HISTORY OF HARTING. 79 



his credit with the citizens. But since, it hath been 

 his fortune (he being four or five thousand strong and 

 the other but weak for number) to surprise at unawares, 

 and after firm fight, with the slaughter of more of his 

 side, to take two or three hundred of my Lord Craw- 

 ford's men, who were brought to this town (Farnham 

 or Guildford ? ) in triumph about a week ago from 

 South Harting (so I think the place is called) in 

 Sussex. He is said to be now before Arundel Castle, 

 and, as the citizens say, likely to carry it, being strong 

 by an addition of Kentish, Sussex and Surrey men 

 come to his aid." 



The following is evidently another account of the 

 same affair. It is from the " Perfect Diurnall " (Par- 

 liamentarian) of 1 5th Jan., 1643-4. The lateness of 

 its date may be accounted for by the " bitter snow " 

 of the early part of January in that year. " There 

 was also a malignant report spread about the City 

 (London) this week of a great defeat given to Colonel 

 Norton by the Hoptonians : The summe of which 

 defeat by a letter to his Excellency the Earl of Essex 

 this day amounts to no more than this. That upon 

 the retreat of Colonel Norton from following the 

 Hoptonians' whole body upon their seeming attempt 

 to relieve Arundell : the Colonell entering of a towne 

 called Harr, met with two regiments of Dragoons 

 under command of the Lord Crafford and Colonell 

 Ellis, both which (after a short skirmish) he forced to 

 retreat, with the losse of a Captaine and a Captaine- 

 Lieutenant of the enemies, besides many of them 

 wounded and divers taken prisoners : he performed 

 this service with onely fifty horse, of which he lost 

 onely two or three men, the rest of the forces being 

 got safe to Chichester, whither he sent the prisoners 

 he took ( ? ), and afterwards went himselfe with the 

 rest of his forces to Portsmouth." 



Under all this rough usage Harting suffered terribly. 

 The king's soldiers in the garrison had been short of 



