.HISTORY OF HARTING. 97 



marsh-men near Axbridge had risen in defence of 

 the Protestant religion, the whole body of the rebels 

 turned aside to Wells in order to effect a junction 

 with them. Arrived at Wells, they shewed their 

 hatred of bishops by tearing the lead from the roof 

 of the Cathedral, defacing the ornaments of the 

 Church, and " drinking many villanous and unseemly 

 oaths at the Altar." * Bishop Ken, " Preacher, Patriot, 

 Poet, Pastor," author of the simplest and most beauti- 

 ful of all evening hymns, f was at that time Bishop of 

 Bath and Wells. On this occasion it is said to his 

 honour that Ford, Lord Grey, in the midst of his wild 

 crew defended Bishop Ken's altar from insult, standing 

 before it with his sword drawn. Ken afterwards, when 

 their day was lost, visited the poor rebels in prison, 

 and " retrenched from his own episcopal state to make 

 some addition to the coarse and scanty fare of those 

 who had defaced his beloved Cathedral." 



On Monday, July 6, 1685, the Battle of Sedgemoor, 

 the last on English soil, was fought ; and though five 

 or six thousand colliers, weavers, and ploughmen, some 

 armed with scythes fastened to poles (still shown in 

 the armoury of the Tower) kept the King's Regulars 

 in check for an hour-and-a-half, they were soon cut 

 down, and the cause of Monmouth perished. In this 

 battle Mew, or Mee, Bishop of Winchester, fought for 

 James as a gunner, and put his carriage horses to the 

 cannon. The rebel cavalry under Grey came up to 

 the Bussex Rhine, or dyke across the moor, apparently 

 not knowing of its existence, received one volley from 

 the regulars, and fled. 



Grey was taken the following day, Tuesday, July 7, 

 by his own county-people, the Sussex Militia under 

 Lord Lumley, about five in the morning near Holt 



" Account of Fights and Skirmishes in the West, and Manner 

 of Taking Ford, late Lord Grey, and late Duke of Monmouth, 

 1685," p. 3. 



f Ken's Evening Hymn, " Glory to Thee, my God, this night." 



H 



