THE ROUNDHEADS AT ROCHESTER-ENTRANCE TO THE CASTLE.

Now, while sentinel was thus strictly kept, the Lord Roper, which, for the present, was both unknown and unexpected, though, in time convenient, was intended to be sought after, came in his coach, with his lady and other gentlewomen, and a sumpter horse following the coach, both which were commanded to stand, and stay the colonel's pleasure, until he came from Upnall Castle, which was three miles from Rochester; for, after he had set sentinel upon the bridge, he went, with the rest of the troops and dragooners, to take possession of the castle. When he came, he found no great show of resistance, for those who usually attended the captain for defence of the castle were most, or all of them, forth at harvest; when they heard news of our coming, they made haste to come in, but it was too late, for we stopped them by the way. The colonel marched up to the gate of the castle, with some few men, to enter in; none daring to resist, we took possession of the castle, which stood close to the sea side (the captain was playing at bowls), and left a sufficient guard to keep it. Then we took pos

session of the forts, and left a sufficient guard there, and returned back to Rochester, and entered the city with peace, and took with us the Lord Roper, and lodged him at the Crown, with a strong guard day and night."

To gain admittance within the walls of Rochester Castle, we must direct our steps to the High Street, where a narrow turning, nearly opposite the Corn-Exchange, leads to a wooden gateway, the only entrance by which the Castle can be visited. We shall meet with no difficulty in obtaining admission, neither will there be any limit to our stay. The old gardener, who acts as a sort of senechal, and who inhabits the tower on our left hand, which forms part of the ancient entrance, conducts us at once to the Keep, the only portion of the ruins of any importance, where we prefer being left to our own observations and reflections. In the pursuit of the former, we shall derive great assistance from the annexed description, penned by a very competent authority, whom we cannot do better than follow, step by step, to the close of our investigations.

"The skill and ingenuity exercised in the construction of the Keep, or Great Tower, are particularly observable in the various precautionary contrivances that secured the entrance. This opened upon the first floor from a smaller tower, that was attached to the

THE INTERIOR OF THE KEEP.

Keep on the north side, but could not be approached by an assailant without the greatest danger.* The first ascent was by a flight of twelve or thirteen steps, leading round the north-west angle to an arched gate, and covered way; beneath which, a flight of seven steps led forward to a draw-bridge, that connected with the arched gateway of the entrance tower: this opened into the vestibule, be

"Here was originally the only entrance into this structure; but an opening or two, since made by the enlargement of the loop-holes, have been mistaken for ancient doorways.

ROCHESTER CASTLE-THE WELL-THE BASEMENT STORY.

tween which and the Keep, there were no other avenues of communication than by a third arched passage, in the thickness of the wall. This latter, being the immediate inlet to the body of the Keep, was defended by a massive gate and portcullis, the hinges and grooves of which remain; and in the roof are openings for the purpose of showering destruction on the heads of the assailants.

"The interior of the Keep is divided by a strong wall into two nearly equal parts, communicating, however, by open arches on each floor. In the centre of this wall is a well of considerable depth, two feet nine inches in diameter, neatly wrought, opening to the very top of the Keep, and having an arch of communication on every floor. The floors were three in number, independent of the basement story: the openings in the walls in which the ends of the timbers were lodged, evince the latter to have been of great thickness, though none of them now remain.

The basement story was

low and gloomy; the

wardly, of a conical

figure: here the munition and stores for the use of the garrison were deposited. In the north-east angle is a circular winding staircase, which ascends from the ground to the summit of the Keep; and within the south wall

is a square passage, or funnel, which also

communicates with the upper floors, and, from its singularity, has given rise to much fanciful speculation; the precise uses to which it was assigned, are, certainly, difficult to ascertain,

THE DUNGEON-APARTMENTS FOR THE SOLDIERY.

yet the supposition that it was intended for the conveyance of military stores to the upper parts of the Keep, without incumbering the staircase, is entitled to some attention. On the north side is a dark flight of steps, leading to the dungeon, a small, vaulted apartment, almost without light, ranging beneath the lower story of the entrance tower.

"The first floor, which seems to have been that occupied by the soldiery, and into which was the entrance from without, was twenty-two feet in height. On this floor, besides seven loop-holes, of a somewhat less cautious construction than those beneath, were two spacious conical fire-places, gradually contracting to the outer part of the walls,

west angle; and

here, also, were two

very curiously contrived, and well defended, windows, designed to command a yiew of what was passing on the steps of the entrance. Within the east wall of this floor is a gallery, together with some private apartments; the openings into

which were singularly well calculated for the security of those who might be there stationed to watch the proceedings of a besieging army. In the south-east angle begins a second circular

ROCHESTER CASTLE-THE STATE APARTMENTS.

staircase, which, as well as that in the opposite tower, ascends to the top of the Keep.

"The second floor consisted of the State apartments, and was more ornamental and lofty than either of the others: the height was twenty-eight feet. These apartments communicated by four

large semi-circular arches, formed in the partition wall, and sustained by massive columns and half-columns, curiously wrought, and about eighteen feet high. The arches, as well as those of the two large fire-places on this floor (which are of similar form to