york00orns

THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 387
who had but recently taken rank, as it were, amongst
the untitled aristocracy of the country, were with the
Parliament, their political and religious sympathies
inclining them to adopt that cause.
It may be sufficient to summarize very briefly the
sequence of the more prominent events which for a
time obliterated episcopacy from the great shire of
York, and placed it, as regards religious matters, in the
hands of the Presbyterian preachers.
The war went on with varying fortunes. Negotiations
were attempted from time to time, but without
success ;
for each party mistrusted the other.
In 1643 an assembly was summoned by Parliament
to sit at Westminster, consisting of 30 laypersons and
121 divines, who were to deliberate as to some plan
for "the settlement of the government and liturgy of
the Church of England and the clearing of the doctrine
of the said church from false
aspersions and interpretations."
In the same year an oath, called the
Solemn League and Covenant, which was really a
pledge to overthrow the Church, was imposed upon
all who held civil or military offices, and upon such
of the clergy as had been permitted to retain their
benefices.
On the 2nd July, 1644, the battle of Marston Moor
was fought. It was a disastrous day for the Royalists
and the death-blow of their cause in Yorkshire. The
city of York had been beleaguered by Fairfax and the
Earl of Manchester, and after the defeat of the
king's forces at Marston, the siege was carried on with
renewed vigour. Preparations were now made for
storming the defences. The environment had lasted
2 c 2