A True relation of the late battell neere Newbery.: Shewing the happy successe of his Excellencies forces against the cavaliers, upon Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with the manner of their fight, and how many slaine, and taken prisoners on both sides. Also how his Majesty and the prince standing on a hill neere, and viewing the said fight, concluded that it was a worse bout then Edge-hill. With a perfect relation of the taking of Cyrencester, the number of prisoners, horses, armes, ammunition, and provisions. As it was sent in a letter from one in the army, to his friend in London, dated from their quarters in Reading, 23 of September, 1643.

From our Quarters at Reading Sept. 23. 1643.

SIr, since this Letter, which till now I had no opor∣tunity to send, we have had three bouts with the Cavaliers, who have been so inraged ever since we dis∣appointed their purposes at Glocester, and got away their bread and cheese at Ciciter, that they have often sworne we should never see London againe, and our Prisoners have bragd of the same as a thing impossible, yet the Lord be praised we are now pretty well on our way. On Monday last we quartered at Chilleton, and that afternoon the Cavaliers faced us on Mavern hills, two miles on this side; we made as if we had retreated, and sent out a party of horse to meet them, they joyned, fired bravely upon each other, and our horse wheeled off: Then my Lord Generall fell on with his Foot, and gave them a gallant charge, which accompanied with a Volley of our Dragooners ratled for the space of an houre without any cessation. Then the trained Bands and Auxiliaries were drawne on, but the dark∣nesse of the night prevented out further sport for that time. Wee tooke about 60 prisoners, and marched away that night to Chelton, and from thence the next day to Newbery, where the Cavaleers pitcht a field against our comming, planted their Ordnance, and having joyned the King and Queenes Army together with Prince Maurice his foot, and all the forces they could possible make, thought themselves sure of our destruction, but God had otherwise determined it: for on Wednesday morning my Lord Generall by Sun rise espying their body set in a battalia upon a

place called Newbery-common, d•••••• up towards them, fell to it pell-mell, & the fight continued without any intermission all that day and the next night till one or two of the clocke the next morning: Many men were killed on both sides, but God be praised wee won the field of them, and beat them into the Towne: The most we lost were out of the Blew and Red Trained-Bands, who neverthelesse have gained themselves eter∣nall honour. Lievtenant Colonell Tucker and Cap∣taine Hunt of the Red Trained bands are slaine. The fight was long and terrible, some talke of thousands slaine on the Kings side; I viewed the field, and cannot guesse above 500, but this the Townsmen informed us, that they carried 60 cart load of dead and wounded men into the Towne before I came to view the place, and such crying there was for Surgeons as never was the like heard. The King, Queen, and Prince stood all the day upon a hill hard by, in sight of us, and beheld all: and the King himselfe hath said, That this was a worse bout then Edge-hill. The next day we faced them upon the Common till eleven or twelve of the clocks but they drew not out to meet us, which caused us to march away, our businesse being onely to breake thorow their Army home. But Colonell Hurry, as soone as we were gone, with a strong party of horse made after us, but such was the base cowardise of our horse, which that day brought up the Reare, that upon a weake assault of the enemy they ran away, rode quite thorow our foot in a narrow lane, prest many of them downe under their horses feet, and for the present ut∣terly routed us, which caused the enemy to fall on with great eagernesse and resolution; but God be prai∣sed

our Foot got over into the fields out of the lane, lined the hedges with Musketiers, and killed them like Dogs, making them quickly retreat, and take time to repent their hasty bargain. I know but of three slain outright in our Company, of which Thomas Master Glovers Journeyman is one.

The consideration of all our protection from our enemies, for all their inveterate rage and malice against us: the preservation of our bodies in health and strength, for all our many hard shifts and necessities, with many other mercies, makes us sensible of this conclusion, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. So desiring your prayers for us, I com∣mit you to God, and rest,

Yours, T. V.

In our first fight we killed a great Marquesse of France his son, whose body we brought with us to Hungerford, and thi∣ther the King sent a Trumpeter to my Lord Generall about it, but I know not what answer was returned: and on Wed∣nesday my Lord Falkland, the Earle of Carnarvan, and my Lord Spencer, as I certainly heare are slaine, also a Bishop, about whose body the King also sent a Trumpeter to my Lord Generall the next day. His Maiesty sent from Oxford on Friday for the burying of sixty Lords, Knights, and gentle∣men of great quality, at severall places in and about Oxford, and there were many of their chiefe Commanders slaine, (and as a great Commander of theirs said) that there was not one Commander that charged upon us, but were either slain, woun∣ded, or had his horse shot under him.