Page 47 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

gallantly led the Parliament's troops to the storm by which
that town was taken. And, in this month two hundred years ago,
he was endeavouring to strengthen the lines between Thame and
Wycombe, and to rouse the General in Chief, Lord Essex, into
activity to repel the repeated inroads of the King's troops
from Oxford. On Saturday evening, the 17th of June, Prince
Rupert having sent forward the day before a body of some two
thousand infantry, marched out from Oxford to force the whole
line of posts under these hills. That night he fell upon the
straggling pickets in Chinnor, Postcombe, and Lewknor. He
entered those villages, putting all he found to the sword,
excepting some few who were dragged away prisoners at his
trooper's horse's sides. Towards the morning he set fire to
Lewknor. Hampden. who was out with Sir Samuel Luke and one
dragoon, in the neighbourhood of Watlington, seeing the flames
gave the alarm, collected a few small troops of cavalry, sent
off to Lord Essex, at Thame, entreating him to despatch a body
of infantry to cut off Rupert's retreat at Chiselhampton
Bridge; and putting himself at the head of Captain Cross's
troop of horse, engaged the whole rearguard of the Prince's
army, fighting them the whole way through Tetsworth and over
Golder Hill and Easington in hopes to delay them till Essex
should have secured the bridge which Rupert must pass, and have
come up in force to their support. Here, however, in this
field, Rupert again joining his infantry and guns, gave battle
with full two thousand against about three hundred, whose sole
hope was in the aid which they momentarily looked for from Lord
Essex. Hampden charged upon the Prince's flank from the
direction of Warpsgrove, a few hundred yards down that road
which is faced by the medallion on our monument. In this charge
he received his death's wound, two carbine balls broke his
shoulder and entered his body. He was seen fainting on his
horse's neck, and riding slowly off the field before the battle
was done -a thing, says Lord Clarendon, which Mr. Hampden was
not used to do, from which men concluded that he was hurt. He
lingered till the 24th in great pain, at Thame.

Death of Hampden and Funeral

Attended by two clergymen, and by his surgeons, who would
have given him some hopes of recovery, he spent the greater
part of the last few days of his life in writing reports and
advices to the Lord General, and to the Parliament in
furtherance of the more strenuous course of operation he had
always urged, that the cause might the less suffer by his
death. His last hour came, and he prayed thus, "0 Lord God of
Hosts, great is thy mercy, and great and holy are thy dealings
unto us sinful men. Save me, 0 Lord, if it be thy good will,
from the jaws of death! Pardon my manifold transgressions! 0
Lord save my bleeding country! Have this realm in thy special
keeping! Confound and level in the dust those who rob the
people of their liberty and lawful prerogatives. Let the King