“War being declared, Chester was deemed a place of great importance; and his majesty sent hither Sir Nicholas Byron, with a commission as Colonel-General of Cheshire, and Governor of Chester. A levy of 300 men was ordered by the citizens, independent of the trained bands, and a rate was made for their maintenance. The outworks and entrenchments were carried on with such vigour, that in the beginning of the summer, 1643, the _mud walls_, _mounts_, _bastions_, &c. were all completed, and several effective batteries planted.” Upon Thursday, the 19th of July, 1643, Sir William Brereton, general of the parliamentary forces, made an assault upon the works, but they were so resolutely defended, that he was beaten off, and forced to retire. On the 11th of November, the town and castle of Hawarden was surrendered to Sir William Brereton, who sent a summons to Chester, requiring the surrender of the city under pain of condign punishment in case of refusal. Governor Byron sent him for answer, that he was not to be terrified by words, but bade him “come and win the city, if he would have it.” The authorities busied themselves in perfecting the defences of the city: three troops of horse were raised, for the maintenance of which the citizens assessed themselves according to their abilities, and converted 100_l._ worth of the city plate into coin, some of which pieces, stamped with the city arms, still exist in the cabinets of numismatists. On the 13th of February, 1644, a battle was fought near Boughton, in which the enemy were forced to retire. About 100 of the royalists, chiefly Chester men, fell in this engagement. On the 19th of September, the parliamentary forces from Beeston Castle advanced to Chester, and immediately transmitted a peremptory summons. Ere an answer could be returned, the enemy made a brisk attack upon the city, but were repulsed with loss: the city walls now constituted the only defence of the besieged. After various skirmishes on each side, the besieging commanders opened a correspondence, which, however, terminated without leading to any result. “By the end of February, 1645, the enemy had succeeded in surrounding the city, and placed garrisons at Hoole, Rowton, Eccleston, Iron-bridge, Upton, &c. In this position affairs remained until the middle of September, when the garrison were gladdened by the news that the king was on his march for the relief of the city. The exultation of the citizens was beyond all bounds: but there is reason to believe, that in their excess of joy, measures of prudence were grievously neglected.