THis day is deservedly set apart to be a day of Thanksgiving for that compleat and great victory which the Lord hath given us on Monday last, even then when the enemy came out Armed with power (of flesh) and resolution to destroy and over-run all the rest of the Country; In which designe they were so hopefull and confident, as that they tooke the bouldnesse to encampe themselves in Middlewich, a Towne be­tween Namptwich and Northwich, where I was, and where we had begun to fortifie & place our Garrison: we conceive this attempt of most dangerous consequence, and therefore thought fit to allow them no rest, nor to give them time to Fortifie. To this end, there was a strong party of Horse went out from Northwich upon Satturday night last, upon their first comming there, who gave them an Alarm. The next day being the Sabbath, could [Page 4] not be observed, it being the worke of the whole day to prepare for our defence, and how to annoy our enemy; to­wards whom I went out upon Sunday in the afternoone, with betwixt two and three Troops of horse, and betwixt two and three Companies of Dragooners, who went neere to Middlewich and gave them an Alarm there; but without any intention to assault them in their quarters, they being very strong in Foot, and well armed, and we had no Foot at all then there, our greatest care being to preserve the Country from plundring, and let the enemy know we durst looke them in the face, and come even to the very doore. This evening, March the 13. being Sun­day, we resolved and concluded to meet the Nampt­wich Forces the next morning, who were appointed to come unto us by six of the clock in the morning: But we were in skirmishing and fight neere foure houres before they came in to our assistance; during which time they playd full upon us with their Cannon, but without any successe at all, there being onely one or two men hurt, but not mortall. During which time our Mus­queteers (whereof we had not above 200 Musqueteers, our greatest force of Foot being at Namptwich) beha­ved themselves very gallantly, and made good three passages, and kept the enemy in play, till the Nampt­wich Forces came in to our assistance, who came on so resolutely, and with such undauntednesse of spirit, even to the amazement and admiration of the enemy, whom they beat from their works, and from their Cannon. And as they entred one end of the Town, our Souldiers entred the other end with no lesse courage and resolution. Colonell Ellis, Serjeant Major Gilner, Sir Edward Moseley, and ten Captains more, besides all other Officers (a list [Page 5] of whose names you shall finde here inclosed) who be­took themselves to the Church and steeple, from whence they did much annoy us for some short time; but within an hour after, the Lord was pleased to make us possessors of the Church and steeple, and of the Commanders and souldiers that were therein; and of their Ordnance, Ma­gazine, and great store of Arms, so as I beleeve since the beginning of this unnaturall war, God hath not given many more compleater victories, nor hath there been ma­ny more Prisoners taken, there being not many fewer than 500 prisoners, and very many of them Comman­ders and considerable persons (a list of whose names is here inclosed.) I desire the whole praise and glory may be attributed to Almighty God, who infused courage into them that stood for his Cause, and strucke the ene­mie with terror and amazement. For farther particulars I must referre you to other and further relations.

We hear nothing from London how things go there, but our confidence is in the Lord of heaven; to the pro­tection of whose Providence, I desire to commend you, and so conclude, and Rest,

WE hold it convenient to give you a true Relation of the passages concerning the Kings Forces, and their appearing against the Towne. On Saturday last they marched from Oxford and those parts, and on Sun­day the greatest part of them came to Thame: on Mun­day all their forces were drawn neer to this Town, with­in one mile and two miles of the place, and shewed as if they would have fallen upon us that day, but they spent that day in viewing of the Town, where to make their best assault, and interposing betwixt us and the Chiltein parts of our Countrey, to hinder their assistance of us, where we had severall skirmishes without any losse; The Earl of Carnarvan commanded a great body of horse, and marched all Sunday night to Wendover, where he hoped to have taken one of our Troops of horse, which we had drawn thence some few hours before, but they plundered that Town, and the adjacent towns, and com­mitted many outrages besides as we are informed. On Munday night the whole forces quartered within a mile or two of this Town, and the next morning their horse drew towards us, almost within Cannon-shott, and wee expected every houre when they would fall upon the [Page 7] Town, and our horse drew into the field towards them, and the forlorn hopes fired one upon another often, but they being much too strong in horse for us, we drew our horse into the Town, preparing for their assault, but whilst we looked for their approach, they drew away towards evening on Tuesday, and in stead of Souldiers turned Sheep-stealers, for they have plundered all the Towns hereabouts, of all their goods and houshold­stuff; they have taken and driven away all their Horses, Beasts and Sheep, and in this iniquity have herein onely dealt equally, that they have not spared those who are accounted their own friends: they spoiled and tore in pieces the inside of divers fair houses, and besides the corn they spent upon their Horses, they spoiled and spilt very much upon the ground, and threw it about the fields, and what goods they could not carry away, they cut in pieces, and threw about the fields and high-wayes as they went; they have not onely taken away the Hor­ses which should now plow our grounds for seed, but they have cut in pieces their Horse-harnesses, and things belonging to the plough, as if they meant to bring the Kingdom to destruction in an instant. And we must be bold to signifie unto you that these cruelties are not acted by mean ones; for the Commanders herein, as we are informed, were, Generall Ruthin, the Princes Rupert and Maurice, the Earl of Carnarvan, Lord Grandison, Lord Wentworth, and Colonell Gerrard, with many others of their great ones; the Forces they came with, were all they could get together, not leaving men enough to relieve their Guard in Oxford; their Forces were, as we collect by all our discoveries, about Six thousand, who had de­voured us in their thoughts before they came neer us; [Page 8] but God discouraged them from assaulting us, which if they had done, they would have found it a hot service; for our souldiers and Country-men within the Towne were very bravely resolved to defend the place, though much inferiour to them in number, besides the great ad­dition of strength sent unto us by his Excellency the Earl of Essex; whose care of us, and consideration of the State, in securing this place, is never to be forgotten; for his Forces came to us much sooner than we could expect; and had the enemy stayed but few hours longer, we had given them battell in the field: But it was not Gods plea­sure the troubles of the time should so end, as yet we must expect his further pleasure. This is all they have to inform you, (and if you shall think fit to impart unto the House) who are