NOt to trouble you with vain Relations, whereby to hinder the other serious imployment for the Kingdoms good; May it please you to be adver­tised, That the Town of Ossestree, late taken by the Forces of the Parliament, under my Brother Colonel Mittons command was upon Saturday last begun to be begirt, and since strictly besieged by the Kings for­ces, consisting of about Fifteen hundred Horse, and Three thousand five hundred Foot, under the com­mand of Colonell Marrow; And that thereupon, in pursuance of a Councell of War's determination, oc­casioned by an earnest and importunate Letter from my Brother Col. Mitton, directed to me, for speedy re­lief and raising of the siege of the said Town; I did upon the Lords day last past, with such Forces of Horse and Foot as I then had with me, and the Foot Forces of Cheshire, all of us then at Knotsford, up­on a determinate resolution to have marched for Man­chester, and then for the service in the North: Accor­ding to enjoynment of the Committee of both King­doms, returned and readvanced with all my said For­ces, unto a place called Spurstow heath, where that night we quartered, and thence advanced upon Mun­day morning towards Whitchurch; we quartered that night likewise in the open Fields, at a place called the Fens in Flintshire, where yesterday we marched to­wards [Page 4]Elsmore, and so to the said town of Oswestree, where the Enemy endeavoured by battering and stor­ming of the same, violently to have carryed it; about Two of the clock in the afternoon we came in sight of the Town, and within Three miles of it, where the Enemy having got Intelligence of our Approach, were prepared to receive us, the chief Forces of our Enemy consisting of the most valiant Commanders and Soul­diers, drawn out of the garrisons of Chester, Cheshire, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Ludlow, Denbyshire, Flint­shire, and other places. The Enemy had taken the pas­sage of water neer to Whittington, and very furiously assaulted and charged us, but were repulsed and forced to retire, through the courage of our Horse, who most couragiously entertained the Enemy, three severall times the skirmish was doubtfull, either side being for­ced so often to retreat, but in the end our Foot Forces coming up, relieved the Horse, beat back the Enemy, and pursued them with such force, that the Horse thereby encouraged, which indeed was formerly wea­ry, joyning with the Foot; they put the Enemy to an absolute flight, in which we pursued them Five miles towards Shrewsbury, to a place called Felton heath, and where likewise wee remained after their flight a­gain thence Masters of the Field: In the skirmish with the Enemy, and in the pursuit, we lost severall of our Horse, some of our Troopers, but never a Footman which I am yet informed of, many of the Troopers are hurt, but I hope they will recover; I lost one Ca­ptain Williams, and one captain Lieutenant Fclether, a very couragious man, being Captain Lieutenants to Colonell Barton, in my Brigade was dangerously shot, but I hope not mortally. As for the Enemy, they lost [Page 5]many stout men, had many of them taken prisoners, the number whereof the inclosed will manifest, some of them being of great quality; As, the Lord New­ports eldest Son: And besides, in their flight such was their haste, that we found in the way of our pursuit of them, the high way, as it were, strewed with store of Bread, Cheese, Bacon, and other good provisions, clothes, and else, such necessary appurtenance to an Army, besides some whole Veals and Muttons new kill'd. The Enemy before the relief came, had taken the Church, being the strongest hold about the Town, upon the approach of the relief they suddenly deserted it, and sent their two battering peeces unto Shrews­bury. In the way also were taken by our Forces, seven Carts and Waggons loaden with provisions, as Beer, Bread and other necessaries, whereof one was loaden with Powder and other Ammunition, the Town of Oswestree I finde to be a very strong Town, and if once fortified, of great concernment, and the Key that lets us into Wales.

SIR, I had to my ayd three Regiments of Foot, viz. Col. George Booths Regiment, a gallant Regi­ment led by himself on foot, to the face of the Enemy; Another by Col. Manwaring, and the third by Col. Croxon, all of them stout and gallant Commanders, and the rest of the Officers and Souldiers full of cou­rage and resolution. Major Louthien, Adjutant Ge­nerall, that brave and faithfull Commander, to whom I cannot ascribe too much honour, brought up the Reare that day.

I Shall trouble you with the sight of this paper, wherein you may please to observe Gods Provi­dence to us; on the Lords day last we marched from Knotsford to Bundbury, fourteen miles from Bun­bury in Cheshire, to Fens Hall in Flintshire, eleven miles on Monday, on Tuesday we marched to Ose­stry: in the narrow lanes they layd their Ambusca­does, three miles short of the Town, kept all passages and lined all hedges to the Town, hedges thicke, and lanes strait, from which our men beate them, though their horse charged our men very furiously, followed them up to the Town, to their maine body, fighting all the way for three miles, in the meane [Page 6]time their Carriages were drawn away, and their Foot Marched away in a Body, our men pursuing tooke these prisoners, but they being strong in horse hinde­red, that Execution that might have been done upon them: I can assure you, the Town of Oswestrey will be of great concernment to this Kingdom, and I hope this Enemy is well queld by raising of this Siege, though they were one thousand five hundred Horse, three thousand five hundred Foote; but I hope your Countrymen are gone for the mountaines, and will not easily be drawn back for the same service, so with Remembrance of my service,

I Shall give you a short account of our present con­dition: by Gods Providence, We have won Munsford Bridge, beate the Enemies muskettiers there­from, have brought all our carriages over; are now within three miles from Shrewesbury, our forlorne hope, and the Enemies are at the present engaged, we are all now marching up with the whole Body. My Lord Denbigh, my Major Gell, Sir Tho. Mid. and the forenamed Cheshire Gentlemen, are all at the present Advancing up; this was the design mentioned in my former letter, dated at Oswestry, but not signified: In briefe the Drums and Trumpets command me away, and cease for the present, So I rest

THese inclosed will shew you the State of York­shire, thankes be to God, much altered with us in a day, for yesterday, a Commander and Kinsman of mine of Lichfield, our Enemy, sent me a jeering letter, to advertise me that the Prince had taken old Lesly Sir Tho. Fairfax, 48. peeces of Cannon, thirty thousand Armes, and had routed, slaine, and taken all the rest of our friends. This was with great triumph blazed, with Bonfires, Bels, and Ordnance; in this Letter the Lo: Fairfax himself was taken. The Earl of Denbigh at Manchester was by a Counsell of War to retreat to Oswestrey, to raise the siege there laid by Col. Marrow; & 4000. at least, but before my Lord could all out reach it, marching with incredible speed, Sir Tho. Middleton with lesse then two thousand vvas in fight, and vvith exceeding hot service Marrow vvas raised, his foote routed, his carriages taken; he had but one peece, and that he sent away before, hearing of my Lords approach, my Lord thereupon, without stay Marched toward Shrewsbury, vvhich he hath begirt as vve heare, vvith about five thousand men. Sir John Meldrum, and Sir Will. Brereton are by this time about Yorke, and the fresh supply of Scotch, vvhich I hope vvill yeeld us dayly increase of good nevvs, of vvhich God-vvilling, I shall not faile to acquaint you, as I possibly may. I thought to have vvritten to the Lord Generall, my right vvorthy good Lord, the Earl of Essex, but I presume you vvill impart these unto his Excellency. Noble Sir, I beseech you esteeme me as I really am,