Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/476

 374 THE LINES FORMED ROUND OXFORD left hand and, at a certain sign given, they were to set on them on their rear, when the Governor and his men were ready to do so on the fore part. The sign being given, they fell on them so vigorously, that of 137 musketeers, which was the Parliamentarian number, but one escaped. The horse also shamefully ran away, and left their foot to have been cut to pieces, had not the Governor ordered to give quarter. They had for some hours before most insufferably railed against the king and queen's majesty, which much incensed the Oxford horse. Of these Parliamenteers fifty-two were killed (whereof seven were horsemen), with their captain, one Gibbons, and their lieutenant, a preaching silk-weaver. With these prisoners were taken thirty or forty cows, which the Parliamenteers the same evening stole back again through the negligence of the guard ; but whilst they were in action, the garrison of Woodstock (which was for the king), came forth to visit them, took twelve prisoners, and killed a lieutenant-colonel of horse. This sortie is the only thing worthy of note, connected with this attack on the city of Oxford. On the 6th of June, Fairfax endeavoured to storm Boarstall House, near Brill, but was courageously repelled by Sir W. Campion, the Governor, and the defendants of the place. In July 1645, the fatal field of Naseby was fought in Leicestershire, where, after the king's defeat, almost all the cities, castles, towns, and forts that belonged to him, and stood out in his defence, were soon surrendered to the Parliament. In the mean time, however, seeing that another and a stricter siege would follow, his Majesty issued proclamations for the collecting of provisions, which was done, and in the May following (1646), Fairfax, resolving to besiege it again, came out of the west of England, and on the 1st of May appeared before the city, where was Prince Rupert, Prince Maurice, and a great part of the nobility and gentry of England, the king having gone away in disguise about four days previously. Charles had now in Oxford about 5000 regular troops, besides the regiments raised in the University and city, thirty-eight pieces of ordnance, whereof twenty-six were of brass, seventy barrels of powder in his magazine, and two