The First Book 21 



to reduce and settle that part of the country. My Lord 

 having possessed himself of the town of Wakefield, it being 

 large and of great compass, and able to make a strong quarter, 

 ordered it accordingly ; and receiving intelligence that in 

 two market towns south-west from Wakefield, viz. Rother- 

 ham and Sheffield, the enemy was very busy to raise forces 

 against his Majesty, and had fortified them both about four 

 miles distant from each other, hoping thereby to give pro- 

 tection and encouragement to all those parts of the country 

 which were populous, rich, and rebellious, he thought it neces- 

 sary to use his best endeavours to blast those their wicked de- 

 signs in the bud ; and thereupon took a resolution, in April 1643, 

 to march with part of his army from Wakefield into the 

 mentioned parts, attended with a convenient train of artillery 

 and ammunition, leaving the greatest part of it at Wakefield, 

 with the remainder of his army, under the care and conduct 

 of his General of the Horse, and Major General of the Army *. 

 which was so considerable, both in respect of their number 

 and provision, that they did, as they might well, conceive 

 themselves master of the field in those parts, and secure in 

 that quarter, although in the end it proved not so, as shall 

 hereafter be declared, which must necessarily be imputed 

 to their invigilancy and carelessness. 



My Lord first marched to Rotherham, and finding that the 

 enemy had placed a garrison of soldiers in that town, and 

 fortified it, he drew up his army in the morning against the 

 town, and summoned it ; but they refusing to yield, my 

 Lord fell to work with his cannon and musket, and within 

 a short time took it by storm, and entered the town that 

 very night ; some enemies of note that were found therein 

 were taken prisoners ; and as for the common soldiers, which 

 were by the enemy forced from their allegiance, he showed 

 such clemency to them, that very many willingly took up 

 arms for his Majest)^s service, and proved very faithful and 

 loyal subjects and good soldiers 2 . 



1 ' The Lord Goring and Sir Francis Mackworth, Knight '. These names were printed 

 in a side note, and carefully obliterated by hand before publication. 



2 Lord Fairfax, in his letter of May 23rd to Lenthal, says : ' The forces in Rother- 

 ham held out two days' siege, and yielded up the town upon treaty : wherein it was 

 agreed, that the town should not be plundered ; and that all the gentlemen, commanders 

 and soldiers (six only excepted that were especially named), leaving their arms, should 

 have free liberty to go whither they pleased. But when the enemy entered, contrary 

 to their articles, they have not only plundered the town, but have also made all the 

 commanders and soldiers prisoners ; and do endeavour to constrain them to take up 



