PRince Robert the second sonne to the Lady Elizabeth, the Kings Majesties onely Sister, hath (if report speake truth) since his last coming and abode in England, done many outrages, plundered many townes, destroyed much corne, with many other insufferable injuries and oppres­sions, which have beene by him heaped on the poore subjects that stood well-affected to the Parliament. And least any should make question of the truth of this Relation, [Page 3] ye know that an attempt of the same nature was by the said Prince Robert and his Fol­lowers put in execution on monday last the twelfth of September at a place called Har­borough in Leicester-shire, the inhabitants of the towne, it appeares; being well affected to the King and Parliament: For which cause the said Prince Robert came against them with eighteene hundred horse, and some small number of Foot, and fell upon them, plundering of their houses, taking away their armes, seizing upon their horses, throw­ing their hay about, and trampling it under feet with their horses, and doing mischiefe without controule, the towne not being a­ble to make any resistance without aid from some other place, which for the present was not afforded unto them.

During the time that Prince Robert was putting the towne to this extreme trouble and distraction, the noble Earle of Stam­ford had received intelligence of this pro­ceedings, hee being upon a march onely with eight hundred horse: whereupon, knowing that Prince Robert would never ad­venture upon such a designe; if his strength were not answerable; and withall consi­dering the great dammage that he might su­staine, if hee should go against him, being so weake and unprepared: Wherefore hee [Page 2] drew up his men into a small Front, with a loud voice immediately declaring what in­formation he had newly received from Har­borough, and also declared unto them the number of the Forces that accompanied the said Prince Robert, and with many expressi­ons setting forth the earnest desire he had to go up to assist them, but withall was very loath to adventure his small Forces against so great odds, and hee for the present not knowing how to gaine strength to suppresse them, his Forces being dispersed thorough the Countrey apon severall urgent and ne­cessary occasions for the maintaining of the peace of the Kingdome; wherefore the said Earle demanded of them whether they were willing to goe on or retreat, withall telling them, that if they did goe on, they must resolve to fight it out to the uttermost, and to stand against a double opposition for their number.

Notwithstanding all this, and these diffi­culties, and the imminent danger, they with a generall shout cried, On, On: Which the good Earle perceiving, with a great deale of joy incouraged them, telling them that him­self in person would lead them on and bring them off, and not forsake them so long as he had either breath or one drop of bloud in his veines.

[Page 4] Thus with confidence and courage they presently marched forward, singing of Psalmes till they were within the sight of Harborough, where they might plainly per­ceive the Prince with all his Forces march­ing out of the said towne, very confidently and securely, without the least suspition of being opposed, with their prize of Armes and Horse which they had taken from the towne; which the Earle of Stamford seeing, made a stand under a wood side, which shel­tered him and his Companies from the sight of the Princes Forces: which having done, he sent forth a Scout privately to the towne, to command them to put themselves into the best posture of defence that they could, to keepe them from retreating backe to the towne, which was accordingly effected; in which time the Prince had recovered the bottome of the hill, where the Earle of Stamford had placed his men, onely two Troupes which hee had sent thorow the wood, to come on the Reare of the Princes Troupes, and consequently to get betweene him and the towne.

As soone as the Prince saw himselfe so suddenly encompassed, he endeavoured to retreat againe to the towne; but finding that there was no security, and seeing that the Earle of Stamford pressed so hard upon him, [Page 5] and charged so hotly against him, the Prince with his horse made up to the wood side, en­deavouring to gaine the wind, but was im­mediately prevented, and beaten back upon the River, by which meanes his Troupes were disordered: for the other two Troupes of horse which the Earle of Stamford had sent to get betweene the Princes Forces▪ and the towne, together with the inhabitants of the towne on the one side, and the Earle of Stamford with his Troupes on the other side, pursued them so closely, that most of the Princes Foot were forced to take the river, thirty were slaine, many Prisoners were taken, and the Prince himselfe inforced to flie for the safety of his Person, and leave his rich Prize behinde him, otherwise the Earle of Stamford had taken order for his forth coming.

This victory being thus obtained, they marched backe againe to the towne, where they were joyfully entertained by the inha­bitants, bringing back with them the pil­lage also which Prince Roberts Forces had taken from them. The [...]e is a Troupe of horse quartered there for the safeguard and future security of the towne against other such like attempts of the Cavaliers. The towne is now in a good posture of defence, being a rich towne for trading, and well [Page 6] affected to the King and Parliament, the de­fence of the Protestant Religion, and the li­berty of the subject.

M. Hastings playes least in sight since the arrivall of the Earle of Stamford: this is the truth of all the proceedings of note in our County. So I rest, Your friend to be commanded,