f Wiltshire, and of Somerset, trodden down by horse, slashed by
dragoons, dropping by scores under the rain of bullets, still fought on
with a dogged, desperate courage for a ruined cause and a man who
had deserted them. Everywhere as I glanced around me were set faces,
clenched teeth, yells of rage and defiance, but never a sound of fear
or of submission. Some clambered up upon the cruppers of the riders and
dragged them backwards from their saddles. Others lay upon their faces
and hamstrung the chargers with their scythe-blades, stabbing the
horsemen before they could disengage themselves. Again and again the
guards crashed through them from side to side, and yet the shattered
ranks closed up behind them and continued the long-drawn struggle. So
hopeless was it and so pitiable that I could have found it in my heart
to wish that they would break and fly, were it not that on the broad
moor there was no refuge which they could make for. And all this time,
while they struggled and fought, blackened with powder and parched with
thirst, spilling their blood as though it were water, the man who called
himself their King was spurring over the countryside with a loose rein
and a quaking heart, his thoughts centred upon saving his own neck, come
what might to his gallant followers.

Large numbers of the foot fought to the death, neither giving nor
receiving quarter; but at last, scattered, broken, and without
ammunition, the main body of the peasants dispersed and fled across the
moor, closely followed by the horse. Saxon, Buyse, and I had done all
that we could to rally them once more, and had cut down some of the
foremost of the pursuers, when my eye fell suddenly upon Sir Gervas,
standing hatless with a few of his musqueteers in the midst of a swarm
of dragoons. Spurring our horses we cut a way to his rescue, and laid
our swords about us until we had cleared off his assailants for the
moment.

'Jump up behind me!' I cried. 'We can make good our escape.'

He looked up smiling and shook his head. 'I stay with my company,' said
he.

'Your company!' Saxon cried. 'Why, man, you are mad! Your company is cut
off to the last man.'

'That's what I mean,' he answered, flicking some dirt from his cravat.
'Don't ye mind! Look out for yourselves. Goodbye, Clarke! Present my
compliments to--' The dragoons charged down upon us again. We were all
borne backwards, fighting desperately, and when we could look round the
Baronet was gone