VPon Thurſday, the 22. of September, our Forces being ten Troops of Horſe, under the command of Colonel Browne, Commander in chiefe, alſo ſix Colours of Dragooners, being in number about foure hundred, came within a mile and a halfe of Worceſter, on the South-weſt ſide thereof, where we made good a paſſage at a bridge over the River Teame, and drew up our Horſe upon the Greene, on the left hand of the River, where we abode till Friday about foure of the clock, in expectation of ſome ſtrength, either from Glouceſter-ſhire, or elſe from my Lord Generall. Then there came a Meſſenger with a falſe Alarum from the enemie, informing that Sir William Belfoard, Lieutenant Generall of the Horſe, was drawne up on the further ſide of the City, and required us in his name, that when a Canon ſhould be ſhot off, which ſhould be the ſigne of their on-ſet, then we ſhould fall on, to make good ſome nearer paſſages, to ſtop the enemies flight, which was expected, but this was the enemies plot, to get us into a ſtraight way. Preſently after this, ſome Dragooners on the enemies part appeared, in oppoſition of whom, Colonel Browne ſent out ſome from us, which begun the skirmiſh, which Colonel Sands (who commanded all the Horſe) hearing, was then earneſt to fall on, but Captaine Nathaniel Fynes, and Captaine Wingate deſired rather a ſtay till the Peece of Ordnance was diſcharged, but his anſwer was, that the preſent was the Captaine Wingate prayed him not to miſtake them, their affection to the ſervice was as his, onely they deſired to proceed adviſedly. Nevertheleſſe Colonel Sands was ſo extreame earneſt to march, that the Captaines condeſcended, onely ſtayed to ſing a Pſalme. Before which was ended, in the laſt Diviſion, Colonel Sands marched over the paſſage, where onely could goe foure abreaſt, till we came into the lower part of the field, in the upper whereof, the enemie was placed in Battalia, whom we could not diſcover till we came to the top of the hill, up which Colonel Sands made ſuch haſte, that we were forced to gallop. Then we made all poſſible ſpeed to diſpoſe of our men in order, but before the firſt five of our Troops could be drawne up, the enemie advanced cloſe to us, and both ſides diſcharged both Carbines and piſtols, and was reſolutely performed by both, and preſently fell to the ſword, and charged one through another, and Colonel Sands broke couragiouſly (though dangerouſly) into the left wing of the enemie, being ſeconded by his Front, but had his Cornet killed. The Colonel himſelf did fight very valiantly, was much wounded, and taken priſoner, but the reſt of his Troop, too many of them being ſwearing, ill diſpoſed fellowes, ran away, however we ſtill maintained the field with courage. At our firſt on-ſet we apprehended but ſome five troops of the enemies Horſe at the moſt; we conceived they had onely the Forces that formerly kept in Worceſter, but afterwards it appeared Prince Robert and Prince Maurice were both come to them that very day, and brought eleven Troops of Horſe, and ſome ſix or ſeven colours of Dragooners, in all about ſixteen hundred that they brought, beſides the Worceſter Forces. Which ſupplyes comming on ſo unexpected to them, occaſioned us ſomewhat diſorderly to retreat to our paſſage, which notwithſtanding we were ſo much over-matched, we in deſpight of them made good, and forced them to retreat three times, and killed twenty of their men dead upon the bridge, beſides many in the field, which they have conveyed away. We have loſt ſome twenty five, and that I am confident is the moſt: of them Serjeant Major Douglis was one, alſo one Captaine Berry; the reſt are well come off, and there is ſome hope of Colonel Sands recovery, whom the enemy have left in Worceſter, from whence they are fled. Captain Wingate on our ſide is taken priſoner, and in a moſt barbarous manner is made to ride through the townes before the enemy, naked, in their flight to Ludlow. They reviled our men in the fight, calling them Parliament dogs. We took divers of their men priſoners; And ſome of ours whom they carryed into Worceſter, and there left, have informed us, that Prince Robert and Maurice are both wounded, and ſome of their choice Commanders ſlaine, whoſe death they bemoaned. They expected ten-fold greater advantage by their ſtratagems then God gave them; though if we had been but prepared for them, and not under ſo many diſadvantages, we had been viſible victors. However they have no cauſe to boaſt. And one of our Priſoners ſayes, that Prince Robert ſwore a great oath, that the Round-heads (to give them their dues) are valiant fellows, and came on roundly.