184 'RJitMBLES OF A VOMINIS 



while the careless Cavaliers were playing quoits or 

 drinking in the little hostelry. The hostelry itself has 

 been rebuilt; but "Cromwell's table" a ponderous 

 board of black oak, said to be the very one round which 

 Prince Rupert's lifeguards were carousing is among the 

 few remaining relics of the time, though it is no longer 

 in the village. Before the morning broke the King was 

 back in Harborough, in council with his captains. The 

 decision was, as Clarendon expresses it, " to fight, to 

 which there was always an immoderate appetite." 



The march began. By five o'clock Astley had ranged 

 the line of battle in a strong position on a hill two miles 

 from Harborough. There the Royalist army waited 

 long, while Fairfax, who had left his camp at three, had 

 ample leisure to choose his fighting ground near Naseby 

 village. 



"About eight of the clock it began to be doubted 

 whether the intelligence they had received of the enemy 

 was true." Rupert himself rode on to reconnoitre, and 

 catching sight of the despised New Model in full retreat, 

 as he thought, the fiery captain sent back word to come 

 on with all speed. 



"Hereupon the advantage ground was quitted, and 

 the excellent order they were in," and the Royalist 

 forces pushed in pursuit as they supposed of a retiring 

 enemy, with such haste that the battle had begun before 

 all the artillery was on the field. 



Fairfax meanwhile had no intention of retreating. 

 He was but improving an already excellent position. A 

 mile to the south of Naseby the long ridge of Mill Hill 



