106 WAREHAM I ITS INVASIONS AND BATTLES. 



furnished Wareham Castle with arms and provisions, and put a 

 strong garrison into it." Louis landed in England in May, "in 

 June and July " John is said to have been at Wareham, so that he 

 probably was superintending the strengthening of its defences. 

 There would seem little doubt but what "Wareham paiticipated in 

 the struggle between John and the Barons; both town and churches 

 appeared to have suffered severely ; Wareham Castle was probably 

 demolished, passing then from the history of our ancient town. No 

 monarch before or since ever humiliated the English crown as John 

 did, but his hour of retribution came, degraded in the eyes of his 

 subjects and despised by his barons, anxiety and the loss of his 

 baggage and regalia, told upon the enfeebled constitution of the 

 Eoyal hypocrite, and the rest and remedies he sought proved of no 

 avail. " Ealph de Lincoln, Abbot of Croxton, was physician to 

 King John at the time he died at Newark." Thus England was 

 rid of a tyrant. 



The wars between Henry III. and the Barons affected the 

 neighbourhood. Corfe Castle was taken and re-taken. This is 

 said to be one of the first castles given up. The completion of 

 Corfe Castle, the restoration of St. Mary's and St. Martin's 

 Churches, proves that Wareham enjoyed some tranquility during this 

 reign. 



In succeeding periods Wareham was in warlike commotion of 

 another kind. It is stated that in May, 1291, Edward I. " was at 

 Wareham superintending the manning and victualing of ships " for 

 his continental expedition. There is, moreover, a record of a 

 remarkable letter from that monarch, dated at Wareham, advising 

 a friendly power of a contemplated invasion. In 1347 Edward the 

 Third, requiring forces for the siege of Calais," Wareham furnished 

 three ships and 59 men." Whilst engaged in this war Edward 

 appropriated the revenues of Wareham Priory, a proceeding in 

 which he was justified. There is, however, in Hutchins, the writ 

 of enquiry for the recovering of the property. In the same work 

 there is also found " A precept for the Sheriff to guard the 

 coast from the invasions of the French" in the year 1383. But 



