I Need not tell the world what (to their coſt) they know, That Souldiers by action, and Printers by promulgation, are the two great Engliſh Factors. I am content to lay by my Sword, and handle the Pen at this time, not to encroach upon anothers imployment, but that ſuch as will, may know the truth of the paſſages concerning Liechfield Cloſe, of which I was an eye-witneſſe.

The Cloſe of Liechfield hath a ſtrong wall and buildings incompaſſing the Cathedrall Church, which all together make a very defenſible Fort; This was gained from the Earle of Cheſterfield, and divers other Commanders and Souldiers (by the forces raiſed by the Lord Brooke after his death) under the Conduct of Sir John Gell, then Commander in Chiefe, who afterwards by adviſe of the Committee of the County, placed a Garriſon in it, conſiſting of about two hundred ſouldiers, beſides Captaines: This Garriſon Prince Rupert (having drawn his forces into Staffordſhire) ſummoned by a Trumpeter (the ſouldiers uſuall Herauld) on April the ſixth, to yeeld up the Cloſe unto him, conditioning that the Captaines and Souldiers ſhould be entertained to ſerve his Majeſty in their reſpective places, or elſe march away; we returned a direct deniall, and told him we reſolved to fight it out: Hereupon, on Saturday, April the eighth, he advanced into Liechfield, the Inhabitants petitioning him ſo to doe, his forces then were about foure thouſand: Sunday, the ninth of April, they well obſerved us, intrenching themſelves, and in the night planted their Ordnance on the Eaſt ſide of the Cloſe, fitting their inſtruments, which on Munday, April the tenth, they plaid with in earneſt, ſhooting about one hundred and fiftie bullets roundlie, moſt of which weighed nineteene pound, and not all in vaine, for they pierced our walls very frequentlie, which we repaired with ſtones and earth without any prejudice to our ſelves, this deſigne not anſwering their expectations, they removed their Ordnance thence, and planted them on the South ſide, in a garden of Sir Richard Dyets, This proved to them labour in vaine, and then becauſe we had leiſure, we bravely mounted three or foure leather Buckets upon wheeles like a Morter-piece, which they let flie at furiouſly, and ſo ſpent the reſt of that day, in playing while we danced, ſome of them that while having laid the great Pond drie, that lay between their Ordnance and us, in the night following endeavoured with Fagots to make a Bridge over the mud, and did halfe performe it before we could diſcerne it, after which we plaid them a ſit with our muskets, to their loſſe, which yet did not deter them, for that deſigne (as much conducing to their advantage) they proſecuted divers nights, though we laid the man for the moſt part with the Fagot; and how ever they had a ſtocke ſufficient, and might ſpare men yet was the ſervice too hot, dead men and Fagots did not joyne hanſomely together, nevertheleſſe the day following they ſhot from the Garden or backeſide where they had pitched, by reaſon whereof they fired a houſe in the Town which they intended not, whereby eight or ten other houſes were conſumed, and that while we made way through the flames with our Bullets to meete our Adverſaries, and there many of them fell. Upon Saturday, April 15. they planted their great Ordnance at the South Gate neere the Mill, which is within a few yards of the Cloſe, and thence ſhot about ſixtie times, thereby battering all the Wall over the Percullis, intending to make their entry there on Sunday morning, and therefore during the ſmoake of the ſhot, attempted to ſcale the Walls, which the Sentinell eſpying diſcharged, as did other of our ſouldiers upon his Alarum, who were exceeding ready and diligent, notwithſtanding their continuall ſervice day and night, for the ſpace of ſixteene dayes and nights, for ſo long the Siege continued, and ſo that Plot (as the reſt) miſcarried: In this aſſault we loſt one man, and they (as wee conceive) about ſixtie, yet ſo indefatigable were they, that they cauſed the Colliers which they called to their aſſiſtance to under-mine us, which wee once or twice prevented by countermining and ſmoaking them out: Another Mine they had ſecreatly made from the Angell under one of our Towers, which wee ſuſpected not; this being fully prepared, Prince Rupert did againe; viz. on Thurſday morning, April 20. ſound a Parly, and tendred us the former Conditions, which we againe refuſing, they preſently blew up our Tower, and there made a terrible wide breach, and entered it preſently with much eagerneſſe and ſecurity as wee conceived, for many of their chiefe Commanders appeared firſt in it; about 40. of our Musketeers endeavoured to make good the breach, the reſt of our ſouldiers being imployed on the Walls, which they were alſo now indeavouring to ſcale; theſe fortie ſeeing little execution done by their ſhot, being lead on by that truely valiant Souldier, Leiutenant Mydhope did fall upon their Adverſaries (being betweene two or three hundred) pell mell, and with their Butt ends of their Muskets, their Swords, and Holbeards, did moſt bravely repell them, ſlew many, among which was Colonell Uſher, Captaine Corbet (ſay ſome Sir John Corbets Son) and many other Officers, to the number of about 60. and wounded neare upon 100. others amongſt which were the Lord Digbie who is ſnot into the knee, Colonell Wagſtaff, Mortally wounded, Colonell Garret hurt, tooke Priſoners divers great Commanders, among which was Capt. Legge, and Prince Ruperts Chaplaine, one Askin a Scottiſh man, unto whom a Chirurgion was ſent, Prince Rupert having before requeſted it, after this, while ſome of our ſouldiers made good the breach, we went preſently to cleare the Cloſe of thoſe that ruſhed in, being about 150. who apprehending all their owne, as in probability they well might, fell on Plundering; divers of theſe wee tooke Priſoners, others of them eſcaped downe the Ladders that were reared for their comming over unto us, a faire ſcape by Ladders.

We loſt in this dreadfull commotion not above eight men, two were blowne up with the Tower, and ſome foure or ſix wounded, and in all the ſiege before not above three or foure men; when we had breathed a little, a Councell of War was called, and perceiving our danger, how deſtitute of all reliefe from men, and which was worſt of all, how very neere ſpent our Match and Powder were, not enough to make good another aſſault, we reſolved on theſe Articles to preſent to Prince Rupert.

Unto which we added, that if Prince Rupert refuſed theſe termes, we would put all our priſoners we then had to the Sword, and die our ſelves upon the walls.

Upon the receipt of the Articles, Col. Haſtings came in to treate with us, and in a very ſhort time conſented to them, whereupon we marched forth orderly the next morning, being Friday, with our Colours diſplayed, being about 80. Musketiers, and as many Horſemen with their Horſes and Armes, beſides the Commanders, and ſo paſſed through Prince Rupert his Army, which was ſet guard wiſe about a mile in length, none of his Souldiers offering any abuſe to us, and ſo we came ſafe to Coventry, ſome on Friday night, others on Saturday morning, and however we have cauſe to be humble, yet bleſſed be God, who hath not delivered us over unto death, but by us cut of many hundreds of our enemies.

That both our Commanders and Common ſouldiers who kept Liechfield Cloſe may have their due commendations, this may not be omitted, namely, their great faithfulneſſe as well as courage, for although Prince Rupert and Haſtings uſed all meanes [as by commending them for their valour, proffering them preferment and good pay, &c.] to cauſe them to deſert the Parliament, and ſerve under them, yet they refuſed, although they had never received penny pay in all that ſervice.