xii Editor's Preface 



being the chief, and the despising of slanderous tongues and 

 pens being not the least ingredient.' x This letter was written 

 on April 6, 1644, and on the nth of the same month New- 

 castle's lieutenant, Bellasis, was defeated and taken prisoner, 

 and the -Marquis himself forced to make a hurried retreat to 

 York, where the united armies of Fairfax, Lesly, and Man- 

 chester closed in upon him, and made his surrender only a 

 question of time. Prince Rupert raised the siege ; but, not 

 content with that, and misunderstanding the King's orders, 

 pursued the retreating enemy, and, against the advice of the 

 Marquis, forced on the battle of Marston Moor. In that 

 battle the Marquis held no command, but fought as a private 

 gentleman at the head of a company of volunteers. The day 

 after, he, with his immediate friends, made his way to Scar- 

 borough and embarked for the Continent. If he had been 

 content to remain in England, and laboriously recommence 

 the task of raising armies for the King, he might have con- 

 siderably retarded the loss of the north. There were a hundred 

 examples of men, less eminent in position and command, 

 who struggled cheerfully, even though with little hope of 

 success, until all further resistance was impossible. But 

 Newcastle, loyal though he was, held no such troublesome 

 and exacting a view of his duty. His wife represents him as 

 leaving England because he saw there was nothing else to 

 be done, and was ' loath to have aspersions cast upon him ' 

 for failing to do what was impossible. Another account 

 makes him reply to Rupert's persuasions to recruit his forces 

 for another effort, by saying ' I will not endure the laughter 

 of the court.' Clarendon, whilst discussing the causes of 

 this retirement, seizes the opportunity to draw one of those 

 portraits which no biographer can leave unquoted : 



' All that can be said for the Marquis is, that he was utterly 

 tired with a condition and employment so contrary to his 

 humour, nature, and education, that he did not at all con- 

 sider the means or the way that would let him out of it, and 

 free him for ever from having more to do with it. And it was 

 a greater wonder, that he sustained the vexation and fatigue 

 of it so long, than that he broke from it with so little circum- 

 spection. He was a very fine gentleman, active and full of 

 courage, and most accomplished in those qualities of horse- 



1 Ellis, Original Letters, I, iii. 298. 



