TO give you ſome Teſtimony of my abilityes to do you Service, for your many favours conferred upon me, I cannot otherwiſe for the preſent, then by the relation of ſome exceeding true and remarkable paſſages, which after a tedious march) happened between 10. Troops of our Horſe, conſiſting of about 500. which went before to the Towne a day before the Army: And the Cavaliers Troope conſiſting of about one thouſand eight hundred Horſe. The Skirmiſh began betweene them, on Friday being the nine and twentieth day of November, about foure of the Clocke in the afternoone; within a mile of the City of Worceſter, and within a flight-ſhot of the River Severne: The reaſon that our tenne Troops (being but a handfull to the Cavaliers) fell on, was becauſe that Cavaliers had very cunningly ſent a report to thoſe tenne Troops, pretending that it came from the Lord Generall, the Earle of Eſſex, that his Excellencie was within a mile of the other ſide of the Towne, and would fall on preſently, and wiſht them to fall on likewiſe • which was a plot and a meere invention of the Cavaleers, for thoſe ten troops to fall on, where by they with all their Forces intended to cut of theſe ten troops: His Excellencies Army being at that time (which the Cevaleers knew very well) five myles diſtant from WORCESTER, and had marcht exceeding hard that day to come ſo nere, for had our army been then within a myle of the towne, we had taken all the Cavaleers.

But to give a perfect and true relation of this Fight, and what Commanders we loſt, I ſhall give you a perticualr of their names, which I had from ſome Officers that were then in the Skirmiſh, and are very much wounded, and therefore you may boldly take it for a true relation, Colonell Sunds troope fell on firſt, where the Colenell himſelfe was dangerously wounded in three places, his Cornet ſlaine, his Leivtenant dangerouſly wounded, Sergeant Major Duglas a brave Souldier was ſlaine, Captaine Bery ſlaine, his Cornet wounded, Captaine Aſtons Leivtenant ſlaine, his Quarter maſter dangerouſly wounded, ſix of troopers slaine, his quartermaſter dangerouſly wounded, his Corporall ſlaine, Two of Alderman Soames. men which were troopers, in this Skirmiſh, one where of viz. Maſter Low was ſlaine, and the other viz. maſter Tynne, taken priſoner, and carried away by Prince Roberts Forces. Captaine Burrell, Captaine Heale, and Captaine Fynes were alſo in this Skirmiſh, but are come off well with the loſſe onely of ſome troopers. As for the number of our Common Horſe or troopers, which were that Evening ſlaine, J cannot heare bnt of twenty three and for the Cavaleers, it is credibly reported, that they loſt ſome Commanders, for they wer ſeene to carry away foure dead Corps, and it is reported for certaine, that Prince Maurice brother to Prince Robert was dangerously hurt, and for all the odds of the Caveleers. who having encompaſſed our men. as it were in a halfe Moone, yet our Troops charged through their whole body, and forct their paſſage, onely with the loſſe of what is above mentioned, and ſo made their retreat good.

And then the Cavaliers marched into the Towne, and about twelve of the Clocke at night, ranne quite away, and are gone to LUDLOVV, not daring to ſtay the comming of our Army the next morning

For upon report of this Skirmiſh to his Excellencie the Earle of Eſſex, the Army being quartered in the feilds for that night, having marcht that day about Foureteene myles, and for fiveteene dayes together Exceeding hard, gave Order to the whole Army to march the next morning by the Breake of Day.

Whereupon the whole Army gave a gr • at ſhout being overjoyed to heare that they ſhould Encounter with the Cavaleers; Inſomuch that the ſound of the Drums, at that time could not be heard.

The Commanders encouraging the Souldiers, And the Souldiers Vowing to follow their Commanders, Although a Report came into our Campe, that Prince Robert would give us Battell the next Morning, which was but a bravado of theirs,

Yet our men were no whit danted, but rather Encouraged and ſtronger in their former reſolution.

And then every regiment returning to their quarters, and paſſing on their Duty wiſhing every minute the morning Starre to appeare.

But before the time appointed for our Army to march, we were prevented of our long hoped wiſhes, by reaſon of a Petition which was ſent from the Major, and Aldermen, of the City of VVORCESTER, (by one Maſter Ray, one of the Captaines of the Trained Bands of VVORCESTER) to our Generall the Earle of ESSEX, certifying him that the Cavaliers were all gone out of VVORCESTER, at twelve of that night, deſiring alſo in their Petition that the Earle would not be offended with the Towne, for what they did was meerely through compulſion, and feare of the Cavaliers, who had done the Towne great injuries, as likewiſe moſt places whereſoever they came.

Thereupon our Generall taking into conſideration their Petition, committed the bearer Maſter Ray to the cuſtody of one Capraine Mathews a Captaine of his owne Regiment, till his Excellencie might be further ſatisfied concerning the truth of this Petition, leaſt it had, or might be ſome plot to enſnare the Army, but within an houre after we found Maſter Rayes Relation, and the Petition to be very true, and ſo we marched peaceably into Worceſter, where as yet we remain untill we heare from his Majeſty: His Excellence our Generall having ſent a Poſt with ſome Letters to deſire his Majeſty to returne to his Parliament, and to leave thoſe Delinquents to the Juſtice of the Law.

So for the preſent J can ſend you no other Relation, but when any further occaſion happens J ſhall take the boldneſſe to preſent my ſervice.

Jt is this day Ordered by the Lords and Commons aſsemled in Parliament, that Richard Wright and Nathaniell Hall, ſhall be authorized by both Houſes to ſearch in London, and the Suburbs and Townes adjacent, for Armes lent by the City, and to ſeize the ſame, and to appoint Deduties for that purpoſe.