THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
LUCIUS GARY, VISCOUNT FALKLAND.
From the portrait iy VANDYKE.
THE
FIRST AND SECOND
BATTLES OF NEWBURY
AND THE
SIEGE OF DCOTINGTON CASTLE
DURING THE CIVIL WAR,
A.D. 1643-6.
WALTER MONEY, F.S.A.
Illustrated foiifj portraits, flairs, anb $fos.
LONDON :
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO , STATIONERS* HALL COURT.
NEWBTTRY: ~w. j. BLACKET, NORTHBROOK STREET.
MDCCCLIXTI.
ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.
y/r
TO
THE EIGHT HONOUEABLE HENEY HOWAED MOLYNEUX,
EARL OF CARNARVON,
D.C.L., F.E.S.,
PBESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQTTABIES,
&c., &c., &c.
WHOSE Ancestors took a prominent part in the Great Civil War,
with, which this Volume deals, and under Whose auspices the
FALKLAND MEMORIAL, raised to record the names of those who
fell fighting in their Country's Cause, was successfully completed
and inaugurated, this Book is, with his Lordship's Permission,
respectfully and gratefully dedicated by
THE AUTHOE.
*. >
PREFACE.
PERHAPS no part of the Military transactions and operations of the
Great Civil War in the time of Charles I. has been so cursorily dealt
with and so confusedly treated as that relating to the Two Battles
fought in the neighbourhood of the ancient town of Newbury, in the
years 1643 and 1644.
Although the chief incidents of that stormy period are related by
Clarendon and other writers of the time, the local circumstances
and traditions of those two important engagements have not by any
means been fully chronicled.
The value of placing on record, in a connected form, all that could
be gathered together relating to the period in question requires
no comment. Year by year as books have multiplied, and civilization
has increased, commercial activity has penetrated from the great
centres of industry into the rural districts, and has resulted in the
gradual obliteration of many an old landmark, in the removal or
alteration of many an historical building, and in the dying- out of
many an old tradition.
To supply this want in our chronicles, to record as faithfully as
possible all that can be obtained, both locally and generally, about
the history of these Battles, which will always be memorable in our
annals, and should be attractive to all classes of Englishmen, I have
undertaken this work.
VI
Born almost under the shadow of the grey walls of Donnington
Castle, near which my ancestors dwelt during the occurrence of these
stirring events, I have naturally felt a special interest in anything that
concerns the varied fortunes and associations of the old fortress, which
figures so prominently in these local, but at the same time national,
transactions.
To those numerous friends, who have helped me by their advice
and information, I wish to express my cordial thanks; especially to
PROFESSOR T. EUPERT JONES, F.K.S., Staff College, Sandhurst;
CAPTAIN 0. COOPER KING, E.M.A., F.GKS., Professor of Tactics,
Administration, &c., Eoyal Military College, Sandhurst; COLONEL
J. L. CHESTER, LL.D.; CHARLES TRICE MARTIN, Esq., F.S.A., and
WALFORD D. SELBY, Esq., of the Public Eecord Office; all of whom
have materially contributed to lighten my labours and add pleasure
to this self-imposed task.
Finally I have to tender my sincere acknowledgements to those who
assisted in the establishment of the Memorial to Lord Falkland and
the patriots who fell with him, the proposal to erect which I was led
to originate by the study of that section of English History which this
volume endeavours to illustrate and explain.
WALTEE MONEY.
Neiclury, March 1 5th, 1881.
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
Page 25, foot-note, for Orry's read Orrery's.
31, line 10 from bottom, for auxiliaries read auxiliaries.
48, line 7 from top, With regard to BERNARD BROCAS, and
the flag taken by him at the First Battle of Newbury,
Reginald Brocas, Esq., has obligingly favoured me with
the following particulars: "An ancestor of mine, Sir
Thomas Brocas, of Beaurepaire, had eight sons, seven of
whom fell in the Civil War, fighting for the King. The
one (Bernard) who captured the flag at the Battle of
Newbury was the fifth son of the said Sir Thomas; and
the affair happened thus. He, Bernard Brocas, being in
love with a daughter of Lord Sandes, of the Vyne (a
property which adjoins the Beaurepaire property, and once
formed part of it), took every opportunity of passing his
time with his fair mistress, much to the dislike of all his
relatives, who were staunch Royalists, and many of whom
had fought at Edgehill, in fact, four of his brothers were
there. Refusing to give up his Intended, and being told
that his loyalty was distrusted, and that his mistress would
wean him away to her father's side, he took an oath that
he would give substantial proof, in the next engagement, of
his loyalty, and would either bring back a standard, or
stay on the field. He did both! He took the flag, killed
the bearer (who is said to have been one of the Hazleriggs),
and was found on the field after the battle, dead, with the
flag beside him.
"After all was over the flag was taken and given to the
Sandes family; and it was at the Vyne when Chaloner
Chute, the Speaker to the House of Commons, took it from
Lord Sandes. He gave it to my ancestor; and we have
had it ever since. I myself have had it for over thirty
years in my possession.
"The mistake in the date 'August,' instead of 'Sep-
tember,' was owing to my brother, who amused himself in
putting the writing under the flag, having substituted the
date of the promise to take the flag for the date of the
battle."
70, line 8 from bottom, for Blagne read Blague.
72. Since the text was printed, some fresh information has
been obtained with regard to Lord Belasyse and his
Monument mentioned in the Appendix to the First Battle.
The Inscription mentioned in the text as having been
copied from his Monument, on the authority of Maitland's
"History and Survey of London," has since been found to
be inaccurate. The Monument is still to be seen on the
outside of the east wall of the Church of St. Giles in the
Fields, with the following inscription :
"This monument was erected in the year of our Lord
1786, by the pious direction of the honourable Dame
Vlll ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
Barbara Webb, wife of Sir John Webb, of Cranf ord Magna
in the county of Dorset, baronet, and the honourable
Catharine Talbot, wife of the honourable John Talbot, of
Longford in the county of Salop, esquire, surviving
daughters and co-heirs of the right honourable John,
Lord Belasyse, second son of Thomas, Lord Viscount
Fauconberg, in memory of their most dear father, his
wives, and children.
"Who, for his loyalty, prudence, and courage, was pro-
moted to several commands of great trust by their majesties
King Charles I. and II., viz., having raised six regiments
of horse and foot in the civil wars, he commanded a tertia
in his Majestie's armies at the battles of Edge-hill, Newbury,
and Knavesby; at the sieges of Reading and Bristol:
and afterwards, being made governor of York, and com-
mander-in-chief of all his Majestie's forces in Yorkshire,
he fought the battle of Selby, with the lord Fairfax. And
being lieutenant-general of the counties of Lincoln,
Nottingham, Derby, and Rutland, and governor of Newark,
he valiantly defended that garrison against the English and
Scotch armies, till his Majesty came in person to the Scotch
quarters, and commanded the surrender of it. At which
time he also had the honour of being general of the King's
horse-guards; in all which services during the war, and
other achievements, he deported himself with eminent
courage and conduct, and received many wounds, sustained
three imprisonments in the Tower of London; and after
the happy restoration of Charles II., he was made lord-
lieutenant of the east-riding of the County of York,
governor of Hull, general of his Majesties forces in Africa,
governor of Tangier, captain of his majestie's guard of
gentlemen pensioners, and first lord commissioner of the
treasury to King James II. He died the 1 Oth of September,
A.D. 1689, whose remains are deposited in this vault."
The remainder of the inscription refers to his marriages
and issue.
Page 72, line 8 from top, for Fanconberg read Fauconberg.
73, line 17 from bottom. With reference to the death of
Richard Brydges, which is stated in the text, on the
authority of Jacob s "Peerage," to have been in 1548, it is
evident that, as Queen Mary was not crowned until 1553,
the person referred to as being made K.B. at her coronation
was Sir Richard Brydges, M.P. for Berkshire in 1554.
75, third paragraph. Read thus BERNARD BROCAS. Of Beau-
repaire, near Sherborne St. John, Hants, He was the fifth
son of Sir Thomas Brocas (son of Sir Pexall Brocas) by
Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Wingfield, of Upton, Co.
Northampton.
78, line 4 from top. Colonel Daniel O'Neill. This officer
was Lieutenant-Colonel of Prince Rupert's regiment of
horse; afterwards groom of the bedchamber to the King.
85, first line, insert 2. before PARLIAMENTARIAN.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
FASE,
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . iii
Preface . . . . . . . . v
Addenda et Corrigenda . . . . . . . . vii
Table of Contents . . . . . , . . he
List of Plans and Illustrations . . . . . . xii
THE FIEST BATTLE AT NEWBUEY, SEPTEMBEE 20TH, 1643 1
APPENDIX.
I. A list of those Regiments of Trained-Bands and
Auxiliaries of the City of London, which were engaged at
the First Battle of Newbury . . . . 55
II. The Attack on Essex's Bear the day after the First
Battle of Newbury . . . . * . . 58
HI. The presence of Queen Henrietta Maria at the
Battle (disproved). . . . . . . 61
IV. A case of Witch-murder at Newbury . . 63
IV.* The Discovery of the Coffin and Remains of the
Vault of Robert Devereux, third Earl of Essex, in the
Chapel of St. John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey,
June 1879 . . ..-,-. . . . . 65
V. Biographical Notices of Officers and others men-
tioned in connection with the First Battle of Newbury . .
1. Royalist Officers
PAGE.
Sir Thomas Aston
67 Sir Anthony Mansel
67 Sir Edward Stradling
67 Sir Michael Wodehouse
68 Sir Jacob Astley
68 Sir John Frechville
69 Sir John Hurry
69 Major-Gen. George Porter
70 Col. St.-John
70 Col Edward Villiers
70 Col. Will. Legge
Patrick Ruthven, Earl of
Forth
Prince Rupert
Sir John Byron
Lord Wilmot
Earl of Caernarvon
Earl of Lindsey . .
Earl of Northampton
Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Cleveland
Earl of Holland . .
Earl of Bedford
Earl of Clare
John, Lord Belasyse (see
also List of Corrigenda)
Lord Chandos
Lord Molyneux ,,
Hon. Henry Bertie
Sir Charles Lucas
Sir George Lisle
Sir Edward Waldegrave
Bernard Brocas ,,
Sir Lewis Kirke . .
Sir Henry Slingsby
Sir William Vavasour
71
71
vii,
72
73
73
73
74
74
75
vii & 75
75
75
76
Col. Daniel O'Neill
Col. Morgan
Col. Thomas Eure
Col. Richard Platt
Col. Charles Gerard
Col. Thomas Bagehot
Capt. Basil Woodd
Capt. Clifton
Capt. Newman
Capt. Gwynne
Henry Spencer,
Sunderland
Lord Falkland
67
67
PAGE.
76
76
76
76
76
76
77
77
77
77
77
viii and 78
78
78
78
78
79
79
79
79
80
Earl of
80
81
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
2. Parliamentarian Officers and others . .
PAOB.
85
PAGE.
Earl of Essex . . 85
Lord Robartes or Eoberts 85
Lord Grey of Groby . . 85
Sir John Meyrick 85
Sir Philip Stapleton . . 85
Sir William Constable 86
Sir William Balfour . . 87
Sir Samuel Luke . . 87
Sir Arthur Godwin . . 87
Major- General Skippon 87
Major-General Deane . . 87
Lieut. -General Middleton 88
Colonel Sheffield
Col. John Meldrum
Col. Norton
Col. Dalbier
Captain Hunt
Capt. Francis St.-Barbe
Capt. Hammond
Capt. Charles Fleetwood
Capt. Charles Pym
William Twisse, D.D.
Eobert Codrington
VI. Extracts from tho Certificates or Returns of those
Persons who, pursuant to the Order of the House of
Commons, made the Protestation in the County of Berks,
30th July, 1641
PAGE.
Brimpton Parish . . 91
Chaddle worth . . 91
Chieveley . . 91
Compton . . 91
Enborne . . . . 91
Frilsham . . 91
Greenham (a Tything of
Thatcham) . . 91
Hamsted-Marshall . . 91
Hampsted-Norris 91
West Ilsley . . . . 92
East Ilsley . . 92
Inkpeu . . . . 92
VII. List of the Sequestrators of the Estates of
"Delinquents, Papists, Spyes, and Intelligencers," for the
County of Berks, appointed under Ordinance of the Lords
and Commons, April 1, 1643
PAGE.
Sir Francis Pile . . 93
Sir Francis Knollys, junior 93
Peregrine Hoby . . 94
Harry Marten . . 94
Kintbury
Leckhampstead
Midgham
Newbury
Peasemore
Shaw-cum-Donnington . .
Little Shefford . .
Great Shefford
Speen
Wasing
Welford
Winterborne-Danvers .
Roger Knight
Henry Powle
Thomas Fettiplace
Tanfield Vachell .
VII.* The Commissioners for raising Money and Forces
within the County of Berks, and for Maintenance of
Garrisons within the said County for use of Parliament,
appointed June 27, 1644
f A\*Et
William Lenthall . . 95
Sir Robert Pye . . 96
Sir Benjamin Rudyerd . . 96
Edmund Dunch . . 97
Daniel Blagrave . . 98
Richard Browne
John Packer
Robert Packer
Cornelius Holland
93
PAGE.
94
94
95
95
95
PAGB.
98
99
99
99
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
XI
Ship Money . . . . . . 99
IX. State of Public Feeling in the County in 1643 102
X. Agreement between Charles I. and the County of
Berks respecting a Contribution to be levied for the
support of the King's Army . . . . . . 104
THE SECOND BATTLE AT NEWBTJEY, OCTOBEE 27ra, 1644 . . 107
APPENDIX. . . . . . . . . . . 162
I. The King's March to Newbury . . . . 162
II. The King's Stay at Newbury . . . . 163
III. Red Heath and Red HiU . . . . 165
IV. Account of the Second Battle of Newbury, from a
MS. belonging to the Earl de la Warr
V. Newbury Church as a Prison and Hospital . .
VI. Boxford
VII. Bucklebury
VIII. License of War . . '
IX. Capture of Lady Forth, Countess of Brentford
X. Captain Knight's Relation of the Siege of Don-
nington Castle . . . . . . . . 177
XL Depositions of Witnesses at the Trial of King
Charles I., as to the presence of the King at the Two
Battles of Newbury . . . . . . 185
XII. Biographical Notices of some of the Officers and
others mentioned in connection with the Second Battle
of Newbury
. . . . . .
187
A. Royalist Officers
. .
187
PAGE.
PAGE.
Prince Maurice
187
Sir John Owen
192
Duke of Richmond
187
Sir Thomas Hooper
192
Lord Bernard Stuart
187
Sir Richard Page
1.92
Earl of Newport . .
188
Sir Thomas Basset
192
Earl of Berkshire
183
Sir Humphrey Benett . .
192
Earl Rivers
188
Sir John Granville
192
Lord Capel
188
Sir Joseph Wagstaffe . .
192
Lord Hopton
189
Sir Charles Lloyd . .
192
Lord Colepeper
189
Sir Edward Walker
192
Lord Goring
190
Colonel Leke
192
Sir John Boys
190
Col. Anthony ThelwaU . .
193
Sir Bernard Astley
191
Col. Giles Strangeways
193
Sir William Brouncker
191
Col. Houghton
193
Sir William Ashburnham
191
Captain Catelyn . .
193
Sir William St.-Leger . .
191
Robert S trad ling
193
B. Parliamentarian
Officers
194
PAGE.
PAGE.
Earl of Manchester
194
Lieut.-Gen. Ludlow
195
Sir William Waller
194
Colonel Norton
196
Sir Arthur Hesilrige
195
Col. Sir Richard Ingoldsby
196
Major- General Crawford
195
Col. John Birch
196
Lieut. -Gen. Middleton . .
195
XIII. Historical Notices of the Manor and Castle of
Donnington . . . . . . . . 197
INDEX 212
LIST OF THE PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
1 Portrait of LORD FALKLAND. (Frontispiece.) Opposite title-page.
2 ,, PRINCE RUPERT . . . . Opposite page 8
3 View of DONNINGTON CASTLE . . . . . . ,, 18
4 Portrait of the EARL OF ESSEX . . . . ,, 22
5 BRENTFORD or BRAINFORD . . 28
6 ,, SUNDERLAND . . . . 38
7 Copy of the COFFIN-PLATE of the EARL OF ESSEX . . 66
8 Portrait of the EARL OF CAERNARVON . . ,, 68
9 Plan of the FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY . . . . 106
10 Plan of the DEFENCES OF DONNINGTON CASTLE 108
11 Portrait of the EARL OF MANCHESTER .. .. 118
12 View of SHAW HOUSE . . . . . ,,122
13 Portrait of SIR WILLIAM WALLER .. 132
14 H SIR JOHN BOYS . . . . . . 160
15 Plan of the SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBTTRY . 212
THE FIRST BATTLE AT NEWBURY,
SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1643.
IN order to understand the political situation of the precise
period of English History under review, a brief description of the
previous operations of the hostile armies, which resulted in the
Two Battles of Newbury, is necessary, because the narrative will
then be rendered more complete. At the same time the means
will be provided of rightly estimating the value and effect of
these engagements on the fortunes of the two combatants.
After the assault of Bristol and its surrender to the Royalists
under Prince Rupert, in July, 1643, the King again joined the
camp; and, having sent Prince Maurice with a detachment into
Devonshire, he deliberated how to employ his remaining forces
in an enterprize of moment. Some of his followers proposed
that he should march direct to London, where everything was
in confusion, though this undertaking, by reason of the great
strength of the London Militia or Trained Bands, was thought to
be attended with great difficulties; but Gloucester, lying within
20 miles of Bristol, presented a possibly easier conquest. This
was the only remaining garrison possessed by the Parliament
in the west of the kingdom; and, by interrupting the communica-
tions of the royal armies between the south-west and north-east,
prevented these from acting in concert. Hence the King at last
assented to the plan of besieging this important town. The
questionable policy of this measure is thus noticed by one of
Charles's most faithful adherents, Sir Philip Warwick; "One
(or the like) councill in both quarters, north and west, soon
blasted the prosperity in each place; for the King pitcht upon
that fatall resolution, recommended to him, it is said, by the
Lord Culpeper (who wanted no loyalty), of beseiging Glocester,
who thought it a good policy not to leave a strong towne
behind him. But the counsell proved fatall; for had the King
at that time resolv'd in himself to have struck at the proud
head of London and had had authority enough at that time to
have required the Earl of Newcastle to have joyned with him,
humanely speaking, he had rais'd such confusion among
the two Houses and the Londoners, that they had either sent
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWTBtTRT.
him his owne terms, or if they had fought him, most probably
he had bin victorious But the King fixes on Gloucester, and
the Earle of Newcastle as fatally about the same time setts down
before Hull."* This was by the advice of Lt.-Gen. King, whose
loyalty was suspected.
After all, it is by no means certain that Charles' march to-
London would have been so effectual and so little opposed as it
is here taken for granted it would have been.
On the 10th August, f the King's army, under his immediate
command, occupied the heights above the City of Gloucester,
The town was defended by a garrison of only fifteen hundred men,
besides the inhabitants; and the Governor (Massey) was peremp-
torily summoned to surrender, two hours being allowed for an
answer. Before the expiration of that time, two deputies from
the city, Sergeant-Major J Pudsey and a citizen, presented them-
selves at the camp. They were pale, thin men, dressed in
black, and closely shaven: " We bring to- the Majesty," said they,
"an answer from the godly city of Gloucester ;." and, on being
introduced to the King, they read a letter, which ran thus: "We.
the inhabitants, magistrates, officers, and soldiers within the
garrison of Gloucester unto his Majesty's gracious message return
this humble answer, "That we do keep this city, according to our
oath and allegiance, to and for the use of his Majesty signified
by both houses of Parliament : and are resolved by God's help r
to keep this city accordingly."
On hearing this brief reply, delivered in a firm, clear tone, and
perceiving the strange appearance of the messengers, who stood
motionless before the King awaiting his answer, a movement at
once of surprise, derision, and anger was about to manifest itself
on the part of the courtiers; but Charles, as grave as his enemies,
repressed it with a gesture, and dismissed the deputies with these
words : " If you expect help you are deceived ; Waller is extinct,
and Essex cannot come." The deputation, had no sooner entered
the city, than the inhabitants set fire to the suburbs, and left
themselves nothing to defend but what was within the walls.
For twenty-six days, from Aug. 10th to Sept. 5th, the citizens,
by their indefatigable exertions, frustrated all the efforts of the
besiegers. Except a hundred and fifty men kept in reserve, the
whole garrison were constantly on foot. In all their labours, in
all their dangers, the people took part with the soldiers, the
women with their husbands, the children with their mothers.
Massey even made frequent sallies, and only three men took
* Sir Ph. Warwick's ' Memoires,' pp. 2602.
t The "Old Style " of reckoning was employed in England at this period and
long afterwards, though the "New Style" according to the Gregorian Calendar
was in general use on the Continent.
t " Sergeant-Major" formerly signified the officer now styled Major, and the
"Sergeant-Major General" was what is now called Major-General.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 3
advantage of them to desert. Tired of so long a delay, attended
by neither glory nor rest, the royal army in a spirit of revenge
licentiously devastated the country round, the officers frequently
employing their men to carry off from his house some rich farmer
or peaceable freeholder of the other side, who only regained his
liberty on payment of ransom.*
The news of the siege of Gloucester caused the greatest con-
Vernation in London; and the Parliament, seeing the absolute
necessity of relieving the town as the only means of supporting
their cause, now exerted to the utmost their power and authority.
Trading was for a time suspended, in order that none should
decline military service upon whom the lot should fall. The
relief of Gloucester was urged in every pulpit. A force of 8000
horse and 4000 foot was expeditiously put into a condition of
marching against the King; and a committee, comprising some of
the warmest partisans of war, went to the Earl of Essex on the
4th August to inform him of the measures that had been taken
to recruit and make full provision for his army, and to enquire
what else he needed. In a word they entrusted the destiny of
the country to his hands, with assurance of the complete con-
fidence reposed hi him by Parliament. The Earl, in a letter to
the Speaker, assured the House he would never desert the
cause "as long as I have any blood in my veins, until this
kingdom may be made happy by a blessed peace (which is all
honest men's prayers) or to have an end by tne sword." -f
On the 24th August the Earl of Essex mustered his forces on
Hounslow Heath ; and, after a solemn review in the presence of
nearly all the Members of both Houses, marched by way of
Colnbrook, Beaconsfield, and Aylesbury to the assistance of
Gloucester. On the 1st of September he arrived at Brackley
Heath, the general rendezvous, where he was joined by a rein-
forcement of horse and a train of artillery, which brought his
force up to about 14,000 men. He then proceeded by way of
Bicester, Chipping Norton, and Stow-on-the-Wold ; here he was
attacked by a detached corps of cavalry under Prince Eupert,
who vainly endeavoured to stop him; but the Earl advanced,
without suffering himself to be turned from his road, driving
the enemy before him. He was already within a few miles of
the Royalist Camp, already the King's horse had fallen back on
the advanced posts of his infantry, when, in the hope of delay-
ing the Earl, if only for a day, Charles sent him a messenger
with proposals of peace. " The Parliament," answered Essex,
" gave me no commission to treat, but to relieve Gloucester ; I
will do it, or leave my body beneath its walls ! " "No proposi-
tions: no propositions! " shouted the soldiers, when they heard of
* Clarendon's 'Hist, of the Rebellion,' vol. ii, p. 341.
t Carte's MS. Letters; BibL Bodl.
4 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
the arrival of a trumpeter from the King. So Essex continued
his march, and on the 5th Sept. he appeared on Prestbury Hills
within view of the city. Here the thunder of his cannon
announced to the beleaguered citizens that their deliverance had
come; and soon the sight of the King's quarters in flames
informed them that the siege was raised.
The important services performed by Massey and the garrison
at Gloucester called forth the thanks of Parliament, who granted
1,000 to the governor, and proportionate largess to the officers
and soldiers; and, in order to preserve the memory of the
transaction, the 5th of September was ordered by the Mayor
and Corporation to be observed as an annual holiday, and was so
kept until the Restoration. The south gate of the city, which had
been battered down during the siege, was rebuilt the same year,
with these mottoes inscribed round the arch: on one side "A CITY
ASSAULTED BY MAN, BUT SAVED BY GOD;" and on the other side,
next the city, "EVER REMEMBER THE VH SEPT. 1643 GIVE GOD
THE GLORY." At the Restoration these inscriptions were effaced,
and the royal arms substituted. The walls and fortifications of
the city were destroyed by order of King Charles II.; and that
monarch likewise deprived the citizens of their charter, but
subsequently granted a new one. Massey eventually left the
Parliament's service and joined Prince Charles in Holland, under
whose standard he fought at Worcester; but, being taken prisoner,
he was committed to the Tower. He managed however to escape,
and, after the death of Cromwell, he undertook to seize Gloucester,
but was taken in the attempt. A second time he slipped from his
captors; and, on the restoration of the secluded Members in 1660,
he appeared in Parliament, and represented Gloucester the two
following years, in the last of which he was knighted.
The easy success gained by Essex in this march may be
attributed to supineness on the part of his adversary ; but it is
probable that, as Clarendon says, the Royalists could not believe
he was coming, and " laid their account " in the nearly thirty
miles of champaign country that he would have to traverse, after
the King's soldiers had eaten it bare ; and where, if he attempted
the expedition, the royal horse would perpetually infest his march
and probably destroy his army.*
The day the Parliamentary General entered Gloucester had
been set apart for a public fast, but on his arrival it was
turned into a day of ardent rejoicing. Provisions of all kinds
were conveyed to the city, the Governor Massey and his soldiers
were loaded with praise, the citizens congratulated on their
courage, and the Earl was received everywhere with demonstra-
tions of gratitude.
The march of Essex to Gloucester was considered one of the
* Clarendon's 'Hist, of the Rebellion,' vol. ii, p. 343.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 5
most able exploits of the whole war; for his troops were untrained
and ill-disciplined, and for the greater part of the way he was in
the enemy's country. From Brackley to Prestbury, Wilmot and
four other royalist commanders were hanging on his rear ; and in
the encounter at Stow, Prince Rupert with 4,000 horse made a
desperate attempt to cut off his advanced guard, but in vain.
It would appear from the following remarks by Lord Orrery
that there was more of a fight here than the historians have
mentioned: he says "When Essex marched to relieve Gloucester,
Prince Rupert advanced with his cavalry to meet the relieving
army on the Downs : which doubtless he had defended, had not
some brigades of Essex's infantry done wonders on that day."*
At Gloucester Essex left his heavy ordnance with 40 barrels of
powder and the greater part of his baggage, the better to expedite
his march over an unusually hilly country. Having strengthened
and victualled the garrison, which had been driven to great
extremities, his mission was accomplished ; but, fearing an
engagement with the enemy on account of their superiority in
cavalry, the Lord General determined to manoeuvre his way
back to London without risking a battle. The London trained-
bands and auxiliaries too, supposing their work already done,
earnestly desired to direct their footsteps homewards.
On the third day after his arrival in Gloucester, Essex, with
the object of dividing the King's forces, made a demonstration,
as though he intended to proceed northward to Worcester ; but,
changing his route on a sudden, he marched to Tewkesbury,
where, having thrown a bridge over the Severn and dispatched a
body of troops to Upton as a feint, he quartered till Friday, 15th
September. Succeeding by this skilful manoeuvre in drawing
the King's attention towards Worcester, Essex with the re-
mainder of his army took advantage of a dark night, and moved
away for Cirencester. His vanguard, arriving in the town
about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning, surprised two newly raised
regiments of Royal horse, intended for service in Kent and com-
manded by Sir Nicholas Crispe and Col. Spencer, both of whom
were then absent. In the fight which ensued the Parliamentarians
took 300 prisoners, 400 horses, with six stands of colours; and,
what was of more consequence, obtained possession of a large
store of provisions; thus enabling the Earl to refresh his exhausted
forces, and perhaps mainly contributing to his success at Newbury.
This skirmish is referred to in Corbet's " Relation of the Siege of
Gloucester " in the following terms : " The forlorn hope entered
Cirencester, whilst the rest surrounded it, killed the centinell
sleeping, march'd up to the market-house without opposition
(the enemy supposing them Prince Maurice his forces, that night
expected) till they entered the houses and surprised them in bed,
* Orrery's ' Art of War,' p. 180.
6 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
took 400 men and 30 cart-loads of bread and cheese and other
provisions, a great relief in a wasted country, and the only
support of the soldiers against the battle of Newbury."
The royalist troopers taken prisoners at Cirencester were
secured in the fine old parish church, which, fortunately, escaped
injury during the siege in the previous year, the inhabitants
having carefully protected it by suspending woodpacks around the
exterior. After a few hours' rest, Essex was again on the march,
his means being augmented on the way by the addition of some
1,000 sheep and 60 head of cattle, which had been taken from
" rnalignants and papists " en route. These were afterwards lost
during the action on Aldbourne Chase, " every man's care then
being to secure himself." On Saturday night the halt was at
Cricklade, and on Sunday at Swindon, where a religious service
was held. Next morning the march was resumed towards Hun-
gerford, where the Earl intended quartering for the night. In a
contemporary letter from Lord George Digby, Essex is said to
have had 2,000 horse and 5,000 foot when he marched from Tew-
kesbury; but he had left some of his troops at Gloucester and
others at Upton, and had lost a number of his men in several
skirmishes; and this will account to some extent for the diminu-
tion of the force with which he had left London. There were
also numerous stragglers on the march; and many of the
Parliamentary soldiers, who remained behind drinking and who
neglected to march with the colours ; were slain by the Royalists
on entering the towns and villages, or were taken prisoners.
Essex's numerical strength, however, afterwards at Newbury was
evidently beyond Lord Digby's computation; for when the Earl
marched from Brackley he had an army of about 14,000 men,
and no regular engagement had taken place to account for a
diminution to the extent of one-half of his available force.
To the royal cause the raising of the siege of Gloucester was a
fatal blow. Since retiring from before the city, the defeated
King had halted in the neighbourhood of Winchcombe and at
Sudeley Castle, about eight miles from Gloucester, awaiting the
motions of the enemy. It is mentioned in Warburton's ' Memoirs
and Correspondence of Prince Rupert,' that the latter had sent
notice of the movements of Essex to his Majesty; but he,
believing himself better informed, allowed the enemy twenty-four
hours advantage before he followed him. But there appears to
be some discrepancy between the statements here made and
those of Lord Byron * in a letter to Lord Clarendon -f wherein
he says: "that had Prince Rupert been pleased to credit
my intelligence, the advantage which Essex gained might
have been prevented ; which neglect obliged the army to go so
* For memoirs of persons of note, see APPENDIX.
t Lord Byron's account of the Battles of Newbury, in a letter to Lord Clarendon,
in MS. dar. State Papers, in Bodleian Lib., no. 1738.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY, 7
hasty and painful a march, that before he reached Newbury
there was about 2000 horse and as many foot lost by the way."
This is corroborated by Capt. John Gwynne, who says,* "And
when we drew off from Gloucester it proved to be most tem-
pestuous rainy weather so that few or none could take little or no
rest on the hills where they were, the winds next morning soon
dryed up our through- wet clothes we lay pickled in all night (as a
convenient washing for us at our coming from the trenches), and
we made such haste in pursuit of Essex's army that there was an
account of 1,500 foot quite tired and spent, not possible to come
up to their colours before we engaged the enemy * * * We
were like to drop down every step we made with want of sleepe,
yet notwithstanding we marcht on till we overtook the enemy's
army at Newbury town end."
As soon, however, as the King felt assured as to Essex's march
and route, he dispatched Prince Rupert with a strong body of
horse -j- to overtake him before he should get so far in advance as
to form a junction with Waller's army, which was daily expected
to leave London. The Prince accordingly, mustering his cavalry
on Broadway Down, gave immediate pursuit, and marching all
that night and the next day reached Faringdon, but was unable
to overtake the enemy.
Whilst refreshing his weary troopers here, Rupert sent on
Sir John Hurry to reconnoitre, and soon learnt that Essex was
passing over Aldbourne Chase, expecting to enter Newbury that
night, Saturday 16th September, 1643.
The force at the disposal of the King at this time may be
estimated at 10,000 men. According to Rapin,J he commanded
when before Gloucester about "8,000 horse and foot;" but this
may probably be read as 8,000 of each arm, since, from the facts
that such a considerable deduction has to be made for stragglers,
and that a garrison of 3,000 infantry and 500 cavalry was left in
Reading after the Newbury battle, and in addition a force was
placed in Donnington Castle, it certainly seems that the army of
the Royalists was far more numerous than the historian would
lead us to believe. Rudge, in his ' History of Gloucester,' indeed,
computes the King's forces as 30,000 strong, which is doubtless
an exaggeration ; and Lord Byron states that the army before
Gloucester was the greatest the King had during the war; so that
the estimate of 10,000 men for the Royalist force that fought
afterwards at Newbury is probably fairly accurate. Clarendon
also bears this out in his statement that the King's army con-
tained " above 8,000 horse " when his Majesty left Gloucester. |[
* Gwynne's 'Milit. Memoirs/ pp. 36 37.
t E. Wafburton's ' Prince Rupert,' vol. ii. 291.
\ Rapin's 'Hist. Eng.', vol. ii p. 478.
|| Clarendon, ' Life,' vol. i. p. 164.
8 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Prince Rupert's detachment, therefore, may well have num-
bered 3,000 sabres, exclusive of the regiments sent, as will be
seen hereafter, under Hurry to harass the rear of the Parliamen-
tary forces ; and their order of march was such as to offer every
advantage to such a dashing cavalier as the nephew of King
Charles. Essex's column of infantry was moving with wide inter-
vals " between their divisions ; " and his cavalry, though in actual
presence of the enemy, did little to ascertain where that enemy
was. The opportunity was a good one for a bold and intelligent
adversary; for a force of all arms indifferently accustomed to
combined action would, as all history tells us, be subject to grave
disadvantage if attacked under these circumstances. Lord
Byron, after describing the position of the Parliamentary Army
on Aldbourne Chase as of "great advantage for our horse," says
" we were so placed that we nad it in our power both to charge
their horse in flank and at the same time to have sent another
party to engage their artillery, yet that fair occasion was omitted,
and the enemy allowed to join all their forces together, and
then we very courageously charged them." It is a most noticeable
fact that the Parliamentary army was singularly unaccustomed,
at this time, to the movement of mixed bodies. To keep so
great a distance between the different fractions was, from every
point of view, likely to lead to disaster, inasmuch as each
might be taken individually, and thus the value of the united
force be entirely destroyed.
This skirmish, which took place on the open down about two
miles to the north-west of the village of Aldbourne, is graphically
referred to in two contemporary tracts, which give both the
Royalist and Parliamentarian version of the affair. In Robert
Codrington's "Life and death of the Earl of Essex," the author,
after an account of the siege of Gloucester, relates that " From
hence [Cirencester] his Excellence marched into Wiltshire, and,
being advanced towards Auburn Hills, he had a sight of his
Majesty's horse, which appeared in several great bodies, and were
so marshalled to charge our army of foot, being then on their
march in several divisions; which caused our foot to unite
themselves into one gross, our horse perpetually skirmishing
with them, to keep them off the foot. In the meantime, the
dragoons on both sides gave fire in full bodies on one another, on
the side of the Hill, that the woods above, and the vallies below,
did echo with the thunder of the charge. There were about
fourscore slain upon the place, and more than as many more
were sorely wounded.
" Our horse also made great impression upon the Queen's regi-
ment of horse, and charged them again and again, and cut in
pieces many of her life-guard. In this service, the Marquis of
Vivile was taken prisoner : it seems he would not be known who
he was; but endeavouring to rescue himself from a Lieutenant
PRINCE RUPERT.
From the portrait by YANDYKE.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBUEY. 9
that took him Prisoner, and thereupon, having his head almost
cloven asunder with a pole ax, he acknowledged himself, in
the last words he spoke, which were, Vous voyez un grand
Marquis mourant; that is, You see a great Marquis dying. His
dead body was carried to Hungerford by the Lord General's
command. It had not been long there, but the King did send a
Trumpet to his Excellency, conceiving that the Marquis had
been wounded only, and taken Prisoner, and desired that his
Chirurgeons and Doctors might have free Access unto him for his
Recovery. His Excellency certified the Trumpet that he was
dead, and returned his Body to the King, to receive those funeral
rites as his Majesty would give it. Some say, that his body was
ransomed for three hundred Pieces of Gold." This latter statement
is borne out by Whitelock in his Memoirs, who further narrates
that the money was divided by Essex among his soldiers: and
that this statement, as to the disposal of the body of the Marquis,
is probable may be inferred from the fact that the registers of the
Parish Church of Hungerford, though containing records of the
burial of soldiers, make no reference to any who are of higher
rank or greater note.*
Monsieur de Larrey observes in reference to the Marquis :
"The French, who never fail of illustrating the actions of their
countrymen, extol the prowess of Chartre, Persans, and Beaveau,
[and Vieuville-f-] four of their heroes who were in this engagement
near Hungerford. These came over with the Count de Harcourt,
whom the young King Lewis the 14 th , or rather the Queen
Regent, sent into England, in quality of Ambassador Extraordin-
ary, to negociate a reconciliation between the King and the
Parliament : these four lords suffering themselves to be carried
away with the fire natural to their nation, and forgetting the
occasion of their journey, came and offer'd their services to the
King, and were actually in the battle. It cost the Marquis of
Vieuville his life, for he was killed by Col. Kilson, whom he had
wounded and was pursuing with too much obstinacy; and the
bravery of these four adventurers was the occasion of the
Ambassador's negociation proving abortive. For the Parliament,
resenting his partiality, would not hearken to his proposals.
This was what they signified to him by the Earls of Stamford
and Salisbury, who were deputed by the two Houses. The
ambassador excus'd it as an imprudent action, which he said
could not be imputed to him; and for which the other had been
* The Aldbourne Registers are blank during the period of the Civil War, and
they do not recommence until 1646; but in the Hungerford Registers, are the
following entries: 1643, Sept. 18, buried four soldiers: Sept 25, buried another
.soldier: Oct. 4, Henry Chorb'.ey a soldier. It would seem from the dates that
these were some of the victims of the skirmish above described. Had de Vieuville
teen interred there, doubtless it would have been mentioned.
t This name is omitted in the text, but referred to in a marginal note. See
Clarendon's Hist. v. ii, p. 346.
C
10 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
sufficiently punish'd by the death of one of their companions:
but these excuses were rejected. Even he himself was accus'd as
coming rather as a spy than an ambassador, and with a design
rather to foment the troubles than to appease them." *
The Royalist's account is somewhat more lengthy, as may be
expected, and they evidently view the affair of Aldbourne Chase
as a minor victory, though the success was so partial as scarcely
to make it worth claiming. Still their preliminary movements
were not unskilfully taken, for while Col. Hurry with 1,000
troopers was dispatched to harass the rear, the remainder
of the cavalry under Rupert himself moved off to intercept
and assail the head of the hostile column. Here let the
Royalist writer, "a noble person from the South," tell the
story in his own words. " It was our good lucke to cross his
army just as our party had overtaken it upon the open Downe,
two miles on the north-west side of Auburne. The Rebells des-
crying us drew up in Battalia, leaving onely a body of some 200
Horse upon a Hill, somewhat distant from the Grosse of their
Army, which we found means so to steale upon with Hurryes
party, as to charge and rout them, and taking two Cornetts, and
killing forty or fifty Men, without any losse on our part, we beat
them into their Foot, and Cannon; upon which occasion we dis-
covered such evident symptomes of feare and distraction in their
whole Army, as that the Prince was well nigh tempted from his
temper, and was once resolved to have charged with three thous-
and Horse alone; their whole Army consisting of two thousand
Horse, and five thousand Foot at least, and store of Cannon. But
newes arriving at the instant, That our Foot was beyond expecta-
tion, advanced within six or seven Miles of us, it imposed upon
his Highnesse prudence this caution, not to adventure upon
halfe our strength, that rest, which the next day he might be
sure to fight for with double power: Upon whicn consideration
he made a stand, resolving that night, onely to attend them and
hinder their March. We had not stood long, when we discovered
that the enemy prepared for a retreat, and by degrees drew
away their Baggage first, then their Foot, leaving their Horse at a
good distance from them. The Prince his designe hereupon,
was, to have charged them, when halfe their forces should have
been drawne off the field into those Lanes whereunto their
Baggage was already advanced, But their Motions being so very
slow, and the Night drawing on; upon second thoughts, his
Highnesse judged it the best course, to try if by a small party
he could ingage their Horse, which was then grown to be a good
distance from their Foot. This party he committed to the care
of Hurrey, with two Regiments onely neer at hand to second
* History of the Reign of King Charles I, Lond. 1716, ypl ii., pp 1656. An
excellent portrait of the Marquis de Vieuville was formerly in the collection of the
Duke of Buckingham at Stowe.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 11
him, keeping the Body of his Horse at such a distance, as might
incourage the enemy to venture on that sever'd part, which they
did with a little too much incouragement, for to say the truth,
the Regiment that should have seconded Hurrey, not doing their
part so well as they ought, forced his party almost to make
somewhat a disorderly retreat, and the Prince to send hasty
succours to them; which the Queenes Regiment (commanded by
my Lord Jermine) was ordered to doe, which his Lordship per-
formed with much galantry, being received very steadily by a
strong Body of the enemies' Horse, and with a composednesse in
the Officer that commanded them, very remarkable, for his
Lordship advancing before his Regiment, with the Marquesse of
Viville on one hand, and the Lord Digby on the other, the
enemies volley of Carbines (given them smartly at lesse than
ten yards) being past, the Commander (somewhat forwarder
than the rest) was plainly seen to prye into their Countenances,
and removing his levell from one to another to discharge his
Pistoll, as it were by election at the Lord Digbyes head, but
without any more hurt (saving onely the burning of his face) then
he himselfe received by my Lord Jerman's sword, who (upon the
Lord Digbyes Pistoll missing fire) ran him with it into the back:
but he was as much beholding there to his Arms, as the Lord
Digby to his head-piece. Immediately upon this shock, the
Queene's Regiment was so charged in the reare by a fresh body
of theirs, that the greatest part of it shifting for themselves, the
Lord Jermine accompanied with the French Marquesse, and the
Officers onely of his regiment thought it as safe a way, as well as
the most honourable to venture forward through their whole
Army, rather than to charge back through those that invironed
him, and so with admirable successe (the unhappy losse of that
gallant Marquesse excepted) he brought himselfe, foure Coullers,
and all his Officers off safe, having made their way round
through the grosse of the Enemies foot. The Lord Digby (being
stunn'd and for' the present blinded with his shot,) was fortun-
ately received out of the middle of a Regiment of the Enemies by
a brave Charge, which Prince Rupert in Person made upon them
with His own Troope, where in His Highnesse Horse was shot in
the Head under Him; but yet by God's blessing brought him off.
And so the Enemies' Horse being beaten quite up to their Foot and
Cannon, the night comming upon us, gave a Period tothat action."*
After this the Royalists proceeded towards Newbury, and the
Parliamentarians to Hungerford, where crossing the Kennet they
also prepared for a further advance towards the former town,
though by the opposite bank of the stream. It is evident that
Essex had originally designed to proceed to Reading by the London
Road on the left bank or the river, but the sudden irruption of
* A Copy of a Letter written to his Excellence the Marquesse of Newcastle by a
noble person from the South, &c., &c., 1643, p. 5, et seq.
12 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Rupert's Cavalry led him of necessity to change his plan. If
the skirmish was not completely successful, it at any rate forced
the Parliamentarians off their direct road and compelled them
to place an obstacle between themselves and their pursuers.
Throughout it must be borne in mind that Essex's chief desire
was to reach London. To fight his way there was apparently
not his intention, if it could be avoided. But the cavalry action
delayed him by driving him off the London Road, and enabled the
King's Infantry to reach Newbury, and thus the Royal Army
appeared in menacing force on the flank of the line of march of
the Parliamentarians, obliging the Earl to form front to his
flank and attempt to defeat the King before he continued his
advance towards the Capital. Probably he hoped to pass the
Kennet at Newbury; but having failed there, he chose the next
available passage, that of Padworth, after the battle on the
20th September had been decided in his favour. The skirmish,
however, though well conceived and, as we have seen, partially
successful, was but feebly executed. The opportunity afforded
by the lengthy division of the Earl's column of march on open
ground, for a demoralizing blow at the Army of the Parliament was
almost lost through the want of order and method of the attack.
"The Armies" writes Byron again, "were then drawne so near
together that it was impossible the enemy could avoid fighting
with us if we pleased, and hereupon a fourth error may be
observed, for notwithstanding the necessity there was of fighting
(at least if they persisted in their marching to London and we in
ours of preventing them) yet no orders were given out for the
manner of our fighting and how the army should be embattled
as usually is done on the like occasions." Skill must be combined
with courage to reap the full fruits of victory; and these only
partially rested with the troopers of the King, for the army of the
Parliament made good its march to Hungerford though it left
behind it according to the 'Mercurius Aulicus' " 17 carts heavily
laden with ammunition and victual, three whereof were bullet,
the rest wheat and other provisions, leaving there also the
1,000 sheep (previously mentioned) tyed by the legs, 200 whereof
were at once restored to their owners, the rest left till those who
had a just right to them should come and claim them."* Both
sides suffered considerable loss in this encounter. Of the officers
of the Parliament, Capt. Middleton and Capt. Hacket are recorded
as being slain. Whitelock estimates the killed on both sides at
about 80; and the 'True Informer' of September 23rd, 1643,
says "Of persons of note slain on the King's side in the skirmish
was the Marquis of Vieuville, his son, and Sir John Throgmorton,"
but this appears to be one of the frequent exaggerations of party
pamphleteers. Sir Robert Throckmorton held the title at this
* 'Mercurius Aulicus,' Friday, October 6th, 1643.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 13
time and died in 1650. Two of the Throckmortons, Colonels Am-
brose and Thomas, were in the service of King Charles, but it is
not recorded in any other account of the skirmish that either fell
here, or that the Marquis de Vieuville had a son killed in the
action. Some traces of the fight were found in May, 1815, when
the workmen, in widening the turnpike road from Swindon to
Hungerford, exhumed sixty skeletons on removing a bank at
Preston at the spot where the parishes of Aldbourne and Rams-
bury join, a few yards from the turning leading to the latter
place. The skeletons were those of young men and lay scattered
about two feet below the surface. The bones were placed in
carts and conveyed to the churchyards of Aldbourne and Rams-
bury where they were re-interred. If, as in all probability, these
remains were those of the soldiers slain in the skirmish on the
Chase, it is a singular coincidence that the boundary-line of two
parishes should have been chosen, as at Newbury, for the place of
burial for the slain. It is probable that as this "running fight"
extended over both parishes, the parochial authorities undertook
jointly to gather up and inter the dead, the union point of their
respective parishes being selected as significant of the mutual
character of their obligation, and also as an enduring landmark.
A considerable portion of this bank, which has the appearance of
having been artificially raised, still remains at the side of the
road, and can be identified by a row of fir trees growing at the
top. In Love's Coppice, about 1,500 yards west from where the
bodies were found, a large number of silver coins of Elizabeth,
James I., and Charles I. were discovered some few years ago, the
greater portion of which came into the possession of the late
Major Seymour, of Crowood, on whose property the wood is
situate, who had them melted up and made into a tankard.
A tradition exists, that during "The Troubles" many of the
inhabitants of Ramsbury, fearful of being plundered and of losing
their lives, took shelter in this wood; these coins may have been
buried at this time by one of the refugees, and by some accident
never again recovered.
To return to the King. With the foot and artillery his Majesty
continued to advance steadily, and on Sunday morning, Sept.
17th, wrote to Prince Rupert, by John Ashburnham, as follows:
"May it please your Highness, His Majesty hath commanded me
to let your Highness know that he has 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 Letter furn-
ished with provisions for his army, and being the straighter way, will
save three or four miles march. It is within 5 miles of Farrington,
whither his Majesty desires you would advertise him this night of
your proceedings. * * * Sir, your most humble Servant, JOHN
ASHBURNHAM. Northleach, 12 o'clock, Sept. 17th, 1643."*
* E. Warburton's 'Prince Rupert,' vol. ii, 289.
14 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
The same evening another letter, written by Lord George Digby,
was sent by the King:
"May it please your Highness, The King hath received your High-
ness'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
Alnesscott; his Majesty's desire therefore is that if your intelligence
of the Rebells not being further advanced 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 tomorrow. As we looke uppon the map here, supposing that
Essex points for Reading, we conceive 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. Alnesscott, 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."*
The next morning Charles dispatched another missive to
Kupert, in reply to a letter from the Prince, this time written
by the Duke of Richmond:
"Your Highness. I have let the King see what you writt, who
approves of all in it, and will accordingly perform his part, only
desires to have certain knowledge when Essex moved, or shall move
from Cricklade, that if His Majesty's annie can arrive time enough
(which he will the presently he receives the answer), he will take up his
quarters at or about Wantage, so as to reach Newbury as you propose,
but if that cannot be, he is loth to wearie the foot after so great a march
as they have had, which you know infers that many are behind. Last
night my Lord Digby writt to your Highness by the King's order
upon the receipt of yours from Stamford, to which I can add what is
only known since, that besides Yavasour and some other forces, Wood-
house will, I feel confident, come to-day with the Prince of Wales's
regiment, say 700. * * * The motion of our armie depends much
on the advertisement from you will give information. RICHMOND and
LEXOX, September 18, at 1, morning, "f
After a brief halt at Faringdon, where the King dined, the
troops were soon again on the move; and that evening they reached
Wantage, his Majesty sleeping at the house of Sir Geo. Wilmot
at Charlton. Thither Rupert sent an express messenger to the
King urging him to advance with all speed in the direction of
* E. Warburton's ' Prince Rupert,' vol. ii, p. 290.
t The above extract has been made through the courtesy of G. A. Day, Esq.,
with the kind permission of V. F. Benett-Stanford, Esq., M.P., a descendant of
Colonel Benett, Prince Rupert's Secretary, from one of the many original letters
recently discovered at Pyt House, Wilts.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 15
Newbury, as Essex was now fairly on his way to that place, the
possession of the town being the object chiefly aimed at by the
enemy. The Prince meanwhile marched with his horse from
Aldbourne to Lamborne, where he refreshed his wearied troopers,
and then eagerly pressed onwards to anticipate the Earl of Essex
and check his progress. He was just in time, not a minute
too soon; for arriving at Newbury early on Tuesday morning,
the 19th September, he found the Lord General's advanced
guard already in the town, engaged in preparing quarters for the
on-coming troops of the Parliament.* With scarcely a moment's
halt, the leading squadron of the King's troops, headed by the
untiring Rupert, confronted the startled Parliament men who
were ignorant of the nearness of the royal cavalry, but who,
perceiving that resistance with so small a force was useless,
made a precipitate flight, leaving several of their quarter-masters
in the hands of the enemy. Troop after troop now poured
into the town, which the Prince secured, and left Essex to the
scanty resources of its immediate vicinity.
The march of the Eoyal Army from Gloucester had been thus
conducted:
NIGHTS. MILKS.
"Sept. 14. To Evisham . . .. ..24
16. To SnowsMU . . .. . 16
,, 17. To Norlich [Northleach] dinner, Als-
cot, supper . . . . 1 12
18. To Faringdon dinner, to Wantage Sir
George Wilmot's, [Charlton]
supper and bed . . . . 1 10
,, 19. Dinner in the field Newbury, to supper
and bed Mr. Cox's, and on Wed-
nesday, the 20th, the great battle
was struck there . . . . 410
,, 23. To Oxford during pleasure .. 20"
Iter CaroUnum.
NOTE. The actual distance from Wantage to Newbury and from the
latter town to Oxford somewhat exceeds that above stated.
A few hours later, the brilliant troop of Life Guards, composed
of the noblest and wealthiest cavaliers, who had no separate
command, with casque and plume and glittering cuirass came
moving on in stately and martial style. They heralded the
approach of the ill-starred but gallant King, who, conspicuous in
his steel armour, and on whose breast glittered the Star and
George, rode at the head of his infantry. The young Prince of
Wales (who held the rank of Captain of horse) was by his side;
and for the first time during the war entered the good old town of
Newbury, so soon to be associated with events of the deepest
significance in connection with the great national revolution.
* 'Mercurius Aulicus,' September 19, 1643.
16 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Lord Clarendon computes the amount of income possessed by
this single troop as at least equal to that of all the Lords and
Commons [in London] who made and maintained that war.
Sir Philip Warwick, who tells us he himself "rode therein," com-
putes this income at 100,000 per annum, equal, perhaps, to
three times that sum according to our present standard. *
Newbury was the pivot, so to speak, around which much of
the fighting, during the Civil War, in the southern part of
England for a long period centred.
Its history goes far back into mediaeval time. The Manor and
Lordship, wnich had previously passed through a variety of
hands,f were by letters patent, 1 Edward IV., 1460-1, granted
by that monarch to his mother Cecilia, Duchess of York, for
life, in recompense for her jointure, and from its description
in this Instrument as "the manor and lordship of Newbury,
with the borough of Newbury "\ the town had been probably
incorporated, or was a borough by prescription, at a much
earlier period than is generally supposed. Whilst held by the
Crown the Manor was frequently assigned as a jointure to
the Queens of England. Henry VIII. granted it to his Queen,
Lady Jane Seymour; and James I. assigned it as a dower to
Queen Anne, of Denmark, mother of Charles I. The latter
made over the Manor to the Corporation of Newbury , in consi-
deration of 50 and an annual payment of 20 4s. 2^d., in
answer to the following petition for its purchase, presented to
Parliament: ||
"Kt. Honble. That the Mair, Aldermen, and Burgesses might
take the Manor and liberties thereof in fee farme. Your honble.
House hath bin informed that the said suite is only the desire of
some few within the town, and not general, and yet that your
honble. House hath bin obliged to admit the said Corporation to
compound for the same, make bold to testifie your honble. House
that we specially desire the said Corporation to be possessed
thereof before any other. Wee having good experience of their
great love and regard for the welfare of the Town and of helping
to safe [save] the poor inhabitants thereof in all taxes and pay-
ments within the town that they possibly can, and in keeping
the town in good order, for which your honble favour shewed to
* E. Warburton's 'Prince Rupert,' vol. i, p. 422.
t See " Hist. Newbury," and Godwin's " Worthies of Newbury."
J Rot. Pat. Edw. IV., pt. 4, m. 1. Pub. Rec. OS.
The lands which comprise a portion of the Manor of Newberry, Co. Cork,
Ireland, are said to have been granted by the Crown to Capt, Newman, an ancestor
of its present possessor, for his eminent services in the battle of the 20th September,
the name of ' Newberry' being bestowed on the property in commemoration of the
circumstance.
|| Copied from a contemporary duplicate of the original in the Corporation
archives.
THE FIHST BATTLE OF NEWBURY, 17
them in their behalf, wee and all our posteritie with many more
shall be each bound to pray to God for your honbles. long life and
prosperous estate.
William Howes, Mair.
Gabriell Coxe, the elder. Thomas Chokke. Richard Money.
William Twisse (Rector). William Grove. Timothie Avery.
Thomas Dolman, Robert Daunoe. William Wilmot.
&c. &c. &c.
Like many other places engaged in the staple manufacture
of England woollen cloth, the town of Newbury was well affected
to the Parliament The reasons are not far to seek. Besides
being influenced by religion and a sense of independence, the
inhabitants of manufacturing towns had especially suffered from
the monopolies and extortions which had raised the price of
necessaries and shackled the enterprise of trade. Again, the
Protestant Nonconformists were a numerous and influential body,
and in the same ranks, says Macaulay,* were to be found most
of those members of the Established Church, who still adhered
to the Calvinistic opinions, which, forty years before, had been
generally held by the prelates and clergy. Such a man was
Dr. Twisse, the Puritan Rector of Newbury, whose teaching must
have exercised a decided influence in forming the opinions of the
town and neighbourhood. Newbury had also, from its position
on the great western road, its proximity to Oxford, the King's
head-quarters, and the royal garrisons at Donnington, Basing,
Faringdon, and Wallingford, suffered perhaps to a greater extent
than any other town in the kingdom from the disastrous effects
of this unhappy war. Its inhabitants were therefore induced by
the strongest motives to espouse the cause of Parliament.
The following letters, written by members of each party, will
enable the reader to form an impartial view of the proclivities
of the people of Newbury at this juncture:
Lord Grandison to Prine Rupert.
Marlboro' 8 Dec. [1642].
May itt please your High 68 - I know not how well to give credite to
it, but there is two gentlemen nowe come from Newberie frighted from
thence the lastt nightt by intelligence they had of some of the enemies
forces were to come into Newberie invited thether by the townsmen, who
have only reported the plague to bee there to keepe the filing's troopes
oute, how slight soever this may be, sure I AM THAT DISAFFECTED
TOWNE CAN NOTT BEE TO MUCH PUNISHED BY YOTTB HlGH 8 - for att my
coming from Basingstoke they stopped all our baggage and had.
detained itt butt thatt they hered wee were strong enough to reveng
itt. The Sherife of this Countie intends to be heer this day to order
some things for his Maj ties - service, these same are the reasons thatt
keept mee a day in this burnt and plundered quarter. * * *
From your High 68 most humble faithful servant, GBANDISON.
* Hist, of Eng. vol. i, p. 106.
18 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
This letter, from the Pyt House Collection, appears to hard
been written immediately after the capture and plunder of
Marlborough by the Royalists ("the most notoriously disaffected
town of all the country," says Clarendon). This was the first
garrison taken on either side; when a great part of the town
was burnt. Lord Grandison died from the effects of wounds
received at the siege of Bristol the following year.
Two days previously the Earl of Essex wrote to the Parlia-
mentary Colonels Goodwin and Hurry:
Srs, Since I receiv'd your letter I have had information that
Marlborough has been 2 days assaulted by the King's forces [Essex
here gives instructions to the two Colonels to march with, all speed to
its relief]. * * * You have Newberry, a very honest totcne, to march
to in ye way, where you may encourage forces to follow you, and it is
a very good, place to assist you upon all occasions. Your assured friend,
Windsor, Dec. 6, 1642, 8 o'clock at night. ESSEX.
Endorsed for Col. Goodwin, Col. Hurry, or either of them. *
Col. Goodwin, on his return to Newbury from Marlborough,
gave the following account of his proceedings in a letter without
superscription, but probably addressed to Philip, Lord Wharton,
his son-in-law, with whom he was in frequent correspondence
at this time:
My Lord, "We have had many painful journies since I saw you,
but none like that of Thursday, when we missed meeting the King's
forces, and only because we could not get out our dragoons till noon.
We went then on to Wantage, where were 3 regiments, 1 of horse,
1 of foot, 1 of dragoons, and my Lord Digby with certain ladies, they
had intelligence before we came up, which was in dark night, and
hasted away, we caught about 50 prisoners, my Lord Jermyn's lady
and 3 or 4 other women, Sir Eobt. Lee and his broth r - and there were
some thirty slaine, some ammunition was left, which, because we could
not bring away was spoyled. I can write no more to night, the rather
because I must be up by 5 in the morning to visit Andover, where my
Lord Grandison is, they say, with 3,000 horse and dragoons, but I
hope not so many. I think I shall run away and be with you shortly
for we are all most abominable plunderers, as bad as Prince Eobert
[Rupert], and shall be as much, hated, as when complaints come, I am
ashamed to look an honest man in the face, truly, it is as bad to me as
a bullet. It is now nearing morning, excuse me to all my friends :
the Lord be with you all. Yours ever to command. A. GK, Newbury.
Sunday morninge, Dec. [12th]. P.S. Our letters to my Lord Genl.
surely are intercepted. f
In a letter written by Col. Dalbier J from Newbury and pre-
sented to the House of Lords by the Committee of Oxon, Bucks,
and Berks, requesting the payment of the forces under his
Tanner MSS., Bibl. Bodl. v. 62/2.
t fnrfe's M?S.. Txsttorp, Hibl. Hodl. v. 103. For particulars of this service at
Miirlb'roujih nrrl \Vntijri'. foe \\ ay'.en's Hist. Marlb., pp. 166 9.
written I> Albier, Dalbiere, or Dalbier.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 19
command then lying in the town, it was ordered by their
Lordships, "That some course be speedily and effectually taken
for the maintenance of these forces, lest they disband and be
lost, and that town [Newbury] which hath on all occasions
manifested so much affection for the Parliament come again
within the power of the enemy."*
From all this it will be seen that, though the town was fre-
quently in the Royalists' hands, and the neighbouring Castle of
Donnington maintained a royal garrison during the whole of the
years 1643 to 1646, the general sympathy of the people was
rather with Roundhead than with Cavalier.
To the Royalist cause it was a place of great military value.
Situated as it is on one of the most ancient and important passages
of the Kennet, it is a place of considerable strategical importance.
If occupied by an enemy, it menaced the main roads leading from
the west by Reading to London; and for the Royalist Army, based
as it was on Oxford, its possession enabled them to intercept any
movement that might be attempted in the Kennet Valley, while
their own line of retreat was completely covered. In addition to
this, Donnington Castle, an ancient fortress the strength of which
had been enormously increased by the construction of field-
works of good trace and profile, further protected a retrograde
movement if it became necessary, and acted, so to speak, as an
advanced fort on this side of the Thames. The castle was at the
time held by a staunch Royalist, Sir John Boys, and was situated
about one mile north of Newbury near the Oxford road, which it
completely commanded. South of the town, the ground rises
Eadually to a narrow plateau occupying the area between the
ennet and the En or Wash Rivulet, the western extremity of
which towards Hungerford was known as Enborne Heath, and
the eastern, in the immediate neighbourhood of Newbury, as
Wash Common, over which the road from Oxford to Southampton
passed. It was on this latter portion of the high land that the
First Battle of Newbury was fought. So that while the Army
of Essex, which had crossed the Kennet at Hungerford, was
moving on the outer arc, as it were, to gain the passages of the
stream lower down and so reach Reading, that of the King, after
the cavalry skirmish just described on Aldbourne Chase, was
marching by the shorter chord and had occupied the town as
well as the fields to the South of it before their adversaries had
reached the Wash. The option of giving or refusing battle
therefore rested with the King, and as he encamped his troops
on the night of 19th September in the fields below the heights
his choice had evidently been made.
Meanwhile the Parliamentary General, after the engagement
on Aldbourne Chase, marched to the Eastward under dis-
* Journal of Ho. of Lords, 8 Jan., 1C45.
10 THI FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURT,
couraging circumstances. "We were much distressed," says
one of his men, for want of sleep as also for other sustenance,
It was a night of much rain and we were wet to the skin."
In passing through the principal street of Aldbotirne on his-
way to Hungerford, two of nis ammunition wagons unfortunately
broke down, but to prevent their falling into the hands of the
enemy, matches were put to them and they were left to explode.
This proved some hindrance to the pursuers, and the Earl
managed to reach Chilton without further interference. Here
some of his army lodged that night in the fields. Others were at
Hungerford. Essex himself quartered at Chilton House.* The
army of the Parliament suffered greatly from want of food and
from exposure of the weather, and for three days could get no
supplies for man or horse beyond the scanty stock they carried with
them. The enemy's force followed them so closely, and the royalist
horse were so far above them in number that they could not with
any safety send out parties to forage, as their opponents did.
fey six o'clock on Tuesday morning, 19th September, Essex
and his troops again met at Hungerford -f where what little
sustenance could be obtained was portioned out to the men.
The order to march was soon given, and the columns of the
Parliament, with the brave Earl leading the van, advanced on
their eventful enterprise.
The route taken by Essex, who appears even at this time to
have been ignorant of the King's intentions, and not to have
anticipated his rapid movements, was through Kintbury and
Hamstead to Enborne by the road parallel with, and south of the
Kennet; but on approaching Newbury, where he had designed
to quarter, he found to his surprise that his advanced guard had
been dislodged and driven out, and that the King occupied the
town and its approaches. Thereupon he drew his army into a
favourable position in the fields screened by the woods at Enborne,
* Chilton House, at this time, appears to have heen the property of Mr. John
Packer, proprietor of Donnington Castle. His second son, John, a Fellow of the
Royal College of Physicians of London, described himse'f in his Will dated
1*1 Jane, 1703, as of Chilton-Foliatt, Wilts. It was at Dr. Packer's house at
Chilton that the Marquis of Halifax, the Earl of Nottingham, and Lord Godolphin,
the Commissioners appointed by James II. to treat with the Prince of Orange,
Blept on the night of Friday, 7th, December 1688. Chi 'ton Lodge another seat in
this village was the property of the eminent Cromwellian statesman Sir Bulstrod*
Whitelock, and here the "Memorials" and other works were chiefly written. lie
died at Chilton, in 1675, and was buried at Fawley, near Henley-on-Thames,
but there is no memorial of him in the church. His widow, Lady Whitelock,
died at Chilton, in 1684.
t Hungerford Park, with all manorial rights within its limits, had been granted
by the Crown in 1595 to the Trustees of Essex's unfortunate father, who was
beheaded in 1601. There was no house in Hungerford Park when granted to the
Earl of Essex, and it is not improbable he was the builder of the ancient mansion
pulled down by a later owner, Mr. Dalbiac, at the east end of which were the arms
of Queen Elizabeth : a large and lofty room over the servant's hall was called
Queen Elizabeth's room. Lyaons' Magna Britannia, vol. i. p. 296.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBUBY. 21
and here encamped; his men, notwithstanding all the perils and
trials of a long and toilsome march, being "lull of courage and
in no way disheartened at their hard service:" Essex himself
it is said, sought shelter in a poor thatched cottage, which still
stands as the Lord General's traditional resting place.*
He found himself in a position of consiclerable difficulty
and danger. It was essential, for his plans, that he should
convey his army as far as possible intact to London, and his
object would have been gained by avoiding a general action
altogether. But speed was also essential, and with ill disciplined
troops, the inferior equipment, cumbrous artillery, baggage, and
supply-trains of those times, the shortest road was more than
ever the quickest. Divergence from the most direct route was
not only difficult and slow of execution, both from the want of
accurate maps or information, and the want of experience in
directing the movements of large bodies of men, but also from
the inferior nature of all the roads save those that formed the
great arteries of communication. But there was yet another
reason. The land was not so well drained in those days as in
ours. Low lands were more liable to periodical inundations, and
were therefore more generally impassable to men and horses,
let alone wheeled vehicles; and naturally dry heath or high land,
such as characterises the ridge of hills between the Kennet and
the En Brook, afforded as a rule more ready and more certain
facilities for marching. Hence it was that, even at the risk of a
battle, the line of advance was directed in front of Newbury by
Crockham, Greenham, and Crookham Heaths on London.
The presence of the Royalist Army at Newbury, the possession
therefore of all the points of passage of the river in this neigh-
bourhood, and the occupation of the London Road, all compelled
him to execute that most difficult of all manoeuvres, a flank
march in the presence of the enemy.
Military criticism on the Earl's difficulties seems almost unne-
cessary. It is evident that to pass by the hostile force without
offering battle exposed him to three dangers; an attack on his left
flank as he passed, an assault on his rear after he had passed,
and the possible capture of his baggage which would move by
the best road and in rear of his columns. The first danger
would lead to his defeat in detail, for the left wing would have
had to stand the attack of the whole of the King's Army perhaps
before the right wing could come to its assistance, thus breaking
through the common principle of never offering your divided
* Bigg's Cottage, where local tradition records Essex slept the night before the
battle, is a time-worn old tenement, apparently of an age anterior to these eve<its,
situate at the foot of Bigg's II ill (hereafter refeired to) on th^ borders of what
was formerly Enborne Heath or Down, and in about the centre of Essex's position.
The occupier of the cottage states that, in clearing out a well near the spot some
yean since, some coins of the Caroline period and a diamond ring were found.
22 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
fractions to the blows of a vastly superior force. The second
might have been still more disastrous, as the forces not arrayed
in battle order and marching along several roads might have
been both crushed and routed. The last danger was all
important, for without supplies of ammunition, let alone food,
large bodies of troops must either spread for forage and food and
become disorganized and scattered, or remain concentrated and
starve. There was, and is, but one way of effecting this strategic
manoeuvre, namely to place a sufficient obstacle between the
advancing force and the enemy, such as a river, which either
cannot be crossed or the passages of which are in the hands of
strong detachments of the force. But these conditions did not
obtain, for Newbury was then the Royal Head Quarters, so that
the Parliamentary Army could not hope to pass rapidly by,
while flanking detachments resisted the enemy's attempt to
debouch on the exposed flank. He was prevented from marching
by the roads south of the En, probably, both because of the wide
detour, which would have given the Royalists time to concentrate
larger forces, and, moving more rapidly than he by the better
roads in the Kennet Valley, again present themselves before
him under perhaps even more disadvantageous circumstances,
and also by the inferior character of the roads. So it was that
the Earl of Essex drew up his forces between the Kennet and
Bigg's Hill, resolved to cut his way through the army of the King,
should it attempt to bar his path to London.
Lord Essex's camping ground appears to have extended from
the irregularly enclosed fields on the left, which protected him
against a surprise by the Newbury and Kintbury Road, to
Crockhain Heath on the left. A natural ravine of some depth
sheltered him in front, whilst his left flunk had the protection of
the woods at Hamstead, and of the Kennet river, and his right
rested on the little river En. Here, with the rain falling in
torrents, no fire ! no food ! the weary but resolute soldiers of the
Parliament remained under arms all night "impatient of the
sloth of darkness, and wishing for the morning's light to exercise
their valour." Essex's dispositions were well made. An attack
by the Royalists along the Kintbury-Enborne-Newbury road
might have captured his baggage, and, if pushed successfully,
have "turned" his left flank, cutting him off from the best road of
retreat (that by Kintbury and Hungerford), and possibly driving
his army back in disorder on the En Brook.To cross this by bad
roads and few bridges would have led to the abandonment of his
artillery and baggage, to his being driven South and thus far off
his road to London, and have increased the demoralization and
disorder of his troops. Hence it is that his reserve guarded this
important road and took post at Enborne, while close to it lay the
strong left wing of the main army. By occupying so extended a
front as that from Enborne to the En he obtained other advan T
ROBERT DEVEREUX, EARL OF ESSEX.
From a scarce print in the British Museum.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 23
tages. His flanks, resting closely on the stream and on the
wooded headland of Hamstead Park, were not liable to be turned,
that is, the enemy could not get round them and attack his
flank or rear without his knowledge. Lastly with the large
force at his command, it was well to utilize as many roads as
possible, as at all times movement is easier by beaten tracks
than across country; and, so long as his forces were not too
widely disseminated, he displayed a sound appreciation of the
military situation in covering the three lines of advance by the
roads, Bigg's Hill Trundle Hill, Crockham Wash Common, by
Skinner's Green, Enborne Newbury, which led him out on to
the open land where he meant to give battle to the King. It
seems exceedingly probable that, though the artillery (marching
by the best road as all wheeled vehicles naturally would) may
have halted at the "Slings" near Enborne, it was eventually
brought up to Crockham Heath, both because its advance thence
could be directed by any of the roads to the front (then partly
in the occupation of the cavalier outposts) which might eventu-
ally seem best, and also because, being centrally situated, it
would be safer: artillery, always cumbrous, was terribly so then;
guns were easily captured, and difficult to move away. There,
however, they were not only in safety but, as in all times
good artillery positions are on high land because the extended
view thence enables the gunner to obtain the greatest possible ad-
vantage from the range the weapon has, the slow-moving guns of
the Parliamentary Army were at any rate somewhat nearer their
work, nearer their probable point of application, than down in
the low-lying road that led from Enborne to Newbury.
Essex, having completed all his arrangements, determined to
direct his attack against that position of the Royalist line on the
Wash which barred the upper way to London, rather than
attempt a passage through the town. In the stillness of the early
dawn the Parliamentary General, favoured by the cover which
sheltered his camping ground, got his men under arms; and,
riding from from regiment to regiment, he told his soldiers that
the enemy had all the advantages, "the Hill, the Town, Hedges,
Lane, and River;" but with calm determination they unanimously
cried out, "Let us fall upon them! We will, by God's assistance,
beat them from them all!"* and every man prepared himself
promptly for the desperate struggle.
"And you that know the gain at Newberry !
Seeing the General, how undauntedly
He then encouraged you for England's right!
When Royal forces fled, he stood the fight ! " f
The disposition of the army was effected with great military
* Vicar's Parl. Chron.
t " A Funerall Monument to the most renowned Earl of Essex," printed in
London, 1846.
24 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBUBT.
skill. The right, under Major General Skippon was on the rising
ground by "Biggs Hill" * and Hill Farm, extending along the
Enborne Valley towards the Wash, the centre on the plateau,
and the left in a more northerly direction towards Hamstead
(Crockham Heath). The baggage or train was placed in or near
what is now the front of Hamstead Park, opposite the Recto^,
Enborne, described in the Parish Map as "The Slings,"-f- under
the shelter of the Hamstead Woods; and here also was their
reserve both of horse and foot.
It has been said "there is no sound that ever rent the air so
terrible 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;" and during that
dread pause at Newbury many a fervent prayer was doubtless
offered up to the God of Battles by the true hearts that
abounded in both armies. They were prayerful men in those
days, though superstitious and believers in witchcraft, as will be
seen by the story of the death of the witch at Newbury, given in
the Appendix. Prayers were regularly put up at the head of
most regiments in both armies, even when arrayed for battle,
and each regiment had its own chaplain. The religious petitions
of the Parliamentarians were frequently drawn out to a great
length, while those of the Cavaliers were brief and to the
purpose, such as old Sir Jacob Astley's at the battle of Edgehill,
who dismounting from his horse, and taking a pike in his hand,
offered up the following prayer at the heaa of his troops;
Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day ; if I
forget Thee, do not Thou forget me. March on, boys!
No sooner had the mists of an autumn morning disclosed the
Royalists in battle array on the Wash, than Essex, anticipating
their tactics, began to move forward to meet the enemy. The left
division of his army under his own personal command, marched
from Crockham Heath to Skinner's Green, and took possession of
a neglected position of considerable military importance, a
rounded hill or spur in front of the lane leading from the Wash
to the Enborne road, from whence a battery could "command all
the plain before Newbury." *
J Biffgt Hill. The Hill referred to by Lord Clarendon and other writers on
the Civil Wars as the spot above Essex drew up his army in order of battle. This
Hill of considerable length and elevation, is near Hill Farm in the occupation
of Mr. George Heath, on the line of march of Essex from Kintbury vid Hamstead
village and Enborne Street. Biggs Hill is not marked in the old Ordnance Map,
but it comprises the portions of land marked in the Tithe Map, "The Common" and
" Hill Ground." Enborne Heath, Down, or Common was enclosed about 65 yeai s ago.
. t Ludlow, in his Memoirs, refers to " Slings " as a species of Artillery used by
the Parliamentarians.
* Lord Digby, in a letter written from Newbury the day after the battle, describes
this elevation as "a round hill from whence a battery could command all the plain
before Newbury;" this is literally the case. It is marked in the Parish Map.
"Hilly Ground."
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 25
Early next morning, September 20th, the royal standard was
moved forward, and floated proudly on the Wash. The King
stationed his left wing and centre upon the brow of the hill
sloping towards Newbury, his right wing resting on the low
ground in front of the town, where it was protected by hedges
lined by Dragoons.* The heavy guns were planted on a
roughly raised battery, remains of which still exist,f extending
from near the "Gun" public-house obliquely across the plateau,
whence they could play upon any attacking column advancing up
the hill, and open an enfilading fire on any flank movement of
Essex, should he show himself on the brow of the opposite
eminence. Whitelock corroborates this view. He states that the
King had on his right hand the advantage of the river, and on
the left a hill about half-a-mile from the town, where he had
planted his ordnance. Oldmixon adds, "by reason of this dis-
position the Parliamentarians had no passage to them, but
what was exposed to th^ fire of the enemy's cannon." And
that this position is the true one is proved further both by
the remains still existing and by the "Mercurius Aulicus,"
which, in relating the King's preparations the night before the
battle, informs us, that "The London pamphlets gape wide
upon Aulicus for saying the King at Newbury was forced to
fight for a place to fight on, still alledging that His Majesty on
the Tuesday night had his cannon planted on the hill. To
which I answer once for all, that their dead bodies left behind on
the place the next day manifest the contrary." As in all contro-
versies, there are two sides to the question whether the King
occupied the Common with his guns the night before the battle
or not; and in the statements of either side there is a basis of
truth. For though the Parliamentary writers may assert, and
truthfully enough, that the King had to fight from the early
morning of the 20th, in order to complete the deployment of his
troops for battle, it is not the less likely that the level ground of
the plateau was, at least partially, occupied the evening before.
The fact that the bulk of the King's army had encamped, late on
the afternoon of the 19th, after a wearisome march, on the fields
south of Newbury shows that, at any rate, the front of battle
taken up the next day from the En to the Kennet was not
assumed until the very morning of the great fight. Yet it is
probable that the entrenchment for the guns was chosen and
* " So called from ' Dragon,' as they fought in air or on the ground, mounted or
on foot. Except in cases of surprise, however, they seldom fired on horseback, and
never charged ; they were, in fact, infantry with horses, to enable them to make
more rapid movements : they were thrown forward to feel the way, skirmishing
from behind ditches as they advanced, or covering a retreat in the same fashion:
one man held 10 horses in the rear, while his comrades, their riders, fought. Their
long carbines were called ' dragons ' from the cock being made in that shape."
Orry's Art of War.
t See Plan of the Battle.
E
26 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
prepared the evening before the battle, though possibly it was
only partially armed.
'the scene on Wash Common this September morning has thus
been described in the picturesque language of Lord Carnarvon:
"There on the ground, the features of which to this day reflect
the local incidents of the battle, the two armies were drawn up
in hostile array. Could we recall that scene, how different,
probably, the features in either host! On the Parliamentarian
side you would have seen the Roundheads mustering in great
masses on the brow of that heathy hill, with their steeple-
crowned hats and basket-hilted swords, whilst from their dull-
featured, but resolute ranks there ascended the hum of some psalm,
invoking God, as of old, to strike for His chosen people, and to
smite the enemy; or there passed from mouth to mouth the
watchword, as at Marston Moor 'God with us;' or in the skilful
disposition of their array you might have distinguished the
different colours and insignia of each leader and his followers.
Here Lord Saye-and-Sele's men in blue; there Lord Brooke's in
purple; here some of Hampden's men in green; and there,
perhaps, Colonel Meyrick's regiment in grey; here, Sir Arthur
Haslerigg's cuirassiers, who went by the name of 'The Lobsters;'
and there, the London bands who turned the fortune of that
day, and who, as an old writer says, showed that they could use
a sword in the field as well as a met-wand in the shop, in their
well-known red uniform; whilst in the centre of the host, under
the guidance of the saturnine Essex, you might have seen his
followers with their orange colours, and have heard the homely
cry, with which they went to battle 'Hey for old Robin!' But
if you had cast your eye to the other side of the valley, you
would have witnessed a different scene. There you would have
seen the cavaliers and gentlemen, with their troops of tenants,
retainers, and servants, gathering fast around their standards, in
all the pride of strength and birth, and high spirit, their red
scarfs flaunting in the cool breeze of an autumn morning; their
spurs jingling, their plumes waving, their long hair (so much
abominated by the Puritan divines) floating on their shoulders;
in one word, with all that exquisite grace of dress and manner
which even yet breathes from the canvass of the great painter of
the day. They too had their watchword, as at Marston Moor,
'God and the King:' they too stood ranged in their different
battalia and under different leaders. Here Newcastle's 'Lambs'
as they were called, glistened in their white dresses; there Lord
Northampton's men, in green; here perhaps, rode Lunsford, as he
is described in the ballad, in his blue rocket, surrounded by his
fire-eating horse; while on the edge of the hill, under a black
banner, edged with yellow, and bearing the arms of the Palatine,
might have been seen Prince Rupert's impetuous cavalry, clothed
in their black uniform black, a fitting colour for that thunder-
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 27
storm of war which broke with resistless fury on the ranks of
the enemy."*
The relative situations of the two armies were greatly different.
The King possessed immense advantages if they had been pro-
perly turned to account. His army was strongly posted between
the enemy and London, well supplied with a great store of
provisions and other necessaries both for horse and man, which
the town and people of Newbury, on intelligence that Essex was
advancing towards them, had provided for his troops. -f- The
King's line of retreat was safe, and he had the town of Newbury
to protect him, had he found it necessary to fall back; while
the enemy was in want and shelterless, and must either fight or
starve. Though sensible of the strength of the position, even
the impetuous Kupert advised passive resistance instead of an
advance to meet the enemy; and the King himself, even while
conscious of his superiority, resolved to engage only on such
terms as should ensure success.
Essex's hopes, on the other hand, when he found himself out-
stripped in the race, were chiefly based on the supposition that
the King's troops were tired and unable to come to an actual
engagement, and strengthened by a confidence that Waller (his
old rival), who had been desired by the Parliament to advance to
the relief of his army, would be with him that night. But at
this time, Waller was quietly lying at Windsor, with 2,000 horse
and as many foot, quite unconcerned as to what might befall
the Earl at Newbury, as the Earl had been on his behalf at
Roundway Down; otherwise, had he advanced upon the King at
Newbury when the Earl was on the south side of the Kennet,
the Royalists might have been in great danger of an utter defeat.
The anxiety of the Royalists to gain the passages of the Kennet
on the road to London is equally evident. Referring again to
Lord Byron: he says, "the day following, both armies march't
as if it had been for a wager, which should come to Newbury
first, and it was our fortune to prevent them of that quarter,
and likewise of Donnington Castle."
On arriving at Newbury, J the King, finding Essex encamped so
close at hand, had no alternative but to prevent his further
advance, and without loss of time took up a position extending
from the town to Wash Common, where a portion of the horse
* 'Hampshire: Its early and later History'; being two Lectures delivered at the
Basingstoke Mechanics' Institution, by the Earl ot Carnarvon, 1857.
f 'The True Informer,' Sept. 23, 1643.
J The King during his stay in Newbury quartered at the house of the Mayor,
Mr. Gabriel Coxe. Afterwards when Charles II. who had been present with his father
in both engagements, visited the town in 1663, and went over the battle-fields,
Mr. Coxe presented a petition to his Majesty for payment of the expenses incurred
in entertaining and providing for the Koyal Suite; but it seems he obtained
no redress.
28 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
was already posted; his front was strengthened by several hasty
entrenchments, portions of which still remain, and every dispo-
sition was made for a vigorous contest.
Wash Common, before its enclosure and the construction of
modern roads, comprised a large area of land now under cultiva-
tion on both sides of the Andover Road from Newbury,
thus giving at the time of the battle a much more extended
field of operations than is now presented by the existing
terrain.
The hasty advance of the Parliamentary troops seems to have
led the Royalists to disregard the very common precaution of a
study of the ground. They in all probability pushed beyond the
town towards Wash Common by the main road leading south
out of Newbury; but the value of the rounded spurs near Skinner's
Lane, which commanded the whole of the low-lying ground
between the Town and the Wash, had escaped their notice either
through negligence or fatigue after their hasty march. Byron's
account fully bears out this view, he says, "Here another error
was committed, and that a most gross and absurd one, in not
viewing the ground, though we had day enough to have done it,
and not possessing ourselves of those hills above the town by
which the enemy was necessarily to march the next day to
Reading."
Owing to the close proximity of the two combatants the night
before the battle, several skirmishes ensued between advanced
parties of each army. In one sharp encounter between a party
of Royalist horse under Hurry and a detached body of the
enemy, Lord Percy was cut in the hand and Lord Jermyn had a
narrow escape, his head-piece being battered about his ears
and his eye injured. These attacks on the out-posts continued
till dark. Scouts were employed on either side to bring in
intelligence.
The Royal Army was commanded by King Charles in person;
Lord Forth,* subsequently created Earl of Brentford, being the
General immediately under the King. The Cavalry was led by
Prince Rupert and Sir John Byron, Lord Wilmot acting as
Lieutenant-General. The Foot was "ordered" by Sir Nicholas
Byron (uncle to Sir John, afterwards Lord Byron). Amongst
the more distinguished cavalier officers holding commands at
Newbury were the following Earls: Carnarvon, Lindsey,
Northampton, Nottingham, Cleveland, Holland, Clare, and
Bedford; Lords: Bellasyse, Digby, Jermyn, Percy, Somerset
(second son of Henry, first Marquis of Worcester), Andover,
Chandos, and Molyneux; also the Hon. Henry Bertie, Sir
Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, Sir Edward Waldegrave,
* This and many of the following names are referred to in the Biographical
Appendix.
litrick Ruth eri, Earl of Brainford
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 29
Sir Bernard Brocas, Sir Lewis Kirke, Sir Henry Slingsby,
Sir William Vavasour, Sir Thomas Aston, Sir Anthony
Mansel, Sir Michael Wodehouse, Sir Jacob Astley, Sir John
Freeh ville, Sir John Hurry, Major-General George Porter, and
Major-General Daniel (commanding Prince of Wales' regiment);
Colonels: Spencer, St. John, Edward Villiers, Will. Legge,
Daniel O'Neill, Morgan, Eure, D'Arcy, Poole, Platt, Wheatiy,
Murray, Charles Gerard, Edward Gerard, and Constable ;
Captains: Bagehot (who took the command of the Earl of
Carnarvon's troop when its gallant leader fell), Basil Woodd,
Panton, Sheldon, Scott (of Sir Arthur Aston's regiment),
Singleton, Clifton, and Newman.
The following are mentioned as serving in the royal ranks as
Volunteers: Henry Spencer (first Earl of Sunderland), James
Hay (second Earl of Carlisle), Henry Mordaunt (Earl of Peter-
borough), Lucius Gary (Viscount Falkland, whose duties as the
King's Secretary gave him no position in the field), Sir Edward
Sackville (son of Edward, fourth Earl of Dorset), severely wounded
in the battle,* Sir John Eussell (son of Francis, fourth Earl of
Bedford), Hon. Henry Howard (son of the Earl of Berkshire
and brother to Lord Andover), Colonel Richard Fielding, -J- and
Colonel Stroud.
On the side of the Parliament, the Earl of Essex was Lord
General of the army; and amongst the more conspicuous leaders
were Lord Robarts or Roberts, Lord Grey of Groby, Sir John
Meyrick, who "ordered" the artillery, Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir
James Ramsay, Sir William Constable, Sir William Balfour, Sir
William Boteler, Sir ISamuel Luke, Sir William Brooks, Sir
Richard Bulstrode, Sir William Springer, Sir John Meldrum,
Sir Arthur Goodwin, Major-General Skippon, Major-Gen. Deane,
and Lt.-General Middleton; and Colonels Sheffield, Mainwaring,
Bartley or Barclay, Norton, Dalbier, Holmsted, Tyrill, Thompson,
Greaves, Langham, Draper, Brackley, Harvey, Holbourne, Tucker,
White, and Fortescue.
Following up the history of the battle, we learn that the
Royalists, at daybreak, were surprised to find the Parliamentarians
in possession of the little hill above Cope Hall,J and on their side
commenced hostilities by dispatching Sir John Byron with a
portion of the right wing of horse and foot to assault and engage
this threatening point, the circumstances of which he thus
* In 1645, being with a party of the King's forces, at Chawley, near Abingdon,
he was taken prisoner by those of the Parliament, and stabbed to death in cold
blood by a Parliamentary soldier.
f Previously governor of Reading, which he was thought to have surrendered too
easily; be was tried by court martial and sentenced to be shot; but afterwards
pardoned, he fought valiantly for the King.
J In an old terrier of the lands held by the town of Newbury, in the time of
Queen Elizabeth, " Copped Hall" is mentioned as having been given for a yearly
obit by Robert Long.
30 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
narrates; "The next day my brigade of horse was to have the
van, and about 5 in the morning I had orders to march towards
a little hill full of enclosures, which the enemy (through the
negligence before mentioned) had possessed himself of and had
brought up two small field pieces and was bringing up more,
whereby, tney would both have secured their march on Reading
(the highway was lying hard by) and withal so annoyed our
army which was drawn up in the bottom, where tne King
himself was, that it would nave been impossible for us to have
kept the ground. The hill, as I mentioned, was full of enclosures
and extremely difficult for horse service, so that my orders
were, only witn my own and Sir Thos. Aston's regiment to draw
behind the commanded foot led by Lord Wentworth and Col.
George Lisle, and to be ready to second them, in case the
enemy's horse should advance towards them: the rest of my
brigade was by Prince Rupert commanded to the Heath, where
most of the other horse and foot were drawn."
This advance of the King's right wing, which was nearest the
enemy and under his fire, was a movement absolutely necessary
to cover the deployment of the remainder of the army to the left
over the Wash and towards the En. The advance of Rupert's
cavalry to the Wash fully coincided with and supported this
movement, for they could get there and block the road before
the left wing and centre (of foot) could gain the heights. Mean-
while the cavalry of the right wing, unable to operate directly
over the enclosed intricate land below the position occupied by
the Parliamentarians, was compelled to support the advance by
moving away to the left flank till the open ground of Wash
Common was reached and a charge could be delivered. They
could find no charging ground before this, owing to the hedge-
rows and escarpments which lay opposite the right flank; and
even when the advance of the right was so assisted by this
advance of " horse " on their left, the first attempt to force the
hedgerows proved absolutely fruitless.
Simultaneous with the advance of Lord Essex's left, a cor-
responding movement was made by the veteran Skippon, who
on Enborne Heath pushed forward the right, to co-operate with
Essex; the efforts of both divisions being principally directed
against the King's position on the Wash, where the storm of
battle was especially maintained throughout the day; and from
straggling shots the battle widened until nearly 20,000 men
were engaged in deadly conflict.
The King, as previously mentioned, had determined to stand
on the defensive and await the advance of Essex, but the uncon-
trollable ardour and impetuosity which urged on some of the
young cavalier commanders frustrated his intentions and con-
fused his whole order of battle. Scarcely had part of the Parlia-
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 31
mentary right wing shown on Enborne Heath, when a party of
the royal cavalry bore down upon them.
"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,
Where the roaring shot poured thick and hot they were
stalwart men and true."
Song "The Old Cavalier."
The battle soon became general, and obliged the Royalists to
move to the support of these advanced troops, leaving their
artillery behind them unavailable on the Common: "many of the
officers flinging off their doublets in bravado and leading on their
men in their shirts, as if armour was a useless encumbrance in
dealing with the base-born London apprentices whom they came
rather to triumph over than to fight."
The left wing of the Parliamentary army, led by Essex, and
with Lord Roberts' brigade of horse in front, now advances
towards the Royalist force on the Wash. Stimulated by the
example of their chief, and charging gallantly up the slopes below
the heath, in face of a biting fire of musquetry and grape, they
sweep onward up the heights. They are gaining ground !
But at this critical moment Sir John Byron, at whose side a
few minutes before had ridden the noble-hearted Falkland, now
"stretched coldly in the sleep of death" under a whitethorn
hedge, advanced at the head of the right wing of the royal
cavalry, and, under the fire of two guns at musket distance and
a deadly shower of bullets, charges them in front and flank with
a determination that even the soldiers of the Parliament with all
their enthusiasm and bravery are unable to withstand. Stag-
gered by the fierce onslaught, for a moment they recoil, but it is
only to rally instantly and renew the fight with undiminished
resolution.
The "city red and blue regiments," largely composed of
the London apprentices, are now moved away from the right,
and approach to share the fight; the main body of the trained-
bands and auxiliaries meanwhile fighting valiantly on Enborne
Heath, with their brave old leader Skippon, under the protection
of his formidable cavalry commanded by Middleton. Essex
courageously leads his young citizen-soldiers fresh and ready for
the struggle "up the hill." The royalists too have received a
reinforcement, and Prince Rupert with his daring followers ride
to the very points of the pikes. The valour and intrinsic
worth of the London brigade was now to be tested, and not in
vain; for the foaming squadrons of steel-clad cuirassiers came
rushing forward, but these dashing troops failed again and again
32 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
to penetrate those serried lines, which "stood undaunted and con-
querors against all, and like a grove of pines in a day of wind
and tempest, they only moved their legs, heads, or arms but
kept their footing sure." The action here was long and bloody,
and told fearfully on the Parliamentary ranks. Charge suc-
ceeds charge ! Cheer for cheer is given ! Fearless amidst the
storm of battle boldly urging on his men, is seen the gallant
King,* and the Royal colours for a time are borne triumphant.
But the tide of battle turns, Essex's reserve of foot is near, the
cavalry rally on their supports, the defiant banner of the Earl is
borne aloft,-f and waving his hat, with cries of "Forward! brave
hearts, ! " he quickly re-forms his disordered troops and again
confronts the foe. A desperate melee ensues. The plumed
helmet and the steel cap get mixed together, the combatants
close and fight hand-to-hand, but at length the Parliamentary
cavalry are hurled back, their scattered infantry are no longer
able to support themselves, but fighting heroically to the
last are driven "to the lane's end where they first came in."
The royalists follow, but in their victorious excitement pursue
too far, and before those who enter the lane can disengage them-
selves, they are nigh well cut to pieces by the Puritan troopers,
who have made a stand. A tradition is preserved in the
village of Enborne to this day, that the narrow lane leading to
Skinner's Green became so choked with the slain that a passage
had to be cleared before the troops and guns could again be
moved forward.
For hours the fight is here maintained with unflinching
and uniform gallantry on both sides. Again and again the
Roundhead charges are renewed and repelled. But towards the
afternoon Essex, profiting by the advantage gained through the
operations of his right wing at Enborne, has crowned the plateau
of the Wash; and is now on equal terms with his opponents.
The temporary repulse of the Parliamentary left in Skinner's
Lane was possibly due somewhat to the series of brilliant charges
just described over the level ground of the Common, excellent
* it would seem that the King took an active part in this battle. Sergt. Foster
in his "True Relation " says, I am creditably informed by those who were this day
in the King's army, that the King himself brought up a regiment of foot, and
another of horse into the field, and gave fire to two pieces of ordnance, riding up and
down all that day in a soldier's grey coat." In the ' Mercurius Aulicus ' (the
Royalist journal) of Sept, 21, 1643, it is related that "the Rebels espying from the
Hill, that many stood bareheaded in a part of the field, supposed the King to be
there, and made great shott at the place," but significantly adds, "The Lord covered
the head of His Anointed."
t The Cornet or flag of the Earl of Essex was" orange, on it a label (like the
King's, that is ' With God and my Right ') of silver, with this motto in roman
letters, sable, 'VIRTVTIS CONIES INVIDIA'; the lining of the motto or back,
of gold; fringed with gold and silver, tasselled gold." (Prestwick's ' Respublica,'
p. 24.) It is related that Essex was advised to leave off his white hat, because it
rendered him so conspicous an object to the enemy. No I replied the Earl, " It is
not the hat, but the heart ! the hat is not capable of either fear or honour! "
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 33
for such a purpose. The Parliamentary centre touched the left
wing at the point where the lane debouches on the flat; and
naturally when the enemy, driven back into this close ground,
had rallied on his supports, the hand-to-hand mette must have
resulted in disorder to the horse and have choked the narrow
road with bodies. In fact the temporary check sustained by the
Parliamentary left led to the consequent speedy withdrawal of
the centre, hastened too by the influence of Rupert's charges, and
the battle on this side probably remained more or less stationary
without marked advantage on either side until the advance of
Essex's right wing brought greater numerical superiority on his
side upon the level ground of the plateau.
The following letter extracted from the Rupert correspondence *
more especially refers to the engagement near Cope Hall, and sup-
ports the view here taken. The letter having no signature, and
being apparently a transcript, it is difficult to identify the author,
but it seems to have been written by a leading officer of horse in
the King's right wing, explanatory of his own part in the action:
"The King's army being drawne up on a Heath neere Newbury,
the enemy were discovered approaching ye town, Prince Rupert
was pleased to command mee and Major Smith with a party
through the town to face the enemy, afterwards His Highness
commanded mee to advance with ye party to ye hill upon our
left hand, from thence we sent out parties all night, which gave
His Highness satisfactory intelligence, and when it was day,
His Highness went with his own troope, a party of mosqueteers
and my horse to take possession of a Hill [the hill in front of
Skinner's Green Lane above Cope Hall], I drew ye party into a
close -f- that contained a considerable part of the hill, then we
discovered the enemy and there began the service. But before
relief could come to the mosqueteers, they retreated, and I drew
ye horse into the next close though not without losse both with
great and small shot where wee stood, untill in which time my
horse received a shott in his neere shoulder. But ye foot crying
out for ye horse, I returned into ye first mentioned close and
was very slowly followed by reason of the straitness of
the passage, but when I thought I had men enough to doe ye
service, I went to ye furthest part of ye said close wheere were
neere about 1,000 of ye enemies foot drawne up in order and one
piece of artillery, and as I was charging "my horse was shott
againe into ye breast and faltered with mee, for that, I being
out of hopes to do other service than to lose myself, I gave
orders to ye party in these very words in Major Smith's hearing,
* Add. MSS. 18980-2, Brit. Mus.
t A meadow in the position indicated by the writer of the above letter is known
as "Jacob's Mead." Only a few weeks since, two cannon balls (61b and 31b) were
found in removing a bank in this field, and are both in the author's possession.
F
34 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
' Fall on, my Masters! for I must goe change my horse.' And
in my coming I met with my Lord Byron. My distresse at that
time compelled mee to desire him to lend mee a horse. I like-
wise desired ye same favour of Sir Lewis Kirke, but presently
meeting witn Sergeant-Major Daniel, major to ye Prince of
Wales his regiment, hee lent mee a horse. That horse I changed
for one of Capt. Sheldon's of His Highness Prince Maurice his
regiment, which I conceived to be much better. When I was
thus supplied I was going back to my charge, which I thought
Major Smith would have had a care of in my absence, as I
conceived in duty he ought, I being for that present disabled,
but in my way back contrary to my expectation I found Captain
Scot of Sir Arthur Aston's regiment and Capt. Panton of Lord
Carnarvon's regiment,* and some other officers of ye party with
neere about 40 men, I desired that wee might goe up ye Hill
again, Capt. Panton answered mee that my Lord Lieut.-Greneral
[Earl of Brentford] commanded them to stay in that same place,
whereupon I sent one to him to know his further commands.
In the meantime came Sir Lewis Kirke to mee with commands
from ye King to goe looke to ye passe by the river side which
the enemy were then endeavouring to gaine [the road, now called
Guyer's Lane, leading to the Kennet, where the river appears
to have been fordable], but when I came to ye place I found
Sir William Vavasour there Avith his brigade, which I conceived
sufficiently secured that place. Whereupon I sent Capt. Scot to
ye King to desire His Majesty that I might goe to some place
where I might doe him better service, which His Majesty did
not grant."
This view of the result of the fight about Cope Hall is fully
borne out by a study of the various narratives of the battle
and by an inspection of the ground. The Parliamentary left
gaining the rounded hill by Skinner's Green Lane, before
referred to, pushed their infantry forward beyond it, to still
further check the attack of the Royalist right moving over the
enclosed ground towards the guns. A small round-contoured
hill just in front of the latter was gained by the rush above
described; and this advance, reaching as it did the hedge-
rows of Dark Lane,-f- would have been pushed further but for the
* This officer became a Major-General in the King's service, and fell mortally
wounded at Cropredy Bridge, 29 June, 1644.
t Byron's advance appears to have been over the ground between the
boundary-line of the parishes of Newbury and Enborne (defined by a bank and
hedge, and at the point shown on Plan passable for cavalry) and the old road called
Dark Lane' which formerly ran from near Enborne Farm obliquely over the fields
below the Wash to the Enborne-road, which it entered by Enborne-gate Farm,
another road (Guyer's Lane) leading from this point to the Kennet. There was
also a lane entering from the Skinner's Green road below 'Cope Hall' and joining
the Wash-road. Most of these roads have been stopped, :md it is now difficult
to trace them. In removing the bank of 'Dark Lane' a few years ago, a 15-lb
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 35
action of the cavalry of the right wing, which, diverted from
a direct advance by the character of the ground, now came upon
the scene. In fact the Royalist right wing seems to have been
roughly handled up to this time.
Byron, who gives his own account, without considering what
the other fractions were doing, and naturally lays considerable
stress on his share or part in the action of the right wing to
which he was attached, says: "The commanded foot not being
able to make good the place, my uncle Byron, who commanded
the first tertia, instantly came up with part of the regiment of
guards and Sir Michael Woodhouse's and my Lord Gerard's
regiments of foot, commanded by his Lieut.-Col. Ned Villiers,
but the service grew so hot, that in a very short time, of twelve
ensigns that marched up with my Lord Gerard's regiment,
eleven were brought off the field hurt, and Ned Villiers shot
through the shoulder. Upon this a confusion was heard among
the foot, calling, horse ! horse ! whereupon I advanced with those
two regiments I had and commanded them to halt while I went
to view the ground, and to see what way there was to that place
where the enemy's foot was drawn up, which I found to be
enclosed with a high quick hedge and no passage into it, but by
a narrow gap through which but one horse at a time could go
and that not without difficulty. My Lord of Falkland did me
the honour to ride in my troop this day, and I would needs go
along with him, the enemy haa beat our foot out of the close,
and was drawne up near the hedge; I went to view, and as I was
giving orders for making the gapp wide enough, my horse was
shott in the throat with a musquet bullet and his bit broken in
his mouth so that I was forced to call for another horse, in the
meanwhile my Lord Falkland (more gallantly than advisedly)
spurred his horse through the gapp, where both he and his horse
were immediately killed. The passage being then made some-
what wide, and I not having another horse, drew in my own
troop first, giving orders for the rest to follow and charged the
enemy, who entertained us with a great salvo of musquet shott,
and discharged their two drakes upon us laden with case shott,
which killed some and hurt many of my men, so that we were
forced to wheel off and could not meet them at that charge.
cannon-ball was found imbedded in the soil. The correctness of the tradition that
Falkland fell on the spot till recently indicated by a poplar tree in front of the
farm-house known as ' Falkland Farm ' is extremely doubtful : he certainly fell as
the royal cavalry were advancing towards the body of the Parliamentarians, who
were endeavouring to gain the heath, but at this early period of the fight Essex
had not secured a footing on the Wash. Clarendon relates that "the enemy
had lined the hedges on both sides with musqueteers from whence he [Falkland]
was shot with a musquet in the lower part of the belly, and in the instant falling
from his horse, his body was not found till next morning." J The hedges on both
sides of Dark Lane would perfectly accord in position with Byron's narrative and
with Clarendon's description,
j Clarendon's Hist., vol. ii, 359.
36 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
I rallied my men together again, but not so soon but that the
enemy had got away their field-pieces for fear of the worst,
seeing us resolved not to give over, so I charged them a second
time, Sir Thomas Aston being then come up with his regiment,
we then beat them to the end of the close, where they faced us
again, having the advantage of a hedge at their backs and
poured in another volley of shott upon us, when Sir Thomas
Aston's horse was killed under him, and withal kept us off so
with their pikes we could not break them, but were forced to
wheel off again, they in the meantime retreating into another
little close and making haste to recover a lane which was very
near unto it [Skinner's Green Lane], finding then they could not
keep the ground, which before they could do, I rallied the horse
again, and charged them a third time, and then utterly routed
them, and had not left a man of them tmkilled, but that the
hedges were so high the horse could not pursue them, and
besides, a great body of their own foot advanced toward the lane
to relieve them. Our foot then drew up on the ground from
whence we had beaten the enemy and kept it, and drew the
horse back to the former station; for this service I lost near
upon a hundred horse and men out of my regiment, whereof
out of my own troop twenty-six. The enemy drew up fresh
supplies to regain the ground again, but to my uncle's good
conduct (who that day did extraordinary service) was entirely
beaten off."
This road was a short distance in the rear of that Falkland
Farm which is situated on the Wash,* and a tradition that the
body on its recovery the next morning was first carried to the
farm-house is no doubt founded upon fact. This farm-house and
Yew-tree Cottage are said to have been the only buildings on the
Wash at the time of the battle, and the former is still especially
associated with several incidents of the fight in local traditions.
The lanes at this period, as we have above-noticed, had high
banks and hedges on either side, and formed a series of stout
defences as well as serious obstacles to the movement of troops,
being in many places equal to well constructed entrenchments.
In 'Heath's Chronicle,' it is stated that "the left wing of the
Parliament and the right wing of the King could not be engaged
only in small parties by reason of the hedges." That this was
the case is quite clear. The steep embankment forming the
western boundary of the parish of Newbury would alone be an
There is however another building bearing the name of Falkland Farm situated
on the south of the En near Wash Mill; but its distance from the field of battle
renders it exceedingly unlikely that it has any associations connected with the great
fight. The name may have been given it and probably was, for purely fanciful
reasons. There was an old cottage near this Farm some years since and in its
garden was discovered a groat of the reign of Edward IV., so that the buildings
here are probably ancient.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 37
insurmountable barrier to the free action of large bodies either
of horse or foot.
Lord Clarendon, in his 'Life,' written by himself, gives the
following account of Lord Falkland's death. "In this battle of
Newbury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer lost the joy and
comfort of his life; which he lamented so passionately, that he
could not for many days compose himself to any thoughts of
business. His dear friend the Lord Falkland, hurried by his
fate, in the morning of the battle, as he was naturally inquisitive
after danger, put himself into the head of Sir John Byron's
regiment, which he believed, was like to be in the hottest service,
and was then appointed to charge a body of foot, and in that
charge was shot with a musket bullet, so tnat he fell dead from
his horse. The same day that the news came to Oxford of his
death, which was the next day after he was killed, the Chancellor
received a letter from him, written at the time when the army
rose from Gloucester: but the messenger had been employed in
other service, so that he came not to Oxford till that day; the
letter was an answer to one the Chancellor had then sent to him,
in which he had told him, how much he suffered in his reputa-
tion with all discreet men, by engaging himself unnecessarily in
all places of danger: and that it was not the office of a privy
counsellor and secretary of State to visit the trenches, as he
usually did; and conjured him, out of the conscience of his duty
to the King, and to free his friends from those continual uneasy-
apprehensions, not to engage his person to those dangers, which
were not incumbent to him. His answer was, that the trenches
were now at an end, there could be no more danger there.
That his case was different from other men's, that he was so
much taken notice of for an impatient desire of peace, that it
was necessary he should likewise make it appear, that it was not
out of fear 01 the utmost hazard of war: he said some melancholy
things of the time; and concluded, that in few days, they should
come to a battle, the issue whereof he hoped would put an end
to the misery of the kingdom." *
The Royalist accounts of this part of the action are equally
detailed and the 'Mercurius Aulicus' thus describes it.-f- "Many
of their living have cause to remember how the little enclosed
Hill commanding the town of Newbury, and the plaine, where
His Majesty in person was drawne up (being the first place
attempted by our foot by daybreak), was then prepossessed by a
great body of their foot, till in their advance to it, ours beate
them off into the hedgerows, under which shelter they much
annoyed both our foot and horse, the right valiant L.-Col. Villiers
and ten of his ensigns being hurt upon the ground the rebels
* Life of Edward, Earl of Clarendon, vol. i, pp. 164-5.
t October 14, 1643.
38 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
first stood on, yet though they lost the hill, they kept the hedges
all the forenoon, till a fresh supply of neare 200 musqueteers
advancing up a lane to surprise our pykes and colours by that
gallant resolute charge made by Sir Thos. Aston with his own
troope (through a double quick-set hedge), these poachers were
dislodged, their fresh supply routed, and fled before him in such
haste, that though his horse was shot in the entrance to the lane
and drew him by the leg amongst them, they had not the civility
to help him up, but let him walk away on foot leaving their
pykes and colours to shift for themselves, and never after
regained the place. But Prince Rupert himselfe drew down a
fresh relief of foot and made good the lane against them, and
about three of the clock two small pieces of ours being then
drawne up to that hill, which was the place of 'most concernment,
and was never quit by us till the King drew off all his foot in a
body to Newbury field, nor ever after mann'd by them. This is
the naked truth, which for three weeks together they have so
loudly rail'd at, but shall never heare more of it, if now they are
unsatisfied."
While these conflicts are going forward on the hill, the bat-
tle rages with fury on Enborne Heath, where Essex's right
wing, heedless of tne gallant charges of the royal cavalry, are
making a strenuous effort to surmount the broken ground that
the approach to the Wash everywhere presented. Excited
nearly to frenzy by reports that their comrades are being
worsted on the left and may be cut off from their support, they
charge with an ardour which passionate zeal for their cause alone
could give. The general officers Skippon, Stapleton, and Merrick
expose themselves as fearlessly as the common soldiers, and the
very domestics, workmen, and camp-followers rush to the field,
and, animating each other to the highest pitch of fanatical
excitement, fight as bravely as the bravest officers.
The Royalists, almost paralyzed by the prowess of the men, of
whom till then "they had too cheap an estimation," are straining
every nerve to keep at bay the foe they cannot overcome.
Meteor-like, Rupert flashes from one point of the position to
another, and is always to be seen in the thickest of the fight;
but nothing can keep back his fierce assailants. On they come
through gorse and brushwood, in face of a heavy cannonade
from the Royalist guns on the heath, through a storm of mus-
quetry bullets flying amidst the darkened air and in a few
minutes they breast the western slope of the Wash:
" Now comes the brunt, the crisis of the day I "
Old Skippon who had coolly watched the progress of the advance,
calls on his men to "charge!" an enthusiastic cheer answers the
order ! and with an impetuosity not to be resisted Stapleton's
mailed cuirassiers cleave their way through the royal squadrons,
HENRY SPENCER, EARL OF SUNDERLAND.
From the portrait ly WALKER.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 39
and gallantly clear the ridge, the remainder of the troops pour
up the ascent, the head of the royalist column is overwhelmed,
and the battle virtually won ! The Royalists' left flank being
completely turned by this brilliant charge, the successful co-
operation of the centre and finally of the left, as the Royalists
are pushed back towards the town, completes the victory, and
the soldiers of the Parliament are at length left masters of the
hard-fought field, which, in the early morning, they had so de-
fiantly promised their general to win.
A final effort was made by "The enemy," says Lord Digby,
" On a passe by the river " (apparently Guyer's Lane) ; but
Sir William Vavasour with the King's life-guard defeated it
with heavy loss. The struggle was however practically at an
end, though the ground was still stubbornly contested. It was
no headlong flight down the northern slopes of the Wash to
Newbury, but a dogged sullen retreat, in which the pursuer
dared not press his unquestioned advantage by endeavouring to
force the King beyond the line of the Kennet.
Night was well advanced before the last shots ceased; and
then, the struggle ended, the wearied soldiers formed their hasty
bivouacs. But the losses had been heavy and important on both
sides. Here on the Heath, fell the brave young Lord Carnarvon,
who, "emulating the noblest actions recorded in the annals
of war," was struck down as he was returning from a success-
ful attack. Also the gallant Sunderland, "a lord of great fortune,
tender years, and an early judgement," who, putting himself in
the King's troop as a volunteer, fell pierced by "a cannon bullet"
while he was gathering up his bridle reins for the first charge.
But equal courage, so Lord Byron asserts, was not shown by all
of those engaged: he says, "What was done upon the Heath
(where the main body or our horse and foot fought) I will not
relate, because I was not an eye-witness of it, only this is
generally confest, that had not our foot play'd the poultroons
extremely that day, we in all probability had set a period to the
war, our horse having behaved themselves with as much
gallantry as could be * * * * My Lord Carnarvon (than
whom no man acted a more honourable part in the war) and
many other valiant men were here slaine."
Space will not permit a detailed recital of all the various turns
of fortune experienced by the two armies throughout the latter
part of the day; but the following extract from Robert Codring-
ton's narrative, quoted by Mr. Forster in his 'Life of Cromwell,'
and which in comparison with all accessible accounts of the
battle, though somewhat tinctured by the feelings of a partisan,
appears to be very superior in clearness to other statements,
may be introduced at this point; as it admits of one or two of
the localities referred to being defined.
"After six hours long fight, with the assistance of his horse
4-0 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Essex gained those advantages which the enemy possessed in the
morning, which were 'the Hill, the Hedges, and the River.'
In the meantime, a party of the enemies' horse did wheel about,
in a great body, and about three quarters of a mile below the
Hill fell upon the rear of our army, where our carriages were
placed,* to relieve which his Excellency sent a selected party
from the hill to assist their friends who were deeply engaged in
the fight; these forces marching down the hill, did meet a
regiment of horse of the enemy's, who in their hats did wear
branches of furze and broom, which our army did that day wear
for distinction sake to be known by one another from their
adversaries, and they cried out to our men, "Friends ! Friends!"
but being discovered to be enemies, our men gave fire upon
them, and having some horse to second the execution, they did
force them further from them. Our men being now marched 'to
the bottom of the hillf they increased the courage of their
friends, and after a sharp conflict, they forced the King's horse
to fly with remarkable loss, having left the ground strewed with
the carcasses of their horses and riders. In the meantime His
Excellency having planted his ordnance on the top of the hill,
did thunder against the enemy where he found their number to
be thickest, and the King's ordnance being yet on the same hill
did play with a like fury against the forces of His Excellency:
the cannon on each side did dispute with one another, as, if the
battle was but new begun." \
Night came on, but still the fight was continued by isolated
parties, though it was now more immediately confined to the
valley between Newbury and Enborne, which is about half-a-mile
in length. " The glimmer of the matches and the flashing of
the fire-arms served to shew each other where the other lay;"
and the contest raged in a desultory way till 11 o'clock or there-
abouts, when the King's troops finding they had decidedly the
worst of the conflict finally retired, and by day-break had
quitted the ground of the previous day's action. The chief part
of the horse crossed the river into the fields on the Speen side,
* Shown on the Plan.
f The fields on either side of the Enborne Road.
J By ' The Hill," the plateau of the Wash was meant, by " The Hedge* " those
more especially crossing the fields between the Wash and the Kennet, and by
" The River" the Kennet, now called the Old River; the canal being a modern
work. It is evident Essex did not cross the river ; for Vicars says, " during the
whole day our soldiers could not get a drop of water to drink;" and Sergeant Foster
in his 'Marching of the Trained- Bands,' adds, " we were in great distress of water
or any accommodation to refresh our poor soldiers, our men walking up and down
to seek for it." In one respect at least the country is little changed since then, for
the furze still grows plentifully on many parts of the field, and the " bonny, bonny
broom" yet blossoms on " Broom Hill."
4 The Matchlock had a long coil of twisted tow steeped in saltpetre attached to it ;
this was only lighted in time of action, a cock bringing it down to the touch-hole
of the piece when it was to be discharged.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 41
and quartered in detachments in the neighbouring villages;
while the foot were drawn into the town.
Essex, at the close of this well-fought day, established himself
upon the ground abandoned by the Royalists, and his troops
bivouacked on the field of battle in a very cheerless state, being
absolutely without food. The night was very damp and chilly,
and not a drop of anything to drink was to be had, though the
wounded were dreadfully tormented with thirst; and it is reported
by a Parliamentary journal, that one officer offered ten shillings
for a quart of water ! The infantry rested on their pikes, the
cavalry stretched themselves beside their horses, anticipating a
bloodier and fiercer day on the morrow. The Parliamentary
general, like Prince Rupert, was in the saddle all night, and as
he rode over the heath while the moon shed an uncertain
light on the wide scene of carnage, he "could not," says the
'Parliamentary Scout,' "understand his own happiness in the
victory, and could hardly entertain it with a private joy." But
the feelings of the man triumphed over those of the general, and
the old veteran is stated to have prayed fervently that peace
might once more shine upon the land.
Glancing critically at the conduct of the action, there is little
doubt but that it was more or less of a running fight extending
at the very close of the day over even the southern suburbs of
Newbury. This is supported by the authority of Oldmixon and
Whitelock, and also in 'The True Relation' of a parliamentary
trooper. Bullets, spurs, portions of swords, &c. of the period,
have been found in excavating for buildings in the upper or
south-west side of the town, and the traces of the fight are
widespread. "It was a kind of hedge fight," says a Cavalier, who
was present, "for neither army was drawn out into the field;
if it had, it would never have held from six in the morning, till
ten at night. But they fought for advantages; sometimes one side
had the better, sometimes the other. They fought twice through
the town, in at one end and out of the other [!], and in the hedges
and lanes with exceeding fury. The King lost the most men,
his foot having suffered for want of succour from their horse,
who on two several occasions could not come at them. But the
Parliament's foot suffered also, and two regiments were entirely
cut in pieces, but the King kept the field. * * * Essex had
the pillage of the dead. * * * his camp rabble stript the
dead bodies."*
This writer can scarcely be deemed, however, an impartial
judge. Whether through an error in judgment or through party
bias he certainly does not take a true view of the result of the
action as this and the following extract both show:
"At Newbury 1st fight, when we beat the enemy upon all
* 'Memoirs of a Cavalier' (Col. Andrew Newport), pp. 250 1.
G
42 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
disadvantage from the town's end to the top of the hill by the
Heath, a wing of Essex, his horse moving gently towards us
made us leave our execution of the enemy and retreat into the
next field, where were several gaps to get to it, but not direct in
any way, yet with the colours in my hand I jumpt over hedge
and ditch, or I had died by a multitude of hands : we kept this
field till midnight, and until intelligence came that Essex was
marching away with a great part of his army, and that he had
buried a great many of his great guns, by two o'clock in the
afternoon; near unto this field, upon the Heath, lay a whole file
of men six deep with their, heads all struck off by one cannon
shot of ours [!]: we pursued Essex in his retreat, took Reading
without opposition, made it a garrison, and Sir Jacob Astley
governor."* This endeavour to blind themselves to the true facts
of the case is not singular in the correspondence of parties at
that time.
The casualties of the two armies in this battle, it would be
difficult to estimate with anything like exactness. In Heath's
'Chronicle' it is stated that the loss on both sides was between
5,000 and 6,000, and that the greatest loss, if there were any differ-
ence, was on the side of the Parliament. This engagement is
represented by several writers as having been more obstinately
contested than that at Edgehill, where 5,000 were slain; the
estimate therefore in the 'Chronicle' is probably not exaggerated.
M. de Larrey, the French historian, states that " 8,000 men were
killed on the spot, and nothing but the night could separate
these furious Englishmen, who seem'd delighted to shed the
blood of each other." Clarendon does not give the number of
the slain, but mentions "there were above 20 officers of the
field and persons of honour and publick name slain upon the
place, and more of the same quality hurt." Oldmixon (a iolent
opponent of the Stuarts) relates that 2,000 Royalists were slain
from the time of Essex's removal from Hungerford to the end
of Newbury fight, and that the Parliamentary loss was only 500 !
On the Royalists' side the following names of officers killed are
recorded. The Earl of Carnarvon, the Earl of Sunderland, Lord
Falkland, the Hon. Henry Bertie, and Sir Anthony Mansel.
Colonels. Edward St. John, Joseph Constable, Poole, Murray,
Richard Platt, Pinchbeck, Wheatly, Eure, Slingsby, Thomas
Morgan, and Stroud. Captains. Robert Molineux (of the Wood,
Lancashire), Wm. Symcocks (Captain in Lord Percy's troop),
Francis Bartis, Thos. Singleton (of Stanyng, Lancashire), and
Francis Clifton (of Westby in the same county). Captain Sheldon,
of Broadway Court, Worcester, is said to have been slain in the
battle; he served in Prince Maurice's regiment of horse. Lieu-
tenants. Henry Butler, George Collingwood, and Wm. Culcleth.
* Gvrynne's Memoirs, ch. x, pp. 46, 47.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 43
Among the wounded were the Earl of Carlisle, the Earl of
Peterborough, Lord Andover, Lord Chandos, Sir Charles Lucas,
Sir John Kussell, Sir Edward Sackville, Sir Edward Waldegrave,
Major-General George Porter. Colonels. George Lisle, Fielding,
Thomas Dalton,* Gerard, Ivers, D'Arcy, Villiers, Howard, Spencer,
Bartley. Captains. Panton (fell 29 June, 1644, at Banbury),
Thurston Andrews (died of his wounds at Oxford), and Mr. Progers
(groom of the bed-chamber to the Prince of Wales), who attached
himself to the King's interest during the war with the Parliament,
with laudable fidelity.*)- The Royalist prisoners taken at Newbury
and Cirencester, according to the 'Mercurius Britannicus,' num-
bered 500, including a colonel, a major of horse, and some other
officers, who were confined in Windsor Castle. Among these
was Lieut. Daniel Kingsmill, of Sydmonton.]:
On the Parliamentary side, the name of no officer of note is
given as having fallen in this battle. Colonels. Davies, Bamfield,
Tucker, Main waring (of the London Brigade), Greaves, and White.
Captains. Hunt, Ware, Talbot, St. Barbe, and Massey are
mentioned as being amongst the slain; and Captains Bolton, Mosse,
Stoning, Juxon, and Willet died of their wounds a short time
after the battle. Colonel Dalbier, Commissary-General Copley,
Captains Hammond, Fleetwood, and Pym, and Cornet D'Oyley,
are said to have been wounded.
After the Parliamentary Army had left Reading, the King
having placed a force of horse and foot there, and established a
garrison at Donnington Castle under Col. John Boys, retired with
Prince Rupert and the remainder of his army to Oxford; where,
says Clarendon, "there appeared nothing but dejection of mind,
discontent, and secret mutiny in the army, anger and jealousy
amongst the officers, every one accusing another of a want of
courage and conduct in the action of the field, and they who
were not of the army blaming them all for their several failings
and gross neglects." Both Lord Byron and Lord Digby ascribe
great cowardice to the King's foot; the latter says, "our foot
having found a hillock on the heath, which sheltered them from
the enemies' cannon, could not be drawne a foot from thence."
The hillock referred to was no doubt "Bunker's Hill," which is
situate as Lord Digby describes. In its immediate neighbourhood
* Col. Dalton, of Thurnham, Lancashire. An enthusiastic and gallant royalist,
who raised a troop of horse for the King's service. He was severely wounded in
this battle, and, dying at Andover, the 2nd November following, was buried in
the Church of St. Mary in that town, as the parish register records.
f See Illustrations to Grammont's Memoirs, p. 381.
} See MS. Letter, No. 127, Addl. MSS., Mus. Brit., No. 18980.
$ The 'Mercurius Britannicus' (30 Nov. to 7 Dec. 1643) says: "Commissary
Copley, who lost as much bloud as would write a chronicle of that battle, is now
well and abroad, and refreshed, to recruit his veines again with his enemies' bloud."
44 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
is "Coward's Mead !" Trundle Hill (Trundle, a kind of shot used
at this period), King's Mead, War-end, Steel Hill, Ball Hill, and
many other names within the area of the battle-field probably
originated from some incident connected with the fight.
" Without doubt," says Clarendon, "the action was fought by the
Earl of Essex with incomparable conduct and courage; in every
part whereof, very much was to be imputed to his own personal
virtue; and it may well be reckon'd among the most soldierly
actions of this unhappy war."* Neither he nor his men imputed
want of courage, however, to their adversaries; on the contrary
they all acknowledged the devotion and bravery of the King's
party; and the latter recognised the like of Essex and his soldiers.
"All were Englishmen, adds Whitelock, "and pitty it was that
such courage should be spent in the bloud of each other." f
Naturally excuses were made by the Royalists for their defeat.
Lord George Digby asserted that they were short of powder,
being disappointed of a supply of 100 barrels from Oxford.
They spent, as it was, four score barrels during the action, or
"a score more than had turned the fight at Edgehill." To
this "foolish and knavish suggestion of want of powder " Lord
Byron attributes the withdrawal of the Royalist army from the
advantages "they had gained with the loss of so much good
blood." Certain it is that, though the conflict was most obstinate,
the King's infantry do not appear to have acted well in this
battle; and the cavalry, which was by far the most effective
branch of the service, bore the brunt of the actual fighting.
Many interesting anecdotes have been left of this battle, and
though, like all such traditions, they may possibly be not strictly
true, they were probably based on facts, and to that extent are
therefore worth preserving.
It is said, for example, on the authority of the descendant of a
man who resided at Enborne on a small farm which had been in
the possession of his family for many generations, J that a party
of Parliamentarians were regaling themselves in "Lushy Gully"
(on the south side of Mr. R. H. Valpy's house), at Enborne,
thinking that they were out of danger, when, to their great
consternation, a cannon ball passed through the party, without
doing any injury more than carrying away a roasted pig which
they were eating.
* Clarendon's History, vol. ii. p. 349.
t Whitelock' s Memorials, p. 71.
J Our informant was the late Mr. John Matthews, of Enhorne, one of whose
ancestors, it is said, was an officer of the Trained-bands and fought in this battle.
A sword, rapier, and pair of pistol holsters, elaborately worked, reported to have
formed part of his equipment on that memorable occasion, were in the possession of
his descendant above-named till hi<? death, which occurred a few years since, when
these interesting relics, which are in excellent preservation, passed into the hands of
Mrs. Hoath, of Burley Lodge, East Woodhay, in whose possession they still remain.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 45
Old books relating to the War have many anecdotes; White-
lock in his Memorials instances two which are noteworthy. He
says, "A passage or two I shall here remember of extraordinary
mettle and boldness of spirit. One is of Sir Philip Stapleton
(though he would not acknowledge it), that he being with other
Parliament Commanders in the head of a body of horse facing
another body of the Kind's horse, before whom stood their
commanders, and the chief of them was Prince Rupert. The
Parliament Officer desiring to cope singly with the Prince, he
rode from before his company up to the body of horse, before
whom the Prince with divers other Commanders were, and had
his pistol in his hand ready cockt and fitted. Coming up to
them alone, he looked one and another of them in the face,
and when he came to Prince Rupert, whom he knew, he fired his
pistol in the Prince's face, but his armour defended him from
any hurt, and having done this, he turned his horse about, and
came gently off again without any hurt, though many pistols
were fired at him.
"Another passage was of Sir Philip Stapleton's groom, a York-
shire man, and stout, if not too rash. By this story, he was
attending on his master in a charge, where the groom's mare was
killed under him, but he came off on foot back again to his own
company. To some of whom he complained that he had for-
gotten to take off his saddle and bridle from his mare, and to
bring them away with him; and said that they were a new saddle
and bridle, and that the cavaliers should not get so much by him,
but he would go again and fetch them: his master and friends
persuaded him not to adventure in so rash an act, the mare lying
dead close to the enemy who would mall him, if he came so near
them, and his master promised to give him another new saddle
and bridle. But all this would not persuade the groom to leave
his saddle and bridle to the cavaliers, but he went again to fetch
them, and stayed to pull off the saddle and bridle, whilst
hundreds of bullets flew about his ears, and brought them back
with him, and had no hurt at all." *
Both parties seem to have displayed great solicitude for the
decent interment of the dead left upon the field. Previous to his
advance from Newbury, Essex issued the following order to the
Rector (the Rev. Mr. Elke) and Churchwardens of the Parish
of Enborne: "These are to will and require, and straightly
command you forthwith in sight hereof, to bury all the dead
bodies lying in and about Enborne and Newbury Wash, as you
or any of you will answer the contrary at his peril. Dated one
and twentieth September, 1643. ESSEX."
The King also issued the following warrant to the Mayor of
Newbury (Mr. Gabriel Coxe), " Our will and command is that
* Whitelock's Memorials, p. 71.
46 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
you forthwith send into the town and villages adjacent and bring
thence all the sick and hurt soldiers of the Earl of Essex's army;
and, altho' they be rebels and deserve the punishment of traytors,
yet out of our tender consideration upon them, being our sub-
jects, our will and pleasure is that you carefully provide for their
recovery as well as for those of our own army, and then send
them unto Oxford. The one and twentieth day of September,
1643. RUPERT."
The dead bodies were principally buried in several tumuli on
the Wash, some of which have become nearly obliterated. The
largest mound, known in Borough perambulations as "Bumper's
Hill," is situate midway between the parishes of Newbury and
Enborne, the boundary line passing over its apex. In a plantation
near the large barrow is a circular embankment with an outer
ditch, at first sight presenting the appearance of an ancient earth-
work; but it was no doubt prepared as an additional burial place
for the slain, some of whom were probably buried round its margin.
In the year 1855 when Wash Common was enclosed, the levelling
of these receptacles of the dead was commenced for the purpose
of making a road; but the desecration was stayed by the late
Mr. Winterbottom, the owner of the land. The workmen, how-
ever, found indications of the bodies having been thrown in a
heap and the earth cast over them, the floor of the mound being
the natural surface. Many human bones, soldiers' buttons, buckles,
and portions of accoutrements, bullets, and cannon balls were
mixed with the soil which was removed. In addition to the
bodies buried on the Wash, it is said, a number were thrown
down a deep well, and others cast into ditches and pits; but it is
evident from the Churchwardens' accounts for the parish of
Newbury that many of those who were killed or mortally
wounded were buried in the churchyard of St. Nicholas, as will
appear from the following extract:
s. d.
Paid for watching on the Tower . . 006
Ringing when King was in Town . . 050
Paid for burying dead Soldiers in the
Churchyard and Wash . . . . 301
Paid for Shrouds . . . . . . 064
Burying Soldiers in the Church . . 344
Many cannon balls, chain, and case shot, swords, pike-heads,
stirrup-irons, bridle-bits, and other relics of the fight have been
found on Enborne Heath and the Wash. Mr. Lousley has in his
collection an amulet of large beads picked up on the field; and
many other articles, including a musqueteer's cap or helmet, two
leathern water bottles (one silver-mounted), buckles, spurs, &c.,
are to be seen in the Museum at Newbury.* The 'Parliamentary
See Plate.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 47
Scout ' also notices that " there were divers fine and rich cruci-
fixes found about the dead, whom we pillaged, so that his
Holiness has lost some blood as well as the Parliament."*
Several skeletons have been discovered from time to time in
the fields below the Wash. Cannon and musquet balls have also
been met with in Newbury ; and probably the upper part of the
town suffered considerably from stray shot.-f- The tower of the
Church is also said to have sustained damage from the artillery.
On Friday morning, September 22nd, Essex marched from
Theale to Reading, where a committee of the Lords and Commons
met the victorious General, to compliment him on his great
service and to learn the wants of his army.
The Earl remained two days at Reading and then moved on by
way of Maidenhead to Windsor Castle. There the prisoners taken
in the battle were left, and so cruelly treated, it was said, by the
Governor, that three men dropped down dead in the streets on
their release.
On Thursday, the 28th, Essex made a triumphal entry into
London. The Lord Mayor (Pennington) and the Aldermen re-
ceived him and his troops at Temple Bar, and they had many
thousand welcomes from the people as they passed in martial
order through the streets. The next day Essex was waited upon
at Essex House by the Speaker and the members of both Houses
of Parliament, who declared to him, that they came to con-
gratulate him on his mighty success and to render the thanks of
the kingdom for his incomparable conduct and courage, and
had caused their acknowledgement to be entered in their Journals
as a monument and record of his valour, and their gratitude.
The Earl used the occasion for presenting several colours
captured from the enemy. On one of these, taken at Cirencester,
was a representation of the Parliament-house with two traitors'
heads upon it, with the motto "Sicut extra sic intus" (as without,
so within), which being supposed to belong to Col. Spencer's
regiment, that officer and his family were ordered to be
exiled from the kingdom ; but it appears after all not to have
been the Colonel's ensign. A second colour bore the Harp and
Crown Royal with the motto, "Lyrica Monarchica." Another had
the figure of a melancholy virgin in whose face were depicted all
the characters of distress and sorrow, with the figure of a cross,
pulled down by violent hands, lying despised at her feet, with
* September 22nd to 29th, 1642.
t With the many petitions presented to the Parliament for redress, after the war,
and preserved at the Puhlic Record Office, is one from a farmer of the name of
Daniel, who states he has a lease of a farm at Enborne at 60 per annum, and that in
the first fight at Newbury the mounds and fences were utterly destroyed, the ground
laid waste, and the farmer's house and outbuildings battered with shot the damage
being estimated at J6100 or nearly 300 according to the present value of money.
48 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
the inscription "Meliora sporo." A fourth represented an angel
bearing a naming sword and treading on a dragon, with the motto
"Quis ut Deus." A fifth bore the French motto "Courage pour
la Cause." Lastly, in the Hall of the Chapel Royal, Whitehall,
is a silk flag bearing the motto "Constanter et fideliter," to
which the following account is appended; "This flag was taken
by Bernard Brocas, of Beaurepaire, from Cromwell's army,* at the
battle of Newbury, August 20th [September 20th], 1643. He
was taunted by the Royalist party with indifference to their
cause, on account of his love for a daughter of Lord Sandys, who
held the adjoining property [The Vyne], and was in Cromwell's
army, and stung by the imputation of cowardice, swore in the
next engagement to take a standard or die in the attempt. This
flag was found in his hand after the battle, and the standard-
bearer dead by his side."
The flags taken at Newbury were exhibited to public view,
the people* thronging round these trophies, while the trained-
bands and auxiliaries, who had shared in the expedition, related
all the details. Everywhere, in domestic conversations, in sermons,
and in groups formed in the streets, the name of Essex was loudly
shouted or silently blessed.
Old Fuller, the author of 'The Worthies of England,' who
strenuously adhered to the Royal cause, quaintly remarks ;
"Both armies may be said to beat and be beaten, neither winning the
Day, but both the Twi-light. Hence it is said that both sides were so
sadly filled with their supper over night, neither next morning had any
stomach to breakfast, but keeping their stations, were rather contented
to face than willing to fight one another. * * * * Many here lost
their lives, as if Newbury were so named by a sad Prolepsis, fore-
signifying that that Town should afford a new burying place to many
slain in two bloody battles. "f
That the battle was looked upon as grave and serious by
both sides is very evident. The loyal historian Sir Richard
Baker considers, for example, that "this was a harder bout then
that of Edgehill; so that neither part haying any stomach to
renew the fight, they marched away one from the other, both the
King and Essex having first sent their warrants to Newbury and
Enborne for the Burial of the Dead Bodies. Essex his aym was
to relieve Gloucester, which he accordingly effected, though not
* The Parliamentary army is here spoken of as "Cromwell's Army," but at this
time the future Protector held only a subordinate command, and was not engaged
in this battle. The estate of the Brocas family at Beaurepaire, near Sherborne
St. John, has long since passed into other hands, and the house has been moder-
nized. The Vyne is an interesting old mansion, and was originally built by the
first Lord Sandys in the early part of the 10th cent., but was greatly altered by
Inigo Jones and his son-in-law Webb. In the private chapel, which Horace
Walpole described "as the most heavenly chapel in the world," is an altar tomb,
with an effigy of Challoner Chute, Speaker of the House of Commons in Richard
Cromwell's Parliament.
t 'Worthies/ Lond., 1662, pp. Ill, 112.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 49
without some damage: for Colonel Hurrey with a good party of
horse fell upon the rear of his army, commanded by Sir Philip
Stapleton, whom in a narrow lane they charged so furiously, that
they forced them to a run directly forward through their own
foot, till at length getting into the field they faced about, and
forced the King's party back again: many colours of the King's
cornets were carried up to London, and much reputation was
gained by this expedition to General Essex and the London
Trained Bands; not that there had been wanting the height of
gallantry and resolution (however Fortune fail'd) on the King's
side." *
In fact the loss in officers and men was very heavy ; and the
"Weekly Account" of Sept. 28, 1643, bears vivid testimony to
this fact. In it the writer says, "It was a lamentable spectacle
the next morning to behold what heaps of bodies and diversities
of slaughter in one field this tragedy had compiled, and that the
consanguineous foes, whom the sun could never hope to see
reconciled, should on his return, with cold arms be observed to
embrace one another, and to mingle themselves in each other's
blood, by the incestuous cruelty and union of death."
Of all those who fell on this memorable day no one was so
missed as Falkland, none so frequently referred to at these and
later times. Ward,f writing in 1757, a hundred years after the
great fight, fully endorses the opinion as to the single heartedness
of this, one of the earliest victims to the Civil War. He says:
"Maintaining still his secretary's post,
Till he at once his life and office lost,
Resigning both at Newb'ry, in the field
Of battle, by a fatal bullet kill'd,
As boldly charging with undaunted force,
In the front rank of noble Byron's horse.
Falling among the valiant and the just,
Who dy'd that day an honour to their Trust."
When morning broke Essex drew up the remnant of his
shattered forces on the Wash, and announced his willingness to
renew the fight, "if the enemy had any stomach for the field," by
the firing of artillery, but the challenge not being accepted,
Essex, finding the way to London by Greenham open before him,
proceeded on his march towards Beading without opposition.
From this, it is evident how complete his victory was. Had
there been any power of renewing the engagement, doubtless the
Boyalists would gladly have availed themselves of it. But
beaten back after an action which had lasted from dawn to dusk,
* 'Chronicle of the Kings of England,' by Sir Richard Baker, knight, 4th edit.,
London, 1664, p. 570.
f ' England's Reformation,' v. ii, p. 327.
H
50 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
their demoralization and fatigue must have been extreme. So
the stern Parliamentary call to battle passed unheeded. The
spirit of the King's army crushed by recent defeat had "little
stomach" to try again the fortunes of another day. The army
of Essex, prepared to fight again if necessary to obtain the right
of passage past the town of Newbury, had no longer any such
need. Re-forming his column of march from battle array, the
Earl resumed his movement eastward with no further fear of
immediate molestation.
The route taken by the Parliamentary troops was by Monkey
Lane,* Greenham Common, Brimpton, and Aldermaston. No
sooner had Essex and his men entered the narrow lane between
the latter village and Pad worth f than Prince Rupert, who, with a
column of cavalry and 800 musqueteers had unperceived taken
up a position in his line of march, fell suddenly on the rear-
guard under Sir Philip Stapleton, throwing it into considerable
disorder. The horse galloped through the foot crying, panic
struck, "Away! away! every man for his life! you are all dead
men." But the foot soon rallied, and, spreading themselves along
the hedges on either side, poured in such telling volleys on
Rupert's wearied cavalry, that after a desperate struggle, in
which great courage was shown by both parties, the Royalists,
having no force to support them, were compelled to abandon the
attack, and fall back, losing (it is said) in this short and mur-
derous affair something like 300 men.J After this, the final
rencontre, Essex crossed the Kennet at Pad worth, and pushed on
to Theale, where he arrived about ten o'clock and quartered
for the night.
The Field being clear of the enemy, the King's immediate care
was bestowed on the wounded, who were lying in frightful num-
bers all around, every neighbouring cottage, and the old farm
house at Enborne, || being crowded with those who had been able
* Monkey Lane. An ingenious origin has been assigned to this name that it
was a favourite walk of the Monks at the neighbouring priory at Sandleford, and
hence was called "Monks' Lane," which has been corrupted into the present
unmeaning appellation. A Monks', or Abbot's Walk or Lane is frequently found
in the vicinity of monastic establishments.
t See Notes on this encounter in the Appendix.
J The Mercurius Aulicus states that the party sent in pursuit of Essex was
under the Earl of Northampton and Lord Wilmot, the Prince being the prime
leader, and computes his loss at 100. Oldmixon, following an earlier writer, gives
Hurry the credit of leading the horse under Rupert, and estimates the King's loss
at 80 men, and that of the Parliament at 8 ! The foot were under George Lisle.
Padworth. Near this place a small iron casket, of the time of Charles I, was
found some few years since. It is supposed to have been used for conveying the pay
of the troops, but was found empty ! The relic is in the possession of W. G. Mount,
Esq., President of the Newbury District Field Club.
|| Near Enborne Lodge, and in the occupation of Mr. Wm. Heath It is still known
as "The Hospital," and is an old-fashioned gabled building, apparently little changed
since the time of the battle.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 51
to crawl to a place of shelter. Nor was his Majesty's care limited
to mere enquiry: for the "Parliamentary Scout"* of the time
states that "It is reported that His Majesty desired to see the
wounded, which, some say, having viewed, he went sadly away."
The more sorely wounded were left upon the battle-field the whole
night. The bodies of His Majesty's chief officers, many of whom
there was reason to suppose had fallen, were first sought for, and,
when discovered, it was found that they had been spoiled
and stripped by Essex's camp followers. The King whose silence
evinced his deep sorrow, ordered an escort of their own gallant
troopers to attend the remains of their beloved leaders to the
town, where they were respectfully deposited in the Town Hall
(at that time standing in the centre of the Market-place), and
covered with the ensigns of their loyalty, till the necessary pre-
parations could be made for honourable interment, -f-
Lord Grey of Groby, Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir John Meyrick,
Sir Samuel Luke, Captain Charles Pym, and several other officers
were rewarded with the thanks of Parliament for their distin-
guished services at Newbury.
This battle was important in two ways. Politically it dis-
heartened the Royalist party. From a military point of view it
gave courage to the Parliamentarians, for it snowed that the
apprentices of London and the Roundhead horsemen were as
dauntless as any of those who wore the Royalist badge, and
could meet even the charge of Prince Rupert's cavaliers with
coolness and stedfast valour. Essex did not aim at gaining the
town of Newbury. His object was to push past the place and
pursue his journey unmolested to London. This he accom-
plished, although he left the town in the King's hands. The
Parliamentary organ 'Mercurius Britannicus' J ventured to
boldly advance that "the towne of Newbery is a just witness
who won the field"; but this is fully counteracted by the opinion
held by the royalist journal 'Mercurius Aulicus' the following
week that "It is your Moderator's own towne, and is a very
indifferent judge."
* September 22 to 29, 1643. t See Appendix.
J Friday, September 29, 1643. The Mercurius Britannicus was conducted by
Marchmond Needham, who, educated at the Poor School at Burford, was one of the
Choristers at All Souls College, Oxford, and B.A., 1637. During the Civil War he
distinguished himself by his political pamphlets, first against the Parliament and
afterwards against the King, so that at the Restoration it was with difficulty that
he obtained his pardon.
Dr. Twisse, Prolocutor of the Assembly of Divines. The Mercurius Aulicus
was written by John Birkenhead, born of poor parents in Cheshire, a Fellow of
All Souls College, Oxford. He suffered much in His Majesty's cause, being fre-
quently in prison, and deprived of all his preferments. Soon after the Restoration
he was made LL.D. Elected a Burgess for Wilton, knighted by His Majesty, and
made Master of the Faculties, one of the Masters of Requests, Fellow of the Royal
Society, he died in 1679 without having, as it seems, made such returns as he
might to those who befriended him in his necessities. See Walker's ' Sufferings of
the Clergy,' pt. ii, p. 98.
52 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
There seems to be little to criticize in the conduct of the
action on the Parliamentary side; certain it is that, despite the
unquestionable valour of their opponents, they were able to carry
out their object, that of marching on London. This point must
be clearly kept in view. The destruction of the King's army, and
the pursuit that should always follow a victory in order to reap
the full results of the success, were not necessary here. The Earl
wanted the right of way and he obtained it. Though the
King's army still held Newbury, it had been definitely forced
back into the town. The pursuit effected by Rupert was practi-
cally barren of results, and cannot be taken as a proof that
the King could claim to have won the hard-fought field. If a
few enthusiastic troopers could, as they did, follow the plume of
the dashing cavalier, the rest of the army could not. The barren
occupation of the battle-field, which can be the only grounds on
whicn the Royalists could base their claim, was solely possible
because Essex did not want it. The advance of the weals force
by Guyer's Lane on the passage of the Kennet may be looked as
a mere petty reconnaissance on that side, and could exercise no
influence on the fortune of the day. To get hold of the river
line and Newbury was not Essex's object, and no importance
should be attached to this affair. The value of the reserves and
their usefulness in checking the counter attack of the Royalist
cavalry on the then exposed left flank of the left wing, resting as
it was almost "en 1'air," in the field, is clearly noticeable, and on
this side the fight was ably and well conducted; but it is difficult
to see why the attack of the right wing was not more vigor-
ously pressed.
A more determined advance by Trundle Hill would have taken
in flank and soon in reverse the line of Royalist guns, already
fully engaged with the musketeers and artillery of the left wing
from Skinner's Green. Moreover an advance in echellon from
the right, that is gradually advancing that wing further than the
other, without destroying connection and communication be-
tween them, would not merely have brought his force across the
flank of the Royalist army, but have prevented altogether an
advance of the King's right on the Kintbury road, which was
always possible and might have been dangerous. The probable
explanation is that the open nature of the ground rendered the
advance on this flank difficult against troops that could display
such bravery and tenacity as the cavaliers of the King.
Turning to the Royal forces there is less to criticize, the more
so as the details of their dispositions are somewhat wanting.
Their left wing seems to have been well posted, and to have effec-
tually checked the advance of Essex's right; but it -is a question
whether the massing of all their artillery from the commencement
so far back on the Wash was advisable. Evidently their chief wish
was to block the way simply; and the King appeared desirous of
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 53
offering a passive resistance, so that the artillery position as
selected, resting as it did with both flanks on the slope, north and
south of the narrow neck of the Wash, across which the entrench-
ment stretched and the main road ran, seems well chosen at first
glance to fulfil the object, especially bearing in mind the short
range of the field artillery of the period. But the left was
liable to be taken in enfilade from Trundle Hill, and the right
could be threatened from the cover of the hedge-rows of Dark
Lane which approached to within musket shot of the King's guns.
Further the Royalist account states that they were much
annoyed by the fire of the Parliamentary guns on the Round Hill,
and it was owing to their position that the counter attack along
the valley towards Newbury was mainly checked. It has been
already pointed out that this side was for Essex that which was
most vital to him.
It would have been wiser therefore for the Royalists to have
prevented the occupation of the round spur above Cope Hall;
and this need not have been done, as suggested by them, by the
actual occupation of the ridge, but by holding with their foot
the hedge-rows of Dark Lane, and placing their right wing
artillery or a portion of them on the spur to the right rear of the
lane, whence they could both cover the low valley towards the
Kennet, and at the same time bring so powerful a fire on the
"round hill" as to preclude the possibility of the guns of the
attack coming into action. In fact that two batteries, one on the
spur east of Dark Lane, the other at about the same position as
the entrenchment actually occupied, with the left flank well
"refused" or thrown back so as to meet the fire from Trundle Hill,
would have made the occupation of the "round hill" impractic-
able. The. right wing battery thus echelloned would have been
protected from cavalry attack by the hedge-rows, and could have
fired, over the heads of the musketeers there, on the opposing
artillery when endeavouring to unlimber. Though not definitely
stated, the piercing the Royal centre by Falkland Farm, which
seems to have been Essex's main attack, must have been coupled
by an advance of his right from Trundle Hill, and the greatest
credit is due to the King's commander in having been able, as
he did, to withdraw under these circumstances all his forces into
Newbury without having, as is often the case, the two wings
separated and driven in diverging directions from the field.
The charge of the Royalist cavalry under Falkland against the
hedge-rows of Dark Lane was a daring and gallant action, but a
useless waste of life. In all probability it would have been
difficult even for a good horse and rider in the hunting field; how
much more so with the weight of armour and the intense excite-
ment of the charge.
The spirit lived (and let us hope it still survives) in the breasts
of those who rode so gallantly to death up the Balaklava Valley
54 THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
against the Russian guns; but the French Marshal's remark that
"c'est magnifique, mais ce n'est j>as la guerre," is as true of the
gallant cavaliers of Charles I., as it was of the fearless horsemen
of Cardigan's light brigade.
55
APPENDIX.
APPENDIX I.
A LIST OF THOSE EEGIMENTS OF TEAINED-BANDS
AND AUXILIAEIES OF THE CITY OE LONDON, WHICH
WEEE ENGAGED AT THE FIEST BATTLE OF NEWBUEY.
Extracted from a MS.* by Richard Symonds (author of the "Dia/ry
of the Marches of the Royal Army"J, entitled:
"THE ENSIGNES| OF Y B EEGIMENTS IN Y B CITTY OF LONDON
BOTH OF TBAYNED BANDS AND AUXILIABIES.
TOGEATHEB W THE NEABEST NlJMBEB OF THEIB TBAYNED SoLDIEES,
AS THEY MABOHED INTO FlNSBTJBY FIELDS, BEING THEIB LAST GENEBALL
MUSTEB.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMB. 26, 1643.
ANNO PESTIFFEBJE EEBELLIONIS."
THE EED EEGIMENT OF TEAYNED-BANDS.
This Eegim*' was not at y* generall Muster in ffinsbury ffeilds.
Musketts Officers about
Pikes The Totall
Came from Newbery on Thursday, Sep. 28, 1643.
Collonel Isaack Pennington, Vsurper Maior, 1643.
Colonels Captayne Eichard Verner.
The limitts of this Eegim*-
Cornhill, Lombard-street, Fenchurch, the vpp. pt. of Grace
Church Street, &c.
Lieut. Col. Eobt. Dauies
a Slop-maker for Seamen neare Billingsgate.
S r ieant Maior Tho. Chamb'laine. viol' a Merchant, lining neare
Lenden hall.
1. Capt. Thomas Player
a hosyer and wholesaleman for narrow wares, lining vpon new
ffish street hill.
2. Capt. Chr. Whichcott, a merchant
Colonel of the Greene Eegim*- of Auxiliaries about Cripplegate.
3. Capt. W m - Manby, clerke of Leathersellers hall.
4. Capt. Joseph Yaughan, displaced.
* Harl. MS. No. 986.
t The Ensigns or Colours of Regiments and Companies, given in the 'Diary,'
are not reproduced here.
50 APPENDIX.
THE YELLOW REGIMENT OF TRAYNED-BANPS.
This Reg 4 - marched 2 d into yo foild at yo gonorall Muster aforesaid
and consisted of
Muskets . . 506
Pikes .. .. 448
Officers about . , 070
TheTotall , 1024
Collonol Thomas Adams, Alderman, ho was not at Nowbury.
Collonel's Captayne Edw. Clegatt.
Limitts of this Regiin 4
pt. of Thames Street, beginning at St. Magnus Church and reacheth
to Bread Street, Dowgate, Walbrooke, ffriday street and part of
"Watling Street, &c.
Lieut. Col. Francis West, A Silke man liuing in Bread street.
This West was Colonel of this Regim*- at Newbery. Capt. Edw.
Stoning was his Capt.-leiut. there, and shott in the heele and dyed at
Reading and buried [there].
S r ieant Maior W m - Vnderwood, a Tobacco Seller in Bucklers Bury.
Capt. Rich. Hacket p r ceded this Vnderwood in this Regim*- but left
them refusing there oath of Associacon and is now in his Ma ties Service.
Garlicke hill and Queene Hithe Company.
1. Capt. Edw. Bellamy
a Vintner at the Rost on ffleetbridge.
a ffishmonger in Thames Street neare the Bridge.
Capt. Rich. Hacket was Capt. of this Company.
2. Capt. John Booker
Register to y 6 Com'issioners of Banckrupt.
Liuing in Wallbrooke.
3. Capt. Geo. Dipford, aly Merchant.
a Linnen Drap' neare Bow Church in the Ch. yard.
Cheape Side Company ag* the Standard.
St. Antsokins Bow-Lane, &c. Company.
4. Capt. William Coleson.
he w th his Company carried the Statues in the Church of AU-
hallowes to y 6 Parliam.
A Dyer liuing neare Dyers hall in Thames in Little All-hallowes
p'ish. tenant to N.E.H.
THE BLEW REGIMENT OF TRAYNED-BANDS.
This Regim 4 - was not at this Muster but came from Newbery on
Thursday, Septemb. 28, 1643.
It was the biggest Regim 1 of y 6 Trayned bands 1400 of them at
Bramf . or Turnha' greene.
APPENDIX. 57
The limitts of this Eegim*- is Colman Street, The Stocks Lothbury,
Old Jewry, pt. of Cheape side.
Collonel John "Warner Alderma'.
Collonels Captayne Thomas Juxon a Sugar baker lining in St.
Thomas Apostles, most violent, slayne at Newbery in this Manner, his
horse was shott by a Can' on bullet in the forehead, being stun'd w th
the blow, ran w tb him violently right on, into his Ma ties Army where
the horse fell downe dead, and he was mortally wounded and left
dead, but the body of y e Army leauing the place left him too, and by
that time he recouered his sences and was carried to London, and
dyed w th in four dayes. His estate was neare Grodalming in Surrey
where he liued.
Lieu 1 - Col. Mathew ffoster.
Vintner at the Shipp behind the Exch. put out himselfe, but tooke
the oath of Assoc. taken by the Capt. of the Citty for opposing all
forces raysed w th out consent of P.
S r ieant Maior Owen Roe, a Mercer in Cheape side.
1. Capt. Mathew Sheppard. Merchant, a Sugar baker p'ner w th
Juxon afores a in St. Thomas Apostles.
2. Capt. ffrancis Eoe, brother to Owen Eoe, one of these Eoes liues
in Colman street.
3. Capt. Eobt. Mainwaring, of y e Custome hovse. Liuing in
Aldermanbury.
Hath a Troope of horse besides and quitted this Capt.
THE EEC EEGIMENT OF AUXILIARIES,
Colonel Thomas Atkins
Alderman.
Colonels Captayne or Capt. Leftenant,
Greo. Mosse.
The limitts of this Eegm*'
Aldgate, Marke Lane, Tower street, Billingsgate, &c.
Leuit. Colonel Eandal Mainwaring
his shop is In Cheape side neare Ironmonger lane by Col. Towse.
Was Colonel of the Eed Eeg. of Auxiliaries and w th them at
Newbery.
Prisoners Eemoved out of Ely howse, 1643. S r ieant Maior Tucker
Mr. Wm. Ingoldsby, of Walton in Com' \ Carried the Prisoners
hertf. 01:
Mr. Walt, ffarr Essex
Mr. John Scriuener, Com' Stiff. Esqr.
Mr. Hen. Wilford Esq.
Mr. hopesill Tilder Jucate of Sandwich
Mr. Sam' Daniell of Buhner in Essex Eecusant
out of Ely howse to
the Ship, was slayne
at Newbery, Sep :
1643, his head shott
off.
This Tucker went out
,, + T ,, Colonel of this
of Yarmouth, / Ee gimt. a t Newbery,
I
58 APPENDIX.
1 . Captayne Willm' Tomson.
This Tomson was leiftenant Colonel of this Regm*- at Newberry.
2. Capt. Edw: Hooker.
3. Capt. Lawrence Bromfeild.
4. Capt. Richard Hunt:
a Confectioner in Bearebinder lane: slayne at Newbery quon-
dam S'uant to Capt. Ditchfeild.
This Hunt was 3 d - Capt. at Newbury.
The Ensigns or Colours of the Blue and Orange Regiments of the
Auxiliaries are given by Symonds, without any names of officers.
Total of the Trained-Bands and Auxiliaries engaged at Newbury.
TEAYNED BANDS.
Red Reg: S'ppose it recruted 1000
Yellow Reg: Mustered 1024
Blew Reg: Suppose it recruted, and at most 1000
AUXILIARIES.
I Suppose they all 3 recruted )
Blew Reg. and to consist of
Orenge Keg. )
NOTE. Until the reign of Queen Anne, every " Company" in a Regiment carried
a "Colour." Those used by the Trained Bands at this time were of the same colour
as the name of the Regiment denotes: thus the Red Regiment bore a red flag.
The devices on each were different in the several Regiments. The Colonel's Colour
was perfectly plain ; the Lieutenant-Colonel's had the red cross of St, George on a
white ground in the first quarter ; the remainder were similar, with the addition of
a number of devices, such as a diamond, a trefoil, ball or other such device,
corresponding to the number of the Company. The Sergeant-Major [Major] bad
one such mark; the Senior Captain two, and so on. 'History of the Hon. Artillery
Company,' by G A. Raikes; pp. 139, HO.
H. THE ATTACK ON ESSEX'S REAR THE DAY AFTER
THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
It is difficult at times to reconcile local traditional history and names
with the probable course of events gathered from other and more trust-
worthy sources. Now, near Theale is a narrow winding lane (leading
north from the main Reading road) to which has been assigned the
name of "Deadman's Lane," and this has been described by several
writers as the spot where this encounter took place, and somewhat in
yerification of this tradition, a sword,* portions of horse-trappings, &c.,
* While inspecting the ground near Deadman's Lane a short time since, the
writer was informed that in removing a bank in the immediate neighbourhood,
a sword had been dug up, and this he was fortunately able to secure. The sword is
a straight cut- and- thrust blade, much worn by repeated grinding ; the fighting
Bword of a gentleman from its lightness and finish. The hilt is of the ordinary
pattern of the 17th century. This relic is now in the h mds of the Rev. A. Clutter-
buck, rector of Eng efield, to whom it has been presented.
APPENDIX. 59
have been found in the adjacent fields; but a glance at a map will
prove at once that this "affair" had nothing whatever to do with th
pursuit after the battle of the 20th.
It is quite clear that, after having driven the King's forces into the
town of Newbury and to some extent across the Kennet, the Earl
of Essex would endeavour to keep that obstacle, the river, between
him and the enemy as long as possible, and only cross it to gain the
main road by Reading to London, which ran along the north bank of
the Kennet, i.e. on the enemy's side of the river, when fairly beyond all
danger of being disturbed by the King's troops from the direction of
Shaw House.
It is well known that Essex after the battle advanced by Greenham
Common en route for Reading and London, and it is evident he must
have marched by the old winding roads through Aldermaston to the
point of passage at Padworth and so by Theale. This line of march
would leave Deadman's Lane on the left, and there would be no object
whatever in going down it, unless the force had unaccountably lost its
way. On this ground alone, therefore it is improbable that any
fighting took place there on this occasion.
Further, Sergeant-Major Foster, of the trained-bands, says that
when on the march towards Reading, Prince Rupert overtook the
army "in the narrow lanes about 1 mile from the village of Alder-
maston," and after the skirmish they marched unmolested to Theale,
where they arrived at 10 o'clock.
Again, the ' Mercurius Britannicus ' * says : " Whereupon we marched
toward Reading (to gaine quarters to supply our want of victuals) and
when we had marched 6 or 7 miles, the enemy's horse having got
an advantageous passage, which our horse endeavouring to cleere,
charged them, and in a narrow lane neere Sir Humphrey Forster's house,
part of our foote were disordered neere into a route by our own horse,
for relief of which Col. Middleton alights from his horse and draws
out 60 musqueteers, which he valorously led up first to relieve a stout
cannoneer of ours, who with three men made good his station where
he had charge of three case of drakes, against all the enemy's horse,
the King's horse were beaten off and 80 slain in the place with the
loss of 10 of ours." The 'Mercurius Britannicus' is never very parti-
cular as to accuracy in numbers.
This is evidence enough that Deadman's Lane had nothing to do
with the march on London, as the lane is 5 or 6 miles from the village
of Aldermaston, which is definitely named.f
* From Tuesday the 19, September to Tuesday 26, September 1643.
t The following extract from the parish register of Aldermaston, made with the
kind permission of the vicar, the Rev, J. B. Burne, tends to show that Essex and his
men passed through that village, the soldier buried in the church- yard having
most probably died on the march.
" 1643 September '23, a Parliament souldier kill'd at Newbury."
There are also two antecedent entries (as follow)
" 1643 May 13, a Parliament souldier being a German."
" 1643 August 29, Wm. Hill, a Parliament souldier."
In moving the ground for the purpose of making a vault in Padworth Churchyard
some years since, the remains of several male bodies were found promiscuously
thrown into a large grave, which, from certain indications, were supposed to belong
to soldiers who fell in some affray in the neighbourhood.
60 APPENDIX.
A probable explanation of the finding of the sword and other articles
near Deadman's Lane, is that some other fight occurred here during
Parliamentary times such as appears by the following letters to have
taken place the previous month, August 1643.
(No. 1). Letter from the Earl of Essex to Col. Goodwin.
Sir. Understanding from Col. Ven* that som hors heave nowe
quartered at Veal 3 myls from Beading, I resolved to send som hors to
visit them, which Collonel Dalbeere desired to perform, as much [as]
I know I have sent you, by which you may perceive it was no great
matter for a great body of hors to tack som hors of a brocken troupe
that quartered themselves at Wikeham against orders, and if the
enemy had not taken the payns to have carried the lieftenant away I
had called him to a Marshall's Court, f I am, your attached friend,
ESSEX. Kingston, 13 Aug., 1643. (Tanner MSS., Bibl. Bodl. v. 62-1,
No. 254).
(No. 2). Letter from Col. Dalbier to the Earl of Essex.
"According to orders marcht from Kingston to the quarters of my
regiment at Cobham, and gave orders for the several troops to march
to Bagshot, where, with Capt. Pym's troop, I arrived about 7 o'clock:
the troop consisted of 40 men, in all about 100 men, passed from
Bagshot 10 at night with a guide who brought me to Swallowfield,
where I took another guide who brought me to Burfield Bridge, which
was a little after break of day, when, and no sooner, did I hear the
enemy was got at Theale, which made me the greater diligence to get
them unaware, which indeed we did, for we found them without guard
onely ready to goe away, not knowing anything of our entering the
town, there was some 5 or 6 kill'd and so many or more sorely hurt :
26 of horse brought to this Castle prisoners, among which is the
Captain who commanded, Lieut., Cornet, Quarter-master, and some
Corporals, the rest are troopers. My men hath gotten about 40 horses,
but very poore, insomuch that in all the matter is no great value.
I am both weary and sleepy, and my horses tyred, which makes me
stay here this night. I shall, however, if it please God, come to your
Excellency to relate the business more at large. J. DOT/BIER."
Windsor, 13 Aug., 1643. (Tanner MSS., Bibl. Bodl., v. 62-r; No. 235).
* Col. Venn, who before joining the army had been a silkman in Cheapside, was
Governor of Windsor Castie, which was garrisoned for the Parliament soon after
the breaking out of the war. Prince Rupert made an unsuccessful attack upon it in
the autumn of 1642 The Castle continued in the hands of the Parliament during
the whole war, and in 1648 became the prison of the unfortunate King, who, as
Heath expresses it, kept his sorrowful and last Christmas here. Col. Venn was one
pf the King's judges.
t Tho latter part of this letter evidently refers to other proceedings in Bucking'
hamshire, in which the Parliamentarians had the worst of it.
APPENDIX. Gl
m. THE PEESENCE OF QUEEN HENEIETTA-MAEIA
AT THE BATTLE.
It has been stated by some -writers that the Queen herself was
present at the First Battle of Newbury, but this is not borne out by
the following letters* written by Her Majesty, when at Oxford, to the
Duke of Newcastle.
Harl. MS. 6988, fo. 157.
Oxford, ce 23, Sept.
Mon cousin ce porteur est demeure sy a propos quil vous portera la
nouuelle de la victoyre que nous auons eue sur les rebelles de quoy je
vous en voye la relation: et quoy que se n'aye pas estte vne totalle
desfait neaumoins sest vne fort grande victoyre il est vray que nous
y auons perdu quantite de honneste gens : qui y ont fait des merueilles
je vous assure que nos gens que jay amene auec moy n'ont pas mal
fait tellement que Ion peut dire que nostre annee du north a ayde a la
desfaite je suis sy lasse non pas de mestre batue, mais de en auoir ouy
parler, que je finiray en disant que je suis constamant,
Vostre fidelle amie,
HENEIETTE MAEIE E.
A Mon cousin le Marquis de Newcastel.
Harl. MS. 6988, fo. 158.
Oxford ce 7 Octobre.
Mon cousin jl y a sy longtamps que je nay reseu de vos nouvelles
que je commance a croyre que vous nous croyes ysy tout morts: se que
nous ne sommes pas; sest nous qui tueons le autres: nonobstant les
grandes rejouisances faits a Londre. H trouent que ils ont perdu leur
armee : il y a beaucoup des famines des citisiens de Londre qui vienent
chercher leur maris a Newbery disant que Mr. desex leur a dit quils
estoit la en garnison : du depuis le Eoy : tout batu quil est a en voye
vne garnison a reading et son exselance ne les a point ampeches tout
les jours jl vient des forces du parlement trouuer le Eoy: jl m'est
ariue vn malheur au quel je crois vous prandres part: Watt Monteque
est pris a rochester par le parlemant venant ysy auec 1'ambassadeur
de f ranee: il a voulu saduanser devant et a estte recongnu et pris: je
croy que lambassadeur ne veut point venir quil ne lait encore : jl y a
vn chose que je desire sauoir de vous de vant que de la faire :
Marquis Hertford Groume
174 a desire destre 15- 17- 27- 45. |
de stoule du King of England.
22- 50 35. 62- 44- 7- 5- 8. 48. 35. 62. 23. 8. 66.[ 5- 63' 189. |
quite
sela estant jl fault quil 52- 62- 27- 45- 8- 68. | destre. | 22. 35- 63.
Gouerneur de Prince Charles
64- 8. 50. 40- 10- 63- 51- ] 5- 7' 239. teUement que il en fault 55. 42-
JSstre vn autre de P. Charles
8. 48. 45- 50- 8. 62. 41. 17. 62. 45. 50. 8. | au pres 5- 8- 239. ce que
* One of these letters is partly written in cipher, as will be seen; and some
deciphered words appear to have been intercalated in the original.
62 APPENDIX.
vous
260, ne veut pas sans premierement sauoir sy. 63. 35. 63- 48. |
la rauoir
66' 4- 70 voules 23. 18. jo~ 17. 62- 35- 2"]. jo. \ se que jay cru auec
vous auez pas
lamploy que 64- 35- 63 48. | 17' 62- 8- 48. ne se pouroit 33- 17' 48.
accorder
17- 11 35- 50' 5- 8- 51. neanmoins: je atandray vostre responce: et sy
deux
vous tombes days la mesme opinion que moy: jl y a 5- 8- 62- 48.
Places
autres 33- 23- 17' 11' 8* 49- que je desire sauoir la quelle vous sera
plus agreable : nayant rien tant dans ma pancee que de vous f aire voir
et a tout le monde lestime que je fais de vous: sest pour quoy mande a
moy franchement et comme a vne amie: comme je fais a sette heure a
Chamlettan ou gentilhomme de la Chambre du lit
vous: se que vous desirez ir 31- 17- 40- 13' 8' 23' 24- i8 f 40' $ 35'
62- 27- IT 4i" 45' 2S 2 3' 3 1 ' 35' 4*' 44' 7' 5' 8- 24- 17- ir jr ig-
43' Z 3' 5' 7' 5' & 2 ' 2 4' 2 $' 45' S J jauois voulu aler par seremonies
je vous lorois fait escrire par vn autre: mais sela est bon la ou jl nia
pas vne estime comme jay de vous: et comme se sy est escrit auec
franchise je demande vne responce de mes me: et que vous me croyes
comme je suis veritablement et constamment,
Vostre fidelle et bien bonne amie,
HENEIETTE MAEIE E.
A Mon cousin le Marquis de Newcastel.
The Marquis of Newcastle was at this time in the North, and a few
days previously writes as below to Prince Eupert, congratulating him
on his (questionable) success at Newbury :
"May it please your Highness. 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, * * * Your Highness's most faithful
obliged servant, "W. NEWCASTLE.
(Nottingham, 6 Oct., 1643.
APPENDIX. 63
IV. A CASE OF WITCH-MUEDEE AT NEWBUEY.*
"A MOST
"CERTAIN STRANGE AND TRUE DISCOVERY OF A
" WITCH
" Being taken by some of the Parliamentary Forces, as she was sliding
"On a small planck board and say ling on it over the Eiver at Newbery,
"Together with the strange and true manner of her death, with the
propheticall
"Words and Speeches she used at the same time.
Printed by John Hammond 1643.
[A very rough woodcut of the conventional " Witch " is printed with the title.]
"Many are in the belief that this silly sex of Woman can by no meanes
attaine to that so vile and damned a practise of sorcery and Witchcraft
in regard to their illeterateness and want of learning, which many
Men of greate learning have become. Adam by temptation toucht and
tasted the deceiving apple so some high learn' d and read, by the same
Tempter that deceived him hath bin ensnared to contract with the Devil
as for example in the instancing a few English, Bacon of Oxford,
Vandermast of Hollande, Bungy of Germany, Fostus of the same place,
Franciscus the English monke of Bery, Doctor Blackleach and divars,
others that were tedious to relate of, but how weake Woman should
attain unto it many are incredible of the same and many too are
opposite of opinion gainst the same, that giving a possibility to their
doubtings that the malice and inveterate malice of a woman entirely
devoted to her revengeful! wrath frequenting desolate and desart
places and giving way unto their wicked temptation may have com-
mune with that world roaring Lion and covenant and contract upon
condition, the like hath in divars places and tymes been tried at the
assises of Lancaster, Carlile, Buckingham and elsewhere, but to come
to the intended relation of this Witch's and Sorceresse's doings as is
manifestly and credibly related by Gentlemen, Commanders and
Captaines of the Earle of Essex his Army.
"A part of the Army marching thro' Newbery some of the Souldiers
being scattered by reason of theyre loytering by the way in gathering
Nuts, Apples, Plummes, Black berries and the like, one of them by
chance in climbing up a Tree being pursued by his fellows or Comrade
in Waggish Merriment jesting one with another espied on the river
being there adjacent a tall lean slender Woman as he supposed to his
amasement and great terrour treading of the water with her f eete with
as much ease and firmnesse as if one should walk or trample on the
earth, wherewith he softly calls and beck'ned to his fellows to behold
it and with all possible speed that could be to obscure them from her
sight, who as conveniently as they could they did observe, this could
* It is only for the sake of illustrating the thoughts and actions of the times
referred to, that the f llowing account of a heartless and superstitious murder is
here given, with the grossly i': iterate form retained in which the brutality, credulity,
and ignorance of the day produced it as a catchpenny sheet for the vulgar.
64 APPENDIX.
be no little amasement unto them you may think to see a Woman
dance upon the water, nor could all their sights be deluded, though
perhaps one might, but arriving nearer to the Shore they could perceive
there was a planck or deale overshadowed with a little shallow water
that she stood upon which did beare her up, anon rode by some of the
Commanders who were eye-witnesses as much as they and were as
much astonished as they could be, still too and fro she fleeted on the
water, the boord standing firm about upright, indeed I have both
heerd and read of many that in tempests and on Rivers by casualty
have become ship-wrack'd or cast overboord where catch'g empty
Barrells, rudders, boords or plancks have made good shift by the
assisting providence of God to get on shore, but not in this woman
kind, when as little thinking who perceived her tricks, or that she did
imagine that they were the last she should ever show, as we have
heard the Swan sings before her death, at last having been sufficiently
upon the water he that deceived her alway, did so then, blinding her
that she could not see at her landing the ambush that was" laid for her,
coming upon the shore she gave the boord a push, which they plainly
perceived and crossed the river, they searched after her, but could not
find her she feeing landed. The Commanders beholding her gave
orders to lay hold on her and bring her to them straight, the which
some were feerfull, but some being more valorous than other some,
boldly went to her and siesed upon her by the armes demanding what
she was, but the woman no whit replying any words unto them they
brought her to the Commanders to whom, tho' mightily she was urged
she did reply as little, so consulting with themselves what should be
done to her, it being so apparently appear'd she was a Witch, being
lothe to let her goe and as loth to carry her with them, so they resolved
with themselves to make a shot at her, and gave orders to a couple of
their Souldiers that were approv'd good marksmen to charge and shoot
her strait, which they purposed to doe, so setting her strait again a
Mud Banke or wall two of the Souldiers according to their comand
made ready when having taken aime, gave fire and shot at her, as
thinking sure they had sped her, but with a deriding and loud laughter
at them she caught theyre bullets in her hands and shewed them,
which was stronger testimony than the water that she was the same
that their imagination thought her so to be, so resolving with them-
selves if either fire or sword or halter were sufficient to make an end of
her, one let his Carabine close to her breast, where discharging, the
bullett back rebound' d like a ball and narrowly it missed his face that
was the shooter, this so inraged the Gentlemen that one drew out his
sword and manfully [!] ran at her with all the force his strength had
power to make, but it prevayled no more than did the shot, the Woman
still, tho' speechless, yet in a most contemptible way of scorn still
laughing at them, which did the more exhauste their furie against her
against her life, yet one amongst them had heerd that piercing the
temples of the head it would prevayl against the strongest sorcery and
quell the force of Witchcraft, which was allowyd for trial, the Woman
hearing this knew that the Devil had left her and her power was gone,
whereupon she began aloud to cry and roare, tearing her haire and
making piteous moan, which in these words expressed were, And is it
come to passe that I must dye indeed, why then his Excellencie the
Earle of Essex shall be fortunate and win the field, after which no
APPENDIX. 65
more words could be got from her, wherewith they immediately dis-
charged a Pistoll underneathe her eare at which she strait sunk downe
and dyed, leaving her legacy of a detested carcasse to the wormes, her
soule we ought not to judge of, though the evills of her wicked life
and death can scape no censure. FINIS."
'
IY. THE DISCOVERY OF THE COFFIN AND REMAINS OF THE VAULT OF
EGBERT DEVEREUX, THIRD EARL OF ESSEX, IN THE CHAPEL OF
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY, JUNE, 1879.*
The only entry of this burial in the Register of "Westminster Abbey
says that the Earl of Essex was buried " in St. John Bap. Chapel in a
vault on the right side of the Earl of Exeter's monument, 19 Oct. 1646."
There is also a memorandum that a certain burial took place "neare
y 8 Earle of Essex."
Probably no monument to him has ever existed, for there is no note
of one. The memorandum of 1685, quoted above, renders it very
probable, however, that his gravestone then existed.
This obscurity has always been unsatisfactory; but no attempt to
throw light on the subject has ever been made until the present year,
when a descendant of the Devereux family proposed to Dean Stanley
to have an examination in St. John the Baptist's Chapel.
The existence of a vault having been inferred from the memoranda,
it was thought there would be but little difficulty in finding it; and,
under the order of the Dean, the search was made early in June. It
began in the ground south of the Exeter tomb, where there was found
the wall of the vault built by Baron Hunsdon, now partly under the
Exeter tomb; and southward was found the marble coffin of an Abbot
of the fifteenth century. The south-west corner of the Chapel was
found to be filled with coffins-, laid side by side and in piles, without
any sign of a vault.
As regards the Earl's burial all this labour was fruitless, and with a
feeling of disappointment the search was hopelessly given up.
On returning to the Chapel the next day for the purpose of closing
all up, there was seen the angle of a lead coffin, which lay low down in
the earth, at the extreme south-west corner of the area. It appeared
to be a coffin of more than usual importance from the form of the
soldering of the sheet-lead. The earth above the coffin was cellular
and loose, and so allowed the hand to pass through towards the place
of the coffin-plate. This was done, and a loose plate was felt and
brought out. On partially clearing off the corrosion, the name of
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was seen, and the discovery was
achieved.
* From an account of the operations which led to this discovery, prepared by
Mr. Henry Poole, Master Mason of Westminster Abbey. Inserted with the
courteous approval of the Very Rev. A. P. Stanley, D.D., Dean of Westminster.
K
66 APPENDIX.
The coffin had the appearance of being one of a number of common
burials, and without a vault; but its position at the very bottom
induced further examination. Then it became evident that the coffin
had been once enclosed in a beautifully wrought vault of stone, which
had been, not many years afterwards, wholly demolished to give room
for interments over the coffin and by the north side of it.
The coffin lay on the original stone floor of the vault, and it seemed
never to have been disturbed. Besides the floor, there remained a
part of the south wall, but all the other three walls and the arch over
them had disappeared.
After the disheartening abandonment of the search on the previous
day, the pleasure arising from its successful resumption may be
conceived.
The brass inscription-plate of the coffin was now flattened and
attached to a small slab of marble, and laid on its place on the coffin.
The Dean directed the coffin to be enclosed within a new vault of
stone, utilizing what remained of the old vault, and finally, that on the
top of the covering should be laid a slab of marble thus inscribed :
"This vault, shattered by later interments, was opened for the
purpose of ascertaining the grave of the Earl of Essex, in
June, 1879, and was then restored."
The vault was formally and finally closed on the 19th June, in the
presence of the Dean, Mr. Evelyn P. Shirley, of Lower Ettington,
near Stratford-on-Avon, Mr. Knight Watson, secretary of the Royal
Society of Antiquaries, and Mr. Doyne C. Bell, secretary to the
Privy Purse.
From the nature of the fine whit* Purbeck marble gravestone which
lay over the vault of the Earl, it is thought to be his original stone,
once engraved with his inscription, and referred to in the memorandum
of 1685. In 1710 was buried the wooden coffin which was found
pressing on the Earl's coffin, and then, perhaps, the vault was de-
molished, and the Earl's inscription was smoothed out and superseded
by that of "Mary Kendal." All this seemed to warrant the erasure of
the inscription of that lady, and its renewal in smaller characters
below the middle of the slab.
The upper part of the marble slab is now occupied by the inscription
and the shield of arms of the Earl's coffin-plate, of which it is a
fac-simile, but twice-and-a-half larger.
The vault of the Earl has been spoken of as one of excellent work.
Its construction, shape, and finish are very nmch like those of the
beautiful vault which King Henry VH. built for his Queen Elizabeth
of York, under their magnificent tomb.
It may be well to note here that the entry quoted in the first sentence
of this notice is erroneous The public prints of the day give the date of
the funeral "on Monday 22nd, October," whereas the Abbey-Register
says " October 19." Such errors are not infrequent in that Register.*
* On submitting the foregoing to Colonel Chester, the Editor of the Westminster
Abbey Registers, he does not accept Mr. Poole a conclusion, but is inclined to
maintain the accuracy of the entry in the Register. He points out t at in the year
1046 the 22nd of October did not fall on Monday, but on Thursday; while the
19th was really Monday, and that, as the "public prints of the day" were certainly
wrong either as to the day of the month or the week, the balance of proof is in
favour of the Register.
COFFIN PLATE OF ROBERT DEVEREUX, EARL OF ESSEX.
Discovered in Westminster Alley, 1879. See page 65.
APPENDIX. 67
V. BIOGKAPHICAL NOTICES OF OFFICERS AND OTHERS
MENTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
1. ROYALIST OFFICERS.
PATRICK RTTTHYEN, EARL OF FORTH. Created an English peer with
the title of the Earl of Brentford, 27 May, 1644; had been madeField-
marshall by the King at Coventry, and succeeded Lord Lindsey as
General- in-chief after the battle of Edgehill; engaged at both fights at
Newbury; "an experienced commander and a man of natural! courage,
and purely a soldier, and of a most loyall heart (which he had
many occasions to shew, before the warr was ended, and which his
Country-men remembred, for they used both him and his Widow with
all extremity afterwards)." (Sir Philip Warwick's Memoirs, p. 229.)
He had seen service in Sweden under Gustavus Adolphus, in Denmark,
Russia, Livonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Prussia. In England alone
the number of his wounds had equalled that of the battles in which he
had exposed himself. At Edgehill, says Lloyd, he modelled the fight.
He was at Brentford and Gloucester, was shot in both the fights at New-
bury, at Cheriton, and near Banbury. He had been shot in the head,
in both arms, the mouth, leg, and shoulder; and, as if all this had not
been enough for his scars and his story, the catalogue was finished by
a fall from his horse that broke his shoulder. He survived to wait
upon Charles II. in exile ; and, returning to his native country, was
buried in 1651 at Dundee. (Mil. Mem. of Col. Jno. Birch, Cam. Soc.,
p. 99.)
PRINCE RUPERT. Prince Rupert came over from Holland to the
assistance of the King his uncle about the time of the raising of the royal
standard at Nottingham. He possessed in a high degree that kind of
courage which is better to attack than defend, and is less adapted to
the land-service than that of the sea, where precipitate valour is in
its element. He seldom engaged but he gained the advantage, which
he generally lost by pursuing it too far. He was better qualified to
storm a citadel, or even mount a breach, than patiently sustain a
siege; and would have furnished an excellent hand to a general of a
cooler head. (Granger's Biog. Hist. v. i., p. 344.) Prince Rupert died,
unmarried, at his house in Spring Gardens, 29 Nov., 1682, and was
buried in Westminster Abbey.
SIR JOHN BYRON. Sir John Byron, K.B., M.P. for the town of
Nottingham in the reign of James I., and for the county of Notting-
ham in that of Charles I. A faithful adherent of, and gallant officer
under the latter King. Sir John commanded the corps of reserve
at the battle of Edgehill; and the victory of Round way Down,
5 July, 1643, wherein Sir William Waller was routed, was chiefly
owing to his skill and valour, having at the head of his regiment
charged Sir Arthur Hasilrigg's cuirassiers, and after a sharp conflict,
in which Sir Arthur received many wounds, compelled that impene-
trable regiment (as Lord Clarendon writes) to fly. Sir John Byron
having given such proofs of his courage, and his six brothers at
68 APPENDIX.
that time following his loyal example, he was in consideration thereof
advanced 24 October, 1643, shortly after the first engagement at
Newbury, to the dignity of a Baron of the realm, by the title of Lord
Byron, of Rochdale in the Co. Palatine of Lancaster, with limitation, in
default of his own male issue, to each of his brothers. His Lordship
married twice; but dying in 1652 issueless, the barony devolved upon
his brother Richard. Lord Byron's letter to Clarendon, frequently
quoted in the text, was written while in exile, and is dated "St.
Gtarmains, December 10, 1647."
LOED WILMOT. Henry, 2nd Viscount Wilmot in Ireland, was
created, 29 June 1643, Lord Wilmot of Adderbury, co. Oxon, in the
English Peerage. He was further advanced to the Earldom of
Rochester, 13 Dec. 1652, He died at Dunkirk in 1659, and was
succeeded by his only surviving son, John, the better (but not so
favourably) known Earl of Rochester. Lord Wilmot " ordered the
horse at Newbery first Battel (being Lieutenant- General under Prince
Rupert) in so convenient and spacious a place (Downs have been
pitched upon as the most commodious Scene of a Horse Engagement),
advising them by no means to be drawn into any uneven and streight
places; with so strict an eye upon all advantages and opportunities,
and in such Ranks, that one Troop might be in sulsidiis assistant to
another, and no part stand naked or fail in the singleness of its own
strength, but that one may second another from first to last, being
aware of Livius' Charge upon Cafus Sempronius (Pugnamt incaute
incomulteque non subsidiis firmata acie non equite apte locatoj." (Lloyd's
Memoirs, pp. 465-6.)
EAEL OF CAERNARVON. Robert Dormer, grandson to Robert Dormer
created a baronet by K. James I., June 10, 1615, and Baron Dormer,
of Wing, co. Bucks, the 30th of the same month in the same year,
succeeded to the Barony on the death of his grandfather in 1616, and
was created Viscount and Earl of Caernarvon by Charles I. in
1628. This gallant nobleman it would appear, like his noble compa-
triots Sunderland and Falkland, fell in the early pait of the fight.
Clarendon states that the Earl, having charged and routed a body of the
enemy's horse, and coming carelessly back by some scattered troopers,
was by one of them, who knew him, run through the body with a
sword, of which he died within an hour; and describes him as being an
honour to the cause he embraced, and his death a sensible weakness to
the army. In Sir Roger Manley's ' History of the Rebellion,' his death
is thus described: "There was a little hill five hundred paces from
the town, which the Cavaliers had possessed and fortified with guns.
Essex perceiving it, and having no other way to pass, he himself with
his own regiment and that of the general's guards attacks it fiercely,
being as bravely received by the royalists, Stapleton with his own
regiment and that of the general's guards, charging the Earl of
Caernarvon was repulsed, but the Earl, pursuing too far, was killed by
a shot in [at] the head of his own men; a person no less remarkable
for his fortitude and fidelity to the King, than for the nobleness of his
extraction." The context shows that Sir Roger refers to the Wash as
the hill fortified with the King's artillery.* Lloyd, in his 'Memoirs,'
* The traditional spot where Lord Caernarvon fell is marked on the Plan.
ROBERT DORMER, EARL OF CARNARVON.
From a portrait by VANDYKE.
APPENDIX. 69
gives this account: "The Earl receiving Sir Philip Stapleton with
his regiment of horse and Essex his life guard with a brisk charge and
pursuing them to the foot, when a private hand put an end to his life,
and in breathing out his last he asked, 'whether the King was in
safety?'" At the battle of Lansdown, two months before Newbury,
it is recorded that of 2000 cavalry who entered the field and fought
valiantly under Prince Maurice and Lord Caernarvon only 600 could be
mustered when the sun went down! Eachard gives Charles H. the
credit of saying "Lord Caernarvon was the finest gentleman he ever
saw." In Defoe's 'Memoirs of a Cavalier' (Colonel Andrew Newport),
which, though woven into a romantic story, is written with apparent
fidelity of statement, it is said: "The Earl of Caernarvon was brought
into an inn at Newberry, where the King came to see him. He had
just life enough to speak to his Majesty, and died in his presence.
The King was exceedingly concerned for him and was observed to
shed tears at the sight. We were indeed all of us troubled at the loss
of so brave a gentleman, but the concern our royal master discovered
moved us more than ordinary. Every body endeavoured to have the
King out of the room, but he would not stir from the bed-side, till he
saw all hopes of life gone." The body of the Earl was conveyed
under guard to Oxford, and buried in the chapel of Jesus College.
While on its way, the escort, it is said, was attacked by a body of
Parliamentary horse, and the Earl's jewels and plate were taken.
Lord Caernarvon had married Anne Sophia, daughter of Philip Herbert,
4th Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery (from whom the present
Lord Carnarvon paternally descends), and left an only child Charles,
his successor, who dying without male issue, the earldom became
extinct, and the Barony of Dormer devolved on a distant kinsman, in
whose posterity it remains.
EARL OF LINDSEY. Montague Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey, K.GK
This nobleman being with his gallant father at Edgehill, when his
Lordship received his death-wound, voluntarily surrendered himself
prisoner in order to be near and attend him. The Earl's second wife
was Bridget, daughter of Edward Wray, Esq., by Lady Elizabeth
Norreys his wife, only daughter and heir of Francis, Earl of Berkshire
and Baron Norreys, of Eycote, and widow of Sir Edward Sackville,
who was engaged at Newbury fight. By this Bridget the Earl had a
son James, who became Lord Norreys in right of his mother, and was
created Earl of Abingdon, also a daughter Mary, married to Charles
Dormer, 2nd Earl of Caernarvon, and two other children. Lord Lindsey
commanded the King's life-guards in several of the considerable battles
that were fought in the course of the civil war, and was wounded in
that of Naseby. His affectionate regard to his unhappy sovereign was
conspicuous after the death of the latter; he attended his body to the
grave, and paid his last duty to him with tears. After the Restoration
he lived in retirement with dignity, and "approved himself an example
of a better age." He died at Campden House, Kensington, the 25th
July, 1666.
EARL OF NORTHAMPTON. James, 3rd Earl. This nobleman, while
a commoner, and M.P. for the co. Warwick, having voted, in 1641,
against the bill for attainting the Earl of Strafford, his name was
amongst those called Straffordians, in the list posted up in the Old
Palace Yard; and subsequently, with other members, he was
70 APPENDIX.
expelled the House. He was afterwards distinguished with his gallant
father (who fell at the battle of Hopton Heath) under the royal
banner; and his lordship, on the magnificent entry of Charles II.
into the city of London, 29 May, 1 660, headed a band of two hundred
gentlemen attired in grey and blue. The Earl married 1st Isabella
daughter and co-heir of Richard, 3rd Earl of Dorset, by whom he had
one surviving daughter, Alathea, who married Sir Edward Hunger-
ford, Bart. On her death without issue in 1678, her great fortune
devolved upon her cousin, John, 3rd Earl of Thanet. The Earl
married 2ndly Mary, daughter and heir of Baptist Noel, Viscount
Camden, by whom he had three sons and two daughters.
EARL OF NOTTINGHAM. Sir Charles Howard, 3rd Earl. He died
26 April, 1681, when the Earldom of Nottingham expired.
EARL OF CLEVELAND. Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Cleveland, and
Lord Wentworth of Nettlestead, 1625. Lord Cleveland especially
distinguished himself at the Second Battle of Newbury, where
he was instrumental in saving the life of the King. On the death
of the Earl, 25 March, 1667, the Earldom of Cleveland became
extinct, but his grand-daughter Henrietta Maria succeeded to the
Barony of Wentworth. She was the only child of his only son,
Thomas, Lord Wentworth, who served his Majesty throughout the
war, but died before his father, and was buried at Toddington, Beds.,
7 March, 1664-5. As the Baroness Wentworth she is best remembered
from her unhappy connection with the Duke of Monmouth. She died
23 April, 1686, when the title reverted to her aunt, her father's only
sister, Lady Anne, wife of John, second Lord Lovelace; and at her
death, 7 May, 1697, it passed to her grand-daughter Martha, wife of
Sir Henry Johnson, and at her death, in July, 1745, without issue it
reverted to Sir Edward Noel, 6th Bart., and at his death in 1774,
passed to his son Thomas, at whose death in 1815, it fell into abeyance,
which terminated, 12 Nov., 1856, in favour of Lady Byron, widow of
the Poet, whose grandson, Ralph-Grordon-Noel Milbanke, is now
1 1th Baron Wentworth.
EARL OF HOLLAND. Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, captain of the
King's guard, and general of the horse in the expedition to Scotland,
was much in favour with James I. In the latter end of the reign
of James, he was sent ambassador to France, where he negotiated the
treaty of marriage between Charles and Henrietta Maria. His hand-
some person, gallant behaviour, and coiirtly address, are thought to
have made an early impression upon the heart of that princess, of
whom he is known to have been a distinguished favourite. His con-
duct was so various with respect to the King and Parliament that
neither party had the least regard for him, if they did not look upon
him as their enemy. Lord Holland with the Earls of Clare and
Bedford had left the Parliament and joined the King, shortly before
the battle of Newbury, Col. Blagne, the governor of Wallingford,
receiving the converts at the castle, and forwarding them with an
escort of honour to Oxford. The three Earls subsequently returned to
the Parliament. In 1648 Lord Holland once more adopted the royal
cause; and having received from the Prince of Wales (afterwards
Charles II.) a commission as general, and the queen, who was in
Paris, promising money, he joined with the Duke of Buckingham, his
brother Lord Francis Villiers, and a few others of high rank, in a rash
APPENDIX. 71
and feeble effort for the King at Kingston-on-Thames. Being sur-
rounded by a superior body of the Parliament horse and foot, he fled
with Col. Dalbier and about a hundred horse to St. Neots, where he was
taken prisoner at an inn; he was then confined in "Warwick Castle, and
afterwards in the Tower. He was tried by the so-called "High Court
of Justice," and. by the casting vote of the Speaker, sentenced to be
executed. Lord Holland was beheaded at Palace Yard, 9th March,
1 649, upon the same scaffold as the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Capel.
The Duke of Buckingham managed to escape at Kingston, but his
handsome and brave brother, the young Lord Francis Yilliers, was
killed. He behaved with signal courage, and, after his horse had been
shot under him, stood with his back against a tree, defending himself
till he sunk under his wounds. The initials of his name were inscribed
on the tree, and remained until it was cut down in 1680. The names
"King Charles' Road" and "Villiers' Path" at present alone com-
memorate the scene of this fight, which was one of the last struggles
made for the King then a prisoner in the Isle of Wight.
EARL OF BEDFORD. William, 5th Earl of Bedford, son of Francis,
4th Earl, elected a Knight of the Grarter, 1672; and created 11 May,
1694, Marquis of Tavistock, and Duke of Bedford. His grace married
Anne, daughter and sole heiress of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, by
his too celebrated countess, Frances Howard, the divorced wife of
Essex. "Francis. Earl of Bedford," says Pennant, "was so averse to
the alliance, that he gave his son leave to choose a wife out of any
family but that. Opposition usually stimulates desire : the young
couple's affections were only increased. At length the King inter-
posed, and sending the Duke of Lennox to urge the Earl to consent,
the match was brought about. Somerset, now reduced to poverty,
acted a generous part, selling his house at Chiswick, plate, jewels, and
furniture, to raise a fortune for his daughter of 12,000, which the
Earl of Bedford demanded, saying, that " since her affections were
settled, he chose rather to undo himself, than make her unhappy."
The lady proved worthy of the alliance. It is said that she was
ignorant of her mother's dishonour, until informed of it by a pamphlet,
which she accidentally found ; and, it is added, she was so terribly
struck with this knowledge of her parent's guilt, that she fell down in a
fit, and was found senseless, with the book open before her. The duke
had issue by this admirable woman, seven sons and three daughters,
of whom the eldest surviving son was the celebrated William Lord
Russell. - See Biirke's "Peerage and Baronetage," sub. nom. Sir John
Russell, a younger brother of William, 5th Earl of Bedford, was also
engaged in the First Battle of Newbury.
EARL OF CLARE. John Holies, second Earl, who succeeded his
father on his death, 4 Oct., 1637. He married Elizabeth, eldest
daughter and co-heir of Sir Horatio Vere, Lord Yere, of Tilbury.
He lived in retirement during the Commonwealth. Lord Clarendon
says of him: "he was a man of honour and courage, and would
have been an excellent person if his heart had not been set upon keeping
and improving his estate ; he was weary of the company he kept, and
easily hearken' d to the Earl of Holland, in any consultation how to
recover the King's authority, and to put an end to the war." The
Earl died the 2nd and was buried 23rd January, 1665-6, at St. Mary's,
Nottingham.
72 APPENDIX.
JOHN, LORD BELASYSE, second son of Thomas, first Viscount Fal-
conberg, created Baron Belasyse, of Worlaby, co. Lincoln, 27 Jan.,
1644-5. He was buried in the choir of the church of St. Giles's in the
Fields, 14 Sept., 1689, and his loyalty to his King is perpetuated by
the following inscription copied from the monument formerly existing in
the old church. "This monument was erected, Anno 1670, in memory
of the Honourable John, Lord Belasyse, Baron Worlaby, second son of
Thomas, Lord Viscount Fanconberg, his wives and children. Who,
for his loyalty, prudence, and courage was promoted to several com-
mands of great trust, by their Majesties King Charles the First and
Second, viz.: Having raised six regiments of horse and foot in the
late Civil Wars, he commanded a Tertia in His Majesty's Armies at
the Battles of Edgehill, Newbury, and Naseby, the sieges of Reading
and Bristol. Afterward being made Governor of York, and Com-
mander-in-chief of all His Majesty's Forces in Yorkshire, he fought
the battle of Selby with the Lord Fairfax. Then being Lieutenant-
General of the Counties of Lincoln, Northampton, Derby, and Rutland,
and Governor of Newark, he valiantly defended the garrison against
the English and Scotch Armies, till His Majesty came in Person to the
Scotch Quarters and commanded the surrender of it; at which time he
also had the honour of being of the King's Horse Guards. In all
which services, and during the wars and other achievements, he
deported himself with eminent courage and conduct, and received
many wounds, sustained three imprisonments in the Tower of London,
and after the happy restoration of King Charles II. was made Lord
Lieutenant of the East Riding of the County of York, Governor of
Hull, General of His Majesty's Forces in Africa, Governor of Tangier,
and Captain of His Majesty's Guard of Gentlemen-Pensioners." The
remainder of the inscription referred to his marriages and issue. His
third wife was Lady Ann Paulet, daughter of the Marquis of Win-
chester. (FromMaitland's 'Hist, and Survey of London,' 1756, vol. ii.
p. 1362.) This monument, which no longer exists, was possibly put
up by Lord Belasyse in his life time, unless the date 1670, is a mis-
reading for 1690. The former explanation is probably the correct
one, as all the books give that date, and as the date of his death does
not appear on the monument.
GEORGE, LORD DIGBY. Son and heir of John Digby, 1st Earl of
Bristol, summoned to Parliament in his father's barony of Digby,
June 9, 1641. At the Restoration he was made Knight of the Garter,
and died in 1676. The title became extinct on the death of 'his only
son in 1693.
LORD JERMYN. Henry Jermyn, created Baron Jermyn, 8 Sept.,
1643, and Earl of St. Albans 27 April, 1660. He was master of the
horse to Queen Henrietta, and one of the Privy Couucil to Charles H.
In July, 1660, he was sent Ambassador to the Court of France, and
in 1671 he was made Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's household.
He died unmarried, 2 January, 1683-4, when the Earldom became
extinct, but the Barony, by limitation of the patent, devolved on his
nephew.
LORD PERCY. Henry Percy, youngest son of Henry, 9th Earl of
Northumberland, and brother of Algernon, 10th Earl. He was
Governor of Jersey at the breaking out of the rebellion, but returned
to England, raised a regiment of horse, and was constituted General of
APPENDIX. 73
the Ordnance. He attended the King throughout the whole of the
war; and was created Baron Percy of Alnwick, 28 June, 1643. He
afterwards followed Charles II. into exile, and was appointed Lord
Chamberlain of his Household. Died in Paris, unmarried, in April
1659. His brother Algernon took an active part against Charles I.,
but was entirely free from any participation in his death, and sub-
sequently promoted the Eestoration.
LORD CHANDOS. George Brydges, son of Grey, 5th Lord Chandos,
by Lady Ann Stanley, daughter and co-heir of Ferdinando, 5th Earl
of Derby, succeeded as 6th Lord Chandos, on the death of his father,
10 Aug., 1621, being then only a year old. He died at his house near
Covent Garden (on the site of the present Chandos Street) 1 February,
1654-5, and was buried with his ancestors in the chapel of Sudeley.
Leaving no male issue, the title passed to his brother William. "His
Castle, at Sudeley near Winchcomb in Gloucestershire," says Lloyd,
"being besieged by Massie, with 300 mmgueteers and three companies
of dragons, and two sakers, after a long siege, several assaults and
batteries, when they were almost smoothered by the smoke of hay and
barns burned about the house, yielded Jan. 1642. A loss revenged
by my Lord at Newlury, Sept. 20, 1643, when with the Earls of
Caernarvon and Northampton, the true Heir of his father's valor, com-
manding His Majesties' Horse there, the King said, Let 'Chandois
alone, his errors are safe.'' " Lloyd's Memoirs, p. 366. It is related by
the Rev. Alex. Jacob, chaplain to Henry, second Duke of Chandos, in
his 'Complete English Peerage' that Charles I. was so sensible of the
advantages that had accrued to his army during this battle by the
example exhibited by Lord Chandos, as well as the personal service
performed by this nobleman, that he offered to create him Earl of
Newlury ; but his lordship, who had espoused the King's cause from
motives of honour and justice, refused that distinction till he should
have deserved it more by having a principal share in the re-establish-
ment of His Majesty upon the throne. Lord Chandos was immedi-
ately descended from Richard Brydges, of West ^hefford, near New-
bury, who was made a K.B. at the coronation of Queen Mary, and
married Jane, daughter of Sir William Spencer, of Wormleighton,
ancestor to the Duke of Marlborough and Earl Spencer. He died at
the Manor house, West Shefford, in 1548. James, the first Duke of
Chandos, purchased the bhaw Estate of the representatives of the
Dolman family, and frequently resided at Shaw House, which figures
so conspicuously in connection with the Second Battle of Newbury.
His second duchess, but third wife, Lydia Catherine, died at Shaw
House in 1750, and lies buried in Shaw Church.
LORD MOLYNETIX. Richard, 2nd Yiscount, succeeded to the title on
the death of his father in 1632. He actively supported the interests
of Charles I., and with his brother Carlyll raised two regiments of
horse and foot, with which they served during the course of the war.
Lord Molineux was in the battle of Worcester. He died soon
afterwards, leaving no issue by his wife Lady Frances Seymour,
eldest daughter of William, Marquis of Hertford, and the honours
devolved upon his brother Carlyll, 3rd Viscount, who was outlawed
by Parliament for his exertions on behalf of the Charleses. The
Viscountcy of Molyneux is now held with the Earldom of Sefton.
HON. HENRY BERTIE. Son of the 1st Earl of Lindsey, and brother
L
74 APPENDIX.
to Montagu, 2nd Earl, who was also engaged at Newbury. This
gallant young nobleman fell in the early part of the fight, and his
body, like that of his comrade Falkland, was not found till next day.
He is mentioned in a letter written by Prince Rupert to the Earl of
Essex, printed further on (see FALKLAND).
SIR CHARLES LUCAS. Son of Thomas Lucas, Esq., next brother to
John, who was afterwards the first Baron Lucas, of Shenfield, co.
Essex. His family was one of the most distinguished in the kingdom
for its valour and its sufferings in the royal cause. "He carryed 2000
horse to assist His Majesty, with whom we finde him eminent both for
his directions and execution about the hill near Newlery and Eriborne
Heath, which he maintained with one regiment well disposed and
lined with musqueteers, and a drake, with small shot against the gross
of Essex his army, the leading-man of which he pistolled himself in
the head of his troop, giving close fire himself, and commanding others
to do the like." Lloyd's Memoirs, p. 475. Sir Charles was at the
head of those loyalists, who, in 1648, shut themselves up in Colchester,
and defended it against the army of Fairfax for three months.
When the garrison yielded to the enemy, their ammunition was
reduced to a barrel and a half of powder; and their provisions to
two horses and one dog. Sir Charles Lucas met with cruel treat-
ment for his resolute defence of this place. He, and his friend
,Sir George Lisle, were ordered to be shot to death the same day on
which the Parliament army entered the town. He begged a day's
respite to prepare for death, but his request was refused, and he was
executed August 28th, 1648. He died with the courage of a soldier
and a Christian. His faithful servant, who was a sorrowful spectator of
his death, with great earnestness begged the executioner of his master
to dispatch him also, as his life was become "his torment." The bodies
of the two friends, Lucas and Lisle, were interred in a vault in the
north-aisle of St. Giles's Church, Colchester. At the Restoration a
large flat marble slab was laid over their grave, at the expense of
Lord Lucas, with the following inscription : " Under this marble lie
the bodies of the two most valiant cavaliers Sir Charles Lucas and Sir
George Lisle, knights, who, for their eminent loyalty to their Sovereign,
were, on the 28th August, 1648, by command of Sir Thomas Fairfax
(the General of the Parliament Army) in cold blood barbarously
murdered." In Lord de Grey's 'Memoir of Sir Charles Lucas,' a
tradition is related that George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who
married Fairfax's only daughter, applied to Charles II. to have this
inscription erased. The King mentioned it to Lord Lucas (the brother
of Sir Charles), who said that he would obey his Majesty's commands,
if his Majesty would allow the following to be substituted: "Sir
Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were barbarously murdered for
their loyalty to King Charles the First, and King Charles the Second
ordered the memorial of their loyalty to be erased." Thereupon the
King ordered the inscription to be cut more deeply than before.
Whitelock, in a few words, expresses the grief of heart the King
suffered for the catastrophe of his two brave soldiers. He says, "At
the sight of a gentleman in deep mourning for Sir Charles Lucas, the
King wept." ('Memorials,' p. 330.)
SIB GEORGE LISLE. Son of Cave Lisle, of Compton Darvill, co.
Somerset, had his military education in the Netherlands. He signal-
APPENDIX. 75
ized himself upon many occasions in the Civil Wars; particularly at the
last battle of Newbury, where, in the dusk of the evening, he led his
men to the charge in his shirt, that his person might be more conspi-
cuous. The King who was an eye-witness of his bravery, knighted
him on the field of battle. In 1648 he rose for his Majesty in Essex,
and was one of the royalists who so obstinately defended Colchester,
and who died for their defence of it. This brave man having tenderly
embraced the corpse of Sir Charles Lucas, his departed friend,
immediately presented himself to the soldiers, who were ready for his
execution. Thinking that they stood at too great a distance, he
desired them to come nearer: one of them said "I warrant you, sir,
we shall hit you;" he replied, with a smile, "Friends, I have been
nearer you, when you have missed me." Executed August 28, 1648.
Sir George commanded the "forlorn hope" of foot in the first battle
of Newbury.
SIR EDWARD WALDEGRAVE. Son of Sir Edward Waldegrave, Bart.,
of Staninghall, Norfolk. He died at Oxford, and was buried at St.
Mary's Church in that city, 8 Dec., 1644.
SIR BERNARD BROCAS. Of Beaurepaire, near Sherborne St. John,
Hants. He was probably the son of Thomas Brocas (son of Sir
Pexsall Brocas) by Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Wingfield, of Upton,
co. Northampton, as no other of the name is mentioned in the pedigrees
of the family at this period.
SIR LEWIS KIRKE. Second son of Gervase Kirke, gent,, Merchant
of London, and of Dieppe, in France, and of Greenhill, in the parish
of Norton, co. Derby, by Elizabeth, daughter of John Gowding (or
Goudon) of Dieppe. He was born about 1600, and commanded one of
the ships in the expedition to Newfoundland and Canada in 1626,
under the chief command of his elder brother, Captain (afterwards
Sir) David Kirke. He afterwards joined the Royal cause, and became
a distinguished cavalier. He was knighted at Oxford, 23 April, 1643,
and was subsequently Governor of Bridgnorth ; at his death he was one
of the Band of Gentleman-Pensioners. He survived the Restoration ;
and his Will, in which he described himself as of the Savoy Parish,
co. Middlesex, dated 21 August 1663, was proved 7 October following,
in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, by his brother and nephew,
both named John Kirke, father and son, to whom he left the reversion
of his estate after the death of his wife. His widow, Dame Elizabeth,
by whom he left no issue, did not long survive him, as she was buried
at St. Giles' in the Fields, 20 Dee., 1663. Her maiden name was
Haines, but she was a widow when she married Sir Lewis Kirke, and
her first husband's name has not been ascertained. (Communicated
by Col. Chester, LL.D.)
SIR HENRY SLING SB Y. Second but eldest surviving son of Sir
Henry Slingsby of Knaresborough, co. York, Knight, and Dame
Frances his wife, daughter of William Vavasour, of Weston in the
same county. He was born 14 Jan. 1601, married 7 July, 1631,
Barbara, daughter of Thomas Belasyse, first Viscount Falconberg, and
in 1638 was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia. He raised 600 horse
and foot at his own expense and marched at the head of them
into the field to assist the King. He was in action throughout
the Civil War; and, after the death of Charles was ever solicitous
for the restoration of his son. He was long a prisoner at Hull,
76 APPENDIX.
and was tried for contracting with some officers to deliver up one
of the })lock-liouses in that garrison for the service of Charles II.
Cromwell, who was informed that the Royalists throughout the
kingdom were intent upon a scheme to restore the King, was resolved
to intimidate that party by sacrificing Sir Henry Slingsby and
Dr. Hewit. They were brought before the High Court of Justice
where Lisle presided ; they denied the jurisdiction of the Court, but
were condemned without any ceremony. Sir Henry Slingsby was a
man of deeds rather than words. He said very little upon his trial, and
as little upon the scaffold. He persisted in his loyalty and told the
people that he died for being an honest man. Beheaded June 8, 1658.
After his execution, the authorities permitted his remains to be
removed by his friends, and they were buried in the Slingsby Chapel
in Knaresborough Church. (See 'Diary of Sir Henry Slingsby,'
edited by Rev. Daniel Parsons, London, 1836.)
SIR WILLIAM VAVASOUR. Son of Sir Thomas Vavasour, of Hasle-
wood in the county of York. Commander-in-chief of the Gloucester-
shire forces, engaged at Marston Moor, 1644, where his brother
Thomas was slain. Being disgusted with the miscarriage of that
great battle, he left the King's service and went over to Hamburgh.
Afterwards he joined the Swedish service, and was killed under the
walls of Copenhagen, 1658 or 1659.
SIR THOMAS ASTON. Was created a Baronet by King Charles I.,
25th July, 1628, and was subsequently in the Civil Wars a zealous
supporter of the Royal cause. He died at Stafford from wounds
received in the King's service, 24th May, 1645.
SIR ANTHOKT MANSEL, Governor of Cardiff, son of Sir Francis
Mansel, Bart., of Trimsaren, co. Caermarthen.
SIR EDWARD STRADLINO. Of St. Donat's, Glamorganshire. This
gentleman, who, like his father and uncles, was a zealous royalist,
brought a troop of horse to the assistance of the King at Newbury,
and after the loss of that day, retired to Oxford, where he died of
consumption. Burke's 'Extinct Baronetage.'
SIR MICHAEL WODEHOTJSE. Governor of Ludlow. He had been
sometime page to the Marquis of Hamilton, had served in Ireland;
whence returning early in 1643, he was preferred to be Sergeant-
Major-Gen eral of the army of Prince Charles, and to the command of
his life-guards. Webb's Civil War in Herefordshire, vol. i, p. 387.
SIR JACOB ASTLEY. This stout old commander, more especially
referred to in the account of the Second Battle, was father of Sir
Bernard Astley. He served in the Netherlands under Prince Maurice
and his brother Henry, and afterwards under Christian IV. King of
Denmark and Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. He was wounded
before Gloucester ; and, for his signal services, he was created Baron of
Reading, 20, Car. I. The title became extinct on the death of his
grandson Jacob.
SIR JOHN FRECHVILLE. For the services rendered by Sir John
Frechville to the royal cause, and on his petition to the King, a
warrant was signed by Charles I. at Oxford, 25th March, 1644, for
his creation as a peer by the style of Lord Frechville, of Staveley,
Musard, and Fitz-Ralph. The preamble of the patent takes notice of
the loyalty of the said Sir John Frechville, and his eminent services
against the "rebels," at Kineton, Brentford, Marlborough, Newbury,
APPENDIX. 77
and many other places, where he had received several wounds.
Christian Freohville, daughter to John, Lord Frechville, married
Charles, Lord St. Johu, eldest son to John, Marquis of Winchester
and Earl of Wiltshire, 28 Feb., 1651, and departed this life 22 July,
1653, dying in childbed, The folio wing lines in the hand- writing
of Sir John Frechville were taken out of a Bible formerly in
his possession:
"Mownt, mownt my soul, adiewe vaine world, adiewe,
With all thy wealth, thy pleasure, and renowne;
What heights, what sweets, what glories doe I view,
Heaven, my sweet Jesus, an immortal crowne!"
under which was written :
"Ye misero patri superstiti"
which may be translated ;
"Woe to the unhappy father who survives [his children]."
SIE JOHN HURRY, frequently styled "Urry" and "Hurrey," but
always "Hurry" in his own signatures, was a Scotchman, who had
previously served in Germany under Lord Forth. Col. Hurry deserted
from the Parliamentary Army and rode up to the King shortly before
the battle of Chalgrove-field, and gave the information which led to
the successful attack on the Parliament's troops on that occasion, and
to the death of Hampden, in which affair Hurry signally dis-
tinguished himself, and was allowed to convey the news to Oxford:
for this he was knighted by the King, Col. Hurry's colours were
azure or deep blue, with the Thistle of Scotland, as usually repre-
sented, leaved, &c., of gold, flowered, proper, around which in letters of
gold, ">J< NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT;" fringe argent and azure.
The motto is that of the Order of St. Andrew, to whose badge,
The Thistle, it has reference.
MAJ.-GEN. GEORGE PORTER. "Loyal bloud like Harvies, went round
the Porters from the highest to the meanest, 26 of the name having
eminently suffered for his Majesty." Lloyd's Memoirs, p. 657.
COL. ST. JOHN. Edward, third son of Sir John St. John, of Lydiard
Tregoze, co. Wilts. Nephew of Sir Oliver St. John, Viscount Grandison.
Sir John had three sons killed in the King's service, viz. William his
second son under Prince Rupert at the taking of Cirencester, Ed\vard
above mentioned at Newbury, and John his fifth son in the North.
COL. EDWARD VILLIERS. Youngest son of Sir Edward Villiers, kt.,
by Barbara, eldest daughter of Sir John St. John, of Lydiard Tregoze,
co. Wilts, kt., and younger brother of the Viscount Grandison. He
was knighted 7 April, 1680, and the following year, became Knight-
Marshall of the Royal Household. He died in 1689, and was buried
in Westminster Abbey, July 2. See ' Westminster Abbey Registers,'
edited by Col. J. L. Chester, L.L.D., p. 223.
COL. WILL. LEGGE. Son of Edward Legge, vice-president of Munster.
He eminently distinguished himself by his faitlif ul attachment to the
King and his son Charles II. He was engaged in both battles of
Newbury, and it is said, that the night after the first action, Col. Legge
being in attendance on the King in his bed-chamber, his Majesty
presented him with a hanger (a short curved sword) with agate
handle set in gold, which he had that day worn, and would have
knighted him with it, had he consented. The hanger was kept
in Col. Legge's family till the house at Blackheath was robbed in
78 APPENDIX.
1693. Col. Legge died in 1672 at his house in the Minories, London,
granted him by Charles II., and was buried with great pomp in
the adjoining Church of the Holy Trinity. He was the direct
ancestor of the Earls of Dartmouth.
COLONEL DANIEL O'NEILL. Lieutenant-Colonel of Prince Rupert's
regiment of horse; afterwards Groom of the Bedchamber to the King.
"The Honourable Col. Oneal, the onely Protestant of his family; its
a question whether gaining more honor by his hard service about
Gloucester, and in both the Newlerries with King Charles the First, or
by his assiduous Negotiations and Messages posting from place to
place (in Holland, where he was warned to the Countess of Chesterfield,
in France, where he was welcome to the best Cavaliers, and Germany}
for King Charles the Second, especially in the various Occasions,
Opportunities, and Revolutions, 1659, at Fontarabia, Scotland, Flanders,
England, &c., that made way for his Majesties' Restoration, who let
him to farm the Post Office. He died 1664. Its more to be called an
Oneal, than an Emperor in Ireland." Lloyd's Memoirs, pp. 664-5.
COLONEL MORGAN, of Weston in Lancashire, who raised a troop of
horse for the King at his own charge : his estate was seized by the
Parliament and bestowed on the son of 'King Pym.'
COLONEL THOMAS EURE. The evidence as to the identity of this
officer is conflicting, but, he appears to have been the son of AVilliam,
6th Lord Eure.
COL. RICHARD PLATT. Among the State Papers, Dom. Series,
Vol. Ixxxiii. Pub. Record Off., is a petition from Veronica, widow of
Col. Richard Platt, to King Charles II. for a portion of the sum
allotted for such sufferers. Her husband, she says, spent a fair estate
in raising troops for the late King, and was slain at the First Battle of
Newbury, and she, a Venetian, is left in great necessity. Shortly
after, a warrant authorises 100 to be paid the said Veronica Platt
out of the Privy Seal Dormant.
There is also a petition, in the same series, from the widow of an
artilleryman named Clarke, whom she describes as "gunner to the
late King," and states he was slain at Newbury battle, that herself
and children had been turned naked out of doors at Weymouth during
the Protectorate, whipped out of the town, and her goods worth 300
taken by Col. Sydenham. Mrs. Clarke appears to have found a
second martial husband, who, she mentions, "has been a prisoner
amongst the Turks," and prays a Tidesman's place for him in the
Custom House, and some reparation for her losses and sufferings.
COLONEL CHARLES GERARD. Son of Sir Charles Gerard, knt. of
Halsall, co. Lancaster. He had been brought up from his youth in
the profession of arms upon the usual scene of European warfare, the
Netherlands; and joined His Majesty King Charles I. at Shrewsbury soon
after he had raised the royal standard, and became eminently distin-
guished among the Cavaliers : first, at Kineton or Edgehill, where he
received some dangerous wounds, and soon after at the taking of
Lichfield, the First Battle of Newbury, and the relief of Newark.
General Gerard then accompanied Prince Rupert into Wales and
acquired high reputation by his victories at Cardiff, Kidwelly, and
Carmarthen, and for his success in taking the Castle of Cardigan and
other fortresses, and reducing the strong garrison of Haverfordwest,
with the Castles of Picton and Carew. In consequence of such gallant
APPENDIX. 79
services, he was made by the King Lieutenant-General of his horse,
and elevated to the peerage as Baron Gerard,* of Brandon, 8 Oct.
1645. His Lordship after the Kestoration was created 21 July, 1679,
Viscount Brandon and Earl of Macclesfield ; but in the time of
James II. he was committed, with the Earl of Stamford and Lord
Delaniere, to the Tower and condemned to death, but pardoned. He
lived to see the Revolution, and in fact to witness, says Banks, "three
singular occurrences in the annals of English history (he might have
characterised them as the three most singular), 1st, the deposition and
decapitation of King Charles I.; 2ndly, the Eestoration of his son;
and 3rdly, the Revolution and total expulsion of the royal family so
recently restored." Besides his Lordship, there were of his family the
following persons actively engaged upon the royal side in these
unhappy conflicts :
( Edward Gerard, a Col. of foot, wounded in the first
His Brothers ] battle of Newbury.
( Sir Gilbert Gerard, slain near Ludlow.
TT- TT 1 ( Sir Gilbert Gerard, governor of Worcester.
I Ratcliffe Gerard, Lt.-Col. to his brother.
This gentleman had three sons,
Ratcliffe. \ All in the
John, put to death by Cromwell. battle of
Gilbert created a baronet. ) Kineton.
(Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerage, pp. 229, 30.) Charles, Earl of
Macclesfield died 9 Jan. 1693-4, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
CAPTAIN THOMAS BAGEHOT. At the Restoration Captain Bagehot
applied for re-admission to the place of Groom of the King's Chamber
in ordinary, which he held under the late King; and recounts his
services at Newbury. (State Papers, Dom. Series, vol. xxii.)
CAPTAIN BASIL WOODD. Son of Basil Woodd, LL.D., Chancellor of
St. Asaph and Rochester, and High Commissioner. In a petition
presented by Capt. Woodd, at the Restoration, he states: "I have
received several shots in my head, and one in my arm, which troubles
mee many times. Several horses were shott under mee, one at
Round- way-down, another at Newbury fight." Two other sons of Dr.
Woodd served the King, one of whom fell at Preston ; a daughter
married the brave Col. Bowles who was killed in Alton Church, 1643.
Basil Thomas "Woodd, M.P., Conyngham Hall, Knaresborough,
great-great-great grandson of Dr. Basil Woodd, has in his possession
the Star of the Mantle of the Order of the Garter, traditionally held as
the parting memorial given to Capt. Basil Woodd by Charles I. on
the morning of his execution.
CAPTAIN CLIFTON. Francis Clifton, son of Sir Cuthbert Clifton, of
Westby, Lancashire.
CAPTAIN NEWMAN. See note, p. 16.
* His Lordship was first created Earl of dewberry, but the title was changed to
Macclesfield. [Col. ( hester, L.L D., the editor of the ' Westminster Abbey Ee-
gist3rs,' says that he cannot find any authority for this statement made in 'Burke s
Extinct Peerage.' Charles Fitzroy, natural son of Charles II, by the Duchess of
Cleveland, was created Baron of Newbury, Duke of Southampton, &c. in 1675, four
years before, and it does not seem likely that the title should have been duplicated.
It is quite possible, however, that "Earl of Newbury" was the title first selected, and
the alteration made before the patent passed the Great Seal.]
80 APPENDIX.
CAPTAIN GWYNNE. Was a retainer in the household of Charles I,
before the commencement of the Civil War, and employed in training
the children of that unfortunate monarch to military exercises. He
naturally engaged in the royal service, and seems to have distinguished
himself by his personal courage and activity. After the execution of
the King, he followed the banner of his son (Charles H.) in the most
difficult enterprises in which it was displayed. Gwynne was with
Montrose in his last unhappy attempt. He afterwards served under
the Duke of York in the fight before Dunkirk and other actions in
Flanders. At the restoration he appears to have experienced his share
of neglect with which Charles II. treated the old cavaliers.
HEXRY SPENCER. First Earl of Sunderland, son of William 2nd
Lord Spencer, of Wormleighton, by Penelope, eldest daughter of
Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, was born in 1620. After a
few days' visit at Oxford, Lord Sunderland joined the army as it was
on the point of engaging at Newbury. The Earl having no com-
mand in the army attended upon the King's person under the obligation
of honour, bringing, according to Lloyd, 15,000 and 1,200 men to
his Majesty. He married the beautiful Lady Dorothea, daughter of the
Earl of Leicester, by whom he had one son Robert, his successor, lineal
ancestor to the Duke of Marlborough and Earl Spencer, and one
daughter Dorothy, married to Sir George Savile, Bart., afterwards
created Marquis of Halifax. The following letter was written by
Lord Sunderland to his wife Lady Dorothea (Waller's Sacharissa) a few
days before the battle of Newbury, in which he was killed: "Since I
wrote to you last from Sudley, we had some hopes one day to fight
with my Lord Essex's army, we receiving certain intelligence of his
being in a field convenient enough, called Ripple Field, towards which
we advanced with all possible speed ; upon which he retired with the
body of his army to Tewkesbury, where, by the advantage of the
bridge, he was able to make good his quarter, with 500 men, against
20,000. So that though we were at so near a distance as we could
have been with him in two hours : his quarter being so strong, it was
resolved on Thursday, that we seeing for the present he would not
fight with us, we should endeavour to force him to it by cutting off his
provisions; for which purpose, the best way was for the body of our
army to go back to Evesholme, and for our horse to distress him :
upon which I, and many others, resolved to come" for a few days
hither, there being no probability of fighting very suddenly, where we
arrived late on Thursday night. As soon as I came, I went to your
father's, where I found Alibone, with whose face I was better pleased
than with any of the ladies here. This expression is so much a bolder
thing than charging my Lord Essex, that should this letter miscarry
and come to the knowledge of our dames, I should, by having my
eyes scratched out, be cleared from coming away from the army for
fear: where if I had stayed, it is odds I should not have lost more
than one. Last night very good news came to Court, that we, yester-
day morning, fell upon a horse quarter of the enemies, and cut off a
regiment, and that my Lord of Newcastle hath killed, and taken
prisoners, two whole regiments of horse and foot that issued out of
Hull; which place he hath great hopes to take ere long. By the same
messenger, last night, the King sent the Queen word that he would
come hither on Monday or Tuesday; upon one of which days, if he
APPENDIX. 81
alter his resolutions, I shall not fail to return to the army. I am
afraid our sitting down before Gloucester has hindered us from making
an end of the war this year which nothing could keep us from doing if
we had a month's more time which we lost there, for we never were in
a more prosperous condition. Before I go hence, I hope some body
will come from you, howsoever, I shall have a letter here for you. I
have taken the best care I can about my economical affairs ; I am
afraid I shall not be able to get you a better house, every body think-
ing me mad for speaking about it. Pray, bless Popet for me and tell
her, I would have writ to her but that upon mature deliberation I
found it to be uncivil to return an answer to a lady in another
character than her own which I am not yet learned enough to do.
I cannot by walking about my chamber call anything more to mind
to set down here and really I have made you no small compliment in
writing thus much for I have so great a cold that I do nothing but
sneeze and mine eyes do nothing but water all the while I am in this
posture of hanging down my head. I beseech you to present his
service to my lady who is most passionately and perfectly yours."
They never met again! The day after the battle, the body of the
Earl was removed from Newbury, and subsequently interred in the
family burial-place at Brington, Northamptonshire.
LORD FALKLAND. Lucius Gary, Viscount Falkland, born at
Burford, about 1610. He was the eldest son of Sir Henry Gary, of
Berkhampstead and Aldenham in Herts, and of Elizabeth, daughter
and sole heiress of Sir Laurence Tanfield, Chief Baron of the
Exchequer.* Sir Henry was raised to the peerage of Scotland,
November 10, 1620, by the title of Viscount Falkland, and died in
September, 1633, when his son Lucius inherited his title and
estates. Lord Falkland's reputation for talents, genius, and general
literature, by which he was distinguished, may be inferred from several
addresses made to him on the occasion of his leaving England in the
expedition against the Scots in 1639 with the Earl of Holland,
particularly by the poets Waller, Cowley, Ben Jonson, and Suckling,
neither of whom would have dared to satirize a man of his character
by vain adulation and false praise. Cowley's poem commences with
these lines :
"Great is thy charge, North; be wise and just;
England commits her Falkland to thy trust,
Eeturn him safe ; learning would rather choose
Her Bodley or her Vatican to lose.
All things that are but writ or printed there,
In his unbounded breast engraven are;
There all the sciences together meet,
And every art does all his kindred greet."
* In Burford Church is a stately monument to Sir Laurence Tanfield and his
lady, with their effigies at full length in the habit of the period ; and at their feet
Lord Falkland their grandson, who fell at Newbury, is represented in armour,
kneeling, with his back towards them ; and his helmet was formerly suspended over
the tomb. (See Gentleman's Mag. Ixi. p. 896. The tour of the Captaine,
Lieutenant and Ancient, Lansdown MS. No, 213.) It is said that when the Earl
of Essex and his troops lay in Burford Church, June 6th, 1644, they took down
the pennons and flags over Tanfield 's monument and wore them for scarves. The
Manor of Burford was sold by Lord Falkland to Speaker Lenthall in 1634.
M
82 APPENDIX.
And in Waller, we find this passage :
"Ah ! noble friend ! with what impatience all
That know thy worth, and know how prodigal
Of thy great soul thou art (longing to twist
Bays with that ivy which so early kiss'd
Thy youthful temples), with what horror we
Think on the blind events of war and thee!
To fate exposing that all-knowing breast
Among the throng as cheaply as the rest."
He was chosen Member of Parliament for Newport, April 1640, and
again in November of the same year. He distinguished himself by
his speeches in Parliament on the subject of ship-money, episcopacy,
&c. In January, 1641-2, Lord Falkland was sworn of the Privy
Council, and became one of the principal Secretaries of State. He
followed the King to York, and supported the Royal cause by his pen
and his sword till his death. He fought at the battle of Edgehill, and
attended the King at the siege of Gloucester. At the First Battle of
Newbury, he served in the first rank of Lord Byron's regiment, and
whilst charging the enemy he received a musket shot in the stomach,
and fell dead from his horse. The body of Lord Falkland was not
found till the day after the battle, when it was discovered, says
'Aubrey' ''stript, trod upon, and mangled and could only be identified
by one who waited upon him in his chamber, by a certain mole his
Lordship had upon his neck." The same morning a letter had been
sent to Essex by Rupert as follows :
"We desire to know from the Earl of Essex, whether he have the
Viscount Falkland, Capt. Burtue [Henry Bertie, brother to the
Earl of Lindsey], and Sergt. Major Wilshire* prisoners, or
whether he have their dead bodies, and if he have, that liberty
may be granted to their servants to fetch them away.
Given under my hand at Newbury this 21 Sept. 1643.
RUPERT."
The body of Falkland having been recovered, it was placed across the
back of one of the royal chargers, and mournfully escorted down the
hill by a detachment of the King's own troop, and gently laid in the
Town Hall. The following morning the corpse was removed to Oxford,
thence next day to Great Tew, and interred the following day in the
chancel of the parish church of St. Michael, as the register thus
records:
"THE 23RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, A.D. 1643, THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR Lucius GARY, KNIGHT,
LORD VISCOUNT OF FALKLAND,
AND LORD OF THE MANOR OF GREAT TEW,
WAS BURIED HERE."
No monument marks the spot, for fear, it is thought, of desecration
during the Commonwealth. It must however have been known, as his
wife and sons were buried at his side. Lady Lettice was buried at
Great Tew, Feb. 27, 1646, leaving behind her a high reputation for
virtue and piety.
* There were three or more Wilshires, Wilsheers, or Wiltshires, engaged in the
Civil War, and it is difficult to determine the identity of the "Sergt. -Major
Wilshire," mentioned in Prince Rupert's letter.
APPENDIX. 83
Another version, however, of the temporary disposal of the body of
Falkland and the other Lords killed at Newbury is furnished by a
MS. in the possession of F. D. Hibbert, Esq., of Chalfont House,
Gerrard's Cross, entitled "John Saunders, His Book, 1712. The
account of my travels with my Mistress." * From this the following
is an extract: " Augt. ye 1. She went in ye Alesbury coach, and I on
y e outside, we din'd at y e Crown at Uxbridg, and went that night to
Sr Richard Holford's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, whar we ware
welcomely receiv'd, but found my Lady in aweful condiscion. We
stayed there till ye 1 1 of August, then my Mrs. went with S r Rich<l.
and Lady in their coach, and I on ye outside for Avebury, we sat out
on Tuesday, and din'd that day at Mr. Bolding's at ye Crown at Slow,
one mile from Winsor, I saw y 6 Castle as I past y e road. I lay that
night at y e Bare, at Reading, which is a large town, and four churches
in it, it is a good place for trade, ye river of Thames comes to it, it is
.... miles from Slow. Y e 12 we din'd at Mr. Phillips at y e Bare in
Spinumlands, in Nuberry parish, whare was y 6 great fight in ye sivil
wars, four noble Dukes [Lords] thare killed and carried into that very
house where I dined, it is .... miles from Reading. As I first [came]
near Nuberry I see y e fields where many brave English men weare killed,
and much blood was spilt there." This statement does not interfere
with the accuracy of the tradition already referred to ; for it is more
than probable that the bodies of all the more important personages
who fell during the battle were first received at the Town Hall for
identification, and as a temporary measure, and were then individually
transferred to other places previous to their final interment, or trans-
mission to the places selected for that purpose. Falkland's body may
well have been brought first to the official centre of the town, and
then have been moved to the Bear Inn on the Oxford Road, where it
was placed in a shell or coffin and prepared for its final removal.
It is not difficult to fix the position of the Bear Inn, and Mr. John
Tanner's evidence on the point is amply sufficient to establish the fact.
In a letter received from him, he states, " I have referred to the
papers I wished to see and I find that my impression is correct,
namely that the premises now occupied by Mr. Adnams, Mrs. Fidler,
and Mr. Hunt (on both sides of the gateway) were the Bear Inn."
These buildings are situated on the right hand side of London
and Bath road at Speenhamland. Mr. Tanner then goes on to say,
"In a deed dated 29th September, 1757, the premises now in the
occupation of Messrs. Forster and Abel (which were then known as
the Elephant Inn) are described as adjoining to the Chequers Inn on
the "West, and the two messuages or tenements {formerly the Sear Inn)
on the East. These two messuages or tenements were in 1757 in the
occupation of John Awbrey and Francis Sheppard, who were, I think,
brewers. From Mr. Sheppard they have come down to Mr. E. J.
Alderman the present owner.
"It is not many years since in making some alterations in the garden
at the back, some skeletons and, I believe, cannon balls were dug up.
I heard many years since that the Bear Inn was shut up for some time,
* Sarah, youngest daughter of Samuel Trotman, Esq., of Siston Court, Glou-
cestershire, and Bucknell, Oxon, died in 1684, the wife of the Rev. Dr. Hickes,
rector of Whimple, Dorsetshire.
84 APPENDIX.
and probably never again opened as an Inn, in consequence of a murder
supposed to have been committed, if I remember right in some alter-
cation between the mistress and her cook ; one or the other of them
was thrown down stairs and killed."
Dr. Pordage, rector of Bradfield, a celebrated enthusiast, placed by
Baxter at the head of the Behmenists, was tried at the Bear Inn,
Speenhamland, in 1654, before the Commissioners of Berks, appointed
by an Ordinance of the Lord Protector Cromwell and his council for
ejecting "Scandalous, Ignorant, and Insufficient Ministers." The
Commissioners at the first sitting consisted of Mr. Fettyplace, chair-
man, Mr. Samuel Wightwick, Mr. Samuel Dunch, Major Fincher,
Major Allin, Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Angell Bell, Mr. Mills, Mr. Cox, and
Mr. Stroude, with Mr. Woodbridge, rector of Newbury, Mr. Christo-
pher Fowler, vicar of St Mary's, Heading, Mr. Hughes, Mr. John
Tickell, of Abingdon, and other ministers as assistants. The Commis-
sioners sat at the Bear Inn, Speenhamland, on Oct. 5th, Oct. 19th, and
Nov. 2nd, 1654, and at the Bear Inn, Beading, on Nov. 22nd. and
Dec. 7th. Sentence of ejectment was pronounced the day following
the last sitting. The case is given in extenso in State Trials, vol. ii.
pp. 217, 259.
The night previous to the battle, Lord Falkland slept at the house
of a Mr. Head, in Cheap Street, yet standing, and occupied by
Mr. Joplen, and early next morning, by his express wish, the sacra-
ment was administered to him by Dr. Twiss, the then Rector of
Newbury, in the prosence of Mr. Head and his whole family, who
attended at Lord Falkland's especial request. The apartment which
tradition points out as being the scene of Falkland's last communion is
still preserved, and contains a curious cupboard fitted into a recess,
concealed by a panel. The cupboard is of mahogany, and the shell-
like ornament at the top and the mouldings are gilt.
COPY OF LORD FALKLAND'S WILL, FROM THE PREROGATIVE
COURT OF CANTERBURY.
"SiR Lucius GARY, KNT., YISCOUNT OF FALKLAND, in perfect health
and memory. My soul to Grod, my body to earth to be buried as my
ex'trix shall think fit. All my personal estate to my dearly beloved
wife, Lettice, Viscountess of Falkland, whom I appt. my ex'trix. She
to have the education of my three sons, Lucius, Henry, and Lorenzo,
and to bear the charges of educating my younger sons Henry and
Lorenzo."
Dated 12 June, 18 Charles, 1642. (Signed) FALKLAND. Witnesses
Eobert Stanior, Thomas Hinton. Proved at Oxford, 20 October, 1643
by Lettice, Yiscountess of Falkland.
Seal. Arms and crest of Gary, with a label of 3 points; no coronet.
The Will, all but the signatures "Falkland" and "Thomas Hinton,"
seems to be in Ptobt. Stanior's handwriting. With it is a copy
altogether in one hand without seal and the signature written
"Falkland." No notice of date or time of death. (See 'Herald and
Genealogist,' vol. iii. p. 133.)
APPENDIX. 85
PARLIAMENTARIAN OFFICERS AND OTHERS.
EARL OF ESSEX. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was only son of
the unfortunate favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and inherited much of
his father's popularity. He acquired, in the Low Countries, a great
reputation as a soldier; a kind of merit that was despised by James I,
and overlooked by Charles. His courage was great, his honour was
inflexible; but he rather waited for, than sought opportunities of
fighting; and knew better how to gain, than improve a victory.
When he took the command of the Parliament Army, he was better
qualified than any man in the kingdom for that post; but was soon
eclipsed by a new race of soldiers, who, if not his superiors in the art
of war, went far bej'ond him in spirit and enterprise. He died the
fourteenth of September, 1646; and his death helped to open a way
for the ambition of Cromwell. An account of the recent discovery of
the burial place of the Earl appears on page 65.
LORD ROBARTES, OR EGBERTS. John, Lord Robartes, second baron
of Truro, co. Cornwall, created Viscount Bodmin, and Earl of Radnor,
1679. "That which in the first place crownes all his actions, was the
fierce and famous battell at Newberry, where this noble lord lead on
the battell in his owne person, charging the maine body of the King's
army with such resolution, as did inliven the London Brigade to-
second and relieve them suddenly: yet notwithstanding this noble
champion stood to the fight, and lead up other souldiers,,and incouraged
them, and so continued until! the enemy retreated with great losse of
men and armes." Ricraft's 'Survey of England's Champions,' 1647.
At the Restoration he was well received by Charles II., and appointed
a Privy Councillor, Lord Privy Seal, and Viceroy of Ireland. He died
at Chelsea in 1685. Dr. Calybute Downing, the famous Puritan,
divine, Rector of West Hsley, near Newbury, was chaplain to>
Lord Robartes' regiment.
LORD GREY OF GROBY. Thomas Grey, son of Henry, second Lord
Grey, created Earl of Stamford, 26 March, 1628. He was one of the
King's judges, and his signature appears on the warrant of execution.
SIR JOHN MEYRICK. He had served in the royal army, and was
knighted by the King, but he deserted to the Parliament, and was
made Sergeant-Major-Gen eral by the Earl of Essex, and, afterwards,
at the siege of Reading appointed General of the Ordnance, being
superseded in his former office by the famous Skippon, by order of
Parliament. Sir John Meyrick's Will was proved in 1659.
SIR PHILIP STAPLETON. Inherited "but a moderate estate in York-
shire, and, according to the custom of that country, had spent his time
in those delights which horses and dogs administer." A Member of
the Long Parliament; joined in the prosecution of Straff ord; opposed
the self-denying ordinance, 1644. Withdrew beyond sea, and died at
Calais as soon as he landed. "Was denied burial upon imagination
that he had died of the plague." "Peacock's Army List," p. 25. His
86 APPENDIX.
Will was proved in 1647. Stapleton's cuirassiers were called "Essex's
Life-Guard, " and corresponded to Lord Bernard Stuart's cavalier
troop.
SIR WILLIAM CONSTABLE. Son and heir of Sir Richard Constable,
of Flamborough, co. York, Kt., by Anne, daughter and heiress of
John Hussey, of Driffield. He was knighted by the Earl of Essex in
Ireland, in 1599, and created a Baronet, 29 June, 1611. He had been
Colonel of a Regiment of Foot, and some time Governor of Gloucester,
and was one of the signers of the death-warrant of King Charles I.
His will, dated 13 Dec., 1654, was proved 18 July, 1655, by his relict
Dame Dorothy, who was the eldest daughter of Thomas, first Lord
Fairfax. He left no issue, and the title became extinct. He was
buried in Westminster Abbey; but, not only were his remains exhumed
after the Restoration and thrown into the common pit in the church-
yard, but his estates were especially excepted in the general pardon
subsequently granted by King Charles LT. His relict died 9 March,
1656, and was buried in the Church of St. Mary Bishophill, Senior,
York. See Note to Burials, " Westminster Abbey Registers," edited
by Col. J. L. Chester, LL.D., p. 148.
SIB WILLIAM BALFOUR. Of the family of Balfour of Pitcullo,
co. Fife, Scotland, gentleman of the King's privy-chamber, and
Lieutenant of the Tower of London. Though he had great obliga-
tions to the Court, he made no scruple of attaching himself to its most
violent opponents. He was turned out of his office as Lieutenant of
the Tower a little before the breaking out of the Civil War, and was
succeeded by Col. Lunsford. At the battle of Edgehill, Sir William
Balfour commanded the reserve, and greatly distinguished himself.
He led also the right wing of horse at the Second Battle of Newbury.
His Will was proved in 1661.
SIR SAMUEL LUKE. Governor of Newport-Pagnell in 1645. The
supposed original of Butler's Hudibras, and author of the Journal of
the Siege of Reading, printed in Coate's History of that town.
SIR ARTHUR GOODWIN. Of Wooburn, co. Bucks, the intimate
friend and neighbour of John Hampden. Like him, he held a command
under the Earl of Essex, and was quartered at Aylesbury in the first
campaign. The following interesting letter addressed by Col. Goodwin
to his only daughter, Jane, second wife of Philip, Lord Wharton
(by whom she was mother of the famous Marquis, and grandmother
of the more famous duke, who, soon dissipated the estate which she
had brought into the family), conveys a faithful estimate of the
patriot's character. "Deere Jenny. * * * Let me beg of you to
send me a broad black ribbon to hang about my standard. * * *
I am now here at Hampden in doing the last duty for the deceased
owner of it, of whom every honest man hath a share in the loss, and
therefore will labour in the service, for the loss of such a friend ; to
my own particular, I have no cause of discontent, but rather to bless
God he hath not according to my deserts bereft me of you and all the
comforts allowed to me. All his thoughts and endeavours of his life was
zealously for the cause of God's, which he continued in all his sickness
even to his death, for all I can learn, the last words he spoke was to
me, though he died 6 or 7 hours after I came away, as in a sleepe,
truly Jenny (and I know you may be easily persuaded to it), he was a
gallant man, an honest man, an able man, and take all, I know not to
APPENDIX. 87
any man living second. God now in mercy hath rewarded him.
* * * ARTHUR GOODWIN. Hampden, 26 June, [1643]. To my
daughter Lady Wharton at my Lord Wharton's house, Clerkeuwell.
Carte's MSS., Letters, Bibl. Bodl. v. 103, No. 40.
MAJOR-GENERAL SKIPPON. Philip Skippon was Sergeant-Major-
General of the Parliament army, Major-general of the London militia,
and governor of Bristol. After the passing of the "self-denying
ordinance," he was preferred to the same post in the army that he held
before; to which he was thought justly to be entitled in the ground of
merit. He was president of the Council of War under the Earl of
Essex, and both in the cabinet and the field approved himself an
excellent soldier. He commanded the infantry at the battle of
Naseby, where he exerted himself with his usual intrepidity. " Mag-
nanimous Skippon," says May, "was grievously wounded, yet would
not forsake the battle ; but with all possible endeavours performed his
part, till the victory was obtained." He was a zealous republican,
and indeed went the greatest lengths with that party. His name
frequently occurs as a member of the House of Commons in the
Interregnum. He was also one of Cromwell's Council of State. He
had 1,000 a year in lands of inheritance assigned him by the
Parliament for his services. The Duke of Buckingham's estate at
Blecheley in Buckinghamshire was given to him, in that nobleman's
forfeiture; but- at the Restoration it reverted to the real owner.
Walker says, "he was heretofore waggoner to Sir Francis Vere;"
but if he were a waggoner, which is extremely improbable, it adds
much to the greatness of his character, to have been able to raise
himself to such eminent posts in the army and the state, under every
disadvantage of education. Note to Ricrafts's 'Survey of England's
Champions,' 1647, pp. 81, 2. Skippon's colours were: "From the
dexter corner blue clouds and therefrom issuing a naked arm and
hand proper, holding a sword proper, hilted or, before this, paleways,
a book closed and clasped or; beneath these, on two lines in writing
'Ora et pugna. Juvat et juvabit, Jehovah;' fringed gold and argent."
Prestwich's Respublica, p. 38. Skippon won the hearts of his soldiers
by such speeches as these, "Come my boys, my brave boys! I will
run the same hazard with you; remember the cause is for God: come
my honest brave boys! let us pray heartily, and fight heartily, and
God will bless us."
MAJOR-GENERAL DEANE. The well-known Parliamentary General-
at-Sea. He was the eldest son of Edward Deane, of Pinnock, co.
Gloucester, Esq., by his second wife, Ann Wase. (For an elaborate
and admirable account of him and his career, consult his "Life," by
the Rev. John Bathurst Deane, published in 1870.) He was killed
during the naval engagement with the Dutch on the 2nd June, being
only in his forty-second year. He married at the Temple Church,
21 May, 1647, Mary, daughter of John Grimsditch of Knottingley,
York, Esq., who survived him, and married at St. Bartholomew the
Great, London, 2 January, 1654-5, Colonel Edward Salmon, another
well-known Parliamentarian. Colonel [he is described as 'Colonel'
in the Register] Deane' s remains were ignominiously exhumed after
the Restoration, and, with those of others equally eminent in
maintaining the honour of the British flag, thrown into a common
pit in the churchyard. His will, dated 31 March, 1653, was proved
88 APPENDIX.
20 January, 1653-4, by his relict. Ho left two daughters, Mary and
Haimah. The stiipid stories propagated by his political enemies as to
his vulgar origin and early career have been abundantly disproved by
his recent biographer; and posterity is already doing justice to his
memory. Note to Burial, ' Westminster Abbey Registers,' edited by
Col. J/L. Chester, LL.D., pp. 146-7.
LIEUT.-GENERAL MiDDLETON. See Appendix to the Second Battle.
COLONEL SHEFFIELD. Younger son of the Earl of Mulgrave.
COLONEL JOHN MELDRTTM. "There appear," says Col. Chester, in a
note to the burial of Col. John Meldrum., in Westminster Abbey, "to
have been two eminent military men of this name, both Scotchmen,
and both named John, who are often confounded in contemporaneous
history. Sir John Meldrum, who was knighted at Windsor 6 August
1622, was undoubtedly the one who took part in the memorable
actions at Newark, Hull, Scarborough, etc., and received his death-
wound at the last place. His will, dated 24 May, 1645, was proved
2 June, 1647." The Meldrum named in the list of Parliamentary
Officers who fought at Newbury was no doubt Colonel John Meldrum,
who is said to have been killed at Alresford, Hants. His name
occurs in the List of the Parliamentary Army in 1642, as Lieutenant of
the 2nd Troop of Horse, under the general command of William, Earl
of Bedford, and he evidently obtained rapid promotion. As the Battle
of Brandon (or Cheriton) Heath, near Alresford, took place on the
29th March, 1644, and his nuncupative will was made on the 8th of
April following, it is probable he was mortally wounded on that day;
or, the two dates may be identical, allowing for the difference between
Old and New Style. The Will states that he was "very much
wounded." It was proved 16 November, 1648, by his relict Jane,
then a minor. His remains were included amongst those of other
eminent Parliamentarians which were exhumed after the Restoration,
and thrown into a common pit in St. Margaret's church-yard.
COLONEL NORTON. See Appendix to the Second Battle.
COLONEL DALBIER. Prominently mentioned in connection with the
Siege of Donnington Castle.
CAPTAIN HUNT. An officer in one of the city regiments of trained-
bands, slain in the First Battle of Newbury. The 'Mercurius Aulicus'
of October 1, 1643, has the following notice of Captain Hunt. "A
confect. maker, in St. Mary, Woolnooth. This Hunt was the first that
committed sacrilege in his own parish church (after John Pym's
orders for defacing of churches), pulling down the cross from the
steeple, the cross from the King's crown over the font, lopping off the
hands and pulling out the eyes from the tombs and monuments,
cutting off the cherumbim's wings placed upon the arches, and (which
both Christian and Jew will abhore) blotting out the dreadful name of
Grod as it stood over the commandments, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
In this Hunt's pockets were found his watch, his commission from the
rebels, an assessment roll of his neigbours at Hackney parish, besides
16 in money, which the souldier had who stript off his Buff."
CAPTAIN FRANCIS ST. BARBE. He was fourth and youngest, but
second surviving son of Henry St. Barbe, Esq., of Ashington, co.
Somerset, and Broadlands, Hants. His name occurs in the list of
killed in this engagement.
CAPTAIN HAMMOND. This was probably the same Captain Hammond
APPENDIX. 8
'who was engaged in the Second Battle at Shaw, and the King's gaoler
at Carisbroke Castle.
CAPTAIN CHARLES FLEETWOOD, afterwards the distinguished Parlia-
mentary general, the eon of Sir William Fleetwood. cupbearer to
K. Charles I., and comptroller of Woodstock-park. On the breaking
out of the war between King and Parliament, Young Fleetwood
declared for the latter. He commanded a regiment of cavalry in 1644,
and held the rank of Lieut.-G/eneral at the battle of Worcester, to the
gaining of which, by Cromwell, he largely contributed. He married
the Protector's daughter after the death of her first husband Ireton,
and was appointed commander of the forces in Ireland, in 1652. He
Strongly opposed Cromwell assuming the title of King in 1657; and
was soon after superseded in Ireland by Henry Cromwell, the Pro-
tector's youngest son. On the death of Cromwell, he concurred in
the appointment of Richard as his successor, but scon after joined
in inducing him to resign, and thus paved the way for the Restoration.
He died 4th October, 1692, and was buried in Bunhill Fields.
CAPTAIN CHARLES PYM. Son of " King Pym."
WILLIAM TWISSE, D.D., Rector of Newbury. The son of a clothier
at Newbury, whose father had immigrated from Germany. He was
born at Speenhamland about 1575, in a house said to have stood in
the Lamb-and-Castle Yard. He was educated at Winchester and
Oxford, became a fellow of New College, 11 March, 1597-8, and was
presented to the living of Newbury in 1620 by the Prince of Wales,
afterwards Charles I. Twisse was appointed Prolocutor of the
Assembly of Divines under the Commonwealth; but on account of his
age and infirmities he was soon unable to attend the sittings of the
Assembly, and in a few months was taken ill, and laid upon his bed,"
where he lingered for about a year, and died July 20, 1646. His
funeral in Westminster Abbey was attended by most of the members
of the House of Commons and the whole of the Assembly of Divines,
but his remains were included among those disinterred after the
Restoration. His will, dated 9 September, 1645, with a codicil,
30 June, 1646, was proved 6 August in the latter year. He would
seem not to have been so reduced in circumstances as the accounts of
him usually represent, for, besides other not inconsiderable legacies,
he bequeathed his manor of Ashampstead, Berks, to trustees for
the benefit of his younger children. He left four sons and three
daughters, but his wife (Frances, daughter of Barnabas Colnett, of
Combley, Isle of Wight) had predeceased him. (See Note to Burial,
'Westminster Abbey Registers,' edited by Col. J. L. Chester, LL.D.,
p. 140..) There is a portrait of Dr. Twisse in the Vestry of Newbury
Church, which appears, from the Churchwarden's accounts, to have
been either painted by, or purchased of, one Richard Jerome, in 1647,
a year after Twisse' s death, at a cost of one pound fifteen shillings*
The following is the entry in the Churchwarden's book:
"1647. Paid to Richard Jerome for Dr. Twisse his picture. 1. 15.0."
Dr. Ward, the antiquary, mentions this picture as having been much
damaged by cleaning, in 1745.
ROBERT CODRINGTON. The author of the account of the battle,
originally printed in 1646, from which extracts have been taken,
N
90 APPENDIX.
was second son of Robert Codrington, Esq., of Codrington, co. Glou-
cester. He was elected Demy of Magdalen Coll., Oxford, 29 July,
1619, when he was about 17 years of age, and took his M.A. degree
in 1626. After that he travelled into several foreign lands, and at his
return lived a gentleman's life, first in Norfolk, where he married, arid
finished his life in London, by the plague in the year 1665. He
published many pieces of different taste in his life-time, and left several
manuscripts prepared for the press. Though Codrington plainly
declares himself a Parliamenteer, his history, so far as it goes, is the
least exceptionable and the most comprehensive of any writings on
the same subject, in those times; for, besides the character of his
hero, the Earl of Essex, he gives us the general opinion, and the
ground of the first part of the Civil War; and seems to relate the
natural facts without aggravation. He always speaks of the King's
Majesty with respect, ascribing the ill- conduct of his affairs and bad
success, to the wickedness and heat of the counsels he received; and
heartily wishing a good and lasting reconciliation and peace between
the King and his Parliament. ' Life and death of Robert, Earl of
Essex,' Harleian Miscell., vol. 1, pp. 211, 212.
VI. EXTRACTS FROM THE CERTIFICATES OR RETURNS OF THOSE PER*
SONS WHO, PURSUANT TO AN ORDER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
MADE THE PROTESTATION IN THE COUNTY OF BERKS, 30TH JULY,
1641.
This Protestation was reported and agreed to in the Commons, and
ordered to be made by every member of that House, on the 3rd May,
1641. It was agreed to by the Lords, and ordered to be made by
every Member of their House on the following day. Subsequently it
was resolved that the Protestation is fit to be made by every one, and
that that person soever who shall not make the same is unfit to bear
office in the Church or Commonwealth, and that it is "A Shibboleth to
discover a true Israelite."
The Protestation runs as follows : I, A. B., do in the presence of
Almighty God promise, vow, and protest to maintain and defend as
far as lawfully I may with my Life, Power, and Estate, the true
Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church
of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations, within this
Realm, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my
allegiance to His Majesty's Royal Person, Honour, and Estate, as also
the Power and Privileges of Parliaments, the lawful Rights and Liber-
ties of the Subjects, and every Person that maketh this Protestation
in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful Pursuance of the same; and
to my power, and as far as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all
good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to Condign Punishment all
such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Counsels, Plots, Conspiracies,
APPENDIX. 91
or otherwise, -do any thing to the contrary of any thing in .this present
Protestation contained, and further, that I will in all just and honour-
able ways endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace betwixt the
Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland : and neither for
Hope, Fear, nor other Respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow,
and Protestation. LOEDS' JOURNAL, rv. 234.
The Extracts following are made from the original returns preserved
at the House of Lords, by permission of Sir William Rose, K.C.B.,
Clerk of Parliaments.
BRIMPTON PARISH: Mr. Thos. Bird (minister) and parishioners.
CHADDLEWORTH PARISH: Thomas Nelson, Thomas Tipping, John
Blagrave, and several members of the Bartholomew and Pocock families.
CHIEVELEY PARISH: Richard Nixon (vicar), John Money, Laurence
Money, Richd. Pocock, sen., Richd. Pocock, jun., Edward Aubery,
sen., John Aubery, jun., John Dolman, jun.; Gyles Smith, and Peter
Hold ways, churchwardens; Edward Paty, and Richard Chaulk,
Overseers; Stephen Butler, Constable.
COMPTON PARISH: Richard Hasell, Minister, Richard Pottinger,
sen., Richard Pottinger, jun,, Robert Ffetiplace.
EXBORSTE PARISH: Edward Blandy, Mr. Wm. Elk, jun., George
Mathews, John Mathews, William Lovelock, Bartholomew Hasell,
Wm. Elk, Rector of Enborne; Mr. Philip Hedd and Edward
Bromley, Churchwardens; Paul Hunt, High Constable. But Wm.
Holmes, Sen. above 4 score years old and deaf and feeble; and John
Holmes, jun., a simple young man and lame; and Wm. Plantin,
3 score and 12 or above, and infirm and decayed both inwardly and
outwardly in mind and all other means, and Saml. Lyford, and John
Warner, poore disabled men, and Erancis Belcher, a yonge swageringe
stranger who hath lately at Newtown married Margaret Nalder, and
is now living with his wife at Enborne, have not made protestation.
ERILSHAM: The Protestation taken in the public congregation and
signed by Samuel Watkins, pastor there, Richd. Smallbone, Luke
Hore, and members of the Fisher, Pocock, Newbery, Chamberlain,
and other families.
GREENHAM (a Tything of Thatcham). All most willingly took the
Protestation, not one refusing. John Howes, John Warde, Thos.
Barnes, James Osgood, Edward Kiggill, Thos. Collins, sen., Thos.
Collins, jun., Wm. Hawkins, Jno. Degweede, Jno. Pocock, Joseph
Hickman, John Hickman; Simon Efarant, Curate; Thos. Osgood,
constable; Thos. Knighton, churchwarden; Edward Green, overseer;
Thos. Parker, tythingman.
HAMSTED-MARSHALL : Thomas Slocock, Jo. Slocock, Rie. Slocock,
and others. All the residents in the parish signed, except Wm. Bunn
now four score, and Thos. Pary who is in Wiltshire and has not had
warning, both are good protestants and would not refuse to sign the
protestation. Saml. Paine, curate; John May and Thos. George,
churchwardens. The names of Baker, Dore, Bartholomew, Harding,
Lovegrove, Tubb, Holmes, Crooke, and Toms appear as residents
in the parish at this time.
HAMPSTED-NORRIS : Wm. Moore, vicar. Protestation signed by
the Palmer, Dore, Bosely, Matthews, Abery, Goddard, Marriner,
Kimber, and Howse families. The following refused, Henry Prince,
Andrew Prince, Richard Brabrooke, Esq.
92 APPENDIX.
WEST ILSLEY: John Head, minister, &c.
EASY ILSLEY: Joseph Warner, minister, &c. Refusals John
Boulton, Henry Lipeat, recusants. Signed, Giles Pocock, Jo. Ambrose,
churchwardens; Jas. Pottinger, constable.
INKPEN : Richard Money the elder, Richard Money the younger,
John Brickenden, rector; Wm. Kirke, Ffortunatus Hamling, church-
wardens ; Humphrey Banks and William Bayley are from home.
KETTBTTRY: Sir John Dorrell, John Dorrell, Esq., Alex. Browney
John G-unter, Robert Elgar, John Elgar, Robt. Field, Wm. Hazell,
Robt. Ffidler, Richd. Blandy. Wallingtom Sir Jno. Kingsmill r
Charles Gunter, Marmaduke Gunter. Inglewood and Balsden Thos.
Lowder, Thos. Webbe, Willm. Webbe, James Choke. Tyihing of
Holt Willm. Nalder, James Nalder, Faithfull; Francis Allen, vicar;,
Edwd. Butcher, Robt. Field, churchwardens; Thos. Mountigue, Jas^
Wiggins, overseers.
LECKHAMSTEAD : Giles Hatt, Richd. Blagrave, Henry Blagrave.
Signed also by parishioners of the name of Adnams, Head, Maskell,
Selwood, Whistler, Wernham, Buckeridge, &c. Henry Greetham,
clerke, Giles Spicer, constable, Richd. Hatt, overseer, John Spicer,
Edwd. Averill, churchwardens.
MEDGHAM: John Tull, absent, Thos. White, Thos. Bird, absent at
court, Thos. Prior, curate, Thos. Tull, Richd. May, churchwardens.
NEWBTJRY: Willm. Pearse, maior, Willm. Twisse, rector, Timothy
Avery, gent., Richd. Tomlyne, Esq., Richd. Avery, gent., Richd.
Waller, gent., Hugh Hawkins, gent., John Houghton, gent., John
Cooke, gent., John Wheatly, curate, John Barksdale, gent., John
Edmonds, Gabriell Cox, Richd. Holwell, Ed^- Trenchard, Esq.,
Henry Trenchard, gent., Thos. Knight, Adam Head, John Hamblin,
Joell Dance, Richd. Cox, John Bruce, Mr. Dunce, Esq., Philip
Weston, Wm. Waller, Wm. Bew, John Merryman, gent., Nathaniel
Hempsteed, Edwd. Blandy, Ed. Avery, James Purdue, Thos. Pearse,
John Dibley, Francis Norris, Willm. Smart, John Waulter, Thos.
Wilson, Joseph Gilmore, Alexdr. Gilmore, sen., Alexdr. Gilmore, jun.,
George Cowslade, Thos. Cowslade, Richd. Shaw, John Mundy, gent.,
Thos. Virtue, Thos. Sansum, Wm. Curteis, Joseph Nalder, W.
Arundell, W. Nash, Mr, E. Lovelock, gent., Wm. God din, Richd.
Bowyer, Thos. Jemrnett, John Hoare, Thos. Somersby, Thos. Gray,
&c., &c. No refusals to sign the Protestation in the parish of New-
bury, Wm. Twisse, rector, Briant Linch, Ralph Kingham, church
wardens. The Protestation taken before Humphrey Dolman and
Roger Knight, two of His Majesty's Justices of the County of Berks,
1641.
PEASEMORE: Ed d - Lyford, rector, John Stampe, gent. Signed also
by Dew, Bew, Drew, Tanner, Fisher, Aubery, Garlick, Hide, Caulcott,
Hatt, Clark. Harding, and others.
SHAW-CUM-DONNINGTON: Francis Rowland, sen., Francis Rowland,
jun., Wm. Besley, Thos. Dolman, Richd. Money, John Blagrave, John
Nalder, John Graye, Richd. Kinge, Wm. Portlucke, Mr. Griffin
Doncastle, and Mr. Richard Smith, of Grange, John and Robt.
Hastinges, Gyles Stampe, John Royston, rector, Roger Whatley
and Wm. Snowswell, churchwardens, Thos. Shipton, John Norcroft,
and John Challis, overseers of Poore.
APPENDIX, 93
LITTLE SHEFFORD : John Prime, rector. With the exception of the
Hector, none of the parishioners could sign their names, but all put
their "mark."
GREAT SHEFFORD: Jo. Nixon, rector. Geo. Browne, Esq., EUeanor
Browne, his wife, Elleanor Browne his daughter These desired a
long time to consider which was refused. George Browne sone of
G-eo. Browne, aforesaid, and Morrice Jonathan, servant would sign
in all except the part against Popery. Anne Cooper, Anne Northover
professing themselves simple maidens requested time to consider on,
the part of religion. Elizbh. Wylder, Ursula Wylder, widow, daughter
of said Elizabeth absolutely refuse to sign the Protestation. John
Arundell, constable and churchwarden.
SPEEN; Thos. Castillian, Esq., Jo. Barker, and others, John
Barker, minister.
WASING: Thos. Walker or Walthen, rector,
WELFORD: Hinton, Esq., and others, John Mundy, clerk.
WINTERBORNEDANVERS in the parish of Chieveley: Henry Greetham,
clerk, Laurence Head, Thomas Kimber, and others.
VII. LIST OF THE SEQUESTRATOBS OF THE ESTATES OF "DELINQUENTS,
PAPISTS, SPYES, AND INTELLIGENCERS," FOR THE COUNTY OF BERKS;
APPOINTED UNDER ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS AND COMMONS, APRIL
1, 1643:
Sir Francis Pile, Bart. (1); Sir Francis Knollys, jun. Knt. (2);
Peregrine Hobby (3); Henry Marten (4); Eoger Knight (5); Henry
Powl (6); Thomas Fettiplace (7), and Tanfield Vachell (8), Esquires. *
(1). SIR FRANCIS PILE, second bart. Sat for the County of Berks in
the second Parliament of 1640, succeeding on the disablement of Mr.
John Fettiplace in 1646. The first of the family who was created a
baronet was Francis, of Compton-BeauchampVsvho received that honour
from Charles I, 12 Sept. 1628, for his services to the Crown. He
married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Francis Popham, of Littlecote, knt.,
and dying in 1635, he was succeeded by his eldest son, the member for
the county above mentioned. The baronetcy became finally extinct
4 May, 1761, on the demise of the 6th baronet.
(2). SIR FRANCIS KNOLLYS, JUN, second son of the famous Sir
Francis Knollys, K.G., Treasurer of Queen Elizabeth's household and
captain of the Guard, who received from his royal mistress the grants
of Whitley Park (the Abbot's park mentioned by Leland as being at
the entrance to Beading town), and the manor or farm of Battle,
which also belonged to Beading Abbey. Sir Francis resided at the
Abbey-house of Reading at the period of the civil war. Captain
* This Committee sat at Reading Abbey.
04 APPENDIX.
Symonds, who was at Beading in 1644, described the dining-room at
the Abbey-house as having the arms and initials of Queen Elizabeth,
for whose reception it was probably fitted up. Sir Francis, jun., the
sequestrator, sat for the county of Berks in the Parliaments of 1614-25,
and for Beading in those of 1625-26-28-40 until his demise in 1645.
(3). PEREGRINE HOBY, son of Sir Edward Hoby, of Bisham, co.
Berks, who received the honour of a visit from Queen Elizabeth at
Bisham in 1592, who when Princess had spent part of three years here
under the guardianship of Sir Thomas Hoby. Edward, the son of
Peregrine, was created a baronet 12 July, 1666, a title which became
extinct on the death of the Bev. Sir Philip Hoby, fifth baronet,
June 29, 1766.
(4). HARRY MARTEN. The Begicide. Son of Sir Henry Marten,
of Longworth, near Faringdon, Dean of Arches, Judge of the Prero-
gative court and of the High Court of Admiralty, who was esteemed
the first civilian of the age. His "ungodly son," as Wood calls
him, represented the county of Berks in the Parliaments of 1640-40,
and was governor of Beading in 1 642, but upon the approach of a
party of the king's horse Marten quitted the town and fled with his
garrison. After the Bestoration, Marten surrendered on the Procla-
mation and was tried at the Old Bailey, he was found guilty, and
petitioned for pardon, which he obtained on condition of perpetual
imprisonment. He was first confined in the Tower, but soon removed
to the Castle at Chepstow, where he was incarcerated twenty years.
Marten was buried in the Church at Chepstow, and over his remains
was placed a stone with the following inscription, the acrostic epitaph
being written by himself.
"Here
Sep. 9, in the year of our Lord 1680,
Was buried a true Englishman,
Who in Berkshire was well known
To love his country's freedom, 'bove his own,
But living immured full twenty year,
Had time to write, as does appear,
HIS EPITAPH.
H ere or elsewhere (all's one to you, to me,)
E arth, air, or water, gripes my ghostless dust
N one knows how soon to be by fire set free
B eader, if you an oft tryed rule will trust,
Y ou'll gladly do and suffer what you must.
M y life was spent in serving you, and you,
A nd death's my pay (it seems) and welcome too ;
B evenge destroying but itself, while I
T o birds of prey leave my old cage, and fly,
E xamples preach to th' eye, care then, (mine says)
N ot how you end, but how you spend your dayes."
(5). BOGER KNIGHT, of Greenham. See Appendix, "Second Battle."
(6). HENRY POWXE. Of the family of Powles of Shottesbroke.
This Henry Powle was High Sheriff of the County of Berks,
8 Car. i, 1632. Mr. Powle's younger son Henry, sat for Windsor in
the Convention Parliament of 1688, over which he presided as Speaker,
APPENDIX. 95
became Master of the Eolls, 13 March, 1689-90, and died 21 Nov.,
1692. He married, in 1679, Frances, Countess Dowager of Dorset,
relict of Eichard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset.
(7). THOMAS FETTIPLACE, of Fernham, near Faringdon.
(8). TANFIELD VACHELL, of Coley House. M.P. for Eeading in the
Second Parliament of 1640, succeeding to that seat on the demise of
Sir Francis Knollys, jun., knt. in 1645. King Charles was at Coley
House in May, 1 644, which at this time belonged to John Hampden
in right of his second wife, Letitia, daughter of Sir Francis Knollys,
brother to William, Earl of Banbury and widow of Sir Thomas
Vachell. "Mr. Tanfield Vachell whom the King made Sheriff of Berks
in 1643, and who left his service and went to Eebellion, whose house
on the south side of the town newly built upon the old priory and now
pull'd down, is cousin and heir to ye said Sir Thomas Vachell, his
uncle. 'Tis reported in Eeading an old story of Vachell, y* would not
suffer ye Abbot of Eeading to carry the hay through his yard, y e Abbot
after many messengers, sent a Monk, whom Vachell in fury kill'd, he
was forced to fly, and his kin after adopted the motto, "It is better to
suffer than revenge." (Symond's "Church Notes," Harl. MSS., 965,
Mus. Brit.)
YIL*
THE COMMISSIONERS FOB RAISING MONEY AND FORCES WITHIN THE
COUNTY OF BERKS, AND FOR MAINTENANCE OF G-ARRISONS WITHIN
THE SAID COUNTY FOR USE OF PARLIAMENT, APPOINTED JUNE
27, 1644, were:
William Lenthall, Speaker and Master of the Eolls ( 1 ) ; Sir Francis
Knollys, knt., Sir Francis Pile, Bart., Sir Eobert Pye, sen. (2); Sir
Benjamin Eudyerd, knt. (3); Eichard Whitehead, Edward Dunch (4);
Henry Marten, Peregrine Hobby, Tanfield Vachell, Daniel Blagrave
(5); Major-Gen eral Eichard Browne (6); William Ball, John Packer,
sen. (7); Eobert Packer (8); and Cornelius Holland (9).
(1). WILLIAM LENTHALL, (the speaker of the Long Parliament), of
Besilsleigh, co. Berks, who purchased this property of the Fettiplaces
in 1634. The old mansion which was a magnificent structure, sur-
rounded by a quadrangular court is now destroyed except a picturesque
portion of the offices and the massive stone pillars of the gateway.
Cromwell and other distinguished characters of the day were frequent
guests at Besilsleigh. The elder branch of the Lenthalls became
extinct at the decease of William Lenthall, a gentleman of the Privy
Chamber to Charles II., M.P. for Wallingford in 1680. The family
is now represented by Edm. Kyffin Lenthall, Esq., of Besilsleigh.
96 APPENDIX.
(2). SIR EGBERT PYE, SEN. Upon the breaking out of the Civil
War he sided with the Parliamentarians, and, as Colonel of horse in
General Fairfax's regiment, headed an assault on his own house at
Faringdon, in which he was repulsed by the royalist governor Sir
Marmaduke Rawdon. During the protectorate he enjoyed many high
favours; he nevertheless joined in the attempt to restore Charles II.,
and was subsequently committed to the Tower for a breach of
privilege in presenting a petition from the County of Berks, com-
plaining of the want of a settled form of Government. Pye was
released at the Restoration and appointed Equerry to King Charles II.
He married a daughter of John Hampden. He lived with her
upwards of 60 years, and died in 1714 within a week of her death.
Sir Robert Pye's great'-great-grandson was the poet-laureat Henry
James Pye.
(3). SIR BENJAMIN RTTDYEBD, KNT., of West Woodhay, near
Newbury, descended from the Rudyerds of Rudyerd, co. of Stafford ;
third son of James Rudyerd, Esq. of Hartley, co. Hants, by Margaret
his wife, daughter, and heiress of Lawrence Kidwelly, of Winchfield,
in the same county, esquire. Sir Benjamin was born on St. Stephen's
day, 1572, and educated at the public school, Winchester, and St.
John's College, Oxford. By the influence of his patron, Sir John
Harrington, afterwards Lord Harrington, of Exton, preceptor to the ac-
complished but unfortunate Princess Elizabeth, Rudyerd soon obtained
a favourable reception at the Court of King James I. and in the above-
mentioned noble family, distinguished alike by their talents and piety,
he, no doubt, received those lessons of moderation which so greatly
distinguished his whole political career. From that family, too, he
chose a partner in the joys and sorrows of his life, in the person of
Elizabeth, one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Sir Henry
Harrington, next brother to John, first Lord Harrington of Exton.
On the 9th March, 1617, Rudyerd was appointed to the then
high and distinguished office of Surveyor of His Majesty's Court of
Wards and Liveries, and on the 30th of the same month, King James
honoured him with the degree of knighthood. Upon the differences
arising between King Charles I. and Parliament, Sir Benjamin was
one of the several members of both houses who did all they could to
persuade the Parliament to an accommodation, and warned them of the
miseries of a civil war. On the abolition of the Court of Wards and
Liveries in 1647, 6,000 was voted to Rudyerd, and so great was the
esteem of the House towards him, that they further voted him a part
of the forfeited estates of the Marquis of Worcester as a reparation
for the loss of his office, but notwithstanding these marks of favour,
he was heartily disgusted with the disloyal attempts of the Indepen-
dents, and he stood to his post to the last moment advocating
moderation and deprecating destruction. In December, 1648, Rudyerd
and other well affected members of the Parliament having been beaten
on the 4th instant, question, "whether the King's answers to the
propositions of both Houses were satisfactory," on the 6th, the
question was varied by the King's friends, among whom Rudyerd
stood prominently forward, in the hope of further averting the
progress of the rebellion, and making a happy peace with the
Sovereign, then a prisoner. It was now put in these terms, that the
answer of the King to the propositions of both Houses are a ground
APPENDIX. 97
for the House to proceed upon for the settlement of the peace of the
kingdom," which was carried by a majority of 129 to 83. Such an
unexpected occurrence threw Cromwell and the Parliamentary generals
into the greatest consternation, and the result was the well-known
coup d'etat, when all the obnoxious members were seized as they
arrived at the House : one of the victims on this occasion was Rudyerd,
then 76 years of age, who was thrown into prison with the rest. It
appears Rudyerd did not remain in confinement any length of time, as
the Journals of the House of Commons record his release from the
Gate-house shortly afterwards, owing, it is said, to the influence of
Mr. Prynne. Sir Benjamin then retired to his house at West
Woodhay, built for him by Inigo Jones, and spent the remainder
of his days in the quiet to which his mind must have been a
stranger while engaged in the political struggles of the times. Sir
Benjamin died at West Woodhay on the 31st May, 1658, aged 86
years ; a few months only before the death of Cromwell. No stronger
example of the sincerity of Rudyerd' s religious sentiments can be
adduced than the following beautiful hymn which he composed in his
declining years :
"0 God ! my God ! what shall I give
To Thee in thanks? I am and live
In thee ; and thou dost safe preserve
My health, my fame, my goods, my rent :
Thou mak'st me eat, whilst others starve,
And sing, whilst others do lament.
Such unto me thy blessings are
As though I were thy only care.
But oh ! my God, thou art more kind,
When I look inward on my mind :
Thou fill'st my heart with humble joy,
With patience meek, and fervent love
(Which doth all other loves destroy),
With faith which nothing can remove,
And hope assur'd of Heaven's bliss :
This is my state, my grace is this."
Sir Benjamin was buried in the Church at West Woodhay, where in
Ashmole's time there was "a neat black marble monument" to his
memory, with an epitaph, written (according to the authority of Wood,
"Athense Oxonienses," vol. iii.) by Sir Benjamin in his younger days.
It is printed in Ashmole's "Collections," and in the "Hist, of New-
bury," p. 289. The only son of Sir Benjamin married one of the five
daughters and co-heirs of Sir Stephen Harvey, of Morton Murrell in
the co. of Warwick (created Knight of the Bath at the coronation of
King Charles I.); and by this connection Mr. Rudyerd was brother-in-
law to the celebrated Speaker Lenthall. Mr. John Rudyerd, the
ingenious designer of the Eddystone Light-house erected in 1 708, and
which stood until destroyed by fire in 1755, was a lineal descendant
of Sir Benjamin. .
(4.) EDMUND DTJNCH. Member for Wallingford in the Parliaments
of 1628-40, and for the County in the Parliaments of 1654-56. His
O
98 APPENDIX.
return to the Long Parliament was declared void. Mr. Dunch, High
Sheriff of the County, 9 Car. 1, 1632-3, was the son of Sir William
Dunch, who married Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Cromwell, and
aunt to the Protector. In 1658 he was created a baronet, and after-
wards called to the Upper House by the title of Baron Burnell, of
which he was divested at the Restoration, he died in 1678. The
grandson of "Baron Burnell," and his namesake (Edmund Dunch)
married a daughter and co-heiress of Col. Godfrey, by Arabella
Churchill, sister to the great Duke of Marlborough ; and on his demise
without male issue in 1719, his family became extinct. The marriage
just alluded to is note- worthy, as, the last Mrs. Dunch being half-
sister to the children of James II., the blood of the Cromwells and
Stuarts became thereby commingled.
(5.) DANIEL BLAGEAVE, of Southcote, one of the Regicides, was third
son of Anthony Blagrave, Esq., and nephew of the eminent mathemati-
cian who built Southcote Manor-house. He represented the borough of
Reading in Parliament; and, as a reward for his services to the
Commonwealth, received the office of "Exigenter" in the Court of
Common Pleas, worth annually at that time 500, and was made
Master in Chancery. He was likewise Treasurer of Berkshire, and
one of the County Committee, who were authorized to remove all
"inefficient" ministers, in which office he distinguished himself by
his vexatious persecution of the clergy. The emoluments of his office
in the Common Pleas, it is supposed, enabled him to purchase the
Bang's fee-farm-rent of the valuable Manor of Sonning and some
other estates ; and, having kept in with every form of government
during the interregnum, he obtained a seat in the Convention Parlia-
ment of 1 658. At the Restoration, finding the danger which threatened
him, he fled the kingdom, and, retiring to Aachen in Germany, died in
1668 in an obscure condition. John Blagrave, nephew of the above
and son of Anthony Blagrave, by Dorothy, daughter of Sir Thomas
Dolman, of Shaw, was one of the gentlemen of Berks who had
assisted in the Restoration, and qualified to be made a knight of the
proposed Order of the Royal Oak. This family of the Blagraves of
Buhnarsh Court and Southcote became extinct in the male line on the
demise of John Blagrave, Esq., in 1787, and is now represented in the
female line by J. H. Blagrave, Esq., of Calcot Park.
(6.) RICHAED BEOWNE. Major-General of Oxfordshire, Berkshire,
and Buckinghamshire, was an eminent citizen of London, a warm
advocate for the presbytery, greatly distinguished himself in the field,
and had no small influence in the Parliament. He attended the Earl of
Essex when he first marched against the King; and had a considerable
hand in defeating the Royalists near Worcester and at Edgehill. He
took Arundel Castle by storm, and, seizing on Abingdon, bravely
defended it against the whole force of the garrison at Oxford. In a
sudden sally from Abingdon he surprised and took Bellasith House,
which was strongly garrisoned by the royal party, and found in it a
good supply of provision. He was- one of the Commissioners deputed
to receive the King from the Scots army; when, perceiving the great
advantage His Majesty had in his disputes with their politicians and
divines, and probably penetrating the designs of the Independents, he
leturned to his allegiance, and ever after inflexibly adhered to it.
APPENDIX. 99
He was much in favour with Charles II., whose Resident he was at
Paris before the Restoration, and was soon after created a baronet,
having before received the honour of knighthood. He had the com-
mand of the City Militia, and was Lord Mayor of London in 1660.
His only daughter and heiress espoused John Evelyn* during her
father's residence in France.
(7.) JOHN PACKER, of Donnington Castle. j See Appendix to the
(8). ROBERT PACKER his son. ) Second Battle.
(9.) CORNELIUS HOLLAND, M.P. for Windsor. One of the King's
judges. Once servant to Sir Harry Vane, by whom he was preferred
to be Clerk of the Green Cloth to the King whose death-warrant
he ultimately signed. Winstanley in his "Martyrology," and the
author of a work entitled "The History of the King Killers,"
concur in representing this regicide as a man of great depravity. In
"The Mystery of the Good Old Cause," it is stated that Holland made
himself a farmer of the King's Feeding-grounds at Crestoe in Bucks,
worth 1,800 or 2,000 per annum, at the rate of 20 a year, which
he discounted. He possessed Somerset House a long time, where he
and his family nested themselves. He was keeper of Richmond House
which served for his country-retreat. He was also commissary for the
garrison at Whitehall and the Mews ; and he had an office in the Mint.
It is supposed he gave 5,000 to each of his ten children!
VIII. SHIP-MONEY.
"Ship-Money," a word, says Lord Clarendon, " of a lasting sound in
the memory of this kingdom," indicates a project which in its progress
made the dissensions between King and Parliament irreparable, and
in its consequences led to the misery of eleven years of almost uninter-
rupted Civil War.
Schedules were prepared and sent to each Sheriff, containing the
list of all the counties, cities, and corporate towns, and the pro-
portions in which each was rated, to the end that each district and
community might be made aware that the contribution was enforced
impartially. These Schedules present a view of the comparative
wealth and importance of those places, which is remarkable in the
contrast it affords with their respective conditions in present times.
* Cowley in hia " Garden," addressed to this worthy gentleman, compliments
him upon his taste for horticulture and books, and his happy choice of a wife, who
had, as he expresses it,
"The fairest garden in her looks,
And in her mind the choicest books."
100 APPENDIX,
DISTRIBUTION OF SHIPS, "WITH THEIR TONNAGE, NUMBER OF MEN, AND
CHARGE, AND THE SUMS SET ON THE CORPORATION TOWNS IN THE
COUNTY of BERKS. (From Sir Peter Temple's MS. Papers Stowe,
given in the Appendix to Lord Nugent's "Life of Hampden.")
TONS. MEN. CHARGE.
Berkshire County, One Ship of 320 128 4000
Town of Windsor 100
Borough of Newbury 100
Borough of Beading 220
Borough of Abingdon 100
Borough of Wallingford, 20
Portsmouth was assessed at 60; Bath 70; Preston 40; Stafford
30; and Liverpool 25! Such a disproportion to the present wealth
of some of these places shows what great changes are wrought by the
hand of Time !
PETITION OF THE GRAND JURY OF THE COUNTY OF BERKS AGAINST
SHIP MONEY, &c.*
To the King's Most Excelent
The Humble Petition of your Ma^es most Loyall subjects the
Grand Jury Impaneled 11 July, 1640, to serve at the generall assizes
holden for the County of Berks, in the behalfe of themselves, and
the rest of the Countie. Sheweth, That whereas your Petitioners
have been of late yeares and still are much burthened with sundry
grievances of divers natures deriving ther authority from yr Maje but
being directly contrary to y r Ma ties Lawes established in this your
kingdom, the chief of these presenting themselves in a schedule
hereunto annexed, for redresse, whereof, as your petitioners hoped,
your Matie was graciously pleased about the midle of Aprill to
assemble the great Councell commonly called the High Court of
Parliament, and about three weeks after to dissolve it, for want (as it
eeemes to your petitioners) of a goode agreemente betwixt the two
houses. Neverthelesse since the said dissolution to express such a
fatherly care of your Poor people, that yr Ma tie has vouchsafed by a
Printed declaration to invite them to the poureing out of their
complaynts unto your Princely eare. It may therefore please your
most Excell*- Matie to take the sayd particulers into your tender
consideration, to give your Petitioners such ease therein, as in your
Eoyall Wisdome shall be thought fitte. And whereby it may appeare
to all your Maties Subjects, and especially to thos of y r Maties most
honorable Privy Councell, and your Officers and Ministers of Justis,
that y r Matie is resolved to continue unto them all their rights and
Liberties which they desired by ther Petition of Eight, and wer
* Addl. MSS., Brit. MUS., No. 204064, f. 9.
APPENDIX. 101
confinn'd by y r Ma tie the 3rd yeare of your rayne. And your
Petitioners as they are bound shall continue to preserve the length
and happinesse of yr Mattes sayd raigne by ther prayers and all other
actions of zeal and duty.
A Schedule of such grievances as most oppresse the Countie.
1. The Illegall and insupportable charge of Ship mony, now these
5 yeare Imposed as high as ever, though the subject was not
able to pay the last year, being but a third.
2. The new tax of coal and conduct mony, with the undermeanes
used to enforce the payment of it by messengers from
Counstable.
3. The compellinge sume freemen by imprisonment and thretnings
to take peoples mony, and others for feare of the like
imprisonment do forsake ther houses and habitations hideing
them selves in woods, whereby ther families are obliged to be
maintayned by the parishes, and harvest work undon for want
of Labourers.
4. The Infinite number of monopolies upon every thing allmost the
Countrymen must bye. Besides the easterne part of this Countie,
wher your Ma ties fforest of Windsor is, is particularly burthened
with immeasurable inroades of the deare, which if they shall
goe on soe for five years will leave neither f oode nor roome for
any creatures in the fforest.
With rigid execution of forest lawes in ther extremitye, with
the exaction of the Imoderate fees by som officers under the
Ld. Cheef Justis in lyre. *
* Lord Falkland felt and spoke strongly upon the extra-judicial opinion the Judges
had given at Charles' request, on the King's right to Ship-Money. " No meal
undigested," he said, " can lie heavier upon the stomach than that unsaid would have
lain upon my conscience." He complained that the judges, "the persons who
should have heen as dogs to defend the flock, have hecome the wolves to devour
it;" that they had exceeded their functions, "being judges of law and not of
necessity, that is, being judges and not philosophers or politicians; " that to justify
the plea of necessity, they have " suppoed mighty and eminent dangers in the
most quiet and halcyon davs, but a few contemptible pirates being our most
formidable enemies ; " they also, ' ' supposing the supposed doings to be so sudden
that it could not stay for a Parliament which required but a forty days' stay, allowed
to the King the sole power in necessity, the sole judgment of necessity, and by that
enabled him to take from us what he would, when he would, and how he would."
He especially declaimed against the Chief Justice (at this time Lord Keeper) Finch,
who importuned the other judges " as a most admirable solicitor, but a most
abominable judge." * * * " He it was who gave away with his breath what
our ancestors have purchased with so long expense of their time, their care, their
treasures, and their bloods, and strove to make our grievances mortal and our
slavery irreparable." * * * " He who hath already undone us by wholesale,"
and now as Chancellor "hath the power of undoing us by retail." Cordery and
Phillpott's " King and Commonwealth," p. 83.
102
APPENDIX.
IX. STATE OF PUBLIC FEELING IN THE COUNTY
IN 1643.
That the County of Berks was generally favourable to the Parliament
may be inferred from the following extract of Members returned to the
Long Parliament, compiled by Professor Masson, and introduced in
his "Life of Milton."
(The Shire and four Boroughs)
Parliamentarians
Royalists
So unstable as meanwhile
to have changed sides . . 1
Non-effective 2
No. of Members.
5
2
10
The Royalist element in the County is indicated by the following
list of those who faithfully attached themselves to the interest of the
King, and had to compound for their estates, under the ordinance of
Parliament, April 1st, 1643: extracted from Fellowe's ''Historical
Sketches of Charles I."
COUNTY or BEEKS.
Appleyard, Charles
Bunbury, Thomas
Braxton, Anthony
Bishop, Richard
Bricket, Thomas
Chok, Francis *
Clifford, Richard
Davy, John
Dicus, Hugh
Fartham, John
Foster, Sir Humphrey \
(over and above 500 r . , ,
paid the Committee AHermaston
in the Country)
Gwynn, William
Gardiner, Roger
Hide, Humphrey
Hall, Thomas
Hamlyn, Henry
s. d.
Wargrave 0003 10 00
Reading Dr. 0117 00 00
do 0100 00 00
CoUestley Esq. 0385 00 00
Shenfield 0012 08 08
Avington Gent. 0572 00 00
Shalbourne Gent. 0145 10 00
Pangborne Esq. 0382 10 00
Reading 0060 00 00
do 0002 13 04
Herbert, Edward
Langton, William
Langton, George
Sunning-hill Gent.
Whitewalton
Kennington Esq.
Windsor
Reading
Bray
Stanwick
do
Gent.
Gent.
Gent.
Esq.
Gent.
0500 00 00
0112 15 00
0015 13 04
0538 00 00
0020 QO 00
0033 06 08
0166 13 06
0111 00 00
0008 06 08
* Sir Francis Choke, of A.vington, was Lieut. -Col. of Sir Faithful Fortescue'i
regiment raised for the King.
APPENDIX.
103
Milton, Christopher *
Masson, Eobert
Neville, Bichd.
Peacock, John
Porter, William
Reeves, Thomas
Sawyer, Edward
Stonehouse, Sir Geo.
Stafford, Edward
Thomas, John
Tyle, Eichd.
Worktop, Thomas
Beading
Hidden
Billingbere
Conmer
Marcott
Beading
Dudcot
Badley
Bradfield
New Windsor
Esq.
Esq.
Gent.
Gent.
Esq.
Gent.
Bart.
8.
d.
0080
00
00
0522
00
00
0877
00
00
0140
00
00
0681
00
00
0160
00
00
0091
00
00
1460
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Marfield Yeoman
New Windsor Gent.
This list must not be supposed to specify the whole of the losses of
the Berkshire Gentry on this occasion, as there is no doubt that those
who were actively concerned forfeited their whole property, not being
allowed to compound.
Among the Becusants in the neighbourhood who suffered severely
for their religious principles were the Eystons of Hendred (a family
who have now held property in the County for over 500 years), the
Perkinses of Ufton Court, Brownes of Gt. Shefford, and the Dancastles
of Well-House, and the Grange, in the parish of Shaw. The name of
Gabriel Coxe who, while Mayor of Newbury, received the King at his
house, occurs in the catalogue of persons reported to be Papists.
* Christopher Milton. This was the brother of the great poet, John Milton,
Cromwell s Latin Secretary. " He entered as a student of the Middle Temple, of
which House he became an ancient Bencher, and kept close to that study and
profession all hia life-time, except during the Civil Wars of England, when he
adhered to the Royal cause, and became obnoxious to the Parliament by acting to
the utmost of his power against them so long as he kept his station at Reading in
Berkshire, and therefore, as soon as that town was taken by the Parliamentary
forces, he was obliged to quit his house there and steer his course according to the
motion of the King's army. When the war was ended, and his composition made
through his brother's interest with the then prevailing powers, he returned to his
profession." " Collection of the Works of Milton," 1738. Bodleian Lib.
104 APPEKDIX.
X. AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHARLES I. AND THE
COUNTY OF BERKS RESPECTING A CONTRIBUTION TO
BE LEVIED FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE KING'S ARMY.
THB AGREEMENT MADE BETWEEN His MAJESTY AND THE KNIGHTS,
GENTLEMEN, FREEHOLDERS, AND INHABITANTS or THE COUNTY OF
BERKS FOR THE BETTER PROVISION AND ORDERING OF His MAJESTIE'S
ARMY, AND A DECLARATION OF His MAJESTY'S GRATIOTJS ACCEPT-
ANCE THEREOF, AND HlS ROYAL PROCLAMATION COMMANDING THE
DUE OBSERVANCE THEREOF IN ATX PARTS.
Printed by His Majestie's command at Oxford, Oct. 19, by
Leonard Lichfield, Printer to the University, 1643.
At a Conncell of Warre Held the 13 October, 1643, His Majesty
being present.
This day the High Sheriffe, Gentlemen, and Freeholders of the
County of Berks did present to His Majesty their agreement, on the
behalf e of all the inhabitants of that County, which was in this manner
following :
FIRST. They doe agree to pay by way of Loane, during the space of
a Moneth, a weekly contribution of 1000?. by the week, towards the
maintenance of the King's army out of that County, to be propor-
tionately laid upon all parts of the County (except the hundreds of
Riplesmere, Bray, Cookham, Benhurst, and Wargrave, lying within
the Furest division, which are left to His Majesty to dispose of), to
beginne from the 29 September now last past, to be levyed and rated
upon the Lands, Rents, Annuities, Parsonages, and Tythes, and
Personal estates of the inhabitants of the whole County (except before
excepted) in such manner, and according to such proportions, as by
the ancient and usuall course of the several! parts of the County rates
laid upon the County have been rated and levyed.
That the one halfe of the said 1000?. by the week shall be paid in
mony, and the other halfe in provisions, and for the provisions they
shall be of such sorts as the souldiers shall desire at the rates
hereunder written, viz*-
Oates to be rated at 20 d - the Bushell.
Beanes and Pease at 3d. the Bushell.
Hay at 5d. the Todde.
Grasse for a horse at 3/- the Week.
Straw at 10/- the Load.
And so often those rates for a greater or lesser quantity. But it to be
alwaies at the election of the parties paying, to pay the whole rate in
mony if they so please.
APPENDIX. 105
That, if any losse or damage shall happen to any of the inhabitants
either in their horses or other cattell or in any of their provisions or
other goods by any of the King's souldiers, such losse or damage
shall be repayed and recompensed to the party suffering out of the
said weekly Loane.
That all the provisions to be delivered according to this agreement shall
be delivered at the Towne of Abingdon on Friday in every week, or at
such other places as shall be mutually agreed upon, and the delivering
to bee on such daies in every week, as shall bee likewise agreed upon,
to the hands of the Collectors or Commissaries to be to that purpose
appointed, who shall then also receive the mony to be paid according
to this Agreement, and Books shall be kept wherein shall bee set what
shall be paid in mony and what and how much in provisions, and from
whom, and by whom the same is paid, that so the defaulters may also
appeare, and be proceeded against accordingly for such their default.
That the Defalcations or Reparations to be made to any according
to this Agreement shall be held good, and allowed of whensoever it
shall be set downe and allowed under the hands of any three of the Com-
missioners named in the Commission for setling of this Contribution.
And if the losse or dammage amount to more than the party damnified
in his own particular should pay for the week, then the Reparation
to be made up and repayed to the party grieved by the High Constable
or Collector of that part of the County, upon warrant under the hands
of any three of the said Commissioners allowing the same aforesaid,
and if any Hundred, Parish, or particular Person, shall make default
of payment, that Hundred, Parish, or Person, so making default shall
be left to the care and discretion of the Commander of that part of the
King's army next to the place where such default shall be, and for the
supply of whom that part shall be allotted.
That no manner of free-quarter or billetting shall be taken by or
for any Horse or Foot Souldiers, nor any Taxe, Charge, or Imposition
whatsoever shall be laid upon or required from any inhabitant of this
County, without present payment for the same in mony, as they shall
agree by consent, except only for House room according to the quality
of the person Billeted, and of the Person in whose House he is so
Billeted, and except for fire and candle, such as the Master, Mistris or
Dame of the Famiiy use for themselves and their own family.
That no Women, Boyes, or Children following the army be admitted
from henceforth to have House room, unlesse it be by consent, and by
composition with the owner of the House for the same.
That the High Constables in every Hundred respectively be the
immediate Collectors both of the Moneys and Provisions from the
Inhabitants paying the same, and they to pay the same over to the
High Sheriff of the County, or such as he shall appoint, at the times
and places before mentioned, and they to pay or deliver the same to
such officers of the army as shall be appointed to receive and distribute
the same unto and amongst the Souldiers.
And because the said weekly summe of a 1000?. was formerly laid
upon the whole county, whereof the five Hundreds above mentioned
were parcell, It is now ordered that such summe of mony, parcell of
the said 1000?., which the said five Hundreds should have borne and
are now excepted as aforesaid, shall by the Rule of proportion bee
rated and layed upon the rest of the County.
P
106 APPENDIX.
That these agreements be setled by order of the Councell of "Warre,
and entred with the Secretary of the Councell to the end that all
Commanders, Officers, and Souldiers may take knowledge of and
observe the same.
And it is further desired by the County, and on their behalfe, that
the Lords and others, His Majesty's Commissioners, would by their
order, as much as in them lyeth, confirme the same, and give life to
the execution thereof, and that His Majesty by his Royal Proclamation
will bee pleased to command the due execution and observation thereof,
in all the parts thereof. And His Majesty having perused these
agreements, and declared his gratious approbation thereof, now
according to the request made on behalfe of the Country, the Lords
and others His Majesty's Commissioners doe order That they will
be ready to give their best assistance that these agreements shall be
duly observed, that they will constantly meet in the Audite-house
there to receive the complaynts of the Country if there shall be cause,
and as there shall be cause to recommend the Redresse of what shall
be amiss in any part, either to the King's Majesty or the Councell of
Warre, if the Lords themselves shall not have the meanes otherwise to
redresse the same. And to the end that the County may have a
convenient opportunity on all occasions to present their complaints
when there shall be cause, they doe with one consent make choyce of
William Hynton, Esquire, one of the gentlemen of His Majesty's
Privy Chamber, and one of the Inhabitants amongst them, to performe
the good office for them from time to time, which His Majesty doth
very well approve.
All which His Majesty doth very well approve of, and doth com-
mand to be printed and published, in every Church and Chappellry of
the County to the end that notice being generally taken thereof, all
persons of all qualities, whom it doth or may concerne, may apply
themselves to the performance thereof.
And further His Majesty being desirous that so good a worke may
not perish in the execution which is the life of all good actions, doth
by his Royal Proclamation declare That he doubteth not, but the
Inhabitants of this County will on their parts observe the same, and
will continue it as long as the necessity shall continue, which
His Majesty will, by all possible meanes he can, endeavour to shorten
and ease, for he doth strictly charge and command, That on the part
of the Souldiers, the same be duely observed. And that if any
Souldier of what quality soever presume to breake those agreements
or to offend contrary to the same, every such offender shall be
severally proceeded against, according to the quality of his offence,
that by the exemplary punishment of some, others may be warned and
deterred from committing the like. His Majesty being resolved, as on
the one side to punish those who will not be admonished according to
the due course of justice, so on the other side, to reward those who
have and shall deserve well by their good examples, according to their
eeverall qualities and deservings, as soone as it shall please God to
enable Him thereunto.
Given at His Majestie's Court at Oxford, the 17 day of October in
the Nineteenth yeare of His Majesty's Raigne, 1643.
THE SECOND BATTLE AT NEWBURY,
OCTOBER 27xH, 1644.
THE Royal cause had not been at all prosperous in the Winter
of 1643-4, and the Spring entered with no better prospect.
In May, 1644, the Parliamentary armies left London, and
marched the one, under Essex, to Windsor, and the other,
under Waller, to Hartford Bridge, intending to beat up the
gallant Marquis of Winchester at Basing. The King then with-
drew his garrison from Reading, and proposed to make a stand
at Abingdon; but, on Essex's approach, Abingdon was evacuated;
and he garrisoned it for the Parliament, and threw troops into
Newbury also, which a few weeks previously had been occupied
by the King's forces; so that before the end of May the Parlia-
ment were the masters of all this part of Berkshire, except
Donnington Castle.
In the Summer of 1644 the war swayed northward; and on
the 2nd of July was fought the first momentous battle of the
Civil War, that of Marston Moor.
Since this victory had secured the North for the Parliament,
the main stress of the war had been in the Midlands and South-
west, where Essex and Waller, the two parliamentary generals,
then were. After co-operating for some time against the King
in the Midlands, those two generals had separated in June.
Essex persisted in undertaking the expedition against Prince
Maurice and his royalists in the South-west, which service the
Parliament had designed for Waller. The latter remained in
the Midlands, where a check sustained by him at Cropredy
Bridge, on the borders of Oxfordshire, on June 29th (three days
before the battle of Marston Moor), had enabled the King to
follow Essex into the South-west, with the intention of joining
his nephew Prince Maurice and crushing Essex by superior force.
Essex, instead of turning back to fight the King, as he wished,
was urged by Lord Roberts (or Robartes), a man described by
Clarendon as of an impetuous disposition and full of contradic-
tions, to push into Cornwall,* in which extremely loyal County,
* During the Rebellion the mainstay of the throne was in the "West and North,
especially in Wales, Devon, and Cornwall. The famous Generals Grenville,
Godolphin, Trevannion, and Slanning were called "the wheels of Charles's
wain." They were, says Prince in his "Worthies of Devon," all slain at or
near the same place, at the same time, and in the same cause.
108 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
the King and Prince Maurice having joined their forces, he
found himself cooped up in August, in the most precarious
condition. To send Waller to his comrade's relief, with a newly
equipped army, was then the strenuous effort of the Parliament;
and, as, to complicate matters, Prince Rupert was sure to
move southward, it became a necessary part of their plan that
Lord Manchester's army should come out of its quarters in the
Eastern Counties, and follow Waller's route westward.* Colonel
Middleton was also dispatched with a force of 3,000 or 4,000
horse and foot to harass the King's rear. He had orders to
reduce, on his way, Donnington Castle, the residence of Mr.
John Packer, which, on account of its commanding the great
road by which the western trade was carried to London, had
been garrisoned and fortified by order of the King shortly after
the First Battle of Newbury, the previous year, and Colonel Boys
appointed its governor. The following Commission f is without
subscription, but undoubtedly refers to the appointment of this
staunch supporter of the Royal Cause to the command of the
fortress: "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 sufficient number
of soldiers in Donnington Castle, we have made choice of your
foot and of the dragooners of Sir Robt. Howard. Wherefore our
will and pleasure is that you forthwith repair with the said forces
unto the said Castle, there to continue and 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 22nd Sept. 1643." As to the
supplies, it is recorded that "Donnington Castle hath three
Hundreds out of which he (the Governour) weekly receives con-
tribucion, viz*-, Kimbry [Kintbury] Eagle 20 parishes, Faire-
Crosse 14 parishes, and Compton 8 parishes, besides Newbery is
in too. These found him beds and weekely payment for the
building the workes, which cost about 1,000. Faire-Crosse
Hundred paid about 60 per weeke."^; The main element of
defence of this little fortress was its massive gate-house, with
barbican and portcullis, and the extensive series of earthworks
constructed by Boys, and thickly planted with his heaviest guns.
The remainder of the structure with its subordinate towers and
curtain-walls had, as Camden says, " windows on all sides, very
lightsome," and was unable to offer much resistance to an artillery
attack at near distance. It was more especially owing to the
* See "Manchester's Quarrel with Cromwell." Camden Soc., pp. Iviii. lix.
t "Warburton's "Prince Rupert," vol. ii. p. 314.
I Symond's " Diary," p. 144.
DONNINGTON CASTLE.
OUTWORKS OF DEFENCE.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUKY. 109
marvellous prowess of Sir John and his brave little band that
the old castle held out so well as it did.
The operations of Middleton before Donnington Castle are
mentioned in the following terms in "The True Informer" from
Saturday, Aug. 10th, to Saturday, Aug. 17th, 1644. "On
Monday, July 29th, Lt.-Genl. Middleton came before Donning-
ton Castle with between 3,000 and 4,000 horse and foot. At
their entrance into Newbury they took divers of the stragglers
of Donnington Castle, and on Wednesday morning drew up
both horse and foot against the Castle, and without summons
fell on a barn,* wherein the Governor of the Castle had placed
ome musquetiers, which our guards gained, beat the enemy,
and took divers of them prisoners, after which the General sent
a summons to the Governor, in these words; 'Sir, I demand
you to render me Donnington Castle for the use of the King
and Parliament. If you please to entertain a present treaty
you shall have honourable terms. My desire to spare blood
makes me propose this. I desire your answer. JOHN MIDDLETON.'
'Sir,' answered Boys, 'I am instructed by His Majesty's express
commands, and have not yet learned to obey any other than my
Sovereign. To spare blood, do as you please, but myself and those
who are with me are fully resolved to venture ours in maintaining
what we are entrusted with, which is the answer of JOHN BOYS.
Donnington Castle, July 31, 1644.' After this answer received,
the said Lieutenant-General drew up his foot with scaling ladders
and other provisions, dividing themselves into three several
places, at last the enemy fired the barne, whereupon our soldiers
who were in it came forth, and the rest, in regard that they had
not great pieces to batter the Castle, retreated with the loss of
6 common soldiers and a Lieutenant, concerning whom the
Governor of the Castle (considering he had gott a great prize,
though he lost three persons) sent a Drum to the Lt.-Genl. with
this message. 'For Lt.-Generall Middleton. Sir, Christian
charity requires me to give you notice that I have many bodies
of yours, which I cannot accommodate with Christian burial, as
likewise many of your wounded men which I know not how to
dispose of. This I thought good to give you notice of, that you
might take some course for them accordingly. Your Servant,
JOHN BOYS. Donnington Castle, July 31, 1644.' To which
message the Lt.-Generall sent this answer ' I conceive no in-
herient holinesse to be in any place or buriall, for all earth is fit
for that use. In that you say you have no accommodation for
our wounded men, who are your prisoners, if you please to
exchange them, quality for quality, I shall take it a curtesie done
to, Sir, Your Servant, JNO. MIDDLETON.' " On the following
* The Barn belonging to Donnington Castle is still represented by a portion
standing in the Castle Farm.
110 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
Monday morning, the Castle being recommended by the Parlia-
ment to Major-General Brown, Governor of Abingdon and
Commander of the Forces of the Associated Counties of Oxon,
Berks, and Bucks, Middleton proceeded to join Essex in the
West; but on his way he was met and routed by Sir Francis
Doddington and Sir William Courtney, and compelled to retreat
to Sherborne in Dorsetshire, where he fell upon a party of the
King's horse, and, putting them to flight, repaired his credit by
their overthrow.
The Earl of Manchester with his army arrived at Huntingdon
on the 8th of September. By that time, however, the fate of
Essex in Cornwall had been decided. Before relief could reach
him he had been obliged to make his own escape by sea to
Plymouth, on his way to London, leaving the mounted troops,
under Sir William Balfour, to cut their way eastward as they
could, and his foot, under Major-General Skippon, to negotiate
terms of surrender, which were agreed to on September 1st. The
news of Essex's defeat reached Manchester at Huntingdon, whence,
on the 8th of September, he wrote to the Derby-House Committee,*
expressing his condolence over the sad event, "The Lord's arm,"
he adds, "is not shortened, though we be much weakened. I
trust he will give us a happy recovery. I shall with all speed I can
march in observance of your former orders." Manchester was now
instructed to march westward for Abingdon with all possible ex-
pedition, and to send advertisement of his progress as he advanced.
The activity and firmness of the Parliament at first caused the
King to slacken his movements. He addressed a pacific message to
the Houses; and, for three weeks, contented himself with appearing
before Plymouth, Lvme, and Portsmouth, which did not surrender.
Towards the end of September, however, he learnt that Montrose,
who had long since promised him civil war in Scotland, had at
last succeeded, and was already obtaining one triumph after
another. In a fortnight he had gained two battles (at Tipper-
muir, Sept. 1, and at Dee Bridge, Sept. 12), occupied Perth, taken
Aberdeen by storm, raised most of the northern clans, and spread
fear to the very gates of Edinburgh. On hearing these news,
Charles flattered himself that the disaster of Marston Moor was
repaired, that Parliament would soon find in the North a powerful
adversary, and that he himself might without fear proceed to
follow up his successes in the South. He resolved to march
upon London; and, to give his expedition a popular and decisive
appearance, a proclamation, sent forth in every direction at the
moment of his departure, invited all his subjects of the South
* The Derby-House Committee consisted, for the English Parliament, of seven
selected Peers and fourteen selected Commoners. Essex, Manchester, Waller,
and Cromwell were of the English part of this Committee. Derby House,
Cannon Row, Westminster, being the meeting-place of the Committee, it
received the name of the "Derby-House Committee."
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. Ill
and East to rise in arms, choose officers for themselves, and,
joining him on his way, march with him to summon the Parlia-
ment at length to accept peace.*
Prince Rupert on the 3rd of October had left the King for
Bristol; and the latter promised not to engage until the Prince
returned to him with reinforcements of Langdale's and Gerrard's
troops. On the llth, however, the pressing necessities of his
four gallant garrisons at Basing, Donnington, Portland, and Ban-
bury, induced him to put his army in motion; and on that day
he thus writes to his Nephew from Blandford:
THE KING TO PRINCE RUPERT.
" Nephew, [In cipher.]
I am advertised by a dispatch from Secretary
Nicholas that the Governors of Basing, Banbury, and Donnington
Castle, must accommodate in case they be not relieved within a
few days. The importance of which place and consequently
[illegible] hath made me resolve to begin my march on Tuesday
towards Salisbury, where, Prince Rupert may rely upon it, the
King of England shall be, God willing, on Wednesday next, where
I will desire Prince Rupert to come with what strength of horse
and foot you can, and the two demi-cannons, many of my men
being unarmed. I have sent to Bristol for musquets which I
desire Rupert to speed to me. I desire to hear daily from you,
and particularly when you will be with me, and which way you
will march, and how strong you can come to
Your loving Uncle and most faithful friend,
Blandford, llth Oct. 1644. CHARLES R."f
If everything had happened as the King imagined, he might
have arrived in London before the Parliament's forces could
have joined to form a new army; but his troops, instead of
increasing on their march, as Charles had supposed, daily dimi-
nished: their pay was long in arrear; the men were half-starved,
and in want of shoes and stockings; sickness had disabled many;
desertions were numerous; and he was obliged to make frequent
halts in towns, to wait for money and other necessaries, which
he found would not be supplied when he had gone.]: Owing to
* The proclamation is dated from Chard, September 30, 1644. Rushworth,
vol. ii, 3, 715. Guizot's "Hist. Eng. Reform.," p. 244.
t "Warburton's "Prince Rupert," vol. iii, pp. 26 27.
J The King's army about this time consisted of 5,500 foot and 4,000 horse.
Clarendon, vol. ii. p. 541. The royalist forces, being supported by voluntary
contributions, were poorly paid ; whereas the pay of the Parliament was very
good, especially that for the officers ; but soon after the breaking out of the War
an ordinance was passed, wherein it was enacted that all officers of the Earl of
Essex's army, whose pay amounted to 10s. a day and upwards, should only
receive half their pay, the other half being postponed until the troubles should
be over. Horses at this time were valued at about 4; they had been as cheap
as 30s. and 50s. Oats were 1/6 a bushel, and 12 /- a quarter; peas and beans 2/-
a bushel. Hay 5d. the tod; and grass-feed 2/6 a week. In 1655 wheat wa
33/- and malt 20/- a quarter.
112 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUKV.
these delays, the King did not reach Salisbury till the 15th of
October, six weeks after the surrender of the Parliamentarians at
Lostwithiel; and, instead of proceeding tovrard London, as was at
first intended, he decided to direct his march to Oxford, relieving
his distressed garrisons on the way. Before this could be accom-
plished, however, he had to meet the combined army of the
Parliament at Newbury.
While the King was advancing from Cornwall, news had come
to Oxford that the gallant old Marquis of Winchester
"He who in impious times untainted stood,
And midst rebellion durst be just and good,"
was so hard pressed at Basing that he must surrender in ten
days if no relief came. Sir Arthur Aston, the governor at
Oxford, declared, that the dangers of the relief were more than
any soldier who understood command would expose himself to,
and that he could not suffer any of the small garrison under his
charge to be hazarded in the attempt; but Colonel Gage, who
had lately come from the English regiment in Flanders, a
worthier servant than whom the King did not possess, offered to
take the command, and hoped to give a good account of it, if the
Lords then at Oxford would enlist their servants, and raise a
good troop or two of horse. Col. Hawkins' regiment, having
opportunely come into Oxford, was raised to 400 by volunteers,
and, with 250 horse, was placed under Gage's command. With
this small force he threaded his way through bye roads to
Wallingford and Aldermaston, and thence to Basing, where, on
the 14th of September, he attacked and beat off the besiegers,
levied arms and provisions in Basingstoke and the neighbouring
villages, relieved the garrison, and then, though the whole
country was up, came back to Oxford on the sixth day with 100
prisoners.* It was agreed in all sides that a more soldierly action
had not been performed during the war. Col. Gage was knighted
for this and other gallant services, in the Presence Chamber, at
Christ-Church, Oxford, Nov. 2, 1644; but the brave Colonel did
not long enjoy his distinction, being slain at Culham Bridge, near
Abingdon, the following January.
On the King's arrival at Salisbury (15 Oct.), he was informed
that the Parliament had made preparations to intercept his
march; that Waller with his troops lay at Andover; that Man-
chester had advanced as far as Eeading with 5,000 horse and
foot and 24 pieces of ordnance ; and that the London Trained
Bands, consisting of the red and blue regiments of the City of
* In the year 1839, in digging a grave in the nave of Ewhurst Church, on the
Basingstoke road, near Kingsclere, the remains of two soldiers, with portions of
military ornaments, were found at a shallow depth. These interments had the
appearance of having been hastily conducted ; and were supposed to have been
the bodies of officers slain in a skirmish in the neighbourhood during the opera-
tions before Baaing.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 113
London, the red regiment of Westminster, the yellow regiments
of South wark and the Tower-Hamlets, making in all about 5,000
men, commanded by Sir James Harrington, were beginning their
march to join him. The Earl of Essex's army, newly organized
and equipped, was near Portsmouth, as well as those troops
returning from the West under Colonel Middleton; and these
were expecting orders to join the other forces.
If the King had utilized this information, and hastened his
march to Oxford, he might have brought this year's campaign to
a conclusion, which was the more reasonable, because he had
received letters from Prince Rupert, in which he stated that it
was impossible for him to bring up his troops so soon as the
King expected. Had such a determination been formed, Don-
nington Castle and Banbury might both at a seasonable time
have been relieved. But misfortune always attended the
movements of the unhappy Monarch. He was too easily led.
John Milton thus describes the King's fatal peculiarity:
"Whether with his enemies or friends, in the Court or Camp,
he was always in the hands of another; now of his Wife, then of
the Bishops ; now of the Peers, then of the Soldiery; and lastly
of his enemies: for the most part, too, he followed the worse
counsel, and most always of the worser men." ("Iconoclastes.")
In this instance Lord Goring who did not wish Prince Rupert
to join in these operations, urgently advised the King to march
against Waller, who was, at that time, with about 3,000 horse and
foot, at Andover, and at some little distance from the bulk of the
Parliament's forces. A Council of War was held, and the King
at last yielded; the ostensible object being to cut off Waller
before he could effect a junction with Essex and Manchester,
and thus the more readily to advance the relief of Basing and
Donnington Castle.
The cannon which the royalists had taken from Essex in
Cornwall had been left at Exeter. The larger guns then with the
forces were ordered to be sent to the garrison at Langford House,
near Salisbury; the remainder of the artillery and baggage-
waggons were placed at Wilton House. The Royal army was
drawn up in Clarendon Park, and guards were posted at all the
entrances to the City of Salisbury, to prevent information of the
King's purpose being spread about. This succeeded so well that
the royalists reached within four miles of Andover before Waller
had any notion of their movements. On the enemy's approach
he drew out his whole force, as though disposed to fight; on
perceiving the King's strength, however, he drew back into the
town, leaving a body of cavalry to make good his retreat; but
the King's troops charged furiously, and effected a complete
rout, pursuing the Parliamentarians through the town of Andover,
giving no quarter. Waller, nevertheless,made good his retreat
to Basingstoke. " It was a greate mercy of God," says Sir W.
Q
114 THE SECOND BATTLE OF KEWBURT.
Waller in his "Recollections," "when the King came upon me
with his whole army at Andover, and I had nothing but a mere
body of horse and dragooners with me, I made a faire retreate to
Basmgstoke."
This affair is thus recorded by Capt, Symonds, who was then
with the King's Army, "Friday, 18 Oct., 1644. His Majestie,
&c. left Sarum and marched towards Andevor, Generall Goringe
raysed a forlorne of horse, consisting of about 200 gentlemen, who
were spare commanders of horse, beate them out of Andevor,
took Carr, a Scot colonell, and another captain, a Scott, that died,
who a little before his death rose from under the table, saying he
would not dye like a dog under a table, but sate downe upon a
chayre, and ymediatly dyed of his wounds. Tooke about 80
prisoners, followed the chase of them two miles, who all ran in
great confusion. Had not night come so soone, it might have
been made an end of Waller's army, for our intention was to
engage them, but they disappointed our hopes by their heeles." *
On the 14th of October, Lieut.-General Oliver Cromwell, who
had been in the neighbourhood of Banbury, and present at the
latter part of the siege with a detachment of horse, joined at
Reading the army of the Earl of Manchester, who for more than
a fortnight had been lying idle there, finding excuse after excuse
for not marching further west. On the 16th, the Earl, after a
consultation with Waller, marched from Reading to Basingstoke;
and on the 21st his forces, united with those of Essex and
Waller, near Basing, consisted of about 11,000 foot and 8,000
horse and dragoons, f Such a force, both in respect of numbers
and composition, had not as yet been formed under one leader
since the commencement of the war. To the chief command of
this army, magnificent for the period, the Earl of Manchester,
in the absence of the Earl of Essex, was nominated. Cromwell
retained as before the rank of General of Horse. The whole,
wound up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, prepared to
advance against the King.
The Derby-House Committee had by this time sent two of
their number, namely the Scottish representative, Sir Archibald
Johnston, of Warriston, and the English, Mr. John Crewe, to
see that all possible advantages should be taken against the
enemy, and to prevent any contention between the chief officers
as to the command, and other matters. These two civilians met
Manchester at Basingstoke.
At this time a difference of opinion existed in the Parlia-
mentary camp as to the best course of action. Cromwell and
* Symonds' "Diary," p. 141.
t "That after this conjunction, wee being at Basing, neare 11,000 foote and
about 8,000 horse and dragoones, and the King with not above 10,000 horse and
foote." Cromwell's evidence from the " Information against the Earl of Man-
chester ; " Public Record Office.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT. 115
some of the other generals urged a direct interception of the
royal army; but Manchester, who seemed disposed to give the
King every chance, resolved to march back to Reading, with the
object (as he states in his defence) of making the attack from the
north, or left bank of the Kennet. Cromwell's evidence partly
bears out this view: "On Tuesday, 22nd Oct., it being agreed
(as we thought) to march towards him [the King] or to interpose
betwixt him and Redding, about Aldermaston Heath, and our
horse marching before to the heath, our foot struck down to
Swallowfield, and thence next day to Redding, as if we had
declined to fight, and thus making fower days march from
Basingstoke to Newbery (which might have been little more
than one t'other way), wee gave the King opportunity to have
got cleare to Oxford (if hee would) without fighting; and, stay-
ing there, he had thereby time to fortify himself against our
approaches to Newberry.*
The Earl of Manchester further states in his " Narrative of the
Campaign:" "For the subsistence of the armies at Basingstoke it
was concluded to march to Redding, and so come uppon the
other side of the Kennet uppon the enemy, and to forse the King
to fight, notwithstanding the enemy being in their strengthe.
My Lord of Essex beeing in Redding leaft sicke."
Nor were the Royalists at all clear as to the strength and
intentions of the Parliamentarians, as the following extract from
a letter to Prince Rupert from Lord Digby shews: "Wee may
promise ourselves a very happy conclusion of this summer's
warre, for now we know the worst of the Rebells forces. Essex,
Manchester, and Waller, and the Trained Bands newly come out
of London, were all joyned yesterday, and by all intelligence of
those who hath seen them at their rendezvous do not muster in
all [cypher] foot and [ ] horse, of which the only consider-
able ones are Cromwell's. His Majesty, over and above what
your Highness knows of, hath [here the forces are enumerated in
cypher]. It seems the Rebells begin to apprehend themselves
too weake to encounter us, for our intelligence this morning is
that they have retreated to Reading. Believe it is for their feares,
and the distractions in London are soe great, in all probabilitie it
will be fatall to them. Yours, &c., GEO. DIGBYE. Newbery,
23 Oct. 1644." f
The easy success of the King's army in the affair with Waller
at Andover so raised the spirits of his troops that they were
eager to engage the combined forces of the Parliament; but, as
Clarendon sagely remarks, "The King did not wisely seek the
opportunity." It was, however, resolved to attempt the relief of
* Cromwell's Evidence, from the "Information against the Earl of Manchester."
State Papers ; Public Record Office,
t Addl. MSS. Brit. Mus., No. 18980.
116 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
the closely besieged garrisons of Donnington Castle, Basing, and
Banbury before going into quarters at Oxford for the winter;
and, for this purpose, orders were dispatched for the guns and
baggage, which had been left at Langford and Wilton, to be at
once sent forward.
On Saturday the 19th of October, the King advanced from
Andover to Whitchurch, where he was to remain until his
General Lord Brentford, who was behind, and the Earl of
Cleveland, who had been detained with the siege of Portland,
should come up with the remainder of his force. On Sunday, a
party of horse was dispatched to relieve Donnington Castle; and
returned the next morning. On Monday night, Oct. 21, 1644, a
spy in the service in the Parliament returned to the camp with
the following intelligence: "His Majesty's army was in Whit-
church all Sunday night; and that town was full of soldiers, both
horse and foot, but their train of artillery was not there, only
some few wagons belonging to Officers. That their train stood
on Andover downes, within two miles of Whitchurch or there-
abouts. The King was last night [Sunday] at Whitchurch, but
by some reported to be at Winchester, and by others at Andover.
The last night, about 8 of the clock, went out about 4000 horse
out of Whitchurch to give an alarm, and returned this morning
about break of day. [This was the party which was sent to
relieve Donnington Castle.] Yesterday it was ordered that the
train should be drawn up to Whitchurch Downes, but was
hindered by the wet weather, and so staid two miles short. And
that this day [Monday] the rendezvous was to be kept upon
Sevenborough [Seven Barrows]: the drums beat up at Whit-
church at break of day. This day about 8 o'clock there stood at
Whitclear [? Whitway or Highclere] a great body of horse, as he
conceiveth to be 2,000, on this side Sevenborough. That about
12 o'clock there were going to Kingsclere some empty carts,
accompanied with some troops of horse, which carts be supposed
were to carry provisions that were summoned to be brought to
Donnington Castle. [These apparently were the empty carts
returning from the Castle.] That it is generally reported the
King quarters at Donnington the next night. Carriages were
warned at Bawgus [Baughurst] and the parishes adjacent, to
appear this morning at Whitchurch. From Newbury, that great
provisions of victuals are made, and all towns adjoining, for the
army, which is expected there this night. That a great party
from Oxford and Wallingford is to be there to meet the King's
forces this night." *
On Monday, the 21st October, the whole army moved on to
Kingsclere, which, being mid-way between Basing and Newbury,
was considered a suitable position from which to attempt the
* "The Parliamentary Scout," 24 to 31 Oct. 1644.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUEY. 117
relief of the former place. This position having been found too
much exposed for an army threatened by an enemy so much
superior in cavalry, the embarrassed royalists, after a night's
halt, proceeded on their march to Newbury; a general rendezvous
being appointed on Red Heath, on the south side of the town,
the head-quarters of the horse being in the town of Newbury,
with an advanced post on the Lambourn at Welford.* On the
King's arrival at the camp on Red Heath, he was welcomed by
the brave Governor of Donnington Castle, Col. Boys, who received
the honour of knighthood from his Majesty for his valiant
defence of Donnington, and was made Colonel of the regiment
which he had before commanded as Lieut.-Col. to Earl Rivers,
who was nominally the chief governor of the Castle.
A messenger having brought to the King at Newbury intelli-
gence of the exhausted condition of the garrison at Banbury,
Lord Northampton was dispatched on Thursday, 24th Oct., from
the camp with 1500 horse for the relief of Banbury Castle, which
for thirteen weeks had been gallantly defended by the Earl's
brother, Sir William Compton. That night he quartered at
Farnborough, and the next day near Woodstock, where the Earl
was joined by Col. Gage with a regiment of foot and some horse
from Oxford. Thence the united force advanced to Banbury,
routed Col. Fiennes, and raised the siege. Thus the relief of
Banbury was successfully accomplished. The very day after this
service had been so well performed, however, Col. Sir John Hurry,
who has been previously mentioned as a renegade, seized tne
opportunity to consummate a second act of treachery. Under
pretence of retiring to the Continent, he obtained leave to with-
draw from the royal army (in which it is probable he considered
his services not sufficiently valued); and, availing himself of his
pass, hastened to the Earl of Manchester's army and betrayed the
unprovided condition and diminished numbers of the King.
The immediate consequence of this intelligence was the Second
Battle of Newbury.
Returning to Donnington Castle. After the departure of
Middleton, Colonel Horton (Lt.-Col. of Lord Wharton's regiment),
who is described as Adjutant-General to Major-General Brown,
was left to blockade the castle. Having effectually guarded all
the avenues leading to the stout little stronghold, so that no
succour could get to its relief, he summoned Boys to surrender,
but met with defiance. Accordingly, having received reinforce-
ments from Abingdon, Windsor, and Reading, he commenced to
lay close siege to the Castle, and raised a battery "at the foot of
the hill towards Newbury." f In a twelve days' cannonade he
* "The manor belonging to Mr. Hinton jure uxoris; a faire habitation, com.
Berks." Symonds' 'Diary,' p. 143.
t Traces of this battery can still be discerned iA the meadows on the south
side of the road leading from Donnington to Speen. It is shown on the Plan.
118
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUHY.
beat down three of the south towers and part of the curtain-
wall. Having received another contingent, Horton then sum-
moned the Castle a second time, in the following terms:
"Sir, We have formerly testified our clemency in tendring
you quarter upon your surrender of the Castle for the use of
the King and Parliament, and now again we, being desirous
(notwithstanding our increase of powers) to manifest our mercy,
do hereby once for all freely offer yourself and men free quarter
in case you yield the Castle, for the use aforesaid, before Wednes-
day next at 10 of the clock in the forenoon, and further we here
testifie (in the presence of God) that if this our favour be not
accepted and the Castle surrendered, there shall be no active
man amongst you have his life, if God shall ever please to yield
them to our mercy. Yours, JEREMY HORTON." To which
Col. Boys replied: "Sir, Neither your new addition of forces,
nor your high threatning language, shall deter me, or the rest of
these honest men with me, from our loyalty to our sovereign,
but we do resolve to maintain this place to the uttermost of our
powers, and for the matter of quarter, yours may expect the like
on Wednesday or sooner if you please. This is the answer of,
Sir, Your servant, JNO. BOYS."
Upon this second denial, Manchester himself came to Newbury
on Friday, October 4th, and, getting another refusal, resolved to
storm the castle on Wednesday, October 9th; but his men not
being willing for the work, the proposed assault was abandoned,
and Manchester returned to Reading, giving orders, however, for
the siege to be continued. This was conducted with ordnance of
a fairly heavy calibre. Symonds, in his "Diary," thus refers to
the garrison at this time: " The men within the Castle were the
Earl of Rivers' regiment, about 200 [foot] and 25 horse, 4 peices
of cannon. The enemy made a great open battery, with their
hundreds of 36lb bullets, toto a 500 and odd bullets, most of them
361b., some 6lb, some 12lb." Doubtless there were other guns
used by besiegers and the besieged; and it may be interesting
here to give some particulars as to the capacity of the Artillery
at this period,* thus
Bore.
Weight.
Weight
of Shot.
Point-
blank
Extreme
range.
range.
IN.
LBS.
LBS.
PACES.
PACES.
Cannon Royal . ,
8
8000
66
800
1930
Culverin
5*
4500
17*
200
2500
Demi-culverin . .
4
3400
9*
200
2500
Saker
4
7
170
1700
Minion
3*
1000
4
150
1500
Drakes . . . . Carried a ball from 4 to 6 lb., and were
used as light field-artillery.
* See Monson's ''Tracts," p. 342.
EDWARD MONTAGU, EARL OF MANCHESTER.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 119
There were also guns termed "Basilisks" after that mythic
creature ; they were 48-pounders. Such a one is called " a
warning piece" in Vicars' account of the siege of Bristol.
"Falcons" with 6lb. shots, and "Falconets" with 3, 2, and lib.;
"Peteraroes" for throwing stones, &c.
The day after Manchester's departure the besiegers removed
their guns "to the other side of the Castle," that is, to
Snelsmore Heath. Here the trenches constructed by the Par-
liamentarians are still very distinctly traceable, as shown on
the Plan. The line of fire from this position was somewhat
oblique; and this to some extent accounts for the preservation
of the towers of the Gate-house. An attempt was made to
approach the walls by saps;* but, this being perceived by
Boys, the garrison made a sortie, and beat the enemy out of
their trenches, killing the chief in command of the party and
many soldiers: and they brought away the "cannon-baskets," with
a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Though much dis-
heartened, the Parliament-men went on with their approaches,
and continued bombarding the Castle until Friday, 18th October;
and then, hearing of the advance of the King's army, they drew
off their ordnance and retired. In nineteen days (12 at Speen
and 7 at Snelsmore) they had spent over 1000 rounds on the
impregnable little castle with very little hurt to its defenders.
Horton and his men retired towards Abingdon, and the Windsor
force to Newbury ; while Manchester's detachment fell back on
Reading. The " Mercurius Aulicus " of Oct. 15th, 1644, contains
some curious information as to the siege and defence of the
Castle. The following is an extract : " Such was Col. Horton's
great mercy that the day before the Governor and his men were
to dye (in case they did not surrender) they sent Master Fogge,
Horton's Chaplain, with a letter which Fogge had procured from
Mistris Fleetwood, in Newbury, to her husband, Dr. Fleetwood,-]-
Chaplain to Earl Rivers' regiment (to whom Col. Boys is Lt.-Col.),
and this letter Fogge brought to Dr. Fleetwood in the Castle,
wherein Mistris Fleetwood wrote ' that if the Castle did refuse
Col. Horton's mercy, they were all lost men,' and therefore desired
her husband and the rest to prepare themselves (and indeed so
* Saps, that is, trenches made under cover from the fire of the enemy's place,
behind a mantelet or stuffed gabion. Mantelets on wheels were used during the
Civil War.
t Dr. James Fleetwood, son of Sir George Fleetwood, was made D.D., in 1642,
at Oxford by the King's special command for the good services he had done him
at the battle of Edgehill. Upon the Restoration he was the first person that was
sworn Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Charles II.; when he was also made Provost of
King's College, Rector of Anstey in Hertfordshire, and of Denham in Bucks.
In 1675, he was consecrated Bishop of Worcester. He died in 1683, in the
eighty-first year of his age.
There was a James Fleetwood, S.T.P., Rector of Shaw, near Newbury, shortly
after the Restoration, which living he resigned in March 1660-61. It is highly
probable that this is the person referred to in the "Mercurius Aulicus."
120 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
they did, to shew themselves gallant men). This letter, you must
know, the poor gentlewoman was forced to write to her husband,
tho' Fogge had the wording of it, and to make the pageantry
more complete, Col. Horton pretends a great unwillingness to let
any such letter passe into the Castle, and therefore sends this
note to Fogge, on purpose also to be communicated: 'Mr. Fogge,
At the earnest sute of Mrs. Fleetwood I am instructed to permit
the passage of this letter into the Castle by your hands, hereby
requiring you to testifie to all therein (if the Governor will
permit it) that if they please to come forth before tomorrow at
9 o'clock in the forenoon they may have faire quarter, otherwise
according to my solemn vow they may expect no favour.
JEREMY HORTON. This poor preaching was easily discerned by
Col. Boys, who read it and scorned it." The "Mercurius Aulicus"
adds, that "Manchester also gave orders to an unfortunate
brother of Col. Boys (who was a Captain in Manchester's army)
to write to the Governor, to assure him that, if he would
surrender the Castle, he should not only have all honourable
conditions, but freely be admitted to his house, and possess his
estate quietly, in Kent;* and, if he would come forth and capi-
tulate, he should do it safely; if not, [to demand] that his brother
might be permitted to come to him into the castle, to inform him
further of his Lordship's intention. To whom the Governor made
answer; That neither the Earl of Manchester and all his forces
should deter him from his fidelity and loyalty to his Sovereign,
neither would he entertain any manner of parley concerning the
delivery up of the place, which he was resolved to maintain to
his last drop of blood."
A letter, written by Chaplain Fogge, -f respecting the siege,
is given in the "London Post" of Oct. 23rd, 1644. It is
to this effect: "Sir, These are to certifie to you that Sir Miles
Hobart's regiment is here at Newbery, where we had almost
* Sir John Boy's estate was at Bonnington in Kent: it was seized and seques-
trated by the Parliament.
t When Prince Rupert took Bolton, and put so many to the sword, the Rev.
Robert Fogge had a narrow escape. Having set his man to wait with two horses
at a certain place, he determined, if the town wag taken, te ride for his life ; but
when he came thither, the man and his horses were gone. He happened, how-
ever, to meet with another horse ; or else he would have been killed, for the
Prince had a particular aim at him. In the war-time he married his second
wife, who proved to be a papist. Her sons were in the King's service, and much
enraged against their father-in-law. One of them sent him a challenge. He
took his sword under his coat and met him, and so humbled the young man that
he was glad to be reconciled. Fogge died at Nantwich in April, 1676, aged 80.
(Palmer's "Nonconformists' Memorial," vol. ii, p. 604.) Fogge's son Rowland
subscribed to the Declaration in 1665, and ultimately became Dean of Chester.
One of the Rev. Mr. Fogge's family, a certain Captain Fogge, directed the
plundering of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. The numerous gold vessels, which
the munificence and piety of successive Sovereigns and Knights-of-the-Garter
had here consecrated to religious uses, were said to hare been exquisitely wrought
and to have weighed 3580 ounces.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 121
brought Donnington Castle down to the ground by the active
endeavours of General- Adjutant Colonell Horton. But Lieut.-
Gen. Brown called him and his force away, and the gunnes are
taken off' and carried to Reading, and here is only one regiment
and some of Col. Montague's, and 2 or 3 troops of horse; yet we
keep them in the Castle, and if we might have gunnes and
furniture, I would undertake we could have the Castle in a week.
* * * The town of Newbery and the country adjacent cry out
they must fall if we go and let the Castle stand. I wish the Com-
mittee were well informed concerning it. I dare say it is a place of
such consequence as they would not lose the opportunity to gayne
it, considering it is sore battered, and one breach in it that many
may enter abreast. Truely two or three fire-balls or granadoes
shot into it would make it ours. The Lord guide the state and be
with you and us all. * Yr humble servt., R. F." [Robert Fogge].
Before proceeding further, it will be necessary to give an outline
of the position of the royal army on the morning of Saturday, the
26th of October. The Royalist strength is said by the "True In-
former" of Oct. 26, to have been about 13,000, "whereof 7000 foot
are most of them very poore for want of cloaths, which is
provided for them, but are not used for fear they should
run away, or should be lost in battle." The King despised
his late antagonist, Waller ; and, having little apprehension of an
attack, was ignorant of the strength of the enemy gathering
around him. He remained quietly at Newbury, resolving to
await the Earl of Northampton's return from Banbury, in order
to relieve Basing. But the Earl's absence together with that
of the troops under Prince Rupert, who was detained at
Bristol endeavouring to raise a sufficient force to come to
the King's assistance frustrated this plan. Upon the near
approach of the Parliamentary army, the King, finding it too
late to attempt a retreat to Oxford, was compelled to fight,
contrary to his promise and inclination. He determined, how-
ever, as in the former action, to act only on the defensive. On
Friday, 25th October, he therefore drew his army into "the fields
between Donnington Castle and Newbury," thinking it wisest to
await an attack, and to try the issue of a general action, on ground
of his own selection; his judgment in this instance being seconded
by an intimate knowledge of a locality where the year before he
had met the same enemy. It is not difficult to fix the position
occupied by the Royal army at this time. (See Plan.) The
fields above-mentioned were the scene of the principal part of
the fighting after the Royalists were subsequently driven from
Speen Hill. They extend on the West to the old highway from
* This letter is given in Col. Oolumb's admirable little book, "P on ningtou
Castle; a Royalist Story," p. 141.
E
122 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUBY,
Hungerford, now called "the Backway," on the North to the
River Lamborne, and on the South to the hamlet of Speenham-
land. The general appearance of the neighbourhood has been
much changed since the period of the Battle. In maps of the
seventeenth century the old gabled houses in the Broadway
appear quite in the fields. A house still standing in the present
London Road is said to have been the Manor-house; and in the
old maps an avenue of trees is shown leading up to it from the
direction of the Marsh. A range of buildings near, erected on
the site of the Lamb-and-Castle Yard, marks the traditional
birth-place of the famous Dr. Twisse. Newbury Marsh, opposite,
is quite open to the old London Road, which, going somewhat
northward, passed Shaw brick-kiln, and joined the old, or lower
road to Thatcham. The original road from Shaw House to
Newbury, it is said, ran to to the west of the present fish-pond,
and entered Speenhamland near the block of houses which once
formed a well-known coaching Inn,the " King's Arms."
In the last week of October, the Royalists occupied a formid-
able position in and about the town of Newbury, protected on
one flank by the River Kennet, and in some degree covered by
the guns of Donnington Castle on the other. They strengthened
their front with breastworks and entrenchments, and occupied in
force several houses and gardens, which extended conveniently
beyond the town. One house in particular (Shaw House), the
residence of Sir Thomas Dolman, stood in a most convenient
situation, a little in advance of the chief breastwork. In
addition to this, there w r as a row of smaller houses * to the east
of the present Rectory, which were turned to the best 'ad vantage
for the purposes of defence. All these, as well as the gardens of
Shaw House, which they strengthened by thick embankments,
were filled with troops, under the command of Sir Richard Page.
At every window, battlement, and parapet, musquet and pike
were ready for service; all the hedges and ditches swarmed with
skirmishers; and every convenient mound was surmounted with
one or more pieces of artillery. Sir Jacob Astley and Lt.-Col.
Lisle kept the passage of the Lamborne at Shaw. Sir Thomas
Hooper and Sir John Brown were placed with a strong body of
horse and foot in the fields by the little hill on which the
Water-tower now stands; around it a work was cast up, and
they occupied this as well as the hedges and lane (Long Lane),
and the old orchard above it. Colonel Thelwall, with his Reading
brigade, held the gardens, and formed the reserve. Sir Bernard
Astley's troops lay around an entrenched house in the park at
Shaw, "between Shaw and Newbury ."-f- Every house in the
* These houses, called the " Hop Gardens," were removed some years ago,
and several cannon balls were found imbedded in the roofs.
t This entrenched house formerly stood at the south-east ar gle of Shaw Park :
but was pulled down many years since. Considerable remains of the earthworks
etill exist in its vicinity, and are marked on the Plan.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 123
village of Shaw was occupied and fortified by the Royalists.
In one respect alone, however, and that a very essential point,
their line on this side was weak. A hill (Clay Hill and the
adjacent elevated ground), little more than a musquet-shot in
their front, offered to an assailant every facility for the secure
and undiscovered formation of columns of attack; and the result
of the coming action proved that against that solitary defect
in his position, all the other advantages possessed by the King
could not avail.
Prince Maurice, with his brigade of Cornish horse and two
brigades of foot and artillery, was posted in the village of Speen
below Speen Hill. On the heath above Speen Hill hastily
constructed works had been thrown up by the Royalists; and
here were stationed part of the Cornish foot and the Duke of
York's regiment, commanded by Sir Wm. St. Leger, with five
pieces of artillery. The ground on which the King's left thus
rested is evident enough at the present day, though the name
of "Speen Hill" has been in later times wrongly applied to the
well-known suburb between Newbury and the village of Speen.
Speen Hill proper, the eminence referred to in the various
narratives of the Battle, is the hill rising from the village of
Speen towards Benham Park. The heath above Speen Hill, a
portion of which remains still uncultivated, at that time
extended over the now enclosed fields for some distance; on the
west it skirted the Roman road from Speen to Cirencester by
way of Wickham and Baydon, and on the south the present
Bath Road. Sir Edward Walker thus refers to it "At the
entrance of the Heath, between two hedges we cast up a work
which cleared the Heath and all the fields to the North even
to the river [Lamborne]; to the South, within the hedge, there
was one narrow field, and from thence a perpendicular descent
into a Marish [Speen Moor] between that and the River Kennet.
This was our position, wherein, had the traverse been finished
and made down to the Marish, altho' we were inferior in
number, yet we should have sufficiently provided to have with-
stood their force."* Mid-way between Newbury and Speen,
Sir Humphrey Bennett's brigade of horse was drawn up. Lastly]-
* Sir Edward Walker's "Hist. Discourses," p. 111.
f Sir Humphrey Bennet's Brigade of Horse consisted of the undermentioned
Regiments. Syinonds's Notes, Harl. MSS, No. 986.
1. Reg. Col Bennet, High-Sheriff of South"- had 9 troops in
the field, almost full, but [only] 2 colo re - [colours].
Lieut. -Col Verney, son to Sir Edm. V., who was slayne
at Edghill.
R rt - Maior Richard Aldworth.
Capt. Mr. Rob'- Smyth, brother to Colonel Smyth, who was taken
prisoner, w lh S r Alex. Deuton, at Hilsden Howse, Com. Buck.
2. Reg. Sr. Geo. Vaughan, Colonel, )
Sr. Robt. Welsh, Lieut. -Colonel, 80.
but [only] 2 Troopes. )
124 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
the King, with the main body of the horse and artillery,
stationed in the fields between Donnington Castle and Newbury;
and this was nearly the centre of his position.
Strong guards were placed on the south of the town, and
detachments of horse guarded the outlying passages of the
Lamborne at Bagnor and Boxford to check any advance upon
the fords. Owing however to the want of a sufficient strength of
cavalry, diminished by the loss of three of his best regiments
which had been despatched to Banbury, the King was at this time
overmatched in his favourite and usually most serviceable arm.
He also had no effective reserve to support the scattered infantry,
and was thus deprived both of the power of checking hostile
reconnoitring parties and of obtaining intelligence of his
opponent's movements.
It will be well here to give in more detail the circumstances
that affected the relative position of the two armies at this time,
and led to the important results of their active opposition.
The Parliamentarians, after a tedious and circuitous march,
had returned to Reading, where Essex (who on Tuesday night,
Oct. 22, with the Earl of Manchester, lay at Sir John Backhouse's,
at Svvallowfield) remained alone, despondent and inactive.
Informed of this, Parliament charged a joint-committee to wait
on him, and renew the assurance of its trusting affection. Essex
thanked the Committee, but did not join the army, feeling that
since the relief of Gloucester the day of his triumphs was over.*
Manchester, with Waller and Cromwell, again set out to meet
the King, and by the 23rd of October had advanced as far as
Alderrnaston. There they quartered in Sir Humphrey Forster's
park -f- until Thursday evening, when they crossed the Kennet
at Padworth, and next morning (Friday 25th) halted on
* Whitelock's Memorials, p. 103.
t Sir Humphrey Forster's estates were sequestrated by the Parliament; and
on his proposition to compound, Sir Humphrey pleads that his estate lies in the
King's quarters, and is subject to every motion and change of the war, and hath
been equally possessed by both sides, whereupon all the stock is taken away, the
walls of the park and the fences broken, and damage done by the soldiers to the
value of 8000 : that his children have been in want and himself hath subsisted
ever since by borrowing. That he has a family of 9 children, and his eldest son,
who has been a Captain in the Parliamentary service, has a considerable amount
of pay not yet paid to him. Sir Humphrey concludes by stating that he has
voluntarily taken the covenant, and found six men for the defence of Reading.
(State Papers ; Dom. Series, Pub. Rec. Office.) In a petition to the Parliament
from Lady Anne, wife of Sir Humphrey Forster, dated April 17, 1645, she states
that, on account of Sir Humphrey's harsh treatment, she has long lived at a
distance from him, and that when he became a delinquent the Committee for
sequestrations made several orders for petitioner's maintenance out of his
estates, and on the 21st March last, after full hearing, ordered that she should
enjoy the fifth pUrt of his goods and estates. She prays that in the ordinance
for clearing him of his delinquency a special proviso may be inserted, securing
her a fifth part of his estate, as formerly ordered, or that some other provision
may be made for her maintenance. The proviso was ordered to be inserted.
(The Lords' Journal, VII. pp. 384 and 420.)
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 125
Bucklebury Heath, having with them three days' provisions.
At mid-day they appeared in the fields between Thatcham and
Shaw, on the east side of Newbury, where some sharp encounters
soon ensued between advanced parties of the Parliamentary horse
and the cavalry outposts of the Royalists, but without serious
loss on either side. On the following day the two Parliamentary
Commissioners wrote from Thatcham to the Derby-House Com-
mittee to the following effect. " My Lords and Gentlemen.
Yesterday upon Bucklebury Heath wee received your letter,
which gave us hope that the army will shortly receive the
provisions which you have sent. The newes of Newcastle came
very seasonably to us, which much encouraged the souldiers, and
so affected them that many of the regiments went presently
of their own accord to solemn prayer. The army about an
hower before night came within a myle and within view of
the enemy, who was drawne forth in a body in a place of ad-
vantage neere Newbery. Our dragoones and theirs fired upon
one another for two howers, twenty of our horses were killed,
but not one of our men lost. A captain of our horse, who
came up in the vann, was shott in the thigh, six o'clock in the
evening. It was resolved last night that the field should be
viewed by the chiefe officers early this mornino-. It will be an
advantage to us to set upon his army on this side Newbery,
because wee shall be betwixt the enemy and our provisions ; ami
to fall upon him on the other side, because we shall be betwixt
the enemy and Prince Rupert, who is dayly expected with
additional forces, the ground not having been viewed they could
determine nothing herein. Being informed by those that came
from London that they met many souldiers going homewards,
wee renew our desire that some exemplary punishment may be
inflicted upon them. Wee remains, your LOP S - humble servants,
W. JHONSTON, Jo. CREWE. Wee have had a faire night (blessed
be God), and hope for a faire day."* During the night of the
25th the detached parties of the King's troops were withdrawn ;
and the enemy were left in the advantageous possession of the
heights above Shaw House.
The site of the Parliamentary Camp was on an extensive tract of
elevated table-land, stretching from Clay Hill for a considerable
distance towards Ashmore Green and Cold-Ash Common. It is
now called, from the gravelly character of the land, " The Stones."
Skirting this plateau on the west, is an escarpment, which forms
a continuous natural rampart, in some places so well defined as
to have the appearance of an artificial work. The meadows
below the southern edge are now known as " Runaways." Don-
nington Castle stands out boldly in front of the camping ground.
On Clay Hill, near "Red Field," is still to be seen part of an
* Letter-book, Derby-Ho. Com., No. 57; Public-Record Office.
126 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
extensive entrenchment or breastwork, which helped to defend
the Parliamentary front. It is about 12 feet wide, by 8 feet
deep, and originally extended along that face of the hill
which has since been to a great extent removed in the process
of digging clay. The ditch has been partially filled in; and
the workmen in removing the earth have found many cannon-
balls, bullets, and other relics of warfare, including scores of the
well-known tobacco-pipes of the Caroline period. Wood-ashes
have also been found in heaps beneath the surface in many
parts of the higher ground, indicating the remains of the camp-
tires around which the soldiers of the Parliament bivouacked.
When it was known in London that the two armies were at
last in the presence of each other, the shops were closed, the
people rushed to the churches, and a solemn fast was ordained,
to seek the blessing of the Lord on the coming battle. *
The King in the absence of Prince Rupert, again led his own
army, assisted by his nephew Prince Maurice, the old Earl of
Brentford acting as Lieutenant-General, and Lord Goring being in
command of the horse. Amongst his Majesty's more prominent
supporters present in the engagement were : The Duke of
Richmond and Lennox, the Earls of Cleveland, Lindsey, Newport,
Berkshire, Rivers; Lords Hopton, Capel, Colepepper, Bellasis,
Digby, Herbert, Bernard Stuart ; Sir Jacob Astley, Sir Bernard
Astley, Sir Wm. Bronkard, Sir Wm. Ashburnham, Sir Edward
Walker, Sir Wm. St. Leger, Sir Anthony St. Leger, Sir John
Campsfield, Sir Richard Page, Sir John Owen, Sir Thomas
Hooper, Sir George Lisle, Sir John Brown, Sir John Grenville,
Sir Humphrey Benett, Sir Henry Gage, Sir Richard Lane, Sir
Thomas Bassett, Sir Joseph Wagstaffe, Sir Charles Lloyd;
Colonels Gerard, Markham, Leke, Topping, Thornhill, Thelwall,
Legge, Fielding, Hamilton, Bovel.
The Parliament on this occasion was represented by many of
its most eminent and foremost leaders. Among those whose
names have been more prominently handed down to us as
associated with this action and its concurrent incidents may be
mentioned the following: The Earl of Manchester, Sir William
Waller, Sir William Balfour, Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Sir James
Harrington, Sir John Hurry (who has now changed sides)
Major-General Crawford, Major-General Skippon, Major-Genera]
Holbourne, Lieut.-General Oliver Cromwell, Lieut.-Gerieral
Middleton, Lieut.-General Ludlow, and Colonels Bartley, Norton,
Ingoldsby, Birch, Hooper, Jones.
The early morning of Saturday, 26 October, was devoted by
the Parliamentarians to the pushing of a reconnaisance. This
the Royalists endeavoured to interrupt by sending out clouds of
musqueteers to skirmish. Both parties kept up a smart can-
* Rushworth, Historical Collections, II. 3, 719720.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 127
nonade: the Parliamentarians from a battery which they had
established on the summit of Clay Hill ; the Cavaliers from the
lower ground in the vicinity of the town. For some time the
firing produced little effect on either side, but towards evening
the Royalists brought two of their guns round to the south of the
River Lamborne, at Woodspeen; and these they so planted as to
enfilade the enemy's line as far as a bend on Red Field exposed
it. A regiment of cavalry in particular, commanded by Col.
Ludlow, which was on the slopes towards the Lamborne
suffered severely, and was compelled to shift its ground.
Ludlow's cousin Gabriel Ludlow, who had distinguished himself
at Wardour Castle, here received his death-wound.
This incident on Red Field is thus related by Ludlow:* "My
Regiment being that day on the Guard, received the greatest
Damage; amongst others my Cousin Gabriel Ludlow, who was a
Cornet therein, and who had behaved himself so well in the
Defence of Warder-Castle, was killed: He died not immediately
after he was shot; so that having caused him to be removed out
of the reach of their Guns, and procured a Chirurgeon to search
his wounds, he found his Belly broken, and Bowels torn, his
Hip-bone broken all to shivers, and the Bullet lodged in it; not-
withstanding which he recovered some sense, tho the Chirurgeon
refused to dress him, looking on him as a dead Man. This
Accident troubled me exceedingly; he being one who had
expressed great Affection to me, and of whom I had great hopes
that he would be useful to the Publick. In this condition he
desired me to kiss him, and I not presently doing it, thinking
he had talked lightly, he pressed me again to do him that favour;
whereby observing him to be sensible, I kissed him: and soon
after having recommended his Mother, Brothers, and Sisters to
my Care, he died."
Finding the King so strongly placed, protected byDonnington
Castle, the Kennet, and the Lamborne, the Parliamentary generals
held a Council of War on Red Field. It was then resolved to divide
their force into two columns. Waller and Cromwell, with all the
horse and foot which had lately been under the leadership of
Essex, and four regiments of Trained Bands, under Skippon
(one regiment had been left in garrison at Reading), were to
make a flank march, and attack the Royalists' position on Speen
Hill ; while Manchester and Crawford with about 3000 foot, and
a body of 1500 or 1800 horse under Ludlow, made a demonstra-
tion from the hill at Shaw. It was further agreed, that, as soon
as the latter body should, by hearing the discharge of cannon,
understand that their comrades at Speen Hill were engaged,
Manchester should force the passage at Shaw ; and thus, if both
sides succeeded, they would completely encompass the King and
* Memoirs of Ludlow, vol. i, pp. 129-130.
128 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
have him at their mercy. The attention of the enemy was mean-
while to be diverted from the main body of the Parliamentarians
while making the flnnk march, by continuous attacks on their
position at Shaw, until the signal was given from the Speen side
for the main blow to be struck.
These matters are thus referred to in the documents of the
period. In Cromwell's "Evidence"* it is stated that "On Satur-
day, October 26, when we came up to Redhill Feild, within shot
of Shawe, and found the passes of the river soe possest against us,
it was agreed that the Lord-General's and the City foote, with
the greatest part of the horse, should march about by Boxford
and attempt to breake in upon the enemy on that side by Speene,
and tbat his Lordship, with his owne foote and about 1500 norse,
should stay behind at Shawe side, and fall on there at the same
instant that he should perceive the other part to fall on at
Speene (which was already in his viewe)."
The news of a body of Parliamentarians being on their march
to Speen Hill appears to have been brought to Lord Digby at
Newbury on the Sunday morning;-]- but, owing to the numerical
weakness of his army, it was not possible for the King (who had
from the first determined to stand on the defensive), to dispatch
at that time a force to oppose Waller's march, and at the same
time to keep Manchester (whose numbers had been over-estimated)
in check at Shaw. It seems, however, somewhat surprising that
notice was not given to the Royalists at Speen of Waller's march.
Clarendon states that they were taken unawares. The King had,
indeed, sent a body of troops, about 500 in number, under Sir
John Douglas, to guard the pass of the River Lamborne at
Boxford; where they made but a feeble resistance when the
enemy appeared in such superior numbers.
Acting on the decision of the Council of War, on Saturday
evening the right wing of the Army of the Parliament, under
Waller and Cromwell, began their march towards Speen Hill,
the route taken being apparently by the old Bucklebury road,
and Cold- Ash, to the Hermitage road, thence by Prior's Court and
through the village of Chieveley to North Heath, where they
halted for the night. J Eaily next morning (Sunday) they were
on the move; and, marching as rapidly as the heavy and hilly
* From the Information against the Earl of Manchester ; State Papers, Public
Record Office.
t In an origiral letter from Lord Digby to Prince Rupert, dated Newbury,
27 Oct., Addl. MSS., Brit. Mus., No. 18980. So also "They learn' d in the
morning (Sunday) our greatest force was a-marching towards Spen Hill."
"Narrative of the Earl of Manchester's Campaign;" State Papers; Publ.
Rec. Off.
J "On Saturday the greater part of the Parliamentary forces retired to
Chieveley, and quartered there that night in the open fields." Oldmixon,
' History of the Stuarts," VI., p. 262.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 129
roads would admit, by Winterbourne * church and woods, they
passed the village of Boxford. Fording the River Lamborne at
the latter place, as already noticed, they met with only slight
opposition from the Royalist outpost here stationed to defend
the passage. Crossing the Newbury-and- Wantage road, they
proceeded by High-street Lane to Wickham Heath, which they
gained at the cross-roads.
There is sufficient evidence in a letter from the two Parliamen-
tary Commissioners, addressed to the Derby-House Committee, t
to support this opinion as to the route taken. They state that
" Yesterday the forces which went from Thatcham towards New-
berry, by way of Wickam Heath and were there drawen up set
upon a worke and breastworke, well-guarded with ordnance,
horse, and foote, which commanded all the wayes which lead
to that side of the field betwixt Newberry and Dennington Castle,
where the King's army was drawne up."
They "passed the river," says Clarendon, "which was not well
defended by the officer appointed to guard it, with horse and
foot ;" * * * But having thus got the river, they marched
in good order, with very good bodies of foot winged with horse,
towards the Heath." J
" About which time the Earl of Essex's forces [those recently
under his command], all Waller's, and part of Manchester's horse,
pursued their design of falling on the quarter at Speen, of which
we had notice from Dennington, from whence their motion was
discovered. And had Sir John Douglas actively opposed them
(who was the day before sent with 300 horse and 200 foot beyond
Dennington Castle to that end), they could not so easily have
passed the river."
The distance from North Heath to Speen Hill (the "Heath")
is about 7 or 8 miles as traversed by the Parliamentarians: and
this, considering the bad roads, was a fair four hours' march for
such a large body of troops, who were not allowed to proceed
altogether unmolested; for upon the high ground, they had been
perceived by the garrison at Donnington Castle, and Sir John
Boys had despatched a small body of horse to intercept them.
These made a sharp attack on their rear; but, soon recovering
from this slight interference, the Parliamentary Generals pushed
on, and shortly approached the outworks of the Royalists ; but it
was nearly one o'clock before the artillery and the rear came up,
and nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before the army was
deployed for battle.
* "While the Cannon play'd from the Hill [Clay Hill] they drew the rest of
their army through Winterbourne towards Boxford to have girt in His Majesty."
"Mercurius Aulicus," Monday, 28 Oct., 1644.
t "Letter-Book, Derby-Ho. Com., No. 59, Pub. Eec. Off.
J Clarendon's Hist. II., p. 547.
Sir Edward Walker's "Hist. Discourses," p. 111.
130 THE SECOND BATTLE OF 5EWBURT.
Leaving Waller and Cromwell arranging the preliminaries of
battle on Speen Hill, we will return for a moment to Manchester's
force left on the hills at Shaw. As soon as it was daylight, on
Sunday morning, which at this season (27th October) would be
about seven o'clock, Manchester commenced the attack on the
royalist post at Shaw, by despatching a body of 400 musqueteers
to assault the entrenched position at the south-east angle of
Shaw Park, crossing the Lamborne by a temporary bridge thrown
over the river at the foot of Clay Hill the previous night.*
They advanced at a quick pace over the meadows at what is
now the back of Shaw Crescent, and favoured by the unevenness
of the ground, and the haze of the early autumnal morning,
were almost unperceived until they surprised the guard at the
works covering the passage of the river and the house at Shaw.
Without a moment's hesitation the Parliamentarians furiously
assailed and mastered the party at the breastworks ; but, their
impetuosity carrying them too far, they were checked by a
charge from the royal cavalry under Sir George Lisle and Sir
Bernard Astley near Shaw House; and, being without adequate
support, they were driven back with great loss. To add to their
discomfiture in attempting to regain the temporary bridge and
retreat on their main body, they came into collision with a
reserve of their own men, who were tardily coming to their
support; and in the melee many fell by the swords of the
pursuing cavaliers, and numbers were drowned in the river in
endeavouring to reach the opposite bank. In this the first onset
about 40 prisoners and 100 stand of arms were taken by the
royalists. This affair is thus alluded to by the contemporaries.
"My Lord of Manchester * * * commanded a party of 400
musqueteers to falle over the little river which passes by
Dunington Castle, over a bridge, which most dextrously hee
commanded the night before, to prepare for the diversion of the
King's forces from goeing to Spen Hill, where they learned in
the morneing our greatest force was a marching, which accor-
dingly was done, and if those who weare commanded had not
exceeded theire commission, [they] would have had greate
victory; and as it was they tooke two workes from the enemy
wherein they tooke a captayne and severall prisoners, and
advanced too farr without order, and weare repulsed, to the greate
greife of the Earle of Manchester." J "Sunday, as soone as day,
they put over a tertia of foot over a bridge they made in the night,
intending to surprize one of our guards. But that guard
* Near the Lamborne, as indicated on the Plan, where the Parliamentarians
crossed the river in this attack, several skeletons were found some years ago. In
Eedfield, also, on the removal of a bank, about 40 years since, three skeletons
were discovered lying side by side.
t "Narrative of the Earl of Manchester's compaign;" State Papers; Publ.
Rec. Off.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT. 131
retreated to the next; and joyned, fell upon them, being nothing
considerable in number, made their two bodyes retreat, killed
some, tooke about 40 prisoners and a 100 armes: then they lay
quiet till 3 afternoone, onely our cannon and theirs playd."*
Again : "Sunday, October 27, Some of Manchester's Forces and
London Trained Bands f crossed the River Kennet [Lamborne]
between the Hill and Newbury, and did some Execution on those
who kept the Pass against them. But Sir Bernard Astley,
coming to Rescue, forceth the other over the River," j
After the unsuccessful attempt to pierce the Royalist line at
Shaw, no further effort, with any vigour, was made by Manchester
until the pre-concerted signal informed him that Waller's force
had fallen on at Speen Hill. The interval until four o'clock was
occupied by warm skirmishes between the two parties, accom-
panied by an active interchange of artillery fire, Manchester,
busy with his preparations for advancing in force, rode to and
fro, and spiritedly addressed his men, while his Chaplain, Simeon
Ashe, offered up fervent prayers for their success.
The right wing of the Parliament Army, having successfully
accomplished their flank march, are now on this Sunday morning,
whilst the bells of the neighbouring churches are sounding for
divine worship, preparing for the contest. Waller is in chief
command; Sir William Balfour is to lead the right wing of
horse; Lieut.-General Cromwell the left; Major-General Skippon,
the foot. Their men are being rapidly placed in position on the
high ground between the Wickham Road and Stockcross, over-
looking on their right the Kennet Valley and the scene of their
triumph the preceding year. At the same time, the Royal
trumpets ring out " To arms ! " The scattered troopers, many
of whom, in fancied security, are engaged in foraging for their
horses, gallop back to their comrades: but before their ranks are
well formed a shout of revenge "for the business in Cornwall "(]
is heard along the Parliamentary line, the red, white, and blue
colours are unfurled,1F and the "forlorn hope" of 800 musqueteers
* Symonds's "Diary," p, 145.
t The greater part of the Trained Bands were with the right wing.
J Baker's "Chronicle," p. 579.
Simeon Ashe, Manchester's Chaplain, was author of "A True Relation,"
&c. Dr. Calamy speaks of him as a man of great sanctity, who went seasonably
to heaven at the very time he was cast out of the church. He was buried
on the eve of St. Bartholomew's day, 1662. Simeon fell under the obloquy
of the Cromwellians : and he had a considerable share in the restoration of
Charles II, whom he went to congratulate at Breda.
H It is said that the Cornishmen behaved with great inhumanity to the
Parliament Soldiers who fell into their hands on the surrender of Lord Essex in.
Cornwall.
If "Col. Aldridge, blew colours with lyons rampant or. Col. Davies, white
colours. Citty, London." Symonds's "Diary," p. 66. Col. Ingoldsby's colours
were "gules, a scroll in three folds, its parts making two C's conjoined and
endorsed, on which these words 'Pro Deo et Republica,' fringed sable with gules
and argent." Prestwiek's "Kespublica," p. 36.
132 THE SECOND BATTLE OF XEWBURY.
rush on with wild impatience. These were veterans who had
lately served under their brave old leader Essex, and were now
led by Lieut. -Col. Lloyd, with Hurry for his Major (nephew of
the notorious renegade Colonel); they were supported by Colonel
Aldridge's brigade, consisting of his own, Davies's, Fortescue's,
and Ingoldsby's regiments. Essex's old regiment comes up as a
support on the right (where the Trained Bands had already
fallen on): sending in a hasty volley on the enemy and
urged on by the excitement which prevails, they rush pell-
mell into the Royalists' entrenchments. A desperate light
succeeds; the blood of the Cavaliers is up ; and, fighting hand
to hand, they slaughter their assailants in heaps, as they mount
the bank, and the ditch is filled with the dead and dying.
Major Hurry, bravely leading the "forlorn-hope" (his colonel
having already been struck down), falls mortally wounded. The
gallant Col. Gawler, who has done good service for the Parliament
in many a bloody field, drops lifeless from his horse, pierced by
a royalist bullet. For a moment the enemy is repulsed; but
determined to carry a position so necessary in effecting a junction
with Manchester, he renews the attack. An hour's hard fight-
ing succeeds; and then bringing all their energy to bear on this
point, in the midst of a storm of shot from the gallant defenders,
and from the guns at Donnington Castle,* the Parliamentary
soldiers again come to the charge. Forward! is the word; and,
despite the desperate resistance of the brave but outnumbered
Royalists, they bear onward with a determination nothing can
withstand. The King's troops at last give way. The Parliamen-
tarian spurs are striking deep ! And now again a stirring cheer
rises from their ranks, and making a dash at the guns they
had lost in Cornwall, now deserted by their late captors, who
are flying at headlong speed down the hill, they clap their hats
on the touch-holes, and embrace them with tears of joy.-f* The
forces of Prince Maurice down in the village of Speen, unable to
stand against the overwhelming numbers of the Parliament, stay
the tide for a time, but at length yield to superior force, and,
driven from their position to join in the retreat with the remnant
from the Heath, they fall back discomfited on their horse and
artillery in the fields "between Speen and Newbury," under the
shelter of the Castle, and hastily endeavour to reform their
broken ranks.
The Royalists are cleared from off the Heath. The guns J lost
at Lostwithiel, thus regained, are limbered up and sent to the rear,
* Letter from the Two Commissioners to the Derby- Ho. Committee, 27
Oct., 1644.
t Ludlow's "Memoirs," p. 130.
"We tooke 9 good brass pieces, six of them being sakers, which we left
behind in Cornwall." (Skippon's Letter to the Derby-Ho. Committee.) The
other three guns were with Prince Maurice.
SIR WILLIAM WALLER.
From a portrait by CORNELIUS JANSEN.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 133
together with those of Prince Maurice, which had been planted
at the foot of the hill. Waller now launches his cavalry in pursuit
of the retreating enemy, and avenges in merciless slaughter
the cause of the Parliament. Well might the Commissioners
write "Wee desire to give God the glory of this victory, it
being His worke and upon His day ; " * while Waller exclaimed,
like the Fifth Harry, in the fulness of his gratitude,
" God, thy arm was here !
And not to us, but to Thy name alone,
Ascribe we all."
Great was the panic among the Cavaliers at this moment.
They "threw down their arms, and ran away, crying 'Devils!
Devils! They fight like Devils!' For ours gave no quarter
to any they knew to be of the Cornish." -f- Following up
this advantage, while Waller throws himself on the Koyalists'
rear in their retreat from Speen Hill, Sir William Balfour, with
the right wing of horse, sweeps round under the hill, on the
south side of Speen Church, skirting the Kennet, and, having
f lined "the large field" between Speen and Newbury, where the
ing, with the Prince of Wales and many of his attendants at
that time stood, falls suddenly on the cavalry near the King,
charging them at once in front and flank, first with a heavy
fire of carbines, then at the sword's point. It is reported
that "His Majesty was in the interim in the midst of the
field, with his son Prince Charles and divers of his council
and servants where by his presence he did much encourage
those that stood, and rallied those that were deserting the
field; though a whole brigade of our horse, being stopped by
his Majesty as they came down a lane from Speene, and by
him commanded again into the field, very basely forsook him
and ran into Newbery, out of which they were speedily forced by
our guards then placed at the Bridge." J The King at this time
appears to have been in the fields not far from the backway to
Speen, down which his deserting troopers fled. In an interesting
letter, of earlier date (March 1, 1623), from the Mayor and certain
inhabitants of Newbury to the Council of the Prince of Wales,
afterwards K. Charles I., assistance is sought towards repairing
the bridge at Newbury, which had suddenly toppled over into
the river on the preceding 8th of February. This shows that the
river was bridged in the town at that period, and not passed by
a ford, as has been represented.
It is evident that for a short time the King and his retinue
were in imminent danger; for at the first shock, a whole
* Letter from the Two Commissioners to Derby- Ho. Committee, 28, Oct., 1644.
t Vicar's "Parl. Chroii." Lond., 1644.
% Sir E. Walker's "Hist. Discourses," p. 112.
This letter is among the Tanner MSS., Bodleian Lib., No. 314, fol. 214.
134 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
brigade of Royalist horse, outnumbered to a great degree, and
already demoralized by increasing panic, reeled and wavered,
and at length, giving ground to the advancing host, clapped
spurs to their horses, and fled in disorder towards the town.
The King, desperate at the sight, dashed forward sword in
hand, and vainly endeavoured to arrest their flight; but the
authority of command was gone, and he found himself sur-
rounded by the enemy. At the crisis Sir John Campsfield,*
with two troops of the Queen's regiment, gallantly galloped
forward to the support of his royal master. Sir Bernard Stuart
and his life-guards gathered round the King; and rapidly
wheeling round, to get more ground, with the troopers of Sir
John they rushed valiantly against the eager enemy. A deadly
strife ensued; many a horse ran riderless over the fields; the
Parliament men were dispersed ; and the King was rescued. The
brave cavaliers, however, too ardent in their enthusiasm, always led
away by the same fault, pushed on too far. The calm old Skippon,
not less cool than daring, permitted them to continue the pursuit
until their impetuosity carried them within a few yards of his
infantry, when, at a signal, the musqueteers and pikemen
furiously assailed them, and they were forced to retire through his
ranks, exposed to a galling fire.
At this moment Lieut.-General Cromwell, with the left wing of
horse, well in hand, came upon the scene, and made for Sir
Humphrey Benett's cavalry brigade, stationed on the south-west
side of Speen Fields to wards Newbury, which was without doubt the
weakest point in the Royal line. In ten minutes Sir Humphrey's
steel-clad troopers, panic-struck at so vigorous a charge, and
taken at a disadvantage, were completely overpowered, and had
well nigh been annihilated had not Lord Bernard Stuart and his
guards secured their retreat on Shaw. Cromwell now advanced
"towards the north side of the field," in the direction of Donning-
ton; but he was met by Lord Goring, with the Earl of Cleveland's
brigade, who charged with telling effect on the leading squadrons,
and forced them to retire over a hedge. Goring's troopers lept
the obstacle in pursuit, but Skippon, once more rallying
his battalions, drove him back in turn, routed and dispersed,
with considerable loss. The gallant old Earl of Cleveland, at the
head of his regiment, allowed his courage to carry him too far
ahead of his men; and, his horse falling under him, he was taken
prisoner, -f-
* The motto in Sir John Campsfield's banner was from the 101st Psalm,
"Fiat pax in virtute tua." Estrenae's "Mottos and Devices."
t "Drawing up (with General Goring) his brigade, at the east side of Spiene, in
the Second Newberry fight, to secure the King's guards, in much danger, with
such old English valor (telling his men they must now charge home), that he
scattered the enemy, till too far engaged and overpowered he was taken prisoner,
aa the King himself was like to be." Lloyd's "Memoirs," p. 570.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 135
"The Knight is left alone, his steel-cap cleft in twain,
His good buff jerkin crimson'd o'er with many a gory stain:
Yet still he waves his banner, and cries amid the rout.
'For Church and King, fair gentlemen! spur on, and fight
it out ! ' " Praed.
The battle on the Speen side of the Royalist position had now
raged three or four hours; the sun had set, and the night was
fast closing in, yet the contest was continued in broken order,
but for the most part with unabated spirit. At last all forma-
tion was lost; and it would be tedious, if not impossible, to
continue the narration of what had now become mere skirmishes
in the dark, friend and foe commingled. The fighting gradually
ceased. Both parties occupied themselves in drawing together
their scattered forces.
Cromwell states in his Evidence against the Earl of Man-
chester* that "Wee on the other side [Speen], haveing gayned
most of the hedges toward Newberry feild, did cease and drawe
our men together to avoyd confusion in the darke by that
scattered way of fighting."
The darkness of the night, until the moon rose, was advanta-
geous to the dispirited royalists, many of whom escaped under its
cover who would otherwise have been killed or taken prisoners.
As there was considerable rivalry between the leaders in this
battle, discrepancies in the various accounts of the action are
very marked. Thus, Manchester, whose hostility to the future
Protector was well known, gave it as his opinion before the House
of Lords -f- that "On that day there was no service at all per-
formed by Cromwell." But this is not at all likely; and personal
dislike must have warped the Earl's mind. Oliver was not a man
to stand idle when any fighting was to be done; and in the despatch
of the Two Commissioners he is expressly mentioned as having
done great service, an assertion far more likely to be true than
that of his comrade in the fight.
We turn now to the course of the action at Shaw. About four
o'clock, I Manchester heard the distant firing on Speen Hill, and
beheld from the eminence with joy and thankfulness the hasty,
disorderly retreat of the enemy towards Newbury. Animated
with this encouraging sight, says his Chaplain, Simeon Ashe, the
Earl prepared to descend to the more difficult work of forcing
the strong position at Dolman's house.
For the purpose of carrying this important post, Manchester
divided his force into two columns, to assault the house at two
* State Papers; Publ. Eec. Off.
t November 28, 1644; also in the "Narrative."
% Cromwell, in his charge against Manchester, says, that the Earl would not
allow his men to fall on until half-an-hour after sunset: but this differs from
other accounts of the battle, whether Royalist or Parliamentarian, which state
that Manchester made his attack not later than 4 p.m.
136 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURt.
different points; the right to attack on the north-east side by the
garden; and the left, which was somewhat the larger body, to
attempt it lower down at the foot of the little hill by the village
of Shaw. (See the Plan.)
Suddenly, under cover of an active cannonade along their
whole line, a dark and terrible mass of steel-clad men moved
down from behind the protecting eminence of Clay Hill.
" Compactly move the blocks of spears,
" In ' back/ and ' breast,' and steel cap bright ;
" And on each flank,
" In eight-deep rank,
" With lighted match, the musqueteers."*
The " battle-march " of the Puritan warriors was a solemn psalm
pealing from their fierce array, -j- The royalist guns thundered a
refrain. Preserving the greatest order, the Parliament men
steadily descended the steep hill-side to meet again, for the
second time that day, their equally brave, and no less devoted
antagonists.
The eager and excited soldiers of the Parliament, who felt that
they had been too long held back, brooked no further suspense.
The foremost lines of the right column immediately advanced on
the garden side of Shaw House. The Royalists had all the
advantages of position; every accessible point being well
protected in all directions, both by cannon and musquetry;
and, full of confidence, they received the enemy with a tremen-
dous volley, poured in from behind the hedges of Long Lane. {
Though for the moment amazed and staggered, Manchester's
men withdrew not an inch ; and the first shock was no sooner
overcome, than they rushed boldly forward, to be again driven
back. Again and again were they led on, and as often repulsed;
but, seconded by a strong body of Ludlow's cavalry, they once
more fell on, and this time with some effect: The cavaliers sent
another and telling volley from behind their breastwork on the
little hill where the Water-tower now stands; but, nothing
daunted, the Parliamentarians advanced, and drove out the
foremost musqueteers from their cover. They now received a
check; for Sir John Brown, with the Prince of Wales's regiment,
caused terrible havoc in their ranks, the Royalist fire being
maintained with great coolness. Still the assailants pressed on ;
pike met pike, sword clashed with sword; the one party en-
* "Donnington Castle," by Col. Columb, E.A., p. 157.
t Clarendon's "Hist." iv. p. 548.
J Several cannon-balls have been found in the banks of Long Lane.
The ground around the Water-tower has the appearance of having been
artificially raised for defence, particularly on the eastern side of the mound. To
the north-east of the road to Donnington from Long Lane, also, there are evident
indications of entrenchments. The ramparts now faced with stone, are still
well defined in the gardens of Shaw House.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 137
doavouring to gain the hedges and entrenchments, the other
resolutely opposing them. Many fell at the foot of this hillock ;
but not one put a foot on it, except as a prisoner. Again rein-
forced with a fresh body of horse, this gallant band returned to
the charge, and almost reached the garden-wall,* while others
penetrated even to the lawn in front of the house. Sir John
Brown, for a time compelled to give way, prudently fell back on
the reserve in the garden. Meanwhile Sir Kichard Page, with his
leather guns, and 400 musqueteers in the dry moat, delivered a
biting fire.f Ludlow's cavalry recoiled, wheeled about, and
retreated, followed by Sir John Brown; and many a brave
trooper fell, never more to draw sword again in cause of
Parliament.]: The foot, however, soon rallying, advanced to-
wards Thel wall's reserve, who brought his men boldly forward.
Without waiting to return their fire, the Parliament men rushed
in upon the Cavaliers and gallantly fought to the death. Even
by their enemy's admission they struggled heroically; but the
odds were against them, for they were able to do little against
an enemy sheltered by walls and earth-works. Thus, though
twice reinforced, and bravely led forward, twice they were
repulsed; and, abandoning all hope of penetrating this well
defended place, they gradually retired out of fire, to Clay Hill,
leaving one of Crawmrd's colours and two "drakes" in the
hands of the successful defenders of the royal stronghold.
Simultaneous with the attack on the garden, Manchester's left
column made a vigorous assault, by the village of Shaw, on the
north side of the Lamborne, towards the front of Shaw-house;
but Sir George Lisle stripped to his shirt, and therefore (says
"Mercurius Aulicus") mistaken for a witch by the Parliamen-
* There was formerly a sunken road in front of this wall, with a raised bank
on each side. When the roadway was diverted some years ago, and the present
wooden fence erected, several human skeletons were met with; and a 61b cannon-
ball was found firmly imbedded in the brickwork On the Lawn in front of
Shaw House are four iron guns, about 5ft. 9in. long, with 3 inches bore. Such
as these were called "Minions ; " and they were probably left by the Parliamen-
tarians, as memorials, when the house was given up to its owner, Sir Thos.
Dolman.
t See Capt. Gwyn's "Mil. Mem." ch. xiii. The portable leather gun was
made of the toughest leather, and bound with metallic hoops. A strong horse
could carry two of them through miry roads. They could be discharged only
7 or 8 times. Col. Wemys is commonly supposed to have been the inventor ; but
the original inventor was Gustavus Adolphus, who employed them at the battle of
Leipsic, Sept. 7, 1631. See "Mil. Mem. of Col. John Birch," Camd. Soc., 87, 88.
| Ludlow's "Memoirs," p. 131.
"At the last Newb'ry Battle, in the sight
Of Majesty, he led the Foot to fight,
Strip'd to his Shirt, that others might descry
His Actions, and Example take thereby;
From whence the frighted Rebels gave it out,
That a white Witch was seen to fly about
The Royal Army, scowring to and fro,
Where'er the Contest did the hottest grow."
' Hist. Grand Rebell.' By Henry Ward. Vol. ii, p. 432.
T
138 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
tary soldiers, burst at once, with his fiery cavalry, into the very
heart of Manchester's infantry, and scattered them "like spray
before some storm-driven ship." No pause was made, no mercy
shown by the excited troopers, the whole mass was swept up
Clay Hill,* pursued by the enraged cavaliers, who hewed down
the fugitives by scores. It is said that they only escaped total
destruction through the devoted heroism of Ludlow's men, who
sacrificed themselves by moving forward to cover the retreat.
So great was the execution that Clarendon states 500 men were
left dead on one little spot of ground, f
The moon was now up. Manchester had received a reinforce-
ment of horse, expected earlier in the day; and he resolved to
make another and final effort. However skilful and daring the
attempt, it was foiled by the pluck of the Royalists, who stood
their ground, and again compelled their assailants to retire.
Though, at first sight, a matter of surprise that Shaw House
should have suffered so little, considering that a series of violent
attacks were made on it by the Parliamentarians, this seems easy
of explanation. Firstly, only the eastern end of the House is
turned towards Clay Hill, on the slope of which the enemy's
guns must have been posted. Next, (between the latter point
And the building rises a hillock, on which the Water-tower now
stands, and this very materially sheltered the house from view
and injury. Thirdly, there were no heavy siege-guns brought
against it, as at Donnington Castle. Further, it was concealed
by trees, in most cases stout enough to stop shot from light
field-guns, and was surrounded by high fences and a thick ram-
part. Thus we need not wonder that it escaped unscathed. J
These important fights, at Speen and Shaw, constituted the
last great action between the two parties here. Whatever its
ultimate results may have been, at first each army seems to have
fancied itself worsted. The Parliamentarians had been repulsed,
and had suffered severely at Shaw; but their right wing at Speen
had been completely successful The King, on the other hand,
who had been a witness of his ill fortune on the Speen side, and
unaware that at Shaw the tide of war had turned in his favour,
considered his position no longer tenable, and determined to act
at once on the resolution he had taken in the morning, in
anticipation of an unfavourable issue, namely, to retreat on
Wallingford. Orders were accordingly dispatched to Prince
Maurice, Lord Goring, Lord Hopton, Sir Jacob Astley, and the
* Walker's "Hist. Disc." p. 113.
t Clarendon's "Hist." II. p. 548.
J A shot-hole in a shutter in one of the eastern rooms of the House is regis-
tered by a brass plate as having been made by a bullet when the King was standing
close by. When this could have occurred is difficult to determine.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 139
other commanders, to draw off their men to Snelsmore Heath.*
Battalion after battalion began silently to quit its ground, and
march in the direction of the rendezvous; while the guns and
heavy stores were conveyed by a circuitous route to Donnington
Castle. Charles, at the earnest entreaty of his friends, who
perceived the utter frustration of all his hopes, now thought of
providing for his own safety; and, having sent for his guard, amid
a troop of fugitive horsemen made good nis escape to Donnington
Castle, deciding to proceed to Bath, where he might by his
presence hasten the W elsh and Northern forces which his nephew
Prince Rupert was then getting together for his assistance.
After half-an-hour spent in the Castle with Sir John Boys, in
whose care he left his wounded, baggage, artillery, and ammuni-
tion, the King, with the young Prince of Wales, the Duke of
Richmond, the Earls of Lmdsey, Berkshire, and Newport, Lord
Capel, and others, and accompanied by a guard of about 300 horse^
hurried from the scene of his overthrow,, and by about four
o'clock in . the afternoon of the next day reached Bath (having
ridden over fifty miles,, as Symonds says, "sans rest"),-}- where he
met Prince Rupert, and informed him of the sad disaster.
The retreat of the army was ably conducted by Prince Maurice ^
and, notwithstanding the great superiority of the enemy in
cavalry, he got to Wallingford by way of Compton without
hindrance the next day, and then quietly went on to Oxford.
The Parliamentarians, who remained on the ground all night,
awoke in the morning to find the King was gone ! Waller and
Manchester appear to have been entirely ignorant of each other's
success or failure until the next day. Simeon Ash says, " The
next morning, as soon as we had in the field, near the bodies
both of friends and foes which lay in the field, made our
addresses to God both by praise and prayer according to the
present affecting providences,, we march'd over the river [Lam-
borne] to Newbury; and all this time we neither met with, nor
heard of our friends at Speen/'J
Thus finished the Second Battle of Newbury; but the losses
on both sides, in killed, wounded, and prisoners were heavy.
Sir Edward Walker gives the following list of the "hurt and
wounded " on the Royalist side : King's Life-guard, 29 common
soldiers;, Prince of Wales's Regiment, 69 common soldiers,
2 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, 1 Ensign, 1 "Sarjant;" Sir Jacob
* Snelsmore Heath formerly extended over the whole of the now- en closed
fields between Donnington Castle and the present Common. At the time of the
Civil War there were one or two cottages standing between the Common and the
Castle, which Sir John Boys burnt to prevent their being occupied by the enemy.
t Symonds' s Diary, p. 146.
t " A True Relation," &c.
Harl. MSS., No. 6804; 92.
140 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Astley's Regiment, 1C common soldiers ; Col. Bollasis' Regiment,
25 ; Col. Bowies' Regt., 23 ; Col. Dalton's Regt., 22 ; Col. Owen's
Regt., 14; Col. Harford's Regt. 18; Col. Dyye's Regt., 14; Col.
Blagg's [Blague's], 6 common soldiers : in Sir Gilbert Gerrard's
"Tertia," "9 officers slain," 22 "shott;" 100 "soldiers slain,"
116 "shott," "41 sicke and unable to march:" in Lord Harbert's
5 " Readgements," 2 Captains, 1 Ensign, 45 common soldiers,
"11 sicke men; my Ld. Harbert hath taken care to send these
into Bristol :" in Lord Grandison's Regt., " 5 common soldiers,
2 sicke men, 11 men killed:" in Col. Charles Garard's Regt., the
Lieut. -Col., 2 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, 9 Ensigns, 7 " Sarjants,"
78 common soldiers. The following summary of the casualities
attending the action of October 27th, on the King's side, is
given in Sir E. Walker's MS. here referred to of Col. Sands'
[Sandys'] Regt., 26; of Lord River's Regt., ; of the Lord-
General's Regt., 74; Soldiers hurt and not able to march, 351;
of Col. Chas. Garard's Regt., 78 ; altogether 529, and 59 Officers
hurt, total 588.
It is difficult from the above account, to summarize the
number of those actually killed and of those only wounded ; but
the King's loss was evidently much greater than some of the
royalist writers represent; for each party sought to reduce its
own loss and augment that of its opponent. Sir Edward
Walker, in his "Discourses," says there were not above 100
common soldiers slain; and Clarendon follows him; Sir Roger
Manley, a zealous champion in the royal cause, goes so far as to
say " 3000 men were slam on the King's side ;" while Whitelock,
the Parliamentary writer, reduces the number to 200 slain and
300 prisoners. The following royalists are mentioned as having
been killed in this engagement: Sir William St. Leger, M.P., son
and heir of Sir William St. Leger, a Privy Councillor, and Lord-
President of Munster in 1629; Lt.-Cols. Leke, Houghton, Top-
ping, and Jones (killed on the little hill where the Water-tower
now is at Shaw) ; Majors Trevellian and Knyyett ; Captains
Whittingham, Catelyn, Walpole, Philpot, and Mildmay (eldest
son of Sir Humphrey Mildmay); also Mr. Barksdale, a volunteer.
This loyal gentleman was a member of an old Newbury family,
one of whom (Mr. Thomas Barksdale) gave an acre of land to the
Parish of Speen, the rent thereof to pay for a sermon at Speen
Church overy Easter-Tuesday. Of the wounded were the Earl
of Brentford, shot hi the head; Sir John Grenville, Sir John
Campsfield, Sir Edward Waldegrave, Lt.-Col. Page (shot in both
thighs and in the arm) ; Mai or Alford, shot hi the thigh ; Capt.
Wells, wounded severely, fell into the hands of the enemy, and
died in prison ; Mr. Stephen Knight, " chief clerk of the Avery "
to King Charles. In his petition for restoration to the office,
shortly after the return or Charles II., Mr. Knight pleads that
he was severely wounded at Newbury in the last battle, and sub-
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT. 141
soquently plundered of all ho possessed, and that his family were
turned out into the streets.
That the prisoners captured by the Parliamentary Army were
numerous, appears in the contemporary papers.* It seems that
many of the persons here enumerated belonged to the neighbour-
hood, and their descendants still reside in the locality. Some
five or six hundred "stragglers" were subsequently taken
prisoners by the Parliamentarians when they entered Newbury.
Of these the "Weekly Account," in the succeeding week (from
Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, 1644), reports "The Letters from Sir William
Waller confirm the taking of a great store of arms and many
prisoners since the late victory near Newbury ; but most of the
men, being poore country-fellows (that were forst [forced], and
offered to take the covenant not to fight any more against the
Parliament), they were left to their election, whether they would
fight for the Parliament, or depart to their own dwellings, upon
which many of them made choice of the Parliament's service."
Of Lord Cleveland's Brigade, were Lord Cleveland, Captain
Philpot,-}- Lieut. Harper, Lieut. Roane, Cornet Whealand, Quar-
erm r - Ironmonger, Quarterns- Campion, Quarterns- Nicholas, Mr.
John Percy, and 38 Troopers of the same Brigade.
Of Sir John Astley's Brigade 11 officers and troopers.
Of Lord Hoptoris Brigade Capt. Elmes, Quarterm r - Simon
Court, and Henry Dimmock, Hugh Pope, and Edward Phillips,
" Gentlemen of Amies," besides divers troopers.
The following were also taken prisoners Colonel Philpot,
Capt. Mildmay,{ Capt. Nevet [Kynvett], j: Mr. Richard Nishton,
Mr. John Curtis, Mr. Edward Archer, and " divers other Gentle-
men of Armes and Reformadoes,|| of these many of them are
officers, the rest gentlemen ;" Mr. John Champion, Mr. George
Edmons, Mr. Henry Leonard, Mr. John Edges, Mr. John Goare,
Mr. John Williams, Mr. William Bartholomew, Mr. James Love-
lock, Mr. Henry Atkins, Mr. Thos. Poply [Pofley?], Mr. Thos.
Holden, Mr. James Fant [Plant ?] Mr. William Dormer, Mr. Thos.
Plant, Mr. John Aldred, Mr. John Petty, Mr. Michael Francklin,
Mr. James Champion, Mr. John Farnaby, Mr. Robert Hill, Mr.
Henry Coard [Court?], Mr. Peter Holway [Holloway ?], Mr.
Thos. Compton, Mr. George Huntley, Mr. Richd. Thebon. Mr.
Cornelius Owen, Mr. Thos. Greenfield, Mr. Richd. Painter, Mr.
John Hobbs, Mr. Edmond Coard, Mr. John Davis, Mr. Wm.
Halen [Allen?], Mr. Edwd. James, Mr. Joseph Hitchcocke, Mr.
Robt. Kinder [Kimber ?], Mr. Daniel Stout, Mr. William Wood,
Mr. John Hill, Mr. Wm. Banister, Mr. Richd. Cornewell, Mr.
* "Perfect Occurrences of Parliament," from 25 Oct. to 1st Nov. 1644.
t Died of his wounds.
J Both died of wounds.
|| "lleformadoes" were officers who, having lost their men, were continued on
whole or half -pay.
142 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
Thomas Turke, Mr. Wm. Eiles [Eyles ?], Mr. Peter Smith, Mr.
Richard Whiston, Mr. Daniel Dongway, and Mr. Henry Vincent.
On the side of the Parliament, the estimates of the losses like-
wise vary most considerably, Sir Roger Manley leads off with
2500 as the number actually killed. Clarendon, comes next with
1000 ; and Carte gives the same. On the other hand, the Parlia-
mentary Commissioners, in their report to the Derby-House
Committee, dated from Newbury, the day after the battle, state,
" Major Skippon guesseth that the number slaine, on both sides,
[i.e. of the Parliamentary forces engaged at Speen and Shaw]
were between two and three hundred." Little reliance can be
placed on these statements, which were made for party-pur-
poses. The average of these figures would give about 1000,
which is probably a fair calculation.
Very few names of Parliamentary Officers who fell in this
battle nave been handed down to us, CoL Gawler, Major Hurry,
Captains Willet, Talbot, and Charles D'Oyley, of the Earl of
Essex's Life-Guards, were killed at Speen (the latter, it is said,
by the hand of Sir Humphrey Benett); and Cols. Norton, Bartley,
and Lloyd are mentioned as wounded.
In an original letter, containing a brief account of this battle,
from Col. Norton to his friend Richard Major of Hursley, the
Colonel says "We killed some men of note, and lost some,
amongst w ch was Lieut.-Col. Knight, sonne to John Knight, who
was to me much lamented by my L d - Man[che]ster and many
others, and died w th y e reputac'on of as gallant a man as any in
all ye army and as much oeloved; truly I am sorry for himselfe,
and not lesse for poor John Knight's sake; but as he lived to be
a good Christian soe he died like a good souldier. Many we had
wounded; amongst y e number I receaved a faier admonition (by
musquet-shott in my legge) for medling where I had noe charge,
but I thanke God, my bone was to hard for y e bullett, and I hope
I shall be upon both legges againe ere it be long. I could not
helpe it; for I thought there was need when engaged myselfe to
lead up Col. Ludlowe's Regiment, his horse having broken his
bridle, soe y* he was faine to quit." [Here the remaining part of
the sentence, probably with some others, is lost, the paper having
failed at the fold.]
Endorsed: "Coll. Norton, 29 Octob., 1644. Newbery battailo."
("Maijor* Letters and Papers," British Museum.)
Sir Wm. Waller, it seems, had a narrow escape in this engage-
ment. To this he thus refers in his note-book, -f- in which ne
was in the habit of making daily jottings: "At the second
* Dorothy, daughter of Mr. Richard Major, married Richard Cromwell, the
Protector's eldest son. When the old house at Hursley was pulled down some
time in the last century, a seal was found, supposed to have been the identical
seal of the Commonwealth, which the Protector took from the Parliament.
t Sir W. Waller's "Recoil.," C. 45 a; Brit. Mus.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBtTRY. 143
Newbery fight, when I fell on with my troopes by way of Speeno
Field and were there mingled with the enemy, I had a great
deliverance, for one of the adverse party coming behind me, and
being ready to fire his pistoll in my reines, in that instant one
of my life-guard killed him, or otherwise in all probability he
would have killed me.
O God, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast
covered my head in the day of Battle !
The Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them
that feare his worde, and delivereth them."
The greater number of the slain found a grave near where
they fell, while many of those who died of their wounds in the
town of Newbury were buried in St. Nicholas' church-yard. The
Churchwarden's accounts from 23 Aug., 1644 to 20 Sept., 1645,
contain the following list of payments in connection with these
interments:
Given at Vestry, 20 Sept. 1645. Account passed by William Nash,
Mayor.
Paid for a shroud for a Soldier, carrying him to
Church .. .. .. ..008
Carrying Soldier and cleaning the Church 050
Carrying Soldier and making a great grave . . 040
Carrying a Soldier to Burying . . . . 014
Shroud for a Soldier . . . . ..034
Carrying and Burying 3 Soldiers . . 030
Coffin for a Lieutenant . . . . ..070
For Carrying, Burying Soldier . . . . 012
For Carrying another Soldier to Burying ..010
Burying 2 Soldiers more . . . . 020
Burying 6 Soldiers more . . . . ..056
Shrouds for Soldiers . . . . . . 036
Carrying a Soldier and Burying . . ..010
Digging Graves for Soldiers . . . . 040
Burying 3 Soldiers more . . . . ..046
Ditto 4 ditto . . . . . . . . 066
Digging Graves . . . . . . ..022
Burying 2 Soldiers . . . . . . 035
Ditto 2 ditto . . . . . . ..030
Burying a Soldier . . . . . . 016
Digging 19 Graves and cleaning the Church ..040
Burying a Soldier . . . . . . 016
Ditto ditto .. .. .. ..016
Heavy as these losses were, they did not prevent the speedy
resumption of hostilities. Though the battle had been somewhat
indecisive, inasmuch as the King had escaped, by way of
Donnington to Oxford, Manchester soon took steps to reap the
full fruits of the battle, which he claimed as a victory. Early on
Monday morning, the 28th October, when the Parliamentarians
found that the King was really gone, a Council of War was called
144 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
at Specn. It is asserted that Cromwell, on that occasion, not
doubting as to the state in which affairs stood, repeatedly
requested leave to push on with his cavalry and overtake the
retreating royalists; but he was peremptorily restrained by the
General-in-chief ; and, as Cromwell brought a charge to this effect
against Manchester in the House of Commons, the statement is
probably true. But however this may be, after much time had
been wasted in an angry discussion, Manchester reluctantly con-
sented that Waller, Cromwell, and Hesilrige, with the horse (about
6000 strong), which had been engaged on the Speen side of the
battle, should march in pursuit. With this force the Parliamen-
tary Generals reached Blewbury, without firing a shot ; and then
finding that the enemy had got clear over the river at Walling-
ford many hours before, it was judged both hazardous and useless
to pursue further ; and the troops were accordingly quartered in
Blewbury, Hagborne, Chilton, Harwell, and the neighbouring
villages. Meanwhile a letter having been sent by Manchester
from Newbury, desiring the return of the force, the three Generals
came back to Newbury, where they had an interview with the
Earl. They then pressed earnestly to have the whole army
marched speedily into quarters beyond Oxford (about Witney,
Burford, and Woodstock), where the King's troops had already
begun to rally. That being denied, they requested that two or
three thousand of the foot then quartered in Newbury should
march to join the horse at Blewbury. Manchester could not,
however, be persuaded to stir until the Saturday following
(November 2nd), on which day he started with a portion of his
infantry, and in two days managed to get as far as Harwell,
which same distance, Cromwell says, the Earl on his return
" dispatcht in one." Arriving at Harwell, Manchester refused to
Sroceed further until he had received instructions from the
ommittee in London ; his excuse being the badness of the roads
and other impediments. The two commissioners, Lord Warriston
and Mr. Crew, proceeded from Harwell to London to represent
matters in person to the Derby-house Committee: but on
Tuesday (November 5th), the day before the directions of the
Committee were received, Manchester appointed a rendezvous
for the next morning on Compton Downs four or five miles back
towards Newbury. The whole body of horse under Cromwell on
Tuesday night lay on Chilton plain, and the following day moved
to Compton, and joined Manchester, who had by this time, much
to his satisfaction, received orders from London not to divide
his army, but to march back to Newbury and endeavour to
take Donnington Castle. Siege-pieces and ammunition were
dispatched to him for that purpose. Consequently the entire
force retraced their steps, reaching Newbury on the 7th of
November. From Cromwell's statement to the Commons, it
appears that he commended these Berkshire Downs as a suitable
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 145
position "for lying in the King's way" with his returning
army, and indeed this locality narrowly escaped being the scene
of a bloody conflict between the two armies; for no sooner
had Cromwell quitted Chilton Plain, than the royal forces took up
their quarters on the same spot on the Downs where their enemies
had encamped the preceding day. But as this is somewhat anti-
cipating the course of events, it will be necessary to return to the
proceedings of the King after his retreat to Bath.
When the King met Rupert at Bath, the Prince had with him
about 400 horse and 600 foot, making, with the King's own troop
and followers, about 1300 men. With this strength Charles and
his nephew marched out of Bath on Wednesday, 30th of October,
and quartered that night at Sherston near Malmesbury; next day
they reached Cirencester, where the King received a letter from
Sir Jacob Astley (created Baron Astley of Reading a few days
after, at Oxford), informing him of the good condition of his
army, with advice to his Majesty to advance speedily, and, with
the additional forces then at his command, to march again to New-
bury, disengage his cannon, and offer the enemy battle. From
Cirencester the King marched to Burford, and by the way he
met the Earl of Northampton, with those regiments which had
relieved Banbury; and he also received the intelligence that
General Gerrard and Sir Marmaduke Langdale, with a force of
4000 horse and foot, would encamp that night at Stow-on-the-
Wold. Whereupon, to give more ease to the troops, and to make
preparations for his march to Newbury, the King left his force
at Burford, and hastened, with his guards and attendants, to
Oxford, which he entered on the 1st of November, being received
with great joy and acclamation, after his long absence of five
months, during which time he had passed through and overcome
many difficulties.
Meanwhile, between the action on the 27th October and the
King's return to Oxford, the Parliament's forces entered Newbury ;
and, with a strong body of horse and foot, surrounded Donnington
Castle. They again summoned the indomitable Boys to surren-
der, assuring him this time, that, if he did not instantly comply,
they would not leave one stone upon .another. " If so, I am not
bound to repair it," was the Governor's scornful reply. Being
urged a second and a third time, with the offer that he should be
permitted to march out with all the arms, ammunition, and
stores deposited in the Castle, "Carry away," he said, "the
Castle walls themselves, if you can ; but, with God's help, I am
resolved to keep the ground they stand on, till I have orders
from the King, my master, to quit it, or will die upon the spot."
An assault was consequently determined on, but the officer who
who led the storming party having fallen at their head, and great
differences prevailing among the Generals, nothing further was
at that time done. The Royalist journal, " Mercurius Aulicus,"
u
146 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
for Sunday, Nov. 17, 1644, gives the following account of some
affairs as then reported; "The Rebells sped so ill at downright
fighting that they now practise a new way of murther, for we are
certainly advised from Donnington Castle, that when the Rebells
close besieged the place, they hyred a souldier to poyson their
Well on the north side of the Castle, which lay without the
workes, between the Rebell's trenches and the workes. This
souldier having informed the rebells that the Well was most
necessary for the support of that garrison received his twenty
shillings (for that was all this poor Rebell demanded), and in the
night time conveyed the poyson down the Well, but next
morning the commander (toucht it seems with the horror of the
fact) sent a Drum with a letter to Sir John Boys to give
notice what was done. The Governor returned thanks to their
Commander, and at first fit opportunity drew 40 musqueteers
out of the Castle, and in the face of the rebells cleaned the
Well, taking out the bag of poyson, and digging it deeper.
After which time we kept the Well in despight of the
Rebells, and to make try all whether or no the Well was truely
poysoned, we tryed the experiment upon a Horse, which having
drunk of it, swell'd and dyed within 24 hours." This Well has
recently been discovered on the north-west side of the Castle,
about 400 yards from the buildings. By the nature of the
ground it is screened from the observation of an enemy posted
on Snelsmore Common; so that the garrison could obtain water
thence without exposure or difficulty.
At this time the Earl of Brentford, who had been wounded on
the 27th, sought temporary shelter in the Castle, where his Lady
attended him; and the Parliamentarians, hearing he was there,
sent Col. Hurry to his old general, with large offers, if he would
give up the place, or induce Boys to do so, a proposal
rejected with indignation. This will be the last mention of the
shifting Colonel, Sir John Hurry, who ended his life in the
King's service. He was taken prisoner with Montrose, and was
executed with him and about 40 more of the Marquis's followers,
at Edinburgh, May 21, 1650. On the 30th Oct., three days after
the battle, Lord Brentford, having somewhat recovered from his
wounds, obtained a guide to direct him by cross-roads to Bath,
where he was anxious to rejoin the King and inform him of the
safe retreat of the army to Wallingford. But he was pursued by
a party of the enemy's horse, led by Col. Birch, and his Lady was
taken prisoner. The general, however, managed to escape, owing
as Skippon in his dispatch states, to one of their party unad-
visedly sounding a trumpet near where he was reposing himself.*
* This episode is related in a most interesting document recently printed by
the Camden Society, entitled " A Military Memoir of Col. John Birch." That
portion referring to the capture of Lady Brentford, is given in the ATPEKDIX.
THE SECOND BATTLE Of NEWBURY. 147
As soon as the King came to Christ-Church, Oxford, he
conferred the dignity of Knighthood on Colonel Gage, who, in
his Majesty's absence, had done well both in defence of that city,
and in the relief of Basing and Banbury. Charles also grate-
fully thanked the members of his Council, who had managed his
affairs since his departure. This having been done, the succeed-
ing days were employed in making preparations to take the
field ; a new train of artillery was expeditiously farmed, and the
whole army put into good serviceable condition.
On Wednesday, the 6th of November, the royal army was
drawn out on Bullington Green, near Oxford, and inspected by
the King, who found he had a force of 6000 foot and 5000 horse,
with which again to try his fortune at Newbury. Prince Rupert
consented without reluctance to supersede Lord Brentford as
Commander of the King's forces; whilst the old General was
solaced with the post of Lord-Chamberlain to the Prince of
Wales.
On Thursday the King marched with his troops to Walling-
ford, and the day following, Friday, 8th November, the army
encamped on Ilsley Downs, while His Majesty quartered with
Bishop Goodman at West-Ilsley Rectory.*
On Saturday morning the King marched from Ilsley towards.
Newbury; and the succeeding events of the day are thus stated
in detail by Sir Edward Walker :f On Saturday "our army
marched in battalia, expecting some opposition. The van was
led by his Highness Prince Rupert and General Gerrard. In
this order we marched, and got possession of the heath on the
backside of Dennington Castle, j from which a small force of the
rebels might have kept us, the entrance into it being steep and
the way very narrow, and then we must have gone about and
fallen in by way of Speene.|| On that heath the army was drawn
up about twelve of the clock, and every one prepared to fight.
Thence in good order we marched by Dennington Castle, passing
* Dr. Goodman then held the Rectory of West Ilsley, in commendam, with the
See of Gloucester, of which he was deprived by Archbishop Laud in 1640 for
refusing to subscribe to the Canons ; but was restored upon his submission. He
was sequestrated by the Committee of Plundered Ministers, for his tithes of
West Ilsley. In a petition to the Protector Cromwell, the Bishop says that his
"great losses were such as he thinks no man suffered more," and complains that
a Mr. Humphrey Newbery, who was appointed by the Committee to officiate the
Cure, came with a body of soldiers to West Ilsley and forcibly took possession of
his Living. Dr. Goodman ultimately became a Roman Catholic, and died in
that faith Jany- 9, 1655. Dr. Goodman is said to have been concerned in the
noble design of bringing the New River Water into London. See Walker's
"Sufferings of the Clergy," Pt. II, p. 33. The old Rectory-house at West
Ilsley, an interesting Elizabethan building, was taken down about 35 years since.
t " Hist. Discourses," pp. 118, 119.
I Snelsmore Common. The King's route was by Chieveley and North-heath.
Bussock Hill.
|| Through Winterbourne.
148 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
the river at a mill, and two fords below it* without any opposi-
tion, and thence drew into the large field between Speene and
Newbery, where the army was set in order. The rebels in the
interim drew a great body of horse and foot into the other field
towards Shaw, naving made breastworks and batteries on the
backside of Newbery towards both these fields,f resolving to
keep the town, which was the reason they gave us so easie a
passage to the heath behind Donnington. About three in the
afternoon we advanced within reach of their cannon,, which they
discharged amongst us without doing any hurt. Then a body of
our horse charged another of theirs in the lower field J and
routed them, pursuing them almost to their breastworks ; when
the rebel musquetiers placed in the lane between the two fields
gave fire on our horse and caused them to retreat (though without
disorder). In the interim we could discover a great body of their
horse on the hill on the south side of Newbury || almost at a
stand whether to come down or retire. The armys being now on
the point of being engaged, His Majesty advised with his Council
what was fittest to be done, who considering that he had already
effected what he came for thither, which was to relieve Denning-
ton (provisions being put in in the interim} that it was in his
power to draw off his ordnance and ammunition thence; and that
he had sufficiently regained the opinion and honour of the day,
by passing his army over the river in the face of theirs, and offering-
tnem battel if they durst draw out, and withal considering how
dangerous it might prove to force them to fight, having the ad-
vantages of breastworks and batteries and a town at their backs,
it was unanimously concluded that we should draw off and attempt
them no further. And to let them know that we did it not out of
any apprehension, Prince Rupert sent a Trumpet [a "Drum" or
"Trumpet" was equivalent to a flag of truce], to give them
notice of our intentions,, so that, if it had been their will, they
might have fallen on our rear. But they suffered us quietly
to pass with drums beating and trumpets sounding the same
ways we came over the river. His Majesty lay that night
* Donnington. Moll. The fords over the Mill-stream and the Lamfoorne. This
mill was probably a dependency of the Castle in mediaeval times.
t These breastworks and batteries were in the Marsh, then open to the fields
above-described, at the back of Speenhamland. The remains of the earthworks
still existing in the Marsh are shown on the Plan. They were but "sorry
works," as Skippon describes them.
% The "lower field" is that nearest to Shaw Avenue.
The "lane between the two fields" was the old road to Oxford, which
followed about the same line as the modern highway from Newbury.
II The body of horse seen on the hill on the south side of Newbury was that
under Cromwell, in the meadows below the Wash, on the left of the Wash Road
from the town. Manchester accuses Cromwell of not coming up with this body
of cavalry until after the King had marched away ; but Cromwell retorts that
Manchester was "most ready to finde the danger or infeisibility of draweing out
to interpose."
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 149
in Donninpton Castle, and all the army about him. In this
action we lost one Captain of horse * and about fourteen Foot
slain by their cannon in the retreat; and I believe the rebels lost
twice that number."
Some traces of this skirmish were discovered in the year 1869,
when two skeletons were found in the garden of the premises
belonging to Mr. J. H. Money, in Speenhamland. The skeletons
were both perfect, and lay side by side, one on its back and
the other on its face, and both in the direction east and
west, about two-and-a-half feet below the surface. A piece
of clothing, like a soldier's coat-trimming, and some brass
buttons and portions of accoutrements were found with the
remains; also a gold ornament, somewhat like a fastening, a spur,
and the bowl of a 17th-century tobacco-pipe. Scores of such
Eipes have been picked up in the neighbouring fields. There is
ttle doubt that these were two troopers, most probably
officers, "brothers in arms," who fell in the above mentioned
skirmish, which took place over this very ground on Nov. 9th,
1644. Some fifty years ago a skeleton, having a large gash
in the skull, was discovered, with a sword by its side, not far
from the same spot; and more recently another skeleton was
exhumed in the rear of the adjoining premises occupied by
Mr. Adnams.
A correspondent of a London Diurnal } communicates the
following intelligence from the Parliamentary army, in connection
with the return of the King to Donnington Castle: "Friday,
Nov. 8. This day the King designed a partie of 6 or 7000 horse
and foot to relieve Dennington Castle and to fetch away such
things out of the Castle as were most materiall, vizt.
1. The King's Crown, which His Majesty wore on some high
dayes, and had carried and brought back from Exeter.
2. The Great Scale, and other Scales which the Lord-keeper
had left also in the said Castle.
3. The King's writings and divers Writs of great conse-
quence, which were also carried in thither.
4. Divers Jewells, much gould, silver, and other treasure,
which was also in the said Castle.
5. That they should endeavour to bring away what artillery
and ammunition they could.
6. To carry relief with them to the Castle.
"This party was at Wallingford, from whence they were to
march to Dennington, and the Castle of Dennington doth so
command all the fields between the Castle and Newbery, that it
is not safe for our army to march out there; yet some guards of
* Capt. Fitzmaurice, of the Prince of Wales' regiment.
t " Perfect Passages of each Dave's Proceedings in Parliament," Nov. 6 to
Nov. 13, 1644.
150 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
horse were still out and the enemy from the Castle play'd this
day very fast, many cannon- bullets falling in Newbery.
" Saturday, Nov. 9. This day there came intelligence that the
night before the enemy in Dennington Castle had not only made
shot with their cannon gainst Newbery, but made many
flourishes, and at night made a great fire at the top of the
Castle, so that the Earl of Manchester, Sir Wm. Waller, Lt.-Genl.
Cromwell, and Sir William Balfour (to whom the charge of the
armies for the present is committed) began to suspect the enemy
coming that way, and so special care was taken for securing our
armies in their quarters that night, lest the enemy should come
on a sudden, that therefore their outguards should be ready,
which was performed with a great deal of paines, care, and
discretion, but more especially to oppose the enemy between
Kingsclere and Dennington Castle, if they came, which was their
direct way from Wallingford, and no other was probable.
"Tuesday, Nov. 12. Besides that spoken of in the instructions
to the King's forces, there was left in Dennington Castle about
18 small pieces of artillery carried into the Castle, besides 5 or 6
great pieces of ordnance that were planted on the works below,
and good store of ammunition, some say 60 cart-loads, besides
30 cart-loads they took with them, what of this was carried away
they will not tell us. But about 5 o'clock in the afternoon they
retreated with what they had taken out of the Castle, and what
they brought in is best known to themselves, but what they did
was in a short time, and the great pieces lie still upon their
works."
To return to our narrative, on Sunday morning, the 10th
of November, the King's troops were drawn up in marching
order on the heath adjoining Donnington Castle, with so
many of the guns which had been left with the garrison after
the retreat on the 27th October, as they could conveniently
take with them, attached to their train. All being in readi-
ness, the King bade farewell to the gallant governor Sir John
Boys, and looked, it may be imagined, with tearful eye on
the shot-wrecked walls of Donnington, which had been main-
tained in his cause with such fidelity, and which was to himself
so full of stirring memories of disaster and defeat, but never of
dishonour. The trumpets gave a parting blast, answered by a
hearty cheer from Boys' merry men on the Castle walls, as the
King, accompanied by Prince Rupert and his retinue, led the
vanguard over the heath. Soon, however, the sound of drums
and trumpets died away, and the little company of heroes at the
Castle were once more left alone.
From Snelsmore Heath the army marched to Winterbourne,*
* The Winterbourne estate at that time belonged to the Head family, one of
whom was Lord Falkland's host at Newbury.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 151
where the troops were halted, it is said, to give thanks to God
for their great success; the King 1 , Prince Rupert, and the chief
officers of his staff, attending divine service in the parish church.
The route was then by Boxford and Shefford to Lamhorne; and
here the King took up his residence with Mr. Garrard;* the
main body of the foot being quartered in the town, and the horse
at Wantage and the intermediate villages. This is referred to in
the following terms by a Parliamentary scout: "Monday, 11
November 1644. The last night the King's head-quarters were
at Wantage and Lamborne; and a part of the horse took off all
the provision they could meet as they went along by Peesemoure
and other villages, and intended to quarter this night at Auburn
and Ramsbury; and wee heare they intend to relieve Basing.
That all the foot which lay at Lamborne marcht away this
morning towards Auborne, where they had a rendezvous, and
intended to quarter there that night, but there came a sudden
allarm that the Parliament horse were coming after them, that
they gave a comand that they should march to Marlbrough,
and in the afternoone they march'd out of Wantage, having 2500
horse and many stragling foot. They report that a party of their
foot was to winter at Marlbrough, the rest to go to Winchester.
The King is reported this night to bee at the army againe."-f-
The Parliament Generals, upon the intelligence that the King
was quietly marching away, rode to the top of Clay Hill, " to
looke uppon the departing enemy," and then called the inevit-
able Council of War, which resulted in the customary wrangle,
and in the usual inaction. But one of their officers, whose
name is not recorded, determined to have one slash at the
King before he was out of their reach; and, having got a few
horse together, started in pursuit. His advance, however, having
been noticed by Rupert, the Prince unobserved placed a body of
his cavalry in a barn by the road-side, and let the pursuers pass;
but the moment they reached the King's lines, the ambushed
troopers came out from their hiding place and took the Parlia-
ment men "front and rear," so that, as Symonds records, 15 of
* The principal residence of the Berkshire Garrards was at Kingwood, about
one mile from Lamborne, on the road to Marlborough by way of Kamsbury, and
occupied a beautiful position on an eminence overlooking the Lamborne Valley.
The old house (where a room in the east wing was long shown as " The King's
Chamber'-') was taken down many years ago. The Mansion must have been of
considerable extent, judging from traces of the foundations; and the remaining
stabling attests its having been of the Elizabethan character. The line of the
avenue, leading from the high -road, and crossing the park, is still defined by a
few trees here and there ; and many other vestiges of former importance can be
discerned. Queen Henrietta Maria was also at Kingwood, April 18th, 1644,
on her journey from Oxford to Bristol. There are several memorials of the
Garrards in Lamborne Church. The arms of the Garrards f Lamborne were
azure, a chevron engrailed ermine.
t Sir Samuel Luke's Letter-book ; Egerton MSS.
152 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
thorn were killed and more taken prisoners. This was the only
effort made to oppose or harass the King's march.
From Lamborne, the Lords Capel, Hopton, and Culpepj)er,
with other officers, were sent on to Maryborough to provide
quarters for the army, and to levy contributions on the inha-
bitants of the district for the support of the King's forces.
On Tuesday, 12th November, wnich turned out (says Symonds)
"a miserable wett windy day," the army moved on from Lam-
borne to Marlborough, the King quartering in the house of Lord
Seymour* at the Castle. The army was encamped on the
Downs at Fyfield, about two miles distant.
The King remained five days at Marlborough, during which
time he personally superintended the fortifications of the place ;
and he found that the fierce threats of his officers of the
Commisariat department had so strongly impressed the terrified
inhabitants of the district, that not only were the wants of the
troops amply provided for, but a sufficient quantity of food and
forage was left to supply some of his necessitous garrisons. The
greater part of the nay and corn which the neighbourhood had
just harvested was sent off, with a body of cavalry, to Worcester;
and arrangements were made for re-victualling the garrisons at
Donnington Castle and Basing.
The following warrant will show the manner in which these
supplies were procured:
"To the High Constables of Kamsbury Hund. and to each of them:
"These are in His Majestie's name to command you or either of you
to charge, provide, and send in, out of your Hundred to my quarters
at Andrew Groddard's House at Ogborne St. Andrew, near Marlbury,
for the use of his Majestie, two and twenty hundred weight of bread,
twelve hundred weight of cheese, three fat Beefs, term fatt Muttons,
fower dosens of poultrie, forty bushells of oates, twenty bushells of
beanns and pease, also you are straitly charg'd to bringe in eight able
and sufficient Teems with Carts for His Majestie's necessary service.
Charging you and every one of you and every petty constable in your
hundred not to presume the least neglect in the due and speedy
execution hereof in every particular, and that all the said provisions
and carts be brought in by three o'clock in the afternoone next
Sunday, as you tender the good of His Majestie's service, your owne
persons and estates. Given under my hand this 14th day of Novem-
ber, 1644. WM. MOKGAN, Commissary.
* Francis, Lord Seymour, was brother to the Marquis of Hertford, afterwards
Duke of Somerset. It was this Lord Seymour who built the house at Marl-
borough, afterwards known as the " Castle Inn," and which subsequently
constituted the nucleus of the present famous School-house. The plans and
elevations of this house were furnished by Inigo Jones, who was of the same
political party as the Seymours, and then at the height of his fame as an
architect. Ramsbury Manor-house also is said to have been built from designs
by Inigo Jones ; but this was the work of his pupil and nephew John Webb.
The King quartered at Ramsbury Manor in April, 1644 ; where also Cromwell
visited Lord Pembroke 12 July, 1649.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 153
"You or either of you are required to be there present, with a
return of the names of those who shall refuse to perform what is
chardged upon them." *
Another warrant, dated at Marlborough, empowers the officers to
seize all such " Physick and Chirurgery" in that town as shall be
necessary for the use of the army, the owners to be paid out of the
contributions from the district.
At a Council of War held at Marlborough on Saturday, the
16th November, it was decided that the relief-party to be sent to
Basing should consist of 1000 horse, each trooper carrying before
him a bag of corn or other provisions, and should march so as to
reach there by a given time (communicated to the garrison), then
each should throw down his sack, and make good his retreat as
best he could. To effect this design, Hungerford was thought
the most fitting place in which to quarter the army, and whence
to dispatch the enterprize. Its conduct was entrusted to Sir
Henry Gage, who had had such good success on a former occasion.
Accordingly the troops marched back to Hungerford, where they
arrived the same evening, -f-
The next day (Sunday) Sir Francis Doddington came to the
King, out of the West, with a newly raised body of 500 horse.
While the King was at Marlborough, the Parliamentarians,
hearing of his intention as regards Basing, left Newbury with
the greater part of their force, with the view (as Cromwell states
in his "Charge against Manchester") of proceeding to Kingsclere,
"for a more direct interposicion in the King's way to Basing, and
that there we might fight with him upon the downes, if he came
that way* and lye ready (if he should bend towardes Newberry) to
repossesse it before him; and on those grounds onely and to that
end was our remove agreed to in full Councell:" "But," adds
Cromwell, "being thus got out, and upon our way to Kingscleare,
having intelligence that the King was coming by Hungerford
towardes Newberry, his Lordship [Manchester] would then neither
go on to Kingscleare, nor return into Newberry, but upon new
pretences (without the Councell of Warre) turn'd his course to
Aldermarston (which was five miles homewards from Newberry,
and seaven miles nearer home then Kingscleare). And, though
Kingscleare was the knowne direct roade to Basing, yet he
pretended to turn to Aldermarston with intent to goe directly
to Basing, and that he would fight the King there which way
soever he should come, if he attempted to releive it. This gave
some satisfaction for present, but from Aldermarston his Lord-
* Sir E. Walker's papers, Harl. MSS., 6802; 295. Many other interesting
papers relating to the doings of the King's army at Marlborough will be found
in the same collection.
t The King's quarters, while at Hungerford, were at the Bear Inn. It was at
this same hostelry, that William, Prince of Orange received James II. 's Com-
missioners in Dec. 1688.
V
154 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
ship would not be got to Basing (makeing excuses), but with
much adoe being got out next day to Mortimer Heath, he would
not be pers waded to goe on any further, alledging that many of
his soldiers were run to Redding, and more would goe thither
(being got so neare it); that (when he pretended for Basing)
draweing the army to Aldermarston (which was cleare out of
the way) he brought the soldiers soe neare Redding that they
would be running thither, and then made their running thither
an occasion to avoyde going to Basing at all, and at last to drawe
all to Redding."
Manchester, in his Defence, says. " So, uppon our intelligence
of the King's remove from Maiibarrow, it was supposed hee was
marching to Basing, to releive it with his army, wee conceived it
fitting to march that day to Oldermeiston, where wee continued
nppon the feilds, and, if the enemy went to Baseing, to endevour
to intercept him; and so at Oldermeiston, at a councell of warr,
where the question was only, whether it was councellable to
fight or not, and concluded by all, no man speaking so much
against fighting as Cromwell, and so unanimously consenting
not to fight, but to endeavour to hinder the releife of Baseing, or
to withdrawe the forces, which weare lying before Baseing, and
so to keepe our armies intire, dividing ourselves, the foote at
Redding and Henly, and our horse all about Fernham, Oking-
ham, Windsor, Maydenhead, and Stwins" [Staines].
No sooner had the Parliamentarians left Newbury than the
Governor of Donnington Castle, exasperated with the inhabitants
for their refusal to afford succour to his garrison in any way,
made a sally into the town "on the Lord's day," t with the
intention of seizing the Mayor and some of the principal inhabi-
tants, and carrying them prisoners to the Castle, and demanding
a ransom for their release. This design Sir John Boys nearly
accomplished before an alarm was given, and a party of Parlia-
mentary horse quartered in the town came to the rescue. A
Parliamentary Journal * affirms that the party from the Castle
went to the Mayor of the Town and pulled him out of his house,
which they plundered, and that they "abused his whole family
most shamefully;" and that they then went to the houses of
eight or nine more chief persons in the place, dragged them also out
of their dwellings, " abused their wives, children, and servants,"
and carried away great plunder; and that the gentlemen them-
selves were actually conveyed prisoners to Donnington Castle.
To return, however, the Parliamentarians having withdrawn
from Basing, Sir Henry Gage's expedition for its relief was satis-
factorily accomplished; and Sir George Lisle, with 1000 men,
took an ample supply of provisions to Sir John Boys at Donning-
* "Perfect Passages of each Day's Proceedings in Parliament," Wednesday,
Nov. 20, 1644.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 155
ton Castle, and brought back "without let or hindrance" the rest
of the spare and military stores, which had been left behind a
few days previously. Both Donnington Castle and Basing having
now been well cared for, the King decided to return to Oxford,
with the intention, if practicable, of surprising the Parliament's
garrison at Abingdon on his way.
On Tuesday, the 19th November, which was the King's birth-
day, the army marched from Hungerford to Great Shefford, his
Majesty lodging for the night at the old Manor-house. In his
"Diary" (p. 153), Capt Symonds writes "Tuesday, 19 November
His Majestic lay at Gt, Shefford in the old Manor-House of
Mr. Browne, Esq., co. Berks; a parke belonging to it. This day
a soljer hang'd for plunder, but the rope broke." A portion of
the old Manor-House is still standing, and the meadows sur-
rounding are still called the "Home Park" In the chancel
of the adjoining Church is a monument to Sir George Browne,
Knight of the Bath, who died in 1678. His younger brother
John was created a baronet 19th May, 1665. This title became
extinct in 1774, on the demise, without issue, of the 5th Baronet,
Sir John Browne. This family was a younger branch of the
Brownes, Viscounts Montague. Among the Sequestration and
Composition Papers in the British Museum Library (Addl. MSS.,
No. 5508), is the following statement "Mr. Browne, of Shefforde,
being proved a papist and in armes, his estate, worth 200 p.
anum, was let at Micheallmas last at 70 to Mr. Browne's baley,
and 1000 profered for his stock, and secueritie for the munies,
was soukl to his baly for 400 p."
In his "Diary," on the same day (Nov. 19), Captain Symonds
also inserts the following notes
"Lord B. [Lord Bernard Stuart] and troope at Little Fawley, the
neate and faire habitacion of the Lady Moore, wife to Sir Henry.
Painted over the porch at Lady Moore's howse *
"Argent, a moor-cock sable [Moore]. Motto Regi et legi.
"The same; impaling 1 , argent, a saltire engrailed gules, a chief
azure, "TWITTYB." Suum cuique pulchrum.
"Champion all this part of Berks. f
"He that built this towse was Sergeant Moore, J temp. D. Egerton,
Cane.: Sir Henry was his son. Nothing but Moore's coate in the-
church of Fawley."
* A great portion of this Mansion still exists, and is occupied as a farm-house.
The arms over the porch are gone ; and the Church has been rebuilt.
f "Champion" i.e. champion land; land not inclosed; downs and open fields.
J The celebrated lawyer Sir Francis Moore, who was born at East Ilsley in
1558, died Nov. 20, 1621, and was buried at Great Fawley. Sir Francis married
Anne, heiress of William Twitty, Esq., of Boreham in Essex, by whom he had
five sons and five daughters. Henry the eldest, referred to by Symonds, was
created a baronet in 1627, and died in 1635, when his son, of the same name,
succeeded to the title and estates. The Baronetcy became extinct on the demise
of Sir Thomas, 6th Baronet, without issue, 10th April, 1807.
$ Symonds's "Diary," p. 154.
156 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
On Wednesday, Nov. 20th, the King marched to Wantage,
passing the night at the house of Sir George Wilmot at Charlton ;
and on Thursday he went on to Faringdon, lodging while at
Farino-don with his garrison at Sir Robert Pye's house, near the
Church. After remaining here a day, the King quitted the
army, and, accompanied by his guard, proceeded to Oxford, to
which city he made a safe and happy return on Saturday the
23rd November.
No sooner had the King left the army than Prince Rupert,
strong in the power of his own will, determined to make an
attack on the garrison at Abingdon; but the vigilant and able
governor Brown was not to be easily caught; and the Prince,
having lost several of his men, was glad to get back again to
Faringdon, little satisfied with the result of his expedition. The
King's army were then put into their winter cantonments, and
Rupert joined the King at Oxford.
The Parliamentary historian, Oldmixon, the bitter opponent of
the Stuarts, with creditable candour, thus speaks of the King's
admirable conduct in this campaign. "If the same courage and
conduct had been shewn by the King in so good a cause as that
of King William at the Boyne, his fame and his memory would
have been equally glorious and immortal."
The disappointment in Parliament, and in London generally,
at the result of the Second Battle at Newbury was extreme.
The day after the news arrived of the engagement between the
two armies the monthly fast took place as usual (Oct 30, 1644),
as if there were no subject for rejoicing. Disagreeable rumours
began to circulate : the victory, it was said, might have been far
more decisive ; but discord had reigned amongst the generals,
who had suffered the King to retreat without impediment, almost
in the very face of the army, on a bright moonlight night, when
the least movement might have prevented it. It was much
worse when the news came that the King had just reappeared in
the neighbourhood of Newbury, that he had, without interrup-
tion, removed his artillery from Donnington Castle, and had
even offered to renew the battle, without the Parliamentary army
quitting its inaction. The clamour became general, and the
House of Commons ordered an enquiry. Cromwell had only
waited for this opportunity, to break out: " It is to the Earl of
Manchester," he said, "all the blame is to be imputed, ever since
the battle of Marston Moor ; he is afraid to conquer, afraid of a
great and decisive success ; but now, when the King was last
near Newbury, nothing would have been more easy than entirely
to destroy his army. I went to the General; I showed him
evidently how this could be done ; I desired his leave to make
the attack with my own brigade ; other officers urged this with
me, but he obstinately refused; saying only, that if we were
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUKY. 157
entirely to overthrow the King's army, the King would still be
King, and always have another army to keep up the war ; while
we, if we were beaten, should no longer be any thing but rebels
and traitors, execrated and forfeited by the law." These last
words greatly moved Parliament, who could not endure that any
should suggest a doubt as to the legality of their resistance.
Next day, in the Upper House, Manchester answered this attack;
explained his conduct and his words; and in turn accused Crom-
well of insubordination, of falsehood, even of treachery ; for on
the day of the battle (he said) neither he nor his regiment
appeared at the post assigned them. Cromwell did not reply to
this charge; but renewed his own accusations more violently
than before.
It would be foreign to the design of this Memoir to devote
much space to the elucidation of the notorious quarrel between
Manchester and Cromwell, which has been so largely treated of
by recent writers. This great leading incident in the history of
our Civil War, observes Professor Masson,* "brought to the
surface and into direct antagonism principles of the very greatest
significance in reference to the management of the war ; and the
triumph of the movement-party on that occasion led directly to
the ruin of the royal cause." Indeed, it enabled Cromwell, by
the exercise of extraordinary finesse, to bring forward and
successfully carry through the Commons the "Self-denying
Ordinance," which enacted
" That during the time of this War no member of either House shall
have or execute any office or command, military or civil, granted
or conferred by both or either of the Houses of Parliament, or
any authority derived from both, or either of the Houses, and that
an Ordinance be brought in accordingly."
The Ordinance was rejected by the Lords. The Commons had
found another way of effecting their great purpose of army
reform, by requiring the Committee of both kingdoms to report
at once on " The New Model of the Army," which they had been
instructed to devise. This had been done on the 9th January,
1645 ; and by the 28th it had passed the Commons ; and on
February 15th, "The New Model Ordinance" became law. It
was no longer of any use for the Lords to stand out against
"The Self-denying Ordinance." That Ordinance, in fact, was
already realizeci in the fabric of the " New Model;" and, accord-
ingly, having been reintroduced into the Commons in a
modified form, and having passed that House, it received the
assent of the Lords on April 3rd, 1645. On the preceding day,
the Earls of Essex and Manchester had simplified matters by
formally resigning their military commands. The commander-
* Historical Preface to the "Quarrel between the Earl of Manchester and
Oliver Cromwell." Camden Soc., 1875.
158 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURT.
in-chief of the New Model Army was to be Sir Thomas Fairfax,
and the Major-General, or third in command, was to be Philip
Skippon. The place of Lieutenant-General, or second in com-
mand, was at first left vacant, but Cromwell's name, exempted
by special vote from the operation of the " Self-denying Ordin-
ance," was soon inserted into the "New Model Army," in the
post of Lieutenant- General, which had been purposely kept open
for him. Thence, through successive stages, followed the rest of
his career, ending in his Protectorship of the United Common-
wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with their Colonies
and Dominions.
Professor Masson further remarks that the accurate student of
English history will note that the termination of this famous
quarrel between Cromwell and Manchester coincides in time with
another great event, distinct from the new modelling of the army
and the Self-Denying Ordinance, namely the Establishment of
the Presbyterian system in England, the first definite votes for
which, in the two Houses, were made in January, 1644-5.
It is worthy of record that the new model army, on their first
march, came to Newbury. On the 30th April, Fairfax marched
from Windsor to Reading ; and on the 2nd May quartered in the
town of Newbury, where a meeting took place between the
General and Cromwell.* Fairfax then went on his way to
Taunton ; but, being recalled, with orders to invest Oxford, the
army again returned to Newbury on the 14th; where they
remained, "to refresh," three days. Within a few weeks (14th
June) came the crowning defeat of the King at Naseby.
The end of this phase of the Great War was rapidly approach-
ing; and a brief reference to the later history of Donnington
Castle, as a royal garrison, which is related in a most interesting
and hitherto unpublished narrative (given in the Appendix),
will be sufficient to precede the closing scene.
The Parliament during the spring and summer of 1645 had
too important work on hand to be able to pay much attention to
Donnington Castle ; but in the autumn of that year it was deter-
mined to set about the siege in earnest. Cromwell strongly
urged the House to curb the predatory excursions of Sir John
Boys and the Governors of Wallingford and Faringdon, which so
injuriously interfered with the trade between London and the
West; and, for that purpose, he advised "a strong quarter"
being made at Newbury. Late in October Cromwell and CoL
Dal bier were near that town, after the taking of Basing House
(14th Oct., 1645). The Parliament had ordered that Donnington
Castle should be taken; and had sent letters to the three
Committees in Oxfordshire, Berks, and Bucks to join forces for
this purpose. Cromwell seems to have weighed the chances of
* Sprigg's "Anglia Rediviva."
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 159
an assault, and to have decided against it, declining such a
"knotty piece of service;" for he marched into Devonshire to
join Fairfax, leaving Dalbier to invest the Castle, which he did
in November. Boys still held out until March, in which month
he made his last sally, and took 50 of Dalbier's men prisoners.
This exploit and other incidents of the last days of the siege are
thus described in the " Weekly Account," under date of Thursday,
26th March, 1646. "From Dennington we have received intelli-
gence that Col. Dalbeer, drawing up close to the Castle to break
the ground and intrench our men, the enemy at our beginning to
break the ground sallied forth, took 50 prisoners, two colors, and
some of the spades and piekaxes, but this retarded not the work,
for since that time he hath shot divers granadoes into the Castle,
fired the Barn and some other Outhouses, and done some execu-
tion on the main Fabrick, which hath brought the enemy to
stoop and send out to desire a parley, which being refused the
Governor hath sent to Oxford desiring to be satisfied in time
whether he may expect reliefe, for otherwise he must be forced
to a render on such conditions he could get, which his long
standing out will in no way advance." The following week,
Tuesday, March 31st, the correspondent of the same journal thus
proceeds to inform its readers of the progress of events : " I
have already told you what execution Col. Dalbeer hath done
against Dennington Castle, and of the Governour's sending to
Oxford, I shall in this place give you the sequill; for it is this
day certified that upon the messenger's going to Oxford Sir John
Boys (Governor of the Castle) received not only assurance that
he could expect no relief from Oxford, but further that there was
a great defeat given to Sir Jacob Astley, which till now he
seemed ignorant of. Hereupon the Governor stooping to play
on such conditions as before he seemed to reject, a treaty was
hearkned unto, and we understand this day by Mr. Packer's son,
whose inheritance it is (and come from thence this day) that
Col. Dalbeere is to have the possession thereof tomorrow at nine of
of the clocke. * * There are in the Castle about 200 common
souldiers, divers pieces of Ordnance, and good store of Baggage."
The " Moderate Intelligencer," of the same date, informs its
readers that " This day came the news of the Accord of Denning-
ton Castle, which they are to surrender tomorrow ; the granadoes
made such work that the souldiers within knew not where to
secure themselves, divers leaping over their works and craving
quarter; the house will be preserved for that universally well
spoken of gentleman and owner Mr. Packer."
Boys, who was cooped up within the fortress, ignorant of the
state of affairs without, and finding the old walls coming down
about his ears, upon the return of the King's messenger with
instructions to deliver up the Castle, surrendered it into the
hands of Col. Dalbier on the following conditions :
160 THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
ARTICLES AGREED UPON, MONDAY, TUB 30TH MARCH, 1646,
FOR THE SURRENDRING OF DENNINGTON CASTLE.*
1. It is agreed upon, that Sir John Boys, knight, Governour of
Dennington Castle aforesaid, shall march according to the Articles
insuing agreed upon (that is to say) upon Wednesday morning next,
being the first day of April, by 6 of the clock, the Governour, with all
his Officers, Gentlemen, and Souldiers, are then to march out with
Cullers flying and Drums beating, the Governour with 4 horses and
arms, and every Field Officer with 2, and every Capt. 1, the Lieut. -
Col. of horse with two horses and arms, and the other officers and
reformado officers of horse with 1 horse and arms apiece, 100 of the
foot soldiers to march with their arms two miles, and the rest to march
without, towards Wallingford, and then 50 to lay down their arms,
and the other 50 to march with Cullers flying, drums beating, light
matches, Bullets in their mouth, and Bandeliers fil'd with powder.
2. That if any officer or souldier in this Garrison hath been in the
Parliament service, shall receive the equall benefit comprised in these
articles.
3. That what officer or souldier late of this garrison shall desire to
go beyond sea, shall have a Passe to go to London, or to what place
they shall desire, within the Parliament's quarters, to procure the
same accordingly.
4. That all Officers and Souldiers, late of this Garrison, who desire
to go to their own Mansions or place of residence and several dwell-
ings, have a free passe to do so, without being molested or pressed to
any oath, provided that they be engaged never to take up arms
against the Parliament.
5. That there shall be a safe conduct granted to Wallingford
accordingly.
6. That there shall be two Carts with teams, provided by the time
appointed, the one to carry Sir John's baggage, the other to carry
the Officers'.
7. That the Governor, Officers, and Souldiers, late of Dennington
Castle aforesaid, shall at the time deliver up the Castle aforesaid to Col.
Dulbier for the use of the Parliament, with all the Ordnance, Arms,
Ammunition, and Provision therein (except what is before expressed),
without embezzling the arms or ammunition, or demolishing the works.
8. That the prisoners now in Dennington Castle shall upon the
signing of these articles be delivered forth and set at liberty.
9. That the wounded Souldiers of the Castle shall have liberty to
be left in Newbury or elsewhere the Governour pleases, and to have
present passes, that after their recovery they may go to their severall
mansions or dwellings without interruption or molestation.
COLL. MARTIN, \
Signed MAJOR BYNES, For COL. DULBIER.
MAJOR COLLINGWOOD )
MAJOR BENNET, \
CAPT. OSBORN, For SIR JOHN BOYS.
CAPT. GREGORY, )
* "Perfect Occurrences of Both Houses of Parliament and Martiall Affairs,
beginning Friday, the 27 March, and ending Friday, 3 April, 1646."
SIR JOHN BOYS.
From an original portrait.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY. 161
The field which tradition points out as that in which Dalbier
was encamped, and where the treaty for the surrender of the
Castle was negotiated, is still called "Dalbier's Meadow." It
lies on the eastern side of the Castle, and near the gardens and
park of Donnington-Castle House.*
Colonel Dalbier, having been left out of the Parliament's New
Model Army, left their service and joined the King's side, to
avenge the affront. He was engaged with Lord Holland in the
rising at Kingston-on-Thames in 1648, almost the last struggle
for the royal cause, when Lord Francis Villiers was killed. The
Earl of Holland, with Dalbier, a few other officers, and about
100 troopers, managed to escape ; but, being pursued, they were
forced to engage near St.-Neots, when Dalbier and young
Kenelm Digby fell mortally wounded, while the Earl (according
to Clarendon) gave himself up without resistance. Mr. Petit
Andrews, in his reply to Mores' "Berkshire Queries," 1759,
mentions that "the country people have a foolish notion that
Dalbier was invulnerable, and that cannon-balls were seen to
bound from his body !"
The honourable and exceptional terms given to the gallant
and faithful custodian of the Castle, Sir John Boys, bear witness
that his unshaken loyalty to his King was acknowledged and
admired by those who by the chances of war were his enemies;
and perhaps it would be impossible to find a brighter page in
the whole history of these Civil Commotions than that which
records the deeds of daring and devotion of this brave Cavalier.
"Hist, of Newbury," p. 67.
W
162
APPENDIX.
I. THE KING'S MAECH TO NEWBUEY.
OCTOBER, 1644.
(From the " Iter Carolinum"}
Friday, 18 Oct. to Andoyer. The White Hart. (Dinner in the
field.) 1 night; 15 miles.
Saturday, 19 Oct. to Whitchurch. Mr. Brooke's.* (Dinner on the
field.) 2 nights; 7 miles.
Monday, 21 Oct. to Kingsclere. Mr. Towers', f (Dinner at Whit-
church.) 1 night; 5 miles.
Tuesday, 22 Oct. to Newbury. Master Dunce's J night's residence.
(Dinner at Kingsclere.) 5 nights; 6 miles.
Monday, 21 October. His Majestie, &c. left Whitchurch, the general
rendesvouz (sic) upon the Downe near Kingsmill's howse.
* Whitchurch. The King when at Whitchurch quartered at "The Priory,"
the house of Mr. Thomas Brooke, a staunch royalist, whose family had long
resided at Whitchurch. There are several of their memorials in the Church.
Thomas Brooke was lay impropriator of the Eectory; but, being proved a
"Delinquent" by the Parliament, his estates were sequestrated, and the
Minister of his appointment expelled. The inhabitants of Whitchurch petitioned
the Committee for Compositions, sitting at Goldsmiths' Hall, to grant an increase
of stipend, out of Mr. Brooke's estate, to the "Orthodox" minister, Mr. Bell-
chamber, whose income was only 14 a year, a quarter of malt, and a quarter of
wheat. The Committee accordingly voted 50 a year for this purpose. The
petition, which is preserved at the Record Office, is signed by Will. Pointer,
Robt. Mills, Eiehd. Holloway, Will. Rolph, Will. Webb, Dan. Clarke, and others.
t Kingsclere. The residence of Mr. Towers was at Frobury Park, about one
mile from Kingsclere. Part of the old mansion at Frobury is now occupied as a
farm-house, on the south side of which are the remains of the ancient chapel.
A portion of the stone pulpit was in the building within the last fifty years ; and
at the present time the base of the font, which appears to be of local stone, does
duty as a horse-block in the farm-yard. The house is partly surrounded by a
moat, which probably also served as a fish-stew. Foundations have been met
with in various parts of the grounds, showing that a building of considerable
extent once existed here. Traces of a carriage-drive to the mansion from the
Ecchinswell-and-Newbury road are discernible ; the chief approach was, as at
present, from the Kingsclere road on the south. In the "Lay Subsidy Rolls,"
Pub. Record Office, |^, 17 Car. I. 1641, Robert Towers is described as "of
Frobury, Gent.," and assessed as owner. This was most probably the gentleman
who received the King. The property is now life-hold, and reverts to
Lerd Bolton.
% See Appendix II.
At Sydmonton. Henry, second son of Sir Henry Kingsmill, of Sydmonton,
was slain when fighting gallantly for the King at Edgehill, and was buried in
the Churchyard of Radway. In Jago's Poem of " Edgehill," there is a print of
this monument ; but only the mutilated remains of the effigy now exist, and
these are preserved in the tower of Radway New Church. In the Kingsmill
Chapel, Kihgsclere Church, there is a fine alabaster altar-tomb, with effigies of
Sir Henry and Lady Bridget Kingsmill.
APPENDIX. 163
(From Symonds's "Diary")
Tuesday, 22 Oct. The general rendesvouz (sic) was upon Eed Heath,
neare Newbery.f His Majestie knighted Sir John Boys upon
the hill, the Governor of Dennyngton Castle that was so much
battered, and so often sett upon by all their forces at severall
times. The King lay at Mr. Duns his howse in Newbery:
the troope at Welford, the Manor belonging to Mr. Hinton,
jure uxoris, a faire habitacion, com. Berks.
H. THE KING'S STAY IN NEWBUEY.
The late Mr. C. E. Long, M.A., the able editor of Symonds' Diary,
Las suggested that the name of the King's host at Newbury during
the few days he was here before the Second Battle, and which is
written by Symonds "Duns," and in the 'Iter Carolinum' "Dunce,"
may have been intended for "Dunch"; but no record has been found
of any branch of this extremely anti-royalist family having resided in
Newbury. In the "Protestation Returns," given at page 92, the name
of Dunce, * Esq., of Newbury, appears written exactly as spelt
by the careful compiler of the "Iter Carolinum," Grarter-King-
at-Arms, who adds "a night's residence." We are told by "The
True Informer" for the week ending Oct. 26th, that "His Majesty
lay Wednesday night at Newbury, at one Mr. Weston's house,
where he was on Thursday morning, it not being possible for
him to get to Oxford, by reason of the great floods." If we can
believe "Mercurius Aulicus," we are spared a deal of unnecessary
investigation in endeavouring to identify the house where the King
stayed, for that paper tells us it was demolished ! The following is
the version given by the Eoyalist chronicler " Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1644,
next morning after His Majesty's army was drawn off from Newbury,
the Eebells very eagerly entered the town, where they quickly mani-
fested their strength was much abated, but their malice as high as ever,
for the first enquiry they made was for the house where His Majesty
himself had lodged, and no sooner found it out, but instantly (like
perfect Eebells) they layd the house flat with the ground, and if that
was not sufficient to speake them the worst of Eebells, they took that
very Bed whereon they guessed His Sacred Majesty had lyen, hacked
the bed-poasts with their swords, cut and slasht the bedding, and
scattered the pieces up and down the streets, evidencing themselves
* In the "Subsidy Rolls," Pub. Record Office, the name is spelt "Daunce,"
and also in a petition from the inhabitants of Newbury, 1625-6, in respect to the
town's purchasing the manorial rights of the Crown. In Blewbury Church is a
monument to the wife of Sir John Daunce, and daughter of Thos. Latton of
Chilton, near Ilsley. The name has gradually been reduced to "Dance."
1G4 APPENDIX.
the most perjur'd, bloody, malitious covenanters, that sweare they
fight for His Majestie's Person and Honour! and yet are wild because
they cannot murther him, from whose mercies God Almighty still
preserve him."
From the above accounts it appears quite clear that the King slept
at Mr Dunce's house on Tuesday night, and at Mr. Weston's on Wed-
nesday night. (The latter was Mayor of Newbury the following year,
1645, and also in 1652.) In the "History of Newbury" (p. 47), it is
stated that a certain Mr. Hoar, a wealthy clothier,* who appears, from
local records, to have been a person of good position in the town,
gave up his house, on the west side of Chepe Street, for the residence
of the King. The house was on the spot now occupied by the
residence of Mr. E. P. Plenty, of the Eagle Iron-works.
When the army, however, was drawn out from the town and quar-
tered at Shaw, Donnington, and Speen, the King probably took up his
residence at Shaw House, placed at his disposal by Sir Thomas
Dolman, then a youth, scarcely of age, "which place," says
Richard Blome in his "Britannia," published in 1673, "had the
good fortune in the time of the late war to receive His Majesty
and His Majesty now reigning" (Charles H., then Prince of Wales).
At Shaw House a brass plate is inserted in the wainscot of a room
on the east side of the mansion, to commemorate an attempt made
to shoot the King while dressing at the window. It was probably
placed here by the zealous antiquary, Mr. Petit Andrews, F.S.A.,
author of a "Continuation of Henry's History of England," who
was born at Shaw in 1737, and contributed much valuable local
information to Mores' " Collections towards a Parochial History of
England." The brass plate is thus inscribed "The Hole in the
Wainscot, which appears through the aperture of this plate, was
occasioned by a ball discharged from the musquet of a Parliamentary
Soldier at King Charles the First, while he sate dressing himself
in this Projection. The ball was found and preserved during many
years, but is now lost. This regicidal attempt seems to have been
made on Oct. 26 or 27, A.D. 1644."
Then follows an extract from Blome, a portion of which is given above,
and a quotation from Ludlow's "Memoires," vol. i. pp. 129 and 131.
On another plate on the opposite side of the window, a second record
of the event is placed in a frame, in the centre of which is a medallion
portrait of Charles I., with this inscription
"HANC JTTXTA FENESTRAM
REX CAROLTJS PRIMUS
INSTANTE OBSIDIONE
SCLOPPOPETR^: ICTTJS TANTTJM NON
TRAJECTTTS FUIT
DlE OCTOB. XXVII, MDCXUTV."
The above tradition of the bullet is probably not to be wholly
disregarded, although the reference to a "siege" of the house is a
mistake.
* The "Diary or Exact Journal," Oct. 24 to 31, 1644, certifies that the King
lodged "in a Cloathier's house," but does not mention the name of its owner.
APPENDIX. 165
HI. EED HEATH AND EED HILL.
Many opinions have been given as to the locale of this Heath and
Hill, mentioned by Sir Edward Walker, Symonds, and other writers
as the spot where the King's army held their rendezvous on their
arrival in the neighbourhood of Newbury, Tuesday, 22nd October,
1644; and where Col. Boys received the honour of knighthood from
the King. Some have placed it on Greenham Common, others at
Snelsmore; but the view now advanced is that the camping-ground
was more probably on the Wash and adjacent Heath, where we still
find the names of Bed Heath and Bed Hill (marked on the Plan).
It appears that the Boyalists were surprised to find the Parliamen-
tarians in such close proximity on Tuesday, 22nd October, on which
day their whole army, according to Cromwell (a most exact narrator
of the campaign), was in the neighbourhood of Aldermaston, on the
way from Basingstoke, with the intention (as he thought) of intercept-
ing the King by a direct advance towards Newbury. The Earl of
Manchester, however, much to Cromwell's chagrin, who objected to
such a retrograde movement, marched the next day to Beading, giving
the Boyalists an idea that they retreated to avoid coming to an
engagement (see above, p. 115). When it was found that the enemy
followed so closely on their track, the divergence from the direct route
to Newbury from Kingsclere, and the holding-back of the main body
of the King's army on Bed Heath, may have been advised as a pre-
cautionary measure, in case the enemy should attack with his vastly
superior force on the east side of Newbury; the King's position on
the south of the town (which was occupied by a body of his horse)
having the advantage of the Biver Kennet as a barrier to a surprise.
Sir Edward Walker* mentions that "the King caused his army
to be so quartered as to do but little duty, and yet to be secure
from the rebels, who (it was thought) would not attempt us in that
place, and whence his army could not conveniently remove till he had
done his endeavours for the relief of Basing, and that the Earl of
Northampton, with that additional strength he took with him to
Banbury, was returned."
Again, a Parliamentary Journal of the 26th Oct.f tell us: -'The
King's forces have pulled up Thatcham bridge [over the Kennet
between Thatcham and Greenham Common] to prevent our forces,
if they can, following after them. Our Pioneers are laying the
Bridge again, because the waters are too high to pass over the
fords," intimating that the King's forces were on the south side
of the Kennet. The "Parliamentary Scout," of the same date,
is more explicit on the subject "We are informed (it reports) that
this day at night our armies were very near the King's; that
we had declined the way of the Bridge, by which we should have
entered on the south side of the King's powers, and that we had
gone up by the Bivulet [the Lamborne] which runs by Donning-
ton Castle, and had forded it above . . . and were got upon
the north between Oxford and the King " [the hill before Shaw].
* Histor. Discourses, p. 110.
t "Perfect Passages ill Parliament," Oct. 26, 1644.
166 APPENDIX.
Another Diurnal* says "The west was open to the King to bring in
provisions: that he pulled up some bridges about Thatcham to hinder
the advance of the Parliamentary forces, by reason of which it was
considered His Majesty had resolved to retreat westwards." On the
evening of the 27th October, a Spy informed the Scout-Master General
[Sir Samuel Luke], that the King's .army had arrived at Newbury on
Tuesday, and were "quartered on the heath," the King and his chief
officers lodging in the town, and that this day, about sun-setting, a
party of horse left the camp to march to the relief of Banbury. f
The most precise delineator, however, of this disputed rendezvous is
Capt. Q-wynne, who, in his "Memoirs," ch. xi, says "The second
Newbury fight we drew upon the same ground the enemy fought us
upon the first battle," in which the Captain was also engaged.
Gwynne mentions, in the next chapter, that the King marched with
his army from the camp "faire and orderly through thetowne into the
spacious Spinham-lands," clearly indicating that the troops advanced
from the south side of Newbury. Further on, in ch. xv., Gwynne
adds "And the Messenger that came to the King at Newbury, and
brought him intelligence that Banbury was besieged, might as well at
the same instant told him that on the other side of the town were
three armies [that] waylaid him, then perhaps he had thought fit to
keep on the same side of the town he was on, and plant some of his
great guns against the town's end and the river-side, and let the
enemy which pursued him fall upon his cannons' mouth (if they liked
it) rather than he did fall upon theirs, and if the King did approve of
so doing, then he could easily march away that night and send to his
army at Oxford and to the Earl of Northampton to come and meet
him where he thought convenient."
From Kingsclere to Red Heath or Common the whole district was
at that time one continuous heath, traversed by tracks and roads well
enough adapted for the passage of an army, and enabling them to
avoid the danger of marching through an enclosed country by narrow
roads. There is apparently no reason why Greenham Common, had it
been the rendezvous, should not have been correctly described, as even
in "Domesday Book" it is called "Greneham;" and in all seven-
teenth-century maps and documents contemporary with the war it is
properly designated ; and, indeed, had the King's army been encamped
here, their position could readily have been observed by the Parlia-
mentarians on the corresponding heights at Shaw. The existence of
the names "Red Heath" and "Red Hill" in the neighbourhood of
the Wash certainly makes this locality more compatible with the
narratives than other sites devoid of these distinctive appellations.
Cromwell, in his narrative, describes the field adjoining Clay Hill as
"Red Hill field," and this has induced a consideration as to the site
of the King's camp on the 22nd Oct. being on that side of the town;
but this view does not prove tenable; for on the near approach of the
Parliamentarians on Friday, this hill was occupied by a detachment of
horse under Prince Maurice, but not in any strength.
* "Diary or Exact Journal," Oct. 24 to 31, 1644.
t Sir Samuel Luke's Letter-Book, Egerton MSS.
APPENDIX. 167
IV. ACCOUNT OF THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBUEY.
From a MS. belonging to the Earl de la Warr, in the "Fourth Report
of the Historical MSS. Commission" p. 297.
"Oct. 30, 1644. CHAS. MTTBBY to SIB JOHN BEBKELEY.
" About three in the afternoon Waller and Essex came with
a resolution to carry all clear before them, which they had not much
failed of, if they had known how ill our horse and some of Prince
Maurice's foot behaved. The truth is, they had beaten our foot from
the pase [pass], and routed most of our horse before ever they
them; but Lord Barrard [Bernard Stuart] that knows not how to
retreat, charged so handsomely that he beat them back before they
could see the disaster we were in ; it was dark, they could not pursue.
Amongst us was nothing known but utter ruin and loss of all, so that
the King was advised, with his son and some lords and three troops
(having but one way to pass to go away) which my Lord Bar.
commands, to get away and join Prince Eupert; so the King got to
Dennington Castle by 9 at night, and thence took guides that brought
him safe next day by night to Bath. It seems that after the King
had gone, the army rallied and marched that night to Wallingford,
and found that we lost not above 200 or 300 men, and six cannons lost
at the Hill toward Hungerf ord : for at the other pass and at a house
which Geo. Lile maintained we beat them sufficiently at the same
instant that the rebels were so successful at the other end. No man
could have done action of more courage or resolution than he did that
day; he killed above 500 and took two cannons." (2pp.)
V. NEWBUEY CHUECH AS A PEISON AND HOSPITAL.
At the time of the War, Newbury Church was used both as a prison
and a hospital. There is a most interesting petition among the State
Papers, in the Public Eecord Office, from John Bonwak, a distinguished
sufferer in the Eoyal cause, and prisoner at Newbury. Shortly after the
Eestoration he sued for some compensation. The signatures attached
to his petition are by men of note and name. He alleges that he had
been Clerk of Eygate, and at the time of his petition was Eector of
Newdigate. He asks for letters mandatory to the University of Cam-
bridge for his D.D. degree. He had left Christ's College, Cambridge
(as many other University men did) in 1643, and entered the army to
fight for the King. After the Second Battle, he says, he was stripped,
imprisoned, and almost starved to death in Newbury Church. Thence
he marched barefoot to London House, and was there again im-
prisoned. He escaped, and ventured his life for the Eestoration.
Attached to his petition, as testimony, is the da/rum et venerdbile nomen
of Jeremy Taylor, also that of Lord Mordaunt and eight others, who
testify that, rather than comply with the ruling powers, he had refused
several good livings, and, with his wife and six children, had remained
on one of 20 per annum.
168 APPENDIX.
VI. BOXFOKD.
There is no parochial record at Boxford of any local incidents con-
nected with the military operations which took place in the immediate
neighbourhood during the years 1 643-4-5 ; but in the Register for the
succeeding year there is the following entry " Thomas Adams,
souldier of Cap. Pym's troope was buryed April ye 5, 1646." In
one of the later Parish Books the following curious memorandum
is made:
"Thomas Dore declar'd in ye presence of us whose names are here-
unto subscribed, that he remember'd in the Oliverian rump times,
when subjects rebell'd and did wht seem'd right in their own eyes,
that William and Ralph Coxhead pull'd down and carry 'd away ye
very well turn'd decent rails fixed and placed across the rising upper
part of the Chancel to separate the Communion Table, and that they
were carry'd by the above-named persons to one Edwd. Pokes
(Schoolmaster), who then lived on Westbrooke side, who with his
scholars triumph' d and rejoiced with those Puritans over this sacrile-
gious spoil and broke in pieces and burnt the same. Attested and
declar'd in the presence of Anthony Tassell, rector, and Lucy Tassell,
April 11, 1721."*
There is a tradition preserved in the village that the Parliamentary
soldiers, on more than one occasion, stabled their horses in the church.
In this Church there is a monument, of neat design, to the Rev.
Jas. Anderson, rector of the parish, who died in 1672. It has the
appearance of marble, but it is made of clunch or hard chalk. The
inscription describes Mr. Anderton as "a determined defender of the
orthodox faith, even among the Rebels." This clergyman figures
conspicuously in the "Life of Oliver Sansom," the Berkshire Quaker,
with whom he had a long religious controversy.
* However much such excesses as were practised at this period are to be
lamented, it must be borne in mind that the destroyers were acting in many
instances against their will, and in strict accordance with an ordinance which
had passed the Hoiises of Lords and Commons, and which enacted that all altars
and tables of stone, with candlesticks, basons, &c., should be taken away and
demolished; and also that all communion-tables should be removed from the
east end to the body of all churches and chapels ; all rails before any altar or
communion-table, likewise, to be taken away, and the chancel levelled; all
crucifixes, crosses, images in and upon all and every church or churchyard to be
destroyed; and none of the like " superstitious ornaments " to be allowed in any
church, chapel, or other place throughout the land. The execution of this order
was delegated to the Churchwardens of each parish, with severe penalties in case
of default. Exception only was made to the monument of any King, Prince, or
Nobleman, "which hath not been commonly reputed to be taken for a saint."
Complaints having been made to the Parliament of laxity in performing this
Order of the House, a second Ordinance was issued to the Committee of each
County, peremptorily enforcing the execution of the decree. See "Journals of
House of Commons, Aug. 27, 1643, and Aug. 19, 1645."
APPENDIX. 169
VH. BUCKLEBUKY.
The Eegister of this Parish (remarkably perfect from the first year
in which such records were appointed to be kept, 1538) contains the
following interesting entries, which have been courteously communi-
cated by the Vicar, the Eev. T. Watts.
" 1 644, April 20. Win. Basset being slaine by a souldier was buried.
" ,, April 29. Eichd. Buxie a soldier of the Kinge was slaine by
a Parliament souldier at Chappell Eow and buried.
" 1 645, Oct. 29. Mr. Eichard Warde a Lieutenant for the Parliament
was slaine and buried.
Dec. 9. Henry Hall being slaine was buried."
The famous Guy Carleton was Vicar of this parish during the
troublous times of the Civil War. Walker gives the following
account of him: "He was of a good and ancient family in Cumber-
land, and educated at Queen's College in Oxford, where he became
successively Poor Child, Taberder, Fellow, and Proctor. Upon the
breaking out of the Eebellion he faithfully adhered to his Majesty's
interest, and did him considerable service. He was first driven from
his rich living in the North; afterwards, coming into Berkshire, he
was patronized by Mr. Gravets of Hartley Court, who presented him
to the living of Bucklebury, in the right of his Guard Sir Henry
Winchcombe, from whence also he was driven by the Tryers. After
which he was likewise seized and imprisoned in Lambeth House,
whither his wife secretly conveyed him a cord, by the help of which
he let himself down through a window towards the Thames; but, the
cord not reaching to the ground, he was forced to drop from it, and in
the fall dislocated one of his bones, but a boat being provided for him,
he was soon carried off, and lay concealed during the cure, to pay for
which his poor wife was forced to sell her very bed. After his
recovery he fled beyond the seas to his Majesty; in the meantime one
of his daughters was maintained by Mrs. Gravets; and his wife and
two other daughters were supported in London, partly by some
charities, and partly by their own labour. Mr. Carleton returned
with his Majesty from beyond the seas, became one of his Chaplains,
D.D., Dean of Carlisle, Prebendary of Durham, and in 1671 was
advanced to the Bishopric of Bristol, and in 1678 translated from
thence to Chichester. He died in the year 1685." Walker's " Suffer-
ings of the Clergy," pt. ii. p. 214.
. THE LICENSE OF WAE.
The following letter, from one of their own officers, will convey
some idea of the excesses committed by the Parliamentary soldiers
in this neighbourhood, and of the grievous evils attendant on a state
X
170 APPENDIX.
of civil warfare, such indeed as were also attributed with perhaps
equal truth by the Parliamentary party to the Royalist soldiers.
From Col. "Wm. Ball to Speaker Lenthall; dated from Heading,
March 1, 1645.
" Sir, I have been 10 days at Reading upon the command of the
House for the ordering of the recruits for the army, and find the
employment very troublesome ; yet the service succeeding indifferently
well answereth my paines and expectations ; but that which exceed-
ingly affects me is the continual clamour of the soldiers at Newberry
and country people thereabout, the soldiers having almost starved the
people where they quarter, and are half-starved themselves for want
of pay, and are become very desperate, raging about the country,
breaking and robbing houses and passengers, and driving away sheep
and other cattell before the owners' faces. Every day bringeth more
instances of these outrages. I shall mention only two amongst others
the country people are now relating unto me. Some of the soldiers
were driving away the sheep of Andrew Pottinger, of Wolhampton, a
freeholder of 60 per annum, a very considerable man for the Parlia-
ment, having a wife and 6 young children, who endeavouring to
secure his sheep, the soldiers struck him on the head so that he became
presently speechless, and dead within four hours, to the great grief and
sorrow of the neighbourhood. Another party of nyne soldiers, armed
with muskets, came yesterday to the house of Mr. Illsley, of Beenham,
and broke open his door, to the great affright of his wife, he being
absent, and hearing of it, got together his neighbours and so beat the
soldiers that they were all wounded and not able to return to their
quarters. I will give many more instances were it necessary, but this
I thought fitt to discover unto you, that the soldiers and country people
are all grown desperate, and continue one against the other that we
are like to have little other than killing and robbery, if there be not a
speedy supply of money for the soldiers. I beseech you to take the
opportunity to acquaint the House with the condition of these parts,
which under the most terrible time of the enemy was nothing so
badd. I am sorry, I have such a badd subject, and shall therefore
conclude, craving leave to subscribe myself, Sir, your humble servant,
WILL. BALL."* (Tanner MSS., Bodl. Libr., vol. 60-2, No. 491).
Another case of outrage and pillage, in this instance countenanced
by the Parliamentary officers, occurred at the house of the unfortunate
Sir Humphrey Forster at Aldermaston: "While Sir Humphrey,
Sir Richard Kingsmill, his lady, and some other friends, consisting of
Mr. Francis Smith, Mr. John Wright, Mr. Thos. Grove, Mr. James
Weare, Mr. John Awberry, and Mr. John Young, were quietly sitting
at dinner, a party of 60 or 80 Parliamentary troopers, headed by three
officers, with swords drawn and pistols cocked, burst into the room, to
the great terror of the company, having previously dangerously
wounded the butler at the door, and demanded that all the apartments
in the house should be showed them. This was readily granted by
* This was not the Capt, Ball, a famous Royalist freebooter, stationed at
Beading in 1644, whom Sir Jacob Astley complains of to Prince Rupert in a
letter given in Warburton's " Prince Rupert," vol. ii, p. 358-9.
APPENDIX. 171
the affrighted Sir Humphrey, who was in terror of his life, one of the
troopers telling him that the wounds his man had received ought to
have been in his (Sir Humphrey's) heart. After examining the house,
and taking every valuable article they thought worth their attention,
these servants of the Parliament broke open the stable doors, while
others searched the Park, and succeeded in canning off eight valuable
horses, which they fully equipped with saddles, bridles, &c. To
prevent any alarm being given, four of the troopers were quartered in
the house for the night. Capt. Waldron, Lieut. Seymour, and the
other officer were all old offenders, having being previously bound
over for robbery and other barbarities committed in the County
of Wilts." (Tanner MSB., Bodl. Libr. vol. , No. 199.)
The "Mercurius Aulicus," the chief Oxford paper, of Thursday,
Nov. 14, 1644, referring to the inhumanity of the Parliamentarians,
recites the following instances of "the bloudy disposition of the Rebells,
as well to their own creatures as His Majesty's good subjects." But
such tales as these must be taken cum grano salts, no story being too
foul or too false to be refused a place in the Journals and pamphlets
issued almost daily by both parties. "We have it most certainly
advertised that the day after the last Newbury fight when His
Majesty's army was drawn off, the good Earle of Manchester went
into Mr. Doleman's house at Shaw (near Newbury), where he found
some wounded souldiers. Colonell Q-eorge Lisle (who so gallantly
commanded those Guards the day before) left a note in the house,
wherein he certified that certaine hurt men (some whereof were His
Majesty's souldiers, the rest were prisoners, whom the Colonell tooke
in the last fight), which could not at present be removed from that
place, without hazzard of the poor men's lives. Therefore desired all
gentlemen, officers, and souldiers, whom it might concerne, to afford
them protection and assistance, as he had done, for as muche as the
poore men were unable to help themselves. But the Lord Kimbolton
[Manchester] and his Rebells, no sooner entered the house, but most
barbarously they knockt these poore wretches' braines out, not merely
his Majesty's souldiers, but their owne men also (for the bloody fit was
now upon them), lifting up boards, breaking down wainscot, and
pulling out the very barres of the windowes, pretending that His
Majesty was concealed in that house, else (said they) the Popish
Malignants would never have fought so desperately to maintaine it.
Therefore they vowed to find him (the poore men's bloud not dry upon
their hands), else they would put the Maister of the House to death.
In conclusion (having left that house) they did all mischief imaginable
to the owner of it (Mr. Doleman), leaving him not so much as cloaths
to put on, nor anything else either in or about his house.
"Nor was their behaviour much better to their well-wishers there-
abouts, for when that Faction, out of their zeal, brought them divers
carriages loaden with provisions, these grateful Rebells took from
them both their horses and carts in requital of the curtesie. And to
make their accompt just, they took a farewell survey of their deare
Society at Newbury, and for a Farewell plundered the town most
equally, leaving them to contemplate the Reward of Rebellion, which
is to be used worse by those for whose sake they have been most
seditious."
172 APPENDIX.
The following day, "Mercurius Aulicus" has another little incident
to relate: A royalist soldier (a Welchinan*), having been taken
prisoner, and finding no way of escape, promised to take up arms for
the Parliament. On perceiving the Parliamentary army preparing to
leave Newbury, and being at that time sentinel outside the prison,
where some 30 royalist soldiers were confined, he gave the prisoners
his lighted match and a horn of gunpowder, for them to put into the
lock, and blow open the door. This was so well done that the Welch-
man and the 30 other soldiers all came safe to His Majesty's army.
"Had the Eebells thus escaped," adds 'Aulicus,' "they would surely
have said it was a miracle."
The Anti-Eoyalist Journal, "Mercurius Britannicus," repudiates
the "slander" against the Earl of Manchester "about the Shaw-house
business;" and as to the breaking down of the wainscot, &c. in search
for the King, satirically asks, " Has his ill-success in the late battle
made a great king so little as to escape into a mouse-hole ?"
The following anecdote will show to what peril property was
exposed, which had to pass the western road: In May, 1645, a party ^of
west-country clothiers obtained from the Royalist Governor of Devizes a
pass for London, and entered into a bond to pay him more than 400
excise on the cloth they were to convey to London. As they approached
Newbury, Sir John Boys sallied out on them and demanded the full
amount in the King's name. No expostulations could save the poor
clothiers, they were forced to raise the money in Newbury, and after
some days started on their expedition. They had not gone far before
some Royalist troopers from Wallingford Castle pounced upom them,
seized their teams, baggage and all, and took them into the castle,
where the Governor, Col. Blague, not only forcibly detained their
goods, but suffered his troopers to search their pockets. The end of
it all was that, after much vexation and delay, the carriers obtained
their final discharge by consenting to pay an additional 10 on every
pack of cloth, or leaving an equivalent in value. (Waylen's "Hist.
Marlborough," pp. 221 2.).
Notwithstanding what has been above stated with regard to the
lawlessness of both the Royalist and the opposing forces, there is
favourable evidence in another direction, in the following letter from
a gentleman named Anthony Vaux, dated "Newburie, Nov. 4, 1642,"
to a friend in London. Giving an account of the proceedings of his
Majesty's army in Berks, the letter shows that, at least in the early
days of the war, there was little demoralization among the soldiers of
the Royalist army.
"Rt. Worthy Sir. Cannot but be obliged unto you for your con-
tinuall favours unto me and my son Robert at Lincoln's Inn. I have
understood by your letter the forwardnesse of the City of London, and
the strength of men, ordnance, and other implements of engines in all
places for the resisting of His Majesty's forces. I confess possession
is IX points of the Law, so their managing the City with strength is a
sure ground of resistance, but I believe to little purpose; for on
Tuesday, I rid to Oxford and through the roads of His Majesty's
* There was a strong contingent of Welchmen in the King's service engaged
at Newbury.
APPENDIX. 173
army, which, exceeds the number of your relation ; and having spent
the day in the city, I came late to my house at Newburie, and there
was no injury offered me by the way, or had forcibly taken from me
the value of a point, though it hath been related that neither horsemen
or footmen, waggon or carrier can travell about but the soldiers make
them their prey. I assure you they are kept in good order without
doing pillage as is related."
The writer further adds that while at Oxford he saw at least 50
burials, and "in an hour's respite" as many more, which he concludes
were some of those slain at the late fight (Edgehill). At his Inn,
"the Catherine Wheel," he chanced upon Secretary Nicholas, with
whom he drank part of a pint of wine, and learnt the King's
intentions, which he relates. He mentions that Heading has been
pillaged of at least 5000 yards of cloth; and that divers troops of
horse and foot are billeted at Thatcham, besides great store at
Newbury. Reference is also made to the issuing of the King's
warrant for plate and money, for food and sustenance for the troops,
which is being brought to His Majesty in abundance, the treasure
being conveyed upon wheels, and the money coined while travelling.
It is a most excellent invention, he says, of Leniell, his Majesty's
engraver, who, it was thought, was cut off at the last fight at Kineton
(Edgehill).
IX. THE CAPTURE OF LADY FORTH, COUNTESS
OF BRENTFORD.
Extracted from " Memoirs of some Actions in which Collonel John Birch
was engaged, written by \_Roe~\ his Secretary.' 1 ''*
[The text where printed in italic type denotes corrections made in
the MS. by Col. Birch. The original reading is given in the lettered
foot-notes.]
"And the next day neere the evening, the Lord gave a great
victory [the action at Newbury on the 27th Oct.], though the evill
prosecution of it vexed you more then the other cheered you. How-
ever, with a few other gentlemen that were there with you, and suche
as you could gather up, the pursuite was followed by you. And after
noone you being well wearied in the twoe nights and dayes (before)
you dismissed your partie, and yourselfe wayted on by Maior Ashley,
your regiment quartermaster, at that time, my selfe, returned late at
night towards Newberry, where the head quarters were. And rideing
easily 2 miles short of Newberry in the way from Hungerford, my
* "Military Memoir of Col. John Birch," edited by the Rev. T. W. Webb, M.A.,
F.R.A.S. Printed for the Camden Society, 1873.
a " vnto Hungerford and 4 or 5 miles beyond " cancelled.
174 APPENDIX.
selfe being before you, I heard a noise of horse and coaches comeing
down the way towards vs.* Wherevpon I giveing you notice, you
stood a little, and presently affirmed it was the enimy; for we had
neither horse nor coaches at the head quarters. And they comeing on
ifast, you had noe more time, but only to vtter these words, "What
ever you see me doe, lett the like bee don by you." This was about
eight c of the clocke at night, the 30th day of October, 1 644, the moone
shineing pretty light : and instantly therevpon you turnd your horse
in a broad cart way into the f eilds on your right hand out of the comon
road to Hungerford. And instantly after vs about three pikes length
they come into the feild the same way; and comeing on fast some of
them were got vp even with us; but your fare being towards the
west, and the moone being in the east-south-east, your face was soe
shadowed thereby that they could not easily discover you ; but as, as I
suppose, takeing you to bee of their owne company, passed on with
their whole partie, consisting of 96 mounted men, three coaches and a
coach- wagon, with 30 led horses, as you presently tould your quarter-
master, saying you had connted them, which I was at that time in too
great a feare to doe. And soe soone as the last of this company was
done, you turned backe your horse and wee likewise : and haveing
gon backe about 40 paces, you mett on(e) of their company, to whome
clapping your pistoll you bid him hold his peace, and turne backe
with you, else hee was a dead man; which hee did; and carrieing him
backe into the lane hee confessed hee was one belonged to the King's
Lord Generall, the Earle of Forth, whoe then past by; and those with
him are his guard; and in the coaches his ladie and some other ladies,
and the coach wagon was full of his bagadge, hee being come out of
Dorington Castle into which hee was forced to fly the night before in
the battaile. Vpon this relation you instantly turned for vs and said,
' I knowe not in what way God will bring it about ; but I am very
confident that all these coaches, horses and men will bee mine: nay
they are mine. Come, therefore; letts vse the meanes.' And vpon
that rid sharply with your prisoner towards Newberry; and comeing
there gave this account to the Lord Manchester of what you had seen,
and what danger you had escaped, desireing of him a partie of horse,
and you would give him a good account of that company. But hee
haveing long watched was soe extreame heavy with sleepe, you could
not have one ready word from him. Wherevpon you thought of
another course, and that was, to goe to the houses where souldiers
lay, and see if you could gett vp a partie by your perswasion, and for
hopes of prize, which you failed not to promise them, as was after-
wards well performed. By thiz meanes you gott vp 47 resolved horse,
whereof foure weare trumpeters; and away you marched; and vpon the
way Lieftennant Caltroop asked you how many you judged the enimy
b ' ' the comeing downe ' ' cancelled. The ' ' Mercurius Aulicus " of 4 Nov. , 1644,
states that Lord Forth escaped from the Castle during a dense fog, which had
prevailed for some time. The route he took would appear to have been from the
Castle to the village of Bagnor, where two fords were crossed, and the Lamborne
Road reached ; thence to Stockcross and into the Bath Road by Gravel Hill.
Here it is doubtless, that the horses aud coaches were heard "coming down."
Distances given in those days, when there was a want of accurate information
generally, are not to be relied on.
c "eight" altered to "10."
APPENDIX. 175
to be: to which you replyed, 'They are 30;' and then turned to your
quartermaster and said 'If my heart faile mee not, noe bodies else
shall for the number;' and soe went on, your selfe being still a
distance before to discover any noyse, and likewise to finde the way
they were gon ; which you did at every turneing with your bare
hands, f eelling in the darke which way the coach wheeles turned ; it
being now about 2 of the clocke and somewhat darke. Thus wee
went on about 1 6 miles ; yourself e still before ; and being at a turneing
and feeling which way the wheeles had gon, one standing neere by
you, at a gate, as you after informed vs, vsed these words 'What
rouge is that there?' for then it was neere breake of the day and
very darke. You doubting, as indeed it was, that the wyly general!
might have left a reareguard, and hee might bee a centry, and you
had better goe to him : possibly you might make good the gate till
wee come vp (whoe weare eleven score yards behind) rather then lett
him and his ffellowes come out vpon you; which assuredly they would
doe, if they were souldiers. There vpon you takeing out yur rapier
and holding the point of it downeward vnder your rocket, went to the
gate to him with your horse as hee was then in your hand; your
pretence buing to aske him the way: but another coming out to A him
clapt his face over the gate close to you, and though darke yet
discovered you, and pulling out his sword, with an oathe, e not to be
named, as you after intormed vs, said you were a Koundhead : but you
being more readye then he believed, made such a hole in his skinn as
brought a groane from him. The other starting, but not seeing the
danger, you said with soe loud a voice, that wee heard, whoe were
then a good way/ short, 'What's the matter, gentlemen, doe you
mean to abuse a man travelling on his way?' and with that more of
them coming to the gate and endeavoring to fforce it, you made it
good with your rapier, vntill instantly the trumpet (whoe had charge
what to doe some hours before) comeing up, and finding you engaged,
sounded a charge. Wherevpon the partie rushing upon that reare-
gaurd, being twelve, were quickly dispatched; and from some of them
that were then alive, you did learne that the Earle of Forth was then
refreshing himselfe in that village : which soe sone as you herd, you
fuest, as indeed it was, that the enimy would take the alarum and
rawe into a body, and then the busines might be hazarded. And
therevpon, instantly, the lane being pretty broad, and day appearing
at the very instant, God was soe good as to direct the timeing of tha^
busines, you ordered the former devision being neare g thirty prime men
and horse to go on with you, A the rest of the partie being almost tired
were to march on 3 score paces after, and one trumpeter with them
sounding a march; and soe to continue till they had ffurther order
from you. In this posture marching a good trott, the first partie,
where your selfe was, entring into a little comon i in the midle of the
village, there, close by you, was the Lord Euthven draweing his men
together, and at that very instant the trumpets that were behinde
sounded a march and you cried aloud, "Gentlemen, letts not stay for
the body of horse but fall on them instantly; " which at a high trott
A standing by. e another (!). / 40 paces. g drew out.
h for a f orlorne ; and. i towne.
176 APPENDIX.
was done and they presently routed, haveing not draune 40 together.
This was noe sooner done, but, musket shot distance, as many more,
whoe had then taken the alarum, were then gott together. Some of
your partie seeing them said, ' Looke, Sir, backe yonder is a partie
more.' You replied, 'The same are rallied againe, down with them: '
and imediatly vpon a full gallop you charged them. During theis
2 charges all the coaches and wagon were runne away../ This busines
being pretty well over, and all that were in those twoe parties fallen
or taken, with the generall's armes in his trumpet ; k none escaped but
the Earl himself e, Collonel Feilding, and three more, who by reason of
the goodness of their horse, after they had mett with some blowes,
leapt of the comon into the closes, you being between them and the
lanes end, by which meanes they escaped. Your selfe presently, and
about twelue I more whoe were able, pursued after the coaches, and
haveing gon at a great speed four or five miles you were close at them
in a village, where God was wonderfully seen for you. For a consider-
able part of the Queen's regiment of horse quarterd then there, who
could time enough to the flight : which you discovering ly seeing
souldiers stir hastily about, presently cried to the people as you were
vpon a hard speed after the coaches, ' Gentlemen, lay out quarters
in this towne presently for my Lord Manchester's regiment of horse : '
and further called loud to your quartermaster, whoe then was most
gallantly as hee had been all the morneing at your backe, sayeing,
' Quartermaster, in the next village let Sir William Waller's regiment
quarter.' Ypon this and heareing the trumpets, whoe were then
farre behinde, sound, all the souldiers there, three times the number of
your partie, runn away ; and before our faces, some ridd out back
wayes : most footed it into the woods ; and you had an opertunity to
ffall on the partie with the coaches, whoe never offered to strike, but
cried for mercy ; not one man of them escaped ; coaches and coach
wagon and all the ladies taken, with 57 men brought prisoners ; and
of their whole partie but the 5 aforesaid escaped. Of horses of theirs,
and those tooke from the Queen's regiment flieing as aforesaid you
brought away 107, besides twenty one horse that were on the coaches
and wagon. And now being 20 miles from Newberry, and in the
enemies country, yet it pleased God soe to bless you that you brought
safe away that day all the prisoners to your quarters neere Nuberry ;
although your partie was soe small that you were forced some times to
put one man to gaurd 3 prisoners. This mercy of God, though I
doubt not but you have it in perfect memory, yet his hand being soe
plainely discovered in it, I could not omitt it, and hope the time you
spend in reading of it will not seem long."
NOTE. It is impossible to speak with certainty as to the place where the carriages
were captured ; but, from the distance stated, Marlborough would seem to be the
town referred to ; for it is about 20 miles from Newbury, and at that time was
occupied by a body of the King's troops. It is also related in one of the
Diurnals, that no sooner had the King passed through Marlborough in his flight
from Donnington Castle, than a small company of the enemy came dashing
through the town, enquiring which route the King had taken. The woods
mentioned in the narrative probably indicate the Forest, through which the
Bath Road passed, as at present.
j " and a partie with them," cancelled.
k i.e. the flag attached to the trumpet. I 20.
APPENDIX. 177
Now although this adventure has been thus minutely recited, and
Birch, by revision and correction, assented to every item, and claimed
to himself the credit of the whole, yet it is curious to find a competitor
starting up with an opposite claim, and appropriating to himself
the origin and management of the exploit. A Lieutenant-Colonel
Thorp, vindicating his character from some aspersions in the " Mercurius
Aulicus," brought out in the ensuing spring a very different version;
and his account introduces us to the obscure names of some others of
the party. His case is thus stated: "At the last fight at Newbury he
was commanded upon the guard betwixt Newbeury and Dennington
Castle after the fight ; he then receiving intelligence from Col. Burch,
drew some fourty men and horse from the guard; so he desired
Col. Burch to go along with him; there were under his command,
officers as followeth : Cap. Draper, Cap. -Lieutenant Evans, Cornet
Mathews, Cap. Draper's Cornet; the intelligence was, that my
Lord Euthin, the King's Q-enerall, his Lady, and divers more with
him [had escaped]. So they pursued them some eight miles, where
they tooke the Q-eneral's lady, and some prisoners of quality with her,
three coaches, and about fifty horse and men, a wagon with much goods
in it; so Lieutenant-Col. Thorpe sent the lady and the prisoners to-
wards Newbury, with Col. Burch and some of the troopers; the said
Lieutenant-Col, pursued the Q-enerall some nine miles further, and
rid in view of him the most of that way, but he having but some two
men with him, and his horse being weary, he returned back to
Newbury, where he and the rest of the party divided the spoile.
This was done without the losse of a man. This is the true relation
of this piece of service." "Kingdom's Weekly Intelligencer," April 8,
1645. Note by the late Eev. John Webb, M.A., F.S.A., to the
"Military Memoir of Colonel John Birch," p. 187.
X. DONNINGTON CASTLE.
. KNIGHT'S RELATION OF THE SIEGE OF
< ' Wee are Come to December 1 645, and Dulbere wtk Cromwell hauinge
Surprissed that farmhousse garrisson of Bassinge, the sd Dulbere wth
too Reagiments of horsse and thre of foote marches into Newbery, of
whose Advance Sr. Jo. Boys beinge advertissed fires Denington towne
and other Ajatiente villages,! as was comanded by the Lds. and
* Clarendon State Papers, No. 2062 ; Bodleian Library.
t The Commons' Journal, 9th April, 1646, has the following entry: "The
humble petition of the poor inhabitants of Deunington in the county of Berks ;
shewing that their houses, stables, barns, and divers other buildings, together
with their goods and household stuff, were burnt and consumed by command of
Sir John Boys, governor of Dennington Castle, amounting to the sum of
Five thousand, two hundred and eighty-three pounds and eighteen shillings,
Y
178 APPENDIX.
Counsell at Oxford, hope is of A noble facultie. his matie and the
Lds. at Oxford conceaued good hopes as expectinge A brave Kesistaunce
to be made by these men who in A former seege hade done soe
gallantly, and of the noble gouerner S. Jo. Boys, A psone Examplarye
for vallore and fidillitie. Dulbere being thuse prevented of his quarters
of Denington towne, wch was wthin halfe A mile of the Castell, and
also of other Ajatiente Villages and howses, loges his partie of foote
in Newbery, and quarters his horsse in the Ajatiente villages, soe yt
Denington Castell may bee sd to bee now bloked, but not beseged,
for yt Dayllie the Castillians made sallyes, broughte in contribution
and such prisoners as Reffused to paye, and the Cuntrye peoplle, as to
a marte, dayely brought in all sorts of provissions, soe faire A corris-
pondancy the Gouerner Sr. Jo. Boys keepte wth the peoplle of the
Cuntrye yt hee was of them generally beloued, anid treuley he
Allwayes gave them A better price for thire Comodities then they could
haue fownde att any of the Ajatiente marketts, and treully soe good A
Justiser was Sr. John yt England had not A beter Regullated guarrisson,
nor better beloued of the Countrye then was this of Denington. Sr. Jo.
and his, not to Seame Remisse or necligente, are studiouse to make all
necessary pvissions [provisions] to preserve the place, and Consideringe
Colonell Browne hade in the former seage made his battery one the
northe side of the Castell and yt from a place called the Queen's oake *
the Castell might bee easilly stormed, beinge A leuell [level] and the
Castell one all other pte standinge vppon A hill, hee thirefore made
A mounte vppon the sd leuell some (200) paces of the Castell, trenche
And pallasads it, the walls beinge heigh, Canone pffe [proof], and the
tope made of greatte thicknes and stronge, as couered over wth brickes
and Earth proped wth greate beames and layed over with packes of
wall [wool] to prevente the execution of morter Granadas.
"The winter beinge very Rude and viollente Dulbere Could not laye
A Closse seage to the Castell, nor well bloke it vppe now that the
Ajatiente villages and howsses were burned, and that Castell Cittuate
vpon A Hill and the Cuntrye About it very blitte [? bleak], hee thire
fore keeps hime self e wthin the towne of Newberye. No guarrisson of
to the utter undoing of the petitioners, their wives, and many children; they
consisting of two-and-thirty families, was this day read.
"The Articles upon which Denaington Castle was surrendered was likewise
read.
"The House called upon a report, in the hands of Mr. Lisle. And
"It is ordered that the debate concerning Sir John Bois, and the articles for
rendition of Dennington Castle, be taken into consideration next after the said
report."
More momentous affairs than the question of the poor sufferers at Donnington
having subsequently occupied the attention of the House, this seems to have been
the only notice taken of the matter. An ancestor of the writer was church-
warden of the parish at the time ; and in that capacity, and also as owner of
property destroyed, he signed the petition. The baptism of his daughter Alice
is the second entry in the parish -register of 1646; the earlier records were lost
during the war.
* The memorable oaks mentioned by Evelyn, in his " Discoiirse on Forest
Trees," as growing in Dennington Park, near Newbury, appear to have stood
between the Castle and the little homestead on the north side, belonging to the
Castle Farm, precisely in the spot mentioned by Capt. Knight. There are still
two or three very fine oaks in this field.
APPENDIX. 179
his Maties was better maned tlien this of Denington, lor besides the
ordinary guaruisson Souldery, thire are Come to IS?- Jo. 140 men that
marche of [off] from Winchester to Wodstocke, and are now com to
Denington. Dulbere Acts littill, only att times to Ayere his souldery,
drawes of of his hoolle [whole] to face the Castell. Nor is Sr. Jo. Boys
Jdlle [idle] but Consults for the holding out the seage, and consideringe
ye scarcittie of -horsmeate sendes Away All the superfluitie of his horsse
for Wallingford, only keepinge a sellecte nomber of 40, and such
gallants they were yt ye Enimie neuer faced the Castell wth theire
horsse wthout some losse. Maior Stuard [Major Stuart] who then
commanded the Eebells horsse in chiff e, A man of Action and of A
turbillente spirite and greate Creuillte [to] All Boyalliste, vsed more
then Emullitarye [emulatory = emulative] offitiousnes to prejuduce the
guaruison, in fine soe Eessollute A man hee was yt hee is Eeported to
pistoll suche of his troopers as turned taylle. An excellente discipline,
for its most pbable A valliante leadere makes daring and bowld
soulders, where on the Contrary no good Service is to be Expected
from a Cowardly Comander, and sertainty stuard Comand As stoute A
Eegiment as was in ye Eebells service, besids hee was A justice and
well Advised soulder, hee toke vpp his quarter at Kings Clere,
thireby keepte his Eegiamente in view, and too secure his quarters
made turne pikes att the streets and bloked all the Avenaes, the
Kentish Eeagimente beinge the other yt wayted vppon Dulbere ware
not soe surcomspecte but toke vppe A more larger quarter loging att
Burclere and other Ajatiente Villages. Sr. Jo. Boys yt may in soe
mannare be sd to bee A man that tackes Eeste in Action, getts
information of the quarteringe of the Enemies horsse and findinge An
Impossibillitie to deall wth Stuarte Eesoulves to attempte some dissigne
vppon his Cuntreymen the Kentish Eeagiamente [Sir Jo. Boys was a
Kentish-man] and knowinge yt hee hade not horsse Suffitiente to
beate vpp theire quarterres sends out a partie of 100 foote whoe
passinge hegge and diche in the deade of the nighte felle vppon
ptie [party] of the Kentish men's quarters, and besides prissoners
brought Awaye About 80 horsse Armes and good pillage, nor doese
Sir Jo. lette dallebere to snorte wth out feere in his hotte beed at
Newbery, but gives hime alsoe soe stronge An AUarme that the
greatist pte of his men Eane out of the towne, and hime selfe wth the
Eest, drew out of the towne, standinge all the Eeste of the night in
Armes. Maior Stuard stormes att this disgrace of the Kentish
Eegiamente, and for a braueada the next daye faces the Castell, and
to puocke [provoke] Sr. Jo. to Sallye sends out a Comanded ptie from
the Eeste of his maine bodie, Sr. Jo. sends out a partie of his
Castillians, who seinge they might well charge the Enemie being A
good distance from their maine bodie and wth all secureed by A good
partie of muscitteres layd in Ambuscada to secure thire Eetreate, f alles
vppon this partie of the Enemie and Eoutts them, killes many and
taikes sume prissoners. Stuarte Advanced to the Eescue, but by the
orderly Eetreate of the Castillians and or partie of foote, Stuarte was
frustrate of his intention, soe hauevinge tacken soe poore A Eeuenge
Eeturned to his quarters wth shame, the Kentish Eegimente Attri-
buts the blame of their losse to their landlords as fauores of the
Caualleres [this presumably refers to the Kentish regiment being
principally composed of landlords and their tenants], Eemoues thire
180 APPENDli.
quarteres to Wodhaye [Woodhay], and for securitie Croudes them
selues vppe in some fewe howsses. Sr. Jo. is Advertised where they
are and howe loged, drawes out A partie of 120 ffoote whoe puided
[provided] wth sleeges [hammers] and hachatts for the breaking vpp
of doores and hauinge hande granades to through [throw] in att
windoes Amongste them, passed heage and diche and in the deade
of the night, falles vppon the Rebelles in foure howsse, Repartinge
them selve, as Sr. Jo. Commanded, in to 4 parties, 30 in A Companye,
in fine or [our] partie breake vpp thire doors vppon them, tocke
26 officers and souldery, and mitte haue taken many more if they
would, but vaulloinge [valuing] their horses more then the men
they brought of betwixte 80 and 90 horsse, Armes, and plunder.
Sr. Jo. neaded not at this time to haue Alaremed dulbere in New-
berye for the Rest of the Kentish Reagimente in a greate
Confusion Rane to the heade quarters and soe Allaramed Dulbere
yt hee drew out of the towne and stoode all nighte in armes,
in fine, Aftere this Dulbere changed his Course, for now hee
sleepte all daye and wachte all night. The Kentish Reagemente
hauinge now loste (200) or more of thire horsse were acquesed by
Dulbere of slothe and Negligence, and hime selfe Receaued A like
checke from the p'liamente, soe yt to preuent the like disgrace hee
keeps A stronge gaurd of horsse daye and nighte betwixte Denington
and Newbery. It were tediouse to Recounte all the passages and
scirmishes passed betwixte the Castillians and Rebels, the wholle
seage beinge spente in suche like actions and beatinge vpp of
quartteres. The Kentish Reagiamente drawes them selues in to
Bolsome howsse, A place duble motted [moated], but Sr. Jo. Boys
would not leauve them soe, and to that purpose, Communycates his
Ressollution wth Colon ell Blake [Blague] of Wallingforde, who joynes
with Sr. Jo. sends A partie of 150 horsse wth whome Sir John Joynes
his, and besides 120 foote with firelokes and other materialles fitte for
beatinge vppe of quarteres, thease togeather stte out of Denington
Castell, and Comes to balsome howsse, the Enimies quarter.* A place
Able to haue wth stoode any parttie yt had not brought Canone wth
them, but whether these presuminge one the strengthe of the place
thought Sr. Jo. woulde not have attempted to beate them vpp in a
place of yt strength, or how: Securitie distroyed them, for as they
Coke shure slepte wth out keepinge guard or sentenells the Royallists
come vnexpectedly vppon them, broke vpp thire gatts, and surprissed
them. This laste action totally brake the Kentish Rigemente who
* The old Manor-house of Balsdon, Balston, or Balsome, near Kintbury,
situate in a picturesque and secluded spot, is surrounded by a double moat,
as described by Capt. Knight. The house, having become ruinous, was taken
down many years since ; but the inner moat, which encompassed it, is nearly entire
and filled with water. The position of the draw-bridge is marked by the spot on
the south side, where the moat has been filled up to form a passage to the garden.
The outer moat has been partly levelled ; but its direction is distinctly traceable.
The Manor of Balsdon was anciently in the family of Polhampton ; at a later
period in that of the Darells. The Loders were of Balsdon Park in 1667 ; and it
was most probably in their hands at the time of Sir John Boys' exploit. Sir
John Darell in 1644 resided at Barton Court. An interesting account of Balsdon
Manor is given in the 1st Vol. of the Newbury Field Club Transactions,
pp. 132-4.
APPENDIX. 181
were once 4 or 500 horsse. in sume maior Stuarte has preserued his
Regiments wth Httell losse to his no little glorye, who in his owne
psone [person] vpon a scirmish vnfortunatley shotte that braue gent,
tustenante Colonell Smith,* liustenante Colonell to S*- humphery
Benette, where of he shorttley deyed.
"S r - Jo. Boys to Revenge Smythe's deathe inquires out Stuart's
Rendesuves, And hauinge intelligence yt hee [was at] Knights howsse
of Greenhame f to a greatte Supper, to whose dafter [daughter] he
* This Lt.-Col. Smith was buried in the chancel of Newbury Church, as
appears by the following entry from the Churchwardens' Accounts, given at the
Vestry on 20 Sept., 164<5.
" Received of Dr. Barker, for Burying Colonel Smith in the Chancel 13 4."
Dr. Barker, who was an eminent physician residing at Newbury in the 17th cent.,
was probably the Colonel's medical attendant. He is described as "the first
physician in the country," in a petition to Mr. Secretary Williamson from a
Mr. Dobson, of Newbury, dated 1666, requesting the Secretary's influence with the
newly restored King, in order that a daughter of a neighbour of his, " a gentle-
woman of good stock, whose husband was loyal to the late King," might be
privately touched for the King's evil. Dr. Barker was nephew to Sir Christopher
Barker, Garter -King- at- Arms, who, by virtue of his office, made the grant of
Arms to John Winchcombe, eldest son of Jack of Newbury, which is given
in extenso in the "Hist, of Newbury," pp. 149, 150.
t Greenham Manor-house, the supposed scene of this tragic occurrence, formerly
stood close to the old chapel which has been recently taken down. Part of the site
of tbe house is now occupied by the modern church John Knight, of Newbury,
by his will, bearing date 1550, leaves to Elizabeth his wife, the parsonage of
Greenham and Crokeham and the free chapel of Crokeham. In 1643, Roger Knight,
of Greenham, was one of the Sequestrators of Delinquents' estates for the county
of Berks; and in Thatcham Church there was formerly a memorial for Roger
Knight, Esq., of Greeiiham who died in 1653, aged 69. Among the Ashmolean
M8S. in the Bodleian Library there is a very curious letter from Mr. Roger Knight,
junior, of Greenham, probably a son of the above mentioned, to the Astrologer
Lilly, affording a remarkable instance of credulity and imposture. Mr. Roger,
finding himself involved in a troublesome " affaire du cceur," desires Lilly's judg-
ment in the matter. He thus minutely describes his birth, personal appearance,
and temperament, for the Astrologer's guidance: "I was borne 3 weeks before my
time, on the 16 Aug., 1619, neare Newbury, but what hour I cannot tell. I am
very tall of stature, but stoop a little at the shoulders. I am leane, having a thin
flaxen hair, of a longish vissage, and a pale complexion, gray eyed, haveing some
impediment in my upper lippe, which hath a small mole on the right side thereof,
also on the right side of my forehead another little mole. I am of melancholly
disposition, having been all the time of my life in an unsettled condition." He
here mentions that his father had propounded a match for him, and describes his
ladye love's horoscope and astrological characteristics, and asks Lilly whether he
had better make any attempt to again bring about the business, his first essay
having failed; if so, what time of year would be best suited to renew his court ; and
he naively wishes to know if he may rely on the Astrologer's promise that he shall
"be settled" by November. In conclusion, Roger, to be prepared for the worst,
requests to be informed, "in case none of the things prophesied should come to
pass," whether there is any probability for him to travel "beyond sea," which he
much desires. An answer was to be sent by the Bristol post, addressed Mr. Roger
Knight, junior, Greenhame, neare Newberry, to be left with the postmaster at
Speenhamland. Mr. Roger adds, that he shall be glad to know if questions can be
solved by letter, as there were divers persons of his acquaintance in the neighbour-
hood of Newbury, "who have had experience," and desire to employ the Astrologer's
art, but cannot maka the journey to London. Roger encloses an 11s. piece for
Mr. Lilly's " present paines." This letter is dated " Sept. 8, at halfe an hour after 4
in the afternoon," but the year is not given. As reference is made to previous visits
to the Seer in 1647 and 48, it was probably written Sept., 1649, at which time Roger
would be 30 years old. (Ashmolean MSS. 423, 130. Bibl. Bodl.) Mr. Roger
182 APPENDIX.
was a servante [suitor], the sd Sr. John sendes out a partie of (60)
ffoote, who came vpon them soe sudently betwexte 7 and 8 of the
cloke [clock] in the yeavininge [evening] in marche, that they f owned
the doores oppen and stuarte att super setting by the side of his
mrs. [mistress], the man would take no quarter [and] was shotte deade
in the place, many prissoners were taken wch not worthe the noming-
natinge J lette passe, in sume, this was the last beatinge vppe of
quarters, f
" "Wee are now come to the moneth of Aprill, J and Dulbier takes the
feller [field] faces the Castell, and the same night f alles a digeinge vnder
the maye poolle wthin 15 score [? paces] of the Castell, Sr. John could
Knight, junior, appears to have overcome his " unsettled condition," as in 1673 he
is described, in Blome's ' Brittannia," as residing at hia paternal estate at Green-
ham ; but the sequel to his love story is not recorded.
Lilly,* in relating his astrological career, mentions that he was well acquainted
with the "Speculator" of John a Windsor, a scrivener, sometime living in
Newbury. This Windsor, he says, was club-fisted, wrote with a pen betwixt both
his hands, and was much given to debauchery, so that at some times the Daemons
would not appear to the "Speculator"; he would then suffumigate : sometimes,
to vex the spirits, he would curse them, and fumigate with contraries. Upon
Windsor's examination before Sir Henry Wallop, knt. he said that he once visited
Dr. Dee, in Mortlake, and out of a book, which lay in the window he copied out
that call which he used when he invoked. It was that which near the beginning of
it hath these words.
"Per virtutem illorum qui invocant notnen tuum,
Hermeli, mitte nobis ires Angelas," $c.
Windsor, Lilly adds, "had many good parts, but was a very lewd person. My
master, Wright, knew him well, and having dealings in those parts (Newbury)
made use of him as a scrivener."
t The following incident in connection with the siege of the Castle, is related in
"Perfect Occurrences of Both Houses of Parliament and Martial Affairs," for the
week ending 13th March 1645-6. "A partee of Dolbier's men, surprised 9 of
Dennington men [of the Castle garrison] in Bagnoll [Bagnor] drinking, amongst
whom some Officers, Colonel Boise the Governour hearing of it, sent out a partee,
who set fire on four or five houses in Bagnoll [Bagnorj to be revenged for the losse
of his men."
J This relation was probably written from memory and the events occurring
in March, 1645-6, are, from some fault in the recollection, said to have taken
place the following month.
The maye poolle. There is no traditional spot where a Maypole stood in the
village of Donnington ; nor does there seem to be a suitable site for one. But ortho-
graphical errors are common with old writers ; the same word is not unfrequently
spelt several ways in the same page. Now in the grounds of Donnington Castle,
about 300 yards from it, just within the park gates, and precisely at the point
indicated by Capt. Knight, at the angle of Dalbier's approaches, which extend as
far as "Dalbier s field," and are in some places still distinct in outline, there stands
a venerable arid solitary Maple tree, measuring at five feet from the ground
7 feet 7 inches in circumference ; and, from the gnarled and twisted appearance of
its trunk, it has been of very slow growth. This is probably the tree referred to,
then standing amidst the din of arms and the alarms of war, under whose shade
was planted that fatal "mortar peece " which gave wings to the destruction of that
"little bulwark of loyalty," the Castle, the shells from it having such terrible
effect on its walls. There are several clusters of maples near by ; but probably then
as now, this one particular tree seems to have been a noticeable object. The details
of the relation agree with this suggestion that the word "maple" has been
misspelt, as the distance of the works from the Castle is stated to have been
" 15 score" [? paces], and the intrenchments are easily approachable by a sunken
road from the village of Donnington.
" Hiflt. of his Life and Times," p. 116.
APPENDIX. 183
not degeste such Ruffe pceedings of the Enemie, Commands a sallie wth
horsse and foote at heighe nowne, the Enemie leyinge carelesly in
thire trenches, not suspectinge a sallye, for yt they sawe the gatte
shute and the brigedrawne* but in this they were very much deceaved
for S*. John had A privatte Sallye portte made wthin the bulworke
trenche and pallissathes filed vpp wth earthe, wch now hee clered and
through it passed his horsse and foote vndiscovered, this partie was
Comanded by Capt. Donne who soe sodenley ffell vppon the Enemy
that they beate them out of thire works, killed Aboue 80 personse
vpon the place, brought Awaye Above (60) prissoners (4) Collores and
many hundred Armes. Dulbere stricked [? stricken] wth this losse
marches wth all his forces, horsse and ffoote to Regaine his trenches
wch he deed wthout disputte, and the nexte daye plants A morter
pecc, and the same daye shootte 1 7 vppon the Castell, An oold weake
Rotten howse yt wth this one dayes worke was well ney all shattered
to peces, however Dulbere knew he hade to deall with A braue
Enemie and hime selfe hauinge Received soe many Rubes from
the Castillians was in disgrace with the Pliamt Assayes to gaine
Sr- Jo. and the garuison by treatey, and to that purpose writts
Sr. John that the L. Hopton hade giuen vpp his Armey in the
weste to Generall Fairefex, the L. Astley was latly Routed att
Stowe of the owlde weste [Stow on the Wold], Chester surrendered,
and yt hee could expecte no Reeliffe, thire fore hee Advised hime
to yealde betimes, whilles hee may be able to give hime Conditions,
and yt this Advice pceded from hime of mere loue as to hime selfe and
soe many gallant men wth him, to whome hee bore much honor
and love, finally that this was done agt most of the wills of his officers.
Sr. Jo. called A Councell of "Warre, Comunycatts Dulbere's 1're [letter]
wth his officers, in sume the Resoulte of this Councell was not to
beleve Dulbere vppon his beare worde, but if it were soe yt the si
Dulbere should be moued to grante passes to too gent, of the Castell
to gooe to Oxforde to the Kinge, to Acquainte hime wth the Condition
of the Castell, and to knowe his maties Reassollution, in fine, this
Dulbere Curtiously granted, and Capt. Osborne and Capt. Done, f
too noble gent, were sente to his matie to Oxford, who sente to
Sr. Jo. Boys that hee should gette the beste Conditions hee could for
him selfe and his, and yt if possiblely hee could, he should marche
of to Oxford and bringe of All the Artillery of the Castell wth hime.
* The gate here referred to appears to have been the palisaded gate closing the
passage through the earthworks ; and the bridge was likely to have been opposite
to the existing entrance, because that was most sheltered from the enemy's
artillery, and the bridge was probably constructed to cross the ditch of the field-
work that surrounded the battered building.
t In addition to these two gallant officers, the name of another of Sir John Boys'
associates in defence of the Castle is preserved to us, Mr. Robert Stradling, of the
ancient family of the Stradlings of St. Donats, Glamorganshire. In a petition to the
Bishop of London, at the Restoration, for assistance with Secretary Nicholas to
obtain the place of messenger to the Queen, he states that, for his services at
Donnington Castle and elsewhere, the King (Charles II.) had ordered that he
should be put first on the list ; and he annexes certificates by Sir John Boys and
others in his favour. The Petitioner went with the Countess of Derby to join the
King on his arrival in Scotland ; but he had been ill and had suffered much by
imprisonment, loss of estate, &c. Public Record Office ; (State Papers), Vol xlv,
p. 382.
184 APPENDIX.
Vppon the Returne of those gent, a ply [parley] was helde with
Dulbere where in the Conclusion was to surrender the Castell.
"The Castellians were to marche Awaye to Wallingeforde wth bagge
and baggage, musketts chargd and primed, mache in Coke, bullate in
mouthe, drumes beatinge, and Collurers ffleyinge. Every man taken
wth hime as much amunishion as hee could Carye. As honourable
Conditions as Could be given. In fine, thus was Denington Castell
surrendered."
It appears that, after the surrender of the Castle, and withdrawal of
the garrison, the forces of the Parliament, in whose custody it was
placed, dismantled the fortress, and carried away a quantity of lead,
timber, and other goods and materials belonging to Mr. Packer; and
that he obtained an order from the House of Lords to search in Newbury
and other places for the property unjustly disposed of. The execution
of this Order gave rise to serious affrays in Newbury and Basingstoke
between Mr. Philip Packer, son of Mr. John Packer, the owner, and a
certain Ensign Robins, who had appropriated some of the lead. An
account thereof is set forth at large in the Lords' Journals. The
following deposition, made by Mr. Philip Packer, introduces the name
of our old friend, Mr. Gabriel Coxe ; and as the incidents narrated are
illustrative of the period, their insertion in full may be excused.
"Philip Packer, of the Middle Temple, gentleman, maketh oath
that while he was in Newbury, in county of Berks, to seize upon such
lead as he could there discover to have been brought from Donnington
Castle, and having seized divers parcels in Newbury by virtue of an
order of the Hon. House of Peers, one Eobins, an ensign in the
Farnham regiment (and under Capt. Bruer as this deponent is
informed), came to Mr. Coxe's (where this deponent lodged in New-
bury) on Saturday night, 25 April, with one Lieutenant Brooks of the
same regiment, and finding this deponent sitting at the table after
supper, about 9 at night, said to this deponent, ' Sir, you have taken
away my lead.' This Deponent replied, Sir, ' tis more than I know.'
The ensign, with his sword undrawn in one hand and a pistol in
the other, presented the pistol to this deponent's breast, and swore
by God he would have his blood or his lead, and bad him, 'if
he was a gentleman to give him presently satisfaction with his
hand, or else he would post him upon the gallows as a slave and
a base fellow.' This deponent bad him be advised what he did,
for it was in disobedience of an Order of Parliament, and before
them he would give him satisfaction, but conceived it was not to
be demanded by the sword (or to that effect). He swore he would
not depart the House till he had satisfaction, and that he would have
his life or his lead. Mr. Coxe desired him to depart his house and to
express satisfaction in another place, which he would not do, but still
demanded satisfaction for the lead, and would have drawn this deponent
out of the house to have given satisfaction, and swore he would break
open the place where this deponent had laid the lead. But would not
depart the house till Mrs. Coxe, the gentlewoman of the house, was in
so great fright with his rude and insolent carriage that it was justly
feared she would suffer much in her health, thereupon, with great
threatenings, he left the house. And further this deponent saith that
APPENDIX. 185
on Monday in the afternoon, April 27, the said Ensign met this
Deponent in Basingstoke, and told him he was not now in Newbury,
and that he had a sword on, and so followed him into the Bell Yard,
where this deponent went, and laying hands on his horse and bridle,
bad this deponent come down and give him satisfaction for the lead
he stole, and drew his sword and struck the Deponent upon his arm,
whereupon the Deponent drew his sword for his defence, and presently
there came in two troopers under Capt. Terry, of Surry, whom the
Ensign, as this Deponent believeth, called thither, being of his intimate
acquaintance, who did abet him and would not suffer this Deponent to
go or send for any of the magistrates. This Deponent shewed them
the order of the Lords, which they said was not sufficient being
subscribed only by John Browne, and no Lords' hands to it. He told
them that he had done what he did by that Order, and what they did
was in disobedience to it, so till this Deponent had given satisfaction
under his Hand they would not give him liberty to go out of the place.
All which or words to the same effect this Deponent affirmeth to be
true.
" Jur. 20 Maai, 1646. PHILIP PACKER."
"Thomas Heath."
Gabriel Coxe, of Newbury, gentleman, made oath and corro-
borated Packer's statement. Philip Packer further made oath and
said that Barnard Eeives, of Basingstoke, grocer, confessed to the
Deponent that he had in his possession three tons of lead which
belonged to Donnington Castle, but refused to deliver the same
without a sum of money to be paid him at the delivery.
XL DEPOSITIONS OF WITNESSES AT THE TEIAL OF
KING CHARLES I., AS TO THE PEESENCE OF THE
KING AT THE TWO BATTLES OF NEWBUEY *
Gyles Gryce, of Wellington, in Shropshire, Gent., sworn and examined,
deposeth, That he saw the King in the Head of the Army at the
second Fight near Newbury.
John Yinson, of Damorham, in the County of Wilts, Gent., sworn and
examined, saith, That he did see the King at the first Newbury Fight,
about the month of September, 1643, in the Head of his Army, where
this Deponent did see many slain on both Sides. This Deponent also
saith, That he did see the King at the second battle at Newbury,
about the month of November, 1644, where the King was at the Head
of his Army in complete armour, with his sword drawn; and this
Deponent did then see the King lead up Col. Thomas Howard's Eegi-
ment of Horse, and did hear him make a Speech to the Soldiers, in
the Head of that Eegiment, to this effect that is to say, That th*
* " The Journal of the Trial of K. Charles I." State Trials, vol. i, pp. 1031, 32,
Z
186 APPENDIX.
said Regiment should stand to him that Day, for that his Crown lay upon
the Point of the Sword; and if he lost that Day, he lost his Honour and his
Crown for ever; And that this Deponent did see many slain on both
sides at that Battle.
George Seeley, of London, Cordwainer, sworn and examined, saith,
That he did see the King at the head of a Brigade of Horse, at the
Siege of Gloucester, and did also see the King at the first Fight at
Newbury, about the month of September, 1643, where the King
was at the head of a Regiment of Horse; and that there were
many slain at that Fight on both sides. This Deponent also saith,
That he did see the King at the second Fight at Newbury, which
was about November, 1644, where the King was in the middle of his
Army.
John Moore, of the City of Cork in Ireland, Gent., sworn and
examined, saith, That at the last Fight at Newbury, about the month
of November, 1644, he this Deponent did see the King in the middle
of the Horse, with his sword drawn ; and that he did see abundance of
Men at that Fight slain upon the ground, on both sides.
Thomas Ives, of Boyset, in the County of Northampton, Husbandman,
sworn and examined, saith, That he did see the King in his Army at
the first Fight in Newbury, in Berkshire, in the month of September,
1643, and that he did see many slain at that Fight; he, this Deponent,
and others, with a Party of Horse, being commanded to face the
Parliament's Forces, whilst the Foot did fetch off the dead.
James Crosby, of Dublin in Ireland, Barber, sworn and examined,
saith, That at the first fight at Newbury, about the time of Barley-
Harvest, 1643, he this Deponent, did see the King riding from
Newbury. Town, accompanied with divers Lords and Gentlemen, towards
the Place where his Forces were then fighting with the Parliament's
Army.
Samuel Burden, of Lyneham, in the county of Wilts, Gent., sworn and
examined, saith, That in or about the month of November, 1644, he
did see the King at the last Fight at Newbunry, riding up and down the
Field from Regiment to Regiment, whilst his Army was there fighting
with the Parliament's forces; and that this Deponent did see many
men slain at that Battle on both sides.
Michael Potts, of Sharpereton, in the county of Northumberland,
Vintner, sworn and examined, deposeth, That he, this Deponent, saw
the King in the Head of the Army in the Fields about a mile and
a half from Newbury -Town, upon the Heath, the Day before the Fight
was, it being about Harvest-tide in the year 1643. And he further
saith, That he saw the King on the day after, when the Fight was,
standing near a great Piece of Ordnance in the Fields. And he
further saith, That he saw the King in the second Newbury Fight in
the Head of his Army, being after or about Michaelmas 1644. And
he further saith, That he saw a great many men slain at both the said
Battles.
APPENDIX. 187
XLL BIOGEAPHICAL NOTICES OF SOME OF THE
OFFICEES AND OTHEES,
MENTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SECOND BATTLE OF NEWBURY.
A. EOYALIST OFFICEES.
PRINCE MAURICE. Third son of the Bang of Bohemia, entered into
the service of Charles I. about the same time with his brother. He
was not of so active and fierce a nature as Eupert; but knew better
how to pursue any advantages gained over the enemy. It is said that
he wanted a deal of his brother's fire, and Eupert a great deal of
Maurice's phlegm. He laid siege to several places in the West, and
took Exeter and Dartmouth. His most signal exploit was the victory
at Lansdown. The Prince perished in a hurricane off the West Indies
in 1654.
DUKE OF EICHMOND. James Stuart, eldest son of Esme, third Duke
of Lennox, and Catherine, daughter and heir of Sir Gervase Clifton,
was born in Blackfriars, London, April 6th, 1612. After the death of
his father he was placed by his mother under the especial care and
protection of Charles I., to whom he was nearly related. He was
appointed Lord Steward, Warden of the Cinque Ports, and Privy
Councillor; and created Duke of Eichmond in 1641. He married
Mary, only daughter of George Villiers, first Duke of Buckingham,
who had been previously contracted in childhood to Charles, eldest
son of Philip, Earl of Pembroke. He was sent to travel in France,
Italy, and Spain, for the benefit of his education, and from the time
of his return to England, at about twenty-one years of age, he never
was absent from the King's person, but shared in all his councils,
and attended him in every change of fortune till the secret flight
from Oxford, when the King left behind him all the members
of his household and of his Privy Council. The Duke resumed his
post after this event whenever he was permitted to do so by those
into whose hands the King had fallen, and he even accompanied him
finally a short distance from Newport on the road to Hurst Castle;
then, forced to take leave, he was never again allowed to see the
King alive. He obtained permission, with three others, to attend his
funeral; and was one of the four who are said to have offered
their own lives to save that of their master. He died 30th March,
and was buried in Westminster Abbey 18th April 1655. He was
succeeded by his only son Esme, who died in his minority in Paris.
His only daughter married Eichard Butler, Earl of Arran, second
son of the Duke of Ormonde.
LORD BERNARD STUART. The youngest of five sons of Esme, Duke of
Lennox, all of whom served in the royal army, and brother to James,
first Duke of Eichmond. He was slain at Eowton Heath, about two
miles from Chester, Sept. 26th, 1645. His brothers, Lord D'Aubigny
and the Lord John Stuart, both fell in the King's service. It is stated
by Lord Clarendon and others, that Lord Bernard Stuart was created
188 APPENDIX.
Baron Stuart of Newbury and Earl of Lichfield, in consideration of his
gallant behaviour near the latter city. It was intended that these
titles should have been conferred on Lord Bernard, but he died before
the Patent passed the Great Seal ; hence he never was Earl of Lichfield
or Baron Stuart of Newbury, because it was the Great Seal only that
would have entitled him to bear those titles He died simply Lord
Bernard Stuart. Charles Stuart, only son of George, Lord D'Aubigny
(who was slain at the battle of Edgehill), and nephew of Lord Bernard
Stuart, was created (10 Dec., 1615) Baron Stuart of Newbury, Berks,
and Earl of Lichfield, and succeeded his cousin Esme, 10 Aug., 1660,
as third Duke of Eichmond, and sixth of Lennox. He died at
Elsinore, while ambassador to Denmark, 12 Dec., 1672, without
surviving issue; and his titles became extinct. There is no doubt,
says Col. Chester, LL.D., editor of the "Westminster Abbey Registers,"
who has obligingly answered an enquiry of mine on the subject, that
the titles of Earl of Lichfield and Baron Stuart of Newbury, were
conferred on Lord Charles Stuart, in consideration of the services of
his Uncles, and especially to perpetuate the titles which were intended
to have been conferred on his uncle Bernard.
EABL OF NEWPOBT. Mountjoy Blount was a natural son of Charles
Blount, Earl of Devonshire, by Penelope, daughter of Walter
Devereux, first Earl of Essex, and divorced wife of Robert, Lord
Rich. He was created Lord Mountjoy of Mountjoy Fort by James I.,
and Baron Mount joy of Thurveston, co. Derby, and Earl of Newport by
Charles I. He was Master of the Ordnance, and one of the Council
for AVar in the royal army. He died at Oxford and was buried in
Christ Church Cathedral 15 Feb. 1665-6. The title becarao o^Ll^fc
in 1681, on the death of his youngest son Henry, third Earl.
EARL or BEEKSHIRE. Sir Thomas Howard, second son of Thomas,
first Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife, Catherine, eldest daughter
and co-heir of Sir Henry Knevet of Charlton, Wilts, Kt., and widow
of Richard Rich, Esq. He was created, 22 Jan., 1621-2, Baron
Howard of Charlton, and Viscount Andover, installed K. G., 13 Dec.,
1625, and advanced to the Earldom of Berkshire, 7 Feb. 1625-6. He
died 16 July, 1669, aged about ninety. His grand-daughter Frances,
daughter of Thomas, third Earl of Berkshire, married Sir Henry
Winchcombe, Bart., of Bucklebury, ancestor of the present Winch-
combe-Henry-Howard Hartley, Esq., of Bucklebury, Berks, and
Sodbury Manor, Gloucestershire.
EABL RIVEBS. John Savage, eldest son of Thomas, first Viscount
Savage, by Lady Elizabeth D'Arcy, daughter and co-heir of Thomas,
first Earl Rivers, succeeded his maternal grandfather as second Earl
Rivers in 1639. He died 10 Oct. 1654. The title became extinct on
the death, in 1728, of John fifth Earl, who was a Roman-Catholic
priest.
LOBD CAPEL. Arthur Capell, born A.D. 1603, son of Sir Henry
Capell and Theodosia Montagu, sister to Lord Montagu of Boughton.
Sir Henry died in the lifetime of his father, and Arthur Capell
succeeded to his grandfather Sir Arthur Capell's estates. In
November, 1626, he married Elizabeth Morrison. In April, 1640, he
was chosen Member of Parliament for the County of Hertford, and
again for the ensuing Parliament in November, 1640. On the 7th
August, 1641, he was created Lord Capell of Hadhain. At the
APPENDIX. 189
breaking-out of the Civil War he raised a troop of horse in defence
of the King. He was appointed one of the Prince of Wales's
Council during the campaign in the "West, and accompanied him to
Jersey. In March, 1646-7, he returned to England, and again took
up arms for the King; and, together with Lord Norwich, Sir Charles
Lucas, and Sir George Lisle, defended Colchester against the attacks
of Lord Fairfax. After more than eleven weeks' siege they were
obliged to surrender. Lord Cap ell was subsequently tried by a high
court of justice, erected for the purpose of trying Lord Norwich, Lord
Capell, and others. Lord Capell was sentenced to death, and with
exemplary firmness died on the scaffold, March 9th, 1648-9. "He
was a man," says Lord Clarendon, "that, whoever shall after him
deserve best of the English nation, he can never think himself under-
valued when we shall hear that his courage, virtue, and fidelity is laid
in the balance with, and compared to, that of the Lord Capell."
LORD HOPTON. Ralph Hopton, son of Eobert Hopton, of Witham,
Somerset, was created Baron Hopton of Stratton, September 4th,
1643. Lord Hopton, a nobleman of admirable accomplishments
of body and mind, was trained up in the good school of war of the
Low Counties. After exerting himself in the House of Commons, for
the royal cause, he retired into the West ; where, in a few months, he
raised a considerable army, and strengthened no less than forty garrisons.
He was so great a master of discipline, that his army moved as one
man, and was in every respect different from those licentious and
tumultuous rabbles, of which there were many instances in the Civil
War, more resembling herds of banditti, than well appointed armies.
His victory at Stratton, May 16th, 1643, which was one of the most
signal in the course of that war, is an astonishing instance of what
determined valour can effect. He will knew how to improve it, and it
was only an earnest of several others. After he had done as much
as courage, conduct, and activity could do, he, was forced for want of
supplies to retire before Fairfax, and approved himself a great a
general in his retreat, as he had done before in his victories. He
died at Bruges in September, 1652.
LOKD COLEPEPER. John, Lord Colepeper, was descended from a
branch of the very ancient Kentish family of Colepeper settled at
Bay Hall, near Pepenbury. He was the son of a knight of the same
name, living at Wigsell in Sussex; and he spent some years in
foreign parts, doing good service as a soldier, and was reported to be of
great courage, but of a rough nature; his hot temper leading him too
frequently into quarrels and duels. When he married he settled in
the County of his ancestors, where he soon became popular amongst
his neighbours; and, in consequence of the knowledge of business
which he exhibited, and the ability with which he conducted it, he was
frequently deputed by them to the council-board, and at length was
knighted, and elected Member for Kent in the Long Parliament.
The King, sensible of his value, admitted Tn'm to his privy council,
and in January 6, 1642, made him Chancellor of the Exchequer.
During that eventful year, with the assistance of Lord Falkland and
Edward Hyde, though sometimes disconcerted by the King's hasty
measures, he did what he could to serve his Majesty. He acquired
great influence, but his counsels were not always very wise or
temperate. To his advice is attributed the King's consent to pass
190 APPENDIX.
the Bill for removing the Bishops from the House of Peers, the
transference of the court from Windsor to York, and the attempt to
obtain possession of Hull. On January 28, 1643, he was promoted to
the Mastership of the Rolls, an office for which his previous education
had in no degree prepared him. He took it as adding to his dignity
and profit, without regard to its duties. As a counsellor, he was used
on the most private occasions, and was added to the junto which, as a
cabinet-council, managed the King's affairs; as a soldier, he was ever
by the King's side, and took part in all his battles with the most
distinguished bravery. In reward for these services, the King, on
October 21, 1644, created him a peer, by the title of Lord Colepeper,
of Thoresway in Lincolnshire, and named him one of the Council of
the Duke of York. He died July 11, 1660, and was buried in the
church of Hollingbourn in Kent, in which and the neighbouring
parish the family property, including Leeds Castle, was situate. By
his first wife, Philippa, daughter of Sir George Snelling, knt., he had
one son, who died young. His second wife, who was his cousin,
Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper, of Hollingbourn, knight,
brought him four sons, the three elder of whom enjoyed the title in
succession, which then, for want of male issue, became extinct in 1725.
LOED GORING. George, Lord Goring, was the son of George Goring,
Earl of Norwich, and Lady Mary Nevile. In consequence of the
numerous debts he had contracted at home he went abroad in 1663,
entered foreign service, aud distinguished himself in the Low Countries,
receiving a wound at the siege of Breda, which lamed him for life.
In 1641, he was made governor of Portsmouth, and betrayed to the
Parliament the intentions of the King to bring the army to London ;
and he continued greatly in favour with the popular party until 1642,
when he declared for the King. In 1644 he superseded Lord Wilmot
in the command of the Horse, and served in the West, where the
want of discipline in his troops, and the licentiousness of his own
conduct, materially injured the cause he had espoused. He suddenly
quitted the country in 1644, and never returned. His habits of
intoxication continued to the end of his lif e, and he died at Madrid,
in 1662, having embraced the Roman-Catholic faith, and, it has been
stated by some writers, having entered the Order of Dominican Friars.
He married Lettice, daughter of Eichard, Earl of Cork, but had no
children. The Earl of Norwich survived his son George, and died
January 1662-3, when he was succeeded by his son Charles, at whose
death without issue, in 1670-1, the title became extinct.
SIR JOHN BOYS. During the Protectorate, Sir John Boys was
imprisoned for some time in Dover Castle, for tendering (with several
other Royalists) an address, or declaration, for a free Parliament ; but
he lived to see the Restoration; and then he petitioned Charles II. for
the appointment of Receiver of Customs at Dover. The original
petition, which describes Sir John Boys, as "one of yo r Ma tie s gent, of
yo r Privy Chamber in Ordinary," is preserved among the State Papers
in the Public Record Office, and is endorsed " Done." Sir John
died at his old house at Bonnington in Kent, in 1664. The following
inscription, on a black marble slab over his grave, in the aisle of a
chapel in the north chancel of the parish church of Goodnestone-
next-Wingham, Kent, has been kindly copied by the Vicar, the Rev.
M. T. Spencer. " Underneath rests Sr. John Boys, late of Bonington,
APPENDIX. 191
Kt-, whose military praises will flourish in our Annales as laurells and
palmes to overspread his grave. Dun[gan]non in Ireland may remaine
a solemne mourner of his funerall, and Dunington Castle in England
a noble monument of his fame, the former for the losse of its expert
governer the latter for the honour of its g[alla]nt defender. To crown
such eminent loyalty and [va]lour ye "King royally added to his antient
scutchon a crown. Leaving no other heires male than man[l]y deeds
to keepe up his name his inheritance decended to his three daughters
Jane, Lucy, Anne. In his [5]8th yeare, being discharged from this
militant state below he was entertained as we hope in that triumphant
state above, Octob. 8th, 1664." Above the inscription are the arms
of Sir John Boys (or, a griffin segreant sable, on a canton azure, a
crown imperial or). Stephen Tucker, Esq., Somerset Herald, has not
been able to find any record at the Heralds' College as to the Eoyal
augmentation. The crown was not an uncommon augmentation to the
arms of Royalists in those days ; and the omission of any enrolment
may be due to the troubled state of the times. The pedigree of
Sir John Boys at the Heralds' College is signed by his father
(Edward Boys) in 1619; there being eight antecedent generations to
the gallant Royalist. "John" (son of Edward) is there said to have
been aged 14 years and upwards. In Dring's Catalogue of Lords,
Knights, and Gentlemen who compounded for their estates, Sir John
Boys, of Bonnington, Kent, is set down as having paid 0312 10. 0.
SIR BERNARD ASTLEY. Son of Sir Jacob Astley. An eminently
good commander in his Majesty's army. After admirable service in
six fights and eight sieges, he died of wounds received in a brave sally
out of Bristol, Sept. 4th, 1645. Lloyd's "Memoires," p. 644. Sir
Bernard Astley especially signalized his courage at the Second Battle
of Newbury.
SIR WILLIAM BROUNCKER, frequently written BRONKARD. Sir Wm.
Brouncker, kt., born 1585, was eldest son of Sir Henry Brouncker,
Lord President of Munster. He became a Gentleman of the Privy
Chamber to K. Chas. I., and was Vice-Chamberlain to K. Chas. II.,
when Prince of Wales. He was created Viscount Brouncker in the
Irish Peerage 12 Sep. 1645, and dying shortly after, was buried in
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford 20 November in that year. The title
became extinct in 1687-8, on the death of his youngest son Henry,
third Viscount.
SIR WILLIAM ASHBURNHAM. There is no record of this gentleman
having been knighted, although he is spoken of in a contemporary
MS. referring to these transactions, as "Sir William Ashburnham,"
and is so described in the list of royalist officers at page 126. He
was the second son of Sir John Ashburnham, of Ashburnham, Sussex,
M.P. in 1640, who, with other loyal members, was expelled the House
for his fidelity to the crown. He subsequently took an active and dis-
tinguished part during the civil wars, was maj.-gen. in the royal
army, and col.-gen. (1644) of co. Dorset. After the Restoration,
he was appointed Cofferer to the King. He married Jane, third
daughter of John, first Lord Butler of Bramfield, and widow of James
Ley, first Earl of Marlborough, but died without issue in 1 679.
SIR WILLIAM ST. LEGER. He was knighted in his father's life-
time; served in the Parliament of 1639 for Kilmallock; commanded a
regiment in the war with the Irish ; and, after it ceased, went, in
192 APPENDIX.
November 1643, to Bristol, to assist the King in England. With
Col. Myn, he took over 1000 foot and some horse; and did great
service in harassing the garrison of Gloucester. He fell in the
Second Action at Newbury, 27 October, 1644; and not having been
married, his brother succeeded to his estate. His descendant, Arthur
St. Leger, was created by patent, 23 June 1703, Baron Kilmadow
and Viscount Doneraile. Sir Anthony St. Leger, commanded Prince
Rupert's Life Guard at the Second Battle of Newbury.
SIB JOHN OWEN. Of Klinenney, co. Caernarvon. He was wounded
at the taking of Bristol in 1643. Tried by the High Court of Justice,
with the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Capel, he was sentenced to
death, but subsequently pardoned. He is said to have served in
7 battles, 9 sieges, and 32 minor actions.
SIR THOMAS HOOPER. Lieutenant-Colonel of Dragoons. Knighted
for taking General Wemys (General of Sir William Waller's Artillery)
at Cropredy Bridge. Symonds's "Diary," p. 2.
SIR RICHARD PAGE. Knighted at Leicester, 2 June 1645, after it
was taken by storm. He had been "first on the escalade" at this
memorable siege, which was one of the best fought and defended
actions of the war.
SIR THOMAS BASSET, or BASSETT. General of the Ordnance to
Prince Maurice. He was, with his brother Francis (a Cornish man,
governor of St. Michael's Mount), knighted at Crediton, co. Devon,
about 30 July, 1644. (Col. Chester's MS. List of Knights.) He was
second son of James Basset, of Tehidy, co. Cornwall, by Jane, daughter
of Sir Francis Godolphin, kt., but none of the pedigrees of the family
give any further particulars about him.
SIR HUMPHREY BENETT. Of the Benetts of Pythouse, Wilts. Col.
Thomas Benett was Prince Rupert's Secretary, and the family were
staunch adherents to the royal cause.
SIR JOHN GRANVILLE. Son and heir of Sir Bevil Granville, who
fell at the Battle of Lansdown, July, 1643. Created Baron of Kilk-
hampton and Bideford, Viscount Granville of Lansdown, and Earl of
Bath, April 20th, 1661. He died August 22nd, 1701.
SIR JOSEPH WAQSTAFFE. Wounded at Liehfield, 1643. Engaged
in the western rising, 1655, and was with difficulty persuaded by his
companions from hanging the Parliamentary Judges and the High
Sheriff of the County, who had fallen into their hands at Salisbury.
After the ruin of the enterprize he escaped abroad.
SIR CHARLES LLOYD. Governor of Devizes. Knighted 8th of De-
cember, 1644.
SIR EDWARD WALKER. Author of the "Historical Discourses,"
&c., was successively, Rouge-Croix Pursuivant, Chester Herald,
Norroy, and Garter-King-at-Arms, in which last office he was
succeeded by Sir William Dugdale. See more of him in "Athense
Oxonienses." He died 19 Feby- 1676, being then one of the Clerks of
the Privy Council to Charles II.
COLONEL LEKE. Who fell at the Second Battle of Newbury, was
the son of Sir Francis Leke, knt., of Sutton, co. Derby, elevated to the
peerage, 26 Oct., 1624, as Baron D'Eyncourt, whose two sons both
laid down their lives under the royal banners. Lord D'Eyncourt, who
himself took an active part in the war, became so mortified (it is said)
by the execution of Charles I. that he clothed himself in sackcloth,
APPENDIX, 193
and, causing his grave to be dug some years before his death, laid
himself therein every Friday, exercising himself frequently in divine
meditation and prayer. The Barony of D'Eyncourt and Earldom of
Scarsdale became extinct on the death of the 4th Earl, who died
unmarried in 1736. Burke's "Dormant and Extinct Peerages," p. 319,
COLONEL ANTHONY THELWALL. "A branch of the "Worshipful
family of the Thelwalls of Plasyward, near Euthin, in Denbighshire ;
known for his brave Actions at Cropredy (where his majesty trusted
him with a thousand of the choicest men he had, to maintain, as he
did bravely, the two advantageous villages, Burley and Nelthorp),
and at the Second Newberry fight, where he did wonders with the
reserve of Sir George Lisle's Tertia; and had done more, had he not
been slain for not accepting of Quarter." Lloyd's "Memoires," p. 661.
COLONEL Q-ILES STKANGEWAYS. ' ' Of Melbury Sampf ord, in Dorsetshire.
This worthy gentleman, who was descended from one of the most
ancient and respectable families in Dorsetshire, was representative in
Parliament for that County, and one of the Privy-Council to
Charles II. In the time of the Civil War, he had the command of a
regiment in that part of the royal army which acted under Prince
Maurice in the West. In 1645 he was imprisoned in the Tower for his
active loyalty, where he continued in patient confinement for more than
two years and six months. There is a fine medallion of him, struck
upon this occasion: on the reverse is represented that part of the
Tower called Caesar's, with the inscription Decusque adversa dederunt.
When Charles fled into the West, in disguise, after the battle of
Worcester, Col. Strange ways sent him three hundred broad pieces;
which was, perhaps, the most seasonable present the royal fugitive
ever received. This, however, was but a small part of the sum which
is to be placed to the account of his loyalty ; for the house of
Strangeways paid no less than 35,000 for its attachment to the
Crown. He died 1675. The present Countess of Ilchester is de-
scended from this family." Granger's "Biogr. Hist. Eng." vol. ii,
pp. 272-3.
COLONEL HOTJGHTON. Son of Sir Richard Houghton, Bart., of
Haughton Tower, Lancashire. He fell in the Second Battle of
Newbury.
CAPTAIN CATELYN. A member of a Norfolk family, one of whom,
Sir Eobert Catelyn, was Lord Chief Justice in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth. Capt. Catelyn, commanding a troop of horse in Sir Edward
Waldegrave's regiment, fell in the Second Action at Newbury,
while engaged with the royalist force on the Speen side. He was
buried at Speen, as the parish-register thus records: "1644. Oct. 31,
Thomas Catelyn a gentleman of Norfolke."
EOBEET STRADLING. This gentleman appears to have heen a
member of the ancient family of Stradling of St. Donat's. In a
petition addressed to the Bishop of London, by Eobert Stradling,
shortly after the Eestoration, desiring the Bishop's influence with
Secretary Nicholas to obtain the petitioner the place of Messenger to
the Queen, he encloses certificates in his favour from Sir John Boys,
Sir John Eobinson, Sir Edward Savage, and Sir Philip Musgrove,
testifying to his services at Donnington Castle, in Ireland, Scotland,
the Isle of Man, and Shetland. In a subsequent petition, the former
not having received attention, the petitioner mentions that he went
Bl
194 APPENDIX.
with the Countess of Derby to join his Majesty on his arrival m
Scotland, but fell ill in 1651, and has suffered much by imprisonment,
loss of estate, &c. He annexes the previous certificates, with another
by Richard Egerton, to the effect that "Robert Stradling was Cornet of
Horse in Sir George Booth's rising, and always ready for design in
the King's service." The certificate of Sir John Boys is as follows:
"I doe Certify that this gent. Robert Stradlyn was under my com-
mand in the garrison of Dennington Castle, and did venture his life
for his late Ma ts service, and that he was faithfull in his Trust.
Jo. BOYS. July xviijtk." State Papers, Domestic, Charles II, vol. 55,
No. 3, i.
B. PARLIAMENTARIAN OFFICERS.
EARL OF MANCHESTER. Edward Montagu, son and heir of Henry
Montagu (first Earl of Manchester), M.P. for Huntingdon in the first
Parliament of Charles I., was raised to the Upper House in 1626,
with the title of Baron Montagu of Kimbolton was associated in the
charge, and of high treason with Pym, Hampden, Strode, Holies,
Hesilrige, whose arrest Charles attempted in his famous and fatal
coup d' Hat. He defeated the Earl of Newcastle at Horncastle
in June, 1643, and distinguished himself by his victory over
Prince Rupert at Marston Moor, in which engagement Cromwell
acted as his Lieut. -General, but in reality guided him. He refused to
sanction the execution of the King, and retired from Parliament
(where he held the office of Speaker) until 1660, when he assisted at
the meeting of peers who voted for the restoration of Charles II. He
was deputed by the Lords as their Speaker to congratulate the King
on his return to the Capital, and shortly after the Restoration, was
appointed Chamberlain of the Household, and held other posts of
dignity strangely out of keeping with his antecedents. The Earl died
at Whitehall, May 5th, 1671, at the age of 68 years. He had been five
times married. The present ducal house of Manchester is descended
from his second marriage.
SIR WILLIAM WALLER, son of Sir Thomas Waller, Constable of
Dover Castle, and Margaret, daughter of Sampson Lennard, Lord
Dacre, served in the Netherlands, in the same camp with Sir Ralph
Hopton; and was in the army of the confederate princes against the
Emperor. He was one of the most able and active of the Parliament
Generals ; and, being for a considerable time victorious, was therefore
called, William the Conqueror. He was defeated at the battle of
Lansdown, near Bath; and afterwards wholly routed at Roundway
Down, near Devizes. The "Conqueror's" fame sunk considerably
from this time; but he afterwards had the credit of defeating his
former fellow-soldier, Lord Hopton, at Alresford. A few months
later, he was beaten by the royalists at Cropredy, in Oxfordshire ; and
repeated reverses led to his being deprived of his command in 1645.
He was imprisoned by the Independent Parliament, and confined until
APPENDIX. 195
the King's Restoration. He died at Osterley Park, near Hounslow in
1668. Tlie Wallers of Newbury were descended from the youngest
son of this eminent commander.
SIR ARTHUR HESILRIGE. Eldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige, of
Nosely, co. Leicester. Sir Arthur Hesilrige brought forward in the
House of Commons the suit for the attainder of the Earl of Strafford.
The soldiers of Sir Arthur's troops were so completely armed that
they were called by the other side "Hesilrige's Lobsters," because of
their bright shells with which they were covered, being perfectly
cuirassed. They were the first that made any impression on the
King's cavalry. Hesilrige was one of the King's judges, but did not
sign the death-warrant. He died in the Tower shortly after the
Restoration.
Thomas, brother of Sir Arthur Hesilrige, married (at St. Luke's,
Chelsea, Middlesex, 6th Sept. 1632) Rebecca, daughter of Thomas
Sheafe, D.D., Prebendary of Windsor, and rector of Welford, near
Newbury. Heath's "Chronicle" mentions Sir Arthur's brother,
Thomas, as suborning witnesses to vilify the King ; and he evidently
served the Parliament so faithfully as to secure honourable burial
within Westminster Abbey, and thus rendered his memory so obnox-
ious that his remains were included amongst those disinterred after
the Restoration, and thrown into a common pit in the Churchyard.
See notes to the burial in the "Westminster Abbey Registers," edited
by Col. J. L. Chester, LL.D., p. 145. Dr. Sheafe, Rector of Welford,
who died in 1639, at the age of 80, a short time before his death
published a work entitled "A Plea for Old Age."
MAJOR-GENERAL CRAWFORD. Laurence Crawford, of the family of
Crawfords, of Jordan Hill, Renfrewshire. The name of Crawford is
rendered in some degree memorable from the circumstance of his
being the original authority for imputing cowardice to Cromwell.
The accusation is given at large in Holles's "Memoirs."
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL MIDDLETON. Fought in the First Battle of
Newbury, Of Donnington Castle fame. "A person " says Clarendon,
"who liv'd to wipe out the memory of his youth, for he was but
eighteen years of age when he was first led into Rebellion." He
quitted the service of the Parliament when they cashiered the Earl of
Essex, and made their New Model Army. He was taken prisoner
after the Worcester fight; and, when he was sufficiently recovered of
his wounds, he was removed to the Tower, where his friend and
comrade Massey, the defender of Gloucester, who had likewise joined
the royalist party, and fought at Worcester, was daily expecting the
vengeance of the Commonwealth. When the time of their trial
approached, Middleton found means to make his escape and got safe
to France; and within a few days after, Massey had the like good
fortune, "to the grief and vexation of Cromwell," who, Clarendon
states, "thirsted for the blood of those two persons."
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LUDLOW. Edmund Ludlow was a native of
Wiltshire, having been born at Hill-Deverill, or in its neighbourhood,
where his father, Sir Henry Ludlow, resided. He was M.P. for the
County of Wilts in the Parliament which began Nov. 3rd 1640, one of
the Council of State, Lieutenant-general of the horse, and Com-
mander-in-chief of the forces in Ireland. He entered with zeal into
all the measures of the Republican party; and tells us himself, in his
106 APPENDIX.
"Memoires," that he "had the honour of being one of the late King's
aes." About the time of the Restoration he retired into Switzer-
, where he remained in obscurity until the Revolution in 1688,
when he repaired with other deputies, to London, to offer to raise
men for King William's service. His further progress, however,
in this measure, was quickly arrested by Sir Edward Seymour, who
moved a resolution in the House of Commons, that they should address
his Majesty to bring Ludlow to trial as a regicide, which he no sooner
heard of than he returned to Switzerland. He died at Vevay, in the
year 1693; and his remains were interred in the church of that town,
under a monument erected to his memory by his widow. His memoirs,
which are curious and apparently accurate, were printed after his death.
COLONEL RICHARD NORTON. Of Southwick, near Portsmouth, Hants.
He was Governor of Basingstoke, and Cromwell's favourite "Dick
Norton." He witnessed the Second Fight at Newbury only as an
amateur, but got so far in assisting Ludlow, who was in danger, that
he was wounded. Richard Norton, the grandson of " Dick," was the
last heir male of that family, and by his will bequeathed Southwick
Park, Hants, and all his other estates, to the amount of 6000 a year,
together with personal property of the value of 60,000, to the
Parliament of Great Britain, in trust for the use of "the poor,
hungry, thirsty, naked strangers, sick, wounded, and prisoners, to the
end of the world." The will was, however, set aside ; and the estates
eventually devolved to the Thistlethwaytes, maternally descended
from the Nortons. Charles I. was at Southwick when the Duke of
Buckingham was assassinated by Felton at Portsmouth.
COLONEL SIR RICHARD INGOLDSBY. Second son of Sir Richard
Ingoldsby, of Lethenborough or Lenborough, Bucks, by Elizabeth,
daughter of Sir Oliver Cromwell, of Hinchmbrooke. Col. Ingoldsby
was one of the Commissioners of the High Court of Justice for the
trial of his Sovereign, and signed the warrant for his execution. He
was one of the chief confidants of the Protector ; Governor of Oxford
Castle, and one of the Lords of the Upper House. When he found
the cause of his relative Richard Cromwell desperate, he strenuously
exerted himself in promoting the restoration of the exiled King
Charles LL; and so effectually recommended himself to his favour,
that he not only procured his pardon (being the only one of the
regicides who received a free pardon), but was made a Knight of the
Bath. He married Anne, daughter of Sir George Croke, one of the
Judges of the Court of King's Bench, and widow of Thomas Lee, Esq.,
of Hartwell, near Aylesbury. He died in 1685, and was buried at
Hartwell.
COLONEL JOHN BIRCH. "In the sphere in which he moved, he was
among the remarkable personages of the time : by no means inferior
to those whose names are better known, though not more deserving of
being recorded. He attained to considerable distinction in the field
and in the senate; and, after a long share of personal exertion and
sufferings, survived the troubles and dangers of a stormy and eventful
struggle, and ended his days in retirement and peace." Preface to the
"Military Memoirs of Col. John Birch," edited by the Rev. T. W.
Webb, M.A., F.R.A.S. See more of him in that work.
CAPT. MASON. In Webb's "Civil War in Herefordshire," (1879,
vol. ii. p. 106), the following curious particulars are given of the
APPENDIX. 197
dress of this officer: "Capt. Mason, who afterwards acted as a
sequestrator in Herefordshire, appeared at the Second Battle of
Newbury habited in the following officer's uniform 'with a sword
about his neck and a black scarf e about his middle, in a black velvett
doublett, and a scarlett paire of breeches laced with two silver laces at
the knees, being a Captain! He was supposed to have been there on
the side of the King, which he afterwards denied, when it was
necessary that he should vindicate his conduct against Parliamentary
enquiry."
Note. Many of the foregoing personal notices are based on bio-
graphical sketches given in various works as Lloyd's "Memoires,"
Toss's "Judges of England," Granger's "Biographical History of
England," the "Lives from the Clarendon Gallery," &c. Some
modifications and several corrections and additions have necessarily
been introduced.
XIII. HISTOEICAL NOTICES OP THE MANOE & CASTLE
OP DONNINGTON.
So little is known of the early history of the Manor of Donnington,
that it is hoped the following notices may prove an interesting addition
to the later annals of its memorable Castle.
1086. Domesday shows that "William Lovet held, in Berks, Aneborne
and Mortune, also Deritone,* in the hundred of Taceham. The third
place is that now called Donnington. These places were afterwards
held of the Honour of Skipton-in- Craven, Yorkshire.
1166-7. The next earliest document in which the name of Don-
nington appears is the Pipe-Eoll of the Exchequer, 13 Henry II.
(about 1166-7), when, among the names of vills amerced, occurs
that of Dunintona, held by Gervas de Sanervilla, which is amerced
at half-a-marc. In the account of the aid levied in the following
year for marrying the daughter of Henry II., which is found in the
Black-Book of the Exchequer,! it is stated that W m - de Sandrevill
holds four knights' fees of the said Honour of Skipton, and
Gervard de Sandrevill has a fifth fee, J of which the lord of Skipton
* "Domesday Book: " Facsimile of the part relating to Berkshire, 1862, p. 11.
t Ebor., p. 22.
J For every grant of a certain quantity of land, called a knight's feud, fief,
or fee, the grantee was bound to do personal service in the army of the
granter or feudal lord, forty days in every year, if called upon. "But," says
Blackstone, "this personal attendance growing troublesome in many respects,
the tenants found means for compounding for it, by (first) sending others in
their stead, and in process of time by making pecuniary satisfaction to the
owner in lieu of it. This pecuniary satisfaction came to be levied by assessment,
at so much for every knight's fee, under the name of 'scutages.' " It was first
levied in 5 Hen. II., 1158, but was abolished by Statute, 12 Car. II. cap. 24.
This was the origin of the modern land-tax.
198 APPENDIX.
could not have the service. From the previous extract, it is clear
that this fee is Dunintona; and that even as early as this period
the service for it had been alienated from the Honour of Skipton.
It is to be remembered that the returns in the Black-Book of the
Exchequer do not show the knights holding in different Counties,
but those holding of different Honours. Many Honours had fees in
several Counties, but the return for the whole is entered under the
County in which was the ca/put honoris. There is a Manor still called
Sandrevill in the parish of South Moreton, near Wallingford, which
Lysons states to have belonged to a family of that name in the
reign of Edward I.*
1213. In the fifteenth year of King John (1213) Donnington was
in the hands of Gilbert Fitz-Reinfrid; and for some unexplained
reason, on the 16th Nov r - of that yearf the Sheriff of Berks was
directed to transfer it to the custody of Peter Fitz-Herbert, to whom
also Philip de Columbar's neighbouring land of Sac (Shaw) was
committed.
1216. In this year Gilbert Fitz-Reinfrid returned to his obedience ;
and his charter, submitting himself to the King, is entered on the
Charter-Roll. J One amongst the things which he had to do, was
that he should give the daughter of Richard de Copland as a hostage.
1232. In the sixteenth year of Henry III. there was a final
concord between Philip de Sandrevill, Plaintiff, and Richard de
Copland and Johanna, his wife, Defendants, for one knight's fee in
Donnington, which was allowed by the Plaintiff to be the right of the
Defendants and the heirs of Johanna, for which the Defendants gave
the Plaintiff 60 marcs.
1237. Accordingly, in the "Testa de Nevill," the collectors for
the aid for marrying the King's sister account for 1 marc for one
knight's fee, which Richard de Cocland held in Donington of the
Honour of Wallingford; "Cocland" being either a mistake or mis-
spelling for Copland.
The Honour of Skipton, or a great part of it, passed in the reign of
Henry II. to the Earls of Albemarle;|| and the "Testa deNevill"^
shows that Philip de Sandrevill held land of the Earl of Albemarle in
South Moreton and Enborne.
These were two of the places held, at the taking of Domesday, by
William Lovet (see above); but nothing is said of the third (Deritone),
the Lordship of which had now passed from the Honour of Skipton.
This, combined with the extracts from the Pipe-Roll and the Black-Book
of the Exchequer, proves that by "Deritone" the modern Donnington is
meant.
1243. In the third volume of the old "Monasticon,"** Robert, Bishop
of Salisbury, is shewn to have confirmed to the Priory of Wallingford
the tithes of the demesne of Richard de Coupland, in the vUl of
Davinton, and also of the mill there. By this, no doubt, Donnington
is meant; and for this reason: Shaw, which adjoins Donnington, is
* "Magna Britannia; Berkshire," vol. i. p. 316.
t " Close Roll," vol. i. p. 273. J Ibid. 221, b.
" Testa de NeviU," p. 119. || Dugdale's "Bar," vol. i, p. 626.
IT Page 124. ** Dugdale's "Monasticon," vol. iii. p. 12.
APPENDIX. 199
not mentioned in the Charter, yet the "Taxation of Pope Nicholas"*
shows that the Priory had a pension of 13s. 4d. from Shaw. It is,
however, only a confirmation of the grant, which might have been,
and probably was, made a hundred years earlier.
It is far from improbable that the Berkshire Coplands were a
branch of the Cumberland family of the same name, and of whom
there is an Inquisition, 26 Edward I. (1298), f when one Alan was
found to be son and heir of a Eichard Copland, and 21 years old.
1279. In an "Inquisitio post mortem" J of this date mention ia
made of another Eichard de Copland; and, by reference to the
"Calendarium Q-enealogicum," || it will be seen that Joanna de
Hertrugge, wife of Eichard de Copland, was "soror" and "coiiterina"
of Philip de Hertrugge, that is to say, she was sister by the same
mother. Joanna is said to be 40 years of age ; she clearly therefore
could not be the Joanna mentioned in the fine of A.B. 1232; but that
age makes it probable that Eichard, her husband, was the son of
Eichard, Defendant in the fine. The next document which will be
quoted shows Eichard to have held Donnington, and that he died
before 1284.
1284. On the Assize Eoll, 12th Edward I. is a suit in which Alan
de Copland seeks from Nigel de Sandrevill, the manor of Donyngton
by Shaw, as that in which the Defendant had ingress by intrusion on
the death of Eichard de Copland, to whom Plaintiff had demised it for
life. The Defendant did not defend the suit on its merits, but
demurred, pleading he did not hold the whole manor, two other
persons holding small portions of it. The Plaintiff could not deny
this, and was consequently nonsuited.
1288. It is evident that Alan had eventually got possession of the
Manor, for, by a fine, 18 Edward I., between Master Thomas de
Badburber, Plaintiff, and Alan de Copland, Defendant, for the Manor
of Duninton, Defendant allowed it to be the right of the Plaintiff.
This Plaintiff's name was derived from Adderbury in Oxfordshire,
and is spelt, as was that of the place, in many different ways.
1291. In the twentieth year of King Edward I., Thomas de
Abberbury had a grant of free-warren over Donnington and Bradley.
The following is a translation from the original charter:
"For Master Thomas de Abberbury. The King to his Archbishops,
etc. greeting. Know that we have granted and by this our Charter
have confirmed to our beloved Master Thomas de Abberbury, that he
and his heirs for ever may have free-warren in all his demesne lands
of Doninton and Bradelee, Berks, provided however that those lands
are not within the bounds of our Forest. So that no one shall enter
those lands to hunt in them, or to take in them anything which
pertains to the warren, without the license and will of Thomas himself
or his heirs, under forfeiture to us of 10. Witnesses the Venerable
Father Eobert, Bishop of Bath and Wells; John de Vescy; Guy
Ferre; etc. Dated at Wigton, the eleventh of September, 1291. "^[
* Page 187 b.
t "Calend. Inq. post mortem," 25 Edw. I., No. 6.
+ " Cal. Inq. post mort." 7 Edw. I., No. 28. || Page 283.
Berks, m. 6. U "Charter Roll," 20 Edw. I., No. 8.
200 APPENDIX.
1299. In an "Inquisitio post mortem"* concerning the lands of
Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, of this date, mention is made of Donington
among the rents and fees appertaining to the Honour of Wallingford,
which confirms the opinion already expressed.
1306-7. The Inquisition upon Thomas de Abberbury furnishes us
with a description of the Manor at this time. It is as follows: f
Possessions of Master Thomas de Abbresbury, Dynynton, Berks.
"Extent," dated 23 May, 35 Edward I. :
Manor held in chief of the King of the Honour of "Wallingford by
service of half a knight's fee. A capital messuage with garden worth
6s. 8d. a year; 120 acres of arable land, 30s.; 50 acres of worse land,
4s. 2d.; 2 acres of meadow, 3s. 9d.; 3 acres of pasture, 3s. 6d.; sheep
pasture, 12d. (?); wood, 2s.; two water-mills, 40s. At Miggham
3 acres meadow, held of the Prior of Sandelford, 3s. Water-mill
there, held of the Prior, 30s. 2 acres of meadow in la Wydmede, held
of the Abbot of Beading, 2s.
Two free tenants .. .. lid.
Villani Total of their rents 27s. 3d,
their work 27s.
Tallage 18s.
Cotarii Eents 12s. lOd.
Work 2s. 6d.
Profits of Court 12d.
Walter de Abbresbury, brother of Thomas, is next heir; 30 years of
age and more.
22s. to be paid to the Prior of Sandleford by Miggham Mill.
Held also lands in Steple- Aston Manor ") Q xon
Sulthorne Manor )
Migham ] Berkg
Eneburne j
1323. Of Walter, brother of Sir Thomas Abberbury, we are
enabled to obtain little information ; but in this year (1323), in con-
junction with his son Richard, he granted certain lands in the parish
of Abberbury to the Cathedral Church of Winchester. J
It is stated by Grose, in his "Antiquities of Berks" (p. 5), that
Walter Abberbury gave the King (Edward H.) 100s. for the Castle.
It was thought by the late Mr. Henry Godwin, F.S.A., that the
license to build, given by the succeeding King (see further on),
indicated that the new structure was a re-edification of a former
building; and this doubtless was the case, since we see by the
Inquisition of 1306-7, that "a capital messuage" was then attached
to the Manor.
* "Cal. Inq. post mort.," 20 Edw. I., No. 44 (26 and 52).
t "Cal. Inq. post mort.," 35 Edw. I., No. 44: translated,
t Pat. 17 Edw. H., p. 1, m. 23.
Grose took his authority for this from Urry's "Life of Chaucer," published
about 1726. In 1731 the fire took place at Ashburnham House where the Cotton
MSS. were kept, and it is very probable that the original document from which
Urry derived his information was destroyed at that time.
APPENDIX. 201
1385-86. At this time (9th Eichard II.) the Manor was in the
hands of Sir Eichard de Abberbury, who had been guardian to the
King in his minority, and had obtained the license to build anew and
crenellate his castle at Donnington. The license is expressed in these
terms :
"The King to all his bailiffs and faithful subjects, to whom, etc.
greeting. Know that of our special grace we have granted and given
license for ourselves and our heirs, as much as in us lies, to our
beloved and faithful Eichard Abberbury the elder, that he may build
anew and fortify with stone and lime, and crenellate a certain Castle
on his own land at Donyngton, Berks ; and may hold that castle so
built, fortified, and crenellated, to him and his heirs for ever, without
disturbance or hindrance by us or our heirs, justices, escheators,
sheriffs, or other bailiffs or officers of ours whatever. In testimony of
which, etc." This instrument was acknowledged by the King himself
at his Manor of Henley, llth June, 1385.*
1397. It cannot be determined with certainty in what year Sir
Eichard de Abberbury the elder died, as the Inquisition taken after
his death is not to be found at the Eecord Office. It may, however,
be inferred that he was living in 1397, for he had a son of the same
name, to whom, by the description of Mons. Eic. Abberbury le fils, f
John of Gaunt, by his will, dated 3rd February, 1397, bequeathed a
legacy of 50 marks.
There is some difficulty, owing to the similarity of Christian names,
in identifying the various members of this family; but we have
evidence of the existence of a Eichard de Abberbury, the younger, as
late as the twelfth year of Henry VI., 1433, when the name occurs in
the list of Berkshire Gentry returned by the King's Commissioners.
He represented this County in the 17th and 20th Parliaments of
Eichard II. Alice, the wife of this Sir Eichard de Abberbury, junior,
was the only daughter and heiress of John Gleet, Knight of the
Shire for Berks in the 36th Parliament of Edward III. Her first
husband was Edmund Danvers.
1400. It has been asserted that the Castle and Estate of Donning-
ton belonged to Geoffrey Chaucer, the poet, whose death is recorded
to have taken place on Oct. 25th in this year ; but there is no evidence
to show that it was alienated by Sir Eichard Abberbury, during the
poet's life-time. A deed-poll of Thomas Danvers, son of Alice,
Lady Abberbury, by her first husband, Edmund Danvers, is dated at
Donyngton, 1414, 2 Hen V., which seems to imply that it still
continued to be their residence. J
We now arrive at a point where our researches are assisted by
several important documents, some of which are printed in extenso in the
late Mr. Godwin's paper on Donnington Castle in the "Archeeologia,"
and in the second volume of Transactions of the Newbury District
Field Club.
1414-15. From a Fine dated the second year of Henry V.,
* Rot. Pat. 9 Ric. II.. pt, 2, m. 7.
t "Donnington Castle," by H. 'Godwin, Esq., F.S.A., " Atchaeologia,"
vol. xliv; and "Trans. Newbury D. Field Club," vol. ii.
J Clarke's "Hundred of Wanting," p. 88. <
Cl
202 APPENDIX.
between Thomas Chaucer, Edward Hampden, John Golofre,* and
William Beck (Plaintiffs), and Richard Abberbury, knight, and Alice
his wife (Deforciants), of the Manor and Castle of Donnington, we
ascertain that the said Richard Abberbury and Alice his wife conveyed
to Thomas Chaucer and his Trustees the Manor and Castle of Donning-
ton for 1 000 marks of silver, f
By a Fine of a shortly subsequent date, Edward Hampden,
John Golofre, and William Beck granted to John Phelipp and Alice
his wife, for the like consideration (1000 marks of silver), the said
Manor and Castle of Donnington, to them and their heirs for ever.
In the event of Phelipp and Alice dying without heirs, remainder to-
Thomas Chaucer and his heirs. J
At an Inquisitio post mortem, taken at Wallingford, 21st October,
1415, on the Monday after the feast of St. Luke, as to the estates-
of which Sir John Phelipp died seized, the Jury say that Edward
Hampden, John Golofre, and William Beck (now deceased) were seized
of the Manor and Castle of Donnington, and of one croft, one carucate,
called Meredene, &c., and that they had given and granted the same
to .Sir John Phelipp and Alice his wife and their heirs.
It appears from a Fine, dated Hilary term in the third year of
Henry V., made between Thomas, Earl of Dorset, Hugh Mortemer,
Will. Hankeford, knt., Thomas de Stonore r Henr. Somer, Rich. Wyot,
Henr. Aston, John Warefeld, and Geoffry Prentys, clerk (Plaintiffs),
and Thomas Chaucer (Deforciant), of the Manor and Castle of Don-
nington, that Alice Chaucer, the wife of John Phelip, knt., held
the same for the term of her life, and that it ought to revert to
Thomas Chaucer on the death of his daughter Alice. The effect of
this document would evidently be a conveyance in trust. The
remainder is conveyed to the Earl of Dorset and others for ever. |{
Alice, the only child and heiress of Thomas Chaucer and Matilda
his wife, daughter of Sir John de Burghersh, was born in 1404; and,
according to the frequent practice then prevalent, was married in her
childhood to Sir John Phelip, Knight; the object of these early
marriages being to secure the property of the heiress as soon aa
possible, and to provide against escheats.
Sir John Phelip and Sir William Phelip, Knight of the Garter,
who in right of his wife was Lord Bardolph, were brothers. Their
mother was Juliana, daughter of Sir Robert Erpingham, of Erping-
ham, in the County of Norfolk. It is shown by the Inquisition taken
shortly after his death, that Sir John Phelip died on the 9th October,
* There were two John Golofres living at the same time. One, a Knight who
married Philippa Mohun in 1389, and died before 2 Hen. V. (1414-15), when
his relict married Edward, Duke of York. Another John Golofre died,
seized of the manor of Fyfield, in 1443. In the late Mr. Godwin's article on
Donnington Castle, these two persons appear to have been confounded. It is
there said that John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, married the daughter of
Sir John Golofre. No authority is given, but; as Lysons says the same, the
statement was probably taken from him. The Inquisition on John Golofre shows
this, however, to be erroneous.
t Pedes Fiaium, 2 Hen. V., No. 3, co. Berks.
J Pedes Finium, 3 Hen. V. No. 2, co. Berks.
$ "Cal. Inq. post Mort," 3 Hen. V., No. 42.
E Pedes Finium, 3 Hen. V., No. 1, co. Berks.
APPENDIX. 20S
1415; and that lie had attained the age of thirty-one years. His
brother, Sir William Phelip, toot a distinguished part in the French,
wars of Henry V., participated in the triumph of Agincourt, and was
subsequently present at the storming of the Castle of Caen, and at
the protracted siege of Rouen.
The exact degree of relationship between Thomas Chaucer and the
Poet has yet to be discovered, and, as no fresh evidence has been
advanced on the subject, it is not necessary to enter at length into
this long-disputed controversy.
The following chronological notes, however, resulting from some
recent researches, may be submitted to the consideration of those
pursuing the enquiry.
Sir Payn Roet, knt., alias Guyn King-of-Arms, a knight of Hainault,
had two daughters
1 . PhiHppa, married to Geoffrey Chaucer. *
2, Katherine, wife of Hugh Swinford, knt., and mistress (after-
wards wife) of John, Duke of Lancaster. She died 10 May,
1403, and was buried at Lincoln (of which See her son
Henry was Bishop).
The children of Katherine by the Duke were (besides others)
1. John de Beaufort, a knight in 15 Rich. II., (1391-2), and
created Earl of Somerset 20 Rich. II., (1396-7): died 1409,
leaving his son Henry 9 years old.
2. Henry, made Bishop of Lincoln in 1397, and of Winchester
in 1405: died 11 April, 1447, aged 80, It is needless to
mention others.
If this be correct, Henry was born in 1367, and John, therefore at
least in 1366.
Geoffrey Chaucer is said to have died in 1399 or 1400, that is, three
or four years earlier than his wife's sister.
In the facsimile of National MSS., Part 1. ("Athenseum," 13 JanT-
1866), is a letter to Henry IV , from Henry, Prince of Wales, dated
1402 (and which cannot be before that year, as it speaks of the
marriage of Henry IV. and Joanna of Navarre), wherein he says:
" As I trust to God your humble leige-man, my cousin Chaucer, hath
plainly informed your Highness at this time."
If there be no good evidence to prove that Geoffrey Chaucer died
before 1 402, this letter shows that he must have left male issue by the
sister of Katherine Roet, since no other Chaucer but such issue would
have been of kin to the Prince.
Thomas Chaucer died 13 Henry VI., on the Thursday after
St. Edmund (20 Nov.), 1434, leaving Alice, daughter and heiress,
aged 30, We may suppose that Thomas Chaucer had married
about 1 400 ; and he could not have been married more than two or
three years earlier than that. If this be so, and if he were son of
Geoffrey, and about the age of his first-cousin John Beaufort, he was 34
years old when he married. Instead of this, may not Thomas have
been the grandson of Geoffrey ? and, if so, who was his father ?
*The evidence on the Issue Rolls tends to prove that Chaucer married a
namesake or cousin. The earliest payments of Philippa's pension (presumably
before her marriage) were received by her as Philippa Chaucer, but the later
payments were received by Geoffrey for her, who is then described as her
husband.
204 APPENDIX.
Alice (daughter and heir of Sir Thomas and Lady Chaucer) soon
after the death of Sir John Phelip married Thomas de Montacute,
Earl of Salisbury, who was soon afterwards killed in the memorable
siege of Orleans. The Earl was succeeded in the command of the
English troops before that city by William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk,
who was forced by Joan of Arc to raise the siege, and was taken
prisoner. He contrived, however, to escape to England, and married
Alice (Chaucer), the widow of his comrade in arms, "The brave Earl of
Salisbury." After enjoying great favour at Court, he was charged
with treason, and beheaded at sea in 1450. The story of his death
is a mournful episode in English history, and has been often told.
Alice (Chaucer) survived her last husband many years; and, dying
in 1475, was buried near her parents in Ewelme Church. The altar-
tomb bearing her effigy "is hardly surpassed in beauty," says Skelton,
" and certainly not in the extreme excellence of its preservation, by
any monument in England." It is one of the three known examples
of female effigies decorated with the Order of the Garter. It is figured
in Gough's "Sepulchral Monuments."
John de la Pole, son of Alice (Chaucer) and William, Duke of
Suffolk, was confirmed in his father's estates and honours in 1463, and
held the Manor and Castle of Donnington. He married Elizabeth
Plantagenet, sister of Edward TV. ; and died in 1491. John de la Pole
and Elizabeth lie buried in Wingfield Church, in Suffolk, where, in
the chancel, there is a large altar-tomb with effigies of herself and
husband. Their arms are in a window of the south aisle of Iffley
Church.*
John, Earl of Lincoln, eldest son of John de la Polo, by his wife
Elizabeth Plantagenet, and consequently nephew to Edward IY.,
being engaged in the conspiracy to raise the impostor Lambert Simnel
to the crown, fell at the battle of Stoke, in 1487, in the life-time of his
father. In the first year of Richard III., 1485, he had obtained a
grant of the manor of Woodhay, and of the Lordships of Basingstoke
and Andover; but he being attainted, his next brother Edmund,
succeeded to his father's titles and estates.
Edmund de la Pole, the last in lawful succession to the dukedom of
Suffolk, was deprived of his title by attainder, and his honours
were forfeited to the Crown. He was beheaded on the Eve of the
Ascension in 1513, and left no male issue. His other brother
Richard 'de la Pole, called the "White Rose," was afterwards slain,
fighting'in the French army, at the battle of Pavia in 1528.
1514. In February of this year, Charles Brandon, Viscount L'Isle,
the friend of Henry VIII. from youth, was created Duke of Suffolk,
in tail-male, and received from the King a grant of the Castle, Park,
and Manor of Donnington, Berks, being part of the possessions of
Edmund dela Pole, late Duke of Suffolk, attainted, f
Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, was Henry's chief favourite, and
had married secretly, Mary, the King's sister, and widow of Louis XII.
In contracting this union without the permission of Henry VIII., both
parties exposed themselves to the risk of his serious displeasure, which,
* E. Marshall's "Account of Iffley," pp. 102, 3. Oxf. 1870.
t Pat. 5 Hen. VIII., pt. ii, in. 28.
APPENDIX. 205
to Suffolk, as his own subject, might have proved fatal. But the
French dowager-queen and her English husband crossed the Channel
and took up their abode in their Manor in Suffolk, without venturing
near the Court. A reconciliation was in a short time effected; the
accomplishment of which was greatly owing to the good offices of
Cardinal Wolsey, who appears to have been a staunch friend to the
young couple.
In a letter from the Queen-dowager of France, to Henry VIII.,
dated Letheryngham, Suffolk, 9th September, 1515, she thanks him
"for permitting 'my lord,' her husband, to repair to him on his
coming to Donyngton, which had greatly comforted him. JSad the
time been convenient, she would gladly have accompanied her husband
in this journey, but hopes they will both see his grace, as he wrote in
his last letters, ' which is the thing that I desire more to obtain than
all the honour of the world.' Desires to be remembered to her
sister the Queen, and the Queen of Scots, and hopes to hear of the
prosperous estate of her niece the Princess."*
Frances Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, the eldest of the two surviving
daughters of Charles Brandon by this marriage, on whose issue the
Crown was settled by the will of Henry VIII., ended in prison a life,
which for variety of wretchedness has had few parallels. She had
seen her daughter, Lady Jane Grrey, beheaded : her own and her
daughter's husband had shared the same fate: her daughter Catherine,
after having been repudiated by the Earl of Pembroke, was im-
prisoned in the Tower: and her youngest daughter Mary was most
unequally matched to an inferior officer of the household.
The Duke of Suffolk, it appears from several letters addressed to
"VVolsey, from Donnington, and preserved among the State Papers,
frequently resided at the Castle. Symonds, in his " Diary," mentions
that the following quarterings were to be seen in many of the windows
of the Castle in 1644:
Quarterly, 1 and 4, Barry of ten argent and gules, over all a lion
rampant or, crowned per pale gules and argent [Brandon];
2 and 3, Quarterly; 1 and 4, Azure, a cross moline or [Bruin] ;
2 and 3, Lozengy, gules and ermine [Eokesley]. The whole
within the garter, and surmounted by a coronet or [Brandon,
Duke of Suffolk],
As also this impaling :
France; impaling, quarterly France and England; the whole
surmounted by a crown [Louis XII. and Mary Tudor].
Divers lyons heads also, and this motto very often : LOIAVLTE
OUBLIG-E. [Crest and Motto of Brandon.] f
1535. By an Act, 27th Henry VIII. cap. 38, an exchange of lands
was confirmed between the King and Charles, Duke of Suffolk; and
by an Indenture bearing date 19 July of the same year, made
between the Eight Honourable Thomas Audeley, knight, Chancellor
of England, Thomas Cromwell, Esquire, Chief Secretary to the King
and Master of the Bolls, Sir Bryan Tuke, knight, Treasurer of the
* Gal. State Papers, Hn. VIII., vol. ii., pt. 1, No. 2347.
t Symonds' " Diary of the Marches of the Royal Army ; " ed. by C. E. Long,
M.A., p. U3.
206 APPENDIX.
Chamber, Christopher Hales, Attorney-General, and Richard Ryche,
Solicitor-General to the King, on the one part, and the Right Noble
Charles, Duke of Suffolk, on the other part, the same Duke bargained
and sold, &c., the Manors, Castles, and Lordships of Ewelme, Donyng-
ton, Langley, West Bradley, West Compton, and Buckland, in the
County of Berks, together with other Manors in the County of Oxford,
the Manor-house and place of Southwerke, commonly called the Duke
of Suffolk's Place, in the County of Surrey, with all Houses, &c., and
the Park there, and also the offices of the High- Stewardship and
Constableship of the Castle of Walyngford, Berks, in exchange for the
reversion of the fee-simple of the Manors of Philberdes (otherwise
called Phelbartes), Long Wittenham, Tiffed [Fifield], Eton, Frydysham
(otherwise called Freleford), and Gartford, in the Counties of Berks
and Oxon, the reversion belonging to and the Manors of Southwolde,
Dysenage, and others in the County of Suffolk.
Donnington Castle was thus again acquired by the Crown; and
Thomas Cromwell, writing to Sir Richard Rich, Solicitor-General to
the King, from Tewkesbury Monastery, July 29th, 1535, states that
he is ordered by the King to reply to Rich's letter respecting this
transaction with the Duke of Suffolk, as follows: As to the leases,
which, it was supposed, were made by the Duke of Suffolk, the King
says he does not know that the Duke or his officers have made any
lease since the conclusion between them of this bargain. As he 'is
informed that the Duke or his officers have offered to make leases
since that time, he considers this to be unkindness and ingratitude in
the Duke, if it can be proved. Touching the decay of Ewelme and
Donnington, the King answered that, whatever the Duke had spent
upon them, it will appear in what decay they stand ; whoever views
them will easily perceive that good sums of money will not easily
repair them. The King himself hath viewed Ewelme when lately
there, and for Donnington the house is not only in decay, but also
the keeper of the same, Mr. Fettyplace, hath both consumed and
destroyed the deer and game there, and also wasted the woods in such
wise as it is thought he hath not only forfeited his patent, but also
right ill-deserved to have either fee or thanks for any good service he
hath done there. *
1547. Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, died in 1545. Upon
the death of Henry VIII., in 1547, the Castle passed to his son
Edward VI., who in the fourth year of his reign (1550), in fulfilment
of the will of his father, the late king, and with the advice of his
Council, granted by Letters Patent to his sister, Lady Elizabeth,
various lands in several Counties, including the lordship and manor of
Donyngton, with all the deer and beasts in the park, and the liberty
of park within the said park; the Castle of Donyngton, Berks, with
all rights and appurtenances, the whole town of Newbury, with all
appurtenances, formerly parcel of the lands and possessions of the
jointure of Lady Johanna, Queen of England [Joanna of Navarre,
Queen of Henry IV.], the Manor of Hamsted-Marshall, etc., the
whole being of the yearly value of 3106 13s. ld. To be held by a
yearly rent of 106 1, to be paid to the Court of Augmentations,
* " Miscellaneous Letters," Series III, vol. ii., No. 96 ; Public Record Office.
APPENDIX. 207
or until the Councillors named in King Henry's Will shall arrange a
marriage for her, in accordance with the said will.*
1551. The above-mentioned Letters Patent were surrendered on
23rd April of the following year (1551) by the Lady Elizabeth per-
sonally appearing before the King in his Court of Chancery; and the
enrolment was accordingly cancelled. On this surrender, another
grant was made to the Princess in substitution of the former grant,
including, with other lands mentioned in the previous grant the Lord-
ship and Manor of Donnington, the Castle of Donnington, and the
Manor of Newbury the annual value of the whole being estimated at
3064 17 8. To be held at a rent of 109 13 7, for life, or until
marriage, as before.f
1600. On the 15th of May, in the forty-second year of Queen
Elizabeth, a grant of the Castle and Manor of Donnington was
nominally made to Nicholas Zouche, and Thomas Hare, Esquires,
and their heirs, nominees of Charles, Earl of Nottingham, Baron
Howard of Effingham, to protect it against escheat. In the following
year, the said Nicholas Zouche, Esq., and Elizabeth his wife obtained
license to alienate to the said Charles, Earl of Nottingham, and
Catherine his wife, and the heirs of the said Earl, the Castle and
Manor of Donnington, Winterborne-Davers (alias Winterborne-
Danvers), Winterborne-Mayne, Leckhampstede, the Park of Don-
nington, and 40 messuages, 40 gardens, 20 tofts, J 4 water-mills,
3 dovecotes, 40 orchards, 1000 acres of arable land, 100 acres of
meadow, 500 acres of pasture, 300 acres of wood, 300 acres of gorse,
100s. of rent, free warren, view of frankpledge in the town aforesaid,
Bussock Courte, Speene mores, Uplamborne (alias Lamborne), North-
croft, Horspoole-Furlonge, Newbury, Shaw, Thatcham, Henwyke,
Spynamlande, Shawborne, and other places, together with the presen-
tation and free disposal of the Hospital of Donnington, and all tithes
and oblations in Donnington, Newbery, Speene, Winterborne-Davers,
and Winterborne-Mayne, and the Advowson of the Church of Newbury,
co. Berks, the Borough of New Lymington, and the Manors of Old
Lymington and New Lymington, with other lands in the Counties of
Southampton and Surrey. All these were to be holden by tbe grantees
as follows: With the exception of the lands in Southampton, to the
use of the said Earl and Catherine his wife for their lives; with
remainder to William Howard, son and heir apparent of said Earl,
and his heirs male, remainder to Charles Howard, Esq., son and heir of
William Howard, knt., brother of said Earl deceased, and heirs male ;
with remainder to Francis Howard, Esq., second son of the said Sir
William Howard, knt., deceased, and heirs male; with remainder to the
right heirs of said Earl for ever. Worth 40. Fine on alienation
13 6 8. Note in the Margin: " The cause of tins small rate was for
yt my Lo. purchased these lands in other men's names upon trust,
and, all these dyinge but one, was forced to take y e same back from
ye Survivor and his wiffe, as well for barringe of dower of y e wiffe
* Pat. 4 Edw, VI., pt. 3, m. 25. t Pat. 5, Edw. VI., pt. 4, m. 11.
% Toft: a messuage or house, or rather a place where a messuage once stood,
that is fallen or pulled down.' Bailey.
A meadow belonging to Donnington Priory is still known by this name.
The word "furlong" occurs often in the naaaes of fields in Beds and Bucks.
208 APPENDIX.
of him that had yt in trust, as also for my Lo. his further securyty." *
1603. Sir Thomas Edmonds, in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury,
dated, Woodstock, Sept. 11, 1603, f says, "I suppose your Lordship is
no less entertained with the pleasures of your hunting than we are
here ; so as you do not expect to hear any novelties from us during
this time. Since the time that your Lordship left us, we have wholly
spent our time in that exercise; but the Queen [Anne, of Denmark]
remained at Basing till the King's coming hither, and she hath as
well entertained herself with good dancing, which hath brought forth
the effects of a marriage between my Lord Admiral [The Earl of
Nottingham] and the Lady Mary Stuart. His Lordship, in his
passage hither by the way of Newbury, hath recovered the possession
of Donnington Castle from the Lady Russell, J she being absent in
Wales with her daughter the Lady Herbert."
This letter is also printed in Nichols' "Progresses of James I." In
what way Lady Russell became interested in Donnington Castle is at
present unknown; and, as Mr. Nichols remarks, we are not likely to
gain further information as to the dispute than this letter gives us.
1615. In this year another dispute arose as to the ownership of the
Castle and Manor, which at this time were in the hands of Lady Anne,
widow of William, Lord Howard of Effingham. Being summoned to
show by what title she entered upon and held the said Castle, &c., she
stated that William, Lord Howard, was seized of the Castle and Manor
of Donnington, &c., in demesne as of fee, &c.; and, being so seized, by
Indenture, dated 10 October, 13 James I., between William, Lord
Howard, of the one part, and Peter Yanlore, of the other part, he
(William), bargained and sold to Peter Vanlore the said lands, &c., by
which means Peter Vanlore became possessed of the same, but without
having first obtained the King's license. (King James, however, by
Letters Patent, dated 13 May, 14 James I., pardoned this alienation.)
She said further, that Peter Yanlore, senior, being thus seized, the
King by Letters Patent, dated 1 April, 14 James I., gave license to
Peter Yanlore, senior, to alienate the Castle and Manor of Donnington,
&c., to Anne, Lady Howard, widow, late the wife of William, Lord
Howard, of Effingham, for life; with remainder to Elizabeth, daughter
and heir of William, and to the heirs of Elizabeth, and in default of
such heirs to the right heirs of Anne.
Whereupon a fine was levied at Westminster in Trinity Term,
14 James I., between Anne, Lady Howard, Plaintiff, and Peter
Yanlore, senior, Deforciant, of the Castle and Manor of Donnington,
&c., which Peter Yanlore conveyed to Anne, as appears by an In-
denture, dated 30 March, 14 James I., made between Peter Vanlore,
senior, of London, Esq., of the one part, and Anne, Lady Howard of
Effingham, late wife and sole-executrix of William, Lord Howard of
Effingham, of the other part. By virtue whereof, Anne had entered
* Alienation Office: " Entries of Licenses and Pardons," v. 7, p. 313 d.
t "Memoirs of the Peers of England during the reign of James I.," by Sir
Egerton Brydges; p. 171.
% Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, and widow of John, Lord
Russell, second son of Francis, Earl of Bedford.
Wife of Henry, Lord Herbert, son of the Earl of Worcester.
APPENDIX. 209
Upon and hitherto was seized in demesne as of free tenement for life.
Judgment was therefore given in favour of Anne.
This Eoll * contains a long list of places besides Donnington. It
includes the Park of Donnington, also a meadow called Lorde's
Meade, alias Horsemead, in Donnington, also two water-mills at
Donnington, also a messuage near the bridge of Newbury between
the tenement of Ralph Gunter, on the north part, and the Church
Lane, leading to the Mill, on the south part, and extending in length
from the High Street on the east part to the "Almes" on the west
part, then or lately in the tenure or occupation of Catherine Lithpole
and John Lichpole, otherwise Chaundeler, or their assigns, or the
assigns of one of them. All the places mentioned passed under the
conveyance here set out.
The two water-mills at Donnington are contiguous; and until
recently they have been held by two different owners ; one belonging
to the Castle estate, the other to Mrs. Parry, whose family at one
time were the proprietors of the adjacent Priory.
The messuage in Newbury comprised the premises well known
in later years as the " Globe Inn," which before the dissolution of the
Monasteries formed part of the possessions of the Priory of Wherwell,
Hants.
William, Lord Howard of Effingham, who was summoned by writ
to several Parliaments during his father's life, married Anne, daughter
and sole heir of Lord St. -John, of Bletsoe. He died before his father,
in 1615, and was buried at Chelsea, leaving Elizabeth, his only
daughter and sole heir, who became the wife of John, Lord Mordaunt,
afterwards Earl of Peterborough. Charles Howard, Earl of Effing-
ham, the Lord High Admiral (which office, Fuller says, he resigned
to the Duke of Buckingham, in the reign of James I), died at Haling
House, Surrey, December 14, 1624; and was buried in the family vault
in the chancel of Reigate Church. f He was succeeded in the title by
Charles, his son by his first wife, Katherine Gary.
Lady Anne Howard died in June, 1638; and was buried in "West-
minster Abbey. In the letters of administration granted to her only
child, Elizabeth, Countess of Peterborough, 20th of June, 1638, she is
described as of Hawnes, Co. Beds; but she died in the parish of
St. Bartholomew the Great in London. See Col. Chester's "West-
minster Abbey Eegisters," p. 133.
Sir Peter Vanlore, above-mentioned, was a rich merchant, born at
Utretch. He died in 1627; and in Tylehurst Church, near Reading,
there is an elaborate and curious Jacobian monument to Sir Peter and
his lady, with a long eulogistic inscription, commencing with the
following lines:
"When thou hast read the name, here lies Vanlore,
Thou need'st no story to inform thee more."
Further on, however, we learn, that Sir Peter was an industrious
* Memoranda Eoll (Lord-Treasurer's Remembrancer), Hilary, 14 James I.,
Roll, 205.
t "Worthies," Surrey, pp. 83, 84.
Dl
210 APPENDIX.
merchant, beloved by three English Monarchs; and that he died
very rich, having lived four-score years
" The greatest part in one chaste wedlock spent;
Utrecht his cradle Tylehurst loves his tomb."
Sir Peter is supposed to have had a temporary interest in the Manor
of Tylehurst by alliance with the Kendricks.
1623-44. John Chamberlayne is described in the Rolls of the
College of Arms for 1623, as of "Donnington Castle," Berks;* and
Symonds, the writer of the "Diary of the Marches of the Royal Army,"
informs us that the Castle in 1644 was "the habitacion of Mr. Packer,
who bought it of Mr. Chamberlayne." A diligent search at the Record
Office has failed to find a license given to Anne Howard to alienate,
or a transfer to Chamberlayne; but this is no reason for doubting
Symonds' s statement. There is a John Chamberlayne described as of
Sherborne, Co. Oxon ("Close Roll," 22 James I., p. 16, m. 5); and
another John Chamberlayne, as of Beaulieu, Co. Southampton ("Close
Roll," 19 James I., p. 11, m. 7). The latter is most probably the
person who was for a short time the owner of the Castle, f
At the commencement of the Civil War, the Castle was unquestion-
ably the property of John Packer, Esq., and in his hands when it was
garrisoned for the King. Mr. Packer was born at Twickenham,
Middlesex, about 1572, and appears to have been in public employ-
ment (at one time in the Signet Office); and to have been of consider-
able social distinction. A letter, dated 17 January, 1610, addressed
by him to Sir Thomas Edmonds, Ambassador at the Court of
Brussels, will be found in the " Court and Times of James the First;"
1848, vol. i. p. 104: and Camden, in his "Annals," states that the
Marquis of Buckingham, Baron Haye, and the Countess of Dorset were
sponsors at the baptism of one of Mr. Packer's children, in West-
minster Church, 24 June, 1618. It is probable that he acted as
Secretary to George Villiers, first Duke of Buckingham. He was
buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster, 15 February, 1649.
His will, dated 20th July, 1645, with a codicil, dated 2nd May, 1648,
was proved, 27 Nov., 1649, by his relict Philippa. He was residing in
a house within the College of Westminster, but described himself as
of Shellingford, co. Berks, Esq. ; and stated that his lands had been
sequestered by the King's forces, excepting the Manor of Groombridge
(in Speldhurst), Kent, where he had built a chapel, and which
he bequeathed to one of his sons, who still held it in 1696. He
had married Philippa Mills, of the city of Westminster, gentle-
woman, daughter of Francis Mills, Esq., of Southampton. J In a
letter, dated 12th Dec., 1604, written by John Packer to Sir Ralph
Win wood, he speaks of his "good friend" Sir Thomas Lake
(Principal Secretary of State to James I.), who first procured him the
* " Transactions of the Newbury District Field Club," vol. ii, p. 39.
t We may also mention that a John Chamberlayne had been Mayor of
Newbury in 1601 ; and that this name frequently occurs in the town records
about this period.
J See note to the baptism of Mr. Packer's daughter, in the "Westminster
Abbey Registers," edited by Col. J. L. Chester, p. 65.
APPENDIX. 211
reversion to the Privy Seal; and he mentions that he is "now at the
Court." Sir Dudley Carleton, writing to Sir Ralph Winwood in 1610,
refers to Mr. Packer as having been sent as Envoy to Denmark, and
alludes to "John Chamberlaine," with whom Mr. Packer was, it
seems, familiar.
In 1647, 23 Charles I., John Packer, of Donnington Castle, was one
of the Committee appointed by an ordinance of the Parliament for the
"Visitation and Reformation of the University of Oxford." His
sons, Robert and Philip, were members of University College, and
subscribers to the new works at that College about 1675; and
in one of the windows of the Hall are inserted the arms of the
Packers Gules, a cross lozengy, between four roses argent. Their
brother, William, was one of the "Tryers for Approbation of Public
Preachers" in 1653. The residence of the Packers at Shellingford,
about two miles to the north-east of Faringdon, was an ancient stone
building, called "Shellingford Castle." It remained unoccupied many
years, and was at last taken down. A few outbuildings, a large
walled garden and some plantations of yew, surrounding a fish-pond,
are now all that remain to indicate the dwelling-place of this once
important family. Mr. Robert Packer, M.P. for Wallingford in the
Long Parliament, and who died in 1684, appears to have been among
those members, some of whom were imprisoned or secluded, and
others seized by the army on the 6th December, 1648, for having
voted the day previously, "That the King's answers to the propo-
sition of both Houses were a ground for peace."
After the Civil War was over, Mr. John Packer had some of the
ruinous parts of the battered Castle taken down ; and with the materials
he erected the mansion now standing near it, and called " Donnington-
Castle House."
FLN T IS.
INDEX.
Abberbury family, noticed, 199.
Abingdon, failure of Prince Rupert's
attack on, 156.
Aldbourne Chase, fight at, 8; M. De
Larrey's account of the fight at, 9;
the forces at, 7 : Royalists' account of
the fight et, 10.
Aldbourne, parish registers of, 9 note;
relics of the fight at, 13.
Aldermaston, Rupert's skirmish near,
50, 58.
Andover, fight at, 113; the King's
march from, 1 16.
Anecdotes of the Battle on Wash Com-
mon, 44.
Armament of Donnington Castle, 118.
Army of the King in array on the Wash,
28; its condition in 1644, 111.
Army of the Parliament in array on the
Wash, 29.
Ashburnham, Sir W., account of, 191.
Ashe, Rev. Simeon, account of, 131 note.
Astley, Sir Bernard, account of, 191.
Astley, Sir Jacob, account of, 76.
Aston, Sir Thomas, account of, 76.
Auxiliaries, Red Regiment of the, 57.
Bagehot, Col. Thomas, account of, 79.
Balfour, Sir William, account of, 86.
Balsdon (Balston, Balsome, Bolsorne)
House, near Kintbury, notice of,
180 note.
Balsome House, the Kentish Regiment
at, 180.
Banbury, relief of, 117.
Basing House, relief of, 112; from Hun-
gerford, 153.
Basset, Sir T., account of, 192
Battle at Speen and Shaw, 132, 136;
first, at Newbury, 24, 30, 51.
Battle- march of the Puritans, 136.
Battle on Wash Common, near Newbury,
24, 30; political effects of, 51; relics
of, 44, 46; second, at Newbury, 130.
Bear Inn at Hungerford, 153 note;
Newbury, 83.
Bedford, Earl of, account of, 71.
Belasyse, Lord, account of, vii, 72.
Benett, Sir H., noticed, 192.
Bennet, Sir Humphrey, his brigade of
horse, 123
Berks, Agreement with King for support
of army, 104; Commission for raising
money and forces in, 95 ; Petition of
Grand Jury against Ship-money, 100;
political feeling in, 102: proportion of
Ship-money, 100 ; protestaters, returns
of, in, 90; sequestrators of estates
in, 93.
Berkshire, Earl of, account of, 188.
Bertie, Hon. Henry, account of. 73.
Biggs' Cottage and Biggs' Hill, near
Newbury, 21 note, 24 note.
Biographical Notices of Parliamentarian
Officers, 85, 194; Royalist Officers,
67, 187.
Birch, Col. John, his account of the
capture of Lady Brentford, 173; notice
of, 196.
Blagrave, Baniel, acconnt of, 98.
Boxford, parochial records of, 168; the
Lambourne passed by Gen. Waller at,
128, 129.
Boys, Colonel, his defence of Donning-
ton Castle, 109. 118, 145, 158, 183;
raid upon Newbury, 154; replies to
Col. Middleton, 109; reply to Col.
Horton, 118; to summons of surren-
der, 145; surrender of Donnington
Castle, 159 ; knighted on Red Heath,
117,163,165; Sir John, account of, 190.
Brandon, Charles, Duke of Suffolk,
noticed, 204.
Brentford, capture of Lady, 173; Earl
of, his escape from Doiitiington, 146 ;
Lady, capture of, 146.
Bridge, old: at Newbury, 133.
Bristol, assault of, 1.
Brocas, Bernard, account of, vii, 75.
Brooke. Mr. Thomas, account of, 162 note.
Brouncker (Bronkerd), Sir W , account
of, 191.
Browne, Mr., of Shefford, notice of, 155;
Richard, account of, 98.
Buckingham, Duke of, death of, 71.
Bucklebory, parish registers of, 169.
Burden, Samuel, noticed, 186.
Burial of the dead after the Secend
Battle, 143; on the Wash, 45, 46.
Byron, Lord, his account of the Battle
on the Wash, 35; attack at the Battle
on the Wash, 31, 34, 35; letter to
Lord ClarendoH, 6; remarks on the
fight at Aldbourne Chase, 8; position
of troops at Newbury, 12, 27.
Byron, Sir John, account of, 67.
Caernarvon, Earl of, acconnt of, 68 ;
death of, on the Wash, 39.
Campaign of, 1644, 107.
Cannon, see Guns.
Cupel, Lord, account of, 183.
Capture of Lady Brentford, 173.
Carleton, Rev. Guy, account of, 169.
Carnarvon, Lord, his description of the
Royalistsin array in WashCommon, 26.
Gary, Lucius (Viscount Falkland), ac-
count of , 81.
Castle and Manor of Donnington, his-
tory of, 197.
INDEX.
213
Casualties at the Battle on Wash Com-
mon, 42, 43, 49, 51; Second Battle of
Newbury, 139, 141, 142.
Catelyn, Capt., notice of, 193.
Chamberlayne, John, noticed, 210.
Chandos, Lord, account of, 73.
Chaucer, family of, noticed, 201. 208, 204.
Chieveley, halt of Parliamentarians at,
128. '
Chilton House and Chilton Lodge, ac-
count ot, 20 note.
Circencester, fight at, 5; flags taken
at, 47.
Clare, Earl of, 71.
Clarendon, Lord, reference to his Hk-
tory, passim.
Clarke, gunner, account of, 78.
Clay Hill, Shaw, Parliamentarian Camp
on, 125.
Cleveland, Earl of, account of, 70 ; takea
prisoner, 134.
Clifton, Capt., account of, 79.
Codrington, Robert, account of, 89 ; on
the retreat from Gloucester, 8.
Colepeper, Lord, account of, 189.
Colours, captured by Lord Essex, 47 ;
of the London Regiments, 55.
Commissioners for raising money and
forces in Co. Berks, List of, 95.
Committee, the Derby-House, 110, 114,
129.
Conditions of the surrender of Donning-
ton Castle, 160.
Constable, Sir William, account of, 86.
Cope Hill, near Newbury, fight at, 34.
Corbet's relation of the Siege of Glou-
cester, 5.
Cox, Gabriel, of Newbury, noticed, 27,
103, 185.
Crawford, General, noticed, 195.
Criticism, military, on the tactics of the
two armies at the Battle on Wash
Common, 52.
Cromwell and Manchester, quarrel be-
tween, 157.
Cromwell, General, his cavalry charge
in Speen Fields, 134, 135: flank march,
127, 129, 131; Information against
Manchester, 115: joined Manchester's
army as General of the Horse, 114.
Crosby, James, noticed, 186.
Dalbier, Col., his investment of Don-
nington Castle, 159, 183; notice of the
career and death of, 161.
Dalton, Colonel, account of, 43 note.
Deane, General, account of, 87.
Defeat of the Royalists on Speen Hill,
132.
Defence of Donnington Castle, 109, 119,
145, 158, 183.
Delinquents, papists, spies, &c., 93.
Derby-House Committee, the, 110, 114,
129, 144.
Digby, Lord George, account of, 72:
remarks on the defeat of the Royalists
on the Wash, 44.
Dolman's house at Shaw, 122, 135, 164.
Donnington Castle, 19; armament of, 118;
besieged by Col. Horton, 117, 119;
inNovember, 1644,145; Capt. Knight's
account of the siege of, 177; defence
of, 109, 119, 145, 158, 183; investment
of, 109, 159; lead taken from, 184;
regalia and treasure at, 149; strategi-
calimportanceof, 19, 108; supplied with
provisions, 154; supplies for the de-
fence of, 108; surrendered, 160.
Dounington, history of the Manor and
Castle of, 187; water-mills at, 209.
Dragoons, account of, 25 note.
Dunce (Daunce, Dance) family, noticed,
163.
Dunch, Edmund, account of, 97.
Elizabeth, Princess, her possessions at
Donnington and Newbury, 206, 207.
Enbourne Heath, the fighting on, 38.
Essex, Lord, his airangement of troops
for the Battle on Wash Common, 24 ;
conduct iu battle, 32 note; his flag,
32 note; disaster in Cornwall, 110;
march to Gloucester, 4; to Newbury,
20; movements in the campaign of
1644, 107, 110; relief of Gloucester, 3;
success against the Royalists on Wash
Common, 40; toicb in Westminster
Abbey, 65 ; triumphal entry into Lon-
don, 47; Prince Rupert's attack on his
rear, 58; strength of his army, 6.
Essex, the Earl of, account of, 85.
Eure, Col. Thomas, account of, 78.
Ewhurst Church, burials in, 112 note.
Eystons of Hendred, the, 103.
Falkland Farm on Wash Common, 36.
Falkland, Lord, account of, 81 ; his
death, 35, 37, 49, 53, 82; his Will, 84;
on Ship-money, 101 ; shot when charg-
ing across Dark Lane, 35 note.
Fawley, Little, Symonds's notice of, 155.
Fettiplace, Thomas, mentioned, 95.
First Battle at Newbury, the, on Sept.
20th, 4643, 1 ; the King present at the,
32 note, 185.
Flag, Lord Essex's, 32 note.
Flags taken at Cirencester, 47; the First
Battle of Newbury, vii, 48.
Flank march, under Waller and Crom-
well, 127, 129, 131.
Fleetwood, Capt. C., account of, 89.
Fleetwood, Dr. James, account of, 119
note.
Flight of the King from Newbury, 134.
Fogge, Rev. Robert, account of, 120
note; brings Mrs. Fleetwood's letter
to the Castle, 119.
Forster, Mr., his account of the Battle
on Wash Gammon, 39.
Forster, Sir Humphrey, his petition to
Parliament, 124 note; military intru-
sion at his residence, 170.
Forth, Earl of, account of, 67
Frechville, Sir John, account of, 76.
Fuller on the Battle at Newbury, 48.
Gage, Col., his relief of Basiag, 112;
Sir H., his relief of Basing, 153.
Garrard family, notice of, 151 note.
Gerard, Col. Charles, account of, 78.
Gerard family, noticed, 79.
214
INDEX.
Gloucester, Capt. John Gwynne's ac-
count of the march from, 7 ; Corbet's
relation of the siege of, 6; inscrip-
tions on the south gate of, 4; siege
of, 2.
Golofre, family of, noticed, 202 note.
Goodman, Rev. Dr., account of. 147.
Goodwin, Sir Arthur, account of, 86.
Goring, Lord, account of, 190.
Granville, Sir J., noticed, 192.
Greenham Manor-house, noticed, 181
note.
Grey of Groby, Lord, account of, 85.
Gryce, Gyles, noticed, 185.
"Gun" public-house on "Wash Com-
mon, 25.
Guns, kinds of, used at Donningtoit
Castle, 118; recapture of, at Speen,
132; old, at Shaw House, 137.
Gwynne, Capt., account of, 80; on the
retreat from Gloucester, 7.
Hammond, Capt., account of, 88.
Henrietta Maria, not present at the
Battle on Wash Coinmen, 61.
Hesilrige, Sir A. account of, 195.
Hoby, Peregrine, account of, 94. '
Holland, Cornelius, account of, 92 ; Earl
of, account of, 70.
Hooper, Sir T., notice of, 192.
Hopton, Lord, account of, 189.
Horton, Col., his blockade of Donning-
ton Castle, 117; letter to Mr. Fogge,
120.
Horton, Col., summons Col. Boys to
surrender, 118.
Houghton, Col., noticed, 193.
Howard, Lady, noticed, 208, 209; of
Effir.gham, Lord, noticed, 207, 209.
Hungerford Park, account of, 20 note.
Hungerford, the King at, 153 note.
Hunt, Captain, account of, 88.
Hurry, Col. Sir John, account of, 77, 146.
Ingoldsby, Col. Sir. R., account of, 196.
Ives, Thomas, noticed, 186.
Jermya, Lord, account of, 72.
Kingsclere, the Kentish Regiment at,
179; King at, 116.
Kingsmill, Henry, notice of, 162 note.
Kirke, Sir Lewis, account of, 75.
Knight, Capt., his account of the siege
of Donnington Castle, 177.
Knight, Roger, noticed, 93.
Knight's feud, fief, or fee, 197 note.
Knollys, Sir Francis, account of, 93.
Land-tax, origin of the, 197 note.
Largess from Parliament to General
Massey and the garrison of Glou-
cester, 4.
Larrey, M. de, on the fight at Aldboume
Chase, 9.
Leaders of the Royalists at Shaw and
Speen, 126; at the Wash, 28; Parlia-
mentarian, at Shaw and Speen, 126 ;
at the Wash, 29.
Leathern guns, 137.
Legge, Col. William, account of, 77.
Leke, Col., account of, 192.
Lenthall, William, account of, 95.
Letter by an Officer of Horse about the
Battle on Wash Common, 33; John
Saunders describing journey to Marl-
borough, 83; the Kev. R. Fogge, 120;
from Anthony Vaux about the conduct
of the soldiers, 172; Capt. John
Gwynne, 7; Charles Murray to Sir
John Berkeley, 167; Col. Dalbier to
the Earl of Essex, 60; Col. Goodwin
to Lady Wharton, 86; to Lord Whar-
ton (?), 18; Col. Norton to Richard
Major, 142; Col. William Ball to
Mr. Speaker Lenthall, 170; John
Ashburnham (for the King) to Prince
Rupert, 13; King Charles I. to Prince
Rupert, 111; Lord Byron to Claren-
don, 6 ; Lord Digby to Prince Rupert,
115; Lord Essex to Colonels Godwin
and Henry, 18; Lord George Digby
(for the King) to Prince Rupert, 14;
Lord Grandison to Prince Rupert, 17;
Lord Sunderland to Lady Dorothea,
80 ; Mr. Roger Knight to the Astro-
loger Lilly, 181 note; Messrs. Johnston
and Crewe from Thatcham, 125; Sir
Thomas Edmonds to the Earl of
Shrewsbury, 208; the Duke of Rich-
mond (for the King) to Prince Rupert,
14; Earl of Essex to Col. Godwin, 60;
Marquis of Newcastle to Prince Rupert,
62; Mayor of Newbury to Prince
Charles, 133.
Letters from. Henriette-Marie to the
Marquis of Newcastle, 61; Prince
Rupert to Gen. Waller and Lord
Essex, 82.
Licpnse of War, 2, 154, 169, 172.
Lilly, Roger Knight's letter to, 181 note.
Lindsey, Earl of, account of, 69.
Lisle, Sir George, account of, 74.
Lloyd, Sir C , noticed, 192.
London, Trained Bands of, 31, 55.
Lucas, Sir Charles, account of, 74.
Ludlow, General, account of, 195; his
account of the death of Gabriel Lud-
low, 127; his "Memoires" quoted
passim.
Luke, Sir Samuel, account of, 86.
Manchester and Cromwell, quarrel be-
tween, 157.
Manchester, Earl of, account of, 194;
his friendly disposition towards the
King, 115; march from Reading to
Newbury, 124 ; march westward, 108,
110, 112.
Manor and Castle of Donnington, his-
torical notices of the, 197.
Mansel, Sir Anthony, account of, 76.
Maple tree, old, near Donnington Castle,
182 note.
March, flank, under Waller and Crom-
well, 127, 129, 131 ; of Lord Essex to
Reading, 47, 49, 50, 59; the King from
Andover to Whitchurch, 116; from
Donnington Castle to Marlborough,
Nov. 1644, 150; from Oxford te Don-
nington, 147; on Salisbury, 111; to
Newbury from Andover, 162; the
INDEX.
215
Parliamentarians from Aldbourne to
Newbury, 19; the Royalists from
Gloucester to Newbury, 15.
Marlborough, the King's stay at, 152.
Marsh, fortifications in the, at Newbury,
148 note.
Marten, Henry, account of, 94.
Mason, Capt., noticed, 196.
Massey, governor of Gloucester, 2, 4.
Maurice, Prince, account of, 187.
Meldrum, Col. John, account of, 88.
Meyrick, Sir John, account of, 85.
Middleton, Col., before Donnington
Castle, 109; General, account of. 195.
Milton, Christopher, account of, 103
note; John, on Charles's weakness of
character, 113.
Molyneux, Lord, account of, 73.
Monkey Lane, name of, 50.
Moore, John, noticed, 106 ; Sir Francis,
account of, 155 note.
Morgan, Col., account of, 78.
Movements of the opposed armies in the
Spring of 1644, 107.
Needham, M., account of, 51 note.
Newberry, Earl of, the title of, 79;
Manor of, in Co. Cork, 16 note.
Newbury, a "witch" murdered at, 63;
Church used as a prison and hospital,
167; disposition of the people at, 17;
flight of the King from, 134; fortified
in Nov. 1644, 148; its history, 16;
manor of, 16; old bridge of, 133; raid
upon, from Donnington Castle, 154;
the King's march to, from Andover,
162; stay at, 27, 163; value of its
position to the Royalists, 19.
Newman, Capt., noticed, 16 note.
New Model Army, the, 157.
Newport, Earl of, account of, 188.
Northampton, Earl of, account of, 69 ;
his relief of Banbury, 117.
North Heath, near Chieveley, 128, 129.
Norton, Col. R., account of, 88, 196.
Nottingham, Earl of, account of, 70.
Oak, the Queen's, in Donnington Park,
178.
Officers ef the Trained Bands, lists of,
65 ; Parliamentarian notices of, 85,
144; Royalist, notices of, 67, 187.
O'Neill, Col. Daniel, account of, viii, 78.
Owen, Sir John, account of, 192.
Oxford, the King at, 43; the King's
retreat to, 145.
Packer Family, noticed, 210; John, ac-
count of, 210; Phillip, his deposition
concerning the removal and forcible
detention of lead from the Castle, 184.
Page, Sir R., noticed, 192.
Parliamentarian Camp on Clay Hill,
Shaw, 125; Officers and others, notices
of, 85, 194.
Percy, Lord Henry, account of, 72.
Petition against Ship-money, Berks,
100; of Daniel for redress, 47 note;
John Bonwak for compensation for his
sufferings, 167; people of Donnington
for compensation for damages, 177
note; Robert Stradling for employ-
ment, 183 note; the Corporation of
Newbury to purchase the Manor, 16.
Petitions of Sir Humphrey and Lady
Anne Forstei, 124 note.
Phelip family, noticed, 202.
Platt, Col. Richard, account of, 78.
Pordage, Rector of Bradfield, trial of, 84.
Porter, Gen. George, account of, 77.
Potts, Michael, noticed, 186.
Powle, Henry, account of, 94.
Presence of the King at tho First Battle
of Newbury, 32 note, 185; Queen on
Wash Common, disproved, 61.
Prisoners, Royalist, taken at the Second
Battle, 141.
Protestation in County Berks, Returns
of, 90.
Public feeling in Berks in 1643, 102.
Pye, Sir Robert, account of, 95.
Pyle, Sir Francis, account of, 93.
Pym, Capt. Charles, 89.
Queen Henrietta-Maria, not present at
the Battle on the Wash, 61.
Red Field, near Clay Hill, Shaw, 125,
127, 128, 130 note.
Red Heath, its position near the Wash,
165; the King's camp on, 117.
Red Hill, its position near the Wash, 165.
Red Hill Field near Clay Hill, 166.
Reformadoes, 141.
Regalia and treasure at Donnington
Castle, 148.
Regiments and Officers of the Trained
Bands and Auxiliaries, lists of, 55.
Relics of a fight at Speenhamland, 83,
149; the Battle on Wash Common,
44 note, 46; skirmish at Aldbourne, 13.
Relief of Banbury, 117; Basing, 112;
Gloucester, 4.
Removal of the communion-table at
Boxford, 168.
Repulse of Parliamentarians at Shaw,
122, 125.
Results of the fighting at Shaw and
Speen, 138, 144; First Battle of New-
bury, 51.
Retreat of the Royalists from New-
bury, 132.
Richmond, Duke of, account of, 187.
Rivers, Earl, account of, 188.
Robartes, Lord, account of, 85.
Royalist families in Berks, 102; Officers,
biographical notices of, 67, 187.
Royalists, position of the, Oct. 26th,
1644, 121.
Rudyerd, Sir Benjamin, account of, 96.
Rupert, Prince, account of, 67; his
attack on Essex's rear near Alder-
niaston, 50, 58.
St.-Barbe, Capt. F., account of, 88.
St.-John, Col., account of, 77.
St.-Leger, Sir W., account of, 191.
Second Battle at Newbury, Oct. 27th,
1644, 107.
Second Battle of Newbury, casualties
at, 139, 141, 142; C. Murray's account
of, 167; results of, 138, 143, 156.
216
INDEX.
Seeley, George, noticed, 186.
Self-denying Ordinance, the, 1 57.
Sequestrators, Co. Berks, list of, 93.
Seymour, Lord, account ef, 152 note.
Shaw House and Park, occupied by the
Royalists, and attacked by the Par-
liamentarians, 122, 135.
Shaw House, attack on, repulsed, 1 30 ;
the King at, 164.
Shaw, skirmish near, 148 ; the fighting
at, 135.
Sheffield, Colonel, 88.
Shefford, Great, the King at, 155.
Ship-money, account of, 99.
Siege of Donniugton Castle, 117, 119, 159.
Skinner's Green, fight at, 32.
Skippon, General, account of, 87; ad-
vance of the Trained Bands on Wash
Common under. 31, 38.
Skirmish at Aldbourne, 8; in Shaw
Fields, 148; near Aldermaston, 58.
Slingsby, Sir Henry, account of, 75.
Smith, Lt.-Col., notice of, 181 and note,
Snelsmore Heath, near Donnington, 139
note, 147.
Speen and Speen Hill (proper) occupied
by the Royalists, 123.
Speenhamland and Speen Fields in
1644, 122.
Speea Hill, the fight on, 131.
Stapleton, Sir Philip, account of, 85.
Stradling, Robert, account of, 183 note,
193.
Stradling, Sir Edward, account of, 76.
Strangeways, Col. G., account of, 193.
Strength of the Royalists on Oct. 26,
1644, 12-.
Stuart, Lord Bernard, account of, 187.
Suffolk, Duchess of, noticed, 205; Duke
of, noticed, 204, 206.
Sunderland, Earl of (Spencer), account
of, 80.
Superstitious ornaments, ordered, to be
removed from Churches, 168 note.
Support of Parliamentary Garrisons, 95 ;
Royalist Army, i04.
Surprise of Cirencester, 5.
Symonds, Capt., his account of the King's
March from Salisbury to Andover,
114; his "Diary" quoted passim.
Tanfield, Sir Laurence, his monument,
81 note.
Thanksgiving Day for Gloucester, 4.
Thelwall, Col. A., account of, 193.
Tomb of Lord Essex in Westminster
Abbey, 65.
Towers, Robert, account of. 162 note.
Trained Bands and Auxiliaries of Lon-
don, list of the, 55.
Trial of Charles I., witnesses as to his
presence at the First Battle of New-
bury, 185.
Twisse, Dr., Rector of Newbury, account
of, 61 note, 89.
Vachell, Tanfield, account of, 95.
Vanlore, Sir Peter, noticed, 209.
Vavasour, Sir William, account of, 76.
Villiers, Col. Edward, account of, 77.
Vinson, John, noticed, 185.
Vivile (Vieuville), Marquis of, taken
prisoner, 9.
Vyne, account of the, vii, 48 note.
Wagstaffe, Sir J., noticed, 192.
Waldegrave, Sir Edward, account of, 75.
Walker, Sir Edward, account of, 192 ;
his account of the fight at Speen, 133;
Royalist position at Speen Hill, 1 23 ;
his "Historical Discourse" quoted
passim.
Waller and Cromwell, their flank march,
128.
Waller, General, Army under, 108, 112 :
his escape from Andover, 113; his
success against the Royalists on Speeii
Hill, 132.
Waller, Sir W., account of, 194.
Warrant to draw provisions at Marl-
borough, 152.
Warwick, Sir Philip, his opinion on the
march to Gloucester, 1.
Well of the Castle at Donnington, 146.
Will of Lord Falkland, 84.
Wilmot, Lord, account of, 68.
Windsor, John a, noticed, 182 note.
Witch-murder at Newbury, 63.
Witnesses at the Trial of Charles I., as
to his presence at the First Battle of
Newbury, 185.
Wodehouse, Sir Michael, account of, 76.
Woodd, Capt. Basil, account of, 79.
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