Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/237

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1em My Lords and Gentlemen,—According to your Lordships’ appointment, I have attended your Service in these parts; and have not had so fit an opportunity to give you an account as now.

''So soon as I received your commands, I appointed a rendezvous at Watlington. The body being come up, I marched to Wheatley Bridge, having sent before to Major-General Browne for intelligence; and it being market-day at Oxford, from whence I likewise hoped, by some of the market-people, to gain notice where the Enemy was.''

Towards night I received certain notice by Major-General Browne, that the Carriages were not stirred, that Prince Maurice was not here; and by some Oxford scholars, that there were Four Carriages and Wagons ready in one place, and in another Five; all, as I conceived, fit for a march.

I received notice also that the Earl of Northampton’s Regiment was quartered at Islip; wherefore im the evening I marched that way, hoping to have surprised them; but, by the mistake and failing of the forlorn-hope, they had an alarm there, and to all their quarters, and so escaped me; by means whereof they had time to draw all together.

''I kept my body all night at Islip: and, in the morning, a party of the Earl of Northampton’s Regiment, the Lord Wilmot’s, and the Queen’s, came to make an infall upon me. Sir Thomas Fairfax’s Regiment was the first that took the field; the rest drew out with all possible speed. That which is the General’s Troop charged a whole squadron of the Enemy, and presently broke it. Our other Troops coming seasonably on, the rest of the Enemy were presently put into confusion; so''