CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. xlv 



hand a little iron cannon ball; requesting, at the 

 same time, that, I would never allow it to go out 

 of the family keeping. " It was used," said he, 

 " against Oliver Cromwell, when he attacked our 

 house." My father then gave me the following 

 account : — ' 

 66 At that period, the old gateway was three 

 stories high ; and on the top of it was placed an 

 iron swivel gun, to carry balls the size of that 

 which you now hold in your hand. Our people 

 who were defending the place, against the attack of 

 the Marauder, having observed one of his men 

 going up the footpath through an adjacent wood, 

 with a keg on his shoulder, for a supply of ale 

 from the village ; imagined that he would return by 

 the same route. Under this supposition, the 

 swivel-gun was pointed to bear on the path. When 

 the returning soldier came in sight, the gun was 

 discharged at him with so just an aim, that the 

 ball fractured his leg. Tradition from father to 

 son, pointed out the spot where the ball had 

 entered the ground. Long before you were born/' 

 added my father, " curiosity caused me to dig for 

 the ball at the place which had been pointed out ; 

 and there I found it, nine inches deep under the 

 sod." So far my father. 

 . The year before last, (1855) perceiving that the 



