And this prosperity
of the king's affairs might encourage him to strike this blow,
thinking to bring the Parliament to the better terms by the
apprehensions of the superior strength of the king's forces.
But, however it was, the success did not equally answer the king's
expectation. The vigorous defence the troops posted at Brentford
made as above, gave the Earl of Essex opportunity, with extraordinary
application, to draw his forces out to Turnham Green. And the
exceeding alacrity of the enemy was such, that their whole army
appeared with them, making together an army of 24,000 men, drawn up
in view of our forces by eight o'clock the next morning. The city
regiments were placed between the regular troops, and all together
offered us battle, but we were not in a condition to accept it. The
king indeed was sometimes of the mind to charge them, and once or
twice ordered parties to advance to begin to skirmish, but upon better
advice altered his mind, and indeed it was the wisest counsel to defer
the fighting at that time. The Parliament generals were as unfixed in
their resolutions, on the other side, as the king; sometimes they sent
out parties, and then called them back again.
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