THE nearness of Edge-hill to Compton-Winyates led me thither. Indeed, as I had walked from Stratford, Edge-hill had gradually risen, as it were, before me, till it filled with its lofty edge the whole of the horizon on that side. A tower near a mill, which was conspicuous on this height, was constantly pointed out to me by the country-people as standing just above the scene of the battle. The road continued to ascend nearly all the way from Stratford, being a distance of about ten miles, and then the edge rising high and almost precipitately, it may be imagined

that the elevation of the country on its summit is very great. So great, indeed, is it, that it gives you one of the most extensive prospects in the kingdom. The district towards Stratford, Warwick, and Coventry, and across into Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, lies in a grand expanse before you. You seem to take in, on a clear day, the breadth of a kingdom almost. On the other side, into Oxfordshire, and towards Banbury, the views are also very airy and attractive, but not so extensive by any means, because Edge-hill is truly an edge, that is, it is a step, where the country takes an abrupt rise, and when you gain the summit you find yourselves not so much on a hill, as on the level of a higher country.

The people from Banbury and other neighbouring towns, are fond of making a summer-day's excursion to Edge-hill, drawn thither by the combined interest of the battle-scene and the magnificence of the views; and truly they could not readily find a more delightful excursion. The Sun-Rising, a substantial farm-house as well as inn, standing on the summit of the hill within a mile of the scene of battle, is a good point for the "refreshment of both man and horse," and where they will find in the landlord a most intelligent guide, who can shew them too, swords and cannon-shot which his own men have turned up when ploughing in his farm.

I reached this house in the dusk of evening, after a long day's ramble, and was greatly struck with its solitary elevation in the dimness of a wild twilight. The country far below me shewed through the mists and shadows of coming night, wide

and vast. The door, contrary to the wont of inns, I found fast; and on knocking, I was answered by a female voice within, demanding who was there. When I had satisfied the inquirer, I heard the slow and seemingly reluctant fall of chains and withdrawal of bolts and bars, and presently an elderly face took a peep at me through the partially-opened door. When admitted, I found that this respectable-looking matron and myself were the sole persons in this large old house. It was Michaelmas, and all the servants were at liberty, and gone off to the towns to the statutes, and mops, and bull-roastings, which are the regular places of amusement, and re-hiring for all the servants, men and women, throughout the country at that time of the year. The landlady's son was gone to market, and thus was she left alone, and naturally apprehensive of rude and thievish strollers who are on the alert on such occasions, in solitary districts. The good woman soon introduced me into a well-furnished and wellcarpeted room, with a blazing fire, and tea and toast before me, and Jacob Hooper's History of the Rebellion, with a papermark at the account of the battle of Edge-hill, and Richard Jago's Poem of Edge-hill, to ponder over; and with a sense of the high wild country in which I was, upon me, and the winds of autumn whistling and roaring round the house, I do not know that I ever spent a more pleasantly solitary evening.

In the morning I sallied forth, and passing Upton-House,

a lonely-looking seat of Lord Jersey, with a solemn avenue of large Scotch firs leading down to it, I was soon at the tower which had been my land-mark the day before, and which the

country-people always designated as the Round-house. This is a lofty round tower, which has been built by Colonel Miller, who lives at Radway, on the slope just below, and who has put into it a veteran serjeant who fought with him at Waterloo, of the goodly name of William Penn.

Penn lives in the lower part of the tower, and a bridge from the road, which is a good deal above the foundation of the tower, leads into the upper story. The entrance of the bridge is by an artificial ruin, and there are buildings on the opposite side of the road representing other ruins, which, with the lofty round tower, have been planned not only to form a conspicuous object afar off, but from the Colonel's house below; and though I do not admire artificial ruins in general, it must be confessed that these had been erected with much better taste than such things in general.

I had expected, from what the country-people said, that this tower was made a depôt for arms and armour found on the field of battle, but I was disappointed to find instead of those, relics of the field of Waterloo. If, however, the tower deceived me in this respect, it afforded me an advantage of another kind—a most clear and interesting view, both of the battle-field and of a vast stretch of country. Nothing could be more obvious than the situation of the battle. tance of three miles, lay the little town of Kineton, and midway between it and Radway, just below, the spot where the battle took place. At that time the whole country round, with the exception of a few inclosures about Kineton and Radway, was open, won

Below, on the campaign, at the dis

it is cultivated like a garden, and the hill side, down which the cavalry of the king rushed, is now covered with fine woods.

Hume's concise account of this opening battle of the civil war, gives its main features in a little space. "The King, on mustering his army, found it to amount to two thousand men. The Earl of Lindsey, who in his youth had sought experience of military service in the Low Countries, was general. Prince Rupert commanded the horse: Sir Jacob Astley the foot :* Sir Arthur Aston the dragoons: Sir John Heyden the artillery. Lord Bernard Stuart was at the head of a troop of guards. The estates and revenue of this single troop, according to Lord Clarendon's computation, were at least equal to those of all the members who, at the commencement of the war, voted in both houses. Their servants, commanded by Sir William Killigrew, made another troop, and always marched with their masters.

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"With this army the king left Shrewsbury. days after the departure of the royalists, Essex left Worcester. Though it be commonly easy, in civil war, to get intelligence, the armies were within six miles of each other ere either of the generals was acquainted with the approach of his enemy. Shrewsbury and Worcester, the places from which they set out, are not above twenty miles distant; yet had the two armies marched ten days in this mutual ignorance. So much had military skill, during a long peace, decayed in England.

The prayer and charge of Sir Jacob Astley on the commencement of this battle, have been much and justly admired-" O Lord! thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget thee, do not thou forget me.—) -March on boys!"

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