Yeſterday morning about 11 or 12 a clock in the night the enemy marched from Preſton, we lying within two or three miles of them, where we expected thoſe ſupplyes of Forces which came not: ſome of our intelligence informing us, the Enemy more running away towards their Army with what they had gotten; we purſued them hither with ſome confidence that that Intelligence was true, and the rather we beleeved it, becauſe of ſome diſcouragement we put upon them the day before; but upon our approach hither we found it otherwiſe, for they were bending their courſe towards Mancheſter, where they had not only very great hopes of ſurprizing my Lord Generalls Regiment of Foot, but alſo great aſſurance of the aſſiſtance of five hundred men in and about that Towne, but upon the ſight of our neare appoach they unexpectedly put themſelves into a poſture of fighting with us, which then we endeavoured to decline, in regard of the great advantage they had by their many Foote, and Hedges, and the danger we apprehended my Lord Generalls Regiment of Foot at Mancheſter to be in, we were drawing off, thinking to have marched in the left flanke of them thither, to have gained a conjunction with our Friends, who had order to march to me that day towards Preſton, we had thought to have met them in the way, having ſent ſeverall Meſſengers to let them know both the Enemies and our motion, but the Enemy perceiving us to draw off, quickly advanced upon us with their Horſe, and Foot, which we perceiving, and that we could not goe off ſafely enough, we fell to diſpute with them, which laſted almoſt one houre, our Horſe being not able to doe any ſervice but in Lanes, and they over-powering us ſo much in Foot made the buſineſſe very difficult, that we hardly knew whoſe the day would be for ſo long; but therein was the Salvation of God the more ſeen, and the greater opportunity we had to deſtroy them. I deſire that he may have the praiſe and glory of that happy ſucceſſe he was pleaſed to give unto us, his poore Creatures; having given you this Narrative in general, which I thought it my duty to doe, this incloſed Liſt will informe you further of the particulars; I deſire the Lord would teach us to walke in ſome way anſwerable to thoſe manifold and gracious Diſpenſations he daily gives us experience of, and manifeſts his love unto us in that his Name may be magnified in all we doe, in our ſeverall places and ſtations; this great mercy to us here I hope is the earneſt of his further tenderneſſe, to the great concernments of all good people in this Nation, which is the hearty deſire of

UPon the receipt of your Orders to ſtay here with my Regiment, I marched that day from Stopport to this Town; which was 22 miles before I reſted, hearing the Enemy was here, and thinking I might have a little ſurprized them, but they were gone to Chorley; the next day I marched after them towards Preſton, and lay within two miles of them onely with my own Regiment, and about 60 Horſe and Dragoones which is all the Country could aſſiſt me with, all this while, (ſaving onely one Company from Mancheſter of Foot and two from Chest • r which have beene with me two dayes,) That night I ſent 40 Horſe to alarum them (who then wounded Col. Vere) hearing they were to have had a Randezvous at Preſton the next day: I did that to give notice to the Town and Country I was there to oppoſe the Earle, and to ſtay the people from riſing with him, who reported it, that none of our Forces was in that Country, and made the Country beleeve all was their owne, which the people generally tooke for granted, and was comming in a pace, as by theſe incloſed you may perceive.

The next day in the afternoone, I having not Foot with me, a party of the Enemies Horſe fell ſmartly amongſt us where our Horſes were graſing, and For ſome ſpace put us pretty hard to it, but at laſt it pleaſed the Lord to ſtrengthen us ſo, as that we put them to the flight, and purſued them to Ribble-bridge, this was ſomething like our buſineſſe at Muſsle-burgh, & kild & took about 30 priſoners, moſt Officers and Gentlemen, with the loſſe of two men that dyed next morning, but ſeverall wounded and divers of our good Horſes killed. That night came the three Companies of Foot, and the next morning hearing of your Excellencies Regiment comming towards Manch • ster, I only removed two miles to a more convenient ground, thinking to have ſtaied there till your Regiment could come, which I expected this day, but their wearineſſe fruſtrated that expectation, and this morning I had intelligence that the Enemy was upon their march, which I thought was a running away from us, being they began at 11 in the night, and marched ſo faſt and privately; but their confidence was much otherwiſe raiſed, having increaſed their number at Freſton and that ingagement of the Priests and Mancheſterians (who are very Malignant) to aſſiſt them with 500 Men and Armes, and the hopes that they had of ſurprizing your Excellencies Regiment put them into great heart, that when we appeared here (thinking we had been (as it were) purſuing a flying Enemy) they ſhewed a great deale of courage by a mighty ſhout they gave beyond the Towne in ſight of us, in the way towards Manchester, which we obſerving, together with the advantage they had of us in theſe grounds, and hearing their number of Foot was much increaſed, and the danger your Regiment was in, put us upon new thoughts when they were at one end of the town and we at the other, and reſolved rather to decline engaging with them here, then hazard the loſſe of your Regiment, and put our ſelves upon an Ingagement upon too much diſadvantage, they exceeding us much in Foot, and we having no grounds to fight our Horſe upon, were were drawing off, thinking to have marched in the Flanke of them towards Mancheſter to have gained a Conjunction with our • friends there) but they ſeeing it, preſently drew through the Towne to fall upon us, which we obſerving and being ſo neere to them, reſolved to truſt God with the iſſue, and he was graciouſly pleaſed to give us a comfortable ſucceſſe to the praiſe of his great name, in a totall rout of our Enemies, who were increaſed to about 14 or 1500. and I had onely my owne Regiment and thoſe three Companies of Foot & the ſixty Horſe & Dragoones; The diſpute laſted almoſt an houre, and very difficult to us, they overlaying us ſo with Foot (having not ground for our Horſe but the laine to fight in) the ſame place where my Regiment beat up Hambletons Reare, but at laſt God gave us the day, and I deſire that he alone may have the praiſe for that great ſalvation he ſhewed to us a Company of poore Creatures.

As for the particulars I cannot yet give a very exact account to your Excellency, but onely that the Lord Derby is ſore hurt, but eſcaped though narrowly, the Lord Widdrington and Col. Sir Will: Throgmorton dying, and Tildeſly and Boynton ſlain and ſeverall other very conſiderable perſons of great quality, and about ſixty Souldiers, and we have taken moſt of their Colours and about 400 priſoners.

I thank God I loſt not one Officer, nor above ten Souldiers that I can hear of, but many Horſes kild and ſpoiled with their pikes, which I hope your Excellency will be pleaſed to conſider and repaire. The Country now begins to bring in priſoners and to ſhew themſelves to mee, but before but a few appeared: The Enemies word was Jeſu & their ſignall a White about their Arme, our word was Providence and ſignal Greens;