RIGHT HONORABLE,

OUR distractions have bin so many and multiplying so fast upon us by reason of alarums from all parts almost round about us, (and more particularly by the late distempers in our neighbour county of Wiltshire, by Sir Edward Baynton's strange proceedings there, whereof (we hope) by our letter to your lordship, both houses of parliament have ere this received an exact advertisement) that wee could not with such expedition as we intended, present them with a true narrative of the late attempt made upon the town of Cicester, by a strong party of ours and their enemies, with the successe thereof, which was as followeth :

The Lord Marquesse Hartford with his Welch regiments, and Sir John Beaumont with his forces, came up to the town of Stowe le Old in this county, upon Saturday the last of December (as our intelligence informed us) and quartered there, and in the parts adjacent till Tuesday following; from whence they marched to Burford, where it seems his lordship met with but coarse and scanty entertainment for himself and his men and thereupon (as we are told by Mr. John Villiers, one of his captains of a company of dragoons, now our prisoner here) his lordship repaired presently to Oxford to the king, and there advis'd him, that unlesse his majestie might suddenly have contribution and quarter for his army in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (which he affirm'd would never be had, till this town of Ciceter were taken) they could not long subsist. The stores of all places (where they were masters) being neer spent and exhausted; and offered with much confidence to take the town, if he might bee assisted with some horse and dragoons, whereupon as he desired, a commission was granted to him and Prince Rupert,

with two regiments of horse; and one of dragoons, and Prince Maurice with all his horse and dragoons sent to aid him.

In pursuance whereof, his lordship with his army (as some of his own reported) to the number of six thousand horse and foot marcht hither and upon Saturday the seventh of this instant month about noon, drew up his forces almost round about the town, and when they made their first stand, they made a pause for above two hours in which time they only sent scouts to view our guards, and then summoned those in the town, by a trumpet, in the name of the Marquesse Hartford lord generall of those forces to deliver up the town and their arms to his Excellence upon promise of his majestie's free pardon for all by-gone offences, with assurance of safety to their persons and estates, which if it were refused, no mercie might be expected; before the first was dispatch't, a second came in the name of Prince Rupert, with the same message in effect, adding only, that they came to vindicate and maintain the king's rights and prerogative: the answer returned to both was the same, and in substance thus: We do heartily acknowledge and professe ourselves to be his majestie's loyall and faithfull subjects, and shall be ever as ready with our lives and fortunes to maintain his just right and prerogatives as they were, or the best of his majestie's subjects; and as we are so we ought likewise to enjoy his majestie's peace and the just rights and liberties of the subjects of England, according to the laws of the land: in defence whereof, and the true protestant religion only, we stand to our arms, and are resolved, with God's assistance, to defend them with our estates and lives: this answer being returned, the enemy kept their stand on all sides, until it began to grow dark; and then it pleased God of his meer mercie so to discourage their bad resolutions and intentions, that they all retreated to their night quarters, in the villages round about the town, where they soon eat up all provision of victuall, and consumed and made great waste of hay and corn: the next morning

they only shewed themselves again to the town, and so departed without making one shot at it: the lord generall, with his Welchmen, went to Burford, Prince Maurice with his to Torrington: they took with them all the horses they could lay hands on in all places where they past, threatning a sudden return to this town with increase of force, and with as much fury and revenge, as they could send to it with the best canon they could bring, and now having made your lordship a true relation of their attempt and design against this town, which we humbly desire may likewise be imparted to both Houses, we cannot but inform your lordship, that we credibly hear, (upon Prince Rupert's return to Oxford) some of their best ordinance were mounted the next day, and great forces preparing to make a sudden onset upon this town; the losse whereof, with the men and arms now in it, (as the lord marquesse hath well observed) will at least prove the ruine of the whole county, which we shall not be able longer to defend without better assistance from the parliament forces, whereof, as yet, we have not had there above two hundred and fifty horse and foot, wherefore we hope, and humbly intreat your lordship, that by good mediation for us, his excellencie the Earl of Essex may be directed by order of both Houses to send a considerable strength of horse to remain in this countie, for defence thereof till further order, whereby you will adde much to your former honorable favour, which already obliged us to be ever

Your lordship's humble Servants.

FINIS.

A

PARTICULAR RELATION

OF

THE ACTION BEFORE

CYRENCESTER

(OR

CYCESTER) IN GLOCESTERSHIRE.

TAKEN IN ON CANDLEMAS DAY, 1642,

BY

PART OF HIS MAJESTIE'S ARMY

UNDER THE CONDUCT OF

HIS HIGHNESSE PRINCE RVPERT,

PRINCE PALatine of the rhine, DUKE OF BAVARIA, &c. AND GENERALL OF
HIS MAJESTIE'S CAVALLERY IN THIS PRESENT EXPEDITION.

Written by an Eye-witnesse.

PRINTED IN THE YEARE,
1642.