TO relate the on-set con­cerning Welch-Poole, was in this manner; on Sun­day being the fourth day of this instant August, wee did goe out of Osses­trey in the afternoone, and where wee did gather to­gether to goe we did not know, but setting out in the after-noone came to a Towne within a mile of the great River that doth part Shropshire and Mountgomery shire, and there we did stay about two or three houres till it was darke night, and being darke all the Foot marched on horseback (by reason it was the shortest way) being all got over we lighted and marched round about the mountaines to gaine the Town, lest that the light marches should discover us, and then compassing and gaining the Town about breake of day the horse sen­tinell of theirs did meete with our Scout, and challen­ged the scout that was ours, and asked who he was for, and our Scout said he was for the King, and the Cavalier said he was welcome, so more of the horses [Page 2] came on towards the Towne and shot and gave them an alarum, before the foote could well come up after our horse to surprise the Towne round about, and by that meanes most of the Cavaliers escaped away, some to the red Castle that was about halfe a mile from the Towne of Welsh-poole and some were met 8. or nine miles off as they say, and some almost twen­ty miles from the Town, some starke naked, some in their shirts; some with their breeches off: in this manner they all save about seaventy escaped away leaving their Armes and most of their horse behind them, and some of the Cavaliers were taken on hors-back, and some sadling their horses in the sta­bles, the horses that we tooke were about three hun­dred and eighty, being the Princes owne Regiment most of them, they were about five hundred of the Cavaliers in all that were in the Town, Prince Ru­pert his owne troope horses were wholy taken except his owne horse that he rid on, Prince Ruperts Cornet was taken off, refusing to take quarter, saying he did scorne to take quarter of such Round-head Dogs as wee, and so was killd in the Town, then our men rid about the wood up to the red Castle as fast as they could, and brought away about 200 Cattel being fat Oxen, yong steeres and the like, from under red Castle wall of Sir Peiree Harberts owne Cattel, the Plunder of the Town was great, but it was most of it took a­way from the souldiers, Sir Tho: Midleton and Col­lonel Mitton did promise to give the Souldiers satis­faction, and restor'd it to the Inhabitants in the Towne.

There was engaged on our part Collonel Mitton [Page 3] and part of his Regiment and Sir Thomas Middleton joyned with him, and marched with him from Osses­trey, there was also Captain Swift of my Lord Den­bighs horse, there was joyned with Collonel Mitton 200 or thereabouts, and of Sir William Breretons foot, there came two white colours from Nantwich, they met together on Sunday in the evening in a Towne a­bout 4 miles from Ossestrey, and marched towards Welsh Poole which was from them 8 miles further, the num­ber of our forces so joyned together being in all a­bout 600 horse and foot, resolved not to rest till they had found out the Enemy and to fall upon them where soever they light of them, and accordingly it pleased God to prosper us as I have heare expressed. We tooke 3 Captaines, 2 Lievtenants, 15 Officers in all, and staying in the Towne about 2 ot 3 houres, then we marched back to Ossestry. Cheshire-men parting where they and wee met and lying still all night, the next day they went to Nantwich, Lieutenant Collo­nell Coote, one of Sir Charles Cootes sonnes that was in Ireland being their Governour; and Sir Tho: Mid­dleton and Coll: Mitton stayed with us still, whom God may still guide and prosper in all their wayes which they undertake, thats about maintaining Gods cause, and the setting up of the Gospell, and maintai­ning the true Protestant Religion. And having no more to write to you about this or any other occa­sion, I shall still rest,

ON Shrewsbury Fayre-day our Col­lonel, Collonel Mitton having be­fore charged the Country not to carry in provisions to the Enemy into Shrewsbury, which many Malignants did notwitstanding Collonels Mittons forbidding them; So Col: Mitton with his Horse faced Shrewsbury, and with one party kept Mon­vers-bridge towards the welch Gate, within three miles of Shrewsbury, and wheeled about the Town with another party, through Crow­meole, and Brase-meole, to Achum bridge to­wards the Stone gate, within two miles of the Towne where Collonel Huncks the Go­vernour of Shrewsbury lyes (at Mr. Edwards house, a Gentleman well affected to the Par­liament, but his Brother is high Sheriffe of the County for the King, and active in the business.) The said Huncks his cattle Collo­nell Mitton drove away to a great number of Horse, Cowes, and Sheepe, and did much hin­der the Fayre, and reliefe of the Cavaliers; Col: Huncks sent out a party of Horse out of Shrewsbury [...]gainst Collonel Mitton, who drew them into a Lane, and sell upon them [Page 5] both wayes. The Cavaliers left their Horses behind them above forty, and fled into the Towne over hedges and ditches, and glad they were to escape so too.

From thence having intelligence of a par­ty of Prince Ruperts horse sent into Wales, we marched towards them, and by the way there came in 120 of Ruperts Horse to Col: Mit­ton; and he sent 60 of them to his Garrison at Wem, and since there came in 8 with gal­lant Horse to Wem, and more come in daily both to Ossestry and Wem.

After having intelligence of the enemies Horse quartering at Welch-Poole, and Sir Tho­mas Middletons forces being then at Nant­wich, on Saturday last the 3 of August instant, who marched thence with only two Colours of Nantwich foot, and his owne Horse, joyned with us, and on Sabboth day at night wee having made a body of about 550 Horse and Foot, beat up the Enemies quarters, it fortu­ned to be Pr. Ruperts own Regiment which had escaped out of the North, wherein were many gallant Horse, wee tooke about 346 Horse with all or most of their Armes, three horse Colours, one was reported to be Sir [Page 6] Tho: Dallisons, one Commissioner of Array, 15 Commanders, and 49 common Souldiers Prisoners, with great store of riches and treasure-Prince Ruperts owne Cornet was slaine in his Quar­ters refusing to take quarter of the Parliament Dogs as hee termed us, and three common Souldiers. It was not day when we fell on which occasioned the escape of many of the Soldiers which otherwise had bin taken, there was as is Reported 500 more Horse quartered about the Countrey but never one appea­red to our view. We drove almost 200 head of cat­tell whereof many of them were gallant Oxen of Sir Pierce Harberts, close from the walls of Red-Castle. There do daily many of the Enemy revolt and come in to us.

TUesday the 13 day of August Intelligence is come to Towne, of the surrender of Warham, the onely Garrison of the Kings in Dorsetshire, and most of the old Souldiers that were in Ireland doe take pay in the Parliament service.