with much circumstantiality in the “Diary” of Edward Burghall, the Puritan schoolmaster of Bunbury, and subsequent vicar of Acton:— December 13th.—A little before day, Captain Sandford (a zealous Royalist), who first came out of Ireland with eight of his firelocks, crept up the steep hill of Beeston Castle, and got into the upper ward, and took possession there. It must be done by treachery, for the place was most impregnable. Captain Steel, who kept it for the Parliament, was accused, and suffered for it; but it was verily thought he had not betrayed it wilfully; but some of his men proving false he had not courage enough to withstand Sandford to try it out with him. What made much against Steel was he took Sandford down into his chamber, where they dined together, and much beer was sent up to Sandford’s men, and the castle after a short parley was delivered up, Steel and his men having leave to march with their arms and colours to Nantwich, but as soon as he was come into the town the soldiers were so enraged against him that they would have pulled him to pieces had he not been immediately clapped in prison. There was much wealth and goods in the castle, belonging to gentlemen and neighbours, who had brought it thither for safety, besides ammunition and provisions for half a year at least, all which the enemy got. Six weeks after, as we learn from the diarist, Steel was “shot to death, in Tinker’s Croft, by two soldiers, according to judgment against him. He was put into a coffin, and buried in the churchyard. He confessed all his sins,” it is added, “and prayed a great while, and, to the judgment of charity, died penitently.” The stern Puritans could scarcely have given a milder judgment, for the dining together and regaling of Sandford’s men with “much beer” must have told greatly against the recreant Steel.