It was evident that the army had lost nothing by the exclusion of members of parliament and the change in its organization.  The commanders were selected from those who had already distinguished themselves by the splendour of their services and their devotion to the cause; the new regiments were formed of privates, who had served under Essex, Manchester, and Waller, and care was taken that the majority of both should consist of that class of religionists denominated Independents.  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.[1] On the evening of the[e] seventh day his van overtook the rear of the royalists between Daventry and Harborough.  Fairfax and his officers hailed with joy the prospect of a battle.  They longed to refute the bitter taunts and sinister predictions of their opponents in the two houses; to prove that want of experience might be supplied by the union of zeal and talent; and to establish, by a victory over the king, the superiority of the Independent over the Presbyterian party.  Charles, on the contrary, had sufficient reason to decline an engagement.[2] His numbers had been diminished by the necessity of leaving a strong garrison in Leicester, and several reinforcements were still on their march to join the royal standard.  But in the presence of the Roundheads the Cavaliers never listened to the suggestions of prudence.  Early[f] in the morning the royal army formed in line about a mile south of Harborough.  Till eight they awaited with patience the expected charge of the enemy; but

[Footnote 1:  Lords’ Journals, vii. 429, 431.]