ENG 
pay, were fcnrcely fubjeft to controul ; while, on the 
other hand, the parliament army continued to be well 
fupplied and paid, qnd held together from principle. 
The parliament', to fet them an example of difinterefted- 
nefs in their own conduct, pafled an aft, called the [elf- 
denying ordinance. They refolved, left it fnould be fug- 
gefted that their intent was to make themfelves mafters, 
that no member of their houfe fltould have a command 
in the army. The former generals were therefore changed ; 
the earls of Elfex, Denbigh, and Manchefter, gave up 
their rommiftions ; while Fairfax was appointed general 
with Cromwell, who found means to keep at once his 
feat and his commillion. 
Never was a more lingular army affembled than that 
which now drew the fword in the parliamentary caufe. 
The officers exerciled the funftion of chaplains; and, 
during the intervals of adfion, inftrufted their troops by 
fermons, prayers, and exhortations. Rapturous extafies 
fupplied the place of cool refleftion ; and, while they 
kindled a frefti flame as they fpoke, they afcribed their 
zeal to a defcent of the holy fpirit from heaven. The 
private foldiers, feized with the fame fanaticifm, em¬ 
ployed their vacant hours in prayer, in perufing the holy 
fcriptures, in ghoftly conferences, &c. When marching 
to the field of battle, the ltymn and the ejaculation 
mixed their notes with thofe of the trumpet. An army, 
thus actuated, became invincible. 
The v.ell-difputed battle, which decided the fate of 
Charles, was fought at Nafeby, a village in Yorkfliire, 
June 4, 1645. The main body of the royal army was 
commanded by lord Afiley ; prince Rupert led the right 
wing, fir Marmaduke Langdale the left; and the king 
himfelf headed the body of referve. On the oppofite 
fide, Fairfax and Skippon commanded the main body ; 
Cromwell led on the right wing, and Ireton, his fon-in- 
law, the left. Prince Rupert attacked the left wing 
with his ufual impetuofity and fuccefs : they were broken 
and purfued as far as the village ; but he loft time in at¬ 
tempting to make himfelf mafter of their artillery. 
Cromwell, in the mean time, vvas equally fuccefsful on 
his fide, and broke through the enemies’ horfe, after a 
very obftinate refiftance. While thefe intrepid move¬ 
ments were made on the wings, the main body on both 
fides fupported the conflift with equal ardour; and, in 
fpite of the efforts of Fairfax and Skippon, their batta¬ 
lions began to give way. But it was now that Cromwell 
returned with his victorious forces, and charged the 
king’s infantry in flank with fitch vigour, that a total 
rout began to enfue. By this time prince Rupert had 
rejoined the king and the fmall body of referve ; but his 
troops, though victorious, could not be brought to a fe- 
cond charge. They were at all times licentious and un¬ 
governable ; but they were now intimidated; for the 
parliament forces, having recovered from the firft fhock, 
flood collected in order of battle to receive them. The 
king was defirous of making a charge in perfon at the 
head of his referve, which would have given new courage 
to his troops, and perhaps won the day ; but the earl of 
Carnwarth, who rode by his majefty’s fide, feizing the 
bridle of his horfe, turned him round, faying, with a 
loud oath, “ Will you go upon your death in an inftant ?” 
The troops, feeing this motion, wheeled to the right, and 
rode ofF in fuch confufion, that they could not be rallied 
again during the reft of the day. The king, ithus per¬ 
ceiving the battle loft, was obliged to abandon the field 
to his enemies, who took all his cannon, baggage, and 
above five thoufand prifoners. 
This fatal blow the king never recovered ; his army 
vvas difperfed, and the conquerors made as many captives 
as they thought proper. Among the other fpoils taken 
on this occafion, the king’s cabinet of letters was feized, 
in which was contained all his private correfpondence 
with the queen. Thefe were fhortly after publilhed by 
command of the parliament, who took a brutal pleafure 
2 
LAND. 675- 
in ridiculing thofe tender effufions of confidential regard 
which were unfitted to meet the public eye. 
The battle of Nafeby put the parliament in pofleflion 
of almoft all the ftrong cities of the kingdom, Briftol, 
Bridgewater, Chefter, Sherborn, and Bath. Exeter was 
befieged; and all the king’s troops in the weftern coun¬ 
ties being entirely difperfed, Fairfax prefled the place, 
and it furrendered at diferetion. T-he king’s interefts 
now went to ruin on every quarter. The Scottilh army, 
having made themfeives mafters of Carlifle, marched 
fouth, and laid fiege to Hereford. Another engagement 
followed between the king’s troops and the parliament 
army, in which his. forces were put to the rout by Co¬ 
lonel Jones, a thoufand of his men made prifoners, and 
five hundred flain. Thus harafled on every fide, the 
opprefled king retreated to Oxford, which in all condi¬ 
tions of his fortune held fteady to his caufe; and there 
he refolved to offer new terms to his relentlefs purfuers. 
Nothing could be more affecting than the king’s diftreifed 
fituation in that city. Saddened by his late melancholy 
difafters; impreffecTwith the apprehenfions of the fate 
which hung over him; harafled by the murmurs of thofe 
who had followed his caufe, and flung with his incapa¬ 
city to relieve them ; he wate now willing to grant the 
parliament their own terms, and at any rate to procure a 
reconciliation. He therefore fent repeated meffages to 
this ptirpofe ; but they never deigned to make him the 
lead reply. At laft, after reproaching him with the blood 
fpilt during the war, they told him that they were pre¬ 
paring fome bills, to which if he would confent, they 
fltould be able to judge of his pacific inclinations. 
In the mean time Fairfax, with a powerful army, was 
marching to lay fiege to Oxford. To be taken captive, 
and led in triumph by his infolent fubjefts, was what 
Charles dreaded and abhorred. In this defperate extre-- 
mity, he embraced a nteafure which, in any other fitua¬ 
tion, might juftly lie under the imputation of the higheft 
imprudence and indiferetion. He refolved to give him¬ 
felf up to the Scots’ army, and truft to their loyalty for 
proteftion. That he might the better conceal his defign 
from the people of Oxford, orders were given at every 
gate of the city for allowing three perfons to pafs. In the 
night, the king, accompanied by doftor Hudfon and Mr. 
Afhburnham, took the road towards London, travelling 
as Aftiburnham’s fervant. He, in faft, came fo near 
London, that he once entertained thoughts of entering 
that city, and of throwing himfelf on the mercy of the 
parliament. At laft, after palling through many crofs- 
roads and by-ways, he arrived at the Scots’ camp before 
Newark, Jan. 30, 1646, and difeovered himfelf to lord 
Leven, the Scottifh general. 
The Scots, though faid to have given the king fome 
general affurances of fidelity and proteftion, Teemed 
greatly furprifed at his arrival. Inftead of bellowing a 
thought on his interefts, they inftantly entered into a con- 
fultation upon their own. The commiflioners of their 
army fent to the parliament an immediate account of the 
king’s furrender; and declared that his coming among 
them was altogether uninvited and unexpefted. In the 
mean time, they prevailed upon the king to give direc¬ 
tions for furrendering all his garrifons to the parliament, 
with which he complied. In return for this condefcen- 
fion, they treated him in a manner very different from 
refpeft. The Scots had, from' their firft entrance into 
England, be^n allowed pay by the parliament, in order 
to prevent their plundering the country ; much of this, 
however, remained unpaid, from the unavoidable necef- 
fities of the times ; and much more was claimed by the 
Scots than was really due. They therefore confidered 
this as a favourable opportunity for infifting on their ar¬ 
rears ; and they refolved to make the king the inftrument 
by which this money was to be obtained. After various 
debates between them and the parliament, it was Itipu- 
lated, that upon payment of four hundred thoufand 
pounds. 
