A Full RELATON OF THE Taking of Bath by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAXES Forces on Wedneſday the 30th. of July, 1645. With the manner of the ſame, and the Ar•icles by which it was Surrendred.
And how Colonell Rich Hath Taken:
Alſo Sixe Peece of Ordnance taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax, that the Enemie had hid, 4000. weight of Match alſo taken, and 44. Barrells of Powder.
Printed, and publiſhed according to Order.
LONDON, Printed by Barnard Alſop, and Jane Coe. 1645.
AS I gave you an account of the taking of Bridgwater, ſo God multiplying his mercies upon us, we having taken in Bath alſo; I ſhall briefly give you an account thereof: only I cannot omit ſomething yet behind of Bridgwater, for we have found ſix peeces of Ordnance which the enemy had hid, and there is left beſides what was deſtroyed by the fier, 44. barrels of gunpowder, and 4000 weight of match.
On Satterday laſt, Sir Thomas Fairfax marched out of Bridgwater, Lievtenant Generall Crumwell hath been ill, but God be thanked mends, that night we marched to Marſtock about nine miles on the way to Sherburn, where we quartered that night and Sunday night.
2On the Lords day wee heard that Rupert had beene himſelfe in perſon (the day before) at Bath with Sir Tho. Bridges, to encourage him to keep it againſt us, promiſing him reliefe in caſe he ſhould be beſieged.
On Munday the 28. of July, 1645. the Generall marched to Sherborne, about fourteen miles from Martock: Major Generall Maſſie was left further weſt: And the ſame day, viz. Munday, about 60 horſe, (moſt Welch) came from Prince Rupert to ſtrengthen Bath; and other Officers with them to governe the Towne, becauſe that P. Rupert had found, when hee was there two dayes before, that Sr. Thomas Bridges was quite out of heart to keep it: for the very name of Sir Thomas Fairfax ſtrikes a terrour to the enemy. But when they were come into Bath, the Towne cryed out as one man, all againſt the Welch: No Welch, no Welch: Neither did Sir Thomas Bridges take it well, that he ſhould bee diſplaced, and another put in; which cauſed a great diviſion in the Towne, that the Officers and Horſe would not ſtay to diſpute it: yet nevertheleſſe ſome Welch ſtayed in the Towne, which did much diſpleaſe both the Governour, the Officers, the Townſmen; yea and the Garriſon ſouldiers alſo.
On Tueſday the Generall ſent 2. Regiments of horſe and two Troops of Dragoons, under the Command of Colenell Rich, to view and give account of the condition of the Garriſon of Bath, then held by Sir T. Bridges for the King. The Army removed to Wells.
Col. Pickering is with a party before Sherborn, a neſt of moſt miſchevous vermine, under whom the countrey hath much ſuffered, and by whom before we came thither ſome of our owne meſſengers have been taken, and our letters intercepted, & the countrey do wholly complain againſt them for very great plunderers, and barbarous neighbours.
3We made on towards Bath, having no foot at all with us, onely the aforeſaid two Regiments of horſe, and 2. Companies of Dragoons and about an hour before ſunſet, the South ſide was cloſe beſet, the Dragoones lay about Holliwell, and we kept them on the South, and on the weſt parts of the towne; But the north part of the towne lay open, for we came not to block them up, nor had we forces to do it then preſent there: The Enemie might have gone away on the North part of the towne, in deſpight of all that we could do to hinder them, but God did ſo infatuate them, that they had not power, as in our former victories, ſo particularly in this taking of Bath, the hand of God was much ſeene for us.
About Sun ſet we gained Holliwell; and placed our Dragoones within halfe Piſtoll ſhot of the Gate on the Bridge at Bath, where there was ſome skirmiſhing, and the Dragoones behaved themſelves very gallantly, In the Night the Enemie within took ſeveral Alarmes; and were in great fear of, us I conceive they knew not our ſtrength, onely before had ſome intelligence of the advance of our Armie.
On this preſent Wedneſday morning the Enemie heard of a party from Malſbury, on the North ſide of them, but they were not Conſiderable, but they were ſtrucke with ſuch a fear that Sir Tho. Bridges ſent a Meſſenger very early forth of Bath to us, to deſire a parly, which we wondred at, ſo we preſently held a parly with them, and by Sun riſing had the Garriſon of Bath delivered up to us, upon very good Conditions,
All which was done; and we were poſſeſt of the Garriſon by beak of the day; And truly you may think it a ſtrange thing for horſe to take a Town, and no foot within 15 miles of it, but you may ſee how God infatuates men, and poſſeſſeth them with a feare, that deprives them of wiſdome and courage.
Farly Caſtle (Sir Edward Hungerfords houſe) is alſo beſieged, and the whole Army is every where full of action; and generally goe on exceeding cheerfully: notwithſtanding much hard duties, and conſtant ſervice.
Briſtoll is in the ſame condition, you would hardly beleeve the feares they are in there, Rupert went out thence yeſterday, and the town and ſouldiers in a great perplexity; the King hath been long expected there, but we heare he ſtayes ſtill at Cardiffe Caſtle? whether Rupert be returned back againe to Briſtoll, we doe yet heare; but the plague doth certainly abate in that City.
Goring is ſtill in in his old quarters about Okehampton5 and confidently expects Greenvils and Hoptons recrutes, and the preſt men to be 7000 horſe and foot,
The Corniſh it is beleeved will doe him little good out of their own County, and the forced Clubmen as little as they.
Some VVelch landed on Munday laſt at Poſets point, that came from VVales; but I hope care will be taken for the guarding of the Seas, eſpecially that River, which may ſo be kept, that no boat can paſſe (without difficulty:) neither in nor out.
VVe ſhall ſuddenly have our recrutes, and what elſe we ſtay for; and then we ſhall on in our deſigne. In the mean time you ſee how induſtrious our Generall is to looſe no time, whilſt he is neceſsitated to ſtay; and I hope God will goe on to bleſſe Colonell Pickering againſt Sherburn, as he hath us; in the taking of this Garriſon of Bath: which make a good account of our ſervice in this vacaſie.
Yet in all this we look up to God, who is the Lord of Hoaſts; by whoſe power we have done thoſe things wherein he hath ſo bleſſed us; and therefore to him be given the praiſe of all his power, and goodneſſe.
Baththe 30 of Iuly, 1645.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A84996)
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