during the Great Rebellion. 



305 



inhabitants afterwards (he adds) put on a new one with a bushy 

 beard, but whether like the former I cannot tell." As Waller came on 

 by Marshfield, he pushed on an advanced division through Chip- 

 penham ; some of his troopers were met by Capt. Jones, and driven 

 back into Calne. Waller hurrying on through Chippenham, 

 reached Calne, and here waiting till more troops and some field- 

 pieces should arrive from Malmesbury, intended to effect the re- 

 duction of Lacock, but hearing that Cromwell was hard pressed by 

 Goring, he marched off through Rowde into Dorset. 



Sir James Long, after a few weeks' captivity was exchanged for 

 Col. Stephens, who had been taken at Rowden. Absolutely and 

 indignantly renouncing the act of submission to the usurping 

 powers, which Lady Dorothy had made in his name, as soon as he 

 was free, he hastened to his old quarters at Devizes, rallied round 

 him his old companions in arms, and on the 9th of May, 1645, 

 burst into Chippenham sword in hand. Overpowered by the fiery 

 cavaliers the scanty garrison was driven helter skelter over the 

 bridge, along the narrow winding road to Malmesbury, which then 

 ran up by Monkton gate, between the Old Road Inn and the 

 Foundry, and on through the low dell at the side of Hardenhuish 

 House. They kept ahead, being mounted on fresh horses, through 

 Stanton and Corston, until, after a chase of 10 miles, they ran in 

 under the guns of Malmesbury, which opening a rapid fire from 

 the high ground, compelled the pursuers to retire. Sir James 

 however, had eyed some goodly oxen feeding in Cole Park : of 

 these he selected 100 beasts, and drove them leisurely and safely 

 before him into Devizes. 



About this time also he barricaded Bromham Hall. The ram- 

 part which he probably raised may yet be traced. These strong 

 mansions, of which there were so many in this beautiful and well 

 wooded district, served admirably for temporary strongholds, and 

 often from the solidity of their masonry, a long time defied an 

 enemy, though manned by a very small force. But Bromham 

 Hall, in other hands, might prove a pernicious scourge to the 

 King's good Castle at Devizes : therefore an order was given for 

 its destruction ; and of that stately fabric, built in the time of 



