A true Relation OF The Battell at Acton on Saturday laſt.
ON Friday laſt there was a Rumour of Peace blazed abroad in the City, which was only upon policie to come on unawares, which wee are all ſubject to believe, which cauſes our own Ruine; for we believed that Rumour which made us be unprovided of Men and Arms; ſo they had the advantage of us at the beginning.
On Saturday they came on our men, who were unprovided both of Powder and Bullets; but the Lord that is the chief fighter, I hope on our ſide will ſtill defend us: For, Colonell Hollis with his Regiment did hold them play till the other Forces came in, which did behave themſelves very couragiouſly.
Alſo, Captain Manwaring did with his Troop of Horſe behave himſelf bravely, for he ſtood4 cloſe to it, not being daunted at any thing; for the Lord was their incourager, and brought them on, and brought them off.
It was almoſt four of the clock in the afternoon before the Earl of Eſſex came to them with his Forces; but when he came, the Lord fought with them, for they were wonderfull couragious in the Battel, for they flew on like Tygers, both with Muſquet, Pike and Sword, till they could ſee no longer; therefore they were forced to leave off for that night; There were about Seven hundred Cavaliers ſlain, with the loſſe of about One hundred and fifty on our ſide.
On Sunday morning about ſix of the clock a break of day, they began to fight fiercely on both ſides, but our men came on couragiouſly; the Noble and valorous Earl of Eſſex did play his part very bravely, incouraging his Souldiers to be valorous, knowing whoſe cauſe it is, for God, King and Country.
Colonell Hollis hath ſtood very bravely to it, both on Saturday and Sunday, with an undaunted ſpirit.
Colonell Hampden hath likewiſe been very forward in this Battell, the Lord be praiſed that hee continues ſo conſtant, and true hearted for the defence of the Goſpell, they going out with full reſolution to live rnd die in the defence of it, for which we are all bound to pray to the Lord to continue amongſt us. but the Lord is angry5 for our too much neglecting of him and his word, this Land abounds wonderfully in ſinne, and we muſt expect a puniſhment: ſo the Lord begins to puniſh very ſharply, let us all joyn in prayer to other heavier aflictions, and not to make us like unto Germany, we all know that was the flouriſhingſt Lingdom in all Chriſtendome; but the Lord ſent firſt the Sword that devoured many a thouſand, then came the peſtilence, that ſwept away many, then came famine, ſo theſe three together hath made it a depolliſhed Countrey; it is credibly reported that a man may travell a hundred miles and not ſee a Town, nor mnat man woman nor child: the firſt is begun here, but let us all humbly and joyntly together few unto the Lord that he will keep the others from us which we may dayly expect continuing in our ſinne and wickedneſſe; let us now doe as we are bound in duty to do, ſeek to amend nur lives and converſations, and become new creatures, and deſire every one of us to be he or ſhe that may ſtand in the gape to appeaſe the juſt Wrath of the Lord who is the knower of all things before they come to paſſe, and deſire him to unite us all in one, that we may be all of one Church, and of one Reſolution, and that we may not ſtand in oppoſition one againſt another, the father to fight againſt the child, and the child againſt the father, and brother againſt brother, which cauſeth ſo many dead corps to lye on the6 ground as now doth, to the great terror and affrightment of all the beholders, it is a griefe to all to ſee or heare of it, the father and mother grieve for their ſons, the ſons and daughters grieve for their fathers, the wife grieves for the husband, brother grieves for brother, ſo all are weeping and lamenting, none can rejoyce for all ſinart, from the higheſt to the loweſt all are aflicted, but the Lord I hope will in convenient time, bring a period to it.
It is credibly reported by thoſe that were eyewitneſſes, that there lyes heaps of dead men in multitudes.
This was brought from thence on Sunday at three of the clock in the afternoone, and then there were ſlain the Lieutenant Colonell under Colonell Hollis, and one Captain Puſh, theſe are all of noat, three or four more were wounded; but what Souldiers of each ſide were ſlain is not yet juſtly known for Sundayes ſight.
On Sarurday laſt at Miles-end-Green, about three of the clock were taken the Earl of Middleſex, the Lord of Dorſets ſon, and Sir Kellam Digby, who had been in Kent to raiſe forces againſt the Parliament, and in other parts to raiſe more, but the Lord hath ſtopped his journey and hindred his intentions, for in ſtead of going with an Army of men againſt the Parliament, he was with the reſt guarded with Armed men to the Parliament, there to ſuffer according to their7 treachery, a juſt reward to ſuch Delinquents, they were committed to cuſtody till they could be examined.
On Saturday night laſt at 11 of the clock, two Captains went poſt into Eſſex to raiſe men which was quickly done, for there were 500 came into town on Sunday morning about nine of the clock. with undaunted reſolution to march away with the Noble Earl of Warwick, which is Lord Generall of theſe forces for the defence of the King and Parliament, and for the defence of the true Proteſtant Religion, vowing to live and die with the two Noble and Couragious Generalls, which are the two Loadſtones of the Kingdom.
On Saturday the 12. of November, Prince Robert uſing the advantage of the Miſt, which was that morning extreamly thick, brought up his Forces to Brainford, where he was moſt valiantly oppoſed by my Lord Roberts Regiment on the Bridge, who beat them off, and with great reſolution maintained the Bridge till they had ſpent all their powder and ſhot, at which time it pleaſed God that Colonell Hampden and Colonell Hollis Regiments came in, who very manfully ſet upon them, and ſlew many of them, with the loſſe of a very few on our ſide.
On Sunday the 13. of November no feat of War was done, onely there came up two ſmall Ships to Branford, who hearing the Cavaliers8 were there, ſhot at them, who were anſwered again by the Cavaliers.
This day alſo the City ſent 89 Carts and Wigons laden with all manner of proviſion, unto the Army.
There were taken priſoners alſo, two of His Majeſties Guard, whereof one was ſhot in the leg.