great quantity of Powder and his Lordships head quarters then at Haverford but 5. myles distant and on the back of the Fort notwithstanding the great perill of passing over the River neer upon halfe a League over in breadth and on the Enemies side of the Haven yet by the help of the Shipps and boates he put over two peeces of Ordnance and having past over his little Army early in the morning his horse not exceeding 80. the foote skarse 400. hee planted his two Guns on a high hill over against the Fort wch playd over the Pilford into the middell thereof having before his comming over given order that our Demy Cannon planted at Popton on Pembrooke side of the River should also play over the wast of the Haven into the other side of the Fort all which Guns did very much annoy the Enemy then lodged in an open and desending Fortresse whilst himselfe in the head of the Pill-Village some 20. score above the Fort placed all his horse in full shew and in open view of the Enemy then drawn out of Haverford and within two myles of the place being 400. Horse at the least and 1000. foot all in two bodyes looking on that poore handfull of horse of the Major Generalls set there of purpose to face the enemy whilst in his own person hee fell in with 200. Musketteers on the Village having within it equall numbers to those of his own beate them at an instant out of their works took 150. prisoners and as mauy Armes the rest runing down into their Fort were instantly pursued and within two houres both places taken with all their Ordnance Powder and Ammunition together with 300. prisoners more The Enemies body of horse and foot then commanded by Sir Henry Vaughan in his Lordships absence all the day long never advanced to their assistance but in the close of the evening retreated to Haverford in a very great amasement John Barlow Captaine of the Fort the two Captaines Bradshawes with Leiutenant Paersons two of them old Souldiers were there taken with diverse other Officers Paersons an old stoutman at the first entring of the Fort being there mortally wounded was the next day sent to Haverford where very nobly the Major Generall gave speciall order for his cure but shortly after dyed of his wounds the Fort thus taken the Kings shippes then lying dry on an ebbe tyde and under the command of the Fortas aforesaid were there also taken by the Major Generall their Gunnes with those of the Fort amounting to the number of sixty odde at the least which plentifully furnished him with store of Artillery which he then exceedingly wanted It is very remarkable what hapned the following evening through the punick feare that then possessed the Enemy the relation whereof may bee of some recreation to the Reader The night being come on and the Major Generall and his men then over-watcht and tyred tooke up their quarters in the Pill-Village having sufficiently performed more then they expected they could possibly doe in so short a time and with so weake forces and the enemy though in Haverford and within their works fresh and of good numbers yet extreamly timerous and doubtfull that the Major Generall would that night fall in on the place and standing on the way toward the Pil some halfe a mile distant from the Towne they heard a great noyse of running and cluttering under the place where they had taken up their standing which was no other then the running down of a heard or drove of Cattle out of the adjoyning mountaine being sensible by natures instinct of the storme that immediatly followed to take shelter under the Walls of an ancient Rudra of buildings standing in the bottome a little below where the Skouts stood sentinell They being amazed in the night darke and stormy tooke the Alarme for good ran into the Towne and crying out that the Major Generall with his whole Army was at hand Whereupon in all post hast they all packt away in the night toward CARMARTHIN Sir Henry Vaughon in the heat of the feare in a very uncivill manner taking a long with him Sir Hugh Owins his Prisoner in his stockins not giving him time to pull on his Bootes and calling him Traitor avouching that that disaster befell them by reason of his non-complyance the good Lady his Wife not willing so to leave her Husband could not be perswaded to stay behinde but in her night Gown road all the night behind him the Enemy having made sure worke with their pouder had cast it into the River leaving their Cannon and the Towne to the discretion of the Major Generall who the day following entered with his Forces and quartered in their places That part of the Country being then well cleared of the Enemy the Major Generall upon some small rest drew up all the force he could possibly make to the Towne of Tinby a place finely seated on a Rock or little premontory invironed on two sides with the sea and on the land side with very high thick and impregnable Wails Towers and platformes The Major Generall having the first day of his sitting down planted a Demi-Culvering 2200. yeards distant from the North Gate of the Town with another some what lower but more wide and both on the declyning of the Wind-miâ—l-hill over against the Towne the first played on the very Gate and entrance thereof the rest of the Gates having beene before barrocadoed and stopt up the other Gun planted more wide plaid both into the Haven and the Towne whilst the Ships being come about from Milford plaid all from seaward over the Towne without any other anoyance to the besieged more then the beating downe of some of the rooftes of the Inhabitants houses only the Demi-Culvering planted at the distance aforesaid and that plaid on the Gate being attended with a very expert Cannon-neere the 3d. day follwoing made a very forrunate shot and beate open the Wicket through the Portcullis at which the Major Generalls Foot then quartering in the Norton even up to the Gate which is a long street or suburbe without the Walls taking the opportunity desperately ran in presently possest themselves of the place the Governour Guin being slightly hurt before and in his Chamber not doubting of any such accident hearning that the Souldiers were already entred ran into the Street and incountring them was there mortally wounded with some other of the defendants slaine in the place wherewith himselfe Colonell David Gwin Captaine Butler Captaine Lewes and Lieutenant Protherow were taken with all the Souldiers to the number of 300. or more Guin the Governour within foure dayes after died of his wounds and had an honourable interment given him by Captaine Phillip Bowen then commanding the Towne under the Governour Captaine Thomas Laughorne It is very remarkable that a place of that strength and man'd with neare as many men as those that had besieged it should so Miraculously be taken in
together the worke in the Arch so fild up as is truly discribed for a passage over of the Major Generals souldiers to the Governors reliefe stood immoveable till the very time that it was finished notwithstanding the fresh flouds by reason of extreame fowle weather were then very strong and forcible and the tyde there runing with great violence insomuch as the Major Gen. at first stood in much doubt that all his labour would prove fruitles howsoever it pleased the great providence so to Order it that it only stood to passe over his men but the next tyde carried all the work away to the admiration of the beholders Gerrards Army thus routed and lessened in the losse of 500 of his best foote slaine and taken in the place and five hundred more running from him as weary of the service eight hundred Armes fifteen of his horse with some of his best Commanders either slaine or taken in great displeasure wrote an emperious and threatning Letter from Carmarthin to the Major General which he slighted with silence and after many and toylesom marches and watches in the dead time of a tempestuous Winter having for twenty dayes together little better quarter then hedges and ditches to repose himselfe and his wearied Souldiers yet loath to loose time or to give breath to a revengfull and furious Enemy after some short time of rest first revictualled the Castle and replaced therein Colo. Powell as Governour of the place lay downe before Emblin a little but a very strong place belonging to the Earle of Carbâ—ry which for 20. dayes together he closly besieged the house being very well both fortified and defended yet at length came to capitulation when Generall Gerrard having for two moneths together traversed his ground through many of the Kings Garisons and studying revenge had recruited himselfe both with good numbers of Horse and in his return inforcing all South-Wales Generally to rise with him his new Army amounting to 1200. Horse and three thousand foot at the least came by great and nightly marches within seaven myles of Emblin before the little Army then before it had any certaine intelligence of their approach The Major Generall being somwhat before gone to Haverford for the recruit of his Ammunition when in the interim on falls Gerrard on the besiegers only seconded with some foure troopes of wearied horse which understanding of the Enemyes neere advance yet they resolutely charged them in the very head of their Army and upon the first and second charge put them to the shocke but being so unequally matcht and over-powred with numbers and the maine body of the Enemies foot in sight and marching up to the Reare of their Horse Those few Troops of the Major Generalls horse thought it a vaine indeavour any longer to stand them but shifted for themselves leaving their foote to the mercy of the insulting Enemy which notwithstanding stood it out long untill overborn with multitudes of the assaylants they were for the greater part either slaine or taken those resolute and expeirt Souldiers of Ireland being of that routed number Vpon this most unfortunate defeate some of the Committee of the County of Pembrooke envious of the Major Generalls atchievements and such as never did or durst draw sword in the Cause have not forborne most unworthily tobrand his reputation malitiously laying the blame of this disaster on him and only for that he was not present in person when the defeat was given it being well knewne that the necessity of a speedy recrewting his Ammunition inforced his absence and that â—ll the forces he could then make could not countervaile the afifth part of the Enemies forces but to proceed on the news of this unfortunate losse let the most malitious of his enemies look upon his former after dilligence and what he did on the instant of this losse when hapily some of them would have bin to seek what to have don otherwise then as they did take their heeles and leave the burthen on his shoulders which never budg'd nor forsook his charge and the defence of his Country let them remember when most of the Committees shifted for themselves whether at the instant he dispatcht not shipping such as were most fitting for Cardican River with advice to Colonell Powell with all the expedition he could to embarke himselfe and his Souldiers with all his Ammunition and to slight the Castle which with celerity great circumspection was timely performed and a Commander of worth with his full company and armes all preserved beyond expectation and before Generall Gerrard could imagine what might become of him safely arrived at Milford and came to the Major Generall at Pembrooke they may remember if they pleas'd what a dead liâ—t was then left on their shouldiers when most of the Gentlemen either fled their Country or stood off at Sea in a safe ship they alone with a handfull of men both stood to the work and preserved what possibly could be secured the one be taking himsefe to the Government oâ—Tinby the other of Pembrook wherewith great and insupportable care and dilligence they so ordered the Townes that a royall Army on six Monthes siege might very well have spent their paines and lost their labour in attempting on either as Gerrard himselfe before Pembrooke during his six weeks siege found that to be most true The Major Generall had then in the Towne neere upon 500. good foot and some 3-Troopes of wearied horse the place well fortified but not Victualled for any long siege though Gerrard conceived that he had then neere finished the worke but there was another accompt to be made with God and a second rekconning may be expected that he must make with men for his horrid and most abhominable cruelties Gerrards indeavour first was then to block up the River that runs up to the Towne out of Milford-Haven To which purpose he attempted to raise a Fort on the entrance of the River which being made knowne to the Admirall Swanley he refused to hazard his shipping to come up in the River when Captaine Iohn Bwen accompanied with the Vice-Admirall Captaine Iohn Smith adventured to thrust in to the point of Pennermouth where with their Ordinance beating the Pioners from their Workes they utterly dissapointed the Generalls design whether upon made his appreaches neere and round about most of the Towne and after many and divers assaults had alwayes the worst of the bargaine he having then forcibly drawne to his assistance two new Regiments of very good foot all raised in the County of Pembrooke where amongst other accidents this is an infallible testimoney of the Major Generalls both vallor and Vigillancy The Enemy one night having a designe to burne the Mills standing on the North bridge and a little without the Walls of the Towne skanted then of men to supply the largen esse of the Workes and the Major Gen. unwilling to lessen unman the Guards the Enemy stormingsometimes in 3.4 or 5.
and finding that he could do little good either by storme or battery on the place and having then received a second intelligence from some well affected Gentlmen of Glamon ganshire of the proceedings of Carne which had then raised 3000. good horse and foot and apprehending the consequence that he meant to joyn with Ragland forces and all the Papists of the County of Monmouth as also with Sir Jacob Ashley this plot of all others being of a most dangerous Consequence if not in speedily nipt in the badde and that It manifestly appeared that this Army would in a short time be the most powerfull and formidable of any his Majesty hath had on foot if considered with all circumstances both in respect of the Commander in chiefe and the men then to bee under his conduct and on a second consideration that within a few dayes they would or might have bin in the very heart of the County of Pembrooke and there ready to shake hands with the Irish Army so long expected and noysed then to be in readinesse for transport but taken at the best and as that Army then was and might have bin augmented without the Irish assistance it could not have failed to have reduced the whoâ— County of Pembrook taken the Haven and all the Townes then slenderly man'd together with the reducing of all the principallity to the irreparable losse of the State The Welch Nation being in the Generall a people skarce patient in peace but impatient to be left out of action in times of Warre whensoever prosperity and the name of the King and his anthority shall offer opportunity and incouragement to their unconstant spirits to turne with the wheele upon these considerations the Major Generall thought it not then fit to protract time having first secured his Cannon and re-sent them to Sea and leaving his old Camerado Colonell Powell to block up Aberastwith with such Companies as might suffice to Master and keepe the Enemy from excursions he undertooke the most difficult march that could have beene chosen throughout the Kingdome leading his little Army over as in accessible mountaines as Hamball did when hee past the Alps into Italy and through the whole length of the County of Cardican part of Carmarthin to Brecknock where recruting his forces he marcht through the rest of that county then into Glamorgan and unto Cardiffe in the very center of that shire 60. welâ—h miles all within 5. or 6. dayes at the most where with his wearied forces for three dayes together he fought with the enemy kept them from uniting routed and beat them in all places and killed of them neare upon 1000. stout and resolute Souldiers tooke many of their horse 2000. Armes reduced the whole County and retooke the strong Towne of Cardiffe man'd with 800. foot not without the losse of most of his owne Troope with 130. of his old foot yet to the utter overthrough and disapointing of the Enemies designe this County some few private men expected being totally falce to the Parliament and as we may justly say accomplished much to the admiration of the times Though now it is this Gentlemans ill fate as it hath ever bin of all notable Commanders to be the subject of detraction to be envied and basely traduced no rationall man knowes for what cause neither on what grounds more then this that by the hand of the Almighty he hath beene made the happy instrument of doing of that with little or no considerable assistance and with a poore handfull of men and through his patience Industry vigillancy indefatigable labour of body and continuall travell of minde for foure yeares together hath accomplished that which his shamelesse Enemies skarse ever durst to think on buâ— never to undergoe the tenths of the burthen care and toyle which by the Blessing of God to the shame of his enemies with all his traducers hee hath nobly and faithfully performed both in saving that little County of Pembrook from utter distruction and to the no small advance of all the Kingdomes affaires The premises considered it is in all humble manner offered to this most honourable Court that some of the Committees have borne to high as conceiving that the whole power of the Parliament rested in their hands I speake not of all for some of them have moderately carried themselves others so empeperious as expecting that not only the Souldier but the Generall himselfe should and ought to be wholly ordered by them esteeming the expence of some small proportion of their Provisions and eating a little of their Grasse and Graine an affront done to their Authority as well as to their persons not considering that where Armies are on foot liberty and the sword will beare the sway private Souldiers may happily obey their superior Officers But to bee over-awed with more masterly Committees then their owne Commanders seemed to them which knew what did belong to the Disciplin of Warre somewhat of a strange nature The difference extending to another kind of consequerce when the Souldier pressing for means were payd in the Coyn of bigge lookes and with acerbity of language doe you know where you are and to whom you speake doe you understand whom a Committee represents A soft answer appeaseth wrath good words would have done wonders and have freed some of them from unhorsing on the way and to be told to their faces that if they fought in their defence during their stay in the County they expected pay or free quarter untill they came where they might have both on cheaper tearmes We are bound impartially to deliver the truth of the most materiall passages and are not ignorant that discipline is the life of an Army but ill pay and fowle language the death of discipline and that souldiers will live wheresoever they are not provided for It is most true that the Committees being many and of the chiefe Gentrie of the Countrie for the greater part held themselves free from quarter had the faculty to help themselves to the prejudice of their poore neighbours which commonly were charged with more troopers then came to their shares on equall quarter whereas out of meere parcimony they preserved much of their own store of Corne and other provisions for the mercylesse Enemyes which had it bin timely disposed of either to their Garisons on the publike Faith or given freely to the souldier who then was to fight and defend them as they might have done Gerrards Army had bin to seek of subsistance and oâ— much which he took or fired when most of the Committees fled to Sea and left all to the futy of the Enemy wee which were strangers and eye-witnesses of these and many other carriages before wee left the Country very well saw that they might have bin otherwise mannaged then they were had not a kind of high and lofty bearing of some of the Committees together with the private spleene â—eâ—eds and factions amongst themselves bin the originall causes of
nature and constitution of this Soveraignty and how much it imports a King of England to summon his Parliaments before he needs them or that the obliquities of the Church and Common-wealth requires them for the generall reformation and that when they are assembled how much it concernes both Prince and people that they be cherished and backt by the Royall authority as Courts which are the invincible pillars of the Royalty and onely buttrises of the State It could not possibly have fallen out that so great a fatallity should have befallen His Majesties perticular and the universall populacy of three so late flourishing kingdomes which as now they are wasted weakened and embroyled cannot be recovered not their ruptures handsomly made up untill by the blessing of God a right understanding of each others right may be timely begotten between his Royall selfe and the great Councells of the Kingdomes * certain it is that of all humane causes the primum mobile of all our Tragicall sufferings was His Majesties aversation to that which is the inheritance of the kingdome Parliaments and the same which God men and the lawes of the Land required and would have at such a time to be summoned when long before it was resolved Parliaments should have beene coffind up in their last funerall rites and the King Royally intending to rule alone and without them so insearchable and past finding out are the wayes of him by whom Kings-Raigne and must stoope their wils to his who as well disposeth of their Scepters as of the hearts of their Vassalls We ought not to question known truths without prejudice to the publike faith for it was written in large Caracters in the Kings aspect that the very principia of this Assembly and the tracts they walkt in were not only averse to his Royall inclinations but seemed to all * those which had a hand in leading on His Majesties designes to bee of a terrible continuance as evidently portending the assured ruine of many both of their hopes and fortunes When certaine it was that the party adjuvant and delinquent might both stand up and shun the perrill then imminently hanging over their heads a course of necessity must be found out both how to quash this so furious a Parliament as then it was apprehended it would be and consequently to annihilate all others that in time to come might be summoned as obstackls which might in the future hinder the growth of absolute power Omiting perticularities It was then now more manifestly known that the Court contrivances wherby to effect this great worke of annihilation were many contiguous dangerous in their aâ—tempt and more daring then ever have bin attempted on any of our Parliaments and such as were beyond common expectation and the beliefe of all men of sober judgment could have bin enterprized against the great Councell of the Kingdome The wonder being so much the more that the King himselfe shouâ—d build his hopes on such feeble and uncertaine foundations as to set up his rest on an enterprize of so unlikly and improbable an archievement as to graple with the power of the Kingdome then contracted and compacted in its representative But we passe over the ennumeration of the many various and sundry practises as in order of their invention from time to time and without intermission they were put on the tryall of their execution though hitherto by divine providence they have proved fruitlesse in their effect yet most remarkable it is that on his Majesties recesse and deserting the House and the bulke of the Parliaments strength then much maimed lessened and weakned both in defect of the head and by so great a desection of the parts and tergiversation of the Members falcifying the trust of their Countries yet that the remaining and trusty part should notwithstanding beate up in the defence of the publik interest and amidst so many and powerfull Interjections slight vilipend that ridiculous Conventickle or mungrell Parliament at Oxford trayterously opposed against this so legally assembled It must be acknowledged that Almighty God stood with the cause and infused them with the spirit of courage and that his speciall providence had a high hand in the conduct of their preservation But we must now looke back and shall only touch on the maine contrivances in their grosse and as they were at the Kings comming to Yorke there set a foot first for raising of an Army whereby on all formet failancies by force of Armes to over-power this Parliament and as after it was resolved to erect the Royall Stendard at Nottingham so to draw up the power of the people against themselves in their representative together with his Majesties Commissions of Array * dispatcht into severall parts of the Kingdome as if some forraigne Enemy had then beene in preparation to invade the State pre-invaded and only by those which should have defended it We shall but only mention those Commissions sent into the North and other those remote parts thought then most apt to second his Majesties intentions and most out of the noyse of the people and hearing of the Parliament ignorant in the right understanding both of the cause and artifices of Court and shall chiefly insist on those sent into the West as Commissioned to the Marquesse of Hartford his Brother the Lord St. Maure and Sir Ralph Hopton These three Lords about Iuly 1642. comming out of the North came first to Marlborough summoning the Major and his Bretheren to repayre to their Lordships they shewed them their Commission of Array but found them more round then they expected the towne wholly standing up for the Parliament thence they bent their course immediatly towards Bath Bristoll and Wells where the Inhabitant were as averse to thir Commissions as to submit their head to the block though all three of them were in those Countries both powerfull in Tenancye and generally in the good opinion and affection of the people but no sooner appearing in this strange and unheard of errand but they became of despicable accompt as the sequell thereupon proved it to be most true for they were shortly after beaten and chased away from Mendippe and Wells whence withall the strength they could possibly raise they retreated to the Castle of Sherborne his Lordship Cottington as one of their grand assistants not liking the businesse took an occasion to leave them the night before The Lords with the rest of their Associats being there besieged shortly after made an eruption and in a confused march of flight finding those parts to hot for their abiding and nothing conformable to their commissions haste to Myniard the whole Country rising upon them whereupon dividing themselves Hopton tending towards the Cornish men a sort of people Robustious and in the generall utterly unacquainted with the wayes and subtilties of Court neither understanding the true state of the Cause were easily seduced by him The other Lords instead of better sanctuary-betooke