CHARLES IL. 
clothed and well armed, and ** convinced that God had called 
them to do the work,” was raised, and with Essex at their 
head was soon on its way to relieve the beleaguered city, 
Charles, however, was resolved not to risk a battle in his 
siege lines, and so he abandoned thetown, and Essex entered 
it unopposed. The inhabitants regarded his arrival as a 
divine interposition and testified their gratitude by placing 
over the gates of their city, the inscription, “A city assailed 
by man, but saved by God.” But Charles was by no means 
daunted, His next move was to attempt to cut off Essex’s 
retreat to London. The Parliamentary army came upon 
the Royal forces entrenched at Newbury. A fierce battle 
ensued, in which the solid masses of the London trained- 
bands “stood as a bulwark and rampart” against Rupert’s 
horse, and defied their desperate charges, Night only 
parted the combatants, and Charles, finding that his 
ammunition was well nigh exhausted, and that the losses 
among his troops were heavy, ordered a retreat to Oxford, 
leaving the road open for Essex to continue his march to 
London unopposed, 
Norz.—In this battle Lord Falkland, the wisest and most 
moderate of the King’s counsellors fell, He had long been 
“weary of the times,” and his natural cheerfulness and vivacity 
Jefß him, and ho sank into a sand and dejoctod mood, which 
old upon his bodily health, and he went abouf murmuring 
“ Peace! peace!” His loyalty and attachment to Charles had 
induced him to take up the Royalist cause, but his refined spirit 
had nothing in common with the rough and boisterous soldiers 
of a cnvalier camp. On the morning of the fatal day, he was 
heard to say, ‘that he would be out of it ere night,” and in the 
battle he spurred his horse more gallantly than advisedly 
through n gap in a hedge, and soon met his death, 
Meanwhilo Newcastle had laid siege to Hull, but a successful 
sortie compelled him to raise the siege. On the snıne day, 
Oromwell signally defented a body of Royalist horse in an 
engagement known as Winceby Fight (1643). 
The Alliances with the Scots and the Irish. The 
events in the campaign of 1643 clearly proved that both 
sides were so evenly balancecd, that the war was not likely 
to be speedily terminated without the assistance of forces 
outside England, and so Charles began to cast about for 
assistance from Ireland, while Parliament entered into 
negotiations with the Scots.