were taken of the Royallists near Five Thousand and Six Hundred supposed to be slain The Baggage Cannon Eight Thousand Arms and the vast Spoils of the Field fell into the Enemies Hands Six Colonels a Hundred and Four Inferiour Officers and Two Hundred Colours were taken by them at present and afterward the Supreme Power as a Dependence upon their Victory for The Royallists being entirely broken lost at the same time all possibility of renewing the War The King's Cabinet taken and published with malicious Annotations The Rebels took amongst other Spoils of the Field for the opprobrious Actions of their Triumph must be also told the King's Cabinet with his Letters which he had writ to the Queen and other particular Friends These they caused to be printed with most malicious Annotations It was a common thing for these impure Barbarians to calumniate the King and to worry his Reputation who preferred his Honour before his Scepters with Pasquils and infamous Reflections But these Epistles effected the contrary as being writ with Ingenuity with Candor and a Majestick Style Besides the pretended Parliament was justly blamed for divulging the Secrets betwixt Husband and Wife against the Laws of Modesty and Humanity and that by a Brutality that Infidels would blush at The Casualties of humane Affairs are so various and changeable that they no less surprize us than move our Admiration And here we have a lively Representation of their Incertainties The Royallists disappointed in their vast Hopes are now necessitated to endeavour their own Security not attempt upon others The Field at Naesby being lost they fled to Liecester where depositing their sick and hurt Men the King went to Ashby-de-la-Zouch that Evening And hearing of the Enemies Advance left it about Midnight and hasted to Liechfield and thence into Wales to Hereford a Place of more Safety for the present where by the Assistance of the Neighbouring Counties he might raise Foot which he mainly wanted and which were in some Measure furnish'd to him by draining of the Garrisons in his Obedience and the Accession of a Thousand Foot and some Horse sent him by Gerard from the Siege of Pembrook Langdale fled as is said to Newark and 't was wonder'd he escaped Gell then marching with Two Thousand Horse from Nottingham to Leicester Fairfax in Pursuit of his Victory followed the Royallists close and laying Siege to Leicester takes it without any considerable Opposition Here it was sometime disputed Whether they should follow the King to hinder and obstruct his Levies or hasten to the Relief of Taunton reduced well-nigh to the last Extremity Both press'd and therefore in order to either he marched with his Army through Warwickshire toward the Severn in Expectation of Orders from his Superiours but upon receiving some Letters intercepted from Goring to the King the latter was preferred especially the Scots being advanced as far as Nottingham in order to their March towards Worcester and Wales to disturb the King 's Recruits A cunning Fellow upon raising of the Siege before Oxford stole into the Town some time before and told the Secretary Sir Edward Nicholas somewhat of the King's Progress as also of the designed Removal of the Camp and Siege which gained him so much Credit that he was employed though with seeming Reluctancy into the West At Bath he met with the Prince our since glorious Monarch who richly rewarding him sent him further to Goring lying before Taunton Fairfax marches to the Relief of Taunton who also speedily returned him to the King with Assurance that in Three Weeks he should take Taunton and his Majesty be Master of the West humbly advising him by no means to engage till he had joined him with his Army But this suborned Villain being an Agent of Watson's the Scout-Master General brought these Letters to Fairfax which if the King had received 't is more than probable that his Majesty had declined fighting when he did Fairfax quickned with this Advice and lest Goring might still join his Forces with the King 's whose Horse were almost entire and so renew the War receiving also Orders from the pretended Parliament and the Committee of both Kingdoms to hasten his March into the West with all Expedition he moved accordingly He took High Worth in his Way and dispersing the Club-Men who pretended to be Neuters and only up in their own Defence advancing with all Diligence the Siege seemed to be raised by the Fame of his coming Goring was not ignorant of Fairfax's Motion and therefore removes from the Siege with a tumultuous Retreat supposing that the besieged transported with the Joy of their Deliverance would sally out upon him which they did with much Confidence But the Royallists turning upon them beat them back with considerable Loss and shut them up closer than before But this last Restraint was of no long Duration for Fairfax approaching indeed the Besiegers drew off in good earnest and marched toward Langport with design to join the Horse they expected from the King They at first encamped at Sutton having broke the Bridges of that River guarding the Avenues and Fords of it that the Enemy might not pass to them But the Rebels having forced the Passage at Evil and repaired the Bridge they got over with all their Forces And thus Taunton now again upon the point of being forced was delivered having been bravely defended in both Sieges by Colonel Blake the Governour who will also signalize himself hereafter at Sea for Courage worthy to be transmitted to Posterity if he had not sullied it by employing it against his own Prince Colonel Massey was sent with Four Thousand Horse and some Regiments of Foot to disturb General Goring's Rear which he did being also well received Fairfax followed with the Rest of his Army and drawing up upon a Hill near Langport saw the Enemies Horse in Battalia upon another opposite to him being marched out of Town to defend a Passage which hindred Massey to join with the Fairfaxians The Rebels made a sound Charge upon the said Avenues and after a brave Resistance forced the Royallists out of the Hedges and their Horse charging vigorously into the Lane Langport Fight were as vigorously repelled until being seconded with Reserves of Horse and Foot their Cannon also having done much Dammage amongst our Cavalry they forced the Passage the Royallists in their Retreat setting the Town on Fire In this Fight and Rout for the Enemy pursued within Two Miles of Bridgewater there were not slain above Four Hundred on both Sides but near two Thousand of the Royallists taken a Thousand Horses Twenty Foot Colours One and Thirty Cornets Two Guns and all the Baggage Lieutenant General Porter and Fifty other Officers were numbred amongst the Prisoners The loss on the Rebels Side was very inconsiderable only Two Captains one Lieutenant and Fifty private Souldiers Bethel and Cook with some others of the forwardest being wounded Fairfax did not pursue the Run-aways being
matter in hopes of Relief which he seemed to expect from the Conjunction of Goring's Forces with the Oxford-Horse For he had writ from Collumpton that he would be ready in Twenty Days to succour the Besieged Fairfax had also intercepted some of those Letters which made him prepare for a General Assault which he designed with his utmost Vigour and Industry But these were Dreams and all Attempts for renewing the War after the Defeat at Naesby and Goring's Loss of his Foot at Langport but imaginary The Royallists would notwithstanding attempt every Extremity for the Defence of their dear Master and King in whose Safety the Church the Laws and Liberties of all good Men lest they should be enslaved to the worst of Tyrannies were included Bristol assaulted Dec. 10. All things being ready for the Assault the Sign being given early in the Morning by firing Heaps of Faggots and Straw and the Discharge of Four great Guns they fell on upon all sides Montague and Pikering assaulted Lawford-Gate with their Regiments and enter'd it and being followed by Desborough with the General 's Regiment of Horse routed the Defendants and siezed upon Two and Twenty of their Cannon Sir Hard. Waller with Two Regiments of Foot fell upon the Line betwixt the said Port of Lawford and the River Frome and mastered it Raynsborough and Hamond had the like Success by Prior's-Fort which after a brave Defence Price the Governour being slain was forced and all the Defendants cut in Pieces The Lines and Hedges being levelled by Pioneers the Horse entered and charging the King's Cavalry occasioned a Bloody Encounter where Colonel Taylor a Royallist and Major Bethel of the Enemies side were sorely wounded But the Garrison Horse being overpowered were obliged to secure themselves by retreating betwixt the Great Fort and that of Coulston The Enemies Success was not the same on the other side of the Town for the Wall being higher the Defence was easier Welden who attack'd it with Four Regiments being beaten off The Royallists set the lost part of the City on Fire which they also extinguish'd a new Treaty being set on foot at the Desire of Fairfax and surrendered And thus Bristol was surrend'red upon harsher Conditions than the Enemy had formerly presented For the Foot were allowed their Swords only but upon the Prince his Desire and Engagement of Restitution they had a Thousand Arms lent them for their Defence against the Insults of the Club-Men The Enemy lost about Two Thousand Men and a few Officers in this Enterprise Nor did the taking of this Noble City and the Recovery of the Cannon which the King had taken from Essex at Lestithiel which were laid here cost them any more Which will seem less strange when we consider that the King's Party was every where broken But their Vertue was invincible and they themselves above their Misfortunes which they will yet abundantly testifie Bristol being thus taken Fairfax fearing the Contagion retires to Bath a better Air and sends his Souldiers after so many Toils for some Days to fresh Quarters In the mean time whilst the Rebels are indulging upon his Ruines it will be requisite to relate the Actions and Labours which the King underwent in person After the Fatal Battel of Naesby this magnanimous however unfortunate Prince The King's Travels and Labours retired as is said to Hereford To add to his Calamities as the Miserable are usually neglected so he is now also insulted on by the degenerate Scots Ecclesiasticks Who in a Letter most impudently admonish him That acknowledging his great Sins he should seriously and suddenly repent How could he think that God would bear with his fighting against his faithful and pious Subjects his authorising their Murther and Slaughter by the Irish Rebels and his permitting of the Exercise of the Mass and other abominable Idolatry He had wearied the Patience of his Subjects which if he persisted in they denounce would be his inevitable Ruine They advise him Not to neglect the Demands of his faithful Subjects and that he should at length repent and suffer the Son of God to reign over him and his Kingdoms in the sincere Worship and Discipline of his Church c. These barbarous Reproaches from a less barbarous Generation however false might have been in some sort born but to have * Clodius accusat Maechos Rebels pretend to Loyalty Schismaticks to Piety and Superstitious Disciplinarians to rail against Idol Worship where there was none is only proper to such who usurping the Title of God's Vicegerents would reign and domineer over the Kings of the Earth But his Majesty not to be moved with these Impertinencies no more than the scurrillous divulging of his Cabinet being Proof against the Malice of Calumny as well as Fortune after some time left Hereford and with Three Thousand Horse hastens by Liechfield to Bewdly Where falling upon some Troops of Scots Horse he beats and routs them From thence by a swift March he enters Derbyshire and beat Gell at Sudbury and Ashburnham He thence came to Welbeck and ravaging the associated Counties surprising the Guard at the Gate of Huntington enters the City and imposing a reasonable Ransom upon it did the Inhabitants no further Harm He passed by Cambridge which he looked upon with a benign Eye it being the Seat of the Muses and Learning But he fined St. Ives Five Hundred Pounds And finally passing through Ouburne and Doncaster returned to Oxford It is not to be wondred that he obliged some Towns in his March to redeem themselves with no great Pecuniary Mulcts seeing they had always been exempted from any quartering of Armies and had perpetually contributed to the Maintenance of the Rebellion The King had continued his Cavalcade through these Counties with so much Celerity that he baffled the Sedulity of his Followers And though he had been pursued by Ten Thousand Horse the Scottish Cavalry being joined with the English and that with the utmost Obstinacy yet they could not prevent him The Scots however fattened with their Rest and Quarters would not yet leave them without the Allurements of Prayers and Money Being then paid they were perswaded to move Southwards and The Scots besiege Hereford having taken Canon-frome a small Garrison of the King 's they marched directly for Hereford and laid a formal Siege to the place The Convention at Westminster had sent General Leven a Jewel valued at Five Hundred Pounds as their Acknowledgment for his late Success and an Incitement to greater Things This did not a little quicken him and now the City is approached mined battered and assaulted by his no less craving Souldiers But being bravely received and beaten off with great Loss they attempted the Surrender which they had not been able to compass by their Action and Threats by the offer of very fair Conditions The Parliament had also joined in these Demands and the Inhabitants of the Country round forced by Fear added also their
Marquis of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland but with too precarious and Authority for he was forced to grant every thing the Irish insisted upon and consent that Inchequin should have Munster entire to himself for the subsistance of his Army which was indeed the Ruin of the Old Irish Regiments of that Province The Peace being thus made up and these several Interests however ill cemented seeming to acquiesce in the main their Obedience to the King and Army was raised by the extraordinary Labour and Prudence of the Lord Lieutenant and being reinforced with the considerable Troops of the Lords Inchequin Clanrickard and Castel-Haven they marched towards Dublin Inchequin was by the Impatience of the English and Scots Forces declared Lieutenant General of the Army Raiseth an Army Clanrickard and Castel-Haven seem disgusted with this Preference tho both acquiesced preferring their Loyalty before the satisfaction their Merits might deservedly challenge Col. Jones Governour of Dublin advanced with his Forces as far as the Naas to obstruct the March of the Army but being unequal in Numbers retreated into the City again Ormond had omitted no Caresses to draw this brave Rebel to his Party and Duty again but in vain he obstinately persevering in an Infidelity which he had engaged in for Spite because a Lieutenant Colonel had been preferred over his Head Which may serve for a President not to prejudice deserving Men in their just pretences tho no Excuse can serve to vail those abominable Sins of Perfidy and Rebellion Ormond encamped his Army at Finglas being content at present to shut the Garrison within their Walls and keep them from foraging until the several parts of his Army were come up to him Inchequin now Lieutenant General was sent with a strong Party to reduce the neighbouring Fortresses possest by the Enemies Garrisons which he did defeating also a Batalion of Oneal's Men commanded by Farell marching to the Relief of the Nuncio He also routed the younger Coot with the Dublin-Horse and had Dundalk delivered to him by the Garrison who also entered into the Kings Pay Inchequins Successes notwithstanding the endeavour of Colonel Monk their Governour to the contrary and their promises to stick close to him Trim the Newry and Tredagh it self ran the same Fortune so that all being cleared on that side Inchequin returned triumphant and increased in numbers by so many Victories to the Camp again where it was forthwith resolved by Advice of the Peers and the Council of War to invest and press the City with all their power Dublin the Seat of the Kingdom and the War called by Ptolomy Eblana and by the Irish Balaeleigh because founded upon Piles and Hurdles is seated at the Mouth of the Liffny which would render the Haven very commodious but that it is obstructed by Heaps of Sand often thrown up by Reciprocation of the Sea This City was first fortified with Works and a Garrison by the King and after by the Parliament being now very defensible by its Numbers and Fortifications But the Lord Lieutenant relying upon his great Army consisting of at least Twenty Thousand and the Defection of the Souldiers in Dublin whereof most had formerly served under his Command and daily came over to him Ormond besiegeth Dublin resolved upon a vigorous and close besieging of the Place in Order to which leaving the Lord Dillon with a strong Party at Castel-knock he transferred his Camp to the South side of the City and that he might wholly shut up the Enemy and particularly their Horses and Cattel from grazing he commanded a Fort to be built at Baggot-rath giving the Charge of this considerable Trust to Patrick-Purcell Major General of the Army Some Regiments from England were in the mean time Landed at Dublin under the Conduct of Reynolds and Venables to the Number of Three Thousand Horse and Foot whereupon a Rumor was spread that Cromwell himself designed for Munster as not yet confirmed in their Defection from their late Masters This Report obliged Inchequin to desire the Lord Lieutenant's permission to go thither affirming all his Troops would revolt unless prevented by his speedy Repair to them which Ormond not being in a condition to refuse was forced to assent to He parted then with Eleven Hundred Horse dividing thus the Army whereas the whole did scarce suffice for the Enterprize in Hand Jones the Governour of Dublin perceiving the Progress of the Work at Baggot-rath and considering that if it were finished it would entirely shut him up from all Commerce by Sea as well as Land Aug. 22. 1648. resolved to obstruct it by a vigorous Sally which he did for the Garrison rushing out upon the Pioneers easily dispersed them and with the same Facility dispersed the Watch that guarded them and possessing the Place routed the amazed Irish and their Courage encreasing with their Success they pursued them to the Avenues of their Camp where falling upon the Guards there who seemed rather to look on than prepare for Defence they put them likewise to Flight The remaining Garrison in the Town The Siege is raised seeing the success of their Friends together with the Inhabitants flew all to their Assistance and with very little Pains obtained a very great Victory For the Army being upon the sudden surprized with a more than Panick Fear the Souldiers forgetful of their Defence threw down their Arms and ran away In this Confusion there were about Three Thousand slain amongst whom Sir William Vaughan was one who had also fought well The Prisoners were no fewer Collonel Butler the Lord Lieutenant's Brother and a Hundred Officers being of the Number The Cannon the Camp and the immense Spoils of it sell to the present sharing of the Conquerors and presently after the whole Kingdom the Forces of it being irrecoverably lost by this Blow Ormond who had spent the Night on Horseback in rounding and viewing the several Posts of the Army being but newly laid to rest was raised by the coming of the Lord Taffe General of the Ordnance but too late the Camp being distracted with Fear and its Consequence Confusion He therefore in this General Consternation having in vain opposed himself to this resistless Torrent until abandoned by them that followed him hastened to the Lord Dillon's Camp but those Irish had fled upon the Noise having scarce seen the Enemy About this Time London-Derry was likewise relieved by Owen Roe-Oneal London-Derry relieved the most bloody of the Irish Rebels who leaguing with Coot and Monk as above mentioned forced the Scots from that Siege But as if these Misfortunes had been but light ones they were followed by a grievous Plague brought to Gallowav by a Spanish Vessel which raged with that Fury that it swept away many Thousands in that City and the Neighbouring Country To heighten these Calamities Cromwell the worst of Plagues who ruined not only Persons but whole Cities and Provinces Landed at Dublin with an Army of Fifteen
being husht up by the Treaty of Breda The Plague did devour our People no more its Poison being extinct And the City lately of Wood was now by the King's Munificence rebuilt of Brick and Stone When one Titus Oates who had had his Education and Orders in the Reformea Church of England being afterwards reconciled to that of Rome passed over first into Flanders and thence into Spain Where under pretence of Religion and his Zeal for it he gained so much Favour with the Priests and Jesuits that he had Opportunities as he pretended to penetrate into their most secret Councils This new Proselyte changing Parties again returned into England where he informs the King of a Design of the Papists against his Life against the Reformed Religion and the present Government And naming several Lords as Bellasis Powis Peters Arundel Castelmain Stafford and other Men of Quality as prime Conspirators in this Treason gained so much Credit with the Parliament that the accused were all imprisoned the Papists commanded to remove Ten Miles from the City and all of them to be cashier'd out of all Employments both Military and Civil The mysterious Death of Godfrey inflamed the Parliaments Credulity to Vote That there was a Plot execrable and Hellish as they termed it Insomuch as the King at their instant Desires past a Bill to disable all Popish Peers or other Members so affected to fit in either Houses of Parliament Offering further to comply with any Expedient they should propose for the Security of the Protestant Religion so as they tended not to impeach the Right of Succession Coleman Ireland Pickering Groves Fenwick Whitebread Langhorn Staley Green Berry and Hill condemned by the Testimony of Oates and others of his Associates solemnly attested their Innocence at their Death Nor did so great Effusion of Blood suffice to remove the Jealousies they had of the Papists so that the Houses of Parliament to whom the King had granted all things for the security of Religion not contented with these Concessions proceeded so far as to press the King to remove the Duke of York from his Presence and Councils To this they added the Imprisonment of his Secretary Williamson without his Knowledge Which did so far irritate his Majesty that he dissolved this Parliament after it had continued Seventeen Years Fanaticism which had lurk'd for some Time under a Protestant Mask and infused its Contagion into the Parliament began now under Pretence of Godliness to appear more openly The King having dissolved the Parliament as is said had summon'd another from which he hoped for more good than he had hitherto experimented And lest the Presence of his Brother might prove any Obstacle he commanded him to retire until the Heat of the Faction did a little cool Which he obeyed without Repugnancy that he might in no wise occasion any the least Dissension betwixt the King his Brother and the Parliament But the King's Indulgence and the Duke's Observance were equally valu'd Nor could all his Concessions with those Limitations not meddle with the Succession or his Prerogatives satisfy their Contumacy year 1679 Nay he had dismissed his Privy Council as being ill look'd upon by the Parliament surrogating others in their rooms not so obnoxious to the Faction making the Earl of Shaftsbury President But all this was to no purpose for the Parliament omitting those Things which they were to have treated of and postponing the King's Demands of Subsidies they again attacked the Duke of York absent then in Flanders the Commons voting his Exclusion from the Succession But the King seeing the contumacious Animosity of the Party and not obscurely perceiving that he himself was aimed at through the Duke's Sides July 10. Octob. 17. dissolving this present Parliament commanded another to convene in October following Whilst these things are in Agitation in England the Tumults in Scotland flew higher Dr. Sharp the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews was most inhumanly murthered in his Coach by a Party of the barbarous Covenanters Which done the Rebellion they designed was by the Concourse of those Multitudes that flockt together suddainly formed into a considerable Army consisting of Sixteen Hundred Horse and above Four Thousand Foot Nor were the Royallists less active the King having sent the Duke of Monmouth thither as General who joying with the Scots Nobility they raised such a Force that fighting the Rebels at Bothwel-Bridge chey defeated them The Slaughter was not great for the Enemies Horse not being prest or pursued by the Connivance if not Command of Monmouth for he himself had other Designs as it afterwards appeared retreated in a Body at least Twelve Miles from the Place they had fought in and separating there dispersed themselves some of the Foot being slain A few of the Prisoners were punished for their improsperous Treason After this the King fell sick of a Fever at Windsor which was so violent that the Physitians despaired of his Recovery Upon News whereof the Duke hastened from Brussels to Court But it seemed otherwise good to the Almighty who was pleased to prolong his Life until he could leave the Kingdom agitated at present with so many Distractions settled and composed to his Successor Being restored to his Health the Joy of it was celebrated by the Universality at least the Good Part of the Nation the City also sending their Lord Mayor and Aldermen with a great Train with Thirty Coaches and a Troop of a Hundred Horse for their Convoy to Windsor to congratulate his Hapyy Recovery But Monmouth however illegitimate blinded with Ambition and not content with those great Honours and Places he enjoyed aspired to the Crown it self inviting and alluring with the Baits of Employments and Rewards some of the most interested to his Party But this caballing was discovered to the King by the Earl of Oxford who abhorring the Treason preferr'd his Loyalty before all the Offers of Ambition and Greatness The King being justly incensed against the Ingratitude and Vanity of the Pretender divested him of all those Dignities and Offices which he enjoyed and banished him the Kingdom Moreover to prevent the Chymerical Delusions which the Report of his being married or contracted to the said Duke's Mother might occasion his Majesty by repeated Declarations publickly emitted as also by Writings under his own Hand declared Vpon the Faith of a Christian and the Word of a King that he never Married nor gave any Contract to any Woman whatsoever but to Queen Katharine his Wife This the King did with so much Solemnity to prevent the Peoples being abused by these false and malitious Reports and lest the Factious might thereby mislead them to disturb the Publick Peace or violate the Rights of Succession Whereby also the vain Pretences of Monmouth and the ridiculous Machinations of the Seditious might be disappointed The Parliament 1679. 1680. which the King had summoned to meet in October being delayed by several Motogatives did not come together before the October
descending Edge-hill in Battalia and very Chearful had a Sight of the Enemy who were busie in ordering their Army in the Valley below The King viewing of them being asked what he intended to do answered briskly I never saw the Rebels before in a Body I am resolved to fight them God and all good Men assist my Righteous Cause Prince Rupert commanded the Right Wing Lieutenant General Willmot to whom the Earl of Forth was added the Left and the Earl of Lindsey General of the Field led the Main Battel on Foot with a Pike in his Hand and each Division had their Reserves Essex who had Quarter'd at Keynton drew his Army into Battalia in the Vale saluting or provoking the Adversaries with Three great Shot and as many Shouts of his whole Army This Summons was answered by Two great Guns and being advanced nearer the King observed the Rebels Army to be drawn up as followeth Two Regiments of Horse composed the Right Wing commanded by the Two Colonels Balfore and Stapelton and the Lord Fielding had his Regiment in their Rear for a Reserve Essex commanded the Battel at first also on Foot as the adverse General and the Left Wing consisting of Twenty Troops of Horse was led by Colonel Ramsey a Scot. And now the Cannon began to play on both Sides but without any considerable Execution Prince Rupert charged Ramsey with so much Courage that he not only forced him from his Station but off the Field also and the Brigade of Foot next to them frighted with the Flight of their Horse and surprized with the Defection of Sir Faithful Fortescue who mindful of his Duty went over with his Troops to his Majesty threw down their Arms Colonel Essex who commanded them retiring to the Main Body But our Horse following the Chace too far and their Reserves commanded by the Earl of Carnarven and hurried with the same Violence suffered the Victory to slip out of their Hands by their too much eagerness to overcome For if they had charged their Flank bared of their Horse they had probably much incommoded them Essex was more cautious who sending Fielding's Reserve with others under the Command of Hurrey did much disturb the King's Foot destitute by the Absence of their Horse The Left Wing had not the same Success for Balfore had forced Willmot to a disorderly Retreat and breaking Two Battalions of Foot left naked by the Flight of their Horse on that Side opened a passage to the King's Standard The Foot by this were all engaged and the Fight growing very hot the Standard it self was seized on Sir Edmund Varney that carried it being Slain but it was recovered again by Sir Jo. Smith for which generous Act he was by the King the best judge of Merit Knighted upon the Place and honoured with the bearing of that Standard he had so bravely recovered The Earl of Lindsey was slain there having performed all the Parts of a great Captain and his Eldest Son hastning to his Assistance was taken Prisoner The Battel being restored by the Accession of fresh Supplies on the King's Side and the Evening approaching they left combating as if by consent both Sides being weary and the Rebels also in want of Ammunition Both Sides therefore rallying their shatter'd Forces drew up into Battalia as at the Beginning By this the Prince was returned who if he had not amused himself in that vain pursuit and Plundering of the Enemies Carriages at Keynton the War had been ended at this first Blow Essex was strengthened in the Field with Colonel Hamden's Regiment and presently afterwards by Colonel Hollis his Foot and the Lord Willoughby's Regiment of Horse who meeting Prince Rupert's Wing in the Lanes pursuing of Ramsey forced him back into the Field Although Essex was more numerous by the Addition of these Three fresh Regiments he did attempt no farther upon the King considering also that the Prince's Horse of whose Bravery he had had Experience were fresh and entire Night being come the King withdrew to the Hill from which he had descended where he lay all Night in his Coach with the Prince of Wales the Hopes and future Glory of our Nation the Camp shining with Fires The next Morning the King sent off his Foot towards Ayno and having stood sometime in Battel-array with his Horse did also follow Essex lay in the Field where he had fought and however recruited with the Accession of Three entire fresh Regiments attempted no farther upon the Royallists but retreating to the Banks of Avon under the protection of Warwick-Castle Essex retires to Warwick suffered the King to march whither he pleased The slain on both Sides were at first believed to amount to near Five Thousand though the Country by a stricter Enquiry affirmed they had not buried above a Thousand which is the more probable seeing Slaughters of this Kind are ordinarily magnified On the King's Side the General bravely performing the Duty of his Place as also that of a private Souldier was slain together with the Lord Aubigny and Sir Edward Varney who died in this Field of Honour The Rebels lost Colonel Essex who signalized himself by his Bravery Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey and the Lord St. Johns who being taken died of his Wounds Both Parties attributed to themselves the Honour of the Victory The Essexians said That the Field and Dead were left to their Disposal The Royallists likewise gloried that they had done what they designed by removing the Obstacles that hindred their March towards London The King continues his March adding farther That the Rebels however strengthned with Three Regiments durst not oppose themselves to the King's Passage the next Day And truly though the King's Forces were much shattered they grew accidentally more formidable than before to whom it proved no small Victory considering his Discouragements not to have been vanquished For many Eminent Persons who stood at gaze before seeing the Party equal ranged themselves now without difficulty on the better Side where their Duty and Inclination invited them How fair this Enemy behaved themselves in other things may be guessed by Letters taken amongst their Baggage in the Battel discovering the Treasons of one Blake in the King's Army Blake's Treason Punishment who daily gave Intelligence of what passed to the Rebels and particularly in what part of the Army the King fought that they might direct their Bullets with more Certitude at so Illustrious a Mark. Perhaps thus designing as they had Religiously affirmed to defend the King's Person But the unhappy Contriver of this nefarious Treason expiated his Crime with his Life being hanged on the next Tree O. Cromwell 's first Adventure I cannot omit what is affirmed of Cromwell then a Captain of Horse in Essex his Regiment who absented himself from the Fight He had observed from the Top of a Steeple in the Neighbourhood the Disorder of the Right Wing of their Army wherewith being greatly terrified he slipp'd down
for haste by the Bell-Rope and taking Horse ran away with his Troop for which Crime he had been cashier'd had it not been for the powerful Mediation of his Friends I mention this of this so famous Chieftain in the following Wars to shew how the Temperature of Body and Mind may by Use and Ambition be entirely altered The King takes Banbury-Castle c. The King continued his March having the Town and Castle of Banbury surrendred to him in his Way the Two Regiments of Foot and Troop of Horse which Garrisoned there putting themselves under his Majesty's Protection and Pay Broughton the Lord Say's House was also delivered and now the King with many Prisoners and Captive-Colonels entred triumphantly into Oxford Enters triumphantly into Oxford But he did not stay long there for Prince Rupert with a great Body of Horse swiftly moving up and down the Country infested all the Ways and Avenues to London on that Side and the King following with the rest of the Army assaulted and forced Brentford Hollis and Hamden's Regiments with part of the Lord Brookes's routed at Brentford breaking Two of the Enemies best Regiments there taking Eleven Colours and Thirteen Pieces of Ordnance which were sunk by reason of their Encumbrance in the adjoining River Many were slain and drowned and Five Hundred were made Prisoners but the King gave these their Liberty upon their Engagement never to bear Arms again against his Majesty But the Parliament loth to lose so many brave Men ordered Stephen Marshall a fierce Presbyterian Minister to absolve them from the Religion of their Oaths which he did with a more than Pontifical Authority The Consternation this blow occasioned filled the City with Terror They shut their Shops immediately upon the News and mustering their Trained-Bands and Auxiliaries joining with such Forces of their Army as were nearest Essex drew them all up in Battalia upon Turnham-Green Essex at Turnham-Green Three Thousand who lay at Kingston were also sent for for which their General was after blamed for abandoning so considerable a Post which might have distressed the King if made good For his Majesty having Intelligence of the numerous Strength of the Rebels and indeed wanting Bullets for a Skirmish lest he might be surrounded by them retreating over Kingston-Bridge abandoned as is said broke it down after him and having garrisoned Redding in his Way returned triumphantly to Oxford Whilst these Things were a-doing the City and the Two Houses apprehending the King's Advance had sent for Essex to whom they had given Five Thousand Pound as an Acknowledgment for his great Services at Edge-hill to hasten to their Succour But the King being gone the Citizens returned to their Labours and the Essexians to recruit their shatter'd Regiments with new Levies The King being come to Oxford The King returns to Oxford and Fortifies it and finding it a Place very commodious to make his head Quarters of it being in the Heart of the Kingdom and not far from London commanded it to be Fortified which the Rebels had seasonably omitted to do and surrounded with a deep Moat and Bulworks according to the Modern Practice which was done with all imaginable Diligence and Haste In the mean Time the War was carried on in other Provinces of the Kingdom with no less Courage and Vigour Not only the Towns and Counties but most of the best Families divided in their Opinions many engaging according to their Interest but most according as they affected the Parties But the various Battels Fights Velitations Sieges and the like as they deserve no Triumphs happening in a Civil War so they merit a better Description than is yet extant for they were for the most part eminent for Courage famous for Conduct and by so much the more severe in their Actings by how much the Parties were the more excited with the Opinion of doing well I do not therefore design to relate the whole War as being above my Force I will leave that Province to the Writers of Histories and content my self to describe the Chief Actions of it and those Things I my self for the most part saw but with designed Brevity Whilst the Armies were in their Winter-Quarters they were not so idle but that many Horse-Skirmishes Excursions Velitations Beating-up of Quarters and the like Feats of War were daily practised and that with various Success The King's Affairs had hitherto succeeded well considering his Circumstances although he never received any Advantage without Sorrow seeing it was gained from his Subjects And hence it was that as often as his Arms were Successful his Thoughts were intent upon Peace pressing and inviting the obdurate Faction to it by reiterated Letters and Messages though to no purpose for those Puritans relying upon the Assistance of their Brethren the Scots were wholly averse from it They had indeed formerly sent Propositions to the King at York but more severe than any Denunciation of War Several fruitless Attempts for Peace The Chief were That the Chief Officers of State should be of their naming and the Militia by Sea and Land at their disposing That the King should disband his Forces abandon his Friends and not dispose of his Children but by their Consent His Majesty did not refuse an Answer to these Demands although they seemed rather Impositions of Slavery than Peace which he sent by the Marquis of Hartford and the Earl of Southampton Two Eminent Noble-men with Command to deliver it in the House of Lords But being refused Admission they returned without having effected any thing Neither were the Mediation of the French and Dutch though offered by both how sincerely I know not accepted by the Houses who answered That they could not suffer that any Foreign Prince or State especially the French should interpose in their Affairs And to shew how little they valued the Monsieur his Coach was stopped and searched for Letters as he was passing to Oxford his Complaint of that Insolence being slurred over with a faint Excuse The Parliament would admit of the Scots their Brethren in Iniquity whom the King did justly reject as equally Rebels They had indeed formerly after the Battel of Edge-hill upon the King 's Advance with his victorious Army towards London apprehending his Approach sent Two Lords and Three Commoners to stay him under Pretence of treating which when they could not they seemed in Revenge upon his Majesty's Retreat to resolve to treat no more though afterwards upon the Instance of some of the more moderate amongst them they again sent Twelve Delegates to Oxford with Demands rather than Propositions the Chief whereof were Jan. 30. 1642. That his Majesty should Disband his Army Return to the Parliament Abolish Episcopacy Abandon the Militia to their Disposal c. The King on the other Side demanded His Revenues his Magazines his Cities Navies Fortresses c. and that whatever they had done contrary to Law should be Abrogated But nothing was concluded
in Order Essex marches to the Relief of Glocester Essex mustered his Army the Members of both Houses being present upon Hounsley-Heath which did not exceed Ten Thousand Men too weak for the Expedition they were designed but being much reinforced by the City-Auxiliaries and Trained-Bands marched that Night to Colebroke and so forward Glocester seated upon the Banks of Severne was with the Addition of some Works and the River esteemed strong Colonel Massey an active and vigilant Commander was Governour strengthened with Two Regiments of Foot and Two Troops of Horse who however vigorously attacked did no less vigorously oppose Force to Force Sallies to Assaults and Countermines to the Mines from without But in truth neither understood the Methods of besieging or defending as yet that Part of War being but in its Infancy amongst us But we must allow the Defensive to have carried it here seeing they held it out until the Arrival of their Succours The King being advertized of the Enemies Advance sent Prince Rupert with all the Horse to retard their March which he did by continual Excursions Velitations and forcing of Posts and Quarters At Stow in the Wowld the Prince drawing all his Horse in one continued Line upon the Side of the Hill made a very great Appearance On the contrary the Rebels march up the Ascent in Battalia Lieutenant Colonel Bayly with the City-Regiments were in the Left-Wing and Colonel Harvey with his Regiment of Horse and Two of Foot being some-what advanced in the Right the Prince sent a strong Party with orders to endeavour to get betwixt them and Home which being perceived Three Regiments more were presently sent to his Assistance the which with the Thunder of their Cannon obliged the Royallists after some skirmishing to retire to their Body which being composed only of Horse did also give way to this great Army which advanced upon them The King preferring the Blessings of Peace before the Triumphs of Victory sent a Trumpeter with Propositions to Essex who answered crudely enough That he had Orders to relieve Glocester not to treat which he also did the King rising from the Siege at his Approach and passing the River with a Resolution to fight the Rebels upon their return And this seemed another Omission The Siege of Glocester raised for if the King had fought them before they reached the Town he had probably either beaten them or impeded their Progress both or either of which would infallibly have obliged them to surrender Essex having relieved the Town his next Care was to preserve his Army especially the Londoners the Chief Strength of it which he in a great Manner did by his Surprizal of Cirencester where he found Store of Provisions which he much wanted The Royallists obstructing the Enemy in their Return upon every Occasion fell into their Rear upon Auburne Chase with all their Horse forcing it up to their Main Body They charged them a second Time with the same Success but having no Foot by the Advance of their Enemies and the Night they retreated with little loss save that of de Vieuville a French Marquiss The Rebels lost many as well slain as taken The next Morning the King's Army being drawn up near Newbury having the River on their Right-Hand expected the Rebels there The Battel of Newbury There was a little Hill Five Hundred Paces from the Town which the Cavaliers had possessed and fortified with Guns Essex perceiving it and having no other way to pass he himself with his own Regiment and C. Barclay and Holborne's Brigades attacks it bravely being as bravely received by the Royallists Stapleton with his own Regiment and that of the General 's Guards charging the Earl of Carnarven was repulsed but the Earl pursuing too far was kill'd by a Shot in the Head of his own Men a Person no less remarkable for his Fortitude and Fidelity to the King than for the Nobleness of his Extraction Prince Rupert valiantly charging the Right-Wing of the Rebels who were rallied again did again disorder them driving them to the Entry of the Lane by which they were come But the Cavaliers were forced to make as much hast back having been saluted with a Volley of Shot from the adverse Foot posted there and not without loss The King 's Right and the Enemies Left-Wing being hindred by Hedges and Inclosures fought only by small Parties and light Skirmishes Nor had the Foot though they fought stoutly any signal Advantages of each other the Earl of Brentford on the King's side and Major General Skippon on the Rebels behaving themselves with equal Courage and Vigilancy The Royallists had taken some Field-pieces which they were forced to quit again with loss The approaching Evening put an end to this bloody Contest and the King's Army rallied and drew up again as at first in the Field where they had fought with design to renew the Combat in the Morning which yet they did not being content to send Major General Harvey who had lately deserted them with a strong Party of Horse and Foot to fall in their Rear They had also stood in Arms all Night not retreating before the Morning at which time they were close followed and charged their Rear-guard commanded by Stapleton being forced up to their Foot with considerable Loss There were slain on the King's Side many eminent Persons as the Earls of Carnarven and Sunderland the Wise Lord Faukland and Colonel Morgan with others The Rebels also lost many but of no great Quality being most Plebeians And this was the End of the famous Expedition of Glocester wherein Essex and his Party had gained much Honour if they had not fought against their King Nor did the Royallists behave themselves less Valiantly though more Commendably as having the Better Cause The Rebel Parliament invite the Scots to their Aid The Men at Westminster being heightned with this Appearance of Success which carried more Noise with it by reason of the Loss on the King's Side of so many Noblemen whereas they had but few to expose they yet prudently considering the Equality of the Balance not over-confident in their own Strength invited the Presbyterian Scots to their Assistance and to oblige them the more strictly to their Party being not to be gained by the ordinary Stipend of Mercenaries they mutually oblige themselves by a Solemn League and Covenant contrary to all Laws Humane and Divine to extirpate Episcopacy and the Liturgy and to obtrude in their Places the Scottish Ecclesiastical Discipline built upon the Basis of Rebellion and Tumult Moreover Archbishop Laud retained hitherto in the nauseousness of a Prison was now as Strafford had been formerly to be immolated a Sacrifice to the Malice of these Hirelings and the Revenues of the Church to be divided amongst these Sacrilegious Confederates as will shortly appear This best of Princes might have expected better Things from the Scots as being his Countrymen as well as Subjects Nay he had heaped
Colonel Delbier and Colonel Tompson who were wounded Nor did Waller insult long for his Forces being joined to Essex's both were designed to besiege Oxford The King having Notice of the Enemies Intentions sent the Queen toward the West and himself having left a strong Garrison in the City with Three thousand Horse and Four thousand Foot marched towards Worcester The Two Generals follow the King with Two distinct Camps but meeting again at Burford Essex joining Massey to Waller sent them a King-catching as they termed it whilst he himself moves with his Army into the West to subdue those Counties By this means they were both defeated for the King slipping by Waller returned with quick Marches to Burford where he met his Cannon and Ammunition from Oxford and afterwards encountring Waller at Copredy-Bridge Eleven thousand strong overcame him Copredy-Bridge Fight June 20. The Enemy had possessed themselves of a Hill from whence watching the Royallists Motion they bravely attempted them in their Passage of the Bridge but being as bravely recieved by the Earls of Northampton and Cleveland who commanded the Rear they were beaten and routed The Rebels lost their Cannon near a Thousand wounded and slain besides several of their Officers Waller being ruined the King hastens after Essex and came with his Army to Liskard Eight Miles from Lestithiel where the Rebels lay Encamped Essex had taken Taunton and Weymouth in his Way and being advanced near Exeter the Queen who was brought to Bed in that City of the Princess Henrietta sent a Trumpet to him to desire him to forbear from Hostility for some little time till she was recovered but she was denied A while after she sending again to him for a Pass to go to the Bath was brutishly refused with this Answer That Essex his Rudeness to the Queen if she would go to London where she might be furnished with every Thing necessary for her Health he would send her a Convoy adding he knew no other way Whilst Essex was upon his March it was sharply contested at a Council of War Whether he should proceed in his Journey Westward or return and fight the King who was not far off lest if he continued his March he might when he came into the Straits of Cornwall be inclosed betwixt him and Prince Maurice then in those Parts And this was the Opinion of the wisest part of the Council but did not prevail for the Lord Roberts was earnest to advance and relieve Plymouth which had been a long Time besieged which done he sheweth them Cornwall where they might quickly be recruited by means of his Dependants and Friends and obtain an easie Victory of Prince Maurice who would be in no competent Condition to oppose them And this Opinion the worst by the Sequel carried it The Royallists fierce with their late Victory demanded to be brought to the Enemy But the King though not without commending their Ardor thinking to gain a bloodless Victory commanded all the Passages and Avenues to the Camp to be shut up The King himself who joined Prince Maurice near Exeter lay at Boconnock sending Sir Richard Greenville to Bodmin and Sir Jacob Ashly to Hule Goring with Horse and Sir William Basset with Fifteen Hundred Foot were sent Westward with strict Orders to stop and cut off all manner of Provisions from the Besieged so that the Enemy reduced to great Wants and Distress were willing to treat which was no less willingly assented to by his Majesty to whom no Victory was more grateful than when he overcame his Enemies by their own Consent The Horse commanded by Balfore He leaves his Camp to the King's Mercy and flies Essex defeated Sept. 1. under pretence of Skirmishing and drawing out to Fight broke through the Intervals of our Quarters and came safely to Saltash and thence to Plymouth leaving their Foot and Cannon to Mercy The General himself with Roberts and some others secured themselves likewise taking Boat at Foy for Plymouth But yet he could not escape the Obloquy of some who wond'red that so great a General should leave so brave an Army in such certain Danger though others excused him he having thereby conserved himself and his Chief Officers and Souldiers for the Service of the Commonwealth But all Men blamed Waller Manchester and especially Middleton because they seemed to loyter when they should have made all imaginable Haste to his Assistance The Foot being thus abandoned sent Commissioners to the King to treat about the Surrender of the Camp which was easily assented to Quarter being granted to all and their Swords and Pistols to all above the Degree of Corporals There were found in the Camp Forty Brass Pieces of Ordnance Two hundred Barrels of Powder and Arms for Nine thousand Men. Several Hundreds of the Foot took Arms with the Victorious and the rest had Liberty to go where they pleased upon Condition they should serve no more against the King But these as well as they of Brandford broke their Words violating their Promises with the same perfidious Levity for being come to Basing they were again armed And it was observed that none fought so eagerly against the King as those very Fellows An usual Testimony of their Gratitude The King raised with no Success but in order to Peace did now again from Tavestock as he had formerly done from Evesham court the Two Houses by a Message to them earnestly desiring they would appoint some Commissioners to treat but all to no purpose His Majesty had likewise invited Essex when besieged at Lestithiel very graciously to join Forces with him that so they might jointly procure what they both so earnestly contended for the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom Wherein also he should lay an Eternal Obligation upon his King and if any should oppose their Pious Endeavours they would render them happy whether they would or not But he wretchedly neglected this amicable Summons affirming That his Orders were to fight not to treat Essex being strengthened by the Accession of his old Foot by several City-Regiments by Manchester's Army as also other Forces under the Commands of Waller Browne and other Chiefs of the Party grew suddenly so numerous that he again attempted the King at Newbury He had designed before any more Action to repair to the Parliament and give them an Account of the Misfortune of his Expedition as also to excuse it But they perceiving his Design writ to him that they were satisfied that nothing happened by any Omission of his and therefore being assured of his Fidelity and Courage they desire him not to despond but chearfully to prosecute the War adding further that he should endeavour with all his Power to hinder the King's Return to Oxford and rather hazard a Battel than suffer him to pass thither which he also did and it was fought on both Sides with equal Conduct and Bravery until the Night parted them The second Battel of Newbury The King had possest himself
were they without hopes seeing the Cavaliers were so remote and dispersed But the King sollicitous for Oxford as also for Pomfret Castle which had been long besieged designed to relieve both and being nearest the City sent a strong Party of Horse with a great Number of Sheep and Cattel to its Relief and encamped with the rest of his Army upon Borrow-hill The Convoy having succour'd Oxford the Expedition of Pomfret by Langdale's Perswasion was resolved upon There were they who advised that the King should march Westward and join with Goring who had a very great Army and then with united Forces go directly for London supposed an easie purchase as being more than sufficiently distracted with Factions and the Terror of their Approach Whilst they were thus consulting News was brought that Fairfax having quitted Oxford was with his Army at Gilsburg but Five Miles off and that he had sent Ireton with a good Body of Horse to observe the Royallists who that Night falling upon the Rear of the Army quarter'd at Naesby did not only disturb it but carrying Terror with him forced the King out of his Quarters and to make haste to Harborow where the Van of his Army was lodged Upon this the King immediately called a Council of War where neglecting the Opinion of those who disswaded an Engagement and prudently advised a Conjunction with Goring they resolved to fight and because Fairfax followed them so close to turn upon him and offer him Battel The Battel of Naesby 1645 Jun. 14. And now the fatal Day the Eighteenth of the Kalends of July did appear by so much the more dismal because it ushered in under the Veil of Liberty the most insupportable of Tyrannies All Men's Eyes and Attentions were taken up with the Expectation of the Event of this decisive Day and Vows had been sent up to Heaven at Oxford and London for the Success of it since the Fate of the Kingdom seemed to depend upon it Monarchy and despised Majesty were to be vindicated on one Side together with Religion whilst the other contended for Anarchy and Vsurpation and a Liberty of doing Evil. It was told the King but falsly that the Rebels were retreating designing to shelter themselves in the associated Counties Whereupon Orders were suddenly given to march and least they might get away some of the heaviest Cannon were left behind that they might not retard their haste in preventing the escape of these pretended Fugitives But they found the Enemy drawn up upon the Advantages they had chosen in a plow'd Field near Naesby and ready to fight Though the Sight was surprising being unexpected yet the Royallists embattelling likewise their Army advanced towards then Both sides were full of Courage and desirous of doing well proposing nothing less than to overcome The Cavaliers Word was God and Queen Mary the other Side God with us The King took to himself the Care of his Main Battel The Princes Rupert and Maurice commanded the Right Wing of the Horse and Sir Marmaduke Langdale the Left The Earl of Lindsey and the Lord Ashley led the Battalions of Foot towards the Right and the Lord Bard and Sir George Lisle those to the Left In the Rear of the Foot stood Col. Howard's Regiment of Horse as a Reserve the Whole being closed up with the King's Guards and Prince Rupert's Regiment of Foot Nor was the Enemies Order or Numbers disproportionable Sir Thomas Fairfax himself with Skippon his Major General commanded the Foot Cromwell now Lieutenant General of the Horse and Col. Rossâ—ter newly arrived led the Right Wing and Commissary General Ireton the Left the Reserves being conducted by the Colonels Raynsborough Hammond and Pride With these Forces and a more than Civil Rage the Armies encountred both equally animated and of equal Desires and Hopes the Contest being for an Empire Rupert charged with his accustomed Valour and routed the Three outmost Squadrons of Ireton's Wing but suffering himself to be hurried away with the too great desire of overcoming pursued them to the very Town Ireton seeing the Prince past falls with the Remainder of his Horse upon the King 's next Brigade of Foot where being ill received he was hurt with a Pike in the Thigh and a Halbard in his Face and his Horse being kill'd under him he was taken Prisoner though presently released by the Victory of his Party But Affairs went otherwise in the other Wing for Col. Whaley after a rude Encounter on both Sides forced Langdale with Two of his Squadrons upon Prince Rupert's Men in the Rear where whilst he was rallying again he was quite dispersed by Cromwell who followed The Main Battel on both sides rushing upon each other with great and equal Fury fought with all the Incitements of Hope and Desire Pede pes densusque viro vir mutually exposing their Arms their Persons their Wounds They slay and are slain force and are forced But the Victory in all Probability had been the King's the contrary Divisions being forced up to their Reserves if Cromwell had not with his Troops fierce with success joining their Main Battel and charging the Royallists destitute for want of their Horse broke and routed them And yet there was one brave Battalion of Foot as that at Marston-Moor though charged often on all Sides by Cromwell which could not yet be pierced till Fairfax charging them with his Horse and Guards in Front and Rear at once at length defeated them worthy of better Fortune who maintained the Ground they stood on alive and covered it as if they still would keep Possession of it when dead The Princes were scarce returned from the Pursuit having lost much time in their vain Attempt upon the Carriages which were guarded with Fire-Locks and at length come though too late when they were forced with the King who had performed all the Parts of a Great Captain and now abandoned by his Fortune not his Vertue to leave the Field and an Entire Victory to the Rebels Fairfax did not think it safe to follow the Royallists without his Foot lest he might expose the Advantage he had got to new Dangers He therefore staid till they were come up being not above a quarter of a Mile behind and then opening his Horse to the Right and Left received them up betwixt the Interval and so marched as at the Beginning in Battle-Army against the Enemy The King notwithstanding he had lost all his Foot and his Cannon would have charged the Rebels Horse with his own which he had embodied before their Foot were come up but being over-perswaded by the desponding Courages of them about him and the Infantry approaching the Greatness of that Resolve vanished and he was obliged to secure himself by a timely Retreat towards Leicester whilst Langdale hastened with his towards Newark The Rebels Loss in those slain and wounded were esteemed near a Thousand amongst whom Ireton and Skippon were signalized by their Hurts the Marks of their Disloyalty There
desires to the rest But in vain for Scudmore the Governour rejecting these Invitations with Contempt told them He would deliver the City to none but to the King that had entrusted him with it or to his Majesty's Commands And thus the Scots but raise is after a sharp though no long Siege of Five Weeks seeing there was no good to be done raised their Camp and marched Northwards occasioned perhaps by their Apprehension of the King's Motion from Oxford or rather affrighted with the stupendious Victories of Montross in their own Country Rosseter being commanded thither with Six Thoufand Horse The King having again left Oxford for his private Affairs there no less than his publick abroad grew by the Distractions and Divisions in his own Court daily worse marched to Ludlow with design to relieve Chester long labouring under the Pressures of a close Siege The Parliament hearing of the Kings Motion ordered the Colonels Poynts and Rosseter to observe him with orders that in case he moved towards Hereford they should act by consent with Leven but if he should go towards Bristol they should then move by Communication of Counsels with General Fairfax their Forces being joined Four Thousand all Horse follow the King close And the unhappy City of London to promote this Design of King-Catching as they called it or rather The Common-Council of London order their Members to find each a Horse to persuethe King their own Slavery made a Decree in Common-Council that every Member of it should have a Horse with Accoutrements ready to join with the rest in pursuit of the King His Majesty in the mean time hastens towards Chester and being come to Routon-Heath within Two Miles of it Rosseter falls with great Resolution upon the Royallists who received them with no less Courage The Fight was very hot wherein the Rebels were not only disordered but had been quite defeated and an entire Victory obtained but that Colonel Jones coming in that instant with near a Thousand Men from the Siege of Chester turned the Day by confirming their own Party and restoring to them the Success they despaired of before The Fight at Rowton-heath The King being overpowered with the Accession of these new-Commers lest he should be surrounded by them charged through them and not without much Slaughter on both sides recovered Chester The untimely Death of the Lord Bernard no less eminent for Courage and Loyalty than Illustrious for the Nobleness of his Extraction aggravated the King's Loss he being the Third Brother of the Duke of Lenox slain in his Majesty's Quarrel in this unnatural War The King did not stay long in Chester the Enemy growing upon him after their Victory but retired into Wales still loyal to his Interest he being a Prince however unfortunate insuperable in Afflictions and Superior to all Calamities Nor did he at all despond however harassed trusting that the same God who from small beginnings had raised him once to an Equality with his Enemies in Power might yet of his Goodness restore him in his good time He then by his indefatigable Industry and the Accession of Prince Maurice his Troops with some other scattered Remains had got a considerable Body of Horse together which he divided and delivering Fifteen Hundred of them to Digby and Langdale Digby and Langdale defeated sent them with Commands to endeavour to conduct them to Montross which if these great Men had been able to have compassed might have changed the whole Face of Affairs He had already acted to a Prodigy as will be hereafter declared but they could not reach the Borders and Confines of both Kingdoms For though they had broke Colonel Wren's Regiment of Horse and taken Eight Hundred Foot at Sherburne and Mylford they were afterwards surprised by Copely and Lilburne who being fresh fell upon their wearied Troops and defeated them Carnaby and Hutton Two Knights with some others were slain and Four Colonels together with many Inferiour Officers and Four Hundred Horse fell into the Enemies Hands The Lord Digby's Coach was also made a Prize wherein amongst other Spoils several of the King's Letters too carelesly guarded were found And these as those formerly taken at Naesby were printed with the same Malice and Impudence Nor is it to be wondred that as they began the War with Tumults Scandals and all Kinds of Barbarity so they should end it with the same Arts and the same Brutality Digby was again routed by the Scots upon Carlile-Sands and scarce saved himself by with-drawing with very few Attendants into the Isle of Man and from thence into Ireland So that this whole Party together with its Design was destroyed and vanished But to return to Fairfax into the West where the main Stress of the War was for what happened in other Provinces were rather Velitations and Encounters of Parties than formed Designs of Battels after the taking of Bristol the Enemy consulted what to undertake next Many were of Opinion they should march to the Relief of Plymouth labouring under the Evils of a very long and irksom Siege But that Town having the Sea open and the Parliamentarians abounding in shipping having the Navy at their Disposal it was thought more expedient to dislodge the Royallists out of those Garrisons which impeded the Commerce betwixt London and the Western Counties and so open a Passage for Travellers to and fro at Pleasure In order to this Barclay-Castle as nearest was first attempted This Fortress lying betwixt Glocester and Bristol did not only disturb the Commerce of both those Cities but extreamly incommoded the Country on every side with Excursions Fairfax had formerly sent some Horse to hinder their Cavalcades and now Colonel Raynsborough is ordered with Three Regiments of Foot to besiege and reduce them Which he also did having forced their Out-Works Barclay-Castle taken by Raynsborough and particularly the Steeple and Church which overlooked the Castle For Sir Charles Lucas however brave being unequal to the Enemy in Power was forced to surrender which he did considering the State of Affairs upon no contemptible Conditions In the mean Time Cromwell took the Devizes The Devizes by Cromwell without any great Opposition as also Laicock with the same Facility the Souldiers being permitted to march away with their Arms. And now Fairfax commands him with Three Regiments of Horse and Four of Foot to reduce Winchester and Basing-House the Seat of the Marquis of Winchester whilst he himself marches with the Rest of his Army Westward His Souldiers were mustered and paid and new cloathed Being come to Chard he was advertised that the Royallists had a design to break through his Army and join with the King Which seemed neither incredible nor unreasonable for that being effected the Enemy would be obliged either to divide his Forces which might expose both Parties or follow with his whole Army and so leave the Two fertile Provinces of Devonshire and Cornmall entirely in the Prince's Hands He
therefore lay in the Field all Night and forced the advancing Royallists to retreat over the Isca Goring had fallen into the Enemies Quarters near Chard with Success having slain some and taken about Sixty But Tiverton by Fairfax Fairfax closely pursuing them took Tiverton as also the Castle and Church by storm occasioned by a casual Shot which broke the Chain of the Draw-bridge by which Accident the Passage was immediately seized Sir Gilbert Gerard the Governour and the whole Garrison being made Prisoners The Winter being far advanced and the Robels wearied with so many Toils thought it neither fit nor safe to attempt the Royallists further or besiege Exeter well fortified and strengthened with a Garrison of Five Thousand Men. They therefore resolve to block up the City at a Distance and raising some Redoubts and Skonses upon the River Clyssa within Command of each other though Three Miles from the City put Guards into them whereby they might with no great Force extreamly disturb the Communication betwixt the Town and Country They might have done the same on the other side of the Isca and so at once have shut up the Garrison from all Commerce with the adjacent Neighbourhood which they also afterward did Cromwell having possessed himself of the City of Winchester without Opposition Cromwell takes Winchester battered the Castle with Six Cannon and made a Breach in the Walls Which being observed by the Lord Ogle the Governour who thinking every Defence in this declining State of Affairs superfluous beat a Parley And being admitted to treat having compounded for the Security of his Garrison he surrender'd this Fortress however furnished with all kinds of Military Provisions for a long Siege But the Marquis fell by a nobler however more unhappy Destiny for Cromwell having battered his Works assaulted them with Four Battalions and passing the Moat and Ramparts brake down the Gates and so however bravely opposed forced his Passage into the House and became Master of it and Basing House The Marquis Sir Robert Peak with others of Quality with immense Spoils were the Reward of the victorious There were a hundred slain a Girle of a masculine Courage being found amongst the stript And thus this Fortress of Loyalty having baffled very many Attempts of the Rebels for its Reduction hitherto fell now by the uncontrouled Fortune of Cromwell And being first pillaged was afterwards burnt to the Ground out of spite rather than any advantage to the Conquerours Langford fearing the like Fate prevented it by a timely Surrender And now the Passages being cleared betwixt London and the more distant Provinces of the West Cromwell rejoins his Forces to Fairfax's Army The Prince sends to Fairfax about Peace During these Traverses the Prince of Wales had sent to Fairfax his Desires for a safe Conduct for the Lords Hopton and Culpeper to go to the King with design to endeavour to compose the Differences betwixt his Majesty and the Two Houses But Fairfax returned Answer That it not being of his Province to treat of Peace he had sent his Highness's Letters to the Parliament from whom an Answer was to be expected Goring having sent the Colonels Scroop and Philips had attempted the same before proposing That by the united Force of both Armies they should compel both King and Parliament to an Accomodation The like Conjunction of Forces had formerly been motioned to Essex which was then rejected by him as now by his Successor All hopes of Peace being vanished the Prince sollicitous for Exeter draws his Army consisting of about Seven Thousand to Okehampton His Highness had been informed that the Rebels Forces were very much diminished by Death and Diseases which gave him room to hope for some favourable Occasion to attempt upon them But being suddenly after assured that they were daily furnished with new Levies Fairfax surprizes Three of Wentworth's Regiments at Bovey and fresh Supplies which was true he changed his mind and with-drew his Forces to a greater Distance But the Enemy advancing surprized Three of Wentworth's Regiments at Bovey The Troopers except Fifty and a Major who were taken escaped by Favour of the Night but they left near Four Hundred Horses behind them Fairfax was careful to advertise Plymouth of his Advance and the Royallists Retreat which was also relieved by the drawing off of the Besiegers This Place had been very long blocked up by Land and having been often bravely attempted by Sir Richard Greenville did defend it self with no less Bravery For the Sea always open and the Rebels Masters of it they could not be forced Dartmouth was the next Trophy of the Conquerours Dartmouth taken which they took by Assault without the Loss of scarce one single Man though the Town was strengthened with a Hundred pieces of Ordnance Nor was the Slaughter greater on the Defendants side Sir Hugh Pollard the Governour the Earl of Newport Seymour Denham and about Eight Hundred being taken Prisoners .... Carey and his Officers upon the Delivery of a Fort which he guarded was permitted his Liberty and the Souldiers had also leave to retire every Man to his own Home The Cornish-men who they were many had each Two Shillings allowed for their Journey not absurdly bestowed to tempt the rest of their Countrymen who were now the only considerable part of the King's Forces The Rebels marched thence to Totnes and afterwards returned to the Siege of Exeter Sir Hardres Waller had commanded there and now it is resolved to attempt the forcing of the Place it having hitherto been but block'd up with Forts and Redoubts They therefore commanded Ladders to be brought out of the Country for an Assault until upon fresh intelligence of the Prince's Preparations and Design to relieve the Besieged they again leaving Waller with Three Regiments of Foot and one of Horse to continue the Blockade moved with the Rest of the Army to meet the Royallists The Lord Hopton commanded the King's Forces For the Lord Goring being gone for France and having entrusted his own Troops to the Lord Wentworth's Conduct the Government of the whole was devolved upon this excellent Personage Who now had with Three Thousand Horse and Four Thousand Foot possessed himself of Torrington with a Resolution to defend the Town and to hazard there the Extremity of War Fairfax being advertised of all this by his Spies quickens his March and to give the Royallists no time to fortifie themselves made all imaginable haste Hopton had lined the neighbouring Avenues with Musqueteers which he again quitted upon the Enemies Advance who also possessed the said Places Where they fix'd their Station by reason of the Darkness until a Noise in the Town creating an Opinion that the Royallists were dislodging obliged them to send a Party to see what was the matter These Discoverers being received with a Volley of Shot were seconded by a Reserve and they again by a Third and Fourth Party so that Supplies being successively sent
as well-nigh always in the open Field Passing thence by Taodan he marched to Esk where he met with the old Earls of Arley with his Sons and a brave train of Friends and Attendants Here he had intelligence that the Lord Burgley was at Aberdene of Aberdene with design to draw the Northern Parts by Money or Force to join with him Which Montross understanding having passed the River Dee he found the Enemy drawn up in Battel Array near the City Burgley had two thousand Foot and five hundred Horse which he placed in the Wings and having chosen his Ground and planted his Cannon at the head of his Army expected the onset Montross had but fifteen hundred Foot for the Lord of Kilpont's Men were gone home to convoy the Body of their Lord who had been murther'd by one of his own Servants and very many of the Atholians were also returned loaden with Plunder after the Victory of Perth and not yet come up to the Army He also placed his Horse which were but four and forty in the Wings Adding some of his Foot to them who for their Agility and Strength were equal to Horses enjoyning them to have a care lest the Enemies Troops surrounded them Which they also valiantly performed for the Charge being given the Enemy was defeated slaughtered routed The Horse escaped for the most part but the Foot having no place to retreat to but the City fled thither But being closely pursued by the Conquerours entring Pell-mell with them the Streets were strowed with their slain Bodies Two days being allowed the Soldiers to refresh in Montross was informed that Argile was advancing with far greater Forces than formerly being also accompanied with the Earl of Lothan with Fifteen Hundred Horse He therefore left Aberdeen and marched to Kintor from whence he determined to lead his Forces to the Mountains and Places of most difficult access In order to this he buried his Cannon in the Earth and disburthened himself of his heaviest Baggage But the Enemy pressing on all sides he marched to Badenoth that he might be out of the danger of their Cavalry those Quarters being scarce passable for Horse The Enemy having left pursuing him he was surprized by a fit of Sickness which extreamly harassed him for some days but being recovered he marched again into Angus hoping either to force Argile tired with tedious Marches into Winter Quarters or to leave him far behind him Having traversed Angus and passed over the Grampian Mountain he came to Strath-bogy to invite the Gordons with his Presence to a Conjunction of Arms with him But in vain being opposed by the Marquess of Huntley who though he did not hate the King envied the glories of Montross too much to contribute to their greatness He went thence to the Castle of Favia which he took but being sharply attacked there by Argile and Lothan had much to do to resist their Power which he yet did by his own Vertue and the rare Valour of his Men. Many days being thus spent at Favia Argile got nothing with so great an Army but Infamy from his Friends and Contempt from his Enemy Montross baffles Argile who flies to Perth Sometime after Montross understanding Argile to be at Deucalidon without his Horse resolved to attempt him which coming to his knowledge Montross being as yet sixteen Miles off he commanded his Men to shift for themselves whilst he secured himself by his flight to Perth Montross being of opinion that an Enemy could be no where so advantageously assaulted as in his own Country flew with incredible speed and industry into Argile where having forced the Marquess to save himself again in a Boat he destroyed and filled the Province with Blood Slaughter Rapine and Fire Nor were the other Neighbouring Countries as Lorn and the rest that acknowledged the Dominion of Argile better used The Royallists having quitted these Quarters they at length met with Argile at Innerlock but charged him with such Fury that they broke their Ranks and pursuing with a great shout defeated them with a great slaughter killing above Fifteen Hundred upon the place Whilst Argile himself placed in a Boat and put off from Shore saw the ruine of his Men at a distance and without any share of the danger After this the Citizens of Elgin surrender'd their Town of their own accord at which time the Lord Gourdon The noble Lord Gourdon joins with Montross and eldest Son to the Marquess of Huntley a Person above all Commendation for the eminency of his Vertues left his Uncle Argile and came over to the King's Party with a very choice Squadron of Friends and Dependants Montross heightened with this accession forced Hurrey Commander of the Rebels Horse refusing to fight upon his Invitation to a Retreat and offered Bayly sent for purposely out of England to whom Hurrey was also joined by a Trumpeter the liberty of Battel But he replied That when he was disposed to Engage it should be by his own not anothers choice The Royallists marched forward to Deucalidon and designing to pass the Tai were upon the point of being ruined by a very mischievous accident which they could not forsee Lodowick Gordon who had born Arms at Aberdeen on the Rebels side had by the mediation of his Noble Brother his Brother Lodowick deserts the army which greatly distresses Montross been reconciled to the King's Party But now whether upon real or pretended Letters from his Father having privately seduced most of the Gordons to a defection carried them away exposing thereby his Brother and Montross to very imminent danger And truly it may be a question whether of these excellent Persons most hated this Perfidy Montross highly troubled with this defection thought how to secure the rest and immediately sent the weakest of them away with all his Baggage with Command to meet him at Brechin This done he with an Hundred and Fifty Horse which was all he had and Six Hundred nimble Footmen marched with incredible Speed to Taodun which he assaulted took and plundered He himself stood upon a Hill which overlook'd the Town when sudden news was brought him that Bayly and Hurrey were with Three Thousand Foot Montross's noble retreat from Taodun and Eight Hundred Horse within a Mile of the Place By that time he had got his Men out of the City which was not done without extream difficulty being scarce to be withdrawn from their Plundering the Enemy was come up within Musket-shot of him His Retreat was admirable wherein he shewed himself no less a worthy Commander than he had done in his former Victories Some advised the General to reserve himself for better times and secure himself by flight with his Horse and others under these desperate Circumstances were of opinion they should not perish unrevenged But he complying with neither instantly sent Four Hundred Foot before and commanding the other Two Hundred to follow he himself closed the Rear with his Horse
The Enemy discovering their number and seeing them so few divided their Forces and followed after them very eagerly not only coming up with them in their Rear and Flank but endeavouring to obstruct their passage to the Mountains The Rebels forlorn of Horse pressed hard upon Montross's Rear but his Foot facing about fired upon them and having slain the three foremost rendred the rest more cautious and the pursuit less hot The darkness of the Night put an end to these Skirmishes By this they were come near Aberbroth where Montross considering that the Enemy might have intercepted the direct way to the Hills with his numerous Horse commanded his Men to turn to the South-westward and march with all imaginable speed by which artifice and incredible toil he deluded his Pursuers slipping by them in the night and wheeling suddenly Northwards he passed the Esk not far from the Castle of Careston And having after some light Skirmishes and a continued March of threescore Miles without Sleep without Meat or any other refreshment gained the foot of the Mountains the Enemy at length left them retiring from their fruitless pursuit Being thus beyond their hopes come into a place of security Montross sent the Lord Gourdon as well to recal those Troops his Brother had debauched as also to augment them by new Levies which he also performed with great industry joining the General in Marr with a Thousand Foot and Two Hundred Horse Being thus inforced the Royallists defeated Hurrey with Three Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse at Alderna The Fight at Alderna and Alford where the Lord Gourdon was slain he himself hardly escaping with the Horse Nor was Bayly the most knowing of the Enemies Captains more fortunate at Alford where having left his Foot he also fled with his Horse which the most untimely fall of the noble Lord Gourdon contributed to a loss irreparable to the King and his Party and which cast such a damp upon the Victory that the Soldiers overcome with Sorrow wore the countenance of a baffled not conquering Army But Montross after this strengthened with a numerous recruit of High-landers and by the accession of the Earl of Aboyne who succeeded his Brother Gourdon and Arley who were come up to him with Three Hundred Horse resolved to penetrate into the inmost parts of the Kingdom as well to disturb the Enemies Levies in Fife as to dissipate the Convention of the States at Perth Being come into Fife the richest and most popular Province of the Kingdom he resolved to pass the Forth Which he also did four Miles above Sterling and marching forward encamped at Kilsythe The Rebels fierce with their multitudes thought that Montross's late Marches and his hasty passing of the Forth were the effects of his Fear not Counsel So that they resolve to attack him in that place he had chosen their chief care being to cut off all Retreats especially to the Mountains Montross's Army consisted of Four Thousand Five Hundred Foot and Five Hundred Horse the Rebels of Six Thousand Foot and Eight Hundred Horse But their fortune the same for the Royallists animated by the rare Valour of the old Earl of Arley who being sixty years of age did with his single Troop defeat Three of the Enemy's and dis-engaged a Battalion of Montross's Foot The Battel of Kilsythe too rashly advanced which gave such universal Courage to the whole Army that raising a great Shout they all ran upon the Enemy beat down such as resisted and ruined all scarce One Hundred of the Foot escaping The Arms Baggage and Spoils of the Field were the present reward of the Victors who lost only six Men whereas near Six Thousand of the Enemy fell that day Upon this the Confederate Lords fled out of the Kingdom and such who favour'd the King did no more scruple to discover themselves This Victory having produced a new face of things over the whole Kingdom reconciled the Cities and Provinces thereof to their duty to the King Which he had also maintained if the Horse which His Majesty had sent with the Lord Digby and Sir Marmaduke Langdale had as he hoped come up to him But these being dispersed as is said in England he found other Forces than those he expected thence For the Confederates upon the fame of his Atchievements had sent David Lesley with Six Thousand Horse who by their intelligence with the Earls of Trequair and Rosburg whom the King had unhappily trusted surprized and defeated him at Selkirk The Royallists surprized at Selkirk Montross leaves Scotland Yet did not so far oppress him but that he afterwards became formidable again But the King being in the Scots Army he was by his Majesty's Command forced to dismiss his Soldiers leaving his Country to the disposal of the Confederates It is now high time to return to Holmbey and take a view of His Majesty's Diversions in that wretched Solitude Amongst other things seeing he heard nothing from the Parliament he composed an Answer to the Propositions formerly sent to him Wherein besides many unexpected Concessions he promised To comply with the rest provided he were suffered to come to London But having no Secretary or Clerk to transcribe what he had writ he desired one from the Commissioners attending him otherwise he would himself scrible it over as well as he could This was rejected as soon as sent although he had assented to most and desired a Personal Treaty for the rest they being deaf to his demands and whilst he was thus earnest for Peace Vote him averse to it affirming moreover how falsely The King 's miserable restraint at Holmbey That he had never offer'd them any thing worthy their Acceptation or accepted of any thing they had presented to him In this extremity he turns to God and withdrawing himself writ those Divine Soliloquies which compose his Book spending that leisure time with Heaven which was not permitted him to employ with any he delighted in here below This Book as it surpasseth all other except the Bible in Piety Prudence and Eloquence of Style so it containeth a true and genuine discovery of the state of affairs and consequently fit to be read of all good Men and such who would be satisfied in the reality of our Transactions In the mean time the Pretended Parliament force away the miserable from the unfortunate For seeing the King's unhappiness and restraint had not so far divested Men of that Veneration they owed him but that many sick of that Disease called the Kings-Evil came to him to be healed the Novellists more out of envy than grounded in reason endeavoured tho' to no purpose by Declarations to divert the People from this pretended Superstition as they called it Although all the Kings of England have ever since the time of Edward the Confessor who received this Prerogative from Heaven made use of it with success The Rebels being now Masters of the King and Kingdom having supplanted the true Heir
requiring That the Treaty with the King might be renewed and the Army paid off and disbanded But their reception was very rude being beaten and plundered and slain by their Guards Insomuch that the Kentish-men having likewise framed a Petition for Peace upon the like usage by a Party of Horse and being threatned to have two harged out of each Parish that were Promoters of it and the rest sequestered they threw away their Paper and betook them to their Arms. The first appearance of an Insurrection broke out in the City of London being accidental not upon the King's Accompt The Parliament had piously voted down Holy-days abrogating all the Festivals of the Church having appointed one Day in every Month in lieu of them for Publik Recreations The Apprentices as usually had met in some Numbers in Moor-Fields on the 9th of April to play and divert themselves But this being Sunday moved the Zeal of some precize Schismatical Officers of the Trained-Bands who with their Guards would force them away but were themselves routed by the Boys with Stones and Clubs who also took their Colours from them and in a Childish Bravery marching into the Streets frighted Warner the then Mayor into his House and taking away a Drake from his Door Planted it at Lud-Gate nearest the Foe the Army then about White-Hall But Fairfax on the Morrow following ent'ring with some Regiments of Horse and Foot at Alders-Gate easily dispersed them though then numerous no Person of Quality undertaking their Conduct The Fame of this tumultuous Insurrection or rather Riot was quickly noised throughout the Kingdom which although strangled in its Infancy seemed to animate the oppressed populace to follow the Example whereby they might redeem themselves and Liberties from their impending slavery The Welch were the first that took up Arms under the Conduct of Major General Laughorn The Welch in Armes and the Collonels Poyer and Powell all Three formerly stiff Assertors of the Parliaments Jurisdiction But now being to be disbanded by Orders of the Council of War of the Army they refuse to obey And the better to secure themselves declare for the King acting by Commission and Powers from the then Prince of Wales Laughorn grew suddenly by the accession of Major General Stradling and others of the King's Party to a considerable Army esteemed Eight Thousand strong which rendered him Master of the Town and Castles of Pembroke and Tenby Sir Nicholas Kemish at the same time surprized Chepstow Castle and Sir John Owen another eminent Cavalier in North wales defeated and took the High-Sheriff of Caernarvan So that all Wales seemed at once to shake off that cruel Yoak they laboured under Nor were the preparatives for a War of the Kentish-men less considerable For As also the Kentishmen Rendezvouzing near Rochester they chose the Earl of Norwich then upon the place to be their General Very many Apprentices and reformed Officers and Souldiers flocked from London daily to them Insomuch that the Juncto terrified with the apprehension of what might happen restored to the City their Militia which they feared otherwise might be extorted from them hoping by this Confidence to render them more addicted to their interest Which also happened not upon sentiments of generosity but to manifest their aversness to oppressed Monarchy even then when it was in their Power to restore it Skippon being also readmitted to the Command of their Forces the Communication with Kent was interrupted by placing Guards upon the Passages of the River But the Clouds that threatned the fiercest storm gathered in the North where Sir Marmaduke Langdale Sir Charles Lucas and others having surprized the strong Town of Berwick Berwick and Carlile surprized and Sir Phillip Musgrave and Sir Thomas Glenham that of Carlile and raised considerable Forces to joyn with the Scots now ready to enter England seemed no less able than willing to effect what they pretended the King's Restitution Though it be true that the Scots-Declaration had so many untoward Restrictions in it that nothing but the Frank Loyalty of the Royallists could joyn with them Upon the first noise of the Scots arming many English repaired into Scotland which obliged them at Westminster by their Deputies to require the delivery of the chief of them as Incendiaries They named particularly Wogan who carried a Troop thither with Sir Thomas Glenham and others But the Scots refused it seeing it was not stipulated in the Treaties betwixt both Nations They not judging those to be Incendiaries between the Two Kingdoms but only between the King and England These Revolts and Preparations for a new War did strangely disquiet the pretended Parliament who thereupon reviving their Votes of 1642. declare That it appears that the King seduced by wicked Counsel though then a close Prisoner intends to make War against the Parliament Cromwell being dispatcht against the Welch with great Forces the Kentish Expedition was not thought unworthy Fairfax's Conduct He therefore marches with Six Thousand Foot and Two Thousand Horse against the Cavaliers who being fatally divided whilst they Fight singly by Parties they are all overcome Fifteen Hundred stout Men were sent to Maidstone Fairfax defeats the Kentish-men to oppose their Enemies Passage there who fought with so much Valour that after they had been beaten from the Avenues and Hedges they kept that Town firing from the Houses and Leads about the space of Six Hours with great slaughter of the Enemy So that it is believed if the Earl of Norwich had come up with the rest of the Army to their Assistance the Rebels might have been defeated that Day But he dividing his Forces sent half of them to Dover and himself marched with the rest to Black-heath and being denied a Passage through the City which had been promised him he Ferries and Swims his small Army over to the Isle of Doggs From thence he moved to Mild-end-Green But seeing none come out of London to his relief as he expected he himself with only Five Hundred the rest being upon the obstinacy of the Citizens slipt from him joyned with the Essexians at Bow under the Command of Sir Charles Lucas They all stay'd here some time to favour any Loyal Attempt that might be made at London until warned by the approach of Fairfax who having dispatcht Rich and Barkstead with their Regiments to reduce those Castles which the Kentish had taken towards the Downs had passed the Thames at Graves-End they were also forced to dislodge And marching further into the Country seized store of Arms and Ammunition in the Earl of Warwick's House at Lees and having surprized the Parliament-Committee at Chelmsford went thence to Colchester where the brave Lord Capell joyned them with some Horse And all of them received the Van of Fairfax's Army with such Gallantry at the Towns-end that they forced them to retire to their main Body with considerable Loss They had designed to march further if they had not been so
Thousand Horse and Foot They were not very forward till they heard the Siege was raised and the Royallists overcome and in probability if Dublin had been taken would never have attempted the Re-Conquest of Ireland But now they flye to share in the Spoils of a regained Kingdom Cromwell Lands in Ireland with an Army and Cromwell will triumph for another's Victory Having refreshed and mustered his Army he marched with it to Tredah This Town was well fortifyed and a Garrison in it of Two Thousand Five Hundred Foot and Three Hundred Horse the Flower of the Royal Army under the command of Sir Arthur Aston a brave and experienced Souldier The Lord Lieutenant had foreseen that this Place by reason of its Neighbourhood and Situation would be first attempted it not being advisable in the Enemy to leave so considerable a Fortress behind him And he hoped he might have time to recruit his shattered Army and repair the Loss of his late Overthrow which he endeavoured with all his Might whilst Cromwell was employed in the difficulties of the Siege But this impatient Conqueror omitting the common Forms of approaching and turnings fell to battering and made two accessible Breaches in the Walls which were Twice bravely assaulted and Twice no less valiantly defended the Enemy being as often repelled until reinforced by Cromwell's presence and conduct renewing the Storm having slain Collonel Wall in the Breach they at length entered A tumultuous offer of Quarter being made and accepted sooner than it ought to have been was the Ruine of the Defendants and by their incautious Facility of the whole Garrison For the Town being thus taken they were all put to the Sword though they did not fall unrevenged for they fought in every Street the Market-place and from the Houses and Towers whither they had retreated Ashton the Governour withdrew into the Castle where the Enemy entring Pell-Mell with his Men slew him Others who fled into a Tower imploring the Enemies Clemency Takes Tredah were forced to yeild to a Decimation about Thirty of the Remainder of them being condemned to the Plantations in the Western Islands There fell besides the Governour several brave Men amongst whom Sir Edmond Varney the Collonels Warren Flemming and Brinn Lieutenant Collonel Finglass Major Tempest and many other Gentlemen and Officers The Garrison being slain the City was spoiled and pillaged and though it had repelled the Fury of the Irish Catholic-Rebels for three whole Years it did not suffice to resist the Force of the English Fanatick Rebels the space of one Week I would not condemn the promiscuous slaughter of the Citizens and Souldiers of Cruelty because it might be intended for Example and Terror to others if the like Barbarity had not been committed elsewhere The Garrison of Trim and Dundalke apprehending the Fate of Tredah quit them which the Enemy having taken possession of Cromwell marches with his Army to Wexfora ' and having routed a Party of Inchequiâ—â— to his way had the Castle betrayed to him 〈◊〉 Strafford that commanded it The Town was otherwise strong by Situation and a good Garrison but being thus surprized was assaulted and entred all being put to the Sword with the same Cruelty as at Tredah Wexford being taken he hasts to Rosse Wexford and Rosse a Port capable of very great Vessels seated upon the Banks of the Barrow After some great shot this Place was delivered undefended and in sight of the King's Army by Luke Taffe who was permitted to pass with his Garrison consisting of Fifteen Hundred Men to Kilkenny besides Six Hundred English who deserted and took Pay with their Country-men Cromwell after so easie a Victory passes the River upon a Bridge of Boats with design to force Ormond to Fight or oblige him to separate his Army The English in the mean time besieged Duncannon which was relieved by an Artifice of Castel-haven's He sent over in Boats the Tract being at least Three Miles by favour of the Night Fourscore Horses with their Saddles and Accoutrements but without Riders These were mounted by English most Reformado-Officers who Duncannon relieved under the Conduct of Collonel Woogan the Governour sally'd out with so much Suddeness and Vigour that the Enemy knowing they had no Horse before and feeling them now fancied that the Royallists from without had broken into their Camp with the Apprehension whereof leaving some Cannon behind they tumultuously ran away The King's Army was by this very numerous and strong being increased by the Forces of Inchequin Ardes and Oneal who being rejected by the Fanaticks had also complied But they omitted a fair Opportunity in not attempting it that is to wage Battle their Souldiers being chearful and willing and the Enemy on the other side weary and faint with so many Toyles and Sicknesses But these Forces how great soever mouldered away through the Dissensions of their Chief-taines for want of Pay and conveniencies by the Aversion of the great Cities and Towns which refused to contribute to the Public and by the daily deserting of the Brittish allured by the Temptation of Cremwel's Mony and his promises of Preferment By these means Reynolds took Carrick in part betrayed to him which the Royallists attempted to recover in vain Cromwell who had lain sometime Sick at Rosse being restored to his Health formed a Design upon Waterford which he notwithstanding deferred when he perceived the Constancy and Resolution of the Citizens to defend themselves And now not willing to tempt Fortune any further The Chief Towns of Munster revolt to the Regicides having taken Passage Fort a very strong Place he resolved to put his Souldiers into Winter-Quarters which he also did very opportunely by the traiterous Surrender of Corke Youg-hall and the other Fortresses of Munster into his Hands Ormond prest also with want of Necessaries to subsist with having attempted Passage and Waxeford this by Inchequin and that by Tarell in vain was also necessitated to send his Army into Winter Quarters but too separate and far distant from each other The Vlster Men except Sixteen Hundred sent to Clonmell returned home to choose another General in Oneal's place lately dead as was agreed Others were distributed into other Places Tasse to Conaught Inchequin to the County of Clare The Confedâ—rates dâ—â—ersed into Quartâ—rs and Dillon into Methe It is scare credible with what Industry and Prudence Ormond endeavoured to allay the wild Animosities and Dissensions of the Confederates though to little purpose which occasioned the daily Defection of the Souldiers And now the Irish as well as Brittish allured by the Regicides Successes and Invitations as also deterred with the Plague that raged amongst them together with want of Pay and Necessaries ran by Troops to Cromwell's Camp Hereupon Ormond seriously considering the untoward State of Affairs having appointed Castel haven Governour of Lemster he himself removed to the County of Clare to raise new Forces to oppose for as much as in him lay
of Ireland to this Purpose Cromwell having at Length obtained what he had so long coveted the Command of the Forces of the Commonwealth high with this Accession of Honour prepares vigorously for War and hastning to the Army he mustered it near Berwick Sixteen Thousand strong brave Men and well accoutred flesht with so many Victories and confident of Success He thus accompanied enters Scotland having sent his Declaration before him July 22.1650 amongst other Things denouncing War against them because they had proclaimed Charles Stuart King who was their Publick Enemy and had promised to support him against the Common-wealth of England Being come to Dunbar without seeing an Enemy the Inhabitants being all fled tho he had invited and courted their staying at Home he refreshed his Army there with Rest and Provisions brought by shipping out of England From thence he marcht to Musselbourg with Design to attempt the Scots who lay encamped not far off But being opposed by the Rains the adverse Tempests and the Toyls of his Men who lay in the open Field he was forced to return to his Camp again The Enemy pursued him close charging and continually disturbing his Rear until they were repressed by Lambert and Whaley who hastned thither with fresh Supplies The following Night Montgomery and Straugham with Fifteen Troops of Horse fell upon the English with so much Violence that having forced their Guards and beaten a Regiment of Horse that seconded them they brought Terror into the rest of the Army But these recollecting themselves the Scots were charged by Parties that hastened to the Danger from all Sides and being way-laid by Okey in their Return they bravely broke through and returned after much Dammage given and received to their own Camp The King was then accidentally in the Army by whose conduct for seeing the danger of the Men he had hastened to their Assistance their Retreat was secured The Chief of the Army and the turbulent Delegates of the Kirk were much vexed at it urging the Kings Departure Nor would they suffer this magnanimous Prince to stay in the Camp pretending the danger of his Person but more truly lest as it appeared in that Encounter he should gain too much upon the Souldiers Favours and thereby render himself Master of that Army which had been raised by the auspicious Influence of his Name There were Three prevalent Factions in Scotland at that Time The First and Greatest was that of the Parliament and Kirk which would indeed have a King but precarious and one who should govern as they directed Another Faction was of the most rigid Presbyterians These dreaming of I know not what Theocracy or Government by the Church equally abhorr'd both King and Commonwealth as profane But this upon the Defeat of Straugham and Kerr by Cromwell quickly vanished The Third was that of the Royalists but unarmed and excluded from Publick Employments to which the King was forced to retire in Expectation of better Times The English in the mean time raised with some small Successes as the taking of Collington and Red-House by storm endeavoured to draw the Scots to Battle They approached their Camp seemed carelesly to wander under their Trenches and with the contumely of Words daily dared them to fight but in vain for the Scots were fixt not to adventure the Hazard of a Battle but to overcome the Enemy without Danger with Hunger Cold Sicknesses and the Rigor of the Climate Cromwell seeing then he could not force the Scots by reason of the Situation of their Camp nor oblige them to fight out of it his Provisions being likewise spent he determined to bring his Army back to Dunbar which he also did tho not without much Difficulty by reason of the close pursuit of the Scots From thence he resolved to return with what haste he could with his sick and weary Forces by Sea or Land for England for he despaired of any Hopes of Success in this inauspicious Expedition Dunbar is a Sea Town seated betwixt Edinburgh and Berwick surrounded on the Land side with Mountains and Precipices which are likewise so steep that there is but one passage at Copperspeith scarce large enough for Ten Men a-brest which was also possessed by the Enemy who now insultingly bragged which they might also have performed if God had not infatuated their Understandings That they had the Army of the Schismaticks in a Pound And thus this so famous a Leader had brought his Army by ill Conduct into such Streights that all his Glory got by so many Victories had vanish'd in Infamy if Fortune and the Follies of his Enemies had not contributed to his Relief For it would have proved a business of extreme Difficulty to have shipt his Men they pressing so near upon him nor would it have been less dangerous to return by Land all the Passages and Avenues being guarded by an Enemy so numerous and much more healthful as being in the Clime they first breathed in They were Twice as many as the English and hovered like a Cloud upon the Hills about them But their Impatience to overcome lost them the Victory for wheeling to the Right they in Confidence of their Strength descended into the Plain as if they designed to deprive them of all Hopes of Retreating Cromwell perceiving this as if he had cooped himself up but with Design to break out with more Lustre sent Lambert with Six Regiments of Horse and Three of Foot to charge them He was bravely received at first but afterwards by the Fatal Valour of Despair routed the adverse Cavalry The Foot seeing their Horse broke without any resistance ran also away in vain seeking that Safety in their Legs which they had had in their Hands And thus a very great Victory was gained by the English in a Moment wherein Three Thousand were slain and near Ten Thousand taken Two Hundred Colours Fifteen Thousand Arms and the whole spoil of the Camp with the Loss of scarce Three Hundred English Nor did this signal Victory which made them Masters of the South side of the Frith cost them any more For it being known at Edenburgh by the Arrival of Lesley who fled with the Horse the Nobility and Souldiery quitted that City as also Leeth a commodious Station for shipping and posted away to Sterling leaving all except the Castle of Edinburgh to the Disposal of the Conquerors This Battle seemed indifferent to the King who could lose none but Enemies whoever vanquished The Presbyterians were no less averse to him than the Independants and the Scots if they had overcome would have used him no better than they did his August Father at New-Castle They had extorted Conditions from him equal to those their English Brethren had forced from his Martyred Predecessor in the Isle of Wight Nor did those Concessions suffice somewhat was still superadded and obtruded upon him And as if that were not enough he himself as also his Friends were excluded from sharing in the Government
and being unequel to those Veteranes after a sharp Fight he was defeated by them And however he escaped their present Fury by Flight he was afterwards taken in the Battel of Worcester and being brought to Chester was there notwithstanding the Quarter given him beheaded by the Regicides finishing his Course with no less Gallantry than he had lived with Glory The King upon his Entry into England was ploclaimed by a Herald at Arms King of ENGLAND SCOTLAND FRANCE and IRELAND which was also done in all the chief Towns as he passed along and was now repeated at Worcester with greater Pomp and Splendour He had by Letters and Messages in his March invited several of the Rebel-Commanders and Governours to the return of their Duty but in vain He had also desired the same of the Mayor and Common-Council of London but with the same success There were however several Noble Persons who came in to him as the Lord Talbot Packington Howard Broughton and others with about Two Thousand private Souldiers The rest kept back either surprized with the sudden Advance of the King and consequently unprovided or terrified with the Cruelty of the Rump and so durst not appear or averse to the Scots now unseasonably mindful of the former Injuries received from them and would not come The King had been advised and it was his own Opinion to march from Warrington directly to London which in probability ought to have been done if the Army had not been so much wearied with their former Toyles and Labours They therefore came to Worcester a Place convenient enough where having recovered and repaired their Strength they might either expect or promote the War Hither Cromwell came Six Days after with the conjoyned Forces of the Party amounting to near Sixty Thousand Souldiers and Trained-Bands and having beaten Massey from Vpton-Bridge approached the Town The Rebels having passed the Rivers Severne and Tame upon Bridges and Boats advance towards the Walls however very bravely opposed by the Scots out of the Hedges and Ditches in their way But the Royallists being out-numbered were forced to retreat towards the City The Rebels having repulsed and wounded Montgomery at Powick Cromwell advancing drew up near ..... Wood. The King with Forbes's Foot a small Body of Horse for Lesley with Two Thousand more stood a loof of and did not approach and some English Voluntiers charged the Van of the Enemy with so much intrepid Bravery that he not only repelled them but took their Cannon which yet he could not keep by reason of their numerous Reserves and Supplies incessantly relieving each other Insomuch that the King having performed all the Parts of a Great Commander by rallying his broken Troops and embodying his scattered Foot and encouraging them by his Example and Presence in their renewed Encounters being over-pow'red by the adverse Legions Duke Hamilton who kept close to him being also wounded of which Hurt he shortly died he was forced to retreat towards the City which he entered on Foot at Sudbury-Gate being then obstructed by a laden Waggon overthrown in the Passage Nor did he long stay there but mounting another Horse when he saw all was lost and that the Enemy entered on all sides he at length slipping away in the Croud escaped out of the City The Royal-Fort defended by Col. Drummund with Fifteen Hundred Men was taken by Assault where all were put to the Sword The slaughter in the City was not less barbarous the Citizens and Souldiers being promiscuously slain all being filled wiâ—h Rapine and Murther There fell as well without as within the Walls where the Slaughter was greatest Three Thousand Five Hundred and the Prisoners were above Six Thousand most of the English escaping by the Benefit of their Tongue Duke Hamilton having his Thigh broken died there and amongst the Prisoners of most Note were the Earls of Derby Cleveland Lauderdale Rothes Carnworth Kelley as also Packington Greves Fanshaw the King's Secretary and many other Noble Persons taken in their Flight It is a Wonder that the King escaped the Diligence of his Pursuers but the Means by which he escaped doubles the Miracle Five Poor Brethren by Name Pendrills with Francis Yates married to their Sister and Three Females their Companions who concealed conducted and nourisht him justly merited the Glory not only of saving a Citizen as they had done before in the Person of the Earl of Derby whom they had formerly secured but of preserving their Prince No Threats of Punishments or Death nor the offer of a Thousand Pounds to those who discovered him would prevail with these however needy Plebeians whose Loyalty surmounted both their Hopes and their Fears The King having spent several Days in this miserable Solitude passed through many Hands of both Sexes and Religions Men and Women of the Middle and Lowest Sort. And by many Accidents and Spottings of Fortune wandering as it were in a Cloud for the space of Two Months he at length going on Board a small Collier and not unknown to the Master at Bright-hemston in Sussex was conveyed together with the Lord Wilmott his Achates and Companion in Dangers into France reserved by Divine Providence for the Glories that attended his Restitution At Rohan he discovered himself to some English Merchants where he changed his Apparel and went the next Day to Paris where his Fame arriving before him he was met in the way by the Queen his Mother and the Duke of Orleance with a great Train of Nobility Thus convoyed he was brought to Court where he was received with the Applause of all Men and the particular Congratulations of the French King and all the Peers of that Kingdom BOOK II. Cromwell enters London Triumphantly Continuation of the Irish Affairs Ormond leaves Ireland and Clanrickard his Deputy there Ireton dyes of the Plague Monk takes Sterling Dundee and Subjugates Scotland The Isles of Scilly Barbadoes Garnsey Jersey and that of Man surrendered to the Regicides Their Greatness They are courted by the Neighbouring Kings and States They send a solemn Embassy into Holland Cromwell cabals Turns out the Mock-Parliament Chooses another Is chosen Protector The Wars with the United Provinces The various Sea-Fights betwixt the Two States Cromwell makes a Peace with them and a League with France The Expedition of San Domingo and Jamaica Blake's success at Tunis and Santa Cruz. Dunkirk taken The Death of Oliver Cromwell His Character THE Scotch Army being defeated at Worcester and Lesley Midleton and the other Chief Officers who fled with the Horse taken Cromwell having sent his Prisoners before him entered London the Westminster and City Senates and Grandees receiving him with all imaginable Honour and Flatteries And now the Common-wealth having overcome all their Enemies exceedingly gloried in their Acquisitions Ireland was also subdued the remaining Natives being transported into Connaught But of these Tumults it will be expedient to treat more particularly Ireton having been left by his Father-in-law to command in Ireland as
Nation from whom having in vain attempted Hispaniola he extorted the Island of Jamaica in the West-Indies and Dunkirk a famous Sea-port nearer Home by the Assistance of the French But these deserve a more particular Narrative He had equipp'd Two considerable Fleets with great Cost and Application one whereof he sent with Blake into the Mediterranean and the other under the Command of Pen and Venables fraughted with Land-Souldiers set Sail about the same Time The Design was kept secret which did not a little amuse the Neighbour-Princes and particularly the Spaniards who sent the Marquess of Leda Governour of Dunkirk into England to penetrate into the Reasons and Designs of these great Preparations But conjecturing by the Ambiguity of the Answers he received that it might concern his Country-men he immediately returned The Fleet arrived happily at the Barbado's one of our Principal Indian Colonies Where as also out of the Neighbouring Isles the Land-Forces they brought out of England consisting but of Three Thousand were made up to at least Ten Thousand Servants and others being invited to take up Arms upon Assurance of their Liberty and Hopes of Plunder But though the Army were great the Provisions made for it were not so the Generals perhaps thinking that they did but need to Come and Conquer With these Forces and vast expectations they sailed towards Hispaniola Being come within the Sight of San Domingo the Spaniards terrified with the Danger abandoned their City and fled into Woods leaving all to the Discretion of the Assailants But the English by the vain Precaution of their Governours fearing I know not what imaginary Ambuscades omitted and lost the Opportunity for leaving the Port Venables landed Ten Leagues from the Town with Seven Thousand Men. The Souldiers were brisk and fierce promising themselves Gold and Wealth even to Satiety But their Joy did not last long for it was proclaimed under pain of Death that none should plunder Gold Silver Jewels or any other precious Moveables or kill any tame Cattle The Souldiers damp'd with this unseasonable Order destitute now of the Solace of Hope it self moved but dully and marching through thick Woods scorching Sands excessive Heat of the Sun and its concomitant unsufferable Thirst they at length came to the assigned Rendezvous Collonel Buller met them there with Three Regiments from the Fleet where they were somewhat refreshed for there was a River of Fresh-water which discharges it self into the Sea The Forces being joyned Venables marches with his Army towards the City having sent Captain Cox who was also their Guide with Five Hundred Men before as a Forlorn And they proved so In the mean Time the Spaniards taking Courage from their Enemies loitering and perceiving the Difficulties they laboured under betake themselves to their Defence and falling briskly upon them in the Intricacies of their Passage with a handful of Men they kill Cox and rout his Party who rushing upon the next Regiment put it to Flight Upon advance of the Army the Spaniards retired into a Fort they had in the Wood. Venables after this brush return'd back to the River with a Resolution to re-assume his Design And having mounted Two Guns provided Scaling-ladders Mortars Granado's and Fire-balls he marches the second Time towards the City But being betrayed by the Errors of his Guides who undertook to lead him a more commodious Way for the avoiding of the Fort he is brought into the same place where they had already fought so unluckily The Spaniards but Seventy in Number sallying hastily out of their Ambushes fell with such Violence upon the Van Guard that the Forlorn being beaten into the next following Battalion that also turned upon their own Army and filling all with Terror they all ran away The Enemy pursued with a great slaughter nor did they retire till they were wearied with killing and carried away Seven Colours in sign of Victory Collonel Haynes having with great Courage endeavoured to make Head against them being abandoned was slain by them and with him Six Hundred more besides several wounded These Miscarriages were followed by the Negligence of the Commanders with want of Provisions so that several of the Souldiers straying in the Woods in Quest of Victuals were snapt up by the Enemy Their Wants growing daily upon them they eat all their Horses which they had brought in a fine Troop with them from the Barbadoes and these not sufficing they at length resolved to leave this unlucky Shore Which they did sailing with their baffled Army to Jamaica where the News of their Defeat not being yet arrived they easily landed the Spaniards there articling for Liberty to depart which they easily consented to This Island is very pleasant Sixty Leagues in Length and Thirty in Breadth But they met here with an Enemy more severe than the Spaniards which was the Plague which in a little Time reduced their Army to sewer than Two Thousand Those who survived being recruited with Provisions and Men from England the Island being also cleared of Spaniards is now become a famous Colony of the English But Admiral Blake's Successes were greater tho' they did not make more Noise in the World The Algerines upon Sight of the Fleet so far superior to theirs making a Peace with him consented to the Restitution of the Brittish Slaves and a Liberty of Commerce But they of Tunis trusting to their own Strength answered Blake's Summons fiercely shewing him by way of ostentation their Castles in the Guletta and their Fleet in that impregnable Receptacle of Porta-ferino Blake resolving always on the brave filling his long Boats with his boldest Adventurers sent them into the Haven to burn their Ships Which they also effected consuming Nine of them with Fire with the inconsiderable Loss of Five and Twenty Men. All this while the Ships of the Fleet thundred terribly with their Cannon upon their Castles and Batteries dismounting for the most part their Guns and forcing the Defendants to abandon their Works The Infidels thus chastised became more submiss being glad to accept of that Pacification they had lately so insolently refused Cromwell being secure Abroad had at Home defeated all the Endeavours of the Royallists as also of the Presbyterians and Democraticks for the recovering of their Liberty All these Attempts were stifled in their Infancy or betrayed in their Growth before they came to any Ripeness effecting nothing but the Ruine of such who were concerned in them and the securing of him in his Tyranny whose Destruction was so passionately desired This cruel Protector had afflicted the Royallists with all manner of Torments in their Persons And now having constituted Major Generals after the Manner of the Turkish Bashaws in all the Kingdom decimated and confiscated their Goods and raging against their Persons with Incarcerations Banishments and Death it self exposed them to all the Miseries their inexorable Malice could invent But seeing that all would not do and that they were Proof against the utmost severity he
Barrels of Powder with Back Head and Breast-pieces for near Five Thousand Men and Lime it self was secured by a Garrison sent thither from the Duke of Albemarle of Three Companies The Rebels changing their Quarters often and in perpetual Motion seemed desirous to pass into Gloucestershire but were repelled at Canisham-Bridge between Bristol and Bath with the Loss of Two Troops of their Horse They hereupon returned back by Bath where the King's Forces were and marched towards Philips-Norton being followed in their Rear by the Royallists For that purpose a Detachment of Five Hundred Foot with some Dragoons and Horse-Granadiers commanded by the Duke of Grafton whilst the Rest of the Forces followed with the Cannon were sent in Pursuit of them Being advanced near the Town he fell into an Ambush the Lane being lined on both sides with Foot and Horse behind the Hedges who made very great Fire upon our Men. Grafton went as far as the Gate of the Town with as much Courage and Resolution as can be expressed but the Enemy continuing their fire he retired and passing thro the Rebels Horse with no less Bravery than good Fortune got safely off Eight of his Men were killed in the Adventure and about Thirty wounded The Rest of the Army being come up the Earl of Feversham drew it up in good Order upon a little Hill within Distance answering the Rebels Cannon with the Noise of his own tho with no great Effect on either side He had designed to have fought the Enemy there but was impeded by the Excessive Rains which fell at that time So that towards the Evening the Royallists marched to Bradford and the Enemy to Frome But the Rebels doubling and changing Quarters often to avoid their Pursuers came to Wells where they prophaned the Cathedral with unusual Barbarity plundered ravished and robbed the Citizens upon pretence of wanting Pay From hence they marched to Bridgewater and the Earl of Feversham from Somerton to Weston where he encamped Three Miles distant from the Rebels The Horse and Dragoons lay in the Town and the Foot in the Field covered towards the Campaign with a Parapet and Trench formerly made by the Country-men against Inundations and their Rear was secured by the said Village behind them Towards Evening it was told my Lord Feversham that the Rebels were stirring in Order to march Whereupon he sent frequent Scouts out to learn News of them But Monmouth eluding the said Scouts enters unobserved and with great Silence into the Plain before the Royallists Trench Where drawing up his Army which consisted of Six Thousand Foot and having entrusted the Lord G. with the Horse which amounted to Twelve Hundred he marched in Battle-Array against the Adversary The alarm being taken the Royallists consisting only of the Guards and part of Dunbarton's Regiment were quickly ready to receive them The Fight began with great shouts and brisk firing The aforesaid Dike being in the Nature of a Parapet was of great use to the Royallists which occasioned the Enemies shot as being aimed higher to five for the most part over their Heads whilst they as being more exposed in the open Field were more directly armed at and woundded The L. G. hastening with his Horse to the Assistance of the Foot loosing his way in the Night fell unexpectedly upon a Party of the Royallists Which he endeavoured to avoid by wheeling from them But turned upon his own Men who thinking he ran away did effectually do so themselves and filling all with Fear and Confusion the whole Horse were broke and routed and that without a Blow every one shifting for himself and searching his Safety in his Flight instead of fighting The Foot stood bravely to it until attacked by our Horse at length come up in Flank and Rear as also our great Guns beginning to play upon them they seeing themselves abandoned by their Cavalry were also broke routed and slaughtered The slain on the Rebels side amounted to near Two Thousand besides many taken Collonel Holmes Major Perrot Crookhorn and other unknown Names were made Prisoners There were also taken Three Field-Pieces and Six and Twenty Colors Of the King's side Three Hundred were slain and many wounded And undoubtedly the loss would have been greater but for the fore-mentioned Breast-work the Rebels so far out-numbering them Immediately after this Victory Feversham marched with Five Hundred Men to Bridgewater the Rebels next Station Which he possest himself of without Resistance they dispersing and flying upon his Advance And here he left Collonel Kirk to compose the Disorders of the Town Monmouth and Gray seeing all lost escaped out of the Battle and changing their Vestments sought where best to conceal themselves But the Lord G. was taken in the disguise of a Shepherd one other only being in company with him and being brought to the L. Lumley he was discovered at first sight being also known by a Servant of the said Lord's who had formerly been his Groom So that putting off his Disguise he professed That since his landing in England he had never had one good Nights Rest or eat one Meal in quiet Nor is it a wonder being perpetually agitated with the perturbations and cares which accompany unfortunate Ambition Two Days after Monmouth himself fell into the Hands of his Pursuers The Immensness of the Rewards raised the Country in the search so that the Ways and Woods were filled with their Numbers Some went out by break of Day and taking a Dog with them as Men usually do in Hunting Beasts of Prey the Dog made the first Discovery of one hid in a Ditch who proving to be a Foreigner which appeared by his broken Language and threatningly required to tell where Monmouth was pointed at his Covert whither they immediately went and there seized this unhappiest of Men in great Distraction pale trembling and full of Disorder He was brought thence to the Lord Lumley's and from Ringwood sent a Letter to the King Protesting the Remorse in him for the Wrong he had done His Majesty in several things and now in taking up Arms against him He complained of his Misfortune in meeting some Horrid People that led him away to believe That it was a shame and a sin before God not to do it But he would not trouble his Majesty at present with many things he could say for himself that he was sure would move his Compassion The chief end of this Letter being only to beg That he might have the Happiness to speak to his Majesty having that to say to him that he hoped might give him a long and Happy Reign He concluded That he really thought himself the most in the Wrong that ever any Man was and had from the Bottom of his Heart an Abhorrence for those that put him upon it and for the Action it self Hoping that God Almighty would strike his Majesty's Heart with Mercy and Compassion for him as he had done his with the Abhorrence of what he had done