MRP: Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Mentions of Dover and Dover Castle in Sir George Oxenden's correspondence
James Master described the presence of the Dutch fleet off Dover and Deal in early 1665/66
"I shall finish [the letter with] the Story of Sheremaine [a horse belonging to Sir Henry Oxenden] which being no ordinary one may be worth your reading & behold a wonderfull strange thing, poore Shoremain was billed in y:e Service ag:st the Dutch, about Michalmas (sic) last w:ch ffleet being cone in having taken Severall Dutch prizes, & two rich East India shipps among them the Dutch ffleet came upon y:e Coast & lay ag:st Deale on the otherside of the Goodwin, Sometimes were against Dover sometimes against Thanet, this allarmed the Countrey the trained Bands, horse & foot were up & Shoremaine was á Trooper in S:r Thomas Engham’s troops being at Deale upon á W Cister & giveing a Volley of shott, the Cap:t houlding fourth his Pistoll not w:th intention to discharge it as he saith, it went off & downe fell Shoremaine (being in y:e first ranke w:th the mann upon his backe, & upon Search three bulletts went into his head neare his eare, it was well he mist the mann & this fell Spittfire in the field hono:bly S:r Thomas promises great recompense too S:r Henry but when it will come I know not"
(Letter from James Master to Sir George Oxenden, March 10th 1665/66, ff. 17-22)
James Oxenden, Sir George Oxenden's nephew, wrote to Sir George priasing the rabbit warren at Dover castle:
"...for considering yo:e infirmity, & want of health where yo:e are, w:ch might be much meliorated in yo:e owne native aire by y:e injoying, & care of yo:e relations, & y:e Exercising [?] Pleasure of field sports, w:ch yo:w know o:e Country affoords great variety, & never were more & better followed y:n now: Dover Warrin being infinitely fruitfull of haires, Governor Strondesfare [or care?], who lives princelike, keeping open hous, & a Pack of hounds & hath made a brave park, w:th in y:e Castell walls o:e old littlebourn xxx continues still to maintainance of w:th a great many of a Neighbour Gentry, pay a yearly Contribution, & we have Constituted S:r Rich:d Hards superintendent of y:e hunt, who promises us y:t w:th in few yeares we shall have y:e best pack of dogges in England, so I hope w:n yo:w returne we shall show yo:w sport enough upon asham downes w:ch is y:ee usuall purgatory of ares, & Theater of ? Recreations..."
(Letter from James Oxenden to Sir George Oxenden, January ?, 1666/67, ff. ?-?)
Image credits
Plan of Dover Castle in P.H. Ditchfield & George Clinch, Memorials of Old Kent (London, 1907), betw. pp. 160 & 161. Book and image are both out of copyright.
Sources
