A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



anxious to get away from Newark to join Montrose, 1 being unwilling, 

 according to his enemies, ' to be blockt up there, and the rather the sickness 

 was in it' and taking advantage of the absence of General Poyntz at the siege 

 of Shelford House, and the withdrawal of many of the Derby and Warwick 

 horse to Chester,' marched out secretly with all the supplies the garrison could 

 afford, ' who have so extremely drained themselves to pleasure him that the 

 adjacent countries will now be in great quiet, and Colonel Rossiter be the 

 better spared to pursue him.' 8 The coming of General Leslie with the 

 Scotch forces, to the number of 2,000 horse and 3,000 foot, 4 ' to visit that 

 cage and catch these foul birds,' was finally planned in November, and at this 

 news there came daily out of Newark ' great store of men of quality who 

 have passes and goe home to their houses.' There were those who had ' fled 

 to Newark and received rents from their tenants,' and now, fearing a siege, 

 came out, ' that the provisions within might last longer.' 6 It was not until 

 December' that the Scottish forces arrived, and their commanders and the 

 parliamentarian officers held a council of war and agreed to storm the 

 bridge a mile from the town where the enemy kept guard. The attack seems 

 to have been successful and many royalists were killed. 7 On 10 December 

 the Newarkers designed to blow up a bridge over the Dee, and prepared 

 five boats for this purpose, but one caught fire before it reached the bridge, 

 and warned the enemy, so that the rest were stopped. 8 For the next few 

 weeks the Newarkers made desperate sallies but, seemingly, with indifferent 

 success. Thus, on 19 December, about 600 of the garrison attacked the 

 enemy, who caused them to retreat, but pursuing them too eagerly fell into 

 a royalist ambush near the town works and lost about 20 of their men.' 

 On another occasion the royalists fared less well. About 200 or 300 made 

 a sally on Colonel Rossiter's quarters, but were compelled to retreat with 

 the loss of many men. 10 By the end of December Skipton Castle had 

 surrendered to Parliament, and 2,000 were sent thence to ' help the business 

 of Newark,' u as well as a ' great mortar piece,' which it was hoped would 

 ' doe good execution.' 12 In January also the Committee of Both Kingdoms 

 wrote to the Committee at Nottingham that, all the garrisons in Yorkshire 

 being reduced, horse and foot could be spared for Newark, 13 and the committee 

 of the militia of London was desired to provide 60 dragoons, to be ready at 



I Cal. S. P. Dam, 1645-7, P- l6 - * B - M - Pamphlets, E. 309, The Kingdom's Weekly IntelRgencer. 



* B.M. Pamphlets, E. 304, The Kingdom's Weekly Post. During Colonel Rossiter's absence in pursuit 

 of the king, the earl of Warwick was ordered to send Major Gibb and 800 horse of the Association to Newark 

 (Cal. S. P. Dem. 1645-7, p. 98). The Weekly Account for 8-15 October describes a council of war in 

 Newark, and how the commanders with the king ' made high propositions to the towne for horse, ammuni- 

 tion, arms, etc., and that what was not entirely necessary for the defence of the garrison was to be carried away 

 with his Majesty.' B.M. Pamphlets, E. 304. 



4 Ibid. E. 313, A Diary or Exact Journal, 1 8 Dec. 1645. 



4 Ibid. E. 310, The Weekly Account, Nov. 4-11, 1645. 



6 The Scots had been severely censured by Parliament for the delay in their advance to Newark, ' whereby 

 not only the northern parts have lain all the while under an insupportable burden, but also the fairest oppor- 

 tunity ... for putting an end to our miseries is already slipped out of our hand.' Cal. 5. P. Dam. 

 1645-7, p. 256. 



B.M. Pamphlets, E. 311, The Weekly Account, 26 Nov.-2 Dec. 1645. 



* Ibid. Diary or Exact Journal, 10 Dec. 1645. 



* Ibid. E. 313, Diary or Exact Journal, 19 Dec. 1645. 

 " Ibid. The Weekly Account, 16-30 Dec. 1645. 



II Ibid. E. 314, The Scottish Dove, 24 Dec.-i Jan. 1645-6. 

 " Ibid. E. 313, The Weekly Account, 16-30 Dec. 1645. 



11 Cal. S. P. Dm, 1645-7, 306. 



352 



