"was seperated from the fore troope, (with which I marched ;) so that "I was fain to make an halt for above halfe an hour, within little more "than a mile of the prince's head-quarter, in broad day light; the “allarme taken, and not one hundred and twenty horse with me. Ne"vertheless, itt pleased God, in his infinite mercy, to direct the rest of "my troopes to me; and, under the conduct of his providence, to grant "me a safe and honourable retreat to Gloucester, in despight of the 66 enemy, who charged me in the reare, with more loss to himself than "to me." [97] These are Waller's own observations upon this event, among the memoranda of his experiences, drawn up by him many years after in retirement.

1643.

Massey came out in the evening to cover his retreat; but it was unnecessary, as the enemy were not immediately at hand. However, he met Waller within two miles of Gloucester, and communicated a design that he had formed against Tewkesbury, upon which he proceeded without delay. Next morning, at day-break, he cut off the bridge of boats, April 12. surprised and slew the centinel at the western gate, and forced his way into the place. Sir Matthew Carew and the garrison were in their beds; eight officers and some common soldiers were made prisoners; but Carew, with the greater part of his men, escaped. Prince Maurice, baffled in his pursuit of Waller, continued his march on the right bank of the Severn, too late to save his bridge; and the latter, making a parallel movement, endeavoured to hinder him from gaining the left bank, by securing or destroying the bridge at Upton. In this he failed; but he met the prince in the open plain, called Ripple Field, where the parliamentarians, inferior in numbers, were compelled to withdraw to Tewkesbury in some disorder. Maurice proceeded towards Evesham, whence he was ordered back to Oxford; and Waller and Massey returned to Gloucester, leaving Tewkesbury under the charge of Sir Robert Cooke.

These companions in arms, kindred spirits in the love of adventure, and alike excellent at the head of flying parties, united in an expedition to Hereford, which they took by surrender [98] they then scoured the country through Leominster to the gates of Worcester, April 26. where, meeting with an unexpected repulse, they withdrew. Waller

f

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soon after proceeded to the Earl of Essex at Reading, and thence into
Somersetshire; and Massey, no longer a deputy, was advanced to be
governor of Gloucester. He raised men; and kept the enemy upon the
alert, continuing to give proofs of his personal valour and contempt of
danger. In an excursion towards Stow on the Wold, where he beat up
some of the king's quarters, he had reason to congratulate himself upon
his escape
from the pursuit of a force that hung upon his rear, and was
joined by others drawn out of Sudley Castle. He displayed great
address and courage in extricating himself from this difficulty, but his
small party sustained some loss, and he was obliged to abandon all
his prisoners. [99]

The design of delivering Bristol to the king having failed, the principal agents had been brought before a council of war and condemned to die; but the king endeavoured to interpose in their behalf, by a letter which General Ruthven, lately created earl of Forth, addressed to the governor at his majesty's command.

"Patrick earle of Forth, Lord Etterick, and lord lieutenant of all "his Majestie's. Forces."

"I, having been informed, that lately at a council of warre you have "condemned to death Robert Yeomans, late sheriffe of Bristol, who hath "his majestie's commission for raising a regiment for his service, "William Yeomans, his brother, George Bourchier, and Edward "Dacres, all for expressing their loyalty to his majesty, and endeavour"ing his service according to their allegiance, and that you intend to proceed speedily against divers others in like manner, do therefore signifie to you, that I intend speedily to put master George, master "Stevens, captaine Huntley, and others, taken at Cicester, into the "same condition. I do further advise you, that if you offer by that "unjust judgement to execute any of them you have so condemned; "that those here in custody, master George, master Stevens, and cap"tain Huntley, must expect no favour or mercy.

Given under my hand at Oxford this sixteenth of May, 1643.

"To the commander in chiefe of the councill of

"warre in Bristol."

FORTH.

This letter produced from Fiennes the following reply, which con- 1643. tains a striking specimen of the phraseology employed on the parliamentary side.

"Nathaniel Fiennes, governour, and the council of war in the city of "Bristol.

"Having received a writing from your lordship, wherein it is de"clared, that, upon information of our late proceedings against Robert "Yeomans, William Yeomans, and others, you intend speedily to put "master George, master Stevens, captaine Huntley, and others into the 66 same condition : we are well assured, that neither your lordship, nor (6 any other mortal man, can put them into the same condition; for whe"ther they live or die, they will alwaies be accounted true and honest

men, faithful to their king and country, and such as in a faire and "open way have alwaies prosecuted that cause, which in their judg"ment, guided by the judgment of the highest court, they held the "justest; whereas the conspirators of this city, must, both in life and "death, carry perpetually with them the brand of treachery and conspi"racy. And, if Robert Yeomans had made use of his commission in "an open way, he should be put into no worse condition than others "in the like kinde had beene; but the law of nature among all men, "and the law of armes among souldiers, make a difference between "open enemies, and secret spyes and conspirators. And, if you shall "not make the like distinction, we do signifie unto you, that we will "not only proceed to the execution of the persons already condemned, "but also of divers others of the conspirators, unto whom wee had some "thought of extending mercy. And we do further advertise you, that, "if by any inhumane and un-soldier-like sentence, you shall proceed to "the execution of the persons by you named, or any other of our friends "in your custody, that have been taken in a faire and open way of war; "then Sir Walter Pye, Sir William Crofts, and colonel Connesbey, [100] "with divers others taken in open rebellion, and actual war against the "king and kingdom, whom we have here in custody, must expect no "favour or mercy. And, by God's blessing upon our most just cause, "we have powers enough for our friends security, without taking-in

1643.

any that have gotten out of our reach and power, although divers of "yours, of no mean quality and condition, have been released by us. "Given under our hands the eighteenth of May, 1643.

"To Patrick Earle of Forth,

"Lord Lieut. General." [101]

"Nathaniel Fiennes, President.
"Clement Walker, &c.

The king also wrote to the mayor of Bristol, and to the citizens, commanding them to raise what power they could to hinder the execution of the sentence upon his loyal subjects. But all his efforts proved of no May 30. avail. The governor hanged George Yeomans and Robert Bourchier;[102] and Charles prudently and humanely abstained from retaliation.

The severity of the above letters will be agreeably contrasted by part of a correspondence between lady Scudamore at Hom Lacy, in Herefordshire, and Sir William Waller, at Gloucester. Lord Scudamore, who had been taken at Hereford and was a prisoner in London, wrote to Sir Robert Pye, complaining of the injury that his property had sus tained at Lanthony; and his wife, upon the same occasion, applied to Sir William Waller. Many passages of Waller's life and writings shew that he was one of the most gentlemanly characters of his party; and the answer she received from him is expressed with a courtesy not unworthy of the chivalry of earlier times.

Noble Lady,

I shall ever take itt a great honour to receive your commands, and I shall, with a ready obedience entertain them. In obedience to your ladyshipp's letter, I sent for Alderman Pury, and questioned with him what wast had been committed upon your ladyshipp's house or grounds. I finde some trees have been felled, and have given order, there shall be no more touched; but I am assured nothing about the house hath been defaced, only a tower of an old chapel adjoyning thereunto was pulled down in regard itt might have been some annoyance to the workes. For your ladyshippes rents I have given order the sequestration should not be executed; so that, Madam, they are still at your command. If there be any thing else wherein I may advance your ladyshipps service, I

humbly beg the favour to be commanded, that I may have opportunity to give some demonstration with what passion, I am, Madam,

1643.

Your devoted humble servant,

Gloucester, June 4, 1643.

WALLER.

For the Right Honourable the Lady Scudamore,

att Homelacy, humbly present these. [103]

While Gloucestershire experienced an interval of comparative repose, the campaign was carried on with great vigour in Wiltshire and Somersetshire. There on the fifth of July Sir William Waller fought at Lans- July 5. down with Prince Maurice and Sir Ralph Hopton. It was a bloody, but drawn battle; yet as the immediate consequences were upon the whole advantageous to Waller, it was announced as a splendid victory. When the intelligence reached Gloucester, a thanksgiving was ordered to be held for it on the thirteenth of the same month; and by a singular coincidence, on that very day, [104] while Massey and all Gloucester were joyfully celebrating his triumph, Waller in his turn received so signal an overthrow at Roundway Down, near Devizes, [105] from Lord Wilmot July 15. and the Earl of Caernarvon, that his whole army was dispersed, and himself with a shattered remnant of it fled to Bristol.

Fairfax, after a variety of success, being defeated in the North, and Waller in the West, while the army of the Earl of Essex remained paralysed with sickness and inaction, the king's cause seemed rapidly to be gaining the ascendancy. The pen, that throughout the whole affair had been as active as the sword, has left indelible proofs of the fluctuations of feeling among the disputants in every stage of the controversy. "What "the king's party conceived then of the other side," says a parliamentary historian," was expressed in many writings; one of which, in the "nature of a jeering epigram, was made at Oxford, and is, I think, worthy to be here inserted, on account of the strong expression it contains "of the low condition of the parliament at thattime. The thing is writ"ten in an odde manner, and the names of the parliament commanders, "Fairfax and Waller, are expressed by a rebus way of Latine, as like

wise those of the king's side, the Marquess of Hartford, and the Earl