nst us. From Woburn the king went through
Buckingham to Oxford; some of our men straggling in the villages for
plunder, were often picked up by the enemy. But in all this long march
we did not lose 200 men, got an incredible booty, and brought six
waggons laden with money, besides 2000 horses and 3000 head of cattle,
into Oxford. From Oxford his Majesty moves again into Gloucestershire,
having left about 1500 of his horse at Oxford to scour the country,
and raise contributions, which they did as far as Reading.

Sir Thomas Fairfax was returned from taking Bridgewater, and was sat
down before Bristol, in which Prince Rupert commanded with a strong
garrison, 2500 foot and 1000 horse. We had not force enough to attempt
anything there. But the Scots, who lay still before Hereford,
were afraid of us, having before parted with all their horse under
Lieutenant-General Leslie, and but ill stored with provisions; and if
we came on their backs, were in a fair way to be starved, or made to
buy their provisions at the price of their blood.

His Majesty was sensible of this, and had we had but ten regiments of
foot, would certainly have fought the Scots. But we had no foot, or so
few as was not worth while to march them. However, the king marched
to Worcester, and the Scots, apprehending they should be blocked
up, immediately raised the siege, pretending it was to go help their
brethren in Scotland, and away they marched northwards.

We picked up some of their stragglers, but they were so poor, had been
so ill paid, and so harassed at the siege, that they had neither money
nor clothes; and the poor soldiers fed upon apples and roots, and ate
the very green corn as it grew in the fields, which reduced them to
a very sorry condition of health, for they died like people infected
with the plague.

'Twas now debated whether we should yet march for Scotland, but two
things prevented--(1.) The plague was broke out there, and multitudes
died of it, which made the king backward, and the men more backward.
(2.) The Marquis of Montrose, having routed a whole brigade of
Leslie's best horse, and carried all before him, wrote to his Majesty
that he did not now want assistance, but was in hopes in a few days
to send a body of foot into England to his Majesty's assistance. This
over-confidence of his was his ruin; for, on the contrary, had he
earnestly pressed the king to have marched, and fallen in with his
horse, the king had done it, and bee