not Lord Derby set it on fire, in consequence of which the Parliamentary forces retired to save it from utter destruction.

The period for which the leading Parliamentarians of Manchester had engaged the services of Roseworm was now about to expire. But the fortifications of the town were not yet completed. Another siege was shortly expected, as Lord Molineux had returned to Lancashire. Under these circumstances it was deemed advisable to retain the German engineer. An account of this transaction is given by Roseworm himself, in his 'Good Service,' in which he tells us, 'I kept this command of lieutenant-coll. during the residue of my half-year's service contracted for with the towne of Manchester, which being now expired, they then observed, what they cannot without shame remember now, that I was both trustie and successfull. They were loth to for-go such a servant, and therefore propounded new terms to me, offering me an annuity of 60li. [£60.] per annum, to be paid 15li. quarterly, during the lives of both of myself and wife, which should survive the longest, if I would by my advice prosecute the finishing of their fortifications, and the ordering of all military affairs. conducing to the safetie of the town, and upon all occasions be ready to give directions accordingly. At the same time also they with the deputy-lieutenants desired me to accept of a foot companie in the garrison of Manchester, engaging themselves to maintain it, as long as it was a garrison, and to pay me 40s. per week in part of my captains pay, and the rest was to go upon.the publick faith. I was pressed to accept this so importunately on their part, and by one reason so strongly within myself, which was, that by embracing the first of these proposals, I should not leave a decolate widow without a poore subsistence, in case a warlike end should befall myself, that I layed down my lieutenant-collonels commission, and closed with their contract.' We shall see hereafter how well these engagements to Roseworm were carried out.

The garrison of Manchester still continued to prove a great burden to the inhabitants of the town. The attempt made by the Parliament to raise money for the purpose of indemnifying the townsmen proved ineffectual. It was therefore directed, as we have seen before, that the engineers, and the troops in Manchester, should have their pay out of the estates of the delinquents, against

whom the acts of sequestration had been hitherto somewhat tardily put in force. The directions issued to the committee of sequestrators were as follow:-'You are to seize,' says one of the articles, 'two parts of the estates, both real and personal, of all Papists (as they are called,) and the whole estates of all other sort of delinquents mentioned in the said ordinance, whether they be Papists or others; and you are to understand by two parts of Papists' estates, two of their whole lands, and two of their goods into three divided.' The gentlemen in Manchester and the neighbourhood who compounded for their estates were the following:- John Byrom of Salford, who paid £201 16s. 6d.; Edward Byrom of Salford, £2 6s. 8d.; Adam Bowker of Salford, £16 13s; Peter Bowker of Manchester, £12; Sir Edward Mosley of Hough End, £4,874; Nicholas Mosley of Ancoats, £170; Francis Mosley, and Nicholas, his son, of Collyhurst, £200; Henry Pendleton of Manchester, £80; Alexander Potter of Manchester, £4 5s.; Sir Thomas Prestwich, and Thomas, his son, of Hulme, £330; Ferdinando Stanley of Broughton, £150; and John Rogerton of Manchester, £4 8s. 4d.: the total sequestrations amounted to £6,045 9s. 6d. None of these gentlemen appear to have been Catholics.

The 'Kingdom's Weekly Intelligencer,' for the 23rd and 30th of May, gives us the following information respecting Lancashire at this period, which will perhaps throw some light on the reasons which induced the new sequestration. 'Another thing observable in the generall is, that in Lancashire and Yorkshire there are more Papists than in all England beside, for in one Hundred in Lancashire, since this Parliament began, there were 15,000 Papists presented at one sessions, and many thousands of them convicted presently after.'

We have above alluded to the treachery of Captain Peter Heywood, and given Roseworm's opinion of him. After the reverses which the Manchester troops experienced, Heywood's duplicity was discovered. Roseworm tells us that, 'his treacherous correspondence being proved against him, he was secured by the committee, and yet, without the consent of the rest of the committee, contrary to an ordinance touching such cases, released by Colonel Holland'; two of his friends, also being bound for his appearance, which never were questioned, though he presently

upon his enlargement went to the enemy.' Colonel Holland seems to have taken a pleasure in frustrating the plans proposed by Roseworm; hence the many complaints made by the latter, in his various petitions and addresses to Parliament.

In the beginning of May the Manchester forces received orders to return home. They reached the town on the ninth of the same month, and were gladly welcomed by the inhabitants. But the time allowed to them for repose was of short duration. On the 23rd they set out on an expedition against Warrington, having previously devoted two days to fasting and prayer. Hearing of the approach of the Manchester troops, a party of Royalists fortified themselves at Winwick. But the Parliamentarians soon. dislodged them, driving them from the church in which they had taken up a position, and also from a fortified mansion-house, belonging to one of the Catholic gentry. The capture of the latter furnished the Manchester men with a good stock of provisions, which, no doubt, proved very acceptable. Warrington was garrisoned by a force of 1,600 horse and foot, under the command of the Earl of Derby, who made every exertion in his power to put the town in a state of defence. His preparations were, however, despised by the Parliamentarians. Colonel Ashton, at the head of the Manchester garrison, assaulted the place with such impetuosity that the Royalist leader was obliged to fortify himself in a church. But this was of little avail. The besiegers pressed so closely on Lord Derby that he was glad to retreat. The greatest part of his men were able to effect their escape, but their arms and ammunition were all lost. On May 26th the church yielded, but the fight continued for two days longer, when the town capitulated. Eighty of the Royalists are said to have been killed and 300 taken prisoners. Colonel Ashton set down his loss at seven men only, a small number when we consider the desperate nature of the combat, and the spirit which animated both parties. The Manchester forces took part also in the capture of Whitchurch, which in this manner came into the hands of the Parliament. They subsequently proceeded to Liverpool, where, having 'gotten the great street, and planted their cannon on the church, which commanded the towne, the Popish forces sent to desire a parley with Colonel Ashton, which was commander-in-chief of the Manchester forces, upon which

hostages were delivered upon both sides.' This was followed by a proposal for a truce made by Colonel Tyldesley, but the terms being rejected by Colonel Ashton, the fight recommenced, and ended by the defeat of the Royalists. Colonel Ashton also captured Hornby and Thurland castles, and made prisoner of Sir John Girlington, 'a strong malevolent in these parts, and also much money and plate, with many disaffected ladies and gentlewomen who were fled for shelter into those castles.' This information given from Manchester, June 21st, adds that Colonel Ashton 'is not yet returned to Manchester, because he intendeth to free all the suspected places of that county from all the Earl of Derbies open favourers and adherents.' With these transactions it was imagined by many that the civil war in Lancashire had terminated, but such did not prove to be the case, more blood was to be shed, more miseries to be undergone, before peace should reassert her sway throughout the land.

CHAPTER XVII.

Continuance of the Civil War-Manchester Summoned by the Earl of NewcastleAnswer given by the Town-The Passes at Blackstone Edge Fortified-Sieges of Halton and Thurland Castles-Defeat of the Parliamentarians by Lord Byron-Nantwich Relieved-Siege of Lathom-Prince Rupert's March tbrough Cheshire—Overtures made to Roseworm by the Royalists— Ingratitude of Manchester-Roseworm's Complaint-Bolton taken by Prince Rupert Great Distress in Lancashire-Liverpool taken by Prince RupertCollections made in London for Lancashire-The Plague visits ManchesterClose of the Civil War.

We have seen in the preceding pages how Manchester continued faithful and true to the principles on which it set out when it took part in the civil war, and how, to prove its attachment, it did not hesitate to sustain a siege against a force superior in numbers and discipline. We have also seen how its garrison took part in the various struggles which occurred in the county and neighbourhood, and the terror and dismay with which they inspired their Royalist opponents, whom in almost every instance they defeated. The Earl of Derby seems to have become dispirited in consequence of the successes of the Parliamentarians. His efforts in the cause of his king proved unavailing, and he sought another field in which he could display his zeal for the royal cause with hopes of better results.

At this time Fairfax was in Yorkshire with a Parliamentary army, which is stated to have included two thousand of the valiant Manchester men.' This army was defeated at Atherton or Adwalton Moor, on June 30th, by the Earl of Newcastle, who gained another victory over Fairfax and the Manchester forces at Bradford, on or about July 2nd. After these successes the earl seems to have been inclined to march at once to Manchester, the head quarters of the Puritans in this part of England, but, after some consideration, he determined to test the feeling of the townspeople, and for