I Know (as you writ to mee) there are severall and sundry relations of that bloody battail neere Kynton, some speaking after one maner, and some after another, respecting their owne particular oblig [...]tions and ingagements more then the truth, or to satisfy the world of the truth. And therefore according to your desire I have sent you although a short yet an exact and a true relation of that battell. Upon the twenty third of October a day dedi­cated to the honour of Ignatius Lyola the father and foun­der of that cruell and cursed order of the Iesuits, the Iesuited [Page 2] Papists, the last yeere Kindled that horrid and horrible rebellion in Ireland, rist, robbing, burning, and mur­thering all the Brittish Protestants they could ceaze upon Affirming (as hath been often deposed) that like the suffer­ings were that day allotted & destinated to al the Protestants in England, and that they did nothing but what they had commission to doe from England, under the great seale. And now this yeare upon the same day of that moneth they have by their facinating Charmes, clothed with the Specious garments of maintaining the Protestant Reli­gion, removed his Majesty, hinc illae lachrymae, to ingage himselfe in a bloody battell against the Protestants, the true professors of the Gospell and their Religion, which began on that day, being Sunday, (a goodly Sabbath dayes worke) about two of the clock, and lasted untill darke night. A crueller battel was never fought in the Christian world for the time.

The Kings Army had the advantage both of the ground and wind: and besides those at Windsor, and Worcester, we wanted the assistance of ten Troops of Horse, sixe Companies of Dragooners, foure Regiments of Foot, eight Peeces of Canon, with great store of Ammunition, which came not unto us till Sunday at night, and Munday, lying the nights before at Stratford upon Aven, and in severall other parts thereabouts: which in all probability, and so it was confessed a­mongst them, the Enemie had notice of by Sir Faith­full Fortescue, who broke faith, and treacherously fled the next day unto them.

Their Army was about twenty foure thousand, Horse and Foot, and we had but thirteene Regiments of Foot, thirty eight Troops of Horse, and about a thousand Dragooners.

The Enemie came downe Edge-hill, where was [Page 3] fought a bloody battell in the raigne of Edward the fourth, and there they set in order their battell, in a faire Plaine at the foot of the Hill, leaving the Hill for a retyring place for their Army, as indeed it was, and much befriended them.

Our Army was cast into three Brigades, the two wings being slanked with our Horse, and placed upon a little round rising hill betwixt them and Keynton. In the left wing were five Regiments under the severall com­mands of the Lord Wharton, the Lord Mandevill, Collonel Cholmley, Collonell Essex, and Collonell Fairfax, who brought up the rear, our horse that flanked us were in­countred by Prince Roberts troopes of Cavalliers as they wheeled about the hill to get to our waggons, so that they fled disorderly upon our Foot in the left wing, rou­ting and making foure Regiments of them to run away, to wit, my Lord Whartons, my Lord Mandevils, Colonel Cholmleys, and Colonel Essexes Regiments: some few Commanders retyring into the maine Body, Colonel Fairfax his Regiment then being the onely Regiment remaining of that wing, and most of his common souldi­ers also took example by their fellows, trod out their foot-steps, and ran too.

And although their Colonel Sir William Fairfax, Lieu­tenant Colonel Moyneines, Sergeant Major Pane, with Captaine Willshire, Captaine Bland, Captain Rogers, Cap­tain Laiton, and the rest of his Captains and chief Com­manders did their utmost indeavour to have stayed them, yet they could not stay above an hundred of them, with whom Colonel Fairfax, his Lieutenant Colonel, Major, and the Captains with their Officers marched very cou­ragiously with their Colours in the face of the enemy to our Canons, and fetched them all off but one, and so had done that also, had they had horses.

This Brigade then being thus shattered and routed, the first cause being more the cowardize of our Horse, then the valour of the enemies. The Lord of Hosts shewed his power for our deliverance; for then Prince Robert, instead of falling upon our right wing, fell to plunde­ring our Waggons, killing our Waggoners, and mur­thering of poore Countrey women and children: So that those which came to be spectators of other mens trage­dies, acted their owne.

At which time, the severall Regiments under the command of the Lord Generall, the Lord Brooks, Lord Roberts, Colonel Hollis, and Sir Iohn Meldrome, secon­ded by the severall Troops of Horse that flanked that Bri­gade, fell on resolutely, and made way by dint of sword through the maine Body of the Kings Army, where every Commander, especially the noble Generall, the Earl of Essex, shewed the part not onely of a valiant Generall, but of a resolute and couragious souldier, ri­ding from place to place, and encouraging his Army on every side, when bullets flew about his ears as thick as haile; so that in a short time the Lord Generall of the Kings Army, the Lord Willouhby, the Lord Aubigny, Sir Edward Varney the Standard-bearer, Colonel Lunsford, Colonel Vavasor, Colonel Stradling, Colonel Rodney, Colonel Iohn Munroe, with many other great Com­manders and resolute Souldiers, were either killed or taken prisoners, their whole Regiments consisting of many valiant Souldies, most being Papists, fighting for their Religion, which their Commanders told them was now at the stake, were cut off, very few escaping to bring news to their Countrey of the rest.

Which the Welsh and Northerne men that should have made good this breach perceiving, they all fled, with­out any command, shewing very good footmanship, [Page 5] and verifying the Proverbe, that One paire of heeles is worth two paire of hands: And although His Majesty himselfe rode after them, perswading them not to dishonour their Countrey, but to stand to it bravely; yet they wold not so much as looke back, but said, they were come not to fight, but to convey His Majesty to London, for which their Captains promised them the riches of that City, and if he would goe with them, they would make good their promise: so that now all the Enemies Troops and Foot were dispersed, two Regiments onely excepted, and some of those Troops which had beene plundering our Waggons with Prince Robert, who returned through by-wayes, and retyred unto Edge­hills.

Then our Army possessed themselves of the ground the enemies had at the first to fight in, stood there all night, & drew back some of the Ordnance the enemy had taken be­fore, with some of theirs.

The next morning very early we drew up our men in order of battel, and prepared for another onset: which they perceiving, flourished upon the hils with some Troops of Horse, until they had gotten their Foot, Canon, and Carri­ages away, and then they all went towards Banbury, mise­rably rifling and pillaging the Countrry as they went, and we towards night retired to Warwick to refresh our selves, the most of us having had neither meat nor lodging for two dayes and two nights before.

Thus have you a true relation of that battel of Kynton, where were slain above 3000. and what ever may be said, yet the King lost foure for one, for upon Tuesday my selfe, with some friends and neighbours of Kynton and Welsborn, viewed the dead then unburyed, and where there was one in our quar­ters, there were foure in the enemies. I pray God to send peace amongst us, that I may never see the like again.