34 BEWDLEY, RIBBESFORD, AND WRIBBENHALL.

forest of once flourishinge Wyre, for theare Bewdley bounded the north-west lymit of WorceBtershyre," and now is onely leafte Tickenhill Parcke, wch with her tall spreadinge oakes hath some resemblance of her ancient mother Wyre, inclosing that delightful house mounted over Bewdley, wch Kinge Henry the Seaventh built for his sonne, that hopefull Prynce Arthur, and nowe a mansion for his ma'ties consell of the Marches of Wales, althoughe of late seldome frequented."

Richard Symonds, who accompanied Charles I in the civil wars, says in his diary (published by, Camden Society, 1859): "The towne of Bewdley is governed with a bayliffe and a justice. He that is bayliffe this yeare is justice the next, chosen out of twelve aldermen, two bridgewardens. The only manufacture of this towne the making of capps, called Monmouth capps, knitted by the poore people for twopence a piece. Ordinary ones sold for two, three, and four shillings. First they are knitt, then they mill them, then they work them with tasels, then they sheare them. A grotto cut out of the quarry of stone within this parke (Ticknell), towards the Severne. The Kinge laye at night (June 12, 1644), at the manor of Tickney, on the top of the hill neere the towne, a house belonging to the Prince of Wales, now farmed out to Sir Ralph Clare. A fine hilly park about the house. On Saturday morning the Kinge with his whole army marched back to Worcester."

It was from Tickenhill that Charles wrote a letter to Prince Rupert, then in the north, urging him to relieve York, and which led to the battle of Marston Moor. The Bewdley Corporation were not very liberal to royalty |F all accounts be true. On his Majesty's visit in 1644 they spent two shillings in repairing the Corporation pew in the church and sixpence for sweeping out the church; and in June, 1645, after the battle of Naseby, when the discomfited monarch again passed through Bewdley, and slept at the Angel Inn for two nights, the inhabitants voted half-a-crown for his entertainment. Some accounts vary this to 3s. 8d. a day; but I am inclined