Fitz

Certainly not an unheard-of vocation for gentlemen of the time, but it was more common for them to treat it as a sort of rite of passage and to return home after a short period of soldiering and settle down doing something more staid and, well, reliably lucrative.

Certainly not an unheard-of vocation for gentlemen of the time, but it was more common for them to treat it as a sort of rite of passage and to return home after a short period of soldiering and settle down doing something more staid and, well, reliably lucrative.

But Brown didn't have that luxury, so the art of warfare became his chosen career, and it turns out that he was really rather good at it.

But Brown didn't have that luxury, so the art of warfare became his chosen career, and it turns out that he was really rather good at it.

Although Brown claimed himself Church of England, unlike most of his peers, it seems that personal faith played little part in his military allegiance, fighting for both Catholic France and Protestant Holland at various points, and spending the early part of his career as a mercenary in Europe. But meanwhile, back in England, trouble was brewing.

Although Brown claimed himself Church of England, unlike most of his peers, it seems that personal faith played little part in his military allegiance, fighting for both Catholic France and Protestant Holland at various points, and spending the early part of his career as a mercenary in Europe. But meanwhile, back in England, trouble was brewing.

The wars of the three kingdoms and the English civil wars were imminent. Unrest was fermenting, nobles were choosing sides, cities declaring for crown or parliament, and even families were split by political decisions. On Brown's return to England, he found himself with a bucketful of military experience in a country that had long been at peace, but now was preparing for war.

The wars of the three kingdoms and the English civil wars were imminent. Unrest was fermenting, nobles were choosing sides, cities declaring for crown or parliament, and even families were split by political decisions. On Brown's return to England, he found himself with a bucketful of military experience in a country that had long been at peace, but now was preparing for war.

This experience was not to be overlooked by the parliamentary forces, and he was swiftly put in command of a 36-gun warship, the Martin. A command he was not to waste, for as soon as hostilities were declared, he engaged with royalist forces at the important seaport town of Portsmouth. Portsmouth town was defended by South Sea Castle and the harbour was blocked by Royalist naval forces.

This experience was not to be overlooked by the parliamentary forces, and he was swiftly put in command of a 36-gun warship, the Martin. A command he was not to waste, for as soon as hostilities were declared, he engaged with royalist forces at the important seaport town of Portsmouth. Portsmouth town was defended by South Sea Castle and the harbour was blocked by Royalist naval forces.

Brown wasted no time and launched a surprise night attack in small boats, seizing the ship, unblocking the harbour and opening the castle to assault. This successful action was to earn Brown a commendation from the House of Commons, but he didn't stop there. He needed to take that castle. It was a formidable challenge, with imposing stone walls 30 feet high, surrounded by a deep moat 15 feet wide.

Brown wasted no time and launched a surprise night attack in small boats, seizing the ship, unblocking the harbour and opening the castle to assault. This successful action was to earn Brown a commendation from the House of Commons, but he didn't stop there. He needed to take that castle. It was a formidable challenge, with imposing stone walls 30 feet high, surrounded by a deep moat 15 feet wide.

And here, dear listeners, is where the story starts getting really good. You might think that assaulting such a fortification would be a costly and perhaps even suicidal endeavour, and Brown was working with only one ship's crew, not a large land-based army. Losing too many men would not only make taking the castle next to impossible, but it would render his ship useless as well.

And here, dear listeners, is where the story starts getting really good. You might think that assaulting such a fortification would be a costly and perhaps even suicidal endeavour, and Brown was working with only one ship's crew, not a large land-based army. Losing too many men would not only make taking the castle next to impossible, but it would render his ship useless as well.

I don't know if he agonised over the decision, but he allocated his forces and undertook the risky mission of storming the castle. His hand-picked team stealthily approached the castle moat and swam across it undetected. Emerging from the gloomy water, no doubt sopping wet and chilled to the bone, they then needed to surmount the thirty-foot-high walls of sheer stonework.

I don't know if he agonised over the decision, but he allocated his forces and undertook the risky mission of storming the castle. His hand-picked team stealthily approached the castle moat and swam across it undetected. Emerging from the gloomy water, no doubt sopping wet and chilled to the bone, they then needed to surmount the thirty-foot-high walls of sheer stonework.

The climb must have been an impressive undertaking in itself, but scale the walls they did, and still without raising the alarm of the defending royalists. So far uncontested, they set about taking the castle. The stakes were high. Portsmouth was a vital seaport, and taking it for Parliament would be a heavy blow to Charles's forces.

The climb must have been an impressive undertaking in itself, but scale the walls they did, and still without raising the alarm of the defending royalists. So far uncontested, they set about taking the castle. The stakes were high. Portsmouth was a vital seaport, and taking it for Parliament would be a heavy blow to Charles's forces.

However, the loss of too many men would blunt the effectiveness of the parliamentary force in the area. But Brown had a cunning plan to avoid losing too many men. He didn't take any. Well, I say he didn't take any. He took one man with him, but he wasn't a soldier. He was a musician with a trumpet. Yes, sizing up the castle, and I must say it is a castle, not just a fortified house.

However, the loss of too many men would blunt the effectiveness of the parliamentary force in the area. But Brown had a cunning plan to avoid losing too many men. He didn't take any. Well, I say he didn't take any. He took one man with him, but he wasn't a soldier. He was a musician with a trumpet. Yes, sizing up the castle, and I must say it is a castle, not just a fortified house.