BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 



horse into Lincolnshire, where he assisted in th* 

 rout of Sir John Henderson. Thence he was has- 

 tily summoned in the winter, to the relief of Nant- 

 wich in Cheshire, besieged by Lord Byron ; whom 

 in conjunction with Sir William Brereton, he en- 

 tirely defeated. Returning into Yorkshire, he and 

 his father joined the Scotch army, which advanced 

 to the assistance of t'.e parliament, and with it they 

 laid siege to York. This brought on in July, 1644, 

 the battle of Marston-Moor; the first great action 

 in which the king's troops were defeated, and the 

 Commencement of his bad success. Sir Thomas 

 Fairfax on that occasion, commanded the right 

 win* of horse, which was driven off the field by 

 prince Rupert. After this engagement, and the 

 taking of the city of York, Fairfax was detached 

 with a body of the victorious troops, to undertake 

 the siege of Helmsley castle, which shortly after 

 surrendered, and was dismantled. Here he receiv- 

 ed a severe wound in the shoulder, which compelled 

 him to be removed to York, where he lay for some 

 lime in great danger. 



Such was now his reputation for zeal and cou- 

 rage, that upon the new modelling of the army, 

 and displacing of the earl of Essex, the parliament 

 by a unanimous vote, appointed Fairfax general in 

 his stead* Cromwell \vas at the same time made 

 lieutenant-general ; the heads of the party expect- 

 ing, what in fact took place, that by his superior 

 art and abilities, he would become the actual direc- 

 tor of the army's motions. Fairfax was called to 

 London, and received with great honour by the 

 parliament. An ordinance was made for the raising 

 of forces under his command, and the appointment 

 of officers was committed to him, with liberty to 

 select them out of all the other armies. When this 

 force was completed, he marched to attend the 

 king's motions, who threatened to break in upon 

 the eastern associated counties. The two parties 

 met at Naseby in June, 16 15, where Fairfax gained 

 a complete and decisive victory. In this engage- 

 ment he led the main body of infantry, and acquit* 



