SPEEN 



16: 



forces withdrawing by the light of the moou, and did 

 not dare risk an attack upon them. 



It is not a little singular that during all this clash 

 of arms the Royalist governor of Donnington Castle 

 held that stronghold, although repeatedly attacked, 

 from August, 1644, to April, 1646, and then only 

 surrendered when desired by the King to do so. 



The road ascends to Speen, or, as it is often called, 

 " Church Speen." The present writer was climbing 



CUUIOUS OLD TOLL-HOUSE BETWEEN KEWBUKY AXD HUXGERFOKD. 



it when he overtook a countryman in a smock-frock, 

 to whom the steep gradient was evidently anything 

 but welcome. 



"You're a regular Mountjoy, a' b'lieve," said the 

 countryman, puffing and blowing. 



" A regular what ? " 



" A Mountjoy — a w^alker. But there ; you hain't 

 Newbury ? " 



