The Hundreds of Gloucester, be- | Langley cum Swinshed Hundred inge the whole Division of Thornebury Hundred Berkeley, to be established for Henbury Hundred the garrisons aforesaid. Berkeley Hundred Puckle Church Hundred BY this establishment the treasurer had full power to demand such force as he might judge necessary to compel the payment of contribution to the garrison, subject only to his Majesty's directions: thus the commission was held independent of any intermediate authority. The sums which were payable in each county appear already in the schedule; the only particulars which the author of this communication is possessed of, are as follows. "Hundred of Radcliffe [f] cum Bedminster payeth £200 per month. Long Ashdon Bedminster 40 0 0 40 0 0 It does not appear from the annals of Bristol, that any thing particular occurred there during the govern[f] MS. penes Edm. Turnor. ment of Prince Rupert, which lasted little more than two years; for, in September 1645, the parliament army, under the command of Fairfax, approached the city. Col. Weldon sat down with his brigade at Pile Hill (near Pile Street) within musket-shot of the walls on the south side. Fairfax took his quarters at Stapleton, on the north. Lawford's Gate, where there was a double work, was taken possession of by Colonels Montague and Pickering; who, being seconded by Major Desborough's horse, advanced to the city walls, where they became masters of the gate against the castle. Sir Hardress Waller, with his and Fairfax's regiments, entered between Lawford's Gate and the Avon, and joined the rest of the brigade. Prior's hill fort, being exceeding high, was attacked with great disadvantage by Colonel Rainsborough, who fought near three hours, but could not enter, until Col. Hammond, with MajorGeneral Skippon's regiment, having forced the line towards the Froom, came up withinside the works, and stormed Prior's hill fort on the part which was inward; by which means they took possession of that fort. Thus the line from Prior's hill fort to the Avon was in the possession of the assailants [g]. The Royal fort, which had the reputation of strength, lay open to Brandon hill fort, which, if taken, would, from its height, have commanded the whole plain within the Royal fort; added to which there was a total deprivation of water. These considerations, together with the raging of the plague in the city, which had reduced the establishment from 3600 to 2800 effective men, and a scanty provision of powder in the magazines, induced Prince Rupert, contrary to all expectation, to surrender the city to Fairfax [h]. The [g] Sprigge's Anglia Rediviva, p. 113. [h] Prince Rupert's declaration and narrative, as quoted by Barret. king, buoyed up by the fullest assurance from the Prince, that he could defend the place four months, was forming schemes and collecting forces for its relief, when the fatal news arrived. Full of indignation, his Majesty revoked all Prince Rupert's commissions, and directed him to leave the kingdom! Description of the Sketch of the Outworks [i], The Outworks, beginning from the Water fort above the Glasshouse in Limekiln Lane, are plainly discernible up to Brandon hill fort, and thence to the south-east corner of Berkley Square. From thence the line continued by the west end of Park Street (the precise spot where Washington made his breach) to the Royal fort, now the seat of Thomas Tyndall, Esq. From thence to Mr. Carden's garden, near the Montague tavern, where remains of the redoubt, or Colston's fort, are yet visible; and so on to Prior's hill fort, near the north ends of St. James's Place, and Somerset Street; then by Stoke's Croft gate across the river Froom to Lawford's gate, and so to the Avon opposite Tower Harratz, from whence the wall is visible by Temple and Redcliffe gates to the Avon again. Prince Rupert states this line to have been four miles in circumference, the graff not exceeding seven feet wide, nor five feet deep. The works from Prior's hill fort to Lawford's gate, not five feet high; and the highest work of the Royal fort not quite twelve feet [k]. The city, within the walls, is distinguished by being shaded; and the gates and forts, with the number of ordnance provided by the establishment, are specified in the plan. The new town extends beyond [i] See Plate. [k] Declaration and narrative, ut supra. the line of the outworks, and those streets only are described which intersect that line. Short notices respecting the Garrisons subordinate to Bristol in 1644. BATH was garrisoned in the early part of the civil wars for Charles I. and 70007. was expended on its fortifications; but it soon became one of the principal posts of the parliamentary forces. Sir William Waller lay here a considerable time with his whole army: but after the battle of Roundway down in 1643, the king's troops retook possession of this garrison without difficulty. It was then included in the Bristol establishment; but was given up by Sir Thomas Brydges in July 1643, previous to the surrender of Bristol [1]. Berkley Town and Castle in Gloucestershire, the chief strength of which consisted in the outworks and church, was delivered up to the parliamentary forces by the gallant Sir Charles Lucas, the 25th of September 1645, after a vigorous defence of nine days [m]. Nunney Castle, three miles S. W. of Froom in Somersetshire, had in it a large magazine; but was taken by the parliamentary army after a siege of two days, and burnt, to prevent the possibility of its future service to the king, Sept. 8, 1645 [n]. Farley Castle, Somersetshire, surrendered to the parliamentary army, Sept. 15, 1645 [o]. Portshall, or Portshead Point, in Somersetshire, a fortification commanding the King's road in the Bristol Channel, surrendered to the parliamentary army on the 28th of August 1645, after six days resistance; and thus the communication with the channel, by water, was cut off, previous to the siege of Bristol. [1] Collinson's Somersetshire, I. 30. [n] Collinson, II. 217. [m] Anglia Rediviva, ut supra. [o] Anglia Rediviva, ut supra. ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. Agreeably to the notice at p. 228, an impression from the original The wood cut of the Arms of Bristol in the title-page is from an Insert the words Local Communications at the commencement p. 66 line ult. for its read their. The signature of Amicus Veritatis at p. 70 is that of the Rev. N. P. 59, line penult. for Dunton read Durston. P. 146, line penult. dele the Rev. P. 149 in the note, for St. John's read Froom Gate. I believe it was the Red Lodge in which Queen Elizabeth was entertained. The "Sketch of the Outworks of Bristol in 1644" is to face p. 318. INDEX. |