the King that Lord Hertford had accepted the command solely out of affection for his Majesty's service; that he loved his ease and abhorred any fatigue, and had no calling beyond that of abundant courage for a military career; that it would be easy therefore to induce him to resign his post if the King wished it, but "that, if he would have him engaged in the enterprise, "he would not find that he would take any inferior "command."

The King, it seems, was not entirely convinced by Hyde's opinion, but, finding it confirmed by others or by Lord Hertford himself having been sounded on the subject, he was satisfied that he must forego Lord Hertford's military services if he was to be superseded by the Prince. The King felt this sacrifice would be too great, and "judging," says Lord Clarendon," that "the presence of the Marquis was absolutely necessary "for the disposing and reconciling all those western "counties to his service, his (Lord Hertford's) fortune, "which was very great, lying in many of them," he appointed his nephew Prince Maurice to be LieutenantGeneral under the Marquis.

2

The characters of the two Lieutenant-Generals were as opposite to each other as their ages, their habits, their tastes, and their manners were dissimilar. The Prince was rude and silent with men of high station, pleased and familiar when mixing with low company: little gifted by nature and unimproved by cultivation, he strove to maintain the dignity of his birth by haughtiness of manner, and, though ambitious of military command, 'Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. Appendix A, p. 603.

Ibid.

he understood no more of the science of war than how to fight stoutly when occasion required. Lord Hertford was "of a very civil and affable nature," and knew well how to pay the respect demanded by birth or station, but he was also a man of good understanding, of cultivated mind, and of a lofty character. When too much was expected from him by others, he would give less than was due. With dispositions so opposite it would have required the intervention of some third person of remarkable judgment and discretion to prevent misunderstandings: none such accompanied them, and there were but too many willing to foment discord between them, so that "at their leaving Oxford," says Lord Clarendon, "it was not hard to divine that that "subordination would not last long nor produce any "good effects."2

It was about the middle of May when the army, headed by the Marquis of Hertford, Prince Maurice, the Earl of Carnarvon, and Colonel Thomas Howard, set out from Oxford on their march for the West. They stayed for some few days at Salisbury, and from thence proceeded into Dorsetshire, where they were joined by new regiments of foot and horse raised by the gentlemen of those counties. No sooner had Lord Hertford reached the West than he was met with the melancholy

2 Ibid.

Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. Appendix A, p. 603. 3 "Saturday, May 27.-This day it was advertised from Salisbury that "the Lord Marquis Hertford, having caused the gentry of those parts and many of the most substantial yeomen to come thither to him, had 66 very much increased his strength both in men and arms, insomuch "that it was thought by some who attended there that he had more than "twice the number which he carried with him."-Mercurius Aulicus, p. 280.

intelligence of the death of his near relation, Mr. Rogers, who from private friendship towards himself, joined to zeal for the King's service, had exerted his influence with great success in the county of Dorset.1 His death was a serious loss both to Lord Hertford and to the cause, and threw a damp over those who under his guidance had been willing to tender their assistance.2

About the middle of June they reached Chard, a town in Somersetshire, on the borders of Devonshire, where, according to agreement, they were joined by the Cornish forces, making altogether an army of about 7000 men, with an excellent train of artillery, well provided with ammunition, and above all bearing so good a reputation for conduct and discipline as to give hopes of further increasing their numbers. Lord Hertford's commissions for all the general officers of a royal army had been filled up at Oxford, and no high commands were reserved for the Cornish officers, who

Lord Hertford's mother was Honora, daughter of Sir Richard Rogers, of Brianston, Dorsetshire. See above, vol. ii. p. 283.

2 "In the Marquis's first entrance into the west he had an unspeakable 'loss, and the King's service a far greater, by the death of Mr. Rogers, a “gentleman of a rare temper and excellent understanding, who, besides "that he had a great interest in the Marquis, being his cousin-german, "and so, out of that private relation as well as zeal to the public, passionately inclined to advance the service, had a wonderful great influence upon the county of Dorset, for which he served as one of the knights in "Parliament, and had so well designed all things there, that Poole and "Lyme (two port towns in that county, which gave the King afterwards "much trouble), if he had lived, had been undoubtedly reduced. But by "his death all those hopes were cancelled, the surviving gentry of that "shire being, how well affected soever, so unactive, that the progress that was that year made there to the King's advantage owed little to their "assistance."-Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 108.

had deserved so much, and who now united their forces to a smaller army than their own.' This was a trial, and was not unnaturally resented by the Cornish troops: but whatever might be the secret feelings of their superior officers at finding such arrangements had been made, they rose at once above all selfish considerations, silenced the murmurs of the inferior officers and soldiers, and with true public spirit co-operated heartily with those whom they had joined. This disinterested conduct was fully appreciated by Lord Hertford and the Prince, who strove, it is said, "to bethink them"selves of all expedients which might prevent any future misunderstandings.”

66

The campaign was now to begin, and its opening was attended with brilliant and almost bloodless success. Taunton was the first place they attempted. So soon as the army approached the town two of its principal inhabitants were sent out to treat; but without waiting. for the result of the negotiation the garrison fled to Bridgewater, and the following day, under the influence of the same panic, they left Bridgewater also. Mr. Luttrell, the owner of Dunster castle, who had firmly resisted Lord Hertford the preceding year, now delivered up the castle to the King, and thus in three days Lord Hertford found himself, with scarcely a struggle, the master of Taunton, of Bridgewater, and of Dunster castle. Sir John Stawell was appointed governor of

"A general, lieutenant-general of the horse, general of the ordnance, a major-general of horse and another of foot, having been already named, "the chief officers of the Cornish army were at best now in the condition " of private colonels."-Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 109.

2 Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. P. 110.

Taunton; Mr. Francis Windham, to whose dexterous management of Mr. Luttrell they owed the surrender of Dunster, was named governor of that castle; and Mr. Edmund Windham, high sheriff of the county, was to be governor of Bridgewater.

A short time was necessarily required for the settlement of new garrisons in these places, and the army took up their quarters in Taunton for about seven or eight days. This pause from more active duties proved unfortunate to their good reputation. The Cornish army had been absolutely restrained from all licence by their commanding officers, and had been trained by Sir Ralph Hopton, their chief commander, in such strict observance of their duties, that the fame of their good discipline and their religious conduct was equal to that of their courage.' But the cavalry that formed part of Lord Hertford's army had been unused to restraint, and, finding themselves in plentiful quarters, behaved in such a manner as to afford ample ground for the reproaches of the enemy, and so blemished the reputation of the army as to hinder the levying of regular supplies for the payment of the forces.

Nor was this the only evil consequence that arose from their misconduct; it brought out also in strong opposition the difference no less of character than of principle of the two Lieutenants-General. Lord Hertford, in his capacity of military commander, had not forgotten that he was an Englishman, and that it was against his own countrymen that he was now fighting, and he anxiously desired to restrain the soldiers from Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 111.