216 WEYMOUTH AND THE GREAT CIVIL WAR. 



the Nothe Fort, commanding the harbour, and a small fort 

 at Bincleaves. The Royalist forces, when at full strength, 

 numbered 4,000 or 5,000 the Parliamentary, 900 only, 

 and these were looked upon by the Royalists as being almost 

 prisoners at mercy. But those sturdy Roundheads at once 

 surrounded Melcombe with earthworks, and defended it with 

 splendid tenacity, avenging the losses they had sustained 

 on Dyve's arrival. 



All that week cannonading and burning of houses went on, 

 but with little effect. The Roundheads, therefore, proposed 

 that there should be no more such useless burnings ; the Cava- 

 liers replied, " We scorn to parley with you, and will do what 

 we please." Sydenham then set on fire seven or eight houses 

 in Weymouth proper and fired some Royalists' ships on that 

 side. Meanwhile, two Parliament ships, aided by a favourable 

 wind, and other welcome reinforcements to the Parliament 

 forces, arrived, including 100 Horse. Captain William Batten, 

 Vice-Admiral of the Navy, anchoring in the roadstead with the 

 " James," landed some 200 seamen who " have proved 

 themselves very brave men in all this service " ; the ships 

 also relieved the forces in Melcombe of 200 Royalist prisoners. 

 A further detachment of 100 Cavalry, under Lieut. -Colonel 

 James Haynes, came by land. 



On the following Sunday (the 16th), Sydenham routed a 

 troop of Royalist Horse near Radipole, slaying some and cap- 

 turing about 80 Horse and 45 prisoners. The Roundheads 

 " chased the little remnant that remained up to the gates of 

 Weymouth." 



Sir Lewis Dyve's, Sir Thomas Austin's, and Cleveland's 

 Horse, with some Foot, blocked the Parliament forces at the 

 north end of Melcombe. Notwithstanding this, the latter 

 sallied forth from time to time, and on one occasion 

 succeeded in bringing in 900 sheep, and a Royalist Captain 

 who had mistaken the Roundheads for some of his own 

 party. 



George, Lord Goring, the King's Lieutenant-General in 

 Hampshire and some other counties, leaving Salisbury, had 



