34 THE BATTLE OF EDGEHILL January On the left was the remaining brigade commanded by Colonel Richard Feilding. 1 The question of the tactics to be employed led to the well-known quarrel between Lindsey and Rupert. The former preferred the Dutch formation for the infantry, that is, ten deep ; the latter favoured the Swedish method, whereby the foot were drawn up six deep, and this opinion prevailed. 2 We are also told that at Edgehill ' before every body of foot were placed two pieces of cannon, and before them the dragoons, and 1,200 commanded musqueteers as Enfants Perdu '. 3 The same authority adds that the parliamentary army was * drawn up in several bodies and reserves, much in the same manner of our, but plainer order 4 But the great difference between the marshalling of the foot of the two armies was that the parlia- mentarians were in two lines, but the royalists, at least when they began to advance, ' came up all in front '. 5 The battle began in the afternoon 6 with an artillery duel commenced by the parliamentarians. According to one of their captains, my Lord General did give the first charge, presenting them with pieces of ordnance, which killed many of their men, and then the enemy did shoot one to us, which fell 20 yards short in ploughed land and did no harm. 7 A royalist acknowledges that they had the worst of the preliminary firing : the King had so great an advantage of the hill that it turned to his disadvantage, for being so much upon the descent his cannon either shot over or if short it would not graze by reason of the ploughed lands, whereas their cannon did some hurt having a mark they could not miss. 8 The cannonade did not last long. As soon as his dragoons had driven in the opposing musketeers and dragoons 9 Rupert prepared to charge. Before advancing, however, he passed from one wing to the other, giving positive orders to the horse to march as close as was possible, keeping their ranks with sword in hand, to receive the enemy's shot without firing either carbine or pistol, till 1 Clarendon, vi. 74, assigns a brigade to Feilding, and Britannicae Virtutis Imago mentions his deliverance from captivity by Smith, who was on the left. 2 C. H. Firth, Cromwell's Army, pp. 95-6 ; Clarendon, vi. 78 ; Bulstrode, pp. 79- 80. 3 Ormonde MSS. ii. 380. On the forlorn hope, see Firth, pp. 102-3. 4 Cf . Bulstrode, p. 80. 5 Official Parliamentary Account. On the other hand, the Life of Belasyse states that the royalist ' bodies ' were five in front and four in reserve. This may have been the original formation, but the statement of the parliamentarians seems decisive for the formation when the fighting began. Presumably, in some cases, two weak regiments were joined together to form one ' body '. 6 * Past 2 in the afternoon ' : Official Royalist Account. 7 A full and true Relation, by Captain Edward Kightley. Fiennes and other parliamentary authorities claim that their shot did far more damage than the royalists'. 8 Harl. MS. 3783, fo. 61, printed below, p. 39. 9 Bulstrode, p. 82, who charged with Rupert (Official Royalist Account).
