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A86374
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His Highnesse Prince Ruperts raising of the siege at Newarke upon Trent, March 21. 1643. Written by an eye witnesse to a person of honour.
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Eye witnesse to a person of honour.
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1644
(1644)
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Wing H2077A; Thomason E38_10; ESTC R6516
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5,263
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10
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HIS HIGHNESSE PRJNCE RVPERTS Raising of the Siege at Newarke upon TRENT March 21. 1643. Written by an eye Witnesse to a Person of Honour Right Honourable and my very good Lord HIs Highnesse Prince Rupert being at West-Chester upon Tuesday night March the 12. received first of all his Majesties Commands to march with all speed to the relief of Newark as then besieged by Sir Iohn Meldrum The Rebels Forces were supposed to be about foure thousand Foot under five Regiments and foure Colours with well towards two thousand Horse and Dragooners Vpon these summons his Highnesse next morning made hast to Shrewsbury speeding away Major Legge our Generall of the Ordinance before to chuse out so many commanded Musquetiers of the English of late come out of Ireland as might well be spared out of that Garrison these were 1000 Musquetiers of Colonel Broughtons and Colonel Tilliers Regiments with 120 of Colonell Sir Fulke Hunkes all these sent down the Severne met the Prince at Bridgenorth on Friday of Horse his Highnesse took along his own Troope and Regiment with 150 of Major Generall Sir Iohn Hurries with these Forces we drew along three small field Pieces At Woolverhampton next day was our little Army recruited by 100 Horse and 200 Foot of Colonell Levesons On Munday night had we notice at Ashbey de la Zouch of 2200 Rebels under Sir Edward Hartop sent out by Meldrum to passe and bridge over the Sore a mile from Loughborough in Leicester-shire their purpose was either to intercept Generall Major George Porter or to prevent his joyning with my Lord of Loughborough for thither with foure Regiments of Horse and a thousand commanded Musquetiers of my Lord of Newcastles men was M. Porter now come from about Newark to hinder the Rebels further inrodes into Leicestershire daily slight skirmishes here passed and had the Major Generals people been as valiant as himselfe Meldrum had had occasion to chide his party for doing nothing For not able to force the Passe and hearing of my Lord of Loughboroughs drawing out they stole away by moon-light Master Porter thus disingaged was the next day being Tuesday March the 19 together with my Lord Loughboroughs Forces conjoyned with the Princes that night we all quartered in a Close by Bingham some eight miles short of Newarke about two of the clocke the Moone then well up our Drummes beat and we marched hitherto had our Marches beene so speedy as same it selfe was prevented for by Meldrums owne Letters which together with these two the Prince intercepted the night before your Lordship may perceive the Rebels had no more but an uncredited rumour of Prince Ruperts comming on this dayes march his Highnesse had notice by his Espials how the Rebells were busied all the morning in sending away their Cannons which proved no other then their drawing them off their Batteries into their chiefe Worke at the Spittle or Excester house a little more then Musquet shot from the Towne for into that one quarter had they that morning drawne all their Regiments and Ammunition His Highnesse having intelligence of their amassing themselves into one Body which he supposed a preparation to march off suddenly advanced his Van of Horse upon the spurre to overtake them the rest of our Horse had order to keep along with the Foot Cannon and Ammunition coming neare the Beacon hill a mile short of Newarke we perceived some Horse of the Enemies who upon our approach drew downe the other side to their owne grosse ours thus easie gaining the Hill increased his Highnesse naturall courage upon his apprehension besides of having many advantages upon a retreating Enemy whereupon Courage sayes he Let 's charge on Gods name with the Horse we have and ingage them till our Reare and Foot be marcht up to us trooping thus to the edge of the Hill we perceived the most of the Enemies in Battalia Horse and Foot neare the Spittle all I meane except foure great Bodies of Horse who expected us at the descent of the Hill the Prince thus ordered his owne few Forces first himselfe and his own Troope of Life-guard undertook to attaque that Body on the left hand appointing my Lord Loughboroughs Troop to second him and Colonell Charles Gerards Troop to be as a Reserve a little on my Lords right hand the Prince his Regiment was cast out into five Divisions two Troopes to each Division in the first and very right hand of all were Captain Gardiner and Captain Richardson and next them Captain Cob and Captain Martyn then my Lord Grandison and Sir Thomas Dallison next them the Troops of Sir Lewis Dives and my Lord Dillon Major Legges and Lievtenant-colonell O-nelles Troopes being next unto the Life-guards this Regiment was seconded by Major General Porters Regiment Our Field word was King and Queen their 's Religion The fight began about nine of the clock and after a while grew sturdy especially on our right Wing the Rebels doubling their Files from three to six deep and charged our two utmost Troops upon the Flanks so hard that Captain Martine came timely in to help to beat off the Rebels The Prince himself having pierced deep into the Enemies and being observed for his valour was dangerously at once assaulted by three sturdy Rebels wherof one fell by his Highnesses own sword a second being pistolled by M. Mortaine one of his own Gentlemen the third now ready to lay hand on the Princes collar had it almost chopt off by Sir William Neale his Highnesse thus disingaged with a shot onely in his Gantlet with Sir Richard Crane and his own Troop charged quite thorough that Body of Rebels pursuing them in Rout home to their very workes at the Spittle Presently after this his Highnesses Regiment with their seconds likewise routed the three other Bodies foure of the Troops charging even into the work and bringing away a Captain prisoner my Lord Loughborough also deported himselfe honourably and when some of his shrunk at the second charge himselfe rode back to Rally and bring them up again Major Generall Porter charg'd with bravery enough in his own person though some of his retired up the Hill in some hast and disorder Colonell Charles Gerard who never carried himselfe but gallantly did here like himselfe but by the fall of his horse was bruised shot in the arm and taken prisoner After a while both sides began to rallie and make ready for a second charge ours to make the Impression and theirs to receive it and though for a good while they disputed it toughly yet by fine force were they and all the rest driven quite out of the Field not halfe of our Horse charging for our Reare was not yet come up Now fled the Enemy quite beyond their own Worke Foot and cannon at the Spittle divers of them hasting by a Bridge of Boats over that branch of the Trent into the Island foure other Troopes with as many Foot Captains hasted up to Muskam Bridge upon
the other side the Island and main stream of the River about three quarters of a mile both from Newarke and the Spittle here being out of Gun-shot they staid till towards Evening when breaking the Bridge behind them throwing one piece of Cannon into the Trent they then runne home to Nottingham In both these stiffe bouts took we five Cornets and about 90. Prisoners whereof three Captains some Gentlemen three Cornets besides other Officers and two Cannoneers one Cornet was taken by Sir Richar Byron And now as if an universall Truce had bin agreed upon there was some half houres silence excepting that the Enemies Canonadoes though with very little effect disturbd it for the Rebells Foot had not yet advanced and their Horse by this time had enough of it As for the Prince he now staid for his Foot and Rear of Horse both left full two Miles behind when our Van began to double their March to overtake the Enemy Anon came up our Foot all that day commanded by Colonell Tillier these resting themselves a while upon the Hill the first Division being part of those that came from Shrewesbury were led onely by the Colonell These marcht down bravely in the face of the Enemy hooting at their Cannon These flancked with some Horse were wheeled to the right by and by into a Medow At their comming the Rebels drew all their Horse and Foot within their Spittle work whom when our men came against both sides saluted one another at too far a distance with a short Vollye But Colonell Tillier was not to stay here as being by his Orders to March up to the very River side to recover the Boat-bridge from the Enemy But this being too well guarded ours drew off quietly making a stand without reach of Canon In this time were divers more Bodies of Foot brought down into the Field who charged up to the Enemies Works and killed many my Lord Loughboroughs being left upon the Hill for a Reserve Thus was the Valley bespread with our Battaglions and in this posture stood the Princes Army Sir Richard Byron Governour of Newarke likewise before this had sent part of his Garrison both Horse and Foot into another ground on the Southeast side of the Towne And by this time had the Prince notice given him by a Prisoner and by one of theirs that came over to us how the Rebels were so distressed for want of Victualls that they were not able to live there two daies Whereupon His Highnesse began to resolve upon other counsailes esteeming it cheaper to block up their Trenches then to storm them And blockt up they were already as being coopt up in a very narrow roome no more then the backside of the Spittle towards the River besides which they were on all sides surrounded by our Forces On the Southside by the Town on the East by the Prince and on the North by Colonell Tilliar Into the Island on the West had the Prince sent 500 Horse besides 200 of the Newarke Troopers Thus the late Blockers found themselves now besieged yea without much hope of suddaine relief or safe meanes to salley for so well had the Prince ordered them that had they sallied forwards we had then fallen upon their first issuing out both in From and Flanks with our Army and the Towne had charged them upon their Reer Had they offered to escape over their Boat-Bridge ours in the Isle had disturbed their passing and we entertaind their comming over yea which part soever had first divided we had bin able to beat the other By this time too had the Prince commanded Sir Richard Byron with his own and Sir Gervase Eyres Horse Regiments with 800 of Sir Iohn Digbies Foot to advance so high into the Island as to put in betwixt the Rebells two Bridges by which interposition was all intercourse cut off betwixt the Rebells their great body at the Spittle and those at Muskam Bridge Upon this those eight Colours at the Bridge retreated as is aforesaid Under favour of these Town-forces too was His Highnesse resolved to cast up a Redoubt that night betwixt the Bridges But going now to view the Ground the Rebells sent out a Trumpet to desire a Parlee To make way for this and the more to sweeten and oblige the Prince had Sir Iohn Meldrum some houres before sent home Colonell Gerard yet upon the parole of a Souldier and a Gentleman to return himself a Prisoner when ever he should be called The Rebells having sent out to Parlee quit their Bridge which his Highnesse presently possessed by a hundred Musqueteers For the Parlee His Highnesse appointed Sir Richard Crane Captaine of his Life-guards with Sir William Neale Scout-Master Generall the Rebels sending Sir Miles Hobard and Sir Iohn Palgrave into the Town Now true though it be that the Enemies were distressed yet very wise Generalls have not thought it safe to make such men desperate besides which being now in the midst of their owne Garrisons they might possibly be relieved And to confesse the truth our Horses were so over-matcht and our foot so beaten off Leggs that we found our selves lesse able for the present for them In very truth too the Rebells were more then we believed for these reasons and for that as by these intercepted Letters it appeares My Lord Fairfax and his Sonne Sir Thomas being both commanded by the Close Committee to march other places might ere long have need of His presence His Highnesse at length condescended to these Articles which besides they be both honourable and safe were the same for the generall as our side had before gone out upon when the Rebells tooke Lincolne Of the Articles this My Lord is the Originall Copy Articles agreed upon 22. Martii by Sir RICHARD CRANE and Sir WILLIAM NEALE Knights on the part of His Highnesse Prince RVPERY And Sir Miles Hobert and Sir Iohn Palgrave on the part of Sir Iohn Meldrum as followeth 1 That all Match Bullet Powder Canon and all other fire Armes belong-to the Artillery be delivered 2 That all Souldiers march away with their Swords by their sides and Colours and Drums 3 That all Officers March out without molestation with their Armes and Horses for themselves and Servants and Bag and Baggage Money and whatsoever else doth truly belong to themselves 4 That all Troopers and Dragooners March away with their Swords Horse and Colours 5 That His Highnesse send a Convoy to protect us from any Injury two Miles from His utmost Quarters towards Lincolne Richard Crane William Neale Miles Hobart Io. Palgrave But Besides these Conditions His Highnesse gave by Instructions to His Commissioners to insist upon a demand of some Prisoners before taken which was also granted Hereupon next morning the Rebells marched out but for the Horsemens carrying away their Arms and others their Pikes with more then was conditioned our unruly Souldiers especially those that had been so before used 〈◊〉 Lincolne by the Parliamentiers taking this occasion to quarrel with the Rebells took more from them then by the Articles they should have done But for this were divers of them slashed by the Prince and the Rebells Colours sent back unto them The Rebells thus gone we had leasure to carry off their Arms and Ammunition consisting of betwixt three and foure thousand Musquets and a great quantity of Pikes and Pistolls with the Cannon they left behind them of these we found Eleven fair Brasse Pieces one a Basiliske of Hull foure yards long shooting 32. Ball one of their Ordnance was found at Muskam Bridge and the Carriage of t'other Two goodly Mortar-pieces were also left us the least shooting 80. pound Granado and the other twelve stone and eight pound and all their Ammunition The number of the slaine we know not but we thinke they lost towards ninescore or two hundred and we about half so many slaine and wounded Thus after just three weeks Siege was Newarke happily relieved Your Honour knowes the high consequence of this Service Severall particulars more I leave to this bearer who very commendably sustained his part in it His Highnesse hath appointed a Thanks-giving for this on Sunday by which the World may see Him to be as Devout as Valiant FINIS