during the Great Rebellion. 



299 



well see that his Majesty's troops were so comfortably clad they 

 would not accept rebels' garments. 



Col. Duckett's house at Calstone was destroyed, the Colonel 

 himself escaping alone, concealed in a hearse. 



Mr. Sherington Talbot, lord of Lacock, had been taken prisoner 

 and sent to London : the house was now occupied by Lady Olivia 

 Stapylton. Lord Hopton determined to secure this important 

 post, and accordingly sent thither Col. Jordan Boville with his 

 own troop of horse. On reaching Lacock, they found it already 

 occupied by a detachment of Parliamentarians from Chippenham 

 and Malmesbury. Boville rode on to Devizes, and taking hasty 

 concert with Sir J. Long, it was determined without any loss of 

 time to attack Lacock. Advancing cautiously towards Chippenham, 

 they received tidings by the way that Lacock Abbey had been 

 abandoned, and that the strong garrison had removed to Rowden 

 House, the seat of Sir Edward Hungerford, while a company or 

 two were stationed in Chippenham itself. A troop of horse dashed 

 instantly into Chippenham, and amongst other prisoners captured 

 the Governor of Rowden. Thence they proceeded to Rowden 

 and summoned it to surrender. The only response was a volley of 

 musquetry. A message was despatched to Bath to Lord Hopton 

 to send up the heavy battering pieces, and rigid siege was laid to 

 the house. The artillery was immediately brought up by Sir 

 F. Doddington, and a heavy fire opened upon the mansion. At 

 the same time 400 dragoons arrived from Cirencester. But 

 active measures were also taken by the Parliamentary Generals in 

 the district to raise the siege. Col. Stephens, Sheriff of Gloucester- 

 shire, burst through the royalist lines with horse and foot, bringing 

 with him a much needed supply of ammunition and food. But 

 while they rested a brief hour and took some necessary refresh- 

 ment, the busy foemen outside, aided by a number of zealous 

 peasants from the farms and neighbouring town, cast up a huge 

 barricade of earth, stones, and timber before the gate ; " 400 horse 

 and foot (says a MS. in Mr. A. Goldney's possession) were all 

 cooped together, and the poor besieged were most desperately 

 straitened by this kind of relief." Every hour made matters worse 



