A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



Furness,'" and had taken Thurland Castle, bravely defended by Sir John 

 Girlington."" In December of this year Lord Byron defeated the Parlia- 

 mentary troops near Middlewich in Cheshire, but Fairfax, moving quickly 

 from Manchester with Assheton's, Holland's, and Booth's regiments, joined 

 with Sir William Brereton and defeated Byron near Nantwich on 25 January, 

 1644."^ And now commenced one of the most famous events of the war 

 in Lancashire — the long and unsuccessful siege of Lathom House, where 

 the brave countess of Derby held out in the absence of her husband from 

 27 February until 27 May, when Colonel Rigby, hearing that Prince 

 Rupert "^ was advancing to the garrison's relief, raised the siege and retired 

 to Bolton, In his brilliant fashion Prince Rupert stormed Bolton and 

 Liverpool, and for a short time threatened the county in general. The 

 Parliament were keenly alive to the danger, as appears from their delibera- 

 tions at the time. On i June, 1644, among the proceedings at the 

 Committee of Both Kingdoms, it was debated what might be done ' to 

 prevent the spoil of Lancashire where Prince (Rupert) now is near Man- 

 chester, having taken Stockport and Bolton and given a sore blow to Colonel 

 Rigby, who is come to Bradford.' "' Again, on 3 June it was moved 

 that the earl of Manchester and Lord Fairfax be informed of Prince 

 Rupert's entry into the county and prevailing there and 



that considering the passes and the multitude of Papists and disaffected persons in that 

 county he will so increase his forces as it shall be irrecoverable, and therefore [they] desire 

 such a considerable strength may be sent thither as may ruin the Prince's army.''* 



This urgent advice had weighed with the Parliamentary commanders. The 

 prince was met and defeated at Marston Moor on 2 July, and thus the 

 danger menacing the palatinate was averted. Subsequently the great 

 Royalist leader. Sir Thomas Tyldesley, was captured near Montgomery on 

 17 September,"' and in this month the Parliamentary forces returned to 

 the siege of Lathom House, which only capitulated to the Parliament in 

 the December of the following year, 1645.'^' In May, 1645, ^^^ ^^^S ^^^ 

 said to be marching upon Cheshire and Lancashire, and the Parliament 

 ' apprehending nothing he can have in design of so much danger to the 

 public affairs as his entrance into Lancashire, where probably he may much 

 increase his army,' warned the Lancashire Committee to guard the passes of 

 the county.'" 



Things, however, turned out differently. As is well known early in 

 1646 the king, after his heavy defeat at Naseby (in June, 1645), delivered 

 himself up to the Scotch army, and in January, 1647, was resigned by them 

 to the Parliament. 



But though the king was a prisoner and the actual warfare against him 

 was thereby ended, all danger of rising on his behalf was far from being 

 removed, particularly in Lancashire, where much marching and counter- 

 marching of Parliamentary troops was still carried on. In 1 648 there was a 



"• Civil War Tracts, No. xxxvii, 148-9, 150, 151. 



'"^''''^ ""Ibid. 154,229. 



^ Ibid. 182 ; also Cal. S.P. Dom. 1644, p. 174. >» Cal. S.P. Dom. 1644, p. ,9,. 



'" Ibid. 197. -r-T' r 7 



'" Civil War Tracts, 206 ; also Cal. S.P. Dom. 1644, p. 537. 



•« 9 Dec. 164s ; Cal. S.P. Dom. \6^s-7, p. 255. '" Ibid, 1644-5, P- 482. 



238 



