Hampden, and Pym,' says Whitelock, 'were deeply in with them.' No sooner were the Scots on English ground, than the preachers advanced to the front of the army with their Bibles in their hands, and led the way. The soldiers followed with reversed arms, and a proclamation was issued by Leslie that the Scots had undertaken this expedition at the call of Divine Providence, not against the people of England, but against the Canterbury faction of papists, atheists, Arminians, and prelates. That God and their consciences bore them witness that they sought only the peace of both kingdoms by putting down the troublers of Israel, the firebrands of hell, the Korahs, the Baalams, the Doegs, the Rabshakehs, the Hamans, the Tobiahs, the Sanballats of the times, and that done, they would return with satisfaction to their own country."

With them it was not

The Scots were enthusiastic in their cause. only a political but a religious question for which they contended. They marched under the flag of freedom; they fought for "Christ's Crown and Covenant;" it was "a good fight of faith," and never are men so strong as when they are convinced of the justice of their cause.

"They of old whose tempered blades

Dispersed the shackles of usurped control,

And hewed them link from link; then Britain's sons

Were sons indeed; they felt a filial heart

Beat high within them at a mother's wrongs,

And shining each in his domestic sphere,

Shone brighter still when called to public view."

As the Covenanters marched onwards, they recalled the solemn and affecting scene which had marked the signing of the Covenant; the tears and warm embraces, the uplifted hands and voices that swore to the God of heaven to be true and loyal in the faith, and their courage was reanimated by this recollection.

At the latter end of August, when the year was beautiful in its decline, and the autumn tints were gilding the foliage around the ripened fruit, the Scots arrived at Heddonlaw, near Newburn, on the left bank of the Tyne. The English, under Conway, were posted on the opposite side of the river, between Newburnhaugh and Stellohaugh. They presented a formidable aspect, and men less valiant than the Scottish Covenanters might have been pardoned for seeking terms of peace; but such thoughts were very far from them,-they had come to fight, to conquer or die, to win that for which they contended-or perish. As they arrived and settled

down by the Tyne water, and pitched their tents for the night, parties were told off to gather wood and kindle fires around the encampment. This was so ingeniously accomplished that the English were induced to believe the force of the Covenanters to be twice as great as it really was.

Signing the Covenant in the High Church, Edinburgh.

Those of the English who went over during the night, instead of being seized and shot as spies, were kindly welcomed and hospitably entertained, the Scots assuring them that they had not taken up arms against the king, but against the men who were the enemies both of king and people that all they demanded was justice, which, if denied to them,

Hampden, and Pym,' says Whitelock, 'were deeply in with them.' No sooner were the Scots on English ground, than the preachers advanced to the front of the army with their Bibles in their hands, and led the way. The soldiers followed with reversed arms, and a proclamation was issued by Leslie that the Scots had undertaken this expedition at the call of Divine Providence, not against the people of England, but against the Canterbury faction of papists, atheists, Arminians, and prelates. That God and their consciences bore them witness that they sought only the peace of both kingdoms by putting down the troublers of Israel, the firebrands of hell, the Korahs, the Baalams, the Doegs, the Rabshakehs, the Hamans, the Tobiahs, the Sanballats of the times, and that done, they would return with satisfaction to their own country."

With them it was not

The Scots were enthusiastic in their cause. only a political but a religious question for which they contended. They marched under the flag of freedom; they fought for "Christ's Crown and Covenant;" it was 66 a good fight of faith," and never are men so strong as when they are convinced of the justice of their cause.

"They of old whose tempered blades

Dispersed the shackles of usurped control,

And hewed them link from link; then Britain's sons

Were sons indeed; they felt a filial heart

Beat high within them at a mother's wrongs,

And shining each in his domestic sphere,

Shone brighter still when called to public view."

As the Covenanters marched onwards, they recalled the solemn and affecting scene which had marked the signing of the Covenant; the tears and warm embraces, the uplifted hands and voices that swore to the God of heaven to be true and loyal in the faith, and their courage was reanimated by this recollection.

At the latter end of August, when the year was beautiful in its decline, and the autumn tints were gilding the foliage around the ripened fruit, the Scots arrived at Heddonlaw, near Newburn, on the left bank of the Tyne. The English, under Conway, were posted on the opposite side of the river, between Newburnhaugh and Stellohaugh. They presented a formidable aspect, and men less valiant than the Scottish Covenanters might have been pardoned for seeking terms of peace; but such thoughts were very far from them,-they had come to fight, to conquer or die, to win that for which they contended-or perish. As they arrived and settled

1

down by the Tyne water, and pitched their tents for the night, parties were told off to gather wood and kindle fires around the encampment. This was so ingeniously accomplished that the English were induced to believe the force of the Covenanters to be twice as great as it really was.

Signing the Covenant in the High Church, Edinburgh.

Those of the English who went over during the night, instead of being seized and shot as spies, were kindly welcomed and hospitably entertained, the Scots assuring them that they had not taken up arms against the king, but against the men who were the enemies both of king and people that all they demanded was justice, which, if denied to them,

would before long be denied to Englishmen also. With the dawn of day there were busy preparations for the battle throughout the Scottish camp, and an attempt was made to ford the river. The Covenanters marched bravely into the water, as the Israelites marched into Jordan, but a charge of horse drove them back, and the struggle in the river became fierce and violent. The artillery of the Scotch played on the English cavalry, who were forced to retreat, the Covenanters pursuing them through the water and fighting with signal bravery. In this success,

a troop of twenty-six horse from Leslie's body-guard, "all Scotch lawyers, greatly distinguished themselves." As for the English, having, many of them, more sympathy with the Scotch than they had with the cause they had been sent to uphold, they offered no determined resistance.

the officers who endeavoured to rally their men fell into the hands of the Scots, by whom they were honourably treated, and permitted to return to the king's army. "As for Conway," says Clarendon, "he' soon afterwards turned his face toward the army, nor did anything like a commander, though his troops were quickly brought together again without the loss of a dozen men (the real loss was about sixty), and were so ashamed of their flight that they were very willing, as well as able, to have taken what revenge they could upon the enemy." This was not the fact, the army fell back, and made no determined stand against the Scots. When they reached Newcastle they did not feel able to defend it, but fled to Durham, and continued their flight to Darlington, where they met Strafford coming up with reinforcements; together they fell back on Northallerton, where Charles was encamped with the bulk of the army. Although Charles had now upwards of twenty thousand men, and sixty pieces of cannon, the demoralized condition of the troops was such as to render a meeting with the Scots extremely hazardous. The whole of the royal forces, therefore, withdrew to York, with the exception of a body of cavalry sent to guard the passes of the Tees.

"The Scots," says Mr. Howitt, "had meantime taken unopposed possession of Newcastle, Durham, Shields, Tynemouth, and other towns, and were masters of the four northern counties of England, without having lost twenty men. In this position it has been matter of wonder that they did not still advance, and drive the king before them; but those writers who have thus imagined have greatly mistaken the whole business. The object of the Scotch was not, as of old, to annoy and devastate, much less to conquer England; it was simply to force from the king