On the 23rd of April Charles
was refused entry into Hull, and on the 2nd of June the parliament sent
to him the "Nineteen Propositions," claiming the whole sovereignty and
government for the parliament, including the choice of the ministers,
the judges, and the control of the army, and the execution of the laws
against the Roman Catholics. The military events of the war are
described in the article GREAT REBELLION. On the 22nd of August the king
set up his standard at Nottingham, and on the 23rd of October he fought
the indecisive battle of Edgehill, occupying Oxford and advancing as far
as Brentford. It seemed possible that the war might immediately be ended
by Charles penetrating to the heart of the enemy's position and
occupying London, but he drew back on the 13th of November before the
parliamentary force at Turnham Green, and avoided a decisive contest.

Next year (1643) another campaign, for surrounding instead of
penetrating into London, was projected. Newcastle and Hopton were to
advance from the north and west, seize the north and south banks of the
river below the city, destroy its commerce, and combine with Charles at
Oxford. The royalist force, however, in spite of victories at Adwalton
Moor (June 30th) and Roundway Down (July 13th), did not succeed in
combining with Charles, Newcastle in the north being kept back by the
Eastern Association and the presence of the enemy at Hull, and Hopton in
the west being detained by their successful holding out at Plymouth.
Being too weak to attempt anything alone against London, Charles marched
to besiege Gloucester, Essex following him and relieving the place.
Subsequently the rival forces fought the indecisive first battle of
Newbury, and Charles failed in preventing the return of Essex to London.
Meanwhile on the 1st of February the parliament had submitted proposals
to Charles at Oxford, but the negotiations came to nothing, and
Charles's unwise attempt at the same time to stir up a rising in his
favour in the city, known as Waller's Plot, injured his cause
considerably. He once more turned for help to Ireland, where the
cessation of the campaign against the rebels was agreed upon on the 15th
of September 1643, and several English regiments became thereby
available for employment by the king in England. Charles also accepted
the proposal for bringing over 2000 Irish. On the 22nd of January 1644
the king opened the rival parliament at Oxford.

The campaign of 1644