The Truth Of our bad Newes FROM EXETER, Sent in a Letter, dated May 20, 1643. from a considerable man there, to an eminent Merchant in London: And may serve as a Confutation of our Malignants boasting, who take all advantages to discourage the well-affected Party.
LONDON, Printed for John Rothwell, at the Sun in Pauls Churchyard. May 24. 1643.
The truth of our bad Newes FROM EXETER, Sent from a considerable man there, to an eminent Merchant in London; And may serve as a Confutation of our Malignants boasting, who take all advantages to discourage the well-affected Party.
I Kindly salute you, &c.
Yours of the 16. present I received, with the enclosed from our Friend Master Newgate; I shall onely intreat you at present [Page 2]to give conveyance to this inclosed by the next Post.
The Parliament forces in these parts have on Tuseday last received a very great defeat by the Cornish, at Stratton in Cornwall, where were about five thousand foot, and not one Horse, they being twenty Miles farther in Cornwall, to prevent the raising of the countrey upon the Posse Comitatus. The enemy was foure thousand foot and five hundred horse; the fight continued twelve Houres, in all which time our poore Gray-coats and Voluntiers did their parts very manfully; but our base cow-hearted trained Souldiers, as soone as they came to doe service ran all away, and brought the whole Army into an utter confusion. They had one troope of Horse, or more, in the Reare, which forced them on to fight; and the rest of the Horse seeing we [Page 3]had none to oppose did great spoile.
Wee have lost three hundred men, with those that were taken Prisoners, two thousand Armes, Powder, Mat [...]h: We had foure thousand pounds there in Money, which was all preserved to a small matter.
Our Horse, being sixe hundred, and about a thousand Dragooners, were at Bodmin in the midst of Cornwall, where they released an hundred and fifty Prisoners, and many countrey people came in to them; but hearing of this defeat presently revolted, and began to set upon our Horse; but they behaved themselves so well, that they cleared their way through them, killed many of them, and tooke up Horses in the countrey and horst their Prisoners, whom they had set free, and are safely come to Plimouth.
Our strength was so great, and so well accommodated, [Page 4]that doubtlesse the hearts of Gods people were too much set upon them and therefore Gods presence being withdrawne, wee had no more left then an Arme of flesh.
It hath been apparent since these troubles began, the Lord hath been pleased to worke greater deliverances by weake meanes, then by a powerfull Army; but I confidently beleeve this Victory the enemy hath obtained will but heighten their pride, and make them the more fit for destruction, and flesh them up against the day of Slaughter.
God will not be wanting on his part, if we be not wanting on ours.