During April and May the siege went on as it had begun, the Parliamentarians surrounding us with a complete ring of trenches and forts, while we never ceased to harass them by our fire and by resolute sallies. They were constantly receiving reinforcements from various parts of the country. On the 18th of April six hundred Scotch arrived under the command of Colonel Montgomery, and received a warm reception from us, for we fired our cannon into their midst and killed several of their officers and men. On the 26th of the same month a hundred and fifty men came over the high ground beyond Ferrybridge to join the Roundheads, and about a fortnight afterwards they were further strengthened by a troop of horse, which came from Doncaster and joined the main guard at the New Hall. Reinforcements indeed were constantly arriving, so that the number of our assailants became considerably increased, and we were completely surrounded by them on all sides. Nevertheless our spirits never drooped, nor did we relax our efforts, and our hopes of ultimate victory were raised by the good news which we occasionally received. On the 22nd of May the Governor received letters from the King and from Sir Marmaduke Langdale, by which we learnt that an army was coming to our relief, which news was heartily and gladly welcomed by us. Then we heard from the garrison besieged in Sandal Castle that it had secured a fresh supply of provisions and would be able to hold out yet awhile, and from Scarborough Castle came news of a great sally there made by the besieged, who had driven away the Parliamentarians with great slaughter and had spiked all their cannon. This and other favourable news spurred us on to fresh endeavours, and raised our hope that we should be able to hold the Castle of Pontefract until help arrived. It was indeed only a question of food and provisions with us, for the place was so strong and so well fortified that an army of twenty thousand men could not have dislodged us unless hunger had come to help them in their work.
XXXII
Of the Evil News from Dale’s Field
Now at midnight on the 27th of May, while I was sleeping in my quarters, there came to me Ben Tuckett, who had been on guard at the Barbican, and woke me somewhat hurriedly, saying that I must rise at once and go with him. Whereupon I rose from my bed, which was none of the softest, and began to rub the sleep out of my eyes, wondering what had happened.
“What is it, Ben?” said I, with a prodigious yawn between every word. “Hath the enemy departed, or are they going to assault us?”
“ ’Tis better news than that,” he answered, “for there is prospect, lad, of fresh meat for many a day to come.”
“Always thy stomach, Ben!”
“And why not?” he asked. “But hasten, Will, for here is Captain Wheatley, whom the Governor despatched to Sandal t’other day, just returned with good news. He hath brought fifty horsemen with him, and they have driven a herd of cattle before them, and are now guarding them outside the town while he contrives some means whereby to bring them inside the Castle. So hasten, lad, and let us help, for the cattle number over a hundred, and will stand us in fresh meat this many a day.”
This was indeed good news, and I lost no time in arming myself and hastening into the great courtyard where Captain Wheatley and the Governor were making plans for bringing the cattle in.
“How say you?” said the Governor, as I drew near to them. “The cattle number one hundred and thirty, and are in the Chequer Field. We must make a bold bid for their possession. Let us see now how we can manage this matter. Come, Will Dale, you are a farmer, and should have some good counsel for us. What do you say?”
Thus appealed to, I began to consider the matter, and having made myself familiar with it, I could do no better than suggest that Captain Wheatley should return to the cattle and drive them gently from the Chequer Field to the top of Baghill, and that, meanwhile, parties from the Castle should go out in various directions and prevent the enemy from interfering with our plans. This advice seemed good to the Governor, and Captain Wheatley presently went out of the Castle again and rode away to rejoin his booty, while the rest of us made preparations for carrying our project to a happy end. We were at that time entirely bereft of fresh meat, and there was not a man amongst us that did not resolve to do all in his power to bring this valuable herd into the Castle.
Everything being in readiness, Captain Flood went out with fifty musketeers, and advanced towards Baghill, having orders not to enter the enemy’s works, but to remain under the hill and direct a steady fire against the outposts. They were followed by Colonel Gilbreth and forty musketeers, who took their way to Primrose Close, under Baghill, where they dislodged the enemy from their trenches, and forced them to retreat. After them went Captain Smith, with thirty musketeers, who proceeded to Broad Lane End, and held the Roundheads in check at that point. A fourth party, under Captain Munroe, went out through the east gate,
