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than Cromwell himself. The Ironsides came on at the 

 charge. Langdale's men made a desperate fight of it. 

 Victory did not come easily even to Cromwell. At first, 

 indeed, the Royalists had the best of the struggle. " The 

 divisions off the left hand off the right (Parliamentary) 

 wing were overborne, having much disadvantage by 

 reason off pits off water and other peeces off ditches, 

 that they expected not, which hindered them in their 

 order to charge." But Cromwell, taking Langdale's men 

 in front and flank, forced them down the hill : and in 

 the end the whole of the Royal left was driven back a 

 quarter of a mile beyond the infantry, which was thus 

 left unsupported. " Pressed hard," says Clarendon, 

 " before they could get to the top of the hill, they gave 

 back, and fled farther and faster than became them. Four 

 of the enemies bodies, close, and in good order, followed 

 them that they might not rally which they never 

 thought of doing." Thus holding Langdale back with 

 a strong force of cavalry, Cromwell hastened, with the 

 rest of his command, to the aid of the infantry in the 

 centre. Here the fight was going well for the king. 

 The Royalist foot had not only held their ground against 

 a force twice as numerous as their own, but were having 

 all the best of the battle. We have the witness of a 

 Parliamentary writer, who was on the field, that although 

 the Roundhead infantry 011 the right, " stood, being 

 not much pressed," yet that " almost all the main 

 battel, being over-pressed, gave ground and went off in 

 some disorder." 



The pikemen of Skippon and Fairfax already out- 



