A plan to disarm the militia of London, and let in the king's forces, is detected and punished, June, July.

Colonel Hampden is mortally wounded in a skirmish at Chalgrove, near Oxford, June 18; he died June 24.

Sir William Waller is defeated at Lansdown (near Bath), July 5, and at Devizes, July 13. Bristol is surrendered to Prince Rupert, July 27.

London is fortified by order of the parliament.

Commissioners from the Scottish parliament arrive in

Londong.

The king forms the siege of Gloucester, Aug. 10; it is relieved by Essex, Sept. 6.

Essex retires towards London; he is followed by the king, and attacked at Newbury, Sept. 20, but beats off the assailants h.

The Scottish Covenant, with some modifications', is

• Edmund Waller, the poet, who had been one of the commissioners at Oxford, was the principal contriver, but he had the baseness to betray his confederates, and thus saved his own life, being allowed to go into exile.

f Sir Bevil Grenville, the commander of the Cornish troops, was killed here.

Lord Maitland (afterwards earl of Lauderdale) was the principal. The earls of Carnarvon and Sunderland, (Robert Dormer and Henry Spenser,) and Lord Falkland, fell in this battle. Essex's horse was totally routed, but his foot, principally composed of the London trained bands, stood firm, and enabled him to retire without the loss of a single gun.

i This celebrated document, which now received the title of the Solemn League and Covenant, differs in many respects from that of 1638 (see p. 400). It consists of six articles, by which the subscribers bind themselves to endeavour the preservation of the reformed Church in Scotland, and the reformation of religion in England and Ireland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, according to the Word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches;" to extirpate "popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness;" to preserve the liberties of parliament and the king's person and authority; to

solemnly received by the parliament at the assembly of divines, Sept. 25.

The parliament make a new great seal, in lieu of the original, which is in the king's handsk, October.

The marquis of Newcastle defeats Lord Fairfax at Adwalton-moor, near Bradford, and penetrates into Lincolnshire, when his troops refuse to march further south.

Sir John Hotham and his son are committed to the Tower, on a charge of deserting the cause of the parliament1.

The merchant adventurers lend £60,000 to the parliament, when fresh privileges are granted to them by an ordinance.

The marquis of Ormond agrees to a cessation of arms with the Irish, Sept. 15; many of them in consequence come into England to the assistance of the king, November.

Sir Henry Vane and four others appointed commissioners to the Scottish parliament.

The earl of Warwick is appointed governor and

discover and punish all "incendiaries, malignants, or evil instruments;" to preserve "a blessed peace between these kingdoms and to assist and defend all who enter into the covenant; "all which," say they, "we shall do as in the sight of God."

This body, which consisted of 120 divines, with 30 lay assessors, was constituted by an ordinance, June 12, 1643. It could only debate on matters submitted to it by the parliament. Milton and other cotemporaries speak in very disparaging terms of both the learning and integrity of these divines, who were the paid servants of the Houses; (their allowance was 4s. a-day ;) and who, though fierce declaimers against pluralities and non-residence, sought eagerly for every valuable preferment.

See p. 424. They placed it in the keeping of two lords and four

commoners.

1

They were found guilty, and were executed early in 1645.

admiral of the American plantations, by ordinance, Nov. 2.

The duke of Hamiltonm repairs to the king, at Oxford, but is considered as a traitor, and confined in Pendennis Castle, in Cornwall.

The isle of Jersey is occupied by the king's forces.

A.D. 1644. The Scots enter England to assist the parliament, in January. They attempt to take Newcastle, but fail; they then possess themselves of Sunderland, where the marquis of Newcastle blockades them".

A parliament summoned by the king, meets at Oxford, Jan. 22, and sits till April. They endeavour to raise contributions, impose an excise, write to the earl of Essex to treat for peace with "those by whom he is employed," and at length declare the parliament sitting at Westminster traitors.

Lord Fairfax defeats the king's Irish troops at Nantwich, Jan. 25, and then marches to relieve the Scots; the combined armies soon after besiege York.

m He had but recently received this title, April 12, 1643.

They were 21,500 strong, and were commanded by Lesley, earl of Leven. Their apparent inactivity was displeasing to their allies, and, though various sums were at different times voted on their application, it was not till Feb 28, 1645, that an ordinance was made, granting an assessment of £21,000 monthly for their support.

Among the prisoners taken was George Monk, the future restorer of royalty. He was born of a good Devonshire family, in 1608, and in his 17th year sailed in Lord Wimbledon's expedition against Cadiz. He afterwards joined the English forces in the pay of Holland, but returned to England when the civil war broke out, and served in Ormond's army in Ireland. After an imprisonment of some length he was induced to join the Parliamentarians, and was sent again to Ireland (Nov. 1646), where he acted vigorously against the natives; and next, changing the scene of his employment, commanded the fleet against the Dutch, whom he twice defeated. Monk was then entrusted by Cromwell with the government of Scotland, and the force at his disposal enabled him to secure the return of Charles II. to his kingdoms without any appearance of opposition, r f

Sir Edward Dering quits the king at Oxford, and submits to the parliament, thus setting the example of compounding for "delinquency."

Archbishop Laud's trial commences, March 12; it is continued by adjournment until November.

Latham House is defended by the countess of Derby against the parliamentary forces from February till May, when it is relieved by Prince Rupert P.

The prince elector (Charles Louis, the king's nephew) joins the parliament, and takes the Covenant.

The earl of Essex and Waller advance against Oxford, in April; the king retires to Worcester, but suddenly returning, defeats Waller at Cropredy-bridge (near Banbury), June 29.

Essex marches westward, and penetrates into Cornwall.

Taunton is taken for the parliament by Col. Blake, but is soon after again besieged by the royalists.

Prince Rupert, dispatched to relieve York, is totally Monk was created duke of Albemarle, received vast grants of Irish forfeited lands, and a large pension; he, however, was not inclined to be idle, and when a new Dutch war broke out, distinguished himself as joint admiral of the fleet with Prince Rupert, and by his personal exertions prevented the landing of the Dutch at Chatham. He here exposed himself so much to danger that a friend advised him to be more cautious, but he only replied, "Sir, if I had feared bullets, I had quitted my trade of a soldier long ago." He died Jan. 3, 1669, and received a pompous funeral in Westminster Abbey. P The countess retired with her children to the Isle of Man. Latham was again besieged, and was captured in December, 1645.

Robert Blake, better known as a naval officer, was born in 1598, educated at Oxford, and sat in the Long Parliament for Bridgewater. After the death of the king Blake was appointed one of the three commanders of the navy, when he chased Prince Rupert from the British seas; afterwards repeatedly defeated the Dutch, chastised the Barbary pirates, and inflicted vast losses on the Spaniards. He died, on shipboard, near Plymouth, Aug. 17, 1657, and was honoured with a public funeral.

defeated at Marston-moor", July 2. York in consequence surrenders, and Newcastle is captured by the Scots, October 29.

The queen, who had taken refuge at Exeter, leaves England, July 14.

The earls of Antrim and Montrose (Randal McDonald and James Graham), and the marquis of Huntley (George Gordon ), raise the royal standard in Scotland.

A body of 1,500 Irish land in the west, under Alister McDonald, in July; Montrose joins them, takes the command, defeats Lord Elcho at Tippermuir (near Perth), Sept. 1; sacks Aberdeen, Sept. 12, but is obliged to flee by the approach of the marquis of Argyle (Archibald Campbell ",) lieutenant of the kingdom.

The overthrow was generally attributed to the prince's misconduct, and the marquis of Newcastle and many other active partisans of the king in despair abandoned the contest and retired to the continent.

He was born in 1613, when very young travelled much abroad, and returning to England, was, through a treacherous manœuvre of the marquis of Hamilton, so coldly received by the king, that when the troubles in Scotland broke out he was one of the foremost of the Covenanters. He, however; soon penetrated their designs, and, leaving them, became one of the most devoted adherents of the king. In his cause he gained several victories in Scotland in 1644 and 1645, but was defeated at Philiphaugh, Sept. 13, 1645, and in 1646 laid down his arms by the king's command. Montrose returned with a small force while negotiations were pending between Charles II. and the Scots, but they refused to recognise his commission, and having been defeated and captured, he was brought to Edinburgh, and there executed with every circumstance of barbarity and ignominy, May 21, 1650.

He was brother-in-law of Argyle, by whom he was speedily defeated; he, however, still adhered to the king, and was at last executed, by order of the Scottish parliament, in 1649.

" He was born in 1598, and became earl of Argyle in 1638, and marquis, Nov. 15, 1641. He was of a most treacherous, intriguing character, who in turn betrayed and was hated by all parties. Argyle leagued himself with Cromwell, and, coming to London on the