But as it generally is when a
mistake is made, the actors fall out among themselves, so it was here.
No doubt it was as false a step as that of Cornwall, to let the king
fetch away his baggage and cannon in the face of three armies, and
never fire a shot at them.
The king had not above 8000 foot in his army, and they above 25,000.
Tis true the king had 8000 horse, a fine body, and much superior to
theirs; but the foot might, with the greatest ease in the world, have
prevented the removing the cannon, and in three days' time have taken
the castle, with all that was in it.
Those differences produced their self-denying ordinance, and the
putting by most of their old generals, as Essex, Waller, Manchester,
and the like; and Sir Thomas Fairfax, a terrible man in the field,
though the mildest of men out of it, was voted to have the command
of all their forces, and Lambert to take the command of Sir Thomas
Fairfax's troops in the north, old Skippon being Major-General.
This winter was spent on the enemy's side in modelling, as they called
it, their army, and on our side in recruiting ours, and some petty
excursions.
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