"should remain but the outside, but the picture, "but the sign of a king. War on any terms was, therefore, esteemed preferable to such an ignominious peace. Thus the king and his parliament mutually reproached each other for beginning a scene of slaughter, of which both were equally culpable.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXI.

CHARLES I. (Continued.)

A. D.

No period since England began could shew so many instances of courage, 1642. abilities, and virtue, as the present fatal opposition called forth into exertion. Now was the time when talents of all kinds, unchecked by authority, were called from the lower ranks of life to dispute for power and pre-eminence. Both sides, equally confident of the justice of their cause, appealed to God to judge of the rectitude of their intentions. The parliament was convinced that it fought for Heaven, by asserting its regards for a peculiar mode of worship; and the king was not less convinced that his claims were sacred, as he had ever been taught to consider them as of divine original. Thus passion and enthusiasm on each side animated the combatants; and courage, rather than conduct among these undisciplined troops decided the fortune of the day.

Never was contest more unequal than seemed at first between the contending parties; the king being entirely destitute of every advantage. His revenue had been seized by parliament; all the sea-port towns were in their hands, except Newcastle,and thus they were possessed of the customs, which these could supply; the fleet was at their disposal; all magazines of arms and ammunition were seized for their use; and they had the wishes of all the most active members of the nation.

To oppose this, the king had that acknowledged reverence which was paid to royalty,to give sanction to his cause. The greater part of the nobility adhered to him, as their distinctions must rise or

fall

fall with the source of honour. Most of the men of education also, and the antient gentry, still considered loyalty as a virtue, and armed their tenants and servants in his cause. With these followers and hopes, therefore, he resolved to take the field, and erected the royal standard at Nottingham.

Manifestoes on the one side and the other were now dispersed throughout the whole kingdom; and the people were universally divided between two factions, distinguished by the names of Caraliers and Roundheads. The king, to bind him-self by the most solemn engagements to his people, made the following protestation before his whole army.

"I do promise, in the presence of almighty "God, and as I hope for his blessing and pro"tection, that I will, to the utmost of my power, "defend and maintain the true reformed protes"tant religion, established in the church of Eng"land; and, by the grace of God, in the same will live and die.

"I desire that the laws may be ever the measure "of my government, and that the liberty and property of the subject may be preserved by "them with the same care as my own just rights. "And if it please God by his blessing on this army raised for my necessary defence, to preserve me from the present rebelliou, I do solemnly "and faithfully promise, in the sight of God, to "maintain the just privileges and freedom of par"liament, and to govern, to the utmost of my

power, by the known statutes and customs of "the kingdom; and particularly to observe inviolably the laws to which I have given my consent this parliament. Mean while, if this emer" gence, and the great necessity to which I am "driven, beget any violation of law, I hope it "shall be imputed by God and man to the au

"thors

"thors of this war, not to me, who have so ear"nestly laboured to preserve the peace of the kingdom.

66

"When I willingly fail in these particulars, I "shall expect no aid or relief from man, nor any "protection from above. But in this resolution "I hope for the cheerful assistance of all good "men, and am confident of the blessings of hea"ven."

The sincerity with which this speech was dellvered, and the justice of its contents, served to strengthen the king's cause. At first he appeared in a very low condition; besides the train bands. of the county, raised by Sir John Digby the sheriff, he had not got together three hundred infantry. His cavalry which composed his chief strength, exceeded not eight hundred, and were very ill provided with arms. However, he was soon gradually reinforced from all quarters; but not being then in a condition to face his enemies, he thought it prudent to retire by slow marches to Derby, and thence to Shrewsbury, in order to countenance, the levies which his friends were making in those quarters.

In the mean time the parliament were not remiss in preparations on their side. They had a magazine of arms at Hull, and Sir John Hotham was appointed governor of that place by parlia ment. Charles had some time before presented himself before that town, but was refused admission: and from this they drew their principal resources. The forces also, which had been every where raised on pretence of the service of Ireland, were now more openly enlisted by the parliament for their own purposes; and the command given to the earl of Essex, a bold man, who rather desired to see monarchy abridged, than totally destroyed. In London, no less than four thousand

men

men were enlisted in one day; and the parliament voted a declaration, which they required every member to subscribe, that they would live and die with their general. Orders were also issued out for loans of money and plate, which were to defend the king, and both houses of parliament; for they still preserved this style. This brought Immense quantities of plate to the treasury; and so great was men's ardour in the cause, that there was more than they could find room for. By these means they found themselves in a short time at the head of sixteen thousand men; and the earl of Essex led them towards Northampton against the king.

The army of the royalists was not so great as that of Essex; however it was supposed to be better disciplined, and better conducted. The two sons of the unfortunate Elector Palatine, prince Rupert, and prince Maurice, offered their services to the king, and were gladly accepted. A slight advantage gained by prince Rupert over colonel Sandys, in the beginning, gave great hopes of his future activity, and inspired the army with resolution to hazard a battle. So little were both armies skilled in the arts and stratagems of war, that they were within six miles of each other before they were acquainted with their mutual approach; and, what is remarkable, they had been ten days within twenty miles of each other without knowing it.

Edge-hill was the first place where the two armies were put in array against each other, and the country first drenched in civil slaughter. It was a dreadful sight, to see above thirty thousand of the bravest men in the world, instead of employing their courage abroad, turning it against each other, while the dearest friends, and the nearest kinsmen, embraced opposite sides,and prepared to bury their private