I. 1642. The King instead of march go PART don; and undertook with them to possess himself of Whitehall and Westminster, and to drive out the rebellious part of the Parliament from thence, and to make good that part of the town 'till his Majesty should come up with the remainder of his Army; which might easily be effected, before the Earle of Essex with his shatter'd forces cou'd march thither to oppose him: But this so seasonable a proposition was first obstructed, and finally layd aside by the aduice of many in the Councill, who were affraid least his Majesty shou'd return by conquest; one of them in plain terms telling him, that it was too hazardous for him to send Prince Rupert on that design, who being a young man, and naturally passionate might possibly be urg'd in heat of blood to fire the town. By these and such like cautious remonstrances made and seconded by men of the same principles, the King was first perswaded to and take in Banbury, which was commanded by Colonell Fiennes for the Parliament; and that being perform'd, he was wrought on further, to march from thence to Oxford; where staying some days, he delayd his opportunity so long that he lost it and the Earle of Essex got before him to the city, which oversight of Part: 1. p. 26. his Majesty was of fatall consequence to his affaires: For in appearance had he marched directly thither, he had put an end to the warr, and wholy extinguish'd the rebellion. Because the factious party of the Parliament, and all their adherents in the town, were under so great a consternation that they wou'd certainly have gone out at one end of it, whilst his Majesty was entring at the other. But the Earle of Essex being return'd to them, and the King's Army not appearing before they had recover'd from their fright, they took heart again, gave order to recruit their broken forces, and settled the minds of their wavering freinds; as plainly appear'd, when his Majesty afterwards too late advanced towards them. ing straight to London, is perswaded to take Banbury, and from thence to march to Ox ford. OR. MEM. The King marcheth at last for London in No uember, but it For leaving Oxford in the begining of Nouciber, he marched I. 1642. was then too late, Essex fore him. OR: MEM: forces pass at Brandford in November. OR. MEM. Part 1. p. 27. at last for London, finding no opposition in his way till he came PART to Brandford, which was on the twelfth of the foremention'd month: There were quarter'd in that place two or three regiments of the Rebell's foot, with some horse who endeavour'd to make good the bridge; but after a hot dispute which continued for some houres, the pass was forced, and all their foot taken or kill'd the place. It has since been confessed by a person upon of quality, who was then with the Earle of Essex, that had the King's troops marched on without delay, they had infallibly master'd London, the Enemy's forces being so dispersed in severall quarters without the town, and most of the horse on the other side of the water at Kingston; so that when the Earle of Essex came that evening to Hamersmith, he had but a very inconsiderable number of troops with him, and expected every moment to have been driven in to the town. But the next morning most of his forces came up to him, and at the least ten thousand of the train'd bands out of the city; all which he drew up on Turnham Green, so that then it was not adviseable for the King to fight them, they being double his number, nor consequently was it safe for him to stay in their neighbourhood. For which reason the same evening his Majesty drew back to Hampton Court, and the next day passing the river, he marched to Oatlands, from thence to Bagshott, and so to Reading, where the King continued for some days, because the Prince at that time fell sick of the meazell; but so soon as he was recover'd, his Majesty leaving that town garrison'd, march'd on to Oxford. Earle of Esing too strong, obliged to draw sex' forces be the King is back to Read ing and from thence to Ox ford. Ibid. The Prince meazells at fell sick of the Reading. Ibid. p. 29. 1643. Reading be Rebells, in April. About the middle of Aprill the Earle of Essex beseiged Reading; of which the King receiuing notice, assembled his Army, sieged and and marched up to the releif of it: but failing of his attempt, he return'd to Oxford, and a day or two after his retreat the OR. MEM. town was surrender'd to the Parliament: In this expedition he took the Prince along with him, but left the Duke behind. Par: 1. p. 29. PART I. 1643. Towards the end of July, Bristoll was taken by Prince Rupert, and about the same time the Queen came to Oxford within a Prince Rupert day or two after Bristoll was in the King's possession; he went in July. Ibid. to that City taking with him both the Prince and the Duke, The King go's and about the 10th of August marched to Glocester and be takes Bristol thither and takes the Prince and seiged it. The conduct of that Seige proved fatall to the King's affaires, first in breaking ground at too great a distance, and secondly in preparing gallerys to pass the ditch, which were absolutely unnecessary, the ditch being neither so deep nor so large as to oblige them to that loss of time; To this may be added, that when S' Jacob Ashlay was ready to spring his Mine, he was hinder'd from it because the Earle of Branford at his attaque was not ready to do the same. All this put togather gave the Earle of Essex leasure to march from London with his Army to the releef of the place; whereas had the Seige been vigourously managed, as it might have been, the town cou'd not have held out aboue four days. So soon as his Majesty was inform'd that the Rebells were marching towards him, he commanded Prince Rupert with most of the horse, to meet them in their way, to attend their motion, and endeavour all he cou'd to retard their march; which he perform'd with so much conduct, that he hinder'd them at least two days; But it prov'd of no advantage to the King, because he was not far enough advanced in the Seige to master the town in that space of time gain'd by Prince Rupert. And now the Earle of Essex was come so near, that it was necessary for his Majesty to draw off, which he did about the 8th of September, and marched towards the Parliament's Army with resolution to engage them. In pursuance of this he arriu'd at Sudely Castle, when the Enemy was at Winchcom; from Sudely the Prince and the Duke were sent back to Oxford: But the Earle of Essex, who having reliev'd Glocester, had no I. design to fight, gave the King's Army the slip, and retreated PART with what haste he cou'd to London: So that his Majesty with all his diligence cou'd not overtake him, till they came to Auburn and Newberry where they fought. Some time before the Seige of Glocester, the Queen came to Oxford, as has been already mention'd, she continued there till Aprile, 1644, and about that time went to Exceter; where in June following she was deliver'd of the Princesse Henrietta, fifteen days after whose birth, she was forced in that weak condition, for fear of the Parliament's Army, to provide for her own safety by going into France, and to leave the Princesse there. In the same year about the third of June, his Majesty marched out of Oxford with all his horse and musketiers, to avoid being inclosed in that city by two Armies of the Rebells, the one commanded by the Earle of Essex, and the other by S' Will. Waller, but he left his pikemen and cannon in the Town; he then took the Prince along with him, but thought fitt that the Duke should stay in Oxford. The King passed happily between their Armys, and having got clear of them marched towards Worcester; for which reason the Earle of Essex commanded Sir Will: Waller with his forces to follow the King, and attend his motions, while himself marched into the west as hoping to reduce that part of the country under the power of the Parliament, while S' William by his neighbourhood should find employment for the King's Army: But his Majesty having timely notice of his design, once more gave the slip to Waller and march'd back towards Oxford. Then sending for his pikemen and cannon to joine him, he turn'd back upon Waller and defeated him at Capredy Bridge on the 29th of June. After which Victory he immediatly follow'd Essex into the west, and drove him up into a nooke of Cornwall to Lestihiel; where that Earle, by the advice of 1644. The Queen is deliver'd of rietta at Exceand 15 days the pen Hen ter in June after is forced France. The King marches out of Oxford. The King de feats Waller at Capredy Bridge. 29 June. He follows Essex into the drives him up West and into a nooke. I. 1644. PART Lord Roberts, forsook his Army and went by sea to Pleamouth, (the only garrison remaining to the Parliament in all those parts) After his departure his horse broke through the King's Army, and by the negligence of the Lord Goreing, got to Pleamouth also. The Parliament's foot thus doubly deserted, by their Generall and by their horse, treated for themselves and made conditions to march away leaving behind them their armes, cannon and ammunition. While these things passed where his Majesty was in person, York beseiged his armes in the north were unsuccessfull: For York being by the Rebells. besieged by the forces of the Rebells in those parts, Prince Rupert drew together all the troops which he could make in the neighbouring countries, with resolution to releive it; and the Enemy being advertised of his march towards them, rais'd the Seige, and drew off about four or five miles distance from the town. Marston moore. At which time Prince Rupert received a positiue order from his Majesty to fight them. In pursuance of which he The Battell of sent to the Marquis of Newcastle for all the forces he could spare him out of York. Thus recruited, he follow'd the Enemy, and press'd him so very closse, that he was obliged to turn his face and fight. The day in all probability had been the King's, if the Lord Biron had punctually obeyd his orders, for Prince Rupert had posted him very advantageously behind a warren and a slough, with positiue command not to quitt his ground, but in that posture only to expect and to receive there the charge of the Enemy; who must of necessity be much disorder'd in passing over to him, as being to receive the fire of seven hundred musketiers in their advance to him, which undoubtedly had been very dangerous if not wholly ruinous to them: But in stead of maintaining his post, as he ought in duty to have donc, when the Enemy had only drawn down two or three feild pieces, and with them play'd upon him, he |