r
choice between two dangers; and they thought it their duty rather to
rally round a prince whose past conduct they condemned, and whose word
inspired them with little confidence, than to suffer the regal office to
be degraded, and the polity of the realm to be entirely remodelled.
With such feelings, many men whose virtues and abilities would have done
honour to any cause, ranged themselves on the side of the King.

In August 1642 the sword was at length drawn; and soon, in almost every
shire of the kingdom, two hostile factions appeared in arms against
each other. It is not easy to say which of the contending parties was at
first the more formidable. The Houses commanded London and the counties
round London, the fleet, the navigation of the Thames, and most of the
large towns and seaports. They had at their disposal almost all the
military stores of the kingdom, and were able to raise duties, both on
goods imported from foreign countries, and on some important products
of domestic industry. The King was ill provided with artillery and
ammunition. The taxes which he laid on the rural districts occupied by
his troops produced, it is probable, a sum far less than that which
the Parliament drew from the city of London alone. He relied, indeed,
chiefly, for pecuniary aid, on the munificence of his opulent adherents.
Many of these mortgaged their land, pawned their jewels, and broke up
their silver chargers and christening bowls, in order to assist him.
But experience has fully proved that the voluntary liberality of
individuals, even in times of the greatest excitement, is a poor
financial resource when compared with severe and methodical taxation,
which presses on the willing and unwilling alike.

Charles, however, had one advantage, which, if he had used it well,
would have more than compensated for the want of stores and money, and
which, notwithstanding his mismanagement, gave him, during some months,
a superiority in the war. His troops at first fought much better than
those of the Parliament. Both armies, it is true, were almost entirely
composed of men who had never seen a field of battle. Nevertheless, the
difference was great. The Parliamentary ranks were filled with hirelings
whom want and idleness had induced to enlist. Hampden's regiment was
regarded as one of the best; and even Hampden's regiment was described
by Cromwell as a mere rabble of tapsters and serving men out of place.
The royal army, on the other