Communicated by Mr, James Waylen. 85 



the Earl to repair into Wiltshire. The prayer was granted on the 

 former proviso of avoiding Oxford and promising on his honour to 

 return upon twenty days' warning. Perhaps the King forcibly 

 prevented his return to captivity, for about the time of the treaty 

 of Truro, in 1645, his lordship again fell into his enemies' hands, 

 who surprised him at or near Lord Hopton's head-quarters. Two 

 of his Charlton servants, Anthony Porter and Robert Almon, made 

 oath that he had quitted the said head-quarters on the day before 

 the rendition of Truro, but this was all they could allege in miti- 

 gation. Of course his estates were all this while under sequestration, 

 nor could he get a hearing as a compounder till after the King's 

 death. His town mansion at St. James's meanwhile was occupied 

 as barracks for Fairfax's men. 



Lord Clarendon invariably speaks of the Earl of Berkshire in 

 terms of contempt. Possibly the Howard may have irritated the 

 Hyde by references to his own tardy conversion to royalism, for 

 their mutual hostility appears to have been nursed at the council- 

 board, an arena on which Clarendon eventually showed himself to 

 be facile princeps. As such he had little patience with obstructors of 

 his policy. Of the Earl of Berkshire's personal attachment to the 

 King's cause there could be no question ; but the historian always 

 labours to prove him a bungler. 



The Earl of Berkshire's petition to compound, dated 14th April, 

 1649, set forth that he being a sworn servant in ordinary to his late 

 Majesty, did upon the command of his said Majesty attend his 

 person in the duty of his place, according to his oath, during the 

 late troubles, both at Oxford and other places, whilst they were 

 holden in garrison against the Parliament. He is comprised within 

 the articles of Truro. During such attendance he did adhere unto 

 and assist the King and his forces ; but neither did he hold any 

 command nor bear arms ; nevertheless his estate being sequestered 

 for his said delinquency, he humbly prays to be admitted to a 

 moderate composition according to the particular hereunto annexed. 

 And he shall pray, &c. His fine was at first fixed at £972 14*., to 

 which £320 was afterwards added, as respecting three mortgaged 

 estates whose condition conld not then be estimated, viz., Kingsbury 



