THE Proceedings of the Earl of Essexs Forces, neere Reading:
FRom Twyford, neere READING, it is informed by a true and reall Relation, That the Lord of ROCHFORD, and Colonell CHOMLEY, lying there with their forces, consisting of about seven hundered men; Colonell AVSTON, a great and notorious Papist, and commander in chiefe over the KINGS [Page] Forces, which are quartered in READING; issued out of the towne, and gave an Alarum against TWYFORD, upon Sunday last being the eight of of this instant moneth of JANVARY: Their Forces that gave the Alarum were commanded by Captaine FAWCET, and Captaine AVSTON, cozen to the aforenamed Colonell, and came up all in a brest, within halfe a mile of the towne of TWYFORD; where they assaulted the same, with three-hundered and twenty men, thinking at that time to have gained the town, and to have cut off all the PARLIAMENT Forces that lay therein; But their hopes were sone frustrated, and their expectation quite dissolved; for the Lord of ROCHFORD, and Colonell CHOMLEY, being there quartered wirh about seven hundered men; issued out of the towne, and drove their forces up to TWYFORD greene, where they had planted two small [Page] Drakes, and raised a good Bre [...]-work, and there they set their men in Batailia Array, where Colonell CHOMLEY behavied himselfe very valiently, and after an houre spent in consultation upon the bussinesse; Colonell CHOMLEY gave Order, that Captaine TVRNER should move forwards, and advance towards the enemy, which he did accordingly; and according to the Commission that he raceived from his Colonell.
He set upon the enemy with a hundered and twelve men, doing great execution; and after an hours fight, Colonell CHOMLEY marched downe to assist him.
And the Lord of ROCHFORD his forces wheeeled about, and assaulted them upon the left wing; which proved very advantagious to them, and very prejudicall to the other party.
Thus they being by the great wisdome [Page] and policy, drew close to the enemy both in the front and left wing, they fell to Battall, where after three houres fight, they obtained the Victory, killing about an hundered and thirty of the CAVALIERS, and utterly routed the enemies left wing; And put all the rest to flight. Making them retreate to their forces at READING.
All which through the assistance of Almighty GOD was performed, with the losse of about twenty men: For which Victory all good Christians send up their prayers to the great GOD of Battell for the same.
Colonell SKIPPON, Colonell of a Regiment of Red-coates; and Sergeant Major Generall of the whole Army, is resolved to advance from MAIDEN-HEADE, where they now lay quartered, and to march towards READING, where he intends to assault the same, and to beat [Page] the Cavaliers out of the towne; they give continuall alarums to each other and it is thought the Kings Army in Reading is not able to subsist long.
This is the true and perfect Relation of the last Skirmish, betwixt the two Armies neere Reading, and by the next post (courteous reader) thou shalt have a more full Relation of all the proceedings.
From TWYFORD, JAN. 16. 1643Sent in a Letter from that worthy Commander, N. N.
VPon Tuesday night last, about 4. of the clocke in the afternoone Colonell Chomley having drawne about 200. of his men, over a place called [...] [Page] about 2 miles from Reading, the enemy sallied out of the towne, with about 1100. men, and there gave our men a charge at their very workes; insomuch that at the first begining of the battell our men had the worst of it; and were much daunted, seeing such a strong Army come against them Whereupon Colonell Chomley for the encouragement of all his men, put on his armour, and stood in the front of the battle at least an houre, doing great execution with his sword and halfe-pike, and after some three hours and a halfes fight, the Cavaliers retreated, leaving behind them of their Dammee Bretheren at least 200. and 25. where our men with 200. obtained the victory, taking about 60. and odde of the enemies horse, with the losse of about 23. men.