56 



centmy. The communication I received was ciuious, 1)iit gave no 

 hope of a discovery of burials there. This is the extract from the 

 Registrar of Monkton Farleigh : — 



Memoranduvi. — John Allanhrigge, Inducted Jan. 30th, 1641. 

 That at the time of my induction, John Butler the elder being then 

 (and many years after in the times of troubles) Churchwarden, kept 

 in papers a register of Christenings, Burials and Weddings, the parch- 

 ment book being full ; which papers since his death cannot yet be 

 found. I therefore (noe Churchwarden taking care or notice*) beginne 

 from the said Butler's death. What is past, ego nescio, nee ego euro- 

 It being ever the Churchwarden's office. 



J. A. 

 Part of ye year 1650 (John Butler died March 13th.) 



In support of the conjecture that the main body of the 

 Royalist army was already on this side of the river, I Avould urge 

 the fact that they had got to Bradford, where there was a bridge, 

 and their direct road to Bath would be over that bridge and 

 along the lane which passes through the Warleigh Valley ; 

 whereas the other way would be placing themselves on the 

 wrong side of the river, which could only be passed by fords and 

 ferry boats, and the country was close and the roads circuitous. 

 If this was the case, and, as Clarendon says, they were only two 

 miles from Fourd Hill, the sound of the cannon would soon bring 

 the vanguard out on Warleigh Hill, with only a smooth green 

 sloping down between them and the battery on the ridgway 

 stretching for miles towards the Oxford Road, and a little Avood 

 (called Dead man wood to this day) closely adjoining the battery 

 would have concealed their advance till they were close upon the 

 guns. However this may be, the guns Avere taken and the 

 Parliamentarians who were not killed or taken prisoners retreated 

 to Bath and left the Bridge of Fourd (or Bathford) open to the 



* "Noe Churchwarden." By Act of Parliament at that time the custody 

 of Parish Registers was given to the local civil authority and withdrawn from 

 ye clergy. 



