POLITICAL HISTORY 



Derby ' the lord Paget, who to expiate former transgressions ' 88S had raised a 

 good regiment of foot, joined the king, and at Shrewsbury His Majesty was 

 met by a great number of the gentry of the neighbouring counties, some of 

 whom offered to raise levies for him at their own expense. Then Charles 

 entered into negotiations with the Roman Catholics of Salop and Stafford- 

 shire, ' of whom there were a good number of very valuable men,' with the 

 result that they advanced him between 4,000 and 5,000,'"* and shortly 

 afterwards he wrote to Sir Edward Mosley, high sheriff of Staffordshire, 

 requiring him to use his utmost industry with the well-affected in that countv 

 to persuade them to contribute horses, arms, ammunition, plate or money for 

 his assistance. 88 ' 



At the outset matters went in Charles's favour, and in the midland 

 counties in February, 1643, he was steadily gaining ground. Lord Brooke 

 was therefore chosen to redeem the day at the head of the force of the 

 associated counties. He drove the Royalists out of Stratford and advanced to 

 Lichfield, where a force had garrisoned the close, aided in their object by the 

 walls of Bishop Langton. He at once commenced the siege, and stepping 

 into the street to watch the effect of a cannon shot aimed across the pool, was 

 shot through the brain !88 by a bullet, according to tradition, from the gun of 

 one of the sons of Sir Richard Dyott, who with the Earl of Chesterfield com- 

 manded the cathedral garrison. The garrison were few in numbers, and ill 

 provisioned, and in three days surrendered to Sir John Cell, who succeeded 

 Lord Brooke. A contemporary broadside S87 printed in London makes the 

 following comment on the shooting of Lord Brooke by Dyott : 



to whom he had immediately before shewne mercy, by which we may see what their dealings 

 would be with us and all true Protestants if they were peaceably entertained into the city, 

 like snakes received into our bosoms we should be in continuall danger of an unexpected 

 generall throat cutting or some bloody tragedy : the Lord have mercy upon us and keep us 

 from being a prey to the wolf-like cavaliers and bloody-minded Papists. 



The damage done during the siege, short as it was, to the cathedral at 

 Lichfield, was immense, and the wanton destruction committed afterwards 

 by the Puritans as bad. Even the records were destroyed, the gravestones 

 stripped of their brasses, the tombs broken open and their contents scattered. 



Lichfield was not to remain long in the hands of the Parliament, for its 

 loss was felt by the Royalists as weakening the king's hold upon the midlands 

 where it was most important he should be strong. The Earl of Northampton 

 was therefore dispatched from Banbury to retake it, and met Sir John Cell at 

 Hopton Heath. Of the battle that ensued it may be instructive to give an 

 account written by either side : the Royalist account is as follows 888 : After 

 the surrender of Lichfield Stafford became the head quarters of the Royalists 

 of the county, and against this Sir John Cell led his troops, flushed by the 

 recent victory. But the Earl of Northampton 289 came to its aid, and Sir John 



283 William fifth Lord Paget had at first been against the king, and therefore made by the Parliament 

 lord-lieutenant of Buckinghamshire ; Whitelocke, Memorials, 58. "* Clarendon, Hist, of Rebellion, vi, 65. 



195 Mosley, Hist. ofTutbury, 220. !M Gardiner, Civi/ffar, i, 112. 



887 Now in Bodleian Library. >8S Clarendon, Hist, of Rebellion, vi, 278 et seq. 



169 Clarendon says of him : ' He was a person of great courage, honour, and fidelity, and not well- 

 known till his evening, having in the ease and plenty and luxury of that too happy time indulged to 

 himself with that license which was then thought necessary to great fortunes ; but from the beginning of 

 these distractions, as if he had been awakened out of a lethargy, he never proceeded with a lukewarm 

 temper' ; Hist, of Rebellion, vi, 283. 



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