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though that was nearer and much more commodious, probably to avoid the danger of being discovered. For though he might possibly expect at first as much assistance from Chedsey as the people were able to give him, particular notice was taken that not one person went thence first to last into his army. Hence, it is likely, he might fall into a diffidence as to this place. His advantage must needs have been much greater if he could have confided in the inhabitants there, so as to have gone through their street. Avoiding them, therefore, who knew, generally, nothing of his march, he went by Bradney Lane; which lane he also soon left, probably that he might not come too near to a loyal man's house at the end of that lane, where it turns into the moor, so by Marsh Lane, which was further about, and less commo. dious, he led the army much incumbered, and retarded by the narrowness of the lanes into the North Moor.

As for the King's army, care was taken, and great diligence used upon their encamping, to set guards and centinels, not only in the common road from Weston to Bridgwater, and in several ways and lanes on that side of Chedsey, (by which was the nearest passage from Bridgwater through Chedsey and Weston,) but also in that very way round about by which the enemy did march. There were also two, and perhaps more, considerable parties of horse sent out in the afternoon from the King's camp to scout that way, though it be somewhat difficult to explain, how it was possible for one of those parties especially to miss the discovering of the enemy, as they were coming from the long causeway through the lanes into the moor. A trumpeter is said to have been sent into the town to challenge them forth to fight, or in case they refused, to threaten them with firing the town about their ears the next morning. But then it must be confessed, that though informations were brought to the camp, that the Duke would come forth that night to visit them, and was actually preparing so to do, yet the above-mentioned guards and centinels were all gone from their several posts before bed-time, which all the country people saw and affirm to be true. The guards on the south side of Chedsey retired to the camp The horse guard, of about 12 or 16, at Lang

moor Stone, accompanied that party of horse which went through North Moor into Baudrip. And now the camp was all quiet and at rest, as believing no danger near. Only Captain Mackintosh, in the Scots regiment, believed over night, and would have ventured wagers upon it, that the Duke would come. He, in that persuasion, marked out the ground between the tents and the ditch, where his men should stand in case of an attack, and gave directions that all should be readiness; and it was well he did so; for his regiment being in the right wing was to receive the first assault and main shock, which to give them their due they did with great courage, as also did the rest of those valiant men. The occasion of this seeming error of those brave men seems to have been this: There was among them throughout the King's army, a persuasion that the rebels, who had always been shifting from them, would then steal away to Taunton, or Bristol, and seeing they accepted not the challenge to fight that Sunday, when the day was over, there could be no action till next morning, against which time it was seasonable to refresh themselves, wearied with that day's march. Parties of horse being abroad to scout, and a watch of eight men set in Chedsey Street, to give notice if the enemy should come that way, all was judged secure on that side. And the most necessary guard at Langmoor Stone might be thought was left there, seeing the party of horse, which took that guard along with them, were going to meet whatever danger might be coming that way. So it fell out, by the Divine Providence ordering it, that the rebels thus had a great temptation to draw them into this adventure as into a snare, and were as near to an entire victory as men could well be and miss it. That so it might be seen, that in truth God was not theirs, as they had boasted, nor did then stand neuter.

To return to the Duke's army which we left in North Moor, they had placed 42 waggons in the ascent of Bulden Hill in Bristol road, with orders to drive on to Axbridge. They bring with them now three great guns, and march with great silence. The Lord Grey led the horse, supposed to be about 800. When they were come to Langmoor Side or near it, a pistol was discharged, Captain Hacker

is said to have owned it at his trial, as done by him to give the King's army notice of their danger near. Presently a trooper, unknown, rode from them full speed as is supposed, because seen to come that way from the camp. He, standing on the outside of the ditch, called with all possible earnestness to the Scots regiment to beat up their drums, and tells them the enemy was come, and having repeated 20 times times at least, as loud as he could, rides back the same way he came. It was this person, and not the pistol, which gave the alarm.

Now the camp awakes, runs to arms, gets into as good order as they may, and stands ready to receive the enemy. The horse, which the Lord Grey led marched towards the upper Plungeon. Missing that passage over the ditch he leads them on the outside, till they come to the Scots regiment, by which 500 of these horse pass, preytending that they were friends, and came from the Duke of Albemarle. At length they are discovered by the other regiments and fired at. They then wheel off, had a skirmish with their own men, and go back by Langmoor Stone, and thus discouraging the rest of their own army fled. Sir Francis Compton stood with a guard at the upper Plungeon. One Jones was commanded with a party of horse to beat him from that passage. He played his part with so much valour, that for the same he was thought not unworthy of a pardon from the General. But Sir Francis, though hard beset and wounded yet kept his post so well, that the rebels horse behind, said to be 300, went backward on the outside of the ditch toward Sutton Mill, near which they took up their station to see the issue of the fight. When it appeared how things went, they shifted for themselves. Whether Sir Francis were there before the 500 horse missing their way went down toward the camp, or came to the Plungeon afterwards, and so had his encounter with Jones as belonging to the latter 300 horse we do not know. To be sure that worthy gentleman did great service, for had the horse gone over there, notwithstanding the alarm, all might have been lost. It was not above half a quarter of an hour, before the foot continuing their march

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