Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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134<br />
THE STORY OF PONTEFRACT CASTLE.<br />
peasants, now led a party of picked men. He led<br />
them to the gates,which byhis direction they opened,and<br />
admitted immediatelya largebody ofmounted Cavaliers,<br />
whom the Colonel drew up for the attack, ordering them<br />
to " give quarter and spare the Governor." TheGovernor<br />
was in his chamber at the time, and madea brave resistance<br />
with his sword against Captain Paulden, who was<br />
one of Colonel Maurice's confederates. He was taken<br />
prisoner, as were most of the garrison who remained<br />
faithful to Cromwell, and with them released on their<br />
parole. Colonel Maurice, whoseactions throughout seem<br />
to have been promptedby conscience ratherthan military<br />
ambition, would not accept the Governorship,which his<br />
companions endeavoured to force upon him,but insisted<br />
on its beingoffered to Sir John Digby,a gentlemanwho,<br />
after the foolish and fatal battle of Marston Moor, had<br />
managed to hold together for the Kinga smallforce. He<br />
accepted the trust, and came to the Castle with 30 horse<br />
and about 500 foot soldiers. Lord Byron, who had<br />
adhered to the King from the commencement of the<br />
struggle, also arrived, and Sir Hugh and his son, Major<br />
Carteret, Captain Clavering (afterwards so prominent in<br />
the historyof the time),Sir ArthurBeaumont)who became<br />
an esteemed friend of Colonel Maurice), Major Ashburn,<br />
Austwick, and Blackburne,and others, passed under the<br />
dark portcullis of the stronghold that was to be toso many<br />
a sepulchre.<br />
When the news of the bold seizure was carried to the<br />
Parliament and its militaryleaders it was received with<br />
feelings of the greatest surprise and anger. Cromwell,<br />
then engagedin completinghismeasuresfor thedespatching<br />
his unhappysovereign, then a prisoner at Carisbrook,<br />
at once gave orders for General Rainsborough to vigorouslybesiegePontefractCastle.<br />
At the same time orders<br />
weregivenfor astrongdetachmenttoprevent theRoyalist,<br />
GeneralLangdale,from communicatingwith thebesieged.<br />
The effect was soon observable. Foraging parties from<br />
the Castle found themselvesmore and more restricted in