SANDSFOOT AND PORTLAND CASTLES. 35 



thirteen meet and able men who were to be " daily abiding 

 there," that is to say, two porters, six gunners, and five 

 soldiers. (Pat. roll, 14 Elizabeth, part 8.) It is remarkable 

 that these offices were conferred upon Leweston under the 

 seal of the Court of Augmentations, and that the expenses 

 were to be paid by its receivers in the counties of Somerset 

 and Dorset. As we know that this Court was set up by 

 Henry VIII. for the purpose of administering the revenues of 

 the suppressed monasteries, it is not improbable that the cost 

 of building the two castles, as well as the pay of their garrisons, 

 was in part provided out of ecclesiastical funds. On this 

 point I will recall the tradition that the stonework of 

 Sandsfoot was brought from Bindon Abbey. 



At the time of the rebellion in the west country against 

 Edward VI., Portland Castle had furnished some military 

 stores, which were replaced in 1552 ; these items consisted of 

 two Hamburg barrels and two Flemish barrels of serpentine 

 powder, together with 24 bows and the same number of 

 sheaves of arrows. In 1554 John Leweston, described as of 

 Leweston, enters into a recognizance (with a penalty of 1,000 

 marks) whereby he undertakes to defend the castle on behalf 

 of Queen Mary with all his power, cunning, and industry, 

 and that if his own power should be insufficient he would call 

 in the sheriffs of adjoining shires, warning them to come to 

 his assistance. For an unknown reason the Captain was 

 superseded a few years afterwards, and his post given to 

 George Strangways, but the latter was in turn relieved of 

 the office on account of sickness in May, 1557, when Leweston 

 was re-appointed to his former duties. (Acts of the Privy 

 Council, passim.) 



Passing on to Elizabeth's reign, I find that Charles Arundel 

 received in 1572 a reversionary grant of the governorship of 

 the castle and island after the death of Leweston, but as the 

 latter survived until 1584, it is doubtful whether Arundel 

 was ever in command there. (Pat. roll, 14 Elizabeth, part 8.) 

 We now obtain a little information concerning the structure 

 and its equipment. In the month of October, 1574, Leweston 



