imployment of exigence and necessity this Summer afforded here was almost all imposed upon him Basing Castle the dwelling house of the Honourable and Loyall Marquesse of Winchester had now endured a second Siege for two and twenty weekes and was now brought to that necessity for Provisions that unlesse it were supplied by a speedy reliefe it must be forced to surrender This once certified to the Commissioners at Oxford added much trouble to the exigence of their present condition For they saw no suddain assistance could be expected from His Majesty they considered the importance of the place the quality and gallant behaviour of the defendants together with their owne inabilities to assist them which concurrence of difficulties made them very anxious till consulting with the famous Gage they find him beyond expectation proffer himselfe voluntarily to run the hazard of all obstructions and undertake the businesse Though here they considered that Abingdoâ— Ailysbury Reading and the Leaguer it selfe did severally afford greater numbers then they could send with him though they waighed the length of the March and difficulty of the passes yet such was their opinion in him and confidence in his Courage and experience that they resigned all to his discretion The action was so eminent and so deserving memory so Souldier like and fortunately attempted and performed that I cannot pretend to honour his Noble Genius should I omit a punctuall relation of it Vpon Monday the ninth of September that at ten a clock at night he Marcht out of Oxford towards Basing with 400 Foot 250 Horse 12 barrells of Powder 1200 waight of Match passes by Wallingford where he received an addition of 80 Horse with as many Foot on Tuesday Morning they rested and refreshed and then he dispatched an expresse to the Governour of Winchester Sir William Ogle dâ—sirine him according to his former promise to Sir Edward Nicholas to draw out with his Forces and to fall into Basing Parke in the reare of the Rebells Quarters betwixt foure and five a clock the next Morning being Wednesday the 11th of September whilest he with the Oxford Troopes assaulted them on the other side and the Lord Marquesse from the House plyed them with a fierce Sally Having finisht this dispatch he Marcht forward with as much speed as the Foot Souldiers could make towards Aldermerston where he intended to repose againe They past through the Country for Parliamenteers with Orange tawney Scarfes and ribands till a Wallingford Captaine who was sent before with his Troope together with the Quarter-masters of each Regiment to discover and have provisions in a readinesse against the Souldiers arrived found in the Towne some of the enemies Scoutes and forgetting his disguise fell fowle upon them took some Prisoners and so discover'd themselves This evening the Foot were extreamly wearied having had scarce 3 houres rest since they went out of Oxford which the prudent Colonell perceiving alighted himselfe from his Horse by whose example and intreaty the other Officers and Troopers did the like and walkt three miles whilest the tired Foot refresht themselves in their Saddles By which meanes he came to Aldermerston about eight in the evening seven miles from Basing and rested till eleven when againe he set forward and Marcht all night though the Foot were faint and much dejected So that being come within two miles of the place they began to lye downe as not able to advance farther whereupon he caused all his Horse-men every man to take one of them up behind him himselfe giving the first example which uâ—woâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 so took them that they wholly forgot their former â—â—â—gue and with hopes of Pillage and promise of Mâ—ny when they returned to Oxford were so encouraged that they desired nothing more then to attaque the Rebellâ— In the interim arrives a Lieâ—â—eâ—ant from Wiâ—chester who aâ—â—â—res them the Governour by reason of the Enemies Horse which lay betwixt him and Basing 〈◊〉 not draw â—â—t to assist them Whereupon the Colonell was compell'd to enter into new Counsells wherefore seeing himselfe deprived of that assistance and presuming the Enemy having notice of his comming would draw to a head he resolves contrary to his first resolutions with united Forces to fall strongly upon them in one place In order to which he Commands the men to be put in readinesse riding up to every Squadron gave the word which was Saint George chearing them with what possible encouragements he could and Commanding every of them to tye a handkerchiefe on their right armes above their elblow for a distinction to be knowne as well to one another as to the Lord Marquesse his men if they should chance to make a Sally and for want of such a signall fall foule upon one another After this preparation they marched on the gallant Colonell alighting from his Horse arm'd only with his Sword led up the Foot and being come as he conceived within hearing of the House he Command his Drummes and Trumpets to cheare the besieged with the newes of his long wisht arrivall The Rebells having notice the day before of his comming and of the place he was like to fall on had drawne forth all their best men all fresh and pamper'd in number farre exceeding his with these they possest the Passes with some crosse hedges of advantage lining them with Musketiers Here stood the rest of the Horse and Foot in Batagliâ— ready for him and answer'd his Drummes and Trumpets with their owne which he perceived were very neare though clouded under the wingâ— of an obscure mist Our Forces had advanced not many paces further before they discovered a Body of the Enemies Horse consisting of sixe Troopes standing in very good order ready to receive our charge Which though we hastened to accâ—st them with before we came at them we were first saluted from the hedges by a smart Volley of Musket shot though accompanied with more Terror then Execution for notwithstanding this the right wing of our Horse commanded by gallant Colonell Webb Charg'd the Enemy so home that â—◠〈◊〉 they all turn'd head and ran away The left wing 〈◊〉 â—â— after theâ— followed the Chase till the Rebells were got into a place of safety In this pursuit we took a Cornet of theirs which since is knowne to be Morleyes Vpon the Rout of the Horse Colonell Gage advanced with the Foot towards the hedges where after two houres dispute he beat them from hedge to hedge till at last he brought them to abandon all their holdes on that side and give him free entrance to the House Where after he had delivered the Munition he brought with him and paid my Lord Marquesse the respects due to a Person of his quality leaving 100 Souldiers of his owne with him he marcht with the rest of the Horse and Foot to Basingstoke a good halfe mile distant thence and with small resistance possest himselfe of it whence all that day he continued sending to the Garrison as much Wheat Malt
Salt Oates Bacon Cheese Butter and other Provision as he could get Carts or Horses to transport it There he found a little Magazine of 13 Barrells of Powder with some Muskets which also he sent in together with 80 head of Cattle and 100 sheep Whil'st these things were doing at Basingstoke according to his directions they in the House Sallyed into Basing Town beat thence the Enemy killing 50 and taking two of their Captaines and 33 Souldiers Prisoners in the Church By this time the day was neare spent and the Enemy having received some fresh supplies of Horse appeared much more numerous and gay then in the morning and made shew of a desire to fight with ours againe Advancing to that end over a large Champaine almost within Musket shot of our Horse standing in a field without Basingstoke betwixt two large Hedges which were lined with Foot There they stood facing each other an houre or two till the Colonell perceived his Squadrons of Horse to grow thin many of them slincking away by reason of the extreame fatigue and fasting wherewith most of them both Horse and Men were opprest Whereupon he gave order they should retire by degrees and passe through the Towne towards Basing house whilst he with the Foot made good the Avenues and Passages on that side the Towâ—â— When he understood the Troopes had past the Towne and were put againe into order on the other side towards the house He likewise with most part of the Foot retired likewise leaving a Captaine with 70 Musketeers to make good the Avenue who also when he saw the Colonell retired up to the Horse drew off also leaving only a Sergeant with 20 to dispute the Passage till the rest were retired into the House Whither they also had order immediately to draw off which they did the Enemy not once attempting to enter the Towne but retreating soon after they perceived our Horse to give back The reason why this provident Commander refused to lodge in the Towne was the consideration of the many Avenues to be defended against the Enemy now recruited with new additions of strength which could not without difficulty have been done in regard our Horse and Men were so farre spent and our Souldiers so apt to hide and disperse in severall houses there to fall to drinking and disorders The next day early he sent out a Lievtenant Colonell to the Towne with all the Horse and Foot as well to refresh themselves as to be sending Provisions all that day into the Garrison In the meane while this accomplisht Souldier spent that Thursday in contriveing his retreat to Oxford and sending out severall Spies to observe the motions of another Enemy who was drawing to a head from Abington Newbury and Reading to hinder his retreat homewards And he found by the unanimous relation of his severall Spies that they of Abington were lodged at Aldermarston they of Newbury at Thatcham and they of Reading at Padsworth Townes lying upon severall passes of the River Kennet over which He was necessitated to goe in his retreat Norton with his Horse and Foot which lay in Basing Parke was to follow him in the Reare whensoever he began to move which they conceived he could not doe but they should have notice of it The Colonell resolved therefore in his owne breast without acquainting any man whatsoever with it to make his retreat that very night having in that little time he had been there slaine sixescore taken 100 Prisoners with 150 Armes and out of the adjacent Townes put in a Monthes Provision into the House As also drawne in two peeces of the Enemies Artillery The one a goodly Demi-Cannon which had been formerly engaged and neither Party had adventured to fetch them off But now the better to amuse the Enemy and give them cause to thinke that He thought of nothing lesse then of so suddaine a retreat he sent out Warrants to Sherborne and Sherfield presuming they would come to the Enemies knowledge to bring in suddainly a certaine quantity of Corne to the Garrison upon pain if they refused of sending 1000 Horse and Dragoones before the next day noone to set their Townes on fire Having thus disposed of all things within himselfe and judging that he was not able with longer stay to doe my Lord Marquesse any further service though by delaying his returne he might have endangered the losse of those Forces committed to his Charge A little before night he sent Orders to Basingstoke for his men to retire as they had done the night before and to march to the House but not to enter till they had further Order from him whither when they were arrived he told my Lord Marquesse of his resolution to depart that night and the necessity of it begging of him two or three good Guides and so takes leave of his Lordship marching away quietly without sound of Drum or Trumpet about eleven of the clock that Thursday night He gives Orders to all his Scouts both in the Van and Reare that if they met with any of the Enemy they should likewise give themselves out to be Parliamenteers marching from the Campe before Basing to the River Kennet to lye in wait for the Oxford Forces that were to retire that way Thus as you see his judgement and prudence was excelling so his Successe was equall For finding the Rebels had pull'd downe Burfield-Bridge he found a way to foard the River every Trooper taking up a Musketier behind him So having happily past the Kennet and having certaine notice they had pulled up both Henly and Reading Bridges about eight a clock on Friday morning he did againe foard the Thames at Pangborne and so marcht to Wallingford where he rested and refresht that night arriving safe the next day at Oxford with the losse onely of eleven men Where he was received with extraordinary applause and acclamations though he show'd as much discretion and modesty upon that occasion as he had done Valour and Prudence in the Action that procur'd it For when upon notice of his approach most of the people ran out into the fields to meet him and all Persons of quality almost with their Coaches went to honour his returne he steales away by them and after he is enter'd the Towne rides up a private way to his lodging as if he had been nothing concerned in these expressions of joy and as if this triumph had had no relation to him Which the people reflecting upon when as the Souldiers entred the Towne they saw him absent whom they stood gazing to behold I meane the wise Conductor of this great fortunate enterprize who privately had withdrawne himselfe Which turned their applause to wonder and hence they doubly magnified so admirable a Person But whether this great Action were undertaken with greater magnanimity performed with more Courage Prudence Skill or finished with more modesty I dare not presume to resolve Yet I dare affirme that if you consider all
circumstances and difficulties this Expert Gallant Commander past through in the performing of it as for example his fighting with a strength so farre superiour to his at so great a distance from friends and home upon their owne ground and notwithstanding all treacherous endeavours to the contrary to mannage and performe it with such secrecy and Successe nay after all though way laid in sundry places with such vast numbers who had broke the Bridges and possest the Passes to make such a Gallant and safe Retreat This weig'd I say you needs must grant the whole Action to have been for wise Conduct gallant and skilfull manage the most Souldier-like piece these Warres have ever yet afforded Few weeks are past after this before Banbury also is brought into the like exigent condition and must needs be releived by such a time or else surrendred Wherefore to him again they have recourse as to the only person that could effect it He to convince the world that his zeale and love to his Majesty was the cheife motive of his undertaking and to evince them who attributed his cheerfull undergoing the last action only to his respect and affection to that most noble and loyall Lord the Marquesse of Winchester Embraces this imployment also though he esteemed it a peice of greater difficulty then the former as then he told the Lords Commissioners by reason now it was with the same number to encounter an Enemy doubly equall to the other notwithstanding which their confidence and opinion of him is such that he must needs attempt it and and to engage hâ—m further they assure him the King will send the Earle of Northampton with 400 Horse to his assistance and that punctually at such a time and place they should come and meet him He wisely consider'd that the force of Oxford joyn'd with them were not considerable to fall upon an Enemy triple their number if either skiâ—l or resolution did attend them Wherefore he concludes by some stratageme or other to amate them and lay a foundation whereupon he might probably raise the desired successe to this end he counterfaits the hand of Browne Commander of the Rebels at Abingdon and directs a letter to Fines at Banbury assuring him the King was come with a formidable Army to Newbury and that he was sending the Earle of Northampton with 3000 Horse and Dragoones which were to passe by Abingdon and to joyne with Gage and the Oxford Forces in raising that Seidge Wherefore he Counsells him to depart and draw off in time for by reason of the neernesse of the Kings Army he could not afford him any assistance This letter was by his contrivall handsomly delivered and so amuzed Fines that he called a Councell of War upon it which sate some houres The hand perswaded them that Browne had sent it only one of them creates a doubt in the smoothnesse of the stile and insists upon that which causes them before they resolve any thing to send a Post to Abingdon to know if any such letter were sent thence where all was disavow'd Browne protesting nothing came from him This answer made them again secure but so that they kept strict watch upon all quarters to discover any motion of ours Not many houres after the Earle of Northampton cames with about the first mentioned number and noble Colonell Gage according to their pact goes out with some Foot two Drakes and what Horse the Towne afforded to meet him upon this the Enemies Scouts at their approach run in and assures them that the Earle and Colonell were now comming indeed immediatly they apprehend themselves betraid and conclude that the number and other circumstances in the supposititious Letter were all true Whereupon they draw off their Cannon and possest with a panick feare send them away in the night staying themselves till morning for the honour to be so soundly beaten that they could not lay claime to the credit of a Cowardly retreat But flying give way to them whom they might have devoured had they stoutly stood and closed boldly with them but the Successe next after Almighty God is due to the discreet contrivall and manage of this handsome device of his Shortly after his returne from Banbury His Majesty repaires to Oxford and as an earnest of His Princely gratitude for these gallant Actions makes him a Knight and treats him with very endearing respects assuring him that He would never forget his merit and singular Service but study to advance him to such honourable imployments as He might thence perceive how much He did value and esteeme him Which He shortly after perform'd by making him Governour of Oxford Sir Arthur Aston by reason of his unfortunate mischance being become unable for such an active and toilsome Charge It is incredible what a generall Contentment all men took in his Promotion and how few repined at his advancement And 't is no lesse difficult in those that did not see it to conceive how admirably well he manag'd that place for those few dayes he liv'd to possesse it What noble and wise Designes he laid with what admirable dexterity he endear'd himselfe to all Courtiers Scholars Townesmen Souldiers all affording him honour and affection 'T is really a wonder how insensibly he fortified himselfe in every ones opinion He wins the Statesman by his Prudence the Courtier with Civility the Scholar by his Respect to Arts and Eminence therein the Townesmen by Câ—rtesie as also by falling halfe his owne Pay and easing them of many unnecessary Taxes Lastly his Care Countenance and Gallantry endear'd him wholly to the Souldiers He was no sooner confirmed in his place but he began to let the World perceive that he meant to governe the Towne indeed he takes an exact survey of the Fortifications Magazine together with the number and discipline of the Souldiers and determines to see them all supplied representing them seriously to His Majesties Councell he does not onely expose the necessities and defects but also proposes the meanes how to supply and correct them He demands Horse to Command the Country secure the Markets and to fetch Provisions to his Garrison and propounds the manner how to raise them and doe all this He takes order for store against a Siedge thence descends to the accommodation of the Souldier and the repaire and preservation of their Armes Diversly contrives the Townesmens ease and yet performes it with content to the Souldier and meanes of their better subsistance Having done this at home he begins to cast his eyes abroad and thinkes how to secure the Country as much as was within the reach of possibility whil'st the Enemy holds Abington to the end that they might be better able to Contribute and afford Provisions to Oxford Wherefore he resolves to break all the Bridges upon the Tame and the other Rivers neare and to make redoubts upon the Fords and Passes so to preserve all the East and North side of the City entire from annoyance and in other
places to make Garrisons in places convenient These and an hundred other excellent Designes he had which if God had granted him Life he would have accomplisht All which as all his other businesse he had chalk'd out for execution in a gallant discreet method which did the businesse home and yet left him in all without anger or aspersion from any Which in a moment got him such an excesse of love and authority together that all concluded never Towne could be more happy then this was like ere long to be But scarce had we possest this admirable Man three weeks and solac'd our selves in such a treasure When the Heavens envious of our felicity or angry at our desertlesse happinesse in love with those beauties and excellencies of his were pleas'd to deprive us of him making use of this occasion He seeing the exigence of securing the East side of this City to urge the demolishing of Columb Bridge neare Abington over which the Enemy made daily incursions into the Country to Plunder gather Contributions and spoyle our Markets Resolv'd upon the enterprize and gives instruction to his Lievtenant Governour for the execution of it he determining himselfe to attend his Government at home But it was the will of God to bereave us of him his Autumne was come and he must dye in the Bed of Honour In order to which decree those transcendent gallant Spirits who went in that Action out of their extraordinary esteeme of him by power and entreaties wooe him contrary to his owne principles to leave his domestique charge and expose himselfe in that fatall attempt Wherefore he drawes out of Oxford with 600 Horse and Foot accompanied with the two Princely Brothers P. Rupert and P. Maurice together with sundry other gallant Spirits who upon Saturday the 11th of March came thither about seven in the morning where this worthy Commander leading the men himselfe possest the Bridge Making it good a long time against the hot assaults of the enraged Enemy who endeavoured to preserve the freedome of so important a Passe which conduced so much to their subsistance and our annoyance The dispute was so sharp on both sides that the place was won and lost no lesse then twice on each side the noble Colonell seeing the difficulty had drawne himselfe to a place convenient to survey and consider in such manner the situation and accesses of advantage that he might the better thereby attaine his end Where whil'st he was designing how to pursue with successe what he had with such difficulty begun a wandring Bullet hits him on the side and transpierces his Body with which mortall wound be immediatly falls to the ground and together with him the whole enterprize which was presently deserted Shortly after this â—shoâ—ishment of this mortall Summons was past over he comes to himselfe and being taken up to be conveyed away recollects his powers to prepare himselfe for his approaching end Which with great piety and prudence he performed with no little edification to such as observ'd him At this instant he gave an ample testimony of the sincerity and resolution wherewith he came to serve His Majesty and his Country in this just Quarrell For being demanded what he would have done concerning his temporall Estate he replied I thank God that to my comfort is already setled onely Commend me to my deare Wife and put her in mind that if it can be shee see my Sonnes brought up according as shee and I had agreed so many yeares at Schoole where they are and after send them to LA FLESH in FRANCE to heare some part of their Philosophy and to learne those other necessary and becomming qualities of Gentlemen Tell my Children that their dying Father sends them his Blessing Except these few wordes in all the time of at least two houres which he lived in perfect sence and memory after that unfortunate wound he was not heard to open his mouth to any other end then to breath forth Heroike acts of Devotion attending wholly to reconcile himselfe to his Lord and Saviour into whose divine hands with unspeakable resignation and repose he yeelded his happy Soule The newes of this sad disaster comming before prepared Oxford to entertaine his Body with such a face of sorrow as I am deceiv'd if ever formerly had been seen such a generall dejection and lamentations so universall in that City amongst all degrees of Persons And it was well observ'd that the most generous and noble Spirits did most passionately expresse their affection and resent the losse of this renowned Gentleman But this appeared most abundantly in the Confluxe at his Funerall on the 13th of January where the Court the Camp the Vniversity the City did even contend who should expresse the greatest affection and yeeld him the greatest honour The Court honour'd him with Prince Rupert the Duke of Richmond the Lord Treasurer the Lords Chamberlaines Secretaries Comptroller the Lords of the Privy Councell and most of the Nobility and Gentry besides The Camp sends Deputies of her affection most of the great Commanders in the Kingdome The Vniversity and City afford both their representative Bodies in the Vice-Chancellor and Mayor with their severall Traines of followers Somerset and Chester Heralds were sent by His Majesty to attend and order the solemnity which was indeed worthily perform'd The Souldiers did guard the passage from the thronging multitude whil'st foure Trumpets in mourning went before beating the aire with the dolefull Ecchoes you may imagine this sad occasion did afford which they continued till they had brought to Christ-Church to use the Heralds words The most Honourable Sir Henry Gage Governour of Oxford who in the North Angle in the Body of the Church was at length deposited his Grave being honour'd with the Teares and Sighes of our whole Nation Epitomiz'd in this City Amongst which my affection doth perforce oblige me to preserve the memory of my affliction for this irreparable disaster in the following Elegy An ELEGY AS flowers whose lovely tinctures most invite Our eyes and feed them with the chast delight Of naked beauties which our senses chaine With choicest odors nature doth containe Charming our sight more strongly to behold The Bodies that these rarities enfold Intice us nearer which doth also woo Vs both to handle and to cull them too Neglecting others which were these away Were worth our notice and a like survay So men whose faire perfections best proclaime The fountaine whence those excellencies came With life and vigour insomuch thereby That Atheists urg'd confesse a Deity Such whose Heroike mindes and nobler soules The worlds great axe-tree out of both the poles Would cast in contestation to inthrone Justice and vertue though they lost their owne Men in whose bosomes shines immortall light Enricht with all that is not infinite No sooner these doth lustfull Heaven spye But fixes on them an inamour'd eye And eager lovesicke This disease to cure Purloynes them from us ere they be mature Thus