The Right Honourable Edward Lord Dudley and Ward, Baron of Birmingham, departed this life, about four of the clock on Sunday the 3d of August, 1701, in the morning, aged 70 yeares, and buried at Himley on Friday then next following, being the 8th instant.

BURIALS:- -HIMLEY REGISTER.

The Right Honourable Humble Lord Ward was buried October 7, 1670.

John, Son of Edward Lord Ward and Frances his Lady, buried July 5, 1675.

TheLady Frances Ward, wife of Edward Lord Ward, was buried November 21, 1676.

July 29, Mr. John Ward, second son to the Hon. Mr. William Ward and Madam Frances his wife, was buried, 1696.

August 11, 1697, the Right Hon. the Lady Frances Ward, Baroness Dudley was buried.

August 8, 1701, the Right Hon. Edward Lord Dudley and Ward was buried.

1704, April 5, the Right Hon. Edward Lord Dudley and Ward was buried.

1717, November 21, the Hon. Ferdinando Dudley Ward, Esq. was buried.

1724, January 19, the Hon. Madam Frances Ward was buried.

1737, January 28, Madam Frances Lea, wife of William Lea, of Hales Owen, Esq. in the County of Salop, and sister to the Right Hon. William Lord Dudley and Ward, was buried.

1740, May 31, the Right Hon. William Lord Dudley and Ward was buried. He died the 21st of May, 1740. 1758, July 27, the Rev. Mr. William Ward, brother to the Right Hon. John Lord Ward, and Rector of this place was buried.

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1774, May 14, the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward was buried.

1782, June 10, Lady Viscountess Dudley and Ward buried.

1788, October 20, was buried the Right Hon. John Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward.

1823, May 5, was buried the Right Hon. William Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward.*

* Concerning this Nobleman, in the Obituary of a provincial Paper, was inserted this just Memorial:

"At his seat, Himley Hall, died, on Friday Evening, the Right Hon. William, Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, Baron Ward of Birmingham, and Recorder of Kidderminster.Though we hope we shall be the last to burn incense at the shrine of mere worldly greatness, yet we feel that it would be unjust to withold from this departed Nobleman the tribute of our sincere respect and gratitude. He did not suffer himself to forget that it belongs to those who are placed on an eminence and entrusted with a superior portion of the goods of fortune, to be the Almoners of Heaven; for it was his delight to encourage honest Industry, to provide for the destitute, and to befriend every charitable Institution in his neighbourhood. While he lived, his Name, wherever it was mentioned, was accompanied with the Poor man's benediction; and now his honourable career is finished, his Memory will be embalmed in the tears of the Widow and the Orphan, and he will sleep in that noblest of mausoleums- -the Bosom of the Virtuous and the Good."

HISTORICAL REVIEW OF EVENTS

CONNECTED WITH THE CASTLE.

Movemur nescio quo pacto locis ipsis, in quibus eorum, quos diligimus, aut admiramur, adsunt vestigia. CICERO.

FROM the reputed Era when this Edifice was founded, we pass down the stream of Time through a long series of ages, without perceiving any remarkable object in our course, so authenticated as to claim particular notice, till about the 19th of Charles I. 1643; when that Monarch and his Parliament were opposed to each other in open hostility. This Castle was then strengthened in its means of defence, under the direction of Sir Thomas Leveson; and seems to have been permitted to enjoy a feverish state of repose till June 1644: when, general accounts inform us, although closely besieged for three weeks by the Parliament army, it was gallantly defended by Colonel Beaumont, till relieved, on the 11th of that month, by a detachment of the king's forces from Worcester; on whose side the loss was stated to be inconsiderable: while, of his revolted subjects, 100 are said to have been killed; and 2 majors, 2 captains, 3 lieutenants, with 50 common soldiers, to have been taken prisoners. Of this affair, however, a very different account is given; and, first, thus by Oldmixon: "His Majesty being informed that the earl of Denbigh, colonel Mytton, and sir Thomas Middleton had besieged Dudley Castle, in Staf

fordshire, he sent the lord Wilmot, with the earl of Northampton, and the earl of Cleveland's brigade of horse, with 1000 foot to raise the siege. Wilmot charged the Parliament's Forlorn, under Mytton, with such fury, that his forces were all like to be cut off; and several officers advised Denbigh not to quit his trenches to relieve his friends, but there to abide the coming of the Royalists. The earl, who had sent out Mytton to meet them, resolved at all ventures to assist him; and, drawing out his troops, led them on in person, giving the Cavaliers so smart a charge, that he not only relieved his friends, but repulsed the King's party."

This latter Statement is corroborated by the following printed Reports and Document; which, although evidently of an ex-parte nature, must be admitted to contain some facts. The first is extracted from a scarce work, entituled "A perfect Diurnall of some Passages in Parliament, from Munday the 10 of June, till Munday the 17 of June 1644."

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Saturday June 15.-By Letters this day from Sir William Bereton [Brereton] at Coventry, and by another messenger, we have intelligence of an excellent exploit performed by the Earl of Denby, on Wednesday last, against a party of the King's Horse that came to raise his siege at Dudley Castle; the manner whereof is thus related: That the King being upon his departure from Bewdley towards Shrewsbury, sent a party of about 3000 Horse against the Earle of Denby at Dudley

Castle; which Horse coming suddenly upon them, the noble Earle sent a party of forlorne hope, commanded in chief by the ever-honoured Colonell Mitton governour of Wem, who bravely charged the Enemy; but their force being all Horse, and coming violently on, our forlorne hope were on a sudden desperately engaged, and in such danger, that it was advised by the councell of war that the Earle could not, without great hazard, attempt to relieve the forlorne hope; but should rather leave them to shift as they could, and keepe their trenches with the maine body, to receive the Enemy if they came on. But the noble Earle, to his perpetual honour, hating to see his deare friends sacrifice their lives, in a cause so just as for their Religion and Liberties, &c. and himselfe stand by a looker-on, resolved to relieve them (maugre all disadvantages) or die in the attempt, and with this gallant resolution drew up his Forces,-himself in person leading them on against the enemy; whom he charged to so good purpose, that he soone freed his forlorne hope, and in short time put the enemy to disorderly flight (if not quite routed them) and was in pursuit of them when the Messenger that brought the news came away to Coventry.

"In this fight (it is certified) the enemy lost about 100, and amongst the rest one person of speciall note killed, for whom they made great lamentation; and it is conceived to be the L. Wilmot, a grand incendiary of these warres. There were also 17 persons of quality taken prisoners, besides other common souldiers, horse, and armes ;