52 



What was tlie nature of this skirmish, and who were the 

 contending parties 1 



Let ns first turn to the " History of the Rebellion" by 

 Clarendon, and see what he says pertinent to the matter. After 

 stating that the Cornish Eoyalists had gained a great victory over 

 the Parliamentary troops in Devon, at Stratton Down, which had 

 decided the King to send the Marquis of Hertford and Prince 

 Maurice with as many troops as they could collect in Dorset and 

 Somerset to join the Cornish ai'my — a movement which was 

 effected at Chard — and that the united forces having taken 

 without opposition Taunton and Bridgwater, and Dunster Castle, 

 which was surrendered to them by its owner, had marched to 

 Wells, near which place on the Mendip Waller's advance guard 

 of cavalry encountered for the first time the Royalist party, with 

 a somewhat indecisive result. The victory indeed remained with 

 Prince Maurice, and Waller's men retreated to Bath, but the 

 Prince was wounded and at one time the force was in a critical 

 position. After staying seven or eight days in Wells to cure 

 the Prince's wounds and rest the army. Clarendon says, " The 

 Prince and the Marquis advanced to Frome, and thence to 

 Bradford, within fovr miles of Bath. And now no day passed 

 ■without action and very sharp skirmishes. Sir* William Waller 

 having received from London a fresh regiment of 500 horse, 

 under the command of Sir Ai'thur Haslerig, which were so com- 

 pletely armed that they were called by the other side the 

 " Eegimont of Lobsters," because of the bright iron shells with 

 which they were covered, being perfect Cuirassiers, and were the 

 first that made any impression upon the King's horse, who being 

 unarmed {i.e. with body armour) were not able to bear a shock 

 with them, besides which they (the Cuirassiers) were secure from 

 hurts of sword, which were the only weapons the others were 

 furnished with. The contention was hitherto with parties in 

 which the successes Avere various, and almost with equal losses, 

 for Sii- William Waller on the first advance from Wells beat up a 



