ted at the present day, and are
called Prince Rupert's drops. The prince also discovered a very
tenacious composition of metals for casting cannon. As artillery is
necessarily very heavy, and very difficult to be transported on
marches and upon the field of battle, it becomes very important to
discover such metallic compounds as have the greatest strength and
tenacity in resisting the force of an explosion. Prince Rupert
invented such a compound, which is called by his name.

There were not only a great many battles and fierce encounters between
the two great parties in this civil war, but there were also, at
times, temporary cessations of the hostilities, and negotiations for
peace. But it is very hard to make peace between two powers engaged in
civil war. Each considers the other as acting the part of rebels and
traitors, and there is a difficulty, almost insuperable, in the way of
even opening negotiations between them. Still the people became tired
of the war. At one time, when the king had made some propositions
which the Parliament would not accept, an immense assemblage of women
collected together, with white ribbons in their hats, to go to the
House of Commons with a petition for peace. When they reached the
door of the hall their number was five thousand. They called out,
"Peace! peace! Give us those traitors that are against peace, that we
may tear them to pieces." The guards who were stationed at the door
were ordered to fire at this crowd, loading their guns, however, only
with powder. This, it was thought, would frighten them away; but the
women only laughed at the volley, and returned it with stones and
brickbats, and drove the guards away. Other troops were then sent for,
who charged upon the women with their swords, and cut them in their
faces and hands, and thus at length dispersed them.

During the progress of the war, the queen returned from the Continent
and joined the king. She had some difficulty, however, and encountered
some personal danger, in her efforts to return to her husband. The
vice-admiral, who had command of the English ships off the coast,
received orders to intercept her. He watched for her. She contrived,
however, to elude his vigilance, though there were four ships in her
convoy. She landed at a town called Burlington, or Bridlington, in
Yorkshire. This town stands in a very picturesque situation, a little
south of a famous promontory called Flamborough Head, of which there
is a b