Lieutenant General Cromwel's LETTER Concerning The Total Routing OF THE SCOTS ARMY, The taking of Four thouſand Arms, and almoſt all their Ammunition.
WITH Another Letter written from Mancheſter to Sir Ralph Aſhton, a Member of the Honorable Houſe of Commons, concerning the ſaid Victory.
ORdered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That theſe Letters be forthwith printed and publiſhed.
London, Printed for Edward Huſband, Printer to the Honorable Houſe of Commons, Auguſt 22. 1648.
I Have ſent you here incloſed a Copy of a Letter, written by Lieutenant General Cromwel from Preſton, to the Committee ſitting at Mancheſter, whereby you may perceive what ſalvation God hath wrought for this poor County, which not above a week ago in the judgement of many, nay of moſt men, was given up for loſt, but God hath made mans extremity to be his opportunity, in ſaving a people deſigned by cruel men to ruine and deſtruction: I ſhall ſay no more of it, becauſe I ſuppoſe you will have full and4 ample Intelligence from other hands, onely I wiſh we may not be too much elevated by ſucceſſes, or too much dejected or caſt down in a low eſtate, but that we may ſo improve both mercies and judgements, that now at laſt through the various changes and chances which have hapned, ſuch uſe may be made of all Diſpenſations and Providences of God, that the Church of England may flouriſh in Doctrine and Diſcipline, and all Intereſts may enjoy their juſt and undoubted Rights in reference to the common good of the Nation, which ſhall be the conſtant prayer of him who deſires to ſubſcribe himſelf,
IT hath pleaſed God this day to ſhew his great power, known by making the Army ſucceſsful againſt the common Enemy: we lay the laſt night at Mr. Sherburns at Stonihurſt, nine miles from Preſton, which was within three miles of the Scots quarters; we advanced betimes next morning towards Preſton, with a deſire to ingage the Enemy, and by that time our Forlorn had ingaged the Enemy, we were about four miles from Preſton: and therupon we advanc'd with the whole Army; and the Enemy being drawn out upon a Moor betwixt us and the Town, the Armies on both ſides ingaged,6 and after a very ſharp Diſpute continuing for three or four hours, it pleaſed God to inable us to give them a Defeat; which I hope we ſhall improve by Gods aſsiſtance, to their utter ruine; and in this ſervice your country-men had not the leaſt ſhare: wee cannot be particular, having not time to take accompt of the ſlain and priſoners; but we can aſſure you we have many priſoners, and thoſe of quality, and many ſlain, and the Army ſo diſſipated, the principal part vvhereof with Duke Hamilton, is on the Southſide Ribble and Darwain-bridge, and we lying with the greateſt part of the Army cloſe to them, nothing hindring the ruine of that part of the Enemies Army but the night; it will be our care that they ſhall not paſs over any Ford7 beneath the bridge to go Northward, or to come betwixt us and VVhalley; we underſtand Col: Gen: Aſhtons are at VVhalley: we have ſeven troops of Horſe and Dragoons that we believe lie at or near Clithero, this night I have ſent Orders expreſly to them to march to VVhalley to joyn to thoſe companies, that ſo we may endeavor the ruine of this Enemy. You perceive by this Letter how things ſtand, that the Enemy is broken, and moſt of their Horſes being gone Northward, and we having ſent a conſiderable party at the very heels 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; and therefore in order to the perfecting of this work, we deſire you to raiſe8 your county, and improve your Forces to the total ruine of that Enemy which way ſoever they go, and that you ſhall accordingly do your part, doubt not of their total ruine. VVe thought fit to ſpeed this to you, to the end you may not be troubled if they ſhall march to you, but improve your intereſt as aforeſaid, that you may give glory to God for his unſpeakable mercy. This is all for preſent from
For the Honorable Committee of Lancaſhire, ſitting at Mancheſter. I deſire the Commander of thoſe Forces to open this Letter, if it come not to their hands.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80923)
Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116781)
Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 73:E460[16])
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