the Commonwealth of England and hath exercised actual Hostility by commissionating Pyrates to spoil the ships and goods belonging thereto to these not the least violence or injury should be offered either in body or goods or if any should happen that upon complaint made redress and satisfaction should immediately be had Wherefore they desire all persons to abide in their habitations assuring them to enjoy what they had without disturbance No sooner was this penned but copies thereof were sent into Scotland and the Country-people that kept Market at Berwick had their pockets stuffed with them to carry home and disperse among their neighbours What good effects this course produced we shall see hereafter when the Army enters their borders The Lord General having used this expedient to undeceive the Scots and to procure their good opinion of him and his Army considered that all would not be convinced thereby the Sword not the Pen must perswade many of them wherefore he leaves York and hastes to Northallerton and thence the next day to Darnton As he pass'd by this place the Train of Artillery which was quartered here saluted him with seven Pieces of Ordnance Coming next to Newcastle the Governour Sir Arthur Haslerig received him with noble entertainment Here the Lord General and the Officers of his Army in a solemn manner implored a blessing from heaven upon their present Expedition After which upon due consideration of the affairs of the Army he setled a way for their supply from time to time with provisions This business being dispatched and the general Rendezvous appointed the Lord General leaves Newcastle and posts for Berwick His Forces being all come up he caused a general Rendezvous of them to be on Haggerston-Moor four miles from Berwiek July 20. 1650 the whole Army was drawn into the Field which was no sooner done but the General himself came among them being received with shouting and other signes of joy Having well view'd them he caused both Horse and Foot to be drawn up in Battalia Which being done there appeared a gallant Body of Horse consisting of 5415 bestrid by as many stout and couragious Riders eight complete Regiments of Foot consisting with their Officers of 10249 with the Train of Artillery which consisted of 690 so that the Army in the whole consisted of 16354. A sight most lovely and very desirable to see such an Army of men gallantly accoutred and provided with all necessaries who for approved valour are not to be equal'd commanded by a General whom no example ancient or modern can parallel for Courage and Conduct in a word he was honored in his Army and they happie in their General Being thus in Battalia the General marcheth them about an hundred paces towards Berwick and so dismisseth them to their quarters on the brink of Tweed where we shall leave them for the present expecting their further advance HIS WARS IN SCOTLAND OCcasion might here be taken to admire at the long continued separation that hath been betwixt England and Scotland that notwithstanding they are cohabitants of the same Island yet they should continue distinct Kingdoms for so many Ages together For whereas divers Kingdoms having inferious Dominions in them soon subjected them to their own Rule as in Spain where many Kingdoms are concorporated into one and in our own Nation where the Saxon Heptarchy was long since reduced into a Monarchy yet England and Scotland could never be united under one Head till the Crown of England devolved upon King James Many attempts have been made by several English Kings to reduce Scotland to their obedience Edward the second a King whose greatest honour was to be the son of an Heroick father and father to an incomparable son unfortunately fought the Battel at Bannocks in Scotland where as Holinshed relates was lost Gilbert de Clare Earl of Gloucester 40 Barons 700 Knights and Gentlemen and about 40000 others This defeat was great even the greatest that ever the English received at one time from that Nation But in hopes to wipe away this blur and to salve up this wound the King raised two great Armies for that purpose but with no better success for the first of his Armies was lost for want of courage to fight the last for want of food was forced to retire and in their retreat lost all their Ammunition But what else could be expected from a pusillanimous King who was observed in the former Battel to be the first that fled for it could not be expected that the Souldiers should stand they being bound to follow their leader To reckon up all the Rencoùnters that have happened betwixt the two Nations would be too tedious and stretch this discourse beyond its intended length Yet I shall wade a little in these plashes before I plunge into the Ocean of Cromwels Conquests Henry the seventh a wise and valiant Prince was much disturbed by those two Impostors Perkin Warbeck and Lambert Simnel Warbeck's quarrel was espoused by the Scots but to little purpose for a Peace was soon concluded betwixt the two Kings on condition that Warbeck should be sent packing and that James the fourth the Scots King should marry the Lady Margret King Henry's daughter Great debate was in the Council about this Match some were against it alleadging that in case the Kings issue should fail England would become subject to Scotland But to this the King wisely returned That the weaker must ever bow to the stronger and England being the stronger Scotland must submit This was but discourse for it could not be then imagined the King having two hopeful sons Arthur and Henry that the Lady Margret should be the Royal Stem from whence should spring those Noble branches which were to over-spread both Nations as it afterwards came to pass in King James But notwithstanding the Alliance made by the said Marriage in the days of King Henry the eighth while he was busied with his Wars in France the Scots invade England and were encountred by the Earl of Surrey at Flodden Field where the success remained doubtful a great while but at last the Victory fell to the English who that day slew the Scots King the Bishop of St. Andrews 12 Earls 14 Barons and 12000 Gentlemen and common Souldiers onely with the loss of 1500. at so easie a rate was this great Victory purchased By this and several other Blows King Henry got many of the Scotish Nobility into his custody And considering how their frequent incursions did impede and frustrate his designes abroad he thought it expedient to use a means to beget amity betwixt the Nations to which end he propounded a Match betwixt his son Edward and Mary the young Princess of Scotland This motion found so good acceptance at first that it was concluded upon and ratified by Act of Parliament with a special Instrument under the hands of the Scotish Nobility who by this means having gotten their liberty from restraint soon after quit themselves of their
against a most obstinately-desperate bloudy enemy people that had put themselves out of all hopes of favour or mercy by acting the most bloudy Tragedie that ever hath been seen or related in that their universal Massacre of the English yet recent in memory There remained now onely Limerick Waterford and some few inconsiderable Garisons to be reduced which being done they might finde leasure to hunt the wilde Irish who were fled for refuge among their Boggs This was left to the charge of Ireton whom the Lord Governour having constituted Lord Deputy he takes leave of Ireland and committing himself to the Sea arrived safely after a boisterous passage at Bristol where he was received with a thrice-repeated Volley of great Guns and other suitable demonstrations of joy Hence without tarrying he posts for London drawing neer Hounslow-Heath he is there met by the Lord General Fairfax accompanied by many Members of Parliament and Officers of the Army with multitudes that came out of curiosity to see him of whom Fame had made such a loud report Hence after mutual salutations congratulations and other testimonies of high respect he proceeds on and passing neer Hide-park-corner he is saluted with great Guns and several Volleys of small Shot by Colonel Barkstead's Regiment which was drawn up in the High-way for that purpose Continuing thus their march multitudes increasing to behold him the Lord Cromwel is conducted to the house called the Cock-pit neer St. James which had been appointed and prepared for him Here he was visited by the Lord Maior and Aldermen of London and by many other persons of quality all of them expressing their own and the Nations great obligations to him for his great Services in Ireland After some time of respite and refreshment he attended his charge in Parliament where the Speaker in an elegant Speech gave him the thanks of the House Which being ended the Lord Cromwel gave them an account of the present state of Ireland and of the condition of their Forces both in Field and Garison with what designes they were now upon what strength the Enemy had and what Garisons were then in their power The Parliament being thus assured of the hopeful condition of Ireland began now wisely to provide for the security of the peace of England which was now in danger of disturbance partly by open Hostility and partly by the under-hand dealing of some pretended friends Portugal protects Prince Rupert's Fleet notwithstanding the League France domineers at Sea making prize of all the English they could bring under their power About this time the Parliament sends Dr. Dorislaus as an Agent to the States of the United Provinces for the begetting and continuance of a right understanding and fair correspondence betwixt the two Republicks where not long after his arrival he was basely slain by six Assassinates who rushed into his lodgings at the Hague in disguise and escaped unpunished although the States pretended they had used their utmost endeavour to take them In Russia the English Merchants were much affronted by that Duke by reason of his adherence to the House of Stuarts Virginia and the Caribes Islands revolted from their obedience to the Parliament being very hot for Monarchy and the Liturgie Nearer home Scilly Jersey and the Isle of Man stand out and miserably infest the Seas with their Piracie But above all the Scots were the most formidable who seemed to set their wits on the tenters that so they might embroyl England in new troubles and thereby have opportunity to work their ends upon it To this end a Treaty is commenced betwixt them and their King at Breda a famous Town in the Netherlands belonging to the Prince of Orange Here they propose 1. That his Majestie recal and disclaim all Commissions and Declarations granted by him to the prejudice of the Covenant 2. That he acknowledge their present Parliament and the two last Sessions thereof and allow of the Acts made therein 3. They remonstrate the Motives contained in the eleventh Instruction meaning Vxbridge-Treaty 4. That as soon as he comes into Scotland and before his admission to the exercise of Royal power he shall swear subscribe and seal the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant Their King having assented and promised in verbo Principis to perform these things the Commissioners had order to let him see the Coronation-Oath he was to take which he approving they were to invite him into Scotland assuring him that he should be entertained there with all due respect To all which things the King at last condescended partly by the perswasion of the Prince of Orange at whose cost and charges the Treaty was both begun and continued and partly upon hopes that by this means he might gain the easier footing in England The Scots being now impatient of the enjoyment of their King presence he in order to their satisfaction herein hastes from Breda towards the Hague and from thence to Scheveling where he took shipping and not long after landed notwithstanding several snares laid for him at the Spey in the North of Scotland The Parliament in England were not ignorant of these things they having faithful Scouts abroad in the world who failed not to give them timely notice of the machinations of their enemies in all quarters And taking the matter into consideration in the House a great debate there was VVhether the war for that there must be a war betwixt us and our dear Brethren was taken for granted should be Offensive or Defensive As to the later the Defensive part they were very sensible of the havock the Scots had formerly made in the North of England when they came in as friends so that should they be suffered to come in as enemies nothing could be expected to follow but ruine and desolation wheresoever they came Hamilton's Invasion likewise stuck in their stomacks and the devastations that accompanied it Besides it was considered that to let them give the first blow had been to make our own Country the seat of war and thereby an opportunity would be given to discontented spirits here which then were not a few to joyn with the enemy Upon these and other weighty considerations the Parliament resolves upon an Offensive war and to alarm them in their own Quarters This Resolution was thought most advantageous in many respects as 1. Scotland the Enemies Country must needs be much impoverished by being burdened with two Armies when it could not well maintain one and England would be quit of much fear and calamity incident to quartering of Armies Besides in all encounters it is good policie to keep an adversary at the arms end 2. By invading Scotland the Souldiery would be much encouraged in respect of the benefit might accrue to them by the spoils of their enemies Hereby also the Territories of this Commonwealth were likely to be enlarged 3. The Scots Levies were not yet finished nor their Army completed so that a sudden march might nip them
any of them nor voluntarily afford or cause to be afforded or delivered to any of them any Victuals Provisions Ammunition Arms Horses Plate Money Men or any other Relief whatsoever under pain of High Treason And that all persons should use their utmost endeavours to hinder and stop their March Yet for all this the Scots went on in prosecution of their present designe bending their course by a swift March for the west of England where we will leave them making more hast then good speed and return back again to the Lord Gen. Cromwel He having notice at St. Johnstons that the Scots Army were gone to take up new Quarters in England did immediately settle the Affairs of Scotland in a posture sufficient to secure what was already won and leaving six thousand Horse and Foot more with Lieutenant General Mork to reduce the rest he causes Major General Lambert with five Regiments of Horse and Dragoons to fly away with all possible speed to get into the Rear of the Scots Army whilst Harison was in their Front so to impede their March until himself could get up unto them This being done with the remainder of the Army consisting of eight Regiments of Foot two of Horse and eight great Guns this victorious General marched away leaving Scotland but not the remembrance of his being there and on August 12. he with his Army crossed Tine With this swift March being quite tired out he caused the Army to pitch their Tents on Ryson Haugh upon the brink of Tine himself in the mean time quartering at Stelly House neer unto his Souldiers The Mayor of New-Castle having notice of the Armies being thus neer the Town immediately went forth with the rest of the Magistrates to congratulate the Generals arrival into England And to make themselves welcome to the Souldiers they carried along with them for supply of the Army Bread Cheese Biscet and Beer these Provisions were a great refreshing and inabled the Souldiers with cheerfulness to undertake the future march In the mean time the Scots with their King marched on towards Warrington Bridge where Maj. Gen. Harison resolved to make opposition against them and if possible to hinder their passage over but before they could break down the Bridge the Scots by a swift March from Charley came up and being necessarily engaged they maintained a notable combate with those that offered to withstand them here they had a small brush but could very well afford it for the loss was their gain and so both sides were satisfied with the ingagement for though some of their men fell in the fight yet they had their desire which was to pass over the bridge And now it was the great Question of all whither they intended to bend their course most believed for London being that was the Metropolis of the English Nation a populous City well furnished with a great Magazine of Men and Money the first being the Wheels of War the last the Oyl which makes them turn nimbly about But it seems the Scots looked upon this as too hazardous or else intended onely to take the dimensions of the Land and when that was done to return home again to their own Kingdom However they marched on towards the West shewing all civility to the people as they past along and with such strict Discipline were they governed that as their Army marched through Shropshire a private Souldier for offering to enter an Orchard was by his Officer immediately disbanded with a Bullet By this severity their rough-hewn natures were so polished that if Necessity drove any private Souldier to a door he durst speak no other Language then A Drink of Water But now at last their Peregrination ends at Worcester for coming thither weak and weary with constant duty and hard labour having expected much out finding little they here resolve to take up their Quarters hoping Massey's former services in Gloucestershire and those parts was not quite buried in the Grave of Oblivion But in this they found it otherwise for although they might love his person well yet seeing his parts ingaged against the Grain of the Times it quite alienated the affections of those that otherwise might wish him well The Scotch King with his Army having thus entered Worcester on Friday August the 23. 1651. resolved being he could go no further to tarry there and abide the brunt And therefore in the first place because he would not be wanting in any thing that might conduce to the preservation of himself and forces he caused works to be raised for better security Then he sent forth his Letters Mandatory to Colonel Mackworth Governout of Shrewsbury and likewise to Sir Thomas Middleton to perswade them to raise Forces for him but this proved fruitless so that being now got as it were in a pound there was no way but to make the best of a bad bargain And now the black and dismal clouds began to gather about Worcester which portended a dreadful storm would quickly follow as presently after it did For victorious Cromwel who by delaies never contributed to approaching dangers having refreshed his men neer New-Castle marched away without the least delay or loss of time until he came to joyn with the rest of the Parliaments Forces commanded by Lieutenant General Fleetwood Major General Desborough the Lord Gray of Groby Major General Lambert Major General Harison and besides all these the Militia Forces out of every County were commanded to march away and surround those wretched men at Worcester that so a quick dispatch might be put to the work Never was it known before in England that such great Forces were gathered together in so small a time for the standing Army with the rest of those Forces newly raised by Act of Parliament upon this occasion could not amount to less then eighty thousand But now the Lord General Cromwel being come up and having observed the posture that the Scoth Army lay in began his work with an attempt upon Vpton Bridge there intending if it was possible to pass over his Army this designe was left to Major General Fleetwoods management who presently sent away a small party of Horse and Dragoons to discover how feasible the attempt might be this Party though small proved daring in a desperate attempt for finding the bridge broken down and nothing remaining but onely a Beam of Timber that reached from one Arch to another which through negligence had been left by the Scots these bold Fellows made no more ado but dismounting their Horses one after another rid over on this Wooden Pegasus and presently after having now recovered the other side run themselves into a Church neer to the bridge for security Major General Massey being all this while in Vpton with about 60 Dragoons and 200 Horse lying secure without the least dread of an Enemy imagining it impossible for any to come at him at that time was upon the sudden report of this Exploit so alarmed that in
English as would wash them out of their Country if not out of the world and to make sure work imagining they had them now in a Pound they being well acquainted with the Country set a strong Guard upon the Pass at Copperspeith a place where ten stout men may obstruct the passage of fourty thereby to intercept or hinder all provisions or relief from Berwick or perhaps to hinder the English from running away lest any thing should be wanting to compleat their imagined neer approaching Victory For as a late ingenious * R H. his discourse of England Author hath it writing upon this subject The Scots from those high hills that encompassed this sickly remnant and which they had possessed themselves of look down on the English as their sure prey But as the same Author goes on how much better had they done had they levelled those mountains which surrounded their wretched enemies and which proved such sleight defences against a vertue backt with necessity and so made them an easier passage to their homâ—… by reason of their sickness did very â—…ant it And no marvel the Scots were thus confident For besides that they were stout and hearty in their own Country and upon advantageous ground in all which respects the English were at a loss they doubled the English in number they being 6000 Horse 16000 Foot whereas the other were but 7500 Foot 3500 Horse Two to one is great oddes and yet as the case then stood they must either fight manfully or tamely give up themselves a prey to their insulting Enemy which the English not having been accustomed to do knew not how to begin now Neither did all these straights difficulties and disadvantages in the least dismay the Lord General who as a Rock remained immoveable in this Sea of dangers and who considering that the present necessity required more then an ordinary courage and that this must be his Master piece or Misfortune after he had well view'd the Enemy and found that they had drawn down about two thirds of their Left wing of Horse to the Right causing them to edge down toward the Sea shogging also their Foot and Train to the Right a posture not well to be understood unless it were by this means to make short work and to catch the English as it were in a Purse-net saw that it was no time to use many words and that small debates must produce great actions and therefore after a short consultation had with his chief Officers it was concluded to take such a course as might let the Enemy see it was in vain for them to go about to abridge them of their liberty by any power or policie that they could use The better to do this the Lord General drew forth six Regiments of Horse with three Regiments and a half of Foot to march in the Van the Horse were commanded by Major-General Lambert and Lieutenant-General Fleetwood the Foot by Commissary-General Whalley and Colonel Monk To second these were Colonel Pride's Brigade and Colonel Overton's Brigade Two Regiments of Horse moreover brought up the Rere with the Cannon All things being thus in a readiness the Souldiers desired nothing more then the coming of the time when they should fall on that so they might shew their Valour to purpose It was resolved Sept. 3. to fall on by break of day but by reason of some impediments it was delayed till six of the clock at which time Major-General Lambert Lieutenant-General Fleetwood Commissary Whalley and Colonel Twisleton all stout resolute Commanders gave a furious charge upon the Scots Army who stoutly sustained the same and gallantly disputed the business at the swords point The English Foot in the mean time fired roundly upon the Enemies Foot but with more courage then success for being over-powred they were forc'd into some disorder notwithstanding they soon recovered their ground being reinforc'd by the Generals own Regiment And now the Fight grew hot on all sides The English Horse flew about like Furies doing wonderful execution insomuch that the place soon became an Aceldama or field of bloud The Foot were not behinde in their capacities for the Pikes gallantly sustained the push of their Enemies and the Muskets seemed by their often firings to have a designe to alter the property of the Climate from the Frigid to the Torrid Zone Neither were the English more free of their Powder then the Scots especially Lawyers Regiment of Highlanders were of their Bullets until their Horse being totally dispers'd and enforc'd to quit the Field left the Foot exposed to all dangers which they seeing began to shift for themselves as well as they could throwing away their Arms and betaking themselves to their heels a poor shift it being better to fight a day then run an hour To be short the English at last so far prevailed as to give a compleat Overthrow by the utter routing of that Army which had but lately triumphed in a confident assurance of Victory This was the work of one hour but it ended not here for the Rout begetting a Run the fugitives were pursued eight miles from the place Of the Enemy were slain in all about 3000 many prisoners of quality taken besides 10000 private souldiers with 15000 Arms all their Train of Artillery great and small the Leather-Guns not excepted and for standing Trophies of this great Victory 200 of their Colours were sent up to the Parliament at London who caused them to be hung up in Westminster-Hall where they remain till this day As Sea-sick passengers in a boisterous Ocean receive as it were new life and spirit upon safe arrival at their desired Port so the English Army who had been tossed up and down in a strange Country and almost spent by hard duty and the unsutableness of the Climate were now revived by this miraculous Victory And the Lord General seeing their courage to be up resolved it should not flat for want of exercise and therefore the better also to improve this Victory and to secure what he had gotten he dispatches away Lambert with six Regiments of Horse and nine of Foot to attaque Edinburgh the Metropolis of Scotland and secure Leith that so the English ships might thence readily and without obstruction yeeld necessary supplies to the Army The Lord General himself remained some small time at Dunbar to dispose of prisoners and to order other matters as the occasion required And the prisoners being so numerous that it seemed to be as much trouble to retain them as it was to take them the Lord General discharged neer upon 5000 of them most sick and wounded the rest much about the same number being conveyed to Berwick by four Troops of Colonel Hacker's Horse Having given this account of the captives a word or two of those that escaped by flight Their General it seems was one of that number and none of those that made the least haste neither or else he could not have been
Action was that which chiefly corresponded to his Nature yet the sharpness of the season made him continue in his Winter-quarters for some small time longer in which time parties were sent abroad to enlarge their Quarters and clear the passage between England and Edinburgh Timptallon-Castle was a place which many times had cut off passengers and much molested the Country by frequent excursions for the reducing of which Colonel Monk that gallant Commander was sent with about three Regiments of Horse and Foot When first he came before it finding the Scots very refractory he caused the Mortar-pieces to play for 48 hours which did them little hurt until that six battering Guns being planted they played their parts so well that the Governour was enforst to yeild seeing no other conditions would be granted to Mercy and all those that were with him The Scots King having now got some power into his hands used his utmost endeavours to gain reputation amongst his Subjects by visiting all the Garisons in Fife and putting them in a posture to hinder the English from landing on that side the Frith But having experience of the Lord Generals courage and knowing that Forts would prove weak withstanders of his Forces should they make an attempt therefore he drew from Sterling those Horse and Foot which could be well spared and joyning with them the new-raised souldiers he quartered them all along the VVater-side for better security After this business was ended away rides he to the High-lands to compose differences for that place was not free from dissentions perswade those rough-hewn Fellows to rise unanimously in defence of their craggy habitations This progress vvas no sooner ended but the sitting of the Scotch Parliament at St. Johnstons vvas begun vvhere the chief consideration vvas still to recruit their Army vvith new supplies of men This Meeting produced an Act Ordinance or great Gun to terrifie those that should slip away from their Colours vvithout leave from their Captains and vvas followed by the Clergie to shew how ready they were to promote these designes with an exhortatory Declaration stufft with raising rhetorick against the English which was sent into Fife and the High-lands perswading all to rise at this time of need This produced little for the common people must not stir unless their Lords or Leards beat the Drum But these Grandees were now busily snarling one at another about superiority in the Army every one endeavoring to be in the chiefest place of command and if any one were advanced he that came next behind pulled him by the skirts to hinder his preferment By this means the Scots great undertakings went on but slowly But to return and make an inspection into the English Affairs We find the Army in and about Edinburgh under a cloud of sorrow mourning for the Eclipse of that great Luminary which erst while had shined so bright in their Hemisphere whose influence had many times melted the waxen Whings of his ambitious Enemies but now as all men are subject to be so this great General by sickness was confined to his Chamber and utterly dis-abled for the present to act in person with the Army should any new occasion call them forth of their Winter-Quarters This did not so much depress the spirits of the English Souldiery who were exceeding sensible of their unspeakable loss should Cromwel their fortunate Leader be now snach't away from them in the midst of their hopes as it heightned the Scots who were very much elevated with the fancy of his death believing the slightest report of it to be real truths because it corresponded with their desires imagining to themselves assurance of Victory and sufficient Revenge when death had conquered him who many times before had made them feel the force of his Steel This conceit was so deeply grounded in their imaginations that no report to the contrary could supplant it but it must be so because so they would have it so apt are men to believe any thing that serves for their purpose according to that saying Quod volumus facile credimus But this Chimaera soon vanished into nothing for a Scotch Trumpeter being sent out of Fife to Edinburgh about the restoration of a Ship laden with Goods which the English Frigats had taken sailing from Brunt-Island to Fife after his message was delivered he very confidently aver'd to the Souldiers That their General was dead and that they did well in hiding it but all the world should never make him believe otherwise This report was much wondered at and the more because the Reporter did it with abundance of confidence endeavouring to perswade all to chirp after his note But he could not long persist in his opinion for this Novelty being handed about from one to another at last it came to the Lord Generals ear who much admired such a thing should be and he not know it therefore to dispossess the Trumpeter of that conceit he caused him to be brought into his presence where coming he now saw that although sickness had for some time sorely handled this noble General yet now his recovery was so far advanced and that Nature had now gotten so much mastery over his distemper that in all probability he would walk forth in a small time to take the air and visit his neighbours at Sterling if not in Fife At the return of the Trumpeter to those that sent him he quickly blew away this false report which went so currantly in the Scotch Army and assured the falsity of it The Parliament in England having ever a watchful eye on the Affairs in Scotland with singular providence provided sufficient supplies both of Men Money and Provisions of all sorts for Horse and Man dispatching them away continually to the Army so that it might be said That never was an Army better provided for then this nor ever did Souldiers better deserve encouragement then these About this time arrived at Leith Admiral Dean one of the English Generals at Sea with large supplies from London amongst other conveniences he brought 27 great flat-bottom'd Boats which were for transportation of the Army over into Fife that so thereby a quick dispatch might be made of this work so far advanced already But the time of year would not admit of much action for although it was April here yet the Rays of the Sun were not of force sufficient to penetrate the congealed Clouds and raise any verdure on the ground so that the Cavalry could not march unless they carried their fields behind them or else in Carts But this which hindered the English furthered the Scotch and gave them leasure to scrape together as many men as possibly could be got Out of the High-lands marcht Middleton with a considerable Force of Horse and Foot and the Town of Dundee out of a great respect to their King and to shew their forwardness in prosecuting the cause advanced for the service a brave Regiment of Horse at their own charges and