ABSTRACT
Rupert began the battle with a general advance, whereupon the entire parliamentary army moved forward to the edge of their high ground, and action was joined at about ten in the morning. Rupert’s cavalry swept across the moor and up the slope, struck Ireton’s cavalry hard, and after handto-hand fighting, the parliamentarians broke, being pursued by elements of the Prince’s small cavalry wing, whilst Rupert tried to keep them in check. Astley’s infantry, outnumbered, pushed forward hard, and the New Model foot wavered, particularly when Philip Skippon, their commander, was seen to be wounded. Ireton sought to stem the royalist infantry advance, but was beaten off, and himself captured, severely wounded. The New Model was giving ground against a numerically inferior enemy.
