outhward. Ireton about midnight surprised and
captured most of the rear-guard, but a few, escaping, reached the king,
and roused him at two in the morning. Fairfax was coming up, and reached
Naseby at five in the morning. The king held a council of war in the
"King's Head Inn" at Market Harborough, and determined to face about
and give battle. The forces met on Broad Moor, just north of Naseby
village. Prince Rupert had command of the royal troops, and Sir Jacob
Astley was in command of the infantry. The king rode along the lines,
inspiriting the men with a speech, to which they gave a response of
ringing cheers. Cromwell commanded the right wing of Fairfax's line,
while Ireton led the left, which was opposed by Rupert's cavalry. The
advance was made by Fairfax, and the sequel proved that the
Parliamentary forces had improved their tactics. Rupert's troopers, as
usual, broke down the wing opposing them, and then went to plundering
the baggage-wagons in the rear. But fortune inclined the other way
elsewhere. Cromwell on the right routed the royal left wing, and after
an hour's hot struggle the royal centre was completely broken up.
Fairfax captured the royal standard, and the king with his reserve of
horse made a gallant attempt to recover the day. But it was of no use.
Fairfax formed a second line of battle, and the king's wiser friends,
seizing his horse's bridle, turned him about, telling him his charge
would lead to certain destruction. Then a panic came, and the whole body
of Royalists fled, with Fairfax's cavalry in pursuit. Cromwell and his
"Ironsides" chased the fugitives almost to Leicester, and many were
slaughtered. The king never halted till he got to Ashby de la Zouche,
twenty-eight miles from the battlefield, and he then went on to
Lichfield. There were one thousand Royalists killed and four thousand
five hundred captured, with almost all the baggage, among it being the
king's correspondence, which by disclosing his plans did almost equal
harm with the defeat. The prisoners were sent to London. A monument has
since been erected on the battlefield, with an inscription describing
the contest as "a useful lesson to British kings never to exceed the
bounds of their just prerogative; and to British subjects, never to
swerve from the allegiance due to their legitimate monarch." This is
certainly an oracular utterance, and of its injunctions the reader can
take his choice.

THE LAND OF SHAKESPEARE.

[Illustrat