A TOUR HOUND NORTH WALKS. 71 



In the following reign it got into the 

 poflefTion of Thomas Seymour, brother 

 to the protector, Somerfet, who formed 

 liere a great Magazine of military 

 ftores ; but upon his execution, it once 

 more fell into the hands of the crown.* 



Holt Caftle in the civil wars was gar- 

 rifoned for the king, but in 1643, was 

 feized by Sir William Brereton and 

 Sir Thomas Middlemen, for the ufe of 

 the parliament.^ It was afterwards re- 

 taken by the royalifts, for in February 

 1645-6 this caftle, with thofe of Ru- 

 thin and Hawarden, was befieged by 

 the parliament's forces. Sir Richard 

 Uoyd, the Governor, defended it 

 bravely, but after having held out for 

 above a month, he was at length oblig- 

 ed to furrender, which he did on arti- 

 cles to Colonel Pope, in the abfence of 



* Pennant, I. 219. t Whitelock's Memorials., n. -. 



the 



