Although the tyrannical proceedings of the king had induced many of the Salopians to look upon his cause in an unfavourable light, yet his mild and amiable behaviour won on the inhabitants generally, so much so that a considerable number enrolled themselves as volunteers in his service. In order to give efficiency to his troops and maintain his cause, a mint was established here for the purpose of coining the plate which had been presented to him by various public bodies and private individuals; but at such a low ebb were the mechanic arts at this period, that scarcely £1000 per week could be coined. However despicable the royal army appeared when it marched from Nottingham, its improvement was rapid on its arrival in Shrewsbury, so that in about twenty days it mustered 12000 men, chiefly persons of considerable property, from the neighbouring parts. But they were exceedingly ill equipped, for says Clarendon; “In the whole body not a pikeman had a corselet, and very few musketeers had swords.”—Add to this, that there was not a single tent, and very few waggons attached to the whole train. With this ill accoutred but high spirited body, Charles took his leave of Shrewsbury, on the 12th of October, 1642. On the departure of the king, a garrison was left in town, of which Lord Capel was appointed governor, and a fort was erected on an eminence above Frankwell, to secure that quarter from attack. Capel was severally succeeded by Sir Fulke Hunkes (a relative of the celebrated Baxter, the non-conformist,) Sir Richard Otteley, and Sir Michael Earnley. This gentleman was in a very declining state of health, in consequence of which many disorders crept in among the garrison, and gave the commanders of the parliamentary forces in the neighbourhood, opportunity to attempt the conquest of so important a post. After two unsuccessful attempts by Colonels Mitton, and Langhorne, two enterprising officers, they at length attained the object of their wishes. Having arrived before the town with fifteen hundred picked men of the garrisons of Wem and Oswestry, they contrived to convey eight carpenters up the river, who were landed within a breast work on the east side of the castle hill, and notwithstanding they were fired on by the centinels, they continued to cut down a sufficient quantity of palisadoes to enable the troops to enter. After storming a rampart beneath the Council House, a large body of troops entered by St. Mary’s Water-Lane, where the guard, having been intoxicated or bribed, made no resistance. Having opened the north gate, the horse immediately marched in, commanded by Cols. Mitton and Bowyer.—The consternation of the inhabitants may be easily imagined. The preceding night they had retired to rest, confident in their supposed security, but by daylight in the morning they were in the hands of their enemies; and, notwithstanding the humane exertions of Col. Mitton, the