Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/190

 134 THE CASTLE OF EXETER. Though this was one of the royal castles, yet we cannot discover that any of our sovereigns occupied it as a residence in their occasional visits to this city ; but it must have proved a safe, convenient, and cheerful mansion for the Castellan. Like other ancient fortresses, as described by Dr. Lingard on the authorities of Du Gauge, King, and Grose (" Life of King Stephen," 8vo edit., vol. ii., p. 171), it had its keep, or house for the governor, encompassed by an embattled wall, and flanked with towers. Beyond this wall, towards the city, was excavated a deep and broad fosse, — here of necessity a dry one, — over which a drawbridge was thrown, protected by the Barbican Tower on the other side towards Gastle Lane. The keep was usually a strong square building of five stories. The lowermost consisted of dungeons for the confinement of captives and state-prisoners ; the second contained the stores ; the third served for the accommodation of the garrison ; in the fourth were the best apartments, for the governor and his family, and the uppermost was portioned off for chambers. The only portal, or entrance, was fixed in the second or third story, and generally led through a small side tower (as in Rochester Gastle) into the body of the keep. The ascent was by a flight of stone steps, and carefully fortified, and protected by a portcullis, to prevent the entrance of an enemy. About the middle stood a strong gate. On the landing was a drawbridge, and then appeared the door itself, protected by a portcullis, which ran in a groove, and was studded with spikes. Within the precincts of the Castle, we suppose, was the Mint. For the history of the Exeter coinage, we refer the reader to Mr. Richard Sainthill's work (London, 1844, p. 180). Here also were kept the stamps for marking the blocks of tin assayed by the officers of the earldom or ducliy. These are heavy hammers, with the die of its arms on the hammer end. Thus we find, in the Charter Rolls, p. 101, b., 1st March, 1201, King John's mandamus to William Briwere, to deliver to Ralph Morin, sheriff" of Devon, the Castle of Exeter, and the coinage stamps of the Stannary — " cuneos de Stannaria." The area of the Castle witnessed, in November, 1483, the execution, by order of King Richard III., of Sir Thomas Leger, who had married his sister, the Princess Anne. And here again, on Wednesday, the 16th of May, 1655, John