Good and true Newes FROM REDDING, BEING An exact Relation of the proceedings of his Excellence the Earl of ESSEX, ſince he advanced from Windſore, the true eſtate of the Siege, what number of men ſlain, what Workes his Excellency hath gained from the Enemy, in what poſſibility he is of taking the town, faithfully related.
With a true Relation of the acceſſe of Forces to the Lord Generall, ſince his going before Redding.
Printed at the deſires of many, to un-deceive the People, from the lying reports raiſed by Malignants.
LONDON Printed for J. G. to be ſold at the Galley in Corn-hill. 1643.
WE have now at laſt quitted our old Quarters, and hope to give the world notice, it was reaſon and judgement that kept us ſo long at Windſore, and not cowardice, or ill will to the Cauſe; and though perhaps ſome Officers have been fauity (as what Army is free) yet as true it is, that thoſe failings have been preſented through the multiplying glaſſe of envy, jealouſie and feare, and you may well believe there hath been a ſtrong malignant influence fomenting and imbittering theſe jealouſies and repinings which you have been too much guilty of: our enemies know well, if they can but make us ſuſpect our friends, they have laid a good ground for diviſion, and you know the Proverb, Divide and raigne. But I know it is Newes, not Counſell you expect from a Leaguer: wherefore I ſhall ſatisfie you of the true ſtate of our Army here. VVhen my Lord Generall removed from Windſore, it was generally given out we were to go for Oxford, which we believed; becauſe my Lord in his march ſeemed to paſſe by Redding, which, it ſeems he did to buſie their heads in taking care to provide for Oxford, that ſo Redding being neglected, he might take them leſſe provided for a ſiege, which fell out accordingly: for my Lord ſuddenly wheeling about came before Redding, he ſummoned the towne for the King and Parliament, but Aston the Governour (a Papiſt, and one that is guilty of divers murders) anſwered very reſolutely, He would keep the town or ſtarve in it, my Lord ſent to them to have the women and children let out, which he refuſed, my Lord ſeeing that the town muſt be caried by the Gun & Spade, and not by words, went that way to work, and is very like to ſpeed.
4The Town is very ſtrongly fortefied, many out-workes, commanded by ſome main Bulwarkes, more inward, the Garriſon 3000. or more, beſides the Towneſmen, there are neare 22. pieces of Ordnance, to tell you the particular Quarters of each Regiment were uſeleſſe to you, being you know not the Town, onely in generall thus, my Lord incampt on the Weſt ſide of the Town, between Redding and Oxford, the better to hinder any aid that ſhould come from thence to the town, he alſo tooke care to ſecure the River, that no reliefe ſhould come that way, then fell wee preſently to worke with the Spade, to intrench our Quarters, which worke was carried on with more facillity and ſpeed then could be expected, the ſouldiers (herein right ſouldiers) (being willing to fight with the Spade as well as the Sword) ſucceſsively relieving one another, Night and Day, the next worke was to view the ground, for to make our approaches, to which purpoſe eight went out, of which number the alworthy Major SKIPPON was one the Enemy perceiving our intention, laboured by their ſhot, and by ſetting ſome Barns on fire, that by the4 ſmoake that ſo they might hinder them but yet they did their worke, and God kept them ſafe, onely one a mean Officer received a ſhot. Sergeant Major being returned, wee began to make our approaches, eſpecially towards a hill called Cauſam-hill, which the Enemy had fortified, being it commands the Town, by our aproaches we have gained moſt part of the hill, and driven the Enemy to his more inward workes, on this hill wee have raiſed ſome Batteries, that do much annoy the Enemy, we draw on our work amain, to the Enemies remaining ſtrengths, and have brought them in ſome places within halfe Muſket ſhot, in deſpight of the Enemies Musket or Cannon, which you may thinke have not been idle, ſo that we hope to gain it in a ſhort time, though the Enemy have many Workes one within another, they had planted ſome Ordnance in a Steeple, but we have made them ſeek their Ordnance in the ruines of the Steeple, the like we have done to ſome of their chiefe ſtrengths, for our Cannon has not reſted, ſome ſlight ſallies they have made out of the town, but have been beaten in with loſſe, our men are very forward,5 and would carry the town by an aſſault, but our prudent Generall had rather looſe a little time to gain it, then looſe ſo much good blood, wee hope to carry it in 3. or foure dayes; if not we believe my Lord Generall will advance towards Oxford, and leave Major Generall with part of his Forces to take in this Town, our Workes beeing by this time finiſht, our ſouldiers have won ſome out workes, which they have left, as being no way uſefull to them, what ever lying reports ye have in London, this is the truth, wee have not loſt above Fifteene men by the Enemy, and tenne or twelve ſlain and maimed by a Barrell of Powder that was ſet on fire by a miſchance, the Country comes in exceedingly, you may do well to ſend as many of your Forces as you can ſpare, to ſurprize thoſe Raſcals, while my Lord goeth to Oxford, you muſt not expect long Letters from a Leaguer, but I have been the longer, to contradict thoſe falſe lies that wee heare are among you, you ſhall heare from me by the next, farewell.
From the Leaguer before ReddingAprill 17.
SIr, I am glad you received my laſt, I wonder your malignants are ſo ſilly to chuſe this place for the ſcene of their lies, where they may be ſo eaſily diſproved, but cuſtom hath hardned them in lying, and made them ſhameleſſe, believe it Sir there hath not been 20. men kild by the Enemy ſince we lay before this Town, we have now gained Cauſam-hill, have beate the enemy from the Church in the bottome, and are now maſters of that part of the town on this ſide the Bridge, and hope to maſter the reſt ſhortly, on munday the Governour Aſton offered to render the town, if he might march away with Bag, and Baggage, it was anſwered that we came for the men, not for the Town, it is ſince reported they would yeeld the town upon quarter, and leave to paſſe to his Majeſty without their Arms, which is ſaid is denied, becauſe they refuſed quarter before, there are 7. broken Regiments in the town, in all about 3000. men, wee hope by this Siege to ingage them to a Battell, of which there is ſome probability, for the King drawes his forces together, and the Parliament do the like, Prince Rupert they ſay, and Haſtings are come to Oxford, but tis certain they were at Litchfield the 16. of this moneth, the Lord Grey is joyned with his Excellency, and hath brought 7000. Horſe and Foot, the Garriſon and country Voluntiers with Colonell Goodwin are about 5000. 3. or 4000. voluntiers are come in to my Lord Generall, out of the adjacent Counties, ſo that it is all the Campe talke, that if the Cavaliers come not out of Oxford to meet us here, that wee ſhall ſpeedily find them at Oxford, except they run for it, for we hope to play them ſuch loud Muſicke with our Campe Organs, as ſhall make their beſt Bulwarks quake, we expect to meet Sir William Waller at Oxford with 8000. men, be confident in a weekes time you ſhall ſee the ſcales turne: if wee remove from Redding. Sergeant Major Skippon ſhall be left to continue this Siege, with ſufficient ſtrength. I pray God teach our hearts to pray, and our ſingers to fight.
Vale.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A85340)
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