Haste.

SIR;

I Have sent up this Gentleman, to give you an accompt of the great and good hand of God towards you in the late victory obtai­ned against the Enemy in these parts.

After the conjunction of that party which I brought with me out of Wales, with the Northerne Forces about Knaresborough and Weatherby, hearing that the Enemy was ad­vanced with their Army into Lancashire, we marched the next day, being the 13 of this instant August, to Oately, (having cast off our Traine, and sent it to Knaresborough, because of the difficulty of marching therewith through Graven; and to the end we might with more expedition attend the Enemies motion) and from thence the 14. to Skipton, the 15. to Gysburne, the 16. to Hodder Bridge, over Ribble, where we had a Councell of War, at which we had in consideration, Whether we should march to Whalley that night, and so on to interpose betweene the Enemy and his further progresse into Lancashire, and so Southward, which we had some advertisement the Enemy intended, and since confirmed that they resolved for London it selfe; or whether to march immediately over the said Bridge, there being no other betwixt that and Preston, and ingage the Enemy there; who we did believe would stand his ground, because we had informati­on that the Irish Forces under Munroe lately came out of Ireland, which consisted of 1200. Horse and 1500 Foot, were on their march towards Lancaster to joyne with them; It was thought that to ingage the Enemy to fight was our businesse; and the reason aforesaid giving us hopes that our marching on the North fide of Ribble would effect it; It was resolved we should march over the Bridge, which accordingly we did, and that night quartered the whole Army in the fields by Stony-Hurst-Hall, be­ing [Page 2] Mr. Sherburnes house, a place nine miles distant from Preston, Very early the next morning we marched towards Preston, having intelligence that the Enemy was drawing together there abouts from all his out quarters; we drew out a forlorn of about 200. Horse and 400. Foot, the Horse commanded by Major Smithson, the Foot by Major Pounell; our Forlorn of Horse marched with­in a mile, where the Enemy was drawne up in the inclosed grounds by Preston on that side next us; And there upon a Moore about halfe a mile distant from the Enemies Army, meet with their Scouts and out-Guard; and did behave themselves with that valour and courage, as made their Guards (which consisted both of Horse and Foot) to quit their ground, and tooke divers prisoners, holding this dispute with them untill our Forlorne of Foot came up for their Justification; And by these we had op­portunity to bring up our whole Army. So soone as our Foot and Horse were come up, we resolved that night to ingage them if we could; and therefore advancing with our Forlornes, and putting the rest of the Army into as good a posture as the ground would beare (which was totally inconvenient for our Horse, being all in closure, and myerye ground) we pressed upon them, the Regiments of Foot were ordered as followeth, There being a lane very deepe and ill up to the En­emies Army and leading to the Towne, we Commanded two Regiments of Horse, the first whereof was Colonell Harrisons, and next was my owne, to charge up that Lane, and on either side of them advanced the Battle, which were Lievtenant Co­lonell Reads, Colonell Deanes, and Colonell Prides on the right, Colonell Brights and my Lord Generals on the left, and Colo­nell Ashton with the Lancashire Regiments in reserve; we order­ed Colonell Thornhaugh, and Colonell Twisletons Regiments of Horse of the right, and one Regiment in reserve for the Lane, and the remaining Hotse on the left; so that at last we came to a hedge dispute, the greatest of the impression from the Ene­my being upon our left wing, and upon the Battell on both sides the Lane, and upon our Horse in the Lane, in all which places the Enemie was forced from their ground after foure houres dispute, until we came to the Towne, into which foure Troopes of my Regiment first entered and being well seconded by Colonell Harrisons Regiment, charged the Enemy in the Towne and cleare the Streets, there came no hands of our [Page 4] Foot to fight that day, but did it with incredible valour and re­solution, amongst which Colonell Brights, my Lord Generall, Lievtenant Colonell Reads, and Colonell Ashtons had the greatest worke, they often comming to push of Pike and to close firings, and alwaies making the Enemy to recoyle, and indeed I must needs say, God was as much seene in the valour of the Officers and Souldiers of these before mentioned, as in any action that hath beene performed, the Enemy making (though he was still worsted) very stiffe and sturdy resistance, Colonell Deanes, and Colonell Prides out winging the Enemy could not come to so much share of the action, the Enemy shoging downe towards the Bridge, and keeping almost all in reserve, that so he might bring fresh hands often to fight, which we not knowing but least we should be out winged, placed those two Regiments to inlarge our right wing, which was the cause they had not at that time so great a share in that action; at the last the Enemy was put into disorder, many men slain, many prisoners taken; the Duke with most of the Scots Horse and Foot retreated over the Bridge, where after a very hot dispute betwixt the Lancashire Regiments, part of my Lord Generals and them being at push of Pike, they were beaten from the Bridge, and our Horse and Foot following them, killed many, and tooke divers prisoners, and wee possessed the Bridge over Darwent and a few Houses there, the Enemy being drawne up within Musquet shot of us where we lay that night, we not being able to attempt further upon the Enemy, the night preventing us; in this posture did the Enemy and we lie the most part of that night; upon our entering the Towne, many of the Enemies Horse fled towards Lancaster, in the chase of whom went divers of our Horse, who pursued them neare ten miles, and had execution of them, and tooke about five hundred Horse, and many prisoners; We possessed in this Fight very much of the Enemies Ammunition, I beleeve they lost foure or five thousand Armes, the number of the slain we judge to be about a thousand, the prisoners we took were about four thousand.

In the night rhe Duke was drawing off his Army towards Wiggon, we were so wearied with the dispute that we did not so well attend the Enemies going off as might have been, by means whereof the Enemy was gotten at least three miles with his reare before ours got to them. I ordered Colonell Thornhaugh to [Page 5] Command two or three Regiments of Horse to follow the Ene­my if it were possible, to make him stand till we could bring up the Army: The Enemy marched away seven or eight thousand Foot, and about foure thousand Horse, we followed him with about three thousand Foote, and two thousand five hundred Horse and Dragoones, and in this prosecution that worthy Gen­tleman Colonell Thornhaugh pressing too boldly was slaiue, be­ing run into the body, and thigh, and head, by the Enemies Launcers, (and give me leave to say, he was a man as faithfull and gallant in your service as any, and one who often hereto­fore lost bloud in your quarrell, and now his last; he harh left somebehind him to inherit a Fathers honour, and a sad Wid­dow, both now the interest of the Common-wealth) our Horse still prosecuted the Enemy, killing and taking divers all the way, at last the enemy drew up within three miles of Wiggon, and by that time our Army was come up they drew off againe and recovered Wiggon before we could attempt any thing upon them, we lay that night in the field close by the Enemy, being very dirty and weary, and having marched twelve miles of such ground as I never rod in all my life, the day being very wet we had some skirmishing that nigh; with the Enemy neere the Towne, where we tooke Major Generall Van Druske and a Col­lonell, and killed some principall Officers, and tooke about a hundred prisoners, where also I received a Letter from Duke Hamilton for civill usage towards his Kinsman Colonell Ha­milton whom he left wounded there.

We took also Col. Hurrey, and Lieut. Col. Ennis, sometimes in your service. The next morning the enemy marched towards Warrington, and we at the heeles of them, the town of Wiggon a great and poore town, and very Malignant, were plundered al­most to their skins by them; we could not ingage the enemy un­till we came within three miles of Warrington, and there the ene­my made a stand at a passe neare Winwicke, we held them in some dispute untill our Army was come up, they maintaining the passe with great resolution for many hours, ours and theirs comming to push of pike, and to very close charges, and forced us to give ground, but our men by the blessing of God quickly recovered it, and charging very home upon them beat them from their standing, where we killed about a thousand of them, and tooke (as we beleeve) about two thousand prisoners, and prosecuted them home to Warrington town, where they possessed the Bridge, [Page 6] which had a strong Barracado and a Worke upon it, formerly made very defensive; as soone as we came thither I received a Message from Lieut. Generall Baily, desiring some capitulation, to which I yeelded, considering the strength of the passe, and that I could not goe over the river within ten miles of Warrington with the Army; I gave him these tearms, That he should surren­der himselfe, and all his Officers and Souldiers prisoners of War, with all his Armes and Ammunition and Horses to me, I gi­ving quarter for life, and promising civill usage, which accor­dingly is done, and the Commissioners deputed by me have re­ceived, and are receiving all the Armes and Ammunition which will be as they tell me about foure thousand compleat Armes, and as many prisoners. And thus you have their Infantry totally ruined, what Colonells or Officers are with Lievtenant Ge­nerall Bailey, I have not yet received the List. The Duke is marched with his remaining Horse, which are about 3000. to­wards Namptwich, where the Gentlemen of the Country have taken about 500. of them, of which they sent me word this day; the Country will scarce suffer any of my men to passe, ex­cept they have my hand, telling them, They are Scots; they bring in and kill divers as they light upon them. Most of the Nobility of Scotland are with the Duke, if I had a thousand Horse that could but trot thirty miles I should not doubt but to give a very good account of them; but truly we are so harrased and hagled out in this businesse that we are not able to doe more than walke an easie pace after them. I have sent Post to my Lord Grey to Sir Hen. Chomley, and Sir Edw. Roads, to gather all together with speed for their prosecution, as likewise to acquaint the Gover­nour of Stafford therewith; I heare Munro is about Cumberland with the Horse that ran away, and his Irish Horse and Foot, which are a considerable body; I have left Colonell Ash­tons three Regiments of Foot with seven Troops of Horse, six of Lancashire, and one of Cumberland at Preston, and ordered Col. Scroape with five Troops of Horse, and two Troops of Dragoons, with two Regiments of Foot, viz. Col. Lassells, and Col. Wastalls to imbody with them, by which I hope they will be able to make a resistance till we can come up to them, and have ordered them to put their Prisoners to the Sword if the Scots shall presume to advance upon them, because they cannot bring them off with security.

Thus you have a Narrative of the particulars of the successe which God hath given you, which I could hardly at this time have done, considering the multiplicity of businesse; but truly when I was once engaged in it, I could hardly tell how to say lesse, there being so much of God; and I was not willing to say more, least there should seeme to be any thing of man, onely give me leave to adde one word shewing the disparity of the Forces on both sides, that so you may see, and all the world acknow­ledge the great hand of God in this businesse; The Scots Army could not be lesse then 12000. effective Foot well armed, and 5000. Horse, Langdale not lesse then 2500. Foot, and 1500. Horse, in all one and twenty thousand; and truly very few of their Foot but were as well armed, if not better than yours, and at divers disputes did fight two or three houres before they would quit their ground: Yours were about 2500. Horse and Dragoons of your old Army, about 4000. Foot of your old Army also, about 1600. Lancashire Foot, and about 500. Lancashire Horse, in all about 8600. you see by computation about 2000. of the Enemy slaine, betwixt eight and nine thousand Prisoners, besides what are lurking in Hedges and private places, which the Country daily bring in or destroy. Where Langdale and his bro­ken Forces are, I know not, but they are exceedingly shattered; surely Sir, this is nothing but the hand of God, praise onely be­longs to him, and where ever any thing in this world is exal­ted, or exalts it selfe, God will pull it downe, for this is the day wherein he alone will be exalted; it is not fit for me to give advice, nor to say a word what use should be made of this more than to pray you, and all that acknowledge God, that they would onely exalt him, and not hate his people who are as the apple of his eye, and for whom even Kings shall be reproved; and that you would take courage to doe the worke of the Lord, in fulfilling the end of your Magistracy, in seeking the peace and welfare of the people of this Land, that all that will live quietly and peaceably may have countenance from you; and they that are implacable, and will not leave troubling the Land, may speedily be destroyed out of the Land; and if you take courage in this God will blesse you, and good men will stand by you, and God will have glory, and the Land will have happinesse by you in despight of all your enemies, which shall be the prayer, of