Vehemently angry at this refusal, the king instantly deprived him of all his offices. Essex now became tho chief favourite and leader of the parliamentary or presbyterian party. He became parliamentary general in 1642, and was in consequence proclaimed a traitor by the king. He opposed Charles in person at Edgehiti (1642); he also took Reading (1643); but on accouut of a ditease with which his troops were infected he was obliged to abandon any further attack, at which the disappoint. went of the parliamentary leaders was so great that they nearly dismissed him from his command. On the recovery and reinforcement of his soldiers he triumphantly entered Gloucester, from which he had driven the king away, surprised Cirencester, and after fighting courageously at the doubtful battle of Newbury, succeeded in covering London. As the supporters of the parliament were supposed to be numerous in Cornwall, in the hope of increasing his forces he marched to that county pursued by the royalist troops: tue number of adherents however had been exaggerated, his expectations were disappointed, and as he was completely hemmed in by his pursuers, the scarcity of provisions began to be severely felt. At this crisis the king proposed a treaty, but Essex had no authority to make any agreement without the sanction of his parliamentary tnuters ; and as the royalista, finding that he did not comply with the king's offer, continued to press their advantage, after some of his troops had abandoned him, he was obliged to escape by sea from Fowey. Having sailed from Plymouth to
Lom" he once more collected an army, and was placed at its bead, but an illness compelled him to quit his command.
When he returned to London, Essex found a state of confusion and distrust that seam ly conld be expected. At a meeting held at his house it was proposed to impeach Cromwell, but this served no other purpose than to irritate that leader. The independents soon afterwards aneceede 1 in carrying the self-denying ordinance,' which forbad members of either house of parliament to hold any oommand in this army : thus Essex ceased to be parliamentary general. It was voted that for his services he should be raised to the rank of a duko, and be granted • pension of 10,0001. a year. Ile did not however live to enjoy these honouree being cerritd off by a sudden and violent illness in the fifty-fifth year of his age. He was publicly interred in Westminster Abbey, The chief defects in the character of the Earl of Essex were inde cision and vacillation; when he erred, it was more from went of judgment than from had intention. His bearing was always manly, and his courage has never been impeached. At his death the title became extinct.