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prisoners, “ frighted” them from thence ; then keeping up a per- 
petual skirmish in their rear he drove them, now only about 
twelve hundred strong, into Devizes, where they shut themselves 
up and sent off to Oxford for immediate help. This chance of 
assistance could hardly have escaped the notice of so good a soldier 
as Sir William ; but laying siege to Devizes on Monday, and relying 
on the weakened condition of those within he fully and confidently 
expected a surrender by Wednesday ; and in this expectation, and 
possibly to hasten it, he offered immediately fair and liberal 
conditions. A poem of the time says ; 
Into Bristol news there posting flies 
That he (Waller) by conquest had driven to Devize, 
His old comrade (Hopton). Noble General, 
On whom a sudden accident did fall. 
And Sir William his brag did make 
In three days space that town to take, 
And into Bristol as a prisoner bring 
That noble knight, proved faithful to his king.* 
But hindered in all his work by a continual rain day and night 
his hopes were not to be realised. The town held out, and on 
Thursday, just as arrangements were completed for an assault, 
fresh horse from Oxford, reported as two thousand strong, with 
eight waggons of ammunition, were suddenly announced to have 
arrived within two miles entirely unperceived.t Col. Popham, 
Col. Strode and others, with their weary men, went out and met 
them bravely on Roundway Down ; but after a gallant struggle 
the Parliament troopers became disordered and were then entirely 
defeated, routed, and dispersed. Sir William Waller escaped to 
Bath and so to Bristol, where he afterwards received from the 
House of Commons the sum of five thousand pounds, wherewith 
to reward his men for their courage and bravery. The king’s 
troops following occupied Bath without resistance, and rested there 
a time to refresh themselves and await further orders. This 
* News from the King’s Bath. 
+ A True Relation of the late Fight between Sir W. Waller, &c. 
