you have some of our late Irish army in your company; they very well know me, and that my firelocks used not to parley. Be not unadvised, but think of your liberty; for, I vow, all hopes of relief are taken from you, and our intents are not to starve you, but to batter and storm you, and then hang you all, and follow the rest of that rebel crew. I am no bread and cheese rogue, but was ever a loyalist, and will be while I can write or name—

"THOMAS SANDFORD, Captain of Firelocks."

To this fiery missive, the threatening Captain adds-"I expect your speedy answer, this Tuesday night, at Broad-lane Hall, where I now am, your near neighbour."

Although no regard was paid either to this letter or the different summonses sent to Sir William to surrender Hawarden Castle, on the 2nd of December he was forced to capitulate, when the garrison was allowed to march out with half-arms, two pair of colours, one flying, the other furled, and to have a safe conduct either to Wem or Nantwich.-We will now return to the military affairs at Chester.

In recording the events of a civil war, much must be left to the reflections of the reader, to conceive the amount of general confusion and destruction which is carried on by the contending parties, and which is not very often characterised by any prominent traits of generosity or mercy on the part of those whose turn it is to be the victors. In the early part of 1644, it fell to the lot of Lord Byron to be invested with the chief command of the King's army in Cheshire, and also to be made governor of its principal city. Holding this position, he did not long remain idle, but sought such opportunities as appeared favourable to fall on the parliamentarians, destroying them wherever he was able. At that time Sir William Brereton and Colonel Ashton were lying near Middlewich, when he resolved to attack them. Being well supported, he cut off two hundred of their men, and shortly afterwards caused the surrender of Northwich to the Royalists. Following this, came Crewe House, Doddington Hall, and Acton Church; when, with the exception of Nantwich, no other garrison in that neighbourhood held out for the parliament. This place was, therefore, attacked by Lord Byron, but it proved too strong for him. He was accordingly forced to make good his retreat to the garrison of Chester, which he accomplished with considerable difficulty.

Whilst the city was passing through the usual ordeal of a siege, the affair of Rowton Heath came on. Here Sir Marmaduke Langdale suffered a defeat, apparently through the delay on the part of the King, whose cause, even in this quarter, does not seem to have been defended either with the vigour or the enthusiasm which marked the conduct of the adherents of the parliament. There is a letter published in the History of Chester,

which, in a striking manner, shows the negligence of the royal commanders on this occasion. It is written by the son of one Colonel Shakerley (afterwards Sir Geoffrey), who does not seem to have received his just deserts in reference to the part which he played on the King's side. It says, that after Sir Marmaduke had effectually beaten the parliamentary troops, he desired Colonel Shakerley, who was best acquainted with these parts, to repair, in the best manner he could, to the King, who was then in Chester, and acquaint him with his success; also, to ask for further orders from his majesty. "The Colonel," says the letter, "executed his orders with better speed than could have been expected; for he galloped directly to the river Dee, under Huntingdon House; got a wooden tub (used in slaughtering swine), and a batting staff (used for batting of coarse linen) for an oar; put a servant into the tub with him; and in this desperate manner crossed the river, his horse swimming by him (for the banks were very steep, and the river very deep); ordered the servant to stay there with the tub till his return, and was with the King in little more than a quarter of an hour after he left Sir Marmaduke." He then informed the King of what had been done, and requested further orders, observing that he would engage to deliver them in a quarter of an hour. He also told the King the manner in which he had been enabled to see him so soon, which saved him a circuit of nine or ten miles, by Holtbridge, for the boats at Eaton had been rendered useless. When Colonel Shakerley had made such despatch to inform the King of the success of Sir Marmaduke, it might reasonably have been expected that the monarch would have made such haste as he could to enable his commander to follow up his advantage; "but such delays were used by some about the King, that no orders were sent, or any sally made out of the city by the King's party till past three o'clock in the afternoon, which was full six hours afterwards." The consequence of this was, that the enemy rallied at a subsequent part of the day, and regained the field which they had lost.

In the fatal battle at Rowton, many gentlemen of high rank, as well as officers of distinction, were slain. Among these was Bernard Stuart, the young Earl of Lichfield, who was the third brother of that illustrious family who had fallen in the cause of royalty. Many of the King's party were taken prisoners; and Charles, attended by the Mayor and Alderman Cooper, had the mortification of witnessing the discomfiture and rout of his army from the leads of a building called the Phoenix; and also from the roof of the cathedral. Chester was now deemed no place of security for his majesty. He therefore, on the following day, departed from it, after giving orders to Lord Byron, the governor, and the commissioners,

"that if, after ten days, they saw no reasonable prospect of relief, to treat for their own preservation." The King now marched over the Dee, with 500 horse, and passed into Wales.

Notwithstanding the many attempts which were made to take or reduce the city, it still held out, and would not even accept of terms of capitulation. It was at length determined, by the parliamentary commanders, that such an effort should be made as could not possibly fail. Accordingly the city was surrounded by their horse, and an assault of the utmost violence was begun upon the walls, in several places. The battlements were vigorously, attacked and as vigorously defended. The courage and perseverance of the assailants seem to have been worked up to their highest points of determination; but the resolute garrison, notwithstanding the straits to which it was reduced, managed to hold its own. At last the enemy reached the top of the city walls: they seemed on the eve of being triumphant; but the gallant defenders again attacked them, threw them from the walls, and possessed themselves of the scaling-ladders which had so nearly been the means of forcing them to a surrender. They also took a quantity of arms, and put their assailants to flight.

It was now resolved that the siege should be converted into a close blockade; and with a view to that end, the besieging army was reinforced by more troops. It was intended to starve the garrison into submission. Accordingly the forces were disposed in such a manner as to completely surround the city, and effectually to guard every gate and avenue. The garrison, however, was above the influence of fear. Even the women seemed as resolute as the men, and made the most strenuous personal exertions in defending the royal cause. In an account given by Randle Holme, it is said that "by this time our women are all on fire, striving, through a gallant emulation, to outdo our men, and will make good our yielding walls, or lose their lives to show they dare attempt it. The work goes forward, and they, like so many valiant Amazons, do outface death and dare danger, though it lurk in every basket; seven are shot, and three slain, yet they scorn to leave their matchless undertaking; and thus they continued for ten days' space, possessing the beholders that they are immaculate! Our ladies, likewise, like so many exemplary goddesses, created a matchless forwardness in the meaner sorts, by their daily undertakings, that he who saw them would have thought a hundred suns eclipsed, at least ways clouded, with the royal dust, had he been in that place; which they wipe off with such a pleasant smile, that they seem rather silent solicitors of a new deformity, than willing partners with that purchased honour."

By the beginning of 1646, the garrison was reduced to the utmost want; and those who were now, perhaps, getting tired of suffering for royalty, began to murmur, and spread a rumour, that whatever might be their sufferings and misery, there was little doubt that the governor and the commissioners fared well enough. To remove the evil effects of any impression that such a rumour was calculated to make upon the minds of the citizens, Lord Byron, and some of the commissioners, severally invited the chiefs among the discontented to dine with them, and placed before them some boiled wheat and spring water. This equine fare opened their eyes to the condition of the governor, and had the effect of completely banishing any feelings of dissatisfaction which existed on account of the erroneous opinion which some had entertained in respect to his larder. This was the only fare upon which Lord Byron and the commissioners had been fed; and when the inhabitants became aware of it, their confidence and courage were renewed to such an extent, that they unanimously resolved to support them with their lives, and to hold out to the last extremity. On the 3rd of February, however, the garrison was forced, by famine, to surrender, when the parliamentary forces took possession of the city. At this time "desolation and destruction marked the suburbs, which presented an undistinguished mass of ruins-the only remains of dwellings once the peaceful habitations of content and security; while the walls and edifices within the city were defaced or battered down by the destructive cannon. In addition to this, the city lands were all mortgaged; the funds quite exhausted; the plate melted down; and the churches, particularly St. John's, being so long in possession of the enemy, greatly damaged." Such are some of the calamities which enter into the category of even a civil war.

A SIMILE.

THE mists of years steal o'er the sight,
As darkness o'er the calm twilight

Of a long summer's day;

Then, as the hills and vales below
Still darker gradually grow,

So fadeth life away.