In August, 1644, offers were made to the Parliament by divers gentlemen of Worcestershire to raise forces for their service, and an ordinance was passed for that purpose. At the beginning of 1645 the King appointed Prince Maurice, his nephew and son of the Elector Palatine of the Rhine, "General of Worcester, Hereford, and Shropshire." It is apparent, from other records besides those of the corporation, that his brother, Prince Rupert, was also, at short intervals of inaction in the field, present at Worcester, and there is sufficient evidence to show that these arrogant, fiery, and remorseless soldiers of fortune bled the city more copiously than Dr. Sangrado did his patients. Here is an extract from a warrant of Prince Rupert's, which will exhibit his peremptory tone and fierce character, and afford some idea of the horrors of civil war. It commands labourers and provisions to be sent to him "upon your utmost peril, as the total burning and plundering of your houses, with what other mischief the licensed and hungry soldiers can inflict upon you." Early in 1645, the "clubmen," as they were called, appeared in large bodies in Worcestershire, assumed a defensive attitude, and refused to serve the King according to his proclamation. These clubmen first arose in the west of England, where for a time their efforts were principally directed to the checking of the cruelties and licentious outrages of Goring, the Royalist commander, and his desperate bands. Gradually gentlemen of rank and substance joined the yeomen and peasantry, and gave a new direction to the association. The original motive of the "clubmen" was sufficiently explained in the motto on one of their ensigns or standards-- "If ye offer to plunder or take our cattle, Be you assured we'll give you battle." The Worcestershire clubmen first mustered to the number of about two thousand, and put forth a declaration of their intentions against the Popish party and to preserve the King's rights and the privileges of Parliament. They rapidly increased in force; Prince Rupert strove to pacify them, but in vain; the constables refused to bring in a list of the names of those who thus assembled. By the middle of March their number had increased to fourteen thousand well armed men, and they applied to Colonel Massey, then in command at Gloucester, for assistance to enable them to besiege Hereford. Massey replied that if they would fully declare for the Parliament he would join with them. They requested two or three days for consideration, but their answer is not recorded that I am aware of. It is probable, however, that they did declare, either at this period or a little later, for the Parliament. On Sunday, the 11th of May, 1645, the King and his forces were at Inkberrow, at the vicarage of which place I have seen an old book of maps, said to have been left behind him by the King when he slept there. The title page is as follows: