AN EXACT AND FULL RELATION OF THE LAST FIGHT BETWEEN THE KINGS FORCES AND SIR WILLIAM WALLER

SENT IN A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER TO HIS FRIEND IN LONDON .

Printed to prevent misinformation. LONDON , Printed for Ben Allen in Popes-Head-Alley July 5 1644.

Wee have thought good to give you the best and truest Relation of our last passages, and God's providence towards us. After severall dayas marching: on Thursday night last about seven of the clock was faced the Kings body at Cropready bridge neare Banbury, and all day, the next day, and yesterday till noone being Saturday, about ten of the clock in the forenoone wee discovered their Army to be upon the march towards Daintry; and as some (who were since taken prisoners) affirms, their entent was from thence to York; Whereupon command was given to some particular persons to advance after them and fall in their Roore; But it proved the middle of their wide body.

According to the order, our Regiment of Horse and General Vanbosses, advanced under the command of Lieutenant Generall Middleton, and Captain Butler, Adjutant Generall, and foure Companies of Farnham foote, five companies of Sir Williams owne Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Collonell Baines, (sometime Brewer in London) Quarter Master Generall to the

They had placed a Guard to secure Cropready-bridge, which wee readily beat off, and made the bridge our owne by a partie of Dragoons, and past over the River between us and Banbury, (for until then we were on the one side of the River, and they on the other) being over the River through mis-information, wee too speedily pursued the enemy, (being enformed that their whole body was marched away, when as a third part of them were left behind unknowne to us). Wee pursued them above a mile, till we came to a bridge where their Foot made a stand, drew up and fac'd us; Wee being within Musket shot of them, onlye our fours eldest Troops, (viz Sir Arthur's, Captaine Okes; Captains Foloyes, and Captains Gardners; They overthrew a Carriage to barricade the bridge and planted it with Muskettiers. This occasioned our Retreat back againe, being unwilling too farre to engage ourselves, having no Foot within above halfe a mile of us, and discovering their Army behind us, upon our retreat wee discovered the party of Foot (drawn over with us) by an unresistable body of the enemies Horse, of some thirty Troops, and two regiments of Foot put to disorderly retreat, which hastened our march back again, and coming back we found the way to the bridge within a quarter of a mile, stopt with the enemies Horse and Foot, who were got between our Foot and the bridge: For whose reliefe (although our way back lay on the right hand), we advanced up to their body on the left hand up the hill, and with our foure Troops charged the Kings owne Regiment, and put them to a retreat but the other Troop coming downe upon us, (There being of them all in some three Regiments) with whom we were in no case able to deale, we were necessitated to retreat very disorderly, having put their body of Horse into a combustion, having slain three Colonels, whereof one was Sir William Butler, a Papist of Kent, Lieutenant generall of Horse (viz) Wilmut was sore wounded, and his Lieutenant Generall taken prisoner, and committed to the custody of two Souldiers who in our disorderly retreat lost him againe; We slue divers other of their Officers both in our charge and in our retreat , the way being filled with their foot and horse, many whereof were wounded sorely, slew others, and took some prisoners. Coming back to the Bridge, the Hamblets very honourably and stoutly made good the Bridge, kept back the enemy, and recovered three pieces of Ordnance, which we had lost; we having lost some half a dozen small pieces besides, which were unadvisably drawne over before the Foot were ready to march along with them, and the men running away with the horse, we could not draw them back again: being over the bridge, we rallied together, and drew our body toward another place of the river, where the enemy made show of coming over, but we kept them on the other side; although we could not attain what we had attempted, yet we hereby bravely caused them to draw back their whole body from their march toward Daintry which must retard their journey to York. Having faced them several hours together, towards evening the King sent his trumpeter: to our General, with a message to this effect that if our General pleased, he would send a Herald of Arms, which at the head of our army should proclaim a gracious Message. The answer from our General was returned thus, That he had no commission to treat with his Majestie concerning peace; but if he pleased to send to the two Houses of Parliament, wee should remain his faithfull subjects. In the time of our facing was exchanged severall Cannon shot, as we conceive fourty shot apiece, but through Gods mercy all the Lord so ordering it, caused them to draw back their body out of our reach, where they abode all night. Wee tooke in the fight two Horse colours of theirs, and we lost three Foot Colours, we have lost Lieutenant Volonell Baines, who as we heare, would not take quarter, we have lost Col. Wembs, Colonell of our Artillery, and lieutenant Colonell Balor, Lieutenant Colonell to Sir Williams Regiment of foote.

Wee have lost of ours, and taken prisoners neare upon one hundred, or six score. Captain Okes has lost some ten men, wherof one Master Crosey is one: Captain Gardner hath lost near as many; Captain Feloyr foure, and three wounded, whereof one Thomas Steme, an apprentice formerly to Master Lloyd, who lived in Watling-Steet is one, being shot into the thigh-bone broke, and run through both buttocks with a tuck; Wee this day sent him and another, John Nicklis to Warwicke there to be carefully provided for. Wee have lost but one Officer in all our Regiment, praised be God, and that is Captain Perries Cornet.

It was an infinite mercy of God wee had not been all lost, which we desire may be taken notice of, with solemne thankes to God almightie, who was our onely helper; as also for the double good effect it wrought; viz it drew their body back from marching towards York; and wee relieved some six hundred horse that were coming to joyne us, when the enemy had faced above a quarter of an houre, coming from Northampton, who had not wee take this course, in all probabilitie they had been all cut off. Wee have taken a Major of the Kings owne Regiment, his name is Webbe, he is mortally wounded, not likely to recover. Our Officers and Souldiers are very well, and very cheerfull, willingly content to go on with the work, if we can be supplied with bread and water, our lodgings giving for severall nights been, and still is, on Gods cold earth, overshadowed with the Canopie of heavens sweet Firmament, and God in much mercy hath afforded us sweet temperate weather; nothing hath been so short with us as Bread for men, the earth affording grasse for our horses. Wee still continue facing one another, the River between us, wee maintain Cropredy Bridge, and hinder their passing over to us, waiting what they will do, and expecting further supplyes, either from Colonel Brown, Lord Gray, Colonell Murey, or the Earl of Denbigh, whom it pleases God to send. They have a far larger body of horse than wee, but for foot wee dare incounter, being no ways fearfull to deal with their horse.

Wee desire not to bury the mercies of God in oblivion, but to tell of his loving kindnesse, and desire that all our friends may be acquainted with his goodnesse to us in this delivery, that they may be better stirred up, both in publique and private to blesse God, and rejoice with us.

We desire your prayers for our good successe, and that is the greatest comfort that under God wee have, that we have a stock of prayers still going on among all Gods people. His Majesty was under a tree in the field not above Pistoll-shot where we charged his horse, as some of our own men, and some of their prisoners affirm. We have about 80 of their prisoners; there is now another trumpeter come from his Majesty, but for what we know not, it is sure no parley, for our Cannon playes at them. My Capt. man, Henry Philips the Barbar is taken prisoner; my man Thomas Sugar charged with mee, and came off, blessed be God, safe and well and did good service.

All our Officers and Souldiers in this business behaved themselves very stoutly. Lieutenant Generall Middleton, and Adjutant Generall Butler, charged with us very gallantly; Lieutenant Generall Middleton was accidentally dismounted, and one of Captain Okes his man dismounted and mounted him upon his horse and for which the Lieutenant Generall hath made him a Captain Lieutenant, and he shall be his childe so long as he lives. I fear the Post will be gone, I take leave, a thousand times farewell, the Lord preserve you and us all, which is the desire of thy truly loving Brother till death,

Tho Ellis

POSTSCRIPT

The Trumpeter from his Majesty, as I hear, brings this message; that the King will give our Generall leave to march away with his foot and horse, provided he will leave his Artillery and Ammunition behind him, but blessed be God, we are not in this strait as yet; were wee, wee would rather choose to leave some of our blood to doo him good. Severall friends I know will send to see this letter, therefore I pray thee bestow a dozen points thereon, Vale.