King Charles came to the throne in 1625, but it was not until 1642 that the unhappy differences between the King and the two Houses of Parliament grew so great that nothing but the sword could decide the controversy. Poor Sir John Bankes found himself in a very unfortunate position. He was upon the summer circuit, and when presiding at the assizes at Salisbury he had, in his charge to the Grand Jury, denounced the Earl of Essex, Lord Manchester, and others, as guilty of high treason for continuing in arms against the King. Another serious subject of offence consisted in the fact of his having subscribed liberally to the necessities of the King—an acknowledgment of which, in King Charles’ own hand-writing, is still preserved at Kingston Lacy. These and various other causes were quite sufficient to induce a furious assault upon Corfe Castle.
Prior to this, Lady Bankes, who is described as being a prudent lady, resolved with her children and family to retire to Corfe Castle, to shelter themselves from the storm which she saw was coming. She remained undisturbed all the winter and a great part of the spring, until May, 1643, when the rebels, under the command of Sir Walter Erle and Sir Thomas Trenchard, of Wolfeton House, and others, had gained possession of Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Melcombe, Weymouth, Wareham, and Poole. Portland Castle being treacherously delivered to the rebels, only Corfe Castle remained in obedience to the King. But the rebels, wanting to add this castle to their other garrisons, and preferring to try and gain it by treachery, resolved to lay hold of an opportunity that they knew was just about to offer. To quote the language of the old chronicler:
It seems that by an ancient usage the Mayor and the Barons (as his Town Councillors were called) of Corfe Castle, accompanied by the gentry of the Island of Purbeck, had permission from the Lord of the Castle on May Day to course a stag, which every year was performed with much solemnity and great concourse of people.
On May Day, 1642, some troops of horse from Dorchester and other places came into the island under pretence of hunting the stag; but really their intention was suddenly to surprise the gentlemen whilst hunting and to take Corfe Castle. But the news of their coming reached the Castle before them. The hunters dispersed, and Lady Bankes ordered the great gates of the Castle to be closed against all comers. The troopers accordingly found themselves cheated of their prey, whereupon the common soldiers used threatening language; but the officers, who knew better how to conceal their resolution, utterly disavowed any such thought, denying that they had any orders to attack the Castle. Lady Bankes was not deceived by the officers’ civil speeches; and, to quote once more from the old chronicler:
She very wisely, and like herself, hence took occasion to call in a guard to assist her, not knowing how soon she might have occasion to make use of them, it being now more than probable that the rebels had a design upon the Castle.
No one, of course, knows to what straits the poor lady and her few faithful attendants were put; but provisions must have been at a low ebb or Lady Bankes would never have delivered up the four small cannons, the biggest carrying not above a 3-lb. shot. The result of this compromise was that, having delivered up the four cannons, the rebels agreed to permit her to enjoy the Castle in peace and quietness. Having gained the four cannons, the rebels retired, and, growing weary of watching the Castle gates, they grew negligent as to what was brought in, nor did they take care, as before, to intercept supplies which might enable the Castle people to hold out against a siege. Lady Bankes, making use of this carelessness, furnished the Castle with provisions of every description. A supply, too, of ammunition was brought in; and, hearing that the King’s forces, under Prince Maurice and the Marquis of Hertford, were advancing towards Blandford, Lady Bankes sent a private messenger begging that some officers might be sent to take charge of the Castle: whereupon Captain Laurence, son of Sir Edward Laurence, a gentleman of the Isle of Purbeck, was sent. There was likewise in the Castle one Captain Bond, an old soldier, “whom,” says the chronicler, “I should deprive of his due honour not to mention him as having shared in the honour of this resistance.”
On June 23rd, 1643, commenced a six weeks’ strict siege of Corfe Castle, between 200 and 300 horse and foot, with two cannons; the rebels faced the Castle, and from the hills surrounding played on the fortress. At the same time they set on fire four houses in the town of Corfe, and then summoned the Castle to surrender; but, receiving a refusal, for that time they left it—but only for a time, as Sir Walter Erle, accompanied by Captain Sydenham, Captain Henry Jervis, and Captain Skuts, of Poole, with a body of between five and six hundred men, came and took possession of the town of Corfe, taking advantage of a misty morning, so as to find no resistance from the Castle. With a small cannon, a culverin, and their muskets, they played on the fortress. To bind the soldiers by tie of conscience, they administered an oath to them, mutually binding themselves to most unchristian resolutions—that if they found the defendants obstinate, they would not yield; that they would maintain the siege to victory and deny quarter unto all, killing without mercy men, women, and children. And to bring on their own soldiers they deceived them with falsehoods, saying that the Castle stood on a level, with good advantages of approach; also, that there were only forty men within the fortress, of whom twenty were ready to turn traitors. They also did their best to corrupt the defenders of the Castle to betray it into their hands; but when all these arts took no effect, the rebel commanders fell to stratagems and engines. One of these machines they called a “sow,” and the other a “boar”; they were made with boards lined with wool to deaden the shot. The “sow” was a class of engine used as a protection for soldiers attacking a fortress; it was constructed of strong timber, bound together by hoop-iron, and roofed with hides and sheepskins to render it proof against such musket-shot or other missiles as were then in use. In front there were doors and windows, which were kept closed till the walls were reached; but behind it was open for the admission or retreat of the besiegers. Mounted on wheels, it was moved forward by the occupants by means of levers.
The rebels used Corfe Church as their principal battery and headquarters, and they seem to have desecrated the interior of the sacred building in every possible way. Of the surplices they made shirts for the soldiers; the organ pipes were torn down to serve as cases for their powder and shot; and, not being furnished with musket bullets, they cut off the lead of the church, and, rolling it up, they shot it without ever casting it in a mould.
Sir Walter Erle and the other rebel commanders were earnest to press forward the soldiers; but as prodigal as they were of the blood of their men, they were sparing enough of their own. It was a general observation, says the chronicler, sarcastically, that valiant Sir Walter never willingly exposed himself to any hazard; and to the eternal honour of this knight’s valour, be it recorded that, for fear of musket-shot, he was seen to creep on all-fours on the side of Corfe Castle hill to keep himself from danger.
This base cowardice of the assailants added courage and resolution to the defenders; therefore, not compelled by want, but rather to brave the rebels, they sallied out of the Castle, and brought eight cows and a bull into the fortress without a single man being even wounded.