t was to this turn of mind, as much as to
his courage and capacity, that he owed all his wonderful successes. By
the contagious ferment of his zeal, he engaged every one to cooeperate
with him in his measures; and entering easily and affectionately into
every part which he was disposed to act, he was enabled, even after
multiplied deceits, to cover, under a tempest of passion, all his
crooked schemes and profound artifices.

Fairfax having resigned his commission, it was bestowed on Cromwell, who
was declared captain-general of all the forces in England. This command,
in a commonwealth which stood entirely by arms, was of the utmost
importance; and was the chief step which this ambitious politician had
yet made towards sovereign power. He immediately marched his forces, and
entered Scotland with an army of sixteen thousand men.

The command of the Scottish army was given to Lesley, an experienced
officer, who formed a very proper plan of defence. He intrenched himself
in a fortified camp between Edinburgh and Leith, and took care to remove
from the counties of Merse and the Lothians every thing which could
serve to the subsistence of the English army. Cromwell advanced to the
Scotch camp, and endeavored by every expedient to bring Lesley to a
battle: the prudent Scotchman knew that, though superior in numbers, his
army was much inferior in discipline to the English; and he carefully
kept himself within his intrenchments. By skirmishes and small
rencounters he tried to confirm the spirits of his soldiers; and he
was successful in these enterprises. His army daily increased both
in numbers and courage. The king came to the camp; and having exerted
himself in an action, gained on the affections of the soldiery, who were
more desirous of serving under a young prince of spirit and vivacity,
than under a committee of talking gown-men. The clergy were alarmed.
They ordered Charles immediately to leave the camp. They also purged it
carefully of about four thousand malignants and engagers whose zeal had
led them to attend the king, and who were the soldiers of chief credit
and experience in the nation.[*] They then concluded that they had an
army composed entirely of saints, and could not be beaten. They murmured
extremely, not only against their prudent general, but also against the
Lord, on account of his delays in giving them deliverance;[**] and
they plainly told him, that if he would not save them from the English
sectarie