Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Chronicle · Letter 20
Honoured Sir,
Upon the routing of the Kings Army at Naſeby, as aforeſaid, Sir John Gell gathered together all the forces of Darbiſhire, Nottinghamſhire, and the adjacent parts,The manner of the regaining of Leiceſter. that poſſibly hee could, and on Munday the 16 inſtant, they met with …ome of the Kings horſe and took 200 of them; and another party met with ſome of the Newarkers, and fell upon them, routed them, took 60 horſe, 42 priſoners, and 80 Armes.
On the ſaid Munday June the 16. Sir Thomas Fairfax lay before Leiceſter, and ſent in a Summons to the Town, to require the Governour to ſurrender it to him for the uſe of the Parliament; and putting it to them to conſider how the King was routed, and ſhewing them what uſe they might make of that Clemency, with divers other very gallant expreſſions to the ſummons, to advertiſe them how much better it was for them to ſurrender than to force him to take it by ſtorming.
To this ſummons the Enemy ſent a negative Anſwer, poſitively this, that they would not ſurrender it; whereupon Sir Thomas Fairfax called a Councell of Warre to conſult about the ſtorming of it, which was ſoon concluded on; that they ſhould prepare all things in readineſſe to round it the next day: which was done with all expedition, not loſing any time.
So they ſell preſently to raiſing of Batteries, and doing all things that were neceſſary for the ſtorming thereof, according as they had appointed, and continued providing every thing that was requiſite for the d…ing thereof, to bee in a readineſſe to batter it the next day, and ſent into the Country thereabouts for ſuch helps as were neceſſary for the work, which went on with great ſpeed both night and day; ſo deſirous wee are to have a ſpeedy end of the work, that there may bee an end of theſe Warres if poſſible.
On Tueſday the 17 of June, wee drew down our Ordnance and played with our peices againſt the Town, wee ſtormed it, playing with our Ordnance very hot on the Newark ſide, which wee conceived was their greateſt ſtrength; And in ſhort time wee made a breach in their works, which ſtruck ſuch a terrour into the hearts of the Enemy, that the Governour ſent to us to deſire a Parley, and offered to ſurrender upon very faire termes; as upon capitulation ſhould bee agreed upon.
To this requeſt (Sir Thomas Fairfax being willing to ſave the ſpilling of innocent blood as much as may bee) hee aſſented▪ and promiſed ſpeedily to ſend in Commiſſioners for the Treaty, and called a Councell of Warre, and it was agreed that Colonell Pickering, and Colonell Rainsborough ſhould go into Leiceſter, to treat with the Governour about the ſurrendring the ſaid Garriſon to Sir Thomas Fairfax. And accordingly a ſafe conduct was deſired for them, which being ſent they went to Capitulate with the Governour about the ſurrender thereof.
In the mean time Sir Thomas Fairfax was not idle, nor did hee loſe any time; but went on providing and furniſhing himſelfe with Pittars, Carts, Hay, Granadoes, Ladders, and all other things neceſſary for ſtorming; reſolving to fall on at their return, in caſe that they ſhould not agree, not knowing how things might fall out, during which time there was both great pains and care taken by all in their places for the going on in the ſaid work.
In the mean time wee had intelligence that the King was on Munday the 16 of June at Sheffield; that hee came from Aſhby de la zonch thither, with about 2000 horſe, or more, the day before, viz. Sunday night, and marched that morning (viz. Munday morning) to a Randevouz, neer unto Dudley Caſtle, wherewith the Litchfield and Dudley horſe, and others, that came in to their Rendevouzes, the King had,The Kings flying from Leiceſter. then, about 3000 horſe, as it was conjectured by the Country people which ſaw them. But to leave him in this his moſt unhappy flying progreſſe, occaſioned by his own unholy miſcarriages, and unnaturall waged warre againſt God and his beſt Subjects; and to come to our preſent buſineſſe.
All the reſt of that foreſaid Munday, June the 16. our Commiſſioners were in capitulation with the Enemy in Leiceſter, and the Army went on preparing for a ſtorm,Preparation to ſtorm Leiceſter. having received no anſwer all that night, and looking for the return of our Commiſſioners, the next morning, and ſo very early reſolving to fall on, if they had not agreed with the Enemy.
But upon Wedneſday, June 18 about 2 of the clock, the Commiſſioners, viz. Leiceſter ſurrendred to Sir Thomas Fairfax upon compoſition.Colonell Rainsborough, and Colonell Pickering returned with a full concluſion, that the Town of Leiceſter was to be ſurrendred and delivered up to the King and Parliaments uſe, upon fair and fitting Articles of agreement on both ſides; namely, that Loughborough, or Haſtings that peſtilent Rob-carryer ſhould have quarter for his life, and liberty to depart both hee and his Officers and Souldiers that would, with a ſafe convoy for their perſons, &c. But to leave all Armes, Ammunition, Ordnance great and ſmall, bagge and baggage behinde them in the Town, ſave only what was agreed on for the Officers in the Articles.
With thoſe Articles at large expreſſed, our Commiſſioners being returned unto Sir Thomas Fairfax, certifying farther, how marveilous joyfull the poore Town of Leiceſter was, at the hearing of the ſaid agreement, and that they ſhould bee rid of the Cavalierian Royſters; which accordingly was performed, and on Wedneſday morning about 10 of the clock, Sir Thomas was permitted with all his forces to enter into Leiceſter, The prize taken in Leiceſterand take poſſeſſion thereof for the uſe of the King and Parliament. Wherein was left, 14 peices of Ordnance; 30 Colours, 2000 Armes; 500 Horſe, 50 barrels of Gunpowder; And all other their Armes and Ammunition, and proviſions in great plenty with all their bagge and baggage.
And thus you ſee the Lord doth wonderfully for us ſtill, yea, above the reach of mans wiſdom: and truely wee cannot but much admire the goodneſſe of Almighty God unto us, in doing ſo great things for us; we cannot aſcribe it to any but to the hand of God alone, who, indeed, is the Lord of Hoſts, the God of battails, and the onelyonly giver of all Victories, to whom alone therefore bee all the honour and glory, and praiſe, Amen, and Amen.
About the 20 of this inſtant June, the priſoners which were taken by moſt renowned Sir Thomas Fairfax, and famous and faithfull Major Generall Skippon, The Priſoners taken at Naſeby fight, being neer 5000, with 55 Colours, &c. brought up to London.at Naſeby fight fore-mentioned, being neer upon 5000 in number, were conveyed from Northampton to London, and being brought into London, they all marched clean through the City, with all the Colours, Standards, and Enſignes, yea, even the Kings and Queenes Royall Standards, about 55 in number, which were all carryed in triumph, in the faces of the priſoners, who were thus led along to Martins-Lane end, in the Strand, the cheif Officers and Commanders being ſeparated from the Common Souldiers, were conducted by ſeverall guards to Peter-Houſe in Alderſgateſtreet, The priſoners diſpoſed of into ſeveral holds.the Common Souldiers were diſpoſed of in the New Military Garden, guarded by the Green and Yellow Regiments of the Trained Bands of the City of London; where they had liberty to diſcourſe and talk with their Malignant friends; and where and when ſome of them moſt audaciouſly entered many dangerous ſpeeches; other ſome confeſt and complained they were preſt men, and enforced to take up Armes for the King.
The next day of their being there,The uſage of the Cavalierian priſoners by our Parliament. which was the Lords day (for they came into London on the Saturday) they had 2 eminently learned and pious Divines appointed to preach unto them, and (ſuch was the piety and charity of our renowned Parliamentary Worthies, that) 200 pound was preſently allotted to provide bread and beer for them, which was diſtributed among them the ſame night of their comming to Town. I appeal, then, to the very eſt and moſt malicious malignant that is, whether the uſage were not farre more Chriſtian-like, than that moſt baſe, barbarous, and inhumanely cruell uſage of our forces in Atheiſticall Cornwall, (though Articles and conditions to the contrary were conſented to by the King himſelf, who was there preſent) where they, poore ſoules, were very many of them ſtript naked, and enforced to march through water and mudde,The uſage of our Parliaments priſoners by the King & his Cavaliers. thick and thin, yea, and ſome to go in that naked condition, without or bread or drink, ſome 30. ſome 40. ſome almoſt 50 miles: Beſides this, how many of ours have been impriſoned at Oxford, Marleborough, and other places, who have been tyed, and manacled their necks and heeles together, and many of them ſtarved to death, yea, even wilfully murthered in priſon, as I may juſtly ſay, in not being allowed ſuſtenance or Chirurgeons to heal their greivous wounds; where is you ſee heer our Parliament piouſly and mercifully provided both ſuſtenance, and Chirurgeons for their priſoners bodies and ſoules too, bleſſed bee the Lord for it.
Much alſo about the foreſaid time,Our Brethren of Scotlands advance to Nottingham. wee had certain information, that our loyall and loving brethren of Scotland, were, now, advanced and arrived at Nottingham, with 7000 foot, and 4000 horſe, expecting command for their removall, and promoving of ſome great deſign for the good of the Kingdome, and for the carrying on of the hopefull re-eſtabliſhment of a happy and holy peace among us; and that in this their advance, their horſe in their march on the way met with ſome of the Kings ſtragling, ſcattered and broken Troops fled from Naſeby, and took at leaſt 60 horſe and their Riders neer Skipton.
And much about the ſame time wee had certain intelligence by Letters out of Dorſetſhire, that Captain Butler having aſſured information that the Kings Garriſon at Corff-Caſtle had ſtore of Cattle, and that they turned them out to grazing every day, but fearing our forces,A brave exploit performed by the Garriſon of Wareham in the Weſt. they brought them into the Caſtle every night; hee therefore drew forth out of Wareham, a party of horſe and foot in the night, being aſſiſted by Captain Jordon, and Captain Lawrence, and lay undiſcovered all the night till morning, and at break of day, the Enemy in the Caſtle having turned out the Cattle and horſe to graſſe, Captain Butler who commanded the horſe drew neer the Caſtle, and faced the Enemy, whiles Captain Jordan, and Captain Laurence drew up the foot, entred the Town, beat the Enemy to the Caſtle, and bravely kept them play, whiles the horſe drove away their Cattle from under their very walls, to the number of, at leaſt 140. and took about 20 good horſe, and brought them all off ſafely to Wareham, in great triumph and joy, without the loſſe of one man.
And about the 22 of June, wee had credible information, by Letters out of Cheſhire, A brave defeat given to the Enemy by valiant Colo. Jones in Cheſhire.that Colonell Jones, a Gentleman of approved valour and fidelity to the Parliaments Cauſe, having command of about 1300 horſe and foot, (the horſe were Sir William Breretons, who himſelf was gone up to London, by virtue of the Self-denying Ordinance) and hee having aſſured intelligence of a party of the Kings, conſiſting of about 1700. neer Kidderminſter in Worceſterſhire, about 12 miles from Worceſter, hee moſt courageouſly fell upon them, killed above 40 on the place, took 300 horſe and a 100 priſoners, among whom was a Leivtenant Colonell, a Captain, and ſome other Officers, the remainder of them eſcaping fled to Beudly and Worceſter, which was, indeed, their head Quarter.
About the 26 of this inſtant June, our moſt renowned, and ever to bee moſt highly honoured Generall, Sir Thomas Fairfax, ſent a Letter to the high and honourable Court, and Houſe of Commans in Parliament, The Kings Cabinet of Letters taken at Naſeby ſent to the Parliament, & the Letters opened and read.wherein hee certified his ſending up to the ſaid Houſe that moſt precious preſent and memorable mercy of the Lord unto us, I mean, The Kings Cabinet, full of His and the Queens Letters, taken in the late famous fight and moſt glorious Victory at Naſeby; which, Sir Thomas moſt prudently and humbly deſired, in his Letter, might bee read in a full Houſe, and publick audience of all the Commons in Parliament; which accordingly was performed, and therein were moſt happily diſcovered admirable matters of as great importance as ever were diſcovered ſince the beginning of theſe moſt unhappy and unnaturall Warres; which,4 Main heads of the Letters. in breif, were to this effect. Firſt, there was found a Declaration of his Majeſties intentions for the ſetling of Peace and Religion in this Kingdom,1. certified by a Letter to the Queen, wherein hee does aſſure her that no agreement ſhall bee made, but what ſhall bee approved by her, and that all Laws made againſt Popery ſhall bee repealed; and yet when Letters came from Oxford to the Parliament touching a Treaty, and in the Propoſitions for Peace, there were verball expreſſions that Laws ſhould bee made againſt Popery.
Secondly,2. hee acquainted the Queen, that hee intended to make a firm peace with his good Subjects (the Iriſh Rebels) and that ſeverall Acts called Paynings-Law, made in behalf of the Proteſtants of that Kingdom ſhould bee repealed; But in lieu thereof 40000 Iriſh were expected to help on the Warres in England, for hee muſt wage Warre (hee ſaid) till this Perpetuall Parliament (as hee termed it) were diſſolved, for, otherwiſe, he could never Order things to His or Her content.
Thirdly,3. in another Letter, the Queen chid the King, in that hee did (in the Treaty at Ʋxbridge) acknowledge the Lords and Commons aſſembled at Weſtminſter, to bee a Parliament; which is anſwered in other Letters, then taken, that hee did not poſitively acknowledge it a Parliament, it being otherwiſe to bee conſtrued, though they were ſo ſimple not to finde it out. And that it was entred upon Record among the Acts of the Kings Councell, that it was not done out of any intent to have Poſterity to think that hee did truely acknowledge it a Parliament. In other Letters hee alſo writes, That, His long Parliament would in a ſhort time hee diſſolved. In others, That, if forces could bee ſent to the King out of forain Kingdomes, hee would cauſe all the Acts of Parliament againſt Papiſts, to bee repealed.
Fourthly,4. the King found fault (in other Letters) that hee could not prevail with his Juncto at Oxford (which hee called his Mongrell Parliament) to paſſe a Vote againſt the Lords and Commons at Weſtminſter, (which hee called his perpetuall Parliament) that they are not a lawfull Parliament, ſaying, Some of them were ſo over-witty, ſome ſtark, fooles, and others ſo phantaſticall, that hee cannot make them due any things to his content. The Queen alſo, in one Letter, deſired the King to give Jermin thanks for his care of her, and for his good ſervice there; And the King promiſed not to goe a jot from the little paper ſhee ſent him. Many other ſuch like notable paſſages were in thoſe Letters, but I leave the Reader for fuller ſatisfaction therein to the Parliaments Declaration, The Cabinet of Letters publikely read in Guild Hall in London, & afterward printed & publiſhed with Annotations.and the Letters themſelves, which, ſhortly after, were printed and publiſhed by Order of Parliament, with excellent annotations upon them, after they had firſt been publickly read in a Common Hall, in the Guild-Hall, in London, by a Committee of both Houſes of Parliament, met there for that very purpoſe, the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common Councell of the City of London, together with a mighty confluence of Citizens of all ſorts and ranks, being aſſembled thither, at the reading of the Letters and Annotations upon then, who by their ſhouts and exhibilations declared their marveilous diſlike and diſapprobations of the Kings and Queens evill expreſſions in them; and on the contrary, their high approbation of the Parliaments proceedings, by their unanimous acclamations upon the obſervations made on the ſaid Letters by the Members of the Houſe of Commons) to the amazement, of the (then) preſent hearers, and the future wonder and aſtoniſhment of Poſterity, either Malignants or others; But to goe on.
About the 28 of this inſtant June, Stckeſey Caſtle & Cauſ-Caſtle taken by the Committee of Shrewsburies forces, and a brave Victory obtained by them, beſides.wee had certain intelligence by particular Letters out of Shropſhire, of divers brave ſervices performed by the valiant and active forces of Shrewsbury Garriſon, commanded by the Committee, there, namely of the taking in of Stoksey and Cauſ-Caſtles, places of great ſtrength and importance in thoſe parts; The ſubſtance of which Letters, and true relation of which ſaid Victories, I have heer for brevities ſake, faithfully ſet down, for the Readers full content and ſatisfaction, which were as followeth.