161 cavaliers comming suddenly that way into the towne; then he blockt up the laries next the castle, and cut up all the hedges, that were dangerous to make approaches to the castle, and having the experience of the mischiefe of it, pull'd downe St. N icholas' church by the advice of the committee. • Presently after the cavaliers were gone out" of towne, some naughty people, se tt on by them, fir'd the towne, but it "·as quenched without burning above two or three houses, yett for a fortnight together it was perpetually attempted, fire being lay'd to hay-barnes and other combustible places, insomuch that the weomen wet'e forc'd to walke by fiftie in a night to prevent the ' burning, which the committee perceiving to be attempted ' by the instigation of the Newark gentlemen, they writt them worde, that if they forbade not their instruments, if so much as one house were fired, they wonld fire all the cavaliers houses near them. The gentlemen return'd them a scornefull letter, full of taunts and disdaine, but after that no more houses were attempted with fire. The Derby souldiers, when they return'd home, qeing askt why .they left the cavaliers at the bridges unassaulted, made answer, they would have beaten them out, but the governor would not lend • It is said, in Deering's History of Nottingham, that this church was pulled down· by Col. H utchinson, and the bells carried to Owthorpe; which last was at that time impossible, the enemy being in possession of the Vale of Bel vo ir and the ways to it. And mt9reover, the church at Owthorpe was, as Decring in another place observes, too small to contain them. In Throsby's edit ion of Thoroton, he remarks that neither Deering nor Thoroton were properly acquainted with the circumstances. of that affa ir, and mentions, that in digging neax: the foundation of the present tower, (for the church has been rebuilt), a bell was found evidently broken to pieces at the demol ition of the cb"rch; probably by the cannon shot which was sent in answer to l\1ajor Cartwright's message. The situation. of this church was both \'ery near to the castle, and on a parallel height. b This is a curious fact, and points out a way of turning to use and profit the timo- :J:QUsness and watchfulness of her sex.
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