YOur Letters, as also my Pistols I received ye­sterday at my returne home from the Ar­my, and give you thankes for your carefull sending of them. Now to give you some touch of our proceedings in these parts. I will relate it unto you in way of a diurnall; First, ther­fore on Sunday the 25. of August the Earle of Bedford came into this County, where the Gentlemen of this County met him, and attended him that night to Wells, where they stayd till Saterday following, the Countrey (I meane) the Traine-Bands, and Voluntiers resorted unto him in great numbers: on Saterday hey marcht from Wells to Glassenbury where they stayd till Tuesday, on Tuesday they marcht to Elchester, where they stayed Wednesday being Fast day, and on Thursday marcht to Evell, and on Friday marcht to the hill where we lay that night, not doing any thing, onely a few of the Cava­leirs shawing themselves at Sherborne Townes end in a bravado, a squadron of Major Prittys troope (in whose company I entred my selfe and two more of Cozen Ashes men well horst) rode downe to them, but they retreated backe into the Towne, not changing one Bullet; on Saterday morning our forces horse and foot were drawn downe to the townes end, as also all our Ordnance which were about eight or nine, in our march as we past by the Castle, they at the Castle let fly eight or nine peeces of Ordnance at us, two of which were let fly against out troope we being the first troope in the field, but (praised be God) they fell short and did us no hurt, but the bul­lets fell so neere us that we tooke them up. Our Compa­nies [Page 2]being come up, some foot of ours were drawne up into the lane that enters the Towne, and our troope to enter the towne, my place was the right hand file of the Coronet in the front of the battle: The Cavalliers had placed store of Musquetiers on both sides of the lane un­der hedges and bushes which play very thick upon us, the bullets flying very thick about our eares, they being under covert, and we lying an open marke unto them, our Gun­ners began to play with a small brasse peece upon the Towne, what service they did we know no; the Caval­liers grew so fast upon us, having that great advantage, that we were forc'd to draw back our pecce of Ordnance higher upon the hill, and our troope to retreat higher, ha­ving been halfe an houre in this great danger, not one of us (praised be God) hurt, the first man that fell in this skirmish of ours was one that was shot by his next fel­low, who shot him through the back.

Now was our troope relieved and fresh men to supply, playing on both sides very sharp and quick, continuing till Evening; on our fide we had not above sixe kild and hurt, one of which ther were kill I was a shearman of Co­zen Ashes, who looking over a little wall after hee had discharged his Musket, was shot through the head, what hurt was on the enemies side we cannot learne; at eve­ning, at the closure of the night, our troop was drawne up again to enter the Town, which had been a great haz­zard to us all the enemy being in houses, and we open to their marke: And in the darke night we as likely to shoot our selves as our enemies, this was at last considered of, and after wee had sitten at the lanes end two or three houres, were brought back again to our Camp.

This evening our greatest pieces (which were not very bigge) began to play at the Castle, discharged nine pieces, which we conceived had done good service against the Castle, we could not perceive the Castle, for it was in the dark of the evening; but the next morning we could per­ceive [Page 3]no service that they had done. Sunday morning we removed further upon the hill over against the Casile, and began to entrench, some few musquetiers on both sides making light skirmishes one against the other; and some few of our horse scouting out, but nothing done worth the writing. I had now watched three nights together. Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday, and sitting continually upon my horse, was so tired, that I could not hold up my head any longer, so this night I went with my cousin Samuel Ash to Evell; three miles from the Camp, and on Munday we returned to the Camp againe, where nothing more was done.

Our country-men with this long and tedious march grew very weary, & abundance of them stole a way from the Camp, some of them throwing their armes away into the corne fields, the better to escape home; so that our Army now grew l [...]sse and lesse, and our m [...]n very weary and tired. I offered my selfe on Saturday [...] pence to a boy to fetch me a draught of wat [...]r [...] was th [...] Caval­liers policie, for they were warme, and their bellies full, lying in their beds and they knew well, that our country fellowes that were wont to have their bellies ful of good beefe, and then to their beds, would not long endure hun­ger and cold on a bleak hill.

On Tuesday it was concluded by our Councell of Warre, that our Army should retird that night to E­vell, from whence my Lord with what forces he thought good would march to Dorchester, there to remaine till hee had sent to the Parliament, and as I heare, to have some of your Generalls forces to come hither. Wee came to Evell that night, and on Wed­nesday I came homewards in company of Captaine Barnards foot, We came Wednesday night to Elchester now let me tell you of a passage that happened on Wed­sday at evening after I was come from Evel: The Caval­liers with a great force of horse and 3. companies of foot [Page 4]came from Sherbourn, to the hill over Evell, about a mile from the towne; whose unexpected appear [...]nce put the town in a great hu [...]ly Burly: But after our men had pla­ced their Ordnance for the securitie of the town and strengthened them with men; Captain Askew and his troop of horte and Captain Thomson and his troop, with twenty musquettiers attending each troope were sent to the hill, Captain Askew took one way up the hill, and Captaine Thomson another, Captain Askew was the first who with his small troope charged them so couragiously that he went through and through them, killed as is re­ported) eight of them, and after discharging Carbines and pistols fell to worke with their swords and so re­treated: Captain Askew lost in this conflict three of his men; by this time Captain Thomson charged them on the other side and presently routed them, they taking themselves to their horse heels, the three captaines of their foot, young Lunsford fled away upon his horse; Captain Hussy kild, and the third Captaine tak [...]n priso­ner: Our men fell upon their foot, killed betwixt thirtie and fourtie; took many prisoners, and but that the night fell dark upon them had cut them all off: And our horse followed their horse home to Sherborne townes end, We heare that Sir Ralph Hopton is hurt, one of the Bartlets killed, with some other of their Commanders: This hath a little cooled their Insolencies. Thus much in haste for newes in these parts.

HEre in the Country we dare not send seven miles abroad for the Cavalliers, who at Sherbourn do pillage rob, and kill like the Sons of hell; but they were met withall this weeke to the purpose, by some London Troopers; and our Dorchester Troopers. My Lord of Bedford finding the Castle to be a piece of grea­ter str [...]ngth than hee imagined, and seeing his trained band men forsake him, so that of six or seven thousand, he had but 1500. left within three daies, not that they de­serted the country, but being men that have wives and estates, were loth to lose or hazard them in an obscure way, my Lord resolved to raise the siege, and they mar­ched to a Town called Evell, within foure miles of Sher­borne. There was lost seven or eight men of a side at the siege, very few more or lesse that we can learne: I am sure no more of our side on Wednesday towards eve­ning, while my Lord of Bedford and the souldiers were at a Sermon in Evell at the Funerall of some souldiers lately killed. The Sherborn Lords and Cavalliers having that day received into their aide an hundred horse, and two hundred foot from Master Rogers, one of our high knights, entertained them with triumph at the de­parture of my Lord of Bedfords forces, contemning the Parliament, came in a bravado, pitching themselves in battell array with 400. horse, and 200. musquetiers in ambush at the top of the hill before Evell and Sherborne middle way, which the London troops hearing of, two of their troops & our Dorchester troops lay ready to assault [Page 6]the enemies, the other Troopes abiding at the end of the towne of Evell fearing the Cavalleirs would surprise the towne, our men have about one hundred musquetieres and one hundred and fourtie horse: and marched while bullets flew as thick as haile about their ears, they assault­ed the Cavalleirs while they spent their shot and came within sword point, cutting and slashing without either pitie or mercy the great r [...]bels without respect of person; but the night came on else they in likely-hood had killed and taken every man. God cast upon the Cavalleirs a spirit of fea [...]fulnesse that they, ranne like mise into every hole the musquetiers threw downe their Armes and fied so that our men took about twentie men in ambush, with some chief Commanders and killed many, amongst whom were Colonell Lunsford and the Lord Paulet cre­dibly reported to be slain: the next morning were twenty eight dead bodies found lying on the ground besides those that were carried away in the night by the Rebels, there were lanth [...]rns and candles seen sear [...]hing for dead bodies all the night at the Cavalliers flying away as they did like mad men, they said hold your hands for you have shed much noble blood: Of our side were slain five men, and two or three taken prisoners, and some more likely wounded. The Cavalliers were heard to say at their com­ing home, The Round-heads did fight more like Divels than men, and swore that they thought they had lost halfe their men. Of 200. musquetiers there returned but 18. in­to the Castle the first night: This newes is certaine, my man was in the fight; only it is not certaine whether my Lord Paulet is slain, or dangerously hurt.

I desire you to take notice of one passage, That a Cavallierbeing beaten off his horse, cried out for mercy, for they had a bad cause: But one of Captain Askews men being dead­ly wounded, called to his fellowes to goe on, for they had a good cause: We see conscience in dying men wil speak truth.