ey had a real work to do, and
sacrificed much in the doing of it. None had been forced to come here;
but they had left home, and wife, and little ones, of their own accord,
to fight their country's battles and set all England free. No wonder
that they were earnest when they thought of the dear ones far away. They
were not like the paid soldiers of the regular army; they could not
afford to trifle and lose their time in play when they might be at work
preparing for the battle; and so when not at drill, the cleaning of
armour and furbishing of arms went on ceaselessly, and the clatter of
this and the ring of the blacksmith's tools were broken only by the
singing of some pious hymn or the voice of one reading to his comrade
from the Word of Life. The day was begun and closed with prayer, and but
for the tramp of the sentry, when once the word of command had been
given that all work should cease, all the camp was as quiet and still,
as a sleeping village.

Harry joyfully took his share of the labour going forward; he was
willing to do anything, or bear any fatigue, to prepare himself to take
part in the expected action when Prince Rupert should show himself. July
was drawing near now, and they had almost reached the united armies
besieging York, and it was expected that when Prince Rupert came into
the field a battle would be fought. Scouts were sent out in all
directions to give timely notice of his approach, but they were able to
reach the forces of Fairfax before he came. But, however, only just in
time. On the second of July, Prince Rupert came upon them by way of
Marston Moor, but Kimbolton and his lieutenants were prepared for his
coming.

A desperate battle was fought, and for some time it seemed that the
Royalists must be victorious, for Prince Rupert fought with the most
desperate bravery, driving several generals from the field, and thus
disconcerting all their plans. He tried to do the same with Cromwell's
cavalry, but they kept together like an iron phalanx, and all Rupert's
dashing charges and feigned retreats failed to throw them into disorder.
They were rightly named the Ironsides, for they kept the field and
turned the tide of battle in favour of the Parliamentarians, and when
once the Royalists saw that the day was lost their rout was complete.
They retired from the field, leaving all their artillery, military
stores, and baggage to the enemy.

The battle of Marston Moor decided the Royalist cause in the