FIGHTING FO^THS CROtTS^ 187 



battle was on the Royal right. Ireton's troopers, on the 

 Parliamentary left, came on with a front less well- 

 ordered than their opponents, and a flank movement in 

 aid of Skippon's infantry, hard-pressed already by the 

 Royalist foot, had begun further to disorder their forma- 

 tion, when Rupert's trumpets sounded for the charge. 

 Seizing the happy moment for his favourite stroke, the 

 Cavalier captain launched his whole wing against the 

 Roundhead left. Down the hill they went the flower 

 of the royal army, high-born Cavaliers, who had followed 

 their bold chief through many a desperate fray across 

 the swampy hollow, up the hill-slope in front, at Ireton's 

 wavering line. The Roundhead troopers were scattered 

 like chaff by the whirlwind of the Royal cavalry. Ireton 

 himself was down, wounded, and a prisoner. "Six 

 pieces of the Rebels best cannon " were in the hands of 

 the Cavaliers. On swept the eager horsemen, driving 

 the Parliamentary cavalry almost to the skirts of 

 Naseby village. But the baggage-guard in Ireton's rear 

 met Rupert's summons to surrender with defiance and 

 a volley. 



With his well appointed squadrons, flushed with 

 victory, the prince might doubtless have easily enforced 

 his challenge. But a glance at the battle now raging in 

 the hollow warned him it was time he should return. 

 Langdale's cavalry on the left had advanced meanwhile, 

 with hardly less valour than the followers of Rupert. 

 But the slope was against them, and the nature of the 

 ground. They were outnumbered by the enemy. That 

 enemy was led by no less skilled an officer of cavalry 



