ABout the 18. of August last, The King with about Four thousand Horse and Dragoons advanced into Yorkshire: The 19. Col. Rossiters horse came up to Gen. Poyntz: The 21. they joyned with the Scots and Cheshire horse; a dayes rest the Scots would have: The next day all marched, but the King got by that means a dayes Retreat before, whom Generall Poyntz, according to his Order from the Committee of both Kingdoms, through many difficul­ties, pursued above Three hundred miles, not resting a­bove a day in any place: The knowledge of the Kings advance for relief of Chester, was the first certain Intel­ligence received of the Kings motion: The Generall [Page 4] marched day and night to be there before him, and took in a strong house, with a draw-bridge and moted, which stood in the way of his march, and opposed him (in lesse then an hours space) and after a very hard march all night on the 25. of this instant, in the morning his Van Carriers discovered the Enemy on a Moore, within a mile and a half of Chester, called Routon Moor, whereupon, im­mediatly he drew into order, and advanced upon them, though all his forces were not then come up, for he sup­posed to take the Enemy at unawares; it being probable they could have no Intelligence of his being so neer, though it proved otherwise; for his Letters written that night to the Commander within the out-Lines of Che­ster, giving notice of his advance, were intercepted, and the Enemy being possessed of the advantage of ground and in order, confronted our Van, led by Colonell Hugh Bethel, in the midst of a Lane, betwixt two Moors, covered with the Armed men of both Batalia's, where was given a very sharp and gallant charge by both par­ties, for after Pistols were discharged at half Pikes di­stance, they disputed the matter with their swords, a full quarter of an hour, neither side yeelding ground to other, till at length the Enemy were forced to retreat, whom: our men pursuing, were reincountred by a fresh reserve at the Lanes mouth, and they were likewise discomfitted, and a third; but being over powred, were in the end for­ced to Retreat through the Lane, uncapable of receiving any reserve to second them; here we had some losse, the Enemy pursuing to the Lanes end, but were beaten back, for there was space for our reserves to advance, Colonell Bethell and Colonell Graves were there fore wounded: After this, the Generall perceiving the Ene­my lay upon his advantages, only skirmisht him, with [Page 5] some flying parties, while he held correspondency with his friends in Chester Suburbs, whose signe was the dis­charge of two piece of Ordnance when they would issue out with Horse and Foot to joyn with him, upon whose appearing, the Enemy quitted their station, and the Ge­nerall with a party advanced to take the most conveni­ent Ground, giving command to Colonell Parsons, Quarter Master Generall of the Army in the absence of Colonell Sandys (who performed the duty of Commis­sarie Generall of the Horse, during the aforesaid march, being then imployed to the Committee of both King­doms) to order up the rest, which was opportunely done; for they joyned with the Auxiliary forces of horse and foot in the Enemies ground, and were drawn into many small Divisions and Reserves, being much over num­bred by the Enemy, who accounted themselves 5000. horse, and Generall Poyntz not above 2500. horse, besides two small bodies of Foot, who were disposed in the two outmost intervalls of horse; upon the very instant of this juncture, the enemy advanced with their whole body, and the Generall leaving the charge of the reserves to Col. Parsons, took care of, and led up the Van divisi­ons; with which, after a round volley of shot from the Foot, he joyned Battel, charging the enemy in Front and Flank, (where his horse was deeply wounded on the head) being continually seconded with Reserves, as often as there was occasion; the rest (being kep intire) fol­lowed at a due distance, the prevailing Generall who put the enemy to a totall Rout; and although the pursuit was as hot as could be expected from such wearied horse, through narrow dirty Lanes, and over ditches; the Ene­my Rallied in a great Moor wide of Chester, in two vast bodies, a great distance asunder: The first, not without [Page 6] some dispute, were again Routed, and the other likewise, who Retreated upon the Warwick Regiment with such violence, as bore them away confusedly, intermixt with the flying Enemy, up to the outworks of the Suburbs; the Musquetiers within, were neverthelesse liberall of their Gun-shot; but the Divine Providence appeared much in the distribution of the impartiall bullets, few or none lighting upon our men, though many of the Enemy were there found expiring: A body of horse all the while of these last disputes appeared, fixt on the top of a hill a little distant on that side Chester, wherein the King was very confidently reported to be; for confronting whereof, a party of foot winged with Col. Bethells and Col. Lidcots Regiments, were drawn into a convenient close in the bottom as a grand Reserve; but the night by this time falling, the body on the hill appeared not, and those in the bottom returned to their Comrades, satiate with the slaughter, Prisoners and booty of the vanquish­ed Enemy: While these things were thus agitated in the field, the remainder of Foot left with Col. Louthian in the Suburbs were not idle, for the Enemy made a strong falley upon them out of the City, and were more strenu­ously repulsed. The number of the slain, of the Priso­ners, and horse taken, is not yet known, but it is generally conjectured Eight hundred slain, One thousand five hun­dred men, and Two thousand horse taken: There was brought in that night, the underwritten list of the consi­derable men taken and slain in the Fight; the King was seen with a party of about five or six hundred horse to march into Wales.