40 The Life of William, Duke of Newcastle 



his arms, and was no sooner got on horseback, but he beheld 

 a dismal sight of the horse of his Majesty's right wing, which 

 out of a panic fear had left the field, and run away with all the 

 speed they could ; and though my Lord made them stand once 

 yet they immediately betook themselves to their h.eels again, 

 and killed even those of their own party that endeavoured 

 to stop them. The left wing in the meantime, commanded 

 by those two valiant persons, the Lord Goring and Sir Charles 

 Lucas, having the better of the enemy's right wing, which they 

 beat back most valiantly three times, and made their general 

 retreat, insomuch that they sounded victory. 



In this confusion my Lord (accompanied only with his 

 brother Sir Charles Cavendish, Major Scot, Captain Mazine 1 , 

 and his page), hastening to see in what posture his own regi- 

 ment was, met with a troop of gentlemen volunteers, who 

 formerly had chosen him their captain, notwithstanding he was 

 general of an army ; to whom my Lord spake after this manner. 

 ' Gentlemen ', said he, ' you have done me the honour to choose 

 me your captain, and now is the fittest time that I may do you 

 service ; wherefore if you will follow me, I shall lead you on the 

 best I can, and show you the way to your own honour.' They 

 being as glad of my Lord's proffer as my Lord was of their 

 readiness, went on with the greatest courage ; and passing 

 through two bodies of foot, engaged with each other not at 

 forty yards' distance, received not the least hurt, although 

 they fired quick upon each other ; but marched towards a 

 Scots regiment of foot, which they charged and routed ; in 

 which encounter my Lord himself killed three with his page's 

 half-leaden sword, for he had no other left him ; and though 

 all the gentlemen in particular offered him their swords, yet 

 my Lord refused to take a sword of any of them. At last, after 

 they had passed through this regiment of foot, a pikeman 

 made a stand to the whole troop ; and though my Lord 

 charged him twice or thrice, yet he could not enter 2 him ; but 

 the troop despatched him soon. 



In all these encounters my Lord got not the least hurt, 

 though several were slain about him ; and his White Coats 

 showed such an extraordinary valour and courage in that 

 action, that they were killed in rank and file. And here I can- 



l Captain Mazine,' the old great horseman,' died in 1677. Savile Correspondence, p. 63. 



2 Enter., i.e. get within his guard. 



