that Fitz-Walter, with double the number of the King's army, was compelled to leave the besieged to the Sovereign's mercy: yet they did not surrender till after an investment of three months, when the King, fired by resentment at the obstinate resistance of the baronial Governor, determined to sacrifice him and the whole garrison to his vengeance; but was dissuaded from this step by the intreaty of some of his court: he, however, commanded, that, excepting the cross-bow men, all the common soldiers should be hanged, in order to strike terror in cases of future resistance in his tyrannical projects.

In the following year, Lewis, Dauphin of France, who, having been invited to the assistance of the Barons, had landed at Sandwich, reduced this Castle after a short siege. After his flight, and the death of King John, it again submitted to the Crown; and Henry the Third granted it for life to Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, and Justiciary of England, who was commanded to repair the buildings. The King's favor afterwards declining, Hubert was dispossessed; and Stephen de Segrave, John de Cobham, Nicholas de Moels, William de Say, and Robert Waleran, were in succession appointed Governors of the Castles of Rochester and Canterbury.+ About the year 1264, after the King had again excited the Barons to arms, by his refusal to comply with the Statutes of Oxford, he greatly strengthened the fortifications of this Castle, and furnished it with every thing necessary to sustain a siege. Roger de Leyborne, who was made Chief Constable, had under him John, Earl of Warren and Surrey, John, Earl of Arundel, and other noblemen.

Shortly afterwards, Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, the chief of the associated Barons, having placed London in security, proceeded to besiege Rochester. On his arrival at the west bank of the Medway with a considerable force, he found an army ready

Hist. and Antiquities of Rochester, partly edited by the Rev.

S. Denne, p. 35, 36.

to

to dispute the passage of the bridge; and on the opposite side a pallisade and breast-work thrown up, with a strong body of the inhabitants ready for the contest. He determined, however, to at tack them; and sent Gilbert de Clare to invest the town on the south side; and after being twice repulsed by means of vessels filled with combustibles, he set fire to the wooden bridge, and tower upon it: the hurry and confusion which this occasioned, gave him an opportunity to make good his passage; and he entered the town, and spoiled the Church, and what was left of the Priory; for Roger de Leyborne had before burnt down all the suburbs, as well as part of the City, and the Priory." He next assaulted the Castle; but was resisted by the Earl of Warren with such ardour and resolution, that, after a siege of seven days, he was not able to penetrate further than the out-works. The Cas tle, however, must have ultimately surrendered, had not Henry called off the attention of the baronial army, by threatening the safety of the City of London. Montfort left a few troops to con tinue the siege, but these were soon discomfited, and put to flight,

The battle of Lewes, and the subsequent treaty, taking place, little more occurs in the history of this Castle, excepting the names of those to whom its custody has been entrusted. Henry the Third gave it to Guy de Rochford, one of his foreign favorites, who being banished, it reverted to the Crown. It was afterwards entrusted to William St. Clare, who died Castellan in the fortyeighth year of Henry's reign.

In 1274, the second year of Edward the First, Robert de Hougham, Lord of Hougham, near Dover, was Constable. In the following year, in consequence of his death, the dignity was bestowed on Robert de Sepvans; and about the middle of this reign, Sir John de Cobham was appointed. Stephen de Dene was Constable in 1304. Being an enemy to the Monks, he taxed their possessions in the vicinity of the Castle; which being unprecedented, the Monks tried their right in the Court of Exchequer, and succeeded in obtaining a verdict: they also procured the dismissal

Hasted's Kent, Vol. II. p. 55.

of

of their oppressor. William Skarlett, who was Constable in 1328, destrained on a person named Simon Sharstede, for the omission of Castle-guard, by which he held lands in Wateringbury. During Wat Tyler's rebellion, the insurgents attacked this Castle, and by force discharged one of the prisoners. In 1413, its government was conferred on Thomas, Lord Cobham, who held it till his death, in 1472.

Edward the Fourth was the last Monarch who seems to have paid attention to this structure. He repaired the walls both of the Castle and City, about the eleventh of his reign: but from that period they have been neglected, and have progressively advanced to their present state of decay.

Many estates in this county are held of Rochester Castle, by the ancient tenure of Castle-guard. On St. Andrew's day, old stile, a Banner is hung out at the house of the receiver of rents; and every tenant who does not then discharge his arrears, is liable to have his rent doubled, on the return of every tide of the Medway, till the whole is discharged.*

The situation of the CASTLE was extremely favorable for de fence: standing at the south-west angle of the City, on an eminence rising abruptly from the Medway, that river preserved it from any attack on the west; whilst its south, east and north sides were environed by a broad and deep ditch. The outward walls, which formed an irregular parallelogram of about 300 feet in length, were strengthened by several square and round towers, embrazured, and provided with loop-holes, and machicolations; but these, with the walls themselves, are now verging to a state of rain. The most perfect are on the east side, and at the south-east angle: that at the angle was semicircular, and rose boldly from the ditch, which is now almost filled up. On the north-east was the principal entrance: this was defended by a tower gateway, with outworks at the sides; a remaining part of which has recently fallen. In the wall of one of the towers, which might have been designed to command the passage of Rochester Bridge, is a hol

low,

* Hist. of Rochester, p. 40.

low, or funnel, descending perpendicularly to the Medway, to which it opens under a pointed arch, the crown of the latter being considerably below high-water mark. This was probably intended for two purposes; for a sally-port at low water; and to procure water from the river when the tide was in.

The KEEP, or Great Tower, erected by Bishop Gundulph, is still nearly perfect as to its outward figure, which is quadrangular, the sides being nearly parallel with the cardinal points of the compass. This is one of the most interesting and curious specimens of the Norman military architecture now remaining in England. It stands at the south-east corner of the inclosed area, and rises to the height of 104 feet: the walls spread outwards with a slope from the level of the ground-floor, but above that they rise perpendicularly, and form a square of seventy feet: their thickness, on the east, north and west sides, is eleven feet; but on the south it is increased to thirteen feet. Near the middle, on each side, is a pilaster, ascending from the base to the roof; and at the angles are projecting towers, three of which are square, and the fourth, circular. These also rise from the base to the summit, and are con tinued above to the height of twelve feet: they are provided with parapets, and are embrazured, together with the rest of the building.

The skill and ingenuity exercised in the construction of this fabric, are particularly observable in the various precautionary contrivances that secured the entrance. This opened upon the first floor from a smaller tower, that was attached to the Keep on the north side, but could not be approached by an assailant without the greatest danger.* The first ascent was by a flight of twelve or thirteen steps, leading round the north-west angle to an arched gate, and covered way; beneath which, a flight of seven steps led forward to a draw-bridge, that connected with the arched gateway of the entrance tower: this opened into the vestibule, between which and the Keep, there were no other avenues of communication than by a third arched passage, in the thickness of the

wall.

* Here was originally the only entrance into this structure; but an opening or two, since made by the enlargement of the loop-holes, have been mistaken for ancient door-ways.