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Some of the Parliament horse having lingred awhile about pillage, and being in some disadvantage, Skippon perceiving it, brought up his foot seasonably to their assistance, and in this charge (as himself related it to me) was shot in the side.

Cromwel coming in with his victorious Right Wing, they all charged together upon the King, who unable to endure any longer, got out of the Field towards Leicester.

P. Rupert, who now too late returned from his improvident eager pursuit, seeing the day lost, accompanied them in their flight, leaving a compleat Victory to the Parliamentarians, who had the chase of them for 14 Miles, within two Miles of Leicester; and the King finding the pursuit so hot, left that Town, and hasts to Litchfield.

This Battel was wone and lost as that of Marston Moor, but proved more destructive to the King and his party; and it was exceeding bloody, both Armies being very courageous and numerous, and not 500 odds on either side.

It was fought in a large fallow Field, on the North-west side of Naseby, about a Mile broad, which space of ground was wholly taken up.

On the Parliaments side were wounded and slain above 1000 Officers and private Souldiers. M. G. Skippon (an old experienced Souldier) was ordered to draw up the form of the Battel, he fought stoutly that day, and although he was sorely wounded in the beginning of the Fight, and the General desired him to go off the Field, he answered, he Fairfax. would not stir so long as a man would stand, and accordingly staid till the Battel was ended.

Ireton was dangerously hurt, and taken Prisoner for a while, after he had done his part, but, in the confusion of the Fight got loose again, and saw the Victory atchieved. by his party.

The General had his Helmet beat off, and riding in the field bare headed up and down from one part of his Army

to another, to see how they stood, and what advantage might be gained, and coming up to his owne Life Guard commanded by Colonel Charles D' Oyley, he was told by him that he exposed himself to too much danger, and the whole Army thereby, riding bare headed in the fields, and so many Bullets flying about him, and D'Oyley offered his General his Helmet, but he refused it, saying, it is well enough Charles: and seeing a Body of the King's foot stand, and not at all broken, he asked D'Oyley if he had charged that Body, who answered, that he had twice charged them, but could not break them.

With that Fairfax bid him to charge them once again in the front, and that he would take a commanded party, and charge them in the Rere at the same time, and they might meet together in the middle, and bad him, when Fairfax gave the sign to begin the charge.

D'Oyley pursued his General's Orders, and both together charging that Body put them into a confusion, and broke them, and Fairfax and D'Oyley met indeed in the middle of them, where Fairfax killed the Ensign, and one of D'Oyley's Troupers took the Colours, bragging of the service he had done in killing the Ensign and taking the chief Colours.

D'Oyley chid the Trouper for his boasting and lying, telling him how many witnesses there were who saw the General doe it with his own hand, but the General himself bad D'Oyley to let the Trouper alone, and said to him, I have honour enough, let him take that honour to himself.

Both the General and the Lieutenant General performed their work with admirable resolution, and by their particular examples infused valour into their followers, so likewise did the other Officers, of whom divers were wounded.

On the other side the King shewed himself this day a

courageous General, keeping close with his Horse, and
himself in person rallying them to hot encounters.
Sir Bulstrode Whitelock, Memorials (London, 1682), 145, 146.

82. The Death-Warrant of Charles I

(1649)

At the high Co't of Justice for the tryinge and iudginge of Charles Steuart Kinge of England January xxixth Anno Dñi 1648.

was

A

Whereas Charles Steuart Kinge of England is and standeth convicted attaynted and condemned of High Treason and other high Crymes, And sentence uppon Saturday last pronounced against him by this Co°t to be putt to death by the severinge of his head from his body Of weh sentence execucōn yet remayneth to be done, These are therefore to will and require you to see the said sentence executed In the open Streete before Whitehall vppon the morrowe being the Thirtieth day of this instante moneth of January betweene the houres of Tenn in the morninge and Five in the afternoone of the same day wth full effect And for soe doing this shall be yo' sufficient warrant And these are to require All Officers and Souldiers and other the good people of this Nation of England to be assistinge vnto you in this Service Given vnder o° hands and Seales.

To Colonell Ffrancis Hacker, Colonell Huncks and Lievtenant Colonell Phayre and to every of them.

Jo. BRADSHAW

THO. GREY

O. CROMWELL

&c. &c.

Notes and Queries, 4th S. X. 21.

[blocks in formation]

By ANDREW
MARVELL.
See No. 89.

83. The Death of Charles I (1649)

He nothing common did, or mean,
Upon that memorable scene,

But with his keener eye

The axe's edge did try;

Nor called the gods with vulgar spite
To vindicate his helpless right,

But bowed his comely head
Down, as upon a bed.

Andrew Marvell, A Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from
Ireland. Poetical Works (Boston, 1857), 136.

CHAPTER XIII-PURITAN RULE

CRC

84. Milton to Cromwell (1652)

`ROMWELL, our chief of men, who, through a cloud
Not of war only, but detractions rude,
Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,

By JOHN MILTON (1608-1674), one of the greatest of English poets. During the Puritan revolution Milton's sympathies were with the Independent and Republican party. Under the

To peace and truth thy glorious way hast plough'd, Common

And on the neck of crowned fortune proud

Hast rear'd God's trophies, and his work pursued,
While Darwen stream, with blood of Scots imbrued,
And Dunbar field, resounds thy praises loud,
And Worcester's laureate wreath. Yet much remains
To conquer still; peace hath her victories
No less renown'd than war: new foes arise
Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains:

Help us to save free conscience from the paw
Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw.

John Milton, Ode to the Lord General Cromwell. Poetical Works
(edited by J. Montgomery, London, 1843), II, 214.

wealth he
became Latin

secretary to
the council of
state, retain-
ing this office
throughout
the Protecto-
rate of Oliver
Cromwell.
"By a rare or
unexampled
fortune, the
first political
genius of his
age was
served by the
first literary
genius of his
time."
F. Harrison.

This sonnet
was written
during

85. Cromwell and the Long Parliament Cromwell's

(1653)

The Parliament now perceiving to what kind of excesses the madness of the army was like to carry them, resolved to leave as a legacy to the people the Government of a Commonwealth by their representatives, when assembled in Parliament, and in the intervals thereof by a Council of

struggle with the Long Parliament.

By EDMUND (1617?—

LUDLOW

1692), an active member

in the Long Colonel in

Parliament,

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