quay kept up a fire on St Johns and killed four men at the back of the Swan Inn. All the south side of the town, beyond the Sidbury Gate, was still open to the garrison. They went out beyond the walls to make hay, which they brought in by the river, and turned out their cattle to graze. On 16 June the besiegers paraded in full force, fired three volleys, and lit a bonfire in St Johns to induce the garrison to believe Oxford had surrendered (the actual surrender did not take place until 20 June, when the Princes Rupert and Maurice, who were in it, accepted passes to go abroad, which they did on 5 July 1646. On 17 June thirteen guns were fired at St Martins Church and the Cross Inn. Whalley sent in a buck as a present to the governor. The citizens' wives and some of the citizen members of the council, urged the governor to treat. This Washington refused. He caused a foray to be made by the garrison towards Kempsey and Pirton, to bring in all the cattle they could catch. As the Irish soldiers in the garrison began to give trouble the governor's task was becoming more and more difficult. To better secure the defence he had the parapets of the bridge over the river raised and loopholed for muskets. The siege of Worcester had been carried on for some time before anything was done about Madresfield. The Governor (Captain Aston) had been present at a council of war, at which he had stated that he could hold the place against all force for three months at least if mortar pieces were not brought against him. On 17 June Captain Aston sent a messenger (Captain Blinkow) to Colonel Washington, telling him he had been summoned that morning to deliver up the house, and asking his pleasure. Washington sent word back recalling Aston's promises, and told him that without any treaty he expected him to hold out for a month, promising that if in the meantime Worcester should be treated for Madresfield should be included in the treaty. On 19 June the governor's footman was taken prisoner. The besiegers began throwing up new works in St Johns. All useless persons were made to leave the city. These numbered some 1,500, who it was said had only one meal a day. Another strong party