2 forces had marched as far as Blackheath, but, on Lord Fairfax's advance, they were, after a hard but unsuccessful resistance, obliged to retreat. The Earl of Norwich, with all that remained under his command, crossed the river at Greenwich, and passed over into Essex. There they found many who were ready prepared to have assisted the force which had so openly appeared for the King,' and who had actually intended to have passed over into Kent, had they not been prevented by this unexpected arrival of the Earl of Norwich and his troops. Here were met together "the brave Lord Capell, Sir William Compton, Sir Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, all "excellent officers, Sir Bernard Gascoign, and many "other gentlemen and officers of name, who had drawn together many soldiers.' soldiers." The united forces of Kent and Essex now mustered about "3000 strong of horse "and foot, with officers enough to have formed and "commanded a very good army." It was expected that Lord Fairfax would quickly follow into Essex, and they resolved therefore to take up their quarters in Colchester. On the 12th of June they entered the town, and determined there to await the arrival of the enemy. 66 Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. vi. p. 61. 4 Lord Capell held the Prince's commission as Lieutenant-General of the counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Huntingdon, and Hertford.— Appendix X. 3 Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. vi. p. 61. • Ibid. CHAPTER VII. - Lord Fairfax advances to Colchester and assaults the place He is Repulsed, and lays Siege to the Town Lord Norwich seizes a Committee of Parliament The Parliament seize Lord Capell's Son of the Women - Progress of the Siege The latter Mutiny of the Garrison Lord Norwich treats for Surrender Terms of Surrender The Garrison evacuate the Town, and become Prisoners of War. COLCHESTER was a large and populous place, but not fortified; it was necessary, therefore, that no time should be lost in throwing up such works as should serve to protect the Royalist force from assault: they hoped also to receive assistance from other friends, and more particularly from the Scottish army, before they could be seriously distressed.' One night only was afforded to Lord Norwich's troops for rest after their arduous work, for on the following day, the 13th, Lord Fairfax advanced at the head of the Parliamentary forces within a short distance of the walls, and summoned him to surrender. Lord Norwich, with illtimed jocularity, asked the trumpeter "who brought "the summons how his General did, and bid him tell "his General that he heard he was ill of the gout, but "that Goring would cure him of all diseases."2 The soldiers were naturally irritated by this tone of insulting Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. vi. p. 62. • Whitelock's Memorials,' p. 308. buffoonery towards their commander, and it much increased the fierceness with which the attack on the town was instantly commenced. Had Lord Norwich been well supplied with ammunition, the precipitancy of this attempt might have been fatal to Fairfax; but those who for a while had saved the town from actual assault by keeping up an incessant fire, having at last expended their powder and ball, were then compelled to abandon their strongholds.' A regiment of foot instantly rushed forward, forced an entrance through the gate, and the soldiers were about to abandon its further defence, but were again rallied by the example of their officers and gentlemen. Then appeared in the midst of the battle Lord Capell, "whose height and "strength of body, no less than personal courage, well "fitted him for the encounter,"" charging where the enemy was most pressing with pike in hand, and was followed by others, till a passage was effected, the enemy repulsed, and the gates again closed; no bar could be found to render them secure, and a cane of Lord Capell's was used to pin the gates, so as to prevent the reentrance of the assailants. In the confusion of this violent struggle some of Lord Norwich's own troops were shut out with the enemy, and were immediately made prisoners. A piece of ordnance was next brought to the gate, but, whilst attempting to complete their work, they were received by such a volley from the walls and neighbouring houses as obliged them to The Crouched Friars, the residence of Sir Harbottle Grimston, and St. Catherine's Hospital. History of Colchester, vol. i. p. 152. make a precipitate retreat, and the following day this piece of ordnance was added to the stores within the town. The fight continued for seven or eight hours. The assaults were as fierce as the resistance was vigorous, and it is surprising that the numbers slain were not still greater than they are reported to have been. The number killed on each side is differently stated by the opposite parties, but all agree in making the loss in Fairfax's army considerably greater than in Lord Norwich's. Before their retreat from the town the Parliamentary soldiers exercised a cruel vengeance in setting fire to some houses near the gate; the activity, however, of Lord Norwich's troops succeeded in stopping its course, and thus spared the inhabitants from the horrors of incendiarism, though they were reserved for a fate little less dreadful in the prolonged miseries and privations incident to a close siege of eleven weeks. The result of the day's work convinced Fairfax that the city was not to be taken by assault; he therefore retreated to Lexden, and commenced operations for cutting off all supplies and reducing the town by famine. His plans were conducted with admirable skill, and forts were erected, sometimes under cover of the night, and sometimes in spite of the cannon by which they were assailed, till a continued line was secured from one redoubt and fort to another. Lord Norwich was no less active in gathering in provisions, and got possession of all the stores collected at Hythe for exportation, and the 1 Carter says, about 700; their own account, about 100. The Diary of the Siege, published by authority, states Lord Norwich's loss at 80; Carter says, about 40. greatest exertions were made to repair the walls and strengthen every place that was weakest. On the 16th of June Fairfax's army was reinforced by the arrival of five regiments from Suffolk, and on the 18th by six companies from Chepstow Castle: no succours came to the besieged; five or six hundred men that had been raised for their assistance were defeated and dispersed by a detachment from Fairfax's forces. Fairfax's army was now so superior in numbers to Lord Norwich's, as not only to render desperate any chance of success in an engagement, but also materially to interfere with those expeditions of foraging parties by which provisions were gathered from time to time by the besieged. The prospect was most unpromising, and amongst the prisoners at Colchester there were some who anxiously desired to become mediators for peace. A Committee of Parliament were sitting on business at Chelmsford when Lord Norwich passed through that town. The members of this Committee were immediately arrested, and had been conveyed with the army to Colchester. They now naturally dreaded for themselves the consequences of a siege, or the destruction of the town; and they anxiously sought for and obtained leave of Lord Norwich, Lord Capell, and Sir Charles Lucas to address Lord Fairfax in writing on the subject of a treaty. The result was fruitless. Fairfax's conditions were, that all of the rank of common soldiers should have leave to go home, whilst the officers and commanders were to go into voluntary exile, engaging not to return without leave of Parliament. Lord Norwich, Lord Capell, and Sir Charles Lucas declined these |