“Your Highness’ most affectionately
devoted Servant,
“Ed. Herbert.
“Raglan Castle,
“This Tuesday morning, 7th Feb. 1643.”
A contemporary, a clergyman,[29] has preserved an interesting account of Lord Herbert’s operations before Monmouth, on the 1st of April, 1643. Sir William Waller having accepted the invitation of a number of resident gentlemen, when he came near the town of Monmouth, where Lord Herbert had begun to place a garrison, his presence occasioned the precipitate flight of his Lordship’s troops. But Waller, although so far victorious, failed in obtaining needful supplies, owing to the devotion of the stream of the people, most of whom were the Marquis’s tenantry.
Lord Herbert afterwards united with Sir John Winter, the reputed plague of the Forest of Dean, who had strongly fortified and defended his own residence; he was, too, considered a most active enemy, as well as a chief agent of the popish faction. His Lordship’s horse so materially assisted Sir John’s operations as to compel the rebels to quit the forest, having made a passage over the Severn, at Newnham.
Soon after this affair, rumours were current that forces were expected from Oxford for Paineswick and Stroud, while the Irish it was believed were to lie on one side of Berkeley, Lord Herbert and Sir John Winter holding the Forest. The same chronicler assures us that the taking of Monmouth gave a fearful alarm to the whole country, the Marquis of Worcester calling in Prince Rupert’s horse to their assistance. The result of these preparations was that Sir William Blaxton, with his brigade of horse, joined the country train-bands, with the forces from Raglan and Chepstow, making together about 500 horse and 1200 foot. They fell upon the enemy’s horse quarters, where were lodged two troops and ten musketeers; while 150 musketeers speedily came from Monmouth to their assistance. With these and further supplies of foot the Monmouth party routed the cavaliers, of whom many were slain and threescore taken prisoners.
Sir John Winter, despairing of longer subsistence, at length deserted the Forest, after first firing his house at Lidney, and somewhat revenging himself for past disasters by spoiling the Forest itself.[29]
In June, Charles I. addressed the following letter[C] to the harassed Marquis of Worcester, conveying promises as usual, after a personal interview with his son:—
“Worcester,