262 Notes on the Manor of Aldbourne. 
Lord Clarendon, in his History, Book 7, states that after the 
raising of the siege of Gloucester, the Earl of Essex proceeded 
to Cirencester, and “‘ moved through that deep and enclosed county 
of North Wiltshire, his direct way to London, and that Prince 
Rtupert, with near five thousand horse, marched day and night over 
’ the hills to get between London and the enemy before they should 
be able to get out of those enclosed deep countries in which they 
were engaged between narrow lanes, and to entertain them with 
skirmishes till the whole army should come up. This design, pur- 
sued and executed with indefatigable pains, succeeded to his wish, 
for when the van of the enemy’s army had almost marched over 
Awborne Chace, intending that night to have reached Newbury, 
Prince Rupert, beyond their fear or expectation, appeared with a 
strong body of horse so near them that before they could put them- 
selves in order to receive them he charged their rear and routed 
them with good execution, and though the enemy performed the parts 
of good men, and applied themselves more dexterously to the relief 
of each other than on so sudden and unlooked-for an occasion was 
expected, yet with some difficulty, and the loss of many men, they 
were glad to shorten their journey, and, the night coming on, took 
up their quarters at Hungerford. 
‘In this conflict, which was very sharp for an hour or two, many 
fell of the enemy, and of the King’s party none of name but the 
Marquis of View Ville, a gallant gentleman of the French nation, 
who had attended the Queen out of Holland and put bimself as a 
volunteer upon this action in the Lord Jermyn’s Regiment. There 
were hurt many officers, and among those the Lord Jermyn received 
a shot in his arm, with a pistol, owing the preservation of his life 
from other shots to the excellent temper of his armour; and the 
Lord Digby a strange hurt in the face, a pistol being discharged at 
so near a distance upon him that the powder fetched much blood 
from his face, and for the present blinded him, without further — 
mischief, by which it was concluded that the bullet had dropped out 
before the pistol was discharged, and may be reckoned among one 
of those escapes of which that gallant person hath passed a greater 
number in the course of his life than any man I know.” 
