A SPEECH Spoken vnto his Excellence the Earle Of WARWICKE, BY Capiaine FARRES, in the behalfe of the whole County of ESSEX.

WITH His Excellence his gracious Answer thereunto giving all his Souldiers generall satisfaction not long be­fore they marched forth from Lon­don towards Branford.

As allso A true relation of the last Battail at Branford the 12. of November: betwixt his Maiestyes Army ond the Parliaments forces, and how the Cavaleers swore God damme them the Devill was in their powder.

London printed for Tho. VVatson and Iohn Fares. 1642.

Captaine FARRES Speech to the Earle of VVarwick

MY Lord, I must desire your par­don, if my words deliver too much truth, and thereby of­fend: You have withdrawne from you the hearts of the Essex Souldiers, who came with willing mindes to per­forme Noble service; but the change of their Captaines hath also changed their affections; neither will they be commanded by any other but those worthy Gen­tlemen in whose wisedome, courage and fidelity they dare boldly confide. My Lord, that action cannot thrive that is discouraged at the beginning; and Soul­diers doe not (like the Moone) decrease in honour, and afterward shine with full glory. Honour is a ten­der thing, and once lost, is lost for ever, and not to bee restored. Though I complaine unto your Honour in the name of the rest of the Captaines, I doe but un­dergoe the hazard to expresse their discontent, rob'd of that they held so deare, their places being the re­ward [Page] of their own merit, and sealed unto them by the constant love of the people. Our Essex Souldiers, my Lord, are all men of able estates, whose zealous affections to their King and countrey, hath thus led them forth, to give a cleare testimony of love and va­lour in their perfect service. Vnkindnes doth wound desert deepest, and deserved honour is the reward of vertue, that doth create and confirme courage, and ta­ken away, a Souldier becomes a despised thing, Con­sider therefore my Lord, that a Captaine so well be­loved of the people, can suffer no iniury without mu­tinous repining, from whence doth spring the grea­test danger of an Army. I am engaged my Lord, a­mongst the rest, and must speake the truth before I goe to defend it, drawne thereunto by my friends dis­honour and my owne, being discarded from those places which the people in their good affection had designed us. Lastly, my Lord, if my speech seem to be of a course and rugged threed, an iniured Soul­dier is farre from flattery, and I must tell you, we scorne that our hearts should give place to any Captaines, in being right and true to our King and countrey, this honour wee cannot lose, living or dying: there­fore think it a high indignity to resigne our Cap­tainships.

The Earle of VVarwicke his answer to Captaine Farres Speech.

CAptaine, your words are so farre from displeasing mee, that I love your free Speech, it being comely in a Souldi­er to deliver his thoughts without dis­guise of words, and to utter Truth in a plaine and cleare manner. If your Essex Souldiers be offended at the election of other Capta [...]nes, let them consider that the present occasion doth require men bred in warre, and experienced in those affaires; neither can the other Captaines grudge, that the Common-wealth should receive benefit by their ser­vice, since if this warre may thrive in the prosecution thereof, it matters not who have beene principall a­ctors therein. Their love unto their Countrey de­serves highly to bee commended, and their cheerfull undertaking to assist this action, doth magnifie their brave resolutions. But give mee leave to say, that those other Captaines nurst at the breast of Warre, are growne exceeding quick-sighted in military dis­cipline, and being long trained up in the Schoole of Warre, deserve to bee ranked in the chiefest File of [Page 6] Honour. In Holland they have hazzarded their lives, and spent some blood to gaine a perfect knowledge in all warlike Discipline; yet I preferre them not as men of greater ability, much lesse loyalty then the o­ther Captaines; but antiquity of service ought to have some preheminence. You may informe the rest of the Captaines, whose mindes you have delivered, that I beleeve them to bee men not inferior to those in courage, but as knowing, as full of Heroick Spirit, as the other Captaines, and would doe as far in the defence of their Countrey as the other; yet since they and the other cannot serve both in the same pla­ces, let them thinke it no dishonour in point of warre, to suffer the Common-wealth to bee served by others as well as themselves: their free intent is as acceptable as the deed. There hath been alwayes contentions about such matters, but without any disgrace: for I doe not accuse their sufficiencie, but thinke them as worthy in all degrees of valour, as the other which are elected. Perswade therefore the Souldiers to be well affected to those Captaines: for you and all men ought to preferre the good of the Common-wealth before private respect, or any particular places in the Warre, since all our actions should move to one end, which is the defence of our King and our Countrey.

The Souldiers welcome to LONDON.

WElcome as day, when after a long night
Of fearfull tempest, land appeares in sight
To the glad Mariner, whose ship doth bring
Rich fraight to shore, & his own land to him.
Such is the joyfull passion, or more sweet,
When kindred friends, and dearest lovers meet
After great dangers past, with welcome breath,
To tye loves knot, which the pale hand of death
Was thought to have unty'd; and now, though late,
Welcome home Souldiers that have scap'd warres fate.
The aged persons now cast off all feare,
And have more joy then their weake age can beare,
Stooping beneath it, while their sonnes doe tell
Of Renton battell, and what there befell,
While tides of passion in their besomes rise,
Of all that heare what they behold with eyes.
Great is warres horror, and the bare relation
Doth stirre the minde to wonder and compassion.
Friends now salute, as if they meant to dye
Within their armes, whose loving company
[Page] They wanted long, despairing that they were
Living; for love is full of carefull feare.
Frinds are so full of joy, that both while dayes
And nights are spent in stories to the praise
Of our brave Souddiers, that have done above
The reach of Fancy, and doe binde our love
First to their merit, while for service they
Shall have a Kingdomes thankes besides their pay.

ON Saturday the 1 2 of November, Prince Robert using the advantage of the mist, which was that morni [...]g e [...] ­treamly thicke, brought up his Forces to Brainford, where [...] was most valiantly opposed by my Lord Roberts Regiment on the Bridge, who beat them off, and with great resolution main­tained the Bridge till they had spent all their powder and [...], at which time it pleased God that Colonel Hampden and Co­lonel Hollis Regiments came in, who very manfully set up­on them, and slew many of them, with the losse of a very few on our side. On Sunday the 13. of November no feat of warr was done, only there came up two small shipps to Bran­ford, who hearing the Cavaliers were there, shot at them, who were answered againe by the Cavaliers. This day also the [...] ­ty sent 89. Carts and VVagous laden with all mauner of pro­vision, unto the Army. There were taken prisoners also, two of his Majesties Guard, whereof one was shot in the legge. Sir Kenhelme Digby was taken as a Spy in viewing the workes at Mile-End. The Cavaliers in their fight on last Sa­turday, were not afraid to sweare, God damne them, they be­leeved the Divell was in their Powder, their Bullets would not goe halfe way,

FINIS.

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