the city, which are attributed to the treachery of Cavaliers and Malignants. 'But,' says the writer, 'which way soever these sad accidents are brought to passe, they may afford the whole City this caution: that if the firing of some few houses be so dreadful and fearfull, as I am sure this appeared to those that beheld them, notwithstanding they had all means convenient to quench them, and the multitude being industrious to set their hands to the worke: O how terrible would it be to see your houses set on fire by the enemy, and the cruell souldiers, instead of bringing buckets of water, should stand with their drawne swords threatening the death of those that should offer to quench the flame? Poore Ireland can give ample testimony of this.' From Yorkshire there is news that Fairfax had taken Cawood Castle; from Banbury that the Royalist garrison was withdrawn from that place, and 'that the Carriers of Banbury and Southam were robbed the last weeke neere Tossiter in Northamptonshire by divers of the Cavaliers Forces.' In the number for April 25, 1644, there is a figure of the King armed with a sword, and with this inscription:--'Fire and sword again menaced by his Majesty.' During the first years of the Civil War the newspapers contained many portraits of the King, some of which were carefully engraved on copper. It is noticeable that the _Mercurius Civicus_ and other papers published during the Civil War were in the habit of including on their title-pages a summary of the contents of the number. Sometimes it was put in the form of rhyme, as-- 'Tewkesbury is taken Yorke walls are well shaken.' [Illustration: HEADING TO THE 'SCOTTISH DOVE,' 1644.] The _Scottish Dove_ frequently indulged in these rhyming summaries. On the title-page of Number 39 for July 13, 1644, the following lines are printed:-- 'Rupert and Newcastle wholly Routed Rupert and Newcastle's jarres undoubted; Newcastle fled to Sea, Rupert to the King, Give God the Glory heavenly praises sing. A day of thankes the parliament hath set, Lord Gray with some of Hasting's troops hath met. From Oswestree Middleton the siege did raise And Barnstaples defence, doth Essex praise; The Queen Pendennis Castle liketh best. The King uncertain where to take his rest.' The _Scottish Dove_ was a small quarto numbered and paged consecutively like the _Mercurius Civicus_. On the front page of every number was printed a woodcut of a dove bearing an olive-branch in its mouth, and at the side of the woodcut was usually printed the rhyming summary. I annex a facsimile of this heading.