Some time was spent here without any considerable action till, in my Lord of Manchester's Quarters, approaches were made to St Mary's Tower; and soon came to mine it. Which Colonel [Laurence] Crawford, a Scotsman, who commanded that Quarter, (ambitious to have the honour alone of springing the mine [on 16th June 1644] undertook, without acquainting of the other two Generals with it, for their advice and concurrence): which proved very prejudicial. For, having engaged his party against the whole strength of the town, without more force to second him, he was repulsed with the loss of 300 men. For which, he had been surely called to account; but that he escaped the better by reason of this triumviral goverment.
So after, Prince Rupert came to relieve the town. We raised the siege [which had lasted from Monday the 3rd June to Monday the 1st July 1644] and Hessa[y] Moor [a portion of Marston Moor, 7 miles from York] being appointed the rendezvous, the whole Army drew thither.
About a mile from whence, Prince Rupert lay; the river Ouse being only betwixt us: which he, that night, passed over at Poppleton. And, the next day, [he] drew his Army into the same Moor we were on: who, being now joined with the Earl of Newcastle's forces, made about 23,000 or 24,000 men. But we, something more.
We were divided in our opinions what to do. The English were for fighting them; the Scots, for retreating, to gain (as they alleged) both time and place of more advantage. This latter being resolved on; we marched away [on Tuesday 2nd July 1644] to[wards] Tadcaster; which made the Enemy to advance the faster.
Lieutenant General Cromwell, Major General [David] Leslie, and myself, being appointed to bring up the Rear; we sent word to the Generals, of the necessity of making a stand. For else, the Enemy, having the advantage, might put us in some disorder; but, by the advantage of the ground we were on, we hoped to make it good till they came back to us.
[Which they did.]
The place was Marston Fields, which afterwards gave the name to this battle.