82 JOURNAL OF JOHN ASTON, 1639 



Bedford's armes^'^ on the inside, should carry this inscription 

 underneath them : 



Sumptihus Eduardi Comitis Cognomine Bedford 

 Condita prceclari stint hcec insignia clara. 



On Saturday, the 25th [May], the king went from Anwick 

 to GosswiCK where the army lay encamped in the feild. The 

 king's pavillion was pitched, but hee lay in a little house, 

 where the widdow of Sir Robert Hamilton^^ lived, after whose 

 decease it was the inheritance of one Fossett, a London taylour. 

 Heere the pensioners watched his majestie both this night 

 and Sonday night, and boasted much they had the preheminence 

 to keepe the first watch in the army, whereas that honour 

 the privy-chamber-men had : it was but a formality graunted 

 to please them with, and neither of use nor reputation. 



It should seeme the king's designe was to have set downe 

 with his army heere, it beeing neare the Holy Island, and 

 to have had the command and pleasure of his shipps for his 

 security upon any exigent. But this resolve was soone alltered, 

 for on Monday the army broke up and marched to Barwick, 

 the king himselfe goeing before in the morning.^^ Had they 

 remained there the Scotts would little have regarded the king's 

 forces, and would have wearied him soone out with the expence, 

 and kept them-selves quiet at home : besides, Barwick was a 

 place of strength, and was newly fortifyed and furnished with 

 a garrison, which, if it should bee attempted, could receive 

 noe present succour from the king's army, 5 miles distant on 

 the sea shore, where there was noe possibility of attempting 



^® The Earl of Bedford as farmer of the great tithes belonging to the 

 rectory of Lesbury, parcel of the possession of the Abbey of Alnwick, 

 had liabilities for the maintaining the chancel of Alnwick, and therefore 

 had corresponding privileges. 



"'' Margery, daughter and coheiress of William Swinhoe of Goswick, 

 married first, her kinsman William Swinhoe, and secondly, Sir Robert 

 Hamilton of Berwick, knight. On the 8th of August 1637 Sir Eobert 

 Hamilton and Margery his wife joined with her two sisters in conveying 

 the manor of Goswick, etc., to James Fawcett, gent. Cf. Eaine, North 

 Durham, p. 185. 



^^ " On the afternoon of May 27 Charles arrived at Berwick." Terry, 

 Life and Campaigns of Alexander Leslie, p. 64. 



