The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 46 · Section 20 – Section 21
The Battles.
Many Ingagements (as much above Skirmshes as beneath Battles) happened in this Shire. But that at Marston-moor, July 2. 1644. was our English Pharsalian Fight, or rather the Fatall Battle of Cannae to the Loyal Cavaliers.
Indeed it is Difficult and Dangerous to present the Particulars thereof. For one may easier doe right to the Memories of the Dead, then save the Credits of some Living. However things past may better be found fault with, then amended; and when God will have an Army Defeated, Mistakes tending thereto will be multiplied in despite of the greatest care and diligence.
Know then that Prince Rupert having fortunately raised the Siege at York, drew out his Men into the Moor, with full intention to fight the Enemy. Discreet Persons, beholding the Countenance of the present affairs with an unpartiall Eye, found out many Disswasives for the Prince to hazard a Battle. 1. He had done his Work by relieving York, let him Digest the Honour thereof, and grasp at no more. 2. His wearied Souldiers wanted refreshing. 3. Considerable Recruits were daily expected out of the North, under Colonel Clavering.
Adde to all these, that such were the present Animosities in the Parliament Army, and so great their Mutuall Disatisfactions when they drew off from York, that (as a prime Person since freely confest,) if let alone, they would have fallen foul amongst themselves, had not the Prince preparing to fight them, Cemented their Differences to agree against a Generall Enemy. But a Blot; is no Blot if not hit; and an Advantage, no Advantage, if unknown: though this was true, the Prince was not informed of the differences aforesaid.
However he did not so much run out of his own Ambition of Honour, as answer the Spur of the Kings Command, from whom he had lately received a Letter, (still safe in his Custody) speedily to fight the Enemy if he had any Advantage, that so he might spare and send back some Supplies to his Majesties perplexed occasions at Oxford.
Besides the Prince had received certain Intelligence, that the Enemy had the Day before, sent away seven thousand Men, now so far distanced, that they were past possibility of returning that day. The former part hereof was true, the latter false, confuted by the great Shout given this day in the Parliaments Army, at the return of such forces unto them.
But now it was too late to draw off, the Parliament forces necessitating them to fight. A Summers Evening is a Winters Day, and about 4. a Clock the Battle began.
Some causelesly complain on the Marquess of New-castle, that he drew not his men soon enough (according to his Orders) out of York, to the Prince his seasonable succour. Such consider not that Souldiers newly relieved from a Nine weeks Siege, will a little Indulge themselves. Nor is it in the power of a General, to make them at such times to March at a Minutes warning, but that such a Minute will be more then an Hour in the length thereof.
The Lord Generall Gor…ng so valiantly charged the left Wing of the Enemy, that they fairly forsooke the Field. Generall L…slie with his Scottish ran away more then an York-shire mile, and a Wee-bit. Fame with her Trumpet sounded their flight as far as Oxford, the Royalists rejoycing with Bonfires for the Victory. But within few days, their Bays by a mournfull Metamorphosis were turned into Willow, and they sunk the lower in true sorrow, for being mounted so high in Causeless Gladness.
For Cromwell with his Curassires did the work of that Day. Some suspected Colonel Hurry (lately converted to the Kings party) for foul play herein, for he divided the Kings Old Horse (so valiant and victorious in former fights) into small Bodies, alledging this was the best way to break the Scottish Lanciers. But those Horse, always used to charge together in whole Regiments or greater Bodies, were much discomposed with this new Mode, so that they could not find themselves in themselves. Besides a right valiant Lord, severed (and in some sort secured) with a Ditch from the Enemy, did not attend till the foe forced their way unto him, but gave his men the trouble to pass over that Ditch: the occasion of much disorder.
The Van of the Kings foot being led up by the truely honorable Colonel John Russell, impressed with unequall numbers, and distanced from seasonable succour, became a Prey to their Enemy. The Marquess of New-castles White-coats (who were said to bring their Winding sheet about them into the field) after thrice firing, …ell to it with the But ends of their Muskets, and were invincible; till mowed down by Cromwells Carassires, with Jobs Servants, they were all almost slain, few escaping to bring the Tidings of their overthrow.
Great was the Execution on that Day, Cromwell commanding his Men to give no quarter. Various the numbering of the slain of both sides, yet I meet with none mounting them above six, or sinking them beneath three thousand.
I remember no Person of honour slain on the Kings side, save the hopefull Lord Cary, eldest Son to the E. of Monmouth. But on the Parliaments side, the Lord Didup [a lately created Baron] was slain, on the same Token, that when King Charles said, that he hardly remembred, that he had such a Lord in Scotland; one returned, that the Lord had wholly forgotten that he had such a King in England. Soon after more then 60. Royalists of prime quality removed themselves beyond the Seas, so that hencefor ward the Kings affairs in the North, were in a languishing condition.
The Farewell.
As I am glad to hear the plenty of a courser kind of Cloth is made in this County, at Halifax, Leeds, and elsewhere, whereby the meaner sort are much imployed, and the middle sort inriched; So I am sorry for the generall complaints made thereof. Insomuch that it is become a generall by word, to shrink as Northern Cloth, (a Giant to the eye, and Dwarf in the use thereof,) to signify such, who fail their Friends in deepest distress, depending on their assistance. Sad that the Sheep the Embleme of Innocence, should unwillingly cover so much craft under the woo… thereof; and sadder, that Fullers commended in *Mark 9. 3.Scripture for making cloth white, should justly be condemned for making their own Consciences black, by such fraudulent practices. I hope this fault for the future, will be amended in this County and elsewhere. For sure it is, that the transporting of wooll and Fullers-earth (both against Law) beyond the Seas, are not more prejudiciall to our English cloathing abroad, then the deceit in making cloth at home, debasing the Forraign estimation of our Cloth to the unvaluable damage of our Nation.