BRAVE NEWES Of the taking of the City of Chitchester by the Parliaments Force, UNDER The Command of Sir William Waller, Upon Wednesday last, at 5. of the Clock, halfe an houre before it began to Raine;
WHEREIN The Bishop, some Lords, and about fourscore Commanders are taken Prisoners.
And OF THE MAINTAINING OF Bradford in Yorkshire by 40. Musquetiers, against 1300. Cavaliers;
With the manner of the Fight, and how our men were Victors, To the praise of God.
London Printed for T. Underhill, at the Bible in Woodstreete, Decemb. 30. 1642.
YOur solicitousnesse for my welfare made me impatient till I had informed you of it: our safety is included in this townes prosperity, and this towne prospers wonderfully; our distractions were marvelously quashed, Delinquents apprehended, and towne with parish united, in a resolution to stand upon our guard, and the Lord hath prospered us: The last Lords day 13. Colours came against us, under the command of Col: Goring, Col: Evers a Papist, Sir William Savill, Sir Marmad: Langdale, and Sir John Gothricke, a Papist, &c. They appeared in Barker End about 9. a clocke, when we had not in towne above 40. Musquetiers; planted their Ordnance in William [Page]Cookes Barne, marched downe the Causey with their foote, whilest their horse coasted about the towne to hinder ayde from comming in, possest themselves of those houses under the Church, and from thence plaid hotly upon our Musquetiers in the Church till 11. a clock, about which time Hallifax men, and other neigh bours came in to our help; the Fight before hot, was then hotter: our men impatient to be coopt up in the Church, rusht out, forced a passage into the foresaid houses, and there our Club-man did good execution upon them: thereabouts the Fight continued till it was darke: many of theirs was slain, their best Canoneer, 6. Commanders, they acknowledge 4. one of them (whose body we have) is discovered to bee the Commander of the foot, and Artilery [Page]in this expedition, by a commission found in his pocket, many taken, a commander, for whom they sent their Trumpeter yesternight; they writ him a captain, he sayes he is a Serjeant Major; Ralph Atkison took him, got from him, 2. peeces, a Ring, and might have had more if hee would: besides taken 24. common soldiers, about 10. horses, much powder, many musquets, some got 2. some 3. few that ventured came empty; wounded there are more amongst them, Sir Jo: Gothricke, as their Trumpeter confesseth, and some say Capt. nevill: nor can I heare that above 2. of our men perished by the enemy in the Fight; their Canons,One Captaine Bins is dead since upon his wounds received at Bradford. one of which shoots a 9. pound ball, plaied all that time upon the towne, but hurt no man, praised be God, who hath delivered those that were ordained to death, &c.
The last Newes from Chitchester, Brought by a speciall Messenger, concerning the taking of it, the 29. of Decem. 1642.
THat after Sir VVilliam VValler with his men had besieged the City of Chitchester seven dayes and nights, and had given sever all assaults upon it, to the the losse of about twenty men of both sides; it was surrendred on Wednesday last, being the last Fast day (as a fruit of the prayers of Gods people) at 5. of the clocke in the afternoone upon composition, viz. 1. That the Towne should let the Parliaments forces in. 2. That they should pay unto the Parliaments forces a moneths pay before hand. 3. That all the Commanders in the towne, and chiefe Cavaliers should be seized upon, and to be at the disposall of the Parliament. 4. That the Towne should not be plundred, wherupon the gates were opened, our men entred, and [Page]shut them again; which done, they first released the honest men which were committed to prison, who they imployed in places of trust; and after that, seized upon the Brshop, those Lords, and other Commanders that are there, to the number of about 80. It is conceived they have found great store of money and plate, but how much, and how they served the common souldiers, together with other particulars not here mentioned, we may shortly expect to heare.
One or two chiefe passages of providence I cannot omit. 1. That this victory was upon the Fast day, even before many Congregations had ended prayer, a good answer of our prayers, and so a good incouragement for us still to seeke Gods face and favour in behalfe of this distressed Land. 2. Consider the great goodnesse of God to our souldiers; there fell not a [Page]drop of raine a that place all the while they were in siege about that Towne, and that they took it but halfe an houre before this last great raine began: Oh the goodnesse of God! What hard service would it have been for our men to have lyen out night and day in the wet. For all these great meries, the Lord of Hosts be Praised, Amen.
The Readers are desired by T. Underhill, Stationer, that if they meete with any ting in Print, either fained, or scurrilous, with his name at them (as such things have beene done with his name at them, to his great wrong not to beleeve that they are Printed or published by him, or by his meanes, but by ungodly fellowes, who usurpe his name, to credit their lies.