150 
was altogether expedient,” Sir Ralph Hopton’s men, horse and foot 
with their baggage, moved towards Lansdown. Waller meanwhile 
watched them from the brow of the hill observing their motions, 
and with great industry and care endeavoured to annoy them. 
Their intention was consequently foiled, and they soon found 
themselves in a helpless position, unable to escape from or reply to 
the cannon, encumbered with carriages which were most trouble- 
some, and in a field where an advance seemed impossible, and from 
which a retreat was most difficult. After receiving some damage 
from the artillery, about one o'clock in the afternoon much dis- 
tressed for provisions and short of ammunition they began to draw 
off to Banner down in retreat to Marshfield, hoping to tempt the 
Parliamentary commander to follow them, and boasting they 
would yet be in Bath that night—“ forgetting that the waters of 
Bath might be too hot for them, and might produce a fatal fever.” 
The command for this movement was entrusted to Sir Ralph 
Hopton, whe, as best he could, first sent off the cannon and carriages 
well protected through two narrow lanes which led towards Marsh- 
field, guarding the entrances to both and lining the hedges with 
a thousand musketeers. The remainder afterwards marched off in 
divisions leaving a forlorn hope to protect the rear. Seeing only 
these left on the field some troopers descended the hill and at- 
tacked them; at first with some success, but being drawn into the 
ambuscade of musketeers behind the hedges they were in the end 
driven back without any advantage. 
That night the royalists pitched their camp about Marshfield 
and Frisnoll hill, sending out parties of horse to scour the country 
and using every precaution to make their rest secure.* Their 
loss for the day was reported as only three hundred-weight of 
bullet and Captain Thin of Longleat taken prisoner. 
Thus for the greater part of this day, Tuesday, the 4th July, 
Sir William and the entire Parliamentary force had been able to 
view the whole strength of the royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton 
* Clar. MSS., 1788—Hopton. 
