his Father, who being both by his wife, nighest
friends, and Physicians, thought to be at the point of his death,
fell suddenly into so profound a sleep, and lay quietly so long, that
his Wife, uncertain of his condition, drew nigh his bed, to observe,
whether she could hear him breath, and gently touching him, he
awaked with great disturbance, and told her the reason was, she had
interrupted him in a dream, which most passionately he desired to have
known the end of. For, said he, I dream'd one appear'd to me, assuring
me, that _I should have a son_, (for 'till then he had none) _who
should be a very great and eminent man: but--and in this instant thou
didst awake me, whereby I am bereaved of the knowledge of the further
fortune of the child_. This I heard, when this Lord was but in the
ascent of his greatnes, and long before his fall: and afterwards
conferring with some of his nighest Relations, I found the tradition
was not disown'd. Sure I am, that his station was like those turfs
of earth or sea-banks, which by the storm swept away, left all the
in-land to be drown'd by popular tumult.

19.

THE EARL OF NORTHAMPTON.

_Spencer Compton, second Earl of Northampton._

_Born 1601. Fell at Hopton Heath 1643._

By CLARENDON.

In this fight, which was sharpe and shorte, there were killed and
taken prysoners of the Parliament party above 200. and more then that
number wounded, for the horse charginge amonge ther foote, more
were hurte then killed; Eight pieces of ther Cannon and most of ther
Ammunition was likewise taken. Of the Earles party were slayne but
25. wherof ther were two Captaynes, some inferiour officers, and the
rest common men, but ther were as many hurte, and those of the chiefe
officers. They who had all the Ensignes of victory (but ther Generall)
thought themselves undone, whilst the other syde who had escaped in
the night and made a hard shifte to carry his deade body with them,
hardly believed they were loosers,

Et velut aequali bellatum sorte fuisset
componit cum classe virum:

The truth is, a greater victory had bene an unaequall recompence for a
lesse losse. He was a person of greate courage, honour, and fidelity,
and not well knowne till his Eveninge, havinge in the ease, and
plenty, and luxury of that too happy tyme indulged to himselfe with
that licence, which was then thought necessary to greate fortunes, but
from the beginninge of these distractions, as if he had bene awake