^o General History of Bath. 



The Marquis of Hertford the Lord Lieutenant, his 

 brother, Francis Seymour, and Mr. WiUiam Bassett, of 

 Claverton Manor, one of the city members, had been with the 

 King at York, but were hurriedly despatched to the West. 



Sir Robert Foster was known to be a "trimmer," and 

 Hertford wrote him a strong letter of warning "that the 

 gentlemen of Dorset were well affected to the King, and 

 were apprehensive what might pass at the Assizes, and few 

 •of them would adventure themselves into the town, being 

 at present in such a posture of war, so as he, the Judge, 

 was not likely to be so fully attended, and all preventions 

 would rest wholly on his courage and constancy." 



The Grand Jury made a presentment of a neutral cha- 

 racter — that it was grievous the people should be vexed by 

 contrary orders — that the King and Parliament should meet 

 and adjust their differences, and that in the meantime the 

 King should suspend the " commission of array," and the 

 Parliament the order for the Militia — very sage advice, but 

 not suited to the temper of the times. 



Such was the position when Hertford and Seymour came 

 to Bath, and met there a goodly array of gentlemen. The 

 Hoptons of Witham Friary, Sir John Digby, son of the Earl 

 of Bristol, Sir Francis Hawley, and Sir Thomas Bridges of 

 Keynsham. The Seymours, Hoptons, and Bassetts were 

 much beloved in Bath, and for the time, carried all before 

 them. The Corporation feted their distinguished guests, 

 and made them presents; and the Town Hall, decked as we 

 read with "grene and carpets," was placed at their service. 

 It was proposed to make Bristol the Royalist head-quarters ; 

 but the trained bands, who at heart loved not the cause, 

 ■objected that they could not be legally marched out of their 

 county. Finally Hertford made the great tactical mistake of es- 



