James's late nocturnal victory.
The fireworks which his angels made above.
The pledge of his almighty patron's love,
I saw myself the lambent easy light
Gild the brown horror and dispel the night.
The messenger with speed the tidings bore.
News which three labouring nations did restore;
But heaven's own Nuntius was arrived before.']

[Footnote 412: It has been said by several writers, and among them by
Pennant, that the district in London called Soho derived its name from
the watchword of Monmouth's army at Sedgemoor. Mention of Soho Fields
will be found in many books printed before the Western insurrection; for
example, in Chamberlayne's State of England, 1684.]

[Footnote 413: There is a warrant of James directing that forty pounds
should be paid to Sergeant Weems, of Dumbarton's regiment, "for good
service in the action at Sedgemoor in firing the great guns against the
rebels." Historical Record of the First or Royal Regiment of Foot.]

[Footnote 414: James the Second's account of the battle of Sedgemoor
in Lord Hardwicke's State Papers; Wade's Confession; Ferguson's MS.
Narrative in Eachard, iii. 768; Narrative of an Officer of the Horse
Guards in Kennet, ed. 1719, iii. 432, London Gazette, July 9, 1685;
Oldmixon, 703; Paschall's Narrative; Burnet, i. 643; Evelyn's Diary,
July 8; Van Citters,.July 7-17; Barillon, July 9-19; Reresby's Memoirs;
the Duke of Buckingham's battle of Sedgemoor, a Farce; MS. Journal of
the Western Rebellion, kept by Mr. Edward Dummer, then serving in the
train of artillery employed by His Majesty for the suppression of the
same. The last mentioned manuscript is in the Pepysian library, and is
of the greatest value, not on account of the narrative, which contains
little that is remarkable, but on account of the plans, which exhibit
the battle in four or five different stages.]

"The history of a battle," says the greatest of living generals, "is
not unlike the history of a ball. Some individuals may recollect all the
little events of which the great result is the battle won or lost, but
no individual can recollect the order in which, or the exact moment at
which, they occurred, which makes all the difference as to their value
or importance..... Just to show you how little reliance can be placed
even on what are supposed the best accounts of a battle, I mention that
there are some circumstances mentioned in General--'s account which
did not occur as he