JUne 13. 1645. Sol in Cancer, the happiest Tropike that we have seene in our dayes. 14. The glorious victory at Naisby, when the Lord magnified his servant FAIRFAX, and gave an earnest of fur­ther mercies: Arms taken 9000. 2000 Horse, prisoners 4540. 12. Ord­nance, Letters for discovery, sundry Knights and Colonels brought in afterwards. 18. Leicester regained, 14. Ordnance, 30. Colours, 2000. Armes, 500. Horses, 50. barrels of powder: A great mercy, as the losse was unexpressible. 23. Castles in Shropshire rendred, Caus, Stoke and Shrawarden. 28. Carlile rendred, 20. Ordnance, 1000. Armes. High­worth Garrison taken, 100. Armes, &c. Horses in divers parts taken: 100.60.50.45.60. or 70.

July 5. 1645. Taunton the second time mightily relieved. Ilchester Garrison taken. 9. & 10. Victory at Langport against Goring, sun­dry Colonels taken, 2000. prisoners, 2000. Horses, 4000. Armes, Co­lours of Horse 35. of Foot 21. two great Ordnance, thirty of their Re­giments broken, and Langpart Garrison taken. 14. Burroughs Garrison taken. 21, 22. Bridgewater stormed and taken; a mighty piece. Ponte­fract Castle yeelded to the Parliament. Frome-Cannon taken by storme of the Scots. Small Garrisons neer Bridgewater quitted. 23. Raby Ca­stle surrendred to the Parliament. Chadwick-house, a strong Garrison, taken by the Lyme-men. 25. Searborough Castle surrendred to the Par­liament. 28. Bath yeelded up to the Parliament, 6. Ordnance, &c. 80. Horse of the Kings Life-guard taken: Club-men of Somersetshire quieted.

August 3. 1645. Leaders of Club-men in Dorsetshire taken at Shafts­bury, the whole 51. of them. 4. Club-men there routed, 2000. Armes taken, 300. men. Victory over Gerard neer Haverford-west, 4. Ord­nance taken, 800. Armes, 700. prisoners, &c. 5. Haverford west ta­ken, Towne and Castle, 20. Commanders. Yonghall relieved; a great mercy. Sligo taken, 150. Horses; sundry Castles. 15. Sherborne Castle stormed, taken and demolished; in it sixteen Ordnance taken, many Officers, &c. 28. For [...]shea [...] point taken, 6. Ordnance, 200. Armes. Garew Castle taken, and Nunny Castle, and divers other in Shropshire.

September 11, 1645. Bristoll stormed and surrendred to the Parlia­ment; Think how great strength and wealth, and what a mercy, not [Page 2] easily dived into: Oh Love the Lord, &c. 13. Montrosse routed and Scotland revived; A wonder! Let the Kingdomes study thankful­nesse. 23. Devizes Castle taken, 300 Armes, some Ordnance, &c. and Lacock-house; Cardiffe Castle taken, 16 Ordnance, 400 Armes, and Pick­ton Castle in Pembrokeshire. 24. The Cavaliers routed at Rowton-Heath, 11 Colours taken, with other Officers, 2000 Horses, 1500 prisoners, &c. Berkly Castle stormed and surrendred to the Parliament.

October 1. 1645. Sandall Castle, a strong place, after a long siege, de­livered to the Parliament. 6. Winchester City and Castle yeelded to the Parliament, 7 Ordnance taken, 700 Armes, with great provisions. 11. Chepstow Town and Castle taken by composition, 17 Ordnance, 200 Armes, and provisions. 12. Carmarthen Towne and Castle delivered to the Parliament. 14. B [...]zing-house taken by storme, with 10 Ordnance, 2000 Armes, 200 Horse, &c. burnt to the ground. 15. Lord Digby and Langdale routed at Sherborne in Yorkeshire, 600 Horses taken, Colonels, Officers, &c. with Digbies Cabinet and Letters. 18. Langford-house deli­vered to the Parliament. 19. Tiverton taken by storme and strange pro­vidence, 4 Ordnance, and divers Officers. 24. Monmouth and its Castle delivered to the Parliament, 7 Ordnance, 4 sling pieces, 300 Muskets, &c. Item, Digby and Langdale againe routed at Carlile-sands, 200 Horses taken, with Officers, &c. 27. Shelford-house taken by storme, with Arms and Ammunition.

November 1. 1645. Victory at Denbigh over Sir William Naughan, 600 Horses taken, 400 prisoners, &c. 6. Bolton Castle neer Newark delivered to the Parliament, and Welbeck-house slighted. 10. Werton-house delive­red to the Parliament. 16. Beeston Castle delivered to the Parliament, a very strong piece, and long besiged.

December 7. Latham-house, very strong, delivered to the Parliament, and Fulford-house in the West. 18. Hereford surprized, 11 Ordnance, one Lord, 14 Knights. 20. Skipton Castle taken, 7 Ordnance, 300 Armes, 100 Horses; and Callitine-house neer Exeter, a Troope, Armes and Am­munition; and Poulderham-house. Plymmouth releeved; Canterbury Fort taken, Saint Budeaux Church neer Plymmouth, and Sir Francis Drakes house.

Victory in Ireland, and at Andernasse in Scotland.

January 7. 1645. Sir Thomas Fairfax takes 800 Horses at times. 19. Dartmouth taken, 120 Ordnance mounted, 2 men of war, Lord Newport the Governour, and many Officers, 800 common Souldiers, &c. 25. Poulderham Castle delivered to the Parliament. 29. Belvoir Castle deli­vered to the Parliament, 8 Ordnance, 2 murdering pieces, &c. Mon­mouth about this time in danger to be lost, but preserved, as also Wareham.

[Page 3]February 3. Chester delivered to the Parliament, with great strength and wealth. 16. Victory at Torrington, 3000 Armes, 300 Horses, 600 prisones; Hoptons Infantry taken, slaine, or wholly routed, his Bag and Baggage taken, and his Magazine blowne up. 20. Revolting Karne overthrowne at Cardisse, 200 slaine, 800 prisoners, the Army routed 25. Victory at Stratton in Cornwall, 300 Horses taken, 80 prisoners, and Tamer-bridge. 26. Launceston taken, the enemies Magazine, and above 20 Horses. 27. Corfe Castle taken, 4 Ordnance, 300 Armes, 30 Horses 155 prisoners.

March 2. Abbingdon in great danger, but mercifully delivered by a gallant repulse to Prince Rupert, and 200 who had entred. 3. Ashby­delazouch yeelded, and slighted, 5 Ordnance, 300 Arms, and good pro­visions. 8. Bodmin taken, 200 Prisoners, 2 or 300 Horses: Cornish Gen­tlemen and Officers submit, 35, 40, 100, 96, 12, great mercies every day. 13. Peurin delivered to the Parl. with Colonell Trevanion, &c. and Saint Mawes, with 13 Ordnance, Armes, &c. 14. Hoptons Army dissol­ved by composition, 2000 Horses taken, 3 or 4000 Armes: Harwarden Castle delivered to the Parl. Inch-house taken, 4 Ordn. 90 Muskets, &c. neer Plymouth. 18. Dennis Castle taken, and Helford Haven, 26 Ord. &c. and a Dunkirk Frigot, with 26 Ord. 21. Victory at Stow, Lord Ashley taken, 500 Horses, bag and baggage, 1600 prisoners, 202 slaine, scarce 200 escaping of 3000. 24. Poulderham-Fort taken, 18 Ordnance &c. 27. Higharcall taken, 250 Armes, sundry Horses: Portland Castle taken, 10 Ord. 200 Arms 140 Prisoners.

April 1. 1646. Demiston Castle delivered to the Parli. 6 Ord. Pow­der 20 Barrels, &c. 3. Colonell Betsworth takes 400 enemies neere Farringdon, the Towne burnt by the Cavaliers, and Bridgenorth. 8. Ru­thyn Castle taken. 13. Exeter delivered to the Parliament, 75 Ord­nance, 1500 Muskets, &c. 14. Barnstable delivered; and Aberistwith, with 400 Armes. 16 Saint Michaels Mount delivered to the Parlia­ment, 30 Ordnance, 500 Armes, much Wine. 20. Tutbury Castle delivered, and Barton Garrison slighted. 22. Dunster Castle delive­red. 26. Woodstocke Mannour delivered, 400 Armes, 40 Horses. 27. Bridgenorth Castle delivered to the Parliament, 500 Armes, 50 Horses; and the KING forsaketh his evill Counsellours at Oxford.

May 5. 1646. The King goeth to his friends and ours, the Scots before Newarke. 8. Newarke deliverend to the Parliament, 12 Ord­nance, 4000 Armes, &c. as also Banbury Castle. 13. Dudley Castle de­livered to the Parliament. 16. Hartlebury Castle delivered, 6. Ord­nance, 200 Armes, with good provisions. 19. The King pro­miseth to comply fully with his Parliaments of England and Scotland, [Page 4] and commandeth Montrosse w^th the other Rebels in Scotland to lay down their Arms: also Fort Charles at Salcomb, a very strong Garrison, is de­livered to the Parli. 22, Radcot-house delivered to the Parli.

June 1. 1646. Ludlow Towne and Castle delivered to the Parli. Carnarvon delivered to the Parli. 7. Victory at Sea, 6 Ord. taken, with great Ammunition and provision in a Ship 70 Tun; and other at­chievements against Irish Rebels, 1 Ship taken, 2 Ordnan. and provisi­ons. 10. Bostoll-house delivered to the Parli. 5 Ord. 200 Muskets, and good provisions. 22. Oxford City with all Ord. store of powder, and Ammunition, and Victuall. 25. Farrington Garrison delivered up with the Ord. and Ammunition.

Now beware of that black Character of the last and worst times, 2 Tim. 3.2. Ʋnthankefull, unholy; whether it be unthankfulnesse to God, or to men; and those are unthankfull, first, who esteem not mercies to be mercies, as our Malignants, who had rather things had gone pros­perously on the other side: Secondly, who are not the better for great mercies, victories, deliverances, discoveries of wicked plots, and preci­ous favours, partly in possession, and partly in expectation; whereas the goodnesse of God should lead us to repentance, Rom. 2.4. Yea, many live as if they were delivered to all their abominations, as in former prospe­rity, Jer. 7.10. Thirdly, who rest in the means and men, by whom the mercies were sent; wise Counsellours, brave Souldiers, excellent helps, so resting in the arme of flesh: A carnall glorying. Our rule is, to give God the glory, whatever we think or say of the men; as Judg. 5.9. My heart is towards the Governours of Israel, that offered themselves wil­lingly among the people: Blesse ye the Lord. Fourthly, who take the praise and glory of any good unto themselves; as Herod the praise of his elo­quence, Acts 12.23. Neither God nor their brethren, but themselves must be magnified; whereas the godly have ever been carefull to put it off from themselves, saying, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truths sake, Psal. 115.1.

Consider for motives to thankfulnesse: First, that the Lord looks for the honour of his great works; as that the cleansed Leapers should returne unto him; It is his will in Christ Jesus concerning us, 1 Thes. 5.18. Secondly, whereas he loseth his praises among an unbeleeving and car­nall generation, it is fit he should find it among his faithfull ones; He inhabits the praises of Israel, Psal. 22.3. if there were not some that mind him in his ways, he should lose the praise of his great works altogether. Thirdly, it is not onely the imployment of Saints on earth, but o [...] [Page 5] the Saints and Angels in Heaven, day and night singing Hallelujah to him that sits on the throne, Revel. 4.8. and certainly, our life is neerest to per­fection, when it is neerest to the life of Heaven. Fourthly, it is due un­to God, as any mony is due from one man to another, and in honesty ought to be paid, 2 Cor. 8.21. Provide for honest things, not onely in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men: Beware of an arrest from the High Court of Heaven. Fiftly, it is an honest and holy policy to get more at the hands of God; namely, if he shall see us unthankfull for former fa­vours; as also among men, thankfulnesse for old good turnes, inviteth new: And consider, Christians, we need now a Crowne to be set upon the great works already done for us; even the top-stone of the building: We are not yet in Canaan.

But wherein standeth the due thankfulnesse?

First, in respect of God, to be drawne up by these his works to a clo­ser and neerer communion with him, to fall often into ravishing ad­mirations of him, and of his free love to us; to delight our selves in him, love him, feare him, honour him, trust in him for time to come; to wait better upon him, without distraction, and serve him in truth with all our heart, considering how great things he hath done for us, 1 Sam. 12.24. All being purposely done to lead us neerer to himselfe; and he is better and greater then any of his works, whatever they be: And the time will be, that himselfe will be left to us, to be all in all for our blessednesse; the Temple and the Light, Rev. 21.22, 23.

Secondly, in respect of his great works: About which, we read of divers acts of holy men; as first, To have pleasure in them, Psal. 111.2. As the Lord hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, so his servants have pleasure in him, and in his mercifull dealings with them: secondly To seek them out, ibid. that they may know and be acquainted with them particularly: It sufficeth not to heare of them by the by, but they will hearken after them: Eli sate by the way side, to heare what was become of the Army: thirdly, to observe them, as things they meane to record and make an holy use of them, Psal. 107.43. Who so is wise, and will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord: People love to goe forth to see some great pomp or Pageant that passeth by; but the works of God are matters of weight and substance: fourthly, to prize them, as comming from a precious love and counsell of peace by Christ, who did greater things for them, and intends to doe more; Psal. 139.17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God! and this is the best way to breed a reall thankfulnesse, not the having, but prizing of mercies: fiftly, to think and meditate on them at times with ravishing thoughts, as men more then Conquerours through Christ, and enabled to triumph in him over all our enemies; Psal. 92.4, 5. Thou Lord hast [Page 6] made me glad through thy worke, I will triumph in the works of thy hands; O Lord how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. At first we consider them but slightly; but this chewing the cud will make a perfecter di­gestion. Sixtly, to Remember and have them still in readinesse, for quickning of thankfulnesse and other holy uses above mentioned: Psal. 105.5. Remember his mervailous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth: Memory is the treasury of the soule; fit to lay up such Jewels. Seventhly, to speak of them severally, so far as we can; that others may be edified and excited unto thankfulnesse, and our children after us may preserve the memory of them from one Genera­tion to another: Psal. 145.6, 7. Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatnesse: they shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodnesse, and shall sing of thy righteousnesse.

If ye instance in these times, tell of Edge-hill, Marston-moore, Naseby, Routen-heath, and other Victories; and all that power, glory, wisdom, mercy, justice and truth, which the Lord hath caused to passe before us: Tell of a great enemy subdued, great prisoners taken, great Gar­risons received, great store of Armes and Ammunition yeelded up: Tell of hellish and desperate plots most happily prevented: Tell of courage in Souldiers, faithfulnesse in Sea-men, feare melting and chasing our enemis, refreshment to the weary parts of the Kingdome, feares of evil almost come to an end, hopes of speciall blessings which the Lord hath in store for us, and how in these Countries we have escaped the mise­ries of war, which our Brethren have endured: Tell of Noble Leaders whom God hath raised and blessed to be instruments of our good; of our excellent Parliament; of our ever to be honoured Brethren of Scot­land; of loving and free-hearted Londoners; of Forreigners forbearing to intermeddle; of other mercies; and our great unbeliefe all along the triall, incorrigiblenesse by the rod, unthankfulnesse in the Cove­nant, unthankfulnesse after so great favours: review the mercies again, and tell of their sweetnesse and usefulnesse, their variety, their plenty and multitude, the freenesse of conferring them, the seasonablenesse, the watchfulnesse of God to take the due time, other commending cir­cumstances; willingly lose your selves in relating them, and adoring our great Benefactor; which is the chiefe intent and desire of the Wri­ter, and