soldiers, would, if set down in justice and with detail, present
a story more entertaining than any romance ever written. Here
they must of necessity be mentioned with brevity.

In the year 1645, Charles I., having suffered the loss of many
great battles, became fearful of the danger which threatened his
family and himself. He therefore ordered his son Charles, who
had already retired into the west, to seek refuge in the Scilly
Isles. The prince complied with his desires, and went from
thence to Paris, where his mother, Henrietta Maria, had already
taken shelter, and, after a short stay with her, travelled to the
Hague. Soon after the king was beheaded, the Scots, who regarded
that foul act with great abhorrence, invited Charles to come into
their kingdom, provided he accepted certain hard conditions,
which left the government of all civil business in the hands of
Parliament, and the regulation of all religious matters in charge
of the Presbyterians. No other prospect of regaining his rights,
and of enabling him to fight for his throne presenting itself, he
accepted what was known as the Covenant, and landed in Scotland
in 1650. He was received with the respect due to a monarch, but
placed under the surveillance forced on a prisoner. The
fanatical Presbyterians, jealous of that potent influence which
his blithe ways exercised over all with whom he associated,
neither permitted him to attend the council nor command the army;
they, however, preached to him incessantly, admonished him of his
sins and those of his parents, guarded him as a captive, and
treated him as a puppet. Meanwhile Cromwell, being made aware of
his presence in the kingdom, advanced at the head of a powerful
body into Scotland, fought and won the battle of Dunbar, stormed
and captured Leith, and took his triumphal way towards Edinburgh