Scarce had the words of onset been given, when the divisions of cavalry, under the command of Cromwell and Fairfax, were led to the charge by Vermeydun, a soldier of valour, who headed the first detachment as a forlorn hope, aspiring to the honour of directing his comrades on to victory. Already the horsemen of the royalists, with a well directed precision, had vigorously poured into their ranks the second discharge of their fire arms. These did some execution among them; and Cromwell thus early had his horse shot under him. A minute had elapsed before the parties fiercely met in the close encounter, arm to arm. Cromwell for a time was compelled to grapple on foot with his enemies, entangled amid the trappings of his dying charger. Though felled to the ground as he attempted to extricate himself from this perilous situation, he rose uninjured. This singular man, bold and intrepid, animated by zeal, foremost in the fight, struggling with disasters, seemed peculiarly preserved in all his dangers, to fill that situation in the page of history, where, though elevated by violence, he powerfully commands our admiration by his success, his prudence, and the daring of his genius. Sir Ingram Hopton, who at this moment had attempted to seize him, was killed. {20b} Cromwell, now recovering a horse from a soldier near him, bravely led on his companions to the combat, strengthening their stern courage by the most signal proofs of his personal bravery. Not with less valor was the conflict sustained on the part of the royalists. Sir John Henderson, the hardy veteran of former battles, firm as a rock amid the rushing of the waves, resisted every impetuous assault. His adversaries were driven back in disorder; but these men, not readily to be repulsed, returned, with a cool bravery and redoubled vigor to the attack. For half an hour, firm and undecided, continued the contest, sword against sword, and fortitude repelling courage. The resolute warriors, who sustained the furious charges of Fairfax and Cromwell, (for the whole were not engaged,) relinquished not a portion of their ground. At last, a division commanded by Sir William Saville wavering, though reluctant to give way, became routed and completely disordered. Yielding they struck confusion into the other bodies of their own horse; and these again were hurled with precipitance upon the mass of their infantry. All being alike borne down in this part of the field, none were left to second the broken and disordered in again advancing to the combat. The division of Sir John Henderson and Lord Ething alone maintained itself unyielding and unsubdued. The exulting army of the parliament, now taking advantage of the discomfiture of the other troops, and the tumult of the infantry, assailed with a desperate charge the yet unrepulsed. In vain did the royalist commander exhort his men to be resolute and undismayed; but no prudence could uphold the advantages which valor must lose.