lry to shift for themselves, the foot soldiers were driven to
accept such terms as Skippon, who still stuck to his post, was able to
obtain, and on the morning of the 2nd September they laid down their arms.
News of the disaster created great consternation in the city, and the
Common Council resolved (9 Sept.) to petition parliament to take steps to
prevent the royalists occupying Reading as they had done before, and to
hasten the passing of a measure for raising money for the maintenance of
the fortifications and guards of the city.(661)

(M310)

Every effort was made to prevent Charles, who was coming up from the west,
reaching the garrisons around Oxford, where he would be able to fight to
advantage, and the City was asked (13 Sept.) to send a contingent to
assist Waller in that design. The Common Council thereupon gave its assent
(20 Sept.) to the red and blue regiments of the trained bands being drawn
out in conjunction with three other regiments, viz., one of the trained
bands of Westminster, one of the trained bands of Southwark, and the
auxiliaries of the Hamlets, and a week later (27 Sept.) voted the sum of
L20,000 "or thereabouts" for defraying their cost.(662) This sum was
afterwards raised to L22,000, of which L17,250 was to be raised in the
city and liberties, and the balance within the Tower Hamlets, the city of
Westminster and borough of Southwark.(663)

(M311)

These preparations were of little avail. As the royalist army came on
Waller fell back, until at Newbury the opposing armies again tried
conclusions (27 Oct.). Notwithstanding some success which attended the
parliamentary forces, they failed to attain the main object in view, and
Charles was able at the close of the day to continue his march to Oxford,
which he entered on the 1st November.

(M312)

In the meantime better news arrived from the north. Newcastle had at last
surrendered to the Scots (19 Oct.), and this intelligence gladdened the
hearts of the parliamentary soldiers as well as of the citizens of London.
The city might now look for a plentiful supply of coal, a commodity which
had become so scarce that in July the civic authorities had received
permission from parliament to dig for turf and peat, by way of a
substitute for coal, wherever they thought fit.(664) Seeing that it was by
the aid of the city that a fleet had been maintained off the north coast,
that Berwick had been secured for parliament, and that a free passage had
th