THe Works of Providence, by which the Lord hath pleaded the Cause of this Parliament and Commonwealth in the sight of the Nations round about, are Glorious, and will be sought out by all those that have pleasure in them; and therefore must not pass under the common Title of Events and Chances of War: The Lord having so done this marvellous Work for Time and Place, with a Concurrence of all other remarkable Circumstances, That it ought to be had in Everlasting Remembrance, both by our [Page 1434]Selves, and by the Generations which shall be born; as will emi­nently and convincingly appear by this brief ensuing Narrative.

AFter the Lord (the Great and Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth) was pleased so Signally to bear Witness to the Justice and Necessity of our Armies marching into Scotland, by giving Sentence (when Solemn Appeals were made unto him by both Parties) on our side, in that glorious Victory vouchsafed unto our Army the Third day of September, One thousand six hundred and fifty, against the Scots near Dunbar: The same Divine Pro­vidence led on our Forces there to the gaining of many Towns and Garisons; and in particular, Leith, Edinburgh, and not long after, the Castle there, though in the Esteem of the Enemy im­pregnable. But the Enemy not resting in that decision, did re­inforce themselves, and relying on the advantage of the Town and Pass at Sterling, and other Intrenchments, would by no Pro­vocation or Endeavors on our part used, be drawn forth to an Engagement, though our Forces faced them up to their Works, when the Scots (as some of themselves have since confessed) were Twenty seven thousand, and ours nothing near that number, suffering a strong Garison of theirs to be stormed and taken with­in the view of their Camp, without once offering to relieve it. The Consideration hereof, and of the Charge and Difficulties of a Winters War (which the Enemy seemed chiefly to Design, and might the better effect whiles they had Sterling, and there­by the Command of the rich Country of Fife at hand to Quar­ter their Forces in, and by means of St. Johnstons (a second Pass) the whole North of Scotland to furnish them with Recruits of Men and Supplies of all Provisions; and likewise many Sea Ports to let in Forreign Assistance) produced a Resolution to put over a Force into Fife (notwithstanding all Hazards) to straiten their Quarters and hinder their Supplies; Which Attempt the Lord was pleased to Crown, not onely by giving us speedy and happy Footing, but a notable Victory to that part of our Army commanded by the Major General, over the Forces of the Ene­my, whereof the greatest number were a commanded Party of their choice Men out of their whole Army: In which Defeat near One thousand five hundred were taken Prisoners, together with Sir John Brown their Commander in Chief, and the greatest part of the residue slain, Forty two Colours taken, and all this (which made the Mercy the more remarkable) with the loss onely of Four of our Men slain on the place, and some wounded. About this very time the General marched up near Sterling to engage the Enemy, who having quitted their Camp at Torwood, [Page 1435]were march'd through Sterling, Sixteen Miles toward our Forces in Fife; And finding the Enemy would not Engage (having dis­posed on this side the River such Force as could well be spared to hinder the Enemies Levies and Provisions; or if they should Advance for England, to be upon our Borders, and to joyn with other Parties there in Readiness to retard their March) The Ge­neral Remarch'd to the South-Ferry, and Landed the Residue of his Army in Fife; upon which, the strong Castle of Enisgarvy, in the Middle of the River, with Sixteen Pieces of Canon, and Brunt-Island, were Surrendred, and the Army marcht forthwith towards St. Johnstons. The Enemy being thereby awakened, sent a Party of about One thousand Foot, with a Governor, into St. Johnstons, who arrived there Two hours before the General sate down with the Army: And finding by this Interposition his Northern Supplies cut off, marcht directly for England with an Army of Sixteen thousand Horse and Foot, and a Light Train of Artillery; being come near Carlile, their King caused himself to be Proclaimed King of England, and sending out his Decla­rations full of fair Promises to all that should come in to him or not oppose him, marched forward, being attended in his Moti­ons by some of our Horse. The General (St. Johnstons being Surrendred, leaving a Garison there, and about Seven thousand Horse and Foot under the Command of the Lieutenant General of the Ordinance, for reducing the Castle of Sterling and other Garisons, and preventing any Levies by the Enemy) with the rest of the Army came back for Lieth, and the same day sent away Five Regiments of Horse and Dragoons to fall into the Rear of the Enemy, whiles himself with the rest of his Horse, his Body of Foot, and Train of Artillery, Advanced after with all possible speed towards England. The Enemy being come to Warrington, and attempting the Pass there, our Forces (who a day or two be­fore were joyned and got into his Van) thought not fit long to Dispute it, in respect the River was in many places Fordable, the Lands and Inclosures inconvenient for the Horse; and the Foot, whom they found at the Bridge, though full of Courage, and de­sirous to Engage, no way proportionable to the Enemies great numbers, the General also being at that time about Four days March off them, but marched off to Knotsford Heath; where in the way the Enemy twice Charging our Rear-gard, was beaten back with the loss of about Thirty of theirs (slain and taken Pri­soners) we not losing above Three or four in the March, and at the Pass: On that Heath our Forces drew up in a Posture to re­ceive and fight the Enemy, but he declined it, and marcht to Nantwich.

In their passage through Lancashire, the Enemy had left the Earl of Derby with Three hundred Foot and a Troop of Horse, which he brought from the Isle of Man, together with Sir Wil­liam Widderington, Sir William Throckmorton, Sir Timothy Fe­therstonhaugh, Major General Sir Thomas Tildsey, Colonel Boynton, with many Commanders and other Gentlemen of qua­lity, to raise Six thousand Foot and One thousand five hundred Horse in that County, as an Additional Strength to their Ar­my; Major General Massey being also left with him to assist that Work, whiles the Enemy himself marcht on in a direct course to Worcester, in his way summoning Shrewsbury, and at­tempting by Letters and Declarations to gain more assistance, but without success.

The Two and twentieth of August, with five hundred Horse and Dragoons, about Noon, he entred Worcester, then which no Place seemed more to answer all his Ends, it being a City seat­ed on the Severn, within twelve Miles of five Counties, near unto Glocester, the Forest of Dean and Southwales, where Massey (who was a little before called off from the Earl of Der­by to serve this Design) pretended his greatest Interest to be; and by gaining that Place, the Enemy well knew he should be Master of all the Passes upon Severn, from Shrewsbury to Glo­cester, and (there not being One hundred of the Parliaments Forces within twenty Miles of him) he might lie the more secure for refreshing his wearied men, imploy his Interest to get what Additional Strength he could from those Parts, or at least make it a winter War; and thereby gain time for Forreign Assistance, and better opportunity for his Agents to stir up Tumults in England, and for the Raising a new Army in Scotland under the Earl of Leven (whom he had left General there for that pur­pose) to come also into England: Our Forces in Worcester being few, and finding the Place untenable (though threescore onely of them beat the Enemy twice out of the Town, and killed and wounded some of them) withdrew in safety to Glocester.

The General with his Forces (which on the Third of August were at St. Johnstons in Scotland) upon the Twenty eighth of the same moneth with a continued March, except one days Rest, took up his Head-quarters within two Miles on the East side of Worcester, being from St. Johnstons about three hundred Miles, the rest of the Forces which had hitherto attended the Enemy being joyned with him; the Lieutenant General, with the Forces under him, quartered the same day about seven Miles from Worce­ster near Upton Bridge, of which Pass the Enemy was posses­sed, [Page 1437]and in Upton Town on the other side the River, was Major General Massey with Sixty Dragoons and Two hundred Horse to secure it. Whiles a small Party of ours went to view the Bridge, without Design or expectation at that time to gain the Pass, and finding the Bridge broken down by the Enemy (one piece of Timber onely left, which reached from one Arch to another) twenty Dragoons and dismounted Troopers with Car­bines being commanded over to possess the Church near the Bridge, crept over the piece of Timber, and got to the Church, whereupon the Enemy took the Alarm, and advanced towards them and offered them quarter, and were attempting to fire the door; mean while a hundred Dragoons more came up, and in like maner got over and beat off the Enemy, whose whole Par­ty was now come down upon them; in which Action Major Ge­neral Massey had his horse killed under him, himself received several Shots and was wounded, and forced to retreat with his Party in disorder towards Worcester. The Lord having been pleased thus unexpectedly and happily to give us this Pass, the Lieutenant General marched over, and lodged part of his Forces that night in Upton.

Whiles the General was on his March from Scotland, he sent off Colonel Lilborn with his Regiment of Horse to wait upon the Enemies Rear; who finding the Earl of Derby raising Forces in Lancashire, in his endeavoring to prevent him was forced to en­gage, where the Lord was graciously pleased by that Regiment of Horse (though harrazed by a tedious March from Scotland) and three Companies of Foot, to defeat the Earl of Derby's whole Forces, being One thousand five hundred Horse and Foot near Wiggon in Lancashire, where were slain Sir William Widde­rington Major General, Sir Thomas Tildsey, Colonel Boynton (sometimes Governor of Scarborough for the Parliament, which Place he betrayed to the Enemy) and Colonel Trollop, and ta­ken, Four hundred Prisoners, together with Sir William Throck­morton, Sir Timothy Fetherston-haugh, and several Colonels and Commanders of quality: The Earl of Derby with about thirty Horse escaping, carried the News of his own Defeat to Worce­ster. In which Mercy the Lord was graciously pleased to appear for our small Forces (who were engaged upon great Disadvanta­ges of place and number beyond their intentions) and that most seasonably, in destroying that growing Army, and giving in the same as a Pledge of what he would yet do for his People.

These glad Tidings were followed by the News from Scotland of the Surrender of Sterling Castle, in which were many thou­sand Arms, Forty Pieces of Ordnance, Six and twenty Barrels of [Page 1438]Powder, the Publique Records of Scotland, the Sword, Cloth and Chair of State. Not long after this followed the Routing of the New Levies of the Enemy in the West of Scotland, taking the Lord Osbarston and others prisoners; The gaining Anstruther by Storm with Fifteen Ships in the Harbor, the Surprizing the Earl of Leven General of their Forces in Scotland, the Earl Craford-Lindsey Lieutenant General, the Earl Marshal, with four Lords more, and divers Knights, Ministers and Gentlemen of quality; with the scattering and dispersing of Four thousand, which at that time were Rendezvouzed at Ellit in Perth, to relieve Dundee then besieged by our Forces; the taking many Prisoners at Dumfreeze and Dissipating them, attempting again new Levies there, and the gaining Dundee it self by Storm, in which were Forty Pieces of Ordnance, Six hundred of the Enemy slain, with Major Ge­neral Lumsden the Governor, Colonel Coningham late Gover­nor of Sterling, and many others of quality, four hundred taken Prisoners, great store of Ships and other Vessels found in the Harbor; to which was since added, the giving up of St. Andrews, Montross and Aberdeen.

On Saturday the Three and twentieth of August, the Scotch King with his whole Army marched into Worcester, and applied himself to the Fortifying thereof, and had soon made up some Works, and repaired the Royal Fort on the East side of the City, and planted Canon upon it, the General being encamped before the Town: On the Third of September (being the self same Day of the moneth upon which a year before we obtained that Memo­rable Victory at Dunbar) our Forces at Upton, under the Com­mand of the Lieutenant General, in pursuance of former Coun­cels (the Execution whereof Providence had delayed till this day, without any such Predetermination on our part) advanced towards the Enemy at Worcester, but by reason of some hinder­ances reached not to Teame River (which lying on the West side of Severn, empties it self thereinto about a Mile beneath Worce­ster) till between two and three of the Clock in the Afternoon, Boats also being brought up at the same time, two Bridges were made over the Rivers. The Enemy taking no Alarm till the Van of our Forces were marcht within the sight of the Town, did now draw down his Horse & Foot from his Leaguer at St. Jones's, lyning all the Hedges from their Pass at Poyick to the River Se­vern with Musqueteers to oppose our Advance: The General commanded some Forces over Severn towards the Enemy, whiles others were sent over Teame to the same ground; the Enemies Foot with some difficulty were beaten from the Hedges, which they for some time disputed, and were at length driven back to the Body [Page 1439]of their Horse and Foot, which was then drawn up in Wickfield near Poyick Bridge, being the same Field where the late king first engaged the Forces of the Parliament, in the same moneth of Se­ptember, One thousand six hundred forty two: Our horse and Foot marched up with great resolution to the Enemies Body, and came to push of Pike with them, and through the Goodness of God drove back and wholly routed them, killing many upon the place, and pursuing the rest to the Draw-bridge and Gate of the City. Whiles this was in action, some Horse and Dragoons sent to a Pass over Teame about two Miles above Poyck Bridge (which the Enemy had broken down) gained that Ford, where our Horse pas­sed over, and pursued such of the Enemies Horse as could not get into the Town, and secured that Bridge at the West-gate, that none might escape that way.

The greatest part of our Army was now drawn over to the west of Severn, where it was conceived the Stress of the Battel would be, which the Enemy perceiving, and supposing them too far en­gaged to get back over the Bridge of Boats that night, he poured forth at the several Gates of the City all his Horse and Foot upon that part of our Forces left on the East side of the River, which being seasonably discovered, our General himself hastened back to that part of the Army, which the Enemy presently charged with good Resolution; yet through the good hand of our God upon that part of the Army, after about two hours sharp Di­spute, they were beaten back into the Town, and our men passing by their great Fort and Canon, entred the Town with the Ene­my, whiles others of our Forces ran up and stormed the Royal Fort it self, possessed themselves of it, turning the Canon upon the Enemy.

The Scotch King (having in vain used all Endeavors to make the Horse and Foot in the Town face about for Defence thereof) fled away, and about Three thousand Horse and some High-land Foot, leaving the rest in the Town, fled towards Bewdley, whether the General sent the day before One thousand Horse and Dra­goons to secure that Pass, who took more Prisoners then them­selves were in number, and many of those who escaped them and the Horse sent in their Pursuit, were met with by other of the Ar­my and Countrey Forces (Expresses being the same night the Bat­tel was fought sent into all the Northern Counties and Scotland, giving notice of the Successes) so as they were gathered up by Hundreds and Fifties, that very few of those who fled from Wor­cester escaped.

Thus was our gracious God pleased to appear as The Lord of Hosts. (which was our Word in this and the Battel at Dunbar) [Page 1440]with and for his People, in destroying this desperate and insolent Enemy, and working a glorious salvation for us.

Of the Enemy, which were about Sixteen thousand Horse and Foot, there were slain in and about Worcester and in the Pursuit, about Three thousand; The Prisoners taken in the Town and in their Flight, about Twelve thousand; amongst whom were Duke Hamilton, the Earls of Derby, Cleveland, Rothes, Lauderdale, Kinmore; the Lords, Montgomery, Peasly, Cranston, Grandison, with many other persons of quality; as also David Lesley Lieute­nant General of their Army, Lieutenant General Middleton, Major General Massey, and divers other General Officers, be­sides Seven hundred other Officers, above an hundred Colours, with all their Arms, Artillery, Bag and Baggage; and all this with the loss of about Two hundred of our men, whereof but Three Commission Officers, and about Three hundred of our Sol­diers wounded.