Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Chronicle · Floating text 4
An Extract out of a Letter writen by Captain William Smith, to the Lord high Admirall, from aboard the Ship called the Swallow in Milford Haven, touching the taking of Cardigan Town and Caſtle.
AFter many great raines which have fallen in theſe parts (which was no invitation for a Souldier to lye in the fields) yet ſuch was the gallantry of Major Generall Laughorne, to promote the Cauſe in hand, that the Almighty no ſooner crowned his deſires with a happy ſeaſon, but in a gratefull acknowledgement, hee placed a Garriſon in Laughorn caſtle, and from thence marched towards Cardigan, with about 500 Horſe, and 300 Foot; and on the 21 of December 1644. hee ſate down before Cardigan caſtle, demanding a ſurrender thereof for the ſervice of the King and Parliament: But Major Slaughter who commanded in che…f, replyed, hee held that Caſtle for the ſervice of the King, and ſo long as hee had life hee would keep it for his Majeſty, (though therein hee was not a man of his word.) After three dayes ſiege, the Major Generall perceiving all further attempts-would bee in vain, unleſſe a breach could bee forced, and having no Artillery with him, hee forthwith gave order the Demy-Culverin ſhould bee brought from Laughorn, which with much difficulty and induſtry came ſafe to Cardigan, and being placed to the beſt advantage he fell to battery.
The Enemy within the Caſtle-yard caſt up a half moon ſome diſtance from the place on which the Demi-Culverin played, in which they placed their great Gunnes laden with Ca…e-ſhot, that in caſe a breach ſhould …ee made thoſe Gunnes might diſanimate our men in entring, or perform ſuddain execution on them: Our men plying the Demi-Culverin, forced a breach, and being full of reſolution entred, running in the mouth of their Guns, recovered the half moon, where the Enemy, as men bereft of all ſenſe, having not the power to give fire to their Guns, although the Linſtocks were in their hands ready lighted, caſt down all their armes, and cryed for quarter, the which was granted … from thence wee entred the Caſtle and took Priſoner Major Slaughter and his wife, one Captain Vaughan, with their Leivtenant and Enſigne, one Doctor▪ Taylor a Divine with about an 100 common Souldiers, ſix great Guns, a 150 Armes, a quantity of powder, ball, and other proviſions, and this was done the 29 of December laſt.
On the 4 of January, Generall Gerrard ſat down before the Caſtle with about 1200 horſe, and 1300 foot; Major Generall Laughorn recruted his forces to about 600 horſe, and 300 foot, and advanced towards Cardigan to redeem his friends, who were in the Caſtle, out of the power of the Enemy; Leivtenant Colonell Powell in the night ſent a Souldier who ſwum through the river, and informed Major Generall …ughorn, that unleſſe hee could releive the Caſtle, within eight dayes▪ hee ſhould bee enforced to ſurrender it for want of Victuals, and Ammunition, which hee beleeved might bee ſupplyed, if ſome Seamen verſed in managing a water ſight, and climing up rocks were employed; So 120 Seamen were ſent, who after a veiw had of the place, undertook it, which was performed on this wiſe: A boat laden with proviſions was placed in the middle between foure boats on each ſide, two of which were manned with Seamen, who in flanks faced both ways, plying their Mu…kets on the Enemy, who from the ſhore played on them with about 300 Musketters, yet our Seamen gallantly proceeded, put all the proviſions into the Caſtle, and returned without the loſſe of one man, onelyonly two ſlightly wounded. After this Colonell Laughorn having drawn his foot into a body, being with our Seamen in all about 350. hee encouraged them to give an aſſault on the Town; which after ſome debate was attempted, and on the 22 of January laſt, our foot forced their paſſage over the Bridge, in which wee loſt but one man, and having beaten the Euemy from their firſt guard, they preſſed on to the ſecond, which they alſo took, and purſuing the victory beat them out of their main guard, which was at the Market place, and then out of the Church, where our forces took two braſſe Demi-Culverins, which Gerrard brought from Briſtoll, with ſome Powder, ball, and all their proviſions, and following the Enemy, beat them all out of the Town, and ſo wee are now Maſters both of the Town and Caſtle. Of the enemy were ſlain in the place 85 beſides thoſe that were ſlain before the Caſtle, 100 priſoners were taken, and their whole Forces routed, and I beleive in their flight they never looked behinde them, untill they came to Caſtle Emlyne, which is ſix miles from Cardigan. In the▪ Town wee alſo took 250 Armes. I have not heard ſince theſe unhappy differences began in this Kingdom, that the hand of the Almighty hath more viſibly appeared in giving ſo great victories to ſo ſmall a handfull, than hath been manifeſted in theſe parts, and therfore to his own power wee attribute all the praiſe and glory.
But to proceed.
About the 10 of this inſtant January, the proud and moſt peſtilently pernicious Arch-Prelate of Canterbury, William Laud, that Arch Traytor to the Church and State, to God and all good men, yea, that Arch Incendiary (together with his brother Strafford) of 3 Kingdomes,The Arch Prelate of Canterbury executed for treaſon on Towre-Hill. after a long, and moſt full and fair tryall (as ever to bee honoured Mr. William Prynn, hath in his famous Hiſtory of this Arch Prelates Life and …eath, and Tryall, moſt abundantly cleared to all the world) being moſt juſtly and worthily condemned by the moſt honourable Houſe of Peeres, to bee hanged, drawn and quartered, as a Traytor, indeed, yet upon his Petition, that kinde of death was altered, and hee beheaded (as the reſt of his Trayterous companions) upon the Towre-Hill. Of whom, all I will ſay, at this time (having ſaid ſo much already of him and the reſt of his wretched rabble of Traytors, in my Second Part of The Looking-Glaſſe for Malignants) ſhall bee onelyonly this; That his conſtant pride and impudence, conſidered wherwith hee ſwelled in his whole life, and wherewith hee jetted even to the Scaffold, to his deaths Block, manifeſted in his pert, yea, and malepert geſture, ſpruce and neat apparell, unparallelled bold countenance, and confidence in his whole carriage, even to his very minute of Death; his moſt audacious and hypocriticall Preaching, (or moſt properly, prating) for almoſt an houre together before his death, in moſt egregiouſly jugling and juſtifying his whole life, and all his moſt accurſed and abominable works of darkneſſe, and that, to the very death; (O nefanda, & inaudita audacia, & execrabilis durities!) all which, I ſay, moſt ſeriouſly and ſadly conſidered, O how juſtly and moſt properly applyable to this wretohed Arch Prelate is that moſt terrible and frightfull judgement of the Lord, mentioned by the Prophet. Make the heart of this man fat, Iſaiah 6. 10.and make his eares heavy, and ſhut his eyes; leſt hee ſee with his eyes, and bear with his eares, and underſtand with his heart, and ſhould convert and bee healed. This unqueſtionably, was this moſt miſerable mans condition; for a moſt proud and hypocriticall crafty Tyrant and perſecutor of Gods Saints hee lived, and a moſt obdurate and marble-hearted Atheiſt hee alſo impudently & impenitently dyed. Giving us all over the whole Kingdom, yea, all over the 3 whole Kingdoms, great & juſt cauſe heartily to bleſſe the Lord for his righteouſneſſe and juſtice heerin, & happily fulfilling that of wiſe King Solomon, or rather of the Lord by him. When the wicked periſh there is ſhouting and joy among the people. Prov. 11. 10.And truely ſo it juſtly was with us at this wicked mans death: For, truely, as Queen Elizabeth once ſaid, when ſhee was freed from diſtreſſe, by Queen Maries death, and the perſecuting Popiſh Biſhops clapt up in priſon. O, ſaid ſhee, it is merry with Lambs when Wolves are ſhut up: ſo ſay I, it was happy for us, poore Lambs, when this Wolf was thus taken from us. For truely, ever ſince this his juſt execution (what ever the Court-Cabinet Prognoſticators falſly affirmed) God hath admirably bleſſed our Armies, and the whole work of intended Reformation. But now to goe on.
About the 14 of this inſtant, wee were credibly aſſured by Letters to the Committee of both Kingdoms,A brave defeat given to the Kings forces at Abbington, by renowned Major Generall Brown. as alſo Major Generall Browns own Letter to his Excellency, Robert Earl of Eſſex, then Lord Generall, of a moſt brave victory, and famous defeat obtained over, and given to our Enemies, the Kings forces, at Abbington, by the ſaid renowned and moſt active and loyall Major Generall; the particulars whereof, I have thought fit to give the Reader, for his fuller ſatisfaction and content, in a Letter writen by religious Colonell Harſnet, to his worthy Friend Captain Jones, in London, which was as followeth: