LETTER LXIII.

For the Honourable Committee of Lancashire sitting at Manchester.

(I desire the Commander of the Forces there to open this Letter if it come not to their hands.)

GENTLEMEN,

'Preston,' 17th August, 1648.

It hath pleased God, this day, to shew His great power by making the Army successful against the common Enemy.

We lay last night at Mr. Sherburn's of Stonyhurst, nine miles from Preston, which was within three miles of the Scots quarters. We advanced betimes next morning towards Preston, with a desire to engage the Enemy; and by that time our Forlorn had engaged the Enemy, we were about four miles from Preston, and thereupon we advanced with the whole Army: and the Enemy being drawn out on a Moor betwixt us and the Town, the Armies on both sides engaged; and after a very sharp dispute, continuing for three or four hours, it pleased God to enable us to give them a defeat; which I hope we shall improve, by God's assistance, to their utter ruin and in this service your countrymen have not the least1 share.

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We cannot be particular, having not time to take account of the slain and prisoners; but we can assure you we have many prisoners, and many of those of quality; and many slain; and the Army so dissipated

as I say.' The principal part whereof, with Duke Hamilton, is on south side Ribble and Darwen Bridge, and we lying with the greatest part of the Army close to them; nothing hindering the ruin of that part of the Enemy's Army but the night. It shall be our care that they shall not pass over any ford beneath the Bridge,1 to go Northward, or to come betwixt us and Whalley..

We understand Colonel - General Ashton's are at Whalley; we have seven troops of horse or dragoons that we believe lie at Clitheroe. This night I have sent order to them expressly to march to Whalley, to join to those companies; that so we may endeavour the ruin of this Enemy. You perceive by this Letter how things stand. By this means the Enemy is broken: and most of their Horse having gone Northwards, and we having sent a considerable party at the very heel of them; and the Enemy having lost almost all his ammunition, and near four-thousand arms, so that the greatest part of the Foot are naked; -- therefore, in order to perfecting this work, we desire you to raise your County; and to improve your forces to the total ruin of that Enemy, which way soever they go; and if2 you shall accordingly do your part, doubt not of their total ruin.

We thought fit to speed this to you; to the end you may not be troubled if they shall march towards you, but improve your interest as aforesaid, that you may give

'There is such a ford, rideable if tide and rain permit.

2 that' in the Original.-The punctuation and grammar of these sentences might have been improved; but their breathless impetuosity, directness, sincere singleness of purpose, intent on the despatch of business only, would have been obscured in the process.

glory to God for this unspeakable mercy. This is all at present from,

Your very

humble servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

Commons Journals, Monday, 21° Augusti, 1648: The Copy

' of a Letter from Lieutenant-General Cromwell, from Preston, of 17° Augusti, 1648, to the Committee of Lancashire sitting ' at Manchester, enclosed in a Letter from a Member of this 'House from Manchester, of 19° Augusti, 1648, were this day read. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee at 'Derby House to send away a copy of Lieutenant-General 'Cromwell's Letter to the General' Fairfax, and to the Lord 'Admiral' Warwick, to encourage them in their part of the work. The enclosing Letter from the Member of this House at Manchester,' short and insignificant, about dispensations,' providences,' &c. is also given in the old Pamphlets, and in this Chetham Book now before us. He signs himself W. L.;' probably William Langton, the new Member for Preston.

LETTER LXIV.

CROMWELL, on this Thursday Night, does not yet know all the havoc he has made. Listen to stout Sir James from the other side; and pity poor men embarked in a hollow Cause, with a Duke of Hamilton for General!

Beside Preston in Lancashire,' says the stout Knight,

*Lancashire during the Civil War (a Collection of Tracts republished by the Chetham Society, Manchester, 1844), p. 257. The Letter is in many old Pamphlets of the time. Langdale's Letter is also given in this Chetham Book, p. 267.

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'Cromwell falls on Sir Marmaduke's flank. The English' of Sir Marmaduke 'imagined it was one Colonel Ashton, a power'ful Presbyterian, who had got together 3,000 men to oppose 'us, because we came out of Scotland without the General Assembly's permission. Mark the quarrel. While Sir Mar'maduke disputes the matter, Baillie, by the Duke's order, 'marches to Ribble Bridge, and passes it with all the foot ex'cept two brigades.' Never dreaming that Cromwell is upon. us! This was two miles from Preston. By my Lord Duke's ' command, I had sent some ammunition and commanded-men to Sir Marmaduke's assistance: but to no purpose; for Cromwell prevailed; so that our English first retired, and then fled. It must be remembered that, the night before this sad encounter, Earl Calendar and Middleton were gone to Wigan, eight miles from thence, with a considerable part ' of the cavalry. Calendar was come back, and was with the Duke,' while the action took place; and so was I: but 6 upon the rout of Sir Marmaduke's people, Calendar got away 'to Ribble, where he arrived safely by a miracle, as I think; ' for the Enemy was between the Bridge and us, and had killed or taken most part of our two brigades of foot,' which was all that Baillie had left here.

'The Duke with his guard of horse, Sir Marmaduke with many officers, among others myself, got into Preston Town; ' with intention to pass a ford below it, though at that time ' not rideable. At the entry of the Town, the enemy pursued 'us hard. The Duke faced about, and put two troops of them 'to a retreat; but so soon as we turned from them, they again turned upon us. The Duke facing the second time, charged them, which succeeded well. Being pursued the third time, 'my Lord Duke cried To charge once more for King Charles! 'One trooper refusing, he beat him with his sword. At that charge we put the enemy so far behind us, that he could not

so soon overtake us again. Then Sir Marmaduke and I en⚫ treated the Duke to hasten to his Army :—and truly here he 'shewed as much personal valour as any man could be capable 'of. We swam the Ribble River; and so got to the place ' where Lieutenant-General Baillie had advantageously lodged 'the foot, on the top of a Hill, among very fencible enclosures. After Calendar came to the infantry, he had sent 600 ⚫ musketeers to defend Ribble Bridge. Very unadvisedly; for • the way Cromwell had to it was a descent from a hill that 'commanded all the champaign; which was about an English C quarter of a mile in length between the Bridge and that Hill 'where our foot were lodged. So that our musketeers, having < no shelter, were forced to receive all the musket-shot of Crom'well's infantry, which was secure within thick hedges; and after the loss of many men, were forced to run back to our foot. Here Claud Hamilton, the Duke's Lieutenant-Colonel, 6 had his arm broke with a musket-bullet.

"The Bridge of Ribble being lost, the Duke called all the 'Colonels together on horseback to advise what was next tỏ be done. We had no choice but one of two: Either stay, ⚫ and maintain our ground till Middleton (who was sent for) 'came back with his cavalry; Or else march away that night, ' and find him out. Calendar would needs speak first; whereas by the custom of war he should have told his opinion last,— ' and it was, To march away that night so soon as it was dark. This was seconded by all the rest, except by Lieutenant-Ge'neral Baillie and myself. But all the arguments we used,

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as the impossibility of a safe retreat, from an enemy so 'powerful of horse; in so very foul weather, and extremely deep ways; our soldiers exceedingly wet, weary, and hungry; the inevitable loss of all our ammunition,- could not move 'my Lord Duke by his authority to contradict the shameful ⚫ resolution taken by the major part of his officers.