ANTIQUITIES. 



Sd9 



much strengtTi as he could make, 

 having left very few either at Tewkes- 

 bury or Glocester. 



Thereupon the mayor of the city 

 ■was instantly sent for, and desired 

 to summon the citizens to come in, 

 with all the materials they could 

 bring, to cast up breast-works, to 

 strengthen the weakest parts of the 

 towne, and upon every severall 

 place, an officer of the field was as- 

 signed to see it put in executiori. 

 This done, order was given for in- 

 telligence the same evening : but 

 ujjon the next morning, being 

 Monday, 24th April, notwith- 

 standing the ringing of the common 

 bell (which is the strictest summons 

 that can be given to the citizens, 

 and upon which they are bound by 

 oath to appear) very few or none 

 came to performe the intended ser- 

 vice ; and further upon proclama- 

 tion, enjoining thera to come in, to 

 worke, upon paine of present plun- 

 dering, soe few came in, as made not 

 up a worke before one of the gates, 

 above knee high that whole day, 

 for the other places, which Mere 

 wholly destitute of any defence, the 

 officers could not get anj' to worke. 



And, although I had severall 

 times before, and once in writing 

 under my hand, given my advice ; 

 first, that the breast. worke should 

 be made on both sides of the river, 

 open both sides of the bridge, and 

 that the way under the castle, being 

 upon the same bank, very plain and 

 open as a highway, should be like- 

 wise strengthened with a good 

 worke and turnpike, to hinder any 

 entrance by land under the castle, 

 or by water in boats. Secondly, 

 that a breast-worke should be cast 

 up, to defend the entrance into the 

 . castle by the mill, as plain and .tpen 

 a place as the other, onjy there is a 



small ascent. Thirdly, that deep 

 trenches, with any moveable bridges, 

 until draw-bridges could be pro- 

 vided, Should be digged and made 

 within every open gate. Fourthly, 

 that Byster's gate should be dam- 

 med up. Fifthly, that some old 

 houses, in severall places on the 

 wall, should be taken downe ; all 

 which workes would have been 

 easily done in twelve houres, by 

 twenty men in a place, save only 

 the worke upon. the bank of the ri- 

 ver, which I conccave would have 

 been done with great ease by an 

 hundred men, in two dayes ; jct^ 

 none of all these were done, or 

 soe much as offered at, save the 

 damming up of Byster's gate, which 

 wcs done according to my advice. 



Besides, which was of more con- 

 sideration, the stock of powder was 

 soe short, that we could not disco- 

 ver that there was but five barrels, 

 the soldiers bandilliers bein^ filled, 

 though the store-keeper, with the 

 mayor and magistrates ot the towne, 

 were examined before (he governor 

 (colonel Price) my lord Scudaniorc, 

 colonel Herbert Price, and the rest 

 of the counciil of warre ; yet since, 

 I know not by what means, more 

 than forty barrells, as I have been 

 credibly informed, have been founde 

 by sir ^V'illiam Waller in the towne. 



But to returne where I left ; — I 

 spake with lieutenant colonel Court- 

 ney, on Monday morning, to take 

 ospeciall care ot Moorford's bridge, 

 (Mordiford) where he Avas quar- 

 tered, two miles and an halfc out of 

 towne: who gave nc great incou- 

 ragement that he could maintaineit, 

 and promised, to give a good account 

 thereof. Upon the other side of the 

 river there were perpetually scouts 

 abroad, to give notice if the enemy 

 advanced on that side ; for, my opi- 



3 M 2 nioa 



