Great part of the day was spent in angry discussion, so that Moseley had nigh forgotten his message from Gideon; yet he remembered it ere he left the council.  Pulling out a coarse bannock, to the great astonishment of his auditory, he brake it, relating his interview with the captive.  Near to where the prisoner had taken his last mouthful, Moseley found a bit of crumpled paper.  The surprise and dismay of the assembly may be conceived after he had read the following billet:—­

     “MY DEAREST HEART,—­

“With much joy and comfort I send thee news that his Highness Prince Rupert hath gotten a great victory over the rebels at Newark; and I have besought his Majesty that he should march into Lancashire.  By two days, at farthest, these enemies who now beleaguer my house shall be cut off.  We purpose to come upon them suddenly, so that they shall be taken in their own snare.  I have raised L3000 on the jewels conveyed to me from Lathom by the last sally, which sum I purpose giving in largess to the soldiers, that it may quicken them to thy help.  My prayers and blessing for thee and the children.—­Thine,

     “DERBY.”

This secret intelligence had missed its destination.  The gaoler had unfortunately picked it up from where some friendly hand had thrown it, reserving the curious envelope for Gideon’s breakfast, not aware of the important message it contained.  But the prisoner, more wary than his keeper, when he felt the paper between his teeth, rightly judged that it was some communication of importance to his enemies, and craftily conveyed it, as we have seen, into the hands of Captain Moseley.

No mean act of heroism for a starving man to wrench the food from his own jaws,—­a deed we might in vain look for amongst the patriots of our own day,—­persons who would sneer at the fanaticism, and, it may be, the sincerity of Gideon Greatbatch.

Consternation was visible throughout the assembly.  They had all along flattered themselves with the expectation that Prince Rupert’s army was too urgently required for the relief of York, to have caused them any disturbance; and, with inward curses on the king for his humanity, secret preparations were made for raising the siege.

Though ignorant of the cause, the garrison soon espied an unusual bustle in the camp.  They were evidently preparing for some exploit.  One of the spies brought intelligence that two squadrons had departed in the night, and that Colonels Moore and Ashton were on their return to Manchester.

On Monday morning, the 27th of May, it was agreed that Captains Ogle and Rawsthorne should make a sally.  But they found the enemy had been beforehand with them, leaving the camp in the utmost terror and disorder.  Intelligence now arrived that Prince Rupert had entered Lancashire by way of Stockport, where the Parliament army, under Colonels Duckenfield, Mainwaring, Buckley, and others, had suffered a total route.  The besiegers had commenced their retreat between twelve and one o’clock the preceding night.