Sir Henry Vane's Letter to Marquess Hamilton concerning the March to Kelsey.
My Lord,
BY the Dispatch Sir James Hamilton brought your Lordship from his Majesties Sacred Pen, you were left at your liberty to commit any Act of Ho∣stility upon the Rebels, when your Lordship should find it most opportune. Since which my Lord Holland with 1000 Horse and 3000 Foot marched towards Kelsey, himself advanced towards them with the Horse (leaving the Foot three miles behind) to a place called Maxwell-heugh, a height above Kelsey; which when the Rebels discovered, they instantly marched out with 150 Horse, and (as my Lord Holland says) eight or ten thousand Foot; five or six thousand there might have been. He thereupon sent a Trumpet, commanding them to Retreat, according to what they had promised by the Proclamation. They asked whose Trumpet he was? He said, My Lord Holland's. Their Answer was, He were best to be gone. And so my Lord Hol∣land made his Retreat, and waited on his Majesty this night to give him this Account.
This morning Advertisement is brought his Maje∣sty, That Lesley with 12000 Men is at Corkburn∣spath, that 5000 Men will be this night or to mor∣row at Dunce, 6000 at Kelsey; so his Majesties Opi∣nion is, with many of his Councel, to keep himself upon a Defensive, and make himself here as fast as he can; for his Majesty doth now clearly see, and is fully satisfied in his own Judgment, that what passed in the † 1.1 Gallery, betwixt his Majesty, your Lordship, and my self, hath been but too much verified on this occasion. And there∣fore his Majesty would not have you to begin with them, but to settle things with you in a safe and good posture, and your self to come hither in Person, to consult what Counsels are fit to be taken, as the Affairs now hold. And so wishing your Lordship a speedy Passage, I Rest,
From the Camp at Huntley-field, this 4th of June, 1639.
Your Lordships most humble Servant, and faithful Friend, H. Vane.