Skirmish near Southam-Warwick Castle besieged.

Returning from the metropolis with a train of artillery, he was met, at Edgehill, by the Earl of Northampton, at the head of a considerable force. Both parties prepared for action; but, to prevent the effusion of blood, it was at length agreed that Lord Brooke should retire to Banbury with his artillery, and that neither party should attempt to remove it thence, without the previous notice of three days. On the faith of this agreement, Lord Brooke went again to London, when instantly the Castle of Banbury was surprized by the Earl of Northampton, and the artillery carried off. The Earl then advanced to Warwick; and immediately summoned the governor of the Castle to surrender. On his refusal, the siege began* Aug. 7, and was continued till Aug. 23, when Lord Brooke marched once more from London, at the head of a powerful body: and, between Southam and Ichington, within 5 miles of Warwick, found himself once more opposed by the Earl of Northampton. A skirmish ensued, which terminated to the advantage of Lord Brooke. The Earl of Northampton retired towards the north; the siege of the Castle was raised; and Lord Brooke entered it, to the great joy of the garrison, who, with slender provision, had defended the place for a whole fortnight. The hooks, upon which wool sacks were suspended, as a means of protecting the walls, during this siege, are still to be seen over the principal gateway of the Castle.

ABOUT the end of September, in the same year, when Lord Brooke was still at the Castle, the Earl of

* A curious account of this brave defence of Warwick Castle by Sir EDWARD PETO, is contained in a small tract printed in 1642, entitled True and new Newes from Warwick Castle, with a True Relation of Sir EDWARD PETO's hanging out his winding sheet and the Bible in his Colours at Warwick Castle"

Battle of Edge Hill,

Essex arrived, at the head of the parliamentary troops; and the two commanders immediately advanced, with their united forces, into Worcestershire, in quest of the royal army; which, however, had turned aside towards Shrewsbury, and was then making its way from that town into Warwickshire. The Earl of Esser prepared to follow it; whilst Lord Brooke hastened back to Warwick, to forward some supplies that were necessary. He arrived, accordingly, at the Castle, Oct. 22; and, on the following day, sent from its magazines several cart-loads of arms and ammunition to the army; which, in the mean time, had followed the royal forces as far as Kineton, two miles from Edgehills.*

ment.

On that day, Sunday, Oct. 23, 1642, was fought, in a vale at the foot of those hills, the first PITCHED BATTLE between the forces of the King and those of the ParliaWhilst resting with his army at Egeat, a village on the borders of Northamptonshire, in the middle of the preceding night, intelligence from Prince Rupert had been received by the king, that the enemy's forces were within a few miles; and it was in consequence immediately resolved to give them battle the next day. But so little prepared was either party for the encounter, that it was not till 3 o'clock in the afternoon that the battle began. After an equal display of courage, attended with various success on both sides, the night separated the combatants. The following day neither party discovered any inclination to renew the contest; and, towards the evening, both retired from the field.

CLARENDON's Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. ii. p. 44.

EDMONSON'S Account of the Greville Family, p. 91.

Retreat of the Parliament Army to Warwick,

In the early part of this battle, Lord Brooke was not present. Setting out from Warwick, on the very day on which it was fought, the first intelligence he received of it, was on the road, from the crowds, who had been put to flight by the charge of the king's horse. Upon many he prevailed to return; and, proceeding with all possible expedition, he arrived time enough to render considerable assistance to his party. In the evening of the following day, Lords Essex and Brooke marched with their whole army towards Warwick; where they remained some time, to refresh themselves, and to prepare for new

encounters.

These appear to be the principal events, in which the history of the Civil War connects itself, with that of the Town and Castle of Warwick.

Rohand-Guy—Reynburn, &c.

CHAP. III.

History of the Earls of Warwick.

SAXON EARLS-Rohand-Guy-Reynburn-Wogeat-Ufa-Wolgeat-Wigod

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Alwine-Turchill-DE NEWBURGS-Henry-Roger-William-Waleran- - Henry — Thomas-John de Plessites-William Manduil-BEAUCHAMPS-William― Guy - Thomas — Thomas — Richard- Henry-NEVILLE-Richard — PLANTAGEN ETS-George-Edward-DUDLEYS-John -Ambrose-RICH Robert-Robert Robert - Charles-Robert-Edward-Edward Henry - GREVILLES - Fulk-Robert-Francis - Robert -Fulk-Fulk-William-Francis-George.

IN connection with the history of Warwick Castle, which forms of course a leading object in the present work, it will be proper to give some brief notices of its noble possessors: and this is what we shall now attempt, beginning with the earliest, and proceeding to the latest times.

I. Earls of the Saron Hace.

Or the reputed Earls of the Saxon race, little is related, worthy of credit. The first whose name is recorded is ROHAND, a successful warrior, in the days of ALFRED. His only daughter was FELICIA, married, as the story tells, to the famous Guy, who, in her right, became Earl of Warwick.

THIS renowned champion is said to have been the son of SIWARD, Baron of Wallingford. Yet the Welch

Guy's Combat with the Danish Champion.

claim the honor of numbering him, amongst their own heroes of British extraction. According to vulgar belief, he was of gigantic height, exceeding nine feet. Amongst other instances of his prowess, it is related that he slew a Saracen giant, in single combat; and killed, with his own arm, a wild boar, a dun cow of enormous size, and even a green dragon.* Some very old histories of Guy speak of the dragon, but omit the circumstance of colour.

THE Saracen Giant, above mentioned, was COLBRAND, chosen by the Danish invaders as their champion to decide the contest between them and the English, according to the proposal made to ATHELSTAN, the Saxon monarch, and accepted by him. The celebrated Gur, returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, at that instant, arrived in England. Pointed out to the king, it is said, by an angel in a dream, as the chosen hero of England, tho' disguised in the habit of a pilgrim, he was entreated to accept the challenge, and finally consented. On the day of battle, the two champions appeared, fully accoutred, in the appointed field, near Winchester. COLBRAND was so heavily armed, that his horse could scarcely support his weight. Soon after the first encounter, the giant cut off the head of Guy's horse. But, in a fresh attack, as COLBRAND was stooping to take up his sword, of which he had lost hold, GUY seized the favorable opportunity, and, with one mighty blow, struck off his right hand. Yet the giant continued to fight with the other hand till, in the evening, faint with the loss of blood, he was obliged to yield; and the English hero was

* See the Legend of Guy E. of Warwick,-See also in DoDSLEY's Reliques of Ancient Eng. Poetry, "A Pleasant Song of the valiant Deeds of Sir Guy of Warwick."

D