I Shall now give your Excellence an account of the Victory it hath pleased God to give a part of this Army, against all the Forces Sir William Bre­werton could make. Upon Christmasse Even last, I had intelligence, that hee was marched from Manchester with sixteene hundred select foot, and eight Cornets of horse, and that upon Christmas day hee was to keepe his Rendezvous at Sandbacke within six miles of my Quarters: Whereupon I resolved to march thi­ther with the Army, leaving a Regiment of horse and a Regiment of foot for the security of my Quarters, least they of Nantwich should in the meane time sally forth, but wee came no sooner within view of Sand­backe, but the Rebels retreated in great confusion, yet in regard of a narrow passe which was betwixt us and them, we could not overtake any of them, and tooke up our quarters in theirs that night: There I was infor­med by all the Countrey people, that Brewertons forces [Page 4] were totally disper'st and returned to their severall homes. Whereupon I commanded Colonell Warren with his Regiment of foot, and my Lord Molineux with his horse to march back to Crew-house, a strong place posses­sed by the Rebells, betwixt Nantwich and Sandbacke, in­tending to march thither my selfe with the rest of the Army the next morning; but as I was upon my march, certaine intelligence was brought me by a Scout I had sent forth, that Brewerton was at Middlewich with all his Forces, within three miles of us: Whereupon I immedately marched thither, and our Forlorne-hope discovered seven of their Collours drawne forth of the Towne, and the rest advancing as fast as they could; Upon this, Colonell Gibson, and my brother Robert Byron advanced with their Regiments, having the Van that day, Sir Michael Earnley with his Regiment was forc't to stay with the Cannon which stuck in a durty lane, so that, in that particular we were equall, for they had no Can­non with them, and we could make no use of ours. The Rebels had possessed themselves of the hedges, and all places of advantage, and gave excellent fire, being the prime Traine-band men of Lancashire; but our men with great resolution ran up to them, and after hot dis­pute, which lasted almost an houre and a halfe, bear them out of their hedges, and uttetly routed them, the horse followed the execution, which was all the service they could doe in that place, and pursued them almost as far as Nantwich, which Garrison the Rebels quitted the same night, and our men have since possessed themselves of five of their Collours. We took three hundred pri­soners, with all theit Baggage and Ammunition; at [Page 5] the least six hundred slaine, as I am since certainely in­formed; all their Armes they threw away in their flight, many inferiour Officers are taken, but their Colonels are too wise to come in danger, yet Brewerton himselfe esca­ped narrowly, for hee had two great falls in making too much haste, wherewith hee was so bruised, that hee was faine to have one ride behind him. On our part, fifteene was slaine outright, whereof fourteene were of my bro­ther Roberts Regiment, and amongst the rest himselfe shot in the leg, but God be thanked without danger. We are now returned ro quarter about Nantwich, which being now out of hope to be relieved, I beleeve will not hold out long▪ The day after the businesse of Middlewich, My Lord Mollineux and Colonell Warren tooke in Crew-house, and in it above two hundred prisoners, and sixty horse, with all their Armes. Our strength here is some­what above foure thousand foot, and one thousand horse, but this I can assure your Excellence, the world hath no better men, nor will they be beaten by any equall num­ber.

SInce I wrote my last Letter to your Ex­cellence, We have taken in another strong house called Paddington, whereby Nant­wich is so locked up, that unlesse Brewer­ton come againe with an Army to relieve it, we shall in a short time, I hope, carry it.

BEing informed how some of Crumwells troopes lay quartred about Lincolne, and conceiving it very fensible to beat up their quarters, I sent out last night Sir Gervis [...]yres Regiment, and about sixty of Sir Peregrene Bertyes horse, with a few Dragroons upon that designe. They fell into their quarters about seven a clocke this morning at Wadding­ton and Harmeston, and there tooke a Major, two Cap­taines, two Leivtenants, one Cornet, and three Collours, besides a hundred and one and thirty prisoners, whereof some Quarter-masters, Corporalls, and Trumpets, &c.