The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part E.: From Charles I. to Cromwell — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part E.: From Charles I. to Cromwell
David Hume · en
Many were the virtues and talents of this eminent personage; and his
valor during the war had shone out with a lustre equal to that of
the other accomplishments by which he had ever been distinguished.
Affability in conversation; temper, art, and eloquence in debate;
penetration and discernment in counsel; industry, vigilance, and
enterprise in action; all these praises are unanimously ascribed to
him by historians of the most opposite parties. His virtue, too, and
integrity in all the duties of private life, are allowed to have been
beyond exception: we must only be cautious, notwithstanding his generous
zeal for liberty, not hastily to ascribe to him the praises of a good
citizen. Through all the horrors of civil war, he sought the abolition
of monarchy, and subversion of the constitution; an end which, had
it been attainable by peaceful measures, ought carefully to have been
avoided by every lover of his country. But whether, in the pursuit
of this violent enterprise, he was actuated by private ambition or by
honest prejudices, derived from the former exorbitant powers of royalty,
it belongs not to an historian of this age, scarcely even to an intimate
friend, positively to determine.
Essex, discouraged by this event, dismayed by the total rout of Waller,
was further informed, that the queen, who landed at Burlington Bay, had
arrived at Oxford, and had brought from the north a reënforcement of
three thousand foot and fifteen hundred horse. Dislodging from Thame
and Aylesbury, where he had hitherto lain, he thought proper to
retreat nearer to London; and he showed to his friends his broken and
disheartened forces, which a few months before he had led into the field
in so flourishing a condition. The king, freed from this enemy, sent his
army westward under Prince Rupert; and, by their conjunction with the
Cornish troops, a formidable force, for numbers as well as reputation
and valor, was composed. That an enterprise correspondent to men's
expectations might be undertaken, the prince resolved to lay siege
to Bristol, the second town for riches and greatness in the kingdom.
Nathaniel Fiennes, son of Lord Say he himself, as well as his father, a
great parliamentary leader was governor, and commanded a garrison of two
thousand five hundred foot, and two regiments, one of horse, another
of dragoons. The fortifications not being complete or regular, it was
resolved by Prince Rupert to storm the city, and next morning, with
little other provisions suitable to such a work besides the courage of
the troops, the assault began. The Cornish in three divisions attacked
the west side, with a resolution which nothing could control; but though
the middle division had already mounted the wall, so great was the
disadvantage of the ground, and so brave the defence of the garrison,
that in the end the assailants were repulsed with a considerable loss
both of officers and soldiers. On the prince's side, the assault was