ves. All the foot, except the
general's brigade, were thus driven into the reserves, where their
officers rallied them, and bring them on to a fresh charge; and here
the horse, having driven our horse above a quarter of a mile from the
foot, face about, and fall in on the rear of the foot.

Had our right wing done thus, the day had been secured; but Prince
Rupert, according to his custom, following the flying enemy, never
concerned himself with the safety of those behind; and yet he returned
sooner than he had done in like cases too. At our return we found
all in confusion, our foot broken, all but one brigade, which, though
charged in the front, flank, and rear, could not be broken till Sir
Thomas Fairfax himself came up to the charge with fresh men, and then
they were rather cut in pieces than beaten, for they stood with their
pikes charged every way to the last extremity.

In this condition, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, we saw the
king rallying his horse, and preparing to renew the fight; and our
wing of horse coming up to him, gave him opportunity to draw up a
large body of horse, so large that all the enemy's horse facing us
stood still and looked on, but did not think fit to charge us till
their foot, who had entirely broken our main battle, were put in order
again, and brought up to us.

The officers about the king advised his Majesty rather to draw off;
for, since our foot were lost, it would be too much odds to expose the
horse to the fury of their whole army, and would but be sacrificing
his best troops without any hopes of success. The king, though with
great regret at the loss of his foot, yet seeing there was no other
hope, took this advice, and retreated in good order to Harborough, and
from thence to Leicester.

This was the occasion of the enemy having so great a number of
prisoners; for the horse being thus gone off, the foot had no means
to make their retreat, and were obliged to yield themselves.
Commissary-General Ireton being taken by a captain of foot, makes the
captain his prisoner, to save his life, and gives him his liberty for
his courtesy before.

Cromwell and Rossiter, with all the enemy's horse, followed us as far
as Leicester, and killed all that they could lay hold on straggling
from the body, but durst not attempt to charge us in a body. The
king, expecting the enemy would come to Leicester, removes to
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where we had some time to recollect ourselves.

T