A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE Birch, aided by the treachery of two officers of the garrison.*" Scudamore escaped to Worcester, where he was thrown into prison for the loss of his fortress. In the whole county Sir Henry Lingen alone held out in Goodrich Castle. The governorship of Hereford was bestowed upon Birch, who had captured the city,*^^ with _^6,ooo for the pay and reward of his soldiers,*^" and permission to keep up a strong regiment of 1,200 men, and to exercise martial law within the city and garrison.*^* In addition a body of cavalry under Major Hopton was sent down on 13 February, 1645-6, to strengthen his hands,*^^ while to counterbalance the purely military element Sir Robert Harley's son. Colonel Edward Harley, was made general of horse for the counties of Hereford and Radnor,"" at the end of January. In March, when Birch and part of the garrison were occupied in the field in watching Lord Astley's movements, Lingen made a fruitless dash at the city. At the head of only thirty horsemen he charged the guards at the gate at high noon and was only repulsed because none seconded him from within.*" At last, on 3 1 July, after Charles had given himself up to the Scots, and Oxford had been surrendered to the Parliamentary forces, Goodrich Castle capitu- lated to Birch. Lingen and the garrison received only the promise of their lives, and all the garrison were made prisoners of war.*^* Amongst them were representatives of most of the principal famihes of the county, who had rallied thither to make a last stand for the king.* On the conclusion of the war Birch purchased Hereford Castle on I August from Edward Page, the lessee of the crown, and put it partially in repair, using the lead roof of the chapter-house to roof the tower ; but on 1 2 April, 1 647, he sold it for >r6oo to the county members ' for the public use and defence of the county.' It continued in garrison under Lieut.- Col. Rogers until the Restoration in order to guard the approaches from Wales. In 1660 it was finally demolished.*^" Immediately after the capture of the city the Royalists of the county found their estates exposed to the effect of the ordinance of sequestration aimed against delinquents in April, 1643. The ordinance was enforced with great rigour. It was enough to constitute a man a delinquent that he had consented to reside for the protection of his property in a part that was controlled by the Royal forces. Even Sir John Bridges, who had a principal share in the surprise of Hereford, would have been sequestered but for the intervention of the Committee of Both King- doms.*" About two hundred and seventy persons compounded under the ordinance, and the fines recorded, though probably only a part of those received, amounted to ^(^43,764 3J. Sd. In reckoning the losses of the Royalists there must be added the annual rents of estates not compounded for, and the confiscation of all the episcopal and cathedral property. To adminster the ordinance under the central Committee of Sequestrations five ^^ Military Memoir of Col. Birch {dmA. Soc), 23-30, 219-23; Lords Journ. 22 Dec. 1645 ; Com. Journ. 22 Dec. 1645; Symondi's Diary (Camd. Soc), passim. "' Cal. S.P. Dom. 1645-7, p. 273 ; Lords Journ. 22 Dec. 1645. "' Lords Journ. 25 Dec. 1645. "* Lords Journ. 16 Jan. 1645-6 ; Com. Journ. 3 Jan. 1645-6. 455 Webb, Mem. ii, 258. ■'*" Com. Journ. iv, 401 ; Lords Journ. viii, 93. "' Webb, Mem. ii, 277 ; Cal. S.P. Dom, 1645-7, PP- 394-5-
- '* Webb, Mem. ii, 258-64, 277-80, 413-18 ; Military Memoir of Col. Birch, 31-3, 124-32.
"' Robinson, Castles ofHeref 68. "^ Webb, Mem. ii, 420-2 ; S.P. Dom. Chas. II, xviii, 120. '=' Cal. S.P. Dom. 1645-7, p. 473. 396
