At the first news of the royal march, the leaders at Westminster abandoned themselves to despair.  They believed that Cromwell had come to a private understanding with the king; that the Scots would meet with no opposition in their progress; and that the Cavaliers would rise simultaneously in every part of the kingdom.[3] From these terrors they were relieved by the arrival of despatches from the general, and by the indecision of the royalists, who, unprepared for the event, had hitherto made no movement; and with the

[Transcriber’s Note:  Footnote 1 not found in the text]

[Footnote 1:  Leicester’s Journal, iii. 117.  Balfour, iv. 314.]

[Footnote 2:  Leicester’s Journal, 113, 114.  Whitelock, 502, 503.  Clarendon, iii. 402.]

[Footnote 3:  Hutchinson, 336.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1651.  August 16.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1651.  August 22.]

revival of their hopes the council assumed a tone of defiance, which was supported by measures the most active and energetic.  The declaration of Charles,[a] containing a general pardon to all his subjects, with the exception of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Cook, was burnt in London by the hands of the hangman; and a counter proclamation was published,[b] pronouncing Charles Stuart, his aiders and abettors, guilty of high treason.  All correspondence with him was forbidden under the penalty of death; it was ordered that all persons known or suspected of attachment to his cause should be placed in custody, or confined to their own houses; and the militia of several counties, “tried and godly people,” were called forth, and marched towards the expected scene of action.[1] But Charles had to contend not only with the activity of his enemies, but with the fanaticism of his followers.  The Presbyterians of Lancashire had promised to rise, and Massey, a distinguished officer of that persuasion, was sent before to organize the levy; but the committee of the kirk forbade him to employ any man who had not taken the covenant; and, though Charles annulled their order, the English ministers insisted that it should be obeyed.  Massey remained after the army had passed, and was joined by the earl of Derby, with sixty horse and two hundred and sixty foot, from the Isle of Man.  A conference was held at Wigan; but reasoning and entreaty were employed in vain; the ministers insisted that all the Catholics who had been enrolled should be dismissed; and that the salvation of the kingdom should be entrusted to the elect of God, who had taken the covenant.  In the mean while Cromwell had despatched Colonel Lilburne, with his

[Footnote 1:  Journals, Aug. 12.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1651.  August 11.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1651.  August 25.]