to kill Shall we be dared thus by such proud foes And thus our bodies to their Guns expose ☞ To whom the best of Kings sadly reply'd Loath loath I am my Sword should e're be dy'd In civil blood my soul doth much decline These worst of wars are not these people mine If undeceiv'd we suddenly should see Their Arms cast downe they all would come to me ☞ But now more pity fight indeed we must Therefore brave Souldiers that your cause is just I know you are perswaded Loyalty Under your Soveraign's Ensignes here to dye Or conquer doth and did you first ingage How factious Zeal some Sectaries doth inrage Against their King you are not ignorant I hope they 'l see their errours and recant Others that are not such we soon shall see Prove loyal Essex leave and turne to mee Wound not who e're of them before you flies Such are not yours nor yet my enemies And now your magnanimity approve If you your Country or your Soveraigne love See how your King if conquered see no more Your courage utmost valour doth implore They are more numerous let our fortitude Their numbers ballance when they are subdu'd 'T will be our glory that with numbers lesse Wee did their greater conquer on possesse Their Riches Campe Artillery as prize Yonder rich Army I to you demize Win Gold and wear 't my cause 's just intent God now assist as I am innocent The murthering Cannons now began to play VVhos 's so well levell'd bullets made their way Through many a rank heads armes and legs off fly VVhich hit and oft strike dead the standers by The Chain-shot by the middle cuts asunder VVhole Files of men who now in death do wonder How this so wide a passage open stood At once to let out all their vital blood How head and feet leggs and arms in one place By this strange death conjoyn'd should now imbrace From Morterpeeces great Granado's fly VVhich in their fall kill some but to the skye Do in their breath blow up who stand them near From others their dismembred Limbs they tear Others their furious blasts do blow stone-blinde O haplesse men to such sad fates design'd ☞ As a tempestuous Heaven-obscuring shower VVith violence doth Raine or Hail down power VVith Lightnings frequent flashes intermix'd And loud sky-renting Thunder claps betwixt Even so from fire-lock-Pistolls and Carbines The fire like lightning from the sky now shines And fiery Bullets with their thicker flight Obscure the day and antidate the night Sulphurious clouds of smoak toff'd with the winde With fiery flashes glancing through them blinde Both Horse and man so that they cannot see Therefore lesse fear their quick Catastrophy ☞ The King 's Forlorne Dives his Regiment First down the hill couragiously on went Where Major Backstake with his party clears The Hedges lin'd with Essex Musketeers The Royalists then cheerefully discend The hill as bravely Essex doth defend The ground whereon his Army Marshal'd stood Till that red Valley redder became with blood ☞ But like a Lyon greedy of his prey At length their left wing Rupert doth assay VVhose charge most furious and Heroick might Them break and put to a disordered flight Rupert through Keinton in pursute doth ride Then fell to plunder Hurry soon espy'd This fair advantage and with eagernesse Did now on Wilmot and Carnarvan presse Forcing them to give ground Then wheel'd about And fiercely charged on the Royal foot VVhere soon the furious Horse asunder rents Linsey's Bowles Paget's Fieldings Regiments Brave Linsey seeing his in such distresse Rallies a party soon for their redresse And like a Tygar of her whelps depriv'd In thickest Troopes of Armed foes arriv'd Most valliantly thousands doth kill or wound Yet him the numerous foes at length surround ☞ But when his Son renowned Willowby His Father thus encompassed did see He rides up with his Troopes gave such a charge As soon his noble Father did enlarge But wounded soon too soon alas he dy'd A fatal losse unto the Royal side ☞ The Royal Standard Balfores Troopes had tane Varney the Standard-bearer being slain A valiant Gentleman who this espy'd Gallantly through their thickest Ranks did ride And there the new Possessor having slain The Standard Royal bravely did re-gaine For which brave exploit Knight and Barronet The King bedub'd him Balfore hard beset With our fresh Troops most bravely was assail'd And made give ground The Royalists prevail'd Sometimes and sometimes Essex Dubious Was Fortune whom to make victorious ☞ By this that spacious Valley was bespread With heaps of Men and Horses that lay dead From several wounds the several streams of blood Increased to an overspreading Flood Whose stronger currents to the lower ground Drove down some bodys now both kild drownd Thus many deaths poor mortals do attend VVhen one's sufficient to inforce their end Here might you hear the sad laments and moans In doleful accents of their dying groans Some execrating their Nativity Others that Fatal day Reveng'd to bee Some vow'd and with their Swords about them laid Now even in Death Some boldly did upbraid The Parliaments Pretences feign'd some swore And off their heads their hair they fiercely tore Some Pray'd and were exceeding Penitent Such several humours dying men present VVho late against each other boldly fought Their Reconciliation Death had wrought VVhose blood dispended falling in one place Kindly now arm in arm by Death imbrace Here might you see a bullet-galled steed Now of his wounded or dead rider free'd Fiercely run through the field and oft out-tread The bowels of the living and the dead Here might you see two armed Gallants met Their courage sharper than their swords was whet By vow'd revenge much hotter was their ire Than from their clashing swords that sparkling fire Whose courage strength dexterity and art Byinter-courses each did play their part Till blood and strength expended these two foes Upon that bed of honour both repose Whose streaming blood could not be intermix'd Such strong antipathy was them betwixt ☞ A Cockney whom blinde zeal-did much inflame Essex to serve a Volunteer late came Who to his fellows vaunted they should see The wicked none pursuing for to flee Tomkins said true the Cannons 'gan to play Down went his Arms and streight he ran away A flying peece of a Granado-shell Stroke Simpson into th' back who dead down fell Speaking these words then with his latest winde 'T is base and cowardly for to strike behinde ☞ A welsh-man who came as a Volunteer Hur King to serve proudly did dominere Before the fight vowing that hur would slay All rebell-round-Rebell-Round-heads that came in hur way Essex himself should not escape hur hand If that he durst till hur came to him stand Essex might long have stood Taffy was gone Before the fight and so kill'd ne're a one For when he heard the Cannons 'gin to play Down went his Bill and streight he ran away Swearing by got in English he could swear He ne're
head that now incompetent Of all command he was Fielding's resolve Now upon whom the power did all devolve Was for to yeild a parley sounded is On gallant tearms indeed both he and his March out The Royalists the Act decry And by a Martial Councel judg'd to dye Was Felding for 't at Oxford but the King Pardon'd the person and forgave the thing ☞ Rupert and Gunter did at Chalgrave meet And with their discharg'd Pistols boldly greet Each other but Rupert shot Gunter dead And whilst the Traiterous Hamden there did head His party he receiv'd a mortal wound Even on that field upon that very ground Where first against the King hee did declare Even so remarkable God's Judgements are Numerous the Prisoners were that Rupert took ☞ But let 's a while now into Cornwall look On Lands-Down hills most advant agious ground Waller encamps Hills Woods and Walls surround His Camp almost what part did open lye With Rampiers and strong works they fortifie Lining the hedges thick with muskereers Slaining advanceth with his Cavalliers Whose horse at the first charge disordered were The Cornish foot charge up the hedges clear The Horse now ralli'd bravely wheel about Charge home in deed put Waller's Horse to rout With a great slaughter the first hill regain'd Brave Greenvile with a stand of Pikes maintain'd Against their Horse and shot both great and small But there alas that valorous Knight did fall With hundreds more four brave assaults they make On Wallers Campe the fifth they do it take To the next hill Waller his men retires At mid-night many Marches there he fires Hanging the hedges with them and so flies The Royalists still fireing A brave prize The morning light to Slaining's men discry'd Sharpe was the fight numerous the men that dy'd On both sides for from noon even till mid-night Continued was this bloody desperate fight ☞ Through unfrequented by-waies Waller flies Yet him Prince Morice met near the Device At Roundway-Down but with two thousand men And though indeed Waller was nine or ten Morice him greeted with so brave a charge That from close Order soon his men inlarge To shameful flight the Royalists pursue Numbers of Prisoners took numbers they slew Six thousand Arms ten Cannons and great store Of Ammunition hence the Victors bore The Captives did the Victors duplicate Which Round-way-Downe did Run-way nominate ☞ Whilst these trans-actions in the South do pass At Burlington the Queen arrived was Of Arms and Ammunition store she brought With the Crown Jewels late in Holland bought The Parliaments great Ships that hovered near When once these Royal parties landed were And the Convoy return'd near shore advance On Burlington with their great Ordinance They play off Ship-board for an hour and more And then weigh Anchor and put off from shore ☞ Ougleby and Montrosse to the Queens traine Conjoyne their Troopes and first to York they came Jermin was the Queens General th' Infantry Infamous Lesley led her Chavalry The noble Gerrard Leg the sole Chieftain Of her Artillery and thus they came From York up to Edge-Hill where the King meets His Loyal Consort and most kindly greets Her with imbraces most affectionate And with great joy doth there congratulate Het safe return Sweet Martial Melody Doth make the Ecchoing Hills and Vales reply And tell the World what love and joyes there are Conceiv'd at meeting of this Royal pair The Thundering Cannons play at such a rate Judgements loud Trump seeming to antidate So sweet the Levits were so high the strain Joying those Loyal Ghosts there lately slain ☞ From hence these Royal Armies all repair To Glocester All things provided are Now for the Siege And thus the Camp sate down After the King in vain summon'd the Town Upon the South laid Ruthen Earl of Forth Ashley on th' East Vavaser on the North The River and most of the Chavalry Upon the West side of the Town did lye Still in the Leagure doth the King reside Ladders and Engines numerous they provide And with their batteries make the City-wall As leaves from Trees in Autumn for to fall Yet could not enter for the Deeper Moat In which so many Faggots thrown still float Upon the waters so that they repair Their breaches The Kings Mines countermin'd are The King whilst here much precious time did lose Either the art or prowess of the Foes Or the Towns strength this Town 's unfortunate Did all the Kings assaults annihilate Many bold Sallies the Besieged make Some wound some kill some they prisoners take ☞ Whilst Glocester the King besieg'd in vain Exiter did Prince Morice powers regain Before this Town a while the Prince had laid And on it only with his Cannons plaid Then makes a fierce assault prevails so far As that their mounts works sconces all won are And their own Cannons turn'd against the Town In this distress they beat a Parley soon And yeild on Quarter Thus even the whole West Became the Kings for Rupert had possest Bristol before The third or fourth Day Fines had surrendred and was march'd away ☞ That constant Herald even swift flying fame Now told the King how General Essex came To raise his Siege who Rupert off soon sent To bee to Essex an impediment And to retard his Marches whilst that hee From Glocester drew of 's Artillery Some skirmishes betwixt these parties pass Yet Glocester releiv'd by Essex was And having done this feat so much desir'd For London hee resolv'd to have retir'd ☞ But Rupert follows with a numerous force Of Chavalry and Bodies brave of Horse Marches for Wilt-shire and to Aubern near Most boldly falls in General Essex rear Urry first charg'd who the Forlorn did lead Did execution much many fell Dead His Troops before But Essex fac'd about And well-nigh put brave Jermins Horse to rout Jermin and Digby shot some also tane Constable and La-vienville slain ☞ On Mavern Hills they have a second bout And for a while ingage both Horse and Foot With success equal But this while the King To Newberry his Infantry doth bring Essex goes on to Cirincester where Of Royallists too many Quartered were Which hee surprizes Next Day hee did see The King embattail'd near to Newberry At the first sight both parts began to fire But night comes on and so they both retire A plot of very advantagious ground This night about two miles off Essex found On which hee did encamp But the next Day So soon as Phaebus did his Rayes display Fully upon our Hemisphere the King Up even to Essex Front his powers did bring With the Forlorn brave Lisle boldly went on And first did fight for ground to fight upon Then the two Byrons with much Gallantry Led on the Royal Horse and Infantry Acting their parts like Souldiers excellent Even to their Enemies astonishment ☞ Louder than Thunder now the Cannons roaâ— Heads Leggs Arms Thighs with violence they toâ—… From whom they hit Of Bullets the thick flight Even
at high noon induce a sudden night As leaves in Autumn from an Oaken Wood Men fall down Dead the field o'reflows with blood Most hideous pitteous cries and groans resound From Dying men laid on that bloody ground Some wounds so wide at once mens bloods do spill Rapiers and Tucks do full as surely kill With smaller pricks the Fauchians broad hew down And cleave men to the middle from the crown Here might you see two ride up close present Give fire then both fall Dead incontinent Of Musketiers whole Bodies you might see Now come to push of Pike fiercely let flee With But end of their peeces at the Head Of one another striking many Dead Even at a blow their brains dispersed were And oft did the survivours face besmear Here might you see a Bullet-galled Horse Through Ranks and Files his bloody way inforce Till on the point of a well-level'd Spear Hee runs himself and there ends his carrear ☞ who le Files of men the Chain-shot cuts in twain With the Plebeians are great Nobles slain Stroud Falkland Morgan Fielding Sunderland Are now by Death sequestred from command ☞ Noble Carnarvans Death was eminent Who now had multitudes before him sent To Charons-boat At length there did him meet An Armed Gallant with fierce blo … 〈…〉 Each other from each stroak the 〈…〉 Doth slye about them both at length retire And then ride up again and bravely tilt At one another up even to the hilt The Enemy did in Carnarvan sheath His bloody Blade nor did the other breath One minute after for in Death more fierce Carna vans sword his very heart did peirce Thus with their swords in one anothers brest They fell and laid on Honour 's bed to rest ☞ A timerous Foot-man laid close on the Earth Amongst the Dead onely for fear of Death Yet peeping up often about him spi'd A fierce Dragoon that him lye quick descri'd In twain his head with a broad Pole-axe slit Freed him from what hee feard by giving it ☞ Andover Peterborough and Carlisle Brave Lucas Darcy Gerrard Ivers Lisle All wounded are led off But Essex lost Here not a Lord though dear his victory cost ☞ The King and Queen as sad spectatour stood And see the effusion of those Seas of Blood That flow'd upon that field and to retire Their well-nigh routed Army did require Shrill sound the Trumpets and the Drums loud beat To some a glad t' others a forc'd retreat ☞ Nor now had Essex any appetite To rally and renew this bloody fight For with Dead Corps having now pav'd his way For London straight hee march'd without all stay And to Westminster did in Triumph bring His dear bought Colours taken from the King ☞ Had but the King this Fatal Seige declin'd And his brave Troops for London then design'd When first hee came Glocester walls before Hee need not sure have foughten any more Essex condition desperate at that time The Londoners assistance did decline To th' Parliament the Lords did all accord To end the Wars the King should bee restor'd The Principallity of all the West Save Glocester the King as then possest But the Errata's wee commit in War By fates Decree irrevocable are Gell Brearton Ridgby Jacson all prepare Bird in his Nest Eccleshal to insnare And take who came first won the Church Town And then those Barns and Stables all burn down That stood the Castle near Their Guns they plant Play at the Walls yet all this cannot daunt Those here besieg'd their hold they do Defend To raise the Siege his Majesty did send Capel and Hasteings who now drawing nigh I' th' Church do the Besiegers fortifie Themselves Bird councels to inforce them thence The Lords cannot with so much time dispence To beat them out so Bird resigns his place Hopeless indeed as in the present case To Captain Abel and away hee went With the Releif the Siege incontinent Renewed was and Abel thus confin'd After a while to Gell the place resign'd ☞ Arundel-Castle Waller came to take Assaults most furious many did he make Yet with great loss was bravely still repel'd After a month or more they out had held They yeild In it was a full years provision Wondrous well man'd of Arms and Ammunition Abundance who can value this rich prize Which made the most that knew it to surmise Waller with Golden Cannons here had plai'd And so this last and greatest Battery made ☞ For Winchester Waller doth march the Town Hopton possest and doth to Bramdean Down Draw out his men resolv'd Waller to fight Waller comes on the Armies now in sight Each of the other with loud shouts they rent The very Clouds a Dareing complement Of thundring Cannons is the first salute Waller the Hill had gain'd the first Dispute Was him to dispossess but dear it cost And many a life on both parts for it lost This dear-gain'd Hill Stout Lisle guarded that night During which both parts did desist to fight Another Hill more advantagious farr Waller had found hither his Foot drawn are The hedges lin'd his Horse themselves display All in the Van. No sooner had the Day Lightned the World but Hopton on doth press Waller of his new-ground to dispossess Balfore wheels off as though hee seem'd to fly The Ambuscado's of their Infrantry Are now discri'd Yet no time to retire In Vollies thick from th' hedges they give fire Bullets like hail-stones fly that bloody ground Is covered with Dead Corps Ruthen a wound Received here Lord Stuart here was slain And that brave Smith that erewhile did regain The Royal Standard at Edge-Hill Stout Scot Apleford Mannings Sandies all Collonels shot Most violent and bloody was the fight Sulphureous Powder-clouds obscure the light And fiery flashes through them blinde mens eyes Clashing of Armour tumult dolorous cryes Of dying men resound in every place Wallers Commanders also fall apace The Stout Dalbier had many a wound here got A Cannon Bullet Thompsons thigh off shot And numbers more lay bleeding on the ground ☞ Hopton at length a forc'd retreat doth sound His men disordered well-nigh to a rout To Basing-house from hence he wheels about Winchester left Waller doth follow near Winchester yeilds when once his men appear Before the Town Waller's successeful fate Prince Griffith doth indeed so animate To undertake North-Wales obedient To bring by force unto the Parliament From Lonoon in a most heroick guise They set him forward to his enterprize His silver Trumpets Sumpters brave attyre Even of his Troopers make the most admire His first design is Rupert to seek out They meet This Pseudo-Prince is put to rout His men dispers'd all driven into holes His golden Mountains thus do prove but Moles Like Phaeton now fallen from the sky Of all command his vaunts and gallantry Lye buryed now in scorn his means spent all Debauch'd he lives Pride needs must have a fall ☞ Newark against Meldrum close siedge had laid And many waies the Town to
Trading had flourish'd rich the Boars late grew Of which no cause but self-desert they knew A deep dissembled verbal sanctity Was their Religion for true piety Truth and good manners had small practise here Bishops and Papists hated of them were Also the Gentry facile to perswade Upon the Account of liberty to aid The Parliament which made them in such swarms Under rebellious Ensignes now bear arms Such is the Town such is the Country too With which our Forces now must have to do Leeds is forsaken before Howley-Hall We then encampe a breach soon in the wall Our thundering Cannons make they yeild then we Bradford towards draw our Artillery Near Atherton a whinny More doth lye Full of old Cole-pits now fill'd up and dry ☞ Fairfax in these his Ambuscado's laid From out of these our Forlorne they invade Put them to rout our seconds also fly Till General King came with a fresh supply Whose words and actions much encouragement Unto our flying Cohorts did present So that they Rally and charge up again Many of both parts on the field lye slain Sharp was the contest desperate fierce and hot Thick flew the vollies of dead wounding shot Loud roar'd our Cannons a tumultuous rage Fill'd every place Bodies of Foot ingage Having their Powder spent at push of Pike And with the But-end of their Muskets strike Out one anothers brains so fierce each stroak As Barrels bow'd and Stocks to shivers broke Leaving their Pans oft fixed in the head Of whom they wounded or had last struck dead Fairfax's Horse advantage had of ground In number ours Haward a mortal wound Receiv'd our Swords Rapiers and Tucks we Dye In one anothers blood Pistols now flie With more than furious angry violence At one anothers heads most brave defence The foe still made though we press on amain So difficult was victory to obtain Hieron and Talbot meet most dexterously At one another let their pistols flie One in the breast the other in the head Shot from their horses on the Turfe fall dead Now victory that of late was dubious Had her tryumphant Palme bestow'd on us The foes before our Troopes victorious flye In this pursute numbers of theirs do dye A zealous Puritan amongst the rest Before the fight did Fairfax thus request ' Beseech your worship let 's no quarter give Pity these wicked Cavalliers should live Their party beat a Cavallier did ride Up to this Zealot who soon quarter cry'd Villain said he no quarter thou shalt have Who will not give pity they should receive ☞ From Hallifax a club-arm'd short-shorne crew Zeal for the cause unto this battel drew Who while the day seem'd on their side to go Pursu'd and cry'd see God doth rout our foe At length the battel sore against them went Their Clubs and Sythes thrown down incontinent They run and cry'd oh God where art thou now These Cavalliers alas will us undo Smalwood had told them Preaching in a tree Ten before one ninety 'fore ten should flee Smalwood was a true Prophet in this case One now might ten and ten might ninety chase A Northren Trooper after Briggs did ride About to strike his club-foot he espy'd Turning his horse he said thus in great fear Alas Comrades is not the foul Fiend here But with the fight the day began to close To several guards our Prisoners we dispose Lousie to grow indeed they need not fear For now of cloaths as thin as hair they were From close crop't heads and long ears preminence The name of Round-heads late they did commence ☞ Next day betimes Bradford we came before Against the Town our thundering Cannons roar Resolv'd the place by storme to force we are But for the on-set while we do prepare Advantag'd by obscurity of night Fairfax with some Commanders take their flight To Selby-ward which when our General knew A party strong are sent them to pursue Fairfax having got start enough arriv'd At Selby safe th' old Lord and he contriv'd That Town to quit and streight for Hull to make To Selby come our Horse some kill some take Ere o're the River they all Boated had ☞ Bradford this while was tane a plunder sad But yet deserv'd it suffer'd Rotheram tane We had before with Sheifield To regain Hull fatal Hull our Army makes addresse Hotham of this by force to dispossesse Fairfax on Gainsborough an assault doth make Enters the Town in it doth Kingston take Who in a Pinnace down the river 's sent To Hull King meets them as they thither went And plays upon them with his Musketeers The noble Earl upon the Deck appears To cry for quarter for his enemies But by a Bullet shot from Shore he dyes Thus by his friends the noble â—earpoint's slain Cavendish marcheth Gainsbrough to regain From Newark and close siege thereto had laid But Cromwel comes to the Defendants aid They fight a many Royalists there dye The rest for safety are inforc'd to flye Not many hours after this fight was done New-Castl's Army to the field up come For Lincolne Cromwel his Retreat doth make And Gainsborough soone New-Castle's Army take Want of Intelligence thus cast away Many brave gallants on this fatal day ☞ Nantwitch before the Siege some while had laid When Monk at Chester-lands and Byron made Both with his own and these receiv'd supplies Them to releeve this following enterprize At his approach off the besiegers drew They meet and fight thick now the Bullets flew Many of both parts on the ground lye slain Fairfax at length is victor Monk's here tane And Byron put to a disordered flight And nigh to Chester walls pursu'd that night ☞ Kingston before our Army late sate down Mounts high were rais'd Cannons against the town Are planted furious batteries many made Many Granadoes on the Town are plaid Great Engins many Ladders frame were Onely perhaps to put the Town in fear For no assault was made the siege throughout With the Defendants many a bloody bout Our Army had the strength of that curst hold Made them in frequent sallies far more bold Their numerous Cannons from the walls they play Beat down our works many Commanders slay One fatal shot Leviston of his head Depriv'd and struck another Captain dead Alutus with many more of Eminence Here lost their lives Witherington led from hence A party brave Boston as some surmise To take but Cromwel meets the enterprize They fight at length the Cavalliers do fly The valiant Hopton and brave Bowles do dye With hundreds more numerous the Prisoners were And great the prize Cromwel obtained here ☞ As with her Traine the Queen late Southward went Bravely she had regain'd Burton on Trent Of Darcy's Blew-Coats some the River wade Whilst that their Collonel had his entrance made Upon the Bridge their Cannon leapt upon This is the Kings said he thence nobly on His men he leads into the very Town Their Rampiers and their Bulworks all thrown down Many of the Defendants
Then up the Town we streight direct our way Unto the Castle gate where there did stand A Serjeant with his Halbert in his hand Of him accesse demanded streight the Gate He opens bids us welcome prosperous fate Thus brought us to our wish some there were slain And twenty only of them Prisoners tane Their Cannons we dismount some gall ants free Their Prison's broken from Captivity Yet Girlington though Prisoner there he were And call'd upon oft by us did not hear Not yet could we him find though him we sought In many a Room To Pomfret safe we brought Our Prize and Prisoners though the foes in view Did even nigh to the Castle us pursue Finis Libri Quinti THE ENGLISH CIVIL VVARRS BOOK VI. The Contents New-Castle from the North the Scots before Doth fly York Siege The fight at Marston-more New-Castle England leaves a short reveiw Of all those Northern Seiges that insue BEhold of men a Concourse from all parts Of England with arm'd hands divided hearts Conjur'd of King and Parliament the right To try by dint of sword and Martial might And York-shire by the Fates design'd to bee The Stage whereon to act this Tragedy New-Castle now deserts the Banks of Tine And to the Scots those Quarters doth resign His numerous Army almost ruin'd now By means insensible And who knows how But that I may the noble General here From all suspition of dis-loyal clear I'dare ingage that Boreaes might take wing Sooner at Nilus-head Tygras-spring Sooner in Itie Island than that he Perfideous prove unto his Majesty Whether then fate conspir'd to aid the Scot Or General King with Lesley did complot This gallant Army basely to betray And Fabious like to conquer by delay Is still unknown yet this is too too plain That Lesley did this victory onely gain By times procrastination hunger cold O how resolv'd how numerous and how bold Upon our first advance our Armies were How few how hunger-starv'd surpriz'd with fear Now in Retreat what thousands run away Or kill'd by hunger cold or base delay Neither the number nor the fortitude Of Lesley and his Scots our men subdu'd If that our army at our first advance Against the Scot had bravely try'd the chance Of War these Victors might have been captiv'd Our Northern Army had York-siege surviv'd The Scots like mercinary slaves most slain The rest sent with a vengeance home again But see the Scots do march this barbarous crew Even to the walls of York our men pursue Oxen Sheep Horses all thats's in their way Spoons To these rapatious Harpies proves a prey Their Cans their Pans their Meale their long-horn Their raggs their baggs so load the lousy Louns Their Drums their Guns their Plundering in the way Their slower marches do so much delay That York hath for a siege time to prepare And our now dispers'd Troops united are Ramsdale from Leeds doth lead his Regiment From Knaisbrough and from Pomfret some are sent And those too under Belhouses command That late at Selby did escape the hand Of Fairfax come these broken parties all Conveen'd at York Our honoured General Beckning his hand our silence to request Thus to the Army his designs exprest ☞ Souldiers we cannot in the field withstand These Rebels that flock in on every hand 'T is not the Scots alone but Fairfax too With whom at present we must have to do Selby is wonne most of our Souldiers tane And what but York to Leagure doth remain Manchesters Army also now draws near All these combin'd are to besiege us here Therefore in York these Foot I will secure Till from the King assistance wee procure Hulls bloody siege in kind we will requite And with these walls and guns we 'l make them fight With fallies bold their courage wee 'll fore-stall With thundring shot their bodies wound and gall May Yorks siege prove as sad disasterous To Fairfax as his Hulls hath done to us May all these Blew-Caps once before us flee As Caesars men Torguatus did from thee Langdale shall with these Troops fly to the King And such relief will shortly hither bring As shall these Rebels all then put to flight Or bravely vanquish if they dare to fight Within these walls provision here 's in store For half a years subsistance or for more These Citizens all Loyal here secure Within these walls we may our selves immure Necessity admits no Law we must Now to these walls souldiers our selves intrust And though to be besieged be some grief Yet here 's our joy certainty of relief At this the Horse now for the South design'd March off The Foot are unto York confin'd By this the pale Queen of the silent night With her dark Mantle vailed had the light The Gates commanded are for to be shut And round upon the walls strong Guards are put ☞ The first besiegers that discovered were Were the Scotch Armies who next day appear Rang'd in battailions great Then Lesley takes Bishop-Thorpe for his Quarters Fairfax makes At Forforth residence Manchesters force Encampe at Clifton Thus with foot and horse Of armed foes under three Generals Surrounded are Yorks now well manag'd walls But no assault this City for to take By violence did these besiegers make Save Manchester alone whose great design Was these our City walls to undermine Blow up and enter but his Minors skill Fail'd with the execution of his will As stronger winds striving their force to vent From Caverns under ground furiously rent The Rocks and make even mountains to give way And to their uncontrouled rage obey Causing the Earth to gape and to devour Whole Cities yea whole Islands even such power This Mine now sprung had for up to the sky Earth Walls and Towers and men on these do flye In a sulphurious globe till down at length They fall the Powder having lost its strength Then in the place you quickly might espy Those lofty walls and Towers intomb'd to lye In their own ruines he are a souldier 's head And there his leggs or armes discovered But not the City but the Manour-wall By this sulphurious Powder-blast doth fall At this the Arm'd foes with great fury run Up at the breaches and doubtlesse had won The City but that here the inner wall Still standing firm their expectations all Deceiv'd And here bagan a fierce Dispute Their errour by repulse ours would refute And they by further violence maintain Against our Sally-Ports till from the slain The mannour-Guard like to a great Land-flood Did overflow with intermixed blood Yet at the length the enemy was wors'd And from the breaches headlong re-inforc'd Where now on heaps wounded and dead they laid And buryed in those graves their own Mines made But the besieged and the besiegers here We leave a while Prince Ruperts Troops draw near Worcester and Bridge-North now left in haste And all those Western Counties now surpast His swifter Troops new Quarters do acquire In the adjoyning towns of Lanca-shire Stopwash the Prince
to stop did first design And therefore did their thick-set-hedges line With numerous companies of Musketiers But Washington of these the coast soon clears Charging them in their flanks making them flee Into the Town in whose pursute even hee Entred putting some hundreds to the Sword Leverpoole to surrender doth accord And off from Latham the Besiegers run Hearing what Rupert had at Stopwash done ☞ Though thus the Princ's numerous Troops affright The most yet Bolton dare oppose his might In their more bold affront they dare assay His Quarters up to beat and men to slay But to correct their prouder insolence The Prince can with so much of time dispence To storm the Town and cause them to lament Thus to provoak a Princes discontent For full three hundred Widdows here are left Which were of husbands in this storm bereft And not the Towns men only here are slain But hundreds more of souldiers that maintain The town against us All which town as prize The Prince unto his souldiers doth demize From hence to Skipton Rupert's Army come But by the way they Thornton-Hall had wonne Which down unto the ground they burne with fire That Rebells thither may no more retire From hence to York the Prince's marches were Directed But when the Besiegers hear His near approach they raise their siege in haste Leaving their Cabins Hutts and Trenches waste And their three Generals those their forces all To Randezvow immediately do call Where they consult both where and how to fight The Princes Army marching off that night Towards Long-Marston where a spacious Plain From Hessom or Long-Marston bearing name Doth lye in some places full thick beset With whin-bushes and Marshes deep and wet Least these Disorder should their Horse they take A field well grown with Corn their camp to make The onely and most advantagious ground That round about that spacious Moore was found Here they their murthering Cannons plant and then In order good Imbattaile do their men Of intermixed English-Scottish bands Their main battallia stood Crawford commands And leads on these On the left wing and side Cromwel with his Manchestrian Troopes doth ride The right wing was Sir Thomas Fairfax care To whom the Scottish troops conjoyned are Which David Lesley leads the Generals find A place the main Battallions close behind To lodge their Tents Thus these three Armies large Stand Marshal'd to expect the Prince's charge ☞ By this New-Castle a brave party had Of Foot in white-Coats uniformely clad Led out from York some Gentry Voluntiers Attend the General and his Souldiers Well mounted we near Popleton do meet The Prince's Army and imbrace and greet Our old acquaintance for the fates decree That these the last imbraces now shall be Of thousands of us Ouse having o're past The Prince the Army marshal'd all in hast But some Commanders thought by wise delay He might have famish'd and made run away Even without blood the numerous enemy Pomfret York Knaisborough Garrisons had we Environing the foe which might have staid Provisions from their Camp and doubtlesse made Them to remove fresh Quarters to have sought And so for us a fair advantage wrought But Ruperts purpose nothing can disswade But even that night their Campe he will invade And to our disadvantage make them fight ☞ Goring our left wing leads Byron the right In the main battail do our white Coats stand With others the word 's given and straight command To fall on Thus on our own Ruine bent Our souldiers all couragiously on went ☞ With equal fury now both Armies meet And with their Cannon-Rhetorick loudly greet Bullets begin at distance the dispute Till their thick flights Sword Logick could refute The Horse Rang'd in battalia's proudly prance While fire oblickely through their eyes doth glance From thundering Guns like lightning from the sky Whose fiery balls thicker than hail-stones flyes Shrill Trumpets sounding with loud beating Dr … Clashing of Armour with great roaring guns Rattleing of Pikes Powl-Axes naked Swords From different minds different effects affords These sights the Valorous more do animate But Cow-heart timerous-courage quite abate And if dismay should not diminish fear Such would fall dead before they wounded were The empty air is fill'd with dolorous crys The ground with bodies of the men that dyes Whole Ranks and Files by Cannon fiery balls Asunder cut upon the ground there falls Here without head there without leggs or thighs In blood dismembred bodies wallowing lyes And that pale Death may potently fulfil Her pleasure she most barbarously doth kill The Living with those Limbs dasht off the Dead Here flyes an Arm there flies a souldiers head Which strike their fellows down even to the ground Thus friends by friends a way to kill Death found The smaller shot clouded bright Phocbus light Darkning the Ayre with their far thicker flight Whose whistling fury quickly did assaile The strong'st brest-peeces and best Coats of male And through the strongest armour passage found To death even brave Commanders for to wound But where no armour did their fury stay Theough many bodies they inforce their way 〈…〉 them gasping on that bloody ground 〈…〉 … om the nigh Vallies and the Woods re-sound T … doleful occhoes of their dying cryes But most of all the Sword doth Tyrannize And glut it self with the expence of blood Which now like to an over-spreading flood Ran under our Horse feet for every sword By this time had some breast or other goar'd And issues made by which their souls had left Their bodys now of blood and life bereft These several streams of blood from several wounds Winding along those Vallies lower grounds Thy lesser waters Nid do multiply Thy streams discolour with their crimson Dye Thou into Ouse dis-burthenest the same Who swiftly down to York with tydings came And to the Citizens did soon discry In bloody colours this dire tragedy But still most furiously both sides maintain The fight though thousands on the ground lye slain Here might you see a strong couragious Horse Whose wounds add fury to his former force His livelesse Rider thrown through friends through foes Through ranks through files make way and where he goes Doth men by scores of their last breath deprive Whose falls himself doth not so long survive Till on the point of a well level'd Spear To'th'he art himself he runs in his carear And falling with his heels about him lies Till strength and blood expended there he dies Here might you see a wounded Rider thrown There others from their horse come tumbling down Hang by the stirrops dasht against pikes and swords Thus fate to one more deaths than one affords For with the fall the frollick horse afright Through thickest Ranks takes his enforced flight Tossing about his hanging Riders head Killing the living often with the dead A timerous foot-man did himself immure Amongst dead corps thinking to bee secure From flying shot where closely as he lay Some Troops of Horse design'd to charge
that way Came prauncing down the Moore in full carrears Squeesing the blood out of his nose mouth ears As he lay sprawling under their horse feet Who flies from one another death doth meet A Cannon bullet stroke off Sandies head And with it hit poor Wolley who fell dead Crying alack alack I ever ken'd Sandio's fauce head would bring mee to my end A thick grown wood unto the Moore stands near Where many a blew-Cap hid himself for fear Patrick behind the bulk of a grown Tree Peep'd often out the battaile for to see Thinking that if his party lost the day To span his gates for Scotland run away But as poor Patrick at bo-peep thus plaid A bullet shot at randome did invade His fore-head naked who falling mercy cry'd Alas alas for Ginny and so dy'd When Wolly heard the smaller shot to play In such thick whistling Vollies he away Spanning his gates through Ranks and Files at last Presuming he all dangers had fur-past He stops to see and hear the fights event A bullet from a Peece at randome sent Hit Wolly where he stood devoid of fear Under the long of his right side leav-ear Who falling dead did never there intend Under a whin-bush thus to make his end But thickest ranks of arm'd foes to assay Is still more safe then thus to run away ☞ The victory still was very dubious Yet rather seem'd to smile and fawn on us For our left wing had routed now their right The Scots and the Fairfaxians put to flight All their three Generals now the field forsook To Bradford ward Lesley his fleet betook Whom wee pursue his Scots now curse the time That e're they crost the Northern Tweed or Tine Their raggs meal-baggs gull-pans long-cans down cast They span their gates and run away full fast In doleful accents now the Louns do cry Mercy and Quarter O! how thick they lye Wounded and slain how many Prisoners were How many Colours taken in their Rear We follow still thinking the day our own But Goring our Commander should have known That to pursue one party was not good Whilst any of the adverse Body stood If after we had put that wing to rout Against the other we had wheel'd about And on the flank have charg'd them sure we might Victors have been Crommwel's men put to flight And Routed unto Cauwood sent them all After old Fairfax and their General ☞ But now when Cromwel apt enough to take Advantage see our Horse the field forsake Now rifling now pursuing such as fled In their right wing he presently up led His Troops to whom in brief he thus did say Assure your selves brave souldiers of the day How stand these foot and horse to us expos'd How easy are they all to be inclos'd How will they flye our Armed Troops before And for the rest that now have left the Moore In pursute of our other wing they 'l yeild Or flye when we are masters of the field If but one Troop of ours fall in their Rear They 'l run surpriz'd with unexpected fear Onely the time at present doth require Your valour to demonstrate you desire The spoile of this rich field Victors to be And from our wish but one brave charge are we Our Generals all now off the field are gone The Victories glory will be ours alone And what the Prince and his brave Chavalry Possesse after one Charge all ours shall be Their Sumptors and Port-Mantles by and by We shall have time to search Then furiously On Byron's wing they charge routed and broke Our bravest Regiments Each bloody stroak That their Pole-Axes gave was present death And thousands did deprive of their last breath Scarce one of ours escap'd without a wound But our vain stroaks and thrusts again re-bound Off their Arm'd breasts and heads The Prince doth flye And yeild the field to the proud enemy Now when the Prince's Horse thus routed were A party wheel'd about and in the Rear Charged on us broke our disorder'd Horse And from the pursute of the Scots inforce Us unto a base flight Yet our brave Foot Especially our white-Coats stood it out For though the foe on each side them surround They scorn to yeild but drawing to a round On every side most stoutly do give fire Forcing the conquering foe oft to retire Till all their Ammunition's spent and gone Our Horse all fled the field they left alone Night drawing on and many of them slain No hopes at all the victory to obtain Rather opprest by th' adverse multitude Then by true valour conquer'd th' are subdu'd Taken kill'd wounded even most barbarously By the insulting desperate enemy ☞ After their Arms down thrown they Quarter cry'd Their armed Troopes amongst them fiercely ride And put them to the Sword in vain to live Most of them supplicate Cromwel would give No quarter Much delighting in that blood That ran under his horse-feet like a flood Like as a ravenous Wolf greedy of prey Is not content alone to kill and slay So many of the flock as shall suffice His greedy Jaws but even doth Tyrannize Over the sheep and hundreds of them kill To satiate his so natural-savage will So Cromwel's bloody mind not satisfy'd With all that bloods expence of such as dy'd During the fight and while we kept the field Murthers even Captives after they did yeild And to the mercy mercylesse expose Themselves of such in-humane savage foes ☞ The bloodyest field of all our Civil Wars Now foughten is the furious Conquerers Our Cannons and our Carriages possesse Here Cary Slingsby Prideaux acquiesse Upon the bed of fame affociates Are Wentworth and stout Gleddal in their Fates Here Lampton Dacres Metham Kirton dye Hure with Fenwick these accompany But now the kind obscurity of night Gave an advantage of far safer flight To Rupert who though with a fresh supply Claveren came up next day yet will not try The chance of War again but rather yeild What 's lost then hazard more by a new field Nor were our hopes then altogether vain If we next day had Rallied to re-gain The victory even those of them that staid Upon the field it would have much dismaid To see us on the Moore again appear Before their broken Troopes united were ☞ But Rupert flyes though North-ward first he went Up to the South in minde much discontent That this great fight had such a sad effect What sure said he it was not my neglect In Marshalling my men no want of skill Or valour on my part that to this ill And fatal Rout expos'd my souldiers Only I was too forward as appears Why did I Charge this night or why not stay Till Claveren's coming up though his delay His Armies service did this day prevent Must I be rash ' cause he was negligent Why did I not refresh my men before I did attempt to march up to the Moore Both Horse and Man our longer marches tyr'd And of repose some longer time requir'd If we
before we fought a while had stay'd Perhaps some fair advantage to our aid Conspired had Seldome the Powers Divine Do give successe unto a rash design ☞ This night strange thoughts New-Castle's head possest At length in passion he these words exprest O! resolution strange of adverse Fate How am I thrown from a most prosperous state Into mis-fortunes nethermost abyss Yet this the honour of my sufferings is And that which seasons all my sorrows well That with and for my Soveraigns cause I fell Where shall I fly where shall I be secure Within what walls shall I my self immure Did forty thousand Souldiers once appear Under my Colours did the Rebels fear My numerous forces and their Dreadful Powers Were all the Towns 'twixt Trent and Tweed then ours Excepting Hull And now behold even I Where to secure my self whether to flye Am dubious had I Hulls siege declin'd And to th' associate Countys then design'd My marches sure our cause had gain'd thereby Or if the first time we the Scots did eye We had them fought no doubt but then we might Have put those ragged Ruffians all to flight But time with fair advantages now past Are not to be recall'd With this in haste He Posts to Scarborough where both King and he The Seas do take intent for Germany ☞ Gleman of York the government doth take And for a Siege the best provision make That time would then admit Scorning to yeild The City yet though we had lost the field ☞ By this all their Three Generals that had fled The field return'd and up to York they led Their men The City to besiege again Each General his old station did retain Having their Cannons planted night and day Most furiously against the walls they play They vow the work by storm for to effect Nor age nor sex their Swords shall then respect But Gleman doth their prouder vaunts defie Yet at the length Provision's scarcity Prevails On tearms they do capitulate York's yielded Gleman marcheth out in state And Martial gallantry To Carlile where We leave him for a while The Scots appeare By this before New-Castle on the wall Make furious batteries while their Miners fall To work which work they to perfection bring And trains now laid their several Mines they spring As great sulphurious globes of stone and fire From Aetna's hideous Jaws the clouds aspire Whence falling all the neighbouring Vales they spread With Coals adust the fire extinct and dead Even so the trembling earth was heard to roar Which with those walls and Towers the Powder tore Up with great violence and lightly threw Into the ayre here like a Comet flew A souldiers head all on a flame and there Whole guards in those sad Ruines buryed were Up at the breaches flye the Scottish Foot Though the Defendants made resistance stout And bravely did from street to street maintain The fight till numbers of both parts were slain And Tines augmented Tide discoloured With the great influx of the blood here shed Entred now were also the Scottish Horse Which Marley to the Castle doth inforce Upon the which they forthwith Batteries make But good Conditions while they might pertake Surrender's made Then did the Scots sit down Carlile before boldly demand the Town Thinking perhaps the New-Castilian Fate The valiant Gleman could Disannimate At his Defiance furiously they play Their battering shot by Mineing to assay To make their entrance Ladders they provide But the Defendants bravely curbe their pride By frequent sallies killing multitudes Which the Scots high presumptions all excludes Of taking Carlile by arm'd violence Therefore most strongly they themseves intrench Knowing what force could not that famine will Effect Provisions fail Horses they kill Within those walls their Horses all up eat Dogs Cats old shooes Mice Rats nay Froggs are meat Yet Gleman e're to yeild he will consent To know the pleasure of the King had sent Phillipson bravely mounted through their guards Had charg'd and now rides post to Oxford wards At Borrow-Bridge some English Horse him tooke But a close friend by chance in that same Troope Secur'd his Horse and Armes till he could make From York which soon he did his wish'd escape Near Ferry-Bridge the place his friend assign'd Thither now got on foot he safe did find His Horse and Armes hence to the King he went To whom he Gleman's Letters did Present In Oxford whence he with the Kings reply Return'd and now to Carlile drawing nigh Quite through the Scottish Troopes he bravely rode But famine will not suffer their aboad Longer within those walls which to the Foes Surrendred are Gleman to Oxford goes With a small traine lean naked hunger-pin'd And the Scots are for Hereford design'd E're Fairfax was made Generalissimo A party strong he Hemsley led unto VVhere while in Leagure with his men he laid One from the wall so dexterously had play'd A shot that three inch lower had debar'd Him from what victories he got afterward But he recovers and the place doth take Though Skiptoniers it to relieve did make A brave attempt Scarborough was battered sore The greatest Tower whereof asunder tore Half standing half into the Sea down fell Upon the top there stood a Sentinel Who in the renting to the standing side Had leap'd and sav'd his life But to abide Longer within those walls famine forbad And Chamley yeilds what he possessed had Devoid of any grounded hopes of aid Scroop of his Bolton had surrender made Not long on Knaisborough had their Cannons plaid E're breaches wide in those old walls were made Which Croft though valiant did necessitate Now to submit to a surrenderers Fate VVith Horse and Foot Pomfret they do surround Some Towers whereof were battered to the ground And the Defendants much distress'd when wee VVith a brave party from the South do flee Langdale commands in cheef swifter then flame On the besiegers with our Troopes wee came After a short Dispute few slain we take Of Prisoners store Pomfret releiv'd we make A quick return To Melton-Mowberry near VVith Rossiter we skirmish'd had and there Were valiant Girlington and Gascoin slain As we came down Pomfret's besieg'd again And though with frequent Sallies they assaile The enemy yet Famine doth prevaile Which Lowder doth on tearms to yeild compel The Sandalliers had plaid their parts full well And made the enemies full often feel Their swords were made of the best temper'd Steel Yet famine's leane Pittard enforc'd the Gates A passage for the Foe this perforates To enter and for the besieg'd away To march ' Gainst Latham the besiegers lay A year what Art or Force could do to win This House was done but bravely those within Not onely their own Interest did maintain But hundreds of the enemie had slain Resolv'd the gallant Countesse was to try All straits e're Rebels she will gratifie By a surrender but alas compel'd To yeild what she so stoutly had with-held By famine this Virago noble is Though Greenay
valiantly held out e're this Yeilded it was Now Skipton they assay Enter the Town plunder and bear away What lighter then stone-walls in it they finde Batteries against the Castle were design'd Numerous Granadoes in the interim plaid When here the Leagure had some few daies laid From Apleby upon Paroll I came Having exactly first perform'd the same I to the Castle with a Trumpet went Whom we return'd Their Scouts stood eminent On Rumles-Moore from whence they might us When any party we together drew Therefore some twenty in their sight do mount view They take th' Alarm and to their Guards account Our motion In the interim we drew out Three hundred undiscovered Horse and Foot Their Horse all mounted our small party drew Streight on our ambuscado out we flew Their three divisions soon we put to rout Briggs had some parties to draw out of Foot Whereof some slain the rest we dissipate Take Briggs with many more So fortunate In such attempts were the bold Skiptoneirs Their gallantry in these their acts appears In their own meadows numerous Horse and Foot A party small of them did break and rout Tripleing their number with the Prisoners tane At Ast-wick-Fair how many had they slain Taken and broke their party very small Wren's Regiment we beat at Eshton-Hall But with a hundred Horse Kighley's designe Was gallant though alas the love of Wine In some Commanders a miscarriage wrought Fatal But we to yeilding tearms are brought And hence convey'd to Leichfield march away In Arms compleat and souldier-like array Finis Libri Sexti THE English CIVIL WARRS BOOK VII The Contents The Model new with some of Cromwels deeds Lidney Siege raisd Ludberry fight succeeds Taunton besieg'd The King storms Leicester Naisby fight Gorings forces routed are At Lang-port what 's at several Sieges done Routon and Shearburn fights Westchester won Kilsithe fight Digby 's rout on Carlisle Sands Torrington fight Goring his men disbands Stow fight Oxford besieg'd The King doth make Thence in disguise unto the Scots escape Hereford is surprized by a Plot Newark Siege North the King goes with the Scot. THe Parliament now their Grandees recall All from command Young Fairfax Generall Is made of England By this Modell new Many advantages to them accrew Emulous Lords now being laid away Men of less note will need the lesser pay Spirits most active for the Cause they chuse Of milder Zeal Commanders they refuse As useless now Cromwell for Eminence Was now the MAN next to his excellence Northampton's Horse with the Queens Regiment At Islip-bridge in Quarters resident Cromwell upon them comes they fight at length The Royalists ore-powered are in strength Cromwell some hundreds of these Horse doth take With the Queens Colours then pursuit doth make To Blackington after the rest that fled Cromwell demands the House delivered By Windebank on tearms it is next day Both Horse and Arms they leave and march away To Oxford where a Martial Court decree Windebank shall for this delivery Bee shot to Death when too late to prevent This Collonels Death the King doth it resent Blaming Prince Ruperts too much urgency In this young Gallants late Catastrophe His Royal bounty doth the King express All hee could do to his Relicts distress Near Bampton-Bush Vavisors party lay Cromwell his marches doth direct that way So privately that hee surpriz'd them all Numerous his Prisoners and his prize not small Lidney against Massie close Siege had laid Langdale at length to the Defendants aid Came with a party brave Massie off beat Many hee slew and took in this defeat To Ludberry Rupert with his Forces came Massie before possest was of the same But seeing Ruperts Horse so near drew out Whilst off for Glocester hee sent his Foot Hee charged with his Horse fierce the dispute Massie at length doth fly in the pursuit Rupert shot Massie's Horse doubtless his aim Was at himself though short his bullets came Harlow was tane Bacchus laid on the ground Bleeding of his now last and mortal wound Numbers were kill'd numbers of them were tane On Ruperts part was noble Haistings slain ☞ Hopton on Tauntons Seige had now design'd Greenvill and Goring were with him combin'd Willington-House by storm they late regain'd Many within put to the sword maintain'd This Siege was with much courage and more art Nor wanted these on the Defendant's part Which Blake advanced unto such renown Many assaults were made against the Town Mounts high were rais'd off which their Cannon plaid Fairfax sends Graves at length unto their aid At his approach th' Assailants march away Tauntons releiv'd nor longer Graves would stay Th' Assailants soon renew the Siege again Where to their work wee leave them to remain ☞ Massie recruited Evesham comes before Demands the Town Legg no such spirit bore To yeild at the first Summons Massie then Commands the storm with loss three times his men Were bravely beaten off Sevorn grew red Soon with the influx of the blood here shed But at the fourth assault the Town they win Many put to the Sword of those within ☞ Fairfax and Brown Oxford before sate down But the Defendants all the Meadows drown Sleight their out Forts and all the Suburbs fire Cromwell doth from the Kings pursuit retire For Cromwell had a while follow'd the King But now recall'd doth to the Leagure bring His well-arm'd troops while Fairfax veiws the town And ore the Bowling-green rides up and down A Cannon-bullet from the works doth fly Pity it mis'd which wafts his head hard by Which made his excellence in great fear Once vaile his Beavour to a Cavallier But now let 's leave this Leagure and review The Kings transactions who together drew A gallant Army and North-westward went The Siege at Chester for to raise intent Brearton his Siege draws at the Kings access The King wheels East to Leicester address Wee make demand the Town in vain for they Within do entrance to their King deny At this command is given to storm the Town After our Guns wide breaches had beat down Though those within did make resistance stout Resolutely wee enter Horse and Foot Those enemies that yet survive do fly To th' Market-place where their Artillery With some fresh Companies of Horse and Foot Did stand with these wee have a bloody bout For full two hours and more they here maintain The fight in fine the most of them were slain Here laid whole heaps of Scotish Voluntiers There Dalbin's men by scores ruddy appears The Soure with blood the Channels did convey Out of those streets here Gray's men slaughtered lay The Town was plundered Gray and Hacker were Prisoners Great was the prize was taken here ☞ Fairfax hears of these actions of the King Rises from Oxford and doth Northward bring His Army Orders unto Cromwell sent Who lately to the Isle of Ely went From Oxford Siege to march Naisby fields are For the most fatal fight of this sad War Design'd the place The
Tryumphs of that day ☞ Out of the high Town the Defendants power Upon their heads a most stupendious shower Of great Granado's which the low Town fire About their ears Fairfax doth much admire Their Courage for a second storm prepares Yet more for 's own security than theirs Offers conditions which refus'd they rear Their Ladders and go on but bravely were Repulsed with th' effusion of much blood On heaps they lye now dead their Ladders stood Forsaken and the Trenches round were fill'd Now with the Arms and bodies of their kill'd Fairfax thus beat his thoughts doth soon Reflect Upon a new design which took effect Numbers of Iron Bullets straight they make Which shot red hot straw Hay and Houses take A sudden fire the Town 's all on a flame Eliot to treat for the Defendants came But Fairfax all his offers now refus'd Telling him they his patience had abus'd And that indeed he 'l put them all to sword Or burn them there Yet doth recall his word And grant them with their lives to march away Thus of that Town to ground burn'd both parts lay No house or harbour the poor Townsmen had Of Civil wars a spectacle most sad Hence unto Bath Fairfax directs his way Rich with his Forelorne did the Town assay Gaining some out-works e're the General came But on these tearms Bridges doth yeild the same That he and his in war-like posture should To Bristol march To Shearburn that strong hold Next Fairfax came of which being deny'd His Mines and Batteries for a while he ply'd Vaine were his Mines his Batteries do prevaile Making wide breaches on they go and scale In furious wise The Cannons while they plaid Had the Defendants not so much dismaid But Dives bids them fight and lets them know In valour their security all now Consisted But the enemies on presse On every side the Castle they distresse Those walls not able longer them to shield They beat a Parley and on tearms do yeild ☞ Bristol before the General next sate down Boldly of Rupert doth demand the Town Yet e're the summons Rupert sallyed out And from the fired Suburbs beat their Foot But on again they come the works down tear With thundering shot the Moats all filled were With Faggots then they force their bloody way Up Ladders and in spight of fate Display Their Colours on those works from whence they beat The Royalists Rupert makes his retreat Into the Castle but thus yeilds next day That Souldier-like he march with his away ☞ Next the Fairfaxians before Dartsmouth came To whom when Pollard had deny'd the same Incourag'd with successes on they go What walls or works can keep out such a foe Hammonds Brigade first enter on the West The Gate-House with mount Flagon soon possest Forward they go Pride had like prosperous Fate Having now entred at the Northern Gate Through every street they force their bloody way Kingsworth alone as yet did hold them play But as of blood they had been Prodigal Or scorn'd their lives most furiously they all With mounted Ladders this strong Fort assay Twelve murthering Guns at once upon them play And numerous Vollies of dead wounding shot But mounts they 'l raise of corps rather then not Now conquer But all the Defendants tyr'd With killing these Conditions yet acquir'd Unto the Castle safe to march away Which Castle fiercely they assail next day The storme so bloody the Defendants crave Their lives and liberties alone to have Which Fairfax Nobly grants And marcheth hence To Exeter where wee his excellence Shall leave a while Cromwel and he now were Parted two Suns could not shine in one Sphere ☞ On the Devises Cromwel first Designes The Governour his offers all declines Which made him on a desperate battery fall After a while down tumbling comes the wall And the Defendants a surrender make To Winchester Cromwel doth then betake Himself the Gates against him there are bar'd To which his men affixing a Pittard With other combustibles burn them down And in despight make entrance on the Town The Castle which to the Defendants fled Is to some purpose by him battered That the within besieg'd for tearms do suo Which granted Unto Basing Cromwel drew His great Artillery Batteries soon they make And then the House to storm they undertake Had all been Cromwells had all thought upon out A Crown as he sure not more fiercely on They could have gone That house that had stood Both many a siege and many a bloody bout By force they enter The Defendants crave Quarter alone which Cromwel nobly gave But who the prize can value taken here Let 's leav 't to Cromwell for we must And hear A while the exploits of the Scots By this Near Hereford arriv'd Cannon-Froom is The place which first to storme they do accord Which they perform putting the most to Sword Within that house to Hereford next came Leaven with all his Mercenary traine Their lines they draw Mounts raise batter the wall With thundering shot imploy their Miners all Under the ground of Ladders store provide Yet by all this not one whit terrify'd Are the Defendants Mines they counter-mine Their battered walls with earth they counter-line On the Besiegers often sallying out Many they kill oft put whole Guards to rout But when the Louns heard how the King drew near They quit their fiege and North-ward march forfear Hereford-shire of these Scotch guests may rue Their curses even to this day them pursue ☞ The King this while imbodied had of Horse With some Dragoons no Despicable force And late to Worcester advancing near Even at his name the Scots had fled for fear From Hereford From hence the King went East And here and there some enemies supprest At Huntington arriv'd the Town he won Some put to sword at entrance then we come By Cambridge and so unto Oxford went After a while the King is fully bent West-Chester's siege to raise thither we go Skirted still in our marches by the foe At length on Routon-Heath West-Chester near Arriv'd we make a holt Pointz doth appear After a while and boldly doth assail Our now imbattail'd Horse who shall prevail Is dubious for a while Hot the dispute At length they flye we follow in pursute Many are tane and kill'd but in our Rear Louthian and Jones do suddenly appear With a fresh party both of Horse and Foot Drawn from the siege Pointz Rallies wheels about As soon as e're their signal Cannons play Our Front and Rear at once they do assay With a fierce charge Ours did what men could do But in conclusion with the numerous foe O're press'd we fly many of ours they kill And numbers take Churches with these they fill Where Hunger-starv'd they keep them to repent And grow Religious as the Parliament The King with hundreds more from this sad fight Arriv'd at Chester where we lodge that night Then into Wales again take our recourse After a while some two Brigades
Fight but into Colchester Do fly beseig'd by Fairfax Parties are Combin'd at Kingston upon Thames and led By Holland whose designs discovered Roured they are to purpose many tane And that young Lord stout Francis Villiers slain Brother to Buckingham who did escape Then to beyond Seas straight himself betake ☞ Langdale this while did in the North surprize Carlisle and Berwick and with him do rise Many the Northern Gentry whom unto Advanceth the Scots Generalissimo Hamilton with his numerous Regiments Lilburn of Tinmoth also now resents Rebellion and doth for the King declare But a short time for a Siege to prepare To him and his doth Hasleridge afford The place hee storms and puts them all to sword The other Lilburn did this while surprize Some hundreds of brave Gallants who did rise Near Anwick for the King To Apleby Hamilton comes Lambert and his do fly With some small loss o're Stain-more but their way To make through Lancashire the Scots assay With Langdale As they march they do declare The King from thrall resolv'd to free they are But when the King heard who did thus ingage Successess their design hee did presage But Cromwel having Pembrook lately won And all his Western work ' gainst Poyer now don North-ward by expeditious Marches flies Lambert near Skipton with his Forces lies Conjoyn'd ten thousand strong upon the Scot Directly they advance that fight was not Defer'd whereof the King presaged true And the Scots their sad expedition rue Cromwel goes forward Lancashire into Near Preston his Forlorn ingage the Foe But e're the Scots will draw their Forces out Langdale's expos'd unto a total Rout Then charge the Scots thinking to bear away The Victory and sole Glory of the Day But no such facill thing it was to beat Cromwel the Scots are forced to retreat Into the Town Cromwels Horse them pursue Soon clear the Streets and numbers of them slew The Duke doth with a stand of Pikes maintan The Bridge till many of his men were slain And till the wish'd obscurity of night Gave him advantage of a further flight With execution great pursu'd those were Who fled to Lancaster-ward every where Great heaps of slaughter'd Scots by th' way do lye To Wiggon-ward this night the Duke doth slye Yet a strong Barn hee manned by the way This for a while Cromwels pursuit doth stay And did some execution on his Horse But for to yeild on mercy they inforce The Scots who from them little mercy finde From Wiggon the third day the Duke design'd For Warrington but by the way of ground Having a plot most advantagious found They make a stand so fierce a fight maintain That Roundheads there are full a thousand slain In half a hour the rest reacy to flye At which Cromwel ride up aloud doth cry Come follow mee and on himself then goes Leaping the Hedge t' amongst the thickest Foes Of whom some hundreds on the place are slain And full two thousand of them Prisoners tane The routed Scots straight to the Bridgeward make The Duke with all his Horse doth here forsake His Foot which at the Bridge delivered are With all their Arms as Prisoners sad of War By Bayley unto Cromwel who did go North-ward tryumphantly to meet Monroe ☞ Hamilton to Nantwatch directly flies Against him every where the Country rise At Uxiter Lord Gray doth him inforce Himself to yeild with nigh three thousand Horse Thus are his men all routed tane or dead And hee himself adjudg'd to lose his head Heaven in their kinde the Scots repay now would Who sold the King by multitudes are sold ☞ Cromwel by this had Barwick bounds acquir'd Monroe for Scotland had again retir'd And the Kirk party do most Zealously The Dukes late expedition curse decry At Edenburge they feast applause and stile Cromwel the man who now could reconcile Their Differences whose presence prowess wit Made the Malignant party now submit For Lannerick and Monroe are forc'd t' agree Now with Arguile the Kirk Presbytery With Cromwels part but late Sectarians stil'd The Kirk's cemented and fresh reconcil'd Thus Proteus-like the Kirk's even what you list An Hamiltonian or a Cromwellist ☞ Barwick and Carlisle too delivered are To Cromwel who for England doth repair Tryumphantly Scarborough and Pomfret's won ☞ Though the Colchestrians act what might be don By art or valour in their own Defence Though with his Fleet the Prince not far from thence Hover'd at Sea yet Famine doth prevail All expectations of releif them fail And yeild they must to Fairfax whose Decree Was Lisle and Lucas shot to Death should bee And thus in short wee end the second War ☞ Cromwel his hopes no longer will defer Cobbet is sent to Carisborough for the King To Hurst and then to Winsor they him bring ☞ Of Justice an High Court they then erect A thing most unjust horrid these effect Their King arraign condemn and execute What Hell-hounds thus did Cromwels purpose suit What Judge durst Sentence pass so Impious Was there no Gods that had respect to us Or to our King what will the powers Divine Their Vengeance from such Miscreants heads decline If such acts irreligious shall go free Who will beleeve there 's any Deity Or that these things sublunary at all Under cognizance of the Gods do fall The Gods on Mortals can inflict no wrath Jove's but a fiction and no thunder hath Tisiphone there no such Fury is Hell 's but a fable and her Nemesis No matter whether Heaven wee love or hate There 's no such place all things are rul'd by Fate Ah! whether doth my passion mee transport Justice dispenc'd will be from Heavens high Court On the High Court of Justice blood for blood Cryes out aloud and will bee understood Revenge whereof although the Gods delay It 's with more Fury that they may repay Their Miscreant Enemies and make them know They have respect to things done here below Finis Libri Octavi A TABLE Of the most remarkable passages contained in this Book MEldrum's first sally upon the Kings Leagure at Hull pag. 22. A second sally ibid. The King sets up his Standard Royal at Nottingham pag. 29. The King's speech to his Army pag. 30 Prince Rupert's Character p. 32. Prince Morice his Character ib. Worcesters fight p. 35 Sir Lewis Dives and Prince Rupert set upon Essex his Army p. 42 Mr. John Smith regains the Royal Standard p. 43 The Kings Proclamation of pardon to all that shall return to their Allegiance p. 48 Blake hanged p. 49 Banbury yeilded to the King p. 50 Broughton-house yeilded to Rupert ib. Brainford Battle ib. Sudeley Castle yeilded to Massy by Bridges the Governour p. 51 Cirincester stormed by Rupert ib. Prince Rupert summons Glocester p. 52 Some Irish land ib. Herbert and Massy fight ib. Massy routs Carey ib. Massy beat off from Beverston ib. More Irish Land ib. Herbert Digby and Winter block up Glocester p. 53 The Earl of VVorcester summons Glocefter ib. Massy