the siege upon the enemy, he had
nothing further to do but to have waited till he had seen what course
the enemy would take, and taken his further measures from their
motion.

But the prince, a continual friend to precipitant counsels, would hear
no advice. I entreated him not to put it to the hazard; I told him
that he ought to consider if he lost the day he lost the kingdom, and
took the crown off from the king's head. I put him in mind that it
was impossible those three generals should continue long together; and
that if they did, they would not agree long in their counsels, which
would be as well for us as their separating. 'Twas plain Manchester
and Cromwell must return to the associated counties, who would not
suffer them to stay, for fear the king should attempt them. That he
could subsist well enough, having York city and river at his back;
but the Scots would eat up the country, make themselves odious, and
dwindle away to nothing, if he would but hold them at bay a little.
Other general officers were of the same mind; but all I could say, or
they either, to a man deaf to anything but his own courage, signified
nothing. He would draw out and fight; there was no persuading him to
the contrary, unless a man would run the risk of being upbraided with
being a coward, and afraid of the work. The enemy's army lay on a
large common, called Marston Moor, doubtful what to do. Some were for
fighting the prince, the Scots were against it, being uneasy at having
the garrison of Newcastle at their backs; but the prince brought their
councils of war to a result, for he let them know they must fight him,
whether they would or no; for the prince being, as before, 18,000 men,
and the Earl of Newcastle having joined him with 8000 foot out of the
city, were marched in quest of the enemy, had entered the moor in view
of their army, and began to draw up in order of battle; but the night
coming on, the armies only viewed each other at a distance for that
time. We lay all night upon our arms, and with the first of the day
were in order of battle; the enemy was getting ready, but part of
Manchester's men were not in the field, but lay about three miles off,
and made a hasty march to come up.

The prince's army was exceedingly well managed; he himself commanded
the left wing, the Earl of Newcastle the right wing; and the Lord
Goring, as general of the foot, assisted by Major-General Porter
and Sir Charles Lucas, led the main battle. I