 At the outskirts of Bedford the group turned eastward towards the town of St Neots.At Kingston, the Earl was joined by the young George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, his young brother Francis Villiers and Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough.They were also joined by Colonel John Dalbier, an experienced German soldier who was hated by the Roundheads, having previously served with them under the Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex until he defected to the Royalist side.