These men were
animated with an enthusiasm of which at the present day we cannot form an
adequate conception. They divided their time between military duties and
prayer; they sang psalms as they advanced to the charge; they called on the
name of the Lord, while they were slaying their enemies. The result showed
that fanaticism furnished a more powerful stimulus than loyalty; the
soldiers of God proved more than a match for the soldiers of the
monarch.[2]
[Footnote 1: Journals, Feb. 27, May 10, June 16, Aug. 8. Lords' Journ. vii.
420, 535.]
[Footnote 2: Essex, Manchester, and Denbigh reluctantly tendered their
resignations the day before the ordinance passed. The first died in the
course of the next year (Sept. 14); and the houses, to express their
respect for his memory, attended the funeral, and defrayed the expense out
of the public purse.--Lords' Journals, viii. 508, 533.]
Charles was the first to take the field. He marched from Oxford at the head
of ten thousand men, of whom more than one-half were cavalry; the siege of
Chester[a] was raised at the sole report of his approach; and Leicester, an
important post in possession of the parliament,[b] was taken by storm on
the first assault. Fairfax[c] had appeared with his army before Oxford,
where he expected to be admitted by a party within the walls; but the
intrigue failed, and he received orders to proceed[d] in search of the
king.
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