A True relation of the proceedings at Hereford by the Lord St. Iohns and his regiment there, of the Kings comming thither and his intertainment, and the late proceedings at Manchester with the cashiring of the Earle of Derby and his forces from before that town : from the fourth of October to the eighth, upon which day they left the siege, 14 Octob. 1642.

A true Relation of the proceedings at Hereford by the Lord St. Iohns and his Regiment, &c.

FRiday the seventh of October last, the Lord St. Iohns with his Regiment of Horse and Foot came before Hereford, and the said Lord commanded Cap∣taine Cooper to demand entrance into the Town in the name of the Parliament, and yeeld up the possession thereof to the said Lord St. Iohn for the use of King and Parliament, which Captaine Cooper performing accordingly, Answer was retur∣ned by the Recorder in the name of the Major, Al∣dermen and Townesmen, that his Lordship was right welcome to their towne, rendring many hear∣ty and humble thankes to the Parliament for their care of their peace, and safety against all attempts of the adverse party that may be made against them, by sending to their assistance such a worthy and noble person so well affected to their proceeding, and the peace of this Countrey, in whom they may safely confide and rely upon; Giving many assuran∣ces

by Protestations of the good affection of that City to the King and Parliament, therewith causing the Gates to be opened, and the said Lord with his Forces permitted entrance, & with much joy were by all the wel affected Townsmen received; But for those that were ill affected, and such Welch Cavaliers as before were by the private means of the said ill∣affected persons in the town received into the same, secretly in the night made their escape, and are fled to Marquesse Hartford, and his Complices into Wales; after which the next day the Lord St. Iohn fortified the City with his souldiers, and prepared to plant Ordnance for the preservation of the towne against any assault of the adverse party that shall bee made against it, they daily expecting (according to a late information they received) the comming of the said Marquesse Hartford, Lord Herbert, sonne to the Earle of Worcester; who hath raised divers Welchmen in Wales; the Lord Seymour, the Earle of Darby, who all of them with their respective Forces intend to March thither to besiege the towne, and regaine the possession thereof for the use of his Majesty, upon which the Lord St. Iohn sent Letters to the Earls Ex∣cellency the Lord Generall for to send him some troops of Horse and some Foot for his assistance; Vp∣on

which his Excellency resolved to march thither in person with his army, having notice also that his Majesty intended to go thither in person with his Forces.

Saturday the eigth of October, his Majesty came hither before this Town, guarded with about two thousand Horse and Foot, and demanded entrance into the Town, upon which the Recorder was sent to his Majesty from the Town, with a Message in∣timating that his Majesty was not come but to a faithfull part of his people, and if his Majesty would be graciously pleased to disband his extraordinary Guard, hee should with all duty and joyfulnesse of their hearts be entertained, humbly desiring his Ma∣jesty to return to his Parlament, and hearken to their faithfull Councell, and abandon such evill persons, as have insinuated themselves into his favour, who have been the only cause of these present distracti∣ons and distempers in the State, which if this their just and humble desires be rejected, they are bound in duty to oppose his Majesties Followers for en∣tring into their town, upon which his Majesty was much incensed, and in passion departed with his army towards Chester, hearing the Earl of Essex was marching toward Hereford.

Then the Commons received a Letter from Manche∣ster, of the late proceedings there, since the fourth of October last to the eigth, that the Earle of Derby with his army are quite defeated, and driven from the Town, they would not leave their assault, day nor night, till he had not so many men left to march withall, as were slaine and run away, there being slain in that time of his lying before the Towne a∣bout 500 of his souldiers, and 200 taken prisoners, most of them of the common souldiers, not worth the sending to London, nor troubling the Country prisons with, making great lamentation for being drawn, and as it were inforced to serve the said Earl, that they have for this moneths time of their ser∣vice, received not one peny of pay, but lived on no∣thing but robbing and pillaging the Countries in their march: promising to be faithfull to the Parlia∣ment, if they may have their lives pardoned. There∣fore the Towne desireth the pleasure of the House concerning them, whether they shall be executed, or some of them for example to others, and the rest made to serve the Towne as souldiers for the better securing thereof against future assaults, that the Earle of Derby doth much damage in the County with his souldiers, which if not speedily suppressed, will ut∣terly

destroy and spoyle the same, that his Majesty hath sent command to the Earle to attend with his Forces, his Majesties person, and speedily to march to his Majesty to Chester, upon which the said Earle is in a great strait, being ashamed to returne to his Majesty with so few men, and endevours what hee can by promise of reward and otherwise to gather his scattered men, that ran away from him, again to his service, but few or none will come to him being altogether weary of his employment.

Vpon which the Commons falling into debate, appointed a Committee, to take the said Letter into consideration, and make report thereof to the House the next morning.

FINIS.