seeming to be sick), the King, returning towards Oxford from his victory, was intercepted at Newbury; and there, on Sunday 27th October 1644, fell out the Second Battle of Newbury.[1] Wherein his Majesty, after four-hours confused fighting, rather had the worse; yet contrived to march off, unmolested, ‘by moonlight, at 10 o’clock,’ towards Wallingford, and got safe home. Manchester refused to pursue; though urged by Cromwell, and again urged. Nay twelve days after, when the King came back, and openly revictualled Dennington Castle, an important strong-place hard by,—Manchester, in spite of Cromwell’s urgency, still refused to interfere.
They, in fact, came to a quarrel here, these two:—and much else that was represented by them came to a quarrel; Presbytery and Independency, to wit. Manchester was reported to have said, If they lost this Army pursuing the King, they had no other; the King ‘might hang them all.’ To Cromwell and the thorough-going party, it had become very clear that high Essexes and Manchesters of limited notions and large estates and anxieties, who besides their fear of being themselves beaten utterly, and forfeited and ‘hanged,’ were afraid of beating the King too well, would never end this Cause in a good way. Whereupon ensue some six months of very complex manipulation, and public and private consultation, which these Three Fragments of Speeches are here to represent for us.
‘That the said Earl hath always been indisposed and backward to engagements, and the ending of the War by the sword; and “always” for such a Peace as a “thorough”
- ↑ Clarendon, ii. 717.
