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.

A true Relation of the late battell neere Newbury, Sept. 23. 1643.

Loving Master,

MY service being presented to your selfe and my Mistresse, with my love to my Brother, Sister, and all the rest of my Friends, These are to informe you that I am in good health, at present, I praise God, and so is all our Companie.

At our first entrance into Gloster I sent a Letter to my Brother, if it miscarried not, wherein was a Relation of that Skirmish at Stow, in which as we heard, it was reported in London that we were all miserably kil'd, when indeed Prince Ru∣pert & his now terrifi'd Cavaleers ran away before 20 Muskets was shot on our side, for their parts I thinke they had none there to shoot, the noyse of my Lord Generals Ordnance & the sight of the Citizens, is now an ordinary fore-runner of their running con∣stitutions, from thence we chac't them before us till we came to Gloster, and there rowz'd them from their nests, made them burne their Cabins, wheele about to the left, and leave some of the Cabbages without, and all their glorious pillage so much gap'd for within the City.

On Friday Sept. 8. we entred the City and there quartered till Sunday following, and from thence we marcht to Teuksbury, where we lay till last Fri∣day,

on which morning some of the Cavalers set upon a party of our Horse, which were quarter'd at Oxen∣ton foure miles off, who being not so vigilant as they ought to have beene in their watches, were routed, some few were spoyld and taken, and the rest made to flye: The day before we caused a Bridge to be made over the Severne, and sent some Forces to Upton Bridge, in policy, as if we intended to march for Worcester, which caused the Enemy to draw all his forces together forthe defence of that place, plan∣ted their Ordnance, and thought to tickle us by the way; but the fooles were cozen'd, for on Friday morn∣ing we went cleane another way marcht all day and the greatest part of the night from Teuxbury to Ci∣tencester 18 miles, where we tooke 200 and odde of them napping in their beds, though we thanke God their Horses were feeding in the Stables, who as themselves say, were going into Kent as soone as their companies could be filled: the maner was thus, On Friday night we thought to have quartered in the fields 8 miles off from Cicester, but having intel∣ligence that such a party was there, we pluckt up our spirits, drew up a forlorne hope of about six hun∣dred Musquetiers, and so we marcht lustily for Cicester, we drew neare it about one of the clock in the morning; and because we expected some knock∣ing worke, for we heard that Prince Maurice with two thousand horse was there: we had all white handkerchiffs in our hats, and the word GOD in our mouthes for distinction, our forlorne hope bravely entred the Towne, whilst the rest of our for∣ces surrounded it, and as soone as we werein, com∣manded

all the inhabitants upon pain of death to keep their doores and windowes shut, and if any man presumed to look out or stir, we were comman∣ded to shoot them, or knock them downe: they had set out a guard of foure men, but the Centry was asleep, whom we straight knockt down for quietnesse sake; the rest took house, and we marcht up to the Mar∣ket place, according to order, without any oppositi∣on, the Cavaliers supposing we had been Prince Maurice and his forces, who it seems were that night expected, tilwe entred their houses; drag'd them our prisoners, and put them into the Church toge∣ther till the next morning. Among the Prisoners was one Captaine Hacker, a late City Captain, and some other Captaines, Officers and Citizens of worth and quality, and one Mason an Vpholster in Newgate-market: the Prisoners we bring along with us, but what service we are next designed for, as yet we know not: I think if it please God to preserve us, as blessed be his name he hath hitherto wonderfully done, it will not be long before we be in London.

At Cicester we took between thirty and forty Cart-load of Bread and Cheese, the Cavaliers had got and ready provided for their owne eating, all their Horses, some Pistolls, Swords, and Cara∣bines, with some Money, and good Cloaths, to God be the glory and honour for ever.

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.