ON Tuesday last, being the 28th. of November, one thousand sixe hundred forty three, Sir William Waller having stated his Army in severall [Page 4]Quarters, to prevent the passage of Sir Ralph Hopton into Surry and Kent, which he hath much laboured for e­ver since he came to those parts; Sir Ralph Hopton marched with the whole body of his Army towards Farn­ham, where Sir William Waller then was, having onely sixe troops of his Horse then present with him, besides the Foot, the rest were quartered at other places; but Sir VVilliam VVal­ler having a watchfull eye about him, had some Scouts which first discove­red this great Army of the Cavalliers marching towards him, the which caused Sir VVilliam VValler to ad­dresse himselfe to fight, and accor­dingly ordered the station of his Ar­my. Sir VVilliam let the Cavalliers march up very close to him before hee [Page 5]would take notice that he had discry­ed them, and then let fly a peece of Ordnance against them, which did good execution, and after that ano­ther; the Cavalliers let not many bul­lets fly against our Army before they began to retreat, and as they retrea­ted, Sir VVilliam Waller marched up­pon them; but through the losse of many men in few houres the Cavalli­ers began to retreat in great disorder, so long that Sir William VValler mar­ched up to their dead Corps, where many horse lay dead, and the Riders by their countenance and habit see­med to be of worth; but by this time, which was about two of the clocke in the after noone the Cavalliers began to fly, some one way, some another, but the greatest part of them towards [Page 6] Basing; Sir VVilliam VValler having no more but sixe troopes to pursue them, which did notwithstanding follow on as full of vallour and tou­rage as ever; and the service which his horse did in the pursuite of them was most wonderfull, and the Fight most desperate, yet did nothing daunt their resolutions; Sir VVilliam pursued them five miles, and is still in the pur­suite of them. Sir VVilliam Waller hath slain in this fight many hundreds of the Cavalliers, amongst which it is thought there are many Comman­ders; and by the Prisoners that Sir VVilliam VValler hath taken; It is re­puted that they saw Sir Ralph Hopton carried away as if he had beene dan­gerously wounded: there is but one man yet missing in our Army, and [Page 7]very few hurt. Sir VVilliam Waller is still in Pursuit of them, and is resolved with his whole Army not to leave them, although they be already rou­ted, but followes the Execution a­gainst them so close, that he will not permit them (if it be possible) any time to gather to an Head againe in any place.

Newes beeing come by a Letter from Sir William Waller to the Speaker of the House of Commons on Wednesday the 29 of November 1643. the Parlia­ment then being at St. Margarets West­minster hearing Master Bridges to preach the Fast Sermon in the afternoone; which Letter certifying that Sir Wil­liam Waller had routed Sir Ralph Hopton, and given him so great an O­verthrow with so small a strength, there [Page 8]was great rejoycing; and after the Ser­mon was done, the House of Commons went to the Parliament House, and there sate very late.

One thing very remarkable is this; That as Master Bridges was preaching unto them this Doctrine. viz. Though God doe suffer the Enemies of his Church to be Great and exceeding many, yet God will raise up a Power to withstand and Over-power them. Euen at that very instant this Message came in a Letter from Sir William VValler to the Speaker, as if God was pleased to send our Senators a signe from Heaven of the certainty of the fullfilling of his promises.