1~0 that Henderson who commanded the souhliers at Newark, if he were net himselfe a papist, had many Irish papists in his troopes, he, with the rest of the gentlemen, sent notice, to all the townes about Nottingham, desiring the well-affected to come in to their assistance, which the ministers pressing them to, upon Christmasse day 1642, many came in to them, and stay'd with them, 'till they had put themselves in some posture of defence. Assoone as these strange souldiers were come into Newark, they presently began to block up and fortifie that towne, as on the othet: side, they att Nollingham began workes about that towne, but neither of them being yet strong enough to assault each other, contented themselves to stand upon their owne defence. The Earle of Chesterfield had rays'd some horse for the king, and was in the vale of Belvoir with them, where he had plunder'd some houses neere 1\IIr. Hutchinson's; whereupon Mr. Hutchinson sent a troope of horse in the night, for they were not strong enough to march in the day, and fetcht away his wife and children to Nottingham. 'fhe preservation of this towne was a special! service to the parliament, being a considerable passe into the north, which, if the enemie had first possest. themselves of, the parliament bad bene cut of of all intercourse betweene the north and south, especially in the winter time, when tl1e river Trent is not fordable, and only to be pass'd over by the bridges of Nottingham and Ncwark, and up higher at a place call'd Wilden Ferry, where the enemie alsoe had a garrison.' The attempting to presen·e this place, in the m_idds~ of so many polent enemies, was a work of no small difficulty, and nothing but an invincible courage, and a passionate zeale for the r In the place of Wilden Ferry has been subst ituted in modern days a very beautiful bridge, called Cavendish Bridge, with a good and firm road of considerable Jength at each end to approach it it is about midway on the high road between Loughborough and Derby. There s near to it a place called Sawley Ferry, little usedJ and lHnd ly tlt all practicable in w nter
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