OLD WARDOUR CASTLIC. 'Hi 



described as some red stuff made up in tlio form of a candle, willi 

 which he smeared the guns. Some oil, whether castor or not is 

 not stated, was used as an antidote, and the sick guns became 

 convalescent. The next event was a seizure of corn and other 

 provisions on the way to Shaftesbury market, paid for at market 

 price, to the no small astonishment of the owners ; then Captain 

 Eowyer, or Bower, commanding the Royalists, offered any terms to 

 the besieged if they would surrender, but they replied that they 

 intended to hold out. The constant conversations between besiegers 

 and beseiged, the advice given by the former to the effect " Now 

 you had much better give up at once," the courtesy to each other 

 displayed l)y these old combatants, sheds a pleasing and at times a 

 humorous light on the narrative. I cannot go through the siege in 

 detail. Captain Bowyer, shot by Captain Bean, died of his wound 

 and Colonel Barnes was sent to take his place : he raised a fort on 

 the hill, in front of the castle, and occupied the outhouses, but 

 sallies from time to time caused considerable loss to the besiegers. 

 Negotiations ensued, Ludlow calmly offering, if not relieved within 

 six months, to give up the castle on payment of £2,000 for the 

 expense the Parliament had been at in keeping it. Of course the 

 Royalists would have nothing to say to this. Provisions ran short, 

 a captured horse was killed and eaten, the beer was all gone (tlicse 

 sturdy old Roundheads, you see, were no teetotallers, but they had 

 to become water drinkers whether they liked it or not) ; but still 

 they held out. A shot from the besiegers cut the portcullis chain, 

 so that the besieged could no longer use their gate, and they 

 barricaded it on the inside, so that the others might not use it. 

 All other doors were walled up, and the only way of getting out 

 was by a window. Attempts to undermine the walls were made, 

 but molten lead, hot water, and hand grenades o1)liged the miners 

 to abandon the attempt. The besiegers asked and obtained 

 permission to carry off a wounded ofliicer, and M'hile this was 

 being done, under cover of loaded muskets on the castle top, four 

 men got out of a window and secured the provisions the miners 

 had left behind them, 



