by no means consent to the abrogation of Episcopacy not in the second place would he suffer the Militia to be taken out of his hands which he conceived to be a cheif flower of his Crown Yet he was contented that for three yeares it should be governed by twenty equally chosen out of both sides Lastly to the prosecution of a War against the Irish he could not consent having made a cessation of Arms with them which in Honour he could not break Thus nothing at all being done toward peace the War must decide it The Parliament hasten the modelling of their new Army The Earls of Essex Warwick Manchester and Denbigh freely and voluntarily lay down their Commissions The new modelled Army of the Parliament consisted of twenty one thousand namely fourteen thousand foot six thousand Horse and one thousand Dragoneers Sir Thomas Fairfax was made General Philip Skippon an excellent souldier was made Major General Colonels of the Foot Regiments were Holborn Fortescue Barclay Craford Ingolesby Mountain Pickering Rainsborough Welden Aldridge of Horse Regiments Sir Michael Levesâ—y Sheffield Middleton Sidney Graves Vermuden Whaley Fleetwood Rossiter Py. The King on the other side had great Forces under divers Commanders to whom he distributed several Provinces the Princes Rupert and Maurice with numerous forces possessed some of the Northern parts of the Kingdom others were held by the Earl of Derby and Sir Marmaduke Langdale Sir John Biron and Gerard held Wales and some adjacent Counties The West was wholly possessed by three Armies of his under the several Commands of Sir Ralph Hopton Sir Richard Greenvile and Colonel Goring All these three though Generals by themselves yet served under the name of Charles Prince of Wales as their supreme General But the King not content with so great a force of English Souldiers was more earnest than before to get over the Irish Papists with whom he had before committed the business to Ormund to make an absolute peace but when the King perceived that those Irish made too high demands and that nothing was effected by Ormund toward the peace in so many Treaties and so long a time he thought of another way which was to the Lord Herbert of Ragland Son to Worcester whom he had created Earl of Glamorgan a zealous Papist and therefore most acceptable to those Irish Rebels the King gave full power by his Letters to make a peace with and indulge to the Irish whatsoever should seem needful It seemed strange to all men when these things were brought to light which was before the end of that year that such a business should be carried on and yet concealed from the Lord Digby Secretary for Ireland and Ormund the Lord Lieutenant to whom the whole matter of that peace had been before committed But the King when he saw it too hard a thing otherwise to make such a peace as would bring a certainty of assistance from them that he might throw all that Envy upon Glamorgan impowred him unknown to the rest for so the Rebels sweetened with large promises unknown to Ormund might the better admit of conditions just in shew and openly excusable and the King might draw from Ireland such Souldiers as would more firmly adhere to his side and he might trust as being the greatest haters of English Protestants and despairing of pardon against the Parliament of England He therefore gave Letters of authority to Glamorgan in these words CHARLES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our Trusty and Well beloved Cousin Edward Earl of Glamorgan Greeting Being confident of your wisdom and fidelity We do by these Letters as if under â—ur great Seal grant unto you full power and authority to Treat and conclude with the confeâ—erate Roman Catholikes of Ireland and to inâ—ulge to them all those things which necessity â—â—all require and which we cannot so commodiâ—â—sly do by our Lieutenant nor our Self publick-â—own at present Therefore We command that 〈◊〉 do this business with as much secresie as can 〈◊〉 whatsoever you shall think fit to be promâ—â—â—â— in my name that do I attest upon the word of a King and a Christian to grant to those Confederate Catholikes who by their assistance have abundantly shewed their zeal to us and our Cause Given at Oxford under our Royal Seal the twelfth day of March and twentieth year of our Raign Nor into England onely did he endeavour to bring those Irish but into Scotland which he effected to the great damage of that unhappy Kingdom by Montross about the beginning of the year 1644. when the Scottish Covenanters came into England to assist the Parliament Montross went to Oxford to the King to offer his service against the Covenanters in Scotland The King to fit him for that purpose created him a Marquess and gave him his Commission to be Lord Governour of Scotland and General of all his forces the King then also sent for the Earl of Antrim to participate with Montross his Councels who entering into a confederacy with him before the King engaged himself there that he would send to Montross the next April into Arguile where the passage is short into Ireland ten thousand Irish This promise at the appointed time Aâ—trim performed in part but was very deficient in the number of Souldiers for instead of ten thousand he sent scarce twelve hundred Irish into Scotland under the conduct of Macdonald Montross notwithstanding with these men with the addition of his Atholians made up a sufficient theeving Army and making sudden excursions he fell into the neighbouring Countries wasting all robbing houses and burning up the Corn where he came insomuch as that the State had need of great Armies to restrain his violence whilst the craggy Mountains of Atholia and rough woody places there gave safe retreat to his Highlanders and Irish In this manner did Montross for the space almost of two years lie within the bowels of his Country like a pestilent disease such were his retreats and so great his boldness in excursions that no less an Army than twelve thousand was thought sufficient to defend the Provinces against him But Montross was tossed with various turns of Fortune The first Summer after his arrival in Scotland he gave the Earl of Arguile a great blow through the negligence of his men where fifteen hundred were slain and taken by Montross whereupon the Parliament of Scotland raised an Army of ten thousand against him and the same parliament condemned Montross with some other Lords to be a Traitor and Enemy to his Country Montross afterwards received a great overthrow from Hurry and was enforced to fly to his craggy retreats and shortly after he was again beaten by Hurry near to Dundee and absolutely forced to hide himself in his old receptacles from whence notwithstanding on a sudden as shall be shewed anon he shewed himself and from a contemptible estate grown justly formidable he overwhelmed Scotland
in a miserable calamity While the King persisted in these courses the Kirk of Scotland from the Synod at Edinburgh sent Letters to him containing a serious admonition which because the admonition of a National Church may seem a thing of some moment shall be set down verbatim the Preface onely omitted because long though very humble THE troubles of our hearts are enlarged and our fears encreased in your Majesties behalf perceiving that your Peoples patience is above measure tempted is like a Cart pressed down with Sheaves and ready to break while as besides many former designs and endeavours to bring desolation and destruction upon us which were and we trust all of that kind shall be by the marvellous and merciful providence of God discovered and disappointed our Countrey is now infested the bloud of divers of our brethren spilt and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty exercised by the cursed crew of the Irish Rebels and their complices in this Kingdom under the conduct of such as have Commission and Warrant from your Majesty and unless we prove unfaithful both to God and your Majesty we cannot conceal another danger which is infinitely greater than your Peoples displeasure Therefore we the servants of the most high God and your Majesties most loyal Subjects in the humility and grief of our hearts fall down before your Throne and in the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who shall judge the World in Righteousness both great and small and in the name of this whole Nationall Kirk which we represent we make bold to warn your Majesty freely that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your Throne is such as whatsoever flattering Preachers or unfaithful Counsellors may say to the contrary if not timely repented cannot but involve your self and your posterity under the wrath of the ever living God for your being guilty of the shedding of the bloud of many thousands of your Majesties best subjects for your permitting the Mass and other Idolatry both in your own Family in your Dominions for your authorizing by the book of sports the prophanation of the Lords day for your not punishing of publike scandals and much prophaneness in and about your Court for the shutting of your ears from the humble and just desires of your faithful subjects for your complying too much with the popish party many wayes and namely by concluding the cessation of Armes in Ireland and your embracing the councels of those who have not set God nor your good before their eyes for your resisting and opposing this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God your own honour and happiness and the peace and safety of your Kingdomes and for what other causes your Majesty is most conscious and may best judge and search your own conscience nor would we have mentioned any particulars if they had not been publike and known For all which it is high time for your Majesty to fall down at the foot-stool of the King of glory to acknowledge your offences to repent timely to make your peace with God through Jesus Christ whose bloud is able to wash away your great sins and to be no longer unwilling that the Son of God reign over you and your Kingdoms in his pure Ordinances of Church-government and Worship They conclude with a profession and protestation of their constancy in so just a cause against any opposition whatsoever This admonition of the generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland was sent first to the Scottish Commissioners at London and by them delivered to the Kings Secretary but Ecclesiastical admonition in the heat of War little availed When the Spring began the War with great heat and courage on both sides was renewed Generall Essex had laid down his Commission and Sir Thomas Fairfax went to Windsor to his new-modelled Army a new Army indeed made up of some remainders of the old ones and other raised forces in the Countries an Army seeming no way glorious either in the dignity of Commanders or antiquity of Souldiers never hardly did any Army go forth to War with less confidence of their own side or more contempt of their enemies and did more bravely deceive both and shew how far it was possible for humane conjectures to erre For in their following action and successes they proved such as would too much pose antiquity among all the Camps of their famed Heroes to find a parallel to this Army He that will seriously weigh their atchievements in the following year against potent and gallant Enemies and consider the greatness of things the number of Victories how many battels were woon how many Towns and Garrisons were taken he can hardly think them the work of one year or fit to be called one War But whosoever considers this must take heed that he do not attribute too much to them but give it wholly to Almighty God whose providence over this Army as it did afterwards miraculously appear so it might in some measure be hoped for at the first considering the behaviour and discipline of those Souldiers For the usual vices of Camps were here restrained the discipline was strict no theft no wantonness no oaths nor any prophane words could escape without the severest castigation by which it was brought to pass that in this Camp as in a well ordered City passage was safe and commerce free The first expedition of General Fairfax as it was ordered by the Committee of both Kingdomes was into the West to releive Taunton a Town that had long with incredible manhood and constancy under Blake their Governour endured a sharp siege by Sir Richard Greenvile and seemed to emulate though with more happiness the fidelity of old Sagunthum but this work was not done by the General himself but Colonel Welden who was sent thither with seven thousand of the new Army Fairfax himself was recalled by the Committee of both Kingdoms to go upon other action But because the King had sent for Prince Rupert from Wales to come to Oxford that he might joyn forces and march into the field General Fairfax before he went from Windsor sent Cromwell with a party of Horse to hinder the Kings designs who marching speedily from Windsor with great felicity vanquished a part of the Kings forces at Islip-bridge taking divers of the Commanders prisoners the remainder of that party flying into Bletchington House were there besieged and yeilded to Cromwell with the same success at Bampton-bush he took Vaughan and Littleton and defeated their forces The King when Prince Rupert and Maurice were come to him with their forces designed his march toward the East to take possession of the Isle of Ely which he hoped would be betrayed to him by some of his party there Cromwell and Major General Brown the Governor of Abington were commanded to follow the King but soon recalled as too weak in forces to encounter the King and to assist General Fairfax in besieging of Oxford
which favour they gave the King thirty thousand pounds This was that cessation of Arms so much spoken against by honest men in London for that reason especially that it was directly against a Law and the Kings faith for it was enacted by authority of Parliament the King also signing the Act in the year one thousand six hundred forty one That the War against those bloudy Irish Rebels should proceed untill it were declared by Parliament that Ireland were fully subdued and that no peace nor any cessation of Arms should be made with those Rebels without the consent of both Houses of Parliament Thus was assistance brought to either side to the King which he especially aimed at in this business that English Army which for almost a whole years space had fought valiantly and victoriously against those Rebels was now brought into England within five moneths after that cessation to fight against the Parliament of England but the cause being changed the fortune of those Souldiers was likewise changed for they had no success in England but within a short time after their arrival that whole Army was utterly defeated and all their cheif commanders with seventeen hundred common Souldiers were taken prisoners by Sir Thomas Faâ—rfax The Scottish Army that Winter following about the middle of January passing over Tweed came into England The Earl of Leven was General his kinsman David Lesley commanded the Horse the snow that fell at that time covered the ground in an unusual depth and as great a frost had congealed all the rivers but the heat of fighting was greater than the rigor of the air and the patience of Souldiers overcame the hard weather The Earl of Leven marched with his forces against the Earl of Newcastle who with a great Army possessed the Northern parts of England for the King nor did the War goe on with less vigour in other parts In the beginning of the Spring great Armies were raised on both sides and filled all the countries with terrour all the following Summer which fell in the year one thousand six hundred forty four they fought with equal fury and almost equal fortunes insomuch as that England by the dubiousness of success on both sides and sad vicissitude of calamitous slaughters was made an unhappy Kingdom The Kings fortune was susteined by brave Armies in the West under the Princes Rupert and Maurice in Wales under Gerard and others in the midland Counties under Sir Jacob Ashley an old Souldier other Armies were commanded by Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Goring and in the North the Earl of Newcastles great Army Nor were the forces of Parliament inferiour the cheif Army under the General Essex Waller commanded another the Earl of Manchester to whom Crumwell a stout and successful Souldier was joyned led a strong Army toward the North where the Lord Fairfax and his Son had good forces and Sir John Meldrum not far off the Earl of Denbigh a stout Commander was with a fair Party about Strafford and besides these the great Scottish Army At the beginning of that Summer the Parliament attempted a thing of great moment to besiege Oxford or at least to block up the King within that Town which was endeavoured by two Armies Essex on the one side and Waller on the other but the King deceived them both and with a few light Horse escaping out of the Town went to joyn with his greater Armies General Essex marched farther into the West but the expedition proved unhappy both to himself and the Parliament Waller followed the King but in vain for he could not hinder his designed March onely some skirmishes happened between parts of their Forces but nothing was done of any great moment until Waller returned with his force to encounter enemies in other places Various were the successes this Summer in most parts of the Kingdom in the West South and midland Counties the Kings forces prevailed above the Parliament which perchance had been ruined if the North had not made them amends with some atchievements besides one great Victory For Leve with his Scottish forces coming the last Winter into England besides the taking of some Towns and Forts had much weakened Newcastles Army lessening their number not by fighting but enduring the sharpness of that weather which the other could not so well doe To Leven the Lord Fairfax after Selby was so miraculously taken by valiant Sir Thomas Fairfax joyned himself with all his forces to whom also the Earl of Manchester after his Lincoln expedition came with a gallant Army Three Parliament Armies under three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax with great concord and unanimity had marched together and with joyned forces had besieged the great City of York whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour to raise the siege Prince Rupert was come with a great Army out of the South the three Generals left their siege to fight the Prince under him also Newcastle having drawn his forces out of York served who on a great plain called Marston Moore gave battel to the three Generals This was the greatest battel of the whole civil war never did greater Armies both in number and strength encounter or drew more bloud in one fight The Victory at first was almost gotten by the Royalists whose left Wing Fairfax his men being disadvantaged by the inconvenience of the ground had routed and put to flight the right wing of the Parliamentarians but this loss was more than recompenced in the other Wing where Crumwell who fought under Manchester charged with such force and fury the right wing of the Royalists that he broke the best Regiments which Prince Rupert had and put them all to flight Crumwel together with David Lesley pursued them and wheeling about with his Horse came opportunely to the releif of his oppressed friends in the other Wing where they ceased not until they had gained a compleat Victory and all Prince Rupert his Ordnance his carriages and baggage were possessed by the Parliamentarians After this Victory Rupert with the remnant of his forces fled into the South some of the Victorious Armies Horse in vain pursuing him for some miles the Earl of Newcastle with some of his chosen friends leaving York of which City Sir Thomas Glenham took the government went to Scarborough where within a while after he took shipping and passed into Germany The three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax after this great Victory returned to besiege York to whom that City soon after upon conditions was rendered after which they divided their forces and Leven with his Scottish Army returning into the North about the end of that Summer took the rich Town of Newcastle about the same time that the General Essex unfortunately managed his business in the West and having lost all his Artillery returned to London This Summer the Queen passed into France and used great endeavour to raise aid for the King her husband among the Roman Catholikes but those endeavours proved fruitless yet