be presumed, no inhabited town existed here; nor is it known in what reign, or even age, its foundation occurred. Merlin the British prophet, who flourished about the year 480, writes that two kings should "dubium praelium committere propter Leenam in VADO BACULI," which last two words have been translated" at Stafford." This translation, however, seems at best but conjecture; and the foresight of the prophet will not probably be considered, by the jndicious enquirer, as in any shape worthy of attention. The first mention then of this town which can be relied on is in the year 913, when the Saxon chronicles inform us that Ethelfleda countess of Mercia, and the celebrated sister of Edward the elder, built a castle here.

What was the condition of Stafford at that time cannot now be determined; but it would appear to have been a thriving place, as we find it shortly after considered as the chief town of the district. Of the mighty castle which Ethelfleda built no vestiges now remain; so that the precise site on which it stood is extremely uncertain. Dr. Plot † supposes it to have been situated within the entrenchments at Billington, at some distance to the south of Stafford, and appears to found his conjecture from the lands there being still a remaining part of the demesne lands of this barony. Mr. Pennant, however, main

tains

though now unknown to his father, he begged this island of him, where he led a hermit's life for divers years, till disturbed by some one who envied his happiness, when he removed into some desert mountainous places where he ended his life." Plot's Hist. Stafford. p. 409. +Plot. Stafford. p. 410.

*Saxon Chron. 104.

We speak thus, following Mr. Pennant, who has been pleased to assign this opinion to Dr. Plot. The perusal of the latter gentleman's remarks on the subject of the castles here does not we confess, however, impress us with the same idea. It seems to us, that Dr. Plot does not mean that the castle built by Ethelfleda stood within the entrenchments at Billington, but some other ancient one, which Mr. Erdeswicke supposes to have occupied the site of that built in later times by Ranulf, the first Earl of Stafford; or, at least, to have stood near it. The words of Dr. Plot, after noticing many of the

great

tains these works to be a British post, which might be afterwards occupied by the Saxons; but he gives no opinion on their connection with the castle. Edward the elder is likewise said by Camden* to have built a tower here on the north bank of the river about a year after the erection of that which his sister founded. This tower Mr. Pennant+ conjectures to have stood on the mount called by Speed Castle-hill, and now distinguished by the appellation of Bullyhill. A church which stands near it is named Castle-church, perhaps from being raised on the site of one more ancient, which might have been attached to the castle.t

From this time nothing remarkable is mentioned concerning Stafford or its castles, till the era of the Norman conquest, when it appears from Domesday, § "that the king had in this town eighteen burgesses in demesne, and twenty mansions of the honour of the Earls. It paid for all customs 91. libras denaKk k 4 riorum

great actions of Ethelfleda are; "She also built a castle at the town of Staf ford, on the north side of the river Sow (Billington lies to the south of that river) whereof I could not hear any footsteps remaining, that upon the hill above the town, at near a mile's distance, the prospects whereof are both here annexed, being built long after by Ranulf or Ralph, the first earl of Stafford, though Mr. Erdeswick tells us he had a certain deed dated apud castrum juxta Stafford, long before the days of the said Earl Ralph: whence he concludes he did but rectify the castle, and not new build it, which perhaps may be true: but for my part I conjecture, that the first Stafford castle mentioned in that deed might rather stand within the entrenchments at Billington, which perhaps may be only the remains of this castle, and not of the battle between King Randulf and Duke Wada, as was thought above, &c." Plot's History, p. 416. + Pennant's Journey, p. 104-5.

Gough's Camden, Vol. II. p. 496. Sir Simon Degge, (says Mr. Gough in his additions to Camden) in his M. S. notes on Dr. Plot's history, affirms there was a castle within the town, near the Broad Eye, and in his time a bank called the Castle Bank. This (adds Mr. Gough) may be the same noticed in Speed's Map now called Bully hill. Gough's Camden, Vol. II. p. 410.

§ Fol. 246.

riorum in money."* The same ancient record likewise informs us that the king built a castle here, the custody of which was given to Robert de Tonei, younger son of Roger, standardbearer of Normandy, one of the chiefs who followed the fortunes of William. This Robert de Tonei, in consequence, took the name of Stafford, which continued through his illustrious descendants for many centuries. The castle, so built by the Conqueror, does not seem to have stood long; but by whom, and on what account it was demolished is unknown. It has been already observed, that Mr. Erdeswick says, it was restored by Ralph de Stafford a distinguished warrior in the reign of Edward the third. That it was restored and continued to flourish till the seventeenth century is undoubted; but the truth of Mr. Erdeswick's assertion, that its renewal was the work of Ralph, the first earl of Stafford, certainly requires some confirmation. During the contentions between the unfortunate house of Stewart and the Parliament, this castle was one of those which was garrisoned for the support of the royal cause. After the commencement of open war, however, it did not hold out long, being taken by the parliamentary forces under Sir William Brereton, in 1644, and soon after demolished.

The following curious letter relative to a previous demonstration made by the general above mentioned to induce Lady Stafford to surrender the castle is copied from Mr. Shaw's history of the county.

"May it please your Excellency.

"In my last I gave your excellence an account of the taking of Stafford, by a very small force, wherein the Lord was pleased to worke, and bring to pass that which was as much beyond our power as above our hopes and expectations, to whom I

desire

Who the Earls were that are mentioned in this passage does not appear; nor can we conjecture, unless it might be the Earls of Mercia, If any earls of Stafford existed previous to the Norman conquest, their history is totally lost. No earls of the Norman dynasty were created till the reign of Edward the third.

9

desire the whole glory and honour may be attributed. Since that time we have done our utmost endeavours to fortify the towne, and make good the breaches. Upon Thursday we went to the castle, faced it, and demanded the same. The ould Lady Stafford had betaken herself to the castle, removed her family, and some say all her goods. Wee made as large our forces as possible, to induce my Ladye to admitte some of our men to secure the castle, and gave her assurance of all protection (wee were able to give) for her person, goods, servants, and tenants. Wee acquainted her with the miseries which would inevitabley fall upon her house and estate, and did most earnestly beseech her to bee so just to herself, and to those that were to succeed her, as not to be persuaded by wicked and obstinate councell, and to bringe unavoidable destruction upon herselfe, and to do great injury to those that should succeed.

"Wee spent much time in this treatie, but it was vain and fruitlesse. Wee conceive her heart was hardened by the pernicious councell of some priest, jesuites, or other incendiaries about her, who delight in nothing but fire and sword. And seeing nothing is more apparent than that they thirst after blood, I doubt not but the righteous Lord will measure out unto them a bloody portion to drinke, and will establish peace and quietnesse untoe his people in due time.

"These fair propositions being rejected," the forces returned, and before I came to the town I saw some of the poor outhouses sett on fyer, to try whether these would worke theire spirites to any relentinge but all in vaine, for from the castle they shot some of our men and horses, which did much enrage and provoke the rest to a fierce revenge and to practice those extremities, which consumed before the next ordinance, almost all the dwelling houses and out houses to the ground.

"Since that time we heare there are several considerable persons in this block up castle which we resolve to observe

and

and attend as much as possible untill we can recover the same, and disperse them."*

Though, as already mentioned, the origin of Stafford is uncer tain, there seems every reason to suppose it was a town of some importance before the Norman conquest. In Domesday-book it is termed a city, and was then governed by two bailiffs; but the first charter of incorporation now extant, was not granted till the reign of King John. From the tenor of this deed, however, it is evident it was a corporate place long previous to that period. It merely confirms privileges enjoyed « from remote antiquity," and does not confer any new ones. The word used in this charter, to point out the previous existence of these privileges is antiquitus, which would not certainly have been used to denote a period so recent as that of the Conquest. Hence it is concluded to have been a borough in the time of the heptarchy. Nay, it may not perhaps be too extravagant a conjecture to suppose it might have been originally a Roman municipal town, or even a British city. This, indeed, is mere conjecture; and, if really the case, the town was most probably reduced entirely to ruins, in the conflicts either between the Romans and Britons or the Danes and Saxons. It, however, may be observed, that its situation accords very nearly with the general description given by Cæsar of British towns, which are represented as being placed on gentle eminences, barricadoed with trees, and generally surrounded with morasses and ditches, in the vicinity of extensive pasturages; and that a of many bundred acres of lands was annexed to the pasturage town of Stafford from the earliest times is evidenced by its more ancient charters.

The charter by king John to this town was confirmed by Edward

Shaw's Hist. Stafford, Vol. I. p. 161.

This instrument is probably one of the oldest deeds now extant in this kingdom. It is dated the first day of May in the seventh year of King John's reign, and is of course one year more ancient than the charter to the city of London, and six years earlier than Magna Charta.