COENWALL DITEING THE CIVIL WAR. 33 



all parts in abundance and of all sects of religion following them. 



The Queen, we know, fled into Cornwall, and ultimately escaped 

 from Falmouth on Sunday the 14th of July, 1644, and this not 

 without considerable difficulty, as she was closely watched and pur- 

 sued. For some time preyiously, the Parliament Officers had 

 supposed her to be at Exeter ; but on the 7th of July all the ships 

 the Lord Admiral had with him were sent to cruise off Falmouth ; 

 and on the 1 4th some of the vessels in the harbour were seen to set 

 sail, and the Parliament Yice-Admiral prepared. The first of the 

 Royalist ships was a Flemish man-of-war, which came within gun- 

 shot of the Vice- Admiral, who fired 12 guns at her ; of which the 

 Flemish took no notice, but, getting to windward, made all sail. 

 The remainder of the fleet, ten in number, followed, and, having the 

 advantage of the wind, escaped all annoyance from the Parliament 

 ships. These gave chase, however — a fast frigate exchanging some 

 shots — and followed even to Brest, where the Queen landed in 

 safety. Incase of emergency, a galley of 16 oars had been provided 

 for her, " which," according to the " True Relation of the Queene's 

 " departure from Falmouth into the Brest in the west of France," 

 " the best vessell in the world could never have coopt with." The 

 Parliament men perhaps were not very anxious to take her, as they 

 do not appear to have been very active. 



In September, 1 644, the King gave Commission to Sir Richard 

 Grenvile to command all the Forces of Devon and Cornwall, and to 

 blockade Plymouth. Sir John Berkeley and others became jealous 

 of him, and sacrificed the interests of their cause to their own private 

 pique, — a mode of selfishness that seems more common in civil wars 

 than at other times. In the following February, Sir Richard was 

 moved eastward, under some pretence ; and, having besieged Taunton, 

 he received a dangerous wound whilst endeavouring to take Wellington 

 House ; and his troops were then committed to the charge of Sir 

 John Berkeley. In June, 1645, he asked to be restored to his com- 

 mand, and after being employed in some inferior service, he was 

 desired to get together, speedily, all the runaway or scattered soldiers 

 in Devon and Cornwall ; but he was counteracted by the contrivances 

 of other people, and thus 3000 old soldiers were kept back from 

 Royalist service, and Sir Richard's complaints were not attended to. 

 As he was Sheriff of Devon, he was then desired to raise men in that 

 County ; and here, though he was again opposed, he raised without 

 delay, above 500 Horse. On the 17th January, 1645^ (and we must 



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