NOTES TO THE LETTERS. 267 of chief influence immediately joined the royal standard, and in the autumn a strong muster in that cause was made in Herefordshire, and many outrages committed on each side. Communications took place, between the Marquis of Hertford, when at Hereford in December, and Lady Brilliana, who had already been kept under much annoyance and daily expectation of a siege. A council of war was held at Hereford in February, when it was decided to bring some Welsh soldiers against her, and blow up the place. Matters of more importance were going on at Gloucester, in the neighbourhood of which there was a rendezvous of Lord Herbert's forces, to which those from the country about Bramptonwere now ordered ; but, notwithstanding their removal, a summons and threat of 600 men were sent to her. At this juncture (22 and_ 23 March, 1642-3) Sir William Waller, with Colonel Massey, attacked and completely defeated Lord Herbert's forces at Highnam, and, following up his success, shortly afterwards laid siege to the city of Hereford, which sur- rendered on 24th April, from which place he scoured the country, by way of Leominster, to Worcester. These events dismayed the royalists, and gave a little quiet to Brampton ; but in June, Sir William Croft, Sir Walter Pye, and others, taken at Hereford, and re- cently prisoners at Bristol, were liberated, and soldiers again collecting in the neighbour- hood, demanding free quarter and an assessment on the county of 1,2001. a-month, she was again under alarm. In the end of June, Lord Herbert and Colonel Vavasor went into Montgomeryshire to muster new levies, and on their return the siege of Brampton Bryan was commenced by Colonel Vavasor. By the letter of the 25th August it appears that, havingdone much injury to the place, he had then left it, and the soldiers there under the charge of Mr. Lingen (Colonel Lyngen), who must himself have quitted it within a fortnight, as this first siege commenced on the 26th July, and continued but six weeks. The last letter, of the 9th October, shews that she was again threatened by Sir William Vavasor; within a few days of which, having " taken a greate coold," she departed this life. Under the danger which threatened the church at Brampton, and which was very much injured in the siege, the Register had been most probably put away in safety, as it does not contain any record of Lady Brilliana's death or burial. Sir Robert was at this time much engaged in Parliament. The Journals of the House of Commons record his presence on the 7th, 9th, 17th, 19th, and 26th of October. On the 27th of this month it is ordered, That the Committee for the Western parts do meet this afternoon, at 3 o'clock, at Sir Robert Harley's house ; and again on the 30th there is a similar order. No doubt the tidings of her death ltd then reached him.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=