but fail Hartpury near Some few of Mins Rear-guard surprized were But near to Elderfield their whole Brigade Advance and there their Ambuscado's laid Lining the hedges with their Musketiers Their Horse stand in their Front Massie appears Next morning chargeth Mins Horse soon retire Thinking their Ambuscado's should give fire Upon the now advancing Enemy And so they did but forc'd at length to fly Min with two-hundred on the turfe were slain And near three hundred Prisoners of them tane Wounded and taken Passer was also Slain Min's Brigade as hee came posting to To let them know more Forces were at hand And though those follow under his command Yet their pursuit was vain the feat was done And Massie with his prize and prisoners gone ☞ Rupert Ast-ferry to secure intent Six hundred Horse and Foot thither had sent These for their Guard intrench that neck of land That Wye and Severn's confluence 'twixt did stand Massie this hears and therefore doth Designe Thence to inforce them ere their works and Line Perfected are thither therefore hee went A Squadron of his Musketiers are sent Privately on Ruperts men them discry And at them all their Guards at once let fly In a loud Volly all their shot again Ere they could charge Massie's Forlorn amain Now mount their works then his reserves on came A bloody fight both parts a while maintain But in conclusion Massie got the Day Except whose heels and Boats bore them away All slain and Prisoners are So various are These sad successes of this Civil Warr. Kirle to Massie Monmoth had betrai'd Which to effect thus they their plot had laid Massie to Monmoth first advanceth near Then feigns a Post him to recall they hear In Monmoth Massie's gone Draw out pursue Kirle commands this party who well knew Where Massies Ambuscado's now were laid Thither hee leads his party all betraid And now surrounded yeild to Massie then To Monmoth with a part of Massie's men Kirle returns saying these Prisoners were They on the Gates But behold in the Reat Massie comes up then Kirle and those got in Declare themselves to wound and kill begin The Guard let down the bridge Massie comes ore The Garrison they instantly ore power The Governour advantaged by night With many more escape their hands by flight Broughton intends Godridge to fortifie Hereford Forces his design discry Draw out the first assault they on it make Broughton and all his men they Prisoners take Now Massies Horse to Monmoth quartering near Bravely assaild by valiant Blaxton were Many hee took many of them were slain Yet fresh supplies came up and back again Blaxton inforce with loss Massie also With Gerrard and with Winter had to do Skirmishing oft Massie from Monmoth gone Throgmorton had the Regiment alone And Drawing out on Chepstow to attempt From Ragland and from Godridge some are sent Who in Throgmorton's absence now devise A Stratagem Monmoth again surprize What Treachery lost Policy bravely won These nobly did but Kirle had basely done ☞ Stephens Raudon to releeve flies with his Horse To give him ground doth the besiegers force Whilst hee alights makes merry with his friends Renowned Ashley a strong party sends They block him up who others thought to free From a straight siege besieg'd himself is hee And all together yeild so excellent Such Stratagems was Ashley to invent ☞ Manchester Essex Waller all combine Forces the King for to surround near Spine They randezvow then off their Horse they Draw First to inforce the Royalists from Shaw A hot dispute Prince Morice Horse and they Maintain with loss on both parts all that Day Nor did their thundering Cannons cease the while Some men they kill some houses they untile And with those tiles oft strike some Souldiers Dead Then for a Mill on Kennet next they plead Where many Royallists surpriz'd and slain That Mill and passage the Essexians gain Till noble Ashley with his Valiant Foot Came up the Foes put all to flight and rout And many in the River Drown'd regain'd The Mill and Passage Bennet too maintain'd Waller against a bloody fight Whose Horse For to retire Leggs Chavalry inforce Yet rallying Legg did bravely charge again Routs Essex's Life-guard whose Commander slain By Bennet was The Duke of Yorke's Brigade Led on by Leagure gallant service made Thus on the West of Newberry went the game ☞ But on the East the bold Essexians came With confidence and resolution on And noble Goring pressed sore upon Who did with courage no whit less oppose The numerous and as yet prevailing Foes Till on goes Cleaveland with his own Brigade And those insulting Foes to fly soon made In this same charge was Major Urry slain And Cleaveland's self that Noble Earl was tane ☞ Manchester's men this while on the North-East To Shaw-ward in this bloody fight the least Part had not mannag'd where Renowned Lisle Had bravely kept them Martial play this while Astley and Brown here service brave had done And had some Cannons from the Rebels wone Thus was this fight maintained in a round Till with dead corps that blood-ore-flowing ground Newberry on each side lay thick bespread And Kennets ruddy streams discoloured With several rivulets of crimson blood United and augmented to a flood Nor on the Day alone here did they fight But in loud Vollies fired all the night The Ecchoes of their thundering Guns loud cries In Doleful accents from those woods replies And neighboring vales tumult licentious rage Fills every place here armed Troops ingage There great Battailions of brave Infantry With Death-Defying magnanimity The Earth seem'd for to tremble and rebound Whereon the prauncing Horse did charge a wound Brainford receiv'd i' th' mouth Alford i' th' thigh Leagure and Leak stout Royalists here Dye Their honour lost in Cornwall to regain The Roundheads fight the Kings part to maintain Their Honour got the motives equal were Courage to breed and to exempt all fear ☞ A Cornish Foot man slipt and got a fall As hee was running nigh a Garden wall Even at that time that a thick flight of shot Came whistleing ore his head hee swore by Got That hee was slain and panting there hee said For Saints and Souls Desiring his Comrade Him there to Bury But to search his wound A Surgeon came behold none could be found They bid him rise and fight for nought him ail'd But all their words with him nothing prevail'd Rather said hee Inter mee here alive Then I should in such Dangerous times survive Cold grew his limbs his pulse beat weak his breath Fetch'd thick at length hee Dies for fear of Death ☞ Dubious as yet was victory whom to grace With her triumphant Palms for in one place The King prevails takes Cannon when hard by The like success attends the Enemy Here might you see some fly others pursue Fresh Horse advance those victors late subdue Both sides had Ensigns Cannons Prisoners tane Numbers of both parts on the field lay slain Dubious
that way Came prauncing down the Moore in full carrears Squeesing the blood out of his nose mouth ears As he lay sprawling under their horse feet Who flies from one another death doth meet A Cannon bullet stroke off Sandies head And with it hit poor Wolley who fell dead Crying alack alack I ever ken'd Sandio's fauce head would bring mee to my end A thick grown wood unto the Moore stands near Where many a blew-Cap hid himself for fear Patrick behind the bulk of a grown Tree Peep'd often out the battaile for to see Thinking that if his party lost the day To span his gates for Scotland run away But as poor Patrick at bo-peep thus plaid A bullet shot at randome did invade His fore-head naked who falling mercy cry'd Alas alas for Ginny and so dy'd When Wolly heard the smaller shot to play In such thick whistling Vollies he away Spanning his gates through Ranks and Files at last Presuming he all dangers had fur-past He stops to see and hear the fights event A bullet from a Peece at randome sent Hit Wolly where he stood devoid of fear Under the long of his right side leav-ear Who falling dead did never there intend Under a whin-bush thus to make his end But thickest ranks of arm'd foes to assay Is still more safe then thus to run away ☞ The victory still was very dubious Yet rather seem'd to smile and fawn on us For our left wing had routed now their right The Scots and the Fairfaxians put to flight All their three Generals now the field forsook To Bradford ward Lesley his fleet betook Whom wee pursue his Scots now curse the time That e're they crost the Northern Tweed or Tine Their raggs meal-baggs gull-pans long-cans down cast They span their gates and run away full fast In doleful accents now the Louns do cry Mercy and Quarter O! how thick they lye Wounded and slain how many Prisoners were How many Colours taken in their Rear We follow still thinking the day our own But Goring our Commander should have known That to pursue one party was not good Whilst any of the adverse Body stood If after we had put that wing to rout Against the other we had wheel'd about And on the flank have charg'd them sure we might Victors have been Crommwel's men put to flight And Routed unto Cauwood sent them all After old Fairfax and their General ☞ But now when Cromwel apt enough to take Advantage see our Horse the field forsake Now rifling now pursuing such as fled In their right wing he presently up led His Troops to whom in brief he thus did say Assure your selves brave souldiers of the day How stand these foot and horse to us expos'd How easy are they all to be inclos'd How will they flye our Armed Troops before And for the rest that now have left the Moore In pursute of our other wing they 'l yeild Or flye when we are masters of the field If but one Troop of ours fall in their Rear They 'l run surpriz'd with unexpected fear Onely the time at present doth require Your valour to demonstrate you desire The spoile of this rich field Victors to be And from our wish but one brave charge are we Our Generals all now off the field are gone The Victories glory will be ours alone And what the Prince and his brave Chavalry Possesse after one Charge all ours shall be Their Sumptors and Port-Mantles by and by We shall have time to search Then furiously On Byron's wing they charge routed and broke Our bravest Regiments Each bloody stroak That their Pole-Axes gave was present death And thousands did deprive of their last breath Scarce one of ours escap'd without a wound But our vain stroaks and thrusts again re-bound Off their Arm'd breasts and heads The Prince doth flye And yeild the field to the proud enemy Now when the Prince's Horse thus routed were A party wheel'd about and in the Rear Charged on us broke our disorder'd Horse And from the pursute of the Scots inforce Us unto a base flight Yet our brave Foot Especially our white-Coats stood it out For though the foe on each side them surround They scorn to yeild but drawing to a round On every side most stoutly do give fire Forcing the conquering foe oft to retire Till all their Ammunition's spent and gone Our Horse all fled the field they left alone Night drawing on and many of them slain No hopes at all the victory to obtain Rather opprest by th' adverse multitude Then by true valour conquer'd th' are subdu'd Taken kill'd wounded even most barbarously By the insulting desperate enemy ☞ After their Arms down thrown they Quarter cry'd Their armed Troopes amongst them fiercely ride And put them to the Sword in vain to live Most of them supplicate Cromwel would give No quarter Much delighting in that blood That ran under his horse-feet like a flood Like as a ravenous Wolf greedy of prey Is not content alone to kill and slay So many of the flock as shall suffice His greedy Jaws but even doth Tyrannize Over the sheep and hundreds of them kill To satiate his so natural-savage will So Cromwel's bloody mind not satisfy'd With all that bloods expence of such as dy'd During the fight and while we kept the field Murthers even Captives after they did yeild And to the mercy mercylesse expose Themselves of such in-humane savage foes ☞ The bloodyest field of all our Civil Wars Now foughten is the furious Conquerers Our Cannons and our Carriages possesse Here Cary Slingsby Prideaux acquiesse Upon the bed of fame affociates Are Wentworth and stout Gleddal in their Fates Here Lampton Dacres Metham Kirton dye Hure with Fenwick these accompany But now the kind obscurity of night Gave an advantage of far safer flight To Rupert who though with a fresh supply Claveren came up next day yet will not try The chance of War again but rather yeild What 's lost then hazard more by a new field Nor were our hopes then altogether vain If we next day had Rallied to re-gain The victory even those of them that staid Upon the field it would have much dismaid To see us on the Moore again appear Before their broken Troopes united were ☞ But Rupert flyes though North-ward first he went Up to the South in minde much discontent That this great fight had such a sad effect What sure said he it was not my neglect In Marshalling my men no want of skill Or valour on my part that to this ill And fatal Rout expos'd my souldiers Only I was too forward as appears Why did I Charge this night or why not stay Till Claveren's coming up though his delay His Armies service did this day prevent Must I be rash ' cause he was negligent Why did I not refresh my men before I did attempt to march up to the Moore Both Horse and Man our longer marches tyr'd And of repose some longer time requir'd If we
Presbytery As now under much-hated Prelacy That much pretended wish'd for reformation Shall have a most apparent confutation From those curs'd crimes London will exercise And grant her even what Form shee can devise For Government either in Church or State But whether doth my Muse thus deviate Rupert the leading having now acquir'd Of such a Party as his heart disir'd Couragious Gallants who did scorn to fly The face of even the proudest enemy Thought that his smaller parties fortitude Might ballance Essex's numerous multitude O! that their temperance had but equalis'd Their valour would Rupert had exercis'd A stricter Discipline and not by force Suffered his stout though too licentious Horse Coine Arms and Horses to extort from those That doubtless but for this nere the Kings foes Had prov'd Indeed plundring intemperance Bacchus his bowles Venus her daliance Were of the Royal party the sole bane How many men surpris'd how many slain Oft in their cupps want want of discipline Our Cause though just made many to decline Yet our Commanders this to tolerate The want of pay did thus necessitate Nor long to us did any such adhear Who in their service mercenary were ☞ By this time Essex numerous Forces were Drawn out of London to North-Hampton where They wait their General 's coming and indeed In number three to one they did exceed The Kings So zealously was London bent Against the King to aid the Parliament Essex arrived with his Army now Coventry Warwick and North-Hampton too Did fortifie Glocester then did stand For th' Parliament under Massies command To Worcester Rupert his Troops doth bring Thinking that City strongly for the King To fortifie But Essex Horse so near Prevents his stay and resolutions there Nevertheless both parties now so near Scorn to retreat as men surpris'd with fear Before their Gallantry they have express'd By skirmishing most fiercely they contest They ride up close and boldly do give fire In one anothers bosoms then retire Others advancing do their rooms supply Their discharg'd Pistols at the heads do fly Then of each other and incontinent Then hand to hand unto the Sword they went Some giving some receiving many a wound Till many a man lay gasping on the ground But Rupert causeth a retreat to sound Lest that the numerous foes should him surround And from this skirmish up his Troops doth bring To Shrewsbury for to attend the King Sands now his Prisoner whose whole Regiment To Rout and Ruine in this Skirmish went That famous River that Sabriua's name From her drown'd in it doth as yet retain Almost surrounds the Town of Shrewsbury His Magazin Mint Coin Artillary His Person too here did the King confide A Town by Art and Nature fortifi'd ☞ During the King 's though short residing here His smaller Forces much augmented were So that hee takes the field fully intent For London but this Essex doth prevent Who with his Force at Worcester did lye And hearing that the King was marching by Draws out his Army and to Coventry After the King directly marcheth hee Resolv'd to fight Such preparations are Made England to ingage in Civil War Whose desperate prologue Muse thou must prepare Indoleful accents now for to declare Now Phoebus did from th' Equinoctial Line His course to the Antartick Pole decline Nor could the cooler air yet qualifie Mens hotter Zeal and desperate fervency To Civil Wars this Fire alone must bee Quenched with blood dolorous Phlebotomie In Warwick-Shire there lies a spacious Plain Pitty that Civil blood should it distain Nere Keinton call'd the vale of the Red Horse Where General Essex with his numerous force Was now arriv'd The Royallists hard by Upon Edge-Hill their near approach discry And there their Troops most gallantly display Putting their Battaile quickly in Array Linsey was Captain General for the King But Ruthen ordered their embattailing The Valliant Linsey with his Pike in hand Led the main Body Rupert did command Those Gallant Troops placed in the right wing Bravely the left Carnarvan on did bring Essex this while embattailed did stand His right Battallions Balfore did command Ramsey his left Hurry this Day did serve In the right wing and was Balfore's reserve Essex a while his Infantry did head Till Meldrum came who on the same did lead Essex now mounted in his Armies sight Thus to the Battail did his men excite ☞ Take Courage Souldiers from your juster cause It 's for Religion Liberty and Laws You fight who would not spend their dearest blood Now for Religion 's sake and England's good What do not Pressures Poles curs'd subsidies Ship-monies Taxes damn'd Monopolies Now Fleece us Subjects for no Soveraign use Impudent by permission grows abuse VVhat is not superstitious innovation Of Romish Rites Cross-Altar-Adoration Obtruded on us have wee not permission Of the Mass-Idol See! the exhibition Of Sports even to the Sabbath 's Prophanation Are authoris'd by Order Proclamation Cards Dice Bowls Tennis Stage-plaies Sabbathsport Are made both in the Country and the Court. Dare mortal men Gods morral Laws withstand VVhat God forbids dare earthly men command O Sinfull daies O impious hellish times VVhen even by Order warranted are Crimes Bad Presidents without indulging Laws Finde too too frequent practise and applause Ambitious Prelates now do arrogate In honours temporal to Officiate Their Romish Doctrines ceremonious guise All pious hearts resent and much despise Nuncio's from Rome to England now resort And much were honoured in our English Court Whither when Jezabel's proud Sons were come They much admir'd in England to finde Rome It 's not against the King that wee declare But those that Authors and Abettors are Of these strange things who will not rather dye Then be insnar'd againe in Popery Even in your looks I easily perceive Your forwardnesse I know you 'l not deceive My expectations for meethinks I see You in pursute and yonder Troops to flee Meethinks I see what numbers we have slain How many prisoners Horse Armes Colours tane How every Souldier is inrich'd with prize What rare inventions London doth devize To grace our Tryumphs how their Bone-fires burn And Bels ring loud to honour our return His wicked councel all dispers'd and fled In Tryumph shall the King himself be led By us unto his London Parliament Who will reward with condigne punishment Most of his wicked party valorous bee Take resolution magnanimity Brave Souldiers and indeed you may confide All these presages shall be verfi'd ☞ At this a prologue to the near dispute Essex the King daringly did salute With a loud Volley of his Ordinance Whose fiery bals near to the King did glance As he from his prospective did survey Their Army in that Valley where they lay And then three acclamations even so high Their Army gave as seem'd to rend the sky ☞ At which brave Linsey soon the King desir'd Leave to go on Saying Essex hath fir'd His Cannons on us and shall we stand still And suffer his great shot our men
valiantly held out e're this Yeilded it was Now Skipton they assay Enter the Town plunder and bear away What lighter then stone-walls in it they finde Batteries against the Castle were design'd Numerous Granadoes in the interim plaid When here the Leagure had some few daies laid From Apleby upon Paroll I came Having exactly first perform'd the same I to the Castle with a Trumpet went Whom we return'd Their Scouts stood eminent On Rumles-Moore from whence they might us When any party we together drew Therefore some twenty in their sight do mount view They take th' Alarm and to their Guards account Our motion In the interim we drew out Three hundred undiscovered Horse and Foot Their Horse all mounted our small party drew Streight on our ambuscado out we flew Their three divisions soon we put to rout Briggs had some parties to draw out of Foot Whereof some slain the rest we dissipate Take Briggs with many more So fortunate In such attempts were the bold Skiptoneirs Their gallantry in these their acts appears In their own meadows numerous Horse and Foot A party small of them did break and rout Tripleing their number with the Prisoners tane At Ast-wick-Fair how many had they slain Taken and broke their party very small Wren's Regiment we beat at Eshton-Hall But with a hundred Horse Kighley's designe Was gallant though alas the love of Wine In some Commanders a miscarriage wrought Fatal But we to yeilding tearms are brought And hence convey'd to Leichfield march away In Arms compleat and souldier-like array Finis Libri Sexti THE English CIVIL WARRS BOOK VII The Contents The Model new with some of Cromwels deeds Lidney Siege raisd Ludberry fight succeeds Taunton besieg'd The King storms Leicester Naisby fight Gorings forces routed are At Lang-port what 's at several Sieges done Routon and Shearburn fights Westchester won Kilsithe fight Digby 's rout on Carlisle Sands Torrington fight Goring his men disbands Stow fight Oxford besieg'd The King doth make Thence in disguise unto the Scots escape Hereford is surprized by a Plot Newark Siege North the King goes with the Scot. THe Parliament now their Grandees recall All from command Young Fairfax Generall Is made of England By this Modell new Many advantages to them accrew Emulous Lords now being laid away Men of less note will need the lesser pay Spirits most active for the Cause they chuse Of milder Zeal Commanders they refuse As useless now Cromwell for Eminence Was now the MAN next to his excellence Northampton's Horse with the Queens Regiment At Islip-bridge in Quarters resident Cromwell upon them comes they fight at length The Royalists ore-powered are in strength Cromwell some hundreds of these Horse doth take With the Queens Colours then pursuit doth make To Blackington after the rest that fled Cromwell demands the House delivered By Windebank on tearms it is next day Both Horse and Arms they leave and march away To Oxford where a Martial Court decree Windebank shall for this delivery Bee shot to Death when too late to prevent This Collonels Death the King doth it resent Blaming Prince Ruperts too much urgency In this young Gallants late Catastrophe His Royal bounty doth the King express All hee could do to his Relicts distress Near Bampton-Bush Vavisors party lay Cromwell his marches doth direct that way So privately that hee surpriz'd them all Numerous his Prisoners and his prize not small Lidney against Massie close Siege had laid Langdale at length to the Defendants aid Came with a party brave Massie off beat Many hee slew and took in this defeat To Ludberry Rupert with his Forces came Massie before possest was of the same But seeing Ruperts Horse so near drew out Whilst off for Glocester hee sent his Foot Hee charged with his Horse fierce the dispute Massie at length doth fly in the pursuit Rupert shot Massie's Horse doubtless his aim Was at himself though short his bullets came Harlow was tane Bacchus laid on the ground Bleeding of his now last and mortal wound Numbers were kill'd numbers of them were tane On Ruperts part was noble Haistings slain ☞ Hopton on Tauntons Seige had now design'd Greenvill and Goring were with him combin'd Willington-House by storm they late regain'd Many within put to the sword maintain'd This Siege was with much courage and more art Nor wanted these on the Defendant's part Which Blake advanced unto such renown Many assaults were made against the Town Mounts high were rais'd off which their Cannon plaid Fairfax sends Graves at length unto their aid At his approach th' Assailants march away Tauntons releiv'd nor longer Graves would stay Th' Assailants soon renew the Siege again Where to their work wee leave them to remain ☞ Massie recruited Evesham comes before Demands the Town Legg no such spirit bore To yeild at the first Summons Massie then Commands the storm with loss three times his men Were bravely beaten off Sevorn grew red Soon with the influx of the blood here shed But at the fourth assault the Town they win Many put to the Sword of those within ☞ Fairfax and Brown Oxford before sate down But the Defendants all the Meadows drown Sleight their out Forts and all the Suburbs fire Cromwell doth from the Kings pursuit retire For Cromwell had a while follow'd the King But now recall'd doth to the Leagure bring His well-arm'd troops while Fairfax veiws the town And ore the Bowling-green rides up and down A Cannon-bullet from the works doth fly Pity it mis'd which wafts his head hard by Which made his excellence in great fear Once vaile his Beavour to a Cavallier But now let 's leave this Leagure and review The Kings transactions who together drew A gallant Army and North-westward went The Siege at Chester for to raise intent Brearton his Siege draws at the Kings access The King wheels East to Leicester address Wee make demand the Town in vain for they Within do entrance to their King deny At this command is given to storm the Town After our Guns wide breaches had beat down Though those within did make resistance stout Resolutely wee enter Horse and Foot Those enemies that yet survive do fly To th' Market-place where their Artillery With some fresh Companies of Horse and Foot Did stand with these wee have a bloody bout For full two hours and more they here maintain The fight in fine the most of them were slain Here laid whole heaps of Scotish Voluntiers There Dalbin's men by scores ruddy appears The Soure with blood the Channels did convey Out of those streets here Gray's men slaughtered lay The Town was plundered Gray and Hacker were Prisoners Great was the prize was taken here ☞ Fairfax hears of these actions of the King Rises from Oxford and doth Northward bring His Army Orders unto Cromwell sent Who lately to the Isle of Ely went From Oxford Siege to march Naisby fields are For the most fatal fight of this sad War Design'd the place The
Tryumphs of that day ☞ Out of the high Town the Defendants power Upon their heads a most stupendious shower Of great Granado's which the low Town fire About their ears Fairfax doth much admire Their Courage for a second storm prepares Yet more for 's own security than theirs Offers conditions which refus'd they rear Their Ladders and go on but bravely were Repulsed with th' effusion of much blood On heaps they lye now dead their Ladders stood Forsaken and the Trenches round were fill'd Now with the Arms and bodies of their kill'd Fairfax thus beat his thoughts doth soon Reflect Upon a new design which took effect Numbers of Iron Bullets straight they make Which shot red hot straw Hay and Houses take A sudden fire the Town 's all on a flame Eliot to treat for the Defendants came But Fairfax all his offers now refus'd Telling him they his patience had abus'd And that indeed he 'l put them all to sword Or burn them there Yet doth recall his word And grant them with their lives to march away Thus of that Town to ground burn'd both parts lay No house or harbour the poor Townsmen had Of Civil wars a spectacle most sad Hence unto Bath Fairfax directs his way Rich with his Forelorne did the Town assay Gaining some out-works e're the General came But on these tearms Bridges doth yeild the same That he and his in war-like posture should To Bristol march To Shearburn that strong hold Next Fairfax came of which being deny'd His Mines and Batteries for a while he ply'd Vaine were his Mines his Batteries do prevaile Making wide breaches on they go and scale In furious wise The Cannons while they plaid Had the Defendants not so much dismaid But Dives bids them fight and lets them know In valour their security all now Consisted But the enemies on presse On every side the Castle they distresse Those walls not able longer them to shield They beat a Parley and on tearms do yeild ☞ Bristol before the General next sate down Boldly of Rupert doth demand the Town Yet e're the summons Rupert sallyed out And from the fired Suburbs beat their Foot But on again they come the works down tear With thundering shot the Moats all filled were With Faggots then they force their bloody way Up Ladders and in spight of fate Display Their Colours on those works from whence they beat The Royalists Rupert makes his retreat Into the Castle but thus yeilds next day That Souldier-like he march with his away ☞ Next the Fairfaxians before Dartsmouth came To whom when Pollard had deny'd the same Incourag'd with successes on they go What walls or works can keep out such a foe Hammonds Brigade first enter on the West The Gate-House with mount Flagon soon possest Forward they go Pride had like prosperous Fate Having now entred at the Northern Gate Through every street they force their bloody way Kingsworth alone as yet did hold them play But as of blood they had been Prodigal Or scorn'd their lives most furiously they all With mounted Ladders this strong Fort assay Twelve murthering Guns at once upon them play And numerous Vollies of dead wounding shot But mounts they 'l raise of corps rather then not Now conquer But all the Defendants tyr'd With killing these Conditions yet acquir'd Unto the Castle safe to march away Which Castle fiercely they assail next day The storme so bloody the Defendants crave Their lives and liberties alone to have Which Fairfax Nobly grants And marcheth hence To Exeter where wee his excellence Shall leave a while Cromwel and he now were Parted two Suns could not shine in one Sphere ☞ On the Devises Cromwel first Designes The Governour his offers all declines Which made him on a desperate battery fall After a while down tumbling comes the wall And the Defendants a surrender make To Winchester Cromwel doth then betake Himself the Gates against him there are bar'd To which his men affixing a Pittard With other combustibles burn them down And in despight make entrance on the Town The Castle which to the Defendants fled Is to some purpose by him battered That the within besieg'd for tearms do suo Which granted Unto Basing Cromwel drew His great Artillery Batteries soon they make And then the House to storm they undertake Had all been Cromwells had all thought upon out A Crown as he sure not more fiercely on They could have gone That house that had stood Both many a siege and many a bloody bout By force they enter The Defendants crave Quarter alone which Cromwel nobly gave But who the prize can value taken here Let 's leav 't to Cromwell for we must And hear A while the exploits of the Scots By this Near Hereford arriv'd Cannon-Froom is The place which first to storme they do accord Which they perform putting the most to Sword Within that house to Hereford next came Leaven with all his Mercenary traine Their lines they draw Mounts raise batter the wall With thundering shot imploy their Miners all Under the ground of Ladders store provide Yet by all this not one whit terrify'd Are the Defendants Mines they counter-mine Their battered walls with earth they counter-line On the Besiegers often sallying out Many they kill oft put whole Guards to rout But when the Louns heard how the King drew near They quit their fiege and North-ward march forfear Hereford-shire of these Scotch guests may rue Their curses even to this day them pursue ☞ The King this while imbodied had of Horse With some Dragoons no Despicable force And late to Worcester advancing near Even at his name the Scots had fled for fear From Hereford From hence the King went East And here and there some enemies supprest At Huntington arriv'd the Town he won Some put to sword at entrance then we come By Cambridge and so unto Oxford went After a while the King is fully bent West-Chester's siege to raise thither we go Skirted still in our marches by the foe At length on Routon-Heath West-Chester near Arriv'd we make a holt Pointz doth appear After a while and boldly doth assail Our now imbattail'd Horse who shall prevail Is dubious for a while Hot the dispute At length they flye we follow in pursute Many are tane and kill'd but in our Rear Louthian and Jones do suddenly appear With a fresh party both of Horse and Foot Drawn from the siege Pointz Rallies wheels about As soon as e're their signal Cannons play Our Front and Rear at once they do assay With a fierce charge Ours did what men could do But in conclusion with the numerous foe O're press'd we fly many of ours they kill And numbers take Churches with these they fill Where Hunger-starv'd they keep them to repent And grow Religious as the Parliament The King with hundreds more from this sad fight Arriv'd at Chester where we lodge that night Then into Wales again take our recourse After a while some two Brigades
Worcester wee came a Seige hard by Wee rais'd into a Church some Rebels fly Leaving some Cannons which wee soon possest The Church wee enter earnestly request Those in the Steeple Quarter for to take But they refusing under them wee make A mighty fire and leave them there to burn Or break their necks to Bramiard wee return And so do march about but our Design Was with some Horse our selves for to combine At Farrington and so an Army make At length our marches thither-ward wee take ☞ Morgan and Brearton follow in our Rear Whom for to fight at Stow inforc'd wee were For having Skirmish'd with them there that night When the swift houres induce the morning light Of Horse and Foot their Bodies wee Discry Our General said Souldiers let 's nobly Dye Or Conquer now 't is base to turn and fly This will bring shame or else Captivity The other fame the Kings condition 's low To raise it let 's our hands and lives bestow Suppose his Majesty stood you before And did your utmost courage now implore Suppose as Forlorn Prisoners now of Warr Led all wee were by the proud Conquerer To nasty Gaols there scorn'd and Hunger starv'd And might from all these miseries bee preserv'd By Valour nay suppose they should Decree That wee should hang'd bee for our Loyalty For they of Loyalty can Treason make If wee bee vanquish'd rather courage take And these by a more noble Death prevent This said with resolution on wee went As scorning wounds and death up to the face Of th' Enemy Pistols are fir'd a pace Some of their Bodies soon wee put to rout Nor with less Gallantry on went our Foot Levelling their thick-vollied shot so well That numbers of the Enemy there fell Indeed both Horse and Foot had here exprest Such bravery as the Enemy confest Their number not their Valour won the Day Lucas did here there Vaughan did assay Fresh parties while that these wee Dissipate Hydra-like shee new Heads repullulate At length our Foot the Enemy surround Our Horse ore-power'd inforc'd are to give ground And after to inlarge to open flight Some fifteen hundred tane were in this fight ' Mongst whom our General who aloud did say Your work 's now done put up your swords play For now no Army had the King on field Dennington to the Foe stout Bloys doth yeild This while Barnstable also they possest Ruthen and Woodstock too Now from the West Comes Fairfax before Oxford doth sit down Which hitherto block'd up had been by Brown To take the King Fairfax did think to have The Glory but the King doth him deceive Who in disguise Oxford alas forsook And to the Scots at Newark Siege betook Himself the Scots having receiv'd the King From Newark rise him to New-Castle bring Five months ' gainst Newark had the siege now laid Fiercely the Town oft times had been assai'd Sand-fort the Scots had now some time possest Th' English and they in their attempts contest Who should most active bee Granado's store Shot on the Town their thundering Cannons roar Against the Castle Houses down are burn'd Sinite and Trent are from their Channels turn'd And nothing unattempted for to win The Town No whit less active those within Make many sallies bold upon the Foe The Quarters of the Scots sometimes into They fall with fire and sword sometimes they try Rossiter Pointz or Copley's Gallantry At every sally slain are more or less Each enterprize was Growned with success On the Defendants part but Fatal still Th' Assaillants to his Majesty doth will Bellas to yeild And Tearms concluded are Then to the North the King and Scots repair Where ah good King with this perfideous crew Wee leave him Southern actions to review Finis Libri Septimi THE ENGLISH CIVIL VVARRS BOOK VIII The Contents The Royal Garisons distress'd much are The Scots the King do sell The second Warr. Horton doth Poyer and Lang-horn both defeat The London and the Kentish Forces beat Barwick and Carlisle Langdale doth surprize Duke Hamilton ' s succesless enterprize The Kirk late Cromwels Foes with him now side Colchester tane Cromwels curs'd Regicide WEe that from Stow routed of late had fled In diverse Holds are now beleagured With Sieges close the Enemies distrest Even all those Garrisons that wee possest Dudley against Brearton a while had laid Many Granado's on the Castle plaid Of mines and batteries too use hee did make When none of these nor yet them all would take Levison doubting of releif doth yeild ☞ Not yet our hopes on no grounds did we build Wee did presume that the Kings presence might The Scots into an understanding right Of these late bloody differences induce Wee did presume the Irish might take Truce With one another and their Forces bring England into for to assist the King Some hopes wee had too of Domestick Jarrs 'Twixt Independents and the Presbyters But all our hopes and expectations fail'd With fire and sword the Enemy assail'd Bridg-north this while not one house i' th high town Except in rocks but burned were all down The town or rather now no town thus won The least part of their work they had not done For from the Castle oft wee sallied out One Colour took and put whole Guards to rout Scarce Pistol shot a barn stood from the wall In which a Guard they kept on this wee fall Kill some beat out the rest and then return But first the Barn down to the ground wee burn The Church th' Assailants made their Magazin For Powder while Alarm'd they pressed in A spark that from a lighted match did fly Their Powder fir'd which sacralegiously Rent off the Church the timber and the Lead Some scores blown blind some scores stricken quite dead Here of their men those that had burn'd the Town Burn'd were i' th Church and to the clouds up blown Like fiery meteors down their bodies came Their cloaths and hair all in a smoaking flame Five hundred of their battering shot each day Fiercely against our walls th' Assaillants play Of great Granado's too full many a flight They sent into these walls us to afright And in those Rocks their miners did imploy Us in a blast Sulphureous to destroy As many of themselves i' th Church late were But our Provisions to an end grow near On tearms wee yeild which tearms they falsifi'd Those march on foot who promise had to ride No Martial Law th' insulting Foes regard Of recompence they think us quite debar'd Hence to the Scots many of us repair Who gave us words made promises full fair But their performances their mindes discry'd 'T is bad to trust such as wee have not try'd This wee may say their dealing was with us Their words full fair their acts perfideous ☞ Though many a futious Battery Bloody bout Couragiously Banberry had stood out Her Foes and famine now grow prevalent Needs must shee yeild though much shee it resent The Valiant Byron was again