‘The Eve of the Battle of Edge Hill, 1642’ by Charles Landseer (1799-1879), painted in 1845. King Charles I is identifiable by the blue sash of the Order of the Garter. Prince Rupert of the Rhine, James I’s grandson and Charles’s nephew, is seated to his right. Lord Lindsey is pointing to a map with his commander’s baton. The two boys behind Rupert are Charles, Prince of Wales (King Charles II from 1649 to 1685) and his brother James, Duke of York (King James II from 1685 to 1688). Sir Edmund Verney is the standard-bearer.
Introduction
The Battle of Edgehill in Warwickshire on October 23rd, 1642, marked the opening exchanges in the English Civil War. It was indecisive, and neither side could have foreseen the military coup in December 1648 that would lead so quickly to a brief Republic. Indeed, following the skirmish King Charles was more interested in paranormal activity.
THE Battle of Edgehill in Warwickshire was the first pitched battle in the English Civil War. The two sides met on October 23rd, 1642, the Royalists commanded by King Charles I himself, and the Parliamentarians by Robert Devereux, Third Earl of Essex.
A miserable battle dragged on fitfully for two days.* For many, it was their first taste of war, and the Royalists in particular were more interested in looting the other side’s baggage. At length, Essex withdrew, and the King removed to Oxford, which he made his capital for the rest of the war. Neither side could claim to have won.
It was soon rumoured, however, that ghostly cries could still be heard, and swords, horses and guns sometimes seen, on the battlefield site, a tale that persists to this day. Intrigued, Charles set up a Royal Commission to investigate. The inspectors found the evidence overwhelming, and the shades of Edgehill remain the country’s only officially recognised ghosts.
The battle was not without heroism on both sides, however. See The Love of the Lindseys.
Précis
The Battle of Edgehill in 1642 was the first real engagement of the Civil Wars. With neither side fully committed, it dragged on for two days before ending in a draw. Rumours soon flew that the shades of the fallen continued a ghostly fight on the battlefield, and a Royal Commission appointed by Charles I concluded the rumours were true. (60 / 60 words)
The Battle of Edgehill in 1642 was the first real engagement of the Civil Wars. With neither side fully committed, it dragged on for two days before ending in a draw. Rumours soon flew that the shades of the fallen continued a ghostly fight on the battlefield, and a Royal Commission appointed by Charles I concluded the rumours were true.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, besides, may, not, or, ought, who.
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Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 I. Much. Overwhelm.
2 Could. Many. Taste.
3 Horse. Interest. Loot.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Rest. 2. Saw. 3. See. 4. Set. 5. Found. 6. Still. 7. Country.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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0
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