A.D. 1644.

THE BATTLE OF MARSTON MOOR.

335

near York, to Tadcaster. Rupert entered York with two thousand cavalry. The earl of Newcastle was in command there. He counselled a prudent delay. The impetuous Rupert said he had the orders of the king for his guidance, and he was resolved to fight. On the 2nd of July, having rested two days, in and near York, and enabled the city to be newly provisioned, the royalist army went forth to engage. They met their enemy on Marston Moor. The issue of the encounter would have been more than doubtful, but for Cromwell, who for the first time had headed his Ironsides in a great pitched battle. The right wing of the parliamentary army was scattered. Rupert was chasing and slaying the Scottish cavalry. The centre of each army, each centre composed of infantry, were fighting with the sturdy resolution of Englishmen, whatever be the quarrel. The charges of Fairfax and Cromwell decided the day. The victory of the parliamentary forces was so complete, that the earl of Newcastle left York, and embarked at Scarborough for the continent. Rupert marched away also, with the wreck of his army, to Chester. Fifteen hundred prisoners, all the artillery, more than a hundred banners, remained with the victors. Four thousand one hundred and fifty bodies lay dead on the plain.

The queen, sinking under a serious illness, now fled to France. She embarked from Falmouth on the 14th, and landed at Brest. Soon after her departure the king's arms had a considerable success over lord Essex in Cornwall. The parliamentary party were in alarm. Essex wrote in vain for assistance. Several attempts were made by the royalists to win him to a treaty. The greater part of his army desired to capitulate, though his cavalry had succeeded in passing the enemy's posts. Essex hastily left the camp to avoid that humiliation, leaving Skippon in command. Charles offered honourable terms of capitulation, only requiring the surrender of the artillery, arms, and ammunition. The army of Essex returned as fugitives to London, or dispersed through the country. The king was resolved to march to London from the west. Three armies, under Essex, Manchester, and Waller, were called out for the defence of the capital. Essex, though retaining his authority, did not join the troops which fought the second battle of Newbury on the 27th of October. Manchester was there in command. This battle was hotly contested without any decisive results. The king withdrew to Oxford, renewing his project of advancing to London. The serious differences between the Presbyterians and the Independents were brought to an issue by this second battle of Newbury. In December, Cromwell in his place in parliament, said, “I do conceive if the army be not put into another method, and the war more vigorously prosecuted, the people can bear the war no longer, and will enforce you to a dishonourable peace." At a meeting at the house of the lord-general Essex, the Scottish chancellor proposed that Cromwell should be proceeded against as "an incendiary.” Whilst the supporters of Essex and the other generals were seeking for proofs against their dangerous rival, it was moved in the Commons, by Zouch Tate, a man of no great mark, "that no member of either House shall, during the war, enjoy or execute any office or command, civil or military, and that an ordinance be brought in accordingly." Long and furious debates followed this proposition, which was called the Self-denying Ordinance.

It was passed by the Lower House on the 21st of December, and transmitted to the Lords. The Presbyterian party saw their strength passing away from them. They endeavoured to rekindle all the violence of religious intolerance, by resuming proceedings against archbishop Laud. In the previous March his trial had commenced upon specific charges, founded upon those which had first been brought forward on his impeachment. He defended himself with skill and courage. His most active persecutor was William Prynne. By an ordinance of parliament, voted by a few Lords--some say seven only-the aged prelate was condemned for high treason, and was beheaded on the 10th of January, 1645. Four others were sent to the scaffold at the same time, for political offences. On the 3rd the Liturgy of the Church of England, which had been previously tolerated, was abolished by ordinance. The self-denying ordinance was rejected on the 13th of January, by the Lords. But the agitation of the question had rendered a great change necessary. On the 21st Fairfax was nominated general; and, within a month, a new model for the army was arranged and carried.

At the beginning of 1645, "It was agreed that Commissioners should be sent from the Parliament to treat with others to be sent from the king, about conditions of peace. The place of their meeting was at Uxbridge.' The king had acknowledged the two Houses as a parliament, for which concession he was bitterly reproached by Henrietta Maria. The commissioners sent by the parliament were chiefly of the more moderate party. The debates were grave and courteous. The three great points to be discussed were the Church, the state of Ireland, and the Militia. An approach to an agreement did not seem hopeless. Lord Southampton was deputed to proceed to Oxford to see if he could obtain some concession from the king that would place the military authority under the joint control of the Crown and the Parliament, each naming half of the leaders, for a limited number of years. Dr. Welwood says, "The king was at last prevailed with to follow their counsel; and the next morning was appointed for signing a warrant to his commissioners to that effect. But so it was, that when they came early the next morning to wait upon him with the warrant that had been agreed upon over night, they found his majesty had changed his resolution, and was become inflexible in these points." The king's altered temper is referred to a letter from Montrose which had been received by Charles during the night. In the middle of December that daring chieftain had forced an entry into the country of the Campbells, wasting all before him. He had afterwards gained a decisive victory over Argyle, and he wrote to Charles, begging him not to treat with his rebel subjects, "unless they disband, and submit themselves entirely to your majesty's goodness and pardon . . . . Give me leave, with all humility. to assure your majesty, that through God's blessing, I am in the fairest hopes of reducing this kingdom to your majesty's obedience." The treaty of Uxbridge was to last twenty days. The last day expired, and nothing was concluded. Argyle arrived from Scotland, stung by defeat and disgrace; and agreed with the extreme party in urging forward whatever measures would lead to the active prosecution of the The peers withdrew from their opposition to the self-denying ordi

war.

A.D. 1645.

BATTLE OF NASEBY.

337

nance, and it was finally passed on the 3rd of April. The military services of Cromwell were of such importance that Fairfax and his officers urged that, without regard to the ordinance, he might be temporarily appointed the lieutenant-general, chief commander of the horse. The earls of Essex, Manchester, and Denbigh, gave in their resignations. In the councils of the king it was resolved that the prince of Wales should be sent into the western counties with the title of generalissimo, and that the most discreet advisers of Charles should accompany the prince, yet only fifteen years old, to direct all measures in his name. The more violent of the cavaliers now formed the advisers of Charles. As the summer approached, the king's affairs were rapidly mending. He had taken Leicester by storm. Taunton was besieged by the royalists. Fairfax was surrounding Oxford, but inactive. Cromwell was active in the counties of the Eastern Association. Fairfax, on the 5th of June, received commands to raise the siege of Oxford, and go to the midland counties after the king. The general sent a requisition to the parliament that Cromwell might be permitted to join him. On the 13th of June, Fairfax and Cromwell were marching after the king, who went before them from Daventry to Harborough. Charles had taken up his quarters for the night at the "Hall House," at Lubenham, near Harborough, where his van was stationed. His rear was at Naseby. Late that evening, Ireton and his troopers suddenly dashed in amongst the royalists there. Some fled to the old Hall, where the king was gone to rest. He set off instantly to Rupert's quarters at Harborough; and in a midnight council of war it was determined not to retire to Leicester, as had been previously agreed, but to fight Fairfax. The parliamentary army was on its march at three in the morning of the 14th, and at five it was at Naseby. According to Clarendon, the king's army was drawn up early in the morning of the 14th in order of battle, about a mile from Harborough, there to wait for the enemy. The several commands were thus assigned: prince Rupert commanded the left wing; sir Marmaduke Langdale the right wing; lord Ashley the main body. The reserves were with the king. The scout-master came in and reported that he had been three or four miles, and could gain no intelligence of any enemy near. Rupert then went forward with his horse; and indistinctly seeing the van of the parliament's troops, fancied they were retreating, and sent a messenger to desire that the royalist main body should immediately move up. When Fairfax saw the king's army advancing, he formed his troops in a large fallow field north-west of Naseby, the brow of the hill running east and west for about a mile. The centre was commanded by Fairfax himself and Skippon; the right wing by Cromwell; the left wing by Ireton. The reserves were commanded by Pride, Hammond, and Rainsborough. The hill on which the parliamentary army was drawn up bears the name of "Mill Hill." The king's army was on a hill opposite. A wide table-ground known as "Broad Moor" was between them. Rupert charged up the hill against the left wing of Fairfax. Cromwell charged from the extreme right, down the hill upon Langdale's squadrons. Rupert had beaten Ireton's left wing back to Naseby; but there he had been tempted to lose time in taking a survey of his enemy's baggage. Langdale's horse fled before Cromwell's battle-cry of "God is

our strength." But Fairfax in the centre was hotly pressea. The king's foot had come over the hill, and poured in volley after volley upon the parliamentary ranks. The Ironsides now turned from their flying enemies on the right; and retrieved the day by their assaults on the king's main battle. When Rupert returned he saw the royal army in utter confusion. Fairfax had rallied his men; and the royalists yielded. The king's reserve of horse, consisting of his own guards, were seized by a panic fear and fled. Rupert's men, says Clarendon, "having, as they thought, acted their parts, could never be brought to rally themselves again in order, or to charge the enemy." Charles fled to Leicester. Cromwell wrote to the Speaker of the House of Commons, "We, after three hours' fight, very doubtful, at last routed his (the king's) army; killed and took about 5000-very many officers, but of what quality we yet know not. We took also about two hundred carriages, all he had; and all his guns, being twelve in number." The most precious spoil of that day was the king's cabinet, which disclosed secrets more injurious to his cause than any victory of his enemies. The people learnt that there was no sincerity in the king's desire for peace; that there was no abatement of his determination to govern by absolute power. Foreign princes were asked to send their soldiers to conquer rebel England. The dreaded Papists were to be freed from every restraint on the condition of such assistance.

During the summer of 1645 singular confederacies had been formed in some places, avowedly for protecting their property against both parties. Those who belonged to them were known as "Clubmen." They were to some extent neutrals; but they were principally called into activity by royalist gentry. Their business was to use their clubs as valiantly as they might.

Bristol, which Rupert was charged to defend, was invested by Fairfax and Cromwell, on the 22nd of August. On the 10th of September the city was stormed. The royalists caused it to be set on fire at three places, and Rupert sent a trumpet to propose a surrender. The articles were agreed upon; and the prince marched out with a convoy of two regiments of horse. He went to Oxford. Charles wrote him a bitter letter of reproach from Hereford; and a royal proclamation was issued the same day revoking all his commissions of military authority. At the beginning of October, Winchester surrendered to Cromwell, who then went on to the siege of Basing House, the magnificent mansion of the marquis of Winchester. Cromwell battered the house from the higher ground till he had made a breach; and then stormed it with a resolution which made all resistance vain. The rapine and slaughter were probably greater than at any other such strongholds. Basing House was a post of importance, and it had held out against the parliament so long that it was deemed almost impregnable.

A.D. 1645.

CHARLES TAKES REFUGE IN OXFORD.

339

CHAPTER XXVI.

WITH the exception of a few conflicts for the possession of garrisoned towns and detached manor-houses, the war, during the autumn of 1645, was wholly in the west. In England the great royalist army was utterly broken and dispersed. But in Scotland, wherever Montrose led his Highlanders he was victorious. On the 15th of August the Covenanting army, commanded by Baillie, was utterly defeated. It was the seventh great victory of Montrose; and it laid Scotland, for a few weeks, at his feet. Edinburgh surrendered to him. In the king's name he summoned a parliament at Glasgow. Before the surrender of Bristol, Charles had conceived the possibility of joining Montrose. The hope returned even after Bristol was lost. He decided to attempt the relief of Chester, then besieged by the parliament's forces; for at that port only could he receive succours from Ireland. He marched, with five thousand men, over the Welsh mountains; and on the 24th of September was within view of Chester. Poyntz, the parliamentary commander, suddenly came upon the rear-guard of the royalists, at Rowton Heath. Sir Marmaduke Langdale vigorously charged the parliamentary forces; but a detachment of the besieging troops came upon his rear, and decided the day. The king retired again to the mountains. His chance of joining Montrose was gone. But at this juncture Montrose was himself a fugitive. He had advanced towards the English border with diminished followers, and on the 13th of September had been surprised by Lesley, at Philiphaugh, on the left bank of the Ettrick. It was impossible to rally the main body of his followers, and the great leader retreated to the Highlands. Lesley re-established the Covenanting power in the Lowlands. His victory was disgraced by a cold-blooded slaughter of prisoners; and by the subsequent execution of many of the royalist leaders.

Charles rested three days at Denbigh Castle, and then went to Newark, which was held by a royalist garrison of about two thousand horse and foot. Digby went on to the north, but at Sherborne, in Yorkshire, he was overtaken by the parliamentary troops, and utterly routed. Amongst Digby's baggage his private papers were taken, and his secret correspondence with the queen's favorite, Jermyn, was published by order of parliament in the spring of 1646. After a stormy meeting with the king at Newark, prince Rupert and his brother Maurice left Charles for ever. The royal garrison at Newark were half mutinous. The king's troops were reduced to a few hundreds. Poyntz and Rossiter, the parliamentary generals, were closing round Newark. At eleven o'clock on the night of the 3rd of November, the king, with four or five hundred cavaliers, set out for Oxford. After a wearisome march, with hostile troops all around, they reached the loyal city in safety on the 6th.

During the long vacation of this year, the Commons had resolved to fill up the vacancies in their House, caused by the absence of the royalist members, by issuing out writs for the election of representatives to supply their places. Many persons of eminence came into parliament through