before us above 200 head of cattell over our workes to graze in the very noses of them beside others we kept in the town upon hay 8. How confident our enemies were of prevailing and how often they vainly promised to themselves victory yet though they conceived mischiefe they brought forth a lie their designes were blasted and we contrary to their expectation delivered Which gracious acts of divine providence do deeply engage us to praise the Lord of Hosts with our hearts lips and lives who hath gone out with our Hosts whose eye hath watched over us and whose strong hand was with us He made us a Citie of refuge to others and hath now been a refuge to us in the time of our distresse What hath been done by us in our just defence against unlawfull violence hath not proceeded from any disloyalty to our soveraigne Lord the King whom God preserve but out of our endevours to defend true Religion and Justice the main pillars of the Kings Throne And therefore we far lesse deserve to be stiled desperate rebels then those that pretend themselves good subjects and are nothing lesse their practices wholly tending to the subversion of the Protestant Religion and the destruction of the Common-wealth Our cause wee commit to him that judgeth righteously upon whom we only depend for our protection and to whom we daily pray that he would be reconciled to Prince and people and reconcile each to other that there may be no more shedding of innocent blood nor bitter complaining heard in our streets Laus Deo in aeternum Since the siege September 12. we received intelligence that there was some Ammunition come from Bristoll in a Bark to Newnam about ten miles from Glocester for Hereford wherupon we sent out a party of about 45 Foot and a troop of Horse to seize upon it for the use of our garrison who according seized upon the same being two tun of Match and some store of wine and such other Merchandize and brought it in wains to Glocester Sir Iohn Winter sent out some horse to prevent us but they durst not come within a mile of us The Names of the Superiour Officers of both Regiments that now lye in Garrison in the Citie of GLOCESTER Henry Earle of Stamford Colonel Edward Massie Lieutenant Colonel and Governour of Glocester Constance Ferrer Major of the town Serjeant Major to this regiment Henry Stephens Colonel Humph. Matthewes Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Dobson Serjeant Major Captaines Edward Grey Charles Blunt Peter Crisp Edward Cotton William White Robert Malery George Massie Iohn Read Captain Lieutenant Captaines William Singleton Thomas Pury senior Luke Nurse Iohn Nelme Iohn Evans Thomas Pury junior Robert Stevenson Capt. Lieutenant There was likewise a broken Regiment of Dragoones of about 100 men under the Command of Col. Forbes that upon the taking of Bristoll came from Berkley Castle hither But the other two regiments do properly belong to this Garrison EDWARD MASSIE Governor Anagram Never miss a good Reward He that doth stand so well upon his guard I hope shall Never miss a good reward The copie of the letter mentioned to be sent to Master Alderman Pury Sept. 4. SIR THe affection which I bear you in particular and the Citie in generall and no sinister end I call God to record extorteth these lines from me for should I be silent when the desolation of that place I so dearly affect and where I have bin so dearly beloved is at hand I cōceive the very stones of that Citie being ruined will rise up against me for ingratitude But if my advice be not taken and misery befall both the place and its neighbourhood the fault shal then rest on you and the now inhabitants and my conscience cleared You well know or at least may have heard that the Citie of Bristoll is taken twelve ships at sea yeelded two ships of Ammunition from Rochel newly come into the Harbour seized on one ship with great Artillery and Ammunition coming from the Parliament for reliefe of that Citie taken And this I know that there are great preparations made for the taking of your Citie All Prince Ruperts forces from Bristoll with addition of 1500. armed Welsh and 2000 Club men out of Wales and Arms sufficient for to arm them from Bristoll 800. foot from Worcester with a Regiment of Horse 5000. Foot with a Brgade of Horse of the Queens from Oxon. But I much fear that this will hardly sink into the beliefe of some amongst you yet when you shall hear of the particular Randevouzes and your Town surrounded nay your Houses fired over your eares then when it is too late I much fear will be the time of repentance Wherefore I desire you as you love God and the good of your Citie for which you serve and the which is committed to your charge and protection to take into consideration your sad condition if the Citie be taken by force most of the Army being set against you very bitterly And if it be not taken in what condition of poverty and misery both your Citie and Countrey will fall into Is not your provision of corn out of Herefordshire your commerce wherein most of your livelihoods and being subsisted both up and down the River taken quite away And if you will not consider your own good yet in conscience think on your neighbours in the country who have alwayes bin aiding assisting to you for your protection who must expect nothing but ruine if by no other way yet by the very lying of so mighty an Army amongst them and if they be ruined whence can you expect future supplyes and the very laying of a siege before your town must necessarily produce a destruction to your corn and provision of cattell and who will be losers thereby but your selves I know not But this I further know that your Ammunition is not over-much your places of supply no where your enemy continually at your doore and able to retire to his own home at pleasure and your friends farre and utterly unable or at least not capable to send you present reliefe I know you to be a conscientious honest man and one whose aimes as I have thought have tended to the publick good and now is the greatest time and opportunity to demonstrate your affections by using some course for an accommodation between your Citie and his Majesty who now is here at Bristoll and from whom I dare boldly affirme by some great friends I have neer him at Court I can procure any favour either for the Citie in generall or your selfe in particular and of this you may be confident but if once the forces come against it you must expect no manner of mercie but present ruine wherefore if you intend any thing let it be done with speed and send to my quarter at Charvild where you may send any one to me without suspition I beseech you seriously to weigh these things in your breast and to weigh them as coming from one that dearly loves you and your Citie And God give you all grace to doe that which may most tend to your good are the prayers of Your reall loving friend FINIS
A BRIEFE AND EXACT RELATION OF THE Most Materiall and Remarkeable Passages that hapned in the late well-formed and as valiently defended Seige laid before the City of GLOCESTER Collected by John Dorney Esquire Towne-clarke of the said City who was there resident the whole Siege and applied himselfe wholy to this businesse Published by Authority and entred into the Stationers Hall-Booke according to Order LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhill at the signe of the Bible in Wood-streete M. DC XLIII A Briefe and exact Diurnall Containing the most materiall and Remarkeable passages that happened in the late well formed Siege laid before the City of GLOUCESTER AFter the unexpected surrender of Bristoll the City of Gloucester was assaulted with severall Letters Messages and such verball solicitations by divers in the Kings Army of no meane quality thereby pretending our good and expressions of their love and care of us but really intending their own sinister ends and our destruction Amongst the rest there came a Letter on Friday August 4. dated August 3. from a Captaine of a Troope of Horse in the Kings Army to Mr. Alderman Pury one of the Burgesses of the Parliament for this City full of perswasive oratory for the yeelding up of this City with great promises as heretofore of preferment and braggs of the greatnesse of the Army that was then on their march coming against us viz. All Prince Ruperts Forces from Bristoll with addition of 1500. armed Welch and 2000 Club-men out of Wales and Armes sufficient to arme them from Bristoll 800 Foote with a Regimenent of Horse from Worcester and 5000 Foote with a Brigado of Horse of the Queenes Forces from Oxford and if he would send an answer it must be by the Sunday-night following or not at all But Mr. Alderman Pury whose fidelity is sufficiently known to be so firme to the Parliament that it is not to be shaken by promises or threats thinking it not worthy of so accordingly sent no answer Saturday August 5. We received intelligence that about 2000 Horse from Bristoll were advanced within 10 mile of this City whereupon severall messengers were dispatched to the Parliament Sunday August 6. Generall Garret faced this City with his Brigado of Horse in Tredworth-Field and sent a Trumpeter to the Governour for 4 Horses of his formerly taken by a party of ours in Cotswold for which he offered others in exchange for them or any other satisfaction In the After-noone a small party of Horse and Foote commanded by Captaine Blunt and assisted by Lieutenant Colonell Matthewes Captaine White Captaine Pury the younger and Captaine Lieutenant Harcus issued forth of the North-gate and at Wotton tooke about 10 Prisoners and sending home the Foote the said Captaines with the few Horse they had went along to Vpton St. Leonards and thence to the foote of Painswickes-Hill on the top of which they discovered a party of the enemies Horse and so going round about by Matson they retreated without the losse or hurt of any This day we wrought hard in the amending and repairing of our Bulwarkes Munday August 7. Newes came to Captaine Pury the younger to Gloucester That the enemy was plundering at Tuffleigh about a mile and halfe from Gloucester nowly assigned for his Quarters for the billeting of his Souldiers who thereupon acquainted Captaine Evans therewith resolving to take what men of theirs they could on the suddaine get to surprize the enemy But being come thither assisted with Lieutenant Pierce they understood that they were gone away with their plunder to Mr. Woods house at Brockthroppe about a mile and a halfe further They thereupon having not above 40 Foote and some few of Captaine Backhouses horse left some few Foote to secure their retreat and with the rest marched forward to meete with the enemy skirmished with them compelled them to take refuge in the house killed one in the Orchard and hurt or killed others in the house and tooke one prisoner and 7 Horses But perceiving a party of Horse that looked on on the hill all the while to make towards them they were forced to retreat without any losse only one through his own indiscretion taken prisoner As they were just at the Townes-end they met with the Governour and a party of Musketteers coming to their rescue newes being brought to Towne that they were in danger of being cut off Tuesday August 8. We understood that the King with all the Foote from Bristoll and carriages were come to Berkeley and that they intended to speed their march towards us Wednesday August 9. We had intelligence that provision was made for the entertainement of his Majesty at Princknedge in the Lady Bridgemans house about 3 miles off the City and that the Foote and carriages would be there that night we likewise received intelligence that the Lord Chando's that day dined at Brockworth at the Guises there whereupon a party went out of the North-gate towards Barnewood skirmished with the enemy and did some execution upon them and amongst the rest a little boy of Captaine Nelmes Company having shot away all his Bullets charged his musket with a pebble stone and killed a Commander therewith we retreated without any losse at all Thursday August 10. His Majesty with about 6000 Horse and Foote as we conceived the Welch Worcester Forces coming after faced us in Tredworth Field at the foote of Ribinhoods-hill about a quarter of a mile off the Towne about 2000 Horse more faced us in Walham within Canon-shot at randome of our workes Towards the afternoone his Majesty sent a message by 2 Heraulds at Armes whereof the one being Somerses Herald read the message at the Talsey as followeth Out of our tender compassion to our City of Glocester and that it may net receive prejudice by our Army which we cannot prevent if we be compelled to assault it we are personally come before it to require the same and are gratiously pleased to let all the inhabitants of and all other persons within that City as well Souldiers as others know that if they shall immediately submit themselves and deliver this City to us we are contented freely and absolutely to pardon every one of them without exception And doe assure them in the word of a King that they nor any of them shall receive the least damage or prejudice by our Army in their persons or estates But that we will appoint such a Governour and a moderate Garison to reside there as shall be both for the ease and security of that City and that whole County But if they shall neglect this offer of grace and favour and compell us by the power of our Army to reduce that place which by the helpe of God we doubt not we shall easily and shortly be able to doe they must thanke themselves for all the calamities and miseries that must befall them To this message we expect a cleere and positive answer within 2 houres after the publishing hereof and by these
some stragling horse and foote vapoured this day in the Walham but durst not come within the reach of our Musquetiers upon the retreate of the horse a peece of Ordnance from Captain Pury the elders Sconce fired and fell in the midst of them a white horse was seene to fall In the afternoone a paper was shot upon an arrow into the Towne the contents whereof was this These are to let you understand your god Waller hath forsaken you and hath retired himselfe to the Tower of London Essex is beaten like a dog yeelde to the Kings mercie in time otherwise if we enter perforce no quarter for such obstinate traiterly rogues From a well wisher To which presently upon another arrow was returned this answer Waller 's no God of ours base rogues ye lie Our God survives from all eternity Though Essex beaten be as you doe say Romes yoke we are resolv'd nere to obey But for our cabages which ye have eaten Be sure ere long ye shall be soundly beaten Quarter we aske you none if we fall downe King CHARLES will lose true subjects with the Towne So saith your best friend if you make timely use of him Nicholas Cudgel you well Munday September 4. We perceived divers carts loden with sick and maimed Souldiers going from Lanthony to the water side at Sudmeade where some boats attended to carry them to Bristol The enemy had taken up all their horse about the Towne so we had some hopes of their rasing the siege This morning early our Miners had gotten as far as the outward part of the East-gate where by the working of the enemies we perceived their mine to bee sunk a great deale lower then ours so that we were above them whereupon we set workemen upon the making of great borers with which wee intended to bore through our mine into theirs and so to drowne the enemies mine We understood likewise that the enemy had by the direction of that Jesuitticall Doctor Chillingworth provided great store of engines after the manner of the Romane Testudines cum Pluteis with which they intended to have assaulted the parts of the City bbtweene the South and West Gates These engines ran upon cart wheeles with a blinde of plankes Musquet proofe and holes for foure Musquetiers to play out of placed upon the axeltree to defend the Musquetiers and those that thrust it forward and carrying a bridge before it the wheeles were to fall into the ditch and the end of the bridge to rest upon our Brest-workes so making severall compleat bridges to enter the City To prevent this we intended to have made another ditch out of our workes so that the wheeles falling therein the bridge would have fallen to short of our Brestworkes into our wet moat and so frustrated their intentions After the rasing of the Seige we tooke all these Engins and brought them into the Towne This night we discerned two Fires upon Waynload-Hill made by two Messengers we had the night before sent out to give us Intelligence if reliefe was comming We answered them again with lights in the Colledge Tower The enemie made about six great shot from Lanthony barn whereof one of 25 l. bullet weight came through some houses into Master John Halfords kitchin where his children were a little before but did no hurt We now perfected the lining of the houses over and by the East-gate Tuesday September 5. was appointed for a publique fast to be kept within this Citty by such as might be spared from labour In the space betweene the sermons we discouered their carriages from Lanthony making vp Tredworth Feild and afterwards we perceived their foote and horse marching after yet we were not assured of their raysing of their seige or that our releife was so nere at hand till we perceived their rere guard to fire their Hutts and their men to be drawn out of their Trenches which we perceiving some of our men ventured foroth into their Trenches and fired their Gallery and Canon Baskets And presently after an honest countrey man came tunning into the Towne and told us that his Excellencie had beaten P. Rupert about Stow and that the rest of the Army rose to succour him We therupon perceived that God had delivered us and that we were now freed from the hands of those that had so long thirsted after our blood To him therefore be the honour and glory dmen It was admirable to observe 1. The constancie of resolution in Citizens and Souldiers amidst so many temptations by reason of promises threats delay of succour and want of intelligence even to the very end although we had not in the whole town above 50 single barrels of powder at the beginning of the siege and not above three or foure at the raising thereof We kept two powder-mills going and with them made three barrels a week 2. The vigilant care and unwearied endeavours of our valiant Governor and most worthy Serjeant Major and the Officers and Souldiers of both Regiments in keeping the guards day and night without any reliefe and the courage and good successe they had in their many sallies against the enemy 3. The cheerfull readinesse of yong and old of both sexes as well of the better as inferiour sort of people by day and night to labour in the further sortification of our Citie Nay our maids and others wrought daily without the works in the little Mead in fetching in turfe in the very faces of our enemies 4. The little hurt done by the enemy with their Cannon Muskets and Mortar peeces that sent so many terrible messengers amongst us All that we lost either taken or slain amounted not to the number of above 50. men yet we killed of the enemy although they never durst venture an assault against us above a thousand men as hath been confessed by some prisoners and renegadoes and is generally confirmed by the voice of the whole countrey that continually heard the muttering of their Souldiers at their return to their quarters some say 1500. some more we killed likewise most of their Canoniers so that they were forced to send to Bristoll for more five whereof the King valued before 500. men 5. The libertie we had in this strait siege for holy duties though wee were continually neecssitated to bodily labour and that the siege was raised upon a day of solemne humiliation 6. How opportunely his Excellencie came with reliefe unto us through the great care of the Parliament and Citie of London even then when the enemy thought themselves ready to devour us for they had made many strong works and Batteries within lesse then pistoll shot of our walls undermined our gate and wrought themselves quite over our Moat and provided their Engines and Bridges in readinesse In all these they shewed and used extraordinary skill and industry 7. The plenty and store of provision we had in the town of all sorts so that we turned out even to the very last houre they staied