Original Query: Prince Rupert's Foote

As an English Civil War Wargamer, I am trying to build up the Royalist Army at NASEBY. What was the strength and composition of Prince Rupert's Foote in the above battle?

Answer

To answer Paul Liggins- Symond's in his DIARY...states-
"Friday, May 9th. His majestie marched to Evesham, where he joyned with the Lord Astelyes foot, consisting of 3300; in the primeir place was Prince Rupert's regiment of foot, consisting of 500, and ten of these colours,
Pily bendy argent and sable, in dexter chief point an annulet of the last
Colonel John Russell commanding the Regiment. Major- Mitchell. It was Colonel Lunsford's regiment (500) raysed in Somersetshire." Later in the same entry he refers to Rupert's foot being 1,000 but it is not clear that Symonds is here referring only to the Regiment. It was probably the strongest Royalist unit at Naseby.

Peacock's ARMY LISTS (recently reprinted by Ken Trotman) do not include any officers from Rupert's foot among the prisoners taken at Naseby. Peter Newman, in his ROYALIST OFFICERS OF ENGLAND & WALES identifies Mitchell as Dominic Mitchell, which would suggest an Irish connection. The INDIGENT OFFICERS lists an officer- Ensign Mortaugh O-Donoghue- could it be that Rupert's well known regard for the troops from Ireland led him to make a particular effort to include them in his own Regiment? Symonds also refers to the regiment's 'Blew Cotes' (His Lifeguard was clothed in red and may have been entirely musketeers- Ed).

More Mercurius Publius

Prince Rupert's Foote at Naseby
Cromwell and Freemasonry
Field Signs
Son of Cromwell
Apostles???
Auxiliaries

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