Versus History

🎄1⃣6⃣DECEMBER🎄 (25 days of books from Prince Rupert's library) 'Militarie instructions for the cavallrie' by John Cruso was published in 1632. It has to be one of the books you'd most expect to see in the library of the archetypal cavalier - this is the first manual in English dedicated to the cavalry. Opens with 'The horse is prepared for battell: but victorie is from the Lord' and covers: 1. The levying of men 2. Their marching 3. Their encamping 4. Their embattelling Gives many illustrations relating to the forces of Rupert's great-uncle, the Prince of Orange. 📕 Read more about Rupert: amazon.co.uk/stores/Mark-Tur… @PSHistory To view the full Advent thread of books from Rupert's library so far: nitter.cf/1642Author/status/1995…

📅#OTD 1642. The House of Lords receives a letter from Baron Stourton, a Catholic peer, with complaints about the 'violences' of parliamentarian troops sent to Portsmouth. They broke into his home and stole his goods, leading him to buy them off twice to prevent further plundering. Nevertheless, three hundred returned and hacked his gate down with axes, yelling that they would slit the throats of of every man, woman, and child in his house. As a result, Stourton's household fired on the men, who quickly returned shots, which killed one soldier.

A mezzotint of Oliver Cromwell's porter. Named Daniel, it's said the man was over seven foot tall, and lived to an old age. During the Restoration he was known for making prophesies and spent some time in Bedlam. The mezzotint is attributed to Prince Rupert, who was a keen engraver. Rupert specialised in landscapes, as well as images of ordinary people, so it's plausible this is his work. It's not recorded that Rupert and Oliver ever met. The greatest opportunity came at Marston Moor, where both led their horsemen against one another, though Cromwell did leave the field at some point to have a wound dressed. If Rupert did create this mezzotint, it offers a fascinating link between prince and protector. Mezzotint - British Museum