ABSTRACT
A few weeks after Vavasour took over Lord Herbert’s command, a more spectacular break with the old order occurred, when, at the end of July, the Marquis of Hertford was replaced as Lieutenant-General of the West by Prince Maurice. To an extent the significance of the change was masked, as it had been in the case of Vavasour. The latter took command, in theory, as a subordinate officer of the local magnate. Maurice took full control of both the title and power of his former commander, but as a member of the royal family he too might be considered to deserve respect for his social rather than his military position. Nevertheless, it was obvious to everybody that the prince had been given this command because of his military experience and ability, and was a stranger not merely to the area he now defended but to England itself. It was equally obvious that Hertford was extremely unwilling to resign his command, and although welcomed back to court with great honour accepted his replacement with a bad grace.1 * Maurice appeared to justify the decision, for he took up his new command with as much energy as Vavasour did his, and more spectacular results. In the course of the late summer and autumn the prince and his officers conquered most of Devon and Dorset2 and in the following winter his Field-Marshal, Hopton, another able and experienced soldier, was given a separate force which extended the King’s territory to include all of Wiltshire, much of Hampshire and, for a time, western Sussex.3
