Sir John Winter, despairing of longer subsistence, at length deserted the Forest, after first firing his house at Lidney, and somewhat revenging himself for past disasters by spoiling the Forest itself.[29]
In June, Charles I. addressed the following letter[C] to the harassed Marquis of Worcester, conveying promises as usual, after a personal interview with his son:--
“I am very sensible of the miseries and dangers which of late you have been in, and do hope the time will come when I shall be able to requite all my good subjects, and none sooner than you; concerning the changing of your title, and other particulars, I leave to your son’s relation, who knows my mind therein, who will ever remain
“Your most assured constant friend, “CHARLES R.”
“Oxford, 19th, June, 1643. “For the Marquis of Worcester.”
Lady Harley, writing on the 13th of June, 1643, observes:--“My Lord Herbert and Colonel Vavasour, who is to be Governor of Hereford, is gone up into Montgomeryshire to raise soldiers.”[46]
On the 25th of July, 1643, Lord Herbert, having sent a dispatch to Prince Rupert,[D] in which he found he had omitted some important particulars, afterwards transmitted the same day by letter, dated from Raglan Castle, to the following effect:
“Since my dispatch to you this morning there occurs one thing which I then omitted, which I thought fit to represent to your Highness; that some Parliament ships now lie in and about Milford Haven, which hath hitherunto so far countenanced the county of Pembroke, that they (dissenting from all Wales besides) have only showed themselves refractory to his Majesty’s commands; and could your Highness so dispose, that some of the ships late come in might speedily (before notice be given them there of their professing themselves for the King) surprise them, or draw them to their allegiance that county would be soon reduced to its due obedience, which otherwise by land will not without much difficulty and loss be done. One other thing I likewise forgot in my last; that in case your Highness became master of the city of Bristol, and the castle holding out, your Highness should need pioneers, for undermining the same, which (the situation considered) will easily be effected, upon notice from your Highness I shall procure some of the forest miners, who being very expert at those works shall speedily attend your pleasure. I wish all fortunate success in all your attempts as becomes your Highness’