74 PAPERS, ETC. 



a Baron under that title, in the life-time of his father 



Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford,) by Ilonora, the 



daughter of Sir Richard Rogers, of Bryanstone, Dorset. 



In the year 1640, he was created Charles Älarquis of 



Hertford; and on the breaking out of the war in 1642, he was 



placed at tlie head of the Commission of Array issued by 



the King, for raising forces in the west, Coming to the city 



of Bath, at the time of the assizes, he determined, after 



Consulting some of the chief gentlemen of the county (the 



Judge and the SherifF however being against him), to 



proclaim tlie Array in the city of Wells, and to make it 



his head-quarters. By the assistance of Sir John Stawell 



and othei's, a considerable body of horse and foot were 



cnroUed ; but Sir John Ilorner and Col. Alexander 



Popham, at the head of the militia, and reinforced by a 



detachment from Bristol, under Sir Edward Hungerford, 



so harrassed and surrounded the Marquis's little army, that 



after a few sharp skirmishes, he was fain to retreat to 



Sherborne Castle, then held by the Earl of Bristol. Here 



he was besieged by the Earl of Bedford, who, finding his 



force unequal to the attack, withdrew it to the town of 



Yeovil, expecting supplies. In the meantime, however, 



the Marquis being reinforced with 300 men, sent him by 



his Cousin Mr. Rogers, High-SherifF of Dorset, ordered 



Major Bampfield, with a strong detachment, to fall upon the 



Earl of Bedford's rear. An action on Babylon Hill, about 



a mlle from Yeovil, was the result, and the Parliamenta- 



rians, claiming the victory, instantly dispatched a flaming 



account of it to London, which with your permission, I 



will read, especially as it is a fair specimen of the style of 



military dispatches in those days.* 



* I indiilge a hope that u.i sf>me future meetlng 1 may be permitted 

 to conclude the subject of this Paper, as many interesting matters reniain 

 to be noticed. 



