The Marquess of Winchester's Regiment |
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Home The Regiment Today Taking Part & Joining Information Request The Civil War in Chapter 1 | THE Civil War in Hampshire (1642-45) AND THE STORY OF BASING HOUSE BY REV. G. N. GODWIN, B.D.Source - http://www.archive.org/stream/civilwarinhampsh00godwrich/civilwarinhampsh00godwrich_djvu.txt PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION In the stern struggle between Charles I. and his Parliament, Hampshire played no unimportant part. The capture, after an all too brief defence, of the strong fortress of Portsmouth was no small gain to the Parliamentarian cause, whilst, on the other hand, the gallant stand made by the Cavalier garrisons of Winchester Castle and Basing House was eagerly watched and warmly appreciated at loyal Oxford. The " Loyal Marquis " who so heroically defended " Basting House " was a worthy ancestor of Major the Marquis of Winchester who fell in South Africa. " The Marquis of Winchester was walking along the bullet-swept trench, encouraging his men. * For God's sake, lie down, sir ! ' cried one of his men in an agony of fear — fear for the life of the good soldier and good sportsman who commanded him. Not till the bullet struck did Lord Winchester lie down, and then never to rise again." The defeat of my Lords Forth and Hopton at Cheriton Fight " broke all the measures, and altered the whole scheme of the King's counsels," nor did the fierce contests at Alton, Christchurch, and Andover fail to influence the general result of the Great Civil War as a whole. To record in a brief yet complete form the part played by the county ot Hampshire during that most eventful time was the avowed object of the first edition of this work, which was most carefully compiled from original materials existing in our great national and private libraries. But years have gone by, and the many standard works bearing upon its subject-matter which have since appeared are proofs of the great interest still felt by all Englishmen in the annals of that stormy time. The work has therefore been carefully revised and practically re-written, so as to include the very latest results of modern research. In conclusion, the Author desires to thank right heartily the many friends who have generously aided him, and to express a hope that his labour of love (as it has truly been) will supply one more of those local histories which have become of ever increasing interest of late years, and which are useful aids to recorders of the great events of English history. Weasenham St. Peter, Norfolk, 1904.
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