▁ear l ' s ▁castle ▁to ▁Ton bridge ▁the ▁army ▁attacked ▁from ▁the ▁Ro chester ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁river , ▁either ▁the ▁south ▁or ▁west . ▁While ▁the ▁army ▁advanced ▁towards ▁the ▁city ▁the ▁royal ist ▁g arrison ▁set ▁al ight ▁the ▁sub ur bs . ▁The ▁king ' s ▁hall ▁within ▁the ▁castle ▁was ▁also ▁burn ed ▁down . ▁An ▁army ▁under ▁Simon ▁de ▁Mont fort ▁march ed ▁from ▁London ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁attack ing ▁the ▁city ▁from ▁another ▁direction . ▁The ▁ear l ' s ▁first ▁two ▁attempts ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Med way ▁were ▁fought ▁back , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁successful ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁April , ▁Good ▁Friday ▁using ▁a ▁fire - ship . ▁The ▁smoke ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁cover ▁for ▁the ▁reb els , ▁or ▁the ▁ship ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁burn ▁the ▁bridge ▁while ▁the ▁army ▁travel led ▁by ▁water . ▁In ▁a ▁co - ordin ated ▁attack ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁pre - arr anged , ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁de ▁Mont fort ▁and ▁de ▁Cla re ▁attacked ▁the ▁city . ▁They ▁entered ▁Ro chester ▁in ▁the ▁evening ▁and ▁that ▁night ▁the ▁c athedral ▁was ▁ra ided . ▁The ▁following ▁day ▁the ▁reb els ▁captured ▁the ▁castle ' s ▁outer ▁en closure ▁and ▁the ▁royal ▁g arrison ▁retre ated ▁to ▁the ▁keep . ▁Because ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁was ▁E aster ▁Sunday ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁fighting ; ▁host ilities ▁res umed ▁on ▁the ▁Monday . ▁Sie ge ▁engines ▁were ▁set ▁up ▁and ▁target ed ▁the