A true exact Relation of the several passages at the Siege of MANCHESTER Between the Lo STRANGE his Forces and the Towne VVherein is evidently seene the wonderfull mercy of God in their deliverance Written by one that was an eie-witnesse and an Actor in most of that service Also a Protestation of Master Hotham and divers other Knights and Gentlemen against the 14. Articles of Pacification and Neutrality LONDON Printed for Edward Blackmore at the Angel in Pauls Churchyard Octob. 12. 1642. An exact relation of the severall passages at the siege of MANCHESTER SAterday the 25. of September 1642. the Lord Strange having the fortnight past drawn to Warrington great Forces of Horse and Foot was feared to have intended somthing against our town yet could not any certainty by any sure ground of appearance be gathered yet upon that night about ten of the clock a letter came from Warrington aforesaid intimating that the Lo Strange was comming with great power to disarme us this was seconded and that foure great pieces upon cariages were on the way his purpose was to assault the Towne very early in the morning This wrought in us great feare and a generall astonishment there being in our towne some few gentlemen Master Hellaude Master Edgerton Master Dunkefienld Master Booth Master Hids Master Rosworme a German whom God hath sent into our Towne a little before who the night before had finished the mud-walls and chains that were done by his directions at the severall passages of our town Also Captain Bradshaw These being present in Town coosulted about an houre with the chiefe of the Towne and then it was concluded that the drum should beat up the bells ring crosse to give the Countrey notice and every man within to stand to his Arms before the morning lights notice was given that they were very nigh the towne at which being by scouts discovered every passage was as well manned as that present time would admit which by reason of some Country Forces that were come unto us our Neighbours and towne all joyneing kept them of a suddaine Asault which caused them to take up some houses and passages very neare the town at three principall passages South North and West to hinder us of the least both of men and provision the Lord Strange his Forces as is certainly Reported was about two thousand Foot some say four five or six thousand are betwixt five and six hundred horse six great peeces of ordnance they being setled sent word to Require the Armes of our towne and to billet an hundred men which being denyed them two Gentlemen from our towne were sent to know the Reason of my Lords comming in that manner against the Kings Subjects one of them was kept two or three bowers but at length got Releast Sunday THis day being the Lords day passed away with great fears and troubles as the like was never seene in Manchester yet it pleased God to send us some ayd from severall Adjacent parts so that before the next day at noone there was about one thousand men in compleat Armes within our town most of them musketiers Munday MUnday they strengthened all the passages as well as the Fort could do Captain Bradshaw the Dense gate end Captain Ratcliffe the market streete lane Cap Booth the Mill gate Captaine Rosworme the Bridge against Sawford way Listermain Barwick the Hunts banck and a company of resolute Souldiers the Sned hill without any commander towards the Afternoone it was observed that divers Horsemen of the Lord Stranges went out to asault the towne Eastward or to have stopped the way which being taken notice of Captaine Bradshaw with about 30. Musketiers issued forth Shot Sharply at them and made them retire backe with hast towards their places of Randevouze Notwithstanding there were then laid betwixt our men and that place 40. or 50. Musketiers that playd very vehemently upon them and having the advantage also of a Ditch-bancke our men feareing that they should be compast in with them Retreated without any losse or hurt to the Dense-gate ende the place that was first assaulted And presently after that divers of our enemies stoale downe to the ende of a great Barne that was full of Corne and Haye and set it on Fire with some other buildings that was betwixt them and the new made Mudd-wall the same being about an Hundted and Fifty yards distant they gathered togeather the Barne begining to burne and thought to take the advantage of the smoake to cover them and by a suddaine shot to have driven our men from their Fort which assaying to doe were answered so well by our shot that they were beaten backe and a cheife Commander of their Horse slaine with divers others of their Souldiers This fight continued for the space of three quarters of an houre in a vehement maner our enemy having another company of foote to have seconded the first and behind them a great force of Horse to have come on but their welcome by the grace of God was so hott that they durst not aproach nearer but retired backe in this fight was not one of our men touched save that an unskilfull man whose Musket was ready to be discharged let it fly at unwares and strooke one of his fellows through the necke that he died this man that was thus slaine was Servant to Master Ashton of Middelton Now when the flame of the fiered barne appeared which might have discouraged all our hearts had not the Lord supported us came down from Sawford to the foot of the bridg great store of horse and foot of the Lord Stranges with a sudden shout and Assayd to enter but were so Answered with our ready shot that they durst not ventur on it again At which fight t is sayd some Commanders were cut off and many Common Souldyers for some lay dead in the street that they durst not come near all the next day for feare of our shot the night begining to aproach great care was used for our safety and with great feare the night passed on About twelve of the Clock that night came at the bottom of the parsonage t is thought an hundred or an hundred and fifty men down by the water side Intending to have fired the towne by some stacke of faggets that lay close behinde the houses but four men standing Sentinell at that back passage with the help of 8. men more that came in unto them drove and forced them back how the Lord preserved these twelve men t is wonderful for as the enemy shot fiercely at them before so their own friends behind them not knowing who they were shot as fiercely at them yet God bee praysed none of them were touched the night passed on with great fear Tewsday THe next morning were planted some Ordnance which first played upon the Deans gate end the first shot struck off 2. ridge tiles of a barn and the bullet fel down among our Soldiers the fight whereof
pound at least and he that owed it was noted to be a man that did as much as in him lay comply with the Earle of Darby and was so requited by his Cavaliers Severall other remarkable passages might be collected as this afternoone the plunderers coming to an honest mans house intending to slay him got in and cockt his pistoll or peternell ready to discharge at the mans breast but his fellow hitting him on the elbowe as if he had had something to have said to him turned therewith the mussell of his Pistol upon one of his own Company and killed him whereby the poore man had time to make an escape with his life Now the last and greatest project was by fire-bals which as t is credibly spoken twenty pound was spent in the making of them which were accordingly shot and cast at our Town but God be praised could take no effect the Lord had respect to his own cause and to his poore peoples prayers and teares for otherwise certainly they had spoyled us for no meanes for our overthrow was left unattempted Saterday This night past with the like shooting as before the next day being Saterday a parley was moved for exchange of prisoners which was assented unto we had about fourescore of theirs taken and that they might not want a compleat number they had taken divers poore men that were about their severall businesses in the fields And had used our men which they had taken very inhumanely and had threatned to take their lives yet God preserved them Then his Lordship raised his siege and went back with his baggage for the Lord had caused them to return with losse and disgrace Those that were slain by us and those that 〈◊〉 away from him were very many and is not yet known Sunday The Lords day following our men were upon their march and many of them issued out and took much Armes that they had left behind them in divers places The report of their coming on was very terrible to my Lords Companies as t is said Munday Munday being come our men being wearied out went home those of the Villages neare hand promised us to be ready againe at a very short warning The next morning a sudden report was that our Town was again assaulted which was very terrible to us we being naked notice was given and divers came presently to our help but it proved no such matter It is now said that the Earle of Darby with Earle Ryvers are at Armeschurch and at Wiggen and Warrington and in Cheshire and are there raising Forces to come against us againe our good God stand for us we have no other hope nor help but from him the cause concerns the whole County and if the Lord give us over none can then expect to stand all hanging for the most-part the other way We expect aid of horse daily from London with some great Peeces which if the Lord send them us we shall be enabled more powerfully to resist In the meane time with prayers and teares we intreat the help of Gods people by their prayers for this poore Town of Manchester Beleeve my Reports for I am confident that I spare to speake out because I would be within the bounds of modestie and truth My words are as the words of one risen from the grave and sure you will heare him they are my own observations and what I know in great part to be true being an eye witnesse our troubles are so great and fears so many that we can scarcely tell what we do Passe by the manner of my writing for I cannot have time to peruse what I have writ and though this and more be fresh in my memory yet the time and circumstance being different I may omit something in the order I desire that this our deliverance may be had in perpetuall remembrance that the generations to come may heare and know what the Lord God hath done for poore sinfull Manchester We daily looke for assistance from London but our onely trust and safe dependancie is in God The Lord shield his poore people from the rage of the oppressors and give us faith still to depend and pray to God with faithfull hearts that our King may comply his heart to and with the faithfull of the Land I shall ore-run my self if any word or thing be wrong written omitted or left forth let me intreat you to gather the sence of it by what is written before or after if I have committed any fault in writing for I have not time to read it over I pray you pray for us all and the Lord be with you all and keep us all stedfast to the day of his appearance And so I rest your loving Friend Manchester the 8. Octob. 1642. John Hotham Matthew Boynton Henry Fowles Thomas Remington Francis Boynton John Anlaby Arthur Beckwith Phell Saltmerse Jeffery Gaile William Darby John Boucher Tho. Notcliff Francis Lassels John Lister John Dent. Henry Wickermer And foure more Although there is nothing more desireable to us whether we look upon our own particulars or the present distractions and dangers of our Countrey then that all our conclusions may conduce to a quiet and peaceable settlement for the effecting whereof we are not at all insensible how necessary it is for us to hold concurrance with those Gentlemen with whom in all our consultations hitherto we have communicated to the same end yet inasmuch as those Articles hereunto annexed being as we conceive totally against the priviledges of Parliament and the Protestation we have already taken and no way at all tending to the peace but rather to the exposing of us to more insuing dangers being that it is a fundamentall liberty of Parliament to send for Delinquents in such a way as they shall see needfull and we conceive that the eight Article doth directly and plainly oppose it being that now the Delinquents are so strong that they cannot be sent for in an ordinary way of proceeding we therefore hold our selves necessarily obliged as well in discharge of our selves as duty to our Countrey utterly to disavow the said Articles To which end we have published this our Declaration to which we have subscribed our names this 8. of Octob. 1642. FINIS
did some what terrifie them but their Cap encouraged theÌ„ so as by little and little they were drawn past fear they shot severall times again but did no hurt at all then they planted two ereat peeces at Sawford to batter downe about that passage that came forth over the bridge and shot twice then my Lord Strange sent a Trumpeter to require passage through our Towne with his Forces out that was refused then played foure great pieces with great violence the bullets shooting through and through divers houses so that the bullets came tumbling amongst us like balls but did no harme to any only one boy that was a wicked Childe having overrun his parents was with Cannon shot mortally wounded by gazing in the face of the enemy at a work made by the mudwall who within a few houres died then presently followed out a troop of their horse to stop part of the passage East-ward but some of our musquetiers issuing forth at the market-steed-lane drove them back in which fight one of our bill men only was shot into his shoulder the shooting continued with such vehemencie then it is scarce credible to beleeve so little hurt should be done our town lying so open and naked on all sides in the Afternoone seven of our men went over the bridge to cease upon a house that commanded the bridg but were presently discovered this night passed away with great feare and trouble Wednesday ON Wednesday morning our seven men were surprised in the said house and taken and divers of our enemies were placed in their roomes then they fell to shooting againe which wee likewise answered and Fortifications were soone made that no great hurt was done to us In the afternoone a man was shot into the leg as he was crossing downe to goe to his guard and another of our Bel-men was by peeping forth of his Rank shot through the head with a bullet and dyed This night continued with such shooting betwixt us and Salford as the like hath not been heard One of our men his musket breaking in the Church-yard struck off his hand The same evening they made an assault on the Sned-hill but were beaten back The Troopers went out into the Country this day to rob and spoile about two miles from our towne where two or three Musquetiers and five or sixe Bill-men chased them and routed them and tooke foure Horse and slew one and five men that evening besides many other prisoners were taken and brought into our towne with some Armes About seven of the clock in the evening notice was given that they had a designe to fire our Towne but store of raine fell that evening which proved much to our advantage for the waters were raised and they could not so readily passe over the rivers yea some one cryed within the compasse of the Watch Fire Fire which gave the Alarum and ran quickly through the towne which put us in great feare but proved nothing Warning was given to all men that they should watch their own houses both within and without About eleven of the Clock at night the enemy made an Assault at the east-side of the towne and came upon the Brick croft with a great shout and a suddain discharge where there lay 8 of our men in the brick kill who had Fortified themselves there and Answered the other with as sudden a shott as they could They continewed shooting the space of an hower and then the Cavaliers began to Retreate In this fight one of the poore men in the brick kill shot of two of his little fingers of one hand and his hand also brused by the bursting of his peece This night was very greevous to our men they being almost quite spent with watching and toyling and running to and fro that beyond the ordinary course of Nature they held out that Night it please God to send us about twelve of the Clock about 80 musketiers and pikes eleven wherof were slain as they came to the towne by seven of the enemies who lay secretly in the way as they should passe and shot them suddenly which was a great greef to their fellowes these when they came in Ioyned themselves to Captain Bradshaw they being his neigbours which strengthned him very much hee having indured a sharp long and bitter time of it A great strength lying against that passage to enter there that night before it was morning were brought two great peeces and placed at the head of Salford to come down to the foote of the bridge to make open way by driving down our works and our men from them But on the Wednesday morning it being espied care was taken how to prevent that danger Shooting continued still very vehemently till towards the altâ—â—ncone then his Lordship sent for a Treatie requiring a thousand Armes we were then in a great straight having powder and shot but no match neither had any way to get any time was required till seven the next morning whereupon the Lord Strange engaged his honour that nothing should be done in that time in which time his Souldiers went about the worke they came for that was to pillage and play the theeves in the Countrey all thereabouts in this little time of cessation there was some man in our Towne that had seene the making of Match and had thereby gained some little insight in the making thereof he fell to worke and gave direction about the making thereof and performed it well and got supply of Match and our Souldiers being a little refreshed by rest and sleepe did mightily incourage one another to stand to it and would admit of no Parley the Gentlemen being inclinable to condescend but the Souldiers expressing a great unwillingnesse by a generall shout of Captaine Bradshaws Company declared that they would part with their Armes and lives together Now his Lordships Souldiers began to start aside for they would not come neare but gave backe for by reason of cold and wet hunger and thirst and labour want of sleepe and a bitter welcome that we gave them their hearts were discouraged mightily in so much that unarmed men of ours tooke courage and brought in both prisoners and Armes of theirs so as scarcely can be beleeved Now the time of Treatie was almost spent and it was espied by some of my Lords men that some man of ours at the back side of a house stood where was a ditch and small bancke cast up to play upon Salford they tooke exceptions against that which was done partly before that time as also for taking downe a wooll pack and laying it as it was the night before a Souldier turning it downe to rest himselfe upon it as also that a Countryman newly come into the Towne and knowing nothing of the Treatie shot off his Musket all which as they said was against the Law of Armes which being excused his Lordship answered that he was informed that during the time of the Treatie his Souldiers had not