Parliament Organises; the Royalists prepare for action ..

At Sarisbury in the south of Wiltshire Sir Warwick Hunt was in discussion with his officers. 

They were satisfied they had achieved their initial objectives to keep the route south-west to the coast open; with their main garrisons in Winchester, Stockbridge, Sarisbury and Romsey.  In addition Blandford, Dorchester and most of Dorset including the coastal ports was held for Parliament

Now they needed to take the fight to Royalist in the north of the county, they were short of troops. They decided to raise two more regiments of foot from the local area to release the better quality troops currently in use as garrisons for field duty.

---oXo---

 Meanwhile on the outskirts of Wallingborough in the north of Wiltshire, the royalists have mustered two regiments of horse and one of dragoons.  Sir William de Willoughby has one final chat with his brother who will lead the troops.

They will head south to Pewsey where they will rest up for a day and then proceed south to raid into parliamentarian territory to beat up the quarters of outposts and destroy supplies.