LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. 73 all reason in fierceness, and vehemency, and multitude of words. They greatly strove for places of command ; and when any place was due by order to another, that was not of their mind, they would be sure to work him out, and be ready to mutiny, if they had not their will. I thought they were principled by the Jesuits, and acted all for their interest, and in their way ; but the secret spring was out of sight. These were the same men that were afterwards called Levelers, who rose up against Cromwell, and were surprised at Burford, having then deceived and drawn to them many more. Thompson, the general of the levelers, who was slain then, was no greater a man than one of the corporals of Bethel's troop; the cornet, and others, being much worse than he."* The battle of Naseby was fought June 14, 1645. The victo- rious army, immediately afterwards, marched into the west of England, to encounter the royal forces there, under thecommand of Goring, before the fugitives should have time to rally in that quarter, and strengthen the king's last hope. In this expedition, Baxter saw first the battle, or rather skirmish, at Langport, in which Goring's forces were routed. Next, he was at the storming of Bridgewater. Thence, he went with the conquerors to Bristol, which, after a month's siege, was ingloriously surrendered. After the first three days of this siege, he.was taken sick with a fever, and, on the first symptoms of the disease, retired, and with much difficulty reached Bath, where, under careful medical attendance, he recovered, from the brink of death, sufficiently to reach the army again, three or four days before the city was taken. Then, after two weeks, at the siege of Sherborne Castle, which was at last taken by storm, he went with the main body of the army, under Fairfax, still farther west, in pursuit of Goring. He staid three weeks at the siege of Exeter ; and thenWhalley's regiment, with some others, being sent back, he returned with them. The service on which Whalleywas now sent, with these regi- ments of horse, was to watch the garrison with which the king had shut himself up in Oxford, till; the army should come to besiege that city, which was the most considerable place then in the hands of the royal party. About six weeks in winter, they were quartered in Buckinghamshire ; and then they were sent to besiege Banbury Castle, abouçtwentymiles north of Oxford, which, after twomonths, was taken. After this enterprise, the same regiments were sent, with some forces of the neighboring militia, to besiege Worcester, while the main army, having returned from thewest, was employed before Oxford: The siege of Worcester lasted eleven weeks. In Narrative, Part I. pp. 50-54. VOL. I. 10
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