ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page 1.—Puritanical wars. The following account taken from theNorthumberland Household-Book, lately reprinted by W. Pickering,conveys some idea of the destructiveness of the Puritans.

“ Wressil Castle continued in all its splendour till the fatal civil wars broke outin 1641: it was then garrisoned with soldiers for the parliament; and notwith-standing the Earl of Northumberland had espoused their cause, the damage hesustained there by his own party, before Michaelmas 1646, was judged to amountto a thousand pounds, in the destruction of his buildings, leads, outhouses, &c. bythe garrison : their havoc of his woods, inclosures, &c. without including the losseshe had sustained in the non-payments of his rents, in consequence of the con-tributions levied on his tenants.

“ On the decline of the king’s party, it should seem that the northern countiesenjoyed some respite; but in 1648, attempts being made, or expected, from theroyalists, fresh troops were sent into the north; and in May that year, Major- General Lambert ordered a small detachment of sixty men to garrison WressilCastle, of which Major Charles Fenwick had all along continued governor for theparliament, with the entire approbation of the Earl of Northumberland.

“ About the beginning of June 1648, Pomfret Castle was seized for the king, andunderwent a siege of ten months: to prevent any more surprises of this kind, aresolution was taken for demolishing all the castles in that part of England ; andwhile the Earl of Northumberland was exerting all his influence above, to save thisnoble seat of his ancestors, a committee at York sent a sudden and unexpected orderto dismantle it ; which was executed with such precipitation and fury, that beforethe earl could receive notice of the design, the mischief was done.

“ The following letters, selected from a series on this subject, will show the spiritof the times, and how little respect was shown to this great nobleman by the lowpeople, who had wrested the power into their own hands.

“ I. A Letter to Mr. Prickett at York.

" ‘ Sir,—I am very sorrye to see the spoyle that is alreadye made of his lordship’scastle, with this forenoones work; there is fifteen men throwing downe theout-battlement; I thinke by to-morrow noone they will have gone rownd about thecastle. The stones are for the most parte all mashed to pieces, and if their be not