A more exact relation of the siege laid to the town of Leicester: how it was maintained, and how lost, and what quarter was given by the Kings forces. / Delivered in to the Honourable House of Commons by Sir Robert Pye governour of the said town, and Major Iames Ennis, June 10. 1645. Published by authority. Pye, Robert, Sir, d. 1701. 1645 Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A91374 Wing P4255 Thomason E287_6 99860893 99860893 158556

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A91374) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 158556) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 47:E287[6]) A more exact relation of the siege laid to the town of Leicester: how it was maintained, and how lost, and what quarter was given by the Kings forces. / Delivered in to the Honourable House of Commons by Sir Robert Pye governour of the said town, and Major Iames Ennis, June 10. 1645. Published by authority. Pye, Robert, Sir, d. 1701. Innes, James, Major. 8 p. Printed by Iohn Field for Laurance Chapman, London, : 1645. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Leicester (England) -- History -- Siege, 1645 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2009-03 Assigned for keying and markup 2009-04 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2009-05 Sampled and proofread 2009-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-09 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

A more Exact RELATION OF The Siege laid to the Town of LEICESTER: How it was maintained, and how loſt, and what Quarter was given by the Kings Forces.

Delivered in to the Honourable Houſe of Commons by Sir Robert Pye Governour of the ſaid Town, and Major Iames Ennis, June 10. 1645.

Publiſhed by Authority.

LONDON, Printed by Iohn Field for Laurence Chapman, 1645.

An Exact Relation of the Siege laid to the Town of Leiceſter.

VPon Tueſday being the 28. of May laſt paſt, Major Ennis intended to march to Nottingham (being then quartered at Humberſton a mile from Leiceſter) with the Troops then under his command, and ſo to the Scotiſh Army, and had drawn his Troops all to a Rendezvous for this end: In the mean time there came to him an Expreſſe from the Committee of Leiceſter, ſignifying that the enemy with a conſiderable ſtrength of Horſe, had approached their Town of Leiceſter, and that they had probable Intelligence, that they intended to reduce that Town to their obedience, intimating their great neceſſity for want of horſe, and earneſtly deſiring the aſſiſtance of Major Ennis with his Troops, which he declined at firſt, by reaſon he was upon his march to Nottingham; but after he had marched a mile from his Quarters, another Meſſenger did come to him in all haſt, deſiring his aide, and intreating not to deſert them in ſuch an exigence, declaring publikely before both Officers and Souldiers, that there was quarters provided in the Innes of the Town for the ſeverall Troops, and all accomodations fitting for horſe and men; Whereupon Major Ennis, did draw back his Troops toward Leiceſter, and being requeſted by a Letter from Sir Robert Pye (written by the advice of the Committee) to joyn with, and aſſiſt the horſe properly belonging to this Garriſon under the Command of Captain Babington, who was then almoſt engaged with the enemy before the Town, but the enemy having drawn up above 2000. horſe cloſe to the walls, Major Ennis (though with very great danger in his paſſage) marched into the Town, and drew off the Troops belonging to the garriſon, after ſome skirmiſh wherein ſome priſoners were taken, and two killed.

Upon Wedneſday the 29. about eight in the morning, the whole body of the enemies horſe drew up before the Town, and ſurrounded it, and with ſeverall parties of horſe were trying all places of advantage for making their approaches, and conſidering the confuſion and danger like to enſue in waiting for Orders from the Committee, it was reſolved that the chief Command ſhould be entruſted to one; whereupon the Government of the Town was committed to Sir Robert Pye, and immediatly he taking the ſame into his care, gave Order to Major Ennis to ſally out with all the horſe in Town, which he accordingly did, and beat all the enemies parties cloſe to their bodies, and hindred them from making any batteries that day, or any neerer approaches, and afterwards drew his horſe neer the walls, waiting opportunities of the enemy: In the afternoon Major Ennis commanded a party to engage ſome to the enemies horſe, under the command of Lieutenant Davis, who charged the enemy, and cauſed them retire to Belgrave Bridge, in the Charge we had ſeverall wounded, and two of Major Ennis Troop were run through with Pikes.

Upon Thurſday the 30. The enemies whole Infantry appeared before the Town, and dividing themſelves in three ſeverall bodies, they approached the Town at the South bridge, and St. Sondayes bridge, they were quiet all that day, only ſome ſmall skirmiſhing with horſe; towards night they began to work diligently, and before morning they had a fair battery raiſed before the South Bridge, and their Cannon planted: Howbeit we cauſed the Souldiers give fire upon that place where they were digging, both with Muſquet and Canon (it being within Muſquet ſhot of the walls) to hinder their working: At St. Sondayes Bridge the enemy did lodge themſelves in the houſes adjacent to the Bridge, and were beginning to work, which being perceived, twenty of the Troopers under command of Major Ennis ſallied over the Bridge on foot, and with Carbines beat the enemy from the houſes, and burned them down to the ground.

Upon Fryday their Batteries being ready, the Enemy ſhot ſome Canon and immediatly ſummoned the Town by a Trumpeter, but the ſummons being directed to the Officers, Souldiers and Townſmen of Leicester, it was thought convenient by the Committees, that the Common Counſell of the Town ſhould be conveened, and an Anſwer directed to the Prince, who did ſigne the Summons; but they being ſlow in their appearing to give adviſe either herein, or aſſiſtance at the walls; Prince Rupert deſired again a ſpeedy Anſwer, and the immediate return of his Trumpeter: But the Committee and Townſmen being devided, there could no Anſwer be made at that time, but a Trumpeter was ſent from the Committee with a Paper, bearing Superſcription to the Commander in Chief, with all, deſiring a time for their Anſwer, and a deſiſting from any further working: But Prince Rupert diſdaining to receive a Paper with ſuch a Superſcription, cauſed play very hot upon the Town with Canon and Muſquet, and ſuddenly with his great Canon made a breach in the Newark-wall, which quarter of the Town was aſſigned to Major Ennis to defend; but a Counter Line paralell to the ſtone Wall, was raiſed, and with admirable haſte was perfected, and to the ſpeedy effectuating thereof, they cauſed their Troopers alight from their horſes, and dig and work whileſt the Canon was hotteſt playing upon them; about ten of the clock at night, all their Canon were ſhot off at once, which was their ſigne to ſtorm upon all Quarters; they did draw the moſt of their ſtrength to the breach which they had made in Newark wall; and not thinking of any Work made within that Breach, they with confidence entred, and beat our Musketiers from the loupholes of the ſtone wall: Major Ennis perceiving the Enemy to have entred the Breach, drew his Horſe down towards them, and cauſed ſome troopers ſerve with carbines on foot, & with the reſt of his Horſe upon the footgang of the Line, beat the Enemy back with loſſe. The Enemy attempted again, and entred the Breach, and all the Musketiers there run away baſely; ſo that Major Ennis was forced to maintain that Breach with his Horſe, and ſome he cauſed quit their Horſe and ſerve on foot, and with admirable reſolution repulſed the Enemy five ſeverall ſtormes, and cauſed them at laſt draw quite off; and did conceive no probability in entring there, for there was a peece of our beſt Canon drawn thither, and load with Caſe-ſhot, did wonderfull execution upon the Enemy; yea, by their own Relation, there was killed and made unſerviceable, neer three hundred men, beſides ſeverall Officers of Eminency, ſuch as Collonel St. Johns, his Lieutenant Collonel, Major Bullington and others. It is worthy of Relation, That when our Canoneer at the Breach was killed, a Dutchman under Major Ennis Command, quit his Horſe and diſcharged the duty of a Canoneer faithfully (being well experienced therein) and did very good ſervice till he was thruſt through the body with a Pike: Whil'ſt Major Ennis was engaged in this hot diſpute, the Enemy had entred the Town at the other Poſts; namely at Belgrave, and were ſuffered to ſcale the Line with three Ladders at St. Margarets, without diſcharging a Muſket, and thereafter to let down one of the Bridges, which gave way to all the reſt to enter: Sir Robert Pye thinking to repulſe the Enemy at that Bridge, with much courage Marched towards them with ſome Horſe, and moſt gallantly cauſed many of them run, but being much over-powered with multitudes, was at length taken Priſoner.

Major Ennis having repulſed the Enemy thus from the Breach, and conceiving that place then tenable with a fewer number, went with intention to view the reſt of the Poſts in Town, and left that well beſet, under the charge of his own Lieutenant, and one Captain Hacker, and with the reſt of his Horſe, encountred the Enemies Horſe at the South gate, where he beat them back to their foot and Canon, which were advanced as far as the Market place, and afterwards retired to the Newark, which he maintained till he had fair Quarters granted to him and his Souldiers, which the Enemy performed, but Plundered them of all they had.

All the Reward we had of the Townſmen for our ſervice in their defence, was, that after the Town was poſſeſſed by the Enemy, and we in their power, they railed againſt us, and by incenſing the Enemy, endeavoured to ſtir them up to uſe us hardly, ſaying, if it had not been for Sir Robert Pye, and Major Ennis, with the Scotch men, there had been no blood ſhed, the Town had been peaceably Surrendred and not Plundered.

All that we could inform our ſelves of the Enemies deſignes, was, that they had once fully reſolved to go Northward, to reſcue Chester, march into Lancaſhire, raiſe the Siege of Carliſle, and ſend an Army into Scotland: But being prevented, they altered their deſignes, and we heard His Majeſty was reſolved, though it ſhould coſt him never ſo dear, that he would raiſe the ſiege of Oxford; the ſtrength of the Enemy ſo far as we could learn, was not ten thouſand Horſe and Foot, whereof many ill Armed, eſpecially their Horſe.

FINIS.