1he HIS T 0 R Y 'Of the PuRITANS. .VoL. li. K. Char;cs 1. the country pulpits where they were quartered, till at length they fpread ~~the infection over the whole nation, and bronght the regul<~r minif'cry into contempt. Moll: of the common folJiers were religious and orderly, and whe.n releafed fro;n duty, fpent their tim~ in prayer and religious conferen– ces, like men who carried their lives in their hands; but for want of pru– dent and regular infhuC'cion, where (wallowed up in the depths of en– thufiafm. Mr. Baxter therefore obfetves very juflly, " it. was the tnini– " fters that \oit all by forfaking the army, and betaking themfelvcs to an " eafier and quieter way of life. When the earl of E;!Jex' army went " out, each regiment had an able chaplain, but after Edge- fill fight moil: " of them went home, and left the army to their own conduct." BuJ: even after the decifive battle of Najeby he admits, great numbers of the officers and foldiers were fober and orthodox; and from the little good Baxter's life which he did whilfl: among them, concludes that if their minijiers, P· 54• 56. would have followed his meafures, the king, the parliament and religion, might have been faved. 'Their j/riCI The new modelled troop~ were kept ·under the feverefl: dilcipline, dijcipline, commiffioneroS b~ing appointed to take care that the country was not op– preifed; that no foldiers were quartered in any place but by appointment of the quarter-mafter; that ready money be paid for all provi!ions and am– munition; every foldier bad fix pence a day for his diet, and every trooper eight pence. No inhabitants were compelled to furni!h more pro– :vrfions than they were able and willing to fpare, under the fevereft penal– ties; whereas the royal ar.my having no regular pay, lived upon the plunder of thofe places that had the misfortune to receive them. May 30. the king took the town of Leicifler by ftorm, with a very great treafure, which the country people had brought thither for fecurity, bis foldiers dividing the fpoil, and treating the inhabitants in a moll cruel 'Whit!. and unmerciful manner; after this conqueft, his majefl:y writ to the mem. P· queen, that his ~?!fairs were ncvtr in Jo bop'!fitl a poflure jince the t'ebellion. l;j.O, 144• • 1 {j h f A', d The parliament army were prepanng to ay 1ege to t e city o Ox 1 or , but upon news of this dif.1fter, bad orders to fo!low the king, and hazard a battle at all events; whereupon Sir Tbo. Failfax petitioned the two houfes, to difpenfe with their je!j:denying ordinance with refped to lieu· tenant general Crom'well, whofe courage and counfels would be of great fervice in the prefent crifis; Cromwe/l was accordingly difpen(ed with .during pleafure, and having joined the army with fix hundred borfe and dragoons, they overtook the king, and gave him battle June 14· at Nafeby, about three miles from Harborougb in Leicejlerjhire. Battle at The action began about ten in the morning, and ended about three or Nafeby. four in the afternoon, in an abfolute defeat of the king's force<, which was owing, in a great meafure, to the wife conduCt, and refolurion of 1 lie~tenant
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