without the seas, and in the sea-shore adjoining, to repair the port, Cobb, and other works of the town; grants to them all liberties, &c. without lett of him or his heirs."

The measures adopted by Charles soon after this grant were deemed so unconstitutional that the obligations of his charter appeared to be forgotten. In 1636 the sum of £40 was required of Lyme for the building of a ship of five hundred tons burthen. The collecting that unpopular fax, ship-money, alienated the affections of the Lyme merchants-some further demands inspired them with disgust and we shall see how firmly they opposed such measures by early uniting with the Parliament.

The close of the reign of Charles the First is supposed to have been the period when Lyme, improved by various circumstances, and enriched by the successful enterprizes of the numerous merchant adventurers of great respectability, continued to flourish as a place of wealth and trade. The impending storm, which had so long threatened the nation, burst forth into civil war, unfortunately involving Lyme in troubles and confusion: its peaceful, though speculating sons, abandoned for a time the sober occupations of commerce, and, conducted by valiant and determined leaders, sought glory in the field.-The situation of the town early attracted the notice of the Parliament, who availed themselves of the bias of the inhabitants towards their cause. In 1642 Sir Thomas Trenchard and Sir Walter Erle* took possession of it for the Parliament.

* Sir Walter Erle was then possessed of the neighbouring parish of Axmouth, and had represented Lyme in Parliament several times.

Lyme was then the key of the west: until it could be taken little prospect was afforded the king of making any impression upon these parts. The Parliament were masters of the sea, and no supplies could be conveyed, or trade carried on, but by their agents. At the most critical conjunctures both the contending parties looked with anxiety towards Lyme, as the exertions made by either, together with the evidence of existing documents, sufficiently demonstrate. A description of its immediate connection with the military operations in the west is here, for the first time, attempted; but it will be necessary to mention, that many of the most interesting particulars of the multifarious transactions that occurred are now irretrievably lost.

The first care of the Parliament was to fortify Lyme, to secure it from any attempts the Royalists might make in order to gain possession of it. This was partially effected the same year, all classes labouring towards the erection of different works, in which the females not only joined, but encouraged the men who desisted from fatigue

He borrowed money at the beginning of Charles's reign for fitting out a fleet.

These most remarkable transactions that occurred at Lyme during the civil wars are principally abstracted from Rushworth, Clarendon, Mercurius Aulieus, Vicars, Whitlock, &c., with an abridgment of the MS. of the siege of Lyme by the king's forces, never before printed; also, an interesting extract from a little work, entitled "Claustrum Regale Reseratum," now very scarce, describing Charles the Second's attempt to escape from Charmouth by means of a Lyme vessel, and particulars of his secretion there, &c.

to return and exert themselves. It is not apparent when the different commanders arrived or were appointed; but it seems that on the completion of the works Colonel Thomas Ceeley was raised to the command, with the title of governor. Bury, the treasurer, charges £10 for ammunition delivered into Lyme, December 14, 1642.

Immediately after the governor had put Lyme in a statė of defence he commenced operations. The garrison intimidated those in the neighbourhood who were well affected to the Royal cause, and excited the friends of the Parliament to join them in "beating up the enemy's quarters," which they repeatedly did, with various success. No sooner were the larger bodies of the king's forces removed to a distance from this part, than the troops under the command of Colonel Ceeley traversed the country round, and at different times made excursions to the very gates of Exeter, and into some parts of Somersetshire.

January 18th, 1643, intelligence was brought that a party went from Lyme to fix a garrison at Lady Drake's house, in Dorset, being sent for by her: Lord Paulet marched thither and took it before the fortifications were finished. The rebels had burnt down a fair house of Mr. Tubervil's, and the king's forces that of Sir Walter Erle, whither several rebels were retired.*

March 9, intelligence came that Sir William Waller had sent Colonel Ware, his deputy, to raise men in Dor

* Mercurius Aulieus.

set, and got several officers and men from Lyme; but Lord Paulet, Sir John Berkley, Sir Richard Cholmley, Colonel Bluet, &c., attacked them at Hemiock Castle, took the town, forced the rebels into the castle, who surrendered it next morning, in which were two hundred prisoners, ten officers, and eighty horse.*

Whitechurch Castle, which remained in the king's hands, was a great check on the garrison of Lyme. Captain Thomas Pyne, with a party from thence, took it, March 12, with fifty prisoners and two pieces of ordnance.†

March 15th, intelligence came that Captain Ware, with a party from Lyme, was surprised, and most of his men taken prisoners and carried to Culliton. Captain Thomas Pyne went, with a party of the garrison, the same night, surprised them, took the colonel, several inferior officers, sixty soldiers, many horse, arms, &c.‡

About March 16, intelligence came that this garrison had taken Bridport. Soon after Burley House, a mile from Bridport [perhaps Chideock], was taken by Captain Pyne and a party of horse and dragoons, and in it fifty prisoners and two pieces of ordnance. He garrisoned it with two hundred men, who compelled contributions from Bridport, and eleven parishes adjacent, which before had been paid by them to the king t

From this date Lyme took a conspicuous part in the

* Mercurius Aulicus. Whitlock. Whitlock, Vicars, Parl.Chron.

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pilchards were at that time taken in the West Bay, though now they seldom advance so far east.

Nothing of particular consequence occurs till the reign of Henry VIII., who, A. R. 35, reciting the former grant, confirmed the same for fifty years after the end of the former term. The queen (C. Parr), on the same consideration, granted the mayor and burgesses to hold the same, from the end of the term of fifty years, granted by the king, for sixty years more, and all liberties, &c., they to repair the Cobb during that time at their own charge. Mayors were elected a long time prior to this reign, though the exact period is not now known.

Mary, in the first year of her reign, granted a market on Fridays, and fairs on February 13 and October 2, N.S. with a court of piepouder to the mayor and burgesses.

Leland visited the town, and in his peculiar style gives this description of it:-"From Axmouth to Lime, about four miles by meatly good ground, but no plenty of wood. Lime is a praty market town, set in the rootes of a high rokky hille down to the hard shore. This town hath good shippes and usith fishing and marchauntice. Marchaunts of Morleys in Britaine much haunt this town. There cummith a shalow broke from the hilles, about a three miles by north, and cummith fleting on great stone, through a stone bridge in the botom. The tounesmen commonly call this water the Buddel. One Borough, a marchaunt man in time of minde, buildid a fair house in Lime, having a goodly tower at the entery of it. [Hut