244 LADY BANKES. 



barbarous deed. It was here the un- 

 happy Edward met with his untimely 

 fate, from the hands of his cruel step- 

 mother, Elfrida; and the arch of the 

 gate is still standing, on the sides of 

 which lovers now inscribe their names. 

 The miscreant John, too, here perpe- 

 trated one of his most cruel and dia- 

 bolical massacres.* 



In later days, during the progress of 

 the civil war, it was a fortress of con- 

 siderable importance, and was held for 

 the king by Lady Bankes, who has ren- 

 dered her name illustrious, by the pro- 

 longed and successful defence she made 

 against the besiegers under Sir William 

 Erie; but on a second siege it was de- 

 livered up to the Parliamentary forces, by 

 the treachery of one of the king's officers. 



The ruins, which are not to be sur- 

 passed by any in the kingdom for their 



* Twenty-two Poictevin nobles were starved to death in 

 one of the dungeons. 



