Page:Englishhistorica36londuoft.djvu/43

 1921 £ HE BATTLE OF EDGE HILL 35 we broke in amongst the enemy, and then to make use of our fire-arms as need should require : which order was punctually observed. 1 These excellent tactics were scarcely tested. As the cavalry advanced, Sir Faithful Fortescue and his troops rode out from the parliamentary ranks and joined the oncoming royalists. Dismayed by this treachery, the whole of the right wing under Ramsey ' unskilfully discharged their carbines and pistols into the air, wheeled about ', and fled in disorder. 2 Thereupon the whole of Charles Essex's brigade of foot ' at the very first wholly disbanded and ran away, without ever striking stroke or so much as being charged by the enemy ', while the regiment of Holies was broken by the fugitive horse. 3 At this stage, remarks Fiennes, the day was very desperate on our side ; and had not God clearly fought for us, we had lost it, for had the enemy's horse when they had routed the left wing, fallen upon the rear of our right wing, in all probability the army had been wholly defeated. But Rupert's troops rushed blindly forward in pursuit and their leader could no longer control them. 4 To make matters worse, the reserve of horse joined in the pursuit contrary to orders. 5 Their headlong career was only checked when they met a parlia- mentary force under John Hampden hastening to the battle-field. Meanwhile the left wing under Wilmot was also successful, though they had difficult country beset with hedges to fight in. But after Sir Arthur Aston had driven off the opposing musketeers with his dragoons, ' the right wing of their horse was as easily routed and dispersed as their left ', and the royalists on this side of the field joined in the pursuit as recklessly as those on the other side. The royalist reserve, adds Clarendon, seeing none of the enemy's horse left, thought there was nothing more to be done but to pursue those that fled, and could not be contained by their commanders, but with spurs and loose reins followed the chase which their left wing had led them. 6 Unfortunately for Charles, Wilmot had only routed Feilding's regiment of horse in reserve 7 — apart from either breaking or frightening Sir William Fairfax's regiment of foot, which fled in disorder 8 — and had missed Balfour and Stapleton altogether. 9 1 Bulstrode, p. 81. Cf. Lord Bernard Stuart's letter, printed below, p. 38. - Clarendon, vi. 84. 3 Official Parliamentary Account. Letters, i. 8. There are two copies of this narrative in the Bodleian Library, Carte MSS. 3 and 65. 5 Official Royalist Account. 6 Clarendon, vi. 85. 7 This is Gardiner's conclusion. 8 Two parliamentary pamphlets — A more true and an exacier Relation, by T. C, and Speciall Newes from the Army — mention that all Fairfax's men ran, though the officers stood their ground. The Official Royalist Account claims that hostile regiments on both flanks were routed by the cavalry charges. 9 The royalist narrative in Carte, Letters, mentions ' 3 or 4 troops which were placed as a reserve in a corner of the field undiscovered and so uncharged by our horse '. D 2
 * Life of James II. This is confirmed by the unsigned narrative printed in Carte's