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tour through the eastern counties of england-第7部分

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of fluxes; yet they boldly rejected all offers of surrender; unless

with safety to their offices。  However; several hundreds got out;

and either passed the enemy's guards; or surrendered to them and

took passes。



7th。  The townspeople became very uneasy to the soldiers; and the

mayor of the town; with the aldermen; waited upon the general;

desiring leave to send to the Lord Fairfax for leave to all the

inhabitants to come out of the town; that they might not perish; to

which the Lord Goring consented; but the Lord Fairfax refused them。



12th。  The rabble got together in a vast crowd about the Lord

Goring's quarters; clamouring for a surrender; and they did this

every evening; bringing women and children; who lay howling and

crying on the ground for bread; the soldiers beat off the men; but

the women and children would not stir; bidding the soldiers kill

them; saying they had rather be shot than be starved。



16th。  The general; moved by the cries and distress of the poor

inhabitants; sent out a trumpet to the Parliament…General;

demanding leave to send to the Prince; who was with a fleet of

nineteen men of war in the mouth of the Thames; offering to

surrender; if they were not relieved in twenty days。  The Lord

Fairfax refused it; and sent them word he would be in the town in

person; and visit them in less than twenty days; intimating that

they were preparing for a storm。  Some tart messages and answers

were exchanged on this occasion。  The Lord Goring sent word they

were willing; in compassion to the poor townspeople; and to save

that effusion of blood; to surrender upon honourable terms; but

that as for the storming them; which was threatened; they might

come on when they thought fit; for that they (the Royalists) were

ready for them。  This held to the 19th。



20th。  The Lord Fairfax returned what he said was his last answer;

and should be the last offer of mercy。  The conditions offered

were; that upon a peaceable surrender; all soldiers and officers

under the degree of a captain in commission should have their

lives; be exempted from plunder; and have passes to go to their

respective dwellings。  All the captains and superior officers; with

all the lords and gentlemen; as well in commission as volunteers;

to surrender prisoners at discretion; only that they should not be

plundered by the soldiers。



21st。  The generals rejected those offers; and when the people came

about them again for bread; set open one of the gates; and bid them

go out to the enemy; which a great many did willingly; upon which

the Lord Goring ordered all the rest that came about his door to be

turned out after them。  But when the people came to the Lord

Fairfax's camp the out…guards were ordered to fire at them and

drive them all back again to the gate; which the Lord Goring

seeing; he ordered them to be received in again。  And now; although

the generals and soldiers also were resolute to die with their

swords in their hands rather than yield; and had maturely resolved

to abide a storm; yet the Mayor and Aldermen having petitioned them

as well as the inhabitants; being wearied with the importunities of

the distressed people; and pitying the deplorable condition they

were reduced to; they agreed to enter upon a treaty; and

accordingly sent out some officers to the Lord Fairfax; the

Parliament…General; to treat; and with them was sent two gentlemen

of the prisoners upon their parole to return。



Upon the return of the said messengers with the Lord Fairfax's

terms; the Lord Goring; &c。; sent out a letter declaring they would

die with their swords in their hands rather than yield without

quarter for life; and sent a paper of articles on which they were

willing to surrender。  But in the very interim of this treaty news

came that the Scots army; under Duke Hamilton; which was entered

into Lancashire; and was joined by the Royalists in that country;

making 21;000 men; were entirely defeated。  After this the Lord

Fairfax would not grant any abatement of articles … viz。; to have

all above lieutenants surrender at mercy。



Upon this the Lord Goring and the General refused to submit again;

and proposed a general sally; and to break through or die; but

found upon preparing for it that the soldiers; who had their lives

offered them; declined it; fearing the gentlemen would escape; and

they should be left to the mercy of the Parliament soldiers; and

that upon this they began to mutiny and talk of surrendering the

town and their officers too。  Things being brought to this pass;

the Lords and General laid aside that design; and found themselves

obliged to submit; and so the town was surrendered the 28th of

August; 1648; upon conditions as follows:…





The Lords and gentlemen all prisoners at mercy。



The common soldiers had passes to go home to their several

dwellings; but without arms; and an oath not to serve against the

Parliament。



The town to be preserved from pillage; paying 14;000 pounds ready

money。





The same day a council of war being called about the prisoners of

war; it was resolved that the Lords should be left to the disposal

of the Parliament。  That Sir Charles Lucas; Sir George Lisle; and

Sir Marmaduke Gascoigne should be shot to death; and the other

officers prisoners to remain in custody till further order。



The two first of the three gentlemen were shot to death; and the

third respited。  Thus ended the siege of Colchester。



N。B。 … Notwithstanding the number killed in the siege; and dead of

the flux; and other distempers occasioned by bad diet; which were

very many; and notwithstanding the number which deserted and

escaped in the time of their hardships; yet there remained at the

time of the surrender:



Earl of Norwich (Goring)。

Lord Capell。

Lord Loughbro'。

11 Knights。

9 Colonels。

8 Lieut。…Colonels。

9 Majors。

30 Captains。

72 Lieutenants。

69 Ensigns。

183 Serjeants and Corporals。

3;067 Private Soldiers。

65 Servants to the Lords and General Officers and Gentlemen。

3;526 in all。





The town of Colchester has been supposed to contain about 40;000

people; including the out…villages which are within its liberty; of

which there are a great many … the liberty of the town being of a

great extent。  One sad testimony of the town being so populous is

that they buried upwards of 5;259 people in the plague year; 1665。

But the town was severely visited indeed; even more in proportion

than any of its neighbours; or than the City of London。



The government of the town is by a mayor; high steward; a recorder

or his deputy; eleven aldermen; a chamberlain; a town clerk;

assistants; and eighteen common councilmen。  Their high steward

(this year; 1722) is Sir Isaac Rebow; a gentleman of a good family

and known character; who has generally for above thirty years been

one of their representatives in Parliament。  He has a very good

house at the entrance in at the south; or head gate of the town;

where he has had the honour several times to lodge and entertain

the late King William of glorious memory in his returning from

Holland by way of Harwich to London。  Their recorder is Earl

Cowper; who has been twice Lord High Chancellor of England。  But

his lordship not residing in those parts has put in for his deputy;

… Price; Esq。; barrister…at…law; and who dwells in the town。  There

are in Colchester eight churches besides those which are damaged;

and five meeting…houses; whereof two for Quakers; besides a Dutch

church and a French church。





Public Edifices are …





1。  Bay Hall; an ancient society kept up for ascertaining the

manufacture of bays; which are; or ought to be; all brought to this

hall to be viewed and sealed according to their goodness by the

masters; and to this practice has been owing the great reputation

of the Colchester bays in foreign markets; where to open the side

of a bale and show the seal has been enough to give the buyer a

character of the value of the goods without any further search; and

so far as they abate the integrity and exactness of their method;

which I am told of late is much omitted; I say; so far; that

reputation will certainly abate in the markets they go to; which

are principally in Portugal and Italy。  This corporation is

governed by a particular set of men who are called governors of the

Dutch Bay Hall。  And in the same building is the Dutch church。



2。  The guildhall of the town; called by them the moot hall; to

which is annexed the town gaol。



3。  The workhouse; being lately enlarged; and to which belongs a

corporation or a body of the inhabitants; consisting of sixty

persons incorporated by Act of Parliament Anno 1698 for taking care

of the poor。  They are incorporated by the name and title of the

governor; deputy governor; assistants; and guardians of the poor of

the town of Colchester。  They are in number eight…and…forty; to

whom are added the mayor and aldermen for the time being; who are

always guardians by the same charter。  These make the number of

sixty; as above。  There is also a grammar free…school; with a good

allowance to the master; who is chosen by the town。



4。  The castle of Colchester is now become only a monument showing

the antiquity of the place; it being built as the walls of the town

also are; with Roman bricks; and the Roman coins dug up here; and

ploughed up in the fields adjoining; confirm it。  The inhabitants

boast much that Helena; the mother of Constantine the Great; first

Christian Emperor of the Romans; was born there; and it may be so

for aught we know。  I only observe what Mr。 Camden says of the

Castle of Colchester; viz。: In the middle of this city stands a

castle ready to fall with age。



Though this castle has stood one hundred and twenty years from the

time Mr。 Camden wrote that account; and it is not fallen yet; nor

will another hundred and twenty years; 
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