ment at Oxford. At first he had fancied that a dis- the commoners more than doubled those at Oxford. In the proclamation by which the Oxford parliament had been called, Charles had said that it was upon occasion of the invasion of England by the Scots, and on account of the treason and disloyalty of a few members remaining at Westminster, who had grossly imposed upon his people, and expelled by the faction of their malignant party all such as were loyal and wished to do their duty toward him.' He opened the session with a long speech, telling his Lords and Commons that he had called them together to be witnesses of his actions and privy to his intentions; that he doubted not that their concurrence with him would set all things right, and place him above the reach and malice of those who had hitherto had too great an influence over the people. My hope was," said he, "that, either by success on my part or repentance on theirs, God would have put an end to this great storm; but guilt and despair have made these men more wicked than ever I imagined they intended to be; for, instead of removing and reconciling these bloody distractions, and restoring peace to this languishing country, they have invited a foreign power to invade this kingdom." Four days after-on January the 26th-the Oxford parliament resolved nemine contradicente, that all such subjects of Scotland as had consented to the present expedition into England had thereby denounced war against the kingdom of England, and forfeited all the advantages of the late act of pacification; that all such of his majesty's subjects of England as did That it had been the first powerful reproach not resist the Scots should be treated as traitors they had corrupted the people with toward his maj- and enemies to the state, &c. On the morrow the esty, that he intended to dissolve this parliament, Lords and Commons at Oxford drew up adeclaration, notwithstanding the act for continuance thereof; that they were there to prevent the further effusion and if he had power to do that, he might likewise, of Christian blood; that they and his majesty deby the same power, repeal all the other acts made sired peace above all things; and this was accomthis parliament, whereof some were very precious panied by an overture for peace addressed to the to the people and as his majesty had always dis- Earl of Essex, signed by the Prince of Wales, the claimed any such thought, so such a proclamation Duke of York, and forty-three dukes, marquises, as he now mentioned would confirm all the fears earls, viscounts, and barons of the House of Peers, and jealousies which had been infused into them, and one hundred and eighteen members of the and would trouble many of his own true subjects." House of Commons, there present. The profesHow Clarendon could arrive at the conclusion that sion thus made was a mere feint. They described the summoning a minority as a new parliament, the parliament at Westminster as those by whom while the majority forming the old was sitting, was Essex was trusted. Essex told them that they more legal than a dissolution, we can not conjec- must acknowledge the two Houses at Westminster ture; but he takes credit to himself for recommend- as the true parliament of England, and that he could ing that measure. Charles so hated parliaments not deliver their letter. Charles then directed a that he would not have summoned even this Ox-letter" To the Lords and Commons of Parliament ford mockery of one had he not been fully assured that they would be very submissive, and altogether averse to forcing him into a treaty of peace with the Commons at Westminster. A.D. 1644. The anti-parliament-"the mongrel parliament," as Charles himself contemptuously and ungratefully called it-met at Oxford on the 22d of January, 1664. It consisted of the members who had deserted the parliament at Westminster, or had been disabled by it. Forty-three peers and one hundred and eighteen commoners were all that gathered round the king. According to Whitelock, the peers at Westminster were more numerous, while assembled at Westminster." This address was unexceptionable; but not so were the contents, wherein the king, "by the advice of the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Oxford," requested them to appoint commissioners to settle their differences, and the manner "how all the members of both Houses may securely meet in a full and free convention of parliament, there to treat, consult, and agree upon such things as may conduce to the maintenance and defense of the true reformed liament at Oxford was dated the 22d of December, 1643. It was very declamatory, and was ordered to be read in all churches and chapels. Rushworth. This proclamation for the assembling of the par land. There he found himself opposed by New. castle, who had taken up an advantageous position. The Scot took up as good ground, resolving to remain on the defensive till the English parliamentarians of the north should form a junction with him. But the Fairfaxes were engaged elsewhere, and for some time Leslie was obliged to lie inactive between Sunderland and Durham, having, however, secured his communications by sea with Scotland, and presented too formidable a front for the marquis to attack. But the defeat of Lord Byron, with his Irish and Anglo-Irish, forced Newcastle to move off toward York, which was then threatened by Lord Fairfax. Leslie followed, sorely harassed Newcastle's rear, and joined Lord Fairfax under the walls of York. Charles was still lying at Oxford with about ten thousand men. A combined attack which was made upon that place by Essex and Waller would have fully succeeded, but for the disagreement of those two generals, which allowed the king to escape by night between the two armies, and to get to Wor Protestant religion, with due consideration to all just and reasonable ease of tender consciences,' to the settling and maintaining of the king's just rights and privileges, the rights and privileges of parliament," &c. The two Houses looked upon the king's letter as an insult. "We conceive," said they, that it was intended for us, and we have resolved, with the concurrent advice and consent of the commissioners of the kingdom of Scotland, to represent to your majesty, in all humility and plainness, that as we have used all means for a just and safe peace, so will we never be wanting to do our utmost for the procuring thereof." They then expressed their sorrow at the persons assembled at Oxford-the deserters from the parliament -being put on an equality with it; and they ended their letter by reminding the king of the happy union existing between England and Scotland, and of their late solemn league and covenant. A few days after, the two Westminster Houses addressed a large declaration to the kingdom, in which they denounced this Oxford proposal of a treaty as "a popish and jesuitical counsel." In this they pub-cester by forced marches. Essex then turned to lished at length another intercepted letter of the Lord Digby, written from Oxford on the 27th of December, and which they considered as sufficient proof of the evil designs of that popish party, as well as of the existence for some time of this plan to undo the existence of the parliament. Digby's letter, indeed, explained that it was a sine qua non with Charles to get the parliament disowned both abroad and at home. The Lords and Commons at Oxford issued a counter-declaration-the strongest argument in which was, that they had been threatened and coerced when at Westminster by the London populace. They also yoted levies of men and money for the king, but these could only be raised in those parts of the kingdom where the royalists were indisputably the strongest; and it appears that Charles got some more money by the issuing of privy seals and contracting loans; and about the middle of April he dismissed his "mongrel parliament"-for so, as before noticed, he himself called it. the west, leaving Waller to pursue the king. At Copredy-bridge, near Banbury, Charles, who had led Waller a strange dance, who had got some reinforcements, and who had arrested a number of country magistrates for having expressed too much kindness to the parliament, turned upon his pursuer, and gained some advantage over him. The affair was a trifle; but Charles was enabled to move toward the west, and join his nephew, Prince Maurice. Some advised him to try London once more. Fourteen thousand men had been placed by parliament under the command of the Earl of Manchester and his lieutenant-general, Oliver Cromwell, who was rising rapidly in the service, but who for some time set a very laudable and rarely-followed example of subordination to his superior. This division, which was regarded with pride and hope by at least all the Independents, was sent northward to cooperate with Lord Fairfax and Leslie in the siege of York. The two commanders were accompanied by the sagacious Sir Henry Vane, who was then alike the bosom friend of Manchester and of Cromwell. When this force arrived, York was completely invested. Newcastle drew off his army toward the west, and Prince Rupert, resolute to raise the siege, advanced from Cheshire and Lancashire in great force, and joined Newcastle. The united royalist army in the north thus amounted to upward of twenty thousand men, the cavalry being numerous and well appointed. The parliamentarian Meanwhile the fortune of war was setting strongly against the royalists. That tried soldier of fortune, old Leslie, who now rejoiced in the title of Earl of Leven, once more led a Scottish army across the borders, and advanced without opposition, or without delay, though the winter was dreadful, the roads almost impassable, to the banks of the Tyne. Newcastle, however, was this time well fortified, and, after an ineffectual summons, old Leslie crossed the river and marched upon Sunder-generals and the Scots raised their siege in presence 2 Dr. Lingard properly remarks, "The reader will notice this hint of religious toleration, the first which had yet been given from author ity, and which a few years before would have scandalized the members of the Church of England as much as it did now the Presbyterians and Scots. But policy had taught that which reason could not. It was now thrown out as a bait to the Independents, whose apprehensions of persecution were aggravated by the intolerance of their Scottish allies, and who were on that account suspected of having already made some secret overtures to the court."-" Bristol, and his band, gives them a full assurance of so full a liberty of their conscience as they could wish, inveighing withal against the Scots' cruel invasion, and the tyranny of our presbytery, equal to the Spanish Inquisition." -Baillie's Letters. 2 Rushworth. of such a force, and, on the last day of June, placed themselves in battle array on Marston Moor, on the banks of the Ouse, about five miles to the southwest of the city. Rupert threw troops and provisions into York, and then proposed giving a general battle. Newcastle was of a different opinion, and the two royalists, as they had often done before, come to a violent altercation. In the end, the English nobleman told the proud German that, if he would fight. it would be upon his own responsibility. Some of his friends advised the earl not to appear in the battle, since the command was thus taken from him; but Newcastle replied, that, happen what would, he would not shun the fight, having no other ambition than to live and die true to his king. The parliamentarians evidently did not expect to be brought to action; for, after staying a day on Marston Moor, they, early on the morning of the 2d of July, began to march off their foot and artillery and their Scottish allies toward Tadcaster; and they were in the disorder of this movement when old Leslie, in the van, received news that Rupert had fallen upon the rear that was still on the Moor. The trumpet sounded a halt along the whole line of march, and the Scots, the English foot, and the artillery turned about, endeavoring to get the best ground on the Moor, and prevent Rupert from outflanking them. A large rye-field on a rising ground was fiercely contested, but the parliamentarians kept it, and secured the additional advantage of a broad drain or ditch, which covered part of their front from cavalry or foot charges. In spite of their efforts, however, the 1 "If Prince Rupert, who had acquired honor enough by the relief of York in the view of three generals, could have contented himself with it, and retreated, as he might have done, without fighting, the reputation he had gained would have caused his army to increase like the rolling of a snowball; but he, thinking this nothing unless he might have all, forced his enemies to a battle against the advice of many of those that were with him."-Ludlow royalists outflanked them somewhat; but Leslie attempted to remedy this defect by posting some Scottish dragoons on the left flank. It was three o'clock in the afternoon before these preludes were finished. Then the prince gave his word, "God and the king," and the other party gave theirs, "God with us;" after which they shot at one or another with their great guns, but not very fiercely or effectually. This lasted till about five o'clock, when there was a general silence through both armies, each expecting which would begin the charge. In this posture they continued a considerable time, so that it was believed there would be no action that night; but, about seven o'clock in the evening, the parliament's generals resolved to fall on, and, a signal being given, the Earl of Manchester's foot and some of the Scots ran to the ditch or drain in their front, made their way over it, and made a smart charge. This attack of infantry led to two grand charges of cavalry. The left wing of the royalists charging the right wing of the parliamentarians, where Scots were mixed with English, almost totally routed them, and drove the three generals, the Lord Fairfax, the Earl of Manchester, and old Leslie, in the direction of Tadcaster and Cawood Castle. But, at the same time, the left wing of the parliamentarians, where Cromwell charged with his excellent horse-his "Ironsides" was seconded by many of the chief inhabitants of the city of York. Articles of surrender were agreed upon on the 15th, and on the 16th the parliamentarians marched into York, and the royalists marched out of it with colors flying and drums beating. The three chief generals, Fairfax, Manchester, and Leslie or Leven, proceeded directly to the glorious minster, where a psalm was sung, and thanks returned to God by a Presbyterian preacher, Mr. Robert Douglas, the Earl of Leven's chaplain.' -was completely successful. "The horse," says The battle of Marston Moor gave parliament the command of the entire north, where the Scots soon stormed the town of Newcastle. But, in the west, Essex was getting into a position which eventually led to humiliating defeat. The lord-general, after the frustrated attempt upon the king at York, had marched through the western counties with the confident hope of reducing them all. The queen, who had just got up from her confinement in the city of Exeter, asked him for a safe conduct to Bath or Bristol, that she might drink the waters and recover her health. Essex offered her a safe conduct to London, where she might have the advice of the best physicians; she preferred making her way to Falmouth and sailing back to France, which she did upon Sunday, the 14th of July. "The Earl of Warwick had ordered several ships to attend at Torbay to intercept and hinder her passage; yet her majesty, with a Flemish man-ofwar, and ten other ships, adventured out, and by the advantage of the wind avoided any annoyance from the parliament fleet, who yet pursued with all the sail they could make, and one frigate came up and discharged several shots at them; but her majesty's ships, coming out fresh tallowed and trained for so important a service, had the advantage of them in sailing; and to prevent the worst, there was provided a galley with sixteen oars, which might have carried off her majesty if they could have come up; but without needing to make use thereof, her majesty landed safely at Brest, in France, and resided in that, her native kingdom, from henceforth, till after the restoration of the royal family." The lord-general, Essex, meanwhile kept advancing into the west, ignorant of the storm that was gathering in his rear, and apparently blind to the fact, that the farther west he went the more he found the people disposed to royalty. Blake, who was afterward to distinguish himself in a larger theater and on a different element, was besieged by Prince Maurice in the unimportant town of Lyme Regis, which he made tenable, and put in fighting order like a ship. Maurice raised the siege on the approach of Essex, who, within three weeks, occupied Taunton, Tiverton, Weymouth, and Bridport. But the king, who had given Waller the slip at Copredy-bridge, and who had reinforced his army with a wonderful accession of enthusiastic royalists, was now in full march after him, and driving him into a corner, the narrow extremity of Cornwall, where the fierce natives, except 1 Rushworth.-Clarendon.-Ludlow.-Newcastle's Life by the Duch 2 Rushworth. some other forces were already upon their march toward the west." Charles therefore drew closer the toils in which he held the army of Essex; he drove them from a rising ground called Beacon-hill, and immediately caused a square work to be there raised, and a battery made which shot into their quarters with a plunging fire, and did great hurt. And then Goring was sent with the greatest part of the royal horse, and fifteen hundred foot, a little westward to St. Blaze, to drive the enemy yet closer together, and to cut off the provisions they received in that direction. The dashing, daring Goring, the bloodiest hand that waved a sword in these civil wars, executed the commission with entire success; and the parliamentarians were reduced to that small strip of land that lies between the river of Foy, or Fowey, and that of St. Blaze, which was not above two miles in breadth, and little more in length, and which had already been eaten bare by the cavalry. On the 25th of August the royalists made an attempt, which very nearly proved successful, at blowing up Essex's powder magazine by treachery. On the 27th the lordgeneral informed parliament that several skirm in the sea-ports and trading towns, were exceeding it was now certain that either Waller himself or ly hostile to the parliament. Prince Maurice also joined his forces to the king's, and a strong hope was entertained of destroying the whole of the parliamentarian army in the west. Charles, at this crisis, sent tempting offers to Essex; but that nobleman would not listen to them, but referred his majesty to the two Houses sitting at Westminster. His honesty was therefore more conspicuous than his ability in this campaign. Waller, after the affair at Copredy-bridge, ought to have followed westward; but he remained almost inactive, only sending Middleton, with about two thousand horse, after the king; but Middleton kept at such a distance from him that he never afforded Essex much help. If the earl had given the king battle on his first making his appearance, and before he was joined by the bands of west-country royalists, his chance would have been a good one; but he, on his side, expected to be joined by Middleton, perhaps by Waller, and so lay doing nothing, and allowing his men to be cooped up between Liskeard and the sea. Then Sir Richard Grenville came up with a wild force of Cornwall levies, and cut off some of the parliamentarian foraging parties. Captain Edward Brett arrived with the queen's body-ishes had lately taken place between him and the guard, which she had left behind her when em- royalists, wherein generally his forces had the barking for France, and Sir Jacob Astley mancu- better; but at the same time he earnestly pressed vred round Essex with a good party of horse for provisions and some fresh forces, concluding his and foot." Other corps gathered at other points, letter with these words "If succor come not and all supplies of forage and provisions were soon speedily we shall be put to great extremity. If cut off. But the sea as yet was open, and the we were in a country where we could force the Earl of Warwick, who attended the motions of the enemy to fight, it would be some comfort; but this army, was on the coast. "It was therefore now country consists so much upon passes, that he who resolved to make Essex's quarters yet straiter, and can subsist longest must have the better of it, which to cut off even his provisions by sea, or a good part is a great grief to me, who have the command of so thereof." The little town of Foy, or Fowey, which many gallant men.' At length the state of the covered and commanded a convenient harbor, was army being desperate, and famine staring them in in Essex's possession" and it was exceedingly the face, it was determined that Sir William Balwondered at by all men, that he being so long pos- four should try and break through the king's lines sessed of Foy, did not put strong guards into that with all the horse, and that then Essex should place, by which he might have prevented his army's endeavor to embark the foot at Fowey, and escape being brought into those extreme necessities." Sir by sea. A Frenchman, who deserted from the Richard Grenville possessed himself of Lanbeth-parliamentarians, went over by night and acquainterick, a strong house belonging to the Lord Roberts, and lying between Essex's camp and the little harbor, and Sir Jacob Astley made himself master of View-hall, which belonged to the Lord Mohun, and which was opposite to Foy. Sir Jacob put two captains, two hundred soldiers, and two great guns into View-hall, which in a short time rendered the town and position of Foy almost useless to Essex, and prevented the passage of provisions from the sea-bord. Now the king had leisure to sit still, and warily to expect what invention or stratagem the earl would make use of to make some attempt upon his army, or to make his own escape. In this posture both armies lay still without any notable action for the space of eight or ten days: when the king, seeing no better fruit from all that was hitherto done, resolved to draw his whole army together, and to make his own quarters yet much nearer, and either to force Essex to fight or to be uneasy even in his quarters. And it was high time to do so; for 113 ed the king with these two desperate plans. Instantly an order was given that both royal armies* should stand to their arms all that night (the night between the 30th and 31st of August), and that if Essex's cavalry should attempt an escape, they were to be fallen upon from both quarters-the passage between them through which the parliamentarians must go being but musket-shot over, and having in the midst a house well fortified and 1 Clarendon, Hist. "The Earl of Essex sent a letter to the parliament, acquainting them with the plot, lately discovered, to blow up his magazine : for which purpose, into two wagons filled with barrels of powder there were two engines privately conveyed, and put among the barrels, and were so near doing execution, that the lighted match that was fastened to the end of one of the engines was burned within an inch of the wild-fire when it was discovered, and the other match was burned to the very neck of the engine where it was to give fire; but it happened not to take, and so the coal was gone out of itself; one of which engines he sent up (and it was showed in the House of Commons)." Rushworth. 3 lb. 4 The army under Prince Maurice, according to Clarendon, was looked upon as distinct, and always so quartered. |