i 



57 



Royal army— which now marched on to Marshfiekl, about five 

 mCes to the East of Bath, and a little out of the direct line to 

 Oxford, which was their main object. 



No sooner had Waller ascertained the direction of their march, 

 than he drew out his forces on Lansdown, where he raised breast- 

 works and planted his cannon, and sent his cavalry to beat up 

 their quarters again and provoke the Royalist General to attack 

 him on the battle-field he had chosen. 



The importance of the battle at Claverton and Warleigh con- 

 sisted in its opening the passage of the Bridge of Ford to the 

 Royalists, who might have placed themselves some miles on the 

 road to Oxford. It also gave great encouragement to their cavalry, 

 which had been lately rather shamefully handled by the Regi- 

 ment of Lobsters or Ironsides, and in a corresponding degree it 

 depressed the spirit both of Waller and his army. Sir William 

 Waller had, by his brilliant successes in the early part of this 

 year, and notably in Wilts and Gloucester, been hailed in the 

 Parliament as " William the Conqueror." He had received noAV 

 a severe check, and gave up the idea of barring the retreat of 

 the Royalists to Oxford, and was determined to secure a good 

 defensive position, trusting that the necessities of the Royalist 

 army — which was short of provisions and ammunition, and in a 

 disafi'ected district — would compel them to hurry on an engage- 

 ment. This last circumstance explains the conduct of the 

 Royalist General in not pressing on towards Oxford. He felt 

 that it was of great importance to win a battle in this neighbour- 

 hood, and time was precious. And Clarendon states that the 

 army had a somewhat unreasonable contempt for the military 

 skill of their opponents, and then threw away a great chance by 

 attacking Waller in a very strong position, when they might have 

 given him battle greatly to his disadvantage among the stone- 

 walls and fences of an enclosed country.* 



* We have it in Waller's own words in his " Vindication of his Conduct," 

 published after his death, that he very much disliked fighting " in an 



