Gods Ark Overtopping the Worlds Waves, Parliamentary chronicle · Floating text 19 – Letter 6
An exact Narration of the great victory (through Gods providence) and famous Defeat, obtained by the Parliaments forces, under the command of Sir William Waller, at Alton, in Surrey, Decem. 13. 1643. againſt the Royaliſts.
ON Tewſday the 12th of this inſtant Decemb. Sir Will. Waller, in the afternoon drew forth his forces into a battalia in Fernham-Park, being about the number of 5000 horſe and foot, among which were the regiment of Weſtminſter, whoſe behaviour and valour in this ſervice is never to be forgotten.The manner of their ordering the buſineſs. The manner of the buſineſs was exceeding well carryed, both by Sir William and all the reſt, for ſtrictneſs of appearance, and likewiſe for ſecrecie, in ſo much that neither the enemie, nor any malignant partie could have the opportunitie to underſtand the leaſt part of their intentions heerin. They were upon their march by ſeven of the clock in the night,They marched at night. and in an houres march obtained a heath between Brundon & Fernham, and there, after an houres ſtay, for the foot, whoſe march could not be ſo quick, as the horſe, they all marched willingly and cheerfully together, till neer one of the clock that night, in the way toward Baſing; but on a ſodain were appointed to face toward the South, and ſo toward Alton, paſſing exactly between the hills, till they obtained within half a mile of the ſaid Town,The ſecret carriage of their march. moſt privately & undiſcovered at all by the enemie; our Scouts being ſo diligent that not a perſon ſtirring in all thoſe paſſages was left at liberty to have any opportunity to enforme the enemie of our proceedings; and being now in ſight of the Town, about nine of the clock in the morning, wee underſtood by the Scouts we took, that the Lord Craford was in the Town, who had there about 500 horſe; the taking of which Scouts,The Lord Craford and 300 horſe got out of the Town. and ſome of them eſcaping, gave opportunity for the ſaid Lord to ſhift for himſelf, who conceived himſelf and all the reſt of his forces loſt, yet unhappily found a private hole, by which he made an eſcape with a partie of his horſe, about 300 and rode Eaſtward toward Wincheſter roade, where, unexpectedly, he met with ſome of our horſe, and ſo was enforced for feare to retreat back again into the Town, and fled Southward, which our horſe perceiving, purſued them hard, whiles our valiant foote made the woods ring again with the eccho of their loud ſhoutings for joy. There were three or foure of them ſlain in their flight,The ſlain and priſoners taken in the purſuite. but being in narrow lanes, after half a miles purſuite, our men retreated to us, having taken about 30 horſe and ſome priſoners. In which interim, out foot were not idle, nor Sir William himſelf, whoſe rare and politick exploits in this ſervice deſerve to be regiſtred with the reſt and beſt of his former brave atchievements and honourable actions.The Town begirton all ſides with our horſe and foot. The horſe were immediately appointed to make good all paſſages, ſo that the enemie could have no benefit of their accuſtomed trick of running away, but were ſtill taken by our horſe when they attempted it; Our foot alſo in the mean time, behaving themſelves bravely like men, with great expedition and reſolution, beat the enemie out of their workes on the North-weſt & Eaſt parts of the Town,The enemie is beaten out of their trenches. and poſſeſt themſelves thereof, where they cheerfully diſplayed their Colours in the face of their enemies, and then our men advanced valiantly into the Market-place;Our men enter the Town. and the enemie being all Musketteers, drew themſelves into the works, neer the Church, where they had double trenches & a half Moon, and made the Church and a Barn,A very fierce fight for the ſpace of neer two houres. thereby, their chiefeſt refuge; and heer grew a very hot fight, which was continued neer two houres together, by reaſon of a malignant in the Town who wilfully fired his own barn and other houſes, thereby to offend our men with the ſmoak, by reaſon of which ſmoak, indeed, wee loſt about three men; but at laſt the ſaid fire and ſmoak abating, our men fell cloſs to their work again, and enforced the enemie to retreat into the foreſaid Church and barn, where they were all taken priſoners.The enemie fought valiantly. The enemies, to give them their due, made good the Town with much courage and reſolution, and would not yeeld, when they had loſt many men, & ſo long as their Lievtenant Colonell Boles lived,Lievt. Colonell Boles ſlain in the fight. ſtood to it very ſtoutly, but he being ſlain in the fight aforeſaid, and a chief commander beſides of theirs, much wounded, they then began to ſhrink, and then ours came in upon them, and became Maſters of the Town on all ſides;The Town is totally taken. and the Town being now thus taken, the enemie deſired and obtained quarter; yet being infected with Iriſh-rebells, and their wonted treacherie, one of them after quarter given, fired off a piſtoll in the ſaid Church,Major Shambrock ſhoe with a piſtoll in the church after quarter given. againſt Major Shambrook; but by Gods providence, he was not killed therewith, but hurt in the thigh, and hopefull to recover; upon which act, there was much adoe to keep our men from cutting them in pieces, which it was believed they would have done, could they have known the Iriſh from the other.
In this fight were taken priſoners,The priſoners and prizes taken. 700 in the Church, neer an 100 in the Barn, above an 100 in the field, with diverſe Iriſh men and … men; alſo neer 200 horſe, a 1000 armes, one Colonell, one Major, one Lievtenant Colonell, 13 Captains; 3 Coronets, one of which with the Princes armes; another, the Earl of Straffords, with divers other Colours hid in the Church.The ſlain on the enemies ſide. There were ſlain of the enemies, neer fortie, among whom was Colonell Richard Bolles, as aforeſaid. The enemies word was (Charles) ours was (Truth and Peace:) The mighty providence of God was marveilouſly ſeen in this, as in many other mercies toward us;The ſlain on our ſide. for in this fight, for a certain truth, there were not above five of our men ſlain, and about ſix wounded, and about ſix ſcorched with gunpowder, by their own negligence. And now all this being done, as aforeſaid, our moſt worthy and renowned Major Generall cauſed the people of the Town to ſlight all the workes, took the priſoners and tyed them two by two, with match, and ſent moſt of them to Farnham Caſtle, where they were kept in ſafe cuſtody, till they were otherwiſe diſpoſed of.
After this,Above 500 of the priſoners take the Covenant, and ſerved under Sir William Waller. we were credibly enformed that above 500 of theſe priſoners which Sir William took at Alton, took the Covenant, and ſerved under Sir William Waller, and about 500 more refuſed it, and thoſe priſoners (being moſt of them Iriſh) were afterward ſent up to London, with the Citie forces, who ſafely and triumphantly conducted them thither. One paſſage, heerin, I may not omit, viz. That a little before this deſigne and fight, the Lord Craford had begged the favour of our moſt worthy Major Generall, Sir Wil. Waller ſends the Lord Craford a hogſ. head of Sac….to let him have a Hogſhead of Sack, which noble Sir William with a loving complement ſent accordingly unto him, which the Lord Craford cauſed to be carefully kept for his own drinking; but by reaſon of this ſodain and unexpected company coming thus to viſit him, he was ſtruck with ſuch a panick fear that he left the wine behinde him without any complement, to be again at Sir Williams diſpoſall; but after the fight and his flight to Wincheſter, their head quarter, he ſent a Letter to Sir William Waller, to this effect.
SIR;
I Hope your gaining of Alton coſt you dear.The Lo: Crafords Letter to Sir …. It was your lot to drink off your own Sach, which I never intended to have left for you. I pray you favour me ſo much as ſend mee mine own Chiru…geon, and upon my honour I will ſend you a perſon ſuitable to his exchange.
Sir, your ſervant, Craford. Winton, Decemb. 16. 1643.
And ſoon after the ſaid fight, Sir Ralph Hopton alſo writ a Letter to Sir William Waller from his Quarters at Wincheſter, which was to this purpoſe.
SIR;
THis is the firſt evident ill ſucceſs I have had;Sir Ral: Hoptons Letter to Sir Wil▪ Waller. I muſt acknowledge that I have loſt many brave and gallant men. I deſire you, if Colonell Boles be living to propound a fit exchange; if dead, that you will ſend mee his corps. I pray you, ſend me a liſt of ſuch priſoners as you have, that ſuch choice men as they are, may not continue long unredeemed. God give a ſodain ſtop to this iſſue of Engliſh bloud, which is the deſire of your faithfull friend to ſerve you.
Winton, 16 Decemb. 1643. Ralph Hopton.
And one thing more (as a very obſervable paſſage of Gods providence heerin) I cannot omit, namely, That the knowledge of this victory (as wee were credibly enformed) came to Oxford, A remarkable paſſage of Gods providence.juſt upon the very ſame day on which they were making Bonfires at Oxford for joy of the death of that ever moſt worthily honoured and moſt pious and prudent Patriot, one of the moſt famous & never to be forgotten Atlaſſes of this Church and State, Mr John Pi…s departure out of this life.I mean, learned and religious Mr John Pim; which relation of their loſs at Alton could not but be as it were a ſtrong ſhowre of rain to quench the prophane flames of their wicked fiery jollity at our loſs of ſo precious and choice an inſtrument of ſo much good as God had made him to the Cauſe and Kingdome. But now to proceed.
About the middle of this inſtant December, A plot to convey away the young Duke of Glouceſter and the Ladie Princeſs Elizabeth to Oxford, diſcovered and prevented.the Duke of Glouceſter and the Ladie Princeſs Elizabeth, the two pledges of the Crown of England Scotland & Ireland, royally kept and maintained by the Parliament at St Jameſes, were by a private Oxonian plot deſigned, with the cloſe help of ſome malignant and diſ-affected perſons about them, to be conveyed away to Oxford, but Letters being intercepted, they were preſently the better ſecured, and all ill-diſpoſed ſervants about them ordered to be removed, and good Miniſters placed in the roomes of bad ones, and to preach monethly by turnes at St Jameſes, reverend and godly Mr Stephen Marſhall and Mr Obadiah Sedgewick being appointed two of them for this ſervice.
And about Decemb. 20th, 1643. the trained bands which had been ſent out of London and Weſtminſter to Sir William Wallers army,The triumphant return of the trained Bands of London and Weſtminſter, with their priſoners. viz. the Red-Regiment, under the command of Colonell Sir James Harrington of Weſtminſter; The Green Regiment of Auxiliaries, under the command of Colonell Whitchcot; and the Yellow Regiment of Auxiliaries; all which had been upon divers hazardous & deſperate ſervices and adventures ſince their going forth, and eſpecially at the ſiege of Baſing-Houſe, and this laſt brave defeat at Alton, now returned home (by the good hand of God, to whom be all the honour and praiſe thereof) victoriouſly to London with about 400 priſoners, which they & others of Sir William Wallers forces had taken at Alton, the Wedneſday before, as hath been already declared;The priſoners they brought. namely, 37 Commanders and Officers, and 330 common Souldiers, together with divers ſervants and attendants belonging to ſome of the chief Commanders. And as thus they came triumphantly home,The brave company that went out of the Citie to meet them. they were met by the moſt worthy Lievtenant of the Tower of London, Alderman Pennington, by Colonell Manwaring, & Colonell Zacharie, together with a brave company of the Hamletts belonging to the Tower, and the Citie Marſhalls, and divers other moſt gallant Citizens who accompanied them into the Citie, that afternoone; As for their priſoners they were ſafely guarded through London to the Royall-Exchange, and from thence conveyed and diſperſed by direction of the Committee of the Citie for the Militia into ſeverall places of Strength in & about London, viz. Leaden-hall, Bridewell, Newgate, Eli-houſe, London-houſe, and divers other priſons, where they were ſafely kept in durance, till they could be diſpoſed of by way of Exchange or otherwiſe.
Much alſo about this time,An excellent Ordinance of Parliament for the conſervation of the good government of the Citie of London. both Houſes of Parliament taking into conſideration, that the well-government of the City of London did chiefly depend on the faithfulneſs & integrity of their Common-Councell-men, and ſuch like Officers of the Citie, they paſſed an Ordinance for the diſabling of all thoſe to be Common-Councell-men, or to bear any other office of Church-warden, Conſtable, &c. who ſhall or doe refuſe to take the ſolemn-League or Covenant, appointed to be taken throughout all the three Kingdomes; and the like courſe to be obſerved concerning thoſe whoſe eſtates are ſequeſtred for their delinquencie & malignancie againſt the Parliament, who were alſo to be debarred from bearing any Office, or having any vote in any ſuch offices or places, as aforeſaid. A ſingular good courſe indeed for the happie conſervation of the peace and welfare of the well-affected partie in the Citie, and the better putting in due execution of the Orders and Conſtitutions of the Parliament and Citie, as occaſions are offered.
About the 20th of this inſtant came certain newes by Letters to London, that valiant Colonell Sydenham, The brave exploits of valiant Colonell Sydenham, of Pool.having taken Warham in Dorſetſhire, as hath been forementioned, and fortified it; He went with about an hundreth men to Dorcheſter, where he apprehended Capt. William Churchhill, Deputie-Governour of that Town, & his Lievtenant Paty, both which had been very active againſt the Parliament, and had compelled that Town and County to yeeld obedience to the Kings Cormorants. And there this brave Commander Col. Sydenham brake open the priſon and freed ſuch honeſt men out of it as had been committed by thoſe cruell Cormorants, for refuſing their illegall commands, and took them with him for their further ſafety. There alſo he met with a Cart laden with Muskets and gunpowder, which came from Weymouth and was bound for Briſtoll, the gunpowder he threw into the river, brake 200 Muskets, and carried away 80 of them, his men not being able to carry any more. He alſo borrowed there of one Mr Cokar, a malignant Goldſmith, ſuch plate as he had; and all this he did in an houre & half, and returned ſafe to his garriſon at Warham. And a little before this action, he went into the Iſle of Purbeck, and carried away from thence 323 cattle of all ſorts. This is that valiant and faithfull Gentleman, that ſaved the Town of Pool from the Earle of Crafords intended treacherie againſt it.
Much alſo about the foreſaid time came credible intelligence by letters to London from Canterbury in Kent, that about the 13th or 14th of Decemb. the Ordinance of Parliament for demoliſhing idolatrous and ſuperſtitious images, pictures and monuments, was there put in execution: And the firſt place which was ſet upon in Canterbury-Minſter was the famous window in that Cathedrall, The notable reformation at Canterbury in the Cathedrall, in Kent. Auſtine firſt Biſhop of Canterbury.wherein (among many other Popiſh pictures) was Auſtine the Monks picture, who firſt brought Poporie (not true Chriſtianity, as they vapour and brag) from Rome into England; and this Auſtine, forſooth, was the firſt Biſhop of Canterbury, & therefore was very fitly firſt puld down: Next, they went to the Quiredoor, over which were placed 13 images or ſtatues of ſtone, 12 of them perſonating the 12 Apoſtles,Chriſt and the 12 Apoſtles. Twelve more Popiſh Saints. and the 13th, in the middle of them, our Saviour Chriſt, theſe were all hewn-down, and 12 more images of Popiſh Saints over them, which were alſo headlong thrown down, and like ſo many Dagons had their necks broke in the fall, yea and hands and bodies too. Many other they alſo brake down in this Cathedrall, and many Crucifixes,Picture of God the Father and the Holy-Ghoſt. Pretty ſport with a Prebendaries wife of Canterbury. yea & blaſphemous pictures of God the Father, and the holy Ghoſt, being there found were zealouſly confounded and turned (as they deſerved) into baſe rubbiſh. And as the work went on, the wife of one Dr Bleſſenden, a Prebend of that Church, came in very devoutly, and cryed out, Oh hold your hands, I pray, what hurt do theſe images? ſpoyl not ſuch a fair and beautifull Church; and when ſhee ſaw a man ſtrike at the image of Chriſt lying in a manger, ſhee ſcreekt out (as was credibly enformed) to her Popiſh husband, who thereupon came into the Cathedrall, As good ſport alſo with her husband the Prebendary himſelf.and (according to accurſed cuſtome, no doubt) began to plead for Baal, thoſe Popiſh images, telling them that were there of the lawfulneſs of them from the Cherubims in the Temple: But whiles he was muſt ſeriouſly and ſottiſhly diſputing thus with ſome godly Miniſters then preſent to aſſiſt the Commiſſioners, he grew very ſick of this diſpute, and was fain to give way to the work which went on moſt fervently. After his departure they fell upon 7 large images of the Virgin Mary, Seven figures of the Virgine Mary.pictured in the window over the ſteps going into the Quire, all which were in ſeverall as glorious ſhapes as paint and Art could make them, with Angells lifting her up to heaven, with theſe inſcriptions, Gaude Maria, Sponſa Dei, &c. And under her feet were placed the Sun, Moon, & Starres, and in the bottome of that window, this inſcription; In laudem & honorem beatiſſimae Virginis, A Cathedrall Petty-Canon ſhoots his fools bolt at this work.&c. And heer now there came in a Petty-Canon, and ſhot off his pety-canon, or his fools bolt, & told them they exceeded their Commiſſion, but they ſoon ſent him away with a flea in his ear, and a mote in his eye, much vext and perplext to ſee his Demi-gods & Semi-Saints ſo courſly handled. After this they came to a moſt gorgeous and idolatrous image of Thomas Becket, Thomas Becket a Romiſh Saint an Engliſh traytor.forſooth, that arch-traytor to the King, which they alſo inſtantly defaced and demoliſht, and ſo went on moſt zealouſly and religiouſly in ruinating and turning into rubbiſh all thoſe monuments of idolatrie in that Cathedrall, bleſſed be the Lord for it.
December alſo the 20th,Gainesborough ſtormed by Sir Tho. Fairfax, and Sir John Meldrum, and a brave prize taken. 1643. came certain intelligence by letters from Hull to London, that thoſe two right valiant and magnanimous Commanders, Sir Thomas Fairfax and Sir John Meldrum, about noone time of the day, aſſiſted by ſome men by water, ſent unto them by the moſt noble Lord Fairfax from Hull, ſodainly and ſucceſsfully ſtormed the Town of Gainesborough in Lincolnſhire, took therein 500 armes & ſtore of other ammunition, together with 260 priſoners, common-Souldiers, beſides the Lord Caworth, Col. Saint-George, the then Governour of the ſaid Town; alſo Lievtenant Colonell Royalſton, Major Hern, and Major Chappell, 16 Captains, 2 Lievtenants, 2 Enſignes, and other inferiour Officers. Another brave gale of winde indeed, beſides that of Alton lately mentioned, to fill the ſailes of our floating-Ark, and make it ſail on the more chearfully through the boyſterous billowes of the Kingdoms inteſtine broyles,The Kings partie moſt unſucceſsfull ever ſince the Iriſh Ceſſation. praiſed for ever be the Lord of hoſts for it.
And heer good Reader, give mee leave to tell thee, and to deſire thee to take ſerious note and obſervation of it; That ever ſince that accurſed Ceſſation in Ireland, with thoſe moſt barbarous and inhumanely bloudy Rogues and Rebells, and the Kings ſo tender reſpect unto them, as to terme them his Catholick Subjects; and contrariwiſe the Parliament, but a pretended Parliament, and them and all their loyall adherents, traytors and rebells, the righteous God of Heaven hath never proſpered any deſign of moment wch his Majeſtie or his accurſed Cormorants have taken in hand, but ſtill they have been moſt unſucceſsful, and put to the worſt every way and every where. For, beſides the many & marveilous forementioned victories, which God hath moſt graciouſly given to the Parliaments partie (ever ſince that ſo odious & unreaſonable ceſſation) wch have been in their proper places before related. Now alſo about the 20th or 22th, of this inſtant came certain information by Letters and other indubitable intelligence from Northampton to London, Pious Serjeant Major … Skippon and his brave Londoners, at Grafton-Houſe.that pious and valiant Serjeant Major Skippon, with a partie of the moſt renowned Citizens of London, (who for their admirable valour, fidelity, and conſtancy to the Common-wealth, and for the maintenance of the true Religion, & preſervation of the known Lawes, indeed, and liberties of this Kingdome, eſpecially now in theſe modern times, when the Kingdome has moſt need of them, are no whit inferiour to the moſt famous ancient conquering Roman…s, being and returning ſucceſsfull and victorious where ſoever they be) together with a partie of the valiant & victorious Northampton forces alſo,Grafton-houſe ſtormed by the Londoners and brave Northampton forces. had moſt courageouſly ſtormed Grafton-Houſe, (a place of great ſtrength and conſequence, being alſo the Queenes own j…yuter) and after much hard ſervice, and many moſt furious aſſaults made upon it (they having alſo ſent a partie, at the ſame time to face Tociter, that ſo they might prevent all relief from coming to Grafton) at laſt, moſt victoriouſly obtained the ſame, and took priſoners therein, Col. Sir John Digbie (a rank noted and moſt active Papiſt, Grafton-houſe taken, and the rich prizes and ſpoiles therein.and brother to that arch-traytor and incendiarie, George Lord Digbie) Col. Sir Edward Longervile, and 5 Colonells more, above 300 common-ſouldiers, 600 armes, 6 piece of Ordnance, 80 brave horſe, beſides many brave ſadle-horſe, together with many other rich things of great worth and eſtimation, which were all left for plunder to the valiant Souldiers, and which they had and divided among themſelves moſt merrily.An Ordināce of Parliament enabling the Militia for the City of London, to ſend forth two regiments unto Sir Wil. Waller.
This brave victory, together with that at Alton, could not chooſe but be a ſingular encouragement to our other London trained-bands and auxiliaries, who now about the 23th of this inſtant December, were deſigned (by an Ordinance of Parliament, enabling the Militia of London thereunto) to ſend forth ſuch regiments of horſe and foot as they ſhould think fit, for the farther relief and ſupply of Sir William Waller; and about this time, they did accordingly ſend forth, the White and Yellow Regiments of the …ained hands & auxiliaries, in the roome of thoſe who had lately returned home, as you heard before. By which Ordinance of Parliament the City Militia had alſo power given them, to recall the ſame forces, at their pleaſure, and to proceed againſt ſuch as refuſed to goe out, according to their votes, and the Ordinance of the Militia, either by fine or impriſonment, as ſeemed fit to them: And that the brave and undaunted ſpirited Citizen and ſucceſsfull Commander, Colonell Richard Brown, was by the ſaid Ordinance appointed to be Serjeant Major Generall of the ſaid Citie-forces.
And much about this time there fell out another remarkable paſſage, much to his Majeſties diſhonour, (ſince his ſtill perſiſting in his unnaturall diſaffection to his loyall Subjects,A notable plot againſt Nortingham Caſtle. and i…religious affection to the Iriſh-Rogues and Rebells) viz. That the Marqueſs of Newcaſtle plotted and contrived, by one, Colonell Dacre, to have corrupted and undermined the valiant and moſt loyall governour of Nottingham-Caſtle Colonell Hutchinſon, Colonell Hutchinſo, Governour of Nottingham Caſtle, his conſtancy and fidelity to God and his Cauſe.to betray the ſaid Caſtle and Town into the ſaid perfidious & ignoble Marqueſs of Newcaſtles hands for the Kings uſe; but that the Reader may ſee the Chriſtian courage, conſtancie and fidelity of this moſt worthily to be honoured Governour, and the moſt baſe and unworthy …ampering and inticing inſinuations of Newcaſtle and his, Agent thereunto, I have heer thought fit to give the Reader the exact Narration thereof, by the interchangeable letters which paſſed to and fro between either partie, under their own hands, which will fully & clearly demonſtrate the thing, and give the Reader much ſatisfaction & content in the peruſall thereof, which was as followeth.