constitution. One elegist pitifully affirmed that his “woe was greate,” that out of the intensity of his grief he was compelled to rend his garment. The same inconsolable spirit ventured to implore the Severn to “turn its stream quite backe.” Another burst out wailingly—“O woeful wretched time, O doleful day and houre;” another declared that the sight of Sir Henry’s leaving gave him “a pinching payne that griped his hart;” while another uttered the sensible wish that “we could like fishes swyme that we myght wyth thee goe.” It can readily be believed, as Dr. Taylor says, that all this lugubration caused “my Lord hymself to change countenance!” The bailiffs and aldermen, however, preserved a different spirit—a spirit which may be readily appreciated from the fact that after the scholars had done their lamentations they “dyned altogether in the bardge uppon the water when they came to Atcham!” Aldermen without a doubt and of a truth. Nothing of moment occurs in the history of Shrewsbury after this until we come to the reign of Charles I. Charles had to remove his standard from Nottingham. On the 19th of September, 1642, he mustered his forces at Wellington. He placed himself in the centre, and addressed the soldiers in a vigorous tone. The next day he reached Shrewsbury. One of his first acts was to borrow £600 out of the Grammar School Treasury. His next was to re-establish the mint for the coining of the sinews of war. His next was to raise an army. He was joined by Prince Rupert, Prince Charles, and the Duke of York who, with several Shropshire noblemen and gentlemen, quickly formed a force for the defence of his cause. Those who could not obtain horse or foot contributed plate to be coined at the mint. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge presented him with a quantity of plate. Thomas Lyster, Esq., of Rowton, gave the king a purse of gold, which the sovereign acknowledged by elevating him to the rank of knighthood. Sir Richard Newport, in return for his services, was advanced to the honour of a Baron of England by the title of Lord Newport. Sir Richard, fully appreciating the King’s wants, presented him with £600. The people, it is said, were enamoured of Charles. Large numbers of them enlisted as volunteers, and some were rewarded with knighthood for their loyalty.