Englands Worthies, Earl of Essex
ENGLAND'S WORTHIES. UNDER WHOM, ALL THE CIVILL AND Bloudy Warres since Anno 1642, to Anno 1647, are related.
WHEREIN ARE DESCRIBED the severall Battails, Encounters, and Assaults of Cities, Townes, and Castles at severall times and Places; so that the Reader may behold the time, yeare, and event of every Battle, Skirmish and Assault.
WHEREIN LONDON-Apprentices had not the least share.
AS ALSO, Severall Victories by Sea, by the Noble Admirall, ROBERT Earle of Warwick.
Heb. 11.Who by Faith subdued Kingdomes.
Psal. 44. 3.They got not the Land in possession by their owne sword, neither did their owne arme save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
LONDON, Printed for J. Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard, 1647.
The right Hono:ble Robert Earle of Essex… and Ewe Viscount Hereford, Lord Fereers of Chartley… Bourchar, and Lovaine. Lo: Generall of the Army …ployed for the defence of the Protestant Religion, the … of his maties ▪ Person, and of the Parliament, the prese… tion of the Lawes, Liberties▪ and Peace of the King d… and protection of his ma.ties Subjects from oppressi…
A LIST OF THE SEVERALL Victories in which his Excellency was ingaged in Person.
HIs Excellency being made Captain Generall by the Parliament over all the Forces in England, as was Voted by both Houses the 12 day of Iuly 1642. protesting to live and dye with him. And by the first of August following, his Excellency had 10000 Men, which hee caused to be committed to Officers, and drawne into Regiments, and so marched immediatly into the Field.
The 23 of October next after was a very great Battell fought betweene Keynton and Edge-hill by his Excellency and his Army; and that of the Kings led by his Majesty: At which time his Excellencies army killed the Kings Generall▪ the Earle of Lindsey, the Lord Auboney, Sir Edmund Verney, and divers more; and tooke Prisoners the Lord Willowby, three Colonels, and many hundred more, and brought away 16 of the Kings Ensignes.
His Excellency was in the battell engaged against a great Army, where was the King in person, and Princes, Dukes, Marquesses, Earles, Viscounts, Barons, Knights, and Gentlemen of all orders, who engaged themselves against him; yet his Excellencies Army fought most chearfully by the example of their Generall, whose undaunted courage put life into every man.
Afterwards the Kings Forces being come up to Branford and Henley in November, his Excellency after severall engagements with them, and assistance comming to him from the City of London, who protested to live and die with him; he forced the Kings Army to retreat to Oxford with the losse of above two hundred men.
In Aprill, Anno 1643, his Excellency being recruted, marched againe into the field with his Army, and took the Towne and Garrison of Redding from his Majesty, and after severall defeats given to parties of the Kings Army hee took the Town of Cirencester.
After which his Majesties whole Army being againe drawne into the field, his Excellency marched up to them, the Queene came up to the Kings Army, and a great party with her to strengthen his Majesties Army against the Earle of Essex; But his Excellencie fought with them neare Newbury, where he killed five Lords, and divers others of quality, the King with the losse of 500 men, retreated to Edge-hill, whither the Queene came to him.
In May 1644, his Excellency desired the Parliament to have a Committee to reside with him in the Army, and his Excellency made preparations to the Field, and presently besieged Oxford where the King then was, and at the beginning of Iune got away towards the West, the King and the Prince being gone to Exeter with the Lord Paulet, and others; his Excellency having taken divers Prisoners, drew his Army after them; the Queen fled over into France; his Excellency tooke in the West divers persons in severall places, amongst which many of quality, and divers Garrisons.
In Iune his Excellency secured Weymouth, Taunton-Deane, Wareham, Bavonestable, Mount Stanford neare Plimouth, Plimton, Saltash, and Lanceston.
And in Iuly his Excellency gave a defeat to Greenvill neare Lestithiell in Cornwell, and took 100 Prisoners, and killed 300 upon the place, and then tooke Tocester and Foy, and did beat them from Newbridge, still taking more Prisoners daily.
In August his Excellency fell upon the Cornish Brigade neare Saltash, and brake through their Army, slew many of them upon the place, tooke 300 Prisoners and 4 Drakes.
Then the Kings whole Army, Maurices and Greenvils were drawn into the field in Battalia, in number almost 20000 men neare Lestithiell, where his Excellency daily skirmished with them, killed many, took prisoners Colonell Champernoone, who was sore wounded, and divers more, many lying 6 and eight in a heap, and upon desire his Excellency granted them leave (at a parly) to bury their dead.
On Saturday the 24 of August 1644, his Excellency appointed Major Gen. Whitcot, and Colonell Ware to guard the rear of Lestithiell, and make a damme to stop provisions from the Kings Army that way; and his Excellency with a small party of Colonell Gowres Regiment beat off 3000 horse and foot from Blazy-Bridge, appointed by the Enemy to stop provisions from Millibilli-Bay, where his Excellency killed many, and took prisoners, 1 Colonell, 2 Captaines, and divers others.
In the beginning of September, his Excellency notwithstanding that hee was overpowred by the enemy, yet preserved both himself and his men, forced the enemy from the Sea-coasts, and got safe to the Lord Admirall; his Horse not above 3000, brake thorough the Kings Army; and his Foot not above 6000, though incompassed with 20000 of the Kings, from Gromporond, Enedor, & Foy even to Blazy-bridge, who were resolved to give no quarter to our men; yet they fought it out so gallantly, killing two of theirs for every man that were lost, untill at last they got Articles frō the Kings party to have a safe Convoy to Lestithiell, Poole, and Wareham, their sick men to remaine at Foy, and none of them be pressed to desert their service to his Excellency.
And his Excellency being recruited in Septemb. from the Parliament, & in Octob. had his Rendezvous at Titchfield and falling on the Kings rear, took almost 100 prisoners neare King scleare; and with the assistance of the Earle of Manchester and Sir Wil: Waller, routed the Kings Army neare Newbury, and took 9 peeces of Ordnan…e, 300 Prisoners, and 500 Armes.