of the house.

2d. "That her ladyship, by ten o'clock on the morrow, shall disband all
her soldiers, except her menial servants, and receive an officer and
forty parliament soldiers for her guard."

Morgan is described as "a litle man short and peremptory, who met with
staidnes to coole his heat; and had the honor to carry backe this last
answer--for her ladyshipp could scrue them to noe more delayes, viz.--

"That she refused all their articles, and was truely happy they had
refused hers, protesting shee had rather hazard her life than offer the
like again;--

"That though a woman, and a stranger, divorced from her friends, and
rob'd of her estate, she was ready to receive their utmost vyolence,
trusting in God both for protection and deliverance."

The next morning they discovered the enemy had been at work about a
musket-shot from the house, in a sloping ground, where they appeared to
be forming a breast-work and trench to protect the pioneers--multitudes
of country people being every day forced into this laborious service.

The situation of Lathom deserves some notice, it being admirably
calculated to resist any attack.

"It was encompassed by a strong wall, two yards thick; upon the walls
were nine towers, flanking each other, and in every tower six pieces of
ordnance, that played three one way and three another. Upon the tops of
these towers were placed the best and choicest marksmen, who usually
attended the Earl in his sports, as huntsmen, keepers, fowlers, and the
like, who continually kept watch, with screwed guns and long
fowling-pieces, to the great annoyance and loss of the enemy, especially
of their commanders, who were frequently killed in the trenches. Without
the wall was a moat eight yards wide and two yards deep; between the
wall and the moat was a strong row of palisadoes. A high tower, called
the Eagle Tower, stood in the midst, surmounting all the rest. The
gate-house had a strong tower on each side, forming the entrance to the
first court."

The site of the house seemed to have been formed for a stronghold, or
place of safety: thus described by Seacome:--

"Before the house, to the south and south-west, is a rising ground,
so near as to overlook the top of it, from which it falls so quick,
that nothing planted against it on those sides can touch it further
than the front wall; and on the north and east sides there is
another rising ground, even to the edge of the