14. The first general for the parliament was the Earl of Essex, who resigned in favor of general Fairfax, but the greatest general of the parliamentary army was a country gentleman named Oliver Cromwell, who was very clever, both as a military officer and a statesman; and, after the death of Charles, he became the ruler of England.
15. The war caused a great deal of unhappiness in private families; for, although it was principally the soldiers who fought, everybody was interested in the question whether there should be a king, or not; and such violent quarrels arose, that the nearest relatives, even fathers and sons, and brothers often became enemies, and many young men went to join one army, or the other; so that sometimes two brothers might be on different sides; and then think how dreadful it was, when a battle took place, that they should be fighting against each other.
16. The Royalists, who were called Cavaliers, were known from the Roundheads by their handsome style of dress, for they wore colored doublets made of silk or satin, with lace collars falling over them, and a short cloak over one shoulder. Their hair was curled in long ringlets, and their broad hats adorned with long feathers.
17. There was as much difference in dress between the ladies as the gentlemen, for the female Roundheads were very plain and prim in their attire, while the Royalists were dressed in the gayest fashion.
18. I shall not enter into the particulars of the war. It is enough to say that after it had gone on three years, the king was totally defeated, at the battle of Naseby, in Northamptonshire, and soon afterwards was made prisoner.
19. The Republicans then had it all their own way. The king was brought to trial on a charge of having broken the laws of the country; was condemned to death, and beheaded at Whitehall, January 30th, 1649.
20. But the civil war did not end with the death of Charles the First, for his son, prince Charles, who was in Holland at the time, went to Scotland, where the generality of the people were not disposed to have a republican government, so they made the prince promise not to interfere with their religion, but to join the Presbyterians, and then they proclaimed him king, and soon raising an army, he marched into England.
21. A battle was fought at Worcester, where Cromwell gained a great victory, and the young king had to make his escape, in disguise, with a few friends, who were anxious to get him safely out of the country; and many curious adventures they met with, for parties of the republican soldiers were sent off in all directions in pursuit of the fugitive prince, who was several times very nearly caught.
22. His escape was chiefly owing to the fidelity of five brothers, named Penderel, farmers and woodmen, who were tenants of a gentleman that was warmly attached to the Royal family. They lent him a woodman’s dress, called him Will Jones; and rode about with him, to show him what houses he might safely go to for shelter and entertainment.
23. On the third day after the battle, he was obliged to hide in a wood, in Boscobel, on the borders of Staffordshire, where he met with a friend, Major Carlis, who was hiding himself.