POLITICAL HISTORY 



small a number to make it good against an enemy ; however, not to 

 divide those 500 at least, as lately they were, one hundred of them 

 being taken forth of the town to defend Beucastle, and another hun- 

 dred to the guarding of another castle, being places of no strength or 

 consequence, and which an enemy would scarcely ever think upon, 

 unless incited thereunto out of hope to have execution of these two 

 companies, so separated from the rest of the regiment.' 1 In July 1640 

 Sir Nicholas Byron was appointed military governor of the castle and 

 city of Carlisle with extensive powers/ When Leslie crossed the Border 

 and took Newcastle^ the idea became generally prevalent that the victory 

 would be followed by an advance on Carlisle. Information was 

 despatched throughout the county by Sir William Howard, Sir George 

 Dalston and Sir Thomas Dacre that the Scots were preparing to invade 

 Cumberland and to deal with it as they had done with Northumberland 

 and the Bishopric of Durham. Orders were issued for a general muster 

 of the military strength of the county, including trainbands and ' dra- 

 gooners,' at Carlisle on 3 October 1640. The deputy lieutenants and 

 justices of the peace gave instructions ' that one able man out of every 

 five be chosen to defend the country, and that the four who stay at 

 home shall provide arms and allowances ; that all freeholders shall come 

 themselves or send an able man with arms and allowance, except the 

 trainbands of horse and foot, in regard of their more immediate service ; 

 that the country in general shall contribute towards the charges of 

 making such works as shall be thought necessary by the lieutenant 

 governor for the defence of the city ; and that upon the firing of the 

 beacons all the chosen men shall repair to Carlisle with seven days pro- 

 vision upon pain of death.' It was also ordered that every soldier 

 should bring with him, besides his arms, a spade, shovel or pickaxe to 

 Carlisle, from whence they should be carried in carts to the places where 

 they should be used. 3 For the moment however the danger passed from 

 Carlisle, and under the provisions of the treaty with the Scots its 

 garrison was disbanded and the two counties were obliged to con- 

 tribute to the maintenance of the Scottish army while the truce 

 lasted. The county had no opportunity of showing its military 

 prowess in defence of the king, but the lord lieutenant was probably 

 right when he stated ' that it was not possible to keep the counties of 

 Cumberland and Westmorland out of the Scottish power, whensoever 

 they should endeavour to take them in.' * 



When the royal cause began to decline in the northern counties 

 after the defeat of Marston Moor, Carlisle alone remained faithful to the 



Rushworth, Hist. Coll. ii. 929. 



a Rymer, Fasdera, xx. 427-8. In the same month the king sent three troops of horse under Sir 

 Thomas Lucas for the defence of the Border. Sir Thomas Lucas's troop of 100 men was quartered in 

 the Abbey holme ; another troop at Arthuret and Howend ; and a third of some 60 soldiers at Bewcastle 

 (Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. vi. App. p. 329). 



> Ibid. (Muncaster MSS.), x. App. iv. 274-5 > ibid. (Devonshire MSS.), iii. App. p. 40. 



* Rushworth, Hist. Coll. ii. 1309. 



287 



