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‘all passion in me. The God of peace in his good time send us 
“the blessings of peace, and in the meantime fit us to receive it. 
‘We are both upon the stage, and must act those parts that are 
“assioned to us in this tragedy. Let us do it in a way of honour 
“and without personal animosities,* This attempt, by Hopton, 
under the plea of friendship, was probably merely to gain time ; 
and thus, proving a failure, a message next came from Lord Hert- 
ford, desiring if any further action should occur between their 
forces that quarter should be given, and that they should fight no 
more “in holes but in champagne ground.” Sir William replied, 
that if any of his men refused quarter they should themselves be ; 
quartered, and so dispatched the messenger, sending with him a 
trumpeter bearing a challenge to the Marquis to meet him for a 
battle that afternoon, about Sherston, in the plain ; and as he knew 
he had no powder offering, if he pleased, to send him some.¢ But 
before the trumpeter arrived the Royalists were seen to be on the 
move ; for being aware of Waller’s activity, and hearing that re- 
inforcements were coming from Bristol, they had determined with- 
out delay to march for Oxford, being unable to attend an enemy 
who had his supplies so near.{ Waller moved also, and at once 
occupied Marshfield ; then drawing together his countrymen newly 
recruited around Bath, the “most absolutely disaffected district in_ 
“the county,” he followed before night; his men being much in- 
spirited at Sir Ralph Hopton’s misfortune, and believing their 
enemy had no powder, and that “‘ one more bout would end them.”§ 
As soon as Waller was known to be in pursuit, the country people 
deserted the retreating troops, and the population generally through 
which they passed would give them neither meat, drink, nor 
intelligence. That night they camped at Chippenham, but early 
next morning Waller was close upon them, and after a slight 
encounter, when many laid down their arms and became 
* Clar. MSS. 1719, Waller to Hopton. 
+God in the Mount. Clar. MSS. 1738. 
} Echard, § Certain Informations, 
