ON Friday, November 25. The [...]ord Digby came against the Town [...] with his Regiment of Horse about 400. in number: And having come to the Townes end, sent a message by one Master Vincent Goddard, to demand admission into the Towne, but this being denyed, he went away, to declare the Townes an­swer; presently some of our Souldiers went forth, and let fly at them, & hereupon immediately they all fled with the losse of some men: So the Towne fearing a second assanlt, they fell to fortifie the Towne in the best manner they could; And for their bet­ter assistance, they sent to the Earle of Essex, for some Commanders (having none of our owne that stood to us) who sent Two Scotch men unto us, (a Sergeant Major, and a Captaine) who used great diligence in the directing and giving order for the Fortifications. Then upon the third of December being Saterday, the Cavaleeres came againe to the Towne, and hovered with their Horse about the hils neer the Towne, but kept themselves out of the breath of the Towne Mus­ [...]s; by this Occasion, Master John Franklin, the Parliament man, and the Scotch Comman­ders, thought it convenient to keepe the men in that came to our Market (it being our mar­ket day) and their Horses for the Towns defence.

Then Sunday the fourth of December, the Lord Grandison with his Regiment of Horse, and Collonell Gray, with his Regiment of [...]ragon [...]ers; came againe to the Towne, and shewed themselves in sight of the Towne, and marched round the East and South part of the Towne, and stayed on the hill a little time, while some of our Musquetteers fall [...]ed forth, and got as [...]eer them as they could, and shot at them, whereupon they presently, fled, and so we saw them [...] more for that day; and then they retreated to a place called Ogbourne, some mile and a halfe from the Towne, where they stayed that night, onely some few came in the midst of the night, and shot two Musquets against the place where our watch stood, and disturbed our Sentinels, which caused them to let flye at them at a venture, and killed those two men that shot, as was confest by some of their owne party the next day; A Gaundet, a cap, and bloody handker­chiefe was taken up the next day by some of our men: but this businesse made a great Alarme in the Towne at that season of the night.

Then upon Munday morning, being the fifth of December, they appeared on the Northside of the Towne, (namely Grandis [...]n and Collonell Grey) with their Troopes, but as yet they assaulted us not, for they waited for their foot Regiments, and the rest of the Dragoneers to [...]ome to them, and their Ordinance, which were not as yet come, but yet this kept us in con­tinuall Alarmes for these two dayes and nights; but betweene eleven and twelve a clocke their Foote came, at which time they drew nearer to the Towne, and began to assault us, they let [...]ye one volley of shot at us, of their small shot; but (our Towne standing in a Valley, between two hils) it never came near us, all this while we kept our selves within [...] workes, expect­ing to see their body to come in the sight of us, and their Horse to draw yet nearer, but they came not on: But at length Collonell Blake with his Regiment of Foote, creeping behind the [...]dges, and in some ditches thereabout, after they had (as conveniently as they could come to doe it) planted their great Guns against us, having now approached within Musquet shot, discharged at us, and we againe answered them with a brave peale of our Musquets. Then my Lo [...], Rivers his Regiment of Foot, and Collonell Grey his Dragoneers, with one Culvering, and [Page 3] one Demi-Canon, gave us another sudden assault in two other places at once, to which our Musqueteers gave them such a brave answer, that they did great Execution among them. So that we could see many of their men tople downe like trees new cut off; So that there they made them retreate againe almost out of our sights for the time. This assault was made on the North-East part of the Towne. And at the same time Sir William Peniman, and Sir James his Brother, with their Regiment of Foot, and Collonell Ʋshers Dragoneers gave an assault on the North-West side of the Towne; but these so hid themselves behind hedges, and lying flat in the dit­ches, that we heard little from their Musquets, but onely their great Guns plaid apace from this place, but did no harme at all to the Towne, either to the houses, or to any man, woman, or childe in the Towne, for many shots went over the Towne, and those that went low enough to hit, went through some houses without any other hurt, by Gods mercy, and yet at this place also we did execution among them, as we could well perceive: though there were but 24. men to main [...]taine this fight against this whole Regiment. In this manner we maintained the fight against them for the space of three houres without any Intermission, and also, which is most re­markeable of all (by the providence of God) without the losse of one man amongst us: At length our enemies, seeing they prevailed not, shot Granadoes at an old thatched Barne, that stood on the outside of the Towne next them, and fired it: So that a few of our Musquets that were set thereabout to maintaine that part of the Towne (seeing the fire) quitted the place and went away.

By and by the enemy fired another place with a Granadoe also, as is supposed, and this was a dwelling house behind our men, where our chiefest strength was placed. So that the enemy seeing the fire, gave a great shout in token of their joy: And presently came on some of them ve­ry desperately: and brake in at that place which was first forsaken by our Souldiers, which place leads into the very middest of the Towne through one of our great Innes: thus these having got­ten footing in the Towne and more following them, they cryed out, A Towne, a Towne for King Charles, &c. Thus they ran through the street with their drawne Swords, cutting and slashing those men they met with, whether Souldiers or not, and so made on towards our o­ther Souldiers, who were y [...] [...]fending in the workes, they came upon them at their backes, and these now seeing the fire increase more and more, and the enemy come desperately upon them before and behind, they began to take themselves to flight, and every man to shift for themselves, (for all our Pikemen and Halbert men, had given over and gone to hide themselves a great while before) some throwing their Armes downe in the streets, some into the River, and some into houses, desiring to get out of the Towne, they were taken Prisoners in all parts, which way soever they went: for the Lord Digby with his Regiment of Horse, and Sir Daniel Oneale had beset the Towne with Horsemen, from the East to the West, on the South side. And the Lord Grandison, and the Lord Wentworth with their troopes had beset it from West to East, on the North side: and their Scouts so kept the West and East passages, that those that escaped got away with a great deale of hazard and difficulty, and yet a great many men got cleare away and never came into their hands, and many that they had in their hands also escaped away from them.

But thus they having gotten the towne at their cruell mercy: Lamentable is it to relate their Carriage and behaviour in it, for at their entring, when no defence was left us, when they had no opposition or resistance against them, either by word or action, they set fire in two other places of the towne, with their hands, of set purpose and malice; though there had beene too much fire already kindled by them: and then at the same time, raging and consuming house after house, without any stop or hinderance, or any man to helpe to quench the flames, but if any men apppeared to such end, they tooke them prisoners; thus wee had foure great fires at one time flaming, in foure severall places, a fearefull and a very sad spectacle to behold: and at the same time, their Souldiers breaking up of Shops, and houses, and taking away all sorts of goods, [Page 4] [...] and carried away all kindes of [...] all [...] of shooes, and bootes; Stockings, [...]s, and woollen and [...] all [...]ts, Sheets, Beds, and bolster casses, cutting up the casses, and [...] streets to be trampled on by ho [...]es and men, also searching m [...]n and [...] money, and threatning them with Pistolls and Swords, to shoote, or run them through, if that they would not give them money; by which meanes compelling many men to [...] them to the very places where they had hid their money in the ground, or in other such pl [...]s, [...] at men or women, calling them Round-head Rogues, and Round-head Who [...]s, [...] take up Armes against your King: you fight against the King, you Rogues you [...] to [...]e hanged, every man, and to be kill'd, both man, woman, and child, and your [...]owne to be burnt to ashes; but that you have a mercifull King, &c. Whereas God onely knowes, we tooke up a [...]mes and fought onely for the King, and to preserve his Honour, his dignity, and his Lawes, against the violation thereof by such Theeves, Rebells, and Traytors, as they are, and also to defend our houses from burning and breaking up, and our goods from robbing and stealing; and the Liberty of our persons from violent oppression, and unjust and cruell Restr [...], and our wives and children from being turned to beg their bread; If this be to take up Armes or [...] fight against our King; we must then confesse we never knew what obedience Subjects owe, o [...] are to performe to their Prince, nor what kind of Protection a Prince ought to give to his Sub­jects, if he protect them not in the property of their goods and houses, and in the liberty of their persons from ruine and spoyle by cruell foes: but indeed we have heard that this same pre [...]ence the Rebels in Ireland had all this last yeare, that they were for the King, and by the Kings Authority they did all that they did in Ireland, and so consequently all the Kings good Subjects that either resisted them in their cursed rebellion; or defended themselves in their owne Right, they must take up Armes against the King and fight against him; But was not this pre­tence a fearefull indignity and slander to his Majesty, and of [...] declared by himselfe; So [...]eeds must this pretence of these English Rebels, (the Cavaleeres [...]ane) be an intolerable in­dignity and most insolent calumny and slander unto the Kings Majesty, however they would be [...]ccounted and called the Kings Army, and the Kings Friends, &c. and likewise the Kings Gen­tlemen, but they are theeves.

Yet I dare affirme that we (whom they accuse for fighting against the King) will be ready and willing at all times and occasions that shall be offered, to adventure our selves and all we have; for the honour and dignity of the King, where millions of such as these durst not shew their faces, nor yet appeare in the sight of any danger: And we will make this option, that this present [...] and difference were to be determined by us and them, one hundred of us, to three hun­dred of them, we dare to meet them in open field; but we have digressed besides our purpose, being to make a particular relation of the cruelty and carriage of these men, in the plundering of our Towne; This may not be forgotten, that one of their company, who seemed to be one that had some command among them, came into the house of an Gentleman of our Towne, Master W. B. by name, he uttered these horrible speeches, in a most insolent and insul­ting manner.

The Lord Digby also, or the Lord Grandison, we know not well whether, at another time comming into the same mans house (being a wealthy man, but [...] who had many children) and tels the man of the house, that he did and would fine him to pay 500 pound, which should be made ready and paid within foure dayes; The good Gentleman makes him answer that he could not pay one hundred pound, for his house had beene throughly plundered of all he had, [Page 5] and besides that he had eighteene children to maintaine, and nothing left to [...] This [...] children, [...].

Another among them would give a [...] to teach or tell him a new oath, [...] never either heard or [...] and well he might have offered to give a greater [...]in the [...] that; [...] such variety of [...]ange and [...]n heard of oathes, and such frequen­cy of [...] heard, as [...] [...]ay when [...] say, nor [...] other object to give occasion for any word or speech, yet oathes [...] from their [...] thicke as haile fals, that except hell were broken [...]se, and the [...] of the [...] sent among us, we could not heare, nor see more in­tolerable wickednesses; Nay, in their plundering, they had no regard to rich or poore, to Round-heads (as they call them) and those that were of the like disposition as themselves, for they [...] poore men, th [...] live on the Almes of the Towne, that beg the very bread they [...], and the very Almes house they searched, and [...]d, and the very houses that were burn­ing and consuming by the fire that themselves had kindled, were not spared from robbing them of the very goods they preserved from the fury of the [...]ames.

Besides this, the spoyle they did among mens goods was as much as their losse which they [...] away: as in letting out whole Hogs-heads of Oyle, and vessels full of Strong-water, Vinegar, Aquavitae, Treackle, and Spice, and Fruite, and all this throwne about the shops, sellers, and houses: besides the taking away and burning of Bookes, for they tooke all the grea­test Bookes the Booke-sellers had in their shops, and all the smaller Bookes they burnt, (witnesse John Hamond by name) for in one of our Booke-sellers houses they maintained a great fire for five houres together, with nothing but Bookes and Papers, insomuch that they had like to have set fire of his house with the greatnesse of the flame, for they burned the mantle of the chim­ney. And in five or sixe other places more, adventured the houses by fire also, as the Mayor of the towne his house, and in a mans shop that sels Oyle, Pitch, Ro [...]in, Hempe, Flax, and Tarre, and such ready things to take fire, they had kindled a fire, and so went forth and left it purpose­ly to burne, but by the care of a neighbour (the man being not at home) prevented, through the will of God. And at a Woollen Drapers shop, under his penthouse making a great fire [...]er his shop-windowes, and some two or three other honest mens houses, which I will not stand to relate the manner thereof, and yet none of these mens houses tooke fire.

But to relate all their rage and cruelty were almost endlesse, for they brake up the Towne-house, and there they brake the Chests and Coffers, that the Records and Court-bookes and Deeds and Leases of the Townes land were in, and carried them away; they likewise brake off the Seales, and rent the writings in peeces, as also they did to other mens writings: And the townes Grand Charte [...] they also carried away, besides two hundred pounds worth of Cheese that was there laid in for the market, which they carried away every peny-worth: So that we had thought that Jack S [...] and Wat Tylers dayes had beene come againe, and their complices had broken in upon us; for they brake up our Prisons and set Prisoners at liberty that were in on Execution, and delive­red them, besides the spoyling all bookes of Law Records and monuments. And thinking yet they could never doe mischiefe enough they brake glasse windowes, cut and slash mens Table boards, stooles, and Chayres with their swords, besides the frights they put many women and children to, by setting the points of their swords to their brests, and threatning them to run them through, if they did not give them money, &c. And all the Horses and Carts, that were in the towne both good and bad they tooke away, many of which were Country mens horses which had beene s [...]aid here the Saterday before, and on these they carryed away our goods; thus that [Page 6] very thing which was intended for our good proved to our hurt in the event, and also to the Countries losse.

Thus have I related some of their cruelties, though but the least part thereof, now also will I speake of their usage of the poore prisoners they tooke. So soone as they tooke any they stript him of his cloathes, especially the upper garments, and then they demand their money of them, and so search their pockets and take it from them, so if they had a good hat on their heads, then one or other of the meaner sort of them, he would change hats with them, and so they have a poore old hat put on their heads: and after they had brought a great many together, they compelled them to goe into the Towne againe, just before their Troopes, and so put them all together into a Stable amongst horses, and tyed their armes with cords one to another, not permitting Wives or Friends to come to them to yeeld them supply of money or victuals, but with much difficulty, and in the same manner they led them away the next day being Tuesday towards Oxford, compelling them to goe all on foote in the dirty waies two by two, as they were bound, because they should goe just before the mouth of their Ordnance, not suffering them to goe the cleanest way.

And when they came to Oxford, they were put into a Tower of the Castle a great height, where they are not allowed any fire or candle, or straw to lye on, but the bare boards and p [...]ankes of the roome, nor any more allowance then one peny and farthing a day, which is a peny in bread, and a farthing kan of Beere, which is halfe beere halfe water, by which meanes many are very ill and diseased, and some have the Bloody-flux; and all that be returned home, they looke very pitifully with suffering such hard [...]ips, and all men that come away, they make them pay some forty, some fifty, some three or foure or five pound, but at the least one and twenty shillings six pence as fees, and compell them to take an Oath, the tenour of which we cannot yet learne; But for Master Franklin, the Scotch Commandes, and one Master Browne, are something better provided for, though not much, we doe feare; for men cannot come to their presence but with much difficultie, and if any doe, not a word must be spoken to Master Franklin out of the Kee­pers hearing: And this is our prisoners condition at this time.

Now for their number, they carryed from Marleborough betweene a 100. and 120. but of these but forty Marleborough men, some of which were poore silly Prentise boyes, some others day-labourers and poore simple men of very meane condition, who neither ever had or handled Armes in their lives, and one among the rest that we thinke was scarce ever worth five shillings, who sate trembling and quaking for feare, poore man, all the time of the fight: And we verily thinke would be ready to sinke downe at the very [...]ight of a drawne sword; others they tooke away prisoners whose houses and goods were consumed by fire, and never in Armes neither.

The rest were Country men, and many of them onely men that came to the Market, some o­thers that came along at their heeles, when they had got the Townes, who came purposely to pilfer and rifle for goods also, some of which we know, but for the towne prisoners we can name them, As,

Master John Franklin, Master Robert Browne, Master Thomas Hunt, The two Scotch Comman­ders and their two men whose names we know not, John Baylyson, Robert and William Briant: two Brothers, William Tarrant, Joseph Blisset, Lewis Crapon, and just 32. more, which we need not name particularly, nor these neither.

But for the number of houses burnt, there was 53. dwelling houses, within which houses did inhabit just 53. severall Families, and the number of persons in them just 105. persons left harbourlesse without house or goods, besides seven Barnes all full of Corne, except one which had Hay in it, and also Stables, Woodpiles, and out-houses that were not taken notice of, nor cast in this number.

And by this occasion of burning these mens houses and the necessity our other poore were brought unto, the Countrey about us sending in their benevolence towards the reliefe of the [Page 7] [...]re among us, there was relieved thereby 600. Families, and neare upon 2000. persons numbe­ [...]n these Families that had need of reliefe.

[...]he generall losse of our Towne amounted to 50000. li. in goods, money, and wares, at the [...] as it is conceived, not accounting the worth of these houses that they burned: what with [...] spoyle they made in mens goods, and in that they carried away, it could rise to little lesse [...] the aforesaid summe.

One thing I have omitted concerning their taking prisoners, that is, that they carried into [...]ord 190. or full 200. prisoners to make their number great as they thought; but as I said be­ [...], they carried scarce 120. out of Marleborough: and of them not making matter who they [...]ke: so as they passe through the Countrey they take up men they cared not whom to make [...] [...]his number, and compelled them to goe along with them prisoners, some from the plough [...] fields, some from their doores as they came to looke forth upon them as they passed by: [...] they pull out of their houses in the Villages where they dwelt, pretending they were [...]und heads, or that they had borne Armes at Marleborough, or else done something or other [...] which they must goe away prisoners. And in all the Villages taking away horses or goods [...] whatsoever liked them, and wheresoever they quartered, not paying one penny for horse­ [...] at or mans meat which they spent, setting their horses into mens Barnes of Corne, and ma­ [...]g litter of some, and their horses eating the rest. So in Marleborough they would make [...]bles of a Linnendrapers and other Tradesmens shops, or in the Parlours and place of mens [...]ellings, fatching away their Ma [...] and Oates and Hay by force, to give their horse, yea, and [...] sell too for little or nothing if they found any Cheapmen: sometimes selling that for two [...]llings sixe pence, which is worth twenty shillings. As to instance in Bibles, they would take [...], either new or old, and sell them for sixe pence or twelve pence a peece.

And for the number of these that came against us was about 7000 horse and foote, all hungry [...]ping Theeves: their chiefe Commanders were these, Commissary Wilm [...], the Lord Grandison, [...] Lord Viscoun [...] Crambai [...]ne, the Lord George Digby (a prime beast) the Lord Wentworth, Sir [...]illiam Peniman, Sir James Peniman, (his brother and Lieutenant Colonell) Colonell Gray, [...]olonell Blake, Colonell Washington, Colonell Vsher, Captaine Leg, and Oneale, &c. and some [...]ve out that Count Mauri [...]e was there, but we knew not this certainely: [...]ome other Comman­ [...]rs there might be among them who came not to our knowledge.

The number of their slaine and wounded men they kept from our sight and knowledge as [...]uch as they could, but they had slain as is conceived above 200 men, many they b [...]ied the next [...]y in the Town, and many they buried in severall places in the fields about the Town, many of [...]hich graves we have since found and seene their dead men in them: some they threw into a ve­ [...] deepe Well three furlongs from the Town, and many they carried away in Carts, some say [...]ure or five loads, and cast in a River in their way: but their owne confession in this is the [...]st testimony, for they say that 27. Commanders fell, and three Cannoneeres were slaine, and a [...]eat many men more they lost: so that it is conceived by the most, that 200. men at the least [...]ere slaine, besides a great many that were wounded; of which wounded men they all or most [...]art died of their wounds, for some were left behind in the Towne, and some carried 3. 4. or 5. [...]iles towards Oxford, and there left; whose wounds seemed to be but light to them that saw [...]em, and yet they proved mortall to them all, and thereof since they are dead. And yet there [...] as neither man, woman or child kild on our side in all this fight, onely two Countrey-men [...]ere kild very cowardly as they were running forth of the Towne when they made no resi­ [...]nce: and one of these did report at a Gentlemans house within two miles of the Towne, that [...] was going to Marleborough and would receive their pay, but intended not to fight for them.

And one remarkeable thing we may not omit, that a certaine Townesman who was a Servant [...] the Lord Seymer, who was shot in the thigh at their first entring into the the Towne, who [Page 8] was a friend of theirs, came out of a house where the Lady [...] was to desire quarter for [...] but they being in a rage, regarding not his words, cryed out, Shoote him, shoot him Rog [...] whereupon he clapping the doore together against them, they shot through the doore and wounded him, who yet lies very ill, not knowing whether he shall recover or no.

Now this same party a little before the first comming of the Lord Digby against the towne, having beene in Wales with his Master or with the Lord Marquesse of Hartford, and with the Kings Army also, he [...]tered this speech, that there was a fearefull blacke cloud comming up­on this towne; and also when the towne was almost taken, he was heard to say, that now the King had begun his harvest.

And of all other men, women or children of the towne not so much as [...]hot.

They had some six or seven great Guns, and a great many shots with them; for we have found 18. or 20. great Bullets that have beene taken up in the towne in severall places, besides many that were shot over and so never found. The weight of these Bullets wee have seene were some 22 pound, some 18. pound, some 15. pound weight, and some we saw of 2. pound, shot as it s [...]eme [...] from some Drake: but of all these sorts we have seene and can shew them; And for the speciall mercies of God to us in the midst of so great calamities, is not to be forgotten by us: For of all those houses or barnes that were burned, not one of the owners that stood in this noble cause, and of many that did shew themselves actors therein, or setters forward thereof, though some ventures and attempts w [...] made in their houses by fire, yet they had their houses preserved.

Another is, that a few, even a very handfull of men should with such undaunted courage and resolution stand to defend a towne against such a great company, and yet not lose a man; for all the men that we had that did fight in all this time, were but 140. men at the utmost: for one Band of men we had under the command of one Captaine Digges, who were in a convenient place both to defend the towne, and to offend the enemy, yet he suffered them not to shoot one shot, but as we have heard, sent by a secret message that he would stand Neuter: And many others there were who played the cowards (besides these) when danger appreached: and the re [...] [...] our men were set to guard at such parts of the Towne where we had no assault at all given.

Another mercy, that in all these great shots against our houses, not ten shillings in harm [...] done thereby: and many others more we could observe: as one in their departure from us, and not Wintering here, as it seemes they had intended, if they had not heard of the approach of some of the Lord Generals Forces, who were comming for our reliefe, and also in regard they had so much plundered the Towne, they thought here would not be support for them.

Thus we have made a rude but true relation, out of which you may collect what you please, and omit what you thinke not convenient to be Printed: And so we leave you.