The Battle of Edgehill

23 October 1642

Upon Saturday the 23rd of October, 1642, his Majesty had given Order for the Summoning of Banbury, and in Case of Refusal, the Besieging of it with 4000 Foot and four Pieces of Cannon; but that Evening Intelligence was brought that the Rebels had a Resolution to Relieve it; but it was not so certain, as to make any Change of the former Orders; yet upon Sunday at Three in the Morning, there came certain Intelligence, that the whole Army of the Rebels were Marching with all Expedition thither, and were quartered at Keynton 3 Miles from Edgehill; whereupon the King gave present Order for all his Army, both Horse and Foot, to March with all Expedition to Edgehill, being 4 Miles distant from his nearest Quarter. To which Rendezvous the King's Horse came between 10 and 11 a Clock in the Morning, and the Van of Foot came within an hour after, but the Rear (which happened at that time to be the Lord-Lieutenant-General's Regiment) with the Artillery, came not within 2 hours after. As soon as we came to the Top of Edgehill, which looks upon Keynton, we saw the Rebels Army drawing out, and setting themselves in Battalia; whereupon the King's Horse went down the Hill, and set themselves in order; the Foot likewise having Command to come down the Hill, and do the like; but before that was done, and the King's Artillery came, it was past 2 in the Afternoon.

It being perceived that the Rebels had placed some Musqueteers under a Hedge that crost the Field, where the Encounter was to be made, that flanked upon their left Wing, there were some of the King's Dragooners sent to beat them off, which they very well performed; whereupon our whole Army advanced in very good Order, the Ordnance of both sides playing very fast, but that of the Rebels began first. The Charge began between the 2 Wings of Horse; those of the Rebels not standing our Charge a quarter of an hour before they fled, our Men having the Execution of them for 3 Miles together, the Horse of both our Wings routing their Foot as well as their Horse; and 2 whole Regiments of their Foot were absolutely cut off, by those of their left Wing, besides those put into disorder by our Right. Whilst this was doing, the Bodies of the Foot met the King's Regiment of Guard, and the Earl of Lindsey's giving the first Charge, which was very well disputed a long time, until the Reserve of the Rebel's Horse (which had never been Charged) Charged our Foot upon the Flank, which our Foot resisted a good while, but at length not being seconded by our Reserve of Horse, which, contrary to our Order, thinking the Day was surely won, had followed the Execution of the Rebels so far, that they could not come in time to relieve them, they were put into some Disorder, in which the King's Standard (the Standard-Bearer being slain) and the Lord Willoughby, seeking to relieve his Father, who fell, being shot in the Leg, was, together with his Father, made Prisoner; but the Standard was soon relieved by the Lieutenant of the Lord John Steward's Troop (Capt. Smith) being newly returned from the Execution of the Rebels, the Left-side of our Foot being put into Disorder, all the rest gave way; yet those of the Right hand were never put into Disorder: But seeing some of the Cannon in danger to be lost, advanced again, and made the Place good; the Left hand of Rebels Foot coming on apace to Charge them. By this time the Right Wing of our Horse was returned from Chasing the Rebels, and were in some Confusion, because they came from the Execution; but seeing our Foot and Cannon in some danger to be lost, by reason that the Rebels Horse and Foot (those Horse which had never been Charged) advanced in good Order to Charge; ours made a stand and soon rallied together, having some Dragoons with them, and so advancing, made the Dragooners give them a Volley or two of Shot, which made the Rebels instantly retire. By this time it was grown so dark, that our Chief Commanders durst not Charge for fear of mistaking Friends for Foes (though it was certainly concluded by them all, that if we had had light enough, but to have given one Charge more, we had totally routed all their Army); whereupon both Armies retreated, ours in such Order, that we not only brought off our own Cannon, but 4 of the Rebels, we retiring to the Top of the Hill from whence we came; because of the advantage of the Place, and theirs to the Village where they had been quartere'd the Night before.

The King with the whole Body of the Horse, and those of the Foot which were not broken, quartered upon and on one side of the Hill, all that Night; and in the Morning, as soon as it was Day, drew half the Body of the Horse into Battalia, at the Foot of the Hill, and the rest of the Horse and the Foot on the Top of the Hill, where the Standard was placed; and having notice that 3 of the Rebels Cannon were left half way between us and their Quarter, sent out a Body of Horse, and drew them off, they not so much as offering to relieve them: So both Armies, facing one another all day, retired at Night to their former Quarters.

The Rebels in this Battel lost above 70 Colours of Cornets and Ensigns; we 16 Ensigns, but not one Cornet; but our Horse relieved not only the Standard, but divers of our Ensigns.

For the slain on both sides, the Number is uncertain; yet it is most certain that we killed five for one. It is true, that their Chief Officers having fleeter Horses than ours, not so many of their Foot, as ours, were slain and taken Prisoners, to our knowledge as yet; but we lost no Officer of Horse, excepting the Lord Aubigny.

The next Day after the Battel, the Earl of Essex finding his Army extreamly weakned and disheartned by the great Blow they had received by his Majesties Forces, withdrew himself to Warwick Castle; and the same Night the remainder of his Forces went also privately thither much distracted, whereof Prince Rupert having Notice, the next Morning pursued them, but they were all got into Warwick, or dispersed before he could overtake them; but his Highness took 25 Wagons and Carriages of the Rebels, laden with Ammunition, Medicaments, and other Baggage, whereof he brought away part, and fired the rest.

This sudden returning back of the Rebels to Warwick, is not only a sure Argument of the weakness of their Army, but hath exceedingly disheartned all the Country which adhered to them, and were before (upon a false Rumor that the King's Forces were defeated) ready to have risen and fall'n upon his Majesty'f Forces.

The 26th his Majesty by Clarenceux King of Arms, sent a Summons to Banbury, which being not thereupon yielded, his Majesty the next Day drew out part of his Army, with some Ordnance, against the said Town; upon the approach of which the Rebels Forces (being the Earl of Peterborough's Regiment which were in the Town, to the number of 600) came out, laid down their Arms, and asked his Majesty Pardon; and immediately the Town was rendred up. Upon which his Majesty sent out some of his Principal Officers to discover, and bring away, all such Arms and Ammunition as were found in the Town, and to take up, upon Tickets, all Woollen Cloth, Stockens, Shoes and Victuals, for the Accommodation of his Soldiers, forbidding all manner of Plundering, and permitting only one Regiment to entre and remain in the Town that Night.

A Relation of the Battel fought between Keynton and Edgehill, by His Majesty's Army and that of the Rebels. Printed by his Majesty's Command at Oxford by Leonard Lichfield, Printer to the University, 1642.