break, across Cropredy Bridge, then
narrower than at present, and no doubt crossing the Cherwell at certain
fords also, the King's forces marched by way of Mollington to Warmington,
where they had been preceded by Prince Rupert's horse, who would have
travelled across the Southern part of the Dassett Hills. It is said[B]
that "the foot were quartered at so great distance that many regiments
marched seven or eight miles to the rendezvous, so that it was past one of
the clock before the King's forces marched down hill." Much delay would be
occasioned in getting the troops across the river Cherwell, not so easy
to be forded at that time of the year. The narrow bridge[1] would allow
but slow passage for 10,000 or 12,000 men, with all the impedimenta of war
material. Another pamphleteer[PA] says "the King's horse were at the
rendezvous between ten and eleven; the van of the foot an hour later, and
the rear and artillery, including the Lord Lt. General's own regiment, not
until two hours after."

As the Parliamentarian troops take up their position upon the plain, it is
worth while to pause for a few minutes to look at the composition and
armament of the two forces. Many of the troops on both sides appear to
have been indifferently provided with weapons. Implements of warfare that
had not been in use since the Wars of the Roses--the long bow, the cross
bow, &c.--resumed their places amongst the accoutrements of the men at
arms.[a] There were the heavy horse in iron casques, breast-plates and
greaves, the musketeers with their matchlocks, and the dragoons or
dragooners,[J118] with sword and matchlock. These last seem to have been
so called from the drake, the firearm they once carried, and though not
strictly speaking cavalry, yet accompanying and supporting them. Each
regiment of Lord Essex's army carried a standard inscribed on the one side
with the watchword of the Parliament, "God with us," and on the other side
the motto of the regimental commander; Lord Saye and Sele's were the blue
coats, the Commander's were orange and Lord Broke's purple; Colonel
Ballard's troops were clad in grey, Colonel Holles' in red, and Lord
Mandeville's in blue. Across his breastplate each officer of the
Parliamentary army wore an orange scarf, the commander's colour.

There were on the side of the Parliament eleven regiments of foot,
forty-two troops of horse, and 700 dragoons, numbering according to Nugent
about 13,000, though the officers in