Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Chronicle · Letter 7
Sir,
A Copy of Col. Harſnets Letter to Capt. Jones, touching the brave defeat at Abbington.I have had a longing deſire to requite your love, in giving mee a relation of that famous fight at Alford, but never, till now, could meet with an opportunity. But ſomething the Lord hath, now, I ſay, vouchſafed worthy the relation to our worthy Friends at London. I came on Friday night from Henly, with our Company that came with us from London. Some others of our Garriſon, whom wee found at Reading, after midnight, paſt with us very quietly by Walling ford, and ſo about 3 of the clock, came ſafe to Abbington, ſeeing none in our way to trouble us; but having been not above 3 houres there, wee had an allarm from the ſame way wee came,The Enemies gave Abbington an alarm and poſſeſt themſelves of Cullum Bridge. Rupert, & Maurice, were preſent. which was about half a mile from us in Oxfordſhire, called Cullumbridge, which the Enemy poſſeſt themſelves of, before wee had time to draw forth any party to charge them; There were parties from Oxon and from Wallingford, Prince Rupert Commanding in cheif, with whom was his brother Prince Maurice, Sir▪ Henry Gage, Governour of Oxford, and many other great Commanders; Their forces were ſuppoſed to bee in all, about 3000 Horſe and foot with 2 peices of Ordnance.Their ſtrength 3000 horſe & foot. Behinde the foreſaid. Bridge was a great hill with many hedges, which they had lined with Musketteers, to the great annoyance of our men. But our noble Major Generall upon hearing of the allarm, Commanded our men to Armes, which was cheerfully obeyed; and by parties were drawn along the Cawſie, that led from the Town to the Bridge (Medows overflowed with water being on both ſides) and comming to charge them at the Bridge,The charge on the Enemy begun. the Enemy ſtoutly oppoſed us, but to their loſſe; whereupon wee had 2 Drakes commanded thither, and our men cheerfully wading into the water, on both ſides, did ſo pelt them, while the Drakes plaid upon the Bridge, that after 4 houres fight wee drove them from the Bridge and the Hedges,Cullum Bridge recovered by ours. and forced them to a retreat, and wee having got the Bridge (which being of Stone, the Enemy had partly broken down) yet our men got over, Commanded by Major Bradberry, Ma…or Bradberry ſlain. The Enemy put to a ſhamefull retreat.Major to Colonell Sparrows Regiment of Eſſex, at the entring over which Bridge hee was ſlain, but in this hot bickering, wee loſt not above 8 or 10 men, at the moſt, and ſo the Enemy was forced to a ſhamefull retreat. The fight began betimes in the morning, at which inſtant there was a party of 70 or 80 horſe from Farrington to ſet upon our horſe, quartered at a Village called Brayton in Barkeſhire, on the other ſide of the Town, about 2 miles off. The Enemy was, there, commanded by Major Hatton Farmer, Major of the Princes Regiment; our Horſe carryed themſelves very courageouſly▪ beat the Enemy out of their quarter, and purſued them within a mile of Farrington, and killed the Major with divers others,Major Hatton Farmer ſlain. 5 Iriſh men hanged. and mortally wounded the Captain Leivtenant of the Princes Regiment, took many of the men and horſe, among whom were 5 Iriſh men, whom wee hanged, the ſame day in the Market-place, and not above 12 of theſe horſe got into Farringdon, A rare & clear victory.the reſt were all ſlain or taken without the loſſe of any one of our men or horſe. Their intent was, as wee were informed by priſoners, and a Trumpeter (who that evening came from Oxford, to deſire the Majors body) that the horſe ſhould give us an allarm on the one ſide,Sir Henry Gage Governour of Oxford ſlain in this fight. whiles the foot ſtormed us on the other; And another that then came from Oxford gave our Major Generall information, and both of them affirmed that wee ſlew in this fight Sir Henry Gage, Governour of Oxford, and many other Gentlemen of great quality, and in particular that Leivtenant Colonell Lower, Deputy Governour of Wallingford was alſo ſlain. I am confident the Enemy had a great advantage of us, by the bridge and hills, yet the Lord fought for us, and hath graciouſly delivered us out of their hands, for which wee deſire Thanks may bee generally given to the Lord of Hoaſts, and God of Battles, and in particular for preſerving us alſo in our ſafe paſſage to Abbington, the Enemy being upon their march ſo neer us, and had they taken us, it would have occaſioned great triumph in the Enemy,A great mercy and preſervation to us. there being of us 4 Colonells, beſides other Captains and Commanders. Our Major Generall, Dr. Wilſon and Quarter Maſter Generall Burrowes remember their loves to you, and would have given you a touch heerof, but that I undertook to ſave them that labour. I pray you acquaint our Friends heerwith, as having expreſt nothing but what I know to bee truth.
One of the Meſſengers from Oxford informed us that Prince Rupert engaged himſelf to the King and Lords, with many vowes and proteſtations,Prince Ruperts proud brag to be Maſter of Abbington. 1 King. 20. 1. 1. yea, and execrations too, That hee would dine the next Sunday in. Abbington, and that hee would bee Maſter of it by 12 a clock that morning, forgetting that of A…ab to Benhadad; Let not him that girdeth on his harneſſe boaſt himſelf, as hee that putteth it off. But miſſing his hopes, and the Governour of Oxford being alſo ſlain, hee was aſhamed to march triumphantly into Oxford, with the forces that returned, but came ſneaking in privately another way; where the Lords mocking him askt him where was Abbington, Rupert notably jeered for his brave Victory.which hee boaſted hee would ſo ſuddainly have. But wee, I ſay, gave them ſuch a breakfaſt, as that it was beleeved hee would have little ſtomach, thereafter to come and viſit our noble Major Generall. Wee could not, for want of horſe, purſue the victory; Colonell Fynes having left us, and I think God would not vouchſafe to do him ſo much honour as to bee preſent at ſo noble an exploit. For the number of ours ſlain, I have already given you an account. The number of the ſlain of the Enemy was not certainly known when I wrote this; the Country reported 3 or 4 Cartloads of dead and wounded corps to bee taken with them, beſides many that were drowned, and others that were thrown in after they were ſlain, and ſome found dead upon the place.
Sam. Harſnet. Abbington this 12. of Jan. 1644.
And heer alſo I ſhall deſire the Reader to take notice, that this brave Victory was thus happily obtained, the very next day after that judgement was given upon that egregious and abominable hypocrite and atheiſt, and moſt peſtilent Incendiary the Arch Prelate of Canterbury: Another paſſage of divine providence.And that on the very ſame day alſo wee had the certain information of thoſe brave Victories and rich prizes, forementioned by renowned Captain Swanley, ſpecified in his Letter to the noble Earl of Warwick, as aforeſaid.
About the 16 inſtant, wee were certainly informed by Letters out of the Weſt, eſpecially by an Expreſſe from the Lord Roberts, Governour of Plymouth, to the Speaker of the Houſe of Commons, that that moſt impious and impudent rotten-hearted Apoſtate Skellum Greenvill, having gathered all the forces hee could raiſe in Cornwall, and other parts of the Weſt, did about the 10 of January, 1644. about eleven of the clock at night, alarm the works of the Town of Plymouth, in 4 ſeverall places, at once, with neer 6000 men,The enemy moſt bravely beaten at Plymouth. whereby, after a very hot diſpute the Enemy became Maſters of the 4 great works of the Town; out of two of which they were quickly beaten, but held the third, called Little Pennyquick, and began to ſcale or rather digge down, another fort called Great Penny-quick: But, at laſt, by the admirable courage of the Commanders and Garriſon-Souldiers they were quite beaten out of that too, with great loſſe unto the Enemy, leaving 75 of their men dead on the place,The Enemy had gotten the 4 outworks of Plymouth, yet were beaten out of them all again. and (at laſt) 4 times as many more ſlain in this Service, beſides many hundreds wounded: For, as ſoon as they were beaten off from the 3 works, the Plymouth men who behaved themſelves with extraordinary gallantry, invironed the fourth work (whereinto our men had got, partly by digging and undermining, and partly by ſcaling) and the Enemy within it, who ſeeing themſelves ſo ſuddainly beſet and enſnared (as it were) in their ſo late and ſo ſure ſeeming gotten prize, inſtantly ſurrendered it upon quarter for their lives. In this brave bickering there were alſo many priſoners taken and much armes; the victory was very great, and the Enemy by it, much diſcouraged, Let our God alone therefore have the greater praiſe and glory for it.
About the 18 inſtant, wee received certain information again, by Letters out of the Weſt, of valiant Colonell Holborns taking in of Sydenbam-Houſe,Colon. Holborn his good ſervice in the Weſt. in which hee had neer an 100 priſoners, among whom, was one Captain, one Leivtenant, and other Officers in armes together with ſome other perſons of quality; And hee ſurprized alſo the High-Sheriffe of Somerſetſhire, and ten Commiſſioners of Array with him; And alſo that hee ſhortly after, took 300 priſoners, with many Horſe and Armes, as they were forraging abroad in thoſe parts, for plunder and ſpoyl.
And about the 21 inſtant, the Houſe of Commons in Parliament had a debate concerning the New Modell for the ſetling of the Armies; And proceeded to the nomination of divers Officers for the new Army; by which means (tho for the time, the Self-denying Ordinance ſeemed, at this time, to bee laid aſide) they might recall any of the Members of either Houſe to the publike Service at home,The New Modell of an Army of 21000 horſe and foot, voted in Parliament. as well as if the ſaid Ordinance had, then, been paſt: Upon the concluſion of the debate it was, now, therefore Ordered and Voted, that Sir Thomas Fairfax ſhould bee Commander in cheif of the 21000 Horſe and Foot to bee now raiſed according to the New Modell, and Major Generall Skippon to bee Major Generall of the whole Army; and then they proceeded to nominate the Colonells of each Regiment for the ſaid Modell, which were 21 in all,An Ordinance for raiſing Many to maintain the new Army. whereof Colonell Holborn, and Colonell Roſſiter, were 2 in the firſt place; And the Houſe, then, took into conſideration the completing of an Ordinance for the raiſing of Monies to maintain the ſaid Army, which ſhortly after was perfectly completed in all particulars, whereof more, in their more proper places.
About January the 24, wee had moſt certain intelligence by Letters out of Cheſhire, which were read in Parliament, in the Houſe of Commons, of a very great overthrow given to the Enemies forces neer Cheſter, by ever to bee renowned Sir William Breretons forces, the manner whereof was,A brave victory obtained by ever to bee renowned Sir William Breretons forces neer unto Cheſter. in breif, thus related. That the Enemy drew forth all the ſtrength of Horſe and Foot, that they could get together in and about Cheſter, and marched thence with an intention to releive Beeſton caſtle, then ſtrongly beſieged by Sir William Brereton, whereof Leivtenant Colonell Jones and Sergeant Major Brookes, having intelligence, they fell upon them in their paſſage and ſo undauntedly dealt with them, that in a ſhort time they had totally routed the whole body of the Enemies Army both Horſe and Foot, ſlew 50 of them in the place, and neer 200 wounded; They took priſoners 2 Colonells, one Leivtenant Colonell, 2 Sergeant Majors, 6 Captains, 10 Leivtenants, 4 Enſignes, 3 Sergeants, and one Corporall; They took alſo 200 horſe, and 200 men priſoners, with 400 Armes and much Ammunition, whereby (as it may bee eaſiled judged) Cheſter Garriſon was much weakned, and diſabled to hold out long, the then preſent ſiege.
And about the 26 inſtant, wee received alſo certain knowledge of a notable and brave peice of Service performed by Major Generall Craford, then Governour of Ailsbury, who going with but about 90 horſe to ſeek quarter for his Souldiers, and finding none one way, hee wheeled about toward Thame and unexpectedly fell upon a 120 horſe of the Enemies, among whom was Colonell Bleyer, Governour of Walling ford Caſtle, who when they ſaw each other, both theſe Champions did not take the advantage of each other,A brave peice of ſervice performed by valiant Colo. Craford, againſt Colon. Bleyer and his party. but in a fair and open field, drew into battalia, and ſent out their forlorn hopes of each ſide, who preſently charged one another, and ſo both bodies met, and both theſe Commanders bravely diſputed the buſineſſe a while in a fiery and ſteely language, and with much interchangeable courage, on both ſides; But, at laſt, our party moſt undauntedly routed the Enemy, Colonell Craford having himſelf very ſorely wounded Colonell Bleyer in this fight; but his horſe not being maimed, his heeles did his Maſter more ſervice than his own hands could, and carryed him fiercely away, half dead, out of the field, all the reſt, both horſe and men, being either taken or kild, ſave only about 13 or 14 who eſcaped with the wounded Governour, 20 were ſo ſorely wounded that they could not bee brought priſoners into Ailsbury, and not being capable of doing any further hurt, they left them behinde, to creep (if they could) to their own Chirurgeons and ſeek their own cure. The 2 Governours, as wee were credibly informed, meeting together, in perſon, in this brave encounter, aſſaulted each other in a ſingle combate, and for a while bravely on both ſides maintained the duell, till Bleyer received a moſt dangerous wound, and as I ſaid before, by his horſes ſwiftneſſe eſcaped away. Wee loſt but 3 men of ours, in this furious fight, and ſo ours moſt victoriouſly returned to Ailsbury, with their priſoners.
About the 28 of this inſtant, the Committee of the County of Kent, (that brave unanimous County, moſt happy by the nobleneſſe of an enobled Gentry) preſented a petition to the Houſe of Commons,The County of Kent petition the Parliament for their ſetting forward of the Self-denying Ordinance. wherein they expreſſed great thankfulneſſe unto them for their indefatigable and conſtant care and paines for the good of the publike Affaires of the Kingdom; unto which alſo they declared their ſingular good affection and faithfulneſſe: And humbly alſo prayed that the Houſe would proceed in fully paſſing the Self-denying Ordinance, for the diſabling of the Members of either Houſe to bear any Office in the Common-wealth, during the time of theſe Warres (which Ordinance, though it had about this time clearly paſſed in the Houſe of Commons, yet received ſome long ſtop and contradiction in the Houſe of Peeres) which Petition of thoſe Kentiſh Gentlemen, was received with great acceptance, and thanks returned to the Petitioners, with promiſe of their beſt endevours to haſten it. Some other particulars were alſo inſerted in their Petition, concerning ſome particular diſtempers and greivances in that County, which were referred to a Committee, and in ſpeciall concerning the unnaturall Conſpirators for the betraying of Dover Caſtle, and Chattam, in Kent, who were then kept in durance to bee in due time called to a ſevere account for that moſt vile and trecherous deſign, which was afterward effected, with the death of divers of the cheif ring-leaders therein.
Finally about the 30 of this inſtant January, wee received certain intelligence out of Warwickeſhire, of the ſingular good ſucceſſe of Major Purefoy, at Compton Houſe againſt the Enemy, as by his own Letter will more fully appear, which for the Readers better content and ſatisfaction, I have thought fit heer to inſert.