sent by Colonel Norton on 2 Sept., but was at once rejected. About 11 Sept. the garrison was relieved by Colonel Gage, who, being met by Lieutenant-colonel Johnson by the Grange, routed Morley's and Norton's men, and entered the house. He left with Winchester one hundred of Colonel Hawkins's white-coated men, and, after taking Basingstoke, sent provisions to Basing. Meanwhile Winchester, with the white-coats and others under Major Cuffaud and Captain Hull, drove the besiegers out of Basing. On 14 Nov. Gage again arrived at Basing, and on the 17th the siege was raised. Norton was succeeded by a stronger force under the command of Colonel Harvey, which had no better fortune. At length Sir William Waller advanced against it at the head of seven thousand horse and foot. Still Winchester contrived to hold out. But after the battle of Naseby, Cromwell marched from Winchester upon Basing, and, after a most obstinate conflict, took it by storm on 16 Oct. 1645. Winchester was brought in a prisoner, with his house flaming around him. He ‘broke out and said “that if the king had no more ground in England but Basing House, he would adventure it as he did, and so maintain it to the uttermost,” comforting himself in this matter “that Basing House was called Loyalty”’ (Green, Hist. of Engl. People, iii. 243). Thenceforward he was called the ‘great loyalist.’ What remained of Basing, which Hugh Peters after its fall told the House of Commons ‘would have become an emperor to dwell in,’ the parliamentarians levelled to the ground, after pillaging it of money, jewels, plate, and household stuff to the value, it is said, of 200,000l.
Winchester was committed to the Tower on a charge of high treason on 18 Oct. 1645, and his estates were ordered to be sequestered (Commons' Journals, iii. 280, iv. 313). An order was made for allowing him 5l. a week out of his property on 15 Jan. 1646 (ib. iv. 407). Lady Winchester, who had escaped from Basing two days before its fall, was sent to join her husband in the Tower on 31 Jan., and a weekly sum of 10l., afterwards increased to 15l., was ordered to be paid her for the support of herself and her children, with the stipulation that the latter were to be educated as protestants (ib. iv. 425, 725, v. 3, 521). An ordinance for the sale of Winchester's land was passed on 30 Oct. (ib. iv. 710), and by the act of 16 July 1651 a portion was sold by the trustees for the sale of forfeited estates. On 7 Sept. 1647 Winchester was allowed to drink the waters at Epsom, and stayed there by permission of parliament for nearly six months (ib. v. 294, 422). The House of Lords on 30 June 1648 urged the commons to release him on bail in consideration of his bad health (ib. v. 617). In the propositions sent to the king at the Isle of Wight on 13 Oct. it was expressly stipulated that Winchester's name be excepted from pardon (Lords' Journals, x. 548). Ultimately the commons resolved on 14 March 1649 not to proceed against him for high treason; but they ordered him to be detained in prison and excepted from any composition for his estate (Commons' Journals, vi. 165). In January 1656 he was a prisoner in execution in the upper bench for debts amounting to 2,000l., and he petitioned Cromwell for relief (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1656, pp. 105, 351). The sale of his lands was discontinued by order of parliament on 15 March 1660 (Commons' Journals, vii. 879), and after the Restoration Winchester received them back. It was proposed on 3 Aug. 1660 to recompense him for his losses to the amount of 19,000l. and damages, subsequently reduced to 10,000l., and this was agreed to on 2 July 1661, but in the event he was allowed to go unrecompensed. A bill for confirming an award for settling differences between him and his eldest son, Charles, in regard to the estates, was passed in 1663 (ib. vol. viii.; Lords' Journals, xi. 472).
Winchester retired to his estate at Englefield, Berkshire, which he had acquired by his second marriage, and passed the remainder of his life in privacy, dividing his time between agriculture and literature. He greatly enlarged the house, the front of which, says Granger (Biogr. Hist. of Engl. 2nd edit. ii. 122), bore a beautiful resemblance to a church organ, but ‘is now [1775] no more.’
Winchester died at Englefield on 5 March 1675, premier marquis of England, and was buried in the church there. On the monument raised by his wife to his memory are engraved some lines by Dryden (Works, ed. Scott, 1821, xi. 154). He was married three times: first, to Jane (d. 1631), eldest daughter of Thomas, first viscount Savage, by whom he had issue Charles, his successor, created first duke of Bolton in 1689, who is separately noticed. Milton wrote an epitaph in 1631 on Jane, lady Winchester; and James Howell, who taught her Spanish, has commemorated her beauty and goodness. Winchester's second wife was Lady Honora de Burgh (1611–1662), daughter of Richard, first earl of St. Albans and Clanricarde, who brought him four sons—of whom two only, John and Francis, lived to manhood—and three daughters. By his third wife, Isabella
