27 



speaks of any serious loss of life on the occasion, though there is abundant 

 evidence from other sources that there was a loss variously stated at from 300 

 to 600 men. Neither is any loss of life mentioned in the account of these 

 transactions given in the historical introduction to the Bibliotheca Gloucestrensis 

 on page 36. This, however, seems to have been in great measure compiled from 

 Corbett's narrative, and therefore would contain no facts that were not recited 

 by Corbett himself. Corbett does not say that a single man was killed in the two 

 days fighting, and, speaking of Sir William Waller's attack, he says that " after 

 his ai^proaoh not a man of the enemy was slain or hurt." Sir William Waller 

 himself says in his official report, " in a short time without the losse of above two, 

 they rendered up the place upon 'quarter'." It is difficult to reconcile this 

 statement with the abundant evidence which may be adduced of a very heavy 

 loss, but as one of the most detailed accounts which %viU be presently quoted, 

 attributes the slaughter to an act of treachery on the part of Sir William Waller, 

 an allegation constantly repeated and nowhere refuted at the time, it is probable 

 that Corbett was discreetly and charitably silent on the subject. He was Massey's 

 chaplain, and Massey was a conspicuous actor in the scene. 



In the Biographical and Historical Memoir of Corbett published in the Bib- 

 liotheca Gloucestrensis, the following passage occurs : — " Hence it will be found 

 that, whilst the main facts of Corbett's military relation are incontrovertible, his 

 statement, if not generally corroborated by the testimony of contemporary 

 writers, is at least not invalidated by any Historian of those perilous days." Some 

 . inaccuracies in Corbett's statements must clearly therefore have been within the 

 knowledge of the writer of this memoir. 



It may be convenient here to read Sir Willliam Waller's official letter to 

 both Houses of Parliament. 



" My Lords and Gent. 



" We hear it is not wel taken, that you heard not of the taking of the Welsh 

 at Highnam, nor of the losse of Mahnsbury. Upon our coming to Gloucester, we 

 immediately sent ; it seems many of our letters miscary ; for Malmsbury we 

 committed it to Sir Edward Hungerford : we left him not without commanders, 

 he had two Sergeant Majors, able men, and the Companies of his own regiment, 

 and a Company of dragoones, with ammunition and two hundred muskets, to put 

 into the Countrymen's hands, that offered themselves very freely : We conceived 

 that Sir Edward Hungerford's power in the country, with that strength would 

 easily have defended that place. But for reasons best known to himselfe, he 

 quitted it. It was not for us to have stood long there, nor for the advancement 

 of your service nor for us to garrison towns, unless it is intended we shall leave the 

 field. From Malmsbury, marching day and night we came to Framelet ferry, and 

 having our boates from Gloucester readie, we passed our army over Seveme, and 

 forthwith to Huntley, and so to Highnam, where, before the enemie had any 

 notice, we fell upon their backes, and in a short time, without the losse of above 

 two, they rendered up the place upon quarter, where he had one thousand foure 

 hundred and forty fovire common prisoners well armed, commanders and gentlemen 

 about one hundred and fifty, many of the chief e of Wales and Herefordshire." 



