[266] It is worthy of remark, that Sir Thomas Fairfax, on his arrival, does not so much continue the siege already commenced by Colonel Morgan, as begin a new siege by a new summons. It was thought, perhaps, that the Marquess would be more disposed to surrender his Castle to a man of General Fairfax’s rank than to Colonel Morgan; and from what follows, the opinion was not without foundation.
[267] A prohibition, by-the-by, which the noble owner and his royal master do not seem to have applied to themselves.—See Certamen Religiosum.
[268] “An exact and true Relation of the many several Messages that have passed between his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Marquess of Worcester, Governor of Raglan Castle, touching the Surrender thereof: Together with a Copy of the Propositions sent to the General from the Marquess of Worcester out of Raglan Castle, and his Excellency’s Refusal to treat on them: Also, the Names your Commissioner appointed to treate with the Enemy upon the Propositions sent to them from the Generall. Certified in a Letter to a Member of the Honourable House of Commons, on Tuesday, August 18th, 1646, and commanded to be forthwith printed and published. London. 1646.”
[269] Fairfax was encamped on a rising ground north of the Castle, which commanded the whole line of the fortress occupied by the Marquess of Worcester.
[270] It is deserving of notice, that the communication above quoted was ordered by the House of Commons to be made public the moment it was received, although it describes very frankly all the plans and difficulties of the besieging army. In other cases it would probably have formed the substance of a secret despatch.
[271] An account precisely similar to that quoted is given in the “Mercurius Civicus—London’s Intelligencer; or, Truth impartially related from thence to the whole Kingdom, to prevent misinformation. From Thursday, August 13, to Thursday, August 20, 1646.” This singular-looking gazette, determined it would seem on impartiality of honours, ornaments its title-page with a likeness of Sir Thomas Fairfax, faced by that of King Charles.
[272] Part of this building remains, with the date 1616. In the parish church of Llandenny, is a monument of Roger Oates of Kevantilla, who died 1706, ætatis 67.
[273] “History of England,” Charles I. p. 607.
[274] Among the gentlemen who took part with him in the defence was Sir Harry Killigrew, of whose melancholy fate Clarendon gives some interesting particulars.—Clarendon, part ii. p. 39, ed. 1706; also, vol. v. p. 40.
[275] “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made, each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats.”—Isaiah ii. 20.