rd. The
little town was soon crowded with men of rank and note who came thither
from opposite quarters. The Prince was escorted by a strong body of
troops. The northern Lords brought with them hundreds of irregular
cavalry, whose accoutrements and horsemanship moved the mirth of men
accustomed to the splendid aspect and exact movements of regular armies.
[568]

While the Prince lay at Hungerford a sharp encounter took place between
two hundred and fifty of his troops and six hundred Irish, who were
posted at Reading. The superior discipline of the invaders was signally
proved on this occasion. Though greatly outnumbered, they, at one onset,
drove the King's forces in confusion through the streets of the town
into the market place. There the Irish attempted to rally; but, being
vigorously attacked in front and fired upon at the same time by the
inhabitants from the windows of the neighbouring houses, they soon lost
hart, and fled with the loss of them colours and of fifty men. Of the
conquerors only five fell. The satisfaction which this news gave to
the Lords and gentlemen who had joined William was unmixed. There was
nothing in what had happened to gall their national feelings. The Dutch
had not beaten the English, but had assisted an English town to free
itself from the insupportable dominion of the Irish. [569]

On the morning of Saturday, the eighth of December, the King's
Commissioners reached Hungerford. The Prince's body guard was drawn
up to receive them with military respect. Bentinck welcomed them, and
proposed to conduct them immediately to his master. They expressed a
hope that the Prince would favour them with a private audience; but
they were informed that he had resolved to hear them and answer them
in public. They were ushered into his bedchamber, where they found him
surrounded by a crowd of noblemen and gentlemen. Halifax, whose rank,
age, and abilities entitled him to precedence, was spokesman. The
proposition which the Commissioners had been instructed to make was that
the points in dispute should be referred to the Parliament, for which
the writs were already sealing, and that in the mean time the Prince's
army would not come within thirty or forty miles of London. Halifax,
having explained that this was the basis on which he and his colleagues
were prepared to treat, put into William's hands a letter from the King,
and retired. William opened the letter and seemed unusually moved. It
was the firs