during (he Great Rebellion. 



297 



cavaliers with all their artillery, accomplished a safe lodg- 

 ment in Devizes, and were cordially welcomed by the faithful 

 town. 



Waller encamped that night at Rowde, and on Monday morning 

 marchod all his forces over Roundway Down, and there effected 

 his long-desired object of putting himself between Oxford and the 

 Cornish army. That same evening soon after night-fall, the 

 cavalry cut their way in gallant style through the beleaguering 

 host, and rode all night on the spur to Oxford. Tuesday, Wednes- 

 day, and Thursday, Waller made tremendous efforts to storm the 

 town, and the small garrison entrenched behind very imperfect 

 defences, and exhausted by continual fighting, must soon have 

 yielded at mercy, but that about four o'clock on Thursday after- 

 noon the fire of guns, the fluttering of pennons, and the flash of 

 helmets, announced the arrival of the Life Guards from Oxford. 

 The Cornish foot burst over the barricades, and reached the field 

 of fight just in time to see every squadron of the enemy's cavalry, 

 and even Haslerig's stubborn cuirassiers, and all Hungerford's 

 Western Horse, flying in tumultuous rout before Carnarvon and 

 the triumphant guards, over the dangerous precipices of Roundway 

 Down. Lord Wilmot's reserve now joined the Cornish men, and 

 overpowered the infantry who yet stood firm ; and though Waller 

 made every effort that a brave and skilful general could do, he 

 was swept away by his own broken columns, and the whole army 

 overwhelmed with irretrievable discomfiture. 



It was late on Thursday evening when the people of Chippen- 

 ham, who could distinctly hear the roar of battle, and from the 

 higher points of view could catch the flash of the guns on Round- 

 way, were startled by the shattered troopers of Wallers army, with 

 Haslerig, Hungerford, and their general himself in the foremost 

 ranks thundering through the streets of the town, followed by 

 confused masses of broken infantry, in dread of pursuit by the 

 victorious cavaliers. There is an entry in the church register at 

 this date, of the death of one William lies, of Stanley, who it is 

 recorded was killed in St. Mary's Street by a soldier : it may have 

 been that part of the fugitives passed through that street, and that 



