It is not a little singular that during all this clash of arms the Royalist governor of Donnington Castle held that stronghold, although repeatedly attacked, from August, 1644, to April, 1646, and then only surrendered when desired by the King to do so.
CURIOUS OLD TOLL-HOUSE BETWEEN NEWBURY AND HUNGERFORD.
SPEEN
The road ascends to Speen, or, as it is often called, “Church Speen.” The present writer was climbing it when he overtook a countryman in a smock-frock, to whom the steep gradient was evidently anything but welcome.
“You’re a regular Mountjoy, a’ b’lieve,” said the countryman, puffing and blowing.
“A regular what?”
“A Mountjoy—a walker. But there; you bain’t Newbury?”
I told him I certainly was not a native of that town.
“Well,” said he, “you won’t, never have heerd of ’un, p’raps.”