s to their
daily work, labouring unremittingly at the mounds and trenches. At first
they were sheltered by baskets and hurdles, afterwards by a testudo, or
wooden house running upon wheels and roofed with thick planks. Still
many lives were lost in this desperate service. In the end they brought
up one piece of cannon, amusing themselves like schoolboys at a holiday,
in practising their harmless reports. The first shot struck the outer
wall, but it was found proof. Afterwards they aimed higher, intending to
beat down a pinnacle or turret, but this also passed without damage. The
last shot, which missed entirely, went over and beyond the buildings,
burrowing in a field on the other side.

When they had performed this mighty feat they sounded another parley,
having, as they supposed, mightily beat down the hearts of the besieged.
Colonel Rigby's chaplain then appeared at the gate with a letter that
Sir Thomas Fairfax had received from Lord Derby, who was now at Chester,
on his return from the Isle of Man. In this epistle he desired a free
and honourable passage for his lady and their children, if she so
pleased, being unwilling, as he said, to expose them to the uncertain
hazard of a long siege. His lordship knew not, by reason of his long
absence, either how his house was provided with ammunition and
sustenance, or in what condition it might be to withstand the attack. He
was desirous that the garrison alone should bear the brunt, and that a
defenceless woman and her children should be rescued from captivity.

Her ladyship replied that she would communicate with the earl, and if he
should then continue in the same opinion, she would willingly submit to
his commands; but until this, she would neither yield up the house nor
abate in her hostility, but would abide by the result. Immediately she
despatched to his lordship a messenger, conveying him from the house by
a well-executed sally. The attempt succeeded; but whether he was
suffered to reach his destination or not we have no means of
ascertaining. No answer was returned, though some days had elapsed,
during which the enemy made many fruitless attempts to batter the walls.

They had now mounted the whole of their artillery, including their great
mortar-piece, at that period looked upon as a most destructive engine,
casting stones thirteen inches in diameter and eighty pounds weight;
likewise grenadoes--hollow balls of iron, filled with powder, and
lighted by a fusee.