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The moor was then partly reclaimed and intersected by trenches, and Feversham's headquarters was at Weston Zoyland, where the royal cavalry were encamped, with the other troops at Middlezoy and Chedzoy beyond. Monmouth saw that their divisions were somewhat separated, and that his only hope was a night-attack.
It is a long tract of morass lying between the foot of the Polden Hills and the Parrett River, but with a fringe of somewhat higher ground along the latter, where are Weston Zoyland, Chedzoy, and Middlezoy, each a hamlet clustering around its old church, that at Weston Zoyland being surmounted by an attractive square tower over one hundred feet high.
The finest wood roof is at Shepton Mallet; there are others of great merit also at Somerton, Long Sutton, Martock, St Mary's, Taunton, Evercreech. Good examples of ancient glass occur at Trull, Nettlecombe, Curry Rivel, Winscombe, Broomfield, E. Brent. Interesting brasses are preserved at Banwell, Hutton, Middlezoy, Tintinhull, Yeovil, Dowlishwake, St Decuman's, Beckington, Bishop's Lydeard.
The churchyard commands a good view of Sedgemoor, with the towers of Othery, Middlezoy, and Weston Zoyland rising conspicuously from it. There are some carved bench-ends and old oak seats. Muchelney, 2 m. S.E. of Langport, is a small village rich in antiquities. Like Athelney, it was once a marsh-girt "island " the largest, or muckleey, amongst its peers. At the W. door there is a fine stoup.
Yet a little while ago I could make out through my glasses the long lines of horses picketed on the moor beyond the village. Behind, in Middlezoy, are two thousand militia, while in Chedzoy, where our attack would fall, there are five regiments of regular foot. 'If we could break those all would be well, cried Monmouth. 'What is your advice, Colonel Buyse?
On the way he again passed through Wells, where some of his men tore the lead from the Cathedral roof to make bullets, and inflicted other damage on the building. Soon after his arrival at Bridgwater, the royalist general, Feversham, with about 4000 troops, reached Weston Zoyland from Somerton, disposing some of his forces at the neighbouring villages of Middlezoy and Chedzoy.
'The other, two miles farther off, is Middlezoy, and away to the left, just on the far side of the rhine, is Chedzoy. 'The rhine, sir! What do you mean? asked the King, starting violently, and turning so fiercely upon the timid burgher, that he lost the little balance of wits which was left to him. 'Why, the rhine, your Grace, your Majesty, he quavered.
At a greater distance from Bridgewater lies the village of Middlezoy. In that village and its neighbourhood, the Wiltshire militia were quartered, under the command of Pembroke. On the open moor, not far from Chedzoy, were encamped several battalions of regular infantry. Monmouth looked gloomily on them.
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