for besides that the Scots daily deserted him, the countries did not come in as he believed they would, being continually obstructed by the forces of the commonwealth. The paffage of Warrington bridge, in Cheshire, was sharply contested with him by Lambert; but at laft his majesty carried it, and continuing on his march with great expedition, on the 23d of August he came to Worcester, which he entered after fome opposition; and looking upon it as a convenient place, he determined to settle there with his army, and wait the coming of the enemy. And that he might not be wanting in any thing that might tend to the preservation of his forces, he ordered works to be raised for better security. Then he fent a summons to Mackworth, governor of Shrewsbury, inviting him to yield up that garrison ; to which the governor returned a peremptory denial. He also sent letters to Sir Thomas Middleton, to raise forces for him in Montgom.'yshire ; but Sir Thomas detained the meffenger prisoner, and sent up the letter to the parliament, A day or two after the king had taken

up

his quarters in Worcester, he received the melancholy news of the defeat of the earl of Derby. This brave inan was the only person, who made any confiderable attempt to support the king. He got together a body of 1500 horfe; but before he could join the king's army, colonel Liburn fct upon him near Wiggan, and entirely rooted him. The earl himself, being wounded, retreated into Cheshire with about eighty horse, and from thence to the king at Worcester.

In the mean time general Cromwell having refresh'd his soldiers near Newcastle, immediately marched away by Rippon, Ferry-bridge, Doncafter, Mansfield, and Coventry; and at Keinton joined with the reit of the parliament's forces, under lieutenant-general Fleetwood, major general Desborough, the lord Grey of Groby, major-general Lambert, and major general Harrison ; making in all 30,000 men. The common. wealth had indeed, by their new levies, encreased their forces to a prodigious number; and England never before produced so many soldiers in so short a time : for the standing army, with those other forces raised upon this occasion, are said to have amounted to above 60,000 men.

§. 17. The lord-general being come up, and have ing observed the posture of the enemy's army, began with an attempt upon Upton-bridge, seven miles from Worcester ; designing there, if possible, to pass over his army. Lambert was appointed to manage this affair, who immedietely detached a small party of horse and dragoons, to see how feasible the enterprise might be. This party coming to the bridge, found it

broken down, all but one plank. Over this these daring fellows pass'd, who finding the Scots took the alarm, presently betook themselves to a church for security. Hereupon Massey, who lay at Upton with about 60 dragoons, and 200 horse, gave a camisado on the church ; but major-general Lambost, having pafled over a new supply of horse, fell furiously upon the enemy's party, and over-powering them, forced them to a retreat; which Massey supported with so much bravery, that sometimes facing, then fighting, and fo falling off, himself brought up the rear, and never quitted his station, till he arrived with his men at Worcefler. The bridge being thus gain'd, all poffible industry was used to make it up; so that Fleet. wood's army quickly passed over ; which still march. ing forward, they laid a bridge over the Teame, which falls into the Severn, about a mile beneath Worcester: and the general, in the mean time, caused a bridge of boats to be laid over the Severn on his fide, for the better conjunction of the army, and that the enemy might be the more straightened.

The Scots drawing out to oppose Fleetwood's par{age, the lord-general resolved to divert their design, or to oblige them to fight on great disadvantage : to which end, himself in perfon led over the river two segiments of foot, colonel Hacker's horse, and his own life-guard, on that side of Worcester which he

designed designed to attack. Whilft this was doing, lieutenantgeneral Fleetwood, assisted by two regiments of foot, maintained a brave fight from hedge to hedge, which the Scots had lined thick with musqueteers. And indeed they stoutly maintained their ground, till colo. nel Blake's, Gibbons's, and Marsh's regiments came in, and joined with the others against them ; upon which they retreated to Powick-bridge, where they were again engaged by the colonels Haines, Cobbet, and Matthews ; and perceiving they were not able to prevail, they thought fit at last to secure themselves by Aying into Worcester.

f. 18. Presently after, the king calling a council of war, it was resolved to engage Cromwell himself. Accordingly, they on a sudden fally'd out against him with so much fury, that his invincible life-guard could not sustain the shock, but was sorced to retire in some disorder; and his cannon likewise were for some time in the

power of the king's party. But multitudes of fresh forces coming in, at last turned the scale on Cromwell's fide. The battle continued for three or four hours with great fierceness and various success, till the Scots, being overpowered by Cromwell's fuperior force, were totally routed, flying away in great confusion to secure themselves. The horse made as fast as

ey could back again, towards the north ; but the foot ran into the city, being closely pursued by some of the conquerors, who furiously flew through all the streets, doing such terrible execution, that there was nothing to be seen for some time but blood and naughter.

As soon as the lord-general had forced his way through Sudbury-gate, whilst his party were killing and slaying all they met with, he with some regiments ran up to the Fort-royal, commanded by colonel Drummond; and being just about to storm, he first ventured through whole showers of shot, to offer the Scots quarter, if they would presently submit, and deliver up the fort ; which they refusing, he foon redu

ced

ced it by force, and without mercy put them all to the fiord, to the number of 1500 men.

In the mean time very

considerable parties were sent after the 'fiying enemy, and the country every where rose upon them.

The slain in this battle were reckoned about 4000, and the prisoners taken in the fight, and in the pursuit, amounted to about 10,000 ; so that near all were lost. The chief of the prisoners were duke Hamilton (brother of the late duke) who died soon after of his wounds; the carl of Derby, who not long after was sentenced to death, and lost his head at Bolton ; the carls of Lauderdale, Carnwarth, Rothes, and Kelly; lord Sinclair, Sir John Packington, Sir Charles Cunningham, Sir Ralph Clare, major-general Montgomery, major-general Picotty, Mr. Richard Fanshaw, fecretary to the king, the general of the ordnance, the adjutant-general of the foot; besides several colonels, and other inferior officers. There were also taken all their artillery and baggage, 158 colours, the king's standard, his coach and hories, and several other things of great value. The king escaped, and having wandered some time in disguise about England, he at last found means to embark, and landed safely at Diepe in France. This.great victory, which was juftly looked upon as the decision of the grand cause between the king and the cominonwealth, was obtained by general Cromwell on the 3d of September, the same day twelve-month that the Scots had such a defeat given them by his forces at Dunbar, as loft them their kingdom

$. 19.

* The next day after this victory, the lord-general fent a letter to the parliament ; wnich was as follows :

“ I am not able yet to give you an exact account of the great things which the Lord hath done for this commonwealth, and for his people ; and yet I am unwilling to be filent, but according to my duty I thall represent it to you, as it comes to hand. This

Ş. 19. Cromwell, having given this deadly blow to all the king's party, staid no longer at Worcester,

than

battle was fought with various success for some hours,
but still hopeful on your part, and in the end became
an absolute victory, and so full an one, as proved a
total defeat and ruin of the enemy's army, and por-
fession of the town. Our men entering at the
enemy's heels, and fighting with them in the streets
with very great courage, took all their baggage
and artillery. What the flain are, I can give you no
account, because we have not taken an exact view ;
but they are very many, and must needs be so, be-
cause the dispute was long, and very near at hand,
and often at push of pike, and from one defence to
another. There are about six or seven thousand pri-
soners taken here, and many officers and noblemen
of quality; duke Hamilton, the earl of Rothes, and
divers other noblemen : I hear, the earl of Lauder-
dale, many officers of great quality, and some that
will be fit objects of your justice. We have sent very
considerable parties after the flying enemy: I hear
they have taken considerable rumbers of prisoners, and
are very close in the pursuit. Indeed, I hear, the
country
riseth

upon them every where ; and I believe, the forces that lay through providence at Bewdley, and in Shropshire and Staffordihire, and those with colonel Lilburne, were in a condition, as if this had been foreseen, to intercept what should return. A more particular account than this will be prepared for you, as we are able. I heard they had not many more than a thousand horse in their body that fled, and I believe we have near four tho'iland forces following and interposing between them and home. Their army was about fixtcen thousand strong, and fought ours on Worcester fide Severn, almost with their whole, whilst we had engaged half our army on the other side, but with parties of theirs. Indeed it

stiff business ; yet I do not think we have lost two hundred men. Your new rais'd forces did per

E

was