I'll play ! ' The lovely Elizabeth ! said ; ' Here I sit dumb, Until Boys be come, Though it be until New Tear's day ! ' And the youths and the maids of the chorus she led Saw she must have her way ; For the crotchet she once took into her head, She would keep spite of animadversions, With perverseness strange, And defiant of change As the laws of the Medes and Persians. To what beauty decrees all subservient must be, And fairest of fair Kentish maidens was she. in Would I could paint you her charms so rare ! Oh, if Sir Anthony Vandyck had been That evening within her with-drawing-room there Soon would his pencil, the vision recalling, Have drawn you a portrait 2 passing fair Of this sweet uncrowned Queen. 1 Elizabeth Fotherby, daughter of Sir John Fotherby, of Barham Court,, Kent. — See Berry's County Genealogies ; ' Kent.' 2 I cannot find any portrait of this lady, but the Sutherland Catalogue mentions more than one of • John Boys.' The Rev. Thos. Boys, M.A., grandson of the historian of Sandwich, and a descendant of Vincent Boys, possesses one in oils, painted probably at the Eestoration. It is not a very good painting, but it is no doubt genuine. D0NN1NGT0N CASTLE. 15 Her form enchanting, her sprightly air, Her beautiful face, and her dark brown hair Over her shoulders so gracefully falling ; A nose that riot Phidias' art could improve, And lips that seemed melting with pity and love ; But how would the art of the master surprise Could he fix but one flash of those exquisite eyes ! 17 And the lovely Elizabeth neither would sing, Nor a note of the virginals touch or sound, Though the youths and the merry maids, all in a ring, With their parts from the score there were gather' d around. Treble, contralto, tenor, and base Bore disappointment with passable grace ; Though some of the gallants in doublets gay, And in silken hose, with the riband ' rosette On their new buff shoes so daintily set, Seemed not at all to approve the delay ; And one of the fair, Whisper'd jestingly there : ' Lawyers the contract make ready to sign ; ' Worthless the parchment if irksome the vow — ' Poor Sir Nathaniel his prize may resign, ' Master John Boys is the favourite now. ' When Sir Nathaniel 2 from Spain shall return, ' How it will please him, such tidings to learn ! ' 1 In fashion during the whole of the Carolino period. Buckles, however, came in early in Charles II.'s reign. 2 Sir Nathaniel Finch (supposed to have been about this time, or 16 D0NN1NGT0N CASTLE. Then the lovely Elizabeth rose from her chair, And went to the oriel narrow and high, And, lifting the hangings embroider' d fair, Looked out on the snow and the frosty sky, And the moonlight dim on the oak-woods hoar ; And then did declare To the company there, She had never known Boys to be late before. v But he came not yet, though the evening waned, Though crescent Diana the zenith had gain'd, Though the feast was laid, though the hall did fill, Master John Boys — he was absent still ; And mute were virginals, voice, and tongue, And silent the score 1 on the instrument lay; This is the carol that should have been sung, If prima tenor e had not been away — Of the words I do make you free ; But first I must tell you that if there be here Any king-cozening, kingdom-destroying, church-over- turning, schismatical knave, 2 Who only fasts and long faces would have — earlier, betrothed to Sir John Fotherby's daughter). — Berry's County Genealogies ; : Kent.' 1 Part-singing was very common up to this period. In the reign of Charles II. solo singing was more in vogue. 2 This language, though breathing somewhat of the party spirit of the period, is much milder than that commonly used. The Roundheads were sometimes smart in their retorts, calling the Cava- liers ' lamentable tag-rags,' ' highflying d- — m — e ranters,' ' cur spaniels,' ' drinkers of hellish healths to their own damnation,' &c. &c. I) OWNING TON CASTLE. -17 Any who frowns upon Christmas glee, Any who thinks that his garland green 1 Only borrow 'd from pagan has been ; Or who Beelzebub fancies he spies When blazes burn blue on nativity 2 pies ; Or who'd give to all masquers short shrift and a rope — Or, Anti- Christ's ending, Would conipass by sending All mortal plum-puddings down throat of the Pope — To such I would say — Stick your thumbs in your ears ; To murder the king Is a very small thing, And grind to the dust all the poor Cavaliers ; But lost is the sinner who roundelay hears ! 1 A Puritan writer of this period says : ' Sacred rites were done unto Saturn (because he found out the grafting of trees), and the 25th of December, with the rest of the days following (seven days together) were appointed and generally observed by the idolatrous heathen. To that end sacrifices, sports, and other solemnities, were magnificently and with great rejoicing prepared, which the apostle tells us is sacrificing to Divils. . . May Day was consecrated and kept in honour of their Divil Goddesse Flora, a notable rich , at what time they used to bring laurel, green boughs, branches of trees, and flowers, with singing and rejoicing, to adorn their doors. The 1st of November was solemnly kept by the Pagans in honour of all their Divil Deities. . . At Christmas the Divil is more Berved than at any other time of the year.' 2 Mince pies. The shapes in which they are moulded still retain something of the cradle form. C 18 DONNISGTON CASTLE. Nor Marshal, 1 nor Dell, 2 nor Hugh Peters 3 will shrive y e Who list to a carol called — 1 O'er dale and hill, and o'er waste and wold, Its chill white mantle doth winter fling ; Though December be dark and cold, Our fresh green garlands foretaste the sprint; See the berries so ruby bright, Peeping under the shining leaves, Father Christmas his wreath to-night All of holly and ivy weaves. Chorus. Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Frosts of winter that still defy ; Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Holly and ivy — who'll buy, who'll buy ? 1 Stephen Marshal, an eminent Presbyterian minister, who, according to Walker, ratted to the Independents when he found them on the winning side, although he had a chief hand in com- piling the Directory. t 2 Another great Puritan divine. 3 The renowned Hugh Peters. D0NN1XGT0N CASTLE. 19 At your feet our treasures we pour, Slips and branches both short and tall ; Take your choice from the verdant store, Deck the chamber, the church, the hall ! Hospitality's ancient crown Royal brow of old Yule must shade ; All know, who at his shrine bow down, Of holly and ivy that crown is made. Chorus. Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Haste and choose, for the time doth fly ; Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Holly and ivy — who'll buy, who'll buy ? 3 When sweet music with festive sound Moves to friendship and wakes to love, While the loving-cup circles round, Our gay pennon must wave above ; Though the season hath icy flings — Cold though bloweth the winter storm — Where the holly and ivy hangs, Thoughts are kindlv, and hearts are warm ! 120 DONNING TON CASTLE. Chorus. Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, With the garlands of spring may vie ; Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Holly and ivy — who'll buy, who'll buy? If perchance in your hearts should rise Thoughts of joys that are past and o'er, While lamenting with tearful eyes Some who come to the feast no more, Still the holly and ivy twine ! Weave the garland that laughs at gloom, Love and friendship again shall shine Green and deathless beyond the tomb ! Chorus. Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Frosts of winter that still defy ; Holly and ivy, holly and ivy, Holly and ivy — who'll buy, who'll buy ? 21 J^oIIp an* 3ttsp- A llegretto. ye Virginals. fcfcn q**= E^^m ^J-- ** M r g-fty-y S ±g--i,':^: J- 8:1 gJEgg^gl^^^EI^EEEE-^^ -•I — «— «- ^-'S- i^ r -f ggj i™^ Carol. Voice. dice. W-^- :: -— ^4^ =3^=*- ^ ^ ■* * — *4 -*=£=*=*-*- O'er dale and hill and o'er waste and wold, Its chill white mantle doth p ^^= s =±£ m*=3m3m£mi win - ter fling ; Tho' De-cem-ber be dark and cold, Our green garlands fore- JEJ^ ^fei5^^^ ^=d-^P i^^£! taste the Spring. See the ber - ries so ru - by bright, Peep -ing un- i'.i th< DONNIXGTOX CASTLE. m :~r §^ ^t=*~- - I- ■* ' * shin - ing leaves ; Fa - ther Christmas his wreath to - night, All of Hol-ly and rail, ad lib /^ tempo. g^iE^pg^ ^? ^ ^^ ^ I - vy weaves, All of Hol-ly and I - vy weaves. Fa - ther Christmas his Chorus. ^r= p ^^^kg^H=^^ ^i 3^JE =S=* W=*= wreath to - night, All of Hol-ly and I - vy weaves. Hol-ly and I - vy, ga^gyfeg^s^ — N-- 1«— (■- if :«y=U=ta=fc Holly and I - vy, Frosts of winter that still de - fy, Hol-ly and I - vy, V P» f» m N— -m — — & — [-■ w — *» — *•> — *• — i — =s =d=*=£=£=*-£= ■ — • — -f— *—? ■ . Hol-ly and I - - vy, Hol-ly and I - vy, Who'll buy? who'll buy: STAVE THE THIRD. <0f $op£ anb tfyc fl^aiti in t cucture is modern. 66 DONNINGTON CASTLE. What pains and travail will not lovers take When jealous pangs in their poor hearts awake ? VI Ah, little maid ! thou and thine uncle old To-night on desp'rate venture faced the cold, And that which heart doth feel, And mask would fain conceal, By other signs is told. While gazing on that pair she mutely stands, Convulsive movement works her little hands ; Her soft blue eyes are dim, While sad she looks on him, And fainter grown, She quits old Robin's arm, and on a chair sinks down : ' The tale is true then, Lucy, which we heard ! ' Her uncle whispers. She says not a word. vir They were the wand'ring masquers of the road Whom Boys had lately seen at inn bestowed. VIII To Boys thus spoke his sweetheart so fair : — ' You invited this maiden our revels to share ? ' ' Nay,' said John Boys, ' I did not, I swear ! ' ' Swear not!' laughed she, ' 'twere no harm if you did.' IX To the maiden presently welcome was bid- Would she of feast partake, and mask remove ? DONNINGTON CASTLE. 67 She prays to be excused: Would she her lore display, or skill as minstrel prove ? At first she all refused ; But pressed again, Saith ' She will try to recollect a strain ' If the good lady and that gallant kind ' To hear it be inclined. ' 'Twas but a harmless lay her mother taught her.' (The lute that Boys had play'd on then was brought her) Her fingers trembled as they touch'd the chords, And her voice faltered as she sang these words : — 1 When daisies' sheen Deck'd all the green, And fiow'rs did scent the air, While dance and song The night prolong Your love you proffer'd there. Now Spring is fled, And flow'rs are dead, And frost doth nip the plain ; Your heart, I see, Is changed to me, So take thy love again. 2 Another maid Your vows persuade, f2 68 DONNING TON CASTLE. Who doth your fancy move ; As fondly true As I to you, I pray that she may prove. Though hope he fled, And joy he dead, Yet ne'er will I complain — Of pledge to me I make thee free, So take thy love again. 3 When all is changed Thy heart estranged, No more would I control ; I do not care For half or share, Where I would claim the whole. The maiden true Who loves but you Henceforth you'll seek in vain ; So breaks the spell — Farewell ! farewell ! Take, take thy love again ! x The lute is laid aside, the song is done, Forth from the hall are niece and uncle gone ; But when once more her small feet pressed the snow, Behind her mask tears plentifully flow. Eutp'£ J>ong, m Moderate. -1= =1- P^ 3i I When dai - sies sheen deck'd all the green, And lS-Z -ll-J^^^ ^=^= ^^^^=M flow'rs did scent the air, While dance and song the night pro-long Your &e=H ^M ^jJEE=g H«-i £— fi - : g-*-"— g- : love you prof-fer'd there. Now spring is fled, and flow'rs are dead, And ip^sg^^^^^^ jSH^-^ *= =s=& $= frost doth nip the plain ; Thy heart, I see, is changed to me, So JU^Jtt^rr^ ^^ take thy love a - gain, So take thy love p3 ^= 2Wt££=s&=£=^ So take thy love a - gain ! STAVE THE SIXTH. €fjc £>ame. 73 STAVE THE SIXTH. Cije Stance. ' Let the trestles be moved ! ' Put the tables aside ! ' Sir John to his blue-coated serviug-men cried ; Musicians the note of accordance proved, And the gallants sought for the fair ones they loved. Measure, pavan, or cinque-pace, 1 all ? Or which of the three shall be danced in the hall ? ' A measure ! a measure ! ' the master commands, While calling attention by clapping of hands. Sudden a pause in the mirthful noise, The crowd upon either side are receding, And down from the dais steps Master Boys, The peerless Elizabeth gallantly leading. 1 The pavan and cinque-pace were dances of Quoen Elizabeth's era ; but it is observable that the country gentry in the Caroline period did not always adopt the latest fashions of Whitehall. 74 DONXINGTON CASTLE. He so handsome, and she so fair, Not in all Kent were so gracious a pair. Most knew the peril that Boys did dare, And such was the sympathy felt in his cause That there rose to the roof a faint hum of applause. Gay- hearted Charlie and Dick of the Grange, Humphrey the can-clinker, Timothy Strange, With Hal of the Globe, and brave chorister Phil, And still more especially dare-devil Will, Comrades of Boys, Did stir up a noise ; They were his friends, and by some it is said They were quite ready the lovers to aid If any rival their rights should invade. IV ' Soul of my father ! ' Sir John exclaimed, ' Doth he come here my displeasure to brave ? ' Shall Sir Nathaniel be openly shamed ? ' No, let me die ! but this dance he shall have ; ' Son-in-law claim your affianced bride, ' And put the intrusive pretender aside.' v Sir Nathaniel Finch was a courtly knight, Who act of rudeness did ever decline, And but for Sir John would have yielded his right, And claim to a dance to his rival resign ; DONNINGTON CASTLE. 75 But no retreat would Sir John allow, So he went to the lady and made a leg, 1 And with deferential and dignified bow, Her hand in that dance did presently beg. Boys fair Elizabeth's fingers kept fast, But never a look on her face did he cast, His partner, who tried not to free her hand, Refused Sir Nathaniel Finch's demand. The well-bred knight did no anger show As he bowed to the lady and off did go. VI But the father now rushed to his daughter's side, ' I will not suffer such conduct,' he cried ; ' This dance, as I live, ' To Finch you shall give. ' In mine own house I will not be defied ! ' But Boys of her hand still kept fast hold, And his partner was true to her purpose bold ; ' I am sorry,' quoth she, ' that my father is vex'd, ' Boys hath this dance — let Finch take the next.' vn ' Dar'st thou to answer thy father with no ? ' To thy chamber, wench, thou shalt presently go. ' Sirrah, the hand of my daughter resign, 1 Lucy Hutchinson, in her ' Memoirs,' describes some person as ' an insignificant gallant that could only make his leggs and prune himself.' 76 DOXNINGTON CASTLE. ' For she is Finch's affianced — not thine ! 1 Mistress, to you my command is plain — ' I go to bring Sir Nathaniel again.' VIII His manner was angry, his voice was loud, He turned away to seek Finch in the crowd. Whisper'd John Boys to his lovely fere, ' Hearken to me, Elizabeth dear; ' "When my good father's estate shall be clear ' He will give me three hundred pounds * a year, ' And though no title I yet can claim, ' My sword shall show me the way to fame. ' Defy thy sire, affianced, and all, ' And with thy true lover walk forth from the hall ; ' Thou art my soul, my heart, my life, ' And my dearest wish is to make thee my wife.' IX Her heart beat fast and her eyes grew dim, As thus sweet Elizabeth answered him : ' With thee to five, and with thee to die, ' Thy wife, dear John, I promise to be ; ' But do not, I pray thee, persuade me to fly, ' At least, till no other help I see.' And her strength being seemingly nearly spent, Upon the arm of the gallant she leant. 1 Equal to about 1,500^. per annum in the present day. The father of Colonel Boys lived till after the Eestoration. DONNLNGTON CASTLE. 77 X To Elizabeth came her mother, and spoke (A kind and simple matron was she) : — ' Do not your father's anger provoke ' When he says that Finch your partner must be. ' Ts a dance, indeed, a matter so grave ' That Sir John's displeasure you needs must brave ? But Elizabeth did her mother withstand, And would not let go John Boys his hand. XI Sir John approached his child again With Sir Nathaniel in his train, While all the guests did stand aghast, And grave and anxious glances cast ; For well they knew unwonted thing Was at that moment happening. Sir John, who still his temper curb'd, Or slave to careless jollity By neighbours mostly thought to be, Had ne'er before been so disturb'd ; And all did marvel at the change, For wrath of peaceful man is strange. XII ' Elizabeth,' thus spoke her sire, ' Take Sir Nathaniel's hand ; ' He comes again at my desire, ' So slight not my command.' 78 DONNLNGTON CASTLE. Then Sir Nathaniel bowed agaiD, Bnt still as statue did remain Elizabeth the fair, And all perceived the suit was vain : For father's mandate, it was plain, The daughter did not care. Sir John on Master Boys now turned, While fury in his aspect burned : ' To take the place of better men ' Hither you were not asked,' said he, ' But never more as guest again ' At Barham you shall welcome be. ' Lead forth the girl, Nathaniel Finch, ' If she forgets each lesson taught her, ' I from my duty will not flinch — ' Stand aside, sirrah, from my daughter ! XIV Though Master Boys I late defined As slow to anger — bear in mind I meant not that his spirit slept In calm that tempest never swept ; Where insult palpable was meant, Keen could he feel, and fierce resent. xv The sound that is by organ made Depends upon the stop that's played ; DONNINGTON CASTLE. 79 What soft as lute on ear may steal, Or sweet as tuneful harp may fall, At times, like rolling thunder-peal, Will shake the minster's massive wall. The spirit of John Boys was up, And out flew battle-trumpet stop ! XVI ' Sir John,' he said, ' if lady fair ' With hand in dance doth honour me, ' That lady's partner I will be, ' No matter who the claimant there. ' But if for life the choice be made, ' And rival would my rights invade, ' The deadly combat he must prove, ' And fight for her he dares to love ! ' XVII While loud his closing accents rung, Down on the floor his glove he flung. XVIII A hush, a pause ; Again an outburst of applause, Which made it plain That younger gallants back'd the cause That love appeared to gain. Ere Sir Nathaniel Finch could move Sir John picked up his rival's glove — ' No brawling in my house,' said he ; ' Who fights my guests must first fight me ! ' SO DONNING TON CASTLE. XIX Just then from gall'ry high The music 'gan to sound ; With viol, harp, and hautboy ringing round, Their power the minstrels try — So may harmonious spell be found And wrath be forced to fly. XX Well done ! The noble pair Who cause have won, Shall lead the measure there ! Not so ; though hand in hand, They both expectant stand, The dance they'll never share. Sir John looked up, And in a voice of thunder bade the minstrels stop, And ended was the feast. The music ceased ! The measure loud and gay, In wild discordant clamour died away ! XXI So endeth dream of rapture scarce begun, So joy doth fly when love's brief course is run, And Mammon parts what Sympathy made one ! DORMNGTON CASTLE. XXII Not yet morning, though night speeds on, The lovers are parted, the guests have gone ; All is silent in Barham hall, Where mirth, and music, and laughter rang ; The stars peer in through the windows tall- Holly and ivy in darkness hang ! STAVE THE SEVENTH. 85 STAVE THE SEVENTH. ' To-morrow is Christmas-day, ' And the church unto all is free, ' At the end of the pew ' Is a place for you, ' And there you shall sit by me — ' For I care not what people say.' Such was Elizabeth's parting word, And the heart of Boys it had deeply stirred, For now he thoroughly knew That he had a mistress passing fair, Who was as brave as true. And often that night, though the gallant awoke, The thought of the words which his lady-love spoke Had banished each thought of care. n The snow, like a silver pall, Still over the landscape lay, 86 DONNINGTON CASTLE. And the sun was bright With the faint clear light Of the short December day ; And to church go the people all, While the summons so sweetly swells — Though the air was chill, It was calm and still, And for miles you could hear the bells. in Dark in relief stands sepulchral stone With its brief record of life that's done, Blurr'd with moss, or with lichen o'ergrown ; Darker the yew and the cypress tall, Which sadly the unknown past recall ; But lads and lasses do laugh at all — And while all were jovial there, What gloomy thoughts could he have, Who boasted of mistress passing fair, So tender, and true, and brave ? He doff'd his hat at the ivied porch, While the organ was shaking the walls of the church; The quire it was gaily decked with green : Oh, what was his sad dismay ! No trace of his lady-love there was seen, The seat was vacant that fill'd should have been ; She came not to church that day ! STAVE THE EIGHTH. £f)e ftttaai sljaii iBm. 89 STAVE THE EIGHTH. Clje iitbal {Shall ©8m. i Elizabeth's aunt from her couch arose After a few hours' brief repose ; Last night with her chaplain she sat up late To settle the fixed decrees of Fate ; To them, the mind of Infinity Was as easy to read as their A, B, C. The Apocalypse they could rightly spell, And who was the Man of Sin could tell. They found they had now no manner of doubt But that Boys belong'd to a fore-doom'd rout ; ' His place,' through his nose the chaplain sings, ' Is Tophet — the region reserved for kings.' (A stone at the Royalist thus he flings.) And their pious hearts doth the vision warm, Of seeing him burnt in a sulph'rous storm, (For the horrible torments their foes shall endure Form a pleasing prospect to saints secure). When a suitable prayer the chaplain had said, With a lighter heart Aunt Grace went to bed. 90 BONNINGTOK CASTLE. But now on the morning of Christmas- day From the Bottomless Pit she retraceth her way, From Tophet — a place that's reserved for kings — She cometh up unto mundane things, And angrily goeth to war with Fate, Which she thinks her plans is about to checkmate. 'Tis said that at Boys she her cap once set, And his dull response could not all forget, And therefore did not a match approve Where it was plain he did marry for love. But quite at the end of her wits she stands At the thought of Sir John and his house and lands, And of Finch slipping through fair Elizabeth's hands. in Conceive the state of a spider's thought, Who her fine web with labour hath wrought, Beholding the fly she is plotting to seize Breaking away from her net by degrees. Some slight image therein you'll find Of the state of this worthy lady's mind ; But worse was the case, since it plain could be shown That the fly breaking loose would the spider bring down. IV All were in pitiful state at the hall ; Sir Nathaniel Finch he slept not at all ; DONNINGTON CASTLE. 91 Sir John lie awoke most quiet and tame, But lie felt the stings of remorse and shame ; His wife — she wept, for her innocent mind To romance of true-love was still inclined ; But pale Elizabeth did stoutly say, That though all the household at home should stay, She would to church upon Christmas- day. Y Spider ! spider ! thine art employ, Lest artless passion thy web destroy. VI Aunt Grace might boast of her manner refin'd, And indeed like an eel she could turn and wind, And with soft phrases and looks could cheat, But the proper name for her art was — Deceit ; Paint on the cheek you shall presently know, But an inward devil, all silver'd — not so. VII She goes to her niece and her skill employs — Hopes she'll forget misconstructions past, Professeth a friendship firm and fast, And vows she is now in favour of Boys ; Weeps a little, and squeezeth her hand ; Hopes she will true to her purpose stand — The woman who cares not for gold or land, But chooseth a husband handsome and brave, Will be sure at least contentment to have. 92 DOKXLXGTON CASTLE. As for Sir John — if it be in his power, She was sure he would give her a liberal dower. Then she wished her joy, with caresses endearing, And smiled — while her inward devil was sneering. VIII Then to the mother she goeth to prove How Boys that maiden apparell'd in green — Lucy by name — did formerly love ; If in Anthony's tale any truth there had been, She barbs it with slander, effect to improve. IX With ' Say not I told you,' she urges her on, And she and 'familiar' then work on Sir John; With him she ends thus : — ' You must speak now or never ; Reveal to her all, or thou'rt ruined for ever.' Reveal ? What, then, is this mystery Of which this janitress keepeth the key ? To a she St. Peter is liberty given To lock up the golden gates of heaven ? Can Adam and Eve no paradise win But a sad s/ie-snake goeth wriggling in ? Alas ! since the fall poor humanity curs'd, She-tigevs — snakes — devils — are ever the worst ! BOKSINGTON CASTLE. 93 XI The Fates who do hold a perpetual war With the children of Earth ev'ry joy seek to mar. Where Clotho and Lachesis, shrouded in gloom, The threads of our lives and our loves are entwining; The true-lover's-knots of the fairest designing Are cut by the merciless Scissors of Doom. XII To the daughter's chamber the father hies, Where the mother retails Aunt Grace's lies. XIII ' Alas ! ' saith he, ' to the task I am loth, ' But I come a secret to tell you both.' He turn'd the key in the chamber door, And, faltering, spoke with his eyes on the floor. XIV ' Daughter, I come to bid thee good- morrow ; ' My heart — it is fill'd with shame and sorrow ; ' To make thee amends I think it right, ' For harsh were thy father's words last night ; ' To thy friend, John Boys, I was also rude, ' But thy feelings tow'rds him I but half understood, ' And thou know'st I am something hasty of mood.' xv Appeased was now Elizabeth's ire, With her arms round his nock — she did kiss her sire. 94 DONNING TON CASTLE. Choked was his voice as, in accents mild, He cried, ' Heaven bless thee, my darling child ! — ' Would I could grant thee thy heart's desire ! ' XVI ' Oh, wife ! oh, daughter ! a secret I tell, ' Which for three long years I have guarded well, ' (To the will of Fate we must all of us bow) ' But it grieves my heart to reveal it now. ' Wife, thy dowry is wholly spent ! ' I have no portions my girls to give, ' And worse — we had not the means to live, ' If a friend had not thousands on thousands lent. ' The boys for themselves, perhaps, something may do, ' But, if that friend should be found untrue, ' I tremble, dear wife, for my daughters and you. ' Each thing that is thought to be mine by right ' Belongeth — belongeth ' — here falter'd the knight — ' To a man who could claim — who could seize on all, ' For he did redeem lands, chattels, and hall— ' From revelation no longer I flinch — ' I OWE UPWARDS OF FOURSCORE THOUSAND TO FlNCH ! ' XVII As when by sudden flash of Wisdom's shield The direful face of Gorgon is reveal'd, And luckless gazers are to stone congeal'd, So wife and child, possest of secret dread, With frozen eyes half starting from their head, Like marble statues stand, with hearts as dead ! DONNING TON CASTLE. 9,5 XVIII The sound of the bells is rolling Over the landscape white with snow ; But Elizabeth's heart is filled with woe, And they seem for a funeral tolling ! — To the church she must not go. XIX ' Mother, dear, from thy child begone, ' For my heart it breaks — I would weep alone ! ' XX Sir Nathaniel Finch heard the maiden weeping — Tears, perchance, he had shed some too, In his chamber lone, while the rest were sleeping, While he thought of the loss of his sweetheart true ; Bnt in truth she had never his heart in keeping, For the suit that by tender of gold is won, When it seemeth ended is scarce besmn. Her tiring-maid the tidings to her brought That Sir Nathaniel Finch an audience sought ; Into her chamber straightway he was led. XXII He came — he bow'd —he knelt — then rose and said, ' Fair one, last night too plainly it was proved ' That younger man than I thy fancy moved ; ; DONNINGTON CASTLE. ' Too late, sweet siren, I am forced to learn ' That faithful love doth meet with no return ; ' But not with hope shall my true homage end — 'Henceforth, Elizabeth, I am thy friend! ' Here be the parchments that should make thee mine, ' All to the fire thou shalt at once consign ; ' Sir John shall give my rival back his glove, ' I shun the combat — since he hath thy love ; ' And further, my sincerity to prove, ' Half of my fortune now I give to thee, ' And when I die thou shalt my heiress be. ' Farewell ! — the hand I kiss which I resign — ' Thy heart is free — though prison holdeth mine.' XXIII The deeds he handeth, and brief writing gives That makes her rich, whether he dies or lives. A tear rolled down his pale and wither'd cheek, But he had left the room ere she could speak. XXIV And now from below sounds the signal of starting, And Finch and the whole of his train are departing. XXV As for a funeral ringing, The bell in belfry swinging, Now seems as it were singing, With ruthless iron tongue : — DONNINGTON CASTLE. 97 ' Though, beard and locks be ting'd with white — ' He was once a gallant brave and bright, ' And handsome too when young ! ' In lamentation sad and sore, That peerless maiden, late so gay, All listless on her chamber floor, Seemed she would sob her heart away ! She lay, with her tresses half veiling her form, Like fair weeping-willow o'erthrown by the storm. XXVII Sermon and prayer- time are nearly sped, Sudden the thought comes into her head, And to her feet she rises again ; Back she throwetb her long brown hair, And says, as she looks through the window pane : ' He is prompt to do and dare ; ' When. he findeth me not in my place in the church ' He will come here for his true-love to search — ' Who, alas ! is no longer true — ' Who, alas ! can no longer love ! ' But, oh ! my father, I owe it to you ' That I now must faithless prove ! ' All hope of escaping my prison is vain, ' So fast am I bound with this terrible chain ' That I cannot a finger move. ' He will come hither to lead me away, ' Ah, pitiless fate ! — I must say to him " Nay ; ' H 98 DONNINGTON CASTLE. ' Her lie designeth to take for his wife, ' Is sold, alas ! to another for life ! ' And though for the last time I look on his face, ' I must coldly receive him, and shun his emhrace ! ' I would save my helov'd from pain, ' And I know I have oft been told, ' That a lover is quickly himself again ' If he can but believe that his mistress is vain ' And worthless — or false and cold. ' How deeply soever I feel the smart, ' I must hide my feelings, and steel my heart, ' While I tell him 'tis better for both we should part. XXVIII ' Adieu to the tender delights of love — ' A merciless destiny ruleth above — ' And since I can never be wedded to him, ' A bridal garland procure for me, ' Of pansies and cypress and rose-mary ; ' All under the chancel my couch shall be, ' In the family vault so dim ! ' And for epithalamium, I would desire ' The clerk to chaunt me a dirge i' the quire, ' While the raven croaketh a hymn ! ' XXIX So saying, Elizabeth, fair and true, Bindeth once more her disorder'd hair — From her eyes she washeth the pearly dew, Which again and again breaks forth anew, So deep is her sad despair. DOKNINGTON CASTLE. 99 XXX At length, by the path through the oak-woods tall, A plura'd hat and mantle approaching she spies — ' He is here ! he is here ! ' fair Elizabeth cries, ' And he conies by himself to the hall.' XXXI And now she decideth to see him alone, To her withdrawing-room he shall be shown ; Thither Aunt Grace in some hurry had gone, And a new Scotch paraphrase sits trying over, Hoping some secrets just then to discover ; The spider, who mischievous web had been spinning, Would witness the end since she made the beginning — With eyes through the oriel stealthily peering, She watches John Boys, who the mansion is nearing. Elizabeth enters — yes ! — there was Aunt Grace ! The passionate blood rushes into her face ; The sudden conviction each feeling o'ermasters, That there sat the author of all her disasters ! XXXII And all the elaborate scheming of years — Her blandishments, smiles, and her crocodile tears, Each word and each look in its true light appears ; The mild and angelic contriver of evil, With the varnish rubb'd off, stands reveal'd as — the Devil ! loo DOXNIXGTON CASTLE. XXXIII One step from tlie door Fair Elizabeth made, And then moveth no more. ' Depart from my chamber this instant ! ' she said, And stamped her small foot on the floor — While hatred immortal shot forth from her eyes. The sudden command seemed her aunt to surprise, As much as a voice from the dead ; Her paraphrase-playing at once she gives o'er — All pale from her seat doth the lady arise, And then her face gloweth in patches of red ; And though half dismayed, yet with anger she glareth, Like wild-cat to spring on her prey that prepareth ; Ajad much she desires, as her faintness 1 decreases, fo fly at her niece, and to tear her in pieces ! xxxiv ' Leave the room ! ' fair Elizabeth cried out again — ' Since family honour by thee hath been sold, 1 The niece and the aunt no more converse shall hold ; ' Begone ! for I never will speak to thee more ! ' Aunt Grace saw resistance was vain; As Parthian defieth The foe while he flieth, From head to foot scanning her hated niece o'er, With a withering smile she went forth from the door, 1 In the sense of ' fear.' DONXINGTON CASTLE. 101 And when she had passed it encounters John Boys ; And pressing his hand, While his features she scanned, The dame to herself thus her triumph enjoys : — ' He will not be able to move her an inch ; ' I know from her spite that she means to take Finch — ' How sadly the collar her withers 1 will pinch ! ' ' ' Let the gall'd jade wince, our withers are unwrung.' — Hamlet. STAVE THE NINTH. 105 STAVE THE NINTH. CTIjc &obe4ui0t torn. The fire is out ; though logs be charr'd White ashes on the hearth are lying — So sinketh flame of passion, dying, By cold and cruel fortune marr'd. On ceiling white no warmth doth glow, Its mouldings but reflect the snow ; But, faintly all the chilly room, The roses of last year perfume ; In jars their wither'd leaves are stored, Like priz'd memorials of the dead, And mingled essence hath been poured Upon remains of splendour fled. The scent of perish'd blossoms gay Retaineth power for many a day, To call up vision pass'd away ; And long shall Master Boys remembrr The strange sweet odour of that chamber. The clock that ticks in turret high, The moss-grown dial on the wall, Measure the moments as they fly, Of his last visit to the hull ! 106 DONXWGTON CASTLE. In bravo apparel's useless pride, Elizabeth her art employs Her bosom's heavy woe to hide, While long adieu she bids to Boys. Upon the virginals x she leant, And downward were her glances bent. From the Star Chamber of her eyes, Which robbed her subject's liberties, 2 The dark-fring'd hangings will not rise. Ah ! not for pride — but in despair, Shines the trim glory of her hair, For sorrow her sweet brow is shading, Her lovely cheek is touch' d with care, And merry England's emblem fading, Leaves only Christmas roses there ! in No doubt her lover bold alarms, ' All fears are past,' Thinks he, ' at last ! '— O'er Persian carpet noiseless moving, He only sees the peerless charms Of his sweet mistress, brave and loving, And hastes to clasp her in his arms : — 1 The ancestor of the piano, and something like it in shape. 2 These lines are printed in italics because they are to be found in the Rump Ballads. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 107 IV ' Chill felt the church without thee, dear ! ' In wonted place 1 1 miss'd thy face, ' But oh ! what joy to meet thee here ! ' v Stand back, John Boys, thy suit is vain ! The Scissors keen Came in between, And cut the true-love-knot in twain ! — And all his rapture turns to pain ! VI She shuns her lover's warm embrace, She dares not scan his changing face ; While the blood rushes to her heart, She coldly tells him, they must part. VII ' Thy playmate's folly now is o'er, ' Thou know'st that I was pledg'd before ; ' Nathaniel Finch my hand doth claim — ' Doubtless my conduct some will blame — ' If mine the fault, be mine the shame. ' Though now to part we may be loth, ' Perchance 'tis better for us both ; ' And though thy face no more I see, ' I pray thee still think well of me ! ' 108 DONNINGTON CASTLE. VIII She spoke in agitation dire, Trembling, but rooted to the ground — So shakes the fair cathedral spire, When furious tempest roareth round. IX Is this his mistress true and brave ! Is this his fancy's peerless queen ! May not a pallid aspect mean The slavish fears the guilty have ? The traitress, who unmasks deceit, And driveth lover from her feet, Full well may dread his scorn to meet. x But no — he cannot harshly spell The mind of one he loves so well. XI To combat her resolve he strove With moving speech, but failed to move, And useless are the wiles of love — Her dainty waist he may not clasp, (Where beateth heart so warm and true) Her rigid hand eludes his grasp, (How it could toil for love, he knew) — But why pursue the painful theme, Where gorgeous past becomes a dream ? DONNINGTON CASTLE. 109 Or paint the pangs no tongue can tell, Where Passion bids to Hope farewell ! XII Ah ! deep his true-love's skill was shown — From her dear presence he is gone, And thinks the grief is all his own ! XIII Scarce had he passed the outer door, When the dumb fall on chamber floor Told that the fond deceit was o'er ! STAVE THE TENTH. 113 STAVE THE TENTH. % 3Lnbc=Iw0t ttrtr. i All darken'd are the lover's joys — To see the maiden loved in vain, He never more returned again — From Barbara rideth Master Boys, While frost and snow do melt away, And chilling show'rs began to fall, He looked behind at close of day — A rain-cloud looming dim and gray Veil'd sadly the enchanted hall ! From Minster 1 windows, colours bright Fall on the quire-men's smocks of white — They sing for Lady Finch the Fair — In tippet and in rochet there The Bishop blesseth wedded pair. But when she signed her maiden name, A shadow o'er her features came, 1 Canterbury Cathedral was at this time well furnished with stained glass ; Eochester also. I 114 DOXNIXGTON CASTLE. And her bright form a tempest shook, Blotting the entry in the book. in My friends, I hear some murmuring At the sad history I sing — Doubtless the youngsters here await A brighter end to true love's fate (Forgetful of proverbial rhyme Recorded by a wit sublime *), And hope for some exciting tale Of bridal marred at altar rail, Where younger rival marcheth in His long-expected prize to win. Fate you must blame, my friends, not me, I cannot alter destiny, Or newly graft heraldic tree. IV Ere to the castle we return, Which yet hath half its fame to earn, Some trifles you may wish to learn. Ah me ! for aught that I could ever read, The course of true love never did run smooth ; But either it vras different in blood, Or else misgraffed in respect of years ; Or else it stood upon the choice of friends ; Or if there were a sympathy in choice, "War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it, &c. Midsummer Right's Bream, act i. sc. 1. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 115 V First, then, of her who love-match marr'd — The Lady Finch's doors were barr'd Upon the aunt with niece who warr'd. In vain she all her art employs On Finch — she failed once more with Boys ; Aunt Grace soon quarrell'd with Sir John, And when the troubled times came on, First zealot, and then spy became ; Some here do know the real name, Of one who baneful influence lent To base committee-men of Kent. 1 VI If aught of spinster fair and small Your mem'ries kind can now recall, Of her I somewhat have to say. VII Some time before the nuptial day, When feast they spread, and bone-tires 2 light, For Lady Finch and her rich knight — A little maid, on palfrey white, To Barham took her lonely way, To intercede for errant knight. 1 The candid Lucy Hutchinson, in her account of the clishuii si proceedings of the Nottingham sequestrators, gives some idea of the way in which county committees abused their .arbitrary powers. Plenty of evidence remains to show that the committee of Kent were not less exacting than their brethren of other counties. 2 Sic frequently in diurnals of the time, I 2 116 DONMNGTON CASTLE. Though small her form, so large her heart, She wept to see two lovers part, (Of love herself had felt the smart) But nought availed her guileless art. VIII Did Boys then pine his life away ? Must I reply ? — then this I'll say, I hold him scarce a man to be, Who cross'd in love bedews his pillow, And robbed of shade of myrtle tree, Will sit and sigh beneath the willow ! Of grief did Boys become the prey ? My friends ! I thought you better knew him- He did not to despair give way, But wrestling with the giant threw him. The past, to him, was troubled dream, Where truth and fiction mingled seem ; So from each cherished thought he flies Of her who snared his heart and eyes. IX Better try gay Mercutio's cure Than pangs of vain regret endure. They say — and I believe it true — The night of interrupted feast, The inn that held him as a guest, By chance held little Lucy too. DOXNINGTOS CASTLE. 117 Her tender love for him he learns, But, yet no flame responsive burns. Believe me, innocent the art By which he won that maiden's heai^t ; Round Fredville oak, one night in May, The homage Beauty doth exact, And gallantry is bound to pay, Spirited Lucy's heart away, But that of Boys left all intact. XI When Finch some weeks had wedded been, A palfrey near a church was seen, From which a little maid did light ; (The maiden was not dressed in green, Although the little steed was white) In choir they sing, Maid puts on ring, And comes forth wife of errant knight. XII Round Fredville oak we danced again — Some here to-night those sports did share, And full of jollity we were — ■ But we were lads and lasses then, And had but little thought of care. If transient were the joys we knew, Our griefs of old were transient too ! Elastic youth soon smiles again At woes that crush the hearts of men. 118 DONXIXGTON CASTLE. XIII The gale of June o'er garden sweeping May toss the roses in their beds, Some petals lost — some dew-drops weeping — Again all fresh they raise their heads ; But when October chills the blast, To earth the canker'd flow'rs are cast ! XIV Friends, here's a toast ! fill cups and glasses — ' The days when we were lads and lasses ! ' xv Ah ! would that we could see once more, The free — the jovial days of yore ! We then had King and Church and Laws, And dreamt not of the Cov'nant cause ; * We had no fear of traitors bold, While Magna Charta still did hold ; 1 This complaint is supposed to be uttered about 1648. Lord Clarendon thus describes the ' temper of the nation ' at this time : — ' If a universal discontent and murmuring of the three nations, and almost as general a detestation both of Parliament and army, and a most passionate desire that all their follies and madness might be forgotten in restoring the King to all they had taken from him and in settling that blessed government they had deprived themselves of, could have contributed to His Majesty's recovery — never people were better disposed to erect and repair again the building they had so maliciously thrown down.' — Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, vi. 1. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 119 No rotten Ordinances l then Did bind the hands of Englishmen ; We were not then under the Westminster knaves, 2 Who prison the King and his people make slaves ! 1 The Acts passed by the Houses during the interregnum were called Ordinances. 1 ' These are they,' says the author of The Mystery of the Two Juntos (published 1648), after he has shown how the ' grandees ' of Parliament and army have divided the spoils — ' these are they who, with Hananiah, break the wooden yoke from off our necks and put on one of iron ; free us from a little ship-money, paid thrice in an age, and impose as much at once for a monthly tax; quit us of monopolies of tobacco, and set up an excise on bread and beer. The first easeth the wanton rich man, and the latter grindeth the needy and poor. Yet these are thy gods, oh London ! These are the idol calves the people have set up and do worship ! — these be the Molochs to which you sacrifice sons and servants, by troops, regiments, and armies, to maintain their sovereignty, rebellion, and profit.' — Mystery of the Two Juntos, 1648. STAVE THE ELEVENTH. <£>f tfyc forma* 5?ap£. 123 STAYE THE ELEVENTH. The former days, the former days ! Ah, gentle friends, ne'er ask me more, With tuneful harp, to chaunt the praise Of fleeting pleasures past and o'er ! The songs we sang — the pranks we play'd— With mirth, and jest, and laughter loud — Are done — and many a gallant proud And playmate fair are lowly laid ! II Too soon the curse of civil war Came, all our harmless sports to mar ! When law and order ceased to reign, And knaves did eat up faithful men, And all to chaos turned again ; When sights were seen that hearts appal — The chamber wreck' d — the roofless hall ! And church and minster pillaged all ! 124 DOKNIXGTON CASTLE. When brother against brother stood, And all the realm was plunged in blood ! l in Ah, sad the fate that time reveal'd — Full many a comrade's doom was seal'd When standards of the King went down, And all was lost for church and crown On Marston Moor and Naseby field ! On down, and plain, and waste, and hill, Their lonely beds do others fill Who fell 2 in dark and doubtful fray — 1 ' The two Houses have sate seven years to hatch cockatrices and vipers. They have filled the kingdom with serpents — bloodthirsty soldiers, extortioning committees, sequestrators, excisemen. All the rogues and scum of the kingdom have been set on to torment and vex the people, to rob them, and to eat the bread out of their mouths. . . They have suppressed the true Protestant religion, suffered all kinds of heresies and errors in the kingdom, have im- prisoned, or at least silenced, all the orthodox clergy, taken away the livelihood of many thousand families, and robbed the fatherless and the widows.' — Declaration of Many Thousands of the City of Canterbury and Co. of Kent, 1647. 2 Vicars, one of the 'godly' party, moralises over the Royalist disasters thus : — Psalm lviii. 10-11. — ' The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeih God's vengeance on the wicked, and shall wash his feet in their blood. So that a man shall say, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth.' ' The Slaine on the King's Side.' (Here follows a list of ninety-one persons of eminence, com- mencing with the Earl of Lindsay, General of the King's Forces, who fell at the battle of Edgehill. The Lord Falkland stands tenth on DOXNINGTON CASTLE. 125 And yew-trees wave Above the grave Of many a playmate fair and gay, In cureless grief who pined away ! IV The former days are vanished all — But though so drear the shadows fall, While fond remembrance backward flows, the list ; ' six priests slaine in Basing House ' is the last entry but one.) Vicars then goes on to say that there were ' many, yea, very many, more found slain on the places and ground where they fought, but not named or known who they were ; very many buried by the enemies themselves in the places where they were slain ; and Very many thrown into rivers and secretly conveyed away out of the fields where they fought, before their flight and total rout ; at least 140 cartloads (as was credibly related) of slain and sorely wounded carried to Oxford from Newberry first fight ; many cartloads carried away and buried in ditches after Brainford fight ; many also at Dor- chester, and Cansham fights neare Oxford ; many at Marston Moor's famous fight, and very many in other places too tedious here to recite — yea, almost impossible to be recited ; besides such as being left behind in the fields where they fought, who, being stript, ap- peared plainly to be gentlemen and men of extraordinary worth and quality, both by their pure white skins, faire shirts, and very rich clothes, but could not otherwise be known unto us. And let the in- telligent and judicious reader take this observation from this short catalogue of the thus slain of the King's party, even of those partly ignorant and partly malignant opposers of God and His most righteous cause, defended by the Parliament, viz., to see and take notice of especially tho just revenging hand of God upon our king- dom's nobility and gentry, who have been the maine malignant and even athoistical opposers of a pure and thorough reformation. — Vicars' Pari. Chron., 1646, p. 468. 126 BONNINGTON CASTLE. I dream I may the past recall With all its joys, and all its woes — For with the joy I'd take the pain, So sweet to live the past again ! v In vain, in vain ! — Then cease the song, Whose sad refrain Doth grief prolong — What late began with prelude brave In mournful cadence end must have ; No more I may the past recall — And moving lays That sound their praise, Are idle, vain, and useless all ; And can but ghosts and shadows raise When time has thrown the sable pall That shrouds the light of former days ! VI No more, no more — My song is o'er ! Though gay it rang through bow'r and ball It ends with moan O'er pleasures flown, While tears from faded eyes do fall ! STAVE THE TWELFTH. €jjc £icgc of Donmngton. 129 STAVE THE TWELFTH. €"ljc &ic$c at 2B0itmttt$tcw. i ( The royal standard proud and gay O'er ruined wall and rampart flies ; The watchful castle stands at bay, And Covenanting might defies ; To bar the London 1 road it stands, With culver in all pointing down, Lest arm'd Rebellion's 2 vent'rous bands Should reach the King at Oxford town. 1 According to Clarendon, the castle was first garrisoned because it commanded the ' great road through which the western trade was driven to London.' The gallantry of the defenders, however, in foiling all the forces of the Parliament, converted it into a post of high strategic importance. 1 It is to be observed that of late years writers in general, what- ever their political bias may be, hesitate to use the word ' rebellion.' and designate it merely as the ' Civil War.' Euckle, howevor. is very outspoken. ' Our Great Rebellion,' sajs he, 'was the work, not of men who looked behind, but of men who looked before. To attempt to trace it to personal and temporary causes ; to ascribe this unparalleled outbreak to a dispute respecting ship-money, or to K ' 130 LONNIXGTON CASTLE. II And nought could those within appal, So stout and bold was each defender — Colonel Boys and his merry men all Swore they would sooner die than surrender ! in Ladies and gallants, the stave that I sing Is ringing with triumph achieved for the King ! The fair, I do fear, will not wholly approve Of a story that dealeth no longer in love. Plainly I tell you, from this to the close No longer in numbers harmonious it flows — - I talk not of cheeks of the lily and rose, And of cares that are breaking a lover's repose — a qtiarrel about the privileges of Parliament, can only suit the habits of those historians who see no further than the preamble of a statute or the decision of a judge. Such writers forget that the trial of Hampden, and the impeachment of the five members, could have produced no effect on the country unless the people had already been prepared, and unless the spirit of enquiry and of insubordination had so increased the discontents of men, as to put them in a state where, the train being laid, the slightest spark sufficed to kindle a conflagration. The truth is that the rebellion was an outbreak of the democratic spirit.' — Buckle's Hist, of Civiliation, i. 600. What follows in three or four subsequent pages is still more to the point. Although the writer approves of the Kebellion, he displays his usual candour. BONNINGTON CASTLE. 131 In clamour discordant the rest must come To roar of the cannon, and roll of the drum, From me you'll get little but knocks and blows. But I know that the same will the gallants delight — Be he Round-headed churl — be he Cavalier knight, An Englishman loveth a stand-up fight, Wherein combatants bold do with fury lay on, Fight dog, fight bear, 1 till the struggle be done. V September the 20th, 'forty-three, Was fought the first battle of Newbury, Where gallant Caernarvon 2 and Sunderland 3 brave With the noble Falkland 4 did find a grave ; When the King a mourning scarf had put on, Boys into Packer's 5 old house is gone, Which though fortress they call, Was but house or hall, Such as gentlemen lived in in olden days, Ere we left our ancestors' simple ways. 1 A common expression in the days of Paris Garden, when bear- baiting was in vogue. 2 Robert Dormer, Earl of Caernarvon. * Henry Spenser, Earl of Sunderland, only twenty-three years of age. He had married Waller's Sacharissa. 4 Lucius Cary, Viscount Falkland. 5 The King, after the battle of Newbury, retired 'to Oxford, leaving a garrison under command of Colonel Boys in Donningtou Castle — a house of John Packer's, but more famous for having been the seat of Geoffrey Chaucer — within half a mile of Newbury.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 237. Oxford: 1826. k 2 132 DONNINGTON CASTLE. An oblong building with flanking tow'rs Hold out could not Against Parliament shot For more than perhaps some forty-eight hours ; But Boys was told That the place he must hold For his sovereign lord, King Charles, And being a Royalist firm and true, He stoutly determined his duty to do In spite of their Puritan snarls. VI Experience in Flanders the colonel had bought — He had not serv'd in the trenches for nought. Fortifications he soon did trace ; He drew a pentagon 1 round the place ; He dug out his ditch, and he fenced his wall With demi-lune, 2 bastion, and curtain and all. Strong was the work, and when all was done, He challenged the foes of the King to come on. VII Months thirteen they have glided away, But Donnington Castle is standing at bay, 1 See the sketch and plan of Donnington Ca&tle in Grose s Antiq., i. London: 1773. 2 Mascarille. — Te souvient-il, vicomte, de cette demi-lune que nous emportames sur les ennemis au si£ge d' Arras? Jodiht.— Que veux-tu dire avec ta demi-lune? C'etait bien line lime tout entiere. — Les Trecieuses Ridicules. DONNIXGTON CASTLE. 133 Though the Covenant lords and the Parliament men Demand its surrender, and day after day Assault it again and again. VIII Middleton l brought up an army good, And this peremptory message he sent : — ' To prevent the needless effusion of blood, ' You must yield up the place to the Parliament.' IX ' To the King,' replied Boys, ' my allegiance is due ; ' Save blood as you please, but I yield 2 not to you.' 1 Lieut.-General Middleton, sent by Sir Win. Waller, after his defeat at Cropredy Bridge, with 3,000 horse and dragoons ' to follow the King into the West and to wait upon his rear, with orders to reduce in his way Donnington Castle. . . . But Middleton found it so well defended by Colonel Boys, who was Governor of it, that after he had lost at least 300 officers and soldiers in attempt- ing to take it, he was compelled to recommend it to the Governor of Abingdon.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 577. '(T/ie Summons of Middleton.) ' For the Governor of Donnington Castle. ' Sie, — I demand you to render me Donnington Castle for the use of the King (!) and Parliament. If you please to entertain a present treaty you shall have reasonable terms. My desire to spare blood makes me propose this, I desire your answer. ' John Middleton.' ' {The answer from the Governor.) ' For Lieut.-General Middleton. 'Sie, — I am intrusted by His Majesty's express command, and I 131 DONNINGTON CASTLE. Then Middleton went at the place pell-mell, He brought up his scaling-ladders and all, But the Royalists fought their defences so well, That the Roundheads were driven with loss from the wall. x Then Horton came with a larger train, Ry regular siege the castle to gain ; He mined, 1 and he sapped, 2 and he thunder'd his shot, For twelve long days the bombardment was hot — Such good success did his labours crown, Three tow'rs and a part of the wall fell down. XI Horton sends message disdainful and proud, ' Quarter,' saith he, ' ye shall all be allowed, ' If to my forces your gates ye unlock ' By Wednesday morning, at ten of the clock ; have not learned yet to obey any other than my sovereign. To spare blood do as you please ; but myself and those that are with me are fully resolved to venture ours in maintaining what we are here intrusted with, which is the answer of ' John Boys.' — Heath's Chron., p. 62. London : 1676. 1 The ' mining ' can only have been with the view of discovering a subterraneau passage said to exist between Shaw House and Don- nington Castle. - The ' sap' was probably the same process as at present, or simi- lar to it. The gabions identical, but instead of a saproller a mantelet on wheels was used. DONMNGTON CASTLE. 135 ' Refuse — and I pray that I never may thrive ' If I leave but one man in the castle alive ! ' XII Boys unto Horton this answer did make : — ' Quarter x I neither will give nor take.' XIII Said Manchester's Earl, ' Though he foileth their swords, ' Yet, nevertheless, he may yield to my words, ' For I am the chief of the Parliament lords ; 1 ' The blockade of Donnington Castle had been, when Middleton pursued his march into the West, left to the care of Colonel Horton, who for some time was contented to block it up ; but then finding his summons neglected, and that they had store of provisions within, and having an addition of force from Abingdon and Reading, he resolved to besiege it, which he began to do on September 29, 1644, and made his approaches and raised a battery on the foot of the hill next Newbury, and plied it so with his great cannon that after twelve days' shooting he beat down three towers and a part of the wall, which he believed had so humbled the Governor and the garrison that they would be no longer so stubborn as they had been. And therefore he sent them another summons, in which he magni- fied "his own clemency that prevailed with him, now that they were even at his mercy, to offer them quarter for their lives if they gave up the castle before Wednesday at 10 of the clock in the morning ; but that if his favour was not accepted, he declared in the presence of God that there should no man among them have his life spared." The Governor made himself merry with this high and threatening' language, and sent them word " he would keep the place, and neither give nor receive quarter." ' — Clar. Hint., vol. iv. p. f>78. The mes- sage and answer are given at length in Cattermole's Hist., 138. 1S6 DONXINGTON CASTLE. ' The Covenant 1 plot I did help to contrive, ' And was colleague and friend of the members 2 five.' xiv But though his rebellion a coronet bore, The answer of Boys was the same as before. ' Ho ! ho ! ' quoth the Earl, * since he willeth it so, ' This colonel malignant my fury shall know.' xv Dragoneer and musquetier From Reading 3 all forth are gone, In scarf and with bandolier, The sun on their helmets shone. 1 ' The Covenant,' says Roger L' Estrange, 'was a sort of rebel- lions combination made among the Scots formerly, be of what reli- gion they would, insomuch that had these beasts entered the ark it would have puzzled Noah to have sorted them in pairs.' (!) — See his notes to Hudibras. The Solemn League and Covenant was taken by the Lords and Commons, September 25, 1643. The instrument was thus headed : — A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion, the Honour and Happiness of the King, and the Peace and Softy of the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 2 Hampden, Hollis, Hazelrig, Pym, and Strode. This Earl of Manchester was at that time Lord Kimbolton. s ' The Earl of Manchester hasteneth with his godly army, which God hath always made victorious, to joyn with Sir William Waller.' — Perfect Occurrences of Parliament, from September 20 to 27, 1644. This — which of course is from a Biurncd on the Parliament side — seems to refer to the Earl's advance to Newbury. BONNIKG TON CASTLE. 137 With partizan, pike, and spear, Lord Manchester's men came on ! A victory there Hoping to gain, With a psalm and a pray'r, And a battering-train, For they thought to lay Donnington low as the ground, And like Jericho's wall, That the castle would fall At the Puritan trumpet's sound ! XVI Hark ! in the castle full loud is the din, While out-guard and piquet are all running in ; Smartly they answer the Governor's call, And to their posts all his merry men go ; Some run with bullet and match to and fro, Saker 1 and culverin others point low, Making all ready to meet the foe, With bang for bang, and with blow for blow, While loud rings the trumpet on Donnington wall. XVII The trampling of feet and the rolling of wheels, While drum, pipe, and clarion discordant are sounding, And pennon on pennon advancing — reveals That foemen the castle a^ain ai*e surrounding. 1 A piece of ordnance 138 DONNINGTON CASTLE. XVIII A pause, as a cornet l of horse draweth nigh, A bandrol of white lie is raising on high, While the trumpet shrill pealed, Cornet asks if they yield, But a cheer from the walls is the only reply. An hour passes by, and yet nothing is done : Quoth Boys — ' By St. George they do fear to come on.' It was just as he said, For the task was so warm, They refused to be led The defences to storm, And they pointed their guns at the castle instead, And scarcely the word had the Governor spoken When the long silence was suddenly broken. Fire flashed from below, in thick clouds rose the smoke, And roar upon roar all the echoes awoke, Tossed back to the walls^from the stems of the oak. 2 1 Cornet is used to denote the colours of horse, as -well as the officer who carries them. 2 ' Nor are we to overpass the memorable trees which so lately nourished in Dennington Park, near Newbury, amongst which three were most remarkable from the ingenious planter and dedicator (if tradition hold) of the famous bard Geoffrey Chaucer, of which one was called the King's, another the Queen's, and a third Chaucer's DONNING TON CASTLE. 139 From minion and mortar-piece service was hot ; In sliow'r after show'r flew grenadoe and shot ; Like hailstorm of Egypt the tempest did fall, But Boys and his men being scarce touched at all, Did laugh under cover of rampart and wall. XXI The fire slacken'd not for some thirty- six hours, Then called out the warder on one of the tow'rs — ' To the other side they are shifting the train, ' And fast by the sap are advancing again ! ' Then Boys sallied out at the head of his men ; He charg'd them with fury and fought them so hard That out of the trenches he beat their guard, And slew the men while the works he marr'd. Their chief master gunner, shot right through the head, Was there with the rebel commander left dead ; oak. The first of these was fifty foot in height before any bough or knot appeared, and cut five foot square at the butts, and all clear timber. The Queen's was felled since the wars, and held 40 feet excellent timber, straight as an arrow in growth and grain, and cutting four foot at the stub, and near a yard at the top. . . . Chaucer's oak, tho' not of these dimensions, yet it, was a very goodly tree. . . . This account I hadd of my most honoured friend, Phil Packer, Esq., whose father was proprietor of the park.' — Evelyn's Sylva, 166. Godwin, in his Life of Chaucer, suggests that Chaucer only named the oaks. He quotes Leland, Camden, Speght, Ashmole, and Grose, to prove that the great poet inhabited Donnington Castle. It cer- tainly belonged to Chaucer's son. I think Fuller says that Thomas inherited lands near it from Geoffrey. But see Worthies of Newbury. 140 DOXMXGTOX CASTLE. While Boys, with small loss, got back into the place With more than one trophy the triumph to grace. So Manchester's onslaught and vengeance intended Like Jeremy Horton's and Middleton's ended, For though he renewed his artillery fire, And batter'd the walls, he at length did retire, No longer at Newbury caring to stay While the Royalist forces were coming that way, And Essex' new levies in London still lay. 1 1 ' The Earl of Manchester himself, with his forces, came to New- bury; and receiving no better answer to his own summons than Horton had done before, he resolved to storm it the next day. But, his soldiers, being very well informed of the resolution of those within, declined that hot service, and plied it with their artillery until the next night, and then removed their battery to the other side of the castle and began their approaches by saps, when the Governor made a strong sally and beat them out of their trenches, and killed a lieutenant-colonel who commanded in chief, with many soldiers ; shot their chief cannoneer through the head, brought away their cannon-baskets ' (gabions) ' and many arms, and retired with very little loss. Yet the next night they finished their battery. and continued some days with their great shot, till they heard of the approach of the King's army ; whereupon they drew off their ord- nance, and their train-bands of London being not yet come to them. the Earl thought fit to march away to a greater distance, there having been in nineteen days above 1,000 great shot spent upon the walls without any other damage to the garrison than in beating down some of the old parts thereof.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 578. A letter in the London Post about this time talks of the siege as follows : ' Sir, — These are to certifie to you that Sir Miles Hobart's regiment is here at Newbery, where we had almost brought Don- DOXXIXGTOX CASTLE. 141 XXIII The King from the West with his army had come When damp was the wind upon Salisbury Plain, But mute was the trumpet and muffled the drum Though he was returning in triumph again. For Donnington, Basing, 1 and Banbury 2 Relieved His Majesty knew must be, And relief he had promised to bring, And Waller 3 at Andover meant to surprise — nington Castle down to the ground by the active endeavours of General Ailjutant-Colonell (sic) Horton. But Lieut. -General Brown called him and his force away, and the gunnes are taken off and carried to Beading, and here is only one regiment and some of Col. Montague's and 2 or 3 troops of horse ; yet we keep them in the castle, and if we might have gunnes and furniture (!) I would undertake we could have the castle in a week The town of Newbury and the county adjacent cry out they must fall if we go and let the castle stand. I wish the committee were well informed concerning it. I daresay it is a place of such consequence as they would not lose the opportunity to gayne it, considering it is sore battered, and one breach in it that many may enter abreast. Truely two or three fireballs or granadoes shot into it would make it ours. The Lord guide the State, and be with you and us all. Yr humble servt., B. F.' (Q. Fogge ? )— London Post, October 23, 1644. 1 Basing House, defended with great bravery and pertinacity by the Marquess of Winchester, its proprietor, a staunch loyalist. 1 Banbury, most gallantly defended by young Sir William Compton, son of the Earl of Northampton who fell at Hopton Heath. Sir William Compton nover went to bed during the whole siege. ' Another flight of the Parliamentary General is thus alluded to:— 142 DOXXIKGTON CASTLE. Though quickly the Parliamentarian flies, He hardly escapeth the king. 1 XXIV While the shadows of evening were closing o'er him — With his royal guards behind and before him — With the Lord George Goring, 2 and generals all, King Charles came riding by Donnington wall, While the lights did twinkle in Newbury town. xxv ' Odds' wounds ! ' cries Goring, ' the standard is down 3 — ' Great William the Con. So fast he did run That he left half his name behind him.' ■ — See Eumj} Ballads. Sir William's own account is as follows : — ' It was a great mercy of God, when the King came suddenly upon me with his whole army at Andover, and I had nothing but a mere body of horse and dra- goneers with me, I made a faire retreat to Basing-stoke.' — Sir W. Waller s Recoil., 712. Waller got the name of William the Con- queror because he struck one of the first blows against the King, by taking Portsmouth, which Goring shamefully neglected to defend. 1 ' His Majesty had a great desire on his march to Oxford' (after the capitulation of Essex's men in the West) ' to relieve Donnington Castle and Basing .... and then to send a good party to relieve Banbury .... The King came to Salisbury upon the loth October, when he understood that Waller lay at Andover with his troops . . . 3,000 horse and dragoons .... They ' (i.e., the King's army) ' came within four miles of Andover before Waller had any notice of their motions.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 575. 2 General of the horse since the removal of Wilmot. * About this time Colonel Boys — probably 'in scorn' of General D0XN1XGT0N CASTLE. 143 ' One half of the castle's a heap of stone — ' Boys he hath either surrender'd or fled ! ' When lo ! upon ruin of curtain and tow'r, In gallant defiance of Parliament pow'r, Colonel John Boys and his merry men all Gave the King three cheers upon Donnington wall. 'You were wrong, you see, Goring,' His Majesty said. XXVI And the King did quarter in Newbury, (Though small provision he there obtained For the Covenant forces the place had drained) But there all his army stationed must be While he sends relief unto Banbury. But first he did ride to the top of the hill, And great admiration his bosom did fill When he saw how the place had held out for the crown, Though the walls and the tow'rs were so much batter'd down, And the breach 1 in the same ten foot wide at the least. Wherein four or five men could have enter'd abreast. And there, while the chiefs of the army stood bare, The King ordered Boys all the facts to declare Of the triumphs his prowess had won. ' Kneel down,' said the King, when the story was done — Brown, the Governor of Abingdon, who had been ' a. wood-monger ' — appears to have suspended a fagot over the wall with a torn Par- liament flag hanging to it, — See A Diary or Exact Relation, tfc, October 10 to 17, 1644. ' It had been made by 36-lb. shot. — See SymonoFe Diary. 144 DONNINGTON CASTLE. King Charles laid Lis rapier his shoulder upon, And Colonel John Boys he did rise up Sir John. 1 XXVII Much commendation His Majesty made, And all the King's council their compliments paid, But the Lord George Goring he privily said, — ' Sir John, a good firkin of claret or two ' 'Twould give me much pleasure to share with you, ' To drink confusion to Roundhead crew.' XXVIII We have all heard of Lord Goring's renown, Rivers of liquor his throat have gone down ; Once whde he poured out his bumpers high He let half the army of Essex go by. 2 1 ' When the King came to Newbury the Governor of Donnington attended him, and was knighted for his very good behaviour.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 579. 'His Majesty knighted Sir John Boys upon the hill.' — Symond's Diary, p. 161. He was also promoted to the rank of full colonel. — Sir E. Walhr's Hist. Discourses. * This occurred two months before, at Lestithiel. Sir William Balfour, with the whole of the Earl of Essex's horse, 'at about three in the morning, passed with great silence between the armies ' (the King's and Prince Maurice's). 'The notice and orders' (to attack) ' came to Goring when he was in one of his jovial exercises, which he received with mirth and slighting those who sent, as men who took alarms too warmly, and he continued his delights till all the enemy's horse were passed through his quarters.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 546. Lord Geo. Goring was one of the very worst of the King' party. See his character as drawn by Clarendon. D0NN1NGT0N CASTLE. lib XXIX But hark ! from afar soundeth trumpet and drum, Disturbing Lord Goring his Wassail- ed O For lo ! the new army of Essex has come To menace the king and the castle ! XXX My friends, I cannot the chronicler be Of the second great battle 1 of Newbury, 1 October 27, 1644. — ' Though the relief of Banbury succeeded to wish, yet the King paid dear for it soon after. The very day after that service was performed, Colonel Urrey, a Scotchman, who had formerly served the Parliament, and is well mentioned in the Transactions of the last year for having quitted them and performed some signal service to the King, had in the West, about the time the King entered into Cornwall (in a discontented humour which was very natural to him), desired a pass to go beyond th'e seas, and so quitted the service ; but instead of embarking himself, made haste to London, and put himself now into the Earl of Manchester's army, and made a discovery of all he knew of the King's army, and a description of the persons and customs of those who principally commanded ; so that, as they well knew the constitution and weak- ness of the King's army, they had also advertisement of the Earl of Northampton's being gone with three regiments of horse to the relief of Banbury. Whereupon, within two days after, all their forces which had been under Essex and Waller being united with Man- chester (with whom likewise the trainbands of London were now joined, all which made up a body of above 8,000 foot, the number of their horse being not inferior) advanced towards the King, who had not half that number before the departure of the Earl of Northamp- ton, and staid still at Newbury, with a resolution to await the return of that Earl, that he might do something for Basing, not believing that the enemy would be so soon united.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 581. L 1 46 LONNINGTON CASTLE. Or discourse you of Urrey his treachery, Whereby the king's army was nearly undone, Since the bulk of the horse were to Banbury gone. You know by surprise King Charles was taken, Though the army's valour remained unshaken. Nought can I say of defenders bold Who the house of Doleman at Shaw 1 did hold, And murdering pieces 2 and matchlocks plied Between the shafts of the windows wide, Or with butts of their muskets did boat back the foe From the ramparts where Doleman's young cedar-trees grow ; Nor of Lisle 3 and his charge for the king and the queen ; Nor of Cansfield * the brave, Who the army did save 1 ' 1,200 horse and 3,000 foot advanced with great resolution upon Shaw House and the field adjacent, which quarter was defended by Sir Jacob Astley and Colonel George Lisle, and the horse by Lieut. - Colonel Page. They came singing of psalms, &c.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 582. See also Ludlow's Memoirs, i. 130, 1698. 1 ' Leather guns and key-shot,' says Captain Gwyn, in Military Memoirs. I siispect these to be the case of drakes that I find men- tioned about this time. 3 Colonel Sir Geo. Lisle, shot by order of Fairfax after the sur- render of Colchester, 1648. 4 ' The Queen's Regiment of Horse, commanded by Sir John Cans- field, charged them (Waller's horse) with so much gallantry that he louted that great body. ... If Sir John Cansfield had not in that article of time given them that brisk charge .... the King himself had been in very great danger.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 583. The motto on Sir John Cansfield's banner was from the 101st Psalm, 'Fiat pax in Tirtute tua.' — Estrenne's Mottos and Devices. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 147 When Waller came over the river to Speen, And through the left wing Made a drive at the king, Though Donnington castle did thunder between. XXXI Profitless was the result of the day ; No longer the king can in Newbury stay, By the light of the moon he is marching away, Leaving his train and his wagons and all Parked under cover of Donnington wall. 1 XXXII The royal army to Oxford is gone, And to Bath the king Is riding to bring His Highness's 2 horse — for he meaneth again To return to the castle 3 and pick up his train ; 1 'It was a fair moonlight night (27th October, 1644) .... About 10 o'clock all the army, horse, foot, and cannon, upon th b King's orders, drew forth their several guards to the heath about Donnington Castle ; in which they left most of their wounded men, with all their ordnance, ammunition, and carriages By the morning all the army, foot as well as horse, arrived at Wallingford, where, having refreshed a little, they marched to Oxford.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 583. * Prince Rupert. He had been ordered up before, but was not ready to march. The King, accompanied by Lord Capel and others, rode fifty miles before 4 o'clock the next day. * It must be noted that tho King had failed to relieve Donnington Castle, which was now very short of provisions. Tho King him- self could get no provisions, for the Parliament forces had hedged him in. l 2 148 DONNINGTON CASTLE. So Colonel Sir John Once more is alone, For the king could leave nothing but wounded men. XXXIII A little bird did inform Sir John That as soon as the king and his army were gone,. Manchester's Earl would with fury lay on, For his army was three times as great as before : And the knight, taking care For defence to prepare, His works that were damaged did try to restore. xxxiv But hunger will conquer the bravest of men ; Of ammunition want there was not, But can a man live upon powder and shot ? — Would that the king were returning again ! l 1 Whoever will minutely examine cotemporary writings, as well as the scene of the occurrences here doscribed, will, I think, admit that there is some truth in this Royalist ' story.' I take this oppor- tunity of thanking Dr. Palmer, F.S.A., of Newbury, who kindly assisted my researches, affording me important information. When his Memoirs of Jack of Newbury appear, the neighbourhood will be- come better known. In the meantime, Mr. Godwin's little work, The Worthies and Celebrities of Newbury, will be found instructive. STAVE THE THIRTEENTH. 151 STAVE THE THIRTEENTH. <£fic last assault. i It was near Allhallows tide, 1 they say — When the cock crew loud and shrill, And frost was white upon heath and hill, Alone the brave little garrison lay, For the king and his army had all gone away. Hark ! R-r-rat-tat-tat ! on the drum, And tara, tan, tara ! on trumpet sounded ; Pennon and banner do flaunting come, Donninorton Castle once more is surrounded Well might the prospect the Colonel dismay ! But Boys his companions are faithful men — Some of them well-to-do fellows of yore, And some of them might be the same once more, If the king could enjoy his own again. Poor though they be, they are honest and true ; 1 October 28, 1644. 152 DOSNINGTON CASTLE. None of your Presbyterian l blue Soldiers that gaunt city preachers have sent For to make •wider the kingdom's rent, Raised by the thimbles and bodkins lent For a cozening promise of eight per cent ; 2 — 1 That this was a distinguishing colour of the Parliamentary party may be gathered from the description of Butler's hero : — ' For his religion — it was fit To match his learning as his wit. 'Twas Presbyterian trice blue ; For he was of that stubborn crew Of errant saints, whom all men grant To be the true Church militant ; Such as do build their faith upon The holy text of pike and gun,' &c. The Scotch, in these days, were called ' blew-caps.' Hence possibly the colour was affected by the country party as associated with the Scottish origin of ' the Covenant.' Hence, perhaps, also the modern slang term used to stigmatise those who imitate the Puritans in matters of religion. It is to be remarked that when the Presbyterian party found that the power of the state was slipping out of their hands into those of the Independents, they generally joined the Eoyalists ; but it was then too late. Clement Walker, a Presbyterian, is the most un- sparing castigat or of ' the Derby House' and the Roundheads. See what Buckle calls his 'curious' book, The History of Independency , which was iirst published when the whole country rose against the oppression of the usurping powers (May, 1648). - ' The faithful,' as soon as it was decided to make war upon the King, in 1642, were stirred up by the city preachers and others. The army of the Parliament was commonly known as the ' thimble and bodkin ' army, because so many women contributed any little article of plate in their possession. Plate came in in abundance. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 153 But poor, and ragged, and true, are they, Serving for loyalty rather than pay; 1 Cornet, Lieutenant, and Captain, their style, And more than a score of them rank and file ; Nine or ten They were Kentish men, Friends of the Colonel in former day: Gay-hearted Charlie, and Dick of the Grange, Hal of the Globe, and brave chorister Phil, Humphrey ' the can-clinker,' Timothy Strange, Robert of Farningham, Dare-devil Will ; — To name you the others, I cannot now stop, Too much of time would their titles fill up ; Though nothing but horse-flesh of late they had eaten, And little of that — they hoped not to be beaten, Though the whole Parliament army did threaten. Ill All was prepared for the combat's shock, And it was something past ten of the clock, When the warder sung out from the barbican wall, ' The castle is now encompassed all, ' And a trumpeter cometh with flag of white, ' With him approacheth some Parliament knight, Eight per cent, was promised, but the lenders lost Loth principal and interest. — See Eckard's Hist., p. 535-6. 1 The King's forces, being supported by voluntary contribution, were but poorly paid. The use of the term ' ragged ' may be ob- jected to, but campaigning soon reduces smart uniforms to that con- dition. The pay of the Parliament forces was very good, especially that of the officers. 154 DONNWGTON CASTLE. ' And a gross fat man, in scnll-cap and gown, ' Whom I do for a Covenant preacher set down.' IV Now a parley soundeth — ' Within there, ho ! ' Please yon to let the Governor know ' With the Earl of Brentford 1 speech we would hold.' v The same was unto the Governor told — Came the reply with a tap on the drum : ' Blindfold within the place ye may come.' VI The Earl of Brentford got hurt i' the head At the recent great battle of Newbury : VII ' What the plague, Colonel Boys, do they want here with me ? ' Quoth the Earl when the two by his pallet were led. When the napkins 2 off from their eyes did fall 'Twas seen that their cheeks were as white as the wall. 1 A Scotchman, Earl of Forth, created an English peer by Charles I. He is as often called General Euthyn as Eut.hven. He was recently the King's General-in-Chief, but superannuated and succeeded by Prince Eupert. He was made Chamberlain to the Prince of Wales, and retained in the Council at Oxford to quiet the susceptibilities of the Scotch. — Sabran, p. 273. 5,460 Addl. MSS. Bh. Museum. 2 This blindfolding was, of course, a common precaution. A Par- D0NN1NGT0N CASTLE. 155 ' What ! Urrey with rebels ? ' Lord Brentford he cried. ' I was prisoner 1 taken,' false Urrey 2 replied. Boys in the meantime the ' gross fat man ' Scanned, and to recollect him began ; liamentary Diurnal, when the King's affairs were not prospering, relates that an envoy to Oxford, from the Parliamentary party, was not 'hoodwinked going in,' whence was drawn an unfavourable augury of Royalist hopes. 1 Not mentioned by Clarendon, but asserted by Mercurius Civicus and other diurnals at this time — for instance, Weekly Account, October 2 to 9, 1644. The former states that 'Col. Urrey, formerly employed by the Parliament and afterwards deserting them, was brought up before the Committee of both kingdoms (who sat all day very close) before whom the substance of his examination then taken was to this effect : That he, being desirous to desert His Majesty's service, obtained leave of His Majesty to travel into Denmark, and for his more secure passage sought to procure a pass from the Lord- General' (Essex), ' but before he could obtain it he, with other pri- soners, was surprised by Sir William Waller.' * Colonel Urrey, or Hurry (?) The name is met with spelt both ways. It is to be regretted that no philologist appears to have in- vestigated the history of missing and supplementary aspirations. The cockney dialect must surely be of respectable antiquity. Does the use of the indefinite article an indicate anything? We should be sorry to suppose that the translators of the Bible took liberties with the letter h, and yet we find — an horse, an husband, an hand- maid, an heart, &c. I am convinced that these supposed cocknoyisms are to be traced to the Norman invasion. The lords and knights whose names figured on the Battle Abbey roll were vanquished by ws and hs. Sabran, the French Ambassador, in 1644, talks about Vinchelsea and Basin-ous (Basing-House). 156 LONNINGTON CASTLE. Ten years back did his face recall — 'Twas the quondam chaplain of Kentish Hall ! IX ' Now,' said the Earl, ' what the plague do ye want ? ' Am I in condition great favours to grant ? ' x ' To me,' quoth the chaplain, ' the Lord hath revealed ' That unless ye the castle shall presently yield — ' si ' With revelation I nought have to do,' Said the Earl, interrupting — ' Come, Urrey, speak you, ' If still to the king ye be loyal and true ! ' XII ' Essex is sick,' Urrey answered and said ; ' Waller and Manchester 1 send me to say, ' That you, my Lord Brentford, may safe march away With the honours of war, if this castle you'll yield ' To the army which now is drawn up in the field.' XIII With hot indignation Earl Brentford grew red, And, sick as he was, started up in his bed. ' There is the Governor, sirrah,' saith he ; ' What the divil d'ye mean by thus prating with me ? ' Quoth the earl, with his fist his old truckle-bed banging, ' Sir John, Colonel Urrey is worthy of hanging — 1 Clar. Hist. iv. 589. The most curious account of the siege is to be found in the Arch' 1 . Cantiana. DONNINGTOX CASTLE. 157 ' I very much doubt if still loyal he be ! ' Paler grew Urrey. ' By usage of war ' The lives of all spies ever forfeited are.' And here the fat chaplain resumed his haranguing: XIV ' Colonel John Boys, hear the word of the Lord — ' All in this place shall be put to the sword ' Who at this time my commandment despise ' — But here he did stop, for Boys said to his men, ' Tie me the bandages over their eyes, ' And march them both forth of the castle again ! ' xv As skilful hunters gather round With caution, when the prey is found, So do the Cov'nant legions all Approach the leaguer'd castle wall ; Nearer and nearer do they come, While train-bands march to fife and dram, Or psalms in dismal chorus hum ; Compactly move the blocks of spears, In ' back,' and ' breast,' and steel-cap 1 bright ; And on each flank, In eight-deep rank, With lighted match, the musqueteers 2 1 The steel cap was commonly called ' a pot.' The ' back ' and ' breast' signify the two parts of the cuirass, which was similar to that worn by the Life Guards at present. '- A stand of pikes was always protected by matchlock men on the 158 DONNIXGTON CASTLE. Seem all prepared for stubborn fight ; And here and there, the gaps between, Appear the drake and culverin ; While all in rear the horse are seen, With many an ' Ironside,' be sure, Scarred in the fight at Marston Moor. 1 Now plain appear As they come near The city's newly-raised brigade, Reg'ments of yellow, blue, and red, 2 In brand-new buff and bandolier, Stout Londoners on capons fed, By Sir James Harrington are led. And all the banners floating there Show brave device, or legend fair Of battle-cry, and text from Word, Which curse the king 3 but praise the Lord. flanks. See the bird's-eye view of Naseby fight in Sprigcfs Anglia Rediviva by Nathl. Fiennes. 1 Marston Moor was fought the previous summer. 2 Enshworth, vol. v. p. 719. The yellow regiments, trainband of Southwark, the yellow auxiliaries of the Tower Hamlets, red and blue brigades of the City of London, &c. ; in all 5,000 men. The cost was 22,000^. s So cautious, however, were most of the leaders of the Parlia- ment army, that some of the banners of regiments intended for the destruction of the King's armies bore loyal devices. For instance, that of Lord (Fern do ) Fairfax, ' Viva el Rey y muera el mal go- bierno,' which, however, was that of the revolutionary band of Masa- niello. Sir Thos. Fairfax and Cromwell, after the establishment of the 'new model,' adopted plain colours, without either motto or DONNING TON CASTLE. 159 xvt Halt ! sounds from trumpet and from drum, No nearer Manchester will come. XVII Dare-Devil Will, w.ho through loop-hole spied, To another comrade presently cried ; ' What ! another £,mock to a partisan tied ? ' While a dozen of generals round it ride. ' Cowards ! why do they tarry so long ? ' If I had a forco hut one half as strong ' The assault ere this I had tried.' XVIII ' Stand, or I fire ! ' the sentry cries, So near the flag of truce now flies ; Then pauseth he who pennon bore, And Ii-eton's face is seen, With Cov'nant leaders half a score Of dark and haughty mien. Their trumpeter soundeth an echoing call, And Boys and his merry men look from the wall ; And cold-blooded Ireton approacheth so near That all in the castle his message can hear. device. — See Esirennc's Art of Making Devices, 1650. The Parlia- ment pretended to fight for the King. Doubtless many were at first deceived by this pretence. 160 DONNINGTCy CASTLE. XIX 'Ye Royalist daws I' 1 He them all thus addressed, ' To the Lord and the Cause ' You must yield up your 'nest ; ' But, if you shall slight our command, ' Your walls we will p'.mnd ' Till they fall to the ground, ' And no stone on another shall stand ! ' 2 XX ' Of the castle's repair,' Thus did Boys make roply, ' My Prince has the care ; l ' All his foes I defy ; ' And if God his good aid to me bring, ' Although ev'ry stone ' Of the walls be o'erthrown, 'Yet THE GROUND I WILL KEEP FOR THE KlNG !' 1 The reader will recall the saying attributed to John Knox, ' Pull down the nests and the rooks will depart.' - ' The next day, when they knew that the King's army was re- tired, but not till then, they made haste to possess themselves of Newbury ; and then drew up their whole army before Donnington Castle, and summoned the Governor " to deliver it to them, of else they would not leave one stone upon another." To which the Governor made no other reply than " that he was not bound to repair it ; but, however, he would, by God's help, keep the ground." ' — Clar. Hist., iv. 589. DOZMXGTON CASTLE. 161 XXI ' Hurrah ! ' Springing up upon rampart and wall, His men hailed the speech with applause, With their caps in the air, and then one and all Cried, ' Down with the Covenant Cause ! ' The words of that Governor, faithful and brave, And the bold response that his merry men gave, Long in remembrance our children shall have, When we to ourselves are true ; When the old flag flies once more at the main, And the ship of state shall have righted again, Discharging her Roundhead crew. • XXIII When sudden uprose all the Royalist garrison, Hat and feather and steel-cap waving, Covenant menaces gallantly braving, On parapet, curtain, and tow'r — Desborough, Ireton, Cromwell, 1 and Harrison, 1 1 sec no reason to suppose that any of these heroes were else- where at the time, of this summons and subsequent assault of Don- niugton Castle. The 7,000 horse that went in pursuit of the King after the second battle of Newbury must have returned a few hours afterwards. They did not have for lilewbury till Thursday— pro- bably after the last assault had failed. Jl 162 DONNINGTON CASTLE. All in amazement opened their eyes, And some for an instant feared a surprise And looked for a small- shot shower ; While the loud huzza did so suddenly sound That some of their chargers did wheel right round. XXIV Remorseless Ireton, he heard and saw, And in blank amazement he dropped his jaw ; Though armed force cometh process to aid, He sees the ejectment cannot be made ; And all his knowledge of logic and law l At fault is completely found : Though the roof and the wall Of the house down fall, Yet the tenant will keep the ground ! XXV Ireton hath nought to reply, 'tis plain, To the Parliament lines they all gallop again. After some further and long delay, Never you'd guess what they next did say ; Of former demands they have made revision — Boys may surrender on composition ! 2 — And, lastly, ' all in the castle that are ' May march away with the honours of war — 1 It will be remembered that the celebrated Henry Ireton, Com- missary-General of Horse to the Parliament forces, and afterwards Lord Deputy for Ireland, was by profession a lawyer. - Articles of Agreement. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 163 ' Free to pass through all posts surrounding, ' Arms in their hands, and their trumpets sounding, 'With colours flying, and matches lighted.' But all their concessions the Governor slighted : ' This castle I hold,' said he, ' do not doubt of it, ' Till the King 1 tells me that I must go out of it.' XXYI ' Your blood, then, be on your head ! ' Such were the last words Ireton spoke. ^Nothing in answer the Governor said ; But a laugh did echo from Chaucer's oak. 2 XXVII While back to the lines did the white flag go, The garrison learneth the spite of the foe. Whiz ! went a seventeen-pounder 3 ball At St. George's banner on Donnington wall ; 1 ' Seeing bis obstinacy they offered him " to march away with the arms, and all things belonging to the garrison," and when that moved not, that he should " carry all the cannon and ammunition with him ;" to all which he answered that he wondered they would not 1)6 satisfied with so many answers that he had sent, "and desired them to be assured that he would not go out of the Castle till the King sent him order so to do." Offended with these high answers, they resolved to assault it.' — Clar. Hist., iv. 590. f See note to page 138. ' A culverin ball weighed 17^ lbs. A chain shot is to be seen at Donnington Castle, which would be the sort of projectile used to cut down a flagstaff. H 2 164 DONNINGTON CASTLE. The flag that so boldly flew for the crown — With the lion-quarterings l circled down ! The standard was gone — and, to hail its removal Ten 2 thousand men gave a roar of approval. XXVIII The halyards were cut in twain ! ' Though the flag be down,' said Dare-devil Will, ' It shall soon be hoist again. ' Full oft from the top of a Maypole high ' I have picked the garland cleverly ; ' Ten years ago at your wedding, Sir John, ' You may remember how well it was done. ' Though not so young I am active still ; ' I will reeve the halyards again or die ! ' XXIX Dare-devil Will was as good as his word, He flung down helmet, cuirass, and sword ; And, though the grenadoes 3 around him roared, To the top of the flagstaff he climbed with the cord, While comrades applauded the act so brave, And again aloft did the standard wave. 1 The Koyal Standard of that day was the same as it is now. - The forces of the Parliament drawn up before the. Castle are here understated. s Shells. Grenadoe is derived from the Spanish for pomegranate. The pomegranate appears very prominently in the ornamental -t-'ir-co-work of the Alhambra of Granatin- DONNINGlON CASTLE. 165 . XXX Said Boys, ' To return their salute 'tis fair, ' So point me our culverin all in the air ; { You may give them a dozen l degrees at least. ' Give fire ! ' he cried when the pointing ceased ; Then from the walls hurst a salvo loud, And the halls flew forth of a wreathed cloud, Bounding as far as the troops on the plain, "While the houses of Newbury rattled again. XXXI ' Charge 2 again, but reserve your fire ! ' Said Colonel Boys, who effect did admire, For stir in the enemy's ranks was seen, With horse in confusion and wigs on the green. XXXII The haughty Ireton was filled with choler, Manchester blessed (!) them, and so did Waller- And ' a forlorn ' to the front they form With a most wicked intent to storm ; Four hundred men they have chosen with care, Fellows all prompt to do and to dare, And a mighty faggot 3 hath each man there As a shield — and a preparation 1 Ricochet fire was not employed generally until after this period. 1 In the sense of ' load.' * A fascine, or large bundlo of sticks. 166 DONNINGTON CASTLE. For filling the fosse * That the rest may cross, And to light tip a conflagration. Grenadoes 2 good store all ready to fling, with them Forward they carry The place to harry ; 3 And thirty-five twenty-foot ladders they bring with them. All are with zeal and ardour elate (The relief behind them is three times as great). "With consolation by preachers supplied ; And with hot strong 4 waters fortified, ' Down with malignants ! ' they lustily cried. XXXIII ' To march ' then Ireton giveth the word, And bids them ' fall on, in the name of the Lord, ' And put ev'ry man in the place to the sword ! ' 5 xxxiv Think you I mock at the Puritan men ? Friends, if you do, you mistake me, then. 1 Ditch of the Castle. 2 In this instance hand-grenades are meant. 5 To annoy, or harass. ' I will harry them out of the land.' — King James, The Conference at Hampton Court. 4 The author of the Story of Corfe Castle, amongst other items in the accounts of the Committee of Dorset County for 1643, when Corfe Castle was assaulted by Parliament troops, quotes the fol- lowing: — ' Aug. 2. For a firkin of hot waters for the soldiers when they scaled the Castle, \l. 12s.' — Story of Corfe Castle, p. 313. 5 The advance of this ' forlorn ' must hare presented something of the appearance of Birnam wood on the march. DOXNIXGTON CASTLE. 167 Though I love not firebrands, religious or civil, Or those who the throne and the altar would level — Though I hate the Cause l as I hate the Devil — The man who risks body and bones i' the fight For what I think wrong, but what he thinks right, My respect shall have, not my scorn or slight. But worse than cockatrice, vulture, or kite, Is he who in pulpit makes it his mission With Gospel trumpet to blow up sedition, 2 Or by canting 3 speech on the Parliament floor Makes or prolongs an unnatural war. Friends ! — he that useth religion as ladder To rise, in the midst of a nation's ferment, To some high post or place of preferment, Deserves to be dealt with as j)oisonous adder ; Beware of his head — for with venom 'tis filled, But let him be scourged at the tail till he's killed ! xxxv Vipers accurst ! — you have cost us dear, For you have undone the nation By making the Fiend Rebellion appear As the Angel of Reformation ! 4 1 The 'Covenant' Cause. s See Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, under the heading of Factious Lecturers, Part I. p. 17. ' This word, according to Roger L'Estrange, is derived from the name of a Covenanting preacher named Andrew Cant. He is men- tioned in Bailtie's Letters. 4 This was a saying of Charles I. — Vide Scwarcts Anecdotes, art. ' Charles I.' 168 DOXXLXGTOX CASTLE. You forge the guns and the balls make hot, But ever keep well out of reach of the shot ; While to slaughter-house shambles, and charnel- house bed The poor honest knave goeth bravely instead ! XXXYI When the ' forlorn ' got a nearer view (Which Ireton had ordered to 'march,' as I said), And saw how much battered were rampart and wall, They burst forth all in a wild halloo — Nothing did show which could heart appall ; Donnington seemed quite an easy prey (The frames of the windows were all shot away, And the gaps filled with sand-bags and trusses of Lay), And they made quite sure that the place would fall, Though the royal standard did fly over all. XXXVII To a storm-tossed galleon, when waves run high, Or to wither'd oak while the storm roars by, Or to grey old lion that's wounded sore, This shot-wreck'd castle resemblance bore. XXXVIII But the storm-tossed ship may an harbour find, And the old oak brave all the force of the wind, And of wounded lion you'd best beware, For his claws are sharp and his teeth can tear ! DONMNGTOX CASTLE. 169 XXXIX The chargers were champing their bits in the stall — Under Dare-devil l Will's command, Beside them all ready to mount did stand Dragooner and ca-ra-bineer. 2 Though now hut a score 3 they did number in all, The sight of those troopers could Roundheads appall, For their sallies had cost them dear. Hal 4 of the Globe had a party select The sconce of the sallyport bridge to protect, And under a wall where no enemy saw them Humphrey the Can-clinker 5 chief cannoneer c Had a couple of drakes 7 and drag-ropes to draw them, 1 The original commander of the horse had been killed. His name was (Captain) Taylor. 1 Sic in the King's Articles of War. Oxford: 1643. 3 ' Twenty-five horse ' were in garrison on October 21, 164-1, we gather from Symonds Diary, p. 142. 4 Theatres were suppressed by the ' godly ' party, and actors, being ' disestablished ' and persecuted, naturally took the Koyal side. If caught playing, they were flogged. Sad to reflect that had Shake- speare survived twenty-eight years or so, ho might have felt the ' whips and scorns o' the timo ' with the rest ! 5 'And let me the cannakin clink, clink, clink ; And let mo the cannakin clink.' — Othello. But we have it from tho best authority that Humphrey did not ' put an enemy into his mouth to steal away his brains* fi Commanding tho artillery. ' Drakes were used as ' light ' field artillery. 170 DOXXIXGTOX CASTLE. With twenty mattrosses 1 and fireworkers 2 ten ; Their matches alight had the linstock 3 men. XL Boys had been np on the barbican 4 tow'r, But now he came clattering down the stair, For he saw the approach of the Parliament pow'r, And that while sundry feints south and east they prepare, Their forlorn did advance from the north. At the Governor's word ev'ry Royalist man Did unto his post go forth. But most to the sallyport bastion ran, Crouching full low so as not to be seen ; So runneth the game-bird by hedges of green Which of birding-piece 5 is aware. XLI ' Down under cover, my merry men all ! ' Boys had called out from the top of the wall ; • Each one his duty doth perfectly know, ' But move not a finger till I give the word ' To spring up together and fire on the foe, ' And let not a sound be heard ! ' ' Men who helped the gunner to work the guns. i Men who had gone through a laboratory course. * The linstock man was an ancient institution. He is still pre- served at Gibraltar and other places. ' The Gate-house Tower, which is still in existence. s Fowling-piece. DONNING TON CASTLE. 171 XLII Shortly resounded the thundering tread Of four hundred stalwart men, But the garrison seemeth asleep or dead, While into the fosse Their faggots they toss — For nothing was seen, and no word was said, Except that old Robin i cried ' Bring up your lead 2 ' And your pitch to pour down on the enemy's head,' And also there sounded a lumbering din Like to running up falcon and culverin. 1 The Quartermaster and Lucy's uncle. * Molten lead was, of course, freely used by both Cavaliers and Parliamentarians in house defence. The following curious account shows how it was successfully employed by the latter : — Tlic County Messenger (Parliament sido), October 4 to 14, 1644. — ' A garrison of ours, . . . . a house belonging to Mr. Milburn, . . . . where were forty of our foot soldiers and two small troops, both con- sisting of but sixty horse, with whom powder and shot being scant, a maide of the house brought them a bag full of six pound weight, and supplied our men with lead out of the glass windows and molten pewter, with which, together with stones out of the house and scalding water, they kept the enemy off until we came to relieve them. Then we fell upon them, killed many of them, and pursued the rest three miles. I never saw (saith the writer) tho sword cut and destroy so many. The Welsh rogues burnt two ricks of Mr. Milburn's corn. Our Governor' (of Monmouth) 'gave the maide two pieces for her powder, and hath taken her into his service; he also kissed her for the good service she did, and so did all the rest of the commanders.' 172 DOXXIXGTOy CASTLE. XLIII Two hundred of those brave Puritan men Into the fosse their faggots had thrown, And ladders were sliding in, nine or ten, When the cocking of matches 1 did faintly sound, As a cautioning whisper from Boys went round To pour in the hailstorm dire ; And his merry men all Rose up at his call — ' Make ready ! — present ! — give fire ! ' 2 XLIV And loud did the Royalists shout from the wall, For at least threescore of their foes did fall ! XLV You may readily guess, the ' forlorn ' looked aghast, They dropped their grenadoes and faggots in haste, And staggering back withdrew, While the gunners above plied their canister 3 fast As they had been order'd to do. ' I.e., matchlocks. * The authorised word of command at this time. * Canister (or case) was constantly used in the Civil War. Mr. Hunt, who farmed Donnington Castle, found in the grounds near the wall of the Castle the remains of one of those which undoubtedly- had belonged to the magazine of Sir John Boys. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 173 XLVI Then Boys shouted — ' Down with the Covenant carles ! M And his merry men answer'd with — ' Hey ! for King Charles ! ' The relief to the parapet came, And eager as hunter to follow the game, Dare-devil Will and the horse clatter'd out, And Humphrey and drakes followed hard in his route ; And seizing a bauner, the Governor then Through the sallyport ran at the head of his men, While over their heads the grenadoe and ball Went whizzing, and roaring, and thundering down From all the great guns upon Donnington wall, While windows did rattle in Newbury town ! 2 XLYH As he saw what befell, thus did Manchester say : — ' The hand of the Lord is full heavy this day ! ' General Cromwell, your horse you must bring ' Or triumph the Royalist wins ! ' But Cromwell he little did relish the thing : ' No service, my lord, ' Shall your horse here afford.' 1 ' Carle' is a Scotch word, but the Governor was of course think- ing of the Scottish pedigree of ' The Covenant.' - In this passage and others the resources of the little garrison in artillery are much exaggerated. Symonds, in his Diary, before quoted from, states that Colonel Coys had only 'four pieces of cannon.' It must, however, be remembered that he also had all the King's heaviest 'ordnance ' under his care. See footnote, ante, p. 147. 174 DONMNGTON CASTLE. And Cromwell then added the insolent word, ' Your lordship can take their skins.' l XLViir ' Hazel rigg, take ye your " lobsters " 2 and go ; ' Punish this daring papistical 3 foe.' But Hazelrigp; also to move was slow, And the shot kept falling so fast and near That Manchester threw his whole line to the rear. "XLIX Boys moved direct at the Puritan ranks, While Dare-devil Will harassed boldly their flanks, And Humphrey the Can-clinker, playing of pranks, And dragging his drakes through the mud and the mire, Did frequently pour in a flanking fire. 1 This speech was really Cromwell's, though not made till about a week after this. It is remarkable, however, that the renowned ' ironsides ' and ' lobsters ' achieved so little in the attacks on this little Castle. The sorties of Boys and his men, especially on this occasion, were crowned with success. It seems not improbable that Cromwell, Hazelrigg, and Balfour declined to risk their credit on any serious attempt to support the assaulting party. '- Sir Arthur Hazelrigg's regiment, called lobsters, from being encased in steel from crown to heel. Their ' steel suits ' were painted red. — Clar. Hist., iv. 460. See also History of British Army, by Sir Sibbald Scott. * The Cavaliers, from the King and Laud downwards, generally were accused of being ' Papists.' DONXIXGTON CASTLE, 175 ' At tliem, my merry men ! — charge ! — for the King ! ' Boys to his party did cheerily sing ; For the Parliament colonel did rally his men, And brought them all up in good order again. At ' push of pike ' and at ' dint of sword ' ' The Roundhead and Royalist met at the word. LII ' Thou bloody malignant ! — have at thee then ! ' Cried the Parliament chief the attack who led, And he sprang at Sir John as the challenge he made. Stout of limb Was that Puritan grim, And an iron-worker 2 he was by trade; A halbert he swung, and a swashing 3 blow Discharging with fury on Boys his head, 1 For these terms see the King's Articles of War, Oxford, 1643. - See Buckles History of Civilisation, i. 601, et seq., to show that all the distinguished officers of the Parliament army were mechanics and tradesmen, &c. Col. Jones, a serving man ; Venner, a wine cooper ; Whalhy, a draper's apprentice ; Berkstead, a pedlar ; Downing, a poor charity boy; Itolfe, a shoemaker; Hewson, a cobbler; Fox, a tinker, &c. For an account of the fortunes these and their peers accmnu- lated, see Mystery of the Two Junctos. ' 'Gregory — remember thy swashing blow.' — Borneo and Julitf, act i. SO. 1. 176 DONNINGTON CASTLE. Down in the dust lie has laid him low ! ' Hurrah ! hurrah ! ' cried the jubilant foe. But Boys again on his feet did stand, And the staff of the banner he held in his hand At his opponent he levelleth straight, And into his forehead he dash'd its weight ! LIII Then, like an ox that is fell'd in the stall Dead, that brave Bound-headed colonel did fall ; And away all his force did fly, And the Boyalists there All at once reut the air With a cheer for their victory ! And sent a last volley the vanquish'd to gall ; "While comrades within and the wounded men all Cried, ' God save King Charles ! ' upon Donnington 1 wall! ' ' With the very mention of these places,' says the Earl of Car- narvon, ' how many of the great actors seem to rise and pass across the theatre of our county history ! * * * There we recognise Sir John Boys with his laconic messages, and his vigorous measures, vowing that he will hold out Donnington Castle while one stone but stands above the other, laughing at the fiction — and a monstrous fiction it was — of fighting for the King against his armies, and doing his duty cheerfully, fearlessly, and successfully against all odds.' — The Arelneology of Berks (J. Murray), 1859. 'A grand and chival- rous soldier was Boys,' remarks the Quarterly Review, July 1359, ' worthy to be remembered in Berkshire and elsewhere as an example of that unflinching heroism to which every Englishman should attune his mind.' STAVE THE FOUETEENTH. €a£tfc anti Cafoalicr €rium|)l)ant 179 STAVE THE FOURTEENTH. Cattle aitlr Ca&altcr triumphant. i To celebrate the achievement won, Of pikes they form a triumphal throne, And on to their shoulders they hoist Sir John. The Parliament army all heard the din That did sound from the hill as they carried him in. But Boys touched Dare-devil Will by the hand, And stammer'd, ' I do not this well understand — ' Something hath happen'd to me I fear — ' Let Robert of Farningham 1 take the command.' in Then pausing, he said, with an utterance clear, ' A carrier-pigeon to Oxford let fly ' And let the King know of our victory ; 1 Q. Robert Stradlyn? See Certificates of, State Papers, .July, 1660. n 2 ISO DONNINGTON CASTLE. ' And add, while the pray'r 1 for relief you repeat — ' Except the troop-horses, we've nothing to eat. IV ' To ray four little wenches 2 then please you to write- " If leave from the King I may chance to obtain " I hope during winter to see them again." ' To Merton Street, Oxford, the letter indite.' And then something wildly Sir John did stare, And said, ' My bold defiance bear ' Unto Nathaniel Finch, ' For he who rivalry will dare ' Must not from combat flinch. ' But, Will, you must tell her, whate'er may befall, ' I come at my fairest Elizabeth's call ' To join in the carol, and feast in the ball. ' Ah, well doth the lovely Elizabeth sing ! ' 1 Dare-devil Will probably remembered that the King could not return to Oxford from Bath before three or four days had elapsed. A letter in the terms as above was sent on October 31. See digest of it in War burton's Prince Rupert and the Cavaliers. It is addressed to Nicholas. 2 Jane, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Anne. Jane, the eldest, was at this time about eight years old. Boys seems to have had a partiality for the name of Elizabeth. His first child, who died in infancy, bore that name. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 181 Dare-devil Will with anxiety heard, For he knew by that incoherent word That the Governor's mind it was wandering VII For a terrible blow had that Puritan giv'n Ere Boys had despatch' d his soul to heav'n. VIII And puzzled thought and fever'd brain Were turning to the past again, And Mem'ry from her treasure-store Brought up events of days of yore And things of ten years past or more ; And, ah, how many joys and fears Are lost in half a score of years ! IX Nathaniel Finch in marble sleeps, Bus effigy is sculptured fair, A bright stone angel o'er him weeps, His hands point upwards as in pray'r, In ruff and jerkin doth he lie Beneath his high white canopy. Of late — despite his widow's care — Some, who at superstition scoff, What art had graced Have sore defaced, 182 DOXNINGTON CASTLE. And the pale hands have splintered off. The poor shall long lament in vain That gen'rous Christian gentleman — Yet not in vain, for pray'rs and sighs Of grateful humble folks may rise, Perchance, like incense to the skies. Elizabeth, his only heir, Of his estate gets little share, Of that the Derby-house l take care, For those who to the King are true Are robb'd of all by Roundhead crew ; Full oft they fleeced Nathaniel Finch, And now his widow they will pinch. 2 XI And gentle-hearted Lucy sleeps — No marble angel o'er her weeps — Her little daughters decked with flow'rs The mound of green in old churchyard, Which now they can no longer guard, Because the high usurping pow'rs Have driv'n their father forth to fight For Church and laws and kingdom's right. 1 The committee of both kingdoms. - A brief inspection of Royalist composition papers in the Record Office -will show how the widows and orphans of Royalists were treated in those terrible times. DONNINGTON CASTLE, 183 XII When loyal men were hunted down By the schismatic Parliament, And Rebel hands Seized house l and lands, They left the pleasant fields of Kent, And refuge took in Oxford town. In weary march they bore their part, And rode upon a baggage-cart. The father stay'd 2 at Donnington, But all his little ones went on — Their hearts were sad — Some viands in a wallet stowed, A fragment of a chain of gold, Jacobus 3 in an apron sewed, A portrait of a palfrey white, From frame cut off and tightly roll'd — Was almost all the wealth they had. XIII An attic 4 by a friend prepared Received each pallid little guest, 1 Bonnington, the estate of Sir John Boys, was of course seized and sequestrated, like the estates of all those who took the King's side. 2 As before mentioned, Colonel Boys assumed the Governorship of Donnington Castle late in the autumn of 1643, 3 A broad piece (gold) of James I. 4 At this time Oxford was the refuge of the families of those Royalists who, with the King, shared the toils and perils of the campaign. While the triumphing ' Parliament ' men made havoc of 184 DOKSINGTON CASTLE. Their frugal supper when they'd shar'd, They all prepared to go to rest ; And shiv'ring — for 'twas autumn then, And down the dark street howled the wind — They prayed that peace might come again, And that their Maker, good and kind, Would father ' help to watch and ward ' In the tall house above the trees, ' And also guard ' In old churchyard ' The flow'rs that grew on grassy mound, ' Till Daisy and mamma were found.' And then they rose from off their knees ; And when they all were warm in bed, The pretty little Lucy said, ' When good King Charles in peace shall reign, ' And this Rebellion is put down, ' Mamma on Daisy shall again ' Come riding into Oxford town ! ' xrv The carrier-dove to Oxford flies, Full soon King Charles the triumph knew ; A letter reached the children too. xv But their father, the colonel, insensible lies ; And when the word through the castle ran park and manor house, noble ladies by scores and hundreds, with their children, were glad to find shelter in the back streets and lanes of the loyal city. — See Catherine Fanshawe's Account. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 185 That the leech did deem him a dying man, There was scarce one of his bold cavaliers Whose eyes did not presently 1 fill up with tears. XVI But helpless there while the Governor lay A nurse did watch him by night and by day ; And she the chirurgeon did something defy, For failed had Hippocrates' remedy, And he quoted Galen to prove he should die. XVII The garrison starving, the Governor dying ! It is a sad and desperate case. Colonel Sir John on his back is lying ! But there the nurse still sat in her place. XVIII Sev'n days have past since his hurt was done, And they said, ' With the leaf he shall fade and fall ; ' His race is ended, his sand is run ! ' For there on his bed he lay motionless all, While the rays of the mild November sun Fell faint but warm on the chamber wall ; Had the leaves in the park been less yellow and sere, You might have supposed it the spring of the year. XIX Behold ! — of a sudden he moves ! he sighs ! And then for a moment half opens his eyes ; 1 i.e. immediately. 186 BONNINGTON CASTLE. And turns on his side, To open them wide, And, with a vacant and dreamy stare, Fixes them on his attendant there, And muttereth, ' Is it some trick of the brain, ' Or am I once more in old Barham again ' With mine ancient playmate so kind and fair ? ' And as the lov'd face to his memory came He calleth his darling enchantress by name — For the Lady Elizabeth Finch was there ! xx To the starv'd-out castle, where prostrate he lay, She had made through the lines of the leaguer her way ; 'Twas she who had watch'd him by night and by day ; And, oh ! with what joy fair Elizabeth learns By that half-mutter'd speech that his reason returns ! XXI ' 'Tis thine old playmate who sits by thy side — ' But speak not, dear John, for the present,' she cried. Then the lovely Elizabeth up did stand, For Boys did right eagerly stretch forth his hand, Which she to her tender sweet bosom did press, And bent o'er her true-love with gentle caress ; While tears on the coverlet fast did fall As she thought how they parted in Kentish Hall! DOXXIKGTON CASTLE. 187 Then sudden there came a cry ! — ' Hnzza ! huzza ! ' — from the top of the wall, In chorus full loud — for his merry men all Did His Majesty's army espy — And trumpet and kettle-drum, echoing far, Sound faintly where Boys and Elizabeth are ; And again pealed that chorus high, For well you may guess that those hunger- pinch'd men Rejoiced for to see the King's J banner again. XXIV Prince Rupert and horse come the convoy before ; The sight of the flour-sacks and wagons, good store, And muttons and beeves 2 Half their hunger relieves, All fear of their yielding thro' famine is o'er. XXV Over the river Prince Rupert will go (And the same is approv'd by the King), A challenge of present 3 defiance to fling In the face of the Parliament foe. But first those supplies, all the hungry to fill, Are drawn and are diiven up Donniugton hill. 1 The King's army arrived at Donnington Castle on November 9th, 1644 (at about 1 o'clock), and relioved it. 2 Live stock — shoep and oxen. s i.e. instant. 188 DONNINGTON CASTLE. Full loud was the clatter in Newbury town, With horse and with train-bands all running to arms, The Parliamentarians it something alarms To hear of the King coming suddenly down. XXVII Down by the castle King Charles doth go, Over the fords of the Lamborne river ; While kettle-drums beat and the trumpets blow, And the old oaks ring to the clamour below — The like again it shall happen there never. 1 So long was that brilliant and gay cavalcade, Two hours .were consumed while the crossing was made. XXVIII Bright were the breast-plates and head-pieces there, And buff-suits laced Half the Cavaliers graced, And scarfs of silk tissue those gallants did wear. They follow the course of the Lamborne down, And flaunt all their banners in sight of the town ; The Roundheaded men may come on if they choose, The Royalists will not the combat refuse. 1 This was nearly the last bravado of the King's army. On June 14th following was fought the fatal battle of Naseby, which destroyed at once the power and hopes of the Eoyalists. DONNING TON CASTLE. 189 XXIX My friends, I will not the adage here quote, "Which tells what may happen when rogues fall out, Bxit since the assault of the castle did fail The Roundheads have been at it tooth and nail. Such strife did that day in their councils prevail That though in Battalia, 'twixt Speen and the town, The Royalists stood — yet the foe came not on ; And tho' the King's army march 'd nearly to Shaw, But little of Parliament valour they saw. 1 1 ' The King met Prince Kupert, as he expected, with Colonel Ger- rard and Sir Marmaduke Langdale, and made all the haste he coxild to join those forces with his own army, that so he might march hack to Newbury and disengage his cannon and carriages. By the way he met the Earl of Northampton and those regiments which had relieved Banbury, and having with marvellous expedition caused a new train of artillery to be formed, he brought his army to ren- dezvous on Bullington Green, where, with the addition of some foot which he drew out of Oxford, under the command of Colonel Gage, it appeared to be full 6,000 foot and 5,000 horse, with which he marched to Wallingford ; and within a day more than a week after he had left Donnington Castle, found himself there again in so good a posture that he resolved not to decline fighting with the enemy ; but would first be possessed of his cannon and put some provision into the Castle ; which he accomplished without any opposition. ' The enemy's army lay still at Newbury, perplexed with the divi- sions and factions among their own officers, without any notice cf the King's advance till a quarter of their horse was beaten up The King's army .... marched by tho Castle over the river by a mill and two fords below it, without any opposition, and thence drew into the large field between Speun and Nowbury, which was thought a good place to expect the enemy, who in the muantimo had 190 DONNINGTON CASTLE. XXX At the close of that still November clay — Which some St. Martin's summer did call — All the King's host with Prince Rupert lay In the ancient park under Donnington wall ; Soon by the golden light of the stars Was fixed the camp of those sons of Mars. XXXI And they treated their comrades of Donnington there, Quaffing and roaring forth Royalist lays drawn a great body of their horse and foot into the other field towards Shaw, and had made breastworks and batteries on the back side of Newbury, which town they resolved to keep, and stand upon the defensive, as the King had done before ; presuming that they, now having the warmer lodging, might better attack the King after his men had lain a night or two in the fields, it being now the month of November, but fair for that season. Some light skir- mishes past between the horse ; but when the King saw upon what disadvantages he must force them to fight, he called his council together, who were unanimous in opinion " that since he had relieved the Castle, and put sufficient provisions into it, and that it was in his power to draw off his ordnance and ammunition from thence, he had done his business ; and if any honour had been lost the other day " (October 27), " it was regained now, by his having passed his army over the river in the face of theirs and offered them battle, which they durst not accept." ' Upon which the King resolved to attempt them no farther, but gave orders to retire in their view, with drums beating and trumpets sounding, the same way he came over the river. So the King lay that night at Donnington Castle, and all the army about him.' — ■ Clar. Hist., iv. 590. DONNINGTON CASTLE. 191 With such as were willing their mirth to share ; While their umber' cl faces did front the blaze Of the fires that did send up their wreaths of smoke Round 'the King's,' 1 and 'the Queen's,' and old ' Chaucer's ' oak. XXXII His Majesty did not those revels attend, But by the bedside of his servant and friend Talking he sat, and his state did unbend To the Governor and to that nurse so fair, And told of his hope that the war would end ; 2 While through shatter'd casement did float the air And the light of the bivouac bonfires shone ; And from time to time They did list to the chime Of those Royalist songs — and here followeth one Which the King did that night commend : And I'd have you to know that his Majesty's praise 3 Is never at random bestowed upon lays : — 1 It is to be inferred from Evelyn (see note, ante, p. 138) that these celebrated oaks were standing at this period. 2 About this time the abortive Treaty of Uxbridgo was projected. In spite of what has been maliciously asserted to the contrary, the King, who did not begin the war, was ever desirous of concluding peace. 3 King Charles I., whose taste and knowledge of high art in all its branches is well known, and who was so clever with his hands that he used to boast there was scarce any mechanical trade that he could not have made a livelihood by working at, was a composer of songs and anthems. 192 BONNINGTON CASTLE. Sill is fair in Uotof antr ££1t svo. 6s. EWALD'S HISTORY of ISRAEL to the DEATH of MOSES. Trans- lated from the German. Edited, with a Preface and an Appendix, by Russell Maetineau, M.A. Second Edition. 2 vols. svo. 24». The HISTORY and LITERATURE of the ISRAELITES, according to the Old Testament and the Apocrypha. By C. De Rothschild and A. De Rothschild. Second Edition, revised. 2 vols, post svo. with Two Maps, price 12*. 6d. The SEE of ROME in the MIDDLE AGES. By the Rev. Oswald J. Reichel, B.C.L. and M.A. Svo. price ISs. The TREASURY of BIBLE KNOWLEDGE ; being a Dictionary of the Books, Persons, Places, Events, and other matters of which mention is made in Holy Scripture. By Rev. J. Atre, M.A. With Maps. 16 Plates, and numerous Woodcuts. I'cp. Svo price 6s. cloth, or 9s. 6d. neatly bound in calf. NEW WORKS published BT LONGMANS and CO. 21 The GREEK TESTAMENT; with Notes, Grammatical and Exegetica'.. By the Rev. \Y. Webster, M.A. and the Rev. W. F. Wilkinson, M.A. 2 vols. 8vo. £2 4*. EVERY-DAY SCRIPTTJEE DIFFICULTIES explained and illustrated. By J. E.Pbescott, M.A. Vol.1. Matthew and Mark; Vol. II. Ltike and John. 2 vols. 8vo. 9s. each. The PENTATEUCH and BOOK of JOSHUA CRITICALLY EXAMINED . By the Right Rev. J. W. Colenso, D.D. Lord Bishop of Natal. People's Edition, in 1 vol. crown 8vo. 6s. SIX SERMONS on the FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES in relation to the Public and Private Life of Catholics. By the Rev. Orby Shiplet, M.A. Crown Svo. with Frontispiece, price 7s. 6d. The FORMATION of CHRISTENDOM. By T. W. Allies. Parts I. and II. Svo. price 12s. each Part. ENGLAND and CHRISTENDOM. By Archbishop Manning, D.D. Post 8vo. price 10s. 6d. CHRISTENDOM'S DIVISIONS, Part I., a Philosophical Sketch of the Divisions of the Christian Family in East and West. By Edmund S. FFOULKES. Post 8vo. price 7s. 6d. Christendom's Divisions, Part II. Greeks and Latins, being a His- tory of their Dissensions and Overtures for Peace down to the Reformation. By the same Author. Post 8vo. 15s. A VIEW of the SCRIPTURE REVELATIONS CONCERNING a FUTURE STATE. By Richard Whatelt, D.D. late Archbishop of Dublin. Ninth Edition. Fcp. 8vo. 5s. THOUGHTS for the AGE. By Elizabeth M. Sewell, Author of ' Amy Herbert ' &c. New Edition, revised. Fcp. Svo. price 5s. Passing Thoughts on Religion. By the same Author. Fcp. Svo. 5s. Self-Examination before Confirmation. By the same Author. 32mo. price Is. 6d. Readings for a Month Preparatory to Confirmation, from Writers of the Early and English Church. By the same Author. Fcp. 4s. Readings for Every Day in Lent, compiled from the Writings of Bishop Jeremy Taylor. By the same Author. Fcp. 5s. Preparation for the Holy Communion ; the Devotions chieiiy from the works of Jeremy Taylor. By the same Author. 32mo. 3s. THOUGHTS for the HOLY WEEK for Young Persons. By the Author of ' Amy Herbert.' New Edition. Fcp. 8vo. 2s. PRINCIPLES of EDUCATION Drawn from Nature and Revelation, and applied to Female Education in the Upper Classes. By the Author of ' Amy Herbert.' 2 vols. fcp. 12s. ed. SINGERS and SONGS of the CHURCH : being Biographical Sketches of the Hymn-Writers in all the principal Collections; with Notes on their Psalms and Hymns. By Josiah Miller, M.A. Post Svo. price 10s. ed. LYRA GERMANICA, translated from the German by Miss C. Wink- worth. First Series, Hymns for the Sundays and Chief Festivals. Second Series, the Christian Life. Fcp. 3s. 0d. each Series. 22 NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS AND CO. • SPIRITUAL SONGS ' for the SUNDAYS and HOLIDAYS through- out the Year. By J. S.B. Monsell, LL.D. Vicar of Egham and Rural Dean. Fourth Edition, Sixth Thousand. Fcp. 4s. 6d. The BEATITUDES : Abasement before God ; Sorrow for Sin ; Meekness of Spirit ; Desire for Holiness ; Gentleness ; Purity of Heart ; the Peace- makers ; Sufferings for Christ. By the same. Third Edition. Fcp. 3s. 6d. His PEESENCE— not his MEMOEY, 1855. By the same Author, in Memory of his Sox. Sixth Edition. 16mo. Is. LYEA EUCHAEISTICA ; Hymns and Verses on the Holy Communion, Ancient and Modern : with other Poems. Edited by the Rev. Oebt Ship- let, M.A. Second Edition. Fcp. 5s. Lyra Messianica ; Hymns and Verses on the Life of Christ, Ancient and Modern; with other Poems. By the same Editor. Second Edition, altered and enlarged. Fcp. 5s. Lyra Mystica ; Hymns and Verses on Sacred Subjects, Ancient and Modern. By the same Editor. Fcp. 5s. ENDEAVOUES after the CHRISTIAN LIFE: Discourses. By James Martineau. Fourth Edition, carefully revised. Post 8vo. 7s. 6d. INVOCATION of SAINTS and ANGELS, for the use of Members of the English Church. Edited by the Rev. Oebt Shipley. 2-lmo. 3s. 6rf. WHATELY'S INTRODUCTORY LESSONS on the CHRISTIAN Evidences. ISmo. 6d. FOUR DISCOURSES of CHRYSOSTOM, chiefly on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Translated by F. Allen, B.A. Crown Svo. 3s. Gd. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR'S ENTIEE WORKS. With Life by Bishop Heber. Revised and corrected by the Rev. C.P.Eden, 10 vols, price £5 5s. Travels, Voyages, &c. HOW to SEE NOEWAY. By Captain J. R. Campbell. With Map and 5 "Woodcuts. Fcp. 8vo. price 5s. PAU and the PYRENEES. By Count Henry Russell, Member of the Alpine Club, &c. With 2 Maps. Fcp. 8vo. price 5s. SCENES in the SUNNY SOUTH; including the Atlas Mountains and the Oases of the Sahara in Algeria. By Lieut.-Col. the Hon. C. S. Yeeeker, M.A. Commandant of the Limerick Artillery Militia. 2 vols. post Svo. price 21s. The PLAYGEOUND of EUEOPE. By Leslie Stephen, late President of the Alpine Club. With 4 Illustrations engraved on Wood by E. Whymper. Crown 8vo. price 10s. 6rf. C ADOBE ; or, TITIAN'S COUNTEY. By Josiah Gilbert, one of the Authors of 'The Dolomite Mountains.' With Map, Facsimile, and 40 Illustrations. Imperial Svo. 31s. 6d. HOURS of EXERCISE in the ALPS. By John Tyndall, LL.D. F.R.S. Second Edition, with 7 Woodcuts by E. Whympee. Crown 8vo. price 12s. 6d. NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS and CO. 23 TRAVELS in the CENTRAL CAUCASUS and BASHAN. Including Visits tn Ararat and Tabreez and Ascents of Kazbek and Elbruz. By D. W. Fbeshpield. Square crown Svo. with Maps, &c. 18s. PICTURES in TYROL and Elsewhere. From a Family Sketch-Book. By the Authoress of ' A Voyage en Zigzag,' &c. Second Edition. Small 4to. with numerous Illustrations, 21s. HOW WE SPENT the SUMMER; or, a Voyage en Zigzag in Switzer- land and Tyrol with some Members of the Alpine Club. From the Sketch- Book of one of the Party. In oblong 4to. with 300 Illustrations, 15s. BEATEN TRACKS ; or, Pen and Pencil Sketches in Italy. By the Authoress of ' A Voyage en Zigzag.' With 42 Plates, containing about 200 Sketches from Drawings made on the Spot. 8vo. 16s. MAP of the CHAIN of MONT BLANC, from an actual Surrey in 1863—1864. By A. Adams-Reillt, F.R.G.S. M.A.C. Published under the Authority of the Alpine Club. In Chromolithography on extra stout drawing-paper 28iu. x I7in. price 10s. or mounted on canvas in a folding case, 12s. 6 d. WESTWARD hy RAIL; the New Route to the East. By W. F. Rae. With Map shewing the Lines of Rail between the Atlantic and the Pacific and Sections of the Railway. Second Edition, enlarged. Post Svo. 10s. 6d, HISTORY of DISCOVERY in our AUSTRALASIAN COLONIES, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, from the Earliest Date to the Present Day. By William Howitt. 2 vols. Svo. with 3 Maps, 20s. The CAPITAL of the TYCOON ; a Narrative of a Three Years' Resi- dence in Japan. By Sir Ruthebfobd Alcock, K.C.B. 2 vols. Svo. with numerous Illustrations, 42s. ZIGZAGGING AMONGST DOLOMITES. By the Author of ' How we Spent the Summer, or a Voyage en Zigzag in Switzerland and Tyrol.' With upwards of 300 Illustrations by the Author. Oblong 4to. price 15s. The DOLOMITE MOUNTAINS ; Excursions through Tyrol, Carinthia, Carniola, and Friuli, 1861-1863. By J. GiLBEBT and G. C. Chubchili, F.R.G.S. With numerous Illustrations. Square crown 8vo. 21s. GUIDE to the PYRENEES, for the use of Mountaineers. By Charles Packe. 2nd Edition, with Map and Illustrations. Cr. Svo. 7s. 6rf. The ALPINE GUIDE. By John Ball, M.R.I.A. late President of the Alpine Club. Thoroughly Revised Editions, in Three Volumes, post 8vo. with Maps and other Illustrations: — GUIDE to the WESTERN ALPS, including Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Zermatt, &c. Price 6s. 6d. GUIDE to the CENTRAL ALPS, including all the Oberland District. Price 7s. 6d. GUIDE to the EASTERN ALPS, price 10s. 6J. Introduction on Alpine Travelling in General, and on the Geology of the Alps, price Is. Each of the Three Volumes or Parts of the Alpine Otiide may be had with this Introduction prefixed, price is. extra. The NORTHERN HEIGHTS of LONDON ; or, Historical Associations of Hampstead, Highgnte, Muswell Hill, Hornsey, and Islington. By William Howitt. With about 40 Woodcuts. Square crown Svo. 21s. 2t NEW WORKS published bt LONGMANS and CO. VISITS to REMARKABLE PLACES: Old Halls, Battle- Fields, and Stone9 IUustrative of Striking Passages in English History and Poetry. By William Howitt. 2 vols, square crown 8vo. with Woodcuts, 25s. The RURAL LIFE of ENGLAND. By the same Author. With Woodcuts by Bewick and Williams. Medium Svo. 12*. 6d. PILGRIMAGES in the PYRENEES and LANDES. By Denys Shyne Lawloe. Crowu Svo. with Frontispiece and Vignette, price 15*. Works of Fiction. NOVELS and TALES. By the Right Hon. B. Disrakli, M.P. Cabinet Edition, complete in Ten Volumes, crown 8vo. price 6s. each, as follows: — LOTHAIE, 6*. CoNINGSBY, 6*. SYBIL, 6*. Tancbed, 6*. Venetia, 6s. Heneietta Temple, 6s. Oontaeini Fleming, &c 6s. Aleoy, Ixion, &c. 6s. The Young Duke, &e. 6s. Vivian Geet, 6*. The MODERN NOVELIST'S LIBRARY. Each Work, in crown Svo. complete in a Single Volume : — Melville's Gladiatobs. 2s. boards; 2s. M. cloth. Good foe Nothing, 2s. boards ; 2s. 6rf. cloth. Holmby House, 2s. boards ; 2s. 6d. cloth. Intebpeeteb, 2s. boards ; 2s. 6d. cloth. Kate Ooventey, 2s. boards ; 2s. 6d. cloth. Queen's Maeies. 2s. boards; 2s. 6c?. cloth. Tkollope's Waeden, Is. 6d. boards: 2s. cloth. Baechestee Towees, 2s. boards ; 2s. 6d. cloth. Bramley-Mooee's Six Sistees of the Valleys, 2s. boards ; 2s. Cd. cloth. IERNE ; a Tale. By W. Steuart Teench, Author of ' Realities of Irish Life.' Second Edition. 2 vols, post Svo. price 21s. The HOME at HEATHERBRAE ; - a Tale. By the Author of ' Everley.' Fcp. Svo. price 5s. CABINET' EDITION of STORIES and TALES by Miss Sewell:— Amy Herbeet, 2s. 6d. Ivoes, 3*. 6d. Geeteude, 2*. 6d. Kathaeine Ashton, is. 6d. The Eael's Daughtee, 2s. 6d. | Maegaeet Peecival, 5s. Expebience of Life, 2*. 6d. Laneton Paesonage, 4s. 6<(. Clete Hall, 3s. 6d. I Uesula, 4*.6d. STORIES and TALES. By E. M. Sewell. Comprising:— Amy Herbert; Gertrude; The Earl's Daughter ; The Experience of Life; Cleve Hall; Ivors; Katharine Ashton; Margaret Pereival ; Laneton Parsonage; and Ursula. The Ten Works, complete in Eight Volumes, crown 8vo. bound in leather, and contained in a Box. price 42s. A Glimpse of the World. By the Author of 'Am; Herbert.' Fcp. 7«.6d. The Journal of a Home Life. By the same Author. Post 8vo. 9s. 6d\ After Life ; a Sequel to ' The Journal of a Home Life.' Price 10s. €d. UNCLE PETER'S EAIRY TALE for the NINETEENTH CENTURY. Edited by E. 31. Sewell, Author of Amy Herbert,' &0. Fcp. 8vo. Is. 6d. .NEW WORKS published bt LONGMANS and CO. 2S THE GIANT ; A Witch's Story for English Boys. By the same Author and Editor. Ecp. Svo. price 5s. WONDERFUL STORIES from NORWAY, SWEDEN, and ICELAND. Adapted and arranged by Julia Goddard. With an Introductory Essay by the Rev. G. W. Cox, M.A. and Six Woodcuts. Square post Svo. 6s. A VISIT to MY DISCONTENTED COUSIN. Keprinted, with some Additions, from Fraser's Magazine. Crown 8vo. price 7s. 6d. BECKER'S GALLUS; or, Roman Scenes of the Time of Augustus: with Notes and Excursuses. New Edition. Post 8vo. 7s. Gd. BECKER'S CHARICLES; a Tale illustrative of Private Life among the Ancient Greeks : with Notes and Excursuses. New Edition. Post Svo. 7s. Gd. CABINET EDITION of NOVELS and TALES by G. J. Whtte Melville :— The Gladiators, "s. Digby Grand, 5s. Kate Coventry. 5*. General Bounce, 5a. Holmby House, 5s. Good for Nothing, 6s. The Queen's Maries, 6s. The Inteepeeter, 5s. TALES of ANCIENT GREECE. By George W. Cox, M.A. late Scholar of Trin. Coll. Oxon. Crown Svo. price 6s. Gd. A MANUAL of MYTHOLOGY, in the form of Question and Answer. By the same Author. Fcp. 3s. OUR CHILDREN'S STORY, by one of their Gossips. B> the Author of ' Voyage en Zigzag,' ' Pictures in Tyrol,' &c. Small 4to. with Sixty Illus- trations by the Author, price 10s. Gd. Foetry and The Drama. THOMAS MOORE'S POETICAL WORKS, the only Editions contain- ing the Author's last Copyright Additions : — Cabinet Edition, 10 vols. fcp. Svo. price 35s. Shamrock Edition, crown 8vo. price 3s. Gd. Ruby Edition, crown 8vo. with Portrait, price 6s. Library Edition, medium 8vo. Portrait and Vignette, 14s. People's Edition, square crown 8vo. with Portrait, &c. 10s. Gd. MOORE'S IRISH MELODIES, Maclise's Edition, with 161 Steel Plates from Original Drawings. Super-royal 8vo. 31s. Gd. Miniature Edition of Moore's Irish Melodies with Maclise's De- signs (as above) reduced in Lithography. Imp. 16mo. los. Gd. MOORE'S LALLA ROOKH. Tenniel's Edition, with 68 Wood Engravings from original Drawings and other Illustrations. Fcp. 4to.21s. SOUTKEY'S POETICAL WORKS, with the Author's last Corrections and copyright Additions. Library Edition, in 1 vol. medium 8vo. with Portrait and Vignette, 14s. LAYS of ANCIENT ROME ; with lvry and the Armada. By the Right Hon. Lord Macaulat. 16mo. 4s. Gd. Lord Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome. With 90 Illustrations on Wood, from the Antique, from Drawings by G. Scharf. Fcp. 4to. 21s. Miniature Edition of Lord Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome, with the Illustrations (as above) reduced in Lithography. Imp. 16nio.10s.6u. 26 NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS and CO. GOLDSMITH'S POETICAL WORKS, with Wood Engravings from Designs by Members of the Etching Club. Imperial 16mo. 7s. 6d. JOHN JERNINGHAM'S JOURNAL. Fcp. 8vo. price 3s. %d. POEMS OF BYGONE YEARS. Edited by the Author of 'Amy Herbert,' &c. Fcp. Svo. price 5s. POEMS. By Jean Ingelow. Fifteenth Edition. Fcp. 8vo. 5s. EUCHARIS ; a Poem. By F. Reginald Statham (Francis Reynolds), Author of ' Alice Rushton, and other Poems ' and. ' Glaphyra, and other Poems.' Pep. 8vo. price 3s. 6d. POEMS by Jean Ingelow. With nearly 100 Illustrations by Eminent Artists, engraved on Wood by the Brothers Daxziel. Pep. 4to. 21s. The MAD WAR PLANET, and other POEMS. By William Howitt, Author of ' Visits to Remarkable Places,' &c. Fcp. Svo. price 5s. MOPSA the FAIRY. By Jean Ingelow. Pp. 256, with Eight Illustrations engraved on Wood. Fcp. Svo. 6s. A STORY of DOOM, and other Poems. By Jean Ingelow. Third Edition. Fcp. 5s. WORKS by EDWARD YARDLEY:— Fantastic Stories. Fcp. Ss.Gd. Melusine and othee Poems. Fcp. 5s. Horace's Odes, translated into English Verse. Crown Svo. 6s. Supplementary Stories and Poems. Fcp. 3s. Gd. BOWDLER'S FAMILY SHAKSPEARE, cheaper Genuine Editions. Medium 8vo. large type, with 36 Woodcuts, price 14s. Cabinet Edition, with the same Illustrations, 6 vols. fcp. 3s. 6<2. each. HORATII OPERA, Pocket Edition, with carefully corrected Text, Marginal References, and Introduction. Edited by the Rev. J. E. Tonge, M.A. Square ISmo. 4s. 6d. HORATII OPERA. Library Edition, with Marginal References and English Notes. Edited by the Rev. J. E. Yonge. 8vo. 21s. The .ENEID of VIRGIL Translated into English Verse. By John Conington, M.A. New Edition, Crown 8vo. 9s. ARUNDINES CAMI, sive Musarum Cantabrigiensium Lnsus canori. Collegit atque edidit H. Deury, M.A. Editio Sexta, curavit H. J. Hodgson, M.A. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. HUNTING SONGS and MISCELLANEOUS VERSES. By R. E. Egerton Warbubtoit. Second Edition. Fcp. 8vo. 5s. Rural Sports, &c. ENCYCLOPAEDIA of RURAL SPORTS ; a complete Account, Histo- rical, Practical, and Descriptive, of Hunting, Shooting, Fishing, Racing, and all other Rural and Athletic Sports and Pastimes. By D. P. Blainb. With above 600 Woodcuts (20 from Designs by John Leech). Svo. 21s. NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS AND CO. 27 The DEAD SHOT, or Sportsman's Complete Guide ;' a Treatise on the Use of the Gun, Dog-breaking, Pigeon- shooting, &c. By Marksman. Revised Edition. Fcp. 8vo. with Plates, 5s. The FLY-FISHER'S ENTOMOLOGY. By Alfred Ronalds. With coloured Representations of the Natural and Artificial Insect. Sixth Edition ; with 20 coloured Plates. 8vo. 14s. A BOOK on ANGLING ; a complete Treatise on the Art of Angling in every branch. By Francis Feancis. Second Edition, with Portrait and 15 other Plates, plain and coloured. Post 8vo. 15s. The BOOK of the ROACH. By Greville Fennell, of ' The Field.' Fcp. 8vo. price 2s. %d. WILCOCKS'S SEA-FISHERMAN; comprising the Chief Methods of Hook and Line Fishing in the British and other Seas, a Glance at Nets, and Remarks on Boats and Boating. Second Edition, enlarged ; with 80 Woodcuts. Post 8vo. 12s. 6cZ. HORSES and STABLES. By Colonel F. Fitzwygram, XV. the King's Hussars. With Twenty-four Plates of Illustrations, containing very numerous Figures engraved on Wood. 8vo. 15s. The HORSE'S FOOT, and HOW to KEEP IT SOUND. By W. Miles, Esq. Ninth Edition, with Illustrations. Imperial 8vo. 12s. 6d. A PLAIN TREATISE on HORSE-SHOEING. By the same Author. Sixth Edition. Post 8vo. with Illustrations, 2s. 6d. STABLES and STABLE-FITTINGS. By the same. Imp. 8vo. with 13 Plates, 15s. REMARKS on HORSES' TEETH, addressed to Purchasers. By the same. Post 8vo. Is. 6d. ROBBINS'S CAVALRY CATECHISM, or Instructions on Cavalry Exercise and Field Movements, Brigade Movements, Out-post Duty, Cavalry supporting Artillery, Artillery attached to Cavalry. 12mo. 5s. BLAINE'S VETERINARY ART ; a Treatise on the Anatomy, Physi- ology, and Curative Treatment of the Diseases of the Horse, Neat Cattle and Sheep. Seventh Edition, revised and enlarged by C. Steel, M.R.C. V.S.L. 8vo. with Plates and Woodcuts, 18s. The HORSE; with a Treatise on Draught. By William Youatt. New Edition, revised and enlarged. 8vo. with numerous Woodcuts, 12s. 6d. The DOG. By the same Author. 8vo. with numerous Woodcuts, 6*. The DOG in HEALTH and DISEASE. By Stonehenge. With 70 Wood Engravings. Square crown 8vo. 10s. 6rf. The GREYHOUND. By Stonehenge. Revised Edition, with 24 Portraits of Greyhounds. Square crown 8vo. 10s. 6d. The OX ; his Diseases and their Treatment: with an Essay on Parturi- tion in the Cow. By J. R.Dobson. Crown Svo. with Illustrations. 7s. 6d. Works of Utility and General Information. The THEORY and PRACTICE of BANKING. By H. J). Macleod, M.A.Barrister-at-Law. Second Edition, entirely remodelled. 2 vols. Svo. 30s. 28 NEW WORKS published bt LONGMANS and CO. A DICTIONARY, Practical, Theoretical, and Historical, of Com- merce and Commercial Navigation. By J. R. M'Culloch. New and thoroughly revised Edition. 8vo. price 63s. cloth, or 70*. half-bd. in russia. The LAW of NATIONS Considered as Independent Political Commu- nities. By Sir Tea vers Twiss, D.C.L. 2 vols. Svo. 30s. ; or separately, Part I. Peace, 12s. Part II. War, 18s. The CABINET LAWYER ; a Popular Digest of the Laws of England, Civil, Criminal, and Constitutional: intended for Practical Use and General Information. Twenty-third Edition. Fcp. 8vo. price 7s. 6d. PEWTNER'S COMPREHENSIVE SPECIFIER ; A Guide to the Practical Specification of every kind of Building- Artificers' Work ; with Forms of Building Conditions and Agreements, an Appendix, Foot-Notes, and a copious Index. Edited by W. Young, Architect. Crown Svo. price 6s. The LAW RELATING to BENEFIT BUILDING SOCIETIES; with Practical Observations on the Act and all the Cases decided thereon ; also a Form of Rules and Forms of Mortgages. By W. Tidd Peatt, Barrister. Second Edition. Fcp. 3s. Gd. COLLIERIES and COLLIERS : a Handbook of the Law and Leading Cases relating thereto. By J. C. Fowler, of the Inner Temple, Barrister. Second Edition. Fcp. Svo. 7s. 6d. The MATERNAL MANAGEMENT of CHILDREN in HEALTH and Disease. By Thomas Bull, M.D. Fcp. 5s. HINTS to MOTHERS on the MANAGEMENT of their HEALTH during the Period of Pregnancy and in the Lying-in Room. By the late Thomas Bull, M.D. Fcp. 5s. HOW to NURSE SICK CHILDREN; containing Directions which may be found of service to all who have charge of the Young. By Charles West, M.D. Second Edition. Fcp. Svo. Is. 6rf. NOTES on LYING-IN INSTITUTIONS ; with a Proposal for Orga- nising an Institution for Training Midwives and Midwifery Nutsps. By Florence Nightingale. With several Illustrations. Svo. price 7s. Gd. NOTES on HOSPITALS. By Florence Nightingale. Third Edi- tion, enlarged ; with 13 Plans. Post 4to. 18s. CHESS OPENINGS. By F. W. Longman, Balliol College, Oxford. Fcp. 8vo. 2s. 6d. A PRACTICAL TREATISE on BREWING ; with Formula for Public Brewers, and Distinctions for Private Families. By W. Black. 8vo. 10s. 6d. MODERN COOKERY for PRIVATE FAMILIES, reduced to a System of Easy Practice in a Series of carefully-tested Receipts. By Eliza Acton. Newly revised and enlarged Edition; with 8 Plates of Figures and 150 Woodcut-. Fcp. 6s. WILLICH'S POPULAR TABLES, for ascertaining, according to the Carlisle Table of Mortality, the value of Lifebold, Leasehold, and Church Property, Renewal Fines', Reversions, &c. Seventh Edition, edited by Montague Marriott, Barrister-at-L:uv. Post 8vo. price 10s. MAUNDER' S TREASURY of KNOWLEDGE and LIBRARY of Reference: comprising an English Dictionary and Grammar, Universal Gazetteer, Classical Dictionary, Chronology, Law Dictionary, a Synopsis of the Peerage, useful Tables, &c. Revised Edition. Fcp.8vo. price 6s. INDEX. Acton's Modern Cockery 28 ALCOCK's Residence in Japan 23 ALLEN'S Four Discourses of Chrysostora .. 22 ALLIES on Formation of Christendom .... 21 Alpine Guide (The) 23 Althads on Medical Electricity 14 ARNOLD'S Manual of English Literature .. 7 Abnott's Elements of Physics 11 Arundines Cami 26 Autumn Holidays of a Country Parson 8 Ayrb's Treasury of Bible Knowledge 20 Bacon's Essays, by Whately 6 Life and Letters, !>y Sphddisg .. 5 Works, edited by Spedding 6 BAIN'S Logic, Deductive and Inductive .... 10 Mental and Moral Science 10 on the Senses and Intellect 10 BALL'S Alpine Guide 23 Bayldon's Rents and Tillages 19 Beaten Tracks 23 Becker's Charicles and Gallus 25 BENFEY'S Sanskrit Dictionary 8 Bernard on British Neutrality 1 Black's Treatise on Brewing 28 Blackley's German-English Dictionary!.. 8 Blaine's Rural Sports 26 Veterinary Art 27 Booth's Saint-Simon 3 BOULTBEE on 39 Articles 19 BOURSE on Screw Propeller 18 Bourne's Catechism of the Steam Engine . 18 Handbook of Steam Engine .... 18 ImpnimmCTta in the Steam Engine .Treatise on the Steam Engine .. 18 Examples of Modern Engines .. 18 Bowdlkr's Family Shakspeare 26 Boyd's Reminiscences 4 Bramley-Moore's Six Sisters of the Valleys 24 Brandk's Dictionary of Science, Litera- ture, and Art 13 Bray's (C.) Education of the Feelings lo Philosophy of Necessity 10 on Force 10 Brovtne'S Exposition of the 39 Articles 19 Brunel's Life of Bruihil 4 BUCKLE'S History of Civilization 3 Bull's Hints to Mothers as Maternal Management of Children 28 BUNSEN'8 God in History 3 Prayers 19 BURKE'S Vicissitudes of Families 5 BURTON'S Christian Church 4 Cabinet Lawyer 28 Campbell's Norwa> 22 Carnota's Memoirs of Pombal 4 Cates's Biographical Dictionary 5 Cats' and Farlie's Moral Emblems 16 Changed Aspects of Unchanged Truths .... 9 Chesney'S Indian Polity 3 Waterloo Campaign 2 and Reeve's Military Essays .. 2 Chorale Book for England 16 CLOUGH'S Lives from Plutarch 2 COLENSO (Bishop) on Pentateuch 21 Commonplace Philosopher 8 Conington's Translation of the .Knekl 26 CoNTANSEAU'sFrench-EnglishDictionaries 8 Con ybeare and Howson's St. Paul 20 Cotton's (Bishop) Life 5 Cooper's Surgical Dictionary 15 Copland's Dictionary of Practical Medicine 1 5 Counsel and Comfort from a City Pulpit.... 9 Cox's Aryan Mythology 3 Manual of Mythology 25 Tale of the Great Persian War 2 Tales of Ancient Greece 25 Cresy's Encyclopaedia of Civil Engineering 18 Critical Essays of a Country Parson 8 Crookbs on Beet-Root Sugar 15 — 'S Chemical Analysis 14 Culley's Handbook of Telegraphy 18 CUSACK'S History of'Ireland 3 D'AUBIGNE'S History of the Reformation in the time of Calvin 2 Da v 1 1 'Son's Introduction to New Testament 2* Dead Shot (The), by Marksman 27 De la Rive's Treatise on Electricity 12 Denison'8 Vice-Regal Life 1 De Tocqueville's Democracy in America 2 Disraeli's Lothair 24 Novels and Tales 24 Dohell's Medical Reports 15 Dokson on the Ox 27 Dove on Storms \\ Doyle's Fairyland >« Dyer's City of Rome 2 Eastlakk'S Hints on Household Taste .... 17 History of Oil Pain tins 16 Gothic Revival 17 Litis of Gibson 16 Elements of Botany 13 Ellicott on the Revision of the English New Testament 10 Commentary on Ephesiana 20 Commentary on Gal atiana .... 20 Pastoral Epist. 20 Philil'pians, *c 20 Thei6alonian« 20 Lectures on Die Lift oi Christ.. 20 30 NEW WORKS published bt LONGMANS and CO. Essays and Contributions of A. K. H. B 8 Ewald's History of Israel 20 F AIRBAIBN on Iron Shipbuilding 18 '8 Applications of Iron '8 Information for Engineers .. 18 Mills and Millwork 18 FARADAY'S Life and Letters 4 Farrar's Families of Speech « Chapters on Language 7 Fblktn on Hosiery and Lace Manufactures IS Fennell's Book of the Roach 27 Ffoulkes's Christendom's Divisions 21 Fitzwygram on Horses and Stables 27 Fowler's Collieries and Colliers 28 FRANCIS'S Fishing Book 27 Freshfield's Travels in the Caucasus.... 2.i Froude's History of England 1 Short Studies on Great Subjects 9 Ganot's Elementary Physics 11 Gilbert's Cadore, or Titian's Country .... 22 Gilbert and Churchill's Dolomites .... 23 Girdlestone's Bible Synonymes 19 Gledstone's Life of Whitepield 6 Goddard's Wonderful Stories 25 Goldsmith's Poems, Illustrated 26 Graham's View of Literature and Art ... . 3 Grant's Home Politics s Ethics of Aristotle 6 Graver Thoughts of a Country Parson 8 Gray's Anatomy 15 GREBNHOW on Bronchitis 15 Griffith's Fundamentals 19 Grove on Correlation of Physical Forces . . 12 G ubney's Chapters of French History .... 2 G WILT'S Encyclopaedia of Architecture 17 Hampden's (Bishop) Memorials 4 Hare on Election of Representatives 7 Hartwig's Harmonies of Nature 13 Polar World 13 Sea and its Living Wonders .. 13 Subterranean World 13 Tropical World 13 Hatjghton'b Manual of Geology 12 Hebbohel's Outlines of Astronomy 10 Hewitt on Diseases of Women 14 Hodgson's Theory of Practice 10 TimeandSpace 10 Holmes's System of Surgery H Surgical Diseases of Infancy.... 14 Home (The! at Heatherbrae 24 Hornb's Introduction to the Scriptures. ... 20 Compendium of ditto 20 How we Spent the Summer 23 Howitt's Australian Discovery 23 MadWar Planet 26 Northern Heightsof London.... 23 Rural Life of England 24 Visits to Remarkable Places.... 24 Htjbner's Memoir of Sixtus V 2 Hughes's (W.) Manual of Geography .... U Hume's Essays lo Treatise on Human Nature 10 Ihne'S Roman History 2 Ingelow's Poems 26 Story of Doom 26 Mopsa 26 Jameson's Saints and Martyrs 17 Legends of the Madonna 17 Monastic Orders 17 Jameson and Eastlake's Saviour 17 John Jerningham's Journal 26 Johnston's Geographical Dictionary 11 Kalisch'S Commentary on the Bible 7 Hebrew Grammar 7 Keith on Fulfilment of Prophecy 20 Destiny of the World 20 Kerl's Metallurgy 18 RoHRIG 18 Kibby and Spence's Entomology 13 Latham's English Dictionary Lawlob's Pilgrimages in the Pyrenees .... 24 Lecky's History of European Morals 3 Rationalism 3 Leisure Hours in Town 9 Lessons of Middle Age 9 Lewes' History of Philosophy 3 Liddell and Scott's Two Lexicons 8 Life of Man Symbolised 16 LlNDLEY and MOOBE'S Treasury of Botany 13 LONGMAN'S Edward the Third 2 Lectures on the History of Eng- land 2 Chess Openings 28 Loudon's Agriculture i» Gardening 19 Plants 13 Lowndes's Engineer's Handbook 17 Lubbock on Origin of Civilisation 12 Lyra Eucharistica 22 Germanica 16, 21 Messianica 22 Mystica 22 MACAULAY'S (Lord) Essays 3 History of England .- 1 Lays of Ancient Rome 25 MiscellaneousWritings 9 Speeches 7 , Complete Works 1 Macfarrbn's Lectures on Harmony 16 MACLEOD'S ElementaofPoliticalEconomy 7 Dictionary of Political Eco- nomy 7 Theory andPraeticeofBanking 27 Mcculloch's Dictionary of Commerce.... 28 NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS and CO. Maguire's Life of Father Mathew 5 PopePiusIX 5 Malkt's Overthrow of the Germanic Con- federation by Prussia 2 Manning's England and Christendom .... 21 Marcet on the Larynx 15 Marshall's Canadian Dominion 11 Physiology 15 MARSHMAN'S Life of Havelock 5 History of India 3 MABTDrKAD'S Christian Life 22 Massingberd's History of the Reformation 4 Maunder'S Biographical Treasui y 5 Geographical Treasury 11 Historical Treasury 4 Scientific and Literary Trea- sury 13 Treasury of Knowledge 28 Treasury of Natural History 13 MAY'S Constitutional History of England. . 1 Melville's Novels and Tales 24 & 25 Mendelssohn's Letters 5 Meriv ale's Fall of the Roman Republic. . 3 Romans under the Empire 3 Merrifield and Ever's Navigation .... 11 Miles on Horse's Foot and Horseshoeing . . 27 Horses' Teeth and Stables 27 Mill (J.) on the Mind 9 MiluJ. S.) on Liberty 6 on Representative Government 6 on Utilitarianism 6 Mill's (J. S.) Dissertations and Discussions 6 Political Economy 6 System of Logic 6 Hamilton's Philosophy u Doaugural Address 7 Subjection of Women 6 Miller's Elements of Chemistry 1 1 Hymn-Writers 21 Mitchell's Manual of Architecture 17 Manual of Assaying 18 Mohsell's Beatitudes 22 His Presence not his Memory 22 ' Spiritual Songs ' 22 Moore's Irish Melodies 25 Lalla Rookh 25 Poetical Works 25 Morell's Elements of Psychology 9 Mental Philosophy 9 Muller's (Max) Chips from a German Workshop 9 Lectures on Language 7 (K. O.) Literature of Ancient Greece 2 Murohisox on Liver Complaints 15 Murk's Language and Literature of Greece 2 Nash's Compendium of the Prayer Book.. 19 New Testament, Illustrated Edition 16 NBWMAN'S History of his Religious Opinions S Nightingale's Notes on Hospitals 28 1 Lying-in Desti- tutions 28 NlLSSON'S Scandinavia 12 Northcott's Lathes and Turning 17 Odling'S Animal Chemistry 14 Course of Practical Chemistry.. 14 Manual of Chemistry 14 Lectures on Carbon 14 Outlines of Chemistry 14 O'Driscoll's Memoirs of Maclise 4 O'Flanagan's Irish Chancellors 5 Our Children's Story 25 Owen's Lectures on the Luvertebrata 12 Comparative Anatomy and Physio- logy of Vertebrate Animals .... 12 Packe's Guide to the Pyrenees 23 Paget's Lectures on Surgical Pathology .. 15 Pereira's Manual of Materia Medica .... 16 Perkin'S Italian and Tuscan Sculptors.... 17 Perring's Churches and Creeds 19 Pe wtner's Comprehensive Specifier 28 Pictures in Tyrol 23 PlESSE's Art of Perfumery 19 Natural Magic 19 Ponton's Beginning 12 Pratt's Law of Building Societies 28 Prendergast's Mastery of Languages.... 8 Presoott's Scripture Difficulties 21 Present-Day Thoughts 9 Proctor on Plurality of Worlds 10 Saturn and its System 10 The Sun 10 'S Scientific Essays 12 Public Schools Atlas (The) u Rae's Westward by Rail 23 Recreations of a Country Parson 8 Reichel's See of Rome 20 Reilly's Map of Mont Blanc 23 Reimann on Aniline Dyes is Rivers' Rose Amateur's Guide 13 Robbins'S Cavalry Catechism 27 Rogers's Correspondence of Greyson 9 Eclipse of Faith 9 Defence of ditto 9 Roget's English Words and Phrases 7 Ronald's Fly-Fisher's Entomology 27 Rose's Ignatius Loyola 2 Rothschild's Israelites 20 Rowton's Debater 7 Russell's Pau and the Pyrenees 22 Sandars's Justinian's Institutes 5 Savile on the Truth of the Bible 1» Scuai.i.k.Vs Spectrum Analysis 11 Scott's Lectures on the Fine Arts it; Albert Durer \,; Shbbohm's Oxford Reformers of 1 198 ;..... 2 Shwhll's After Life 24 Amy Herbert .'. j« CleveHaU u Earl's Daughter 24 Examination for Confirmation .. 21 S2 NEW WORKS published by LONGMANS and CO. Sewell's Experience of Lite Gertrude , Giant Glimpse of the World 24 | History of the Early Church .. Ivors Journal of a Home Life Katharine Ashton Laneton Parsonage Margaret Percival Passing Thoughts on Religion Poems of Bygone Years . Preparations for Communion . principles of Education Readings for Confirmation ... Readings for Lent Tales and Stories Thoughts for the Age Ursula Thoughts for the Holy Week. Shipley's Four Cardinal Virtues Invocation of Saints Short's Church History. Smart's Walker's Dictionary Smith's (V.) Bible and Popular Theology J (j.) Paul's Voyage and Shipwreck (Sydney) Miscellaneous Works.. , Wit and Wisdom Life and Letters SOTJTHHY'S Doctor Poetical Works STANLEY'S History of British Birds STATHAM's Eucharis • Stebbing's Analysis of Mill's Logic STEPHEN'S Ecclesiastical Biography Playground of Europe Stirling's Secret of Hegel Sir William Hamilton Stonehenge on the Dog on the Greyhound Strickland's Queens of England Sunday Afternoons at the Parish Church of a Scottish University City (St. Andrews). . Taylor's History of India 3 (Jeremy) Works, edited by Eden 22 THIRLWALL's History of Greece 2 THOMPSON S (Archbishop) Laws of Thought 6 —(A. T.) Conspectus 16 TODD (A.) on Parliamentary Government 1 Todd and Bowman's Anatomy and Phy- siology of Man I5 Trench's Ierne, a Tale 24 Trengh's Realities of Irish Life 3 TROLLOPE's Barchester Towers 24 Warden 24 TWISS'8 Law of Nations 28 Tyndall on Diamagnetism 11 Electricity 12 Tyndall on Heat 11 Imagination in Science 12 Sound II 's Faraday as a Discoverer 4 Fragments of Science 12 Hours of Exercise in the Alps.. 22 Lectures on Light 12 Ueberweg's System of Logic 9 Uncle Peter's Fairy Tale 24 Ure's Arts, Manufactures, and Mines 17 Van Der Hoeven's Handbook of Zoology II Verekbr's Sunny South .... s . 22 Visit to my Discontented Cousin 25 Warbtjrton's Hunting Songs 28 Watson's Principles and Practice of Physic 14 Watts'S Dictionary of Chemistry 14 Webb's Objects for Common Telescopes .. 11 Webster and Wilkinson's Greek Testa- ment 21 Wellington's Life, by Gleig 5 WEST on Children's Diseases 14 Nursing Sick Children 2S 'S Lumleian Lectures 14 WHATELY'S English Synonymes 6 Logic 6 Rhetoric 6 Whately on a Future State 21 Truth of Christianity 2 White's Latin-English Dictionaries 7 Wilcock's Sea Fisherman 27 Williams's Aristotle's Ethics 6 Williams on Climate of South of France 15 Consumption 15 Willich's Popular Tables 28 Willis's Principles of Mechanism 17 Winslow on Light 12 Wood's Bible Animals 12 Homes without Ha:: Is 13 Insects at Home 13 Strange Dwellings 13 Woodward and Cates's Encyclopedia.. 4 Yardley's Poetical Works 2« Yonge's English-Greek Lexicons 8 Two Editions of Horace 26 . History of England 1 Yo TJ att on the Dog 27 on the Horse 27 Zhller's Socrates 6 Stoics, Epicureans, and Sceptics.. 6 Zigzagging amongst Dolomites 23 SpottUwoode <£• Co., Printers, Nttc-aireet Sqvure, London. V UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-32w-8,'57(,C868Us4)444 PR C33d UCLA-Young Research Library PR4501 .C33d v L 009 509 379 5 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A A 001 421 466 2