"care how to bring further provisions into the Town, to enable "it to stand a siege in case my Lord Newcastle should draw-up "with his Army to attempt it.

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"Whilst we were considering of these things, word was "brought us That there was a small remainder of the Enemy's "force not yet meddled with, about a mile beyond Gainsborough "with some Foot, and two pieces of Ordnance. We having no 'Foot, desired to have some out of the Town; which my Lord "Willoughby granted, and sent us about Six-hundred Foot: "with these we advanced towards the Enemy. When we came "thither to the top of the hill, we beat divers Troops of the แ "Enemy's Horse back: but at the bottom we saw a Regiment "of Foot; after that another (my Lord Newcastle's own Regi"ment, consisting of nineteen colours) appearing also, and many "Horse; - which indeed was his Army. Seeing these there so “unexpectedly, we advised what to do.

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"Colonel Cromwell was sent to command the Foot to retire, "and to draw-off the Horse. By the time he came to them, the' "Enemy was marching up the hill. The Foot did retire disorderly into the Town, which was not much above a quarter of a mile from them; upon whom the Enemy's Horse did some "small execution. The Horse also did retire in some disorder, "about half a mile,- until they came to the end of a field where "a passage was; where, by the endeavour of Colonel Cromwell, "of' Major Whalley and Captain Ayscoghe, a body was drawn "up. With these we faced the Enemy; stayed their pursuit; and opposed them with about four Troops of Colonel Crom"well's and four Lincoln Troops; the Enemy's body in the mean "time increasing very much from the Army. But such was the "goodness of God, giving courage and valour to our men and officers, that whilst Major Whalley and Captain Ayscoghe, "sometimes the one with four Troops faced the Enemy, some "times the other, to the exceeding glory of God be it spoken, "and the great honour of those two Gentlemen, they with this "handful forced the Enemy so, and dared them to their teeth in "at the least eight or nine several removes, - the Enemy fol"lowing at their heels; and they, though their horses were ex"ceedingly tired, retreating in order, near carbine-shot of the "Enemy, who thus followed them, firing upon them; Colonel "Cromwell gathering-up the main body and facing them behind "those two lesser bodies, that, in despite of the Enemy, we "brought-off our Horse in this order, without the loss of two men.

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"Thus have you a true Relation of this notable service, "wherein God is to have all the glory. And care must be taken "speedily to relieve this noble Lord from his and the State's "Enemies, by a speedy force sent unto us, and that without "any delay; or else he will be lost, and that important Town, "and all those parts; and way made for this Army instantly to "advance into the South. Thus resting upon your care in speeding present Succours hither, we humbly take our leaves “and remain,

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"Your humble servants,

"EDW. AYSCOGHE.
"Jo. BROXOlme.
"OLIVER CROMWELL."*

2. The Second Letter, the Original of which still exists, is of much greater interest; being from Cromwell's own hand, and evidently thrown-off in a quite familiar and even hasty fashion. Written, as would appear, on the march from Lincoln to Huntingdon; no mention precisely where; but probably at the Army's quarters on the evening of their first day's march homewards. In the Original the surname of the "Sir John" to whom the Letter addresses itself has been, probably by some royalist descendant (of mixed emotions), so industriously crossed out with many strokes of the 'pen, that not only is it entirely illegible, but the polite possessor of the Autograph cannot undertake to guess for me how many letters may have been in the word. On other grounds I pretty confidently undertake, nevertheless, to read Wray: Sir John Wray of Glentworth, member for Lincolnshire, and on the Committee of that County; at present, I suppose, attending his duty in London. Glentworth House is almost within sight and sound of these transactions; the well-affected Knight of the Shire, for many reasons, may fitly hear a word of them, while we rest from our march. Sir John's Mother, I find by the Dryasdust records** was a Montague of Boughton; so that "your noble Kinsman" near the end of this Letter will mean my Lord of Manchester, "Sergeant-Major of the Association,” a man well qualified to give information.

Tanner мss. lxii. 194; and, with little or no variation, Baker мsS. xxviii. 434. **Burke's Extinct Baronetage, § Wray.

To my noble Friend Sir John Wraye,' Knight and Baronet: Present these. SIR, 'Eastern Association,' 30th July 1643.

The particular respects I have received at your hands do much oblige me, but the great affection you bear to the Public much more: for that cause I am bold to acquaint you with some late Passages wherein it hath pleased God to favour us; which, I am assured, will be welcome to you.

After Burleigh House was taken, we went towards Gainsborough to a general rendezvous, where met us Lincolnshire Troops; so that we were Nineteen or Twenty Troops, when we were together, of Horse and Foot, and about Three or Four Troops of Dragooners. We marched with this force to Gainsborough. Upon Friday morning, being the 28th of July, we met with a forlorn-hope of the Enemy, and with ourmen brake it in. We marched on to the Town's end. The Enemy being upon the top of a very steep Hill over our heads, some of our men attempted to march up that Hill; the Enemy opposed; our men drove them up, and forced their passage. By the time** we came up, we saw the Enemy well set in two bodies: the foremost a large fair body, the other a reserve consisting of six or seven brave Troops. Before we could get our force into order, the great body of the Enemy advanced; they were within musket-shot of us when we came to the pitch of the Hill: we advanced likewise towards them; and both charged, each upon the other: Thus advancing, we came to pistol and sword's point, both in that close order that it was disputed very strongly who should break the other. But our men pressing a little heavily upon them, they began to give back; which our men perceiving, instantly forced them, - brake that whole body; some of them flying on this side, some on the other side, of the reserve. Our men, pursuing them in great disorder, had the execution about four, or some say six miles. With much ado this done, and all their force being gone, not one man standing, but all beaten out of the field,- -we drew up our body together, and kept the field, — the half of our men being well 'worn in the chase of the Enemy.

*Means "towards",

that time," in orig.

Upon this we endeavoured the Business we came for; which wat the relief of the Town with Ammunition. We sent-in some Powder, which was the great want of that Town. Which done, word was brought us that the Enemy had about Six Troops of Horse, and Three-hundred Foot, a little on the other side of the Town. Upon this we drew some musketeers out of the Town, and with our body of horse marched towards them. We saw two Troops towards the Mill; which drove down into a little village at the bottom of the Hill: when we [we emphatic] came with our horse to the top of that Hill, we saw in the bottom a whole regiment of Foot, after that another and another, and, as some counted, about Fifty Colours of Foot. Which indeed was my Lord Newcastle's Army; with which he now besieges Gainsborough.

my men

My Lord Willoughby commanded me to bring off the Foot and Horse: which I endeavoured; but the Foot (the Enemy pressing on with the Army) retreated in some disorder into the Town, being of that Garrison. Our Horse also, being wearied, and unexpectedly pressed by this new force, so great, gave off, not being able to brave the charge. But, with some difficulty, we got our Horse into a body, and with them faced the Enemy; and retreated in such order that though the Enemy followed hard, they were not able to disorder us, but we got them off safe, to Lincoln, from this fresh force, and lost not one man. The honour of this retreat, equal to any of late times, is due to Major Whalley and Captain Ayscough, next under God.

This Relation I offer you for the honour of God (to whom be all the praise); as also to let you know you have some servants faithful to you, to incite to action. I beseech you let this good success quicken your continuing to this Engagement! It's great evidence of God's favour. Let not your business be starved. I know, if all be of your mind, we shall have an honourable return. It's your own business: a reasonable strength now raised speedily, may do that which much more will not do after some time. Undoubtedly, if they succeed here, you will see them in the bowels of your Association!

"As' for the time, you will hear it from your noble Kinsman and Colonel Palgrave: if we be not able in ten days to relieve Gainsborough, a noble Lord will be lost, many good Foot, and a considerable Pass over Trent in these parts. The Lord prosper your endeavours and ours. I beseech you present my humble service to the high honourable Lady. Sir, I am Your faithful servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

P.S.I stayed, 'from the chase after our first encounter,' two of my own Troops, and my Major stayed his; in all three. There were in front of the Enemy's reserve, three or four of the Lincoln Troops yet unbroken: the Enemy charged those Troops; utterly broke and chased them; so that none of the Troops on our part stood, but my three. Whilst the Enemy was following our flying Troops, I charged him on the rear with my three Troops; drove him down the Hill, brake him all to pieces; forced Lieutenant-General Cavendish into a Bog, who fought in this reserve: one Officer cut him on the head; and, as he lay, my Captain-Lieutenant Berry thrust him into the short ribs, of which he died, about two hours after, in Gainsborough. §

By this Postscript is at last settled the question, Who killed Charles Cavendish? It was "my Captain-Lieutenant Berry;" he and no other, if any one still wish to know. Richard Baxter's friend once; and otherwise a known man.

No. 6.

LETTER TO FAIRFAX, ON THE ACTION AT ISLIP-Bridge and

BLETCHINGTON.

[Vol. i. p. 203.]

WRITTEN the night before that in the Text, on the same subject.

For the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Fairfax, General of the Army: These,

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

'Bletchington,' 24th April 1645. I met at my rendezvous at Watlington, on Wednesday § Original in the possession of Dawson Turner, Esq., Great Yarmouth; printed in Papers of Norfolk Archaeological Society (Norwich, Jan. 1848), pp. 45-50.