A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



horse (which is the greatest pillar of the army to fight).' 878 Yet it was 

 useless to stay where he was, while the enemy increased the strength of 

 their position, and while a force of 3,000 men was stationed under 

 Sir John Ramsay in his rear, holding the bridge at Kingston for the 

 Parliament. 8 Essex was strongly urged to order Ramsay to attack the 

 king's rear, but the professional soldiers in the army were much opposed 

 to the scheme, and finally Ramsay was ordered to fall back along the 

 south side of the Thames to defend London Bridge. 280 Later in the day 

 Essex sent Hampden to sweep round the flank of the king's army, and it 

 was probably this force which took part in the skirmish on a hill near 

 Acton ; but the professionals prevailed upon Essex to recall Hampden 

 before the manoeuvre was complete. 881 The armies remained facing one 

 another all that day, a few cannon shots only being exchanged, and many 

 were the complaints of inactivity among the Parliamentarians. 888 A 

 great number of spectators had ridden out of London to see the fight, 

 and these were bold enough when all was quiet, but hastily galloped 

 away whenever the king's army showed signs of movement to the 

 demoralization of the recruits, a few of whom took the opportunity to 

 decamp at each stampede. 283 



Towards evening, as the king found that Essex did not mean to 

 attack him, he drew off his troops towards Kingston, leaving only a 

 small force between Old and New Brentford to cover his retreat. 284 

 These followed the main body as soon as they were fired upon, and 

 Essex took possession of Brentford without striking a blow. 285 He was 

 at once surrounded by a hungry crowd of the plundered townspeople, 

 who declared that the town had been stripped and clamoured for food. 

 Fortunately the wives and sisters of the citizens in the trained bands had 

 provided a goodly supply of loaves for their husbands and brothers, and 

 these were devoted to the stricken inhabitants of Brentford. 286 



The Royalists in Kingston welcomed Charles and gave him the com- 

 mand of the bridge (the first above the City in those days). Essex 

 feared that the king meant to make his way into Kent where he had 

 many partisans among the gentry. The earl therefore threw a bridge of 

 boats across the Thames from Fulham to Putney, so that he could 

 speedily transfer his army to Surrey if necessary. 287 But Charles made 

 no attempt to go into Kent. The army took up its quarters in Kingston, 

 while he stayed the night at Hampton Court 288 before removing to Oat- 

 lands. His troops shortly withdrew to Reading, and on 29 November 

 Oxford became the royal head quarters. 



The engagement at Brentford and the action of the following day 

 formed a turning-point in the struggle between the king and the Parlia- 

 ment. It was now certain that the war must be prolonged. Charles's march 

 towards London had seemed like a triumphal progress, but it had been 



178 Ashmole MS. No. 830. 9 Gardiner, op. cit. 59. 



9 Ludlow, Memoirs, i, 54. Ibid. " Whitelocke, Mem. 65. 



Gardiner, op. cit. i, 59. '" Clarendon, op. cit. ii, 397. 



Ludlow, Memoirs, i, 55. < A True and Perfect Relation.' 



Ludlow, Memoirs, i, 55. Clarendon, op. cit. ii, 397. 



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