en-at arms, and the
city of London 300 slingers and bowmen.

Another party of the French seem to have made a more successful
attack in the first year of Richard II: indeed the islanders at
that time had little besides their own valor to depend on for
protection; as there were no forts to obstruct an enemy's landing;
Carisbrooke Castle standing in the centre of the island, could
only serve for a partial retreat: and serious ravages might be
committed ere any assistance arrived from the mainland. This want
of domestic security so discouraged the natives, that many families
withdrew, when an order was issued to the wardens to seize the
lands of all such as refused to return.

Not long afterwards a powerful body of Frenchmen landed in the
island, the militia of which (900 in number,) had been reinforced
from Southampton and London, in expectation of this hostile visit.
The invaders were unable to reduce Carisbrooke Castle, which was
commanded by the governor, Sir H. Tyrrel--and moreover suffered
considerable loss by an ambuscade at a place near Newport, still
called Deadman's Lane; [Footnote: A tumulus where the slain were
buried, at the south entrance to the town, was exultingly named
_Noddies'_ Hill--whence the present appellation Nodehill.] yet as
the houses of the inhabitants lay at their mercy, they were at
length bought off by the payment of 1000 marks, and a promise that
no resistance should be offered, if they revisited the island
within a year.

In the reign of Henry IV, the French made two other attacks: on the
first occasion they were repulsed with loss; and on the second,
when a large fleet made a threatening demand of a subsidy, the
islanders were so elated at their past success, that they invited
the French to land and try their prowess in fair fight, after
having had sufficient time to rest and refresh themselves: this
handsome challenge was not however accepted.

Owing to its comparatively remote situation, the island escaped
those calamities which afflicted the rest of the kingdom during the
bloody disputes of the rival Roses: nor was it engaged with any
foreign enemy till the year 1488, when the governor, Sir Edward de
Woodville, having raised a body of about 500 men, passed over to
the continent in aid of the Duke of Br