FIRST BATTLE OF NEWBURY i6i 



killing calves than lie in despatching of poor men's 

 suits, I think he would never have worn a mitre." 

 It is only necessary to remember that Wolsey was 

 the son of a butcher for the sting of this quip to be 

 appreciated. 



XXVI 



In 1531, and again in 1556, Newbury was the 

 scene of martyrdoms; and in 1643 and 1644 the site 

 of two battles between Charles and his Parliament, 

 both almost equally indecisive, and both remarkable 

 for desperate courage on either side. 



The first battle was foue^ht to the south of the 

 town on September 18, and was the culmination of 

 a Royalist attack upon the Parliamentary army under 

 the Earl of Essex, on the march from Gloucester to 

 London. Essex had designed to lie at Newbury, the 

 town being strongly for the Parliament ; but as he 

 was marchino^ across Enborne Chase on the 16th, 

 his line was cut by the appearance of Prince Rupert, 

 who charged down upon him with his dragoons. In 

 this skirmish the Marquis de Vieuville was slain, and 

 many others of the Royalists. The battle thus forced 

 on by the rashness of Prince Rupert was one of the 

 fiercest in the w\ar. 



The King was encamped near Donnington. Essex 

 advanced and seized some elevated ground, where his 

 men were charged by the Royalist cavalry, at whose 

 head was the Earl of Carnarvon. Carnarvon had 

 that morning measured a gateway with his sword, 

 to see if it were wide enough for the prisoners who, 



M 



