CHARLES I. zsl

The parliament, who, instead of their fond ex- ,pectations, that Charles would never Be able tocollect an army, had now the prospect of a civilwar, bloody, and of uncertain event; werefarther alarmed at the near approach of the royalarmy, while their own forces lay at a distance.They voted an address for a treaty. The king’snearer approach to Colebroke quickened theiradvances for peace. Northumberland and Pem-broke, with three commoners, presented the ad--dress- of both houses; in which they besought hismajesty to appoint some convenient place wherehe might reside, till committees could attend himwith proposals. The king named Windsor, anddesired that their, garrison might be remdved,and his own troops Admitted into that castleMeanwhile Essex, advancing by hastymarches, had arrived at London, But neither thepresence of his army, nor the precarious hopesof a treaty, retarded the king’s approaches.Charles attacked, at Brentford, two regimentsquartered there, and, after a sharp action*, beatthem from that village, and took about 500 pri-soners. The parliament had sent orders to forbearall hostilities, and had expected the fame fromthe king; though no stipulations to that purposehad been mentioned by their commissioners.Loud complaints were raised against, this attack,as if it had been the most apparent perfidy, andbreach of treaty ". Inflamed with resentment,

31 "Whitlocke, p. 6 2. Clarendon, vol. iii. p. 7$.

'Whitlocke, p. 62. Clarendon, vol. iii. p. 7;.

h a r.

LVI.

164 !.

30th Nst.