THE BATH ROAD 



35 



arc on historic ground. It is out of my province to 

 describe in detail the rise and fall of the fortunes of the 

 fight during those two tremendous days, September i6th, 

 1643, and October 27th, 1644, when the best blood of 

 England was poured out like water on Speen Hill, and 

 the cause of Charles the First was upheld by an uncertain 

 triumph ; nor have I space to do more than make passing 



The King's Head, Thatcham. 



mention of the famous personages in the world of history, 

 romance and letters, whose memories throng the road as 

 far as Hungerford, and indeed beyond it, " thick as leaves 

 in Vallombrosa." I see Charles the First dressing in the 

 bow window of the drawing-room of Shaw House on the 

 morning of the battle, and the divinity that hedges a king 

 turning aside the rebel bullet ; and the gallant Carnarvon 

 measuring the gateway with his sword to see how Essex 



D 2 



