terwards the same
indulgence was reiterated as often as it became necessary.[1]

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. Ch