A HISTORY OF DORSET 



Foster, now the only Justice of Assize for the Western Circuit,' was warned 

 of the trend of local feeling by Lord Hertford : ' I find that many of the 

 gentlemen and others of this county that stand well affected to the king's 

 serv^ice . . . are very apprehensive what may pass at this your assizes, few 

 of them will adventure themselves into that town, being at present in such 

 a posture of war.' * The report of Sir Robert himself, when he came into 

 the west, was that ' the most appearance of arms was at Exeter and Dor- 

 chester.' ' The town * was the rendezvous for many volunteers of the 

 Parliament. In February, 1642—3, many came to Dorchester for the great 

 enrolment of that month, the townsmen supplementing any shortage in their 

 accoutrements.' The other Dorset towns did not thus' prepare themselves 

 from the very first to take an active part in hostilities. Nevertheless the 

 sympathies of Lyme, Poole, and Weymouth were always with the Parlia- 

 ment. And though each in turn was later occupied by the king's troops, 

 yet each made a more gallant show than the county town. In smaller 

 towns, where the influence of the territorial magnate was greater than the 

 development of self-government, the tendency was to take as little part as 

 possible in the war. Wareham alone, dominated by the influence of Corfe 

 Castle," firmly held out for the king. 



The importance of Dorset in the Civil War arose from its geographical 

 position. It lay between the Royalist strongholds of the south-west and of 

 Oxford. While the towns of Somerset were Parliamentarian, the fortresses 

 of Sherborne and Corfe afforded keys respectively to the northern and 

 southern communications with the west. On the other hand the sea-board 

 towns, with their excellent harbours and proximity to the French coast, were 

 of untold importance in the Royalist communications with their continental 

 friends and helpers. Hence, while the county never saw any first-class 

 engagement, its importance, both military and naval, never ceased during the 

 whole war. 



The first move in Dorset came from Lord Hertford, who threw 

 himself into Sherborne Castle immediately upon the outbreak of war.'' This 

 delayed the occupation of the towns by the local Parliamentary captains, Denzil 

 Holies (M.P. for Dorchester) and Sir Walter Erie (D.L. of the county). 

 Under the Earl of Bedford, they besieged the castle with 7,000 foot, but 

 were dispirited by the vigorous and constant sallies of Lord Hertford, and 

 the mutiny and desertion of the trained bands,' who were deliberately dis- 

 banded by the sheriff of Dorset,* Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, a man, 

 according to Lord Hertford, ' so loyal and affectionate for His Majesty's 

 service.' "^ Lord Bedford, unable to continue the siege, retired to Yeovil 



' Cal. S.P. Dom. 1641-3, p. 364 ; Docquets of Letters Patent (Rec. Com.), lo. 



• Cal. S.P. Dom. 1641-3, p. 371. ' Ibid. p. 375. 



• 'The magazine from whence the other places were supplied with principles of rebellion,' Clarendon, 

 Hist, of the Rebellion, iv, 213. 



' Dorch. Corp. MSS. printed, Hutchins, op. cit. ii, 242. 



' On the death /. /. of William, nephew and heir of Sir Chris. Hatton, his widow married Sir Edw. 

 Coke. Their only child Frances married John Villiers, brother to the Duke of Buckingham, and created 

 Viscount Purbcck. Lords' Rep. on Dignity of a Peer, ^i- On Coke's death. Lady Coke and her daughter 

 sold the castle to Sir Jn. Bankes, of a Cumberland family, Attorney-General 1635, Chief Justice of Com. 

 Pleas, 1640. 



' Docquets of Letters Patent (Rec. Com ), 27, 28. 



' liist. MSS. Com. Rep. x, pt. i, vi, 147. Exceeding Joyful News, 6 Sept. 1642. 



• Dorch. Corp. MSS. B. 28^. '" Cal. S.P. Dom. 1641-3, p. 369. 



150 



