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MEMOIRS 


OF 


PRINCE     RUPERT 

AND   THE  CAVALIERS. 


VOL.  II. 


Wagcman,  de.1 


BNfrRAVEU  BY  PERMISSION  FROM   THE    ORIGINAL  IN  THE  POSSESSION    t 
R?HOK.  THE  EARL   OF  CLARENDON. 


London ^RicTiarcL  BentLey,1349. 


MEMOIRS 

• 


OF 


PRINCE     RUPERT, 

AND    THE    CAYALIERS. 


tjjetr  $rtbate 


•NOW    FIRST    PUBLISHED    FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    MANUSCRIPTS. 

BY 

ELIOT   WARBURTON, 

AUTHOR    OF    "THE   CRESCENT   AND    THE    CROSS." 

IN   THREE   VOLUMES. 

VOL.  II.  , 

,»A 

yYs  i  II 

LONDON: 
RICHARD    BENTLEY, 


in  (fctfnnatfi  to  Jger  Jftajestg. 

M.DCCC.XLIX. 


V- 


LOKDON : 

Printed  by  S.  &  J.  BENTLKY  and  HENRY  FLKY, 
Bangor  House,  Shoe  Lane. 


CONTENTS 


TO 


THE    SECOND    VOLUME. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  DRAWN  BATTLE. 

PAGE 

MANOEUVRES   OF   THE    HOSTILE    ARMIES. —  BATTLE   OP   EDGEHILL. —  COURT 

AT  OXFORD.  —  SKIRMISHES.  —  ADVANCE  ON  LONDON.  —  BATTLE  OF  BRENT- 
FORD. —  AFFAIRS  AT  COLEBROOK,  WINDSOR,  AND  BRENTFORD.  —  CLOSE  OF 
THE  YEAR  .  .  1 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  QUEEN  ARRIVES.— THE  WAR  GROWS  HOT. 

RUPERT   TAKES  CIRENCESTER.  —  ESSEX  OUTMANOEUVRED.  —  THE  QUEEN 

LANDS  IN  ENGLAND. —  BATTLES  IN  THE  WEST. SIEGE  OF  LICHFIELD. — 

WALLER'S  PLOT.  —  THE  COVENANT.  —  CHALGROVE  FIGHT,  AND  DEATH  OF 

HAMPDEN   .......  .  .      89 

CHAPTER  III. 
TO  THE  END  OF  1643. 

ARRIVAL  OF  THE  QUEEN  AT  OXFORD.  —  SIEGE  OF  BRISTOL  AND  GLOU- 
CESTER.—  THE  CAVALIERS  OF  THE  WEST. —  THE  NEW  MODEL.  —  FIRST 
BATTLE  OF  NEWBURY.— DEATH  OF  PYM  .  .  .  .  .217 

VOL.  II.  b 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
LATHOM  HOUSE  AND  MARSTON  MOOR. 

PAGE 

PRINCE  RUPERT'S  NEW  DIGNITIES. — THE  "ANTI-PARLIAMENT"  MEETS. — 

OVERTURES  FOR  PEACE.  —  RUPERT  PROCEEDS  TO  SHREWSBURY  AS  PRESI- 
DENT OP  WALES.  —  RELIEF  OF  NEWARK.  —  OF  LATHOM  HOUSE.  —  MARSTON 
MOOR  •  353 


APPENDIX. 

A.  CONSTITUTION   OF   THE   LONG   PARLIAMENT               .  t              .  .                    479 

B.  THE   STATEMENT   OF   THE   NORTHERN   ARMY                  .  .                 .              481 

C.  RUPERT'S  LETTER  TO  THE  CORPORATION  OF  CHESTER  .  .            •  484 

D.  EXTRACTS   FROM   "  THE   KING'S    CABINET   OPENED  "  .                 .               485 

E.  CONCERNING   THE   ORDER  OF   THE   GARTER  ....    488 

F.  PRINCE  RUPERT'S  COMMISSION                     .  491 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PORTRAIT  OF  LORD  FALKLAND         ....  to  face  tJte  title. 

n           BLANCHE,  LADY  ARUNDEL  OF  WARDOUR  .            .      215 

„           EDWARD,  MARQUIS  OF  WORCESTER    .            .  .            144 


MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE 


OF 


PRINCE  RUPEBT 


AND 


THE    CAVALIEKS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  DRAWN  BATTLE. 

MAN(EUVRES    OF    THE    HOSTILE    ARMIES. BATTLE    OF    EDGEHILL.  COURT 

AT    OXFORD. — SKIRMISHES. — ADVANCE    ON   LONDON. BATTLE    OF   BRENT- 
FORD.— AFFAIRS    AT    COLKBROOK,  WINDSOR,   AND    BRENTFORD. CLOSE    OF 

THE    YEAR. 


"Fame,  if  not  doubled -faced,  is  double-mouthed; 
And  with  contrary  blast  proclaims  great  deeds 
On  both  his  wings  ;  one  black  the  other  white." 

Samson  Agonisles. — MILTON. 

"And  so — the  Lord  prosper  the  work  of  their  hands  who 
stand  for  God  and  King  Charles  !" 

11  His  Declaration;"  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

WE  now  bid  adieu  to  politics :  for  good  or  ill, 
like  Sir  Edmund  Varney,  we  are  enlisted  with  the 
Cavaliers  and  must  take  the  consequences.  The 
sword  is  drawn,  the  scabbard,  not  thrown  away,  but 
lost  or  hidden  under  a  mountain  of  angry  controver- 
sies. Henceforward,  like  the  combatants,  we  shall 
be  too  much  occupied  in  the  field  to  think  of  ab- 

VOL.  II.  B 


2  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

stractions.  The  King's  banner  is  displayed ;  the 
trumpets  are  sounding  to  the  Standard,  and  we  have 
only  to  march  forward  with  our  Cavaliers. 

The  Royal  army  is  in  high  spirits :  the  excite- 
ment of  change,  the  prospect  of  adventure,  vague 
dreams  of  glory  conjured  up  by  the  magic  music  of 
the  trumpet  and  the  drum ;  all  kindle  up  and  stimu- 
late the  courage  of  the  young  recruits.  The  more 
experienced  soldiers  exult  in  the  exercise  of  their 
well-trained  faculties,  and  feel  the  pride  of  their 
profession,  as  they  see  its  armed  human  instruments 
displayed  in  new-born  and  unexpected  strength.  A 
battle  was  eagerly  desired  by  all ;  every  veteran  had 
the  errors  or  the  glories  of  some  well-remembered 
field  to  correct  or  to  improve  upon;  every  young 
trooper  longed  to  prove  himself  a  hero.  "  For  God 
and  King  Charles ! "  sounded  like  a  noble  war-cry  : 
England  resumed  her  old  martial  nature,  and  the 
chivalry  of  her  earlier  days  revived.  Those  only 
who  have  witnessed  it,  can  judge  of  the  excite- 
ment of  an  army's  first  march  ;  before  disaster  has 
withered  one  of  its  high  hopes,  or  death  has  severed 
one  link  of  the  soldiers'  genial  brotherhood.  There 
is  something  mysterious  in  the  stirring  and  irre- 
sistible appeal  that  trumpets  and  banners  make  to 
the  heart  through  ear  and  eye.  The  very  war-horse 
feels  the  spell  of  that  fierce  music ;  myriads  of 
gallant  hearts  have  shed  their  blood  to  save  that 
silken  rag:  whole  troops  have  flung  away  their 
lives,  that  the  symbol  of  their  honour  might  still 


1042.]     PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  3 

float  in  triumph  over  the  bloody  remnant  of  their 
regiments.1 

We  can  easily  picture  to  ourselves  the  aspect  of 
that  doomed  army  as  it  was  marshalled  before  it 
marched  away.     No  similar  number  of  troops  ever 
counted  so  many  men  of  gentle  blood  and  noble 
bearing  as  were  here.    The  whole  of  the  front  rank, 
and  there  were  but  two,  had  probably  a  claim  to 
such  distinction,   and  were  furnished  with   armour 
from  their  own  or  their  kinsmen's  ancestral  halls. 
Their  chiefs,  assembled  in  front  of  the  gleaming 
line,  were  men  whose  names,  after  200  years,  are 
better   known   to   us   than  many  of  those  in  our 
peerage  books  or  present  army-lists;  some  few  of 
them,  such  as  Falkland  and  Sunderland,  whose  minds 
were  foreboding  and  oppressed,  might  seem  grave 
and  thoughtful ;  but  the  gay  and  reckless  temper  of 
the  Cavalier,  the  courtier's  wit,  the  soldier's  jest, 
doubtless  gave  as  cheerful  an  air  to  those  plumed 
and  glittering  groups  as  to  our  own  gatherings  at 
the  covert-side.     They  were  about  to  separate :  on 
account  of  forage  and  other  commissariat,  as  well  as 
politic,  considerations,  the  army  was  to  advance  on 
London  in  three  divisions.    Prince  Rupert,  with  the 
flower  of  the  cavalry,  formed  the  advanced  guard. 
The  King,  with  the  main  body  of  his  forces,  com- 


1  By  the  law  of  arms  in  this  romantic  time,  if  a  troop  had  lost 
its  cornet,  it  could  never  bear  one  again  until  it  was  rescued  from 
the  enemy,  or  won  another  in  its  place.  The  Cavalier  troops 
were  seldom  long  bannerless. 

B  2 


4  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

manded  by  Lord  Lindsey,  marched  as  the  centre. 
Lord  Digby  was  entrusted  with  a  brigade  of  infantry, 
and  a  few  troop  of  horse  brought  up  the  rear.1 

The  King  began  his  march  with  about  2000 
cavalry,  6000  infantry,  and  perhaps  1500  dragoons; 
the  number  of  his  artillery,  it  is  impossible  to  ascer- 
tain. Besides  these,  there  were  many  non-com- 
batants; most  of  his  council,  his  secretaries  and 
clerks,  a  numerous  train  of  heralds,  under  Sir 
William  Dugdale,  with  pursuivants  and  other  men 
of  show :  all  these  and  the  attendants  are  said  to 
have  amounted  to  1200  men.  The  number  of 
fighting  men  upon  the  King's  side  at  Edgehill,  in- 
cluding horse,  foot,  dragoons,  and  artillery,  could 
not  have  exceeded  11,000,  but  these  supernumeraries 
bring  the  entire  number  to  an  approximation  of  the 
12,000,  as  given  by  the  Roundheads.2 


1  There  is  no  formal  account  of  this  march,  that  I  know  of, 
but  I  find  Prince  Rupert  one  day  in  advance,  summoning  Co- 
ventry, and  sending  back  intelligence  to  the  King ;  and  I  find 
Digby,  with  three  regiments  of  foot  and  some  horse,  skirmishing 
at  Wolverhampton  with  Holies,  the  day  after  the  King  had  left. 

The  Parliament  was  well  informed  of  the  movements  as  soon 
as  they  were  decided  on,  and  the  arch-traitor  to  the  King  at  this 
time  occupied  a  most  eligible  post  for  his  atrocious  vocation.  I 
have  before  mentioned  a  Mr.  Blake  as  being  attached  to  Prince 
Rupert's  suite  ;  he  was  now  his  secretary  and  "  privy  chamber- 
lain ;"  in  that  capacity  he  was  acquainted  with  every  movement 
of  the  Royal  army,  and  immediately  transferred  intelligence  thereof 
to  Parliament :  for  this  service  he  received  the  large  sum  (for 
that  time)  of  SQL  a-week  :  his  communications  were  found  by 
Prince  Rupert  amongst  Essex's  papers,  which  he  captured  at 
Keinton,  a  short  time  afterwards. — Benett  MSS.  He  was  imme- 
diately arrested,  and  hanged  at  Oxford. 

2  May,  Hist.  Long  Parl.  ii.  66. 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          5 

A  stranger  might  have  supposed  that  these  troops 
were  now  on  home  service  and  merely  changing 
their  quarters ;  "  there  was  not  one  tent  and  very 
few  waggons  belonging  to  the  whole  train."1  The 
line  of  march  was  at  first  laid  out  by  Worcester,  but 
the  advice  of  Prince  Rupert  prevailed  in  favour  of 
the  more  direct  road  to  London,  through  Birming- 
ham, or  Bromicham,  as  it  was  then  called.  Even 
then,  the  neighbourhood  of  Worcester  was  much 
enclosed,  for  orchards  and  other  cultivation ;  while 
on  the  other  route  there  were  many  wide  "  campa- 
nias,"  where  the  horse  could  act  with  more  effect. 

Essex,  meanwhile,  lay  inactive,  uncertain  as  to 
the  King's  intentions.  If  he  followed  him  too 
late,  he  must  fall  into  his  rear,  and  leave  London 
unprotected :  if  he  marched  at  once  to  intercept 
his  advance  on  the  metropolis,  he  might  not  fall 
in  with  him,  and  the  lower  Severn  would  remain 
exposed,  from  Worcester  to  Bristol.  The  King 
increased  his  perplexity  by  first  moving  southwards, 
and  occupying  Bridgenorth  for  three  whole  days. 
His  next  march  was  upon  Wolverhampton2  where 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  267. 

2  The  subjoined  letter  proves  that  Rupert  was  in  advance  of 
the  King's  division,  and  that  the  Chief- Justice  held  an  assize  at 
Wolverhampton,  and  was  probably  in  attendance  on  his  Majesty. 
It  also  seems  to  imply  that  Lord  Northampton's  forces  were  now 
with  the  King  :  it  is  scarcely  legible : — 

"  MAY  IT  PLEASE  YO[UR  HlGHNESSJ, 

"  His  [Majesty  having]  cause[d]  legal  proceedings  to  be 
taken]  against  the  persons  named  in  the  paper  inclosed  (which 
cannot  well  be  done  unless  some  information  and  proof  may  be 


6  MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

he  rested  over  Sunday,  until  the  17th.1  On  that 
day  his  Majesty  advanced  to  Aston  Hall,  Sir 
Thomas  Holt's,  near  Birmingham,  where  his  division 
quartered  that  night.2 

The  Parliament  now  took  the  alarm.  Between 
their  Royal  enemy  and  London  there  was  scarcely 
sufficient  force  to  preserve  their  communication 
with  Essex :  their  danger  appeared  imminent.  Their 
insulted  King,  whom  they  had  represented  and 
believed  to  be  so  weak3  and  so  detested  that  he 
could  never  make  resistance,  was  now  advancing 
with  a  powerful  army ;  leaving  half  the  kingdom 
still  arming  for  his  cause  behind  him.  But  the 
Parliamentary  leaders  were  not  men  to  hesitate ; 
especially  when  they  had  to  struggle  for  their  very 
existence.  They  at  once  exerted  an  authority  that 
would  have  been  spurned  under  less  momentous 


given  against  them,  or  some  of  them),  hath  commanded  me  to 
send  this  paper  to  your  Highness,  and  in  his  Majesty's  name  to 
desire  you  to  be  pleased  to  cause  some  of  your  Highness'  forces 
who  can  testify  any  particular  in  the  paper,  expressed  against 
any  of  the  persons  therein  named,  to  be  with  the  Lord  Chief-Jus- 
tice Huntly  in  this  town  to-morrow  morning.  I  am  told  that 
many  of  the  Earl  of  Northampton's  troop  can  testify  against  the 
said  persons.  Thus  much  I  was  commanded  in  haste,  which  I 
beseech  your  Highness  to  excuse  in  him  who  is 

"  Your  Highness'  most  humble  servant, 

"Eow.  NICHOLAS."* 
«  Wolverhampton,  16°  8br.  1642." 

1  Iter  Carolinum. 

2  Where  two  troopers  were  shot  on  the  following  morning  for 
plundering  a  rebel's  house. — Clarendon's  Rebellion. 

3  Ludlow,  42  ;  May ;   Vane. 


*  Rupert  Papers. 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.  7 

circumstances.  All  "  disaffected  "  persons  were  im- 
prisoned ; l  all  the  suspected  were  heavily  taxed  ; 
all  the  stables  were  examined,  and  their  horses 
pressed  into  the  public  service.  Fortifications  were 
raised  with  incredible  rapidity  round  the  west  of  the 
city.2  Crowds  of  men,  women,  and  children  employed 
themselves,  with  enthusiasm,  in  this  work  of  defence. 
Men  of  all  ranks  laboured  hard,  and  their  wives 
carried  earth  in  basketfuls,  to  supply  the  rising 
ramparts.3  Barricades  were  erected  in  the  principal 
streets ;  chains  were  extended  across  the  narrower 
ones :  the  trainbands  were  held  ready  for  immediate 
service.  Finally,  Essex  received  imperious  orders 
to  march  at  once,  and  at  all  risks  to  check  the 
progress  of  the  Cavaliers.4  At  length,  on  the  19th, 
the  Roundhead  trumpets  sounded  through  Worcester 
for  the  march,  and  the  Lord  General  moved  to 
Stratford-on-Avon,  whch  Hampden  and  Lord  Brook 
had  already  occupied  with  their  own  brave  regi- 
ments. Thence  he  proceeded,  by  forced  marches, 
to  Keinton,  where  he  rested  on  the  night  of  the 
22nd,5  the  eve  of  the  battle  of  Edgehill. 

1  Especially  those  who  had  not  voluntarily  contributed ;  by 
which  means  a  double  object  was  gained,  contributions  being 
made  the  standard  of  rectitude  of  political  principle. 

2  There  was  a  hornwork  at  Lincoln's-Inn-fields  (Lilly),  and  a 
strong  fort  in  the  meadows,  where  now  stands  Grosvenor-square. 

3  Whitelocke's  Memorials,  p.  63.     Then  was  invented  by  the 
Cavaliers  the  celebrated  song  of  "Cuckolds  come  dig,"  which 
more  embittered  the  party-feeling  of  the  time  than  a  dozen  battles. 

4  May,  Hist.   Long  Parl.  ii.  70 ;  Whitelocke's  Memoirs,  60 ; 
Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii. 

5  Bulstrode's  Memoirs,  76. 


8  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

The  King,  on  his  part,  continued  to  advance 
steadily  and  without  haste,  in  the  same  direction. 
On  the  18th  he  was  Sir  Robert  Fisher's  guest  at 
Packington,  and  on  the  19th  he  slept  in  "  his  own 
house  "  at  Killing  worth.1  On  the  21st  he  reached 
Southam,  and  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  he  rested  at 
Edgeworth,  Sir  William  Chancie's  house,  six  miles 
from  Keinton : 2  he  was  unconscious  of  his  enemy's 
neighbourhood,  but  was  prepared  to  give  him  the 
meeting;  and  indeed  more  willing  to  do  so  than  his 
circumstances  appeared  to  justify. 

Meanwhile,  the  march  had  been  fertile  in  incident. 
The  troops  had  been  well-paid,  and  paid  well  in 
return,  so  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  complaint 
upon  the  march,  except  at  Birmingham,  where  two 
troopers  took  some  food  from  a  Roundhead's  house, 
and  were  forthwith  executed.  But  amongst  the 
higher  ranks  the  jealousies  and  enmities,  inseparable 
from  such  volunteer  and  independent  corps  as  the 
Royal  army  was  composed  of,  began  to  exhibit 
themselves.  Prince  Rupert  himself,  I  fear,  had  not 
sufficient  tact  to  accommodate  himself  to  his  peculiar 
position ;  he  was  impatient  of  the  military  neglects, 
and  courtier  conventionalities  of  his  noble  associates. 
He  was  somewhat  jealous,  too,  of  his  own  authority, 
and  had  rashly  required  what  the  King  more  rashly 
assented  to — that  he  should  receive  orders  from  no 
one  but  his  Majesty.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  his 

1  Iter  Carolinum ;  Clarendon's  Rebellion. 

*  Sanderson's  Charles  I. ;  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  Appendix,  iii. 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.          9 

temper  had  been  already  chafed  by  discovering  that 
all  those  highest  in  authority  were  desirous  of  peace, 
on  almost  any  terms,  and  that  he  was  impatient  of 
such  counsels.  Doubtless  he  loved  war  for  its  own 
sake ;  "  il  $toit  towjows  soldat?  as  Sir  Philip  Warwick 
said  of  him  ;  but  he  also  believed  that  it  was  essential 
to  the  honour  and  the  safety  of  the  King,  to  receive 
no  communication,  to  listen  to  no  proposals  from 
men  who  were  in  open  rebellion.  In  receiving 
orders  only  from  the  King,  he  knew  that  he  possessed 
almost  entire  independence,  and  flushed  as  he  was 
with  the  success  of  Worcester  fight,  he  hoped  to 
strike  some  decisive  blow  with  his  own  brilliant 
corps  of  cavalry,  whose  officers  were  entirely  devoted 
to  his  will.1  On  the  17th,  the  Prince  summoned 
Coventry  in  the  name  of  the  King  ;  but  the  citizens, 
reinforced  by  Essex,  and  proud  of  their  last  suc- 
cessful resistance,  closed  their  gates  once  more 
against  his  forces.2  The  Prince  remained  before 
the  town  until  the  19th,  expecting  to  receive  orders 
or  the  means  to  force  an  entrance  :  but  he  was  then 
called  off  to  resume  his  post  in  the  front  of  the 
march.  About  the  same  time  Lord  Digby  had  a 
severe  brush  with  the  Roundheads  under  Holies,  at 
Wolverhampton,  in  which  he  seems  to  have  been 
worsted.3 

On  the  22nd  October,  Prince  Rupert  advanced  to 
Lord  Spencer's,  at  Wormleighton ;  the  Prince   of 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  270-1.  «  May,  Hist.  Parl. 

3  Lord  Nugent's  Hanipden,  ii.  282. 


10  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Wales's  regiment  being  quartered  in  some  villages 
under  Wormington  Hills.  At  this  time,  such  was 
the  scarcity  of  information,  or  the  want  of  skill  in 
collecting  it,  that  the  two  great  armies  were  in  total 
ignorance  of  each  other's  movements.  Lord  Digby 
was  sent  forward  in  the  afternoon  with  four  hundred 
horse,  to  reconnoitre,  but  he  returned  with  infor- 
mation that  all  was  quiet.  The  Prince's  quarter- 
master, however,  as  he  entered  Wormleighton  to 
arrange  quarters  for  the  troops,  encountered  the 
quarter-master  of  Essex,  just  arrived  there  on  a 
similar  business  with  a  party  of  the  enemy.  The 
Cavaliers  fell  suddenly  upon  this  party,  took  twelve 
prisoners,  and  returned  in  all  haste  to  Rupert.  From 
them  he  learned  that  the  main  body  of  the  enemy 
occupied  the  town  of  Keinton,  only  four  miles 
distant.1  Thereupon  the  Royal  regiment  cheerfully 
turned  out  from  its  quarters  and  took  the  field, 
though  the  weather  was  keenly  cold,  and  they  had 
nothing  but  the  excitement  of  approaching  conflict 
to  sustain  them  throughout  the  night.2 

In  the  course  of  that  evening  a  council  had 
been  held,  in  which  it  was  determined  to  rest 
the  troops  during  the  following  Sunday,  except 
the  brigade  under  Sir  Nicholas  Byron,  which  was 
to  push  on,  and  if  possible  seize  Banbury  for  the 
Royal  quarters  on  Monday.  The  council  had  dis- 
persed to  their  widely  -  scattered  billets  for  the 

1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary;  Benett  MS. 

2  Bulstrode  (who  was  in  this  regiment),  p.  76. 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        11 

night,  and  the  King  retired  to  rest,  when  the 
Prince  arrived  with  his  important  intelligence.1 
His  Majesty,  roused  from  his  sleep,  desired  Lord 
Falkland  "  to  direct  Prince  Rupert  what  he  should 
do/'  instead  of  receiving  and  answering  him  in  person. 
The  Prince  was  probably  irritated  at  this  character- 
istic coolness  of  the  King 2  at  such  a  crisis,  and  he 
replied  hastily  to  the  State-secretary.  Lord  Falk- 
land, as  proud  as  his  Highness,  retorted  somewhat 
angrily,  that — "  It  was  his  office  to  signify  what  the 
King  bid  him,  which  he  should  always  do,  and  that 
his  Highness,  in  neglecting  [such  orders],  neglected 
the  King,  who  did  neither  the  Prince  nor  the  service 
any  good  by  complying,  in  the  beginning,  with  his 
rough  nature."  I  have  given  this  little  incident  as 
characteristic  of  these  two  remarkable  men,  and 
because  Lord  Clarendon  relates  it ;  but  I  have  some 
doubts  of  its  having  taken  place,  at  least  at  this 
time ;  for  I  find  the  following  letter  among  the 
Prince's  papers,  dated,  at  the  utmost,  four  hours 

1  I  think  I  am  justified  in  saying  that  the  Prince  himself 
brought  this  intelligence,  by  Lord  Clarendon's  account  of  the  dis- 
pute between  him  and  Falkland,  which  I  have  endeavoured  to  ac- 
count for  as  above.     I  have  no  other  authority  for  saying  so  than 
such  as  Clarendon's  account  affords. 

2  I  say  characteristic,  for  he  never  appears  to  have  been  ex- 
cited except  by  domestic  squabbles.     He  .was  at  prayers  when 
news  of  Buckingham's  death  was  brought  to  him,  and  he  ap- 
peared perfectly  unmoved  until  he  had  finished  his  devotions, 
and  this  made  a  ground  of  bitter  calumny  against  him. — (Harris.) 
He  was  playing  chess  when  the  Irish  massacre  was  announced 
and  yet  he  finished  his  game. — (Baillie.)    In  both  cases,  probably 
his  reserved  nature  took  refuge  in  apparent  abstraction,  in  order 
to  escape  the  scrutiny  ever  glaring  on  a  King. 


12  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

later,  in  which  the  King  acknowledges  a  recent 
communication,  and  affectionately  replies  to  it.  I 
give  it  in  its  original  spelling,  it  is  so  brief : — 

THE  KING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
NEPHEU, 

I  HAVE  given  order  as  you  have  desyred ;  so 
I  dout  not  but  all  the  foot  and  canon  will  bee  at 
Eggehill  betymes  this  morning,  where  you  will  also 
find  Your  loving  oncle  & 

Faithful  frend,  CHARLES  R. 

"  4  o'clock  this  Sonday  morning. 

Having  dispatched  orders  accordingly  to  his 
scattered  forces,  the  King  soon  afterwards  took 
horse,  and  proceeded  to  Edgehill,  accompanied  by 
the  young  Prince  of  Wales  and  the  Duke  of  York. 
Prince  Rupert  was  already  there.  Far  below  them 
the  Vale  of  Red-Horse  extended  in  an  unbroken 
plain  to  the  town  of  Keinton,  narrowing  as  it 
receded,  between  some  rows  of  hedges  and  patches 
of  thick  brushwood.  "  A  faire  meadowe  land " 
afforded  a  fine  scope  for  cavalry  operations,  up  to  the 
very  base  of  the  hill  that  rises  steeply  to  the  com- 
manding brow,  then  occupied  by  King  Charles. 
The  Sabbath  morning  dawned  brightly  over  that 
green  and  quiet  field  on  the  23rd  of  October.  The 
King  gazed  long  and  earnestly1  on  the  masses  of 

1  "  The  King  ascending  the  top  of  Edgehill  with  his  prospec- 
tive glass,  took  view  of  Essex's  army  in  the  vale,  about  a  mile 
distant."  Sanderson's  History  of  Charles  /. 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       13 

the  enemy  that  now  began  to  darken  over  the  field, 
and  form  line  in  front  of  the  village.  At  length  one 
of  his  lords  inquired  what  he  was  considering  of.  "  I 
never  saw  the  rebels  in  a  body  before,"  he  replied ; 
"  I  shall  give  them  battle :  God  and  the  prayers  of 
good  men  to  him,  assist  the  justice  of  my  cause  !" 
The  sun  now  shone  out  cheerily,  and  his  first  light 
fell  upon  the  bright  armour  of  Stapleton's  Roundhead 
cuirassiers,  as  they  moved  to  take  up  their  position 
on  the  right  wing. l  Gradually  the  confused  masses 
that  continued  to  pour  forth  from  the  town,  resolved 
themselves  into  three  lines.  Most  of  the  regiments 
were  easily  recognized  from  their  uniform.  Denzil 
Holies'  gallant  soldiers  had  usurped  the  Royal  colour 
— red,2  and  formed  the  reserve,  together  with  Field- 
ing's and  Sir  William  Fairfax's  corps :  they  did 
good  service  for  their  cause  that  day.  Lord  Brook's 
regiment  appeared  in  purple,  occupying  the  centre, 
with  Colonel  Ballard's  "  grey  coats  "  in  its  rear,  and 
Essex's  own  regiment  in  front.  Lord  Robarts,  sup- 
ported by  Sir  William  Constable's,  and  another 
regiment,  occupied  the  right  centre.  Lord  Mande- 
ville's  "  blue  coats  "  supported  by  Cholmeley's  and 
Charles  Essex's  regiments,  formed  the  left  centre. 
Sir  John  Meldrum's  and  Stapleton's  cavalry,  with  Sir 

1  Ludlow  (p.  50),  who  was  in  this  regiment  then  :   it  was 
called   Essex's   "Life-guard,"   and   answered   to   Lord   Bernard 
Stuart's  Cavalier  troop. 

2  It  is  said  that  this  colour  was  first  assumed,  and  ever  after- 
wards continued  in  our  armies,  under  the  impression  that  wounds 
were  less  visible  and  discouraging  on  that  sanguine  colour. 


14  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

William  Balfour  in  reserve,  were  on  the  right  wing, 
flanked  by  the  greater  part  of  the  artillery,  two 
regiments  of  foot  and  some  dragoons  scattered 
among  the  hedges. 

On  the  left  wing  were  seen  Sir  John  Ramsay's 
brigade  of  cavalry,1  flanked  by  the  few  remaining 
guns,  and  some  dragoons.  In  a  word,  the  Round- 
heads were  drawn  up  in  three  lines  :  three  divisions 
of  infantry  in  the  centre,  a  brigade  of  cavalry  on 
either  wing,  and  on  the  extreme  right  and  left  was 
the  artillery,  supported  by  some  infantry ;  while 
dragoons  lined  the  hedges  and  low  brushwood  on 
either  side.  Three  strong  regiments  of  infantry 
formed  the  reserve.  They  numbered  in  all  about 
sixteen  thousand  men. 

The  King  and  Prince  Rupert  had  ample  leisure 
to  observe  this  formation  before  even  the  chief 
officers  could  assemble.  The  artillery  did  not  arrive 
until  eleven  o'clock,  and  the  infantry  were  not  on 
the  hill  until  one  o'clock. 

A  council  of  war  was  now  held,  and,  as  usual,  was 
divided  into  two  parties:  this  time  the  question  lay, 
not  between  peace  and  war,  but  between  the  veterans 
headed  by  Lord  Lindsey,  and  the  younger  soldiers 
represented  by  Prince  Rupert ;  the  Fabius  and  Mar- 
cellus  of  the  Royal  army.  The  former  General  had 
served  with  Essex  in  continental  campaigns,  where 


1  In  twenty-four  troops.     Sir  John  was  commissary-general. — 
Letter  to  Pym  from  the  six  Officers,  King's  Coll. 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         15 

he  had  learned  to  respect  his  skill,  and  to  imitate 
the  cautious  and  steady  tactics  of  the  Low  Country 
school.  Rupert,  on  the  other  hand,  was  all  for 
the  bold  and  rapid  tactics  of  the  glorious  Swede :  he 
scorned  the  Roundhead  forces  and  their  leader  too. 
He  insisted  on  the  expediency  of  the  most  simple 
and  dashing  movements  with  such  an  unpractised, 
but  high-mettled  army  as  the  King's.  He  urged 
that  the  Royal  horse,  by  far  the  most  efficient  arm  of 
their  force,  should  take  the  battle  on  themselves  and 
leave  to  the  infantry  to  only  follow  up  the  victory : 
no  Cavalier  who  wore  a  sword  and  spur  that  day 
doubted  that  the  Roundhead  horse  could  be  swept 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  at  the  first  charge;  "Charge 
them  then,  in  God's  name  and  the  King's  ! — drive 
them  from  the  field ;  wheel  round  upon  the  infantry's 
unguarded  flank :  let  the  Royal  foot  advance  and  the 
day  is  ours."  To  counsel  such  as  this,  so  confidently 
urged  and  apparently  so  simple,  the  King  gave  way. 
The  Fabians  were  silenced,  but  the  veteran  Lindsey 
declined  to  draw  up  a  battle  over  which  he  was  to 
have  no  control.  He  displayed  a  proud  resignation 
however,  to  his  Sovereign's  will  and  declared  that 
he  would  fight  for  him  as  a  simple  colonel,  com- 
manding his  own  brave  Lincoln  regiment;  he  did 
so,  and  so  fell.  Lord  Ruthven 1  at  length  consented 


1  Patrick,  Lord  Ruthven,  afterwards  Earl  of  Brentford,  had 
been  made  field-marshal  by  the  King  at  Coventry,  and  succeeded 
to  Lord  Lindsey  as  general-in-chief,  after  the  battle  of  Edgehill  : 
he  was  "  A  Scot,  an  experienced  commander,  and  a  man  of  a 


16  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

to  take  upon  himself  the  responsibility  that  Lord 
Lindsey  had  declined :  this  officer  had  served  under 
Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  in  this  daring  school  had 
learned  great  confidence  in  such  men  as  Prince 
Rupert,  whose  opinion  in  council  he  had  supported.1 
Lord  Ruthven's  dispositions  were  soon  made,  and 
were  sufficiently  simple ;  being  a  strict  imitation  of 
his  adversary's  line,  except  that  his  foot  ranks  were 
six  deep,  while  the  enemy's  were  only  three.  Three 
divisions  of  infantry  commanded  by  himself,  Lord 
Lindsey,  and  Sir  Jacob  Astley,  were  to  be  flanked 
by  a  strong  division  of  cavalry  under  Prince  Rupert, 
on  the  right,  with  Sir  John  Byron's  horse  as  a 
reserve;2  Wilmot's  horse  formed  on  the  left,  sup- 
ported by  Lord  Carnarvon  and  Lord  Digby,  with 
six  hundred  troopers.  Aston's  dragoons,  under  Lisle 
and  Ennis,3  skirmished  also  on  the  left ;  Washing- 
ton's on  the  right :  the  Royal  artillery  were  to  answer 
in  position  that  of  the  Roundheads.  Colonel  Salis- 
bury, with  his  wild  Welshmen,  almost  unarmed  but 
eager  for  the  fray,  formed  the  only  infantry  reserve. 
Lord  Bernard  Stuart's  aristocratic  troop,  together 
with  one  hundred  gentlemen  pensioners,  were  to 
attend  upon  the  King,  and  the  young  Princes  were 


natural  courage ;  purely  a  soldier,  and  of  a  most  loyal  heart 
(which  his  countrymen  remembered,  for  they  used  both  him  and 
his  widow  with  all  extremity  afterwards)  :  he  was  adjutant  in 
command  of  the  horse."— £^r  P.  Warwick,  229. 

1  Bulstrode,  p.  79. 

2  Clarendon  ;  Sir  P.  Warwick  says  Digby's  was  also  in  reserve. 

3  Bulstrode,  p.  81. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  17 

placed  under  the  protection  of  Lord  Clarendon,  then 
Mr.  Hyde.1 

The  general  plan  of  battle  was  thus  adopted  with- 
out controversy,  but  there  were  many  minor  arrange- 
ments rendered  necessary  by  the  private  feelings  of 
the  undisciplined  and  powerful  volunteers.  Lord 
Falkland  insisted  on  abandoning  office  for  that  day, 
and  charging  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight ;  but  his 
previous  quarrel  with  Prince  Rupert  prevented  him 
from  seeking  danger  where  it  ever  was  most  rife, 
under  the  banner  of  the  Palatine  ;  he  was  obliged 
therefore  to  content  himself  with  Wilmot's  division  : 
for  the  same  reason  Lord  Grandison  attached  him- 
self to  Lord  Carnarvon's  cavalry.  Lord  Willoughby, 
who  commanded  a  troop  in  the  Prince  of  Wales's 
regiment,  refused  to  fight  under  Rupert,  conceiving 
that  he  had  prevailed  against  his  venerable  father ; 
accordingly,  he  dismounted  and  fought  by  that 
father's  side.  The  most  important  difficulty  raised, 
however,  was  by  Lord  Bernard  Stuart's  aristocratic 
Life  Guards;  who,  it  seems,  had  been  taunted  as  being 
only  "  a  show  troop."2  They  besought  permission  to 


1  One  of  the  most  remarkable  men  on  that  memorable  field 
attended  in  the  young  Prince's  suite,  probably  as  Court  physician 
— Harvey,  the  discoverer  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood.     Whe- 
ther he  was  absorbed  in  contemplation  of  his  favourite  subject 
under  such  favourable  circumstances  or  not,  is  uncertain,  but  he 
lay  upon  the  hill-side,  apparently  unconscious  of  the  roar  of 
battle  from  beneath,  and  of  the  bullets  plunging  into  the  turf  all 
round  him,  until  he  was  fairly  carried  off  the  field  by  some  one 
who  cared  more  for  him  than  he  did  for  himself. 

2  Sir  P.  Warwick  (who  was  one  of  them),  p.  47. 

VOL.  II.  C 


18  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

leave  their  Life-guarding  for  that  day,  and  to  charge 
with  Prince  Rupert  in  the  front  rank  of  his  devoted 
cavalry.  They  obtained  their  desire,  and  the  King 
was  left  to  the  protection  of  his  pensioners. 

By  the  time  all  these  personal  arrangements  were 
completed,  the  Royal  troops  had  all  arrived,  and 
were  descending  down  the  steep  hill-side.  Essex 
forbore,  or  disdained,  to  take  advantage  of  their 
disorder,  and  gave  them  time  to  form  on  the 
plain  :  perhaps  he  did  not  feel  safe  in  manoeuvring 
his  raw  levies  in  the  face  of  such  a  force.  Com- 
paratively few  men,  indeed,  on  either  side,  had  yet 
seen  a  shot  fired  in  anger,  and  there  were  other 
causes  than  those  of  fear  that  caused  many  a  dis- 
tracted heart  to  beat  within  buff  and  steel  that  day. 
Fathers  frowned  upon  their  apostate  sons  from 
opposing  ranks,  brother  fought  against  brother,  and 
prayers  learned  at  the  same  mother's  knee,  were 
offered  up  for  hostile  causes.  Familiar  faces  were 
already  visible  in  each  approaching  rank :  the 
accustomed  tones  of  the  church-bell  had  scarcely 
died  away  among  the  old  English  woods,  when  it 
was  succeeded  by  the  strange  and  angry  roar  of 
artillery.  But  for  a  while  a  Sabbath  silence  still 
prevailed,  and  the  kindred  armies  paused,  although 
their  swords  were  out,  and  spurs  ready  for  a  bloody 
plunge.  Then  there  were  stirring  words  and  fiery 
eloquence  on  either  side  to  steel  men's  hearts : 
"ministers  of  the  Word"  rode  hastily  from  rank 
to  rank  among  the  Puritans,  dark  robed  minis- 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         19 

ters  of  peace,  hoarsely  preaching  damnatory  ven- 
geance to  their  half-maddened  flocks  ; '  and  bluff 
old  soldiers  proving  their  veteran  hardihood  with 
grim  jests,  or  easing  their  fierce  natures  with  dark 
curses  upon  Amalek  and  Ahab. 

The  King  addressed  his  soldiers  in  the  name  of 
their  country  and  their  faith.  His  royal  nature 
ever  rose  with  the  occasion,  and  now  he  spoke  and 
looked  as  became  a  chivalrous  monarch:  and  his 
devoted  troops  regarded  him  with  an  enthusiasm 
unknown  to  tamer  times. 

"  The  King  has  come  to  marshal  us,  all  in  his  armour  drest, 
And  he  has  bound  a  snow-white  plume  upon  his  gallant  crest. 
He  looked  upon  his  people,  and  a  tear  was  in  his  eye  : 
He  looked  upon  the  traitors  and  his  glance  was  stern  and  high. 
Right  graciously  he  smiled  on  us,  as  rolled  from  wing  to  wing, 
Down  all  our  line,  a  deafening  shout,  '  For  God  and  for  the 
King!  "2 

Even  thus  Charles  I.  looked  and  was  received  by 
his  Cavaliers.  He  was  clad  in  armour,  with  the 
brightest  star  of  chivalry  upon  his  breast ;  and  his 
voice  was  firm  and  cheerful,  as  he  addressed  his  sol- 
diers in  these  brave  words  : — 

"  If  this  day  shine  prosperous  unto  us,"  said  he, 


1  I  may  have  taken  some  liberty  with  the  subject-matter  of 
discourse  of  these  self-consecrated  divines  :  I  only  find  that  they 
were  there,  preaching  on  horseback.     It  is,  however,  scarcely 
probable  that  their  exhortations  in  the  ranks  of  war  were  more 
pacific  than  those  uttered  from  the  pulpit  to  men,  women,  and 
children,  and  these  pulpit  exhortations  were  as  fierce  as  fire  and 
sword  could  furnish. 

2  I  do  not  know  whether  Mr.  Macaulay  will  pardon  my  appli- 
cation of  these  noble  lines  of  his,  but  most  of  my  readers  will. — 
EDITOR. 

o  2 


20     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

"  we  shall  all  be  happy  in  a  glorious  victory.  Your 
King  is  both  your  cause,  your  quarrel,  and  your  cap- 
tain. The  foe  is  in  sight.  You  shew  yourselves  no 
"  malignant  party,"  but  with  your  swords  declare 
what  courage  and  fidelity  is  within  you.  I  have 
written  and  declared,  that  I  intended  always  to 
maintain  and  defend  the  Protestant  religion,  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  Parliament,  and  the  liberty 
of  the  subject,  and  now  I  must  prove  my  words  by 
the  convincing  argument  of  the  sword.  Let  Heaven 
shew  his  power  by  this  day's  victory,  to  declare  me 
just ;  and,  as  a  lawful,  so  a  loving  King  to  my  sub- 
jects. The  best  encouragement  I  can  give  you  is 
this ;  that  come  life  or  death,  your  King  will  bear  you 
company,  and  ever  keep  this  field,  this  place,  and 
this  day's  service  in  his  grateful  remembrance."1 
There  is  no  sound  that  ever  rent  the  air  so  terrible 


1  Forster's  Statesmen,  vol.  ii.  p.  352.  I  subjoin  an  extract 
from  a  printed  address  said  to  have  been  circulated  among  the 
troopers  :  it  does  not  sound,  however,  like  the  composition  of 
King  Charles  :  "  Friends  and  soldiers  !  You  are  called  Cavaliers 
and  Royalists  in  a  disgraceful  sense.  If  I  suffer  in  my  fame, 
needs  must  you  do  likewise.  Now  shew  yourselves  no  Malig- 
nants,  but  declare  what  courage  and  fidelity  is  within  you. 
Fight  for  the  peace  of  the  kingdom  and  the  Protestant  religion. 
The  valour  of  Cavaliers  hath  honoured  that  name  both  in  France 
and  other  countries,  and  now  let  it  be  known  in  England,  as  well 
as  horseman  or  trooper.  The  name  of  Cavalier,  which  our  ene- 
mies have  striven  to  make  odious,  signifies  no  more  than  a  gen- 
tleman serving  his  King  on  horseback.  Shew  yourselves,  there- 
fore, now  courageous  Cavaliers,  and  beat  back  all  opprobrious 
aspersions  cast  upon  you." — Colonel  Westoris  Letter,  published  by 
Richard  Johnson,  1642.  The  reader  will  observe  a  great  differ- 
ence in  the  style  of  this  extract  and  that  of  the  speech  transcribed 
above.  The  latter  is  characteristic,  high-spirited,  eloquent,  and 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          21 

as  the  deep  silence  of  suspense  before  the  battle- 
word  is  given  ;  it  is  the  moment  when  the  soul 
sinks  under  the  awe  of  something  that  thrills  deeper 
than  any  fear.  During  that  dread  pause  many  a 
fervent  prayer  was  offered  up  by  the  true  hearts 
that  abounded  in  both  armies,  but  none  was  more 
simple  and  sincere  than  Sir  Jacob  Astley's,  uttered 
manfully  aloud :  "  Oh,  Lord  !  thou  knowest  how 
busy  I  must  be  this  day ;  if  I  forget  thee,  do  not 
thou  forget  me !" 1  then  rising,  he  exclaimed, 
"  March  on  boys  I " 

The  Parliamentary  army  began  the  fight  by  three 
shots  from  their  guns  upon  the  right;  the  King's 
artillery  instantly  replied.  Then  the  whole  line 
advanced:  as  the  Cavaliers  approached,  a  horse- 
firm,  yet  breathing  sadness  rather  than  hope,  and  resignation 
rather  than  a  conqueror's  pride :  it  was  better  adapted  for  the 
closet  than  the  field  :  it  lacks  something  of  the  trumpet. 

1  Sir  Philip  Warwick  records  this  prayer :  it  comes  so  home 
to  every  heart,  that  it  is  known  wherever  our  language  is  spoken. 
Yet  it  is  related  in  such  involved  grammar,  that  it  has  been  as- 
signed to  Lord  Lindsey,  even  by  Lord  Nugent  and  Mr.  Forster. 
Sir  Philip's  relation  is  thus  worded  :  "  And  Sir  Jacob  Ashly 
(who  in  everything  deserves  Ruthven's  character)  was  major- 
general  of  the  army,  under  the  Earl  of  Lindsey,  who,  before  the 
charge  at  the  battle  of  Edgehill,  made  a  most  excellent,  pious, 
short,  and  soldierly  prayer,"  &c.  ;  "  and  with  that  rose  up  and 
said, '  March  on,  boys  ! ' "  The  whole  sentence  evidently  relates  to 
Sir  Jacob  (to  whom  tradition  has  assigned  it),  and  Lord  Lind- 
sey's  name  is  merely  introduced  in  explanation  of  Sir  Jacob's 
office.  I  am  tempted  to  quote  here  another  characteristic  sol- 
dier's prayer,  that  of  poor  La  Hire,  before  rushing  into  action. 
La  Hire  was  the  most  devout  and  devoted  follower  of  the  heroic 
Maid  of  Orleans,  and  was  only  elevated  from  the  lowest  station 
by  his  gallantry  and  enthusiasm  :  his  prayer  runs  thus  :  "  Mon 
Dieu,  je  voudrois  que  tu  fosses  pour  moi  ce  que  je  voudrois  faire 
pour  toi :  si  tu  etiez  La  Hire  et  La  Hire  etoit  toi" 


22  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

man  darted  from  the  enemy's  column  and  rode  up 
to  Prince  Rupert,  flinging  from  him  the  orange 
badge  he  bore.  It  was  a  lieutenant  in  Sir  Faithful 
Fortescue's  troop,  to  announce  the  defection  of 
his  commander  with  all  his  men,  and  that  the  signal 
would  be  the  firing  a  pistol  in  the  ground.  The 
Prince,  already  on  the  move,  observed  the  signal 
and  forebore  to  assail  the  deserters,  but  Killigrew 
and  Byron  slew  several  of  them  before  they  dis- 
covered their  purpose.1  Rupert  now  led  on  the 
Royal  horse,  commanding  them  to  use  their  swords 
alone,  and  "  charge  !" 2  Before  the  word  was  fairly 
uttered,  that  brilliant  cavalry  was  on  the  spur ;  away 
in  one  wild  sweep  of  magnificent  confusion  the 
proud  chivalry  of  England  dashed ;  in  generous 
rivalry  each  seeking  to  strike  the  first  home-stroke 
"  for  God  and  for  the  King  !"  What  could  abide 
that  thundering  charge,  all  spur,  no  rein,  every  heart 
within  that  flashing  armour  was  on  fire,  every  voice 
a  shout  of  triumph,  every  plume  bent  forward  to  the 
charger's  mane !  The  Roundheads  seemed  swept 
away  by  the  very  wind  of  that  wild  charge.  No 
sword  was  crossed,  no  saddle  emptied,  no  trooper 
waited  to  abide  the  shock;  they  fled  with  frantic 
fear  but  fell  fast  under  the  sabres  of  their  pursuers. 
The  cavalry  galloped  furiously  until  they  reached 

1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary ;  Benett  MS. 

2  Bulstrode,  81.     It  was  the  absurd  fashion  of  the  time  for 
cavalry  to  ride  up  within  musket  or  pistol  shot  of  their  enemy, 
to  halt  and  fire  until  some  impression  was  produced  on  either 
rank,  and  then  to  charge  among  the  disordered  rout. 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        23 

such  shelter  as  the  town  could  give  them ;  nor  did 
their  infantry  fare  better.  No  sooner  were  the  Royal 
horse  upon  them  than  they  broke  and  fled  ;  Man- 
deville  and  Cholmondeley  vainly  strove  to  rally  their 
terror-stricken  followers ;  they  were  swept  away  by 
the  fiery  Cavaliers.1  "  But,"  adds  the  canting  and 
profligate  Lord  Wharton,  who,  it  was  said,  hid  him- 
self in  a  saw-pit  on  the  occasion,  "  it  pleased  God  to 
begin  then  to  shew  himself,  for  their  cavalry  took 
bait  upon  our  baggage  and  so  lost  their  advantage 
.  .  .  only  three  hundred  of  ours  were  slain  ! !"  The 
more  shame  for  them  if  it  had  been  true. 

On,  away  for  London,  spreading  their  terror 
round  them,  still  they  fled;  their  colonel, Ramsay,  first 
in  flight  and  loudest  in  despairing  news.2  But  the 
one  troop,  commanded  by  Sir  Faithful  Fortescue, 
had  stood ;  they  fired  their  carbines  in  the  ground 
and  joined  the  Prince,  but  a  score  of  them  were 
slain  before  their  object  was  discovered. 

The  Cavaliers,  meanwhile,  seemed  as  if  carried 
away  by  the  torrent  of  the  fugitives ;  they  had 
encountered  no  opposition,  and  they  thought  the 
battle  won ;  its  prizes  were  before  them  :  Round- 
head waggons,  laden  with  spoil,  and  magazines  full 
of  the  arms  so  sought  for  and  desired,  choked  up  the 
narrow  streets  and  were  soon  plundered  by  the 

1  Lord  Wharton's  speech,  or  rather  confession,  to  the  "  Mayor, 
Council  and  Commons  of  the  City,"  in  the  King's  Collection  Brit. 
Mus. 

2  Clarendon  says  that  the  battle  was  not  fought  until  three 
o'clock,  yet  these  fugitives  reached  St.  Albans  before  dark. 


24  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

troopers,1  whilst  others  pursued  the  flying  enemy  as 
madly  as  they  fled,  until  Hampden's  brigade,  coming 
up  from  Stratford,  checked  and  turned  backward 
the  pursuit. 

Meanwhile,  the  Royal  left  wing  was  equally 
broken  and  routed  by  success.  Sir  Arthur  Aston's 
stout  dragoons  had  cleared  the  way  for  Wilmot, 
who  found  scarcely  an  enemy  to  oppose  him,  so 
rapidly  had  Rupert's  impetuous  charge  broken  the 
spirits  of  the  Roundhead  horse.2  As  the  right  wing 
of  the  Cavaliers  had  run  riot,  so  also  the  left  lost  all 
control  over  itself,  and  spread  over  the  field  in  pur- 
suit of  Meldrum's  flying  troopers.  Nor  did  the  con- 
tagion stop  here,  Sir  John  Byron  and  Lord  Digby, 
who  commanded  the  reserve,  led  forward  their 
eager  horse  to  share  in  the  pursuit,  and  the  King's 
infantry  was  left  exposed  and  unprotected.3  Then 
the  Parliamentary  reserves  of  cavalry,  under  Bal- 
four,  charged  in  upon  the  Royal  artillery,4  and 
vainly  tried  to  spike  the  guns  while  they  cut  down 
the  gunners.  Then  wheeling  round,  they  charged 
the  Royal  foot  in  rear,  as  the  latter  were  advancing 
upon  Stapleton's  rallied  horse,  and  forcing  them 
back  at  push  of  pike.  Finding  their  rear  attacked, 
however,  the  Guards  gave  way  and  fled.  The  Round- 
head horse  rode  through  and  through  them  with 

1  The  common  soldiers.     See  the  "  Iter  Carolinum." 

2  Sir  P.  Warwick,  230. 

3  Clarendon's  Rebellion,!!!.  279. 

4  The   "  Iter   Carolinum "   accuses   the    "  chief    gunner  "    of 
treachery. 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         25 

terrible  execution,  and  at  last  cut  their  way  to  the 
Royal  Standard,  where  Sir  Ralph  Varney  died  as  he 
had  foreboded,  in  its  defence.1  At  the  same  time 
the  brave  Lord  Lindsey  fell,  his  thigh  broken  by  a 
musket  ball,  and  Lord  Willoughby,  refusing  to 
leave  his  father,  was  taken  prisoner  by  his  side.2 

And  now  the  fortune  of  the  day  seemed  wholly 
changed ;  the  Royal  cavalry  was  all  scattered  as  if 
defeated,  and  for  the  most  part  wandering  beyond 
the  enemy ;  the  artillery  harness  was  cut  away  and 
rendered  useless  ;  the  Royal  Guards  in  total  rout,  and 
only  a  few  battalions  under  Ruthven  and  Astley 
still  shewing  an  unbroken  front.  The  whole  field 
of  fight  was  so  bewilderingly  confused  that  none 
knew  where  to  seek  his  officer  or  troop,  and  many 
were  slain  or  made  prisoners  by  those  whom  they 
mistook  for  their  own  men.  A  few  of  the  lead- 
ing Cavaliers,  amongst  whom  were  the  Duke  of 
Richmond  and  Sir  John  Culpepper,  had  rallied  round 
the  King,  and  some  of  them  now  counselled  him 
to  fly;  for  the  Roundheads  were  again  resuming 
courage,  and  advancing  towards  the  hill.  "But  the 
King  knew  that  his  fate  depended  on  this  day,  and 
as  that  army  had  been  raised  by  his  person  and 
presence  only,  so  it  could  by  no  other  means  be 
kept  together,  and  he  thought  it  unprincely  to 
forsake  those  who  had  forsaken  all  they  had  to  serve 
him."3  In  a  few  minutes,  the  smoke  clearing  away, 

1  Clarendon  ;  Bulstrode,  p.  83. 
2  Clarendon's  Reb.,  iii.  279.     3  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  281. 


26  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

revealed  more  clearly  the  posture  of  affairs.  Ruthven 
and  Astley  still  held  their  ground,  and  kept  the 
division  under  Essex  in  full  employment ;  Balfour's 
horse  had  met  with  some  rude  encounters,  and 
returned  to  rally  and  form  under  shelter  of  their 
infantry ;  but  the  Royal  foot-guards  were  scattered, 
and  the  Royal  Standard  flaunted  over  the  heads  of 
the  exulting  Roundheads.  Then  Captain  Smith,  an 
officer  in  Lord  Bernard  Stuart's  "  Show  Troop," 
resolved  to  rescue  it  or  die ;  there  were  none  to 
second  him  but  Robert  Walsh,  an  Irishman,1  and 
one  or  two  more ;  and  the  stoutest  brigade  of 
cavalry  could  scarcely  penetrate  that  serried  line  of 
pikes,  through  which  the  musketeers  still  kept  up  a 
continuous  fire.  Smith  and  his  comrades  snatched 
some  orange  scarves,  the  hated  badge  of  Essex,  from 
the  dead,  and  easily  mingled  in  the  confusion, 
among  the  enemy :  so  they  approached  the  Lord- 
General,  whose  "  secretary,  Mr.  Chambers,"2  was 
waving  the  standard  in  triumph  above  his  head  : 
Smith  rode  up,  and  unceremoniously  told  him  that 
a  penman  had  no  business  to  carry  such  a  stand- 
ard in  a  field  like  that ;  so  saying,  he  snatched  it 
from  him,  and  moved  quietly  away  until  he  had  a 
clear  course  before  him  to  the  hill :  then  galloping 
off  with  his  precious  prize,  he  restored  it  in  triumph 
to  the  King,3  and  was  knighted  on  the  spot. 


i  Bulstrode,  83.  «  Ludlow,  i.  49. 

3  That  evening  he  was  knighted  under  its  shadow,  the  first 
knight  banneret  made  in  England  for  one  hundred  years.     He 


1642.]     PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          27 

"  When  Prince  Rupert  returned  with  such  troops 
as  he  could  rally  from  the  chase,1  he  found  a  great 
alteration  in  the  field ;  his  Majesty,  with  only  a  few 
noblemen  about  him,  and  the  hope  of  so  glorious  a 
day  quite  vanished."2  The  Prince  vainly  attempted 
to  gather  his  broken  troops  again,  for  one  last 
charge,  which  would  probably  have  been  final  for 
that  war.  But  it  was  impossible  to  get  together 
effective  men  enough  even  to  attempt  it.  Evening 
was  setting  in ;  the  few  horses  that  could  be 
mustered  were  exhausted  by  want  of  food,  and 
their  long  and  furious  chase.  Wilmot's,  in- 
deed, on  the  far  left  were  comparatively  fresh, 
and  Lord  Falkland,  whose  blood  was  now  up, 


afterwards  received  a  golden  medal  with  the  King's  portrait  on  one 
side,  and  the  banner  on  the  reverse,  "  he  wore  it  by  a  green  watered 
ribbon  across  his  shoulders  until  his  dying  day."  That  was  not  far 
off,  poor  fellow,  he  fell  at "  Cheriton  fight"  in  1646.  Robert  Walsh 
was  also  knighted,  and  wore  a  medal,  but  Sir  Richard  Bulstrode 
expresses  a  doubt  whether  it  was  given  by  the  King. — Bulstrode  s 
Memoirs,  83. 

1  It  is  only  fair  to  give  this  friendless  Prince  the  benefit  of  a 
doubt  in  his  favour  on  this  day.     In  a  fine  old  copy  of  Heath's 
"  Chronicle,"  published  in  1676,  I  find  numerous  marginal  notes 
in  MS.,  evidently  written  by  a   cotemporary  and  advocate  of 
Rupert,  for  he  writes  of  him  thus,  in  speaking  of  the  King's 
letter  obliging  him  to  fight  at  Marston  Moor.     "  The  Prince  wears 
this  letter  about  his  person  to  this  day."     In  another  marginal 
note  to  this  wild  pursuit  of  the  Prince's  the  old  hand-writing 
gives  this  contradiction  to   its  neighbouring  print  :  "  Prince  Ru- 
pert did  not  accompany  the  pursuit,  but  returned  to  the  King." 
It  is  always  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Royal  historians  require 
some  scape-goat  for  their  numerous  disasters,  and  that  the  Parlia- 
mentary writers  are  always  glad  to  accuse  the  terrible  Prince  of 
every  error.     This  copy  of  Heath  is  in  the  London  Library. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  280. 


28  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

and  whose  oft  repeated  cry  of  "  Peace,  peace, 
peace,""  was  forgotten,  conjured  the  Commissary  to 
charge  Sir  William  Balfour's  dragoons,  who  alone 
remained  unbroken,  and  protected  their  exhausted 
infantry:  Wilmot  made  a  most  unsoldierlike  reply, — 
"  My  Lord,  we  have  got  the  day,  let  us  live  to  enjoy 
the  fruit  thereof." 1  The  King  thought,  and  with 
better  reason,  that  he  had  lost  it ;  and  what  is 
stranger  still,  Lord  Essex  also  thought  himself  de- 
feated ;  so  much  so,  that  in  one  of  the  last  attacks 
made  by  Ruthven  and  Astley's  brigade,  he  took  his 
stand  in  the  front  of  his  pikemen,  resolved  to  take 
no  quarter,  and  to  die.  For  him,  indeed,  there 
would  have  been  no  alternative,  if  defeated. 

"  In  this  doubt  of  all  sides,"  says  Lord  Clarendon, 
who  was  an  anxious  spectator  of  the  battle,  "  Night, 
the  common  friend  to  wearied  and  dismayed  armies, 
parted  them ;"  and  in  dismal  anxiety  and  doubt  the 
Cavaliers  and  their  King  prepared  to  bivouac  on  the 
fiercely-contested  and  undecided  field.  The  leaders 
of  both  armies  knew  that  if  they  retreated,  their 
forces  would  rapidly  dissolve,  and  that  their  sole 
chance  of  maintaining,  or  rallying  their  troops,  was 
to  hold  their  ground.  Essex  drew  off  his  forces 
about  three  quarters  of  a  mile;2  and  the  King 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,   iii.  Appendix,  p.  634.      Sir   Philip 
Warwick  remarks  of  this  nobleman  :  "  It  had  been  well  if  he  had 

quitted  the  King's  army  and  gone  into  his  council Though 

the  gentleman,"  Sir  Philip  adds  sarcastically, "  wanted  no  courage, 
nor,  I  hope,  loyalty." — Warwick's  Memoirs,  230. 

2  Lord  Wharton's  Speech. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          29 

resumed  his  position  on  the  hill ;  some  pickets  only 
of  his  horse  and  foot  remaining  to  occupy  the  plain 
below.  Fires  were  lighted  of  wood  and  bushes,  and 
by  them  the  King  and  Prince  Rupert  watched 
throughout  that  dismal,  anxious  night.  A  freezing 
wind  swept  over  the  wearied  armies,  and  the  frost 
alone  closed  up  the  uncounted  wounds,  or  staunched 
the  welling  blood  of  thousands.1  Both  armies  stood 
aloof  in  mutual  fear,  and  none  but  the  fiendish 
spoilers  of  the  dead  ventured  on  the  field. 

The  reports  from  the  commanders  to  their  gene- 
rals, on  either  side,  were  equally  disastrous.  The 
Cavaliers  had  to  announce  the  loss  of  eleven  stand 
of  colours ;  the  number  of  dead  unknown ;  one- 
third  of  the  infantry  missing,  and  a  great  part  of 
the  horse.  Many  gallant  officers  were  slain :  Lord 
Aubigny,'2  the  Duke  of  Richmond's  brother,  had 
fallen  in  the  first  charge,  Lord  Lindsey  was  mortally 
wounded  and  a  prisoner,  and  the  fatal  Standard  was 
dyed  with  the  blood  of  its  bearer,  Sir  Ralph  Var- 
ney.3  Lord  Wi  Hough  by  was  a  volunteer  prisoner 
for  his  father's  sake,  Sir  Thomas  Lunsford,  Sir  Ed- 
ward Stradling,  and  Sir  William  Vavasour,  were 

1  Bulstrode,  85. 

2  "  Lord  Aubigny  was  a  gentleman  of  great  hopes,  of  a  gentle 
and  winning  disposition,  and  of  a  very  clear  courage."     Two 
more  of  this  chivalrous  brotherhood,  Lord  Bernard  and  Lord 
John,  were  slain  in  the  same  war  :  Lord  Aubigny's  son  became 
Duke  of  Richmond. 

3  Lord  Lindsey  and  Sir  Ralph  Varney  are  among  the  numerous 
instances  of  that  presentiment  which  so  often  realizes  itself  by 
unnerving  the  arm  that  should  fend  off  the  fatal   blow.     In 
Ward's   "Diary,"    1668,   I   find   an   anecdote  concerning   Lord 


30  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

also  prisoners :  no  other  cavalry  officer  was  hurt, 
but  among  the  infantry,  Astley,  Baden,  Gerrard,  and 
Strode,  were  wounded.  Nor  had  the  Lord-General 
of  the  Parliament  a  less  melancholy  report ;  Charles 
Essex  had  fallen,  bravely  endeavouring  to  rally  his 
flying  soldiers  against  Rupert's  charge:  Lord  St. 
John,  also,  was  mortally  wounded.  The  clergymen 
of  the  adjoining  parishes,  who  came  piously  to  bury 
the  dead,  alone  could  number  the  slain ;  they 
amounted  to  nearly  6000,  but  of  these,  how  many 
fell  on  either  side  it  is  impossible  to  calculate.  In 
both  armies  the  soldiers  were  half-frozen,  provisions 
were  unattainable,  some  of  the  men  and  horses  had 
eaten  no  food  since  Saturday : 1  many  soldiers 
deserted  their  respective  standards  before  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  and  returned  no  more.  The 
Royalists  were  in  yet  greater  difficulties  ;  for  the 
country  was  hostile,  following  the  opinions  of  their 
landlords,  Lords  Say  and  Brook  ;  even  the  black- 
smiths had  hidden  themselves  that  they  might  not 
be  compelled  to  shoe  the  horses  of  the  Cavaliers ; 
and  the  country-people  watched  for  the  stragglers 
"and  knocked  them  on  the  head."2 


Lindsey,  "  That  if  it  should  please  God  he  survived,  he  never 
would  fight  in  the  same  field  with  boys  again  ;"  whether  he  said 
so,  or  whether  he  alluded  to  the  young  Princes  on  the  hill,  or  to 
Prince  Rupert,  is  hard  to  say. 

1  Ludlow,  p.  50. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  389.     This  battle  is  a  very  de- 
batable subject  of  description.     We  have  the  testimony  of  Lord 
Clarendon,  Warwick,  and  Bulstrode,  on  the  King's  side,  the  first  a 
passive  spectator,  the  two  last  combatants.    We  have  likewise  the 


1642.]       PRINCE  RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        31 

Thus  dismally  the  night  was  passed,  with  a  still 
gloomier  prospect  for  the  morrow.  Towards  day- 
break, the  King  took  a  little  rest  in  his  coach :  he 
took  horse  as  soon  as  it  was  light  and  proceeded  to 
view  the  field.  It  was  strewn  with  his  dead  or  dying 
subjects,  but  still  was  unapproachable  by  either  army 
without  another  battle,  and  for  that  there  seemed  to 
be  no  inclination,  except  on  Prince  Rupert's  part ;  a 
few  troopers,  however,  followed  him,  and  did  so  with 
good  effect.  The  muster  on  the  Royal  side  was  very 
thin,  but  as  the  morning  advanced,  numbers  came 
forth  from  the  places  where  they  had  sought  shelter, 
and  once  more  the  height  swarmed  with  armed  men. 
But  all  order  had  been  lost,  and  it  required  many 


report  of  Ludlow  on  the  other  side,  also  a  combatant ;  Lord  Whar- 
ton's  "  Speech  to  the  Mayor  and  Council  of  London,"  and  a  report 
to  Pym,  signed  by  Holies,  Balfour,  Meldrum,  and  other  leaders. 
Besides  these  we  have  many  inflated  and  passionate  reports  in 
the  publications  of  the  day.  Nevertheless,  it  is  impossible  to 
make  any  two  accounts  agree  on  the  whole.  I  have  only  given 
what  appears  to  me  to  be  the  most  uncontroverted,  I  will  not  say 
incontrovertible,  facts.  Among  recent  authorities,  we  have  a 
picturesque  description  (according  to  his  wont)  by  Lord  Nugent, 
in  his  "  Hampden ;"  but  if  the  reader  endeavours  to  reduce  his 
lordship's  battle  to  a  plan,  he  will  find  himself  bewildered,  as  the 
combatants  seem  to  have  been.  We  have  also  a  very  picturesque 
description  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cattermole,  whose  pen  is  almost  as 
graphic  as  his  brother's  pencil ;  but  neither  will  it  stand  critical 
examination.  Indeed,  the  armies  themselves  appear  to  have  so 
entirely  lost  all  form,  that  it  is  less  surprising  their  historians  are 
at  fault.  Take  for  instance,  Lord  Nugent's  statement  (in  which 
he  follows  Bulstrode,  who  was  nearly  shot  by  them),  that  Hamp- 
den and  the  artillery-guard  beat  back  Prince  Rupert's  regiment 
when  scattered  in  the  chase  :  now  we  have  the  assertion  of  Lud- 
low, who  was  on  the  spot,  that  Hampden's  brigade  did  not  arrive 
until  four  o'clock  on  the  following  morning.  There  are  many 
other  equally  incompatible  accounts. 


32  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

hours  to  reassemble  each  soldier  under  his  own 
officer.  Half- starved  and  frozen  as  these  forces  were, 
their  leaders  did  not  care  to  offer  them  for  battle, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  the  King  should  content 
himself  with  holding  his  position,  and  exhibiting 
as  formidable  a  front  to  the  enemy  as  could  be 
arranged.  Essex,  though  he  had  been  joined  by 
Hampden's  division  during  the  night,  mustering 
three  thousand  horse,  foot  and  artillery,  was  equally 
indisposed  to  engage.  And  so  the  two  armies 
remained  for  hours  confronting  each  other ;  neither 
wishing  to  abandon  the  hard  foughten  field  to  his 
enemy,  and  neither  venturing  to  enter  and  claim 
it  as  his  own.  At  length  the  King  remembered 
himself  of  a  proclamation  he  had  intended  should 
have  been  made  before  any  fight  took  place ;  a  pro- 
clamation reclaiming  "the  rebels"  to  their  allegiance, 
and  offering  free  pardon  to  them  all.  Sir  William 
Le  Neve,  Clarencieux  King -at -Arms,  was  now 
ordered  to  proceed  to  the  Parliament's  army,  on  the 
dangerous  errand  of  making  this  proclamation,  dated 
"  from  our  Court,  at  Edgehill,"  in  the  enemy's  line. 
He  proceeded  thither  in  his  robes  of  office,  and  in 
all  heraldic  state.  Before  he  was  within  hearing 
of  the  enemy,  however,  he  was  met  by  a  troop  of 
horse,  who,  with  levelled  pistols,  forbade  him  on  his 
life  to  utter  a  word  until  brought  into  the  presence 
of  the  General.  Thus  silenced  and  blindfolded  he 
was  led  before  Lord  Essex,  who  made  many  in- 
quiries of  him  concerning  the  King ;  could  not,  or 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        33 

would  not  believe  that  his  Majesty  had  been  in  the 
battle,  and  at  length  dismissed  the  herald,  as  closely 
guarded  as  he  came.1  The  only  other  movement  that 
took  place  was  an  unordered  dash  of  some  Cavaliers 
at  four  guns  of  the  Parliamentary  force,  which  they 
carried  off  in  triumph.  During  the  greater  part 
of  the  day,  the  armies  stood  gazing  on  each  other, 
Hampden  urging  the  Lord-General  to  advance,  and 
Dalbier  interfering  with  Low  Country  military  axi- 
oms to  prevent  him.  Essex,  always  glad  to  have  an 
excuse  for  forbearing  from  his  Sovereign, retired  upon 
Warwick  towards  evening,  and  the  field  of  battle 
was  abandoned  to  the  King.  A  mournful  posses- 
sion !  "  There,  brother  sought  out  brother,  and  sons 
their  fathers,  to  snatch  the  remains  of  those  they 
loved  from  an  undistinguished  grave;  or,  it  might 
be,  to  cherish  and  rekindle  the  yet  lingering  spark  of 
life.  The  name  of  more  than  one  son  of  knightly 
race  is  preserved,  who,  after  a  search  of  days,  found 
his  parent  naked,  covered  with  wounds,  and  well 
nigh  frozen  in  his  blood,  and  had  his  pious  cares 
repaid  by  the  sufferer's  recovery."2  "One  Round- 
head soldier  was  found  dying  of  his  wounds,  who 


1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  Appendix,  vol.  iii. 

2  Rev.  R.  Cattermole.     One  interesting  instance  of  this  nature 
is  recorded  by  Sir  Richard  Bulstrode.     Among  the  followers  of 
the  King  was  one  Sir  G-ervase  Scroop,  a  gentleman  of  fortune  in 
Lincolnshire,  who  had  raised  a  regiment  there  for  the  King.     His 
son  had  been  very  extravagant  on  his  travels,  and  his  old  father 
refused  even   to  see  him  again.     Young  Scroop,  however,  had 
made  a  friend  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  who  now  promised  to 

VOL.  II.  D 


34  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

declared  that  his  deepest  grief  was  having  received 
his  death  from  the  hand  of  his  brother,  whom  he 
had  recognized  among  the  Royal  troops,  and  turned 
aside ;  but  the  carbine  was  impetuously  discharged 
by  the  hand  which  had  never  before  been  raised  but 
in  affection." 

The  Clarencieux  Herald  had  brought  back  news 
of  the  old  Lord  Lindsey's  death ;  he  had  been  taken 
to  a  poor  cottage,  and  placed  upon  some  straw.  No 
surgeon  was  at  hand,  and  his  devoted  son  saw  him 
bleeding  helplessly  to  death.  Essex  at  length  sent 
Sir  William  Balfour  and  other  officers  to  visit  his 


soften  his  father.  The  son  came  to  the  camp  on  the  eve  of  battle, 
anxious  to  be  reconciled  before,  as  it  might  have  been,  too  late  : 
the  duke  prayed  the  King  to  send  for  Sir  Gervase,  who  found  his 
graceless  son  in  the  royal  presence.  The  King's  word  was  law  to 
the  old  Cavalier;  the  son  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  the  father 
gave  his  blessing  with  old-fashioned  fervour ;  then,  changing 
suddenly  his  tone,  he  said,  "  I  am  now  going  down  the  hill  to 
serve  the  King,  and,  if  I  be  killed,  you,  my  son,  will  have  enough 
to  spend ;"  to  which  the  young  scapegrace  answered,  "  And  if  I 
be  killed,  I  shall  leave  you  enough  to  pay."  They  fought  against 
the  Roundheads,  side  by  side  ;  in  the  melee  they  were  separated, 
and  when  the  evening  roll  was  called,  the  worthy  old  Cavalier's 
name  was  called  in  vain  :  the  son  sped  away  to  the  field  to  seek 
for  him,  and  the  next  morning  discovered  his  father  among 
the  bloody  dead.  The  human  vultures  who  spoil  the  slain  had 
stript  him  naked,  and  left  him  among  his  gallant  Lincoln  men, 
sixty  of  whom  lay  "with  their  backs  to  the  field  and  their 
feet  to  the  foe,"  on  the  same  ground  that  they  had  occupied 
while  living.*  Scroop  found  that  his  father  still  breathed, 
though  mangled  with  sixteen  wounds  in  defending  the  Standard, 
but  the  frost  had  prevented  him  from  bleeding  to  death  ;  "  So  his 
son,  with  great  piety,  carried  him  to  a  warm  lodging,  and  thence, 
in  one  of  the  King's  coaches,  to  Oxford,  where  he  at  length 
recovered," 


Ludlow,  p.  51. 


1642.J      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         35 

brother  General,  and  to  say  that  he  himself  was 
coming ;  but  he  came  too  late :  the  brave  old  gen- 
tleman was  dead,  having  with  his  dying  breath 
upbraided  the  disloyalty  of  those  who  stood  around 
him.  His  son  was  detained  a  close  prisoner  for 
above  a  year  by  the  Parliament. 

No  sooner  was  Essex  known  to  be  in  retreat  than 
Rupert  asked  and  obtained  leave  to  pursue.  With 
a  party  of  cavalry  and  some  dragoons  he  pushed  as 
far  as  Keinton,  where  he  found  sufficient  to  detain 
him.1  Waggons  were  there,  loaded  with  muskets, 
pikes,  and  all  sorts  of  ammunition ;  the  town  was 
crowded  with  sick  and  wounded  men,  and  many 
officers ;  a  fact  which  confesses  the  haste  in  which 
the  Lord-General  retired  from  what  the  Parliament 
called  afterwards  his  field  of  victory.2  Here  Rupert 
captured  the  rear-guard,  consisting  principally  of 
dragoons,  and  with  them  their  convoy,  the  plate, 
money,  and  cabinet  of  letters  belonging  to  Lord 
Essex  :  in  the  latter,  he  found  Mr.  Blake's  circum- 
stantial report  of  his  own  and  the  King's  intentions 
and  affairs;  the  unhappy  traitor  was  hanged  soon 
afterwards,  at  Oxford,  upon  this,  his  own  evidence. 
A  thick  fog  prevented  the  Prince  from  advancing 
further  than  Keinton.3 


1  Bulstrode,  85  ;  Ludlow,  i.  50. 

2  Ludlow  says,  that  Prince  Rupert's  troopers  cruelly  murdered 
many  of  the  wounded  men  at  Keinton,  a  falsehood  which  refutes 
itself.     The  worst  probability  is  that  many  of  them  stood  to  their 
arms  and  were  cut  down. 

3  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 

D  2 


36  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

The  brave  Welshmen,  who  had  fought  chiefly 
with  cudgels,  were  now  better  armed,  and  did 
good  service  afterwards  under  the  Buikeleys,  the 
Mostyns,  the  Trevors,  the  Thel walls,  and  other 
officers,  whose  descendants  still  dwell  in  the  homes 
their  fathers  left,  yet  fought  for,  while  they  served 
their  King. 

So  ended  the  first  great  battle  of  the  war.  It  was 
just  the  confused  and  unintelligible,  yet  stubborn 
and  fatal  affair,  that  might  have  been  expected ;  the 
troops  on  both  sides,  raw  and  ill-disciplined,  but 
with  English  hearts,  and  those  animated  by  the 
highest  enthusiasm :  the  officers,  almost  all  young 
or  youthfully  inexperienced ;  each  bent  on  making 
or  sustaining  an  individual  reputation,  while  reck- 
lessly ready  to  perish  for  his  cause.  It  is  one  of  the 
bloodiest  fights  on  record  :  scarcely  thirty  thousand 
men  were  engaged,  and  of  that  number  nearly  six 
thousand  were  buried  on  the  field.  Of  these,  the 
greatest  number  were  slain  by  hand;  the  artillery 
was  contemptible,  and  the  musketry  was  but  little 
more  effective.  Ludlow  says,  he  saw  three  score 
corpses  of  the  Royal  Guards  clustered  on  the  spot 
whence  the  Royal  Standard  had  been  torn.  The 
proud  and  mournful  result  of  English  valour,  put 
forth  against  itself,  was  this  most  deadly  and  most 
evenly-balanced  battle;  neither  side  was  beaten. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  Royalist  withdrew  farther 
from  the  field,  but  only  to  the  position  they  had  oc- 
cupied in  the  morning :  they  remained  there  until 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        37 

tbe  enemy  had  retired : l  they  had  entirely  routed 
both  wings  of  the  enemy  by  their  own  confession : 2 
they  had  captured  forty  stand  of  colours  in  the  fight, 
and,  on  the  following  day,  four  guns,3  with  magazines 
of  arms  and  ammunition.  Above  all,  the  road  to 
London,  the  King's  first  object,  was  left  open.  On 
the  other  side,  the  Parliamentarians  had  slept  on 
the  very  field  of  fight;  they  had  taken  prisoner  the 
King's  General-in-Chief  and  many  officers  of  note  ; 
they  had  captured,  though  it  was  afterwards  won 
back  by  a  daring  stratagem,  the  Royal  Standard  and 
eleven  regimental  colours.  The  only  clear,  indisput- 
able result  of  victory,  was  the  King's  obtaining  the 
London  road,  and  Essex  being  foiled  in  preventing 
him  from  doing  so.  "  Victor  uterque  fuit,  mctus 
uterque  fuit"  is  the  truthful  and  candid  verdict  of 
Sir  Richard  Bulstrode,  who  bravely  fought  the  battle 
he  describes. 

The  King  had  now  apparently  no  obstacle  before 
him.  If  he  had  pushed  on  straight  for  London  he 
might,  probably,  have  slept  in  his  own  chamber  at 
Whitehall  on  the  following  night.  Prince  Rupert, 
was  eager  to  fulfil  the  original  intention  of  press- 
ing forward  to  London  at  once  :  "  he  offered  to  push 
on  with  the  horse  and  three  thousand  foot ;  to 
seize  Westminster  and  the  rebel  part  of  the  Parlia- 


1  Bulstrode  ;  Warwick  ;  Clarendon. 

2  See  Lord  Wharton's  speech  to  the  Mayor,  Council,  and  Com- 
moners of  London,  printed  for  Richd.  Jones,  1 642. 

3  Prince  Rupert's  Diary  says  seventy  colours  and  eight  guns. 


38  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

ment,  and  occupy  the  Palace  of  Whitehall  until  the 
King  should  come  up  with  the  remainder  of  the 
army." L  But  most  of  the  King's  elder,  and,  perhaps, 
wiser  counsellors  were  "as  much  afraid  of  victory 
as  of  defeat ;"  they  dreaded  nothing  so  much  as  his 
Majesty  returning  a  conqueror  to  London.  It  may 
be  that  the  heart  of  Charles  himself  misgave  him, 
as  he  beautifully  confesses  in  the  following  passage 
in  his  "Icon  Basilicon:"2 — "I  was  afraid  of  the 
temptation  of  an  absolute  conquest,  and  never 
prayed  more  for  victory  over  others,  than  over  my- 
self. When  the  first  was  denied,  the  second  was 
granted  me,  which  God  saw  was  the  best  for  me." 3 

1  Prince  Rupert's  MSS.  Diary. 

2  It  is  assumed  as  an  ascertained  fact  by  popular  writers,  that 
Dr.  Gauden  wrote  this  admirable  work ;  the  same  party  motive 
prejudices   now    against   its   authenticity  that  prevailed  in  the 
seventeenth  century.    However,  Milton  believed  it  was  written  by 
Charles,  as  is  evident  from  his  iconoclastes  ;  and  all  internal  evi- 
dence is  strongly  in  its  favour.     The  principal  objections  to  its 
genuineness  are  the  claim  to  having  written  it  by  a  scheming, 
disreputable  Dr.  Gauden  and  his  talkative  wife,  and  the  flippant  re- 
jection of  it  as  a,  paternal  authority  by  one  of  the  most  worthless  men 
that  ever  lived — the  King's  own  son.   It  is  confessed,  at  all  events, 
by  the  impugners  of  its  truth,  as  having  been  accepted  by  Charles 
the  First  as  his  own  composition  ;    he  accepted  all  the  sentiments 
that  were  attributed  to  him  therein  ;   a  forger  of  such  a  work 
must  have  been  a  most  daring  subject,  a  most  consummate  judge 
of  the  human  heart,  and   a   most  admirable  writer  who  could 
have  so  arranged  such  sentiments  for  such  a  King ;  Gauden  was 
none  of  those,  though  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Exeter  for  his  im- 
posture ;  it  was  easier  for  the  easy  Charles  II.  to  make  him  so, 
than  to  disprove  his  pertinacious  assertions.     To  most  inquirers 
Dr.  Wordsworth's   dissertation   will   prove   convincing    on   this 
matter. 

3  Icon  Basilicon,  p.  167.     I  quote  from  a  rare  and  valuable 
copy  in  the  excellent  collection  of  Mr.  Halliday,  of  Glenthorne  :  it 
was  published  immediately  after  the  King's  death,  in  1649. 


1642.]    PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          39 

The  moderate  men  of  the  Council  asserted,  that  it 
was  expedient  to  delay  until  the  true  position  of 
Essex  was  ascertained ; l  and  Lord  Bristol  openly 
objected,  because  "  Rupert  would  set  the  town  on 
fire." 2  The  King  consented  to  delay,  and  the  army 
sat  down  before  the  little  town  of  Banbury,  when 
it  ought  to  have  been  straining  for  the  metropolis. 
Essex  was  meanwhile  using  his  utmost  exertions  to 
reorganize  his  forces  at  Warwick,  and  looked  on 
passively  while  the  King  captured  this  neighbouring 
town  and  made  prisoners  of  one  thousand  men.3 

Meanwhile  the  Parliamentary  leaders  were  wait- 
ing for  news  from  the  army  in  the  most  painful  and 
intense  suspense.  On  Sunday  night  the  City  was 
filled  with  the  fears  of  the  terrified  fugitives  who  had 
already  spread  their  fame  far  and  wide.  On  the 
Monday  a  despatch  was  received  from  Lord  Essex, 
which  failed  to  set  the  public  mind  at  ease ;  and  it 
was  not  until  Tuesday  that  Lord  Wharton  and  Mr. 
Strode,  who  had  both  fled  from  the  field,4  and  there- 
fore, perhaps,  proceeded  afterwards  more  slowly, 
arrived  at  Westminster.  The  Houses  were  then 


1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  306. 

2  Prince  Rupert's  "  Diary,"  Benett  MSS. 

3  Whitelocke's  Memorial  (p.  G4)  says,  that  the  King  here  cap- 
tured two  regiments  of  foot  and  a  troop  of  horse,  all  of  whom 
took  service  under  him. 

4  "  Farewell,  my  Lord  Wharton,  with  hey, 
Farewell,  my  Lord  Wharton,  with  ho, 
While  the  sawpit  did  hide  him, 
Hastings  did  outride  him, 

With  my  trolly,  lolly,  ho  ! 


40  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

sitting,    and   received   the   Lord    and    Commoner's 
report,  which  was  immediately  distorted  into  news 
of  victory.    Close  upon  these  fugitives,  for  such  they 
were,    followed    an    official   statement,    signed    by 
Holies,   Stapleton,  Ballard,  Balfour,  Meldrum,  and 
Charles  Pym,  "  laying  claim  to  a  victory  as  untruly 
as  their  forerunners  had  announced  an  utter  defeat."  * 
No  victorious  announcement,  however,  could  dis- 
guise the  fact  that  the  King  was  on  his  march  to 
London,   and  that  Essex   was  left   behind.     Fear 
prevailed  over  triumph  ;  but  it  was  such   fear  as 
Englishmen    might    feel    without    dishonour,    and 
roused  them  to  exertion,  not  despair.     The  shops 
were  closed,  and   their  owners  mustered  in  armed 
force  to  defend  the  barricades,  strengthen  the  forti- 
fications, and  prepare  for  action.    Finsbury  "  fields," 
the  "  village "   of  Pancras,   redoubts  in  Grosvenor 
Square  and  Hyde  Park,  became  advanced  posts  for 
the  London  forces,  where  the  trainbands  were  mus- 
tered in  strong  force.     "  The  works,  forts,  barrica- 
does,  and  ambuscadoes"2  were  all  strengthened  and 
reviewed.    Urgent  orders  were  sent  to  Lord  Essex  to 

"  Farewell,  Will.  Strode,  with  hey, 
Farewell,  Will.  Strode,  with  ho, 

He  swore  all  Wharton's  lies  were  true, 
And  it  concerned  him  so  to  do, 
For  he  was  in  the  sawpit  too,  [at  Edgehill] 
With  a  hey,  trolly,  lolly,  lo  !" 

The  Parliament's  Farewell,  1642. 

1  Lord  Nugent'sLife  of  Hampden,  ii.  314.     I  have  quoted  this 
report  of  the  six  colonels  in  my  account  of  the  action. — EDITOR. 

2  Prince   Rupert's    Disguises,    1642.     The   following   sonnet, 
affixed  by   Milton  to  the  door  of  his  house  at  this  emergency, 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE  CAVALIERS.  41 

press  upon  the  King,  at  all  hazards ;  and,  if  unable 
to  force  him  to  battle,  or  arrest  his  progress,  to 
throw  himself  and  his  army  into  London.1 

During  these  preparations  to  receive  their  King, 
his  Majesty  was  wasting  away  his  momentous  op- 
portunity before  Banbury,  and  when  that  little  town 
was  at  length  taken,  another  day  was  consumed  in 
besieging  Broughton  Castle,  the  residence  of  Lord 
Say,  and  yet  another  in  arranging  terms  for  its  sur- 
render. Meanwhile,  the  restless  Rupert,  chafing  at 
delay,  made  a  reconnoissance  towards  Warwick,  in 
order  to  employ  himself,  unattended  by  a  single 
trooper:  it  was  an  adventure  in  which  his  heart 
rejoiced.  He  was  overtaken,  when  near  the  town,  by 
a  heavy  shower,  and  took  refuge  in  an  alehouse.  He 
there  found  a  country-fellow,  who  was  on  his  way  to 
Warwick  to  sell  cabbage-nets.  The  Prince  could 
easily  ingratiate  himself  when  he  pleased  with  those 

may  vary  these  dull  details.  The  young  poet,  who  writes  so 
proudly,  was  then  only  thirty-four  years  of  age  : 

ON    THE   THREATENED   INVASION    OF   THE   CITY   BY    ASSAULT. 
"  Captain  or  Colonel,  or  Knight  in  arms, 

Whose  chance  on  these  defenceless  doors  may  seize, 

If  deed  of  honour  did  thee  ever  please, 
Guard  them  ;  and  him  within  protect  from  harms. 
He  can  requite  thee,  for  he  knows  the  charms 

That  call  fame  on  such  gentle  acts  as  these  ; 

And  he  can  spread  thy  name  o'er  lands  and  seas, 
Whatever  clime  the  sun's  bright  circle  warms. 
Lift  not  thy  spear  against  the  Muse's  bow'r  : 

The  great  Emathian  conqueror  bid  spare 
The  house  of  Pindarus,  when  temple  and  tow'r 

Went  to  the  ground  :  and  the  repeated  air 
Of  sad  Electra's  poet  had  the  pow'r 

To  save  th'  Athenian  walls  from  ruin  bare." 

1  Special   Passages;    Lord   Nugent's   Hampden ;   Bulstrode's 
Memoirs. 


42  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

about  him,  and  was  soon  in  high  favour  with  all 
the  topers  at  the  inn ;  he,  of  course,  passing  as  a 
Puritan.  Suddenly  a  thought  seemed  to  strike 
him :  "  Hold,  my  good  fellow !"  said  he  to  the 
net-seller,  "  /  want  to  go  to  Warwick,  and  I  '11  sell 
your  nets  for  you ;  here  ?s  a  crown  for  you  and  these 
good  fellows  to  drink  till  I  come  back,  for  I  must 
have  your  horse ;  ay,  and  your  coat  too,  my  friend. 
I  want  to  put  'a  touch '  on  a  friend  of  mine."  The 
countryman  thought  that  this  was  at  the  same  time 
*  a  good  bargain  and  a  good  joke,'  so  he  doffed  his 
long  coat  and  slouched  old  hat,  and  the  disguised 
Prince  having  assumed  them,  rode  forward  to  the 
stronghold  of  his  enemies.  He  soon  sold  his  nets,  as 
the  purchasers  might  have  them  at  their  own  price ; 
he  heard  at  the  same  time  all  sorts  of  accounts  of  the 
battle,  and  no  small  share  of  execration  on  himself, 
which  he  bore  with  great  philosophy,  and  apparent- 
ly with  relish.  He  ascertained  the  state  of  the 
Roundheads'  army,  and  all  the  approaches  of  the 
town,  and  then  returned  to  his  expectant  friend  at 
the  alehouse.  Having  resumed  his  own  attire,  and 
mounted  his  own  horse,  he  told  the  countryman  he 
might  inform  his  customers  in  Warwick  "that 
Prince  Rupert  had  been  their  salesman ;  that  he 
was  obliged  to  them  for  their  custom,  and  would 
soon  be  among  them,  to  supply  them  with  some- 
thing else." 1 

1  I  have  taken  this  episode  from  the  pamphlet  I  have  before 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        43 

On  the  26th  of  October,  the  King  moved  on  from 
Banbury,  leaving  Lord  Northampton  there  as  Go- 
vernor, and  on  the  28th,  he  slept  at  Woodstock,  one 
of  his  own  palaces.  From  the  following  somewhat 
remarkable  document  it  appears  that  Charles  was  by 
no  means  confident  of  immediate  results  to  his  arms, 
and  that  he  was  taking  measures  in  all  directions  to 
increase  his  force.  It  will  be  observed  that  he  no 
longer  stands  upon  the  scruples  of  appropriating 
the  arms  of  the  anti-loyal  that  at  first  restrained 
him : 

CHARLES  R. 

Trusty  and  well-beloved,  we  greet  you  well. 
Whereas  Colonel  John  Owen  by  our  command  is 
forthwith  to  bring  unto  us  a  regiment  of  foot-sol- 
diers, raised  in  our  county  of  Carnarvon,  and  the 
counties  adjacent,  who  cannot  in  so  speedy  a  time 
as  is  requisite  for  our  service  sufficiently  arm  them- 
selves. Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  that  you  use  all 
means,  out  of  the  public  magazine  of  the  county  of 
Anglesea,  or  otherwise  "  out  of  the  store  of  private 
men,  to  furnish  the  soldiers  of  the  said  regiment 
with  arms,"  which  we  shall  take  as  a  great  service 
unto  us,  and  shall,  when  God  shall  enable  us,  be 
ready  to  remember  to  the  advantage  of  every  one 
whom  we  shall  find  hearty  and  zealous  in  the  pro- 


quoted,  called,  "  Prince  Rupert :  his  Disguises,"  printed  by  some 
indignant  Roundhead,  on  November  16,  1642. 


44  MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

moting  of  this  our  service  :  and  for  so  doing,  this 
shall  be  your  warrant. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Woodstock,  the 
29th  day  of  October,  1642. 

To  our  truly  and  well-beloved  our  Commissioners  of  Array, 
and  High  Sheriff  of  our  county  of  Anglesey.1 

On  the  29th,  the  King  reached  Oxford,  where 
the  Royal  Court  was  for  the  future  to  be  held. 
That  loyal  city  "  was  the  only  one  in  England  at 
that  time  wholly  devoted  to  his  Majesty,"2  and 
although  it  remained  faithful  to  the  last,  it  suffered 
but  little  from  its  loyalty.  The  Parliamentary  forces 
under  Lord  Say 3  had  respected  the  seat  of  learning 
after  a  fashion,  and  there  are  fewer  marks  of  Puri- 
tan iconoclasm  to  be  found  in  this  majestic  City 
than  in  any  other  of  similar  beauty  and  similar  visi- 
tation. 

Hither  the  great  ladies  of  the  Court  soon  repaired 
to  join  their  lords :  and  the  beauty,  wit,  and  flirta- 
tions of  Whitehall  began  to  enliven  the  sedate  pre- 
cincts of  the  Muses.  The  King  and  Prince  Rupert 
"  had  rooms"  at  Christ  Church,  and  other  royalties 
and  noblenesses  inhabited  that  and  other  colleges. 
Other  gowns  too,  than  those  of  students  and  profes- 
sors began  to  rustle  along  the  moonlit  cloisters 


1  For  this  letter  I  am  indebted  to    Mr.  Ormsby  Gore's  MS. 
collection. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii. 

3  Whitelocke,  who  was  to  have  been  governor. — Memoirs,  63. 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         45 

(Christ  Church  was  cloistral  then),  and  Minerva, 
not  to  say  Diana,  gave  place  too  much  to  Venus. 
The  lovely  Duchess  of  Richmond  was  there,  with 
eyes  that  conquered  the  indomitable  Rupert ;  Lady 
Isabella  Thynne,  who  is  whispered  to  have  made  no 
small  impression  even  on  the  ascetic  King;  the 
merry  Mrs.  Kirke  is  said  to  have  fascinated  the  grave 
Prince  Maurice,  and  the  witty  and  brave  Kate, 
Lady  D'Aubigny,  who  was  now  mourning  for  her 
chivalrous  young  Lord,  was  soon  the  arbiter  of 
Lord  Hawley's  destiny ;  even  the  puritanical  Elec- 
tor Palatine  is  said  to  have  relaxed  his  hypocritical 
demureness  in  favour  of  "  fair  Mistress  Watt."1 
For  several  years,  the  fashion  of  London,  with  all  its 
virtues  and  its  vices,  was  concentrated  on  the  banks 
of  Isis,  and  may  have  contributed  not  a  little  to 
the  grace  and  dignity  that  still  distinguish  its  classic 
regions,  and  still  continue  to  add  love  to  the  reve- 
rence which  that  fair  City  claims.2 

In  those  days,  when  Oxford  formed  the  rallying- 
point  for  all  the  most  chivalrous  and  loyal  men  of 
England,  and  constituted  the  great  centre  of  opera- 
tions on  which  the  fate  of  empires  depended,  the 
stately  old  colleges  must  have  had  some  stirring 


1  Somers'  Tracts,  p.  475  ;  "  Collection  of  Loyal  Songs  ;"  "  The 
Rattle-headed  Parliament  of  Ladies,"  &c. 

2  Here,  too,  many  of  the  persecuted  clergy  of  the  Church  of 
England  found  shelter  from  the  Puritans ;  Jeremy  Taylor  pur- 
sued his  divine  abstractions  in  beautiful  All  Souls,  and  Prideaux 
and  Chillingworth  varied  their  military  exercises  with  studies  of 
the  most  profound  divinity. 


46     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

experiences.  When  the  streets  rang  to  the  sound 
of  the  trumpet  summoning  the  young  Cavaliers  to 
mount  instantly,  as  some  daring  Roundheads  hovered 
near  the  City,  or  some  foam-covered  trooper  brought 
tidings  of  a  stolen  march,  or  to  be  stolen  convoy 
within  their  reach.  Or,  when  the  students  were 
mustered  by  Dean  and  Warden  "  in  buff  and  bando- 
lier" under  Lord  Dover,  to  guard  the  walls  and  prove 
their  manhood  under  their  Sovereign's  and  the 
Ladies'  eyes.  It  was  only  when  assault  was  threat- 
ened, that  these  young  volunteers  were  allowed  to 
act  as  Cavaliers  :  eagerly  then  they  saw  the  "  toga 
yield  to  arms"  and  earnestly  they  wished  every 
success  to  the  Roundheads  that  might  bring  them 
within  reach  of  University  discipline.1  Musically, 
in  those  romantic  times,  the  old  cloisters  of  All 
Souls  or  of  Magdalen  gave  echo  to  the  armed  tread 
of  the  Cavalier,  or  the  faint  rustle  of  the  silken 
robe  that  floated  by  his  side,  and  shared  in  his 
unweary  watch. 

I  am  anticipating.  At  present  the  King  is  bound 
for  London,  and  only  waits  at  Oxford  for  intelli- 
gence of  the  enemy's  movements.  It  is  said,  that 
the  Lord-General  has  suddenly  advanced  from  War- 

1  The  said  scholars  and  men  did  sometimes  train  in  New 
College  Quadrangle,  in  the  eye  of  Dr.  Pink,  the  Dep.  Vice- Chan- 
cellor, then  warden  of  the  said  college.  And  it  being  a  novel 
matter,  there  was  no  holding  the  boys  of  the  school  in  the  cloisters 
from  seeing,  and  following  them.  Mr.  Wood  remembered  well 
that  some  of  them  were  so  besotted  with  the  training  and  gaiety 
therein  of  some  young  scholars,  that  they  could  never  be  brought 
to  their  books  again — Anthony  ct  Wood  (Bliss). 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        47 

wick  on  Northampton,  or  is  manoeuvring  about 
Brackley,  and  about  to  cut  off  all  communication 
with  the  London  road.  Rupert  is  gone  on  to  Ab- 
ingdon  to  reconnoitre  ;  we  shall  soon  have  news  of 
him.  Meanwhile,  the  subjoined  letter1  gives  us  a 
glimpse  at  Oxford  and  the  doings  there :  and  now 
reports  arrive  from  Rupert,  which  influence  the 
King  to  draw  towards  London. 

The  Prince,  with  the  "  five  hundred  and  ten 
men,"  mentioned  by  Mr.  Evans,  had  rapidly  overrun 
the  adjacent  country,  and  swept  into  the  Royal 


1  TO  THE  MOST  WORSHIPFUL  RICHARD  GRENVIL,  ESQ.,  HIGH-SHERIFF 
OF  BUCKS,  THESE  PRESENTS, 

RIGHT  WORSHIPFUL, 

Upon  the  motion  of  your  man  Cherry,  I  give  you  to  under- 
stand that  I,  being  at  Oxford,  October  2,  warned  by  a  warrant 
from  his  Majesty  amongst  all  ministers,  freeholders,  tradesmen, 
and  men  of  estate  in  Oxfordshire,  save  his  Majesty  sitting  in 
Christ-church  Hall ;  Prince  Robert  was  gone  before  to  Abingdon 
with  five  hundred  and  ten  men.  The  King  intends  for  London 
with  all  speed.  Redinge  must  be  inhumanly  plundered.  One 
Blake,  or  Blakewell,  I  know  not  whether,  was  this  day  hanged, 
drawn,  and  quartered,  in  Oxon,  for  receiving  5QI.  a  week  from 
the  Parliament  for  intelligence,  he  being  privy  chamberlain  to 
Prince  Robert.  We  were  in  Oxon  streets  under  pole  axes,  the 
Cavaliers  so  out-braved  it.  The  King's  horse  there,  with  seven 
thousand  dragoons.  The  foot  I  know  not,  save  that  Colonel 
Salisbury  (my  countryman)  hath  twelve  hundred  poor  Welsh 
vermin,  the  offscouring  of  the  nation.  Dr.  Hood  remembers  his 
best  respects  to  you,  but  groans  for  rent.  He  is  much  afraid  of 
your  safety.  He  prays  for  you.  Oxonshire  was  sent  for  to  con- 
tribute to  his  Majesty's  necessity.  Little  help  (God  knows). 
They  pillage  extremely  about  Oxon.  Whole  teams  taken  away 
even  of  the  Earl  of  ...  's  man,  Bigge  of  Staunton.  So  much 
happiness  to  your  worship,  as  to  your  obliged  servant, 

ROB.  EVANS.* 

*  Lord  Nugent's  Hampden. 


48  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

quarters  all  the  forage  and  stores  that  he  could  find, 
before  the  Roundhead  forces  should  have  time  to 
anticipate  him.  Taking  the  rich  vale  of  Aylesbury 
into  the  sphere  of  his  operations,  he  possessed  himself 
of  the  town  also :  issuing  thence  he  intercepted  all 
communications  of  Essex  with  the  metropolis,  and 
made  such  harvests  for  the  King,  as  the  most  accom- 
plished of  partizan  leaders  could  secure.  A  brigade 
of  the  Parliamentary  forces  were  sent  forward  to 
dislodge  their  active  antagonist  from  Aylesbury 
and  restore  communication  with  London.  Rupert 
hastened  to  draw  out  his  handful  of  cavalry,  eager  to 
give  the  Roundheads  battle  in  the  open  field ;  within 
stone  walls  he  never  felt  himself  at  ease.  He  found 
Balfour's  brigade  drawn  up  in  force,  just  beyond  a 
brook  well  known  to  modern  steeple-chasers.  The 
waters  were  swollen  by  recent  rains,  and  only  passa- 
ble with  difficulty,  at  a  narrow  ford.  This  was  com- 
manded by  Balfour's  infantry,  flanked  by  Charles 
Pym's  troop  of  horse,  and  supported  by  Blanchard's 
cavalry.  Rupert  gave  time  but  for  one  volley  as  he 
charged  across  the  ford,  plunging  through  the 
Roundhead  infantry,  and  falling  on  their  cavalry  re- 
serve. The  infantry  rallied  stoutly  and  closed  in  on 
the  Prince's  bloody  track,  but  were  charged  in  their 
turn  by  Sir  Lewis  Dives,  who  followed  close  with 
Rupert's  eager  reserve.  Pym  charged  the  fresh 
troopers  as  they  poured  in  upon  his  infantry,  and 
then  all  became  confused  in  tumultuous  struggles 
for  life  and  death  rather  than  for  victory ;  "  the 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  49 

musketry  of  the  foot,  the  carbines  and  petronels  of 
the  cavalry,  swords  and  pole-axes,  all  doing  the 
work  of  death,  and  the  soldiers  of  all  arms  mixed, 
and  fighting  in  one  close  and  furious  throng."  1  The 
Cavaliers  were  at  length  forced  back  across  the 
ford  ;  and  being  joined  by  their  little  garrison  from 
Aylesbury  retired  upon  Thame,  pursued  by  the 
rallied  Roundheads  and  the  townspeople  for  a  short 
distance.  Thence  the  Cavaliers  proceeded  to  Maid- 
enhead, whence  Rupert  made  an  attack  upon  Wind- 
sor. I  give  the  Parliamentary  journal's  account  of 
his  assault  in  its  own  language,  as  a  specimen  of 
the  style  and  spirit  of  the  period  : — 

"  Prince  Rupert,  with  the  most  bloody  and  mis- 
chievous of  all  his  Cavaliers,  now  drew  towards 
Windsor,  aspiring  to  the  taking  of  that  Royal 
Castle"  [not,  surely,  a  very  extraordinary  aspira- 
tion to  restore  the  King  to  the  residence  of  his  an- 
cestors]. "So,  with  about  six  thousand,  mostly  horse, 
passing  through  and  plundering  the  fruitful  county 
of  Buckingham,  he  passed  over  the  Thames  and 
came  upon  the  town.  Having  possessed  himself  of 
this  without  resistance,  he  summoned  the  castle  at 
s  faire  quarter,'  he  and  his  malignants  considering 
it  a  place  of  much  importance,  to  cut  off  the  traffic 


1  Life  of  Hampden  (ii.  324),  by  Lord  Nugent,  from  whom  I 
have  taken  the  details  of  this  skirmish.  Lord  Nugent  states, 
that  a  few  years  ago  some  labourers,  digging  for  gravel,  came 
upon  the  burial  place  of  the  slain,  and  upwards  of  two  hundred 
skeletons  were  found  massed  together :  many  seemed  to  have 
been  officers,  having  been  more  carefully  laid  out. 

VOL.  II.  E 


50     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

out  of  the  West  to  London  by  stopping  their  barges 
there."  The  summons  was  refused,  the  assault  com- 
manded, but  the  defenders  fought  so  well,  "  cutting 
the  Cavaliers  off  by  scores  and  pouring  their  dread- 
ful bullets  into  their  bosoms,  so  that  they  (glad  to 
shelter  their  coxcombs)  retired  into  the  houses,  tell- 
ing Prince  Rupert  that  they  would  willingly  attend 
him  to  fight  against  men,  but  not  against  stone 
walls.  They  desired  him,  also,  to  rise  thence  and 
depart  elsewhere,  where  he  might  do  the  cause  bet- 
ter service.  Prince  Rupert,  telling  them  he  could 
not  stir  thence  to  dishonour  the  glory  of  his  former 
actions,  cheered  them  on  to  a  new  assault.  Ours, 
however,  beat  those  devils  back  at  handy-blows, 
tumbling  some  twelve  score  dead  upon  the  place  ; 
whereupon  the  Prince  hearkened  to  the  former 
advice  (of  them  that  fought  here  but  faintly),  and 
with  his  company  of  Rake-shames  he  struck  up  to 
Stainsward/  and  so  to  Kingston." 

Here  the  Prince  purposed  to  erect  a  fort  and 
plant  a  garrison,  in  order  to  command  the  river ; 
but  he  found  the  Trainbands  of  Berkshire  and  Sur- 
rey "in  number  about  3500  men  drawn  up  to 
receive  him,  and  in  order  to  protect  the  town." 
"About  two  o'clock,  on  the  7th  of  November,"  says 
the  Roundhead  writer,  "  the  Cavaliers  came  on  with 
undaunted  courage,  their  forces  in  the  form  of  a 


1  The   above   extracts  are   taken  from   a   Pamphlet   in   the 
King's  Collection,  No.  116,  British  Museum. 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        51 

crescent,  Prince  Rupert  to  the  right  wing,  coming 
on  with  great  fury.  In  they  went,  pell-mell  into  the 
heart  of  our  soldiers,  but  were  there  surrounded, 
and  with  much  difficulty  cut  their  way  through 
those  who  had  unexpectedly  hemmed  them  in,  and 
made  their  way  across  to  Maidenhead  where  they 
held  their  quarters."  Here  they  rested  on  that  and 
the  following  night,  impatient  for  orders  to  advance 
on  London.  Sir  John  Byron's  regiment  was  then 
quartered  at  Fawsley  Court,  which,  contrary  to 
orders,  they  plundered;  making  a  present  of  his 
deer  and  hounds  to  the  Prince.  * 

Rupert  could  not  repress  his  desire  to  feel  his 
way  a  little  farther,  and  led  a  small  volunteer 
party  of  horse  as  far  as  Colebrook.  To  his  surprise, 
he  found  but  little  opposition  there,  the  Round- 
heads having  concentrated  their  strength  as  near  as 
possible  to  London  :  he  accordingly  entered,  and 
possessed  himself  of  the  town,  where  he  left  a 
strong  picket,  and  returned  to  his  quarters  at 
Maidenhead.  The  City  journals  thus  described  this 
morning's  work  in  their  usual  exaggerated  style; 
the  object  was  to  make  an  effective  paragraph 
whether  of  triumph  or  of  terror :  this  was  headed, 
"  Horrible  news  from  Colebrooke.  London,  llth 
Nov.,  1 642."  "  Prince  Rupert,  coming  to  the 
town  of  Colebrooke  on  Saturday  last  (i.  e.  the  fifth 
of  November),  the  townspeople  having  no  arms  to 

1  Whitelocke's  Memoirs,  64. 

E  2 


52  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

help  themselves,  or  to  defend  the  town  withal,  he 
plundered  it,  rifling  their  houses,  and  imprisoning 
all  those  that  were  well  affected  to  the  King  and 
Parliament.  Having  done  his  pleasure  to  the  in- 
habitants, he  repaired  to  the  "  Catherine  Wheel " 
for  that  night,  and  the  next  day  he  intended  to 
advance  towards  Windsor;  but,  hearing  that  the 
castle  was  too  strongly  fortified  for  his  invasion,  by 
the  Parliament,  under  command  of  Col.  Venne,  he 
sent  out  spies  to  observe  the  strength  of  the  place. 
The  prince  hath  deeply  vowed  that  he  will  come  to 
London,  swearing  he  cares  not  a  pin  for  all  the 
Roundheads,  nor  their  infant  works,  and  saying  he 
will  lay  their  city  and  inhabitants  on  the  ground."1 

On  the  4th,  Lord  Essex  was  at  Woburn,  sum- 
moning the  county  trainbands  of  Buckinghamshire 
to  muster  at  St.  Albans;  probably  only  in  order  to 
obstruct  the  King  should  he  march  that  way,  as 
the  Lord-General  himself  advanced  to  London,  where 
he  was  received  with  politic  honour,  and  voted  five 
thousand  pounds  by  the  two  Houses  of  Parliament 
"  for  his  victory  at  Edgehill."  He  had  left  Hampden, 
who  ever  sought  the  post  of  danger,  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Uxbridge;  whilst  Holies  occupied 


1  King's  Collection  of  Pamphlets,  British  Museum.  We  have 
here  another  paragraph  of  "  authentic  news  :  "  "  Since  Keinton 
fight  Prince  Robert  hath  menaced  that,  when  once  he  can  get  into 
London,  '  he  will  sell  smocks  as  cheap  as  herrings  are  now  sold  in 
the  city ;'  he  meant  the  smocks  of  such  as  have  carried  their 
plate  into  Guildhall." — Last  news  from  the  King's  army,  Nov. 
11,  1642. 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          53 

Brentford,1  and  Windsor  was  strengthened  by  twelve 
companies  of  foot.  Kingston  also,  and  Acton2  were 
well  garrisoned,  and  thus  the  King  was  not  only 
shut  out  from  London,  but  almost  surrounded. 

For  the  Royal  army  had  now  left  Oxford,  and 
continued  steadily  to  advance.  On  the  3rd  of 
November  the  King  lay  at  Benson  :  on  the  4th, 
he  occupied  Reading,  which  Henry  Martin,3  as  its 
governor,  had  timorously  abandoned  upon  Prince 
Rupert's  approach.4  Thus  far  Charles  had  been 
led  on  by  Rupert,  his  advanced  -  guard  having 
found  no  resistance  to  its  progress.  His  approach 
to  London  might  have  proved  the  King's  best 
means  of  restoration,  if  even  now  he  hearkened  to 
wise  counsel,  or  to  his  own  better  genius.  The  war 
seemed  about  to  close:  to  all  appearance,  before 
Christmas  the  great  question  must  be  decided,  and 
the  people  at  peace,  quicquid  dellrant  reges.  But  I 
fear  that  neither  the  King  nor  the  Parliamentary 
leaders  had  sufficient  magnanimity  for  nobly  un- 
selfish views  in  their  decision  :  peace  was  now  in  the 
power  of  both ;  perhaps,  of  either.  But  the  King 
was  advancing  as  a  conqueror ;  he  had  been  sorely 
punished  for  his  early  errors  by  those  who  now 


1  Life  of  Hampden,  ii.  326.  2  Bulstrode. 

3  The  future  Regicide  :  cowardliness  and  bloodthirstiness  are 
not  unfrequently  combined  ;  but  this  was  not  a  cruel  man  by 
nature  :  a  deist,  a  lover  of  "  merry  company"  and  good  cheer,  arid 
a  share  of  power,       was  much  what  a  k<  Bed  Republican"  is  now 
in  Paris. 

4  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  318. 


54  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

offered  to  treat  with  him :  he  had  been  bitterly 
insulted,  in  many  instances  cruelly  wronged :  the 
basest  calumnies  had  been  circulated  against  him 
in  order  to  justify  those  wrongs,  and  the  foulest 
vituperation  had  been  used,  in  order  to  degrade  his 
Majesty  in  the  people's  eyes.  Moreover,  all  these 
outrages  against  his  throne,  his  prerogative,  and  his 
royal  person,  appeared  to  him  to  be  the  work  of  a 
faction,  who  domineered  over  the  true  sense  of  his 
misled  metropolis,  as  his  own  "  evil  advisers "  were 
asserted  by  the  Parliament  to  have  tyrannized  over 
himself.  It  was  not  the  nature  of  Charles  to  feel 
exasperation  ;  but  his  sensitive  and  proud  nature 
was  keenly  alive  to  indignity,  and  would  probably 
have  inclined  him  to  use  his  power  sternly,  under 
the  conviction  of  state  necessity  and  of  justice. 
On  the  other  hand,  Pym  and  his  associates  felt  not 
only  the  strength  but  the  charm  of  their  power: 
they  easily  persuaded  themselves  they  were  con- 
scientiously using  it  for  the  good  of  the  people, 
when  they  refused  all  negotiation  not  having  for  its 
basis  the  continuance  of  their  own  pre-eminence. 
The  peace  and  happiness  of  England  were  staked 
on  the  conflict  between  the  nobleness  or  selfishness 
of  these  two  great  parties,  and  the  stake  was  lost ! 
Cabinet  councils,  still  less  popular  assemblies,  have 
seldom  proved  self-sacrificing  or  magnanimous.  Ar- 
nold von  Winkelried  and  Quintus  Curtius  were  not 
casuists  or  debaters. 

The  Parliament  now  sent  a  messenger  to  meet 


1642.]       PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.  55 

the  King  at  Reading,  to  desire  a  safe-conduct  for  a 
committee  of  the  Lords  and  Commons  to  attend  his 
Majesty:  the  King  replied,  that  they  should  be 
"  welcome,"  and  that  he  was  always  ready  to  receive 
any  communications  from  the  Parliament,  if  it  con- 
sisted not  of  those  who  had  been  declared  traitors 
by  his  Majesty.  The  next  day  a  request  was  re- 
ceived for  a  safe-conduct  for  the  Earls  of  Northum- 
berland and  Pembroke,  and  four  of  the  Commons, 
amongst  whom  was  Sir  John  Evelyn.  Lord  Falk- 
land immediately,  by  the  King's  order,  sent  the 
required  passport,  objecting  only  to  Sir  John,  who 
had  been  by  name  excepted  in  the  King's  proclama- 
tion of  pardon ;  but  any  other  person  not  so  excepted 
was  to  be  considered  as  secured  by  the  passport  if 
substituted  for  Sir  John.  Thereupon  the  Parlia- 
ment declared  that  all  offers  of  peace  were  useless, 
and  that  "  to  except  any  one  of  their  House  was 
the  highest  breach  of  privilege."  It  is  to  be  remem- 
bered that  upwards  of  twenty-four  of  the  King's 
best  and  faithfullest  adherents  were  at  this  moment 
lying  under  their  own  unpardoning  ban  :  in  fact 
that  their  spirits  had  recently  been  revived  by  the 
arrival  of  Essex  and  his  army.  The  Parliamentary 
Lord  Mayor  summoned,  on  the  8th,  a  general  as- 
sembly of  the  citizens,  at  which  Lord  Brook  and  Sir 
Harry  Vane  attended,  in  order  to  address  the  people 
and  exhort  them  to  the  most  desperate  resistance.  In 
doing  so,  Lord  Brook  made  a  speech  so  false  in 
every  fact,  and  so  unworthy  in  spirit,  that  we  might 


56  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

suppose  it  to  have  been  a  fabrication  of  some  un- 
scrupulous Cavalier,  but  that  it  remains  authenti- 
cated in  their  own  writer's  Parliamentary  history.1 
"  Lord  Essex/1  said  this  young  nobleman,  "has  ob- 
tained the  greatest  victory  that  was  ever  known. 
He  has  slain  two  thousand  of  the  enemy,  and  we 
have  not  lost  one  hundred  of  our  own  men ;  unless 
you  include  the  women  and,  children,  and  dogs,  that 
the  Cavaliers  have  slain,  in  that  number." 2  The 
people  shouted,  as  they  are  alway  glad  to  have  an 
excuse  to  do ;  they  were  very  much  pleased  to  hear 
such  tidings,  but  they  did  not  believe  them ;  and 
Lord  Brook  returned  to  his  home  with  the  stain  of 
a  falsehood,  and  a  bootless  one,  upon  his  otherwise 
fair  fame.3 

The  King  now  advanced  to  Colebrooke,  and  the 


1  May,  lib.  iii.  6—9. 

2  The  following  lines,  which  seem  to  be  appropriate,  are  taken 
from  a  ballad  of  the  times,  called,  "  A  Farewell  to  Parliament :" 

"  Farewell,  my  Lord  Brook,  with  a  hey, 
Farewell,  my  Lord  Brook,  with  a  ho, 

He  said  (but  first  he  had  got  him  a  rattle) 
That  hut  a  hundred  fell  in  battle, 
Besides  dogs,  women,  and  such  Parliament  cattle, 
With  a  hey  trolly,  lolly,  ho  ! 

"  Farewell,  Say  and  Scale,  with  hey, 
Farewell,  Say  and  Scale,  with  ho, 
And  those  valiant  sons  of  Aymon, 
May  they  hang  as  high  as  Haman, 
With  the  old  Anabaptist  they  came  on. 
With  a  hey  trolly,  lolly,  ho  ! " 

Lord  Say  and  Sele  was  not  orthodox  even  in  the  Puritan's 
eyes  ;  his  sons  Nathaniel  and  Fiennes  were  diligent  but  not  very 
valorous  servants  of  the  Parliament. 

3  The  justification  of  means  in  order  to  an  end,  was  by  no 
means  confined  to  the  Jesuits  :  Cromwell  asserted  that  "  it  was 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  57 

clamour  of  the  Londoners  for  peace  became  so  im- 
portunate, that  the  triumph  of  Essex  and  the  breach 
of  privilege  were  alike  passed  over;  and  on  the  16th 
of  November  the  Parliamentary  deputation  met  the 
King  with  their  "  petition,"  which,  with  those  who 
presented  it,  was  very  graciously  received.  The 
petition  deplored  the  late  battle,  and  the  miseries 
of  the  kingdom,  and  deprecated  those  that  were  yet 
to  come,  if  peace  were  not  re-established  :  they  then 
entreated  the  King  to  appoint  some  convenient 
place  near  London,  where  committees  from  Parlia- 
ment might  attend  his  Majesty  with  propositions 
for  a  happy  settlement  of  the  kingdom.  The  King 
desired  some  time  to  consider  of  his  answer,  which 
was  delivered  within  two  or  three  hours  afterwards 
to  the  commissioners,  who  returned  with  it  that 
evening  to  London.  This  answer  deplored  with 
equal  earnestness  the  miseries  of  war,  and  proposed 
to  move  to  Windsor  Castle,  or,  if  that  were  refused, 
to  some  other  place,  and  there  to  receive  the  pro- 
positions of  the  Houses.  He  would  be  ready  to 
do  so  even  at  the  gates  of  London.1  At  this  con- 
juncture, Lord  Clarendon  observes,  if  the  King  had 
retired  to  Reading  to  await  a  further  communica- 
tion, it  is  possible  that  the  people  might  have  forced 


lawful  to  play  the  knave  with  a  knave  ;"    Pym  was  at  least 
equally    unscrupulous,    and  the  deaths  of  Laud    and    Strafford 
involve  the  whole  of  their  associates  in  this  same  reproach  that 
renders  the  Jesuits'  popularity  so  dangerous. 
1  Rushworth,  ii.  58  ;  Parl,  History,  in  9. 


58  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

the  Parliament  to  a  peace ;  but  the  historian  does 
not  say  that  even  he  himself  was  then  of  that 
opinion.1  Indeed,  the  general  feeling  of  the  hour 
seems  to  have  been  that  it  was  necessary  to 
strengthen  the  peace-party  within  the  City  by 
assuming  a  formidable  position  before  an  armistice 
was  accepted. 

An  important  question  here  arises,  which  gravely 
involves  the  honour  of  the  King.  It  was  loudly 
asserted  at  the  time  by  the  war-party  of  the  Parlia- 
ment and  by  its  journals,  that  Charles  took  advantage 
of  his  enemy's  confidence  in  an  approaching  peace, 
to  advance  upon  London  and  take  it  by  assault, 
As  a  matter  of  policy  the  King  would  doubtless 
have  been  in  a  better  position  if  passive  at  Read- 
ing, or  even  at  Colebrook ;  but,  as  a  matter  of 
humanity,  he  is  not  blamable  for  any  bold  step 
that  promised  to  terminate  the  war.  It  was  well 
known  that  the  Parliamentary  leaders  were  well 
nigh  desperate,  and  a  proof  had  been  given  in 
Evelyn's  case  that  they  only  sought  how  to  avoid  a 
peace.2  Every  day's  delay  was  of  use  to  them  in 
strengthening  their  forces,  and  was  proportionately 
ruinous  to  the  King,  whose  army  was  in  a  hostile 
country,  and  well  nigh  surrounded  by  the  enemy. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  226-7. 

2  Henry  James,  first  Earl  of  Sunderland,  left  the  Parliamentary 
party  with  these  words  :  "  We  had  been  satisfied  long  ere  this,  if 
we  did  not  ask  things  that  deny  themselves  j  and  if  some  men 
had  not  shuffled  demands  into  our  propositions,  on  purpose  that 
we  may  have  no  satisfaction." — Lloyd's  Loyalists. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          59 

Essex  had  taken  every  measure  to  prevent  an  assault, 
and  only  awaited  orders  to  become  an  attacking 
party.1  Those  orders  were  so  long  suspended  that  at 
length  Lord  Essex  rose  in  his  place  in  the  House  to 
desire  a  decided  answer,  whether  he  was  to  suspend 
or  to  pursue  hostilities?  He  was  then  ordered  to  sus- 
pend them,  "  the  King  having  so  far  acceded  to  all 
that  was  required  of  him."  Then,  and  not  until 
then,  Sir  Peter  Killegrew  was  dispatched  to  treat 
with  the  King  concerning  an  armistice,  and  he 
found  the  armies  already  engaged  at  Brentford.  In 
the  King's  council,  meanwhile,  it  had  also  been 
debated  whether  hostilities  should  be  suspended,  "  the 
Parliament  having  refused  to  grant"  the  only  stipu- 
lation made  by  his  Majesty,  the  assignment  of 
Windsor  Castle  to  him  as  a  residence  during  the 
proposed  treaty.3  Lord  Essex  had  made  every  pre- 
paration for  attack  upon  the  King:  his  army  lay 
at  Turnham  Green,  covering  the  only  approach  to 
London ;  a  circuit  of  posts  was  drawn  round  him  at 
Kingston  and  Acton  ;4  a  strong  division,  comprising 


1  Bulstrode,  p.  87. 

2  May's  History  of  the  Long  Parliament,  ii.  102  ;  M.  Guizot's 
Revolution  d'Angleterre,  i.  264. 

3  This  proposition  of  the  King's  to  be  admitted  into  his  own 
castle,  whilst  awaiting  the  pleasure  of  the  Parliament,  the  depu- 
tation had  even  refused  to  take  charge  of  to  the  Parliament ;  so 
the  King  had  sent  his  own  messenger,  Mr.  White,  to  deliver  the 
message.     The  King  had  received  the  Parliamentary  Commis- 
sioners with  all  courtesy,  yet  this  royal  messenger  was  blind- 
folded and  conducted  through  the  streets   under  the   strictest 
surveillance,  as  if  he  had  been  a  common  trumpet. — Clar. 

4  "  Quelques  uns  disent  que  le  Roi  avoit  ete  averti  que  pendant 


60  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

his  two  best  regiments,  under  Hampden  and  Holies, 
his  two  best  officers,  lay  at  Brentford,  which  they  had 
barricadoed  and  entrenched ;  and  a  strong  house 
belonging  to  Sir  Richard  Gwynn  was  occupied  as  an 
advanced  post.1  It  was  only  the  unexpected  rapidity 
of  Prince  Rupert's  attack,  favoured  by  a  thick  mist,2 
that  prevented  the  whole  Parliamentary  army  from 
having  timely  notice  to  support  their  advanced  divi- 
sion at  Brentford.  For  this,  and  other  reasons,3  I 
think  that  the  King  acted  only  unwisely,  not 
wickedly,  in  pressing  on  towards  London.4  And  that, 


que  les  Parlementaires  lui  faisaient  des  propositions,  pour  1'amuser, 
ils  prenoient  des  mesures  pour  1'envelopper." — Revolutions  d'An- 
gleterre  par  le  pere  d"  Orleans,  p.  85. 

1  Sir  P.  Warwick,  233. 

2  Ludlow,  53  ;  Mrs.  Hutchinson, 

3  "The  same  night  (Nov.  11,  1642),  after  the  messengers  who 
brought  the  petition  from  Parliament  were  gone,  news  came  to 
the  King  that  General  Essex  had  drawn  his  forces  with  his  ordi- 
nance out  of  London  towards  him,  and  so,  he  being  almost  sur- 
rounded, some  at  Windsor,   Kingston,  and  Acton,  if  Brentford 
were  possessed  likewise,  the  King  would  be  hemmed  in,  and  his 
army  deprived  either  of  moving  or  subsisting  ;  and  so,  a  council  of 
war  concluded  to  advance  towards  Brentford,  and  either  to  pos- 
sess it,  or  repossess  them,  which  he  did,  and  many  slain. 

"  The  King  on  that  considered,  that  it  could  not  reasonably  be 
considered  an  aversion  to  peace,  or  an  intention  to  interrupt  the 
treaty  then  in  expectation,  since  he  had  reason  to  believe  that 
if  he  would  not  preserve  himself  out  of  their  power,  the  very  pos- 
sibility of  a  treaty  would  vanish.  Willingness  to  receive  a  treaty 
was  never  held  to  amount  to  a  suspension  of  arms,  else,  why  did 
Essex  encompass  him  on  all  parts  ?" — Sanderson's  History  of  King 
Charles.  London,  1650. 

4  It  is  very  worthy  of  note,  that  the  first  Parliamentary  report 
of  the  action  at  Brentford  had  not  discovered  that  there  was  any 
"  perfidy"  in  Rupert's  forward  movement.     "  The  True  Relation," 
of  the  14 tli  of  November,  may  be  examined  in  the  King's  Collec- 
tion of  Pamphlets  in  the  British  Museum  (No.  83,  art.  8).     The 


1642.]       PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         61 

if  he  had  been  successful,  his  move  upon  London 
would  have  secured  a  peace,  and  would  have  been 
considered  not  only  irreprehensible,  but  skilful  and 
courageous.  How  much  reproach  and  glory  would 
have  been  wanting  to  our  annals — how  much  of  our 
national  character  and  institutions  been  left  unen- 
nobled  by  trial  and  suffering,  I  do  not  here  stop  to 
inquire. 

We  now  return  to  the  King's  camp  before  Cole- 
brook  :  while  this  fatal  advance  was  in  suspense, 
Rupert  was  as  usual,  in  advance,  at  Egham ;  he  had 
lain  down  to  rest  for  the  night ;  two  merchants,  as 
they  called  themselves,  were  brought  in  prisoners  by 
some  picket.  The  Prince  ordered  them  to  be 
detained  lest  they  might  convey  information  to 
London,  or  perchance  be  spies ;  and  they  accom- 
panied his  advance  on  the  following  day  to  Brent- 
ford, where  they  escaped  in  the  confusion  of  the 
fight.  They  were  examined  before  Parliament,  and 
gave  the  following  account  of  what  they  had  wit- 
nessed :  Premising  that  they  had  found  Prince 


"  Relation"  opens  thus  :  "On  Saturday"  [the  journal  was  pub- 
lished on  Monday,  and  probably  in  type  on  Saturday  night,  for 
printers  worked  slowly  then,  and  Sunday  was  rigidly  observed], 
"  Prince  Robert,  taking  advantage  of  the  mist,  brought  up  his 
forces  to  Brentford,  where  he  was  valiantly  opposed  by  Lord 
Robert's  regiment  [under  command  of  Holies]  and  Hampden. 
The  next  day,  Sunday,  the  Cavaliers  being  still  in  possession  of  the 
town,  two  small  ships  came  up  the  river  and  fired  at  them." 

Even  the  furious  Vicars,  in  his  "  Jehovah  Jireh,"  though 
writing  long  after  the  Parliamentary  calumny  had  assumed  the 
consistency  of  truth,  says,  though  it  was  in  a  time  of  peace,  yet 
it  was  only  the  mist  that  enabled  Prince  Rupert  to  take  the  town. 


62  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Rupert  in  bed  with  his  clothes  on,  which  they  pre- 
sumed was  because  he  vowed  never  to  "undress  or 
shift  himself  until  he  had  reseated  King  Charles  at 
Whitehall,"  they  proceeded  to  state  that  on  the 
following  morning,  the  12th  of  November,  they  saw 
the  King  and  the  Prince  together  on  Hounslow 
Heath ;  they  said  that  they  were  marching  towards 
Brentford,  and  [as  if  prisoners  were  admitted  to  the 
Royal  Council]  they  asserted,  to  use  their  own 
words,  that  "  the  Cavaliers  made  full  account — what- 
soever may  be  suggested  to  the  contrary — to  have 
surprised  the  City  of  London."  "Prince  Rupert 
took  off  his  scarlet  coat,  which  was  very  rich,  and 
gave  it  to  his  man,  and  buckled  on  his  arms,  and 
put  a  gray  coate  over  it,  that  he  might  not  be  dis- 
covered. He  talked  long  with  the  King,  and  often 
in  his  communication  with  his  Majesty,  he  scratched 
his  head  and  tore  his  hair,  as  if  he  had  been  in 
some  grave  discontent."1  This  discontent,  surely,  did 
not  arise  from  the  King's  determination  "  to  surprise 
the  City,"  even  if  it  had  been  possible  to  do  so 
through  Brentford's  defences  and  the  whole  army  of 
Essex. 

Whatever  was  the  cause  of  his  "discontent," 
Rupert  soon  indulged  himself  and  his  favourite  regi- 
ment, the  Prince  of  Wales's,2  by  making  a  bold  dash 
at  Brentford,  capturing  on  his  way  the  advanced  post 

1  A  true  Relation  of  two  Merchants  of  London  who  were  taken 
prisoners  by  the  Cavaliers.     1642. 
3  Bulstrode,  83. 


1642.]    PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.  63 

at  Sir  Richard  Gwynn's,  and  charging  on  into  the 
streets  of  Brentford.  Here,  however,  were  such  pre- 
parations to  receive  him,  that  even  his  fiery  squadrons 
were  forced  to  halt,  and  finally  to  retire.  Redoubts 
raised  high  and  built  of  loose  stones,  first  broke  his 
columns,  and  when  they  had  struggled  through  this 
and  the  heavy  fire  of  a  masked  battery  of  guns, 
they  found  themselves  in  front  of  barricades  impreg- 
nable to  cavalry.  Carts,  waggons,  tables,  and  beds 
were  piled  up  across  the  street,  and  from  every 
interstice  came  pouring  a  steady  and  well-directed 
fire  from  Holles's  now  veteran  red-coats.  Rupert  at 
length  sounded  a  retreat,  but  it  was  only  into  mo- 
mentary shelter  from  the  fiery  storm.  The  next 
moment  he  was  cheering  on  a  column  of  infantry  to 
the  same  attack.  They  happened  to  belong  to 
Salisbury's  Welsh  regiment,  and  these  gallant  moun- 
taineers, burning  to  redeem  themselves  from  an 
imputation  cast  on  them  at  Edgehill,1  rushed  upon 
the  barricades,  tore  them  in  pieces,  and  pushed 
through.  The  next  moment,  Rupert  and  his  Horse 
were  amongst  the  enemy,  making  fearful  havoc. 
Hampden  and  Brook  pressed  forward  to  Holles's 
relief,  but  in  vain.  They  were  beaten  into  the 
river,  or  out  of  the  town,  which  the  Cavaliers  occu- 
pied that  night.  The  fruit  of  their  victory  con- 
sisted of  fifteen  guns,  five  hundred  prisoners,  eleven 
stand  of  colours,  and  a  quantity  of  ammunition. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  327. 


64  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Before  the  assault,  Rupert  had  despatched  Colonel 
Blake  to  take  possession  of  Sion  House,  to  check 
any  reinforcement  that  might  be  sent  by  water  from 
London.  This  detachment  sunk  two  boats.1 

Meanwhile,  as  soon  as  the  unwonted  and  solemn 
sounds  of  battle  had  reached  the  distant  City,  the 
excitement  became  intense.  Essex  hastened  on  to 
the  scene  of  action,  but  proceeded  no  further  than 
his  army  at  Turnham  Green,  which  he  prepared  to 
receive  the  expected  advance  of  the  whole  Royal 
forces.  The  trainbands  of  London  had  been  already 
mustered  outside  the  City,  in  "  Chelsea  Fields."2  It 
has  been  asserted  that  Holies  and  Hampclen  resisted 
the  Royal  attack  for  six  hours ;  what  was  the  Parlia- 
mentary army  doing  all  that  time  ?  The  only  reason 
I  have  seen  assigned  for  the  inactivity  of  Essex  in 
relieving  Brentford  is,  that  he  was  waiting  for  Lord 
Warwick.3  But  his  troops  and  trainbands  already 
amounted  to  twenty-four  thousand  men,  well  fed  by 
their  friends  in  the  City,  and  made  bold  by  the  pre- 
sence of  numbers  of  the  City  dames,  who  accompa- 
nied their  husbands,  and  fathers,  and  lovers,  and 


1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary  (in  the  Benett  papers)  says  that  the 
King  had  withdrawn  to  Hounslow  with  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  but  that  Lord  Ruthven  arrived  to  take  command  of  the 
advance  just  as  the  town  was   won.     I  have  followed  in  this 
account  the  Prince's  Diary,  and  the  relations   of  Sir   Richard 
Bulstrode  and  Sir  P.  Warwick,  who  were  both  of  them  in  the 
action,  and  are  both  honourable  and  candid  men.     Ludlow,  who 
was  on  the  other  side,  does  not  contradict  their  account,  and 
Clarendon  confirms  it. 

2  Ludlow,  53.  s  Sir  p.  Warwick,  234  ;  Ludlow,  54. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE    CAVALIERS.  65 

brothers  to  the  warlike  but  bloodless  campaign  of 
Turnham  Green.1  Doubtless,  had  the  King's  army 
advanced,  these  trainbands  and  their  comrades  would 
have  given  them  a  rough  meeting,  and  made  despe- 
rate resistance :  even  those  who  were  favourable  to 
the  King's  cause  had  no  desire  to  see  his  hungry  and 
uncontrollable  army  let  loose  upon  their  wealthy 
capital.  "  Bands  and  regiments  of  armed  men  there- 
fore, seemed  to  spring  up  out  of  the  earth  ;"  the 
great  City  put  forth  its  strength,  and  it  was  enormous: 
the  army  of  Essex  seemed  a  mere  advanced-guard, 
though  doubtless  all  the  Parliament's  real  strength 
lay  there.  Every  measure  had  been  taken  to  increase 
and  animate  this  army.  All  the  fugitives  from  Edge- 
hill  had  been  collected,  and  sent  back  to  their  ranks ; 
all  the  apprentices  were  invited  to  enlist,  and  their 
masters  were  commanded  to  allow  in  their  indentures 
the  time  passed  in  the  public  service  ;  this  ordinance 
alone  supplied  an  inexhaustible  source  of  recruits, 
and  the  apprentices  of  that  period  were  hardy,  well- 
exercised  youths,  whose  recreations  were  of  a  manly 
and  somewhat  martial  character.  The  blunt  and 
brave  old  Major-General  Skippon  was  well  calcu- 
lated to  inspire  and  lead  troops  like  these.  He 
harangued  them  in  no  set  terms,  but  moving  from 


1  While  the  patriots  were  thus  agreeably  occupied,  Prince 
Rupert  is  said,  by  a  Roundhead  pamphlet,  to  have  again  dis- 
guised himself  and  proceeded  to  London,  "Viewed  the  works, 
forts,  barricadoes,  ambuscadoes,  and  in  the  same  shape  [disguise] 
returned  to  his  inn." — Prince  RuptrCs  Disguises,  Nov.  16,  1642. 

VOL.  II.  F 


66  MEMOIRS   AND    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

rank  to  rank  he  addressed  them  in  familiar  dialect 
and  phrases,  "  with  which,"  says  Whitelocke,  "  the 
soldiers  were  more  taken  than  with  a  formal  set  ora- 
tion." But  when  it  came  to  fighting,  the  honest  old 
Presbyterian  did  make  a  set  speech  to  the  simple 
citizens,  which  contrasts  curiously,  but  not  unfa- 
vourably with  that  of  Charles  to  his  chivalrous 
Cavaliers  : — "  Come  on,  my  boys,  my  brave  boys ! " 
quoth  the  Major-General,  "  let  us  pray  heartily  and 
fight  heartily.  I  will  run  the  same  hazards  with 
you.  Remember  the  cause  is  for  God  and  for  the 
defence  of  yourselves,  your  wives,  and  children, 
Come,  my  honest  brave  boys,  pray  heartily,  and 
fight  heartily,  and  God  will  bless  us."  * 

But  there  was  to  be  no  fighting  after  all ;  at 
least,  not  then.  The  King  discovered  he  had  been 
too  forward,  and  that  his  approach  had  produced  an 
effect  upon  the  City  very  different  from  that  which 
he  had  calculated  on :  he  perceived  that  the  Par- 
liamentary army  was  content  to  stay  still  and  guard 
it,  though  they  were  more  than  double  the  number 
of  his  own  forces  and  "  briskly  appointed,"  whilst  his 
Majesty's  were  almost  naked  :  he  determined,  there- 
fore, to  fall  back  upon  Reading,  having  first  dis- 
missed all  his  prisoners  with  a  promise  not  to  serve 
the  Parliament.2  Hampden  besought  Essex  to  send 
him  forward  with  his  own  brigade  to  Kingston,  to 

1  Whitelocke's  Memorials,  p.  65. 

Bulstrode,  88.      The  following  incident  must  not  be  omitted 
as  an  additional  proof,  if  such  be  wanted,  of  the  polluting  conse- 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE    CAVALIERS.  67 

cut  off  the  retreat,  but  in  vain.  Essex  was  still  re- 
luctant to  drive  matters  to  an  extremity,1  and  lent  a 
willing  ear  to  Dalbier,  and  the  other  veterans  whose 
trade  was  war.  He  felt  it  necessary,  however,  to 
recover  Brentford,  and  advanced  upon  it  in  such 
force  that  Rupert  was  forced  to  retire.  The  Prince 
entrusted  the  conduct  of  the  retreat  to  Sir  Jacob 
Astley;  he  himself  removed  off  the  bridge  to 
leave  it  free  for  the  troops,  and  stood,  with  his  horse 
in  the  river,  as  they  passed  by,  "  cheering  and  encou- 
raging the  retiring  ranks  to  keep  order,  and  fire 
steadily  on  the  advancing  foe :"  seldom  had  the 
charmed  life  he  seemed  to  bear  been  so  exposed ; 
yet  he  escaped  unhurt.2  The  Roundheads  advanced 
no  further  than  this  bridge,  and  the  Cavaliers  retired 
unmolested  to  Hounslow.  That  night  the  King 
slept  at  Lord  Cottington's,  near  Hounslow,  and  the 
following  day  he  proceeded  to  Hampton  Court,  and 


quence  of  mixing  up  politics  with  religion,  and  of  allowing  the 
appointed  ministers  of  peace  to  become  the  agents  of  civil  war : 
these  prisoners,  whom  the  King  then  dismissed  under  oath  not 
to  serve  against  him,  were  told  by  the  Puritan  divines,  Marshall 
and  Downing,  that  their  oath  was  not  binding,  and  that  they  would 
absolve  tJiem  from  it,  and  so  they  were  again  induced  to  enlist. — 
Clarendons  Rebellion,  iii.  339. 

1  Wherefore  Hudibras  Part  ii.  Canto  ii.  line  145  : 

"  Was  there  an  oath  'the  godly'  took, 
But  in  due  time  and  place  they  broke  1 
Did  we  not  bring  our  oaths  in  first, 
Before  our  plate,  to  have  them  burst 
And  cast  in  fitter  models  for 
The  present  use  of  church  and  war." 

2  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 

F  2 


68  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

thence  to  Oatlands.  Here  the  King  remained 
tranquilly  for  four  days,  almost  within  sight  of  the 
Parliamentary  army  so  portentous  in  its  appearance.1 
On  the  19th,  the  King  retired  to  Reading,  where  he 
left  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  now  Commissary-General  of 
Horse,  as  Governor;  with  three  thousand  men  as 
garrison,  under  Sir  John  Byron  and  Kirke.  The 
following  "paper  of  advice"  I  find  at  this  time 
amongst  Prince  Rupert's  papers,  without  any  address 
or  signature : — 

"SIR, 

"  From  Oatlands,  the  next  day  after  your  servant  de- 
parted thence,  the  King  came  away,  and  at  his  departure 
returned  back  Sir  P.  Killegrew,  and  with  him  Will. 
Murray,  with  a  reply  to  the  Parliament,  which  you  have 
herewith  in  print ;  they  stayed  till  Thursday  last  and  then 
returned  back  with  a  letter  from  the  Speaker  of  the 
Lords'  House,  directed  to  my  Lord  Falkland,  acknow- 
ledging the  receipt  of  the  King's  to  both  Houses,  which 
should  be  answered  by  a  messenger  of  their  own.  Thurs- 
day, after  dinner,  the  Prince  of  Wales  fell  sick  at  Read- 
ing, and  next  day  the  measles  broke  out  upon  him  thick, 
of  which  he  is  reasonably  well  recovered ;  this  stays  the 
King  there,  who  had  else  come  thence  on  Wednesday,  and 
hither  on  Thursday.  Thursday  night  he  dismissed  his 
own  troop  to  go  to  Oxford  before  him,  to  make  room  in 
Reading  for  the  garrison  that  is  to  winter  there.  News 
coming  to  Court,  that  the  Earl  of  Essex,  with  his  army, 
were  marching  from  Kingston  to  follow  the  King,  some 
were  sent  to  break  down  the  bridges  at  Maidenheath 
[head],  Egham,  and  Chertsey ;  but  they  came  too  late,  for 
Essex's  soldiers  had  done  this  already,  upon  the  refusal  of 

1  Iter  Carolinum  ;  Warwick  ;  Clarendon. 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          69 

his  (Essex's)  foot,  as  they  say,  to  march  any  farther  after 
the  King.  Two  hundred  Scots  out  of  Ireland  have  landed 
in  Devonshire,  and  put  themselves  into  a  town  there  for 
their  safety,  the  Scots  at  Court  say,  it  is  part  of  four  thou- 
sand who  are  going  into  France  to  serve  that  King,  and 
that  contrary  winds  and  ill  weather  forced  them  in  there. 
Sir  Robert  Tracey  sent  the  King  2001.  this  week,  and  his 
third  son  to  serve  in  the  Lord  Chandos  troop.  Many  com- 
missions are  given  out,  but  no  money,  to  raise  regiments 
of  horse.  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  the  governor  of  Reading, 
has  one ;  Sir  W.  Pye  has  a  commission  to  be  his  lieu- 
tenant-colonel for  raising  a  troop  upon  his  own  charge. 
Sir  Thomas  Aston  raiseth  a  regiment,  and  some  others 
also  to  ten  or  twelve  new  regiments;  my  Lord  Capel 
raiseth  a  regiment,  and  Sir  B.  Throgmorton  to  be  his  lieu- 
tenant-colonel upon  the  like  terms.  My  Lord  Chandos 
also  raiseth  a  regiment. 

"  Two  remarkable  newses  I  heard  Will.  Murray  tell  the 
King :  the  one  that  there  was  much  talk  amongst  some 
Parliament  men  of  an  act  of  oblivion  ;  the  other,  that  they 
had  news  of  a  great  fleet  upon  our  seas,  which  is  supposed 
to  come  with  the  Queen,  and  they  have  sent  to  sea  the 
Earl  of  Holland  about  that  affair.  Others  say  it  is  the 
Earl  of  Warwick.  The  King's  party  prevails  in  York- 
shire ;  they,  having  gotten  between  Sir  John  Hotham  and 
Hull,  have  worsted  him,  and  beaten  him  away  towards 
Lancashire.  Reading  fortifications  are  in  hand,  and  winter 
garrisons  appointed  for  the  whole  army ;  but  the  Court 
story  of  this  exceeds  the  printed  relation.  Yesterday 
morning,  as  I  was  coming  away  with  the  troops  from 
Reading,  came  to  the  Court  Sir  Peter  Killegrew  from 
Parliament,  but  what  news  he  brings  is  not  yet  come  to 
my  knowledge  because  the  troop  was  marching. 

"  Just  now,  since  the  writing  of  the  other  side,  the 
Duke  of  York  is  come  to  Christchurch,  and  his  followers 
tell  me  the  substance  of  Sir  P.  Killegrew's  letter  from 


70  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Parliament,  is  the  very  same  they  sent  the  King  to  Not- 
tingham :  desiring  that  his  Majesty  will  come  to  London 
with  his  ordinary  retinue,  and  they  will  make  him  a  glo- 
rious King,  &c.,  and  if  they  should  not  agree  he  shall  have 
publica  fides  for  his  safe  return. 

"It  is  said,  my  Lord  Herbert,  of  Ragland,  is  gone 
through  this  town,  this  day,  towards  the  King. 

"  This  county,  the  city,  and  university,  do  contribute  to 
the  King  2700/.  a-month. 

"  Sir  John  Byron's  quarter-master,  with  some  horse, 
were  yesterday  beaten  out  of  Burford,  where  they  were 
making  quarters,  by  forces  from  Cirencester. 

Oxford,  26th  November,  1642. 
Saturday  night. 

"  Two  regiments  are  to  be  raised  in  Worcestershire  ; 
one  of  horse  by  Sir  J.  Hamilton,  and  Sir  William  Russel 
to  be  his  lieutenant-colonel ;  the  other  of  foot,  by  Captain 
Sandes,  but  the  gentry  differ  hereabouts.  My  Lord  Digby 
hath  been  at  Marlborough,  with  some  forces  to  take  that 
town  \  but,  under  colour  of  a  treaty,  they  gained  time  to 
get  in  some  dragoons  who  have  beaten  him  away.  It  is 
said  the  Earl  of  Essex,  with  his  army,  are  refused  to  be 
let  into  London  for  winter  quarters,  and  are  ordered  to 
quarter  in  the  country,  so  the  King's  quarters  may  hear  of 
them  by  alarms  this  winter." 

Indorsed— "A  Paper  of  Advice, 
Oxford,  November  26,  1642."  ' 

The  following  day  Prince   Rupert  received  the 
following  order  from  the  King : — 

"  CHARLES  R, 

"  Right  dear  and  entirely  beloved  nephew,  we  greet 
you  well,  and  do  hereby  will  and  authorize  you  to  give 
order  to  all  the  colonels  of  the  horse  and  dragoons  of  our 
army,  to  quarter  and  billet  their  respective  regiments  in 
such  places  as  we  have  assigned,  and  there  to  take  up  such 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          71 

necessary  provision  of  diet,  lodging,  hay,  oats,  and  straw, 
as  shall  be  necessary  for  them.  And  if  there  shall  not  be 
sufficient  for  such  their  supply  in  their  quarters,  then  they 
are  to  send  forth  their  warrants  to  the  several  hundreds 
and  parishes  adjacent,  requiring  the  inhabitants  to  bring 
in  all  fitting  provisions  for  their  daily  supply.  For  all 
which,  as  for  that  taken  up  in  their  quarters,  they  to  give 
their  respective  tickets,  and  not  to  presume,  upon  pain  of 
our  high  displeasure,  to  send  for  greater  quantities  than 
will  suffice  for  their  numbers  of  men  and  horses,  and  such 
as  may  be  proportionable  to  half  of  each  officer's  pay  by 
the  day,  for  all  manner  of  diet,  lodging,  and  horse-meat, 
and  half  of  every  ordinary  horseman's  pay  by  day  for  diet 
only,  their  horse-meat  being  to  be  daily  supplied  by  the 
counties  adjacent  to  each  quarter.  In  this  manner  we  will 
that  you  proceed  and  continue  until  such  time  as  the 
counties  wherein  they  are  quartered  shall  agree  of,  and 
settle  some  other  course  for  their  constant  and  daily 
supply.  To  this,  our  pleasure,  we  require  full  obedience 
to  be  rendered  as  they  and  every  of  them  whom  it  may 
concern  will  answer  the  contrary.  Given  at  our  Court,  at 
Reading,  this  27th  of  November,  1642." 

The  King  remained  ten  days  at  Reading,  whence 
he  garrisoned  Wallingford  and  Brill,  and  appointed 
Abingdon  as  winter-quarters  for  the  cavalry.  He 
then  proceeded  to  Oxford  where  he  took  up  his 
quarters  for  the  winter,  rather  for  the  sake  of  its 
central  position  and  of  its  comfort,  than  of  its  secu- 
rity. The  town  was  "  not  tolerably  "  fortified,  nor 
the  garrison  well  provided  for,  and  the  Court  and 
multitude  of  nobility,  and  ladies  and  gentry,  with 
which  it  was  inhabited,  bore  any  kind  of  alarm  very 
ill.  These  are  the  words  of  Lord  Clarendon,  who 


72  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

writes  the  following  letter  on  the  day  of  the  King's 
arrival  at  Oxford.  It  was,  probably,  intended  for 
Reading,  and  was  forwarded  to  Prince  Rupert : — 

SIR, — This  enclosed  I  received  late  the  last  night ;  it 
being  dated  but  yesterday,  I  caused  it  to  be  copied  out  of 
the  original,  which  was  necessary  to  be  returned.  Their 
lordships,  whom  I  acquainted  with  it,  thought  it  very 
necessary  to  be  forwarded  to  his  Majesty  by  an  express, 
though  we  have  some  information  that  his  Majesty  will  be 
here  this  day.  My  intelligence  added,  that  Mr.  Hampden 
and  Mr.  Goodwyn  are  at  their  houses,  and  our  cavalry 
here  think  it  a  very  easy  matter  to  take  them.  His  Ma- 
jesty will  give  such  directions  either  to  these  forces  which 
are  near  those  parts,  or  to  their  lordships  here  what  shall 
be  done.  It  is  a  pity  the  gentlemen  should  not  be  visited. 
"  Sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

"  EDWARD  HYDE.*' 

"  I  have  sent  a  bundle  of  proclamations  and  petitions." 

Oxford,  this  29th  of  9ber,  1642. 
To  the  Right  Hon.  the  Lord  Viscount  Falkland, 
in  his  absence  to  Mr.  Secretary  Nicholas, 
or  Mr.  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer. 
At  Court. 

But  Hampden  was  not  so  easily  caught.  He  was 
as  energetic  and  rapid  in  his  movements  as  Rupert 
himself;  having,  besides  his  military  duties,  his 
place  in  the  Close  Committee  to  attend  to.  That 
secret  council  now  ruled  all  Roundhead  England 
with  a  vigour  and  sternness  that  its  great  eloquence, 
consummate  knowledge  of  English  character,  and 
the  passions  of  the  time  alone  induced  even  Puritans 
to  submit  to.  This  Close  Committee  now  sought  to 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  73 

erect  a  stronghold  in  Wiltshire,  at  Marlborough, 
which  they  hoped  to  make  a  rally  ing-point  for  their 
numerous  friends  in  that  county.  Sir  John  Ramsey, 
now  intrusted  with  the  government  of  this  impor- 
tant post,  had  fled  disgracefully  from  Edgehill,  but 
defeat  seldom  proved  a  disqualification  in  the  Par- 
liament service :  witness  the  cases  of  Lord  Stam- 
ford, Henry  Martyn,  and  others.  Marlborough 
lay  too  close  to  Oxford  to  be  tolerated  as  a 
hostile  hold,  and  Rupert  ordered  Wilmot  to  hold 
himself  in  readiness  to  advance  upon  it,  having 
effected  a  junction  with  Penniman's  regiment  at 
Wantage.  To  this  task  Wilmot  shewed  no  inclina- 
tion, but  he  soon  received  peremptory  orders  to 
march,  Rupert  being  otherwise  engaged,  and  the 
Parliamentary  forces  having  obtained  some  trifling 
successes  that  were  magnified  into  victories. 

A  few  days  previously,  Farnham  Castle  was  taken 
by  Sir  William  Waller,  after  an  indifferent  defence 
by  Sir  John  Denham ;  Colonel  Fane,  a  son  of  the 
Earl  of  Westmoreland,  being  almost  the  only  person 
slain.  Denham  was  a  poet  and  a  wit,  but  to  confess 
the  truth,  the  poets  did  not  appear  to  advantage  in 
this  war,  even  in  a  Tyrtsean  point  of  view.  Edmund 
Waller  proved  both  a  trimmer  and  a  coward,  Sir 
John  Suckling  a  poltroon,  Denham  no  better ;  Will. 
Davenant  was  dissipated  and  negligent,  and  the 
great  Milton  condescended  to  write  the  most 
rancorous  and  unworthy  lampoons. 

Rupert  was,  all  this  while,  hovering  about  the 


74  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Parliamentary  forces,  and  carrying  on  a  warlike  sort 
of  flirtation  with  their  more  warlike  leaders,  who 
were  ever  repressed  by  the  coy  prudery  of  their 
General.  Amongst  his  own  Royalist  officers  were 
many  who  displayed  a  similar  reluctance  to  serious 
conflict,  and  chief  amongst  these  was  Wilmot,  now 
Lieutenant-General  of  Horse.  From  Wilmot's  first 
display  of  irresolution  before  Coventry  to  his  luke- 
warmness,  or  worse,  at  Edgehill,  Rupert  had  shewn 
him  little  favour.1 

Unfortunately,  I  have  not  Prince  Rupert's  answer 
to  this  and  similar  epistles  ;  probably  the  Prince  was 
a  man  of  few  letters  as  of  words.2  On  the  following 


1  On  the  1st  of  December,  Wilmot  writes  the  subjoined  rather 
mutinous  letter  to  his  chief : 

MAY    IT    PLEASE   YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

Even  now  I  received  a  command  from  your  Highness  to  be 
to-morrow  night  at  Wantage,  where  I  shall  not  fail  to  obey  any 
commands  laid  upon  me,  according  to  my  power.  But  give  me 
leave  to  tell  your  Highness,  that  I  think  myself  very  unhappy  to 
be  employed  upon  this  occasion,  being  a  witness  that  at  other 
times,  in  the  like  occasions,  troops  are  sent  out  without  any 
manner  of  forecast,  or  design,  or  care  to  preserve  or  quarter  them 
when  they  are  abroad  :  if  I  had  any  place  to  set  up  my  horses,  I 
should  wait  on  your  Highness  this  night  at  Oxford.  To-morrow 
it  will  be  too  late,  so  that  I  shall  obey  your  Highness  in  being  at 
Wantage,  and  there  expect  instructions  how  to  behave  myself, 
which  1  shall  not  fail  punctually  to  see  done.  So  most  humbly 
kissing  your  Highness's  hands,  I  rest  your  Highness's 
Most  humble  and  most  faithful  servant, 

H.  WILMOT. 
1st  of  Dec.  1642,  Abingdon. 

2  I  have  sought  diligently  amongst  many  collections  of  manu- 
script in  England  relating  to  this  period,  and  I  have  not  been 
able  to  collect  above  seventy  of  his  autograph  letters  ;  for  the 
greater  part  of  which  I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  the  Earl 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        75 

day,  Wilmot  reports  himself  as  arrived  at  Wantage, 
on  his  way  to  Marlborough.  On  Saturday,  the  3rd 
of  November,  he  took  the  town,  almost  in  spite  of 
himself,  after  a  sharp  action,  followed  by  pillage, 
which  was  then  considered  as  the  price  of  an  assault. 
The  Lieutenant -General  had  declared  to  the  in- 
habitants that  if  they  compelled  him  "  to  enter  the 
town  by  force,  it  would  not  be  in  his  power  to  keep 
his  soldiers  from  taking  that  which  they  should  win 
with  their  blood."  Ramsey  and  about  one  thousand 
prisoners  were  taken,  together  with  four  guns,  large 
stores  of  arms,  .and  a  good  quantity  of  ammunition, 
which  had  been  prepared  for  the  expected  levies  in 
Wiltshire.1 

The  forces  collected  for  this  attack  weakened  the 
garrison  at  Basingstoke;  a  letter  of  remonstrance 
ensues  from  Lord  Winchester.  Thereupon,  Lord 
Grandison  was  detached  with  his  own  regiment  of 
three  hundred  horse  and  two  hundred  dragoons  to 
relieve  Basing  House,  where  he  was  encountered  by 
five  thousand  Roundhead  horse,  his  men  slain  and 
dispersed,  and  himself  carried  away  captive.  He 
soon,  however,  escaped  with  two  of  his  officers,  and 
returned  to  Oxford  "  where  they  were  welcomed 
with  great  joy."  2 

The  garrison  left  in  Reading  now  began  to  grow 
restless  for  want  of  occupation,  always  a  trying  want 


of  Dartmouth.     Of  course  in  the  Prince's  own  collection  of  letters, 
few  traces  of  his  handwriting  are  t6  be  found. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  363.  "  Ibid. 


76  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

for  young  troops.  Sir  John  Byron  commanded  the 
cavalry  there,  and  became  impatient  of  inactivity, 
when  Rupert,  and  even  Wilmot,  were  actively 
engaged.  From  the  tone  in  which  his  subjoined 
letter  is  written1  we  may  judge  how  difficult  the 
Prince  found  it  to  maintain  the  little  temper  that 
Providence  had  bestowed  upon  him  :  he  had  up- 
wards of  fifty  such  free-spoken  commanders  as  Sir 
John  to  deal  with.  It  appears  that  Byron  was 
relieved,  according  to  his  wish,  for,  in  the  capture 
of  the  town  soon  afterwards  by  Hampden  and  Urrie 
his  conspicuous  name  does  not  occur. 

The  King  was  now  settled  at  Oxford,  in  tolerable 
security.  His  cavalry  lay  at  Abingdon,  well  sup- 
plied with  necessaries,  through  Prince  Rupert's 


1  SIR  JOHN  BYRON  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
SIR, 

The  time  prefixed  for  the  stay  of  my  regiment  in  this  town 
will  be  expired  on  Friday  next,  at  which  time,  I  humbly  desire, 
according  to  your  Highness's  promise,  to  be  relieved ;  not  for  any 
impatience  in  myself,  or  unwillingness  to  undergo  anything  that 
may  be  for  his  Majesty's  service,  but  to  avoid  the  certain  ruin  of 
my  regiment,  which,  for  want  of  accommodation  here,  and  all 
things  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  men,  hath  been  very  hardly 
kept  from  breaking  forth  into  a  mutiny,  and  doth  daily  diminish, 
notwithstanding  the  best  care  I  can  take  for  the  preservation  of 
it.  ...  Neither  will  it  be  requisite  that  above  two  or  three  troops 
at  the  most  be  sent  hither,  the  number  we  have  now  being  greater 
than  can  be  fed  or  lodged  with  any  convenience  in  this  town.  I 
humbly  beseech  your  Highness  to  pardon  this  boldness,  which 
(were  I  not  by  necessity  urged)  I  should  not  urge,  and  be  pleased 
to  let  me  know  your  Highness's  commands,  which  shall  ever  be 
punctually  obeyed  by,  Sir,  your  Highness's 

Most  humble  and  most  faithful  servant, 

JOHN  BYRON. 
Reading,  Dec.  10,  1642. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          77 

care,  the  most  zealous  of  foragers,  although  he 
appropriated  the  best  of  all  his  collections  to  his 
own  cherished  troopers.  The  foot  were  still  very 
indifferently  equipped,  but  paid  with  more  punc- 
tuality than  could  have  been  expected.  This  pay, 
too,  was  considerable  for  that  period, — eightpence 
a  day  for  the  infantry,  and  sixteenpence  for  the 
cavalry:1  the  officers  were  paid  poorly  in  propor- 
tion, but  many  of  them  were  not  only  indepen- 
dent of  the  King's  pay,  but  contributors  to  his 
necessities.  The  value,  too,  of  money  was  at  least 
three  times  greater  than  at  present,  and  the  "  per- 
quisites" after  a  storm,  or  even  a  foray,  were  con- 
siderable ;  especially  when  Prince  Rupert  led.  The 
weekly  disbursements,  Lord  Clarendon  says,  to  the 
troops  alone,  at  this  time,  amounted  to  three  thou- 
sand pounds  every  week.  It  is  difficult  to  ascer- 
tain how  this  and  other  necessary  sums  were  col- 
lected. The  King  did  not  receive  a  farthing  of  his 
revenue ;  that  went  to  the  Parliament :  nor  did  he 
venture  to  levy  taxes ;  that,  too,  was  a  monopoly  of 
the  Parliament.  All  the  sources  that  Lord  Claren- 
don mentions  would  appear  unequal  to  a  month's 
expenditure,  yet  pay  was  never  wanting  throughout 
this  winter.2  Oxford  lent  ten  thousand  pounds,3  and 

1  May  Parl.  Hist.  2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  350. 

3  "  This  year  (1643),  the  plate  which  was  given  to  Anthony 
Wood  by  his  godfathers  and  godmothers,  was  carried,  with  all 
other  plate  in  Oxford,  to  the  mint  at  New  Inn,  and  there  turned 
into  money  to  pay  the  King's  armies. — Life  of  A.  Wood,  i.  104  ; 
edited  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bliss. 


78  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   QF 

private  persons  imitated  the  generous  example. 
Even  London  sent  supplies,  not  only  at  the  immi- 
nent risk  of  loss,  but  of  life  on  the  part  of  the 
lenders.  The  impoverished  King  freely  offered  his 
lands,  his  personal  property, — all  that  he  had  for 
security  or  sale.  In  point  of  fact,  however,  the 
chief  supplies  were  obtained  from  the  surrounding 
towns  and  districts,  by  the  military  commanders, 
according  to  rates  specified  and  allowed  by  the 
Council  at  Oxford. 

About  this  time  the  Parliament  tried  to  win  the 
Scotch  through  their  anti-ecclesiastical  sympathies,1 
and  endeavoured  to  induce  them  to  invade  England, 
with  a  view  of  checking  Lord  Newcastle's  progress 
in  the  north.  That  gallant  Cavalier,  though  he  had 
Will  Davenant,  one  of  "the  good-for-nothing  poets," 
as  lieutenant-general  of  his  ordnance,  had  done  good 
service  for  the  Royal  cause.2  He  had  beaten  the 

1  The  Parliament  bribed  Scotland  against  its  King  with  the 
most  singular  sacrifice  :  that  of  the  last  vestige  of  observance  of 
their   ancient   Church.     Presbytery   was   welcome,   provided   it 
brought  claymores  in  its  train,  and  "  the  Covenant  was  imposed 
on  all  the  people  of  England  over  the  age  of  eighteen  years.     All 
recusants   were   denounced    as   malignant,  and   seven   thousand 
clergymen  were  upon  this  ground  ejected  from  their  livings." — 
Southeij's  Boole  of  the  Church,  473. 

2  Sir  P.  Warwick  (p.  235),  who  says  amusingly  :  "  He  (Lord 
Newcastle)  was  a  gentleman  of  grandeur,  generosity,  and  of  steady 
and  forward  courage,  but  his  edge  had  too  much  of  the  razor  in 
it ;  for  he  had  a  tincture  of  a  romantic  spirit,  and  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  be  somewhat  of  a  poet,  so  he  chose  Sir  William  Dave- 
nant, an  eminent  good  poet  and  loyal  gentleman,  to  be  his  lieu- 
tenant-general.    This  inclination,  and  such  sort  of  witty  society 
(to  be  modest  in  the  expression  of  it),  diverted  many  counsels, 
and  lost  many  fair  opportunities." 


1642.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        79 

Fairfaxes,  Sir  Hugh  Cholmondeley  and  the  Hothams. 
The  Earl  of  Cumberland  had  resigned  his  command, 
and  was  dead,  so  that  Lord  Newcastle  now  ruled 
over  the  north  supreme.  He  commanded  about 
eight  thousand  good  horse  and  foot,  with  which  he 
had  almost  cleared  his  own  county  from  Parlia- 
mentary influence,  and  had  prepared  the  northern 
coast  for  the  expected  landing  of  the  Queen.1 

These  successes  induced  the  Parliament  to  form 
"  an  association  of  counties,"  in  imitation  of  Lord 
Newcastle's  plan :  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Essex,  Cam- 
bridge, the  Isle  of  Ely,  and  Norwich,  were  placed 
under  Lord  Grey  of  Wark,  with  Cromwell  to  be 
his  inspiration  and  virtual  director. 

The  interest  of  the  combatants  in  their  great 
struggle  was  now  so  thoroughly  roused,  that  winter 
did  not  bring  its  usual  suspension  of  hostilities.  The 
King's  efforts  were  confined  to  securing  his  position 
at  Oxford  by  maintaining  the  advanced  posts  of 


1  I  find  in  Sir  Henry  Ellis's  Letters,  one  from  the  King  to 
this  nobleman,  dated  November  2,  1642,  from  Oxford,  thanking 
him  for  his  good  service,  and  the  sending  6000£  ;  another,  dated 
December  15,  of  the  same  year,  with  orders  for  the  Queen  when 
she  should  land.  Also  he  directs  Lord  Newcastle  to  ask  from 
the  Yorkshire  train-bands  their  arms  by  divisions  ;  to  solicit 
them  beside  from  all  well  affected  subjects,  and  to  take  them  from 
the  ill  affected,  especially  at  Leeds  and  Halifax  :  he  continues, 
"  I  have  no  greater  want  than  that  of  arms  :  next  arms,  I  want 
dragoons,  which  is  the  rebels'  strength,  their  foot  not  liking  winter 
marches.  Can  you  send  me  five  hundred  horses,  and  arms  to 
match  1 "  On  the  29th  of  December  the  King  writes  again,  ex- 
pressing his  surprise  that  there  should  be  now  no  arms  in  York- 
shire, when  twelve  thousand  stand  had  lately  been  served  out  to 
the  trainbands  of  that  county. 


80  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  Brill,  Wallingford  House,  Abingdon,  and  Ban- 
bury.  In  order  to  effect  this  object,  the  garrisons 
were  strengthened  with  infantry,  while  large  bodies 
of  cavalry  patrolled  the  county,  as  it  were  in 
search  of  adventure ;  sometimes  these  experienced 
foragers  lay  in  wait  for  the  Roundhead  detachments ; 
attacking  them  when  they  were  strong  enough  to 
do  so,  and  at  least  harassing  their  retreat  by  sharp 
and  vigilant  skirmishing :  at  other  times,  they 
still  more  effectually  annoyed  their  enemy  by 
anticipating  his  marches,  and  devouring  all  pro- 
visions or  sweeping  them  into  the  Royal  stores. 

The  gallant  young  Lord  Wentworth,  Lord  Straf- 
ford's  son,  commanded  one  of  the  most  active  of 
these  flying  parties  in  Buckinghamshire;  to  him 
I  find  a  letter  addressed  by  Lord  Northampton, 
proposing  a  combined  attack  on  the  enemy  from 
Banbury.1  Lord  Essex  was  now  manoeuvring  to 
invest  Oxford,  with  the  apparent  intention  of 
gradually  contracting  his  lines  as  soon  as  the  more 
dangerous  Royal  garrisons  should  be  suppressed,  and 
his  communications  made  perfect.  With  this  view,  he 
took  up  his  own  quarters  at  Tedstock,  ten  miles  from 
Oxford ;  while  his  pickets,  and  those  of  the  Abing- 
don Royal  horse,  rode  within  sight  of  each  other's 
post.  Sir  John  Meldrum  and  Langham  had  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  by  Oxford  with  thirteen  pieces  of 


1  In  the  Index  to  the  Third  Volume,  an  abstract  of  all  these 
letters  and  their  dates  will  be  found. 


1642.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        81 

artillery,  and  a  strong  force  of  infantry :  they  were 
now  intrenched  beyond  Woodstock,  and  menaced 
Lord  Northampton's  garrison  at  Banbury,  which 
was  thus  cut  off  from  Oxford.1 

In  this  critical  state  of  affairs  the  first  year  of  the 
war  closed  over  the  King.  Many  of  his  council  pro- 
posed that  he  should  retire  towards  the  north,  where 
his  affairs  were  more  prosperous,  and  there  await  the 
Queen :  but  Charles  was  firm  against  open  temptation, 
and  he  determined  to  remain  amongst  his  fighting- 
men  until  the  last.  This  must  have  been  an  exciting 
period  for  Oxford  and  the  Court ;  when  every  hour 
brought  in  tidings  of  defeat  or  triumph :  every 
detachment  had  its  own  adventures  to  encounter, 
its  troubles  to  deplore,  and  its  little  successes  to 
magnify.  Every  garrison,  especially,  was  a  keystone 
to  the  circle  of  safety,  and  the  ordinary  interest  of 
war-tidings  was  multiplied  tenfold.  Such  notifica- 
tions now  occurred  in  abundance ;  but  it  is  sufficient 
to  say,  that  their  writers'  names,  and  the  dates 
of  their  despatches,  will  be  found  in  the  Index. 
It  would  be  useless  and  uninteresting  to  trace  the 
minute  ramifications  of  events  at  this  time,  as  the 
Prince's  now  voluminous  correspondence  might 
have  enabled  me  to  do  :  the  military  historian  may 
at  some  future  time  supply  the  void  which  is  here 
charitably  left  to  be  filled  up  by  the  reader's  imagi- 
nation. The  following  letter  from  Captain  O'Neile 

1  Lord  Nugent's  Life  of  Hampden,  551. 
VOL.  II.  G 


82     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

(or  Neile)  conveys  a  vivid  picture  of  the  difficul- 
ties incident  to  the  command  of  such  troops  as  our 
Cavaliers  composed.1  Nor  were  the  Parliamenta- 
rians more  tractable,  as  I  shall  have  occasion  to 
prove  hereafter :  the  instruments  of  civil  war  carry 
their  own  curse  within  them ;  and  insubordina- 
tion attends  irregular  force  as  its  inevitable  conse- 
quence. Yet  these  very  troopers,  so  insubordinate, 
insolent,  and  luxurious  in  garrison,  were  pa- 
tient and  enduring,  as  well  as  reckless  and  dar- 


1  CAPTAIN  O'NEILL  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

By  Will.  Legg  I  received  your  commands  to  send  a  party 
into  Buckinghamshire  of  at  least  one  hundred  strong,  but  what 
I  should  do,  I  do  not  yet  understand,  nor  if  I  did  [do  I]  know 
that  your  regiment,  which  I  command,  could  furnish  so  many, 
either  armed  or  sufficiently  [disciplined,  probably ;  word  erased]. 
The  officers  of  your  own  troop  will  obey  in  no  kind  of  thing,  and 
by  their  example  never  a  soldier  in  that  company  ;  for  my  own 
part,  unless  your  Highness  declare  whether  they  be  in  the  regi- 
ment or  not,  I  had  rather  be  your  groom  at  Oxford,  than  with  a 
company  that  shall  assume  such  a  freedom  as  yours  does  here  : 
they  say  that  you  have  given  them  a  power  to  take  what  they 
want,  where  they  can  find  it.  This  is  so  exorbitant  and  so  ex- 
travagant, that  I  am  confident  you  never  gave  any  such.  That 
the  rest  of  the  troop  (not  only  of  your  own  regiment,  but  of  the 
lieutenant-general's)  may  be  satisfied,  declare  in  what  condition 
you  will  have  your  company,  and  how  commanded  :  and  let  me, 
I  beseech  you,  have  in  writing  the  orders  I  shall  give  to  that 
party  which  you  would  have  sent  into  Buckinghamshire,  and 
send  us  the  warrant  that  none  may  enter  or  issue  any  warrants 
for  any  provisions  into  any  of  those  places  which  are  assigned  for 
this  garrison.  I  am,  your  Highness's 

Most  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  NEILE. 
Abingdon,  this  19th  of  Dec.  1642. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          83 

ing  on  the  march  or  in  action.  A  dissolute 
French  coxcomb  Cavalier,  speaking  of  his  own 
similar  sort  of  service  a  few  years  later,  thus 
describes  the  vicissitudes  of  camp-life  in  his  days : — 
"Quand  Farmee  marche,  nous  travaillons  comme 
des  chiens,  quand  on  sejourne  il  n'y  a  pas  de  fai- 
n^antisme  egale  a  la  notre  :  nous  poussons  toujours 
les  affaires  &  Textr^mit6 ;  on  ne  ferme  pas  1'oeil 
trois  ou  quatre  jours  durant ;  on  bien  on  est  trois  ou 
quatre  jours  sans  sortir  du  lit.  On  fait  fort  bonne 
chere  ou  Ton  meurt  de  faim."  l  Prince  Rupert 
served  also  in  the  campaign  that  M.  de  Rabutin 
speaks  of ;  but,  though  he  also  worked  "  like  a  dog," 
lie  never  wallowed  in  intemperance  like  a  swine. 

Banbury  all  this  time  not  only  defended  itself, 
but  made  several  sallies  on  the  enemy ;  the  infantry 
volunteering  to  defend  themselves,  in  order  to 
enable  the  horse  to  act  with  freedom.  But  the 
garrison  at  Abingdon  is  still  very  dissatisfied : 
although  Prince  Rupert  has  endeavoured  to  correct 
the  extravagancies  of  his  Horse,  they  still  give 
themselves  very  disagreeable  airs.2  The  Prince  has 
set  out  for  Banbury,  whence  the  enemy  retired  at 
his  approach ;  but,  no  sooner  was  he  gone,  on  the 
26th  of  December,  than  they  threaten  again,  and 
Lord  Northampton  writes  word  "  that  they  will  not 
be  quiet  until  they  are  fought  with."  I  have  sup- 
pressed several  long  letters  from  his  lordship;  but 

1  Memoires  du  Comte  Bussy  de  Rabutin,  ii.  110. 

2  Appendix,  Wilmot's  letters  of  21st  December. 

a  2 


84  MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

the  subjoined l  gives  so  lively  a  picture  of  the  state 
of  the  country,  of  the  sturdily-loyal  nature  of  some 
of  the  country-people,  and  of  the  plunderings  by  the 
Parliamentary  forces,  that  it  may  not  be  omitted. 

With  one  more  military  report,  detailing  the 
miserable  state  of  the  Royal  army,  I  shall  conclude 
this  year's  somewhat-dry  correspondence.  In  future 
I  shall  quote  still  more  sparingly,  or  only  allude 
to  facts  contained  in  these  voluminous  papers.  Sir 
Lewis  Dives  makes  such  a  report  of  his  Majesty's 
troops,  as,  perhaps,  is  without  a  parallel  in  mili- 
tary records : — 


1    THE   EARL   OF    NORTHAMPTON   TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 

SIR, 

The  rebel  forces  are  gone  from  Daventry  into  the  further 
quarters  of  Northamptonshire,  where  they  have  received  some 
opposition,  at  a  place  called  Wellingborough,  by  the  rising  of  the 
country  there  on  his  Majesty's  behalf.  On  Monday  last,  at  night, 
they  seized  upon  one  Mr.  Grey,  the  clerk  of  the  peace  for  that 
county,  living  in  Wellingborough,  and  carried  him  prisoner  to 
Northampton.  At  which,  the  town  ringing  their  bells,  the 
country  people  thereabouts  came  in,  and  on  Tuesday  there  was  a 
great  skirmish,  most  part  of  yesterday,  in  which  old  Sawyer,  one 
of  the  committee,  and  their  captain,  with  another  captain  of 
theirs,  was  slain,  and  their  men  dispersed.  But  about  four  that 
day,  in  the  afternoon,  came  the  rebel  forces  from  Northampton, 
and  overcame  the  country,  and  have  plundered  all  Welling- 
borough town,  and  are  carrying  the  goods  to  Northampton. 
The  rebels  are  not  yet  returned,  but  lie  scattered  in  the  town 
and  thereabouts  by  forties  and  fifties  in  a  company ;  so  that  if 
there  could  be  but  three  hundred  dragoons,  with  a  regiment  of 
horse,  sent,  it  would  not  only  disperse  them,  but  encourage  the 
country  to  rise  on  his  Majesty's  behalf  against  them,  and,  I  am 
confident,  to  a  considerable  number.  Otherwise  those  parts  will 
be  much  ruined,  to  his  Majesty's  great  prejudice.  This  being  all 
I  can  send  your  Highness,  I  am,  Sir,  your  Highness's 

Most  humble  servant, 
Dec.  27.  NORTHAMPTON. 


1642.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        85 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

Our  troops  are  in  extreme  necessity,  many  of  them 
having  neither  clothes  to  cover  their  nakedness,  nor  boots 
to  put  on  their  feet ;  and  not  money  amongst  them  to  pay 
for  the  shoeing  of  their  horses ;  the  sight  whereof  hath 
made  me  so  sensible  of  their  misery,  as  I  have  taken  the 
boldness  to  become  an  humble  suitor  to  your  highness, 
that  you  will  be  pleased  to  take  it  so  far  into  your  consi- 
deration, as  to  move  his  Majesty  that  some  speedy  course 
may  be  thought  upon  whereby  to  relieve  their  wants, 
otherwise  it  will  be  a  hard  matter,  if  not  impossible,  to 
hold  them  long  together  in  that  condition  they  are  now  in. 
It  is  a  business  of  that  importance  to  his  Majesty's  service, 
as  I  hold  it  my  duty  to  acquaint  your  Highness  with  it, 
hoping  by  your  princely  care  and  mediation  with  his  Ma- 
jesty those  inconveniencies  may  be  prevented,  which  ordi- 
narily happens  in  an  army  upon  the  like  occasions,  so, 
with  my  hearty  prayers  to  the  Almighty,  to  bless  your 
highness  with  happy  success  in  all  your  actions,  I  humbly 
take  my  leave  and  remain, 

Your  highness's  most  humble  servant, 

LEWIS  DIVES. 

December  the  31st,  1642. 

The  King's  position  at  the  time  Prince  Rupert  re- 
ceived this  despatch  was  a  very  anxious  one.  The 
Queen  was  almost  daily  expected  in  the  north ; 
Warwick's  fleet  was  on  the  watch  for  her  on  the 
seas;  the  Parliament  were  making  energetic  efforts 
to  oppose  her  progress  on  the  land.  The  central 
and  northern  associated  counties  were  mustering  to 
prevent,  or  cut  off  all  communication  between  York- 
shire and  Oxford.  Lord  Digby  was  moving  towards 
the  Welsh  borders,  only  in  hope  of  making  a  diversion 
to  Sir  William  Waller.  Essex  continued  his  invest- 


86     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

ment  of  the  Royal  quarters,  and  was  daily  assuming 
a  more  dangerous  attitude.  Money  always  scarce, 
was  still  more  so  now,  and  the  sources  of  capricious 
revenue  narrowed  with  the  state  of  the  King's 
affairs.1 

Abroad  there  was  still  less  cause  for  hope. 
Foreign  diplomacy  at  that  time  was  founded  on  the 
simple  and  suicidal  principle  of  embarrassing  and 
injuring  every  other  country  as  much  as  possible  ;  of 
considering  every  foreign  nation  as  a  rival ;  tram- 
pling upon  them  while  weak,  and  intriguing  against 
them  when  powerful.  Spain  bore  an  ancient  en- 
mity to  England,  interrupted,  only  to  be  increased, 
by  Charles's  proposed  and  broken  treaty  of  marriage 
with  her  daughter.  The  friendly  relations  of  the 
British  Crown  with  Portugal  also  now  provoked  the 

1  The  two  following  resolutions  will  at  a  glance  shew  some  of 
the  sources  of  revenue  employed  against  the  King  : 

"Die  Sabbati,  15  Octobris,  1642. 
"  Resolved  upon  the  question  by  both  Houses  of  Parliament — 

"  That  the  fines,  rents,  and  profits  of  archbishops,  bishops, 
deans,  and  chapters,  and  of  such  delinquents  as  have  taken  up 
arms  against  the  Parliament,  or  have  been  active  in  the  Commis- 
sion of  Array,  shall  be  sequestered."  This  sentence  of  confisca- 
tion has  seldom  been  paralleled  in  Eastern  countries,  and  the 
next  resolution,  considering  the  King  was  not  deposed,  is  perhaps 
equally  unprecedented  in  any  country  pretending  to  a  consti- 
tution. 

"  Resolved  upon  the  question  ly  both  Houses  of  Parliament — 

"  That  the  King's  revenue,  arising  out  of  rents,  &c.,  and  all 
other  his  Majesty's  revenues,  shall  be  brought  into  the  several 
courts,  and  not  issued  forth  or  paid  out  until  further  order  shall 
be  taken  by  both  Houses  of  Parliament." 

It  will  be  observed  that  these  resolutions  were  passed  before 
even  the  battle  of  Edgehill  was  fought. 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          87 

anger  of  Spain,  without  affording  a  pretext  for  war ; 
she  therefore  contented  herself  with  inflaming  the 
distempers  of  Ireland.  France  intrigued  with  Scot- 
land for  the  same  purpose,  and  Richelieu  had  never 
lost  sight  of  the  Covenanting  chiefs  as  an  avenue 
through  which  deadly  evil  might  be  communicated 
to  England.  The  Parliament  had  sent  Strickland 
as  their  Commissioner  to  the  High  Mightinesses  of 
Holland,  to  complain  of  the  assistance  which  the 
Prince  of  Orange  gave  their  King.  The  Conti- 
nental Powers,  with  suicidal  policy,  transferred  their 
consideration  from  the  King  to  his  more  powerful 
Parliament;  and  even  appealed  from  the  former 
to  the  latter,  in  Sir  Thomas  Howe's  case,  as  to  a 
higher  tribunal. 

Towards  the  conclusion  of  this  year  there  was,  in 
political  events,  a  temporary  lull.  Grenvil,  Hopton, 
and  Slanning,  in  the  west,  held  their  own  and  that 
was  all.  The  Earl  of  Newcastle,  in  Yorkshire,  sus- 
pended operations  until  the  Queen's  arrival.  Essex 
lay  still  at  Windsor,  slowly  advancing  his  views  of 
besetting  Oxford.  The  King  continued  to  hold  his 
Court  at  Christchurch,1  "walking  daily  in  the  gar- 
dens." Hyde  continued  to  compose  long  and  elo- 
quent declarations ;  Falkland  to  strive  and  pray  for 
peace ;  and  the  majority  of  the  courtiers  to  laugh  and 


1  And,  what  is  not  to  be  forgotten,  "  Daily  at  service  and  ser- 
mon, hearing  and  practising  the  same  Protestant  religion  that 
hath  ever  been  in  our  Church  ;  and  we  think  not  likely  to  bring 
in  Popery." — From  an  Honest  Letter  to  a  Doubtful  Friend,  1642. 


88     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

fight,  and  make  love  or  war  as  it  happened,  accord- 
ing to  their  ancient  fashion  at  Whitehall.  The 
death  of  the  Queen-Mother  of  France  had  thrown  a 
temporary  gloom  over  Oxford;  "  the  King  and  Prince 
Rupert  mourned  for  her  in  purple,  which  is  the 
mourning  of  princes."1  The  town-walls  were  put  in 
a  better  state  of  defence,  and  an  immense  number 
of  commissions  were  issued  to  various  persons,  en- 
abling them  to  raise  regiments.2  Prince  Rupert 
prepared  for  a  decisive  movement  to  break  through 
the  encompassing  toils  of  Essex ;  and  so  the  old 
year  closed  in  upon  the  drooping  fortune  of  the 
King. 

i  Ward's  Diary,  1666.  2  See  Appendix  A. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.          89 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  QUEEN  ARRIVES.— THE   WAR  GROWS  HOT. 


RUPERT    TAKES    CIRENCESTER.  —  ESSEX    OUTMANOEUVRED. THE    QUEEN 

LANDS  IN  ENGLAND. BATTLES  IN  THE  WEST. SIEGE  OF  LITCHFIELD. 

—  WALLER'S   PLOT. — THE  COVENANT. — CHALGROVE   FIGHT,  AND  DEATH 
OF  HAMPDEN. 


"  All  justice,  then,  as  well  as  affection  commands  me  to  studie 
her  [the  Queen's]  security,  who  is  onely  in  danger  for  my  sake  : 
I  am  content  to  be  tossed,  weather-beaten  and  ship-wrackt,  so 
she  may  be  in  safe  harbour."  Icon  Basilicon,  CHARLES  I. 

"  So,  even  our  enemies,  in  their  hackney  railing  pamphlets, 
were  forced  to  say, — '  The  Cavaliers  (to  give  the  devil  his  due) 
fought  very  valiantly.'  "  RUPERT. 

THE  new  year  opened  with  activity  within  and 
without  the  walls  of  Oxford.  Within,  the  Royal 
Mint  printing-presses  were  set  to  work;  and  the 
first  number  of  the  Royalist  journal,  "the  Mercu- 
rius  Aulicus,  or  Court  Mercury,"  was  published  on 
the  1st  of  January,  by  Dr.  Heylin.  This  journal  re- 
mains almost  entire  ;  and  does  more  credit  to  the 
wit  and  eloquence  than  to  the  truthfulness  or  Chris- 
tian feeling  of  the  reverend  editor :  it  abounds 
in  the  keenest  sarcasm  and  most  bitter  diatribes 
against  the  Parliamentary  party,  whose  journals 
vainly  attempted  to  reply.  They  were,  indeed,  quite 


90  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

as  unscrupulous  as  to  truth,  and  as  rancorous  in  ex- 
pression, but  they  never  equalled  their  Court  oppo- 
nent in  spirit  or  ingenuity.1  The  King's  mint  and 
printing-press  arrived  from  Shrewsbury  on  the  3rd, 
with  no  less  than  twelve  waggon-loads  of  Prince 
Rupert's  property.2  I  fear  his  highness  could  lay  little 
better  claim  to  it  than  the  Roundhead  section  of  the 
Parliament  could  do  to  the  Church  and  Royal  re- 
venues. On  the  1st  of  January  Sir  John  Byron, 
who  was  escorting  ammunition  to  Lord  Hertford, 
in  Somersetshire,  had  a  brisk  affair  at  Burford, 
with  a  wandering  detachment  of  Roundheads  who 
sought  quarters  in  the  same  place.  The  night  was 
so  dark  that  the  approach  of  the  enemy  was  only 
perceived  by  the  glimmering  of  their  matches  :  the 
Royal  trumpets  sounded  quickly  "  to  the  Standard," 
but  the  enemy  had  formed  in  force  in  the  market- 
place before  Cavaliers  enough  were  mustered  for  a 

1  The  Journals  of  the  seventeenth  century  were  as  different 
from  the  powerful  and  eloquent  papers  of  our  day,  as  a  jest  or 
sarcasm  from  a  stately  oration.  The  following  witty  description 
of  them  is  by  a  cotemporary  of  their  own  : — ' '  A  Diurnal  is  a 
puny  Chronicle,  scarce  pen-feathered  with  the  wings  of  Time.  It 
is  a  history  in  sippets.  The  English  Iliad  in  a  nutshell ;  the 
true  apocryphal  Parliament  book  of  Macabees  in  single  sheets. 
It  would  tire  a  Welch  pedigree  to  reckon  how  many  aps  it  is 
removed  from  an  Annal ;  for  'tis  of  that  extract,  only  of  the 
younger  house,  like  a  shrimp  to  a  lobster.  The  original  sinner 
of  this  kind  was  Dutch  Gallo-Belgicus,  the  Protoplast ;  and  the 
modern  Mercuries  but  Hans  en  Kelder.  Such  is  a  Diurnal — the 
day  of  the  month,  with  the  weather — in  the  Commonwealth.  It 
differs  from  an  Aulicus,  as  the  Devil  and  his  Exorcist ;  as  a  black 
Witch  does  from  a  white  one,  whose  business  is  to  unravel  his 
enchantments." — Cleveland's  Character  of  a  London  Journal, 
1644.  2  Wood's  Ath.  Oxford. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         91 

charge.  Sir  John  posted  his  foot  in  the  houses  ad- 
joining, and  opening  fire  upon  the  Roundheads  un- 
expectedly, charged  them  with  his  Horse  before  they 
could  recover  from  their  confusion,  beat  them  out  of 
the  town  and  pursued  them  for  some  miles.1  In- 
formation now  arrived  that  Essex  was  advancing  in 
force  upon  Banbury,  which  produced  this  stern  order 
from  the  King : — 

THE  KING  TO  THE  EARL  OF  NORTHAMPTON. 

CHARLES  R., 

Right  trusty  and  well-beloved  cousin,  we  greet  you 
well:  our  express  will  and  command  is,  that  you  forth- 
with, take  and  seize  upon  all  the  provision  of  victuals,  of 
what  kind  soever  now  remaining  in  the  town  of  Banbury, 
and  dispose  the  same  into  the  castle  for  the  supply 
of  such  soldiers  as  you  shall  leave  there:  and  when 
you  shall  receive  certain  information  that  the  rebels  in- 
tend to  march  again  to  that  town,  we  command  you 
speedily  to  set  it  on  fire  and  to  burn  it  down,  and  to  retire 
with  your  Horse  to  some  place  of  safety  thereabouts.  Hereof 
you  may  not  fail,  and  for  your  so  doing  these  shall  be 
your  warrant.  From  our  Court,  at  Oxford,  this  2nd  of 
January,  1643. 

About  this  time,  Colonel  Wagstaff,  an  able  soldier 
of  fortune,  on  the  Parliament  side,  was  said  to  have 
been  captured,  and  then  to  have  taken  arms  under 
the  King.2 

1  Mercurius  Aulicus. 

2  A  letter  in  the  Index  from  Lord  Northampton  to  Prince 
Kupert,  will  shew  that  his  conversion  was  premeditated,  and  that 
the  Prince  had  for  some  time  expected  him.     He  rendered  good 
service  afterwards  against  his  former  comrades,  having  had  suffi- 
cient military  skill  to  observe  their  weak  points,  and  knowing 
their  country  well,  he  was  a  useful  guide. 


92  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

On   the   5th   of  January,    the   King  writes   the 
following  graceful  letter  : — 

TO  THE  MARQUIS  OF  WORCESTER. 

CHARLES  R., 

Right  trusty  and  right  entirely-beloved  cousin,  we 
greet  you  welL  Your  son,  the  Lord  Herbert,  hath  ex- 
cused your  not  writing  unto  us ;  but  where  we  find  so 
much  reality,  there  needs  no  ceremony,  and  your  last 
performance  of  our  desires  hath  crowned  the  rest.  And 
we  would  have  you  confident  that  the  mentioning  of  leav- 
ing few  forces  at  Ragland  was  not  out  of  any  diminution 
of  our  care  of  you,  or  meant  to  lessen  any  provision  fitting 
thereunto  :  for  we  well  understand  that  there  were  never 
any  of  the  forces  raised  in  the  county,  applied  to  that 
purpose,  except  a  private  company  under  a  servant  of  your 
own.  But  the  Ward  of  Ragland  was  given  as  a  general 
word  attributive  to  the  county,  as  at  that  time  we  under- 
stood it.  The  large  expressions  which  you  and  your  said 
son  have  made  unto  us  of  your  forwardness  to  our  service, 
shall  never  be  forgotten.  He  now  commands  in  chief,  in 
the  absence  of  the  Lord  Marquis  Hertford,  and  besides 
his  dutifulness  unto  you,  our  command  is,  that  his  power 
and  yours  shall  be  the  same  as  your  hearts  are  to  our 
service.  The  acceptance  whereof  we  shall  not  fail  to 
make  appear  in  all  occasions.  Whereof  you  may  rest 
assured. 

Given  under  our  signet,  at  our  Court,  at  Oxford,  the 

5th  day  of  January,  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  our 

reign,  1643. 

To  our  right  trusty  and  right  entirely  beloved 
cousin  Henry  Marquis  of  Worcester.1 

Brill  Hill  is  the  highest  of  a  small  steep  range  on 

1  Created  Marquis  Nov.  2, 1642  [Baker's  Chronicle].     For  this 
letter  I  am  indebted  to  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Beaufort's  collection. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.          93 

the  borders  of  Oxford  and  Buckinghamshire,  backed 
by  a  deep  mass  of  woodland  on  the  side  towards 
Aylesbury.1  This  important  post  had  been  garrisoned 
by  the  King,  and  well  fortified  by  the  governor,  Sir 
Gilbert  Gerrard,  of  whom  we  shall  soon  hear  further. 
Hampden  and  Mr.  Grenvil  (brother  to  the  gallant  Sir 
Bevill,  who  was  fighting  for  the  King  in  Cornwall), 
attacked  the  Brill,  and  were  beaten  back  with  loss. 
About  the  same  time,  Rupert  was  reconnoitring 
Cirencester  in  conjunction  with  Lord  Hertford,  but 
finding  it  too  strong,  he  possessed  himself  of  the 
supplies  for  the  garrison  which  he  found  in  the 
adjacent  villages,  and  returned  to  Oxford.  On  his 
way,  he  received  the  subjoined  letter,2  which  I  quote 
as  one  of  the  many  instances,  in  which  fathers  sent 
their  sons  to  perform  for  the  King  that  service  they 
were  no  longer  able,  though  still  most  willing,  to 
yield.  During  this  period,  Judge  Heath  held  his 
court  of  justice  in  Oxford,  taking  cognizance  of  all 

i  Lord  Nugent,  "  Hampden,"  ii.  364. 

2   SIB   THOMAS    SACKVILLE   TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 
MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  should  with  all  due  observance  and  alacrity  at  this  present 
have  waited  upon  you,  according  to  your  letter  in  this  business  of 
so  high  concernment)  if  the  infirmity  of  my  body  and  want  of 
health  would  permit ;  my  weakness  being  such,  that  for  these 
twelve  months  past  I  have  not  been  able  to  travel  three  miles 
from  my  house,  and  therefore  humbly  pray  I  may  at  this  time 
be  excused,  having  sent  my  son  to  receive  your  Highness's  com- 
mands. And  myself,  being  his  Majesty's  most  humble  servant 
and  loyal  subject,  will  be  ready  to  observe  the  same.  So,  humbly 
craving  pardon  for  this  presuming,  do  take  leave,  ever  resting 

Your  Highness's  humble  servant  to  command, 
Bybury,  the  7th  January,  1643.  THO.  SACKVILLE. 


.04  MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

ordinary  offences :  but  it  appears  that  his  office  was 
comparatively  light,  as  the  chief  officers,  or  at  least 
Prince  Rupert,  claimed  exclusive  jurisdiction  over 
their  soldiers.1 

It  appears  that  the  Parliament  had  quickly  ex- 
hausted the  eager  subscriptions  of  the  citizens  into 
Guildhall ;  and  indeed  their  late  expenses  must  have 
been  considerable,  if  there  were  many  such  Acts  as 
that  by  which  they  paid  themselves  4/.  a  week  each 
for  their  labour  at  St.  Stephen's ;  a  remuneration 
which  seems  peculiar  to  revolutionary  Parliaments. 
The  following  amusing  letter  describes  a  want  of 
funds  and  a  tendency  to  mutiny,  which  may  account 
for  the  slowness  of  the  Lord-General's  movements, 
and  is  confirmed  by  their  own  historian  May.2 

SIR, 

The  sad  condition  of  this  age  and  state,  like  Proteus, 
transforms  itself  into  preposterous  smiles,  acting  with  one 
face,  Hercules,  the  King,  and  the  beggar :  first  clubbing 
down  all  opposition  to  their  pretended  zeal ;  secondly,  up- 
holding the  King's  crown  and  dignity,  which  they  say 
would  be  let  fall  upon  the  pope's  head  by  the  hands  of 
the  bishops  if  not  prevented  ;  and  thirdly,  exhausting  the 
kingdom's  wealth,  which  does  now  live  upon  the  "  public 
faith  "  in  reversion,  which  is  to  be  repaid  after  the  demol- 
ishing of  the  [illegible,  probably  "  Cavaliers."]  This  empty- 


1  I  have  a  letter  from  the  Justice  to  the  Prince,  referring  to 
him  a  Mr.  Curzon,  who  was  brought  before  him  for  taking  a 
horse  :  the  Judge  requests  that  the  accused  may  be  dealt  with 
by  his  Highness,  or  else  sent  back  to  him,  to  be  dealt  with  ac- 
cording to  law. 

2  Parl.  Hist.  vol.  iii.  p.  35. 


1643.]    PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  95 

ing  the  exchequer  of  the  kingdom  of  monies,  has  driven 
them  to  a  great  exigence  :  my  Lord- General  had  like 
to  have  disbanded  his  army,  and  it  is  said  he  will  disband, 
if  they  get  him  not  money  to  stop  a  mutiny  amongst  his 
soldiers,  which  he  is  afraid  will  be,  for  they  will  have  their 
mouths  stopped  no  longer  with  "  the  liberty  of  the  sub- 
ject" and  "  privilege  of  Parliament,"  but  stand  resolved  to 
fight  under  the  golden  banner  which  will  hardly  be  dis- 
played. For  the  City  is  already  sick  of  these  civil  wars, 
and  promises  nothing  towards  the  maintenance  of  his  Ex- 
cellency and  his  army.  So,  with  my  hearty  prayers  to 
God  to  preserve  you  from  dangers,  and  to  keep  you  in 
peace  and  safety,  I  rest  your  most  obedient  son  to  com- 
mand, THOMAS  ROBINSON. 

I  humbly  desire  you  to  present  my  duty  to  my  dear 
mother,  with  my  dearest  love  to  my  brothers  and  sisters. 

Savoy,  the  13th  Jan.  1643. 

To  his  dear  Father,  Mr.  Robinson,  at  Waltham, 
Leicestershire,  this  deliver. 

I  do  not  know  how  this  letter  came  into  Prince 
Rupert's  possession,  but  the  subjoined1  might  well 
have  been  preserved,  if  the  Prince  could  have  fore- 
seen the  imputations  of  jealousy  and  dislike  towards 
himself  that  were  afterwards  attributed  to  its  gallant 
writer. 

1  THE  EARL  OF  NEWCASTLE  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  TOUR  HIGHNESS, 

It  is  a  joy  beyond  my  expression  to  hear  that  I  have  the 
honour  to  live  in  your  memory  :  I  cannot  wish  you,  sir,  anything 
but  what  you  are,  for  you  are  above  it :  but  that  treachery  may 
never  come  near  you,  and  victory  still  wait  upon  you,  is  the 
hearty  prayer  of  your  Highness's 

Most  faithful  obliged  servant,  W.  NEWCASTLE. 

Pomfret,  the  16th  January,  1642-3. 


96  MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

There  was  some  local,  but  no  general  suspension 
of  hostilities  on  account  of  the  winter  season.  New- 
castle in  the  north  with  Fairfax,  and  Hopton  in  the 
west  with  Chudleigh,  were  perpetually  on  the  eve  of 
battle,  when  Hastings  wrote  the  subjoined  tempting 
letter  to  the  "Robber  Prince ;"  as  the  Roundheads 
loved  to  call  the  "  Prince  Robert  "  of  the  Cavaliers.1 
He  did  not  suffer  in  the  Cavaliers'  estimation  by  the 
term,  no  more  than  "  Moor"  in  Schiller's  alluring 
drama  of  the  "  Robbers"  did  in  the  sight  of  German 
students.  It  appeared  in  their  eyes  a  righteous 
retribution  to  spoil  the  spoiler ;  and  if  the  English 
Cavalier  took  without  scruple  what  he  considered  as 
the  spoils  of  war,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  he  him- 
self was  branded  as  a  delinquent  by  Parliament,  and 
his  estates  delivered  over  to  their  insatiable  exchequer. 
We  cannot,  indeed,  imagine  a  Falkland,  a  Hopton, 
or  a  Grenvil,  spoiling  waggons  or  plundering  towns. 


1    MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR    HlGHNESS 

To  give  me  leave  to  trouble  you  with  the  relation  of  things 
here.  The  Lord  Gray  hath  been  this  week  at  Leicester  with  four 
hundred  horse  and  foot,  or  thereabout,  and  the  forces  belonging  to 
Derby  are  about  twelve  hundred  (that  is  a  town  of  no  consider- 
able strength,  and  full  of  wealth).  All  their  forces  are  now  joined 
together  in  a  body,  within  three  miles  of  Ashby-de-la-Zouch, 
where  I  now  am,  and  will  this  day  fall  upon  me.  God  willing, 
I  will  do  my  utmost  endeavour  to  keep  this  place,  in  hopes  of 
your  Highness's  gracious  favour  to  relieve  me  :  and  I  shall  have 
five  hundred  horse  and  foot  to  join  with  such  forces  as  your 
Highness  shall  please  to  send  me. 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

H.  HASTINGS. 
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, 
Tuesday,  9  of  the  clock,  17th  Jan.  1642-3. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.  97 

Many  a  poor  gentleman,  however,  who  had  given 
his  all  for  the  Royal  cause,  probably  thought  his 
own  ruined  fortunes  justified  him  in  retaliation  ;  the 
soldier  of  fortune  looked  upon  the  wealth  of  the 
enemy  simply  as  the  Indian  does  upon  the  beaver's 
skin,  the  only  thing  worth  troubling  him  about. 
Hastings  was  neither  poor  nor  personally  injured,  it 
is  true.  He  entered  on  the  war  with  all  the  energy 
of  a  man  who  finds  himself  unexpectedly  called 
upon  to  exert  his  peculiar  talent ;  he  was  the 
model  of  a  partizan  leader;  he  kept  the  whole 
country  round  his  father's  strong-hold,  at  Ashby-de- 
la-Zouch,  in  awe.  He  professed  no  scruples ;  he 
bore  a  blue  banner  blazoned  with  a  furnace,  and  the 
candid  motto,  "  Quasi  ignis  conflatoris"  well  suited 
to  his  fiery  and  destructive  career :  the  Parliamen- 
tary journals  call  him  "  that  notable  thief  and  rob- 
ber." He  beat  off  the  threatened  attack  he  speaks 
of,  but  he  did  not  attempt,  or  at  least  did  not  succeed 
at  Derby  or  Leicester  until  long  afterwards.1  About 
this  time  also,  the  important  acquisition  of  Belvoir 
Castle2  was  made,  as  stated  below,  for  the  King.  Its 

1  He  rendered  such  service,  however,  by  keeping  open  the 
communication  with  Newark  and  the  north,  through  the  most 
trying  times,  that  he  was  created  Lord  Loughborough  by  patent, 
in  the  October  of  the  same  year. — History  of  Leicester. 

2  Belvoir  Castle.     "  The  castle  of  Bellevoire  standeth  in  the 
utter  park  that  way   of  Leicestershire,  on  the  very  knape  of  a 
high   hill,  steep   up  each   way,    partly   by  nature,    partly    by 
men's  hands,  as  it  may  evidently  be  perceived."— Leland,  vol. 
i.  p.  114.     "Newark  appears  in  the  centre  of  the  valley  ;  Not- 
tingham is  easily  discerned  ;  Lincoln  and  Southwell  Minster  is 
also  visible  from  this  castle      But  the  grand  prospect  of  all  is, 

VOL.  II.  H 


98  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

then  owner  was  John  Manners,  eighth  Earl  of  Rut- 
land, the  single  exception  to  loyalty  in  his  illustrious 
line.  This  nobleman  adhered  to  the  Parliamentary 
side  on  principle  throughout  this  quarrel,  but  was 
by  no  means  docile  to  the  democratic  leaders :  he 
declined  to  act  as  Commissioner  of  the  Parliamen- 
tary Great  Seal,  and  excused  himself  from  an  em- 

that  which  the  Duke  of  Rutland  sees  from  hence,  viz.  twenty-two 
manors  of  his  own  paternal  inheritance." — Nichols  s  History  of 
Leicestershire.  It  was  founded  by  Robert  de  Todeni,  called  after- 
wards Robert  de  Belvedere,  standard-bearer  to  William  the  Con- 
queror. The  purpose  of  the  foundation  was  to  bridle  the  Saxons. 
In  1641,  John,  eighth  Earl  of  Rutland,  took  part  with  the  Par- 
liament :  he  was  among  the  twenty-two  peers  who  remained  at 
Westminster  in  June  1642,  when  Charles  summoned  the  Houses 
to  attend  him  at  Oxford.  Sir  Gervase  Lucas,  sheriff  of  Lincoln 
(with  Baptist  Noel,  Lord  Campden,  and  Rev.  W.  Mason,*  rector 
of  Ashwell),  took  it  for  the  King,  January  31,  1642-3.  Their 
force  consisted  only  of  a  troop  of  horse  and  a  company  of  foot ; 
the  standard  was  blue  and  gold,  motto,  "  Ut  rex,  sit  rex."  Fe- 
bruary 12. — The  Earl  of  Rutland  was  nominated  by  the  House 
of  Commons  to  the  King,  as  fit  to  be  entrusted  with  the  militia 
of  the  kingdom.  In  July,  1643,  the  earl  was  nominated,  with 
Lord  Gray  of  Warke,  to  go  to  Scotland,  to  fraternise  with  them  for 
the  sake  of  aid,  but  he  feigned  sickness  ;  Lord  Gray  also  refused 
the  mission. — Clarendon's  Rebellion,  ii.  300;  Journal  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  iii.  155.  "About  one  thousand  Cavaliers  from  Newark 
and  Bever  Castle  hovered  around  in  July,  about  Stamford  and 
Wothrop  House,  a  great  and  strong  seat  in  those  parts,  but  were 
bravely  molested  and  chased  from  them  by  that  brave  and  most 
worthily  renowned  commander,  Colonel  Cromwell,  and  at  last 
forced  to  take  refuge  in  a  very  strong  and  stately  stone-built  house, 
not  far  from  Stamford,  called  Burleigh  House:"  the  Cavaliers, 
after  long  fight,  surrender  on  their  lives  only  :  "  There  were  two 
colonels,  six  or  seven  captains,  three  or  four  hundred  foot,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  horse." — Vicars,  p.  7. 


*  He  is  called  in  a  Parliament  newspaper,  "Captain  Mason, 
commander  of  the  Fen  robbers,"— See  also  Walker's  Suffering  of 
the  Clergy,  310. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         99 

bassy  to  Scotland :  his  Lordship  even  presumed  so 
far  on  his  independence  as  to  have  his  child  signed 
with  the  cross  at  its  baptism ;  but  "  the  House" 
committed  him  to  the  custody  of  the  Serjeant- 
at-Arms  for  that  offence. 

On  the  19th,  a  brave  battle  was  fought  in  Corn- 
wall, on  Bradock  Downs,  near  Bodmin,  by  Sir  Ralph 
Hopton  and  Sir  Bevil  Grenvil,  "  after  solemn 
prayers  at  the  head  of  every  division,  they  charged, 
and  carried  all  before  them."1  The  conquerors  took 
1250  prisoners,  eight  stands  of  colours,  and  four  guns : 
the  same  night  they  obtained  possession  of  Liskeard. 

Thence  Hopton  advanced  towards  Plymouth,  sat 
down  for  a  short  time  before  its  walls,  where 
Berkeley  "  flew  with  a  party  volant "  up  and  down 
the  county.  He  received  a  temporary  check  at 
Chagford,  only  noticeable  for  the  death  of  the 
young  and  gallant  Sidney  Godolphin,  who  was 
slain  there  :2  but,  soon  afterwards  rejoining  Hopton, 


1  Dugdale.      There   is   a  very  interesting   letter   from  Lord 
Carteret's  collection  concerning  this   battle,  from  Sir  Bevil  to 
his  wife;   it  is  given  in  Lord   Nugent's  "Life  of  Hampden," 
ii.  369. 

2  The  following  sketch   of  character  is  full  of  romance  and 
interest : — "  Sidney  Godolphin,  a  young  gentleman  of  incompar- 
able parts,  who,  being  of  a  constitution  and  education  more  deli- 
cate, and  unacquainted  with  contentions,  upon  his  observation  of 
the  wickedness  of  those  men  in  the  House  of  Commons,  of  which 
he  was  a  member,  out  of  the  pure  indignation  of  his  soul  against 
them,  and  conscience  to  his  country,  had,  with  the  first,  engaged 
himself  with  that  party  in  the  west ;  and  though  he  thought  not 
fit  to  take  command  in  a  profession  he  had  not  willingly  chosen, 
yet,  as  his  advice  was  of  great  authority  with  all  the  commanders, 
being  always  one  in  the  council  of  war,  and  whose  notable  abi- 

H  2 


100         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

they  took  Saltasli,  with  many  prisoners,  guns,  and  a 
frigate.1  Some  time  afterwards,  by  a  sudden  and 
forced  march  from  before  Plymouth,  Hopton 
brought  the  Roundheads  to  action  on  Stratton 
Downs,  and  defeated  them  utterly,  with  the  loss 
of  their  general,  Chudleigh,  and  1700  other  pri- 
soners, thirteen  guns,  and  all  their  stores  and  bag- 
gage. This  victory  cleared  the  west  country  of  the 
enemy,  with  the  exception  of  the  tough  town  of 
Plymouth,  and  obtained  for  Sir  Ralph  a  well-earned 
peerage.  Sir  Bevil  Grenvil  led  his  van,  and  Sir 
Nicholas  Slanning,  Sir  John  Berkeley,  John  Ash- 
burn  ham,  and  Trevanion,  also  fought  gallantly. 
This  victory  brought  Sir  William  to  the  west,  to 
replace  Chudleigh,  and  to  remedy  Lord  Stamford's 
destructive  incapacity.2 

While  these  things  were  doing  in  the  west,  Lord 


lities  they  had  still  use  of  in  their  civil  transactions,  so  he  ex- 
posed his  person  to  all  action,  travel,  and  hazard  :  and  by  too 
forward  engaging  himself  in  this  last,  received  a  mortal  shot  by  a 
musket,  a  little  above  the  knee,  of  which  he  died  in  the  instant, 
leaving  the  misfortune  of  his  death  upon  a  place  which  could 
never  otherwise  have  had  a  mention  to  the  world." — Clarendons 
Rebellion,  iii.  432. 
1  Heath's  Chronicle. 

a  The  Parliament  did  not  venture  to  remove  this  powerful 
nobleman,  and  his  brave  son  (Lord  Gray,  of  Groby)  deserved 
their  consideration.  But  Lord  Stamford  had  proved  himself 
worse  than  useless  to  their  cause.  Yet  this  wealthy  nobleman 
petitions  Parliament  in  the  following  October,  not  only  for  his 
arrears  of  pay  as  general  and  colonel  of  a  regiment,  but  asks 
them  to  make  good  the  arrears  that  his  tenants  are  unable  to 
pay  on  account  of  forced  contributions.  At  the  same  time  he 
requests  that  some  Malignant' s  house,  ready  furnished,  might  be 
given  to  him  for  his  family. — History  of  Leicester,  25. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      101 

Digby  was  moving  towards  the  Welsh  Borders,  in 
considerable  force,  to  check  Sir  William  Waller, 
who  had  strengthened  the  Parliament's  cause  in 
Hereford  and  Gloucestershire,  but  was  now  ordered 
into  Cornwall,  to  oppose  his  old  and  honoured  friend 
Hopton.  A  chain  of  communication  still  preserved 
Wales,  however,  from  the  enemy.  The  heroic  Mar- 
quis of  Worcester,  in  whose  veins  flowed  the  blood 
of  kings,  and  who  was  loyal  to  the  last,  held  a 
formidable  garrison  in  Ragland  Castle.  It  consisted 
only  of  his  own  retainers,  yet  they  formed  a  little 
army.  His  son,  Lord  Herbert,  afterwards  the  Lord 
Glamorgan  of  the  Irish  treaty,  was  not  content  with 
passive  resistance,  but  volunteered  for  active  ser- 
vice, under  Prince  Rupert's  orders ;  his  subjoined 
letter1  accounts  for  the  loyalty  and  safe-keeping  of 
that  part  of  Wales.  Continuing  from  the  banks  of 

1  MAY  IT  PLEASE  Youa  HIGHNESS, 

Your  commands  came  unto  me  but  the  last  night  late,  and 
being  now  upon  making  my  entry  into  the  forest  [of  Deane],  I 
cannot  so  suddenly  execute  the  same,  but  as  soon  as  it  is  any  way 
feasible,  there  shall  be  no  delay  therein.  Upon  Thursday  next,  I 
have  given  order,  that  accordingly  as  I  shall  receive  intelligence 
from  the  other  side  of  Severn  (which  then  I  have  taken  order  to 
receive),  there  shall  be  men  sent  over,  hoping  by  that  time  to 
master  all  on  this  side  of  Severn.  And,  in  what  I  may  I  shall  ever 
most  readily  obey  your  Highness's  commands,  and  remain,  Sir, 
Your  Highness's  most  affectionately  devoted  servant, 

ED.  HERBERT. 
Ragland  Castle,* 
this  Tuesday  morning  7th  Feb.  1643. 


*  Farther  details  of  this  historic  castle  and  its  gallant  owners 
will  be  found  later  in  these  volumes,  when  the  King  was  the  guest 
of  the  Marquis  of  Worcester. 


102          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JAN. 

Wye  to  Worcester,  we  find  Sir  William  Conisby 
governor  of  Hereford,  Sir  James  Hamilton  com- 
manding at  Pershore  for  the  King,1  and  Sir  Wil- 
liam Russell  at  Worcester.  Bridgenorth  had  a 
small  garrison,  and  there  was  still  a  depot  at  loyal 
Shrewsbury  for  Welsh  and  Cheshire  forces.  Sir 
Francis  Ottley  was  governor  there.2  Oswestry  was 
held  by  Colonel  Lloyd,  for  the  King ;  Ruthin  and 
Conway  were  also  true.  On  the  other  hand, 
Chester  continued  the  Royalist  line  of  communica- 
tion towards  the  north,  with  some  difficulty  as 
far  as  Blackstone  heath.  From  thence  a  wild 
moorland  country  extended  into  the  government 
of  the  Marquis  of  Newcastle,  in  Yorkshire.  Lord 
Newcastle  had  been  lately  joined  by  Goring,  who 
arrived  from  Holland  with  some  arms  and  two 
hundred  experienced  officers ;  he  announced  that 
the  Queen  and  her  little  fleet  of  transports  were 
about  to  sail  from  Schevelin.  Beyond  York,  as 
far  as  the  Scottish  Borders,  there  was  nothing 
to  fear,  if  little  to  hope.  Newcastle  was  garri- 
soned for  the  King,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  coun- 
try as  wild  as,  and  then  more  uncultivated  than 


1  I  find  letters  from  both  these  Cavaliers,  the  latter  dated  the 
1st  of  January,  1643,  stating  that  he  had  sent  to  Sir  William 
Russell,  Governor  of  Worcester,  "  for  the  use  of  his  regiment,  and 
was  ready  to  obey  commands  ; "   probably  to  make  a  diversion 
during  the  Prince's  attack  on  Cirencester. 

2  A  valuable  collection  of  MSS.  relating  to  the  Civil  Wars 
descended  from  this  gentleman  to  the  Earl  of  Liverpool ;  of  these, 
liberal  use  was  granted  to  Messrs.  Owen  and  Blakeway  for  their 
"  History  of  Shrewsbury." 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      103 

the  Grampians.  Thus  England  was  divided  geo- 
graphically in  its  politics:  the  eastern  and  south- 
eastern, the  more  cultivated  parts,  were  in  the  hands 
of  the  Parliament ;  the  greater  part  of  the  north  and 
west  remained  faithful  to  the  King. 

We  now  return  to  head- quarters,  where  little 
matter  of  moment  was  going  on;  the  King  being 
content  to  hold  his  own  until  the  Queen,  who 
proved  so  fatal  when  she  came,  should  arrive  with  the 
much-desired  money  and  arms.  Prince  Rupert  still 
kept  careful  watch  upon  his  cavalry,  and  especially 
his  own  brilliant  regiment.  This  corps  lay  now  at 
Abingdon,  waiting  for  an  attack  on  Cirencester, 
for  which  some  other  troops  were  also  called  into 
that  garrison.  The  subjoined  very  characteristic 
letter  from  the  Commissary-general,  Sir  Lewis 
Dives,  gives  a  striking  picture  of  the  rough  and 
uncontrollable  materials  out  of  which  this  fierce 
cavalry  was  formed.1  They  were  too  dangerous  to 


1    MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  shall,  according  to  your  command,  endeavour,  to  the  utmost 
of  my  power,  to  preserve  the  quarters  allotted  to  your  regiment 
from  the  spoil  of  those  caterpillars  that  are  come  amongst 
us,  which  I  believe  will  be  a  harder  task  to  perform  than 
to  defend  the  town  against  the  enemy :  they  came  upon  us 
sooner  than  we  expected  them,  and  before  your  regiment  was 
removed,  so  that  they  found  but  indifferent  quarters  both  for 
themselves  and  their  horse,  whereupon  some  of  them  have  given 
us  a  taste  of  the  severity  we  must  expect  from  them.  They  fell 
foul  first  upon  my  quarter-master,  beat  his  man,  and  forced  the 
magazine,  taking  away  a  whole  week's  provision,  which  was  this 
day  brought  out  of  the  country  for  the  use  of  my  troop,  but  I 
intend  they  shall  give  good  satisfaction  for  it  before  they  part, 
and  if  they  mend  not  their  manners,  /  shall  make  bold  to  hang  up 


104         MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

be  allowed  to  rest  long,  and  on  the  23rd  they 
swept  the  country  around  Brackley,  and  continued 
to  rove  about  in  search  of  the  enemy  and  of  forage ; 
Prince  Rupert  ever  at  their  head  when  they  were  in 
motion.1  On  the  1st  of  February  the  Prince  re- 
ceived the  subjoined  order  from  the  King,2  involv- 


some  of  them,  for  example  to  the  rest.  I  hold  it,  sir,  a  great  mis- 
fortune to  be  tied  to  this  place,  and  kept  from  the  happiness 
whereof  I  am  most  ambitious,  which  is,  to  have  the  honour  to  be 
near  your  Highness,  and  to  wait  on  you  upon  all  occasions  of  ser- 
vice :  which,  since  I  cannot  do  in  person,  my  prayers  shall  con- 
tinually attend  you,  for  a  blessing  from  the  Almighty  upon  all 
your  actions,  and  a  malediction  upon  the  heads  of  your  enemies, 
which  shall  be  the  daily  sacrifice  of  Your  Highuess's 
Most  humble  and  most  faithful  servant, 

LEWIS  DIVES. 
Abingdon,  the  21st  of  January,  1643. 

1  On  the  24th  of  January  I  have   a  letter  from  Secretary 
Nicholas  to  the  Prince,  relating  that  some  of  Sir  Arthur  Aston's 
men,  from  Reading,  made  a  descent  on  Henley,  but  were  repulsed. 
That  "  the  rebels"  are  moving  in  force  on  Aylesbury,  but  unwil- 
lingly, from  want  of  pay. 

2  CHARLES  R. 

Most  trusty  and  entirely  beloved  nephew,  we  greet  you  well, 
whereas  we  are  credibly  informed  that  at  Cirencester,  Stroud, 
Minchinhampton,  Tedbury,  Dursley,  Wotton-under-Edge,  and 
Chipping  Sudbury,  great  quantities  of  cloth,  canvas,  and  buck- 
rams are  to  be  had  for  supplying  the  great  necessities  our  sol- 
diers have  of  suits  j  we  have  thought  good  to  advertise  you 
thereof,  and  do  hereby  pray  you  to  a  competent  party  of  horse, 
under  the  command  of  some  able  person,  to  visit  those  several 
places,  which  lie  not  far  asunder,  and  to  bring  from  thence  all 
such  cloth,  canvas,  and  buckrams  as  they  shall  find  there  to 
Cirencester,  giving  a  ticket  to  the  [owners]  for  all  the  parcels 
they  shall  take  up,  and  keeping  a  perfect  account  thereof,  and 
from  what  persons  the  same  was  taken,  with  this  intimation  that 
every  of  them  upon  his  repair  to  Oxford,  receive  such  security 
for  his  commodity  as  he  shall  have  no  cause  to  except  against. 
For  the  better  ordering  and  managing  of  this  service,  we  shall 
expressly  send  Mr.  Bevell,  Mr.  Bradburn,  and  Mr.  Ball,  men  of 
experience,  to  take  order  for  receiving  and  putting  up  of  the 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       105 

ing  a  commission  of  no  small  difficulty.  But  the 
Prince  was  then  otherwise  occupied,  and  about  to 
procure  stores  after  his  own  peculiar  fashion,  with- 
out assistance  from  "  Messrs.  Bevell  and  Ball,"  or 
much  "  security  "  of  any  kind. 

Lord  Hertford  having  been  sorely  pressed  by  the 
Parliamentary  forces  in  Devonshire  in  the  autumn, 
had  crossed  over  from  Minehead  into  Wales,  with 
such  of  his  best  troops  as  he  could  stow  on  board 
the  few  fishing-boats  he  found  there.  As  soon  as 
he  landed  in  the  principality,  he  was  met  by  Lord 
Glamorgan,  who  supplied  him  with  money,  and  a 
considerable  force  of  wild  but  faithful  Welshmen  : J 


cloth ;  whereof  we  intend  the  best  shall  be  reserved  for  the  service 
of  our  troopers,  and  the  rest  for  the  dragoons  and  foot  of  our 
army.  In  this  we  pray  you  to  use  your  wonted  diligence,  and  bid 
you  heartily  farewell. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Oxford,  the  1st  day  of  February,  1643. 

1  I  extract  the  following  passage  from  a  speech  written,  but 
probably  never  delivered  (being  evidently  meant  only  for  Charles 
the  Second's  perusal),  by  the  Marquis  of  Worcester,  at  this  time 
Lord  Herbert,  to  the  House  of  Lords,  in  1662,  or  thereabouts. 
His  speech  is  a  very  curious  and  valuable  document ;  it  will  be 
found  at  length  in  the  Appendix,  being  too  long  for  insertion 
here.  Its  author  was  not  only  a  gallant  and  superbly  generous 
Cavalier,  but  a  man  of  singular  intellectual  and  scientific  acqui- 
sitions. He  is  popularly  known  not  only  as  the  Lord  Glamorgan, 
of  Irish  celebrity,  but  as  the  Marquis  of  Worcester,  who  composed 
the  "Centenary  of  Inventions."  I  am  indebted  for  the  paper 
I  allude  to,  and  other  valuable  documents,  to  the  kindness  of  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Beaufort.  The  following  statement  is  in 
vindication  of  his  services,  and  occurs  in  a  very  long  and  curious 
statement  of  supplies,  to  the  amount  of  918,000£.  (about 
3,000,OOOZ.  of  our  money),  contributed  to  the  King: — "How 
came  the  then  Marquis  of  Hertford,  after  his  defeat  in  the 
west,  with  recruits  to  his  Majesty  at  Oxford,  but  through  my 
father's  means  and  mine  ?  The  forces  that  I  sent  with  him 


106          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

he  thence  proceeded  by  Worcester  to  Burford,  to  co- 
operate with  the  Royal  forces  in  Gloucestershire. 
Early  in  January  Lord  Hertford  had  proposed  to 
take  Cirencester,  if  Prince  Rupert  would  keep  the 
Gloucester  road,  which  the  Prince  accordingly  did, 
but  the  expedition  failed.  Again,  on  the  1st,1  the 
Marquis  advanced  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Ciren- 
cester, and  prepared  for  an  assault  on  the  following 
morning.  The  following  lucid  account  of  the  affair 
I  take  from  one  of  the  enemy,  who  thus  writes : — 
(Lord  Hertford's  "  orders"  are  subjoined.)2 

had  cost  me  8,OOOZ.,  and  2,OOOZ.  my  father  had  lent  him.  How 
came  Sir  John  Byron's  regiment  of  horse  to  be  raised  first  but  by 
5,000£.  in  gold  given  him  by  my  father  1  How  came  the  Forest 
of  Deane,  and  Goodrich's  strong  castle  to  be  taken  ;  Monmouth 
itself  with  its  garrison  to  be  surprised  ;  Chepstow,  Newport  and 
Cardiff  to  be  taken  and  secured  for  his  Majesty,  but  by  my  forces 
and  my  father's  money  ?  How  came  Ragland  Castle  to  be  the 
first  fortified  and  last  surrendered  [castle  in  England],  but  by 
50,0001.  disbursed  for  that  purpose  by  my  father?" 

1  The  following  extract  is  a  letter  from  one  of  the  garrison  in 
Cirencester  to  a  friend  in  London. 

"  On  Monday,  Jan.  30,  Prince  Rupert  appeared  before  Sudeley 
Castle,  which  had  been  taken  by  a  party  from  Cirencester  on  the 
27th.  They  lay  all  the  night  on  the  hills,  and  here  fell  a  great 
snow,  so  the  next  morning  they  rose  and  marched  towards  Ciren- 
cester and  quartered  within  seven  miles  of  it.  On  Wednesday, 
February  1st,  the  enemy  was  reinforced  by  some  troops  from 
Oxford,  when  they  quartered  within  a  mile  of  the  town,  and  gave 
us  alarms  all  night.  On  Thursday  morning  they  were  discovered 
approaching  in  two  bodies,  Prince  Rupert  with  the  greatest  part 
of  the  army  on  the  south  and  west,  and  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon  on 
the  north  of  the  town.  At  ten  o'clock  some  of  them  came  within 
reach  of  our  cannon,  which  played  at  them  two  or  three  hours, 
and  afterwards  caused  those  on  the  west  side  to  retreat  behind  a 
little  hill.  Meanwhile  divers  parties  of  our  musketeers  went  out 
under  shelter  of  walls  and  hedges,  to  skirmish  with  the  enemy." 

2    ORDERS  FOB,  THE  ATTACK   OF  CIRENCESTER. 

The  horse  and  dragoons  to  be  sent  by  his  Majesty,  are  to  meet 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      107 

On  Saturday,  the  last  of  December,  the  Lord  Hertford 
came  with  his  Welsh  regiment  from  Worcester  to  Burford, 
where,  finding  his  entertainments  scanty,  he  went  to  the 
King,  at  Oxford,  and  affirmed  his  Majesty,  that,  unless  they 
had  contributed  from  Gloucestershire  and  Wiltshire,  which 
could  not  be  till  Cirencester  was  taken,  his  army  could  not 
subsist.  He  also  offered  his  Majesty  that  he  would  take 
the  town  if  he  were  assisted  with  great  force  of  dragoons. 
Whereupon  a  commission  was  granted  to  him,  and  Prince 
Rupert,  with  two  regiments  of  horse  and  one  of  dragoons, 
and  Prince  Maurice,  with  all  his  horse  and  dragoons,  was 
sent  to  aid  him.  In  pursuance  whereof,  his  lordship  drew 
up  his  forces  to  the  number  of  six  thousand  horse  and  foot, 
about  noon,  January  7th,  almost  all  round  the  town,  and 
sent  two  trumpets,  the  one  in  his  own  name,  and  the 
other  in  that  of  Prince  Rupert,  summoning  those  within 
to  surrender,  and  offering  free  pardon  for  all  bye-gone 
offences.  The  answer  to  both  was  the  same,  and  signified 
that  the  inhabitants  were  prepared  to  defend  themselves 
and  the  true  Protestant  religion.  Then  it  pleased  God 
of  mere  mercy  to  discourage  them,  so  that  they  retreated 
to  their  quarters,  and  the  next  morning  departed,  Prince 
Rupert  to  Oxford,  Prince  Maurice  to  his  quarters 

at  the  end  of  Brodwell  Grove,  nearest  towards  Cirencester,  to- 
morrow (being  Friday),  in  the  evening  between  nine  and  ten 
of  the  clock  (at  the  farthest),  to  march  from  thence  to  Oakley 
Wood,  the  guides  shall  be  ready  at  Brodwell  Grove  by  eight  of 
the  clock,  to  attend  the  horse,  and  lead  them  to  Oakley  Wood. 
The  forces  which  are  to  march  from  hence  shall  set  forward  at 
the  same  hour  (between  nine  and  ten)  to  be  ready  near  Ciren- 
cester before  the  break  of  day  on  Saturday  morning.  It  is 
desired  that  some  instruments  may  be  brought  to  break  the 
iron  chains,  which  are  fastened  with  locks  to  prevent  the  entrance 
of  horse.  The  word  for  that  foresaid  business  to  be — RUPERT. 

Some  gentlemen  shall  meet  Prince  Rupert  at  Brodwell  Grove, 
to  conclude  other  particulars  about  the  signal,  just  at  the  time  of 
falling  on,  or  ought  else,  if  the  enemy  in  Cirencester  should  stand 
it  out. 

Feb.  1,  1642. 


108          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

at  Farrington,  and  Lord  Hertford  to  Burford.  So  we 
waited  a  fortnight  for  the  return  of  the  enemy ;  meanwhile 
the  city  was  better  fortified  and  garrison  increased. 

About  noon 1  a  very  hot  fight  began  in  Barton  farm-yard, 
not  far  from  the  town.  Some  hundred  of  our  mus- 
keteers, who  lay  under  shelter  of  a  garden  wall,  played 
furiously,  point  blank,  on  the  whole  body  of  the  enemy. 
Here  the  Welshmen  were  seen  to  drop  down  apace ;  but 
still  the  horsemen  behind  them  cried,  "  On,  on,"  and  drove 
them  forward  to  the  wall,  where  our  men  lay,  who  being 
hemmed  in  between  the  enemy  and  the  buildings  which 
they  had  fired  in  their  rear,  they  were  forced  out  of  that 
quarter  to  the  inner  one,  whence,  after  a  short  resistance, 
they  fled  disorderly  to  the  town  and  were  pursued  by  the 
Cavaliers,  who,  without  quarter,  killed  all  they  overtook, 
which  so  enraged  our  men  that  they  fired  on  them  for 
nearly  an  hour  from  windows  in  the  market-place,  purpo- 
sing to  sell  their  lives  and  liberties  as  dear  as  they  could. 
Meanwhile,  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon  entered  the  town  on 
the  north  side,  which  had  been  vigorously  defended  by  our 
party,  till  the  enemy  was  on  their  backs  from  the  other 
side  the  town.  Thus,  about  four  o'clock,  the  town  was 
wholly  won,  firing  ceased,  and  then  the  enemy  took  pri- 
soners, and  fell  to  plundering  all  that  night,  the  next  day, 
and  the  following,  wherein  they  shewed  all  the  barbarous 
insolence  of  a  prevailing  enemy.  The  number  of  prisoners 
that  they  carried  to  Oxford  was,  betwixt  eleven  and  twelve 
hundred.  Amongst  them  were  some  gentlemen  of  eminent 
estates  and  affections  to  their  country,  five  very  godly 
ministers,  divers  commanders  and  others.  These  they  tied 
all  together  in  ropes,  and  made  them  go  a-foot  through 
the  dirt,  which  was  up  to  their  knees  sometimes  on  the 
way  to  Oxford.  We  lost  five  pieces  of  cannon,  near  upon 
twelve  hundred  muskets  and  other  arms,  fourteen  colours 
and  some  ammunition. 

1  Feb.  2,  1642. 


1643.]    PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         109 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  this  account  was 
drawn  up  for  the  Parliament,  and  by  an  enemy  to 
the  Cavaliers.  Doubtless,  the  conduct  of  the  latter 
was  cruel  and  unscrupulous  enough  ;  doubtless,  also, 
we  have  here  the  worst  of  it.  A  few  days  later 
a  more  calumnious  and  utterly  false  account  was 
published,1  concocted  in  London,  and  adapted  for 
that  market. 

Prince  Rupert  threw  the  garrison  off  its  guard 
by  marching  against  Sudeley  Castle,  which  they  of 
Cirencester  attempted  to  relieve ;  falling  on  the 
latter,  he  entered  the  town  pell-mell  with  its  garri- 
son, whilst  Lord  Hertford  assaulted  it  on  the 
opposite  side.  The  governor  Carr,  Gorges  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Parliament,  and  somte  Scotch  officers, 
were  among  the  prisoners.  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  Parliamentary  account  states  that  the  citi- 
zens continued  to  fire  from  the  windows  on  the 
Cavaliers  after  the  latter  had  possessed  themselves 


1  "Relation  of  the  taking  of  Cirencester,"  London,  Feb.  1642. 
— King's  Pamphlets  British  Museum,  vol.  xcv.  No.  7. 

"There  came  letters  also  on  Thursday  last  from  Bristol,  by 
which  we  were  informed  of  the  taking  of  Cirencester  by  Prince 
Robert  on  Friday  last,  that  after  the  town  had  stood  it  out  in 
fight  four  hours,  and  killed  a  great  number  of  the  Cavaliers,  above 
one  thousand ;  as  is  conceived,  the  enemy  shooting  a  grenade 
into  a  barn  full  of  corn  set  it  on  fire,  and  the  smoke  of  which  so 
annoyed  the  townsmen  that  they  were  forced  to  give  ground,  and 
the  enemy  entered  the  town,  and  being  much  enraged  with  their 
losses  put  all  to  the  sword  they  met  with,  both  men  and  women 
and  children,  and  in  a  barbarous  manner  murdered  three  ministers, 
very  godly  and  religious  men." — Special  and  remarkable  Passages 
expounded  to  both  Houses  of  Parliament,  Feb.  9th,  1642  ;  from 
King's  Collection  of  Pamphlets  in  the  British  Museum. 


110         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

of  the  town ;  and  this  is  held,  even  now,  to  justify 
any  severity  against  such  infringers  of  the  stern  rules 
of  war  :  "  the  town,"  says  Lord  Clarendon,  "  yield- 
ed much  plunder,  from  which  the  undistinguishing 
soldier  could  not  be  kept,'  but  was  equally  injurious 
both  to  friend  and  foe ;  so  that  many  honest  men, 
imprisoned  by  the  rebels,  found  themselves  at 
liberty  and  undone  together."  A  considerable 
quantity  of  arms  was  also  taken,  which  proved  of 
great  service  to  the  King,  and  opened  on  the  Prince 
a  shower  of  requests  from  every  one  who  commanded 
a  regiment,  or  pretended  to  be  about  to  raise  one. 
The  capture  of  this  town  was  of  great  importance  to 
the  King,  as  opening  his  communication  through- 
out with  Tewkesttury,  Worcester,  Hereford,  and  the 
heart  of  Wales,  and  solemn  thanks  for  the  victory 
were  offered  up  at  evening  prayer  at  Oxford  on  the 
following  day.  Prince  Rupert  left  a  strong  garrison 
in  Cirencester,  and  proceeded  to  Gloucester,  which 
he  hoped  to  carry  by  a  coup-de-main;  but  Massy 
was  strongly  fortified,  and  defied  him  ;  replying 
to  the  Cavaliers'  summons,  "  that  he  held  the  city 
for  the  King  and  Parliament,  and  would  not  surren- 
der it  to  any  foreign  prince."1  Whenever  his  Cava- 
liers could  not  do  the  work,  the  Prince  was  very 
cautious  of  engaging  himself:  he  found  strong 
walls,  and  well-guarded  gates  at  Gloucester,  and  did 
not  tempt  his  fate :  those  very  walls  were  destined 
afterwards  to  be  fatal  to  the  cause  he  served.2 

1  Saunderson's  Charles  the  First.  2  Ibid. 


1643.]    PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        Ill 

During  the  time  of  these  and  the  preceding 
operations,  the  City  had  been  very  much  agitated. 
The  people  had  found  that  many  of  the  Parlia- 
mentary promises  were  unfulfilled,  and  many  down- 
right false.  They  began  to  petition  their  "  task- 
masters," as  the  Court  Journal  designated  Pym  and 
his  associates,  "  to  make  such  propositions  for  peace 
as  his  Majesty  might  in  honour  comply  with  ;"  they 
attended  the  Houses  with  their  petitions,  as  they 
had  done  before  with  some  of  a  very  different 
character,  and  they  found  a  very  different  reception. 
The  Parliament  now  refused  to  receive  them,  as 
"  being  prepared  by  a  multitude,"  the  very  source 
formerly  of  their  best  recommendation.1  The  town 
council  soon  afterwards  presented  a  petition  to  the 
King  on  their  own  account,  couched  in  the  humblest 
and  most  devoted  language ;  professing  the  utmost 
loyalty,  and  imploring  his  Majesty,  "  on  their  bend- 
ed knees,  to  return  to  London."  The  King  "  con- 
sidered sadly  what  answer  to  return,"  though  this 
petition  was  founded  on  the  requisition  of  his  army 
being  disbanded.  His  answer,  finally,  was  long, 
and  not  very  encouraging:  he  reciprocated  the 
petitioners'  assurances  of  affection ;  but  replied  to 
their  request  that  he  should  return  amongst  them 
with  a  lively  picture  of  the  distracted  and  hopeless 
condition  in  which  he  should  find  himself,  if  he 
accepted  of  their  invitation  ;  if  he  threw  himself  de- 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  385. 


112         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

fenceless  on  the  mercy  of  the  democrats  :  these  men 
had  loaded  him  with  the  foulest  calumnies,  and  such 
reproaches,  as,  if  true,  disqualified  him  from  ever 
being  their  King.  At  the  same  time,  he  offers  a 
free  pardon  to  all  but  those  formerly  excepted ;  he 
promises  that  he  will  return  to  London  "  without 
any  martial  attendance,"  if  his  good  subjects  of  Lon- 
don "  shall  declare  to  defend,  and  only  to  submit  to, 
the  laws  of  the  land;  to  deliver  up  the  four  leaders 
[i.  £.,  the  Lord  Mayor  Pennington,  Pym,  and  two 
others],  who  had  wrought  so  much  misery ;  and,  by 
suppressing  the  force  raised  against  his  Majesty,  to 
prove  that  they  are  willing  and  able  to  defend  his 
person  and  their  own  properties."  Pym  contrived 
to  be  the  first  to  read  and  put  his  own  interpretation 
on  this  answer  to  the  people,  who  replied,  with  an 
acclamation,  "  that  they  would  live  and  die  with  the 
House." 

This  resolution  lasted  as  short  a  time  as  the 
former  one  had  done.  The  desire  for  peace  and 
the  King's  return  was  too  deeply  rooted  to  be 
openly  resisted,  and  the  Houses  at  length  resolved 
to  send  another  deputation  to  the  King,  consisting 
of  the  most  important  members  of  both  Houses 
that  were  then  at  their  command.  It  seems  de- 
plorable that  the  people's  deep  and  honest  aspira- 
tions after  peace  should  have  been  so  mocked  by 
the  intrigues  and  selfishness  of  their  own  leaders, 
and  the  unyielding  temper  of  the  King.  The 
former  could  not  be  expected  to  sacrifice  them- 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         113 

selves,  and  concede  to  their  exasperated  monarch  a 
dangerously  triumphal  entry  ;  the  latter  could  not 
be  expected  to  play  the  puppet  to  men  whom  he 
abhorred,  or  abandon  to  their  vengeance  the  lives 
and  properties  of  his  faithfullest  adherents.  If 
Charles,  with  the  spirit  of  his  ancient  race,  could 
have  then  appeared  before  the  people,  protected  but 
by  their  instinctive  reverence  and  loyalty,  and  ex- 
claimed, "My  people,  /  will  be  your  leader!"  he 
would,  doubtless,  have  been  received  with  enthu- 
siasm :  but,  before  night  his  brief  power  would  have 
vanished.  The  meshes  of  Parliamentary  power 
would  have  tangled  him  with  inextricable  folds,  and 
one  by  one  he  would  have  seen  all  that  was  dear 
to  him,  all  that  he  could  depend  on,  led  to  the 
block  that  still  reeked  with  Strafford's  lawless 
slaughter. 

A  few  days  before  the  battle  of  Cirencester,  the 
Earls  of  Northumberland,  Salisbury,  Pembroke,  and 
Holland,  arrived  at  Oxford,  and  were  received  with 
all  honour  and  respect.  Among  the  falsifications  of 
their  party,  Oxford  had  been  represented  as  in  the 
last  extremity  for  want  of  provisions,  and  in  order  to 
countenance  this  belief,  the  Commissioners  were  fol- 
lowed by  a  train  of  waggons  with  bread,  flour,  and 
other  necessaries  of  life  that  created  great  merri- 
ment at  the  luxurious  University.1 

We  have  now  a  curious  aspect  of  the  state  of 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  403. 
VOL.   II.  I 


114         MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [FEB. 

parties.  The  Commissioners  were  received  on  the 
footing  of  old  friends ;  Cavalier  and  Roundhead  op- 
ponents walked  about,  arm-in-arm,  and  apparently  re- 
united in  ancient  amity ;  the  Commissioners  deploring 
the  unreasonableness  of  their  proffered  terms  of 
peace  ;*  and  their  polite  opponents  probably  rejoining 
with  similar  regrets  as  to  their  own  obstinacies. 
These  terms  were  almost  the  same  as  the  Nineteen 
Propositions  that  professed  to  form  the  Parlia- 
mentary ultimatum  before  the  war.  The  King's  reply 
appears,  from  Lord  Clarendon's  account,  to  have 
been  conceived  in  an  excellent  and  amicable  spirit,2 
but  the  following  letter,  I  fear,  disproves  the  reality 
of  any  hope  held  out  of  peace  on  grounds  of  mutual 
concession.  Before  the  reply  was  given,  Rupert 
had  unfortunately  taken  Cirencester ;  the  first  suc- 
cess of  real  importance  that  had  been  achieved,  and 
that  event  seems  greatly  to  have  qualified  the  King's 
desire  for  a  peace.  On  the  day  after  the  victory, 
this  letter  was  despatched  by 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  410. 

2  May  thus  describes  the  matter.     The  King  (a  week  after 
they  came)  sent  back  the  Commissioners  with  these  propositions 
to  the  Houses ;  his  Majesty  neither  liking  nor  utterly  refusing 
those  they  had  sent  to  him.     1.  That  his  revenue,  magazines, 
towns,  forts,  and  ships,  be  delivered  unto   him.      2.  That  all 
orders  and  ordinances  of  Parliament,  wanting  his  consent,  be  re- 
called.    3.  That  all  power  exercised  over  his  subjects  by  assess- 
ment and  imprisonment,  may  be  disclaimed.     4.  That  he  will 
yield  to  the  laws  against  Papists,  provided  that   the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  be  confirmed.     5.  That  such  persons  as  oppose 
the  treaty  shall  be  excepted  from  pardon,  and  shall  be  tried  only 
by  their  peers.     6.  That  there  be  a  cessation  of  arms  during  the 
treaty. — Hist,  of  Parliament,  lib.  iii.  36. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        115 

SECRETARY  NICHOLAS  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

These  gentlemen,  Mr.  Nevill,  Mr.  Bradburn,  and 
Mr.  Ball  [master-tailors,  I  presume],  are  sent  by  his 
Majesty  to  attend  your  highness's  pleasure,  touching  the 
providing  of  woollen  and  linen  cloth  for  making  clothes 
for  his  Majesty's  army,  if  your  highness  please  to  give 
them  directions  therein,  they  will  be  very  careful  to  obey 
your  commands,  being  all  of  them  very  well  affected  to  his 
Majesty's  person  and  service.  The  welcome  news  of  your 
highness's  taking  of  Cirencester  by  assault,  with  admirable 
dexterity  and  courage,  came  this  morning  very  seasonably 
and  opportunely,  as  his  Majesty  was  ready  to  give  an  an- 
swer to  the  Parliament  Committee,  and  will,  I  believe,  work 
better  effects  with  them  and  those  that  sent  them,  than  the 
gracious  reception  and  answer  they  had  here  from  his  Ma- 
jesty. There  came  about  three  hundred  rebels  yesterday, 
to  Fame,  and  plundered  divers  houses  there,  and  so  returned 
to  Aylesbury,  where  they  have  two  regiments  of  foot,  five 
hundred  dragoons,  and  a  regiment  of  horse.  The  Com- 
mittee returns  to-morrow  for  London  with  their  proposi- 
tions and  his  Majesty's.  God  bless  your  highness,  with  a 
prosperous  success  in  all  your  enterprises  :  so,  prayeth 
affectionately,  Sir,  your  highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

Oxford,  3rd  Feb.  1642-3. 

This  letter  of  Mr.  Secretary's  was  accompanied 
by  another  from  his  Majesty. 

NEPHEW, 

I  will  only  add  to  what  I  wrote  this  morning,  to  de- 
sire you  to  send  me  all  the  arms  you  have  taken,  that,  if  it 
be  possible,  they  may  be  here  by  Monday,  I  know  the 
gentlemen  of  that  country  will  beg  most,  if  not  all  of 
them,  to  arm  their  new  levies,  but  I  must  have  my  old 

i2 


116          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF         [FEB. 

regiments  first  armed ;  therefore,   I  pray  you,  send  me 
these  as  soon  as  you  can,  so,  going  to  bed,  I  rest, 
Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R.1 
Oxford,  3rd  Feb.  1643. 

The  Prince  now  contemplates  an  attack  on  War- 
wick Castle;  and  Lord  Northampton,  Sir  Thomas 
Byron,  and  renegado  Wagstaffe  are  deputed  for  that 
service,  with  Monsieur  La  Roche  as  engineer  and 
"  petarder." 2  Their  expedition  came  to  nothing. 

1  This  is  followed  the  next  day  by  another  from  Mr.  Secretary 
Nicholas,  introducing  a  Mr.  March,  an  "  Officer  of  Ordnance,"  to 
receive  the  said  arms  and  whatever  else  he  can  get.     He  adds 
for  news,  that  '  the  Committee  [from  Parliament]  went  from  hence 
this  afternoon  [Feb.  4]  not  so  well  satisfied  as  (we  think)  they 
ought  to  have  been  with  the  King's  answer.'     Sir  Arthur  Aston 
is  left  quiet  at  Reading,  only  the  Roundhead  garrison  at  Henley 
1  trouble  his  markets.' " 

2  We  received  your   Highness's  directions  by   Monsieur   La 
Roche,  and  we  find  that  he  is  not  provided  for  the  certain  effect- 
ing of  an  attempt  upon  Warwick  castle  ;  so  that  we  have  thought 
fit,  by  a  general  consent  of  us  all,  to  present  your  Highness  with 
our  opinions  before  we  go  on ;  to  which  end  it  is  deferred  one 
night  more,  first,  there  is  two  doors  to  be  forced  one  way,  and 
three  another  ;  one  of  which  must  be  done,  and  he  hath  but  two 
petards.     So  that  he  himself  saith,  if  one  should  fail,  the  design 
was  not  only  lost,  but  it  would  give  warning  to  secure  themselves 
for  the  future.      Next,  the  failing  might  bring  a  greater  durance 
upon  those  now  in  prison  than  yet  they  suffer  ;  besides,  we  con- 
ceive the  not  gaining  it  would  be  some  loss  of  honour,  both  to 
his  Majesty  and  those  who  should  go  about  it.     Notwithstanding, 
we  are  ready  to  venture  our  lives  as  your  Highness  shall  think  fit, 
but  if  there  might  be  two  pieces  of  battery,  that  if  one  way 
failed  it,  the  other  would  be  certain  to  do  the  work.     However, 
we  are  ready  to  perform  your  Highness's  directions  and  com- 
mands, which  we  crave  may  be  sent  speedily  to, 

Sir,  your  Highness's  most  humble  servants, 

NORTHAMPTON,        HAMHUEST, 
J.  WAGSTAFFE,        THOMAS  BYRON, 

J.  GREENE. 
Banbury,  3rd  Feb.  1643,  eight  at  night. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.         117 

The  Prince  was  gone  to  Gloucester,  and  now  re- 
turned to  Oxford,  where  numbers  of  letters  awaited 
his  perusal ;  they  all  congratulated  him  on  his 
"  glorious  victory,"  and  most  of  them  beg  for  some 
of  the  arms  he  won  thereby.  I  am  tempted  to  insert 
one,  forwarded  by  Lord  Digby,  relating  to  the 
memorable  ship-money ;  it  proves  how  loosely  the 
accounts  of  that  detested  tax  were  kept.1 

But  I  have  now  to  offer  a  contrast  to  these  scat- 
tered notices,  in  the  shape  of  a  deliberate  composi- 
tion of  Prince  Rupert.  It  is  curious  to  picture 
this  fiery  and  dreaded  Cavalier  sitting  gravely  down 
in  his  "rooms"  at  Christ  Church,  to  contend  with 
his  enemies  in  print.  It  does  his  Highness  credit 
in  its  way:  it  is  characteristically  resolute,  fear- 
less, blunt,  and  uncompromising.  Nor  does  it  want 
wit  or  sarcasm.  The  charges  he  brings  forward 


1  SIR  HUMPHRY  TRACY  TO  LORD  DIGBY. 
MY  LORD, 

I  have  in  my  hands  the  remainder  of  the  ship-money, 
which  I  levied  when  I  was  sheriff,  it  is  between  one  hundred  and 
two  hundred  pounds  ;  I  had  command  from  the  Parliament  to 
detain  it  in  my  hands  until  I  had  their  further  pleasure,  but  I 
will  adventure  it  for  the  King's  service ;  now  I  am  to  raise  a  troop 
of  horse,  I  beseech  your  lordship  to  move  the  King  that  I  may 
employ  the  remnant  of  the  ship-money  that  way,  that  is  in  the 
hands  of  me  and  my  officers,  which  will  not  amount  to  three  hun- 
dred pounds  in  all  [rather  vague,  Mr.  Sheriff  I],  by  this  way  I 
shall  very  suddenly  advance  the  service  in  raising  of  my  horse, 
and  not  exhaust  the  King's  purse.  I  beseech  you  that  I  may 
have  command  from  you  by  Sir  Baynham  Throckmorton  for  this 
business,  who  is  to  return  suddenly,  so  I  humbly  rest, 
Your  Lordship's  humble  servant, 

J.  HUMPHRY  TRACY. 
Cirencester,  8tli  Feb.  1643. 


118          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

against  his  enemies  on  paper  are  such  as  he  was 
wont  to  make  in  the  field — unsparing,  and  pressed 
home ;  and  there  is  throughout  a  high  and  manful 
spirit  that  lures  us  irresistibly  to  a  cause  so  fear- 
lessly and  frankly  pleaded.  Before  introducing  this 
refutation,  it  seems  advisable  to  give  a  specimen 
of  the  attacks  that  were  made  upon  the  Prince 
by  the  Parliamentary  press :  I  only  quote  one  brief 
extract  from  amongst  many  : — 

Call  Prince  Rupert  to  the  bar :  thou  hast  been  a  right- 
flying  dragon  prince,  and  hast  flew  strangely  up  and 
down  in  this  island,  and  hast  stung  to  death  those  that  for- 
merly preserved  thy  life.  O,  ungrateful  viper,  far  worse 
than  that  in  the  fable  !  Dost  not  thou  think  to  be  sainted 
for  this  ?  Yes,  thou  shalt,  in  this  black  calendar  :  the 
Commons  of  England  will  remember  thee,  thou  flap- 
dragon,  thou  butter-box;  whose  impieties  draw  like  the 
powerful  loadstone.  Speedy  vengeance  on  thy  cursed 
head  !  How  many  towns  hast  thou  fired  ?  How  many 
virgins  hast  thou  ruined  ?  How  many  godly  ministers 
hast  thou  killed  ?  How  many  thousands  hast  thou  plun- 
dered from  his  Majesty's  best  and  most  obedient  subjects  ? 
How  many  innocents  hast  thou  slain  ?  How  many  cursed 
oaths  hast  thou  belched  out  against  God  and  his  people  ? 
How  hast  thou  surfeited  with  the  good  things  of  our  land, 
and  undone  whole  countries  ?  Why  earnest  thou  hither  ? 
Could  not  thy  uncle's  evil  counsel  infect  our  kingdom 
enough,  unless  thou  hadst  a  share  in  it  ?  Thou  hadst  a 
dukedom  already,  and  wouldest  thou  have  a  kingdom  too  ? 
Is  it  that  thou  aimest  at  ?  King  of  Ireland,  or  King  of 
his  Majesty's  best  subjects,  the  Irish  rebels,  the  papists, 
Jesuits,  and  others.1 

1  "  A  nest  of  Perfidious  Vipers."      Printed  for  G.  Bishop,  Sept. 
1644.     4to. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      119 

To  many  attacks  such  as  these,  some  of  which  are 
quite  unfit  for  Puritan,  or  other  perusal,  the  Prince 
thus  replies  :  he  has  been  especially  upbraided  with 
slaughtering  of  children,  and  some  very  godly  per- 
sons have  hinted  that  he  ate  them  too  : — 

PRINCE    RUPERT    HIS    DECLARATION.1 

IT  will  seem  strange  (no  doubt)  to  see  me  in  print,  my 
known  disposition  being  so  contrary  to  this  scribbling 
age ;  and  sure  I  had  not  put  myself  upon  a  declaration,  if 
in  common  prudence  I  could  have  done  otherwise.  I  need 
not  tell  the  world  (for  it  is  too  well  known)  what  mali- 
cious, lying  pamphlets  are  printed  against  me  almost 
every  morning,  whereby  those  busy  men  strive  to  render 
me  as  odious  as  they  would  have  me ;  against  whom  doubt- 
less I  had  sooner  declared,  but  I  well  knew  this  mutinous 
lying  spirit  would  be  easily  convinced,  but  never  silenced ; 
which,  as  it  ceaseth  at  no  time,  so  it  spares  no  person. 
And  this  was  too  manifest  to  me  by  those  bold,  odious, 
and  impossible  untruths  forged  against  his  sacred  majesty, 
their  own  King  and  Sovereign  (and  my  gracious  and  royal 
uncle),  who  is  only  guilty  of  this,  that  he  is  too  good  to 
be  their  King ;  and  to  deal  clearly,  this  it  was  furnished 
me  with  sufficient  patience,  thinking  it  but  reasonable 
that  I  should  be  slandered  as  his  Majesty.  But  since  it 
hath  pleased  my  Lord  Whartoii  to  tell  the  whole  City  of 
London  openly  at  Guildhall,  arid  since  to  tell  it  all  the 
world  in  print,  that  one  great  cause  of  their  preservation 
at  Edge  Hill  was  the  barbarousness  and  inhumanity  of 
Prince  Rupert  and  his  troopers,  that  we  spared  neither 
man,  woman,  nor  child,  and  the  thing  that  we  aim  at  is 

1  Printed  at  London,  1643.  From  the  "reply"  to  this  decla- 
ration, which  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  discover  in  the  vast 
mass  of  tracts  in  the  "  King's  collection,"  I  find  that  it  was 
printed  previously  to  the  16th  of  Feb.  1643. 


120         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

plundering,  and  the  way  that  we  would  come  by  it  is 
murdering  and  destroying;  since  such  a  charge  as  this 
comes  from  such  a  mouth,  I  hold  myself  bound  in  honour 
to  speak  and  tell  that  Lord,  that  as  much  of  his  speech  as 
concerns  me  is  no  truer  than  the  rest  of  it,  which  for  the 
most  part  is  as  false  as  anything  that  hath  been  printed  or 
spoken  in  London  these  two  years ;  and  had  I  known  his 
Lordship's  intention,  I  would  have  asked  his  reason  either 
before  now  or  at  Keinton,  if  his  Lordship  had  stayed  so 
long  as  to  be  asked  the  question. 

But  methinks  I  hear  the  credulous  people  say,  What  ? 
was  not  the  King's  Standard  rescued  from  them  by  force  ? 
were  there  so  many  as  twenty  of  our  men  killed  by  all  the 
King's  cannons  ?  was  not  our  right  wing  long  under  the 
power  of  these  cannons,  so  as  some  seventeen  shot  of 
cannon  shot  against  them,  and  yet  not  a  man  of  ours  so 
much  as  hurt  ?  Nay,  were  there  not  three  thousand  slain 
of  the  King's  army,  and  but  three  hundred  of  ours  ?  If 
these  abominable  untruths  (with  many  more  like  them  in 
his  Lordship's  speech)  be  all  true,  then  shall  he  freely 
charge  me  with  barbarousness  and  inhumanity  ;  but  if 
these  be  most  gross  falsities  (as  many  thousand  worthy 
gentlemen  will  take  their  oaths  they  are),  then  I  must 
profess  I  am  sorry  that  any  Baron  of  the  English  nation 
should  utter  such  foul  untruths,  to  deceive  the  poor 
abused  citizens  of  London  with  false  reports,  and  so  slan- 
der us.  'Twas  ever  my  opinion  that  no  valiant  man 
would  speak  a  known  untruth ;  nor  can  I  blame  his  Lord- 
ship or  any  other's  faint-heartedness  in  so  bad  a  cause  as 
theirs  is,  which  is  doubtless  the  reason  why  such  noblemen 
and  gentry  in  his  Majesty's  army,  who  hitherto  had  spent 
all  their  days  in  peace,  could  then  fight  so  valiantly  ex 
tempore  ;  not  recking  their  lives,  and  forgetting  their  dear- 
est relations  ;  so  as  our  enemies  in  their  hackney,  railing 
pamphlets  were  forced  to  say,  "  The  Cavaliers  (to  give  the 
devil  his  due)  fought  very  valiantly."  And  indeed,  had 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      121 

they  not  shewed  rather  too  much  valour,  our  enemies  had 
less  bottom  whereon  to  sound  any  untruths,  whereof  1 
take  this  relation  to  be  one  of  their  masterpieces  of  forge- 
ries ;  for  that  they  slew  as  many  of  ours  as  we  did  of  theirs, 
is  as  true  as  that  they  beat  us  at  Sherbourne  Castle  and 
at  Worcester. 

Now  for  barbarousness  and  inhumanity  to  women  and 
children,  wherewith  his  Lordship  and  those  impudent  un- 
punished papers  cried  daily  in  the  streets  do  continually 
slander  us ;  I  must  here  profess  that  I  take  that  man  to 
be  no  soldier  or  gentleman  that  will  strike  (much  less  kill) 
a  woman  or  child,  if  it  be  in  his  power  to  do  the  contrary ; 
and  I  openly  dare  the  most  valiant  and  quick-sighted  of 
that  lying  faction  to  name  the  time,  the  person,  or  the 
house  where  any  child  or  woman  lost  so  much  as  a  hair 
from  their  head  by  me,  or  any  of  our  soldiers.  In  a  bat- 
tle where  two  armies  fight,  many  one  hath  unfortunately 
killed  his  dearest  friend,  very  often  those  whom  willingly 
he  would  otherwise  have  spared ;  and  whether  any  woman 
or  child  were  killed  in  this  fight,  is  more  than  I  can  justly 
say  :  I  am  sorry  if  there  were.  I  speak  not  how  wilfully 
barbarous  their  soldiers  were  to  the  Countess  Rivers,1  to 
the  Lady  Lucas  in  Essex,  and  likewise  to  the  like  persons 
of  quality  in  Kent  and  other  places. 

Whom  have  we  ever  punished  for  speaking  against  us, 
as  they  most  Jewishly  whipped  to  death  a  citizen  of  Lon- 

1  The  Countess  of  Rivers  had  a  richly  furnished  house  near 
Colchester.  Some  of  her  Puritan  neighbours  discovered  that 
she  was  "  a  Papist,"  and  decided  that  Babylon  was  the  only  fit 
residence  for  such  persons.  Accordingly  they  attacked  her  house, 
plundered  it  utterly,  and  treated  her  person  with  the  utmost 
indignity.  She  escaped,  however,  and  petitioned  Parliament 
against  her  persecutors  ;  they  took  no  notice  of  her.  Sir  John 
Lucas  had  his  house  similarly  treated,  on  the  excuse  that  he  "  in- 
tended" to  join  the  King ;  he  was  utterly  spoiled  and  thrown 
into  gaol.  Lady  Lucas,  after  suffering  much  indignity,  reached 
London,  and  petitioned  Parliament  without  result. — Clarendons 
Rebellion,iu.  229;  Mercurius Rusticus ;  Whitelocke's  Memorials,  62. 


122          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [FEB. 

don,  for  saying  no  more  than  what  was  included  in  his 
Majesty's  proclamation  ?  But  since  they  name  plunder- 
ing—  whose  moneys,  nay,  whose  arms  have  we  taken 
away,  unless  theirs,  who  actually  had,  or  at  least  declared 
they  would  use  them  against  his  Majesty's  army  ?  And 
for  that  little  cloth  borrowed  for  our  soldiers  (wherewith 
their  pamphlets  make  such  a  noise),  his  Majesty  by  God's 
help  will  see  it  better  paid  for,  than  anything  they  have 
taken  upon  "  public  faith."  What  house  have  we  ransack- 
ed as  they  did  the  Earl  of  Northampton's  ?  mangling  and 
cutting  in  pieces  rich  chairs,  beds,  stools,  and  hangings ; 
drinking  as  much  and  as  long  as  they  were  able,  and  then 
letting  the  rest  run  out  upon  the  floor,  whereas  the  very 
Earl  of  Essex  his  house  at  Chartley  suffered  not  the  least 
damage  by  us.  What  churches  have  we  defaced  as  they 
did  at  Canterbury,  Oxford,  Worcester,  and  many  other 
places  ?  Whose  pockets  have  we  picked  even  to  the  value 
of  three  pence,  under  pretence  of  searching  for  letters,  as 
they  lately  did  in  Gloucestershire,  and  particularly  this 
last  week  at  Windsor  and  Uxbridge  ? 

Is  it  not  their  usual  practice  first  to  plunder  a  man's 
house  of  all  plate  and  monies,  and  then  imprison  him  as  a 
delinquent,  for  no  other  fault  but  because  he  stood  loyal  to 
his  Prince,  as  if  it  were  too  little  to  take  a  man's  estate  un- 
less also  they  rob  him  of  his  innocence  ?  Have  they  not 
now  stuffed  all  the  prisons  in  London  with  earls,  lords, 
bishops,  judges,  and  knights,  masters  of  colleges,  lawyers, 
and  gentlemen,  of  all  conditions  and  counties  ?  for  what 
(God  knows)  they  themselves  know  not ;  insomuch  as  now 
they  are  enforced  to  find  new  prisons  for  the  knights, 
aldermen,  and  substantial  citizens  of  London,  who  are  now 
thrust  in  thither  only  because  they  are  suspected  to  love 
their  King  ?  Have  they  not  by  imprisonment  or  threats 
muzzled  the  mouths  of  the  most  grave  and  learned  preach- 
ers of  London  ;  witness  Doctor  Featley,  Doctor  Hay  ward, 
Dr.  Holdsworth,  Master  Shute,  Master  Squire,  Master 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      123 

Griffith,  and  many  others  (for  so  I  am  informed  these  men 
are),  because  they  preach  that  which  their  conscience  tells 
them  is  the  known  truth  ?  And  who  are  countenanced 
but  ignorant  and  seditious  teachers  ?  Who  (like  the  mass 
priests  of  old)  call  mightily  on  the  people  for  their  plate 
and  money  for  their  patrons  and  themselves — who,  besides 
their  daily  pulpit  treasons,  vent  such  other  divinity  as,  if 
Luther  were  living,  he  would  blush  to  call  them  Protes- 
tants ?  And  if  this  be  not  cruelty,  injustice,  tyranny,  let 
God  and  posterity  judge. 

Now  for  any  looseness  or  incivility  in  our  soldiers,  more 
than  what  is  accident  and  common  to  great  armies,  I  wish 
they  would  not  mention  it,  lest  some  impartial  readers 
who  know  their  courses  understand  it  to  be  meant  for  some 
of  their  own  great  reformers,  who  are  that  way  as  noto- 
riously guilty  as  any  ;  and  for  myself,  I  appeal  to  the  con- 
sciences of  those  lords  and  gentlemen  who  are  my  daily 
witnesses,  and  to  those  people  wheresoever  our  army  hath 
been,  what  they  know  or  have  observed  in  my  carriage 
which  might  not  become  one  of  my  quality,  and  the  son 
of  a  King. 

And  whereas  they  slander  us  for  Popish  Cavaliers,  I 
wish  there  were  no  more  Papists  in  their  army,  than  we 
have  in  ours ;  but  to  me  'tis  no  wonder  with  what  face 
they  slander  us  for  men  disaffected  to  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion, whereas  their  grand  reformers  refuse  to  come  to 
Church.  For  his  sacred  Majesty  I  have  been  a  witness 
here  in  England  (and  all  the  world  knows  he  never  shewed 
himself  otherwise),  and  therefore  hold  it  to  be  my  part 
and  duty  to  tell  them,  that  his  Majesty  is  the  most  faith- 
ful and  best  defender  of  the  Protestant  religion  of  any 
Christian  Prince  in  Europe,  and  is  so  accounted  by  all 
the  Princes  in  Christendom.  And  what  a  gracious  sup- 
porter hath  he  been  in  particular  to  the  Queen  of  Bohe- 
mia (my  virtuous  royal  mother),  and  to  the  Prince  Elector 
my  royal  brother,  no  man  can  be  ignorant  of:  if,  there- 


124         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [FEB. 

fore,  in  common  gratitude  I  do  my  utmost  in  defence  of 
his  Majesty,  and  that  cause  whereof  he  hath  hitherto  been 
so  great  and  happy  a  patron,  no  ingenuous  man  but  must 
think  it  most  reasonable.  And  for  myself,  the  world 
knows  how  deeply  I  have  smarted  and  what  perils  I  have 
undergone  for  the  Protestant  cause, — what  stately  large 
promises  were  offered  me  would  I  consent;  and  what 
a  wretched  close  imprisonment  was  threatened  if  I  re- 
fused to  change  my  religion,  when  I  was  captive  to  the 
Emperor  of  Germany,  enough  to  satisfy  any  man  of 
moderation.  But  if  it  be  not  sufficient,  T  would  to  God 
all  English  men  were  at  union  among  themselves,  then 
with  what  alacrity  would  I  venture  my  life  to  serve  this 
kingdom  against  those  cruel  Popish  rebels  in  Ireland ; 
for  though  I  will  never  fight  in  any  unrighteous  quarrel, 
yet  to  defend  the  King,  religion,  and  laws  of  a  kingdom 
against  subjects  who  are  up  in  arms  against  their  Lord 
and  Sovereign  (and  such  all  good,  wise  men  know  this, 
and  that  in  Ireland  to  be  ;  though  the  pretence  look 
several  ways) :  such  a  cause  my  conscience  tells  me  is 
full  of  piety  and  justice,  and  if  it  please  God  to  end  my 
days  in  it,  I  shall  think  my  last  breath  spent  with  as 
much  honour  and  religion  as  if  I  were  taken  off  my 
knees  at  my  prayers. 

I  think  there  is  none  that  take  me  for  a  coward,  for 
sure  I  fear  not  the  face  of  any  man  alive ;  yet  I  shall  re- 
pute it  the  greatest  victory  in  the  world  to  see  his  Majesty 
enter  London  in  peace,  without  shedding  one  drop  of 
blood ;  where  I  dare  say  (God  and  his  Majesty  are  wit- 
nesses that  I  lie  not)  no  citizen  should  be  plundered  of 
one  penny  or  farthing,  whereby  that  ancient  and  famous 
City  would  manifestly  perceive  how  desperately  it  hath 
been  abused  by  most  strange,  false,  and  bottomless  un- 
truths, for  which  somebody  (without  repentance)  must  be 
ashamed  at  the  day  of  judgement,  if  they  escape  a  condign 
legal  punishment  in  this  world.  I  therefore  conclude 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       125 

with  this  open  profession  (and  I  am  confident  our  whole 
army  will  say  amen  unto  it),  he  that  hath  any  design 
against  the  Protestant  religion,  the  laws  of  England,  or 
hopes  to  enrich  himself  by  pillaging  the  City  of  London, 
let  him  be  accursed  ;  AND  so — WHETHER  PEACE  OR  WAR, 

THE    LORD    PROSPER    THE    WORK    OF    THEIR    HANDS  WHO 

STAND    FOR    GOD    AND    KlNG    CHARLES  ! 

RUPERT. 

As  a  conclusion  to  this  curious  controversy,  I  ap- 
pend an  extract  from  the  reply  to  the  above  chal- 
lenge. It  is  to  be  found  among  the  King's  pamphlets 
in  the  British  Museum,  without  signature. 

There  cannot  be  any  great  prudence  discovered  in  suf- 
fering yourself  to  be  held  out  to  the  people  as  the  chiefest 
instrument  that  hath  caused  this  cruel  and  unheard-of 
calamity  ;  no  more  than  in  casting  this  general  aspersion 
upon  the  nation,  as  if  it  did  not  deserve  to  be  governed  by 
so  good  and  great  a  king  as  his  Majesty. 

The  people's  goodness  alone  made  them  give  to  the 
Queen  of  Bohemia  so  many  great  and  free  contributions, 
and  now  you  have  not  only  taken  away  their  wills  but 
their  means  of  ever  doing  the  like ;  having  brought  us  to 
so  wretched  a  condition  that  we  shall  never  hereafter  have 
leisure  to  pity  her,  but  rather  consider  her  as  the  mother 
of  our  calamities. 

Now,  your  highness  would  make  us  believe,  contrary  to 
our  own  sense,  that  we  lost  more  men  than  you  at  Kein- 
ton  ;  though  double  the  number  we  want  were  found  slain, 
with  stale  mutton,  hens,  and  turkeys,  in  their  mouths, 
hands,  or  knapsacks — the  known  marks  of  your  high- 
ness's  hospitalities  ;  and  of  men  of  note  you  want  forty  for 
one,  and  might  have  done  more,  but  that  they  saved  them- 
selves by  turning  Highlanders,  as  you  call  them,  being 
not  furnished  with  a  spirit  of  extempore  fighting. 


126          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [FEB. 

I  dare  not  accept  the  brave  challenge  you  make,  because 
I  number  no  kings  amongst  my  ancestors ;  yet,  this  I  will 
promise  you,  on  the  word  of  a  gentleman,  if  I  meet  you  in 
the  field  before  this  is  composed,  I  shall  endeavour  to  send 
your  highness  into  another  kingdom,  where  there  is  no 
plundering. 

For  profaning  of  churches,  you  know,  at  Kingston, 
your  horses  stood  in  the  chancel,  and  their  women  lay  in 
the  body  of  the  church,  which  was  too  immodest  to  be 
done  before  the  picture  of  our  Lady,  therefore  the  soldiers 
are  the  less  to  be  blamed  that  removed  it.1 


A  circumstance  occurred  at  this  time  which  varied 
the  monotony  of  political  events,  and  afterwards 
permanently  affected  them.  The  Queen  had  been 
nearly  a  year  in  Holland,  conciliating  with  admira- 
ble tact  the  Protestant  and  Republican  States,  not- 
withstanding their  prejudices  and  the  influence  of 
Strickland,  the  Parliamentary  Ambassador.  She 
had  already  despatched  Goring,  as  I  have  mentioned, 
with  two  hundred  experienced  officers,  and  three 
thousand  stand  of  arms,  to  the  King.  His  arrival 
had  given  a  favourable  turn  to  the  northern  affairs, 
for,  with  all  his  villanies,  he  was  a  daring  and  skil- 
ful leader.  He  inspired  energy,  too,  into  the  Earl  of 
Newcastle,  with  whose  luxurious  habits 2  he  sympa- 

1  Extracts  from  an  answer  to  "  Prince  Rupert's  Declaration," 
printed  Feb.  16,  1642-3,  in  the  King's  collection  of  pamphlets. 

2  Lord  Newcastle's  Lucullian  mode    of  making  war  is    thus 
commented   on   by   the   critic    of    the   "  Oxford   Incendiaries " 
(printed  for  Robert  White,  1643)  : — "  As  for  Newcastle,  he  is  one 
of  Apollo's  whirligigs ;  one   that  when   he  should  be  fighting, 
would  be  toying  with  the  Nine  Muses,  or  the  Dean  of  York's 
daughters  ;  a  very  thing  ;  a  soul  traducted  but  of  perfume  and 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        127 

tbized  perfectly,  but  at  the  same  time  he  turned  his 
wit  to  practical  account.  As  General  of  his  horse, 
he  held  a  command  claiming  considerable  indepen- 
dence, and  had  reduced  Fairfax  to  the  two  garrisons 
of  Cawood  Castle  and  Selby.  The  Queen  being 
informed  that  Yorkshire  was  thus  ready  to  receive 
her,  sailed  from  Scheveiin  on  the  19th  of  January.1 
She  was  escorted  by  the  gallant  Van  Tromp,  who 
also  convoyed  for  her  twelve  transports  laden  with 
military  stores.  A  violent  storm  assailed  her  in  the 
channel,  but  she  bore  up  against  its  dangers  cheer- 
fully ;  comforting  her  distressed  ladies  with  the 
assurance  that  Queens  of  England  were  never 
drowned.  She  was  amused,  too,  by  the  confessions 
of  her  officers,  who  shouted  aloud  their  most  secret 
sins  into  the  preoccupied  ears  of  the  sea-sick  priests  : 
proclaiming  more  gossip  secrets  in  a  few  minutes  of 
despair  than  would  naturally  have  transpired  in 
as  many  years.  The  little  fleet  was  beaten  back 
after  a  fortnight's  tough  battle  with  the  elements, 
and  two  of  the  transports  were  lost.*  On  the  20th 


compliment ;  a  silken  general  that  ran  away  beyond  sea  in  a 
sailor's  canvass,  &c."  [He  had  first  made  a  good  many  of  the 
Roundheads  run,  though  clad  in  steel  and  buff.] 

1  "  A  Brief  Relation  of  the  Queene's  Sailing,"  printed  by  H. 
Hall,  March  3,  1642,  in  Mr.  Bentley's  collection. 

2  Miss  Strickland's   Henrietta  Maria,  p.   96,   &c.     The  per- 
tinacity with  which  storms  beset  the  Queen  in  all  her  voyage, 
was  too  striking  a  circumstance  to  escape  the  eagerly  watchful 
observation  of  the  Puritan  preachers.     The  pamphlets,  too,  made 
adequate  use  of  her  Jonah  fatality ;  and  one  of  them  thus  dilates 
upon  this  voyage.     "  The  Irish   rebels  call  her  their  generalis- 
simo ;  whatsoever  she  willed,  they  acted I  wonder  not  at 


128          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

of  February,  the  Royal  squadron  at  length  came  to 
an  anchor  in  Burlington  Bay ;  but  the  Queen  did 
not  venture  to  land  until  the  22nd,  by  which  time 
the  Earl  of  Newcastle  had  heard  of  her  arrival,  and 
sent  an  escort  of  a  thousand  Cavaliers  to  meet  her 
Majesty.  The  gallant  Montrose  had  just  arrived 
from  Scotland,  at  York,  and  accompanied  the  Cava- 
liers to  Burlington,  anxious  to  pay  his  homage  to 
the  only  sovereign  he  was  permitted  to  approach.1 
The  Queen  then  ventured  to  land  in  her  hostile 
realm,  and  the  transports  began  to  disembark  their 
stores ;  but  it  required  ten  days  to  procure  horses 
to  transport  their  Jading  to  the  interior,  and  to  put 
the  Queen's  train  in  motion.  Van  Tromp  watched 
over  his  charge,  but  at  a  distance,  on  account  of  the 
size  of  his  ship ;  while  the  Parliamentary  Vice- 
Admiral  ran  close  in  shore  on  the  night  of  the 
22nd,  and  at  daylight  on  the  following  morning  he 
opened  fire  on  the  house  where  the  Queen  was 
sleeping.  She  retired  with  some  risk  out  of  the 
Roundhead's  range,  and  Van  Tromp  soon  obliged 
the  only  sailor,  perhaps,  who  ever  fired  on  a  woman, 
to  retire.2  The  Dutchman  excused  himself  for  not 


Neptune's  rage,  for  she  never  crossed  the  sea  but  a  tempest  fol- 
lowed, which  shews  that  she  is  of  no  Halcyon  brood." — Oxford 
Incendiaries,  1643. 

1  Napier's  Montrose,  ii.  179.     He  was  forbidden  the  King's 
presence  through  Hamilton's  intrigues. 

2  The  captain  who  commanded  the  guns  was  taken  soon  after- 
wards, tried  by  court-martial,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.     The 
Queen  reprieved  him  with  a  touching  reproof. — Miss  Strickland's 
Henrietta  Maria,  p.  103.     It  is,  perhaps,  worth  notice,  as  an 


1043.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       129 

having  sooner  interfered  because  he  was  prevented 
from  seeing  what  was  going  on  by  a  mist ;  but  the 
probability  is,  that  he  feared  the  States  would  disap- 
prove of  any  act  of  hostility  against  the  Parliament. 
The  Lords  desired  to  reprehend  Batten  for  "  this  out- 
rage against  her  Majesty,"  but  the  Commons  screened 
him  ;  and  Henry  Martyn  maintained  that  the  Queen 
was  "  no  Majesty  at  all,  but  only  a  fellow-subject."1 
During  the  days  of  the  Queen's  stay  at  Burlington, 
her  time  was  not  idly  passed.  The  presence  of  Roy- 
alty, and  that  in  the  person  of  a  heroic  woman, 
produced  a  great  effect  on  the  chivalrous ;  and  the 
powerful  armament  and  wealth  that  accompanied 
her  had  its  influence  on  the  baser  sort.  Of  the  for- 
mer was  Sir  Hugh  Cholmondeley,  who  abandoned  the 
Parliament's  cause  for  her  fair  and  Royal  sake,  and 
gave  up  to  his  Queen  their  castle  of  Scarborough 
as  a  peace-offering :  of  the  latter  were  the  two 
Hothams,  who  only  sought  for  an  opportunity  to 

artillery  statistic,  that  "  Batten  fired  crosse-barre  shot  and  bul- 
lets of  twelve  pounds  weight." — Naworth  Almanack.  The  brief 
relation  I  have  before  quoted  is  in  a  pamphlet  in  Mr.  Bentley's 
possession. 

1  To  one  of  some  intercepted  letters  from  the  Hothams,  taken 
at  this  time,  and  published  immediately  in  Oxford,  there  is  the 
following  P.S. — "  I  hear  the  Lords  would  have  you  disavow  the 
captain  for  shooting  at  Burlington  ;  pray  tell  all  my  friends  my 
opinion,  that  if  you  do,  you  will  discourage  all  men  of  honour 
and  worth  to  serve  you.  J.  HOTHAM. 

Beverley,  April  7,  1642. 

Either  the  Queen  or  Madame  de  Motteville  had  read  this 
pamphlet,  or  it  was  taken  from  her  Majesty's  own  words,  which 
are  identical  with  those  in  the  old  print,  such  as  "  the  two  cannon 
shot ;"  "  the  ditch  like  that  at  Newmarket,"  &c. 

VOL.  II.  K 


130          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [MAR, 

purchase  the  King's  favour  and  impunity  by  the 
town  of  Hull.  At  length  the  Queen  set  forth  across 
the  Wolds  to  York,  attended  by  her  Cavaliers,  with 
two  mortars,  six  guns,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty 
waggons  laden  with  money,  arms,  and  ammunition. 
Her  cavalcade  increased  daily ;  all  who  joined  it 
were  fascinated  by  her  qualifications  as  "  She-Ma- 
jesty Generalissima"  as  she  called  herself.  She  rode 
all  the  way,  took  her  meals  in  sight  of  her  army, 
sought  no  shelter  from  wind  or  rain,  and  so  trium- 
phantly arrived  at  York.1  Here  she  was  obliged  to 
make  a  long  residence,  as  the  enemy  lay  in  force 
everywhere  between  that  city  and  Oxford.  The 
garrison  of  Northampton  kept  all  that  county  for 
the  Parliament ;  in  Warwickshire  the  King  had  no 
footing,  Lord  Brook  vigilantly  held  its  chief  town 
and  his  own  castle :  while  Coventry  shrewdly  took 
care  of  itself.  Lord  Grey  of  Groby  possessed  Lei- 
cester and  its  county:  and  the  much-derided  but 
lucky  Sir  John  Gell  held  Derbyshire.  Staffordshire 
was  "associated"  with  these  other  counties  under 
Lord  Brook,  as  General.2  The  Queen's  arrival, 
however,  produced  such  an  effect  at  York  that 
Fairfax  retired  to  Pomfret  ;  Lincoln  was  invaded 
by  the  Cavaliers,  and  Grantham  taken  by  the  gallant 
Charles  Cavendish. 

Meanwhile,  at  Oxford  the  King  was  busily  en- 
gaged with  a  deputation  from  Scotland,  headed  by 

1  Miss  Strickland,  p.  102.       2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  452. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       131 

the  Earl  of  Loudon  and  Mr.  Henderson.  They 
gave  and  received  but  little  satisfaction,  and  left 
Oxford  to  proceed  to  Scotland  to  arrange  for  a 
fresh  rebellion  there,  under  a  safe-conduct  from  the 
King.  New  propositions  had  also  been  received 
from  the  Parliament,  desiring  a  cessation  of  arms, 
on  terms  to  suit  their  own  views.1  Lord  Clarendon 


1  The  following  speech  was  uttered  about  this  time,  and  con- 
tributed, no  doubt,  to  compel  the  Parliamentary  leaders  to  make 
some  sort  of  proposition  for  the  King.  I  do  not  know  any  speech 
in  which  so  few  words  contain  more  forcible  reasoning  or  more 
pathetic  pleading.  The  true-hearted  man  who  spoke  it  died  soon 
after.  On  the  17th  of  February,  Sir  Benjamin  Rudyard  thus 
addressed  the  House  : — 

"  SIR, — The  main  business  is,  whether  we  shall  have  a  treaty 
or  no ;  and  this  concerns  us  in  all  that  we  have  and  are.  As  for 
the  propositions  [i.  e.  the  nineteen]  I  have  not  known  nor  heard 
that  all  the  propositions  in  any  treaty  of  importance  were  ever 
swallowed  whole.  If  some  be  harsh  and  rough,  they  may  be 
wrought  and  suppled  by  wise  treaters, — made  fit  for  an  acceptable 
agreement.  If  others  be  unpassable  they  may  be  rejected.  Those 
that  are  our  unquestionable  rights  may  be  so  claimed  as  such,  and 
firmly  held.  Mr.  Speaker,  we  have  already  tasted  the  bitter, 
bloody  fruits  of  war ;  we  are  grown  exceedingly  behind-hand  with 
ourselves  since  we  began  it.  I  have  long  and  thoughtfully  ex- 
pected that  the  cup  of  trembling  which  hath  gone  round  about 
us  to  other  nations  would  at  length  come  in  amongst  us  :  it  is 
now  come  at  last,  and  we  may  drink  the  dregs  of  it,  which  God 
avert !  Then  is  our  comfort  left,  that  our  miseries  cannot  last 
long  —  we  must  fight  as  in  a  cock-pit ;  we  are  surrounded  by  the 
sea.  We  have  no  stronger  hold  than  our  own  skulls  and  our  own 
ribs  to  keep  out  enemies,  so  that  the  whole  kingdom  will  sud- 
denly be  one  flame.  It  hath  been  said  in  this  House  that  we  are 
bound  to  prevent  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood  :  who,  Sir,  shall 
be  answerable  for  all  the  innocent  blood  which  shall  be  spilt  here- 
after if  we  do  not  endeavour  a  peace  by  a  speedy  treaty  1  Certainly 
God  is  as  much  to  be  trusted  in  a  peace  as  in  a  war.  It  is  he 
that  giveth  wisdom  to  treat  as  well  as  courage  to  fight,  and  suc- 
cess to  both  as  it  pleaseth  him.  Blood  is  a  crying  sin  :  it  pollutes 
the  land  :  Why  should  we  defile  our  land  any  longer  ?  Where- 
fore, Mr.  Speaker,  let  us  stint  blood  as  soon  as  we  can.  Let  us 

K2 


132          MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

desired,  however,  that  the  cessation  should  be 
granted ;  the  Queen  wrote  from  York  strenuously 
against  treaties  of  any  such  nature  :  for  the  present, 
therefore,  there  was  no  cessation.  Lichfield  was 
besieged  by  the  Parliamentary  forces1  under  Lord 
Brook,  whose  fanatical  spirit  was  strongly  moved 
at  the  sight  of  the  noble  cathedral,  and  with  all  the 
prelatic  associations  and  sacerdotal  attributes  that 
it  conjured  up.  His  forces  marched  to  the  assault 
singing  the  149th  Psalm,- — 

"  To  execute  on  them  the  doom 
That  written  was  before,"  &c. 

Their  guns  thundered  a  refrain,  and  the  town-gates 


agree  with  our  adversaries  in  the  way  '  by  a  short  and  wary  treaty. 
GOD  DIRECT  us  !'" — Sir  Benjamin  Rudyard,  17th  February,  1643, 
for  a  speedy  treaty  of  Peace  ;  King's  Collection,  95,  15. 

1  The  subjoined  letter  from  Lord  Northampton  is  the  last  I 
have  from  him — probably  one  of  the  last  he  ever  wrote ;  he  died 
most  bravely  in  battle  a  few  days  after  : — 

SIB, 

I  have  just  now  received  intelligence  that  my  Lord  Ches- 
terfield is  besieged  in  the  close  at  Lichfield,  by  an  express  mes- 
senger from  his  lady,  and  that  Sir  William  Brereton's  forces,  and 
Sir  John  Gille's,  lie  so  between  his  lordship  and  Colonel  Hastings 
that  he  cannot  possibly  come  to  his  aid.  I  have  a  messenger  of 
my  own  that  confirms  it,  and  informs  me  that  my  Lord  Brook's 
forces  are  between  a  thousand  and  fifteen  hundred  men.  And 
that  his  intention  is  (if  he  effects  this  business)  to  march  to 
Stafford.  I  have  also  intelligence  from  Warwick,  that  there  is 
not  now  left  above  thirty  soldiers  in  the  Castle,  divers  being  run 
away  since  my  Lord  Brook  went,  and  very  few  left  in  Coventry ; 
and  the  townsmen  and  soldiers  at  great  variance,  but  kept  under, 
being  disarmed.  These  coming  just  now  to  me,  though  I  have 
sent  now  off  some  of  them  this  day  already,  yet  I  thought  fit  to 
write  speedily  to  you,  that  you  might  inform  his  Majesty  there- 
with. So  in  haste  I  rest,  sir, 

Your  assured  friend  and  servant, 
Banbury,  2nd  March,  Ifi42.  NORTHAMPTON. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.       133 

burst  open  to  the  psalm-singers.     They  marched  in 
triumph   through   the  streets;    but   the  cathedral, 
with  all  its  beauty  and  abominations,  was  not  so 
easily  won.     A  deep  and  wide  moat  surrounded  the 
"Close," — a  spacious  green   still   surrounding   the 
cathedral,  and  surrounded  by  the  residences  of  the 
official  clergy.     Some  mounds  had  been  thrown  up 
on  the  inner  bank  of  the  moat ;  the  houses  in  the 
Close  were  pierced  with  loopholes,  and  some  small 
guns  were  mounted  on  the   central  tower  of  the 
Cathedral.     Under  a  stout-hearted  and  experienced 
leader,    this    "  consecrated    fortress "    might    have 
resisted  for  a  long  time,  as  afterwards  it  did  when 
garrisoned  by  those  who  reviled  its   sanctity,    and 
desecrated  its  cathedral.     Nature  and  art  had  made 
the  position  strong,  and  sentiment,  more  powerful 
than   either,  might  have  rendered  it  impregnable. 
The  defenders  fought  in  the  presence  of  their  coun- 
trywomen, under  the  very  shadow  of  their  ancient 
church.     They  had  not  even   the  poor   excuse  of 
want  to  enervate  their  courage  :    herds  of  cattle, 
and  provisions  of  all  sorts,  had  been  accumulated 
there  for  safety.     But  Lord   Chesterfield  was  not 
capable   of  turning  either   his   moral    or   physical 
resources  to  account :   the  place  was  almost  tamely 
yielded,   on   the   craven   conditions  of  mere  quar- 
ter.    "Thereby,"    says     Lord    Clarendon,    sarcas- 
tically,   "many  persons    became  prisoners,    of    too 
good    quality    to   have   their   names  remembered." 
This   siege  is  memorable   for   the   death   of   Lord 


134         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

Brook,1  one  of  the  few  heroic  leaders  the  Parliamen- 
tary party  had  produced.  He  was  a  man  without 
vices,  but  his  errors  were  so  vehement  as  to  be  crimes 
nevertheless,  he  was  a  high-spirited,  gallant  man ; 
faithful  to  the  cause  in  which  he  faithfully  believed 
the  truth  to  rest.  On  the  morning  of  his  death  he 
had  prayed  with  and  preached  to  his  troops,  as 
was  his  custom  :  he  intended  an  assault  upon  the 
temple  of  popery  and  superstition,  which,  in  his 
imagination,  stood  there  before  him,  and  "  he  sought 
a  sign  from  heaven  in  approbation  of  his  intent." 
He  stood  by  one  of  his  guns,  and  raised  the  visor 
of  his  helmet  to  examine  the  point  of  attack : 


1  Robert  Lord  Brook  was,  at  the  age  of  four,  adopted  as  a 
son  by  his  cousin  Sir  Fulke  Grreville.  He  had  strong  Republican 
and  Puritan  tendencies,  and  it  was  only  when  a  spirit  arose  in 
England,  in  opposition  to  Government,  that  he  laid  aside  the 
scheme  he  had  formed  in  conjunction  with  Lord  Say,  of  seeking 
liberty  in  New  England.  These  two  noblemen  positively  refused 
to  make  the  protestation  of  loyalty  required  by  the  King  of  his 
nobility.  He,  however,  accepted  office  from  him  as  one  of  the 
Commissioners  for  the  treaty  held  at  Ripon  with  the  Scots,  but 
on  the  removal  of  that  treaty  to  London,  he  distinguished  him- 
self by  most  earnest  endeavours  to  crush  the  whole  fabric  of 
Church  and  State,  being  amongst  the  first  to  oppose  the  Royal 
cause  in  the  field.  Milton,  nevertheless,  praises  his  spirit  of 
toleration,  as  expressed  in  "  a  Discourse  concerning  the  Nature  of 
that  Episcopacy  which  is  exercised  in  England."  Sir  W.  Dug- 
dale  speaks  of  Lord  Brook  as  "  a  person  who  for  the  nobleness 
of  his  extraction  and  many  personal  endowments,  deserved  a 
better  fate, — at  least,  to  have  fallen  in  a  better  cause ;  and  who, 
had  he  lived  (it  is  believed  by  his  friends),  would  soon  have  seen 
through  the  pretences  of  a  faction."  It  depended  on  what  form 
those  pretences  assumed.  He  married  a  daughter  of  the  fourth 
Earl  of  Bedford,  and  his  line  is  continued  through  a  posthumous 
son  to  the  present  Earl  of  Warwick. — Lord  Orford  ;  Lodge; 
Clarendon. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      135 

at  that  moment  "dumb  Dyot's"  bullet  pierced  his 
brain,  and  he  fell  dead.1 

Sir  John  Gell,  a  man  whose  reputed  character  is 
too  romantically  evil  to  be  true,  succeeded  to  Lord 
Brook's  command  :  his  troops  consisted  of  "  good, 
stout,  fighting  men ;  but  the  most  licentious,  un- 
governable wretches  that  belonged  to  the  Parlia- 
ment."2 By  this  dastardly  commander's  order,  his 
soldiers,  as  they  advanced  to  the  assault,  held  chil- 
dren, and  other  relatives  of  the  defenders,  before 
them,  to  receive  the  fire  of  the  garrison,  which  then 
became  less  rapid,  but  very  deadly  where  it  struck. 
Nevertheless,  in  three  days  the  Close  surrendered. 

Scarcely  was  the  Royal  flag  lowered  by  the  dis- 
honoured governor,  when  Lord  Northampton  drew 
near  with  his  forces  from  Banbury.  The  letter  I 
last  quoted  had  brought  him  a  reply  that  led  him  to 
his  last  field.  On  finding  his  assistance  vain  for 
Lichfield,  this  gallant  Earl  turned  aside  to  Staf- 

1  "  A  judgement,"  quoth  the  Royalist  writers  of  the  time  ;  "  for 
mark  you,  he  prayed  to  be  enabled  to  destroy  St.  Chad's  church 
on  St.  Chad's  day,  and  he  was  smitten  with  a  bullet  made  from 
the  lead  that  covered  St.  Chad's  church."     Even  Lord  Clarendon 
yields  to  the  impressiveness  of  a  coincidence,  which  those  who 
observe  that  the  world  is  not  ruled  according  to  human  passions, 
will  hesitate  to  attribute  more  weight  to.     Milton's   retort   to 
Charles  II.,  whether  genuine  or   not,   bears  strongly  on  these 
"judgement"  matters.     The  King  is  said  to  have  attributed  the 
poet's  blindness  to  his  rebellion  ;  Milton  remonstrated.     "  What 
crimes  then,  Sire,  must  your  royal  father  have  committed,  who 
lost  not  only  his  eyes  but  his  head  1"     This  siege  is  lightly  passed 
over  by  most  historians,  but  Mr.  Gresley's  well-known  little  vo- 
lume has  collected  all  the  authorities,  and  many  from  original  MSS. 

2  Mrs.  Hutchinson's  Memoirs,   London,   1846,  p.   127,  where 
see  a  character  of  Sir  John  Gell,  drawn  with  skilful  bitterness. 


136          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR, 

ford,  where  some  country  gentlemen  had  resolved 
to  make  a  stand,  and  to  garrison  it  for  the  King. 
Some  days  after,  on  the  19th  of  March,  which  fell 
upon  a  Sunday,  the  most  frequent  battle-day,  it  was 
reported  that  Sir  John  Gell  was  advancing  against 
Stafford.     The  Earl  at  once  resolved  to  give  him 
the  meeting  in  the  open  country,  his  Cavalier  forces 
consisting  of  cavalry,  and  little  adapted  for  a  siege. 
He  had   scarcely  proceeded   two   miles,  when   he 
found  not   only  Sir  John    Gell,  but   Sir  William 
Brereton  also,  with  1500  foot,  drawn  out  onHopton 
Heath, — each  flank  protected  by  a  mass  of  brush- 
wood, and  their  rear  by  some  coalpits  and  broken 
ground.     The  Earl's  troops  amounted  to  about  nine 
hundred  men, — his  enemies  mustered  two  thousand  ; 
but  the  Cavaliers  were  all  mounted,  and,  had  the 
odds  been  greater,  they  were  not  men  to  hesitate. 
As  soon  as  they  could  form  they  advanced,  the  Earl's 
three  sons  commanding  each  a  troop, — Sir  Thomas 
Byron  the    reserve.      The    Roundhead    horse    was 
utterly  broken  by  the  first  charge ;  the  Earl  hastily 
re-formed  his  line,  and  charged  again ;  carried  their 
battery  of  eight  guns,  and  dashed  in  among  their 
foot ;  there,  in  struggling  over  the  broken  ground, 
the  Earl's  horse  fell,  and  his  furious  men  swept  on, 
unconscious  of  their  leader's  need  :  before  he  could 
rise,  the  enemy  gathered  round  him  ;  their  colonel 
fell  by  the  Earl's  hand :  at  the  same  time  the  butt- 
end  of  a  musket  knocked  off  his  own  helmet,  and 
left  him  exposed  to  a  score  of  hungry  weapons;  yet 


1643.]        PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        137 

he  was  offered  quarter,  as  he  still  bravely  and  hope- 
lessly fought  on.     "I  scorn  your  quarter,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "  base  rogues  and  rebels  as  ye  are !"    At 
the  same  moment  he  was  struck   down   from  be- 
hind, and  fell  dead,  but  unconquered,  amongst  his 
enemies:   they  had  scarcely  time  to  carry  off  his 
body  before  his  victorious  horse  returned,  when  too 
late,  to  seek  their  leader.     It  was  a  mournful  battle 
they  had  won :  the  gallant  voice  that  had   so  long 
led  them  on  to  victory  was  now  silent;   his  son, 
Lord  Compton,  had  been  wounded  and  carried  off 
the   field,    and    Byron   was    also    hors    de    combat. 
The   Cavaliers   buried   their    dead,    collected  their 
trophies,   colours,  guns,  ammunition,    and  personal 
spoil,  and  retired,  as  if  defeated,  into  Stafford.     A 
"  trumpet "  was  sent  to  ask  for  their  leader's  body ; 
but  Sir  John  Gell  refused  to  take  less  in  exchange 
for  it  than  all  the  spoil  and  prisoners  that  had  been 
captured.      The    young    Lord   Northampton    then 
besought  leave  for  his  surgeon  to  embalm  the  body 
that  he  might  give  it  burial  among  his  ancestors  in 
better  times ;  but  this,  too,  was  refused.1 

No  braver,  truer,  or  more  chivalrous  nobleman 
followed  the  King's  Standard  than  he  who  was  lost 
this  day.  He  was  one  whom  trial  had  ennobled 
and  redeemed  "  from  the  luxury  and  licence  of  the 
time,  which  was  then  thought  necessary  to  great 
fortunes.  But,  from  the  beginning  of  the  war,  as  if 

i  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  458  j  Perfect  Journal,  No.  42  ; 
Sir  W.  Brereton's  Letter. 


MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [MAR. 

he  had  been  awakened  out  of  a  lethargy,"  he  became 
self-denying,  patient  of  hardship,  prodigal  of  his 
wealth,  ease,  and  life.1  With  him  fell  Captains 
Middleton,  Bagot,  Biddulph,  and  Spencer  Lucy, 
son  and  heir  to  Sir  Thomas  Lucy,  of  Shakspearian 
memory. 

At  Oxford  there  was  again  much  discourse,  and 
even  some  hope  of  a  peace :  the  Commissioners  had 
returned  thither  from  London,  to  treat  of  peace, 
prefacing  their  treaty  with  another  for  a  cessation 
of  hostilities.  The  latter  was  soon  waived,  as  being 


1  Sir  William  Brereton's  letter,  which  adds  that  the  writer 
"  saw  Lord  Northampton's  body  naked  and  spoiled  that  night,  as 
they  were  carrying  him  away."  I  subjoin  an  interesting  letter 
from  the  young  Earl  to  Prince  Rupert,  asking  for  a  continuance 
in  his  brave  father's  post  of  danger : — 

THE  EARL  OF  NORTHAMPTON  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

SIR, 

I  thought  it  my  duty,  affairs  standing  as  they  do,  and  I 
untimely  having  an  unwished  for  honour  fallen  upon  me,  by  the 
unfortunate  death  of  the  Earl  of  Northampton,  to  let  your  High- 
ness understand  how  his  military  commands  at  this  present  stand. 
He  was  raising  a  regiment  of  horse,  and  had  already  raised  three 
troops,  besides  his  own,  two  of  which  were  here  present  at  the 
battle  ;  the  other  was  sent  back  from  Henley  in  Arden  to  Ban- 
bury,  for  the  security  of  that  garrison,  whereof  the  Earl  of  North- 
ampton was  governor,  —  his  foot  regiment,  excepting  some 
commanded  men,  being  left  there  for  the  defence  of  the  town 
and  castle.  If  it  shall  please  his  Majesty  and  your  Highness  to 
confer  those  commands  which  were  my  father's  on  me,  none  shall 
be  more  willing  to  do  his  Majesty  service  (according  to  my  weak 
abilities)  with  life  and  fortune.  I  will  not  trouble  your  High- 
ness with  the  relation  of  what  hath  passed  ;  you  will  hear  by 
better  hands  of  all  particulars.  So  craving  pardon  for  my  bold- 
ness in  troubling  you,  I  shall  always  remain, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

NORTHAMPTON. 

[No  date.] 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        139 

less  essential,  and  equally  difficult  to  adjust  as  the 
former.1  Meanwhile,  if  all  had  depended  on  the 
ambassadors,  there  appeared  to  be  no  reason  to  post- 
pone a  treaty  for  a  single  week;  they  assumed  a 
most  friendly  and  confidential  character.  The  Earl 
of  Northumberland  kept  a  magnificent  table,  at 
which  the  King's  councillors  were  frequent  guests ; 
and  there  matters  of  moment  were  familiarly  dis- 
cussed.2 It  was  proposed  confidentially  that  the 
Church  should  not  be  abandoned  to  the  Democrats, 
that  being  a  point  concerning  which  they  were  least 
solicitous ;  but  that  the  militia  should  be  given  in 
some  manner,  and  as  some  security.  There  was  a 
private  overture  made  that  the  King  should  restore 
the  Earl  of  Northumberland  to  his  post  of  Lord 
High  Admiral,  to  smooth  the  whole  transaction. 
The  Queen,  according  to  Lord  Clarendon,3  spoiled 
all  their  fair  prospects,  on  which  not  only  Mr.  Hyde 
but  Cavalier  Bulstrode  had  founded  great  hopes.4 
The  following  correspondence,  both  on  Pym's  part 


1  Life  of  Clarendon,  i.  160.         a  Whitelocke's  Memorials. 

3  Life  of  Clarendon,  i.  155.  The  King's  affection  for  the 
Queen  was  ....  a  composition  of  conscience  and  love,  and  gene- 
rosity and  gratitude ;  insomuch  that  he  saw  with  her  eyes  and 
determined  with  her  judgment.  She  was  admitted  to  the  know- 
ledge and  participation  of  the  most  secret  affairs ;  and  thought 
she  should  dispose  of  all  favours  and  preferments  as  Buckingham 
had  done.  And  she  did  not  more  desire  to  be  possessed  of  this 
power  than  that  all  mankind  should  take  notice  that  she  was 
possessed  of  it.  And  it  was  her  Majesty's  and  the  kingdom's 
misfortune  to  have  no  person  about  her  who  had  ability  or  affec- 
tion to  inform  and  advise  her  of  the  temper  and  the  humour  of 
the  people,  or  who  thought  it  worth  caring  for. 

*  Bulstrode's  Memoirs,  p.  92. 


140         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

and  the  King's,  will  shew  that  neither  of  the  chief 
authorities,  at  all  events,  really  expected  peace. 
The  Commissioners  were  withdrawn  by  Parliament 
on  the  very  day  appointed ;  and  on  the  same  day 
(March  17)  Essex  marched  against  Reading.  He 
alone  seems  to  have  respected  the  idea  of  a  peaceable 
termination  to  the  treaty ;  for  Brook  was  besieging 
Lichfield,  Gell  threatening  Stafford,  and  Prince 
Rupert  away  by  Bristol,  attracted  by  some  Royalists 
within  that  town,  who  promised  to  open  the  gates  to 
his  troops.  The  following  letter  from  the  King  shews 
what  large  discretionary  power  was  confided  to  the 
young  General  of  Horse,  either  to  assault  Gloucester, 
or  to  follow  Waller  to  the  south,  as  he  saw  best. 

THE  KING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

(Mostly  written  in  cypher.) 

NEPHEW, 

If  it  please  God  to  prosper  you  in  the  taking  of  Bris- 
tol, I  then  recommend  to  your  consideration  the  assisting 
of  the  west ;  because  I  hear  that  Sherborne  is  possessed 
for  me,  and  likely  to  be  lost  if  not  relieved,  Waller  being 
gone  thither.  I  write  not  this  to  put  the  thought  of 
Gloster  out  of  your  mind,  but  only  to  lay  all  before  you, 
that  you  may  choose  the  best,  being  best  able  to  judge, 
being  upon  the  place  ;  so  I  rest 

Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

Oxford,  8th  March,  10  in  the  morning,  1643.  CHARLES   R. 

P.S.  Nephew — With  this  dispatch,  which  goes  into  the 
west,  I  think  you  shall  do  well  to  remember  to  send  the 
same  power  for  giving  out  commissions  to  my  Lord  Hopton 
which  you  gave  to  Goring,  otherwise  commissions  will  be 
given  in  a  disorderly  way,  or  levies  must  be  stopped  for 
fault  of  them.  C.  R. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.         141 

The  Bristol  design  was  defeated,  and  the  Royalist 
conspirators  were  hanged.1  Rupert,  in  consequence, 
returned  to  Oxford,  as  this  letter  from  Pym  informs 
us.  It  was  intercepted  by  the  Cavaliers,  and  lies 
among  the  Prince's  papers, — proving  how  little  the 
writer  expected  peace. 

JOHN  PYM,  M.P.,  TO  SIR  WILLIAM  WALLER. 

NOBLE  SIR, 

We  shall  be  very  glad  to  hear  where  you  are  upon  all 
opportunities,  that  we  may  dispose  of  all  accidents  that 
may  have  any  relation  to  you  accordingly.  We  hope  you 
will  find  Bristol  well  assured,  and  Gloucester  without  any 
great  difficulty  to  be  relieved.  If  in  your  passage  you 
can  suppress  the  malignants  of  Dorset  and  Somersetshire, 
and  put  the  weekly  assessment  in  a  way  of  being  settled, 
you  shall  therein  do  very  good  service. 

Prince  Rupert  is  returned  to  Oxford,  and  upon  notice 
thereof,  my  Lord-General  did  recall  that  party  of  his 
army  which  was  advanced  as  far  as  Tame,  towards  Ox- 
ford, and  they  say  put  them  in  some  confusion.  Our  arti- 
cles for  the  cessation  [are]  as  far  from  determining  as  ever. 
I  believe  the  King's  forces  will  hardly  wander  so  far  from 
home  as  they  have  done.  This  is  all  you  can  for  the  pre- 
sent receive  from  me  besides  the  affectionate  well- 
wishes  of,  Sir,  your  very  humble  servant, 

JOHN  PYM. 

Westminster,  this  14th  March.  1643. 

1  A  brief  relation  of  a  most  cruel,  hellish,  and  bloody  plot 
against  the  City  of  Bristol,  hatched  and  contrived  by  the  malig- 
nant of  the  said  City ;  Prince  Rupert  and  Lord  Digby,  their  fellow- 
cavaliers,  sons  of  Belial,  and  others  of  that  accursed  crew.  .  .  . 
Happily  discovered  and  prevented  on  the  7th  instant  March. 
Ordered  by  the  House  of  Commons  to  be  printed,  March  13, 
1643.  [This  was  whilst  the  treaty  was  proceeding.]  A  pamphlet 
in  Mr.  Bentley's  possession. 


142         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

There  is  also  a  letter  from  Lunsford,  which  states 
that  Sir  William  Waller  was  at  Bath  on  the  14th, 
and  at  Bristol  on  the  15th.1  On  the  19th,  Sir  John 
Culpepper  writes  to  the  Prince  that  his  Highness's 
intended  attack  upon  Aylesbury  ( where  Colonel 
Bulstrode  commanded)  is  known,  and  advises  him  to 
give  a  promise  of  free  pardon  to  the  soldiers  and 
burghers  therein,  with  impunity  of  plundering.2  On 
the  22nd,  Hines,  Governor  of  Cirencester,  writes 
that  Waller  has  taken  Malmesbury ;  and  on  the  24th, 
that  he  has  drawn  off  his  troops  to  Gloucester, 
where  Lord  Herbert  has  "  been  very  hard  in  fight 
all  day,"  and — he  might  have  added — was  utterly  de- 
feated. On  the  same  day,  a  very  long  letter  arrives 
from  the  Earl  of  Derby,  who  has  been  acting  very 
decidedly  in  Lancashire ;  I  only  give  some  extracts 
from  this  curious  and  instructive  epistle  below.3 

1  The  writer  states  that  he  is  in  a  condition  to  defend  his  gar- 
rison (Malmesbury)  from  all  your  Highness's  enemies. 

2  The  Prince,  however,  found  it  too  strong  to  attempt :  he  tried 
it  again  on  the  24th,  but  found  Essex  on  his  path.     The  word 
plunder  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  our  language  by  Prince 
Rupert  (Bishop  Warburton's  Notes  to  Clarendon).     It  must  have 
taken  root  very  rapidly,  even  admitting  that  his  Highness  culti- 
vated what  he  planted.     I  find  it  in  several  letters  of  this  date  : 
May  (History  of  the  Parliament,  published  1647)  has  it  several 
times,  and  yet  says  it  was  a  new  word. 

3  THE  EARL  OF  DERBY  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

SIR, 

Your  own  experience  may  inform  you  the  misfortunes  that 
wait  on  war,  of  which  I  needs  must  tell  you  some  happened 
here  very  lately  ;  but,  that  I  may  be  rightly  understood  by  his 
Majesty,  I  beseech  you  represent  me  right  unto  him. 

The  Spanish  ship  which  perished  on  the  shore  had  divers 
goodly  pieces  of  ordnance  in  her,  which  by  reason  the  enemy  had 
them  in  possession,  I  thought  good  to  spoil  them  if  I  could, 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       143 

Thus  the  old-fashioned  year  ends  on  the  25th  of 
March: — the  loyal  cause  prevailing  in  the  north  and 
west,  and  at  least  losing  no  ground  in  the  central 

and  so  did  burn  the  ship ;  being  advised  by  the  Spaniards  so  to 
do,  they  knowing  that  their  master  would  well  like  that  any  ill 
might  be  unto  the  rebels  of  our  King  :  I  believe  most  now  are 
useless,  but  a  few  may  do  us  great  hurt.  You  were  mistaken, 
sir,  when  you  wrote  to  me  in  your  last  letter,  that  you  conceived 
the  Spaniards  were  prisoners  with  me,  for  I  set  them  free,  having 
found  them  in  great  distress.  I  hope  they  will  not  make  my  son 
worse  used  when  I  send  him  into  Spain,  for  what  they  have  found 
with  me.  These  cannons,  sir,  being  carried  into  the  castle  of 
Lancaster, — which  is  strong  for  the  enemy,  having  a  tower  in  it 
which  held  them  divers  soldiers,  who  commanded  the  country 
round  about  them,  and  many  of  his  Majesty's  good  subjects,  and 
my  good  friends  much  suffering  there, — I  ventured  with  some 
few  forces  to  go  there,  and  by  the  way,  the  people  had  the  grace 
to  rise  with  me,  but  God  knows  unarmed  (and  you  know  my 
plaints  of  old  for  arms  from  my  Lord  Newcastle).  When  I  came 
before  the  town  I  summoned  it  in  his  Majesty's  name,  and  the 
mayor  (as  I  heard),  counselled  by  the  commanders  for  the  Par- 
liament, made  me  so  slight  an  answer,  after  I  expected  it  almost 
a  whole  day,  that  I,  enraged  to  see  their  sauciness  against  so  good 
a  Prince,  made  bold  to  burn  the  greatest  part  of  the  town,  and  in 
it  many  of  their  soldiers,  who  defended  it  very  sharply  for  two 
hours,  but  we  beat  them  into  the  castle,  and  I,  seeing  the  tower 
clear  from  all  but  smoke,  spared  the  remainder  of  that  town,  and 
laid  siege  unto  the  castle.  There  was  no  woman  or  child  suffered, 
or  any  but  those  who  did  bear  arms,  for  so  I  gave  directions  to 
my  soldiers,  except  some  three  or  four  that  I  think  as  likely  to 
be  killed  by  them.  Having  got  some  advantage  (which  was  the 
first  that  I  ever  had  since  these  unhappy  times),  I  thought  well  to 
slip  on  to  Preston,  a  march  of  twenty  long  miles ;  and  then  I 
summoned  that  town,  which  again  did  say  they  were  resolved  to 
defend  themselves  ;  and  so  did,  having  fortified  the  town,  and 
some  three  or  four  hundred  men  in  it,  sufficient  to  give  them  con- 
fidence :  it  held  out  but  two  hours,  when  I  mastered  it,  by  slaying 
divers  of  their  men,  and  lost  not  any  of  our  own  to  speak  of. 

Certainly,  sir,  if  it  had  pleased  God  and  the  King  that  I  had 
but  three  hundred  men  armed,  or  arms  for  so  many,  I  could  have 
done  some  service  worth  the  knowing.  And  if,  please  God,  no 
foreign  force  do  come  against  us,  we  may  be  in  some  good  pos- 
ture yet.  But  I  beseech  you,  sir,  remember  the  misfortunes  in 
Lichfield,  and  in  Cheshire,  as  also  that  it  is  thought  great  forces 


144          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     %[MAR. 

parts  of  the  kingdom  ; l — the  Queen  stationary,  and 
apparently  very  well  contented  to  be  so,  at  York ; 
writing  rather  imperious  and  very  hurtful  letters  to 
the  King,  from  time  to  time. 

Lord  Herbert,  of  Glamorgan,  having  raised  a 
little  army  at  his  own  cost,  with  the  rapidity  of 
magic,  sat  down  before  Gloucester;  he  magnificently 
entertained  all  his  officers  at  his  own  expense,2  and 
longed  to  signalize  at  once  his  faith  and  faithfulness 
by  the  conquest  of  the  town.  But  suddenly  Sir 
William  Waller  marched  away  from  the  south,  fell 
on  the  Welsh  army,  and  captured  or  utterly  annihi- 

are  coming  here,  which,  if  they  be  not  followed  by  Prince  Rupert, 
or  some  considerable  force  immediately,  will  undo  us  all.  I  will 
ask  you  also  pardon  for  the  long  relation  of  a  poor  matter,  and 
desire  your  sure  belief  of  my  being, 

Your  humble  servant,  for  all  the  power  of          DERBY. 
Preston,  March  22,  1642. 

1  LETTERS  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT  AT  THIS  PERIOD  NOT  FURTHER 
QUOTED. 

March  26,  Lord  Digby  says  his  Highness's  reputation  hath  wrought 
upon  the  rebels  :  that  he  understood  Prince  Rupert 
is  going  northward,  and  requests  permission  to  ac- 
company him. 

„  26,  R.  Herbert  applies  to  be  governor  of  Malmesbury,  and 
for  "  a  warrant  for  600£.  on  Kingsbridge  Hundred." 

„  26,  Wilmot  writes  that  the  King  approves  of  his  High- 
ness's  move  northward,  and  gives  him  choice  of 
what  troops  to  take. 

„  26,  Capel  to  Lord  Falkland,  concerning  Prince  Maurice's 
proposed  move  to  Staffordshire. 

„  27,  Wilmot  congratulates  his  Highness  on  some  nameless 
skirmish,  and  complains  of  want  of  money. 

„  27,  Lords  Northampton  and  Hastings  write  that  they  have 
had  orders  to  attend  his  Highness's  march,  and 
recommend  Wolverhampton  instead  of  Stafford  as 
his  route. 

2  See  his  letter  in  the  Appendix. 


FROM  A  VERY  RARE    PORTRAIT  DRAWN  AND  ENGRAVED  BY  "W  EATTHORNE 


Richa-rcL  Bendey,  1649. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      145 

lated  it  in  a  few  hours :  and  Lord  Herbert  returned 
disappointed  but  not  disheartened  to  the  King.1  Sir 
William  proceeded  to  capture  Hereford,  Monmouth, 
and  Chepstow ;  outmanoeuvred  the  brave  but  some- 
what stolid  Prince  Maurice,  and  returned  to  London 
in  triumph. 

At  the  Court  there  has  been  as  much  tranquillity 
as  daily  debates  between  the  Parliamentary  and 
Royal  commissioners  would  allow.  The  King  has 
entertained  his  foes  at  Christchurch,  and  received 
compliments  and  even  luxuries  from  the  Earl  of 
Northampton.  Some  changes  have  taken  place  in 
the  ministry.  Mr.  Hyde  has  at  length  accepted 
office  as  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  with  the 
honour  of  knighthood,  and  Sir  John  Culpepper  is 
Master  of  the  Rolls.  The  privy  council  consists 
of  the  noble-minded  and  blameless  Duke  of  Rich- 
mond,2 the  profound  but  inefficient  Lord  Keeper 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv. 

2  James  IV.,  Duke  of  Lennox  and  Richmond  (in  1 641),  son 
of  Esne,  third  duke,  and  eldest  brother  of  George  Lord  Aubigny,  * 

*  This  Lord  Aubigny  once  made  use  of  an  expression  that, 
beautiful  in  itself,  reveals  much  character :  "  I  thank  God,"  said 
he  to  a  scoffing  courtier,  "  I  can  undergo  the  martyrdom  of  a 
blush."  "His  blood  was  more  royal  now  it  was  shed  for  our 
good  King,  than  that  the  blood  of  many  flowed  within  his  veins." 
— Lloyd's  Loyalist.  His  widow  writes  this  almost  unintelligible 
letter  on  the  31st  of  March,  which  hints  at  some  matters  of  interest, 
and  is  characteristic  of  the  fair  intriguante.  She  was  daughter 
of  the  Earl  of  Suffolk  :— 

KATE  LADY  D'AUBIGNY  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

SIR, — In  giving  you  this  trouble,  when  there  is  possibility 
that  by  ....  serve  you,  which  by  conveying  my  cousin  Vavasor 
deliv  ....  probability  of,  and  thereof  ....  me  leave  to  tell 

VOL.  II.  L 


146         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAB. 

Littleton ;  the  popular  but  unbusiness-like  Marquis 
of  Hertford,  and  his  brother,  the  just,  but  uncourtly 

who  fell  at  Edgehill,  October  23,  1642.  "I  put  the  Duke  of 
Richmond  at  the  head  of  the  Royalist  Lords,  not  only  on  the 
account  of  the  honour  he  had  of  being  nearly  related  to  the 
King,  and  of  the  same  family,  although  not  of  the  same  branch, 
with  King  James  I.,  but  also  on  the  account  of  his  personal 
qualities.  He  was  but  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  the  King 
made  him  a  Privy  Councillor,  and  married  him  to  the  Duke  of 
Buckingham's  daughter,  one  of  the  richest  matches  in  the  king- 
dom. His  wit,  his  courage,  and  his  affection  to  the  King,  made 
him  worthy  the  esteem  and  favour  of  the  Court.  But  two  qua- 
lities which  he  had,  prevented  his  being  serviceable  to  the  King, 
who  loved  him.  The  one  was,  his  too  great  diffidence  of  himself ; 
the  other  (quite  opposite)  too  great  haughtiness  in  point  of 
honour.  By  the  first  he  rendered  himself  too  dependent,  and  by 
the  latter  too  obnoxious.  Always  faithful  to  the  King,  and  not 
being  able  to  prevent  his  tragical  death,  he  took  care  of  his 
funeral.  He  was  proscribed  by  the  Parliament  in  1642." — De 
Larrey's  Reign  of  Charles  /.,  ii.  66. 

you  that  the  design  of  Warwick  hath  been  long  discovered,  which 
was  the  cause  Essex  would  not  let  Vavasor  go  thither.  If  my 
Lord  Lindsey  may  come  to  London,  and  be  committed,  as  Vavasor 
is  told  it  is  intended,  a  friend  of  ....  hath  undertaken  to  help 
him  away  if  he  shall  desire  it.  Essex  hath  been  very  inconstant 
in  disposing  of  Col.  Vavasor  ;  it  may  be  prejudicious  to  his  credit 
at  Court ;  he  may  do  some  service  here,  and  make  his  .... 
when  it  may  be  most  serviceable  to  his  Majesty.  Col.  Vavasor 
never  saw  Mr.  Offlye,  but  he  thinks  he  ought  not  to  have  much 
credit  concerning  Essex,  who  expresses  himself  extremely  ob- 
stinate, indeed  like  one  out  of  hope  ....  that  intended  to 
make  himself  m  .  .  .  .  humble  desire  to  ....  King,  of  as 
much  ....  think  fit,  and  to  return  your  pleasure  to  me,  that 
....  be  informed  how  to  dispose  of  himself,  and  with  all 
you  will  infinitely  oblige  him  by  giving,  when  you  write,  a  right 
impression  of  him  at  the  Queen's  Court.  I  am  so  strait  of  time 
as  I  cannot  say  what  I  would,  yet  I  will  not  conclude  till  I 
have  entreated  you  not  to  let  be  known  to  any,  to  keep  this  intel- 
ligence from  yourself.  I  am  sure  will  receive  no  interpretation 
that  shall  be  prejudicial  to 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  servant,         K.  ATJBIGNY. 

March  the  last. 

I  hope  you  have  received  my  other  letters. 
Oxford,  March  31,  1642. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        147 

Lord  Seymour;  the  conscientious  and  melancholy 
Earl  of  Southampton;  the  speculative  and  irreso- 
lute Earl  of  Leicester ;  the  supercilious  and  gar- 
rulous Earl  of  Bristol;  the  false  and  designing 
Lord  Savile,  the  Earl  of  Newcastle,  the  Earl  of 
Berkshire,  Lord  Dunsmore,  Lord  Falkland,  Sir 
John  Colepepper,  Secretary  Nicholas,  and  the 
biographer  of  all  —  the  Chancellor,  Sir  Edward 
Hyde.  These  constituted  a  formidable  body  for 
the  transaction  of  business,  which  naturally  was  ill 
executed  in  consequence.  We  can  scarcely  wonder 
that  the  King  preferred  a  direct  correspondence 
with  his  straightforward  nephew;  and  transferred 
a  considerable  portion  of  military  power  from 
the  interminable  contradictions  of  such  a  coun- 
cil, to  the  resolute,  uncompromising  hands  of  his 
young  and  ardent  General  of  Horse.  At  this  time 
it  appeared  good  to  the  King's  council,  as  it  always 
did  to  himself,  to  endeavour  to  open  a  communica- 
tion with  the  Queen.  The  council  felt  the  want 
of  her  money  and  her  powder ;  the  King,  of  her 
own  dangerous  presence.  Besides,  there  was  a 
large  disposable  force  not  particularly  engaged,  and 
the  restless  and  reckless  troopers  might  as  well  be 
hewing  their  way  to  the  north  as  quarrelling  about 
quarters,  or  ransacking  the  exhausted  Royal  vicin- 
age. Rupert's  own  proposition  was  to  burst  his  way 
through  the  associated  counties,  and  all  their  gar- 
risons, to  join  the  Queen  at  York,  and  escort  her 
back  to  Oxford  in  triumph.  The  proposal  was 

L  2 


148         MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

approved  of,  and  the  Prince  set  forth  on  his 
hazardous  expedition  about  the  end  of  March.  I 
must  not  omit  to  call  attention  to  a  virulent  attack 
upon  the  Prince,  published  about  this  time  in 
London,  and,  with  some  coarse  art,  pretended  to 
be  written  by  the  Queen  of  Bohemia  and  the  Prince 
Elector.  It  is  entitled, 

"  The  best  news  that  ever  was  printed — Prince  Rupert's 
resolution  to  be  gone  to  his  mother,  who  has  sent  for 
him  "  *  [and  is  supposed  to  write  as  follows,  together 
with  the  Elector  Palatine]  : 

We  do,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God,  and  of 
all  the  whole  world,  and  in  the  sight  of  all  good  men,  in 
no  manner  approve,  allow,  give  consent,  or  any  way  coun- 
tenance the  unjust  and  unruly  actions  of  my  son  Prince 
Rupert,  now  in  England ;  and  so  do  I,  the  same  with  the 
Queen,  my  dear  mother,  by  the  same  vow  disrelish  and 
hate  all  those  outrages  and  cruelties  of  my  brother,  Prince 
Rupert.  And  it  grieves  us  at  our  very  souls  for  the  inhu- 
man cruelties  we  hear  he  commits ;  whose  passion  we  can- 
not confine,  and  whose  hot  spirit  we  cannot  calm,  nor  dis- 
suade him  from  acting  by  the  lawful  means  which  we  have 
used,  as  by  letters,  messages,  and  intimate  friends.  And 
our  petition  and  desire  is,  to  the  Honourable  Houses  of 
Parliament,  that  our  annual  pensions  may  be  duly  paid  us, 
which  is  our  chiefest  livelihood  under  God ;  and  that  we 
may  not  suffer  and  languish  for  his  sake,  whose  action  and 
behaviour  we  cannot  help.  Hoping  that  both  Houses  of 
Parliament  will  speedily  consider  your  petitioners,  &c. 

About  the  beginning  of  April,  Prince  Rupert  left 
Oxford,  with  twelve  hundred  horse  and  dragoons,  and 

1  London,  printed  for  I.  A.,  1642-3.  The  King's  collection  of 
pamphlets,  British  Museum. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        149 

about  six  hundred  foot.1  On  his  way  he  received  this 
further  incitement  to  prosecute  his  northern  course 
with  speed :  on  his  chivalrous  nature  such  objects  as 
the  rescue  of  a  persecuted  lady,  and  the  restoration 
of  a  Queen,  must  have  acted  with  powerful  effect, 
and  made  disappointment  doubly  difficult  to  bear. 

COUNTESS  OF  DERBY  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MONSEIGNEUR, 

Toute  a  1'heure  je  viens  de  recevoir  les  mauvaises 
nouvelles  de  la  perte  de  Wigan  a  6  milles  de  cette  place. 
Elle  n'a  tenue  que  deux  heures  et  a  ete  effrayee ;  mon  mari 
etoit  a  12  milles  et  devant  qu'il  peut  etre  pret  de  la 
secourir,  ils  se  sont  rendus.  Au  nom  de  Dieu,  Mon- 
seigneur,  prenez  pi  tie  de  nous ;  et  si  vouz  apparaissez,  vous 
pourrez  le  reconquerir  bien  agrement  et  avec  bien  de 
1'honneur  pour  votre  altesse.  Je  ne  sais  ce  que  je  dis, 
mais  ayez  pitie  de  mon  mari,  mes  enfans,  et  moi,  qui 
sommes  perdus  pour  tout  jamais  si  Dieu  n'a  pitie  de 
nous,  et  votre  altesse  ;  a  qui  je  suis, 

Monseigneur,  tres  humble  et  tres  obeissante  servante, 

C.  DE  LA  TREMAILLE. 
k  Ladhom,  ce  1  d'avril,  1643. 

The  romance  of  all  this,  however,  was  abundantly 
qualified  by  matters  of  fact  incidental  to  his  posi- 
tion. In  proof  of  this,  I  fear  I  must  ask  the  reader's 
perusal  of  the  subjoined  grave  letter  from  Secretary 

1  In  "Special  Passages,"  No.  xliii.  (King's  Collect.)  "Rupert 
marched  against  Birmingham,  attended  by  Lords  Denbigh  and 
Digby."  His  dragoons'  accoutrements  are  thus  described  : — "  They 
were  double-armed,  almost  all,  with  a  musket  before  and  an 
Irishwoman  (which  seems  ridiculous,  but  is  a  truth,)  behind. 
His  foot  furnished  with  pikes,  half-pikes,  halberds,  hedge-bills, 
Welsh  hooks,  clubs,  pitchforks,  with  chopping-knives,  and  pieces  of 
scythes.  Thus  this  ragged  regiment  marched. 


150         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF    [APRIL, 

Nicholas,  especially  as  it  relates  to  historical  mat- 
ters of  some  moment.1     There  are  very  many  such. 


1   MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  hath  commanded  me  to  give  you  an  account 
of  the  affairs  here,  which  I  shall  do  plainly,  and  with  a  real 
affection  to  serve  your  Highness  without  any  end  or  design.  The 
four  days'  treaty  with  the  Committee  ending  on  Friday  last, 
between  his  Majesty  and  them,  the  King  sent  to  London,  that 
there  might  be  a  further  time  given  to  treat  of  the  cessation ; 
and  on  the  proposition  having  then  newly  received  from  London, 
their  reason  why  they  could  not  consent  to  his  Majesty's  Articles 
of  Cessation,  (which  his  Majesty  hath  since  fully  and  at  large 
answered,)  waives  the  matter  of  free  commerce,  and  insists  reso- 
lutely that  during  the  cessation  there  may  be  no  plundering  on 
either  side  j  to  which  purpose  also  his  Majesty  is  putting  forth  a 
proclamation,  prohibiting  upon  severe  penalties  plundering,  or 
taking  of  any  rents  or  goods  of  any  person  who  hath  approved 
his  loyalty  to  his  Majesty  by  attending  on  him,  or  contributing 
to  him.  As  for  the  King's  forces  beyond  Trent,  his  Majesty  for- 
bears to  agree  to  any  cessation  concerning  the  same,  until  he 
shall  be,  from  the  Earl  of  Newcastle,  fully  informed  of  the  state 
of  his  army  in  the  north,  and  how  the  condition  thereof  may 
consist  with  a  cessation.  This  morning,  Sir  Peter  Killegrew  is 
come  from  London,  with  a  farther  power  for  the  Committee  here 
for  four  days  more,  to  treat  with  the  King ;  but  it  is  most  apparent 
that  those  at  London  have  no  real  intentions  or  inclination  to 
peace, — the  Common  Council  there  having  lately  delivered  a  very 
insolent  petition  against  it,  and  their  leading  (or  rather  mislead- 
ing) ministers  preaching  against  it  in  their  pulpits.  The  King 
hath  commanded  me  to  tell  Prince  Rupert*  that  his  Majesty 
desires  the  Prince  to  keep  himself  to  his  instructions ;  for  that 
there  is  little  or  no  hope  of  any  good  to  be  done  upon  the  treaty. 
Colonel  Goring,  with  twelve  hundred  foot  and  four  hundred 
horse,  hath  near  Leeds  defeated  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  (the  man 
most  beloved  and  relied  upon  by  the  rebels  in  the  north);  he 
hath  slain  of  the  rebels  two  hundred  on  the  place,  taken  the 
colours,  and  about  eight  hundred  prisoners,  besides  good  store  of 
munition.  The  rebels  have  quitted  Tadcaster,  Cawood  Castle, 
and  Selby,  and  are  now  most  of  them  about  Leeds  and  Pomfret ; 
but  it  is  conceived  they  will  not  stay  long  there  :  this  news  came 
hither  the  last  night  by  express  from  York,  I  fear  I  have  bored 


*  This  and  other  expressions  are  in  cypher. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       151 

We  now  resume  our  march,  passing  through 
Stratford-upon-Avon,  then  Henley-in-Arden,  and  at 
length  approaching  ill-fated  Birmingham;  a  town 
"  as  famed  for  hearty,  wilful,  affected  disloyalty  to 
the  King  as  any  place  in  England."  l  Nor  did  this 
ill-reputed  place  confine  itself  to  theoretic  hostility : 
the  citizens  had  seized  some  Royal  carriages  with 
precious  plate,  had  apprehended  several  Royal  mes- 
sengers, and  now,  to  sum  up  all,  refused  the  angry 
Rupert's  summons  to  admit  him  within  the  walls. 
The  defenders  had  cast  up  some  slight  works  at 
either  end  of  the  town,  and  barricaded  the  streets : 
for  the  rest,  I  let  the  sufferers  and  assailants  speak 
for  themselves,  as  they  told  their  story  then. 

The  town  of  Birmingham 2  perceiving  that  for  their 
faithful  allegiance  to  the  King  and  Parliament,  they  had 
derived  the  hatred  of  Popish  and  profane  malignants  upon 
themselves ;  and  that  since  the  noble  Lord  Brook's  death, 
those  parts  of  the  country  began  to  be  much  infested  with 
divers  troops  of  robbers  and  plunderers,  resolved  to  arm 
themselves  as  well  as  they  could,  for  the  defence  of  them- 
selves and  estates.  The  week  before  Easter,  information 
came  that  Prince  Rupert,  with  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred 
men,  with  four  drakes3  and  two  sakers,  was  upon  his  march 

your  Highness  with  my  tedious  relation,  which  I  beseech  you  to 
pardon,  because  it  proceeds  from  a  hasty  desire  to  express  myself, 
Sir,  your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 
Oxon,  4th  April,  1643. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  31. 

a  "Prince  Rupert's  Burning  Love  to  England  discovered  in 
Birmingham's  Flames."  London,  May,  1643.  King's  Collect. 
105,  No.  8. 

3  A  piece  of  artillery  carrying  from  4-  to  6-lb.  shot :  it  was  so 


152         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

at  Stratford  and  Henley  in  Arden,  ten  miles  from  Bir- 
mingham, pillaging  the  country.  It  was  hoped  he  might 
pass  by  them :  but  afterwards,  perceiving  his  design  was 
on  Staffordshire,  the  minister  of  the  town  entreated  the 
captains  and  chiefs  of  the  town  not  to  think  of  such  an 
impossible  defence,  they  having  scarce  six  score  mus- 
keteers, but  to  secure  their  lives  by  marching  out,  though 
their  goods  be  hazarded.  The  captains  and  chiefs  were 
ready  to  embrace  this  resolution,  but  the  middle  and  in- 
ferior sort  of  people  would  by  no  means  consent ;  so  they 
all  resolved  to  stand  upon  their  guard.  On  Easter  Mon- 
day, Prince  Rupert's  forces  approached  the  town,  be- 
twixt two  and  three  of  the  afternoon,  and  presently 
assaulted  it,  only  one  hundred  musketeers  opposing,  and 
they  divided  into  several  ends  of  the  town ;  yet  these,  for 
a  good  while,  kept  the  enemy  off  their  works  till  they 
fired  two  or  three  thatched  houses,  and  their  horse  broke 
into  the  fields,  re-entered  the  back  sides  of  the  town 
through  lake  and  meadow  ;  which  obliged  our  townsmen 
to  retreat  back  into  the  town  and  charge  them  as  they 
came  up,  but  were  presently  forced  to  scatter  and  fly  for 
their  lives.  The  Cavaliers  rode  through  the  streets  like  so 
many  furies  or  bedlams,  Lord  Denbigh  in  the  front,  sing- 
ing as  he  rode  ;  they  shot  at  every  door  and  window  where 
they  could  espy  any  looking  out ;  they  hacked,  hewed,  or 
pistolled  all  they  met  with,  blaspheming,  cursing,  and 
damning  themselves  most  hideously.  They  pursued  after 
a  troop  of  horse,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Greaves, 
who,  after  a  little  flight,  wheeled  about  and  most  stoutly 
charged  them.  The  captain  received  five  wounds,  but 

called  from  Draco.  They  called  other  species  of  guns  "  Basilisks," 
from  the  serpent  of  that  ilk  (this  was  a  48-pounder,  and  called  a 
"  warning  piece"  in  Vicars's  account  of  the  capture  of  Bristol)  ; 
there  were  "culverins"  (18-pounders,  and  "demis,"  9-pounders), 
from  Coloevres  (another  sort  of  serpent)  ;  "  falcons,"  6-lb. ;  and 
"  falconets,"  3-,  2-,  and  1-lb.;  "peteraroes/'  for  throwing  stones, 
&c. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      153 

Lord  Denbigh  was  knocked  off  his  horse  and  left  for  dead, 
with  his  pockets  rifled  ;  the  rest  of  his  horse  were  chased 
till  they  came  nigh  their  own  colours,  which  was  most 
excellent  service,  for  meanwhile  most  of  the  town's  foot 
escaped  away  ;  after  which,  Captain  Greaves  retreated  to 
Lichfield.  The  Cavalier  horse  rode  desperately  round  the 
town,  leaping  hedges  and  ditches  to  catch  the  townsmen. 
All  the  considerable  men  escaped  out  of  their  snare ;  some 
forty  were  taken  prisoners,  whereof  scarce  twenty  be- 
longed to  the  town ;  all  inferior  men,  chiefly  their  own 
favourers,  who  were  released  for  trifling  sums  of  money,  as 
being  unworthy  to  be  kept.  Having  thus  possessed  them- 
selves of  the  town,  they  ran  into  every  house  cursing  and 
damning,  threatening  and  terrifying  the  poor  women,  set- 
ting naked  swords  and  pistols  to  their  breasts.  They  fell  to 
plundering,  as  well  malignants  as  others,  picking  purses 
and  pockets,  searching  in  holes  and  corners,  tiles  of  houses, 
wells,  pools,  vaults,  gardens,  for  money  or  goods  ;  took 
much  money  to  protect  people's  houses,  and  then  betrayed 
them,  and  set  them  on  fire.  It  is  conceived  they  had 
3000/.  in  money  from  the  town.  They  outraged  the 
women,  broke  windows,  spoiled  the  goods  they  could  not 
take  away,  leaving  little  to  some  but  bare  walls,  some  no- 
thing but  clothes  on  their  backs,  and  some  stripped  to 
their  very  shirts  and  left  naked.  That  night  few  of  these 
ruffians  went  to  bed,  but  spent  it  in  revelling,  robbing,  and 
tyrannizing  over  poor  affrighted  women  and  prisoners, 
drinking  healths  upon  their  knees,  yea,  drinking  healths 
to  Prince  Rupert's  dog. 

Nor  did  their  rage  cease  here  ;  but  when,  on  next  day, 
they  were  to  march  forth  of  the  town,  they  used  every  pos- 
sible diligence  to  set  fire  in  all  the  streets,  and  lest  any 
should  save  whatever  goods  they  had  left,  stood  with 
drawn  swords  about  the  burning  houses,  endeavouring  to 
kill  every  one  that  appeared  endeavouring  to  quench  the 
flames.  The  houses  burned  were  about  eighty-seven,  be- 


154         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF    [APRIL, 

sides  multitudes  of  barns,  stables,  and  other  out-buildings. 
People  unfurnished  and  fallen  into  extreme  distress  by 
this  fire,  three  hundred  and  forty  and  upwards.  They  have 
made  Birmingham  a  woeful  spectacle  to  behold,  a  tho- 
roughfare for  thieves  and  plunderers.  It  is  thought 
20,000/.  cannot  repair  these  losses. 

Now  read  the  Royalists'  account  below.1 

1  A  letter  written  from  Walsall,  by  a  worthy  gentleman  to  his 
friend  at  Oxford,  concerning  the  taking  of  Birmingham,  April 
5,  1648:— 

"  Upon  a  narrow  enquiry  of  the  causes  of  burning  the  town 
(Birmingham),  I  found  that  the  inhabitants  were  they  who  first 
stirred  up  those  of  Coventry  to  resist  the  King ;  and  that  they 
sent  three  hundred  men  to  defend  it  against  the  King's  forces, 
and  fifteen  thousand  swords  for  the  Earl  of  Essex's  forces,  whilst 
they  not  only  refused  to  supply  the  King  with  swords  for  his 
money,  but  imprisoned  divers  whom  they  suspected  of  pur- 
chasing them  for  him.  Afterwards,  when  his  Majesty  marched 
that  way  with  his  army,  he  gave  express  orders  that  they  should 
not  be  plundered,  and  because  some  few  disobeyed,  there  was 
exemplary  justice  done  by  his  hanging  of  two  officers.  Yet  the 
King's  army  was  no  sooner  gone,  than  they  staid  the  carriages 
which  did  not  move  the  same  day,  amongst  which  was  the  royal 
plate,  and  divers  goods  of  great  value,  which  they  carried  to 
Warwick  castle.  They  have  since  continued  on  all  occasions 
violently  to  oppose  the  King,  and  when  his  Highness  Prince 
Kupert's  forces,  on  Thursday  last,  drew  near,  they  prepared  them- 
selves with  all  their  strength  to  resist  them ;  set  up  their  colours, 
sallied  out  of  their  works,  and  gave  fire  upon  them,  whilst  with 
great  shouts  and  clamour  they  reviled  them  with  opprobrious 
speeches,  calling  them  "  cursed  dogs,"  "  devilish  Cavaliers," 
"  Papist  traitors  ;"  this  could  not  but  incense  the  soldiers.  The 
Prince,  to  make  his  passage  into  the  town,  was  forced  to  cause  a 
house  or  two  to  be  fired ;  but  they  retiring,  he  immediately  gave 
orders  for  quenching  of  the  fire.  And  yesterday,  his  Royal 
Highness  being  to  march,  fearing  the  exasperation  of  his  men, 
gave  express  orders  that  none  should  attempt  to  fire  the  town  ; 
and  after  his  departure  hearing  that  some  soldiers  (as  yet  un- 
known) had  fired  it  in  divers  places,  he  sent  immediately  to  let  the 
inhabitants  know  that  it  was  not  done  by  his  command,  and  he 
desired  it  might  be  quenched  ;  but  the  wind  being  high,  the  fire 
increased,  and  could  not  be  so  soon  extinguished  as  was  to  be 
desired.  One  thing  more  made  some  impression  with  me,  which 


1643.]      PRINCE    RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      155 

The  Prince  had  offered  immunity  for  all  that  was 
passed,  and  only  desired  to  quarter  in  the  town  that 
night.  The  citizens  made  a  mettlesome  fight  against 
such  a  dangerous  guest,  and  their  little  town  suffered 
severely  for  its  audacity.  Lord  Denbigh's1  loss  was 

was,  the  death  of  a  minister,  killed  presently  after  the  entry  of 
the  soldiers  into  the  town  :  it  is  alleged  he  told  him  who  did  it ; 
1  that  the  King  was  a  perjured  and  papistical  King  ;  and  that  he 
had  rather  die  than  live  under  him ;  and  that  he  did  and  would 
fight  against  the  King  ! ' "  Some  very  obscene  papers  were  found 
in  his  pockets. — No.  101,  King's  Coll.  p.  22,  printed  at  Walsall. 

1  William  first  Earl  of  Denbigh  was  the  eldest* son  of  Basil 
Fielding,  of  Newnham  Paddox,  in  Warwickshire.  By  the  inter- 
est of  his  brother-in-law,  the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  he  was,  in 
1 622,  advanced  to  the  earldom,  and  appointed  "  Admiral  at  sea 
in  several  expeditions."  (Dugdale.)  No  less  than  three  of  these 
were  destined  for  the  relief  of  Rochdale  ;  but  in  the  two  first,  he 
is  said  to  have  been  restrained  from  fighting  by  his  sailing  orders. 
Though  this  fact  exonerates  the  Earl,  his  want  of  success  seems 
to  have  drawn  on  him  considerable  unpopularity  ;  and  he  was 
sent  into  honourable  exile,  in  the  character  of  Ambassador  to  the 
"  Sophi"  of  Persia.  After  his  return,  he  remained  unemployed 
till  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion  \  when,  to  use  the  words 
of  Clarendon,  "  he  placed  himself  as  a  volunteer  in  the  King's 
guard  of  horse.  He  served  with  unwearied  pains,  and  exact 
submission  to  discipline.  He  fought  manfully  at  Edgehill,  and 
engaged  with  singular  courage  in  all  enterprises  of  danger."  He 
had  volunteered  to  accompany  Prince  Rupert's  expedition  towards 
the  north,  when  he  met  his  death  as  related  above. 

Though  somewhat  anticipatively,  I  here  add  a  letter,  the  post- 
script of  which  relates  to  this  nobleman  : — 

THE  KING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

NEPHEW, 

I  received  yours  of  Thursday  last  by  this  morning,  and 
do  very  well  approve  of  your  designs ;  only  I  think  fit  to  lay 
before  you  whether  it  were  fitter  to  look  on  Nantwich  than  Derby 
as  of  more  importance,  but  I  leave  this  wholly  to  your  judgment ; 
only  in  your  choice  I  recommend  to  you  to  do  that  which  you 
shall  find  to  conduce  most  to  my  wife's  coming  hither.  As  for 
the  sending  you  powder  and  match,  I  see  no  possibility  of  it, 
because  of  the  distance,  and  we  can  spare  nobody  that  is  fit  for 
such  a  work  j  but  rnethinks  the  Earl  of  Newcastle  might  better 


156         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

severely  felt  by  the  Cavaliers.  Though  unfortunate 
and  perhaps  unskilful  under  his  brother-in-law,  the 
Duke  of  Buckingham,  he  had  always  shewn  the 
most  determined  bravery.  He  had  served  as  a 
volunteer  at  Edgehill,  and  his  hearty  affection  to- 
wards the  King  was  very  useful ;  and  he  left  his 
influential  position  to  an  able  and  strenuous  sup- 
porter of  the  Parliament,  his  son,  Basil  Lord  Field- 
'ing.1  The  following  letter  from  Lady  Denbigh  to 
her  son  is  one  of  the  most  touching  that  has  come 
to  us  from  these  old  times :  it  tells  of  the  sorrows 
that  then  visited  a  thousand  household  hearths,  not 
only  for  the  honoured  slain,  but  for  the  survivors, 
"rebellious"  or  "malignant,"  who  still,  even  against 
such  appeals,  clung  to  the  cause  they  had  espoused. 

furnish  you  with  them.     So  praying  and  hoping  that  God  will 
bless  you,         I  rest  your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Oxford,  Sunday,  9th  April,  1643. 

Continue  to  send  me  often  word  of  your  proceedings.  They 
have  refused  the  cessation,  but  the  treaty  still  proceeds.  Even 
now  I  received  yours  of  the  8th  ;  as  for  Denbigh's  place  [in  the 
household]  (for  whose  loss  I  am  very  sorry),  I  will  not  dispose  of 
it,  nor  engage  myself  concerning  it,  until  I  shall  speak  with  you. 

1  This  nobleman  was  afterwards  "  General  of  the  associated 
counties  of  Stafford,  Warwick,  &c.,"  in  the  course  of  which  he 
accumulated  a  large  and  now  very  valuable  correspondence.  His 
descendant,  the  present  Earl  of  Denbigh,  has,  with  great  kind- 
ness, allowed  me  the  use  of  these  letters,  which,  though  volu- 
minous, are  excellently  well  arranged.  I  have  made  but  little 
use  (comparatively)  of  my  privilege,  however,  as  the  more  im- 
portant letters  would  have  led  me  into  a  wide  field,  apart  from 
my  present  task,  and  the  others  are  for  the  most  part  local.  The 
whole,  however,  form  the  most  valuable  collection  of  Roundhead 
papers  that  I  am  acquainted  with.  Of  this  Basil  Lord  Fielding, 
who  was  a  high-minded,  honourable,  and  honest  gentleman,  I  shall 
have  occasion  to  speak  hereafter. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.       157 

FROM  THE  COUNTESS  OF  DENBIGH  TO  BASIL,  SECOND  EARL 

OF  DENBIGH. 
MY  DEAR  SON, 

I  am  much  comforted  with  the  receiving  of  your  kind 
letter  in  this  time  of  my  great  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  my 
dear  husband,  your  dear  father,  whose  memory  I  shall  ever 
keep  with  sorrow  and  a  most  tender  affection,  as  he  did 
deserve  from  me  and  all  the  whole  world.  God  make  me 
able  to  overcome  this  my  affliction !  I  beg  of  you,  my 
first-born  son,  whom  I  do  so  dearly  love,  to  give  me  that 
satisfaction  which  you  now  owe  me,  to  leave  those  that 
murdered  your  dear  father — for  what  else  can  it  be  called  ? 
When  he  received  his  death-wound  for  saying  that  "he 
was  for  the  King,"  they  shewed  no  mercy  to  his  grey 
hairs,  but  swords  and  shots,  a  horror  to  me  to  think  of. 

0  my  dear  Jesus  !   put  it  into  my  dear  son's  heart  to  leave 
that  merciless  company  that  was  the  death  of  his  father ; 
for  now  I  think  of  this  party  with  horror,  before  with  sor- 
row.    This  is  the  time  that  God  and  nature  claim  it  from 
you.    Before,  you  were  carried  away  by  error,  now  it  seems 
monstrous  and  hideous.     The  last  words  your  dear  father 
spoke,  was  to  desire  God  to  forgive  you  and  to  touch  your 
heart.1  Let  your  dear  father  and  unfortunate  mother  make 
your  heart  relent — let  my  great  sorrow  receive  some  com- 
fort.    If  I  receive  joy,  you  shall   receive   blessing   and 
honour.  Think,  if  I  may  be  so  happy  as  to  obtain  this  my 
desire  of  you  :  let  me  know,  and  I  shall  make  your  way  to 
your  best  advantage.     I  do  know  you  shall  be  welcome. 

1  give  you  many  thanks  for  the  care  you  took  in  paying 
the  last  rites  to  your  father  ;  I  have  a  longing  desire  to  see 
you,  and  if  I  had  any  means  I  would  venture  far  to  do  it. 
The  Queen  hath  been  very  kind  to  me,  and  hath  written 
to  the  King  to  stay  the  place  that  Lord  Denbigh  held, 

1  Lord  Fielding  had  been  sent  for,  under  a  flag  of  truce,  to  see 
his  dying  father  :  he  came  too  late,  but  he  gave  "  the  stout  old 
Earl,"  as  Dugdale  calls  him,  an  honourable  burial. 


158          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

that  it  may  not  be  given  to  any,  but  that  my  lord's  debts 
may  be  paid  out  of  it ;  besides,  the  Queen  did  send  me 
money,  or  I  do  not  know  what  I  should  have  done,  I  was 
in  so  great  want.  I  thank  you  for  the  message  you  sent  me 
by  John  Grime;  so,  with  my  blessing,  I  take  my  leave. 
Your  loving  mother,  S.  DENBIGH. 


I  find  from  the  Prince's  correspondence,  that  he 
next  moved  to  Stafford,  where  he  was  joined  by 
Hastings  and  Lord  Northampton.  On  the  10th  of 
April,  he  sat  down  before  Lichfield  ;  but  a  stout  and 
determined  garrison  under  "  Colonel  Rousewell"  now 
occupied  the  Close :  they  proudly  defied  the  Royal 
summons,  and  prepared  to  submit  to  all  extremities 
ratber  tban  surrender.  Before  proceeding  to  the 
assault,  it  is  necessary  to  dispose  of  the  correspon- 
dence in  due  order  of  dates.  On  the  4th  of  April, 
Lord  Capel  writes  from  Shrewsbury,  that  Sir  Wil- 
liam Brereton  is  "master  of  the  field"  in  Cheshire, 
with  the  exception  of  so  much  ground  as  the  garri- 
son of  Chester  can  command.  Sir  William  quarters 
at  Whitchurcb,  and  Lord  Capel  conjures  the  Prince 
"  to  come  and  take  it  from  him."  There  is  also  a 
letter  from  Dan.  Neille,  dated  Oxford,  the  6tb, 
saying  tbat  the  treaty  will  come  to  nothing,  but  that 
tbe  Chancellor  (Lord  Clarendon)  is  so  busy  about 
it  that  be  cannot  attend  to  Prince  Rupert's  wishes, 
whatever  they  were.1  Captain  Neille  also  advises 

1  Lord  Capel  encloses  a  letter  from  Sir  Nicholas  Byron,  dated  Ches- 
ter, 12th  April,  in  which  he  advises  him  to  do  something,  and  says 
that  Lord  Derby  is  much  "  kept  up"  with  hopes  of  Prince  Rupert. 

The  Countess  of  Derby  writes  an  almost  illegible  and  unin- 


1(543.]   PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.   159 

the  Prince  to  keep  a  good  supply  of  whatever  arms 
he  may  win,  for  his  own  regiment.  The  following 
letter  is  too  historical  to  be  passed  over.  It  is  from 

SECRETARY  NICHOLAS  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

By  Copley  I  lately  gave  your  highness  an  account  of 
the  state  of  affairs  here.  The  treaty  goes  on  fairly  still,  but 
to-morrow  is  the  last  day  that  the  omnipotent  powers 
have  appointed  for  treating :  it  is  very  apparent  that  the 
carving  out  of  such  short  time,  as  from  four  days  to  four 
days,  shews  that  they  have  no  desire  to  peace  as  yet;  for  if 
they  had,  they  would  limit  a  convenient  time,  proportion- 
able to  the  business.  We  hear,  by  letters,  from  my  Lord 
Grandison,  that  Sir  William  (the  Conqueror)  is  gone  towards 
Monmouthshire  ;  Prince  Maurice  pursues  him.  We  have 
news  that,  for  certain,  Wigan  is  retaken  by  the  Earl  of 
Derby  from  Brereton,  within  a  few  hours  after  the  rebels 
first  took  it.  We  are  here  very  much  joyed  at  the  news 
of  your  Highness's  taking  of  *  *  *  * 

I  perceive  that  now,  in  your  Highness's  absence,  many  of 
the  principal  officers  of  the  army  conceive  that  a  cessation 
would  be  best  for  the  King's  army.  There  are  prepara- 
tions for  all  the  Earl  of  Essex's  forces  to  march  towards  our 
quarters,  and  we  hear  this  day  they  are  to  begin  to  set 
forth,  to  which  purpose  all  the  carriages  of  Berks  and 
Bucks  are  pressed  into  Windsor :  and  from  London  we 
hear  that  Cromwell  is  to  come  from  Cambridgeshire,  with 
four  thousand  foot  and  horse,  to  meet  the  Earl  of  Essex  in 
these  parts ;  but  of  this  we  have  no  perfect  intelligence, 
though  the  report  of  it  was  from  London  and  divers  other 

telligible  letter,  requesting  the  Prince  to  visit  Lancashire,  and 
confirm  the  loyalty  of  that  county ;  where  Lord  Derby  with 
two  thousand  foot  and  five  hundred  horse  could  follow  his 
Highness  afterwards.  Lady  Derby  also  hopes  that  the  Queen 
will  take  Lathom  on  her  way  to  the  south. 


160         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

places.  The  committee  hath,  as  I  am  advertised  from  Lon- 
don, order,  if  the  King  consent  not  so  to  the  two  propo- 
sitions in  treaty,  as  they  may  be  by  their  instructions 
concluded  by  to-morrow,  that  they  shall  come  away  for 
London  ;  and  I  believe  that  until  the  committee  be  gone 
from  here,  the  Earl  of  Essex's  forces  will  not  come  this  way. 
God  prosper  your  Highness  in  all  your  noble  designs,  so 
prayeth 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

Oxon,  6th  April,  1643. 

I  hear  by  two  letters,  lately  sent  to  the  Earl  of  North- 
ampton and  Colonel  Hastings,  to  hasten  to  meet  your 
Highness  at  Stafford.  It  seems  they  came  to  Belvoir  Castle 
to  recruit  and  refresh  their  troops,  having  heard  no  news 
of  your  Highness  being  in  those  parts. 

The  Secretary's  next  letter,  which  is  a  conti- 
nuance of  the  above,  must  lie  by  in  a  note.1 

1  MAY  IT  PLEASE  rouR  HIGHNESS, 

I  have  received  both  the  letters  which  you  were  pleased 
to  do  me  the  honour  to  send  unto  me  ;  and  shall  send  your  High- 
ness two  messengers  more  than  the  appointed  to  attend  you,  if 
we  can  here  possibly  spare  them.  We  have  been  threatened  from 
London  that  the  Earl  of  Essex  should,  with  all  his  forces,  come 
upon  us  from  Windsor,  Oakingham,  &c. ;  the  Lord  Grey,  of 
Warke,  from  St.  Albans,  with  the  forces  of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  and 
Essex ;  and  Colonel  Cromwell,  from  Cambridge,  with  the  forces  of 
that  county  and  Huntingdonshire  ;  and  Sir  William  Waller,  from 
Gloucester ;  but  Prince  Maurice  keeps  him  from  adventuring  to 
march,  and  I  hear  those  at  Windsor  will  not  march,  for  that 
they  have  not  as  yet  received  their  pay.  Sir  Arthur  Aston  says 
that  at  Oakingham  there  are  very  many  sick,  and  that  the  carts 
of  that  country  are  called  in  to  carry  them  to  London.  The 
two  Houses  have  vouchsafed  to  give  their  committee  further  time 
to  treat  with  the  King  for  seven  days  longer,  but  they  have  not 
given  them  any  instructions  whereon  or  on  what  points  to  treat. 
The  truth  is,  the  Parliament  is  not  willing  to  treat,  but  would 
gladly  have  the  people  believe  they  could  not  obtain  a  peace. 
It  is  impossible,  as  the  two  Houses  do  order  this  treaty,  that  there 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      161 

On  the  8th  of  April,  the  Prince  sent  his  first 
summons  to  the  garrison  of  Lichfield,  which  was 
answered  with  scornful  defiance,  and  a  merry  peal 
of  bells  from  the  desecrated  cathedral.  Every  mo- 
tive stimulated  the  Prince  to  reconquer  this  central 
stronghold  of  the  Roundheads.  Already  reports  had 
reached  him  of  Essex  preparing  for  a  move  towards 
Oxford,  and  the  King's  desire  to  recall  his  forces. 
His  march  to  the  north  to  be  effective  must  be  rapid, 
and  it  was  important  to  leave  a  clear  route  for  his 
return  with  the  Queen.  But  he  had  formidable  dif- 
ficulties to  contend  with  at  this  town  ;  his  force,  con- 
sisting almost  entirely  of  cavalry,  was  ill-adapted  for 
a  siege,  and  the  wall  of  the  Cathedral  Close  was  far 
too  strong  to  feel  any  effect  from  the  few  light  guns 
that  the  Cavaliers  possessed  :  Rouse  well,  the  Round- 
head governor,  was  a  vigilant  and  able  soldier,  and 
his  troops  were  all  tried  men,  of  proved  valour  and 
fanaticism.  Prince  Rupert's  ardour  was  only  stimu- 
lated by  these  obstacles  to  his  success,  yet  his  mea- 

can  be  any  good  come  of  it.  They  want  money  extremely  in 
the  Earl  of  Essex's  army,  which,  if  it  be  not  speedily  supplied, 
will,  I  hear,  disband ;  they  seem  to  say  that  money-lenders  fear 
accommodation,  which  would  nullify  their  security.  Prince 
Maurice  is  at  Tewkesbury,  and  Sir  William  Waller  at  Gloucester. 
The  Welchmen  (we  hear)  would  not  rise  in  Monmouthshire, 
because  my  Lord  Herbert  had  the  command  of  that  county,  and 
professed  that  they  had  rather  perish  than  be  under  the  power  of 
a  Papist. 

We  have  here  still  the  same  governors  [i.  e.  I  presume,  Par- 
liamentary Commissioners]  your  Highness  left  us.  I  shall  send 
another  messenger  to  your  Highness  to-morrow  or  the  next  day 
and  ever  remain,  Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

Oxon,  10th  April,  1643.  EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

VOL.  II.  M 


162        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [APRIL, 

sures  shewed  discretion  as  well  as  daring.  He  with- 
drew his  men  from  their  unavailing  and  dangerous 
positions,  and  wrote  to  Hastings,  who  was  familiar 
with  the  country,  to  collect  for  him  a  body  of  miners 
from  the  collieries.  Hastings  replies  as  follows  : — 

COLONEL  HENRY  HASTINGS  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

Upon  my  coming  hither,  having  information  from 
some  [spies]  I  employed  into  the  Close  yesterday,  I  wrote 
for  some  such  miners  from  Norton  or  Cannock,  or 
thereabouts,  as  your  Highness  would  have,  who  are  as 
skilful  as  any,  and  fifty  in  number.  I  conceive  them 
[illegible,  probably,  "  sufficient"]  but,  if  you  please,  I  will 
send  for  a  hundred  more  to-morrow  night ;  they  are  within 
seven  miles  of  Lichfield,  and  shall  be  within  a  mile  of  the 
town  by  ten  o'clock  this  morning,  at  which  hour  I  will 
attend  your  Highness,  with  quarters  made,  whither  shall 
be  brought  provisions  of  all  sorts,  or  any  thing  else  you 
will  command  Your  humble  and  faithful  servant, 
Tamworth  7  o'clock,  Saturday  morning.  H.  HASTINGS. 

The  Prince  now  induced  many  officers  and 
volunteers  from  the  cavalry,  to  dismount  and  assist 
the  few  infantry  he  commanded.  "  They  cheerfully 
and  gallantly  complied;"1  in  ten  days  the  moat  was 
drained  dry,  and  two  bridges  were  prepared  for  the 
storming  party  to  cross  the  "  graffe,"  or  moat.  As 
soon  as  this  moat  was  dry,  the  Prince  set  the  colliers 
to  work  to  mine  the  walls,  and  at  the  same  time  sent 
to  Tamworth  and  other  adjacent  towns  to  collect  am- 
munition and  stores.  The  following  letter  was  writ- 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  34. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     163 

ten  to  Major  Legge,  by  Arthur  Trevor,  who  was 
afterwards  employed  by  the  Prince  as  his  news- writer 
at  Oxford  :— 

FROM  ARTHUR  TREVOR  TO  MAJOR  LEGGE. 

DEAR  WILL., 

With  no  small  stir  I  have  awaked  the  foggy  burghers 
of  this  place,  to  set  this  ammunition  going  towards  your 
closework  at  Lichfield.  I  hope  it  will  come  seasonably  to 
you  to  do  your  work,  wherein  we  of  this  place  go  a 
great  share,  for  I  assure  you  we  have  set  all  we  have 
to  venture  in  this  bottom. 

.  .  .  From  Worcester  I  hear  Tewkesbury  is  retaken  by 
some  force  that  came  up  by  water  from  Gloucester,  and  in 
the  taking  of  it,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Winsor  and  about 
one  hundred  more  slain.  Sir  Mathew  Gary  and  More- 
ton,  that  were  in  the  town,  fle'd,  as  I  hear,  half  naked, 
and  those  that  were  there  slain  were  killed  at  their  ease 
and  in  bed  :  so,  ever  fatal  hath  security  and  love  of  clean 
sheets  been  to  the  King's  army.  The  bridge  made  by  Prince 
Maurice's  command,  is  likewise  cut  off,  and  the  Prince, 
himself,  thereby  left  on  the  other  side  of  the  Severn,  with- 
out any  other  retreat  than  by  Worcester.  I  beseech  Al- 
mighty God  to  lead  his  Highness  [Prince  Rupert]  by  the 
hand  in  all  his  ways,  for  he  is  a  most  brave  prince. 

A.  TREVOR. 

Major  Legge  was  a  prisoner,  for  the  second 
time  already  in  this  war,  when  this  letter  reached 
Lichfield.  He  was  also  severely  wounded,  as  were 
Lord  Digby,  Colonel  Gerrard,  and  Major  Wagstaffe  ; 
for  the  garrison  fought  furiously,  and  these  officers 
were  foremost  in  encouraging  the  working  parties.1 

1  About  this  time,  Lord  Capel  writes  from  Whitchurch,  that 
Brereton  is  near  him  with  a  strong  force,  and  Charles  Cavendish 

M  2 


164         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

On  the  14th,  Lord  Capel  writes  again,  entreat- 
ing the  Prince  to  fall  upon  Nantwich.  He  says, 
that  if  his  Highness  were  there  they  could  not  fail 
of  success  ;  but  that  he  is  "  content "  to  undertake 

writes  on  the  12th  from  Grantham,  announcing  his  capture  of 
that  town.  Secretary  Nicholas  writes  the  subjoined  news  from 
Oxford,  on  the  llth:— 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

This  bearer  was  kept  till  this  day,  that  he  might  bring  your 
Highness  the  news  of  these  parts  j  I  intend  also  to  send  another 
messenger  after  him  within  a  day  or  two  at  most.  We  had  this 
morning  some  alarms,  that  the  Earl  of  Essex  was  marching  from 
Windsor ;  but  by  a  man  that  came  thence  lately,  I  understand 
that  they  had  not,  Saturday  last,  received  any  money  from  Lon- 
don for  the  soldiers,  and  so  are  not  like  to  stir  till  the  end  of  the 
week  at  soonest. 

Some  horse  and  foot  marched  forth  of  Aylesbury  this  day 
towards  Northamptonshire  ;  where,  in  the  east  side  of  the  county, 
they  begin  to  rise  in  great  numbers  for  the  King,  exclaiming 
extremely  against  the  Parliament.  Prince  Maurice  is  still  at 
Tewkesbury,  to  meet  with  Sir  William  Waller,  who  (it  is  said)  is 
not  as  yet  come  back  over  the  Severn  :  his  Highness  hopes  to  meet 
with  him  in  his  passage  over  that  river.  We  meet  diligently  every 
day  upon  the  treaty.  [Cyphers,  implying  that  the  Parliament 
will  yield  nothing  in  their  demands,  and  that  there  is  no  chance 
of  a  treaty.]  We  hear  that  the  two  Houses  have  sent  to  the  Earl 
of  Essex  to  deliver  up  his  commission,  and  they  will  give  him  an 
honourable  recompence,  and  that  they  intend  to  make  Mr. 
Hampden  their  general,  but  of  this  we  have  no  other  certainty 
than  that  they  are  very  much  discontented  at  the  [delays  ?]  of 
the  Earl  of  Essex.  The  truth  is,  they  justly  apprehend  that  they 
shall  not  be  able  to  go  through  with  the  business  of  the  loan  ; 
without  which  they  shall  want  money  to  support  the  charge  of 
this  rebellion,  and  seem  very  much  offended  that  their  general 
doth  not  more  unadvisedly  assault  the  king's  forces. 

We  have  had  a  rumour  here  that  your  Highness  hath  taken 
Lichfield,  and  are   removed  towards   Manchester.     God  prosper 
you  with  a  good  success  wherever  you  go,  so  prayeth  affectionately, 
Sir,  your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 
Oxon,  llth  April,  1643. 

To  this  I  must  add  another  "  letter  of  news,"  as  it  is  endorsed, 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      165 

the  enterprise  alone,  with  his  two  thousand  horse 
and  foot.  And  now  the  King  writes  thus  press- 
ingly,  on  the  15th.  On  the  same  day  an  assault 
was  ordered ;  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in  mere 
operations :~ — 

"  NEPHEW, 

"  I  thought  it  most  necessary  to  advertise  you, 
that  the  rebels  have  attacked  Reading  ;  not  to  recall 
you,  though  I  could  be  content  ye  were  here,  but  to 
desire  you  to  hasten  northward,  that  you  may  send 

addressed  also,  I  presume,  from  Oxford  to  William  Legge,  who 
seems  to  have  acted  as  the  Prince's  secretary  and  confidant. 

SIB, 

Since  I  find  you  appear  not  here  according  to  your  promise,  I 
send  you  the  Mercurius,  and  do  begin  to  suspect  that  you  have 
altered  your  resolution.  On  Tuesday  last  the  King  went  hence  to 
Lamborne,  where  the  rendezvous  was  intended  to  be  at  night, — 
my  Lord  Willmott  and  Hopton  having  been  there  on  Monday,  in 
expectation  of  the  foot  and  cannon  from  Oxford.  We  hear  that 
Waller  besieged  the  castle  of  Winchester,  and  that  Sir  William 
Ogle  had  a  plot  to  betray  it ;  but  it  was  discovered  by  Morley, 
who  instantly  clapt  up  Ogle  close  prisoner,  and  with  his  own 
hands  took  the  pains  to  cord  him  neck  and  heels  together.  We 
hear  now  that  Waller  hath  left  Winchester,  and  is  marched 
towards  Southton  ;  if  so,  there  will  be  little  probability  to  fight 
with  him.  The  Queen  intends  to  march  on  Monday  next,  if 
carriages  come  in  to  remove  her :  it  is  said  that  she  will  come 
to  Shrewsbury  or  Chester,  but  this  is  not  believed  at  all  by  many. 
The  Earl  of  Essex  hath  surrendered  all  his  old  army  to  Waller, 
and  is  to  have  a  new  recruit,  one  of  the  trained  bands  of  London 
and  auxiliaries  there.  He  is  but  beginning  to  raise  as  yet,  so  let 
him  make  what  haste  he  can,  he  will  be  three  weeks  or  a  month 
before  he  can  be  ready  to  draw  out  in  the  field.  The  King  is 
expected  to  town  to-night ;  I  know  nothing  more,  but  yet  I  am 
particularly  and  faithfully 

Your  most  humble  servant,         KICHARD  MASON. 
[Oxford?]  llth  April,  1643. 


166        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [APRIL, 

the  powder  and  matches  which  I  have  sent  for  to  the 
Earl  of  Newcastle,  for  I  may  be  distressed  for  want 
of  such  munition.  I  write  not  this  to  make  you  raise 
your  siege,  but  that  you  lose  no  more  time  in  it  than 
you  must  needs.  I  suppose  that  this  direction  needs 
no  ways  retard  my  wife's  coming,  for  though  she 
should  not  be  so  soon  ready,  I  believe  ye  have 
wherewithal  to  do  both.  It  is  but  to  send  the  mu- 
nition a  little  way  before,  by  Lancashire  or  Cheshire 
at  the  worst.  So,  praying  God  to  bless  you,  and 
hoping  for  good  news  from  you,  I  rest 

"  Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

"  CHARLES  R." 

Oxford,  15th  April,  1643. 

On  the  following  day,  one  of  the  Lichfield  gar- 
rison thus  describes  its  state  :l — 

All  the  news  I  can  write  is,  how  bravely  our  men  be- 
haved themselves  at  Lichfield,  in  the  Close,  against  Prince 
Rupert.  He  hath  fought  against  it  ever  since  the  10th, 
and  can  do  no  good.  He  lay  shooting  against  it  for  five 
days  and  could  not  make  a  breach,  whereupon  he  caused 
the  colliers  to  come  in  with  their  pickaxes  to  undermine, 
hut  could  not  for  the  rock  and  water.  So  he  sent  for  all 
the  ladders  within  eighteen  miles,  intending  to  scale.  But 
in  the  scaling,  our  men  killed  eight  of  his  men  and  took 
one,  which  they  hanged  three  yards  from  the  wall,  like  a 
sign,  and  bid  Prince  Rupert  shoot  him  down.  Then 

Prince  Rupert  swore,   "  God  d him,  he  would  not 

give    one    man    quarter."      But  the  next  day  he  sent  a 

1  Copy  of  a  letter  sent  from  a  captain,  in  Lichfield,  to  his  wife 
in  London,  bearing  date  April  l§.-^King's  Collect,  British 
Museum,  civ.  13. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        167 

trumpeter  to  the  Close  to  know  if  they  would  yield  on 
quarter.  .  .  .  Then  our  men  did  ring  all  the  bells  in  defi- 
ance. . .  .  Since  I  writ  this  letter  I  hear  Prince  Rupert  is 
slain,  but  I  do  not  know  the  certainty  of  it.1 

1  The  following  letter  was  received  by  Prince  Rupert  during 
the  siege  of  Lichfield.  To  such  letters  as  these  the  Parliament 
never  gave  circulation ;  and,  had  the  Prince  always  acted  upon 
such  advice  as  this  contains,  the  task  of  his  biographer  had  been 
a  more  grateful  one.  Only  an  abstract  is  given  of  the  intermediate 
passages ;  even  these,  to  say  the  truth,  are  more  verbose  than  one 
could  wish,  or  suppose  that  his  Majesty  had  time  for. 

"  April  18,  1643,  from  the  Court  at  Oxford. 
"  Trusty  and  well-beloved  nephew,  Prince  Robert,  —  We 
know  that  your  own  knowledge  and  experience  can  conduct 
you  in  all  military  affairs,  and  that  your  loving  affection  unto  us 
hath  been  approved  by  many  testimonies,  and  real  demonstra- 
tions in  your  constant  and  faithful  services,  personally  performed 
in  our  war,  which  we  have  endeavoured  so  much  to  decline  seek- 
ing, and  heartily  pursuing  after  peace,  which  desires  of  ours 
cannot  yet  be  attained.  We  would  have  you,  therefore,  with  us, 
patiently  wait  the  Divine  opportunity,  which  can  in  a  moment 
settle  and  compose  the  universal  distractions  of  our  kingdom,  and 
by  no  means  seek  to  anticipate  Divine  revenge  on  our  subjects." 
[He  is  persuaded  that  a  great  part  of  his  subjects  lament  the  dis- 
turbed state  of  the  kingdom,  and  long  for  these  divisions  to  be 
closed]  ;  "  but  as  the  first  steps  are  the  hardest,  so  they  cannot  at 
once  find  out  the  means  of  doing  so.  And  we  wish  that  our 
people  had  never  been  so  far  blinded  and  drawn  into  false  opinions 
of  us  and  our  true  intents,  (as  we  shall  answer  one  day,  if  it  be 
our  own  faults,  before  the  high  Tribunal,)  that  we  must  use  so 
sharp  a  medicine  as  the  sword  to  cure  their  malady  and  their 
deceived  understandings,  and  that  ungrounded  opinions  should 
prevail  amongst  them.  After  all,  our  former  Royal  expressions 
and  pathetical  implorations  of  Heaven  as  the  constant  witness  of 
our  thoughts  and  actions.  .  .  .  And  as  after  the  merciless  battle  of 
Edgehill  we  gave  you,  our  nephew,  and  all  our  soldiers,  most 
hearty  thanks  for  the  great  valour  and  loyal  services  that  day 
personally  expressed  ;  but  yet  withal  we  told  you,  that  we  were 
sorry  there  had  been  so  much  effusion  of  blood,  and  that  all 
in  both  armies  were  our  subjects,  for  whose  loss  in  that  mer- 
ciless battle  we  were  exceedingly  and  deeply  grieved,  so  we  would 
have  you,  and  all  others  that  employ  their  endeavours  to  do  us 
service  in  an  hostile  manner,  to  mingle  severity  with  mercy, 


168        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [APRIL, 

The  Cavaliers  were  not  discouraged,  however ;  the 
"  rock  and  water "  were  overcome,  and  while  the 
garrison  reposed  in  fancied  security,  the  mine  was 
charged  with  five  barrels  of  powder.  During  the  day 
preparations  were  made  for  the  assault,  and  in  the 
evening  the  mine  was  sprung;1  the  storming  party 

that  your  and  their  carriage  and  behaviour  towards  our  subjects 

may  gain  upon  their  opinions,  and  take  their  affections  rather 

than  their  towns  ;  that  they  may  know  our  army  is  the  power  of 

the  King,  armed,  not  to  their  destruction  but  conversion ;  and, 

therefore,   we  lovingly  charge  and  desire  you,  our  affectionate 

nephew,  to  look  on  our  people  as  subjects  capable  of  reclaiming, 

though  now  misled."     [He  charges  Prince  Rupert  to  imitate  the 

conduct  of  a  father]  "  who  declares  his  justice  with  a  compulsive 

unwillingness,"  [and  gives  this  precaution  on  the  consideration 

that  hostile  forces  are  daily  gathering  together,  and  declares  his  will 

and  pleasure  that  Prince  Rupert]  "  and  all  our  commanders  deal 

with  as  much  courtesy  and  humanity  with  all  our  other  subjects 

on  the  contrary  part,  as  if  all  our  performances  and  actions  in 

hostile  manner  were  by  them  necessitated  and  not  by  us  desired." 

"  Do  you,  therefore,  good  nephew,  by  your  managing  all  affairs 

in  this  civil  war,  teach  our  people  to  be  undeceived  in  us  their 

merciful  King.     Let  your  fair  actions  make  it  appear  that  you 

are  no  Malignant,  no  *  evil  counsellor.'"     "  And  as  you  have  begirt 

and  beseiged  our  city  of  Lichfield,  so  have  a  care  of  spilling 

innocent  blood,  which  is  amongst  them,  but  spare  where  you  may 

destroy,  save  where  time  and  opportunity  gives  advantage.     Let 

our  subjects,  if  they  will  or  desire  it,  have  free  quarters  and 

march  with  bag  and  baggage  forth  of  our  city,  provided  they  do 

not  use  any  outrages,   or  offer  violence  to  the  said  town  ;  and 

hereof  fail  not,  as  you  desire  the  good  of  us,  who  desire  nothing 

more  than  the  good,  happiness,  and  peaceable  government  of  our 

kingdom,  and  not  the  effusion  of  the  blood  of  our  subjects,  mercy 

being  the  brightest  attribute  of  a  king.  C.  R. 

"  P.  S. — Your  Highness  may  understand   by  this  letter  his 
Majesty's  real  intention  how  your  princely  thoughts  ought  to  be 
steered  in  your  resolution,  and  in  all  your  warlike  affairs  and 
enterprises.     Sir,  1  am  yours  to  command, 
From  the  Court  at  Oxford,  April  18,  1643.      "  EDWARD  NICHOLAS." 

1  "  The  first  mine  ever  sprung  in  England,"  says  the  writer  of 
Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        169 

rushed  eagerly  in  through  the  smoking  ruins,  but 
they  were  met  by  an  impassable  barricade  within, 
whilst  a  deadly  flanking  fire  was  poured  in  upon  their 
dense  column  with  terrible  effect.  Colonel  Usher, 
who  led  the  stormers,  was  killed,  and  no  man  lived 
who  passed  the  barrier.  The  recall  was  at  length 
sounded,  and  the  artillery  brought  to  bear  on  the 
defences  within  the  breach ;  then  the  besieged 
hoisted  their  white  flag.  The  Prince  sent  Hastings 
into  the  Close  to  treat  and  to  receive  hostages,  but 
as  he  did  not  return  that  night,  the  Prince  became 
impatient;  once  more  the  shattered  scaling-ladders 
were  advanced,  and  orders  were  given  for  a  general 
assault  at  daylight.  But  when  daylight  came,  the 
white  flag  was  still  flying,  and  soon  afterwards  Hast- 
ings returned  with  the  required  hostages.  The  gar- 
rison marched  out  with  all  the  honours  of  war, 
"colours  flying,  trumpets  sounding,  and  matches 
lighted ;"  and  the  Prince,  who  was  always  ready  to 
forget  hostility  towards  an  enemy  in  admiration  of 
his  gallantry,  heartily  complimented  Colonel  Russel1 
on  the  courage  he  had  displayed.  When  the  Cava- 
liers entered  that  long  contested  Close,  however, 

1  "  Lichfield  was  attacked  by  Prince  Rupert ;  at  that  time  it 
was  commanded  by  Captain  Rousewell,*  a  steady  governor  over  an 
enthusiastic  garrison.  He  defended  the  place  with  vast  resolution  ; 
at  length  the  garrison  gave  up  on  the  most  honourable  condi- 
tions. Colonel  Rousewell  took  care  to  plunder  the  cathedral  of 
the  communion  plate,  during  the  time  the  fanatics  were  in  pos- 
session. They  used  every  species  of  profanation ;  hunted  a  cat 
in  it  with  hounds,  to  enjoy  the  fine  echo  from  the  roof,  and 

*  Rousewell  is,  I  believe,  meant  for  Russell. 


170        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

they  found  greater  cause  for  indignation  than  any 
hostility  could  have  excited:  every  outrage  that 

brought  a  calf,  dressed  in  linen,  to  the  font,  and  sprinkled  it 
with  water,  in  derision  of  baptism."  * 

The  state  of  this  cathedral,  after  so  many  sieges,  may  easily  be 
conceived.  The  honour  of  restoring  it  to  its  former  splendour  was 
reserved  for  John  Hacket,  presented  to  this  see  in  1661.  On  the 
very  next  day  after  his  arrival,  he  set  his  coach-horses,  with 
teams,  to  remove  the  rubbish,  and  in  eight  years'  time  restored 
the  cathedral  to  its  present  beautiful  state,  at  the  expense  of 
29,000£. — Pennant's  Journey  to  London,  ii.  105. 

During  the  time  Colonel  Henry  Bagot  commanded  at  Lich- 
field,  he  received  the  following  extraordinary  challenge  from  a 
Captain  Hunt,  a  Parliamentary  commander  in  Tamworth  : — 
"  Bagot,  thou  son  of  an  Egyptian ,  meet  me  half  the  way  to- 
morrow morning  j  the  half-way  betwixt  Tamworth  and  Lichfield, 
if  thou  darest  ;  if  not,  I  will  whip  thee  whensoever  I  meet  thee. 
THO.  HUNT.  Tamworth,  December,  1644." 

Colonel  Bagot  met  him,  and,  after  a  brisk  action,  whipped  the 
fellow  himself  into  a  retreat,  and  narrowly  missed  taking  him. — 
Merc.  Aulicus,  p.  1347. 

*  Nor  was  it  only  at  Lichfield,  but  all  over  England,  that 
similar  excesses  prevailed.  "  The  brutal  and  villanous  fana- 
ticism and  acts  of  sacrilege  [committed  by  the  Puritans] 
brought  a  scandal  and  odium  upon  the  Reformed  religion, 
and  stopped  its  progress  in  France  and  Spain,  as  their  Kings 

could  never  have  done In  some  churches  they  baptized 

horses  and  swine,  in  profane  mockery  of  baptism  •  in  others, 
they  broke  open  the  tombs,  and  scattered  about  the  bones  of 
the  dead.  At  Sudeley  [under  the  brave  but  ruffianly  Massey] 
they  made  a  slaughter-house  of  the  chancel,  cut  up  the  carcases 
upon  the  communion-table,  and  threw  the  garbage  into  the  vault 
of  the  Chandoses.  At  Westminster,  the  soldiers  sat  drinking 
and  smoking  at  the  altar,  and  lived  in  the  abbey,  committing 
every  kind  of  indecency  there,  which  the  Parliament  saw  and 
permitted.  No  cathedral  escaped  without  injury  ;  painted  win- 
dows were  broken,  statues  pulled  down  or  mutilated,  carvings 
demolished,  and  organs  sold  piecemeal  for  the  value  of  the  mate- 
rials, or  set  up  in  taverns.  At  Lambeth,  .  .  .  Scott  converted  the 
chapel  into  a  hall ;  Archbishop  Parker's  monument  was  thrown 
down  ;  his  body  was  taken,  not  out  of  his  grave  alone,  but  out  of 
his  coffin  ;  the  lead  was  sold,  and  the  remains  buried  in  a  dung- 
hill."— Southeys  Boole  of  the  Church,  p.  473. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE  CAVALIERS.      171 

Moslem  infidels  could  have  devised  upon  Christian 
churches  had  been  exercised  against  Lichfield's 
noble  cathedral  by  the  fanatical  Roundheads.  But 
Prince  Rupert  had  little  time  for  such  considera- 
tions. Already  Essex  was  on  his  march  to  besiege 
Reading,  and,  three  days  before,  the  Prince  had  re- 
ceived the  following  urgent  letter  from  the  King : — 

NEPHEW, 

Upon  farther  debate  this  day,  I  have  resolved  to  de- 
sire you  to  come  to  me  with  what  diligence  you  may,  and 
with  as  much  force  as  you  can,  leaving  so  much  behind 
you  with  Colonel  Hastings  as  to  defend  that  country. 
This,  I  confess,  is  somewhat  differing  from  what  I  wrote 
to  you  yesterday,  leaving  the  particular  reason  of  the 
change  to  Secretary  Nicholas's  letter.  Nevertheless,  we 
here  suppose  that  what  you  will  leave  behind  you  will  be 
able  to  do  what  I  wrote  concerning  the  Earl  of  Newcastle, 
for  powder  and  match,  to  whom  1  have  sent  another  des- 
patch about  the  same  business,  with  but  a  little  variation. 
So  I  rest  Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Oxford,  16th  April,  1643. 

I  hope  you  will  have  done  your  work  about  Lichfield 
before  this  can  come  to  you.1 

1  To  which  was  added  the  following  more  pressing  summons, 
lest  the  last  might  have  been  intercepted  : — 

CHARLES  R. 

Right  entirely  beloved  Nephew^  we  have  this  day  by  Sir 
James  Aunion  written  to  you  to  hasten  hither  to  us,  leaving  in 
our  county  of  Stafford  such  competent  forces  as  may  secure  the 
same  ;  and  least  that  our  letter  should  miscarry,  we  have  thought 
it  necessary,  considering  how  much  it  imports  us  to  use  our 
utmost  endeavours  to  repel  the  great  forces  of  the  rebels  now 
before  Reading,  by  this  express  to  second  our  former  letters  sent 
to  you,  desiring  you  to  use  all  possible  diligence  to  come  away 


172        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [APRIL, 

All  the  hopes  of  the  young  Palatine  to  mark  his 
victorious  track  to  the  Queen,  by  the  capture  of 
Birmingham,  Lichfield,  and  Nantwich,  and  to  bring 
her  back  in  triumph  to  the  King, — all  these  were  at 
an  end :  he  was  forced  to  return  as  rapidly  as  he 
might  to  the  affrighted  Court  at  Oxford.  Every  in- 
ducement, except  that  of  duty,  led  him  forwards, 
onward  to  the  north.  This  letter  from  Lord  Goring, 
who  was  now  in  attendance  on  the  Queen,  was 
received  at  Lichfield  before  the  surrender  : — 

LORD  GORING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

MY  PRINCE, 

Though  I  was  in  the  army  when  your  Highness's 
favour  was  sent  me  by  her  Majesty,  yet  I  returned  soon 
enough  to  overtake  the  first  messenger  that  was  to  attend 
you  from  hence,  and  let  your  Highness  know  that  the  en- 
closed excellent  piece  shall  to  the  press,  for  a  miraculous 
and  spicy  consolation  to  all  the  remaining  brethren  of  that 
kind.  [This  spicy  composition  has  not  survived  among 
the  Prince's  papers.] 

That  which  is  more  seriously  mentioned  in  your  High- 
ness's  letter  shall  be  most  carefully  watched  and  acted, 
being  that  which  must  be  done,  and  that  speedily,  or  all 
will  be  undone  ;  for  private  interests  will  out-run  and  over- 
press  all  other  considerations  of  duty  and  gratitude  what- 
soever. 

Though  it  is  no  news,  yet  it  is  no  small  joy  to  all  the 
servants  of  you  both,  to  see  how  rightly  the  Queen,  my 
admirable  mistress,  understands  and  esteems  you,  past  my 
expressions,  the  effects  whereof  will  best  shew  what  I  say 

with  so  much  of  the  forces  there  as  may  with  the  security  of  those 
parties  be  spared  :  And  so  we  bid  you  heartily  farewell. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Oxford,  the  16th  of  April,  1643. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        173 

and  you  deserve.  Sir,  I  am  now  so  torn  by  misfortune 
as  I  blush  to  present  myself  to  you ;  but  if  ever  I  recover, 
as  I  no  way  despair,  your  Highness  shall  find  such  faith, 
love,  and  daring  diligence  for  your  service,  as  shall  testify 
to  all  the  world ;  and  assure  yourself,  that  he  lives  not  is 
more  your  servant  than,  sir, 

Your  Highness's  all- vowed,  all-humble,  and  obedient, 

GORING. 

York,  18th  April,  1643. 

The  ensuing  urgent  dispatch  from  Secretary 
Nicholas  was  received  on  the  day  of  Lichfield's 
cession.  Scarcely  was  the  Royal  banner  hoisted  in 
the  dilapidated  Close,  when  the  Prince's  trumpet 
sounded  for  the  march.  He  left  Colonel  Henry 
Bagot,  "  a  son  of  a  good  and  powerful  family  in  that 
county,"  as  governor  of  his  new  garrison,  and  set 
forth.  The  horses  were  all  well  rested,  however 
hard  the  service  of  their  riders  had  been, — men  and 
officers  working  side  by  side,  under  a  heavy  fire  in 
the  trenches ;  and  now  a  march  to  Oxford  was  to  be 
made,  as  fast  as  zeal  and  spur  could  drive  them. 
We  must  leave  them  on  the  road  to  return  to  the 
Court,  subjoining  one  more  missive  from  the 
anxious  and  indefatigable  Secretary  Nicholas.1 

1    MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

The  King  sent  Whitfield  to  you  with  letters  the  last  night, 
to  hasten  hither  with  diligence,  and  hath  commanded  me  by  this 
bearer,  again  to  desire  you  to  use  no  delay,  for  your  Highness's 
coming  highly  imports  his  Majesty's  safety. 

I  assure  your  Highness  it  is  the  opinion  here,  that  if  [Prince 
Eupert  come  not  speedily,  Reading  will  be  lost.  Sir  Arthur 
Aston  is  past  hope  of  relief.]*  Reading  is  so  closely  begirt  as  we 

Cyphers. 


174        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

Essex  had  remained  so  tranquilly  in  his  winter 
quarters  at  Windsor  that  the  Court  at  Oxford  began 
to  lose  all  apprehension  of  his  forces.  It  was  well 
known,  that  many  of  his  troops  were  disaffected  to 
their  cause,  and  almost  mutinous  for  want  of  pay.1 
A  strong  garrison,  consisting  of  three  thousand  sol- 
diers and  twenty  guns,  occupied  Reading  for  the 
King,  under  Aston  and  Fielding,  two  officers,  who 
were  then  of  good  repute.  As  long  as  this  town 
held  out,  Oxford  was  esteemed  to  be  secure,  and  the 
Court  fell  into  its  old  amusements;  and  intrigued 
within  the  walls  in  council  chamber  and  boudoir, 
and  followed  the  chase  with  hawk  and  hound  over 
the  surrounding  campania,  as  if  there  was  nothing  at 
stake  but  treasurers'  wands  and  sticks-in-waiting. 

When  the  Lord-General,  therefore,  was  known  to 


can  get  no  news  from  thence.     I  shall  trouble  your  Highness 
with  no  more  at  present,  but  the  tender  of  the  humble  respects  of 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
Oxford,  21st  April,  1643.  EDW.  NICHOLAS.* 

1  May,  Hist.  ParL  lib.  iii.  35. 


*  This  letter  also  was  received  the  day  Prince  Rupert  left 
Lichfield  : — 

NEPHEW, 

Hearing  that  my  letter,  which  I  wrote  on  Tuesday  last,  is 
intercepted,  and  fearing  that  of  yesterday  may  be  so  too,  I  have 
thought  it  necessary  again  to  desire  you  to  make  what  haste  ye 
may  to  me,  for  many  reasons,  which  (lest  this  be  likewise  inter- 
cepted) I  leave  to  tell  you  until  our  meeting.  Ye  may  tell  the 
country  that  ye  will  soon  return  to  them,  and  for  my  wife,  I  will 
satisfy  her.  So  again  I  desire  you  to  make  haste  to 

Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend,  CHARLES,  R. 

Oxford,  21st  April,  7  at  night. 


1043.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         175 

be  on  his  inarch,  the  consternation  at  Oxford  was 
equal  to  its  former  indifference,  and  the  presence 
of  Rupert  was  ardently  desired,  as  the  foregoing  let- 
ters have  expressed.  On  the  17th  of  April,  Essex 
sat  down  before  Reading,  with  an  army  of  sixteen 
thousand  foot  and  three  thousand  horse.1 

The  garrison  was  by  no  means  in  good  condition 
to  resist  such  an  enemy.  Sir  Arthur  Aston  was 
shrewdly  suspected  by  Lord  Clarendon  to  be  disin- 
clined for  his  office,  and  the  following  letter  might 
seem  to  prove  that  his  suspicions  were  well-founded. 
Prince  Rupert  seems  wisely  to  have  encouraged  the 
confidence  of  all  his  officers,  by  which  means  he 
derived  much  annoyance,  but  was  always  acquainted 
with  the  worst.  Thus  querulously  writes  Sir  Arthur 
Aston : — 

SIR  ARTHUR  ASTON  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

The  enemy  is  advancing  this  way  :  there  are  four  or 
five  regiments  of  foot  in  Oakingham  with  four  pieces  of 
cannon,  and  at  Twyford  two  regiments  with  twelve  pieces 
of  cannon.  They  say  their  design  is  wholly  against  this 
place,  and  I  must  needs  inform  your  Highness  that  I  have 
to  deal  with  such  people  now  committed  to  my  command, 
that  I  wish  when  your  Highness  gave  your  consent  to  leave 
me  here  behind  you,  that  you  had  rather  adjudged  me  to 
have  lost  my  head,  for  I  doubt,  with  these  men,  I  shall 
lose  it  and  my  reputation  both  at  once.  I  wish  your 
Highness  were  but  at  leisure  to  draw  near  unto  these  parts, 

1  Whitelocke's  Memoirs,  p.  68  j  May,  Parl.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  35. 
The  latter  says  the  siege  began  on  the  25th  ;  the  Pamphlet  I 
have  quoted  from  says  the  15th. 


176         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

or  to  command  me  to  wait  upon  you  ;  I  should  then  inform 
your  Highness  more  particularly  of  all  things.  I  protest 
unto  your  Highness  that  I  am  grown  weary  of  my  life  with 
perpetual  trouble  and  vexation,  and  do  desire  nothing 
more  than  the  maintenance  of  your  Highness's  good 
opinion,  who  will  live  and  die, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble,  and  most 

obedient  servant,  ARTHUR  ASTON.  1 

Reading,  this  12th  in  the  morning, 
at  6  of  the  clock. 

1  This  letter  may  be  worth  notice,  as  exculpating  Sir  Arthur 
Aston,  at  least  in  part,  from  Lord  Clarendon's  insinuation. 

FROM    SEOEETARY    NICHOLAS   TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  have  received  your  Highness's  letters,  and  presented  both 
your  own  and  Colonel  Hastings's  letters  to  the  King,  and  do  assure 
your  Highness  that  your  present  coming  hither  is  so  absolutely 
necessary,  as,  if  it  be  deferred  a  day,  I  verily  believe  Reading  will 
be  lost.  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  by  an  unfortunate  fall  of  a  brick  from 
a  chimney,  which  was  shot  down  by  the  rebels,  hath  received  so 
great  a  blow,  as  he  hath  kept  his  bed  ever  since  Tuesday  last, 
and  knows  no  man  ;  but  the  last  night,  his  skull  being  opened, 
he  hath  expressed  more  sense,  and  some  hope  is  conceived  that 
he  is  not  past  recovery  The  news  of  this  great  misfortune  hath 
much  encouraged  the  rebels,  and  made  them  adventure  nearer  the 
town  than  they  did  before.  It  is  here  conceived  that  your  High- 
ness's  presence  would  soon  disperse  them,  which  I  hear  occasions 
the  dispatch  of  this  gentleman,  Sir  Francis  Aunion,  to  you.  The 
officer  in  the  town  of  Reading  sent  for  a  further  supply  of  am- 
munition, which  is  preparing  to  be  sent  to  the  town,  but  will  not, 
without  much  difficulty,  be  got  in,  the  town  being  almost  totally 
environed,  there  being  now  at  least  twelve  thousand  foot  and 
three  thousand  horse  of  the  rebels.  The  Earl  of  Northumberland 
did  on  Tuesday  last  accuse  a  member  of  the  Commons  House,  in 
the  painted  chamber,  presently  after  a  conference,  for  having 
opened  his  lordship's  letters,  sent  from  his  lady  to  him  while  his 
lordship  was  here  at  Oxon.*  This  hath  bred  some  difference 


*  This  was  Henry  Martyn,  whose  courage — being  by  no  means 
eqrfal  to  his  assurance — failed  him,  when  the  earl  cudgelled  him 
not  only  for  opening  his  letters,  but  for  his  insolence. — Claren- 
don's Rebellion,  iv.  51. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        177 

When  Essex  appeared  before  the  walls  the  garri- 
son wrote  urgently  for  assistance,  and  the  King 
moved  forwards  with  such  forces  as  he  could  spare  to 
Nettlebed.1  This  one  hope  was  to  retire  the  garri- 
son in  safety  and  withdraw  them  to  Oxford,  before 
the  Parliamentary  forces  could  follow  in  sufficient 
force  to  cut  them  off.  Rupert,  meanwhile,  hastened 
on  with  a  few  servants,  and  reached  the  King  near 
Caversham  on  the  second  day  after  the  surrender  of 
Lichfield  garrison.  But  Reading  had  already  begun 
to  treat ;  Aston  had  been  hurt  by  the  falling  of  a 
tile,  and  declined  all  responsibility :  the  unhappy 
Fielding,  therefore,  incurred  all  the  burden.  It  was 
he  who  offered  to  parley,  at  the  moment  when,  un- 
known to  him,  the  King  was  advancing  to  his  relief. 
The  Royal  forces  made  a  gallant,  but  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  relieve  their  comrades,  which  I  shall 
leave  the  Parliamentary  organ  to  relate : — 

On  the  15th  April,  being  Saturday,  late  at  night,  we 
sat  down  before  Reading.  The  next  morning,  on  Sun- 
between  the  two  Houses.  I  write  not  in  cypher,  because  I  believe 
Mr.  Percy  may  be  gone  towards  my  Lord  of  New-castle,  for  that  I 
received  no  letters  from  him  by  the  express  that  arrived  here  this 
day.  I  beseech  your  Highness  to  hasten  hither,  or  I  very  much 
apprehend  the  rebels  will  prevail,  they  being  very  numerous.  I 
pray  God  to  preserve  and  prosper  your  Highness  in  all  your 
enterprises  j  so  prayeth  earnestly,  Sir, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant,  EDW.  NICHOLAS. 

Oxford,  26th  April,  1643. 

p.S. — It  were  much  better  the  county  of  Stafford,  than  the 
town  of  Reading,  were  lost,  as  things  now  stand. 

1  There  is  a  long  letter  in  cypher  from  Nicholas,  of  the  23rd, 
stating  that  the  King  is  gone  to  Wallingford  to  meet  his  forces, 

VOL.  II.  N 


178         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

day,  as  usual,  by  sun-rising,  the  fight  began  very  hot  on 
both  sides,  and  so  continued  two  days  and  nights,  and 
after  that  somewhat  abated,  which  temperance  was  on  their 
part  necessitated  through  want  of  powder,  which  the 
enemy  supplied  by  a  barge  in  the  night,  though  but  in 
small  quantities ;  for  on  Friday  night  they  attempted  to 
relieve  it  in  the  same  way,  with  fifteen  hundred  men,  but 
with  five  hundred  men  of  ours  we  beat  them  back  again. 
At  the  Lord's  day,  at  night,  we  beat  up  their  quarters  at 
Dorchester,  eight  miles  out  of  Oxford,  with  a  party  of 
horse,  took  one  hundred  horse  and  fifty  foot,  and  killed 
some  without  any  loss  at  all.  On  Tuesday  morning  the 
Reading  men  hung  out  their  white  flag  for  a  parley,  we 
sent  them  three  hostages  and  they  sent  us  three,  to  treat 
about  the  yielding  up  of  the  town  ;  and  as  they  have  ever 
done,  while  they  were  treating,  the  King  came  with  all  his 
forces,  both  horse  and  foot,  and  dragoons  and  cannons, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  water,  and  fell  in  upon  ours, 
where  we  had  but  one  regiment  of  foot ;  notwithstanding 
this  advantage,  yet  whether  it  was  the  storm  [for  there  was 
a  great  one],  or  our  bullets,  our  men  soon  got  it  from  them  ; 
they  were  in  three  hours  routed,  had  a  hundred  men  and 
some  of  their  chief  commanding  oificers  slain,  and  four 
hundred  wounded :  we  took  three  hundred  arms,  and  pur- 
sued them,  so  that  they  retreated  faster  than  they  came ; 
we  lost  but  six  men.1 

1  Pamphlet  in  King's  Collection,  vol.  cv.  No.  4.  London,  1643. 
"  SIR,  —  This  is  to  certify  you  of  a  truth  that  the  King  came 
to  Dorchester  on  Tuesday  last,  and  the  town  of  Reading  was  de- 
livered on  Thursday  at  noon.  They  were  to  march  out  with  bag 
and  baggage,  with  colours  displaying,  with  about  three  thousand 
soldiers,  with  four  small  drums  and  ten  waggons.  The  Earl  of 
Essex,  about  three  of  the  clock,  entered  the  town  with  Colonel 
Hampden  and  Serjeant-Major  Skippon  to  view  it,  and  three  of 
their  commanders  came  to  view  our  army;  and,  it  is  supposed, 
that  ours  will  advance  after  them,  for  our  men  were  very  eager  to 
fall  on  them  as  they  marched  out ;  but  to  satisfy  them  the  Lord- 
General  promised  to  give  the  soldiers  twelve  shillings  a  piece, 


1043.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     179 

When  our  forces  entered  the  town,  the  butchers'  stalls 
were  full  of  meat,  plenty  of  beer  and  wine  in  all  taverns 
and  alehouses,  seventy  quarterns  of  oats  in  the  town  and 
fifty  quarterns  of  wheat  in  one  place ;  twenty  barrels  of 
powder  in  one  house,  ten  pieces  of  ordnance.  The  soldiers 
speaking  to  each  other  from  each  side  the  approaches ;  the 
Cavaliers  called  our  men  Parliament  dogs,  our  men  calling 
them  Prince  Rupert's  Roundheads,  &c.,  which  name  they 
could  not  endure  to  hear. 

When  the  flag  of  truce  was  set  up,  and  the  time  not  ex- 
pired, divers  of  the  commanders  resolved  to  sally  out  and 
join  the  King's  forces,  who  were  engaged  with  our  men 
outside  the  walls,  but  Colonel  Fielding  told  them,  "  if  the 
King  himself  should  come  and  knock  at  the  gates  and 
command  him  to  do  it,  he  would  not  forfeit  his  honour, 
and  the  faith  he  had  pledged  during  the  truce." 

I  must  not  oinit  to  add  the  following  charac- 
teristic anecdote : — 

Prince  Rupert  sent  to  his  Excellency  [Essex]  to  enquire 
the  name  of  a  gentleman,  who,  eagerly  pursuing  the  Cava- 
liers towards  Caversham,  was  encountered  by  O'Neale  and 
another  great  soldier ;  he  fought  with  them  both,  shot 
O'Neale  in  the  thigh,  dismounted  the  other  gentleman,  and 
wounded  him,  but  more  horse  of  the  King's  coming  into 
their  rescue,  he  was  forced  to  retreat.  The  modesty  of 
this  person  is  such,  that  it  seems  he  desires  rather  to  be 
known  by  his  actions  than  his  name,  for  as  yet  it  is  not 
known  who  he  was.1 


which  is  to  be  paid  on  May  the  1st ;  but  he  is  very  unwilling  to 
let  many  of  his  soldiers  enter  the  town,  lest  it  should  be  under- 
mined, till  they  have  made  farther  search  :  our  regiment  is  quar- 
tered in  the  outworks.  The  King  is  returned  this  day  to  Ox- 
ford."— Extract  of  a  letter  from  "  Dick  A  lexander  to  his  Cousin,''1 
camp  at  Reading,  April  27,  1643,  King's  Collection,  vol.  cv,  No.  5. 
1  The  Kingdom's  Weekly  Intelligencer,  April  25  ;  May  2, 1643. 

IT  2 


180          MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF    [APRIL, 

After  this  repulse,  Colonel  Fielding  escaped  from 
the  closely  leaguered  town,  and  demanded  permis- 
sion from  the  King,  in  the  presence  of  Prince 
Rupert,  to  accept  for  his  garrison  the  enemy's  con- 
ditions— that  the  Royal  forces  should  be  free  to 
march  out  with  all  the  honours  of  war.  Lord  Cla- 
rendon states  that  the  King  gladly  assented  to  these 
terms,  on  which  the  town  was  surrendered  on  the 
following  morning,  the  27th  of  April.  As  the  gar- 
rison marched  out  through  the  enemy's  guards,  they 
were  not  only  "  reviled  and  reproachfully  used,  but 
many  of  them  disarmed,  and  most  of  the  waggons 
plundered,  in  the  presence  of  Essex  himself  and  his 
chief  officers,  who  seemed  much  offended,  but  not 
able  to  prevent  it.  As  this  breach  of  the  articles 
was  very  notorious  and  inexcusable,  so  it  was  made 
the  rise,  foundation,  and  excuse  for  barbarous  injus- 
tice of  the  same  kind  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
war;  insomuch,  that  the  King's  soldiers  afterwards, 
when  it  was  their  part  to  be  precise  in  the  observa- 
tion of  an  agreement,  mutinously  remembered  the 
violation  at  Reading,  and  thereupon  exercised  the 
same  licence."  This  passage  from  Lord  Clarendon's 
history,  is  remarkable  as  being  echoed  by  the  Parlia- 
mentary historian  Whitelocke,  who  similarly  relates 
and  deplores  the  fact. 

This  conquest  proved  of  small  moment  to  the 
Parliament ;  their  soldiers  had  been  promised  twelve 
shillings  each,  in  lieu  of  plundering  the  town,  and  this, 
remaining  unpaid,  was  added  to  their  arrears  of  pay  : 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       181 

"  the  great  magazine  of  Guildhall  was  already  quite 
consumed."1  In  addition  to  this  grievance,  a  direful 
fever  spread  rapidly  through  the  now  crowded  town, 
and  still  further  paralyzed  the  slow  movements  of 
Lord  Essex.  Hampden  had  proposed  to  advance  at 
once  upon  Oxford,  but  the  Lord-General  had  no 
mind  to  that  enterprize,  and  the  Court  was  left  to 
its  own  devices,  one  of  which  was  the  trial  of  Field- 
ing, and  condemning  him  to  death  for  the  surrender 
of  his  charge.2 

The  Queen  continued  tranquilly  at  York,  during 
all  this  anxious  time,  and  Lord  Goring  writes  the 
following,  careless,  and  amusing  letter,  from  her 
head-quarters,  on  the  very  day  of  the  fight  before 
Reading : — 

LORD  GORING  TO  MR.  HENRY  PERCY.3 

MY  PARTNER, 

Though  the  last  messenger  called  not  for  this  en- 
closed, which  only  presented  your  due  to  you,  my  love  and 
service,  yet  send  it  I  must,  to  let  you  see  I  was  not  un- 
mindful, though  unuseful,  which  being  bred  in  the  bone 
will  never  come  out  of  the  flesh. 


1  May,  Parl.  Hist.  iii.  38. 

2  This  brave  but  irresolute  officer  had  incurred  the  stern  sen- 
tence justly,  according  to  strict  military  law :    he  had  disobey- 
ed his  orders.     He  was  pardoned,  however,  without  much  grace ; 
"  his  regiment  was  given  to  another,"  and  he  resolved  to  serve  as 
a  volunteer ;  in  this  capacity  he  fought  desperately  throughout 
the  war,  wherever  danger  was  most  rife,  but  in  vain,  "  so  difficult 
a  thing  is  it  to  play  an  after-game  of  reputation,  in  that  nice  and 
jealous  profession  of  arms." — Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  47. 

3  Of  army  plot  notoriety. 


182        MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OP     [APRIL, 

Her  Majesty  will  best  tell  you  her  own  resolutions, 
whilst  I  shall  our  desires ;  and  those  are,  that  she  stir  not 
southward  till  things  are  better  prepared  for  her  coming, 
and  we  better  prepared  for  her  conveyance,  which  will  not 
be  long  a  doing,  after  some  few  days  that  we  fall  a  sweep- 
ing away  the  rubbish  crowded  in  two  or  three  holes  of  this 
country,  that  only  obstruct,  no  way  endanger  us.  Within 
a  few  days  I  shall  send  you  somewhat  of  more  importance 
to  this  ;  but,  in  the  interim,  the  "  Nonsuch,"  the  "  Flying 
horse,"  and  "  the  Bull,"  [probably  three  tavern  signs]  must 
not  be  forgotten  ;  and  so  goodnight,  my  dear  partner,  from 
your's  as  your  own. 

GORING. 

York,  April  22,  1643,  late. 
For  my  dear  partner  Mr.  Henry  Percy. 

He  writes  again  the  same  day  to  Prince  Rupert, 
with  an  account  of  the  northern  army  that  must  be 
greatly  exaggerated.  If  the  Earl  of  Newcastle  could 
muster  nearly  twenty-thousand  "  well-armed  men," 
there  was  no  force  of  the  enemy's,  between  York 
and  Oxford,  that  could  have  opposed  him : — 

LORD  GORING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

MY  PRINCE, 

By  my  last  your  Highness  will  find  my  humblest  ac- 
knowledgments for  your  most  singular  remembrances  of 
so  unuseful  a  servant,  though  the  same  will  not  come  to 
your  hands  till  now;  thanks  to  him  that  promised  to  call 
for  it,  but  did  not. 

We,  here,  are  not  a  little  perplexed  at  your  Highness's 
return  [to  Oxford]  before  we  can  have  the  honor  to  see 
you,  and  you  the  happiness,  which  I  know  your  gener- 
ous heart  most  thirsts  after,  to  deliver  our  sacred  mis- 
tress where  by  all  right  and  merit  she  ought  to  be. 

Howsoever,  I  doubt  not  but  we  shall  soon  follow  you, 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.      183 

and  let  the  world  see  that  our  voluntary  stop  at  Leeds  was 
to  gain  a  greater  advantage  by  a  little  more  patience. 

Your  Highness  may  be  confident  that  we  are  in  a  far 
better  posture  here  than  the  scouts  generally  believe  us. 
Sixteen  thousand  strong  and  well  armed,  (whereof  near 
three  thousand  horse,  besides  dragoons  and  two  thousand 
more  foot  now  coming  to  us,  lately  raised  though  not 
armed,  which  by  the  next  passage  will  be  supplied.) 

Her  Majesty  will  account  best  to  your  Highness  for  the 
time  of  her  remove.  My  Lord-General  will  return  to- 
morrow, and  then  we  shall  to  it  roundly ;  upon  the  suc- 
cess whereof  your  Highness  shall  be  further  importuned 
by  your  Highness's  all-faithful  and  most  obedient  servant, 

GORING. 

York,  22nd  April,  1643,  very  late. 

It  was  now  impossible  for  Rupert  to  move  to- 
wards the  north,  whilst  Essex  threatened  Oxford  in 
such  force  as  might  have  been  irresistible,  but  for 
the  jealousies  and  want  of  money  that  began  to  pre- 
vail in  London  and  in  the  camp.  The  Prince,  how- 
ever, was  not  idle.  With  all  the  most  active 
of  his  cavalry  he  scoured  the  adjacent  counties : 
those  to  the  eastward  afforded  a  desirable  field  for 
his  forage  in  every  respect ;  they  were  surrounded 
by  fine  open  plains,  very  wealthy  in  provisions,  and 
Roundhead  in  principle.  Such  a  system  of  guerilla 
warfare  was  but  too  exciting  to  his  young  and  ardent 
Cavaliers ;  the  most  romantic  adventures  served  to 
vary  the  more  ordinary  exploits  by  which  they  en- 
riched themselves  and  provided  for  their  troops  :  a 
sense  of  danger  and  retaliation  attending  every  expe- 
dition seemed  to  them  to  ennoble  their  uridertak- 


184        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAY, 

ings,  and  refine  an  occupation  that  otherwise  sa- 
voured too  much  of  simple  freebooting.  Most  of 
their  raids  were  either  defensive  or  in  the  way  of 
reprisal,  as  the  subjoined  letter  may  prove,1  and 
every  success  served  to  check  the  promotion  of  the 
Parliamentary  cause.  Whatever  the  objects,  the 
cavalry  trumpets  were  generally  sounding  at  sun- 
down, and  the  Cavaliers  soon  after  were  careering 
across  the  country  to  "  beat  up  some  rebel  quarter," 
to  intercept  some  convoy,  or  to  levy  a  contribution 
on  some  uncivil  town.  Often  the  old  pavements  of 
Tring,  Wycombe,  Watford,  and  such  isolated  places, 
rang  to  the  clatter  of  the  Royal  troopers,  startling 
the  burghers  from  their  midnight  sleep ;  and  soon 
afterwards,  with  hose  and  doublet  hastily  arranged, 
the  responsible  authorities  were  hurried  before  the 
commanding  officer  and  obliged  to  furnish  such 
matters  as  he  demanded  ;  or  to  follow  him,  at  speed, 

1  FROM    LORD    CRAUFURD   TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  have  certain  intelligence  of  a  party  of  the  enemy  that  are 
within  some  fifteen  miles  of  my  quarters,  towards  Newbury,  and 
they  plunder  all,  and  take  away  horse  and  men  :  they  are,  as  I 
hear,  not  above  one  hundred  and  fifty.  If  your  Highness  please 
to  give  me  leave,  I  will  give  you  an  account  of  them.  If  some 
dragoons  might  be  spared  to  go  with  my  horse,  I  should  be  glad, 
but  if  it  may  not  be  with  convenience,  I  shall  go  with  those  horse 
I  have.  I  crave  pardon  of  your  Highness  for  this  boldness.  I 
am  Your  Highnesses  most  humble  servant, 

CRAUFORD. 
Farringdon,  this  5th  May,  1643. 

P.S. — I  received  this  intelligence  from  one  that  was  prisoner 
with  them. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      185 

behind  a  steel-clad  trooper,  back  to  his  head-quar- 
ters. Before  the  morning  light  the  invaders  would 
be  far  away,  or  the  last  glitter  of  their  armour  just 
seen  upon  the  remote  horizon.  Yet,  it  is  evident 
that  even  these  expeditions  were  conducted,  if  I 
may  say  so,  in  something  of  a  gentlemanlike  man- 
ner ;  otherwise  we  should  hear  more  of  their  exces- 
ses from  the  Parliamentary  organs :  they  are  suffi- 
ciently unscrupulous  in  their  assertions  and  abusive- 
ness,  yet  they  relate  singularly  few  acts  of  outrage, 
and  scarcely  any  of  atrocity.  In  the  German  wars, 
thousands  of  villages  were  laid  in  ruins,  and  the 
country  left  desolate  ;  but  in  the  very  heat  of  the 
English  war  the  population  continued  to  increase, 
wealth  on  the  whole  accumulated,  and  the  judges 
went  their  circuits,  gravely  administering  justice  in 
the  midst  of  violence.1 

The  Roundheads  were  by  no  means  behind  hand 
with  the  Cavaliers  in  keeping  up  the  spirit  of  the 


1  The  judges  of  sessions  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  had  been  tem- 
porarily suspended  by  the  Parliament,  as  the  Great  Seal  was 
alone  supposed  to  give  authority  for  assizes.  The  King  only 
issued  commissions  to  such  judges  as  were  of  his  own  party,  and 
had  issued  a  proclamation  during  this  Lent  for  holding  the 
Easter  term  of  law  at  Oxford,  instead  of  Westminster.  But  at 
length  the  Parliament  got  over  the  great  difficulty  about  the 
Seal,  by  the  simple  expedient  of  making  one  of  their  own,  and 
thenceforth  the  assizes  went  on  as  usual,  through  the  remainder 
of  this  solemn  and  stately  war, — the  law  being  still  reverenced 
in  its  visible  functionaries  by  the  combatants  on  either  side, — 
Justices  Heath  and  Reeves  for  the  King  j  Maynard,  Glynn,  and 
Wylde,  for  the  Parliament,  held  assize  in  the  districts  acknow- 
ledging the  government  of  the  Crown  or  the  Democrats. — May, 
Parl.  Hist.  iii.  52  ;  Clarendon's  Rebellion  ;  Lord  Nugent. 


186        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAY, 

war :  they  were  almost  as  frequently  assailants  as 
assailed.  The  subjoined  letter  details  one  out  of 
many  of  the  local  skirmishes  that  history  takes  no 
note  of: — 

PHILIP    WILLOUGHBY    TO    PRINCE    RUPERT. 
MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have  received  a  command  from  my  Lord  of  North- 
ampton to  have  waited  on  your  Highness  if  you  were  in 
town,  if  elsewhere  to  dispatch  one  presently  to  attend  your 
Highness  with  an  account  of  his  yesterday's  action  ;  there 
came  towards  Banbury  from  Northampton  four  troops  of 
horse,  six  or  seven  hundred  foot,  one  piece  of  cannon  of 
six  pound  bullet,  all  which  came  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
town  of  Banbury.  My  Lord  having  only  thirteen  troops  of 
horse  with  him,  resolved  to  charge  them,  in  which  it  hath 
pleased  God  that  my  Lord  hath  taken  three  hundred  pri- 
soners, killed  above  a  hundred  in  the  place,  wounded  most 
of  the  rest,  took  the  cannon,  all  the  ammunition,  as  many 
arms  gathered  up  as  four  carts  could  bring,  all  which  is  in 
Banbury  ;  all  the  foot  officers  taken  or  slain,  but  the  horse 
as  usually,  made  haste  away,  yet  many  of  them  came  short 
home :  my  Lord  lost  not  of  all  his  company  above  three 
men,  so,  humbly  taking  leave,  I  rest,  Sir, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
PHILIP  WILLOUGHBY. 

Oxford,  7th  May,  1643, 
7  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

The  same  sort  of  skirmishing  was  going  on  every- 
where ;  but  everywhere  Rupert  or  his  orders  were 
waited  for  in  the  first  instance.1 

1  LORD   CRAWFORD    TO    PRINCE    RUPERT. 
MAY    IT   PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

The  messenger  I  sent  to  Newbury  is  returned,  and  the  for- 
mer account  I  gave  your  Highness  stands  good,  and  I  hear  they 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      187 

The  following  letter  is  descriptive  of  a  more 
formal  species  of  plunder,  that  was  carried  on  under 
the  name  of  levies,  for  the  support  of  the  Royal 
troops.  Lord  Northampton,  with  honest  indignation, 
inveighs  against  the  sufferings  of  his  tenantry : — 

THE  EARL  OF  NORTHAMPTON  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 

SIR, 

I  made  bold  to  trouble  your  Highness  before,  con- 
cerning Colonel  Croker's  threatening  to  plunder  Braiks 
and  some  other  towns  thereabouts :  I  likewise  signified 
unto  your  Highness  the  unreasonable  sums  he  required  of 
the  constabulary  of  Braiks,  which  is  too  great  a  sum  for 
them  to  bear ;  they  being,  as  before  I  wrote,  very  willing 
to  do  anything  that  lay  in  their  powers  for  the  advantage  of 
the  King's  service.  Sir,  I  have  raised  some  troops  which 
have  been  in  service,  and  now  these  quarters  lying  conve- 
niently, either  for  them  to  quarter  in,  or  to  fetch  provision 
from,  and  mightily  complaining  of  Croker's  hard  usage, 
I  thought  good  to  acquaint  your  Highness  with  it.  Be- 
sides, Sir,  if  they  pay  that  sum  which  he  exacts,  a  great 
share  will  fall  to  my  part  to  pay,  besides  the  hindrance  of 
my  tenants'  rents,  which  I  do  believe  is  contrary  to  your 
Highness's  intents,  being  that  I  have  devoted  myself  and  all 
my  fortune  to  his  Majesty's  service.  Sir,  I  know  that 
Croker  hath  given  you  misinformation,  I  shall  desire  to 

lie  scattered  from  within  four  miles  of  Reading  to  Malmesbury, 
along  the  border  of  Hampshire.  If  your  Highness  think  fit,  I 
conceive,  with  a  few  forces  more  than  I  have,  all  their  quarters 
may  be  beaten  up  that  way ;  I  am  ready  to  march  according  as 
your  Highness  shall  direct  :  I  shall  wait  on  your  Highness's 
orders  at  what  rendezvous  you  shall  direct.  Thus  waiting  for 
your  Highness's  orders,  and  craving  your  Highness's  pardon,  I 
humbly  take  my  leave.  Your  Highness's 

Most  faithful  servant,  CRAUFORD. 

7th  May,  1643. 


188          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [MAY, 

know  your  Highness's  pleasure,  as  soon  as  conveniently 
you  can,  for  none  shall  be  more  ready  to  obey  your  com- 
mands than  your  Highness's 

Most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

NORTHAMPTON. 
Banbury,  May  8,  1643. 

SIR, — To  prevent  any  farther  inconveniences,  I  desire 
your  Highness  would  be  pleased  to  send  a  protection  under 
your  hand  for  my  tenants  in  the  constabulary  of  Braiks, 
and  for  the  town  of  Long-Compton,  which  is  mine ;  well- 
affected,  being  both  towns. 

,P'    ,  The  next  letter  is  somewhat  lengthy,  but  it  con- 

tains some  matter  that  will  interest  historians  as 
&s\ 

^'    well  as  the  general  reader.     It  would  appear  from 

this,  that  Rupert  has  been  discontented  at  the  inter- 
ference of  the  courtier  Lords  in  military  affairs ;  that 
j^»  the  King  endeavours  to  listen  to  and  conciliate,  at 
the  same  time,  his  impetuous  nephew,  and  nephew's 
enemies :  it  also  appears  that  grave  and  sober  Mr. 
Nicholas  takes  Prince  Rupert's  part : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

^Ja*  4$  r'  >  '  ^e  Kin£  hath  given  orders  that  Dr.  Owen  (who  is 
Sir  Gilbert  Gerard's  kinsman)  shall  have  the  [illegible] 
[1 2s) f  according  as  your  Highness,  by  your  letter  to  his  Majesty 
desired,  and  have  accordingly  given  warrant  for  it.  Albeit, 
I  am  a  Wiltshire  man,  yet  I  was  never  thought  worthy  to 
be  trusted  or  acquainted  with  the  proceedings  for  the  West 
country,  which  I  conceived  had  been  settled  and  agreed 
on  by  your  Highness's  advice,  or,  at  least,  with  your 
privity  and  approbation.  Since  I  now  know  your  High- 
ness's  pleasure,  I  shall  do  my  best  to  satisfy  your  expec- 
tations ;  but  your  Highness  knows  I  am  none  of  the  close 


1043.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      189 

committee  at  Court,  but  such  news,  as  I  shall  know  of,  I 
shall  take  the  boldness  to  communicate  to  your  Highness. 
The  munition  from  the  north  will  be  this  night  at  Banbury, 
there  is  come  with  it  one  thousand  foot,  and  five  troops  of 
horse  (besides  those  of  Lincolnshire,  Rutlandshire,  and 
Colonel  Hastings,  which  are  to  be  dismissed,  i.  e.  relieved 
and  sent  back  to  their  own  quarters  from  Banbury)  :  the 
rest  are  all  to  stay  there  for  ought  that  I  hear,  and  the 
King  tells  me  as  Colonel  Feilding  remains  still  a  [illegible, 
probably  "  dishonoured  "  or  "  suspected  "]  man  here.  Sir 
James  Mills  was  lately  shot  by  an  officer  upon  a  private 
quarrel ;  and  the  last  night  Lieutenant  Cranefeild  was 
wounded  by  one  Captain  Hastings  upon  the  like  occasion. 
There  is  here  no  punishment,  and  therefore  nothing  but 
disorder  can  be  expected.  The  Duke  of  Richmond  comes 
with  the  convoy  and  munition,  and  will  be  here  to-morrow, 
as  I  believe.  The  King  saith  he  conceived  your  Highness 
had  been  acquainted  with  the  forces  appointed  for  the 
west,  touching  which  Colonel  Bamfeild  is  to  attend  your 
Highness :  his  Majesty  intends,  as  it  seems,  no  more  foot 
shall  go,  but  only  Colonel  Bamfeild's  regiment,  which  are 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  without  those  their 
ordnance  and  munition  cannot  go  safe.  As  for  the  men 
of  Colonel  Langford's,  they  are  to  be  punished  that  shall 
quit  him ;  and  any  officer  or  other  that  shall  debauch 
them,  or  any  other  of  the  King's  soldiers  from  their  pro- 
per officer.  Bamfeild  saith  that,  if  any  of  Langford's  or 
any  other  men  of  the  army  come  to  him  he  will  not  enter- 
tain them,  though  some  of  them  have  heretofore  been  of  his 
regiment.  The  King  is  much  troubled  to  see  your  High- 
ness discontented,  and  I  could  wish  that  some  busy-bodies 
would  not  meddle  as  they  do  with  other  men's  offices, 
and  that  the  King  would  leave  every  officer  respectively 
to  look  to  his  own  proper  charge,  and  that  his  Majesty 
would  content  himself  to  overlook  all  men  to  see  that  each 
did  their  duties  in  their  proper  places,  which  would  give 


190     MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  [MAY, 

abundant  satisfaction,  and  quiet  those  that  are  jealous  to 
see  some  men  meddle,  who  have  nothing  to  do  with  affairs. 
There  is  a  (speech)  as  if  there  had  been  discovered  by 
Prince  Maurice  a  design  to  have  betrayed  Worcester,  but 
I  have  not  any  certainty  of  this  ;  but  since  I  see  treachery, 
though  not  in  request,  yet  not  punished,  I  am  apt  to  be- 
lieve that  traitors  will  multiply.  The  Earl  of  Essex,  I 
hear,  hath  sent  to  his  confidant,  the  Earl  of  Dorset,  con- 
cerning the  exchange  of  some  prisoners,  but  I  cannot  learn 
that  there  is  any  thing  done  in  it.  There  is  one  Ra. 
Skipwith,  lately  sent,  as  I  hear,  from  certain  Lords  at 
London  to  the  Queen,  who  came  to  this  place  Monday  last ; 
he  is  said  to  be  a  messenger  for  peace,  but  I  know  nothing 
of  his  business  ;  I  pray  it  may  be  so,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
served from  treachery. 

I  hear  that  there  will  be  this  night,  at  Reading,  20,000/. 
(if  it  came  not  the  last  night  thither)  for  payment  of  the 
soldiers,  upon  receipt  of  which,  it  is  expected  at  London 
that  the  Earl  of  Essex  should  approach  this  place  or  some 
of  his  Majesty's  quarters.  I  fear  I  have  too  much  trans- 
gressed, for  which  I  humbly  beg  your  Highness's  pardon, 
being  most  affectionately, 

Sir,  your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 
Oxford,  llth  May,  1643. 

Notwithstanding  the  state  of  things  alluded  to  in 
this  letter,  Lord  Clarendon  asserts,  that  the  Court  of 
Oxford  was  now  in  high  spirits,  and  that  the  Parlia- 
ment was  sorely  pressed  by  want  of  money,  and  the 
importunity  of  the  people  for  a  peace.  Every  day 
the  Cavaliers,  becoming  more  fearless  with  every 
exploit,  pushed  their  attacks  closer  to  the  walls  of 
London,  "they  took  many  prisoners,  who  thought 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        191 

themselves  secure,  and  put  them  to  ransoms  for 
good  sums  of  money ;  and  this  they  did  by  night 
marches,  through  unfrequented  ways,  often  very  near 
London."  Some  of  these  exploits,  and  the  impres- 
sions that  they  and  their  actors  left  upon  the  mind 
of  a  gallant  and  gentle  mind,  are  detailed  in  the 
following  interesting  letter  : — 

LORD  WENTWORTH  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

We  came  this  morning  betimes  to  Winslow,  but  they 
were  gone  before  we  came,  nor  as  it  proved,  was  it  indeed 
other  ways  likely,  for  they  were  only  a  sort  of  country 
people  that  never  were  settled  there,  but  sometimes  when 
they  gathered  together  did  use  to  quarter  there ;  some  few 
of  the  stragglers  were  killed,  but  we  found  no  considerable 
proportion  either  of  arms  or  ammunition,  nor  horses,  they 
having  driven  away  them  all  almost,  and  having  had 
timely  notice  enough  to  disperse  themselves  in  safety  with 
their  arms.  Our  men  are  not  very  governable,  nor  do  I 
think  they  will  be,  unless  some  of  them  be  hanged,  for  they 
fall  extremely  to  the  old  kind  of  plundering,  which  is  neither 
for  their  good  nor  his  Majesty's  service  :  this  consideration 
makes  Sir  John  Byron  and  myself  very  weary  of  this 
employment,  so  that  if  there  intervene  no  other  accident, 
we  hope  and  intend  to  return  your  Highness's  troops  into 
their  old  quarters  by  to-morrow  night :  we  have  already 
driven  a  few  sheep  and  some  few  cattle,  from  a  knight,  that 
is  notoriously  known  to  be  ill-affected  to  the  King's  ser- 
vice. I  am  informed  we  shall  find  some  more  such  to- 
morrow in  our  journey  home,  we  shall  do  the  like  from 
them,  but  I  think  we  can  not  be  ill-natured  enough  to  do 
it  to  any  but  such.  This  is  all  I  have  to  trouble  your 


192          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAY, 

Highness  with,  also  I  humbly  take  my  leave,  and  rest  your 
Highness's  most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  WENTWORTH. 

Buckingham,  15th  of  May, 
4  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon. 

The  arrival  of  the  ammunition,  as  related  in  the 
letter  from  Secretary  Nicholas,  was  of  great  impor- 
tance, as  the  King's  supply  was  running  very  low. 
Favourable  accounts  came  at  the  same  time  from 
the  Royal  army  in  the  west,  where  Lord  Hertford, 
Prince  Maurice,  and  Sir  Ralph  Hopton,  had  joined 
their  forces,1  and  commenced  a  campaign  that  en- 
dured for  nearly  two  years,  with  equally-balanced 
vicissitudes  of  fortune.  At  this  period,  Sir  William 
Waller  had  been  despatched  westwards  to  counter- 
act the  rising  forces  under  Hopton ;  and  Lord  Hert- 
ford, with  Prince  Maurice,  was  soon  afterwards2 
despatched  to  support  the  latter.  Thus,  the  two 
young  Palatines  parted,  seldom  to  meet  again, 
until  the  cause  had  been  fought  out  to  its  last 
embers. 

The  next  letter  of  interest  that  I  find,  is  from 
Lord  Wentworth.  With  this,  and  one  from  Lord 
Crauford,  I  shall  conclude  these  illustrations  of  the 
mode  of  warfare  to  which  brave  and  honourable  men 
felt  obliged  to  lend  themselves.  It  will  be  observed 
that  Lord  Wentworth,  whilst  he  apologises  for  his 


1  May,  Parl.  Hist.  iii.  52. 

2  On   the    18th   of  May,  as  appears  from  one  of  Secretary 
Nicholas's  letters  to  Prince  Rupert. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     193 

own  severity,  also  deprecates  the  Prince's  censure 
on  account  of  it. 


LORD  WENTWORTH  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

By  the  importunity  of  the  under-sheriff  and  some 
others  here  of  the  country,  we  were  persuaded  to  stay  in 
these  parts  yet  this  day ;  and  though  we  have  gotten  the 
King  but  little  by  our  plundering,  yet  I  think  we  have  so 
much  terrified  the  country  that  I  believe  the  King's  war- 
rants will  be  much  more  current  now  than  they  were.  We 
marched  this  morning  to  a  little  village  called  Great  Hor- 
wood,  where  we  were  informed  there  were  divers  country- 
men gathered  with  arms,  but  before  we  came  they  were 
gone.  The  people  that  were  left  we  compounded  with, 
not  to  plunder  them  for  a  hundred  pounds,  which  we  have 
disposed  of  to  the  inferior  officers  of  every  regiment. 
Then  we  went  to  Swanburne,  where  divers  people  of  the 
village,  and  indeed  all  that  stayed  were  got  up  into  the 
church  with  their  arms.  We  sent  to  them  to  bid  them 
come  down,  and  lay  down  their  arms,  and  they  should  suf- 
fer no  prejudice,  neither  in  their  persons  nor  goods;  and 
threatened  if  they  did  not,  that  we  would  fire  the  town 
about  them,  and  force  them  out  of  the  church.  We  sent 
this  message  to  them  thrice,  with  some  entreaties  once,  by 
Colonel  Kirke  ;  but  they  would  not  obey ;  upon  this,  we 
fired  the  village,  and  at  last  forced  them  out  of  the  church, 
and  took  their  arms.  If  your  Highness  think  it  too  great  a 
cruelty  in  us,  I  hope  you  will  pardon  us :  you  shall  consider 
that  we  could  not  have  done  otherwise,  unless  we  would 
have  suffered  the  affront  of  coming  away,  and  leaving  them 
behind.  While  we  were  doing  this,  there  were  some  three 
or  four  hundred  of  the  enemy  appeared  upon  hills  about  a 
mile  from  us,  who  retreated  when  we  drew  near  to  them  ; 
we  judged  them  to  be  most  of  them  country  people.  To- 
VOL.  II.  O 


194    MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF   [MAY, 

morrow  we  intend,  God  willing,  to  be  at  home,  and  indeed 
the  troops  have  need  of  rest,  for  they  are  extremely  ha- 
rassed and  wearied.  Sir,  I  beseech  you  pardon  the  trouble 
of  this  long  letter,  and  be  pleased  to  accept  of  me  for  your 
Highness's  most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  WENTWORTH.1 

Buckingham,  16th  of  May. 

All  this  time  Essex  lay  still,  partly  from  want  of 
money,  as  the  note  below  explains  ;2  and  partly  be- 

1  As  a  pendant  to  this,  I  add  a  letter  from  Lord  Crauford, 
exemplifying  the  arduous  condition  in  which  the  inhabitants  of 
the  country  were  placed  between  the  rival  political  and  foraging 
parties : — 

LOED    CRAUFORD   TO   PRINCE   RUPERT. 
MAT    IT    PLEASE   YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  went  abroad  yesterday,  in  the  afternoon,  with  a  party  of 
horse  and  dragoons,  having  heard  of  a  party  of  horse  of  the  rebels 
about  Malmesbury,  which  escaped  me  very  narrowly  j  however, 
they  took  the  alarm,  got  in  the  town,  where  there  are  four  hun- 
dred musketeers,  and  a  troop  or  two  of  horse.  On  my  return  I 
was  at  Cirencester,  where  I  understood  Waller  had  sent  out  his 
orders  for  bringing  in  of  contribution  j  but  I  gave  the  constables 
strict  order  to  the  contrary,  threatening  fire  and  sword  if  they 
paid  him  a  penny,  and  if  they  did  not  collect  it  and  pay  it  to 
me,  according  to  an  order  I  have  from  his  Majesty  to  that  pur- 
pose. I  was  informed,  likewise,  that  Waller  came  from  Glou- 
cester last  night  very  strong,  with  eight  piece  of  cannon  :  it  is 
thought  he  intends  for  Cirencester.  I  shall  be  ready  to  obey 
your  Highness's  further  orders,  in  expectation  of  which,  I  con- 
tinue your  Highness's 

Most  faithful  and  most  humble  servant,  CRAUFORD. 

Farrington,  May  the  26th. 

2  MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

The  inclosed  came  even  now  from  Prince  Maurice.  I  hear 
from  London  that  Sir  Ar.  [blotted  out,  Hazlerig,  probably] 
laboureth  all  he  can  to  procure  money,  and  to  levy  men  for  Sir 
William  Waller,  but  with  little  effect.  I  have  advertisement 
that  the  40;OOOZ.  for  the  Earl  of  Essex  is  not  yet  gotten,  and 
at  that  most  they  will  be  able  to  procure  for  him  but  the  one 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      195 

cause  that  the  ground  round  Reading  was  deeply 
flooded  by  spring  rains.  This  inundation,  at  the 
same  time,  protected  Oxford  from  his  advances,  and 
increased  the  sickness  which  preyed  severely  on  his 
army  in  the  town.  The  Lord-General  himself,  with 
his  staff,  held  his  head-quarters  at  Caversham, 
whence  he  soon  afterwards  made  a  move  upon 
Oxford. 

Prince  Maurice  is  now  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Worcester,  observing  Waller,  who  declines  to  come 
to  blows  with  him,1  having  strict  orders  to  march 
into  Devonshire,  and  bring  the  conquering  army 
of  the  west  to  immediate  action.  His  highness's 
troopers  intercepted  the  following  letter  to  Bristol : 

THE  EARL  OF  ESSEX  TO  COLONEL  NATHANIEL  FIENNES. 

SIR, 

I  have  sent  you  several  commissions  to  your  desire. 
As  for  the  four  troops  I  formerly  wrote  for  whilst  Sir 

half  of  that  sum.  Money  is  very  hard  to  be  gotten  at  London, 
notwithstanding  their  great  boast  of  their  taking  of  Reading, 
which  hath  assuredly  made  a  great  part  of  the  King's  party  to 
fall  from  him.  The  King  tells  me  that  he  hath  given  directions 
to  Prince  Maurice  to  pursue  Waller  which  way  soever  he  goeth, 
leaving  in  Worcester  a  convenient  strength  to  guard  it.  I  am 
really,  Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

ED.  NICHOLAS. 
Oxford,  12th  May,  1643. 

1  And  yet  I  find  in  another  letter,  dated  May  21,  1643,  Lord 
Essex  writing  to  Sir  William  Waller,  "  That  Prince  Maurice  and 
the  Marquis  are  advancing  so  rapidly,  that  it  is  necessary  you 

Ii.  e.  Sir  William]  should  join  battle  with  them."     For  this  letter 
am  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bliss,  Principal  of  St.  John's  Col- 
lege, the  able  editor  of  Antony  &  Wood's  works.     Dr.  Bliss  became 
possessed  of  this  and  many  other  old  MSS.,  by  discovering  them 
in  a  secret  drawer  of  a  valuable  antique  cabinet. 

o  2 


196    MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF   [MAY, 

William  Waller  attends  Prince  Maurice,  and  the  Marquis 
of  Hertford,  I  shall  willingly  spare  them,  but  when  he 
leaves  you  and  doth  advance  for  Devonshire,  our  want  of 
horse  is  so  great  that  it  is  my  desire  that  they  be  forth- 
with sent  to  the  army. 

I  hope  ere  this  you  have  made  some  example  of  some  of 
the  Bristol  traitors,  and  put  others  to  a  fine  and  ransom. 

Your  faithful  friend, 

ESSEX. 

From  my  quarter  at  Cowsham,  this  27th  of  May,  1643. 

For  my  honoured  friend  Colonel  Nathaniel  Fiennes, 
Governor  of  Bristol,  these  with  speed. 
Haste,  haste,  post-haste. 

After  all  this  military  turmoil,  it  is  almost  re- 
freshing to  turn  back  to  more  peaceful  scenes,  and 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  widowed  Queen  of  Bohemia, 
who  still  continues  to  reside  at  the  Hague.  Mr. 
Dingley,  of  whom  we  shall  again  hear,  was  at  this 
time,  I  believe,  gentleman  of  the  Household  to 
Prince  Rupert's  mother :  his  letter  is  without  ad- 
dress, but  was  probably  forwarded  to  the  Prince  by 
its  recipient,  as  containing  some  interesting  intelli- 
gence, together  with  much  edifying  exhortation  : — 


FROM  THOMAS  DINGLEY,  IN  THE  QUEEN  OF  BOHEMIA'S 

HOUSEHOLD,  TO  

SIR, 

You  will  not  marvel,  that  all  the  sap  of  our  friend- 
ship is  sunk  into  the  root,  whilst  the  blossoms  thereof  are 
nipped,  and  the  fruit  blasted,  by  these  public  storms  and 
interruptions.  I  have  seen  it  written  from  good  hands, 
that  there  is  neither  faith  nor  friend  left  in  England,  and 
yet  I  know  you  are  there ;  but  if  it  be  true,  we  are  near 
those  last  times  foretold  us,  that  faith  should  hardly  be 
found  upon  the  earth:  and  the  last  treaty  at  Oxford, 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        197 

wherein  there  scanted  neither  temper  nor  wisdom,  seemed 
to  break  upon  this  point,  that  there  was  no  faith  nor  trust 
betwixt  them  ;  for  in  other  things  they  were  agreed.  Now, 
where  no  trust  is  there  can  be  no  treaty,  contract,  nor 
dealing,  betwixt  men ;  and  such  differences  cannot  be 
ended  by  human  wisdom,  but  must  be  left  to  Divine  Pro- 
vidence, which  overruleth  the  realms  and  states  of  men. 
Upon  this  ground,  I  am  silent  in  these  great  controversies ; 
blessing  God,  to  find  a  shelter  in  these  countries,  from  the 
rage  and  unreasonableness  of  men  :  if  any  have  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  they  may  tell  us  what  the  issue  of  these  trou- 
bles may  be  ;  but  by  what  degrees,  they  are  come  to  this 
extremity,  I  know  none  fitter  than  yourself,  to  deduce  in 
history,  for  you  have  seen  the  spring  of  these  bitter  waters, 
which  are  now  turned  into  blood. 

Our  gracious  Mistress  hath  her  part  (as  who  hath  not) 
in  these  public  sufferings  :  it  is  upon  a  full  year  that  her 
entertainments  hath  been  stopped,  and  I  believe  that  she 
fareth  the  worse  for  the  impetuousness  of  Prince  Rupert, 
her  son,  who  is  quite  out  of  her  government.  The  Prince 
Elector  is  here,  and  all  his  sisters,  and  his  two  other  bro- 
thers, are  returned  into  France,  after  their  peregrination 
over  Italy ;  if  it  please  God  to  change  the  scene  in  Ger- 
many, here  will  be  Princes  enough  to  act  their  parts. 

For  ourselves,  I  know  not  how  we  can  employ  our 
private  condition  better  than  by  observing  the  errors  of 
the  world,  to  seek  after  truth,  and,  having  found  it,  to  hold 
it  fast,  as  the  treasure  of  our  lives,  present  and  eternal :  and 
let  this  be  our  comfort,  that  we  have  as  near  a  way,  and  as 
free  access  to  the  author  and  fountain  of  truth,  as  all  the 
powers  and  potentates  far  above  us.  I  am  doubtful, 
whether  this  may  come  to  your  hands  or  no,  but  I  am 
encouraged  by  Mr.  Balmford,  that  his  cousin  Obeston 
knoweth  a  certain  conveyance.  Nothing  else  but  the 
want  of  that  has  kept  me  thus  long  from  writing. 

I  forbear  to  acquaint  you  with  the  occurrences  of  this 


198          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

place,  or  of  other  parts,  supposing  they  are  grown  insipid 
to  you,  who  look  upon  them  as  the  fruits  and  events  of 
human  error  ;  you  can  easily  guess  at  the  vicissitudes  of 
times,  and  never  stir  from  your  retreat  at  Polsworth,  they 
come  and  go,  and  stop  and  alter,  according  to  the  great 
wheel  of  providence.  All  I  labour  for  is  to  fix  these 
flexible  motions,  by  an  inward  constancy,  or,  at  least,  not 
to  be  engaged  in  the  designs  of  others,  which  might  be 
repugnant  to  the  will  of  God. 

I  beseech  you  present  my  humble  service  to  my  good 
lady.  You  are  happy  in  one  another ;  and  now  I  find,  that 
a  loving  couple  is  all  the  world; — and  if  you  please  to  enter- 
tain such  a  kind  of  moral  correspondence,  I  shall  be  ready 
in  that  way,  or  any  other  you  shall  direct  me,  to  continue, 
Your  most  affectionate  and  humble  servant, 

T.    DlNGLEY. 

Hague,  14th  June,  1643. 

I  shall  be  pardoned  for  introducing  in  this  place 
the  following  characteristic  letter  from  this  heroic 
Queen,  written  in  her  earlier  days,  when  her  spirit 
was  yet  unbroken  by  any  heavier  misfortune  than 
the  loss  of  Bohemia's  fatal  crown.  I  have  only  just 
become  possessed  of  it,  through  the  kindness  of 
Lord  Hastings:  otherwise,  it  should  have  appeared 
in  the  first  volume  of  this  work,  which  has  already 
passed  through  the  press  : — 


"  THE  QUEEN  OF  BOHEMIA  TO  SIR  JACOB  ASTLEY. 

"  HONEST  LITTLE  JACOB, 

"  This  is  to  assure  you,  that  I  was  very  glad  to 
know  by  your  letter,  that  you  had  so  good  fortune  in 
getting  your  suit  of  the  King,  my  brother ;  I  hope 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       199 

shortly  to  see  you  here,  for  the  Prince,  [Maurice  of 
Nassau,]  means  to  be  very  suddenly  in  the  field,  and 
means  all  shall  be  cashiered  that  are  not  at  the  ren- 
dezvous. Therefore,  like  a  little  ape,  skip  over 
quickly !  Your  Colonel  swears  cruelly,  that  the 
Prince  will  not  give  him  leave  now  to  go  to  my  un- 
cle. His  daughter  is  here,  I  do  not  find  her  changed ; 
I  end  with  this,  that  I  desire  you  to  believe  me  ever, 
"  Your  most  assured  friend, 

"  ELIZABETH." 

"  I  pray,  commend  me  to  your  wife  and  daughter 
and  to  Sir  Jacob  Astley." 
The  Hague,  this  4th  of  May,  1630. 

At  this  period  the  Court,  at  Oxford,  was  much 
excited  by  the  consciousness  of  some  important 
secret  connected  with  London,  that  was  reported  to 
be  on  the  eve  of  restoring  the  King  to  his  throne, 
and  the  courtiers  to  their  old  supremacy  in  the 
nation.  Kate,  Lady  Aubigny,  might  be  observed 
to  bear  a  look  of  importance,  that  sate  amusingly 
on  her  sparkling  features,  saddened  as  they  were  by 
widow's  weeds.1  Suddenly  her  ladyship  disappeared 
from  the  Court  circle,  and  it  was  announced  that 
she  had  been  escorted  by  some  Cavaliers  to  the 


1  It  would  seem  that  these  weeds  were  not  so  mournfully  severe 
as  to  hide  this  fair  lady's  luxuriant  hair,  or  to  prevent  it  from 
being  curled.  Prynne,  in  his  "  Histriomastrix,"  speaks  with 
agony  of  the  "  frizzled  madams"  who  affronted  his  sense  of  all 
decorum  :  how  much  more  must  he  have  denounced  the  frizzled 
tresses  after  having  afforded  shelter  to  Waller's  plot. 


200          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

Lord-General's  lines,  which  she  had  passed  under  a 
safe-conduct  from  the  Parliament.1  A  few  days 
afterwards  the  secret  transpired:  it  was  Waller's 
Plot,  which  was  detected  by  the  vigilance  and  de- 
nounced by  the  eloquence  of  Pym  on  the  31st  of 
June.  The  Lady  Aubigny  had  taken  to  London 
the  King's  commission  of  array,  directed  to  some  of 
the  chief  citizens  of  London  who  were  well  affected 
to  the  Royal  cause.  This  important  paper  was 
hidden  in  the  lady's  curls,  and  thereby  gave  great 
occasion  to  the  metaphorical  preachers  and  orators 
to  enlarge  upon  the  danger  of  such  ornament,  at  the 
expense  of  all  ancient  example  from  Absalom  to 
Medusa.  The  object  of  this  plot  was  asserted  by 
Pym  to  be  "  the  seizure  of  the  Parliament,  the 
City,  and  the  Army;  the  three  vital  parts  of  the 
kingdom."2  By  the  Cavalier  party  it  was  main- 
tained to  have  had  for  its  object  simply  the  en- 
couragement and  strengthening  of  the  considerable 
loyalist  section  of  the  Londoners.3  Whatever  the 
intention  of  Waller  and  his  associates,  the  result 
of  the  plot  was  to  strengthen  the  Parliament,  and 
aiford  them  an  excuse  for  imposing  the  Covenant 
upon  the  Houses  of  Parliament,  and  their  party 
generally.  This  "  sacred  vow  and  covenant "  is  an 
extraordinary  document  to  have  been  as  widely 
adopted  as  Parliamentary  power  and  popular  pas- 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  65. 

2  Appendix  to  vol.  ii.  of  Mr.  Forster's  Statesmen. 

3  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  61  and  76. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     201 

sion  could  extend.  Its  preamble  sets  forth,  that "  a 
popish  army "  [meaning  the  Royal  force]  "  hath 
been  raised  for  the  subversion  of  the  Protestant 
religion,  and  the  liberty  of  the  subject,"  and  that 
a  horrid  design  has  lately  been  discovered  of  divers 
persons  within  the  City,  to  join  with  this  army  to 
destroy  the  Parliament,  &c.  Therefore,  that  it  is 
fit  that  all  "  true-hearted  lovers  of  their  country 
should  bind  themselves  to  each  other"  by  a  cove- 
nant to  the  following  effect.  The  Covenanter  de- 
clares his  sorrow  for  his  sins,  and  his  intention  to 
amend  the  error  of  his  ways :  and  that  he  will  not 
consent  to  lay  down  his  arms  so  long  as  the  Papists 
[i.  e.,  the  King's  party]  shall  be  protected  from  the 
justice  (!)  of  the  Parliament :  and  that  he  will  assist 
the  Parliament,  and  all  Covenanters,  to  the  utmost : 
and  all  for  the  sake  of  the  Protestant  religion.  This 
Covenant  artfully  drew  in  all  those  who  feared  to  be 
accused  of  complicity  in  the  plot,  and  led  them  to 
denounce  implacable  hostility  against  the  King,  under 
the  guise  of  religious  conviction  and  necessity :  it  was 
forthwith,  with  more  or  less  reluctance,  taken  by  all 
the  members  of  both  Houses  and  by  the  army.  Then 
the  Parliament  proceeded  to  execution.  The  Earls 
of  Northumberland  and  Portland,  Lord  Conway,  and 
Mr.  Waller  especially,  were  esteemed  to  be  the 
most  guilty;  but  the  latter  was  spared,  either  for 
the  sake  of  his  £10,000  fine,  or  of  his  most  abject 
meanness ;  and  the  former  three  for  no  apparent 
cause  but  that  they  were  lords,  and  lords  who  had 


202         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

long  lent  their  countenance  to  the  Republicans. 
Tomkins  and  Challoner,  however,  were  immediately 
hanged,  each  opposite  his  own  house  ;  and  Hamp- 
den,  one  of  the  King's  messengers,  imprisoned  until 
he  died :  the  other  humbler  conspirators  were  vari- 
ously punished,  in  proportion,  not  to  their  guilt, 
but  to  their  helplessness.1 

On  the  6th  of  June  Prince  Rupert  received  the 
subjoined  letter3  with  respect  to  the  movements  of 
Lord  Essex,  who,  on  the  10th,  advanced  to  Tame : 
the  King  drew  up  his  army  on  the  hill  to  the 
east  of  Oxford,  although  many  advised  him  to  retire 
altogether.  Prince  Rupert's  diary,  disjointed  as  it 
generally  is,  gives  here  the  following  slight  account 


1  Mrs.  Hutchinson,  p.  146 ;    Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  75  j 
Johnson's  Life  of  Waller ,  Rushworth's  Collection. 

2  SIR   LEWIS   DIVES   TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 

SIR, 

I  have  now  certain  intelligence  brought  me  from  Reading 
that  the  Earl  of  Essex  marched  away  this  morning  with  all  the 
force  he  had  towards  Henley ;  the  baggage  and  his  rear  are  not 
yet  come  thither  :  after  the  baggage  there  were  ten  troops  of 
horse  to  march,  which  had  not  all  past  [Causam  ?]  bridge  when  the 
messenger  which  brought  me  this  news  came  out  of  Reading. 
The  chief  cause  of  their  moving  is  supposed  to  be  for  fresh  quar- 
ters, and  for  the  relief  of  their  sick,  which  die  in  great  abundance  : 
four  hundred  of  them  were  sent  this  day  in  barges  for  London, 
and  great  numbers  remain  behind  unable  to  stir,  and  many  who 
have  the  use  of  their  legs  employ  them  in  running  away  from  the 
misery  that  follows  their  army.  They  are  certainly  in  great  con- 
fusion, and  are  possessed  with  marvellous  fears,  which  your  High- 
ness knows  best  how  to  make  advantage  of.  I  shall,  therefore, 
say  no  more,  but  that  I  am,  sir, 

Your  humblest  servant,  LEWIS  DIVES. 

Abingdon,  the  6th  of  June, 
at  9  of  the  clock  at  night. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        203 

of  Chalgrove's  celebrated  fight,  with  the  curious 
memorandum  at  the  end,  of  reference  to  be  made  to 
Legge  concerning  some  unintelligible  particulars : 

The  Prince  desired  the  King  (not  believing  that  Essex 
would  come  on)  to  give  him  one  thousand  horse  and  foot 
to  go  to  see  Essex ;  and  his  Highness  sent  out  a  party 
that  told  him  that  Essex  was  retreating  to  Tame  to  his 
quarters  (June  18).  The  Prince  beats  up  a  quarter  at 
Chinner,  and  then  to  Stoken  church,  where  Sir  Samuel 
Luke  was  with  his  regiment,  and  took  the  greatest  part  of 
that  regiment.  This  alarmed  Essex  :  because  they  could 
not  get  their  horse  ready,  they  put  all  their  foot-officers  on 
horseback,  and  followed  the  Prince;  who  retreated  be- 
cause of  keeping  the  prisoners :  and  was  so  hard  pressed 
that  he  turned  back  upon  the  enemy  and  beat  them,  in 
which  action  Hampden  received  his  death  wound.  The 
Lord  Mulgrave  was  here  shot  and  taken,  the  Prince  took 
his  parole  to  be  a  true  prisoner,  and  left  a  surgeon,  but  he 
brake  his  word.  The  Prince  leaping  a  ditch  and  falling 
upon  the  enemy's  flank. 

Mem. — -Ask  Colonel  Legge  how  the  Prince  carried  both 
friend  and  foe  away  here.1 

At  this  time  Colonel  Urry  deserted  from  the 
Parliamentary  army,  and  rode  fearlessly  up  to  the 
King,  with  whom  his  welcome  had  been  negotiated 
by  his  old  commanding  officer,  Lord  Ruthven,  now 
Earl  of  Brentford,  Urry's  intelligence  set  the  Cava- 
liers' minds  at  rest.  He  assured  them  that  his  late 
general  was  in  no  mood  to  attack  the  King,  and 
that  his  outposts  were  so  little  looked  to  that  they 

1  Memorandum  in  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


204          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

might  easily  be  surprised.  Urry  knew  the  country 
well :  he  had  often  scoured  it  in  company  with 
those  whom  he  now  sought  to  destroy.  How- 
ever distasteful  in  itself  such  treachery  might  be  to 
an  honest  soldier,  it  seemed  necessary  to  make  use 
of  it.  The  enemy  had  made  an  unsuccessful  attack 
two  days  before  on  one  of  the  Royal  outposts  at 
Islip,  and  the  Cavaliers  burned  to  retaliate.  No 
sooner  had  Urry  arrived,  and  proved  his  sincerity 
(if  we  must  use  that  word)  by  giving  important  in- 
formation and  furnishing  a  chart  of  the  enemy's 
country,  than  Rupert's  trumpet  sounded.  It  was 
quickly  known  that  an  enterprise  of  more  than 
ordinary  danger  was  on  foot,  and  the  Prince's 
favourite  troops  mustered  promptly  at  the  sum- 
mons. His  own  troop  of  life-guards,  under  Sir 
Richard  Crane ;  his  own  regiment,  under  O'Neal ; 
the  Prince  of  Wales's,  under  Gamel ;  and  Henry 
Percy's  regiment,  commanded  by  himself :  all  these 
made  up  about  one  thousand  horse.  Lord  Went- 
worth  commanded  about  350  dragoons  with  Innis 
and  Washington.  Colonel  Lunsford  led  about  five 
hundred  volunteer  infantry,  in  lightest  marching 
order,  without  even  their  colours.  Legge,  now 
sergeant  (or  brigade)  major,  led  the  advanced-guard 
or  "  forlorn  hope,"  as  it  was  then  called,  consisting 
of  one  hundred  horse  and  fifty  dragoons.1  With 

1  A  pamphlet  printed  at  Oxford  by  Leonard  Lichfield,  1643, 
entitled,  "His  Highness  Prince  Rupert's  late  beating  up  the 
Rebels'  quarters  at  Postcomb  and  Chinnor,"  &c. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     205 

this  gallant  division  Rupert  vowed  he  would  return 
the  visit  of  Essex  to  Islip  with  interest,  and  penetrate 
to  his  farthest  quarters.  The  plumed  and  glittering 
corps  passed  over  Magdalen  Bridge  at  four  in  the 
afternoon,  and  made  a  halt  of  some  hours  as  soon  as 
they  approached  the  enemy's  first  outpost  near  Tets- 
worth.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark  the  Prince  moved 
on  to  the  eastward,  receiving  in  silence  a  scattered 
fire  from  the  outpost  and  the  main  guard.  The 
Cavaliers  'rode  on  cautiously  throughout  the  night ; 
by  the  earliest  dawn  they  fell  upon  Lewknor, 
where  the  enemy  reposed  in  perfect  security,  being 
far  in  the  rear  of  the  Roundhead  army.  Here  many 
horses  and  arms  were  captured  and  led  away,  their 
owners  lying  dead  behind  them.  Thence  on,  rapidly, 
beneath  the  range  of  hills  by  Stoken  Church  to 
Chinner,  which  was  quickly  surrounded,  while 
Legge  dashed  into  the  streets  with  his  "forlorn." 
Here  lay  the  rear-guard  of  Essex,  wearied  and  neg- 
lectful of  all  precaution :  they  wakened  but  to  die, 
or  find  themselves  prisoners.  There  was  still  much 
work  to  be  done,  and  many  a  dangerous  mile  to 
travel  ere  the  Royal  troops  could  rest.  The  pri- 
soners were  committed  to  the  foot,  the  horses  were 
led  by  the  dragoons,  "  their  standard,  with  four  or 
five  bossed  and  buff  bibles  on  a  black  ground  "  was 
part  of  the  spoil,  and  the  town  was  left  once  more 
to  its  repose,  before  the  inhabitants  could  recover 
from  their  astonishment  and  fear.  On  went  the 
Cavaliers,  dashing  the  early  dew  from  the  rich 


206         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

meadows  that  lie  along  the  base  of  the  Beacon-hills ; 
and  so  silent  was  their  march,  that  the  sound  of 
distant  wheels  was  heard  approaching.  Essex's 
treasure,  £21,000,  is  there  for  prize  !  Eagerly  the 
leading  files  pushed  forwards ;  but,  when  they 
crowned  this  hill  they  looked  along  the  road  in 
vain  ;  the  waggoners  had  caught  sight  of  their  ene- 
mies first,  and  ensconced  themselves  deeply  in  the 
forest.  There  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in  a  doubtful 
search;  already  the  alarm  was  spread  throughout 
the  enemy's  lines,  and  videttes  could  be  seen  hurry- 
ing along  in  the  distance.  The  Prince  had  the 
whole  of  the  Parliament's  position  to  pass  through 
before  he  could  find  safety  for  his  men,  already 
twelve  hours  in  the  saddle,  and  somewhat  wearied 
with  two  sharp  actions. 

At  length  the  Roundheads  gathered  in  sufficient 
force  to  press  upon  his  rear-guard,  and  Percy  and 
O'Neal  with  some  difficulty  held  them  in  check, 
while  the  Prince  drew  up  his  men  in  CHALGROVE 
FIELD  :  it  was  on  Sunday,  the  18th  of  June.  Chisel- 
Hampton  bridge  lay  about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  his 
rear,  and  hither  he  despatched  his  foot,  to  secure 
that  pass  across  the  Cherwell,  with  some  dragoons 
to  line  the  road  leading  thither.  His  cavalry  were 
drawn  up  in  a  wide  cornfield,  of  several  hundred 
acres,  the  only  open  space  that  presented  itself 
between  the  hills  and  the  enclosed  country.  The 
Roundhead  horse  and  dragoons  were  now  seen 
descending  Gelder's-hill :  they  advanced  with  the 


1643.]        PRINCE  RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     207 

more  confidence,  as  they  expected  every  moment  to 
see  Essex  appearing  in  Prince  Rupert's  rear.  They 
sent  forward  their  dragoons  to  line  a  hedge  that 
alone  separated  them  from  the  Cavaliers,  and  as 
soon  as  these  skirmishers  had  opened  their  fire,  their 
cavalry  advanced  in  line.  So  far  had  Prince  Rupert 
waited  patiently  ;  almost  yielding  to  the  apparent 
policy  of  slowly  retiring,  until  his  assailants  were 
drawn  into  the  lane,  where,  on  either  side,  his  own 
dragoons  lay  still  in  ambush ;  but  when  the  enemy 
opened  fire,  and  struck  down  some  men,  he  ex- 
claimed, "Yea? — this  insolency  is  not  to  be  en- 
dured." Then,  says  one  of  his  officers,  who  writes 
the  report,  "  setting  spurs  to  his  horse,  he,  the  first  of 
all,  leaped  into  the  midst  of  the  dragooners,  clearing 
the  hedge  that  parted  us  from  the  rebels.  The 
captain,  and  the  rest  of  his  life-guards,  every  man 
as  he  could,  jumbled  after  him  ;  and  as  soon  as 
about  fifteen  were  gotten  over,  the  Prince  drew 
them  into  a  front  until  the  rest  could  recover  up  to 
him."  The  dragoons  then  fled ;  but  the  cavalry 
stood  stoutly  to  their  work,  and  "stood  our  first 
charge  of  pistols  and  swords  better  than  they  have 
ever  done  since  our  first  beating  them  at  Wor- 
cester. But  the  Prince,  with  his  life-guard,  charging 
them  home  upon  the  flank,  put  them  in  rout  at 
the  first  encounter."  So  far  the  story  is  told  by  one 
of  the  combatants.1  At  the  same  time,  O'Neal  and 

1  "  The   Beating  up  of  the  Enemy's  quarters,"  &c.,  Oxford, 
1643,  a  pamphlet  in  Mr.  Bentley's  collection. 


208        MEMOIRS    AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

Percy  charged  on  either  flank,  and  the  Roundheads' 
rout  became  general.  Hampden  now  came  up  from 
the  enclosures  about  Wapsgrove  House,  and  endea- 
voured to  check  the  Cavaliers,  and  give  time  to  his 
comrades  to  rally;  but  he  received  his  death-wound 
in  his  first  charge :  two  carbine-balls  struck  him  in 
the  shoulder,  broke  the  bone,  and  buried  themselves 
in  his  body.  His  course  was  run.  He  feebly  turned 
his  horse,  and  rode  away  from  the  m&lee  towards  his 
father-in-law's  house  at  Pyrton.  "  There  he  had  in 
youth  married  the  first  wife  of  his  love,  and  thither 
he  would  have  gone  to  die."  But  Rupert's  fierce 
squadrons  were  now  scattered  over  the  plain,  doing 
fearful  execution  on  the  fugitives,  and  the  wounded 
patriot  was  forced  to  turn  back  towards  Thame.  At 
length  he  reached  the  house  of  one  Ezekiel  Browne, 
where  his  wounds  were  dressed,  and  some  hopes  of 
life  were  held  out  to  him.  He  knew  better ;  he 
felt  life's  task  was  done,  and  he  passed  his  remain- 
ing hours  in  writing  to  Parliament  the  counsels  he 
could  no  longer  speak.  After  six  days  of  cruel 
suffering,  he  died,  having  received  the  sacrament 
from  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England.1  His  last 
words  were  "  O  Lord !  save  my  country  !  O  Lord  ! 
be  merciful  to  .  .  ."  His  utterance  failed ;  he  fell 
back,  and  died.  He  was  followed  to  his  grave 

1  He  declared  that  "  though  he  could  not  away  with  the  gover- 
nance of  the  Church  by  bishops,  and  did  utterly  abominate  the 
scandalous  lives  of  some  clergymen,  yet  he  thought  its  doctrines 
in  the  greater  part  primitive  and  conformable  to  God's  word,  as 
in  Holy  Scripture  revealed." — Lord  Nugent. 


1643.J      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      209 

amongst  his  native  hills  and  woods  of  the  Chiltern 
by  all  the  troops  that  could  be  gathered  for  that  sad 
duty,"1  and  so  he  was  committed  to  the  dust  as 
beseemed  a  gallant  soldier. 

"  With  Hampden  died  the  last  hope  of  a  victory 
as  spotless  as  his  cause,"2  says  the  most  eloquent 
advocate  of  that  cause;  and  surely  he  left  none 
behind  him  of  equal  genius,  integrity  and  influence 
combined.  In  his  name,  as  the  first  great  champion 
of  English  freedom,  was  carried  on  the  spirit  of 
righteous  resistance  to  oppression;  and  that  name 
appeared  almost  to  sanction  a  usurpation  more 
unrighteous  than  that  which  he  had  risen  to  re- 
sist. From  the  time  of  his  death,  the  English 
quarrel  became  daily  more  simply  a  quarrel  of  the 
sword.  Charles  himself  heavily  deplored  his  loss, 
and  would  have  sent  him  the  assistance  of  his  own 
surgeons.3 

We  must  now  return  to  the  field  of  battle,  where 
Rupert  received  intelligence  that  Essex  was  advanc- 
ing to  cut  off  his  retreat  over  Chisel-Hampton 

1  Lord  Nugent's  Life  of  Hampden,  ii.  438-441. 

2  Macaulay's  Essays. 

3  Sir  P.  Warwick's  Memoirs,  241.    It  was  a  curious  coincidence 
that  Hampden  should  have  been  selected,  when  a  Commoner  at 
Oxford,  to  write  a  congratulatory  Ode  on  the  marriage  of  Ru- 
pert's mother,  then  Princess-Royal  of  England,  with  the  Elector 
Palatine.     His  Ode  contains  these  lines  : — 

"  Ut  surgat  inde  proles 
Cui  nulla  terra,  nulla  gens  sit  parem  datura." 

This  "  proles,"  Rupert,  caused  the  writer's  death. — Vide  Lord 
Nugent's  Life  of  Hampden,  vol.  i.  p.  7.  This  "  proles"  now  illus- 
triously fills  the  throne  of  England. 

VOL.  II.  P 


210         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

Bridge.  As  soon  as  he  could  rally  his  troops,  he 
withdrew  leisurely  across  the  river,  and  there  rested 
his  wearied  forces  for  the  night.  Washington's  dra- 
goons guarded  the  bridge,  now  left  behind,  and 
Percy's  regiment  of  horse  patrolled  the  adjacent 
country.  Early  in  the  morning,  the  Prince  resumed 
his  march,  and  arrived  at  Oxford  about  noon.  Thus, 
in  less  than  forty-eight  hours,  he  had  led  a  force  of 
infantry  as  well  as  cavalry  a  circuit  of  as  many 
miles,  through  the  heart  of  an  enemy's  country, 
with  the  loss  of  only  a  dozen  men.  In  the  course 
of  his  expedition  he  had  captured  two  outposts, 
fought  and  won  a  pitched  battle,  possessed  himself 
of  several  stand  of  colours,  many  prisoners,  and  a 
large  number  of  horses ;  he  had  slain  Hampden  and 
Gunter,  the  two  chief  officers  opposed  to  him,1  and 
wounded  very  many  more.  Of  these  last  were  Shef- 
field, Lord  Mulgrave's  son,  and  Captain  Berkeley ; 
they  were  allowed  to  remain  prisoners  on  parole,  in 
order  to  save  them  the  pain  of  removal ;  but  that 
parole  was  basely  broken. 

The  following  letter  from  the  Earl  of  Berkshire 
to  the  Prince  alludes  to  this  perjured  parole,  and 
is  otherwise  of  interest;  the  stout  old  nobleman 
had  six  sons  serving  the  King,  and  desires  no 

1  There  were  about  forty-five  of  the  enemy  killed  at  Chalgrove 
alone,  but  the  relater  complains  that  "  to  reckon  up  the  slain  by 
the  number  of  Christian  burials  is  no  sure  way  of  coming  at  the 
truth,  for  divers  of  these  Anabaptists  and  Brownists  refuse  to 
bury  their  soldiers  otherwise  than  they  do  their  horses." — A 
Beating  up,  &c. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        211 

better  fortune  for  them  than  that  they  should  act 
under  our  Prince's  orders. 

SIR, 

This  day  I  received  notice  from  my  son  Harry  of  his 
being  prisoner  at  Tame,  and  of  their  resolution  to  carry 
him  to  London  suddenly  :  now,  sir,  both  his  earnest  desire 
and  mine  is  such  (to  have  him  do  you  further  service)  as 
we  would  be  very  glad  he  might  be  exchanged  for  some 
other  prisoner,  and  I  did  believe  that  there  was  an  occasion 
that  happened  by  the  accident  of  taking  Mr.  Sheffield,  my 
Lord  of  Mulgrave's  son,  by  your  Highness,  which  might 
have  brought  my  desire  to  pass  by  an  exchange  between 
them  ;  but  I  understand  since,  to  my  great  wonder,  that 
both  he  and  the  Scotchman,  Berkeley,  that  your  Highness 
left  prisoners  at  Stadam,  have  abused  your  favour,  and  are 
since  carried  away  by  a  troop  of  horse  and  a  coach,  to  my 
Lord  of  Essex  his  army,  contrary  to  their  words  given  to 
your  Highness  :  which  makes  me  to  seek  of  any  particu- 
lars for  his  redemption ;  more  than  the  confidence  I  have 
that  you  will  be  pleased  to  think  on  some  way  for  him 
that  is  so  willing  to  venture  his  life  in  this  cause,  in  which 
I  hope  I  have  yet  Jive  sons  remaining  to  do  his  Majesty 
and  your  Highness  service  :  and  had  I  have  been  sure  to 
have  found  you  at  Oxford  I  would  have  been  the  messen- 
ger myself,  but  hearing  your  Highness  is  so  often  abroad, 
to  your  great  honor  and  praise,  I  made  this  adventure, 
and  with  all  you  must  give  me  leave,  though  not  much 
known  to  your  Highness,  to  tell  you  that  I  am, 

Sir,  your  Highness's  most  faithful  and  humblest  servant? 
Ewelme  Lodge,  21st  June,  1643.  E.  BERKSHIRE. 

For  the  Prince  his  Highness. 

Prince  Rupert  must  have  immediately  sent  a 
"trumpet"  to  the  Lord  General  in  furtherance  of 
Lord  Berkshire's  wishes,  for  on  the  day  after,  the 
former  writes  the  following  reply  from  the  Round- 

p  2 


212          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

head  camp.    Essex  was  too  good  a  soldier  to  permit 
a  parole  to  be  broken  with  impunity. 

THE  EARL  OF  ESSEX  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
SIR, 

Mr.  Sheffield  affirms  he  never  engaged  himself  to  be 
"  a  true  prisoner,"  yet  since  it  is  your  Highness's  desire  to 
have  Captain  Gardner  and  Mr.  Howard  [Lord  Berkshire's 
son]  released,  I  will  send  them  to  you,  they  being  gone  to 
Windsor,  having  received  your  promise  to  set  at  liberty 
Mr.  Edwards,  which  I  am  sure  you  will  perform  too, 

Your  Highness's  humble  servant, 

Tame,  this  22d  of  June,  1643.  ESSEX. 

For  his  Highness  Prince  Rupert. 

In  the  action  of  Chalgrove,  the  Prince  was  con- 
spicuous for  his  personal  prowess ;  Urry,  too,  so 
distinguished  himself,  that  he  was  allowed  to  carry 
the  news  to  Oxford,  for  which  he  was  knighted  by 
the  King.  Legge,  as  usual,  was  taken  prisoner,  but 
escaped ;  O'Neal  slew  a  standard-bearer  with  his  own 
hands,  and  thus  restored  to  his  corps  the  right  to 
bear  a  banner,  which  they  bad  lost  at  Hopton 
Heath.  Sir  Thomas  Dallison  also  attracted  admira- 
tion by  his  gallantry  ;  "and  the  modesty  of  all  when 
they  returned  to  Oxford,  was  equal  to  their  daring 
in  the  field."  The  writer  I  have  already  quoted  from 
says  that  "  many  rebels  escaped  by  having  red  scarfs 
like  ours."  He  also  remarks  that  the  troops 
were  far  better  under  command  than  they  had  been 
at  Edgehill,  and  suffered  far  less  in  consequence.1 

The  King's  affairs  at  this  Midsummer  appeared 

1  A  beating  up,  &c. ;  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      213 

more  promising  than  they  had  been  since  the  begin- 
ning of  the  "  Troubles."  In  the  West,  Waller  had 
been  defeated ;  in  the  North,  the  Earl  of  Newcastle 
continued  to  prevail  against  Fairfax ;  and  in  the 
East,  by  far  the  most  dangerous  quarter,  the  Round- 
heads had  shrunk  back  within  their  former  canton- 
ments at  St.  Albans  ;  while  their  Lord-General  had 
found  it  necessary  to  repair  to  London  to  encounter 
his  secret  enemies  in  Parliament.  There,  Pym  ruled 
supreme,  and  was  even  successful  in  carrying  through 
the  Commons  a  vote  for  the  impeachment  of  the 
Queen.  The  discovery  of  Waller's  plot  had  roused 
a  new  storm  of  popular  passion  and  fanaticism,  and 
given  fresh  power  to  those  who  rode  upon  the  whirl- 
wind. It  is  now  difficult  even  to  imagine  the  grave 
and  industrious  citizens  of  London  committing  them- 
selves to  such  fantastic  excesses  as  Vicars,  in  his 
"  Jehovah  Jireh,"  exultingly  describes ;  a  sudden 
re-action  seems  to  have  taken  place  against  the  most 
venerated  memorials,  as  well  as  institutions,  of  a  for- 
mer time:  so  we  hear  of  insane  patients  suddenly 
seeking  the  destruction  of  all  that  once  was  dearest 
to  them.  Not  only  were  cathedrals  defaced,  plun- 
dered and  defiled,  but  every  other  edifice  of  sacer- 
dotal association  became  equally  obnoxious.1 

1  In  Vicars's  History,  he  draws  attention  to  the  following 
account  of  the  destruction  of  the  ancient  monument  in  Cheapside ; 
his  marginal  note  describes  his  text  as  "  A  pretty  note  concerning 
Cheapside  Cross."  The  pretty  note  is  as  follows  :  "  On  Tuesday, 
May  the  9th,  the  gorgeously  gilt  coat  of  Cheapside  Cross  was 
plucked  over  its  ears,  and  its  accursed  carcass  piecemeal  tumbled 


214         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

In  the  same  degree  that  they  receded  from  their 
old  affections,  they  addicted  themselves  eagerly  to 
novelty;  Presbytery,  and  a  form  of  the  Scottish 
Covenant  came  into  fashion,  and  the  latter  was 
looked  upon  as  something  sacred,  even  by  Baxter 
and  others  who  loathed  it  afterwards.  The  follow- 
ing passage,  from  a  then  popular  writer,  is  charac- 
teristic of  the  light  in  which  their  Covenant  was 
held,  and  of  the  prevailing  tone  of  feeling  : — 

"  Yet  see  (notwithstanding  the  pious  Parliament's 
cares,  and  people's  honest  aims,  loyalty  and  inte- 
grity herein)  how  those  venomous  spiders  of  Oxford 
sucked  poison  out  of  those  fragrant  flowers  and 
herbs  of  grace ;  most  satanically  slandering  and  abus- 
ing this  Holy  Covenant,  and  the  honest  Covenanters ; 
which  was  evidently  seen  in  a  most  impious  and 
audacious  paper  [by  the  King],  under  the  title  of  a 
Proclamation  against  the  Covenant."1 

The  Parliament  wisely  turned  this  enthusiasm  to 
practical  undertakings,  and  London  became  respect- 
ably fortified  in  a  singularly  short  space  of  time. 
But  even  fanaticism  failed  to  supply  money:  the 
Guildhall  experiment  was  not  to  be  repeated,  and  the 
popular  leaders  were  as  sorely  embarrassed  as  the 
King  was,  for  supplies.  The  more  discouraging  their 
prospects  appeared,  the  more  they  required  money, 


down  to  the  ground ;  even  on  that  day  which  the  popish  asses' 
glossary  says  was  'Inventio  Crucis]  was  now  destructio  crucis"  — 
Jehovah  Jireh,  327. 

1  Vicars,  Jehovah  Jireh,  p.  91. 


A1EUJMPI11L  ©If  WA3MG)©1D/M 


FROM  THE    COLLECTION  OF  THE  B^H*-?  LORD   ARUWDEI,  OF  WARD  OUR. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      215 

and  the  more  difficulty  they  found  in  raising  it.  The 
retreat  of  Essex  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Oxford, 
the  defeats  of  Fairfax  at  Bramham  Moor  and  Ad- 
derton  Heath,  and  of  Waller  at  Roundway,  if  not 
at  Lansdown,  appeared  to  leave  the  Cavaliers  almost 
unopposed  throughout  England.  Yet,  in  this  con- 
juncture, the  Parliament  performed  one  of  the  most 
politic,  and  one  of  the  few  noble  acts  of  their  admi- 
nistration. They  received  Waller,  defeated  as  he 
was,  with  every  mark  of  consideration  and  respect, 
remembering  only  that  he  had  bravely  and  honestly 
discharged  his  duty.  This,  however,  is  anticipating, 
by  a  month,  the  date  to  which  I  must  return,  after 
having  given  a  place  to  the  following  episode ;  it 
was  too  isolated  to  fall  into  my  narration,  but 
even  in  these  brief  records  of  English  chivalry,  the 
heroic  defence  of  Wardour  Castle  by  the  Lady 
Arundell  must  not  be  omitted. 

On  the  2nd  of  May  1643,  during  the  absence  of 
Lord  Arundell  at  Oxford,  Sir  Edward  Hungerford 
presented  himself  before  Wardour  Castle,  demand- 
ing admittance  in  search  for  malignants,  and  upon 
being  denied,  called  a  body  of  troops  under  Colonel 
Strode  to  assist  him  in  reducing  it  by  force.  With 
this  army  of  thirteen  hundred  men  he  summoned 
the  castle  to  surrender,  and  received  no  other  reply 
than  that  "  Lady  Arundell  had  a  command  from 
her  lord  to  keep  it,  which  order  she  would  obey." 
On  the  following  day  cannon  were  brought  within 
musket  shot  of  the  walls,  and  continued  to  fire  on 


•216         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAY, 

the  castle  for  six  days  and  nights :  two  mines  were 
also  sprung.  During  all  this  time  the  heroic  lady 
with  her  followers,  amounting  to  about  fifty  servants, 
of  whom  only  half  were  fighting-men,  perseveringly 
defended  her  stronghold,  the  women  supplying  am- 
munition to  the  men,  and  exerting  themselves  in 
extinguishing  the  fiery  missiles  thrown  over  the 
walls.  At  length  their  powers  of  resistance  being 
completely  exhausted,  and  no  hope  of  relief  ap- 
pearing, a  parley  was  offered,  and  the  castle  surren- 
dered on  capitulation.  The  terms,  however,  were 
only  observed  as  far  as  regarded  the  lives  of  the 
besieged ;  for  the  rebels  had  no  sooner  taken  pos- 
session, than  they  at  once  set  about  plundering  and 
demolishing  all  the  valuables  it  contained,  and 
wastefully  ravaged  the  country  round,  so  that  the 
loss  of  property  was  computed  at  lOOjOOO/.1 

1  Among  the  wanton  outrages  enumerated  in  the  "  Mercurius 
Rusticus,"  we  find  "  the  breaking  of  a  chimney-piece  worth 
2000Z. ;  likewise  rare  pictures,  the  works  of  the  most  curious  pencils 
that  were  known  in  these  latter  times  of  the  world,"  pulling  up 
the  park  pales  to  let  loose  the  deer,  cutting  down  trees  and  sell- 
ing the  timber  for  a  few  pence ;  letting  out  the  water  from 
twelve  great  ponds,  and  killing  the  fish.  By  another  breach  of 
faith,  Lady  Arundell  with  her  daughter-in-law  were  detained 
as  prisoners  at  Shaftesbury,  whilst  their  conquerors  exercised 
tyrannic  power  in  separating  from  them  her  grandchildren  who 
were  sent  under  a  guard  to  Dorchester.  Lady  Arundell  was  one 
of  the  seven  daughters  of  Edward  fourth  Earl  of  Worcester,  and 
sister  to  the  gallant  Lord  Herbert  (or  Glamorgan).  She  died  in 
1649  at  Winchester. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      217 


CHAPTER  III. 

TO  THE  END  OF  1643. 

ARRIVAL  OF  THE  QUEEN  AT  OXFORD. —  SIEGE  OF  BRISTOL  AND   GLOUCESTER. 

THE   CAVALIERS    OF   THE  WEST. — THE    NEW  MODEL. FIRST  BATTLE    OF 

NEWBURY. — DEATH    OF   PYM. 


"  Plague  take  Pym  and  all  his  peers  ! 
Huzza  for  Prince  Rupert  and  his  Cavaliers  I 
When  they  come  there,  these  hounds  will  have  fears, 
/»••••  Which  nobody  can  deny." 

Old  Song. 

THE  Queen's  arrival  now  became  the  great  object 
of  interest,  and  indeed  of  importance.1  With  her 
were  coming  money,  arms,  and  fresh  troops ;  all 
much  needed  by  the  weary  and  wanting  army  at 
Oxford.  Favourable  news  had  come  from  the  North 
from  time  to  time:  with  the  exception  of  New- 
castle's defeat  at  Wakefield  by  Fairfax,  everything 
had  gone  against  the  latter,  zealous  and  indomitable 

1  I  found  the  following  curious  passage  concerning  the  Queen's 
landing  at  Burlington,  since  that  passage  was  printed.  In  such 
a  shape  as  the  following,  the  news  of  the  seventeenth  century  was 
transmitted  to  the  North  : — "  Aluaies  scho  gettis  up  out  of  hir 
naiked  bed,  in  her  night  walycot,  bairfeet  and  bairleg,  with  her 
maids  of  honour  (whairof  one  throu  plain  fier  went  strait  mad, 
being  ane  noble  man  of  England's  dochter,)  she  gettis  saiflie  out 
of  the  hous,  while  the  schippis  ding  doun  the  roof  of  hir  lodging. 
And  she  gois  to  ane  den  which  the  canon  culd  not  hurt,  though 
they  lay  schooting  still — yea,  fowrscore  schotts." — Spalding's 
History  of  Troubles,  i.  140. 


218          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

as  he  was.  The  Queen's  presence  in  York  had 
given  great  zest  to  the  service  of  the  Cavaliers,  and 
they  had  proportionately  distinguished  themselves. 
Their  successes  had  opened  a  way  towards  the  King. 
Lord  Loughborough  (lately  Henry  Hastings)  held 
the  Roundhead  strength  in  Leicestershire  paralysed ; 
Charles  Cavendish  had  a  strong  footing  in  Lincoln- 
shire,1 so  that  there  was  little  fear  of  interruption  to 

1  The  following  paper  of  advice  is  rather  lengthy,  but 
contains  some  interesting  statistical  and  other  matter;  it  is 
docketted  among  Prince  Rupert's  papers  as 

"  The  benefit  and  advantage  that  would  arise  to  his  Majesty 
by  putting  a  balancing  force  into  Lincolnshire. 

"1.  It  will  share  the  profits  of  the  country  with  the  enemy 
(by  which  they  maintain  their  army  there),  and  raise  other  great 
sums,  and  so  disable  them. 

"2.  It  will  stay  the  enemy  in  that  county,  by  which  means 
they  shall  neither  be  able  to  turn  the  scales  in  the  North,  or  to 
join  against  his  Majesty's  forces  in  the  South ;  which  otherwise, 
by  reason  of  the  populousness  of  these  parts  and  vastness  of  the 
country,  will  always  make  up  a  great  army,  if  there  be  no  party 
to  appear  for  his  Majesty. 

"3.  It  will  disable  the  enemy  for  sending  or  raising  so  many 
forces  out  of  Northamptonshire,  Rutland,  Huntingdonshire,  and 
Cambridgeshire,  lying  so  near  them  all  at  any  time,  in  the 
absence  of  their  forces  they  may  plunder  and  ruin  them. 

"  4.  It  will  hinder  the  City  of  London  of  beef  and  mutton  and 
other  provisions,  that  those  marshes  and  fens  now  furnish  them 
with,  which  are  infinite ;  and  if  those  provisions,  (which  will  go 
from  those  parts  now  against  Easter)  be  stopped,  it  will  much  dis- 
tress London,  being  interrupted  from  the  West  also. 

"  5.  It  will  raise  his  Majesty  very  considerable  forces  in  the 
very  heart  of  the  kingdom  ;  encourage  his  friends,  who  are  many 
there ;  destroy  and  dishearten  his  enemies.  And  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  many  of  the  enemies  being  raised  and  forced  against  their 
wills  (if  some  person  who  hath  power  and  interest  and  affec- 
tion in  those  parts  be  sent),  will  come  away  with  their  arms  to 
him. 

"  6.  Since  the  association  of  the  two  counties  of  Nottingham- 
shire and  Lincolnshire,  there  were  fourscore  and  sixteen  thousand 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       219 

such  a  force  as  accompanied  the  Queen.    The  tough 
little  garrison  at  Nottingham,  under  Mrs.  Hutchin- 


pounds  equally  assessed  by  the  Commissioners  of  both  counties 
upon  Lincolnshire,  and  six  and  thirty  thousand  pounds  upon 
Nottinghamshire,  besides  25002.  lately  assessed  and  paid  for  Sir 
Charles  Lucas,  his  horse,  at  his  coming  into  the  county  of  Not- 
tingham. 

"  That  of  Nottinghamshire  is  most  of  it  collected  and  paid,  be- 
sides free  quarter  by  all  the  Lincolnshire  horse  taken  from  us 
almost  this  twelvemonths,  and  besides  the  free  quarter  the  Lord 
Newcastle's  forces  had  at  his  coming  to  relieve  Gainsborough,  and 
his  coming  into  Derbyshire  and  returning  two  of  the  assessments 
of  Lincolnshire,  which  are  64,0002.,  after  the  rate  of  32,0002.  for 
an  assessment,  being  entirely  unpaid,  and  a  great  part  of  the 
third,  which,  if  forces  be  sent  to  collect,  will  not  only  maintain 
them,  but  will  help  to  maintain  the  garrison  and  forces  of  Not- 
tinghamshire as  they  have  formerly  done  them,  and  will  enable 
both  the  counties  to  subsist,  which  otherwise  Nottinghamshire 
cannot  subsist,  the  country  having  been  so  much  pillaged  and 
destroyed  both  by  our  friends  and  enemies. 

"7.  If  considerable  forces  be  raised  in  those  parts,  they  will  be 
ready  to  assist  as  occasion  serves,  if  any  accident  should  happen 
(which  God  defend)  to  the  interruption  of  the  advancing  of  the 
Scots,  having  the  advantage  of  the  passages. 

"  The  questions  where  these  forces   should   be   had  that 
should  do  this  service. 

"1.  It  is  conceived  that  the  Lincolnshire  gentlemen  have  four- 
teen hundred  horse  of  their  own  raising  for  their  own  defence, 
which  are  now  under  the  command  of  Sir  Charles  Lucas,  which  is 
hoped  may  be  spared  in  those  parts,  the  rather  since  it  will  hold 
the  enemy  in  work  there,  that  they  cannot  move  northward. 

"  2.  That  the  horse  at  Newark,  Belvoir,  and  Werton,  are-about 
five  hundred  more,  which,  upon  all  occasions,  will  be  ready  to 
join  with  them ;  and  that  in  a  very  short  time  more  will  be 
raised,  if  any  person  of  honour  be  sent  to  command. 

"  3.  That  out  of  the  several  garrisons  there  may  be  about  eight 
hundred  foot  drawn  to  lay  the  foundation.  That  there  were  and 
are,  if  not  wasted  lately,  a  thousand  spare  muskets,  and  three 
hundred  case  of  pistols,  at  Newark  for  fresh  supplies. 

"  4.  If  his  Majesty  will  please  (to  spare  to  this)  some  of  those 
broken  regiments  of  horse,  which  may  sooja  be  reunited  there, 
and  some  foot  and  some  arms  and  ammunition,  it  may  be  hoped, 


220          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

son's  Colonel,  now  consisted  only  of  one  thousand 
men,  and  was  too  happy  to  be  left  unmolested.  The 
only  apprehension  arose  from  Essex,  who  was  re- 
ported to  be  on  the  move  to  interrupt  her  Majesty's 
march.  Of  Cromwell  at  this  conjuncture  we  hear 
nothing.  Lord  Denbigh,  in  the  central  associated 
counties,  was  amply  occupied  in  organizing  his  new 
levies.  Waller  was  away  in  the  West.  The  Queen 
had  already  advanced  as  far  as  Newark,1  whence  we 


in  a  short  time,  considerable  forces  may  be  raised  and  maintained 
in  those  parts  (which  now  the  enemy  have  entire  from  London 
to  Newark),  which  will  have  an  influence  upon  all  the  associate 
counties,  and  destroy  the  enemy's  contributions  in  many  of  them. 

"  It  is  humbly  desired  that  Prince  Rupert  would  be  pleased  to 
resolve  upon  the  aforesaid  considerations,  and  calling  the  gentle- 
men of  those  parts  to  attend  him,  to  consult  of  framing  some 
balancing  and  standing  power,  to  be  left  in  such  places  as  his 
Highness  shall  think  fit  to  make  his  head-quarter,  as  a  grand 
work  and  preparation  thereunto.  It  is  desired  that  the  horse 
raised,  and  belonging  to  Lincolnshire,  may  be  there  employed. 

"  That  the  thousand  spare  muskets  and  three  hundred  case  of 
pistols  that  were  left  at  Newark,  may  be  assigned  to  this  service, 
together  with  the  foot  that  may  be  spared  out  of  the  garrisons  of 
Newark,  Werton,  and  Belvoir,  which  we  hope  may  be  eight  hun- 
dred, besides  what  his  Highness  shall  be  pleased  to  spare.  And 
it  is  humbly  desired  that  his  Majesty  may  be  acquainted  with 
such  things  as  shall  be  found  wanting  to  this  design,  that  the 
supply  thereof  may  be  endeavoured  from  hence,  or  otherways,  by 
his  Majesty's  command,  whereby  London  will  be  straitened  in 
their  provisions,  and  his  Majesty  supplied  by  driving  the  goods 
out  of  the  enemy's  into  his  Majesty's  quarters  and  garrisons,  and 
they  hindered  in  raising  men  and  moneys  in  the  associate  coun- 
ties, and  those  advantages  turned  to  his  Majesty's  service. 

*'  That  under  the  countenance  of  Prince  Rupert's  being  there, 
it  is  no  way  doubted  but  that  as  many  forces  as  we  can  get  arms 
for  may  be  speedily  raised." 

1  Newark,  the  Eltanona  of  the  Romans,  and  Sidnacester  of  the 
Saxons,  was  no  doubt  built  to  protect  the  navigation  of  the 
Trent,  and  what  is  now  the  castle,  was  probably  then  a  great 
granary.  This  stronghold  is  said  to  have  owed  its  erection  to 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       221 

have  a  letter  from  her  to  the  King,  stating  that 
she  "  only  waited  to  have  Hull  and  Lincoln"  (which 
were  not  to  be  had,  after  all),  and  that  her  route 
would  be  by  Werton  and  Ashby-de-la-Zouche.  Her 
Majesty  also  states  that  she  has  left  two  thousand 
foot  and  "  twenty  companies  of  horse,"  under 
Charles  Cavendish,  to  protect  Nottinghamshire  and 
Lincolnshire.  Her  own  accompanying  forces  con- 

the  celebrated  Bishop  Alexander,  consecrated  to  the  see  of  Lin- 
coln, 1123,  who  fortified  it  against  King  Stephen,  but  was  even- 
tually forced  to  surrender  it  to  the  Crown.  Hither  King  John 
retired  from  the  attack  of  his  rebellious  subjects,  and  died  of 
dysentery,  October  19,  1216.  In  the  following  reign  it  stood  a 
siege  of  eight  days  against  Henry  III.,  being  seized  and  fortified 
by  such  of  the  nobility  as  had  joined  the  French.  Charles  I.,  in 
the  second  year  of  his  reign,  granted  a  charter  to  the  "  Ancient 
and  populous  town  of  Newark."  Up  to  this  time  it  had  enjoyed 
a  flourishing  trade,  which  suffered  ruinous  interruption  during 
the  Civil  Wars,  when  this  town  sustained  three  sieges,  and  would 
not  be  taken. — History  and  Antiquities  of  Newark)  by  W.  Dick- 
inson. Newark,  1816.  9—43. 

The  following  extract  may  be  thought  interesting  : — 
"When  Queen  Henrietta  was  on  her  march  to  join  the  King 
with  the  army  she  had  raised  at  York,  she  remained  several  days 
at  Newark,  as  it  was  said,  to  enjoy  the  company  of  Lord  Charles 
Cavendish,  of  whom  her  enemies  reported  she  was  fonder  than 
it  was  right  for  a  virtuous  woman  to  have  shewn  herself.  On 
the  ladies  of  Newark  pressing  her  to  remain  with  them  till  her 
forces  had  taken  Lincoln,  she  replied,  that  "  She  was  under  the 
command  of  the  King,  and  was  going  to  march  elsewhere,  by  his 
orders  ;  and  that  though  she  lamented  not  being  able  to  comply 
with  their  request,  she  rejoiced  at  being  able  to  set  them  an 
example  of  obedience  to  their  husbands."  At  Burton-on-Trent 
she  parted  with  her  favourite,  Cavendish,  very  heavily,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  the  King,  while  he  returned  to  his  command  near 
Newark.  Not  long  after  this  he  was  killed  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment  by  the  famous  Oliver  Cromwell,  being  sent  with  a  few 
troops  to  make  head  against  Lord  Willoughby,  who  had  just 
secured  Gainsborough,  and  was  acting  very  vigorously  for  the 
Parliament  in  Lincolnshire." — From  a  Pamphlet  in  the  Bodleian 
Collection  at  Oxford,  dated  July  12,  1643. 


222         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

sisted  of  three  thousand  foot,  thirty  companies  of 
horse  and  dragoons,  six  pieces  of  cannon,  and  two 
mortars.  Harry  Jermyn  commander-in-chief,  Sir 
Alexander  Lesley  commanding  the  foot,  Sir  John 
Gerrard,  the  horse,  and  Robin  Legge,  the  artillery; 
with  her  "she-Majesty  generalissima  over  all,  and 
extremely  diligent  am  I;  with  150  waggons  of 
baggage  to  govern  in  case  of  battle."1  The  Lord- 
General  having  now  returned  to  his  army,  is  re- 
ported to  be  in  movement  towards  the  expected 
Royal  convoy.  Prince  Rupert  once  more  is  commis- 
sioned to  meet  and  escort  the  Queen,  and  on  his 
way  thither  to  keep  Essex  closely  in  observance.  On 
the  1st  of  July  I  find  the  following  notice,  probably 
from  a  spy:  it  is  without  other  date  or  address. 

This  day  there  is  gone  from  Thame  four  thousand 
soldiers,  two  thousand  to  Althorp  to  be  quartered,  two 
thousand  to  meet  Prince  Rupert's  Highness  towards 
Bucks,  they  have  taken  away  some  two  drakes  to  every 
regiment,  my  Lord-G  eneral  [Essex]  sticks  close  at  Thame, 
and  if  I  am  not  mistaken  in  physiognomy,  he  loves  to  have 
no  harm,  but  to  be  quiet  if  he  might,  for  having  well 
viewed  his  noble  person,  I  judge  he  loves  sleep,  good  diet, 
and  ease,  or  else  I  am  much  mistaken  in  my  skill.  [This 
observation  seems  to  confirm  the  assertion  of  the  verse 
below. 2]  The  works  lie  still  at  Tetsworth  ;  there  lie  about 

1  Miss  Strickland's  Queens  of  England,  vol.  viii. 
2  "  Farewell,  my  Lord  of  Essex,  with  hey, 
Farewell,  my  Lord  of  Essex,  with  ho, 
He  sleeps  till  eleven, 
And  leaves  the  cause  to  six  or  seven, 
But  'tis  no  matter — their  hope 's  in  heaven  ! 
With  a  hey  trolly,  lolly,  ho  !" 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         223 

seven  hundred  dragoons  which  were  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  Miller,  who,  upon  some  dislike,  hath  laid  down 
his  commission,  and  is  gone  from  them :  their  serjeant- 
major  is  sick,  and  there  is  no  commander  to  lead  them, 
but  sometimes  one  Captain  Middleton  leads  them  upon 
any  design :  my  opinion  is  they  lie  loosely,  I  leave  it  to 
better  judgment. 

The  Prince  proceeded  on  the  1st  of  July  to  Buck- 
ingham, where  he  took  up  his  quarters  for  that 
night ;  his  intention  evidently  being  to  keep  himself 
between  Essex  and  the  Queen  throughout  his 
marcb.  On  the  2nd,  an  incident  is  recorded  in  his 
Highnesses  journal,  which  scarcely  comports  with 
what  is  called  tbe  gravity  of  history.  Early  in  the 
morning,  "  as  he  was  shaving,"  intelligence  was 
brought  that  tbe  enemy  was  approaching  White- 
bridge.  He  threw  himself  into  bis  saddle  half- 
sbaved,  rode  off  to  meet,  charge,  and  rout  the 
enemy,  and  then  returned  to  finish  bis  toilette. 
Henceforth,  the  same  diary  tells  us,  that  the  Prince 
so  harassed  Essex  and  his  army,  that  they  were  per- 
petually on  dutie,  and  "  wearyed  of  theyre  ly ves." 
On  tbe  7th,  tbe  following  letter  is  received  from 
Nicholas,  with  a  postscript  by  tbe  King : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  hath  commanded  me,  in  answer  of  your 
Highness's  letters,  of  three  o'clock  this  afternoon,  and  the 
message  which  Sir  William  Killigrew  brought  even  now, 
to  let  you  understand,  that  albeit  his  inclination  was  that 
your  Highness  should  not  advance  before  the  Earl  of 
Essex's  army,  or  towards  the  Queen,  until  you  knew  cer- 
tainly where  her  Majesty  was,  yet  seeing  you  and  the 


224         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

Council  of  War  about,  you  have  thought  it  fit  otherwise, 
he  willingly  gives  way  that  your  Highness  should  take  that 
course,  which  Sir  William  Killigrew  did  advertise  his 
Majesty  of  by  your  command  ;  expecting  you  shall  forth- 
with send  him  that  brigade  of  horse  he  mentioned,  and 
Lieutenant-General  Wilmot.  His  Majesty,  likewise,  sends 
you  herewith  the  line  of  credit  which  you  have  desired, 
and  will  not  stir  from  hence  (though  he  will  put  himself 
in  readiness  to  march  at  an  hour's  warning)  until  you  shall 
send  him  word :  of  all  this,  his  Majesty  had  sooner  adver- 
tise you,  but  that  he  staid  for  my  Lord  Grace  [Earl  of 
Forth  or  Brentford,  lately  Ruthven],  who  was  riding 
abroad  this  evening.  And  so  I  humbly  rest, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

P.S. — I  have  answered  you  this  way  to  save  time  and 
not  my  pains. — C.  R. 

7th  [of  July  ?]  10  o'clock  at  night. 

The    next    paper    is    from   tlie    King,    without 
address : — 

CHARLES  R., 

Trusty  and  well-beloved  we  greet  you  well :  whereas 
we  have  given  directions  to  our  dear  nephew,  Prince 
Rupert,  to  repair  with  a  part  of  our  forces,  for  the  more 
secure  conveying  of  our  dearest  Consort  the  Queen,  in  her 
passage  to  us.  Our  will  and  command  is,  that  you  and  all 
officers  under  you,  obey  our  said  nephew  as  Commander- 
in- Chief,  for  which  this  shall  be  your  orders. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Oxford,  the  7th  of  July, 
1643. 

The   Queen's   progress   is   related   in    the   next 
letter :— 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     225 

FROM    SECRETARY    NICHOLAS    TO    THE    PRINCE. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  Laving  even  now  received  fresh  advertise- 
ments by  an  express  from  the  Queen,  hath  commanded  me 
to  give  your  Highness  this  account ;  her  Majesty's  letter 
bears  date,  6th  July,  from  Ashby-de-la-Zouch,  which  con- 
firms all  the  good  news  from  the  North  of  the  taking  of 
Leeds,  Halifax,  and  Bradford ;  the  Lord  Fairfax  and  his  son 
having  escaped  only  with  five  men,  the  son  having  most  vali- 
antly left  his  wife  to  be  taken ;  they  both  charging  in  one 
troop.  [Lord  Newcastle  restored  this  lady  to  her  husband ; 
sending  her  back,  under  an  escort,  "in  his  own  coach.  ED."] 

Sir  Frederick  Cornwallis  is  come  to  her  Majesty,  who  is 
very  well  pleased  with  the  advice  she  received  by  him,  and 
is  resolved  to  order  her  course  accordingly. 

My  Lord  Capel  is  before  this  joined  with  the  Queen, 
with  one  thousand  horse  and  as  many  foot  [from  about 
Shrewsbury].  Yesterday  her  Majesty  was  to  be  at  Coles- 
hill  ;  from  thence,  as  Ned.  Progers  (who  came  now  from 
her)  relates,  she  will  come  this  day  to  Dudley  Castle,  but 
that  his  Majesty  judges  to  be  a  mistake,  it  being  backward, 
and  no  mention  thereof  being  in  the  Queen's  letters  to  his 
Majesty.  One  thing  more  I  am  commanded  to  advertise 
your  Highness,  that  the  Lord  Digby  writes,  that  the 
forces  of  Leicester  and  Coventry  consist  of  twenty-eight 
troops  of  horse  and  ten  companies  of  foot,  and  that  it  is 
said  that  they  are  all  marching  towards  Buckingham, 
having  made  their  rendezvous  on  Thursday  last  at  Duns- 
more  Heath.  The  Queen's  forces,  in  her  passage,  have 
taken  Burton-upon-Trent  by  assault.  And  so  I  humbly 
rest,  Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

P.S. — I  have  heard  nothing  yet,  neither  of  Wilmot's 
coming,  nor  of  the  brigade  of  horse  which  you  promised 
to  send  me. — C.  R. 

Oxon,  8th  July,  1643. 

VOL.  II.  Q          \ 


226          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

And  on  the  same  day  the  secretary  writes  again, 
with  an  autograph  postscript  from  the  King,  an- 
nouncing the  victory  at  Roundway  Down : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  having  even  now  had  the  true  relation 
of  this  last  great  western  hattle,  hath  commanded  me  to  send 
it  to  your  Highness,  as  likewise  that  you  may  take  into 
your  consideration,  that  since  his  Majesty  hath  had  so 
good  success — hoth  in  the  North  and  West — there  he  no 
more  put  to  hazard  in  these  parts  than  is  necessary ;  and 
therefore  lays  it  to  your  Highness's  consideration,  whether 
you  will  not  advise  the  Queen  to  come  hy  Worcester,  lest 
if  she  come  by  Stratford-upon-Avon,  the  Earl  of  Essex 
may  force  her  to  fight  before  it  be  possible  that  his  Ma- 
jesty can  come  up  to  her.  Prince  Maurice,  thanks  be  to 
God,  is  very  well,  and  hath  received  no  hurt,  albeit  he  run 
great  hazards  in  his  own  person  ;  we  lost  not  above  sixty 
in  all,  the  rebels  five  hundred  and  were  forced  to  steal 
away  through  the  favour  of  the  dark  night.  God  prosper 
your  princely  enterprizes  with  happy  success,  so  prayeth, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
Oxon,  8th  July,  1643.  EDWARD   NICHOLAS. 

P.S. — I  hear  for  certain  that  Essex  will  go  to  Brackly, 
which  makes  me  very  confident  that  the  best  way  for  my 
wife  will  be  Worcester,  for  otherwise  it  will  be  impossible 
for  her  forces  to  eschew  fighting,  and  that  before  I  can 
come  up  ;  and  certainly  our  game  is  so  fair,  that  it  is  not 
fit  to  hazard  a  battle,  except  our  forces  were  joined :  ex- 
cuse me  to  my  wife  for  not  writing  to  her,  because  I 
thought  it  of  more  importance  to  advertise  you.  C.  R.1 

1  The  following  letter  from  Lord  Falkland  follows  close  on  the 
above : — 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

I  am  commanded  by  his  Majesty  to  signify  to  your  High- 
ness, that  her  Majesty  will  be  this  night  at  King's-Norton,  in 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.     227 

After  some  manoeuvring  with  Essex,  the  Prince 
left  him  at  Brickhill,  and  suddenly  moved  away  to 
Stratford-on-Avon,  where  he  met  the  Queen  on 
the  llth.1  This  meeting  took  place  not  only  in  our 
great  poet's  native  town,  but  in  his  very  house,  if 
we  may  believe  the  following  anecdote,  although  in- 
correct in  some  particulars  :  it  is  taken  from  Ward's 
Diary,  1668,  but  I  have  not  the  writer's  words 
before  me.  He  asserts  that  Shakspeare,  in  1602, 
purchased  the  principal  mansion-house  in  his  native 

Worcestershire,  and  that,  upon  my  Lord  Capel's  desire,  his 
Majesty  hath  given  my  Lord  Capel  leave  to  return  from  thence 
with  all  his  forces,  Colonel  Sandys'  regiments  of  horse  and  foot, 
and  my  Lord  Molineux's  horse  excepted,  which  are  to  con- 
tinue to  attend  her  Majesty,  into  Shropshire  and  Cheshire,  for 
the  safety  of  those  parts,  in  case  that  her  Majesty  and  your 
Highness  do  likewise  approve  of  it,  and  not  otherwise.  Just 
now,  sir,  a  messenger  is  come  out  of  the  West,  saying  that  Sir 
William  Waller  hath  fallen  upon  the  Prince's  rear,  but  hath  lost 
a  considerable  number  of  horse  and  foot  in  the  attempt,  and  my 
Lord  Orauford  was  sent  for,  with  whose  help  it  was  expected  that 
a  period  might  be  put  to  that  business.  I  remain 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant,  FALKLAND.* 

10th  July. 

To  complete  the  business  of  the  West,  my  Lord  Wilmot,  with 
his  brigade,  marches  immediately. 


*  Two  letters  occur  in  the  meanwhile :  one  from  Nicholas, 
dated  the  llth,  stating  that  Lord  Hertford  and  Prince  Maurice 
are  come  from  Devizes  to  Oxford,  in*  order  to  apply  for  more 
horse  and  ammunition,  and  that  Wilmot,  with  six  regiments  of 
horse,  has  accompanied  them  back  to  their  quarters  :  the  other 
from  the  King,  dated  the  12th,  in  which,  not  knowing  of  the 
Queen's  so  near  approach,  he  advises  her  to  come  round  through 
Gloucestershire,  in  hopes  to  embarrass  Waller,  who  was  moving 
on  from  Lansdowne  to  Roundway  Down. 

1  Baker's  Chronicle,  p.  546  ;  Dugdale's  Diary,  52. 

Q  2 


228          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

village;  it  was  called  "  New  Place."  In  1643,  Mrs. 
Nash,  the  poet's  grand-daughter,  and  her  liusband, 
were  living  there ;  and  on  the  22nd  of  June  [one 
mistake]  they  had  the  honour  of  entertaining  their 
Queen  in  a  mansion  already  differently  honoured.1 
On  that  day  Henrietta  Maria  entered  Stratford  in 
triumph,  with  3000  foot,  1500  horse,  150  waggons, 
and  a  train  of  artillery.  Prince  Rupert  came  here 
to  receive  and  congratulate  the  brave  lady,  and 
thence  escorted  her  Majesty  to  Kineton,  to  meet 
the  King. 

On  the  13th,  the  King  came  to  meet  his  long- 
absent  wife  on  the  field  of  Edgehill ;  an  enraptured 
meeting,  no  doubt,  on  his  part,  but  one  far  more 
fatal  to  the  kingdom's  peace  than  the  last  he  had 
experienced  there.  They  retired  that  evening  to 
Sir  Thomas  Pope's  house  at  Wroxton  ;2  and  here  a 
characteristic  anecdote  is  related  among  the  scatter- 


1  The  following  Pepys-like  memoranda  (from  Ward's  Diary) 
may  be  found  interesting  here : — 

"  Shakspeare  had  but  two  daughters,  one  whereof,  Mr.  Hall, 
the  physician,  married,  and  by  her  had  one  daughter,  married,  to 
wit,  the  Lady  Bernard,  of  Abingdon.  /  have  heard  that  Mr. 
Shakspeare  was  a  natural  wit,  without  any  art  at  all  :  he  fre- 
quented the  plays  all  his  younger  time,  but  in  his  elder  days 
lived  at  Stratford,  and  supplied  the  stage  with  two  plays  every 
year,  and  for  it  had  an  allowance  so  large,  that  he  spent  at  the 
rate  of  1000Z.  a-year,  as  I  have  heard.  Shakspeare,  Drayton, 
and  Ben  Jonson,  had  merry  meeting,  and  it  seems  drank  too 
hard,  for  Shakspeare  died  of  a  fever  there  contracted. 

"  Remember  to  peruse  Shakspeare's  plays,  and  be  much  versed 
in  them,  that  I  may  not  be  ignorant  in  that  matter. 

"  Whether  Dr.  Heylin  does  well,  in  reckoning  up  the  dramatic 
poets  which  have  been  famous  in  England,  to  omit  Shakspeare." 

2  Baker's  Chronicle. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     229 

ed  notes  of  Prince  Rupert's  Diary.  It  appears  that 
the  Queen  had  made  several  applications  to  the 
King-  for  the  promotion  of  her  various  favourites ; 
but  his  Majesty,  having  numerous  and  exacting 
suitors  of  his  own,  had  demurred  to  grant  those 
favours  to  pampered  witlings  that  had  been  earned 
by  his  own  officers  with  their  best  blood.  The 
Queen's  first  demands  were  in  favour  of  her  fol- 
lowers ;  and  she  even  refused  a  private  interview  to 
her  husband  until  that  favour  had  been  purchased 
by  injustice.1  She  prevailed,  as  of  old ;  and  from 


1  Jermyn  was  made  a  peer,  amongst  other  stipulations.  It  is 
with  great  reluctance,  in  memorials  of  chivalry,  that  I  find  my- 
self obliged  to  think  unfavourably  of  this  accomplished  Queen. 
All  who  came  within  the  sphere  of  her  fascinating  manner  seem 
to  have  been  strongly  influenced  by  her  drawing-room  genius. 
After  the  lapse  of  two  hundred  years,  with  nothing  but  her 
maniere  portrait  and  evil  influences  to  remember  her  by,  there  is 
little  to  recommend  her  memory.  To  say  the  least  of  it,  "  Caesar's 
wife  was  not  beyond  suspicion  : "  Charles  Cavendish  was  a  gallant 
gentleman,  but  Holland  and  Harry  Jermyn  did  little  credit  to 
her  choice  of  favourites.  It  is  charitable  to  suppose,  considering 
the  evidence  of  later  days,  that  she  married  the  latter.*  It  is 


*  It  would  seem  that  even  at  this  time  Jermyn's  appearance 
was  not  very  refined.  Though  a  Roundhead  lampoon,  the 
following  was  probably  founded  on  fact : — "  There  is  butcherly 
Jermyn,  too,  contemptible  Harry ;  the  left  leg  of  a  lord ;  he 
that  wraps  up  his  treason  in  fine  linen.  He  master  of  the 
horse  !  Mount  the  chicken  upon  an  elephant,  for  he  is  a  man 
of  some  substance  though  little  revenue ;  somewhat  too  ugly, 
in  my  opinion,  for  a  lady's  favourite,  yet  that  is  nothing  to 
some  ;  for  the  old  lady  [the  Queen-mother,  Marie  de  Medicis] 
that  died  in  Flanders  regarded  not  the  feature.  This  feather- 
bed traitor  must  pass  also  for  an  incendiary  ;  for  justice  put  the 
gentleman  into  such  a  fright,  that  to  make  one  shift  he  avoided 
another,  and  in  an  ill  season  took  his  long  journey  in  Spanish 
leather  boots." — Harleian  Miscel.  vol.  v.  p.  346. 


230         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

that  hour  discontent,  heart-burnings,  and  jealousies, 
were  rife  in  the  King's  Court  and  Camp.  On  the 
following  day  the  reunited  Royalties  reached  Wood- 
stock ;  and  on  the  15th,  as  they  were  approaching 
Oxford,  they  received  the  news  of  the  victory  of 
Roundway  Down.  This  was  the  most  important 
victory  that  had  been  yet  obtained,  and  it  gave  to 
Charles  and  his  Queen  not  only  the  appearance,  but 
the  sense  of  triumph  as  they  were  enthusiastically 
welcomed  into  Oxford.  Then,  for  a  few  days,  no- 
thing was  heard  of  but  rejoicings;  in  public  and 
private,  in  festive  hall  or  consecrated  chapel :  in  the 
former  were  the  wittiest  and  many  of  the  most 
profligate  men  in  England,  with  many  of  the  fairest, 
and  some  few  of  the  best  women  to  be  found. 
Happy  was  the  Cavalier  who  could  obtain  leave  from 
Abingdon  or  Woodstock  to  gallop  into  the  Royal 
city,  and  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  joyous  life  that  had 
been  so  long  banished  from  the  land.  The  con- 
querors at  Roundway  Down,  and  the  heroes  of  many 
another  well-fought  field,  were  now  at  Oxford : 
honourable  wounds  and  pale  faces  abounded  in  the 
joyous  crowds ;  but  when  Prince  Rupert's  trumpet 
sounded  to  horse  once  more  (on  the  18th  July), 
there  was  many  a  vacancy  in  his  gallant  ranks. 
He,  almost  alone  amongst  the  more  conspicuous 

true  that  nothing  is  so  easy  to  asperse,  or  so  difficult  to  defend,  as 
woman's  character,  especially  in  such  high  place,  and  such  pecu- 
liar circumstances,  as  Henrietta  Maria's.  But  that  exquisitely 
susceptible  treasure  should  be  preserved  with  proportionable  soli- 
citude, and  guarded,  as  hers  was  not. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     231 

Cavaliers,  had  as  yet  received  no  wound.  Ever 
foremost  in  the  charge,  ever  in  the  most  exposed 
position  that  spur  could  drive  to,  and  chief  object 
of  the  enemy's  hate ;  still  he  rode  unharmed. 

The  gallant  Cornish  army  had  suffered  still  more 
than  that  commanded  by  Prince  Rupert.  The 
accumulation  of  correspondence  prevents  me  from 
dwelling  on  their  campaign ;  but  a  rapid  glance  at 
its  principal  events  seems  indispensable.  Waller 
had  gained  such  credit  in  the  West,  that  he  was 
called  by  the  London  populace  William  the  Con- 
queror. Lord  Hertford  and  Prince  Maurice  had 
vainly  sought  to  bring  him  to  a  battle  on  their 
own  terms ;  they  were  out-manoeuvred,  and  the  con- 
queror retired  from  Gloucestershire  into  the  South- 
west, where  his  mission  lay.  For  the  brave  Cornish- 
men  had  there  stood  up  loyally  and  stoutly  for  their 
King,  under  Hopton,  Grenville,  Slanning,  Tre- 
vanion,  and  others  of  their  countrymen.  The  Par- 
liamentary notables,  Chudleigh,  Duller,  and  Carew, 
had  been  worsted,  as  we  have  already  seen  :  after 
the  battle  of  Stratton,  Hopton  found  himself  free 
to  march  northward  in  search  of  Waller.  When 
joined  by  Lord  Hertford,  Prince  Maurice,  and  Lord 
Carnarvon,  his  army  was  fully  equal  to  any  that  the 
Roundheads  could  oppose  to  him.  Advancing  by 
Wells,  Frome,  and  Bradford,  he  endeavoured  to 
secure  some  fair  position  in  Waller's  neighbourhood, 
whence  he  might  check  his  movements,  or  force 
him  to  a  battle,  as  circumstances  should  decide. 


232         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

Meanwhile  Sir  William  had  taken  up  his  quarters 
at  Bath,  where  he  was  joined  by  Sir  John  Horner, 
Sir  Edward  Hungerford,  Strode,  and  Popham,  with 
the  wrecks  of  the  Stratton  fight.  Thus  reinforced, 
he  proceeded  to  encounter  his  old  and  venerated 
friend  Lord  Hopton.  The  better  men  on  both  sides 
in  this  singular  war  could  fight  to  the  death  with 
sincere  and  undiminished  respect  for  their  worthier 
opponents.  Hopton,  and  his  chivalrous  associate, 
Sir  Bevil  Grenvil,  had  been  long  seeking  for  this 
meeting  with  Waller.  So  long  ago  as  the  19th 
of  June  Sir  Bevil  writes  thus  : — 

TO  COLONEL  SEYMOUR. 

DEAREST  BROTHER, 

You  were  gone  before  I  was  aware  of  it.  I  beseech 
God  to  send  you  a  good  journey  and  us  a  happier  meeting. 
There  was  nothing  concluded  in  council  after  your  depar- 
ture, but  that  it  was  fit  to  follow  Waller  which  way  soever 
he  went.  I  am  in  some  doubts  lest  it  may  not  be  very  safe 
for  you  to  straggle  far  from  the  army  when  you  come  into 
Devon.  You  know  their  malice  will  exceed  towards  you, 
I  would  not  for  all  the  world  that  you  should  be  any  ways 
so  exposed,  as  to  fall  into  their  power.  For  God's  sake 
be  very  circumspect,  it  is  said  that  Sir  William  Waller 
moves  towards  Salisbury,  and  we  have  orders  to  draw  after 
him,  I  am  ever  your  most  faithful  servant, 

BEVIL  GRENVIL. 

For  my  assured  loving  Cousin,  Mr.  Edward  Seymour.1 
Wells,  June  19,  1643. 

1  Of  royal  lineage,  and  afterwards  the  stout  governor  of  Dart- 
mouth. He  was  an  ancestor  of  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset, 
to  whose  collection  and  kindness  1  am  indebted  for  this  and 
other  papers. 


1043.]      PRINCE    RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      233 

Since  their  junction  with  Prince  Maurice  they 
were  more  desirous  than  ever  to  force  the  enemy  to 
a  fight.  But  Sir  William  was  comfortably  lodged  at 
Bath,  with  abundance  of  provisions  for  his  troops, 
while  the  Cavaliers  were  obliged  to  keep  the  field. 
Daily  skirmishes,  however,  took  place;  and  at 
length  Hop  ton  decided  on  moving  as  if  towards 
the  King,  to  effect  a  junction  with  the  main  army. 
Waller  was  now  obliged  to  take  the  field,  and  offer- 
ed the  Cavaliers  battle  on  Lansdown,  where  he  had 
strongly  intrenched  himself  during  the  night  of  the 
4th.  On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  Hopton  advanced 
from  Marsfield— had  his  advanced  guard  driven  in 
by  Haslerigg's  cuirassiers,  "  the  Lobsters  " — let  loose 
his  eager  Cornish  infantry, — carried  the  entrench- 
ments, and  captured  several  guns.  His  horse 
advanced  at  the  same  time,  and,  after  several  vicis- 
situdes Hopton  established  himself  on  the  ground 
he  won.  This  he  held,  but  that  was  all :  he  had 
suffered  a  defeat  in  everything  but  name ;  the 
gallant  Sir  Bevil  Grenville  had  been  killed  at  the 
head  of  his  faithful  troop,  which  he  was  leading  for 
the  third  time  to  the  charge.  Many  others,  with 
Hopton  himself,  were  severely  wounded  ;  almost  all 
the  ammunition  expended,  and  of  two  thousand 
cavalry  that  entered  the  field,  and  fought  gallantly 
under  Prince  Maurice  and  Lord  Carnarvon,  only  six 
hundred  could  be  mustered  when  the  sun  went 
down.  Waller  fell  back  upon  Bath  during  the 
night,  leaving  some  ammunition  and  arms  behind 


234         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

him,  and  on  the  following  morning  the  Cavaliers 
withdrew  to  their  former  position  at  Marsfield. 

Thence  they  retired  to  Devizes;  Sir  Nicholas 
SJanning  skilfully  defending  the  rear  against  Wal- 
ler, who  cautiously  pursued.  Here  the  Cavaliers 
barricaded  the  street,  and  entrenched  themselves 
as  well  as  they  were  able ;  while  Prince  Maurice 
and  Lord  Hertford  rode  across  the  champaign 
country  to  the  Royal  quarters,  thirty  miles  distant. 
Leaving  their  cavalry  at  the  outmost  Royal  post, 
they  pressed  on  to  Oxford;  where,  as  we  have 
seen,  they  received  a  reinforcement,  under  Wilmot, 
of  cavalry  regiments,  comprising  only  fifteen  hun- 
dred horse,  and  some  ammunition.  With  this  small 
force,  they  hastened  back  to  their  sorely  beleaguered 
friends,  whose  capture  Waller  had  announced  to  the 
Parliament,  promising  to  send  the  list  on  the  fol- 
lowing day.  The  Cornish  cavalry  were  dispersed,  or 
too  wearied  to  return  by  this  forced  march ;  so 
that  Wilmot  had  only  the  Royal  horse  from  Abing- 
don ;  Prince  Maurice  and  Lord  Carnarvon  served 
under  him  as  volunteers.  Their  route  lay  over  the 
fine  bold  brow  of  Roundway  Down,  whereon  they 
were  descried  by  the  besiegers  :  Waller  advanced  in 
careless  confidence  to  repel  them :  "  Haslerigg's  Lob- 
sters" dashed  forward,  were  met  by  a  vigorous  charge 
from  Byron,  borne  back,  routed,  driven  in  among 
their  foot.  A  sudden  panic  spread  ;  the  Round- 
head army  became  a  flying  mob  ;  the  Cavaliers  rode 
them  down  with  unsparing  zeal,  until  six  hundred 


1643.]         PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.     235 

men  lay  dead  upon  the  field.  Nine  hundred  pri- 
soners were  led  back  to  Oxford,  and  Waller  fled 
with  the  remains  of  his  army  towards  Gloucester. 

One  of  the  most  important  fruits  of  this  victory 
was  the  irreparable  dissension  sown  thereby  between 
Lord  Essex  and  Sir  William  Waller.  The  latter 
bitterly  accused  the  former  of  reposing  complacently 
at  Tame,  while  the  loyal  forces  were  left  free  to 
attack  his  brother  General ;  whilst  Essex  retorted 
on  Waller's  carelessness,  and  consequent  defeat  by 
far  inferior  numbers.  This  battle  was  well  fought 
by  Wilmot,  and  was  almost  the  only  instance  in 
which  he  distinguished  himself,  except,  perhaps,  at 
Maryborough,  in  the  preceding  year.  He  belonged 
to  the  Goring  class  of  selfish  sensual  profligates,  but, 
like  that  unprincipled  trooper,  he  could  fight  well 
and  boldly  when  he  was  in  the  humour  for  it.  He 
retired  to  Oxford  after  his  victory,  and  the  remains 
of  the  Cornish  army  occupied  Bath.1 

We  now  return  to  Oxford,  whence  Rupert  is 
marching  against  Bristol,2  eager  to  wipe  away  the 

1  Whitelocke,  p.  70.     Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iii.  370. 

2  At  this  period  of  my  work  I  was  first  able  to  make  use  of  Mr. 
Macaulay's  admirable  History.  My  first  volume  had  passed  through 
the  press,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  second  had  been  printed 
some  months  ago,  when  I  was  interrupted  in  my  undertaking  :  this 
was  before  the  "  History  of  England"  was  published.    On  resuming 
my  labours,  I  found  so  vast  a  repertory  of  information  laid  open  by 
this  extraordinary  work  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  the  most  la- 
borious inquiry  to  glean  any  novelty  after  such  a  harvester.    While 
such  a  conviction  simplified  my  task  very  materially  to  the  utter- 
most, it  rendered  nugatory  much  matter  collected  with  some  pains. 
I  have  taken  the  following  few  particulars  of  Bristol  chiefly  from  Mr. 
Macaulay  :  to  quote  any  other  source  would  look  like  plagiarism. 


236          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

affront  he  had  lately  received  before  its  walls.  Bris- 
tol at  that  time  was  second  only  to  London  in 
importance  ;  it  contained  about  251,000  inhabitants, 
and  some  of  the  wealthiest  merchants  in  the  king- 
dom. It  was  well  fortified  for  the  time,  though 
"  situated  in  a  hole,"  as  the  author  I  am  about  to 
quote  describes  it.  Clifton  was  even  then  in  being, 
and  Prince  Rupert  held  his  quarters  there  during 
his  brief  siege. 

The  following  account  of  his  operations  is  some- 
what lengthy,  but  it  is  so  interesting  in  a  military 
point  of  view,  as  well  as,  for  the  most  part,  in  mat- 
ter, that  I  do  not  feel  myself  justified  in  omitting  it. 
It  is  the  only  siege  described  at  any  length  in  these 
memoirs,  and  I  consider  myself  fortunate  in  having 
an  eye-witness,  whose  relation  has  been  never  yet 
heard,  to  describe  it  for  me.  I  have  appended  to 
the  respective  dates  of  the  siege,  a  few  of  the  more 
important  letters,  without  comment. 

THE    JOURNAL    OF    THE    SIEGE    OF    BRISTOL. 

Taken  in  by  his  Highness  Prince  Rupert,  on  Wednesday, 
July  26th.     Written  by  an  Eye-witness.1 

Sir  William  Waller,  after  his  defeat  at  the  Devizes  by 
his  Highness  Prince  Maurice,  retiring  towards  Gloucester, 
it  was  judged  at  Oxford  to  be  a  fit  opportunity  to  prose- 
cute the  reduction  of  the  West  of  England  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  his  Majesty.  For  this  purpose,  his  Highness 
Prince  Rupert,  then  General  of  the  Horse,  upon  Tuesday, 

1  A  M.S.  among  Prince  Rupert's  papers. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     237 

July  18th,  began  his  march  from  Oxford  towards  those 
parts.  Fourteen  regiments  of  foot,  but  all  very  weak,  he 
carried  along  with  him  :  divided  into  three  Tertias  ; l  my 
Lord  Viscount  Grandison  being  Colonel-General.  The 
first  Tertia  was  commanded  by  my  Lord  himself :  which 
had  these  six  regiments  under  it.  1.  My  Lord-General's, 
led  by  his  Lieutenant- Colonel  Herbert  Lunsford.  2.  My 
Lord  Rivers',  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Boyse.  3.  My 
Lord  Molineux's.  4.  Sir  Gilbert  Gerard's.  5.  Sir  Ralph 
Button's.  6.  Colonel  Owen's :  each  led  by  his  own 
Colonel.  The  second  Tertia  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Henry  Wentworth :  the  Major  to  it,  being  Mr.  Edward 
Littleton,  Lieutenant- Colonel  unto  Colonel  Bowles.  Un- 
der this  were  the  four  regiments.  1.  Of  Sir  Jacob  Astley, 
commanded  by  his  Major  Bowes.  2.  Of  Colonel  Sir  Ed- 
ward Fitton.  3.  Of  Colonel  Bowles.  4.  Of  Colonel 
Richard  Herbert,  led  by  his  Major  Edward  Williams. 
The  third  Tertia  was  committed  to  Colonel  John  Bellasis  ; 
and  consisted — 1.  Of  his  own  regiment.  2.  Of  Sir  Ed- 
ward Stradling's,  led  by  his  same  Lieutenant-Colonel  John 
Stradling.  3.  Of  Colonel  Henry  Lunsford's  :  and  4.  Of 
Colonel  Lloyd's,  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Tir- 
whitt.  The  Major  was  Mr.  Moyle,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
unto  Colonel  Lunsford.  And  these  were  our  foot  forces. 
The  horse  were  not  now  divided  into  brigades,  but 
wings  :  the  right  commanded  by  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  Ser- 
jeant -Major-General  of  the  Horse ;  and  the  left,  by 
Colonel  Charles  Gerard.  The  Prince's  troop  of  Life 
Guards,  commanded  by  Sir  Richard  Crane,  was  still  to 
wait  upon  his  person.  Of  dragoons  we  had  seven  troops 
of  Colonel  Washington's  regiment :  and  2.  Other  troops 
of  Sir  Robert  Howard's.  In  our  train  of  artillery,  were 
two  demi-culverins,  two  whole  culverins,  two  quarter  can- 
nons or  twelve  pounders,  and  two  six  pounders.  The  com- 

1  Tertia  was  used  in  the  same  sense  as  we  now  use  "  brigade," 
a  term  then  applied  only  to  cavalry. 


238          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

manders  of  our  fireworks  were  Monsieur  de  la  Roche, 
and  Captain  Fawcett :  and  with  these  marched  carriages 
and  pioneers  proportionable. 

In  this  equipage,  his  Highness  Prince  Rupert  advancing 
towards  the  West ;  on  Thursday  quartered  at  Hampton- 
road,  ten  miles  from  Gloucester.  For  to  besiege -this 
city  was  part  indeed  of  the  design :  but  upon  intelligence 
that  Sir  William  Waller,  with  five  or  six  hundred  of  his 
lately  defeated  troops,  was  the  night  before  gotten  into  the 
city  ;  the  Prince  resolved  by  putting  in  betwixt  him  and 
Bristol,  to  cut  off  his  getting  back  thither.  But  Waller, 
it  seems,  not  loving  to  be  cooped  up  in  a  siege,  slipped 
away  upon  Thursday  morning  with  fifteen  pitiful  weak 
troops  of  horse,  towards  Evesham.1  That  very  morning, 
also,  the  Parliamenters  quitted  Malmsbury,  and  marched 
towards  Bristol.  From  thence,  Captain  Theobald  Gorges 
came  into  the  Prince  next  morning,  at  Hampton-road. 
That  Friday,  a  party  of  about  one  hundred  horse  of  Glou- 
cester, taking  the  boldness  to  shew  themselves  near  our 
quarters,  were  chased  home  again  by  Colonel  Washington. 

Sir  William  Waller  having  thus  parted  with  the  West, 
the  siege  of  Bristol  was  now  thought  the  better  design  : 
and  the  march  thereupon  directed  towards  Chipping- 
Sodbury.  In  the  way,  Prince  Maurice  came  to  meet  his 
brother :  and  after  him,  Colonel  Horatio  Gary,  having  left 
Sir  William  Waller's  service,  came  in  to  the  Prince. 

On  Sunday,  July  23rd,  the  Prince  quartered  at  West- 
bury  College,  two  miles  short  of  Bristol.  That  afternoon, 
about  two  or  three  o'clock,  his  Highness,  accompanied 
by  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  some  other  officers,  and  his  Life 
Guards,  with  Colonel  Washington's  dragoons,  passed  over 
Durdham  Down,  along  the  river  Avon's  side,  on  the  right 
hand  towards  Clifton  Church,  close  to  the  foot  of  Brandon 
hill  upon  the  westward.  This  church,  also,  standing  upon 

1  He  thence  hastened  on  to  London.  See  the  King's  letter, 
dated  on  the  24th. 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      239 

a  hill,  within  musket  shot  of  the  fort,  (two  houses  and  a 
deep  valley  being  between,)  was  adjudged  the  fittest  place 
for  the  Prince  to  take  view  of  their  forts  and  line  on  that 
side  :  and  for  discovering  some  fit  rising  ground,  to  erect 
a  battery.  Being  in  the  churchyard,  the  enemy's  fort 
made  two  or  three  cannon  shot  at  us :  but  hurt  nobody. 
The  place  being  found  of  some  hopeful  advantage,  Colonel 
Washington,  with  his  dragoons,  two  hundred  musketeers, 
and  one  hundred  pikes,  were  left  there  all  night  to  guard 
the  place  ;  lest  the  enemy,  having  discovered  our  men 
there,  should  fall  out,  either  to  possess  the  church,  or 
burn  off  the  two  houses,  which  sheltered  us  from  the  fort. 
That  evening,  Prince  Maurice  returned  over  the  river 
Avon  to  his  own  quarters.  Towards  night,  some  twenty 
troopers,  sallying  out  of  the  town,  were  beaten  in,  and  one 
prisoner  taken,  by  Major  Marrow. 

The  Prince  having  thus  begun  to  view  the  situation  of 
the  works,  affords  us  a  fit  occasion  to  describe  the  rest  of 
them  on  this  northern  side  the  town,  for  the  better  under- 
standing of  what  was  afterwards  attempted  at  them.  The 
City  of  Bristol  stands  in  a  hole  :  and  upon  the  north  side, 
towards  Durdham  Down,  be  three  eminent  knolls  or 
rock  hills,  now  crowned  with  so  many  forts.  Next  the 
river  on  the  southern  skirt  of  Brandon-hill  is  the  water 
fort :  and  on  the  nape  of  the  hill  more  northward  is  Bran- 
don fort  itself;  some  eighteen  foot  square,  and  as  many 
high  :  its  grafF  or  mote  but  shallow  and  narrow,  by  reason 
of  the  rockiness  of  the  ground.  This  is  the  highest  of  the 
fort  hills.  From  whence  the  line  or  curtain  runs  eastward, 
down  the  hill,  at  the  bottom  of  which  stands  the  barn  and 
spur,  where  we  first  entered  :  which  is  since  called  Wash- 
ington's breach. 

Thence  trends  the  line  still  eastward,  up  St.  Michael's 
hill :  on  the  knoll  of  which  stands  the  windmill  fort, 
though  not  fully  so  lofty  as  Brandon-hill,  yet  within  four 
hundred  and  twenty  passes,  by  a  line,  of  it.  At  the  bot- 


240         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

torn  of  this,  and  upon  the  highway  side,  stands  Alderman 
Jones's  house,  with  a  battery  cross  the  way :  which  the 
line  crooks  a  little  northward  to  fetch  in.  Up  the  hill, 
again,  more  easterly,  and  within  musket  shot,  there  is 
another  redoubt  some  eighteen  foot  square :  against  which 
Colonel  Bellasis'  battery  played.  Within  less  than  mus- 
ket shot  of  this,  is  Prior's-hill  foot :  four  square,  each  side 
twenty-four  of  my  paces.  And  hence  trends  the  line 
southerly,  towards  the  town,  where,  in  the  bottom  of  the 
hill  in  the  meadow,  called  Stokes'  Croft,  upon  Gloucester 
highway,  and  within  little  more  than  half  musket  shot  of 
Prior's  fort,  there  is  a  great  spur-work  in  the  line,  and  a 
strong  high  traverse  or  fore  work,  watching  and  shutting 
up  the  highway,  with  a  strong  port  of  timber  bars  on 
the  east  side  of  it.  And  these  be  the  main  works  we  had 
to  attack  on  our  side  ;  having  in  all  five  cavaliers  or  batte- 
ries :  in  the  middle  of  every  two  of  which,  be  also  little 
ravelins  or  Tenailles,  thrusting  out  sharp  angles,  to  flanker 
and  scour  along  the  curtain,  I  measured  no  further,  be- 
cause we  had  to  deal  no  further.  These  forts  be  all  pali- 
saded ;  but  have  no  fauxbrayes  or  fore-defences  :  nor  on 
some  sides,  not  so  much  as  a  barn,  corridore,  or  footbank. 
Their  dry  rock  grafFs  be  also  narrow  and  shallow.  These 
forts  command  all  the  valley  towards  Durdham  Down, 
northwards ;  and  back  again  over  the  whole  city,  south- 
wards. Through  all  these  forts,  from  river  to  river,  runs 
a  continued  line  or  curtain  of  mean  strength,  and  not 
comparable  to  those  of  Oxford.  Its  height,  commonly, 
about  a  yard  and  a-half :  or  six  feet  where  the  highest. 
The  thickness  on  the  top,  above  a  yard  usually.  The  graff 
or  ditch,  commonly  two  yards  broad,  but  somewhere  a  foot 
or  two  more.  The  depth  scarce  considerable;  as  being 
hardly  five  foot  usually :  and  in  many  rocky  places  not  so 
deep.  The  ditches  about  the  redoubts,  ordinarily,  about 
eight  or  nine  feet  deep,  and  so  much  over. 

And  thus  was  the  city  fortified  on  our  north  side  :  but 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE  CAVALIERS.        241 

the  south  side  where  Prince  Maurice  fell  on,  though  it 
has  not  such  forts,  yet  is  the  line  there  something 
stronger ;  hesides  that  it  is  fenced  with  the  river.  The 
whole  circumvallation  is  full  five  miles.  The  ground  in 
most  parts  so  rocky  that  it  being  at  a  Council  of  War  de- 
bated whether  to  fall  on  by  approaches  or  by  storm,  the 
former  way,  though  the  safer,  was  rejected,  for  that  the 
stoniness  admits  nor  mines  nor  sapping.  Within  the 
city  is  a  large  old  castle ;  but  weak  still,  notwithstanding 
the  enemies  had  something  repaired  and  fortified  it.  A  moat 
was  begun,  and  some  houses  pulled  down  for  it.  It  is  wet 
but  in  some  places :  nor  hath  it  fauxbrayes  on  all  sides ; 
and  towards  the  south  next  the  river,  a  redoubt.  The  Go- 
vernor of  Bristol  was  Colonel  Nathaniel  Fiennes,  son  to 
my  Lord  Say  and  Scale  ;  who,  to  defend  all  these  works, 
had  some  ninety-four  iron  pieces,  sakers  and  others,  besides 
two  small  brass  two-pounders,  and  two  four-pounders.1 

In  the  castle  was  a  long  brass  murderer :  and  diverse 
small  iron  hammered  pieces  before  the  castle,  and 
in  the  forts  and  streets,  mounted  upon  little  carriages, 
about  a  yard  and  three-quarters  long,  of  the  bore  of 
double  rabbinetts  or  double  hacques.  They  were  made 
by  a  country  smith,  and  shot  a  pound  or  more  of  musket- 
bullets,  or  one  pound  iron  ball.  The  strength  to  man  all 
these  works  was  three  hundred  horse  and  fifteen  hundred 
foot,  besides  townsmen.  For  so  many,  Colonel  Fiennes 
himself  in  print  confesses,  complaining  that  Sir  William 
Waller  had  lately  drawn  2QQQI.  and  twelve  hundred  men 
out  of  Bristol,  besides  his  own  horsemen,  now  lately 
beaten  ;  and  these  were  our  oppositions. 

Colonel  Washington,  as  we  told  you,  being  on  Sunday 
night  left  at  Clifton  Church,  had  the  two  twelve-pounders 

1  These  details,  though  very  graphic,  and  those  that  follow 
may  be  passed  over  by  those  who  are  not  interested  in  military, 
history.  Finding  these  papers  among  Prince  Rupert's  manu- 
scripts, I  felt  bound  in  my  character  as  Editor  to  insert  them. 

VOL.  II.  R 


242         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

sent  him  to  keep  in  those  of  Brandon  fort,  and  the  redoubt 
next  the  water  ;  which  notwithstanding,  they  sallied  in 
the  night  to  burn  off  the  two  houses,  but  were  beaten  in 
again  by  our  people.  The  shooting  continued  on  both 
sides  till  Monday  morning.1 

That  forenoon  was  our  general  rendezvous  of  all  the 
horse  and  foot,  upon  Durdham  Down  :  the  whole  little 
army  marching  with  a  very  large  front  in  battaglia,  to  the 
edge  of  the  down,  that  the  forts  might  see  them.  The 
like  show  was  made  on  the  other  side  of  the  town,  by  the 
Lord  Marquess's  army.  About  eleven  this  forenoon,  the 
Prince  sent  Richard  Deane,  his  trumpeter,  in  his  own  and 
my  Lord  Marquess's  names,  to  summon  the  town  for  the 
King  :  to  whom  the  Governor,  in  writing,  returned  answer 
to  this  effect : — that  being  intrusted  to  keep  the  town  for 
the  King  and  Parliament,  he  could  not  as  yet  relinquish 
that  trust,  till  he  were  brought  to  more  extremity.  This 
answer  being  received,  and  the  army  still  continuing  in 
battaglia,  two  hundred  musketeers  and  one  hundred  pikes 
of  Colonel  Bellasis'  Tertia  were  drawn  out  and  sent  to 
possess  two  little  houses  that  stood  near  the  way  below, 
over  against  Alderman  Jones's  house,  and  to  line  the 
hedges  near  unto  the  enemy's  works.  At  which  time,  my 
Lord  Grandison,  Colonel  Bellasis,  Colonel  Lunsford, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Moyle,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stradling, 
with  other  officers,  were  sent  abroad  by  the  Prince,  to  dis- 
cover some  hill  or  rising  ground  fit  to  cast  up  a  battery, 

1  When  the  Prince  received  the  following  letter  from  the  King  : 
NEPHEW, 

We  have  had  this  night  an  alarm,  a  party  of  the  rebels' 
horse  (which  was  said  to  be  about  three  thousand,  but  found  to 
to  be  but  fifty  at  most)  being  the  cause  of  it ;  but  it  is  certain 
that  Essex  is  drawing  towards  Aylesbury,  wherefore  I  desire  you 
to  hasten  those  brigades  of  horse  you  intended  to  send  me,  and  as 
many  regiments  more  as  ye  may  spare,  for  I  believe  numbers  of 
horse  are  not  much  useful  for  a  siege.  This  is  all  for  the  present  : 
so  I  rest,  Your  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend,  CHARLES  R. 

Oxford,  23rd  July,  1643. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     243 

to  play  upon  the  Windmill  fort  on  St.  Michael's-hill. 
The  place  being  agreed  on,  order  was  given  for  bringing 
up  the  materials :  and,  to  countenance  the  work,  Colonel 
Bellasis'  whole  Tertia  was  lodged  under  the  hill,  within 
musket-shot  of  the  enemy.  Some  volleys  and  loose  shot 
were  still  passing  betwixt  ours  and  the  enemy  :  by  which 
we  lost  Captain  Nevile  and  some  others. 

This  done,  and  ours  being  masters  of  the  place,  the 
Prince  gave  my  Lord  Grandison  a  troop  of  horse  of  the 
Queen's  Guards,  with  some  dragoons ;  and  sent  him  to- 
wards the  left  hand,  to  discover  some  place  of  advantage 
for  another  battery,  to  wait  upon  Prior's  fort,  and  the  les- 
ser works  by  it.  A  rising  ground,  by  a  stone  style,  behind 
a  hedge,  was  made  choice  of,  within  some  fourteen  score 
of  their  fort,  and  at  a  lesser  distance  from  the  other  re- 
doubt on  the  right  hand  towards  the  Windmill,  and  some 
eight  score  of  the  line  in  some  places.  More  westerly 
still,  at  some  eighteen  or  twenty  score  distance,  as  I 
guessed,  are  the  white  houses  and  their  batteries,  against 
which  Colonel  Bellasis  lay  :  and  beyond  that  again,  the 
Windmill  fort,  within  half  cannon-shot  of  our  designed 
battery.  Hither,  now,  were  workmen  and  materials  sent, 
for  mounting  our  two  demi-cannons :  and  to  countenance 
the  work,  my  Lord-General's  Tertia  was  lodged  under  the 
hill.  So  that  from  thenceforward  both  sides  continued 
volleying  one  at  another. J 

1  CHARLES  R., 

Most  dear  nephew,  we  greet  you  well.  Since  our  last  to  you 
we  have  received  certain  advertisements  that  the  Earl  of  Essex 
is  come  near  Aylesbury ;  that  he  hath  five  hundred  fresh  horse 
come  to  him  from  London  ;  that  the  Lord  Grey  is  joined  with 
him  ;  and  that  Sir  William  Waller,  being  gotten  to  London,  is  to 
come  thence  presently  with  a  very  good  strength,  also,  to  increase 
the  rebels'  forces.  Besides  this,  we  have  lately  sent  the  Lord  Percy's 
regiment  into  Hampshire,  which  makes  us  second  our  former  let- 
ters to  desire  you  to  haste  hither  as  many  of  the  horse  with  you 
as  may  be  possibly  spared.  And  so  we  bid  you  heartily  farewell. 
Given  at  our  Court  at  Oxford,  the  24th  day  of  July,  1G43. 

R  2 


244         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

That  evening,  Colonel  Henry  Wentworth,  with  his  Ter- 
tia,  was  sent  to  relieve  Colonel  Washington  at  Clifton 
Church,  and  to  erect  a  battery  against  Brandon  fort. 
The  place  made  choice  of  was  the  side  of  the  hill  below, 
on  the  right  hand  towards  the  river  Avon,  within  half 
musket-shot  of  their  lower  redoubt  next  the  river :  upon 
this  were  our  two  twelve-pounders  mounted.  Colonel 
Wentworth  now  sent  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thelwall,  of 
Colonel  Fitton's  regiment,  with  two  hundred  men,  to  lodge 
himself  in  the  bottom  of  Brandon-hill :  where  he  was  well 
sheltered  by  the  ferns  and  bushes,  and  bolstered  by  the 
two  hills  before  and  behind.  The  enemies  made  some 
sallies  now  and  then,  by  twenties  or  thirties  in  a  party, 
but  were  still  repulsed  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thelwall ; 
yea,  he  often  sent  up  some  of  his,  to  skirmish  with  the 
works,  within  pistol-shot.  Our  ordnance  also  sent  them  a 
bullet  now  and  then,  though  with  little  effect  upon  their 
forts,  the  intent  being  only  to  awe  and  keep  them  in,  that 
they  did  ours  the  less  mischief ;  only,  as  we  heard,  one  of 
their  cannoneers,  vapouring  in  his  shirt  on  the  top  of  the 
fort,  was  killed  there  for  his  foolhardiness. 

Thus  have  you  all  our  Tertias  lodged  at  their  designed 
posts,  where  they  were  to  fall  on  afterwards,  where  from 
this  time  forward  they  were  incessantly  plied  with  great 
shot,  case-shot,  prick-shot,  iron  drugs,  slugs,  or  anything, 
from  all  the  works  and  along  the  curtain,  with  all  which 
we  received  but  little  harm,  our  men  as  cheerfully  repay- 
ing them  again  with  leaden  courtesies.  Night  coming  on, 
the  enemy  lay  very  quiet  till  about  midnight,  at  which 
time,  upon  a  signal  of  two  cannons,  shot  off  from  my  Lord 
Grandison's  quarters,  those  in  the  work  by  Prior's  fort 
were  roused  by  a  hot  alarm.  The  enemies  answered  it 
with  case-shot  as  well  as  muskets,  for  they  feared  a  storm 
presently.  It  was  a  beautiful  piece  of  danger,  to  see  so 
many  fires  incessantly  in  the  dark,  from  the  pieces  on  both 
sides,  for'  a  whole  hour  together  ;  about  which  time, 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     245 

Colonel  Bellasis  gave  them  such  another  wakening  from 
his  post,  upon  the  work  by  the  two  houses  in  the  high- 
way. And  in  these  military  masquerades  was  this  Mon- 
day night  passed. 

Upon  Tuesday  morning,  Colonel  Wentworth,  perceiving 
little  good  to  be  done  with  his  ordnance  against  their  forts, 
about  eleven  o'clock  drew  them  both  off  their  batteries, 
and  sent  them  to  my  Lord  Grandison.  By  this  time  had 
he  advanced  his  line  within  carbine-shot  of  the  enemy ; 
sheltering  his  men,  as  he  could,  behind  it,  with  earth  and 
bushes.  The  day  was  spent  in  skirmishes  and  volleys,  at 
a  very  near  distance,  yet  lost  he  but  ten  or  twelve  men  in 
all  that  service.1 

That  morning  the  Prince  went  over  the  water  to  com- 
municate and  advise  with  the  commanders  of  the  Western 
army,  where  these  orders  were  at  a  Council  of  War 
agreed  upon,  July  25th,  1643  ;  where  the  question  being 
put,  whether  it  be  best  to  assault,  or  approach  the  City  of 
Bristol  ?  the  resolution  was : — It  is  resolved  by  the  whole 
Council  of  War,  for  divers  reasons,  that  it  shall  be  as- 
saulted by  both  armies  on  all  sides,  according  to  the  best 
skill  and  direction  of  the  Commanders-in-Chief  that  are  to 


1    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

My  lord  duke,  being  to  wait  on  the  King  and  Queen  abroad 
as  this  messenger  was  ready  to  be  gone,  desires  me  to  make  his 
excuse  that  he  writes  not  by  this  despatch,  and  to  advertise  your 
Highness  that  he  will  not  fail  to  write  by  the  next  in  answer  to 
your  Highness's  enclosure  of  the  25th.  The  money  was  sent  to 
your  Highness  yesterday,  and  we  hope  is  with  you  before  this  time. 
Colonel  Hatkings  hath  freed  himself,  and  beaten  the  rebels  from 
before  Tutbury  Castle.  In  hint,  the  people  begin  to  rise  for  the 
King  in  a  considerable  number  (five  or  six  thousand),  and  have 
taken  some  ordnance  there.  The  Earl  of  Essex  is  come  within 
two  miles  of  Aylesbury,  but  Waller  is  gone  to  London.  They 
raise  men  apace  for  him.  God  prosper  your  Highness  with 
victory,  so  prayeth  your  Highness's 

Most  humble  servant,         EDW.  NICHOLAS. 
Oxon,  24th  July,  1643. 


246         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

fall  on.  Orders  : — It  is  ordered  that  the  hour  appointed 
for  them  to  fall  on  shall  be  to-morrow  morning,  just  at 
the  break  of  day.  The  word  for  the  soldiers  to  be  "  Ox- 
ford ;"  and  the  sign  between  the  two  armies  to  know  one 
another,  to  be  green  colours,  either  bows  or  such  like  ; 
and  that  every  officer  and  soldier  be  without  any  band  or 
handkerchief  about  his  neck.  2.  That  the  Colonels  of  the 
several  brigades,  as  soon  as  they  shall  have  entered  the 
enemy's  works,  shall  presently  appoint  some  to  throw  down 
the  breastworks,  and  fill  up  the  ditches  in  several  places 
where  they  enter,  or  other  places  more  convenient  for  the 
entrance  of  our  horse,  if  occasion  require.  3.  That  the 
Commanders-in-Chief  of  the  several  brigades  do  agree  be- 
tween themselves  in  what  manner  Redcliff  Church  shall 
be  possessed ;  and  if  possessed,  how  maintained  ;  and  that 
they  appoint  several  officers  for  that  purpose.  4.  That 
the  General  of  the  Ordnance  give  special  order,  that  all  the 
soldiers  be  furnished  with  all  kind  of  ammunition,  and  that 
several  officers  be  appointed  to  attend  the  several  brigades 
with  ammunition  during  the  assault  ;  as  also  that  the 
artillery,  and  the  officers  thereto  belonging,  be  ordered  to 
be  ready  upon  all  commands :  and  this  was  the  agreement 
of  both  armies. 

In  the  Prince's  absence,  our  batteries  went  still  forward 
at  the  two  other  posts.  Just  at  three  o'clock  were  they 
both  finished ;  the  two  demi-cannons  being  mounted 
against  Prior's  fort,  at  my  Lord  Grandison's  post,  and 
our  two  culverins,  with  the  two  six-pounders,  against  the 
two  houses  and  the  side  fort,  where  Colonel  Bellasis  and 
his  Tertia  guarded.  Our  demi-cannon  tore  Prior's  fort 
shrewdly,  they  answering  again  with  three  pieces,  which 
still  shot  over  us.  Before  night,  Mr.  Busy,  our  skilful 
cannoneer,  was  slain,  and  one  of  their  pieces  silenced. 
These  cannonades  continued  on  both  sides,  till  night  parted 
them.  The  like  was  done  at  Colonel  Bellasis'  battery. 
About  evening,  Captain  Fawcett  planted  his  mortar-piece 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      247 

upon  the  battery,  and  much  tore  the  fort  against  him  with 
grenades. 

In  the  evening,  the  Prince  being  returned,  sent  for  my 
Lord  Grandison,  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  Colonel  Wentworth, 
Colonel  Bellasis,  and  other  field-officers,  to  his  quarter, 
at  Captain  Hill's  house,  at  Redland,  by  Durdham  Down's 
side,  to  advise  with  them  concerning  the  time  and  order 
of  a  general  assault  next  morning,  according  to  the  former 
agreement  with  the  Western  army.  Each  Tertia  was  to 
attack  their  own  posts,  either  by  falling  upon  the  forts, 
spurs,  or  line,  as  they  found  most  convenient.  Presently 
upon  this  the  orders  were  sent  to  all  the  foot  officers. 
Directions  were  also  given  to  entertain  the  enemy  with 
alarms  all  night :  and  when  they  heard  the  losing  or  signal 
shot  off,  with  the  two  demi-cannons  from  my  Lord  Grandi- 
son's  post,  they  should  fall  on  generally.  And  thus  Tues- 
day ended. 

Next  Wednesday  morning,  July  26th,  1643,  the  time 
designed  for  the  general  assault  was  anticipated  or  pre- 
vented by  the  Cornish  on  the  other  side  the  town, — out  of 
a  military  ambition,  I  suppose,  to  win  the  works  first. 
Their  firings  we  saw,  and  their  volleys  we  heard  to  our 
side,  something  before  three  in  the  morning ;  which  giving 
us  the  alarm,  the  Prince  sent  to  have  the  signal  shot. 
Which  done,  his  Highness  drew  up  his  own  troop,  and  dis- 
posed of  the  other  regiments  of  horse  in  such  convenient 
places  under  the  hills,  as  they  might  be  best  at  hand  to 
back  the  foot  in  the  assault,  to  beat  off  sallies,  and  to  be 
ready  to  enter  wherever  the  foot  could  make  way  for 
them. 

This  done,  his  Highness  gave  order  for  the  assault,  and 
that  my  Lord  Grandison  should  make  trial  whether,  with 
forty  men,  he  could  storm  the  fort ;  and  if  he  gained  that, 
to  conjoin  his  Tertia  with  Colonel  Bellasis',  to  assault 
those  works  also.  But  here,  seeing  we  cannot  tell  all  at 
once  what  all  at  once  did  in  their  three  several  posts,  let 


248          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

us  begin  with  the  elder  Tertia  and  chief  officer  of  the  field, 
on  the  left ;  and  so  go  on  orderly  to  the  right. 

My  Lord  Grandison  began  his  assault  thus :  first,  he 
sent  a  lieutenant  of  my  Lord  Rivers's  regiment,  with  fifty 
musketeers,  to  begin  the  alarm  upon  the  line  on  the  right 
hand  of  Prior's  fort,  and  another  lieutenant,  with  fifty 
more,  to  fall  down  the  hill  to  the  left  hand,  and  nearer  to 
the  town,  upon  the  works  in  Stoke's  Croft,  in  Gloucester 
highways.  Here  was  a  double  ravelin,  or  spur,  on  the  left 
hand  upon  the  line,  with  a  traverse,  or  high  fore-work,  to 
barricade  up  the  highway,  made  fast  with  an  open  port  or 
gate  of  strong  bars  of  timber.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Luns- 
ford  went  first  on  with  three  hundred  men,  to  fall  upon 
the  curtain  or  line  of  that  work;  but  found  it  so  well 
defended,  that  he  was  fain  to  draw  off  to  the  line  towards 
Prior's  fort.  Major  Sanders,  Major  Perkins,  Major 
Burgess,  the  two  Captain  Astons,  Captain  Nowell,  and 
some  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  fell  directly  upon  the  spur 
itself,  came  up  to  pistol  and  push  of  pike  with  the  de- 
fendants through  the  bars,  and  threw  nine  hand-grenades 
into  the  work  ;  after  which,  Captain  Fawcett,  who  be- 
haved himself  skilfully  and  stoutly  in  all  this  service, 
fastens  a  petard  upon  the  port,  which,  though  it  blew 
well  enough,  yet  it  only  broke  two  or  three  bars,  but 
made  no  way  for  entrance.  Plainly,  both  works  and  line 
were  so  well  defended,  that  ours,  being  able  to  do  no  more 
than  give  testimony  of  their  valour,  and  having  lost  Cap- 
tain Nowell  and  nineteen  men,  after  an  hour-and-a-half  's 
fight,  perceived  there  was  no  more  good  to  be  done  upon 
them.  This  my  Lord  Grandison  observing,  drew  them 
up  the  hill  to  the  fort  itself,  having  before  well  marked 
that  the  line  ran  not  close  home  to  it,  nor  the  way  to  be 
made  up  with  palisades.  The  soldiers  very  cheerfully 
fell  into  the  very  ditch  of  Prior's  fort  with  him,  but  the 
scaling-ladders  being  not  yet  come  up,  by  reason  the 
assault  began  sooner  than  was  concluded  by  the  orders, 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     249 

and  the  place  made  too  hot  with  shot  and  stones  out  of 
the  fort,  with  muskets  and  case-shot  from  the  line  and 
other  batteries,  our  men  were  forced  to  quit  it :  some  of 
them  ran  along  by  the  line,  others  retreating  down  the 
hill,  and  others  standing  to  their  arms,  and  shooting  gal- 
lantly. Colonel  Sir  Ralph  Button  that  day  leading  on  the 
pikes,  being  gotten  with  one  in  his  hand  into  the  ditch, 
charged  upon  the  foot  with  it.  In  the  meantime,  his 
pikes  being  fallen  back  from  the  foot,  he  went  out  to 
bring  them  on  again ;  when,  finding  my  Lord  Grandi- 
son,  who  behaved  himself  most  gallantly  all  that  day, 
persuading  with  them  to  return,  he  brought  them  up  after 
him.  Colonel  Lunsford  finding  a  ladder  of  the  enemy's  in 
the  field,  got  up  the  fort  with  it  as  high  as  the  palisades ; 
which  not  being  able  to  get  over,  he  was  fain  to  come  down 
again.  Lieutenant  Ellis  had  once  gotten  upon  the  line, 
but  receiving  two  shots,  fell  off  again. 

Our  men  retreating,  my  Lord  Grandison  again  took 
horse,  to  fetch  them  up  the  third  time,  which  they  obeyed 
very  willingly,  following  even  to  the  very  ditch.  Into 
this,  since  our  retreat,  some  of  the  defendants  were  de- 
scended, and  by  one  of  them  was  my  Lord  Grandison 
shot  in  the  right  leg,  who,  thus  hurt,  desired  Colonel 
Owen  to  lead  on  the  men,  which  he  doing,  was  presently 
shot  in  the  face  ;  whereupon,  the  soldiers  perceiving  two 
of  their  chief  commanders  hurt,  pressed  on  no  further,  but 
retreated.  This  hot  service  having  lasted  about  an  hour 
and  a  half,  news  was  brought  my  lord  from  the  Prince, 
that  Colonel  Wentworth,  Colonel  Fitton,  and  Colonel 
Washington  had  entered  the  enemy's  line  ;  whereupon 
the  General's  Tertia  was  immediately  drawn  off  this  post. 
My  Lord  Grandison  and  Colonel  Owen  then  rode  back  to 
the  Prince's  quarters  to  be  dressed ;  Sir  Gilbert  Gerard, 
with  the  rest  of  the  Tertia,  according  to  the  Prince's 
command,  marching  up  to  conjoin  with  Colonel  Bel- 
lasis,  who  all  this  morning  had  been  in  as  hot  service, 


250          MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

his  post  or  place  of  falling  on  being  the  line  and  works 
upon  the  left  hand  of  the  Windmill  fort.  For  his  forlorn 
hope,  he  sent  before  a  lieutenant  of  Colonel  Stradling's 
regiment,  with  thirty  musketeers,  six  fire-pikes,  and  as 
many  hand-grenades.  These  were  presently  seconded  by 
Colonel  Bellasis'  and  Colonel  Lunsford's  regiments  on 
the  right  hand,  and  Colonel  Stradling's  upon  the  left, 
Colonel  Lloyd's  being  left  behind  for  a  reserve.  All 
these  advancing  as  fast  as  they  could  well  run,  to  the 
very  trench  or  ditch  of  the  spur-work,  and  finding  there 
an  impossibility  of  entering,  for  that  they  wanted  fagots 
to  fill  up  the  ditch,  and  ladders  to  scale  the  work,  were 
fain  to  fall  down  upon  the  line,  to  the  right  hand  of  the 
Windmill  fort,  to  a  stone  wall.  And  now  came  Major 
Legge,  with  news  of  Colonel  Wentworth's  Tertia  entering 
the  suburbs  ;  upon  which,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Moyle,  cry- 
ing, "  They  run !  they  run !"  encouraged  our  men  on  again. 
Divers  others  of  this  Tertia,  being  otherwhere  met  by  the 
Prince  in  their  retreat,  were  by  him  led  on  again,  up  into 
the  enemy's  works.  Thence  his  Highness  returning  to 
fetch  up  his  own  troop,  his  horse's  eye  was  shot  out  under 
him  ;  after  which,  without  even  so  much  as  mending  his 
pace,  he  marched  off  on  foot  leisurely,  till  another  horse 
was  brought  him.  In  the  meantime,  the  retreaters,  whom 
he  had  even  now  put  into  the  enemy's  works,  were  there 
conjoined  to  their  colonel  with  the  rest  of  the  Tertia,  that 
is,  at  the  breach  where  the  second  Tertia  had  before  en- 
tered, who  were  now  inarched  hence  into  the  suburbs. 

For  the  Tertia  of  Colonel  Wentworth's  were  the  men 
that  had  the  honour  and  happiness  of  the  day  first  of  all 
to  beat  the  enemy  out  of  their  strength, — first  of  all  to  get 
over  the  line,  and  to  make  way  for  the  rest  of  the  army. 
And  this  was  the  manner  of  it.  About  twelve  the  night 
before,  by  a  council  of  the  officers  of  the  Tertia,  the  line 
between  the  two  forts  of  Brandon-hill  and  the  Windmill 
fort  was  resolved  to  be  first  fallen  upon.  The  way  to  the 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      251 

designed  place,  though  a  hill  of  itself,  yet  in  respect  of  the 
forts,  was  a  hollow  bottom  at  the  foot  of  both  the  hills. 
At  the  north  end  whereof,  towards  the  town,  stands  a  barn 
of  stone  within  a  spur-work,  within  half  musket-shot  of 
Brandon  fort.  The  second  Tertia,  with  Colonel  Washing- 
ton's and  Sir  Robert  Howard's  dragoons,  was  to  have  been 
divided  into  van,  battle,  and  rear, — Sir  Jacob  Astley's  and 
Sir  Edward  Fitton's  regiments  being  ordered  to  lead, 
Colonel  Bowles  and  Colonel  Herbert  to  follow,  and 
Colonel  Washington  to  bring  up  the  rear.  But  the  furze 
and  unevenness  of  the  ground  not  suffering  them  to  ob- 
serve the  agreed  order,  every  man,  according  as  his  courage 
served  him,  fell  on  as  he  could  come  at  it.  In  the  advance 
up,  being  full  under  the  command  of  both  forts,  they  were 
saluted  with  iron  slugs,  pike-shot,  and  what  they  pleased, 
from  their  cannon.  Here  were  Lieutenant  Stapleton  and 
Ancient  Middleton  shot,  and  four  or  five  soldiers  killed. 
This  made  our  men  run  close  up  to  the  works,  as  fast  as 
they  could :  Colonel  Wentworth,  Sir  Edward  Fitton, 
Colonel  Washington,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thelwall,  and 
other  brave  commanders,  leading  the  way  gallantly.  Hav- 
ing recovered  up  to  the  line,  they  were  almost  in  covert 
under  St.  Michael's-hill,  and  so  under  the  hill,  that  the 
Windmill  fort  could  not  see  them ;  yea,  the  spur  and  barn 
on  their  right  hand  sheltered  the  forwardest  of  them  from 
Brandon  fort  also.  Being  gotten  to  the  line,  Lieutenant 
Wright,  Lieutenant  Baxter,  with  others,  throwing  hand- 
grenades  over  among  the  enemies,  made  them  stagger  and 
recoil  a  little  :  so  that  ours  more  courageously  coming  on 
to  storm  over  the  line,  the  enemies  quitted  it,  and  ran 
towards  the  town.  Ours,  thereupon,  helping  over  one 
another,  fell  presently  to  fling  down  the  work  with  their 
hands,  halberts,  and  partisans,  as  they  could,  to  let  in  their 
fellows.  In  the  meantime,  Lieutenant- Colonel  Littleton, 
riding  along  the  inside  of  the  line  with  a  fire-pike,  quite 
cleared  the  place  of  the  defendants  :  some  of  them  crying 


252         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

out  wildfire.  Thus  was  the  line  cleared  for  a  great  way 
together.  And  here,  as  is  affirmed  in  Governor  Fiennes' 
printed  relation,  Serjeant-Major  Langrish  was  appointed 
to  charge  our  men  so  soon  as  they  should  enter ;  but  the 
horse  did  not  charge,  saith  he,  as  they  were  commanded, 
and  by  others  entreated.  But  whoever  it  was  that  did 
charge,  most  sure  it  is  that  by  that  time  some  two  or  three 
hundred  of  ours  had  gotten  over,  ere  ever  they  could  well 
rank  themselves  into  order ;  charged  they  were  by  a  troop 
of  horse,  which  Governor  Fiennes  says  were  his  troop. 
Our  pikes  staggered  at  the  charge  ;  but  some  fifty  or  sixty 
musketeers  from  a  hedge  giving  them  a  round  salvo,  they 
retreated  with  some  loss.  By  that  we  had  ranked  the 
men  already  gotten  over  the  line,  the  enemy's  horse  rallied 
again  ;  so  that  wheeling  on  the  side  of  the  Windmill-hill, 
they  gave  us  another  charge.  Our  pikes,  which  should 
have  staved  them  off,  could  not  yet  be  made  stand :  but 
some  six  of  our  dragoons  firing  on  them,  and  other  mus- 
keteers first  discharging  and  then  laying  at  them  with 
their  musket-stocks,  they  again  retreated.  But  the  truth 
is,  Captain  Clerk,  Ancient  Hodgkinson,  and  some  others, 
running  upon  them  with  fire-pikes,  neither  men  nor  horses 
were  able  to  endure  it.  These  fire-pikes  did  the  feat. 
And  here  Captain  Henry  Norwood,  a  volunteer  under 
Colonel  Washington,  having  charged  in  among  them,  was 
shot  in  the  face  with  powder  by  the  enemy's  captain, 
whom  in  recompense  he  killed  upon  the  place.  Mr. 
Green,  likewise,  with  other  volunteers  and  gentlemen, 
charging  stoutly  with  their  swords,  gave  courage  and 
example  to  our  soldiers. 

And  thus  was  the  enemy's  line  won  presently  by  fine 
force  and  valour  of  our  men.  Nor  can  the  enemy's  beat- 
ing from  it  be  altogether  excused,  as  Governor  Fiennes 
fain  would ;  for  that  their  works  were  not  quite  perfected, 
the  ditch  not  being  made  withoutside,  nor  the  footbank 
withinside  the  work,  and  there  being  but  a  weak  guard 


1643.]     PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         253 

in  that  place.  But  plainly  the  line  was  as  high,  and  the 
ditch  as  broad  and  deep  there,  for  aught  we  observed,  as 
ordinarily  in  other  parts  ;  though  to  confess  the  truth  the 
line  was  but  weak  everywhere.  However,  the  place  was 
stronger  by  a  great  spur-work,  and  the  stone  barn  filled 
with  defendants,  just  on  the  right  hand,  where  we  entered. 
So  that  the  conquest  is  not  to  be  attributed  so  much  to 
the  weakness  of  the  place  as  to  God's  blessing,  or  our 
soldiers'  courage  ;  and  this  was  done  in  half-an-hour,  and 
by  four  in  the  morning.  But  whether  the  next  passage  be 
to  be  ascribed  either  to  the  valour  or  to  the  fortune  of 
some  others  of  this  Tertia,  let  themselves  or  the  readers 
judge.  A  heap  of  them  now  newly  gotten  over  the  line, 
and  being  there  charged  by  the  enemy's  horse  before  they 
could  rank  themselves  into  order,  made  up  all  together 
with  much  (good)  speed  into  a  lane  towards  the  town,  the 
enemy  retreating  still  before  them.  And  here  (all  unknown 
to  ours)  the  enemy  had  a  strong  work  ;  and  they  in  it  sus- 
pecting our  men's  running  haste  to  be  the  courage  of  such 
as  pursued  the  victory,  and  were  resolved  to  carry  all 
before  them,  with  as  much  haste  ran  out  of  it.  Essex- 
work  they  call  this,  which  lies  loftily  in  the  very  entrance 
into  the  suburbs,  and  overlooks  them  and  the  quay.  News 
soon  brought  of  this,  Colonel  Wentworth  and  Colonel 
Washington  presently  marched  up  towards  it,  through  a 
lane  betwixt  two  garden  walls,  at  the  end  of  which,  near 
Essex-work,  finding  a  transverse  ditch  crossed  the  street, 
it  was  our  men's  first  business  to  fill  up  that,  and  make 
way  for  the  horse.  Here  the  enemy  from  the  town  and 
houses  shot  fiercely,  killing  Sir  Edward  Fitton's  Captain, 
Lieutenant  Davenport,  and  some  others.  But  the  work 
and  lane  were  for  all  this  maintained,  till  Colonel  Bellasis' 
Tertia  marched  up  to  relieve  the  first  enterers. 

These  were  by  and  by  seconded  by  my  Lord  Andover's 
and  Sir  Arthur  Aston's  horse,  who  brought  four  comets 
of  his  own,  with  Major  Savage's  and  Captain  Hanbury's 


254         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

out  of  Colonel  Samuel  Sandys'  regiment ;  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Bunckle  was  left  behind  for  a  reserve.  These  first 
six  troops  being  anon  advanced  into  the  suburbs,  Colonel 
Sandys',  and  after  a  while,  Colonel  Ever's  horse  regiments 
marched  up  into  their  places. 

Our  former  colonels  now  marched  up  to  the  College 
Green,  manning  the  cathedral  and  the  two  next  churches ; 
thence  played  they  upon  a  little  work,  and  a  house  where 
the  enemies  had  a  piece  of  cannon,  which,  after  a  while, 
ours  beat  them  from ;  Colonel  Washington  also  sending 
Lieutenant  Bellamy  to  the  Queen's  house,  annoyed  the 
enemies  for  a  while,  till  a  piece  of  ordnance,  turned  upon 
it  from  the  quay,  forced  ours  to  quit  it.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Moyle  also  commanded  a  lieutenant  of  Colonel 
Bowles,  with  thirty  musketeers,  into  another  house,  which 
much  annoyed  the  enemies,  so  that  hereabouts  the  fight 
was  like  scolding  at  one  another  out  of  windows.  Ours 
on  the  College  Green  were  galled  by  the  redoubt  below 
Brandon-hill*,  next  the  water's  side,  and  in  other  places ; 
the  enemy  also  shot  freely  out  of  the  houses  :  and  here 
Lieutenant -Colonel  Thelwall  received  a  shot  upon  the 
bar  of  his  head-piece,  and  the  bullet,  having  first  slightly 
hurt  him,  afterwards  shot  a  captain  in  the  arm.  By  this 
time  was  our  second  Tertia  so  near  the  quay,  that  they 
might  either  have  forced  their  way  over  it  into  the  city,  or 
at  least  have  fired  the  ships,  and  endangered  that  part  of 
the  town  by  them,  and  so  sent  they  word  to  the  Prince ; 
but  his  Highness,  setting  all  his  mind  to  preserve  the 
city,  gave  no  allowance  to  it.  Here  also  were  our  men  so 
near  the  enemy's  works,  that  were  now  in  skirmish  with 
my  Lord  of  Hertford's  and  Prince  Maurice's  men  on  the 
other  side  the  water,  that  they  could  range  their  bullets  to 
them,  and  so  far  trouble  the  way  betwixt  the  town  and 
them,  as  to  hinder  them  from  bringing  more  pieces. 

By  this  time  Colonel  Bellasis'  foot,  with   Sir  Arthur 
Aston's  horse,  being  advanced  towards  Frome  gate  next 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     255 

the  city,  the  enemies  sallied  both  with  horse  and  foot, 
others  still  shooting  out  at  the  windows.  Here,  in  two 
hours'  space,  were  two  or  three  brisk  bouts,  for  Sir  Ar- 
thur Aston's,  Major  Marrow's,  and  other  horse  now  sent 
by  my  Lord  Andover  (Serjeant-Major  of  that  wing),  had 
several  charges  with  them.  Here,  upon  steps  (since 
called  Lunsford's  stairs),  was  the  gallant  Colonel  Luns- 
ford  shot  through  the  heart,  who  had  that  day  before 
been  shot  through  the  arm  ;  Colonel  Bellasis,  also,  was 
slightly  hurt  in  the  forehead.  A  party  of  Colonel  Wash- 
ington's and  Colonel  Stradling's  men  going  on,  Lieutenant 
Blunt  and  Lieutenant  Ward  were  both  shot  through  the 
thighs.  The  fight  grew  hard,  and  our  men  much  tired, 
when,  by  the  coming  in  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Herbert 
Lunsford,  with  part  of  the  Lord-General's  Tertia  of  foot, 
and  others,  with  fresh  horse,  the  enemies  were  beaten 
down  the  stairs  again,  through  the  Frome  gate  into  the 
town.  Here  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  Moyle  shot  through 
the  bladder,  of  which  he  died  afterwards.  In  this  con- 
flict we  lost  many  brave  officers  and  soldiers,  the  enemy 
also  being  paid  soundly  ;  and  this  made  them  think  of 
nothing  but  parley,  for  now,  they  knew,  could  we,  with- 
out interruption,  have  brought  our  cannon  or  petards  up 
to  the  very  ports,  or  might  have  fired  the  ships  and  houses, 
or  have  mined. 

Whilst  all  this  was  doing,  his  Highness  having  reco- 
vered another  horse,  rode  up  and  down  from  place  to 
place,  where  most  need  was  of  his  presence,  here  directing 
and  encouraging  some,  and  there  leading  up  others  ;  ge- 
nerally it  is  confessed  by  the  commanders,  that  had  not 
the  Prince  been  there,  the  assault,  through  mere  despair, 
had  been  in  danger  to  be  given  over  in  many  places. 
After  a  while,  when  all  our  forces  were  drawing  towards 
the  suburbs,  thither  went  his  Highness  also,  along  be- 
twixt Brandon  and  the  Windmill  forts,  up  to  the  barn 
and  spur,  where  the  line  had  been  first  entered.  There 


256         MEMOIRS   AND    CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

stayed  he  to  receive  intelligence  from  all  parts,  and  to 
send  back  directions.  His  Highness's  troop  was  all  this 
morning  in  a  meadow  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill,  within 
sight  and  musket-shot  of  both  forts.  Some  two  or  three 
strangers  were  there  wounded,  but  not  one  soldier  slain. 
The  rest  of  the  horse  forces  were  all  under  the  hill's  side, 
to  second  the  foot  upon  occasion.  After  some  hours, 
notwithstanding  our  men  were  still  going  and  riding  be- 
tween, within  half  musket-shot,  the  two  forts  disturbed 
us  but  seldom  with  their  volleys ;  for  their  line  being 
taken,  they  knew  their  retreat  and  reliefs  were  quite 
cut  off  from  the  town,  and  that  by  shooting  they  should 
but  make  their  conditions  harder. 

Ours  being  thus  engaged  in  skirmishing  in  the  suburbs, 
the  Prince  sent  over  the  water  to  his  brother  Prince 
Maurice,  to  command  thither  one  thousand  Cornish  foot. 
Of  these,  two  hundred  came  at  first,  and,  after  a  while, 
Prince  Maurice  himself  with  five  hundred  more  :  but  by 
that  time  they  were  marched  up  into  the  suburbs,  the  fight 
was  done,  and  the  enemy  beaten  into  the  town.  Then 
thought  the  Prince  to  employ  them  to  take  in  Brandon 
fort,  having  already  given  order  for  one  hundred  to  follow 
him.  Now,  also,  had  his  Highness  sent  for  Hendrick,  the 
fireworker,  to  bring  his  petards  for  blowing  open  the  fort 
gate.  At  the  same  time,  also,  his  Highness  was  giving 
commands  for  his  men  to  force  their  way  over  the  haven 
and  ships  into  the  city :  when  lo !  the  enemies  prevented 
all  this,  by  sending  out  a  drum  to  desire  a  parley.  This 
his  Highness,  for  saving  of  blood  and  the  town,  was  will- 
ing to  condescend  unto,  upon  condition,  the  governor 
should  send  out  hostages  of  good  quality,  and  that  the 
parley  should  last  but  two  hours.  And  this  answer  his 
Highness  sent  in  by  a  trumpet,  commanding  his  men  to 
give  over  shooting. 

And  here  let  me  insert,  out  of  Governor  Fiennes' 
printed  relation,  the  reasons  that  enforced  him  to  parley. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       257 

His  men,  he  says,  being  thus  retreated  into  the  town,  be- 
gan to  be  disheartened,  and  to  draw  from  their  colours  and 
guards :  so  that  of  fourteen  companies  commanded  to  ap- 
pear in  the  marsh,  there  met  not  above  one  hundred  men. 
Then  consulting  about  retiring  into  the  castle,  and  to  fire 
the  town,  it  was  overswayed  ;  for  that  their  three  hundred 
horse,  near  half  their  foot,  and  most  of  their  friends,  could 
not  be  contained  in  it.  Besides  which,  they  could  not 
hold  it  above  two  or  three  days ;  for  that  they  had  not  above 
fifty  barrels  of  powder,  no  match  ;  nor  hope  to  be  relieved. 
In  the  meantime,  they  saw  our  [forces]  so  near,  that  we 
could  have  waded  over  the  quay  into  the  city,  now  at  low 
water.  This  made  them  treat.  Towards  which,  whilst  all 
things  are  preparing,  it  will  not  disturb  our  method  to  re- 
late briefly,  what  was  all  this  while  attempted  by  my  Lord 
Marquess  Hertford's  western  army,  on  the  other  side  the 
water. 

His  Excellency's  foot  forces  were  thus  commanded. 
The  first  Tertia,  by  Colonel  Buck  :  consisting  of  the  Mar- 
quis's, Prince  Maurice's,  and  Colonel  Buck's  regiments. 
The  second  Tertia  was  Sir  Nicholas  Slanning's,  and  under 
it,  his  own,  my  Lord  Mohun's,  and  Colonel  Trevanion's 
regiments.  The  third  Tertia  was  Colonel  Basset's,  consist- 
ing of  Sir  Bevil  Grenville's,  and  Colonel  Godolphin's  re- 
giments. His  Highness  Prince  Maurice  was  Lieutenant- 
General  of  the  army,  Sir  Ralph  Hopton,  Field-marshal, 
the  Earl  of  Carnarvon,  Lieutenant- General  of  the  horse, 
the  Earl  of  Crauford,  Serjeant-Major-General  of  the  horse, 
and  Colonel  Wagstaff,  Major-General  of  the  foot.  And 
this  the  Cornish  would  have  styled  the  Cornish  army, 
which  on  Monday,  July  24th,  advancing  over  the  Avon  at 
Keinsham-bridge,  to  the  west  and  south  sides  of  Bristol ; 
first  sent  out  a  forlorn  hope  of  musketeers  to  beat  in  the 
sallying  enemies  ;  and  to  possess  themselves  of  Pine-hill 
against  Temple-gate  :  where  upon  the  highway,  they  after 
put  up  their  battery.  That  day  they  cut  several  gaps  for 
VOL.  II.  S 


258         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

passages  through  the  hedges :  quartered  two  Tertias  be- 
hind the  Battery-hill,  and  lodged  Colonel  Basset's  Tertia 
in  Bedminster,  hard  by  Bristol.  That  day  they  gave 
several  alarms  to  the  town  :  even  up  to  the  very  ports. 
On  Tuesday,  they  prepared  for  the  assault  next  day :  all 
day  giving  and  receiving  many  alarms  and  cannonades 
from  the  town  ;  and  skirmishing  with  their  musketeers  in 
the  hedges.  At  night  they  gave  a  hot  alarm  into  the 
town :  as  Prince  Rupert's  also  did  on  the  other  side. 

Their  order  for  the  falling-on  was  thus :  Sir  Nicholas 
Slanning  with  his  Cornish  was  to  fall  on  first,  and  to  have 
the  middle  ward :  Colonel  Buck  with  the  first  Tertia 
being  to  close  him  upon  the  right  hand  ;  and  Colonel 
Basset's  Tertia  upon  the  left.  His  Highness  Prince  Mau- 
rice stayed  in  his  proper  place,  with  the  reserve  at  the 
battery.  Being  now  to  fall  on,  it  was  Major-General 
Wagstaff's  desire  to  drive  carts  or  waggons  before  them 
into  the  graff  or  ditch,  that  the  soldiers  might  pass  over 
them  ;  but  the  ditch  was  found  too  deep  for  the  carts  :  so 
that  plot  failed  ;  which  Prince  Maurice  misdoubting,  had 
commanded  the  soldiers  to  take  faggots  to  fill  the  ditches, 
and  ladders  to  scale  the  fort.  And  Sir  Richard  Cave  was 
sent  by  the  Prince  to  the  Tertia  that  fell  on  first,  to  tell 
them  the  two  other  Tertias  had  provided  these  materials ; 
but  whether  it  were  for  haste  or  upon  mistake,  the  alarm 
was  given  so  suddenly  that  these  helps  were  left  behind. 
The  Cornish  fell  on  resolutely  ;  but  being  not  able  to 
scale  the  fort,  after  half-an-hour's  hot  fight,  were  beaten 
off  with  stones  as  well  as  bullets.  Being  retreated  to  the 
hedges,  they  thence  so  long  maintained  the  skirmish,  till 
Prince  Rupert  sent  over  for  the  thousand  Cornish  before 
spoken  of.  In  time  of  the  retreat,  Prince  Maurice  went 
from  regiment  to  regiment  encouraging  the  soldiers,  desir- 
ing the  officers  to  keep  their  companies  by  their  colours ; 
telling  them  he  believed  his  brother  had  already  made  his 
entrance  on  the  other  side.  Instantly  thereupon  Prince 


1642.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        259 

Rupert  indeed  sent  him  word  of  it.  The  Cornish,  both 
commanders  and  soldiers,  behaved  themselves  gallantly,  as 
may  be  collected  by  their  losses  ;  for  in  the  first  Tertia 
Colonel  Buck  was  slain,  Colonel  Astley  shot  through  the 
thigh,  and  some  twelve  or  fourteen  soldiers  killed  :  in  the 
second  Tertia  Sir  Nicholas  Slanning  had  his  thigh  broken 
with  a  case-shot,  whereof  he  died  three  weeks  after. 
Colonel  Trevanion's  thigh  being  shot,  it  swelled,  grew 
black,  and  stank;  whereof  he  died  about  midnight:  his 
Major,  Kendall,  was  slain,  and  Captain  Rich,  besides  some 
forty  others  killed  and  wounded.  In  the  third  Tertia, 
Colonel  Basset  himself  was  lightly  hurt ;  with  Captain 
and  Lieutenant  Fords ±  brothers:  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
more  were  slain  in  and  about  the  ditch,  and  about  as  many 
more  wounded.  Thus,  you  see,  though  the  Cornish  could 
not  enter  the  line,  yet  they  put  on  gallantly  for  it,  all  the 
commanders  of  their  Tertias  being  thus  sorely  mauled. 

And  now  to  the  parley,  which  being  desired  by  the  Go- 
vernor, Major  Langrish,  and  another  captain  being  sent  out 
for  hostages  about  it,  the  two  Princes  and  our  other  chiefs 
giving  them  a  meeting  at  a  garden-house  right  against 
Essex-work  ;  Colonel  Charles  Gerard  and  Adjutant  Wil- 
liam Tyringham  were  sent  into  the  city  to  capitulate  with 
the  Governor,  about  five  in  the  evening.  At  length,  Colo- 
nel Gerard  willing  to  condescend  to  any  reason  in  favour 
of  the  city,  but  pinching  as  hard  as  might  be  upon  the 
soldiers,  these  following  articles  were  concluded  on  :  — 

Articles  agreed  on  at  the  City  of  Bristol,  between  Colonel 
Charles  Gerard  and  Captain  William  Tyringham,  for 
and  on  behalf  of  Prince  Rupert  and  the  Lord  Mar- 
quis Hertford,  of  the  one  part,  and  Colonel  Na- 
thaniel Fiennes,  Governor  of  Bristol,  on  the  other 
part,  the  26th  of  July,  1643. 

1.  That  the  Governor,  Colonel  Nathaniel  Fiennes,  to- 
gether with  all  the  officers,  both  of  horse  and  foot,  now 

s  2 


260        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

within  the  City  of  Bristol,  castle  and  forts,  may  march  out 
to-morrow  morning  by  nine  o'clock,  with  their  full  arms, 
horses,  bag  and  baggage,  provided  it  be  their  own  goods  ; 
and  the  common  foot-soldiers  shall  march  out  without 
arms,  and  the  troopers  with  their  horses  and  swords,  leav- 
ing their  other  arms  behind  them,  with  a  safe  convoy  to 
Warminster ;  and  after,  not  to  be  molested  in  their  march 
by  any  of  the  King's  forces,  for  the  space  of  three  days. 

2.  That  there  may  be  carriages  allowed  and  provided 
to  carry  away  their  bag  and  baggage,  and  sick  and  hurt 
soldiers. 

3.  That  the  King's  soldiers  march  not  into  the  town  till 
the  Parliament  forces  are  marched  out,  which  is  nine  of 
the  clock. 

4.  That  all  prisoners  in  the  city  be  delivered  up,  and 
that  Captain  Eyres  and  Captain  Gookin,  who  were  taken 
at  the  Devizes,  be  released. 

5.  That  Sir  John  Horner,  Sir  John  Seymour,  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Stephens,  and  all  other  knights,  gentlemen,  citizens, 
and  other  persons  that  are  now  in  the  city,  may,  if  they 
please,  with   their  goods,  wives,  families,  bag   and  bag- 
gage, have  free  liberty  to  repair  to  their  own  houses  or 
elsewhere,  and  there   to  rest  in  safety,  or  ride  or  travel 
with  the  governor  and  forces :  and  such  of  them  or  their 
families  as  shall  be  left  behind  by  reason  of  sickness  or 
other  cause,  may  have  liberty  as  soon  as  they  can  conve- 
niently, to  depart  the  town  with  safety  ;  provided,   that 
all  the  gentlemen  and  other  persons  shall  have  three  days' 
liberty  to  reside  here,  or  depart  with  their  goods,  which 
they  please. 

6.  That  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  city  shall  be  secured 
in  their  persons,  families,  and  estates,  from  plundering, 
and  all  other  violence  and  wrong  whatsoever. 

7.  That  the  charters  and  liberties  of  the  city  be  pre- 
served,   and   that   the    ancient   government  thereof,    and 
present  governors  and  officers  may  remain  and  continue 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       261 

in  their  former  condition,  according  to  his  Majesty's  char- 
ter pleasure  thereon. 

8.  That  for  avoiding  of  inconveniencies  and  distractions, 
the  quartering   of   soldiers  be  referred   and  left   to    the 
mayor  and  governor  of  the  same  city,  for  the  time  being. 

9.  That  all  such  as  have  carried  any  goods  into  the 
castle,  may  have  free  liberty  to  carry  the  same  forth. 

10.  That  the  forces  that  are  to  march  out,  are  to  leave 
behind  them  all  their  cannon  and  ammunition,  with  their 
colours,  and  such  arms  as  is  before  expressed. 

NATHANIEL  FIENNES. 

CHA.  GERARD. 

WILLIAM  TYRINGHAM. 

Besides  all  these  articles,  the  six  horse-captains  in  the 
town  consented  each  man  to  give  Colonel  Gerard  and 
Captain  Tyringham  his  best  horse,  as  an  acknowledgment 
that  their  regiment  was  broken:  but  they  desired  this 
might  not  be  set  down  in  the  articles,  because  of  the  dis- 
grace. 

For  making  good  this  agreement  on  our  part,  Colonel 
Gerard  was  ready  next  morning  by  nine  o'clock  at  the  ports 
with  the  Prince's  protection  and  convoy.  But  whereas  men 
in  the  like  case  use  to  borrow  rather  an  hour  after  the 
time  agreed,  these  now  marched  out  two  hours  sooner.  The 
less  marvel,  then,  that  some  were  plundered  out  of  the 
town  ;  seeing  our  officers,  who  should  have  restrained  their 
soldiers,  were  not  yet  come.  It  was  their  fault,  also,  to 
open  the  ports  before  the  convoy  could  be  there  to  secure 
them.  But  the  little  plundering  was  done  by  stragglers 
and  sharks,  that  follow  armies  merely  for  spoil  and  booty. 
Prisoners,  likewise,  too  soon  let  loose,  and  some  wronged 
townsmen,  now  fell  upon  the  Parliamentarians  to  take 
from  them  their  own  goods  and  horses.  Some  Reading 
soldiers  also  were  got  in  among,  whom  the  enemy  had  be- 
fore so  used.  And  all  these  were  the  more  incensed  by  a 


262          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF        [JULY, 

Parliamentarian's  shooting  a  Cavalier  in  the  streets.  Divers 
of  them  also  offered  to  carry  away  their  pistols  in  their 
cloak-hags :  others  had  sold  their  swords  and  muskets, 
broken  their  pikes,  and  spoiled  their  ammunition  in  the 
castle,  driven  iron  slugs  to  close  some  of  their  greater 
ordnance,  and  lastly,  carried  away  divers  of  their  colours ; 
and  all  this  contrary  to  articles.  However,  some  of 
ours,  in  requital,  now  plundered  some  of  theirs ;  the 
Prince  who  uses,  not  only  in  point  of  honour  but  of  re- 
ligion too,  to  make  good  his  word,  was  so  passionately 
offended  at  the  disorder,  that  some  of  them  felt  how  sharp 
his  sword  was  ;  and  indeed  Governor  Fiennes  himself  hath 
excused  and  justified  the  Princes.  The  Parliamentarians 
being  marched  out,  the  King's  forces  were  received  in.1 

And  thus  the  fair  City  of  Bristol  being  by  Prince  Ru- 
pert reduced  to  the  King's  obedience,  there  was  great 
hope  of  rigging  out  a  fleet  also  for  his  Majesty's  service. 

1    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have  sent  my  lieutenant-colonel  back  to  Bristol  to  fetch 
back  those  men  of  these  brigades  who  are  stayed  behind,  and  went 
this  morning  in  so  great  numbers,  that  there  are  very  few  left 
with  the  colours,  the  reason  whereof  is  their  discontent,  in  that 
they  think  they  are  sent  away  at  this  time  to  lose  their  shares  in 
the  pillage  of  Bristol.  I  shall  therefore  humbly  beseech  your 
Highness  that  I  may  have  authority  from  you  to  assure  them, 
that  though  they  be  absent  by  your  Highness's  command,  yet 
they  shall  have  their  parts  as  well  as  others ;  and  that  upon  this 
assurance  your  Highness  would  please  to  issue  a  proclamation,  to 
command  all  who  belong  to  those  two  brigades  immediately  to 
repair  to  their  colours  upon  pain  of  death ;  and  truly,  sir,  unless 
this  be  done,  I  shall  carry  as  few  back  to  Oxford  as  if  I  had 
received  a  defeat.  Sir,  I  should  not  have  troubled  your  Highness 
in  this  busy  time,  but  that  I  see  a  mutiny  like  to  arise  amongst 
the  soldiers  unless  they  receive  some  benefit  of  your  Highness's 
great  victory  at  Bristol,  wherein,  I  doubt  not,  but  your  Highness 
will  excuse,  sure  it  is  only  out  of  zeal  to  your  service,  this  bold- 
ness in  your  Highness's 

Most  humble  and  most  faithful  servant, 

JOHN  BYRON. 
July  27th,  1643. 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     263 

For  this  purpose,  Mr.  Fitzherbert,  a  merchant  of  Bristol, 
came,  the  Sunday  before,  to  the  Prince,  at  Clifton,  with 
an  overture  of  divers  ships  in  Kingsroad  (the  harbour  of 
Bristol)  likely  to  return  to  their  obedience.  Next  day, 
also,  Mr.  William  Bevan,  merchant,  of  Bristol,  brought 
word  unto  the  Prince,  how  that  by  virtue  of  a  commission 
from  my  Lord  of  Hertford,  directed  to  himself  and  some 
others,  the  owners  and  masters  of  eight  ships  being  treated 
with,  had  surrendered  themselves  to  his  Majesty's  obe- 
dience joyfully.  In  sign  whereof,  they  then  shot  off  above 
sixty  pieces  from  aboard ;  which  they  desired  might  be 
answered  by  a  general  volley  from  the  army.  Divers 
other  ships  imitated  these  ;  and  one  of  "  the  King's 
whelps"  came  in  to  begin  a  fleet,  with  which  Sir  John 
Pennington  was  left  to  command. 

Bristol  thus  taken,  Forbes  forsook  Berkeley  Castle  ;  and 
upon  my  Lord  of  Carnarvon's  marching  with  four  hun- 
dred horse  and  fifty  dragoons  into  Dorsetshire,  to  relieve 
Corfe  Castle,  Dorchester  and  Weymouth  surrendered  upon 
summons,  and  the  isles  of  Purbeck  and  Portland  were 
quitted.  In  all  these  places  were  taken  fifteen  hundred 
arms,  one  hundred  and  twenty  barrels  of  powder,  and 
sixty  pieces  of  ordnance.  And,  indeed,  upon  the  judg- 
ment of  Colonel  Fiennes  and  the  gentlemen  of  Gloucester 
and  Somersetshires  (since  printed),  these  happy  conse- 
quences for  the  King  were  likely  to  come,  upon  the  taking 
of  Bristol: — 1.  Much  money  and  arms  will  there  be 
gotten.  2.  He  will  soon  subdue  Gloucester,  and  become 
master  of  all  that  tract  between  Shrewsbury  and  the  Li- 
zard's Point  in  Cornwall.  3.  He  will  become  master  of  all 
the  traffic  of  that  inland  sea  the  Severn  ;  and  make  all  the 
shipping  of  the  Welsh  and  English  coasts  his  own.  4.  His 
neighbourhood  to  Wales  will  from  time  to  time  supply 
him  with  a  body  of  foot.  5.  The  Parliament  shall  lose  a 
port-town  very  important  for  the  service  of  Ireland ;  and 
fit  to  give  landing  to  the  rebels  of  that  place,  or  any  other 


264         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

enemy.  Indeed,  all  these  advantages  might  the  King  have 
made,  had  the  conquest  being  well  managed.  This  weak 
town  was  so  well  defended,  that  we  wondered  why  Colonel 
Fiennes  should  be  banished.1 


1  This  paper  appears  to  have  been  drawn  up  by  Baron  de 
Gomme  for  the  intended  biography  of  Rupert.  In  the  Prince's 
naval  career  there  are  several  more  voluminous  episodes.  My 
impression  is  that  the  work  was  undertaken  during  the  voyage 
to  the  West  Indies,  and  intended  to  have  been  finished  when 
access  could  be  had  to  the  histories  of  the  time,  such  as  Baker's 
"Chronicle"  and  Sir  Edward  Walker's  "Discourses."  The  Ca- 
valiers would  have  considered  it  very  much  beneath  them  to 
consult  May,  Whitelocke,  Rushworth,  or  any  Roundhead  autho- 
rity. 

The  following  extract  contains  some  matters  of  various  interest 
relating  not  only  to  the  siege,  but  to  this  history ;  wherefore,  even 
at  the  risk  of  exhausting  the  reader's  patience,  I  am  induced  to 
subjoin  it : — 

"  A  true  relation  of  the  taking  of  Bristol,  the  several  circum- 
stances as  it  was  sent  in  a  letter  by  an  eye-witness  to  the 
Governor  at  Oxford,  July  30  ;  together  with  his  Excellency's 
propositions  to  both  Houses  of  Parliament,  August  1st. 

"  At  the  assault  of  Bristol  the  outworks  were  made  very  strong, 
and  cost  near  five  hundred  common  men's  lives  on  the  King's 
side.  Colonel  Herbert  Lunsford  was  slain,  and  the  Lord  Viscount 
Grandison  shot,  and  Master  Bellasis  wounded  in  the  head  by  his 
own  sword,  which  was  struck  to  his  head  by  a  musket  when  they 
rushed  in  upon  the  works,  neither  of  them  in  very  great  danger. 
It  was  the  hottest  service  that  ever  was  in  this  kingdom  since  the 
war  began.  In  his  Majesty's  army  there  was  at  least  one  thousand 
four  hundred  armed  men ;  some  other  gentlemen  were  lost  in  the 
service,  whose  names  we  shall  know  hereafter.  The  city  was 
surrendered  upon  Wednesday  on  this  composition :  the  com- 
manders were  permitted  to  ride  out  with  swords,  and  the  common 
men  marched  out  with  sticks  in  their  hands,  so  many  as  were 
pleased  to  go ;  but  at  least  a  thousand  of  the  garrison  soldiers 
very  willingly  remain  in  the  castle  to  serve  his  Majesty.  Colonel 
Jones  marched  out  without  molestation  or  hurt,  who  attempted 
before  to  escape,  but  was  stopped  by  the  sailors,  which  are  his 
Majesty's  friends.  The  Royalists  found  in  the  city  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  barrels  of  gunpowder,  with  match  and  bullets  pro- 
portionable, sixty  brass  pieces  of  good  ordnance  and  all  the  arms, 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         265 

This  great  triumph  for  the  King  was  sullied  by 
the  manner  in  which  the  victors  retaliated  on  the 
vanquished  their  own  insults  at  Reading.  It  was 
also  saddened  by  the  loss  of  some  of  the  best  and 
bravest  Cavaliers,  both  officers  and  men.  Of  the 
latter,  at  least  five  hundred  "  tried  and  incompara- 


eighteen  good  ships  in  the  river  belonging  to  merchants,  and  four 
ships  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  that  came  lately  to 
relieve  it,  which  have  good  store  of  ammunition  in  them.  The 
city  gives  140,0002.  by  way  of  composition  to  save  them  from 
plundering ;  upon  which  his  Majesty  hath  sent  a  proposition 
strictly  to  prevent  it,  that  it  shall  be  death  for  any  soldier  to 
plunder.  Sir  Arthur  Aston  came  post  to  Oxford  on  Friday,  to 
inform  his  Majesty  of  the  state  of  things  there ;  upon  which  the 
Council  of  War  and  the  Council  of  State  agreed  to  send  away 
Sir  John  Pennington  speedily  to  Bristol,  to  have  the  command  of 
the  ships,  and  a  proclamation  to  all  that  are  willing  to  serve  the 
King  to  this  effect, — that  they  shall  have  their  pardons  that  have 
served  under  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  also  the  pay  that  is  due 
from  him  presently  paid  at  Bristol,  and  his  Majesty's  pay  and  his 
favour  for  the  future. 

"  It  is  thought  that  Sir  Ralph  Hopton  or  Sir  Arthur  Aston 
will  be  governor  or  commander-in-chief  at  Bristol,  and  we  think 
the  King  will  remove  his  Court  thither.  The  Queen  was  abroad 
on  Saturday  last :  she  looks  very  ill.  Oxford  is  very  strongly 
fortified;  but  they  die  daily  there  of  a  calenture,  which  is  a 
burning  fever.  It  is  reported  that  Lord  Essex  is  much  in- 
censed with  the  City,  for  Saturday's  business,  for  making  Sir 
William  Waller  a  general,  and  for  their  neglect  and  slight  of  him. 
He  sent  Sir  Philip  Stapleton  the  last  night  to  the  houses  with  a 
letter,  shewing  how  much  he  is  undervalued  and  abused,  together 
with  some  propositions  to  them,  and  some  resolutions  of  his  own. 
Some  of  the  lords  are  also  discontented  :  if  not  prevented,  they 
are  likely  to  be  of  the  Earl  of  Essex's  opinion,  and  be  ready  to 
side  with  him  in  that  course  which  he  intends  ere  long.  God 
direct  him  and  them  1  Informations,  July  31,  of  the  Bristol 
taking,  Exeter  shaking,  Gloucester  quaking.  The  report  is  that 
Bristol  is  to  pay  but  90002.  in  money  for  composition,  but  that 
they  were  also  to  clothe  fifteen  thousand  of  the  King's  soldiers 
according  to  their  quality,  all  common  men  allowed  31.  a  suit, 
and  gentlemen  or  commanders  61.  If  this  be  so,  it  amounts  to 


266         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF      [JULY, 

ble  foot  ;*'  of  the  former,  Major  Kendall,  Colonel 
Buck,  "  a  brave  and  modest  commander,"  Colonel 
Harry  Lunsford  (not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
notorious  Sir  Thomas),  "an  officer  of  extraordinary 
sobriety,  industry,  and  courage,"  the  "excellent" 
Colonel  Moyle,  and  "  the  pure  and  faultless  "  Lord 
Grandison,  one  of  the  brightest  characters  that  has 
escaped  renown.1  Almost  equally  regretted  were 
two  young  and  gallant  friends,  Sir  Nicholas  Slan- 
ning,  and  Colonel  John  Trevanion ;  "  of  entire  friend- 


little  less  than  140,000£.,  according  to  the  former  intelligence. 
There  was  found  in  the  castle  of  Bristol  much  money,  100,000£. 
as  is  reported. 

"  Five  propositions  from  his  Excellency  to  both  Houses  of 
Parliament : — 

"  1.  That  he  should  have  the  arrearages  paid  to  his  soldiers. 

"  2.  His  army  to  be  recruited. 

"3.  To  have  four  hundred  horse  pressed,  and  afterwards  two 
hundred  a  month. 

"  4.  That  he  will  have  satisfaction  from  some  citizens,  whom 
he  shall  nominate,  that  have  scandalised  and  disparaged  him. 

"  5.  That  he  will  have  no  army  raised  but  with  his  commission 
and  authority." — Oxford,  priced  1643. 

1  I  subjoin  probably  one  of  the  last  letters  he  ever  wrote  :  it 
contains  an  important  hint  concerning  Gloucester,  which  proves 
that  Rupert  had  already  been  making  inquiries  concerning  it  : — 

Sin, — I  did  forget  to  tell  your  Highness  that  the  best  way  to 
enter  the  town  of  Gloucester  will  be  by  putting  some  of  the  gar- 
rison of  Worcester  into  boats,  to  fall  down  the  river  to  that  side 
of  Gloucester  which  lieth  most  open,  and  will  be  very  easy  to 
them  to  master,  whilst  we  assault  on  this  side,  and  that  Vavasour, 
with  his  force,  come  off  the  forest  side  from  Hereford.  I  cannot 
easily  believe  your  Highness  hath  not  already  ordered  this,  yet 
venture  to  give  you  the  trouble  of  hearing  it  from, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant,  GRANDISON. 

Farington,  17th  July. 

There  may  be  boats  to  send  from  Worcester  for  us  to  put  men 
in,  upon  any  occasion. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      267 

ship  with  each  other,"  and  with  Sir  Bevil  Grenville ; 
they  were  buried  in  the  same  grave  with  their 
last-named  chivalrous  comrade. 

It  is  only  just  to  the  unfortunate  governor  who 
surrendered  Bristol  to  say,  that  his  defence  before 
Parliament  may  entirely  acquit  him  of  pusillanimity 
in  dispassionate  minds,  as  being  hopeless  of  relief; 
and  finding  it  only  possible  to  postpone  for  a  few 
days  the  capture  of  the  town,  at  the  expense  of  its 
being  stormed  and  plundered  afterwards.  It  is  true 
that  heroic  examples  have  shewn  that  no  defence 
is  hopeless,  and  that  mere  shells  of  starved  cities 
have  proved  unconquered  and  unconquerable;  but 
Nathaniel  Fiennes  cared  for  the  citizens,  as  well  as 
for  their  city,  which  is  a  great  drawback  to  all  but 
a  thorough-going  man  of  war.  Fiennes  deplores 
the  want  of  faith  and  courtesy  observed  towards  the 
surrendering  soldiers ;  but  he  honourably  acquits 
Prince  Rupert  of  any  share  in  the  disgraceful  trans- 
action : — 

"  I  must  do  this  right  to  the  Princes,"  he  says,  "  con- 
trary to  what  I  find  in  a  printed  pamphlet,  that  they  were 
so  far  from  sitting  on  their  horses,  triumphing  and  re- 
joicing at  these  disorders,  that  they  did  ride  among  the 
plunderers  with  their  swords,  hacking  and  slashing  them, 
and  that  Prince  Rupert  did  excuse  it  to  me  in  a  very  fair 
way,  and  with  expressions  as  if  he  were  much  troubled 
at  it."  * 


1  See  also  p.  262  in  this  volume  ;  A  Relation  made  to  the 
House  of  Commons  by  Colonel  Nat.  Fieuncs,  London,  August  5, 
1643.  A  pamphlet  in  Mr.  Bentley's  possession. 


268          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

A  few  days  were  passed  in  the  captured  city  in 
re-organizing  the  troops,  and  drafting  such  of  the 
prisoners  as  volunteered  to  take  arms  for  the  King 
into  new  regiments  :  the  important  matter  of  ran- 
soms and  contributions  was  also  to  be  arranged. 
Unfortunately,  I  do  not  anywhere  find  Prince  Ru- 
pert's own  report  of  his  actions  to  the  King :  I  have 
sought  diligently  for  them  in  the  State  Paper  Office, 
but  in  vain :  wherever  they  may  be,  they  are  pro- 
bably together,  for  no  traces  are  elsewhere  dis- 
coverable ;  and  that  the  Prince  could  write,  and 
freely  and  eloquently  too,  we  shall  have  proof  here- 
after. The  subjoined  letter  from  the  King1  acknow- 
ledges Prince  Rupert's  success.  I  find  from  the  Diary 
that  the  Prince  of  Wales's  regiment  was  sent  to  be 
recruited  at  Bristol :  whenever  a  garrison  was  con- 
quered an  enlistment  took  place,  more  or  less  freely, 


1  NEPHEW, 

I  did  not  write  to  you  yesternight,  because  I  employed  that 
time  in  doing  that  which  I  thought  more  necessary,  to  wit,  re- 
calling of  the  Marquis  Hertford,  about  my  necessary  affairs,  and 
commanding  your  brother  to  stay  with  that  army  j  for  I  know 
you  do  not  expect  compliments  from  me,  yet  I  must  not  be  so 
forgetful,  as  now  that  I  have  time,  not  only  to  congratulate  with 
you  for  this  last  happy  success  of  the  taking  of  Bristol,  but  to 
acknowledge  the  chief  thanks  thereof  to  belong  to  you,  which,  I 
assure  you,  adds  to  my  contentment. 

That  which  I  desire  you  to  remember  is,  first,  to  settle  the 
contributions,  and  otherways  for  raising  of  monies  ;  then  to  take 
care  to  have  a  good  account  of  all  the  arms  and  ammunition,  but 
especially  the  powder  ;  and,  lastly,  to  settle  some  way  for  the 
recruiting  both  of  my  horse  and  foot. 

Your  most  loving  uncle  and  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 

Oxford,  July  28th,  1643. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        269 

from  those  who  had  been  just  contending  in  mortal 
strife  against  their  new  recruiting  officers.  A  serious 
misunderstanding  now  arose  between  the  Princes 
Rupert  and  Maurice  and  Lord  Hertford,  which  the 
King  himself  found  it  necessary  to  visit  Bristol  in 
order  to  allay.1  The  fault  at  first  was  probably  on 
the  side  of  Prince  Maurice,  who  seems  to  have 
been  of  a  singularly  negative  character,  and  there- 


1  The  facts  seem  to  have  been,  that  there  had  long  been  a  just 
jealousy  on  Lord  Hertford's  part  of  the  assumption  of  Prince 
Maurice,  who  was  only  his  lieut.-general,  yet  he  frequently  affected 
an  independent  command.*  On  the  other  hand,  when  Bristol 
was  taken  by  the  Prince's  forces,  and  surrendered  to  him,  Lord 
Hertford  claimed  the  right  of  disposing  of  its  government,  as 
being  within  the  limits  of  his  command,  and  he  thereupon,  with- 
out consulting  the  Prince,  appointed  Sir  Ralph  Hopton  to  be 
governor.  Rupert,  who  highly  esteemed  the  latter,  not  only  as  a 
gallant  soldier  but  as  his  mother's  friend,  would  not  set  up  any 
of  his  own  army  in  opposition  to  him,  but  claimed  from  the  King 
the  governorship  for  himself.  To  this  the  King  assented,  before 
he  heard  from  Lord  Hertford.  He  then  perceived  how  delicate 
a  predicament  he  was  placed  in,  and  hence  his  expedition  to 
Bristol.  His  presence  calmed  the  passionate  strife  between  the 
two  parties.  Prince  Rupert  at  once  offered  to  make  Hopton  his 
lieutenant-governor,  which  the  latter,  only  desirous  of  serving  the 
son  of  the  Queen  of  Hearts,  willingly  accepted,  and  then  the  Prince 
assured  him  he  would  soon  resign  to  him  his  own  command.  Ru- 
pert's enemies  found  in  this  transaction  an  opportunity  of  inveigh- 
ing against  the  Prince's  ambition  and  overbearing  nature,  as  they 
termed  it :  his  friends  asserted,  and  with  more  reason,  that  to 
refuse  him  so  reasonable  a  request  would  dispirit  his  army, 
"  whose  eyes  being  upon  his  Highness,  whose  name  was  become  a 
terror  to  the  enemy,  and  his  courage  and  conduct  had  been  very 
prosperous  to  the  King."  Lord  Clarendon  relates  the  whole 
affair  (iv.  163,  &c.)  with  admirable  tact  and  gracefulness,  throw- 
ing especially  a  bright  light  on  Hopton's  nobly  disinterested 
character. 

*  For  all  that  can  be  said  against  Prince  Maurice,  see  Appen- 
dix to  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  vol.  iv. 


270          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

fore  proportionally  difficult  to  deal  with.  He  had 
the  most  resolute  courage,  and  an  unfaltering  affec- 
tion for  his  brother,  and  beyond  these  traits  I  know 
of  nothing  to  his  advantage,  and  as  little  to  his 
discredit.  On  the  31st  of  July  the  King  writes  to 
announce  his  approach  ;  and  there  are  several  letters 
from  my  Lord  Herbert  concerning  supplies  for  the 
garrison,  and  one  announcing  "a  brace  of  Rag- 
land  stags  for  his  Highness's  own  use." 

At  Oxford  there  were  great  rejoicings  for  the  cap- 
ture of  Bristol,  and  solemn  thanksgiving  to  God : 
in  London  great  tribulation,  but  no  thought  of 
peace.  A  mission  to  the  Scots  for  succour  was 
resolved  upon,  and  a  committee  of  both  Houses  was 
deputed  for  that  purpose ;  but  the  Earl  of  Rutland 
and  the  Lord  Grey  of  Wark,  the  two  appointed 
deputies  from  the  Upper  House,  declined  the  office. 
Therefore  the  Commoners,  Sir  William  Armyne, 
Sir  Harry  Vane,  and  two  others,  with  Messrs.  Mar- 
shall and  Nye,  militant  divines,  were  sent  alone. 
There  were  many  objections  and  remonstrances 
made  against  calling  in  the  foreign  aid  of  the  Scot; 
at  the  price,  too,  of  confirming,  if  not  introducing, 
the  foreign  faith  of  presbytery :  for,  it  was  urged 
how  much  they  had  themselves  profited  by  merely 
spreading  a  report  that  the  King  had  sought  aid 
from  Ireland,  on  the  promise  of  tolerating  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith.  But  there  appeared  to  the 
Parliamentary  leaders  to  be  no  alternative;  their 
own  strength  had  been  tried  to  the  uttermost,  and 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE    CAVALIERS.      271 

failed ;  every  day  brought  more  menacing  pro- 
spects ;  success  to  either  side  throughout  the  war 
always  came  in  tides,  and  now  their  fortunes  seem- 
ed at  a  rapid  ebb.  Dorchester  surrendered  to  the 
Earl  of  Carnarvon ;  Portland,  Weymouth,  and  Mel- 
combe-Regis  followed,  the  next  day.  Fairfax  was 
defeated  at  Adderton  Moor  on  the  30th  of  June, 
and  was  now  cooped  up  in  Hull.  The  only  event 
on  the  other  side  was  the  defeat  of  a  small  force 
at  Gainsborough  by  Cromwell,  "  who  now  began  to 
appear  in  the  world :"  l  the  forces  defeated  were 
trifling;  but  the  loss  of  the  brave  young  Charles 
Cavendish  was  greatly  mourned.2  The  Newark 
Cavaliers  soon  recovered  Gainsborough,  and  blotted 
it  out  from  the  list  of  Roundhead  triumphs.  Lord 
Essex  himself  wrote  to  the  Parliament,  to  advise 
negotiations  for  peace,  and  Lords  Holland,  Bedford, 
and  Clare,  fairly  went  over  to  the  King.  Colonel 
Blagge  (Mrs.  Godolphin's  father)  received  the  con- 
scientious converts  at  Wallingford,  and  forwarded 
them,  with  an  escort  of  honour,  to  the  Court.  Prince 
Rupert  was  then  with  the  King  at  Oxford,  and 
appears  already  to  have  begun  to  advise  and  de- 
sire an  honourable  peace.  He  had  seen  enough 
of  this  civil  war,  though  he  still  counselled  the  most 
decisive  measures  in  the  field ;  and  this,  I  think, 


1  Whitelocke's  Memorial  [ed.  1732],  72. 

2  Cromwell  relates  that  his  officer  "  slew  him  with  a  thrust 
under  the  short  ribs ;"  and  Mr.  Carlyle  relates  how  "  he  dared  to 
kill  this  honourable  person." — Cromwell's  Letters,  ii.  186. 


272          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

several  circumstances  in  the  ensuing  transactions 
will  prove.  It  is  apparent,  from  a  note  in  his  own 
Diary,  that  the  three  Earls  now  proceeded  straight 
to  the  quarters  of  the  Prince,  and  were  by  him 
presented  to  the  King.  The  note  runs  thus :  — 

"  At  this  time  the  Lords  Clare,  Holland,  and  Bedford, 
came  over  to  the  Prince,  and  would  have  rendered  ;  but 
the  Queen  would  not  hear  of  it,  and  was  angry  that  the 
Prince  brought  them  to  kiss  the  King's  hand."1 

But  this  was  on  August  25th,  and  we  next  return 
to  the  Council  of  War  at  Bristol  on  the  3rd ;  where 
the  King  presided  at  a  momentous  debate  as  to  the 
next  move.2 

The  war-party  was  for  a  march  upon  London, 
straight ;  others,  especially  Sir  John  Culpepper,  sug- 
gested the  siege  of  Gloucester,  in  order  to  gain  time  : 
the  latter  were  obliged  to  urge  military  considera- 


1  Hyde  was  very  desirous  that  these  wavering  nobles  should  be 
favourably  received  and  conciliated.     Worthless  in  themselves, 
their  names  were  influential  before  the  public,  and  would  decide 
many  other  waverers  according  to  the  reception  they  saw  bestowed 
on  them.     Lord  Clarendon  makes  the  following  profound  obser- 
vation on  this  matter  : — "  For  a  body  that  is  not  formed  by 
policy,  with  any  avowed  and  fixed  principles  of  government,  but 
by  the  distempered  affections,  ambition,  and  discontent  of  parti- 
cular persons,  who  rather  agree  against  a  common  adversary  than 
are  united  to  one  just  interest,  cannot  so  easily  be  dissolved  as  by 
treating  with  particular  persons,  and  rending  those  branches  from 
the  trunk,  whose  beauty   and   advantage  consists  only  in  the 
spreading." — Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  334. 

2  This  summary,  since  Bristol's  capture,  is  from  Whitelocke,  p. 
70,  &c. ;  Baker's  Chronicle,  p.  546 ;  May,  Parl.  Hist.  76,  &c.  ; 
Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  152  ;  Prince  Rupert's  Diary  and  Note 
Book. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         273 

tions  however,  in  order  to  gain  their  ruinous  ends. 
The  Welsh  forces  were  considerable,  amounting  to 
nearly  five  thousand  men ;  they  were  willing  and 
eager  to  attack  Gloucester,  but  refused  to  march 
beyond  the  Severn.  It  was  considered  important  to 
allow  the  Oxford  forces  some  rest,  and  leisure  to 
recruit  and  train  new  levies,  while  the  Cornish  men 
were  wanted  in  the  South.  And  then  there  was  the 
fatal  vanity  of  leaving  no  enemy's  standard  flying  in 
their  rear  ;  a  vanity  not  peculiar  to  these  Generals  or 
this  war.  Essex  was  moving  at  last,  with  his  usual 
lingering  pace,  to  Gloucester,1  but  the  flushed  forces 
of  the  King  were  confident  of  capturing  the  town 
before  he  could  relieve  it.  The  deciding  cause  in  the 
debate  seems  to  have  been  that  Colonel  Massey, 
the  Governor  of  Gloucester,  had  given  some  hopes 
of  surrendering  his  charge  to  Will.  Legge,  under 

1   LORD   WILMOT  TO    PRINCE   RUPERT. 
MAY   IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlQHNESS, 

The  last  night,  Essex  lay  himself  with  his  foot  at  Chilton, 
and  his  horse  at  Wotton ;  this  day,  I  am  informed,  his  rendezvous 
is  near  Bicester.  I  shall  not  fail  to  attend  him  with  as  much 
diligence  as  I  am  capable  of,  and  daily  to  give  your  Highness  an 
account  of  his  and  my  motions.  The  Kentish,  Hampshire,  and 
Sussex  forces  joined  last  night  with  Essex.  A  party  of  mine 
met  with  their  avant-couriers,  took  five  prisoners,  and  killed 
more.  I  learned  of  them  that  they  were  not,  in  all,  horse  and 
foot,  two  thousand  five  hundred.  I  most  humbly  kiss  your 
Highness's  hands. 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  most  faithful  servant, 

WILMOT. 
Blelchington,  Aug.  3rd,  1643. 

VOL.  II.  T 


274          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [AUG. 

whose  command  lie  had  formerly  served.1  As  soon 
as  this  fatal  move  was  resolved  upon,  the  King  set 
himself  anxiously  to  work  to  neutralize  the  dangerous 
dissensions  in  his  camp.  The  Cornish  forces  shewed 
great  unwillingness  to  join  with  the  King's  forces, 
so  they  were  despatched  away  to  the  South ;  Lord 
Carnarvon,  whose  grave  and  thoughtful  habits  suited 
these  steady  men,  led  a  division  of  their  cavalry 
against  Dorchester;  Prince  Maurice  was  to  follow 
with  the  rest — the  foot  and  the  artillery.  The 
Welsh  forces  were  ordered  to  concentrate  them- 
selves upon  Gloucester,  under  Vavasour;  Lord  Her- 


1  Several  such  intimations  were  received,  from  which  I  select 
the  following : — 

MY    MUCH    HONOURED   LORD, 

By  my  last  I  advised  your  lordship  that  Forbes  was  come 
from  Berkeley  to  Gloucester,  which  was  the  fact,  but  now  he  is 
gone  from  Gloucester  towards  Warwi[ck].  Old  Hill,  the  town- 
clerk  of  Tewkesbury,  went  so  soon  as  I  sent  to  him  (since  I  waited 
on  your  lordship)  to  Gloucester,  to  persuade,  as  he  pretends,  the 
citizens  and  soldiers  to  deliver  up  the  town,  and  is  there  laid  up  in 
prison,  but  I  fear  it  is  by  his  own  consent.  We  have  taken  his 
son,  Nat.  Hill,  who  was  under-sherifF,  and  a  great  collector  for  the 
Parliament,  and  a  cornet  in  their  army :  he  promises  to  do  the 
King  good  service  in  information  against  the  rebels.  I  desire  to 
know  your  Lordship's  pleasure,  whether  he  shall  continue  here 
with  the  provost-marshal  of  our  regiment,  or  that  you  will  have 
him  sent  up  to  you.  I  am  very  confident  the  City  of  Gloucester 
will  yield,  if  it  be  demanded  ;  for  the  soldiers  that  come  forth 
tell  me  the  town-soldiers  have  resolved  not  to  strike  a  stroke 
against  the  King.  And  this  is  all  that  for  the  present  I  can 
trouble  your  Lordship,  saving  that  I  am, 

Your  Lordship's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

WILLIAM  MORTON. 
Winchcombe,  3rd  Aug.  1643. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE    CAVALIERS.       275 

bert  being  content  to  resign  for  the  present,  aware 
of  his  unpopularity  as  a  Roman  Catholic.1  The 
King  declared  that  he  could  not  spare  the  Marquis  of 
Hertford  from  his  own  councils :  he  took  this  faith- 
ful and  powerful  servant  honestly  into  his  confidence, 
but  frankly  confessed  to  him,  at  the  same  time,  the 
motives  of  his  conduct.2  Finally,  he  created  Sir 
Ralph,  Lord  Hopton  of  Stratton,  and  leaving  him  at 
Bristol  to  recover  of  his  wounds,  he  marched  away 
to  Gloucester. 

On  the  8th  or  9th,  the  Prince  received  the  fol- 
lowing inflated  letter  of  compliment  from  the  Earl 
of  Newcastle,  which  it  seems  expedient,  for  future 
reasons,  to  print  here. 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

No  creature  is  more  overjoyed  to  hear  of  your  victo- 
ries than  myself,  nor  doth  more  heartily  congratulate 
them  to  you,  but  I  must  tell  you  truly,  as  they  are  too  big 
for  anybody  else,  so  they  appear  too  little  for  you,  your 
name  is  grown  so  triumphant,  and  the  world's  expectation 
to  look  for  more  from  you  than  man  can  do  ;  but  that  is 
their  fault,  sir,  and  not  yours.  Long  may  you  live  a  terror 
to  your  uncle's  enemies,  and  a  preserver  of  his  servants, 
and  then  I  beseech  you,  sir,  think  of  me,  being  your 
Highness's  greatest  admirer,  W.  NEWCASTLE. 

Lincoln,  the  7th  of  Aug.  1643. 

Prince  Rupert,  finding  that  there  was  to  be  a 
regular  siege,  and  that  an  assault  was  objected  to  on 
account  of  the  terrible  loss  it  had  caused  at  Bristol, 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  181.       .          2  Ibid.  172. 

T  2 


276         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [AUG. 

declined  to  command  the  besieging  force.  General 
Lord  Ruth  veil  (now  Earl  of  Forth  and  Brentford) 
was  sent  for  to  Oxford  to  conduct  the  operations. 
The  Prince  busied  himself  in  reorganizing  and 
increasing  his  cavalry,  which  was  soon  "a  noble 
body,  and  upwards  of  six  thousand  strong."1  Wil- 
mot  was  ordered  to  attend  closely  upon  Lord  Essex's 
movements;  and  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  with  his  dra- 
goons, was  drawn  near  to  the  beleaguered  city. 
From  the  latter,  Prince  Rupert  received,  at  Oxford, 
the  following  letter  on  the  7th  or  8th,  by  which 
Clarendon's  narration  of  Legge's  correspondence 
with  Massey  is  confirmed. 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

From  Major  Legge  you  will  understand  the  resolution 
of  the  Governor  of  Gloucester,  wherefore  I  conceive  that 
the  summoning  of  him  to  surrender  the  city  will  be  to 
little  purpose,  as  yet,  until  we  can  put  him  to  some  dis- 
tress. I  am  forced  to  keep  our  horse  upon  perpetual  duty 
for  the  want  of  foot,  the  country  being  so  generally  evil 
affected  unto  his  Majesty,  and  besides  so  full  of  hedges 
and  enclosures  that  our  horse  are  not  able  to  do  anything 
against  them,  albeit  the  country  people  do  themselves  as- 
sault some  of  our  quarters,  as  Major  Legge  can  inform  your 
Highness.  But  if  I  can  by  any  means  light  upon  them 
they  shall  pay  dear  for  it.  May  it  please  your  Highness, 
as  I  remember  you  said  that  Colonel  Tillaye,  and  the  other 
Colonel,  who  joins  with  him,  should  march  back  unto  the 
Lieutenant-General's  brigade,  but  they  are  still  here  with 
Colonel  Gerard,  and  his  own  regiment  is  likewise  come  to 
him,  herein  I  desire  your  Highiiess's  resolution.  More- 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  194. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        277 

over,  sir,  here  is  one  Samuel  Webb,  a  clothier,  who  both 
hath  and  doth  assist  the  Parliament  against  the  King,  and 
yet,  by  what  means  I  know  not,  he  has  obtained  lately  a 
protection  from  his  Highness  Prince  Maurice ;  I  conceive 
upon  the  information  of  some  man,  for  his  own  particular 
advantage,  contrary  to  his  Highness's  knowledge :  this 
Webb  hath  a  good  quantity  of  scarlet  and  other  cloth  in 
his  house.  But  having  the  Prince's  protection,  until 
further  orders  from  your  Highness,  I  would  not  let  any 
man  meddle  with  him,  albeit  I  have  noticed  that  he  has 
sent  a  great  quantity  of  cloth  into  Gloucester ;  and  indeed 
there  is  scarcely  one  of  all  these  clothiers  but  have  both 
lent  money,  and  do  maintain  soldiers  upon  their  own 
charges  against  his  Majesty.  I  beseech  your  Highness  be 
pleased  to  send  me  your  Highness's  directions  herein.  I 
understand  your  Highness  doth  not  intend  to  come  hither, 
I  must  confess  that  I  have  neither  desire  nor  affection  to 
wait  upon  any  other  General.  And  yet  I  cannot  choose 
but  approve  of  your  Highness's  absence  in  this  business, 
being  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  reason  others  should  do 
something  to  the  service  as  well  as  you,  who  have  hitherto 
done  all  yourself.  But  I  am  afraid  we  shall  proceed  but 
very  sleepily  without  you,  and  for  my  particular  I  shall 
desire  nothing  more  than  still  to  be  honoured  with  your 
commands,  the  which  shall  ever,  to  the  utmost  of  my 
endeavours,  be  punctually  observed  by 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and 
most  faithful  servant, 

ARTHUR  AsxoN.1 

Pans  wick,  three  miles  from  Gloucester, 
this  7th  Aug.  1643. 

P.S. — May  it  please  your  Highness,  my  Lord  Chandos' 
regiment  is  lying  near  here. 

1  Massey  appears  to  have  furnished  great  hopes  to  the  Royal- 
ists, as  this,  amongst  other  letters,  may  prove.     It  will  be  ob- 


278          MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [AUG. 

A  vessel,  about  this  time,  had  reached  Bristol, 
laden  with  arms  for  the  Queen;1  and  the  Prince 
had  gone  back  to  Oxford  to  inquire  about  it.  Mean- 
while, on  Wednesday,2  the  10th,  the  King  had 
ranged  his  whole  army  on  a  fair  hill,  in  a  clear 


served  how  many  private  letters  to  the  King  are  forwarded  to 
the  Prince. 

SECRETARY   NICHOLAS   TO   THE   KINO. 
MAY    IT   PLEASE   YOUR    MAJESTY, 

This  gentleman,  Captain  Presland  Molineux,  hath  this  day 
been  with  the  Lords  here,  and  told  them  that  he  is  an  ancient 
and  intimate  acquaintance  of  Captain  Massey,  who  is  Governor 
of  Gloucester,  that  he  knows  Massey's  affections  are  to  serve  your 
Majesty,  and  that  he  had  put  himself  into  your  service,  but  that 
he  was  refused  the  employment  he  desired  ;  that  Massey,  his  fa- 
ther, is  a  prisoner  now  in  Cheshire  for  your  Majesty.  This 
Captain  Molineux  doubts  not,  but  if  he  may  be  permitted  to  go 
to  Massey,  he  shall  persuade  him  to  render  himself  and  Glou- 
cester into  your  Majesty's  hands. 

The  Lords  thought  there  might  be  [good  use]  made  of  this  for 
your  Majesty's  service,  and  therefore  have  thought  good  to  send 
him  to  your  Majesty,  leaving  him  to  your  royal  consideration. 
God  prosper  your  Majesty's  designs  ;  so  prayeth  your  sacred 
Majesty's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

Oxford,  8th  August,  1643. 

1  MAY   IT   PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  thought  it  my  duty  to  advertise  your  Highness,  that  here 
is  come  in  a  frigate,  by  the  Queen's  procurement,  with  great  store 
of  arms,  especially  pistols,  and  good  store  of  hand-grenades  and 
round  shot.  But  because  she  came  by  her  Majesty's  care,  the 
captain  that  brings  them  is  gone  to  Oxford,  and  desires  first  to 
acquaint  her  Majesty  with  it,  that  the  first  news  of  it  might  come 
from  there  ;  but  it  being  here  generally  known  in  this  town,  I 
thought  it  my  duty  to  give  your  Highness  this  private  advertise- 
ment, that  the  last  news  of  it  may  not  come  from  me. 
Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

RALPH  HOPTON. 
Bristol,  Aug.  15,  1643. 

2  Lord  Clarendon  says  that  it  was 


1643.]    PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        279 

view  of  the  city,  and  "  within  less  than  two  miles  of 
it."  He  thence  sent  a  "trumpet"  to  offer  the  gar- 
rison and  citizens  free  pardon  without  exception, 
and  perfect  security  for  their  persons  and  estates. 
"Two  citizens  promptly  returned  with  the  trum- 
peter from  the  town,  with  lean,  sharp,  and  bald 
visages,  indeed  faces  so  strange  and  unusual,  and  in 
such  garb  and  gesture,  that  at  once  made  the  most 

severe  countenances  merry In  a  pert,  shrill, 

undismayed  accent,  these  strange  ambassadors  an- 
nounced abruptly  that  they  had  brought  an  answer 
from  the  godly  city  of  Gloucester."  It  was  a  defi- 
ance, couched  in  civil,  and  even  loyal  language,  yet 
the  godly  city  scarcely  mustered  five  thousand  inha- 
bitants,1 and  was  only  defended  by  an  indifferent 
moat  and  an  old  wall.8  The  King  struggled  for 


i  Macaulay's  England,  i.  339. 

*  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  The  following  extract  from  a 
Parliamentary  pamphlet  in  the  King's  Collection,  British  Museum, 
gives  a  different  account  :  —  "  The  strength  of  the  Parliamentary 
forces  in  Gloucester  was  no  more  than  two  regiments  of  foot,  one 
hundred  horse,  and  the  trained  bands,  with  some  reformadoes, 
besides  one  hundred  horse  from  Berkeley  Castle,  altogether  about 
fifteen  hundred.  The  works  large  and  imperfect.  Marshy 
mounds  from  the  north  to  the  west  gate.  The  west  is  defended 
by  the  river;  to  the  south  a  firm  but  haste  work  ;  the  ditches 
narrow  but  full  of  water.  The  King  had  been  hovering  some 
days  on  the  heights.  August  10th  he  approached  I  he  town,  and 
by  two  heralds  summoned  it  to  surrender,  and  :i\\;uied  their  an- 
swer drawn  up  before  tin-  t««\vn  attended  by  Prince  Charles,  the 
Puko  of  York.  JYinee  llnperi.  ami  (ieneral  lluthven,  with  about 
eight  thousand  horse  and  foot.  Presently  the  mayor  returned  ihi  < 
message,  similar  to  that  he  had  given  to  Prince  Rupert,  '  That  he 
held  the  city  for  the  King  according  to  the  command  of  Parlia- 
ment, and  by  his  oath  of  allegiance  he  still  considered  him  <  h 


280         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [AUG. 

some  time  with  his  advisers  and  his  destiny  to 
avoid  this  siege,  but  finally  he  gave  himself  up  to  it, 
notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  the  Queen.  At 
the  same  time,  Newcastle  sat  down  before  Hull. 

I  find  among  the  Prince's  papers  the  following 
particulars  of  this  siege,  which  being  hitherto  un- 
published, will  prove  more  interesting  than  any  de- 
tails to  be  derived  from  the  well-canvassed  histories : 
it  shews  the  singular  fidelity  of  Lord  Clarendon's 
narrative.  It  is  entitled 

A    JOURNAL    OF    THE    SIEGE    OF    GLOUCESTER. 

Governor  Massey  wrote  to  Major  Legge,  that  if  the 
King  came  before  the  town,  he  would  bring  him  in  with  a 
thousand  men. 

Upon  "Wednesday  night,  August  9,  1643,  his  Majesty 
quartered  five  miles  short  of  Bristol,  and  the  Prince  at 
Princenage,  three  miles  off  Bristol ;  upon  downs  betwixt 
both  places,  my  Lord-General's  forces  from  Oxford  and 
one  mortar  met  our  Bristol  soldiers  with  their  eight 
pieces. 

Thursday  morning,  the  army  was  drawn  up  within  a 
mile  of  the  town,  on  the  south.  The  rebels  set  fire  on 
Higlmam-house  ;  and  by-and-by,  on  another  house  at  the 

end  of  the  suburbs.  The  Prince,  Sir  Arthur 

Aston,  Sir  Jacob  Astley,  Major  Legge,  and  divers  other 

bound  to  keep  it.'  The  next  day  hostilities  began,  the  Royalists 
having  entrenched  during  the  night  on  the  south  and  east  parts, 
from  whence  some  sallies  were  made  with  loss  on  both  sides. 
Meanwhile  various  detachments  of  the  enemy  advanced  into  the 
suburbs,  to  the  east  and  south,  where  the  ports  were  dammed  up 
and  rammed  with  earth  cannon-proof,  and  the  walls  from  port  to 
port  lined  to  the  battlements,  the  chief  shock  being  expected  on 
this  side." 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      281 

commanders,  rode  with  the  engineers  to  view  the  town. 
When  they  returned,  the  King  sent  one  of  his  trumpeters 
with  Phillipott,  Somerset  Herald,  and  George  Owen, 
York  Herald,  in  their  coats  of  arms,  with  offer  of  pardon, 
into  the  city.  After  four  hours  they  returned,  brought 
Major  [illegible]1  and  Mr.  Jordan,  a  bookbinder,  [Lord 
Clarendon's  "  lean-visaged  men"]  into  the  field.  The 
Major,  just  as  he  came  at  the  King,  slightly  kneeling, 
tendered  him  their  brief  answer  in  writing.  Their  backs 
turned  scarce  thirty  yards,  on  clap  they  their  caps  in  the 
King's  presence,  with  orange  ribbons  in  them.  They  had 
been  so  long  about  it  purposely  to  gain  time,  not  to  deli- 
berate what  to  say.  This  they  were  soon  resolved  on,  for 
whilst  the  heralds  were  within  the  town,  the  [besiegers] 
set  fire  to  more  houses.  In  treaty  some  of  ours  went  to 
turnpikes,  and  soldiers  swore  if  they  knew  the  King  were 
in  the  field,  though  their  officers  made  them  shoot,  they 
would  drop  their  bullets,  and  vowed  to  drink  the  King's 
health  on  their  knees. 

Their  messengers  returned,  the  suburbs  fired  in  three 
places,  and  burnt  quite  off. 

Forbes  also  quitting  the  Vineyard,  a  mile  off,  fired  that 
too. 

Towards  evening,  ours  were  drawn  on  two  sides  of  the 
town :  the  enemy  shot  at  them  with  small  and  great 
shot  fiercely.  Sir  Jacob  Astley  was  shot  at  first,  in  the 
arm,  and  [illegible] . 

In  the  beginning  of  the  night,  our  approaches  began  ; 
in  which  few  were  hurt. 

On  Friday,  Sir  William  Vavasour,  with  the  Welsh, 
came  to  the  Vineyard.  Saturday,  a  sally,  and  at  night 
they  fired  more  houses  :  Sunday,  about  eleven,  two  demi- 
cannons  and  a  twelve -pounder  mounted  shooting  all  day : 
the  Prince  was  all  night  in  the  approaches. 

1  Serjeant-major  Pudsey ;  May,  Hist.  Parl.  iii.  96. 


282         MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF        [AUG. 

On  Tuesday,  grenades  were  thrown  into  our  trenches, 
and  the  Prince  was  narrowly  missed. 

Wednesday,  a  little  before  sunset,  a  desperate  sally  on 
the  General's  quarters.  They  left  twenty-four  blue- 
coats  in  one  ditch,  besides  wounded  men.  They  brought 
out  a  drake,  killed  four  of  ours  that  ran  over  the  field : 
Major  Legge  commanded  in  the  trenches. 

The  King  went  that  morning  to  Oxford;  the  Prince 
returned  on  Thursday,  about  ten  in  the  night :  another 
shorter  sally. 

Friday  morning,  betwixt  seven  and  eight,  a  sally  upon 
the  Welsh  :  rebels  nailed  one  cannon,  killed  eleven,  took 
one,  hurt  sixteen,  lost  ten  on  foreside  works,  and  seven- 
teen on  the  other  side,  and  nine  prisoners.  The  rebels 
beat  the  Welsh  out  of  the  works,  and  threw  down  part  of 
them  ;  but  the  Welsh  retreating  to  the  second  guard,  both 
together  returned  and  beat  in  the  rebels. 

Of  these,  one  hundred  and  fifty  foot  and  forty  horse 
sallying  out  at  the  same  south,  fell  on  our  horse  and 
Astley's  foot,  killed  a  servant,  and  were  then  beaten  in. 
At  night,  the  Prince  had  a  blow  on  his  pot  [helmet]  with 
a  stone  from  the  walls. 

Saturday,  about  ten :  Our  batteries  played  till  night ; 
we  lost  cannoneers  Berkeley,  Scott,  and  others ;  through 
our  works,  we  dismounted  two  of  their  small  pieces. 

Sallies  both  Saturday  and  Sunday  mornings  by  break 
of  day :  Sunday,  a  cannoneer  came  out  of  Gloucester. 

Monday  :  A  foolish  parley  ;  they  suffered  us  to  fetch 
off  three  dead  men  :  about  five  that  evening,  they,  from 
the  walls  near  our  easternmost  battery,  in  the  General's 
quarter,  desired  another  parley,  and  sent  a  drum  into  the 
trenches,  blindfolded,  but  it  being  only  to  exchange  some 
prisoners,  the  Prince  and  General  would  not  hear  of  so 
sleeveless  an  errand.  They  called  for  Kentish  and  Lin- 
colnshire men,  and  for  Sir  Gilbert  Gerard.  A  piece  of 
the  battlement  fell  down,  and  almost  Major  Ferrar  with 


1643.]       PRINCE  RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      283 

it.  They  shot  Captain  Medcalf,  in  the  trenches,  a  dra- 
goon captain. 

They  sallied  and  were  much  beaten  next  morning,  by 
sunrise. 

"Wednesday  morning :  A  sally  ;  at  twelve  at  night  the 
enemy  fell  out,  and  fired  some  hay-stacks ;  a  rainy  night. 

Thursday :  All  quiet. 

Friday  night,  about  twelve  :  Colonel  Gerard's  brigade 
of  horse  marched  to  Cheltenham-hill,  three  or  four  miles 
from  Gloucester,  and  feigned  to  skirmish  with  one  another, 
and  made  fires.  This  was  done  to  draw  out  the  besieged, 
upon  intelligence  that  it  was  believed  in  Gloucester  that 
Waller  would  come  thither  that  night  and  give  signs  of  it 
by  fires ;  but  they  stirred  not  out  of  town ;  for  Massey 
knew  he  had  but  gulled  his  soldiers  with  the  hopes  of  it, 
to  hold  out. 

The  departure  of  the  King  for  Oxford,  alluded  to 
in  this  paper,  is  ascribed  to  the  Queen's  state  of 
temper.  She  imagined  that  there  was  a  conspiracy, 
headed  by  Prince  Rupert,  to  lessen  her  influence 
over  the  King,  and  she  thought  she  saw  in  the  siege 
of  Gloucester  a  proof  of  the  influence  of  the  con- 
spirators. The  ill-fated  King  had  great  difficulty  in 
pacifying  her  Majesty ;  but  he  did  little  else  by  his 
forced  and  fatiguing  march  to  Oxford.  He  gave  an 
audience  to  the  three  repentant  Earls,  however,  and 
returned  the  next  day  to  the  siege  before  Glouces- 
ter. 

The  siege  went  on  but  slowly ;  the  cavalry  were 
eager  and  vigilant,  and  sometimes  cut  off  parties  of 
the  enemy,  who  made  frequent  sallies :  these  fellows 
were  generally  drunk,  and  they  confessed  that  Colo- 


284          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [AUG. 

nel  Massey,  the  Governor  of  the  godly  city,  made 
them  so,  before  he  sent  them  on  their  dangerous 
duty.1  But  the  King  felt  daily  how  capital  his  error 
was,  in  not  having  marched  at  once  upon  London 
when  there  were  no  armies  able  to  oppose  him,  and 
his  own  were  entire  and  flushed  with  victory.2 
Lamentable  licence  began  to  prevail  amongst  his 
troops  at  the  leaguer,  "  so  that  thousands  of  sheep 
were  slain  besides  those  brought  in  by  the  Commis- 
saries." And  this  spirit  so  extended  even  to  the 
Royal  armies  in  the  south,  that  the  highminded 
Earl  of  Carnarvon  threw  up  his  command  there  in 
disgust,  and  returned  to  the  King.  It  is  almost 
inconceivable  how  the  besiegers  were  baffled  by  a 
garrison  of  fifteen  hundred  men  ;  though  they  labo- 
riously mined  the  mouldering  old  walls,3  and  kept 
up  a  perpetual  fire  "  of  grenades  and  fireballs  out 
of  their  mortar-pieces,  which  flew  through  the  air 
like  so  many  falling-stars."  And  all  this  time,  the 
Parliament  was  growing  strong  in  spirit  and  in 
means.  Even  Essex  roused  himself  from  his  long 
apathy,  especially  when  he  heard  that  Waller  was 
appointed  to  relieve  Gloucester.  The  Lord-General 


1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  226.  "Colonel  Massey  stripped 
churches  in  Gloucestershire  with  more  than  ordinary  enthusiasm, 
selling  communion  plate  and  tearing  prayer-books,  while  his 
soldiers  wore  the  surplices  over  their  arms." — Life  of  Jeremy 
Taylor;  Whitelocke. 

*  May,  iii.  90,  91  ;  Warwick,  261. 

3  Their  engineering  must  have  been  as  contemptible  as  their 
artillery ;  yet  Chillingworth  practised  in  the  former. 


1043.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      285 

bad  always  been  the  darling  of  the  soldiers  and  the 
citizens,  notwithstanding  his  stern  and  ascetic  man- 
ner; and  now,  when  his  proposal  to  march  to  the 
West  was  announced,  the  City  regiments  and  auxil- 
iaries came  cheerfully  forward,  and  suddenly  re- 
cruited the  poor  remnant  of  his  wasted  army.1 

On  the  24th  of  August  the  Lord-General  mus- 
tered bis  forces  on  Hounslow  Heath,  whither  all  the 
Roundhead  members  came  out  to  view  their  forlorn- 
hope  of  safety  and  success.  Then,  moving  on  by 
Colebrook  and  Beaconsfield,  May  says  that  "  he  came 
to  Beerton,  where  he  clothed  his  army,"  which  seems 
a  singular  interlude  in  a  forced  and  momentous 
march.  On  the  1st  of  September  he  was  at  Brack- 
ley  Heath :  then  he  proceeded  by  Bicester  and 
Ayward,  Chipping-Norton,  and  Stow-in-the-Wold. 
On  the  5th  of  September  he  appeared  on  the  Pres- 
bury  Hills,  where  he  signified  his  arrival  to  the 
beleaguered  city  by  four  guns.  He  found  himself 
sorely  pressed  by  want  of  provisions,  however,  and 
was  obliged  to  move  on  to  Cheltenham,  whence,  on 
the  8th,  he  inarched  triumphantly  into  Gloucester.2 
This  march  was  one  of  the  most  able  performances 
of  Essex  during  the  whole  war.  His  troops  were 
raw  and  ill-disciplined ;  the  greater  part  of  the  way 
he  was  in  an  enemy's  country,  and  from  Brackley  to 
Presbury  Hills,  Wilmot,  with  four  other  commanders, 


1  May,  Hist.  Parl.  iii.  102. 

2  May,  Parl.  Hist,  iii.  104  ;  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  230-1. 


286          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [AUG. 

was  hanging  on  his  rear.  On  these  hills  he  en- 
countered Rupert,  who  made  a  desperate  effort  to 
cut  off  his  advanced  guard,  but  in  vain.1  The  de- 
feated King  lay  at  Sudely  Castle,  about  eight  miles 
from  Gloucester,  anxiously  observing  the  motions  of 
the  enemy,  his  own  intentions  being  by  no  means 
clear  to  this  day.2  The  Lord-General  rested  three 


1  It  would    appear  from  the  following  observation  of  Lord 
Orrery's,  that  there  was  more  of  a  fight  here  than  the  historians 
have  declared  : — "  In  our  sinful  times  in  England,  when  Essex 
marched  to  relieve  Gloucester,  Prince  Rupert,  whose  high  genius 
in  war,  admirable  valour,  and  great  judgment  has  made  him  to 
be  justly  esteemed  both  by  friends  and  enemies  as  a  General  of 
the  very  first  form,  advanced  with  his  cavalry  to  meet  the  reliev- 
ing army  on  the  Downs  :  which  doubtless  he  had  defeated,  had 
not  some  brigades  of  Essex's  infantry  done  wonders  on  that  day." 
—Orrery's  Art  of  War,  p.  180. 

2  Since  writing  the  above  I  found  the  following  letter  from  the 
King,  which  expresses  an  intimation  to  fight  Essex  when  he 
could.     Yet  he  must  have  had  every  opportunity  and  the  choice 
of  ground,  and  the  Lord-General  comes  and  goes  without  let  or 
hinderance  :    Lord  Clarendon  describes  the  King  as  staying  quiet 
at  Sudely  Castle,  anxiously  hoping  that  "  Essex  may  return  the 
way  he  came."     Here  is  his  Majesty's  letter,  written  the  day 
before  Essex  appeared  : 

NEPHEW, 

The  General  is  of  opinion  that  we  shall  do  little  good  upon 
this  town,  for  they  begin  to  countermine  us,  which  will  make  it  a 
work  of  time  ;  wherefore  he  is  of  opinion,  to  which  I  fully  con- 
cur, that  we  should  endeavour  to  fight  with  Essex  as  soon  as  may 
be,  after  we  have  gotten  our  forces  together,  which  I  hope  will  be 
to-morrow,  those  from  Bristol  being  already  come  ;*  the  greatest 


*  Lord  Hopton  during  this  time  had  not  only  sent  out  all  his 
garrison  to  the  King's  assistance,  but  with  zealous  ingenuity  had 
raised  considerable  forces  from  Bristol. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have  with  all  the  expedition  that  may  be  sent  your  High- 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      287 

days  in  Gloucester,  and  then  retired  unmolested 
to  Tewkesbury.  Thence  he  moved  unexpectedly  to 
the  south,  and  surprised  Cirencester,  with  a  great 
store  of  ammunition  and  provisions.1  The  King 


care  will  be  to  meet  with  him  before  he  can  reach  the  hedges  : 
now  if  this  be  your  opinion,  as  it  is  ours,  which  I  desire  to  know 
with  all  speed,  I  desire  you  to  do  all  things  in  order  to  it,  that 
no  time  be  lost,  so  I  rest, 

Your  loving  uncle  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Matson,  5th  Sept.  10  morning. 

1  This  letter  will  shew  in  some  degree  what  the  Roundheads 
gained  at  Cirencester  ;  besides  large  store  of  provisions,  of  which 
they  were  in  deadly  want : — 

MAT    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

The  letter  I  wrote  to  your  Highness  by  my  servant,  that 
was  forced  for  his  own  security  to  cast  it  away,  was  to  advertise 
your  Highness  of  the  foot  and  horse  I  had  sent  according  to  your 
commands,  which  are  I  perceive  safe  come  to  your  army,  and 
with  the  first  supply  of  eight  barrels  of  powder,  but  the  supply  I 
sent  yesterday  morning  by  wains  of  twenty-two  barrels  of  pow- 
der, two  thousand  eight  hundred  of  match,  and  two  thousand  of 
musket-bullets,  I  am  in  some  fear  of.  I  directed  it  to  Cirencester, 
and  sent  such  a  convoy  as  I  could,  a  lieutenant  with  a  few  horse,  all 
I  had  :  I  much  long  to  hear  it  has  come  safe.  This  gentleman 
brings  the  certain  news  of  his  Highness  Prince  Maurice  being 
within  Exeter  by  surrender.  I  humbly  rest, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

RALPH  HOPTON. 
Bristol,  Sept.  6,  1643. 


ness  the  five  regiments  of  foot  and  one  of  horse,  according  to  your 
orders,  and  I  hope  your  Highness  will  receive  them  in  time,  they 
are  a  handsome  body  of  men,  the  foot  marched  by  our  commis- 
sary's muster  sixteen  hundred  men,  besides  officers,  and  the 
lieutenant-colonel  assures  me  the  horse  are  four  hundred  besides 
officers,  so  they  may  modestly  pass  for  two  thousand  foot  and  five 
hundred  horse.  I  humbly  rest, 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  servant, 

RALPH  HOPTON. 


288         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [SEPT. 

now  moved  slowly  after  the  enemy ;  but  was  out- 
manoeuvred by  him  for  want  of  intelligence.  Rupert 
had  sent  notice  of  his  movements,  but  his  Majesty 
believed  himself  better  informed,  and  allowed  Essex 
twenty-four  hours'  advantage  before  he  moved  after 
him.  The  Prince  had  ordered  his  cavalry  to  muster 
for  immediate  pursuit  on  Broadway  Down,  and, 
having  waited  until  dark  in  vain  for  orders,  he  at 
length  went  to  seek  the  King  himself.  He  was 
attended  by  one  gentleman  and  a  page  as  he  rode 
across  the  line  of  the  enemy's  march,  uncertain  where 
he  should  find  the  Royal  quarters ;  at  length,  espy- 
ing a  light  in  a  window,  he  stole  up  to  reconnoitre 
whether  the  house  was  tenanted  by  friend  or  foe  : 
peeping  cautiously  in,  he  saw  the  King  quietly  seat- 
ed by  the  fire,  playing  a  game  of  picquet  with  Lord 
Percy,  while  General  Lord  Forth  looked  on  at  the 
pasteboard  battle  I1  The  Prince  then  entered,  and 
explained  to  the  King  and  his  generals  that  a  very 
different  matter  claimed  their  urgent  attention.  He 
insisted  on  the  necessity  there  was  of  overtaking 
Essex  before  he  should  get  so  far  in  advance  as  to 
form  a  junction  with  Waller's  army,  which  was  daily 
expected  to  leave  London.  He  informed  them  that 
his  cavalry  were  at  that  moment  in  the  saddle  only 
a  few  miles  distant,  and  that  he  was  ready  to  press 
on  during  the  night,  and  keep  the  enemy  engaged 

1  This  sounds  very  strangely,  perhaps,  but  it  is  told  with  all 
these  circumstances  in  the  note  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary ;  and 
these  notes  betray  no  signs  whatever  of  imaginativeness. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.       289 

until  the  King  should  come  up.  The  King,  as 
usual,  left  it  to  others  to  speak  first,  and  Percy 
and  Forth  both  objected  to  such  a  hazardous  under- 
taking ;  but  the  Prince  persisted,  and  the  King 
assenting,  ordered  George  Lisle  and  one  thousand 
musketeers  to  follow  the  Prince  as  soon  as  they 
could  be  got  under  arms.  The  next  moment 
Rupert  was  away  to  his  Horse:  with  them  he 
marched  all  that  night  and  the  next  day,  as  far  as 
Farringdon,  yet  was  unable  to  overtake  the  enemy.1 
Whilst  resting  his  weary  troops  here,  he  sent  on  Sir 
John  Hurry2  to  reconnoitre,  and  soon  learned  that 
Essex  was  passing  over  Auborn  Chase,  and  expecting 
to  enter  Newbury  that  night.  He  now  felt  rewarded 
for  "  the  indefatigable  pains"  with  which  he  had 
pursued  the  enemy,  and  his  troops  at  once  revived 
at  the  prospect  of  a  conflict.3  Instantly  mustering, 

1  Notes  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary.  «  Or  Urrie,  Ibid. 

3  This  was  on  the  18th.     The  King  was  still  some  distance  off, 
as  this  letter  will  shew  : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  hath  commanded  me  to  let  your  Highness  know 
that  he  hath  altered  his  resolution  of  quartering  this  night  at 
Burford,  and  now  intends  to  quarter  at  Alnesscott,  at  the  Lady 
Ashcome's  house,  where  he  will  be  better  furnished  with  pro- 
visions for  his  army;  and,  being  the  straighter  way,  will  save 
three  or  four  miles'  march.  It  is  within  five  miles  of  Farrington, 
whither  his  Majesty  desires  you  would  advertise  him  this  night  of 
your  proceedings.  With  my  humble  service  presented,  I  kiss 
your  Highness' s  hand,  and  am, 

Sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

Northleach,  12  of  the  clock,  JOHN  ASHBURNHAM. 

Sept.  17,  1643. 

The  same  evening  the  King  writes  again,  by  Lord  Digby,  as 
follows : — 

VOL.  II.  U 


290         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [SEPT. 

they  inarched  cautiously  through  the  woodlands,  and 
the  Prince  riding  forwards,  caught  sight  of  his 
enemy.  With  the  characteristic  incautiousness  of 
the  time,  their  cavalry  were  observed  to  march  some 
miles  apart  from  the  foot,  and  the  whole  army 
moved  along  as  carelessly  as  if  the  timid  deer  were 
their  only  companions  on  the  hills.  Their  fatal  ene- 
mies, meanwhile,  were  moving  silently  along  the 
turf,  and  no  sound  but  the  song  of  birds  might  have 


MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

The  King  hath  received  your  Highness's  letter  written  from 
Stamford,  at  five  of  the  clock  this  evening,  and  commands  me 
thereupon  to  let  your  Highness  know,  that  since  it  appears  by 
your  intelligence  that  my  Lord  of  Essex  is  not  so  far  out  of  reach 
as  was  feared,  he  is  desirous  to  make  all  haste  towards  him ;  his 
Majesty's  army  being  all,  except  stragglers,  well  up  hither  to 
Alnescott ;  his  Majesty's  desire  therefore  is,  that  if  your  intel- 
ligence of  the  rebels  being  advanced  not  much  further  than 
Cricklade  continue  true,  your  Highness  will  be  pleased  to  send 
speedily  your  opinion  which  way,  and  to  what  place  it  will  be  fit 
for  the  King  to  march  with  his  army  to-morrow ;  as  we  look  upon 
the  map  here,  supposing  that  Essex  points  to  Reading,  we  con- 
ceive that  Wantage  will  be  the  aptest  place  :  but  in  this  his 
Majesty  conceives  he  is  to  be  governed  wholly  by  directions  from 
your  Highness,  according  to  your  discoveries  of  their  motions,  or 
the  impressions  you  shall  make  upon  them,  and,  therefore,  he 
desires  your  Highness  to  send  him  speedy  advertisements  of  what 
you  shall  conceive  best. 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 
Alnescott,  at  8  at  night  this  Sunday, 

I  am  commanded  to  add,  that  you  should  consider  to  allow 
the  foot  here  as  much  rest  as  can  well  be  without  losing  the 
opportunity. 

Sept.  17,  1643.     Digby. 

It  appears  from  the  following  letter  that  Kupert  had  speedily 
fulfilled  his  promise  of  resigning  the  governorship  to  Lord  Hopton : 
we  find  the  latter  at  this  date  asking  for  a  lieutenant-governor  : — 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.       291 

been  heard  among  the  forest  glades  as  Rupert  moved 
forward  with  Byron's  division  against  the  Roundhead 
cavalry;  while  Gerrard  fell  back,  to  wait  for  their 
loitering  musketeers.  Then,  suddenly  the  Royal 
trumpets  rang  out  cheerily  through  the  old  forest, 
and  before  the  astonished  Roundheads  could  form, 
the  fierce  squadrons  of  the  Prince  were  in  upon  them, 
eager  and  furious  after  their  long  pursuit.1  Their 
enemy  rallied  bravely  after  the  first  shock,  and 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

I  find  the  business  of  this  garrison  to  be  so  great  and  many, 
and  to  go  on  so  slowly  by  reason  of  the  want  of  money,  that  I 
want  much  the  help  of  a  lieutenant-governor,  for  which  place  I 
have  considered  of  a  gentleman,  I  think  without  exception,  for  a 
soldier  and  an  honest  man,  to  his  Majesty's  service,  and  a  humble 
servant  of  your  Highness  ; — it  is  Sir  Francis  Hawley,  who  being 
likewise  this  countryman,  his  alliance  will  assist  me  in  raising  the 
contribution  and  many  assistances  which  cannot  be  so  well  effected 
by  any  that  were  not  this  country  man.  Colonel  Gary  went  out  this 
morning,  and  is  persuaded  he  shall  bring  four  hundred  horse, 
though  I  must  confess  myself  much  mistaken  if  he  have  half  the 
number  ;  he  brought  me  an  order  from  his  Majesty  to  pay  him 
out  of  this  contribution, — if  he  comes  he  shall  have  his  part  of 
what  comes  in,  but  that  is  yet  so  little,  as  I  protest  I  am  in  great 
doubt  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  keep  the  garrison  together : 
whereas,  if  I  were  supplied,  I  would  not  doubt  in  a  very  short 
time  to  raise  a  very  good  body  of  foot  and  horse.  Prince  Maurice 
hath  sent  me  six  troops  of  horse  and  four  of  dragoons,  whereof 
four  of  the  horse  and  two  of  the  dragoons  are  mine  own ;  but  all 
are  very  weak  and  wholly  disarmed.  It  is  inconceivable  what 
these  fellows  were  always  doing  with  their  arms  ;  they  appear  to 
be  expended  as  fast  as  their  ammunition.  I  have  likewise  two 
new  troops  more  here  something  stronger,  but  not  armed,  and 
many  offer  to  horse  and  foot,  but  for  arming  and  paying  they  are 
out  of  my  reach.  I  humbly  rest, 

"X  our  Highness's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 
Bristol,  Sept.  17, 1643.  RALPH  HOPTON. 

1  Notes  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary ;   Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv. 
233 ;  Warwick,  262. 

u  2 


292        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [SEPT. 

effected  a  junction  with  their  foot,  in  spite  of  the 
desperate  efforts  made  to  prevent  them :  numerous 
and  stout  as  they  were,  however,  they  retreated 
hastily,  and  with  all  the  aspect  of  defeat,  to  Hun- 
gerford,  so  that  the  King  was  enabled  to  reach 
Newbury  before  them.  Lord  Jermyn  and  Lord 
Digby  were  wounded  in  this  action,  and  the  Mar- 
quis of  Vieuville,  a  French  amateur,  was  killed : 
when  struck  down  by  a  pole-axe,  and  offered  quar- 
ter, he  only  said,  "  Vous  voyez  id  un  grand  Marquis 
mourant"  It  was  said  that  the  King  ransomed  the 
body  for  three  hundred  gold  pieces. 

The  King  now  appeared  to  have  all  the  advan- 
tage :  his  army  was  in  comfortable  quarters,  while 
the  enemy  was  in  want  and  shelterless.  His  Ma- 
jesty was  also  between  the  enemy  and  London,  in  a 
position  very  difficult  to  attack ;  and  even  Prince 
Rupert  strongly  advised  passive  resistance,  instead 
of  active  measures.1  But  the  King  was  overper- 
suaded  by  his  inexperienced  courtiers,  and  doubtless 
desired  to  make  some  brilliant  effort  for  his  charac- 
ter's sake  after  such  a  long  and  unprofitable  siege 
and  pursuit.  Ever  since  the  arrival  of  the  Queen 
and  her  servants,  Rupert's  influence  seems  to  have 
been  declining,  and  he  was  now  overruled.  Early 
the  next  morning,  the  20th  of  September,  the  King 
marched  out  of  the  town  to  an  adjoining  heath  ; 
Essex  being  admirably  posted  on  Bigg's  Hill. 

1  Rupert's  Diary. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        293 

This  first  battle  of  Newbury,  as  it  is  called, 
proved  a  most  fatal  day  for  the  King;  yet  never 
had  his  best  and  bravest  chivalry  fought  round  him 
in  such  numbers,  or  more  devotedly.  Even  Holland 
fought  well  that  day,  on  the  King's  side,  to  regain 
his  favour,  and  Lord  Herbert's  "  regiment  of  priests" 
as  Prince  Rupert's  biographer  calls  them,  did  their 
best.  The  battle  was  as  confused  in  its  action  as  in 
its  narrations ;  we  find  no  traces  of  tactics  on  the 
King's  side,  where  there  were  so  many  generals ;  or 
any  order  of  battle  deserving  the  name.  The  King's 
artillery  was  almost  useless,  but  the  Roundheads' 
was  well  served,  under  Sir  John  Merrick.  The  City 
regiments,  raw  and  inexperienced  as  they  were, 
stood  stoutly  to  their  arms,  as  if  made  veterans  by 
instinct;  their  pikes,  especially,  proved  themselves 
indeed,  "the  fortress  of  the  field,"  out  of  whose 
keen  and  glittering  "  palisadoes "  flashed  fast  a 
steady  and  fatal  fire  from  their  musketry.  But 
Rupert,  with  followers  as  fearless  as  himself,  rode 
recklessly  through  the  storm  of  bullets,  up  to 
the  very  points  of  the  pikes,  charging  on  until  their 
horse  recoiled  from  the  human  wall.  Again  and 
again,  with  dauntless  spirit  and  vigorous  arms  they 
strove  to  break  those  English  ranks  ;  they  were  as 
firm  as  the  ground  that  bore  them.  Their  cavalry 
had  been  swept  away  at  the  first  onset,  but  these 
gallant  men  maintained  their  post  till  night,  "  which 
parted  them  when  nothing  else  could ; "  then 
they  retired  towards  Reading,  having  right  manfully 


294        MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [SEPT. 

won  their  "  right  of  way."1  It  was  a  mournful  even- 
ing for  the  King  :  the  very  best  of  his  nobles  lay 
dead  upon  that  fruitless  field,  with  many  a  brave 
follower  of  lesser  note.  Here  Falkland  found  that 
peace  for  which  his  gallant  and  generous  heart  had 
long  and  vainly  yearned.  He  was  killed  by  a  mus- 
ket shot  while  charging  in  the  front  rank  of  Lord 
Byron's  regiment.  "  So  fell  that  incomparable  young 
man,"  says  his  wise,  and  world- worn  old  friend,  "  in 
the  four-and- thirtieth  year  of  his  age,  having  so  much 
despatched  the  true  business  of  life,  that  the  oldest 
rarely  attain  to  that  immense  knowledge,  and  the 
youngest  enter  not  into  the  world  with  more  inriocen- 
cy :  whosoever  leads  such  a  life  needs  be  the  less  anxi- 
ous upon  how  short  warning  it  is  taken  from  him."2 


1  There  is  a  very  striking  description  of  this  battle  given  in 
Mr.  Foster's  Statesmen,  iv.  110.     May's  History  of  the  Parliament 
gives  many  particulars. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  257.     When  before  Gloucester  he 
exposed   himself  in  the  breaches   to  great   danger.     Falkland 
pleaded  that  "  as  Secretary-of-War  he  ought  to  be  present  in  the 
greatest  secret  of  danger ;"  and  more  seriously  added,  "  that  it 
concerned  him  more  to  be  active  in  hazard  than  other  men ;  that 
they  might  see  his  impatiency  for  peace  proceeded  not  from  fear 
to  adventure  his  own  person." — Clarendon's  Life,  i.  42.     Lord 
Falkland's  stature  was  low  and  smaller  than  most   men ;    his 
motion  not  graceful,  and  his  aspect  so  far  from  inviting  that  it 
had  in  it  somewhat  of  simplicity,  and  his  voice  was  the  worst  of 
the  three  .  . .  Yet  that  little  person  of  his  contained  a  great  heart, 
.  .  .  and  that  untuned  voice,  supplied  and  governed  by  such  wit 
and  understanding,  that  all  he  said  carried  a  lusture  and  admira- 
tion with  it ...  His  disposition  and  nature  was  so  gentle  and 
obliging,  and  so  much  delighted  in  courtesy,  kindness  and  gene- 
rosity, that  all  mankind  could  not  but  admire  and  love  him — Ibid. 
p.  50.     On  the  morning  of  the  battle  he  appeared  in  good  spirits, 
as  was  his  wont  only  upon  such  days,  and  he  said  to  those  about 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.      295 

On  that  day  fell  also  the  young  Earl  of  Sunderland  ; 
scarcely  three-and-twenty  years  of  age,  yet  wise  and 
thoughtful,  as  he  was  impetuously  brave :  he  was 
slain  by  a  cannon-ball  as  he  was  gathering  up  his 
reins  to  charge  in  the  King's  troop.  The  Earl  of 
Carnarvon  also  received  his  death- wound  upon  this 
field :  he  was  run  through  the  body,  and  gently 
removed  from  the  meUe,  by  his  friends  :  then,  as  he 
lay  dying  on  the  heath,  they  asked  him  if  he  had  no 
request  to  prefer  to  the  King,  whom  he  had  served 
so  well  ?  "  No,"  he  replied,  "  in  an  hour  like  this, 
I  have  no  prayer  but  to  the  King  of  Heaven.1'  His 
was  a  character  on  which  the  imagination  might  de- 
light to  exercise  itself:  it  presents  as  fine  a  portrait 
of  chivalry  as  even  our  history  can  furnish.  Brave, 
generous,  devout, — he  stood  aloof  from  every  vice 
that  stained  his  gallant  cause :  his  was  the  heroism 
of  character  as  well  as  conduct :  from  the  witty 
profligates  of  the  army  he  stood  aloof;  but  when 
the  hour  of  danger  came,  his  valour  was  con- 
spicuous even  above  their  desperate  courage.  When 
he  first  entered  upon  life,  he  had  been  caught  by 
the  temptations  of  a  licentious  age,  and  his  high 
nature  stooped  for  a  time  to  a  life  of  pleasure.  The 


him  "  that  he  should  be  out  of  his  misery  ere  night." — Whitelockes 
Memoirs,  p.  73.  He  had  been  latterly  very  negligent  in  his  per- 
son, but  he  now  dressed  himself  with  care,  and  put  on  that 
"  clean  shirt"  that  has  attracted  so  much  observation.  Those 
who  have  known  by  experience  what  forced  marches  are  will  not 
be  surprised  to  find  that  such  a  luxury  was  not  a  matter  of  daily 
occurrence  in  this  hard  campaign. 


296        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [SEPT. 

depravity  of  King  James's  reign  had  left  foul  traces 
on  the  manners  of  that  which  followed,  and  sensu- 
ality and  libertinism  thrived  even  under  the  deco- 
rous eyes  of  Charles.  It  was  a  period  of  strong 
light  and  shadow  —  the  greatest  virtues  and  the 
grossest  crimes.  Most  of  the  young  nobility  leant 
towards  the  evil  fashion,  recommended  as  it  was  by 
wit  and  "  good-fellowship  ;"  *  and  Lord  Carnarvon 
was  one  of  that  number.  He  soon  broke  away  from 
a  life  of  pleasure  to  its  best  corrective — foreign  and 
laborious  travels.  He  visited  that  Spain  which  his  de- 
scendant has  so  well  described,  and  passed  to  Italy, 
Turkey,  and  the  far  East ;  a  region  then  requiring 
all  the  courage  of  a  Crusader  to  explore.  On  his 
return  to  England,  he  found  the  civil  war  begun ;  and 
that  great  catastrophe  seems  at  once  to  have  con- 
verted him,  together  with  Lord  Northampton  and 
many  others,  from  habits  of  thoughtlessness  and  sen- 
suality, to  solemn  convictions  and  heroic  effort.2  He, 


1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  p.  160. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion ;   Warwick,  p.  260,  &c.     Robert  Dor- 
mer, first  Earl  of  Carnarvon,  succeeded  to  the  barony  of  Dormer  at 
the  death  of  his  grandfather,  1616,  and  was  advanced  to  the  earl- 
dom by  Charles  I.  1629.     In  his  youth  he  was  given  to  some  ex- 
cesses, especially  to   gaming ;   but  his   biographer  Lloyd  adds, 
"  that  he  hated  drunkenness  perfectly."     It  seems  to  have  been 
on  the  question  of  Strafford's  impeachment  that  he  first  mani- 
fested the  party  in  public  affairs  which  he  proposed  to  espouse, 
by  using  his  utmost  endeavours  to  save  that  great  person.    When 
the  Buckinghamshire  men  were,  in  1642,  incited  to  insurrection 
by  Hampden,  he  used  his  utmost  endeavours  to  restore  order  in 
that  county,  where  his  estates  chiefly  lay,  and  concerted  with 
other  loyalists  the  means  of  raising  and  arming  forces  for  the 
approaching  crisis.     He  attended  Charles  to  York  and  signed 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      297 

Sunderland,  and  Falkland  left  none  to  fill  their 
places :  thenceforth  the  camp,  in  its  proverbial  form, 
predominates  in  the  Court,  and  at  length  the  licen- 
tious though  gallant  supporters  of  King  Charles  see 
their  noble  cause  give  way  before  the  earnest  and 
solemn  energies  of  fanatics. 

As  soon  as  darkness  fell  upon  the  bloody  field  of 
Newbury,  it  was  deserted  by  both  armies ;  the  Earl 
led  his  troops  to  an  uneasy  bivouac  till  early  morn- 
ing ;  and  the  King  withdrew  his  shattered  forces 
within  the  town.  Every  soldier  who  could  move 
had  crept  away  into  some  shelter,  "the  weary  to 
rest,  and  the  wounded  to  die."  *  All  slept,  or  seemed 
to  sleep,  except  the  restless  Rupert.  He  went  from 
place  to  place  in  search  of  such  men  as  were  still 
able  to  sit  a  horse,  and  such  horses  as  were  able  to 

the  famous  declaration  of  June  the  10th.  "He  was  a  person," 
says  Clarendon,  "  with  whose  parts  and  virtues  the  world  was  not 
enough  acquainted.  Before  the  war,  though  his  education  was 
adorned  by  travel,  and  an  exact  observation  of  the  manners  of 
more  nations  than  our  common  travellers  used  to  visit,  he  spent 
some  time  in  Turkey  and  those  eastern  countries  ;  he  seemed  to 
be  wholly  delighted  with  those  looser  exercises  of  pleasure,  hunt- 
ing, hawking,  and  the  like,  in  which  the  nobility  of  that  time 
too  much  delighted  to  excel.  After  the  troubles  began,  those 
infirmities  and  that  licence  which  he  had  formerly  indulged  to 
himself  he  put  off  with  severity  when  others  held  them  excusable 
under  the  notion  of  a  soldier.  He  was  a  great  lover  of  justice, 
and  practised  it  then  most  deliberately  when  he  had  a  power  to 
do  wrong  \  and  so  strict  in  the  observation  of  his  word  and  pro- 
mise as  a  commander,  that  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  stay  in 
the  West  when  he  found  it  not  in  his  power  to  perform  the  agree- 
ment which  he  had  made  with  Dorchester  and  Weymouth.  If  he 
had  lived  he  would  have  proved  a  great  ornament  to  that  pro- 
fession, and  an  excellent  soldier,  and  by  his  death  the  King  found 
a  sensible  weakness  in  his  army. 

1  It  appears  that  Jeremy  Taylor  was  busied  in  consoling  them. 


298        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [SEPT. 

bear  them.  Long  before  dawn,  the  spoilers  of  the 
dead  were  startled  by  the  issue  of  a  column  of 
cavalry  under  the  indomitable  Rupert,  it  moved  away 
without  sound  of  trumpet,  and  took  up  a  position 
unperceived  by  the  enemy  in  advance  of  him.  Even 
when  daylight  came,  and  the  wearied  but  proud 
columns  of  Essex  were  straggling  on  to  their 
nearest  friendly  town,  there  was  no  danger  to  be 
seen.  But  now  the  open  country  is  left  behind, 
and  the  Roundhead  masses  defile  in  one  long  line 
along  a  narrow  road  among  thick  enclosures  and 
between  high  fences  on  either  side.  Another  hour, 
and  they  have  all  entered.  Then  sounded  the  terrible 
trumpet  of  Prince  Rupert  in  their  ears,  and  his  co- 
lumn of  cavalry  comes  charging  on — in,  and  over,  and 
through — the  crowded  and  embarrassed  masses,  so 
huddled  up  with  their  enemies  that  every  struggle, 
every  movement  was  itself  a  wound.  At  the  same 
time,  George  Lisle's  "  thousand  musketeers  "  spread 
themselves  along  the  hedges,  and  pour  a  deadly  volley 
into  the  dense  columns  struggling  desperately,  but 
resolutely  onward.  The  Prince's  wearied  cavalry  are 
soon  obliged  to  desist  from  slaughter;  there  is  no 
force  to  support  him,  and  so  he  is  fain  to  fall  back 
upon  the  main  army,  while  Essex  pushes  on  to 
Reading. l 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  237  ;  Prince  Rupert's  Diary.  In 
this  action,  the  Diary  informs  us,  the  Prince  lost  three  hundred 
men  of  his  brigade,  and  thirty  out  of  his  own  troop,  which  pro- 
bably only  contained  about  sixty  troopers  :  the  Prince  was  in  the 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.    299 

All  this  time,  Sir  William  Waller  was  lying  tran- 
quilly at  Windsor,  with  two  thousand  horse,  and  as 
many  foot ;  as  unconcerned  for  what  might  befall  the 
Earl  of  Essex  at  Newbury,  as  the  Earl  had  formerly 
been  on  his  behalf  at  Round  way  Down.  If  these 
great  men  could  sully  their  fair  fame  by  such  igno- 
ble jealousies,  far  worse  was  the  condition  of  things 
at  Oxford  ;  where  envy,  intrigue,  recrimination,  and 
discontent  were  rife  in  the  distracted  Court,  to  the 
exclusion  of  every  nobler  and  more  necessary  aim.1 

The  siege  of  Gloucester  was  the  great  subject  of 
complaint ;  every  man  who  was  kept  away  from  his 
country-house  or  his  London  "  lodgings  ; "  every  lady 
who  desired  a  change  from  the  monotony  of  Ox- 
ford ;  every  soldier  who  wished  to  excuse  a  fault ; 
every  statesman  who  had  errors  to  justify, — all  laid 
their  accusations  upon  this  unlucky  siege.  "  If  the 
King  had  but  marched  at  once  to  London  !"  they 
exclaimed.  "And  if  he  had  done  so/'  it  was 
retorted,  "  would  he  have  found  the  trainbands  and 
the  general  less  difficult  to  conquer  before  Turnham 
Green,  than  when  wearied  with  long  marches  and 
with  want,  on  Presbury  Hills  or  Newbury  Heath  ?" 
No  :  it  was  the  disuniting  of  his  army  to  conciliate 
private  and  petty  interests ;  it  was  the  licence,  de- 
moralization, and  want  of  discipline  in  his  forces ; 


saddle  the  whole  night,  continually  pressing  on  the  enemy,  until 
he  drew  off  in  order  to  surprise  them  on  their  march. 

1  Lord  Clarendon  draws  a  most  humiliating  picture  of  his 
friends  and  enemies  at  this  period,  vol.  iv.  260. 


300         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [SEPT. 

it  was  the  want  of  one  far-reaching,  resolute,  and 
commanding  mind,  to  rouse,  concentrate,  and  direct 
the  vast  energies  and  powerful  elements  combined 
in  the  Royal  army,  that  were  truly  wanting.  Gus- 
tavus  Adolphus  would  have  prayed  and  fought  his 
way  to  London  within  a  week  after  the  capture  of 
Bristol ;  Cromwell  would  have  preached  and  hewed 
his  way  thither ;  William  III.  would  have  nego- 
tiated, if  possible,  or  otherwise  openly  won  his  way ; 
but  a  camp  of  courtiers,  lords,  and  coxcomb  pre- 
tenders to  command,  required  a  far  other  leader 
than  the  gentle  Charles  to  direct  their  way  to  such 
a  victory. 

But  it  was  the  Queen's  arrival  at  Oxford  that 
finally  destroyed  all  prospect  of  either  a  happy  peace 
or  a  successful  war.  If  the  Parliament  had  known 
their  true  interests,  they  would  not  only  have  re- 
strained the  ruffianly  assault  of  Batten,  but  for- 
warded this  fatal  lady  to  her  King  by  every  means 
in  her  power.  At  all  times  jealous  of  her  power 
and  influence,  she  now  laid  claim  to  unbounded 
authority  on  the  strength  of  her  supplies  and  her 
"own  army."  In  proportion  as  her  authority  in- 
creased, the  number  of  her  creatures  swarmed  about 
her,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  that  was  wise,  or  good, 
or  truly  noble,  in  the  Court.  Every  vacated  post 
became  a  cause  of  contention  between  her  and  the 
King ;  that  one  of  her  courtiers  should  win  or  lose 
it  involved  her  triumph  or  defeat.  Her  Majesty 
not  only  held  a  separate  Court,  but  a  separate 


1643.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.     301 

residence  from  that  of  the  King.  Merton  College 
was  honoured  with  her  presence ;  and  from  thence 
the  newly-created  Lord  Jermyn  was  seen  perpetu- 
ally issuing  on  some  unlucky  errand  of  intrigue ; 
to  supplant  some  King's  officer,  or  negotiate  for 
some  already  promised  place.  One  instance  may 
suffice  to  shew  the  character  of  these  intrigues.  It 
will  be  remembered  how  faithfully  and  successfully 
the  Marquis  of  Hertford  had  served  the  King ;  how 
dutifully  he  had  surrendered  the  command  of  his 
own  army  to  a  rival ;  and  had  yielded  the  govern- 
ment of  Bristol  at  the  King's  first  wish.  The  King 
had  then  promised  to  appoint  him  his  groom  of  the 
stole,  and  now  seemed  called  upon  to  fulfil  his  pro- 
mise. But  the  Queen  looked  upon  the  King's 
patronage  as  an  infringement  of  her  rights ;  she  was 
indignant  that  such  a  promise  should  have  been  made 
without  her  consent,  and  she  now  endeavoured  to 
have  it  broken.  At  this  time  her  Majesty's  quon- 
dam favourite,  Lord  Holland,  had  come  to  Oxford, 
with  cowardly  and  hypocritical  penitence  for  past 
transgressions ;  he  soon  re-established  himself  in 
favour  at  Merton  Lodge,  and  for  this  double  traitor 
and  twice-perjured  ingrate,  the  Queen  solicited  the 
appointment  that  had  been  promised  to  the  loyal 
and  honourable  Hertford.  The  vanity  and  presump- 
tion of  Holland,  however,  were  equal  to  his  pusil- 
lanimity, ambition,  and  avarice,  and  he  so  long  hesi- 
tated to  make  the  required  submission,  that  the 
King  refused  to  encourage  him.  At  the  same  time, 


302          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [SEPT. 

he  himself  perceiving,  probably,  not  only  the  poverty 
of  the  Court,  but  the  little  likelihood  there  was 
that  such  a  government  could  ultimately  prevail, 
stole  away  one  night,  and  appeared  the  next  day  in 
Parliament.  He  told  the  House,  with  unblushing 
effrontery,  that  he  could  not  remain  with  the  King 
after  he  had  granted  a  cessation  of  arms  to  the  Irish 
Papists,  and  that  he  was  now  ready  to  live  or  die 
with  the  Parliament.  This  was  an  unmeaning 
oratorical  expression  then  much  in  vogue.  He  en- 
joyed its  latter  alternative,  and  polluted  their  mur- 
derous scaffold,  already  consecrated  by  loyal  and 
honourable  blood. 

Another  of  the  Queen's  favourites  was  Lord 
Digby,  who  devoted  himself  to  her  party  from  the 
moment  her  Majesty  arrived  at  Oxford;  and 
through  her  influence  this  most  dangerous  man  had 
been  appointed  to  fill  up  Falkland's  place  as  State- 
secretary,  conjointly  with  old  Nicholas.  Wilmot 
was  another  of  the  Queen's  favourites ;  and,  in  the 
same  degree  that  these  men  rose  in  her  favour  they 
became  enemies  of  Prince  Rupert.  Henceforth  he 
was  as  little  at  Oxford  as  his  duties  permitted ;  but 
the  enmity  of  the  Queen's  party  pursued  him 
everywhere.  I  must  now  return  to  his  corre- 
spondence. 

Prince  Maurice  had  been  active,  and  Sir  John 
Berkeley  successful  all  this  time  in  the  South  and 
West.  We  have  already  seen  how  Lord  Carnar- 
von had  taken  Dorchester  and  Weymouth  without 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        803 

a  blow.1  On  the  arrival  of  Prince  Maurice  to 
support  him,  much  time  was  lost  in  mere  arrange- 
ments, during  which  the  soldiers  fell  to  plundering. 
Lord  Carnarvon  then  left  them  in  disgust,  seeing  his 
promises  of  safety  broken  by  the  encouraged  sol- 
diery. Lyme  and  Poole  now  strengthened  them- 
selves in  fortifications  and  in  spirit,  against  the 
Cavaliers,  and  Prince  Maurice  found  it  necessary 
to  pass  them  by.  Thence  he  proceeded  to  Exeter, 
where  Sir  John  Berkeley  was  closely  besieging  the 
Earl  of  Stamford.  The  former,  a  zealous  officer, 
had  shewn  as  much  soldier-like  skill  in  repelling 
Lord  Warwick's  relief  of  that  city,  as  gentlemanlike 
tact  in  conciliating  the  people  of  the  country.  Sir 
John  Digby  had  been  despatched  by  him  to  observe 
the  garrisons  of  Bideford  and  Barnstaple,  and  had 
fought  a  very  successful  action  with  them  at  Tor- 
rington.2  As  soon  as  Prince  Maurice  had  relieved 
Sir  John  Berkeley,  he  pressed  on  to  Polesloe, 
near  Barnstaple,  and  summoned  the  town,  while  it 
was  still  under  the  influence  of  the  defeat  at  Tor- 
rington.  Subjoined  are  the  terms  offered,  after  a 
very  long  and  elaborate  address  which  I  omit.3  I 


1  By  the  mere  terror  of  his  name  :  a  Mr.  Strode,  who  had  been 
at  Bristol,  was  engaged  by  the  Dorchester  authorities  to  examine 
their  elaborate  civic  defences  :  "  these,"  he  said,  "  might  keep  out 
the  Cavaliers  for  half  an  hour  ...  I  have  seen  them  running  up 
walls   twenty  feet  high  :    no   defences   can   keep  them  out." — 
Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  214. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  218. 

3  I  do  hereby  promise  and  undertake,  on  my  honour  in  the 
word  of  a  Prince, — 


304          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [SEPT. 

also  subjoin  the  reply  of  the  Mayor  and  Corporation : 
it  is  a  good  sample,  and  shall  be  the  only  one  offer- 
ed of  many  such  among  Prince  Rupert's  papers.1 


1.  That  you  all,  and  the  rest  who,  at  the  date  hereof,    are 
within    your   walls  or  jurisdiction,   shall   be   freely   and   fully 
pardoned. 

2.  That  no  man  shall  be  permitted  to  plunder  or  violate  your 
persons,  goods,  or  estates. 

3.  That  your  town  shall  be  left  unto  yourselves,  free  from  any 
garrison,  to  be  governed   as  formerly  by  the  Mayor   and   his 
brethren. 

4.  That  you  shall  not  be  burthened  with  any  fines  or  extra- 
ordinary rates  and  taxes,  but  only  in  a  due  proportion  with  the 
rest  of  the  county.  MAURICE. 

Given  at  my  Quarter  at  Polesloe, 
the  27th  August,  1643. 

1  To  the  most  excellent  Prince  Maurice,  the  humble  submis- 
sion and  thankful  acceptation  of  the  Mayor  and  Corpora- 
tion of  Barnstaple. 

MOST    NOBLE    AND    VIRTUOUS    PRINCE, 

On  Monday  last,  towards  the  end  of  the  day,  we  received  the 
pledge  of  your  Highness's  favour  in  the  propositions  of  peace 
which  you  were  graciously  pleased  to  send  unto  us,  both  for  our- 
selves and  all  the  rest  who  at  the  date  of  that  writing  were  within 
our  walls  or  jurisdiction,  and  accordingly,  with  the  best  and 
greatest  expedition  we  could,  we  did  all  meet  about  it  the  next 
morning,  where  your  Highness's  expressions  of  grace  were  made 
known  unto  us,  and  with  all  humble  and  due  respect  considered 
of  by  us  ;  the  close  and  upshot  of  all  being  this,  our  cheerful  sub- 
mission to  what  was  therein  required,  and  our  thankful  accepta- 
tion of  what  is  thereby  granted  unto  us.  May  it  please  you 
therefore,  most  excellent  Prince,  to  understand  that,  indeed,  our 
intentions  have  always  been,  are  now,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  ever 
shall  be  real,  to  live  in  all  due  obedience  to  his  Majesty  and  the 
laws  of  the  land,  and  to  submit  to  the  discipline  of  the  Church  of 
England  established  by  law ;  and  that  in  testimony  hereof  we 
have  already  disbanded  and  dismissed  all  our  extraordinary 
forces,  and  shall  certainly  abstain  from  all  military  actions  not 
warranted  by  his  Majesty's  authority  ;  and,  thereupon,  do  now 
most  humbly  beseech  that  your  Highness's  offers  of  grace,  under 
the  supposal  of  these  things  by  us  performed,  may  come  freely 
and  effectually  to  us  with  that  fulness  of  confirmation  which  the 


1643.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     305 

In  order  to  complete  the  transaction,  I  also 
give  the  King's  letter  to  Prince  Maurice,  which 
he  received  at  Exeter.1  That  "rich  and  pleasant 
town "  surrendered  to  the  Prince  on  the  4th  of 
September,  and  suffered  more  inconvenience  from 
its  occupation  by  the  Cavaliers  than  it  had  pre- 
viously done  from  their  siege.  Sir  John  Digby 
was  now  sent  with  three  thousand  foot  and  eight 
hundred  horse,  to  besiege  Plymouth :  these  forces 


cause  require th  and  your  noble  justice  shall  direct;  and  that  his 
Majesty's  forces  in  these  parts  may  be  certified  of  these  things  in 
such  a  way  that,  without  any  their  let  or  molestation,  we  may 
enjoy  the  fruit  and  comfort  of  this  blessed  reconciliation.  And 
we,  according  to  our  bounden  duty,  shall  always  pray  to  the  God 
of  Heaven  for  his  blessings  in  all  kinds  to  rest  upon  the  person  of 
our  dear  Sovereign,  his  royal  Consort,  their  royal  Issue,  and  the 
noble  Princes  of  his  blood,  among  whom  your  Highness  is  so 
endeared  to  us,  that  we  shall  account  it  a  good  part  of  our  happi- 
ness to  find  the  opportunity  of  manifesting  ourselves  such  as  we 
do  profess  ourselves  really  to  be,  your  Highness's  most  humble 
and  thankful  servants. 

1  Extract  of  a  letter  from  his  Majesty  to  Prince  Maurice,  5th 
September,  1643:— 

CHABLES  R., 

Eight  dear  and  right  entirely  beloved  nephew,  &c.,  whereas 
we  received  in  a  letter  from  you  the  conditions  made  by  you  with 
our  town  of  Barnstaple,  we  do  hereby  signify  to  you,  and  wish 
you  to  declare  as  much  to  that  our  town,  that  we  do  very  well 
approve  of  them,  and  shall  be  very  careful  to  see  the  same  ob- 
served. And  particularly  for  as  much  as  concerns  the  article  of 
pardon ;  and  if  any  particular  person  concerned  in  that  agree- 
ment shall  think  it  fit  to  take  out  our  pardon  in  a  more  formal 
manner  under  our  Great  Seal,  we  have  given  order  to  both  our 
principal  Secretaries  of  State,  that  upon  their  address  unto  them 
within  the  space  of  a  month  after  the  date  hereof,  with  sufficient 
certificate  that  he  was  at  the  time  of  the  agreement  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  that  our  town,  he  shall  forthwith  prepare  a  war- 
rant for  our  hand  to  give  order  for  the  passing  of  his  pardon  in 
the  manner  aforesaid,  &c. 

VOL.    II.  X 


306         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [SEPT. 

had  been  raised  principally  by  himself,  and  attracted 
to  his  standard  by  his  gallantry  and  generous  nature. 
Plymouth  proved  too  strong  for  them,  even  when 
reinforced  by  Prince  Maurice  ;*  and  the  siege  was 
ultimately  turned  into  an  equally  unsuccessful 
blockade  under  Sir  Richard  Grenville.*  Before 
leaving  this  district,  I  may  add  that  Prince  Maurice 


1  On  his  way  to  Plymouth,  Prince  Maurice  waited  nearly  a 
month  before  Dartmouth.  He  had  previously  sent  the  following 
instructions  concerning  it  to  the  officers  herein  named  : — 

PRINCE    MAURICE    TO    SIR    EDMUND    FORTESCUE,    K.NT.,    AND 
EDWARD    SEYMOUR,  ESQ.* 

You  shall  demand  in  my  name,  for  his  Majesty's  use  and 
service,  the  castle,  town,  and  block-house  of  Dartmouth,  to  be 
presently  surrendered,  with  all  arms,  ordnance,  ensigns,  ammuni- 
tion, and  all  other  warlike  provisions  whatever,  and  that  before 
the  fourteenth  of  this  present  month.  The  garrison  to  march  out 
to  some  place  as  you  shall  agree  :  and  you  are  to  grant  to  them  a 
free  pardon  and  a  safe  convoy  if  required.  And  you  are  to  see 
all  the  prisoners  set  free  before  the  garrison  march  forth.  Thus  far 
you  are  to  insist  upon  ;  but,  howsoever,  you  are  to  conclude  upon 
these  or  other  accidental  conditions,  besides  what  are  here  speci- 
fied, for  the  best  advantage  of  his  Majesty's  service.  And  for  so 
doing  this  shall  be  your  warrant. 

Given  at  Exeter,  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  arms,  this 
the  10th  of  September,  1643. 

MAURICE. 

When  Dartmouth  was  at  length  rendered,  Colonel  Seymour  was 
appointed  its  governor.  This  gentleman  was  one  of  the  Duke 
of  Somerset's  ancestors :  I  am  indebted  to  his  Grace  for  this 
letter. 

2  Sir  Alexander  Carew  commanded  here  for  the  Parliament, 
but  was  now  anxious  to  play  Hotham's  game,  and  to  surrender  to 
the  King.  He  suffered  Hotham's  fate,  having  first  narrowly 
escaped  being  torn  to  pieces  by  the  women,  who  were  great  poli- 
ticians in  those  evil  days. —  Whitelocke,  Mem.  p.  72. 


*  "  A  gentleman  of  principal  account  and  interest  in  Devon- 
shire."— Clar.  Reb.  iv.  323. 


1643.]     PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        307 

soon  afterwards  fell  dangerously  ill ;  Prince  Rupert 
sent  his  own  physician  to  assist  in  attendance  on 
him,  and  received  the  subjoined  report.  As  the 
reader  has  already  perused  almost  every  species  of 
document  relating  to  these  times,  a  medical  paper 
may  not  be  uninteresting.1 

In  the  North,  Lord  Newcastle  had  found  another 

1  MAT  IT  PLEASE  YOUK  HIGHNESS, 

This  last  night  arrived  here,  at  Milton,  Dr.  Harvey  and 
Dr.  Smith,  and  this  morning  they,  with  the  other  two  doctors, 
having  seen  and  spoken  with  his  Highness  your  brother,  intreated 
me  to  write  as  followeth. 

That  his  sickness  is  the  ordinary  raging  disease  of  the  army,  a 
slow  fever  with  great  dejection  of  strength,  and  since  Friday  he 
hath  talked  idly  and  slept  not,  but  very  unquietly,  yet  the  last 
night  he  began  to  sleep  of  himself,  and  took  his  rest  so  quietly, 
that  this  present  morning  when  Dr.  Harvey  came  to  him  he 
knew  him,  and  welcomed  Dr.  Smith  respectively ;  and  upon 
Dr.  Harvey's  expression  of  his  Majesty's  sorrow  for  and  great  care 
of  him,  he  shewed  an  humble,  thankful  sense  thereof.  Dr.  Harvey 
asking  his  Highness  how  he  did,  he  answered  that  he  was  very 
weak  ;  and  he  seemed  to  be  very  glad  to  hear  of  and  from  your 
Highness,  as  now  delivered  by  Dr.  Harvey.  Now  the  doctors, 
having  conferred  and  computed  the  time,  have  good  hopes  of  his 
recovery ;  yet,  by  reason  that  the  disease  is  very  dangerous  and 
fraudulent,  they  dare  not  yet  give  credit  to  this  alteration ;  and, 
concluding  the  disease  to  be  venomous,  they  do  resolve  to  give 
very  little  physic,  only  a  regular  diet  and  cordial  antidotes.  The 
doctors  present  their  most  humble  service  to  your  Highness,  and 
subscribe  themselves,  sir, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servants, 

WILLIAM  HARVEY, 
ROBERT  VILVAIN, 
EDMUND  SMITH, 
Milton,  Oct.  17th,  1643.  Jo.  KING. 

The  army  marcheth  this  present  morning  towards  Plymouth. 
Your  Highness  may  be  pleased  to  intreat  his  Majesty  to  send  a 
power  to  some  of  the  officers  in  chief  here  to  treat  with  Plymouth 
if  occasion  should  require.  The  Earl  of  Marlborough  is  not  well. 
Here  are  the  two  serjeant-major-generals,  Colonel  Digby  and  Sir 
William  Courtney.  I  went  yesterday  with  the  two  major-generals 

x  2 


308         MEMOIRS   AND    CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

Gloucester  in  the  town  of  Hull.  The  number  of 
sieges  that  have  proved  fatal  to  the  success  of  armies 
would  form  a  large  list.  About  this  time  Sir  Philip 
Warwick  visits  the  Earl,  with  a  brief,  but  important 
commission  ("  a  few  words  on  a  piece  of  white  sars- 
net"),  to  discover  whether  this  powerful  subject  would 
be  pleased  to  march  to  his  Majesty's  assistance :  he 
was  much  wanted,  as  Lord  Denbigh  was  strong  in  the 
central  associated  counties,  and  Lord  Manchester, 
with  Cromwell,  began  to  stir.  Sir  Philip  found  Lord 
Newcastle  as  much  averse  as  the  other  Cavaliers  to 
serve  his  Majesty  in  any  but  his  own  fashion  ;  "  there 
was  nothing  he  apprehended  more  than  to  be  joined  to 
the  King's  army,  or  to  serve  under  Prince  Rupert ; 
for  he  designed  himself  to  be  the  man  who  should 
turn  the  scale,  and  to  be  a  distinct  and  self-subsist- 
ing army  wherever  he  was."1  Nevertheless,  at  the 

to  the  Lord  of  Marlborough,  with  the  King's  letter  to  your  brother, 
which  they  have  answered.  About  two  or  three  days  hence,  at 
the  farthest,  the  doctors  intend  to  send  new  information.  I  most 
humbly  take  leave,  sir,  your  Highness's 

Most  humbly  devoted  servant, 
Milton,  1643,  for  your  Highness.  RICHARD  CAVE.* 

1  Warwick's  Memoirs,  243.  Sir  Philip  also  implies  that  his 
lordship  had  no  desire  to  come  under  the  Queen's  control,  of 
which  probably  he  had  more  than  was  agreeable  to  him  during  her 
Majesty's  residence  at  York.  "  He  (Lord  Newcastle),  with  great 
savour,  related  to  me  a  story  of  the  arch-rebel  Tyrone,  who  was 
brought  prisoner  to  Queen  Elizabeth  by  the  Lord-Deputy  Mount- 
joy  :  perceiving  that  the  deputy  was  kept  waiting  among  the 
crowd  for  an  audience,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  ashamed  to  have 
been  taken  prisoner  by  a  man  who  makes  himself  thus  low  and 
ommon  as  to  wait  thus  upon  a  woman." 


Afterwards  killed  at  Naseby. 


1643.]        PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.      309 

very  time  that  lie  thus  impressed  Sir  Philip,  he  writes 
the  following  fulsome  letter  to  the  Palatine : — 

THE  EARL  OF  NEWCASTLE  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

You  are  the  more  victorious  that  you  will  not  give 
me  leave  to  tell  you  of  your  victories,  but  all  the  world 
knows  them,  and  will  speak  of  them,  whether  your  High- 
ness will  or  no  :  as  great  a  Prince  as  you  are,  sir.  In  this 
they  will  not  suffer  you  to  have  your  will,  but  derive  it  to 
posterity,  to  your  everlasting  fame.  For  my  particular,  to 
see  that  I  am  so  happy  as  to  be  in  your  favour  and  good 
opinion,  is  a  thing  that  overjoys  me,  and  may  I  not  live  if 
I  do  not  study  to  deserve  it,  and  ever  acknowledge  it  as  a 
bounty  to 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  and  obliged  servant, 

W.  NEWCASTLE. 

Beverley,  29th  August,  1643. 

When  Sir  Philip  came  near  Hull,  he  found  the 
Earl  looking  very  busy  and  important  among  some 
of  the  most  contemptible  trenches  and  ill-fangled 
approaches.  Sir  Philip  could  not  help  observing, 
that  it  would  take  a  long  time  to  release  so  strong 
a  town,  by  such  weak  means :  the  Earl  jest- 
ingly replied,  "  You  have  heard  us  termed  a  popish 
army,  but  you  see  we  trust  not  in  our  good  works." 
Cromwell  soon  began  to  bestir  himself  when  he 
found  the  northern  array  fascinated  before  Hull, 
and  Lord  Newcastle  writes  as  below  to  our  Prince.1 


1  NOBLE  SIR, 

My  Lord  Willoughby   [of  Parham],   Cromwell,    and   their 
adherents   are   now  got   abroad,    taking  the  advantage  of  our 


310         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

The  Scots,  soon  after  the  EaiTs  intelligence, 
crossed  the  Tjne  and  garrisoned  Berwick  and  Car- 
lisle. The  Marquis  of  Hamilton,  in  pursuance  of 
his  ambidextrous  tactics,  posted  straight  to  Oxford 
to  account  for  all  his  errors  and  treacheries  to  the 
King.  This  time,  however,  he  counted  too  much 
on  the  King's  credulity  ;  the  proofs  of  his  guilt  were 
too  evident :  he  was  imprisoned,  and  his  post  of 
Master  of  the  Horse  was,  in  April  following,  con- 
ferred upon  Prince  Rupert.  His  brother,  the  Earl 


engagements  here,  with  thirty-  four  troops  of  horse  and  some  foot : 
to  such  a  number,  if  it  be  true,  that  Sir  John  Henderson  will 
not.  be  able  to  meet  them  in  the  field  and  his  garrisons  safe ;  and 
therefore  I  have  thought  meet  to  propose  to  you  to  send  him  to 
his  assistance  as  many  horse  and  foot  as  you  can  spare  towards 
Newark,  and  so  to  join  with  Sir  John  Henderson  in  that  service. 
Wherein,  sir,  you  may  do  a  very  great  service  to  his  Majesty,  and 
oblige  me  to  remain  as  I  am,  sir, 

Your  very  faithful  friend  and  humble  servant, 

W.  NEWCASTLE.* 
Cottingham,  18th  Sept.  1643. 


*  This  letter  is  followed  by  one  of  different  note  : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

God  give  you  joy  of  your  late  great  victory,  which  I  am 
confident  the  rebels  will  never  recover :  so  that  upon  the  matter 
one  may  salute  the  King,  King  again,  and  only  by  your  hand, 
sir.  We  are  daily  threatened  here  with  the  Scots  coming  in  ; 
and,  certainly,  were  it  not  for  this  army,  I  think  they  would  : 
and  should  this  [army]  move  from  hence,  I  assure  your  Highness 
there  would  be  a  great  army  raised  here  besides.  God  preserve 
your  Highness. 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful,  obliged  servant, 

W.  NEWCASTLE. 
Cottingham,  3rd  Oct.  1643. 

I  am  not  in  despair  in  time  of  Hull. 

[Compare  this  letter  with  "Sir  Philip  Warwick's  Memoirs," 
p.  267.] 


1643. J       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      311 

of  Lanerick,  an  equally  mischievous  but  more  honest 
man,  accompanied  him  and  escaped  better.1 

When  Essex  returned  to  London,  on  the  25th  of 
September,  he  was  received  with  all  honour  by  the 
Parliament,  and  a  formal  and  official  reconciliation 
between  him  and  Waller  was  effected  and  pro- 
claimed. Massey  was  rewarded  for  his  defence  of 
Gloucester,  with  a  "  gaudy  letter  of  thanks,'"  and 
one  thousand  pounds,  and  all  his  garrison  received  a 
month's  pay  as  a  gratuity :  their  defence  had  indeed 
been  the  turning  point  of  the  Parliamentary  for- 
tunes. The  Close  Committee  now  managed  the  re- 
venues of  England  as  they  formed  their  own  private 
estates,  and  they  were  bound  to  allow  some  trifling 
per-centage  to  those  who  preserved  not  only  their 
property  but  their  lives. 

The  Scots  had  stipulated  for  the  taking  of  their 
covenant,  the  formal  and  final  abolition  of  episco- 
pacy, and  the  establishment  of  a  church  on  principles 
"  founded  on  the  word  of  God ;"  a  rule  which  every 
sectarian  adapted,  of  course,  to  his  own  peculiar 


1  William,  Earl  of  Lanerick,  and  ultimately  second  Duke  of 
Hamilton,  was  brother  to  the  first,  and  ten  years  his  junior. 
Upon  being  refused  the  appointment  of  Master  of  the  Horse  to 
the  Queen,  he  felt  himself  so  much  aggrieved,  that  he  was  only 
prevented,  by  a  promise  of  the  King's  to  give  him  immediate 
preferment,  from  withdrawing  to  France  in  1638,  In  1639  he 
was  created  Earl  of  Lanerick,  and  in  the  following  year  appointed 
Secretary  of  State  for  Scotland.  For  more  than  two  years  after 
his  entrance  into  his  office  he  was  alternately  occupied  in  be- 
seeching the  King  to  bend  to  the  humiliating  demands  of  the 
Covenanters,  and  in  endeavouring  to  dissuade  them  from  actual 
rebellion,  and  failed  in  both. — Lodge. 


312          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

schism.  Sir  Harry  Vane  was  the  author  of  that 
comprehensive  expression.  The  Parliament  received 
the  Scottish  stipulation  with  humble  thankfulness ; 
the  treaty  was  concluded ;  100,000£  was  paid  to  sus- 
tain their  religious  zeal;  its  first  fruits  were,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  occupation  of  Berwick  and  Carlisle 
by  the  Covenanters.  The  associated  counties  are 
now  mustering  strong  forces,  with  great  resources  to 
draw  upon  in  the  affections,  forced  or  real,  of  the 
yeomen  and  Roundhead  gentry.  Basil,  Earl  of  Den- 
bigh, whose  father  died  for  the  King  at  Birming- 
ham, was  appointed  General-in-Chief  of  the  Central 
Association,  in  January  19,  this  year,  and  the  sub- 
joined note  will  shew  how  zealously  he  was  bestir- 
ring himself  for  the  Parliament,  even  to  the  imposing 
of  the  Scottish  Covenant.1  The  Earl  of  Manchester, 

1    A    DECLARATION    BY    BASIL    EARL    OF    DENBIGH. 

"  Mr.  Mayor,  and  the  rest  of  the  gentlemen  of  Coventry,  Whereas 
it  hath  pleased  the  two  Houses  of  Parliament  and  the  Lord- 
General  to  make  me  Commander-in-chief  for  this  shire,  this  city, 
this  county,  together  with  the  three  other  associated  shires,  for 
the  command  of  the  forces  in  the  said  counties  for  raising  men, 
horses,  and  money  for  the  said  service ;  and  whereas,  upon  my 
declaration  of  myself  for  this  purpose,  some  of  you  have  readily 
brought  in  their  horse,  and  others,  I  doubt  not,  will  as  forwardly 
contribute  and  bring  in  their  horse  to  this  common  and  public 
work.  These  are  therefore,  first,  to  give  you  thanks  for  what 
you  have  done,  or  shall  do,  in  setting  forward  the  service  of  the 
State.  Secondly,  these  are  to  declare  and  assure  you,  that  mine 
eyes  shall  be  ever  vigilant  for  protection  of  you  and  this  shire, 
being  my  native  country,  whether  I  be  present  with  you  or 
absent  in  any  other  parts  of  the  association  ;  and  that  I  shall  be 
ready  to  administer  justice  equally  to  all,  without  respect  of 
persons,  so  that  neither  shall  your  city's  privileges  be  invaded  by 
my  military,  nor  in  least  way  infringed  with  my  privity  or  con- 


1643.]     PRINCE  RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       313 

another  Roundhead  son  of  a  Cavalier  sire,  is  ap- 
pointed Serjeant-Major-General  of  the  Eastern 
Associated  Counties,  in  "order  to  be  a  terror  to 
the  Northern  Papists,1  Newarkers,  and  Newcastles," 
if  they  advance  southwards  ;  but  not  a  man  will  pass 
the  boundaries  of  his  own  county,  at  present.  The 
"  Ironsides  "  are  now  training  in  mind  and  body,  un- 
der Cromwell,  in  these  Eastern  Counties,  and  had 

sent,  but  the  laudable  usages  and  immunity  of  this  honourable 
city  shall  be  by  me  cherished  and  defended  upon  true  and  just 
information  from  one  or  both  of  your  council-houses,  presuming 
you  will  expect  no  further  from  me  than  agrees  with  religion 
and  laws  established  for  the  defence  of  the  King  and  Parliament, 
and  my  authority  derived  from  both  the  Houses  and  my  Lord- 
General.  Thirdly,  whereas  I  am  informed  by  the  committee  that 
the  citizens  in  this  city  are  much  malignant,  these  therefore  are 
to  entreat  you,  if  there  be  any  amongst  you  that  doubt  of  the 
just  proceedings  of  the  two  Houses  of  Parliament,  to  apply  your- 
selves unto  some  pious,  learned,  and  able  divine  or  others  for 
satisfaction  and  resolution.  In  the  meantime  I  desire  you  to  use 
the  common  test  appointed  by  both  the  Houses,  which  is  the 
National  Covenant,  whereunto  I  shall  desire  to  be  informed 
by  you  all  in  particular,  whether  you  have  subscribed,  or  your 
resolution  to  subscribe  immediately  if  ye  have  not  yet  done  it. 
Lastly,  for  such  as  have  taken  the  National  Covenant,  I  shall 
desire  that  such  amongst  you  will  be  assisting  to  me  in  under- 
standing the  state  of  your  city,  the  number,  names,  and  quality 
of  the  malignants,  and  upon  all  occasions  to  represent  unto  me 
the  ways  of  better  security  and  protection  of  your  city,  which  in 
my  presence  I  shall  diligently  intend,  and  in  my  absence  shall 
charge  upon  Colonel  Barker  and  the  rest  of  the  committee  as 
their  duty  and  care ;  in  the  meantime,  let  us  maintain  a  mutual, 
constant  confidence  in  one  another,  and  yield  a  mutual  concur- 
rence in  power  and  endeavours  to  advance  that  cause  whereunto 
we  are  covenanted.  Mr.  Mayor  and  the  rest,  let  us  be  faithful 
and  cordial  in  so  good  a  cause  we  have  in  hand ;  my  life  and 
fortunes  shall  all  be  at  stake  for  the  public  service  and  for  you." 

From  the  Earl  of  Denbigh's  MSS.,  to  which  I  am  otherwise 
largely  indebted. 

1  Whitelocke  says  that  many  of  Lord  Newcastle's  men  deserted 
when  they  heard  of  the  cessation  with  the  Irish  Papists. 


314          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

already   fleshed   their   swords   at  Winceby  in   the 
Wolds,  Lincolnshire.1 

After  the  battle  of  Newbury,  Donnington  Castle 
had  been  garrisoned,2  and  Reading  retaken  for  the 
King,  and  Sir  Jacob  Astley  was  made  governor  of 
the  latter.  During  the  remainder  of  this  year, 
there  is  no  action  of  importance,  but  the  Prince's 
letters  continue  as  numerous  as  ever.  It  is  some- 
what sad  to  observe  how  many  of  our  old  corre- 
spondents have  dropped  off:  Lindsey,3  Aubigny,3 
Northampton,4  Denbigh,5  Bevil  Grenville,6  Grandi- 
son,7  Carnarvon,8  Falkland,8  Sunderland,8  Charles  Ca- 
vendish,9— all  these  have  fallen  within  six  months  ; 
all,  without  exception,  among  the  best  and  worthiest 

1  Carlyle's  Cromwell,  i.  190-5. 

2  The  following  commission   is   without   superscription,   but 
Lord  Clarendon's  "History"  shews  that  Colonel  Boys  was  the 
person  thus  addressed.     This  castle  appears  conspicuously  here- 
after, or  I  should  not  have  introduced  this  document,  and  it  was 
once  the  abode  of  Geoffrey  Chaucer  : — 

CHARLES  R. 

Trusty  and  well-beloved,  we  greet  you  well.  Whereas  we 
have  thought  fit,  for  the  defence  and  security  of  this  part  of  our 
county  of  Berks,  to  leave  a  considerable  number  of  soldiers  in 
Donnington  Castle,  we  have  made  choice  of  your  foot  and  dra- 
gooners,  and  of  the  dragooners  of  Sir  Robert  Howard.  Wherefore 
our  will  and  pleasure  is  that  you  forthwith  repair  with  the  said 
forces  into  the  said  castle,  there  to  continue  and  to  keep  the  same 
for  our  use,  and  to  command  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  therein 
as  you  shall  find  fit  for  our  service.  And  for  your  so  doing  these 
shall  be  your  sufficient  warrant. 

Given  under  our  sign-manual  at  our  Court  at  Newbury, 
this  22rid  September,  1643. 

3  At  Edgehill.  *  At  Hopton  Heath. 

5  At  Birmingham.  6  At   Lansdowne. 

7  At  Bristol.  8  At  Newbury. 
9  At  Winceby. 


1634.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       315 

of  the  Royal  army :  while  Goring,  Wilmot,  Digby, 
Lunsford,  Jermyn,  and  other  reprobates,  live  on 
merrily,  and  write  pertinaciously.  "  It  is  merciful, 
that  when  men's  days  are  evil,  they  should  be  like- 
wise few." 

The  King's  situation  at  this  period  must  have 
been  very  painful  to  his  sensitive  and  retiring  dis- 
position. Within  his  little  Court,  the  basest  in- 
trigues, the  most  rapacious  claimants,  the  most 
insatiable  avarice  and  ambition  seemed  to  have 
taken  possession  of  all  men's  minds.  His  domestic 
happiness,  dearer  to  him  than  all  else  on  earth,  per- 
petually sacrificed,  if  not  betrayed,  to  parasites  and 
flatterers  ;  his  wife  as  jealous  of  his  poor  remains  of 
power  as  his  bitterest  enemies.  Truly,  but  for  her 
sex,  her  sorrows,  and  her  Crown,  this  lady  had  little 
to  win  the  regard  or  reverence  of  an  honest  man : 
she  was  the  most  fatal  Sovereign  that  France  or 
Rome  ever  gave  to  England.  Her  presence  at  Ox- 
ford immensely  increased  the  King's  expenses,  as 
well  as  his  other  difficulties ;  want  of  money  began 
to  be  severely  felt,  and  there  were  no  apparent 
means  left  of  a  supply.  The  Scots  were  lowering 
on  the  northern  frontier;  the  Parliament  daily 
increasing  in  influence  and  strength  ;  the  sufferings 
of  the  Royalists  hourly  extending.  The  character, 
too,  of  the  King's  adherents  was  gradually  sinking :  to 
use  Lord  Clarendon's  apt  metaphor,  it  seemed  as  in 
some  scuffle,  where  weapons  are  wrenched  from 
men's  hands,  and  others  take  them  up,  so  that  each 


316          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

side  fights  with  the  arms  of  the  other  :  even  thus 
the  Cavaliers  had  parted  with  the  discipline,  the 
high  religious  tone,  the  gentleness  and  dignity  with 
which  they  had  begun  the  war,  and  the  Puritans 
had  become  possessed  of  all  these  except  the  two 
last.  The  hatred  of  hypocrisy,  and  desire  to  avoid 
everything  that  savoured  of  Puritanism  had  encou- 
raged a  very  evil  habit  of  swearing,  and  no  small 
measure  of  profanity.1  The  Courtiers  most  in  favour 
in  the  Court,  as  well  as  the  most  dashing  in  the  field, 


1  I  have  spoken  freely  of  the  blasphemies  and  hypocrisies  of 
many  of  the  Puritans ;  I  have  no  wish  to  screen  the  Cavaliers. 
There  was  but  too  much  foundation  for  the  Puritan  accusations, 
but  their  exaggerations  were  enormous.  Hugh  Peters,  in  his 
sermon  before  the  Parliament,  asserted  that  the  Cavaliers  gave  a 
reward  of  four  shillings  to  every  one  who  could  invent  a  new 
oath,  and  attributed  to  them  such  expressions  as  it  was  equally 
offensive  to  repeat,  (much  less  to  imagine,)  as  to  make  use  of.  In 
"  Marborough's  Miseries"  we  find  a  "favourite  song"  invented 
for  the  Cavaliers,  the  burden  of  which  is 

"  G —  d —  me,  ram  me,  sink  me  down  to  hell, 
If  ever  in  Maryborough  do  any  Roundhead  dwell." 

Another  pamphlet  asserts  of  them  that  "  they  out-swear  the 
French,  out-drink  the  Dutch,  and  out-paramour  the  Turk." — 
King's  Coll.  xc.  83.  Another  calls  them  "  Bold  sons  of  Belial  by 
the  daughters  of  Anak,  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing."  Sir 
Edward  Peyton  (a  libeller,  it  is  true)  says  that  James  I.  "  brought 
swearing  into  fashion,  cursing  his  people  with  all  the  plagues  of 
Egypt."  King  Charles,  indeed,  "gavel2d.  an  oath  to  Robert 
Lashly,  but  still  the  great  courtiers  garnished  their  mouths  with 
God  dammees,  as  if  they  desired  damnation  rather  than  salva- 
tion."— Secret  History  of  James  /.,  ii.  382.  Cromwell  asserted 
that  there  were  English  Cavaliers  with  the  Scotch  who  attacked 
him  at  Musselburgh  in  1650,  because  one  of  them  as  he  was  slain 
cried  out  with  his  last  breath,  "D — me,  I  go  to  my  King." — 
Relation  of  the  Great  Campaign,  Edinb.  1 806.  So  long  ago  as 
the  days  of  Joan  of  Arc,  when  that  heroic  girl  was  visited  by 
Lord  Warwick  in  her  cell,  she  said  to  them  (Dr.  Henry  tells 


1643.]       PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.          317 

were  notorious  profligates,   and   profligacy  became 
the  fashion. 

In  such  society,  how  sensibly  must  the  refined 
mind  of  Charles  have  felt  the  loss  of  his  old  com- 
panions—of those  who  had  died  for  him.  No  more 
pleasant  strolls  with  Falkland  in  the  Bodleian,1  or 
the  meadow  of  Christ  Church  !  No  more  conversa- 
tion with  the  grave  Carnarvon  about  the  wonders 
of  distant  lands,  especially  those  of  the  Holy  Se- 
pulchre, where  his  kingly  ancestors  had  fought.  All 


us),  "  I  know  that  you  English  will  put  me  to  death,  and  then 
think  that  you  can  conquer  France.  I  tell  you,  though  there 
were  600,000  God-dammees  more  in  France  than  there  are,  they 
could  never  conquer  us."'  It  would  be  as  easy  to  add  to  this 
unpleasant  note,  as  it  is  difficult  to  treat  of  such  a  subject  without 
offensiveness.  It  seems  that  under  Charles  II.  the  coxcombs 
tried  to  refine  upon  this  strange  luxury  of  swearing,  for  which 
Buckingham  used  to  "  D — n  their  diminutive  oaths." 

1  Most  of  my  readers  will  remember  the  anecdote  of  King 
Charles  and  Lord  Falkland  consulting  the  "  Sortes  Virgilianae," 
by  opening  the  book  at  random  and  taking  for  a  prophecy  the 
first  lines  that  met  their  eyes  :  when  the  King  did  so,  he  encoun- 
tered Dido's  imprecation  on  tineas  : — 

"  First  let  him  see  his  friends  in  battle  slain, 
And  their  untimely  fate  lament  in  vain  ; 
And  when  at  length  the  cruel  war  shall  cease, 
On  hard  conditions  let  him  buy  his  peace. 
Nor  let  him  then  enjoy  supreme  command, 
But  fall  untimely  by  some  hostile  hand." 

&neid,  Book  iv.  ver.  613. 

Lord  Falkland  observing  that  the  King  seemed  moved  at  this 
ominous  selection,  smilingly  opened  the  book,  in  order  to  remove 
the  King's  impression,  and  lighted  upon  the  JEneid  also,  book  xi. 
v.  152  :— 

"  I  warned  thee  but  in  vain,  for  well  I  knew 
What  perils  youthful  ardour  will  pursue  : 
O  curst  assay  of  arms,  disastrous  doom, 
Preludes  of  bloody  fields  and  fights  to  come." 

Dr.  Welwootfs  Mem.  p.  98 ;  Jesse. 


318          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

that  was  most  disinterested  and  cultivated  and  true- 
hearted  seemed  to  have  passed  away,  and  left  him 
a  prey  to  rapacious  Courtiers  and  ungovernable  sol- 
diers. It  is  true  that  Hyde  still  remained  to  him, 
wise  in  counsel  and  faithful  to  his  cause.  The  Duke 
of  Richmond  still  proved  that  disinterested  affection 
was  not  impossible  towards  Kings  ;  old  Nicholas,  too, 
was  faithful  and  single-minded,  and  Prince  Rupert, 
when  intrigues  from  within  or  services  from  without 
permitted  his  presence,  was  ever  a  welcome  guest, 
frank,  loyal,  and  straightforward.  Archbishop  Usher, 
also,  Hammond,  and  Jeremy  Taylor,  may  have 
afforded  congenial  society  to  a  King  who  loved  the 
letter  as  well  as  the  spirit  of  Divinity ;  and  doubt- 
less, the  romantic  cloisters  of  All  Souls,  where 
Sheldon  was  then  Warden,  were  often  visited  by  the 
pensive  King.  But  nothing  that  remained  could 
atone  for  that  which  once  had  been  :  it  is  not  to  the 
poet  or  the  maiden  only  that  Schiller's  lines  apply — 
"  the  beautiful  is  vanished,  and  returns  not." 

But  there  was  abundance  of  practical  business 
pressing  on  every  hour  of  the  day  to  distract  the 
Royal  mind  from  sentimental  sorrows.  Digby,  for 
ever  fertile  in  unlucky  ingenuities,  had  arranged, 
through  the  Queen,  the  recall  of  the  French  ambas- 
sador who  had  exhibited  very  Roundhead  predilec- 
tions. In  his  place,  the  Count  or  Prince1  Harcourt 
was  sent,  under  the  ostensible  task  of  mediating 

i  Whitelocke. 


1643.]    PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        319 

between  the  King  and  his  Parliament.  Nothing 
was  further  from  the  base  and  cunning  mind  of 
Mazarine  ;  yet  in  order  to  encourage  the  Queen's 
confidence  in  his  ambassador,  he  spread  a  report 
that  twenty  thousand  men  were  ready  to  embark  at 
St.  Malo's,  if  his  mediation  were  rejected.1  The 
ambassador  was  received  with  all  honour  by  the 
Parliament,  but  rudely  searched  by  their  rough  sol- 
diery. He  was  welcomed  warmly  at  Oxford,  where 
he  remained  long  enough  to  learn  the  misfortunes 
of  the  Court,  with  which  he  soon  returned  in 
triumph  into  his  own  country.  About  the  same 
time,  Lord  Leicester,  who  had  long  been  the  nomi 
nal  Lord-  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  refused  to  sign  the 
declaration  of  the  Peers  at  Oxford,  in  answer  to  the 
Scottish  Covenant.  He  then  withdrew  from  Oxford, 
and  the  great  Ormond  was  appointed  to  command 
in  Ireland;  the  most  judicious  choice  ever  made  by 
Charles.  One  of  the  immediate  consequences  was 
a  cessation  of  arms,  or  rather,  of  slaughter  with  the 
Irish  rebels,  at  which  the  Parliament  were  very  in- 
dignant ;2  the  more  so,  perhaps,  as  their  own  nego- 
tiations with  Scotland  were  then  pending. 

The  King  made  at  the  same  time  the  very  incon- 
siderate appointment  of  the  incapable  Earl  of  Berk- 
shire as  governor  of  Prince  Charles.  He  conceived 
it  at  the  time  to  be  an  unimportant  matter;  "as,"  said 
he,  "The  Queen  and  I  will  be  his  real  governors:" 


Whitelocke,  73. 


320          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF        [OCT. 

soon  afterwards,  when  obliged  to  part  with  his  son, 
and  for  ever,  he  felt  that  nothing  can  be  unimpor- 
tant, even  for  a  moment,  that  relates  to  the  education 
of  a  man,  whether  he  be  a  prince  or  a  peasant. 

It  is  now  full  time  to  return  to  Prince  Rupert's 
correspondence,  and  his  personal  achievements. 
Henceforth,  I  shall  touch  but  briefly  on  the  histori- 
cal events  in  politics,  or  in  the  field ;  except  such 
of  the  former  as  are  absolutely  necessary  to  the 
connection  of  the  parts  of  the  great  tragedy,  and  to 
explain  the  letters;  and  of  the  latter,  I  shall  only 
endeavour  to  describe  the  battles  of  Marston  Moor 
and  Naseby. 

The  cessation  of  arms  in  Ireland  produced  the 
following  letter  from  Lord  Taafe ;  the  forces  he 
alludes  to  arrived  safely,  and  fought  well ;  but  were 
ultimately  cut  off  almost  to  a  man.1 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

The  highest  of  my  desires  now  is  to  attend  you  in 
England,  the  affairs  of  this  kingdom  being  now  in  a  likely 
way  to  peace,  the  cessation  having  quieted  all  for  the  pre- 
sent, and  no  likelihood  of  breach  or  disturbance,  but  from 
the  Scots,  from  whom  we  cannot  be  secure,  without  we 
have  liberty  to  destroy  them. 

Sir,  here  are  four  thousand  foot  ready  to  be  sent  unto 
you,  if  they  were  provided  with  shipping,  which  I  hope 
very  speedily  to  procure,  being  now  going  to  agree  for  all 
those  that  be  in  the  power  of  the  Irish ;  Sir  Charles  Va- 
vasour takes  shipping  on  Wednesday  next,  and  brings  two 
thousand  of  the  forces  in  Munster  along  with  him.  Sir, 

1  Whitelocke's  Memoirs. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.         321 

if  these  be  too  few,  send  me  commission  and  I  will  furnish 
your  Highness  with  as  many  Irish  well-armed,  as  you 
please,  thus  craving  your  pardon  for  this  presumption,  I 
remain, 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 

TAAFFE. 

Dublin,  16th  October,  1643. 

The  Prince  was  now  on  his  way  to  Bedford, 
which  he  took,  and  wrote  to  the  King  to  send  some 
forces  from  Reading  to  check  the  enemy,  while  Sir 
Lewis  Dives  was  fortifying  Newport-Pagnel.1  Ru- 
pert had  hoped  thus  to  cut  off  the  communication 
between  London  and  the  North  ;  but  some  obscure 
orders  from  Oxford  drew  Sir  Lewis  Dives  from 

1  This  letter  proves  the  perpetual  care  and  management  the 
King  was  obliged  to  use  to  conciliate  his  unreasonable  and 
unreasoning  officers : — 

MAY    IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  hath  commanded  me  to  advertise  your  Highness, 
that  order  is  sent  to  Reading  for  the  fifteen  hundred  foot  to 
march  presently  thence  towards  Newport-Pagnel,  and  when  they 
shall  be  on  their  way  your  Highness  shall  have  notice  thereof 
from  my  Lord- General.  The  King  doth  think  fit  that  Colonel 
Charles  Floyd  shall  come  along  with  them  ;  as  well  because  he 
may  be  of  use  for  perfecting  the  fortifications  at  Newport-Pagnel, 
as  to  avoid  a  dispute  that  might  otherwise  happen  between 
Colonel  Bellasis  and  Colonel  Gerrard  (to  whom  his  Majesty  pro- 
mised the  command  of  the  foot  that  were  to  attend  your  High- 
ness), for  that  Gerrard  is  the  junior  colonel ;  but  if  your  Highness 
can  think  of  an  expedient  to  accommodate  that  question,  then 
Bellasis  shall  be  sent  to  your  Highness.  If  your  Highness  please 
to  send  your  commands  hither  on  any  occasion,  to  my  Lord- 
General  or  myself,  you  shall  from  time  receive  such  despatches  as 
shall  be  requisite  ;  and  I  humbly  assure  your  Highness  that 
there  is  none  ....  you  or  that  is  more  ambitious  to  serve  you 
than,  sir,  Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 
Oxford,  27th  October,  1643. 

VOL.  ii.  y 


322         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

Newport,  and  the  Parliamentary  forces  possessed 
themselves  of  the  town  and  its  raw  fortifications 
without  opposition,1  Sir  Lewis  with  some  difficulty 
saving  his  own  ammunition  and  baggage.  Concern- 
ing this  matter  there  is  a  long  correspondence, 
which  is  here  omitted,  but  may  be  found  abstracted 
in  the  Index.  Many  unimportant  letters  follow; 
they  prove  that  the  Prince  was  ever  in  the  field ; 
ever  striving  assiduously  to  do  his  duty,  and  ever 
thwarted  by  Lord  Digby  and  the  Queen's  party 
when  it  was  possible.  Respectable  old  Secretary 
Nicholas  remains  faithful  to  his  interests,  and  en- 
deavours somewhat  vainly  to  transact  straightfor- 


1    MAI  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  and  your  Highness's  servants  here,  who  met 
upon  occasion  of  the  letters  that  came  now  from  you  and  Sir 
Lewis  Dives,  approve  extremely  well  of  your  Highness's  resolution 
expressed  in  yours  to  my  Lord  Duke.  What  was  done  by  Sir 
Lewis  Dives,  was  done,  as  appears,  upon  Sir  Frederick  Corn- 
wallis's  mistake  of  his  Majesty's  directions,  whereof  his  Majesty 
is  sensible,  and  will  for  the  future  be  more  careful  by  whom  he 
conveys  his  orders.  The  King  hath  sent  again  to  quicken  the 
Lord  Hopton,  and  to  get  him  to  march  with  all  diligence.  We 
here  are  told  that  the  Earl  of  Essex's  going  to  Hitchin  was  so 
much  out  of  his  way  to  Newport-Pagnel,  as  it  is  believed  he  may 
possibly  incline  to  draw  his  forces  to  join  with  the  Earl  of  Man- 
chester ;  before  he  approach  nearer  to  Newport,  but  of  this  your 
Highness  is  likely  to  have  the  most  certain  advertisements.  The 
King  hath  added  to  this  committee  the  Earl  of  Lindsey  [lately 
Lord  Willoughby  d'Eresby,  and  a  prisoner  to  the  Parliament 
since  his  father's  death  at  Edgehill],  wherewith  his  Majesty  hath 
commanded  me  to  acquaint  your  Highness.  I  wrote  to  your 
Highness  yesterday  by  an  express,  who,  I  hope,  came  safe  to  your 
Highness.  As  I  had  written  thus  far,  there  came  an  express 
from  Sir  Jacob  Astley,  with  the  letters  enclosed  to  my  Lord- 
General. 

Oxon,  28th  Oct.  1643. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      323 

ward  business,  in  spite  of  his  tortuous  colleague. 
On  the  30th  he  thus  writes : — 

There  is  order  given  for  making  of  50/.  worth 

of  bread,  which  shall  be  sent  hence  on  Wednesday  or 
Thursday  next ;  and  the  committee  desires  your  Highness 
to  direct  what  'proportion  of  victuals  you  will  have  here 
provided  from  time  to  time  ;  but  in  regard  of  the  distance 
and  difficulty  to  procure  carriages,  it  is  desired  that  you 
would  take  order  to  have  provisions  from  Buckingham  and 
Bicester,  where  it  is  said  good  store  may  be  had. 

As  to  your  Highness's  going  [ciphers]  ;  your  proposi- 
tion is  so  general  that  the  committee  [in  imitation  of  the 
Parliament,  Digby  and  some  others  have  formed  them- 
selves into  a  close  committee  from  which  the  General 
Privy  Council  is  excluded]  cannot  tell  what  to  say  to  it ; 
neither  are  they  inclining  to  it ;  but  if  your  Highness 
please  to  propose  to  them  [ciphers]  .  .  .  My  Lord  Duke 
[of  Richmond]  is  most  affectionately  solicitous  here  in  all 
that  concerns  your  Highness ;  he  is  now  preparing  a 
cipher  for  you,  and  for  that  reason  desires  to  be  excused, 
that  he  writes  not  by  this  bearer. 

This  is  the  fourth  letter  I  have  sent  to  your  Highness 
since  your  departure,  and  shall  be  glad  to  hear  that  they 
are  all  come  safe  to  your  Highness's  hands,  as  three  of 
yours  are  to  your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

Sir  Jacob  Astley  writes  that  he  hears  eight  hundred 
of  Sir  William  Waller's  men  are  run  from  him  :  he  is 
about  Farnham.  The  Lord  Ranelagh  died  here  the  last 
night. 

Oxford,  30th  Oct.  1643, 
at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

It  appears  from  the  following  letter  that  Prince 
Rupert  was  at  Cirencester  on  the  31st  of  October. 

Y  2 


324         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [OCT. 

I  found  it  in  the  State  Paper  Office,  without  the 
date  of  year,  and  misplaced  by  chance  in  the  bundle, 
marked  1647  in  the  office. 


"  PRINCE  RUPERT  TO  GENERAL  GORING. 
"  SIR, 

"  I  shall  not  trouble  you  with  any  great  busi- 
ness, supposing  that  Secretary  Nicholas  hath  orders 
to  acquaint  you  with  all  particulars,  only  this,  that 
(cipher)  as  soon  as  possibly  you  can.  We  are  in 
much  better  condition  since  you  have  brought  us  so 
many  gallant  men,  and  among  them  yourself,  in 
whose  safety  and  welfare  I  have  a  great  interest, 
being  Your  very  faithful  friend  to  serve  you, 
Cirencester,  Oct.  31st.  "  RUPERT." 


In  a  postscript  to  another  letter  of  the  following 
day,  he  adds : — 

The  French  Ambassador  [Harcourt]  saith  he  hath  re- 
ceived letters  from  the  French  Queen  about  the  release  of 
Walter  Montague  [The  King's  Ambassador  to  Paris, 
who  had  been  arrested  lately,  on  his  way  to  Oxford,  by  the 
Parliament,  it  is  supposed  by  the  instigation  of  Mazarini]. 
Whereupon  he  intends  shortly  to  go  to  London. 

It  appears  now,  from  numerous  letters  of  Lord 
Wilmot's,  that  he  was  quartered  about  Buckingham, 
the  Brill,  and  Bostall,  with  Lords  Carlisle  and  Byron's 
and  Sir  Thomas  Aston's  regiments  of  horse.  But 
soon  afterwards  I  find  the  Prince  moving  towards 
Cireneester,  as  I  presume  from  a  letter  [dated 
Nov.  1st]  requesting  him  to  order  bread  to  be  baked 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      325 

at  Banbury  for  his  troops,  as  Oxford  finds  a  diffi- 
culty in  providing  carriages,  and  the  rain  may  spoil 
provisions  on  their  march.  On  the  same  day  Nicho- 
las writes  this  information  concerning  the  enemy's 
movements,  and  other  matters  : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  have  spoken  to  his  Majesty  that  your  Highness 
might  be  supplied  with  the  train  of  artillery  and  other 
necessaries,  expressed  in  the  note  which  the  Lord  Byron 
brought  from  your  Highness,  and  his  Majesty  having  given 
it  to  the  Lord  Percy,  his  lordship  hath  undertaken  to  give 
your  Highness  satisfaction  in  it.  Monday  last,  Waller  sat 
down  before  Basing-house,  and  Wednesday  last  he  drew 
off  his  ordnance  and  forces  to  Basingstoke,  a  mile  from 
Basing-house,  where  he  now  lies  with  all  his  forces  and 
threatens  to  return  thither  to  assault  that  house  again  ; 
and  hath  sent  for  scaling  ladders  to  Windsor  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  Marquis  of  Winchester  writes  cheerfully, 
saith  he  hath  four  hundred  men,  and  three  weeks'  victual- 
ling, and  that  he  hath  killed  divers  of  the  rebels,  and  lost 
only  one  man  and  one  hurt.  Mount  Stamford  being  taken 
by  his  Majesty's  forces  near  Plymouth,  we  hope  that  place 
will  not  hold  out  long.  Sir  F.  Berkeley  was,  Wednesday 
last,  at  Huntington,  twenty  miles  on  this  side  Exeter,  with 
four  regiments  of  foot,  and  will,  we  hope,  be  at  Winches- 
ter Monday  next. 

The  King  understanding  that  your  Highness  wants  offi- 
cers, hath  given  order  to  Sir  Arthur  Aston  to  provide  some 
to  wait  on  your  Highness,  Monday  or  Tuesday  next.  I 
shall  add  no  more  to  this,  but  that  I  am, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

Oxon,  1st  Nov.  1643.  EDWARD  NICHOLAS. 

P.S. — The  Marquis  of  Ormond  is  to  be  shortly  Lord- 
Lieutenant  of  Ireland. 


326          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [NOV. 

It  appears  that  Lord  Hopton  is  now  inarching  to 
relieve  Winchester.1  Richard  Cave  writes  word  on 
the  4th  of  November  that  Prince  Maurice  is  some- 
what better  in  health,  but  unable  to  assist  at  the 
camp  before  Plymouth  in  person :  the  army  there 
is  stated  to  be  rather  slack  in  its  siege  operations. 
Wilmot  is  fallen  ill  at  Brackley,  and  Sir  John  Byron 
writes  for  him  that  Ashburnham  writes  word  there 
is  no  pay  to  be  had  for  their  troopers,  so  their  regi- 
ment must  disband !  It  seems  that  even  thus  early 
the  Prince  proposed  to  the  King  to  send  Lord 
Byron  to  the  North,  with  any  troops  that  could  be 
spared,  to  relieve  Lathom  House,  to  check  Man- 
chester, relieve  Newark,  and  strengthen  the  Earl 
(now  the  Marquis)  of  Newcastle.  To  this  the  sub- 
joined letter  applies,  and  its  postscript  is  deserving 


1    MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

This  day  there  went  from  hence  351.  worth  of  bread,  and 
2400  weight  of  cheese,  which  will  be  this  night  at  Brackley ;  and 
there  is  order  given  for  making  up  of  more  biscuit.  We  hear 
that  the  Lord  Hopton  will  be  this  night,  with  part  of  his  forces, 
at  Stockbridge,  which  is  about  seven  miles  from  Winchester. 
The  Earl  of  Essex  is,  by  order  from  London,  to  make  his  winter 
quarters  at  St.  Alban's  and  Newport-Pagnel,  and  there  are  now 
at  Cambridge  three  thousand  of  the  Norfolk  and  Suffolk  men, 
and  at  Hickam,  two  thousand  of  the  trained  hands  of  Bedford 
and  Hertfordshire.  Sir  William  Waller  hath  drawn  some  of  his 
forces  towards  Winchester,  and  sent  parties  to  try  what  might  be 
done  against  Colonel  Gerrard  there,  but  durst  not  make  any  at- 
tempt ;  and  now  it  is  written  from  Basing,  that  he  will  try  what 
he  can  do  upon  that  place. 

I  am  really  and  humbly, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDW.  NICHOLAS. 
Oxon,  3rd  Nov.  1643. 


1643.  J       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       327 

of  notice  on  other  accounts.1  The  next  letter,  dated 
the  7th,  alludes  to  Waller  being  reinforced  before 
Basing  House,  from  which  he  was  soon  afterwards 


1    MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  having  no  time  himself,  hath  commanded  me 
to  give  your  Highness  this  answer  to  your's  of  yesterday's  date, 
that  he  is  very  glad  that  your  Highness's  judgment  concurs  with 
his,  concerning  the  Lancashire  propositions,  and  doth  much  ap- 
prove of  your  two  animadversions  in  your  Highness's  enclosed, 
which  he  doth  suppose  will  be  easily  satisfied.  As  for  the  first, 
his  Majesty  doubts  not  but  that  his  forces  will  be  strong  enough 
in  horse  against  Waller,  when  those  three  regiments  are  taken 
away,  they  being  much  the  weakest  of  all  his  Majesty's  forces  in 
those  parts,  and  having  lately  sent  two  stronger  regiments  to 
supply  them,  and  resolving  to  draw  down  other  two  regiments 
that  way,  in  case  there  shall  be  need.  As  for  your  second,  his 
Majesty  saith  your  Highness  hath  answered  yourself,  for  his 
intent  ever  was,  that  Charles  Gerrard  should  have  the  remainders  of 
his  own  and  the  Lord  Byron's  brigade,  to  keep  him  still  in  the  same 
quality  he  is  ;  only,  his  Majesty  doth  not  like  that  Sir  Thomas 
Aston  and  Butler's  regiments  should  go  to  that  service,  the  first 
being  so  obnoxious  in  those  counties,  and  the  other  having  so  ill 
a  reputation  for  a  plunderer,  would  very  much  disadvantage  that 
service.  As  for  Sir  Thomas  Aston  being  an  elder  colonel  than 
Charles  Gerrard,  his  Majesty  conceives  it  to  be  no  argument  why 
he  should  not  be  content  to  serve  under  him,  he  being  a  briga- 
dier, which  the  other  never  was.  Thus  his  Majesty  hopes  that 
he  hath  satisfied  your  Highness's  queries,  which  he  acknowledgeth 
to  be  very  substantial ;  therefore  his  Majesty  desires  you  to  send 
my  Lord  Byron  presently  to  him,  if  your  Highness  can  possibly 
spare  him,  that  this  great  design  may  be  presently  adjusted,  for 
his  Majesty  thinks  it  of  that  weight,  that  without  it  not  only 
those  counties  will  be  in  hazard  to  be  irrecoverably  lost,  but  like- 
wise my  Lord  of  Newcastle's  army  will  be  put  into  very  great 
straits,  as  also  the  Scots  are  likely  to  come  in  with  very  great 
disadvantage  to  the  King's  service,  if  this  design  be  not  effec- 
tually prevented.  To  this  I  shall  only  add,  that  I  am  really 
Your  Highness  most  humble  servant, 

EDW.  NICHOLAS. 
Oxon,  6th  Nov.  1643. 

His  Majesty  desires  your  Highness  to  send  the  five  hundred 
cattle  which  you  have  taken,  to  Oxford,  that  they  may  be  there 


328  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [NOV. 

driven  by  Hopton.     His  next  exploit  was  the  re- 
capture of  Arundel  and  its  castle,  in  January,  1644. 
Here  Chillingworth  was  taken  prisoner,  and  it  was 
falsely  stated  by  the  Royalists  that  his  death   was 
caused   by  his  cruel   usage;    it   is   true,  however, 
that  his  exulting  persecutor,   Cheynell,  flung  this 
great    controversialist's   work   into    his   grave,  and 
"  bid  them  both  rot  together."     I  find  a  letter  also 
dated  on  the  7th,  from  Sir  John  (now  Lord)  Byron, 
accepting  very  gratefully  the  Prince's  appointment 
of  him  as  General  "  in  Lancashire  and  those  parts ;" 
at  the  same  time  he  requests  Prince  Rupert  to  have 
him  made  governor  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  instead 
of  Lord  Hertford.1    Lord  Byron  writes  a  letter  with 
too  much  incident  to  be  passed  over.    It  seems  that 
he  and  Ogle  have  been  tampering  with  the  governor 
at  Aylesbury  and  other  places.2 

sold  to  the  best  advantage,  which  he  promiseth  your  Highness 
shall  be  sent  back  to  you,  every  penny,  in  money,  to  be  distri- 
buted as  your  Highness  pleaseth,  without  accounting  it  as  any 
part  of  pay. 

1  He  was  afterwards  made  governor  to  the  Duke  of  York. 

2    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

Sir — My  Lord  Wilmot's  sickness  increased  so  upon  him,  that 
he  was  forced  yesterday  to  go  to  Oxford,  with  an  intention  to 
return  hither  within  a  few  days,  but  I.  fear  he  will  not  be  able. 
The  business  of  Hisbury  is  discovered  to  the  governor  himself 
who  hath  sent  the  poor  woman  that  was  employed  betwixt  us, 
prisoner  to  my  Lord  of  Essex,  at  Great  Alban's,  where,  I  believe, 
she  is  hanged  by  this  time.  I  suppose  our  failing  of  Newport 
made  him  doubt  of  the  possibility  of  effecting  the  other,  and  con- 
sequently, by  this  means,  to  ingratiate  himself  with  his  master  : 
howsoever,  I  am  sure  he  hath  declared  himself  both  a  fool  and  a 
knave.  All  our  quarters  hereabouts  are  so  eaten  up,  that  there 
will  be  no  possibility  of  subsisting  here  above  three  or  four  days 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        329 

On  the  llth,  we  have  the  results  of  Prince 
Rupert's  recommendation  in  the  following  commis 
sion  to  Lord  Byron,  who  was  soon  afterwards  made 
governor  of  Chester  and  Shropshire.  The  best  part 
of  the  Anglo-Irish  army,  landing  at  Chester,  was  by 
his  earnest  request  placed  under  his  orders.  He 
marched  them  in  January  against  Nantwich,  the 
only  Roundhead  town  in  those  parts,  and  there  he 
was  severely  defeated  by  Sir  William  Brereton : — 

CHARLES  R., 

Right  trusty  and  right  entirely  beloved  nephew,  we 
greet  you  well.  Whereas  we  have  newly  received  infor- 
mation of  the  hazardous  condition  of  our  affairs  in  Cheshire 
and  Lancashire,  unless  a  speedy  supply  of  some  fresh  forces 
be  sent  thither,  we  having  formerly  designed  our  right 
trusty,  &c.,  the  Lord  Byron  unto  that  employment.  Our 
will  and  pleasure  is,  that  immediately  upon  sight  hereof, 
you  give  order  unto  the  said  Lord  Byron  to  march  with 
his  regiment  toward  our  City  of  Chester.  We  having  like- 
wise commanded  all  the  other  Lancashire  regiments  to 
march  away  also  with  all  expedition,  to  join  themselves 

at  the  most,  which  I  humbly  beseech  your  Highness  to  take  into 
your  consideration ;  as  likewise,  I  may  have  the  pay  that  was 
promised  me  for  my  regiment  at  my  return,  without  which  I 
must  ride  as  a  volunteer  in  your  Highness's  troop,  for  I  am  sure 
I  shall  have  no  regiment  to  command  ;  and  truly,  sir,  it  would 
be  much  for  the  King's  service,  in  my  opinion,  if  your  old  tried 
regiments  might  have  rest  this  winter,  that  they  may  be  strong 
and  well  recruited  against  the  spring,  and  let  the  new  levied 
troops  learn  their  duty  ;  for  my  own  particular,  if  I  may  have 
but  rest  and  pay  for  three  months,  I  will  undertake  to  make  up 
my  regiment  in  that  time  four  hundred  horse  effective.  I  have 
given  orders  for  the  speedy  bringing  of  all  the  shovels  and  spades 
in  those  parts  to,  I  am,  Sir, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  most  obliged  servant, 

JOHN  BYRON. 
Brackley,  9th  Nov.  1643. 


330         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [NOV. 

unto  the  said  Lord  Byron's  regiment,  at  such  place  as  he 
shall  judge  fit  to  appoint. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Oxford,  this  eleventh  of 
November,  1643.    By  his  Majesty's  command. 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 

Of  the  same  date  we  have  a  letter  from  Sir  Jacob 
Astley,  asking  for  ammunition  for  Reading,  and 
complaining  of  Colonel  Blagge's  plundering  propen- 
sities ;  "  in  sooth  he  is  a  notable  griper,"  he  says.  A 
letter  of  advice  concerning  Cheshire,  Waller,  Crom- 
well, and  a  treaty  follows,1  with  some  indifferent 
communications  on  other  matters.  Then  Secretary 
Nicholas  writes  on  the  16th,  that  Sir  John  Lucas 
and  the  Earl  of  Carlisle's  regiment  are  to  be  sent  to 


1    MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

There  being  an  express  come  from  the  Lord  Capel,  adver- 
tising that  the  rebels  have  taken  the  Holt,  a  place  and  passage 
near  Chester,  which  so  straitens  that  town  as  they  can  have  no 
provisions  brought  to  the  same,  and  opening  a  way  for  the  rebels 
to  go  into  North  Wales,  his  Majesty  hath  thought  it  necessary  to 
hasten  away  the  Lord  Byron  with  all  diligence,  and  hath  com- 
manded me  to  give  notice  to  your  Highness  that  Sir  Arthur  Aston 
shall  not  fail  to  attend  you  to-morrow,  that  by  the  Lord  Byron's 
absence  your  Highness  may  not  have  your  number  of  officers  dimi- 
nished. Sir  William  Waller  was  on  Friday  morning  in  Basing- 
stoke,  and  gave  forth  that  he  intended  to  assault  again  Basing 
House,  to  which  end  he  got  some  cart-loads  of  ladders,  but  it  is 
thought  he  will  not  get  his  men  to  attempt  it.  The  Earl  of 
Manchester  is  still  at  London,  and  bis  forces  at  Cambridge ;  and 
Cromwell  is  at  Sleaford,  in  Lincolnshire,  with  his  forces. 

Tbe  Earl  of and  Mr.  Will.  Murray  came  to  this  town 

last  night.  If  there  be  any  treat  at  London,  I  am  confident  it 
will  not  succeed  ;  but  I  assure  your  Highness  I  know  of  none  at 
all.  God  bless  your  Highness's  endeavours  with  a  happy  success  j 
so  prayeth,  Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

EDW.  NICHOLAS. 

Oxon,  12th  Nov.  1643. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      331 

him  instead  of  those  which  Byron  has  taken  to  the 
North,  and  that  "  the  young  Earl  of  Carnarvon  was 
by  his  tutor  carried  to  London  on  Saturday  last." 
Then  follow  several  letters,  the  sum  of  whose  intel- 
ligence is,  that  Lord  Digby's  spies  have  ascertained 
that  Essex  and  Waller  are  still  at  feud,  and  that 
their  soldiers  or  trainbands  desert  from  one  to  the 
other.  That  Essex  is  threatening  Tossiter  [Tow- 
cester],  and  yet  making  a  depot  at  Aylesbury.  Mon- 
mouth,  in  Wales,  with  St.  Pierre,  and  other  places, 
has  been  recovered  for  the  King.  On  the  27th, 
Aston  reports  that  he  is  diligently  fortifying  Tow- 
cester,  and  preparing  provisions  according  to  the 
Princess  orders.  I  fear  to  weary  the  reader's 
patience  with  the  twentieth  part  of  the  communi- 
cations that  now  pour  in  upon  the  Prince  ;  com- 
plaints, compliments,1  applications  for  promotion, 
accusations,  remonstrances,  and  other  subjects  of 
very  ephemeral  interest,  even  to  those  who  have 
been  sleeping  soundly  for  two  hundred  years.  I  shall 
confine  myself  to  the  contents  of  a  very  few,  in 

1  This  one  I  am  tempted  to  introduce  from  its  quaintness  : — 
SIR, 

My  hopes  to  be  drawn  near  to  your  Highness's  commands, 
emboldens  me  to  present  unto  you  this  rude  testimony  of  my 
ambition.  As  I  have  been  happy  in  your  smiles,  so  I  beg  the 
honour  of  your  service.  I  am,  with  my  firelocks,  zealous  in  de- 
sire to  wait  on  your  pleasure  :  it  is  not  advance  of  title  I  covet, 
but  your  commission  to  reduce  me  to  my  old  duty,  which  shall 
really  testify  that  I  am,  Sir, 

Your  Highness's  faithful  servant, 

THOMAS  SUDFORD. 
From  my  Garrison  in  Briston  Castle, 
Nov.  30,  1643. 


332          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [DEC. 

order  to  finish  the  correspondence  of  1643.  On  the 
1st  of  December  Lord  Wilmot  reports  that  Essex 
has  moved  from  Bicester  to  Gloucester,  and  that 
his  cavalry  are  so  wearied  he  cannot  pursue  or 
observe  the  enemy's  motions.  The  subjoined  letter 
from  Vavasour,  as  it  contains  notices  of  intrigues 
against  the  Prince,  and  also  some  hope  of  strength 
for  the  following  year,  I  insert.1  The  following 
letter  from  Lord  Hopton  breathes  the  brave  old 
spirit,  that  redeems  so  many  of  the  faults  and  vices 
of  the  Cavaliers  : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

Your  Highness's  commands  concerning  Colonel  Ger- 
rard's  regiment,  as  all  other  your  commands,  I  shall  ever 

1  MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HIGHNESS, 

Sir — Your  gracious  and  kind  expressions  is  a  reward  for  all 
that  I  have  endeavoured,  or  shall  be  hereafter  capable  to  deserve 
of  your  Highness.  I  am  infinitely  well  satisfied  that  your  High- 
ness hath  put  off  the  designs,  for  though  I  durst  not  be  so  confi- 
dent as  to  deliver  myself  upon  uncertainties,  yet  I  did  conceive  it 
an  intended  plot  laid  to  your  disadvantage,  and,  I  fear,  consented 
to  by  some  of  credit  with  your  Highness.  Sir,  I  am  now  in  a 
very  good  way,  if  no  alteration  come  from  Court.  I  hope  this 
winter  to  block  up  Gloucester  round,  and  to  present  a  handsome 
army  to  your  Highness  by  the  spring.  I  can  have  men  and  arms 
enough,  and  hope,  by  the  16th  of  this  month,  to  have  eight  thou- 
sand before  hand  :  if  the  counties  perform  what  they  lately  sub- 
scribed to,  I  shall  march  on  Thursday  next  from  hence,  and 
intend  to  fortify  Panswick,  and  then  to  Tewkesbury,  which  will 
be  a  handsome  garrison  for  the  soldiers,  from  whence  I  can  hold 
correspondence  with  the  forces  I  intend  in  the  forest  of  Dean  ; 
when  I  am  Your  Highness's  most  faithful  servant, 

W.  VAVASOUR.* 
Bristol,  Dec.  4,  1643.       

*  Sir  William  writes  soon  afterwards  to  say,  that  all  his  de- 
signs have  been  crossed  from  Oxford,  and  that  he  cannot  block- 
ade Gloucester. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       333 

be  most  ready  to  obey.  I  shall  only  offer  to  your  High- 
ness my  present  difficulty,  which  is,  that  we  being  here, 
near  the  enemy,  and  our  horse  decreasing  much,  I  am 
doubtful,  lest  in  sparing  a  good  old  regiment,  I  may  give 
the  enemy  too  great  an  advantage  upon  me  in  this  cham- 
paign country  ;  unless  your  Highness  will  please  to  do  me 
the  favour  to  send  me  some  other  good  regiment  that  hath 
had  rest,  till  this  be  recreate^.  The  truth  is,  the  duty  of 
the  service  here  were  unsupportable,  were  it  not  in  this 
cause,  where  there  is  so  great  a  necessity  either  of  pre- 
vailing through  all  difficulties,  or  suffering  them  to  prevail, 
which  cannot  be  thought  of  in  good  English  ;  therefore, 
if  your  Highness  resume  the  horse  regiment,  I  should  be 
glad  to  give  these  some  ease  as  I  could.  I  rest,  in  all 
humility  and  faithfulness, 

Your  Highness's  most  humbly  devoted  Servant, 

RALPH  HOPTON. 

Alresford,  Dec.  12,  1643. 

Sir  Nicholas  Byron  writes,  on  the  1 2th,  that  Lord 
"Ormond's  army"  has  arrived,1  in   which  Colonel 


1    MAT  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

Hardinge  [Harden]  Castle  being  as  poorly  surrendered  by 
composition  as  it  was  basely  betrayed  at  first,  gives  us  assurance 
of  our  good  success  against  the  rebels  who  are  in  very  great  dis- 
traction :  we  are  able  to  march  four  thousand  foot,  and  very  near 
one  thousand  horse,  besides  my  Lord  Capel's,  which  continue  in 
Shropshire.  This  day  is  appointed  our  march  out  of  Chester,  into 
those  parts,  have  been  most  useful  to  the  rebels,  and  where  we 
come  upon  the  place,  shall  dispose  of  ourselves  according  to  the 
best  opportunity,  we  shall  meet  withall :  this  being,  my  Lord  of 
Ormond's  army,  I  am  only  a  volunteer  for  the  present,  till  his 
Lordship's  pleasure  be  further  known  upon  all  occasions.  I  shall 
take  the  boldness  to  acquaint  your  Highness  with  the  occurrences 
of  these  parts,  and  endeavour  to  express  myself 

Your  Highness's  humblest  of  servants, 

N.  BYRON. 
Chester,  12th  Dec.  1643. 


334         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [DEC. 

Monk  held  a  commission.  He  was  taken  prisoner, 
not  unwillingly,  by  the  Parliament's  forces  at  Nant- 
wich  :  after  some  confinement,  for  appearance  sake, 
he  received  a  commission  from  his  quondam  ene- 
mies, and  acted  as  their  servant,  until  finally  he 
crushed  them.  Lord  Howley  writes  on  the  14th 
from  Bristol,  requesting  to  be  made  "  General-in- 
chief"  of  two  or  three  straggling  regiments  in 
Somersetshire,  under  Colonels  Windibank  and  Sir 
Robert  Welch. 

On  the  16th  of  December  there  occurs  a  letter, 
which  throws  considerable  light  on  the  manner  in 
which  these  numerous  forces  were  maintained  by  a 
King  without  money,  credit,  or  resources.  A  war- 
rant1 (a  sort  of  indemnity  for  plundering)  was  issued 


1  At  a  Council  of  War,  held  Nov.  30,  1643,  his  Majesty  being 
present,  the  inhabitants  of  Wilts  agreed  to  pay  to  the  King,  by 
way  of  loan,  for  the  space  of  one  month,  a  weekly  contribution  of 
12001.  towards  the  maintenance  of  the  King's  army  out  of  that 
county — to  be  proportionably  laid  upon  all  parts  of  the  said 
county.  That  each  soldier  shall  pay  for  his  horse's  provision 
these  rates  following  : — oats  Is.  Qd.  per  bushel,  pease  and  beans 
2s.  the  bushel,  hay  5d.  the  tod,  grass  2s.  6d.  per  week.  That  no 
officer  shall  press  or  take  any  horses  or  other  cattle,  or  any  of 
their  provisions  or  other  goods ;  and  in  case  of  such  loss  or 
damage,  the  party  suffering  to  be  repaid  out  of  the  weekly  loan. 
That  no  manner  of  free  quarter  or  billeting  shall  be  taken  by 
any  horse  or  foot  soldier  without  present  payment  for  the  same, 
except  only  for  house-room,  according  to  the  quality  of  the  per- 
son billeted,  and  of  the  person  in  whose  house  he  is  billeted, 
and  except  for  this  and  candle,  such  as  the  master,  mistress,  or 
dame  use  for  themselves  and  their  own  family.  That  there  be 
no  more  soldiers  billeted  in  one  house  than  the  said  house  will 
conveniently  receive,  and  that  no  quartermaster  shall  quarter 
any  men  in  any  house  without  the  assistance  of  the  officer  of  that 
place.  That  no  women,  boys,  or  children  following  the  army 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       335 

to  the  commanding-officer,  giving  him  so  many  hun- 
dreds, or  parishes,  as  the  case  might  be,  as  the  Ro- 
mans gave  provinces  for  pay.  The  jealousy  of  each 
commanding-officer  caused  the  boundaries  of  his 
own  district  to  be  strictly  observed,  and  was  their 
only  security  from  unlimited  spoliation. 

SIR, 

I  have  encountered  many  difficulties  in  the  establish- 
ing of  this  garrison,  but  now  I  am  redacted  to  greater 
perplexities  than  before  ;  since  those  hundreds  which  were 
by  your  Highness  allotted  for  the  maintenance  of  this 
garrison,  are  by  his  Majesty's  express  order  withdrawn, 
and  assigned  to  my  Lord  of  Northampton  for  the  enter- 
tainment of  the  garrison  of  Banbury,  and  nothing  left  to 
me  but  the  Hundreds  of  Clely,  Towcester  and  Norton,  the 
two  last  whereof  are  so  ruined  by  the  long  abode  of  the 
horse  amongst  them,  that  they  can  contribute  little  or 
nothing.  Clely  is  possessed  by  Sir  John  Digby,  and 
nothing  can  be  exacted  from  thence  till  he  be  removed ; 
and  when  he  is  removed,  the  contributions  that  can  be 
levied  here  will  not  pay  the  half  of  that  which  is  requisite, 
so  that  unless  there  be  means  found  to  supply  this  garrison 
with  a  weekly  supply  of  three  hundred  pounds,  it  will  be 
altogether  impossible  to  preserve  it.  Neither  is  it  to  be 
expected  that  soldiers  will  remain  here,  where  they  are 
tied  to  a  perpetual  duty,  unless  they  be  duly  paid.  If  a 
competent  entertainment  be  afforded  it,  I  hope  this  place 
shall  prove  advantageous  for  his  Majesty's  affairs,  otherwise 
it  will  be  impossible  to  keep  a  soldier  here.  I  expect 
another  week's  pay  from  Mr.  Ashburnham,  according  to 
promise,  and  after  that  such  weekly  supply  as  may  make 

be  permitted  from  henceforth  to  have  house-room,  unless  it  be  by 
consent  and  by  composition  with  the  owner  of  the  house. — From 
a  Pamphlet  in  the  Sutherland  Collection. 


336          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [DEC. 

up  with  the  contributions  due  pay  to  the  garrison.  I  ex- 
pect your  Highness's  favourable  resolution.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  rest  your  Highness's  most  humble  and  most 

Obedient  Servant, 

J.    COCHRANE. 
Towcester,  16th  Dec.  1643. 

There  was  another  source  of  revenue,  of  which 
we  have  an  amusing  instance  in  the  following  letter. 
A  prisoner  was  an  important  part  of  the  booty,  and 
represented  so  much  prize-money  in  proportion  to 
his  rank.  Impoverished  as  most  men,  except  Par- 
liamentary leaders,  were  in  these  times,  a  man's 
freedom,  nevertheless,  was  always  worth  a  consider- 
able purchase.  As  regarded  soldiers  of  fortune, 
they  were  only  detained  as  prisoners,  in  order  to  be 
a  ransom  for  each  other.  But,  when  some  man  of 
wealth  was  taken,  his  needy  captor  made  the  most 
of  him,  and  priced  him  according  to  his  known 
resources,  or  the  affection  of  his  family.  There  is 
something  almost  touching  in  the  appeal  that  Ger- 
rard  makes  to  the  Prince  concerning  his  "  Sumner ;" 
he  was  probably  worth  from  three  to  four  hundred 
gold  pieces.  I  find  no  traces  elsewhere  of  this 
precious  prisoner ;  he  was  probably  some  rich  mer- 
chant, who  was  tempted  by  vanity  or  enthusiasm  to 
"  ride  a  coloneling  "  in  those  days. 

SIR  GILBERT  GERRARD  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
SIR, 

I  must  crave  your  pardon  for  giving  your  Highness 
so  often  trouble.  Being  at  this  present  informed  that  some 
make  use  of  what  means  they  can  for  the  getting  of  Sum- 


1643.]        PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        337 

ner's  release,  which  his  Majesty  and  your  Highness  be- 
stowed upon  me,  my  humble  request  to  your  Highness  is, 
that  your  Highness  will  be  pleased  to  give  me  leave  to  re- 
move him  hither.  This  Sumner  was  the  man  that  I  took 
in  Buckinghamshire,  I  mean  to  make  no  other  use  of  him, 
but  to  get  so  much  money  as  will  raise  your  Highness 
three  or  four  troops.  Yet  I  should  be  very  well  contented 
to  resign  my  interest  in  him  for  the  releasement  of  Sir 
Edward  Stradling,  or  Sir  Thomas  Lunsford,1  or  Sir  John 

1  This  is  the  notorious  Lunsford  whom  the  King  made  lieute- 
nant of  the  Tower  in  the  critical  days  of  the  Army  Plot.  He 
was  taken  prisoner  at  Edgehill,  and  being  allowed  some  indul- 
gence, was  detected  by  Lord  Denbigh  in  a  secret  correspondence. 
He  thus  writes  in  justification  : 

SIR   THOMAS   LUNSFORD    TO   THE    EARL    OP    DENBIGH. 

[Extract.] 

"  It  is  true  I  wrote  a  letter  in  characters  [ciphers] ;  it  was 
touching  mine  own  fortune,  the  secrets  of  which,  together  with 
mine  affection,  I  have  ever  been  unwilling  to  expose  to  the 
knowledge  of  any  whom  they  do  not  concern,  though  at  that 
time  I  had  to  expostulate  upon  both.  Although  it  be  lawful  for 
any  prisoner  of  war,  upon  whom  the  assurance  of  a  guard  is  pre- 
ferred before  that  of  the  honour  and  faith  of  a  gentleman  and 
soldier,  to  advertise  what  advantage  he  can  to  his  party,  yet,  I 
assure  your  lordship,  that  letter  contained  nothing  but  mine  own 
particular  interests,  neither  can  I  believe  the  King's  army,  the 
only  one  in  the  world  so  barren  of  intelligence  as  to  be  advan- 
taged by  that  of  a  close  prisoner.  I  have  been  thus  large  upon 
this  subject,  to  give  your  lordship  satisfaction." 
March  22,  1644. 

The  following  letter  throws  light  on  the  treatment  of  prisoners 
in  this  war  : — 

LORD   CHOLMONDELEY  *    TO    CAPTAIN    HORTON, 

Commander  of  the  Coventry  horse.     May  24,  1644. — [Extract.] 
"  I  much  wonder  you  will  make  the  prisoners  which  you 
have  to  sit  at  table  with  you,  and  be  your  companions,  who  are 
rebels.     I  hold  it  fitter  you  put  them  into  some  chamber  close 


*  I  believe  this  ought  to  be  Colonel  Cholmondeley. 
VOL.  II.  Z 


338          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [DEC. 

Digby,  who  I  hear  is  prisoner.     The  rebels  are  before  Sir 
Thomas  Holt's  house,  near  Birmingham. 

I  rest  your  Highness's,  &c., 

GILBERT  GERRARD. 

Worcester,  29th  Dec.  1643. 

Difficult  as  it  was  for  the  King's  officers  to 
obtain  money,  it  is  almost  inconceivable  how  the 
King  himself  obtained  means  to  maintain  even  the 
shrunken  state  to  which  the  Roundheads  had  re- 
duced him.  His  revenues  were  all  appropriated  by 
the  Parliament;  his  wealthier  subjects  were  them- 
selves impoverished  ;  his  clergy  were  utterly  ruined, 
and  the  worthier  part  of  them  expelled  their  livings  ; 
the  Queen's  treasure  long  since  exhausted.  The 
only  seaports  of  importance  in  his  possession  were 
Bristol,  Newcastle,  Barnstaple,  and  Dartmouth. 
The  customs  of  the  former  were  appropriated  to  the 
support  of  their  garrison.  No  efforts  were  spared  to 
make  the  most  of  the  few  resources  that  were  left 
him.  To  Colonel  Seymour,  governor  of  Dartmouth, 
a  royal  rescript  is  thus  addressed  about  this  time  : — 

"  KING   CHARLES   TO    COL.   EDWARD    SEYMOUR. 

• 

"  CHARLES  R. 

"  TRUSTY  and  well  beloved,  we  greet  you  well. 
Whereas,  by  reason  of  the  disorders  occasioned  by 

locked  up,  for  they  use  ours  so  hardly,  they  will  allow  them  no 
meat,  but  Mr.  Brereton  is  almost  damned  amongst  them,  and  yet 
you  must  be  so  kind-hearted  to  use  them  well  for  their  base 
usage  of  our  men  :  I  wonder  you  can  have  so  little  sense  to  do 
so." — The  Earl  of  Denbigh's  MSS. 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE  CAVALIERS.       339 

this  unnatural  rebellion,  our  customs  and  duties  in 
the  several  ports  have  not  been  duly  answered  and 
paid  unto  us  for  goods  exported  and  imported. 
And  that  the  necessity  of  our  affairs  doth  require 
the  same  should  be  duly  answered  unto  us,  and 
exactly  managed  for  our  best  advantage,  which 
cannot  be  if  the  officers  and  collectors  in  our  said 
ports  shall  be  interrupted  in  that  service,  and  not 
aided  and  assisted  by  our  superior  orders  and 
governors  there,  or  that  the  monies  so  collected 
should  be  by  any  means  diverted  from  such  uses  as 
the  lord- treasurer  and  our  under-treasurer  shall 
from  time  to  time  direct  and  appoint.  We  have 
therefore,  thought  fitting,  and  do  hereby  straitly 
charge  and  command  you  that  upon  all  occasions  for 
that  our  service,  you  be  aiding  and  assisting  unto 
such  our  servants  and  ministers  as  shall  be  appoint- 
ed for  that  our  service  in  these  ports  and  creeks 
whereof  you  are  now  governor,  and  not  to  inter- 
meddle in  the  disposing  or  diverting  of  any  of  those 
monies  which  shall  be  due,  and  collected  from  the 
merchants  for  duties  inward  and  outward.  And 
herein  we  require  you  to  be  very  careful,  as  that 
which  very  nearly  concerns  our  service.  Given  at 
our  Court  at  Oxford,  this  29th  day  of  December, 
1643.  By  His  Majesty's  command, 

"  EDW.  NICHOLAS." 

To  our  trusty  and  well-beloved 
Edward  Seymour,  Esq.,  Governor  of  Dartmouth.1 

1  From  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset's  collection.     To  the 

z  2 


340          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [DEC. 

This  year's  correspondence  closes  with  the  follow- 
ing proclamation  by  Prince  Rupert,  placing  the 
resources  of  Oxfordshire  in  the  hands  of  William 
Legge,  now  sergeant  (or  brigade)  major : — 

"AN  ORDER  FROM  THE  'COUNCIL  OF  WAR.' 

"  WHEREAS  it  was  ordered  by  a  council  of  war, 
held  at  Oxford  the  17th  of  this  month,  his  Majesty 
being  then  present,  that  in  respect  of  the  contri- 
butions of  the  County  of  Oxford  were  not  paid,  ac- 
cording to  the  agreement  of  that  county,  I  should 
assign  several  hundreds  for  the  quartering  of  the 
respective  regiments  of  horse  which  are  to  be  paid 
out  of  the  contribution  of  those  counties  of  Oxford 
and  Berkshire."  [The  Prince  then  authorises  Wil- 
liam Legge  to  quarter  his  own  and  Prince  Maurice's 
regiment  of  horse  in  the  county  of  Berks,  and  not 
to  allow  any  other  officers  or  soldiers  to  levy  con- 
tributions there.  He  also  orders  William  Legge, 


same  Officer  the  following  order  from  Prince  Maurice  is  addressed 
about  the  same  time. 

PRINCE    MAURICE   TO   EDWARD   SEYMOUR,  ESQ. 
SlE, 

You  are  immediately  upon  sight  hereof  to  get  carriages  in  a 
readiness,  and  to  send  away  with  all  speed  all  the  powder,  which 
was  in  the  Dunkirk  frigate,  and  match  proportionable  ;  you  are 
likewise  to  send  away  the  men  you  speak  to  me  of,  to  be  at 
Plympton  with  all  haste.  Hereof  you  are  not  to  fail,  as  you 
tender  his  Majesty's  Service.  Given  at  Whitely,  the  4th  of 
December,  1643. 

MAURICE. 
To  Edward  Seamour,  Esq.,  Governor  of  Dartmouth. 


1643.]      PRINCE    RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      341 

or  his  deputy,  to  call  once  a  week,  or  oftener,  a 
council  of  war,  to  hear  petitions  and  complaints  of 
the  county,  and  to  punish  offenders,  as  well  as  to 
demand  necessaries  from  the  County.] 

To  Serjeant-major  W.  Legge,  "  RUPERT."1 

of  my  brigade  of  Horse. 
Oxford,  29th  Dec.  1643. 

Henceforth  the  war  becomes  more  interesting  as 
it  increases  in  intensity.  From  this  time,  too,  we 
have  Prince  Rupert's  own  letters  to  enliven  our  pages, 
and  confer  individuality  upon  one  who  constantly 
seems  to  evade  our  scrutiny  while  yet  he  is  con- 
stantly before  us.  Looking  back  upon  this  troubled 
year,  we  scarcely  indeed,  see  anything  in  mucli 
clearness  or  distinctness ;  "  all  England  is  in  a  hot 
but  very  dim  state,  and  the  country  is  all  writhing 
in  dim  conflict,  suffering  manifold  distress.  And 
from  his  Majesty's  head-quarters  ever  and  anon 
there  darts  out,  now  hither,  now  thither,  across  the 
dim  smoke-element,  a  swift,  fierce  Prince  Rupert, 
too  like  a  streak  of  sudden  fire."2  Before  his  swift, 
and  fierce,  and  fiery  career  is  done  we  shall  know 
him  better,  and  recognize  perhaps  some  other  and 
nobler  elements  in  his  nature  than  those  which 
distorting  fame  has  represented. 

1  Before  taking  leave  of  these  subsidising  matters,  I  may  men- 
tion that  I  found  in  the  State  Paper  Office  two  Royal  proclama- 
tions, besides  several  military  orders,  issued  this  year  from  Oxford, 
most  sternly  prohibiting  plunder,  or  taking  anything  whatsoever 
from  its  owner  "without  payment."     Also  rigid  orders  against 
duelling,  "  on  pain  of  death,  without  mercy." 

2  Carlyle's  Cromwell,  ii.  167. 


342          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [DEC. 

About  this  time  the  Elector-Palatine  arrived  in 
London,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  Parliament. 
They,  in  return,  paid  him  the  income  of  twelve 
thousand  pounds  a  year  which  the  King  had  for- 
merly allowed  him,  and  admitted  him  to  sit  in  the 
Assembly  of  Divines.  It  has  been  said  that  he 
attached  himself  to  the  Roundheads  with  the  King's 
consent ;  and  it  is  probable  that  Charles  had  no 
objection  to  any  arrangement  that  saved  such  an 
incumbrance  to  his  own  slender  finances,  whilst  his 
annuitant  would  have  been  perfectly  useless.  There 
is  little  doubt  that  the  unworthy  Elector  specu- 
lated on  the  probability  of  being  placed  on  the 
throne,  if  his  uncle  and  his  family  had  been  set 
aside :  he  was  the  son  of  a  Queen  still  dear  to  Eng- 
lish hearts,  and  the  next  in  succession  to  the 
Crown  in  case  the  Stuart  line  should  fail. 

The  principal  political  events  since  we  last  looked 
round  from  our  portfolio  has  been  the  inoculation 
of  England  with  the  Scottish  Covenant;  some  of 
the  Lords,  and  some  even  of  the  Commons  at  West- 
minster, endeavoured  to  escape  it,  but  in  vain. 
None  who  desired  to  avoid  the  suspicion  of  ma- 
lignancy could  avoid  it :  ministers  imposed  it  on 
their  flocks,  fathers  on  their  sons,  mothers  on  their 
children,  generals  on  their  soldiers.1  It  was  judi- 

1    DECLARATION    OF    LORD   DENBIGH. 

First,  I  declare  and  require  all  my  officers  and  soldiers  to 
repair  unto  the  church  of  St.  Michael,  in  Coventry,  there  to  take 
the  Covenant  lately  published  by  both  the  Houses  of  Parliament, 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      343 

ciously  calculated  that  its  promotion  would  widen 
the  breach  between  the  King  and  his  people,  and 
draw  the  line  of  demarcation  ineffaceably  between 
the  two  contending  parties.  Those  on  whom  it  fell 
with  most  severity  (as  was  intended)  were  the  clergy 
of  the  Church  of  England.  Their  property  afforded 
by  far  the  easiest  spoil,  and  wealth  was  much  want- 
ed, not  only  for  public  purposes,  but  for  private 
encouragement.1  There  were  then  nine  thousand 
benefices  in  England ;  and  there  were  thirty  thou- 
sand persons  in  holy  orders,2  all  more  or  less  de- 
pendent on  them.  Amongst  these  were  many 
profligate  and  unworthy  ministers,  no  doubt ;  but 
they  were  supplanted  by  Covenanting  divines,  who 
were  far  more  ignorant,  as  Milton  himself  scorn- 
fully declared.  If  there  were  many  worthless  and 


immediately  after  the  sermon  to-morrow,  before  some  minister  of 
the  place,  whom  I  desire  to  be  present  and  see  them  subscribe 
their  names,  and  send  them  to  me,  being  resolved  none  shall  serve 
under  me  but  such  as  have  subscribed  the  Covenant.  Nov.  26, 
1643. — From  the  Earl  of  Denbigh's  MS.  Collection. 

1  The  Puritans  shared  the  spoils  of  the  Church  among  them- 
selves and  their  adherents  by  lavish  grants,  or  such  sales  as  were 
little  more  than  nominal.     Sir  Arthur  Hazelrigg  secured  so  large 
a  portion  that" he  was  called  "the  Bishop  of  Durham  ;"  Dr.  Cor- 
nelius Burgess  also  made  great  acquisitions. — Southey's  Book  of 
the  Church,  507. 

Sir  John  Hotham  writes  in  a  postscript  to  "Sir  Matthew 
Boynton  and  Master  Rye,  preacher  of  God's  word,  these  :  '  There 
is  three  good  livings  of  malignant  priests  within  ten  miles  of 

Hull If  there  be  any  good  to  be  done  for  the  sequestration 

of  these  livings,  Master  Rye,  my  cousin  Saltmarsh,  and  my  son, 
Charles,  might  well  supply  those  three  places ;  the  livings  are 
Bainton,  Elton,  Lockington.'" — From  a  Pamphlet  published  in 
1643,  in  Mr.  Bentley's  Collection. 

2  Diary  of  the  Rev.  J.  Ward,  1668. 


344         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF        [DEC. 

faithless  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  there 
were  many  whose  characters  required  only  the  per- 
secution they  underwent  to  render  them  worthy  of 
martyrs1  honours.  Hall,  Jeremy  Taylor,  Walton, 
Andrewes,  Hammond,  Usher,  Prideaux,1  Morley, 
nay,  Laud,  with  all  his  errors  and  his  converts; 
Chillingworth  with  all  his  faults ;  these  men,  and  a 
thousand  others  as  worthy,  though  less  renowned, 
were  sacrificed  to  the  spirit  of  democracy  as  uttered 
in  this  Covenant. 

In  the  excited  mood  of  the  people  at  that  period, 
it  was  a  relief  to  the  minds,  especially  of  women 
and  children,  to  have  something  to  pledge  them- 
selves to ;  something  palpable  and  visible  to  swear 
upon.  A  perfect  furor  seized  the  Scotch  on  this 
subject:  many  wept  as  they  signed;  some  drew 
their  blood,  to  render  the  record  of  their  vow  more 
vital ;  and  women  sometimes  remained  in  the  kirks 
from  Friday  to  Sunday,  in  order  to  hear  the  Cove- 


1  Prideaux,*  Bishop  of  Worcester,  was  reduced  to  such  distress, 
that  in  his  will  he  could  bequeath  his  children  nothing  but 
"  pious  poverty,  God's  blessing,  and  a  father's  prayers."  He  used 
to  say  in  his  later  days,  that  though  he  and  Laud  could  never 
understand  one  another  till  too  late,  he  now  reverenced  no  man 
more,  for  that  prelate  had  wisely  foreseen  what  lay  hid  to  many 
others. — Southey's  Book  of  the  Church,  475. 


*  It  was  this  prelate  who,  being  asked  how  he  did,  replied, 
"  Never  better  in  my  life,  only  I  have  too  great  a  stomach,  for  I 
have  eaten  that  little  plate  which  the  sequestrators  have  left  me ; 
I  have  eaten  a  great  library  of  excellent  books,  and  have  eaten  a 
great  deal  of  linen,  much  of  my  brass,  some  of  my  pewter,  and 
now  I  am  come  to  eat  iron  ;  and  what  will  come  next  I  know 
not." — Walker's  Sufferings  of  the  Clergy,  pt.  ii.  p.  78. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        345 

nant  preached  about.1     Little  pieces  of  sheepskin 
parchment  were  circulated  in   all  directions  to  re- 
ceive  the    names    of  those   who   could    write,    or, 
more  generally,  the   asterisks  of  those  who  would 
not.    Thus  the  Covenant  was  called,  in  a  pasquil  of 
the  time,  "  The  constellation  on  the  back  of  Aries." 
The  Covenanters  of  the  North  were  now  quite 
ready  to  indulge  their  national  instinct  by  marching 
south.     The  Earl  of  Lanerick  had  affixed  his  signet 
to  the  instrument  by  which  their  army  had  been 
assembled,  yet  he  was  now  (on  the  16th  of  Decem- 
ber) at  Oxford,  in  the  presence  of  the  King.     But 
the  great   Montrose   was  there  likewise,  and  had 
fatally  proved  his  guilt  and  that  of  his  brother,  the 
Duke  of  Hamilton.     The  latter  was  transferred  to 
the   castle  of  Bristol,  and  finally  to  that  of  Pen- 
dennis,  whilst  Lord  Lanerick  fled  to  London,  and 
there  "  shared  the   chamber   and   the  bed "  of  the 
Covenanting  Baillie.     Arthur    Trevor,    the   future 
correspondent  of  Prince  Rupert,  (who  seems  to  have 
written   elaborate  articles   rather   than   letters  for 
great  persons  in  that  time,  as  he  might  do  for  great 
journals  now,)  thus  writes  to  the  Marquis  of  Ormond 
on  the  Duke's    first   arrival  in    England :  — "  The 
alarm  of  the  Scots  invasion  heightens ;  and  I  do  be- 
lieve more  of  it   since   the   Marquis  [he  was  only 
lately  made  a  Duke]  is  come  to  Newcastle  ;  and  he 
is  a  constant  apparition   before  the  rising  of  that 

1  Napier's  Montrose,  vol.  i.  151. 


346         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [DEC. 

people,  and  their  swelling  over  Tweed."1  It  is  wor- 
thy of  remark  that  the  Queen  seems  to  have  dis- 
liked Montrose  as  much  as  Rupert,  so  entirely 
subservient  was  her  policy  to  her  prejudices. 

While  the  Scots  were  hovering  on  the  Borders, 
the  Marquis  of  Newcastle  was  indulging  himself 
with  a  vain  hope  of  repose  in  winter  quarters  at 
York.  As  we  shall  have  the  Royal  army  to  follow 
afterwards,  we  may  notice  here  that  this  Marquis, 
sensualist  as  he  may  have  been,  roused  himself  man- 
fully as  soon  as  the  Scots  were  over  the  Border, 
and  distressed  them  sorely,  until  Fairfax,  by  his  vic- 
tory at  Selby,  recalled  him  to  the  defence  of  York. 
It  was  on  the  19th  of  January,  1644,  that  the  Scots 
crossed  the  Tweed.  It  was  not  until  the  20th  of 
April  that  they  formed  a  junction  with  Fairfax  at 
Wetherby,  and  proceeded  to  besiege,  or  rather,  to 
blockade  the  City  of  York.  Soon  afterwards  they 
were  joined  by  Manchester  and  Cromwell,  with  the 
newly-raised  and  inspired  levies  of  the  latter. 

In  the  midland  counties  the  successes  of  both  par- 
ties had  been  pretty  equally  balanced.  For  in- 
stance, on  the  27th  of  November  we  find  that  Sir 
Gervas  Lucas  and  Sir  Richard  Byron,  governor  of 
Newark,  made  a  dash  at  Melton  Mowbray,  and 
took  "  six  or  seven  hundred  men,  arms,  &c.,  toge- 

1  For  a  detailed  account  of  the  Covenant  and  its  incidents  I 
must  refer  the  reader  to  Napier's  "Montrose,"  ii.  200,  &c.  Also 
Sir  Philip  Warwick's  "Memoirs,"  268 ;  and  Baillie  always  when 
a  Scot  is  mentioned. 


1643.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        347 

ther  with  the  committee  of  Leicester,  viz.,  Staveley, 
Hazelrigg,  and  Captain  Hacker  (who  had  made  a  vow 
to  pistol  his  own  brother  because  he  would  not  turn 
rebel,  and  was  afterwards  hanged  for  commanding 
the  guard  at  the  King's  trial).  Sir  Edward  Hartopp's 
cornet  alone  escaped.  "  The  committee  had  come  to 
gather  up  the  rents  of  all  such  as  were  not  so  perfect 
rebels  as  themselves :"  they  were  all  taken  to  Bel- 
voir  Castle.1  On  the  other  hand  we  hear  that 
"  Colonel  Wayte  assailed  the  cormorants  of  Belvoir 
on  a  foraging  expedition,  killed  Plunket,  the  veriest 
villain  of  them  all,  and  a  notorious  Irish  rebel,  but 
now  fighting  for  the  Protestant  religion,  and  wound- 
ed Lucas."2  Hastings,  Lord  Loughborough,  is  perpe- 
tually active,  and  still  hankering  after  "  the  wealthy 
town  of  Derby ; "  but  he  is  not  strong  enough  for 
aught  but  guerilla  warfare,  and  in  that  state  he 
keeps  himself  and  his  enemies  in  constant  excite- 
ment. On  the  13th  of  September  Captain  Sandford 
took  Beeston  Castle,  in  Cheshire ;  its  governor, 
Captain  Steel,  escaped  only  to  be  shot  by  the  Par- 
liament's order,  for  his  poor  defence.  At  Oxford 
there  has  been  little  doing,  except  an  unsuccessful 
sally  of  Prince  Rupert's  on  Christmas  Eve  to  relieve 
Grafton  House.  The  Earl  of  Forth,  or  Brentford, 
had  paid  a  soldier's  visit  to  Hopton  to  assist  him,  as 
an  amateur,  against  Waller,  and  they  had  been 
beaten  in  Sussex.  Lord  Ruthven  returned  to  Ox- 

1  Mercurius  Aulicus,  p.  690.  2  Vicars,  110. 


348          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [DEC. 

ford,  and  addicted  himself  a  good  deal  to  wine,  and 
other  indulgences  that  soon  rendered  him  incapable 
of  any  further  service  in  the  field,  or  elsewhere. 

At  Court,  except  the  stir  caused  by  the  Duke  of 
Hamilton's  affair,  there  was  little  doing:  the  men, 
probably,  hunted  with  hawk  and  beagles,  and  occa- 
sionally attended  a  parade  or  thronged  the  "  Quad  " 
at  Christchurch  to  learn  the  news  when  an  express 
came  in  :  the  ladies,  for  whom  field-sports  were 
then  dangerous,  probably  played  on  the  spinnet,1  or 


1  See  a  pleasant  letter  in  the  "  Fairfax  Correspondence,"  vol. 
iv.  p.  151.  There  is  a  fine  old  ballad  in  the  "  Roxburghe  Bal- 
lads, descriptive  of  hunting  about  this  time;  it  begins  thus  : — 

"  0  !  'tis  a  gallant  thing, 

In  the  prime  time  of  the  spring, 
To  hear  the  huntsman  now  and  then 
His  hugle  for  to  blow, 
And  the  hounds  run  all  a  row. 

"  To  hear  the  beagle  cry, 

And  to  see  the  falcon  fly, 
And  the  hare  trip  over  the  plain, 

While  the  huntsman  and  the  hound 

Make  hill  and  dale  resound." 

Hitherto,  the  fox  had  been  held  to  be  mere  vermin,  as  Mr. 
Macaulay,  whom  nothing  escapes,  has  noticed  in  his  "  England." 
This  only  wild  beast  that  remains  to  us  is  now  far  more  scarce, 
although  carefully  preserved,  than  he  was  then,  when  hundreds 
of  the  peasantry  used  to  assemble  to  destroy  him,  and  thinned 
his  race  by  hundreds  in  a  single  day.  Wild  boars  were  still 
preserved  in  the  royal  forests,  and  wolves  certainly  still  lived 
in  Ireland,  as  Howell's  anecdote  may  prove  :  "A  Scotch  piper 
being  allowed  to  leave  his  regiment  on  furlough  had  to  pass 
through  a  wood,  wherein,  being  weary,  he  sat  down  to  rest,  and 
produced  his  dinner  from  his  haversack.  Just  then  a  wolf  rushed 
out  of  the  covert,  and  the  Scot,  climbing  up  hastily  into  a  tree, 
saw  the  wolf  dining  at  his  expense.  Nor  was  the  brute's  appe- 
tite then  satisfied  :  for  having  long  wistfully  watched  the  soldier, 
he  lay  down  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  to  bide  his  descent.  The 
Scotchman  began  to  play  his  pipes  to  amuse  himself,  whereupon 


1643.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      349 

amused  themselves  with  some  tough  intrigue  of  the 
Queen's,  or  some  more  tender  one  of  their  own. 
The  natural  result  of  idleness  and  close  quarters  was 
some  quarrelling.  Sir  Nicholas  Crispe,  notwith- 
standing vigorous  orders  against  duelling,  on  pain  of 
death,  fought  with  and  killed  Sir  Frederick  Aunion : 
in  consideration  of  his  intended  services,  however,  in 
Waller's  plot,  he  was  acquitted.  About  Christmas 
there  was  some  repose  ;  and  the  troops,  except  Hop- 
ton's,  rested  in  their  quarters. 

As  to  the  London  news,  it  may  be  compressed  in 
the  memoranda  in  the  note  below,1  and  in  the  one 

the  disgusted  wolf  fled  away  and  left  the  field  to  the  soldier.  '  If  I 
had  known  thy  taste  for  music,'  said  he,  'thou  shouldst  have 
heard  my  tune  before  dinner.' " 

1  Monsieur  de  Cressy  comes  over  ambassador  from  France  to 
the  Parliament. —  Whitelocke. 

The  Earl  of  Manchester  had  power  to  sequester  all  estates  of 
malignants  in  his  associated  counties. 

The  Parliament's  Great  Seal  placed  in  commission  under  the 
Earl  of  Kent  (in  Lord  Rutland's  place,  who  refused  the  honour), 
Bolingbroke  St.  John,  Wyld,  Prideaux,  and  Browne,  made  into 
one  Lord  Keeper. 

Charles  Vavasour's  forces  come  to  Bristol  from  Ireland,  but 
refuse  to  fight  with  the  King  against  the  Parliament  (according 
to  Whitelocke). 

Laud's  trial  is  begun. 

Prince  Rupert  orders  a  spy  to  be  hung  on  the  great  elm  near 
the  Bell  in  Henley :  the  Roundheads  retaliate  upon  two  King's 
messengers  who  brought  a  proclamation  and  letter  to  London,  and 
who  are  voted  spies,  as  the  Parliament  requires  some  one  to  hang. 

Great  ceremonies  in  both  the  Houses  about  the  Seal. 

Essex  and  Waller  very  discontented  with  each  other. 

Sir  Walter  Earle  made  Lieutenant  of  the  Ordnance  instead  of 
Pym,  deceased. 

Hopton's  forces  repulsed  from  Lewes  in  Sussex ;  Dr.  Burgess 
made  lecturer  of  St.  Paul's,  with  400£.  a  year  out  of  the  Dean 
and  Chapter's  lands. 

Lenthall  sworn  in  as  speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons.     On 


350         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [DEC. 

great  fact,  that  Pym  was  dead.  He  had  been  little 
conspicuous  since  Hampden's  death,  a  slow  disease 
was  preying  on  him,  and  the  cares  and  anxieties  of 
his  place  gradually  undermined  his  life.  In  the 
Commons  he  seems  to  have  preserved  his  popularity 
to  the  last ;  but  the  London  rabble  had  begun  to 
howl  for  "  the  death  of  the  traitor,  Pym."  Even 
women  of  respectable  condition  now  thronged  the 
approaches  of  Westminster  with  petitions  for  peace, 
as  formerly  for  war,  when  Pym  once  welcomed  them 
with  flattering  speeches.  They  were  now  rigorously 
dispersed  by  troopers.  The  great  democrat  died  on 
the  8th  of  December,  displaying  a  calm  and  manly 
fortitude  in  his  last  hours,  and  praying  fervently  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  King  and  People.1  "  He  was 
buried  with  wonderful  pomp  and  magnificence  in 
that  place  where  the  bones  of  the  English  kings 
and  princes  are  committed  to  their  rest." 2 

We  are  now  about  to  enter  on  more  stirring 
times :  the  war,  too,  begins  to  assume  a  more  defi- 
nite form,  and  the  great  campaign  of  the  North  con- 
centrates the  attention  so  long  distracted,  and,  I 
fear,  wearied,  by  minute  and  distinct  actions,  which 
it  was  impossible  either  to  pass  over  or  to  render 


the  22nd  of  December  that  wonderful  great  seal  was  produced, 
and  the  commissioners  sealed  above  five  hundred  writs  with  it. 
The  Parliament  sit  in  London  on  Christmas  day.  The  King 
summons  his  Parliament  at  Oxford.  Grafton  House,  with  Digby, 
taken  by  Skippon. 

1  Forster's  Statesmen,  ii.  296. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  441. 


1643.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        351 

interesting.  In  the  two  following  years,  we  have 
an  additional  and  very  valuable  authority  in  Sir 
Edward  Walker,1  whose  "  Historical  Discourses " 
were  corrected  by  the  King's  own  hands,  and  copied 
largely  by  Lord  Clarendon.  Cromwell,  too,  appears 
now  prominently  on  the  stage ;  the  Puritans  become 
so  powerful  in  discipline  and  resources,  and  the  Ca- 
valiers so  weak  in  both,  that  it  seems  incredible  how 
they  can  not  only  resist,  but  conquer.  Neverthe- 
less their  hopes  are  still  high,  and  they  still  make 
head  against  their  powerful  enemies  :  Sir  Edward 
terms  the  period  we  are  now  entering  upon  "the 
year  of  happy  success." 

London  had  now  been  for  two  years  free  from 
the  evils  of  a  Court,  as  the  Puritans  exultingly 
asserted.  The  following  picture  of  metropolitan 
manners  seems  to  prove  that  civilisation  had  not 
kept  pace  with  any  other  advantages  resulting  from 
the  triumph  of  democracy.  This  extract  is  from  a 
suppressed  letter  to  a  Frenchman : — 

"  Your  lordship  has  formerly  beheld  and  much  admired 
the  splendour  and  magnificence  of  this  Court  and  King- 
dom in  its  greatest  acme  and  lustre.  .  .  .  At  Rochester, 


1  Sir  Edward  Walker  was  secretary  to  the  Earl  of  Arundel, 
when  he  went  ambassador  to  the  Emperor  about  restitution  of  the 
Palatinate.  He  was  secretary  to  the  same  Earl  when  he  was 
general  of  the  King's  forces  against  the  Scots,  Sir  Edward,  by  the 
King's  command,  wrote  the  actions  of  the  war  in  1644.  I  saw  it, 
and  King  Charles  I.'s  correcting  of  it,  with  his  own  handwriting ; 
for  Sir  Edward's  manner  was  to  bring  it  to  the  King  every  Satur- 
day after  dinner,  and  then  the  King  put  out  and  put  in  with  his 
own  hand  what  he  pleased. —  Ward's  Diary,  p.  180. 


352          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [DEC. 

how  new  a  thing  it  appeared  to  me  to  see  my  confident 
host  sit  him  down  cheek  by  jowl  by  me,  puffing  to- 
bacco in  my  face,  till  I  afterwards  found  it  to  be  the  usual 
style  of  this  country.  At  the  metropolis  of  civility,  Lon- 
don, we  put  ourselves  in  a  coach  with  some  persons  of 
quality,  who  came  to  conduct  us  to  our  lodgings;  but 
neither  was  this  passage  without  honour  done  to  us,™  the 
kennel-dirt,  squibs,  rats,  and  rams'-horns,  being  favours 
which  were  frequently  cast  at  us  by  children  and  appren- 
tices without  reproof.  Carmen  in  this  town  domineer  in 
the  streets,  overthrow  the  "  hell-carts  "  (so  they  name  the 
coaches),  cursing  and  railing  at  the  nobles.  I  have  great- 
ly wondered  at  the  remissness  of  the  gentlemen  ;  and  that 
the  citizens,  who  subsist  upon  them,  should  permit  so 
great  a  disorder,  rather  joining  in  the  affronts  than  at  all 
chastising  the  inhumanity.  .  .  .  But  these  are  the  natural 
effects  of  purely  popular  libertinism  and  insulary 
manners.1 


1  "  A  Character  of  England,"  Evelyn's  Memoir,  London,  1825, 
149. 


1044.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        353 


CHAPTER   IV. 

LATHOM  HOUSE  AND  MARSTON  MOOR. 


PRINCE  RUPERTS  NEW  DIGNITIES.— THE  "ANTI-PARLIAMENT  MEETS. — 
OVERTURES  FOR  PEACE. —  RUPERT  PROCEEDS  TO  SHREWSBURY  AS  PRESI- 
DENT OF  WALES. RELIEF  OF  NEWARK.  — OF  LATHOM  HOUSE. MARS- 
TON  MOOR. 


"Foiled,  by  a  woman's  hand,  before  a  battered  wall." 

BYRON. 

"  Then  spur  and  sword,  was  the  battle-word,  and  we  made  their 

helmets  ring, 
Shouting  like  madmen  all  the  while  Tor  God  and  for  the 

King !' 
And  though  they  snuffled  psalms,  to  give  the  rebel  dogs  their 

due, 

When  the  roaring  shot  poured  thick  and  hot  they  were  stalwart 
men  and  true." 

The  Old  Cavalier. 

THE  war  of  1644  opens  under  a  new  aspect: 
"nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before."  All  means 
conducing  to  an  honourable  peace  have  apparently 
been  tried,  found  wanting,  and  abandoned  as  im- 
practicable. The  King  was  determined  to  accept 
little  less  than  the  power  he  possessed  before  the 
attempt  on  the  Five  Members:  the  Parliament 
leaders  were  resolved  at  least  to  alter  the  Constitu- 
tion considerably  from  the  condition  in  which  they 
found  it,  and  to  secure  for  themselves  that  perfect 

VOL.  II.  A   A 


354          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

immunity  which  could  only  be  obtained  by  their 
retaining  a  large  portion  of  authority.  Moreover, 
the  greater  and  better  men  of  both  sides  had  passed 
away  :  on  the  King's  side  few  were  left  in  command 
except  the  dissolute  and  rapacious  courtiers  of  the 
old  and  sinful  time ;  of  the  Parliamentary  leaders, 
the  best  and  wisest  had  made  way  for  the  most  am- 
bitious and  iron-hearted  revolutionists.  Even  Essex 
was  grown  fierce,  and  Fairfax  unsparing.  Crom- 
well's lurid  star,  too,  was  rising  in  the  darkness,  and 
the  fanatic  fire  was  lighted  that  henceforth  proved 
unquenchable. 

The  beginning  of  a  new  year,  in  writing,  as  in  life 
generally,  superinduces  some  grave  thoughts  and 
calculations  as  to  how  we  are  to  get  through  it,  min- 
gled with  some  regrets  as  to  how  the  past  has  been 
performed.  I  find  the  correspondence  so  much  in- 
creased, and  the  anciently  written  records  of  the 
Prince  so  numerous  and  important,  that  I  can  no 
longer  enter  into  all  the  details  of  the  war.  If  I 
were  tempted  to  do  so,  twice  the  present  number  of 
volumes  would  not  suffice  to  contain  all  Prince  Ru- 
pert's letters,  and  the  actions  to  be  illustrated  by 
them.  The  reader  has,  however,  probably  had 
enough  of  petty  details  arid  skirmishes,  and  will 
easily  excuse  the  mere  enumeration  of  victories  and 
defeats  in  their  due  order,  with  the  exception  of 
Marston  Moor  and  Naseby.  These  I  shall  endea- 
vour to  describe  ;  for  the  most  part  limiting  myself, 
in  other  respects,  to  interweaving  biography  and 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.         355 

political  events  among  selected  letters  of  Prince 
Rupert's  portfolio.  Within  the  next  two  years  I 
find  nearly  one  thousand  to  choose  from,  and  the 
task  is  by  no  means  an  easy  one.  The  value  of  each 
letter  consists,  probably,  in  some  one  line,  or  the  in- 
terest in  some  one  expression  ;  yet  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  mould  a  mere  abstract  of  the  whole  into  any 
connected  form.  I  shall,  therefore,  offer  those  only 
that  bear  directly  upon  history,  or  seem  to  throw 
light  on  the  feelings  or  the  manners  of  the  time. 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  Waller  has  been 
successfully  employed  against  Hopton,  about  Farn- 
ham  and  Arundel  in  the  South ;  that  the  Scots  are 
about  to  enter  England  on  the  North,  and  that  the 
hardy  Anglo-Irish  regiments  landed  at  Chester  are 
eager  to  see  service  under  the  ardent  but  unskilful 
Lord  Byron.  The  brother  of  this  officer  writes  as 
below,  in  the  beginning  of  January.1  From  many 

1    MAY    IT   PLEASE    YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

I  have  presumed  to  send  here  enclosed  a  relation  of  our 
proceedings  since  my  last  to  your  Highness,  so  that  these  parts 
are  in  a  manner  cleared,  for  Nantwich  is  in  very  much  pain, 
and  frets  underhand,  so  that  the  settling  of  the  business  is  the 
greatest  work  to  be  done  in  Cheshire,  Shropshire,  and  North 
Wales ;  upon  which  my  Lord  Byron  intends  to  march  for  Lanca- 
shire, this  last  blow  having  made  a  fair  way  for  his  design  there. 
At  his  departure  I  hope  it  will  not  be  thought  fit  I  should  be  left 
at  Chester,  under  the  command  of  the  Mayor  and  his  regiment  of 
citizens :  and  if  at  last  I  be  thought  capable  of  a  regiment  of 
foot  of  my  own,  I  must  humbly  acknowledge  the  favour  from  your 
Highness,  though  it  would  seem  strange  a  place  of  that  conse- 
quence, and  castles  depending  on  it,  should  be  lost,  guarded  by 
citizens,  which  would  invite  incursions  to  be  made  into  the  coun- 
try by  parties  of  the  rebels,  if  not  otherwise  protected. 

I  humbly  crave  your  Highness's  favour  and  assistance,  that  I 

A  A  2 


356  MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JAN. 

quarters,  especially  from  Towcester,  Reading,  and 
Cirencester,  there  come  pressing  applications  for 
money  to  pay  troops,  stating  that  it  is  with  difficulty 
they  are  kept  from  deserting.  The  poor  fellows 
scarcely  ever  did  so,  however;  so  great  a  scorn  of 
the  opposite  party,  and  so  strong  an  esprit  de  corps 
was  already  implanted  in  the  minds  of  either  army. 
It  appears  from  Lord  Newcastle's  note  below,1  that 
reinforcements  had  now  been  sent  to  assist  him 
against  the  Scots,  and  that  William  Legge,  Prince 
Rupert's  greatest  friend,  was  already  high  in  his 
confidence.  And  here  I  may  observe,  that  all  the 
most  sterling  and  honourable  men  at  Oxford  re- 
mained faithful  to  Prince  Rupert's  interests  to  the 
last.  The  gallant  and  devoted  Will.  Legge,  the 
grave  and  cautious  Nicholas,  the  noble  and  disinter- 
rested  Richmond,  the  irreproachable  Glamorgan, 
and  Hopton,  sans  peur  et  sans  reproche,  — all  these 


may  have  a  commission  to  raise  1000  or  1200  foot,  for  the  defence 
of  that  government  I  am  entrusted  withal,  which  will  add  to  the 
obligation  of  Your  Highness's  humblest  of  servants, 

N.  BYRON. 

I  am  at  Shrewsbury,  I  know  not  about  what,  only  his  Majesty 
commanded  it  New  Year's  day,  I  wish  your  Highness  many  a  one. 
January,  1644. 

1    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  am  infinitely  bound  to  you  for  giving  Sir  Charles  Lucas 
leave  to  come  to  this  army,  and  to  come  with  so  many  horse.  I 
am  glad  Will  Legge  doth  not  come  down,  since  he  is  so  much  in 
your  Highness's  favour,  which  I  humbly  thank  your  Highness  for, 
I  am,  and  shall  ever  be 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  and  obliged  servant, 
Walbcch,  4th  Jan.  1644.  W.  NEWCASTLE. 


1644.]        PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     357 

were  his  friends.  The  Queen,  Digby,  Wilmot, 
Percy,  Ashburnham,  and  the  mere  courtiers,  were 
opposed  to  the  Prince ;  nevertheless  all  these  per- 
sons continue  to  write  to  his  Highness  constantly, 
professing  the  utmost  devotion  for  his  service  ; 
even  her  Majesty  wrote  to  him  frequently,  and 
very  complimentarily. 

Lord  Herbert  has  again  raised  a  little  army  out  of 
his  father's  inexhaustible  domains ;  it  consists  of  a 
regiment  of  foot  and  ten  troops  of  cavalry ;  but  he 
now  declines  to  act  under  any  command  but  that  of 
Prince  Rupert  or  the  King.1  The  Prince  at  this 
time  recognises  his  services  thus: — 

WHEREAS  the  Right  Honourable  Henry  Marquis  of 
Worcester  hath,  by  his  care  and  expenses,  long  saved  the 
Town  and  County  of  Monmouth  from  the  hands  of  the  ene- 
mies, and  of  late  regained  the  said  town  from  them  ;  and  in 
regard  likewise  that  the  towns  of  Monmouth  and  Chepstow 
are  belonging  to  him  of  inheritance,  and  the  interest  he  hath 
in  the  whole  county,  my  desire  is,  that  the  Commander- 
in-chief  of  the  said  county,  and  the  Governors  of  both  or 
each  of  those  towns,  or  of  any  other  garrison  within  the 
said  county,  should  comply  with,  and  observe  any  de- 
sires of  his,  intimated  unto  them :  either  concerning  his 
Majesty's  service,  the  good  of  that  county,  or  the  particu- 
lar safety  and  interest  of  him  and  his,  whereof  I  am  very 
tender.  As  also  the  High  Sheriff,  Commissioners  of  Ar- 
ray, Justices  of  Peace,  or  other  officers  of  the  said  county, 
martial  or  civil,  as  they  tender  my  pleasure,  and  will  an- 
swer the  contrary  at  their  perils.  And  for  their  so  doing, 
the  sight  of  these,  or  a  copy  hereof,  attested  by  that  Right 

1  As  Sir  William  Vavasour  angrily  writes  word  from  Tewkes- 
bury  on  the  6th  and  7th. 


358         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

Honourable  Henry  Marquis  of  Worcester,  shall  be  their, 
and  either  of  their  warrant.  Given  under  my  hand  at 
Oxford,  the  fifth  day  of  January,  in  the  twentieth  year  of 
his  Majesty's  reign.  1644.  RUPERT.' 

I  find  a  letter  from  worthy  old  Sir  Jacob  Astley 
which  I  cannot  pass  over ;  it  gives  so  lively  a  pic- 
ture of  the  manner  in  which  "  the  licence  of  war  " 
enabled  tbe  freebooting  portion  of  the  Cavaliers  to 
conduct  themselves.  It  appears  from  this  that  the 
infection  of  rapacity  extended  even  to  their  wives. 
The  whole  letter  is  so  quaint  that  I  give  it  in  its 
original  spelling,  just  as  it  left  the  old  general's 
hands :  it  was  written  in  reply  to  a  complaint  against 
him  by  this  Ball,  who  declared  that  he  had  raised  a 
regiment  in  the  most  disinterested  manner,  at  his 
own  expense,  for  the  Royal  cause  :2 — 

MAY    IT    PLEAS    YOUR    HlGNHES, 

As  conserninge  one  y1  cales  himselfe  Capne  Ball,  y* 
hath  complayned  vnto  yr  Highnes  y1 1  have  tacken  awaie 
his  horsses  from  him,  this  is  the  trewth.  He  hath  livede 
near  this  towne  ever  since  I  came  heather,  and  had  gotten 
not  above  twelve  men  togeather  and  himselfe.  He  had  so 
plundered  and  oppressed  the  pepell  paying  contributions, 
as  the  Marques  of  Winchester  and  the  Lord  Hopton  com- 
playned extreamly  of  him  ;  and  he  went  under  my  name, 
wtch  he  vsed  falscely,  as  givinge  it  out  he  did  it  by  my 
warrant.  Off  this  he  gott  faierly  offe,  and  so  promised  to 

1  From  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Beaufort's  collection. 

2  This  complaint  of  Ball's  is  accompanied  by  a  recommenda- 
tion of  the  claimant  from  Sir  Henry  Bard  (himself  another  of  the 
freebooting   class),    afterwards    Lord    Bellamont ;    with    whose 
daughter  in  later  years  Rupert  was  destined  to  have  some  tender 
relations. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        359 

give  no  mor  caues  of  complaynt.  Noy ,  ewer  since,  he  hath 
continewed  his  ould  coures  in  so  extrj  me  a  waie  as  he  and 
his  wife  and  sone,  and  10  or  12  horsses  he  hath  togeather, 
spoyles  the  peepell,  plunders  them,  and  tackes  violently 
thear  goodes  from  them.  As  vpon  complayntes  of  the 
contrie  and  the  Committie  hier,  I  could  do  no  lese  then 
comitt  him,  and  took  awaie  som  9  or  10  horsses  from  him 
and  his,  for  he  newer  had  mor,  and  these  not  armed; 
which  horsses  ar  in  the  custodie  of  Sir  Charles  Blunt. 
Divers  [persons]  claime  satisffaction  from  him  for  thear 
goodes  he  hath  taken  from  them ;  as  one  man  30  powndes 
worth  of  hoppes  he  took  from  them  vpon  the  high  waie. 
And  this  daie  the  Comittie  heir  hath  given  warninge  that 
both  he  and  his  complaynt  shall  be  heard ;  all  wtch  shall 
be  amplie  informed  herafter  to  yr  Highnes,  y*  yr  Highnes 
may  se  no  wronge  shall  be  don  him.  AfFter  manie 
scolisietationes  by  letteres  and  mesendgeres  scent  for  bet- 
ter paiement  of  this  garison,  and  to  be  provided  with  men, 
armes,  and  amonition  for  ye  goode  orderinge  and  defence 
of  this  place,  I  have  reseived  no  comfort  at  all.  So  y* 
in  littell  time  our  extreamieties  must  thruste  the  souldieres 
eyther  to  disband,  or  mutiny,  or  plunder,  and  then  ye 
fault  therof  wil  be  laied  to  my  chardge.  God  send  ye 
Kinge  mor  monne  [money]  to  go  throw  with  his  great 
worck  in  hande,  and  me  free  from  blame  and  imputation, 
that  ever  will  remayne,  Yr  Highnes 

Most  humbell  and  obediant  Scervant, 

JACOB  ASTELEY. 

Reading,  this  11  January,  1644. 

As  a  companion  to  this,  I  subjoin  another  charac- 
teristic letter  from  another  brave,  old,  faithful  sol- 
dier, also  complaining  of  his  difficulties.1  Prince 

1    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  received  just  now  in  a  letter  from  my  Lord  Digby  a  paper, 
wherein  are  written  some  expressions  of  Mr.  Paddon,  my  receiver 


360          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [JAN. 

Maurice's  regiment  of  cavalry,  we  now  find  from  Sir 
Jacob  Astley,  are  come  to  Reading,  which  he  con- 
fesses he  has  so  impoverished,  that  he  is  obliged  to 
quarter  the  new  comers  in  the  adjacent  villages :  at 
the  same  time  he  forwards  a  remonstrance  from 
"  his  friends  the  mayor  and  corporation  "  against  fur- 
ther demands  upon  them  for  some  time.1 


in  Wilts,  to  Sir  Lewis  Dives,  his  messenger,  that  came  with  an 
order  from  your  Highness  for  501.  12s.  out  of  the  hundred  of 
Estub  and  Enerly,  within  the  county  of  Wilts.  I  should  be  in- 
finitely sorry  if  any  man  that  belongs  to  me,  as  he  at  present  by 
occasion  of  his  Majesty's  service  doth,  should  commit  any  error  in 
his  expressions  that  should  be  disliked  by  your  Highness  ;  for  I 
have  been  these  many  years,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  ever  will  be, 
a  faithful  servant  to  your  House,  and  have  ever  studied  in  all  real 
offices  so  to  approve  myself  to  your  person.  But  these  contribu- 
tions in  Wilts,  as  they  were  my  nearest,  so  they  were  my  best 
help,  insomuch  as  at  this  time,  that  his  Majesty's  old  horse  are 
called  from  me,  I  am  informed  to  send  the  few  broken  regiments 
I  have  left  to  refresh  and  recreate  there,  so  as,  if  at  all  the  same 
time  that  I  have  a  powerful  prosperous  enemy  advancing  upon 
me,  and  all  assistance  drawn  from  me,  I  shall  have  all  means  of 

supply  cut  off  behind  me In  all  this,  sir,  I  thank  God  I  can 

considerately  say,  I  have  not  at  all  considered  myself,  whether  low 
or  high,  prosperous  or  unprosperous,  but  the  just  interests  of  the 
King  and  this  poor  bleeding  kingdom,  where  no  part  of  his 
Majesty's  forces  can  foil,  but  the  rebel  will  make  his  use  of  it  to 
the  prejudice  of  the  whole,  whereby  the  wound,  already  dangerous, 
may  quickly  grow  uncurable.  This,  sir,  might  transport  me  to 
be  the  more  earnest  in  a  case  of  so  public  concernment,  which 
that  it  should  be  invaluably  dear  unto  me,  I  presume  can  never 
be  unacceptable  to  your  Highness,  to  whom  I  never  have  nor 
ever  shall  willingly  fail  to  approve  myself, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
RALPH  HOPTON. 
Winchester,  Jan.  12,  1644. 

1  A  letter  occurs  at  this  date  from  Prince  Maurice,  which 
shews  what  a  difficult  part  the  commander,  as  well  as  the  subjects 
had  to  play.  This  Lord  Percy  was  the  Harry  Percy  of  the  Army 
Plot,  made  general  of  artillery,  for  no  known  qualification  except 


1644.]      PRINCE  RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       361 

On  the  19th  of  January  I  find  the  Prince  ad- 
dressed by  Ogle,  "  one  of  the  rabble  of  Cavaliers " 
who  performed  such  evil  service  against  the  Round- 
head rabble  at  Whitehall  in  1 642.1  This  villain  now 
assures  the  Prince  that  he  has  had  an  understanding 
with  the  governor  of  Aylesbury,  or  his  brother,  to 
admit  the  Royal  troops  into  that  important  town  on 
the  night  of  the  20th.  The  matter  was  too  impor- 
tant to  be  neglected  ;  but  the  Prince,  suspecting  a 
stratagem,  declared  that  Ogle  should  march  at 
the  head  of  the  forces  that  were  to  be  admitted, 
and  rewarded  as  he  should  deserve.  Meanwhile 
preparations  were  made  in  the  garrison  to  entrap  the 
Prince,  and  Essex  boasted  in  London  that  he  would 
have  him  dead  or  alive  the  next  day.2  Rupert 
marched  away  by  night  from  his  quarters  at  Thame, 
and  rested  at  Lord  Carnarvon's  house.  Thence  he 
proceeded  towards  Aylesbury  ;  but  he  declined  to  ap- 
proach the  town  unless  the  governor's  brother  him- 


that  most  mischievous  measure.     He  had  conducted  the  artillery 
operations  before  fatal  Gloucester. 

PEINCE    MAURICE    TO    COL.  SEYMOUR. 

SIR, 

I  received  yours  by  Sir  Edmund  Fortescue,  and  shall  desire 
you  to  certify  me  what  arms  and  munition  you  have  in  your 
magazine,  and  not  to  dispose  of  any,  notwithstanding  my  Lord 
Percy's  order,  without  my  consent  first  had  and  obtained,  for 
they  will  be  of  much  use  here,  especially  muskets.  And  so  far 
rest,  sir,  Your  friend,  MAURICE.* 

Tavistock,  12th  January,  1644. 


Prince  Rupert's  Diary.  2  Ibid. 

*  From  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset's  MSS. 


362        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

self  appeared.  He  met  no  one  but  a  lad  with  a 
letter,  entreating  him  to  push  on  at  once,  as  every- 
thing was  ready  for  his  reception.  Rupert  seized 
the  lad,  and  found  out  that  his  errand  was  true,  so 
far  as  that  every  preparation  was  made  to  receive 
him  that  steel  and  shot  could  furnish.  He  ordered 
Ogle  to  be  "  laid  by  the  heels ;"  and  determined  to 
assault  the  opposite  side  of  the  town,  where  he 
was  not  expected :  with  this  object  he  rode  on  as 
fast  as  the  darkness  would  permit,  accompanied 
by  Lord  Gerrard  and  his  regiment ;  but  the  brook 
was  found  so  swelled  by  the  heavy  rain  that  it  was 
unfordable.  Wherefore  the  Prince  returned  to 
Thame,  and  sent  Ogle  on  to  Oxford,  to  be  tried  and 
shot  for  treachery.  Digby,  however,  recognising  in 
the  traitor  an  old  and  probably  useful  ally,  obtained 
his  pardon  and  release. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  troubles  the  King  had 
made  a  wise  resolution  not  to  confer  any  honours 
until  the  war  was  ended.  When  the  Queen,  how- 
ever, forced  him  at  Edgehill  to  promote  her  cour- 
tiers, he  found  it  necessary  to  extend  his  favours  to 
some  of  his  own  friends,  and  thereby  a  source  of  per- 
petual envy  and  annoyance  was  opened.  Hitherto, 
however,  Prince  Rupert  had  obtained,  or  asked  for, 
no  distinction.  But  he  was  now  the  King's  only,  as 
he  had  long  been  his  chief  dependence.  As  the 
Scottish  invasion  became  more  imminent,  it  was 
necessary  to  strengthen  the  North,  and  Rupert  was 
destined  for  that  purpose.  On  his  way  thither  he 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      363 

was  to  examine  and  secure  the  different  garrisons 
that  maintained  the  King's  communication  with 
York  ;  and  Wales,  the  King's  chief  resource  for  sol- 
diers, required  to  be  encouraged  and  revived.  For 
this  purpose,  and  to  remove  jealousies  between  Lord 
Herbert  and  other  rival  claimants  for  that  honour, 
Prince  Rupert  was  appointed  "  President  of  Wales," 
on  the  5th  of  February;  having  previously  (on  the 
19th  of  January)  been  made  a  "free  denizen'"  by 
letters  patent,  and  on  the  22nd,  a  peer  of  England, 
as  Earl  of  Holderness  and  Duke  of  Cumberland.1 

The  King's  Parliament  assembled  at  Oxford  on 
the  21st  of  January,  in  Christchurch  Hall,  to  the 
number  of  about  sixty  Peers  and  three  hundred 
Commoners.2  Almost  their  first  measure,  by  the 
desire  of  the  King,  was  an  address  to  the  Earl  of 
Essex,  founded  on  his  former  professions,  conjuring 
him  to  promote  a  peace  between  the  King  and  the 
Parliament.3  Essex  returned  a  cold  and  super- 
cilious reply  to  Lord  Forth  (Ruthven  and  Brent- 
ford) as  his  opponent  general :  he  stated,  that  as  the 
"  parchment "  was  not  addressed  to  the  Parliament 
he  could  not  present  it :  he  sent  a  copy  of  the  Cove- 


1  A  title  which  the  Roundhead  wits  heavily  travestied  into 
"  Plunderland." 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.   396  :  there  were  not  above  one 
hundred  Commoners  and  twenty-two  Peers  at  Westminster,  or 
engaged  for  that  party. 

3  It  was  subscribed  by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Duke  of  York, 
forty-three  Peers,  and  118  Commoners.     They  were  so  eager  to 
despatch  the  letter  that  they  did  not  wait  for  the  other  members 
of  either  House  to  arrive. 


364         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF         [JAN. 

nant  enclosed,  and  two  declarations1  of  immitigable 
hostility  on  the  Scotch  Parliament  side,  until  they 
should  obtain  all  their  demands.  Some  time  after- 
wards the  King  made  another  overture  for  peace, 
which,  it  is  unnecessary  to  say,  came  to  nothing. 

There  was  now  a  strong  force  procured  from  Ire- 
land. When  the  English  troubles  broke  out,  it 
became  impossible  for  the  King  to  prosecute  the  war 
against  the  Irish  rebels :  it  seemed  essential,  there- 
fore, if  not  to  make  a  peace  with  them,  at  least  to 
consent  to  a  cessation  of  arms.2  This  Lord  Ormond 
boldly  proposed,  and  boldly  effected ;  and  the  King's 
troops  engaged  in  Ireland  were  thus  set  free.  These 

1  "  The  Earl  of  Essex  was  no  fanatic,  and  therefore  had  nothing 
to  hinder  his  seeing  the  hypocrisy  of  these  two  diabolical  declara- 
tions.    So  that  to  support  them  by  the  power  that  his  station 
gave  them  could  not  but  be  displeasing  to  the  God  of  truth  and 
justice."     So  says  one  who  certainly  was  no  blind  favourer  of  the 
Cavaliers. — Bishop  Warburtoris  Notes  to  Clarendon,  vol.  vii.  p.  592. 

2  As  to  the  justification  of  this  measure,  I  offer  the  following 
observations  by  a  keen  and  caustic  critic  of  loth  parties  ;  one  who, 
as  Morton  said  of  Knox,  "  never  feared  the  face  [or  the  opinions] 
of  mortal  man." 

"  I  see  no  reason  why  the  King  might  not  apply  his  rebellious 
Catholic  subjects  in  Ireland  to  his  own  purpose  :  as  well  as  the 
Parliament  apply  his  rebellious  Puritan  subjects  of  Scotland  to 
theirs.  The  terms  under  which  both  these  several  applications 
were  made,  having  this  difference  only  apparently  to  the  advan- 
tage of  the  King, — the  Papists  only  demanded  a  toleration  under 
the  established  Church,  the  Puritans  required,  and  it  was  granted 
them,  an  establishment  of  their  discipline,  to  the  destruction  of 
the  national  Church.  *  *  *  On  the  whole,  the  King  was  per- 
fectly free  from  blame  throughout  this  Irish  affair  from  first  to 
last,  as  a  politician  and  King,  and  governor  of  his  people.  But, 
the  necessity  of  his  affairs,  obliging  him  at  the  same  time  to  play 
the  Protestant  saint  and  confessor,  there  was  found  much  disagree- 
ment between  his  professions  and  declarations  and  his  actions  in 
this  matter." — Warburtorfs  Notes  to  Clarendon,  vol.  vii.  p.  591. 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      365 

were  the  forces  that  landed  at  Chester,  and,  having 
taken  Harwarden  Castle,  Beeston  Castle,  and  Crew 
House,  under  Byron,  failed  before  Nantwich,  where 
they  were  beaten  by  Fairfax  and  Brereton  on  the 
26th  of  this  month.1  It  is  to  be  noticed  that  these 
forces  from  Ireland  were  not  only  falsely  termed 
Irish  rebels  by  the  false  Parliament,  but  were  actual- 

1  Monk  was  among  the  prisoners.  One  monument  in  Acton 
Church  is  in  good  preservation,  notwithstanding  this  church  was 
a  temporary  prison  after  the  battle  of  Nantwich  ;  but  the  prisoners 
were  of  the  party  which  respected  memorials  of  the  dead. 

The  town  of  Nantwich  was  the  only  one  in  the  county  which 
continued  firm  to  the  Parliament  from  the  beginning  to  the  end 
of  the  civil  wars.  It  underwent  a  severe  siege,  January  1644,  by 
Lord  Byron,  who,  after  the  severe  defeat  he  here  experienced  from 
the  army  commanded  by  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax,  retired  to  Chester. 
The  place  was  bravely  defended  by  the  garrison,  though  only  for- 
tified by  mud-walls  and  ditches  formed  in  a  hasty  manner  by  the 
country  people,  to  whom  the  Royalists  had  made  themselves  un- 
popular. January  18th,  the  besiegers  were  repulsed  with  great 
loss.  Among  the  slain  was  Captain  Sandford,  who,  January  15th, 
had  addressed  the  "officers,  soldiers,  and  gentlemen  in  Nantwich" 
thus  : — "  Your  drum  can  inform  you  Acton  Church  is  no  more  a 
prison,  but  now  free  for  honest  men  to  do  their  devotions  therein, 
wherefore,  be  persuaded  from  your  incredulity,  and  resolve  God 
will  not  forsake  his  anointed.  Let  not  your  zeal  in  a  bad  cause 
dazzle  your  eyes  any  longer ;  but  wipe  away  your  vain  conceits, 
that  have  too  long  let  you  into  blind  errors.  Loath  1  am  to  un- 
dertake the  trouble  of  persuading  you  into  obedience,  because 
your  erroneous  opinions  do  most  violently  oppose  reason  amongst 
you  ;  but,  however,  if  you  love  your  town,  accept  of  quarter  ;  and 
if  you  regard  your  lives,  work  your  safety  by  yielding  your  town 
to  Lord  Byron,  for  his  Majesty's  use.  You  see  now  my  battery  is 
fixed  ;  from  whence  fire  shall  eternally  visit  you,  to  the  terror  of 
the  old  and  females,  and  consumption  of  your  thatched  houses. 
Believe  me,  gentlemen,  I  have  laid  by  my  former  delays,  and  am 
now  resolved  to  batter,  burn,  storm,  and  destroy  you.  Do  not 
wonder  that  I  write  unto  you,  having  officers  in  chief  above  me  ; 
it  is  only  to  advise  you  to  your  good.  Your  faithful  friend, 
THOMAS  SANDFORD,  Captain  of  Firelocks." — Pennant's  Tour.  The 
writer  of  this  stern  summons  had  first  written  very  differently  to 


366         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

ly  hanged  as  such  when  taken,  though  there  was  not 
an  Irishman  amongst  them.1 

This  defeat  before  Nantwich  hasted  Rupert's 
departure  for  the  North.  All  Cheshire,  Shropshire, 
and  Wales  were  struck  with  affright,  and  shewed 
some  wavering  symptoms,  until  Rupert  "  gave  new 
life"  Clarendon  declares,  to  their  drooping  spirits. 
He  announces  his  approach  to  the  governor  of 
Shrewsbury  in  this  letter  : — 

PRINCE  RUPERT  TO  SIR  FRANCIS  OTTLEY,  KNIGHT,  GOVER- 
NOR OF  SHREWSBURY. 
SIR, 

His  Majesty  is  pleased  to  entrust  to  my  care  his  army 
in  Shropshire,  and  the  countries  adjacent,  together  with  his 
interests  there.  In  which  command  I  cannot  but  with 
very  much  apprehension  think  upon  Shrewsbury  [which  is] 

the  Nantwich  garrison.  He  bore  a  high  character  for  dauntless 
bravery,  which  he  confirmed  by  scaling  the  steep  sides  of  Beeston 
rock,  and  capturing  its  strong  castle  on  the  13th  of  September, 
1643.  He  thus  writes  to  the  garrison  of  Nantwich  on  the  15th 
of  January,  requesting  rather  than  summoning  it  to  surrender ; 
and  deprecating  the  appellation  for  his  comrades  of  "  Irish  Papist 
Rebels  :"— - 

"  GENTLEMEN, 

"  Let  these  resolve  your  jealousies  concerning  your  religion, 
Though,  by  the  faith  of  a  Christian,  I  know  not  one  Papist  in  our 
army;  and,  as  I  am  a  gentleman,  we  are  no  Irish,  but  true-born 
English,  and  real  Protestants  also,  born  and  bred.  Pray  mistake 
us  not ;  but  receive  us  into  your  fair  esteem.  I  know  we  intend 
loyalty  to  his  Majesty,  and  will  be  no  other  than  faithful  in  his 
service.  This,  gentlemen, 

"  Believe  from  yours, 

January  15.  "  THOMAS  SANDFORD." 

This  Sandford  was  killed  the  next  day. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  444 ;  Fairfax's  Own  Relation  \ 
Somers'  Tracts,  p.  435. 


1644.]       PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      367 

in  your  Government,  and  the  safety  thereof.  Especially 
since  I  understood  of  a  late  design  for  the  betraying 
thereof  to  the  enemy,  which  you  have  divers  persons  in 
prison,  but  I  do  not  hear  they  are  brought  to  justice  by 
any  proceeding  against  them,  so  that  the  punishment  may 
go  to  some — the  example  and  terror  to  all.  I  must  strictly 
require  from  you  an  account  of  that  place,  which  is  the 
head-quarter  of  those  countries,  and  where  I  intend  to 
make  my  own  residence  during  the  time  of  my  stay  in  that 
command,  and  therefore  must  recommend  to  you  the  par- 
ticulars following :  and  require  you  to  call  together  the 
gentlemen  and  townsmen  to  assist  you  in  such  charges  as 
will  be  requisite  for  the  covering  the  Castle  of  Shrews- 
bury, and  the  dividing  and  disposing  thereof  into  rooms 
capable  and  fitting  to  receive  the  stores ;  so  as  such  am- 
munition as  from  time  to  time  shall  be  sent  into  those 
parts,  for  his  Majesty's  service,  there  may  lie  dry  and 
safe.  I  desire  this  be  done  with  all  possible  speed,  for  I 
have  this  day  sent  away  fifty  barrels  of  powder  to  begin 
your  stores.  Other  proportions  of  that,  and  all  other  kind 
of  ammunition,  will  be  speedily  brought  thither,  and  for 
the  better  security  of  the  stores,  which  are  the  sinews  of 
the  King's  business,  I  pray  you,  by  the  advice  of  Sir  John 
Mennes,  to  consider  of  an  accommodation  for  such  as  shall 
be  the  guard  of  that  place,  by  erecting  of  a  Court  of 
guard  and  huts  for  the  soldiers,  for  such  number  of  men, 
and  in  such  manner  as  you  and  Sir  John  Mennes  shall 
think  best  for  his  Majesty's  service.  I  have  no  more  to 
say  to  you  at  present,  but  shall  willingly  receive  your  let- 
ters from  time  to  time  concerning  your  affairs,  and  you 
shall  be  sure  of  all  possible  assistance  and  encouragement 
from  me.  Your  very  loving  friend, 

RUPERT.1 

Oxon,  25th  January,  1644. 


From  Owen  and  Blakeway's  "  History  of  Shrewsbury,"  vol.  i. 


368         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JAN. 

To  this  letter  he  received  the  subjoined  reply.1 
And  on  the  day  it  was  written,  the  governor  pre- 
vailed on  the  citizens  to  assess  themselves  in  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  pounds,  to  propitiate  the 
Prince.2  About  this  time  a  foreshowing  of  Mar- 
ston  Moor  arrives  in  the  following  letter  :— 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  know  they  tell  you,  sir,  that  I  have  great  force  ; 
truly  I  cannot  march  five  thousand  foot,  and  the  horse 
not  well  armed.  The  Scots  advanced  as  far  as  Morpeth, 
and  they  are  fourteen  thousand  as  the  report  goes.  Since 
I  must  have  no  help,  I  shall  do  the  best  I  can  with  these, 
and  ever  acknowledge  myself  infinitely  bound  to  your 
Highness  for  your  many  favours.  God  preserve  your 
Highness.  Your  Highness's  most  faithful,  obliged  ser- 
vant, W.  NEWCASTLE. 
York,  28th  January,  1644. 


1    SIB    FRANCIS    OTTLEY    TO    PRINCE    RUPERT. 
MAY    IT   PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

Our  country  is  heartily  glad  that  his  Majesty  has  intrusted 
the  care  of  our  county  into  your  hands.  I  shall  be  obedient  to 
perform  your  commands.  All  things  shall  be  performed  with  all 
expedition  so  far  forth  as  the  time  and  season  will  permit,  against 
your  Highness's  coming.  Justice  hath  been  executed,  and  one 
of  the  corporals  under  my  command  hanged  for  neglect  of  his 
duty  in  his  place  that  night  as  the  enemy  approached.  The 
huts  and  the  court  of  guard  shall  be  ready  before  your  Highness's 
coming.  There  is  one  other  condemned,  but  judgment  is  deferred 
till  your  Highness's  coming  hither.  Our  hearts  do  long  for  your 
presence  to  settle  the  distractions  and  complaints  amongst  us.  I 
rest, 

Your  servant  ready  upon  all  occasions  humbly  to  serve  you, 

FRANCIS  OTTLEY. 
Shrewsbury,  this  last  day  of  January,  1644. 

2  Owen. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        369 

At  this  time  a  curious  attempt  was  made  by  some 
anonymous  writer  to  inspire  King  Charles  with 
doubts  of  Rupert's  loyalty.  Remote  as  his  chances 
then  appeared  to  be  of  the  Crown  of  England,  his 
legitimate  children  would  doubtless  have  succeeded 
to  it,  as  of  nearer  kin  than  those  of  his  younger 
sister,  who  transmitted  it  to  the  House  of  Hanover. 
Of  this  libellous  production  the  King  took  no  no- 
tice, as  might  be  expected.  The  pamphlet  I  quote 
from  is  in  the  King's  Coll.  B.  in  the  British  Museum 
(No.  93,  7),  and  bears  date  Feb.  3, 1643-4:— 

Thus,  Prince  Rupert  is  so  near  the  Crown,  if  law  and 
Parliament  be  destroyed,  he  may  bid  for  the  Crown,  having 
possessed  himself  of  so  much  power  already, — by  his  Ger- 
man manner  of  plundering,  and  active  military  disposition 
having  won  the  hearts  of  many  thousand  soldiers  of  fortune 
and  men  of  prey.  He  is  already  their  chieftain,  and  if  the 
power  be  transferred  from  the  civil  to  the  military,  he  is 
like  enough  to  be  their  king.  He  is  no  stranger  to  the 
Crown  in  blood,  and  much  more  deserving  by  the  sword, 
the  whole  war  being  managed  by  his  skill,  labour,  and 
industry ;  insomuch,  that  if  the  King  recommend  one 
thing  and  the  Prince  another,  the  latter  is  the  law, — as  at 
Banbury,  when  the  Prince  said  "  his  Uncle  knew  not 
what  belonged  to  war,"  and  plundered  the  town  against 
the  Royal  command.  If  his  scholars  enter  a  town,  they 
sing  "  God  damn  us,  the  town  is  Prince  Rupert's  ! "  Nei- 
ther will  Prince  Rupert  want  abettors  in  this  cursed 
design,  for  many  of  our  debauched  and  low-fortuned 
young  nobility  and  gentry,  suiting  so  naturally  with  this 
new  conqueror,  will  make  no  bones  to  shoulder  out  the 
old  King. 

The  following  very  singular  letter  from  Sir  Charles 
VOL.  n.  B  B 


370         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [FEB. 

Lucas  (who  was  shot  a  few  years  afterwards  in  cold 
blood  by  Fairfax)  may  make  an  amusing  variety  to 
the  military  and  fiscal  details  that  we  have  been 
perusing : — 

SIR, 

Your  Highness  having  been  pleased  to  dispense  with 
my  service  to  be  employed  for  a  time  in  these  parts,  where 
as  I  know  not,  at  first  coming,  almost  where  I  am,  so  it 
has  as  near  made  me  forget  where  I  have  been  ;  which 
gives  me  occasion  to  think  that  change  of  faces  and  con- 
versation does  represent  death  nearer  than  sleeping.  And 
to  this  kind  of  death  your  favour  to  me  has  been  in  man- 
ner of  a  resurrection ;  and  here  I  move  and  live  by  the 
warmth  of  your  liberal  recommendations  of  me  to  my 
Lord  Marquis  Newcastle ;  which  also,  at  all  other  times, 
I  most  humbly  thank  your  Highness,  has  with  so  much 
fervency  let  shine  upon  me.  Yet,  sir,  being  here  at  this 
distance,  I  am  only  able  to  take  the  height  of  that  lucky 
star  which  rules  and  overlooks  your  good  fortunes,  where 
my  sad  observation  measures  out  unto  me  how  great  a  dis- 
tance there  is  between  this  place  and  those  which  are  made 
so  much  more  happier  for  its  more  vigorous  influence  ;  for 
where  it  works  not,  it  leaves  all  that  part  to  its  own  stupe- 
faction ;  and  where  it  is  not  seen,  there  men  grope  in  the 
dark,  and  can  light  upon  nothing  but  their  own  misfor- 
tunes :  so  much  is  this  English  little  patch  of  earth,  where 
it  now  shines,  beholden  unto  it,  that  when  virtue  was  so 
far  forced  back  and  stood  so  far  from  competition  that  it 
could  scarce  attain  that  esteem,  to  be  but  accounted  yet 
the  lesser  part,  or  that  any  could  scarce  say  here  lies  the 
seed  of  it,  notwithstanding,  having  acquired  this  blessing, 
it  is  now  valued  to  possess  the  greater  share,  for  that  now 
whosoever  would  be  safe  must  retire  under  this  shade  for 
their  own  preservation.  That  I  may  now  be  so  bold  to  give 
your  Highness  an  account  of  our  actions  here.  The  Mar- 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      371 

quis  is  himself,  the  29th  of  this  last  month,  advanced 
against  the  Scots.  Having  sent  the  greatest  part  of  his 
army  before,  the  number  of  his  foot  is  yet  uncertain,  be- 
cause many  are  to  come  in  to  him  as  he  passes  through  the 
bishopric ;  yet  I  believe  they  are  going  out  of  these  parts, 
above  five  thousand  foot  and  above  three  thousand  horse. 
I  wish  with  all  my  heart  they  were  where  your  Highness 
could  but  meet  them,  though  with  half  the  number  of 
horse.  The  necessity  of  leaving  these  parts  so  bare,  with 
the  ill  neighbourhood  of  Gainsborough,  makes  us  to  suspect 
that  the  free  intercourse  between  Newark  and  the  more 
northern  parts  might  be  cut  off*  if  the  enemies  should  pos- 
sess themselves  of  Doncaster ;  to  prevent  which  we  are 
fortifying  the  place,  I  being  left  here  with  two  thousand 
horse  for  the  security  of  what  is  left  behind.  This  has 
caused  my  longer  stay  here,  and  has  hindered  my  Lord's 
intent  to  send  for  me  for  the  present,  and  especially  my 
own  great  desires  to  be  an  actor  in  that  service  which  can- 
not be  more  eagerly  bent  upon  anything,  except  it  be  in 
the  acquisition  of  so  great  an  honour  and  happiness  as  to 
find  that  room  in  your  Highness's  good  opinion  to  be 
esteemed, 

Sir,  your  most  obedient  and  faithful  servant, 

CHARLES  LUCAS. 

Doncaster,  Feb.  2,  1644. 

Sir  John  Mennes  writes  from  Shrewsbury  that 
several  of  the  Irish  prisoners,  yea  five  hundred  men, 
have  taken  arms  under  the  Parliament,  besides 
"  two  hundred  which  ran  to  them  before :"  the 
colonel  also  adds  grievous  but  amusing  complaints 
of  his  position.1  Lord  Newcastle  is  still  before  that 

1  "...  But  for  my  part  I  can  do  his  Majesty  no  service  here  at 
all,  being  made  useless  by  the  insulting  people,  who  now  tell  us 
their  power,  and  that  three  of  the  commissioners  of  array  may 

B  B  2 


372         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [FEB. 

town  on  the  4th,  but  doubts  whether  he  can  main- 
tain it.  It  is  so  long  since  we  have  heard  from  the 
dauntless  Loughborough,  and  he  writes  so  stoutly  for 
supplies,  that  I  am  induced  to  give  one  letter  out  of 
many.  Several  such  garrisons,  with  from  five  hun- 
dred to  two  thousand  men,  were  ready  to  join  the 
Prince  at  his  first  summons,  and  may  account  for 
the  suddenness  with  which  he  could  gather  a  large 
army,  as  well  as  its  vitality  and  ready  restoration 
when  apparently  destroyed. 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

Some  part  of  those  forces  I  have  the  honour  to  com- 
mand are  daily  in  action  ;  and  that,  with  many  alarms,  is 


question  the  best  of  us,  from  which  power  good  Lord  deliver  me, 
and  rather  send  me  home  from  constable  to  constable  to  the  parish 
I  was  born  in  !  I  have  not  heard  from  my  Lord  Byron  since  his 
loss,  but  by  a  letter  written  to  the  high  sheriff  and  governor, 
which  in  effect  bids  us  be  careful  of  ourselves,  as  he  will  be  of 
those  parts,  for  that  the  gentlemen  are  somewhat  troubled  that 
they  can  expect  no  help  from  him.  Money  is  a  thing  not  spoken 
of,  neither  do  I  perceive  your  Highness's  last  letter  prevail  at  all 
with  them,  more  than  yesterday  night.  They  first  proffered  to 
give  every  troop  6d.,  and,  after  some  dispute,  they  would  have 
made  it  up  12 d.  if  it  would  have  been  received.  I  must  crave 
your  Highness's  pardon  if  I  quit  the  place,  for  I  have  not  where- 
withal to  subsist  any  longer,  having  received  but  221.  now  in 
eleven  months,  and  lived  upon  my  own,  without  free  quarters  for 
horse  or  man.  The  fortune  I  have  is  all  in  the  rebels'  hands,  or  in 
such  tenants'  as  have  forgot  to  pay.  The  ammunition  is  not  as  yet 
come  from  Worcester,  that  I  can  hear  of.  This  inclosed  was  sent 
me  from  Stafford,  whence  I  hear  they  intend  to  draw  more  force 
this  way  from  Coventry,  which  will  soon  make  the  neuters  of 
these  parts  declare  themselves,  and,  I  fear,  startle  some  that  have 
been  accounted  firm.  I  hope  your  Highness  will  pardon  this 
long  scribble  from  the  most  humblest  of  your  servants, 

"  JOHN  MENNES." 
Hebb,  two  in  the  afternoon. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  TJ?J  2   CAVALIERS.        373 

the  consumption  of  much  ammunition.  If  I  can  make 
good  what  I  now  am  master  of  till  May,  I  doubt  not  to 
appear  serviceable  to  his  Majesty,  but  without  arms  and 
ammunition  I  cannot.  Two  passes  I  have  fortified  upon 
the  river  of  Trent  are  now  by  the  rebels  straitly  be- 
sieged, but  I  fear  them  not ;  and  am  drawing  what  horse 
I  have  not  in  Cheshire  to  relieve  them.  I  hear  your  High- 
ness intends  a  journey  into  those  parts,  and  if  his  Majesty 
will  furnish  me  with  ammunition  and  arms,  which  I  be- 
seech you  move  him  for,  I  can  leave  the  garrisons  here  in 
safety,  and  be  happy  to  wait  upon  your  Highness's  com- 
mands ;  and  make  the  horse  I  have  now  there  full  fifteen 
hundred  upon  ten  days'  warning.  But,  Sir,  if  his  Majes- 
ty's service  suffer,  and  I  lose  my  reputation,  for  want  of 
what  others  obtain,  I  must  account  that  my  misfortune, 
though  myself  happy  if  you  still  honour  me  with  the  title 
of  Your  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

LOUGHBOROUGH. 
Ashby,  6th  Feb.  1644. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  Prince  Rupert  took  his 
departure  from  Oxford ;  but  did  not  arrive  for  some 
days  at  Shrewsbury,  for  Sir  John  Mennes  writes  on 
the  9th,  that  "his  Highness  must  be  seen  here,  and 
I  think  felt  too,  before  this  hardhearted  people  will 
believe  you  are  coming."  On  the  10th,  the  same 
writer  announces  an  important  reinforcement  from 
Ireland,  and  gives  some  information  relating  to  their 
supplies.1  The  next  letter  is  from  Oxford.  The 


1    MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have  just  now  received  a  letter  from  my  Lord  Byron, 
•which  tells  me  that  1700  foot  are  landed  out  of  Ireland,  under  the 
command  of  Fillier  and  Broughton.  These  his  lordship  intends 
to  send  hither,  because  they  cannot  make  provision  there.  I  shall 
endeavour  here  to  make  what  shift  I  can  to  assist  them,  which 


374         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

Dutch  ambassadors,  of  whom  Lord  Jermyn  speaks, 
had  been  received  with  great  ceremony  by  the  Par- 
liament :  they  were  the  first  who  had  gone  straight 
to  them.  The  "  assemblies "  allude  to  the  Oxford 
Parliament,  who  had  voted  one  hundred  thousand 
pounds  to  the  King,  and  had  sent  out  letters  to  all 
loyal  subjects,  requiring  them  to  pay  certain  sums 
according  to  ability:  these  letters  unexpectedly 
produced  the  required  sum. 

SIR, 

This  is  the  first  time  there  hath  been  any  occasion  to 
give  your  Highness  this  trouble.  Tomkins  tells  me  he 
met  you,  so  that  you  are  already  informed  of  the  northern 
affairs  i1  the  assemblies  here  proceed  yet  very  well,  and  the 
hundred  thousand  pounds  rise  apace,  and  other  ways  are 
now  taken  into  consideration  to  support  the  war.  The  am- 
bassadors from  Holland  have  yet  said  nothing  but  in  pub- 
lic, and  that  hath  been  no  more  than  to  harangue  for 
peace.  What  particular  instructions  they  may  have  is  not 


must  be  in  providing  victuals — for  money  is  a  thing  we  hear  not 
of — if  your  Highness  be  pleased  to  write  to  the  high  sheriff,  to 
command  him  to  bespeak  hose  and  shoes  for  them.  I  know  that 
may  be  readily  done,  or  any  other  thing  that  is  not  ready  money. 
We  have  here  about  five  hundred  suits  of  clothes,  which  I  have 
stayed  for  your  Highness.  They  should  have  been  sent  to  Chester ; 
but  their  own  clothes  were  good  enough  to  run  to  the  enemy. 
The  rebels  have  forgot  their  late  victory,  and  reassume  their  won  ted 
fears  and  jealousies,  which  I  hope  will  continue  to  their  confusion, 
which  I  am  sure  will  be  much  hastened  by  your  Highness's  pre- 
sence, which  we  all  greedily  expect,  though  none  more  than 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
Salop,  Feb.  10th.  JOHN  MBNNES. 

The  foot  will  be  here  within  five  days. 

1  For  an  account  by  Lord  Newcastle  of  affairs  in  the  North,  &c. 
see  Appendix  B. 


1644.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      375 

known,  but  that  which  is  likeliest  is,  that  in  this  trade 
they  have  so  much  to  do  with  those  at  London,  that, 
according  to  the  rules  of  la  lien  stance  they  are  at  least 
to  tell  under  what  necessity  they  shall  fail  of  acknowledg- 
ing them  a  Parliament ;  and  desire  since,  as  they  pretend, 
though  it  be  otherwise  in  effect,  that  as  the  King  is  not, 
nor  will  be,  prejudiced  by  it,  so  he  would  not  be  offended. 
This,  I  imagine,  will  prove  their  business  :  there  is  one 
come  out  of  France  to  Weymouth  with  some  little  quan- 
tities of  arms.  Wishing  your  Highness  all  sorts  of  happi- 
ness in  this  voyage  [journey],  and  in  all  else  you  under- 
take, I  rest,  sir,  your  Highness's  most  humble,  and 
Most  obedient  faithful  servant, 

H.  JERMYN. 
Oxford,  Feb.  11, 1644. 

The  100,000£.  riseth  apace.1     Ambassadors  from  Hol- 
land.    Some   quantities  of   arms  and  ammunition  come 
from  France  to  Weymouth.     A  little  blow  given  in  Dor- 
setshire to  Colonel  Wyndham's  regiment.     Five  hundred       . 
horse  sent  out  of  Wiltshire  by  L.  Hopton  to  repair  it. 

I  must  not  omit  a  curious  little  note  from  the 
secretary-at-war  about  Colonel  Gamel,  concern- 
ing whom  I  am  in  possession  of  a  letter  from  the 
King,  stating  that  by  this  colonel's  going  to  Oxford 
to  attend  Parliament  he  had  much  suffered  by  his 
regiment's  neglect  in  his  absence,  and  recommend- 
ing him  as  governor  of  Chester.  The  King's  letter 
was  also  written  by  Digby : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

His  Majesty  hath  written  unto  you  in  favour  of  one 
Colonel  Gamel,  of  Chester,  a  person  very  well  deserving 

1  See  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  417. 


376          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [FEB. 

of  his  Majesty's  service  ;  and  his  Majesty  doth  earnestly 
recommend  him  to  your  care  and  favour  in  point  of  his 
regiment :  but  for  the  government  of  Chester,  your  High- 
ness will  easily  believe  that  his  Majesty  is  induced  to  give 
him  that  recommendation  only  for  his  satisfaction's  sake. 
Thus  humbly  kissing  your  Highness's  hands,  I  rest, 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DiGBY.1 
Oxford,  13th  Feb.  1644. 

Lord  Digby  encloses  a  letter  from  Lord  New- 
castle, stating  that  the  Scots  are  still  before  New- 
castle, with  fourteen  thousand  foot  and  two  thousand 
horse.  Prince  Rupert  arrived  at  Shrewsbury  about 
the  19th,  as  I  find  from  letters  that  now  poured 
in  on  him  at  the  rate  of  twenty  or  thirty  daily. 
Lord  Byron  writes  a  good  deal  about  the  Irish 
regiments  lately  landed.2  The  Prince  found  it  very 
necessary  to  have  a  special  correspondent  at  Oxford  : 
Arthur  Trevor  filled  that  office  now,  and  was,  ap- 
parently, also  agent  to  his  Highness  there.  I  have 
suppressed  many  of  his  letters ;  but  the  following 
deserves  notice  for  the  gossip  that  it  contains,  and  a 
notice  of  the  Scotch  wavering  in  their  purpose, 


1  It  appears  by  an  indignant  letter  from  Lord  Byron  of  a  later 
date,  that  this  Gamel  was  an  alderman  highly  unpopular  both 
with  citizens  and  soldiery. 

2  He  says  they  expect  the  same  allowances  that  the  former 
Irish  troops  received,  viz.  "  a  month's  entertainment  [payment]; 
for  every  common  soldier  half-a-crown,  a  suit  of  clothes,  shoes, 
and  stockings.     Since  their  coming  the  officers  have  had  only 
their  month's  pay,  but  the  men  have  had  free  quarters  and  I2d. 
a  week,  which  is  more  than  they  ever  had  in  Ireland-." 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       377 

notwithstanding  the  high  bribes  and  large  conces- 
sions of  the  Parliament : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  cannot  yet  give  your  Highness  an  account  of  your 
letter  concerning  the  5001.  from  Mr^Ashburnham.  I  am 
not  so  well  satisfied  as  to  ensure  the  debt,  nor  so  ill  a 
courtier  in  a  request  of  money  to  sit  down  with  one 
denial.  I  find  a  bill  of  exchange  signed  by  your  High- 
ness, and  denied  by  the  party  upon  whom  you  charged  it, 
and  grown  to  be  the  discourse  of  the  town  before  ever  I 
heard  a  syllable  of  it.  Truly,  the  giving  out  that  bill 
without  giving  me  advice  of  it,  that  I  might  have  got  the 
money  ready,  or  an  excuse  for  time,  hath  not  done  your 
Highness  right  here. 

My  Lord  Percy  is  still  in  the  briars  [his  lordship's 
money  accounts  proved  so  unsatisfactory,  that  he  had  been 
for  some  time  under  examination],  and  I  believe  will  not 
get  off  without  scratches  ;  but  if  they  prove  no  more,  they 
will  be  physical  towards  the  spring. 

There  was  a  great  meeting  at  my  Lord  of  Forth's  secre- 
tary's house,  of  divers  Scots,  and  with  them  sat  in  confe- 
rence, if  not  council,  the  Earl  of  Essex's  trumpeter,  who 
is  since  gone  to  London,  and  taken  with  him  the  secre- 
tary's wife,  to  beget  a  good  understanding  between  both 
Parliaments :  the  secretary  [who  was  more  than  suspected 
of  treachery,  and  that  through  his  wife]  is  by  the  heels, 
and  his  wife  at  liberty  ;  he  is  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
Houses,  she  at  her  own. 

The  letter  [to  Parliament]  is  not  yet  agreed  upon ;  the 
Commons  writing  in  the  new  style,  the  Lords  in  the  old, 
of  Lords  and  Commons  of  Parliament  assembled  at  West- 
minster. Yesterday,  the  House  of  Lords  was  divided, 
which,  though  it  were  in  a  small  matter,  yet  was  an  oc- 
casion of  siding  and  taking  parts,  and  troubles  many 
lookers-on  that  were  in  hopes  they  would  never  have  found 
the  way  to  turn  their  backs  one  upon  another.  If  there 


378        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF          [FEB. 

be  not  a  special  heed  taken,  our  greater  and  lesser  gods 
[Lords  and  Commons]  will  not  be  contained  and  held  in 
one  firmament. 

My  Lord  of  Antrim,  Daniel  O'Neile,  and  Sir  Edmund 
Butler,  are  all  well  arrived  at  Wexford  in  Ireland.  I  pray 
God  send  your  Highness  a  good  and  speedy  account  from 
thence,  according  to  your  wishes.  We  are  here  very  full 
of  hopes  that  the  Scots  are  resolved  to  carry  no  coals 
[they  were  before  Newcastle,  and  coals  were  then  31.  a 
ton  in  London]  for  the  Londoners,  but  will  home  again :  if 
that  be  so,  the  cap  of  maintenance  at  London,  and  his 
Excellency's  horn  of  plenty,  will  listen  to  a  treaty  by  any 
name  or  in  any  language. 

It  is  St.  David's-day  [Arthur  was  a  Welshman],  wherein 
I  desire  your  leave  till  to-morrow,  being  a  day  of  short 
ceremony  and  long  meals.  The  express  next  shall  bring 
down  to  your  Highness  a  perfect  money-bill  of  what  is 
charged,  to  be  sent  with  your  jurisdiction,  from  your 
Highness's  most  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

A.  TREVOR. 

Oxon,  this  High-day,  Feb.  22,  1644. 

TO  MR.  SECRETARY  NICHOLAS. 

RIGHT  HONOURABLE, 

I  have  this  'present  received  intelligence   from  the 
North,  of  which  I  could  not  but  speed  an  account  to  you. 

My  Lord  of  Newcastle  hath  given  the  Scots  some  foil ; 
what  the  particulars  are  I  cannot  certainly  inform  you,  but 
this  all  conclude  : — that  the  Scots  have  desired  to  parley 
with  his  Excellency,  and  are  contented  to  retreat  upon 
conditions  that  the  articles  agreed  upon  the  last  pacifica- 
tion be  confirmed,  and  that  none  of  the  forces  raised  by 
the  King  shall  invade  their  kingdom.  I  have  sent  you  a 
letter  now  come  to  my  hands,  which  concerns  what  I  have 
written  out  of  the  North.  GERVAS  LUCAS. 

Belvoir  Castle,  24th  Feb.  1643. 


1644.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.        379 

NOBLE  SIR, 

The  letter  that  came  to  Colonel  Burfield  bears  date 
the  17th  of  this  month,  wherein  is  expressed  from  Captain 
Chester,  that  Lesley  hath  sent  for  a  parley,  and  the  com- 
mon report  is,  that  the  Scots  will  retreat.  There  came  a 
letter  from  my'Lord-General's  daughter,  the  Lady  Jane,  to 
the  Lady  Clifton,  that  my  Lord  had  given  them  a  great 
defeat.  This  day  Captain  Whitchcoat  came  from  Winch- 
field  Manor,  and  told  me  that  Colonel  Frethwell  had  a 
messenger  that  came  out  of  Manchester,  that  the  Scots 
sent  a  letter  to  Fairfax  which  charged  him  with  promise  to 
advance  with  all  speed.  But  if  he  did  not,  they  must 
of  necessity  retreat. 
Feb.  22,  1644. 

I  find  that  at  this  time  Prince  Rupert,  like  all  his 
party,  is  very  much  pressed  for  money,  and  endea- 
vours to  borrow  it  in  various  places.  This  does  not 
appear  as  if  his  Higbness  himself  profited  by  the 
plundering  that  was  so  freely  attributed  to  him.1 


1  The  Prince  must  have  kept  some  state,  it  would  seem  from  the 
following  letter,  if  he  had  footmen  for  200£  (now  600Z.)  worth  of 
liveries  :  one  scarcely  imagines  where  these  servants  could  have 
served  their  master,  for  he  was  almost  perpetually  on  the  road. 
Perhaps  his  new  appointment  as  President  of  Wales,  &c.,  obliged 
him  to  maintain  an  establishment  at  Shrewsbury. 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

The  liveries  for  your  servants  are  now  come,  and  I  only  wait 
for  your  orders  how  I  shall  carry  myself  towards  the  merchants, 
who  are  very  solicitous  of  ready  pay  (the  sum  will  be  about 
200Z.).  If  your  Highness  will  not  have  his  Majesty  moved  in  it, 
my  Lord  Jermyn  and  I  will  try  all  the  town  but  we  will  do  the 
worth ;  therefore,  be  pleased  with  your  commands  to  me  to  give 
me  your  Highness's  directions  what  I  shall  do  with  that  commo- 
dity when  I  have  gotten  it  into  my  hands. 

The  Lords  and  Commons  are  now  thinking  of  a  name  for 
them  at  London,  and  I  believe  they  will  call  them  "  The  Members 


380        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF          [FEB. 

About  this  time  a  long  letter  from  Fairfax  to 
Lord  Essex  was  intercepted.  I  subjoin  it,  as  being 
a  rarity  in  this  collection.1  Numerous  and  pressing 

of  the  Lords  and  Commons  House  remaining  at  Westminster;"  and 
when  they  have  agreed  upon  what  they  shall  call  them,  they  will 
send  again,  but  whether  they  will  send  propositions  or  not  is  not 
agreed.  I  am  desirous  of  propositions,  not  that  I  dream  of  suc- 
cess, but  because  I  would  have  their  shame  perfect. 

I  have  spoken  to  my  Lord  Percy  about  the  hundred  barrels 
of  powder  and  two  hundred  muskets  at  Bristol,  and  he  tells  me 
that  your  Highness's  lieutenant- colonel,  John  Russell,  hath  war- 
rant to  receive  them  when  he  shall  march.  My  Lord  Herbert's 
complaint  is  made  very  great  here  by  his  party,  who  say  that  he 
is  afraid  the  custody  of  his  own  house  will  be  given  from  him. 

I  most  humbly  take  my  leave,  and  am  eternally, 

Your  Highness's  most  obliged  servant, 

ARTHUR  TREVOR. 

Sir  Jacob  Astley  hath  drove  away  Mrs.  Venn's  cows  from 
within  half  a  mile  of  Windsor  Castle,  and  made  some  other  Lenten 
provisions  thereabouts. 

Oxford,  Saturday,  24th  Feb.  1644. 

1    INTERCEPTED   LETTER   FROM    SIR   THOMAS   FAIRFAX   TO   THE 
EARL    OF    ESSEX. 

MAY    IT   PLEASE    YOUR   EXCELLENCY, 

I  thought  fit,  the  state  of  things  considered,  to  despatch  this 
bearer,  Major  Copley,  purposely  to  give  your  Excellency  an  ac- 
count of  the  condition  of  these  parts  for  the  present.  Since  the 
business  at  Acton,  we  have  had  no  considerable  action  in  the  field. 
Our  care  hath  been  to  reduce  the  smaller  garrisons  in  Cheshire ; 
without  which  the  country  could  not  be  put  into  any  competent 
posture  to  defend  itself.  Crewhall,  Deddington  House,  and  Ad- 
lington  House,  after  some  little  time  spent  with  them,  are  all 
yielded  up  to  us.  Bydolphe  House  was  first  attempted  by  the 
forces  of  Staffordshire,  and  they  since  assisted  in  the  work  with 
my  horse.  A  month  I  think  hath  been  spent  in  the  siege  of  it ; 
but  the  other  day  they  took  it  by  assault,  and  in  it  such  prisoners 
as  your  Excellency  shall  find  in  a  list  inclosed.  They  are  but  for 
present  design,  and  presently  straggle  home.  I  must  confess  I 
find  the  forces  of  Cheshire  rise  slowly,  and  a  remissness  in  the 
gentry  that  are  not  active  in  the  work.  I  hear  Prince  Rupert  is 
raising  some  forces  in  Shropshire,  and  shortly  in  Wales.  Some 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.      381 

letters  from  the  besieged  at  Newark  now  pour  in, 
backed  by  earnest  injunctions  from  the  King  for 
their  relief ;  still,  however,  his  Majesty  leaves  it  to 
Prince  Rupert's  discretion  to  act  "  as  he  shall  see 
fit,"  and  he  states  that  he  cannot  march  to  Newark 
in  less  than  a  month.  The  state  of  the  north  has 
been  lately  reported  as  follows  by  the  Earl  of  New- 
castle : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  MOST  SACRED  MAJESTY, 

These  enclosed  will  let  your  Majesty  see  that  abso- 
lutely the  seat  of  the  war  will  be  in  the  north,  a  great 
army  about  Newark  behind  us,  and  the  great  Scotch  army 
before  us,  and  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  very  strong  for  the 
West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  as  they  say,  and  his  father 
master  of  the  East  Riding :  so  we  are  belet,  not  able  to  en- 
counter the  Scots,  and  shall  not  be  able  to  make  our  re- 
treat for  the  army  behind  us.  This  is  the  greatest  truth  of 
the  state  of  your  Majesty's  affairs  here  that  can  be  in  the 
world,  whatsoever  any  courtier  says  to  the  contrary.  If  your 
Majesty  beat  the  Scots,  your  game  is  absolutely  won ;  which 
can  be  no  other  way  but  by  sending  more  forces,  especially 


Irish  forces  are  newly  landed ;  divers,  we  hear,  are  cast  away.  The 
work  of  Cheshire,  for  which  your  Excellency's  commands  were 
upon  me,  being,  through  the  mercy  of  Grod,  thus  far  despatched,  I 
shall  humbly  desire  your  Excellency  now  to  remand  Sir  William 
Brereton  and  Sir  Thomas  Middleton,  with  their  forces,  to  manage 
the  rest  of  the  business  here,  I  being  ordered  by  my  father  to 
march  into  Yorkshire.  Thus  hoping  that  I  shall  be  able  to  ren- 
der as  good  an  account  to  your  Excellency  of  my  service  there,  as 
by  my  stay  here,  and  leaving  these  counties  in  so  good  a  condition 
to  defend  themselves,  if  the  gentlemen  aforenamed  be  sent  down, 
I  humbly  take  leave,  and  rest 

Your  Excellency's  most  humble  servant, 

T.  FAIRFAX. 
Manchester,  24th  Feb.  1644. 


382        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF          [FEB. 

foot,  and  either  diverting  Manchester  and  those  forces 
about  Newark.  For  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  if  you  should 
think  fit,  they  should  lay  fallow  awhile.  Truly,  sir,  I  think 
it  is  of  so  much  importance  to  your  service  that  your 
Majesty's  crowns  are  hazarded  if  it  be  not  taken  to 
heart,  and  present  orders  taken  in  it,  and  very  quickly. 
I  have  done  my  duty,  and  leave  the  rest  to  God  and  your 
Majesty.  God  preserve  your  Majesty. 

Your  Majesty's  most  obedient  creature, 

NEWCASTLE. 

Newcastle,  16th  Feb.  1644. 

The  reader  may  remember  Sir  Gilbert  Gerrard's 
complaint  about  his  property  in  Mr.  Sumner's  cap- 
ture being  invaded :  in  a  letter  of  the  6th  of  March 
a  proof  occurs  that  the  Prince  himself  was  not  safe 
from  such  disappointments.1  Lathom  House  is  now 
closely  besieged,  and  its  owner  writes  this  touching 
but  manly  despatch  to  the  Prince  concerning  its 
relief. 

THE  EARL  OF  DERBY  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
SIR, 

I  have  followed  your  Highness's  commands  in  serving 
this  worthy  bearer,   Sir  William  Neale,   concerning  his 

1  Oxford,  6th  March,  1644 

....  Here  is  nothing  made  good  to  your  Highness  that  was 
promised,  especially  if  money  or  other  advantage  can  be  extracted 
from  it.  Salisbury  and  Ravenscroft,  that  were  in  my  own  hearing 
given  your  Highness,  are  now  pardoned,  and  the  money  disposed 
of,  without  giving  your  Highness  the  least  intimation  of  it,  not- 
withstanding there  was  not  any  thing  done  before  notice  of  your 
Highness's  engagement.  My  Lord  Digby  did  the  first,  and  Mr. 
Ashburnham  the  last ;  and  I  hear  Ravenscroft  is  pardoned  for 
200Z.;  whereas  your  Highness  was  offered  12001.  by  Sir  William 
Mainwaring,  which  was  the  occasion  that  your  Highness  moved 
the  King  therein,  and  obtained  it  for  the  clothing  of  your  foot. 
This  I  got  Lord  Jermyn  to  represent  to  his  Majesty,  but  had  no 
redress  in  it.  A.  TREVOR. 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     383 

government  of  Harden  Castle ;  but  he  finds  a  gentleman 
already  in  it,  pretending  your  Highness's  warrant  for  his 
dwelling  there,  with  a  lady  and  many  of  her  family,  which 
was  so  unexpected  by  him  and  me,  that  both  think  good 
to  acquaint  your  Highness  therewith,  and  desire  your  fur- 
ther pleasure. 

Sir,  I  have  received  many  advertisements  from  my  wife 
of  her  great  distress  and  imminent  danger,  unless  she  be 
relieved  by  your  Highness,  on  whom  she  doth  more  rely 
than  any  other  whatsoever,  and  all  of  us  consider  well  she 
hath  chief  reason  so  to  do.  I  was  in  hope  to  have  seen 
your  Highness  here  yesterday,  seeing  you  were  so  resolved 
when  last  I  had  the  honour  to  wait  upon  you,  but  not  now 
knowing  any  certainty  of  your  coming  hither ;  and  my 
Lord  Byron  and  others  most  unwilling  to  stir  hence  with 
any  forces  toward  her,  without  your  Highness's  special 
direction,  I  do  take  the  boldness  to  present  you  again  my 
most  humble  and  earnest  request  in  her  behalf,  that  I  may 
be  able  to  give  her  some  comfort  in  my  next.  I  would 
have  waited  on  your  Highness  this  time,  but  that  I  hourly 
receive  little  letters  from  her,  who  haply,  a  few  days 
hence,  may  never  send  me  more. 

There  is  now  an  opportunity,  in  my  opinion,  to  take  the 
town  of  Liverpool,  which  your  Highness  took  notice  of  in 
the  map  the  last  evening  I  was  with  you,  for  there  is  not 
this  time  fifty  men  in  the  garrison,  neither  are  there  many 
more  in  Warrington  ;  also  divers  be  drawn  forth  of  Man- 
chester,— most  to  Lathom  ;  so  that  if  any  small  force  be 
shewed  before  any  of  these  towns,  it  is  thought  very  possi- 
ble to  raise  the  siege,  or  so  weaken  it  that  it  may  be  much 
more  easier  to  relieve  the  house  with  such  things  as  it 
may  want. 

Your  Highness,  doubtless,  knows  that  men  are  newly 
landed  here  from  Ireland ;  but  all  these  and  twice  so  many 
are  not  considerable  in  comparison  of  your  own  appearing, 
which  strikes  a  terror  to  that  wicked  party  and  gives  life 


384        MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAR. 

to  the  half-dead  true  ones  that  are  banished  so  long  from 
their  countries.  Sir,  though  it  becomes  me  to  be  earnest 
for  her  that  is  so  dear  to  me,  and  for  one  whose  great 
honour  is  to  be  so  near  to  you,  yet  I  humbly  lay  before 
you,  also,  the  great  advantage  of  his  Majesty's  service,  if 
that  family  be  preserved,  and  a  certain  inconvenience  when, 
with  that,  all  the  country  and  so  many  well-affected  will 
utterly  be  lost,  and  not  likely  regained  but  with  a  too  dear 
purchase ;  but  lest  I  be  judged  too  importunate,  I  will  only 
ask  God  to  put  into  your  heart  how  to  help  that  poor  soul 
which  deserves  your  favour,  and  so  commit  your  Highness 
to  the  Almighty's  protection  and  rest. 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

DERBY.1 

Chester,  March  7th,  1644. 


1  Following  up  this  subject,  we  have   this    letter  from  the 
Court,  very  cautiously  suggesting  the  required  aid  : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

The  Earl  of  Derby  hath  sent  hither  unto  his  Majesty  ear- 
nestly soliciting  relief  to  his  house  at  Lathom,  where  his  lady  is 
besieged  by  the  rebels ;  which,  though  his  Majesty  cannot  desire 
your  Highness  directly  to  afford  him,  in  regard  of  the  necessity 
which  possibly  may  be  of  drawing  your  Highness,  with  your 
forces,  suddenly  this  way,  yet  his  Majesty  is  so  sensible  of  the 
gallantry  of  that  lady,  wherewith  she  hath  defended  her  house 
against  the  rebels,  that  he  cannot  but  recommend  the  care  of  her 
relief  unto  your  Highness,  so  far  forth  as  may  consist,  in  your 
judgment,  with  your  Highness's  present  condition,  in  order  to 
those  more  important  expectations  from  you.  At  least,  if  your 
Highness  be  not  able  to  afford  her  succour  without  prejudice  to 
the  main,  which  it  is  supposed  you  can  hardly  do  at  this  time, 
unless  a  small  party  will  suffice,  your  Highness  is  desired,  at  least, 
to  express  unto  her  both  his  Majesty's  and  your  own  sense  of  her 
bravery,  and  to  encourage  her  to  continue  her  resolute  defence, 
upon  assurance  that  you  will  take  care  of  her  relief  as  soon  as 
possibly  his  Majesty's  most  important  affairs  can  any  wise  permit 
it ;  which  heartening  may  perhaps  suffice,  since  /  do  not  hear 
otherways  than  by  my  Lord  of  Derby's  servant,  that  the  place  is 
yet  much  distressed.  This  is  all  I  am  commanded  at  present  to 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      385 

It  is  a  disappointment  to  find  for  the  present  no 
reply  of  Prince  Rupert's  to  any  of  these  stirring 
appeals.  We  only  know  that  he  restrained  himself 
from  making  any  forward  movement  until  he  was 
fully  prepared  to  do  so  with  effect.  At  this  date  I 
find  a  letter  of  Rupert's,  which,  though  official,  de- 
serves a  place  for  its  rarity.1  I  find  a  letter  of  the 
llth,  which  claims  insertion  from  its  temper  and  its 
style  :  [Wales,  at  last,  seems  shaken  in  its  loyalty: — ] 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  am  very   sorry  I  should  be  so  unfortunate,  these 
being  the  first  commands  you  were  pleased  to  honour  me 


write  unto  your  Highness,  or  have  occasion  to  do,  since  by  Will 
Legge,  within  a  day  or  two,  I  shall  give  your  Highness  an  account 
at  large  of  all  his  Majesty's  affairs,  resting 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 
March  8th,  1644.  GEORGE  DIGBY. 

1    TO    THE    CONSTABLE   OF    WROTTESLEY. 

We  do  hereby  straitly  charge  and  command  you,  and  each 
of  you,  that  immediately,  upon  sight  or  receipt  hereof,  you  do 
make  diligent  search  and  inquiry  in  your  town  and  neighbour- 
hood for  all  and  every  the  soldiers  of  or  belonging  to  Colonel 
Lunsford,  governor  of  Dudley  Castle,  and  them  having  found,  to 
return  unto  their  garrison  at  Dudley  Castle;  and  that  you  suffer 
them  not  at  any  time  hereafter,  without  especial  command  to  the 
contrary,  to  come  into,  or  abide,  or  lodge  in  any  of  your  towns  or 
hamlets  whatsoever,  as  you  will  answer  the  contrary  at  your  ut- 
most perils,  and  the  confiscation  of  your  goods.  Given  at  Salop, 
the  8th  day  of  March,  1 643-4.  RUPERT. 

This  is  a  true  copy  of  the  warrant  from  Prince  Rupert's  High- 
ness, directed  unto  all  bailiffs,  constables,  and  tithing-men,  and  all 
other  officers  whatsoever.  Your  loving  friend, 

FRANCIS  CARTWRIGHT, 
High  Constable  * 

*  From  Lord  Wrottesley's  MSS.  Collection. 
VOL.  II.  C  C 


386         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

withal,  as  not  to  be  able  to  perform  them  with  that  speed 
you  expected :  if  your  Highness  shall  be  pleased  to  com- 
mand me  to  the  Turk,  or  Jew,  or  Gentile,  I  will  go  on  my 
bare  feet  to  serve  you,  but  from  the  Welch,  good  Lord 
deliver  me  :  and  I  shall  beseech  you  to  send  me  no  more 
into  this  country,  if  you  intend  I  shall  do  you  any  service, 
without  a  strong  party  to  compel  them,  not  to  entreat 
them ;  and  then,  I  will  give  them  cause  to  put  me  into  their 
Litany,  as  they  have  now  given  me  cause  to  put  them  into 
mine.  The  ammunition  hath  been  here  these  seven  days 
for  want  of  carriages,  and  I  fear  shall  stay  seven  more,  un- 
less I  have  some  power  to  force  the  people :  they  value 
neither  Sir  John  Wintour,  his  warrants,  nor  mine,  nor 
any  ;  some  say  they  will  not  come ;  t  the  rest  come  not,  and 
say  nothing ;  all  generally  disaffected,  and  the  force  that 
is  in  Chepstow  not  able  to  compel  them.  I  have  sent  to 
Colonel  Holbye  for  what  horse  he  hath ;  if  they  come  to 
me  I  will  try  what  may  be  done.  Here  be  two  or  three  con- 
stables deserve  hanging ;  and  I  had  done  it  ere  this,  if  I 
had  but  a  party  to  defend  me  from  their  Welch  bills  ;  I 
beseech  you  let  me  receive  your  commands,  that  you  may 
have  no  occasion  to  blame  him,  who  is  and  ever  will  be, 
Your  Highness's  humblest  servant, 

THOMAS  DABRIDGECOURT. 

St.  Pere,  March  llth. 

P.S. — Colonel  Kirke  writes  on  the  10th  from  Bridge- 
north,  that  Tuesday  the  14th,  is  a  day  on  which  cattle  are 
usually  driven  out  from  Wales  into  the  enemy's  garrisons 
into  Staffordshire,  which  he  shall  stop  until  he  has  com- 
mand from  the  Prince. 

It  appears  that  even  now  the  Queen  is  determined 
on  a  flight  to  Exeter.  In  a  letter  without  signa- 
ture, dated  Oxford,  the  12th,  this  determination  is 
mentioned  as  being  very  highly  disapproved  of  by 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     387 

the  Prince.  It  dangerously  divided  the  King's  small 
forces,  and  it  was  the  strongest  evidence  of  fear. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  King  escaped  from  her 
Majesty's  control,  and  was  not  crippled  by  the  ne- 
cessity of  defending  Oxford  at  all  risks  from  the 
enemy. 

The  Prince  had  many  difficulties  to  contend  with 
before  he  could  begin  his  march :  the  affairs  of  all 
Wales,  not  only  military  but  fiscal,  devolved  upon 
his  hands.  The  papers  relating  to  the  Principality 
at  this  moment  before  me,  would  fill  a  small  volume. 
Hostile  interests  were  to  be  reconciled ;  powerful 
families  conciliated ;  port-dues  to  be  regulated ; 
harbours  to  be  fortified  ;  contributions  to  be  righte- 
ously assessed ;  commissions  distributed ;  levies 
made,  trained,  clothed,  armed,  and,  if  possible,  paid. 
And  all  this  was  to  be  done  without  money,  credit, 
or  supplies :  and  it  was  done.  Besides  the  Prince's 
labours  as  President  of  Wales,  he  had  to  arrange  his 
own  commissariat ;  to  fight  with  my  Lord  Percy  [at 
Oxford]  for  every  cannon-shot,  shell,  or  waggon  ; 
with  Ashburnham  for  every  instalment  doled  out  to 
his  half-mutinous  troops ; l  and  with  the  whole  coun- 

1  The  following  one,  among  many  letters  of  similar  tendency, 
may  prove  these  facts  :  it  is  from  Trevor  at  Oxford  :  — 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have,  as  I  shall  ever  do  all  your  Highness's  commands  in 
your  last  letters.  Your  400£.  I  am  at  last  raised  to  a  hope  of  ob- 
taining for  you ;  and  when  I  have  it  I  shall  keep  the  sum  entire 
until  you  please  to  renew  your  orders  upon  me,  not  knowing  what 
directions  have  been  given  by  your  Highness  since  your  first 
desiring  of  that  money. 

c  c  2 


388          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAR. 

try  round  him,  for  every  soldier's  ration  unwillingly 
supplied.  Even  these  matters  were  often  obliged  to 
give  way  to  pressing  demands  upon  his  correspond- 
ence from  the  numerous  and  rival  commanders, 


I  find  they  that  act  my  Lord  Hopton's  interest  are  almost 
ashamed  to  see  all  things  pass  for  him,  and  nothing  for  your  High- 
ness, and  I  am  not  wanting  to  let  them  and  all  men  else  know 
that  as  his  Lordship  hath  an  assignment  of  24,000£.,  so  certainly 
hath  your  Highness  all  that  was  assigned  you  taken  from  you  ; 
his  Lordship  hath  had  three  thousand  muskets  within  this  month, 
by  orders  from  hence,  and  your  Highness  two  hundred.  And  yet, 
I  am  sure,  they  expect  your  powers  should  equal,  if  not  exceed,  his 
Lordship,  when  you  shall  come  both  to  shew  hands.  I  can  pro- 
mise nothing  towards  your  advantage  in  either  of  these  supporters 
of  war,  money  and  arms.  In  the  letter  my  Lord  Percy  pretends 
much  innocence,  such  as  he  will  stand  upon  and  justify  himself  in 
his  readiness  to  comply  with  your  service  as  an  undertaking  of 
great  hopes,  if  it  be  not  starved  at  the  nurse,  and  before  it  gather 
strength  to  provide  for  itself.  Money  I  am  out  of  hopes  of,  unless 
some  notable  success  open  the  purse-strings,  for  I  find  no  court- 
physic  so  present  for  the  opening  of  obstructions  as  good  news, 
with  which  I  hope  very  suddenly  to  be  furnished  from  your  High- 
ness. March,  and  then  I  will  make  my  last  attempt  for  that 
business  ;  and  if  I  fail  I  will  raise  my  siege,  burn  my  hut,  and 
march  away  to  your  Highness. 

We  were  full  of  hopes  of  a  victory  gained  over  the  Scots,  until 
it  was  yesterday  contradicted  by  a  limping  tailor,  one  Fossett, 
that  came  out  of  the  North,  and  says  he  met  your  Highness  at 
Lichfield  upon  Monday  morning.  This  makes  us  droop ;  six  of 
the  Lords  refuse  to  join  with  the  Commons  in  the  votes  of  treason. 
At  the  instance  of  the  Scotch  Commissioners  they  have  voted  pro- 
positions in  both  Houses  at  London  ;  but  I  presume  they  will  vote 
again  when  they  are  assured  of  the  advancing  of  their  brethren 
towards  them.  Colonel  Goring  is  to  be  exchanged  for  Lothian, 
and  young  Ludlow  for  Sir  Hugh  Pollard,  and  I  presume  you  may 
have  a  good  exchange  for  young  Moore,  taken  at  Hopton  Castle. 
You  have  many  letters  that  will  ask  their  shares  in  your  reading, 
therefore  I  may  not  be  injurious  to  them  or  the  public,  in  a  con- 
version of  that  time  that  belongs  to  the  Commonwealth  to  the 
private  interest  of  your  Highness's  most  obedient  servant  for  ever, 

ARTHUR  TREVOR. 
Oxford,  March  24,  1644. 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     389 

whose  quarrels  with   each   other,  and   wrongs,  and 
hardships  were,  as  we  have  seen,  almost  perpetual. 

Before  commencing  his  momentous  march  to  the 
North,  Prince  Rupert  seems  to  have  visited  all  the 
different  detachments  that  were  to  accompany  him, 
at  their  several  quarters,  or  at  places  appropriated 
for  a  rendezvous  of  several  garrisons  at  once.  On 
the  fifth  of  March,  passing  near  Market  Drayton, 
he  learned  that  Colonel  Fairfax  was  there  with  his 
regiment  of  seven  hundred  men.  The  Prince  was 
accompanied  only  by  his  own  troop,  but  sending 
orders  for  his  regiment  to  move  up,  he  dashed  into 
the  town,  drove  in  the  mustering  troops,  and  forced 
them  into  a  "  close  :"  a  few  hours  afterwards  the 
cavalry  arrived,  forced  the  close,  and  took  the  whole 
regiment  prisoners.  By  the  assistance  of  Lord  Den- 
bigh's voluminous  and  well-arranged  MSS.  I  can 
henceforth  trace  Rupert's  daily  marches,  eccentric  as 
his  movements  were ;  such  details,  however,  would 
be  useless,1  and  it  is  enough  to  say  that  he  continued 
to  dart  about  through  the  associated  counties,  some- 
times at  night,  sometimes  at  early  morning,  some- 
times in  broad  noon ;  with  a  troop  or  two  of  cavalry, 
affronting  strong  towns,  and  daring  whole  battalions. 
From  Wem,  Whitehurst,  Tamworth,  Edgebaston, 

1  Prince  Rupert,  like  "  the  Duke  "  in  the  Peninsula,  sometimes 
relaxed  his  military  cares,  and  amused  his  idle  officers  by  the  sports 
of  the  field.  We  have  already  heard  Whitelocke's  complaint  that 
his  Puritan  hounds  had  been  transferred  to  the  Prince's  pos- 
session by  Sir  John  Byron.  We  now  find  that  his  Highness 
indulged  in  hawking :  the  capture  of  his  falconer,  gave  oppor- 


390         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

Hull,  Lichfield  (where  Sawyer,  an  attorney,  served 
him  with  refreshments,  on  his  knees);  from  all  these 
places  I  find  letters  written  anxiously  by  Lord 
Denbigh's  commanders,  stating  that  Rupert  was 
coming ;  and  sometimes  the  postscript  announces 
that  he  has  come  and  struck  terror  into  the  (Round- 
heads) "  well-affected  inhabitants." 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  the  Parliament 
denounced  all  the  English  troops  that  came  from 
Ireland  as  "  Irish  rebel  papists ; "  soon  afterwards 
they  made  an  order,  unparalleled  perhaps  in  Christian 
warfare,  that  every  such  person  should  be  denied 
quarter,  and  that  all  such  prisoners  should  be  hanged  ! 
How  much  the  exasperating  nature  of  this  war  must 
have  changed  the  gallant  character  of  Essex  before 
he  could  transmit  this  order  to  all  the  Generals  com- 
manding under  him !  Lord  Denbigh's  MSS.  con- 
tain his  ancestor's  evidently  reluctant  order  to  this 
effect,  transmitted  to  his  subordinate  officers.  Some 
of  the  latter  were  willing  enough  to  execute  this 
Draconic  law  ;  the  Governor  of  Nantwich  set  the 
example  by  hanging  thirteen  men  of  Prince  Ru- 


tunity  to  Essex  to  write  the  following  gentleman-like  note  to 
one  of  his  commanding  officers  : — 

EXTRACT   OF   LETTER   FROM    LORD   ESSEX    TO    SIR   SAMUEL   LUKE, 
MARCH,    1644. 

"  I  am  informed  that  the  Prince's  falconer  and  hawk  were 
taken  by  your  troops,  which,  if  you  find  to  be  so,  I  desire  you 
will  send  them  both  to  the  Prince,  as  from  me."  This  act  of 
courtesy  is  gratefully  acknowledged  by  William  Legge,  from 
Oxford,  in  the  Prince's  absence.— -From  Ellis  s  Collection,  vol.  iv. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       391 

pert's  regiment,  whom  they  had  taken  prisoners, 
and  chose  to  designate  as  Irish.  I  imagine  the 
fiery  young  Prince's  "terrible  countenance"1  when 
this  news  was  brought  to  him.  There  was  no  rest 
for  man  or  horse  until  the  nearest  quarters  of  the 
enemy  were  stormed,  the  murdered  troopers  bloodily 
avenged,  and  fourteen  Roundhead  prisoners  taken. 
The  stern  Rupert  ordered  thirteen  to  be  hanged  on 
the  nearest  tree,  and  sent  the  remaining  one  back 
to  Essex  with  the  news,  bearing  likewise  a  solemn 
oath  from  the  Prince  that  he  would  hang  two 
Roundheads  for  every  Cavalier  who  was  put  to 
death  otherwise  than  in  fair  fight.  The  politic 
Essex  desired  to  know  whether  it  was  by  the 
King's  orders  that  Rupert  had  hanged  his  men. 
Rupert  replied  that  "it  was  by  no  orders  save  his 
own.  He  had  acted  simply  as  a  soldier,  by  soldier's 
law."  This  put  an  end  for  the  present  to  the 
Roundheads'  unceremonious  manner  of  disposing 
of  the  King's  forces.2 

At  Bridgenorth  on  the  15th,  on  his  route  towards 
Newark,  Rupert  turned  aside  to  drive  away  a 
besieging  enemy,  and  was  entertained  by  Lady 
Beeston,  the  widow  of  Sir  Hugh,  the  last  of  his 
ancient  line.3  After  dinner  the  Prince  expressed 
great  regret  at  the  return  he  was  compelled  to 


1  Une    physiognomie   vraiment    de   reprouve.  —  De    Cfram- 
mont. 

2  Notes  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 

3  Pennant's  Journey  to  London,  vol.  ii.  1782. 


392         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

make  for  her  hospitalities ;  he  advised  her  to  re- 
move all  her  property  as  soon  as  possible  from  the 
noble  castle,  whose  strength  proved  the  cause  of 
its  destruction.  The  poor  lady  went  her  way  with 
her  best  speed,  and  in  a  few  hours  mining  and 
fire  had  changed  her  hospitable  dwelling  into  the 
magnificent  ruin  that  now  presents  itself  to  the 
traveller,  the  finest  feature  in  noble  old  Cheshire. 
A  force  of  cavalry  was  now  despatched  by  Essex 
to  observe  Prince  Rupert's  movements :  Ashburn- 
ham  sends  him  notice  of  it,  enclosed  in  the  fol- 
lowing pithy  and  characteristic  note  : — 

SIR, 

Since  this  inclosed  was  sealed,  there  is  intelligence 
come  that  the  strength  that  followeth  your  Highness  is 
nine  hundred  dragoons,  and  one  regiment  of  horse  ;  which 
I  hope  will  all  be  damned.  Pardon  this  farther  ad- 
dition of  trouble  given  you  by 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

JOHN  ASHBURNHAM. 
Quarter  of  an  hour  past  nine. 

Rupert  now  pressed  on  and  arrived  in  sight 
of  Newark  on  the  20th  of  March.  The  besieged, 
under  the  command  of  Sir  John  Henderson,  had 
gallantly  defended  themselves,  but  were  almost 
in  extremity.  The  beleaguing  force  consisted  of 
two  thousand  five  hundred  horse  and  five  thousand 
foot,  under  Sir  John  Mel  drum,  a  stout  old  Scot- 
tish officer  of  some  experience.1  The  besiegers  had 

1  The  following  particulars  are  taken  from  Dickison's  "  Anti- 
quities of  Newark :" — 


1644.]     PRINCE  RUPERT   AND   THE  CAVALIERS.        393 

heard  some  rumours  of  Rupert's  approach,  but  be- 
ing also  well  assured  of  his  distance  and  the  small 
number  of  his  forces,  they  disbelieved  even  their 
own  scouts,  who  now  announced  that  the  terrible 
Prince  was  at  Bingham,  within  half-a-dozen  miles  of 


The  inhabitants  here  were  all  loyal,  the  fortifications  strong, 
and  the  garrison  well  supplied.  The  numbers  in  this  place  were 
always  from  four  thousand  to  five  thousand  foot,  more  than  five 
hundred  horse ;  and  all  the  inhabitants  able  to  bear  arms  did 
so.  The  walls  were  in  good  condition,  its  four  famous  gates 
well  guarded,  and  plenty  of  cannon  on  its  walls.  Thirteen 
pieces  of  ordnance  and  two  bombs  were  fired  in  the  course  of 
every  night  against  the  town  by  the  besiegers.  Sir  John  Hen- 
derson, a  brave  and  honest  commander,  had  charge  of  this  garri- 
son. When  Prince  Rupert  was  detached  with  orders  to  relieve 
Newark,  it  had  been  besieged  so  long  that  it  was  reduced  to 
very  great  straits.  It  was  encompassed  by  three  armies,  one 
under  Sir  Michael  Hubbard,  who  had  hi/?-quarters  at  Balderton, 
a  village  about  two  miles  to  the  f»oath  of  it.  Sir  John  Mel- 
drum,  with  another  force,  lay  close  by  the  side  of  the  town  to  the 
north-west,  at  a  place  calkJ  the  Spittle  ;  and  there  was  another 
under  Lord  Willoughby  of  Parham,  at  a  hill  about  a  mile  from 
the  town  to  the  e/st.  These  commanders  had  intelligence  of  the 
Prince's  marpfc^  but  hearing  at  the  same  time  how  inferior  his 
force  was/£ney  could  not  believe  he  had  a  serious  intention  of 
relieving  Newark ;  this  confidence  lost  them  the  place.  When 
the  'Prince  came  within  six  miles  of  the  town  with  his  horse,  he 
^resolved  to  wait  for  his  foot  to  come  up,  and  contrived  to  send 
/  intelligence  to  the  garrison  of  his  situation.  They  were  nearly 
starved,  and  the  governor  under  continual  apprehensions  that 
they  would  do  some  desperate  act  to  relieve  their  distresses. 
Since  the  arrival  of  the  Prince's  army  in  the  neighbourhood,  the 
enemy's  lines  were  drawn  so  much  closer,  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  acquaint  them  with  his  apprehension.  The  Prince 
had  provided  the  governor  with  a  cypher  under  which  they 
were  to  correspond,  but  having  sent  two  messengers  with  this 
news  of  his  arrival,  and  only  one  of  them  having  got  into  the 
town,  he  was  afraid  lest  the  enemy  should  be  in  possession  of 
the  other,  and  thereby  become  acquainted  with  his  intelligence 
if  it  should  be  intercepted.  He  at  length  sent  the  following 
message,  which  he  thought  would  not  be  understood ;  nor  did  he 
even  acquaint  the  messenger  with  its  meaning,  since  so  many 


394         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

them.1  His  little  army  consisted  of  one  thousand  vol- 
unteer foot  out  of  the  Irish  corps,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty  musketeers,  under  Sir  Fulk  Huncks.  He 
had  his  own  troop  of  Life  Guards  and  his  own 
regiment  (formerly  called  the  Prince  of  Wales's), 
amounting  together  to  about  four  hundred  men. 
Lord  Loughborough  had  joined  him  at  Ashby-de-Ia- 
Zouch  with  about  one  thousand  five  hundred  horse 
and  some  companies  of  foot,  General  Porter  met 
him  soon  afterwards.  Sir  John  Meldrum,  believing 
the  reported  forces  to  consist  only  of  the  latter,  sent 
out  a  party  to  occupy  the  bridge  over  the  Soar, 
near  Loughborough.  This  consisted  of  two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  men,  under  Sir  Edward  Hartop, 
who  were  driven  in  by  Porter,2  and  so  the  Prince 
advanced  to  Bingham  without  interruption.  He 
there  intercepted  a  letter  from  Meldrum  to  Fairfax, 
speaking  of  an  uncredited  rumour  that  the  Prince 
was  approaching:3  he  also  learned  that  the  besiegers 
had  been  fortifying  a- place  called  the  Spittle,  or 
Exeter-house,  about  a  musket-shot  from  Newark. 
At  midnight  the  Cavalier  trumpets  were  sounding 
cheerily  to  horse :  "  the  moon  was  then  well  up, 

deserted  when  they  had  an  opportunity.  "  Let  the  old  drum  on 
the  north  side  be  beaten  early  on  the  morrow  morning."  By  the 
"  old  drum,"  was  intended  Sir  John  Meldrum,  and  by  daylight, 
on  March  21st,  the  Prince,  without  waiting  any  longer  for  his 
foot  to  come  up,  attacked  the  forces  under  that  commander  with 
his  horse,  while  the  garrison  made  a  successful  sally. 

1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  592  ;  Baker's  Chronicle,  551. 

2  Mrs.  Hutchison's  Memoirs. 

3  Baker's  Chronicle,  571. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      395 

and  at  two  o'clock  all  marched."  By  the  first  dawn 
the  Prince,  with  his  advanced  guard  of  about  five 
hundred  horse,  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  whom  he 
believed  to  be  in  retreat ;  sending  orders  for  the  main 
body  of  his  force  to  come  up,  he  charged  forward  to 
engage  and  embarrass  the  besiegers  until  he  was 
strong  enough  to  offer  them  fair  battle.  But,  as  it 
generally  proved,  he  carried  the  battle  with  him. 
The  enemy  were  hastily  drawn  out  in  front  of  the 
Spittle.  Driving  in  their  skirmishers,  he  gained 
the  Beacon-hill,  and  looked  down  on  the  fine  old 
town,  its  magnificent  castle  by  the  river,  and  the 
whole  beleaguering  host  in  dense  array,  resting  on 
the  Spittle,  which  they  had  strongly  fortified. 

If  for  one  moment  formal  prudence  restrained 
the  Prince  from  advancing  until  the  remainder  of 
his  force  should  come  up,  the  next  moment  all 
such  prudence  was  left  behind  upon  the  cold  hill- 
top. Already  the  Prince  was  sweeping  down  the 
hill,  with  his  old  and  well-tried  comrades  by  his 
side.  In  the  front  of  those  Delhi  troopers  rode 
Grandison,  Legge,  Loughborough,  Gerrard,  Martin, 
O'Neal,  Gardiner,  and  many  another  gallant  Cava- 
lier. They  burst  in  upon  the  enemy  in  impetuous  but 
well  arranged  force.  The  next  moment  all  was 
melee!  The  Prince  plunged  deeply  into  the  torrent 
of  his  opposing  foes ;  "  three  sturdy  Roundheads  at 
once  assaulted  him ;  one  fell  by  his  own  sword,  a 
second  was  pistolled  by  one  of  his  own  gentlemen, 
and  a  third,  laying  his  hand  on  the  Prince's  collar, 


396         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAR. 

had  it  chopped  off  by  O'Neal  ;'M  his  own  troop  now 
struggled  up  to  him,  with  Sir  Richard  Crane,  and 
set  him  free,  with  only  one  shot  through  his  gaunt- 
let. The  enemy  then  turned  and  fled  to  the  Spittle, 
taking  with  them  Colonel  Gerrard,  who  had  fallen 
wounded  from  his  horse.  The  Prince  pressed  steadily 
on,  charging  and  charging  again,  until  he  forced  one 
division  across  Musham-bridge  and  the  rest  within 
their  works. 

Just  then  his  main  body  appeared  upon  the  hill, 
and  the  besiegers,  now  magnifying  the  enemy  that 
they  had  lately  despised,  kept  close  within  their 
trenches.  The  garrison  made  a  sally,  and  entrenched 
themselves  on  the  south-east  side  of  the  town,  and 
Rupert  proceeded  to  siege  and  fortify  the  bridge ; 
thus  completely  investing  the  besiegers.  A  deserter 
informed  him  that  they  were  in  direful  want  within 
the  Spittle,  so  he  withheld  his  purposed  assault.  A 
short  time  before  dusk,  Gerrard  was  seen  limping 
out  of  the  enemy's  entrenchments ;  he  brought  pro- 
posals of  surrender.  The  Prince  granted  easy  terms, 
for  he  had  neither  force  nor  time  to  put  to  the 
issue  of  the  slightest  chance,  and  he  found,  by  an 
intercepted  letter,  that  Fairfax  was  advancing. 
The  enemy  was  allowed  to  march  out  with  the 
honours  of  war,  but  all  their  ammunition,  spare 
arms,  and  artillery,  was  to  be  surrendered.  The 
latter  amounted  to  four  thousand  muskets  eleven 

1  Baker's  Chronicle,  551. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       397 

brass  guns,  two  mortars,  and  fifty  barrels  of  pow- 
der.1 

The  first  letter  after  the  victory  is  the  following 
from  Lord  Newcastle  ;  its  style  is  to  be  remem- 
bered at  York,  where  the  "  fantastic"  Marquis  quar- 
relled with  Rupert,  at  the  expense  of  the  Royal 
cause,  for  expecting  his  Lordship  to  obey  orders. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

In  the  first  place  I  congratulate  your  huge  and  great 
victories,  which  indeed  is  fit  for  none  but  your  Highness. 
For  all  the  affairs  in  the  North  I  refer  your  Highness  to 
this  bearer,  Sir  John  Mayne,  who  can  tell  your  Highness 
every  particular ;  only  this  I  must  assure  your  Highness 
that  the  Scots  are  as  big  again  in  foot  as  I  am,  and  their 
horse,  I  doubt,  much  better  than  ours  are,  so  that  if  your 
Highness  do  not  please  to  come  hither,  and  that  very 
soon  too,  the  great  game  of  your  uncle's  will  be  endan- 
gered, if  not  lost ;  and  with  your  Highness  being  near, 
certainly  won :  so  I  doubt  not  but  your  Highness  will 
come,  and  that  very  soon. 

Your  Highness's  most  passionate  creature, 

W.  NEWCASTLE. 

Durham,  25th  March,  1644. 

Then  thus  writes  the  King : — 

FROM  THE  KING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
NEPHEW, 

I  assure  you  that  this  (as  all  your  victories)  gives 
me  as  much  contentment  in  that  I  owe  you  the  thanks  as 
for  the  importance  of  it,  which  in  this  particular,  believe 
me,  is  no  less  than  the  saving  of  all  the  north,  nothing, 


1  Notes  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary;  Baker's  Chronicle,  551-2; 
Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  445 ;  the  latter  calls  it  a  "  prodigious 
and  unexpected  victory." 


398         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [MAR. 

for  the  present  being  of  more  consequence;  how  to 
follow  this  (indeed  beyond  imaginable)  success,  I  will 
not  prescribe  you;  yet  I  cannot  choose  but  send  you, 
by  my  Lord  Digby,  the  thoughts  of  that  Committee 
which  I  call  yours  ;  earnestly  desiring  you  to  consider 
and  judge  well  of  the  contents  of  his  letter ;  remember- 
ing to  eschew  Hannibal's  error,  in  not  right  using,  as  well 
as  you  imitate  him  in  getting  of  victories;  two  other 
letters  I  desire  your  attention  and  belief,  as  to  the  former 
your  judgment,  which  are  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and 
my  Lord  Jermyn's ;  assuring  you  that  none  shall  debauch 
my  judgment  (much  less  my  affection)  from  giving  you 
all  possible  assistance,  which  if  you  do  not  perfectly 
believe,  you  do  not  that  right  you  ought  to 

Your  loving  uncle  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Oxford,  25th  March,  1644. 

The  next  is  an  inflated  congratulation  from  Lord 
Digby.  Everything  at  Oxford  is  altered  now.  The 
Prince  is  to  have  whatever  arms,  men,  and  even 
money  he  requires.  The  Queen  even  thinks  of 
going  to  Chester  to  be  under  the  protection  of  her 
victorious  nephew.1 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  shall  not  use  congratulation  to  your  Highness  for 

1  "  I  believe  you  have  by  your  late  glorious  action  almost  al- 
tered her  Majesty's  resolutions  of  travelling  further  than  this 
place,  and  if  she  do  stir,  I  believe  it  probable  her  Highness 
may  desire  to  move  into  your  quarters,  and  be  within  your 
charge.  Chester  certainly  will  be  of  as  much  security  to  her 
as  Exeter,  besides  the  advantage  of  the  hands  she  puts  her 
person  into.  And  if  that  government  were  conferred  upon  your 
Major,  William  Legge,  I  conceive  it  might  contribute  and  induce 
the  journey  thither  sooner  than  after  the  first  resolution." — 
Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Trevor,  March,  28,  1644. 


1644.]      PRINCE  RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      399 

your  late  incomparable  success  at  Newark ;  our  sense  of  it 
here  is  as  much  beyond  expression  as  the  action  itself 
beyond ;  for  as  it  had  a  concurrence  of  all  parts  in  it  to 
make  it  glorious  to  your  Highness,  so  had  it  a  conjecture 
of  all  circumstances  of  time,  place,  and  relation  to  improve 
and  heighten  the  advantage  of  it  to  his  Majesty's  service ; 
and,  therefore,  all  my  congratulations  upon  this  subject 
shall  be  to  his  Majesty;  not  so  much  for  his  present 
victory,  as  for  you,  who  in  all  your  actions,  and  in  this 
most  eminently,  seem  to  give  him  assurance  of  a  succession 
of  more.  And  it  is  no  way  doubted  here,  but  as  in  this 
action  your  courage  and  excellent  conduct  hath  made 
fortune  your  servant  to  a  degree  beyond  imagination,  so 
your  prudence  in  pursuing  this  victory,  will  keep  her  so 
subjected  to  you,  and  still.  And  both  his  Majesty  and  his 
ministers'  confidence  of  this  is  such,  that  though  in  the 
place  and  condition  where  you  are  you  are  looked  upon  in 
a  capacity  of  making  a  sudden  progress  to  the  happy  re- 
establishment  of  his  Majesty's  throne,  I  am  commanded  not 
to  deliver  unto  your  Highness  from  his  Majesty,  and  those 
whom  he  is  pleased  to  trust,  any  positive  opinion  which 
may  be  the  best  way  to  perfect  that  gallant  work  which 
certainly  is  reserved  for  your  Highness,  only  to  the  end 
that  your  Highness  may  see  that  you  having  seated  us 
now  upon  such  an  eminence,  we  do  our  best  to  make  use 
of  it  now  in  looking  about  us.  [Then  follows  a  long  and 
vain  calculation  of  what  might  and  would  be  done]. 
Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 
Oxford,  March  26,  1644.  DlGBY. 

The  next  is  an  amusing  one  from  Trevor. 
There  has  been  a  long  negotiation  about  the  presi- 
dency of  South  Wales.  Lord  Herbert  claimed  it 
on  account  of  his  father's  great  possessions  there, 
and  his  own  services;  and  the  King  inclined  to 
render  him  that  justice.  But  the  outcry  against 


400         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAE. 

"  Papists"  was  so  great  that  both  men  and  officers 
refused  to  serve  under  the  House  of  Worcester, 
which  then  professed  that  faith. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS 

To  give  me  leave  humbly  to  join  myself  with  the 
courtier,  the  scholar,  indeed,  people  of  all  ages,  all  sexes, 
all  faculties,  bells,  and  bonfires,  in  congratulating  your 
happy  success  in  the  aid  of  Newark  by  attributing  to 
your  so  eminent  courage  and  conduct  all  on  this  side  of 
idolatry.  I  hope  from  this  minute  to  give  you  such 
accounts  of  your  affairs  here,  that  your  Highness  will  find 
cause  to  say  you  have  taken  in  this  place  also  to  such  a 
friendship  to  your  employment  as  will  very  shortly  and 
kindly  shew  itself  towards  your  interests. 

The  matter  of  the  presidency  is  now  effected :  my  Lord 
Herbert  and  Carbery  both  here,  but  are  not  yet  given  to 
understand,  yet  they  have  suffered  their  dangers  to  out- 
grow their  strengths  and  become  desperate,  and  fit  for 
your  undertaking.  This,  I  presume,  will  be  very  speedily 
done  to  their  satisfaction,  or  settled  to  the  King's  advan- 
tage :  in  the  way  how  to  have  the  place  with  the  more 
honour  conferred  upon  your  Highness,  I  wholly  wait  and 
rely  upon  my  Lord  Jermyn,  who,  for  a  certain,  is  from 
the  root  of  his  heart  your  very  great  servant  that  makes 
your  affairs  himself,  and  is  well  or  ill  as  he  finds  you 
served  there.  A.  TREVOR. 

Oxford,  Tuesday  morning. 

Lord  Newcastle  thus  reiterates  his  prayer  for  re- 
lief:— 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

All  your  commands  are  obeyed,  and  ever  shall  be  by 
me ;  and  I  give  your  Highness  humble  thanks  for  com- 
manding me.  They  say  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  is  coming 
into  Yorkshire  for  certain,  which  will  much  disturb  his 
Majesty's  affairs  here.  Could  your  Highness  march  this 


1644.]     PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.         401 

way  it  would,  I  hope,  put  a  final  end  to  our  troubles :  but 
I  dare  not  urge  this,  but  leave  it  to  your  Highness's  great 
wisdom. 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  obliged  servant, 

W.  NEWCASTLE. 
Durham,  29th  March,  1644. 

I  thought  my  Lord  Byron  would  have  followed  him 
close  :  your  Highness's  presence  would  dissolve  him. 

Prince  Rupert  scarcely  waited  to  refresh  his  men 
at  Newark,  of  which  he  installed  Sir  Richard  Byron 
governor :  lie  then  hastened  thence  to  Shrewsbury 
in  order  to  prepare  his  army  for  the  great  Northern 
expedition,  and  to  put  Wales  in  some  sort  of  order 
before  he  moved.  On  the  29th  of  March  I  find 
his  Highness  in  the  heart  of  the  Principality,  issuing 
the  following  proclamation : — 

(Seal). — Prince  Rupert,  Count  Palatine  of  the  Rhine, 
Duke  of  Bavaria  and  Cumberland,  Earl  of  Holderness, 
Knight  of  the  Most  Noble  Order  of  the  Garter,  Cap- 
tain-General under  his  Highness  Prince  Charles,  Prince 
of  Great  Britain,  and  of  all  the  Forces  of  Horse  and 
Foot  within  the  Kingdom  of  England,  Dominion  of 
Wales,  and  Town  of  Berwick,  &c. 

These  are  by  virtue  of  my  power  to  authorise  and 
require  you  immediately  upon  sight  hereof  to  collect, 
gather,  and  receive  the  contributions  of  the  hundreds  of 
Greshire,  Nant,  Con  way,  Seeaph  [St.  Asaph],  Issconvay, 
Erioneth,  and  Ucha,  for  the  support  and  maintaining  of 
the  garrison  and  town  of  Conway,  in  the  County  of  Car- 
narvon, which  contributions  you  must  by  no  means  exceed 
or  suffer  any  oppression  to  be  enforced  on  the  inhabitants 
of  the  aforesaid  hundreds  by  any  officer  or  soldier  under 
your  command.  And  if  at  any  time  the  aforesaid  hun- 
VOL.  II.  D  D 


402         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE    OF        [MAR. 

dreds  to  you  assigned,  shall  neglect  to  pay  their  contribu- 
tions to  you  either  in  part  or  whole,  it  shall  be  lawful 
for  you  from  time  to  time  to  levy  all  and  every  their 
arrears  by  such  parties  of  horse  as  you  shall  think  fit, 
provided  you  exact  not,  or  take  from  the  defaulters,  more 
than  your  dues  according  to  their  former  assessment. 
Whereof  you  are  in  no  ways  to  fail.  And  for  so  doing 
this  shall  be  your  warrant.  Given  under  my  hand  and 
seal  at  Conway  or  [Caerhun  ?  illegible]  this  29th  day  of 
March,  1644.  RUPERT. 

To  Sir  John  Owen,  Knt.,  and  Colonel-General 
of  the  Town  and  Castle  of  Conway.1 

On  the  30th  March  the  subjoined  letter  is  written 
from  Shrewsbury  by  Sir  William  Bellenden.  Sir 
Thomas  Hanmer  bas  been  nominated  vice-president 
of  Nortb  Wales  on  his  Majesty's  recommendation.2 
Langford  House  in  Shropshire  was  taken  by  Co- 
lonel Tillier  with  bis  Irish  regiment  on  the  2nd  of 


1  Mark  the  business-like  exactness  of  this  document,  and  the 
sense  of  justice  it  exhibits  and  enjoins.     I  am  indebted  to  Mr. 
Ormsby  Gore's  Collection  and   kindness  for  the  above. — From 
Mr.  Ormsby  Gore's  Collection. 

2  MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

By  Sir  John  Mennes's  letter,  your  Highness  will  understand 
the  success  of  my  Lord  Byron's  proceedings  and  ours  since  your 
Highness  parted,  and  how  much  our  condition  is  bettered.  Mon- 
day last  we  discharged  free  quarters,  not  without  some  growling 
amongst  the  soldiers ;  and  whereas  your  Highness  did  appoint 
3s.  worth  of  provisions  to  be  given  each  soldier  a  week,  I  have 
only  caused  issue  so  much  as  comes  to  Is.  IQd.,  which  I  did  by 
the  advice  of  some  of  the  officers,  it  being  sufficient  with  the 
shilling  in  money  that  your  Highness  has  appointed  for  them  : 
more  would  have  caused  a  waste.  Neither  could  we,  without 
danger  of  mutiny,  hereafter  have  lessened  the  proportion  once 
given  them ;  this  I  hope  your  Highness  will  approve  of.  There 
comes  in  great  store  of  provisions,  so  that  we  do  promise  your 
Highness  a  full  magazine  of  corn  at  your  return.  I  cannot  as  yet 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      403 

April ;  Tonge  Castle  on  the  5th.  In  the  midland 
counties  the  immediate  consequence  of  the  relief 
of  Newark  was  that  the  enemy  shrank  back  from  its 
neighbourhood  as  if  scorched  :  Gainsborough,  Lin- 
coln, and  Sleaford  were  abandoned  by  the  Round- 
heads, and  Sterne  Castle  in  Staffordshire  was  sur- 
rendered to  Sir  Gilbert  Gerrard  on  the  28th  of  March. 
In  this  war,  the  moral  effects  of  such  victory  were 
very  signal,  but  the  peculiar  constitution  of  the  Royal 
forces  always  prevented  them  from  following  up  a 
victory,  or  sustaining  any  great  effort.  Among  the 
first  Roundheads  the  same  causes  produced  the  same 
effects ;  Cromwell  alone  was  able  to  control  these 
causes,  and,  with  them,  their  effects. 

In  the  meanwhile  Hopton  and  Forth  had  been 
manoeuvring  against  Sir  William  Waller  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Winchester.1  On  the  30th  of 
March  an  engagement  took  place  on  Brandon 

give  your  Highness  any  account  of  the  conclusion  your  commis- 
sioners have  made  in  North  Wales  till  Sir  Thomas  Hanmer*  and 
Mr.  Wayett  return,  which  will  be  about  the  middle  of  the  next 
week. 

Your  Highness's  humble  servant,  W.  BELLENDEN. 

Salop,  March  30,  1644. 

1  We  have  here  the  King's  account  of  Hopton's  defeat,  and 
other  matters  in  his  Majesty's  own  hand. 

NEPHEW, 

Indeed  I  have  this  advantage  of  you  that  I  have  not  yet 
mistaken  you  in  anything,  as  you  have  me  :  as  for  your  coming 


*  Sir  Thomas  Hanmer's  appointment  as  Vice-President  never 
was  confirmed  :  he  retired,  probably  in  consequence,  to  France, 
and  was  restored  to  his  estates  by  Cromwell.  His  descendant, 
Sir  John  Hanmer  of  Bettisfield,  inherits  his  title  and  his  estates. 

D  D  2 


404        MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [APRIL, 

Heath,  near  Alresford,  in  which  Hopton  was 
beaten.  He  retired  with  little  loss,  except  that  of 
the  gallant  Sir  John  Smith,1  Lord  John  Stewart, 
the  Duke  of  Richmond's  brother,  and  about  two 
hundred  others.  Winchester  castle  soon  fell  into 
the  hands  of  Sir  William  Waller.  Hopton  retired 
upon  Reading,  and  Forth  went  to  Oxford,  where  all 
was  in  great  confusion.2  The  Queen  expected  her 


back  towards  Shrewsbury,  I  do  approve  of  it,  and  it  is  nowise 
contradiction  to  that  opinion  sent  to  you  by  Parsons,  for  it  was 
not  only  left  solely  to  your  judgment,  but  it  had  a  reference  like- 
wise to  your  strength,  of  which  we  had  no  certain  knowledge. 
And  now  it  falls  out  of  the  better,  because  of  the  retreat  that  my 
Lord  Hopton  has  made  before  Waller,  where,  though  the  loss  was 
very  inconsiderable,  except  the  loss  of  some  few  brave  officers, 
400  being  the  most  in  all,  both  of  horse  and  foot,  the  Rebels  loss 
being  certainly  more,  some  think  twice  as  many;  yet,  because 
they  have  something  to  brag  on,  it  may  get  them  so  much  credit 
as  to  be  able  to  recruit  Essex's  army,  in  which  case  it  is  requisite 
that  yours  be  not  far  from  me.  I  hope  in  a  few  days  to  be  able 
to  venture  on  another  blow,  for  my  foot  came  off  in  good  enough 
order ;  and  now  I  hear  that  the  appearance  of  horse  is  better 
than  we  expected.  So  referring  the  particulars  of  my  resolutions 
to  my  secretary,  and  the  clearing  of  mistaking  to  my  Lord  Jermyn 
— in  despite  of  all  which,  and  what  else  the  devil  can  do,  you 
shall  still  find  me 

Your  loving  Uncle,  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  B. 
Oxford,  1st  April,  1644. 

1  Who  rescued  the  Royal  standard  at  Edgehill. 

2  The  Prince  had  been  summoned  thither,  but  the  following 
letter  absolves  him  : — 

NEPHEW, 

I  suppose  you  will  like  this  dispatch  much  better  than  the 
last  by  Parsons.  ["  The  last "  was  an  earnest  summons  to  the 
Prince  to  march  directly  to  Oxford  with  all  his  force  ;  "  this  "  is 
to  revoke  that  order,  and  leave  the  Prince  free  to  follow  his  own 
plan.]  It  will  also  give  you  assurance  that  the  Yorkshire  Peti- 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      405 

confinement  soon,  and  was  in  delicate  health.  Her 
Majesty  now  determined  to  leave  Oxford,  and 
retire  to  Exeter.  The  King  does  not  venture  to 
ask  her  to  remain  ;  Rupert,  however,  remonstrates, 
and  even  Jermyn  dislikes  a  change  of  quarters ;  but 
her  Majesty  is  resolute,  or  only  hesitates  for  a 
moment,  as  we  have  seen,  as  to  whether  she  shall 
not  choose  Chester  as  her  residence. 

On  the  17th  of  April  the  Queen  set  out  for 
Exeter.1  The  King  accompanied  her  as  far  as 
Abingdon  :  there  they  parted— and  for  ever. 


tions  answer  will  be  according  to  your  desire.  I  am  glad  to  find 
by  your  letter  which  I  received  yesterday,  by  Tom  Kings,  that 
you  are  hopeful  to  be  of  a  considerable  strength  shortly,  which, 
indeed,  was  one  of  the  motives  that  has  caused  this  change  of 
orders,  the  chief  being  that  you  may  be  a  security  for  Oxford,  in 
case  the  Earl  of  Essex  should  draw  hither  whilst  we  are  seeking 
a  revenge  upon  Waller.  For  the  rest  I  refer  you  to  this  other 
letter,  so  I  rest,  [the  "  other  letter  "  is  wanting]. 

Your  loving  Uncle,  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Oxford,  llth  April,  1644. 

1  Miss  Strickland  says  the  Queen  left  Oxford  on  the  3rd.  This 
lady  is  usually  very  accurate,  but  the  following  letter  confirms 
Sir  Edward  Walker's  assertion  (p.  11),  that  the  17th  was  the  day 
of  her  Majesty's  departure. 

SIR, 

It  is  no  way  needful  for  me  to  trouble  your  Highness  with 
anything  by  this  occasion ;  the  bearer*  is  thoroughly  informed 
of  all.  The  chief  cause  I  write,  is,  to  mention  that  to  you  which 
he  looks  least  after  ;  namely, —  that  which  pertains  to  his  own 
interests.  I  did  heretofore  advertise  you  that  it  was  possible 
there  might  be  a  displacing  of  some  bedchamber  men  ;  I  thought 
it  then  upon  a  ground  that  since  hath  failed  :  there  is  now 


*  This  is  William  Legge,  to  whom  the  rare,  and  rarely  deserved 
compliment,  which  follows,  is  paid. 


406          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF    [APRIL, 

For  every  office  that  was  vacant  the  King  found  a 
dozen  jealous,  and  often  dangerous  aspirants.  The 
Marquis  of  Hamilton's  disgrace  had  left  vacant 
amongst  other  appointments  that  of  Master  of  the 
Horse.  As  soon  as  the  Newark  battle  was  won,  Will 
Legge  had  returned  to  Court,  having  probably  been 
commissioned  by  the  King  to  sound  Prince  Rupert 
as  to  whether  this  office  would  be  acceptable  to  him. 
Prince  Rupert  writes  as  follows  on  the  18th  of 
April  1644. 

[In  Cipher.] 
TO  WILLIAM  LEGGE,  AT  OXFORD. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, 

I  have  received  your  letter  by  Charles  Lucas.  If  the 
King  offers  Rupert  the  Master  of  the  Horse's  place,  he 
will  receive  it  as  a  favour ;  but  he  desires  it  may  be  done 
so  as  it  may  not  look  as  if  Rupert  had  a  hand  in  the  ruin 
of  my  Lord  Marquis.  Let  every  one  carry  his  own 


another  thing  done  that  I  do  confidently  persuade  myself  will 
remove  three  or  four.  It  may  therefore  not  he  improper  for 
your  Highness  once  more  to  mention  your  desire  in  the  hehalf 
of  William  Legge,  to  the  King  or  Queen,  which  you  think 
fittest,  and  I  "believe  the  thing  will  be  done.  The  Queen  is 
going  on  Monday  [Lord  J.  writes  on  Thursday,  the  13th] ;  Wil- 
liam Legge  will  tell  your  Highness  why  then,  and  upon  what 
reasons.  I  will  say  nothing  of  it ;  I  take  myself  to  he  very 
unhappy  in  my  remove,  for  that  I  know  I  had  so  perfect  and 
vehement  zeal  for  the  things  of  your  service  that  may  be  I  was 
not  altogether  unuseful  to  you  ;  but  I  will  not  despair  of  having 
once  again  a  station  somewhere  that  may  return  me  to  some 
degree  of  consideration  to  your  service  j  sure  I  am,  I  shall  never 
have  a  more  prevailing  disposition  about  me  than  to  be  so. 
Wishing  you  all  happiness,  I  rest,  sir, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  JERMYN. 

Oxford,  April  13,  1644. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        407 

burden.  So,  giving  you  joy  of  your  new  place  [Gentleman 
of  the  Bedchamber,  procured  for  him  by  Prince  Rupert] 
I  rest,  Your  faithful  friend, 

RUPERT.1 

Lathom  House  is  still  bravely  defended,  and  York 
still  sorely  pressed,  but  Prince  Rupert  cannot  get 
supplies  for  his  men  ;  and  if  he  leaves  his  head- 
quarters everything  stands  still.  Whilst  he  is 
striving  hard  to  collect  an  army,  the  King  writes 
requesting  him  to  send  two  thousand  foot  to  Ox- 
ford. Before  that  letter  reached  him  Rupert  had 
written  to  Will  Legge  as  follows ;  his  Highness  is 
evidently  a  little  out  of  temper.  Lord  Herbert  has 
as  usual  been  fighting,  (this  time  in  Lancashire)  and 
as  usual  been  defeated. 

[In  Cipher.] 
DEAR  WILL, 

For  the  purchase  I  cannot  imagine  who  it  should 
be,  but  G.  is  certainly  Goring,  and  L.,  either  yourself 
or  Lile  (Lisle).  Rupert  [cipher]  being  Master  of  the 
Horse,  I  wrote  both  to  you  and  Sir  Edward  Herbert,  he 


1  For  this  letter  I  am  indebted  to  Lord  Dartmouth's  MS.  col- 
lection ;  I  find  the  following  notice  of  this  transaction  in  "Extracts 
from  the  King's  Cabinet  opened,"  a  pamphlet  in  the  King's  col- 
lection, British  Museum. 

[TO    THE    QUEEN.] 

"Of  late  I  have  been  much  pressed  to  make  Southampton 
Master  of  my  Horse,  not  more  for  good  will  to  him,  as  out  of  fear 
that  Hamilton  might  return  to  a  capacity  of  recozening  me ; 
wherein,  if  I  had  done  nothing,  both  jealousy  and  discontents 
were  like  to  arise,  wherefore  I  thought  fit  to  put  my  Nephew 
Rupert  in  that  place,  which  will  both  save  me  charge,  and  stop 
other  men's  grumblings." 


408          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [APRIL, 

would  accept  it  if  the  King  offer  it,  and  if  it  come  so 
that  Rupert  may  not  be  thought  Lord  Hamilton's  per- 
secutor. I  have  written  to  his  Majesty  if  he  comes  not  to 
us,  the  inconvenience  thereof;  and  that  Chester  is  not  to 
be  relieved  with  a  small  party.  If  the  King  will  follow 
the  wise  counsel  [ironical,  I  presume],  and  not  hear  the 
soldier  and  Rupert  (according  to  his  promise  to  me  at 
Bristol,  which  he  may  remember),  Rupert  must  leave  off 
all.  As  for  Lord  Herbert's  business  you  may  assure  his 
Majesty  that  it  is  happy  for  the  Lord  Herbert  that  his 
forces  are  cast  away  in  that  Lancaster,  and  not  he 
at  Chortoon  [Chorlton  in  Lancashire].  There  had  been 
those  who  would  not  so  easily  have  passed  those  affronts 
from  him,  and  Rupert  as  soon  as  any.  If  the  King  does 
not  do  him  right  he  will  never  believe  him  again.  Massie 
was  soundly  beaten  yesterday,  his  foot  quite  lost,  and  his 
horse  beaten  and  pursued  within  six  miles  of  [illegible]. 
He  himself  and  some  of  his  officers  made  a  handsome 
retreat.  If  Goring  had  done  this  you  would  have  had  a 
handsome  story. 

I  will  take  my  oath  the  man  I  sent  you  word  had  the 
letters  ;  I  saw  them  in  his  hand. 

RUPERT.1 

Hereford,  this  23rd  of  April,  1644. 

On  the  25th  Prince  Rupert  is  himself  in  Ox- 
ford.2 He  there  found  the  Parliament  adjourned ; 
the  courtiers,  or,  at  least,  their  ladies,  in  great  alarm 
at  Essex's  approach  ;  the  undergraduates  of  the  Uni- 
versity, and  the  "unattached"  gentlemen  proudly 
forming  themselves  into  two  regiments  for  garrison 
duty,3  and  the  King  preparing  for  his  masterly 

1  From  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth's  MSS. 

2  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  469. 

3  Every  effort  is  being  made  to  raise  new  troops.     Rupert  has 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     409 

march  upon  the  West.  His  forces  had  been  con- 
centrated at  Marlborough  ;  they  were  now  moved 
to  Newbury,  in  order  to  wait  on  the  important 
garrison  of  Reading  or  Wallingford,  as  there  might 
be  occasion  ;  Essex  and  Waller  being  both  in  Lon- 
don, recruiting  rapidly.  Such  was  the  condition  of 


lately  forwarded  the  King's  commands  to  the  Lord-Lieutenants 
and  Commanders  in  Wales  to  press  twelve  thousand  two  hundred 
men,  six  thousand  of  whom  are  to  be  raised  immediately.  Also 
men  are  called  out  of  Ireland.  Lord  Ormond  sends  them  with- 
out a  murmur. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE   YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

According,  and  in  obedience  to  your  command  in  your  letter 
of  the  5th  of  this  month,  and  in  pursuance  of  like  commands 
sent  me  from  his  Majesty  by  Colonel  Trafford,  I  am  now  pre- 
paring three  companies,  well  armed  and  commanded,  to  be  sent 
into  North  Wales,  where,  God  willing,  they  will  be  by  the  end  of 
the  next  week,  or  very  soon  after,  to  receive  your  Highness's 
pleasure. 

In  things  within  my  power  your  Highness's  pleasure  shall  no 
sooner  be  understood  than  obeyed  by  me,  and  I  trust  my  per- 
formances shall  at  least  correspond  with  my  undertakings  ;  but 
in  things  depending  upon  the  abilities  or  inclinations  of  others, 
though  I  shall  very  rarely  be  positive  in  them,  yet  I  may  some- 
times be  mistaken  in  the  promises  of  others,  when  I  see  pro- 
bability for  it.  Of  this  nature  were  your  Highness's  commands 
touching  the  procuring  of  arms  and  ammunition  from  his 
Majesty's  Roman  Catholic  subjects  of  this  kingdom  whereof, 
though  as  I  remember  I  gave  your  Highness  no  full  assurance, 
yet  I  confess  I  was,  when  I  wrote,  in  greater  hope  of  prevailing 
than  now  I  am.  Nor  are  they  very  much  to  be  blamed,  the  Scots 
being  yet  here  in  great  numbers,  and  fresh  reports  coming  daily 
that  they  will  not  only  begin  the  war  afresh  with  them,  but 
endeavour  to  impose  the  taking  of  their  Covenant  upon  us  by 
force  of  arms.  Yet  if  your  Highness  shall  command  shipping  and 
provision  hither,  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  send  eight  hundred  or 
one  thousand  good  men  reasonably  well  armed.  But  without  ship- 
ping and  provisions  be  sent,  our  wants  are  such  that  I  shall 
be  able  to  do  little  towards  recruiting  the  army  under  your 
Highness's  command.  I  most  humbly  beseech  your  Highness's 


410         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF    [APRIL, 

affairs  when  Rupert  arrived  at  Oxford,  and  attended 
the  Council  of  War.1 

There  he  spoke  his  mind  freely,  as  was  his  wont, 
and  the  Council  agreed  with  his  opinion.  It  had 
the  recommendation  of  soldier-like  simplicity.  To 
strengthen  the  surrounding  garrisons2  with  all  the 
infantry,  to  keep  the  principal  part  of  the  cavalry 
on  foot  in  and  about  Oxford,  and  to  detach  the  rest 
to  Prince  Maurice  to  finish  the  Western  affairs,  and 
to  strengthen  the  Queen's  position  at  Exeter.  This 
arrangement  must  embarrass  the  Roundheads.  They 
could  not  assail  the  wide  circumvallation  of  Oxford 
with  less  than  both  armies,  and  they  dared  not 


pardon  for  the  plainness  of  this  letter  and  the  trouble  it  gives 
you,  and  to  be  pleased  to  dispose  entirely  of 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful,  humble,  and  obedient 

ORMOND. 

His  Majesty's  Castle  of  Dublin, 
18th  April,  1644. 

I  most  humbly  and  earnestly  beseech  your  Highness  to  make 
use  of  your  power  towards  the  release  of  those  gallant  men  that 
were  sent  hence  and  are  now  prisoners ;  your  Highness's  favours 
to  me  give  me  boldness  to  let  you  know  I  cannot  be  more  obliged 
in  the  person  of  any  man  than  in  that  of  Colonel  Henry  Warren. 

1  This  council  now  consisted  of  the  Earl  of  Forth,  who  was  deaf, 
drunken,  and  ignorant;  Wilmot,  ambitious,  intriguing,  vain,  im- 
perious, and  dissolute;  Hopton,  honest,  open-hearted,  and  open- 
handed,  brilliantly  brave,  but  infirm  of  purpose ;  Astley,  a  plain- 
spoken,  independent,  and  well-esteemed  soldier  :  to  these  men  of 
the  sword,  are  to  be  added  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Lord 
Dunmore,  the  two  Secretaries,  Digby  and  Nicholas,  who  worked 
well  together,  as  Nicholas    always   gave  way  to  his  mercurial 
colleague  at  first,  and  finally  corrected  patiently  his  numerous 
mistakes ;  with  these  were  Sir  John  Culpepper  and  Sir  Edward 
Hyde,  who  has  sketched  the  Council  in  his  own  masterly  man- 
ner.— Rebellion,  iv.  473. 

2  Wallingford,  Banbury,  Reading,  Abingdon. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        411 

march  into  the  West  and  leave  such  a  force  in  their 
rear. 

Having  delivered  this  advice,1  and  visited  the 
neighbouring  garrisons  with  the  King;  having,  more- 
over, proved  to  the  King  that  his  Majesty  did  not 
require  any  more  troops,  and  that  his  Highness  did, 
and  finally,  having  procured  three  hundred  barrels 
of  powder,  besides  other  military  supplies,  the 
Prince  returned  to  Shrewsbury. 

Prince  Maurice  writes  so  seldom  that  I  am  in- 
duced to  offer  the  following  to  the  King  at  this 
date. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    MAJESTY, 

About  the  sixth  of  April  I  was  moved  by  Lord 
Digby  to  approve  of  Sir  John  Berkeley  to  be  Colonel-Ge- 
neral to  take  care  of  the  business  of  Plymouth,  and  the 
two  associated  counties  of  Cornwall  and  Devon,  and  like- 
wise Colonel  Digby  to  be  General  of  the  Horse  ;  I  gave 
his  Lordship  this  answer  that  I  should  most  willingly  con- 
descend thereunto,  only  I  desired,  (being  advertised  that 
my  Lord  Mohun  had  the  command  of  Colonel-General  of 
Cornwall  and  my  Lord  John  General  of  the  Horse,)  to 
receive  your  Majesty's  approbation  thereof,  and  accord- 
ingly his  Lordship  not  long  after  certified  me  that  I 
should  receive  your  Majesty's  pleasure  in  the  point  under 
your  own  hand.  Since  then  without  any  intimation  of 
your  Majesty,  or  privity  of  mine,  commissions  are  sent 
down  to  Sir  John  Berkeley  and  Colonel  Digby  which  I  can- 
not but  take  notice  of:  seeing  your  Majesty  was  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  confer  on  me  the  granting  of  commis- 
sions for  all  the  officers  of  this  your  Majesty's  Western 

1  Which  Clarendon  highly  recommends,  iv.  474. 


412          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [MAY, 

army.  I  am  very  willing  that  Sir  John  Berkeley  and 
Colonel  Digby  should  have  their  commissions,  and  if 
desired  would  have  given  them  the  like  :  yet  I  shall  hum- 
bly submit  to  your  Majesty  whether  this  be  not  a  lessen- 
ing of  that  command  and  authority  your  Majesty  hath 
given  to 

Your  Majesty's  most  obedient  and  dutiful  servant, 

MAURICE. 

Before  Lyme,  May  9,  1644. 

This  Prince  meanwhile  continues  to  execute  his 
functions  as  if  he  were  the  most  successful  of 
generals.1 

No  sooner  was  Prince  Rupert  gone  from  Oxford, 
than  all  the  Royal  plans  were  changed  :2  Reading  was 


1  PRINCE  MAURICE  TO  COLONEL  SEYMOUR. 
SIR, 

I  shall  desire  you  to  speed  your  regiments  marching  to  me 
as  much  as  possible  you  can,  and  to  return  to  your  regiment 
such  stragglers  as  you  may  happily  meet  with  on  your  march, 
which  is  all  for  the  present  from, 

Sir,  your  loving  friend, 

MAURICE.* 
Before  Lyme,  7th  May,  1644. 

2  Amongst  other  plans,  there  was  one,  of  the  King's,  for  sending 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  "  with  a  Council,"  as  General  into  the  West ; 
as  soon  as  the  King  finds  this  proposition  very  unpalatable  to 
Rupert,  Richmond,  and  others,  he  explains  it  away. 

SIR, 

The  next  day  after  you  parted  from  hence,  the  King  called 
a  Council,  and  declared  to  them  that  he  thought  it  necessary  for 
the  advancement  of  his  affairs,  to  send  the  Prince- General  into 
the  West ;  and  so  commanded  my  Lord  Digby  to  give  those 
reasons  he  thought  convincing  for  that  purpose.  After  a  great 
debate,  wherein  the  Duke  of  Richmond  argued  most  against  it, 
the  King  declared  that  he  never  meant  to  call  Prince  Maurice 


*  From  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset's  MSS. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      413 

abandoned,  all  its  fortifications  demolished,  and  its 
garrison  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men  drawn 
into  Oxford.  Essex  had  marched  out  his  old  army 
to  Windsor,  and  Waller  had  advanced  with  his  new 
levies  to  Winchester.  The  former  was  to  "  wait 
upon  the  King"  if  he  should  move  northward  to- 
wards Lord  Manchester  and  the  Scots ;  Waller  was 
still  destined  for  the  West,  whether  in  pursuit  of 
King  or  Queen  was  to  him  of  little  moment.  Find- 
ing that  the  King  remained  stationary  at  Oxford, 
however,  the  two  armies  approached  that  City ;  and, 
before  the  end  of  May,  Essex  was  parading  his 
troops  on  Bullington  Green ;  Waller  was  on  the 
other  side,  about  Abingdon,  which  Wilmot  had  dis- 
gracefully abandoned  in  a  fit  of  ill-humour,  and  the 
Royal  garrison  appeared  to  be  completely  invested. 
Then,  as  always  in  the  hour  of  peril,  the  King  ma- 
nifested his  own  heroic  though  diffident  capacity. 
He  had  not  time  to  distrust  himself,  and  his  tern- 


from  thence,  nor  that  the  Prince  should  go  till  Lyme  were  taken 
and  an  army  raised  fit  to  receive  him ;  though  I  believe  there  may 
many  things  fall  out  before  these  things  be  done  that  may  hinder 
the  journey,  yet  if  these  should  succeed,  I  find  so  general  a 
dislike  to  it,  that  I  believe  it  impossible,  the  Prince  himself 
shewing  all  the  dislike  he  possibly  could  to  it,  insomuch  that  he 
said  "  you  left  him  his  lesson"  before  you  went  from  hence.  Sir, 
I  shall  not  fail  to  advertise  you  of  our  affairs  here,  and  you  shall 
find  none  so  ready  to  obey  your  commands  as  your  Highness's 

Most  faithful  humble  servant, 

THOMAS  ELIOTT. 

In  this  Council  there  was  nothing  concluded,  but  the  business 
was  put  off  till  another  day. 

For  his  Highness  Prince  Rupert,  these. 
Oxford,  7th  May. 


414         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JUNE, 

porary  confidence  was  well  rewarded.  Within  the 
walls  all  appeared  to  be  in  confusion  except  himself; 
the  crowded  troops  angrily  recriminating,  their 
leaders  distracted  in  council ;  "  the  ladies,  of  whom 
there  were  many,  were  not  easily  pleased,  and  pre- 
vented others  from  being  so,"  l  and  the  Council  of 
War  was  divided.  The  King's  danger  alarmed  even 
the  Parliament,  who  greatly  feared  he  would  throw 
himself  upon  the  chivalry  of  Essex,  or  return  to  Lon- 
don and  trust  himself  to  their  embarrassed  mercy. 
But  neither  the  friends  nor  the  enemies  of  Charles 
need  have  feared  his  weakness  at  this  critical  con- 
juncture. His  resolution  was  soon  taken,  but  not 
a  moment  too  soon,  for  Essex  had  crossed  the  Cher- 
well  to  Blechington  and  Oxford,  and  Waller  was 
at  Ensham.  On  Monday  night,  the  3rd  of  June, 
the  King  mustered  all  his  effective  cavalry,  with 
two  thousand  five  hundred  infantry  under  Sir  Jacob 
Astley,  at  the  north  gate.  Issuing  forth  in  pro- 
found silence  they  marched  between  the  two 
Roundhead  armies  to  Harborough ;  thence  they 
pushed  on  over  the  Cotswold  to  Evesham,  and 
afterwards  to  Worcester.2 


1  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  v.  478  note. 

2  The  following  letter  from  the   Duke  of  Richmond   gives  a 
dreary  picture  of  the  fugitive  army  : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  have  now  the  less  to  trouble  you,  being  the  King's  letters 
and  those  from  my  Lord  Digby  by  his  direction,  will  leave 
nothing  more  to  say  of  our  affairs  here,  which  certainly  receive 
great  advantage  from  your  influence  though  you  are  so  remote 
from  us ;  which  sometimes  we  find  the  contrary  of  in  respect  of 


1644.]      PRINCE    RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      415 

The  King  writes  thence  to  Rupert  thus  : — 

FROM  THE  KING  TO  PRINCE  RUPERT. 
NEPHEW, 

You  will  find  so  full  a  relation  of  the  state  of  my 
affairs  in  my  Lord  Digby's  letter,  that  I  will  add  nothing 
to  that ;  but  I  must  observe  to  you  that  the  chief  hope  of 
my  resource  is,  under  God,  from  you,  and  I  believe  that 
if  you  had  been  with  me,  I  had  not  been  put  to  those 
straits  I  am  now  in.  /  confess,  the  best  had  been  to  have 
followed  your  advice ,  yet  if  we  had  rightly  followed  our 
own  we  had  done  well  enough  ;  but  we  too  easily  quitted 
Abingdon,  and  were  not  so  nimble  upon  their  loose 
quarters  as  we  might  have  been,  of  which  errors  I  must 
acquit  both  myself  and  my  Lord-General.  It  is  here  the 
loss  of  Tewkesbury  has  put  us  to  great  inconvenience  and 
hazards  ;  yet  we  doubt  not  but  to  defend  ourselves  until 
you  may  have  time  to  beat  the  Scots,  but  if  you  be  too 
long  in  doing  of  it,  I  apprehend  some  great  inconvenience. 
I  will  say  no  more  at  this  time,  but  that  I  am 

Your  loving  uncle,  and  most  faithful  friend, 
Worcester,  7th  June,  1644.  CHARLES  R. 

Docketed  in  Prince  Rupert's  handwriting. 

[For  the  knowledge  of  his  affairs,  refers  him  to  Lord 
Digby's  letter.  Assures  him  that  the  chief  hope  he  has, 
is  next,  under  God,  in  his  Highness.  Blames  his  own 
army  under  Wilmot  for  quitting  Abingdon  and  not  fall- 
ing on  the  enemy's  horse.1] 

your  absence  as  the  other  in  your  prosperity,  which  is  the  only 
sure  hope  we  have  to  stifle  our  disorder,  making  our  condition 
every  day  worse.  We  want  money,  men,  conduct,  diligence, 
provisions,  time,  and  good  counsel.  Our  hope  rests  chiefly  in 
your  good  success. 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

RICHMOND  AND  LENNOX. 
Worcester,  June  9,  at  night. 

1  The  King  was  anxious  to  dispose  of  Wilmot,  however,  as 


416        MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JUNE, 

As  soon  as  Essex  found  that  the  King  had  es- 
caped, he  ordered  the  angry  Waller  to  pursue, 
whilst  he  himself  took  Waller's  destination,  and 
moved  to  the  South  to  relieve  Lyme  from  the  luck- 
less Prince  Maurice.  Waller  pursued  to  Worcester,1 


soon  as  he  had  an  opportunity.  He  had  already  spoken  very 
treasonably,  but  the  King  had  no  one  to  appoint  in  his  place  ; 
hence  the  following  letter  : — 

NEPHEW, 

I  refer  you  to  Digby  for  the  present  state  of  my  affairs, 
which  I  believe  you  will  judge  to  be  such  as  neither  to  dishearten 
you  in  nor  turn  you  from  your  present  designs.  As  for  your 
letter  of  the  19th  May,  from  Whitechurch,  T  thank  you  for  your 
freedom,  though  I  am  not  of  your  opinion  in  all  the  particulars, 
but  principally  for  the  close  of  it,  assuring  you  that  you  shall 
never  repent  any  expression  of  your  kindness  to  me  ;  and  as  for 
my  sons  going  to  the  West,  as  my  affairs  are,  and  likely  to  be,  I 
see  no  probability  that  he  can  go,  except  in  my  company.  Lastly, 
I  shall  offer  you  a  fancy  of  my  own  :  it  is  likely  that  your 
brother  Maurice's  army  shall  join  with  this  now  to  avoid  disputes; 
I  desire  to  know  if  you  think  it  not  fit  that  I  should  declare  your 
brother,  in  your  absence,  General  of  my  Horse  :  if  you  can  find 
a  better  expedient,  considering  how  matters  stand  with  Wilmot, 
I  shall  be  glad,  so  I  rest 

Your  loving  Uncle  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  K. 

1  Lord  Digby  writes  thus  from  Worcester,  singularly  verifying 
Sir  Edward  Walker's  assertion  in  his  "  Discourses :" — 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   YOUR   HlGHNESS, 

We  have  now  found  the  mischief  of  not  following  your 
advice;  which  was,  if  Essex  and  Waller  should  both  advance 
with  armies,  to  put  all  the  foot-garrisons,  and  for  the  King  in 
person  to  retreat  with  his  horse,  which  if  we  had  done,  I  con- 
ceive the  distractions  we  are  now  in,  had  been  all  prevented. 
But  since  that  course  was  not  taken,  which  really  went  with  my 
sense,  I  conceived  that  this  enclosed  result  of  a  Council  of  a 
Committee  of  War,  upon  Essex  and  Waller  advancing  jointly 
towards  Abingdon,  was  the  best  that  could  be  agreed  upon,  in 
order  to  the  whole  frame  of  his  Majesty's  business ;  in  pursuance 
whereof  we  have  shifted  sides  of  the  river,  and  disputed  passes 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     417 

whence  the  King  moved  northwards  as  if  towards 
Shrewsbury.  Thereupon  Waller  hastened  to  an- 
ticipate him ;  but  the  King  suddenly  counter- 
marching, moved  back  to  Evesham,  destroyed  its 
bridge,  recrossed  the  Cotswold  Hills,  and  on  the 
17th  of  June  his  Oxford  forces,  "whom  he  had 


as  long  as  ever  that  part  of  Oxfordshire  which  we  were  masters  of 
could  maintain  us,  or  that  the  stores  of  Oxford  could  feed  us  ;  but 
when  Essex  and  Waller  had  divided  their  armies  so  as  that  we 
could  neither  supply  ourselves  on  the  one  side,  nor  retreat  to  the 
other,  without  hazard  of  being  crushed  between  them  both.  Essex 
lying  from  Islipp  towards  Abingdon,  and  Waller  having  gained 
the  new  bridge,  and  passed  over  his  army  towards  us,  we  were  then 
fain  to  have  recourse  unto  art,  which  was  to  draw  our  army  close 
to  the  town  of  Oxford,  to  whisper  intentions  of  possessing  Abing- 
don, to  draw  our  cannon,  and  many  of  our  men  into  the  town, 
and  a  little  before  the  evening  to  march  with  a  great  part  of  the 
garrison  of  Oxford  towards  Abingdon,  as  if  we  meant  to  pos- 
sess it,  and  just  as  it  grew  dark  for  the  King,  in  person,  to  march 
with  two  thousand  five  hundred  musketeers,  and  all  our  horse, 
to  Burford,  and  so  to  make  our  retreat  either  to  Bristol  or 
Evesham,  according  as  we  should  find  it  practicable.  This  our 
design  succeeded  as  happily  as  could  be  expected  by  us  in  so 
ill  a  condition ;  our  grimace  towards  Abingdon  drew  Waller 
back  over  Newbridge,  and  Essex  also  thitherward  on  the  other 
side,  and  so  gave  us  the  opportunity  of  gaining  Burford  ere 
they  would  be  ready  to  move  after  us ;  whereupon  solemn  debate 
in  regard  of  the  loss  of  Malmesbury,  and  of  the  enemy's  exceeding 
us  so  much  in  horse  and  dragoons,  as  also  by  the  lying  of  the 
enemy  nearer  to  the  way  of  Bristol,  and  in  regard  of  the  feeble- 
ness of  our  men  with  great  marches  and  little  meat,  it  was  con- 
cluded that  we  could  not  hope  to  make  so  long  a  retreat  as 
thither  with  safety,  and  therefore  we  resolved  to  steer  our  course 
to  Evesham,  where  we  arrived  upon  Wednesday  night.  By  the 
next  morning  we  received  certain  intelligence  that  Waller's  whole 
army  was  upon  the  hills  above  Sudely,  and  Essex  somewhat 
more  on  the  right  hand  towards  Chipping  Norton ;  whereupon, 
breaking  down  Evesham  and  Parshore  bridges,  we  inarched 
hither  to  Worcester,  where  we  now  are,  with  a  matter  of  two 
thousand  musketeers  and  two  thousand  five  hundred  horse,  be- 
sides the  garrison  of  Evesham,  which  the  unfortunate  loss  of 

VOL,  II.  E    E 


418          MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

appointed  to  march  out  with  food,  cannon,  and 
colours,"  met  him  at  Witney  with  great  joy. 

The   following   spirited   narrative   of   this   brief 
campaign  by  Digby,  may  be  read  with  interest. 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

I  am  commanded  by  his  Majesty  to  acquaint  your 
Highness  with  the  change  that  is  arrived  in  our  condition 
here  since  my  last  unto  your  Highness,  wherein  your  High- 
ness will  find  us  raised  to  comfortable  hopes  from  a  state 
almost  of  desperation.  The  truth  of  it  is,  had  Essex  and 
Waller  jointly  either  pursued  us  or  attacked  Oxford,  we 

Tewkesbury,  the  very  night  before  our  coming  to  Evesham,  forced 
us  to  quit  the  fortifications,  being  not  at  all  perfected.  When 
I  shall  have  told  your  Highness  this,  and  that  Essex  comes  upon 
us  one  way,  Waller  likely  to  go  about  us  on  the  Welsh  side  by 
Gloucester,  that  Massey  and  the  Lord  Denbigh  towards  Kidder- 
minster, both  with  considerable  forces;  and  when  to  all  this  I 
shall  add  the  uncertainty  as  yet  of  your  brother's  succeeding 
before  Lyme,  and  that  Oxford  is  scarce  victualled  for  a  month, 
and,  for  ought  we  know,  blocked  up  in  a  manner  by  the  enemy's 
horse,  your  Highness  will  easily  frame  to  yourself  an  image  of 
our  sad  condition  ;  all  the  hopes  of  relief  to  which,  depend  upon 
your  Highness's  happy  and  timely  success,  which  his  Majesty  is 
resolved  to  expect  by  defending  this  place  with  his  foot,  unless 
there  shall  be  an  opportunity  given  of  putting  them  into  Bristol 
and  joining  them  with  Prince  Maurice,  and  then  remove  with 
his  horse  and  what  dragoons  he  can  make,  according  as  the 
event  shall  give  him  opportunity  of  doing  it  with  most  safety. 
This  I  am  commanded  to  write  unto  your  Highness  as  a  map 
of  our  present  state  without  letting  all  this  distress  be  yet 
anything  of  direction.  His  Majesty  no  way  doubting  you, 
but  that  your  own  will  direct  you  to  that  course  of  drawing 
things  there  to  that  quick  upshot  which  is  necessary  to  his 
preservation,  that  you  see  it  cannot  admit  of  any  long  delay. 
I  have  nothing  more  to  add  unto  this  but  the  assurance  of  my 
being 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 
Worcester,  8th  June,  1644. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      419 

had  been  lost.  In  the  one  course,  Oxford  had  been 
yielded  up  to  them  having  not  a  fortnight's  provision, 
and  no  hopes  of  relief.  In  the  other,  Worcester  had  been 
lost,  and  the  King  forced  to  retreat  to  your  Highness, 
and  our  remove  from  Worcester  to  Bewdly  was  with  that 
design.  In  case  Waller  should  have  advanced  on  the  one 
side,  and  Essex  on  the  other,  as  we  certainly  imagined 
they  would  have  done.  But  either  Essex's  unskilful- 
ness,  or  his  desire  to  ruin  Waller,  has  made  him  draw 
his  army  westward  as  far  as  Salisbury,  and  to  send  Waller 
after  the  King  who,  conjecturing  by  our  remove  to  Bewdly 
that  our  intention  was  to  Shrewsbury,  made  such  haste 
that  way  as  far  as  Sturbridge  that  he  gave  us  the  oppor- 
tunity of  slipping  back  to  Worcester  upon  Saturday,  and 
of  gaining  yesterday  the  pass  of  Evesham,  and  this 
morning  Broadway  Hills,  from  whence  I  now  write  before 
his  being  able  to  get  further  towards  us  than  Bromes- 
grove,  as  we  can  learn.  So  that  now  we  suppose  we 
cannot  be  hindered  from  rejoining  our  Oxford  forces  and 
train  of  artillery,  nor  from  the  election  which  of  the  two 
armies  we  will  deal  with  single ;  both  which  are  very 
much  weakened ;  or  whether  we  will  think  fit  to  make  a 
diversion  by  marching  into  the  heart  of  their  quarters, 
since  Oxford  is  now  thoroughly  provided  and  secured. 
This  is  the  best  face  of  our  condition,  which,  though 
very  hazardous  still,  yet  comparatively  with  the  former 
may  be  thought  comfortable.  I  am  commanded  to  make 
unto  your  Highness  only  a  bare  narrative,  which  having 
done  I  have  only  two  things  to  add,  the  one  that  the  King 
earnestly  desires  your  Highness  to  send  him  speedy  ad- 
vertisement of  your  motions  and  intentions,  the  other 
that  your  Highness  will  be  pleased  to  take  into  your 
special  care  the  encouragement  of  this  bearer,  Sir  John 
Mayne,  both  by  your  own  favour,  and  by  recommend- 
ing to  my  Lord  of  Newcastle  the  care  of  his  several 
regiments  which  he  hath  raised  at  his  own  charge  for 

B   E   2 


420          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

his  Majesty's  service.     Thus  humbly  kissing  your  High- 
ness's  hands, 

I  rest,  your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 
Broadway  Down,  17th  June,  1644.  GEORGE  DlGBY. 

On  the  following  day  he  marched  towards  Ban- 
bury,  now  desirous  of  meeting  Waller,  since  Essex 
was  away.  The  Roundheads  were  found  encamped 
in  a  strong  position  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Cherwell.  In  order  to  tempt  the  enemy  from  his 
position,  the  King  crossed  Copredy  Bridge,  as  if 
moving  towards  Northamptonshire ;  in  so  doing, 
however,  his  generals  unskilfully,  but  fortunately, 
moved  on  the  advanced  guard  and  centre  without 
their  rear,  which  they  left  exposed.  Waller  fell 
upon  the  latter  with  his  advanced  guard,  and  had 
made  some  impression,  when  the  Earl  of  Cleveland 
charged  him,  and  drove  him  back.  The  King  now 
sent  back  his  life-guards  with  Lord  Bernard 
Stewart  to  the  Earl's  assistance.  The  Cavaliers 
charged  again  with  such  resolution  that  they  not 
only  beat  back  the  attacking  division,  but  passed 
on  and  took  their  whole  park  of  artillery,  including 
some  leathern  and  brass  guns.  Thus  was  finished 
the  real  business  of  the  day.  Waller  drew  off,  and 
retired  unmolested ;  the  King  had  in  his  own  army 
a  mutinous  spirit  and  jealous  officers,  as  dangerous 
enemies  as  those  who  were  retiring  before  him. 
Lords  Cleveland,  Wentworth,  Northampton,  and 
Lord  Bernard  Stewart,  had  behaved  manfully  in 
the  field  this  day ;  but  in  council  Wilmot  and  his 


1644.]         PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.     421 

party  had  proved  so  refractory,  that  the  King  was 
resolved  to  hazard  no  action  that  he  could  avoid 
until  these  officers  were  in  better  tempers. 

This  battle  of  Copredy  took  place  on  the  29th  of 
June.1  The  Queen  was  still  ill,  and  seems  to  have 
had  no  accounts  from  the  King ;  and  the  King  now 
turned  all  his  thoughts  to  preserving  her  city  of 
refuge,  Exeter,  from  the  approach  of  Essex. 

The  following  episode  is  worth  notice.  It  seems 
that  the  son  of  the  historian,  Hamond  PEstrange, 
offered  to  enter  the  baffling  town  of  Lyme,  with 
some  sailors,  under  the  guise  of  friends,  and  then 
to  seize  it  for  the  King,  provided  he  had  a  promise 
of  being  made  governor  of  the  town,  if  his  project 
were  successful : — 

LORD    DIGBY    [TO    PRINCE    MAURICE  ?] 
MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS 

To  remember  that  about  three  weeks  since  I  ac- 
quainted you  with  a  proposition,  made  by  a  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant Hamond  1'Estrange,  concerning  the  reducing  of 
Lyme,  the  said  gentleman,  the  undertaker,  having  desired 
some  promises  under  the  King's  hand  by  way  of  en- 
couragement and  enablement,  as,  namely,  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  place  in  case  he  made  himself  master  of  it, 
and  of  employment  to  the  mariners  who  should  be  actors 
in  it.  A  letter  to  the  purpose  was  drawn,  and  your 
Highness  having  perused  it  at  the  table  in  the  Drawing- 
room  ;  his  Majesty  signed  it  in  your  presence,  and  the 
gentleman,  Mr.  Roger  1'Estrange,  went  away  with  it, 

1  Sir  Edward  Walker's  Historical  Discourses,  11 — 37;  and 
Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  480—  506,  who  copies  the  Garter  King- 
at-Arms,  almost  verbatim. 

• 


422         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JUNE, 

and  being  unfortunately  taken  with  it  about  him,  is,  as 
your  Highness  may  perceive  by  this  enclosed  note,  con- 
demned to  die;  certainly,  sir,  it  were  a  charity  worthy 
you  to  send  a  trumpet  with  some  such  message  from  you 
as  might  be  likely  to  procure  at  least  a  suspense  of  his 
execution.  Sir,  I  am, 

Your  Highness's  most  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 
No  date  except  1644. 

This  letter  must  have  been  addressed  to  Prince 
Maurice,  though  found  among  Prince  Rupert's 
papers. 

That  "slow-going,  inarticulate,  indignant,  some- 
what elephantine  man,"1  had  been  moving  away 
southward  and  westward,  not  very  earnestly,  yet 
sufficiently  so  to  frighten  the  flippant  and  noisy 
Ashburnbam  out  of  Weymoutb,  and  to  dissipate 
Prince  Maurice's  phlegmatic  siege  of  Lyme.  The 
former  disaster  brought  the  subjoined  letter  from 
Prince  Maurice.2  The  following  relates  to  it : — 

SIR, — Since  mine  to  your  Highness  of  this  same  day 
we  have  advertisement  of  Essex's  marching  this  way,  and 


Carlyle's  Cromwell,  i.  121. 


TO   COLONEL   SEYMOUB. 


SIB, 

Weymouth  being  taken,  and  the  rebels,  as  I  am  informed, 
intending  to  attempt  something  against  your  garrison,  I  thought 
good  to  advertise  you  thereof,  that  your  care  and  watchfulness 
may  timely  prevent  their  wicked  purposes.  I  have  written  to 
Colonel  Carey  to  be  watchful  on  the  sea-coast.  This  is  all  but 
I  am,  Sir,  your  loving  friend, 

MAU  RICE.* 
Honiton,  1  9  June,  1644. 

*  From  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset's  MSS. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      423 

are  not  without  some  belief  that  he  may  possibly  sit  down 
before  this  town,  the  Queen,  I  believe,  writes  to  your 
Highness  something  of  it,  already  his  motion  hath  had 
this  effect :  your  brother  is  drawn  from  before  Lyme, 
where  he  hath  wasted  (the  necessary  fate  of  sieges)  part 
of  his  army.  He  has  yet  near  three  thousand  men  ;  he 
comes  to  Chard,  and  there,  according  to  the  enemy's  fur- 
ther advance,  will  advise  what  is  to  be  done.  That  which 
yet  appears  likely  is  to  draw  back  hither,  he  not  being 
strong  enough  to  fight  with  him  [Essex].  This  place 
is,  as  those  that  have  the  care  of  it  confidently  assure  me, 
in  no  danger  of  being  distressed  in  six  weeks  or  two 
months,  there  being  provisions  and  ammunition  amply 
for  so  long  time  ;  and  our  works,  we  believe,  good  enough 
for  a  longer  if  our  provisions  would  reach  to  it.  The 
Queen  is  not  brought  to  bed,  which  makes  her  ill  at  ease, 
arid  full  of  fears  to  the  end.  That  you  may  the  better  see 
the  estate  of  Prince  Maurice,  I  send  your  Highness  his 
letter  that  in  this  instant  I  received  from  him,  so  wishing 
all  happiness  to  your  Highness,  I  rest,  praying  incessantly 
and  earnestly  for  your  happiness, 

Sir,  your  Highness's 
Most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

HE.  JERMYN. 

Exeter,  June  14,  1644. 

He  thence  proceeded  to  Tiverton,  and  so  on  to 
Plymouth,  where  he  relieved  that  town  so  long 
and  tamely  blockaded  by  Prince  Maurice  and  Sir 
Richard  Grenville,  the  unworthy  brother  of  the  brave 
Sir  Bevil. 

Meanwhile  the  unhappy  Queen  had  been  con- 
fined, and  found  herself  in  her  hour  of  trial  denied 
that  peace  which  she  had  been  so  fatally  instru- 
mental in  preventing.  Essex  advanced  to  Tiverton 


424         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

before  her  child  was  a  fortnight  old.1  The  poor 
mother  requested  permission  to  retire  to  Bath  for 
her  own  and  her  child's  safety,  but  Essex  sternly 
refused.  He  had  for  several  reasons  no  sympathy 
for  woman,  especially,  perhaps,  for  the  Queen  of 
England.  He  replied  that  he  purposed  to  escort 
her  Majesty  to  London,  where  her  presence  was 
required  to  answer  to  the  Parliament  for  having 
levied  war  in  England.  The  Queen  then  roused 
that  royal  nature,  which,  like  that  of  Charles,  only 
slumbered  in  prosperity  ;  she  escaped  to  Pendennis 
Castle  through  many  escapes  and  great  hardships ; 
and  after  an  encounter  with  a  strong  gale  of  wind, 
and  a  still  more  dangerous  attack  from  a  Parlia- 
mentary frigate,  the  daughter  of  Henry  of  Navarre, 
and  the  wife  of  the  King  of  England,  found  shelter 
among  the  peasants  of  Brittany.2 

The  King  had  sent  Colonel  Edward  Villiers  to 
apprize  her  Majesty  of  his  approach  to  Exeter,  but 
this  messenger,  like  most  of  the  King^s  measures, 
arrived  too  late ;  the  Queen  was  gone,  and  Charles 
was  left  alone,  to  live  and  die. 

I  now  return  to  Prince  Rupert,  who  hastened  to 
his  head- quarters  on  the  5th  of  May,  eager  to  com- 
mence his  northern  march.  Every  day  brings  more 
pressing  letters  from  the  Countess  of  Derby,  from 


1  This  was  the  Princess  Henrietta,  afterwards  the  unhappy 
wife  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  one  of  the  most  villanous  men  who 
ever  bore  that  name  of  evil  men. 

~  Miss  Strickland's  Queens  of  England,  viii.  115. 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      4*25 

Goring,  from  Newcastle,  from  Newark ;  all  the 
North  seems  to  depend  upon  this  young  Prince. 
On  the  16th  of  May  he  is  at  Shrewsbury,  as  this 
letter  proves : 

FOR    LIEUTENANT-COLONEL    OWEN,    CONSTABLE    AND 
GOVERNOR    OF    HARLEIGH    CASTLE. 

I  have  taken  notice  of  the  interest  you  have  in  the 
custody  of  the  Castle  of  Harleigh,  in  the  County  of  Me- 
rioneth, and  of  the  employment  of  Captain  John  Morgan 
in  that  command  under  you.  1  shall  be  ready  to  confirm 
your  interest  by  any  commission  you  shall  require,  and  to 
declare  my  allowance  of  Captain  Morgan,  and  otherwise 
further  the  garrison  that  shall  there  be  placed,  so  as  the 
charge  of  garrison  extend  not  the  benefit  of  it  to  the 
country,  so  I  rest  Your  friend, 

Salop,  the  16th  of  May,  1644.  RUPERT.1 

On  the  18th  "  the  Prince  is  at  Nantwich  with  five 
thousand  men;"2  the  20th  at  Chester.3  On  the 
23rd  he  beats  the  enemy  in  a  skirmish  before 

1  From  Mr.  Ormsby  Gore's  Collection. 

2  The  Earl  of  Denbigh's  MSS. 

3  From  Chester  he  took  all  the  garrison  that  could  be  spared, 
and  instead  thereof  left  the  honest  and  able  William  Legge  (now 
a  Colonel)  as  Governor. 

GENTLEMEN 

I  have  sent  this  bearer,  my  Sergeant-Major,  William  Legge, 
and  General  of  my  Ordnance,  to  take  the  government  of  the 
City  of  Chester  into  his  charge,  a  person  every  way  qualified  for 
so  great  and  important  a  trust,  of  whose  care  and  fidelity  to  his 
Majesty's  service,  and  the  public  interest,  as  I  have  sufficient 
knowledge ;  so  you  will  find  him  no  less  industrious  to  promote 
the  security  both  of  that  place  and  your  persons  and  fortunes, 
therefore  I  require  you  to  receive  him  in  that  capacity.  I  do 
likewise  expect  that  you  do  all  punctually  observe  and  follow 
such  instructions  as  he  shall  deliver  unto  you  for  the  regulating 
of  that  government.  And  though,  at  this  present,  he  cannot 
stay  long  among  you,  in  regard  of  his  Majesty's  other  services, 


426        MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF        [MAY, 

Knutsford.1  On  the  25th  he  wins  "  the  pass  of  Stock- 
port,"  and  takes  that  town,2  which  exploit  causes 
the  besiegers  of  Lathom  House  to  suspend  their 
operations. 

This  celebrated  siege  has  now  lasted  for  eighteen 
weeks :  in  history's  wide  field,  no  more  gallant,  reso- 
lute, and  high-spirited  feat  had  been  accomplished  : 
"  Charlotte  de  la  Tremouille,  Countess  of  Derby" 
had  been  formally  summoned  to  surrender  "her 
Lord's  house  and  its  honour,"  by  Fairfax,  on  the 
28th  of  February.  She  gained  time,  by  ingenious 
parleys,  to  strengthen  and  recruit  her  little  garrison ; 
on  the  12th  of  March  the  first  shot  was  fired  against 
the  house-fortress.  There  were  few  houses  in  Eng- 
land better  calculated  for  self-defence  :  its  walls 
were  high,  in  good  condition,  and  two  yards  in 
thickness;  seven  lofty  towers  strengthened  these 
walls,  besides  two  lesser  ones,  the  great  gate,  and 
the  Eagle  Tower,  high  over  all,  in  the  centre  of  the 
building.  The  building  itself  stood  in  the  best  pos- 
sible situation  for  a  siege, — so  low,  compared  with 
the  surrounding  slopes  that  no  shot  could  reach  it, 
except  from  guns  placed  on  those  slopes,  while  they 

which  require  his  personal  attendance,  yet  I  shall  suddenly 
return  him  again  unto  you.  In  the  mean  time  I  shall  take  into 
my  especial  care  the  safety  of  the  said  city,  and  shall  be  ready 
upon  all  emergent  occasions  to  give  you  such  seasonable  and 
effectual  assistance  as  shall  be  requisite,  and  rest  Your  friend, 
Whitechurch,  this  19th  day  of  May,  1644.  RUPERT.* 

1  Dr.  Watts's  Diary.  2  Rushw.  v.  310. 

*  MS.  Harl.  2135,  fol.  22. 


1G44.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     427 

were  so  near,  and  fell  away  so  suddenly,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  work  artillery  or  construct  any  fortifi- 
cations on  them  with  impunity  from  the  castle  walls. 
A  wide  moat  with  strong  palisades  ran  round  the 
walls,  and  was  only  to  be  crossed  from  the  strong 
postern  gates  at  the  discretion  of  the  garrison.  This 
garrison  consisted  of  three  hundred  men  and  six 
captains  ;*  they  were  armed  from  the  castle  armory, 
and  well  provisioned  by  the  provident  care  of  the 
Lady -Governor.  They  had  eight  or  nine  small 
pieces  of  ordnance,  and  some  "  murderers," — a  very 
large  sort  of  blunderbuss  that  moved  upon  a  pivot 
and  a  rest.  The  besiegers  varied  in  number  from 
two  to  three  thousand  men,  according  as  the  rich 
spoils  of  the  fortress  appeared  more  or  less  likely  to 
be  won.  Fairfax  had  left  the  conduct  of  the  siege 
to  Colonel  Rigby,  a  bitter  enemy  of  the  House  of 
Stanley.  This  commander  was  well  supplied  with 
money  and  artillery  by  the  neighbouring  Roundhead 
towns  of  Bolton  and  Stockport.  His  artillery  made 
little  impression  on  the  brave  old  walls  of  the  for- 
tress, but  he  procured  a  huge  mortar,  from  which 
he  threw  shells  that  sorely  annoyed  the  inmates, 
soldiers  as  well  as  women  and  children. 

One  night  the  garrison  made  a  brave  sally;  cut 
their  way  to  this  terrible  mortar  through  crowds 
of  their  enemies,  hoisted  it  on  a  wheeled  carriage 
brought  with  them  for  the  purpose,  and  returned  in 

1  Chisenhall,  Ogle,  Rawstorne,  Farmer,  Radcliffe,  and  Fox. 


428          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAY, 

triumph  and  safety  with  their  formidable  prize. 
Thenceforth  they  sustained  the  siege  with  a  brave 
and  serious  cheerfulness.  Their  heroic  lady  was  a 
Roman  Catholic,  but  so  much  superior  to  all  bigotry 
that  she  attended  public  prayers  with  all  her  de- 
fenders, and  her  two  young  daughters,  four  times 
every  day.  Vainly  the  Roundheads'  artillery  roared 
round  the  beleaguered  walls  ;  all  was  at  peace 
within  until  the  defenders  resumed  their  post  upon 
the  walls.  There,  ever  vigilant,  zealous  and  steady, 
the  best  marksmen  alone  were  allowed  to  use  the 
failing  ammunition  ;  but  whenever  their  shot  was 
heard,  a  besieger  fell.  At  length,  a  brave  servant  of 
the  house  made  his  way  to  Stockport  and  back 
again,  and  brought  intelligence  of  Rupert's  ap- 
proach. The  Earl  of  Derby,  too,  had  returned,  and 
had  joined  his  avenger  on  his  march  to  Stockport. 
Rigby,  too,  had  heard  rumours  of  the  Prince's 
march,  and  sent  his  final  summons  to  the  Countess 
to  deliver  up  her  fortress  on  the  23rd  of  May,  and 
submit  herself,  her  children,  and  her  followers  to 
the  "  mercy  of  the  Parliament."  "  Rigby  has  mis- 
taken his  expression,"  said  the  Countess  to  the  mes- 
senger, "  to  the  cruelty  of  the  Parliament  he  should 
have  said."  "  Nay,  lady/'  said  the  messenger,  "  to 
the  mercy."  "  Yea,"  replied  she,  "  but  the  mercies 
of  the  wicked  are  cruel !  Not  that  I  mean  a  wicked 
Parliament,  among  whom  are  many  honourable  men ; 
but  their  wicked  agents  such  as  Moor  and  Rigby,  who 
for  their  own  interests  turn  kingdoms  into  blood  and 


1644.]      PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      429 

ruin.  Go  !  "  she  continued,  scattering  the  paper  of 
summons  scornfully  to  the  winds,  "  Go  back  to  your 
commander,  and  tell  that  insolent  rebel,  he  shall 
have  neither  persons,  goods,  nor  house.  When  our 
strength  is  spent,  we  shall  find  a  fire  more  merciful 
than  Rigby's  and  then,  if  the  Providence  of  God 
prevent  it  not,  my  goods  and  house  shall  burn  in  his 
sight ;  myself,  my  children,  and  my  soldiers,  rather 
than  fall  into  his  hands,  will  seal  our  religion  and 
our  loyalty  in  the  same  flame. "  When  their  Lady 
spoke  thus,  there  was  no  near  prospect  of  deli- 
verance, yet  the  brave  garrison  who  heard  this 
speech  burst  into  acclamations  of  applause,  and 
shouted  fervently,  "  We  will  die  for  his  Majesty  and 
your  honour ; — GOD  SAVE  THE  KING  i"1 

It  was  on  the  25th  of  May  that  Prince  Rupert 
forced  "  the  Stockport  pass,"  and  took  possession  of 
the  town.  The  Roundheads  immediately  broke  up 
their  siege,  and  retired  in  disgrace  to  Bolton,  for 
security  against  such  mercy  as  they  would  have  meted 
out  to  the  garrison  of  Lathom  House.  This  Bolton 
was  the  great  stronghold  of  the  Puritans  in  the 
North — "  the  Geneva  of  England."  It  was  not  sup- 
posed that  the  Prince  would  have  turned  so  far 
from  his  way  to  York  as  to  approach  this  town :  it 

1  There  is  a  very  spirited  and  highly-interesting  journal  of 
this  siege  by  Captain  Edward  Halsall,  in  the  Ashmolean  Museum 
at  Oxford  (A.  Wood,  MSS.  D.  16),  and  another  among  the  Har- 
leian  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum.  His  journal  is  printed  in  the 
fifth  edition  of  "Mrs.  Hutchinson's  Memoirs."  Bonn,  1846.  A 
Roundhead  journal  of  the  time  observes,  "  that  three  women  had 
ruined  this  kingdom ;  Eve,  the  Queen,  and  the  Countess  of  Derby." 


430         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [MAY, 

was  equally  unknown  to  the  Prince  that  the  Lathom 
House  besiegers  had  taken  refuge  there.  His  ad- 
vanced guard,  under  Tillier,1  advanced  to  Bolton  to 
secure  quarters  for  the  Prince,  when  they  found 
themselves  suddenly  opposed  by  an  enemy,  in  great 
strength,  but  somewhat  confused.  Tillier  entrenched 
himself  in  the  suburbs,  and  sent  notice  to  the 
Prince.  Scarcely  had  the  sound  of  his  orderly's 
galloping  died  away,  when  it  was  echoed  by  the  ad- 
vance of  the  impetuous  Prince  and  his  life-guards. 
Lord  Derby,  too,  rode  by  his  side  ;  and  with  scarcely 
a  moment's  halt  to  form,  they  charged  the  enemy, 
and  forced  them  within  their  lines.  There,  however, 
the  cavalry-work  was  ended.  Five  thousand  men 
fighting  desperately  behind  strong  entrenchments 
were  to  be  otherwise  dealt  with,  and  the  Prince  or- 
dered up  Tillier's,  Ellis's,  and  his  own  infantry  regi- 
ments ;  the  latter  commanded  by  Colonel  John 
Russell.  The  latter  regiment  was  beaten  back  with 
the  loss  of  the  Colonel,  the  Major,  and  three  hun- 
dred men.  Tillier  and  Ellis  were  more  successful ; 
they  broke  in  over  the  trenches,  but  after  a  despe- 
rate struggle  were  beaten  back.  The  besieged  were 
now  flushed  with  triumph,  and  in  their  exultation 
they  hanged  one  of  the  Irish  troopers  over  the  town- 
wall.  That  indulgence  sealed  their  fate.  Rupert  flung 
himself  from  his  horse,  called  up  Colonel  Broughton's 
foot,  and  storming  at  their  head  he  forced  his  way 

1  An  Anglo-Irish  officer,  now  made  Quarter-master-General  for 
his  gallantry  at  Newark  and  Tonge  Castle. 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.     431 

among  the  raging  enemy.  Then  the  defeated  regi- 
ments, rallying  with  loud  shouts,  rushed  in  every- 
where, and  dealt  out  stern  vengeance  upon  the 
Roundheads.  Lord  Derby  was  amongst  the  fore- 
most of  the  assailants,  and  one  of  the  first  enemies 
he  encountered  was  a  Captain  Booth,  who  had  been 
brought  up  in  his  own  household,  and  educated  with 
tender  care  by  the  Countess.  This  scoundrel  dis- 
graced an  honourable  name  by  going  over  to  the 
enemy  during  the  siege  of  Lathom  House,  and 
directing  their  fire  where  it  could  tell  with  most 
effect  upon  the  house  that  had  been  his  home :  he 
now  died  by  Lord  Derby's  sword.  There  was  too 
much  blood  shed  on  that  day  by  the  furious  soldiery, 
and  too  much  pillage  after  the  fight  was  done ;  six- 
teen hundred  men  were  slain.1  Part  of  the  spoil, 
however,  was  honourably  disposed  of.  Twenty-two 
stand  of  Roundhead  colours  "  which  three  days  be- 
fore were  proudly  flourished  before  Lathom  House," 
were  now  presented  to  the  heroic  Countess,  to  grace 
the  walls  she  had  so  well  defended,  and  Sir  Richard 
Crane  was  commissioned  at  the  same  time  to  offer 
the  Prince's  homage  to  her  bravery. 

Bolton  was  won  on  the  28th  of  May,  and  but 
brief  resting  time  was  given  to  the  Royal  troops. 
All  Lancashire,  from  Clitheroe  House  and  White- 
hall to  Liverpool  and  Thornton,  was  overrun  within 
ten  days,  and  Manchester  alone  was  left  open  to  the 

1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


432         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

enemy.  Liverpool  was  even  then  a  place  of  some 
importance,  and  caused  the  Prince  to  make  a  long 
divergence  from  his  Northern  route,  in  order  to 
secure  it.  From  hence  he  dates  the  following  letter, 
which  is  alike  creditable  to  his  style,  good  feeling, 
and  provident  care  for  his  army  : — 

A  COPY  OF  THE  PRINCE*S  LETTER  TO  MY  LORD  BISHOP 
OF  CHESTER. 

MY  LORD, 

I  am  hereby  to  give  you  to  understand,  that  divers 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  army  being  wounded  in  the  late 
service,  are,  for  their  better  accommodation  and  cure,  con- 
veyed to  the  City  of  Chester,  wherein  certain  provision 
being  made  for  their  subsistence,  I  thought  fit  to  refer  it 
now  unto  you,  that  a  general  collection  may  be  forthwith 
made  in  all  churches  within  your  diocese  towards  their 
present  relief,  no  way  doubting  but  that  all  charitable  and 
well-disposed  persons  will  freely  contribute  to  so  good  a 
work.  My  desire,  therefore,  is,  that  with  all  convenient 
speed,  you  give  particular  directions  to  all  the  clergy 
within  your  diocese  to  promote  the  said  collection,  and 
such  monies  as  shall  be  thereupon  collected  to  pay  over  to 
your  Lordship's  hands,  or  such  others  as  you  shall  appoint 
to  receive  the  same,  by  certificate  under  their  hand  and 
two  of  the  more  substantial  inhabitants  of  their  parish, 
that  the  same,  by  your  Lordship,  may  be  paid  to  the 
hands  of  Sir  Francis  Gamell,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the 
City  of  Chester,  to  be  by  him  disposed  of  for  the  use  and 
purpose  aforesaid. 

I  am  further  to  put  your  Lordship  in  mind,  that  the 
army  being  for  the  present  to  be  withdrawn  from  these 
parts,  the  same  may  be  an  encouragement  to  the  rebels 
to  attempt  into  your  country;  yet  your  said  clergy, 
upon  this  occasion,  exhort  all  persons  within  your  charge 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       433 

to  prepare  for  your  own  defence,  and  to  oppose  and  with- 
stand the  same  ;  and  let  them  further  understand,  that 
in  case  they  be  for  the  present  overmastered  by  the  power 
of  the  rebels  and  the  country  for  a  time  possessed  by 
them,  that  all  persons  within  your  parishes  may,  by  your 
exhortations,  be  made  sensible  of  your  duty  and  loyalty 
to  his  Majesty,  and  how  great  a  crime  it  will  be  to  forfeit 
the  same,  by  adhering  and  partaking  with  the  said  rebels  in 
their  persons  or  estates.  This  I  expect  and  desire  to  be 
done  in  the  most  proper  language  to  the  place,  and  most 
intelligent  to  their  congregation. 

RUPERT.1 

Liverpool,  this  18th  day  of  June,  1644. 

Having  thus,  fortunately  as  it  proved,  secured  his 
way  of  retreat  in  case  of  need,  the  Prince  prepared 
to  cross  the  hills  to  York.2  So  long  ago  as  the 
18th  of  April,  Lord  Newcastle  had  written,  as 
below,  to  the  King  ;3  and  now,  nearly  two  months 

1  MS.  Harl.  2135,  fol.  11. 

2  That  city  was  thus  summoned  on  the  4th  : — 

MAY   IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

This  afternoon,  about  one  of  the  clock,  the  enemy's  van 
marched  from  their  quarter  at  Long  Marston  to  Middlethorp,  the 
rest  of  their  army  follows.  The  three  generals  have  sent  a  letter, 
directed  to  me  and  my  Lord  Mayor  to  deliver  them  up  the  town 
in  six  hours,  or  else  I  must  expect  all  extremities  of  war.  I  shall 
not  obey  their  summons,  but  keep  it  for  the  King  as  long  as  pos- 
sibly I  can.  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  acquaint  your  Highness 
with  it,  not  doubting  but  your  Highness  will  take  us  into  your 
consideration  to  hasten  for  the  relief  of 

Your  Highness's  most  affectionate  and  humble  servant, 

THOMAS  GLEMHAM. 
York,  the  4th  of  June,  1644, 

at  five  in  the  afternoon. 

3  MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    MAJESTY, 

The  unfortunate  defeat  of  Colonel  Bellasis  [at  Selby,  by 
Fairfax]  wherein  he  lost  himself,  being  taken  prisoner,  with  all 

VOL.  II.  F    F 


434          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

later,  Sir  William  Davenant,  the  poet,  writes  as 
follows  : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

This  enclosed  is  a  ....  with  many  others,  no 
less  complaining  and  importunate :  and  I  fear  lest  the 
rumour,  which  is  common  at  Chester,  of  the  King's  neces- 
sities, and  consequently  of  your  Highness's  marching  to- 
wards him,  may  come  to  their  ears,  who  will  not  fail  to 
convey  it  to  York,  which  would  prevail  upon  the  people 
there  more  than  their  want  of  victual,  or  the  enemy's  con- 
tinual assau[lts].  To  prevent  this  I  have  written  that  the 
reason  of  your  not  marching  thither  yet,  was  by  being 
necessitated  to  call  upon  the  enemy  in  Lancashire,  who 
also  had  been  in  posture  to  have  marched  at  the  heels  of 
your  army,  with  a  great  and  a  formed  army,  which  is  now 
dispersed  by  several  great  actions  in  this  county  ;  and  that 
you  are  hastening  towards  York.  I  will  presume  to  put 
your  Highness  in  remembrance  that  if  the  pressures  upon 
the  King  force  him  to  march  northward,  he  will  hardly  be 
followed  by  those  armies  which  consist  of  Londoners ;  for 


his  officers;  and  the  Scots  and  Fairfax  having  joined  near 
Wetherby,  are  now  too  strong  for  us  in  matters  of  the  field  .... 
they  have  already  p[ut]  themselves  in  such  a  posture  as  will  soon 
ruin  us,  being  at  York,  unless  there  be  some  speedy  course  taken 
to  give  us  relief,  and  that  with  a  considerable  force,  for  their  army  is 
very  strong;  and  all  this  had  been  prevented  if  the  Lord  Lough- 
borough  and  Colonel  Porter  had  given  Colonel  Bellasis  assistance, 
as  they  had  time  enough  to  have  done,  and  orders  too;  and  then 
your  affairs  here  had  been  in  a  happy  condition.  We  shall  be 
distressed  here  very  shortly.  This  is  my  duty,  and  shall  be  ready 
with  my  life  to  serve  your  Majesty,  who  am 

Your  Majesty's,  &c. 

W.  NEWCASTLE. 
York,  18th  April,  1644.* 

*  This  proves  the  junction  of  Fairfax  with  the  Scots  to  have 
taken  place  long  before  the  20th,  the  usual  date  assigned. 


1644.]    PRINCE     RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        435 

it  was  never  heard  that  any  force  or  inclination  could  lead 
them  so  far  from  home.     If  your  Highness  should  be  in- 
vited towards  the  King,  you  lose  immediately  eight  hundred 
old  foot  in  Yorkshire,  which,  with  those  that  may  be  spared 
from  the  garrisons  of  Newcastle,  Hartlepool,  and  Teign- 
mouth,  with  those  under  Clavering,  under  my  Lord  Crau- 
ford,    Montrose,   Westmoreland,    and    Bishoprick   forces, 
will  make  at  least  fourteen  thousand  foot  and  horse,  which 
is  a  much  greater  army  than  ever  the  South  will  be  able  to 
raise  in  his  Majesty's  behalf :  besides  your  Highness  will 
by  that  diversion  receive  the  three  great  mines  of  Eng- 
land (coal,  alum,   and  lead)  immediately  in  the    enemy's 
possession,    and    a   constant   treasure   made   from   them ; 
which  formerly  my  Lord  Marquis  had  done,  but  that  he 
was  hindered  by  want  of  shipping  :  and  they  having  the 
advantage  of  the  sea,  will  make  those  mines  a  better  main- 
tenance to  their  cause  than  London  hath  been.     I  humbly 
beseech  you  to  excuse  for  this  presumption,  sir, 
Your  Highness's  most  humble  and  most 

obedient  servant,          WILLIAM  DAVENANT. 
Haleford,  13th  June,  1644. 

Goring  writes,  on  the  llth,  without  any  other 
date,  to  say  that  he  is  ready  to  join  the  Prince  with 
7,000  troops.  A  few  days  afterwards,  the  following 
urgent  letter  arrives  from  the  King,  desiring  that 
Goring  should  be  sent  to  him,  at  the  very  moment 
that  his  services  were  most  required  by  the  Prince  : — 

NEPHEW, 

This  is  most  earnestly  to  desire  you,  as  you  love  your 
own  preservation  and  mine,  to  send  me  General  Goring 
with  all  speed.  The  reason  of  this  you  shall  know  by  a 
trusty  messenger,  within  a  day  or  two  at  furthest,  for  be- 
sides the  pains,  I  think  it  not  fit  to  send  such  a  discourse 
to  you,  as  this  is  in  writing  though  in  cipher.  In  the 

F    F    2 


436          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF     [JUNE, 

meantime,  I  hope  you  will  not  delay  the  doing  of  it ;  for  I 
assure  you  the  importance  of  it  is  no  less  than  as  I  have 
said,  and  for  which  I  am  sure  you  will  thank  me  so  soon 
as  ye  shall  know  the  particular  reasons  of  it.  And  for  the 
better  doing  of  it,  you  must  shew  this  letter  to  General 
Goring  as  my  command ;  and  so  I  rest, 

Your  loving  uncle  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R.1 

I  thank  God  my  wife  is  well  delivered  of  a  daughter. 

Buckingham,  22nd  June,  1644. 

The  Prince  did  not  immediately  comply  with  this 
application.  Probably  he  concluded  that  if  there 
had  been  any  good  reason  for  such  a  recall,  the 
King  would  have  assigned  it.  He  knew  that  per- 
petual intrigues  were  going  on  at  the  wandering 
Court,  ingenious  and  unprincipled  enough  to  drive 
the  King  into  any  measure  that  their  schemes  re- 
quired; and  he  knew  that  the  King's  army  could  never 
want  for  officers  as  daring,  dissolute,  and  dangerous 
as  my  Lord  Goring.  But  now  the  Prince  received  that 
memorable  letter,  written  by  Digby's  "  fatal "  pen, 
but  signed  by  the  King,2  which  justified,  not  caused 


1  Goring  is  sent  for  to  supersede  Wilmot,  his  mortal  enemy. 
The  King  stated  to  his  army  that  this  was  done  at  Rupert's  re- 
quest.  —  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  532.     Rupert  probably  knew 
what  the  exigence  was :  at  all  events,  he  did  not  send  his  General 
of  Horse  to  the  King  until  August,  and  even  then  he  was  too 
soon  :  Essex  escaped  through  his  drunken  negligence. 

2  "  Had  not  the  Lord  Digby  this  year  given  a  fatal  direction  to 
that  excellent  Prince  Rupert  to  have  fought  the  Scotch  army, 
surely  that  great  Prince  and  soldier  had  never  so  precipitately 
fought  them." — Sir  P.  Warwick's  Memoirs,  p.  272.    Mr.  Forster 
mentions  that  Lord  Nugent  has  the  original  letter  in  his  posses- 
sion.— Statesmen  of  the  Commonwealth,  iv.  129. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        437 

the  battle  of  Marston  Moor.  Rupert  held  this  docu- 
ment very  dear ;  but  it  is  characteristic  of  his  proud 
nature  that  it  was  never  produced  during  his  life- 
time in  refutation  of  his  enemies'  accusations,  or 
their  imputations  on  his  truth.  When  we  find  so 
many  of  his  contemporaries,  and  even  Lord  Clarendon 
himself,  asserting  or  insinuating  that  he  fought 
without  orders,  it  is  interesting  to  find  that  he  "  car- 
ried this  letter  about  him  to  his  dying  day."  l  Dr. 
Watts,  the  Prince's  Chaplain,  who  wrote  his  Diary, 
very  properly  places  great  value  on  this  letter 
from  the  King,  and  I  have  copied  it  as  noted  by 
him,  in  order  to  shew  the  anxious  accuracy  with 
which  it  was  copied  from  the  original  document. ? 

NEPHEW, 

First,  I  must  congratulate  with  you  for  your 
good  successes,  assuring  you  that  the  things  them- 
selves are  no  more  welcome  to  me  than  that  you 
are  the  means.  I  know  the  importance  of  the 
supplying  you  with  powder,  for  which  I  have  taken 


1  In  the  fine  old  copy  of  Heath's  Chronicle,  in  the  London 
Library  in  St.  James's  Square,  there  is  a  marginal  manuscript 
note  to  the  battle  of  Marston  Moor,  containing,  as  well  as  I  re- 
member, these  very  words,  only  used  in  the  present  tense  :  this 
note,  and  several  others  relating  to  Prince  Rupert,  are  written  in 
the  peculiar  handwriting,  and  with  the  faded  ink  of  other  days. 
Heath's  Chronicle  was  published  in  1676,  six  years  before  Prince 
Rupert's  death. 

2  The  writer  also  refers  to  "  the  plan  and  details  of  the  battle," 
which  have  unfortunately  been  lost ;  the  former  especially  would 
have  been  very  valuable. 


438          MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JUNE, 

all  possible  ways,  having  sent  both  to  Ireland  and 
Bristol.  As  from  Oxford,  this  bearer  is  well  satisfied 
that  it  is  impossible  to  have  (any)  at  present  ;  but 
if  he  tell  you  that  I  can  spare  them  from  hence,  I 
leave  you  to  judge,  having  but  thirty-six  left.  But 
what  I  can  get  from  Bristol  (of  which  there  is  not 
"  Upon  this  break  much  certainly,  it  being  threatened 
the  pen  changed."  to  be  besieged)  you  shall  have. 

But  now  I  must  give  the  true  state  of  my  affairs, 
which,  if  their  condition  be  such  as  enforces  me  to 
give  you  more  peremptory  commands  than  I  would 
willingly  do,  you  must  not  take  it  ill.  If  York  be 

,£T     ,  ~  .  lost  I  shall  esteem  my  crown  little 

"Lord  Culpepper  9 

not  present  at  the  less  ;  unless  supported  by  your  sud- 


as  I  suppose,  but  lous  conquest  in  the  South,  before 

eTthTKing  af^the  ^ie  en°ects  °f  their  Northern  power 

letter  was  sent?'  who  can  be  found  here.     JButifYoik 

said  'Yes.'—  '  Why,  ,          v         ,  , 

then,'  says  he,  '  be-  "e  relieved,  and  you  beat  the  rebels 

fore  God  you  are  un-  army  of  both  kingdoms,  which  are 
done,  for  upon  this   ,  . 

peremptory  order  he   before  it  ;  then  (but  otherwise  not  / 

will  fight,  whatever  \  mav  possibly  make  a  shift  (upon 
comes  on  t.  J   r  v   r 

2  "This  parenthe-  the  defensive)  to  spin  out  time  until 

Sr^Wilnfot;'7  ^  ^OU  come  to  assist  me'  Wherefore 
/  command  and  conjure  you,  by  the 
duty  and  affection  which  I  know  you  bear  me,  that 
all  new  enterprises  laid  aside,  you  immediately 
march,  according  to  your  first  intention,  with  all 
your  force  to  the  relief  of  York.  But  if  that  be 
either  lost,  or  have  freed  themselves  from  the 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       439 

besiegers,  or  that,  for  want  of  powder,  you  cannot 
undertake  that  work,  that  you  immediately  march 
with  your  whole  strength,  directly  to  Worcester,  to 
assist  me  and  my  army  ;  without  which,  or  your 
having  relieved  York  by  beating  the  Scots,  all  the 
successes  you  can  afterwards  have  must  infallibly 
be  useless  unto  me.  You  may  believe  that  nothing 
but  an  extreme  necessity  could  make  me  write  thus 
unto  you;  wherefore,  in  this  case,  I  can  no  ways 
doubt  of  your  punctual  compliance  with 
Your  loving  and  most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 

P.S — I  commanded  this  Bearer  to  speak  to  you 
concerning  Vavasour  [Sir  William — who  had  pre- 
viously been  written  of  by  the  King  as  one  who  could 
agree  with  no  man  in  his  dominions], 

Ticknell  [Tickenhall]  June  14th,  1644.1 

We  must  hasten  to  the  scene  of  action  :  it  ill 
becomes  a  biographer  of  Rupert's  to  linger  on  the 
way.  We  are  now  over  the  hills,  and  joined  with 
Gormg's  corps  in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 
There  remains  but  one  other  document  that  I  shall 
refer  to  here ;  the  subjoined  curious  proclamation, 


1  This  was  sent  to  his  Highness  in  Lancashire,  where  he  had 
the  country  all  but  Manchester  and  Nantwich  at  his  devotion  ; 
York  contained  ten  thousand  men,  and  the  West  Riding  was  open 
to  relieve  it  j  so  that  if  his  Highness  had  been  permitted  to  have 
secured  Lancashire  entire,  having  all  Wales  behind  and  the  coun- 
try loyal,  he  might  have  raised  twenty  thousand  men  there  pre- 
sently, and  have  recovered  York,  even  if  it  had  been  lost — Note 
to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


440         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

to  the  "  soldiers  of  fortune  onlie,"  that  were  in 
Prince  Rupert's  array  of  "  wicked  and  unnaturall 
RESELLS."  It  was  probably  circulated  amongst  his 
troops  by  the  ever  active  agents  of  the  enemy.1 

On  the  30th  of  June,  the  Cavaliers  lay  at  Knares- 
borough.*  On  the  1st  of  July  they  moved  on  to  what 


1  "  James  Erie  of  Callendar  Lord-Lei vetennant-Generall  of  all 
the  Scottish  forces  w*in  the  Kingdomes  of  Scotland  and 
Ingland  with  advyse  of  the  Lordes  and  utheris  of  the 
com'ittie  appoynted  to  attend  his  Lo :  in  this  his  expe- 
ditionn  to  England. 

For  sa  meikle  as  it  is  nottorious  and  sufficientlie  knowen  to  the 
haill  estates  of  the  Kingdome  of  Scotland,  and  to  ws  now  imploy- 
ed  be  thame  in  yis  expeditionn  that  divers  officeris  and  suldiors 
of  fortowne  natives  of  the  same  kingdome  yroff  we  ar,  hes  bene 
seduced  by  sinstrous  informationn  and  fals  sugestionnes  proceid- 
ing  from  sutch  unnaturall  and  disaffected  persones   the  mem- 
beres  of  the  same  Kingdome  as  ar  oppin  and  profest  enemies  to 
religiones  good  and  peace  of  both  Kingdomes.      Thrby  they  have 
bene  movet  hitherto  simplie  to  joyne  and  assist  wth  thame  in  yair 
malitious  and  wicked  designes.     Whairfore  wee  being  unwilling 
that  sutch  persones  suld  be  altogidder  given  over  and  secludit 
from  hoipis  to  be  ressavet  againe  to  the  peace  and  libertie  of  yr 
owne  nationn   upone  forbearance  of  sutch  attemptis   in   tyme 
cum'ing  and  also  we  being  warranted  be  ye  said  Parliament  of 
Scotland  to  the  effect  underwritten,  Have  thocht  gude  to  intimate 
by  these  to  all  sutch  offirH  and  suldiors  of  fortun,  that  quhosoever 
of  thame  sail  desert  those  wicked  and  unnaturall  rebells  w'quhom 
they  have   joyned   thameselffes   and   repair   hither  to   ws   and 
com'ittie  forsaid,  Betwixt  and  the  tent  day  off  August  nixt,  they 
sail  be  admitted  unto  the  Covenant  and  sail  have  libertie  to  joyne 
in  ye  contreyis  service,  they  finding  cautionn  if  they  be  able,  or 
utherwayes  acting  thameselffes  for  ye  gude  behavior  and  making 
faith  that  they  sail  never  carie  armes  againest  the  estates  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Scotland  and  caus  now  in  hand,     It  is  alwayes  de- 
clared hereby  that  this  favour  is  nowayes  to  be  extendet  nor 
offerred  to  any  Nobilman,  barrone,  or  heretor  of  the  said  Kingdom 
of  Scotland,  but  onlie  to  offirs  and  soldiors  of  fortonn  allanerlie  as 
said  is.     Signed  w*  our  hand  att  the  camp  neir  Cornhill  ye  27 
Junij  1644.  "CALANDER." 

'2  Kushworth. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      441 

was  then  called  Gartrey  Forest,  and  struck  upon  the 
Ouse.     The  day  following  they  came  within  sight 
of  the  confederate  Roundheads.1    The  scouts  brought 
intelligence  that  the  enemy  had  drawn  off  from  the 
siege,  in  order  to  concentrate  their  divided  forces. 
They  were  now  drawn   up  in  position  on  Hessam 
Moor,  in  order  to  cut  off  the  Prince's  approach  to 
York,  and  prevent  his  junction  with  Newcastle.     It 
appears,  from  the  Parliamentary  accounts,  that  their 
position  was  far  from  enviable.     Their  commissariat 
had  been  ill  provided  for  before,  but  now  it  alto- 
gether  failed    them ;    "  their    soldiers,    grim    with 
hunger,  longed  for  battle  :"  they  had  not  even  water 
to  quench  their  angry  thirst ;  the  wells  were  drunk 
dry,  and  the    very  puddles  were  exhausted.2     To- 
wards evening,  on  the  first  of  July,  however,  these 
soldiers  forgot  all  their  privations,  as  they  beheld 
the  advanced  guard  of  the  Cavaliers  issuing  from  the 
forest  of   Gartrey — their   armour  flashing  brightly 
in    the    setting    sun.      No    one    can    doubt    that 
the  impetuous  Prince  is    there,  reconnoitring   the 
ground    for   the    morrow's   fight.      Squadron    after 
squadron,   as    it    deploys,    forms    in   a   widely-ex- 
tended line,  and  of  a  surety  those  sons  of  Belial 
were  thus  covering  the  formation  of  "their  inhuman 
cannibal    foot." 3     "  Nay,    their   Goliah   himself  is 


1  "  Prince  Rupert's  Life"  (a  pamphlet  of  1683). 

2  "  A  true  Relation,"  &c.  (Roundhead),  King's  Collect.,  Brit. 
Mus.,  164. 

3  Vicar's  "  Jehovah  Jireh." 


442          MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE  OF      [JULY, 

advancing  with  men  not  to  be  numbered."1  Nor 
did  the  Cavaliers  desire  battle  less  eagerly  than  the 
Roundheads ;  they,  too,  forgot  their  hardships,  their 
long  and  harassed  march,  in  the  excitement  of 
approaching  battle.  But  their  hopes  are  deferred  ; 
Rupert's  first  duty  is  the  relief  of  York,  and  he 
effects  it  in  a  masterly  manner.  Goring  had  not 
neglected  his  opportunities,  whilst  at  York,  of 
reconnoitring  the  country,  and  he  knew  that  the 
river  was  then  fordable  near  Poppleton — about  three 
miles  from  York.  Beyond  this  passage,  none  but  the 
advanced  guard  had  advanced,  and  as  soon  as  the 
sun  was  down,  the  main  body  crossed  over  the  river 
leisurely  by  Boroughbridge ;  the  artillery  followed, 
and  the  troops  lately  forming  the  advanced  guard, 
now  brought  up  the  rear,  crossing  over  the  ford.2 
The  first  patrol  sent  out  by  the  enemy  revealed  to 
them  that  they  had  been  outmanoeuvred,  and  "  verie 
sad  they  were."  They  were  then  drawn  off  to  the 
village  of  Long-Marston,  about  seven  miles  from 
York ;  but  their  cavalry,  for  the  most  part,  bi- 
vouacked on  the  open  moor.  Meanwhile,  Rupert, 
at  the  head  of  two  thousand  cavalry,  dashed  into 
York,3  where  he  was  doubtless  welcomed  more 
politely  than  cordially  by  the  jealous  Marquis  of 
Newcastle.4  This  English  Lucullus  had  long  go- 

1  "  Letter  from  a  Captain  to  his  friends  in  London."     King's 
Collect.,  British  Mus.,  164. 

2  Fairfax,  Heath's  Chron.,  60. 

3  "Mr.  Ashe's  Relation,"  King's  Coll.,  166,  art.  1. 

4  If  he  saw  him  at  all,  of  which  I  have  some  doubts,  as  he 


1644.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.         443 

verned  the  North  with  proconsular  authority,  as  far 
as  its  loyalty  extended.  He  had  contrived  to  graft 
considerable  martial,  and  even  intellectual  qualities, 
on  his  habits  of  sumptuous  luxury  and  social  enjoy- 
ment.1 His  gallantry,  if  not  his  generalship,  was 
undoubted ;  and  as  long  as  he  had  his  quarters  at 
York,  and  the  undisputed  pomp  as  well  as  circum- 
stance of  war  to  fall  back  upon,  he  was  well  satisfied 
with  his  service,  and  made  a  very  respectable  com- 
manding officer  for  an  amateur.  From  the  time, 
however,  of  his  discomfiture  before  Hull,  his  defeat 
at  Hilton,  and  his  loss  of  troops  in  Selby,  his  situ- 
ation had  changed  considerably  for  the  worse.  There 
were  now  three  rude  armies  in  constant  observance 
of  his  slightest  movement,  and  he  had  been  a  close 
prisoner  in  his  Northern  Metropolis  for  many  weeks. 
There  was  no  knowing,  too,  when  Crauford  might 
spring  another  mine,  or  Cromwell  prevail  for  an 
assault;  and  the  dungeons  or  the  scaffold  of  the 
Tower  would  have  been  an  unpleasant  change  to  his 
Lordship  from  the  luxurious  library,  or  even  the 
gallant  battle-field.  He  was  quite  reconciled,  there- 
fore, to  Rupert's  relief  of  his  beleaguered  garrison  ; 
and,  as  we  have  seen,  he  even  wrote  most  urgently 


pressed  on  after  the  retiring  enemy,  and  slept  upon  the  field. 
Lord  Newcastle  "  apprehended  nothing  more  than  to  be  joined  to 
the  King's  army,  or  to  serve  under  Prince  Rupert." — Sir  Philip 
Warwick's  Memoirs,  p.  243  ;  Clarendon's  Rebellion,  iv.  520. 

1  His  generalship  was  all  performed  by  King;  his  lordship 
would  sometimes  shut  himself  up  with  his  enjoyments  for  days 
together,  and  be  denied  even  to  his  general. — Clarendon. 


444         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

and  humbly  to  the  Prince  to  come  to  his  relief.  He 
was  not  however,  probably,  prepared  for  being  taken 
at  his  words  in  these  professions  of  humble  service ; 
he  was  astonished  that  the  conquering  young  Prince, 
at  the  head  of  a  large  army  of  men,  after  a  most 
dashing  exploit,  should  act  as  general  and  assume 
supremacy.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  his 
Lordship  had  done  good  services  for  the  King,  and 
that  he  conceived  the  very  defence  of  York  to  have 
been  at  least  as  creditable  as  its  relief;  he  was  not 
a  man  to  depreciate  his  own  deserts.  But  probably 
his  traitorous  general,  now  Lord  Ethyn,1  was  the 
chief  cause  of  his  irritation  with  Prince  Rupert. 
In  the  battle  of  Lemgo,  or  Flota,  this  General  King 
had  betrayed  equal  incapacity  and  cowardice,  and 
had  abandoned  Rupert  to  his  fate.  After  a  lapse  of 
five  years,  a  singular  fatality  had  brought  these 
two  fellow-soldiers  together  again,  in  a  distant  land 
and  under  very  different  circumstance.  The  Scot 
was  probably  well  aware  of  the  Prince's  opinion 
concerning  his  conduct  in  Hanover ;  and  as  "  odi- 
mus  quern  Icesimus'"1  is  generally  true  of  such 
natures,  so  it  is  probable  that  the  Scot  desired  to 
promote  an  ill-feeling  between  his  patron  and  the 
Prince.  It  is  only  by  some  such  conjecture  that  we 
can  account  for  the  quarrel  between  the  Marquis 
and  Prince  Rupert  at  such  a  moment. 


1  Warwick's  Memoirs,  p.  264,  277  ;  also  VoL  I.,  p.  87,  of  this 
work. 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      445 

We  have  seen  that  the  former  was  enthusiastic  in 
his  professions  of  service  to  the  Prince ;  we  are  told 
that  "  he  would  refuse  no  obedience  to  a  grandson 
of  King  James."  1  He  was  informed  by  the  Prince 
that  his  orders  to  fight  the  enemy  were  express  and 
indubitable — he  was  himself  a  dauntless  man.  Not- 
withstanding all  this,  we  find  him  thwarting  the 
Prince  by  every  means  in  his  power,  except  want  of 
courage  in  the  field  ;  and  when  that  field  was  lost, 
we  find  him  "  transported  with  such  despair  and  rage" 
as  not  even  to  pay  common  courtesy  to  the  Prince : 
forgetting  his  duty,  his  cause,  and  even  his  courtly 
manners  in  vexation,  hurrying  off  from  his"un- 
delightful,"  but  momentous  post  in  order  to  seek 
refuge  and  ease  upon  the  Continent. 

This  is  all  the  result ;  the  only  one  we  know 
of,  to  the  Council  of  war  said  to  have  been  held  on 
the  night  the  Prince  arrived  ;  the  Marquis  advised 
that  the  besiegers  should  be  allowed  peacefully  to 
retire,  and  "  that  the  Prince  should  immediately 
retire  to  the  South."  The  Prince,  independently 
of  the  King's  letter,  held  a  very  different  opinion. 
He,  no  doubt,  had  been  made  acquainted  by  his 
friend  Sir  Philip  Warwick,  with  the  feelings  of 
jealous  independence  that  formerly  actuated  the 
Marquis,  and  which  now  seemed  to  suggest  his  ad- 
vice. I  do  not  profess  to  be  an  apologist  for  the 
Prince  :  but  I  think  it  is  only  fair  to  admit  the 

1  Sanderson's  Charles  I. 


446          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

circumstances  that  may  serve  to  palliate  if  not  ex- 
cuse his  distant  bearing  towards  Lord  Newcastle. 
It  has  been  assumed  that  a  quarrel  between  these 
two  high  personages  took  place  at  a  Council  of  War. 
All  that  we  know  for  certain  is,  that  the  Prince 
passed  on  through  the  town  that  night,  having 
requested,  or  left  orders  for  Lord  Newcastle  to  fol- 
low him  with  all  his  force  to  the  field.  The  Prince 
discovered  by  the  first  dawn  that  the  Roundhead 
army  was  already  in  retreat ;  he  would  fain  have 
fallen  upon  them  at  the  moment,  but  he  felt  himself 
obliged  to  wait  for  Lord  Newcastle's  forces  to  come 
up  i1  this  delay  was  Rupert's  real  fault.  That  day, 
the  Scots  had  already  advanced  nearly  to  Tadcaster  ; 
the  English  Roundheads  had  begun  to  march,  two 


1  Rupert's  Diary.  It  was  thus  after  nightfall  when  the  Prince 
entered  York  with  his  relief,  nor  did  he  linger  there  a  moment ; 
not  long  enough,  I  believe,  even  to  see  Lord  Newcastle,  who  was 
so  much  hurt  at  this  want  of  ceremony  that  he  did  not  proceed 
to  seek  the  Prince.  The  latter,  meanwhile,  thought  only  of  the 
battle  he  was  commanded  to  bring  on ;  and  pressed  forwards  to 
reconnoitre  the  enemy  with  eight  thousand  men.  Whilst  he  was 
thus  occupied,  the  Marquis  of  Newcastle  and  the  garrison  poured 
out  on  the  abandoned  camp  of  the  enemy,  and  found  good  booty 
there.*  That  night  Rupert  slept  upon  the  field  ;  and  the  enemy 
was  confirmed  in  their  belief  that  his  intention  was  to  march  to 
the  South,  through  Lincolnshire,  to  join  the  King.  Therefore  it 
was  agreed  that  the  besiegers  should  retire  upon  Tadcaster,  to  cut 
off  his  retreat.  Thus  far  the  notes  to  the  Prince's  Diary.  It  is 
not  known  what  part  the  Marquis  took  in  the  action  :  we  only 
hear  that  he  reached  the  ground  late  in  the  evening,  and  asked 
the  Prince  what  post  he  would  assign  him.  The  Prince  replied 
that  he  should  not  fight  that  night ;  "  whereupon  the  Marquis 
retired  to  his  couch  (at  seven  o'clock)  to  sleep." 


*  Letter  in  Lord  Wrottesley's  possession. 


1644.]    PRINCE  RUPERT    AND   THE   CAVALIERS,        447 

divisions  had  already  moved  off  the  field,  and  their 
whole  army  was  disordered  :  but  still  Prince  Rupert 
restrained  himself  from  "falling  on,"  until  Lord 
Newcastle's  reinforcement  should  justify  him  in 
doing  so ;  his  delay  gave  the  English  Roundheads 
time  to  re-form  and  await  the  return  of  the  Scots.1 

As  I  have  mentioned,  the  Roundheads  were 
retiring,  or  in  retreat  upon  Tadcaster.  They  had 
approached  within  a  mile  of  the  town,  when  their 
rear-guard,  under  Lord  Manchester,  espied  Prince 
Rupert's  advancing  forces.  "Straightway  a  hot  alarm 

1  The  authorities  for  this  action  are  numerous  on  both  sides  ; 
and  though  none  of  them,  except  that  of  Fairfax,  are  of  much  in- 
dividual weight,  their  authenticity  seems  correct  from  the  very  con- 
tradictions they  contain  ;  of  these,  the  only  one  that  need  be 
noticed  here  is  the  assertion  of  Ludlow,  who  was  not  present  (Me- 
moirs, i.  124),  and  Rushworth,  who  are  followed  by  Hume  and 
M  G-uizot,  that  Rupert  commanded  the  right  wing  in  person : 
Whitelocke,  Fairfax,  and  the  event,  prove  the  contrary.  Lord 
Clarendon  and  Sir  Philip  Warwick  pass  over  this  battle  slightly ; 
Whitelocke  writes  of  it,  as  usual,  with  lucid  simplicity.  Fairfax, 
in  a  few  descriptive  words,  relates  his  own  share  in  the  fight. 
Vicars,  in  his  "  Jehovah  Jireh,"  falsifies  less  than  usual,  as  he  in- 
corporates in  his  history  an  excellent  "  Narrative  by  Mr.  Ashe,  an 
eye-witness,"  which  relation  is  itself  to  be  read  in  the  King's  Col- 
lection in  the  British  Museum.  There  is  also  a  well-written 
pamphlet  called  "  A  true  Relation  by  a  Captain  in  the  Parlia- 
ment's Army,"  and  a  lively  report  in  the  "  Parliament  Scout "  of 
July  18,  1644.  The  only  documents  I  quote  here  for  the  first 
time  consist  of,  1st,  An  official  report,  signed  "  Leven,  Lindsey, 
Fairfax,  Manchester."  I  am  indebted  for  this  document  to  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Somerset.  2nd,  A  curious  and  well-written 
letter  to  a  Mr.  Ogden,  for  which  I  am  indebted  to  Lord  Wrottes- 
ley ;  and,  lastly,  the  note  to  Prince  Rupert's  Diary.  I  thought  it 
was  right  to  furnish  my  own  account  of  the  battle  from  these  and 
other  sources,  before  I  ever  consulted  Mr.  Forster's  graphic  and 
vigorous  description  of  it ;  Carlyle's  few  but  vivid  words  most  of 
his  readers  will  bear  in  memory. 


448         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

was  speeded  after  the  retiring  troops,"  and  the  Scots 
returned  "  rnerrilie,"  notwithstanding  the  heat  of  the 
day  and  their  half-starved  condition.  Their  infantry 
was  destined  to  form  the  right  centre  and  reserve  of 
the  Parliamentary  line,  consisting  of  Lords  Cassilis, 
Dunfermlin,  Maitland,  Lindsey,  Buckleigh,  and  Lou- 
don's  regiments.  The  Scottish  cavalry  under  Lord 
Eglinton  (who  alone  among  them  fought  well  that 
day),  with  Lords  Balgony  and  Dalhousie's  regiments 
and  a  few  lancers  formed  the  left  wing,  together 
with  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax's  horse.  Lord  Manchester's 
regiment,  with  those  of  Lords  Kilhead  and  Cow- 
per,  and  General  Armstrong,  formed  the  left  centre 
and  reserve.  Cromwell's  horse,  the  "Ironsides," 
with  Lord  Manchester's  regiment  of  horse  and  Fri- 
zel's  dragoons  formed  the  left  wing,  which  was  sup- 
ported by  old  Lesley,  now  Lord  Leven,  with  three 
regiments  of  Scots.  The  dispositions  were  thus 
made  by  Lord  Leven,  on  whom,  as  senior  in  com- 
mand, the  command-in-chief  devolved  that  day. 

Prince    Rupert  had    the  choice  of  ground,  and 
selected  his  position  not  only  with  skill  but  caution.1 


1  I  confess  that  I  am  disappointed  in  not  being  able  to  prove 
from  the  voluminous  correspondence  before  me,  the  accurate  num- 
bers of  the  troops  that  Prince  Rupert  mustered  here.  I  find  re- 
ports from  almost  every  officer  in  the  widely-scattered  garrisons 
of  the  North ;  but  not  one  of  precise  or  military  accuracy.  The 
wants,  the  privations,  the  quarrels,  of  all  these  officers  are  stated 
with  zealous  care;  but  scarcely  ever  do  they  mention  the  number 
or  efficiency  of  their  forces,  or  the  route  by  which  they  mean  to 
join  the  Prince's  march.  A  letter  from  Lord  Loughborough  tells 
us  that  his  corps  was  joined  to  that  of  Goring  before  the  June- 


KU4.]     PRINCE    RUPERT    AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        449 

It  will  be  observed  that  be  did  all  that  was  possible 
to  strengthen  this  right  wing;  not  because  it  was 


tion  of  the  latter  with  the  Prince.  I  find,  indeed,  from  Lord 
Denbigh's  correspondence,  that  "  the  Prince  has  entered  Lan- 
cashire with  five  thousand  troops  ;"  Goring  writes,  about  the 
middle  of  June,  that  he  has  seven  thousand  men  ready  for  the 
Prince,  including  Lord  Newcastle's  horse,  and  the  raw  levies  of 
Westmoreland  and  Cumberland ;  but  I  find  no  farther  account 
of  him,  until  the  truthful  and  accurate  Lord  Fairfax  writes 
that  he  is  marching  towards  York  at  the  head  of  fourteen  thou- 
sand men.  On  the  30th  of  June,  Leonard  Watson,  a  Round- 
head, perhaps  secretary  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  writes  from  the  out- 
posts of  the  leaguer  to  Lord  Manchester,  that  the  Prince  is  ad- 
vancing with  fifteen  thousand  men.*  To  these  were  added  after- 
wards such  forces  as  Lord  Newcastle  chose  to  give  out  of  his 
garrison  at  York  ;  the  writer  of  Prince  Rupert's  Diary  affirms 
that  these  amounted  "  only  to  2500  men."  The  sum  of  all  these 
would  amount  to  17,500  ;f  quite  enough,  probably,  to  fight  such 
a  battle  with  success  ;  but  still  betokening  great  exaggeration  even 
in  Fairfax's  statement  "  that  twenty-three  or  twenty-four  thousand 
Cavaliers  were  in  arms  upon  Marston  Moor.^i  I  have  no  means 
of  ascertaining  where  or  whence  these  forces  joined  the  Prince. 
They  consisted  of  Major-General  Porter's  division ;  Loughbo- 
rough's  cavalry,  and  a  few  hardy  foot ;  Bellasis  and  Tillier's 
Anglo-Irish  corps  ;  Lord  Byron  from  Newark,  with  his  three 
brothers,  and  their  different  commands ;  some  Irish  cavalry,  who 
were  supposed  to  be  unconquerable,  and  were  destined  to  take 
the  right  wing  at  Marston  Moor,  and  to  perish  there  :  then  there 
was  renegade  Urry,  with  about  1200  men ;  the  Prince's  own  two 
regiments  of  horse  and  foot  under  Lord  Grandison  and  O'Neil ; 
and  his  troop  of  Life-Guards  under  Sir  Richard  Crane.  Thus 
constituted  was  the  Royalist  force,  now  approaching  to  its  doom 
on  Marston  Moor. 

The  number  of  the  Roundhead  force  is  more  easily  ascertained, 


*  Memorials  of  the  Civil  War,  p.  121. 

t  The  "True  Relation,"  a  Roundhead  pamphlet  (No.  164,  in 
the  King's  Collection)  states  that  "common  fame  gives  Prince 
Rupert  twenty-five  thousand  men,  though,  we  believe,  not  above 
eighteen  thousand." 

t  "  A  Short  Memorial  by  Thomas,  Lord  Fairfax,"  in  Maseres' 
Tracts,  p.  437. 

VOL.   II.  G    G 


450       MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF         [JULY, 

opposed  to  Cromwell,1  but  because  Rupert  himself 
intended  to  charge  with  the  left  wing :  that  being 
opposed  to  the  Scots,  whom  it  was  alike  his  own 
desire  and  the  King's  command  especially  and  effec- 
tually to  crush.  For  this  reason  the  right  wing 
rested  on  some  impassable  hedges  in  order  to  protect 
his  flank  ;  in  front  was  a  deep  ditch  with  a  bank  on 
this  side,  within  which  the  greater  part  of  the 
Royal  artillery  were  placed  in  battery.  A  strong 
detachment  of  dragoons  were  scattered  among  the 
hedges,  in  order  to  protect  these  guns;  finally,  a 
powerful  body  of  the  Newark  cavalry  was  joined  to 
the  Irish  horse,  and  Lord  Byron,  their  Colonel,  un- 

and  from  a  source,  unimpeachable  as  to  exaggeration  in  this  re- 
spect. Lord  Fairfax  states,  that  when  the  Scots  joined  his  father 
near  Wetherby,  their  combined  forces  amounted  to  twenty  thou- 
sand men;  and  that  Manchester  and  Cromwell  joined  them  after- 
wards before  York,  with  six  thousand  foot  and  three  thousand 
horse.  Thus  the  Puritan  allies  brought  into  the  field  twenty-nine 
thousand  men. 

1  Cromwell  was  then  comparatively  unknown  ;  he  would  not, 
probably,  have  been  considered  a  fair  exchange  for  Goring,  if  both 
were  10  be  ransomed.  And  here  I  may  note  that,  in  truth,  very 
little  is  proved  to  have  been  done  by  Cromwell  at  this  battle, 
as  may  be  observed  in  the  vigilant  Carlyle's  account  of  the 
battle,  and  even  in  Forster's.  In  truth,  the  journals  of  the  day 
speak  more  of  Lesley,  and  even  Manchester,  than  of  the  future 
Protector.  So  much  is  this  the  case,  that  "Angry  Dentzil" 
Holies  (Maseres'  Tracts,  p.  199)  ventures  to  accuse  his  great 
enemy  of  cowardice  ;  and  the  Mercurius  Brit.  (July  22nd  to  29th) 
says  "  'Tis  pity  the  gallant  Cromwell  and  his  godly  soldiers  are 
so  little  heard  on,  and  they  (with  God)  were  so  much  seen  in  the 
battle."  I  do  not  say  this  to  depreciate  Cromwell,  who  I  am  com- 
pelled to  regard  as  one  of  the  mightiest  men  of  England's  race ; 
but  in  order  to  account  for  Rupert's  not  being  his  antagonist  on 
that  day.  Whatever  Cromwell  was  doing  at  Marston,  his  spirit 
was  entered  into  his  Ironsides,  and  none  accused  them  of  back- 
wardness. 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.        451 

fortunately  commanded  the  whole  division, — two 
regiments  of  Irish  infantry  formed  his  reserve. 

The  besiegers'  triple  camp  had  invested  York  on 
the  east,  south,  and  west,  leaving  the  north  open  to 
the  besieged,  or  only  guarded  by  Scotch  patrols. 
The  dissensions  that  tormented  and  demoralised  the 
King's  army  were  by  no  means  without  a  parallel 
among  the  anti-royal  Puritans.  Already  the  Inde- 
pendents and  the  Presbyterians  had  begun  to  vex 
each  other  with  an  enmity  that  sectarians  alone  can 
feel ;  the  Scotch  and  English  were  only  restrained 
from  open  hostility  by  being  in  the  presence  of 
a  more  dangerous,  if  not  more  hated  foe.  The 
country  round  was  hostile  to  the  Roundhead  party, 
and  money,  provisions,  and  even  water  were  become 
scarce.  As  soon  as  Rupert's  approach  was  ascer- 
tained, a  Council  of  War  was  held,  in  which  a  stormy 
debate  took  place :  the  English  declared  for  battle ; 
the  Scotch  insisted  on  retiring,  in  order  to  obtain 
supplies  and  to  select  their  own  field  to  fight  upon. 
Strange  to  say,  the  latter  counsel  was  adopted  by 
the  English  majority,  and  immediately  the  Scotch 
began  to  retire  upon  Tad  caster.1 

There  seems  little  doubt,  that  if  Rupert  had  per- 
mitted them  to  retire  altogether,  their  condition 
would  daily  have  disim proved,  and  their  co-opera- 


1  The  besiegers  had  retired  in  such  haste,  that  when  Lord  New- 
castle entered  their  camp  on  the  1st,  he  found  there  "  three  mor- 
tar-pieces, some  ammunition,  war  and  other  carriages,  with  four 
thousand  pair  of  boots  and  shoes." — Lord  Wrottesleys  MSS. 

G  G  2 


452         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

live    action    would    have    been   impossible.      But 
the  King's  command   was   urgent,  and  left  Prince 
Rupert   no    chance  of  avoiding    a   battle    without 
disgrace.     Setting   that    consideration    aside,   how- 
ever, what  reproach  would  he  not  have  suffered,  if, 
with  nearly  twenty  thousand  victorious  and   eager 
troops,  he  had  permitted  a  dispirited  and  disunited 
force  to  retire  without  a  blow.     After  all  his  prepa- 
rations, his  long  and  victorious  march,  the  expecta- 
tion that  hung  upon  his  movements,  the  glory  that 
already  waited  on  his  name, — if  he  had  then  been 
content  to   feast  at   York,   to  bandy  compliments 
with  the  Marquis,  to  talk  about  what  he  would  have 
done,  and  to  return  peacefully  upon  his  homeward 
way, — what  commentator  in  these  brave  and  stirring 
times,   whether  journalist    or   soldier,   would    have 
said   "Well   done!"    or   would    have   cleared   him 
from  all  blame?     No;    duty,   chivalry,  expediency 
itself  chimed   in  with  his  own  gallant  heart,  and 
cheered  him  on  to  battle.    Had  others  fought  as 
well  as  those  whom  he  commanded ;  had  Cromwell 
fallen,  or  had  his  handful  of  unconquerable  Ironsides 
faltered  in  their  charge,  the  battle  had  been  won, 
and    England's   fate    decided    on   that    day.     Then 
fame  would    have   handed    down    Prince   Rupert's 
name   with   that  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,   and   the 
imputed  error  of  this  battle  would  never  have  been 
invented.     The  question,  however,  whether  to  fight 
or  to  delay,  was  warmly  argued  at  the  time.     It  was 
urged  by  the  procrastinators  that  the  allies  were  in 


1644.]      PRINCE    RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      453 

want  of  provision,  and  that  Montrose  was  expected 
in  a  few  days.  It  was  replied,  that  as  to  Montrose, 
however  valuable  his  personal  presence  would  be, 
he  had  failed  in  collecting  forces  and  could  bring 
no  men,1  while  three  thousand  Scots  were  drawing 
near  to  reinforce  the  Roundheads  :  besides,  there 
was  the  King's  command,  and  if  Rupert  delayed  to 
join  his  Majesty,  he  might  find  him  a  prisoner  when 
he  arrived. 

In  those  days  the  country  round  York  presented 
a  very  different  aspect  from  that  which  now  rejoices 
the  traveller's  eyes.  A  widely  extended  heath, 
called  Hessam  Moor,  extended  for  upwards  of  six 
miles  between  Poppleton,  Red-house,  Monckton, 
and  Marston.  The  latter  village  is  about  seven 
miles  from  York :  it  was  even  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  surrounded  by  some  cultivated  land,  which 
was  separated  from  the  moor  by  a  wide  and  deep 


1  "  In,  or  about  April,  1 644,  Montrose  offered  Charles  I.  at  Ox- 
ford to  create  in  his  favour  a  diversion  in  Scotland,  if  he  would 
give  him  a  few  troops.  Charles  referred  him  to  Lord  Newcastle, 
who,  after  making  some  promises  and  more  excuses,  sent  him  one 
hundred  horse  and  two  field-pieces,  which  were  supposed  to  be  use- 
less. With  these,  and  a  few  other  men,  Montrose  made  some  stir  on 
both  sides  of  the  border  ;  but  his  troop  soon  deserted  him,  and  his 
plans  were  thwarted  by  the  jealousy  of  both  Scotch  and  English 
rivals.  In  June,  he  was  hastening  from  Scotland,  with  a  few  ad- 
herents, to  join  Prince  Rupert,  when  the  intelligence  of  Marston 
Moor  met  him,  and  the  King's  cause  seemed  desperate.  He  then 
turned  back  to  Scotland,  in  disguise,  and  attended  only  by  his 
servant :  then  it  was  that  he  commenced  his  great  career  of 
victory." 

For  this  note  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Napier,  the  able  author  of 
the  "  Life  of  Montrose."  See  also  that  work,  vol.  ii.  p.  263. 


454         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

ditch :  this  ran  along  in  front  of  the  Roundheads' 
position  on  their  left.  A  gently  rising  hill,  now 
marked  by  some  clumps  of  trees,  was  occupied  by 
the  main  body  of  their  forces;  it  was  then  covered 
thickly  with  rye  almost  ready  for  the  sickle. 

Rupert's  left  wing  rested  on  some  broken  ground 
covered  with  gorse;  and  here,  too,  his  flank  was 
protected  by  a  ditch.  His  own  brigade  of  cavalry 
was  there,  with  his  troop  of  Life-Guards,  who 
formed  the  van  to  his  own  regiment  in  every 
charge.  In  the  centre  was  General  Porter's  division 
of  infantry ;  with  the  Marquis  of  Newcastle's  gal- 
lant brigade  of  his  own  tenantry,  and  Prince 
Rupert's  regiment  of  foot  on  Porter's  right  and 
left. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  at  this  time  Crom- 
well was  comparatively  unknown,  or,  doubtless, 
Rupert  would  have  led  the  left  wing  in  person. 
His  great  object  of  enmity  were  the  Scots.  Them 
he  had  sworn  to  crush,  and  he  kept  his  word. 

The  day  was  drawing  to  a  close  when  all  these 
dispositions  were  completed.  Lord  Newcastle  seems 
at  first  to  have  determined  to  absent  himself  alto- 
gether from  the  action;  but  his  nobler  nature  pre- 
vailed, and  at  length  he  drove  off  to  the  battle- 
field "  in  his  coach  and  six."  Rupert,  now  informed 
of  the  scarcity  in  the  enemy's  camp,  resolved  to 
defer  his  attack  until  the  morrow.  His  guns  only 
were  allowed  to  play  occasionally  on  the  enemy  to 
keep  them  in  check.  But  the  same  motive  that 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.       455 


Reserve. 

fJ! 


Reserve. 


«,-.,    ft 

t  r  t      i  * 


' 


*1 


r^nji  i 

i   i   i   i   ttt    

Right  wing.  

Presbyterian  hone.  Lord  Fairfax's  foot. 


w    u 


I  I 


1! 


Reserve. 


g  1  5 

"2  «  « 


ttt    I    •    i    ttt 

Left  wing. 
Independent  horse. 


The  ditch. 


^&B 

ii 

E 

Hedges, 
&c. 

Left  wing  of  Royal  horse, 
lined  with  musquetry. 

II  U        &j|  S 
Royal  artillery.  ^^  | 

1*8  ""^ 

Byron's  &  Irish  horse.   If  Si  g, 
Royal  right  wing.  ||  «  pj 

Ruper 
Hors, 

a 

^            Lord  Newcastle's            u,         '11! 
«3          "  Lambs,"  under  Sir          fe 
..    _                        -3           Charles  Cavendish.           § 
t  s  Gonng  s            -g 
..      Horse.             < 

Porter's  division, 
serve.                                      Reserve. 

Reserve. 

Blue 
regiment. 

Irish  foot  under  Tillier 
and  Bellasis. 

I  only  offer  the  above  as  approximating  to  a  correct  plan  of 
this  perplexed  battle. 


456         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

induced  the  Prince  to  defer  the  battle  impelled  the 
enemy  to  bring  it  on ;  at  least  so  Cromwell  was 
resolved  to  do.  For  some  hours  the  armies  stood 
gazing  on  each  other ;  nearly  fifty  thousand  kindred 
men,  instigated  by  the  strongest  passion  of  hostility 
that  ever  animated  the  hearts  of  fair  and  open  com- 
batants. 

The  evening  set  in  with  ominous  gloom :  the 
Puritans,  who  had  wrought  themselves  up  to  a  belief 
that  heaven  was  in  strict  league  with  their  generals, 
were  persuaded  that  the  impending  darkness  was 
God's  visible  frown  upon  their  enemies  ;  they  hailed 
the  storm  with  grim  joy ;  especially  that  dark  and 
terrible  mass  of  iron-clad  men  on  the  far  left,  who 
watched  for  Cromwell's  battle-word.  The  storm 
grew  darker,  and  the  Roundhead  annalist  relates  that 

Just  as  both  armies  were  joining  battle,  and  beginning 
^he  first  encounter  or  assault  of  each  other,  it  pleased  the 
Lord,  as  it  was  most  credibly  affirmed  for  a  certain  truth, 
that  a  sudden  and  mighty  great  storm  of  rain  and  hail,  and 
terrible  claps  of  thunder  were  heard  and  seen  from  the 
clouds  ;  as  if  heaven  had  resolved  to  second  the  assault 
with  a  fierce  alarm  from  above.1 

A  loud  hymn  of  triumph  and  denunciation  rose 
among  the  Roundheads'  ranks,  and  Rupert  ordered 
prayers  to  be  read  at  the  same  time  to  each  regiment 
along  his  line.  This  striking  fact  is  thus  affirmed 
by  his  bitter  and  scornful  enemy : — 

Rupert,  that  bloody  plunderer,  would  forsooth  to  seem 
religious,  just  like  a  jingling  Machiavellian,  have  a  sermon 

1  Vicars'  "  Jehovah  Jireh." 


1644.]      PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE    CAVALIERS.      457 

preached  before  him  and  his  army.  His  chaplain  took  his 
text  out  of  Josuah,  xxii.  22.  The  words  were  these  : — 
"  The  Lord  God  of  gods,  the  Lord  God  of  gods,  he 
knoweth,  and  Israel  shall  know  ;  if  it  be  in  rebellion,  or  if 
in  transgression  against  the  Lord,  save  us  not  this  day."  J 

I  know  not  how  Goring  and  his  brother-repro- 
bates conducted  themselves  in  this  solemn  prayer- 
time  ;  but  sure  I  am  that  Rupert  was  no  hypocrite, 
and  that  the  most  reckless  of  his  wild  Cavaliers  did 
not  follow  him  less  cheerily  because  his  battle-cry 
was  prefaced  by  a  prayer. 

Still  darker  and  gloomier  fell  the  evening,  and 
closer  and  murkier  was  the  air,  as  the  thunder  of  the 
skies  was  more  and  more  frequently  echoed  by  the 
artillery  where  Cromwell  was,  upon  the  far  left 
among  the  guns.  At  length  the  whole  of  the  dark 
masses  on  either  side  seemed  to  catch  fire  from  that 
flame,  and  bright  and  loud  and  far  the  artillery 
flashed  and  the  musketry  sparkled  along  those  for- 
midable ranks.  Then  Rupert  darted  away  to  the 
head  of  his  Cavaliers,  who  had  hitherto  kept  the 
enemy  at  a  distance  by  musketry  placed  among 
their  ranks.  At  the  same  moment,  Byron,  unable 
to  restrain  himself,  led  forth  his  cavalry  from  their 
strong  position,2  and  before  he  could  get  them  into 
order  for  a  charge,  Cromwell  and  Crauford  were 
upon  them  with  the  Ironsides  and  Manchester's 

1  Vicars'  "  Jehovah  Jireh."     On  which  the  marginal  note  is, 
"  The  Royalists  imprecating  a  curse  on  themselves  were  according- 
ly answered  therein  by  the  Lord." 

2  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


458         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

cavalry :  sweeping  round  the  ditch,  they  cleared  the 
range  of  the  Royal  guns,  and  came  upon  the  disor- 
dered Cavaliers  upon  fair  ground,  driving  despe- 
rately into  the  midst  of  them :  in  a  moment  all  was 
wild  and  terrible  confusion  there.  But  already 
Rupert  and  his  fiery  chivalry  were  among  the  Cove- 
nanting Scots  upon  the  left,  bursting  at  once  into 
the  very  heart  of  their  fierce  and  solemn  host,  scat- 
tering them  like  spray  before  some  storm-driven 
ship,  and  plunging  still  onward  to  the  front  of  their 
reserve.  One  moment's  pause, — one  more  wild 
shout  and  charge, — and  his  Life-Guard  are  amongst 
them  now.  No  pause — no  mercy — scarcely  resist- 
ance is  found  among  them  there.  The  whole  mass, 
pursuers  and  pursued,  sweeps  by  to  yonder  hill, — 
the  thundering  hoofs,  the  ringing  armour,  the  mad- 
dening shouts,  the  quick,  sharp,  frequent  shot,  are 
scarcely  heard. 

Nor  was  Goring  idle  then  ;  it  was  at  times  like 
this,  that  this  dauntless  villain  half  redeemed  his 
vices  by  his  valour.  The  Scottish  foot  falter  before 
his  daring  charge :  his  desperadoes  are  up  to  their 
very  pikes — and  within  them  now.  The  ground  is 
carpeted  with  bloody  tartans,  as  the  Cavaliers  press 
on  through  their  tumultuous  route,  and  hew  down  the 
fugitives  by  scores.  They  are  gone,  and  with  them 
their  pursuers ;  and  two-thirds  of  the  field  is  won. 

But  the  battle  rages  still  fiercely  on  the  centre  of 
the  Royal  line,  now  assailed  by  the  left  wing  of  the 
enemy :  there  Briton  meets  Briton  hand  to  hand 


1644.]        PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     459 

and  foot  to  foot :  every  pike  is  thrust  home,  and 
every  musket  levelled  low;  and  the  "  very  air 
seems  all  on  fire,"  and  the  "  ear  is  deafened  with  the 
roaring  of  artillery,"  and  the  shouts,  and  shrieks, 
and  curses  of  conquering  or  dying  men.  Lesley 
now  conies  galloping  up  with  his  reserve  of  horse, 
and  falls  upon  the  masses  already  smitten  by  Crom- 
well's furious  Horse.  The  Irish  horse  are  slain  or 
prisoners  to  a  man.  Their  foot  have  retired  towards 
York,  and  are  rallied  there  by  General  King,1  and 
the  conquerors  sweep  on,  like  a  foaming  torrent,  to 
where  Newcastle's  brave  yeomen  still  (and  alone) 
stand  firm ;  firmly  as  their  own  sea-girt  rocks,  those 
gallant  Englishmen  receive  the  shock.  Again  and 
again  the  fiery  fanatics  rush  upon  their  planted 
pikes,  and  receive  their  steady  fire.  Many  a  brave 
Yorkshireman  lies  crushed  and  writhing  before 
every  charge,  but  still  their  narrowing  ranks  are 
firm  and  dauntless  as  before.  And  now  their  own 
guns  are  turned  upon  them  by  Cromwell's  artillery- 
men, and  between  each  charge  of  cavalry  the  iron 
storm  makes  fearful  chasms  in  their  column.  But 
still  they  stood.  Before  the  most  mettled  steed 
could  reach  their  line,  it  was  compact  again :  they 
fell,  to  a  man,  on  the  spot  where  the  gallant  Caven- 
dish first  planted  them ! 

And  now  the  conquerors  on  either  side  have  done 
their  work,  and  have  time  to  rally  and  breathe  and 

1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


460          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

look  around  them ;  each  moving  to  regain  his  battle 
ground.  When  lo !  as  if  starting  from  the  dead, 
each  victor  meets  another,  returning  from  the 
slaughter  of  his  enemies  to  claim  the  victory.  Then 
came  the  severest  trial  of  the  day.  Each  occupied 
the  ground  his  enemy  had  covered  when  the 
fight  began :  and  through  the  lurid  and  sulphurous 
shades  of  approaching  night,  was  seen  the  gleaming 
armour  of  another  hostile  line.  Then  it  was  that 
Rupert's  followers  failed  him  :  the  high  and  sparkling 
mettle  of  his  Cavaliers,  consuming  all  before  it  in 
the  first  outbreak,  fainted  now  before  the  sustained 
flame  of  fanaticism  that  burned  in  the  Puritans' 
excited  hearts.  Still  Rupert  strove  to  rally  his 
panting  and  exhausted  troops ;  still  his  loud  battle- 
cry  "  For  God  and  for  the  King  !"  rose  above  the 
din ;  but  he  no  longer  found  an  echo  to  that  cry. 
The  Puritans  galloped  up  to  his  Cavaliers,  and  met 
with  scarcely  an  antagonist ;  "  their  enemies  were 
scattered  before  them,"  as  they  too  truly  said. 
Away  over  the  broken  ground  and  dismounted  guns 
and  shattered  carriages,  the  Cavaliers  are  flying 
through  the  darkness,  and  leave  the  bloodily-con- 
tested field  to  the  Puritans — and  CROMWELL. 

The  Prince,  deserted  by  his  regiment,  still  strove 
to  rally  a  few  deserted  followers,  but  in  vain ; 
wherever  a  group  was  gathered,  the  Roundhead 
horse  were  upon  them  in  irresistible  force ;  and  at 
length  the  Prince  was  left  alone.  Then,  rousing 
his  gallant  horse  for  one  last  effort,  he  cleared  a 


J044.]      PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE  CAVALIERS.       4(J1 

high  fence  into  a  bean-field ;  and,  thus  sheltered, 
made  his  way  from  that  field  so  fatal  to  his  fame. 
With  what  agony  of  heart  must  that  proud  young 
soldier  have  retreated  before  his  despised  and  aveng- 
ing foes,  to  meet  the  consequences  of  his  defeat  ! 
Yet  was  he  not  wanting  then  to  the  sad,  but  noble, 
duty  of  a  general  in  retreat.  He  rallied  such  men 
as  he  could  find  unparalyzed  by  panic,  and  collected 
a  few  squadrons  of  dragoons.  These  he  led  forward 
at  a  gallop  to  where  the  heath  was  bounded  by 
enclosures,  and  narrow  lanes  afforded  the  only 
approach  to  York.  Here,  dismounting  his  men,  he 
lined  the  hedges,  and  received  the  pursuers  with  so 
close  a  fire,  that  even  Cromwell  paused  and  called 
off  his  men.  The  Irish  foot,  placed  in  reserve  to 
the  left  wing,  had  been  rallied  near  York,  by 
General  King,  and  now  formed  a  safeguard  for  the 
fugitives.  Then  silence  —  the  silence  of  the  dead, 
only  broken  by  the  groans  of  the  dying — fell  upon 
the  battle-field,  and  all  was  over. 

I  have  dwelt  at  some  length  upon  this  action,  as 
it  is  the  last,  except  that  of  Naseby,  that  the  reader 
will  have  to  encounter.  It  gave  a  fatal  blow  to  the 
cause  of  the  Cavaliers.  Not  only  were  the  actual 
losses  of  men,  material,  and  artillery  irreparable,  but 
the  moral  effect  was  still  more  widely  felt.  In 
Civil  War,  more  than  in  any  other,  the  prestige  of 
victory  is  the  best  security  for  future  conquest. 
The  "  Cause,"  as  the  Puritans  called  it,  was  now 
triumphant ;  the  weak,  the  wavering,  the  timid,  the 


462         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

selfish,    declared    themselves    its    proselytes :    and 
under  this  category,  how  many  are  included  ! 

Before  we  accompany  the  Prince  to  York,  we 
must  return  for  a  moment  to  the  Puritan  camp,  and 
survey  their  state.  The  battle  had  been  fertile  in 
adventure,  and  there  was  much  to  tell.  When 
Rupert  charged  the  right  wing  of  his  enemy,  Sir 
Thomas  Fairfax  and  Lord  Eglinton  l  stemmed  that 
torrent  with  a  handful  of  veterans.  Fairfax  rode 
forward  "  with  some  four  hundred  men,"  fighting  on 
into  the  enemy's  line  until  he  was  almost  alone 
and  wounded.  He  then  turned  back,  and  having 
removed  his  badge — the  bunch  of  white  ribbons — 
from  his  battered  helmet,2  he  passed  through  the 
Cavaliers  in  safety ;  these  Northern  and  Southern 
forces  each  supposing  him  to  be  some  officer  of  the 
other's  corps.  Thus  he  reached  Manchester  and 
Cromwell's  conquering  troops  in  safety,  and  fought 
in  company  with  them  until  all  was  over.  Mean- 
while, his  father,  Lord  Fairfax,  and  Leven  were 
flying  before  the  enemy  ;  Lord  Leven,  it  was  said, 


1  Baillie's  Letters,  ii.  203  ;  Fairfax's  Memoirs. 

2  At  this  period,  when  men  of  the  same  country,  garb,  and 
language  were  fighting  in  hostile  ranks,  and  there  was  no  dis- 
tinctive uniform,  it  was  necessary  to  wear  some  badge  for  distinc- 
tion.    There  was  then,  also,  a  battle-word,  or  cry,  given  out  just 
before  the  battle  joined,  by  which  those  of  the  same  side  could 
prove  what  party  they  belonged  to  if  they  had  lost  their  badge. 
The  Northern  Puritan  army  disdained  the  orange-liveried  badge 
of  Essex ;  they  wore  this  day  a  bunch  of  white  ribbons  or  white 
paper  in  their  hats  or  helmets  :  the  Royalist  wore  no  scarf.     The 
Puritans'  battle-word  was  "  God  and  Religion  !"  the  Cavaliers', 
"  God  and  the  King  !" 


1044.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE   CAVALIERS.      463 

was  arrested  by  a  constable,  who  sent  word  of  his 
capture  to  the  King ;  and  certain  it  is  that  Charles 
heard  of  the  victory  of  his  left  wing  before  he  learnt 
the  defeat  of  his  army.  Lord  Fairfax  went  no 
further  than  Cawood  Castle,  where,  like  a  sensible 
old  veteran  as  he  was,  he  went  to  bed ;  there  being 
neither  fire  nor  candle  in  the  house.1  Nor  was  this 
the  only  mistake  about  the  victory  that  was  made. 
Vicars,  it  may  be  supposed,  has  no  patience  with 
the  Cavaliers  for  claiming  conquest  for  a  moment ; 
and,  indeed,  it  sounds  ludicrous  enough,  as  he  in- 
dignantly describes  it : — 

So  intolerably  impudent  were  they  (as  so  indeed  are  all 
cozening  cormorants  and  malignants)  as  to  make  bonfires, 
and  cause  ringing  of  bells  in  the  City  of  York,  for  their 
great  victory  obtained  by  Prince  Robber,  that  Prince  of 
blood  and  lies ;  reporting  openly  in  the  streets  that  General 
Lesley  was  taken  prisoner ;  they  also  had  it  that  Fairfax 
was  slain. 

Yea,  our  sottish  and  bewitched  mole-eyed  malignants  of 
London,  also,  were  so  led  along  with  a  spirit  of  lying,  like 
their  father  the  devil,  that  they  mightily  boasted  of  this 
Robber's  vain  victory  over  us,  the  vanquishing  of  our 
whole  three  armies,  the  death,  and  imprisonment  of  all  our 
three  most  renowned  and  precious  Generals.2 

The  loss  of  life  in  this  battle,  compared  with  the 
number  of  the  combatants,  was  not  so  great  as  at 


1  Lilly,  "Life  and  Times,"  p.  177. 

2  Marginal  note  to  the  above : — "  The  Royalists'  intolerable 
impudence  in  insulting  and  triumphing  for  what  they  never  had." 
—  Vicars'  "  Jehovah  Jireh." 


464         MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

E'lgehill :  there,  one  man  in  five  of  those  who 
fought  was  buried  under  the  turf  he  fought  on ;  at 
Marston  Moor,  scarcely  one  in  twelve.  Still  4,150 
slain,1  was  a  formidable  butcher's  bill  even  for  those 
ruthless  times.  But  "  few  of  quality/'  as  they  were 
called,  perished;  Sir  William  Wentworth,  Sir  Thomas 
Mettom,  Monsieur  St.Paul,Lord  Carew,and  Sir  Wil- 
liam Lambton,  were  the  principal  persons  slain  on  the 
side  of  the  Cavaliers  ;2  it  was  chiefly  the  infantry  that 
suffered.  Out  of  Lord  Newcastle's  gallant  regi- 
ment, but  thirty  men  survived ;  the  rest  were  found 
ranked  in  death  as  they  had  stood  in  life.3  The 
Scotch  infantry,  too,  suffered  very  severely,  but  out 
of  Rupert's  Horse,  only  three  hundred  were  missing. 
On  the  Parliament  side  Captain  Walton,  Cromwell's 
nephew,  and  Captain  Roe,  were  the  chief  officers 
slain.  Cromwell  himself,  and  Fairfax,  were  wounded, 
and  "  bothe  above  the  shoulders."4  Lord  Grandison 


1  Ashe's  "  True  Relation."     Whitelocke  says  seven  thousand. 

2  "  The  Parliament  Scout ;"  Whitelocke.     "  The  white  skins 
of  many  dead  bodies  on  the  field"  [these  Puritans  were  not  slow 
to  spoil  and  strip  the  dead]  "  gives  us  occasion  to  think  that  they 
were  gentlemen." — "  True  Relation"  King's  Coll.  Pamph.,  Brit. 
Museum,  No.  166,  2,  14. 

3  These  brave  fellows  were  called  "  lambs,"  from  their  white 
woollen  clothing ;  Lord  Newcastle  wished  to  have  the  cloth  died 
before  it  was  made  into  uniform,  but  they  said  they  would  soon 
dye  it  red  enough,  and  so  they  did,  with  their  own  heart's  blood. 
— Duchess  of  Newcastle's   Life,  &c. ;    Lillys  Life    and    Times, 
p.  179. 

*  It  was  this  action  that  obtained  for  Cromwell's  regiment  the 
title  of  "  Ironsides."  It  appears  that  these  invincibles  were  only 
armed  with  "head-pieces,  back  and  breast-plate  of  iron." — Lilly's 
Life  and  Times,  p.  177. 


1644.]       PRINCE   RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.      465 

received  ten  wounds,  which  Vicars  makes  him  say, 
were  symbolical  of  breaches  of  the  ten  command- 
ments. Algernon  Sydney,  also,  was  wounded. 
Among  the  faithful  dead  upon  that  battle-field, 
I  must  not  omit  to  reckon  Prince  Rupert's  dog.1 
We  have  seen  that  this  creature  long  ago  in  the 
castle  of  Lintz  was  Rupert's  only  companion :  he 
had  accompanied  him  in  all  his  wandering  dangers 
and  escapes ;  but  this  battle  came  on  so  suddenly 
that  the  poor  fellow  was  forgotten,  and  allowed  to 
follow  his  master  to  the  field,  where  he  died  a 
soldier's  death. 

The  prisoners  were  reckoned  at  from  fifteen  hun- 
dred to  three  thousand  men  ;2  among  them  were  Sir 
Charles  Lucas,  Porter,  Tillier,  and  Lord  Goring's 
son.3  All  the  artillery,  consisting  of  "  twenty-five 
pieces  of  ordnance,"  forty-seven  colours,  ten  thou- 
sand stand  of  arms 4  and  one  hundred  and  thirty 


1  Even  the  Parliament  journals  celebrate  his  death  with  exult- 
ation j  he  had  been  half  suspected  of  being  Rupert's  familiar  spirit 
in  disguise,  and  pamphlets  had  been  written  against  him,  which 
may  now  be  read  in  the  British  Museum  and  the  Bodleian  at 
Oxford.     The   "More    True    Relation"   says    that    "here   also 
was  slain  that  accursed  cur,  which  is  here  mentioned  by  the 
way,  because  the  Prince's  dog  hath  been  so  much  spoken  of,  and 
was  prized  by  his  master  more  than  creatures  of  much  more 
worth." 

2  "  More  True  Relation,"  King's  Coll.,  166,  E.  2,  Art.  H  ;  also, 
"  The  General's  Report  to  Lord  Warwick,"  in  the  Duke  of  Somer- 
set's Collection. 

3  Whitelocke's  Memorials. 

*  "  The  General's  Report  to  Lord  Warwick,"  in  the  Duke  of 
Somerset's  Collection,  says  twenty  pieces  of  ordnance,  and  one 
hundred  colours. 

VOL.  II.  H   H 


466          MEMOIRS   AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

barrels    of   powder   were   captured,   together  with 
"  all  the  bag  and  baggage."1 

Prince  Rupert  was  one  of  the  last  who  reached 
the  City  of  York  :  he  was  hailed  with  delight  by 
those  who  had  forsaken  him,  but  he  had  little  else 
to  console  him.2  Scarcely  had  he  entered  within 
the  walls  when  he  was  informed  that  the  Marquis 
of  Newcastle  with  General  King  (his  own  Lord 
Ethyn),  and  many  other  gentlemen,  were  about  to 
desert  York,  and  leave  the  King  and  kingdom  to 
their  fate.  Rupert  sent  to  his  Lordship  to  say,  that 
such  a  desertion  would  be  most  injurious  to  the  Royal 
cause,  as  he  himself  was  bound  to  leave  the  North 
immediately,  and  to  hasten  to  the  King's  assistance 
in  the  South.  In  vain ;  the  Marquis  thought  he  had 
done  enough  for  the  cause  he  served  :  his  chival- 
rousness  would  probably  not  have  shrunk  from  mere 
danger,  or  even  from  privation ;  but  the  weary 

1  Among  the  latter  were  found  the  Marquis  of  Newcastle's 
papers,  some  of  which  hanged  the  Hothams  (Whitelockes  Memo- 
rials).    It  is  strange  that  he  should  have  taken  his  papers  into 
such  jeopardy ;  yet  we  have  seen  that  Essex's  papers  were  similar- 
ly risked  and  taken  at  Edgehill,  and  the  King's  at  Naseby,  and 
Digby's  soon  afterwards  in  Yorkshire.     With  all  his  impetuosity, 
Rupert  seldom  lost  a  letter,  if  I  may  judge  from  the  number  he 
has  left  behind  him. 

2  "  Yet  I  may  not  here  omit  a  strange  speech,  as  it  was  credi- 
bly reported  to  fall  from  Prince  Rupert,  upon  the  disappointing  of 
his  hopes  and  disjoining  of  his  forces  to  their  ruin : — '  I  am  sure,' 
said  he,  '  my  men  fought  well,  and  therefore  know  no  reason  of 
our  rout  but  this,  because  the  devil  did  help  his  servants.'   These 
words,  surely,  intimate  that  he  imagines  the  devil  gives  the  vic- 
tory in  the  day  of  battle  (a  most  atheistical  and   heathenish 
opinion),  or  else  his  conscience  told  him  (which  he  would  not  con- 
fess), that  Grod  indeed  did  help  his  servants." —  Vicars'  "  Jehovah 
Jireh." 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       467 

and  disheartening  prospect  of  recommencing  an 
almost  hopeless  strife  against  difficulties  was  too 
" undelightful"  for  his  temperament.  He  and 
his  associates  embarked  at  Scarborough  in  a  small 
fishingboat,  and  so  disgracefully  sped  away  to 
Hamburgh.1 

This  conjuncture  is  an  important  one  ;  I  think  it 
may  therefore  be  interesting  to  read  the  notes  to 
the  Prince's  Diary  verbatim  as  I  find  them.  This  ex- 

1  The  King  had  shortly  before  written  to  Lord  Newcastle  in 
these  words,  among  many  other  wise  and  kind  ones,  "  Remember, 
all  courage  is  not  in  fighting;  constancy  in  a  good  cause  being 
the  chief,  and  the  despising  of  slanderous  tongues  and  pens  not 
the  least  ingredient." — Quoted  by  Lodge  in  loco.  Yet  this  noble- 
man served  the  King  faithfully  after  his  fashion,  and  perhaps  suf- 
fered more  for  him  in  a  pecuniary  way,  at  least,  for  larger  sums, 
than  any  other  subject  except  the  Marquis  of  Worcester.  He  was 
an  especial  favourite  of  the  Queen's,  who  procured  for  himself  a 
marquisate,  and  for  his  friend,  General  King,  the  peerage  of  Ethyn. 
In  return,  to  please  her  Majesty,  he  had  made  Goring  General 
of  his  Horse.  Bishop  Warburton  and  Lord  Orford  discuss  Lord 
Newcastle's  character  at  some  length.  The  former,  no  friend  to 
Rupert,  observes  that  the  Prince,  whose  superiority  in  command 
so  offended  Newcastle,  was  "  indeed  superior  to  him  in  every  re- 
spect ;  even  in  the  fine  arts,  to  which  the  Marquis  made  such  pre- 
tensions." He  also  says  that  "  he  loved  monarchy  and  the  church 
just  as  he  loved  poetry  and  music,"  that  he  was  "  a  virtuoso  on 
horseback,"  &c.  Neither  the  bitter  bishop,  however,  or  the  sar- 
castic earl,  recognized  in  this  nobleman's  character  that  senti- 
ment of  romance,  which  might  have  been  a  weakness  in  an- 
other man's  nature,  but  was  strength  in  his  :  it  imparted  to  his 
character  a  tinge  of  chivalry,  which,  blending  well  with  his  mag- 
nificent habits,  made  up  a  showy  appearance  in  his  page  of  his- 
tory, and  preserved  him  from  all  baseness,  if  not  from  all  self- 
reproach.  He  was  made  a  duke  by  Charles  II.  His  "  Life  "  by 
his  Duchess,  is  a  very  amusing  specimen  of  biography,  and  is 
thus  amusingly  characterized  by  Pepys,  in  his  "  Diary."  "  Read 
the  ridiculous  history  of  my  Lord  N.,  by  his  wife ;  which  shews 
her  to  be  a  mad,  ridiculous  woman,  and  he  an  ass  to  suffer  her 
to  write  so." 

H  H  2 


468         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY, 

tract  will  also  shew  the  nature  of  the  notes  attached 
to  this  Diary,  which  itself  is  very  irregularly  kept. 

July  2nd,  1644. 

When  ye  enemy  saw  ye  Prince  and  Earle  did  not  persue 
them,  they  returned  and  resolved  to  attaque  ye  Kgs 
fforces.  Then  ye  Prince  drew  his  fforces  into  a  strong  pos- 
ture, making  his  post  as  strong  as  possibly  he  could. 

Ld  Biron  then  made  a  charge  upon  Cromwell's 
forces. 

[Represent  here  ye  posture  the  Prince  put 
ye    fforces    in,    and    how   hy   ye   improper 
charge  of  ye  Lord  Byron  much  harm  was 
done.]     After  ye  enemy  having  broken  ye 
horse,  ye  ffoot  stood  till  night,  and  in  ye  night  some  of 
em  came  off  after  ye  Prince,  and  Generall  King  had  drawn 
up  as  many  as  he  could,  before  ye  town  of  York,  and  then 
met  he  ye  Earle  of  Newcastle  and  drew  or  men.     Sayes 
Generall  King,  "  What  will  you  do  ?"     Sayes  ye  Prince, 
"  I  will  rally  my  men."     Sayes  Generall  King,   "  Nowe 
you  what  Lord  Newcastle  will  do  ?"     Sayes  Lord  New- 
castle, "  I  will  go  into  Holland,"  looking  upon  all  as  lost. 

The  Prince  would  have  him  endeavour  to  recruit  his 
fforces,  "  No,"  says  he,  "  I  will  not  endure  ye  laughter 
of  ye  Court,"  and  King  sayd  hee  would  go  wth  him  ;  and  so 
they  did,  and  left  ye  Governor  of  York  wth  what  force 
he  had  to  defend  himself.  Then  ye  Prince  marched  away 
into  Shropshire,  according  to  the  methode  he  had  before 
layd  for  his  retreat,  taking  with  him  all  ye  Northern  Horse 
which  ye  Earl  of  Newcastle  left  to  his  Highness  and 
brought  them  into  his  quarters  in  Wales:  and  there 
endeavoured  to  recruite  w*  he  could. 

The  Marquis  of  Newcastle's  departure  devolved 
a  heavy  weight  of  "duty  upon  Prince  Rupert.  Not 
only  was  his  indomitable  energy  tasked  to  its  utmost 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT   AND  THE   CAVALIERS.     469 

to  re-organize  his  shattered  forces  for  their  long 
and  dangerous  march  to  the  South ;  all  the  Northern 
affairs  were  likewise  to  be  set  in  some  order  before 
he  could  depart.  The  King  was  even  now  watching 
anxiously  for  news  of  his  victory,  or  at  least  of  his 
arrival.  His  Majesty  was  sorely  beset  by  the  Par- 
liamentary forces  :  although  apparently  in  pursuit 
of  their  best  general,  he  looked  to  Rupert's  ar- 
rival, whether  conqueror  or  conquered,  as  his  best 
security.  Nor  was  his  nephew  less  anxious  to 
depart.  He  only  waited  to  arrange  the  King's 
affairs  at  York,  where  he  left  Sir  Thomas  Glenham 
governor,  with  a  strong  garrison  ;  Sir  Thomas  pledg- 
ing himself  to  maintain  it  to  the  last  man.  It  is 
remarkable  that  the  Parliamentary  army  did  not 
approach  York  until  two  days  after  the  battle ;  so 
that  Rupert  saw  them  no  more  until  he  met  them 
at  Naseby.  They  resumed  the  siege  of  York  on 
Thursday,  the  4th  of  July,  and  on  the  20th  Sir 
Thomas  Glenham  gave  up  his  hopeless  charge^ 
marching  out  with  all  the  honours  of  war.  Their 
task  being  accomplished,  the  besieging  armies  sepa- 
rated to  their  great  mutual  contentment:  Leven 
led  his  Scots  to  the  siege  of  Newcastle,1  Fairfax 


1  As  we  shall  not  have  occasion  to  return  to  the  North  until 
the  King  seeks  refuge  among  the  dishonoured  Scots,  I  may  men- 
tion here  that  Newcastle  was  taken  and  cruelly  sacked  on  the  8th 
of  October.  The  following  account  of  the  transaction  is  terribly 
graphic  : — 

"  Now  our  men  being  entered,  and  fighting  for  entry,  at  all 
quarters  round  about,  let  me  pause  awhile,  and  consider  how 


470          MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [JULY, 

marched  his  forces  back  to  Hull,  and  Manchester 
with  Cromwell  returned  to  the  South. 

At  daybreak  on  Thursday,  the  Prince  left  York 
with  about  six  thousand  men,  for  the  most  part 
cavalry ;  including  Lord  Newcastle's,  amounting  to 
fifteen  hundred  men:1  that  night  he  reached  Rich- 
mond, where  he  found  Montrose,  who  had  vainly 
hoped  to  join  him  before  his  battle.  The  evening 
that  these  two  heroic  and  ill-starred  leaders  passed 
together  at  the  little  hostelrie  at  Richmond, 
must  have  been  long  memorable  to  both.  They 

grievous  and  how  dreadful  hot  that  cruel  conflict  was  for  a  long 
hour's  space,  that  truly  it  was  more  than  admirable  to  behold  the 
desperate  courage  both  of  the  assailants  and  defendants,  the  thun- 
dering cannon  roaring  from  our  batteries  without,  and  theirs  re- 
sounding from  the  castle  within  ;  the  thousands  of  musket-balls 
flying  at  each  other's  faces ;  the  clanging  and  carving  of  naked 
and  unsheathed  swords ;  the  pushing  of  trailing  pikes,  crying  for 
blood,  and  the  pitiful  clamour  of  heart-fainting  women,  imploring 
for  mercy  to  their  husbands,  themselves,  and  their  children.  .  .  . 
Our  people  in  this  self  time  set  a  house  on  fire  at  Closegate  ;  so 
had  the  whole  town  been  served,  if  it  had  not  been  speedily  pre- 
vented by  the  relenting  pity  of  Earl  Callendar.  So  was  there  like- 
wise a  ballenger  boat  set  floating  on  the  flood,  full  of  flaming  fire, 
to  have  burnt  the  key-locked  ships  there. 

"Upon  their  surrender  they  caused  quickly  pull  down  the 
red  flag  on  the  castle  top,  and  set  up  the  white  flag  of  peace, 
signifying  subjection.  Earl  Callendar,  as  he  was  the  first  to 
lie  down  before  the  town,  so  was  he  the  first  that  entered  it,  to 
the  great  comfort  of  the  inhabitants,  because  of  that  unspeak- 
able favour  and  undeserved  mercy  they  then  suddenly  received. 
Then  began  the  whole  army  to  plunder  for  twenty-four  hours, 
although  to  no  great  purpose,  because  the  common  soldiers  were 
only  suffered  to  plunder  the  common  people;  but  our  prime 
officers  investing  themselves  in  the  richest  Papists'  and  Malig- 
nants'  houses,  by  way  of  safeguard,  had  but  small  compositions 
for  all  their  protection  and  compelled  sentries." — Somers'  Tracts, 
p.  288. 

1  Prince  Rupert's  Diary. 


1644.]     PRINCE    RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        471 

scarcely  met  again;  but  from  the  tone  of  Mont- 
rose's  letters  afterwards,  we  may  judge  how  his  en- 
thusiastic spirit  was  impressed  by  his  interview  with 
the  young  Palatine.  The  next  morning  the  Prince 
moved  southwards  through  Lancashire  by  the  route 
he  had  prepared.  He  skilfully  evaded  Lord  Den- 
bigh's large  force,  gathered  out  of  the  central  asso- 
ciated counties  in  order  to  cut  off  his  retreat ;  and 
at  length  he  brought  his  troops  in  good  order  to 
Shrewsbury  about  the  20th  of  July:  Goring  was 
left  in  the  North,  it  would  seem,  as  successor  to 
Lord  Newcastle. 

The  first  letter  that  I  find  from  the  King  after 
the  battle  is  the  following ;  it  is  very  brief : — 

NEPHEW, 

The  uncertainty  of  news  from  you,  which  I  believe  is 
according  to  your  success,  hath  made  me  take  the  resolu- 
tion which  this  despatch  will  inform  you  of.  I  have 
not  time  to  tell  you  more,  but  to  desire  you  to  believe 
what  Sir  Lewis  Dives  hath  told,  or  will  tell  you,  con- 
cerning 422  :  A  1.  18.  1.  48.  4.  64. 14.  27.  29.  81.  20.  44. 
66.  30.  50.  19. ; l  he  having  been  forced  to  throw  away  his 
letters, 

So  I  rest  your  loving  uncle  and 

most  faithful  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 

Easam  [Evesham],  llth  July. 


1  I  have  not  hitherto  given  the  uninterpreted  ciphers,  but  as 
they  may  be  interesting  to  some  who  are  learned  in  such  matters, 
I  shall  furnish  them  in  future  where  I  cannot  myself  discover 
their  meaning. 


472         MEMOIRS   AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF       [JULY, 

The  next  is  from  Lord  Digby;    it  enters   into 
considerable  details,  but  they  are  important : — 

MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HlGHNESS, 

I  hope  ere  this  my  brother,  notwithstanding  his  mis- 
fortunes, is  safely  come  to  your  Highness,  and  that  he  will 
have  given  you  a  perfect  account  of  the  state  of  the  King's 
business  unto  our  being  at  Buckingham,  with  all  those 
particulars  which  were  the  occasion  of  his  journey;  from 
the  threatening  mischiefs  of  which  we  were  reprieved  by 
Waller's  advancing  towards  us,  which  obliged  us  to  turn 
upon  him  as  he  drew  near  Banbury,  hoping  to  oblige  him 
to  fight ;  but  he,  watching  his  advantages,  gained  a  hill  so 
near  the  pass  at  Banbury,  that  it  was  not  possible  for  us 
to  draw  through  to  him  without  exposing  ourselves  to  those 
dangers  which  your  Highness  knows  are  incident  to  the 
drawing  through  a  pass,  in  view  of  an  enemy.  So  being  not 
able  to  subsist  long  there  for  want  of  provisions,  on  Satur- 
day was  se'nnight,  we  resolved  to  retreat  back  toward 
Buckingham,  not  without  hopes  that  he  might  be  invited 
to  follow  us  into  some  place  of  less  disadvantage.  Upon 
our  moving  he  moved  too,  and  advanced  along  with  us  on 
the  other  side  the  river,  until  finding  us  marching  in  a 
supine  negligence,  with  a  tail  of  five  miles  and  a-half 
severed  from  the  rest  of  our  body,  he  takes  his  advantage 
and  thrusts  over  in  that  empty  space,  at  a  pass  by  [Copredy 
Bridge],  a  great  body,  both  of  horse  and  foot,  and  eleven 
pieces  of  cannon  ;  in  so  much  as  it  was  ten  thousand  to  one 
but  our  van  and  main  body  had  been  cut  off  from  our  rear 
and  all  hazarded ;  had  not  my  Lord  Cleveland,  being  some- 
what more  advanced  than  the  rest  of  the  horse,  charged 
them  without  order  with  his  brigade,  so  madly  as  struck 
such  a  terror  into  them  as  that  their  horse,  though  twice 
as  many  and  backed  with  foot  and  cannon,  thought  the 
devil  had  come  upon  them  in  a  cloud  of  dusk,  fled  back 
over  the  pass,  routed  their  own  foot,  and  left  us  masters 


1644.]     PRINCE  RUPERT  AND  THE   CAVALIERS.        473 

of  nine  or  ten  colours  and  eleven  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
Wemyss,  the  General  of  their  Artillery,  before  our  van 
could  well  get  the  alarm.  After  this  encounter  we  con- 
tinued in  view  one  of  another  two  days,  with  the  river 
between  us,  we  keeping  the  passes,  till  provisions  failing 
us  first  we  were  fain  to  march  away  to  Ayno  on  the  hill, 
and  Waller  very  well  pleased,  as  we  conceived,  to  be  rid 
of  us  so,  soon  after  towards  Buckingham  ;  one  thousand  of 
his  men  being  certainly  reported  to  have  run  away  from 
him  in  those  two  nights,  over  and  above  the  five  hundred 
at  least  that  we  killed  and  took,  with  the  loss  of  not 
twenty  men.  As  we  came  to  Ayno,  where  we  intended  to 
have  quartered  that  night,  we  intercepted  certain  intelli- 
gence of  Brown's  being  come  that  evening  to  Bucking- 
ham with  four  thousand  foot  and  five  hundred  horse. 
Whereupon  it  was  held  necessary  to  draw  over  the  passes 
that  night  to  Deddington,  lest  by  morning  the  enemy  con- 
joined, should  have  been  too  near  to  have  permitted  it, 
and  there  we  must  needs  have  fought  upon  such  great  dis- 
advantage or  starved.  The  next  day  we  marched  to  Mor- 
ton Ninmost,  and  the  day  after  hither  to  Evesham,  the 
properest  quarter,  as  we  conceived,  to  refresh  our  wearied 
men  in,  to  discourage  the  Londoners  to  follow  the  same 
dance  again,  and  to  expect  the  issue  of  your  Highness's 
expedition  in  Yorkshire  ;  the  news  of  which  came  first 
unto  us  from  Newark,  so  much  more  happy  and  successful 
than  since  we  hear  it,  that  we  know  not  what  judgment  to 
make  of  it,  nor  how  to  govern  our  councils  in  order  to 
your  Highness's  condition.  Wherefore  having  expected  in 
vain,  these  four  or  five  days,  and  Waller,  after  his  long 
demurring,  advancing  now  towards  us  on  this  side  War- 
wick, we  are  fain  to  betake  ourselves  to  the  probablest 
course,  which,  in  case  we  had  not  cause  to  doubt  your  High- 
ness's  success,  would  have  been  into  Wales  there  to  have 
stood  upon  an  easy  defensive  and  recruited.  But  now  since 
we  cannot  come  time  enough  to  assist  you,  nor,  though  we 


474         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF       [JULY, 

could,  could  we  hope  to  maintain  or  preserve  our  armies  in 
the  march,  there  remains  nothing  for  us  to  do  but  to  go  west- 
ward, since  if  your  Highness  have  not  had  good  fortune  in 
your  late  action,  we  should  be  cooped  up  and  have  no  way 
out  of  Wales  in  the  west.  Prince  Maurice  has  a  gallant 
army,  equal  with  Essex  :  if  we  get  to  join  with  him  before 
Waller  overtake  us  we  shall  be  likely  to  crush  him  be- 
tween us.  If  Waller  press  in  hard,  we  hope  that  with  the 
forces  which  may  meet  us  out  of  Bristol,  and  with  the  help 
of  the  recruits,  to  be  sent  thither  out  of  Wales,  we  may 
make  our  party  good  with  him  and  Brown,  in  case  they 
join  again,  being  now  severed.  Brown  being  before  Green- 
land house. 

This  is  all  I  could  fall  under  our  consideration  to  do  in 
the  uncertainty  we  are  in,  of  your  Highness's  condition ; 
whence  I  am  commanded  to  give  this  account,  whom 
God  prosper  and  keep  honour  upon  in  all  his  enterprises, 
this  is  the  constant  prayer  of 

Your  Highness's  most  faithful  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 

Evesham,  July  12th,  1644. 


The  next  letter  of  present  interest  is  also  from 
Lord  Digby :  it  is  without  address,  but  seems 
intended  for  Goring,  whose  flourishing  version  of 
bis  own  conduct  in  the  battle  may  be  plainly  traced. 
It  will  be  observed  that  "  all  the  good  of  the  day" 
is  attributed  to  this  correspondent  of  my  Lord 
Digby's,  and  that  his  lordsbip  not  only  avoids  all 
mention  of  Prince  Rupert,  but  speaks  of  his  "noble 
general"  as  the  only  person  of  importance,  "now 
that  my  Lord  Marquis  of  Newcastle  and  General 
King  are  gone:" — 


1644.]     PRINCE   RUPERT   AND   THE   CAVALIERS.       475 

NOBLE  GENERAL, 

As  we  owe  you  all  the  good  of  the  day  in  the  Northern 
battle,  so  we  owe  you  all  the  good  of  the  news  from 
thence,  it  being  of  as  great  comfort  unto  us  as  possibly  it 
can  be  in  so  uncomfortable  a  story,  that  a  person  of  your 
judgment,  and  I  am  confident  of  that  clear  dealing  with 
me  doth  allow  us  so  good  hopes  yet,  of  our  condition 
there,  relieving  us  from  those  despairs  which  are  endea- 
voured by  many  to  be  brought  upon  us.  I  profess  I  cannot 
hinder  myself  from  cheerful  hopes  of  any  business  wherein 
your  spirit  and  conduct  is  likely  to  have  so  great  an 
influence,  especially  now  my  Lord  Marquis  of  Newcastle 
and  General  King  are  gone,  whose  interest  of  the  one,  and 
skill  of  the  other  will  so  much  need  to  be  supplied  by 
you,  that  I  believe  it  will  not  be  possible  for  you  to  do, 
yet  which  was  so  earnestly  desired  by  my  brother  Dives, 
which  I  must  confess,  though  it  were  more  to  the  benefit 
of  the  public,  I  cannot  hinder  myself  from  lamenting  in 
relation  to  my  own  satisfaction.  For  the  account  of  our 
condition  here,  I  must  refer  you  to  the  Prince's  letter, 
only  thus  much  I  shall  add,  that  after  the  defeat  given  to 
Waller  at  [Copredy  Bridge],  we  staid  a  great  while  at  Eves- 
ham  in  expectation  of  this  certainty  from  the  North,  before 
we  resolved  what  course  to  steer,  until  in  the  end  the 
news  of  your  defeat  growing  daily  so  hot  upon  us,  it  was 
held  necessary,  since  we  could  not  hope  to  come  in  time  to 
you,  nor  without  the  hazard  of  our  army,  to  lose  no  more 
time  from  that  which  was  the  next  best,  which  was  unani- 
mously concluded  to  be  the  western  progress,  wherein  we 
now  are  advanced  as  far  as  Bath,  in  fair  hopes  to  crush 
Essex  betwixt  Prince  Maurice's  army  and  ours,  before 
Waller  can  come  near  enough  to  press  us,  being  for  aught 
we  hear,  as  yet  about  Warwick.  If  he  advances  suddenly 
he  is  likely  to  come  weak,  and  if  he  stay  to  join  with 
Brown  likely  to  come  too  late.  This  is  a  short  epitome  of 
our  present  state  and  designs,  which  if  it  please  God  to 


476         MEMOIRS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF      [JULY, 

prosper,  may  prepare  a  reserve  in  case  of  further  disaster, 
which  God  forbid,  northward,  and  in  case  of  success  there 
be  likely  to  finish  the  work,  in  which  I  protest  sincerely  I 
do  not  wish  to  any  man  a  greater  share  of  honour  than  to 
yourself,  both  as  your  virtues  merit  most,  and  as  the  par- 
ticular application  of  them  to  oblige  me  has  made  me 
most  entirely  and  passionately, 

Your  faithful  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 
Bath,  July  17th,  1644. 

By  the  same  post  we  have  another  letter  to  the 
Prince  from  the  same  hand ;  it  contrasts  curiously 
with  the  last : — 

MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

Although  there  is  no  matter  for  congratulation  in  the 
battle  in  the  North,  since  the  success  was  not  answerable 
to  your  Highness's  virtue  ;  yet  there  is  matter  of  comfort 
in  that  (your  Highness  being  disappointed  of  those  sea- 
sonable aids  which  you  expected  [from  Lord  Newcastle] 
and  had  given  order  for)  the  event  was  no  worse,  but  that 
having  done  the  work  you  came  for,  of  relieving  York, 
your  Highness  yet  remains  in  a  condition  to  renew  the 
dispute  upon  terms  not  unhopeful.  His  Majesty  is  very 
sorry  that  My  Lord  Newcastle  and  General  King  should 
go  away  anywise  discontented,  but  since  that  cannot  be 
helped,  I  hope  you  may  not  succeed  the  worse  in  those 
parts  for  their  absence,  since  I  perceive  by  your  High- 
ness's  and  other  letters,  the  hatred  and  jealousy  towards 
King  were  grown  to  such  a  height,  as  even  to  wound  through 
him  my  Lord  of  Newcastle's  power  and  interests  in  those 
parts.  Certainly  your  Highness  could  not  have  made  a 
more  prudent  election  of  persons  to  supply  their  places 
than  of  Sir  Thomas  Glenham  and  General  Goring,  whose 
commissions  are  herewithal  sent  according  to  your  High- 
ness's  directions  ;  so  that  what  Dives  was  sent  about,  I  see 


1644.]        PRINCE   RUPERT  AND   THE  CAVALIERS.     477 

we  must  try  to  remedy  some  other  way,  which  perhaps 
will  be  no  hard  matter  in  that  course  which  we  now  take 
toward  Prince  Maurice,  the  grounds  of  which  council  to 
march  westward,  being  principally  the  impossibility  of 
coming  in  any  time  to  your  Highness.  I  set  down  so 
largely  to  your  Highness  in  a  former  letter,  whereof  I 
send  you  herewithal  a  duplicate,  that  I  shall  need  say  no 
more,  but  that  in  prosecution  of  it,  we  are  advanced  as  far 
as  Bath,  and  not  out  of  hopes  to  crush  Essex  betwixt 
Prince  Maurice's  army  and  ours,  before  Waller  can  in- 
commode us,  who,  for  aught  we  can  hear,  is  yet  about 
Warwick,  and  likely,  if  he  follow  us  suddenly,  to  follow 
us  weak.  If  he  stay  to  gather  up  and  join  other  forces, 
probably  he  may  be  with  us  too  late,  so  that  we  are  not 
unlikely,  by  God's  blessing,  to  have  a  fair  blow  for  it  in 
these  parts.  God  grant  it  your  Highness  in  the  North, 
with  that  honour  and  lustre  which  is  wished  unto  you  in 
all  your  actions  by  your  Highness's 

Most  faithful  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  DIGBY. 

Bath,  July  17th,  1644. 

Before  taking  leave  of  Mars  ton  Moor,  I  must 
insert  the  following  graceful  letter  from  the  King 
to  Lord  Newcastle,  which  seems  appropriately  to 
conclude  the  subject  and  this  volume : — 

NEWCASTLE, 

My  nephew  Rupert  sends  me  word  of  that  which 
troubles  me,  that  you  and  General  King  are  going  or  gone 
beyond  sea.  It  is  a  resolution  that  looks  like  discontent, 
which  you  cannot  have  occasion  for  without  blemish  to 
that  sense  which  I  ought  to  have  of  your  eminent  services, 
and  particularly  in  your  late  gallant  defence  of  York; 
which  I  would  not  have  you  believe  that  any  subsequent 
ill-fortune  can  lessen,  but  that  I  shall  ever  retain  such  a 
memory  of  that  and  your  other  actions  of  great  merit  as 


478         MEMOIRS  AND   CORRESPONDENCE   OF      [JULY. 

ought  to  be  expected  from  a  good  master  to  so  deserving 
a  servant.  If  you  do  persist  in  that  resolution  which  I 
cannot  but  be  sorry  for,  I  shall  commit  the  charge  of  those 
countries  under  your  command  to  George  Goring  and  Sir 
Thomas  Glenham,  in  your  absence,  who  I  make  no  doubt 
will  be  the  acceptablest  persons  to  you,  and  who  will  be 
likely  to  give  you  the  best  account  of  their  trust  at  your 
return,  when  you  shall  be  sure  to  be  received  and  ever 
entertained  with  that  favour  and  estimation  which  you 
may  expect.  Your  most  assured  constant  friend, 

CHARLES  R. 
Bath,  July  17th,  1644. 

So  ends  the  Northern  campaign;  the  next 
volume  will  take  us  to  Naseby ;  then  to  sea,  and 
then  rapidly  to  our  last  scene. 


479 


APPEND1  X. 


A. 

THE    CONSTITUTION    OF    THE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 

I  DO  not  remember  that  I  have  anywhere  met  with  an 
account  of  this  memorable  body,  as  regards  its  mode  of 
election.  Some  of  my  readers  may  be  equally  unlearned 
in  this  matter,  and  desirous  of  knowing  in  what  manner  it 
represented  the  people  of  England,  at  least  before  that 
usurpation  of  perpetual  authority  by  which  it  changed  its 
nature  into  a  despotism.  I  have  taken  the  following 
extracts  from  an  old  pamphlet  published  in  1643,  and 
entitled  "An  old  Mould  to  cast  new  Lords  by ;  compiled  by 
the  Honourable  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Knt.  Reprinted  out  of 
the  Commonwealth  of  England  by  a  Friend  to  old  Bookes, 
and  an  enimy  to  new  Opinions." 

"  The  most  high  and  absolute  power  of  the  realm  of 
England  consisteth  in  the  Parliament.  For,  as  in  war, 
where  the  King  himself  in  person,  the  nobility,  the  rest  of 
the  gentility  and  the  yeomanry  are,  is  the  force  and  power 
of  England,  so  in  peace  and  consultation,  where  the  Prince 
is  to  give  life,  and  the  last  and  highest  commandment : 
the  barony  or  the  nobility  for  the  higher,  the  knights, 
esquires,  gentlemen,  and  commons,  for  the  lower  part  of 
the  Commonwealth ;  the  bishops  for  the  clergy  be  present 
to  advertise,  consult,  and  shew  what  is  good  and  necessary 
for  the  Commonwealth;  and  to  consult  together,  and 
upon  mature  deliberation,  every  bill  or  law  being  thrice 


480  APPENDIX. 

read  and  disputed  upon  in  either  House,  the  other  two 
parts,  first  each  apart,  and  after  the  Prince  himself,  in 
presence  of  both  the  parties,  doth  consent  unto  and 
alloweth,  that  is  the  Prince's  and  the  whole  Realm's  deed, 
whereupon  justly  no  man  can  complain,  but  must  accom- 
modate himself  to  find  it  good,  and  obey  it.  And,  to  be 
short,  all  that  ever  the  people  of  Rome  might  do,  either  in 
Centuriatis  comitiis  or  tributis,  the  same  may  be  done  by 
the  Parliament  of  England,  which  representeth  and  hath 
the  power  of  the  whole  Realm,  both  the  head  and  the 
hody.  For  every  Englishman  is  intended  to  be  there 
present,  either  in  person,  or  by  procuration  or  attorney, 
state,  dignity,  or  quality  soever  he  be,  from  the  Prince  (be 
he  King  or  Queen)  to  the  lowest  person.  And  the  con- 
sent of  Parliament  is  taken  to  be  every  man's  consent. 

"  The  Prince  sendeth  forth  his  rescripts,  or  writs,  to 
every  duke,  marquis,  baron,  and  every  other  lord  tem- 
poral or  spiritual,  who  hath  voice  in  the  Parliament,  to  be 
at  his  Great  Council  of  Parliament  such  a  day  (the  space 
from  the  date  of  the  writ  is  commonly  at  the  least  forty 
days)  ;  he  sendeth  also  writs  to  the  sheriffs  of  every  shire, 
to  admonish  every  shire  to  choose  the  knights  of  the  Par- 
liament in  the  name  of  the  shire,  to  hear  and  reason,  and 
to  give  their  advice  and  consent  in  the  name  of  the  shire, 
and  to  be  present  at  the  day  assigned ;  likewise  to  every 
city  and  town  which  of  ancient  time  hath  been  wont  to 
find  burgesses  of  the  Parliament,  so  to  make  election  that 
they  may  be  present  at  the  first  day  of  the  Parliament. 
The  knights  of  the  shire  be  chosen  by  all  the  gentlemen 
and  yeomen  of  the  shire  present  at  the  day  assigned  for 
the  election,  the  voice  of  any  absent  can  be  counted  for 
none.  Yeomen  I  call  here  (as  before)  that  may  dispend  at 
the  least  forty  shillings,  of  yearly  rent  of  free  land  of  his 
own.  These  meeting  at  one  day,  the  two  who  have  the 
more  of  their  voices,  be  chosen  knights  of  the  shire  for 
that  Parliament ;  likewise  by  the  plurality  of  voices  of 


APPENDIX.  481 

the  citizens  and  burgesses  be  the  burgesses  elected.  The 
first  day  of  the  Parliament,  the  Prince  and  all  the  lords  in 
their  robes  of  Parliament,  do  meet  in  the  higher  House, 
where,  after  prayers  made,  they  that  be  present  are  writ- 
ten, and  they  that  be  absent  upon  sickness,  or  some  other 
reasonable  cause,  which  the  Prince  will  allow,  do  consti- 
tute under  their  hand  and  seal,  some  one  of  these  who  be 
present  as  their  procurer  or  attorney,  to  give  voice  for 
them,  so  that  by  presence,  or  attorney,  or  proxy,  they  be 
all  there,  all  the  princes  and  barons,  and  all  archbishops 
and  bishops,  and  (when  abbots  were  so  many)  abbots  had 
a  voice  in  Parliament.  The  place  where  the  assembly 
is,  is  richly  tapestried  and  hanged,  a  princely  and  royal 
throne,  as  appertaineth  to  a  King,  set  in  the  midst  of  the 
higher  place  thereof.  Next  under  the  Prince  sitteth  the 
Chancellor,  who  is  the  voice  and  orator  of  the  Prince. 
On  the  one  side  of  that  house  or  chamber  sitteth  the  arch- 
bishops or  bishops,  each  in  his  rank,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  dukes  and  barons  .  „  .  " 


B. 

THE  STATE  OF  THE  NORTHERN  ARMY  BEFORE  THE 
BATTLE  OF  MARSTON  MOOR. 

A  TRUE  AND  PERFECT  REPRESENTATION  OF  THE  STATE 
OF  YOUR  MAJESTY'S  ARMY  UNDER  OUR  COMMAND 

AND    THE    CONDITION    WE    ARE    IN    AT    THIS    PRESENT. 

YOUR  MAJESTY  may  be  pleased  to  understand  that 
the  greatest  part  of  this  winter  was  necessarily  spent  in 
suppressing  the  rebellion  in  Derbyshire,  which  otherwise 
had  grown  to  an  irresistible  head.  And  by  the  time  we 
had  reduced  that  county,  and  put  it  in  a  defensible  pos- 
ture, the  disorders  in  Yorkshire,  together  with  the  rumour 
of  the  Scots'  invasion  called  us  back  into  Yorkshire  very 

VOL.  II.  I  I 


482  APPENDIX. 

much  wearied  and  toiled,  both  horse  and  foot,  where  we 
had  hopes  to  have  refreshed  and  clothed  our  men,  which 
were  discouraged  both  for  want  of  clothes  and  money. 
We  remained  there  not  above  a  fortnight,  but  the  Scots 
had  invaded  the  kingdom  with  a  very  great  army,  although 
the  season  of  the  year  and  a  great  snow  at  the  very  instant 
did  persuade  us  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  march. 
Yet  not  trusting  to  that,  my  Lord-Lieutenant-General 
hasted  away  with  all  expedition  with  such  horse  and  foot 
as  were  quartered  nearest  to  those  parts,  and  receiving 
intelligence  of  the  Scots'  continuing  their  march,  he  hasted 
to  Newcastle  in  his  own  person  some  days  before  his 
forces  could  possibly  get  thither  ;  where  truly  he  found 
the  town  in  a  very  good  posture,  and  that  the  Mayor,  who 
had  the  charge  of  it,  had  performed  his  part  in  your  Ma- 
jesty's service  very  faithfully ;  and  all  the  aldermen  and 
best  of  the  town  well  disposed  for  your  service.  And 
though  our  charge  was  very  tedious,  by  reason  of  floods 
occasioned  by  the  sudden  thaw  of  the  snow,  yet  I  came 
thither  the  night  before  the  Scots  assaulted  the  town, 
which  was  done  with  such  a  fury  as  if  the  gates  had  been 
promised  to  be  set  open  to  them  ;  but  they  found  it  other- 
wise ;  for  the  truth  is,  the  town  soldiers  gave  them  such 
an  entertainment  (few  of  our  forces  being  then  come 
into  the  town,  and  those  extremely  wearied  in  their 
march),  as  persuaded  them  to  retire  a  mile  from  the  town, 
where  they  have  remained  ever  since  quartered  in  strong 
bodies,  and  raising  the  whole  country  of  Northumberland, 
which  is  totally  lost,  all  turned  to  them,  so  that  they 
daily  increase  their  army,  and  are  now  striving  to  pass 
part  of  it  over  the  river,  so  to  environ  us  on  every  side, 
and  cut  off  all  provision  from  us.  But  we  have  hitherto 
made  good  the  town  and  river,  and  shall  do  our  best  en- 
deavour still  to  do  so.  But  your  Majesty  may  be  pleased 
to  know  that  the  enemy's  army  consists  of  at  least  four- 
teen thousand  foot  and  two  thousand  horse,  and  daily 


APPENDIX.  483 

increase  their  numbers  :  and  we  cannot  possibly  draw  into 
the  field  full  five  thousand  foot  and  about  three  thousand 
horse :  and  besides,  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax's  success  in 
Cheshire  hath  made  him  capable  of  drawing  from  Lan- 
cashire a  very  great  force  into  the  West  Riding  of  York- 
shire, which  he  is  ready  to  do.  My  Lord  Fairfax  hath 
sent  forth  of  Hull  into  the  East  Riding  two  thousand 
foot  and  five  hundred  horse,  all  threatening  to  march  to- 
wards us,  which  will  make  them  a  great  body.  And  by 
this  your  Majesty  may  perceive  where  the  seat  of  the  war 
is  likely  to  be  :  and  where  we  have  been  promised  great 
numbers  of  men  for  your  Majesty's  service  against  the 
Scots,  all  those  feigned  promises  are  come  to  nothing ;  and 
besides,  though  all  possible  diligence  hath  been  used  to 
procure  arms  and  ammunition,  by  employing  Sir  William 
Davenant  in  Holland  solely  for  that  purpose,  and  by  con- 
tinual representing  to  him  by  frequent  packets,  our  wants 
thereof,  yet  we  have  received  no  considerable  supply  from 
him ;  so  that  our  present  condition  in  that  respect  is  more 
desperate  than  in  the  inequality  of  our  forces. 

Your  Majesty  may  be  pleased  to  remember  the  humble 
petition  we  had  to  your  Majesty,  that  my  Lord  Byron  might 
join  with  us.  But  your  Majesty  had  other  counsels,  that 
wrought  more  powerfully  with  you  ;  though  none  were  de- 
livered more  faithfully  for  your  service.  For,  had  we  then 
joined  our  forces,  we  should  have  been  able  to  have  done 
your  Majesty  that  service,  which,  being  decided,  could  not 
be  expected ;  but  that  is  past.  And  now  we  thought  it 
our  duty  to  represent  truly  to  your  Majesty  our  present  con- 
dition, and  humbly  desire  your  Majesty's  express  commands 
— whether  we  shall  still  continue  in  a  defensive  posture, 
and  expect  some  assistance,  as  well  of  force  as  ammunition, 
from  your  Majesty,  or  whether,  upon  this  great  inequality, 
so  we  shall  adventure  to  hazard  the  loss  of  this  army,  and 
so  of  all  the  North,  by  giving  them  battle :  either  of 
which  we  shall  obey,  as  your  Majesty  shall  please  to 


484  APPENDIX. 

direct  us.     And  having  dispatched  this  express  for  your 
Majesty's  pleasure  therein,  we  beseech  your  Majesty  to 
return  it  so  soon  as  possible  may  be  to, 
Sire, 

Your  Majesty's  most  faithful 
and  most  obedient  Servants, 
W.  NEWCASTLE, 

ETHYN  [General  King]. 
Newcastle,  13th  Feb.  1644. 


c. 


TO  THE  MAYOR  AND  ALDERMEN  OF  THE  CITY  OF 
CHESTER,  AND  EVERY  OR  ANY  OF  THEM.1 

THESE  are  by  virtue  of  my  power,  etc.,  strictly  to  charge 
and  command  you,  and  every  of  you  whom  it  may  or  shall 
concern,  forthwith  to  make  and  settle  a  rate  and  assess- 
ment on  all  and  every  the  inhabitants  of  your  City,  and 
the  suburbs  thereof,  for  the  maintenance  and  pay  of  the 
Soldiers  of  the  Regiment  of  the  said  City,  and  the  Officers 
of  the  same,  as  likewise  of  the  Officers  and  Ministers  of 
and  belonging  to  the  Garrison  of  the  said  City.  And  all 
and  every  monies  coming  and  arising  either  by  way  of 
Excise  or  Customs,  shall  be  issued  and  paid  unto  such 
person  or  persons  as  the  Governor  of  the  said  City  and 
Castle  shall  from  time  to  time  nominate,  order,  and 
appoint  to  have  and  receive  the  same,  or  otherwise  he  to 
dispose  of  the  said  monies  in  what  ways  he  shall  think  fit 
for  his  Majesty's  service.  Hereof  you  may  in  no  ways 
fail,  as  you  will  answer  the  contrary  at  your  peril.  And 
for  your  so  doing  this  shall  be  your  warrant. 

Given  at  Liverpool,  under  my  hand  and  Seal  at  Arms, 
this  eleventh  day  of  June,  1644. 

RUPERT. 
1  MS.  Harl.  2135,  fol.  23  b. 


APPENDIX.  485 

D. 


EXTRACTS    FROM 


THERE  has  been  so  much  said  concerning  "  the  perfidy 
and  baseness"  of  Charles  I.,  as  revealed  in  his  letters 
taken  at  Naseby,  and  these  letters  are  so  little  known  that 
I  have  thought  some  extracts  from  them  might  be  inter- 
esting. I  have  selected  those  passages  that  were  con- 
sidered the  most  objectionable.  Omne  ignotum  pro  mag- 
nifico;  the  knowledge  of  these  letters  will  acquit  their 
writer  of  any  heinousness  of  offence  in  the  minds  of  most 
men. 

To  the  Marquis  of  Ormond. 

"  For  their  satisfaction,  I  do  therefore  command  you  to 
conclude  a  peace  with  the  Irish,  whatever  it  cost,  so  that  my 
Protestant  subjects  there  may  be  secured,  and  my  Regal 
authority  preserved." 

To  the  same. — December  15,  1644. 

"  I  do  hereby  promise  them  (and  command  you  to  see 
it  done),  that  the  penal  statutes  against  Roman  Ca- 
tholics shall  not  be  put  in  execution,  the  peace  being 
made,  and  they  remaining  in  their  due  obedience  ;  and, 
further,  that  when  the  Irish  give  me  that  assistance 
which  they  have  promised,  for  the  suppression  of  this 
rebellion,  and  I  shall  be  restored  to  my  rights,  then  I  will 
consent  to  the  repeal  of  them,  by  a  law ;  but  all  those 
against  appeals  to  Rome,  and  premunire,  must  stand." 

To  the  Queen. — January  14,  1645. 

"It  is  this,  nothing  can  be  more  evident,  than  that 
Strafford's  innocent  blood  hath  been  one  of  the  great 


486  APPENDIX. 

causes  of  God's  just  judgements  upon  this  nation  by  a 
furious  civil  war,  both  sides  hitherto  being  almost 
equally  punished,  as  being  in  a  manner  equally  guilty." 

The  Queen  to  the  King.— January  27th,  1645. 

"  For  the  honour  of  God  trust  not  yourself  in  the  hands 
of  these  people.  And  if  you  ever  go  to  London  before 
the  Parliament  be  ended,  or  without  a  good  army,  you  are 

lost." 

****** 

"  Above  all,  have  a  care  not  to  abandon  those  who  have 
served  you,  as  well  the  Bishops  as  the  poor  Catholics. 
Adieu,  you  will  pardon  me  if  I  make  use  of  another  to 
write,  not  being  able  to  do  it ;  yet  myself  in  ciphers  shew 
to  my  nephew  Rupert,  that  I  entreat  you  to  impart  all 
that  I  write  to  you,  to  the  end  that  he  may  know  the 
reason  why  I  write  not  to  him  ;  I  know  not  how  to  send 
great  packets. 

[Endorsed]—"  My  wife,  27-17,  Jan.  1664-5." 

June  ]2th,  1626  (copy). 
"  CHARLES  REX, 

"  Thus  having  had  so  long  patience,  with  the  disturb- 
ance of  that  that  should  be  one  of  my  greatest  contentments, 
I  can  no  longer  suffer  those  that  I  know  to  be  the  cause  and 
fomenters  of  these  humours,  to  be  about  my  wife  any 
longer,  which  I  must  do  if  it  were  but  for  one  action  they 
made  my  wife  do,  which  is,  to  make  her  go  to  Tyburn  in 
devotion  to  pray,  which  action  can  have  no  greater  invec- 
tive made  against  it  then  the  relation." 

To  Lord  Jermyn. — April  24th,  1645. 

"  Seriously,  I  think,  news  may  be  sometimes  too  good 
to  be  told  in  the  French  Court :  and  certainly  there  is  as 


APPENDIX.  487 

much  dexterity  in  publishing  of  news,  as  in  matters  which, 
at  first  sight,  may  seem  of  greater  difficulty." 

Extract  from    "  Instructions    to    Colonel  Cochrane,    to    be 
pursued  in  his  negotiations  to  the  King  of  Denmark." 

"  That  in  pursuance  of  their  great  design  of  extirpat- 
ing the  Royal  blood,  and  monarchy  of  England,  they 
have  endeavoured,  likewise,  to  lay  a  great  blemish  upon 
his  royal  family,  endeavouring  to  illegitimate  all  derived 
from  his  sister,  at  once  to  cut  off  the  interest  and  preten- 
sions of  the  whole  race,  which  their  most  detestable  and 
scandalous  design  they  have  pursued,  examining  witnesses, 
and  conferring  circumstances  and  times  to  colour  their 
pretensions  in  so  great  a  fault :  and  which,  as  his  sacred 
Majesty  of  England,  in  the  true  sense  of  honour  of  his 
mother,  doth  abhor,  and  will  punish,  so  he  expects  his 
concurrence,  in  vindicating  a  sister  of  so  happy  memory, 
and  by  whom  so  near  an  union,  and  continued  league  of 
amity,  hath  been  produced  between  the  families  and 
kingdoms." 

***** 

The  above  extracts  are  taken  from  a  pamphlet  in  the 
British  Museum,  in  which  are  printed  such  of  the  King's 
letters,  taken  at  the  battle  of  Naseby,  as  the  Parliament 
considered  most  likely  to  prejudice  his  Majesty  in  the 
eyes  of  his  people.  Commenting  on  this  publication  of 
his  letters,  the  King  says,  in  the  *'  Icon  Basilicon,"  that 
(f  no  man  but  must  feel  pain  at  his  most  secret  corre- 
spondence being  laid  open  to  the  envious  world  of  his  ene- 
mies," but  he  believes  that  "  in  few  persons'  private  corre- 
spondence could  there  be  found  so  little  to  condemn  them, 
and,  as  regarded  his  friends,  he  rejoiced  that  they  might 
thus  behold  the  worst  that  his  enemies  could  bring  against 
him." 


488  APPENDIX. 

E. 

THE    GARTER    KING-AT-ARMS    TO    PRINCE    RUPERT. 
MAY    IT    PLEASE    YOUR    HlGHNESS, 

The  Kings  of  England,  sovereigns  of  the  most  noble 
Order  of  the  Garter,  ever  since  that  honourable  founda- 
tion, have  thought  fit  not  only  for  the  reward  of  eminent 
services  done  by  their  own  subjects,  but  also  for  encou- 
ragement to  noble  acts  of  chivalry  and  virtue,  and  for 
further  augmentation  and  extension  of  the  renown  and 
fame  of  that  most  noble  society,  have  made  it  so  estima- 
ble amongst  all  the  foreign  princes  of  Christendom,  that 
they  have  not  thought  their  names  sufficiently  advanced 
till  they  have  been  taken  notice  of  by  the  princely  society, 
and  elected  into  this  most  noble  Order  of  the  Garter  : 
which  election  hath  been  so  welcome  even  to  the  emperors 
and  kings  of  highest  degree  of  renown  in  Europe,  that  no 
tie,  alliance,  amity,  or  league  hath  proved  a  stronger  bond 
of  affection  between  this  and  foreign  crowns  than  that  of 
the  companions  of  this  most  noble  Order  of  the  Garter ; 
in  which  nine  Christian  emperors,  fifty-five  crowned  kings, 
and  four  hundred  princes  and  peers  have  taken  the  oath 
of  homage  and  fealty  to  the  King  of  England  as  their  Sove- 
reign in  the  said  most  noble  order,  have  already  had  their 
name  and  glorious  acts  registered  in  the  records  thereof. 

According  to  which  example  of  his  Majesty's  progeni- 
tors of  famous  memory,  his  Majesty  King  Charles,  my 
master,  Sovereign  of  the  most  noble  Order  of  the  Garter, 
did,  the  20th  of  April,1  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  reign, 
at  a  Chapter  held  at  his  City  of  York  (when,  though  many 
stalls  remained  vacant),  yet  did  think  fit  then  to  elect  but 
two  knights  only,  namely  Prince  James,  Duke  of  York, 
his  son,  and  your  Highness,  his  nephew,  whom  his  Ma- 
jesty thought  worthiest  to  make  choice  of,  not  only  for 
your  princely  descent  of  blood,  but  for  his  own  particular 

1  Prince  Rupert  was  at  Reading  on  the  30th  April,  1643. 


APPENDIX.  489 

interest  in  that  noble  consanguinity  too,  as  being  the  son 
of  his  only  beloved  sister,  the  virtuous  Queen  of  Bo- 
hemia, and  for  many  eminent  virtues  besides  (as  well 
heroical  as  moral),  inherent  in  your  person. 

And  that  his  Majesty's  affection  to  you  might  be  the 
more  emphatically  expressed,  he  elected  your  Highness  a 
companion  of  the  Order  in  the  company  of  his  own  son, 
both  to  manifest  thereby  the  intimateness  of  affection  to 
your  Highness,  as  well  as  to  shew  Prince  James,  in  his 
tender  years  a  glorious  pattern  for  his  princely  imitation 
of  valour  and  martial  achievements,  in  which  choice  his 
Majesty  did  not  prove  himself  a  king  of  grace  and  good- 
ness only,  but  a  king  and  a  prophet  also  ;  as  if  he  could 
by  his  foreseeing  judgment  divine  how  happy  an  instru- 
ment of  valour  and  safety  you  would  after  prove  to  his 
crown  and  dignity  in  their  greatest  distresses.  In  the 
conduct  of  whose  armies  your  Highness  hath  hitherto 
been  so  prosperous  and  successful,  that  it  will  be  my  duty 
to  truth  as  well  as  to  the  propriety  of  my  office,  to  give  a 
timely  accordation  of  each  particular  to  the  Register  of 
the  Order,  that  he  may  eternize  the  memory  of  your 
noble  acts,  to  remain  in  the  Records  of  the  Order,  that 
posterity  may  know,  as  well  as  we  find,  what  happy 
assistance  your  princely  conduct  of  his  Majesty's  armies, 
hath  brought  to  his  kingdom  and  dominions. 

Sir,  the  reasons  and  motives  of  this  your  election  being 
so  many,  it  behoves  me  now  to  inform  your  Highness  the 
reasons  why  this  commission  hath  not  been  sooner  deli- 
vered into  your  hands  ;  and  these  are,  that  immediately 
upon  your  election  at  York,  his  Majesty  commanded  me 
to  draw  up  a  commission  of  Legation  to  Sir  John  Borough, 
Knt.,  then  Principal  King-at-Arms  and  Garter,  to  bring 
the  ensigns  of  the  Order,  together  with  the  notice  of  your 
election,  to  your  Highness,  then  in  the  Low  Countries, 
and  to  perform  the  same  with  all  the  solemnity  thereunto 
belonging.  Another  commission  also  under  the  Great 

VOL.  II.  K  K 


490  APPENDIX. 

Seal  of  England,  was  directed  to  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl 
of  Arundel  and  Surrey,  Earl  Marshal  of  England,  and  to 
the  Lord  Goring, his  Majesty's  Ambassador  Extraordinary, 
with  the  States  of  the  United  Provinces,  to  give  your 
Highness  the  honour  of  knighthood,  a  ceremony  always 
by  statute  of  the  said  Order  necessarily  to  be  performed 
to  any  elected  knight  before  he  can  be  admitted  to  be  a 
companion,  and  receive  the  ensigns  of  the  Order  of  the 
Garter.  But  the  said  King-of-Arms  then  falling  sick, 
shortly  after  died,  and  your  Highness  suddenly  coming  in 
person  in  England,  that  ceremony  was  prevented  by  those 
casualties.  His  Majesty  at  Nottingham  performed  that 
office  himself,  in  delivering  both  the  Garter  and  George 
unto  your  Highness,  since  which  time  your  continual  em- 
ployments in  his  Majesty's  wars,  and  your  absence  there- 
by necessarily  enforced  from  Oxford,  where  the  com- 
mission and  seals  of  the  Order  remained,  the  delivery 
thereof  was  necessarily  delayed  till  this  present,  when  his 
Majesty's  express  command  to  me  and  to  those  gentlemen 
officers  of  the  most  noble  Order,  is  to  deliver  it  now  into 
your  Highness's  hands,  considering  the  place  of  the  in- 
stalment at  the  Castle  of  Windsor  is  necessarily  prevent- 
ed by  reason  of  the  possession  thereof  by  the  rebels, 
and  no  other  memory  but  the  election  and  that  commis- 
sion remains  upon  record :  but  his  Sovereign  Majesty  is 
so  desirous  to  invest  you  and  the  Prince,  his  son,  in  the 
full  privileges  of  the  said  Order  and  society,  that  as  soon 
as  a  competent  number  of  knights  can  be  assembled  to 
make  a  chapter ;  his  Majesty  determines  to  consult  of  a 
course  how  the  instalment  at  Windsor  may  if  possibly  it 
can,  be  dispensed  with,  that  rather  than  you  should  be 
deprived  longer  of  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  rights  of  in- 
stallation, his  Majesty  is  fully  determined  to  make  ordi- 
nary rules  of  ceremony  to  give  place  to  extraordinary  ex- 
amples of  merit  and  fidelity  already  so  amply  performed 
by  your  Highness  to  his  crown  and  dignity,  which  is  the 


APPENDIX.  491 

sum  of  what  his  Majesty  hath  commanded  me  to  present 
unto  your  Highness,  which  he  desires  you  to  take  in  good 
part  till  the  rest  can  be  performed. 

About  1644. 


F. 

[This  Commission  is  here  introduced  before  its  time,  but  the  Third 
Volume,  where  it  should  naturally  find  place,  is  so  much  filled, 
that  I  am  obliged  to  insert  it  here.] 

CHARLES,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  etc. ; 
to  our  right  dear  and  entirely -beloved  Nephew, 
Prince  Rupert,  Count  Palatine  of  the  Rhine,  Duke 
of  Bavaria  and  Cumberland,  Earl  of  Holderness, 
Master  of  our  Horse,  and  Knight  and  Companion 
of  the  most  noble  Order  of  the  Garter,  greeting. 

Whereas  many  great  and  rebellious  armies  have  been, 
and  are  still  raised  against  us,  which  have  not  only  several 
times  endeavoured  to  take  our  life  from  us  in  set  battles, 
but  being  cherished  and  maintained  by  multitudes  of 
seditious  and  traitorous  persons,  do  commit  all  the  acts  of 
outrage,  robbery  and  murder,  on  our  good  subjects  through- 
out the  kingdom  ;  and  who,  likewise,  the  better  to  effect 
their  damnable  design  to  destroy  us  and  our  posterity,  and 
so  change  the  present  Government,  both  of  Church  and 
State,  into  anarchy,  tyranny  and  confusion,  have  invited 
and  brought  a  powerful  army  of  the  Scots  into  the  midst 
of  this  kingdom,  that  in  like  manner  doth  tyrannize  over 
and  destroy  our  good  subjects.  For  prevention  whereof, 
and  for  the  defence  of  our  own  royal  person  and  posterity, 
the  true  reformed  Protestant  reKgion,  the  laws  of  the 
land,  the  liberty  and  propriety  of  our  subjects,  and  just 
privileges  of  Parliament,  we  being  enforced  to  have  in 
readiness  divers  horse  and  horsemen,  well  armed  and  fur- 


492  APPENDIX. 

nished  with  all  things  necessary  for  our  service  to  be  em- 
ployed therein  as  we  shall  direct ;  we  therefore,  reposing 
especial  trust  and  confidence  in  your  approved  wisdom, 
courage,  fidelity,  and  great  experience  in  military  affairs, 
do  by  these  presents  name,  ordain,  constitute,  and  appoint 
you  Captain-general  of  the  regiment  of  our  Horse-Guards, 
as  also  of  all  such  other  horse-forces  as  shall  be  joined  to 
the  same.  And  we  do  hereby  give  unto  you  full  power 
and  authority  as  Captain-general  them  to  command  anu 
conduct  again  wt  all  or  any  person  or  persons  now  or  here- 
after in  actuul  rebellion  against  us,  or  bearing  arms  with- 
out our  authority.  Willing  and  commanding  all  colonels, 
lieutenant-colonels,  serjeant-majors,  captains,  and  all  other 
officers  and  soldiers  of  or  belonging  to  the  said  regiment 
of  Horse-Guards,  you  to  obey  as  their  Captain-general,  and 
readily  to  receive  and  accomplish  such  directions  and 
commands  as  you  shall  from  time  to  time  give  them  for 
our  service.  And  you  yourself  also  to  observe  and  follow 
such  orders  and  directions  as  from  time  to  time  you  shall 
receive  from  us ;  And  in  all  things  to  govern  yourself  as 
unto  your  duty  and  place  of  Captain-general  of  our  Horse- 
Guards  doth  of  right  appertain  and  belong.  Farther, 
commanding  all  sheriffs,  commissioners  of  array,  justices 
of  the  peace,  majors,  bailiffs,  constables,  and  all  other  our 
officers,  ministers,  and  loving  subjects,  to  be  helping, 
aiding,  and  assisting  to  you  in  anything  that  may  concern 
our  service.  And  for  so  doing  this  shall  be  to  you  and 
them,  and  every  of  them  a  sufficient  warrant,  Given,  &c. 

The  King's  Commission  to  Prince  Rupert 
for  Captain-general  of  the  Life-Guards. 


THE    END    OF    THE    SECOND    VOLUME. 

0 


LONDON  :  Printed  by  S.  &  J.  BENTIEY  and  HENRY  FLEY,  Bangor  House,  Shoe  Lane. 


1939 


DA 
407 
R9W3 
v.2 


Warburton,  Eliot 

Memoirs  of  Prince  Rupert 
and  the  cavaliers 


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