Little of interest occurs afterwards in the historical details of Lichfield, till the commencement of the civil wars. In 1642, a troop was raised for King Charles by Sir Richard Dyott, Kt.: during this time the Close sustained three sieges, by which the Cathedral was greatly injured. Preparations to considerable extent were made, 1643, to defend the Close against Lord Brooke, and three thousand troops. This nobleman was a zealous opposer of episcopacy, and had determined on the complete destruction of the Cathedral; on his _approach_ to Lichfield he prayed that he might be annihilated if his cause were unjust; on his _return_ from placing his artillery, he was shot by a brace of bullets, discharged by a deaf and dumb gentleman, of the name of Dyott, who had watched Lord Brooke’s motions from the top of the cathedral. Lord Brooke’s body was removed to Warwick to be buried with his ancestors; the armour worn by him on this fatal day, and his doublet stained with blood, are in the armoury at Warwick Castle. The gun with which he was killed remains in possession of the Dyott family, resident near Lichfield. Notwithstanding the check given to the rebels by the death of their leader, the garrison could not long stand the siege, and were constrained to yield to the Parliamentary forces. This was the first cathedral which surrendered to them, and every species of havoc and profanation was committed by these miscreants. The soldiers belonging to the King’s party were imprisoned in the Cathedral three days and four nights without food, except what could privately be obtained, and the inclemency of the season obliged them to convert the seats and desks into fuel. At this period the venerable pile became one scene of desolation, the centre spire was battered down, the costly monuments destroyed, and amongst others, that of Lord Paget, sculptured in Italy at the enormous expense of 700_l._ Dugdale says, “courts of guard were kept in the aisles; they broke up the pavement, every day hunted a cat with hounds throughout the Church, delighting themselves in the echo from the goodly vaulted roof, and to add to their wickedness, brought a calf into it wrapt in linen, carried it to the font, sprinkled it with water, and gave it a name in scorn and derision of that holy sacrament, Baptism; and when Prince Rupert recovered that Church by force, Colonel Russel, the governor, carried away the communion-plate and linen, with whatsoever else was of value.”