POLITICAL HISTORY 



checked by a hastily gathered army, and his troops never again approached 

 so near to the capital. His conduct in ordering or allowing the attack 

 on Brentford while negotiations were pending, though no doubt defen- 

 sible on military grounds, was most strongly resented both in London and 

 Middlesex, and did much to turn the scale of favour against him. 289 The 

 petition of the plundered inhabitants of Brentford, and the generous 

 response to the order for a collection to be made in their aid, show with 

 what feelings Middlesex regarded the royal army.* 90 



Although after November, 1 64.2, the royal cause had little chance of 

 success in Middlesex, yet many of the gentry of the county belonged to 

 the king's party and followed him to Oxford. Sir Arthur Aston of 

 Fulham distinguished himself at Edgehill by driving the right wing of 

 the Parliamentary army from the field. 891 He was made commander of 

 Reading when the king went to Oxford, and was probably at the taking 

 of Bristol. Later he was made governor of Oxford, where he was much 

 hated for his cruelty and imperious temper. 294 Among those who 

 followed the king to Oxford were John Gary of Marylebone Park, Sir 

 Francis Rowse of Hedgstone Manor, Harrow, and Sir Henry Wroth of 

 Durrants. Sir Henry Spiller of Laleham took up arms for the king, as 

 did also Sir Robert Fenn and his son, and Sir John Kaye. 293 One of 

 the most conspicuous figures in Middlesex at this time was Henry Rich, 

 earl of Holland, who owned Holland House in Kensington. He was a 

 man of ability, and had been prominent at court during the early part of 

 the reign, but his lack of principle and instability of character prevented 

 him when the crisis came from serving either side with success or fidelity. 

 Before the war he had attached himself to the queen's party, and was 

 made general of the horse when war broke out with Scotland. 89 * 

 When the army was disbanded he retired to Holland House, having 

 received some imaginary cause for offence. 895 At the opening of the 

 Civil War, Holland sided with the Parliament, and was present with 

 Essex at the battle of Turnham Green ; indeed the Parliamentary 

 historians lay it to his account that Essex made no decisive action 

 against the king that day. 896 In August, 1643, when the peers who 

 had remained at Westminster began to leave their seats, Holland set 

 out with Bedford to join the king at Oxford. 297 They were stopped at 

 Wallingford while the king deliberated whether they should be received 

 or not. All considerations of prudence counselled a warm welcome, but 

 the Royalist hopes were high at that time, and under the queen's 

 influence the majority of the council urged that the fugitives should be 



"* ' If your majesty had prevailed it is easy to imagine what a miserable peace we should have had.' 

 Letter from the Houses of Parliament, 1 6 Nov. 1642. 



" Cal. S.P. Dam. 1641-3, p. 417. 



191 Clarendon, op. cit. ii, 358, 361. 



"* In November, 1646, he was sent to Ireland with the marquis of Ormonde, and was left to 

 defend Drogheda with 3,000 men. When the town fell in September, 1647, Aston was butchered with 

 the rest of the garrison. (Diet. Nat. Biog.) 



* 93 Cal. Com. for Comp. ii, 1145, '3 I2 > H 02 * H 8 *> '5^7' 



181 Straffbrd Letters, ii, 276. "* Clarendon, op. cit. i, 295. 



598 Ludlow, Memoirs, i, 54. w Gardiner, op. cit. i, 199. 



2 41 6 



