Exceeding Ioyfull news from Oxford-shire, being a true Relation of a victorious battell fought by the Apprentizes of London, against the Cavaliers, whorein was slaine sixteene of the said Cavaleires.
And not one of the Apprentizes wounded, but one that was shor through the arme with a Pistoll.
SHere hath beene great mercies of God bestowed on us in these times of danger, and amongst all other mercies, this great mercy of God lately bestowed on us is not to bee forgotten, for these times having brought forth great distractions, it hath pleased GOD to suffer things so to be, that of late there have sprung up a Generation of factious Persons, Eenemies to the King and Kingdome and especially to this our present Parliament.
For of late, it pleased God to move the hearts of divers Officers of the London Apprentizes, to give themselves Voluntarily to goe out for the good of the Kingdome, against some Cavaliers, who have gathered themselves togeather in Oxfordshir against all those who stood for the truth, and for the defence of the [...]arliament.
But now they being setled togeather and thinking themselves safe, went against the Towne of Banbury, and some of our London Apprentizes who were at that time lying in Ambush and hearing of their comming (as at last they did) and ceazing on the said Towne, were forced divers of them to fly, by reason of our London Apprentizes, who parsuing them hard, at last fell to blowes, and slew many of the Caveliers; who, flying for their Lives, were met by many of their Comrages? and then comming backe, supposing themselves to be farre more in number then the apprentizes, thought to give them a repulse; but in the end, finding them more couragious then themselves, they were forced to take a second flight; But the Apprentizes seeing them so to betake themselves to their heeles, were the more incourraged to follow them, and being hard followed divers of the Cavaliers were slain to the number of about sixteene, besides others who were wounder greiveously.
The Apprentizes thus seeing the Cavaliers thus to fly before them, were much inheartned and are resolved thus to spend their Lives for the Parliament.
For they seeing the affront of their Enemy given them thus to be answered with the losse of so many, and not one of them to be lost or wounded, save onely one of them, Who by chance was short through the Arme with a Bullet from a Pistoll, by one of the Cavaliers, at their second comming on, yet through the mercy of God, shewed to the proceedings of our Blessed and happy Parliament, they who were Enemies to them, and to the truth, were beaten backe &c. Our Apprentizes as Loyall and true hearted Subjects with undaunted Sperits do so Resolve still to goe on, in the defence of the true Protestant Religion.
Also there was another meeting of our Apprentizes in a Village neere the City of Oxford, with some resolute Fellowes of the Caveliers, yet their resolute spirits were soone cold, for they having a sight of our London apprentizes, though small in Number to their sight, yet great in Terrour to their feeling, for they comming against the day, like Apprentizes as they call them, thinking to make meat for the fowles of the Ayre, but served for little better use themselves.
For they meeting both together on a plaine, gave an affront to the apprentizes, calling them London Boyes, yet found them London men, for they had no sooner gave them these words, but they gave fire like men, which gave them such a manlike cure as made them Boy-like Caveliers.
These were these Cavaliers beaten backe to their [Page 6]owne disgrace, and the good of the whole Land; to which proceedings; I pray God give good successe, And thus farre have the Parliament speed in their doings for as they have prospered through the helpe of God against the malignant parties, who stands out against the peace of King & Parliament, and seeke the utter ruine of the whole Kingdome; so I pray God that they may prosper.
Divers passages concerning the taking of some ordnances from Banbury, by the Eaple of Northampton, and of the Cavalieres violent actions in these Counties.
TO give you farther particular notice of some violent passages committed by these nefarious Sonnes of tumult and Rebellion; it is most certaine, that there happened a great contention between my Lord Brook, and the Earle of Northampton, about the carrying of a peece of Ordinance to Warwicke Castle, which was staied by my Lord Brook, And afterward upon agreement betweene them were returned and brought backe to Banbury, and kept in the Castle; but the Cavaliers layd this plort, and telling those that they met, comming to Aide Banbury that all things were quiet, they beleeved them, and went backe, hereupon the Earle of Northampton [Page 7]having plant [...]d Ordinances on Crowch-Hill, The Town was in a great feare and uproare, their Captaine forsooke them and ranne out of the Town, by whom it is most certaine that they were Betrayed, so that men, Women, and Children fled out of the town, the Ministers trembled, fearing to be abused by the Cavaliers; Who having taken Master Sutton a neighbour Minister forced him on his knees to drinke a health to the confusion of all the Round header, and to sweare that [...]e would read the Common prayer, and never preach any more factious Sermons, they tooke also possession of Master Harris his house minister of H [...]nwell, and of the Lady Copes house, after this the Ordnance wee delivered up to the Cavaliers, 300 horse comming [...]o their aid from the Earle of No [...]thampton, giving the Lord Brookes no warning thereof, as he promised to doe three dayes before they should be removed, there were in company with the Earle of Northampton, Colonell Lunsford, the Lord Wilmot, and the Lord Dunsmore, who for denying to deliver up the Town Arms by vertue of the Commission of Array very violently used the Constable, and the Armes and Ammunition forcibly tooke away from him.
It is most certaine also, that some Cavaliers having at Warwicke mounted Ordnance upon a Steeple by the breaking of some of them in the discharging, three of the Cavaliers were slaine, to shew that those that fight against the Church, and Religion, are no where safe from Gods severe Iudgments. Besides [Page 8]these troopers do daily committ and perpetrate many violent Acts of hostility round about the Country: benig at Rugby, Hilmorton, Cranburrow, and other Townes, where they have done very much mischeife, and tooke away their Armes, And thus the poore Country is but the Stage, whereupon these cutting Cavaliers do Act daily tragedies, to the great feare and terrour of the whole County, who to their utmost power, will ever persist in standing for the defence of the Parliament.