Page:VCH Sussex 1.djvu/615

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POLITICAL HISTORY cember and next day appearing upon the Downs above Arundel, where he suffered a severe defeat/ About a week earlier two or three hundred of Lord Crawford's men had been taken after a severe fight at South Harting/ On 5 January 1644 the garrison were so reduced by hunger that Sir Edward Ford opened negotiations with Waller, who meanwhile courteously allowed some ladies who were in the castle to dine at his own table ; and on the morning of the next day Arundel castle was sur- rendered unconditionally/ For his service Sir William Waller received the thanks of parliament and was promoted to be major-general. In April i 644 Colonel Stapley was put in command at Chichester with orders to increase the garrison to 800 and to hasten the despatch of the county contingent to Waller." In June Colonel Apsley, by authority of Sir William Waller, took steps to raise a regiment in Sussex, but the gentry of the county objected on the ground that the burden of supporting the officers would annoy tlie county ; Sir William was therefore requested to cancel his commission to Apsley, which he did willingly ' the rather because I would not have anything to do with the gentlemen of Sussex, from whom I have received nothing but constant incivilities.' ^ An urgent order had to be sent in September of this year to the committee of the associated counties of Surrey, Sussex, and Hamp- shire for the payment of their three troops of horse, who had been so long without pay that there was fear of their disbanding.^ The Sussex committee were also forbidden to proceed with the proposed demolition of Cowdray House, which would have a very bad effiect on the county, but were directed to garrison the house. Mr. Cawley was accordingly put in command of 120 foot and ten horse at Cowdray.* The com- mittee again proposed in November to destroy a number of houses, but were told that it was inexpedient, and that since the decisive defeat of the king's troops at Newbury it was not necessary even to garrison the houses in question.* Orders were also issued that the county forces should not be assembled till further notice,"" and that Colonel Morley's regiment should be retained for the defence of the county." In January 1645 the Royalists were again in force on the western borders of Sussex, and the county troops were ordered to march against them ;" in May soldiers were sent from Chichester and Arundel to the siege of Basing House," and next month the governor of Chichester, Colonel Algernon Sidney, had instructions to see to his fortifications." A troop of horse was also raised at this time for the defence of west Sussex.'^ The chief event of this year, however, was the rising of the clubmen. A number of the countrymen who were not under arms on either side and had begun to experience the disastrous effects of civil war endeavoured to compel the contending parties to come to terms and • b'uss. Arch. Coll. xxviii. io8. s Ibid. p. 109. 3 Tierney, Hist, of Arundel, pp. 67-70. * Cal. S.P. Dom. Chas. I. di. 65. 6 Ibid. dii. 3, 7. « Ibid. diii. 5. ' Ibid. 10 s Ibid. 9 Ibid. 40. JO Ibid. 27. " Ibid. 54. 12 Ibid. dvi. 10. " Ibid, dviii. 104. " Ibid. 120. »5 ii,;^. dx_ 2. 525