In his conduct of the siege the prince had certainly not failed.

But this misfortune aroused the king's anger more than the faults which had done such evil service on the fields of Naseby and Marston, and he wrote to the prince, ordering him to leave the kingdom at once.
It would have been well had King Charles here ceased the struggle, for the cause of the Royalists was now hopeless.

Infatuated to the last, however, and deeming ever that the increasing contentions and ill-will between the two parties in Parliament would finally end by one of them bidding for the Royal support, and agreeing to his terms, the king continued the contest.

Here and there isolated affrays took place; risings in Kent and other counties occurring, but being defeated summarily by the vigor of Fairfax and his generals.
The time passed but slowly with Harry at Reading.

He and his fellow-prisoners were assigned quarters in a large building, under the guard of a regiment of Parliament troops.