ce of an amicable correspondence with England. They also
despatched messengers to the king, who was arrived at York; and they
took care, after the advantage which they had obtained, to redouble
their expressions of loyalty, duty, and submission to his person; and
they even made apologies, full of sorrow and contrition for their late
victory.[****]

* Rush. vol. iii. p. 1279.

** Nalson, vol. ii. p. 427.

*** Clarendon, vol. i. p. 143.

**** Rush. vol. iii. p. 1255.

Charles was in a very distressed condition. The nation was universally
and highly discontented. The army was discouraged, and began likewise to
be discontented, both from the contagion of general disgust, and as an
excuse for their misbehavior, which they were desirous of representing
rather as want of will than of courage to fight. The treasury too was
quite exhausted, and every expedient for supply had been tried to the
uttermost. No event had happened, but what might have been foreseen as
necessary, at least as very probable; yet such was the king's situation,
that no provision could be made, nor was even any resolution taken
against such an exigency.

In order to prevent the advance of the Scots upon him, the king agreed
to a treaty, and named sixteen English noblemen, who met with eleven
Scottish commissioners at Rippon. The earls of Hertford, Bedford,
Salisbury, Warwick, Essex, Holland, Bristol, and Berkshire, the lords
Kimbolton, Wharton. Dunsmore, Paget, Broke Saville, Paulet, and
Howard of Escric, were chosen by the king; all of them popular men
and consequently supposed nowise averse to the Scottish invasion, or
unacceptable to that nation.[*]

An address arrived from the city of London, petitioning for a
parliament; the great point to which all men's projects at this
time tended.[**] Twelve noblemen presented a petition to the same
purpose.[***] But the king contented himself with summoning a great
council of the peers at York; a measure which had formerly been taken
in cases of sudden emergency, but which at present could serve to little
purpose. Perhaps the king, who dreaded above all things the house of
commons, and who expected no supply from them on any reasonable terms,
thought that, in his present distresses, he might be enabled to levy
supplies by the authority of the peers alone. But the employing so long
the plea of a necessity which appeared distant and doubtful, rendered it
impossible for him to avail himse