soldiery were not to be restrained from plundering the peaceably disposed of their private property. The first intimation which the governor received of the surprise of the town, was the entrance of some of his enemies into his chamber, where he fell covered with wounds, repeatedly refusing quarter, being determined not to outlive the disgrace of the day. The English part of the garrison were suffered to march to Ludlow, but the Irish were left to the discretion of Col. Mitton. The fort at Frankwell bravely held out till night, but finding resistance useless, at length surrendered at discretion. A number of prisoners of rank were taken, besides 15 pieces of cannon, a large stand of arms, and the whole of prince Maurice’s magazine. Nor did the plate and valuable effects of many of the surrounding gentry, placed in the castle for security, during the turbulence of the times, meet a better fate: the whole of it to a vast amount, falling into the hands of the victors. For this important achievement, Colonel Mitton received the thanks of Parliament. The fall of Shrewsbury was a death blow to Charles’s expectations in this quarter; for besides its being the key to North Wales, it caused the dissolution of a formidable confederacy between the counties of Salop, Worcester, Chester and Flint, then on the eve of assembling to defend the falling fortunes of their king. After the battle of Worcester, so fatal to the royal cause, a commission was sent to Chester by the Parliament, to try the Earl of Derby, and other gentlemen on charges of treason and rebellion; or in other words, for having borne arms in defence of Charles. One of these was Colonel John Benbow, who, in the beginning of the contest, had united with the parliamentary army, and distinguished himself at the surprise of Shrewsbury. Afterwards, disgusted with the violent proceedings against the king, and perceiving that the object of the leaders of his party was private aggrandizement, and not the welfare of their country, he left them and repaired to the royal standard. This was a crime which could not be pardoned; he was therefore condemned to death. That his punishment might be rendered most bitter, the sentence was pronounced by Colonel Mackworth, once his friend and fellow soldier; and it was ordered to be executed at his native town of Shrewsbury, that a terrible impression might be made on the inhabitants of that loyal place. He was shot on the green before the castle, October 15, 1651, and suffered with great intrepidity. This respectable officer was uncle to the celebrated admiral Benbow.