Rupert Prince Palatine Part 11

[20] Clarendon. Bk. VI. p. 78.

[21] Bulstrode's Memoirs. Ed. 1721. p. 81.

[22] Carte's Original Letters, Vol. I. p. 10.

[23] Warburton, II. pp. 4, 47.

[24] Ibid. I. p. 465.

[25] Prince Rupert: his Declaration. Pamphlet. British Museum.

[26] Prince Rupert: his Declaration. Pamphlet. Brit. Mus. Warburton, II. 124.

[27] Rupert Papers. Order of King. Warb. II. 71.

[28] Prince Rupert: his Reply.

[29] Dom. State Papers, 27 Nov. 1642.

[30] Whitelocke's Memorials, p. 65. Ed. 1732.

[31] Pamphlet. Brit. Mus. Warb. II. p. 121.

[32] Prince Rupert: his Disguises. Pamphlet. British Museum.

[33] Pamphlet. British Museum. Warb. II. p. 50.

[34] Warburton, II. pp. 50-51. Whitelocke's Memorials.

[35] Horrible News from Colebrook. London, Nov. 11, 1642. Pamphlet.

Brit. Museum.

[36] Relation of Two London Merchants. Pamphlet. British Museum.

[37] Gardiner's Civil War, Vol. I. p. 60.

[38] Rupert MSS. Warburton, II. p. 67.

[39] Rupert Transcripts. Wilmot to the Prince, Dec. 1st, 1642.

[40] Warburton, II. p. 82. Rupert Correspondence. O'Neil to the Prince, Dec. 19, 1642.

{101}

CHAPTER VII

THE WAR IN 1643. THE QUARREL WITH HERTFORD. THE ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN

From Christmas Eve, 1642, till January 6th, 1643, Rupert remained quietly at Oxford. His attempt to concentrate his forces on London had failed, and he was now resolved on a new strategy. The King was to hold Ess.e.x in check from Oxford; Lord Newcastle, who had raised an army in the north, was to push through the midlands towards Ess.e.x; and Hopton, marching from Cornwall to Kent, was to seize on the banks of the Thames below London and so stop the city trade. Thus the enemy would be completely surrounded and overwhelmed. For his own part, Rupert had resolved on the capture of Cirencester. With this end he started from Oxford, January 6th. His march, which continued all day and all night, seems to have been lighted by meteors. "This night we saw the strange fire falling from Heaven, like a bolt, which, with several cracks, brake into b.a.l.l.s and went out, about steeple height from the ground."[1] Early on the morning of the 7th, they faced Cirencester, but, owing to the late arrival of Lord Hertford, who was to act with Rupert, the attack failed. Rupert therefore retreated, and occupied himself in circling round Oxford until the end of the month.

On February 2nd, he renewed the attempt on Cirencester. A successful feint towards Sudely drew off the attention of the town and enabled him to enter it with comparative ease. But the garrison of Cirencester kept up a brave resistance for an hour after the Royalists were in possession of the place, which unhappily resulted {102} in much bloodshed. Moreover, the town was sacked by "the undistinguis.h.i.+ng soldiers,"[2] and over a thousand prisoners were carried oft to Oxford.

The actual facts were bad enough, for Rupert's men were not yet disciplined and had broken loose, but the report of the Parliament was embellished with the usual exaggerations. "The enemy entered the town and, being much enraged with their losses, put all to the sword they met with; men, women and children; and in a barbarous manner murdered three ministers, very G.o.dly and religious men."[3]

This success cooled the King's desire for agreement with the Parliament, which had just sent Commissioners to Oxford to treat. "The welcome news of your Highness taking of Cirencester by a.s.sault, with admirable dexterity and courage, came this morning very seasonably and opportunely, as His Majesty was ready to give an answer to the Parliamentary Committee, and will, I believe, work better effects with them and with those that sent them than the gracious reception they had here from His Majesty,"[4] wrote the Secretary Nicholas to the Prince.

After reconnoitring Warwick and Gloucester, Rupert returned to Oxford, where he composed the elaborate defence of his conduct already quoted, ent.i.tled "Prince Rupert, his Declaration."

By February 22nd he had resumed his wanderings. Only a study of his journal can give any idea of his restless activity, and therefore a few entries from March 1643, are here quoted.

March 4. Satterday, to Cirencester.

" 5. To Malmesbury in Wilts.h.i.+re.

" 6. Mundaye, to Chipping Sodburye in Glosters.h.i.+re.

" 7. Tuesday night, on Durdan Down by Bristol.

{103}

March 8. Wednesday morning, advancing towards Bristol, we heard how Mr. Bourcher and Mr. Yeoman's plot was discovered, and we instantly faced about to Chipping Sodbury.

" 9. Thursday, to Malmesbury.

" 10. Friday, home to Oxford.

" 18. Satterday, to Abingdon.

" 19. Sunday, to Tetsworth.

" 20. Monday, to Denton in Buckinghams.h.i.+re.

" 21. Tuesday, the little Skirmish before Aylesbury.

That night to Oxford.[5]

The entry of March 8th alludes to a Royalist plot by which it had been intended to surrender Bristol to Rupert. But the plot was betrayed, and the two merchants who had been the prime movers of it were executed.

Meanwhile the King's party was prospering in the North. Some time previously the Queen had despatched Goring to the aid of the Earl of Newcastle in Yorks.h.i.+re; and in March she landed there herself, bringing supplies and reinforcements. In Lancas.h.i.+re and Ches.h.i.+re Lord Derby was struggling valiantly, but he felt himself out-numbered, and earnestly implored Rupert to come to his a.s.sistance. The Countess of Derby, Charlotte de La Tremouille, who had been brought up at the Hague in intimate relations with the Palatines, added her entreaties to those of her husband: "Je ne sais ce que je dis, mais ayez pitie de mon mari, mes enfans, et moi."[6] Moved by this urgent appeal, Rupert resolved to go northward, and Digby volunteered to accompany him.

In the beginning of April they set forth, with twelve hundred horse and about six hundred foot. Marching through Stratford-on-Avon, they came to Birmingham, a place famous for its active disloyalty; it had seized upon Royal plate, intercepted Royal messengers, and now boldly refused to {104} admit Rupert within its walls. The Prince resolved on an a.s.sault, and, on Easter Monday, he took and entered the town. The conduct of the Cavaliers here was as much debated as it had been at Cirencester. "The Cavaliers rode through the streets like so many furies or bedlams; Lord Denbigh in the front, singing as he rode," says the Puritan account. "They shot at every door and window where they could espy any looking out. They hacked, hewed, or pistolled all they met with; blaspheming, cursing, and d.a.m.ning themselves most hideously... Nor did their rage cease here; but when, on the next day, they were to march forth out of the town, they used every possible diligence to set fire in all the streets, and, lest any should save any of the goods they had left, they stood with drawn swords about all the houses, endeavouring to kill anyone that appeared to quench the flames."[7] The Royalist version was very different. After relating the excessive provocation suffered by the soldiers, it admits that, in order to force his entrance, the Prince did fire some houses, but that as soon as the entrance was effected, he ordered the fire to be extinguished. And on the next day, when he was about to leave the town, "fearing the exasperation of his men, he gave express orders that none should attempt to fire the town; and, after his departure, hearing that some soldiers had fired it in divers places, he sent immediately to let the inhabitants know that it was not done by his command, and he desired it might be quenched."[8] This last account, being found in a private letter, is probably more worthy of credit than the Puritan pamphlet written to excite the populace.

On April 8th, Rupert summoned Lichfield to surrender, but that town, well garrisoned and well commanded, answered him with defiance. Rupert perceived that the siege would {105} be a matter of some time, and he acted with great prudence. Withdrawing his cavalry from its perilous position before the town, he managed to obtain fifty miners from the neighbouring collieries. Then he asked his men and officers to volunteer, as foot-soldiers, to the aid of the miners; with which request they "cheerfully and gallantly" complied. On this occasion George Digby especially distinguished himself, working in the trenches "up to his waist in mud" until he was disabled by a shot in the thigh.

But this was the last time that he served under Rupert, for very soon afterwards he quarrelled with the Prince, threw up his commission in a rage, and fought thenceforth as a volunteer.[9]

In ten days the moat was dry, two bridges made, and the miners engaged on the walls. Hara.s.sed by continual appeals for his presence elsewhere, Rupert made an effort to hasten matters by storming the town. But the attempt failed, and the garrison hanged one of their prisoners over the wall, bidding the Prince in derision, to shoot him down. Rupert thereupon swore deeply that not one man should have quarter, but on the following day he repented of his resolve, and sent to offer it. His overtures were rejected; and he resumed his operations. That same evening his mine was sprung--the first ever sprung in England--and the besiegers rushed into the city. But so fierce was the opposition of the garrison at the barricades, that Rupert recalled his storming party, and fired on the breach, until the enemy at last hoisted the white flag. Colonel Hastings was then sent into the city with powers to treat, but he was detained all night, and the Prince, fearing treachery, ordered the attack to be renewed at daybreak. Fortunately, with the light, came Hastings; the garrison had surrendered, and was permitted to march out, "colours flying, trumpets sounding, and matches lighted;"[10] an honour scarcely {106} deserved after the horrible manner in which it had desecrated the Lichfield Cathedral.

No sooner was the city taken than Rupert unwillingly turned back to Oxford. During the siege he had received letters from the King, urging him to hasten northward, but ere its completion the state of affairs was changed. Reading was in dire peril, and its Governor, Sir Arthur Aston, protested desperately to the Prince: "I am grown weary of my life, with perpetual trouble and vexation." In his garrison he seemed to have no confidence: "I am so extremely dejected with this business that I do wish, with all my heart, I had some German soldiers to command, or that I could infuse some German courage into them. For your English soldiers are so poor and base that I could never have a greater affliction light upon me than to be put into command of them."[11] The report of the Secretary Nicholas was not more comforting: "I a.s.sure your Highness it is the opinion of many here that, if Prince Rupert come not speedily, Reading will be lost!"[12]

And finally, a peremptory command from the King for his instant return left the Prince no room for hesitation.