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actions of all believed to be disafFected — especially if they 

 were persons of pro])erty and consideration. 



It must not be supposed, however, that the Parliament 

 were enabled to carry out thls measure without dlfficulty 

 or resistance. Mach depended on the fortunes of war, 

 and for some time the continued reverses experienced by 

 the Parliamentary forces, had so weakened the position of 

 their party, that any attempt to enforce the ordinance with 

 any effect, would have failed, especially in the west where 

 the King had been so victorious. 



But in the year 1646, which is the period to which our 

 attention will be particularly directed, when the war may 

 be Said to have terminated in favour of the Parliament, 

 and the power of the King virtually to have ceased, no 

 such difficulties presented themselves, and the Parliament 

 proceeded without hesitation to prosecute delinquents with 

 unrelenting severity. 



The county of Somerset, as well as the other western 

 counties, have always been considered — and correctly so — 

 as favourable to the King. The cause of thls feeling 

 probably was, that this part of the kingdom had but llttle 

 connection with parties engaged in trade and commerce, 

 who were generally disafFected towards the King, on ac- 

 count of bis unconstitutional attempt to tax their property. 

 Estates in the west were principally in the hands of noble- 

 men and repräsentatives of ancient families, all whose 

 predilections and pursuits were in favour of the " Right 

 Divine ;" and the circumstances to which we have alluded 

 no doubt swelled the llst of Somersetshire delinquents. 



The Sequestration Committees for the several counties 

 divided them into districts, corresponding, maiuly, with the 

 different hundreds. To each hundred were allotted two or 



