observation of the posture or number of the enemy; only, he seemed to have seen or apprehended so much trouble and disorder in the faces of the Earl of Essex, and the principal officers about him, and so much dejection in the common soldiers, that they looked like men who had no further ambition than to keep what they had left." The king and Essex were both desirous of renewing the engagement, but were prevented; Essex by the advice of Dalbier and the other mercenaries, by whom, chiefly, his brigades were officered; the king, by the exhausted condition of his troops. Charles drew out his horse at the foot of the hill; brought off his cannon, including several of the parliament's, without disturbance; lingered till evening upon the summit; then moved forward his standard, which, in that conspicuous position, had all day long tossed its defying streamers in the breeze; and led his wearied followers to their previous quarters at Edgcot, where they obtained food and rest.

In this first great action there fell between 5000 and 6000 men, of whom two-thirds were parliamentarians. On that side two colonels, Charles Essex, reputed the ablest officer under the earl, and the Lord St. John, were slain. Of the king's party, there died on the field of battle, besides Sir Edmund Varney, Lord Aubigny, one of three brave sons of the Duke of Lenox, who that day fought for the king, and Colonel Monroe, "a great commander." General Lindsey was borne, profusely bleeding, from the fight, by the pious assiduity of Lord Willoughby, to the rude shed of a neighbouring farm. In the heat

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and distraction of the engagement, Essex, "among whose faults, however, want of civility and courtesy was none," forgot to send surgeons to tend his unfortunate antagonist. It was midnight when one arrived, with Sir William Balfour, and other officers, whom the parliament's general had sent to tender Lindsey such assistance as was at his command, designing himself to visit the wounded commander. They found him stretched on a little straw, pale from loss of blood, but with looks full of animation. "Gentlemen," he said, "I am sorry to see so many of you, and among you some of my old friends, engaged in so foul a rebellion." Then directing his discourse particularly to Balfour, he put that knight in mind of the great obligations he was under to the king. His majesty had incurred the displeasure of the whole nation by giving him the command of the Tower of London: was it not odious ingratitude to make his royal master the return he had that day made? "Gentlemen," continues the dying earl, "tell my Lord Essex that he ought to throw himself at the king's feet, and implore forgiveness; speedily let him do it, if he would not have his name a word of reproach among his countrymen!" The passionate earnestness of the loyal veteran quickened the exhausting flow of blood. The parliamentary officers retired in silence. Ere morning dawned, Lord Willoughby, amid his unavailing services by that forlorn bed of death, had become Earl of Lindsey. Charles made earnest efforts for the immediate release of the victim of filial affection; but the parliament refused to accept any exchange for young Lindsey, and he remained nearly a year their