With the King at Oxford: A Tale of the Great Rebellion

  CHAPTER X.

  OF NASEBY FIGHT.

  It was about five of the clock in the morning on Saturday, the 14thday of June, that the drawing up of the King's army was finished. Inthe centre was my Lord Astley with about two thousand five hundredfoot; on the right the Prince Rupert with about two thousand horse;and on the left Sir Marmaduke Langdale with the northern horse, aboutsixteen hundred in all. In the reserves were about thirteen hundred,horse and foot together; so that there were in all scarce eightthousand, the horse and foot being well nigh equal in number.

  About eight of the clock in the morning comes a rumour that the enemyhad retired. Thereupon the scout-master is sent out, and certainhorsemen with him, among whom was John Talboys and I, to make furtherdiscovery. We rode about two miles and a half, or, it may be three,and saw nothing. Then said the scout-master: "This report ismanifestly true; these rascals are in great fear of us, and havefled." Thereupon he turned back with his company to carry the tidingsto the King. Then says John Talboys to me: "I take it MasterScout-master has scarce gone far enough. Do you see yonder height?What say you to going thither? If we can see nothing there, then 'tisplain that they are indeed gone."

  We rode as he had said, and no sooner were we gotten to the top of thehill than we saw the enemy almost under our feet. So close were we tothem that a gunner aimed a small cannon that he had at us, and wecould hear the bullet pass over our heads. "We have seen enough," saysJohn; "let us go back."

  Thereupon we galloped back, and found that the Prince had movedforward some horsemen and musqueteers, as thinking that the report ofthe enemy's retreat, which, indeed, had been in some sort confirmed bythe scout-master, was true. We told him what we had seen, but heseemed to be persuaded in his mind that the enemy were now retreating.So he says to me: "Ride to my Lord Astley and tell him to come forwardwith all the haste he can, if he would not have the enemy escape us;and you," he said, turning to John Talboys, "carry the same words toSir Marmaduke." It was not for me to question his bidding, so I rodewith all the speed I could, and delivered the message to my LordAstley, who, nothing questioning, for the Prince being in the vancould not but know the truth, gave orders to advance with all speed.

  When we came to the hill-top (the same at which the scout-master hadhalted) we saw, I being in the following of my Lord Astley, the PrinceRupert in the level ground below us, and on the brow of the hillbeyond, to which John Talboys and I had ridden, the army of theParliament. These last drew back so soon as we came into theirview--it was but a hundred yards or so--the better to hide themselvesand their plans; but we, or at the least some of us, imagined thatthey fled. Thereupon we moved on the faster, so fast indeed that weleft behind much of our ordnance. Indeed, it is scarce to be believedhow all through the day we continually put ourselves at adisadvantage.

  _A Cavalry Skirmish._ _HANHART LITH._]

  The Prince Rupert began the battle, charging the enemy's left wing. Isaw him and his horsemen gallop up the slope of the hill past somethick hedges, from which came forth a fire of musketry (the hedgesbeing lined with dragoons on foot) which emptied some saddles, yet notso many as to check them. More of the Prince's doings I could not see,he passing from our view when he had got to the brow of the hill; butI heard that he broke the enemy's left wing, scattering them all ways,and then rode on as if he would have taken the baggage. 'Tis said thatthe captain of the baggage guard took him for Sir Thomas Fairfax, hewearing a red Spanish cloak after his lordship's fashion, and went tohim, hat in hand, and asked: "How goes the day?" thinking that he wasthe General; and that thereupon the Prince asked whether they wouldhave quarter, which they refused, and gave him a volley instead, whichbeat him and his horsemen off. On the other wing the Parliament mendid not wait for our coming but charged Sir Marmaduke Langdale'shorse, taking advantage of the ground, and to such a purpose that,after some smart blows given and taken, our horsemen were beaten off,and, indeed, fought no more that day.

  Nevertheless, it seemed for a while as if the day would go well forus, for the main body of our foot charging against the main body oftheirs did great execution upon them. The lines fired but one volleyupon each other, nor did either do much damage, aiming too high, asyoung soldiers are wont to do, and then came to swords and the buttends of their muskets. I do protest that however much I might beminded to magnify myself and my deeds, I could by no means tell what Idid that day. I know only this that I found my sword somewhat hackedand some shrewd cuts in my buff-coat, but wound had I none save abruise upon the forepart of the left shoulder from a musket bulletthat by great happiness had spent itself before ever it came near tome. But altogether we used our swords and muskets to such good purposethat the enemy fled, though the officers for the most part, andespecially they that had the colours, stood bravely to their posts.The victory being, as we judged, thus assured, my Lord Astleybethought him whether he could not succour the left wing, which theKing also, who was with his guards in the reserve, was making ready tosupport in their need. Whereupon he sends me with this message to theKing: "Does your Majesty need help?" This I was on the point todeliver, his Majesty being at the head of his guards, and preparing tocharge, when I saw my Lord Carnworth, who was riding next to the King,lay his hand upon his bridle, the next moment my Lord cried out with agreat oath: "Will you go upon your death in an instant?" and sosaying, turned the Kings horse round. After this the command wasgiven: "March to the right." Now this marching to the right led themaway both from helping their own and from charging the enemy. In whosevoice it was given I cannot affirm, but 'tis certain that it was tooreadily obeyed. When my father, who was setting the second line of theguards in order, saw what was doing, he rode with all the speed of hishorse to the King and said: "Pardon me, sir, but it is ruin absoluteif we leave the field in this fashion." Then the King, who here againhad yielded against his will and better judgment to the worse counsel,cried with a loud voice: "Stand." But, though some obeyed thiscommand, yet for the greater part it was too late. Almost at theinstant of the King's speaking came a musket shot from the enemy'sranks and wounded my father, entering by the left arm, which it broke,and lodging in his shoulder. It was fired from close at hand, but bywhom I saw not. I have always thanked God for this, for else I hadhated the man who fired, though he did but his duty to his masters. Myfather reeled in his saddle and was like to have fallen, but JohnTalboys, riding by him, held him up. The next moment my good beastfalls dead with a shot, that passing my leg so close that it tore theleather of my boot, entered behind his foreleg and so passed, I takeit, to his heart. Certain it is that he fell and never stirred more.The King was much concerned to see my father hurt (he had ever atender heart for his friends, though it must be confessed that hecould desert them when occasion demanded), and said to John Talboys:"Carry Colonel Dashwood to as safe a place as you can find." Thereuponthey rode off at a fair pace, my father having recovered somewhat fromthe first shock of his wound, I following as best I could on foot. Andwith this ends all that I saw of the battle of Naseby. The time wasthen, as near as I could reckon, about noon.

  _A Pikeman_. _HANHART LITH._]

  How General Cromwell fell upon the main body of the King's army, and,Sir Thomas Fairfax's reserves coming up at the same time, brake it inpieces, is known to all. The Prince came back from his idle seekingfor plunder, and would have rallied them that remained, but couldavail nothing. It is to be noted, indeed, that the King's men both atthis and at other times lacked the steadfastness of their enemies, whowould stay obstinately in their place, even when they were overborneby greater strength, and being driven back would rally again. Butthese things the King's men would never do; so that when they gained avictory, it was not completed, for want of a second charge, and whenthey suffered defeat, it was a disaster beyond all remedy. I count it,indeed, no small proof of this defect, that of our army more than ahalf suffered themselves to be taken prisoners, who might surely haveescaped, or, it may be, restored the day, had they only had the heartto rally to each other. As for ourselves
, we had in this respect greatgood fortune, which came about in this way. When the horsemen of theParliament's army were riding about the field, gathering in theprisoners, Sir Thomas Fairfax comes upon us, where we were, my fatherlying upon the ground, and John Talboys and I sitting on either side.There was some acquaintance, or rather friendship, between the Generaland my father, they having met at the Court, to which my father wouldsometimes go, and there talking much together of military affairs, forwhich my Lord had had, from a boy, a very singular liking. When he sawmy father, and knew who he was, he showed in his face a great concernand said, "This is a sorry sight, Master Dashwood, to behold you thuslying here. Indeed, it is the curse of this most hateful war thatthere is a double bitterness even in victory. They who conquer mustalways lament their friends that have fallen in the battle, but now wemust needs lament our enemies also, who are indeed often our friendsby old acquaintance and kindness. But say, can I do aught for younow?"

  "Sir," said my father, "I doubt not that this bullet has sped mebeyond all hope of recovery. But if, as may be, I have yet a few daysto live, I would fain spend them elsewhere than in a prison. My sonhere is a scholar of Oxford, whom I would gladly send back to hisbooks, now that the King's cause is lost beyond repair, as I doubt notthat it is. And I would gladly have my good friend John Talboys hereto take care of me till I die. Can you give me a pass that shall keepus from the prison?"

  "You shall have it," said the General, "having first promised, as Idoubt not you are ready to do, that you will not for the space ofthree years bear arms against the Parliament."

  "I promise," said my father, "and that the more readily, knowing thatI shall never bear arms again."

  John Talboys and I also promised. Therefore the General gave to eachof us a pass in these words, the name only being changed:--

  "_Suffer Philip Dashwood the elder, late of the King's army, who haspromised not to bear arms against the Parliament for the space ofthree years from this date, to pass whither-soever he will._"

  This was about three of the clock in the afternoon, the battle havingbeen then two hours ended.