was desired
by Fairfax to leave the field; but he declared that he would remain
there as long as one man maintained his ground.[*] The infantry of the
parliament was broken, and pressed upon by the king; till Fairfax, with
great presence of mind, brought up the reserve, and renewed the combat.
Meanwhile Cromwell, having led on his troops to the attack of Langdale,
overbore the force of the royalists, and by his prudence improved that
advantage which he had gained by his valor. Having pursued the enemy
about a quarter of a mile, and detached some troops to prevent their
rallying, he turned back upon the king's infantry, and threw them into
the utmost confusion. One regiment alone preserved its order unbroken,
though twice desperately assailed by Fairfax: and that general,
excited by so steady a resistance, ordered Doyley, the captain of his
life-guard, to give them a third charge in front, while he himself
attacked them in the rear. The regiment was broken. Fairfax, with his
own hands, killed an ensign, and, having seized the colors, gave them to
a soldier to keep for him. The soldier, afterwards boasting that he had
won this trophy, was reproved by Doyley, who had seen the action. "Let
him retain that honor," said Fairfax; "I have to-day acquired enough
beside."[**]

Prince Rupert, sensible too late of his error, left the fruitless attack
on the enemy's artillery, and joined the king, whose infantry was
now totally discomfited. Charles exhorted this body of cavalry not to
despair, and cried aloud to them, "One charge more, and we recover
the day."[***] But the disadvantages under which they labored were too
evident; and they could by no means be induced to renew the combat.
Charles was obliged to quit the field, and leave the victory to the
enemy.[****]

* Rush, vol. vii. p. 43. Whitlocke, p. 145.

** Whitlocke, p. 145.

*** Rush. vol. vii. p. 44.

**** Clarendon, vol. iv. p. 656, 657. Walker p. 130, 131

The slain on the side of the parliament exceeded those on the side of
the king: they lost a thousand men; he not above eight hundred. But
Fairfax made five hundred officers prisoners, and four thousand
private men; took all the king's artillery and ammunition, and totally
dissipated his infantry: so that scarce any victory could be more
complete than that which he obtained.

Among the other spoils was seized the king's cabinet, with the copies of
his letters to the queen, which the parliame