Inter-regnum. 1651. Auguft. . Honoured Sir, ON Newcastle, Aug. 14, 1651. try: This Morning my Lord and the whole Army marched from Ryton towards Branfpeth, betimes; and it is faid my Lord-General quarters this Night at Branfpeth. Col. Lilburne, with 1000 Horse, marched over Newburn on Tuesday betimes, to join with Major-General Lambert and MajorGeneral Harrison; who, we hear, were to join about Skipton two Days fince. I believe the Scots Army is about Kirby-Lonsdale, and think that our 6 Forces are gotten Southward before the Enemy 6 by this Time. My Lord, I Your very humble Servant, T. E. Warrington, Aug. 15, 1651. Have received both your Lordship's, &c. As to your firft, I thought I could not better anfwer it than by Action, wherein I was fo much engaged, that indeed I had not Leisure otherwife to do it. I had only Time to acquaint the Coun . .. 1651. Auguft. 'cil of State, that I had got a Party ready to march Inter-regnum. to a Conjunction with Major-General Harrison, which I have done, through the Lord's Goodness, 'this Day, with betwixt 6 and 700 Horse and Dragoons, well arm'd at this Place. Our Defign, for the prefent, is, having here fome 8000 Horfe, 1000 Dragoons, and about 3000 Foot, to main'tain this Pass at Warrington till the General come ' up with his Infantry, who is expected here with' in fome three or four Days, these Counties being chiefly for Foot Service; and, in the mean Time, the Counties from all Hands are drawing up to us. 6 . The Enemy lies betwixt Wigan and Preston, being in a forlorn and wretched Condition, rather decreafing than at all increafing. A Letter, ' lately intercepted from one of the chiefeft in their Army, acknowledges very much Desperation. 6 . My Lord, My Lord, L Your faithful humble Servant, H. D. Aug. 17, 1651, Two o'clock AST Night I received an Express from our Commiffioners in Leicestershire, of that 'County's unanimous Willingness to engage against the Enemy, and that the only Difficulty they meet with is to provide Horfes for their Men, which will haften me hither To-morrow, according to my laft; not doubting, by God's Bleffing, but ' to give your Lordship a good Account of our Pro< ceedings there, and in Rutland, which fhall be the Endeavours of, 6 Your Lordship's most affectionate and humble Servant, THO. GREY. My Inter-regnum. 1651. Auguft. My Lord, At the Camp near Warrington-Bridge, the 16th Day of the 6th Month, about Eleven in the Morning. Aving join'd with Major-General Lambert, about Twelve at Noon, on the 13th Inft. on Hafle-Moor, within feven Miles of Preflon; the Enemy, according to our best Intelligence, 6 lying then on Elbill Moor, four Miles on this Side Lancaster, and that Evening march'd to Haworth'Moor, within eight Miles of Prefton, and Yefterday through Prefton towards Wigan; defigning, as we conceive, to get up to Warrington-Bridge 'before us; and Yesterday receiving a fudden Account of their matching through the Town, we 'crofled the Country, and about One of the Clock this Morning reached Bolton; and, after fome 'fhort Stay for refreshing our Men, we marched away for Warrington, where we are now, in Conjunction with about 4000 Foot and Dragoons, raised in Cheshire and Staffordshire. 6 6 We are improving the little Time we have got 'before them here, to the spoiling the Fords and Paffes on the River, efpecially between us and Manchefter; leaving thofe only open to them where, if they attempt a Paffage, we may be moft 'confiderable to make Oppofition; and, if the Lord 6 will, engage them. Wherein we wait his Pleafure and Providence concerning us, not questioning but, if we be clearly call'd to give them Battle, or if they feek us out and force us to it, (as in Reafon it feems to be much their Intereft) before my Lord-General comes up with the Foot and Train, which is by this Time about BarnardCafile, we fhall find our Hearts filled with a hea< venly Power from the Lord, and see his antient Arm lifted up, as in former Times, against his Enemies. I am . Your most humble Servant, T. HARRISON. P.S. We expect this Day they will attempt to force their Paffage at fome of the narroweft Paffes, 1651. Paffes, where they apprehend our Resistance leaft Inter-regnum. 'confiderable. We are appointing a Council to 'confider whether we should not withdraw, tho' there be a Spirit given generally to press to engage them, if the Lord fhould vouchfafe an open Field ' for it.' Befides all the foregoing Letters, the Parliament received Advice from Chepstow, that, at a Rendezvous of their Forces in that Neighbourhood, there appeared 6000 Horfe and Foot, who had fecured fuch Gentlemen of that Country as they fufpected, and seized most of the Horses in Monmouthshire: Alfo from Bristol, That that City was raifing a Troop of Horfe; and that the Governor had ordered all Strangers to depart thence in twelve Hours, and the Innkeepers to bring in, every Night, an Account of their Guests. Aug. 19. Another Letter from Major-General Harrifon, to the Prefident of the Council of State, was read. . . Upon the March from Knotsford towards Congleton, Aug. 17, 1651, about SIR, Nine of the Clock. YE Efterday, the 16th, the Enemy came on with their whole Army, and prefs'd to pass at the Bridge, and Fort near it, which we had 'broken down and spoil'd as well as we could in fo fhort a Time. A Company of our Foot were 'drawn down to the Barricade of the Bridge, who ' behaved themselves gallantly, and gave the Ene'my Oppofition, till we faw Caufe to draw them 'off, fecuring their Retreat by Parties of Horse; which we did, because we were unwilling to engage the whole Army, where our Horse could not come to make Service thro' the Inclosures : The Enemy thereupon haften'd over their whole Army, and their King in the Van, if not Forlorne, which was his own Life Guard, as fome Prisoners told us fince; and prefs'd hard upon our Rear, ' where . Auguft. 6 whereof Col. Rich had the Guard, who wheel'd off Parties, and charged them thrice as they came on, and the Lord every Time caused those of the Enemy, that were fo forward, to fly before us. We kill'd the Officer that commanded one of their Parties, and two or three Troopers; and 'fome Countrymen fince bring us in Word that 28 of theirs were flain in the feveral Skirmishes, 6 and but four of ours that I can hear of, there, and at the Bridge. As they fell on they cried, Oh you Rogues, we will be with you before your Cromwell comes; which made us think they would prefs to engage 6 us with all Speed. We are drawing up at Knotsford Moor to wait them, though we hear fince, that they marched a ' good Part of the Night on the London Road. Your faithful Servant, THO. HARRISON. Aug. 20. This Day a Letter from Major-General Harrison, to the Speaker, was read. SIR, Tat Leeke, Aug. 18, 1651. HIS Night we quartered with our Forces at Leeke, in Staffordshire, intending for Cheadle, towards Bagot's-Bromley To-morrow. The Enemy feems to be much difcouraged by the ' feasonable Preparation of Forces the Parliament is making thereabouts; by the Country's forbearing to come in to them as they expected; and, laftly, by the Inconfiderablenefs of the Earl of Derby's Forces; who, after all that Noife, can 'make but 250 Foot and 60 unarm'd Horse, as our beft Intelligence faith, with whom he landed on Saturday laft, at Wier-Water, in Lancashire, hafting to his King, if not interrupted in the "Way, which we hope he will be. Their Army, we heard this Morning, lay laft Night about • Northwich, and this Evening advanced between • Nant < |