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 OLIVER CROMWELL.

faithful servant,

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 TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THAT CAMBRIDGE ONE.

[Vol. i. p. 160.]

'To Sir Samuel Luke' (Member for Bedford, leading Committee-man, &c.) : 'These.'

NOBLE SIR,

[No date of Place] 8 March 1643. I beseech you cause Three-hundred Foot, under a Captain, to march to Buckingham upon Monday morning, there to quarter with Four-hundred Foot of Northampton, which Mr. Crew sends thither upon Monday next. There will be the Major-General Crawford' to command them. I am going for a Thousand Foot more at least to be sent from Cam

Original in the possession of Dawson Turner, Esq., Great Yarmouth; printed in Papers of Norfolk Archæological Society (Norwich, Jan. 1848), PP. 45-50.

bridge and out of the Associations. If any man be come to you from Cambridge, I beseech you send him to me to Bedford with all speed; let him stay for me at the Swan. Sir, I am your humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.

Present my humble service to Colonel Aylife, and tell him he promised me his coat of mail.*

No. 7.

Two LETTERS: ACTION AT ISLIP-BRIDGE AND BLETCHINGDITTO AT BAMPTON-IN-THE-BUSH.

TON.

[Vol. i. pp. 180, 182.]

1. 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 last; where I stayed somewhat long for the coming-up of the Body of Horse, which your Honour was pleased to give me the command of. After the coming whereof, I marched with all expedition to Wheatley-Bridge; having sent before to MajorGeneral Browne, for what intelligence he could afford me of the state of affairs in Oxford (I being not so well acquainted in those parts),—of the condition, and number, of the Enemy in Oxford. Who himself informed me by letters, That Prince Maurice his forces were not in Oxford, as I supposed; and that,as he was informed by four very honest and faithful Gentlemen that came out of Oxford to him a little before the receipt of my letter, there were Twelve pieces of Ordnance with their carriages and wagons, ready for their march; and in another place Five more pieces with their carriages, ready to advance with their Convoy.

After I received this satisfaction from Major-General * Ellis, Original Letters illustrative of English History (London, 1846), iv. 225.

Browne, I advanced this morning, - being Thursday the twenty-fourth of April,- -near to Oxford. There I lay before the Enemy; who perceiving it at Oxford, and being in readiness to advance, sent out a party of Horse against me: part of the Queen's Regiment, part of the Earl of Northampton's Regiment, and part of the Lord Wilmot's Regiment;—who made an infall upon me.

Whereupon I drew forth your Honour's Regiment,—lately mine own, against the Enemy (who had drawn themselves into several Squadrons, to be ready for action);-and commanded your Honour's own Troop therein, to charge a Squadron of the Enemy. Who performed it so gallantly that, after a short firing, they entered the whole Squadron, and put them to a confusion. And the rest of my Horse presently entering after them, they made a total rout of the Enemy; and had the chase of them three or four miles;—and killed Two-hundred ; took as many prisoners, and about Four-hundred Horses. 'Also' the Queen's colours, richly embroidered, with the Crown in the midst, and eighteen flower-de-luces wrought all about in gold, with a golden cross on the top.-Many escaped to Oxford, and divers were drowned.

Part of them likewise betook themselves to a strong House in Bletchington; where Colonel Windebank kept a Garrison, with near Two-hundred horse and foot therein. Which, after surrounding it, I summoned :—but they seemed very dilatory in their answer. At last, they sent out Articles to me of Surrender,—which I have sent your Honour enclosed :1—and after a large treaty thereupon, the Surrender was agreed upon between us. They left behind them between Two and Three hundred muskets, Seventy horses; besides other arms and ammunition. I humbly rest, your honour's humble servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

2. A few months since, in 1868, there has incidentally turned up, among the Manuscripts of the House of Lords, and been reawakened into daylight and publicity, from its dark sleep of 223 years, the 'contemporaneous Copy' of a Letter by Oliver himself; which curiously adjusts itself to its old combination here, completely elucidating for us those small Bletchington-Bampton transactions; and is of itself otherwise worth reading. It is of date the day before that Farringdon Affair.

1 Given in Rushworth, vi. 24.

* King's Pamphlets, small 4to, no. 203, § 7.

To the Right Honourable the Committee of Both Kingdoms, at Derby House.

MY LORDS AND Gentlemen,

'Farringdon,' April 28th, 1645.

Since my last it has pleased God to bless me with more success in your service. In pursuance of your commands I marched from Bletchington to Middleton Stonies, and from thence towards Witney, as privately as I could, believing that to be a good place for interposing between the King and the West, whether he intended Goring and Grenville, or the two Princes.

In my march I was informed of a body of foot which were marching towards Farringdon; which indeed were a commanded party of three hundred, which came a day before from Farringdon, under Colonel Richard Vaughan, to strengthen Woodstock against me, and were now returning.

I understood they were not above three-hours march before me. I sent after them. My forlorn overtook them as they had gotten into enclosures not far from Bampton Bush, and skirmished with them. They killed some of my horses, mine killed and got some of them; but they recovered the town ('Bampton, i.e.') before my body came up, and my forlorn not being strong enough was not able to do more than they did. The Enemy presently barricaded-up the town, got a pretty strong house: my body coming up about eleven in the night, I sent them a summons. They slighted it. I put myself in a posture that they should not escape me, hoping to deal with them in the morning. My men charged them up to their barricades in the night; but truly they were of so good resolution that we could not force them from it; and indeed they killed some of my horses, and I was forced to wait until the morning besides they had got a pass over a brook. In the night they strengthened themselves as well as they could in the storehouse. In the morning I sent a drum to them; but their answer was, they would not quit except they might march out upon honourable terms. The terms I offered were, to submit all to mercy. They refused with anger. I insisted upon them, and prepared to storm. I sent them word to desire them to deliver out the gentleman and his family; which they did; for they must expect extremity, if they put me to a

:

1045.

TO COMMITTEE OF BOTH KINGDOMS.

175

storm. After some time spent, all was yielded to mercy. Arms I took, muskets near 200, besides other arms, about two barrels of powder, soldiers and officers near 200. Nine score besides officers, the rest being scattered and killed before. The chief prisoners were Colonel Sir Richard Vaughan, LieutenantColonel Littleton, and Major Lee, two or three Captains, and other Officers.

As I was upon my march, I heard of some horse of the Enemy which crossed me towards Evesham. I sent Colonel Fiennes after them; whom God so blessed that he took about thirty prisoners, 100 horse, and three horse colours. Truly his diligence was great; and this I must testify, that I find no man more ready to all services than himself. I would not say so, if I did not find it: if his men were at all considered, I should hope you might expect very real service from them. I speak this the rather because I find him a gentleman of that fidelity to you, and so conscientious, that he would all his troop were as religious and civil as any, and makes it a great part of his care to get them so.

In this march my men also got one of the Queen's troopers, and of them and others about 100 horses. This morning Colonel John Fiennes sent me in the gentleman that waits upon the Lord Digby in his chamber, who was going to General Goring about exchange of a prisoner. He tells me the King's forces were drawn out the last night to come to relieve Sir Richard Vaughan, and Legge commanded them; they were about 700 horse and 500 foot; but I believe they are gone back. He saith many of the horse were volunteer gentlemen; for I believe I have left him few others here.

I looked upon his letters, and found them directed to Marlborough. He tells me Goring is about the Devizes. I asked him what farther orders he had to him. He tells me he was

only to bid him follow former orders. I pressed him to know what they were; and all that I could get was, that it was to hasten with all he had up to the King to Oxford. He saith he has about 3000 horse and 1000 foot; that he is discontented that Prince Rupert commanded away his foot.

I am now quartered up to Farringdon. I shall have an eye towards him. I have that which was my regiment, and a part of Colonel Sydney's five troops 'that' were re-created, and a part of Colonel Vermuyden's, and five troops of Colonel