IT pleased God upon Saturday morning, Sept. 20. 1645. about break of day to de­liver into the hands of the Cheshire forces, though few in number, under the command of Col: Michael Iones, and Adjutant Louthian, The Suburbs of the city of Chester, formerly accounted for to Sir Wil: Brereton; in which expedition (though by storm) we lost but one man; the Enemy fired most part of the Suburbs; Cow-lane, St. Johns lane, and the street without the North gate; our care was to hasten to the taking of the City, without which the diseased county could never be cu­red. Vpon the Lords day we brought in our Artillery, fixt a battery, & upon Monday made a great breach in the wall, resolving to storm it at night, which we endeavoured in 3. or 4. places, but the Ladders proved too short, and the breach too high on the inside, so they made their retreat with the losse of two men, and some wounded. The Suburbs were en­tred by Captain Gimbert, the breach by Cap­tain Finch, both of them stout and trusty men; though God deferred that mercy we [Page 5] hoped for, in gaining the City, he gave us a better, the utter Routing and spoiling of the Kings Army; which was thus performed.

Our Intelligence upon Monday Sept. 21. was, that the King was at Chirke Castle, in­tending for Chester: Upon Tuesday, two trusty men were sent to seek Major Gen. Poyntz, who was appointed to follow the King, but we heard nothing of him; they meeting with him at Whitchurch, and acquainting him with our present condition (who were like to be Stormed that night) he hastned away, marched all night, though tired with long marches before: About six a clock Wednesday morning, he advanced within a mile of the Enemy, three miles from Chester, the one not knowing of the other; upon notice, both set themselves in a posture; Generall Poyntz upon Hatton Heath, divided from the Ene­my on the Milne Heath by a Lane, they being betwixt him and the City: he first charged them though upon a disadvantage, because the Enemies whole body was not come up, but had a repulse, in which that gallant Gentleman Col: Graves was sore wounded, & Col: Bothell, but not so dangerously; about [Page 6] 20. men slain, many wounded; but we hear the Enemies losse was greater, however, upon the retreat, it was noised that Gen: Poyntz was utterly Routed, which vvas sad nevvs to our Forces in Chester; who upon consultation, at first thought it fit to quit the Suburbs, least the Army miscarrying, all should be lost; but upon Intelligence that Poyntz kept his ground and stood in a body, they re­solved to keep what ground they had gotten for the gaining of Chester, and to assist Gene­tall Poyntz with Horse and Foot, which he sent for, and they promised: The signall of their march from the Suburbs, was the discharge of two piece of Ordnance, at which there was great shouting in Generall Poyntz campe, who without us could nei­ther charge the Enemy, nor make good their Retreat if need should require: God in his good Providence deferred the work to that time of the day, that we might finde the fruit of many Prayers made for us, it being the monethly Fast, and by this accession to vindicate our innocency, who were asperst for a factious county, and mutinous Souldiery, though vve can professe it be­fore [Page 7] God and the vvorld, that vve knovv not that county where the Gentry and Com­manders are more firmly semented in the band of true affection then this, nor a Soul­diery more obedient to commands, constant upon duty, and now free from mutinies. Ma­ny of the Gentlemen of the county resorted to us, gave their best assistance for the carry­ing on of this Work, upon whose shoulder no small burden lies to regulate these trou­bled affairs: It vvas agreed by them, that Col. Iones, a dextrous and resolute Souldier, should go out with the command of Horse & Foot, 350. and 500. The Foot were led by Col. Iohn Booth governor of Warington, who was very forward in that Expedition: Adjutant Gen: Louthian a man of known worth, was to keep the suburbs; a work of great trust & courage.

When these forces joyned with Gen. Poyntz there was great joy in the camp, the Enemy formed themselves into a body upon Routon Heath, two miles from Chester, and stood in Batalia, being about 5000. as their own par­ty confesse, having drained their Garrisons: We hastned towards them in the best posture we could, the Horse was the Battell, because [Page 8] many, the wings were Foot because few; they had the Wind and Sun; we had God with us, which was our Word, counterpoi­sing all disadvantages, and countermanding all strength; a little before 5. a clock, we joy­ned in a terrible storm, firing in the faces of one another, hacking & slashing with svvords neither party gain'd or lost a foot of ground, as if every one vvere resolved there to breath their last: Whilst the dispute vvas so hot and doubtfull, our Musquetiers so galled their horse, that their Rear fled, perceiving their losse by them, upon whom they made no Execution: Their Van perceiving that, faced about, and fled also: We had nothing then to do, but to pursue and make Execution, which we did to purpose, for though the ways were strewed with Arms, Portmantles, Cloak-bags, and Horse, vve left those to any that vvould pillage, and fell to Execution: Some part vve chased to Holt bridge, the most tovvards Chester; some say the King vvas in the field, others that he vvent out with a par­ty, next after mentioned; but certain it is, he vvent out from the City by the North gate, and thither retreated, for that gate is vvithout our Works.

A memorable service was performed by the Shropshire Forces, at the appoint­ment of Livetenant Louthiane, who were part of them that kept the sub­urbs. When Collonel Iones was marcht out to ioyne with Generall Poyntz, there issued out after him through the North-gate (with which party its affirmed the King went) about sixe hundred horse and three hundred foote of the Kings and Queens Regiments and General Gerrards Lifeguard. Adjutant Louthiane sent after them about two hundred of the Shropshire horse, com­manded by Livetenant Collonel Coote in chiefe, the second division by Collonel Prince, the last by Ma: Fenwicke and two hundred foote commanded by Captain Daniell, these gallantly performed what they undertooke, routed and chased the e­nemy, slew the Earle of Leichfield and o­thers, tooke divers principall officers and followed the execution foure miles.

After we thought the worke was ended, [Page 10] the enemy made head againe, and they that escaped in the field and about Che­ster, ioyned in another body, fell upon part of our forces with advantage (for they were desperate seeing they had lost the day) drave them to our mud walls, where the guards made execution on them, and some small measure upon ours in the reare, through mistake: so they fled towards Bridgetrafford being ignorant of the Foote, where they were driven into deepe dit­ches, and boggy places. The Country men set on them there, tooke one hundred horse and sixty persons. Others fled into the forrest where they are met with.

Whilst wee were thus engaged in the field the enemy taking advantage of the small number left in the suburbs attempted the regaining of them in many places; but were every where gallantly repulsed with losse by adjutant Louthiane.

We cannot give a particular account of the number of the slaine, which were [Page 11] many, neither know wee our owne losse, but that it is very small. Wee have taken the Earle of Portlands brother, with many considerable persons: Knights, and offi­cers, above one thousand prisoners; And its probable that of the five thousand they say was in the field, the King will hardly rally one thousand, wee desire the honour of this victory may be given to God alone, to whom alone it is due, his Instruments behaved themselves gallant­ly, the Cheshire Horse were kowne most couragious, we desire not vainely to glo­ry in any thing God hath done by us, but let the world say whether wee have been backward in the worke committed to us as some have suggested.

Let Souldiers iudge what it is for so small a force to maintaine the leaguer at Beeston, take and keep the outworks of Che­ster, to assist others a farre off, and these in the field, and runne all hazard, rather than quit a foot of what we have gained. Nei­ther [Page 12] will we fixe here: These are but the beginning of action to us, since our new moddle, so successefull, so much dispised.

Vpon Parliamentary supplyes already Pe­titioned, we trust in him, whose soul­diers we are, to give as good account of our after proceedings, both in reducing this County and asisting the neighbour­hood.